Montana, its story and biography; a history of aboriginal and territorial Montana and three decades of statehood, Volume III, Part 53

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 53

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).

After eighteen months working on a farm at Mount Pleasant, Iowa, William Ruppel came to Montana and arrived at Twin Bridges in Madison County in December, 1882. For four years he worked on farms and ranches, and during that time helped drive a large band of cattle from Twin Bridges to Choteau County. As soon as possible he got into the cattle raising business on his own account and his efforts in that line were centered in Choteau County from 1889 until 1898. He was connected with some of the leading outfits in that part of the state. He returned to Twin Bridges in 1898 and bought the Wilhart ranch of 652 acres. This is one of the best ranches in the Madison Valley, and he soon had it stocked with high grade Shorthorn cattle. He continued active in the livestock business until the spring of 1912. At that date he was one of the local men associated with the organization and es- tablishment of the Farmers Elevator at Twin Bridges. This is the only elevator in the town. Since June, 1917, William Ruppel has been active manager.

He owns a modern home on Madison Street. 'He is a stanch democrat and in many ways his public spirit had a healthful influence in the development of his home community.

In 1896, at St. Paul, Minnesota, Mr. William Ruppel married Miss Anna Margaret Ammon, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. George Ammon, both de- ceased. Her father was a manufacturer of chicory. Mrs. William Ruppel died October 15, 1917. She was the mother of six children: William Ammon, born April 23, 1897, is a farmer at Twin Bridges; Henry George, born August 23, 1898, is a student in the State University at Missoula; John F. Ruppel, who was born at Twin Bridges December 13, 1900, was educated in the local public schools, including three years at high school, and is assistant manager under his father of the Farmers Elevator at Twin Bridges; Margaret, born December 19, 1902, is a student in the Wesleyan Business College at Helena ; Jacob Lenhart, born January 13, 1905 is in the Twin Bridges High School; and Viola, the youngest, born April 17, 1907, is also in public schools.

ROBERT NORDTOME. To a great extent the pros- perity of the agricultural sections of our great coun- try is due to the honest industry, the sturdy per- severance and the wise economy which so promi- nently characterizes the foreign element that has entered largely into our population. By comparison with their old-country surroundings these people have readily recognized the fact that in America lie the greatest opportunities for the man of ambition and energy. And because of this many have broken the ties of home and native land and have entered earn- estly upon the task of gaining in the new world a name and competence. Among this class may be mentioned Robert Nordtome, who by reason of in-

defatigable labor and honest effort has not only acquired a well-merited material prosperity but also richly earned the highest esteem of all with whom he has been associated.

Robert Nordtome is a native of Norway and is the son of Arnte and Marit Nordtome. He remained un- der the parental roof until he was eighteen years of age, and in the meantime he received a good practical education in the schools of his home community. At the age mentioned he determined to seek a wider field of opportunity and sailed from the port of Trondhjem for the United States. Landing at Phila- delphia, he proceeded at once to Wisconsin, where he obtained work as a carpenter. He later was em- ployed in Minneapolis for a short time, but finally came to Montana, locating at Missoula, where he remained until the fall of 1888, when he came to the Flathead Valley and pre-empted a tract of land located about three miles northwest of where Kalis- pell now stands. That was in the formative period of this locality, and Mr. Nordtome entered heartily into the labors incident to the opening up and set- tlement of a new region. There were no railroads through here at that time, it was a long and tire- some trip to the nearest postoffice, and the country was not altogether free from danger from Indians. So that Mr. Nordtome is entitled to the honor that is given the pioneers of any locality, for to them are the later residents indebted for the initial steps in the development of the community. Mr. Nord- tome's first home here was in a typical log cabin of the period, but it has long since given place to a modern and attractive residence, which, together with the substantial and well arranged farm build- ings, makes an attractive farm view, standing in marked evidence of the industry and good taste of the owner. Many years ago he planted fruit and shade trees, a wise forethought which is today ap- preciated.

