Progressive men of the state of Montana, pt 1, Part 28

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 28

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attorney-general of Montana, and he was chosen as a representative from Lewis and Clarke county in the sixth general assembly of the legislature of the state, serving as one of the valued workers of the house and bringing to bear a forceful and con- sistent power in its deliberations.

The fraternal relations of Mr. Day are of distin- guished order. He is a prominent and popular member of the Masonic order, having served in the exalted office of grand master of the grand lodge of the state in 1897-8, and as grand commander of the grand commandery of Knights Templar in 1898-9. He is also a past high priest of Living- ston Chapter No. 7, R. A. M. He has also "crossed the sands of the desert" and is a noble in the Ancient Arabic Order of the Mystic Shrine, and past potentate of Algeria Temple. He is also identified with the Benevolent Protective Order of Elks, of which he is past exalted ruler of the order in the state. He is a communicant of St. Peter's church, Protestant Episcopal, in Helena, and a member of the board of managers of St. Peter's hospital. He holds membership in the Montana club, and is one of its board of directors. Mr. Day is an able advocate before court or jury, is in- cisive and clear in the matter of dialectics, presents his case with force and exactness, and as a coun- selor he is safe and duly conservative, and well merits the reputation he has gained as one of the able and honored legists of the state.

R EV. VICTOR DAY .- The Holy Roman Catholic church has ever retained in her far- reaching service and manifold works for the up- lifting of humanity the consecrated effort of the most zealous and self-abnegating devotees. No privations, no obstacles, no dangers have been suf- ficient to deter her emissaries from carrying the gospel of the Master to the utmost corners of the earth ; none have been so benighted as to have been denied from her succor and protecting grace; the afflicted and distressed have not been refused her kindly ministrations under any conditions, and her noble missionaries have figured as the avant-cour- iers of progress and civilization. Naught but honor and reverence can be accorded to those who thus give their lives to the church and to humanity, and it is eminently consistent that due record be here made of the work of the church in Montana from the early days when the Fathers first came

among the Indians, gaining their confidence and ministering to their temporal and spiritual wants. Thus in this work may be found numerous refer- ences to those who here wrought noble works in the name of the Divine Master. The city of Helena is the diocesan see of this jurisdiction, and among those who have given effective ministrations at the Cathedral of the Sacred Hearts, signally faithful in diocesan and parochial work, and been a power for good in all the relations of life, is Father Day, a brief record of whose career we here incorporate.

Father Day, in the agnatic line, was originally a DeBrabandere, this patronymic having been aban- doned after his arrival in the United States, the change being authorized by judicial order in the courts of Montana. He was born in Desselghem, Belgium, on March 29, 1866, the son of Henry and Febronie (Vanderzyppe) DeBrabandere, both of whom were born in Belgium. The father was a farmer by occupation and received his education in the schools and colleges of his native land, be- coming a man of prominence in his community, having served as alderman of the town of Dessel- ghem. The mother of our subject received her educational discipline in the college of the Ursuline sisters at Tournai. It may be noted at this junc- ture that Father Day is a cousin of the late Bishop DeBrabandere, of Bruges. Father Day pursued his preliminary studies in the public schools of his native town, and at the age of thirteen years he entered the College of Courtray, a church institu- tion, where he completed the French and classical courses, graduating at the expiration of seven and a half years and taking second honors in his class. The students of this college competed annually with the students of the state colleges in Latin, Greek and French composition, history, mathema- tics, etc., and in this line Father Day was selected as a competitor in three different contests, winning distinctive honors in each instance. After leaving college Father Day matriculated in the Seminary of Ronlers, where he completed a year's course in philosophy, graduating from that institution. Fur- ther advantages were afforded him in the prosecu- tion of his education, for he next entered the Grand Seminary at Bruges, the native city of Bishop Brondel, of the Helena diocese. From this insti- tution Father Day graduated upon the completion of a five-years course, being ordained to the priest- hood at the end of the fourth year by Bishop Faict. About four months after his graduation he was to be assigned to a professorship in a college, but his

