Progressive men of the state of Montana, pt 2, Part 122

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 122

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Thomas W. Longley was educated in the public schools and at Westminster College in his native county. In 1867, when but seventeen years old, he went to Texas and worked with stock for five years. In 1872 he crossed the plains to eastern Nevada with a herd of cattle, and from that time to 1883 made Reno in that state his headquarters. In 1875 he began to accumulate stock of his own, and until 1883 was a cattle and horse dealer, run- ning his stock on the ranges in Nevada and Idaho. In the summer of 1883 he became associated with the Green Mountain Stock Ranching Company, and changed his residence from Idaho to Emmel's creek, now in Rosebud county, Mont. He re- mained in the employ of that company until it was

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absorbed by the Fletcher Brothers in 1890. At that time he sold his western stock interests and becoming manager of the Fletchers has remained in charge of their interests ever since. Their ranches and range are devoted entirely to breed- ing high-grade draught and driving horses, all of excellent quality, and they are placed on all markets accessible to American horses, and in 1901 they shipped more than 2,000 head, while the number on hand averages from 2,000 to 3,000 head.

The Fletcher Brothers live in Minneapolis, but Mr. Longley makes his headquarters at Forsyth. He is an ardent Democrat in politics, and when Rosebud county was organized in the spring of [901, Gov. Toole appointed him treasurer of the county. In the discharge of his official duties he exhibited both knowledge of the needs of the new county and consideration for the rights and interests of its citizens. He made a model official, and won the commendation of all classes of citizens as such. Fraternally he holds membership in Rosebud Lodge, K. of P., at Forsyth.

J OHN AKESSON .- The subject of this sketch, who is one of the enterprising farmers and stockgrowers of Cascade county, was born in Sweden on March 15, 1851, the son of Aka S. and Duger Akesson, both of whom passed their lives in Sweden, where the mother died in 1864 and the father in 1867. The latter was a farmer, and both himself and his wife were devoted mem- bers of the Lutheran church. John Akesson re- ceived his education in the public schools of his native land, continuing his studies until he had attained the age of fifteen years, when he began his individual efforts in business life by engaging in farm work, to which he devoted his attention for several years in the employ of others. In 1873 he went to work on the railroad, to which line he gave his time until 1882, having come early to the United States.

In 1882 Mr. Akesson came to Miles City, Mont., and was identified with the work of completing the Northern Pacific Railroad to Helena. In 1883 he secured employment in the plaster mines, con- tinuing thus engaged for two years. From 1885 to 1886 he was engaged in farm work for Thomas Clary in the Sun river district, and the following two years he was similiarly employed by Charles Turner on Box Elder creek. In 1886 Mr. Akes-

son took up a homestead of 160 acres, and in 1895 secured a desert claim of 160 acres, while in 1898 he purchased another 160 acres of soldiers' scrip. His ranch is located eight miles south- west of Belt, and is one of the desirable places of this section of the state. One hundred acres are susceptible of cultivation, while the remainder affords excellent grazing. Mr. Akesson has been deservedly successful in his farming and stock- raising operations, and is recognized as one of the representative ranchmen of the county. In politics he supports the Democratic party, and in religion holds to the faith of the Lutheran church.

FRANCIS P. ADAMS is a young citizen of Lewis and Clarke county who has achieved suc- cess in the sheep business. His extensive ranch is located due west of Fulton, in the Wolf creek district. He was born at Still-Ogen, a suburb of Dublin, Ireland, on July 5, 1864, the son of Thomas and Mary J. Adams, both natives of Ireland, where the father quite successfully followed the stock-ex- change business in Dublin. The mother, who died on February 18, 1878, was a devout Episcopalian, as is the father, who is still living. Francis P. Adams enjoyed excellent opportunities for ob- taining an, education in the schools near his birthi- place. Of these he gladly and industriously availed himself, and at the age of seventeen years entered his father's counting room. Here was the best kind of business discipline, and he soon realized fully the benefit which he now derives from those early experiences. It was in 1883 that young Adams first began to think of the favorable inducements offered by the great northwest of the United States, and in the spring of i884 he came from Ireland, going directly through to Oregon, where, in partner- ship with his brother, Walter A. Adams, he en- gaged in the sheep business. They purchased 3,000 head and within two months' time had driven them through the Coeur d'Alene mountains to Montana. They first located at Flat creek, later removing their range lands to twelve miles southeast of Augusta, Lewis and Clarke county, where they re- mained for four years, in the meantime hunting with considerable success. Francis P. Adams then de- cided to engage in sheepraising individually. He began with 800 head, which he let out on shares until 1895, when he assumed full charge of them and increased their number to 2,800. Mr. Adams

