Montana, its story and biography; a history of aboriginal and territorial Montana and three decades of statehood, Volume III, Part 72

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 72

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In 1913 Roy H. Johnson arrived in Montana, a young and enthusiastic lad of nineteen years, and he established himself in the embryo Town of Glas- gow and entered upon the duties of a clerk and stenographer in the office of R. E. Johnson, the founder of the Valley County Abstract Company. When Sheridan County was created two years later R. E. and C. C. Johnson of Mondak and Roy H. Johnson organized the abstract business in Sheridan County, and in November of that year, 1913, Roy H. Johnson assumed the management of the busi- ness and has continued to transact its affairs ever since, save when he wore the uniform of his coun- try as a soldier in training for the World war. The partnership in the Sheridan County Abstract Com- pany was dissolved upon the death of the senior member of the firm, R. E. Johnson. C. C. and Roy H. Johnson are also the owners of the Roose- velt County Abstract Company at Mondak.

With the exception of always casting an intelli- gent and patriotic ballot and working for the up-

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building of his community Roy H. Johnson has never been an active participant in political affairs. His first presidential vote was given to Colonel Roosevelt, and he became a member of the progres- sive party in 1912, while in 1916 he supported Hughes for the presidency and is a believer in republican principles. He entered the ranks as a soldier April 23, 1918, enlisting in the United States Marines. He was sent to Mare Island, California, where he re- mained until June II following, when he was trans- ferred to Galveston, Texas, and remained at that camp until discharged in February, 1919. He is a charter member of the Plentywood Post of the American Legion, also its post commander.

Mr. Johnson is unmarried. He was made a Mason in Plentywood in 1915 ,and he belongs to the Blue Lodge and Chapter of that city, to the Commandery at Glasgow, to the Shrine at Helena, and took the work of the Consistory at Galveston, Texas, in 1918, and belongs to the Scottish Rite bodies there. He is also a member of the Eastern Star in Plentywood. As a Blue Lodge Mason he held the office of secre- tary, and at the present time he is serving as secre- tary of the Chapter.

RICHARD E. (DICK) JOHNSON was born at Nor- cross, Minnesota, September 6, 1881, and died at Glasgow, Montana, December 25, 1916.

Mr. Johnson moved to Kensington, Minnesota, in 1888 with his parents, and his early education was obtained in the public schools of Kensington and Minneapolis. Later he attended the Glenwood Acad- emy at Glenwood, Minnesota, where he completed a course in business.

Mr. Johnson first came to Montana in 1899, when he accepted a position with the Lewis-Wedum Com- pany Store at Glasgow, but after a short time re- turned to Minnesota, where he accepted a position with the Wilcox & Wells Store at Hancock, Minne- sota. This proved an important step in his life, as it was there that he met Marie C. Johnson, and the acquaintance formed blossomed into one of the most beautiful and affectionate love stories that we are privileged to see in life. After a few months at Hancock he again returned to Glasgow and re- entered the employ of the Lewis-Wedum Company, for which firm he served as bookkeeper and assist- ant postmaster. This position he held until he was appointed cashier of the Lewis Brothers Bank (later the First National), at Glasgow, which position he held until he resigned in March, 1904.

April 5, 1904, he was married to Marie C. Johnson at her home near Hancock, Minnesota, and there began what was, as near as earth can give, an earthly paradise. At first the young couple lived at Glen- wood, Minnesota, where Mr. Johnson engaged in the real estate business, but in the fall moved to Flax- ton, North Dakota, where he and associates estab- lished the First State Bank, and he was its cashier. The following year they moved to Rolette, North Dakota, where Mrs. Johnson had the distinction of being the first woman in the town. At this place Mr. Johnson was cashier. of the First State Bank, and remained in Rolette until January, 1909, when he disposed of his banking interests.

January, 1909, found Mr. Johnson back in Glas- gow, this time to stay, as he purchased the abstract of title records of W. J. Pierce and formed the Valley County Abstracting Company, which he later incorporated as the Valley County Abstract Com- pany and became its president. In June, 1910, Charles C. Johnson became associated with him and in April, 1911, Roy H. Johnson came, both of whom were constantly associated with him until his un- timely death on Christmas Day, 1916. The firms

owned and established by the three Johnsons have always been and still are more popularly known as "Johnson THE Abstractman."

