Montana, its story and biography; a history of aboriginal and territorial Montana and three decades of statehood, Volume III, Part 108

Author: Stout, Tom, 1879- ed
Publication date: 1921
Publisher: Chicago, American Historical Society
Number of Pages: 1144

USA > Montana > Montana, its story and biography; a history of aboriginal and territorial Montana and three decades of statehood, Volume III > Part 108

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is the wife of Ben Bear Below of Lodgegrass, and has a daughter Matilda.

GEORGE D. HAHN. Wonderful indeed has been the transformation of Montana since it was first beheld by George D. Hahn, of Kalispell, one of our early pioneers and an influential and highly hon- ored citizens, for when this sterling character cast his lot here he found a wide-stretching wilderness, still the domain of Indians, and also the haunts of various species of wild animals. But he was not a man to be discouraged by seemingly insur- mountable obstacles-in fact, being a man of cour- age and farsightedness, he underwent the hardships and trials incident to life in a new country and enjoyed it better than being hampered by the civili- zation of the old Keystone State, from whence he came. He is a man whom all have admired for his sterling honesty, his courage, his hospitality and his public spirit, and he is eminently deserving of a permanent place in a history of this section.

George D. Hahn was born in Wyoming County, Pennsylvania, and is the son of John and Elizabeth (Walter) Hahn, he being the second in order of birth of their four children. He was reared under the parental roof and secured a good education in the district schools of his home locality. When about twenty-four years of age he paid a visit to Colorado and was charmed by the scenery, which ap- pealed to him as no other section of the country had. The great mountains thus had a call for him that he could not resist, and finally he came West to Montana, locating first at Anaconda, where he spent the winter. In the spring of 1888 he came to the Flathead country and purchased the ranch of a Mr. Plume. He had left his wife at Ana- conda, whither he returned for a time, but finally moved his family to the new home, making the trip in a typical prairie schooner, the trip requir- ing nine days. In the spring of 1889 he also pre- empted a claim and there he established his per- manent home, building a substantial and commo- dious residence and farm buildings. Mr. Hahn was a progressive and energetic farmer, his indus- try being rewarded by bounteous crops. He be- came deeply interested in irrigation, particularly with the Ashley project, which had its beginning in February, 1897, and has seen some wonderful results from irrigation. For instance, on one tract of his own land he has made as many as three cut- tings of alfalfa in one season, amounting to an average of eight tons to the acre a season. Mr. and Mrs. Hahn remained on this farm until 1914, when, having acquired a sufficiency of this world's goods to satisfy their modest needs for the future, they relinquished the active work of the farm and moved into a comfortable home in the City of Kalispell, where they now reside.

Mr. Hahn for many years made a specialty of stock raising, particularly Hereford cattle, of which he bred and raised great numbers for the market. He faithfully maintained the standard purity of his stock, and maintains that pure-blooded stock rais- ing has been one of the great contributing elements of the success which has attended farming in the Flathead Valley. In the early days of his resi- dence here wild game of all kinds was plentiful, the settlers' table being well supplied with the finest of wild meats. Indians too were plentiful and occasionally were annoying, though they seldom com- mitted serious depredations in this section of the state. That was before the Town of Kalispell was founded and the settlers' cabins were widely scat- tered through the length of the valley. On April 21, 1891, while Mr. Hahn was working on his farm, he heard unusual hammering and, looking down

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into the valley he saw workmen raising the frame of the first house in Kalispell. He and his good wife have been witnesses of and participants in the wonderful development of this section of the state, and they have a. justifiable pride in the part they have played in this transformation. They are proud of the state of their adoption, which they consider one of the choicest sections of the great Northwest. Here soil conditions are almost perfect and with irrigation phenomenal crops may be raised; the weather is not excessively severe in winter and is delightful in summer; the scenery is beautiful, and wild game and fish are here in abundance for those who seek such sport. What more could be desired ?

George D. Hahn was married in Pennsylvania to Minnie Kelley, a native of Wyoming County, Pennsylvania, and the daughter of Levi and Rhoda (Vose) Kelley. Mrs. Hahn's maternal ancestral line contains the names of a number of patriots, the record being in brief as follows: Lemuel Vose, who was a relative of the Governor Winslow family of New York State, was born at Killingly, Con- necticut, April 30, 1753, and died on March 2, 1827. In 1777 he married Prudence Cady, who was born on April 20, 1750, and died on July 28, 1826. Le- muel Vose was the son of Thomas and Experience (Tucker) Vose. Thomas Vose was the son of Lieut. Henry Vose. Lemuel Vose was a volunteer soldier in the Continental army during the the war of the Revolution, and was wounded in the bat- tle of Bunker Hill. This record of patriotic serv- ice entitles Mrs. Hahn to membership in the Daugh- ters of the American Revolution, and she is iden- tified with the chapter of that society at Kalispell.

