Progressive men of the state of Montana, pt 1, Part 121

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 121

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Thomas M. Everett attended the public schools of his native town until he had attained the age of fourteen years, and later completed the sophomore course in Baker University at Baldwin City, Kan., in the public schools of which state he had fitted for college. After leaving the university Mr. Everett came west, passing the fall and winter of 1886 in California, whence he came to Helena, Mont., in the following spring. He there engaged in contracting and building for two years, and in the fall of 1888 he returned east, where he passed the winter at his old home. Upon returning to Montana, in the spring of 1889, he located at Harlem, Choteau county, the town having not yet an existence, and here he took up a homestead claim of 160 acres, lying contiguous to the village. Later he secured two other tracts of 160 acres each on Milk river, two miles east of his home- stead, and here he has since been extensively en- gaged in the raising of horses, and also securing good returns from the agricultural resources of his estate, much of the land being available for

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cultivation, but largely given to the raising of hay, of which he secures enormous yields. In politics Mr. Everett has been identified with the Republican party from the time of attaining his legal majority, and he has been prominently con- cerned in public affairs in Choteau county. For twelve years he was incumbent of the office of United States commissioner, appointed in 1889, he served as justice of the peace from 1892 until 1900, and since then has had the distinction of being chairman of the Republican county central committee, and a potent factor in advancing the party cause in this section of the state. Fraternally he is identified with Independent Lodge, Ancient Order of United Workmen, in his home town of Harlem.

Mr. Everett has been twice married. In 1892, in the capital city of the state, he was joined in matrimony to Miss Ianthe English, who met her death as the result of a pitiable accident, being killed by a Great Northern Railroad train near Harlem in 1895. She was born in Missouri in 1862, the daughter of Harvey English, one of Montana's sterling pioneers and a prominent citizen of Helena for many years, having long held the of- fice of police magistrate in that city, where his death occurred in 1887. His daughter Ianthe was reared and educated in Helena, having been a mere child at the time of the family's removal to Montana. The second marriage of Mr. Everett was consummated on May 5, 1897, at Harlem, when he was united to Miss Addie Hemphill, born in Osceola, Iowa, in 1863, and reared and educated at Rock Springs, Wis., where her parents located during her early childhood. She came to Montana in 1892. Mr. Everett has one of the finest homes in northern Montana, which he erected himself in 1901 at a cost of $4,000. It is a favorite resort for their many friends.

THOMAS J. FARRELL .- For Thomas Joseph Farrell, of Missoula, life has been full of work and varied experiences, from the time when as an orphan boy he left his native land and with his grandmother dared the dangers of a thousand leagnes of raging sea to seek a home and fortune in a new country. He landed at New York, and in a short time went to New Jersey, where he at- tended school intermittently for a few years, then worked for a month in St. Louis with an uncle, after which he passed some time at Earl, Ill., then,

at the age of thirteen, went again to St. Louis for a year, when he went south to live with an uncle who was an overseer of a large plantation at Trinity, La., with whom he lived until the breaking out of the Civil war, when, in 1861, he returned to St. Louis. In May, 1864, Mr. Farrell crossed the plains to Salt Lake City, where he wintered. In the spring he started for Montana, but meeting some prospectors, he returned with them to Utah, and there remained until the next spring, when he again started for Montana, reaching Virginia City on April 14, 1865, and there kept a hotel, and in- vested $20,000 in silver mines in the Potosi valley, and to him, as to so many, the great slump in the silver market was disastrous.

Mr. Farrell had before this been dealing in horses on a large scale, putting out the first drove of mares ever turned on a range in Montana. He has also been extensively engaged in sheep and cattleraising, owning at one time the Farrellton ranch of 4,000 acres, which he sold in 1900. At times while he was dealing in live stock, Mr. Far- rell had contracts to supply the United States government with animals, and the inspectors were in the liabit of coming to his ranch to make their purchases, a course they never took in any other case. After disposing of his ranch in 1900, he re- moved to Missoula to secure good school facilities for his two boys, but is uncertain about his remain- ing there after their schooling is finished, for he has property and valuable interests in a number of places. He owns the Madison House and other real estate in Virginia City, and has a large livery and sale stable in Dickinson, N. D. Mr. Farrell was married in 1876 to Miss Margaret Brennan, also a native of Ireland, who came to America when she was young. They have three children, Bessie J., a graduate of the state normal school and now teaching in Missoula, and George T. and Thomas Joseph, who are students at the State Uni- versity at Missoula. Their father is a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and the Ancient Order of United Workmen, including the degree of honor.

