Progressive men of the state of Montana, pt 1, Part 104

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 104

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Mr. Benjamin remained in Virginia City about a week, within which time the vigilantes hung several desperadoes, including Brady, while one Kelly was given forty-five lashes. He then started for Last Chance gulch, where he located a claim of 1,800 feet, being one of a party of nine interested therein. From there they went to Jefferson City, and built winter quarters and here he had his foot badly crushed by a falling tree. The next day he started with a team for Salt Lake City, going then to Chicago. On the way his party had some trouble with the Indians on the Platte river. They passed Julesburg in the early evening and at ten o'clock the next day the Indians sacked and burned the town, also a train of about 100 wagons, and killed several of the inhabitants. The officers pressed a number of the teams of Mr. Benjamin's train into service against the savages, leaving twenty-four of the company to walk to Plum creek, where they hired horses to convey them to Kearney. Mr. Benjamin arrived in Chicago after numerous vicissitudes and no little suffering to his injured foot, and, after passing the winter, he again started for Montana, with five four-horse teams, conveying merchandise. At Denver his drivers quit him from fear of the Indians, as they were manifesting much hostility. Mr. Benjamin therefore disposed of his goods and returned to Chicago, where he again remained through the win- ter and then made one more and a successful effort to reach Montana with merchandise, this time with eight ox teams. With little trouble he reached Jef- ferson City, only having an occasional shot at the Indians. He soon took his merchandise to Helena, where he spent the winter and sold his goods at good profit. For three years from the spring of 1867 he was freighting between the various mining camps, and then purchased and erected a sawmill in Jefferson City, selling it four years later.

In 1875 Mr. Benjamin discovered the Elkhorn mine, which he successfully worked for two years, when, selling it, he removed to Butte, where he re- mained until 1882, having charge of two lumber yards, conducting a livery business and having a herd of horses. He disposed of his interests in

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Butte and returned to Jefferson county, where he engaged in prospecting and mining. He was one of the discoverers of the Montana Central and the Monarch iron mines, which they worked until 1893, securing excellent yields of ore, but as they could not sell it by reason of the financial depression, they abandoned work, and in 1900 disposed of the prop- erty. In 1895 Mr. Benjamin discovered the Plain Dealer mine, a valuable property which he is now working. In politics Mr. Benjamin gives his sup- port to the Republican party, and he was chosen county commissioner at a special election in 1891, serving four years. He was also for some time deputy sheriff of Jefferson county. On November 4, 1891, Mr. Benjamin married with Miss Ham- mond, born in Kentucky, the daughter of Robert and Rebecca (Guard) Hammond, natives of Vir- ginia and Pennsylvania, the family having removed to Montana in 1881. . They have a pleasant home in Boulder and are distinctively popular.

H ERMAN C. BELLINGER .- The subject of this review is a representative young busi- ness man of Montana, prominently identified, in an official capacity, with important mining indus- tries, and is recognized as an expert in the scien- tific principles involved. Mr. Bellinger is a native of the town of Caub, Nassau, Germany, a pic- turesque little village on the Rhine opposite the historic old Pfalz, which is situated on an island. Here he was born on April 23, 1867, the son of Emil Hugo and Marguerite (Dreis) Bellinger, both representing long lines of stanch German ances- try. The father received a thorough literary and scientific education in his native land, being con- versant with several languages. In Germany he held the position under the government of mining engineer and director for the district of Weilburg. In 1873 he came to America with his family, locat- ing in Nevada, where he was employed for a time as mining engineer, and then went to Mexico, where he became manager of important mining properties. In 1882 he came to Butte, Mont., and was mining engineer for the Lexington Company for two years; removing thence to Colorado, his death occurred at Pueblo in 1889. His wife died in New Mexico, in 1877, and of their nine children only three are now living.

