Progressive men of the state of Montana, pt 1, Part 91

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 91

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PROGRESSIVE MEN OF MONTANA.

City was partially destroyed by fire, but through the faithfulness of the parishioners it was rebuilt. During Father van den Broeck's administration in Miles City he remodeled the church building at Glendive, and expended a total of $10,000 in his parish. When he left the parish, in 1898, its total indebtedness aggregated only $210. Be- sides attending to the regular work of his large and sparsely settled parish, he visited the Chey- enne Indian Mission after the departure of the Jesuit Fathers at the time of the outbreak, and conducted services for the Indians. In Novem- ber, 1898, he came to Dillon, and here he has thoroughly vitalized the work of the church, both spiritually and temporally. New altars and me- morial windows have been placed in the church at a cost of $2,000. Other improvements are contemplated, but progress is made only when the work can be done without the incurring of debt. The contract is given for a church at Sher- idan. The parish includes the counties of Beaver- head and Madison, and thus Father van den Broeck has several other church organizations under his charge, but the work is vigorously pros- ecuted in all portions of his field of labor. The Father is a man of high scholastic attainments and great executive ability and tact. He speaks three languages with fluency, and utilizes all of these in connection with his church work. His genial personality endears him to his people and he is held in high esteem by those outside the pale of the church. Just prior to locating in Dil- lon he visited his old home in Belgium, visited London and the principal continental cities.

JOHN S. HARRIS .- The ancestry of Gen. Har- J ris traces identification with American history back to the early colonial epoch, and in that great conflict which determined the independence of the colonies and the founding of the greatest republic the world has ever known, a number of his fore- bears were active participants. Gen. Harris has led a singularly active and useful life, has served in positions of high distinction and public trust, has been identified with important enterprises, and, though now well advanced beyond the psalmist's three score years and ten, retains a vitality and enthusiasm which defy the touch of years. He is actively concerned with an important business in- dustry at the present time, as receiver of the Snoho-

mish and Tramway Mines, in Silver Bow county, and has full control of their operation, in con- nection with which are employed about three hun- dred men. He is one of the prominent and hon- ored citizens of Butte.

John S. Harris was born in Truxton, Cortland county, N. Y., on December 18, 1825. His father, Samuel Harris, was born in Massachusetts, where he was reared and educated and there engaged in agricultural pursuits until 1822, when he removed to Cortland county, N. Y., where he followed farming until 1846, when he became one of the pioneers of Illinois, where he was a farmer. His parents were also natives of Massachusetts. In this state's service John Harris, grandfather of John S. Harris, was a valiant soldier in the Colo- nial army of the Revolution. Samuel Harris mar- ried Miss Mary L. Spofford, who was likewise born in New England. Several of her ancestral family in the direct and collateral lines participated in the Revolution and in positions of prominence. Of their seven children John S. Harris was the third. He received an academic education and removed to the west as a young man, locating in Milwaukee, Wis., where he engaged in merchandising and be- came president of a city bank. In 1863 he re- moved to Concordia parish, Louisiana, purchased the Waverly plantation and there gave attention to the raising of cotton. He was conspicuously connected with the rebuilding of the levees on the Mississippi river, and was a member of the levee and railroad convention held in St. Louis. He acquired prominence and influence in the south, and in 1867 was a member of the constitutional conven- tion. In 1868 he was chosen to the state senate, and that body elected him to represent the state in the United States senate and he was thus a member of the Forty-first and Forty-second con- gresses.

He has ever been a stanch Republican and though the Civil war was in progress during his residence in the south, and there was great animosity against those who upheld the Union, he was unequivocal in his attitude, and was a member of Capt. W. B. Wheeler's organized local company of Louisiana Union men. This company became a part of the Third Regiment of the enrolled militia of Louis- iana, under command of Col. C. B. Smith.

Gen. Harris resided in Louisiana until 1881, after which he served for two years on the directorate of the Texas & Pacific Railroad at San Diego, Cal. In November, 1881, he was appointed sur-

SomSAfaris,

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veyor-general of Montana territory, and held this office four years. His recommendations in regard to matters pertaining to the public domain while in this official relation were almost uniformly adopted by the land office. Upon the recommenda- ton of Gov. Crosby President Arthur appointed Gen. Harris and Hon. W. A. Clark to represent Montana at the World's Cotton Exposition, held at New Orleans during the winter of 1884-5. The duties of this high office as well as all others ever held by him were discharged to the satisfaction of all concerned.

