Progressive men of the state of Montana, pt 1, Part 155

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 155


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PROGRESSIVE MEN OF MONTANA.


South Montana and Aluminum streets, having full charge of the business until 1886, when the store was rented and Mr. Pfouts, Beck Hamilton and David Upton bought the Montana Chief mine, which they operated for two years, and then sold it to F. A. Heinze. In 1884 Mr. Hamilton and Mr. Pfouts bought the lot at the southwest corner of Main and Park streets, and put up the State Sav- ings Bank building at a cost of about $30,000, then the finest building in the city. Soon after this, but through no fault of his, the tide of fortune turned for Mr. Pfouts, and reverses came thick and fast. After losing a large part of his fortune he fell back upon the old grocery store, and purchasing his partner's interest he conducted the business until the property was destroyed by fire on Sunday, January 26, 1902. The loss of the old store was deeply regretted. It was one of the interesting, landmarks of the city. Built by Lee Foster in the early 'sixties, it was for many years the chief com- mercial emporium of the place, and was a popular resort for the old-timers. From 1891 to 1901 Mr. Pfouts was engaged in the stock business. He had a ranch in Madison valley, II0 miles from Butte, and after conducting it for ten years with the balance always or mostly on the wrong side of the ledger, he sold it in 1901 and quit the business.


In politics he is a Democrat. He was married at St. Louis, Mo., in 1876, to Miss Hettie Morris, a native of Missouri. They have three children : Elmer, a surveyor, living at Great Falls, and Mae and Helen, living at home.


NDREW PIERSTORFF .- A contribution of A Germany to the developing and creative forces of America, the subject of this sketch has in the land of his adoption well sustained the reputa- tion of his countrymen for industry, shrewdness and business capacity. He was born in the fath- erland in 1846, and when he was fourteen years old emigrated with his parents to America. The fam- ily located in Wisconsin and there the father en- gaged profitably in farming, while our subject was employed in a flouring mill. He followed the oc- cupation of milling until 1867, when he came to Montana, stopping for a few months at Bannack. In the fall of 1867 he took up his residence in Gal- latin valley, and there engaged in milling until 1882, carrying on the business successfully at Spring Hill.


In 1868 Mr. Pierstorff was married to Miss Sarah J. Brandon, a native of Pennsylvania, and daughter of William Brandon, who emigrated from Ireland when he was twenty-two years old and en- gaged in farming in the old Keystone state until his death, which occurred in 1854. His wife, Phena (Fuller) Brandon, was a native of Massa- chusetts. They had fourteen children, of whom Mrs. Pierstorff was the thirteenth. She came to Montana in 1864 with relatives and friends, and located first in Virginia City, but after a few months removed to Gallatin valley, and there spent her life, with the exception of four years (1873-77) that were spent in Utah. In 1885 she removed from Spring Hill to Bozeman where she has since made her home. She owns a pleasant residence in the southern portion of the city, and her one son, Lester Leroy, born October 22, 1871, lives with her. He was a volunteer in the Span- ish-American war, and distinguished himself for gallantry and bravery in the face of the enemy and the thickest of the fight. Lester Leroy Pierstorff is a well known and highly respected citizen of the rich and fertile valley, and contributes his share of inspiration and substantial aid for the promotion of every good enterprise in the community.


PAUL PETERSEN is one of the sterling citi- zens and prosperous ranchmen of Deer Lodge county, and the success that has attended his ef- forts has been worthily achieved and shows what may be accomplished by a young man who will apply himself to a definite object and can appreci- ate the advantages afforded in the industrial activi- ties of this new and progressive state of the Union. Mr. Petersen was born on the island of Pellworm, Schleswig-Holstein, Germany, October 22, 1859, his native isle being located in the North sea. Here also were born his parents, Paul and Johan- na Paulina (Lucht) Petersen, the former being en- gaged in agricultural pursuits until his death, while his widow still maintains her home on the pictur- esque island, hallowed by the memories and associations that cannot be effaced.


Paul Petersen was reared to the sturdy discipline of the insular farm of his parents, and his education was such as was afforded by the common schools. He served three years in the cavalry division of the German army, and thereafter continued farming on his native island until he had attained the age of twenty-nine years, when, in 1888, he sold his little


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farmstead and with his family set forth to seek his fortune in America. Upon arriving in America Mr. Petersen came through to Montana, taking up a tract of government land on Douglas creek, seven miles south of Helmville, his postoffice ad- dress. Here he now has a well improved and ex- ceptionally prolific farm of 477 acres, having do- nated three acres for the location of the district school house, thus making his ranch that much less than 500 acres in area. He devotes his atten- tion to raising stock, dairy business and the raising of hay. He has been industrious and enterpris- ing, and now owns one of the fine ranches of this section. Through integrity and a genial nature he commands the confidence and esteem of the community. In politics Mr. Petersen gives his support to the Republican party, and is at the present time one of the members of the board of school trustees in his district.


