Progressive men of the state of Montana, pt 1, Part 170

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 170

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In politics Judge Taylor is a straight Democrat, always active in the service of his party, taking part in all of its affairs and movements from the primaries to the close of the election. In 1889 he drifted to Butte on account of some speculative in- terests in and near the city, and has made it his home ever since. He is now (1901) justice of the peace in South Butte, a very lucrative position to which he was elected in 1900. He is not now a member of any church or fraternal society, but while living in California he was earnestly interested in the Improved Order of Red Men and organized Wenner Tribe No. 34, therein serving as its first chief officer for two years and later holding the highest office in the grand lodge of the state. It should be said in concluding this little review of an honorable, useful and productive career, that from his very young manhood Judge Taylor has

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enbodied in himself and in his course, in every re- lation or connection with his fellowmen, the ele- ments of a good, well founded popularity, due to sterling qualities of mind and heart, and partici- pation in every proper duty of good citizenship.

DROF. LEWIS TERWILLIGER .- In one of the most exacting and responsible professions this gentleman has attained marked success and holds rank among the leading educators of Mon- tana. He is an excellent disciplinarian and has the somewhat rare power of imparting knowledge clearly and rapidly to others. These qualities, combined with his strong mentality and broad gen- eral scholarship, have made him especially efficient in the field of pedagogy. Prof. Terwilliger is a na- tive of Clinton county, Mich., born on August I, 1869, the son of Homer and Lucinda (Lewis) Terwilliger. His grandfather in the agnatic line was Tiras Terwilliger, who removed from New York to Clinton county, Mich., in the early 'fifties, and settled on land, which he cleared and im- proved, developing a good farm. He later re- moved to Montcalm county, and improved an- other farm, upon which he resided until his death, about 1892, at a venerable age. He married Abigail Sprague and reared a large family, of whom Homer was the second child, being born in 1841.

Homer Terwilliger came to Michigan when a lad, and remained at the old homestead until the outbreak of the Civil war. Filled with loyalty and patriotism he enlisted in the Union army, as a member of the Eighth Michigan Infantry in 1861. With his regiment he participated in a number of the most important conflicts of this greatest internecine war of history. He took part in the second battle of Bull Run and was at Antie- tam, Weldon Railroad, Petersburg and Knoxville, Tenn. He was wounded at Antietam and at Wel- don Railroad he was taken prisoner and sent to the Confederate prison on Belle Isle, Richmond, Va., where he remained for six months and until the war terminated, when he was released. Re- turning to Michigan he engaged in agricultural pursuits in Montcalm county, where is still his home. He married Lucinda Lewis in 1868, and of their five children three survive, Lewis, Lee P., a blacksmith of Crystal, Montcalm county, Mich., and Asahel, a successful farmer in the same

county. The father has been long an active mem- ber of the Free Methodist church, and such has been his sterling integrity and kindly life that he commands the highest esteem.

Lewis Terwilliger was reared in Clinton county, Mich., his preliminary education being afforded by the district schools and the high school at Maple Rapids, and there began his pedagogic work in 1887 as assistant principal and showing marked capacity as an instructor. In 1889 he was ap- pointed principal of the public schools of Eagle Harbor, Mich., and in 1891 he became superin- tendent of the schools at Copper Falls mine, in Keweenah county for one year, when he ma- triculated in the Ferris Institute, at Big Rapids, Mich., and had so prepared himself that he was graduated in the class of 1893, and also secured a life diploma from the state. In 1893 he was principal of the high school of Stambaugh, Iron county, Mich., remaining there until 1895, win- ning new honors through his well directed and efficient labors. In June, 1895, he came to Boze- man, Mont., and assisted the county superintend- ent in the summer normal school, also rendering service during the normals conducted in the two succeeding summers.

