Montana, its story and biography; a history of aboriginal and territorial Montana and three decades of statehood, Volume III, Part 61

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 61

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Edward Engebritson grew up on his father's farm, and from the farm home attended the neighboring country school. On the farm was a blacksmith shop where his father continued his trade in combination with farming. In that shop Edward also worked at the anvil and bellows until he acquired consid- erahle skill. He also worked out in summers in the harvest fields and threshing times. On leaving home he went to Minneapolis, secured employment as a cabinet maker, and spent most of his leisure hours away from work attending night school. He also did some college work in Minneapolis.

On leaving his native state Mr. Engebritson moved to North Dakota, entered a homestead near Crosby. but relinquished before proving up to engage in blacksmithing. He conducted a shop at Crosby for six years, and entered heartily into the spirit and activities of the community, serving as a member of the town council, as town clerk, justice of the peace, and chief of the volunteer fire department.

From North Dakota Mr. Engebritson came to Montana and identified himself with the Village of Redstone in its infancy. He entered the hardware

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business, succeeding Nels Rasmussen, and to that enterprise has devoted most of his time and atten- tion ever since. He owns his business house in Red- stone, and was an active member of the Redstone Im- provement Association, which did some important de- velopment work here.

Mr. Engebritson is also an equal partner with Jack White in the Redstone Coal Mining Company. This industry was established by Mr. White in 1913. The company mine is near the station at Redstone and is a drift under the big hill almost overshadow- ing the town. The work has been carried back into the hill for a distance of 800 feet, and the tunnels now make a network providing air and easy access to the diggings. This is a lignite deposit, found in two main strata, and is of a quality to make it popu- lar as fuel and through the operations of the com- pany Redstone has become practically independent of outside supplies for heating and lighting.

Mr. Engebritson's father always voted the republi- can ticket in national affairs, and the son acquired the same party affiliation. The latter's first presiden- tial vote was given to Major Mckinley in 1900. He is affiliated with the Lodge of Masons at Red- stone.

At Crosby, North Dakota, March 1I, 1913, Mr. Engebritson married Miss Dora Wolford, who was born in Martin County, Minnesota, in 1875. She was liberally educated, attending a Minnesota college, and was a teacher until her marriage. Six years later, during the general shortage of teachers in the fall of 1919, she was prevailed upon to "substitute" in the. Redstone schools, and taught during that winter. Mr. and Mrs. Engebritson have a daughter, Edith, born in January, 1914.

J. J. CREMANS, proprietor of the popular Cadillac Hotel of Whitefish, has for some time been giv- ing the traveling public a first class service and has completed the erection of a new brick hostelry which is one of the finest of its kind in Flathead County if not in this part of the state. Mr. Cremans is an old railroad man, and having traveled almost con- tinuously in his younger days understands and ap- preciates the needs of those whose business takes them from their homes, and so can cater intelligently and effectively to them.

J. J. Cremans was born in New York City, a son of James and Hannah (Sweeney) Cremans, natives of Ireland, and there reared, attending the schools of that city and those of Somerville, Massachusetts. When he was sixteen years old he ran away from home and went first to New Orleans, Louisiana, and from there traveled over the southern and southiwest- ern states, finally going to Michigan, and spent some time at Crystal Falls and nine years at Ironwood, that state, and while living in the latter city was a member of its City Council and also served as city treasurer. Mr. Cremans then went to San Marcial, New Mexico, as conductor for the Santa Fe Rail- road, and was also yardmaster for three years. His wife's health failing, he sought a different climate and coming north was at Duluth, Minnesota, and was in the employ of the Duluth & Iron Range Railroad until 1901, when he came to Kalispell as conductor on the Great Northern Railroad, his run being be- tween Havre and Spokane, and he was also engaged in railroad construction work at one time. Some years ago he located at Whitefish, and for the last three years has been conducting the Cadillac Hotel. For four years he was on the school board of Whitefish and is recognized as being one of the leading men of the place.

