Progressive men of the state of Montana, pt 1, Part 77

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 77

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Dr. Rinehart has been called upon to serve in many positions of public trust and responsibility aside from those already mentioned. In 1887-8 he was superintendent of schools in Yellowstone county, served for six years as coroner and was a member of the board of aldermen of the city of Billings for three terms. He was elected to the office of mayor in 1890, giving an effective ad- ministration to its affairs. Gov. Leslie appointed Dr. Rinehart a member of the first medical ex- amining board of the state. He served as county physician of Yellowstone county for four years, was surgeon for the Northern Pacific Railroad for a long term of years and is now surgeon for the Burlington & Missouri River Railway. He also held preferment as city physician and physician for the county board of health. The prominence which has thus come to the Doctor in the line of his profession stands in distinct evidence of his popu- larity and high attainments. Dr. Rinehart was for some time with Gen. Custer's command, being

with Maj. Reno at the time of the deplorable Custer massacre, and participated in many notable con- flicts with the Indians which took place on Montana soil in pioneer days.

Dr. Rinehart is prominently identified with the leading fraternal organizations, being a member of the Masonic order, the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, the Knights of Pythias and the Ancient Order of United Workmen. His Masonic affiliations are with Ashlar Lodge No. 29, A. F. & A. M .; Billings Chapter No. 6, R. A. M .; and Aldemar Council No. 5, R. & S. M., in each of which bodies he has been honored with many of the highest offices in the gift of his fraters. He is also a member of the social adjunct of Freemasonry, being a noble of Algeria Temple of the Mystic Shrine. He is past chancellor of Rathbone Lodge No. 28, K. of P., and past grand of his lodge of Odd Fellows. In politics the Doctor has given stanch allegiance to the Republican party, is ever ready to advocate its principles, and has been an active worker in the party on many occasions.

In St. Louis, Mo., January 16, 1870, was solemnized the marriage of Dr. Rinehart to Miss Mary Waugh, who was born in Ireland. Her parents were Michael and Catherine Waugh, the former being engaged in mercantile pursuits after his removal to the United States. Dr. and Mrs. Rinehart became the parents of four children : Charles L .; William Albert, deceased; Mary Frances, now the wife of A. E. Ross, and George A., deceased. Mrs. Rinehart was summoned into eternal rest in 1889, and

on the 29th of May, 1890, the Doctor consummated a second marriage, being then united to Miss Jennie F. Mackellar, a native of Tiverton, Ontario, Canada, and a daughter of Alexander and Margaret Mackellar, the father being a well-known merchant and capitalist of Canada. John Mackellar, a brother of Mrs. Rinehart, has served with dis- tinction as a member of the Canadian parliament and in other responsible public offices. To Dr. and Mrs. Rinehart six children have been born, one being deceased, others still at the parental home. In order of birth, their names are as follows: Joseph Hill, Francis M., Jessie R. (deceased), Alma M., Lewis M. and Elwell O.

G REAT FALLS TOWNSITE COMPANY .- The Great Falls Townsite Company, of Great Falls, Mont., was organized in 1887 by Hon. Paris

Helleau B. Rodgers

PROGRESSIVE MEN OF MONTANA.

Gibson and James J. Hill, president of the Great Northern Railway. Mr. Hill was chosen president and Mr. Gibson vice-president of the townsite com- pany and later Samuel Hill succeeded the original incumbent in the presidency. The stock of the company is held by stockholders in various parts of the United States and in Scotland, England and Germany. The present directors are James J. Hill, of St. Paul; United States Senator Paris Gibson, of Great Falls; H. W. Cannon, president of Chase National Bank, of New York city, and A. J. Shores, of Butte, Mont., and its president. The capital stock is $5,000,000, and the company owns 10,000 acres of land, including the townsite. Of this 2,000 acres are platted. The present secretary, treasurer and engineer is Andrew Rinker, who has principal charge of the business.