While a resident of Minneapolis Mr. Nordtome was married to Carrie Sneen, and to them were born six children, namely: Andy, Mida, Clarence, Alma, Lena and Edward. All of these children were given good public school educations and are useful and honorable members of society. Andy was married to a Miss Iversen, and they have two children, Ken- neth and Owen. He is a successful dairyman at Kalispell. Mida became the wife of Fred Schmauch, and they are the parents of two children, James and Leo. Mrs. Carrie Nordtome died in 1910 and later Mr. Nordtome was married to Inga Nordtome, a native of Minneapolis and the daughter of Mens and Karen Nordtome. To this latter union have been born two children, Milford and Clifford.

Politically Mr. Nordtome is an active supporter of the democratic party, being an ardent admirer of President Woodrow Wilson. Fraternally he is a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. In religious matters Mr. and Mrs. Nordtome are actively interested as members of the Norwegian and Danish Methodist Episcopal Church of Kalispell. Several times Mr. Nordtome has been elected lay delegate to the annual conferences of the church, and at the annual conference of 1912 he was elected one of the lay delegates from the annual conference to the general conference which met at Minneapolis. This is probably the greatest honor which the Metho- dist Episcopal Church can confer on a layman, and it was duly appreciated at its full value by Mr. Nord- tome. In 1919 he went as a delegate to Seattle, and was accompanied by Mrs. Nordtome and children. Standing "four square to every wind that blows," Mr. Nordtome has been a powerful force for righte- ousness in his community and has consistently given his support to every movement which has promised

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HISTORY OF MONTANA

to be of advantage to the community, materially, morally or educationally. . He has been a man in whom the utmost confidence is reposed, scrupulously honest in all his dealings with his fellows, kind and obliging, and a man whom all respect and admire.

FRANK CAREY is a native son of Montana, spent his youthful years as a cowboy, but for a quarter of a century has been active in business affairs and is now one of the partners and owners of the largest department store at Sheridan.

He was born at Adobetown, Montana, September 28, 1878. His people were Irish, his father, Nicholas, and his grandfather, Mathew Carey, being natives of County Wicklow, Ireland. Nicholas was born in 1831. Mathew Carey brought his family to America about 1847, locating at Albany, New York. Nicholas Carey grew up there and in 1863 came to Montana as one of the early pioneers of the Northwest. He established a home at Adobetown, and probably had the first general mercantile store there. He also operated a freight line between Corinne, Utah, and Adobetown. He had a long and useful career and died in 1906. He was a democrat in politics. His wife, Mary Emerson, was born at Omaha, Nebraska, in 1854 and her parents crossed the plains to Virginia City, Montana, in 1864. Thus on both sides Frank Carey is identified with the earliest pioneer families and history of Montana. Mrs. Nicholas Carey after her husband's death bought a ranch near Sheridan and is still living there. She and her husband had a large family of thirteen children. Matt is clerk of court of Madison County at Virginia City ; Mary is the wife of W. D. Hustead, appraiser of state lands at Helena; Frank is the third in age; Eliza- beth, who died in the Ruby Valley in 1905, was the wife of Dennis Mahagin, a rancher at Alder; John was deputy clerk of court at Virginia City and died in the winter of 1918; Katherine lives with her mother on the home ranch; Dora is the wife of H. M. Colwell, a printer at Ellensburg, Washington; Nicholas enlisted early in 1918 in the United States navy ; Henry manages the home farm near Sheridan; William enlisted in June, 1918, was sent overseas less than sixty days after enlisting, was with the One Hundred and Eleventh Infantry and was wounded in the great battle of Argonne Forest and . was returned to the United States in the spring of 1919; Fannie, Hugh and Steve, the three younger children, are all at home with their mother on the ranch.

