Progressive men of the state of Montana, pt 1, Part 64

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 64

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Dr. Mills was educated at the old Wake Forest Academy in Missouri, once a famous seat of learn- ing, but now extinct. Here he was graduated after a thorough course of scholastic training, and at once began the study of medicine under the direction of Dr. D. J. Porsons, of his native state. Later he entered the St. Louis Medical College, and in 1878 became a student at Bellevue Hospi- tal Medical College in New York, where he was graduated in 1879. He began practicing at Sweet Springs, Mo., and two years later came to Mon- tana, selecting Missoula as his home, where he has been a resident since, and actively engaged in a general practice. He has given special at- tention to surgery, and in that department he has

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attained wide recognition and prominent engage- ments, having been surgeon for the Northern Pa- cific Railroad during its construction, assistant surgeon at the local hospital for two years, and surgeon for the Big Blackfoot Milling Company for a number of years, a capacity in which he is still employed. He has also served and is still serving as surgeon of other milling companies. He is a member of the State Medical Society and the American Medical Association, an industrious student of the literature of his profession and a valued occasional contributor to its publications. He also belongs to the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. In 1880 he was married to Miss Elizabeth L. West, a native of Indiana. They have two children, William G. and James H. In all matters of public improve- ment Dr. Mills manifests a lively interest and bears earnestly the part of a good citizen. In social circles he is a cordially welcomed addi- tion to any company, both on account of his ex- tensive fund of information and his entertaining way of imparting it. In his profession he has not only the technical and practical knowledge es- sential to eminent success, but also the tolerance, breadth of view and generous public spirit which characterize the superior man.

F 'RANK D. MIRACLE .- The inevitable law of destiny accords to tireless energy and indus- try a successful career, and in no field of endeavor is there greater opportunity for advancement than in that of the law. Mr. Miracle has met all of the exacting requirements of his profession and is numbered among the representative young mem- bers of the bar of Montana. He was born on June 13, 1868, in Webster City, Hamilton county, Iowa, the son of Judge David D. and Ella (Bell) Mir- acle. His father was born in London, P. O., Canada, his parents removing thither from New York state. Later they emigrated to Wisconsin, where David D. attended the public schools and later entered the law department of the Univer- sity of Michigan at Ann Arbor, having read law with Hon. Philetus Sawyer, late United States sen- ator, of Oshkosh, Wis. When twenty-five years old he took up his abode in Iowa, engaged in teaching school, and was thereafter in an active legal practice. He was elected to the bench of the Eleventh judicial district of Iowa in 1882, and

served for eight years with marked distinction, while later he was a candidate for the nomination to the supreme bench, before the Republican state convention. He died at Webster City in 1888, while he was still in office as district judge. He was a man of high intellectuality and spotless character, and gave dignity and honor to the bench and bar. He was a son of Hiram Miracle, a native of New York, who descended from an influential old family of that state. Ella (Bell) Miracle, the mother of Frank D. Miracle, was born in New Woodstock, Madison county, N. Y., a daughter of Col. Ralph and Emily (Moffett) Bell. Col. Bell was a manufacturer of carriages at New Woodstock, and some of the family still conduct the same business there. Mr. Miracle's great-grandfather, Phineas Bell, was the youngest of three brothers who came from Scotland to New Jersey about 1784. At the age of fifteen he en- listed as a drummer boy in the Continental army under Gen. Washington, while his two brothers enlisted in the British service, fought through the Revolution and then settled in Canada. When eighteen Phineas Bell discarded the drum and fought in the front ranks of the patriot forces until the close of the war, when he settled in the then far west of Oneida county, N. Y., where he passed his life. He was the father of Col. Ralph Bell.

Frank D. Miracle, after his public school edu- cation, matriculated in Iowa College at Grinnell, where he was graduated with the class of 1889. Deciding to follow his father's profession he en- tered the law department of the University of Michigan, his father's alma mater, completing the prescribed course and graduating in the class of 1890, and synchronously was admitted to the bar of Michigan. He was soon admitted to prac- tice in the courts of Iowa, locating in Sioux City, for six months, when he returned to Webster City and formed a law partnership with J. L. Kam- ror, his father's old partner, and there continued until 1892, when he came to Montana and, locat- ing in Helena, has since been engaged in the gen- eral practice of his profession, having established a marked reputation as an able attorney and safe and conservative counsel.

