Montana, its story and biography; a history of aboriginal and territorial Montana and three decades of statehood, Volume III, Part 111

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 111

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Orrel H. Kronkright was twelve years of age when his parents moved out to Nebraska, and he grew up in the country district of Kearney County and finished a common school education. He took up the hurdens of life for himself as a Kearney County farmer, but for two years lived near Camp Clark above Fort Sidney. Then in January, 1895, he came to Montana, his first location being in the Yellowstone Valley just east of Forsyth. For seven years he was employed hy several of the big cattle

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HISTORY OF MONTANA

or sheep concerns of that locality. Among his em- ployers were Charles Davis, the old time sheriff of Rosebud County, P. B. Moss of Billings, the "FUF" horse outfit. In 1903 he moved 1,000 head of cattle for A. D. Howard to Oswego, and re- mained in that locality for six years.

Mr. Kronkright then came over into Richland County, and at Mewlon was engaged in the hotel and livery business from 1909 to 1912. He then took his homestead near Lambert, and for the past eight years has been one of the substantial de- velopers of that locality. It was only when he moved to a homestead that he established a home of his own and lived under his own roof. His half section has become substantially improved with a home, splendid barn and Ig0 acres have been brought under cultivation. He has put in eight crops, and in two seasons his seed was hardly returned, but others years have struck a favorable balance in his favor. The rotating of crops and summer fallowing the land, planting corn after spring plowing, are methods approved by his experience. Summer fal- lowing he especially advocates for this semi-arid region. In 1912, after spring breaking, he had a

wheat yield of 30 bushels to the acre and 23 bushels of flax. The growing of corn has proved not un- satisfactory. "Less land, better farmed," is the philosophy of agriculture he has derived from his experience, and that rule is applicable to other states as well as to Montana.

As a home builder and farm developer Mr. Kronk- right has exercised his chief privileges as a citizen, but not without a keen interest in other local affairs. He has served as a member of the School District Board and in 1914 was elected county commissioner to succeed W. B. Gibbs. His colleagues on the board were Frank Hardy and John Bowden, and the board was chiefly concerned with the routine administra- tion of county affairs. After one term of two years Mr. Kronkright was satisfied to return the responsibilities of office over to his successor. Po- litically he is a democrat, having first supported Grover Cleveland, voted for Mr. Bryan twice, helped elect Colonel Roosevelt in 1904 and Mr. Taft in 1908 and gave two successive votes to Woodrow Wilson. August 12, 1887, in Kearney County, Nebraska, Mr. Kronkright married Miss Nettie Hubbard, and they have shared each other's home and for- tunės for over thirty years. She was born in Cass County, Nebraska, a daughter of Delos W. and Eva (Todd) Hubbard, her father a native of Pennsyl- vania and her mother of New York. Delos Hubbard was a Union soldier with a Wisconsin regiment for four years, at first under Grant, and was with Sher- man from Atlanta to the Sea. He spent his active career as a farmer and since 1898 has been a resi- dent of Montana, his home being at Poplar. He is a stanch republican, and is a great reader and be- liever in the teachings of the Bible, though not identified with any church. Delos Hubbard and wife had the following children: Harry, of Circle, Montana; Arthur, of Poplar; Mrs. Kronkright : Leonard, of Richey, Montana: Verner, of Wolf Point; Charles, a garage man of Richey; Edward, a farmer at Richey. Mr. and Mrs. Kronkright have reared a family of children several of whom have gone into homes and occupations of their own. They are: Leona, wife of James Montgomery, of Poplar, Montana; Mabel D., wife of Charles Darling, of Belton; George, a resident of Belton; Edna, wife of Wilfred Bell, of Lambert; Sylvester, of Belton; while Verna, Effie, Nettie and Pearl still live in the parental home.

WILLIAM F. JACOBS. Montana is the state of opportunity for the capable, energetic and indus-

trious man who seeks an outlet for his abilities and is not afraid of hard work. William F. Jacobs is one of the successful men of Harlowton who has secured profitable results from his endeavors, for they have been directed intelligently, and he has saved his money and invested it wisely. At present he is not only conducting a flourishing meat market at Harlowton, but owns and operates a fine ranch one mile from the city limits.