Herman Carl Bellinger, the immediate subject of this review, is distinctively a western man,

thoroughly imbued with the typical spirit of pro- gressiveness. He was reared in the west from his fifth year-Nevada, Montana, New Mexico and British Columbia. His early education was re- ceived in the public schools and supplemented by a course of study in the commercial department of St. Mary's College, San Francisco. After leaving school he was associated with his father in vari- ous capacities, and thus gained an intimate and practical knowledge of chemistry and metallurgy. In 1886 Mr. Bellinger located in Butte, where he became an assayer in the employ of W. A. Clark, retaining the position two years; he then became chemist for the Boston & Montana Company. In 1890 he went to the Coeur d'Alene country, where he was assayer and chemist for the Tiger mine, but returned to Butte in 1891 to again accept the position of chemist for the Butte and Boston Com- pany. In March of the following year he went to Mexico, in the employ of the firm of Fraser & Chalmers, of Chicago, to superintend the erection of a copper smelter for the Mazipil Copper Com- pany; this mission entailed an absence of one year, as he waited to place the smelter in active operation. He then went to Great Falls, Mont., to do special metallurgical work for the Boston & Montana Company, but in the fall of 1893 returned to Butte and became superintendent of the smelt- ing interests of F. Augustus Heinze. In March, 1896, when Mr. Heinze initiated mining operations in British Columbia, Mr. Bellinger went there as superintendent of his smelting interests. In Jan- uary, 1898, this property was sold, and Mr. Bel- linger acquired an interest in the Northport Min- ing & Smelting Company, at Northport, Wash., becoming superintendent of the same. He dis- posed of his interests in the enterprise in March, 1900, and returned to Butte to resume his posi- tion with the Heinze interests as metallurgist and superintendent of the smelters, which he has since retained.

In politics Mr. Bellinger stanchly supports the Republican party and its principles ; fraternally he is identified with the time-honored order of Freemasonry, being a member of the blue lodge in the state of Washington, while his chapter and commandery affiliations are with the bodies in Butte. He is also a member of the Silver Bow and Overland Clubs in Butte, and the Country Club at Spokane, Wash., enjoying marked popu- larity in the various sections where he is known. On July 6, 1892, in the city of Butte, was sol-

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emnized the marriage of Mr. Bellinger to Miss Bertha May Atherton, who was born in Iowa, the daughter of Lewis M. and Mary (Rincker) Ather- ton, who are now living retired in the city of Spokane. Mr. and Mrs. Bellinger have a winsome little daughter-Marguerite.

L OUIS C. BEVIER .- Not many years have passed since the general impression prevailed that Montana's resources were solely her mineral productions, but when we consider the magnifi- cent scope of her stockgrowing interests and the increasing impetus given to this important indus- trial activity each successive year, we must admit that through this source is to be perpetuated a great prosperity and prestige. Among the pro- gressive young men who have had the sagacity to discern the great opportunities offered in Mon- tana for farming and stockraising is Mr. Bevier, who is recognized as one of the representative ranchmen of Gallatin county, "the garden spot of Montana."

Louis C. Bevier was born in Brookfield, Linn county, Mo., on January 4, 1870, the son of Louis and Helen G. (Wilmott) Bevier, natives of New York. The father died in Missouri on June II, 1869, and the mother removed to Montana in 1872. Here she became the wife of Henry H. Sharman, and concerning her individual mention is made on another page of this work, and to that sketch we refer the reader for more complete ancestral and personal data. Mr. Bevier has prac- tically passed his life in Montana, since he was but two years of age when brought to this state, then under territorial government and "on the frontier." Mrs. Bevier located in Gallatin City, where she engaged in teaching, becoming one of the popular and successful pioneer teachers of this locality. Her son, Louis C. Bevier, received his educational discipline in the public schools of Gallatin county, with the added advantages of a cultured and re- fined home. After his school days he occupied a clerical position in the store of his stepfather until the death of the latter, and he remained with his twice widowed mother until 1896, when he made his home on the fine ranch property of his mother, which comprises 1,200 acres and lies five miles west of Logan, his postoffice address. Sim- ultaneously with his location upon this ranch his mother took up her residence on property owned by her at Spring Hill, in the same county.

Mr. Bevier engaged in stockraising and farming and has so directed his efforts as to attain success, while his integrity and straightforward methods have gained the respect and confidence of his asso- ciates. He gives special attention to the raising of highgrade shorthorn cattle, having had in one herd as many as 300 head. In addition to this branch of ranching he also secures large crops of hay from his ranch, which is a most attractive and valuable property. The permanent improvements are exceptionally good, including a fine farm resi- dence. He was for a time in the meat business, but has disposed of this. In politics he gives sup- port to the Republican party, and at all times shows deep interest in whatever tends to advance the general welfare of his county and state. On Sep- tember 28, 1898, Mr. Bevier wedded with Miss Agnes R. Smith, who was born in Toledo, Ohio, whence her parents, Benjamin N. and Maria (Rod- gers) Smith, removed to Montana in 1890, locating one mile east of Logan, Gallatin county, where her father became a prominent farmer and stock- grower. The home of Mr. and Mrs. Bevier is brightened by a winsome daughter, Helen A., who was born on June 29, 1899.

