Montana, its story and biography; a history of aboriginal and territorial Montana and three decades of statehood, Volume III, Part 203

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

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The children of Mr. and Mrs. Daly are as fol- lows : Marian G., who is the wife of Valentine Loesch of Missoula, Montana, has six children, Francis, Charles, Valentine, Daly, 'Marian and Gene- vieve; Lucile, who married Robert Chesworth of the Stacey locality, has a son, Melvin; Frank, who was in the National army at Camp Lewis, during the late war; and Mollie, who married Ray Bar- tholomew of Broadus, Montana. Mr. Daly is a Mason of prominence, belonging to the Blue Lodge, Chapter, Commandery and Mystic Shrine. He is also an Elk.

PAUL BAKER. There was a time not so very far back in the past when the dry lands of Montana were regarded as absolutely worthless for agricul- tural purposes, but through the enterprise of ranch- men of advanced ideas, these lands have been re- deemed through irrigation and yield bountiful har- vests, adding to the tillable acreage of the country and giving to those, who deserve them, valuable ranches, for they have won them through the hard- est kind of labor and the exercise of ingenuity in devising means to bring to an arid soil the moisture so necessary to it. One of the men who belongs to this class is Paul Baker, postmaster of Garland and owner of a fine ranch on Tongue River in Custer County. He was born in Oxfordshire, England, March 20, 1851, a son of William Baker, and is one of the latter's six surviving children. Paul Baker has three sisters living in America, namely: 'Mrs. Blanche Clare of Seattle, Washing- ton; Kate Baker of Los Angeles, California; and Mrs. Wright Porritt of Alberta, Canada. Paul

Baker was reared in Harfordshire, attending school at Cambridge, and his life, until 1880, was spent upon an English farm.

In 1880, Paul Baker left his native land, sailing from Liverpool, England, on the Sardinian, and landing at Halifax, from whence he went to Emer- son, Canada, and later to Winnipeg, Canada. He then traveled to Holland, Manitoba, with ox teams, and for twelve years was engaged in ranching, raising grain, but conditions were such that he did not make a success of this undertaking, and de- cided to come to the United States, so in 1892 he came to Montana, in April of that year locating on the railroad land he still occupies, his family joining him in the fall. At that time his ranch on Tongue River was far removed from any other settlements, and on it he erected a log house which is the main portion of his present residence, al- though it has been so changed and added to that it presents but little likeness to the original home. For some time he worked for other settlers in addition to caring for the few sheep he had bought, and in time developed some industry in wool and- accumulated some hundreds of head of sheep, but reverses came to him and he abandoned the busi- ness. Realizing the possibilities of grain farming provided the land was properly irrigated, Mr. Baker installed his own irrigating plant, filling his ditches with water from Tongue River by means of a centrifugal pump, so that he is now independent of rainfall, and he now grows grain, does general farming and raises cattle and sheep, and is one of the most prosperous ranchmen in the county.

At the time Mr. Baker located on his ranch, his home was placed in school district No. 1, the Miles City district, and the school term was held in a room of a neighbor's house. When set off to themselves, this community became district No. II, and a school house was erected, and Mr. Baker was made clerk of the school board, serving as such for some years. On February 23, 1909, he was appointed postmaster of Garland, and the office was moved to his premises. In national matters, Mr. Baker is a republican, but has not sought office, preferring to do his duty as a citizen in the capacity of a layman.

On October 31, 1871, 'Mr. Baker was married at London, England, to Miss' Annie Roberta Neal, a daughter of James and Jane (Allcot) Neal. The Neals were Chichester people, and Mr. Neal was a banker of Harfordshire, England. Mrs. Baker has two brothers, namely: Walter, who is a civil engineer of Miles City, Montana; and William A., who lives at Sidney, Australia. Mr. and Mrs. Baker have the following children: Walter Wil- liam, who is a ranchman of the Tongue River district; Lillie, who married Archibald Hume of Wilbur, Oregon; Paul Montague, who is also a ranchman on the Tongue River; Maud, who mar- ried Henry W. Trapp, of the Garland region of Custer County, has two children; James Archi- bald, who died from the effects of a stroke of lightning, was married to Bertha Hines and left a daughter, Dorothy Belle; Charles Walton, who is a ranchman near Garland, married Ouida Van Dyke, and has a daughter, Frances; Ernest and Irwin, twins, who are at home; and Kate Evaline, who is the youngest, is also at home. The Baker family is one of the most representative in Custer County, and having passed through so many of the hardships incident to pioneer life, its members are now entitled to receive the honors and enjoy the advantages accruing from their persistence and in- telligence.

