Montana, its story and biography; a history of aboriginal and territorial Montana and three decades of statehood, Volume III, Part 175

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 175

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Mary a. Swaney. Che Iwanty

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pany when he left that class of work. Having learned the business and saved some money 'Mr. Young then went into it as Stevenson and Young on the Rosebud, near Kirby, running his stock under the brand "FK," and spent four years in that lo- cality. He then moved to Lodgegrass and at that time opened mercantile establishment, carrying on both lines of business ever since. His homestead filing has been made here and he operates it and his leased land.

Mr. Young came to man's estate under the in- fluence of republican doctrines, and cast his first presidential ballot in Montana for the republican candidate. In 1918 Mr. Young was elected a mem- ber of the board of commissioners of Big Horn County to succeed Dan Sullivan, and his present associates on the board are A. H. Bowman and D. A. Kamp. These gentlemen have had an important influence in developing this region and have given it an enviable reputation for good roads and other public improvements. The furnishing of seed grain to farmers has been another very important feature of the board's administration, for when the farmers are not able to get this seed for themselves on ac- count of excessive droughts, it is necessary for the authorities to let them have it or the food production will fall off.

John F. Young is a son of James M. Young and his wife Sarah E. (Hawkins) Young, natives of Arkansas who moved to Missouri after their mar- riage, but later going to Nebraska and locating near Chadron. They were farmers and stockraisers all of their lives. They had six children of whom John F. was the fifth in order of birth. The survivors are: Mrs. Charles White of Chadron, Nebraska; and John F.

On September 14, 1903, John F. Young was mar- ried at Sheridan, Wyoming, to Miss Minnie B. Mc- Kinley, a native of Illinois. The family came to Montana in 1896, and established their home near Kirby, and there 'Mr. Young met his wife. Mrs. Young is the youngest of a family of three sons and five daughters, all of whom are surviving. Mr. and Mrs. Young have three children: Leonard, and Fern E. and Dorothy, who are students in the Central Institute for the Deaf at St. Louis, Mis- souri. Mr. Young belongs to Sheridan Lodge, Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, which is his only fraternity. During the late war Mr. Young was active both personally and as a commis- sioner in the various drives and assisted very materially in bringing up the quota of this district.

While the material improvements and the raising of the requisite amount of money for them through bond issues, are very necessary and important, a still greater service is being rendered by the board in preservation of the history of Big Horn County, one of the most interesting sections of the state. Official action was taken in the selection of a com- mittee to compile the data available from the few pioneers yet living, who had a part in the making of the history of the early days of this region, so that the manuscripts could form a part of the ar- chives of the county in which so many big events of the state took place. While this step is an unusual one, its importance can hardly be overestimated, and those who led the movement for such public recognition of the worth of local history will merit the approval of generations to come.

CARL BOWMAN, one of the best-known names in this part of Montana is that of Bowman, and men bearing it have played a very important part in the constructive work of this section, and the represent- atives of the family are continuing to be numbered

among the most desirable of the citizens of the Big Horn Valley. One of these men who has always retained to a notable distinction and gives promise of much greater progress in the future is Carl Bow- man, postmaster of Hardin.

Carl Bowman was born at Lawrence, Nebraska, on April 15, 1886, a son of Alfred H. Bowman, one of the foremost citizens of Big Horn County, an extended sketch of whom appears elsewhere in this work. Carl Bowman grew to manhood's estate at Lawrence, and there attended both the graded and high schools, and then took a course in the agricul- tural department of the Nebraska State University at Lincoln, Nebraska, and was graduated therefrom in 1907. In that same year he came to Montana and has been identified with the community of Hardin ever since.

Mr. Bowman began his career in and about Har- din as a homesteader north of the present site of the city. Having acquired a title to his property he was then able to improve it, and continued to live on it and engage very profitably in general farming until he received the appointment as postmaster of Hardin, and left his farm to locate permanently in Hardin. As his appointment would indicate Mr. Bowman is a democrat, as is his father before him. Mr. Bowman cast his first presidential ballot for William Jennings Bryan, for whom his father had cast his vote in 1896 at the Democratic National Convention, thus assisting in making him a national character, and has never forgotten the effect pro- duced on him by the historic speech made by the Orator of the Platte advocating his stand on the Silver question. There were several strong candi- dates for the postoffice, and Mr. Bowman encount- ered considerable opposition, but since he has been in office his splendid conduct of the affairs and the masterly manner in which he has handled the many and increasing problems, have won for him the ap- proval of the people of Hardin, including those who formerly opposed him.