William F. Jacobs was born at Salisbury, Mis- souri, May 12, 1890, a son of Henry and Barbara Jacobs, the former of whom was born in the Prov- ince of Tooning, Denmark. They had two children, namely: Harry R. and William F. The mother died when William F. was ten days of age. Henry Jacobs was a sugar maker by trade, and worked at his calling in London, England, when a young man, but came to the United States and spent some time in the cities of St. Louis, Kansas City and St. Jo- seph, Missouri, before he located permanently at Salisbury in 1883, engaging in the manufacture of sugar and the production of tobacco. For several terms he has been alderman of his city, and during the great war did his full part in making successful all of the different drives, and is a strong supporter of the administration, although independent in poli- tics.

Losing his mother when he was only ten days old, William F. Jacobs was taken by his father's brother, William F. Jacobs, and grew up in his family. He first attended the parochial schools of the German Lutheran faith in Michigan until he was eight years old, and then became a pupil of the public schools. Subsequently he learned the butchering business with his uncle, and lived with him until 1908, when he came to Montana, locating permanently at Harlowton, where he was in the employ of A. C. Graves, extensively engaged in the cattle and butchering business. After remaining with him for some time Mr. Jacobs then engaged with other butchers, returning at last to Mr. Graves, with whom he remained until May, 1915, when he em- barked in a butchering business of his own, and still conducts it, although in 1919 he bought a ranch one mile away from Harlowton, on which he is en- gaged in farming and cattle raising. Well known as a Mason, he belongs to Musselshell Lodge No. 69, Ancient Free and Accepted Masons; Harlowton Chapter No. 22, Royal Arch Masons; Palestine. Commandery No. 18, Knights Templar ; and Algeria Temple, Ancient Arabic Order Nobles of the Mystic Shrine, of Helena Montana. He is also a mem- ber of Lewiston Lodge No. 456, Benevolent and Pro- tective Order of Elks. On September 15, 1918, Mr. Jacobs entered the Motor Transport Corps, United States, and was first located at Camp Boulder, Colo- rado, a training camp, from which he was trans- ferred to. Fort Logan, Colorado, where he became an instructor, and he received his honorable dis- charge on December 1, 1918. In politics Mr. Jacobs is a democrat, and, like his father, is a strong ad- mirer of President Wilson.

As yet a man young in years, Mr. Jacobs is ex- perienced in business life, for he entered at an early age upon the discharge of its responsibilities, and he is well fitted to carry on the work in which he is engaged. His market is one of the best equipped establishments of its kind in the city, and his con- nection with the cattle business enables him to offer a superior quality at prices more in accordance with present demands than those who are forced to de- pend entirely upon outside shipments. Occupied as he has been with his personal affairs, he has had little time or inclination for public matters, but when the occasion arises he will not be found lack- ing in his support of his city or county government,

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HISTORY OF MONTANA

and will give it the same loyal service that he did his country when he felt it his duty to do so.

CHARLES F. WATKINS, M. D. Numbered among the distinguished physicians and surgeons of Southern Montana, Dr. Charles F. Watkins is justly recognized as one of the most desirable citizens of Billings, where he is carrying on a general medical and surgi- cal practice and acting as surgeon for the Great Northern and Burlington railroads, and the Great Western Sugar Company.

Doctor Watkins takes justifiable pride in his Amer- ican ancestry. The records of the family run back to the very early days of the Colonies, when three Watkins brothers came from Wales. Their descend- ants in later years became pioneers of Ohio. Doctor Watkins was born at Mount Cory, Ohio, September 28, 1872, a son of Isaac Watkins, also a native of Ohio, having been born in that state in 1831. Until 1878 Isaac Watkins lived at Mount Cory, where he was engaged in farming, but in that year moved to Reed City, Michigan, where he died in 1894. A strong democrat, he received the appointment of postmaster of Ashton, Michigan, and was otherwise prominent in his party. Early converted to the faith of the Methodist Episcopal Church, he continued a zealous member and effective worker of it the remainder of his life. During the Civil war he proved his patriotism by enlisting for service, and was assigned to the Army of the Potomac. Isaac Watkins was united in marriage with Esther Corwin, born in Cayuga County, New York, in 1832, who survived him, dying at Reed City, Michigan, in 1916. Their children were as follows: George, who died at Mount Cory, Ohio, was a farmer and raiser of blooded stock; Alice, who is the wife of Uriah Moyer, a raiser of blooded stock, lives at Mount Cory, Ohio; Lucinda, who died at Ann Arbor, Michigan; John Wesley, a dealer in wholesale and retail meat products, who lives at Pontiac, Michigan; James Adelbert, a dealer in live stock and lumber, lives at Reed City, Michigan ; Lillie who died at Reed City, Michigan; Flora, who is the wife of D. L. White, resides in Northern Michigan; and Doctor Watkins.

