Progressive men of the state of Montana, pt 1, Part 188

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 188

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John I. Zook was born in Forest City, Holt county, Mo., on the 23d of November, 1860, the youngest of the three children of William and Sarah (Waterman) Zook, the former of whom was born in Pennsylvania, of Revolutionary stock, and the latter in Illinois, where her parents were pio- neer settlers. William Zook was engaged in the pork-packing business in Missouri and was a suc- cessful operator in other legitimate enterprises. His son, John I. Zook, received his education in Pueblo, Colo., where he had gone with an elder sister, and after leaving school he entered the employ of his brother-in-law, an assistant in his wholesale grocery business. Upon attaining his legal majority Mr. Zook came to Montana and entered into partnership with W. W. Alerson in the cattle business, bringing a herd from Texas to Custer county. At the dissolution of the part- nership five years later Mr. Zook entered into a similar alliance with C. C. Burns, a brother of Senator D. D. Burns, of Missouri, in the cattle business on the Lame Deer river Custer county, later removing it to the Tongue river. It is worthy of note that the trouble with the Indians on the Lame Deer in 1884, was precipitated by a foolish act of a boy employed by Mr. Zook. This lad, Hal. Talliaferro, during his employer's absence in Missouri, was one day alone at the house on the ranch, and as Chief Black Wolf and other Cheyenne Indians approached the house, the boy, to show his "smartness," raised his rifle to shoot off the head-dress of the chief. The bullet grazed the scalp of the chief and serious trouble ensued. The boy was secreted by the neighbors, but the Indians made an attack on the house, which they burned, and started in search of the boy, who, however, escaped with his life. His

foolish act endangered all the settlers in the lo- cality.

In politics Mr. Zook was an ardent Democrat, one of the leaders of the party in this section of the state. In 1894 he was elected county assessor, though the normal political complexion of the county was strongly Republican. The death of Mr. Zook occurred on the 9th of August, 1896, when he was but thirty-five years and nine months old. His loss was a grievous one to his cherished and devoted young wife and a personal bereave- ment of his wide circle of friends. He was stead- fast and upright in all the relations of life and his name is properly honored. Fraternally he was a Knight of Pythias, under the auspices of which order his funeral was held. On the 29th of Octo- ber, 1889, he was married to Miss Laura Brown, and they had one child, Frederick, who was born on the 30th of January, 1895.

Mrs. Laura (Brown) Zook was born in Sioux City, Iowa, on the 25th of November, 1868, the daughter of one of Montana's sterling old pio- neers, the late Charles Brown, of whom specific mention is made on other pages of this work. She received her early education in Moorehead, Minn., and Miles City, Mont., to which place she came when about ten years of age. She later en- tered the Mary Baldwin Seminary, an excellent school for girls at Staunton, Va., where she was thoroughly prepared for pedagogic work. In the fall of 1886, prior to going to Virginia, Mrs. Zook began teaching in a primitive school on the Lame Deer river. She was teaching in that locality during the Indian trouble to which reference has been made, and kept her school open every day, though the Indians were on the war path. This action demonstrates her great courage, as she was in danger of death at any moment at the hands of the enraged savages. Her courage, however, has never been of the equivocal order, and is an intrinsic element of her character. She was not unfamiliar with Indian methods, since in the spring of 1879, while yet a child, she saw the Cheyennes under Little Wolf, when they had fought their way back to Montana from the Indian territory, where they had been placed on the reservation, and she well remembers the gory scalps and other trophies which they carried. In January, 1887, Mrs. Zook taught a school on the Tongue river, and, after a short interval, returned to the Lame Deer district as a teacher until the fall of 1888, when she returned to Staunton, Va., and continued

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her studies for one year. Upon her return to Mon- tana she was united in marriage with Mr. Zook.

In the fall of 1896 Mrs. Zook was elected county superintendent of schools, as the candidate on the Democratic ticket, and took supervision of the educational interests of what was then the larg- est county in the world, though there were only twenty-four school districts, widely segregated and often isolated. She drove overland for 400 miles to visit five schools, and in a forty-eight-hours drive she saw only one house. Not only courage but physical endurance are demanded to do such work. But this was faithfully accomplished by one who well deserves the title of "brave lady." In 1898 Mrs. Zook was a candidate for re-election, and was defeated by fifty-seven votes, but in the election of November, 1900, she was again the candidate of the Democratic party and received the flattering majority of 300 votes. She is thor- oughly in touch with her profession and is doing much to systematize and perfect the educational work in the county, as she is clear-sighted, am- bitious and possessed of marked executive ability. She receives the hearty endorsement and co-oper- ation of the people, and is happy in her assiduous toil and endeavor. Mrs. Zook is a member of the Presbyterian church. She has the faith that makes faithful and is a power for good in all the walks of her life. No woman in the county is better known or held in higher affection and esteem.

