Montana, its story and biography; a history of aboriginal and territorial Montana and three decades of statehood, Volume III, Part 122

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 122

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entering the Northern army. When the war ended he returned to his home and died west of Jefferson at the age of seventy-three years, his wife having passed away one year before. Their children were: Martha, who married William Smith and resides in Parker County, Texas; Lizzie, who married Hez Allen and resides near Fort Sill, Oklahoma; Mis- souri A., who married John Hale and died in Parker County, Texas; Jefferson, residing near Elm Springs, Oklahoma; Charles Houston, of this review; and Mary, who married John Caldwell, of Weston, Texas.

Charles H. Thex was married in old Custer County, Montana, February 15, 1897, to Bertha Hagen, a daughter of Guy Hagen, who resides in Glendale, Norway, a home visited by Mr. and Mrs. Thex in 1906. Mrs. Thex came away from Norway to seek better opportunities for labor and met Mr. Thex while she was employed as a housekeeper for the "OU" Ranch on Otter Creek. Their children are: Guy; Franklin, who died recently; Mary; Cal- vin; Boone; Annie; Sarah; Francis; and Clifford.

JOSEPH P. DONNELLY was a successful lawyer of San Francisco up to the time of the fire and earth- quake in 1906. That disaster brought a crisis in his own affairs, and he started his professional and business career over again in Montana. Mr. Don- nelly, whose home is now at Havre, has gained a reputation as one of the ablest criminal lawyers in the state.

He was born on his father's farm in Delaware County, Iowa, January 12, 1874. His father was the late Patrick Donnelly, widely known and esteemed in Delaware County, Iowa, where he died October I, 1912. He has been a resident of Adams Town- ship in that county nearly half a century. Patrick Donnelly was born in Ireland, County Meath, De- cember 15, 1832, and in early manhood came to America. For several years he resided in New York and Illinois, and was a pioneer farmer in Kane County of the latter state. Later he moved to Delaware County, Iowa, and acquired a tract of Government land at $1.25 an acre. He made good use of this land, and was a pioneer who lived up to his opportunities. At the time of his death his estate comprised upwards, of 2,000 acres of rich farm lands both in Iowa and Minnesota. A Dela- ware county paper spoke of him at the time of his death in the following words: "During the half century and more that he lived in Adams Township he served many terms in its public offices, He was one of the first justices of the peace in the county, some of the famous cases of pioneer days having been tried in a makeshift courtroom beneath the roof of his home. The fairness and justice he dis- played in deciding points in the disputes of early days won him the confidence of the rough frontier community, the business and social affairs of the countryside always being submitted to his judgment as well as its legal controversies. He was of the best type of the pioneer, courageous, of a rugged honesty which made him square in all his dealings."

On June 29, 1855, he married Julia Smith, who preceded her husband in death about four years. They were the parents of twelve children, Joseph P. being next to the youngest. Eight of the children are still living.

Joseph P. Donnelly grew up on the home farm and had a share in its work and responsibilities. He attended school in winter time and at the age of six- teen he was entered as a pupil in St. Joseph College at Dubuque, later attending St. Mary's College at St. Mary's Kansas, and in 1897 graduated A. B. from Creighton University at Omaha. He took his

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law course in Georgetown University in the District of Columbia, where he received his Master of Arts degree in 1898 and graduated from the law course in 1899.

Mr. Donnelly has a very interesting distinction in the fact he was the first American lawyer to open a law office in the Philippine Islands. He went to the Islands in 1899, soon after the American mili- tary occupation, and for about 11/2 years he served as interpreter and translator in the executive de- partment under William H. Taft, then governor- general of the Philippines. Mr. Donnelly returned from the Far East in 1904 and located at San Fran- cisco, where he quickly established himself in favor and business as a lawyer. The fire and earthquake occurred in the spring of 1906, and having lost all his property by that calamity he located at Butte, Montana. For about nine months he was connected with the Hennessy Mercantile Company, then be- came cashier and credit man for the A. C. M. Hard- ware Company, serving that corporation for three years, and was then made state manager for the National Surety Company of New York. He oc- cupied that post of duty at Helena about three years. For four years he served as chief deputy county at- torney for Lewis and Clark County, and on April 9, 1917, removed to Havre, Montana, where he has acquired a large general practice. Mr. Donnelly is affiliated with Helena Lodge No. 193 of the Elks. Politically he is a democrat.

