Montana, its story and biography; a history of aboriginal and territorial Montana and three decades of statehood, Volume III, Part 170

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

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Mr. Ramme secured his citizenship papers in Houghton, Michigan, in 1866, and began voting as a republican. He continued in this political course until the progressive movement was launched on the political life of the country, when he joined its ranks and in more recent years has voted independ- ently. The only public service which he has rendered has been as an alderman in Miles City.

HARTFORD D. ARKWRIGHT came to Montana Terri- tory in 1882 and has filled in the subsequent years with a varied program of activities and usefulness. In early life he was a railway mail clerk, later did a notable work as an educator in the Indian schools, and finally applied himself to ranching. For a num- ber of years past he has owned one of the valuable irrigated farms in Custer County at Tusler.

He was born near Buffalo in Erie County, New York, June 10, 1861. His grandfather lost his life while crossing the St. Lawrence River and little is known about his history or his ancestors. The father of Hartford D. Arkwright was Michael D. Arkwright, a native of St. Lawrence County, New York, and a farmer there until 1863, when he took his family to Wisconsin and settled in Chippewa County. He developed a homestead in the Chippewa Valley and finished his quiet life there. He was a democrat in politics. Michael Arkwright married Eliza M. Mann, who was born in Genesee County, New York. They were married in Erie County, November 1, 1844. Both of them died in 1882, the father on 'May 20th and the mother on April 19th. Of their children the oldest was Christyan, who remained in New York when the rest of the family came West, and after a few year's disappeared from family notice; Hannah became the wife of John Gray and spent her life in Wisconsin ; Lafayette is still living in Chippewa County; Susan is the wife of John G. Fowler, of Minneapolis; Emma became the wife of Levi Pritchard, of Sedro Wooly, Washington; and Hartford D., is the youngest.

As a boy on his father's farm in Wisconsin, Hart- ford D. Arkwright acquired a district school educa- tion, learned something of the routine of farming, and also acquired business experience as clerk in a store and postoffice. Later he secured his appoint- ment as a railway mail clerk, before that department was under Civil Service, and was given a run be- tween Bismarck and Miles City. At that time the terminus of the Northern Pacific was at Forsyth, but the mail run ended at Miles City. It was the performance of the duties of railway mail clerk that brought Mr. Arkwright to Montana in 1882. He remained in the Government service for five years and then entered another department of Gov- ernment work as superintendent of the Indian schools at the Crow Agency. The half decade of his work there was really a notable contribution to Indian school education in Montana. The Crows were still · classified as blanket Indians. The only attempt to educate them had been made by the Jesuits some years previously. On the reservation the only school equipment consisted of a large dormitory for both boys and girls. At that time Mr. Arkwright was married and Mrs. Arkwright, an experienced teacher, was closely associated with him and bore some im- portant responsibilities in carrying out their educa- tional program. The Indian boys were made ac- quainted with industrial matters like farming and

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mechanical work, while the girls were taught house- keeping, sewing, baking and dress making under Mrs. Arkwright. An interesting index of the quality of their work was that the children made a grade a year, about the equivalent of the work expected of white children, and some of their pupils were qualified to enter Carlisle, the largest Indian school of the country. Under the supervision of the agent of the tribe the Indian men were instructed how to farm while they were drawing rations from the Government, and this development has continued until the Crow Reservation is dotted with Indian farms and ranches with irrigation plants, and fur- nishes some conspicuously successful examples of stock farmers. During those five years Mr. Ark- wright proved himself so valuable that the depart- ment at Washington called him to a much more important school, as superintendent of the Tomah Indian School in Wisconsin. He remained there two years and then resigned altogether from the Govern- ment service and returned to Montana to give his time and personal supervision to some sheep ranching interests which he had acquired in the Musselshell Valley. In association with Dr. Jacob Mills he bought the Milner and two other ranches, embracing altogether 17,000 acres. During the next five years they increased their flocks to 20,000 sheep, the Merino and Rambouillet strains, producing the fine-medium wool. Mr. Arkwright on. selling his interest to his partner left that region and in 1910 came to Custer County and engaged in farming and stock raising at Tusler. He bought a portion of the Crow-Rock Sheep Company's ranch, and his initial enterprise was directed toward building up a feed- ing plant for sheep. Inability to procure a suffi- cint supply of alfalfa prevented the immediate achievement of his purpose, and his farm is now devoted to range cattle, sugar beets, Poland China hogs and Barred Rock chickens. He has 512 acres, all under the Tongue River Canal, and all capable of cultivation.

