Montana, its story and biography; a history of aboriginal and territorial Montana and three decades of statehood, Volume III, Part 66

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 66

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Mr. Ziebarth is vice president of the Lohman State Bank of Chinook, and is one of its original stock- holders. He was chairman of the Four Minute men of Blaine County during the war period, and gave much of his time to producing food on his farm.

On April 6, 1892, Albert W. Ziebarth was mar- ried at Delano, Minnesota, to Julia H. Strauch, a daughter of Theodore and Helen (Epply) Strauch. Mr. Strauch was born in Hesse, Germany, from whence he came to Minnesota, and was there en- gaged in farming until his death, which occurred in 1919. He was one of four brothers educated for the specific purpose of manufacturing piano forte action, but only two of them followed out the plans of their father. They are Peter D. and William Strauch, of Strauch Brothers Piano Forte Action Company of New York, the second largest concern in the United States that is engaged in this indus- try. Mr. and Mrs. Theodore Strauch became the parents of the following children: Theodore, Louis, Frank, Fred, Mrs. Louisa Wagner, Mrs. Ziebarth and Mrs. Anna Buri, the latter having been a resident of Annandale, Minnesota, at the time of her death.

Mrs. Ziebarth was born in Wright County, Minne- sota, July 1, 1807, was there educated in the public schools, and married when she was twenty-two years of age. The children of Mr. and Mrs. Zie- barth are as follows: Harold, who was born at Assiniboine, Montana, 1893, is engaged in farming near Chinook, enlisted for service during the World war, in the Veterinary Corps in June, 1918, and was overseas until July, 1919; Dorothy, who was born at Fort Benton, Montana, April 30, 1896, was educated in the College of Agriculture at Boze- man, Montana; Edgar T., who was born at Chi- nook, Montana, in December, 1898, was educated in the city high school and enlisted for service during the late war, in November, 1917, in the aviation branch of the army, was sent to England, where he served until within ten days of the signing of the armistice, when he was sent to France, and was there for a few months before he was ordered home, and was discharged in July, 1919, and is now shipping clerk with the Heintz Company of Seattle, Washington; and Julia, who is attending the Chinook High School. They lost a daughter, Helen, who died when five years of age.

Mr. and Mrs. Ziebarth are members of the Pres- byterian Church, and she has always taken an active interest in church affairs. Since a girl of fourteen years she has been church organist and has served the different churches in the several communities in which she has lived. Both she and Mr. Ziebarth are very popular. They have a fine family, and are justly regarded as being among the most rep- resentative people of the county.

EDWARD STUBBAN. To Edward Stubban belongs the distinction of being one of the founders of Medicine Lake and one of its pioneer merchants and business men. His identification with this local-

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HISTORY OF MONTANA

ity dates from the 20th of June, 1906, when he came to Sheridan County seeking a location. His first act toward the establishment of a home here was the location of his claim. This portion of the region had not yet been surveyed, and by the rota- tion of his wagon wheel from the closest Govern- ment line he determined quite accurately where his land lines would eventually be drawn, and he thus settled about where his filing and entry were after- ward made. He built himself a one-room shack at old Medicine Lake, which town he founded, and there he soon engaged in mercantile pursuits, build- ing a one-room store room against his shack. Al- though his capital was small, the demand was also small. A postoffice was established at this location in the fall of 1906 and given the name of Flandrem, which has changed to Medicine Lake in 1908.

This pioneer business man of Medicine Lake, one of the town's first four merchants and one of the three still identified therewith, is a native of Trond- jem, Norway, born March 23, 1876, a son of Arnt and Marie Stubban, both of whom were also born at Trondjem and are still living there. Their seven children are all living, and three are residents of the United States. Samuel was the first of the family to come to the United States, and he is now a resident of Minneapolis, Minnesota. He was fol- lowed by his brother Edward, the sixth born of the children, and finally Louie left the Norway home and is now in Spokane, Washington.

The early home life of Edward Stubban was spent on the farm. He attended the public schools of his native locality, and pursued a preparatory course for entering a military training school, but upon examination for entry was rejected for physical de- fect in one finger. Deciding then to come to the United States, he sailed from Trondjem on a cattle boat bound for Halifax, continued on to Minne- apolis and there joined his brother, who was and still is a mechanic in that city. Mr. Stubban soon secured a place in a factory at a wage of 121/2 cents an hour, later worked in a furniture factory, and then spent three months in the woods salvaging timber after a big fire. At this time he was being paid from $12 to $14 a month, which proved barely sufficient for living expenses, and at the end of the month he returned to Minneapolis and entered night school to learn English spelling, for he found it much harder to spell than to write the English lan- guage.