In 1895 he was chosen principal of the public schools at Townsend, Meagher county, and, re- turning to Michigan, he was united in marriage with Miss Mary Bennett, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Charles Bennett, of Reed City, and with his bride he came again to Bozeman in time to assist in conducting the summer normal school, and, at the conclusion of his signally effective work in this connection, he received an appointment as assistant superintendent of the public schools of Butte, where he remained one year. In 1897 Prof. Terwilliger accepted the position as principal of the schools of Boulder, an office which he has since filled, doing much to advance educational interests. In 1900 he received the appointment of principal of the Jefferson county high school, located in Boulder, and he is now incumbent of the two offices, filling them to the satisfac- tion of the people. In 1899 and 1900 he was assistant deputy clerk of the district court. He has been a member of the executive committee of the Montana State Teachers' Association for sev- eral years, always taking an active part in the annual meetings. He is one of the licensed in- stitute instructors of the state, and does more or less institute work every year. Prof. Terwil-

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liger appreciates the duties of citizenship and ex- ercises his franchise in support of the Republi- can party. Fraternally he is identified with Court Boulder No. 3699, I. O. F. Professor and Mrs. Terwilliger enjoy a distinctive popularity and their pleasant home is a nucleus of gracious and re- fined hospitality. The family circle is brightened by their two children, Vena and Homer.

E THOMAS, one of the leading merchants and enterprising business men of Boulder, Jef- ferson county, is a native of Chester county, Pa., where he was born December 4, 1846, the son of John and Sarah (Harman) Thomas. The father was a wholesale tea merchant, and the paternal grandparents were Enos and Anne (Forscythe) Thomas. Enos Thomas was born in Wales and was a capitalist, and Anne Forscythe was a de- scendant of Charles II of England.

Mr. Thomas, of Boulder, was educated in the public schools and remained in the pleasant par- ental home until he was twenty-one years of age, and between the prosecution of his studies and in the intervals of his other duties he became well skilled in the trade of a tinsmith. In 1868 he removed to Tama county, Iowa, where for four or five years following he was engaged in farming.

Mr. Thomas then became a merchant until 1885, when he removed to Boulder and engaged prof- itably in the hardware business there with. J. L. Waggenor, now of Helena. Two years later the partnership was dissolved and Mr. Thomas went to work at his trade. In 1896 he engaged in mer- chandising at Boulder with S. H. Knowles, which business relation continues most prof- itably. In 1874 Mr. Thomas was married to Miss Virginia A. Guthrie, of lowa, born in 1853. They have had four children, of whom Charles H. and an infant are dead. The others are Mary A., Mrs. John Steele, of Basin, Jefferson county, and Lester L. Their mother died in 1894, and in May, 1900, Mr. Thomas married Miss Susan David, of Burlington, Iowa. He has been a member of the school board for a number of years and fraternally is a member of the Order of Pendo. He bears an excellent repu- tation and possesses high integrity and superior business capacity.

DICHARD D. TERRY .- A typical western man,

whose experiences on the frontier have been varied and in many cases exciting, and who has gained a wide circle of friends within the many years he has passed in the various sections of the west and southwest, Mr. Terry is a southerner by birth, claiming Caswell county, N. C., as the place of his nativity, while the date was February 24, 1852. His parents, Dabner and Martha (Yarbrough) Terry, were likewise natives of North Carolina and both are now deceased. After a limited educational train- ing Richard D. Terry left the parental home as a youth of nineteen, and made his way to Texas in 1871, and there he remained for a full decade, riding the range as a herder of cattle and working on various ranches. Later he followed this occupation in the Indian Territory and Kansas for two years, and in 1883 he came to Montana. During these years he had his full quota of the experiences. typical of life on the great plains and in the moun- tains during the early days.

In 1885 he entered claim to his present ranch, which comprises 160 acres of valuable land on Camas prairie, two miles south of Potomac, Mis- soula county, which is his postoffice address. Here he devotes attention to general farming and stockgrowing, being an excellent judge of cattle and horses, and taking great interest in the latter line, his dictum in regard to the good points of a horse being considered authoritative. Mr. Terry enjoys the distinctive popularity in his home com- munity, and by reason of his having come from Texas is familiarly known by the sobriquet of "Tex." He exercises his franchise tor the Demo- cratic party and is at the present time school trustee of District No. 11, township 13. In 1885 Mr. Terry was united in marriage to Miss Fannie H. Betters, was born in Vermont, the daughter of Austin and Jane (Stanley) Betters, the former a native of Vermont and the latter of Canada. Mr. Betters re- moved with his family to Montana in 1883, and he now maintains his home in Clinton, Missoula county. His wife entered into eternal rest at Clin- ton in 1898, leaving many friends to mourn her loss. Mr. and Mrs. Terry are the parents of five children, Mabel, Martha, Ernest, Lloyd and Iva.