In March, 1913, the Sheridan County Abstract Company was incorporated by the above men, and Mr. Johnson became its president. In March, 1915, a deal was consummated whereby the Johnsons dis- posed of their interests in the abstract of title rec- ords of the Valley County Abstract Company, retain- ing, however, the farm loan and insurance business, which they incorporated into the Johnson Farm Loan Company, and Mr. Johnson also became its president. Just prior to his death he was instru- mental in organizing the Farmers-Stockgrowers Bank of Glasgow, of which he was to have been interested.

Both Mr. and Mrs. Johnson were active in the welfare of the community in which they resided, and were especial boosters for Montana and Glas- gow. Mrs. Johnson preceded Mr. Johnson in death, she passing away on September 26, 1914. No chil- dren were born to this happy marriage.

Mr. Johnson took a keen interest in public enter- prises as well as in politics, but he never held an office. He was a great admirer of "Teddy" Roose- velt, and was a delegate to the National Convention of the progressive party in 1912 at Chicago. Other- wise he was always identified with the republican party.

Mr. Johnson was confirmed in the Lutheran Church, but attended the Congregational Church in Glasgow for a number of years. Prior to his death, however, he became interested in Christian Science. He belonged to the several Masonic bodies, the Blue Lodge, Chapter, Commandery and Eastern Star in Glasgow and the Scottish Rite bodies and Shrine in Helena, Montana, his funeral being in charge of North Star Lodge No. 46, Ancient Free and Accepted Masons, Glasgow. He also was a member of the Modern Woodman and Yeoman lodges.

Mr. Johnson's father, Erick H. Johnson, was born December 27, 1842, at Ahus, Sweden, and received his education in Sweden, coming to America in 1863. During the Civil war he served with Com- pany H, 132nd Illinois Volunteer Infantry, and later was a prominent member of the Grand Army of the Republic. He was postmaster at Kensington, Minne- sota, at the time of his death in October, 1903. He was married December 26, 1867, to Miss Ingri Ringhdahl, who preceded him in death in the spring of 1889. Three children were born to this union : Edward H., the eldest, who was accidently killed while displaying fireworks in Fargo, North Dakota, in June, 1899; Richard E., now deceased; and Ebba V. (Bee) Halgren, of Watertown, Minnesota.

FREDERICK S. SLEIGHT has been a factor in the business enterprise of the Town of Froid since March, 1916, being a member of the Froid Auto & Oil Company. He has been a resident of Montana for seven years, and before coming to the state acquired a scientific training in agriculture and practiced that profession in North Dakota.

Mr. Sleight was born at Lansing, Michigan, De- cember 29, 1876. His grandfather, Frederick Sleight, was born near Poughkeepsie, New York, of a pio- neer family of that section. He married Mary Ann Paulding, of Scotch ancestry and a .descendant of John Paulding, one of the captors of Major Andre, the noted British spy.

The father of the Montana business man was Stephen H. Sleight, who was born at Staatsburg, New York, July 2, 1839. As a young man he en- listed in the 150th New York Infantry, was in the Army of the Potomac and his first battle was

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Gettysburg. Later his command was under Sher- man, took part in the march to the sea, and he was with Sherman's forces through the Carolina campaign until the surrender of Gen. Joseph E. Johnston. After his discharge he returned to New York, and in 1871 moved West with his family to Michigan, locating near Lansing. He was a farmer in that state, and some ten years later moved to North Dakota, where he continued farming and died at Fargo in 1889. The only political office he ever held was as county commissioner of Dickey County, North Dakota, for a term of four years. He was a Presbyterian, a republican, and his funeral was con- ducted under the anspices of the Grand Army of the Republic and the Masons.

He married Susan O. Cleveland, daughter of Frederick W. and Elizabeth (Harris) Cleveland. Frederick W. Cleveland, a nephew of Rev. Mr. Cleveland, was pastor of one of the churches of Caldwell, New Jersey, when his son Stephen Grover was born. Frederick W. Cleveland was therefore a cousin of Grover Cleveland, mayor of Buffalo, governor of New York, and later president. Freder- ick W. Cleveland moved from Sharon, Connecticut, to Michigan, and spent the rest of his life at Ypsi- lanti. His business was chiefly dealing in real estate. His daughter Susan was one of two children, the other being Mrs. C. C. Hoyt of St. Paul. Mrs. Susan Sleight was born August 2, 1850, and died at Ann Arbor, Michigan, in 1913. Her children were: Frederick S .; John Henry, of Tappan, North Da- kota; Carrie Engene, wife of O. M. Wismer, an attorney at Detroit; and May Elizabeth, wife of P. B. Harding, a furniture merchant at Ann Arbor.