July 7, 1904, he married Miss Mary G. Donovan, a native of St. Louis, Missouri. They have four children: Marian J., Charles C., Joseph P., Jr., and Catherine L.

LON CREIGHTON STEVENSON as president of the Auto Warehouse and Service Company of Helena is directing the sale and distribution of the Stude- baker cars and parts through the Central Northwest, and is also identified' with two other motor con- cerns in the same territory. He is one of the big men in the automobile business in Montana.

Mr. Stevenson is a seasoned and well rounded business man and has had a most unusual business experience. He was born at Walnut Hill, near At- lanta, Georgia, December 15, 1885. The Stevensons are of Scotch English descent and three brothers of the name came to this country in colonial times, first locating in Pennsylvania, whence one branch removed to Georgia. Through his mother Mr. Stevenson is of Irish ancestry. A. D. Stevenson, his father, was born near Atlanta in 1861, was reared and educated and married there, and was actively engaged in farming until 1898. He is an electrical engineer by profession and for the past twenty-two years has followed that line of work. His present duties require his residence in the Pan- ama Canal Zone. He is a republican in politics and though of the minority party in the South held several local offices in Franklin County, Georgia, including county commissioner. He is a member of the Protestant Union Church. A. D. Stevenson mar- ried Frances C. McConnell, who was born in Geor- gia in 1865 and died in that state in IgII.

Lon Creighton Stevenson spent his early life on a farm in Franklin County, Georgia, attended rural schools and eventually secured the equivalent of a high school education. His first important business experience was one year as stenographer with the Southern Cotton Oil Company at Atlanta. For 21/2 years he was secretary to L, F. Green, general freight agent of the Southern Railway Company. Mr. Stevenson accepted the opportunity to go to Panama as an attache of the staff of John F. Ste- vens, who served as chief engineer of the Panama

Canal from 1905 until 1907. Mr. Stevenson remained in the Canal Zone about two years and has an inti- mate and technical knowledge of many phases of the construction of that great waterway. After returning to Atlanta, Georgia, he removed to Chicago in 1907, and was secretary to L. W. Fargo, vice president of the American Express Company, until the winter of 1908. The following year he spent as city salesman for the Underwood Typewriter Company of New York City, and another year was a stock and life insurance salesman in the East. Mr. Stevenson has great gifts and versatile abilities as a salesman. For 11/2 years he was eastern representa- tive for Stark Brothers Orchards of Louisiana, Mis- souri.

He has been identified with the sales and other departments of the Studebaker Corporation since 1912, when he became secretary to the vice presi- dent. He was in that position one year, and for two years was manager of the department of pro- motion and contracts. In 1915 he was sent to Min- neapolis as assistant manager of the Northwest branch. In June, 1916, he bought a half interest in the Auto Warehouse and Service Company, a business organized at Billings, Montana, by James A. Shoemaker. At that time he became manager at Billings, and in October, 1917, bought out Mr. Shoemaker's interests, and in January, 1918, removed to Helena and is now president of the Auto Ware- house and Service Company. The offices and plant are in the Studebaker Building on Fuller Avenue. This is the sole factory distributing representative of the Studebaker corporation for the Central North- west district, comprising Montana, Northern Wyom- ing and Western North Dakota. It is a big business in itself, requiring two ground floors, 30,000 square feet of floor space, entirely devoted to the Stude- baker automobiles and the Studebaker automobile parts.

Mr. Stevenson is also principal owner of the Cole Motor Company of Montana, handling the factory distribution of the Cole-Aero-Eight motor cars for the same district. He is also principal owner and director of the Northwest Day-Elder Motors Cor- poration, handling the factory distribution in this territory of the Day-Elder motor trucks.

Mr. Stevenson is an independent in politics, a member of Helena Lodge No. 193, Benevolent Pro- tective Order of Elks, and belongs to the Montana Club and Country Club of Helena. November 22, 1919, at Butte, he married Miss Claire S. Graven, a native of Minneapolis.

SAMUEL A. HOUGHLAN, one of the highly success- ful ranchmen on the main Pumpkin Creek, has been identified with this locality since 1909, having come here as a homesteader and entered the tract upon which his improvements and ranch headquarters are standing. He was born in Harrison County, Indiana, August 5, 1880, a son of Frank and Loretta (Sharp) Houghlan. Earlier in life Frank Hough- lan was connected with the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad, but three years ago came to Montana, and his ranch is located near that of his son. He and his wife became the parents of the following children: Samuel A., who is the eldest ; Corda, who is a trainman in the Northwest; and Myrtle, who is the wife of Robert Chapman, of Litchfield, Nebraska.

