Montana, its story and biography; a history of aboriginal and territorial Montana and three decades of statehood, Volume III, Part 204

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

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WILLIAM EDGAR WEAR. Residents of Carter Coun- ty, Montana, especially those in the locality of Eka- laka, will refer with interest and pleasure to the following brief reference to the pioneer and well- known citizen whose name forms the caption to this review, William Edgar Wear. His residence began in 1885 in the locality where he has passed his active life. His father, Robert F. Wear, came into this region in 1864 and engaged in prospecting and min- ing in Alder Gulch, Madison County. After follow- ing that work about two years he left the territory and located in Elco County, Nevada, engaging in stock raising and small farming there from 1869 to 1883, when he returned to Montana. He established himself on a tributary of Little Beaver, at what the Indians called "Corner Springs." He came across the trail with horses, and the initial work of ranch- ing began here with both cattle and horses. At that time he was not a man of wealth, and his first shelter for the family was a log cabin of one room, in which he and his older sons lived. In 1885 the other members of the family came, but they remained in Miles City until some years later, when they gath- ered together at the ranch. Mr. Wear was never able to exercise his homestead right, as the land upon which he settled was not declared open to entry until after his death, at which time his son Edward filed upon it and has built up the ranch there. Robert Wear ran his stock under several brands, first "crown W," then "the ace of clubs," but, selling

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both these brands, he later adopted "J-," which has been used ever since by the family. Mr. Wear took an intelligent citizen's part in the public affairs of Custer County, and served two terms as county commissioner. In politics he was a democrat and in religion a Presbyterian.

Mr. Wear was born in Cooper County, Missouri, on August 26, 1835, received a common school edu- cation, and in 1864 left the state for Montana, mak- ing the trips with ox teams. His wife and daughter were with him and they saw several small bands of Indians, as well as signs of their depredations, but they were not molested. Mr. Wear married Louisa Mccutcheon, who was born in the same county as he. Her death occurred in 1878. Their children who grew to maturity were as follows: Annabelle, who married Nathan Spangler, of Zero, Montana; Wil- liam Edgar, of this sketch; Mary Cora, the wife of John Orrick, of Billings, Montana ; James, deceased ; and Thomas, of Miles City.

William E. Wear was born on January 22, 1866, in Madison County, Montana, and secured his edu- . of that section, following relatives who had preceded cation in the district schools of that neighborhood and at Miles City. He began his active connection with the stock business with his father, succeeding the latter at his death. His cattle brand was first "C," then "16" and then the "J -. " He has been breeding mainly to the Hereford cattle and has made many shipments of stock to the Chicago markets. He has been progressive and enterprising in his methods, and his efforts have been rewarded with a due measure of success.

Mr. Wear was married at Rapid City, South Da- kota, on December 25, 1895, to Nellie Izora Miller, who was born June 10, 1872, in Beatrice, Nebraska, the daughter of Riley and Louisa (Bacon) Miller, the former of whom was a native of Indiana, while the latter was born in Ohio. Mr. Miller was a farm- er by vocation, came to the Black Hills in early days, and was held in high esteem by all who knew him. During the Civil war he enlisted from Iowa as a member of Company G, Eighth Regiment of Iowa Volunteer Cavalry. To Mr. and Mrs. Miller were born the following children: Edna May was the wife of George B. Ross and died at Nisland, South Dakota; Bertha was the wife of Charles Outet and died at Osowkes, Kansas; Nellie Izora, Mrs. Wear; William, of Chadron, Nebraska; Myrtle, wife of William McGowan, of Otoe, Iowa; Pearl, wife of Walter Maxwell, of Ekalaka; Ada, the wife of Carl Adams, of Twin Bridges, Montana. Mr. and Mrs. Wear have an adopted son, Robert G., who was born on October 27, 1914.

Politically Mr. Wear is a democrat. Fraternally he is a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, the Foresters and the Daughters of Re- bekah, and is a past grand in the first named order. In his religious views he leans to the Presbyterian Church, though he is a liberal supporter of the Union congregation at Ekalaka. His life has been a busy one, his every-day affairs making heavy demands upon his time, yet he has never shrunk from his duties as a citizen and his obligations to his neigh- bors and his friends. He has always given his un- reserved support to every movement for the welfare of the people, and enjoys their unlimited confidence and good will.

