Montana, its story and biography; a history of aboriginal and territorial Montana and three decades of statehood, Volume II, Part 78

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

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HISTORY OF MONTANA

In 1909, at Delmont, South Dakota, Mr. Kearns married June Baker, the daughter of W. S. and Ida (Austin) Baker, who now reside in Los Angeles, California, though Mr. Baker was formerly a farmer in South Dakota. Mrs. Kearns received a good education, having been a student in the South Dakota Normal School. Mr. and Mrs. Kearns have two children, Marjorie, born March 12, 1918, and Lois June, born October 18, 1919.

There are found in Mr. Kearns a reiteration of those sturdy qualities which characterized the pio- neers of the great Central West, among whom was numbered the subject's paternal grandfather, Law- rence Kearns, who was among the true pioneers of Iowa and who, after an honorable career as a tiller of the soil, died at Stuart, Iowa, in 1909. The descendants of these people are now reaping the fruitage of their labors and they occupy a secure place in our country's history.

C. V. BROWN. For fully twenty years Mr. Brown has given his whole energies, thought, study and enthusiasm to school teaching and school adminis- tration. He taught in his native State of Michigan for a number of years, but since graduating from the University of Michigan his work has been in Montana. He is principal of the Park County High School at Livingston.

Mr. Brown was born at Monroe, Michigan, No- vember 18, 1878. He is of Scotch ancestry. His grandfather, James R. Brown, was born near Edin- burg, Scotland, in 1809, was a shoemaker by trade, and on coming to America settled at Delhi, New York, where he followed his trade for a number of years. He died at Mount Pleasant, Michigan, in 1904, at the venerable age of ninety-five. He married in New York State Margaret Muir, a native of Scotland. Robert Brown, father of C. V. Brown, was born at Delhi, New York, in 1841, was reared and married in his native village, and taught school there for a time. In 1876 he moved to a farm at Monroe, Michigan, and in 1880 to Mount Pleasant, that state. He was a Michigan farmer, and in 1900 accepted a post with the Indian Bureau as an agri- cultural expert among the Indians of New Mexico. While thus employed he died at Santa Rosa in 1901. He had represented Isabella County in the Michigan Legislature in 1895. He was a steadfast republican in politics, and very devont in his membership in the Presbyterian Church. Fraternally he was affiliated with the Odd Fellows. Robert Brown married Jean V. Russell, who was born at Walton, New York, and is living in Mount Pleasant, Michigan. Of her three children C. V. Brown is the youngest. The other two, both living at Mount Pleasant, Michigan, are James A., a farmer, and May Estelle, a teacher.

C. V. Brown attended the rural schools of Isabella County, Michigan, and took both the preparatory and regular courses in the Central Michigan Normal at Mount Pleasant, graduating with a state certifi- cate in 1899. For three years he was a teacher in the graded schools at Menominee, Michigan. In the fall of 1902 he returned to Mount Pleasant and for one year was employed as a critic teacher in the normal school. He then resumed his studies there for a year, and in 1904 was granted a life teacher's certificate. One year following he taught in the high school at Albion, Michigan, and for four years was superintendent of schools at Grass Lake. In the meantime he attended summer sessions at the University of Michigan and beginning in the fall of 1909 took a full year's work with residence at Ann Arbor. After another year as superintendent of schools at Ovid, Michigan, he re-entered the uni-

versity in the summer and received his A. B. degree in August, 19II.

Mr. Brown was for four years principal of the Sweetgrass County High School in Montana at Big Timber, and in July, 1915, was called to his present post at Livingston as principal of the Park County High School. Under his supervision are a staff of fourteen teachers, while the enrollment of the high school is 280. The new high school building was constructed in 1917-18 at the corner of Callender and Fifth streets.

Mr. Brown is prominent in educational and also in local civic affairs. He is a member of the Mon- tana State Teachers Association, the National Edu- cational Association, the Association of Secondary School Principals, and is chairman of the Montana Interscholastic Athletic Association. He is a director in the Livingston Rotary Club, a member of the Railway Club, is a trustee in the Congregational Church, is a republican, and is affiliated with Ex- celsior Lodge No. 116, Ancient Free and Accepted Masons, at Grasslake, Michigan. Mr. Brown owns a farm in Mecosta County in his native state.

