Progressive men of the state of Montana, pt 2, Part 113

Author: Bowen, A.W., & Co., firm, publishers, Chicago
Publication date: [19-?]
Publisher: Chicago : A. W. Bowen & Co.
Number of Pages: 1092

USA > Montana > Progressive men of the state of Montana, pt 2 > Part 113

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time, only eleven of whom came out of the prison alive. Of these eleven Mr. Hill is the only one that has not applied for a pension. After the war he remained one year at his home in Arlington, Iowa ; but, being broken down in health, he sought relief in traveling, roaming as inclination led him over nearly every part of the vast country lying be- tween the Mississippi river and the Pacific ocean, passing his time in hunting, prospecting and min- ing, usually traveling with teams and pack mules, but often on railroads. During the time he was gold hunting he visited nearly every celebrated mining district in the west and, with the usual ex- perience of the miner, made a small fortune in one place only to lose it in another. He crossed the great plains twice with teams, was chief scout for the Fremont (Neb.) train of 105 men and fifty-two wagons going to the Black Hills in 1877, and served as scout for Gen. Crook in Arizona.

Mr. Hill owns a one-third interest in a stock ranch and farm located twenty-five miles from Prescott, Ariz., which he and his elder brother, Washington Hill, took up in 1868, which has since been the home of the latter. In 1880 when our traveler settled on the ranch which he now occu- pies, located on the north side of the Yellowstone and nearly opposite the town of Rosebud, he was known as a famous shot and an enthusiastic hunter and made a business for some years of hunting buffaloes, antelopes, elk and deer. As an evidence of his skill it is of record that in 1880-81 he killed 440 buffaloes, and 157 antelopes and eighteen deer, on the site of his present homestead. His place, known as Hill ranch, is devoted to stockraising, both horses and cattle; and although he lives a bachelor life, his historic old cabin is renowned for its generous hospitality. He is much sought as an entertaining story-teller, being a genial and cheerful man, notwithstanding his suffering for nearly thirty years with rheumatism. In politics he is a Republican ; fraternally he is identified with the Masonic order, which he joined at Arlington, Iowa, about 1878.

JOHN HOBBINS .- No state in the Union can boast of more heroic pioneers than can Mon- tana. Their privations, hardships and earnest la- bors have resulted in establishing one of the fore- most commonwealths of America. They laid the foundation of its present prosperity and greatness,

and their indefatigable efforts were the building stones. Among the fast diminishing number of these worthy pioneers who still remain with us is John Hobbins, of Teton county, who is one of the honored pioneers of the Pacific coast country. He was born in the great maritime county of Gal- way, Ireland, on March 19, 1829. His father was Garrett Hobbins, who passed his entire life in County Galway, dying in 1841. He was a breeder of fine sheep and a man of sterling character. His wife, Margaret (Callahan) Hobbins, was born in the same county, and her death occurred in 1858.

John Hobbins was educated in the national free schools of Galway until he was fifteen, and at eighteen his self-reliant and ambitious spirit caused him to emigrate to the United States, where he has entirely through his own efforts won material success and a reputation as a worthy and honor- able citizen of the republic. He is a distinctive type of the self-made man, and he has never de- spised honest toil. After landing in New York city in 1847 Mr. Hobbins was soon employed about the docks and at any other honest occu- pation which offered itself. From 1848 until 1853 he was employed on steamboats plying the Missis- sippi and Missouri rivers from St. Louis. In 1853 he went to California, and in Sierra and Plumas counties began his twenty years' career as a pros- pector and miner. In those days the placer mines were still very rich, and he secured claims from which he realized from $300 to $400 a week. Re- maining in California until 1863 he came to Ban- nack, in the Boise basin mining district of Mon- tana. After a year of mining here he passed a year on Wild Horse creek in the Kootenai country of British Columbia. In the spring of 1865 he re- turned to Montana, making the long trip on horse- back, and resuming mining operations in McClel- land's gulch near Helena, and in Bear gulch and the Elk creek district of Deer Lodge county, continuing to be thus occupied until 1867. In 1868 he was in Idaho, after which he mined again in Bear gulch and Elk creek until 1873.

