Progressive men of the state of Montana, pt 1, Part 187

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 187

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Mr. Woodworth then returned to Williams county, Ohio, and in 1867 went to Omaha, where he joined a train of about 150 wagons which were preparing for the long trip across the plains to Montana. His outfit was a wagon and three yoke of oxen, and with these he made the entire trip, coming by Green river and the Bridger route. The Indians were a constant menace, but did no great damage. Mr. Woodworth arrived in Virginia City on

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August 6, 1867, and was for a time engaged in freighting from Corinne, Utah, to Virginia City. He soon, however, took up land on the Madison river, and has ever since continued his residence upon this ranch, now a fine estate of about 2,000 acres, well improved and eligibly situated. He raises large crops of hay and also devotes some at- tention to grainraising, but his principal enterprise is the breeding and growing of cattle and horses. He breeds from an imported Norman stallion and raises the best grades of shorthorn cattle. He has recently erected a fine residence of attractive design, one story and one-half in height and fitted with modern improvements. It is pronounced one of the most attractive ranch homes in this sec- tion. Mr. Woodworth supports the Democratic party and is a member of the Grand Army of the Republic, affiliating with Moody Post, in Madison valley. On March 26, 1878, Mr. Woodworth was united in marriage with Miss Alice A. Miller, who was born in Williams county, Ohio, the daughter of Adam D. and Annie M. (Shetler) Miller, who were among the pioneers of that state. Mr. Woodworth and wife are well known and highly esteemed, and their pleasant home is a favorite resort for their host of friends.

L EE WORTMAN .- The war between the states bereft Lee Wortman, an influential and pro- gressive rancher of the West Gallatin valley, near Salesville, of his father when he was but five years old, and a lingering disease took away his mother when he was eleven, so that he felt in very early life the pangs of deep bereavement and suffered many of the hardships incident to pov- erty and orphanage. His father, David Wortman, was a native of Ohio, who accompanied his par- ents to Adair county, Mo., they being among the early settlers of that state. There the sub- ject of this sketch was born May 17, 1859. His mother, Martha (Walters) Wortman, was the de- scendant of a prominent Tennessee family. The paternal grandfather, David Wortman, immigrated with his family to America and settled in Ohio, go- ing from there to Missouri. Our subject's father, like his grandfather, was a farmer and stockraiser ; but he had learned the carpenter's trade and worked at it in connection with his farming, and being skillful in all kinds of woodwork his ser- vices were in great demand in that sparsely sct-

tled country. His grandfather was a preacher of considerable force and popularity, being a Bap- tist in faith, and as occasion and opportunity de- manded in those early days he practiced medi- cine, having made some study of the science. When the Civil war broke out he enlisted in the Union army, and died of smallpox at Nashville during his term of service. He left a widow and seven children, five sons and two daughters. The widow survived him about six years, when she, too, passed away.

Mr. Wortman spent his school days in Mis- souri, remaining on the farm until after the death of his mother, then lived with an uncle until he was eighteen, when he started for Montana with horse and mule teams. He had a pleasant trip, proceeding by way of Snake river, arriving at Virginia City July 28, 1877, having been ten weeks making the journey. After resting a short time at Virginia City, he went to Gallatin valley, and there found employment at farming for one sea- son. The following year he engaged in teaming, and continued at it until 1881. He then pre- empted a claim near Salesville, and farmed the land for two years. In 1883 he joined the stam- pede to the Coeur d'Alene mining regions, and followed mining for two years with a fair degree of success, but returned and again took posses- sion of his farm, which he had rented during his absence. He worked it for one year and then sold out at a good price. During the next three years he farmed as a tenant on rented property. after which he bought the Haskeil ranch, ncar Belgrade. He occupied and worked this until 1897, when he sold out and bought the Carter ranch, three miles from Salesville, a fine prop- erty of 480 acres, extending from the West Gal- latin river over the foot hills, and having a large body of meadow land, all of which he now has under irrigation. Wheat, oats and barley are his principal crops on this ranch. Another ranch of 160 acres, located in Madison county, he uses principally for pasturage, raising Clydesdale horses, shorthorn cattle and superior hreeds of hogs, on an extensive scale.

