Montana, its story and biography; a history of aboriginal and territorial Montana and three decades of statehood, Volume II, Part 81

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

USA > Montana > Montana, its story and biography; a history of aboriginal and territorial Montana and three decades of statehood, Volume II > Part 81

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given him. His political convictions canse him to support the republican party.

Mr. Arnold was married May 17, 1896, to Miss Emma A. LaDue, who was born at White Plains, New York, a daughter of Alonzo and Susan A. (Baxter) LaDue, natives of Poughkeepsie, Dutchess County, New York, and Johnsonville, Rensellaer County, New York, respectively. Mrs. Arnold's ancestors on both sides of the family came from France and settled in America at an early date of the colonial era, forming a settlement in New York. Mr. LaDue passed his days as a farmer in New York and Connecticut, his death occurring in the lat- ter state in December; 1902. He and his wife were the parents of four daughters and two sons, of whom four children are living, Mrs. Arnold having been the second child in order of birth.

JOSEPH BERTRAND is a well known Montana mer- chant, and established the first place of business in the town of Roberts in Carbon County. He is still the active head of this business, which has grown and prospered under his direction.

Merchandising has constituted Mr. Bertrand's life experience. He was born at the city of Quebec, Canada, July 16, 1854. His people were French and were identified with the French colonization of Can- ada. His father, George Bertrand, was born in the Province of Quebec in 1823 and spent his life there, dying in 1859. He was a tailor by trade, and in religion, like all his ancestors, was a Catholic. His wife was Genevieve Falardeau, who was born in Quebec in 1829 and died there in 1907, when nearly eighty years of age. Joseph Bertrand was the old- est of their three children. Odilon was a painter and decorator by trade and died at Quebec in 1904, while Edmond died in 1869, at the age of twelve years.

Joseph Bertrand at the age of fifteen left school and found self-supporting employment. He had some experience in stores in Canada and in 1882 went to Detroit, Michigan, where he clerked in stores and in 1885 went to Chicago and gained considerable knowledge of merchandising in that city.

Mr. Bertrand came to Montana in 1887, more than thirty years ago, and for nine years was em- ployed by the well known firm of T. C. Power & Brother at Lewistown. In 1896 he engaged in busi- ness for himself, and had a prosperous establish- ment at Lewistown until 1905, when he sold out and moved to the new town of Roberts, where he established the pioneer general store. This store is one of the larger businesses of its kind in Car- bon County and its trade comes from the country surrounding Roberts in a radius of sixteen miles. Mr. Bertrand owns both the store and the building in which it is located, and also has a modern home in Roberts.

As a voter Mr. Bertrand is a republican, is a Catholic, is affiliated with Billings Council No. 1259, Knights of Columbus, and is a fourth degree knight, and is a member of the Detroit, Michigan, branch of the Catholic Mutual Benefit Association.

He married Miss Margaret McCann, of Lewis- town, Montana, in 1889. She is a daughter of James and Sarah (Creighton) McCann, the former a farmer now deceased, while the mother resides at Roundup, Montana. For many years much of the inspiration for Mr. Bertrand in his business career has been his children. He is the father of a large household, twelve sons and daughters having been born to him and his good wife. George, the oldest, was in France with the Aviation Corps of the American armies during the World war. Margaret, the second child, is at home. Arnold helps his father in the store at Roberts. Helen is in a nurse's

RJ. Brahman

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training school at Billings. Bernard is an appren- ticed machinist at Livingston. Blanche is a grad- uate of St. Vincent Academy at Helena and is a teacher at Boyd, Montana. Dorothy and Frances are both students of the St. Vincent Academy at Helena. Esther is in public school at Roberts. Irene attends St. Vincent's Academy, while Geral- dine and Julius, the youngest of the family, are in school at Roberts.

RUFUS B. KELLEY spent his early youth on the Minnesota frontier, has been a hard worker for over forty years, and in that time has been a farmer, mason contractor, lumberman, auctioneer and real estate dealer, and in the last two vocations is estab- lished today at Columbus.