His success as a farmer has brought Mr. Ark- wright the honor of the secretaryship and treasurer- ship and now the presidency of the Counter County Fair and Stock Bureau, and he has served in that capacity since 1917. He is also a stockholder and is one of the organizers of the State Bank of Moore, Montana, and of the Miles City National Bank. He is a member of the Society of Pioneers of Eastern Montana. While in Billings in early life he studied law in the office of Judge Harwood, was admitted to the bar and served by election as city attorney of Billings when that town had a population of about 5,000.

He began voting as a republican, casting his first presidential vote for Harrison in 1892, three years after Montana was admitted to the Union. Since then he has frequently been a delegate to state con- ventions and has become acquainted with the party leaders in Montana, including Senators Carter and Lee Mantle and Governor Richards. He was en- rolling and engrossing clerk of the Lower House of the Montana Legislature while Lee Mantle was speaker, and engrossed the membership of the House and presented an artistic copy to the State Historical Society. He had previously' served in a similar capacity with the Montana Senate.

Mr. Arkwright and family are 'Methodists, and both he and his wife joined that church when about fifteen years of age. He is a trustee of the church at Miles City and a member of the official board of the Young Men's Christian Association. December 29, 1886, he married Miss Clara Belle Howard. She had previously been a teacher in the schools of Billings and afterward, as above noted,

employed her experience successfully in the Indian schools. She was born in Iowa, one of six children, and the Howard family is of English origin and were early settlers in Massachusetts. From one branch of the family was produced the great Civil . war soldier General O. O. Howard. Mrs. Arkwright left Keosauqua, Iowa, by invitation to take a posi- tion in the Billings schools. Mr. and Mrs. Ark- wright have three children: Hazel is the wife of C. R. Cuss, a banker at Gary, Indiana, and they have two children, Catherine and Elizabeth. The son Stanley Howard Arkwright, now a factor on the Crow-Rock Ranch, is a graduate of the Gem City Business College at Quincy, Illinois, and enlisted in July, 1917, in the Second Montana, going over- seas as a member of the Sunset or Forty-first Divi- sion. He was in France for several months but was never assigned to front line duty. He received his honorable discharge in March, 1919. The other son, Harwood Warren, who spent two years in the agricultural course at the Bozeman State College, enlisted as a volunteer in the Marines in October, 1918, and was on duty at the Mare Island Navy Yard in California until discharged. Mr. Arkwright is a member of Ashlar Lodge No. 29, Ancient Free and Accepted Masons of Billings.

CLEMENS H. FORTMAN has the honor of serving his second term as postmaster of Montana's capital city, and for many years he was also numbered among Helena's leading business men.

Mr. Fortman was born in Cincinnati, Ohio, a son of John Fortman, whose birth occurred at Osna- bruck, Holland, in 1832, and whose death occurred at Cincinnati, Ohio, in 1910. He was but a young, unmarried man when he left his native country for the United States, and he spent the remainder of his life in Cincinnati, serving for many years as a member of the city's police force and finally retired as a pensioner. He was a member of the Roman Catholic Church, and gave his political support to the democratic party. He married a lady from his own native land of Holland, who was born in that country in 1838, and she died at Cincinnati, Ohio, in 1914. The following seven children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Fortman: Elizabeth, who became the wife of J. W. Fritsch, a real estate and insur- ance broker in Cincinnati; Henry, who resides in the Cincinnati suburb of Norwood and is a stationary engineer; Clemens H. was the third born of the children ; Frances died at the age of thirty years, un- married; Charles, whose home is in Cincinnati, is an employe of Russell Morgan Company, printers and engravers; Louise is the wife of J. W. Luckey, a printer at Cincinnati; Flora, whose home is also in Cincinnati, is an employe of the Russell Morgan Company.

