Montana, its story and biography; a history of aboriginal and territorial Montana and three decades of statehood, Volume II, Part 72

Author: Stout, Tom, 1879- ed
Publication date: 1921
Publisher: Chicago, American Historical Society
Number of Pages: 1126

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Chastil Fichehu

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Mary, who married a Mr. Charter and lives at St. Paul, Minnesota.

Henry C. Crippen attended the public schools of Minnesota, and was graduated from the Mankato State Normal School of Mankato, Minnesota, in 1893, following which he engaged in teaching school, and was a superintendent of schools in his native state for six years. He then became a student of the legal department of the University of North Dakota at Grand Forks, and was graduated there- from in 1901, with the degree of Doctor of Law. During that same year Mr. Crippen came to Bill- ings, and has since then carried on a general civil and criminal practice, which has expanded until he has during recent years been connected with some of the most important jurisprudence of the state. A stalwart republican, he was the logical candidate of his party as assemblyman, and was elected to the Thirteenth Session, 1912-1913, and dur- ing that period was instrumental in securing the passage of some very important legislation and served on several committees. Professionally he belongs to the Yellowstone County Bar Association and the State Bar Association. His fraternal con- nections are with Billings Star Lodge, Independent Order of Odd Fellows; Billings Lodge, Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks; and Billings Lodge, Loyal Order of Moose. Since their organization he has been an honored member of the Midland and Billings clubs. He owns a pleasant modern home at No. 620 North Twenty-second Street. His offices are located at 406-408 Power Building.

In 1904 Mr. Crippen was married at Billings to Miss Gertrude Dunham, born in Minnesota, and a graduate of the Mankato State Normal School. Prior to her marriage she was a teacher in the city schools of Minneapolis. Mr. and Mrs. Crippen have three children, namely: Clay, who was born May 19, 1905; Bruce, who was born February 19, 1908; and Gertrude Elizabeth, who was born Novem- ber 21, 1917. Mrs. Crippen is a descendant of John Dunham, who left England by stealth and sailed on the historic Mayflower under the assumed name of Goodman, resuming his own after he reached the safe haven of the new world. Through an ancestor, Thomas Standish, a Revolutionary soldier, Mrs. Crippen owes her membership in the Daughters of the Revolution. He was a direct descendant of Miles Standish.

Mr. Crippen is one who knows the larger world and is at home in it, meeting its problems with ease and understanding, and he is of the timber which makes national statesmen. His service has been genuine, broad and for the public benefit, and there is no doubt but that he will be called upon to assume advancing responsibilities and dignity, his constituents knowing that if he does so their interests will be represented in a manner distinctly successful and creditable.

CHARLES C. WILHELM. No community can reach its full growth without the services of a real estate man who is experienced in the business of handling property. As is well known, the founders of a town do not include in the original survey all of the land destined to be used for building purposes, as this would make the initial taxes too heavy. They lay out a few blocks, relying upon other pro- moters for additions. After several of these have been laid out, oftentimes by the original owners themselves, the work of developing other suburbs devolves on the alert realty men, who not only do the actual work of surveying, building and other- wise improving, but educate the public in the de- sirahility of owning homes in the outlying districts

where the comforts of urban life can be secured as well as those of open space, fresh air and cleanly living conditions. The real estate history of Bill- ings is much the same as that of any other com- munity of its age and extent, and one of the men who has aided in its expansion within the past few years is Charles C. Wilhelm, sole proprietor of the realty firm of Charles C. Wilhelm Company.

The founder of the Wilhelm family in America was the grandfather of Charles C. Wilhelm, who came to this country from Germany and became a pioneer of Muscatine, Iowa, where he worked at his trade of cabinetmaking until his death in that city. His son, L. Wilhelm, father of Charles C. Wilhelm, was born at Muscatine, Iowa, in 1858, and was there reared. In young manhood he went to Mapleton, Iowa, being one of its pioneers, and established himself in the mercantile business. He became prominent in the Presbyterian Church of that city, of which he was a member and generous supporter. The Masonic fraternity has long had him as a member. In politics he is a democrat. After coming to Mapleton Mr. Wilhelm was mar- ried to Minnie Bradfield, born at Cherokee, Iowa, in 1860, and died at Mapleton in 1907. Their chil- dren were as follows: Charles C., who is the eldest; Lula, who married Arthur Williams, a farmer of Mount Pleasant; Maude, who married Louie Wil- liams, a brother of Arthur Williams, lives in Iowa on a farm; Fred, who is a railroad employe, lives at Traer, Kansas; Louie, who died at the age of fourteen years; and Erne, who is a sergeant in the aviation branch of the United States army, is. sta- tioned at Middletown, Pennsylvania. At · present L. Wilhelm is living at Los Angeles, California, having retired from active participation in business life in 1918.