He was born in Crawford County, Wisconsin, December 26, 1854. Mr. Kelley has an ancestry made up of an admixture of French, Holland and Welsh strains. Through his mother he is descended from King William IV of Holland. His great- grandfather Kelley was a native of Scotland and came to America in colonial times. Elisha P. Kelley, father of Rufus B., was born at Windham in Wind- ham County, Connecticut, in 1819. He grew up in his native county, at the age of eighteen went to Ottawa, Illinois, where he married, and next removed to Crawford County, Wisconsin, when there were only three white families in the entire county. During 1866-1880 he lived near Albert Lea, Minnesota, where he was again a pioneer. In 1880 he moved to Morrison County, Minnesota, and spent the rest of his life there, dying in November, 1881. He was a farmer in all these various locali- ties. In politics he voted as a democrat. Elisha P. Kelley married Clara Gillette. She was born at Peekskill, New York, in 1826 and died near Albert Lea, Freeborn County, Minnesota, in 1876. She was the mother of eight children: Regina E., who married Harvey T. Rittenhouse and died at Minnesota City, Minnesota, in 1909, where her hus- band still resides; Miranda, wife of John L. B. Howe, a retired farmer of Glenville, Minnesota ; Casper C., a farmer in Cass County, Minnesota ; Luella, living at Absarokee, Montana, widow of Albert Seeley, who was a farmer and trader; Rufus B., fifth in age; David B., an implement dealer , near Fairmount, Minnesota; Ida, wife of F. E. Runner, a prominent banker, capitalist, rancher and stock man of Absarokee, Montana; and George G., who lives at Absarokee.

Rufus B. Kelley was about twelve years old when his parents moved to Minnesota, and he acquired his education in Freeborn County, that state. He lived on his father's farm to the age of twenty- five and then went to the northern districts of Minnesota, working as as mason, farmer and lum- berman. He came out to Montana and located at Columbus in 1907, but soon afterward moved to the Absarokee community, where he was in busi- ness as a mason contractor and a farmer for eight or nine years. In September, 1916, he returned to Columbus, and has since engaged in auctioneer- ing and in the real estate business as a partner of Julian D. Ray. Their offices are in the Simpson Building and they do a large general real estate business, handling city and ranch properties. Mr. Kelley individually owns a residence surrounded by large and well appointed grounds on Fourth Ave- nue and other local real estate.

He is a democrat in politics. He has long been identified with the Odd Fellows fraternity, serving as noble grand for many terms and was a member of the Grand Lodge of Minnesota as well as of Montana. His local affiliation is with Yellowstone

Lodge No. 85. He is also a member of the Chamber of Commerce at Columbus.

December 21, 1880, at Verndale, Minnesota, he married Miss Harriet Eddy, daughter of Abel and Harriet (Bristol) Eddy. Abel Eddy was born at Utica, New York, in 1810, grew up in his native state, was married in Michigan, lived in Illinois for a time, next settled at Clarksville, Iowa, and finally, in 1878, moved to Verndale, Minnesota, where he died in 1897. He spent all his active career as a farmer and carpenter and was a democrat in politics. Abel Eddy married Miss Harriet Bristol, who was born in New York State in 1820 and died at Verndale, Minnesota, in 1896. Of their children George, Sarah, John and Mary, the first four, are all deceased; Chester is a merchant at Sumner, Washington; Andalusia is deceased; Cheney is a farmer at Donley, Minnesota; Lydia, Charles and Eustasia are deceased; Frank is a large and pros- perous land owner at Morris, Minnesota; while Mrs. Kelley is the twelfth and youngest of the family. She was reared and received her educa- tion in the public schools at Verndale. Mrs. Kelley is an active member of the Congregational Church, belongs to the Woman's Club at Columbus, the Rebekahs and was an active Red Cross worker during the war.

Mr. and Mrs. Kelley have an interesting family of seven children. Murta May, the oldest, is the wife of Frank Young, a real estate broker at Absarokee, Montana; the second child, Albert Lee, died when six years old; Gladys is the wife of Harley Beasley a farmer at Absarokee; John L. is in the real estate business at Billings; Earl A. was in the Medical Corps of the army during the war, being stationed at Camp Bowie, Texas; Fred H. is a carpenter by trade and lives at home; Boyd, the youngest, enlisted in June, 1018, at the age of seventeen, was sent to Mare Island, California, and later to Galveston, Texas, where he trained for the Marine Corps and was mustered out in March, 1919. He is now engaged on the county survey and lives at home.

ROBERT THORNTON BOATMAN. Until recently, when he disposed of many of his holdings, Robert Thorton Boatman directed ranching and stock rais- ing interests that made him one of the most promi- nent men in that line in the state. Mr. Boatman is a resident of Dillon and still owns a ranch and has by no means retired from the career he began here more than thirty years ago. He is one of the comparatively few men past the age of fifty who can claim Montana as their native state. He was born in the Ruby Valley, April 21, 1866, and is a son of George T. Boatman. His grandfather, Robert Boatman, was of Scotch ancestry and spent his active life as a farmer, and died during a cholera epidemic near Frankfort, Kentucky, in 1833.