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health had become so impaired it was deemed ex- pedient for him to enter upon parochial work, and was placed as priest in charge of a parish in Molen- dorp, Belgium, where he remained during the ill- ness of the rector, until 1893, when he came to America, Helena being his destination. Here he was first assigned to work in the outlying missions ; but in June, 1894, he was appointed to succeed Father Palladino as priest in charge at the Cathe- dral of the Sacred Hearts, in which capacity he has since served. In 1889 Bishop Brondel mnade a visit to the "Eternal City," Rome, appointing Father Day administrator of the diocese during his ab- sence. He discharged the functions of his office with signal ability, both in a spiritual and executive way, and to the satisfaction of his bishop. In the year 1900 Father Day returned to his native land for a visit, and before his return also visited Rome, Paris and the quaint old town of Oberam- mergau, where he witnessed the production of the Passion Play. Father Day is an earnest and inde- fatigable worker in his holy calling, is known and admired outside the pale of the church, and, genial and sympathetic in nature, is loved by those to whom he ministers. As a representative of an ec- clesiastical body which has had most to do with the early history of the Pacific and the great northwest, and with the insuring of progress in all divisions of this great territory, it is but fitting that he be ac- corded this tribute.

T `HOMAS DEAN, of Broadwater county, who came in 1873 to Montana, is located on a most eligible ranch near the prosperous city of Town- send. He is a native of Shropshire, England, born on September 24, 1840, the son of Richard and Hannah (Brassington) Dean. The father, an en- graver, also followed merchandising. In 1849 the family came from England to Dane county, Wis. Here Richard Dean first tilled the soil and later was a merchant. In 1864 they removed to Ran- dolph county, Mo., where Mr. Dean died in 1880.

The military record of Thomas Dean is one of patriotism and daring. On September, 1861, he enlisted in Company G, First Wisconsin Infantry, Col. Bloodgood, from Milwaukee. The regiment went to Louisville, Ky., where it joined the Army of the Cumberland. The first active fighting in which Mr. Dean participated was at Green River, Ky. He was at Shiloh, but was on detached ser-

vice and was not in action. He was with his regi- ment at Chattanooga in a lively skirmish. On the return to Louisville, at Perryville, Mr. Dean bore part in a hot engagement. He was in the hard-fought battle of Stone River, where he was detailed as a guard to Louisville for captured pris- oners. On his return he was badly crippled in a railroad accident, and was mustered out at Mil- waukee, on October 8, 1864. Mr. Dean then en- gaged in farming for a number of years in Mis- souri, remaining in that state until 1873, when he came to Montana, locating in Meagher, now Broadwater county. Here he is profitably em- ployed in stockraising and general farming, pur- chasing his present ranch in 1886. During the Nez Perce war in 1877, Mr. Dean, with other ranchers of the county, erected a fort, which was their refuge on the appearance of Indians, which were then hostile and troublesome.

In 1870 Mr. Dean was married with Miss Ma- tilda McCormack, of Randolph, Mo. She was the daughter of Mason and Lucy (Hare) McCormack, natives of Virginia. Mrs. Dean died in 1891, leaving one son, Guy, who married Miss Jennie Crane, of Davis county, Iowa. They have one child, Tillie. Mr. Dean is an active Republican worker and influential in the councils of that polit- ical element. He is a man of broad views, saga- cious judgment and of generous public spirit. In 1880 he was elected to the state legislature and served two years. He was chairman of the board of school trustees in 1885, and county treasurer during 1897 and 1898. During his term as school trustee he built the first large school house in Townsend. Fraternally Mr. Dean is a Mason and a member of the United Workmen.

G EORGE W. DEARING .- Coming to Mon- tana in his early youth and becoming one of the successful farmers and stockgrowers of Custer county, where he has maintained his residence for the past twenty years, George W. Dearing was born in Nashville, Tenn., on August 10, 1861, the younger of the two children of George and Eliza- beth (Wyatt) Dearing, both of whom were natives of Tennessee. His father passed his entire life in the state as a cabinetmaker, while his mother later became the wife of William Strong, who brought the family to the northwest a number of years ago, finally locating in Custer county, Mont., where he

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engaged in stockgrowing. They are still residents of that county. Mrs. Strong's grandfather was a soldier in the war of 1812 in a Tennessee regiment.