When he was still a child Samuel A. Houghlan was taken by his parents to Litchfield, Nebraska, and there he attended school. In 1902 Mr. Hough- lan came to Montana and engaged with the Hash Knife Ranch on the line between this state and South Dakota, and was employed for a few years

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working in and out of Montana and Nebraska. Then he came to Miles City and entered the employ of Kenneth McLean, with whom he remained for five years, when he left him, being in charge of the McLean ranch at Miles City lying along the Yel- lowstone River.

When he came to Montana Mr. Houghlan's cap- ital was his willingness and ability to work, and he sold his services in the best market he was able to find and not until he realized upon them was he able to go into business for himself. When he left Mr. McLean he entered a claim and began run- ning cattle on the open range and also handled sheep on shares. He adopted the brand "RH" on the right shoulder, but the "7-T" is his main brand. Ex- periment has convinced Mr. Honghlan that the range cattle of the White Face strain are the best for beef, and he is increasing the number of cattle and horses each year. He began shipping soon after he came to Pumpkin Creek and annually ships many carloads to eastern markets through St. Louis, Missouri. At present Mr. Houghlan controls six sections of land, all of which he owns, and three sections are fenced, and this improvement, as well as others of a substantial nature, have all been made by him. When he located on this land he erected a one-room shack, now doing duty as a bunkhouse, but he later erected a four-room frame cottage. His barn, with sheds, is 50 by 42 feet, with mow room for horse hay.

On September 28, 1903, Mr. Houghlan was mar- ried to Miss Maude Ingraham, a daughter of Craw- ford and Mary Ingraham, at Alliance, Nebraska. The Ingraham family migrated to Fairbury, Ne- braska, from New Brunswick, Canada, and there Mr. Ingraham engaged in a jewelry business and became a heavy investor in real estate, and there he died. Mrs. Ingraham died at Lincoln, Nebraska. The Ingraham children were as follows: Clyde, who lives in Nebraska; Mrs. Houghlan, who is second in order of birth; May, who lives at Lin- coln, Nebraska; Crawford, who is deceased; and Daniel, who lives at Scottsbluff, Nebraska. Mr. and Mrs. Houghlan have no children.

When national issues are at stake Mr. Houghlan votes the republican ticket, but in local matters prefers to act independently. His business affairs have so claimed his attention that he has never con- nected himself with any fraternities or social or- ganizations, and he is not a church member. Thor- oughly experienced in ranch life, he has been able to bring to bear a wide and varied knowledge to his work and has avoided some of the mistakes oftentimes made by those who seek to operate large properties for themselves. His product is recog- nized as excellent, and he commands good prices in any market. Having concentrated on developing his property he is naturally interested in his neigh- borhood and can be depended upon to give it hearty support whenever its well being comes before the public.

OSCAR BROADDUS. The Broaddus family is one of the oldest in the Powder River locality, and no member of it is held in higher esteem than Oscar Broaddus, whose settlement dates back to November I, 1885, when he came here from old Mexico, where for three years he had been a cowboy. He made the trip to Miles City by rail from El Paso, Texas, and he came here without any previous acquaintance with the locality or settlers. He first found em- ployment with the Newman Cattle Company, which concern had employed him in Mexico, where it operated on the "N-Bar" ranch, and he was a range rider and hand for twenty years. On leaving this Vol. II1-28

company he engaged in ranching for himself in the same neighborhood, establishing himself on the present site of the new county seat of Powder River County, squatting upon unsurveyed land. Later he disposed of this location to Mr. Troutman, after occupying it for several years, and moved to his present ranch fifteen miles above Broadus and en- tered his homestead on the south side of Powder River, since which time he has been identified with this neighborhood and its interests. As a shelter for his family Mr. Broaddus erected a log shack of two rooms, which is still utilized as the family residence, although additions have been made to it. He originally had only a few head of cattle, which he ran under the brand "RB," and he still uses it, although his herd is now a large one. To his origi- nal entry he has added until he now has a good- sized ranch, 125 acres of which are under cultiva- tion, but as a farmer his experience has been much that of his neighbors, all of whom are glad to gather a good crop now and then. In addition to his house Mr. Broaddus' improvements consist of fencing, a flowing artesian well, sheds and granaries.

