Progressive men of the state of Montana, pt 1, Part 148

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 148


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William T. Morrow accompanied his father on his various removals, and his education was ac- quired in the mining districts of the western fron- tier ; and it must not be thought that the people in these isolated communities were unmindful of provision for education, for there were many men and women of culture among the pioneers and they gave their children all the opportunities pos- sible, though equipments and facilities were neces- sarily primitive. Mr. Morrow remained with his father until 1878, when he took up a tract of gov- ernment land on Shonkin creek, which he still retains and cultivates. In 1801 he purchased of Henry Neihoff his present fine ranch property, which is beautifully located on Shonkin creek, four miles southeast of Fort Benton, and comprises 160 acres and adjoins his original ranch. Thè tract is one-fourth of a mile in width and two miles in length, and the creek traverses its entire length, making the place one of exceptional fertility.


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Here Mr. Morrow is engaged in farming and in raising horses and cattle, conducting operations successfully and on an extensive scale and with discrimination and judgment. He is known and honored as one of the reliable and progressive men of this section of Montana, public-spirited in his promotion of any worthy cause or project. In politics he gives his allegiance to the Re- publican party, but has never sought official pre- ferment.


Six of the sisters of Mr. Morrow have been prom- inently identified with the social life of Mon- tana, all having married well known business men. Mary, who died at White Sulphur Springs in 1884, was the wife of Robert Coburn, with whom she married in 1865 at Last Chance gulch. Isabel is the wife of John H. Green, proprietor of the Grand Union hotel, at Fort Benton, their marriage oc- curring at Blackhawk Point, Colo., in 1862. Jean- nette is the wife of Frank Leedy, a prominent mining man of Helena; Catherine married with George Fields, a stockgrower residing in Fort Benton ; Agnes, who died in 1896, was the wife of M. L. Strong, a prominent citizen of Sun River Crossing; Laura is the wife of James Adams, a wealthy stockgrower and merchant of Augusta ; and Martha is the wife of James Scott, a promi- nent farmer in the vicinity of Spokane, Wash. Mr. Morrow has been twice married. In the city of Helena, on January 23, 1884, he weddded Miss Mary Elizabeth Bach, a niece of Charles Leh- mann of that place, and she died in 1889, leaving four children, William George, Charles Wes- ley, Harry Roy and Mary Elizabeth. On October 5, 1892, at Fort Benton, Mr. Morrow was united in marriage to Miss Carrie Poland, who was born in Waseca, Minn., on February 12, 1865, who presides with grace and dignity over their attractive home.


TILEY MOUNTJOY .- A potent factor in re- ligions and educational work, Mr. Mountjoy is now incumbent of the responsible and exacting office of superintendent of the Montana State Home for Orphan Foundlings and Destitute Chil- dren, which is located at Twin Bridges, Madison county. He is a native of Lawrenceburg, Ander- son county, Ky., where he was born on May 8, 1854. His father, Leroy J. Mountjoy, was a farmer and trader in the south, handling large numbers of horses and mules, and also a distiller and miller,


as were many prominent men of that section. He was' an old-line Whig and a leading man of his county, which he represented in the state legisla- ture. He removed to Illinois in 1868, and died there the following year. The family was established in Virginia in the Colonial epoch, and from that state the great-grandfather of Mr. Mountjoy went as a valiant soldier to battle for freedom in the Revolution. His wife was before her marriage Miss Louisiana Cardwell, and she was a native of Kentucky, where occurred their marriage. Her father, Capt. Jack Cardwell, was a captain of a company in Gen. Andrew Jackson's command dur- ing the war of 1812.


Wiley Mountjoy was the youngest of nine chil- dren, and his education was acquired in the schools of Kentucky and Illinois, the high school of Paris, Mo., and in the Christian College at Canton, Mo., where he was graduated with the class of 1880, as Bachelor of Arts. (The master's degree was sub- sequently conferred upon him by his alma mater.) After leaving college Mr. Mountjoy engaged in successful teaching and rendered effective service also as a clergyman of the Christian church, to which he was ordained in 1880. He assisted in a very helpful degree in the organization of churches of his denomination in Montana, and his interest in this cause is unabated. Soon after graduating Mr. Mountjoy located in Deer Lodge, Mont., where he engaged in teaching, finally be- came an instructor in Deer Lodge College, which, as a Presbyterian institution, was later known as Montana College. In 1882 he became principal of a girls' boarding school at Camden Point, Mo .. retaining this position for six years and greatly adding to the prestige of the institution.