George W. Dearing attended the public schools of his native state and accompanied the family to the west, and, in 1875, came to Wyoming, and was employed in the cattle business until 1877, when he came to Custer county, Mont., settling in the vicinity of Miles City. In 1881 he purchased a ranch and here he has since given his attention to farming and stockraising. He also works the ranch of his stepfather in the same vicinity. Mr. Dearing has been indefatigable in his efforts, and his enterprise and energy have brought visible re- sults, gaining him recognition as one of the pop- ular ranch men of his section. He gives support to the Republican party, and he and his family are attendants of the Methodist Episcopal church. Fraternally he is a popular member of the Ancient Order of United Workmen and also belongs to Yellowstone Lodge No. 26, A. F. & A. M., at Miles City. On April 8, 1884, Mr. Dearing was united in marriage to Miss Minnie Rinehart, who was born in Ohio, and they are the parents of two children,-Alice, born in 1885, and George, born in 1886. They are young people of fine character- istics, and are at present preparing for the duties of life by attending the schools of Miles City.

W ILLIAM DECKER .- A large majority of the early settlers of Montana became perma- nent residents of the beautiful Gallatin valley, and among those noted for well-spent lives of honor and usefulness, who have passed away in the full- ness of years and secure in the esteem of his fel- low men, William Decker's name will be long re- membered. He was a native of the state of Il- linois, born April 15, 1823, a son of Moses and Christina Decker, natives of Wabash county, Ind. Mr. Decker was reared on the old homestead farm in Illinois, and had such educational advantages as were afforded by the primitive schools of that early period. He devoted his attention to agricultural pur suits until May 16, 1864, when he set forth with an ox team on the long journey which gave him title to being one of Montana's pioneers, coming by way of the North Platte river. At a point where he had stopped for dinner one day a second train of emigrants stopped for the night and were at- tacked by the Indians, a number being killed and

many of the mules captured by the savages. At Rosebud the survivors overtook the train of which Mr. Decker was a member, and thus augmented the company was sufficiently large to insure im- munity from attack. Mr. Decker arrived in Virginia City September 1, 1864, remaining about a fortnight, and started for Gallatin valley, his intention being to engage in farming. He and his family stopped for a short time on West Gallatin river, and there his son Abner was born, September 18, 1864, prob- ably the first white child born in Gallatin valley. Thence they moved to East Gallatin, located a tract of land upon which they lived one year, and then moved six miles further down the valley, where Mr. Decker had found better land. He there permanently located and engaged in farming until his death, which occurred August 11, 1900, having attained the age of seventy-seven years. Mrs. Decker still retains her residence on the old home- stead, now managed by her son William, the ranch being located ten miles north of Bozeman, their postoffice address. It is a valuable property, devoted to general farming and is under a high state of cultivation, with many most excellent and permanent improvements. In politics Mr. Decker gave his support to the Democratic party. He was a man of strong mentality and high integrity, charitable in his judgment of his fel- low men, whose high regard came to him in recog- nition of his sterling character.

On February 19, 1854, was solemnized the mar- riage of Mr. Decker to Miss Clarissa Whitten, who was born in Kinderhook, Ill., a daughter of Bridge Whitten, who died when she was a mere child. To Mr. and Mrs. Decker ten children were born, namely : Moses, a rancher on the East Gallatin ; Harrison, who is similarly engaged at Columbia Falls, Mont .; Christina is the wife of John Milton, a farmer of Gallatin valley; Sarah is the wife of John Wise, of Columbia Falls; Abner, Perry and John are ranchers in Judith Basin ; Anna died when nine years of age; and Clara and William are still at home.

R )OSS DEEGAN, deceased, a prominent Mon- tana pioneer, and once marshal of Helena, was for many years one of the leading citizens of the capital city. Possibly no man in the state has had a more eventful and adventurous life than he. Mr. Deegan was born at Albany, N. Y., on March 24, 1830, the son of John and Elizabeth (Ma-

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loney) Deegan, both of Albany. John Deegan, the father, a machinist, came to the United States from Ireland and was long an industrious and use- ful citizen of the Hudson river valley.