Mr. Rinker was born in Philadelphia, Pa., and educated in that city, and after acquiring an excel- lent education he entered the surveying depart- ment of that city in the Ninth district, passing four years in the office and acquiring an invaluable expe- rience. In 1871 he removed to Minneapolis, Minn., and took the position of assistant engineer in that city. Here he remained until 1875, then engaged in business for himself until 1877. He then was made city engineer, in which position he served sixteen years. At the time of his arrival in Minneapolis the city was far from being a great metropolis, but Mr. Rinker served through the boom times, expending over $10,000,000. He had full charge of all mu- nicipal work, and during his incumbency of the of- fice of city engineer he laid over 130 miles of sew- ers and 140 miles of water mains. He also laid over 1,000,000 square yards of pavement, the total cost of these improvements being $1,886,000. In 1893 the firm of Rinker & Hoff, consulting engineers, was formed, which accomplished extensive work within the city. On the dissolution of the firm in 1895, Mr. Rinker came to Great Falls, and has been one of the city's most progressive and influential citizens. He is a member of the Engineering So- ciety of Minnesota, also of the American Board of Water Works Association. He has entire charge of the property of the Great Falls Townsite Company, and has successfully operated its business since July 1, 1896.

ILLIAM B. RODGERS .- Many men of dis- tinctive professional ability and unswerving integrity are connected with the Montana bar, and as

the lawyer ever takes an initiative part in conserv- ing the highest public interests, it is fortunate in- deed when a young state can enlist the services of thoroughly skilled and honorable legists. One of the representative members of the bar of Montana, William Baker Rodgers, is now incumbent of the im- portant position of United States district attorney for Montana, with his residence at Anaconda. Mr. Rodgers is a native of Coles county, Ill., and traces his ancestry, in both the agnatic and maternal lines, to old southern origin. His maternal grandparents were from Tennessee and his paternal grandfather, an extensive planter "before the war," having been born in Huntsville, Ala., the latter's wife being a native of Kentucky. They removed to Morgan county, Ill., in 1830, and both died in Coles county, in that state. William Baker Rodgers was born on January 7, 1865, the son of John W. and Margaret E. (Gillenwaters) Rodgers, the former of whom was of Scotch-Irish ancestry. He was a farmer, but a man of marked intellectual strength and a stal- wart advocate of Republican principles. He was a native of Morgan county, Ill., and in that state his death occurred in 1884. His wife, a woman of edu- cation and refinement, survived him only one year. She was a daughter of Thomas Gillenwaters, one of the pioneers of Illinois, residing in Effingham coun- ty, where he filled several important offices. John W. and Margaret E. Rodgers became the parents of four sons and one daughter. Three of the sons are now residents of Montana, the fourth a practicing physician in Kentucky.

Mr. Rodgers received excellent private instruc- tion from his mother in addition to his early educa- tion in the public schools until 1883, and then he completed a course of study in Lincoln University, at Lincoln, Ill., relying largely upon his own re- sources in defraying his expenses, devoting his at- tention to teaching in alternate years and thus was enabled to realize his scholastic ambitions. While in the university he took a prominent part in de- bating societies, showing a marked aptitude for dia- lectics. This naturally led him to adopt the legal profession, and in 1889 he entered the law depart- ment of the Cumberland University, of Lebanon, Tenn., where he was graduated in the class of 1891. He came to Montana the same year, locating in Phillipsburg and securing admission to the bar of the state. In 1892 he entered into partnership with his brother, Hiram W., and this association has since obtained, the firm controlling a large business and being retained in much important litigation in

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PROGRESSIVE MEN OF MONTANA.

both state and Federal courts. Mr. Rodgers has ever been an ardent supporter of the Republican party and the principles and policies for which it stands exponent, and an active worker in the cause. His eligibility for public preferment was early recognized, since in very early manhood he was elected tax collector of Pleasant Grove township, Coles county, Ill., this being a position of distinctive trust, involving the handling of large sums of money.

In 1892 Mr. Rodgers was elected county attorney of Deer Lodge county, Montana, securing a majority of 335 votes, though the normal political complexion of the county is strongly Democratic. This office he filled for two years and in 1894 he was elected joint representative of Deer Lodge and Missoula counties in the lower house of the state legislature, receiving a mjority of 500 votes. He was one of the working members of the house, . taking an active part in its deliberations and being assigned to membership on several of the most important committees, the judiciary committee, the committee on ways and means and the committee on state boards and officers, of which last he was chairman. In 1897 Mr. Rodgers received from the attorney-general of the United States the appoint- ment as assistant United States attorney for the district of Montana, under Gov. Leslie, then United States attorney for Montana. In February, 1898, Mr. Rogers was appointed to succeed Gov. Leslie in the office of United States district attorney, and to the responsible duties of this office he has given a discriminating and effective administration. On June 17, 1896, Mr. Rodgers was united in marriage to Miss Alice Knowles, of Petersburg, Ill., and she is a favorite in the best social circles, being a woman of gracious presence and refinement. They have one daughter, Margrett E.