After a time Mr. Stubban secured employment in the Pillsbury "A" Mill, where he made his first real money. Business conditions were much im- proved at this time, the panic which had been sweeping over the country having subsided, and with the small capital he had saved from his earnings he engaged in the furniture and undertaking busi- ness in Triumph, Minnesota, but soon disposed of this business and returned to Minneapolis September 6, 1901, a day made memorable on account of the assassination of President Mckinley. Mr. Stubban resumed work with a milling company as a wheat scaler, thus beginning life again at the bottom round, and after three months he moved his family to Turtle River in Northern Minnesota and found work in a saw mill. In the spring of 1912 he removed to Cass Lake and continued as a wage worker there until October Ist following, when he went to Bem- idje, Minnesota, and obtained work on the construc- tion of a large saw mill during that winter. With the coming of spring he had saved sufficient money to open a little store at Aure on the old Red Lake Reservation. While there he took out his citizenship

papers and cast his first vote. Business was then good among the lumber camps of that region, and he left Aure with more capital than he had taken there. He sold his business there to go to Newburg, North Dakota, whence he came to Culbertson, Mont- ana, enroute to his final location at Medicine Lake.

Mr. Stubban drove his own team into this local- ity, bringing his family. His team was a pair of western bronchos, with which he broke sod and be- gan the active work of farming on his claim. He proved up his land and followed farming and team- ing until he disposed of his homestead. During the year 1912 his wheat crop averaged about thirty bushels to the acre, that having been his banner grain year, and the market price ranged from 65 to 85 cents a bushel.

Leaving the claim, Mr. Stubban came to the new townsite of Medicine Lake and entered upon his career as a merchant, a career that has brought him success and recognition. The panic of 1907 seriously interfered with his mercantile progress, and he lost his capital and for a time was obliged to discontinue the business. In the fall of 1908, believing in the future of the locality and from the proceeds of a small crop which he had raised, he purchased another stock of goods and resumed busi- ness in the old building, continuing there until the railroad came, when his store and contents were moved to the new site of Medicine Lake and to the lot upon which his store now stands. His orig- inal store was a building 20 by 24 feet, and it still does duty as the front part of his present build- ing. He carries a general stock of merchandise.

Mr. Stubban was appointed the first postmaster of Medicine Lake, continuing in the office until Au- gust 1, 1913. The cancellations when the office was established amounted to about 50 cents a week, but when he turned the office over to his successor it was of the third class, with a salary of $1,400. Mr. Stubban was one of the organizers of and a stock- holder in the Farmers Telephone Company, the Farmers Elevator and the Medicine Lake Flour Mills.

In Minneapolis, Minnesota, October 5, 1898, Mr. Stubban was married to Miss Hanna Fossum, who was born at Lansdale in Rice County, Minnesota, March 24, 1877, a daughter of Johannes Fossum, a Minnesota pioneer from Trondjem, Norway. The following children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Stubban : Minda, wife of Dewey Wigmore, of Min- neapolis; Johnnie, a first-class private in the Seventh Field Battalion of the Signal Corps, Fort Bliss, Texas; and Margaret, Gina, Norman, Ivan, Esther and James.

Mr. Stubban took an active part in raising war funds at . Medicine Lake, and was a committeeman in every drive made. He was the head of the com- mittee for the sale of War Savings Stamps, and the school district to which he was assigned raised more than $3,000 in one day. On June 5, 1917, in the first d. ' > made for selective service men, he was head he committee for the sale of .War

Savings S for voting precinct No. 36 of Sheri- dan Coun:

ELZEOR DE A f Eureka has been more than a pioneer of Montana in the sense that he has lived here nearly forty years. He has been a part of the constructive development which has transformed a large section of the northwestern country. He has put his shoulder to the wheel when progress was needed, and possessed of the characteristic vigor and industry of his French ancestry has con-

Eleor Demer and Family

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HISTORY OF MONTANA

trived to grow in wisdom and in resources and in- fluences with passing years.