In 1888 Mr. Mountjoy located in Butte and en- gaged in the real estate business. In 1892 he became interested in mining in Silver Bow county, and the next year in Madison county, having a lease and bond on the Bambo Chief mine, near Virginia City. After devoting his attention to mining four years Mr. Mountjoy was appointed superintendent of the orphans' home in 1897, suc- ceeding George Comfort. Extensive improvements have been made in buildings and equipments under his superintendence and through his discriminating management the institution has been made one of the best in the northwest. A hospital and school- house have been built, a steam plant installed and the fourth story of the main building completed and the home is now maintained at a high standard


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of excellence and efficiency. Mr. Mountjoy is a supporter of the Democratic party, but, while often importuned to accept a nomination for office, he has invariably refused. Fraternally he is a mem- ber of Beaverhead Lodge No. 32, I. O. O. F., in which he has passed the chairs. On July 27, 1882, was solemnized the marriage of Mr. Mountjoy and Miss Ella Irvine, who was born in Platte county, Mo., the daughter of Edwin H. and Anna F. (Forbis) Irvine. Both these families were prominent in the pioneer history of the state and both are now represented by influential citizens. Mr. and Mrs. Mountjoy have seven children, Ir- vine C., Agnes, John W., Lucile, Myron, Ruth and Nannie.


L ESLIE H. HAMILTON .- Genuine success is not likely to be the result of mere chance or fortune, but it is something to be labored for and sought with consecutive effort. In presenting this sketch of the life of Mr. Hamilton we record a career of usefulness, one attended with marked prosperity won by individual endeavor. He is numbered among the extensive sheep men of the state and is one of the representative and influ- ential citizens of Cascade county. He was born in Windham county, Vt., on December 6, 1852, the son of Joseph H. and Abby Mather (Hamilton), both of whom passed their entire lives in Vermont, and were representatives of sterling old New Eng- land families. Joseph H. Hamilton devoted his life to agriculture, his death occurring in 1900, at a venerable age. Mrs. Abby Hamilton died in 1860, leaving three sons and one daughter, all now living. Mr. Hamilton again married, and to this union three sons were born, one of whom is now a resident of Stanford, Fergus county.


Leslie H. Hamilton was reared and educated in his native state under the sturdy discipline of the farm. This he helped to carry on until he was of age. In 1878 Mr. Hamilton came to Nevada and commenced his training for his subsequent success- ful business operations as an employee on a sheep ranch. In the fall of 1879 he drove a band of sheep from Nevada to Beaverhead county, Mont., for the Hoppin Brothers. He remained in Beaver- head county during the winter, employed by a Mr. Bazette, and, in 1880, in company with John Stoutenberg and Albert Barney, he located in the Judith Basin, Fergus county, and there they en- gaged in the sheep business, giving inception to


the Sage creek sheep ranch. In 1886 Mr. Stouten- berg sold his interests to the Rev. Jacob Mills, of Helena, while three years previously Mr. Ham- ilton purchased those of Mr. Barney. Messrs. Mills and Hamilton continued in partnership as the Sage Creek Sheep Company until 1890, when it was made a corporation with the same designa- tion. Mr. Hamilton was chosen president, Mr. Mills, vice-president, and Mrs. Hamilton, secretary and treasurer. The enterprise has since been con- ducted under this name and with these officers, and has advanced to a prominent position among the great sheep-growing industries of Fergus county and of Montana. The company was organized with a capital stock of $1 50,000, and it now has 10,- 000 acres of patented land and rents an equal area, while the run of sheep now averages 30,000 head.


Beginning his activities in Montana with less than $500 of capital Mr. Hamilton now stands among its financial leaders. He is a stockholder in and a director of the Fergus County Bank, at Lewistown, and has other important investments. Integrity has characterized him, and he has com- manded and commands respect and confidence. While giving unqualified support to the Republican party, he has not sought public office. During his early residence in Montana Mr. Hamilton met with exciting experiences with the Indians. Once an Indian horse thief attempted to steal one of his horses at night, but Mr. Hamilton and his com- panion, a Mr. Skelton, now a prominent stock- grower of Fergus county, captured him. The wily red man, however, managed to escape without his clothing. The night was cold and there was six inches of snow on the ground. The next day the thief returned while his captors were absent, equipped himself with clothes and a new hat, and went his way rejoicing. On August 10, 1887, Mr. Hamilton was united in marriage with Miss Lizzie Montgomery, who also is a native of Vermont. They have five children, Julia B., Henry M., Abby M., Harlie A. and Leslie H.