Carl Bowman was married in Big Horn County, on May 19, 1909, to Miss Mary C. Calahan, a daugh- ter of Albert E. Calahan, who came to Montana from St. Joseph, Missouri, proved up a homestead in Big Horn Valley, and was a contractor and builder on a number of the buildings at Hardin. He is honored as one of the original settlers of the valley, and for some ycars has been an esteemed resident of Har- din. His wife bore the maiden name of Kirby. Mrs. Bowman was born in Chicago, Illinois, on May 29, 1888, and is the youngest of three children, the others being: 'Mabel, who is the wife of A. D. Hastings of Billings, Montana; and Harry, who is a ranchman of the Big Horn Valley. Mr. and Mrs. Bowman have one son, Alfred Homer. Fraternally Mr. Bowman belongs to the Blue Lodge Masons, and he is also an Odd Fellow. Both he and Mrs. Bowman are members of the Eastern Star of Hard- in. They are very popular socially, and have many warm personal friends all over Big Horn Valley.

A. W. SWANEY, chairman of the county com- missioners of Flathead County, is with one excep- tion the oldest white settler of this region, and a man who has always shown commendable public spirit in all his actions. He was born in Allegheny City, Pennsylvania, in June, 1860, the eldest of seven children born to his parents, Hugh and Priscilla (Fularton) Swaney, natives of Ohio and Ireland respectively.

In his boyhood A. W. Swaney attended the schools of the second ward of his native city. When he was nineteen years old he decided to strike out for himself and came to the Territory of Montana by

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railroad as far as Blackfoot, Idaho, then traveling the remainder of the distance to Missoula by stage, as there were then no railroads in this region. At that time Missoula was a typical frontier town peo- pled by traders, miners, pioneers and Indians, and used as a distributing point for the Bitter Root, Missoula, Flathead and Korteney valleys. For a time after reaching Montana Mr. Swaney was en- gaged in clerking for one of the pioneer merchants, but soon saw that he could make more money by entering the mercantile field himself, so came to Flathead County with a stock of goods he and a young man bought, freighting the stock in cov- ered wagons. They established themselves at a place now called Ashley, the second post office in the county, which was 21/2 miles southwest of the present site of Kalispell, and carried on the busi- ness for two years, hiring half-breeds to do their freighting for them and paying them $2.50 per 100. Later the business was transferred to what was known as Ashley Creek Crossing, adjoining the present City of Kalispell, where a little set- tlement · was built up consisting of three stores, a blacksmith shop and four saloons. Prices were very high, as much as $8 being paid for a small sack of flour. Mr. Swaney did a big business with trappers, trading his merchandise for hides and furs, but sold in 1888 and until 1893 devoted his energies to farming, having bought the land sur- rounding his former store site.

In 1893 the County of Flathead was organized and Mr. Swaney was appointed the clerk of the district court of the new county, and he was elected to the same office in 1894, holding it until the out- break of the Spanish-American war, when he re- signed to go to the front with Company H, First Montana National Guards.

Mr. Swaney was the only public official in the State of Montana who resigned in order to go to the defense of his country. The regiment sailed from San Francisco for the Philippines, and the history of the part this regiment played in the subsequent campaign is fully covered in the adjutant-general's report on file at Helena, Montana, and in the War Department at Washington, District of Columbia. Some of the principal engagements in which Mr. Swaney's command participated were the first bat- tle of Laloma Church, with the subsequent activi- ties extending over four months. Every day of this period the American forces were under fire, and were in the campaign against Aguinaldo and other movements, aggregating fifteen in all. The regiment which was under the command of Colonel Kessler with others formed the Second Division of the Eighth Army Corps. As is well known the American forces were successful in putting down the insurrection, and the Montana troops were re- called to the United States on July 3, 1899. How- ever, for some time they did provost duty at Cavite and on the Island of Luzon, just across the bay from Manila. They set sail from Manila for the United States on a transport and came to San Francisco by way of Nagasaki, Yokohama and other Japanese ports and reached San Francisco in Oc- tober of that year, where they were discharged.