T THOMAS J. BENNETTS is a native of Eng- land, where he was born July 29, 1859. His father, William Ash Bennetts, also a native of England, is still living, and makes his home with our subject. He was married when a young man to Miss Elizabeth Tratten, who was born in Eng- land about the year 1821. They are the parents of eleven children, of whom Thomas J. is the eighth in order of birth. Mr. Bennetts attended the public schools of his native land until he was eight years old and was then put to work sorting ore, which occupied him until he reached the age of twelve years. He then began working under ground in the mines of North Wales, and by the time he was seventeen he had risen by meritorious promo- tions to be superintendent of the mine in which he was working. He kept the place about a year and a half when he resigned and came to the United States to seek his fortune. He first lo- cated in the copper regions of Michigan, and went to work at Marquette and later further south in the state. In 1880 he left Michigan and went to the Black Hills in South Dakota, where he followed mining for three years. After that he mined coal in Colorado, and worked at San Juan

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and at Leadville. Beginning in 1887 he spent some eighteen months mining in Utah; and from there came to Montana in 1889, locating at Butte and again engaged in mining, leasing the Rock Island and Sisters' mine owned by the Butte & Boston Company. In 1893 he started a little mer- cantile enterprise in Centreville, in the form of a small grocery store, which he has developed by good management and superior business capacity into a large and splendid department store with a continually expanding body of patrons and volume of trade. But notwithstanding his great interest in this business he has devoted much of the time since he started it to mines and mining.

In politics Mr. Bennetts is a Republican, but it can scarcely be said that he is a partisan, except in the sense that he is a gentleman of firm and sincere convictions and feels called upon to aid in securing the success of the principles in which he believes. He is married and has a daughter who is at home. In fraternal circles he is ex- tensively connected, being an ardent Mason, an Elk, a Knight of Pythias and a son of St. George. In the Masonic order he has taken the degrees in all the various branches up to and including the thirty-second, and has served in a number of official capacities, notably as treasurer of his lodge, and as a Knight of Pythias he has been treasurer of his lodge continuously since its institution. Mr. Bennetts is universally spoken of as one of the most worthy and useful citizens of this city, and one who has the confidence and high regard of the entire community.

J AMES ALLISON BLACK .- On a fine tract of land alternating with hill and meadow in Indi- ana county, Pa., in the early days of its history, an industrious and frugal emigrant from Scotland lo- cated as a hopeful young man, worked hard, re- duced the land to a state of high cultivation, raised a creditable family, performed with fidelity all the duties of life which came his way, and at a ripe old age was laid to rest with every demon- stration of respect on the part of his fellows. He was David Black, grandfather of James Allison Black, the subject of this sketch, who was born on that same farm June 25, 1847, where his father, Thomas Black, was also born. The grandfather secured the land of the government, and had all the trials and hardships of the pioneers, of whom

he was one. When nature was in part subdued to amiable productiveness, the Indians became trou- blesome, and required continual vigilance. And when these no longer gave trouble, a haughty foreign foe challenged the patriotism and valor of the country in the war of 1812, in which Mr. Black was a soldier. The father succeeded to the patrimony and reared thereon his family. He is still living there at the age of eighty-seven, but his good wife, after sharing his joys and sorrows, his struggles and triumphs, for more than half a century, met with a violent death by fire in 1900 at the age of eighty-five, her clothing having been ignited by a hot stove. She was Sarah Blose prior to her marriage, and was also a native of Pennsylvania.

Mr. Black was reared on the farm and educated at the schools in the neighborhood, remaining at home until he was seventeen years old. He then emigrated to Ohio and located at Cleveland, where he learned the trade of a carpenter. Two of his brothers had gone into the Union army at the outbreak of the Civil war, and both lost their lives. One died at Libby prison and the other from wounds received at Gettysburg. Mr. Black himself was as enthusiastic as they in the cause, but was too young for the service. He remained at Cleveland, working at his trade five years, and then returned home and there began contracting and building. It was a good field for his enter- prise, and many fine residences and substantial barns in the neighborhood bear witness to his skill and capacity. In 1887 he again left his na- tive county and, coming west, located at Helena, Mont., at that time one of the booming towns. He has lived in Helena ever since and has pros- pered in his business, which has been steadily ex- panding and rising in importance until now it is one of the most extensive of its kind in the state. .