J T. MURPHY, county assessor of Jefferson county, is a highly esteemed resident of Boul- der. He was born in Spencer county, Ky., on March 2, 1856, the son of Cornelius and Anna (Scanlan) Murphy, and was reared on the home- stead farm conducted by his parents, receiving his education in the public schools. In 1882 he


L.1. Hamilton


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PROGRESSIVE MEN OF MONTANA.


removed to Louisville, Ky., and worked for the Louisville City Railway Company until 1883. Then receiving news of the death of his mother, he re- turned to the old farm, and remained, acting as general manager of the estate, until March 2, 1888. In that year he came to Montana, locating at Gregory, Jefferson county, and for a number of years he engaged in mining and prospecting.


In 1892 Mr. Murphy made an extensive business of stockraising and ranching and has since con- tinued to be prosperous in it. He is also inter- ested in the Blue Bell mine, located at Gregory, which was very productive for a number of years after its discovery in 1890, and is still a good pro- ducer. He is also interested in other mines. In De- cember, 1900, he removed to his present resi- dence at Boulder. In 1882 Mr. Murphy was mar- ried to Miss Mary McClosky, daughter of John and Katherine McClosky. Mr. McClosky was a heavy railroad contractor, and quite successful in his work. Their six children are Robert E., John E., Anna K., May Gertrude, Elizabeth Alida and William C. Mr. Murphy received the appointment of road supervisor but did not qual- ify for the position, but for thirteen years he capa- bly held the office of clerk of school district No. 5, of Gregory. He was elected county assessor of Jefferson county on November 6, 1900, which position he now fills most efficiently. He is uni- versally esteemed by the people of the community in which he resides.


H ENRY MUNTZER .- In Alsace, alternately belonging to France and Germany, about the time when the morning dreams of Louis Philippe were broken by the march of a revolution and the shadows of the same evening saw him tossing in a fisherman's boat on the wintry bosom of the Atlantic, while the mounting sunbeams of the next morning shone on Lamartine's republic, was born Henry Muntzer, on March 1, 1848. His father, Philip, and his mother, Lena (Morschrosch) Muntzer, were also natives of Alsace, and their families had lived there for many generations. The father was a weaver, industrious, economical and thrifty. They had four children, Henry being the third in order of birth. He was educated in his native land and emigrated to America in 1872. In the old country he began operations as a brewer and followed the same business in New York and


Philadelphia. He went to San Francisco in 1876, a little while after to Portland, Ore., and in 1882 came to Butte, working along the line of his trav- elings at anything he could get to do. In 1885 he went to brewing in the Butte brewery, but in 1900 sold out his interests therein and bought a brewery at Boise City, Idaho, where he is car- rying on the business of making the amber fluid on an extensive scale. He owns an interest in a block of business houses at the corner of Main and Park streets in Butte, and has a handsome residence in West Quartz street. He has for a long time been interested in mines and has ex- pended a large amount in the development of promising properties. Mr. Muntzer was married in 1885 to Miss Mary M. Zender, a lady of Swiss descent. They have eight children, five of whom are of school age. He is a thirty-second-degree Mason and a member of the Mystic Shrine. In politics he is a Democrat and was elected alder- man from the First ward in 1897. He is an excel- lent citizen and is highly esteemed.


Į ERE. J. MURPHY .- As long as human nature yields to criminal impulses police and detectives are necessary to restrain the tendency and punish those who have it. And while the functions of the keepers of the peace are by no means always pleas- ant, no class of public servants is more truly use- ful or necessary. Among such officials who have rendered good service to the people of Montana, Jeremiah J. Murphy, city detective of Butte, justly has high rank, on account of the length, the variety and the value of his service. He was born in County Kilkenny, Ireland, in 1866, the fourth of nineteen children of John and Margaret (Conry) Murphy, descendants of families resident in the country Kilkenny from the time immemorial. They kept a hotel and conducted a small farm and died in the fullness of time in their native land.


