Montana, its story and biography; a history of aboriginal and territorial Montana and three decades of statehood, Volume III, Part 39

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

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1,100 of which are cleared. He has been a heavy raiser of Hereford and Durham cattle for many years, and now averages 470 head annually, with 50 head of horses. It has been a long and often a hard path that has brought him to his present state of financial independence, but he has found great re- ward, and is now numbered with the representative men of his county as to business stability and personal integrity.

On September 14, 1918, Mr. Thompson was united in marriage to Miss Rosie Putro, who was born in the Bear Paw Mountain region in Chouteau County. They have one little daughter, whom they have named Elizabeth, in honor of the noted artist Eliza- heth Thompson, a member of Mr. Thompson's branch of the family. In his political attachment Mr. Thompson was formerly a socialist, but now leans towards the republican party, finding in its fundamental principles the sentiments most in ac- cord with his ideas of right and justice to all men.

CARL C. LEVERENZ, who has been in Montana for four years as cashier of the Citizens State Bank of Culbertson, received his training and experience in his profession with one of the metropolitan banks of the Twin Cities, where he grew up and lived until coming to Montana.

Mr. Leverenz was born at St. Paul, Minnesota, January 2, 1884. His father, Christian F. Leverenz, was a native of Grimm, Pommern, Germany, and came to the United States in 1874, equipped with a knowledge of the trades of leather worker, saddler and upholsterer. While at Litchfield, Minnesota, he married Miss Hannah Lang, who was born at Dundee, Illinois, a daughter of John Lang. She went to Minnesota as a child. Christian Leverenz and wife have been residents of St. Paul since 1881. Their children are: Carl C .; Walter and Mary, of St. Paul; Henry, of Brockton, Montana; Elsie, of St. Paul; and Lulu, who became the wife of Owen Wat- kins and died at Peoria, Illinois, in February, 1920.

Carl C. Leverenz finished his education in the Hum- boldt High School at St. Paul, and then went to work as an office boy with Noyes Brothers & Cutler. His bank training was acquired with the Merchants National Bank of St. Paul, an institution with which he was identified for eight years. He resigned the position of teller in that institution, and after one year with the First National Bank of Ada, Minnesota, came to Culbertson, reaching this Montana town June 10, 1916. He at once began his duties as cashier of the Citizens State Bank, and besides handling the technical affairs of the bank has also contributed something substantial toward the general success of the institution.

The Citizens State Bank was organized in 1914. being promoted by local ranch and stock men, headed by C. A. Wittmeier. It was capitalized at $25,000. The present management took over the bank the same year. The officers are: Frank G. Arnette, presi- dent; J. S. Day, vice president ; Carl C. Leverenz, cashier ; and Chester A. Rude and Harry J. Ander- son, assistant cashiers. The bank now has surplus and undivided profits of $18,000 and average depos- its of $300,000. The deposits have more than doubled during the last three years.

Mr. Leverenz has also been president of the Cul- bertson Commercial Club for three years, did service as treasurer of the local Red Cross a similar length of time, and was active in the various campaigns to raise funds for the Red Cross and to distribute war securities in this locality. He is secretary and treas- urer of the Culbertson Land and Loan Company.

Mr. Leverenz is affiliated with Trowel Lodge No. 67, Ancient Free and Accepted Masons, and with

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Culbertson Lodge No. 107, Independent Order of Odd Fellows. He grew up in a home which took little interest in practical politics. His father is a republi- can voter, and the son has followed his example, casting his first presidential ballot for Colonel Roose- velt in 1904.

At St. Paul, October 30, 1907, Mr. Leverenz mar- ried Miss Bertha Kisch, daughter of Michael and Theresa Kisch. Her parents were natives of Ger- many, and her father is now a wool inspector with Bergman Company of St. Paul. Mrs. Leverenz, the only daughter in a family of six children, finished her education in the St. Paul High School. She is the mother of two daughters, Dorothy Jane, born in 1912, and Margaret Ann, born in 1918.

N. L. NELSON. The popularity and esteem paid N. L. Nelson are largely a measure of the good serv- ice that a capable banker can render a community in its development and substantial improvement. From the very beginning of his residence Mr. Nelson has regarded himself as a fellow pioneer with the other early settlers of Plentywood, has worked for and with the people of that locality, and has made his position as' a banker a source of constant helpfulness and encouragement to local business and agriculture.