W M. H. ALLEN, M. D., was born in Brad- ford county, Pa., in December, 1856, the son of William H. and Cornelia (Wood) Allen, of the same nativity. The Allens were originally from Scotland and settled in Massachusetts about 1630; the Woods came from England and were early settlers in Vermont. The farm on which the first American Allen of this family settled and lived is still in possession of the family. It is located mear Newton, a few miles from Boston, Mass. It is the family that gave to the cause of the Revo- lution the great New England soldier and patriot, Ethan Allen. Both the Allens and the Woods have been engaged in agricultural pursuits for many generations. Both the Doctor's grandfathers re- moved to Bradford county, Pa., about 1825, and settled on adjoining farms where, after careers of usefulness, they died. The Doctor's father was a man of great public spirit and was foremost in

every good enterprise for the advancement of his community. He gave great attention and valuable service to the cause of local education ; and when the Civil war broke out he enlisted and served in the Union army until disabilities incurred in the service obliged him to retire.

When the Doctor was nine years of age the family removed to Waverly, some fourteen miles from their original location, and there received his academic education, being graduated from the high school in 1877. He then entered the Univer- sity of Buffalo, and was graduated from that insti- tution in 1880 with the honors of his class. He began practicing with Dr. E. P. Allen, a relative, located at Athens, Pa., but after a short time re- turned to his birthplace, where he practiced until 1886. In that year he came to Montana and, locating at Phillipsburg, entered upon an active practice of his profession at which he continued until 1891, serving also as physician to the Hope Mining Company. In 1891 he removed to Horr, as physician to the coal and coke companies, and remained there until 1897, when he removed to Rock creek, on his present property, located about half way between Silesia and Joliet, which he pur- chased as a home and where he continues to prac- tice his profession in connection with his farming and stock business. In both lines of enterprise he is eminently successful. He has a large prac- tice and is regarded as one of the most success- ful physicians in the county, and has the warm re- gard and high esteem of all classes. In his farming operations he is among the leaders of the county. All his land is under irrigation, and being located in the most fertile region of Montana it is very productive, yielding large annual crops of alfalfa, wheat, oats and corn. He also has an orchard of 300 apple trees, and other fruits, all in good bearing order.

Dr. Allen was married January 30, 1882, to Miss Edith L. Dodson, of Plymouth, Pa., daughter of John Dodson, of that place, a native of England. They have had three children: Edgar W., at school in Billings; Jean M. and Cornelia P., the last mentioned deceased. Fraternaly the Doctor is identified with the Masonic order and the United Workmen. All of his mature life has been given to useful and productive enterprises. His father was a pioneer in the oil business; he and his brother had a refinery at Titusville, Pa., which they sold when the Standard Oil Company was formed.

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PROGRESSIVE MEN OF MONTANA.

A UGUSTUS ANDERSON is one of the most prosperous and enterprising ranchmen in Pleasant valley, Jefferson county, Mont. He was born near Guttenburg, Sweden, on June 24, 1846, the son of Sven and Ingerborn (Johnson) Ander- son, both of Guttenburg, where the mother is still living. The father was a farmer and died in 1858. Mr. Anderson was reared on his father's farm, and educated in the public schools. On leaving school he at first engaged as a bookkeeper and shipping clerk, it being the intention of his parents that he should follow merchandising. Young Anderson did not agree with his parents, as his health was not suitable for a sedentary em- ployment, and he relinquished this occupation, learned the mason's trade, and also passed some time on the farm. In May, 1869, he came to the United States, and journeyed westward to Rock- ford, Ill. He remained here six months, two months devoted to the mason's trade, two to book- keeping and two as foreman on railroad construc- tion, which industry was just then at its zenith in that part of the United States.

