Montana, its story and biography; a history of aboriginal and territorial Montana and three decades of statehood, Volume III, Part 50

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 50

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

States Medical Corps, and was sent to Camp Gor- don, Georgia, where he served for six months. He now holds a commission as captain in the United States Medical Reserve Corps. On May 8, 1919, Doctor Dolan was appointed secretary of the city Board of Health of Great Falls, where his wide experience and training have contributed in a very definite way to the efficient performance of his official duties.

On October 10, 1900, Doctor Dolan was married to Georgiana Sexton, a native of Chicago, and they are the parents of one daughter, Marie Julia.

Politically Doctor Dolan is a Democrat, and his religious affiliation is with the Roman Catholic Church. Fraternally he is a member of the Knights of Columbus. He is also a member of the Cascade County Medical Society, the Montana State Med- ical Society and the American Medical Association. He is a fine type of the sturdy, conscientious, pro- gressive American of today- a man who unites a high order of ability with courage, patriotism, clean morality and sound common sense, doing thoroughly and well the work that he finds to do and asking praise of no man for the performance of what he conceives to be his simple duty.

JOHN E. DAWSON is a native of Montana, has had a continuous business experience for more than twenty years, was a prominent merchant at Glas- gow for several years, but in recent years has been best known for his active part in the affairs of the Rocky Mountain Fire Insurance Company at Great Falls. He is general manager of this corporation and its business.

Mr. Dawson was born in the Boulder Valley of Montana December 27, 1876, son of Thomas and Mary (Smith) Dawson. His father was born in Quebec, Canada, in 1845, ran away from home at the age of twelve years and went to Michigan, worked in the lumber woods of that state, also lived in Minnesota for several years, and in 1868 came to Montana as a pioneer. He came overland by way of Utah and was one of the first settlers of the old town of Boulder. He was also identified with the Last Chance Gulch Settlement. For several years his work was that of a miner, but in 1879 he en- gaged in ranching and stock raising near Cold Springs, Jefferson County. He was one of the leading men in that line in the Boulder Valley, and in the spring of 1919 retired from active busi- ness. He and his good wife are still living, and have ample means for their enjoyment and comfort. They were married at Helena. The mother was born at Madison, Wisconsin. Their four sons are William W., Thomas F., Peter J. and John E.

John E. Dawson was educated in the public schools of Boulder and in the Montana State College at Bozeman. From 1896 to 1900 he was employed by two leading mercantile firms at Butte, and while there laid a substantial basis of business training and experience. For six years he was department manager for the Thomas O'Hanlon Company at Chinook, and in the fall of 1907 became interested in the firm of Lewis Brothers at Glasgow, general merchants. He was buyer for this firm until Jan- uary 1, 1915, at which date he became vice presi- dent of the Rocky Mountain Fire Insurance Com- pany at Great Falls. He had charge of the field agencies of the company until February, 1917, when he was made general manager. His large acquaint- ance and expert business abilities have done much to promote the welfare and success of this corpora- tion.

While at Chinook he served as a member of the Town Council, and he served two terms as mayor,

Simon Hauswith

831

HISTORY OF MONTANA

from 1909 to 1913, at Glasgow. While in that office he was instrumental in putting Glasgow into the class of progressive cities of Montana, the water- works and electric light plant being installed while he was mayor. He has always taken an active in- terest in public affairs and during the war was a leader in the Red Cross and Liberty Loan cam- paigns, being on the executive committee of the Red Cross in Cascade County. Mr. Dawson is a dem- ocrat, and is affiliated with Butte Lodge No. 240 of the Elks.

On August 12, 1901, he married Miss Mamie J. Ross, a native of Nova Scotia. Her father, George Ross, was one of the pioneers of the Milk River Valley in Montana. Mr. and Mrs. Dawson have one son, Edward K.

COL. SIMON HAUSWIRTH is commandant of the Montana Soldiers' Home, an institution of which the state is deservedly proud and whose comforts and conveniences are greatly appreciated by the old vet- erans who live there. The beautiful home is situated on the Flathead River at Columbia Falls.