Charles C. Wilhelm attended the grammar and high schools of Mapleton, Iowa, and was graduated from the latter in 1905. In 1906 he came to Bill- ings, and for five years was employed in the post office, and then in 1911 embarked in his present business, under the name of the Charles C. Wil- helm Company. He handles city property and ranches within a radius of fifty miles from Billings, and does a very large business. In 1912 Mr. Wil- helm helped to survey the Bull Mountain country in the Pompey's Pillar District, comprising twelve fractional townships. He is a democrat. The Congregational Church holds his membership. Fra- ternally he belongs to Algeria Temple, Ancient and Accepted Order Nobles of the Mystic Shrine, Ash- lar Lodge, No. 29, Ancient Free and Accepted Ma- sons; Billings Lodge, Knights of Pythias; Billings Lodge, Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks; and Billings Camp, Modern Woodmen of America. The Billings Club affords him social relaxation. A man of means, Mr. Wilhelm owns a comfortable modern residence at 420 Yellowstone Avenne, Bil- lings, and four ranches, 480 acres near Shepherd, two 320-acre farms near Pompey's Pillar, and 120 acres near Huntley, all of which are used for grow- ing grain and stock.

In 1914 Mr. Wilhelm was married to Miss Marion E. Bell, a daughter of Fred and Florence (Marsh) Bell, the ceremony being performed at Billings. Mr. and Mrs. Bell are now residents of Washburn, Wisconsin, where Mr. Bell is clerk of the District Court. Mr. and Mrs. Wilhelm have three children, John, who was born March 5. 1916, and Ruth, who was born January 26, 1918, and Charles, born De- cember 9, 1919. Mr. Wilhelm has evinced such ability in his handling of property that he has influenced his competitors and has raised the stand- ards in this line of activity: His judgment with

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reference to realty values is recognized to be that of an expert, and he is often called upon to de- cide in matters relating to the settlement of claims based on an advance in property. Both he and Mrs. Wilhelm are very popular, and have gath- ered about them a congenial social circle, enter- taining their friends upon numerous occasions at their pleasant home, and enjoying in their turn the hospitality of others. Mr. Wilhelm's reputa- tion for good sense and unblemished honor is un- questioned, and all of his operations are strikingly characterized by resolute assurance and good judg- ment.

HON. HARRY A. VAGG, a prosperous merchant of Saco, has been connected with the development of this neighborhood since 1893, and is one of the early settlers of the Milk River Valley country. Honors have been conferred upon him and he had the distinction of being the first man to represent this district in the Upper House of the State As- sembly, and is also a bank president.

The birth of Harry A. Vagg took place in Som- ersetshire, England, December 14, 1868, he being a son of William and Susan (Manley) Vagg. They had two sons and two daughters in their family, · of whom Harry A. was the eldest, the others being as follows: Frank M., who joined his brother and was in business with him at Saco until his death in November, 1918, when he left a widow and three children; Miss Annie A., who is a resident of Cardiff, Wales, where her widowed mother is now living; and Mrs. Clara J. Smith, who is also a resi- dent of Cardiff. William Vagg died when Harry A. Vagg was only nine years old. The family was in humble circumstances, depending entirely upon the father's wages for support.

Harry A. Vagg was attending the English pub- lic schools when his father died, but his widowed mother, struggling with the problem of caring for her four little ones could not afford to give him many opportunities, and when an uncle, James Vagg of Lockport, New York, offered to take the lad, she sent him on the long voyage to the United States in the charge of some friends who were crossing at that time. This was in May, 1879. After reaching his uncle Harry A. Vagg remained with him for five years and completed his school- ing and assisted in farm work. Upon leaving Lock- port he came into the far west, his first stopping place being Niagara, North Dakota. He had no definite plans, simply came out to a region which he felt was replete with opportunities, and subse- quent events prove that he was right with regard to the country 'and his own capabilities. For two years he worked on a farm in the vicinity of Niagara, but he had not come into the west with the intention of continuing a farm hand, and eager- ly embraced- the opportunity when it arrived of engaging with the construction work on the Great Northern Railroad, which brought him into Mon- tana in April, 1887. He was one of the general laborers as far as Fort Benton, and then was made foreman of the section work at Glasgow, and re- mained there as such for five years. Leaving rail- road work, he established himself as a merchant at Saco.