Frank Carey had the advantages of the public schools of Adobetown. From the age of twelve until 1894 he almost lived in the saddle and became an expert cowboy, working for several well known cattle outfits. In June, 1894, he went to work for Henry Elling & Company at Sheridan. He rapidly assimilated mercantile knowledge and in 1896, with D. W. Raymond, established a grocery house. After two years he returned to the service of Henry Elling & Company and remained with that organiza- tion until March, 1906. At that date he bought an interest in the J. M. Madison store, and is a partner in the business today, conducting the leading de- partment story of Madison County. The store on Main Street has floor space 46 by 80 feet, basement and balcony, and the store is completely stocked with an adequate supply of general merchandise to meet the demands of the patronage, part of which is drawn from a distance of fifty miles.

Mr. Carey is also active in local affairs, is pres- ent town clerk of Sheridan, and in 1904 was candi- date for county clerk and recorder. Politically he is a democrat and is affiliated with Ruby Valley Aerie No. 1780, Fraternal Order of Eagles, at Sheri-

dan. He owns a good home on Mill Street, having extensively remodeled his residence in 1918. He married at Butte in June, 1911, May Lyden, daugh- ter of P. J. and Annie (Martin) Lyden, who reside at 221 North Idaho Street in Butte. Her father is one of the oldest members of the Butte police force. Mrs. Carey is a graduate of the Butte High School, and is the mother of two children, Lyden, born March 17, 1912, and Alice Catherine, born Feb- ruary 14, 1919.

JACOB FRED OAKWOOD as a young man was a prac- tical electrician, and has been identified with one of the greatest power companies in the state for a number of years. He is now manager at Sheridan for the Montana Power Company.

He was born at Bozeman, April 19, 1881, and is a member of a pioneer family of the state. His father, Jacob Oakwood, was born in Switzerland in 1829. When he was about twenty years of age as a British subject he joined the British army and took part in the war in 1852 between England and Turkey against Russia, known as the Crimean war. He had a life of varied interest and adventure. He located at Bozeman in 1874, was a merchant in that city and served as first city marshal. He was pre- sented by H. Mounts of Bozeman with a gold headed cane in appreciation of the efficient manner in which he filled the office. He was a republican in poli- tics. He died at Bozeman in 1885. His wife was Annie Heffner, who was born at Rochester, New York, in 1851 and died at Bozeman in 1913. Lottie, the oldest of the children, died at Bozeman in 1903, wife of Frank Lampo, who is in the United States mail service and now a resident of Cleveland, Ohio. Emma is unmarried and a bookkeeper at Bozeman. Jacob Fred is the third in age. Mamie is a trained nurse and for two years was in the American Red Cross service in France. Mrs. Jacob Oakwood after the death of her first husband became the wife of John Mitchell, who is still living at Bozeman, a re- tired merchant. By that union she was the mother of two daughters, Agnes and Ruth. Agnes is the wife of Alfred Dier, a son of George P. Dier, man- ager of the Bozeman Hotel, and Mr. and Mrs. Al- fred Dier live at Buffalo, New York, where he is a civil engineer in the employ of the Pierce-Arrow Motor Company. Ruth is unmarried and is cashier in the Mull Store at Bozeman.

Jacob Fred Oakwood was educated in the pub- lic schools of Bozeman, graduated from the Gal- latin County High School in 1900 and also spent two years in the Montana State College. With a good education as ground work for his future career he entered the service of the Gallatin Light and Power Company in 1902. He worked as electrician, as wire man, and also operated street cars. This corporation sold its property to the Montana Power Company in 1904 and Mr. Oakwood remained with the larger organization at Bozeman and became lo- cal superintendent. March 22, 1915, he was assigned to Sheridan as manager of the Ruby Valley branch of the Montana Power Company, and has been at that post of duty now for five years. He has the management of the corporation for four towns, Sheridan, Twin Bridges, Alder and Laurin.