Mr. Cremans was married at Stambaugh, Michi- gan, to Mary Hannan, an educated and talented lady

who was engaged in teaching school at Norway, Michigan, at the time of her marriage. Mr. and Mrs. Cremans became the parents of the following children : Joseph, who married Miss Maud Bronson, has four sons, Joe, Earl, Jack and Donald, and is a railroad conductor; Mary, who married Charles Manswaring, a railroad conductor; John, who is a railroad man; Christine, who is a graduate of the Spokane High School and the Cheney Normal School, and is now the wife of Bernard R. Huetter, a Spokane contractor; and Tom, who is in the em- ploy of the Great Northern Railroad. Mr. Cremans belongs to the Masons and the Order of Railroad Conductors. He is a very strong republican, and has always voted the straight ticket of his party. He is a progressive man, always giving his moral sup- port to every movement he believes will work out for the good of the majority, and few stand any higher in public esteem. Mrs. Cremans is an ideal hostess, and those enjoying the hospitality of the Cadillac Hotel have reason to appreciate the home- like influence she creates there. She shares the pop- ularity of her husband and is called the "best-liked woman" in Flathead County.

LEVI H. SWEETLAND, who is spending his declining years amid the comforts of the Montana Soldiers Home at Columbia Falls, is not only a veteran of the Civil war, but was a soldier who helped rid Montana of hostile Indians during the '70s.

. He was born in LaSalle County, Illinois, son of Harrison W. and Harriet Sweetland. He was twen- ty-five years of age when he enlisted on June 3, 1864, in Company F of the One Hundred and Forty- Fourth Illinois Infantry. He did guard duty at Columbus, Kentucky, and at other points in the South, and received his honorable discharge at Chicago.

In 1884 he married Mrs. Mary McNary. She died, and in 1885 he married Mrs. Mary M. Brown. .

Mr. Sweetland came to Montana in 1876. For five years he was a regular soldier and participated in many of the notable Indian campaigns. On May 7, 1877, he was under General Miles in an all day battle with the Sioux and Cheyenne tribes. September 30, 1877, he was in a battle which resulted in a victory for the American troops against the Nez Perce Indians.

Mr. Sweetland filed on a homestead and developed a fine ranch, planting fruit and shade trees, and he still owns this estate, which is rented, while he enjoys the companionship of some of his old com- rades at Columbia Falls. Mr. Sweetland is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church and in politics is a stanch republican. He came to Montana when much of the country was wild and inhabited only by Indians, and has made good use of his opportunities, has exercised industry and always manifested the qualities of a good citizen. He served some years as a school director. He was deprived of the compan- ionship of his good wife by her death in 1902. She was a splendid Christian woman and had a host of friends. Mr. and Mrs. Sweetland were very fond of children, and their home was known as the orphans home. Sometimes they had as many as six or eight orphan children. When death would break up a family in their community, leaving dependent children, the invariable answer to the question as to what would be done with these orphans was that they should be placed with Mr. and Mrs. Sweet- land. Thus they performed an unselfish service in rearing and providing for so many young people.

WILLIAM WAMER is an old time Montana citizen, a resident of the territory and state over forty

MR. AND MRS. J. H. STEVENS AND FAMILY Taken in 1912

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years, and as a veteran Union soldier is now spend- ing his declining days in the Montana Soldiers Home at Columbia Falls. .

He was born in Muskingum County, Ohio, a son of Philip and Prudence Wamer, and in 1837, when he was a child, his parents moved to Bloomington, Illinois. He acquired his education in the public schools of that state. As a young man with all the strength and vigor of youth he enlisted in Piatt County, Illinois, in Company F of the Second Illi- nois Cavalry, under Colonel Noble of Bloomington. He was in one of the early fights at the beginning of the campaign for the Mississippi Valley at Bel- mont, Missouri, following which he was at Colum- bus, Kentucky, where the Second Illinois Cavalry were the first troops to enter the city. He was also at Holly Springs, Mississippi, at Oxford, Tennessee, and in the battles of Champion Hill and the many engagements included in the siege of Vicksburg. He was under Grant and Sherman as a member of the Thirteenth Army Corps. After Vicksburg he was at Jackson, Mississippi, and the concluding months of his service were spent in Southern Texas. He was mustered out at San Antonio November 25, 1865, after having spent four years, four months and ten days as a Union soldier. He had enlisted for three years and reenlisted for another three years or during the war at New Iberia, Louisiana. Thus he fought from practically the beginning to the very end of the struggle for the integrity of the Union.

After getting his discharge he returned home, and on February 19, 1873, in Missouri, married Miss Zina See, a native of Illinois, and a daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Jonathan See. To their marriage were born six children, Maud, Pearl, Cary, Lula, Lucy, and Edna. Those who reached mature years finished their educations in the high school at Great Falls, Montana. Maud and Edna were both graduates. Maud, now deceased, was the wife of George Stuffel and had two children, Gladys and Louis. Cary married Thomas Hurley, and has two children, Francis and Helen. Lula is the wife of Theodore Johnson and has a daughter, Mabel. Lucy married Edward Sanborn, and her four children were Harold, Leslie, William and Bettie. Edna became the wife of Harry Adams and has a daughter, Gladys Jane.