Mr. Anderson then removed to Topeka, Kan., where for three and a half years he worked at his trade and contracting. In 1873 he went to Colo- rado, remained two years and came to Mon- tana. In June, 1875, he arrived in Virginia City, and took charge of a stock ranch, having brought a carload of horses from Colorado. The next season he went to Fish creek and rented a ranch from Harrison Jordan. Here Mr. Anderson stayed a year and then he homesteaded a ranch in Madi- son county and continued farming until 1897. Then selling it, he purchased his present eligible and valuable ranch in Pleasant valley, Jefferson county. Here Mr. Anderson adds to his ranch profits the income derived from his contracting and building and also that from profitable farm- ing and gardening. On October 13, 1888, Mr. Anderson was married to Miss Sadie Rex, of Put- nam county, Mo. She is the daughter of Charles and Sarah (Stern) Rex, the former a Pennsyl- vanian and the latter a native of Ohio. They have six children, Olive May, deceased ; Myrtle Christi- ana, Maudie T., Rex, LeRoy McKinley and Ralph.

Mr. Anderson joined the national guard of Sweden in his seventeenth year and remained in service until his twenty-first year, when he was promoted to lieutenant, serving as such for one year. He was then drawn into the regular army, and, owing to previous experience and superior

capability, he was made a lieutenant in the regular service, which commission he held until his de- parture for the United States. He received an honorable discharge, leaving in accordance with the laws and customs of his country. He was a successful teacher at an early period in his life in Sweden. For the past six or eight years Mr. Anderson has been a notary public and for six years previously he was a justice of the peace, and during the past ten years he has served effi- ciently as school trustee. Fraternally he is a member of the Ancient Order of United Work- men. Mr. Anderson is one of the wide-awake and energetic foreigners who on coming to this country, have made its interests their own and become prominent and highly esteemed citizens.

H ENRY O. C. ANDREWS .- Among the ster- ling, wide-awake business men of Sweet Grass county, Mont., must be numbered Henry O. C. Andrews, who is recognized as one of the most successful cattleraisers on the Boulder river. He is a Minnesotian, born in Fillmore county, on May 4, 1857, soon after the admission of that state into the union, one of a family of two sons and six daughters. His parents were War- ren D. Andrews, born on December 18, 1816, and Catherine (Gooderich) Andrews. The father was a native of Ohio and the mother of New York. In 1856 the family removed from Ohio to Minne- sota and the father engaged in agricultural pur- suits until his death on August 29, 1899, at the age of eighty-three years. The early years of Mr. Andrews were passed in Minnesota, and here he received his education, later learning the trade of a carpenter, which for many years had been the occupation of his father. He made his home in Spring Valley, that state.

Mr. Andrews came to Montana in 1884, his initial point of location being Big Timber, Sweet Grass county, but he soon removed to Madison county and engaged as a head sawyer in a sawmill for six years. Then he went to the Boulder river, and began ranching, which he continued in a small way for the three succeeding years. He then pur- chased the interest of a neighbor, took up home- stead and desert claims, and was in possession of a fine piece of property comprising 500 acres, upon which he has since successfully engaged in stockraising, wintering 100 head of Durham and

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. shorthorn cattle. The greater portion of his ranch is under irrigation and he cuts large crops of al- falfa and timothy. In December, 1893, Mr. An- drews was united in marriage to Miss Esther J. Johnson, daughter of Joseph and Artemesia (Ro- right) Johnson, the former of Olmsted county, Minn., and the latter of Montreal, Canada. Two children have been born to this union, Faye Pearl and Maxwell. Mr. Andrews is a member of the Woodmen of America, and enjoys the esteem and confidence of a large circle of acquaintances.

B ENJAMIN F. ANNEAR .- An Englishman by nativity and strongly imbued with the steady energy of his countrymen, the subject of this sketch has seen many lands and achieved a gratifying success in usefulness and productive enterprise in them all. He was born May 17, 1861, at Budack, Cornwall, England, the son of Joseph and Louisa Annear, natives of England, the former a stonecutter and mason by trade, and for many years a leading contractor and builder ; the latter being a daughter of James Rogers, a prosperous wharfinger and stevedore. The mother died in 1894, aged seventy-six, and the father in 1896, aged eighty-four. Mr. Annear was edu- cated at one of the excellent schools of his native country, and afterward learned the trade of a brick layer and stonemason with his father, with whom he worked until he reached the age of eighteen. In 1879 he went to Africa, and there worked on the government drydock and also the parliament- ary buildings at Cape Town. In 1882 he re- turned to England, went to Australia, in 1884, where he remained about eight years, spending a few months at Sydney, a few more at Brisbane in Queensland, and the rest of the time at Mary- borough. In all of these places he was engaged in contract work at his trade. He returned to England in 1892, but after a stay of a few months, took a final farewell of his native land and came to the United States to remain. He made his way to Walkersville, a suburb of Butte, Mont., where he settled and at once went to contracting and building for the largest mining companies of that great camp, including the Boston & Mon- tana, the Moulton, and others of similar caliber. He was also engaged in mining with his brother, who is more particularly mentioned elsewhere in these pages. In all his operations he has been emi-

