Progressive men of the state of Montana, pt 1, Part 120

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 120

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THOMAS B. ELLIS .- While geographically we shall always have a frontier, the term in its old application is a thing of the past, for the old or- der of things has given place to the new, and where once the Indian roamed the plains and tented by the side of the mountain streams ; where later the typical cowboy rode the open range, and where life was free and primitive, now all is changed, and progress and advancement and development are on every hand. Many of the old-timers sometimes sigh for the days that are gone and for the scenes which marked life on the veritable frontier, but they cannot but view with satisfaction the transi- tion which they have witnessed and to so large an extent have brought about. Among the hon- ored pioneers of Montana, whose memory recalls many stirring incidents and personal experiences of the early days, is Mr. Ellis, now one of the prominent sheepgrowers of the state, his fine ranch property being located in Broadwater county at the veritable head of the great Missouri river.

Mr. Ellis was born in Platte county, Mo., on March 24, 1842, the son of Benedict and Edith (Vaughn) Ellis, natives of Missouri and Ken- tucky. His paternal grandfather was Jonathan Ellis, born in Wales, whence he emigrated to America and located in Clay county, Mo., where he was extensively engaged in farming until his death, accumulating a valuable property and becoming one of the influential men of the state. Benedict Ellis died about the time his son Thomas was born, and the latter was reared and educated in his na- tive state until his twenty-first birthday, when he entered the employ of John T. Murphy, now one of the most prominent citizens of Montana's capital city, and represented by a portrait and sketch in this work, and engaged in freighting for the Overland Stage Company for nine months. He then returned to Missouri, passed the winter, and in the spring of 1864 set forth for Salt Lake City with a freight- ing outfit owned by Mr. Murphy. The train reached the Mormon city without interference of the In- dians, and there Mr. Ellis took charge of two of Mr. Murphy's freighting teams, with which he came through to Virginia City, Mont., arriving about the Ist of July. He then engaged in freight- ing between Salt Lake City and Virginia City, until fall, passing the winter forty miles south of Salt Lake City. In the spring he drove a team through to Alder gulch, and engaged in mining in the Sum- mit district, securing claim 41 above discovery, this being the highest claim above that showed

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pay. He met with moderate success in this ven- it on Mr. Ellis's saddle. He laughed and re- ture and then fruitlessly expended his money in prospecting further up the gulch.

In 1866 Mr. Ellis engaged with Hall & South- mayd, who had put in the first bed rock flume in Alder gulch, and he was in their employ until July of that year, when he came to Bozeman, Gallatin county, and entered the employ of Coover & McAdow, with whom he remained for three years, milling and freighting. He next engaged in ranching, two and one-half miles south of Boze- man, where he had a ranch of 240 acres and suc- cessfully continued operations until 1884, when he sold this property and engaged in the mercan- tile business in Bozeman for three years, when he disposed of his goods, retaining the real estate. The next year was passed in Castle, Meagher county, where Mr. Ellis was a partner in the Cas- tle Mercantile Company. He then sold his in- terest and returned to Bozeman, where he repur- chased his former business, which he conducted for eighteen months, and then located on his present ranch property at Three Forks, known as the "old Gallaher place," and on this property is found the absolute source of the Missouri river. The ranch is thus exceptionally well watered, while the loca- tion is most picturesque and attractive, the river flowing only a short distance from the family residence. The ranch comprises about 600 acres, is improved with excellent buildings, corrals, etc., and is devoted principally to the raising of fine sheep. Mr. Ellis has as a capable and progressive associate his stepson, W. D. Alexander, who mar- ried Miss Mary Dunbar, the daughter of Frank J. Dunbar, one of the prominent citizens of this county, who is individually mentioned in this work.

It may here be stated that in 1867 a number of men herding on Shields river were attacked by Indians, four being killed, while the savages carried off a few horses and the camp out- fit. The four herders who escaped brought the report next day, and a company of soldiers from Fort Ellis and about thirty citizens, including Mr. Ellis, went to the scene of the tragedy. They found two of the murdered men and gave them proper burial. While the party were eating lunch- eon they were attacked by the Indians, and the battle continued intermittently all day, one Indian being killed and the horse of another. A man riding by the side of Mr. Ellis was wearing a fur cap, and a ball from the rifle of one of the Indians clipped a piece of fur from the cap and deposited

marked, "They are getting pretty close." The Indians were finally driven away and none of the white men were injured to any appreciable extent. Mr. Ellis is one of the most energetic and pro- gressive of men and lends his influence and aid to all worthy enterprises and projects. His polit- ical allegiance is given to the Democratic party, and fraternally he is a member of the local lodge of Knights of Pythias, No. 2, at Bozeman. In 1880 Mr. Ellis was united in marriage to Mrs. Ada B. Alexander, the widow of S. Alexander. She was born in Missouri, the daughter of Dr. Mc- Adow.