SAMUEL A. BALLIET. - A representative member of the bar of Montana, one who honors his profession by his direction thereto and the talents he brings to bear, is Mr. Balliet, who is engaged in active legal practice in the capital city, which has been his home for nearly a score of years. Mr. Bal- liet is distinctively the architect of his own fortunes, and that his success has been worthily achieved no one can doubt. The family is of pure French ex- traction in the agnatic line, Paulus Balliet, the orig- inal American ancestor, having emigrated to Amer-

ica as early as 1738, and securing land from Wil- liam Penn, located with his family at White Hall, Pa., many years prior to the Revolution.

Samuel A. Balliet was born on the parental home- stead in De Kalb county, Ill., on January 16, 1851, the son of John and Hannah (Sarver) Balliet, both of whom were natives of Pennsylvania. They re- moved to Illinois about 1846, the father locating a government claim about sixty-five miles from Chi- cago. He engaged in farming for a number of years, eventually removing to Story county, Iowa, where he died on November 29, 1893, his wife sur- viving him until March 22, 1898, when she died. They were the parents of eleven children, of whom eight are living. Samuel A. Balliet on the farm re- ceived that sturdy discipline which gives mental and physical vigor and a deep and abiding appreciation of the dignity of honest toil. The atmosphere of his home was one of refinement and encouragement, where the elemental rectitudes were ever observed. Mr. Balliet had for educational advantages after the primary stage the excellent schools at Sycamore the official center of his native county. In 1872 he accompanied his parents to Iowa and engaged in teaching at Nevada. Having determined to make law his profession he entered Union College of Law, at Chicago, where he pursued his technical studies, and was admitted to the bar of Iowa in 1877.

At Nevada, Iowa, in 1877, Mr. Balliet was united in marriage to Miss Libbie C. Lovell, who died in July, 1879, leaving an infant daughter, Libby L. Balliet. In 1880 Mr. Balliet removed to Omaha, Neb., where he was connected in a profes- sional partnership with Hon. N. J. Burnham. He later removed to Haley, Idaho, and during his resi- dence there was a candidate for the appointment as chief justice of the territory, Idaho not being yet a state.

Mr. Balliet came to Helena in 1884, entered at once upon an active legal practice and soon gained standing at the bar of the state. In 1888 he was elected prosecuting attorney of Lewis and Clarke county, the last one to serve under the territorial regime. For his able and economical administra- tion of his office he gained a high reputation, his work being heartily endorsed. He was the Repub- lican candidate in 1900 for representative of Lewis and Clarke county in the state legislature, but ac- companied the ticket to defeat. He is now holding the office of referee in bankruptcy. In his fraternal relations Mr. Balliet is past master of King Solo- mon Lodge No. 9, A. F. & A. M., and past grand

SA Balliet

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chancellor of the Montana grand lodge of Knights of Pythias. Two of his brothers are also attorneys, the eldest brother, S. F. Balliet, is judge of the dis- trict court at Des Moines, Iowa, and C. H. Balliet is a practicing attorney at Omaha, Neb.

W TILLIAM ROE .- The history of the early days of Montana-when civilization had but precarious foothold and when necessity compelled that the settlers should be a law to themselves in dealing with crime, when hostile Indians were a menace on every side and when life on the frontier was turbulent and chaotic-reads almost like a romance ; and yet, fortunately, there are a number of the old-timers, the founders of our great com- monwealth, remaining with us as this glorious twentieth century rolls itself into the cycles of time, and it is an imperative duty that their reminiscences of the pioneer epoch be recorded and perpetuated while they are here to relate them. The dramatic story of the brave men who gathered about the cradle of the infant Montana must not be lost, and in the case at hand we have to do with one of the sterling pioneers and honored citizens of the state, whose life has been of signal usefulness and integrity, and is now recognized as a representative citizen of Beaverhead county.

