Progressive men of the state of Montana, pt 2, Part 114

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 114

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CHARLES W. BLACK is a Montana pioneer who has lived to achieve success in the state after having suffered many of the vicissitudes of the dawn of civilization in the great northwest. His handsome and highly improved home ranch lies four miles north of Belt, Cascade county, and is called the "Garden of Belt creek," and it is well worthy of its name. Mr. Black was born on New Year's day, 1831, in Pennsylvania, the son of Davis Dimock and Betsy Black, also natives of the Key- stone state. The elder Black was a pioneer farmer in the heavily timbered county of Bradford, where by years of diligent labor he developed a fine farm. Politically he was a Whig, and both parents were zealous Methodists. The mother died in 1837 and the father in 1870.

From early boyhood Charles W. Black gave earnest labor on the parental farm, acquiring a solid education at the public schools. On attain- ing his majority young Black secured employment

on a farm at $13 per month and board, continuing farm work for four years thereafter and saving money. Removing to Iowa he followed various occupations for five years, and then continued west to Central City, Colo., which then contained only a few cabins. Six years were passed in this vicinity in mining and teaming. He then made the trip to Helena, Mont., on horseback, being sixty-three days on the road. He arrived in 1866 and the fol- lowing winter engaged in mining. In the spring of 1867 he went to Philipsburg, which then had one lone building. He remained there four months teaming, and then took the trail to Walla Walla, Wash. From here he drifted to Portland, and went by steamer to San Francisco. The following winter he passed on the summit of the Sierra Nevadas, engaged in keeping the stage line con- necting with the Central Pacific Railroad free from snow, thus enabling the many teams to go through. Forty-eight feet of snow fell during the winter, one storm alone having a fall of twelve feet. Here Mr. Black received $45 a month and board. On his re- turn to San Francisco he took passage on a steamer for New York via Panama. From New York he went to his old Pennsylvania home and remained about a year with his parents.

On his second journey to the west, Mr. Black traveled on a Missouri river packet from Omaha to Fort Benton, and then moved by team to Hel- ena. There he followed several lines of business, the principal one being cutting cord wood, which he varied with occasional mining. In April, 1871, he made another visit of twelve days to the old Pennsylvania home, during which time he wedded Miss Sarah J. Salsman, a native of Bradford coun- ty, that state, and daughter of Elias and Almira Salsman. Her father was born in Catskill, N. Y., and her mother in Schoharie county, N. Y. Her father was a successful farmer. In politics he was a Republican, and both were devout Baptists. Her mother died on August 16, 1877, and her fath- . er lived to be eighty-eight years old, dying on Jan- uary 16, 1889. Mr. and Mrs. Black came to Helena on the Union Pacific as far as Corinne, thence by stage to Montana. For a short period he found employment cutting cord wood for the quartz mills in Nelson gulch, but this work was too unremunerative, and he rented a ranch of 160 acres, on which they remained a year, engaged in raising grain and vegetables. Then he located the ranch upon which they now reside. It includes pre-emption and homestead claims of 160 acres

Mr. and Mrs. C. W. Black

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each. Here Mr. Black has been eminently suc- cessful in the raising of grain and in the raising of cattle. The four children of their family are: Walter E., Ira O., Ida A., now Mrs. David Bur- nett ; and Nye H. Mr. and Mrs. Black are mem- bers of the Baptist church, and politically Mr. Black is an active Republican. The ranch is now under the immediate supervision of the oldest son, Walter E. Black. He is a member of the order of the Maccabees and like his father is a stanch Re- publican in politics.

JAMES F. IRWIN .- Seven miles southwest of J' the village of Belt, Cascade county, is located the excellent ranch of Mr. Irwin, comprising 524 acres, of which 100 acres are available for cultiva- tion. Here Mr. Irwin conducts an extensive busi- ness in cattleraising and also utilizes a portion of his ranch for agricultural purposes, the place being well improved and showing the care and well di- rected efforts which have been applied by the owner.