J B. EMERSON, agent of the Northern Pacific Railway at Basin, is one of the most en- terprising and highly esteemed citizens of that town. He was born in Maine, on November 2, 1844, the son of Moses and Mary M. (Sweet- ser) Emerson, both· natives of the same state. The father was the superintendent of the Fair- banks Scale Company's works, and died at the early age of twenty-eight years. The mother was a daughter of Asa Sweetser, a soldier of the Revo- lution. Young Emerson remained at home, work- ing at various employments and attending the public schools until he was fourteen years of age. In 1858 he entered the famous seminary at Kents Hill, from which he was graduated in the class of 1861. He then, at the age of seventeen, engaged in the drug business in Harvard Square, in clas- sic old Cambridge, Mass., with A. S. Wiley. In 1862 he left Cambridge and removed to Chicago. There he was employed in the drug house of J. Parsons & Company, until 1866:

In 1866 also he came to Montana, settling at Virginia City, then Alder gulch. He remained there until he went down the Yellowstone and Missouri rivers to Omaha with a fleet of mack- inaws. Fifty miles below Miles City the fleet was attacked by 500 Indians, and one of the whites was killed and Mr. Emerson was wounded. The party killed nineteen Indians, and wounded thirty- five, according to the report given by a halfbreed government scout, who conveyed the news of the fight to Fori Berthold. Mr. Emerson then re- turned to Chicago, and was again associated with J. Parsons & Co. in the drug business for two years.

In 1869 he went back to Maine and conducted

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a drug business for himself at Oakland until 1882. In that year he returned to Montana, locating at Park City, where he engaged in ranching and, in connection with this business he also, in 1890, became agent for the Northern Pacific Railway. Subsequently he removed to Superior, Wis., as bill clerk and operator, and for two years was re- lief agent. In 1894 he came to Basin, Jefferson county, still as agent for the Northern Pacific, and has remained there faithfully discharging the duties of that office ever since. In 1873 Mr. Emer- son was married to Miss Ella Boardman at Oak- land, Me. Their son, Ralph Waldo, is assistant cashier in the First National Bank, of Oakland, Me. He is a very estimable young man, and highly esteemed by a large circle of friends and acquaint- ances. Fraternally Mr. Emerson is a member of Lodge No. 37, Messalonkees, of Oakland, Me., in which order he has taken the third degree.

A BNER G. ENGLAND .- Honored and highly esteemed by all who know him, and standing not only as one of the pioneers of Montana, but as one of the first who began the search for gold in California, whither he made his way a number of years before the argonauts of 1849 had begun to extend their search for the precious metal into the far northwest, Mr. England is truly a pioneer of pioneers, and his experiences in the early days were varied and interesting. He is one of the self- made men of the state, and worthy of definite con- sideration in a compilation of this nature. He was born in Lawrence county, Ill., on November 1, 1830, the son of Joel W. and Jane (Seeds) Eng- land, the former a native of Pennsylvania and the latter of New York. The paternal grandfather was Thomas England, who likewise was born in the Keystone state, whence he early removed to Illinois, becoming a pioneer of that now populous commonwealth. He located in Lawrence county, and was identified with agriculture until his death at the age of eighty-five. He had seven sons and six daughters who attained maturity and estab- lished homes of their own, but all are now de- ceased. Joel W. England was also a farmer, and, after the death of his first wife, the mother of Ab- ner G., of this review, he consummated a second union in Georgia, eventually returning to Illinois and thence removing to Howell county, Mo., where he died in 1888, aged eighty-four. Of the

first marriage five children were born, and all are now deceased except Abner G. and Samuel N., who is a resident of Illinois. Of the second mar- riage four daughters still survive.