After attending the common and high schools of Reed City, Michigan, Charles F. Watkins entered the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor, from which he was graduated in 1901 with the degree of Doctor of Medicine, after having received a degree in chemistry in 1898 from the same institution. Dur- ing his college career he was one of the University of Michigan premier baseball pitchers, and coached the baseball team four years. Doctor Watkins has made it a practice to attend clinics almost every year since his graduation for post graduate work, and in 1917 was made a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons. In 1901 he began practice in the Northern Pacific Hospital at Brainerd, Minnesota, where he remained for two years, specializing in surgery, and was then transferred to Missoula, Mon- tana, continuing in the service of the Northern Pacific Railroad, being one of its first assistant surgeons for fourteen months. In 1904 he came to Billings, where he has since been engaged in practice, his offices being conveniently located in suite No. 217 Electric Building. Doctor Watkins for several years has been senior member of Doctors Watkins & Stripp, his associate being Dr. A. E. Stripp, and recently Dr. Louis W. Allard has been added to the firm.

Doctor Watkins owns his modern residence at 314 North Twenty-ninth Street. For years he has maintained an independent attitude with reference to politics, and during 1917-19 was a member of the City Council of Billings. Well known in Masonry, Doctor Watkins belongs to Ashlar Lodge No. 29,

Ancient Free and Accepted Masons, Billings Chapter No. 6, Royal Arch Masons, Aldemar Commandery No. 5, Knights Templar, and Zurah Temple, Ancient Arabic Order Nobles . of the Mystic Shrine, of Minneapolis, Minnesota. He is also a member of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks Lodge No. 394, of Billings. His social connections are with the Billings Midland Club, the Billings Club, the Billings Golf and Country Club and the Rotary Club. Pro- fessionally he belongs to the Yellowstone County Medical Society, the Montana State Medical Society, the American Medical Association, and is valued in all of these organizations as a man of ability and sound training.

On May 8, 1906, Doctor Watkins was united in marriage at Billings to Sophie Bennighoff, a daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Andrew Bennighoff, both of whom are now deceased, and a niece of George Bennighoff, commonly called Uncle George, a prominent citizen of the state and owner of the Grand Hotel of Billings. Mrs. Watkins' father was manager of the Grand Hotel.

HARRY S. WHITCOMB. Both in spirit and in practice Harry S. Whitcomb has thoroughly iden- tified himself with Montana citizenship and affairs during his fourteen years' residence in the state. He is active in a partnership agency of fire and life insurance at Malta, is a member of the Board of County Commissioners of Phillips County and in various other ways his name has been associated with the affairs of that locality.

Mr. Whitcomb was born at St. Paul, Minnesota, July 2, 1886. His grandfather, Ahia W. Whitcomb, was an early settler in Wisconsin from Pennsylvania, and became extensively interested in the lumber industry of that state, owning timber land and lumber mills at Big . Falls. His family consisted of the following children: Timothy S .; Edward, of Arlington, Nebraska; and Charles, who became prominent in Montana, coming to the territory in 1886 and eventually acquiring extensive mining and milling properties at Whitcomb, a town named in his honor. He is now living at Helena.

Timothy S. Whitcomb was born at Edgerton, Wis- consin, and as a young man was employed in rail- way train service. In later years he came to Mon- tana and conducted a store at Whitcomb, where his brother's mining interests were concentrated, and subsequently ran a stage line between Dodson and Zortman, with his home in Dodson. He died at Malta in January, 1910, at the age of fifty-three. His wife was Catherine L. McGuire, a daughter of Patrick and Belle (Murphy) McGuire. She has in recent years become a homesteader and farmer in Phillips County. Her children were: Harry S .; Charles L., of Phillipsburg, Montana; Grace L., wife of William Trout, of Dallas, Texas; and Grant T., who is associated with his mother on the farm in Phillips County.

Harry S. Whitcomb grew up in Milwaukee, spent one year in high school and a year in business col- lege, and at the age of twenty, in 1906, came out to Montana. For several years he was at Whitcomb in Blaine County, and gained his business training in his uncle's milling properties at Whitcomb and Zortman. For a time he was office man for the Ruby Gulch Mining Company at Whitcomb, in charge of the books, and later had charge of the mills of the Ruby Gulch, the August at Landusky and the Beaver Creek property at Zortman. He continued active with the mining company until 1914, in which year he was elected county commissioner and has since had his home at Malta.