Mr. Oakwood was quite prominent in politics at Bozeman, serving eight years on the City Council and was twice candidate for mayor. He is a re- publican, a member of the Episcopal Church and still has property interests at Bozeman. He resides in the Ruby Hotel at Sheridan.

November 15, 1904, at Townsend, Montana, he married Miss Edith Butler, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Audley G. Butler, her father a retired mer-

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HISTORY OF MONTANA

chant of Iowa and now living at Flushing, Long Island. Her mother is deceased. Mrs. Oakwood was a sister of Ellis Parker Butler, one of the fore- most American humorists and writers. Mrs. Oak- wood, who died at Sheridan at the time of the in- fluenza epidemic in February, 1919, was the mother of one son, Ellis J., born May 24, 1906.

WALTER J. DERRICK, forest supervisor of the Madi- son National Forest, was in Montana several years before he entered the United States Forestry Serv- ice in the spring of 1906. He has since been one of the hard working and viligant men in that de- partment, and has enjoyed steady promotion.

His first work was as assistant forest ranger sta- tioned at Race Track, Powell County. June 1, 1909, he was sent to Helena and employed at special work until November, 1911. He was then given a ranger's district out of Helena until December, 1916, after which he was stationed at Billings as deputy super- visor of the Bear Tooth Forest a year and a month. Toward the end of January, 1918, he was made deputy supervisor of the Jefferson National Forest at Great Falls, and on June 1, 1919, was promoted to forest supervisor of the Madison National For- est, with offices in Sheridan. During the forest fires Mr. Derrick has under his supervision 19 regulars and 100 temporary fire fighters, and since entering his present office has had forces steadily at work safe- guarding his district in a period of unusual danger.

Mr. Derrick was born at Detroit, Michigan, No- vember 20, 1880. His grandfather, John Derrick, was a native of England, and was' an early settler in Michigan, where he engaged in the sheep busi- ness, and where he died before Walter J. Derrick was born. Walter's father was George A. Derrick, who was born in Michigan in 1852, was reared and married in that state, lived at Detroit and Pontiac, where he engaged in the livery business, and finally moved to Webster, South Dakota, where he died in 1895. He was a democrat in politics. George A. Derrick married Louise Walter, who was born in Michigan in 1859, and is now living at Henry, South Dakota. Of their six children Walter J. is the third. Clara, the oldest, is the wife of William Gif- fels, who has charge of a large orchard at Weiser, Idaho. Alberta is clerk in Sand Brothers dry goods house at Helena, Montana. Ethel is the wife of Rollie Gray, who served as a first lieutenant in the One Hundred and Thirty-sixth Infantry with the Expeditionary Forces of the Army of Occupation in Germany. Harry, the fifth of the family, works on a ranch at Townsend, Montana. George A., the youngest, enlisted in the regular army prior to the declaration of war against Germany, being subject to army duty for seven years unless released prior to that time. He was sent overseas with the Sixth Infantry, was promoted to sergeant and was also in the Army of Occupation.

Walter J. Derrick was educated in the public schools of Webster, South Dakota, finishing the sophomore year of high school. At the age of seven- teen he began working for himself and in 1900 he came to Niehart, Montana, and was employed in the assay office of the Diamond R Mining Company 11/2 years. He spent another year in the assay of- fice in the Henderson Mines Company at Phillips- burg, Montana, and the same organization, but op- erating under the name of the Basin Gold Mining Company near Phillipsburg, employed him for two years as a ditch tender. That brings his record up to the spring of 1906, when he entered the serv- ice of the government.

Mr. Derrick owns a residence at Billings. In poli- tics he is independent. He married at Deer Lodge,

Montana, in 1911, Miss Pearl Meyers, a daughter of John H. and Katharine (Hoss) Meyers. Her par- ents are residents of Deer Lodge, and her father was a pioneer rancher in Montana. Mr. and Mrs. Derrick have two children: Claire, born August 4, 1912, and Pearl Louise, born January 31, 1915.