During his twenty years of identification with mining Mr. Hobbins owned many mines and was more successful than the average gold seeker, but did not succeed by wishing and hoping but by hard and continuous work. From 1873 he was in the sheep business for three years, buying large bands of sheep in Washington and selling them in Montana. In 1876 he and his partner, John Hefferman, each purchased 160 acres of railroad

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land in Deer Lodge county, where they engaged in sheepraising until 1878, when they sold out after which Mr. Hobbins pre-empted 160 acres of government land in the Bitter Root valley, us- ing this as a sheep ranch until 1884, when he se- cured a homestead of 160 acres of government land in Choteau county near Collins, to which he added adjoining lands until the ranch now ag- gregates 960 acres. From 1884 until 1895 he was here extensively engaged in sheepraising, his herd averaging from 7,000 to 8,000 head, and in 1895 he sold his ranch to August Matt and has since devoted his attention to real estate and capitalistic interests of wide scope and importance. He owns five houses and sixteen lots in the town of Choteau, where he makes his home, and also owns valuable realty in Great Falls. · Mr. Hob- bins gives a stanch allegiance to the Populist party, in whose cause he has been an active worker in the local field. He has been very successful in his various endeavors, has been animated by the most inflexible integrity, and has retained the confidence and respect of his fellow men. He has "worried along" so far through life in sin- gle blessedness, but no one can forecast the future.

JULIUS HIRSHBERG .- One of the contribu- tions of the German fatherland to the develop- ment of the great northwest in the United States, Julius Hirshberg, having brought to the work the sturdy and productive qualifications of his race has borne his full share of the labor of this enterprise and has won his due portion of its triumphs. He is essentially a self-made man and one of the typi- cal pioneers of Montana. He was born in the province of Posen, Germany, in 1862, the son of parents who passed their lives in that country and were 'prosperous and influential citizens. His ear- ly education was secured at the public schools, which he was allowed to attend until he was fifteen years old. At that age he left school and engaged in mercantile business for three years. He then emigrated to America, and coming to Montana, located at Fort Benton, where he was in businesss in company with his brother Joseph for three years. In 1883 he removed to Sun river and opened a clothing store which he conducted for three years with success and profit. In 1886 he took up his residence at Choteau, and in partner- ship with his brother engaged in a mercantile busi-

ness of large proportions, with which he is still con- nected. About the year 1896 he started a branch store at Dupuyer, Mont., and about the same time became interested in woolgrowing and sheeprais- ing near Choteau. In this, as in all his other ventures Mr. Hirshberg has been very successful, illustrating the power of industry, thrift and the application of intelligent business methods to command financial success even where the condi- tions are not favorable.

In 1893 Mr. Hirshberg was united in marriage with Miss Carrie Jacobs, of Butte, Mont., a lady of superior talents and acomplishments, and widely known and highly esteemed in social circles, as he is in the commercial and business world. Frater- nally Mr. Hirshberg is identified with the Masonic order, holding membership in Choteau Lodge No. 44, at Choteau, Mont. Notwithstanding the nu- merous and important claims on his time and at- tention, growing out of his many business inter- ests, he still has capacity for greater operations and his active mind is now arranging for a banking enterprise to be located at Choteau, in which his brother will be associated with him, and which will be known as Hirshberg Brothers, Bankers, and will do a general banking business. In all the relations of life Mr. Hirshberg has won the esteem and commendation of his fellow-men, and is regarded wherever he is known as worthy of the highest respect and credit both for his achievements and his qualities of good citizenship and elevated manhood.

H ENRY HOFELDT, who has met unqualified success in the stockraising business in Choteau county, is the subject of the following biographical sketch. He is a native of Schleswig-Holstein, Ger- many, and his parents were Hans and Martha Hofeldt, the father by trade a wagonmaker. They came to the United States in 1877 and settled in Crawford county, Iowa, but had been preceded by their son Henry, our subject, who came to this country in 1871 and located in Davenport, Iowa, where he engaged in farming. Later he went to Crawford county, where his parents re- sided, and until 1893 remained in that vicinity, em- ploying himself with agricultural pursuits. In that year Mr. Hofeldt removed to Montana and secured his present ranch, comprising 760 acres, completely fenced, and upon which he has added

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many other valuable improvements. He is en- gaged in general farming and in the growing of cattle, horses and sheep, having of the latter a band of 4,000.

On July 15, 1875, he was united in marriage to Miss Margaret Grepp, and to this union have been born thirteen children, two of whom are deceased. Those living are: William G., a merch- ant in the town of Lloyd, Charley, Emma, Fredia, Herman, Amelia, Louis, Henry, Edward, Walter and Clem. The parents are members of the Luth- eran church; politically the sympathies of Mr. Hofeldt are with the principles of the Republi- can party. He is a man who is highly esteemed in the community in which he resides and is rec- ognized as of a distinctively progressive type.