Mr. De Mers, who is a rancher and vice president of the Farmers and Merchants State Bank of Eureka, was born in the Province of Quebec, Can- ada, a son of Alexander De Mers. He acquired his education in his native country, and in 1882 first came to Montana. Subsequently he traveled extensively over the United States and in 1888 set- tled on land near the present site of Eureka. At that time this was a very wild country, only six- teen white men and one white woman being in the entire valley. Indians and wild game abounded, and Indians were exceedingly troublesome during the first year or so Mr. De Mers was here, breaking into the homes of settlers, destroying property, kill- ing and running off livestock.

At Columbia Falls Mr. De Mers married Miss Amine Dewey. Two children were born to their union, Lela and Albert, now students in the pub- lic schools of Eureka, and formerly in school at Los Angeles. Mrs. De Mers died in April, 1917. She possessed many lovable qualities, was a kind neighbor, a good wife and a devout Christian, being active in the Methodist Church. The daughter, Lela, is now active superintendent of her father's home and Albert is also with his father.

Mr. De Mers has spent his life in stock raising and ranching and has acquired the ownership of about 1,200 acres, including the site on which Eureka was built. He is an ardent republican in politics, and has always been counted upon to support every progressive measure in his section of the state. When Lincoln County was created from Flathead County he was appointed one of the first commis- sioners, and helped inaugurate the business of the new county. He also has served as a school di- rector, and fraternally is a member of the Masonic Order. Eight years ago Mr. De Mers erected a home fitting his financial position and constructed a beautiful modern bungalow on top of one of the hills overlooking Eureka. This home is supplied with electric light, running water and every modern facility. Mr. De Mers has traveled extensively and seen much of the United States, Canada and other portions of America, including Old Mexico, but no country has ever seemed to fulfill so nearly the demands of his critical judgment as does Montana. He spent a year in California in 1919 with his children, while giving them the educational oppor- tunities of Los Angeles. Mr. De Mers is especially able to appreciate the astounding progress of Mon- tana, since he knew · Helena, Bozeman and other splendid cities when they were mere villages or mining camps.

JOHN DAILEY is the postmaster of Medicine Lake, and he has been identified with the life and inter- ests of this portion of Sheridan County since 1907. At that time he was appointed a United States com- missioner, entered upon his duties, and continued in the office until 1915, refusing a renewal of his commission at that time to enter upon his duties as postmaster. He was first appointed to the office of postmaster in 1913, was re-appointed in 1918, and succeeded in office Edward Stubban, who is still a business man of Medicine Lake.

In his office as postmaster Mr. Dailey was brought into close association with the war work which was carried on at Medicine Lake and vicinity, and he was also a member of the Sheridan County Council of Defense.

Mr. Dailey is a native of Bourbon County, Ken- tucky, born January 8, 1857. William Dailey, his father, was born in County Limerick, Ireland, and

came to the United States in 1848. Locating in Ken- tucky, he was engaged in the construction of the Big Sandy Railroad as a contractor, and from that state subsequently moved to St. Louis, Missouri. He was ill at the time of the removal, and his death occurred soon afterward. William Dailey married Johanna Kelly, who was also born in County Lim- erick, Ireland, and she died at Pierce City, Mis- souri, in 1898, at the age of sixty-seven. Their children were: Mary, who married John Fitzgerald, of Pierce City, Missouri; John, of Medicine Lake, Montana; and James, who died at Joplin, Missouri, in 1918.

John Dailey moved with his parents to St. Louis, Missouri, in 1859, and there he grew to years of maturity and received his educational training. After leaving the schoolroom he began learning the ship carpenter's trade, but the wages he received at that work proved insufficient to support himself, his mother and his brother, who were under his care, and he went to work at the packing plant of Fagan McQueen & Company. After ten years there he went to Southwestern Missouri, and from 1880 until 1887 made his home at Pierce City. During those seven years he was engaged in railroading and farming, and when the railroad division moved to Monett, Missouri, he followed it and upon the recom- mendation of Congressman Charles H. Morgan was appointed postmaster of that town and served in that office four years. From Monett he went into the mining district of Joplin, where he spent the . accumulations of his former years of work and in Montana he began the battle of life anew.

In this state Mr. Dailey entered a homestead 21/2 miles northeast of Medicine Lake, where he erected a shack home of the pioneer period, and this rude dwelling sheltered him while he was acquiring his title to the land. He subsequently proved up a desert claim, and this he still owns.