He was united in marriage February 22, 1872, to Miss Mary G. Laughlin, also descended from an old Pennsylvania family, being the daughter of John Laughlin, of Armstrong county, a prosper- ous farmer, a great sportsman and hunter, and renowned as the best rifle shot in that part of the state. Mrs. Black was highly educated, and taught school for a number of years prior to her marriage. They have two children: Fannie, who is married to Wallace Deering and resides in Mis- souri ; and Frank O., a young man of twenty- one, who graduated at the Helena high school

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when he was sixteen. He is a practical jeweler and is now in the employ of Alfred C. Dormer. Mr. and Mrs. Black are members of the United Presbyterian church. He is a Republican in poli- tics, but not an active partisan, especially in local affairs. They stand well in the community, and are universally esteemed.

0 'DILLON B. WHITFORD, M. D .- One of Montana's distinguished pioneer physicians, who lived up to the full tension of life on the frontier in the early days and who has been actively engaged in medical practice in Butte for a full quarter of a century, the life story of Dr. O'Dil- lon B. Whitford presents many elements of un- usual interest. He has attained distinction in his profession, has been and is an earnest and dis- criminating student and holds a position of due relative precedence among the medical practitioners of the state. "Earn thy reward; the gods give naught to sloth," said the sage Epicharmus, and the truth of the axiom has been verified in all the ages that have rolled their course since his day. Dr. Whitford, who has by ceaseless toil and en- deavor attained a marked success, gained the re- spect and confidence of men and won recognition as one of Montana's pioneer citizens, is a striking proof of the truth of the utterance. He was born on November 4, 1834, in Wooster, Wayne county, Ohio, in fact being the first child born in that town. He was the son of Augustus H. and Charlotte (Bidwell) Whitford, both natives of Wayne county, N. Y. The genealogy in the agnatic line is of English and Scotch and in the maternal line Eng- lish, both families having been represented in America from the early colonial epoch. The parents of the Doctor removed from the Empire state to Wayne county, Ohio, as pioneers, whence they later removed to Indiana, locating in Noble county. In 1856 they started westward, with the intention of establishing their home in Nebraska, but the father died in Iowa, while they were on their way. His wife survived him only three months, her grief over the loss of her husband having un- doubtedly been largely responsible for her death. They left ten children, of whom six are living. Their son Burnett was in the Twentieth Iowa Regi- ment during the Civil war and died as a result of the hardships he endured in captivity at Anderson- ville prison. To Augustus H. Whitford this tribute

has been paid: "He was a thoroughly read man and was one of great intelligence and power as a public speaker, reasoner and debater, being a lover of liberty . and having an inveterate hatred of slavery. While in Indiana, indeed, he was con- nected with the 'underground railroad,' and aided many a poor fellow on his way to liberty."

O'Dillon B. Whitford was a mere child at the time of his parents' removal to Indiana, in whose public schools he received his elementary education. He early determined to prepare himself for the medical profession and matriculated in the Eclectic Medical Institute at Cincinnati, Ohio, where he was graduated with the class of 1856, having but a few months before attained his legal majority. However, prior to his graduation, he had assumed connubial responsibilities, for on November 26, 1854, he was united in marriage to Miss Mary J. Tanner, who was born in Ohio, and in 1856, ac- companied by his wife and their infant son, he started for Nebraska with his father's family. After the death of the father they continued their west- ward journey, taking up lands and improving and cultivating them, and on the tract in which Dr. Whitford owned an interest about half of the present city of Omaha is located. In 1859 Dr. Whitford pushed farther forward on the great frontier of the west, crossing the plains to Pike's Peak, Colo., in which locality he was engaged in medical practice and in mining operations until 1864, when he joined the hegira to the new gold fields in Montana, making the overland trip via Fort Laramie, from which place 112 days were consumed in completing the journey to Vir- ginia City, where he arrived on July 12, 1864, so that he has now been a resident of Mon- tana nearly two score years. Upon his ar- rival in Alder gulch the Doctor with a friend in- vested $800 in purchasing a claim. The property was divided, the Doctor taking the upper half. His friend realized about $15,000 from his portion of the claim, while Dr. Whitford expended an ad- ditional $800 in developing his half and realized practically nothing. In 1869 Dr. Whitford went to the ·Cedar creek district, where about twenty days later he received a message that his wife was very ill at Rochester, in Madison county. He made the trip of 330 miles thither in three days, riding day and night, with a single horse, which he after- ward sold for $200. Mrs. Whitford was in a pre- carious condition, but through the devoted and capable ministration and watchfulness of her hus-