After their return from the Philippines the men of Company H were organized and known as H Company of the Second Montana Infantry, with A. W. Swaney as captain. Two years later Cap- tain Swaney was promoted to the rank of major, commanding the Second Battalion, which position he held for two years, and then finding that the duties of the public office he was then holding re- quired all of his time he resigned from the guards, but has never lost his interest in military matters,

and is a strong advocate of preparedness and uni- versal training. He believes that every school boy should be taught to be a soldier as a part of his education, not for the purpose of waging war, but to prevent unwarranted aggressive action on the part of any other country.

In 1902 Mr. Swaney was appointed registrar of the United States land office at Kalispell, and held it until May, 1913. In 1914 he was elected county commissioner and has remained on the board ever since, now being its chairman. During the early days of Kalispell he was a justice of the peace and has always been interested in maintaining law , and order.

Mr. Swaney was married to Mary A. Cowan, a daughter of John M. and Alice (Jost) Foy, pioneers of Flathead County, who came here from Utah. A sketch of the Foy family is given elsewhere in this work. Mr. and Mrs. Swaney became the parents of the following children: Charles H., Mary E. and Alexander G. There are two children by Mrs. Swaney's former marriage, Leon L. and Alice B. Leon L. is a druggist and married Miss Lilly Fox, who bore him one daughter, Mary E. Alice B. married Louis Sauerbier, a clothier of Eureka, Montana, and they have two sons, Walton and Charles. Charles H. married Miss Edith Young and is now engaged in ranching nine miles north- west of White Fish, Montana, but formerly trav- eled extensively with musical companies, he being a drummer and his wife a vocalist. Mary E. died when nine years old. Alexander G. is now at home after a stirring military experience. He served in the great war and was in France for fourteen months as a member of Companies B and D, One Hundred and Sixty-third Infantry. The company sailed from Hoboken, New Jersey on December 15, 1917, and landed at Liverpool, England, on December 24, from whence they went to Winchester, England. On December 28 they left Winchester and landed at Havre, France, the next day, and two days later entrained for La Courtine, near the Swiss border, an old French artillery barracks. This was the period of trouble with the Russian troops, a few days prior to the shelling of them by the French troops. Owing to lack of proper transportation facilities the soldiers suffered severely for lack of heavy clothing and food. The First Battalion en- trained for Langres, France, where they relieved the First Battalion of the Ninth Infantry and re- mained at that point until March 30, 1918, when they went to Montrichard to engage in replacement work. They embarked for home on February 3, 1919, from Brest, France, on a British steamer named Regina, and made the trip to the New York harbor in nine days, landing on Lincoln's birthday, and receiving a royal welcome in New York, from whence they were sent to Camp Merritt, New Jer- sey, and then to Camp Dix, New Jersey, being mus- tered out and discharged on February 24, after which Mr. Swaney returned to Kalispell. This command has the distinction of being the first em- barked on the transport which was formerly the Vaterland, owned by the Hamberg-American Steam- boat Line. Flathead County held a mass meeting immediately after the United States declared war against Germany, and as a result of it a telegram was sent to Washington approving the step, which is now a part of the Congressional Record, and it is the first county to take such action in the entire country.

In addition to the honors won by Alexander G. Swaney in the military operations abroad he has a creditable record on the Mexican border, and while there he was appointed lieutenant on June

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24, 1916, on April 12, 1917, was promoted first lieu- tenant, and on November 5, 1918, received his com- mission as captain, having the distinction of being one of the youngest officers of that rank among the United States troops. Personally his duties in- cluded the training of men for the front and the taking of them to the front to replace the casualties. Flathead County is the only county in the state which sent two companies of National Guardsmer to France.

A. W. Swaney is a Mason, being a member of the three bodies of the York Rite. Broad in his polit- ical views, he prefers to cast his vote for the man he deems best fitted for the office in question, although in years past he has supported the republican and progressive tickets. Genial and sympathetic, Mr. Swaney is one who makes friends every- where. Loyal to the core, a man who has given his country military service and aided in awakening a proper appreciation of the necessity of providing against any contingency, he is listened to when he voices his sentiments. He cheerfully sent his young- est born into the greatest war the world has known, just as did another Great American, and had he been called to make the sacrifice exacted from the latter, without doubt would have faced the world as gal- lantly and uncomplainingly. The years sit lightly upon the shoulders of this pioneer of Flathead, for they hold naught but pleasant memories for him. He has never been found lacking in any of the es- sentials of real American manhood, nor could any occasion arise when he would not be found in the front ranks of those who by precept and example foster and encourage the support of the Govern- ment and the protection of its people.