Abner G. England was educated in the public schools of Illinois, and in 1853 started on the long and then adventurous overland journey to Cali- fornia, with an ox team, being one of quite a large train of emigrants, who proceeded from St. Joseph, Mo., up the Platte river to Denver, or Cherry creek, the place then having no settlers. The party comprised twenty-six men and six teams, and they arrived at Placerville, Cal., on August 6, 1353, their only trouble with the Indians being that the redskins stole three of their horses, which they eventually recovered. In California they sold their teams and Mr. England went to Marys- ville, and conducted a livery stable for wages for two years. In 1855 he began mining, and devoted his attention to this in Uba county until 1858, when he made a trip to Virginia City, Nev., soon returning to California, where he remained until 1861, when he went to Boise City, Idaho, thence to Portland, Ore., and up the Columbia river, re- turning over the same route. In July, 1864, he came to Montana, making his first stop at the ranch of a Mr. Bills, four miles below the present home of Mr. England, who entered the employ of Mr. Bills, his first work being the cradling of six- teen acres of wheat. The next year he leased the farm of Mr. Bills, and cleared $4,000 the first year. In the meantime he had taken up a pre-emption claim of 160 acres, a portion of his present farm, and to this he has added until he has a valuable estate of 540 acres, and those familiar with this section of the state will realize the worth of the demesne, which is located three miles west of Missoula. On this model ranch Mr. England has erected a commodious brick residence of modern design and equipment, while the various outbuild- ings and other improvements will compare favora- bly with the farms of the long-settled east.

In addition to his extensive orchards, of which he has more than 1,000 fruit trees, which yield ex- cellent returns, Mr. England devotes particular attention to small fruits. It is gratifying to note the success which he has attained by industrious and well-directed effort, while he has gained pub- lic respect and confidence by his inflexible integ- rity. Mr. England was one of the organizers of the First National Bank of Missoula, and is now its vice-president. While he has never taken an

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active part in politics nor sought public office, he has not failed to heed the duties of citizenship and supports the Republican party and its principles, while fraternally he holds membership in the Inde- pendent Order of Odd Fellows. It may be men- tioned also that during the troubles with the Nez Perce Indians, when Chief Joseph made his mem- orable flight across Montana, Mr. England served as a member of the home guard, all settlers being on the alert to repel the encroachments of the dusky warriors. On March 11, 1873, Mr. Eng- land wedded Miss Mary Cousins, who was born in Illinois, her father, Edward G. Cousins, having been a prosperous farmer of Crawford county, that state. Two children have been born to them, Ella M. and Orville G., the latter being now book- keeper in the First National Bank of Missoula.

R EV. W. T. EUSTER, one of the efficient and conscientious workers in the Montana pas- torate of the Methodist Epispocal church, is the son of Christian and Anna (Kursteiner) Euster, both natives of Switzerland. The father, a gen- tleman of culture and refinement, came to the United States in 1841, and settled in New Jersey. During the Civil war he served patri- otically two years in the Forty-first New York Cavalry. Anna Kursteiner, to whom Christian Euster was married in New York, was one of the Swiss National Association of Singers, and came to the United States with the association. She possessed rare musical powers.

Rev. W. T. Euster was born in Hoboken, N. J., in 1860, and was early a thoughtful and earnest student in the public schools of Hoboken and in the Lutheran church. He studied stenography and the commercial branches and law, and at the age of twenty-five years he was principal of a shorthand institution at Spokane, Wash., and was professor of German and French for two years in the Spokane University, from which institution he received the degrees of B. C. S. and M. A. In 1889 he attended a theological school, took the re- quired examination of the conference and entered the ministerial service of the Methodist Episcopal church. He was first sent to Colfax, Wash., as pastor in 1891. His earnest labors freed the church from debt and after two years' efficient work, he was assigned to the Union Park and- Jef- ferson Street church, Spokane. Here he re-

mained three years, maintaining the same record of efficiency. In 1894 he made a tour of the Na- tional Park. In 1896 he came to Montana, being located at Anaconda. There he built a new church and parsonage, furnished it, and the benev- olences of the church were increased from $205 to $690 the first year, and in the second to $1,470, while during the third year they rose to $2,405, and within three years the membership of the church received an addition of 502. In 1899 Rev. Euster was transferred to Great Falls. Over 200 members were added to the church during his pas- torate and the benevolences largely increased, and a new church edifice was nicely placed under con- struction.

