Montana, its story and biography; a history of aboriginal and territorial Montana and three decades of statehood, Volume III, Part 137

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 137

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From the beginning physical training has been a regular part of the curriculum, and military drill is also an established feature of the program. Mount St. Charles was a unit of the Reserved Officers Training Corps. The college is a member of the North Central Association of Colleges and Secon- dary Schools, and its high school department is accredited by the State of Montana. The college maintains a full four year high school and four year college course, and also professional courses prepar- ing for the regular work of medical and law schools. The principal executive officers of Mount St. Charles College are Very Rev. John J. Tracy, Ph. D., presi- dent, Rev. Norbert C. Hoff, vice president and treas- urer, and Rev. Arthur J. Harrington, prefect of discipline. The former presidents of the college were Rev. Stephen J. Sullivan, D. D .; Rev. John L. McMullen, A. M .; Rev. Peter F. Macdonald, A. B. The present faculty is as follows: Very Rev. John J. Tracy, Ph. D., Political Science; Rev. Nor- bert C. Hoff, A. M., Philosophy, Biology; Rev. John S. Foley, Greek; Rev. Jeremiah [. Lehane, Latin; Rev. James H. O'Neill, A. M., Physics; Rev .- J. Alphonsus Rooney, S. T. L., Mathematics ; Rev. Patrick Casey, A. M., Sociology, History; Rev. Thomas B. Killila, A. B., S. T. B., English ; Rev. Arthur J. Harrington, Latin; Rev. C. E. Turnbull, Dramatic Expression ; Rev. John Delaney, Chemis- try; Capt. Harry K. Adams, U. S. A., Military Science; Mr. George Kessler, French; Mr. H. F. Delaney, English ; Mrs. J. Myron King, Music; Mr. William Fluhr, Athletic Coach; Dr. B. V. McCabe, Medical Adviser.

REV. NORBERT C. HOFF, vice president and treas- urer of Mount St. Charles College, was educated for the Catholic priesthood, and has given practi-

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HISTORY OF MONTANA

cally all his mature career to this Helena institu- tion.

Norbert Casper Hoff was born in Milwaukee, Wis- consin, November 10, 1889, son of James and Ida (Casper) Hoff, also natives of Milwaukee and rep- resenting two pioneer Milwaukee families. These families emigrated from Southern Germany after the Revolution of 1848 to become members of a Christian Communistic colony at Cheboygan, Wis- consin. The communistic plan failed. The grand- parents became founders of Wisconsin Lakes Ice Company, and members of the family also laid the foundation for the first Catholic Church built and still in use in Milwaukee.

Rev. Norbert C. Hoff received his A. B. degree from Columbia College at Dubuque, Iowa, in 1910, the Master of Arts degree from the same institu- tion in 1916, and he also holds the degree S. T. B. from the Catholic University of America at Wash- ingon. He met Bishop Carroll at the time Mount St. Charles College was founded and at that time decided to study theology, which he did between 1910 and 1914 at the St. Paul Seminary, an institution founded by the celebrated Archbishop Ireland and financed by the late James J. Hill. Father Hoff arrived in Montana in August, 1914, and has de- voted all the talents of his mind and heart to the institution of which he is now vice president. He is also well known throughout the state as a lecturer.

REV. ARTHUR J. HARRINGTON, who is Prefect of Discipline at Mount St. Charles College in Helena, was appointed to that post in 1919, and had pre- viously served as Professor of Latin in the College.

He was born at Newport, Rhode Island, July 30, 1890, and received his preliminary education in the public schools of his native city, graduating from high school there. He was a student in the Col- lege of St. Laurant at Montreal from 1909 to 1912, acquired his philosophical education in the Seminary of Philosophy at Montreal during 1912-14, and from 1914 to 1918 was a student in St. Paul Seminary at St. Paul, Minnesota. He was ordained in the Helena Cathedral on Pentecost Sunday, May 19, 1918, by Bishop Carroll.

FRANK A. WEINRICH, of Mondak, who is numbered among the early permanent settlers of this region, is a contribution to the State of Montana from Henry County, Illinois, where he was born January 4. 1875, a son of Charles and Mattie (Schroeder) Weinrich, the former of whom was born in Germany but came to the United States when nineteen years old. He located in Henry County, Illinois, where he spent the remainder of his useful life and died there in 1888. His widow survives him and is living in Henry County. Their children were as follows: Edward J., who is a resident of Richland County, Montana; Frank A., who was the second in order of birth; Annie, who is the wife of James Olien, of Perry, Iowa; and. Minnie, who is the wife of Fred Gutthardt, of Illinois.