0 WEN TEETERS .- It is an unmistakable fact that the sheepgrowing industry of Montana is destined to be one of the most profitable and im- portant of our industries, while the advancement al --

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ready made has given the state marked prestige among the progressive and enthusiastic sheepmen. Mr. Teeters is a native of the city of Hillsdale, Mich., where he was born on February 3, 1861, being one of the five children born to A. J. and Fila Jane (Stiles) Teeters, the former of whom was born in Ohio and the latter in New York. The father was a carpenter by trade, and followed it for many years, but removed from his native state to Michigan and engaged in agricultural pursuits.

Owen Teeters was reared and educated in Mich- igan where he attended the public schools and be- came identified with agricultural pursuits until 1889, when he came to Montana and took up a claim on the Yellowstone river where he engaged in ranch work, but finally disposed of the property and pur- chased his present ranch, located near Springdale, Park county, his postoffice address. He has shown great discretion and ability in the improving of his ranch, which he has provided with an effective irri- gating system, and here he has devoted his attention to the raising of sheep upon an extensive scale; also raising considerable quantities of grain and alfalfa. His ranch comprises about 300 acres, and at the time of this writing he is feeding about 2,000 sheep, exercising much care in the selection of his breeding types and favoring the cross be- tween the Merino and Cotswold grades. The local- ity is peculiarly well adapted for successful sheep- growing, and Mr. Teeters maintains an enthusiastic interest in the industry, sparing no efforts to im- prove the grades of sheep raised here. The indica- tions are that he will become one of the leaders of the sheep industry of Montana. He takes a public spirited interest in all that touches the advancement and well being of the community, having served for some time as road supervisor. Fraternally he is identified with the Independent Order of Odd Fel- lows, and Mrs. Teeters is a member of the auxiliary branch of the order, being identified with the Re- bekah lodge. In the year 1881 Mr. Teeters was united in marriage to Miss Mary Campbell, who was born in the state of New York, the daughter of John and Sarah (Mckinney) Campbell, natives re- spectively of Scotland and New York state.

0 WEN THOMAS .- Perseverance, energy, in- dustry and resolute purpose are shown in the life of Mr. Thomas, who is one of the progres- sive farmers and horticulturists of Madison coun-

ty, his fertile ranch property comprising 160 acres being located four miles south of Twin Bridges, his postoffice address. He is a native of the north of Wales, born in Anglesey, sixty miles from Dublin, Ireland, on December 25, 1846. His father, William Thomas, passed his early manhood in Wales, where he conducted woolen manufac- turing. The maiden name of his mother was Margaret Roberts, and she likewise was a native of Wales. They had ten children, of whom five are living. Owen was the fifth in order of birth.

Owen Thomas emigrated to the United States in May, 1866, he being twenty years old. After he settled in Wisconsin, soon after his emigration, he continued his studies in the public schools for six weeks. He then engaged in farm work, in which connection he went to Minnesota and took up land and instituted improvement and cultiva- tion. His crops, however, were destroyed by grasshoppers, and he abandoned the enterprise, returning, in 1876, to Wisconsin, where he contin- ued farming until 1881, when he set forth for Montana, whose fame was beginning to spread abroad. Mr. Thomas made the trip across the plains and located in Butte, where he was en- gaged in the mines until 1882, when he came to Iron Rod, Madison county, and there also mined until, 1883, when he took up his residence on his present ranch. This is located on the Ruby river and most eligibly situated, the entire quarter sec- tion, which he secured by homestead entry, being available for cultivation. He has made perma- nent improvements, raises large crops of hay, grain and garden products.

Mr. Thomas has been indefatigable in his indus- try, has shown excellent judgment in his opera- tions, and has won success. In politics Mr. Thomas is a pronounced advocate of the principles of the Republican party, and fraternally he is an honored and worthy member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, which he joined in 1881, his pres- ent membership being at Dodgeville, Wis. Mr. Thomas has been twice married. In 1869. he wedded with Miss Mary Jones, a native of Wales, who died in 1872, leaving one son, William Arthur, whose death occurred at the age of seventeen years. On February 15, 1881, Mr. Thomas married Miss Sarah Howell, a native of Wisconsin, and they have one daughter, Annie L., a student in the state normal school at Dillon.