On the 2d of November, 1884, Mr. Petersen was united in marriage on the island of Pellworm, to Miss Emma Petersen, who was there born. They are the happy parents of seven children, namely : Paul, Dora, Johanna, Mary, Antonia, Frieda and Harry.


F RANK M. PROCTER .- A distinguished for- eigner who has visited our country has called it "the land of the immense." And when we con- sider our wealth of mineral deposits, the bound- less extent and variety of our agricultural products, the possibilities of our almost limitless seaboard, and the multiform conditions of life in our many cli- mates, we cannot but feel that the term is well ap- plied. More than all does it seem fit and pertinent when we consider the vast development of an un- broken wilderness into great sovereign states with- in a generation of human life. And the men and women through whose heroic efforts this result was secured are entitled to all praise. Among the num- ber Frank M. Procter is not to be overlooked. He was born November 5, 1828, near Lexington, Fayette county, Ky., the son of Rowland T. and Diana Procter, also natives of Kentucky, who mi- grated to Missouri in 1836 and located in Randolph county, where they engaged in farming with a fair degree of success. Both were members of the Christian church; the father was a zealous sup- porter of the Democratic party. They were the parents of eleven children, of whom but four are now living.


Mr. Procter, our immediate subject, received but a limited education, being obliged early in life to assist his father on the farm. He remained at home until he was twenty-two years old and then, in company with many others, crossed the plains to California, using ox teams as the means of trans- portation and consuming four months on the trip. After this long and wearying journey they arrived at Hangtown, now known as Placerville. Mr. Procter remained there only a short time, going on to Tuolumne county, where he engaged in mining. His success in the enterprise not being sufficient to satisfy him, he opened a general mining supply store which he conducted successfully until 1855. He again engaged in mining and continued his operations until 1862, working at various mines, some in the counties of Amandor and Salano, and on Granite creek and John Day's river. In 1865 he came to Montara y way of Walla Walla and up the Mullen road to Blackfoot, then on to Helena. He located some mining ground three miles northeast of the city, and then went on to Pagan gulch, next to Virginia creek, and last to Grub Stake gulch. On the whole his mining ex- perience was successful and profitable, and in 1882 he was able to purchase the ranch of 320 acres on whch he now lives. The purchase was made in partnership with George McCormick, and the ranch was conducted as a partnership concern until 1900, when Mr. Procter bought his partner's interest and has since carried on the business alone. He has about 250 acres under cultivation, and has been successful in raising good crops of grain and hay. His principal dependence, however, has been cattle, and in rearing and handling them he has been more than ordinarily successful, his product holding a high place in the market and yielding him good profits. In political affiliation Mr. Procter is identi- fied with the Democratic party, and takes a warm interest in its success and welfare, although not seeking for himself either prominence in its councils or official station as its gift. Socially he has many engaging qualities, and enjoys the cordial regard and esteem of a large circle of acquaintances and friends.


S TEPHEN C. PIERCE, one of the most suc- cessful and popular dentists in the state, is a resident of Livingston, Park county. He was born at Brodhead, Green county, Wis., on December 12, 1869. The Colonial ancestors of Mr. Pierce,


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both parental and maternal, were patriotic soldiers of the Revolution. His parents were Stephen and Sarah (Green) Pierce, the former of Vermont and the latter of West Point, N. Y. Prosper A. Pierce, his paternal grandfather, was a native of Vermont, as was the great-grandfather, Stephen C. Pierce, whose name his Montana descendant car- ries. The latter passed his boyhood in Green county, Wis., and here he acquired his elementary education, which was splendidly supplemented by a course of two years at the State University of Minnesota, at Minneapolis. After his graduation he returned to Brodhead and entered the dental office of E. B. Owen, in which he remained one year greatly to his advantage. But Mr. Pierce was anxious to perfect himself in dentistry, and entered the Chicago College of Dentistry, where he took a complete course of dental surgery, and from this eminent institution he was graduated with honors in 1891.