In Pierce City, Missouri, November 7, 1894, Mr. Dailey was married to. Miss Alice O'Brien, who was born in Chicago. To them have been born the following children: Mary, whose home is in Springfield, Missouri; William, a prominent breeder of Poland China hogs and a resident of Pierce City ; Dorothy, a student in the Pierce City High School, as is also her sister Hilda; and John, who is attend- ing school at Pierce City.

LEONARD A. BROWN. The necessity is clear that the administration of the law should be accessible to all not only in name but also in deed, and that the people be protected by the enforcement of the law and the conviction of those who have violated it. In order to secure these rights it is proper and right to place these matters in the hands of care- fully trained professional men who not only them- selves understand the proper interpretation of the law, but can explain its manifold ramifications to others, and so secure justice to the accused and the victim. One of the able members of the legal pro- fession now located at Froid is Leonard A. Brown, who has been established here since May, 1916.

Leonard A. Brown was born in Faulkner County, Arkansas, on November 1, 1890, a son of William A. Brown, born at Conway, Arkansas, on Decem- ber 18, 1866. He was married there to Miss Almyra J. Hale, a daughter of William Hale, formerly from Mississippi, from which state the paternal grand- parents also came in their migration to Arkansas. During the war between the states the two grand- fathers of Leonard A. Brown, Granville A. Brown and William Hale, were soldiers in the Confederate army and fought bravely for the "Lost Cause." With

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HISTORY OF MONTANA

the close of the war conditions were so discourag- ing in Mississippi that they sought different sur- roundings and other opportunities in Arkansas and found them as farmers. William A. Brown and his wife became the parents of eight children, namely : Leonard A., of Froid, Montana; Weaver W., of Oklahoma; and Norman E., Homer B., Marvin, Adris, Alma and Clara, all of Blue, Oklahoma.

When he was seventeen years old Leonard A. Brown went with his parents to Oklahoma and lo- cated with them at Blue, Bryan County, they, like the former generation, seeking broader opportuni- ties for expansion, and looking for it in a less de- veloped part of the country. Having completed his eighth grade school work in his native county, Leon- ard Brown continued his studies at the Central Nor- mal College of Danville, Indiana, and then took a legal course in the law department of that institu- tion, from which he was gradnated with his degree. For a year thereafter Mr. Brown was engaged in teaching school at Perryville, Arkansas, following which he was at Durrant, Oklahoma, for a time, and then going to Parker, Colorado, he resumed teaching. When he came to Froid he established himself in an active practice and was just nicely started when this country entered the World war. He had tried his first lawsnit in Froid, although he was admitted to the bar at Perryville in 1914. This suit was a civil one for wages, tried before a jus- tice of the peace, Mr. Brown appearing for the de- · fendant, and he won it by appealing to the statute of limitation. He soon displayed an order of ability that secured him recognition, and he formed a part- nership with David F. Mclaughlin under the firm name of Brown & Mclaughlin, which continued until Mr. Brown's enlistment for service.

In December. 1917, Mr. Brown enlisted in the army at Great Falls, Montana, and was sent to Spo- kane, Washington, and thence to Waco, Texas, and was there assigned to the One Hundred and Sixtieth Aero Squadron. He was then sent to the Wilbur Wright Field, Ohio, and on November 8, 1918, was assigned to the Field Artillery Officers' Training School at Camp Zachary Taylor, Louisville, Ken- tucky, where he was stationed when the armistice was signed. At that time he was given his choice of being discharged or continuing in the service, and he chose the former and received his honorable dis- charge in December, 1918, and returned to Froid in Jannary, 1919.

Mr. Brown comes of a democratic family and he cast his first presidential vote for Woodrow Wil- son in 1912. He was secretary and treasurer of the Woodrow Wilson Club of Froid in 1916, but aside from that his part in politics has been that of a lay- man.

On August 29, 1917, Mr. Brown was married to Miss Lucile Alpha Ryburn, born in Hood County, Texas, on August 8, 1894, a danghter of J. A. and Jennie (Middleton) Ryburn. Mrs. Brown is the second of the four surviving children of her parents, namely : Murray Ryburn, of Dillon, Montana ; Law- rence J., a. marine stationed in Cuba ; and "Buster," stationed at Fort Worth Texas. Mr. and Mrs. Brown have no children. Mrs. Brown belongs to the Metho- dist Church and was an active participant in the local Red Cross work during the World war.

