Montana, its story and biography; a history of aboriginal and territorial Montana and three decades of statehood, Volume III, Part 13

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 13

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

John E. Peterson attended the public schools of the Dakotas, and then for five years was engaged in learning surveying. For the subsequent two years

700

HISTORY OF MONTANA

he was engaged in farming in North Dakota, but preferring to be in a center of industry, he opened a barber shop and conducted it for two years. Once more, however, he heeded the call of the soil, and homesteaded in Hill County in 1909, and was there- after engaged in improving his farm until in 1918 he was elected surveyor of Hill County, since which time he has been fully occupied with the duties of that office. Like his excellent father he finds in the republican party the embodiment of his ideas and principles, and gives it his hearty support at all elections.

In 1904 Mr. Peterson was united in marriage with Bertha Rognes, born in Norway. Mr. and Mrs. Peterson have one daughter, Lucile. Mr. Peterson has kept in touch with all that pertains to the discharge of the. duties of his office. His personal acquaintance with people of note is a broad one, and his spirit of good fellowship makes life brighter for those with whom he comes in con- tact. He is interested in all that pertains to modern progress and improvements along material, intel- lectual and moral lines, and is one of the most representative men of this part of the state.

JACOB A. MAYER. Faithful service in any line of endeavor is certain to bring about gratifying appre- ciation from those higher up, and in no calling is promotion more sure than that of railroading. The various branches of this industry are so interwoven that it has long been deemed necessary that those in authority must have a practical training and rise from the bottom in order to be able to handle the various problems which come up in each day's work. One of the men of Hill County who has had a long and varied experience in railroad work, and who has been honored by appointment to public office under the Federal Government by President Wilson, is Jacob A. Mayer of Havre, United States land receiver, and one of the best known railroad men in this part of Montana.

Jacob A. Mayer was born at Delano, Wright County, Minnesota, July 1, 1875, a son of John A. and Johanna Mayer, both of whom were born in Germany. In 1868 John A. Mayer ran away from his native land to escape the obligatory military serv- ice, stowed away on a sailing vessel, and was not discovered for six days. Mrs. Mayer made the trip across the ocean on a steamer prior to the year which brought her future husband to the United States. Both located at Delano, Minnesota, where they became acquainted and were married. Seven children were born of their union, of whom Jacob A. was the third in order of birth. John A. Mayer died on November 14, 1900, but his widow survives him. After coming to Delano John A. Mayer found employment with the Saint Paul & Pacific Railroad in construction work, and was later with the Great Northern Railroad in a similar capacity, rising in 1888 to be superintendent of construction at Great Falls, Montana. Still later he was made superin- tendent of the Montana division of this road at Havre, and was discharging the responsibilities of that position when he died. He was a democrat of the old school. The Roman Catholic Church had in him a conscientious member.

Jacob A. Mayer attended the schools of Delano, Minnesota, and Great Falls, Montana, and subse- quently took a commercial course in the Minneapolis Business College, from which he was graduated in 1891. Following this he was stenographer in his father's office at Great Falls and Havre, and later became telegrapher for the Great Northern Railroad and was stationed at various points along the road. Desiring to gain a practical knowledge of railroad-

ing from another angle he became a brakeman, was promoted to be freight conductor and later passen- ger conductor, and was then made train dispatcher. His next rise in the line of promotion made him chief train dispatcher at Havre, from whence he was sent to Grand Forks, North Dakota, as train- master, and he subsequently held that position at Havre, and he still retains his service card. On March 31, 1914, President Wilson appointed him to his present office, and re-appointed him on April I, 1918. Mr. Mayer belongs to Havre Lodge No. I201, Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, the Knights of Columbus, Catholic Order of Foresters and Order of Railroad Conductors. Like his father . he is a very strong democrat and active in his party

On January 20, 1903, Mr. Mayer was united in marriage with Anna Pogreba, born at Montrose, Minnesota. Mr. and Mrs. Mayer have four sons, namely: Mark, John, Robert and James Wilson. Business acumen has become habitual to Mr. Mayer, but he has developed his proper estimate of values himself and has every reason to be proud of the fact that he has risen to an important position with- ont sacrificing any advantage because of an unwill- ingness to exert himself. Much of his success lies in the fact that he has never undertaken anything until he knew its every detail from the bottom up.