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WILKIN CRAIG 'MCDOWELL. It is not so many years ago that the great fertile ranches of Mon- tana were undeveloped Government lands over which roamed at will wild animals and the equally wild redskins. Land in other regions better watered was eagerly taken up by the western. pioneers, and the first to enter the state to make permanent homes thought of this section as merely cattle and sheep ranges. The more far-sighted realized that the possibilities of Montana as an agricultural · state were practically unlimited provided the arid regions were irrigated, and crops planted in other parts which would flourish in the sandy soil. These men secured noble holdings, bent every energy to de- velop them, and to them is due the credit for the present remarkable wealth and standing of the state. One of these "oldtimers" às to length of occupancy of the Tongue River district, although a man still in the prime of life, is Wilkin Craig McDowell, owner of a magnificent ranch in the vicinity of Brandenburg, along the Tongue River. He was born in Franklin County, Pennsylvania, October 10, 1853, a son of John McDowell, whose forebears, of Scotch-Irish ancestry, came to the American colonies from Ireland about 1720, making settle- ment in Pennsylvania, where a fort was named Fort McDowell for the family. From this branch of the McDowell family have come many distinguished men and women of the name, including Gen. Irwin McDowell of Mexican and Civil war fame.

John McDowell operated a mill and distillery, and also was numbered among the farmers. His life was spent in a private capacity, although he was well known for his integrity and achievements, and could have entered public life had he so desired. John 'McDowell married a granddaughter of Col. John Allison, the founder of Greencastle, Pennsyl- vania, Margaret McLanahan, born in Franklin Coun- ty, Pennsylvania, and she died in 1889, her funeral sermon being preached by Doctor Hibben, the present head of Princeton University. Mrs. Mc- Dowell had survived her husband for several years, he having died in 1882 while on a visit to the ranch of his son, W. C. McDowell, at that time being eighty-one years old. The children born to this worthy couple were as follows: Allison, who served with the Anderson troop famous for its bravery during the Civil war, died at Chambersburg, Penn- sylvania; Tench, who also died at Chambersburg; Samuel, who was killed during the Civil war, while serving as captain of an artillery company ; Minnie, who lives at Chambersburg; Jack Van Leer, who died in childhood; W. C., whose name heads this review; and George, who is also deceased.

Growing up at Chambersburg, Pennsylvania, Wil- kin Craig McDowell attended the local schools, and had the good fortune to be appointed a midship- man in 1870 and attended the naval academy at Annapolis, Maryland, for three years, and during that period was on two of the first home practice cruisers, going to Halifax, Nova Scotia, and New- port, Rhode Island. Among his instructors were Admirals Schley, Sampson, Dewey and Taylor, of whom Admiral Dewey was the commanding officer of the old ship Constitution to whom he reported. Among his classmates were Admirals Fisk, Hodg- son and Fletcher, men who have become famous during the late war as naval commanders.

Leaving the navy, Mr. McDowell returned to Pennsylvania, and from there came West in com- pany with James Sharp, a Pennsylvanian friend, who had been in California. They decided to go to the Owl Creek country in Wyoming, but the land they there wanted was entered by an ex-army

officer before they could secure rights to it, and so they went on into the Wind River country, travers- ing the Wind River, and crossing the Big Horn. They lost themselves and were almost famished for lack of water in the Bad water country, but after frightful suffering and privations unknown today, they reached a water hole, and finally came to the settlements on the Platte River, now near Casper, Wyoming. With Mr. McDowell and James Sharp was another brave young adventurer, Bob Gracey, the last two having a saddle horse and a team. Leaving the Platte River settlement, the little party went on to Fort Fetterman, and then up to Fort Mckinney. There Mr. McDowell met Lieutenant McCaleb, a graduate from ' West Point, whom he had met while at the academy. Passing through Buffalo, which was then a village of frontier cabins, and a rendezvous for horse thieves and containing only ten women, nine of whom were dance hall girls, they reached Milestown, where they found a number of buffalo hunters, At this point they heard of the Tongue River country, and made their way to it, arriving in the autumn, pitching their tent on its banks. Mr. Sharp remained in the locality for a number of years as a sheep man, but finally left it, and going to Washington, died in that state during the year 1905. Mr. Gracey went at once to California.