MRS. MATTIE DONALDSON, postmistress of Froid and one of the most highly respected residents of Sheridan County, has held her present position since April, 1916, although she has been in the postoffice since December, 1914, when her late husband was appointed postmaster. She was born in Wabasha

County, Minnesota, and was reared in the vicinity of Weaver and Plainview, that state. She is a daugh- ter of William and Louise (Painter) Nicholson. William Nicholson was born in Oho and became an early settler of Wabasha County, Minnesota, going there from Indiana in the '6os. He was married in Indiana, where he had been taken in childhood, and several of his children were born in that state. Later in life he located at Dawson, Minnesota, where he and his family were engaged in the restaurant business, and there he died in November, 1908, aged eighty-six years, his widow surviving hm untl 1913, when she also died at Dawson, aged eighty-one years. Their children were as follows: George and John, both of whom live at Dawson, Minnesota; and Mattie, who is Mrs. Donaldson of this article.

Mrs. Donaldson attended the country schools of Minnesota and became a rural school teacher when only sixteen years old. Unlike a number of women, she did not abandon her work with her marriage, but was engaged in teaching in both Minnesota and Montana after she became Mrs. Donaldson, she and her husband being in the' schoolroom at the same time. Her last term of school was that taught in the Zich District near Froid in 1915. When her husband was appointed postmaster she became his assistant, and at his death she was appointed his suc- cessor.

On April 26, 1893, Mattie Nicholson was married to George Donaldson at Dawson, Minnesota. He was born at Chicago, Illinois, on August 26, 1868, a son of Robert and Alice (McGuire) Donaldson. Robert Donaldson was born in Canada, near the New York State line, and early in life came to the United States and spent some time in New York State. All of his mature years he was a farmer, and he became successful in that calling. A strong democrat, he adhered to his party lines, and he was equally faithful in religious matters, having been a life-long Roman Catholic. His father, who was Scotch by birth, came to Canada in young manhood, thus establishing the family in the new world. Alice McGuire was of Irish stock, and, like her husband, was a strong Roman Catholic. Their children who who reached maturity were four sons and five daughters, of whom George Donaldson was the eld- est. Mr. and Mrs. George Donaldson became the parents of three children, namely: Floyd, who died at Bainville, Montana, when almost thirteen years of age; and Paul and John, both of whom are stu- dents in the Froid schools.

George Donaldson was reared in Lacquiparle County, Minnesota, and attended first the common schools, then Caton's Business College at Minneap- olis, Minnesota, following which he became a stu- dent of the Normal School at Mankota, Minnesota. In order to earn the money to continue his studies he taught school before he completed his normal school course, and subsequent to his graduation was principal of the Froid school, but resigned from the schoolroom to accept the office of postmaster. It was not, however, as a school teacher that Mr. Don- aldson came west, but as agent for the Imperial Lumber Company, first at Overly, North Dakota. from whence he was transferred to Mondak, Mon- tana, in the spring of 1906. Still later Mr. Donald- son, together with his hrother and some other stock- holders, formed the Bond Lumber Company, which had a yard at Fairview, Montana. In the mean- while Mr. Donaldson had purchased a relinquish- ment claim adjacent to Bainville, Montana, and there Mrs. Donaldson and the children resided until Mr. Donaldson sold his interest in the Bond Lumber Company and joined them. After several years' resi-

um Dibbits

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HISTORY OF MONTANA

dence on this property Mr. Donaldson sold it at a fair compensation for the improvements made on it and moved to Froid. From December, 1914 until his death on February 23, 1916, he was postmaster of Froid, and, as before stated, was succeeded by his widow. In the meanwhile the Donaldsons had so expanded the business of the office that it became an appointative one and Mrs. Donaldson was ap- pointed postmistress by President Wilson in April, 1916.

Mrs. Donaldson was brought up in a republican household and taught to think for herself, so that when she was given the right of suffrage by her state she exercised it and intends to continue to do her duty as a citizen. During the late war she was very active in Red Cross work. Her pleasant six- room residence was planned and constructed under the supervision of her and her husband.

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Montana, its story and biography; a history of aboriginal and territorial Montana and three decades of statehood, Volume III, Part 66

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