Ross Deegan, at the age of sixteen years, attended Montreal College, but one year later ran away and enlisted as a soldier in the Mexican war. But peace being declared a few months after his enlistment, he was discharged from the army. He then joined a whaling expedition, becoming one of the crew of the ship L. C. Richmond, bound for distant parts of the Pacific ocean. Having been at sea about nine- ty days, he with three others deserted while the ship was off the coast of the island of Juan Fernan- dez. The island was then inhabitated only by criminals who had been deported there in banish- ment from Chili. Mr. Deegan and his comrades went toward the interior of the island to avoid capture, and for six terrible days they had for food only two biscuits a day. At last even these were exhausted and they were forced to come to the sea shore to obtain food, and, upon emerging from the dense underbrush, native dogs apprised the in- habitants of their presence and they were soon overpowered and returned to the ship, where for four days they were confined in irons. The cap- tain promised to discharge them at the first port made by the ship, but this he had no authority to do and he secretly advised them to again desert. This they did at Otaleite, one of the Society is- lands. Mr. Deegan then went to Vera Cruz, where he learned of the gold discoveries in Cali- fornia.

He at once shipped for San Francisco, but on ar- riving there found all the ships dismantled and de- cided not to land. He joined another whaling expedition and was with a party that captured a whale off Peru. He and three others remained by the captured whale over night, and when sunrise came they were out of sight of the ship, drifting alone on the wide waste of ocean, entirely without food or water. After three days of suffering their boat drifted ashore at Roberts' island. He then shipped for San Francisco on the John Howe, ar- riving there in 1850. While here Mr. Deegan en- gaged in gold mining and was exceedingly pros- perous accumulating $75,000. He then made a trip to Germany, France and Spain, and acquired a knowledge of the languages of these countries. On his return to the United States Mr. Deegan built the Grand Haven hotel, costing $50,000, at Grand Haven, Mich. At the breaking out of the Civil

war he enlisted in the Third New York Infantry, at Albany, N. Y. During the war following Mr. Deegan served gallantly and patriotically, and proved himself among the bravest of the brave. He was in the first battle of the war at Big and Little Bethel, and was afterwards made first lieutenant *of the One Hundred and Second New York. At Fortress Monroe he was promoted to be captain. He was reported as dead after the battle of Port Hudson, La., and took part in many battles and skir- mishes and was wounded several times. Capt. Deegan was honorably discharged from the army at New Orleans in 1864.

While serving as captain in 1862, he was united in marriage to Miss Roseman Street, daughter of Richard Street, a prominent merchant of Albany, N. Y., and owner of a handsome villa with exten- sive grounds on the Hudson river. She has a brother who is now second auditor in a United States department at Washington, D. C., and the Street families of New York and Philadelphia are of the same stock. In 1866 Mr. Ross Deegan be- came a resident of Helena, Mont., and for twelve years was engaged in the livery and feed business here, where his wife joined him three years later. In 1883 he was elected marshal of Helena, in which responsible position he served for a number of years. To Mr. and Mrs. Deegan were born four children, one, Albert Paul, deceased, and Winifred, now married to Mr. M. H. Keith, a railroad man of New York city ; Ross Edmond, a miner residing in Helena ; Ada, married to Frederick L. Link, form- erly a resident of South Africa, but now of Mon- tana. Mr. Ross Deegan died at Helena on Jan- uary 31, 1890. At that time he was then on the official staff of Gov. Joseph K. Toole, as lieutenant- colonel. As a territorial pioneer Mr. Deegan was one of the most prominent and popular in the northwest. His life was clean, upright and sans reproache in every characteristic. His early event- ful life culminated in success and prosperity. As one of the most prominent citizens of Helena he won the esteem and confidence of all, and his death was mourned by a wide circle of warm friends and acquaintances.

W ILLIAM DE LACY, one of the heaviest real estate dealers in Montana, is a highly es- teemed resident of Helena. He was born in Nor- folk, Va., February 6, 1841, son of Walter and

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Catherine (Moran) de Lacy, both being natives of Norfolk. The family is an ancient Norman one, members of which accompanied William the Conqueror to England and were re- corded on the roll of Battle Abbey. Walter de Lacy, the first governor of Ireland, was one of his distinguished forefathers. His mother's ancestors were among the earliest settlers of Norfolk, and Jaspar Moran was her father.