It was in September, 1881, when W. C. McDowell established himself along the Tongue River, nine years before the Government surveyed this region, and he occupies the "squatter" claim of "Honest Ben Walker" the trapper. He was an Englishman who spent the active years of his life on the frontier and among the Indians and army camps of the West. During an altercation with another settler Ben Walker was killed while holding the Walker's claim at the head of the Tongue River. When Mr. McDowell and his friends parted company, he bought their team, and in 1882 went further west and purchased cattle, locating them along the Tongue River. He was second only to Captain Howes in entering the cattle business in this region, and with the exception of the severe weather during winter, 1886-7, prospered greatly, until failing health forced him to abandon its exacting demands. His at- tention is now given to mixed horses and cattle of the range strain. The first roundup on his range was held in 1883, starting on Otter Creek, going down the Tongue River, and finishing on Captain Howes' ranch, which now belongs to Mil- ligan & Dilger.

While no Indian depredations occurred in the vicinity of Mr. McDowell's ranch, the red skins were occasionally on the war path, leaving the res- ervation and killing stock and frequently a cowboy or a sheepman. Finally their madness ceased and good Indians began to infest the region from Fort Keogh, of the tribe of Cheyennes, captured and pacified by General Miles and his army. White Bull, one of the Cheyenne chiefs, still survives, and is one of the frontier characters of the Tongue River country, although somewhat a failure as a useful citizen.

For eighteen years after he came to Montana, Mr. McDowell remained a bachelor, and kept "open house" for any traveler. Oftentimes his floor was covered by the beds of perfect strangers who were enjoying his hospitality for a night. He named his house "Skull Shack," from an Indian skull he had found and fastened over the door. Subsequently he named his ranch the "7-C" after his cowbrand. During the pioneer period, settlers hunted the white- tail deer for a pastime. The boxing gloves owned

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HISTORY OF MONTANA

by Mr. McDowell, always challenged "stopovers" at the ranch to friendly fistic encounters. Real enjoyment of a social nature was found at the dances, although to get to them it was often neces- sary to ride eighty or more miles. A few preachers came through the country, and once a colporteur passed along, distributing Bibles and reminding the settlers that there was still a God.

On October 10, 1898, Mr. McDowell was married at Miles City to Mrs. Fannie (Rogers) McGurk, a daughter of O. F. Rogers, a genuine frontiersman, who crossed the plains to California, spending the winter of 1849 in Salt Lake, Utah, at that time being engaged in taking a herd of cattle to San Francisco. After reaching the latter city he was .

a stockman and miner, both there and in Nevada, and came from Elko County, Nevada, to Dillon, Montana, in 1884. The following year he established himself at Miles City,' as a cattle man, there dying in October, 1917, when lacking only a month of being ninety years old. Mr. Rogers was born at Mansfield, Ohio, which place was named for his grandfather 'Mann. He married Mary Woody, a daughter of William Berry Woody, whose wife was Frances DuFour, a daughter of an officer on the staff of General LaFayette, who came with the French contingent to aid the colonists in se- curing American Independence. Mrs. Rogers died in 1914 at the age of seventy-nine years. Mrs. McDowell has one full brother, Fred Rogers, who lives in Rosebud County, Montana. Mr. and Mrs. McDowell have no children.

When Mary Woody, the mother of Mrs. Mc- Dowell crossed the plains to California in 1850; from Ottumwa, Iowa, she saw many exciting and painful incidents, the most unpleasant being the lynching of a man, who was hung with a rope from the limb of a tree. This gruesome sight no doubt terrified the young girl who had been del- icately reared on her father's big plantation in Georgia, where her wants were ministered to by the slaves, also the property of her father. Upon her arrival in California, she settled at Placer- ville. Were there sufficient space in this history, the many incidents of the McDowell family and their connections, would fill many pages, and all of them would be interesting reading.

Both Mr. and Mrs. McDowell are intelligently interested in political matters, he espousing the principles of the republican party, while she is equally enthusiastic in her belief in the ones advo- cated by the democrats. For a number of years Mrs. McDowell has been an earnest member and effective worker of the Episcopal Church of Miles City.