The early boyhood of Frank A. Weinrich was passed on his father's farm in Henry County, Illi- nois, and he attended the rural schools of that local- ity. When only fourteen years old he began to be self-supporting by working on neighboring farm for $10 per month, and was advanced until he received double that amount. At the close of sev- eral years he began farming on his own account, but did not find it very profitable, for those were the days of low prices for farm produce, and he sold corn as low as II to 15 cents per bushel. He therefore decided to try his fortune in the West and left Illinois for Cascade, Montana, whither a

friend had preceded him. To his delight he found no difficulty in securing employment at ranching at $35 per month, which then seemed big wages to him.

In 1901 Mr. Weinrich believed he saw a good opportunity to go into business for himself and moved to Mondak. At that time it was in the Yellowstone Valley District, into which new settlers were flocking, and he saw that a reliable livery business was liable to prosper. Mr. Weinrich bought out Pat Gallagher, who owned the only livery business in this section, starting in with a couple of teams and buggies, but gradually developing his holdings until he also controlled a valuable freight- ing business, hauling between Mondak and Tokna, now Savage. During the nine years that he was in the livery business he did some very valuable work in the settlement of this region by assisting settlers to locate, driving oftentimes as far out as Enid and Savage and into the Red Water country on. the west. When the auto took the place of the horse he was enterprising and farsighted enough to see his opportunity, and built a garage at Mondak disposing of it with his livery barn about 1910.

In the meanwhile Mr. Weinrich had bought a ranch, stocked it with cattle of the grade popular in this section, and became a rancher. He runs his cattle under his original brand "EA" on the left shoulder, and has bred up his stock to a consider- able degree. Mr. Weinrich has contributed much toward the permanent development of this region by improving his own land and encouraging others to follow his example. While he has maintained his residence at Mondak, he continues to operate his ranch, and his home is one of the best in Roosevelt County. He owns the site of the old Fort Union just at the mouth of the Yellowstone River, where the first military stand was made in this part of the west. There are plenty of silent evidences of its importance as a defensive outpost of civilization still in existence, and as historical ground it is very interesting.

Mr. Weinrich identifies himself politically as a young man with the republican party, and cast his first presidential ballot for Major Mckinley in 1896 in Henry County, Illinois. He was elected a commissioner for Valley County, Montana, and had served but three months when Sheridan County was organized, and he was elected for a term of six years as commissioner of the new county. While a Valley commissioner he served on the board with Commissioners J. A. Ferris and William McBride. His associates on the new board are Harry Loucks and Eli Hanson. Their chief work was the opening up the county with highways. When Roosevelt County was organized Mr. Weinrich was one of the energetic promoters of the project, and was named as one of its first commissioners in the bill creating the new county, in the naming of which Weinrich had a hand, as. he has always been an enthusiastic admirer of Colonel Roosevelt. With him on the board are R. E. Patch and John H. Anderson. Already the board has made progress in promoting the project of building a highway, with Federal aid, across the county east and west, and it chose Mondak as the county seat and installed the county records there. First a republican, Mr. Weinrich joined Colonel Roosevelt in his revolt against the conservatives in the republican ranks and became a member of the progressive movement, and still belongs to that branch of the republican party.

On May 22, 1907, Mr. Weinrich was married at Williston, North Dakota, to Miss Pearl Stiehl. a daughter of Daniel and Nancy (Hall) Stiehl. Mrs. Weinrich was born at Salem, North Dakota on March 16, 1885, one of five sisters. Mr. and Mrs.

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Weinrich have the following children: Bert H., Harry F. and Frank G.

Mr. Weinrich's interest is centered in the new county he has assisted in creating, and his best work is given to shaping its policies in such a manner as to insure its rapid growth. A man of considerable experience in county building and road construction, he may be depended upon to do well whatever he undertakes, and Roosevelt County is fortunate in having at its head men of the caliber and patriotism of Mr. Weinrich and his associates. Mr. Weinrich is a prominent man and one of means, but he has earned every bit of his prosperity. Coming to this region as he did, a practically penniless young man, with nothing but his willingness to work and his determination to succeed, his progress is very re- markable and praiseworthy. The early settlers of any section deserve all they secure, for they have to go through experiences in the making of their neighborhood that the majority would shrink from in dismay. They face hardships and discourage- ments of every kind, but if they are of the staying kind their compensation comes, and then they feel that they have their reward for their endurance and hard work. The history of this country shows that the men who developed its different sections were of the character of Mr. Weinrich and those with whom he labored, and they are now enjoying the well- merited prestige that is theirs.