Mr. Wortman was married December 8, 1888, to Mary R. Billington, of Missouri, having re- turned to that state for the purpose. She is a daughter of Nathaniel Billington, a native of Ten- nessee, who removed from that state to Missouri many years ago, and was engaged in farming there at the time of our subject's marriage. Five

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children were born of this union, namely: Rosie L., Lela, James E., Alma L. and Everett A., all of whom are at home. The home ranch is a fine property, and is well improved with a commodi- ous and comfortable dwelling and all necessary out-houses. It is also well fenced, well irrigated and well managed. For six years Mr. Wortman was engaged in running a steam grain thresher in addition to his farming operations, and was very successful, making good pay for his work and winning the plaudits and thankfulness of his neighbors for the good services rendered them. He has always shown great adaptability to im- mediate needs, and is never at a loss for means to supply pressing wants. In short, he is a man of forethought and prudence, progressive and energetic in any business which he has in hand, and courteous and obliging to others. He is a member of the order of Woodmen of the World, also of the American Yeomen.

ILLIAM W. WYLIE .- Professor Wylie is widely known to the higher class of tourists who have reveled in the picturesque scenery and marvelous natural phenomena of the Yellowstone National Park, and also to many others who have heard his interesting lectures concerning this fairy land conserved by the Federal government, while in connection with the educational and industrial life of Montana he has played an important part. William Wallace Wylie was born in the village of New Concord, Muskingum county, Ohio, on June 8, 1848, the son of Moses and Elizabeth (McCart- ney) Wylie, who had eight children, of whom five sons and two daughters are now living at the present time, as are also the venerable parents, to whom is vouchsafed exceptional mental and physical vigor in the eventide of life. The lineage of Prof. Wylie is Scotch-Irish, and his parents are both natives of Pennsylvania, who located in Ohio prior to their marriage. The father was born on December 1, 1819, and the mother on March 6, 1822. They removed from Ohio to [owa in 1855, and in 1867 to Kansas, where was there home until 1898, when they came to Mon- tana, where they are receiving the deepest filial solicitude from their children. Moses Wylie was a teacher and merchant in earlier years, but the greater portion of his active life was devoted to agricultural pursuits. The annals of his life have

been "plain and simple," but have ever borne rec- ord of honest worth and endeavor, and therein all honor lies. He and his cherished companion celebrated their golden wedding on March 9, 1899.

Prof. Wylie was reared under the sturdy and in- vigorating discipline of the farm and early be- gan to contribute his quota to the work incidental thereto, while his educational discipline had its inception in the district schools. In the public schools of Washington, Ia., he made such ad- vancement that he was enabled to engage in teach- ing, through which means he obtained funds to complete his education, being dependent on his own efforts. By working on the farm in the sum- mer months, and devoting his attention to peda- gogic work in the winters, he defrayed the ex- penses of his collegiate course in Lenox College, at Hopkinton, Ia., where he was graduated in the class of 1873. After his graduation he con- tinued teaching, and was city superintendent of schools at Delhi, Ia., and later at Lyons, that state. From Lyons he came to Bozeman, Mont., in September, 1878, where he was superintendent of the public schools for three years, while later he was for four years principal of Bozeman Acad- emy. In the interim he engaged in the real es- tate and insurance business in Bozeman, in con- nection with farming enterprises, and during 1886 and 1887 was superintendent of public instruction for the territory of Montana, laboring assiduously and with unabating interest for the improvement of the scholastic facilities of the territory, whose grasp upon statehood was now steadfast. Since leaving his position in the Bozeman Academy Prof. Wylie has devoted his attention to farm- ing and stockgrowing, to the management of an extensive tourist business through the Yellow- stone Park and to incursions into the lecture field. He is the owner of three ranches in Gal- latin county, the aggregate acreage being 1,900 acres. One of these he devotes to the raising of grain and miscellaneous farming, another is util- ized as a stock farm, while the other is a hay ranch. The first of these is designated the home ranch, and is held as the nucleus of an extensive stock farm, for Prof. Wylie intends eventually to engage in stockgrowing upon a moderate scale on truly scientific principles.