MYRON W. HUTCHINSON, registrar of the land office of the United States Government at Havre, has the distinction of having served his country in its land office department for one third of a century, and to have put in all of his mature years in this line of work, a somewhat remarkable record, and one which has associated him with much of the development of the Dakotas and Montana. He was born at Girard, Erie County, Pennsylvania, April 5, 1867, a son of David and Mary (Kaiser) Hutch- inson. David Hutchinson was born in Erie County, Pennsylvania, Jannary 21, 1830, and died on January 24, 1894. His wife was born in Germany on August 15, 1844, and was brought to the United States when a small child by her parents, who located at Girard, Pennsylvania. There she lived until her marriage. She and her husband had five children, three of whom are now living, Myron W. being the second in order of birth.

David Hutchinson raised a company for the Eighty-third Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry, and served as its captain until the close of the war between the North and South. Following his hon- orable discharge he returned to Girard and was there engaged in the practice of law until President Cleveland appointed him receiver of public moneys at Bismarck, Dakota Territory, where he remained from 1886 to 1890, in the latter year returning to Pennsylvania and going into practice at Erie. There he continued to live until his death. He was a mem- ber of the Masonic fraternity, and very prominent in that order. Politically he was an ardent democrat.

Growing up at Girard, Myron W. Hutchinson received his educational training in the public schools and academy of that city. In 1886 he entered the service of the land department of the Federal Government and was chief clerk of the land office at Bismarck, Dakota Territory, and held that office until July 1, 1910, when he was transferred to the same office at Havre and on October I, I9II, was appointed registrar of this office.

On August 12, 1891, Mr. Hutchinson was mar- ried to Gertrude Griffin, who was born in St. Law- rence County, New York, and they have four chil- dren, namely: Irene, who is the widow of Ben Hurr Moore, formerly an attorney-at-law of Havre, who died in March, 1916; Myron W., Jr., who was edu-

701

HISTORY OF MONTANA

cated at the naval academy at Annapolis, Maryland, class of 1915, was first on the battleship New Jersey, but later on the destroyer Porter, and during the great war was on transport and destroyer service in French waters with the rank of first lieutenant; Zaida, who married Clyde Churchill, of Spokane, Washington; and Douglas W., who is attending school.

A sound, conservative man, Mr. Hutchinson has devoted his life and abilities to the duties of his positions, and takes pride in the fact that his Gov- ernment has had his services, for he realizes his privilege of being able to trace back to a patriotic line of forebears and a distinguished father who was willing to make sacrifices in order to respond to his responsibilities as a citizen.

HENRY RICHARD SPOONER. A typical American of the best class, who is proud of the record made by his ancestors in both war and peace, Henry Richard Spooner is one of the representative men of. Havre, and passenger conductor for the Great Northern Railroad, in whose employ he has re- mained for twenty-two years. Henry Richard Spooner was born at Loganville, Wisconsin, August II, 1865, a son of Albert Tyler and Mary (Cooper) Spooner.

Albert Tyler Spooner was born in Herkimer County, New York, May 14, 1833, and he died in 1904. His wife was born at Oldham, England, April 6, 1844, and she survives him, making her home at Saint Croix, Wisconsin. They were mar- ried in Richland County, Wisconsin, and three children were born to them, namely: Henry Rich- ard, whose name heads this review; Nellie, who was the wife of William M. Johnson, died in 1891 ; and Andrew J., who is living in Saint Croix County, Wisconsin.

By trade a blacksmith, Albert T. Spooner found plenty of work when he came West to Wisconsin at the age of eighteen years, and was employed as such at Mineral Point, Wisconsin, when the trouble between the North and South resulted in war, and in 1861 he enlisted in Company F, Third Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry, and participated in all of the skirmishes and battles of his command, including the second engagement at Bull Run, Har- per's Ferry, Wilderness, Chancellorsville and Antie- tam. In the last fiercely fought battle he was . wounded in the right leg and fell into a creek. For some reason or other the rescuing parties passed him over and it was several days before he secured the services of a negro and was hauled, in company with a wounded comrade, to Fredericks- burg, where they were taken to a temporary hospi- tal located in a church. The surgeons insisted that amputation was necessary, but the intrepid young soldier, learning that all of the men able to get to the depot would be taken north to Phila- delphia, managed to drag himself on his hands and knees from the hospital to the depot. After reach- ing the Philadelphia hospital the verdict of the other surgeons was sustained by those in the larger hospital, but Mr. Spooner remonstrated so vigor- ously against the amputation that his leg was saved, and after three months he was sent home on a fur- lough. While the battle-scarred young veteran was trying to recover his lost health and strength he was astounded to learn that he had been drafted into the service, but after some investigation, the au- thorities gladly released him and explained that such action had come about through an error in the records. Upon resuming his peaceful occupa- tions Mr. Spooner went into the sawmill business as å sawyer and filer, 'and continued to live at