WILLIAM EDWARD BALLARD. There is no influence so powerful in shaping the policies of a community or developing a region as that exerted by a journal that is capably and intelligently edited by a fearless young man of constructive ideas. Because of this influence those who desire to go counter to the pol- icies of such a journal realize they have a hard task before them, and many an unworthy candidate has been defeated and a movement not calculated to be beneficial to the majority has failed of success be- cause of the attitude of the members of the Fourth Estate. In the same measure, of course, unworthy men and measures can be carried to their goal if they are able to subsidize the press, but to the credit of the fraternity, especially in the West, the dis- creditable ones are in a small minority. Three Forks is fortunate in having in its midst as proprietor and publisher of the live newspaper of the region, the News, William Edward Ballard, a man of high character and unflinching reliability, who, while he supports the policies of his party, also upholds those outside of it in their efforts to bring about reforms, and stands for the best standards of citizenship.

William Edward Ballard was born in Belvidere, Illinois, November 8, 1874, a son of Edward Bal- lard, the latter of whom was born in England in 1845, and died at Sycamore, Illinois, in 1912. The parents of Edward Ballard came to the United States about 1847, settling at Belvidere, Illinois, where their son Edward was reared and learned the stone cutting trade. In 1882 he moved to Syca- more, where he followed his trade for the remainder of his active life. Early in life he was a democrat, but later became a republican, and after moving to Sycamore was elected city collector. During the war between the states he enlisted in the Union army as a member of the One Hundred and Fifth Illi- nois Volunteer Infantry. While living at Belvidere Edward Ballard was married to Mary Markey, who survives him and lives in Jefferson County, Mon- tana. She has taken a homestead, proven it, and now has a nice property thirteen miles north of Three Forks. Mrs. Ballard was born in England · in 1846, but was reared at Belvidere, Illinois. Slie and her husband had the following children : Charles, who is a baker by trade, resides in Illi- nois; Frank, who has been with the tea and coffee firm of Chase and Sanborn of Chicago for the past fifteen years; Elizabeth, who is librarian of the public library at Belvidere, Illinois; May, who mar- ried Frank Millett, an electrican, lives at Sycamore, Illinois; Nellie, who married Max Hersiz, lives thirteen miles northwest of Three Forks on a ranch; Gertrude, who married Irving Fothergill, a clerk in a store at Holcomb, Illinois; Ruth, who married William McCarthy, foreman in L. K. Pence's ga- rage at Bozeman, Montana; and William Edward, whose name heads this review.

William Edward Ballard was reared at Belvidere and Sycamore, Illinois, and attended the public schools of both places. When only fourteen years of age he began to be self-supporting, beginning to learn the printer's trade at Sycamore when six- teen, and completed it in four years. He then joined the International Typographical Union and followed his trade in various places, coming to Montana in 1909, when Three Forks was founded, and develop- ing with this region. Homesteading 160 acres, he

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HISTORY OF MONTANA

proved it and sold it in 1915, and while doing this, in order to make a living, he worked at his trade on the paper he now owns, having bought it in 1913, and is now the sole proprietor, editor and publisher. When he arrived in Montana Mr. Bal- lard had as his sole earthly possessions $10.65, and today his plant is valued at $12,000, and he not only owns it, but the building in which it is located. The plant is well equipped Fith modern machinery and appliances, and the News is issued every Thurs- day and circulates in Gallatin, Jefferson, Broadwater and Madison counties. The plant and office are conveniently located at Nos. 16 and 18 Date Street. Since becoming its owner Mr. Ballard has built up this journal from practically nothing, and it is now recognized as one of the leading weeklies of the state, and one of the strongest democratic or- gans of its size in the West. Ever since he cast his first vote Mr. Ballard has been a strong demo- crat, but he has never aspired to office, although he belongs to the county central committee of his party. Although not a member of any religious organization, Mr. Ballard was reared in the faith of the Episcopal Church.