CLARENCE TAFFNER, Upon the roll of representa- tive citizens of Southeastern Montana appears the name of Clarence Taffner, widely known as one of the most successful sheep raisers of the state. He is also entitled to notice as a pioneer of that section of the country known as the great Northwest. From his early years he has been industrious and persever-

ing in whatever enterprises he undertook, and by diligence and good management has accumulated a comfortable competency. He played a prominent part in aiding to lay the foundation on which the superstructure of the country's present prosperity and progress was erected, and thus he is entitled to permanent representation in a work of the char- acter of the one in hand.

Clarence Taffner is descended from old Holland stock, the first member of the family to come to this country having been his grandfather, who settled near Schenectady, New York. His son, Mr. Taffner's father, Volney Taffner, was also born in Holland and is said to have served in the Dutch navy in his younger days. Mr. Taffner is also related to the Gateses and Drakes of Revolutionary fame, and he at one time owned the revolutionary uniform of Captain Gates, his mother's uncle. Volney Taffner was reared on the paternal homestead in New York and there married Malinda Little. After their mar- riage they moved to Michigan, in the pioneer days them there about 1832. Volney Taffner settled at Hillsdale, but subsequently he moved to Indiana, where he died. To them were born three children, namely: William V., of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania ; Clarence, of this review, and Charles H., of Sheridan, Wyoming.

Clarence Taffner left Michigan when about seven- teen years of age, pointing his face westward. He had planned to identify himself with the stock busi- ness, and to that end he came to Sidney, Nebraska, where he left the railroad and struck up the Platte River to the old "P-F" ranch, forty miles east of Fort Laramie. There he obtained employment as a cowboy and rode the ranges for two years. Then he crossed over north to Fort Casper and went to work for the "CY" outfit, with whom he spent two years. Going then to Northern Wyoming, Mr. Taff- ner joined the "PK" outfit, which ranged its stock over the Sheridan locality and had its camp on Soldier Creek. At that time buffaloes were so thick in that locality that the cattlemen were compelled to drive them out in order to occupy the region with their cattle and other stock. Mr. Taffner remained in that region until 1902, having spent the intervening years chiefly in riding the ranges for others, although he owned a few head of stock himself, and had done some freighting from Sheridan to outlying points. In the year named, when he came to Montana, he brought some sheep with him and he spent the first winter on Willow Creek, where he found Richard A. Selway. The two men combined their flocks, Mr. Taffner looking after the stock while Mr. Sel -. way gave his attention to the outside business. In the spring of 1908 Mr. Taffner occupied the site of his present ranch, where he has been located con- tinuously since, and in the sheep business uninter- ruptedly up to the fall of 1919, when, the drought having prevented the raising of winter forage, he disposed of his flock and was practically out of the business for the first time since he located here.

The Taffner sheep were always noted for their quality and productivity. The pioneer bunch brought by him to Willow Creek was the common fine wool sheep, and these he bred into the Oxfords and the Cotswolds, thereby securing a decided improvement in both size and quality. One big improvement was in the yield of wool. While the average clip was around ten pounds, numerous yearlings of the flock sheared fifteen and seventeen pounds of wool, some of the clip measuring nine inches in length. Mr. Taffner's progressive spirit was shown when he bought some of the finest rams in the country, in- cluding the international champion buck of William

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Cooper & Son of Chicago, and George Allen's winner of the American Royal Stock Show prize at Kansas City. He imported bucks of the Oxford strain from John Graham & Son of Eldora, Iowa, and A. J. Knollen of Pocatello, Idaho. Mr. Taffner also brought into this locality the first sheep shearing machine, the successful operation of which he demon- strated, and thereafter for several years he handled the machine throughout this locality. Thus briefly are shown facts which indicate the progressive and en- terprising spirit which has actuated Mr. Taffner in all his operations, and this has been one of the chief contributing factors to his success. He has been a leader among the stock raisers of his section.