Colonel Hauswirth, who was a Union soldier in the Civil war and a member of Company C of the Thirty-fifth Wisconsin Infantry, and is a member of Lincoln Post No. 2, Grand Army of the Republic at Butte, was born in Switzerland December 16, 1844. He has frequently remarked that while not priv- ileged to be a native son of the United States he takes comfort in the fact that he was born in the oldest republic in the world. His parents, Rudolph and Catherine (Romang) Hauswirth, came to Amer- ica in 1855, bringing their family of eight children and settling at Milwaukee, where the father en- gaged in farming. Simon Hanswirth was reared to manhood in Wisconsin, attending the public schools in winter and working on the farm in summer. On December 7, 1863, he enlisted at Milwaukee with the Thirty-fifth Wisconsin Infantry. When he an- nounced this fact to his father, the father main- tained that on account of his youth he was not yet qualified for the duties of a soldier. He replied, "Father, the boys of our neighbors are offering them- selves to their country; do you think it looks right for me to stay at home?" His argument prevailed. A friend advised him to accept the $300 some were offering for substitutes. He said, "No, I am not going for money, but going freely for my country." He was. two weeks in training at St. Louis, and thence went down the Mississippi to Baton Rouge, was at Duval's Bluff, Little Rock, Arkansas, again at New Orleans, was in the siege of Spanish Fort and Fort Blakeley on Mobile Bay, and after the sur- render of Lee's army he was sent with other troops to the Mexican border at Brownsville, Texas. He was mustered out at Brownsville March 15, 1866, and granted an honorable discharge' at Madison, Wisconsin.

May 31, 1868, Colonel Hauswirth married Mary Deck, who was born near Waukesha, Wisconsin, a daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Deck. In May, 1870, Colonel Hauswirth came to . Montana, locating at Stewart, and in May, 1875, moving to Butte, in which city he has had his home ever since. He and his wife had six children, named John R., Emma, Mary, Albert, Louisa and Charles A. Louisa died at the age of two years, while Emma died in East Orange, New Jersey. The children were well ed- ucated in the public schools of Butte. John R. ma- ried Mary Bachler and is a farmer at Hamilton, Montana; Mary became the wife of William Rickey, who was killed in an automobile accident at East Orange, New Jersey ; Charles A. married Miss Nau

and is in the mining business at Butte, his two chil- dren being named Audrey and Lucine.

Colonel Hauswirth has played a prominent part in the public affairs of the City of Butte. He was elected an alderman when the city was first char- tered, was chosen city marshal in 1884, and in 1886 elected city treasurer. He also served as deputy sheriff under Charles S. Henderson. His work in public office was always thoroughly satisfactory. He was appointed commandant of the Soldiers' Home by the Board of Managers in 1919, and has dis- charged its duties to the eminent satisfaction of the old soldiers and the state government.

In the first company of militia ever organized- in Montana, the Union Guard at Butte, Mr. Hauswirth served under Sam Reynolds, enlisting in Company F and being promoted to second lieutenant. He was chosen department commander of the Montana Grand Army of the Republic in 1917. Colonel Hauswirth and family are members of the Chris- tian Science Church at Butte, and he and his wife are members of the Pioneer Society of Montana. Fraternally he is affiliated with the Knights of Pythias, and in politics supports the principles of the republican party. He has had a long life, and throughout has made his record in keeping with the high qualities of his soldier days when he fought for the integrity of the Union.

JOHN DUNCAN. If any of the people who go to make up our cosmopolitan civilization have better habits of life than those who came originally from far-away Scotland the writer is in ignorance of it. One will find on making a study of these people that the qualities of thrift, stability, honor and soundness of judgment form the principal basic elements. Such qualities in the inhabitants of any nation will in the end alone make that nation great, affording such qualities as will enrich any clime and place any land at the top of the countries of the world in the scale of elevated humanity. Of this excellent people came John Duncan, the well known building con- tractor of Great Falls. He came of a race that pro- duced such intellectual giants as Scott, Miller, Burns, Wallace and Bruce. He comes of a race that is famous for its original research in the various realms of science, invention, art and literature, to say noth- ing of the practical, every-day things of life.

John Duncan was born in Farfarshire, Scotland, on November 21, 1862, and is the son of George and Annie (Niven) Duncan, both of whom also were natives of Scotland. Both parents are deceased, the father dying on May 5. 1892, in the seventy-fourth year of his age, and the mother passing away in 1906, at the age of eighty-three years. They were the parents of ten children, of which number the subject of this sketch is the ninth in order of birth. The father followed the vocation of farming and was a member of the Free Church of Scotland. He frequently told his boys that they would all be rich some day, and, as a matter of fact, all of the sons have been successful in their various lines of effort. Two sons came to the United States, two went to Australia and two to Ireland.