Mr. Miracle is also interested in mining, being a director of the Iron Mountain Company, and sec- retary of the Yellowstone Mining Company. He is also secretary of R. L. Polk & Co., of Montana, and has charge of the business of the Helena Build- ing & Investment Company, each of these asso-

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ciations being of important order. The marriage of Mr. Miracle was solemnized at Helena on January 4, 1899, when he wedded Miss Lilian Peterman, born in New York city, the daughter of John H. and Marie (Jordeman) Peterman, both of whom were born in Germany and skilled musi- cians, while her father was for years bandmas- ter in the United States army. They removed, when Mrs. Miracle was a child, to Trenton, N. J., where she was educated and given the best of musical training. She occupies a prominent place in connection with the social life of the capital city, as she is a talented pianist and vocalist, and both she and her husband enjoy marked popularity.

J HARLEY MISKIMEN .- Through self-reli- ance and indomitable energy Mr. Miskimen has won success and assailable reputation and a place among the leading citizens of Glen- dive, where he conducts a noteworthy mercan- tile enterprise, being also incumbent of the office of postmaster. He is a young man of positive character and genial nature, and his friends are numerous. He is a native of Ohio, where he was born at Birds Run, Guernsey coun- ty, on September 27, 1865, the son of Harvey and Sidney Miskimen, both of whom were born in Ohio. The mother died in 1883 and the father in 1889 in Hutchinson, Kan. The year after the birth of J. Harley Miskimen his parents removed to Cambridge, Henry county, Ill., where they re- sided until 1878 and then removed to Hutchinson, Kan. After his school days Mr. Miskimen learned the jeweler's trade, and for a number of years worked at it as a journeyman. In 1891 he located in Glendive in the employ of a local jeweler, C. F. Little, with whom he remained until 1893, when he entered into business upon his own responsi- bility, with a cash capital of forty dollars. Through his energy and enterprise and correct business methods success has rapidly come to him and he now has a finely equipped establishment, and is recognized as one of the leading business men of the town. He has acquired valuable business property on the principal street of Glendive, and has made substantial improvements on this realty. In addition to his jewelry business Mr. Miski- men also deals in real estate and insurance, in which lines he receives an excellent patronage.

This enterprise he purchased of James G. Ramsay in 1894.

In politics Mr. Miskimen supports with loyalty the Republican party, in which he is an active worker. Honors have also come to him. He was deputy clerk of the district court in 1894-5; has been a notary public since 1893 (his first ap- pointment coming through Gov. Rickards), and, since March 2, 1898, he has served as postmas- ter of Glendive, administering the affairs of the office to the satisfaction of the public. Under his able administration the receipts of the office have been increased from $2,200 to $3,600 per annum. Mr. Miskimen is prominently identined with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and the Knights of Pythias. In the former he affiliates with Gate City Lodge No. 37, of Glendive, and with the Canton at Miles City; and in the latter he is a member of Glendive Lodge No. 23, and of Miskimen Company of the Uniform Rank, which was named in his honor.

At Dickinson, N. D., on the 8th of June, 1898, Mr. Miskimen was united in marriage to Miss Nellie M. Miller, who was born in Milwaukee, Wis., the daughter of Charles and Mary Miller. Their first child, J. Harvey, Jr., died at the age of seven months, in 1899, their other son, J. Franklin, was born January 24, 1900. The family leaders in the social affairs of the town take a prominent part in the amateur dramatic productions and other lines which bring pleasure and improvement to the best social interests of the community. In their home grace and dignity are combined and it is a favorite rendezvous for their numerous friends.