Frederick S. Sleight was in his seventh year when his parents moved out to Ellendale, North Dakota, where he lived to the age of sixteen. He acquired a high school education, and in 1902 graduated with the degree Bachelor of Science in Agriculture from the Agricultural College at Fargo. The following two years he remained with the State Agricultural Department, establishing state experimental schools. He then took up farming for himself in Kidder County, North Dakota, and operated a grain and stock farm along scientific lines. His success was not altogether favorable in that arid country, but he persisted until 1908, and since then has followed business lines.

He was a merchant at Tower City, North Da- kota, until the automobile rose to a high tide of popularity. For the next three years he covered the Dakotas as a traveling salesman for Moore Brothers of Fargo. Leaving the road, he was connected with the bank of New England, North Dakota, for a year, and then came out to Montana in 1913.

He first located at Redstone in March, 1913, was appointed United States commissioner and was one of the first business men in the life of the village. He handled lands and also built and operated the first garage in Redstone. In March, 1916, he re- moved to Froid, and has since been associated with Sidney Dorothy in the Froid Auto & Oil Company. This firm has also built up an electric business, and in addition Mr. Sleight is indulging his former activities as a grain raiser and farmer on a modest scale. He owns the lands which he operates.

Mr. Sleight cast his first presidential vote for Ma- jor Mckinley. He is affiliated with the lodge of Masons at Culbertson and has been secretary of the Odd Fellows' Lodge at Froid since it was organized. He was a member of the local draft board during the war and did a good citizen's part in behalf of the various patriotic causes.

December 31, 1902, at Chaffee, North Dakota, he married Miss Myrtle A. Archbold, who was born at

Ionia, Michigan, June 27, 1880, daughter of John and Elizabeth (Thursk) Archbold. Her parents were natives of England and her father became a homesteader in Brown County, South Dakota, and is now living at Pingree, North Dakota. Mrs. Sleight was the second of four children, the others being residents of North Dakota, Frank of Fargo, John of , Chaffee, and Ida, Mrs. J. C. Akin, of Pin- gree. Mr. and Mrs. Sleight are the parents of six children, named Stephen J., Jesse H., Caryl, Eliza- beth May, Frederick A. and Beryl Idabel.

JOHN C. DWYER, the county clerk and recorder of Roosevelt County, belongs to the older genera- tion of Montanans. He has lived both the inten- sive and extensive life of the plainsman and knew this region nearly forty years ago, when the great buffalo herds, other wild game and Indians gave a grudging consent to the occupancy and use of the land by the cattle outfits. Through all the years he has been one of the stout, upstanding charac- ters over a large region in both Eastern Montana and the Dakotas.

Apparently John C. Dwyer had the pioneer im- pulse born in him, and from his earliest years he craved the free life of adventure and experiences in the far reaches of country where men are only an incident to nature's works. He was born at Day- ton, Ohio, December 19, 1863, and his family is a very prominent one in that Ohio city. His father is the venerable Dennis Dwyer who came to the United States as a youth from Tipperary, Ireland, about 1848. After a short period of rambling through Iowa and Illinois he located at Dayton, where he is one of the oldest residents. He learned the trade of cabinet maker, and while working at it studied law and after his admission to the bar was elected judge of court and spent twenty-seven years on the bench. For a number of years he has been a prominent capitalist and promoter. He was promoter of the enterprise which resulted in the building of an interurban railway between Dayton and Cincinnati. He also formed a company and as its head drilled the first gas well opened in the St. Mary's field, the gas being piped to Dayton. He still has interests in interurban lines and electric light plants in Texas, Kansas and Ohio. Dennis Dwyer is a familiar figure at Dayton today, al- though ninety years of age, and would regard it as an affront to offer him a walking stick. He has always been a democrat and was engaged in the duties of an office during the Civil war. He has been a devout Catholic and is a member of the Knights of Columbus.

At Richmond, Virginia, Dennis Dwyer married Mary Childs, daughter of John Childs. She died in 1868, mother of the following children: George, who was killed while a passenger .conductor in Mexico; Nettie, widow of Webster Corse, of Day- ton; John C .; Katie, living with her father at Day- ton; and Albert J., a Dayton lawyer.

