Montana, its story and biography; a history of aboriginal and territorial Montana and three decades of statehood, Volume III, Part 58

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 58

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Mr. Irvine was born at St. Ignatius, Montana, son of Mr. and Mrs. Peter Irvine. He grew up on a ranch, in the saddle, worked as a cowboy and traveled and worked with cattle outfits all over the West and Northwest. Later he settled down in the Flat- head country and now owns 5,000 acres in that and Sanders County. He usually runs 500 head of cattle on his land, and gives his personal super- vision to his herds and ranches. Naturally he is an employer of men, and has a number of con- petent helpers.

Mr. Irvine married Mrs. Emily Larrivee, a native of the State of Washington. They are liberal sup- porters of the Catholic Church of Polson. Politically Mr. Irvine casts his ballot according to his judg- ment as the best man for office. He has had his home in the Flathead Valley for twenty-nine years, and about eight years ago he moved to the Town of Polson, where he has a modern home, fitted with every comfort and convenience. He is also re- garded as one of the liberal, progressive and public spirited citizens of his home district, and every- thing for local advancement and improvement can count upon his encouragement and assistance. Mr. Irvine was a personal friend of the historic Catholic priest, Father Ravelli, who played such a prominent part in the affairs of Montana.

WILLIAM P. NORTH came to the Flathead country thirty years ago, when the district was new, isolated, and with few evidences of the refining hand of man. His part has been the development of a fine ranch and country home, and through all the years he has exerted his influence in behalf of good order, good community institutions and has ever been progress- ively public-spirited.

Mr. North was born in Clinton County, Missouri, second of the nine children of J. L. and Anna M. (Green) North. He was educated in the public schools of his native state, and at the age of twenty years followed a desire aroused in him by what he had read and heard concerning the Northwest, and identified himself with Montana. In 1889 he pre- empted 160 acres at Flathead River, and built the log cabin home which sheltered him while he was making his first clearings and improvements. He came to this region with a four-horse wagon. He has kept stock, has increased the area of his culti- vation, has planted fruit trees and much of the sub- stance of his early plans and efforts is now in evi- dence. He lived here when there was an abundance of wild game, and when it was not necessary to leave one's home ranch in order to get all the meat

the family required. The decr, says Mr. North, frequently came down from the mountains in droves, and at any time a man could go to the Big Fork River and catch all the fish he could carry home.

In 1903 Mr. North married Miss Katherine Smith, a native of Columbus, Ohio, and a daughter of J. W. and Ella (Hunt) Smith: She was educated in the Columbus High School, and fitted herself for teach- ing, a work which she did with pleasant success for several years. It was in the capacity of a teacher that she came to Montana, and for two years taught in the Flathead country before her marriage. Mr. and Mrs. North have two children: Carl and Frederick, both students of the Big Fork School.

In time the log cabin home of Mr. North was re- placed by a comfortable ranch house, and it is now surrounded by a group of barns and other buildings, while fruit and shade trees have grown up from the original plantings made by Mr. North. The home is on a picturesque site overlooking Flathead Lake. Here Mr. and Mrs. North may spend their last years with every satisfaction and comfort, and can look back over the past and their choice of a home in Montana without regret.

They are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church at Big Fork, and in fraternal affairs he is affiliated with the Modern Woodmen of America and the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. He supports the republican party in national affairs, but takes a broad minded interest in local matters. He has served as a member of the school board and in other ways has contributed his influence to local im- provements.

PAUL SMITH is president of the Flathead Commer- cial Company and president of the State Bank of Big Fork. He bears his honors and dignities in business unassumingly, and it is only his friends and associates who know and speak of the effective and useful career he has had in the Flathead coun- try for many years.

He was born at Columbus, Ohio, a son of Joseph W. and Catherine G. (Piatt) Smith. His parents had six children: Joseph, Charles, John, Paul, Ada (who became Mrs. Hall) and Rose. These chil- dren were all reared and educated in Columbus, Ohio.