In 1891 also he came to Livingston, Mont., and established a representative professional practice. He is located in elegantly equipped parlors in the Miles building, Livingston, in which flourishing city he has built up a most flattering practice and won a large circle of friends. In making Mon- tana his home Dr. Picrce was largely influenced by the fact that two of his uncles, George Pierce and William F. Green, were early settlers of the ter- ritory, having come here in the early 'sixties and engaged in placer mining. His uncle, W. F. Green, is still a resident of Montana, at present being en- gaged at the reservoirs that are supplying city water to Helena, and are about ten miles from the city. On June 24, 1896, Dr. Pierce wedded Miss Leonore Prewett, of Gallatin, Mo., daughter of W. H. Prewett, of that city. They have two children : Stephen C., Jr., and Wilber R. Fraternally Dr. Pierce is a member of the Odd Fellows, Maccabees and Masons, having passed the chairs in the former order and being first lieutenant of Company E, Montana State Militia. Since his settlement in Montana Dr. Pierce has been very successful in his profession, while in municipal affairs of his home city he takes a lively interest, and is regarded as a young man of superior abilities and of high integrity.


JOB B. QUANTIC .- An industrious, thrifty, up- right citizen, who has won by his manly and faithful discharge of every duty and his intelligent and serviceable assistance in every worthy enter- prise, the high regard and unquestioning confi-


dence of all classes in the community, who say of him with all sincerity, "His word is as good as his bond," Job B. Quantic of Bozeman, is a subject whose life it is pleasing to contemplate. He was born August 15, 1858, in Somersetshire, England, where his family had lived and died for generations. His father was Job Quantic, a hard-working and highly respected thatcher, who spent his life at the business in his native place; and his mother was Hannah Bonning, of the same locality. Mr. Quantic was the twelfth of thirteen children born to them, and when he was thirteen years old left home for America. He landed in New York in 1872, and going into the country was employed on a farm for five years. He then removed to Missouri, locating in Bates county, remaining there five years, farming on his own account. When the rich find of ore deposits at Leadville was reported he joined in the stampede for that place, and after reaching it remained two years. He pur- chased a "tie camp" and engaged in making ties for the Denver & Rio Grande Railroad. He found this business very profitable ; but desiring some- thing better and more permanent, he removed to Montana, traveling by rail to Ogden, Utah, and then to Oneida, from which place he proceeded by team to Bozeman, where he located and began the business of freighting, which he has continued to the present day (1901). He did the freighting for the Revenue Mining Company for five years, sometimes using for the purpose as many as fifty horses at a time. In 1890 he bought the farm of 320 acres on which he now lives. It is located about two miles up the Bridger canyon, is well adapted for grazing purposes and produces abundant crops of excellent hay. This circum- stance induced Mr. Quantic to engage in stock- raising. But he did not continue at it long, sell- ing out in 1899. He is, however, still engaged in general freighting, for which he is well equipped.


On Christmas day, 1886, he was united in mar- riage to Miss Anna Brendon, a native of Norway, born December 25, 1867, who immigrated to Wis- consin in 1880, and later removed to Bozeman. They have one child, a son named Walter, born October 17, 1887. Mr. Quantic is an intensely practical, enterprising and industrious man, progressive and up to date in everything. He is, moreover, a man of high character and sterling in- tegrity, respected and trusted by everybody who knows him, and never forfeiting that respect or be- traying the trust. His farm is a model of neatness, fruitfulness and skillful cultivation.


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E 'LIJAH M. POLLINGER .- One of the ster- ling pioneers of Montana and a participator in events that have been prominent landmarks in her history, Elijah Miller Pollinger was born near Mechanicsburg, Penn., on July 27, 1836, the third of the nine children of George and Matilda (Etter) Pollinger, both natives of that state, where they passed their lives, the father devoting his at- tention to agricultural pursuits. He also rendered valiant service as a soldier in the war of 1812. Mr. Pollinger, after receiving a good common-school education, in 1852 became connected with staging in the employ of the firm which later built the Columbia turnpike in Pennsylvania. In 1857 he came west, locating in Kansas, where he was identified with various staging enterprises, making Lawrence, Kan., his headquarters. Here he was a witness of the many stirring events which gained the state the title of "Bleeding Kansas," and were followed by the Civil war. In 1860 Mr. Pollinger was in the employ of the firm of Russell, Majors & Wattles, that operated the Central Overland Ex- press, which ran coaches through to Pike's Peak and other frontier points.