Mr. Vagg opened a new building at Saco in 1893, his being the first business building in the place, and put in a general stock of goods. He has con- tinned to keep this his main interest, although he has been connected with a number of other enter- prises. Some years after he came to Saco he en- tered a homestead almost adjoining the town site, and he is still holding it. For a time, with Dan

Garrison, he was also in the sheep business, but later sold his interests.

During the time Mr. Vagg has been a resident of Saco it has grown from a hamlet containing one store to a little city of 600 people, and he has served it as a member of the city council, still continuing in that office. It was in Valley County when he first came here, although previous to this, while he was living at Glasgow, he had helped in creating Valley County from part of Dawson, and later on he was one of the men prominent in having the new county of Phillips created, and was the first to be elected from it to the Montana Senate.

Mr. Vagg encouraged the creation and building up of the banking facilities at Saco, taking stock in the First National Bank, of which he was made vice president at its organization, and later invest- ing in stock of the Farmers & Merchants Bank when it was organized, August 16, 1916. He was made president of the latter institution, and still holds that responsible position. He helped to or- ganize the Saco Creamery, which served the dairy interests of this region until it was destroyed by fire, and he was a stockholder of the Saco Hotel, also destroyed by fire. The first postmaster of Saco, he held the office for six years, and from 1905 to 1909 he was United States land commissioner, and did the work of filing much of the land in the Saco country during that period.

About 1890 Mr. Vagg took out his citizen papers at Glasgow, Montana, and allied himself with the republican party, his first presidential vote being cast for Benjamin Harrison in 1892, and he has voted for republican candidates ever since, save in 1912, when he supported the progressive repub- lican candidate, Theodore Roosevelt. He was chairman of the Progressive Republican County Central Committee of that year, and prior to that served as state central committeeman for Valley County in the regular republican organization. Mr. Vagg was elected a representative for Valley County as a member of the Eighth General As- sembly, presided over by Speaker White, and was on the judiciary committee and the ones on print- ing, engrossment and insurance. He served one term and attended two special sessions. His next experience came when he was elected to the Upper House on the republican ticket, and served dur- ing the Fourteenth Session under Lieutenant Gov- ernor McDowell. This was a democratic Senate and he only served one session. During that pe- riod Mr. Vagg was on the committees pertaining to military affairs, irrigation and water rights, im- migration and apportionment and representation.

Entering the Masonic order, Mr. Vagg was made a Mason at Glasgow, Montana, in 1895, but later demitted to Saco Lodge No. 94, Ancient Free and Accepted Masons, of which he is now past master. He took the Chapter and Commandery degrees at Helena, later demitting to Glasgow Chapter and Commandery, and he also belongs to Livingston Consistory and Algeria Temple, Mystic Shrine.

In the war work of Saco Mr. Vagg took . his customary place among the energetic workers of this region, gave a large monthly subscription to the Red Cross, and was on the committees of all the Liberty Loan drives, as well as one of the heavy buyers of the bonds of each issue.

On June 28, 1897, Mr. Vagg was united in mar- riage with Miss Bettie Wilson at Saco, Montana. Mrs. Vagg was born in Minnesota during the '70s, a daughter of Charles Wilson. She was educated in the public schools of Minnesota, and reared on her father's farm. being the eldest of his three

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children, the others being as follows: Mrs. S. C. Small, of Glasgow, Montana; and Edgar Wilson, of Thief River Falls, Minnesota. Mr. and Mrs. Vagg have the following children: Roland M., who completed his educational training with courses at Shattuck Military Academy and Great Falls Com- mercial College, is associated in business with his father ; and Vivian F., who attended Saint Mary's Hall at Faribault, Minnesota, and the Great Falls Commercial College, is at home.

Mr. Vagg is a man of the people, who sympathizes with their needs, and understands their require- ments. Never having possessed himself of the benefits of proper education and training, and being forced to earn his own living from an early age, he has developed great mental resourcefulness, and responded in wonderful measure to the demand made upon him in every direction. His every act is characterized by a flaming sincerity, and he is not easily deceived in men or misled in measures. He is a natural leader of men, and has long been an inspiration to the people of his community for activi- ties of the best sort.