Oscar Broaddus was born in Howard County, Mis- souri, November 4, 1862, a son of John and Bettie (Haston) Broaddus. John Broaddus moved from Louisville, Kentucky, to Howard County, Missouri, where he rounded out his quiet, useful life, dying in 1905, at the age of sixty-six years. His widow, who was the daughter of Jesse Haston, survives him and now at the age of seventy-eight years makes her home with her sons in Montana. John Broad- dus was a consistent member of the Christian Church. He and his wife had the following chil- dren born to them: Oscar, who is the eldest; Horace, who lives at El Paso, Texas; John, who is a ranchman of the Powder River locality; Julia, who is the wife of James R. Allen, of Howard County, Missouri; Mallie, who is the widow of John Daly, of Powder River County; William, who is also a ranchman along Powder River; and Kate, who married Henry C. Daly, of Powder River Coun- ty. Oscar Broaddus was reared in his native county and after completing the courses in its rural schools became a student of the Glasgow High School.

He has been twice married, first at Miles City in April, 1892, when he was united with Miss Rhoda Moorehead, a daughter of W. W. Moorehead, who came to Montana from Iowa in the 'gos and en- gaged in ranching along the Powder River. He is now a resident of Arvada, Wyoming. The maiden name of his wife was Annie Stout, and she bore him five children. Mrs. Broaddus at her death left three children, namely: Oscar, Jr., who served dur- ing the great war; Ernest C., who was trained for service during the great war at Camp Cody, Deming, New Mexico, is now a ranchman, and married to Georgie O'Connell; and Esther, who is married. Mr. Broaddus was married to Mrs. Laura Bidwell in Powder River County in 1903. She came to Montana from Tennessee and was a widow with four children : Mrs. George Linville, Mrs. Esther Ton- nis, George Bidwell, a ranchman on Powder River, and Luther Bidwell, of Arvado, Texas. Mr. and Mrs. Broaddus have the following children: Eliza- beth, Horace, Helen and Ray.

Mr. Broaddus always votes the democratic ticket in national matters, although in local affairs he is liable to support the candidate he deems will best fill the office in question. He was instrumental in having the Broadus postoffice established on his farm at the mouth of Baking Powder Creek. He has frequently aided in developing the educational facilities of the county and contributed to the erec- tion of several schoolhouses, and for some years

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has been a trustee of district No. 81, in which four of his children have been educated.

In reviewing the life of Mr.' Broaddus the biog- rapher is impressed by the spirit of determination he has always displayed to attain his ends. Leaving Missouri in 1883 because he could not make what he deemed was a sufficient income, he went to old Mexico, acting upon information that there he would find congenial surround.gs and excellent wages. After he reached his destination he discovered that while he could make money the people were not ones with whom he could fraternize, and after three years left Mexico with the firm impression that there is nothing in a Mexican or his civilization that an honest white man could tolerate. While in Mexico he worked for the Newman Cattle Com- pany in the states of Chihuahua and Durango, but his associates were principally the despised Mex- icans, hence his dissatisfaction. When he reached Montana he found just what he was looking for, a white man's country, and plenty of opportunity for a hard-working, ambitious young man, and his pres- ent success demonstrates that he was not backward in taking advantages of the openings offered him. It is such men as Mr. Broaddus who make up the great backbone of American citizenship, and who furnish the country with the brave American sol- diers who defeated the enemy and ended the great- . est war the world has ever known.

JOHN BROADDUS, who is a ranchman of Powder River and a resident of the Broadus locality, came into Montana in 1887 and dates his residence in Custer County from January of that year, since which time he has developed into one of the worth- while men of this region. He came from Chariton County, but was reared in Howard County, Mis- souri, where he was born December II, 1864. He is a son of John A. Broaddus, and a brother of Oscar Broaddus, in whose biography preceding this is given a history of the Broaddus family.

Growing up on a Missouri farm, John Broaddus attended the local schools and early learned to be self-reliant and industrious. He was later given the advantage of a course at the public schools of Glasgow, Missouri. After attaining his majority the ambitious young man struck out for himself and reached Rapid City, South Dakota, by rail, go- ing thence by state to Spearfish and on to Powder- ville, Montana, his destination. He joined his hrother Oscar and with him worked for the old "N-Bar" ranch until it was closed, and then he went into business for himself.

