Progressive men of the state of Montana, pt 1, Part 100

Author: Bowen, A.W., & Co., firm, publishers, Chicago
Publication date: [19-?]
Publisher: Chicago : A. W. Bowen & Co.
Number of Pages: 1374

USA > Montana > Progressive men of the state of Montana, pt 1 > Part 100

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Joseph Charles Annear was born in Cornwall, England, on March 9, 1847, the seventh of the eight children of Joseph Job and Louisa (Rogers) An- near, both of whom died in Cornwall, where the father was a mason and contractor. He was a Tory in his politics, and a communicant of the Church of England. Of his twelve children six are living and three are residents of the United States. Mr. An- near received his education in the schools of Corn- wall, and there served an apprenticeship of seven years at the mason's trade. In 1871 Mr. Annear determined to try his fortunes in the United States. and he located in Fall River, Mass., where he worked at his trade principally on the large stone buildings of the cotton factories until 1875, when he went west to San Francisco, and devoted his at- tention to his trade in California until 1880, assisting in the erection of buildings for Senator Stanford and working in divers sections of the state.

In 1880 Mr. Annear came to Montana, locating in Butte, where he was employed at his trade until the fall of 1881, when he began contracting and building. He erected a number of quartz mills in various sections of the state, and among them arc the one at Silver Star, the Bluebird, at Butte, and the Bimetallic, at Granite. He also had many other important contracts and was very successful in his business operations, which he continued with vigor and ability until 1896, when he retired, having since maintained his home in Walkerville, where he owns valuable real estate and he also has valuable holdings in Butte. In politics Mr. Annear is a stalwart Republican, prominent in his party in the state. He was chosen as the first city treasurer of Walkerville in 1890, and in 1892 represented his ward on the board of aldermen, and in that year also he was elected representative of Silver Bow county in the lower house of the legislature, receiving the largest majority of any candidate elected at that time. Mr. Annear proved a valuable working member of the legislature, in which he made an enviable record. Fraternally he is prominently identified with Free- masonry, having become an entered apprentice in Mount Moriah Lodge No. 24. in Butte, in 1884, and having been duly raised to the master's degree in

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that body. In 1890 he took the capitular degrees in Deer Lodge Chapter No. 12, and also belongs to Montana Commandery No. 3, K. T .; is past master of his lodge and takes a deep interest in the work of this noble fraternity. In 1869 Mr. Annear was united in marriage to Miss Grace Bettinson, who, like himself, was born in Cornwall, and whose death occurred on March 7, 1892. On March 16, 1893, he wedded Miss Mary Coombe, also a native of Cornwall. They have two children, Joseph Charles, Jr., born April 9. 1894, and Benjamin John, born September 18, 1897.

REV. CYRIL PAUWELYN is the pastor of St. Ann's church and catholicity in Great Falls. In the beginning the Catholics were attended by the Jesuit fathers from the mission of St. Peter's. La- ter it became a dependency of Helena, and was at- tended by some of the clergy attached to the cathe- dral. During this time a substantial church was erected by Rev. A. H. Lambaere. The church was first opened for services on Rosary Sunday, 1890, by the Ordinary, who on a subsequent occasion blessed it formally under the name and title of St. Ann, and Rev. J. J. Dols was assigned to the mis- sion as its first pastor. He was born at Sittara, Holland, March 6, 1848, acquired his literary edu- cation in Holland and Belgium, and pursued his the- ological studies at both the American College and the University at Louvain, Belgium. He received priestly orders at Bruxelles in 1874 at the hands of the Papal Nuncio, and came at once to America as a missionary priest of the archdiocese of Oregon. He was stationed at McMinnville, Ore., for three years and built the first church there. Four years of service at Gervais followed, and in 1881 he was sent to Montana, where he made a lasting reputa- tion as a Christian, an earnest and generous worker in the religious field, and as an able financier and business man. Butte demanded such a priest as Father Dols, and he was sent there as its first resi- cent pastor. There he erected a comfortable resi- dence, and at once took steps to secure a much needed institution in the growing city of mines, a hospital. Largely through his efforts and personal aid St. James Hospital was established and placed under charge of the Sisters of Charity, of Leaven- worth. In 1883 the cornerstone of the fine brick church was laid, and his energy was so great that it was completed, at a cost of $18,000, and dedicated