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HAS. W. THOMPSON .- Descended from a C

family long resident in Scotland, where its name was well up on the records of valor in war and faithful service to the state in peace, his branch in the person of his great-grandfather immigrated to Virginia in Colonial times, and his grandfather bore a conspicuous part in the struggle for inde- pendence. Charles W. Thompson, of Willow creek, Gallatin county, Mont., inherits all the quali- ties of sterling and resolute manhood which dis- tinguished his ancestors. He was born near Quincy, Adams county, Ill., June 12, 1846. His father, N. B., and his mother, Nancy (Pilcher) Thompson, were natives of Athens county, Ohio. His grandfather, Enis Thompson, after the Revolu- tion removed from Virginia to Ohio, being the first settler in the county wherein he located and one of the first three in the central part of the state. He was a pioneer minister of the gospel and a missionary, preaching on the circuit for over thirty years and meeting in the course of his ministry all the hardy men who were engaged in the good work of evangelizing the frontier. The renowned Peter Cartwright was his intimate friend and fellow-preacher, and was frequently his guest at his home in the wilderness.

The Thompsons have been a long-lived family. The good old preacher lost his life at the age of eighty-six by being thrown from a runaway horse. A brother died at the age of ninety-nine, and an- other at one hundred and three, who was the father of twelve children, three of whom lived to be over ninety. In fact, the youngest death of any who reached manhood was at sixty-four years of age. In 1835 the grandfather removed to Illinois with his family, and there the father of our subject en- gaged in farming until 1860, when he removed to southwestern Missouri and remained a year. He then returned to Illinois, and in 1864 started with his family to Montana, making the trip over- land by means of ox teams. The trip was long and tiresome, but was made without adventure worthy of note, and the family arrived at Virginia City September 6, 1864. . After lingering there a short time, the father made a trip to Bitter Root and the son to Emigrant, looking for a site for business. On their return they all moved to Last Chance gulch, and there opened a store and miners' lodging house, November 16, 1864, the first mer- cantile enterprise in the history of Helena. A few months later John Watson opened a grocery store, which was the second. The Thompsons re-

mained at Last Chance (Helena) until March, 1865, when they removed to Nelson gulch and fol- lowed mining for three years. In this undertaking they were very successful, and at the end of the time mentioned Mr. Thompson made a trip east and remained there six or seven years engaged in various kinds of business. His father also went east some six months after he did, and remained a year, both returning, eventually, to Montana. The father located on a ranch near Jefferson, which he occupied about fifteen years, and in 1884 bought the Allen place on the Madison river. He has re- tired from this and it is now with his son, H. M. Thompson. While Mr. Thompson, the son, was east, in 1868, he was married to Miss Louisa Wellborn, of Indiana, the daughter of a gallant soldier in the Civil war, who was killed on his way home after the close of the contest, being scalded to death in an explosion on the steam- boat. They have two children : Homer, a student at the Bozeman Agricultural College; and Pearl, who is still at home; another son, Clarice, is de- ceased. Upon his return Mr. Thompson engaged in carpentering and building until 1890. He then took up a homestead about three miles and a half southwest of Three Forks, on which he has since been living, raising good crops of grain and hay and doing a comfortable business in cattle. His mother died at the advanced age of seventy-three, after fifty-eight years of happy wedded life. His father is still living, an honored member of the Society of Pioneers of Montana, and held in high esteem by the entire community, as are his sons and family.

FATHER J. B. THOMPSON, the rector of St. Catherine's church, Boulder, Mont., came to his pastorate in 1900. He was born at Ithaca, N. Y., on November 1, 1874, being the son of George and Elizabeth (Gaskin) Thompson, the latter a daughter of Owen Gaskin. The father, a railroad engineer, removed his family to Roches- ter. N. Y., in 1877, where at even that early age the mere child began attendance on the parochial schools in charge of the Sisters of Mercy. Here he remained eight years, diligent in the acquisi- tion of knowledge, and in 1888 he was matric- ulated in St. Andrew's College, also in Rochester, and faithfully studied during the years of his attend- ance here. In 1891 he entered Notre Dame Uni- versity, at South Bend, Ind., where two years later

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he completed his classical studies. In 1895 he commenced the technical theological studies essen- tial to his understanding before entering the priest- . hood at Mount St. Mary's Seminary of the West, at Cincinnati, from which he was duly graduated.