S AMUEL F. MITCHELL, one of the substan- tial and progressive farmers and stockgrowers of Yellowstone county, has been located in the west for nearly thirty years, and can properly be termed a pioneer. Descending from stanch old Scotch- Irish ancestry, Mr. Mitchell is a native of Missouri, where he was born on November 1I, 1845. the son of Cowan and Ellen E. (Cowan) Mitchell. The for- mer was the son of John and Rhoda Mitchell. while the parents of the latter were James and Anna (Glaspie) Cowan. The paternal grandfather of our subject was a farmer by occupation, and the maternal grandfather was' a Tennessee merchant. Cowan Mitchell was a brickmason by occupation, and was also engaged in farming in Kansas in 1864,

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whither he had immigrated. Thus Samuel F. grew up under the invigorating but rigorous discipline of the farm, giving his assistance to its cultivation until he attained his majority and doing all his edu- cational work in his room at night, after finishing a hard day's work. He was ambitious and alert in his mentality, however, and succeeded in laying a good foundation for that broad general informa- tion acquired from reading and practical contact with business life. At the time of the war of the Re- bellion he enlisted for service in the Union army, and assisted in the resistance made to the memorable raid of Gen. Price. At the age of twenty-one he engaged in the mercantile business, in addition to his farm work, and conducted the enterprise suc- cessfully for five years. In 1872 Mr. Mitchell started for the Pacific coast and visited California, Oregon, Washington and Idaho, finally coming to Missoula, Mont., where he was in the employ of Ed. L. Boner, and afterward with the Missoula Mercantile Company. In 1873 he located in Baker City, Ore., where he successfully devoted his at- tention to mining and stock business for about six years. In 1879 he returned to Montana and en- gaged in the stock commission business until the following year, when he located on his present ranch, south of Park City, in the Yellowstone val- ley, where he has been engaged in farming and stockraising. His ranch is well improved, and he is known as one of the enterprising and successful . men of the valley. In politics Mr. Mitchell takes pride in his unwavering allegiance to the Demo- cratic party, and he is an active advocate of its principles and policies. Fraternally he is identified with the Masonic order.

OHN MOFFITT, late deputy. collector of in- ternal revenue for the district of Montana, was a native of Dublin, Ireland, though of Scotch ancestry. His grandfather, John Moffitt, born in Scotland, served in the British army under the Duke of Wellington at Waterloo. His son, John Moffitt, Jr., was a sergeant-major in the Royal Horse Artillery. He married Miss Ellen Riddle, of Scotland, and in the British military service of East India he died in 1843, in his thirty-sixth year, at Ceylon, India. The wife long survived him, bringing up her children with motherly devo- tion, and died in 1890 in the seventieth year of her age. Of the four children, three are living. John

Moffitt, the eldest child, born in 1836, after a good preparatory education in public schools, entered the Royal Hibernian Military School of Dublin, Ireland. He was a bright student, inherited mil- itary tastes from a long line of soldierly ancestors and rapidly became conversant with the technique, drill and other features of a military education, thus unconsciously well fitting himself for the part he afterwards had to play on the battlefields of the south in defense of his adopted country. He came to America in 1851 and first located in Ohio, but soon moved to Iowa, making the journey by wagons. This was an era of great activity in railroad building, but west of Chicago little de- velopment had been done. Two years later Mr. Moffitt pushed on to Kansas and almost simul- taneously with his arrival in that state, which had already felt the horrors of actual civil war for years previous to the actual commencement of hostilities, the war between the states broke out. In 1861 he enlisted in Company A, Second Kansas Infantry. During the first three months of his service he was on the frontier, for the Indians of the plains, having realized that there was trouble between palefaces of the east and south, had become aggressive and hostile. In the spring of 1862 Mr. Moffitt re-enlisted in the Second Kansas Cavalry, was made first lieutenant and assigned to Company F, Second Regiment, Indian Brigade, and here he was adjutant and regimental quartermaster. Much of his service was in Missouri, Arkansas and the Indian terri- tory, where he was fighting "bushwhackers," west- ern "jayhawkers" and guerrillas. In 1861, however, he was at the battle of Wilson Creek, and in 1862 at Prairie Grove and Cain Hill, Ark. In January, 1864, he resigned his commission, thus terminat- ing his military life.