in September, 1884. In December, 1885, Father Dols took a much needed rest in an extended visit to his native country. On his return, in 1886, he took spiritual charge of the Catholics of Beaverhead and Madison counties; first at Laurin, where he built a neat residence, then at Dillon, here he built a brick church with rectory, which was completed and dedicated to St. Rose of Lima in 1887. This was constructed from moneys generously given by persons of all creeds. Here Father Dols labored with power and great ac- ceptability until February, 1891, when he was trans- ferred to Great Falls as its first rector. His field ex- tended over Cascade county and demanded all his time and wonderful energy for five years, he having no assistant. The parochial residence at Great Falls was purchased with his own money and later willed to the church. The church at that time was over $4,000 in debt. Through Father Dols' exer-' tions and financial ability the debt was soon paid and, to use his own language, "Since 1893 we have helped our sisters to accomplish, in spite of hard times, a mammoth undertaking, the building of Co- lumbus Hospital." Wishing to keep St. Ann's church out of debt he never charged rent for the use of his dwelling, and was forming plans for the erection of a suitable parochial residence, for which he had purchased an ample site. These plans were entirely changed by his unlooked-for death from pleuro-pneumonia on May 30, 1898, at the hospital he had himself founded and built. His funeral ser- vices were conducted by Rt. Rev. Bishop Brondel, and sixteen priests were present in honor of this wonderful man, a giant in the cause for which he so long labored. He won many friends, and by his will bequeathed to St. Ann's church his home as a rectory, and to Columbus Hospital the residue of his fortune. His memory will be long cherished as one of Great Falls' most eminent and useful citizens. Father Dols said of Columbus Hospital : "It is the pride of Great Falls. Especially built for the care of the sick and disabled, it has all the modern improvements, and, under the direction of scientific architects, it has been made a perfect sani- tarium. Its operating rooms are the finest in Mon- tana, while the kindness of the Sisters of Charity of Providence make it a perfect home. As nurses they show the kindness of sisters, the care of a mother, and God only knows the physical and spiritual good accomplished by their sweet influ- ence." This great institution has since attained magnificent proportions. It is not merely a hospi-

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tal. It has connected with it a training school for nurses, with a two-years course, from which seven nurses were graduated since its opening in 1894, the only school of its kind in a wide extent of territory. A maternity hospital, St. Elizabeth's home, an annex costing $14,000, was finished in 1901. Columbus Hospital is the authorized hospital of the large Boston & Montana Smelter and of the Great Northern Railway. Sister James, a woman of remarkable ability as an organizer and financier, has been the superior from its incipiency. It has in its corps a large staff of physicians and sur- geons, eighteen sisters and twelve trained nurses. In 1901 its benefits were received by 1,012 patients.

Father Dols was succeeded by Rev. H. B. Allaeys, who labored faithfully until August, 1901, when, at his own request, by reason of failing health, he was transferred to Bozeman. He began the erection of the new church now in progress and laid its foundation.

A strong personality, endowed with consider- able activity have won for Father Pauwelyn, the immediate subject, the complimentary sobriquet of "ecclesiastical beaver." He was born at Poelca- pelle, West Flanders, Belgium, April 26, 1863. He· made his humanities at Ypres, his philosophy at Roulers and his theology partly in the Seminary of Bruges and partly in the American College at Louvain. He left Europe in company with the Rt. Rev. Bishop Junger, who was returning from Rome, and arrived at Helena in the latter part of September, 1885. Father Pauwelyn was then only a deacon. The priestly orders were conferred on him by the Rt. Rev. J. B. Brondel in the cathedral of the Sacred Hearts at Helena, November 29, 1885. Though his ordination to the priesthood had been preceded by another, that of Stephen De Rouge, S. J., held in the same cathedral two months be- 'fore, Father Pauwelyn is entitled to the honor of being the first priest of the Helena diocese ordained in Montana. He at once actively entered into missionary life along the line of the Northern Pacific Railroad from Helena to the Dakota line, visiting each of the railroad camps every two months, also each of the mining camps and settle- ments within a radius of sixty miles from Helena, establishing churches and carrying Christian con- solation to hundreds otherwise unprovided for. He built the first Catholic church of Bozeman, the first frame church in Livingston and Marysville, purchased and improved the church at Glendive, improved the churches of Missouri valley, Boulder 33