In 1906, at Grand Rapids, Michigan, he married Miss Estella C. Schneider, daughter of Henry and Frederika (Schroeder) Schneider. Her father is a wholesale lumber merchant and with his wife resides in Grand Rapids. Mrs. Brown is a graduate of the Michigan State Normal at Ypsilanti. They are the parents of two children: Virginia Louise, born September 6, 1907, and Clifford V., Jr., born Febru- ary 15, 1917.

JOHN D. HIRST. In recent years many of the transactions by which city and farm properties have exchanged hands in Eastern Montana have been accomplished through the medium of John D. Hirst, a well known real estate man of Billings. Mr. Hirst knows Montana thoroughly, having been a homesteader and having developed a farm from a wilderness condition.

His life has been a busy one, most of it spent in the West. He was born at Grafton, West Vir- ginia, June 12, 1875. His maternal great-grand- father was Jasper Everhart, and he and his wife, Mary, called Polly, were both natives of Germany. Mr. Hirst's paternal great-grandfather was John Hirst, a native of England. His grandfather was Daniel Hirst, born in Devonshire, England, and with a brother crossed the ocean to America. The two were separated at New York City and he never saw his brother again. He moved to Virginia, was a teacher and surveyor, and spent the rest of his life in the Old Dominion. Francis M. Hirst, father of John D., was born in Loudoun County, Virginia, January I, 1839. He grew up in his native county, moved to West Virginia, where he married and lived until 1878 and then went to the western frontier in Nebraska, homesteading, in 1882, 160 acres at Central City, near what was then Lone Tree on the Platte River. He was a carpenter in early life, for seventeen years was an engineer on the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad, and after moving to Nebraska developed his claim and lived on the homestead until his death on March 19, 1910. Though a native of Virginia, he was a strong Union man and voted the republican ticket practically from the beginning of the party. In 1861 he joined a regiment of calvalry, the 22nd Pennsylvania Cavalry, "Ringold Cavalry," all of the members of which furnished their own equipment and horses. This regiment played a notable- part in the war and his own record was that of the regiment in seventy- two engagements. He was in the battle of Five Forks, Lookout Mountain, Missionary Ridge, Gettys-

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burg and was with General Sheridan at the battle of Winchester. Francis Hirst had three horses shot from under him and was twice wounded. His serv- ice was practically from the beginning to the end of the war, comprising four years, six months, twenty-one days. He was for many years a member of the Grand Army of the Republic, and was a very zealous churchman. He was a Baptist, served as deacon, and was church clerk and treasurer for many years. He was identified with the Masonic fraternity and in political affairs was a leader, being honored with several county offices. He was road commissioner for many years. After the war he railroaded for ten years and then for three years was a stationary engineer. He married in West Virginia Elizabeth C. Sinsel, who was born at Graf- ton in that state. She died at Central City, Nebraska, at the age of fifty-two, on December 9, 1895. Three of their children died young and the others to reach mature years are: Edward S., born November 11, 1865, a farmer at Archer, Nebraska; William F., born March 23, 1869, who for a number of years has been traveling agent and manager for the State of Iowa of the Dayton Computing Scale Company, his home being at Cedar Rapids, Iowa; Ernest H., born September 28, 1870, a farmer at Baker, Mon- - tana ; John D .; Ada M., born May 14, 1877, wife of Jesse Kerr, a prominent farmer, miller and owner of the telephone exchange at Hurd's Field, North Dakota; James A., born September 29, 1879, living on the old home farm at Archer, Nebraska; Delilah B., born August 10, 1884, wife of Frank L. Cush- man, a farmer at Broadview, Montana.

John D. Hirst was a small child when his parents moved to Nebraska, and he grew up on his father's farm, attending school at Archer and Central City, including the high school of the latter place. He was also a student in the Baptist College at Grand Island, Nebraska, and on leaving that institute in 1897, for three years worked at the photography trade. Next, as a representative of the Standard Oil Company, he established a business at Wood River, Nebraska, and developed a large patronage. He came to Montana in 1909, filing on a homestead at Broadview and proving it up. He lived on his 160 acre farm there until November, 1916, when he removed to Billings and entered the real estate business, handling city properties and farms. While living on his homestead he was president of the school board and was instrumental in building the consolidated school "Progressive No. 32." His offi- ces are in 2620 First Avenue, North, and he owns a modern residence at 23 Burlington Avenue.

Mr. Hirst is an independent republican, a member of the Baptist Church, belongs to the Masonic Club, has been a member of The Highlanders for eighteen years, and is affiliated with Billings Lodge No. 113, Ancient Free and Accepted Masons.