Mr. Nelson was born at Veile, Denmark, Novem- ber 19, 1882. He makes the humorous claim that "when six months old he urged his parents to come to the United States." He is a son of O. P. and Dorothy Nelson, who it appears for his sake and for other interests and causes involved did in the spring of 1883 immigrate and settle at Hutchinson, Minne- sota, where both are still living. The father has been a prosperous farmer for many years. The children of the family are : Bertle, of Flaxton, North Dakota; N. L .; Marie, who died as a young woman; Minnie, of Plentywood; Theodore, of Chicago; and Olive and Harlow, of Plentywood, Montana. O. P. Nelson early became an American citizen, has been a repub- lican voter, and he and his wife are members of the Danish Lutheran Church.

N. L. Nelson grew up in the family home near Hutchinson, acquired a public school education, in- cluding the high school course at Hutchinson and a year in the academic department of the University of Minnesota. He early showed an inclination for a mechanical trade, became proficient with the saw and hammer, and worked as a carpenter during vacations.

However, after completing his education he went to North Dakota and began his career as a banker with the Citizens State Bank of Flaxton. A year later he was put in charge of the Pioneer State Bank of Kermit, North Dakota, and remained its active head for three years. He then disposed of his bank- ing interests in North Dakota, and in August, 1909, identified himself with the community of Plenty- wood.

Associated with F. N. Huff and H. W. Barner he organized the private bank known as the Security Bank of Plentywood, operating on a capital of $10,- 000. In April, 1911, it was incorporated as the State Bank of Plentywood, other stockholders at the time being Peter Marron and Andrew Fadness. In the organization the first president was D. N. Tallman of Willmar, Minnesota, who had had some interests in the private bank. He was soon succeeded as presi- dent by Mr. Marron, while Andrew Fadness became vice president, N. L. Nelson, cashier, and F. N. Huff, assistant cashier. The capital at that time was raised to $20,000 and a year later hecame $25,000, as it continues to the present. The bank has a surplus of $10,000, average deposits of $325,000, and has paid an annual dividend since organization. No one has more friends in the Plentywood community than Mr. Nel-

son, and all his friends are likewise friends of the bank. The institution has met the needs of a rapidly growing and developing section, and has gained an enviable reputation as a sound institution with a safe and conservative management.

Mr. Nelson has been a worker with his fellow citizens in projects for general advancement and im- provement. For several years he has been a mem- ber of the town Board of Education. He is a stanch republican, casting his first presidential vote for Colonel Roosevelt in 1904. He is a member of the Masonic Lodge. Recently Mr. Nelson established a home in a suburb of Plentywood, erecting a modern six-room bungalow, and thus adding attractiveness to one of the natural beauty spots on the Plenty- wood-Culbertson highway.

In Sheridan County, Montana, June 22, 1912, Mr. Nelson married Miss Cora Sandvig. She was born at Ada, Minnesota, September 4, 1885, only daughter of K. J. and Lena (Helland) Sandvig. Her father was born in Norway and came to Montana in 1906 from Fertile, Minnesota. Mrs. Nelson had four brothers. One of them, James Acton Sandvig, lost his life in France while an American soldier. Mr. and Mrs. Nelson have three children: Marjorie H., Howard S. and James Acton.

ARTHUR LARRIVEE is not only one of the most progressive and successful ranchers and stockmen of the Flathead Valley, but is member of a family around whom gather many of the important historical associations of Northern Montana.

He was born in Missoula County, a son of Henry and Emily (Brown) Larrivee. Emily Brown's fa- ther was Louie Brown, a French-Canadian who came from Quebec. He was well educated, and came to Montana to assist the priest in building the mission at Stevensville. He spent two years in the Flathead country among the Kootenai tribe of Indians, being a religious teacher under the Catholic Church. He was sent there by Father Ravalli. Father Ravalli, one of the historic characters of Montana, frequently stayed a month at a time at the Brown home. Louie Brown was a real pioneer, and endured many hard- ships and frequently went hungry in order to carry out his duties as a teacher. He married Emily, a daughter of Goshea, a noted chief of the Kalispell Tribe. In 1849 he joined in the rush to the Califor- nia gold fields, taking his family, and after two years there returned north to Washington, and in later years, in order to please his wife, moved back to Montana so that she might enjoy the companion- ship of her own people. They settled eighteen miles below Missoula, at a point afterward known as Frenchtown. Louie Brown at this locality built a grist mill, operated by the water of Frenchtown Creek. His burrs or mill stones were fashioned from the boulders found in that vicinity. Many years after the old mill had decayed the boulders were still left on the ground.