At the age of twenty-six Paul Smith came to Mon- tana, first locating at Helena and later homesteading a quarter section in the Flathead country. Not long afterward he became engaged in general merchandis- ing at Holt Ferry on the Flathead River. He was a merchant at a time when the country was new and most of its settlers were making a difficult strug- gle to maintain themselves from the meager proceeds of their farming enterprise. Many a man in the Flat- head Valley will tell of Mr. Smith's generosity and kindness to a newcomer who was making every effort to establish a home and rear a family. The helping hand of the local merchant frequently was the only thing that stood between such families and failure and emigration. Some years later Mr. Smith went into partnership with Mr. Harry Horn and they established the Flathead Commercial Company of Big Fork, which now maintains a number of branch stores over the Flathead Valley. Mr. Smith has also been president of the State Bank of Big Fork since its organization.

Mr. Smith is not a member of any particular re- ligious denomination. However, it can he truly said he is an honorary member in good standing of the organization known as the Universal Brotherhood, and a charter member of the Flathead Valley. In politics he is a republican. While he is modest to an

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extreme degree regarding his own virtues, his good qualities are never permitted to be lost sight of by his friends and admirers. He is public spirited, al- ways willing to render aid to everything good for the community and everyone in need.

J. H. HORN is a veteran merchant and has long been identified in a business and civic way with the history of the Flathead country.

Mr. Horn, whose present mercantile efforts are in Big Fork, was born in Canada, a son of Joseph and Elizabeth (Illingworth) Horn. The parents were both natives of England. He was educated in public schools and at the age of twelve came to the United States and finished his education at St. Paul and other towns in Minnesota. He married Alida Guer- non, a native of St. Paul and daughter of a well known physician of that city. She was educated in the public schools. Mr. and Mrs. Horn had four chil- dren. Their daughters were Gladys, who died at the age of nine years, Hazel, who died at the age of 31/2 years, and Margaret, who died in infancy. The only surviving child is Harry I., who is a graduate of the Kalispell High School. During the war he was in the Commissary Department of the United States Navy, and his company was scheduled for overseas duty about the time the armistice was signed. He was in the Thirteenth Naval Department in the Supply Division. Since returning to civil life he has become an employe of the Imperial Dry Goods Store at Kalispell.

Mr. Horn in 1889 came to Helena, Montana, and for a time was employed by the Lindsey Company. Later he came to the Flathead country, first at Demersville and later joined fortunes with Kalispell when that town took over and absorbed Demersville. For fifteen years he was connected with the Colon Mercantile Company. Later he moved to Big Fork, where he engaged in business two years, and then helped organize the Flathead Commercial Company, erecting one of the largest stores in this section of Montana. The store is 30 by 100 feet and carries a complete and thoroughly systematized stock of gen- eral merchandise.

Mr. and Mrs. Horn are members of the Baptist Church at Kalispell. Fraternally he is affiliated with the Woodmen of the World and the Independ- ent Order of Odd Fellows, being a charter mem- ber of the former at Kalispell. In politics he is a 100% republican, and was a stanch admirer of the late Theodore Roosevelt. Mr. Horn has made good use of his opportunities in a business way, and is a highly popular and esteemed citizen. Mrs. Horn is a member of the Maccabees.

O. E. LEHMICKE is a veteran resident of Mon- tana, having lived in the state over thirty years, about half of the time having been spent in East- ern Montana and the remainder in the Flathead country.

Mr. Lehmicke, who is postmaster and a pros- perous merchant at Big Forks, was born at Still- water, Minnesota, son of Rudolph and Jane (Tacka- berry) Lehmicke. He had a public school educa- tion. In August, 1883, he came to Montana and helped to bring in the first cattle owned by the noted rancher Mr. Pierre Wibeaux. He lived four years in Western North Dakota, at Dickinson. Dur- ing President Cleveland's first term he was appointed and served as the postmaster of Dickinson.

In 1888 Mr. Lehmicke married Pauline Kottka, also a native of Stillwater, Minnesota. They have two children, both natives of Montana, Rupert T. and Margaret H. Both are graduates of the Flat- head County High School at Kalispell. The son is now a partner with his father in business at Big

Fork, and the daughter is also at home. The son during the World war was in the quartermaster's department at Washington for over a year. His work was so satisfactory there that the Government failed to give him the privilege of going overseas, an opportunity he greatly desired.