Clemens H. Fortman received a parochial and high school training in Cincinnati, and was eighteen years of age when he left the school room to take up the active duties of life. During the first six years he was in the employ of Parker, Utter & Company in their spice mills in Cincinnati, leaving there to engage in the grocery business for himself. But in 1884 he disposed of his business there to begin life anew in the West, arriving in Helena on the 9th of September, 1884. He began work for the Great Northern Rail- road Company when it first entered the city. He was given charge of the warehouse and in that capacity unloaded the first freight brought into Helena by train, and he continued on with this com- pany for a period of two years. Then followed one year with the Northern Pacific Express Company, during nine years he had charge of the collections. and the general supervision of the business for

8.28 Fartman

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Sanford & Evans, hay and grain merchants, and then engaged in the hay, grain and farm implement busi- ness for himself, and succeeded in building up one of the largest industries of its kind in the city at that time. Owing to his appointment as postmaster of Helena on the Ist of July, 1914, Mr. Fortman sold his business, and has since given his entire time and attention to the fulfillment of his official duties, hav- ing been reappointed to the office on the 13th of September, 1918, for a second term of four years. The democratic party receives the active support and co-operation of Mr. Fortman and his religious affiliations are with the Roman Catholic Church. He is a member of Helena Council, Knights of Co- lumbus, of Helena Lodge No. 193, Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, and is also a member of the Helena Commercial Club and the Montana Club of Helena.

During the period of his residence in the North- west Mr. Fortman has become the owner of con- siderable real estate in and around Helena, includ- ing one of the finest homes in the city, located at 423 Clark Street, which is set in the midst of at- tractive grounds of 100 feet frontage. He is also the owner of a warehouse on the tracks of the Northern Pacific Railroad, and has other valuable real estate in the city.

In 1884, before leaving Cincinnati, Ohio, Mr. Fort- man was married there to Miss Margaret Fallon, a native daughter of Cincinnati and a high school graduate there. One child, Blanche Marie, was born to Mr. and Mrs. Fortman. She is now the wife of Floyd Davenport, and resides at Amarillo, Texas. Mr. Davenport is an oil operator and rancher at that place.

FRED HITZFELDT. Many of the wealthy ranchmen of Montana came in to the state with cattle, and remained here as cowboys, receiving only $40 per month for their services, but during the time they were so employed they gained a practical knowledge of their business, and being on the spot were able to avail themselves of the opportunity to acquire land at very low figures. That the successful ones possessed something more is proven by the fact that where they prospered companions who worked under the same conditions were failures, and this some- thing is ability. Without it experience, knowledge and land were of little use in the business of cattle production. One of the men who has demonstrated during the many years he has been a resident of Montana that he possessed that very necessary req- uisite is Fred Hitzfeldt, a ranchman of the Foster Creek locality of Custer County, and owner of 14,000 acres of valuable land.

Fred Hitzfeldt was born at Galveston, Texas, October 20, 1860, the youngest of the thirteen chil- dren of his parents. His father died three months before his birth, and he is the only survivor of the family. Only one other member of it married, and he died without issue. The elder Mr. Hitzfeldt was a ship carpenter and a native of Germany, and his wife was born in the same country. During the late war Fred Hitzfeldt demonstrated conclusive- ly that his heart was with the adopted country of his parents, and he felt that had they been spared to live until that crucial period they, too, would have supported the country that offered them refuge from the persecutions suffered in the land of their birth.

Never having had a father's support, Fred Hitz- feldt was early compelled to earn his own living, and had but little opportunity to attend school. Prac- tically all of the education he has was obtained from the instruction of a boy companion, but his experi-

ences have given him a practical training that has proven amply sufficient for his requirements, and many a college graduate could well be proud if he had been able to accomplish what Mr. Hitzfeldt has done. His first work of any consequence in a financial way was done for Allen, Pool & Pierce, historic cattle men of Southeastern Texas, for whom he punched cattle. Leaving their employ, he en- gaged with the Comanche Pool outfit in Indian Territory for a drive to Montana. The cattle were owned by Hunter & Evans, shipped from. Dodge City, Kansas, to Rock Creek, Wyoming, and from there driven to their destination on the Big Missouri River, 140 miles north of Miles City. Mr. Hitz- feldt dates his arrival in this region from August, 1885, and he remained with this outfit until the fall of 1886. For a few months during the winter season he was idle, and then went with the Hereford Cattle Company as a cowboy, subsequently becoming wagon boss, and remaining with this concern until it closed up its business.

