Montana, its story and biography; a history of aboriginal and territorial Montana and three decades of statehood, Volume III, Part 168

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

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When 'Mr. Clark came to Montana Mildred was included in Custer County. He was one of the men most active in creating Prairie County, and was one of the three men of his locality to take up the question, first with Ismay as the possible county seat and later for Terry. Practically the unanimous sen- timent of the people of Mildred favored the Terry locality, and Mr. Clark was chairman of the com- mittee which did the active work for this end of Prairie County. Both the Congregationalists and the Catholics built churches in Mildred, and Mr. Clark was a member of the Building Committee of the former denomination. He has been an active leader in republican politics, and was chairman of the Prairie County Republican Committee until he re- signed on account of his distance from the county seat. He is a charter member of the Terry Lodge of Masons and helped organize Sandstone Lodge of the same order at Baker. Since April 3, 1909, he has represented the United States Weather Bureau in keeping records of local precipitations, and has also kept temperature readings and records since I918.

In Branch County, Michigan, December 7, 1899, Mr. Clark married Orie M. Cockle, daughter of Wil- liam and Susan (Porter) Cockle. Her parents were natives of England, and after their marriage estab- lished themselves on a Michigan farm. Mrs. Clark was born at Bronson March 27, 1875. She has two brothers, William and Charles, the latter a druggist at Bronson. Three children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Clark: Leon Waldo, Robert Bennett and William M. The oldest, now associated with his father in business, was a member of the Students Army Training Corps in the Bozeman State College.

GEORGE H. KLEIN, D. D. S. One of the leading exponents of the dental profession in Valley County is Dr. George H. Klein of Glasgow, who has been in active practice at this point since 1905, although he has been a resident of Montana since 1899. He was born in Blue Earth County, Minnesota, August 31, 1871, a son of Conrad Klein.

Conrad Klein was born in Germany and was brought to the United States by his parents when he was twelve years old, in 1848, settlement being made by the family in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and there he was reared and educated in the common schools. With the outbreak of the war between the North and South Conrad Klein entered the Union Army, en- listing in 1861 at New Lisbon, Wisconsin, as a mem- ber of Company H, Tenth Wisconsin Volunteer In- fantry, and at the expiration of his three-year period re-enlisted and served until the close of the war, or 4 years and 3 months. He took part in the battles of Perryville, Stone River, Missionary Ridge, Chickamauga and the Atlanta campaign, and during all of the war, in spite of his dangerous assignments, was only wounded once. He was discharged in September, 1865. After the close of the war he joined the Grand Army of the Republic and was an enthusiastic member, seldom if ever missing one of the annual encampments.

Following his discharge from the army Conrad

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Klein in May, 1866, embarked in a livery business at Mankato, Minnesota, and then, in 1882, became the proprietor of the Clifton House at Mankato and was engaged in that line of business when he died, January 12, 1910, age seventy-four years. He was born on the same day as Mark Twain and was proud of the fact.

Conrad Klein was married to Margaret Ann Cecil Collins and her mother was a direct descendant on the paternal side from General Montgomery of Revolutionary fame, both he and Colonel Harper being great-grandfathers of Mrs. Klein. Mrs. Klein was born at Farmington, Jefferson County, Wis- consin, in 1848, and was taken when sixteen years old to Minnesota. Mrs. Conrad Klein, nee Collins, had three brothers, namely Amos, Ben and Alvin, who were all Union soldiers, and the latter, Capt. Alvin Collins, of the Minnesota State Militia, was en- gaged against the Sioux when the Civil war broke and was unable to respond to the call of volunteers because the State of Minnesota had its hands full. Captain Collins was with the soldiers who caught the Sioux after the New Ulm Massacre and helped build the scaffold at Mankato on which thirty- eight Indians were condemned to be hanged. Presi- dent Lincoln held up the execution, and between postponement and the day of hanging reprieved all . but thirty-nine of them. One died before the date of the execution and thirty-eight were executed on December 26, 1862. Captain Collins remained with the Minnesota soldiery keeping the Indians in check until 1864, when he became a lieutenant in the First Regiment, Minnesota Heavy Artillery. He was discharged at the end of the war with houors. He also built the scaffold in 1880 and later in the 'gos at the state penitentiary of Oregon used for years' for the execution of felons. Mr. and Mrs. Klein had but two children born to them, Doctor Klein's sister being Miss Laura E. Klein of Mankato, Minnesota.