John C. Dwyer lived at Dayton to the age of sixteen and acquired his education there. Even dur- ing his school days he became restive and wanted to see the world. His father evidently sympathized with or at least appreciated his attitude, and volun- teered to pay his way to any point "as far as the railroad went." Accepting the offer, he journeyed. to Texas, as far as Baxter Springs of that state. But he was soon dissatisfied with the southwest and returned home. His next tour of adventure was mnade to Bismarck, North Dakota, then a frontier town and the terminus of the Great Northern Rail- way. From Bismarck he came on west to the Little Missouri, reaching Medora in 1881. While

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he has gone in and out of Montana a number of times, his residence has been permanent in the state for more than twenty years, and most of his connections have been as a rancher in the region of Roosevelt County. He was familiar with the Little Missouri country and with Medora and its early history in the days of Roosevelt, Marquis DeMores and the Ferrises. Colonel Roosevelt did not go into that region until several years after Mr. Dwyer. The fame of the place then known as Little Missouri was made by others. The town name was changed to Medora in honor of Medora von Hoffman, the wife of Marquis DeMores, and its chief history was made following the change in name. Mr. Dwyer came to know Colonel Roose- velt personally, though he was not connected with any of his cowboy enterprises. He also knew the plainsmen Johnny Goodall and Sid Wills, strong and unique characters of the Little Missouri country. Another pioneer acquaintance was Vic Smith, the buffalo hunter and guide, who spent his vigorous days on duty around Medora.

After a brief stay at Medora Mr. Dwyer re- turned to Bismarck, where he was joined by his father, who secured for him a bunch of horses. These were taken to Long Lake Creek, where the son engaged in the horse business until 1886. Then leaving his own ranch he came into Montana and at Glendive was employed as a ranch hand for Colonel Hodson, remaining there through the hard winter of 1887. Returning to Long Lake Creek, and rounding up his horses, he took them to the mouth of the Little Missouri and began ranging them around Fort Berthold. That was his general headquarters until 1895. By that time horses had practically no market, and the sold out his interests and moved into the eastern part of Montana, re- suming here his business as a rancher with horses and cattle. His ranch was sixteen miles northeast of Bainville. As the farmers began crowding him he sold his stock and removing to Bainville en- gaged in the land business. He still maintains an open office as the John C. Dwyer Company, though most of his time is taken up with his duties as a public official at Mondak.

Mr. Dwyer can paint a very accurate picture of this section of Montana thirty-five or forty years ago. The plains were still crowded with buffalo, while other big game consisted of the brown bear of the Little Missouri, the mountain lion, elk and deer. Strange to say Mr. Dwyer never killed a buffalo, though he did some trapping of the fur- bearing animals such as beaver, otter and mink. Mr. Dwyer says the Indians were never formally on the warpath in his experience, though many of them decked in war paint traversed the region and would willingly have committed mischief if they could have done so without trouble to themselves. Mr. Dwyer encountered Indians in an ugly mood only once, and then by quick action with his six-shooter drove them off and protected himself and a skiffload of provi- sions of which he was in charge.

Mr. Dwyer is still interested in farming and is a modest stockman with his holdings near Bainville. He has made a study of the oil and gas resources of Montana, and his accumulations of works on the subjects of oil and gas give him perhaps the best library on that subject in the state. Thirty years ago he predicted that Montana would yield oil in commercial quantities, and his forecast is being made good by recent discoveries at Roundup and elsewhere. He is a member of the Pioneer Oil & Gas Com- pany of Montana, which is now sinking a well at Williston to test that region for oil, and also of the

Midwest Oil and Refining Company, which is test- ing the dome at Poplar.

Mr. Dwyer cast his first vote at Bismarck during territorial days. He also voted in the first national election in that state, supporting Mr. Cleveland in 1892. He missed his vote in 1896 and in 1900 and in 1904 gave his hearty support to Colonel Roosevelt. At the beginning of the Spanish-American war Mr. Roosevelt had written John C. Dwyer requesting that the latter raise a company for the Rough Rider Regiment. The time allowed did not permit Mr. Dwyer to meet the request, though he did raise a company of men from Eastern Montana and West- ern North Dakota, and they rendezvoused at Willis- ton and were ordered to Fargo, where they remained until disbanded.

It was Mr. Dwyer's pioneer acquaintance with the region and his recognized personal ability and integrity that caused his name' to be put into the bill creating Roosevelt County in connection with the office he now holds.