Of his work in connection with the tourist busi- ness in the Yellowstone National Park, and his precedence in the lecture field, we can not, per- haps, do better than make excerpts from a bro-

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chure issued by the lyceum bureau under whose auspices he has appeared :

"He made two tours of the Yellowstone Park in 1880. In 1881 he spent the whole summer in the park, traveling on horseback and with pack animals, visiting the most inaccessible regions. During this season he took notes and observa- tions from which he published the first real guide book of this marvelous region, an illustrated vol- ume of 100 pages. Being a great lover of nature, he was attracted to this region each successive summer to spend his vacations in this health-giv- ing locality. Because of his wide acquaintance with teachers he was solicited from season to sea- son to conduct parties through the park. This has grown into such a business that Prof. Wylie finds himself today at the head of one of the two largest companies transporting and caring for tourists in the Yellowstone Park. Prof. Wylie now spends his winters lecturing on the Yellowstone, and illustrates his lectures with the finest stere- opticon views made. His experience of twenty seasons in this wonderland, combined with his education and love for investigation, make him the best qualified person lecturing on the subject today."

He has also given a series of valuable and in- teresting lectures on subjects around which he throws the wonderful charm of his personality, making them exceedingly popular. The company of which he is at the head has now permanent stations in the park, and every possible provision is made for the comfort and entertainment of tourists making the trip through the wonders of the park under these auspices, the patronage com- ing from tourists from all parts of the world.

Prof. Wylie originally gave his support to the Republican party, but, being inflexibly opposed to the liquor traffic and standing true to his con- victions, in 1888 he transferred his allegiance to the Prohibition party, whose cause he has since supported with zeal and ardor. At the first presi- dential election after the admission of Montana to statehood in 1892, he was placed on the party ticket as presidential elector. His religious faith is Presbyterian, and he has served consecutively as an elder of the church in Bozeman since 1880. On April 2, 1874, at Independence, Iowa, was sol- emnized the marriage of Prof. Wylie to Miss Mary A. Wilson, who was born in that city, the daughter of Clinton and Elizabeth W. (Miller) Wilson, both natives of Ohio, where the former was born on

November 13, 1827, and the latter on May 14, 1829. They removed to Iowa in 1854 and en- gaged in farming until 1894, when they removed to Montana, where they now reside. To Prof. and Mrs. Wylie have been born five children, Elizabeth, on January 6, 1875; Fred, on February 17, 1877 ; Frank B., born on February 4, 1879, died February 26, 1886; M. Grace, born on March 5, 1881 ; Clinton W., on June 25, 1884. The fam- ily have an attractive residence in Bozeman, pur- chased in 1897, and the ranch home is also a favor- ite resort of both parents and children. Mr. and Mrs. Wylie occupy a prominent position in the social and religious life of Bozeman, and have the acquaintanceship of a large and interesting cir- cle of friends in various sections of the Union.

JOSEPH L. YOUNG .- In 1867 a young man twenty-two years of age came up the Mis- souri river to Fort Benton, the head of naviga- tion. He had been inspired with the "west- ern fever" for several years, and his first effort to reach what had been pictured to him as a veri- table El Dorado, made him an early pioneer of Montana. This was Joseph L. Young, the sub- ject of this brief biographical sketch, whose pres- ent residence is a fine ranch located two miles east of Ovando, Powell county. He was born in Pennsylvania in 1844, a son of Henry and Deborah (Miller) Young. The father was a Penn- sylvanian, a farmer by occupation and died while the subject of this article was a child. The mother was also born in Pennsylvania, dying in that state in 1847. For several years following his arrival in Montana Joseph L. Young worked at mining with more or less success. His first en- terprise in the way of placer mining was in the his- torical Last Chance gulch, from which thousands of dollars were taken by the lucky ones each day. Subsequently he drifted over to the Blackfoot country and Lincoln. Here he industriously con- tinued placer mining for eight years; then for a number of years he engaged in quartz mining at Belmont. While there he was foreman of the celebrated Bluebird mine, located at Mt. Pleas- ant. It was in 1882 that he resigned the pick, shovel and gold pan for what was destined to prove far more lucrative to him as it had to thous- ands of others-stockraising-and located his present home, two miles east of Ovando, in what

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was then Deer Lodge county. Since then the name of the county has been changed by act of the Montana legislature to Powell county. He has a most comfortable residence and good ranch prop- erty, fine stock, etc. For several years he has been school trustee for this township. Mr. Young is still interested to a certain extent in a num- ber of valuable mining properties.