Mr. and Mrs. Wamer were members of the Meth- odist Episcopal Church of Great Falls. He is affili- ated with Custer Post No. 5 of the Grand Army of the Republic, and politically has always voted in line with the principles for which he fought as a soldier, with the republican party.

In 1878 Mr. Wamer came overland to Montana, arriving at Bozeman. Two years later Mrs. Wamer followed him, coming to Fort Benton by boat. They lived at Fort Benton for 41/2 years, and then moved to Great Falls, where Mr. Wamer was one of the earliest pioneers. He erected the first house in that town and was engaged in the livery business for a number of years. Later he bought a relinquishment and developed his claim and homestead for twelve years. After that he returned to Great Falls and was a resident of that city until he entered the Montana Soldiers Home.

JESS H. STEVENS is carrying on a general law practice at Kalispell. He was born at Salina, Kan- sas, January 25, 1877, a son of John A. and Sarah I. (Gilstrap) Stevens.

Jess H. Stevens obtained a liberal education in the high school of Centerville, Iowa, to which city his parents had moved when he was still a lad, and then read law and became a student of the law depart- ment of Drake University of Des Moines, Iowa. In 1900 he was admitted to the Iowa bar and the fol-

lowing year to that of Montana, having come to Kalispell in that year. Mr. Stevens steadily advanced in his profession and in 1908 was elected attorney for Flathead County. During his term of office he had appointed the first probation officer in the state, the following circumstances leading him to ask for the appointment. Three boys were arrested and jailed. Upon inquiry Mr. Stevens found they were all old offenders who had been in the reform school, who had so little benefited by their former punish- ment that they had again broken the law. He felt that to return them to the reform school would only increase their criminality, so he sought to have them placed in the charge of a responsible party so they could have a real chance to redeem themselves. His plan proved so successful that others took the mat- ter up and now the custom prevails all over the state. Mr. Stevens belongs to the Northwestern Montana and American Bar associations, and is a believer in these professional organizations.

While still a student at Drake University Mr. Stevens enlisted in Company E, Fiftieth Iowa Vol- unteer Infantry, and served during the Spanish- American war.

He was married to Miss Helen Howard, of Kirk- wood, Georgia, a daughter of Colonel George W. and Sarah Howard, the former of whom was a colonel in the Confederate army. Mrs. Stevens was educated in the . schools of Atlanta and Athens, Georgia, and was graduated from the Kirkwood, Georgia, High School. Mr. and Mrs. Stevens had two children, Sarah Martha, generally called "Dixie"; and John Howard. 'On September 26, 1912, Mrs. Stevens was taken from her home and family by death. She was a lovely lady and her loss was deeply felt by the entire community. Mr. Stevens is a Mason and Odd Fellow and belongs to the Modern Woodmen. In politics he is a stanch republican, and was delegated to represent his dis- trict at the national convention of his party which nominated Charles E. Hughes for the presidency at Chicago in 1916, and has also served as delegate to republican state conventions. He was a member of the committee on resolutions at the Great Falls convention of the republican party in 1912 that made the first endorsement of woman suffrage in Mon- tana, and as a delegate to the national convention he was in favor of granting the right of franchise to women. In 1920 he was a candidate for the re- publican nomination for associate justice of the State Supreme Court, but was defeated by a narrow mar- gin of votes. Mr. Stevens is a firm believer in a non-partisan judiciary. During the more than twenty years he has been in practice at Kalispell he has proven his worth as a man and attorney, and in his practice is reaping the results of his integrity, legal knowledge and general uprightness.

MRS. HARRIET SHOAF, proprietor of the Lindell rooming house of Whitefish, is one of the active busi- ness women of Flathead County and one who enjoys the confidence and esteem of all who know her. She was born in Franklin, County, Ohio, a daughter of Washington and Martha E. (Ludlow) Simpson, the latter heing a native of Canada of English parent- age. Washington Simpson was born in Ross County, Ohio, and was a farmer by occupation. He and his wife had twelve children, of whom Mrs. Shoaf was the third in order of birth.