The arrival of Mr. Pollinger in Montana was in 1863, since he reached Virginia City on October 9 of that year, with a stock of merchandise in which he had an interest, and which had been brought across the plains in four wagons. From Virginia City he went to Bannack, and opened a store which he soon sold. The same winter he purchased a placer claim in that locality and worked it. In 1864 he put up 250 tons of hay on the ground where the city of Dillon now stands, which he sold in Virginia City for $100 a ton. Going then to the Blackfoot country he devoted the summer of 1865 to prospecting and mining. Here the price of a 100-pound sack of flour was $150. Mr. Pollinger discovered the quartz mines at Argenta in 1865 and sold his interests in the claims to eastern capitalists. Soon afterward he was stricken blind, as the re- sult of granulated eyelids. This condition con- tinued for nine months, when he recovered his sight, which has never since been materially im- paired.


Mr. Pollinger lived fully up to the tension of the life of the frontier, and was residing in Vir- ginia City when the vigilance committee made its most vigorous effort to exterminate the outlaws and desperadoes who menaced life and property. He was present at the arresting of Boone Helni and assisted in the arrest of the notorious Jack Gal- lagher, whom they found under a bed, fully


equipped with firearms. He was also present at the hanging of Plummer and the five other road agents who were executed by the vigilantes in Bannack. Mr. Pollinger was identified with the staging outfit of Ben Holliday from the spring of 1866 until the fall of 1873, and furnished supplies and accommo- dations for passengers on the road between Vir- ginia City and Helena. In the meanwhile he had taken up land in Madison county, which now is a portion of his present fine ranch property. This is seven miles east of the village of Twin Bridges, his postoffice address. He hauled the lumber to build his house from Helena, and his home is one of the attractive places of the county. In 1873 Mr. Pollinger went to the west to inventory stage prop- erty, returning to Montana in 1875, and later was for a time in the employ of Gilmore & Salisbury as superintendent of their stages. In 1879 he took up his abode on his ranch, from which he drove his herd of cattle to the Judith Basin, and lost the greater portion of the stock during the rigorous winter of 1881. Returning then to his ranch he has since made that his home. To his original claim he has added until his estate is now 900 acres, his two ranches being about five miles apart.


Mr. Pollinger has given allegiance to the Demo- cratic party, but he has never taken an active part in political affairs. On May 29, 1870, Mr. Pol- linger was united in marriage with Miss Helen Cook, who was born in Michigan. Their children are George H., engaged in mining in Bear gulch; Maggie Lee, a trained nurse, residing in Philadel- phia, Pa .; Lillian, the wife of S. L. Thompson, of Bear gulch; Arthur M., attending school at Grand Island, Neb .; Warren E., a student of law; Ruth Alice, Clyde, Lowell and Roland are still at the parental home. The family are communicants of the Protestant Episcopal church.


`EORGE PFAFF, ex-postmaster of Boulder, U Mont., and one of its leading business men, is a native of Germany, born there on April 17, 1857. He is the son of Jacob and Elizabeth (Boeck) Pfaff, the latter being the daughter of Adam Boeck, who was in the meat business in Germany. Jacob Pfaff was a farmer and by trade a wood- turner. George Pfaff remained at home engaged on his father's farm until he was nearly the age of nineteen years, and acquiring his education at the public schools. He then entered the German army, and was detailed as clerk in the correspond-


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ence department of the army. In 1878 he was promoted to corporal and honorably discharged, then having been in the army three years, the al- lotted term of service. He returned home in 1879 and remained with his parents one year.


In 1880 Mr. Pfaff emigrated to the United States and at first located in Burlington, Iowa. There he worked in a furniture factory, but very soon, in 1881, took a trip into New Mexico, and the next year came to Montana, settling at first at Glendale, Beaverhead county, where he was engaged with the prominent firm of Armstrong & Losee in mer- chandising, and with them he continued until 1886, when the store was sold to the Hecla Mercantile Company, Mr. Plaff remaining with this institution until 1888, and then removed to Boulder, Mont. He established here a book and stationery business which he successfully conducted until 1897. In 1892 he was appointed postmaster of Boulder, and served efficiently in this office until 1897, having closed out the book and stationery business in 1894. In 1897 he returned to Melrose and engaged with the Hecla Mercantile & Banking Company, and was with this firm until February, 1900, when he came back to Boulder and engaged again in the book and stationery business, which he still suc- cessfully conducts.