nently successful, winning general commendation for the excellence of his workmanship, and the smiles of fortune by his industry, thrift and busi- ness sagacity.

Mr. Annear was married October 25, 1883, to Miss Elizabeth Prestoe, of England, daughter of James Prestoe, a master-at-arms in the English naval service. Her mother was Mary Ann Han- ning, of England. Fraternally our subject is allied with the Freemasons, being a member of Monitor Lodge No. 35, and one of the trustees of the temple at Walkersville. Politically he is iden- tified with the Republican party and has rendered good service, both as a private in the ranks and in responsible official stations. He is now serving his second term as alderman from the First ward in Walkersville, and is chairman of the committee on streets and alleys. To the duties of this com- mittee he has given close and intelligent attention, and thereby has secured many valuable improve- ments in the municipality. He recommended and by his energy succeeded in getting through the body provision for grading Main street, which has greatly benefited the city in many ways. Before he left his native land he served five years in the celebrated military organization known as the Rifle Volunteers. He has met every claim of citi- zenship wherever he has lived in a manly and mas- terful way, and has enjoyed in a marked degree the respect and esteem of his fellowmen.

JOSEPH APPOLONIO .- "First the blade, then the ear, then the full corn in the ear," is perhaps a trite and well-worn phrase, but it aptly illustrates the career of the successful business man who, beginning at the bottom of the ladder, works himself to the top by sheer force of character and capacity, such a business man, for instance, as Joseph Appolonio. He was born on August 2, 1870, at Forest City, Mont., and has never been in business out of the state ; so that whatever credit is in his career, it is Montana's own. His father was an Austrian and the proprietor of a prosper- ous restaurant. His mother was born at Dayton, Ohio. They had three children, of whom Joseph was the first born. He attended the public schools until he was nineteen, then pursued a full commer- cial course at the Montana Business College at Helena, where he was graduated in 1891. He immediately accepted a position with the Missoula

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Mercantile Company as a clerk in their branch store at Victor, but soon rose to be bookkeeper.

He remained with this company until 1898, when he, with Allen Fowler and George I. Wat- ters formed the firm of Appolonio, Fowler & Co., and engaged in merchandising. Mr. Fowler died in February, 1901, and then the firm was reorgan- ized and changed to Appolonio, Watters & Co. This house, although young in years, is fully ma- tured in enterprise and in telling knowledge of business. It has an enormous trade, being the largest shipper of farm products in the Bitter Root valley. So rapidly has their business grown that they were compelled in 1900 to erect a new brick store building, of ample proportions, equipped with every modern appliance, in which their ex- tensive stock is now comfortably housed. In poli- tics Mr. Appolonio takes pride in his allegiance to the Republican party, and shows it by his constant interest in the party's success and proper control. He is a member of the Modern Woodmen and of the Masonic order. In the latter he is particularly active and serviceable, having been worshipful master of Victor Lodge for two terms and being always on its important committees. He was married at Bonner, Mont., on January 16, 1895, to Miss Edith M. Marvin, daughter of Francis B. and Alice O. Marvin, of Minneapolis. Mr. and Mrs. Appolonio have a charming home which their numerous friends find to be always a center of enjoyment.

NDERSON W. ANTHONY, one of the pros- perous and enterprising ranch-owners of Cas- cade county, is located on valuable and eligible property near Evans. He was born at St. Joseph, Buchanan county, Mo., on November 22, 1852. His parents were James and Jane (Hill) Anthony, both natives of Kentucky, who removed to Mis- souri, where they were prominent citizens, and for eight years James Anthony served as judge at St. Joseph, Mo. He also was engaged in milling for several years, and came to Montana in 1856. He died in Helena, aged sixty years, and his wife also died at Helena at the age of forty-eight. Ander- son W. Anthony came with his parents to Helena. Here he attended the public schools until he reached the age of nineteen, devoting the summer months to farming and other labor.