Henry Larrivee was also a French-Canadian from Montreal, and met his death in Montana in 1885, when a tree fell on him. His widow, who was born while the Brown family were living in Washington, was left with two children, Emerance and Arthur. The daughter was married, and died leaving two daughters, Josephine and Emma. Mrs. Henry Lar- rivee in her widowhood proved true to her trust, and in order to support her family was employed as a cook in Charlie Allard's stage station along the Flat- head Lake. That station entertained hundreds of the travelers, trappers and hunters and also homesteaders coming into the country. One of the early visitors was Charles Conrad, who came from Fort Benton and was an associate of Col. A. A. White in locating

John Davey Catherine a Davey

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HISTORY OF MONTANA

a townsite for James H. Hill. One night at the sta- tion Conrad requested that Mrs. Larrivee call over some of the local Indian names, saying "you can have the honor of naming our new town." She ex- pressed a preference for Kalispell, and thus the name of that chief city of the Flathead vicinity is accounted for. Later in life Mrs. Larrivee became the wife of William Irvine, a prominent and wealthy stock- man. After many years they left their ranch and moved to a fine modern home in Polson.

Arthur Larrivee married Miss Lena Mae Ains- worth, who was born near Hazelhurst, Mississippi, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. W. E. Ainsworth. She was educated in the public schools of Mississippi, and is a pleasant, sociable, cultured woman.

Arthur Larrivee took charge of Mr. Irvine's home ranch, one of the finest in improvement, equipment and productiveness in the Flathead Valley. The ranch is located on White Earth Creek. As a young man Mr. Larrivee frequently drove a six-horse coach from Ravalli to Demersville, and hauled hundreds of explorers and homeseekers across the reservation. At that time there was no bridge over the Pend d'Oreille River, and his stage and its load of passengers were carried over on a ferryboat.

Mr. Larrivee is affiliated with the Elks, is a Catho- lic, and is a stalwart republican. He has one son, Joe Irvine, named in honor of his grandfather, in whose home he spent his early life. Joe Irvine distin- guished himself during the World war in the aviation corps. He received his early education in Nebraska and became a member of the One Hundred and Thir- tieth Aerial Squadron, being trained at Kelley Field in Texas and later was an instructor in the use of machine guns and other aviation equipment at the field at Rantoul, Illinois. He received an honorable discharge and is now an employe of the First Na- tional Bank of. Polson. He was married to Miss Ruth Loveland at Missoula, Montana. She was born in Colorado, the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. C. J. Loveland. She was educated in Polson, Montana.

W. A. GREGG. The residence of W. A. Gregg at Polson antedates the founding and formal history of the town itself. He was doing business as a merchant on land that had not been opened to settlement, and was therefore on hand to welcome the town at its birth. While Polson does not maintain an official publicity service, that service is voluntarily per- formed by Mr. Gregg, and no one has a better un- derstanding of the virtues and advantages of the town and the surrounding district and no one is bet- ter able to present these advantages to the outside world.

Mr. Gregg was born in Lenawee County, Michigan, a son of William and Margaret (Stewart) Gregg. He was educated in the public schools of his native state, also attended a business college, and at Detroit he married Miss Elizabeth Anderson. She was born and educated at Glasgow, Scotland, a daughter of James Anderson.

After their marriage Mr. and Mrs. Gregg deter- mined to make a trial of fortune in Montana. Mr. Gregg had entertained a flattering opinion of Mon- tana as a result of a previous visit. He and his wife on coming to the state first located at Havre, where for several years he was employed by E. V. Hauser and the Havre Commercial Company. He left the latter organization and with some partners opened a grocery business, but sold out and came to Polson in 1908. Here he bought the local business of the Gates Mercantile Company and conducted it for three years, since which time he has given his attention to buying and selling real estate. Mr. Gregg on coming to Polson homesteaded his lots by erecting buildings,

though the land had not yet been appraised by the Government, and he had to secure a permit from the Indian agent to stay on the reservation. Mr. Gregg as a real estate man knows his subject, and his entire heart and faith are in his work, and it is an incorrigible doubter who could not be con- vinced by him.