At Wood River, Nebraska, November 1I, 1903, he married Miss Jessie E. McDaniels. She is a mem- ber of one of the earliest families of the State of Nebraska. Her great-grandfather McDaniels was a native of Scotland, and was rated as a lumber king in this country. He died about 1845 at Rising Sun, Indiana. Madison McDaniels, grandfather of Mrs. Hirst, was born October 27, 1812, at Pierpoint Manor, New York. For many years he was a traveling salesman for a firm at Watertown. New York. also operated a big hotel in that city, but salesmanship was his chief vocation. He died at Plattsburg, Missouri, May 12, 1871. October 12, 1834, he mar- ried Permilla Graves, who was born March II, 1810, and died February 2, 1872, at Plattsburg, Missouri.

James Nelson McDaniels, father of Mrs. Hirst,

was born January 18, 1841, at Ellisburg, New York, and was attending school at Union Academy at Bellville in his native state when the Civil war broke out. In 1861 he joined as a private in Company C of the 110th Regiment, New York Infantry, and was with General Banks and in General Emery's Division in 1862 in the Fort Donelson, Pittsburg Landing and other battles in that section. Taken ill, he was discharged from hospital, but in Septem- ber, 1864, re-enlisted and joined Company H, 185th New York Infantry, serving as corporal and being promoted to sergeant for efficiency and bravery in battle. Besides those mentioned some of the other battles in which he participated were Port Hudson, First Hatchers Run, 1863, Weldon Roads, Watkins Farm, Second Hatchers Run in 1864, Gravelly Run, Five Forks in 1865, Quaker Roads, Church Roads Crossing, and at Appomattox at the final surrender in April, 1865. He also participated in the Grand Review at Washington. On September 11, 1867, in New York, he married Hattie A. Porter, of Water- town. Her father was Gould M. Porter, a Methodist minister, who was born March 29, 1802, and died February 14, 1880. Gould Porter married on March 7, 1827, Ruth E. Sowle. She was born October 21, 1804, and died November 23, 1857. Her father, Robert Sowle, was born in Massachusetts Novem- ber 3, 1767, a son of Joseph Sowle, who was de- scended from George Sowle of the Mayflower Pil- grims of 1620. Joseph Sowle married Charity Tripp, and his son Job married Lillis Allen, a sister of Gen. Ethan Allen, one of the heroic figures of the Revolutionary war. Two of the sons of Joseph Sowle were sharpshooters in the Revolutionary war.

In 1872 James N. McDaniels moved to Plattsburg, Missouri, and in September of the same year moved to Hall County, Nebraska, and homesteaded 160 acres at Cameron. He lived there until November, 1892, when he moved to Wood River, Nebraska, and he died April 24, 1896. He was a member of the Grand Army of the Republic. At the close of the war he was offered a lieutenancy, but at that time was sick of war and thinking only of home, he did not tarry long enough to receive his papers. He was a member of the Good Templars. He had owned a farm at Boylston, New York. Mrs. Hirst's mother was born near Watertown, New York, Feb- ruary 24, 1846. There were three children in the McDaniels family: Allie E., born August 9, 1868, wife of Charles Cox, living in Billings, Montana ; Ida, born July 17, 1870, and died at the age of twenty-four; and Mrs. Hirst, who was educated in the public schools of Wood River, Nebraska, and for some time before her marriage was a teacher of music. Mr. and Mrs. Hirst have three children : James Marion, born May 23, 1907; Harriet Eliza- beth, born November 11, IQI1; and Wilbur Dean, born August 27, 1913.

CHARLES CURTIS SIMONSON. Of the men of Bill- ings who have fought their way from humble posi- tions to stations of trust and importance in the business life of their community, one whose career should be encouraging to young men just entering the battle of business life is Charles Curtis Simon- son, manager of the Billings district of the Montana Power Company. Mr. Simonson was born at Anoka, Minnesota, April 24, 1877, a son of Nelson and Helen (Anderson) Simonson.

Nelson Simonson was born in 1849, at Christiana, Norway, where his early training included attend- ance at the public schools, service in the Norwegian army and the mastering of the trade of millwright. He was married in his native land to Helen Ander- son, and in 1871 they immigrated to the United

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States, first locating at Anoka, Minnesota, where Mr. Simonson followed his trade until 1896, then removing to Brainerd. He has now been retired for some years and is accounted one of the sub- stantial men of his community. Politically he is a republican, but politics have played little part in his life, as he has only desired to be a good citizen and an industrious business man. Mrs. Simonson died at Anoka, Minnesota, in 1887, the mother of three children: Julia, who died at the age of seven years; Charles Curtis; and Harvey L., who is in the United States Army in France.