In 1871 he began raising cattle and horses in connection with his farming, continuing thus oc-

cupied until 1891, when he secured a pre-emption claim of 160 acres at Sand Coulee. Here he con- tinued to raise stock on a profitable and satisfac- tory scale. On June 21, 1894, Mr. Anthony wedded Miss Maude Van Cleave, daughter of Moses Van Cleave. They have a son, George. Mrs. Anthony's mother's maiden name was Ketchum, a native of St. Joseph, Mo. Both of her parents now reside at Evans, engaged in stock- raising and farming. In 1895 Mr. Anthony pur- chased 480 acres of land at Evans, in upper Sand Coulee. Of this tract 200 is fitted for cultivation but he utilizes it all for pasturage and usually runs 100 head of cattle and twenty-five horses. During his residence in Montana he has been quite pros- perous and is now most comfortably located, and stands high in the regard of the community in which he resides.

JOHN H. AUSTIN, proprietor of the leading livery, feed and sale stable of Forsyth, and the successful, enterprising conductor 'of other lines of business, is entitled to honorable mention among the progressive men of the great common- wealth which has made history more rapidly than almost any other part of the world. Mr. Austin was born May 7, 1859, in the town of Roddin, Hastings county, Canada, the son of Joseph and Catherine Austin, and when he was five years old accompanied his mother in her removal to Outaga- mie county, Wis., where he grew to manhood, at- tending the public schools as he had opportunity and working at whatever he found to do. On June 27, 1879, he was married to Miss Minnie, the oldest daughter of John and Nicea Knox, who were among the first settlers of Wisconsin. In the same year he removed with his wife to Yellow Medicine county, Minn., and in April, 1882, came to Montana, where he worked on the railroad for a short time, tried stockraising, and then went into the livery, feed, dray and sale business, at which he has been very successful and prosperous.

Mr. and Mrs. Austin have been the parents of five children, namely : Ida (Austin) Martin, born January 6, 1880; Alma, born December 17, 1882; Lula, born April 21, 1885; J. Harold, born Feb- ruary 8, 1887, died June 25, 1894, and G. Roy, born November 20, 1893. Mr. Austin has conducted his business and his private life in such a way as to win and hold the regard of his fellows and main- tain his position as a leading man among them.

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PROGRESSIVE MEN OF MONTANA.

G EORGE H. BABCOCK, a gentleman of abili- ty and energy, successful in all his efforts in business and secure in the regard of the people who know him, is a native of Buffalo county, Wis., where he was born February 27, 1862. His par- ents, J. J. and Sarah (Martin) Babcock, were born and reared in Vermont, and removed from there to Wisconsin, where they lived until 1869. In that year they changed their resi- dence to Nebraska, where the father died in 1875. The rest of the family remained in Nebraska until 1884, and then Mr. Babcock came to Montana, and was followed into the state by his mother and the others in 1886. He located at Decker, and remained there until the fall of 1892. At that time he removed to Clark's fork, about four miles southeast of Gebo, and engaged in farming and stockraising until the fall of 1901. He then sold out and bought his present ranch, two miles and a half from Gebo, the creek forming a natural boundary around part of it. In 1886, when the rest of the family came to Montana, they located on a ranch adjoining the one he now owns and occupies.

Mr. Babcock was married in March, 1885, to Miss Hallie Truby, a native of Pennsylvania, and daughter of Henry Truby, who lives about two miles above Bridger. They have six children : Truby, Charles and Elvin (twins); George, Hazel and John. The ranch on which Mr. Babcock lives is practically a new one, having been an Indian allotment. He is part owner of a ditch which will give him sufficient water for irrigation of the prop- erty, and the progressive and intelligent methods of farming which he employs are bringing his land to a high state of productiveness. He has an- other ranch a mile and a half below Bridger, which is also well irrigated and yields large crops of grain. His cattle are Herefords, and he has 100 head. On his home ranch he has planted an orch- ard to which he gives special attention with the purpose of making fruit culture one of the features of his work.

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Progressive men of the state of Montana, pt 1, Part 188

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