Mr. Irwin is a native of Iowa, where he was born on June 10, 1857, the son of William H. and Mary J. Irwin, both of whom were born in Indiana, whence they removed to Iowa, where the father was a successful farmer. In politics he gave a stalwart support to the Republican party and its principles. During the Civil war he was in active service in the Union army. His cherished and de- voted wife passed away in 1870, and he survived her until 1898, both having been members of the Methodist church, and their lives were in harmony with that faith. James F. Irwin received a common school education, but while a mere boy became inured to the work of the farm, having begun to earn wages at the age of twelve years, taking up the work of caring for forty acres of corn at a salary of $5.00 per monthı, which seemed a large amount to the boy. As he grew older and made his' worth manifest he received due recompense for his labors. In the spring of 1883 Mr. Irwin came to Fort Benton, Mont., and engaged in farm work, en- tering the employ of Thomas Simpson, Oscar Par- sons and Joseph Gibson in turn, the last being a resident of Armington. In 1885 he rented a ranch from John Shannon, and there conducted opera- tions until the spring of 1886. He then took up a pre-emption claim of 160 acres, which he afterward exchanged for a homestead of 181.22 acres. In 1895 he added to the acreage of his ranch by taking 100

up a desert claim of 120 acres, and in 1898 he en- tered a contiguous tree claim of 131.29 acres. In the fall of 1899 Mr. Irwin purchased ninety-two acres of land from the government, the incidental consideration being $115, and his place is now one of the best in this section of the state. In addition to cultivating a considerable portion of his land he is extensively engaged in raising cattle with well deserved success.

In politics Mr. Irwin exercises his franchise in support of the Republican party. On March 21, 1883, was solemnized the wedding of Mr. Irwin and Miss Clara Platter, who was born in Iowa, the daughter of Jonathan and Susan W. Platter, natives respectively of Indiana and Missouri. For a num- ber of years the father followed the trade of a plas- terer, but in later years he has devoted his attention exclusively to farming and stockraising. His wife was summoned into eternal rest, in Iowa, on Janu- ary 29, 1896, being forty-eight years of age at the time. She was a member of the Methodist church, as is also her husband, who resides in Boone county, Iowa. Mr. and Mrs. Irwin have one child, Ethel A.

T THOMAS F. HYNES .- The subject of this sketch was born at Louisville, Ky., December 23, 1856. His parents were Peter and Honora (Fahey) Hynes, natives of Ireland, who immi- grated to America just before their marriage. They had seven children, of whom Thomas was the old- est. Mr. Hynes attended the school of the Christian Brothers until he was ten years of age, and the next three years went to the public school. After leaving school he worked in a shoe store until he was sev- enteen years old, when he accepted employment in a foundry. After spending four years at this oc- cupation he came to Montana, locating at Philips- burg, where he worked in the mines and mills for six years and then went to mining for himself. He has continued at this and has now mining interests of value.

Mr. Hynes is a Bryan Democrat in politics, and is always zealous, active and faithful in the service of his party. In 1900 he was elected to the office of assessor on a platform of "equal taxation," and since his induction into office he has raised the as- sessment of property in his county for purposes of taxation over $1,000,000, the increase being princi- pally on the property of corporations. He lives on a fine ranch which he owns, located two miles from

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Philipsburg, which is highly improved and well equipped for the production of good crops and the sustenance of superior breeds of cattle. He is a member of the Improved Order of Red Men, the Independent Order of Foresters, and the Home Forum. In religious affiliation he was raised a Catholic. Mr. Hynes was married October 15, 1878, at Philipsburg, Mont., to Miss Annie Schwartz, daughter of Mathew and Ursula Schwartz, a native of Buffalo, N. Y. Twelve children have been born to them, of whom four are deceased. Katie, Emma, Mary, Louise, Nora, Julia, Alice and William Bryan are living. Mr. and Mrs. Hynes have hosts of friends in their vicinity, and are looked up to and highly respected wherever they are known.

L UTHER D. IRWIN .- Among those who have done much to advance the agricultural and stockraising interests of Cascade county is Mr. Ir- win, whose excellently improved ranch is located one-fourth of a mile east of Houskin, Cascade county. Mr. Irwin is a native of Boone county, Iowa, where he was born July 16, 1854, the son of William H. and Mary J. Irwin, both of whom were born in Indiana. The father of our subject was a farmer by occupation. In politics he was an active and zealous worker in the Republican party and rendered yeoman service in defense of the Union during the Civil war. He died in 1898, his wife having passed away in 1870. They were members of the Methodist church and were people of sterling character. Luther D. Irwin, the immediate subject of this review, received his limited education in the public schools of Iowa. From 1868 until he had at- tained the age of twenty-six he was employed in various occupations, but gave his attention to har- vesting in Minnesota during the season of 1879.