Mr. Farrell has been a very useful citizen, al- ways taking his place. in the public service at the behest of his fellows and in every capacity render- ing them a good return for their confidence. He was with the Virginia City company of volunteers in the Nez Perces war at Camas creek, as first lieu- tenant of the company, while later he was active in organizing the National Guard of Montana, and

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was first lieutenant of Company D, afterward being elected captain, and receiving his commission as such from Governor Leslie. Mr. Farrell has al- ways been an active and zealous Democrat, and has rendered excellent service to his party. He was elected sheriff of Madison county in 1873 and has been school trustee, alderman of Virginia City, member of the state stock commission, and com- missioner appointed to lay out the first road from Madison county to the Yellowstone National Park, which he did in 1873. He has been chair- man of the county central committee of his party and a member of the state central committee a number of times, and has aided in organizing and winning many a victory for the cause he espoused. In all the relations of life he has shown himself an upright, straightforward, manly man, winning the esteem of new acquaintances, and never losing that of old ones. The history of the state shows no cleaner record or more creditable career than his.

H JENRY J. FAUST .- Among the thrifty, en- terprising and honest German-American citi- zens of Powell county, Mont., the subject of the following article, whose name forms its caption, is eminent. He is a merchant and general business man of Ovando, and was born in Minnesota in 1867. Although still a young man he has achieved commendable success in various enterprises. He is the son of Elias P. and Catherine (Johnston) Faust. The father was born in Germany, came to the United States at an early period and went direct to Minnesota. He thus became one of the first settlers of the St. Croix river country, and was by occupation a farmer. Subsequently he became a well-to-do and influential citizen of Chisago county, of whichi he was assessor for fifteen successive years, indicative of the confidence reposed in him by his friends and neighbors. He also held a number of other offices in the town of Chisago Lake. Politically he was a Republican, prominent and influential in all party affairs. He died at Chisago Lake in 1884. The mother of our subject was also born in Germany and is living a retired life in the village of Lindstrom, Minn. In 1887, at the age of twenty, young Faust left the old homestead in Minnesota and struck out for himself. He had gained a practical knowledge of mercantile business in a store in his native county, and thus equipped, came to Montana and

located at Phillipsburg, where for a short period he officiated as clerk in a general store. From Phillipsburg, he went to Drummond, where he turned his attention to the railroad business and became check clerk at the Northern Pacific station. He then thoroughly learned the railway station business and later was promoted to be relief agent. Following this Mr. Faust returned to Minnesota to enjoy a visit of six months with his people, but in 1892 returned to Montana and entered into part- nership with Mr. C. A. Jakways, under the name of Jakways & Faust. This is a most flourishing en- terprise, doing a mercantile business of $30,000 a year. They freight their goods from Drummond, the nearest railroad point, forty miles distant. They are also engaged in the cattle business and have a ranch in the Cottonwood valley, ten miles north- west of Ovando, where they now have a fine property of 2,000 acres. In all these numerous and profitable lines Mr. Faust is an equal partner. In addition to his general business Mr. Faust has been postmaster at Ovando since November I, 1898, and held a commission as notary for Powell county.

Fraternally he is a Mason, a member of Zion Lodge No. 55, at Taylor's Falls, Minn. Mr. Faust's wife was Miss Cora A. Young, a native of Montana, having been born at McClelland gulch, Deer Lodge county, Mont., in 1877, a daughter of J. L. Young, a prominent stockman of Ovando. Mr. Faust is a quiet, yet earnest and forceful man, of excellent business judgment and is popular among a wide circle of acquaintances.