On July 16, 1913, in Rapid City, South Dakota, Mr. Taffner was married to Mrs. Addie Bell, who was a native of Wyandot County, Ohio. Mrs. Taff- ner, whose maiden name was Lake, had previously been married to a Mr. Lynch, by whom she has a son, Leroy, of Kansas City, Missouri. Mr. Taffner had children by a former marriage as follows: Volney, who was killed by a stroke of lightning in young manhood; Horatio, who died in 1918 at the hands of an assassin; and John, the youngest child, was a soldier during the recent World war.

Mr. Taffner was born and bred a republican, and is intensely loyal to his country. Patriotism has been a distinguishing feature of his family, a number of his family having been soldiers of the Union during the Civil war. He has usually supported the straight republican ticket in national elections, though of late years he has inclined to the progressive branch of the party. However, in local elections he disregards party lines and gives his support to the men whom he considers best qualified for the offices sought. His life has been a busy and useful one and he has left an indelible impress of his personality on the locality with which he has been identified. Because of his accomplishments and his high personal quali- ties he has richly merited the high esteem in which he is universally held by all who know him.

EMIL M. JOHNSON. Carter County, Montana, has been especially honored in the character and career of her public and professional men, but in every com- munity there are to be found, rising above their fel- lows, individuals born to leadership in the various vocations, men who dominate not alone by superior intelligence and natural endowment but by natural force of character which minimizes discouragements and dares important undertakings. Such men are by no means rare, and it is always profitable to study their lives, weigh their motives and hold up their achievements as incentives to greater activity and higher excellence on the part of others just enter- ing upon their life work. These reflections are sug- gested by the career of Emil M. Johnson, the able editor and publisher of the Beaver Valley Press of Ekalaka, a man who has forged his way to the front ranks in the exacting field of journalism, and who by a strong, inherent force, directed by intelligence and judgment of a high order, stands today among the representative citizens of a community widely noted for the excellence of its professional talent, although he has only recently cast his lot with the people of Carter County.

Emil M. Johnson was born in Omaha, Nebraska, on September 5, 1892, and is the son of August and Bettie (Daniels) Johnson. August Johnson was born in Vannersborg, Sweden, on December 15, 1859, and came to the United States in 1884, locating at Grasswell, Minnesota, where he obtained employ- ment as a farm hand. Later he went to Omaha, Nebraska, and engaged in the wholesale butchering business for about twelve years. From there he went

to Seattle, Washington, which was his home for many years. He then acquired a ranch at Mayfield, Idaho, where he lived until coming to Ekalaka. where he now makes his home. He was married in Omaha in February, 1890, to Bettie Daniels, a native of Southern Sweden, and whose death occurred in Omaha. To these parents were born three children, namely: Emil, immediate subject of this sketch; Edith, of Minneapolis, Minnesota; and Alma, a teacher at Ekalaka.

Emil Johnson was reared mainly in Seattle, Wash- ington, where he secured a good public school edu- cation, being a graduate of the high school. He then entered the office of the Seattle Times, where he learned the trade of printing, and then spent four additional years on that paper. He then went to his father's ranch at Mayfield, Idaho, for a time and while there became connected with the Elmore Coun- ty Times as a printer. From there he went to Richfield, Idaho, where he became editor of the Richfield Recorder, conducting the affairs of that paper for two years. In December, 1916, Mr. John- son came to Ekalaka as editor of the Beaver Valley Press, and in March, 1917, became its sole owner by purchase. The Beaver Valley Press was founded at Ekalaka in 1916, the first issue bearing date of Sep- tember 15th of that year. The paper was started as a political sheet by L. A. Conser, of Baker, and is of the republican political faith, being the only news- paper of that political faith in Carter County.

Mr. Johnson has made a definite impression since identifying himself with Carter County, and today his influence is marked on the political, business and civic life of the community. He is a forceful writer, taking firm ground on the issues of the day and speaking in no uncertain tones. He stands consist- ently at all times for the very best things for the community and withholds his support from no move- ment for the welfare of the people. Personally he is genial and companionable, and to a marked degree enjoys the confidence and good will of the com- munity.

Mr. Johnson was married in Richfield, Idaho, on September 10, 1916, to Alice Green, a daughter of John Green, a miner who lost his life in Phillips- burg, Montana. He was among the early settlers in Jackson Hole, Wyoming. To Mr. and Mrs. Johnson has been born a son, Bert.