Mr. Murphy early attended for a short time the school of the Christian Brothers in Dublin and when he was eleven years old was sent to New York, where he lived with an uncle and went to school for a few years longer. After leaving school he removed to Pueblo. Colo., and soon was appointed on the police force of the city. In 1885 he came to Anaconda, Mont., where he became the proprietor of the Warm Springs hotel. and conducted it four years. In 1889 he removed


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to Butte and worked in the mines until 1892, when he was appointed a member of the police force, and only six weeks later was made city detective, an office which he still holds and the duties of which he has discharged with eminent ability and general satisfaction to all except the criminal classes. In addition to his official duties he has done a large amount of private detective work throughout the state. He has rendered most valuable service in ferreting out robbers and mur- derers and bringing them to justice, thereby re- ducing the volume and intensity of crime through the wholesome fear of the law which he has dis- seminated. Notable among his great cases are the capture and punishment of the parties who robbed the bi-metallic mine at Granite, the prevention of the attempted robbery of the American National Bank at Helena, the arrest and conviction of a gang of thieves who robbed several stores in the capitai city and a number of murders in which his efforts were successful in bringing the guilty par- ties to justice. In politics Mr. Murphy is a Demo- crat, and while his political preferences never in- . terfere with his official duties, they are decided. leading him to active work in behalf of his party. Fraternally he is connected with the order of Modern Woodmen. He was married in 1900 to Miss Delia Wall, of Elmira, N. Y., who abides with him in a pleasant home.


TEPHEN B. MUCHMORE, of Ovando, S Powell county, is one of the prominent and suc- cessful ranchers of the Blackfoot valley who have found their profit in abandoning unremunerative pursuits for the more certain results of Montana ranching. He was born in Fayette county, Ind., in 1847. His parents were Dr. Benjamin P. and Elizabeth (Hardesty) Muchmore, the father a na- tive of Cincinnati, Ohio. When fourteen years of age he came to Indiana with his parents. Here he studied medicine and practiced successfully until 1854, when he removed to Independence, Iowa, where for a number of years he continued the practice of his profession. During the Civil war he enlisted as a surgeon in the Twenty-sev- enth Iowa Volunteer Infantry, but was rejected on account of some pulmonary complaint. He died in Iowa. The mother of our subject was born in Cincinnati, Ohio, and was married in In- diana. She died in 1870. During his residence


in Iowa Stephen B. Muchmore received a most excellent education. In 1868 he removed to Ne- braska where for seven years he successfully taught school. It was in 1875 that he first came to Mon- tana, locating in Deer Lodge county, and con- tinued to reside there for many years, teaching school. Deciding to abandon the avocation of a pedagogue, he turned his attention to the more profitable business of ranching, and in 1895, in company with his three boys, he purchased a ranch three miles southwest of Ovando, where they now have 950 acres of splendid land devoted to hay, grain, stock, etc.


Mr. Muchmore was married to Miss Adelaide Knox, a native of Buffalo, N. Y. They have three children : Orville G., Albert F. and Guy W. Mr. Muchmore is chairman of the board of school trustees for the Ovando district. In 1896 he was elected justice of the peace, but did not care to qualify for the office. Fraternally he is a Mason, and is well spoken of by all with whom he is ac- quainted.


H LJON. WELLING NAPTON .- In every state and territory of this country the judiciary is looked upon as the last bulwark of liberty, and the last defense of civil rights and property ; and it is almost universally required that its members shall be men of high character, extensive learning, com- mendable breadth of view and a stern sense of duty. So that when a man is chosen judge by an intelligent constituency, it is equivalent to ascrib- ing to him all these qualities, in addition to the necessary technical professional training for the duties of his office. Hon. Welling Napton, of Anaconda, judge of the judicial district embracing the counties of Deer Lodge. Powell and Granite, is not only no exception to the rule, but a shin- ing example of it. His whole life has been spent in a sort of judicial atmosphere. He was born in Saline, Mo., August 31, 1853, the seventh son of eleven children born to his parents, his father being an eminent lawyer, attorney-general of the state, and for more than thirty years a prominent member of its supreme court. He was William B. Napton, a native of the old college town of Prince- ton, N. J., where he was educated, being graduated from Princeton University at the age of fifteen years. He studied law and in 1826, soon after his admission to the bar, he removed to the new state of Missouri, then recently admitted as a member


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of the Union, and entered upon the practice of his profession. Four years later he had secured such standing among his professional brethren that he was made attorney-general of the state; and after this, as has been noted, he was elected to a seat on the supreme bench of the state, which he occupied for more than thirty years. He was married to Miss Malinda Williams, a native of Knoxville, Tenn., a granddaughter of Hon. Thomas L. Will- iams, at one time chancellor of that state. The marriage was solemnized at the home of Gen. Smith, of the United States regular army, at Ex- periment, Mo.