T HOMAS FAIRBAIRN is a descendant of a sturdy old Scotch family and exhibits the ad- mirable traits which have carried that race to the front in every enterprise in which they have en- · gaged. Moreover; he is well fitted by experience for the sheep industry, having been engaged in it from childhood. He was born July 15, 1870, in Roxboroughshire, Scotland, the son of William and Maggie (Godfrey) Fairbairn, all of the same na- tivity. Mr. Fairbairn passed his boyhood and youth in his native place and was well educated. After leaving school he gave a few years to the business of learning the sheep industry, working as a shep- herd, and the experience thus acquired has been of inestimable benefit to him. In 1892 he started for America and, locating at Calgarry, Canada,

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passed a year there in the employ of a sheep outfit. He then came to Montana and engaged in the same vocation for a year, at the end of which he formed a partnership with Robert G. Shiel, and buying a band of sheep began feeding in Fergus county. They had 1,400 head doing well, but three months later the entire flock froze to death in a blizzard. The partnership was then dissolved and Mr. Fairbairn again went to work for others; but at the end of a year he made a visit to his old home in Scotland and remained eighteen months. When he returned to Montana he went to work in the sheep industry for George Perrie on Swim- ming Women creek. He remained in his employ two years, then, in partnership with John Mane, bought sheep and again went into business. They are still together and have under lease 7,000 acres adjoining the town site of Harlowton and fronting four miles on the Musselshell, from which they have abundance of water. The ranch also has the best natural protection. They winter from 8,000 to 10,000 sheep, Merino crossed with Cotswold be- ing favorites. They have also under lease 1,280 acres under irrigation, on which they raise large crops of alfalfa, hay and other farm products. Mr. Fairbairn is a Freemason and a member of the Montana Sheep Growers' Association. He is re- garded as one of the best-posted and most pro- gressive sheep men in the state, and grows in strength and breadth from year to year, for he is a close and observing student, and a man of superior natural ability.

G EORGE F. FERRIS .- This gentleman was born at Galesburg, Ill., May 23, 1866. His father is Frederick H. Ferris, educated at Knox College, and a veteran of the Civil war, a Presby- terian in church affiliation and a Republican in politics ; he is now engaged in ranching and in- surance. He married Elizabeth Sherman, a daugh- ter of Levi Sherman, of New York state, and his family consists of thirteen children, of whom George is the oldest.

George F. Ferris was educated in elementary and grammar schools and may almost be said to have been raised on the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad, so completely has his life; since leaving school, been given to railroading, and for the most part in the service of that road. He came to Montana in 1898, and has won and sustains the 40

reputation of being one of the brightest railroad men in the state. In every department of the busi- ness which comes under his supervision he is au fait-familiar with all details, and ready at a glance to see and seize the strong point of the situation.

On June 18, 1889, Mr. Ferris was married to Miss Carrie Allbaugh, a daughter of William Allbaugh, the nuptials being solemnized at Gales- burg, Ill. They have three children, Grace, aged eleven years ; Frank, ten, and Martha, three. Both Mr. and Mrs. Ferris descend from Revolutionary stock, that won distinction in that great struggle on many a hard-fought battle field. The Ferris family attains venerable ages as a rule, and is noted for remarkable inventive genius, an uncle of George being the inventor of the great Ferris wheel, so prominent a feature of the Columbian Exposition at Chicago in 1893. Both Mr. and Mrs. Ferris possess social qualities which make their pleasant home a popular center and greatly endear them to their constantly expanding circle of friends.

SAMUEL L. FIELDER .- Arriving in Mon- tana in 1885 with almost nothing in the way of worldly wealth, the subject of this review has, by a few years of industry, economy and good man- agement, established himself in a fine home, with all the comforts of life about him and a compe- tence which almost insures him against the reach of ill fortune. He was born December 14, 1852, in Pike county, Mo., the son of Samuel C. and Elizabeth (Henderson) Fielder, the former a na- tive of Tennessee and the latter of North Carolina. The father settled in Missouri when a young man and remained there until his death in 1887, en- gaged in farming. Two sons and eight daughters survive him.