E DMUND R. HUGGINS .- Prominent among the successful cattle men of Cascade county, and residing on his extensive ranch on Otter creek, twelve miles from Armington, is this gentleman, a thorough westerner, having passed many years in California and Oregon before settling in Montana. There he passed through many vicissitudes of for- tune, engaged in many enterprises and made and lost much money. That he is now prosperous and comfortably circumstanced is owing to his indefat- igable energy and force of character. He was born in New York on January 26, 1848, the son of William and Alice Huggins. The parents were natives of Massachusetts and the father was long engaged in the carriage manufacturing business at Oneida Castle, N. Y. Politically he affiliated with the Democratic party, and both parents were members of the Methodist Episcopal church. The mother died in 1879 and was followed by her hus- hand on November 14, 1887. Of their eleven chil- dren eight survived them, Malinda, Henry, Bur- rell, Huldah, Frederick, Cordelia, Elmira and Ed- mund R.

Edmund R. Huggins had the advantages of an academic education at the academy at Oneida Cas- tle and he became conversant with carriage mak- ing in his father's manufactory. He remained there, making excellent use of his opportunities, until he was nineteen years old, when he struck out for himself and went to California to join his brother Frederick, who was in the mercantile busi- ness at the mines in Indian valley, Sierra county. He was a clerk for this brother for one year and then secured employment as a clerk in a store at Marysville, conducted by Eckman & Tennant, at a salary of $75 per month. He remained with this firm a year, then purchased a mule team and en- gaged in freighting on his own account, which en- terprise was successful. A year later he turned his attention to quartz mining, working for $150 per month, in charge of the mill of a nephew of

Hon. John Bidwell, and continued there twenty- two months. Then, in company with his brother Frederick, he erected a quartz mill and they re- mained as partners seven years. Mr. Huggins says he came out of the enterprise with a pair of blankets, a business suit of clothes and $7.50 in cash. The brothers had lost $10,000. After the partnership was dissolved Mr. Huggins removed to San Jose and ran an engine in a sawmill for $75 per month. Meanwhile his parents had removed to Iowa and he decided to make them a visit. He did so, remained one month and returned to Cali- fornia determined to see some of its prosperity. His first season's work was running a header for $3.50 a day. Later he was at Trinidad as head edger in a sawmill. He then removed to Siskiyou county and superintended some mining enter- prises Later he went to Humboldt county and secured a contract to complete a large warehouse. This finished he removed to southern Oregon, took up a claim and devoted his attention to suc- cessful cattleraising. Five years later he moved to eastern Oregon and engaged in the sheep indus- try in which he made a gratifying success. Re- turning to Sac county, Iowa, in company with his brother Burrell, he purchased 320 acres of land and engaged in farming and stockraising, the partnership continuing four years.

In 1889 Mr. Huggins came to Cascade county and purchased 160 acres of his present ranch for $2,000. Since then he has increased his holdings to 980 acres, and of this 300 acres are open to cul- tivation. In the spring of 1894 he began to raise cattle, and in this department of his industries he has had an unusual degree of prosperity. He also raises bounteous crops of wheat, oats, barley and hay. Mr. Huggins wedded on July 7, 1885, Miss. Jeannette Agnes Gerdane, a daughter of John S. and Jeannette Gerdane, both natives of Scotland. They emigrated to the United States in early life. and met and were married in Racine, Wis. The father was a sailor on the Mediterranean sea and on the great lakes of this country. He was a member of the Methodist church, while the mother was a Presbyterian. They removed to the south, where Mrs. Gerdane died on May 19, 1865. Mr. Ger- dane took his family to Oregon by the overland route in the early 'eighties, and there served two terms in the state legislature. Fraternally he was a popular Odd Fellow. The earlier ancestors of Mrs. Huggins were of the finest people in the proud land of Scotland. The old Clan Campbell.

S. P. Heug gano

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so noted in history, romance and song, is her fam- ily clan. In this branch the Earl of Athol bears conspicuous place. The most prominent, per- haps, of the American connections of this ances- try was the distinguished Maj .- Gen. George B. McClellan. Mr. and Mrs. Huggins have had three children, Alice J., Henrietta R. and Burrell E. C. The parents are members of the Episcopal church. Politically Mr. Huggins is a Republican, but prefers to let others seek official honors.