Mr. Hitzfeldt was always a man to look forward and he saw that the open range was doomed, and therefore early set about preparing for the change which was bound to come. He and Judge Loud, who was manager for the Hereford Cattle Company, formed a partnership and began to acquire land. They picked up scrip land, a few homesteads and some railroad land, acquiring in this way several thousand acres of land, and for twelve years con- tinued partners, raising cattle of the Hereford and Durham strains and shipping to the Chicago market. When this association was dissolved Mr. Hitzfeldt bought his partner's interest and established his headquarters on Foster Creek, where he now owns 14,000 acres, and is devoting it to raising the same strains of cattle. He still ships to Chicago. The original "S-L" brand used by the Hereford Cattle Company, and purchased by the firm of Loud & Hitzfeldt, is still used by Mr. Hitzfeldt. When he came to Montana he owned a "split-eared" pony, a saddle and bridle, and some bedding. The little money in his possession was but the savings from his wages as a cowboy. All that he now possesses has been earned by him since 1885, and his prosper- ity is certainly deserved. His residence is the one which replaced his original log house of one room that is still used as sleeping quarters on his ranch. The second house was moved log by log from Pump- kin Creek.

Mr. Hitzfeldt married late in life, as he did not meet anyone to whom he felt sufficiently attracted to propose marriage until 1904, when he had the good fortune to become acquainted with Miss Georgiana Shy, a daughter of George P. Shy, a ranchman on Pumpkin Creek, near Volberg. On February 23, 1905, this young lady became his wife. Her father came to Montana from Nevada, Mis- souri, in 1902, bringing with him his family. Her mother bore the maiden name of Mollie Homan, and she and Mr. Shy had the following children: Mrs. Hitzfeldt, who was born at Nevada, Mis- souri, Isaac, Dudley, Sam, and Mattie, who is the wife of Elmer Stimson.

Mr. Hitzfeldt is a Blue Lodge Mason and a mem- ber of the order of Elks. For the past twenty years he has belonged to the Montana Stock Grow- ers' Association, and been active in its operations. During his earlier days he was a democrat of strong convictions, but when William Jennings Bryan be- came the candidate in 1896 he left his party on ac- count of Mr. Bryan's bimetalism doctrines and voted for William McKinley, continuing with the republican party until the division in its ranks in 1912, when he returned to his old faith, and has

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given Woodrow Wilson his support in both his presi- dential campaigns. Although he has always per- formed his duty as a good citizen in exerting his right of suffrage. 'Mr. Hitzfeldt has never been willing to permit the use of his name on the local ticket, and therefore has had no experience as an office holder. His record as an upright, honorable man and loyal citizen is unblemished, and he stands very high in the esteem of his neighbors.

CHARLES F. DECKER. The mature years of Charles F. Decker have been spent in the far west, and he is a product of it and the outgrowth of its expanding history, his character having been formed by the necessities of its pioneer days, when in order to succeed a man had to be resourceful as well as industrious and thrifty. He now owns a magnifi- cent ranch in the Stacey region, and he has not only won material success, but there are few men in this locality who have a stronger hold on the hearts and confidence of the people than he. Mr. Decker was born in Washington County, Ohio, March 2, 1857. a son of Samuel R. Decker. The birth of Samuel R. Decker took place near Marietta, Ohio, in 1836, and he died at Fort Collins, Colorado, when he was seventy years of age. While he owned farm prop- erty his efforts were confined to contracting and building. He was a good citizen, who did not aspire to public office, but cast his vote for the candidates of the democratic party. Samuel R. Decker was married to Catherine Cady, a daughter of Charles Cady, whose life was given to farming in Wash- ington County, Ohio. Mrs. Decker died during middle life, in Iowa, having borne her husband the following children: Charles F., whose name heads this review; and Jerome, who lives at Fort Collins, Colorado. Samuel R. Decker was married secondly to Jennie Jenkins, and they had the following chil- dren : Orange Ross, who is a ranchman of Stacey, Powder River County; Ethel; Nora, who is mar- ried and lives in California; Lydia, who is mar- ried, and lives in Colorado; and Laura, who lives at Fort Collins, Colorado, where the homestead is located.