Until he was nine years of age William de Lacy was educated at home, later he attended private schools in New Orleans under private tutors, and had then the advantages of Norfolk (Va.) Military Academy. Concluding his education he followed civil engineering until the outbreak of the Civil war. He was then a prominent factor in organ- izing the New Orleans "light-guards," which were mustered into the Confederate service in April, 1861. He went out with this battalion (later con- solidated with the First Louisiana Regiment, nine companies from Louisiana and one from Ken- tucky) as first lieutenant. He was assigned to Gen. Huger's staff as engineer officer of the bri- gade, and was soon promoted to a captaincy in Col. Dunn's regiment of Mounted Rifles, Virginia troops. Later he was appointed captain of Com- pany A, Fifteenth Louisiana Infantry, and partic- ipated in the seven days' fight in front of Rich- mond, and in all subsequent battles from Louisiana to Virginia, including Rappahannock, Second Ma- nassas, Harper's Ferry and Sharpsburg. Capt. de Lacy was then ordered south by Judah P. Benja- min, secretary of war, to report to Gen. M. L. Smith, commanding at Vicksburg. Here he was offered the command of the signal station, but de- clined it, as he desired service in the field and in the face of the enemy. He then returned to Louisi-

ana and served on Gen. Morton's staff. Shortly afterwards he made application to the Confederate government for service as an engineering officer in the regular army, but, not succeeding in secur- ing the position,. he started for Virginia, ran the Federal lines in a skiff and thus reached the front. Through Masonic influences he was enabled to re- turn to New Orleans, where he visited his family. Col. de Lacy then went to Mobile, from there to Richmond, and joined the army that invaded Penn- sylvania. Here he joined Gen. Pemberton, of Gen. Lee's staff, and organized a company of con- valescents which was merged with Lee's army. He joined the Third Company of Washington Artillery, of New Orleans, as a private, and served with it

gallantly at Gettysburg. At Petersburg he was promoted from the ranks to a first lieutenancy by Gen. Lee, and assigned to duty in the First Regi- ment of Engineers. With them he served until the close of the war, and participated in the last skirmish at Appomattox.

Following the stirring events in which Col. de Lacy had played such a conspicuous and so gallant a part, he went to Mexico, and was commissioned lieutenant-colonel in the Mexican army in 1867, he having gone to that country soon after the sur- render of Gen. Lee. He returned to New Orleans after a few months and was engaged in real estate business in that city until 1873, when he went to Texas, thence to Las Vegas, N. M., where he opened a real estate and insurance office. In 1887 he came to Montana and located at Helena, where he has since resided and built up a profitable business.

On February 6, 1888, Col. de Lacy was united in marriage to Miss Kate Breidenbach, a native of Hawesville, Ky., whose father was a Virginian. Mr. and Mrs. de Lacy are members of the Uni- tarian church, and their family circle is graced by two children. Fraternally he is a Mason, an Odd Fellow and a Knight of Pythias. He has held of- fices in all these orders and represented them in their grand lodges, in which he has held prominent offices.

The career of Col. de Lacy has demonstrated his great executive ability, and that he is versed in the profession of civil engineering and courageous and sagacious in danger. Since his arrival in Hel- ena he has won appreciative friends, and is highly esteemed.

C LARK B. DICKINSON .- As the incumbent of the important office of director of the state reform school of Montana, at Miles City, Mr. Dick- inson is doing effective service in the direction of the affairs of this important institution. He is en- thusiastic in his work and shows executive ability in his efforts to advance the facilities of the school and to make its work effective. He descends from old colonial stock on both paternal and maternal sides. Members of both families were active par- ticipants in the wars of the Revolution and of 1812. Mr. Dickinson was born at Stanards, Allegany county, N. Y., on the 13th of January, 1874, the youngest of the four children of Azariah and Hen- rietta (Covel) Dickinson, both of whom were born

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in the Empire state, where they maintained their life-long residence, the father being engaged in farming at Stanards.

Clark B. Dickinson was a student in the public schools of Allegany county, the high school at Wellsville and Underhill's Business College, in Rochester, N. Y., and was there graduated with the class of 1894. He soon engaged in teaching in his native town, where he taught five years. In 1898 he came to Montana, locating in Miles City and taking the position of instructor in the state re- form school, and here for two years taught the common school branches, including bookkeeping, algebra and English literature. So capable and faithful did he prove that, on May 1, 1900, he was chosen director of the school, in which capacity he continues and has done good service. The insti- tution has been handicapped by lack of available funds, but its affairs have been conducted with ef- fiency, the work being principally limited to in- struction in common school branches and to such agricultural work as circumstances permitted. It is expected that soon instruction can be given in carpentry, blacksmithing and sloyd, so that the unfortunate inmates may be given manual train- ing to fit them for positions of practical usefulness.

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Progressive men of the state of Montana, pt 1, Part 28

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