The late George T. Boatman, who died at Dillon, March 26, 1919, was a distinguished Montana pio- neer. His life was specially distinguished by the sturdy industry and business ability which enabled him to do a great deal for every community in which he lived. He was born at Frankfort, Ken- tucky, August 24, 1832, and a year after his birth his parents moved to Pleasant Green, Missouri, where he lived until he was grown. He was a farmer there, also operated a grist, flour and saw mill, and the extent of his enterprises made him a man of consequence in the community. During the Civil war he served as a Confederate soldier in the armies of General Price. One of his fore- fathers had fought on the American side in the Revolutionary war.

Vol. 11-19

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In 1865, about the close of the war, he left Mis- souri and with ox team crossed the plains to Mon- tana, his first destination being Alder Gulch. His first work there was making spilings and mining timber. Soon afterward he settled in Ruby Valley, homesteading 160 acres six miles southwest of Sheri- dan. In addition to developing his claim he made himself useful to his community by resuming his milling interests, operating for seven years the Sil- ver Springs mills, one of the chief sources of flour supply in that early day. In 1887 he settled on a ranch five miles north of Dillon, on what is now known as the Beaverhead ranch, and owned 1,280 acres there. He improved the land and by irrigating made it one of the most valuable farms in that section of the state. He finally left his ranch to spend his last years in Dillon. He was a demo- crat in politics and a very active member of the Methodist Episcopal Church. His minister said of him: "Brother Boatman's life was a positive in- fluence for good. He was for many years a class leader in the Methodist Church. He enjoyed wor- ship in God's house and whenever his strength permitted he was on hand at the public services. He lived a consistent, honored, faithful witness to the saving power of Christ. God was not a stranger to him and he looked forward with anticipation to his heavenly home."

George T. Boatman married in Missouri, Har- riet L. Johnson, who is still living at Dillon. They walked as companions along life's highway for over sixty years. She was born near Zanesville, Ohio. September 30. 1836. Her brother. Henry R. Johnson, also a resident of Dillon, is a retired rancher, and came to Montana in 1864, homestead- ing in the Beaverhead Valley. Mrs. Boatman's father was William Johnson, who was born in New York State in 1800, was reared there, was married in Ohio, and in 1838 moved to Missouri and settled near Pleasant Green. He followed the trade of stone mason and was also a farmer and died at Pleasant Green, Missouri, in 1852. Politically he was a whig and was an active member of the Methodist Church. William Johnson married Mary Armstrong, a native of Pennsylvania and of Scotch ancestry. She also died at Pleasant Green. Her father, James Armstrong, was a native of Scotland and on coming to this country settled in Ohio.

George T. Boatman and wife had a large family of nine children. Mary, the oldest, was first mar- ried to Thomas Martin, a merchant at Glendale, Montana, and also in the ore transportation busi- ness. She is now the wife of J. B. Townsend, a farmer and fruit grower at Stevensville, Montana. Sarah J., the second of the family, lives at Dillon, widow of Elmer J. Terry, who in early life was a school teacher and later was a gardener and farmer near the Little Pipestone in Montana. The third of the family, William H. Boatman, lives at Cedar Rapids, Iowa, and the next in age is Robert Thornton. Laura I. is the wife of John H. Brund- age, a rancher and stockman in the Centennial Valley of Montana. George T., Jr., lives at Madi- son, Wisconsin. Etta is the wife of William O. Metzel, who recently sold his ranch properties in the Upper Ruby Valley. Mr. Metzel was killed in an automobile accident near Spokane, Washington, in July, 1919. His widow resides in Dillon, with her two sons. Ruby M. is also a resident of Dillon and in 1919 disposed of some valuable ranch inter- ests in the Centennial Valley.

Robert Thornton Boatman spent his early life in Montana Territory and received his early edu- cation in the rural schools of Ruby Valley in Madi- son County. At the age of fifteen he ran away