Charles F. Decker was eight years old when his parents moved to Iowa, and he was reared in that state upon a farm, securing a country school edu- cation in Audubon County. When he was twenty years of age he went west into the Black Hills country, thus beginning his connection with the al- ready growing West. For the subsequent couple of years he was employed as a cowboy in South Dakota and Wyoming in connection with the "3-V" outfit, and came into Montana with a herd of. cat- tle belonging to C. B. Straus, which were subse- quently taken over by the Hereford Cattle Company, who bought Mr. Straus' interests. Mr. Decker was also interested in mining in the Deadwood region of the Black Hills, and he was also in Spearfish Valley. He shot buffalo for hides in the Box Elder country, disposing of the hides for $2.75 each, thus tiding himself and a partner over a hard winter at a time when in that locality there was little or no work for them to do.

When Mr. Decker came to 'Montana it was still a territory and his only capital was his willingness to work and his physical strength to do so. Until 1897 he rode the range for others, but in that year with his savings invested in a small bunch of Texas cattle, and from that modest beginning his opera- tions have increased until he has become an impor- tant factor in the ranch life of this region. He en- tered land of the public domain five miles south of Stacey, upon which he built a shack and held his cattle. His log house was 16 by 20 inside, with a

dirt roof and floor and was daubed with mud, but it was comfortable both summer and winter, and in it Mr. Decker spent twenty-four of the best years of his life. Of course he added to his house room, and made other necessary and permanent improve- ments, but the old pioneer "cottage" was nearer and dearer to Mr. Decker than all which has come later. His homestead entry is the nucleus of his ranch, which comprises 2,700 acres, where he con- fines his farming to raising grain for his cattle. The survey of this region came long after Mr. Decker's advent into it. His early part in politics was confined with casting his vote for the candi- dates of the democratic party, but during more re- cent times he has performed actual official service as a county commissioner. With the creation by the Legislature of Powder River County from Cus- ter County he was named in the bill creating the county as one of the commissioners, his colleagues being Henry Peays and J. H. Morris. The com- missioners at their first meeting located the county seat at Broadus and elected a chairman of the board. At the second meeting justices of the peace, road supervisors and a public administrator were appointed and a few bills were allowed. Mr. Decker began voting with. the democratic party and has maintained his relations with it, but his action has always been modest and unassuming, and only when solicited to do public service has he considered it.

On December 19, 1899, Charles F. Decker was married at Ashland, Montana, to Miss Mary Ham- ilton, a daughter of James Hamilton, who was born in Kilkenny, Ireland, and his wife bore the maiden name of Julia Ebbett. She is buried at Stacey. 'Mr. and Mrs. Hamilton had the follow- ing children: James, who was the eldest who at- tained to mature years, lives at Lincoln, Nebraska; John T., who lives at Miles City, Montana; and Mrs. Decker, who was born in Lee County, Iowa, May 31, 1858. Mr. and Mrs. Decker reared in their home Esther Bidwell, who was married to Ben Toennis, has a daughter, Mary, and they are en- gaged in ranching near Stacey. Mr. Decker gives his support to the Christian Church, but Mrs. Decker was reared in the Catholic faith. Open- handed and sympathetic, Mr. Decker is the friend of all who know him, and yet his judgment and knowledge of men are of such a quality that he seldom misplaces a confidence in the better nature of those who seek his help. Devoted to this sec- tion and with a viewpoint which enables him to look into the future and plan accordingly, it would have been difficult to have selected a man better fitted to arrange the initial affairs of Powder River County. When future generations look back upon the pioneer period of this part of Montana they will appreciate at its real value the work accom- plished by men of the calibre of Charles F. Decker, and rejoice that public affairs were placed in hands so competent and clean, and that they and their children after them are given the results of the sound judgment, the unflinching honesty and sturdy independence of the pioneers of Powder River County.

GEORGE F. MCKENZIE. The name of George F. Mckenzie is one of the most widely known of the Powder River valley, where its bearer settled in 1889. He had been in the state (or rather the ter- ritory) of Montana since 1883, having settled in Gallatin County, May 26 of that year, and had come into the territory by rail to Huntley and prospected for a suitable location for live stock raising up into Gallatin County. Mr. Mckenzie settled in the Bridger Creek valley, near Bozeman, and there

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Montana, its story and biography; a history of aboriginal and territorial Montana and three decades of statehood, Volume III, Part 170

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