In 1900 Rev. Euster made a tour of six months to the Holy Land for needed rest and for an inter- val of object lesson studying. During this journey he visited England, Holland, Belgium, France, Egypt, Palestine, Syria, Asia Minor, Greece, Italy, the Paris exposition, Ireland and Scotland, coming back through the southern route. Three months of his time in 1895 was devoted to evangelistic work, having held eight series of very successful meet- ings. In 1888 Rev. Euster was married in Iowa, to Miss Bertha Teran, a native of Germany. She came to the United States when she was eight years old. They have four children, two sons and two daughters. Rev. Euster is a member of the board of trustees of the Montana Wesleyan Uni- versity. Fraternally he is a member of the Mod- ern Woodmen of the World, the Ancient Order of United Workmen and the Independent Order of Good Templars, holding office in all these orders.

S ISTER EMILDA .- A Sister of Charity has no nation. Wherever men suffer, or are in need of physical, mental or spiritual help, there is her country. The story of her life is not concerned with the time or place of her birth, the length of her service or the measure of personal sacrifice involved. Results make up the only gauge of its ordinary valuation, although, in the eye of a true discernment, no jot or tittle of its merit can be lost or overlooked; the world's unthinking judg- ment is passed almost wholly upon visible and tangible evidence. Tried even by this severe standard, the services of Sister Emilda, principal of St. Vincent's Academy at Helena, are entitled to a high regard. Her first appearance as a teach-

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er in the far west was at St. Mary's School at Leadville, Colo., where there were over 600 pupils. She remained there thirteen years and was trans- ferred to Butte in 1896. In the school at that place she taught in all grades of both the primary and high school departments, and, by fidelity to duty and capacity for work, arose to the principal- ship, to which she attained in 1899. The school is a very large one, having 750 pupils in attend- ance, and the duties are arduous and exacting ; for the standard is high, and the course of instruction, both in scope and methods, progressive, exhaust- ive and eminently serviceable, preparing its grad- uates for entrance to any college, and embracing, in addition to the ordinary curriculum of such in- stitutions, the best instruction attainable in music, painting and other branches of art. Sixteen teachers are employed, and all are kept busily oc- cupied. The excellence of and practical utility of the school as an educational force is attested by the amount of useful service its beneficiaries and graduates are rendering in various lines of useful labor. Many of them are teachers in the public schools of Butte and other places, and business circles cheerfully acknowledge their indebtedness, to it for well-prepared and helpful clerks, sales- men and bookkeepers. It is one of those benefi- cent institutions which dispense their blessings so freely and so unostentatiously that their true value is never fully realized until some calamity sweeps them away or stops for a time their fruitful activ- ity. The high standing of this school owes much of its value to the intellectual force of the cultured Sister Emilda. Her pre-eminent qualities as an organizer and head of such an educational institu- tion caused her transfer in September, 1901, to St. Vincent's Academy in Helena, where she is now laboring with good results.

0 WEN C. EVANS, M. D .- The homeopathic school of medicine has few practitioners more entitled to esteem or more esteemed, for skill and learning in professional matters, for courtesy and affability socially, for intelligent and active interest in current events, and for general acceptability in all the elements of good citizenship than Dr. Owen C. Evans, of Anaconda. His native town is Utica. N. Y., where he came into being December 4, 1869. His father, Owen Evans, was also a native of New York state, where he was educated in the

public schools and at Whitestown Seminary, from which he was graduated after a full course of in- struction. He came to Montana with his family in 1883, and until a recent date was engaged in merchandising in Helena, but has retired from active business. The mother was Emily J. (Church) Evans, also born in the Empire state, a daughter of Mrs. Emily (Makepeace) Church, whose father was Charles Plumb, a gallant soldier of the Revolution.