from home, seeking new adventures and experi- ences. That was in 1881, and he hired out as a cattle driver, assisting in taking a herd of cattle to Calgary, Canada. He remained on the western prairies of Canada for seven years, during most of that time being employed by I. G. Baker & Com- pany, a large cattle, horse and freighting concern. While in Canada Mr. Boatman had his nearest approximation to military service. While at Mc- Leod in 1885, in charge of a freighting outfit the teams were taken over by the Canadian Government and divided into four horse teams, used to trans- port ammunition and artillery. That was the pe- riod of the Riel Rebellion in Western Canada, Riel having stirred up some of the Indian tribes to hostilities. Accepting his new role in the army transport service, Mr. Boatman drove a team from McLeod to Calgary and there joined a large com- mand under Major General Strange. They took the artillery from Calgary to Edmonton on the North Saskatchewan, and finally to Fort Pitt, which had been destroyed and was still smoking ruins. In that vicinity the Canadian troops engaged in several battles with the Indians. Prior to the first battle with the Indians, Major General Strange went to the drivers personally and gave them instruc- tions as to their duties during the fight. This was at Frenchman's Butte, about four miles north of Fort Pitt. The general was very particular in his instructions to the drivers to stay with their ar- tillery, no matter what happened, and under no circumstances to leave it. The drivers were nat- urally anxious regarding the behavior of their horses when the artillery began firing, and it may also be said that they were not unconcerned re- garding their own behavior in this, their first time under fire. However, the horses stood firm and so did the men and made a very fine showing. The artillery shelled the Indians out of the trenches they had dug and forced them to cut their way north through the heavy timber. The Indians had dug their trenches just behind a row of muskeags and had covered them so skillfully that it was only by the help of powerful field glasses that their position was ascertained. General Strange after the battle made a speech to the men, stating that he could have captured the Indians right there by ordering a charge over these muskeags, but it would have entailed a heavy loss of life in his command, and as he knew it was a matter of but a short time when he would capture them without this loss of life he considered it best not to order the charge. After the battle the troops were instructed to fall back about three miles to where the camp was corralled in battle formation and proceeded to make further preparation for the capture of the Indians. The first shot of the artillery was fired for 700 yards, as that was the distance figured to the trenches, but it was discovered that the shot went over the trenches, so the range was reduced to 600 yards and this proved to be correct and drove the Indians out. After the battle it was discovered that the first shot must have exploded right in the Indians' camp, where the old men, children, dogs, etc., were, this being called the squaw camp, for evidences were found that the shell did big damage to the inhabitants there. It was the first time that the' Indians had had shrapnel used against them and caused them to remark after- wards that the white man did not fight fair, as they shot the same bullet twice. Mr. Boatman also ac- companied the forces north to Beaver. River and Cole Lake, where the last remnants of the rebel tribes were scattered. He was released from his army service at Fort Pitt.

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In 1888 he returned to Montana at Dillon and for several years worked with some cattle outfits. In 1892 he began buying and shipping horses and mules, which he still continues, and during the past quarter of a century he has been probably the larg- est individual shipper of horses out of Montana. In the early days he shipped horses and mules to Kansas, Arkansas, Tennessee, Kentucky and other southern states. In 1898 he took charge of the Home Park Ranch in the Upper Ruby Valley, but in 1907 moved into the Centennial Valley, where he had acquired some extensive land holdings. He used these lands chiefly for cattle raising and feed- ing. He owned 2,700 acres there and also had 3,000 acres under lease. Most of his ranch prop- erty he sold in 1917 to Ed Roe. Mr. Boatman also owned 1,920 acres on the north side of the lake in Centennial Valley, but sold this in the spring ot 1919, with his cattle, to the Centennial Land and Cattle Company.

Mr. Boatman owns a modern home at 325 South Dakota Street in Dillon. He also has under lease a ranch in the Big Hole Basin, and is using it to run his cattle and other stock. At Home Park he was postmaster four years under Mckinley's administration, and in 1894-95 was a justice of the peace in Centennial Valley. He is a stanch re- publican, is affiliated with the Methodist Episcopal Church, and is a member of Virginia City Lodge No. 1, Ancient Free and Accepted Masons, Vir- ginia Lodge No. 7, Independent Order of Odd Fellows, and is also an Elk.

In 1906 Mr. Boatman married Elizabeth J. Peter- son, who died at Dillon in 1914. She was the mother of four children: Thornton, who died at the age of eight years; Harriet, born May 10, 1910; Robert G., born October 15, 1914; and Ralph F., twin brother of Robert. On December 20, 1916, Mr. Boatman married Martha E. Minter, daughter of C. H. and Mary J. (Scale) Minter. Her father was born in Virginia in 1844, and was married near Booneville, Kentucky, where he was a farmer and miller and later engaged in the timber and logging business. In 1899 he moved to the vicinity of Bethel, Ohio, where he lived on a farm until his death in 1911. He was a republican and a mem- ber of the Methodist Church. Mrs. Boatman's mother resides at Dillon. Mrs. Boatman was edu- cated in the public schools near Booneville, Ken- tucky. She is an active member of the Methodist Church.

JOHN LOGAN was a railroad telegrapher and agent for the Northern Pacific lines until he entered the service of the Columbus State Bank ten years ago, and is cashier of that institution, the first bank established in Stillwater County.