He was ordained to the priesthood of the Cath- olic church by his grace, the Most Reverend Will- iam Elder, Archbishop of Cincinnati, Ohio, on June 21, 1900. Father Thompson read his first mass in St. Mary's church, in Rochester, N. Y., on June 21, 1900. He soon came to Helena, Mont., for which diocese he had studied. He then receiveci his first appointment as rector of St. Cath- erine's church, Boulder, where he is still stationed, exhibiting a zeal and thoroughness in his sacred office that brings him into pleasant relations, not only with his own society, but with the entire pop- ulace. He also attends the missions of St. John's church in Boulder valley, and St. Euphrasia's church at Clancey. At present Father Thompson is successfully forwarding the enterprise of build- ing the first pastoral residence in Boulder, a neces- sary convenience, as the church has now a perma- nent lodgment in Boulder, and Father Thompson is the first permanent resident pastor of the Catho- lic church located in Boulder. He is zealous and energetic in pastoral duties, and has won his way to the hearts of the community, not only of members of his own pastorate, but of the citizens generally, who regard him as an able and earnest worker in the Christian field.

ESLIE A. THOMPSON .- Even as Montana L is a young commonwealth, so are her indus- trial activities largely placed in the control of young men, who constitute the virile and vital ele- ment which make for consecutive progress and substantial development. Within the pages of this work will be found pertinent and timely refer- ence to many of the representative young business and professional men of the state, and at the pres- ent juncture it is our privilege to enter specific record concerning one of the popular and capable factors in the business life of the thriving village of Twin Bridges, Madison county. Leslie Allen Thompson is a native of the Badger state, having been born in Newcassel, Fond du Lac county, Wis., in 1871, the son of James S. and Leonora (Williams) Thompson, the former of whom was born in Holyoke, Mass., while the latter was born

in New York. The parents became residents of Wisconsin as early as 1848, and there the father became prominently identified with the great lum- bering industry of that state, and operated saw- mills for a number of years and doing an extensive business in this and allied lines. He and his wife still reside in Wisconsin. Of their eight children Leslie A. was the fifth. For his preliminary edu- cation he is indebted to the public schools of his native state, and he also attended the high school at Fond du Lac. Subsequently he matriculated in the Wisconsin State Normal School at Oshkosh, Wis., where he continued his studies for some time.

In 1893 he came to Montana, joining his broth- er, H. J. Thompson, who was located in Dillon. He was identified with business interests in Dillon for five years, at the expiration of which time he came to Twin Bridges, where he, together with R. A. Reynolds and H. J. Thompson, of Dillon, ef- fected the organization of the Twin Bridges Lum- ber Company, of which he is the chief executive, be- ing general manager of the business, which has grown to be one of wide scope and importance. In addition to the handling of all grades of lumber and builders' supplies the company conduct an ex- tensive business in the handling of hardware, ag- ricultural implements and machinery, vehicles, fur- niture and undertaking goods, and also conduct a large produce trade, handling hay, grain, coal, etc., and also own and conduct the Ruby Valley Lumber Company of Laurin, Mont., as a branch business and handle the same lines of goods at that point. Mr. Thompson is alert and progress- ive in his methods, and his marked executive abili- ty has been the dominating force in conserving the success and expansion of the important enterprise in charge of whose affairs he is placed. He owns valuable real estate interests in Twin Bridges, in- cluding his home, which is an attractive residence of modern architectural design.

In his political adherence Mr. Thompson is stanchly arrayed in support of the principles and policies of the Republican party, and his religious faith is that of the Presbyterian church, in whose local organization he is an elder and a member of the board of trustees. While a resident of Dillon he was a member of Company E, National Guard of Montana, and second sergeant of his company. Fraternally he is identified with the Knights of the Maccabees and the Independent Order of Good Templars, in each of which he has been honored with official preferment. On June

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29, 1899, Mr. Thompson was united in marriage with Miss Mildred Elizabeth Bishop, the daughter of John Bishop, one of the pioneers of Montana and a prominent citizen of Dillon, where Mrs. Thompson was born. Our subject and his wife have one daughter, Lenore Bishop Thompson, born on February 10, 1901.

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Progressive men of the state of Montana, pt 1, Part 170

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