色 ·

Dillon 3.Whileford

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band her life was prolonged until July 4, 1870, whence she was called upon to respond to the in- exorable summons of death. She left three chil- dren, Charles, a graduate of Bennett Medical Col- lege, of Chicago, who is now engaged in the suc- cessful practice of medicine at Lewiston, Idaho; Rosamond E., wife of H. H. Cullum, a millwright, of Hailey, Idaho, and Henrietta, wife of T. H. Mc- Crimmon, of Butte. On December 3, 1872, Dr. Whitford remarried, being then wedded to Miss Susan L. (Sweeny) Holloway, who was born in Potosi, Wis., the daughter of John L. Sweeny, one of Montana's sterling pioneers. Their only child was O'Dillon B., Jr., whose untimely death oc- curred when he was in his seventh year. He was a youth of remarkable intellectual powers and lovable character, and his death was the source of the deep- est sorrow to his devoted parents.

For three years after his second marriage Dr. Whitford resided in the town of Deer Lodge, after which he removed to Butte, where he has ever since been engaged in the practiceof his profession. Butte was but a straggling little mining town when he located there and he has been a witness of its wonderful development into a modern and wealthy city and the metropolis of a great state. In all these intervening years Dr. Whitford has retained a large and representative practice, and has been the loved family physician in the homes of many of the leading citizens, his ability and genial, sym- pathetic nature having endeared him to a very large circle of friends, while Mrs. Whitford pre- sides with gracious dignity over their home, where is combined unostentatious hospitality and refined courtesy. In 1881 Dr. Whitford received an hon- orary diploma from the Eclectic Medical College of Milwaukee, Wis., in recognition of an import- ant medical discovery he had made in the success- ful treatment of typhoid fever and pneumonia, and he also received a similar mark of appreciation from the Eclectic Medical College at Salem, Ore., and numerous papers and testimonials from other med- ical institutions. He has served several times as a member of the city board of health. While in Deer Lodge he was for three years surgeon to the penitentiary located there. He is a man of inflexi- ble integrity, having the courage of his convictions and marked originality and intellectual acumen. He is liberal and tolerant in his views, and has ever shown a lively interest in all that touches the prog- ress and material prosperity of his city and state. He has been a stalwart supporter of the Republican

party and its principles, and in 1882 was elected mayor of Butte, giving an able administration of municipal affairs. Fraternally he is identified with the Masonic order, and in 1894 was elected presi- dent of the Old Timers' Association of Silver Bow county, and has ever taken a deep interest in its meetings and in recalling the scenes and incidents of the pioneer days. Ever since coming to Mon- tana he has been interested in mining to the extent of investing thousands of dollars in the business. Recently his interests in this line have become very profitable, and he has disposed of a portion of them for more than $300,000. He is now retired from the active practice of his profession, and will de- vote his declining years to travel, accompanied by his family.

REV. JOSEPH BLAERE .- Left an orphan by the death of his mother when he was eight years old and that of his father when he was thir- teen, subject to the rigid discipline of the govern- ment schools and the self-denying life of a semi- narian for a series of years, undergoing the severe strain of a thorough course of instruction in the classics and ecclesiastical studies, Rev. Joseph Blaere, pastor of the Church of the Sacred Heart at Miles City, Mont., was well prepared for the multiform exactions, deprivations and onerous duties of his sacred office. His life began in Bel- gium, October 22, 1874. His father, Henry Blaere, was an inspector in the government schools- a man of scholarship and refinement, who died in 1887, following his beloved wife, Sidonie (Cos- tenoble) Blaere, who had passed away five years before. They were natives of Belgium, and the parents of five children, Joseph being the third.

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Progressive men of the state of Montana, pt 1, Part 104

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