different points in Wisconsin until 1877, when he went to Clay County, Missouri, and spent about a year. Then, during the summer of 1878, he went overland to Montgomery County, Kansas, and until August, 1880, was engaged in farming and grade construction work for the St. Louis and Santa Fe Railroad. During the latter month he started back overland to Saint Croix County, Wisconsin, but had the misfortune to lose his horses by theft at Law- rence, Kansas, and it took some time to replace them, so the journey consumed six weeks. Upon his return to Wisconsin Mr. Spooner resumed opera- tions in the sawmill business, and remained in it for years. He passed away in the Soldiers' Home near Milwaukee, Wisconsin. For a number of years he was a member of the Grand Army of the Republic Post at Knapp, Wisconsin, and he also belonged to the Odd Fellows. The Methodist Epis- copal Church had in him one of its most faithful and conscientious members, and he so carried into his everyday life the creed he professed that he had no enemies, but countless friends.

Growing up under the careful supervision of a good father and mother, Henry Richard Spooner early learned the value of honest labor, and remained in his father's employ until he was twenty-three years of age. At that time he began prospecting for iron ore in Wisconsin, but after a year entered the employ of the Minnesota and Wisconsin Log- ging Railroad out of Spring Valley to Emerald, and was put on construction work. Later he was made a brakeman and then a conductor, remaining with that road until 1893, when he left to engage in farming and sawmilling, carrying on the former during the summer and the latter in the winter, going into the woods of Wisconsin to carry it on. In July, 1897, Mr. Spooner came to Havre to engage with the Great Northern Railroad as a brakeman, but returned to Wisconsin for the ensuing winter, coming back to Havre in February to resume work as a brakeman. In July of that year he brought his family to Montana, locating his home at Glas- gow, where he resided for twelve years, and then came to Havre, which has since been his head- quarters. In 1900 Mr. Spooner was made freight conductor, and in 1907 was promoted to be a pas- senger conductor, which responsible position he still holds. He belongs to the International Order of Railroad Conductors No. 272, and has represented this organization on the general committee for seven years, and was a party to drawing up the working agreement under which the conductors have been working since 1912. Well known in Masonry, Mr. Spooner has been connected with the order for many years. He was first made a Mason in North Star Lodge No. 46, Ancient Free and Accepted Masons, at Glasgow, Montana, and served it as mas- ter. When he moved to Havre he demitted and is now a member of Havre Lodge No. 55, Ancient Free and Accepted Masons. Mr. Spooner was made a Chapter Mason at Glendive and demitted to become a charter member of Glasgow Chapter, Royal Arch Masons. After being a member of Glasgow Com- mandery he demitted to become a charter member of DeMolay Commandery No. 15, which he served as the second commander. He also belongs to Algeria Temple, Mystic Shrine, of Helena, Mon- tana.

On February 22, 1889, Mr. Spooner was united in marriage with Harriet Elizabeth Turner, born in Dunn County, Wisconsin, a daughter of William Harrison and Lavina (Brown) Turner, natives of Ohio and Pennsylvania respectively. Mr. and Mrs. Turner had thirteen children, of whom Mrs. Spooner is the second in order of birth. She was educated

702

HISTORY OF MONTANA

in the public schools of Chippewa County, Wisconsin. Mr. and Mrs. Spooner became the parents of the following children: Alta, who died in infancy; Wil- liam A., who enlisted for service during the great war on July 21, 1918, in the United States Marine Corps, was rejected on account of disability, and was again rejected by the draft board in August, 1918, for the same reason, and he was married on September 15, 1913, to Lula Mae Theiss, they hav- ing two children, Henry Richard and William Joseph; Stella, who is the wife of C. B. Keopke; Ethel L., who is the wife of William E. Rae; and Gladys D., who is the youngest.