Homesteading a tract on Powder River, he be- gan making improvements which stand, and as he did this before he left the "N-Bar" ranch, in 1896 he had some place to go. His pioneer residence was a log house of one room, which he expanded to three rooms before he brought home a bride. When he located on his ranch he brought with him about seventy-five head of cattle and ran them under the recorded brand of "K-3," which he now uses as his horse brand, having changed his main cattle brand to "700," and his ranch is referred to by this latter name. Mr. Broaddus now owns 720 acres of land, and some of his lowland is used for raising alfalfa, and this, with the growing of other feed for nis stock, comprises the extent of his farming.

On July 22, 1903, Mr. Broaddus was married to Mrs. Clara (Martin) Allison, a daughter of Isaac Martin of Jasper County, Missouri. She was horn near Pineville, McDonald County, Missouri, May 5, 1875, and is one of the family of four daughters and three sons born to her parents. Mr. and Mrs.

Broaddus have no children, but by her former mar- riage Mrs. Broaddus has a son, Frank L. Allison, who served during the great war as a first class private in the Ninety-first Division of the Expedi- tionary Forces in France, participating in the bat- tles of Saint Mihiel and Argonne Forest, and com- ing out of them without wounds. He was hon- orably discharged in Wyoming in May, 1919, and is now engaged in ranching.

A man of hroad mind and far vision Mr. Broad- dus early realized the necessity for furnishing good schools for the children of his locality and erected a schoolhouse in his neighborhood. He has fre- quently served as a judge of elections. His first presidential vote was cast for Grover Cleveland in 1892, after he came to Montana, and he has re- mained steadfast in his support of the democratic ticket in national matters ever since. Fraternally he belongs to Miles City Lodge, Benevolent Pro- tective Order of Elks. Mr. Broaddus has risen from cowpuncher to owner of a fine ranch, and so have some of his former associates, but there were many of them who did not have the foresight or determination to branch out for themselves when changing conditions warned them of the impend- ing closing of the open range. These men drifted away from Montana, having never been more than an incident in the history of the state, and therefore all the more credit is due to the men who did re- main and through their large industries built up a prestige for the state which places it in a promi- nent place among the others of the Union. Mr. Broaddus has not contented himself with merely increasing his own material prosperity, but has al- ways sought to develop the resources of his neigh- horhood and help others to get a start as producers, instead of remaining employes.

FRED A. CARMONY, though a resident of Mon- tana only a few years, has become a prominent factor in Carbon County, where he is president of the Joliet State Bank, mayor of the town and a real progressive leader in community affairs. Mr. Carmony was a banker and business man in Okla- homa for a number of years and came from that state to Montana.

He was born in Wayne County, Iowa, April I. 1876. His paternal ancestors have been in America for a number of generations, coming originally from Germany. His father, James Carmony, was born in Illinois in 1843, was reared in that state. went to Hamilton County, Iowa, where he was a farmer and where he married, and in 1878 became a pioneer homesteader in Rooks County in Western Kansas. He lived there thirteen vears and then early in the history of Oklahoma Territory joined in the rush for homes in that country and has lived there ever since. He is now a retired resident of Seiling, Oklahoma. During the Civil war he was a member of an Illinois regiment of infantry. one year. He is a republican and has long been active in the Methodist Church. James Carmony married Phoebe Ann Frakes, who was horn in Hamilton County, Iowa, in 1852. The oldest of their chil- dren is R. N. Carmony, wife of D. B. Heacock. a farmer at Attica. Kansas; the second is Fred A: Armittie is the wife of J. H. Smart, a farmer at Seiling, Oklahoma: James R .. a farmer and stock- man, and William A., a merchant, are both at Seil- ing.

Fred A. Carmony was ahout two years old when his parents moved out to the Kansas frontier. He attended the public schools of Harner. Kansas. and finished the sophomore year of Harper Col- lege. For two summers he was also in the An-

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HISTORY OF MONTANA

thony Normal School, completing his education at the age of twenty-two. In the meantime he had gone with his father to Oklahoma, and was a farmer in that territory and state near Seiling until 1906. In that year he became assistant cashier of the Cestos State Bank of Cestos, Oklahoma, and since then has followed banking as a regular career. In 1910 he organized the Citizens State Bank at Vici, Oklahoma, and served it as cashier until 1913.

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Montana, its story and biography; a history of aboriginal and territorial Montana and three decades of statehood, Volume III, Part 122

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