Politically Mr. Hahn assumes a broad-minded at- titude and is not bound by party ties, preferring to vote as his conscience dictates, giving his support to those men and measures which in his opinion are for the best interests of the greatest num- ber. He has been a consistent supporter of every local movement for the public good, and because of his sterling worth, his material success and his excellent personal qualities he enjoys the confidence and esteem of the entire community.

ARTHUR M. I HODGSON. That the plenitude of satiety is seldom attained in the affairs of life is to be considered a most beneficial deprivation, for where ambition is satisfied and every desired end realized, if such be possible, apathy must follow. Effort would cease, and creative talent would waste its energies in inactivity. The men who have pushed forward the wheels of progress have ever been those to whom satisfaction lies ever in the future, who have labored continuously, always finding in each transition stage an incentive for further ef- fort. Arthur M. Hodgson, farmer and stock raiser of Flathead County, is one whose well directed ef- forts have gained for him a position of desired prominence in the various circles in which he moves, his energy and enterprise have been crowned by success, and, ever having had the best interests of his community at heart and sought to promote them in every possible way, he has well earned a place along with other enterprising and representa- tive citizens in this permanent record of his state.

Arthur M. Hodgson was born in Livingston Coun- ty, Illinois, and is the son of Zimri and Martha (Voorhees) Hodgson, who were successful farm- ing folk in their home community, Zimri Hodgson having gained a wide reputation as a breeder and raiser of pure-bred live stock. Arthur Hodgson was reared on the home farm and secured his edu- cation in the district schools. For a number of years he remained associated with his father in

business, but finally engaged in farming and stock raising at Forrest, Illinois, and later at Healey, that state. From boyhood he has been deeply in- terested in the breeding of live stock, and from the beginning one idea has always been uppermost in his mind, namely, the improvement of the breed and the maintenance of as high a standard as pos- sible. Mr. Hodgson arrived in Montana in 1904 and immediately came to the Flathead Valley, where he has since been located and where he has achieved a most pronounced success in his chosen vocation. He relates in a very interesting manner the story of his family's connection with this business, and the following reminiscences are reproduced from a recent issue of the Montana Farmer: "When first I can remember-which was about the close of the Civil War-the Hodgsons were showing grade Nor- man colts at the state and county fairs in different parts of Illinois. In 1882 Ed Hodgson, of El Paso, Illinois, imported from France for my father, Zimri Hodgson, a dappled gray stallion, three years old, which grew to weigh 1,800 pounds and cost in France $900. Two or three years later the same buyer brought from France for Zimri Hodgson and his boys on their Illinois farm two gray weanling stallions and four yearling fillies-two gray and two black-at a cost of about $400 each. We have been growing good grade 'Normans' (as they were then called), and we found that colts from our full- blood mares were nearly always larger and better in disposition than colts from our high-grade mares. Stud books were being formed and we recorded first in the French Draft and later the same animals in the Percheron book. The pure-bred mares matured at about 1,700 pounds in fair flesh ; the stallions grew somewhat larger than the mares. I moved from Healey, Illinois, to. Kalispell, Montana, with my wife and daughter, in 1904 bringing two mares and a stallion from the full-blood stock which Cousin Ed had imported for father some thirty years before. One mare proved a failure as a brood mare and I sold her to a logger for $200. The other, Surprise 25849, gave us five stallion colts, which sold in our local market of Montana and Idaho for $1,260, or $252 each, and were sold at two years old or under. Also we have four of her pure-bred daughters, * * * At work horse prices these mares should be worth $800, which, added to $1,260, makes $2,060 for one mare's colts in twelve years. Besides she has been one in our team in all kinds of farm work."

At present Mr. Hodgson has three especially fine brood mares of which he is justifiably proud and which are registered as follows: Grace, 122916; Enterprise, 122936; Minnehaha, 136386. He also has a magnificent stallion, General Joffre, 121742, and three blooded fillies. Mr. Hodgson's farm is well improved, the permanent buildings being of a character that reflect credit on the owner. He has shown a progressive and enterprising spirit in all his operations, and his success has been commen- surate with his efforts.