Doctor Klein took his dental work in the American College of Dentistry at Chicago, Illinois, and in the Dental Department of Northwestern University, com- pleting his course in the Dental Department of the Central University of Kentucky at Louisville, Ken- tucky, from which he was graduated July 1, 1897. He had gained some practical experience as a dental surgeon under Dr. Frank Kessler of Kilbourn City, and after his graduation he established himself in practice in several places in Wisconsin, Indiana, and at Chicago, Illinois.

It was while on a trip as lieutenant colonel of the order of the Sons of Veterans to the National Encampment held at Helena, Montana, that Doctor Klein awakened to the great possibilities of the state. Upon his return home, while talking of his trip with his father and others, he expressed the deter- mination to make Montana his future home as soon as he was through with his professional studies. His 'father approved of the sentiment, for he believed in young men going further west, and encouraged him in every way possible.

Coming to Montana in 1899, Doctor Klein was engaged in practice all over Eastern Montana, making Forsyth his headquarters. From there he would cover the field, part of the time going to the com- munities along the route of the Northern Pacific Railroad, including Glendive, Wibaux, Rosebud and on the Great Northern Railroad to Columbia Falls, Whitefish, Shelby, Chester and others. He also visited sheep camps cow camps and ranch houses, carrying a driver with him for his team. He was traveling with a team and outfit in this manner and visiting the region of Glasgow when he was held up on account of high water between this place and Forsyth, so he arranged to "camp" at Glasgow for

the winter. His experience during that winter decided him, and in the following July he became a permanent resident of Glasgow. He then aban- doned his team work and opened his office, being at that time the only dentist between Williston and Chinook, but since then many others of his calling have come into this section and with him belong to the State Dental Association, of which he is now a past vice president.

When he became a permanent resident of Glas- gow Doctor Klein assumed the practical burdens of citizenship and participated in its official honors. being elected the second mayor of the city. During his administration the electric light plant was in- stalled, a bond issue passed, and plans for waterworks prepared. The public library was built. It was while he was in office that he filed on 158 acres of land for cemetery and park purposes for the city from the Government, President Roosevelt's signature being attached to the patent. At the time some censored him, but he was within the law and time has vindicated him and this land is now a valuable asset of Glasgow.

Doctor Klein is a republican, and cast his first presidential vote for Benjamin Harrison in 1892. His fraternal work began with his joining the Knights of Pythias at Elron, Wisconsin, and was continued when he was made a Mason. He was made a Blue Lodge Mason at Forsyth, Montana, in January, 1902, by Hiram Lodge No. 52, Ancient Free and Accepted Masons, and he demitted to North Star Lodge, Ancient Free and Accepted Masons, Glasgow, August 5, 1906, of which he is a past master. Doctor Klein also belongs to Great Falls Council, to Chapter No. 17, Glasgow; Glasgow Commandery No. 13, Helena Consistory and Algeria Temple, Mystic Shrine. He belongs to Havre Lodge, Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, and is past president of the Commercial Club of Glasgow and was one of the first to organize a club of this class at Glasgow.

On June 8, 1905, Doctor Klein was married at Mondovi, Wisconsin, to Miss Grace Ethel Bond, daughter of Jacob Bond and his wife Jennie (Bar- rows) Bond. Some of Mrs. Klein's ancestors on the paternal side were rewarded by the United States Government for deeds of bravery during the Revolutionary war. She was born in Wisconsin on July 28, 1880, and is one of four children born to her parents, Aretus F. Bond and wife, two younger ones being Macey and Mrs. Blanche Canar. Doctor and Mrs. Klein have a daughter, Margaret Blanche, who was born April 7, 1906.

During the late war, Doctor Klein was very active, being one of the "Four-Minute" men of Sheridan County; was one of the organizers of the local chapter of the Red Cross, which he served as chairman; was chairman of the local Savings Stamps committee, and took part in the various Liberty Loan drives and those for securing funds for other war purposes. He also served as chief of the American Protective League, an auxiliary to the Department of Justice of the United States, and possesses a badge issued as a memento of his serv- ice. It would be difficult to find a man more public spirited in every respect than Doctor Klein and he stands just as high in his profession as he does as a man and a citizen.