W ILLIAM G. HOFELDT, although a young man, is considered one of the leading citi- zens of Lloyd, Choteau county, and a gentleman of superior business ability. He was born in Davenport, Iowa, December 27, 1874, his par- ents being Henry and Margaret (Grepp) Hofeldt. The father was an Iowa farmer, and it was upon the homestead that young Hofeldt was reared and educated in the neighboring public schools. Am- bitious to better his condition in new fields he came to Montana at the age of seventeen years and at once found employment as a sheep herder for the firm of Hansen Brothers. Later he went with Siegfried Christian, where for the succeeding six years he followed the same line of business. At this period he was joined by his father, and they combined their interests in a ranch until 1900, when our subject located on People's creek, Cho- teau county, where he had a ranch of 600 acres devoted to sheepraising. August 6, 1901, he went to Lloyd and erected the present commodious store building he now occupies, wnich is com- bined with a comfortable residence. He is en- gaged in ·a general mercantile business, and is quite successful.

I11 1898 Mr. Hofeldt was married to Miss Bertha, daughter of Daniel Bhar, of Crawford county, Iowa. They have two children, Henry and Lilly. He is a member of the Lutheran church; his political affiliations are with the Republican party. By the residents of Lloyd he is highly esteemed and regarded as a rising young man in every respect.

JOSEPH E. HOOPER .- The subject of this sketch is a native son of the west, and is today recognized as one of the representative young men of Deer Lodge county, where he is promi- inently engaged in farming and stockraising, with which important lines of industry he has been identified for nearly a decade and a half. Mr. Hooper was born in southern California on December 29, 1869, being a son of Joseph and Esther (Beebe) Hooper, the former of whom was born in England, where he was reared and educated. He came to the United States when a young man and settled at Alton, Ill., devoting his attention principally to agricultural pursuits in that vicinity, thence removing to California in 1863. He remained in the Golden state until 1873, when he took up his abode in Salt Lake City, removing in 1877 to Helena, Mont., where he has since main- tained his home, being successfully identified with the mining industry. The mother of our subject was of English lineage, born in the old Keystone state, and her marriage to Joseph Hooper was solemnized at Alton, Ill. She was summoned into eternal rest at Helena on April· 12, 1901, deeply mourned by a large circle of friends to whom she had become endeared by reason of her gentle re- finement and true womanly characteristics.

Joseph E. Hooper, the immediate subject of this review, received his educational discipline in the public schools of the various cities where his parents were located during his youth, and in 1884 came to the upper Big Blackfoot valley, Deer Lodge county, where he was employed until August, 1888, when he began operations as a full- fledged ranchman. He has at the present time a fine estate of 640 acres, well improved and under effective cultivation, but devotes considerable at- tention to the raising of an excellent grade of live stock. His pleasant home is located one-half mile east of Lincoln postoffice, Lewis and Clarke county, and his land is on the county line. Not only has Mr. Hooper been very successful in his ranching enterprise, but he has gained recognition as one of the far-sighted and progressive young business men of this section, well worthy the con- fidence and esteem uniformly accorded him. His political proclivities lead him to support the prin- ciples and policies advanced by the Democrat party, and, while he is thoroughly public-spirited, has never been a seeker for official preferment, though at the present time he is a member of the board of school trustees.

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In the village of Lincoln, Lewis and Clarke county, on May 7, 1892, was celebrated the mar- riage of Mr. Hooper to Miss Annie Cox, the daughter of William and Mary (Johnson, nee An- derson) Cox, the former of whom was born in Cornwall, England, coming to the United States when a young man, being a miner by occupation. He arrived in Montana in 1863, became a promi- nent and wealthy miner, and was one of the hon- ored pioneers of the state. His death occurred in 1895. His widow, who was born in Sweden, is still a resident of Lincoln, Mont. Mr. and Mrs. Hooper are the parents of one daughter, Ethel, who was born May 28, 1899, and, by her winsome grace, adds great charm to the home.