JOE D. FILCHER has been a Montana resident for thirty years or more, grew up in this state, and has had a varied experience in commercial and public affairs at Boulder, and is serving as the present postmaster of that city.

Mr. Filcher was born at Santa Rosa, California, November 7, 1878. His father, John T. Filcher, who was born in Staffordshire, England, in 1838, was brought to this country by his parents in 1842. The family lived for several years in Ohio and later moved to Marysville, California. John T. Filcher received his education in those two states, was married at Marysville, and became a silk maker by trade. He moved to Santa Rosa in 1875, continued in his business there, and in 1880 settled in Montana. For several years he was employed as a skimmer at the blast furnace in the smelters at Butte, and in 1889 moved to Boulder, and was one of the early residents of that city. He was a prospector for gold, silver, lead and copper. He died at Boulder in 1906. Politically he was a democrat, was a mem- ber of the Christian Church and was affiliated with the Masonic fraternity. He married Mary Nevells, who was born in Arkansas in 1847, and is now living at Calgary, Alberta, Canada. A brief record of their children is as follows: Eliza, who died at the age of nineteen; Ralph, employed in the Gas Works at Butte; Thomas, who died at the age of four years; Charles, who died at the age of eight; Jennie E., wife of Charles Zang, a contractor and builder at Calgary, Canada; Joe D .; Enoch, who died at the age of six years; and Maude, wife of Thomas Mills, of Helena, assistant to the chief clerk of the Montana Division of the Railway Mail Service.

Joe D. Filcher attended school at Butte one year, at Comet in Jefferson County two years, and gradu- ated from the Boulder High School in 1896. Later he took a special course in bookkeeping at the Butte Business College, from which he was gradu- ated in 1900. Mr. Filcher's working experience covers nearly a quarter of a century. For three years he worked in the mines around Butte, for two years was bookkeeper at Avon for the Birdseye Mercantile Company, was clerk with the Boulder

Mercantile Company at Boulder four years, and during 1910 was appointed and served as deputy sheriff under Sheriff A. V. Gibson. He then re- sumed his work with the Boulder Mercantile Com- pany, remaining with that establishment until 1918. For over a year Mr. Filcher was deputy sheriff under the present sheriff, T. L. Locker, but resigned in September, 1919, to accept the appointment of postmaster at Boulder, and is now giving all his time to the efficient administration of the local post- office. He also served as alderman of the second ward, and resigned that office to become postmaster.

Mr. Filcher is a republican. He is a member of the Boulder School Board, owns a modern home in that city, and is considered one of the community', most substantial and public spirited residents.

In 1908, at Butte, he married Miss Jessie Taylor. Her father, J. K. Taylor, is an honored old time resident of Boulder and Montana. He was born in South Carolina in 1854 and lived in his native state to the age of twenty-five. On coming to Montana in 1879 he engaged in mining at Gregory, and since 1904 has lived at Boulder. For many years he was a carpenter and builder. He married Charlotte Marie Smith, who was born at Portsmouth, Ohio, March 31, 1865. Mrs. Filcher is the third in a fam- ily of nine children. The oldest of them, Ruby Charlotte Taylor, is the wife of Robert Tedford, a farmer at Santa Ana, California; John Keene Taylor is a resident of Boulder; James Bannon enlisted in June, 1918, for four years as a sailor, and is now with the United States battleship Maine; Orin M. Taylor owns a meat market at Boulder; Isabelle is the wife of Clyde Darby, a tractor engineer living at Boulder; Lewis Gregory is a butcher by trade and lives at Butte; Arthur H. is a student in the law department of the University of Michigan, while Grover C., the youngest, gradu- ated from the Boulder High School in 1919.

CHARLES FREMONT GREEN came to Montana in the early days as one of the contractors in the con- struction of the Northern Pacific Railway. He afterward became a successful horse and cattle rancher in Teton County, and through the increas- ing scope of his activities attained a place of great prominence and influence in that locality.

Mr. Green, whose death occurred November 17, 1914, spent practically all his mature career in Mon- tana. He was born at Janesville, Wisconsin, January 14, 1862. He acquired his early education in the public schools at Janesville and also attended the Spearfish Academy. He was with his brother, Wil- liam Green, when he came to Montana in the early 'Sos. After helping complete some of the contracts for the Northern Pacific Railway he took up land and engaged in the horse and cattle industry in Teton County. That was his chief business until his death. He also had an interest in the stage line between Steel and Chouteau.

Mr. Green was a man prominent in his locality, making an effort along political lines. He was an active republican, but held only one public office- that of county administrator. He was a delegate to several county and state conventions. He and his wife were members of the Methodist Episcopal Church. One of the things in which he was most interested as a citizen of Teton County was the construction of good roads.