John Duncan spent his boyhood days on his fa- ther's farm and pursued his studies in the neighbor- ing school. His father was none too well off finan- cially, and thus it became necessary for the sons to begin earning their own expenses as soon as pos- sible. Mr. Duncan hegan working on a farm at the age of fourteen years, receiving 25c a day. In 1886 he decided to go to a land where larger oppor- tunities were offered those who were willing to make use of them, and he came to the United States,

Vol. III-12

832

HISTORY OF MONTANA

landing at New York City. From there he pro- ceeded to Minneapolis, Minnesota, near which city he worked at the carpenter trade for about three years. He then came to Helena, Montana, in 1889, working at his trade for about two years, and in 1891 he branched out into the contracting and build- ing line. He was successful from the start, and through all the years since then he has enjoyed his full share of the business in his line in this sec- tion of the state. In the last year mentioned Mr. Duncan identified himself with Great Falls, which has since been his home and the center of his operations. He has erected probably more buildings here than any other one man, having constructed a number of the finest blocks and apartment houses in this city, and in the early days of the city's growth he is credited with having built nearly a thousand homes, so that in reality he has been a very prominent factor in the growth and develop- ment of Great Falls. He is now engaged in the construction of a splendid block on Central Avenue, to be known as the Duncan-Kennedy Building. He is thoroughly up-to-date in his construction ideas, and his patrons get the benefit of his knowledge.

On January 13, 1890, Mr. Duncan was married to Minnie N. Nisbet, who was born in Alloway, Scot- land, and they have become the parents of nine children, eight of whom are living, namely: Nellie Elizabeth, the wife of Lieut. Harold Irwin, of Minnesota; John G., Hazel Mary, wife of Dudley Jacobsen, of Great Falls; George R., Margaret Annie; Raymond, Irving, Edna, deceased, and Win- nafred.

Politically Mr. Duncan assumes an independent attitude, preferring to vote for the men and meas- ures which meet his approval, regardless of party lines. His religious membership is with the Presby- terian Church. Fraternally he is a life member of Great Falls Lodge No. 214, Benevolent and Pro- tective Order of Elks, and is also a member of the Commercial Club. He has always been true to every trust reposed in him and has been rigidly upright in his dealings with his fellow men, at the same time lending his support to the advancement of any cause looking to the welfare of the community at large.

Before closing this review it is worthy of note that a brother, David Duncan, who also came to the United States, located in Minnesota in January, 1887, and there became a partner with John Duncan in the business of contracting, a relation that ex- isted up to the time of the brother's death, in 1906. At that time they had taken a large contract with the Government for the erection of large barracks and stables. David left a widow and six children, his widow being a sister of the wife of John Duncan.

S. O. HUSETH was one of the men early identified with what is now the Sun River irrigation project. For many years he has been a successful Great Falls business man, a leading jeweler and optician. He was born in Norway, May 19, 1869, son of Ole and Bertha (Roe) Huseth. His father died in Norway in 1879, at the age of forty-eight. He was a goldsmith by trade and a member of the Lutheran Church. The widowed mother afterward came to this country and died in 1911 in Minnesota, at the age of sixty-seven.

S. O. Huseth, who was the fourth among seven children; four of whom are still living, attended school in Norway up to 1885. He was then six- teen years of age, and on coming to this country located near Broadhead, Wisconsin. He worked as a farm hand there, attending school one winter, and then removed to another locality, near Mount

Horeb, where he continued as a farm hand several years and at the same time acquired a good Eng- lish school education. Leaving Wisconsin he went to North Dakota and worked on farms for about two years. He then began learning the watchmaker's trade at Park River, North Dakota, and worked steadily at his apprenticeship for two years. Re- turning to Mount Horeb, Wisconsin, he engaged in the jewelry business, following it about six years, and at the same time studying and preparing for work as an optician. He went back to Park River, North Dakota, and for about four years was en- gaged in business for himself. At Litchfield, Min- nesota, he took a course in optometry, and from there in 1902 came to Montana and entered a home- stead and a desert claim. He was one of the set- tlers in that locality who organized the Kilraven Canal Company. Later, through the influence of Paris Gibson, then a Montana congressman, this irrigation project was taken over by the government and is now the Sun River Irrigation System. Mr. Huseth located at Great Falls in 1903, and since then he has prosecuted to success his business as a jeweler and optician. He is a charter member of the Mon- tana Opticians Association, being at the present time vice president. He is also secretary of the Mon- tana Jewelers Association, and is a man of high standing in business and professional circles.