On his arrival in Kansas Mr. Moffitt engaged in politics for the first time and was successful in his first venture, for he was appointed enroll- ing clerk of the house of representatives in the Kansas legislature. But he did not stay long to mingle in Kansas politics, for the same year he started for Montana with a four-horse team. It was a venturesome thing to do. The country was alive with Indians and many of the tribes were troublesome. He took with him a year's provi- sions, and arrived at Virginia City on July 10, 1864. For two months he worked industriously with pick and shovel in the placer mines, and then went on to Last Chance gulch. While engaged

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in this industry he was appointed deputy county recorder and was soon after commissioned clerk and recorder by the territorial secretary. The duties of that office he discharged for nineteen days. There are always opportunities awaiting the man of enterprise, and in a short time Mr. Moffit was selling eastern newspapers for fifty cents apiece, and was among the first to reduce the price to twenty-five cents a copy. Later he be- came interested in mining at Diamond City, and here he and his partner took out $48,000 in dust. In 1872 he received the appointment of deputy postmaster of Helena under S. H. Crounse, and served eight years in that capacity. In 1882 he went to Fort Benton, where for a time he was in the harness business. In 1883 he was appointed chief deputy collector of internal revenue, and served in that capacity until November, 1900, when he resigned on account of failing health, and on November 5, 1901, he died of kidney and heart trouble. There was probably no one in the state more familiar with the internal revenue laws than Mr. Moffitt, and his work in this line was in the highest degree satisfactory. Mr. Moffitt was married in 1876 to Miss Fidelia O. Mather, of Elkhorn, Wis., who died in 1881. In 1883 Mr. Moffitt was married to Miss Phoebe W. Duer, a native of Baltimore, Md., who died in 1895. An adopted daughter, Martha Worthington, survives both of her foster parents. Fraternally he was connected with several prominent societies, es- pecially so with Freemasonry. He was a charter member of Helena Lodge and a valued member of both chapter and commandery. He belonged to the Grand Army of the Republic, the Loyal Legion and the United Workmen, and served three terms as assistant adjutant-general of Mon- tana. He was well known in Montana and had the satisfaction of knowing that his work in every field was well done and that the best people of the whole state understood that, and now that he is gone his memory is tenderly cherished.

D R. GEORGE WASHINGTON MONROE, of Butte, has experienced the toil and hard- ship of country practice, both in an old and a new country, and has met all the exacting requirements and suffered all the cruel privations of relentless military service. He was ushered into being on September 7, 1837, at Fredericksburg, Va., the son

of Thomas Cowper and Mary J. (Graves) Mon- roe, also natives of the Old Dominion and connected with the family which gave us our fifth president. The former was born at Culpeper Court House. When the Doctor. was about one year old his parents removed to central Alabama, where his father pur- chased a cotton plantation. Here the future physi- cian and soldier received his early education in the schools of Selma and from private tutors. In 1856 he began the study of medicine under the instruc- tion of the Drs. Davis at a small town near Montgomery, Ala. The next year he entered the medical department of Louisiana University, at New Orleans, and was therefrom graduated on March 20, 1859. He at once entered upon the medical practice at and near Selma, and there con- tinued it until the war cloud of our terrible civil strife lowered upon the land in 1861 when he en- listed in the Confederate army as first lieutenant in Company A, Twenty-eighth Alabama Volunteers, and in 1862 he was made assistant surgeon with the rank of captain. He was in constant, active service, and most of the time with that regiment, for four years and five months, in fact, until the last army of the Confederacy had surrendered at Greens- boro, N. C.

His baptism of fire was at Shiloh, where fell the gallant, accomplished and courtly Albert Sidney Johnston. He was then engaged with the army around Corinth, was with Bragg on his march to Perryville, Ky., thence went into Tennessee and was deep in the roll of contending squadrons at Murfreesboro. In 1863 he was campaigning through Tennessee, and saw the horrors of the two days' fight at Chickamauga. His duties were ardu- ous and relentless, keeping him occupied day and night, amid heartrending scenes of anguish and he- roic self-sacrifice. Nor were they Iess exacting when later he was at Missionary Ridge, where the Confederates were defeated and fell back to Dalton, Ga., where he was quartered from December, 1863, to April, 1864, nor at Resaca, in May, 1864, where he remained on the battlefield and attended the wounded. While doing this he was taken prisoner and held until October. During his captivity he was at Chattanooga, on duty among the Federal soldiers. After his exchange in October he joined Hood's army and was attached to the staff of Maj. Gen. E. S. Johnson, with whom he served through the campaign in Tennessee, meanwhile being pro- moted to surgeon with the rank of major. He was present at the battles of Franklin and Nashville,

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which were among the most desperate of not only his service but of the battles of the world. He re- treated south with the remnant of Hood's army, crossing the Tennessee on December 25, 1864. In February, 1865, he was ordered to join the army of Gen. Joseph E. Johnston, with which he took part in the battles of Columbia, S. C., and Benton- ville, N. C., and was present at its surrender to Gen. Sherman, in April, 1865. He was paroled and returned to Selma, where he resumed the practice of medicine and engaged in cottonraising.