Mr. Green married Miss Jennie Morehead on April 25, 1906. Mrs. Green, who is living at Chouteau, was born at Detroit, Michigan. She is the mother of three children: Phyllis, Lloyd and Elizabeth.

Kalispell, Montana

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HISTORY OF MONTANA

T. A. THOMPSON, district judge of the Eleventh Judicial District, composed of Flathead and Lincoln counties, is a young man to hold such a responsible office. He was born at Long Lake, Minnesota, March 25, 1879, a son of K. and Anna (Odegard) Thomp- son, and second in their family of four children.

Judge Thompson took his academic course at the University of North Dakota and his legal one at Ann Arbor, Michigan, and in the University of North Dakota, spending two years at the former and one year at the latter institution. In 1909 Judge Thompson located at Kalispell and carried on a gen- eral practice, in which he was very successful. Not long after he came to this region he was made at- torney of Flathead County through appointment, and was elected to that office, making a record for himself as a fearless and energetic prosecutor that brought him prominently before the people. A vacancy occurring in the district court, he was appointed to fill it, and approval of the appointment was shown by the people in his district by his elec- tion to the office in 1916.

Judge Thompson was married at Wadena, Minne- sota, to Miss Maud Longfellow, a daughter of Wal- ter and Louise (Hitter) Longfellow. Mrs. Thomp- son is a graduate of the Wadena High School, and is a most charming and accomplished lady of con- siderable musical talent, which she has carefully cultivated. Judge and Mrs. Thompson have two children, James L. and Illa Maud. Judge Thomp- son is a Mason and a Shriner. Both he and Mrs. Thompson affiliate with the Congregational Church of ·Kalispell. In politics he gives his support to the democratic party. Few men are honored by ele- vation to the bench so early in life as Judge Thomp- son, but all are convinced that he is fully fitted by natural ability and experience for the impartial discharge of its heavy responsibilities, and the people of Kalispell are proud of the distinction which has come to them through having one of their at- torneys selected for the office.

ROBERT N. EATON, clerk of the court of Flathead County, is a man who is interested in every move- ment for the advancement of the best element of Flathead County and Kalispell. He was born at Covington, Kentucky, a son of James D. and Mar- garet A. (Gordon) Eaton, being the youngest of the nine children of his parents.

After attending the public schools of Kentucky and North Dakota Mr. Eaton came to Kalispell in 1895. While in North Dakota he lived at Dun- seith, which was named in honor of his grand- mother, who bore the maiden name of Jane Dun- seith and was a direct descendant of Thomas Carlisle, the famous English historian and essayist. He was a member of the North Dakota National Guards, first serving as bugler of Troop A, First Battalion of Cavalry. In 1897, when Company H of the First Montana National Guards was organized, he enlisted and was sent to Helena, Montana, but was rejected on account of physical disability. In 1902 he as- sisted in organizing Company H, Second Montatia National Guards, and remained a member of that company. In June, 1902, he was made sergeant, and as such attended in August, 1905, the first encampment at Fort Ellis, Bozeman, a historical old fort of Indian warfare days. In May, 1906, Mr. Eaton was promoted to be first lieutenant of his company and in June was made captain, and as such attended the encampment at the new Camp Lewis on American Lake, Washington. In May, 1910, he was made major and assigned to command of the Third Battalion. In August, 1910, after attending the national encampment at American

Lake, Company F and Company H of the Third Battalion were ordered into the field to fight forest fires in Western Flathead County, which service requires brave men, and were thus engaged for five weeks. This was one of the most disastrous fires Montana has ever experienced, and the Na- tional Guardsmen were placed on a line with two companies of regular United States infantry. The smoke from these fires was so thick that during the time they were raging it was impossible to see across the street at Kalispell, and even the sun was seen through a smoky haze. Cinders fell all over Flathead and adjoining counties. At the time the national guardsmen were ordered to the Mexican border Mr. Eaton was very desirous to accompany them, but was again rejected on account of dis- ability.

In 1909 Mr. Eaton was appointed to the position of deputy clerk of the court of Flathead County, and held it until 1917, when he was elected to the office and still holds it, giving entire satisfaction. Prior to becoming connected with the county court, he served as deputy sheriff under Sheriff Gregg, and is one of the best known men in Flathead County.