In 1901 Mr. Lehmicke came to the Flathead coun- try and for two years was a factor in the Somers Lumber Company at Somers with Mr. John O'Brien. He then moved to Big Fork, and has since con- ducted a prosperous general mercantile business. The duties of postmaster at Great Forks first de- volved upon Mrs. Lehmicke, who was appointed in 1905 and filled the office with admirable ability for nine years. In 1914 Mr. Lehmicke was ap- pointed postmaster, and has served out a four year term. Mr. and Mrs. Lehmicke attend the Methodist Church at Big Fork. Fraternally he is an Odd Fel- low and in politics has always given his active sup- port to the democratic party. He is one of the men who by experience and long residence are compe- tent to judge the opportunities of the Flathead country, and he is an ardent advocate of its won- derful advantages.

E. E. Dow. At the western entrance of the famous National Glacier Park is the little Village of Bel- ton, one of whose most conspicuous features is the Hotel Belton, which probably has accommodated as many tourists during the seasons since it was opened as any hostelry in the state.

Its proprietor is E. E. Dow. Mr. Dow was born in New Brunswick, Canada, son of Millen L. and Olive (Tompkins) Dow. He was educated in Can- ada, and came to Belton, Montana, at the age of twenty-three. He is one of the old timers in Flat- head County, and began his home making in this state by taking up a quarter section of wild land. This was about the time the railway was built, and the district abounded in wild game. His first home and his home accommodations for ten years were those of a lob cabin. Later he built a commodious residence, but the old log cabin still stands as a reminder of his early experiences and hardships in the Montana wilderness. As a branch of the Great Northern Railway was built through his land his home became the nucleus of the growing Town of Belton. On account of its position Belton is the railway point from which the majority of the annual visitors to the National Glacier Park make their first acquaintance with that great scenic attraction. To accommodate this increasing travel Mr. Dow erected a large and roomy hotel, con- taining forty rooms, and with accommodations for the utmost comfort of the guests. Hotel Belton constantly radiates the home spirit of sociability, and its service is the highest class. Those who have patronized the hotel regard its table service as unexcelled, partly due to the fact that Mr. Dow has always contracted a large part of his supplies fresh from the immediate surrounding country dis- trict.

Mr. Dow is an enthusiastic sportsman and has many trophies of his skill and prowess preserved in the hotel, including mounted heads of mountain goat, deer, antelope and elk.

Mr. Dow married Miss Katie Conant, also a native of Canada. She is a member of the Catholic Church. Politically he is a supporter of the dem- ocratic party. He came to Montana when the coun- try was all new, and throughout his residence, while very busy with his own affairs, has exercised a public spirit that has meant much to the development of the Flathead Valley. In connection with his hotel he also operates a large general mercantile store

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and supplies many of the commodities required by the surrounding country. For twenty years he has also represented the United States Government in the office of postmaster.

E. G. AND GEORGE BJORNEBY. The Bjorneby brothers occupy prominent places in the esteem of the people of the Flathead Valley, and are uni- versally respected, for as business men fair deal- ing is their watchword in all their transactions. As proprietors of the Bjorneby Brothers Milling Com- pany at Kalispell they have gained a well-earned reputation as reliable business men who have fig- ured more or less prominently in the affairs of that section for some years, ever lending such aid as was their just due in furthering any movements having as their object the general upbuilding of the county in a material, civic and moral way. They have not been neglectful of their duty in any of the avenues of life, and there is peculiar satisfac- tion in offering biographies of such people in a work of this nature.

E. G. and George Bjorneby were born in Adams County, Wisconsin, sons of G. I. and Olea (Ander- son) Bjorneby. Both of these parents were natives of Norway, who immigrated to the United States in 1851 and 1856, respectively, settling in Wisconsin, where they made their future home and reared their children. Subsequently the family moved to Red River Valley, North Dakota, of which locality they were pioneers. George Bjorneby became a rancher in North Dakota, where he remained for a number of years. E. G. Bjorneby engaged in the hardware business at Grafton, North Dakota, which occupied his attention until 1895 and in which he met with fair success. In 1895 he came to the Flathead country, Montana, settling in Kalispell. He first engaged in farming and also handled real estate. Subsequently for about five years he con- ducted a grocery store, under the firm name of Bjorneby and Weberg, the latter being the present city treasurer of Kalispell. Mr. Bjorneby also erected the Norden Hotel at Kalispell, one of the best hotels in this section of the country. About ten years ago he decided to build a mill, and at the north end of town he erected a fine four-story building, 36 by 48 feet in size. The elevator has a capacity of 35,000 bushels of grain and a pro- ductive capacity of 150 barrels of flour. In addi- tion there is also a flourishing flour and feed store conducted in connection with the mill. Flour is furnished to the local trade as far east as Havre, Montana, and west to Sand Point, Idaho.