Mr. Pfaff became a citizen of the United States on October 2, 1887. He decided on a double cele- bration of the event, and he secured a marriage license and on October 13, 1887, he was united in marriage to Miss L. M. Forrest, daughter of Rob- ert Forrest, of Glendale, a miner. Her mother is Adelia (Deno) Forrest. They have two children, Delia and George Karl. Mr. Pfaff is a member of the Odd Fellows and the Modern Woodmen of America. In the former order he has filled all of the offices, and belongs to the encampment. The political affiliations of Mr. Pfaff are with the Re- publican party and he was appointed postmaster of Boulder during the administration of President Harrison. He is a man universally liked and en- joys the confidence of all.


G EORGE F. COWAN, one of the ablest and oldest pioneers of the Montana bar, is a resi- dent of Boulder, Jefferson county. The story of his life is the history of a man of action, bold and resourceful in time of peril, sagacious and un- swerving in private or professional duty. His


career has been both picturesque and eventful, and to follow it in detail would be to write much of the history of Montana. He was born near Colum- bus, Ohio, on February 10, 1842, of Scotch-Irish ancestry. Ira Cowan, his father, a mechanic, re- moved from Canada where he was born, to the United States, first locating at Malone, N. Y. Later he settled at Columbus, Ohio, and in 1846 removed to Watertown, Wis., and of both of these states he was a pioneer. Subsequently he re- moved to the Fox river valley near Oshkosh, where he died in 1882, aged seventy-six years. He married Miss Mary Gilman, a native of Can- ada of English descent. She survived her hus- band fourteen years, dying at the age of eighty- six. They left two sons and three daughters, all now living except one daughter.


In the pioneer regions of Wisconsin George F. Cowan was reared and received his early and high school education, and in 1861, at the age of nine- teen, he began the study of law with A. B. Hamil- ton, of Dartford, Wis. Here, however, young Cowan was destined to remain but a short time, for in 1861, on the breaking out of the Civil war, he enlisted in Company B, Fourth Wisconsin Infan- try. With his regiment he soon after left for Bal- timore, Md., and, at the Relay House near that city, it relieved the Sixth Massachusetts Infantry. The following year, while in the Department of the Gulf, Mr. Cowan's regiment was reorganized as cavalry and became an important factor in the first Red River expedition. It was then stationed at New Orleans, later at Baton Rouge, and then was moved to the Red River country, remaining there until May, 1863, and under Gen. Banks it later as- sisted in the capture of Port Hudson. Those who know the history of this regiment are aware that its record is among the highest of any in the Union army. It was a "fighting regiment," and was in many of the hardest campaigns and bloodiest bat- tles of the war and was distinguished for its gal- lantry. Mr. Cowan remained with the Department of the Gulf until he was honorably discharged as sergeant in 1864.


Mr. Cowan returned to Wisconsin and in 1865 came to Montana, locating at first at Last Chance gulch, now Helena. It is a matter of note that many of the most eminent men of Montana, men of all professions, law, medicine, the church and journalism, have at some time been located at Last Chance gulch. Mr. Cowan engaged in mining for a short time there and also in Deer Lodge county.


Ger Cowan


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During the winter of 1866 he went to Jefferson county, but removed to Helena and in 1867 was made assistant collector of internal revenue, at the same time continuing the study of law with Chu- masero & Chadwick. In 1872 he was admitted to practice, having removed in 1868 to Radersburg, the county seat of Jefferson county, and success- fully practiced there until 1883, when the county seat was located at Boulder, in which city he has since resided. In 1869 he was appointed clerk of the district court of the county and served until 1872, when he was admitted to the bar, and for ten years he was associated in legal practice with Hon. M. H. Parker, the present judge of the Fifth judicial district. Mr. Cowan served three terms as deputy territorial district attorney for Jefferson county. In 1867 he was appointed by Gen. Thomas F. Meagher captain of state troops in the Indian campaign of that year, and later served as assist- ant adjutant-general with the rank of captain. In 1875 he was united in marriage to Miss Emma J. Carpenter, a native of Wisconsin and the heroine of the attempted massacre in Yellowstone Park re- corded later. They have three children, Charles Fred, George F., Jr., and Ethel May. Politically Mr. Cowan is an active participant in state and county politics, working always with the Repub- lican element. He is a member of the Grand Army of the Republic and the Ancient Order of United Workmen. Professionally Mr. Cowan stands high among the leading attorneys of the state, in whichi he numbers many warm personal friends who ad- mire his superior abilities and marked kindliness of character.




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