On the 27th of July, 1899, Gen. Harris was appointed by the United States circuit court re- ceiver of the Snohomish and Tramway Mines, in Silver Bow county, and forthwith took up his residence in Butte and entered upon the duties per- taining to his office, and he has since had entire charge of the mines and their operation. Fra- ternally he is prominently identified with the Ma- sonic order, of which he has been a member for many years, having taken the degrees of the York rite in the lodge, chapter and commandery in Mil- waukee, Wis., while he is also a member of the Ancient Arabic Order of the Nobles of the Mystic Shrine. At Natchez, Miss., on November 22, 1870, Gen. Harris was united in marriage with Miss Ag- nas Stockton, who was born in Natchez, Miss., the daughter of John Stockton, an influential citizen of that state. Mr. and Mrs. Harris have no children.

COLES P. VAN WART, one of the highly es- teemed citizens of Helena, first came to Mon- tana in 1868. He was born on June 9, 1835, on the St. John river in New Brunswick. His parents were David and Lucy (Bulyea) Van Wart, natives of Canada, where they died. Originally the Van Wart family came to America from France and located in New York. During the war of 1812 they removed to the St. John river, by which was made the family home. The father was a dili- gent worker at both farming and milling. They were the parents of four sons and four daughters. The sons and one daughter are now living, Coles P. being the only one in Montana. One of his brothers is now in the Northwest Territory. In 1855, at the age of twenty, C. P. Van Wart and one of his brothers went to California by the isth- mus of Panama. The train on which they crossed the isthmus was wrecked and 700 passengers were killed or wounded, both of the Van Wart brothers

being badly injured. In California he passed three years engaged in placer mining, a business which he has since conducted quite successfully.

In 1857 he was among the first members to go up the Fraser river (B. C.), going on the first boat up the river. The Indians were troublesome and they had a number of severe engagements with them. Their party did not lose a man, but they found many miners killed by them, as many as seven in one day. The trip was endured with great suffering, they paying as high as $125 a sack for flour, $5.00 per pound for tea and beans sold for $125 a 100 pounds. They were success- ful, however, in their quest, and brought out over $4,000 in two months, being compelled to stop then on account of the extreme cold. On his return to Canada he purchased a farm and was occupied with agriculture until 1868, when he came to Montana and settled temporarily at Green- horn, near the Mullen tunnel. Here he at once engaged in placer mining, which he quite success- fully continued for four and one-half years. He then bought a ranch near Helena, and has since devoted his time to the raising of cattle and horses. Mr. Van Wart has also for several years engaged in merchandising, but now gives his undivided attention to stockgrowing and placer mining in Nelson gulch, seven miles west of Helena. His stock interests are principally in Lewis and Clarke and Dawson counties, and he annually handles a large number of horses and fine cattle.

In 1884 Mr. Van Wart married Sarah J. Her- rick, a native of Ohio. She came to Montana via Salt Lake City in 1864, accompanied by a brother and sister. They have an adopted daughter, Lil- lian. Mr. Van Wart is one of the few men in Mon- tana who continue placer mining. In this line of industry he has been prosperous and his knowl- edge of the work is practical and extensive. He is an enterprising, sagacious mian of affairs, and is highly esteemed by all of his friends and busi- ness associates. He is a Republican, although he has never sought or filled any public office. He is eminently a self-made man, and has the confidence of the community in which he has resided for so many years.

I PARKER VEAZEY .- It was formerly thought by many that a good orator was a good lawyer. but time has wrought many changes and today the most successful legists are men who rarely

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appear in the trial of a case and seldom if ever address a jury. The man who possesses a pro- found knowledge of the law and is enabled by such knowledge to avoid trouble and so advise his clients is the man the solid business men and cor- porations of the country employ. Such an one is I. Parker Veazey, a native of Baltimore, Md., where he was born on February 13, 1854. His father, George R. Veazey, was a lawyer, a graduate of Dickinson College, at Carlisle, Pa. Following his graduation he began legal practice in Baltimore, in which city he successfully continued until his death in 1857. His wife, Eliza (Duncan) Veazey, also died in Baltimore. Two of his three sons are living, one in Baltimore and one in Great Falls.