Charles Curtis Simonson attended the public schools of Anoka, Minnesota, and after his gradua- tion from the high school there with the class of 1895 attended the University of Minnesota, at Min- neapolis, for one year. Like many young men just entering life's arena, he was at first undecided as to the proper course to pursue, and for a time drifted from one occupation to another, never finding his own particular vocation. Eventually, however, he attached himself to the electrical business, and this shaped the course of his entire subsequent career. At St. Paul he was employed by several concerns in humble capacities, and when he located at Butte, Montana, in 1897, it was at the bottom of the ladder in the service of the company which preceded the Montana Power Company. He was forced to make his own way, to merit each promotion, and to thoroughly learn the duties of each position as ad- vancement came to him, and his persistence and faithfulness, coupled with real ability, finally won him the post of manager of the Livingston (Mon- tana) branch of the company. A short time later he was transferred to a more responsible position at Lewistown, where he remained for six years, and in 1916 was made manager of the big branch at Billings, where he has since continued. He is accounted one of the most thoroughly informed and efficient men in his line in the state, and this is all the more creditable in that he is self taught. The offices of the Montana Power Company are situated in the Electric Building, a five-story reinforced con- crete structure of the mushroom construction type, one of the main business buildings of Southeastern Montana, Mr. Simonson's offices occupying the entire first floor and basement. This company supplies from this branch power for the district including Hunters, Hot Springs, Big Timber, Reed Point, Columbus, Park City, Laurel, Joliet, Fromberg,' Bridger and Billings. Under Mr. Simonson's super- vision there are seventy regular employes. Mr. Simonson's home is in the Wreford Apartments, at Second Avenue and Thirty-fourth Street, North, where he occupies suite No. 9. He is a republican, but has confined his political activities to the casting of his ballot, although he has been an active citizen in promoting good movements in each of the com- munities in which he has resided. Particularly was this so at Lewistown, which city he did much to assist in its development, contributing in various ways to its welfare. It was Mr. Simonson who built the Bank Electric Building, a four-story office struc- ture, composed of concrete, of the Turner system of mushroom construction, with brick curtain walls. At Billings he has also shown a keen interest in civic movements and public-spirited enterprises, and is an active member of the Billings Rotary Club, in addition to which he holds membership in the Billings Club and the Billings Midland Club, as well as Butte Lodge of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks. He has various business connections and is a director in the American Bank and Trust Company.

Mr. Simonson was married September 16, 1907,

at Butte, Montana, to Katherine Hyatt, daughter of Mrs. Mary A. Hyatt, who resides with Mr. and Mrs. Simonson. There are no children.

W. A. HALL. The true measure of individual success is determined by what one has accomplished, and so, judged by this standard, there is eminent propriety in including within this volume a brief record of the career of W. A. Hall, a successful merchant and leading citizen of Gardiner." Mr. Hall is a native son of Missouri, and since he came to Montana has taken an intelligent interest in the promotion of her best interests and today he en- joys an enviable position in the community.

W. A. Hall was born in Missouri on April 30, 1861, and remained in his native state until attain- ing his majority, when he came to Montana and settled in Paradise Valley, near the banks of the Yellowstone River, where he operated a ranch. A short time later he moved to Electric, this state, remaining there until 1892, when he bought a gen- eral store in Cinnabar. He was fairly successful in the mercantile business, but the moving of the rail- road destroyed the mercantile importance of that place, and, as a matter of self-preservation, he followed the railroad to Gardiner, where he estab- lished the leading department store. This enter- prise has been successful from its inception and is now operated by Mr. Hall's sons, Arthur W., Earl H., Warren E. and James Raymond. Mr. Hall di- vides his time between Gardiner and Belgrade, hav- ing near the latter place a 400 acre ranch all culti- vated and under irrigation. Large quantities of fine hay are produced and Mr. Hall is giving special attention to the raising of pure-bred live stock, in- cluding Oxford sheep, draft horses, driving horses and saddle ponies. The ranch is one of the best equipped in this part of the state and Mr. Hall takes a justifiable pride in the animals which leave his hands. He also owns the large store building on Park Street, Gardiner, a splendid modern resi- dence there, four other dwellings and two large warehouses, as well as other real estate. He is a man of keen and far-sighted judgment, whose busi- ness interests have been handled with skill, and he is today numbered among the successful business men of this section of the state.