Mr. Whitcomb was elected for a four-year term and was re-elected to succeed himself in 1918 for a

Charles F. Hacking m.D. F.a.C.L.

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HISTORY OF MONTANA

term of six years. For three years he was chair- man of the board, and with Commissioner C. A. Ross and W. D. Miller constituted the first board of the county, upon which devolved the responsi- bility of organizing Phillips County, arranging for temporary quarters for the Government. Mr. Whit- comb was also instrumental in securing the location of the Carnegie Library at Malta. As a county official in addition to his private business he took every opportunity to aid the nation at the time of the war, serving as a member of the Council of Defense and was active in the Red Cross. He was on the committee to entertain the county's soldiers in giving them a rousing farewell when they started for the front. He also contributed in proportion to his means to the various financial campaigns.

As an insurance man Mr. Whitcomb is associated with William G. Schneider as district agent for the Guarantee Fund Life Association of Omaha. Their territory comprises the Counties of Richland, Valley, Roosevelt, Sheridan, Phillips and Blaine. During their first year, 1919, they placed about $800,000 worth of insurance. Mr. Whitcomb and Mr. Schneider are also engaged in a joint farm project, being alfalfa raisers in the Milk River Valley and grain farmers on the bench in Phillips County. Mr. Whitcomb is a stockholder in the Phillips County Abstract Company and in the Dodson Townsite Company, and is a member of the Milk River Oil & Gas Company, one of the earliest organizations to undertake leasing and prospecting for oil and gas in this section of the state.

At Fort Benton, Montana, Decembed 28, 1910, Mr. Whitcomb married Miss Florence Morrow. Mrs. Whitcomb is a native daughter of Montana, born at Fort Benton, where her father was an early settler and rancher. She was the fourth among the four sons and four daughters of Malcolm and Mary A. (Travis) Morrow. Her father, a native of Scotland, came to Montana from Denver, Colo- rado, and is still living at Fort Benton. Mrs. Whit- comb completed her education in the Montana Nor- mal School at Dillon and spent seven years in teach- ing before her marriage. Mr. and Mrs. Whitcomb have three children: Florence E., Maxine M. and Harry Stewart.

CLARENCE W. NELSON. No one man of Saco has contributed more toward the development of the city and Phillips County than Clarence W. Nelson, who has been connected with practically every move- ment of merit in the neighborhood since his arrival here in 1898, and his work has always been of a constructive character. He was born in Waseca County, Minnesota, April 13, 1873, a son of Rezin and grandson of Rezin Nelson, and a member of one of the old established American families of English ancestry.

The elder Rezin Nelson, who was a lawyer, was born in Pennsylvania, and the first name of his wife was Eliza. They had three sons : Rezin, Jr .; Charles. who served in the heavy artillery during the war between the states; and Frank, who was the youngest.

Rezin Nelson, Jr .; was born at Pittsburgh, Penn- sylvania, but was taken when a boy by his widowed mother to Fond du Lac, Wisconsin. When only seventeen years old he, volunteered for service in the war between the states in the Thirty-second Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry, but was released be- cause of the claim of his mother for his help, and she tried to keep him at home. The lad, fired by patriotism, however, once more eluded her and again volunteered for service as a member of the First Minnesota Infantry from Fort Snelling, Minnesota. This time he was accepted and sent with his regi- ment to Vicksburg, Mississippi, and took part in

that terrible campaign, which tried the souls of all the participants. After the expiration of his first enlistment he took a short furlough, veteranized, re- enlisted and completed his career as a soldier as a member of the Army of the Potomac under General Grant. In spite of being in the service more than three years and participating in some of the hard- est fighting, he was never wounded or captured, and was discharged as a sergeant. After the organiza- tion of the Grand Army of the Republic he identified himself with it.

Upon his return home Rezin Nelson engaged in farming near Waseca, and remained in this line of endeavor during the rest of his useful life. He dis- charged his share of the obligations of citizenship, and voted the republican ticket in national elections, but had no aspirations toward public honors. He was a Protestant in religious matters, although not a member of any church, and his life was such as to set an example worthy of emulation.