R. E. CARR. Each successive year brings an in- crease in the business written by the standard life insurance companies of the country as a result of the vigorous educational campaigns carried on among the people through the press and special litera- ture. The average man has been awakened to the necessity of providing for the future of his family and for his own old age, and invests to the limit of his resources in life insurance, if he is of even the ordinary intellectual caliber. This realization of the responsibilities resting upon him during the most productive years of his life has come about through the efforts of the insurance representatives, and for that reason they have been selected with great care, due attention being paid to their capabilities along this line. Some of the most efficient salesmen in the country are now de- voting themselves exclusively to selling life insur- ance, and one who has attained state-wide popu- larity in this branch of activity is R. E. Carr, agency manager of the Bidlake-Honey Life Insurance Com- pany for the State of Montana, with headquarters at Billings.

R. E. Carr was born at St. Paul, Minnesota, February 13, 1892, a son of Robert Carr, now re- siding at St. Paul. Robert Carr was born at New- castle, England, in 1857, where he was reared and married. In 1879 he left England, going direct to St. Paul, Minnesota, after landing in the United States, and was one of the early merchants of that city, taking part in its civic affairs as an independ- ent voter. He is a consistent member of the Epis- copal Church, having formerly been a member of the Church of England. In 1879 Robert Carr was married to Mary Purvis, born at Newcastle-on- Tyne, England, in 1861, and they became the parents of the following children: J. G., who is district sales manager of the Vim Motor Truck Company of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and R. E., whose name heads this review.

After he had been graduated from the graded schools of St. Paul R. E. Carr learned the funda- mentals of commercial life at St. Paul's Business College, from which he was graduated in 1911, following which he entered the Commercial State Bank of St. Paul as assistant cashier, and held that position for three years. He then became traveling auditor for the Northern Pacific Railroad, and during 1917 and 1918 covered the State of Montana for that company. In the latter year Mr. Carr was appointed agency manager for the Bid-

lake-Honey agency for the Northwestern Life In- surance Company of Minneapolis, Minnesota, for the State of Montana, with offices at 315 Hart-Albin Building, Billings. Mr. Carr manages the office and handles the field men for Montana, and has eight field men under his supervision, and he supervises approximately 100 agents throughout the state.

On April 18, 1918, Mr. Carr was united in mar- riage with Miss Amy Bidlake, and on April 17, 1919, they became the parents of a daughter, Sybil. Mrs. Carr is a daughter of John and Amy Bid- lake, who live at No. 116 Broadwater Avenue, Billings. Mr. Bidlake is senior member of the Bid- lake-Honey Agency. Mr. and Mrs. Carr own a beautiful home at No. 412 Lewis Avenue, Billings, where they delight in gathering their friends about them. Like his father, Mr. Carr prefers to exer- cise his own judgment in casting his vote, and is independent in his political views. A member of the Episcopal Church, he renders his parish valu- able service as choirmaster, the choir being in magnificent condition under his efficient manage- ment. A man of great abilities, he possesses the en- thusiasm of youth, and yet has already had years of responsible experience which enables him to judge men and control them in such a manner as to avoid unnecessary friction, and yet bring forth the most productive results. Although new in this line of business, he has already proven his fitness for it, and has a great future before him in de- veloping the business of his aggressive company.

LUCIUS ALLISON NUTTING. One of the most rep- resentative men of Laurel and Yellowstone counties is Lncins Allison Nutting, whose varied talents have been developed through his own individual efforts, and his business triumphs engineered through his sagacity and sound judgment. He has been as- sociated with some of the most constructive work of this section, and has made a name known all over the country as a breeder of Shorthorn cattle. He was born in Doniphan County, Kansas, July 1, 1858, a son of Lucius Nutting, and comes of one of the oldest families in the country, being a lineal descendant of John Nutting, born in England, who founded the family in the new world. His name appears on a record in the Massachusetts colony under date of Angust 28, 1650, as being then united in marriage with Sarah, a daughter of Stephen Eggleson (Eggleston). John Nutting and his wife lived in Woburn, Massachusetts, and had three chil- dren born in that place, namely: John, James and Mary. They then moved to Chelmsford, now West- ford, Massachusetts. In 1661 they went to Groton, Massachusetts, and in 1663 John Nntting was chosen selectman, being again elected to that important office October 15, 1669. In 1668 he was chosen constable. A man of ample means and a large land owner, he was a leader of men, both in ma- terial things and those of a spiritual nature, as he was very religious. During 1676 he was conspicuons in a fight his community made against an attack by the hostile Indians and was one of four killed.