Mr. Gregg is especially enthusiastic about the climate and the agricultural resources of the Flat- head district. The climate around Polson is that of the Pacific Coast rather than the climate of Eastern Montana, which more nearly resembles the Da- kotas. In Mr. Gregg's office on Main Street are attractive examples of what the soil and climate of this district will produce. The several wonderful new types of everbearing berries, raspberries and strawberries, thrive with a special luxuriance in this locality. Mr. Gregg several years ago sold a man a tract of land averaging $50 an acre. This man sold in one season $500 of strawberries off of one acre. In his office are three beautiful silver cups, awarded at the State Fair of Helena for the best displays of vegetables, grain and potatoes. These displays were gathered from farms and truck gar- dens of Indians on the Indian Reservation. Mr. Gregg handles real estate and also rentals and in- surance. In his office is also located the Govern- ment farmer and timber man in charge of the Indian work in this vicinity.

But of all his displays Mr. Gregg is personally proudest of his exhibit of four sons and one daugh- ter bearing the family name of Gregg. Their Chris- tian names are William A., Mildred L., T. Stewart, Robert Kenneth and Harold A. They are all at- tending the public schools of Polson, the two oldest in high school. Mr. Gregg has given some of his time to service as a member of the Polson School Board, and takes a great deal of pride in the fine public school system that has been developed in spite of adverse circumstances. The first citizens at Polson had no school, no taxable property that could support such an institution, and by co-operative and volunteer work they hired a teacher and secured a building to provide for the needs of the first chil- dren. Mr. Gregg is an active member of the First Presbyterian Church, of which he is an elder. In the establishment of this church likewise the public spirit of the community came into evidence. Sev- eral buildings were donated for use in worship, and at the present time the congregation has the finest Presbyterian Church in the county. Mr. Gregg is a liberal republican in politics.

JOHN DAVEY. Enjoying the hospitality of one of Hill County's foremost citizens, John Davey, and listening to his intelligent, thoughtful discussion of the world's greatest events, the visitor may well believe that no early handicap in the way of lack of educational advantages or early opportunity could have ever discouraged or faded his spirit of energy. He came to Montana in boyhood, although already a miner of experience, for years was identified with the mining industry, took advantage of business op- portunities as they offered, and for many years has been contented and prosperous on his extensive ranch. When he located on Little Box Elder Creek the site of his ranch and his beautiful modern home were a lonely wilderness, and the change that has been brought about by Mr. Davey's practical industry is something to marvel at.

John Davey was born in Cornwall, England, March 15, 1867. His parents were Joseph and Louisa (Martin) Davey, lifelong residents of Cornwall and devoted members of the Baptist Church. The mother survived until 1909, passing away at the age of sev-

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HISTORY OF MONTANA

enty-five years, but the father died in 1887, aged sixty-one years. He was a miner in the ore and tin mines of Cornwall. Of their seven children there are five yet living, John Davey. being the youngest of the family. Two of his brothers, James and Albert, came to this western country and both are well . remembered. James Davey had a reputation for physical strength before he left Cornwall, where he had won championship as a wrestler, and after coming to the United States became well known in mining regions in Arizona, Montana and Idaho, winning the blue ribbon in contests as an expert driller. Later he went to Western Australia and for a time was foreman in the celebrated Fingal mine there, then returned to England and in 1910 died in his old home in Cornwall.

Until he was thirteen years old John Davey of this record attended the local schools. At that age he was considered far enough advanced in his studies and old enough in years to become self-supporting, and he began work in the Cornwall mining district, beginning with easy tasks but advancing to more dangerous ones, and by the time he was eighteen ' years old was an expert miner. He sailed then for the United States and was landed in the port of New York City. He reached Helena, Montana, in June, 1885, and went from there by stage to his first work, in the Gloster mine, where he remained for three years. Between then and 1894, when he located on his present ranch, he worked in many of the leading mines of this section, including: The Jay Gould, Hubbard, Stample, Enterprise and others in Grant and Butte counties and doing much pros- pecting. Mr. Davey paid his first visit to Little Box Elder Creek in 1889, his brother Albert having lo- cated on Milk River and gone into the cattle busi- ness, and the brothers became associated in the business. But in 1894, when Mr. Davey came here with his wife, he changed his filing for a more ad- vantageous place for a permanent home. On his property he built a log house 16 by 20 feet in dimen- sion, and this continued the family home for years.