In September, 1871, Dr. Monroe determined to seek a new home in the far west and, as a reinforce- ment to his medical knowledge, he attended a special course of lectures at Bellevue Hospital (N. Y.) Medical College. Selecting Montana as his new home, he arrived at Helena June 13, 1872, and two months later was in practice in Bozeman. His ex- tensive knowledge, worth and attainments were soon recognized. He was made superintendent of public instruction for Gallatin county in 1876 and held office six years. In 1886 he was elected mayor of Bozeman and in 1886 was appoint- ed by President Cleveland register of the United States land office in that city. In 1890 he removed to Butte, and was almost simultaneously appointed assistant on the medical staff of St. James Hospital, where he rendered valuable service until he retired in 1896. In 1893 he was county physician of Silver Bow county. Dr. Monroe was united in marriage May 25, 1876, to Miss Carrie Evans, of Helena, a native of Tennessee. He has been a member of the Masonic order, a past master therein for many years and past grand master in 1880. Knowing that the science of medicine is a progressive one he is a zealous student of its literature and takes active interest in the organizations designed to promote its advancement. He ,was the first vice-president and second president of the State Medical Associ- ation. In politics he is a Democrat of the old school. He has lived nearly a third of a century among this people, and there is none but does him reverence.

L YMAN J. MORGAN .- That satiety is seldom attained in the affairs of life is to be consid- ered a grateful and beneficent deprivation, for where ambition is satisfied and an ultimate aim fully realized, individual apathy must follow; effort would cease, accomplishment be prostrate and cre- ative talent an unknown quality. The men who have

pushed forward the wheels of progress have been those to whom satiety is but a myth and who find in each transitory stage incentive for further ef- fort. Among the world's workers is numbered the subject of this review, now one of the progressive and successful farmers of the beautiful Gallatin valley.

Mr. Morgan was born at Garden Grove, Deca- tur county, Iowa, January 13, 1857. His parents, Uriah M. and Phoebe J. (Chase) Morgan, were born respectively in Danville, Ill., and Poughkeep- sie, N. Y., and were the parents of two sons and three daughters. The paternal grandfather of our subject was Josiah Morgan, who, as was his father, Uriah Morgan, was born in West Virginia, thus showing that the family was established in the Old Dominion in an early day. Josiah Morgan removed to Illinois and thence to Iowa. His son, Uriah, father of our subject, being a mere boy, was reared and educated in Iowa until 1869, when he removed to Kansas, where he remained until 1869, going thence to Los Angeles, Cal., where he is now engaged in mercantile pursuits.

Lyman J. Morgan was educated in the states of Iowa and Kansas, being twelve years of age at the time of his parents' removal to the latter state. A thorough student and having good advantages, he devoted his attention to pedagogic work after leaving school, beginning his labors in Leaven- worth county, Kan., where he taught for nearly a decade, becoming superintendent a portion of the time. Eventually he abandoned this line of occupa- tion to engage in the mercantile business at Jar- balo, where he was associated with his father. In 1888 he was elected to the legislature of Kansas, serving one term and enjoyed the distinction of be- ing the only Democratic member of the house: In 1892 the mercantile establishment was destroyed by fire, and he then determined to take up his resi- dence in Montana, whither he came, locating in Valley View, Gallatin county, where he now has a finely improved and arable ranch of 640 acres, located nine miles north of Belgrade, his postoffice address. Over 500 acres of the farm are under effective cultivation, the most scientific and pro- gressive methods being brought to bear in the oper- ation of the farm, principally devoted to the raising of wheat. The permanent improvements are ex- cellent, including a commodious and attractive farm residence. In politics our subject exercises his franchise in support of the Democratic party, and has been called upon to serve in various offices of

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public trust and responsibility since taking up his residence in Gallatin county. He has been school trustee and clerk, and in 1895 he was elected as a representative of the county in the fifth session of the legislature, serving with much ability and to the satisfaction of his constituents.

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Progressive men of the state of Montana, pt 1, Part 64

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