The Doctor is the oldest of five children. He began his elementary scholastic education in the public schools of Helena, and finished it at a higher institution at Cazenovia, New York, from which he was graduated in 1888. He entered Chicago Homeopathic Medical College two years later, and after a full three-years course, was graduated with the degree of M. D. March 24, 1893. During the pursuit of his professional studies, he had a high rank in his classes, and was considered a leader among the students. He was president of the Quiz Society, and also of his class at the time of its graduation. Upon leaving college, he was ap- pointed one of the resident physicians of the Bap- tist Hospital, and remained in the institution fifteen months, gaining valuable pathological and practical knowledge in all departments of his pro- fession. He returned to Montana in 1894 and lo- cated at Elliston. In a short time he had at- tracted such attention in his practice that he was appointed surgeon at Ontario mine in Deer Lodge county, for the Summit Wood Company, and also for the Northern Pacific Railroad Company. In 1896 he located at Anaconda, where he has been practicing ever since, growing in popular esteem and enlarging his hold on the confidence and es- teem of the community, and rising in the opinion of his professional brethren. In 1897 he was ap- pointed on the state medical board for a term of seven years.

In politics the Doctor is a Republican, and has always in mind the best interests of his party. At the same time, he does not allow political consider- ations to enter into his professional relations in any way, or interfere with his private friendships, of which he has a large number. Sporting life of an innocent character has many attractions for him. He is fond of good base ball playing and fine horses, but is not carried away by them from the more serious concerns of life. He is a member of the Independent Order of Foresters, and at pres- ent (1901) is the city physician for Anaconda.

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JOHN G. EVANS, of Butte, one of the lead-

ing mercantile factors in the makeup of - the city, was born in Wales on December 23, 1852. His parents were David and Mar- garet (Griffiths) Evans, both belonging to old Welsh families. The father was a grocer, and his son John, the tenth of eleven chil- dren, also followed the same business after leaving the national schools at the age of sixteen, until May, 1875, when he emigrated to America, com- ing at once to Salt Lake City, where he worked in the grocery business of Walker Brothers for seven years. Removing to Butte he worked in the same line for Broughton, of Walkerville, for a few months, and after this was engaged in the forwarding business for a year, when he removed to Anaconda and opened a general store for David Cohen. There were no houses in the town, and he was obliged to eat in a restaurant kept in a tent. He did not find either the work or the place congenial, and after six months he returned to Butte and took charge of a stationery store for Robert Grix, in whose service he remained six years. On the first day of February, 1890, he was appointed postmaster of Butte by President Har- rison, and held the office until April 1, 1894. After giving up this office he started the large stationery business which he now conducts, in both wholesale and retail departments. It is one of the most ex- tensive stationery stores in this section of the country, and has maintained a steady and healthy growth from the beginning, both in its volume and the character of its patrons, who find in the estab- lishment a complete and up-to-date enterprise.

In addition to his stationery business Mr. Evans owns considerable real estate and has mining properties of value. All that he has accumulated is the result of his own thrift and industry and his superior business qualifications and he is entitled to full credit as the architect of his own fortune. He was married on Christmas day, 1885, to Miss Gussie Carty, a native of Nova Scotia. They have three children, Fulton, born in 1886; Vivian, born in January, 1890, and Roscoe, born in. November, 1891. In politics Mr. Evans is an ardent Repub- lican, but not a narrow partisan. He is interested in the welfare of his party, but concedes to all oth- ers the same right of thought and action which he claims for himself. He is a member of three fra- ternal orders, the Knights of Pythias, the Im- proved Order of Red Men and the National Union. He has the rank of past supreme representative in

the Knights of Pythias, and of past sachem in the Red Men. Among all classes of the people where he is known he is well esteemed, and is highly com- mended for good business characteristics, engag- ing social qualities, and generosity in public enter- prises and private charities. His religious affilia- tions are with the Baptist church, and his chief recreation is found in his home and with his family.

THOMAS M. EVERETT .- Choteau county has its due complement of young and progressive business men, and among the representative stock- growers and public spirited citizens is Mr. Everett, whose home is in the immediate vicinity of the thriving little village of Harlem. He was born at Princeton, Mercer county, Mo., on Christ- mas day, 1865. His father, Hosea B. Everett, was born in Ohio, in 1832, and was there reared and educated. As a young man he removed to Missouri, where he devoted his attention to agri- culture until 1881, when he removed to Kansas, there continuing in the same vocation until 1896, when he came to Montana, where he has since lived retired from active labors, making his home with his children in the vicinity of Harlem, and re- ceiving from them a true filial solicitude, as does also his wife, whose maiden name was Jane Butcher and who was born in Illinois in 1836.

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Progressive men of the state of Montana, pt 1, Part 120

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