Mr. Hodgson was married to Myrtle Kent, who was born in Waynesburg, Green County, Pennsyl- vania, the daughter of Thomas B. and Elizabeth M. (Ingersoll) Kent, who moved to the Flathead Valley in 1904 and engaged in farming. Mr. and Mrs. Hodgson have a daughter, Jennie, who grad- uated from the Kalispell High School in IOLI and from the Kalispell Business College, and she is now secretary to Professor Randall, of the Flathead County High School.

Politically Mr. Hodgson is not bound by party ties, preferring to give his support to the candidates who in his opinion are best qualified for the offices they seek. Religiously he and his wife are mem-

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bers of the Christian Church, to which they give generous support. In all the relations of life Mr. Hodgson has commanded the respect and confidence of those with whom he has had business relations, and he has richly earned the high standing which he now enjoys in the community.

ANDREW C. GRAVES. Since the death of Andrew C. Graves, which occurred March 3, 1913, Harlowton has become the county seat of Wheatland County. It is significant that Mr. Graves was widely known as the "father of Harlowton." He was one of the first to establish a business there, was owner of the townsite, and with multiplying interests his in- fluence and example were conspicuous in every phase of advancement by which Harlowton has achieved its place among the thriving and progres- sive cities of Eastern Montana.

The career of Mr. Graves was a most unusual one, since he had come to America a penniless youth, familiarized himself with the English lan- guage in the intervals of hard work, and literally earned his bread by the sweat of his brow even after coming to Montana.

He was born in Denmark March 12, 1865, third of the four children of Jens Graves and wife. About the time Andrew C. Graves was born the father was fighting in the armies of his country against Germany.

The educational opportunities of Andrew C. Graves were limited. From the age of eight he was contributing his labor and earnings to the fam- ily. He came to this country at the age of sixteen, and spent the first two years at Grand Rapids, Michigan, where in addition to regular employment he studied faithfully to master the English lan- guage. From Michigan he moved to St. Paul, Min- nesota, and was employed chiefly in manual labor there and at Duluth until 1890. Then after one year at Seattle, Washington, Mr. Graves came to Montana in 1891, and made his home at Helena until 1898. In that year he engaged in the meat market business at Cassell in Meagher County, also did a large business as a dealer in hides and wool, and in 1900 moved his business headquar- ters to Harlowton. Here he erected the second building in the town, continued in the meat, hide and wool industry, and rapidly increased his hold- ings and interests until he was one of the wealthiest men of that locality. Besides his real estate owner- ship in the town he invested heavily in outside lands, developed several ranch properties, aggregating many thousands of acres, a large part of it under irrigation. He was one of the leading cattle and sheep men for a number of years. Due to his en- terprise was erected the Graves Hotel, an honor to the town, and he also built and operated the electric light plant and put up the home of the First National Bank, of which he was one of the organizers and served as the second president.

"Chris" Graves, as he was widely known, pos- sessed character, rugged strength, persistent ambi- tion, and by honest and honorable methods made his work count heavily in the destiny of a large and important section of Montana. He exemplified sound sense and public spirit in his relations with his home town and state, but was never ostenta- tious, and his modesty kept him out of politics. He served for a time as an alderman, and cast his vote as an independent republican. He was long affiliated with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and was interested with his wife in the Rebekahs and with the Lutheran Church.

August 16, 1904. Mr. Graves married at St. Paul, Minnesota, Mrs. Louise (Barquint) Digo- bich. Mrs. Graves, who survives her honored hus-

band and lives at Harlowton, was born in Minne- sota, daughter of John Berquint. She is the mother of one daughter, Mary.

ROBERT N. JONES was born in Iowa City, Iowa, on November 15, 1884, and is the youngest of the three children born to David W. and Margaret (Pate) Jones. David W. Jones is a native of Wales, born on March 22, 1852, and when four years of age was brought to the United States by his parents. They landed at New York City, but soon came to Iowa, where David grew to manhood and was educated. He was the seventh in order of birth of eight chil- dren, and when he was but a child he lost his father by death, so that he was early thrown on his own resources. For a number of years he was employed as a farm hand, but later engaged in farming on his own account in Johnson County, Iowa, and he still lives in that community. In 1905 he engaged in the real estate business in Iowa City. Politically he is a republican; in religion he is a Congrega- tionalist, and fraternally he is a member of the In- dependent Order of Odd Fellows. His wife was a native of Pennsylvania and died when her youngest child, the immediate subject of this sketch, was but two years of age.