C. A. STILLINGER, was for five years a regular soldier in the United States army. It chanced that when he was mustered out he was in Montana, and he left the army to begin an uninterrupted career as a Montana business man, and has been a resident . of the state for over thirty-five years.

'Mr. Stillinger who is a prosperous merchant and owner of valuable mining interests at Iron Mountain and in Mineral County, was born in Boone County, Kentucky, November 3, 1859. His ancestry came originally from Holland and were Colonial settlers in Pennsylvania, the state in which his father Charles Stillinger was born in 1827. Charles Stil- linger was reared and married in Pennsylvania, spent his active life as a farmer, and at an early day removed to Boone County, Kentucky. As a Kentuckian he espoused the cause of the South at the time of the Civil war and was all through that struggle on the Confederate side. When he left the farm and retired he removed to Cincin- nati, where he died in 1882. His wife also died in that city. He was a democrat in politics and a mem- ber of the Lutheran Church. He and his wife had five children, the three oldest, daughters, being now deceased. Mary, who died at Cincinnati in October 1919, was the wife of John W. Weideright, a cigar manufacturer also deceased; Charlotte mar- ried Charles Kramer, a carriage trimmer, and both died at Cincinnati; Louise became the wife of W. J. McNeil, a barber, and both died in Cincinnati; the fourth in the family is C. A. Stillinger and his younger brother George is a railway superintendent at Dolton, Illinois.

C. A. Stillinger acquired his early advantages in the rural schools of Boone County, Kentucky, grad- uating in 1877 from the high school at Constant. After working on the home farm he became dis- satisfied, ran away and enlisted in the United States army. He was in the service the regular period

of five years. When he was mustered out he held the grade of first sergeant. He was mustered out in 1885 at Fort Assinniboine, Montana. Soon after- ward he went to Flathead Reservation, and was one of the early residents in that valley. . For a time he clerked at wages of $35 a month for Duncan MacDonald. He was with MacDonald until 1892, and then bought out the Duncan MacDonald post traders store and the Charles Allard stage line, operating between Ravalli and Kalispell. An ad- junct of the stage business was a steamboat line on Flathead Lake. 'Mr. Stillinger has the historic distinction of having put in operation the first steam- boat on that body of water.

He sold out his mercantile and transportation interests in the Flathead country in 1901, and then removed to Superior buying A. P. Johnson's mer- chandise business. In 1902 he moved his store to Iron Mountain and continues it as one of the lead- ing general mercantile firms in Mineral County. The business is housed in a large store building owned by Mr. Stillinger. Its location is opposite the North- ern Pacific depot. Mr. Stillinger resides in the second story of the building and he also owns other dwelling property in Iron Mountain, and a forty acre ranch at Bonner Ferry, Idaho.

Mr. Stillinger is the oldest member of the Knights of Pythias order in Montana and is a past chancel- lor of Laurel Lodge No. 1I, at Missoula. He is also a past noble grand of Welcome Lodge No. 107, Independent Order of Odd Fellows, and a mem- ber of the Encampment at 'Missoula. He is affiliated with Jacko Tribe Improved Order of Red Men at Superior. Mr. Stillinger at different times has been interested in mining and is president of several prosperous mining companies. In 1888 at Illia, Washington, he married Miss Lillie B. Wade, a daughter of Alonzo and Dorothy Wade, both now deceased. Her father was a pioneer rancher on the Snake River in Washington. Mr. and Mrs. Stil- linger had five children: Kate, wife of A. G. Baker, a railway mail clerk living at Missoula; Beatrice, wife of Matt Quinn, a mining engineer at Salt Lake City; Charlotte, wife of Richard Rahte, a railroad agent for the Northern Pacific at Elliston, Montana ; Charles B., a clerk in the forestry service at Mis- soula; and Alonzo, who died at the age of twelve years.