One who has always been a leader among his fellows, Mr. Spooner is a strong factor in his vari- ous organizations and community, and what he has accomplished along different lines stands to his credit as a constructive citizen and upright man. 1

ALFRED J. TRODICK. The gentleman whose name heads this sketch has long enjoyed prestige as a leading citizen in the community in which he resides and as an official against whose record no word of suspicion was ever uttered. For a number of years Mr. Trodick has been a prominent factor in the municipal life of Great Falls. His prominence in the community is the legitimate result of genuine merit and ability, and in every relation of life, whether in the humble sphere of private citizenship or as a public official, his many excellencies of char- acter and the able and impartial manner in which he has discharged his duties have won for him an envied reputation.

Alfred J. Trodick was born in Denver, Colorado, on October 29, 1874, and is the twelfth child in order of birth of the thirteen children born to his parents, John and Bridget (Kelley) Trodick. John Trodick, whose death occurred on November 6, 1916, had a most interesting career. He was a native of France, having been born in Brittany in 1820. Though a Frenchman by birth, he served many years in the British navy and saw thrilling service, among the most unique of his experiences being at the battle of Sebastopol, where he was one of the twenty- seven sailors first to scale the walls. As a result of his valiant service in that engagement Mr. Tro- dick was presented with an appropriately inscribed sailor's sabre by Queen Victoria and also a Vic- torian cross, which is now a precious family heir- loom. Forty-one years of Mr. Trodick's life were passed in active duty on salt water, part of the time as steward of vessels and part of the time as a captain. He sailed to all parts of the world, and for that reason his children were born in various countries. More than fifty years ago he came to the United States, settling first at Chicago. In 1887 he came to Montana, settling at Wolf Creek, Lewis and Clark County, where he was engaged in the hotel business up to the time of his' death, which occurred in the one hundredth year of his age. His wife was born in Ireland in 1842 and died in England in 1878. Mr. Trodick was a faithful mem- ber of the Roman Catholic Church and gave his support to the democratic party.

Alfred J. Trodick was educated in the public schools of Chicago, but when only twelve years of age he went to New York City and engaged as cabin boy on the steamship "City of Paris," sailing between that port and Liverpool. After eighteen months' experience on the water Mr. Trodick en- gaged with Anderson's Circus for one season, the itinerary of the company taking them to San Fran- cisco, California. While there, young Trodick he- came a stowaway on a steamer bound for New Orleans, under Capt. John Charles. Some days after

leaving port he was discovered by a sailor and taken before the captain. The young lad's situation was not particularly enviable, for he had come aboard with one small sandwich and 10 cents in money, and it was not customary to treat stowaways with much consideration. This case was the exception, however, for the captain kindly invited the lad to have a square meal, which invitation he promptly accepted. On their arrival in New Orleans, Trodick joined Robinson Brothers' Circus as a tight rope walker. At Kansas City he had a bad fall from the rope, but the manager requested him to try it again. He was not able to repeat the attempt, so was promptly discharged. He then went to Omaha, Nebraska, and joined Forepaugh's Circus, with which he remained until they reached New York City. As the circus was going overseas, Mr. Tro- dick enlisted in the United States Navy, from which he was discharged in 1889. He then enlisted in Company A, Eighth Regiment of United States In- fantry, which was at various times located at Fort Robinson, Nebraska, Fort Mckinney, Wyoming, and Fort D. A. Russell, Wyoming. He served through- out the Sioux campaign and in 1893 he received an honorable discharge at Yellowstone Park, at which time he ranked as first sergeant of his company. In 1894 Mr. Trodick came to Montana, locating on a homestead claim near Wolf Creek, Lewis and Clark County. There he established an athletic training camp, which he operated for four years. He then entered the employ of the Great Northern Railway Company as superintendent of a stone quarry, engaged in getting out stone for railroad construction work. He was with this company four or five years, and on September II, 1909, he came to Great Falls and joined the fire department, that being under the administration of Mayor Murphy. His service proved so efficient, and so capable did he prove as a fireman that he rose to be first captain of the department, holding that position up to July I, 1913. He was then appointed a sergeant of police, which position he held up to July 26, 1916, when he was made chief of the fire department, which position he is holding at the present time. That he is the right man for the position he occupies is generally acknowledged by all who are at all ac- quainted with his record in connection with the fire department. The position is one of large respon- sibility, but Mr. Trodick possesses just the qualifica- tions for the work and he has earned the confidence of the people of his community.