valley and Three Forks. On October 20, 1887, he was appointed the first pastor of the church of the Sacred Hearts at Miles City with charge of the territory now Custer, Yellowstone, Carbon, Daw- son and Rosebud counties, a pastorate of 50,000 square miles, Rev. Father Follet relieving him of the territory and churches of Missouri Valley, Wickes, Marysville, and part of Lewis and . Clarke and Meagher counties, and Father Van Den Broeck relieving him of the care of the churches at Boze- man, Livingston, Three Forks, White Sulphur Springs, and other places in Gallatin, Park and Meagher counties. During this pastorate he im- proved the churches at Miles City, Glendive and Billings. He was the first to visit and hold services at Red Lodge, and secured the site and raised funds for the erection of a church there. Adding to his strong vitality in 1890 by a six-months visit to Europe, during which he saw the Passion Play at Oberammergau, he returned much improved in vigor and activity. On January 30, 1891, he was transferred to Butte and Dillon missions as as- sistant to Rev. Father Van de Ven. In 1893 he succeeded Father Dols in the charge of Dillon church and the missions in Beaverhead and Madi- son counties. He improved the Dillon church and paid off its debt. He also secured the site for a church at Sheridan. On October 19, 1898, he was re-appointed to the Miles City mission. Here he paid off the church debt and made many improve- ments in the grounds and surroundings of the church that now make it one of the beauty spots of Montana. On August 3, 1901, he was placed in charge of St. Ann's church at Great Falls to succeed Father Dols. He was the father of St. John's Ecclesiastical Society of Montana, organized at Helena August 30, 1900, incorporated August 31, 1900, and framed its constitution and bylaws. In Great Falls he has much improved the parochial residence, and has labored hard in the interests of the 2,500 attendants of the church. The Rev. Thomas McCormack of Thurles, Ireland, was as- signed as his assistant on October 10, 1901. A Slavic priest will soon be appointed as another as- sistant. Father Pauwelyn says, "Our large congre- gation is a most cosmopolitan one. People are here from all quarters of the globe. Many cannot speak English. My ability to speak four languages helps me wonderfully in my work. My only regret is that I do not speak more languages." All de- nominations and classes of people in Great Falls are witnesses to the broad Christian charity, the

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self-abnegating devotion and the energetic business qualities of Father Pauwelyn, while his cosmopoli- tan flock hold him in tender reverence and love.

W ILLIAM H. ARNOLD .- One of the pioneer3 of Montana whose life has been one of signal honor and usefulness, Mr. Arnold was numbered among the early settlers of the beautiful Gallatin val- ley, and has here maintained his home during all the long intervening years, successfully engaged in farming and stockgrowing. Mr. Arnold was born on August 8, 1842, in Warren county, Ky., the son of William and Polly ( Marr) Arnold, also natives of Kentucky, where they passed their lives, the father being an agriculturalist. Of their eight children four are yet living.

William H. Arnold early began to contribute his quota to the work of the homestead farm, his educa- tion being afforded by the common schools. His school opportunities were exceedingly limited but by personal application and association with the practical affairs of life he has effectively supple- mented this rudimentary education, and is a man oi strong intellectuality and broad information. He left home in 1864, in March, starting for the far west from Booneville, Mo., making the long and then hazardous overland trip to Montana, where he arrived in September of the same year. He first located in Alder gulch, at that time a bustling mining camp. Mr. Arnold remained in that locality until December, when he came to the Gallatin valley and took up a tract of the government land about seven miles from his present fine homestead, where he remained about two years, farming in a somewhat primitive way. He then settled on his present farm, which now comprises about one section, and lies seven miles northwest of Bozeman. Here he has been engaged in general farming, but is now grad- ually giving more attention to the raising of live stock, which he contemplates conducting on an extensive scale. His first residence on his present ranch was a log house, 18x24 feet in dimensions, but before building that he had maintained his abode in even more primitive dwellings. In 1883 he erected his present commodious and attractive farm house, and he also has a residence property in Bozeman, which he occupies that his children may have the superior advantages of the city schools and the college.

On May 24, 1870, in the vicinity of his present

farm home was celebrated the marriage of Mr. Arnold to Miss Ellen Flannery, born in County Galway, Ireland, in 1845. Emigrating to America in 1866, she came to Montana in 1869. She was the daughter of Matthew and Cathrine (Foggarty) Flannery, and the father died in Ireland, while the mother is still living in the Gallatin valley. Mr. and Mrs. Arnold have had ten children, two of the num- ber are married, and they now have four grandchil- dren. Their children are William H., Mary ( Mrs. Charles Waterman), Lizzie (Mrs. Joseph Friel), Louis, Annie, James W., Ella, Alice, Alberta, Jose- phine. These children were all members of the Soci- ety of Native Sons and Daughters of Montana, while Mr. Arnold is one of the prominent members of the Pioneers' Society, having been among the first to become identified with it. The family are members of the Catholic church, and have a place of prominence in the community, where they are held in the highest esteem. In politics Mr. Arnold gives his support to the Democratic party, and, when Montana was admitted to statehood, and he thus acquired the right of franchise, he cast his first pres- idential vote in 1892 for Grover Cleveland. He is a man of sterling character, progressive and public- spirited and one of the honored and popular pioneers of the Gallatin valley.