Politically W. A. Hall is a stanch democrat, while his religious membership is with the Church of Christ, Scientist. Fraternally he belongs to Livings- ton Lodge No. 32, Ancient Free and Accepted Ma- sons; Eastern Montana Consistory of the Scottish Rite (thirty-second degree) Algeria Temple, An- cient Arabic Order Nobles of the Mystic Shrine, at Helena, and to Livingston Lodge No. 10, Knights of Pythias. He was also a charter member of Old Faithful Lodge of the Knights of Pythias at Ald- ridge.

W. A. Hall was united in marriage to Lula F. Brown, who was born in Missouri in 1871, and to them have been born the following children: Ar- thur W., Earl H., Warren E. and James Raymond.

Arthur W. Hall was born at Emigrant, Montana, on January 24, 1888, and is the son of W. A. and Lula F. (Brown) Hall. He received his elementary education in the public and high schools of Boze- man, Montana, and then attended the Montana State College at Bozeman, followed by a course in the Phelps Commercial College in the same city. He thus left school at the age of twenty-one years well equipped to enter upon a business career. He has from the beginning been his father's assistant in the store at Gardiner and on the ranch, and has had a large part in the development of the business.

W. A. HALL

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He is secretary of the W. A. Hall Company and is indefatigable in his business habits.

Arthur W. Hall is a democrat in his political alignment and has taken an active part in fraternal affairs, being a member of the same Masonic bodies as his father, as well as the Gardiner Aerie No. 669, Fraternal Order of Eagles. He is a member of the Gardiner Band, one of the best in this portion of the state, and in other ways shows a commendable interest in local public affairs.

In 1909, at Gardiner, Mr. Hall married Lillian L. Black, the daughter of Fountain and Josephine Black, the former of whom now lives at Belgrade, on the W. A. Hall ranch. The mother is deceased.

Earl H. Hall was born at Emigrant, Montana, on July 9, 1889. He attended the public schools of Livingston and Bozeman, and was then a student in the preparatory department of the State College at Bozeman. Since nineteen years of age he has been connected with his father's extensive interests, being now treasurer of the W. A. Hall Company. He is a democrat in his political faith, and is a mem- ber of the Livingston Masonic Lodge and the East- ern Montana Consistory of the Scottish Rite. He, too, is an active member of the local band, playing a cornet.

Earl H. Hall married Bertha E. McLeod at Boze- man in 1909, and they have one child, Earl Harold, born on July 8, 1913. Mrs. Hall is the daughter of John and Jennie (Williams) McLeod, the former of whom is deceased and the latter resides in Port- land, Oregon. John McLeod was a pioneer rancher in Gallatin County, Montana, and held several of- fices of public trust and responsibility, having served as representative to the Legislature and as clerk of the courts. In early civic affairs of that county he was an important factor.

Warren E. Hall was born on September II, 1895, and received his public school education in the schools of Livingston and Bozeman. He is a grad- uate of the Phelps Commercial College, and is now devoting the greater part of his time to his father's ranch. On October 1, 1919, he married Miss Mar- garet Hodgson, of Gooding, Idaho. On December 11, 1917, he enlisted in the United States Army and was sent to Camp Fremont, California. He was promoted to the rank of quartermaster sergeant and was mustered out of the service on January 11, 1919. He belongs to the same Masonic bodies as does his father. He possesses splendid personal qualities and is well liked by all who know him.

James Raymond Hall, who was born on Novem- ber 7, 1900, is a student in the high school at Boze- man.

'S. ARNE ERICKSON is a civil engineer by profes- sion. He received his technical training and had an extended experience in Europe before coming to America. For the past fifteen years he has been on the civil engineering staff of the Northern Pa- cific Railway.

Mr. Erickson was born in the famous city of Trondhjem, Norway, August 29, 1879. His father, Emil Gerard, was born in 1844 and spent all his life in Trondhjem, where he died in 1902. He was a banker, had served in the Norwegian army and was a member of the Lutheran Church. He married Johanna Jackwitz, who was born in 1849 and died in 1901, her life being spent in Trondhjem. Einar, the oldest of their children, is a merchant at Ber- gen, Norway, while S. Arne is the second in age. Haakon is a physician and surgeon at Christiania, Norway. Fridtjof is a ship building engineer at Trondhjem. Edward T., an American citizen, en- listed at the beginning of the war with Germany and was among the first to go overseas. He became

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Montana, its story and biography; a history of aboriginal and territorial Montana and three decades of statehood, Volume II, Part 78

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