Mr. Fielder, our immediate subject, spent his school days in Missouri, and remained on the homestead until April, 1885. In that year he came to Montana and locating at Bozeman, engaged in farming on his own account, leasing a small parcel of land for the purpose. Three years later he pur- chased of George Thompson 160 acres, with some slight improvements thereon, located three miles and a half north of Bozeman. To this he has added eighty acres by subsequent purchase. Part of the land is under irrigation, and brought to a high state of fruitfulness by his industry and skill. The land is near the mountains, and is well

PROGRESSIVE MEN OF MONTANA.

adapted to fall wheat, of which it produces good crops. He has recently erected a fine, large and convenient residence, which is elegantly furnished and made attractive by many evidences of taste and refinement on the part of its occupants. His farm is also improved with superior and well ar- ranged barns, sheds and other necessary outbuild- ings, and provided with the latest and best appur- tenances for the work to be done on it. Every- thing about the place suggests, even to the casual observer, that it is owned and conducted by a pro- gressive, wide awake, up-to-date farmer, and man of superior intelligence and thrift. Mr. Fielder calls to mind the first New Year's dinner he en- joyed in Montana. It was in a little cabin about five miles above Red Bluff, with a man named Snow, an appropriate name, snow being plentiful and the temperature fifteen degrees below zero on that day.

Mr.' Fielder was married February 5, 1880, to Miss Marietta Kincaid, a native of Marion county, Mo., born December 29, 1859, and daughter of Had. Kincaid, a wealthy farmer and stockraiser of that county, who still resides there. The mother passed away in June, 1886. Mrs. Fielder is a helpmeet for her husband in the true sense of the term, entering with spirit into all his plans and giv- ing him active aid in carrying them out, both by hier counsel and her more energetic personal as- sistance. They are highly respected and cordially esteemed by a large circle of friends and acquaint- ances.

GEORGE W. FLANDERS .- As long as history endures will the Americans acknowledge their indebtedness to the heroes who, between 1861 and 1865, fought for the preservation of the Union and the honors of the starry banner. Among those who wore the blue and rendered valiant and pa- triotic service during the Civil war is Mr. Flanders, who is one of the representative business men of Bozeman and one of the pioneers of Montana, where he has lived and labored to worthy ends. The ranks of those who served in the Civil war are fast being decimated by time, and the observer can not fail to see the evidences of age in the surviving veterans-the silvering hair, the enfeebled steps- and the younger generation can scarce fail to be moved by the spectacle and to bow in honor to those who served their country and perpetuated its integrity. The military record of Mr. Flanders

is one which will ever stand to his honor. He was born in Orange county, Vt., on February 22, 1840, the son of Blaisdell and Mary (Newcombe) Flanders, natives of Vermont, where the former passed his life, passing away at the age of fifty years, while his widow lived to attain the extreme age of eighty-eight years, her death occurring in Boston, Mass., on September 11, 1899, at the home of one of her daughters. Of their six chil- dren only two are living. The father devoted his life to agricultural pursuits, and both lather and mother were people of sterling character.

George W. Flanders was reared on the old Ver- mont farm and in the district schools he laid the foundation for the education and broad fund of in- formation he has gained by intimate association with the practical affairs of life. Learning the carpenter trade, he worked at it until the dark cloud of civil war rose on the national horizon and made ready response to the higher duty which faced the sturdy yeomen of the country. In his eighteenth year he joined the Bradford Guards of the Vermont state militia, which were called out upon the first call for troops to aid in the suppres- sion of the Rebellion, and in May, 1861, Mr. Flanders was mustered into the United States service in Company D, First Vermont Regiment, under Capt. D. K. Andrews, for three months, thus being one of the very first soldiers to go to the front. In almost the first battle, that of Big Bethel, he was among the first to be wounded, where he received a bullet in the left shoulder, and the ball has never been extracted. Upon his recovery from this wound, on October 15, 1861, he re-enlisted in Company B, Sixth Vermont Infantry, for three years.