Mr. Roe is a native of Lincolnshire, England, where he was born October 11, 1838, a son of Abraham and Mary (Boss) Roe, both natives of England, and there passed their entire lives, the father devoting his attention to agricultural pur- sults. They were the parents of four sons and four daughters, four only now living William Roe attended school until he attained the age of eleven years, and then engaged in farm work until he reached the age of twenty. In 1858 he came to America, determined to try his fortunes in the New World, being accompanied by his elder brother, Isaac, who was one of the earliest of the Montana pioneers, but died in 1873, due mention of whom is made on another page of this work. The brothers landed in New York, and thence made their way to Grinnell, Poweshiek county, Iowa, where they remained eighteen months, our subject devoting his attention to the erection of houses. In the spring of 1860, when the gold excitement broke out in Colorado, then Jefferson Territory, he started on the long and perilous trip across the plains and over the mountains to Pike's Peak, his equipment

consisting of one yoke of oxen and three yoke of cows. The trip was made by way of Fort Laramie and the Platte river, and while en route Mr. Roe killed his first antelope. The animal was at some distance but Mr. Roe hid behind a bunch of weeds, and when the antelope was within seventy-five yards it started to turn, but was brought down by a shot from his rifle. He also killed deer on Platte river, but saw only four buffalo, which were followed a long distance without success. Our subject and his partner were about fifteen miles from the train when darkness set in, and finally his companion left him, insisting that he was pro- ceeding in the wrong direction, but within a half hour Mr. Roe heard his call, rejoined him and thereafter trusted to his judgment as to the route to be taken. They reached Platte river at two o'clock in the morning, tired and extremely thirsty, and our subject refers to the draught he there secured as the best drink he ever had in his life. They struck the river at a point fifteen miles above the wagon train, finding a party encamped at that point, were joined by the train at noon the next day, and proceeded on their way, Mr. Roe having his turn at driving every third day. They met a few jaded caravans on the return trip, the wagons in some instances bearing the sententious inscriptions : "Pike's Peak or Bust," and "Busted, by G -. " They arrived in Denver the last of June, from thence Mr. Roe proceeded to Gregory, and in that locality was employed in the quartz mines about two years. He then joined a party and started for the Salmon river country, in Idaho Territory, then a part of Montana. They left Denver in May, 1862, and came through by way of Lander's cutoff, employing Mormons to guide them through to where Salmon City now stands. Heavy snows in the mountains had pre- vailed during the winter, and in the spring the streams encountered were much swollen, making it difficult to cross them. Arrived at Green river they had in their train thirty-three wagons, but not waiting for a subsidence of the water, Mr. Roe and his party took their wagons apart and ferried the river and two forks of the same, transferring their goods in the wagon boxes, which were hastily caulked for the purpose. In June they reached Snake river, and resorted to the same expedient in crossing, the ferrying being continued as late as two o'clock in the morning, the moon being bright. All of Mr. Roe's provisions were on the last load for the night, and the wagon box was

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PROGRESSIVE MEN OF MONTANA.

swamped and floated down the stream, one of the four men in the same being drowned, one swam to shore and the other two remained on the wagon- box, which had overturned, finally landing on a bar. Much of the goods were saved. Difficulty was experienced, however, in getting the cattle across; finally ropes were placed on the horns of the animals and, two at a time, were compelled to swim the stream at the back of the wagon-box ferry, our subject's duty being to sit in the stern and use a club in keeping the cattle from climbing into the improvised boat. Four days were consumed in thus ferrying the river.

When they arrived where Salmon City now stands it was found that the gold diggings were three hundred miles distant, and many abandoned their wagons and packed through the mountains to the mines. Mr. Roe remained with the wagon and oxen and was the first to turn back and start for what is now Montana. A train of 150 wagons was organized, and Timothy Goddell, a trapper, agreed to escort the party to Deer Lodge for $150, he being familiar with the old Mullan or government road, arriving at Deer Lodge in July, 1862, but Mr. Roe went to Gold creek, where he prospected for two weeks. While there men who had been with the party on the trin from Colorado came into camp and reported a better prospect on a creek they had crossed, and Mr. Roe, with others, joined them and started for the place, thus coming to what is now the old city of Bannack. There Mr. Roe and three others staked out claims, all joined in, working one at a time. The first day they rocked out $40 on Grasshopper creek, and their operations continued to be successful. In September the party began to consider the matter of securing provisions for the winter, and a miners' meeting was called to determine as to ways and means, the nearest source of supply being Salt Lake City, and a journey thereto would be danger- ous by reason of hostile Indians. On a call for volunteers to make the trip, Mr. Roe was one of thirteen who responded, and he started out with three oxen and one cow attached to his wagon. The party started on the 2nd of September, and on the 10th ferried Snake river at the point where Mr. Roe and his train had crossed the spring be- fore. Their money was gold dust and greenbacks, neither of which the Mormons would accept in trade; but they finally sold their dust to a man named Jennings, of Salt Lake City, who paid $17 an ounce in currency, giving them a letter to Mor-