Rezin Nelson was married to Rhoda A. Sutlief, a daughter of Asa G. Sutlief, who went to Texas at a very early day, and was engaged there in the cattle industry. In 1854 Mr. Sutlief decided to move to Minnesota, and his two sons trailed his cattle from Texas to Waseca County, Minnesota, and there Asa G. Sutlief spent the remainder of his days. The family were the first white settlers in that county. Mr. and Mrs. Sutlief had the following children : Delancy, Byron, Milton and Mrs. Nelson. Rezin Nelson died in 1912, but his widow survives him and lives near Waseca, Minnesota. Their chil- dren were as follows: Lee B., who identified him- self with the mercantile business of Birum-Nelson Company, Incorporated, of Saco, and died there in 1915; Rezin, Jr., who is engaged in a men's clothing business at Appleton, Minnesota; Clarence Walter, whose name heads this review; Roy, who is a farmer and stockman of Saco; Rex, who is a druggist of Forsyth, Montana; Earl, who is a farmer near Waseca, Minnesota; and Nellie B., who is the wife of A. A. Birum, of the firm of Birum-Nelson Com- pany, Incorporated, of Saco, Montana.

Clarence W. Nelson remained in Waseca, Minne- sota, until he was twenty-one years old, and ac- quired a liberal educational training in the public schools at Waseca and Faribault. He engaged in teaching school, developing into an excellent edu- cator through further study at the Central High School of Faribault, Minnesota, and at times would teach a term or two, even after he had practically left the educational field, his last work in this line being done in Valley County, Montana.

Mr. Nelson came into Montana in 1898 and lo- cated at Saco, when it was still in Valley County. However, although he did not reach Montana until 1898 he had started out for the state when only seventeen, even buying his ticket, but was dissuaded by his parents, and turned his ticket back into the company. From childhood he had cherished an am- bition to follow the example of his grandfather and those uncles of his who had driven the family herd on the long "hike" from the Lone Star State to the Gopher State.

At the time of his arrival at Saco Mr. Nelson found that his services were actually needed in the school, the third one to be established in Valley County, and, although he had other plans, he relin- quished them for the moment and assumed charge of the school, of which for a time he was the only teacher. Later, in partnership with William H. Taylor, he bought the stock of merchandise owned by Samuel G. Moore, and the business was con- ducted under the name of C. W. Nelson & Com- pany. In 1905 Mr. Nelson sold his store interests and organized the First Bank of Saco, in 1906, with

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HISTORY OF MONTANA

a capital of $25,000, but the name was later changed to the Bank of C. W. Nelson & Company. In Octo- ber, 1913, Mr. Nelson sold the bank to the Davidson- Ross-Heggie banking interests, and the First Na- tional Bank of Saco and the Bank of C. W. Nelson & Compnay were consolidated under the name of The First National Bank of Saco. Since this time he has devoted himself to handling real estate, stock and ranching. He proved up a homestead of 160 acres adjoining Saco, and on it his fine residence of the bungalow type is now standing.

Mr. Nelson identified himself with the political party of his father when he voted for William Mckinley for the presidency in 1896, and continued to support republican candidates until 1912, when he followed the lead of Theodore Roosevelt into the progressive party, but in 1916 voted for Mr. Hughes. In 1899 Mr. Nelson was appointed post- master of Saco, and served until relieved by Lee L. Minnick in 1914, a Wilson appointee. Mr. Nelson was an active factor in securing the incorporation of Saco, and has served on the Board of Education since the schools were graded.

He was made a Mason at Helena, Montana, and belongs to Saco Lodge No. 94, Ancient Free and Accepted Masons, of which he is master; Helena Consistory, and Algeria Temple, Mystic Shrine, of Helena.

In January, 1904, Mr. Nelson was married at Missoula, Montana, to Miss Maysie L. Taylor, a daughter of William H. Taylor, a sketch of whom appears elsewhere in this work. Mrs. Nelson was born in Waseca County, Minnesota, December 9,, 1883, and educated in the public schools at Missoula, Montana. Mr. and Mrs. Nelson have the following children: Grace L., Earl W. and Clarence Lee.

During the late war Mr. Nelson, was a member of the Phillips County Council of Defense, and his office was its headquarters, and in it all of its records were kept. As a member of the various committees he did yeoman service in assisting in putting all of the drives through, and bought most generously of all of the bonds and was one of the men of this locality who invested to the limit in "baby bonds."

The record of a man like Mr. Nelson is not only interesting, but it is instructive and illuminating, for it proves that good blood does tell and that American virtues and sterling traits of character are transmitted from father to son. Having the same environment for generations, it is but natural that men of the ancestry of Mr. Nelson are bound to develop into good, sound and dependable citizens and fine men, alive to the best interests of their community, and imbued with that larger sense of the responsibilities of patriotic duty that marks the American born.

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Montana, its story and biography; a history of aboriginal and territorial Montana and three decades of statehood, Volume III, Part 111

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