CHARLES BLAINE MARRS. That Montana has been a faithful and generous friend to those who have had confidence in her and the development of her natural resources which was bound to come, is shown in the history of many of the substantial ranchmen of today. They entered the state with no capital, and yet have had the opportunity, which when seized, leads on to fame and fortune. One of these men who is typical of the great spirit of the West, and who has reaped bountifully from the planting of hard work and natural inclination toward ranch life, is Charles Blaine Marrs of the Jordan community of Garfield County.

Charles Blaine Marrs was born in Indian Territory between Vinita and the Kansas line on May 25, 1876, a son of Urbin Marrs, a stockman and farmer of that region, born in Indiana, but reared in Illinois, where he was married to Mary Clark, a native of Illinois.

In 1884 Urbin Marrs took his family to the State of Washington, where he took up a claim from the lower Yakima County, and there he spent the rest of his life. He and his wife had the following chil- dren : William, who lives. at Toppenish, Washing- ton; Charles B., who was second in order of birth; David and Fred, twins, whose whereabouts are un- known; Annie, who married Samuel Snodgrass of Grenola, Kansas; and Mattie, who married Eugene Campbell, died at Coffeyville, Kansas.

Charles Blaine Marrs was eight years old when his parents moved to Washington, and he lived in that state until after they died, and then, in 1893, he and another orphan lad started out for Montana on horseback. They found that the trip was going to be too difficult so sold their outfits, Mr. Marrs re- ceiving $2.50 in cash and a silver watch for his, while his companion received $10 for his. They took the train to Harve, Hill County, Montana, and there Mr. Marrs obtained a few days' work on a ranch. He had previously had experience in this line of work, and young as he was could handle horses like an expert. When he completed his first job, he went with .a sheep outfit in the Bearpaw Mountains, but was not satisfied until he went to work for the "KS-bar" horse outfit on the Yellowstone River, twelve miles east of Miles City. The highest price paid "Horse wranglers" was $40 per month and he commanded it, and during the two years he was with this outfit, like the majority of his associates, spent every cent he earned in what they termed "having a good time." During all of this period, and in fact as long as his boyhood companion lived, Mr. Marrs kept in touch with him, their early hardships forming a bond not easily severed.

Leaving the horse outfit, Mr. Marrs went with the "LU-bar," a cattle outfit on the Little Dry, the site of its headquarters now being occupied by the post- office of Cohagen. There he rode the range and punched cattle for a year, going then with the "L-7" outfit owned by the Lake Toombs Cattle Company, with which he remained for two years, riding up and down the Big Dry about Jordan, and was given charge of the "W-bar" outfit, Perry Wibaux cattle, at the mouth of the Little Dry. That company clos- ing out in two years, Mr. Marrs went back to the "U-bar" for another year. During this time he was trading in horses, tending bar at Jordan, and acting as deputy sheriff, under Sheriffs Andrew Larsen and D. J. Wynn, his occupancy of this position extend- ing over five years. In 1911 he accepted the ap- pointment of state game warden under Henry Avare, and has held that position ever since. He entered his homestead less than two miles east of Jordan, and has developed it into a real home with a mere suggestion of a farm. Here since 1910 he has been ranching, having a partner, Floyd Dillefoon in his operations, the two running their stock under the brand "quarter circle M" on the left ribs.

When Mr. Marrs came into Montana pioneer con- ditions generally prevailed. His advent into the Jordan community occurred before there was a build- ing standing on the present site of the city, which was then an open range, the property of anyone who cared to run cattle on it. Deer, antelope, wolves and coyotes disputed the right of the cattle to the range, and now and then a bear was found. Being one of the first to locate here Mr. Marrs has naturally been connected with much of the development of this section, and as deputy sheriff aided in curbing the lawlessness which always prevails in frontier regions. He and his partner contributed a business house to the upbuilding of Jordan, and they also own a com- panion building. Mr. Marrs and other public-spirited men of Jordan contributed the money to erect two

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halls in which the young people of the place could enjoy dancing, and he has been foremost in other ways in making this a pleasant and desirable place of residence. In politics he is a democrat. He be- longs to Miles City Lodge, Ancient Free and Ac- cepted Masons, and also to Miles City Lodge, Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks.