ARTHUR N. HOTCHKISS. It is not given to every man to live to see the resuts of strenuous labor fructify, but in a state like Montana, which shows visible development with almost every day, such a condition is not so remarkable. Owing to the reso- lute determination of its citizens the wonderful

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natural resources of this great state are utilized and the original defect of lack of abundant water supply remedied until now Montana ranks among the leading agricultural states of the Union. When settlers first migrated to it they found that its great open ranges were admirably suited to the production of · cattle, and it has long been one of the greatest beef producing regions of the country. With the opening up of these ranges by the Government came a change in the methods of raising cattle, but the more far-sighted of the cattlemen provided for this and under different conditions continued to furnish the markets with beeves as they had before. One of the men who has long been associated with the cattle industry of the Powder River locality, al- though he is now retired and for the moment a resident of California so as to give his children the benefit of superior educational advantages, is Arthur N. Hotchkiss, whose abilities were brought out by the demands of pioneer life in Montana.

Born at West Haven, Connecticut, February 19, 1864, Arthur N. Hotchkiss is a son of the late Stephen G. Hotchkiss, and a brother of Samuel A. Hotchkiss, the Brandenburg, Montana, ranchman, whose biography is given elsewhere in this work. During his boyhood Arthur N. Hotchkiss attended the local schools of West Haven, but in 1881 he accompanied his parents to Montana, when settlement was made on Pumpkin Creek, some twenty miles from Miles City, and here he learned the essentials of ranching under pioneer conditions, attaining his majority on his father's ranch.

In the fall of 1885 Mr. Hotchkiss ventured to strike out for himself, and forming a partnership with the veteran soldier and ranchman E. M. Stevens, engaged in the cattle industry on the head of the Little Pumpkin. Subsequently he entered into a partnership with his brother-in-law, Captain Ambrose B. Marvel, which was maintained until 1897, they running cattle under the brand "4-bar-H." About 1897 Mr. Hotchkiss sold his interests and moved to Powder River, where he had homesteaded, and to which he added until he has now 2,000 acres in his fine ranch, now leased since his retirement. This he has devoted to the production of beef from range cattle. At the time he took possession of his homestead the land was in a virgin state and all of the development has been done by him. He erected the present log residence of eight rooms and bath, and in it he spent twenty years of strenuous activity. Having grazed both Shorthorn and White Face cattle, he makes no distinction between the two breeds as profit-makers.

A man of far sight and public spirit, Mr. Hotch- kiss has sought to provide adequate educational ad- vantages for the children of the neighborhood and helped to establish the community school at Moore- head, the school building being adjacent to his ranchhouse, and has officiated as a member of the school board, and was not inactive while on it, but one of its most aggressive figures. Brought up a demo- crat, he was not content to adhere to that party simply because his family had always voted its ticket, but looked closely into the principles enunciated by both parties and found that those of the re- publicans voiced his own convictions, and conse- quently gave them his unqualified support. Mr. Hotchkiss belongs to the Presbyterian Church, his wife is a 'Methodist, while his children are Baptists, and they all work together to bring about a moral uplift and a betterment of conditions. Miles City Lodge, Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, holds his membership, but aside from this he does not affiliate with outside organizations, his happiness being found with his family ..

On November 16, 1898, Mr. Hotchkiss was married in Custer County, Montana to Miss Mary E. Kelsey, a sister of Arthur R. and Frank T. Kelsey, both of whom are mentioned at length in this work. Mr. and Mrs. Hotchkiss became the parents of the following children : Mabel Lucile, who was graduated from the Hollywood High School, California, is now a senior in the University of Redlands, California ; Francis Arthur, who was graduated from the Holly- wood High School, is in the United States navy as radio electrician ; Dorotheo Evelyn, who is a senior in the Hollywood High School; Paul Theodore, who is a student of the same school as Dorotheo; Samuel G., and Vera Ruth, who are students of the grammar school of Hollywood.

Mr. Hotchkiss has not confined his business inter- ests to his ranch, but has invested in the Baker, Montana, Petroleum Company, and is now serving as its president. He is one of the wide-awake men of his period, aggressive and forceful, and has known how to make his efforts amount to much and yet at the same time keep in close touch with the finer things of life. Big of brain and kind of heart, he has made friends everywhere, and he stands as an epit- ome of all that is best in American citizenship of the real type.