Mr. Logan was born at Melrose, Iowa, August 8, 1886. His father, Luke Logan, still living at Melrose, was born in Kings County, Ireland, in 1844, and came to the United States about 1865. He moved out to Melrose, Iowa, in 1870, and was married at Georgetown in that state. His wife was Margaret Lahart, who was born. at Tyrone, Iowa, in 1854. They were married in the Big Stone Church at Georgetown. At that time this was the largest church between the Mississippi River and the old Missions of California. Luke Logan became a pioneer farmer near Melrose, later was a merchant for a number of years, and then returned to his farm. He was a democrat and a Catholic.

John Logan attended public school at Melrose, his education being continued to the age of seven- teen. For one year he taught school in Monroe County, Iowa, and in 1906 came to Columbus, Mon-

tana. After a few months as an employe in the Northern Pacific freight house he served two years as telegraph operator for that railroad, and then for two years was station agent. He entered the Columbus State Bank in 1910 as bookkeeper, was promoted to assistant cashier, and since 1914 has been cashier.

The Columbus State Bank was established' in 1903 under a state charter, and in its prosperous record of the past ten years Mr. Logan has been an influential factor. The bank is capitalized at $40,000 and has a surplus of $10,000. A. C. John- son of Helena is president and the vice president is F. V. DeClercq.

Mr. Logan is president of the Stillwater Club and is a member of the Catholic Church and a democrat in politics. He married at Billings, Mon- tana, in 1912, Miss Daisy Penman, daughter of David and Marjorie (Preston) Penman, both de- ceased. Her father came from Maryland with the Northern Pacific Railway for the purpose of opening mines at Timberline and Cokedale. He died at Columbus in 1914. Mrs. Logan is a gradu- ate of the University of Montana at Missoula. To their marriage were born two daughters, Mar- garet, born June 6, 1913, and Helen, born March 3, 1915.

HEBER GUY MORGAN, M. D. While the town of Roberts in Carbon County has only one physician and surgeon, the community is peculiarly fortunate in having access to such talents and wide experi- ence as those exemplified by Doctor Morgan.

Doctor Morgan, who first came out to Montana about thirteen years ago, was born at Smith Lake, Minnesota, February 13, 1883. He represents an old Virginia family of Welsh origin. The Morgans came from Wales and first settled on the eastern shore of Maryland. Doctor Morgan's ancestor Morgan Morgan settled at Bunker Hill, in that portion of old Virginia now West Virginia, as early as 1726, nearly two centuries ago. Doctor Morgan's grandfather was Achilles Morgan, who was born In Virginia in 1819 and died at New Martinsville, now West Virginia, in 1905. He spent his life as a farmer. His wife was a Miss Massey, a native of Maryland, who died when quite young of diph- theria. John W. Morgan, their son, was born in New Martinsville in 1857, lived there to the age of twenty-one, and in 1878 settled at Smith Lake, Minnesota, where he was engaged in the grain and mercantile business for eight years, and during that time his son Doctor Morgan was born. He then went back to New Martinsville, West Virginia, and farmed there but is now living retired. He is a democrat and an active supporter of the Christian Church. John W. Morgan married Belle Irene Bowser, who was born in Ohio in 1857 and died at New Martinsville, West Virginia, April 1, 1914. Doctor Morgan is the older of their two sons. Achilles, the other son, died at the age of twenty years, at Morgantown, West Virginia.

Doctor Morgan attended public school at New Martinsville, graduating from high school in 1902. He then entered the College of Physicians and Surgeons at Baltimore, and completed his course and received the M. D. degree on May 30, 1906. He is a member of the Phi Beta Pi honorary medi- cal fraternity. For three months in 1906 he served as interne in the State Insane Hospital at Mount Pleasant, Iowa, and in September of the same year came to Montana and for two years was con- nected with the State Insane Hospital at. Warm Springs as an interne. In 1908 he went to Twin Falls, Idaho, and remained there in practice as a

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contract surgeon with the United States Govern- ment for three years. For a brief time following that engagement he was connected with the State Insane Hospital at Engleside, Nebraska, then re- turned to his old home at New Martinsville, West Virginia, where he lived from July, 1913, to 1915. Doctor Morgan settled permanently at Roberts, Montana, in 1915, and is the only representative of his profession and finds his services in great demand. In 1917 he established the only drug store at Roberts and he owns the building in which it is conducted and has his own residence there. Doctor Morgan is an independent democrat.

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Montana, its story and biography; a history of aboriginal and territorial Montana and three decades of statehood, Volume II, Part 81

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