D AVID HOGAN, the popular proprietor of the hotel at Gold Creek, Powell county, on the Northern Pacific Railway, was born in County Limerick, Ireland, on December 25, 1855. He is the son of Thomas and Ann (Ellegat) Hogan, natives of that county, where they always resided, the father being a coachman. The early educa- tion received by David Hogan was given at the public schools of Ireland, and when he was thir- teen years of age he came to the United States, locating first in Connecticut, where he followed until 1871 a number of pursuits calculated to gain for him an honest living. Mr. Hogan then re- moved to San Francisco, Cal., and was engaged in a variety of employments for three or four years. He then went to Placer county and oc- cupied himself in mining until 1878. In that year he came to Montana, where he followed mining and prospecting at Bannack and other points, princi- pally, however, in Beaverhead county, and in 1880 he located at Pioneer, then in Deer Lodge county. In 1881 he mined with indifferent success, and in 1882 engaged in the hotel business at Gold Creek, which he has since successfully conducted. He also owns and controls a ranch of 160 acres, ad- joining the town of Gold Creek. Mr. Hogan was married on December 26, 1889, to Emily Hogan, a native of Omaha, Neb., a daughter of John and Margaret (Cowan) Hogan. The father, a native of Ireland, now lives at Helena. The deceased mother was a Canadian by birth. Mr. Hogan and his wife have five bright children, Mary A., Ellen M., Gerald J., Gertrude M. and David, Jr. Politically Mr. Hogan is an Independent.

A LFRED B. HOOVER, a successful stockman and highly esteemed citizen of Powell county, is a native of Miami county, Ind., born on April 24, 1840, the son of Daniel and Mabel (Overman) Hoover. The German ancestors of the Hoover family landed on the coast of North Carolina prior to the advent of the Mayflower pilgrims in New England. Mr. Hoover's grandparents were resi- dents of Ohio, and his father, a farmer, removed in advanced life to California, where he died in 1881. Alfred B. Hoover was six years old when his parents located in Iowa and ten years of age at his mother's death. He was reared on a farm near Ottumwa, receiving a common school edu- cation. In March, 1859, he started across the plains for Pike's Peak with three wagons in com- pany with ten men. In western Nebraska the news from Pike's Peak was found unsatisfactory, and the party went on to Nevada, via Fort Laramie, Wyo., and Soda Springs, Utah, arriving at Vir- ginia City, Nev., on August 10, 1859. One month later Mr. Hoover located a claim on what has proved to be the lead of the famous Comstock mine, known all over the world for its incompar- able richness in silver. The first five tons of ore taken from the Comstock he hauled to the mouth of the canyon for shipment, and in this vicinity he mined eight years. In the spring of 1866 Mr. Hoover came to Montana, and for several years engaged in mining in Grizzly gulch, two miles be- low Helena. In the fall of 1871 he purchased the improvements of a pre-emption claim on 160 acres in Hellgate valley, where he now resides, and since then he has been profitably engaged in ranching. On July 2, 1884, Mr. Hoover was mar- ried to Miss Anna E. Miller, a native of Missouri and daughter of Branch and Amanda (Brandon) Miller, who were born and married in Tennessee. Mr. and Mrs. Hoover have two children, Chester and Anna. Fraternally Mr. Hoover is a mem- ber of the Knights of Pythias. In politics he is an independent, using a wide latitude in national and local issues.

M ARK D. HOYT, M. D .- In Glasgow, Valley county, the medical profession of Montana has a most able representative in the person of Dr. Hoyt, who is thoroughly equipped for his noble work by natural predilection and preliminary training. Such men are a worthy acquistion to any

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community, and soon take rank among the lead- ing physicians and surgeons.

The Doctor is a native of the city of St. Paul, Minn., where he was born September 19, 1868, a son of John F. Hoyt, who was born in Ohio in the year 1830, and was reared and educated in Ful- ton county, Ill. He fitted himself for the legal pro- fession at St. Paul, Minn., having removed there, and was duly admitted to the bar of Minnesota in 1848, and was engaged in active practice in that city, holding a representative clientage and for many years concerned in much of the important litigation in the courts of that state. He was prominent in public affairs and was one of Min- nesota's influential men, never dropping below his high standard of thought and action in either polit- ical or professional life. He was called to the probate bench of Ramsey county, and was judge of the court from 1860 up to 1862. He was called to several positions of trust and responsibility in the municipal government, having been president of the St. Paul board of water commissioners for eight years and a member of the board of public works for two years. In a certain sense Judge Hoyt may well be considered a pioneer of Mon- tana. In the spring of 1862 he made the overland trip from Winnipeg, Canada, to the old city of Bannack, where he passed about a year in that vicinity and Virginia City; this being during the exciting period when the Vigilantes were making ·strenuous efforts to suppress the outlaws and rene- . gades who were a constant menace to life and property. He was judge at the miners' trial of Moore and Reeves, at Bannack, in 1862, and was a member of the vigilance committee which freed Montana from the grasp of the notorious Plum- mer band of outlaws and road agents in Virginia City. After a year on the frontier Judge Hoyt returned to St. Paul, Minn., where he continued to reside, an honored member of its bar and one · of its distinguished citizens, until July of the pres- ent year, 1901, when he came again to Montana and now makes his home with his son, the subject of this review. Judge Hoyt married, in 1865, Miss Mary E. Hobart, who was born in Illinois in 1840. Of their union four children were born, three of whom are now living.