WILLIAM S. ELKINS. Back to New York State must we turn in tracing the lineage and origin of William S. Elkins, one. of the influential and highly esteemed citizens of Southeastern Montana. That section of the country which was the cradle of so much of our national history became the home of his ancestors in early times, and he seems to have inherited many of their sterling characteristics, since his life has been one of industry, integrity and public spirit, so that he has richly merited the high stand- ing which he now enjoys among his contemporaries.

William S. Elkins was born in Tonawanda, New York, on February 5, 1853, and is a son of William S., Sr., and Helen (Safford) Elkins. William S. Elkins, Sr., was born in Vermont and was a bound boy from eight years of age. He educated himself and became a school teacher, following that vocation for many years before taking up the pursuit of agriculture. Eventually he moved to Batavia, Illinois, where he engaged in the manufacture of pumps, but finally located in Mendota, where his death occurred. He married Helen Safford, a daughter of Samuel Safford, of Perry, New York. To this union were born the following children: Henry C., who served in the Union army during the Civil war; Mary, the wife of Charles Van Campen, of Rochester, Minnesota; Sarah, now deceased, was the wife of Abner Kidd, of Mendota, Illinois; Ella is the wife of Abner Rose, of Greene County, Iowa; and Wil- liam S., of this review. Mrs. Helen Elkins died in 1854 and sometime later Mr. Elkins was married to Bathsheba Burr, whose death occurred in Batavia, Illinois. She was the mother of children by a former marriage.

William S. Elkins, the son, lost his father when he was but ten years of age, and the family circum- stances were such that he was not given the oppor- tunity for a good school education. However, through the subsequent years he has made up for that de- ficiency by much reading and close observation of men and events, so that today he is a remarkably well informed man on general topics. From his native town he went to Chicago, Illinois, where he resided at the time of the great fire of 1871 and where he learned the trade of painting and decorat- ing, at which he became an expert. From Chicago Mr. Elkins went to Rochester, Minnesota, where he followed his trade for twenty-five years. The fol-

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lowing fifteen years were spent at Spearfish, South Dakota, where he conducted a painting and decorat- ing business. In April, 1912, Mr. Elkins entered the section of Montana in which he now resides, and has been one of the most active and enterprising citizens. He drove into this country from the Black Hills' locality following the advent of his sons, who settled here. He then owned four small ponies and a cheap wagon, and he bought a grubstake with the money he had received for his apple crop in Spear- fish. The Government survey had not then been made here, but he entered upon the public domain and went to work to create a home. His first effort was the breaking of about three acres of sod for a garden spot, and on that patch they raised two wagon loads of melons, sweet corn and cucumbers, and more Irish potatoes than his family needed. He started in the stock business with a few horses and three cows, and by careful management and good luck these have increased to the modest herd which he now owns. Until recently horses were his chief reliance in animals, but he has lately turned his attention to sheep, in which he is meeting with splen- did success. He keeps the Ramboulliet and the Shropshire breeds, heavy-wooled sheep and high- class mutton producers.

Mr. Elkins proved up his homestead, as did his sons, and each has also taken an additional tract, which makes their holdings, together with some small purchases, amount to 1,990 acres. The pioneer home, which sheltered the occupants of the land prior to the advent of the Elkins, is now a part of the family home. Other permanent improvements have added to the value of the ranch and the family are now very comfortably situated.

Mr. Elkins was married to Hattie E. Cook, a daughter of Martin W. and Mary (Benedict ) Cook. Mr. Cook was a resident of Michigan, where he was interested in the timber business, but later moved to Minnesota, where he became a successful fruit grower. These parents had three children, those besides Mrs. Elkins being Ed, a banker at Rochester, Minnesota, and Bessie, of Rochester. To Mr. and Mrs. Elkins have been born the following children : Harry S., who is an attorney in the service of the Government at Washington, D. C., married Emily . Bradley ; Charles M., who is on the ranch with his father ; Kenneth K., who is also on the home ranch, married Stella Ratliff and has three children, Lois, William S. and Nannie; and Earl C., who is also at home.