Mr. Huseth is affiliated with Cascade Lodge No. 54, Ancient, Free and Accepted Masons, at Great Falls, and is a member of the Scottish Rite Con- sistory. Politically he is a republican. On May 23, 1893, he married Miss Gina Lee, a native of Norway. Seven children were born to their mar- riage, named Olive, Blanche, Elmer (who died at the age of six years), Ethel, Grace, Oliver and May.

ALBERT E. SCHWINGEL came to Montana as an employe of the Great Northern Railroad, but soon left the railroad service to join the Conrad Bank- ing Company at Great Falls, and has been with that institution and from time to time promoted to larger responsibilities for nearly twenty years.

Mr. Schwingel was born on his father's farm in Steuben County, New York, August 19, 1876, son of John A. and Mary (Miller) Schwingel. His father was born in Germany and died in 1905, at the age of seventy-two. His mother was born in Chicago and died in 1913, also at the age of seventy- two. Albert E. was the youngest of a family of seven sons and four daughters. John A. Schwingel at the age of thirteen, after his father's death, came to America with his widowed mother, and finished his education in Steuben County, New York. He spent the rest of his life as a practical, hard work- ing New York State farmer. He took considerable part in politics, was a republican, held various town- ship offices and was affiliated with the Lutheran Church and the Independent Order of Odd Fel- lows.

Albert E. Schwingel acquired his early educa- tion in the public schools of Steuben County, New York, his days of school being alternated with the work and discipline of the home farm. Between the age of eighteen and twenty-one he taught school. Following a course in a commercial college at Corn- ing, New York, he spent about a year in New York City as stenographer for a manufacturing firm, then lived for one summer at Amsterdam, New York, and from there went to Lima, Ohio, and was in the employ of the Cincinnati, Hamilton and Day- ton Railway for about two years. While at Lima he had his only military experience, as a private in the Ohio National Guard.

Paul & Wife Geo.

833

HISTORY OF MONTANA

In May, 1900, Mr. Schwingel went to work at Great Falls with the transportation department of the Great Northern Railway. In August of that year the Conrad Banking Company was established, and Mr. Schwingel was one of its first force of employes, as stenographer and messenger. His abili- ties have brought him steady promotion. He was made chief clerk, then assistant cashier, and in 1905 became cashier and since 1913 has been vice presi- dent of this bank. He is also interested in farming and livestock, and has been connected with several corporations. He was an active member of the Commercial Club, affiliated with Cascade Lodge No. 34, Ancient, Free and Accepted Masons, is a re- publican and a member of the First Church of Christ, Scientist.

September 24, 1902, at Geneseo, New York, he married Miss Mabel C. Burley, daughter of Wil- liam Burley. They have two children, Milton Fred- erick, born August 4, 1903, and Burley Carlyle, born May 13, 1907.

JAMES W. SPEER came to Montana and began the . practice of law at Great Falls twenty years ago. As a lawyer he has been noted for his industry and the vigorous handling of all the interests en- trusted to his charge. He has been prominent in politics, and has filled a number of offices of trust and responsibility in his home county and city.

Mr. Speer was born on his father's farm in Jo Daviess County, Illinois, February 25, 1871, and he had about the average opportunities of an Illi- nois farm boy, working and earning the money which paid his way through college and gave him his training for the law. His parents were Charles and Nancy (Campbell) Speer. His father was born in Pennsylvania and died in 1916, at the age of seventy-four, while his mother died in 1879, aged thirty-five. James W. is the third of seven chil- dren, six of whom are still living. Charles Speer was a small boy when his parents moved to Jo Daviess County, Illinois, and he grew up in that locality, acquiring a common school education and spending his life as a farmer and stock raiser, also as a buyer and shipper of livestock. For a number of years his farm was the home of a herd of pure bred Shorthorn cattle. He served as township su- pervisor several years and for many years was a member of the school board. Religiously he was active in the United Presbyterian Church and in politics was a whig and republican.

James W. Speer lived on his father's farm to the age of eighteen. His education in public schools was supplemented by several terms in Monmouth College at Monmouth, Illinois, and he took his law course in the Northern Illinois College at Dixon. He earned the money for his education by work as secretary of a creamery concern and selling har- vesting machinery for the McCormick Harvester Company and the Deering Harvester Company, trav- eling on the road for the latter organization some time. He graduated from law school in 1900, was admitted to the Illinois bar the same year, spent some months of that year at Sioux Falls, South Dakota, was admitted to the South Dakota bar in September, and in October, 1900, arrived in Great Falls, Montana, where he was admitted to the Mon- tana bar and began the general practice of law. He was alone in practice until. January 1, 1916, when J. A. Kaufman became his partner. Mr. Kaufman not long afterward entered the United States army.