Mark D. Hoyt received his education in the public schools of his native city, completing a high school course, and thereafter entered upon his technical studies. He matriculated in the medical department of the University of Pennsylvania,

at Philadelphia, where he completed a thorough and exacting course, being graduated as a mem- ber of the class of 1891. Soon after his gradu- ation the Doctor came to Montana, locating in the thriving little city of Glasgow, where he has since been actively engaged in the practice of his profes- sion, securing a representative support through his exceptional ability, supplemented by that gracious and genial presence which harmonizes so well and is so essential an influence in the sick cham- ber. In politics the Doctor gives unwavering al- legiance to the Democratic party. He was elected to the office of superintendent of schools in Val- ley county in 1893, and served consecutively in this office until 1896, inclusive. He has served also as county health officer and county physician, and for the past decade has been a member of the corps of surgeons of the Great Northern Railroad Com- pany. Fraternally he is identified with Glasgow Lodge No. 51, I. O. O. F., and Northern Light Lodge No. 33, K. of P., while in the line of his profession he is a member of the Montana State Medical Society.

On February 8, 1897, at Glasgow, Dr. Hoyt was united in marriage to Mrs. Mary T. McKin- non, who was born in the province of Ontario, Canada, the daughter of Hughie and Anna Mc- William, both dead. The Doctor and Mrs. Hoyt are active and popular in connection with social affairs in their home city, and their pleasant resi- dence is a center of refined hospitality.

JAMES A. HUGHES, who as one of the most extensive sheepgrowers in Teton county is well known and greatly respected, is a native of middle Tennessee, having been born on August 4, 1852. When one year old he accompanied his parents to southeastern Missouri, where he remained until several years after attaining his majority. The Hughes family is of Scotch ancestry, although the father of our subject, Alexander Hughes, was born in Tennessee in 1826, and reared there on a farm. In 1853 he removed to Washington county, Mo., and thence, about 1857, to Dent county, where he was engaged in farming until his death, in 1876. His wife, Nancy A. (Pettigrew) Hughes, is a na- tive of middle Tennesseee and is now residing with her son Frank on his ranch near Pondera. The experience of James A. Hughes in obtaining an education in Dent county, Mo., is something unique.

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Before he could go to school it was necessary for him to help in the erection of a schoolhouse. This he did, subsequently attending the school during the winter months and working industriously in the long summer seasons on his father's farm, where he remained several years after reaching manhood, be- ing also employed on other farms and ranches.

In the year 1882 Mr. Hughes came to Deer Lodge county, Mont., and for seven years was en- gaged in ranching and stockraising. In the autumn of 1889 he removed to Teton county and located and made his home on his present ranch on the dry fork of the Marias river, three miles from Pondera. To his original homestead and desert claims of 320 acres he has since added 980 acres, upon which he ranges a band of 8,000 sheep. The domestic life of Mr. Hughes began at Salem, Dent county, Mo., when he was married to Miss Effie M. Jamison, a native of that county, born on October 4, 1857. the daughter of John Jamison, a leading farmer and stockgrower. They have one child, Mary Ann, aged four years. With fraternal societies Mr. Hughes is connected with Choteau Lodge No. 44, A. F. & A. M., and Columbia Lodge, A. O. U. W., of Choteau. In Republican circles he is an active and influential worker, especially interested in local issues. A man of progressive views, liberal and broad-minded, he numbers a large circle of warm personal friends.

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Progressive men of the state of Montana, pt 2, Part 113

Author: Bowen, A.W., & Co., firm, publishers, Chicago Publication date: [19-?] Publisher: Chicago : A. W. Bowen & Co. Number of Pages: 1092

Author: Bowen, A.W., & Co., firm, publishers, Chicago
Publication date: [19-?]
Publisher: Chicago : A. W. Bowen & Co.
Number of Pages: 1092