Mr. Davey started into the cattle business with one cow and some calves, and from that beginning developed a great agricultural industry covering general farming and raising of cattle and horses. He raises Hereford and Shorthorn cattle and breeds Percheron horses, being reputed the owner of some of the finest Percherons in the state. He owns 1,200 acres of fine land and controls the operation of 2,000 acres and has other property.

On November 9, 1892, Mr. Davey was united in marriage at Helena, Montana, to Miss Catherine Arthur, who was born in Cornwall, England, a daughter of Thomas and Jemima (Hatherley) Arthur. She has one living sister, Mary Elizabeth. Her people came to Helena, Montana, when she was young, there being but one log cabin standing then in what is now the bustling city. Her father fol- lowed mining there during the rest of his life. Six children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Davey, two of whom died in infancy, the others being as follows: Martin H., who lives at Spokane, Washington ; Arthur J., who married Barbara Null; and James W. and Woodrow A., who are at home.

In 1908 Mr. Davey and wife with one child went on a visit to England and remained in the neigh- borhood of their birthplace for four months. After returning to Montana Mr. Davey erected his present handsome ranch residence, a most attractive build- ing of modern comfort and convenience, with beau- tiful trees shading its wide verandas. It is equipped with a hot water heating plant and is one of the fine rural homes that may be found near Havre,

Montana. In 1919 and previously Mr. Davey did considerable building in Havre, in that year putting up a handsome apartment building on the corner of Second and Fifth Avenue, before this having built two houses on either side of the new structure. All these are fine renting properties.

Mr. Davey makes no claim to being a politician and reserves the right to cast an independent vote, but he has always been willing to co-operate. with his fellow citizens to further the county's welfare and has been particularly interested in the matter of the public schools. When the school district in which he lives was organized he was electel a member of the school board and has served as its chairman ever since. He and Mrs. Davey attend the Methodist Episcopal Church. In commenting on the present easy transportation facilities Mr. Davey recalls many round trips of 400 miles he has made on horseback in order to do business at Helena.

W. W. GABB, a merchant at Polson, is an old time westerner, fought Indians in Western Kansas and Montana forty years ago, and before locating in the Flathead Valley was an expert technical man with several mining industries.

He was born at Cleveland, Ohio, youngest of the five children of William W. Gabb and wife. When he was a boy his parents moved to Allegheny City, now part of greater Pittsburgh, and he received his education in the public schools there. At the age of sixteen he went to New York City, and for three years was employed by the Guion Steamship Com- pany. Returning to Pittsburgh, he worked in the steel mills a year, and since then has lived almost altogether in the West. For seven years he rode the range in Colorado in the employ of the Rochester Stock & Pool Company. In April, 1879, Mr. Gabb was one of the seventeen young men who stood off 300 Indians in the fight known as the Eldorado Massacre on the line between Kansas and Colorado. This was a party of Cheyenne and Sioux Indians, and seven of Mr. Gabb's companions were killed and he sustained two scalp wounds, two arrows were driven into his right arm, and a knife thrust entirely through his left hand. He was severely in- jured, and was seventy-two hours en route to the Denver Hospital. Three years later, in 1882, he had some further experiences with hostile Indians in the Big Horn Basin of Montana. He and two com- panions were sent from the ranch after some cattle, were surprised by Indians and in a running fight one of his assailants used a big war club and broke Mr. Gabb's leg. There were no doctors available, and he rode sixty-two miles across the rough coun- try to what is known as the Bridle Bit Ranch, and there set his own leg and rested three weeks until it was healed. From Montana he returned to Kansas, and rode the range on the Smoky Hill Ranch, alter- nately engaging in mining in Colorado. He studied mineralogy under George O. Smith, at present direc- tor of the United States Geological Survey at Wash- ington. For several years Mr. Gabb was assayer for the Colorado Smelting Company at Pueblo.

He married Miss Mary E. Gray, of Monroe County, Iowa. They have four children: Leslie. John W., Vera and Irene. Leslie finished his educa- tion in the University of Nebraska at Lincoln. Both sons were in the United States service during the war, Leslie in the Signal Corps and John in the mechanical department of the Aviation Corps, most of the time being spent at Kelley Field in Texas. Leslie was overseas in France, and subsequently with the Army of Occupation at Coblenz, Germany. Leslie married a Missouri girl and has two children. The

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Montana, its story and biography; a history of aboriginal and territorial Montana and three decades of statehood, Volume III, Part 39

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