T 'HOMAS T. ALEXANDER is one of the typi- cal pioneers of the great west, especially of Custer county, where he has long been a lead- ing citizen. He is now one of the most eminent civilians of that portion of Custer that has re- cently been erected into the new county of Rose- bud, of which he is at present one of the county commissioners by appointment of the governor in May, 1901. In his active and useful life he has run the whole gamut of experiences incident to existence on the frontier ; has endured the hard- ships attending the development of a new country, fought the Indian, known the rough life of a pros- pector for the precious metals, trailed cattle and rode the range, and finally has wrested a fortune from the unwilling hands of fate.

Mr. Alexander was born July 9, 1856, at Farmis- ton, Carleton county, New Brunswick, whither his father had removed from Scotland in 1830 and engaged in farming, and where, after a success- ful career, he died in 1889. His widow, mother of our subject, whose maiden name was Elizabeth Stickney, and who was a native of New York state, survived him five years and died at the same place in 1894. Our subject was partially educated at the district schools of his native place, sup- plementing their instruction with a high school course at Woodstock, where he was graduated in the early summer of 1872. In 1873 he came to the United States and located at Boise, Idaho, where he engaged in prospecting and mining until 1876, and then removed to the old cantonment, Fort Keogh, Mont., and spent the winter clerking. When the Nez Perces war broke out, in the spring of 1877, he joined Gen. Howard and fought with him until the subjection of Chief Joseph and his fanatical followers, locating at Forsyth in the fall. Here he engaged in stockraising, which he followed almost exclusively until the winter of 1883-4, when he opened a general store. His mer- 62

chandising operations were highly successful, and he continued them for fifteen years. In 1888 he built the American hotel at Forsyth, and has otherwise contributed to the improvement and growth of the town-erecting a town hall and a number of residence properties. In 1891, antici- pating the coming prosperity of the town and its financial needs, he organized the Merchants' Na- tional Bank, to which he has since given his per- sonal attention, serving as its president from its founding and in every way promoting its interest.

From his entrance into the state Mr. Alexander has been continuously engaged in the stock busi- ness, for many years making sheep his staple, but turning from them to cattle and horses in 1897, since which time he has confined his stock opera- tions to these two. He is a large dealer and breeder of them, in company with James S. Hop- kins, of whom extended notice appears on another page of this volume. They own a number of val- uable ranches in different parts of Rosebud coun- ty, and carry on a very extensive business.

Mr. Alexander was married in 1882 to Miss Me- lissa Wyant, who was born in Minnesota but reared in Montana. She died at Forsyth in 1883, leaving one child, Miss May Alexander, who is now a young lady, very attractive and popular. Her father contracted a second marriage in 1885, his choice on this occasion being Miss May Fitz- patrick, a native of Farmiston, New Brunswick, where she was born in 1858.

In political relations our subject is allied with the Democratic party, but, although taking a deep and healthy interest in public affairs, has never sought office. Upon the formation of the new county of Rosebud in 1901, however, he was pursuaded to accept the office of county commissioner by ap- pointment of the governor, and is now discharging its duties with credit to himself and advantage to the people. Fraternally he is identified with the· Odd Fellows, the Elks and the Knights of Pythias. In all the relations of life he has borne himself with conspicuous uprightness and manliness, and is everywhere regarded as one of Rosebud's lead- ing and most representative citizens.

J OHN I. ZOOK .- This progressive and success- ful stockgrower was one of the honored citi- zens of Custer county, endowed with a personal- ity which drew to him deep and abiding friend- ships. His life was one of usefulness and honor,

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and, though he was summoned from earth in the prime of life he had left the impress of his sturdy manhood and his definite accomplishment to such an extent that his life was one prolific of good results. In this connection we must also make mention of Mrs. Zook, now incumbent of the office of county superintendent of schools of Custer county, whose experiences have been most inter- esting. She has labored earnestly in the cause of education and for the advancement of the moral and material interests of Montana where she has passed nearly all of her life, being a daughter of one of its earliest pioneers. Endowed with re- finement and noble womanhood, she merits definite recognition.

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Progressive men of the state of Montana, pt 1, Part 187

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