Politically Mr. Johnson has been a life-long sup- porter of the republican party, his first presidential vote having been cast for Charles E. Hughes. He has served Ekalaka as justice of the peace, and is the present secretary of the Ekalaka Commercial Club. Fraternally he is a member of the Independ- ent Order of Odd Fellows and is vice grand of the subordinate lodge at Ekalaka. In everything which he has undertaken Mr. Johnson has been successful, because he has devoted himself indefatigably to the one thing in hand. He is a man of marked qualities of character-such qualities as make for success in any undertaking, and because of his success and his splendid personal qualities he deserves the popularity which he enjoys.

DAVID NELSON. This name introduces a widely known early settler of the valley of the Big Porcu- pine. However, his distinctions rest not so much upon his name, since there are many David Nelsons in Montana, as upon the associations and activities of the man as a sheep raiser and wool producer, and the qualities of initiative enterprise and industry that have brought him a most unusual success in the Northwest.

He was born in Voss, the rural country around Bergen, Norway, June 10, 1865, son of Nels Eric and

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Carrie Ringheim, being one of their seven children, four sons and three daughters. To the age of eight- een David lived in his home community, with a train- ing as a farmer and the education afforded by a country school. He then embarked on a vessel for the United States, and he never saw his parents again. With them years piled upon years, and they survived far beyond fourscore, his mother all but reaching the century mark before her death in 1919. She was seven years older than her husband and survived him four years.

Landing at New York City, David Nelson finished his journey at Deerfield, Wisconsin, where he began life among strangers, though many of them spoke his mother tongue. In Dane County, Wisconsin, he ac- quired his first knowledge of American ways, and received the first wages that seemed to be a proper recompense for honest and earnest toil.

During two years he managed to accumulate a few hundred dollars, and with that capital started west in search of some favorite spot. He came by rail over the Northern Pacific, the only railroad Montana then had, and continued to avail himself of its facili- ties until he reached Billings. On the way he fell in with Ole Wissak, now a successful and wealthy sheepman. near Malta.' They shared each other's companionship and confidences for two years. It was their expectation to find work in the mines around Maiden and Fergus County, and from Bill- ings they walked to that point to save the stage fare of 15 cents a mile. Reaching the mining town, they were confronted with their first disappointment, since the mines closed that very day, May 8, 1885. Ranch labor was the only opportunity, and they were soon employed by George Cook in Fergus County. At the conclusion of that employment the two companions parted and David Nelson returned to Miles City and was employed during the construction of the race track at the fair grounds. Following that he had a ranch job with Charles Davis at Rosebud, being a sheep herder fifteen months and getting some of the knowledge which he afterwards put to such good use as a sheep man. Then with a horse and cart he made a tour of inspection of the region north of the Yellowstone, and coming up the Big Porcupine he found a spot which pleased his eye, a locality where the creek winds its way through a generous valley stretching back toward low hills and overgrown with tall grass. There he pitched his tent, as it were, and called the spot home. His first efforts were with a mowing machine in providing his team with its winter's feed. The following spring of 1891 he bought a band of 1,000 sheep, and thus entered the career of wool growing which has continued through thirty years and has placed his name prominently among the wool men of Montana.

However, years passed before he could enter his claim legally, since the region was not surveyed until early in the present century. He filed in section 5, township 9, range 37, and on that land his first one- room log cabin was built. This was succeeded by other log homes, and finally the modest frame house which now shelters Mr. Nelson was erected.

Sheep have always been his chief concern, although he has kept cattle, horses and other stock on his ranch. His attachment to the animal that produces the wool has been the strongest of all. The valley has furnished grazing and winter feed through all the years of his experience except in that period of wide spread suffering, the drought of 1919, when feed had to be shipped into the state to save live stock.

Mr. Nelson operated alone as a sheep man until November, 1919, when the Nelson Sheep Company was formed, a stock company capitalized at $200,000, with R. A. Price as president, David Nelson and J.

K. Moffett, vice presidents, and Miss Heath, secre- tary. The company operates its own shearing plant. It has about 13,000 sheep grazing on the range, but this number indicates that the indusry is on a com- paratively modest scale as contrasted with the high tide of Mr. Nelson's individual efforts when he per- sonally ran 30,000 sheep. To the great rank Mon- tana has achieved among the wool producing regions of the world perhaps no individual has contributed more than David Nelson, the youthful Norwegian who came to Montana Territory more than thirty- five years ago.