On November 22, 1880, Mr. Irwin was united in marriage to Miss Sarah Coleman, who was born in Iowa, the daughter of Francis M. and Deborah Coleman, natives respectively of Indiana and Illi- nois. The latter was the first white woman to set- tle in Guthrie county, Iowa, and she and her hus- band were the first couple to be married in that county, where Mr. Coleman was numbered among the prosperous farmers. In politics he was a stanch Democrat ; both he and his wife were devoted mem- bers of the Baptist church. The mother of Mrs. Irwin entered into eternal rest June 26, 1897. Mrs. Irwin has been a particularly successful teacher,

having been for twenty years engaged in pedagogic work, in Iowa, Nebraska and Montana, her last labor in this line of occupation occurring in 1896.

Mr. Irwin was identified with farming and stock- raising in Iowa for some time; and in 1884 he vis- ited Fort Benton, Mont., remaining for a brief interval, after which he returned to his home and remained until the spring of 1888, when he came to Houskin, Mont., and took up on unsurveyed land a squatter's claim of 160 acres and a tree claim of equal area; and in 1900 he purchased of Thomas Coleman 160 acres additional for a consideration of $700. Of liis landed estate 140 acres are eligible for cultivation, while the remainder is finely adapted for grazing purposes. The ranch is located twelve miles southwest of Belt, Cascade county, and here Mr. Irwin has been very successful in his operations as a farmer and stockraiser. In politics he gives his support to the Republican party, in so far as nation- al issues are involved. He and his wife and their daughter, Carrie Maude, are well known and enjoy marked popularity in the community, and their home is a center of graceful hospitality.

JOHN HUNTER, one of the enterprising stockmen of Cascade county, is located on a ranch three miles southeast of Belt, and while not one of the earliest of the pioneers, he has been successful. He was born in Renfrewshire, Scotland, on November 27, 1867, the son of Will- iam and Margaret Hunter, both natives of Scot- land. In early life the father followed farming, but later was a game-keeper. Both parents were Pres- byterians. The mother died in 1880 and two years later her husband followed her to the silent land. John Hunter had only three winters' attendance at the school, for it was necessary that he should contribute to the assistance of his parents, which · he continued dutifully to do until March 15, 1883. He had decided to become a boatmaker, and worked eight months in a boatyard, and would have prob- ably continued in this employment had not the yard closed business.

Mr. Hunter then came to America, first stopping at Brandon, Manitoba, and hiring out on a farm for $35 per month. Here he remained two years and then located at Ox Bow on Mouse river. Three years were passed in ranching with no appreciable success and attended with the misfortune of being burned out by prairie fire. Later he engaged in the

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employ of the Great Northern Railroad and in the fall assumed charge of the pump house at Ulm, re- maining in that occupation during the following winter. Three years were then passed on the ranch of D. A. Churchill, during which time he saved money and secured a pre-emption claim of 160 acres near Kibbey, Cascade county. Four years later he traded this for horses and came to his pres- ent residence near Belt, taking up a homestead claim. Here he has been quite prosperous in rais- ing cattle and in the production of hay. On April 26, 1898, Mr. Hunter was married with Miss Mary Atkinson, a native of Indiana, daughter of Ralph and Jane Atkinson, a member of the Metho- dist church. Her father was proprietor of a hotel at Coal Valley, Ill., dying in 1895. The wife and mother had passed away in 1881. In all national affairs Mr. Hunter supports the Republican party. Mrs. Hunter has had a remarkable experience. She has been a resident of Belt and Montana for eigh- teen years, and has shown wonderful executive ability, has reared four children of her first hus- band (from whom she secured a divorce for intem- perance), educating them by her labors at the wash- tub. Her experiences would fill a volume. By her own ability, industry and financial skill she now owns 240 acres of land in her own right and a fine herd of cattle. Her children occupy a good position in society and can well appreciate a mother's kind devotion.