Lucius Nutting, father of Lucius A. Nutting, was born in Massachusetts in 1820, a son of Bryant Nutting, also a native of Massachusetts, who died in the vicinity of Springfield, that state, at a date antedating the birth of his grandson, of whom we write. Growing up in his native state, Lucius Nut- ting came West to Illinois in young manhood, and was there married. A physician and surgeon hy profession, he was engaged in an active practice in that state, but was drawn from it by the gold excitement of 1849, and crossing the plains spent a year in California, but returned to Illinois and re-

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sumed his practice. Later he went to Crescent City, Iowa, where he built and conducted a saw- mill. In 1857 he went still farther west, locating in Doniphan County, Kansas, there erecting another saw-mill, and, buying a farm, lived on it until 1878. In 1879 he went to Arizona, but after a year in that state returned to Doniphan County and was engaged in the drug business at Leona, Kansas. The year 1880 saw his entry into Montana, as he spent its summer at Bozeman, and in 1881 home- steaded at Laurel, a claim of 160 acres and a timber claim of 160 acres more. One of these farms he sold, but the other one forms a portion of his estate now owned by his heirs. In 1895 he returned to Bozeman, where he remained until his death in 1903. A republican of the most pronounced type, he was a leader in his party, and served as com- missioner of Yellowstone County for six years. For years a member of the Presbyterian Church, he was very active in it, and held all of the lay offices connected with the conduct of its affairs. His wife bore the maiden name of Elizabeth Allison, and she was born in Pennsylvania in 1819 and died at Bozeman in 1901. Their children were as follows: Julia, who married Bryant Cowan, for- merly a well known breeder of Shorthorn cattle in Missouri, is now connected with the Shorthorn Breeders' Association in a literary capacity, and lives at Santa Monica, California; Wilder, who is a minister of the Methodist Episcopal Church, re- sides at Three Forks, Montana; Lucius A., whose name heads this review; William B., who resides at Red Lodge, Montana, where he is engaged in the banking business; Lilly E., who died at Santa Monica, California; and Roy H., who is retired, lives at Eureka, California.

Lucius A. Nutting attended the rural schools of Doniphan County, Kansas, which at that day offered but limited educational advantages, but being de- termined to improve his mind Mr. Nutting through reading, travel, observation and other means of ac- quiring culture has become one of the best informed men in his part of the state. When he was twenty years of age he began to be self supporting, at that time going to Tombstone, Arizona, and after a short stay traveling on through Arizona, Nevada, Utah and Idaho. He helped in the construction of the railroad from Corinne, Utah, into Montana during the fall of 1879. Following that he was a cowboy and bull whacker until he located at Laurel and homesteaded 160 acres of land. That original farm has grown until he now owns 800 acres of irrigated land in the vicinity of Laurel, and an in- terest in 1,600 acres of dry ranch land. Mr. Nutting is a breeder of Shorthorn cattle, and his methods and successes in this branch of agriculture have gained him more than a local reputation. He also raises grain and is equally successful in this line. His handsome residence on Alder Street is owned by him, and he also owns considerable city prop- erty. A portion of his farm was included in the town site of Laurel, and he sold 135 acres of land to the Northern Pacific Railroad Company.

In 1909 Mr. Nutting became interested in the Fromberg Brick and Tile Company, buying the controlling interest in 1913 and taking upon himself the management of the company. Under his ag- gressive policies the affairs of the company have been put in fine condition, and the capacity of the plant is taxed to fill the orders for high grade brick and tile from Billings and Southern Montana and Northern Wyoming. The yards are located at Fromberg, Montana, and have a capacity of 40,000 brick per day. Mr. Nutting was one of the organ- izers of the Citizens National Bank of Laurel, of

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Montana, its story and biography; a history of aboriginal and territorial Montana and three decades of statehood, Volume II, Part 72

Author: Stout, Tom, 1879- ed Publication date: 1921 Publisher: Chicago, American Historical Society Number of Pages: 1126

Author: Stout, Tom, 1879- ed
Publication date: 1921
Publisher: Chicago, American Historical Society
Number of Pages: 1126