As a resident of his home community he was here a number of years before settlement warranted the building of a community school. He took an active part in that project, and two schoolhouses are now standing on his land, one known as the Scottlake and the other as the Nelson School. He acquired Amer- ican citizenship at Miles City and cast his first vote in Forsyth. His first presidential ballot was given to Benjamin Harrison, and he has always supported the republican ticket.

At Minneapolis, Minnesota, in 1893, Mr. Nelson married Ingborg Grove. By this union there were two children: Anna, who is the wife of Fred Zemple, a rancher on the Big Porcupine, and they have a daughter, Anita Barbara; and Gunner Nelson, who is unmarried and associated with his father's business. On April 21,' 1903, Mr. Nelson married Miss Marie Almberg. She was born at Christian- sand, Norway, and was twelve years of age when she came to the United States. Her parents were Sverke and Gertrude (Gulla) Almberg. The Almberg fam- ily settled in Faribault County, Minnesota, where Mrs. Nelson was reared and educated. She is one of nine children, six of whom are still living, the only other member of her family living in Montana being Mrs. Frank Paulmann, of Rosebud County.

WILLIAM E. RENO. It is a noteworthy fact that the majority of the leading men of Montana came to the state during its formative period and de- veloped with it so that their interests are centered here. William E. Reno has been a resident of Montana since the fall of 1895. He is a son of Ludlow B. and Lucinda Esther (Stanberry) Reno, who came here from the Black Hills of South Dakota.

Ludlow B. Reno was born in Pennsylvania, from whence he came west to Iowa at a period antedat- ing the war between the states, and he enlisted for service in that conflict from Iowa in its Third Cavalry Regiment. This regiment was under Gen- eral Sherman's command in the Atlanta campaign and in the famous March to the Sea, and, having been wounded during the war, he drew a pension from the Government until his death. He was a self-made man, and while living in Iowa developed into a prosperous farmer, and continued his agri- cultural operations when he went to South Dakota in 1876. About that time he took up the study of law, and was admitted to the bar after coming to Montana, and for two terms served as attorney of Carbon County, being elected on the democratic ticket. A forceful speaker, he knew how to drive home his arguments, although he was not a man of much education aside from what learning he had gained through his own studies in the law. His death occurred in 1919, while he was resid- ing in Carbon County, his wife having passed away on December 23, 1918. They had the following children : William E., whose name heads this re- view; Bertha, who is Mrs. Pitt, of Carbon County ; and Walter, who is engaged in farming near Bel- frey, Montana.

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William E. Reno attended the country schools of Iowa and South Dakota. He was engaged for a time with the old Flying V outfit of the Black Hills country. Later on he was engaged in ranch- ing for himself at Buffalo Gap. Still later he became a stockman in the vicinity northeast of Hardin when it was still a part of Yellowstone County, selling his cattle in the market at Omaha and his horses to the local trade. When he dis- posed of this ranch and its few primitive improve- ments he purchased land in the Big Horn Valley near public schools of the new town of Hardin, acquiring here the title to a quarter section of land and developed it into a farm. He was one of the first to experiment on the growing of alfalfa in this region and demonstrating the great adaptability of this crop to the region in question. Gradually he put his land under the ditch, and acquired additional property, which he also irri- gated. Early in his connection with this locality Mr. Reno joined with a number of his neighbors east of Hardin in the organization of the Farmers Ditch Company that furnished the capital to put a headgate in the Big Horn, and took out water sufficient to irrigate about 2,500 acres of land, and constructed mains and laterals to accommodate the members of the company. This ditch was practical enough to enable the farmers to make an annual crop, and was in use when Mr. Reno sold his property to the Sheridan Sugar Company, which has planned to turn the valley into a sugar beet proposition.

When Mr. Reno left his farm he identified him- self with Hardin, and is principally interested in the erection of residences for sale, although he has been connected with a number of the business propositions of the place, and is at present one of the officials of the First National Bank of Hardin.

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Montana, its story and biography; a history of aboriginal and territorial Montana and three decades of statehood, Volume III, Part 204

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