Growing up in Franklin County, Ohio, Harriet Simpson attended its schools and was there united in marriage with Henry Shoaf. Mr. and Mrs. Shoaf became the parents of the following children : Cary, who died at the age of nine years; Herbert. who is a clergyman of the Methodist Episcopal

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Church, married Nellie Sams, a talented vocalist, and their children are Herbert, Jr., Doris, Evelyn, Aubrey, Nellie and Josephine; Martha who married J. W. Schofield, of Fullerton, Nebraska, has a son, Marion, a graduate of the Boone County, Nebraska, High School; Randall, who is employed by the Great Northern Railroad at Whitefish; James, who is mas- ter mechanic on the Great Northern Railroad, re- sides at Great Falls, and is married to Marie Lano, and has one daughter, Mary Ellen; John, who died at the age of thirty-one years, was a railroad con- ductor, was injured in an accident on the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad in Nebraska, and left a widow, who had borne the maiden name of Hazel Hause, and one son, Harry; and Marie, who married J. E. Harrison, an engineer of the Great Northern Railroad, has a son, Jacque. She was edu- cated at Wesley University and specialized in music, becoming a fine vocalist. In 1917 Mr. Shoaf was taken from his family by death, and is sincerely mourned, for he had been a kind and indulgent hus- band and father. Mrs. Shoaf has continued her rooming house business, although in 1919 much of the responsibility was taken off her shoulders by Mrs. Harrison.

Mr. Shoaf early connected himself with the Meth- odist Episcopal Church, to which Mrs. Shoaf also belongs. In politics he was a republican. Mrs. Shoaf belongs to the Eastern Star. For twenty-five years Mr. and Mrs. Shoaf were residents of Ne- braska, spending fifteen years of that time in the suburbs of Lincoln, where the children were edu- cated. For six years Mrs. Shoaf was engaged in institutional work as matron at the Lincoln Girls' Industrial Home at Milford, Nebraska, and was very competent and well liked. At the time of Mr. Shoaf's death Mrs. Shoaf was conducting a bakery and restaurant in addition to her rooming house, but later sold them. She is a bright, progressive woman, optimistic and energetic. Her great aim in life was to give her children good educational advan- tages, and deemed no sacrifice too great to accom- plish it. She has been spared to see her children develop into fine men and women as the result of her foresight and watchful care.

MOTHER ST. JOSEPH is the Mother Superior of the "Religious Hospitalers of St. Joseph," located at Polson, Montana. This organization came here from Kingston, Ontario, Canada, to open a hospital, and besides Mother St. Joseph there are two other sis- ters in charge, Sister Mary of the Sacred Heart and Sister Leahy. The hospital was opened in September, 1916, and has used temporary quarters, but for all the disadvantage the organization has accomplished a magnificent work and has rendered a great service to the people of the Flathead Valley. All classes have learned to appreciate the good done by these consecrated hospitalers, and plans are now under way for the construction of a fireproof $30,000 hospital, that will give the Flathead country hospital facilities equal to any in any part of the state. The subscription list for the building was headed by Colonel A. A. White, who gave his personal check for $1,000. He was moved to this act by special gratitude to Sister St. Joseph for her kind attention to him during a severe illness.

Mother St. Josephi came of a Catholic family and at the age of fifteen determined to consecrate her life to the church and to helping suffering humanity. She had a two years' trial as a novice and was then accepted by the community and has now spent forty- seven years in dutiful obedience to her vows. In the course of her experience she lived at Cornwall, Canada, at Chicago, and then at Kingston, Ontario.

While there a call came from Father O'Maley of Polson for volunteers to establish a hospital, and Mother St. Joseph with two other sisters, Sister Mary of the Sacred Heart and Sister Leahy, were the volunteers for the arduous service.

I. R. AFFLERBAUGH, proprietor of the Polson Pack- ing Company, has been a resident of Montana twenty years, and has gained his standing as a business man and citizen in the Flathead country and is extremely loyal to his favorite section of Montana.

He was born in Nebraska, a son of N. W. and Leah (Erb) Afflerbaugh, and received his education in the public schools of his native state. Twenty years ago when he came to Montana he settled at LaSalle, locating on a farm, and subsequently home- steaded at Polson.

In Nebraska he married Miss Dora Steiger, a native of Illinois, but reared and educated in Ne- braska. Her parents were Jacob and Sophie (Snyder) Steiger.