Politically Mr. Elkins has been a life-long sup- porter of the republican party, having cast his first presidential vote for Rutherford B. Hayes. He has never since missed a presidential election, though in 1916 he traveled over a hundred miles in order to cast his vote. He has been a member of the Masonic fraternity since attaining his majority, and for forty years has been a member of the Independ- ent Order of Odd Fellows, maintaining his mem- bership in both organizations at Rochester, Minne- sota. He is a man of sociable and kindly nature, which has made him popular with all who have been associated with him, and because of his commend- able personal qualities he enjoys the confidence of all who have had dealings with him.

MAJOR JOHN A. BUNTIN. The Indian agency of the Cheyennes at Lame Deer, Montana, is presided over by Major John A. Buntin, who is the agent of the Tongue River agency. He has been identi- fied with this work here in the same capacity since December 1, 1914, and as the successor of Major James R. Eddy came to this region from a long period of work in Oklahoma, being one of the old

and efficient servants of the Government among the Indians.

Major Buntin began his service at Anadarko, Okla- homa, in 1893 as teacher of the Wichitas and Caddos and was connected with purely educational work for seventeen years, serving as superintendent of that school ultimately and being with it thirteen years. Upon leaving there he went to Lawton as super- intendent of that Indian school, supervising the education of the Comanches for four years. In 1911 he was transferred to be superintendent of the Pottawatomies, Shawnees and Kickapoos at Shawnee, Oklahoma, and from that point was transferred to Montana to his present position.

Major Buntin went into Oklahoma early in its territorial life as an appointee in Indian school work. He went from Benton, Illinois, where he had been reared and had fitted himself for teaching and fol- lowed public school work for several years, his college studies having been prosecuted at Ewing ( Illinois) College, where he completed the normal course. He was born near Rolla, Missouri, March 16, 1867, his father, Samuel Buntin, having settled in that region just after the close of the Civil war. His life was spent there and in Illinois as a farmer and stockman, and his final home was in Franklin County, Illinois, where he died at the age of sixty- three years, following injuries received in a train wreck. Samuel Buntin was a Kentuckian by birth, and being orphaned in infancy he secured only a limited educational training. In spite of this handi- cap he was a man of sound business judgment, ac- quired valuable farm lands, and participated in the politics of his community as a democrat. He was without church connections but was a man of the strictest integrity and honor. He married Nancy J. Coppage, a daughter of William Coppage, of Phelps County, Missouri, where Mrs. Buntin was born. She died in Franklin County, Illinois, in 1911, and was the mother of ten children: Mollie, the wife of James Crane, of Thompsonville, Illinois ; Martha, who married Alex Summers, of Akin, Illi- nois ; John A., of this notice; Charles W., of Lewis- ton, Montana; W. S., of Akin, Illinois; James, also a resident of that place; Charles W., of Lewiston, Montana; Frank, of Akin; Guy, a farmer in the vicinity of Akin; and Dr. Grover, a practicing physi- cian of Benton, Illinois. Samuel Buntin's father was a native of Ireland, and he and his wife died early, leaving three sons and two daughters.

Major Buntin's administration covers a period of five years as agent of the Cheyennes, and it has contributed to the prosperity of these people. He has increased the agricultural area and food produc- tion, reduced cattle thefts by Indians to such an extent that it has almost ceased, and increased the annual income of the tribe from about $50,000 to $250,000 per annum. The erection of a flouring mill has contributed much toward the convenience of the reservation in the matter of providing flour and gives an impetus to the growing of wheat. Some 15,000 head of Indian-owned stock are on the reserva- tion, and the Indians' grain and hay crops have reached the value of about $120,000, a vast increase from 1914, when it was about $10,000. The schools of the reservation are under the direction of the Major and comprise a boarding school and two day schools, and an increased school attendance is notice- able. One of the Indians, a full-blood, is employed as a class-room teacher.

Major Buntin was married at Wheeling, West Virginia, June 28, 1905, to Loa D. Davis, a daughter of Cyrus and Martha (Hart) Davis, of Wheeling. Mr. Davis, a native of Ohio, was formerly a foundry foreman, and now resides at Martins Ferry, Ohio.

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Mrs. Buntin was born in that state, one of the five children of her parents, and for eight years had charge of a department in a large department store at Wheeling. She and her husband are the parents of three children: 'Martha, aged twelve years; Anna Loa, aged eight years; and Elizabeth, aged five years.

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Montana, its story and biography; a history of aboriginal and territorial Montana and three decades of statehood, Volume III, Part 168

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