In 1901 Mr. Ballard was married at Beloit, Wis- consin, to Miss Anna Warren, born at Macomb, Illinois. Mr. and Mrs. Ballard have no children. They - are the center of a delightful social circle, and can be relied upon to give an effective support to those measures which are inaugurated to bring about a betterment of existing conditions or a moral uplift.

JOHN ISCH. The name of John Isch is well known among the leading farmers of the Flathead country, whither he came many years ago, and through close attention to business and unswerving industry he has met with a large degree of material success. He comes of sturdy Swiss stock, he himself having been born in Switzerland and his family on both sides going far back into the annals of the mountains and valleys of that wonderful little republic. So he has in him many of the elements that always win in the battle of life, no matter where fought out, and while he was fortunate in coming to a rich coun- try where the soil was strong, competition not too fierce and where, as the English poet, Mackay, wrote a century ago, "the humblest may gather the fruits of the soil," if they be willing to put forth a little effort, yet Mr. Isch, no doubt, would have succeeded in establishing a good home in any country or locality where he might have settled.

John Isch was born in 1854, the son of John and Fannie Isch. His parents brought their little family to the United States when the subject was but six months old, their first home here being established in Iowa. In that neighborhood he was reared to manhood and secured a good practical education in the public schools. Subsequently the family moved to the state of Illinois, where both of the parents spent the remainder of their lives and died. The subject, who has devoted his entire active life to agricultural pursuits, acquired considerable farming land in Iowa, but when he finally decided to make his permanent home in Montana he disposed of his Iowa holdings and devoted his entire attention to his home ranch. Progressive and energetic, Mr. Isch was enabled to create a home that would be hard to excell in the way of comfort and conveni- ence. A good business manager, he was successful through the years, enjoying an enviable reputation throughout this section of the country as an enter- prising, industrious and far-sighted farmer. After . applying himself indefatigably to his farm through the years until 1917, Mr. Isch decided to retire from

the active management of the farm and moved to Kalispell, where, at the edge of that attractive little city, he owns a comfortable home, surrounded by thirteen acres of land, and where he expects to spend the rest of his days in the enjoyment of that rest which his years of toil so richly entitle him.

Mr. Isch was married to Wilhelmina Nels, who was born in Mecklenburg-Schwerin, Germany, the daughter of Louise and Ernestine (Donvagen) Nels. To Mr. and Mrs. Isch have been born ten children, namely : Josephine, Emma, Alfred, Herman, August, Julius, Lena, Henry, Ella and Minnie. Josephine became the wife of Samuel Streit, and to them were born the following children: Josephine, Emma, Del- la, John, Helen, Edna, Gladys, Herman and Daisy. The mother of these children died in 1918 of the influenza. Emma became the wife, first, of Frank Will, and they had one daughter, Caroline. After the death of Mr. Will Emma became the wife of Rudolph Streit, of Alabama, and to them were born seven children : Willie, Julius, Minnie, Mary, Mar- garet, Paul and August, the latter deceased. Her- man, who is a successful rancher near Kalispell, married Hattie Jacobson, and they have four chil- dren, May, Grace, Mary Louise and Josephine. August, who also operates a ranch in the Flathead Valley, was married to Hilda Jacobson, now de- ceased, and they had one child, Viva. Julius en- listed in the United States army for service in the recent World war, was first sent to Camp Lewis and then to France, where he spent eighteen months. He took part in many of the notable engagements in which the "doughboys" had a part and was severe- ly wounded in battle. He was finally returned to the United States and honorably discharged. He is married to Emma Bernard. Lena is the wife of Frank Donek, and they have two children, Rozelle and Francis. Henry was married to Anna Jensen, and they have one son, Harry. Ella remains at home with her parents. Minnie became the wife of Gus Wendt and the mother of three children, Vivian, Eva and Wayne.

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Montana, its story and biography; a history of aboriginal and territorial Montana and three decades of statehood, Volume III, Part 53

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