At Riblake, Wisconsin, December 22, 1914, Mr. Dwyer married Mrs. Lillie A. Merrill, who is one of the nine children of Joseph and Sophie Yell. Her father was a native of France and spent his active life as a farmer at Stetsonville, Wisconsin. Mrs. Dwyer was educated in the common schools, grad- uated as a nurse in the Twin Cities, and in 1892 went out to Fort Buford as a Government nurse. While there she became the wife of Horace F. Merrill, a rancher. By that union she has a son, Horace Merrill, who was in the United States Ma- rines and saw overseas duty during the World war. Mr. and Mrs. Dwyer have an adopted daughter, Helen.

DAVID JASPER BEDFORD. While his interests as a stockman in Eastern Montana have been centered around Medicine Lake for twenty years, making him a pioneer in that section, Mr. Bedford has a much more generous claim to a position among the pio- neers of the older Montana, having lived in the territory and state for upwards of half a century. He is a veteran stockman and rancher. His chief business has been running livestock over the range, and as most of his years of usefulness have been spent in that industry he has never taken decidedly to the newer work of farming.

Mr. Bedford was born in Hancock County, Illi- nois, May 14, 1848. His grandfather was a native of Wales emigrated to Canada at a very early time, during the eighteenth century, and spent fourteen years of his life as a prisoner and captive among hostile Indians. He became a farmer, and reared a family of about fourteen children, the youngest being David, father of David J. David Bedford was born on the River Thames in Canada about 1800. He was a boy when the battle of tlie Thames was fought within six miles of his home, where old Chief Tecumseh was killed during the War of 1812. He remembered seeing General Har- rison's army pass by his father's house. He grew up in a time when it was hardly possible to secure an education from schools, and he married his first wife in Canada. He had a son, Robert, by that union. Leaving Canada he settled in Illinois, and married Mrs. Mary Knapp at Peoria. He lived in that section of Illinois for a time, and about 1840 moved to Western Illinois, to a farm in Han- cock County. He spent his last years near Carthage. where he died in 1886. He and his wife had three children : David J., Jane, a resident of Idaho, and Mrs. Mary McArthur, of Medicine Lake, Montana. Mrs. Mary Bedford, the mother of these children,

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was a very remarkable woman, and played a pio- neer's part in the history of Montana. She was born near Zanesville, Ohio, March 4, 1820. Her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Francis Moffett, were natives of Ireland, and her father, was a participant in the Irish rebellion of 1798. They were of the Protestant faith. On coming to the United States they estab- lished their home in Ohio, where they spent the rest of their days on a farm. Mary Moffett, young- est of her parents' children, had very little oppor- tunity to attend school, since she grew up in the days of log cabins, hard cider and maple molasses. Her first husband was Jerome Knapp, and by that marriage was born a son, Lauren B. Knapp, who also became a pioneer of Montana.

Lauren B. Knapp came to Montana at the age of twenty-three, and was identified with Alder Gulch when that was one of the chief centers of mining activities. He developed a mining claim, but aban- doned the business about 1870 and turned his at- tention to farming in Missouri Valley, in Jefferson Valley and in Judith Basin, where the last years of his active life were spent. Becoming enfeebled, he returned to Illinois and died unmarried at Still- well, that state, in February, 1913.

David J. Bedford grew up in Illinois, attended some of the primitive schools of that state, and had very ordinary advantages. In April, 1864, when he was sixteen years of age, he joined Company K of the One Hundred and Thirty-third Illinois In- fantry under Captain Summers and Colonel Moore, and spent his four months in the army on duty at Rock Island, being discharged without reaching the front. He then resumed his place on the home farm, and continued in that way until he came to Mon- tana in 1873.

Mr. Bedford and his mother and his sister started West from Quincy, Adams County, Illinois. They traveled by railway as far as Corinne, Utah, from which point many of the early settlers in Montana diverged, completing the journey by wagon. The Bedfords came to Montana when mining was the chief industry and stock raising a good second. They located near old Centerville in the Missouri Valley, at what is now the City of Townsend. Mrs. Bedford was fifty-three years of age when she came to Montana and was in a way a chaperon to her children. She became an active factor in the af- fairs of several communities and even homesteaded and proved up the claim where her son David Jasper now lives. She was his companion and house- keeper until her death at Medicine Lake in Novem- ber, 1916. During thirty years she had witnessed many changes in Montana social, business and in- dustrial life, and went through the frontier expe- riences common to early settlers. She saw the wild man in paint and feathers, and in her life she had had many experiences and trials common to the humble poor. She possessed a good memory of past events and incidents, and it was a pleasure to visit with her and listen to the stories of early Montana days.

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Montana, its story and biography; a history of aboriginal and territorial Montana and three decades of statehood, Volume III, Part 72

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