Mr. Speer served two terms as county attorney of Cascade County, a period of four years. He was mayor of Great Falls from 1911 to 1913. He has been chairman of both the county and city central

committees of the republican party and at present is chairman of the city central committee. He is a past master of Cascade Lodge No. 34, Ancient, Free and Accepted Masons, a past grand master of the Grand Lodge of Montana, and is affiliated with Great Falls Chapter No. 9, Royal Arch Ma- sons, Black Eagle Commandery No. 8, Knights Templar, Butte Consistory of the thirty-second de- gree, the Lodge of Perfection at Great Falls, and Algeria Temple of the Mystic Shrine at Helena. He is also a member of Great Falls Lodge No. 214 of the Elks.

June 15, 1904, Mr. Speer married Grace C. Shoats, a native of Ludington, Michigan. They have four children, named Jennette, James W., Jr., Catherine and Ruth Estell.

GEORGE PAUL was one of the first resident home- steaders in the Flathead Valley, and long years of. contending with adversity and solving the problems of existence have made him rich in experience and satisfactorily rich in this world's goods down to the present time, when he and his good wife enjoy one of the good homes at Big Fork.

Mr. Paul was born at St. Louis, Missouri, a son of Mr. and Mrs. Peter Paul. At the age of sixteen he left home and started for the West, spending four and a half years in Colorado. He then came to Montana, and for one winter worked in a smelter. In 1889 he reached the Flathead country, pre- empting 160 acres at Holt's Ferry and homestead- ing 160 acres at Swan Lake.

After coming to Montana Mr. Paul married Mrs. Bartlett. They have two sons, Kenneth and George, both of whom were educated in the public schools. Kenneth is now a student in the high school at Kalis- pell.

Mr. and Mrs. Paul attend the Methodist Church at Big Fork. Fraternally he is affiliated with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and gives his political support to the republican party.

Mrs. Paul's maiden name was Mattie Wines, a native of Tennessee, but reared in Missouri, where her parents, Jerry and Louise (Clark) Wines, moved when she was a child. Her first husband was Henry Bartlett, now deceased. By that marriage she had the following children: Charles, Oran, Ralph, Cleve and Glen. Mrs. Paul has the distinction of being the mother of four sons who were soldiers in the World war. Her son Charles married Annie Con- radson and lives in Colorado, and they have three children, named Mabel, Julius and Norine. The son Oran, who married Hilda Smith, of Columbus, Ohio, was a member of the Three Hundred and Sixty-Sec- ond Infantry, was promoted to lieutenant, and saw active service overseas. He is now a practicing den- tist at Whitefish, Montana. Ralph, who married Mary Smith and had two children, Kate and Hallie, was in the navy during the World war. Cleve mar- ried Alma Hanson and has a son, Cleve, Jr. He was also in the war, a member of the Three Hun- dred and Sixty-Second Infantry, and is now chief clerk in the State Prison at Deer Lodge Montana. Glen, who was a member of Battery C of the Three Hundred and Forty-Eighth Field Artillery, saw active duty overseas.

GEORGE HARPER is an old time citizen of Great Falls, where he located more than twenty-five years ago. He is one of the best known men in Cascade County, particularly as a result of his eleven years of executive service as clerk of the district court.

Mr. Harper is of Scotch ancestry and nativity and of an old Scotch Presbyterian family. He was born in Scotland, June 6, 1874, youngest of the nine

834

HISTORY OF MONTANA

children of George and Isabella (Milne) Harper. His mother died the year he was born, at the age of forty. His father died in 1887, aged sixty. George Harper, Sr., spent all his life as a Scotch farmer.

Mr. Harper secured a fair education in Scotland and in June, 1889, at the age of fifteen, crossed the ocean to Canada and lived about five years in the Dominion before coming to Great Falls, where he arrived In August, 1894. He soon found work and made himself useful for 1472 years with the Great Falls Meat Company, his chief responsibility be- ing as bookkeeper for that firm.

Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.

Montana, its story and biography; a history of aboriginal and territorial Montana and three decades of statehood, Volume III, Part 50

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