E. G. Bjorneby was married to Margaret Bry- son, a native of the State of Iowa and a daughter of Mr. and Mrs. James Bryson, of Waterville, Iowa. To them have been born five children. Olea is the wife of Rev. A. Skindlor, better known as Bishop Skindlor, superintendent of the Rocky Mountain district of the Lutheran Church, and they have five children, Alice, Robert, Allen, Marcella and Doris. Theressa is a girl of rare courage and business. acumen, as was evidenced when she filed and proved on a homestead near Devon, Montana. She later attended and graduated from Miss Church's Art School, of Chicago, and is now an instructor in that institution. Emily is the wife of R. J. Gerlough, with whom she was a fellow instructor in the Ward- ner-Kellog High School of Idaho. He was an over- seas veteran during the World war, serving in the hospital department, and is now studying medicine in Cleveland, Ohio, where his wife is engaged as a public school teacher. Margaret is a bookkeeper in the Glacier Park Garage at Kalispell. Jean- nette is a student of music and dramatic art in Spokane College, Spokane, Washington.

Mr. Bjorneby takes an independent attitude in political matters, holding that the fitness of men for public office is of more vital importance to the community than the fact that they may belong to a certain political party. Fraternally he is a mem- ber of the Knights of Pythias, while religiously he and his wife are active members of the Lutheran Church. He is looked upon as a man who can always be counted on to support every movement for the betterment of the community in any way, and to an unusual degree enjoys the confidence of the people of his community.

George Bjorneby came to the Flathead country about 1909 and entered into the milling business as a partner with his brother. He is a man of wide experience in handling grain, having operated a number of grain elevators in North Dakota over a period of about eight years, being thus well quali- fied to enter actively upon the business here. He too is well liked by all who know him, for he pos- sesses to eminent degree those qualities which char- acterize real manhood. He is alert and wide-awake, possesses good judgment and up-to-date ideas, and is a constant "booster" for the locality with which he is identified.

George Bjorneby was married to Elida Retvedt, who was born in Christiania, Norway, and who came to the United States alone at the age of twelve years. To Mr. and Mrs. Bjorneby have been born the following children: Helen is the wife of C. J. Lund, of Great Falls, Montana; Grace is a student in St. Olaf College in Northfield, Minnesota; El- liott is a student in the Kalispell High School; Ar- nold is a student in Spokane College; May and Walter are students in the public schools of Kalis- pell. The members of the family are identified with the Lutheran Church, while fraternally Mr. Bjorneby is a member of the Ancient Free and Accepted Masons.

The Bjorneby brothers are noted for their pro- gressive spirit and are leaders in the business cir- cles of Kalispell. The qualities of keen discrimi- nation, sound judgment and executive ability have entered very largely into their makeup and have been contributing elements to the material success which has attended their efforts.

EDWARD MCCONVILLE. No life is more interest- ing than that of the old pioneer, for in the days when the wilderness of the West was conquered there were men of iron mould, men who were fear- less, courageous and self-sacrificing, who were will- ing to undergo hardships in order that succeeding generations might be benefited. It is doubtful if such a class of people live today, for the day of the pioneer in this country is gone and we are in the midst of a settled stability and permanency. Nevertheless, as we look about us we find a few representatives of the early days who become at once the center of interest because they are the custodians of the real history of the early days in this section of the country. In this connection we make reference to one of the sturdy residents of Whitefish, Edward McConville, who has been iden- tified with the great West for more than forty years, during which time he has taken an active part in the great transformation of the country, and it is interesting to hear him recall reminiscences of the early days.