Judge Welling Napton began his elementary scholastic training for the duties of life in the com- mon schools of his native town, supplementing what 1:e there received with a two-years course at West- minster College, located at Fulton, and a two- years course at William Jewell College, lo- cated at Liberty, in Missouri. He finished with private instructions at home for three years. He then read law with his father until 1873, when he made a trip to Montana with a possible design of locating in the territory. But in 1876 he went back to Missouri to complete his law studies, and was admitted to practice in that state in 1877. After five years of active practice there, he returned to Montana in 1882, and has continuously, since that time, been an active prac- titioner in her courts. When a vacancy on the district bench was occasioned by election of Judge Brantley as chief justice of the supreme court, he was appointed by Gov. Smith to serve out the unexpired term ; and at its close in 1900 he was elected for a full term of four years. The Judge was married in 1876 to Miss Kate R. Kelley, a native of Kansas. Her father, Robert S. Kelley, born at Fredericksburg, Va., was United States marshal of Montana during President Cleveland's first administration. They have eight children who, with their mother, affiliate with the Protestant Episcopal church. The busy life which the Judge has been forced to lead has left him little time for the ornamental affairs of society. He is, however, an interested observer of everything that pertains to the welfare of his people, and both by counsel and more substantial aid, a forceful contributor to the development of every public enterprise of value. He is a member of the Masonic order in two of its branches, symbolic and capitular, being 011 the roll of the blue lodge and the Royal Arch chapter in the city of Deer Lodge.


At the bar Judge Napton was all that a high- toned, honorable, learned and eloquent advocate and counsellor should be; and on the bench he is a model of affability, judicial fairness, uncompro- mising integrity, and exact and exhaustive learn- ing.


JAMES C. NEDROW .- Among the patriotic and


loyal young men of Montana who rendered efficient service in the United States army during the late Spanish-American war is Mr. Nedrow, who was a volunteer soldier and who served with signal efficiency in the Philippines during the time when these oriental possessions of the United States were being wrested from Spanish control and the initial stages of the work of quelling the turbulent and insubordinate natives. After his military experience Mr. Nedrow returned to Mon- tana and is now numbered among the successful and energetic farmers and stockgrowers of Beaver- head county.


James C. Nedrow is a native of the state of Ne- braska, having been born on the parental farm- stead in Jefferson county, on May 23. 1873, one of the ten children of Simon and Sarah ( Riddle) Ned- row, who were born in Indiana and Illinois, re- spectively, and who located in Nebraska as pioneers of 1861, the father there devoting his attention to agricultural pursuits. The subject of this review received his early education in the public schools of Abeline, Kan., and thereafter was concerned in the cattle business in Colorado and Wyoming for some time: and in 1893 came to Montana, being still identified with this important line of industry. In 1898 he enlisted in Company E, First Montana Volunteer Infantry, with which he went to the Philippine Islands in the month of July, 1898, sailing on a transport from San Francisco, after the regiment had been stationed for a time at Camp Merritt. They landed in the city of Manila where our subject continued in active service until August 23, 1900, when he returned with his regi- ment to California and was honorably discharged and mustered out at the Presidio on October 14. 1900. He participated in all the battles in which his regiment took part, and it is a matter of record that the First Montana earned the highest encomi- ums for its valiant and efficient service in the field. From California Mr. Nedrow returned to Montana, and in the month of October came to his present location in the Big Hole valley of Beaverhead


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county, where he now has a good ranch of 640 acres, a considerable portion of which is available for cultivation, yielding excellent crops of hay and various cereals. Here Mr. Nedrow has engaged in the raising of cattle and hay and is making definite progress, directing his judgment and inde- fatigable energy, which augur well for cumulative success coming to him as a farmer and stock- grower.




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