D AVID AUSTIN .- The lamented subject of this sketch, who was one of Montana's most re- spected and in his way one of her most serviceable citizens, and whose tragical and untimely death was universally regretted, was a native of New York, from which state he removed to California in 1855, making the trip round Cape Horn. Upon his ar- rival in the Golden state, he followed mining in the northern part for some time, later making a trip to Idaho, Oregon and Washington, and in 1863 came' from Elk City to Montana, locating at Virginia City, where he engaged in mining for a short time. From there he removed to Missoula and was in the em- ploy of A. G. England at different times during the next seven years. When the Cedar creek excite- ment broke out he purchased claim No. 53, below the discovery, that later proved to be very rich, but which he sold for $2,500, and with the money pur- chased the ranch on which his widow now lives, he having been killed in 1885 by the accidental dis- charge of a rifle while hunting deer. He left no children. Mr. Austin took a very active interest in

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public affairs, giving to the community and the county the full benefit of his good judgment and strong common sense, and contributing freely in more substantial ways to any desirable public im- provement. That this active interest in all that con- cerned the welfare of the people was highly appre- ciated by them is proven by the fact that he was their choice as county commissioner for four suc- cessive terms, and that his administration of the affairs of the office was universally commended. Since his death Mr. Austin has managed the ranch with skill and judgment. Like her husband, she is held in the highest esteem.

T THOMAS C. BACH .- One of the conspicuous figures in the history of Montana is the distin- guished jurist whose name introduces this review. He is honored as a citizen whose career has con- ferred credit and dignity on the state, and whose marked abilities have heightened the fame of her judiciary .. He holds distinctive precedence as a lawyer and judge, having served as associate justice of the supreme tribunal of the territory of Montana, while his literary attainments are of high order ; his reading and investigation having been directed along almost every line of thought and investigation, while his strong mentality and distinct individuality make him a natural leader of men and director of opinion.

Judge Bach is a native of the city of Brooklyn, now a portion of Greater New York, where he was born on October 10, 1853, being the son of John C. and Elizabeth (Nostrand) Bach, both of whom were born on Long Island, being respectively the one of English and the other of German lineage. The grandfather of our subject in the agnatic line was Robert Bach. who came from England to Amer- ica early in the nineteenth century, locating on Long Island. This was his place of abode at the time of the outbreak of the war of 1812, and he gave dis- tinct evidence of his loyalty to his adopted country by enlisting for service in the American army, with which he remained until peace was declared. Sub- sequently he engaged in the wholesale drug busi- ness ; and it is a matter of record that he erected the first brick house in the city of Brooklyn. There was solemnized his marriage to Miss Margaret Cowan, who was born in Ireland; and there was born, in 1814, their son, John Casnave Bach, the father of the immediate subject of this sketch. The former

died in 1885, in the seventy-first year of his life, his widow surviving him two years, her demise occur- ring in 1887, at which time she had attained the age of sixty-seven years. They became the parents of eleven children, and of this number eight are now living. Thomas C. Bach was the eighth child in order of birth, and at the age of eight years he ac- companied his parents on their removal to New York city, where he was reared to maturity. His preliminary education was secured in private schools, and he eventually matriculated in the school of arts of Columbia College, where he graduated in 1875 with the degree of B. A., the master's degree being later conferred on him by his alma mater. After his graduation in the literary department of the university he entered the law department, complet- ing the prescribed course and graduating as a miem- ber of the class of 1877, receiving the degree of B. L. He then entered the law office of Hon. Stewart L. Woodford, one of the eminent members of the bar of the national metropolis and at one time minister to Spain, and under these most favorable conditions continued his technical studies until 1878, acting in the capacity of brief clerk for his preceptor. He was admitted to the bar in the year 1877, and began the practice of his profession in New York city, thus continuing for a decade. The year 1884 witnessed his removal to Montana, first locating in Bozeman, and the following year entered into a pro- fessional alliance with Judge W. H. DeWitte, of Butte, in which city he was engaged in active prac- tice until 1886, establishing a prestige which has been cumulative in character up to the present day. In 1886 President Cleveland appointed him fourth associate justice of the supreme court of the terri- tory, and he forthwith took up his official residence, first in Miles City, then in Great Falls, and at the expiration of his term of office he moved to Helena. where he has since maintained his home and pro- fessional headquarters. He served on the supreme bench with signal ability, retaining the incumbency until the admission of Montana to statehood, in 1889. He took to the supreme bench the very high- est qualifications for this most responsible office in the system of government, and his record as a judge was in harmony with his record as a lawyer-dis- tinguished by an unswerving integrity of purpose and a masterful grasp of the problems presented for solution. Many of his decisions became authorita- tive, being regarded as models of judicial wisdom. In the work entitled "Jones on Mortgages," Vol. I. the opinion of Judge Bach in the case of Gassert