At the battle of Spottsylvania Mr. Flanders was shot through the top of the lungs and lay on the battlefield all night. The next day he was carried off the field to the improvised hospital by George Woods, and to this fraternal and noble act he undoubtedly owes his life. The two comrades never saw each other. again until in 1895 at the national encampment of the Grand Army of the Republic in St. Paul. A stranger approached Mr. Flanders, who wore a Montana badge, and en- quired for the Montana headquarters, stating that he wished if possible to find an old soldier named George W. Flanders. Mr. Flanders answered : "Well, I'm the man." His interrogator could not be convinced that such was the case, but when Mr. Flanders inquired his name and asked if he recalled

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carrying him off the battlefield, the questioner went no farther, and the result of the identification may well be imagined. After receiving the wound in the lungs Mr. Flanders escaped farther injuries, though he had many close calls during his term of service. He was not ill after recovering from this wound, being able to report for duty each day. He took part in every battle and every skirmish in which his regiment was engaged except during the time he was incapacitated by the injuries mentioned. At the expiration of his three-years term he was at Fredericksburg, Va., and there he re-enlisted for "three years or until the close of the war," this being his third distinctive mark of loyalty to his country. He was promoted to second lieutenant and then to first, then transferred to the Sixth Army Corps and given command of a division ambulance corps, which position lie retained until peace was declared, and was present at the sur- render of Lee, after which he received his honor- able discharge, at Montpelier, Vt. No truer patriot or more valiant soldier ever imperiled his life in the cause of his country.

Soon after his return to Vermont and early in 1866, Mr. Flanders started forth on a tour of the great 'west, in search for a place in which to settle and establish himself in life. He made the long trip across the plains and arrived in Helena, Mont., about July 10. of the same year. He became suf- ficiently impressed with that place, then a flourish- ing mining camp, to decide to there "drive his home stake." Here he worked at his trade and also pros- pected and mined, as did practically the entire population, and here he continued his residence until 1870, when he closed his business interests and went to Bozeman, Gallatin county, where he has made his home for more than thirty years, and has been conspicuously identified with its business and industrial interests, retaining the confidence and high esteem of the community in the latter days of progress and prosperity, even as he did when development had scarce commenced. At Bozeman he worked at his trade about six months, then built and operated a shingle mill and later a sawmill, being very successful in these from the start. Still later he erected a larger mill on Middle creek, about nine miles southeast of Bozeman, and equipped it with improved machinery. For fifteen years he was associated with a partner in the operation of the mill, and then they sold out. Within a year. however, Mr. Flanders re-purchased the property, and in 1892 opened a large lumber

yard in Bozeman, and he has ever since continued the two enterprises, now having a manager for his city yards and personally supervising the inill.

Twice since becoming one of the pioneers of Montana has Mr. Flanders visited his old Green Mountain home, and there, on February 24, 1886, he was united in marriage to Miss Mary Parks, born in that state on June 8, 1858, the daughter of John and Mary (Bacon) Parks, the former being born on July 4, 1820, and the latter on July I, 1819. They are representatives of old New Eng- land families. The parents came to Montana in 1887 to pass their declining days with their daugh- ter, who has ever accorded them the deepest filial solicitude. Here the mother died on November 20, 1899, at the age of eighty years; while the father of Mrs. Flanders still abides in her home (August, 1901), now having attained the venerable age of eighty-one. He ran away from home when a small boy and adopted a seafaring life, being taken on board a man of war, and continuing in the naval service until he had attained his legal majority. Mr. and Mrs. Flanders have three children : Clara M., Laura M. and George W., Jr. The family home in Bozeman is a spacious and attractive modern residence, which was erected in 1889. Here is dispensed a gracious hospitality to the many friends, and no family in the community has more. Mr. Flanders keeps constant his interest in his old comrades, retaining membership in William Eng- lish Post No. 10. G. A. R., of Bozeman, and it may be stated that when in the army he cast his first presidential vote for Abraham Lincoln, then a candidate for a second term. By locating in Montana he was denied the privilege of voting for another presidential candidate until Montana was admitted to statehood, and he then, in 1896, sup- ported William McKinley, while he has steadily in state and local politics been a stanch Republican.

R ICHARD FINLEY .- Coming to the United States as a child and to Montana when a youth, Mr. Finley is one of the enterprising and successful farmers and stockgrowers of Madison county. where he has maintained his home for long years. He was born in County Kilkenny, Ireland, on November 20, 1844, the eldest of the eight chil- dren born to John and Catherine (Cody) Finley, emigrants to the United States about 1851, where they located first in Virginia, and made their home

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Progressive men of the state of Montana, pt 1, Part 121

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