1. Parker Veazey received his early education in the public schools of Baltimore, and at St. John's College, of Annapolis. Before completing the college course he was compelled to abandon his studies on account of failing health. He com- menced the study of law about 1873 under Wil- liam S. Waters, of Baltimore, continued it under the judicious guidance of Thomas Donaldson, of that city, and was admitted to practice in 1875. He continued actively in his profession in his na- tive city up to 1886, and served for several terms as attorney and counsel for the city. On the election of President Cleveland he was appointed postmaster of Baltimore and after one year he resigned to resume his more lucrative practice, and continued in that until 1886. On account of failing health he was then compelled' to re- move to Minneapolis, Minn., in which city he prac- ticed law until 1893. In that year Mr. Veazey first came to Montana as attorney for the Minneapolis Trust Co., and was engaged here for nearly a year in settling affairs of that company. Being favorably impressed with the people, the country and the prospects for development, in 1894 Mr. Veazey settled permanently in Great Falls. Until 1896 he continued business alone, and then associ- ated himself with W. T. Piggott as Piggott & Veazey, which firm existed until Judge Piggott's appointment to the supreme bench, and since then Mr. Veazey has had no partner.

On the resignation of A. J. Shores as counsel for the Montana Central Railway Mr. Veazey was chosen as his successor and is to-day ably repre- senting that corporation and the Great Northern Railway in this state. Mr. Veazey affiliates with the Democratic party, but since becoming a resi- dent of Montana has taken no active part in poli-

tics. His marriage to Miss Grace Gaddess oc- curred at Baltimore in 1875. They have three chil- dren, T. Stockton, bookkeeper in the First Na- tional Bank of Great Falls, Elizabeth R. and I. Parker, Jr., now a student at Harvard University. On May 24, 1900, Mrs. Veazey was called to those activities that know no weariness. This is the story of the life of one of the ablest attorneys in Montana, who has since his comparatively few years' residence here has built up an extensive and lucrative practice and who is recognized by the bar as one of its ablest representatives.

RUDOLPH VON TOBEL .- To this gentle- man belongs the distinction of being the pio- neer attorney of Lewistown, Fergus county, and to him is accorded high prestige as a member of the bar of the state. He is a man of high intel- lectual and professional attainments, has been a prominent factor in the public affairs of this sec- tion of the state, having represented his county in the Fourth legislative assembly of the state. and having otherwise been identified with public interests of importance.

Mr. von Tobel is a native of the city of Auburn, N. Y., where he was born on the 13th of February, 1855, the son of Rudolph and Elizabeth (Nisbet) von Tobel, the former of whom was born in Swit- zerland and the latter at Homer, N. Y., of Scotch parents. The father of Mr. von Tobel came to the United States in 1848 and settled in the state of New York, where he was for a number of years employed as an expert machinist in a large cot- ton factory. Afterward, for å number of years, he resided in Buffalo, N. Y. In 1870 he removed to Iowa, and followed farming until his death in 1893, in South Dakota. His wife also died in the same state and in the same year as did her hus- band. They had two sons and one daughter, of whom one son and the daughter still reside in South Dakota.

Rudolph von Tobel resided at the parental home in Buffalo, N. Y., until he was fifteen years old, there receiving educational training in the public schools. After the removal of the family to Iowa he there continued his studies and pre- pared himself for a collegiate course. In 1875 he matriculated in Carleton College, at Northfield, Minn., and was graduated therefrom as a mem- ber of the class of 1881. He then began the

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study of law in Northfield, and continued to thus apply himself until 1883, when he came to Hel- ena, and entered the office of the Hon. Thomas H. Carter, ex-United States senator, under whose preceptorage he completed his preparation for the legal profession. He was admitted to the bar of the state in the same year, appearing before the territorial board of examiners, the members of which were those distinguished representatives of the bar of Montana, Col. W. F. Sanders, Judge Cornelius Hedges and E. W. Toole.

After liis admission to the bar Mr. von Tobel · entered upon the practice of his profession in Helena, remaining in the office of Mr. Carter until 1885, when he came to Lewistown as the first resident member of his profession in Fergus county, and here he has retained his prestige as the Nestor, though a somewhat youthful one, of the Fergus county bar. He was associated in practice with Judge Edwin K. Cheadle from 1893 until 1897, since which time he has conducted an individual practice, retaining a representative cli- entage, and being known as a well-read and able attorney and a safe and conservative coun- sellor. He gives his attention specially to civil practice.