HARVEY R. SHEPHARD is one of the alert young business men of Three Forks where he is engaged in merchandising, his establishment being the leading one of its kind in Gallatin County. He was born at Howard, South Dakota, a son of E. M. Shep- hard. The Shephard family came originally from England and members of it were pioneers of Minne- sota, where the paternal grandfather lived until his removal to Howard, South Dakota, and there his death occurred in 1895, when he was seventy-five years old. Harvey R. Shephard's maternal grand- father, Conrad Hambracht, a native of Germany where he was born in 1829, survives and makes his home at Le Roy, Minnesota, having been retired from active life for some years.

E. M. Shephard was born at Wycoff, Minnesota, in 1855, and there he was reared and educated. After his' marriage he moved to Howard, South Dakota, and secured a ranch, but returned to Min- nesota and lived at Le Roy until his retirement in 1915, at which time he went to Santa Anna, Calif- ornia, where he is now living. A republican, he was elected on his party ticket to the office of county commissioner while living at Minnesota. E. M. Shep- hard was married at Le Roy, Minnesota, to Julia Hembrecht, born in Germany in 1856, and they be-

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came the parents of the following children: 'Minnie, who married Carl B. Hall, a ranchman of Le Roy, Minnesota ; Elroy Edgar who is cashier of the First State Bank of Spring Valley, Minnesota; Harvey R., whose name heads this review; Howard Jess, who is brakeman for the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railroad, lives at Three Forks; and Elizabeth, who lives with her parents.

Harvey R. Shephard attended the public schools of Le Roy, Minnesota, and was graduated from the high school in 1905, following which he was a stu- dent for two years at the Canfield Business College at Owatonna, Minnesota. In order to gain a practical knowledge of the mercantile business, Mr. Shephard worked in a department store at Spring Valley, Min- nesota, for two years, and for the subsequent nine months he was with a similar establishment at Mil- ford, Iowa. On March 8, 1911, Mr. Shephard came to Three Forks and formed a partnership with Frank Keller in a general merchandising business, which association was maintained until 1914, when Mr. Shepherd bought Mr. Keller's interest, and since then has been the proprietor of the establishment. At the time of the change in ownership Mr. Shephard moved in to his new and larger store located at No. 103 Main Street, where he has since remained. He has built up a very desirable connection and carries a large and varied stock which he offers at prices as low as is consistent with the quality of the goods and the service rendered. In addition to his business, Mr. Shephard owns a modern residence at No. 110 Second Avenue, East. He is a republican, but has not come before the public for office. The Methodist Episcopal Church holds his membership and bene- fits from his generous contributions. Fraternally he belongs to Three Forks Lodge No. 88, Independent Order Odd Fellows, of which he is past grand. An enterprising business man and interested in the progress of Three Forks, he has naturally been active in the Chamber of Commerce.

In 1913, Mr. Shephard was married at Spring Valley to 'Miss Geneva Jorris, a daughter of P. R. and Della Jorris. Mr. Jorris is a furniture merchant and he and Mrs. Jorris reside at Spring Valley. Mrs. Shephard was engaged in teaching school at Canton, Minnesota, prior to her marriage, and is a lady of more than ordinary intellectual development. Mr. and Mrs. Shephard have two children, namely : Jorris, who was born in 1915; and Della, who was born in 1918. It is such men as Mr. Shephard who develop a community. Having decided upon a loca- tion they are not afraid to invest their money and time in its business enterprises and realty, and having cast their lot with its fortunes, bend every energy to improve it in every way.

MARTIN MARTIN, head of the Employment Depart- ment of the Anaconda Copper Mining Company, is a man whose knowledge of human nature and business problems fit him to administer fairly and wisely the affairs of the department placed in his charge. He possesses those qualities which produce admirable and effective organization, and not being easily de- ceived in men or their motives, discharges his respon- sibilities in a manner which meets with the approval of his superiors, and wins the confidence of his men. Mr. Martin was born on Prince Edward Island, Can- ada, August 20, 1863, a son of Martin Martin, who was born on the Isle of Lewis, Scotland, in 1802, and died on his old homestead on Prince Edward Island in 1896, having established himself there in 1829. By trade he was a cabinet maker, but he was also a farmer. In politics he was a liberal. Reared in the faith of the Presbyterian Church, he early became a member of it, and always contributed very generously

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Montana, its story and biography; a history of aboriginal and territorial Montana and three decades of statehood, Volume III, Part 175

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