Edward McConville is a native of America's me- tropolis, New York City, and is the son of Arthur and Ann McConville. He was reared to manhood in his native city and secured his education in its public schools. In 1878 Mr. McConville determined to cast his lot with the great and rapidly-develop- ing western country and came to Miles City, Mon-

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tana, where he remained for a time. From there he continued farther west, stopping at Helena, but eventually located at Bozeman, where he engaged in driving stage for the well-known firm of Gilman and Salisbury. He drove four- and six-horse teams and became an expert driver, being considered one of the most reliable as well as fearless drivers in the western country. We of the present day can hardly get a true mental picture of those old stage- coach times, times which were day after day filled with dramatic and often tragic situations that could only be met successfully by men with iron nerve and unlimited courage. The only means of overland con- veyance at that time, it was the means by which thousands of the first settlers of the western states came to their new homes. Mr. McConville enjoys the distinction of having driven the famous Overland stage from Major Brooks' to Sheridan and Virginia City, where it connected with the Billings route, this being one of the most noted of the historic old routes. Mr. McConville drove this stage until the advent of the Northern Pacific Railroad into that country, which effectually killed business for the stages. Mr. McConville then engaged in the express business, which proved a very successful enterprise, and it has been stated on good authority that he probably car- ried more wealth overland than any other man in Montana. His largest consignment was of $60,000, and he 'states that he was a little anxious until they had safely delivered his freight, for at that time highway robbers were frequently holding up the over- land stages. Mr. McConville was engaged as an ex- pressman around Helena for a number of years, and served as express agent at Ravelli until the Great Northern Railroad came in through the Flathead country. Mr. McConville then came to the Flathead Valley, first settling at Kalispell, where he was em- ployed by the express company for a time. Subse- quently he moved to the vicinity of Whitefish, where he bought a tract of land, to the improvement and cultivation of which he devoted his time and ener- gies with gratifying success. He is a good man- ager and has proven an enterprising citizen of the Flathead country, being a constant booster for this section of the state as a place for either business or residence, and he has given evidence of his faith by platting a portion of his land along the White- fish River into residence lots, which he has put onto the market, reserving for his permanent home thirty acres along the river and adjoining the townsite. He has erected an attractive and comfortable modern home, situated on the Kalispell road. Mr. McCon- ville has never regretted his coming to the West, for he has been a witness of and a participant in the most wonderful period of advancement and development that this country has ever seen. He came to this sec- tion of Montana before Billings or Livingston were founded, and when Colson was the chief town in that locality.

Before leaving Mr. McConville's life record men- tion should be made of the fact that during the troublous days of the Civil war, when he was but sixteen years of age, he enlisted in the Union army, but was not at that time accepted because of his youth. Sometime later, at Dubuque, Iowa, he en- listed in Company G, Eleventh Regiment, United States Regular Infantry, with which he went to Vicksburg. From there he went to various places in the South, doing guard duty most of the time, and at the close of the war he received an honorable discharge at Galveston, Texas.

Mr. McConville was married to Anna Kirk, a na- tive of Scotland, and they are the parents of three children, Chester, George and Ruth. Chester en- listed in the United States navy during the recent World war and was assigned to the hospital depart-

ment. He is now in the Naval Reserve Force and will not receive his discharge until 1922. During his active service he was located at the Bremerton (Washington) Navy Yard. George is assisting his father on the home ranch and Ruth is attending school.

Politically Mr. McConville is a stanch supporter of the republican party, to which he has given his life-long support. Fraternally he has been a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows for more than fifty years. Although a quiet and unassuming man, with no ambition for public position or leader- ship, he has contributed much to the material, moral and civic advancement of the community, while his admirable qualities of head and heart and the straightforward, upright course of his daily life have won for him the esteem and confidence of the cir- cles in which he has moved.

JOHN H. HENNESSY. Each man who strives to ful- fill his part in connection with human life and hu- man activities is deserving of recognition, whatever may be his field of endeavor, and it is the function of works of this nature to prepare for future gen- erations an authentic record concerning those rep- resented in its pages. The value of such publica- tions is certain to be cumulative for all time to come, showing forth the individual and specific accom- plishments of which generic history is ever engen- dered. The record of the gentleman whose name forms the caption to these lines, and who is widely . and favorably known as a successful hotel man at Whitefish, Flathead County, is worthy of perpetua- tion on the pages of history, as we will readily ascer- tain by a study of the same in the following para- graphs.

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Montana, its story and biography; a history of aboriginal and territorial Montana and three decades of statehood, Volume III, Part 58

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