In politics Mr. von Tobel has ever been arrayed as a zealous worker in support of the Republican party. In 1894 he was elected to the lower house of the state Legislature, as the joint representative of Fergus and Valley counties, and served with ability as a member of the Fourth general assem- bly. In the election of November, 1900, he was the candidate of his party for associate judge of the supreme court of the state, but was defeated with the rest of the ticket. He is genial and ap- proachable, animated by the highest ideals, and is a strict observer of professional ethics, following closely the unwritten code. Mr. von Tobel assist- ed in the organization of the State Bar Associa- tion, and was one of the prime factors in the or- ganization of the Citizens' Electric Com- pany, in Lewistown, in 1897, and is also secretary of this corporation. He is a member and secretary of the board of trustees of the Fergus county free high school. He also has valuable ranch interests in Fergus county.

At Philbrook, Mont., on the 20th of September, 1888, was solemnized the marriage of Mr. von Tobel to Miss Anna T. Zilisch, who was born in Wisconsin, the daughter of Carl L. and Henri- etta Zilisch, natives of Germany. In their happy

home circle are five children, all of whom were born in Montana, their names being: Henrietta, Carl, Elizabeth, Anna and Catherine.

SAMUEL M. WADE, one of the leading real 2 estate dealers in Butte, Silver Bow county, while not, perhaps, .one of the earliest of Montana pioneers, came to the territory at the age of five years, and has since witnessed its remarkable growth and advancement along the lines of in- dustrial development. He was born in Madison, Monroe county, Mo., on April 25, 1874. His father, Samuel Wade, a native of Missouri, born in 1844. in 1878 removed with his family to Mon- tana, located at Whitehall, Jefferson county, and engaged in farming, stock-growing and the livery business. His wife, Martha L. (Wolverton) Wade, is the daughter of Jolin Wolverton, a farmer of Pennsylvania. Samuel M. Wade, the fifth of a family of six children, received a good education in the public schools of Montana, and in 1893 he accompanied his mother and sister Lillian to Bozeman, and in the fall entered the State College of Agriculture and Mechanics, where he also availed himself of the commercial course. In 1896 hie engaged with Ellis, Brandley & Co., of Bozeman in the harness business, in which he con- tinned until 1898, going from there to Butte, where he directed his attention solely to real estate operations, in which he has been eminently successful. Some of the heaviest transactions in the city have been financed by Mr. Wade. On June 26, 1900, he was united in marriage to Miss Julia Agnes Healy, of Butte, daughter of James E. and Johanna (Macarthy) Healy, an agricultur- ist. They have one child. Martha May. Frater- nally Mr. Wade is a member of the Modern Woodmen of America, the Woodmen of the World, and the Order of Pendo. In the last named lie is vice-counsellor. He is a man of great force of character and highly esteemed.

JOHN D. WAITE .- Conspicuously identified J with the industrial activities of Fergus county is Mr. Waite, who is one of the county's most extensive and successful stock men and who has hield positions of distinctive public trust and re- sponsibility.

PROGRESSIVE MEN OF MONTANA.

The Waite family has long been identified with American history, and he is a native of Saratoga county, N. Y., born on the 17th of October, 1858, the only son of David and Geraldine (Scrib- 1rer) Waite, both of whom were likewise born in the state of New York, of Massachusetts stock. David Waite was engaged in the mercantile and lumbering business in Saratoga county, and passed his entire life in New York, as did also his wife.

John D. Waite secured his early educational discipline in the public schools of New York state. and supplemented this by a course of study in Oberlin College, at Oberlin, Ohio. After leaving school he located in Penn Yan, N. Y., where he held a clerical position for some time, continuing to make his home in his native state until 1880, when he came to the Judith Basin district of Montana and engaged in the sheep business, be- ing the pioneer of this line of industrial enterprise in that section. He still continues in this business, and owns a large ranch property, where he is run- ning about 15,000 sheep. He has another extensive ranch at Deerfield, where, under the firm name of Waite & Elliott, there are 20,000 head of sheep, in the ownership of which he is associated with James B. Elliott.

Through Mr. Waite's well directed efforts much has been done to give Fergus county a place of importance in the commonwealth. He has ever maintained a lively interest in the ad- vancement and material prosperity of the county which he represented in the last assembly of the territorial legislaturc, in 1889, and in the First general assembly of the state of Montana. From 1894 111til 1898, inclusive, Mr. Waite rendered ef- ficient service as sheriff of the county. He has given unwavering allegiance to the Republican party since he has been a voter, and has been act- ive in the cause since locating in Fergus county, having been incumbent of the position of chair- man of the Republican central committee of the county. He is well known in the county, and is held in high esteem as a citizen and able business man. Fraternally Mr. Waite is prominently iden- tified with the Masonic order, affiliating with Lewis- town Lodge No. 37, A. F. & A. M .: Hiram Chap- ter No. 15, R. A. M., and Black Eagle Commandery No. 8, K. T. He is also a member of Judith Lodge No. 30, I. O. O. F., and Lewistown Lodge No. 456, B. P. O. E.