Robert N. Jones secured a good elementary edu- cation in the common schools and then became a student in the University of Iowa, where he was graduated in the course of liberal arts in 1909. Hay- ing decided to make the practice of law his life work, he then entered the law department of his alma mater, graduating in 1911 and was admitted to the bar of that state. He at once came to Harlow- ton, Montana, and entered upon active practice, and has been more than ordinarily successful in its prosecution. In 1915 he was appointed city attorney, and in November, 1918, he was elected county at- torney of Wheatland County.

On September 22, 1915, Mr. Jones was married to Edith Woodbury, who was born in Greeley, Colorado, the daughter of Joseph and Rebecca Woodbury, of whose two children she was the younger. To Mr. and Mrs. Jones has been torn daughter, Caryl.

Politically Mr. Jones has been an earnest sup- porter of the republican party, in the councils of which he stands high. He rendered efficient serv- ice as chairman of the Republican County Cen- tral Committee in 1914 and 1916, and is a member of the State Executive Committee. He is a mem- her of the Montana State Bar Association. Fra- ternally he is a member of Musselshell Lodge No. 69, Ancient Free and Accepted Masons, and is 2 past master of that body; is a past high priest of Harlowton Chapter No. 22, Royal Arch Masons; is the present commander of Palestine Commandery No. 18, Knights Templar ; and is a member of Al- geria Temple, Ancient Arabic Order Nobles of the Mystic Shrine, at Helena and is in the Divan of that organization. He is also a member of the Greek-letter college fraternity, Phi Delta Phi.

In addition to his creditable career in one of the most exacting of professions, he has proved an hon- orable member of the body politic, rising in the confidence and esteem of the public, and in every relation of life he has never fallen below the dig- nity of true manhood nor in any way resorted to methods and wiles that have invited criticism or censure. He has long enjoyed a reputation as a safe and conservative counselor, is deservedly popu- lar among his professional brethren and has built up a large and lucrative legal business and enjoys a splendid reputation as a lawyer, citizen and neigh- bor.

P. Dwith

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RICHARD F. SMITH, cashier of the Baker State Bank, has been identified with the development and business interests of Baker since the infancy of the town, and has held his present position since the bank was organized in March, 1909, absorbing a private banking institution, the first one of Baker. He was born in Anoka County, Minnesota, on January 7, 1872, a son of Orrin and Hattie (Reed) Smith, and grand- son of Daniel Y. Smith. After meeting with some material prosperity in Maine, his native state, Daniel Y. Smith brought his family west to Minnesota, and became extensively interested in realty in and about Anoka, handling city and farm lands upon a large scale. He became a member of the first Board of Directors of the Anoka National Bank. At his death his remains were interred in the cemetery at Anoka.

Orrin Smith was born in Trust County, Maine, and after coming to Anoka, Minnesota, with his father became interested in different business enter- prises. His death occurred in December, 1912, and he was survived by his widow until December, 1914, when she, too, passed away. Both were strong Pres- byterians. Their children were as follows: William C., who is a resident of Bethel, Minnesota; Laura Ella, who is the widow of Henry Lutchsinger of Bethel, Minnesota; Charles H., who lives at Anoka, Minnesota; Richard F., whose name heads this re- view; Fred, who lives at Sioux City, Iowa; and Ernest, who died at the age of four years in 1880.

Richard F. Smith's educational advantages were confined to those offered by the public schools of Anoka, Minnesota, up to the eighth grade. As he then left school his further instruction came from experience in business life. Coming to Montana while yet a lad in his teens, Richard F. Smith secured work as a cowboy with Mr. Wibaux, a pioneer cattle- man of Wibaux, of French origin, who was known as a cattle expert. Mr. Smith remained there for three years, gaining an experience that was useful to him later on in his career. Leaving the range, he entered the mercantile firm of Cannon & Orgain of Wibaux as a clerk, and remained with this concern for several years. Six years later he entered the banking business for Mr. Cannon, a private banker of Wibaux. Subsequently Mr. Smith was associated with several others in the organization of the Dawson County Bank, a private bank with a capital stock of $5,000, which he served as cashier until it was pur- chased by Freeman Brothers, and Mr. Smith returned to the mercantile firm of Cannon & Orgain, and re- mained with it until 1909, when he came to Baker.