On June 5, 1895, Alfred J. Trodick was married to Emma Rhein, who was born at Columbus, Ohio, but whose death occurred November 13, 1918. To them were born three children, namely: Harry John, who enlisted on May 7, 1917, in the Second Montana Regiment of Volunteer Infantry, was trans- ferred to Company C, First Gas Regiment, United States Army, and left on December 14, 1917, for overseas. Landing at Dover, England, he was soon at the front with the United States troops and served with every United States army in France. He re- ceived an honorable discharge on March 6, 1919. The other two children are Margaret and Helen.

Fraternally Mr. Trodick is a member of the Masonic order, having been first raised in Basen Lodge No. 60, but later demitted to and is now a member of Great Falls Lodge No. 118. He is also a member of Great Falls Lodge No. 214, Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, the Rotary Club and the Pacific Coast Fire Chiefs Association. Person- ally Mr. Trodick is a man of genial and unassum- ing manner, extremely well liked by all members of the department because of the courtesy with which he treats his men, and well liked by all who

a. g. Dudich

703

HISTORY OF MONTANA

are so fortunate as to be numbered among his acquaintances.

LOU LUCKE. While the general mercantile inter- ests of Havre are adequately looked after by busi- ness men, in the particular lines of clothing and shoes there is no more experienced or competent · dealer in the city than Lou Lucke. Mr. Lucke knows shoes from sole to upper, has manufactured them by hand and machine and is an expert on leather, and shoes and clothing have been the commodities he has handled throughout his entire business life. He established himself at Havre in 1903, and has not only been able through honorable business meth- ods and courteous manner to build up a large and increasing business, but through high personal char- acter has won the esteem and confidence of the public in general.

Lou Lucke was born at Freeport, Illinois, Feb- ruary 8, 1874, the second in a family of six children. His father, Rudolph Lucke, was born in Germany, in 1849, and was brought to the United States by his parents in childhood. He followed the trade of a barber, working for some years at Freeport and in other cities. His death occurred in 1892 in the City of Chicago, Illinois. The mother, Mrs. Pauline (Hetrick) Lucke, was born at Boston, Massachusetts. She survives, being now in her sixty-eighth year, and makes her home with her children, all of whom are living.

In the excellent public schools of Freeport Lou Lucke obtained an education that qualified him for almost any ordinary line of business. It happened that his grandfather was a very skilled shoemaker, according to the thorough methods of old days, and under his expert direction Mr. Lucke learned the trade and thereby adopted the handling of shoes when he first started out in business. In 1900 he came to Butte, Montana, and for one year he was in charge of the shoe business for the Good Luck Clothing Company at this point, after which he was a clerk for the Eagle Shoe Store at Kalispell in Flathead County, still later being transferred to the house at Great Falls, Montana.

With this varied business experience Mr. Lucke came to Havre in 1903 in order to embark in busi- ness for himself, opening and conducting a first class shoe store until 1909, when he put in a line of fine clothing. In the meanwhile he invested in land and now owns a ranch situated eighteen miles from Havre, where he is extensively interested in breed- ing full blood grass color Chesapeake dogs. This industry has proved very profitable.

Mr. Lucke was married December 25, 1903, to Miss Hattie Thackery, who was born in Michigan, where her people are well known, and they have three sons and one daughter, namely: Alvin, Scott, Louis and Janet.

As a business man Mr. Lucke recognizes the value of a live, progressive commercial body devoted to the interests of the city, and for some years he has been a hardworking member of the Havre Commer- cial Club. He belongs to other bodies also, some of a social nature, notably the Rotary Club, and is a valued member of Havre Lodge No. 1201, Benevo- lent and Protective Order of Elks. He is no seeker for public office but believes in political activity and is staunch in his support of the principles of the democratic party.

HENRY E. LORANGER. "Through struggle to triumph" seems to be the maxim which is appro- priate for the majority of our citizens, and, though it is undoubtedly true that many fall exhausted in the conflict, a few by their inherent force of char- Vol. 111-4

Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.

Montana, its story and biography; a history of aboriginal and territorial Montana and three decades of statehood, Volume III, Part 13

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