mon merchants stating that the greenbacks were also good. On arriving in Salt Lake City they pur- chased flour, bacon, beans and a small amount of coffee and sugar, loaded the supplies into their wagons and prepared for the return trip, telling others of the gold discoveries, hence there were twenty-six wagons in the train on the return trip. At Snake river the party divided, but came together again, and three of their wagons broke down on account of bad roads and heavy loads. The last to give way contained 6,000 pounds of flour, and as the contents of the other two had been divided among the other wagons it now became necessary to send to Bannack, twenty-five miles distant, for more wagons. They secreted the flour and pushed on, and a few days later met a man with wagons going out for the material in response to the mes- sage sent to Bannack. This man was killed by the Indians, his two wagons were burned and his oxen driven off. Another party subsequently went and secured the flour. Our subject reached Ban- nack on the 28th of November and there was great rejoicing in the camp when the wagons with provisions arrived. The winter was exceptionally mild, and they continued to mine during the entire season. In 1863 Isaac Roe joined his brother, but returned to Iowa in the fall and purchased a stock of general merchandise, which he brought through to Bannack. Arriving September 15, 1864, he opened a store and conducted a very successful business, the subject of this review devoting his attention en- tirely to mining until 1865. This was prior to the rich discoveries which made Bannack famous.

Mr. Roe was one of those prominently concerned in the organization of the vigilance committee in this locality made necessary by the depredations of outlaws and road agents, whose attrocities were of the most heinous character. On New Year's night, 1864, the committee decided that three of the most desperate characters known in the history of the state should be executed,-Henry Plummer, "Buck" Stimpson and Ned Ray. Two parties were appointed to execute the desperadoes,-one to capture Ray and the other to apprehend Stimpson and Plummer, the latter having been sheriff of the county while leader of the outlaws. Mr. Roe was a member of the latter party, as was also his partner, D. J. Jones. On a bitterly cold night they were sent over to Yankee Flat to see that the two men did not escape. They waited until they were nearly frozen and then called for the committee to proceed. Stimpson was captured at a private

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house while attending a dance, Mr. Roe taking an important part in the capture, and also that of Plummer, shortly afterward. It is well that a veil be drawn over these scenes, for the men expiated their many crimes, and the rehearsal of the details can do naught save to excite a morbid curiosity. The vigilance committee simply executed their manifest and imperative duty, and rid Montana of a class of desperadoes whose lives and actions have left the one blot on the fair escutcheon of the state. In this case the three men mentioned were shown only such mercy as they had accorded their numerous victims, being executed upon the improvised gal- lows in a locality which afterwards bore the gruesome title of Hangman's gulch. The night after their execution, in the room where their bodies were lying, "Dutch John" was executed after having confessed to killing an entire family the preceding winter, chopping up their bodies and putting the mutilated remains through a hole in the ice of Snake river.

In 1867 Mr. Roe purchased two hundred head of cattle, considered a large herd at the time, and en- gaged in the butchering business in Bannack, being associated with his brother under the firm name of Isaac Roe & Bro. He continued to be identified with this enterprise until 1875, and somewhat later took out a license to buy gold, thus giving inception to the banking house of I. Roe & Bro. He continued in the cattle business, conducting operations on a large scale until 1899, when he sold his various ranches, cattle, etc., and came to Dillon, Beaverhead county, where he, with others, organized the State Bank of Dillon, of which he is vice-president, and to whose affairs he devotes the greater portion of his time and at- tention, although he has other capitalistic interests of importance. He is developing a copper-silver prospect in the Elkhorn district which promises to be a valuable producing mine, but has owned and assisted in the development of many of the principal mining prospects in the county. He owns valu- able realty in Dillon, and his residence is one of the finest in the town. In politics he gives his support to the Democratic party, but is essentially a business man and has at all times peremptorily refused to permit his name to be considered in connection with any political office.

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Progressive men of the state of Montana, pt 1, Part 77

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