He opened the Baker State Bank in Lang's store when it was in its old site, and began business with a capital of $20,000. The officials then were as follows : R. E. Morris, president; W. G. Lang, vice president ; and R. F. Smith, cashier. Its Board of Directors was composed of the following: R. L. Anderson, J. H. Price, David Bickle, William Fulton and the above named officials. The bank erected its perma- nent home, a substantial two-story brick building, in 1910, and a year later it was extended to a length of 100 feet, the total cost being $21,000. The present officials are as follows: R. F. Smith, president ; F. R. Savage, First Vice-president ; R. E. Morris, Second Vice-president; and L. E. Rushton, cashier. The capital of the bank has been increased to $50,000, and the total assets are more than $500,000. The institution has enjoyed a steady growth since its organization, and for some years was practically the only bank in this region, just as it is the oldest. Of late years other banks have been established along the Chicago, Milwaukee & Saint Paul Railroad and their prosperity, taken together with that which the Baker State Bank has always held, indicates that the banking business of eastern Montana is steadily

increasing in importance as well as volume. The Baker State Bank has been back of practically every movement having for its object the progress of this region, and the credit it has vouchsafed various con- cerns has given to business at Baker and contiguous territory a stability that could only be attained from a sound bank.

In the movement which resulted in the establish- ment of Fallon County Mr. Smith was one of the active forces, and he was one of the men who brought the county seat to Baker. With the incorporation of Baker as a city Mr. Smith was appointed as a mem- ber of the first City Council, and at the first general election he was elected to that office, but later on resigned. He has served on the school board and has always been a warm friend of the public schools. During the World war Mr. Smith took a very active part, serving as chairman of the Fallon County Liberty Loan Committee during all five drives, and was also a member of the Fallon County Council of Defense. As treasurer of the Red Cross he assisted in raising considerable money for that organization, and in every way possible worked to aid the adminis- tration in carrying out its policies.

Brought up in a republican family, it was only natural that Mr. Smith should espouse the cause of that party and he cast his first presidential vote for William Mckinley at Wibaux. An ardent admirer of Colonel Roosevelt, he became a progressive in 1912, but, like the majority of this branch of the party, has returned to his old allegiance.

On October 18, 1898, Mr. Smith was married at Wibaux to Nellie Agnew, a daughter of Barney J. Agnew. Mrs. Smith was born at Appleton, Minne- sota, April 1, 1877. Her father was a native of Ire- land, and he and his wife had four sons and one daughter in their family. Mr. and Mrs. Smith have the following children: Alice, who is employed by the Baker State Bank; Lloyd, who is employed in a bank at Hardin, Montana; and Donald and Edna, both of whom are attending school at Baker. A sound, reliable and dependable man, Mr. Smith has reached his present responsible standing in his bank and community through his own efforts, and is de- servedly regarded as one of Baker's most influential men. Having lived in Montana during the most im- portant years of its history, he has played the part of an earnest, clear-headed man in the development of his portion of the state, and is proud of the progress he sees on every side.

GEORGE HENRY TAYLOR, who has claimed Montana as his home for nearly forty years, is a resident of Helena, is custodian of the Grand Army of the Republic room at the State Capitol, and is an old soldier with many interesting memories of cam- paigns and battles through the South at the time of the Civil war.

He is a New Englander by birth and ancestry and was born at Jaffrey, New Hampshire, March 21, 1842. His people came from England in co- lonial times. His grandfather, Arthur Taylor, spent all his life on a farm at Jaffrey. Elias Taylor, father of George Henry, was born at Jaffrey in 1797. He was about three years old when General Washington died, and was able to remem- ber seeing the Jaffrey Church draped as a me- morial to the great president. He grew up and married at Jaffrey, and in the early day's before railroads were built operated a transportation out- fit. He had several six-horse teams, transporting goods between the Village of Jaffrey and the ad- jacent cotton factory to Boston. In 1849 he moved to Littleton, New Hampshire, lived on a farm there and in 1854 moved to a farm in Tompkins County,

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Montana, its story and biography; a history of aboriginal and territorial Montana and three decades of statehood, Volume III, Part 108

Author: Stout, Tom, 1879- ed Publication date: 1921 Publisher: Chicago, American Historical Society Number of Pages: 1144

Author: Stout, Tom, 1879- ed
Publication date: 1921
Publisher: Chicago, American Historical Society
Number of Pages: 1144