JOSEPH ISAAC .- Departing this life March 13, 1898, at the early age of fifty-one, while in the full maturity of his powers, the late Joseph Isaac, of Pease's Bottom, accomplished as much in sub- stantial results as many a man whose activity con- tinues for a longer period. He was born in the province of Alsace-Lorraine on February 10, 1847, and came to the United States when he was twenty years of age. After looking about extensively for a suitable location he rested in Wyoming. In 1868 he enlisted in the Second United States Cavalry and remained in the army until 1878, serving throughout this period on the frontier. Being mustered out at- Fort Custer, Mont., he took up his residence in Pease's Bottom, locating a homestead near the Yellowstone river, thus becoming one of the first actual settlers in the famous valley named in honor of Capt. Pease, who built the fort which bears his name. To his original homestead Mr. Isaac added by purchase enough land to make his ranch 700

acres; and here he prospered steadily in raising stock, handling superior grades of cattle and horses on an extensive scale for twenty years-up to the time of his death.

Mr. Isaac was a Republican in politics and took an active part in public affairs and for a number of years was a member of the central committee for Custer county. At Laramie, Wyo., in 1873 he was united in marriage to Miss Catherine Boschert, who was born at Baden, Germany, in 1855, and came to America in 1871 with friends. Since his death Mrs. Isaac has conducted the ranch and stock business left to her care with that success and enterprising spirit which characterized her husband. She has seven children : Lena, wife of Willis Rexford, liv- ing at Bozeman ; and Philip, Alfred, Walter, Mary, Josie and Katie, all living at home. Both in her business career and in social relations Mrs. Isaac has won to herself the good opinion of the com- munity and the cordial regard of a host of friends.

JOHN JACKSON is a native of Motherwell, Lanarkshire, Scotland, situate ten miles from Glasgow, the great commercial mart of that country, Mr. Johnson was born on September 1, 1834. His parents, John and Margaret (Turnbull) Jackson, were also natives of Motherwell, where their lives were passed, the father dying in 1866, aged seventy- four, and the mother in 1881. Our subject attended private schools in his native town until he was six- teen years old, and in 1860 emigrated to the United States, locating at Pottsville, Pa., where he was en- gaged in mining, later following the same occupation at La Salle, Vermillionville and Fairbury, Ill., and passing about three years at Streator, Ill., in the mercantile business. In 1864 he came to Montana, remaining about a year and a half at Virginia City and in the Yellowstone valley. In 1866 he returned to Illinois, took up his residence at Pontiac, and was in charge of the coal mines there for four years, after which he opened a coal mine at Gardner, Ill., and worked it for two years. From 1877 to 1881, he was in the Leadville, Colo., district, then removed to the Wood river mines in Idaho where for two and a half years he had charge of the Mayflower.

In the spring of 1884 Mr. Jackson came to Cho- teau and for six years was proprietor of the Valley Hotel, and in 1886 he purchased a 400-acre farm adjoining the town on the south, on which he still conducts a prosperous business. Mr. Jackson is a

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Republican, always warmly interested in the welfare of his party, but not seeking for himself any of its honors or emoluments. He is a member of Choteau Lodge, I. O. O. F., having dimitted from Pontiac Lodge No. 262, of Pontiac, Ill., which he joined over a third of a century ago. He was mar- ried in Lanarkshire, Scotland, in 1854, to Miss Agnes Nelson, a native of the same place, where she was born in 1835. Their three children are Jennie, John and Maggie. The son is consular agent for the United States at Rossland, B. C., and the daughters are living at Choteau. Throughout his long, active and varied career Mr. Jackson has won and held the confidence and esteem of the peo- ple, and has made a good reputation in every line of enterprise in which he has been engaged. He has been useful and forceful in developing the various communities which have had the benefit of his excellent judgment and wisdom in public affairs.

PETER JACKSON .- A noted hunter, scout and Indian fighter in the early days, and for a quarter of a century one of the most progressive and successful stockmen of the Yellowstone valley, both in his own achievements and in the forces for good which his example has set in motion, Peter Jackson, of near Forsyth, has been of great service among the pioneers in reclaiming Montana from the wilderness and developing her resources. He was born in Norway, October 21, 1846, the son of Jacob and Berat (Engebresen) Jackson, natives of Norway, where they were profitably engaged in farming. The latter died there in 1849, and the former in 1898. Their son Peter was educated in the schools of his native land and assisted his father on the farm until 1869, when he came to the United States. After passing two years at Menominee, Mich., working in lumber camps, he came to Mon- tana, locating at Helena, and was engaged during the next five years at that place, Bozeman and other localities in mining, hunting, scouting and chop- ping wood. In September, 1876, he moved to Miles City, and in the fall of 1877 located on Little Porcupine, now Rosebud county, a homestead claim of 160 acres, a part of his present ranch, and to which he has added enough to make his ranch 565 acres. It is in the Yellowstone bottom, five miles east of Forsyth, and devoted to the production of fine cattle, draught horses, hay and grain.