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vs. Bogk, is quoted as authority on parol evidence in connection with the entering of corroborative testi- mony to the fact that a deed may be shown to be absolutely equivalent to a mortgage on the property involved. The opinion rendered by Judge Bach in this case was sustained by the supreme court of the United States, as is shown in the reports of that tribunal. (Thirteenth Supreme Court Reports, 738; section 247.) Other rulings entered by him while on the bench have been the objects of favor- able comment by the supreme court of the United States. From 1897 until 1899 Judge Bach rendered most efficient service as reporter of the supreme court of the state of Montana, while prior to this, in 1893, he served in the lower house as representative of Lewis and Clarke county.

In politics Judge Bach has always rendered un- wavering allegiance to the Democratic party, whose cause he has advocated with marked power and elo- quence during the various campaigns. Upon his retirement from the supreme bench he entered into a professional partnership with Judge Horace Buck, this association continuing until the appointment of Judge Buck to the district bench, while later he was elected associate justice of the supreme court. After conducting an individual practice for some time, Judge Bach became associated in his professional work with E. W. and J. K. Toole, under the firm name of Toole, Bach & Toole, and this alliance was maintained until the fall of 1900, when J. K. Toole waselected governor of the state, whereupon the firm name became Toole & Bach. The firm control a large and important legal business, practicing in all the courts and retaining a representative clientage. Judge Bach is one of the eminent members of the Montana bar ; has the confidence of the people and is regarded as a safe, conservative and conscientious attorney and counsel. He is well known through- out the state, and is honored for his high professional ability and his inflexible integrity in all the relations of life. On June 5, 1889, Judge Bach was united in marriage to Miss Kathryn Child, of Helena. Mrs. Bach was born in California, whither her parents had removed from Rhode Island. Judge and Mrs. Bach have two daughters, Dorothy and Marjorie.

THOMAS T. BAKER .- Born at Coveton, Bar- bour county, in what is now West Virginia. November 12, 1839, and reaching his majority just as the dense cloud of the Civil war was rising,

Thomas T. Baker, a prominent and successful civil engineer of Butte, was so situated as to see the salient features of that sanguinary struggle and be one of its sufferers. His parents, Joseph K. and Matilda (Thomas) Baker, were Virginians-born in that section which was West Virginia after 1863. The father, a prosperous farmer, was also in the United States civil service. "Mr. Baker, the third of thirteen children, received his early education in the public schools of his native county. He remained at home engaged in work on his father's farm until the war broke out. In 1862 he enlisted in the Union army, beginning service as a corporal and being mus- tered out in 1865 as a lieutenant. He went through the contest without permanent injury, although en- gaged in more than fifteen battles, among them that of Cloyd's Mountain in 1864, at which after one hour and a half of fierce fighting 600 gallant troops lay dead on the field. Other battles in which Mr. Baker was engaged were those of New River Bridge, Lex- ington, Lynchburg, Winchester, Hall Town and Petersburg. At Winchester he received a wound which laid him up for three months. He was on the field at Appomattox when Lee's army stacked arms in the surrender. He saw the first land battle of the war at Philippi. W. Va., on June 3, 1861, and what was practically its close when Lee laid down his arms at Appomattox. During his western life he took an active part in the campaign against the Nez Perces, fighting them at Camas creek. He is a member of the Grand Army of the Republic.

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Progressive men of the state of Montana, pt 1, Part 100

Author: Bowen, A.W., & Co., firm, publishers, Chicago Publication date: [19-?] Publisher: Chicago : A. W. Bowen & Co. Number of Pages: 1374

Author: Bowen, A.W., & Co., firm, publishers, Chicago
Publication date: [19-?]
Publisher: Chicago : A. W. Bowen & Co.
Number of Pages: 1374