On the 16th of September, 1886, Mr. Waite was

united in marriage to Miss Martha Sloan, who was born in Penn Yan, N. Y., where their union was solemnized, and they are the parents of five children - Donald, Judith, Jack, Brandley and Leslie, all of whom are at the parental home in Lewistown.

EDWARD S. WALKER .- The efficient in- cumbent of the office of police judge in the city of Helena for several years, is to be consid- ered definitely as one of Montana's pioneers, since his arrival in what was then a frontier territory dates back fully thirty-five years. In the early years he was conspicuously identified with mer- chandising and mining, and his knowledge of life on the frontier is intimate and comprehensive. He was born in Elizabeth, Allegheny county, Pa., on December 18, 1843, the son of Capt. William B. and Mary (Stratton) Walker, natives of Pennsyl- vania and Kentucky. Capt. Walker, who early fol- lowed the sea, was engaged in the building of steamboats at Elizabeth, Pa., until 1857, when he removed to Kansas, where he was a farmer until 1863, when he located in St. Louis, Mo., as super- intendent of the government purchasing depot,. retaining this position during the Civil war, after which he was identified with agriculture in that state for many years, finally going to San Diego, Cal., where he died at the venerable age of eighty years. The mother of Judge Walker was born at Harrodsburg, Ky., and graduated in the seminary at Sewickley, Pa. Her death occurred at Eliza- beth, Pa., in 1847.

Edward S. Walker in the public schools laid the foundation for the effective superstructure of broad information, which has since come to him through personal application and association with men and affairs. At the age of thirteen years he went to St. Joseph, Mo., where he found employ- ment on one of the Missouri river boats as an as- sistant engineer. He was thus employed when came the Civil war, and at the first call for volun- teers he made prompt response by enlisting in Company A, First Kansas Infantry. He was mus- tered in at Leavenworth, and went with his com- mand to Kansas City, and on to Springfield,. where they joined Gen. Nathaniel Lyon's forces and took part in the battle of Wilson's creek, where Gen. Lyon was killed. In February, 1862, Mr. Walker was transferred to the Second Kansas- Cavalry, and was one of the rescuing party that

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brought out Chief Jolin Ross, of the Cherokee na- tion, incidentally saving the mule train and a num- ber of the kegs filled with silver dollars and half- dollars, among other impedimenta. Within the year 1862 Judge Walker joined the army of the frontier, under Gen. Blunt, passed through Mis- . souri and Arkansas, and on December 8, 1863, participated in the battle at Prairie Grove. In the spring of 1864 he joined Banks' Red river expe- dition, thereafter returning to Arkansas and thence to Leavenworth, where he was mustered out as sergeant on January 12, 1865, not having been wounded during his long term of service. He was twice selected for special service as a courier, and on one of these occasions penetrated the enemy's country. After being mustered out Judge Walker was for a time identified with the quartermaster's department, in St. Louis, as a civ- ilian, and in April, 1866, he started from that city on the long overland trip to Montana, making Helena his destination.

In thus gaining title to being a pioneer of Mon- tana Judge Walker was associated with Andrew J. Briggs as a partner, and they brought through a load of flour, tobacco and liquor, disposing of it in Helena, then a primitive mining camp in Last Chance gulch. He recalls the circumstance wat for the flour, which they purchased for $6.00 a hun- dred, they received $22 per hundred. Shortly aft- erwards he went to Highland gulch, and engaged in mining until 1868, when he returned to Helena ånd joined the stampede of miners to White Pine, Nev., where he mined and prospected for two years, after which he passed a year in San Fran- cisco, and then returned to Missouri. In 1872 the Judge removed to Pennsylvania, where for four- teen years, he was identified with lumbering. His appreciation of the advantages and attractions of Montana had evidently not flagged during this time, for in 1885 he again came to this country, where he was engaged in ranching until 1887, when he accepted a position with the Journal Publishing Company at Helena, and held it for seven years. He has been a zealous worker in the cause of the Republican party, and prominent in its councils. In 1892 he was elected an alder- man of Helena, serving two years, while in 1895 he was elected to his present office, judge of the police court of Helena, having been chosen his own successor at each successive biennial election since his first election. He lias handled the busi- ness of the court with ability and facility, his rul-

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Progressive men of the state of Montana, pt 1, Part 91

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