For years after taking up his residence in this

section, while game was still plentiful, Mr. Jackson engaged in hunting with almost phenomenal success, breaking all records in some respects. In 1880-81 2,700 buffaloes were killed in the neighborhood of his present ranch, most of them by himself, he hav- ing slain 500 in one week. His greatest achievement as a Nimrod, however, was accomplished in the win- ter of 1874-75, when he was engaged in hunting on the Musselshell. He killed during that winter 400 elk, slaughtering fifty-two of them in one day out of one band ; he also killed 400 deer and antelopes. This is believed to be the champion record of history.

In political affiliation Mr. Jackson is a Republi- can, but has never been an active party worker. He was married at Forsyth, in 1893, to Miss May Price, who was born at Akron, Ohio, November 27, 1863. They have six children : Oscar B., Charles J., Edith M., Mabel Helen, Malvina K. and an in- fant named Josie M. He and his excellent family are widely known and highly respected throughout their section of the state. Mr. Jackson is an en- tertaining talker and relates many interesting ad- ventures of his days of hunting, and of the times when he was scouting under the orders of Gen. Nelson A. Miles and fighting Indians.

V TALENTINE JACKY .- The subject of this brief review is a native of Alsace, one of the provinces which the cruel fortune of war tore from the loving embrace of France and made a part of the German empire. He was born there May 20, 1860, the youngest of the six children of Christian and Lena (Staller) Jacky, who were natives of France. He attended the public schools of his native town until he was fourteen years old, and then worked on the farm for his father until he reached the age of twenty. In 1880 he immigrated to America, located at Napoleon, Ohio, and worked as a laborer a year and a half. At the end of that time he came to Butte, Mont., and entered upon an apprenticeship with Barret & Jacky to learn the harnessmaker's trade. He spent four years with this firm and then went to Anaconda, where he conducted a shop for them for six months. After this he removed to Philipsburg and opened an establishment for the firm at that place, becoming a member of the con- cern and managing his branch of the business. In June 1, 1897, he bought out the other interests in the Philipsburg house and has since then conducted the business for himself. Mr. Jacky has a fine home

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in the town and an excellent store building in which he carries a full stock of everything belonging to his line, having one of the most complete and up-to-date establishments in this part of the country. He stands high in the community, enjoying the confi- dence and esteem of the people. He served as county commissioner from 1895 to 1899, and gave very general satisfaction in his administration of the office. He is a Democrat in politics, but is not a bit- ter partisan. He belongs to the Masonic Order, in which he is a member of the grand lodge, and also to the order of the Woodmen of the World. Mr. Jacky was married October 1, 1889, at Na- poleon, Ohio, to Miss Caroline Yackee, a daughter of Frederick and Sophia Yackee, of that place. They have two interesting boys : George Anthony, born in 1890, and Carl Richard, born in 1893. Their home is one of the pleasant places of the town to drop into and spend an hour or two, both Mr. and Mrs. Jackey finding a high degree of en- joyment in entertaining their many friends.

CHARLES L. JOHNSON has been intimately concerned in many of the stirring events which marked life on the frontier in the early days, hav- ing passed through many vicissitudes and discour- agements and being clearly entitled to distinction as one of the pioneers of the northwest. Mr. John- son comes of stanch southern stock, having been born in Anderson county, Ky., September 5, 1835, the son of Isaiah B. and Elizabeth Johnson, natives respectively of South Carolina and Virginia. The father devoted his years of active business life to agriculture, and his death occurred in 1853, his wife having passed away in 1841. Both were members of the Baptist church. Their son, Charles, attended the common schools in his boy- hood and at the early age of fourteen years en- gaged in farm work. At the age of fifteen he assisted in making the survey for the New Al- bany, Salem & Michigan City Railroad, now a portion of the Monon system. Later he was en- gaged in sawmill and farming work, and in 1854 he secured a clerkship in a mercantile establish- ment in his native state. In 1860 Mr. Johnson having determined to try his fortunes in the west, went to St. Joseph, Mo., and thence proceeded overland to Denver, Colo., the trip being com- passed in twenty-two days. Later, on coming to Montana, he engaged in mining, but with indif-

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Progressive men of the state of Montana, pt 2, Part 114

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