In 1905 Mr. Eaton was married to Miss Florence M. Head, a daughter of Forest D. and Lucie Hannah (Cockman) Head. Mr. Head was the first county superintendent of schools of Lincoln County, Mon- tana, and held that office for three successive terms, and was very active in promoting the intellectual development of that region. Mr. and Mrs. Eaton have three children, namely: Margaret Lucie, Flor- ence Ida and Virginia May, all of whom are stu- dents of the Kalispell schools. Mr. Eaton belongs to the Modern Woodmen of America and is clerk of the local camp of Woodmen of the World. He is a Knight Templar Mason and is past patron of Adah Chapter No. 17, Order Eastern Star, of Kalis- pell. For fifteen years he served as a member of the volunteer fire department of Kalispell, and in many other ways has rendered his community and county invaluable service. Personally he is of so genial a nature that he makes friends everywhere and has been able to exert a powerful influence for good among the young men of this region, who look up to him and follow his example.

EDWARD F. MORGAN. While America has enthusi- astically welcomed back from foreign shores her be- loved soldiers of the great war of 1917-18, she has not forgotten the heavy debt she is under to the veterans of another great conflict, that which was waged between the North and South, and the sur- vivors of it are cherished by the nation and the com- munities enriched by their presence. One of these veterans who holds the friendship and confidence of a wide circle is Edward F. Morgan of Kalispell. He was born at Plymouth, Windsor County, Ver- mont, April 1, 1842, a son of Isaiah and Harriet (Potter) Morgan, of English-Irish and English ex- traction, respectively.

Edward F. Morgan belongs to the same family as did the distinguished Revolutionary General Morgan, who as Captain Morgan won honors at. Quebec when the American colonies were still under the British rule. Later on his genius for military tactics was recognized by General Washington, who raised him to the rank of general and sent him against the British commander Tarleton, who with 500 of his own troops and 500 Indians were laying waste to North Carolina and Georgia. By a series of mas- terly attacks General Morgan succeeded in driving the enemy out of these colonies and captured at Wil- mington, Virginia, British stores which were much

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needed by the colonial troops. Sir Peter Parker, an uncle of the grandmother of E. F. Morgan, was an admiral in the British navy. Her aunts melted all the pewter in the neighborhood for bullets. Henry Morgan, a brother of General Morgan, was a suf- ferer from the Indian attacks, his family being cap- tured by them and compelled to accompany the savages on foot during a journey of many days. Mrs. Morgan with great presence of mind managed to leave a trail behind them by dropping from time to time minute portions of her garments, and by means of this trail, Henry Morgan followed them and finally overtaking the party, aroused his wife and children, and killed the sleeping Indians, only one of them escaping him. To prevent any future attempts at kidnaping Mr. Morgan scalped and skinned these Indians and upon his return home hung these ghastly trophies about his house as a warning of what any intruders might expect at his hands, and, needless to say, he experienced no fur- ther trouble from them.

Edward F. Morgan was only twenty-one years old when he enlisted in his country's service on Oc- tober 23, 1862, in Company C, Sixteenth Vermont Volunteer Infantry, from which he was honorably discharged on October 23, 1863. On September 2, 1864 he re-enlisted in the Third Vermont Battery of Light Artillery, and remained in the service until the close of the war. He saw service at Ha- gerstown, on the Rappahannock, at Manassas, Peters- burg, Culpeper Courthouse, Warrentown Junction and Gettysburg, and at the latter saw the Louisiana Tigers make their famous but futile charge under General Pickett, and also saw General Hancock commanding his troops near Peach Orchard. It was at Gettysburg that Mr. Morgan was severely wounded, so much so that it is a miracle he escaped alive. He was in Start's Battery, Capt. Romeo Start commanding. Shot through the arm early in the bat- tle, he refused to leave his place, but had a piece of silk drawn through the wound to hold it together, and his arm bound up, and resumed his fighting. The breech was then shot off his gun, but he picked up another, only to have it shot from his hands. His bayonet and canteen were shot away and four bullets from his cartridge belt. His equipment was not all that suffered, for he was wounded twice across the breast, and then received a severe scalp wound, which last finally incapacitated him. In describing the latter Mr. Morgan says that the last injury made him see a million stars. During his service he was at different times under Generals Hooker, Mead and Grant. After his second discharge he returned home, but his health was impaired by his wounds and the exposure of his severe military experience, and he went to Wisconsin, where he was engaged as an engineer. Later he filed on a homestead in Cherokee County, Iowa, and developed a valuable farm from the wilderness. While a resident of Iowa he belonged to General Custer Post No. 25, Grand Army of the Republic, but later transferred to Lyon Post No. 30 of Kalispell, of which he is now adjutant and quartermaster, but at the time of its organization he was made commander, and he is very enthusiastic with relation.to the Post.

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Montana, its story and biography; a history of aboriginal and territorial Montana and three decades of statehood, Volume III, Part 137

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