On February 7, 1915, Mr. Marrs was united in marriage with Mrs .. Sarah Shantz, a daughter of Melvin Warren of Aberdeen, South Dakota, a barber by trade and a dealer in blooded horses. He and his wife had two sons and two daughters. By her first marriage Mrs. Marrs has a son, Warren Shantz, but she and Mr. Marrs have no children.

The day of the cowboy and open range has passed, but the memories of that period remain with those who were privileged to participate in the stirring events, and are recalled with pleasure. Many of the men who rode range in those days drifted away with the closing up of the free grazing land, but some remained and changing their mode of operation, en- tered homesteads and developed into prosperous ranchmen and fine citizens. This could not have happened, however, if they had not possessed the characteristics which make for such prosperity, courage, broad vision, untiring industry and a faith in the future of the region with which they had cast their lot, and that these were had in marked degree by Mr. Marrs, his present success proves beyond any cavil.

GEORGE WARREN BREWSTER was one of the earliest settlers along the picturesque Tongue River, and made a distinctive place for himself in that region of Montana. From 1882 until his death, April 12, 1912, he shed a healthy and virtuous influence as a citizen upon those about him and rarely has a com- munity suffered a greater loss than that which befell the Birney locallty when Mr. Brewster was taken out of it. He was a leader in thought and action, was a molder of community sentiment, was a vigor- ous exponent of clean living and virtuous thinking and acting, and society as well as nature responded to his touch.

He was born in Boston, Massachusetts, December 18, 1856, and grew up in an intellectual atmosphere, and proved himself worthy of the splendid traditions of his ancestry. He inherited his pioneer instincts partly from his renowned forefather, Elder William Brewster, whose leadership in the old Plymouth Colony of Massachusetts is a fact known to every student of American history. Brewsters in all the eight generations since Elder William have stamped the impress of their characters upon the nation's de- velopment and have been represented in the profes- sions, the sciences, statesmanship and industry.

George Warren Brewster's parents were Nathan C. and Mary (Beaton) Brewster. His father was born at Duxbury, Massachusetts, and when a young man moved to Boston and engaged in business. His wife came to Massachusetts with her parents from Cape Breton Island.

George Warren Brewster graduated from the Part- ridge Academy at Duxbury, Massachusetts, and at the age of nineteen left the cultured atmosphere of Boston to identify himself with the West. He had associated with college bred men and women, had studied science and literature, and he fulfilled the requirements of a college bred man. His first ex- perience to the far West was at Virginia City, Ne- vada, and in the fall of 1880 he went north to Montana and spent about two years in the mines around Butte. He came into the region which was his home for thirty years on a hunting expedition. He was an expert with the rifle, and was not only

a hunter of big game but his prowess in that sport made him feared and respected by the Indians who occasionally sought to dispute his right to the coun- try along Tongue River. He built up a splendid stock industry there and acquired title to a large estate on both sides of the river and left that as a monument to his business ability and as a legacy to his sons. Mr. Brewster is remembered as a man of courage and independence, with a faculty for reach- ing proper conclusions through the processes of reasoning, and his honesty of purpose won him lead- ership among his fellows. He was three times sent to the Lower House of the Montana Legislature, and proved a worthy representative and a thoughtful and logical legislator.

In the frontier home which he built along the Tongue River he lived as a bachelor until his mar- riage in 1896 to Miss Grace Sanborn. She was born at Greeley, Colorado, and was a Normal school graduate. Her father, John Sanborn, was a native of Vermont, and one of the founders of Union Colony, which settled in Colorado under the leader- ship of Horace Greeley and Meeker in 1871. Mr. Sanborn married Jerusha Davis, a sister of Gen. George W. Davis, who afterward served as military governor of Porto Rico, inspector general in the Philippines, and still later was a member of the Interstate Commerce Commission. John Sanborn died in 1876. Mr. and Mrs. Brewster had three sons : George Warren, Lyman Sanborn and Burton Brad- ley, who have taken hold of the ranch and are today actively identified with the development and man- agement of it. On January 24, 1916, at the govern- or's mansion in Cheyenne, Wyoming, Mrs. Brewster became the wife of John Arnold. Mr. Arnold came to the Brewster ranch as a young man from King George County, Virginia, where his family is one of old and highly connected prominence. He was foreman of the Brewster ranch when its founder passed away, and associated with his wife and the young sons is directing head of the property, and has been instrumental in greatly extending the area and business activities during the past half dozen 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 203

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