Mr. Afflerbangh on moving to his homestead at Polson engaged in farming and stock raising, and gradually has prospered and made his present busi- ness one of the leading institutions of its kind in Northern Montana. He and his wife have five chil- dren, Harvey, Reta, Loren, Ira and Wilber. All are being given the advantages of the Polson High School. Mr. and Mrs. Afflerbaugh attend the Meth- odist Episcopal Church. Fraternally he is affiliated with the Knights of Pythias and in politics supports the republican party. He served as a member of the school board at LaSalle and also at Valley View, and has always taken an interest in educa- tional matters. His business record can be surveyed without finding a flaw, and at every stage of his career he has deserved the esteem of his fellow men. Mrs. Afflerbaugh is a fine homemaker, and is a Christian woman of refinement and culture.

J. K. HOWE, of Hot Springs, is one of the honored veterans of America's great war between its two sections over half a century ago. He was born at Montpelier, Vermont, a son of John and Polly (Reed) Howe, natives of New England. In 1857 J. K. Howe went as far west as Minnesota, and was residing in that state when, at the age of twenty- three years, he enlisted in Company D, Seventh Min- nesota Volunteer Infantry, and his first year in the army was spent fighting Indians in Minnesota and the more western country. He was sent south with his regiment, and for six months was stationed at St. Louis, Missouri, and then was engaged in raid- ing expeditions in different parts of the south, and was discharged in Minnesota after a brave and gallant service.

In 1861 Mr. Howe was married to Elizabeth Yol- ton, and they had two children, namely: Irwin, who married Justine Lies, is president of the Howe News Bureau, of Chicago, Illinois, and has three children, Alice, Margaret and Fred; and Carrie, who married Ed Rudd, lives at Neosho, Missouri, and has four children ; Blanche, Harry, Ward and Ella. On Sep- tember 17, 1876, Mr. Howe was married secondly to Margaret Nesmith, born in Schuylkill, Pennsylvania, a daughter of James and Agnes (McIntyre) Ne- smith, natives of Scotland. Mr. and Mrs. Howe be- came the parents of four children, namely : James ; Mary, who married John Christie, resides at Camas, Montana, on a ranch ; and has two children, Margaret and Elsie; Clarence, who married Lulu Webb, of Oklahoma, resides in Minnesota, and has four chil- dren, Raymond, Emma, Elizabeth and Irwin; and Hattie, who married Harvey Burke, a ranchman of Camas Prairie has a son, Joseph.

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Mr. and Mrs. Howe belong to the Methodist Episcopal Church of Hot Springs. When he was liv- ing in Minnesota Mr. Howe joined the Grand Army of the Republic, and enjoys meeting his old comrades at the different reunions. No history of Montana would be complete without definite mention of the women of this state. Side by side they worked with their husbands, giving them at all times a hearty support, and never faltered no matter how difficult the way. They brought up their children to be useful men and women, and can now look back upon well spent lives.

Coming to Montana many years ago, Mr. and Mrs. Howe developed a valuable ranch, and lived upon it until increasing years suggested a retirement, and they now reside at Hot Springs, where they are enjoying the comforts their industry and thrift have provided for them. They are most estimable people who enjoy the respect and confidence of a wide circle of friends. Their children have done well and are winning approval in the several communities in which they have settled. It is such people as Mr. and Mrs. Howe and their sons and daughters who make up the great backbone of American citizen- ship, and are developing the country west of the Mis- sissippi River into the great section it has become. They are naturally proud of what they have accom- plished, they and the other pioneers, and the coming generations will look back and revere their memory.

ARLIE M. FOOR began his career at Wolf Point in 1917 as a young and hopeful lawyer, practiced with his old classmate of law school, Hugh N. Marron, until he left his office to enter the army, and since his military service has given his time and enthusi- asm to his duties as executive secretary of the Wolf Point Commercial Club. He has been the real leader of that organization, some of whose achievements are briefly noted in the following paragraphs.

Mr. Foor was born at Lithopolis, Ohio, July 29, 1892. The name Foor is said to be a corruption of Foos, and the remote ancestors probably came from Denmark. The grandfather of the Montana lawyer was George Foor, who settled in Ohio from Penn- sylvania, and like most of the earlier generations of the family was a farmer. He spent many years in Central Ohio, and is buried at Lithopolis. In his family were four sons and three daughters: Cal- vin, a farmer who died at Ashville, Ohio; Frank, who lives at Ashville; Ella, who died at Jefferson, Ohio, wife of Henry Weimer; Harvey, father of Arlie M .; Bertha, Mrs. Harvey M. Morehart, of Canal Winchester, Ohio; Ida, wife of Lute Heller, of Columbus, Ohio; and Albert, of Lithopolis.

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Montana, its story and biography; a history of aboriginal and territorial Montana and three decades of statehood, Volume III, Part 61

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