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located his present ranch in 1888. He secured a homestead claim west of Fulton, added 1,280 acres of railroad land, making 1,440 acres, and the busi- ness has proved an unqualified success. On May 28, 1892, Mr. Adams was united in marriage with Miss May Roberts, a native of Middlesex, England, the daughter of Thomas and Katherine Roberts. Her father was for many years a land agent and surveyor and both of her parents were Episcopal- ians. Her father died on March 23, 1893. Both Mr. and Mrs. Adams are communicants of the Episcopalian church. In the community in which they reside the family of Mr. Adams is quite popu- lar and number a host of friends. He is regarded as a man of sterling character and of many pleasing personal traits. He has never seen cause to regret his first trip to Montana, which has resulted in financial and social success.

0 O. ANDERSON .- As one of the representa- tive stockgrowers of the county this gentle- man merits recognition in this compilation. He is a native of Kentucky, born in Logan county, on December 8, 1854, one of the three children. of J. R. and Alice (Deckert) Anderson, the former of whom was likewise born in Logan county, while the latter was a native of Virginia. The father passed his life in Kentucky, where he was engaged in carpentering and building and also owned and operated a large farm, being one of the honored citizens of Logan county. O. O. Ander- son received his early education in the public schools and remained on the homestead farm of his parents until he was nineteen years old, when he went to Texas and engaged in freighting, trans- porting supplies to the buffalo hunters on the great llano estacado, or staked plains. Three years later he removed to New Mexico and thence to Colorado, devoting his time to prospecting and freighting for two years. He then went to Kan- sas, and was identified with the cattle business for about six years, when, in 1881, he came to Montana. Soon after his arrival he engaged in the milling business in company with Jackson Moss, and two years later he went to the Mus- selshell district and engaged in freighting for two years, his having been the distinction of hanling the first load of sawed lumber to the present thriv- ing city of Big Timber.

Mr. Anderson then engaged in contracting and

building until 1887, when he was appointed stock inspector, retaining this incumbency one year, after which he again took up the cattle business, hav- ing first received a permit to feed his stock on the Crow reservation. When that portion of the reservation which is included in the present county of Carbon was thrown open to settlement Mr. Anderson filed claim to a homestead on Fiddler creek, and this claim is an integral portion of his present fine ranch property. The place is situated in the district surrounding the village of Absar- okee, which is his postoffice address, and he has made the best of permanent improvements, in- cluding a good residence, large barns, etc., while on every hand is given evidence of the care and direction of the progressive owner. In the breed- ing of cattle Mr. Anderson gives preference to the Hereford type, but he also raises considerable shorthorn stock, breeding from thoroughbreds and keeping an average of more than 500 head. In raising horses, to which he devotes no second- ary attention, he breeds from the finest thorough- bred stock in the strain of English and French draught horses, and his stock in this line com- mands the best prices. A portion of his ranch is under effective irrigation, insuring large annual yields of hay. In October, 1891, Mr. Anderson was united in marriage to Mrs. Louise Haskins, a native of Ohio. Mr. Anderson has never been an aspirant for the honors or emoluments of pub- lic office, though he ever shows a lively interest in all that tends to promote the material prog- ress and prosperity of the community.

THOMPSON W. LUCE .- A native son of the Buckeye state and one who went forth to do valiant service as a Union soldier in the Civil war, Mr. Luce is now one of the progressive and success- ful sheepgrowers of Teton county. He was born at Fort Ancient, Warren county, Ohio, on January 15, 1847, his father being William Luce, who was born in Pennsylvania in 1799, and who moved thence to Ohio, where he was engaged in farming until his death, also devoting his attention to ped- dling, then the approved method of merchandising in the rural districts. He also assisted in the build- ing of the Little Miami Railroad, which was one of the earliest in the Union. His wife, whose maiden name was Mary Cline, was born in New Jersey, and died on the old homestead near Fort Ancient, Ohio, in 1863, having made the world better.

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Thompson W. Luce received his education in an independent school maintained near his birthplace, and assisted in the work of the parental homestead until 1864. In the spring of that year he enlisted in the Morristown National Guards and in the fall of the same year enlisted as a private in Company G, One Hundred and Eighty-third Ohio Infantry, which served under Gen. Thomas until the close of the war. After ending his military career and re- ceiving his discharge Mr. Luce returned to Warren county, Ohio, and followed farming and carpenter- ing until 1881, when he became connected with railroading in Indiana and Kentucky in the track department. In the spring of 1891 he came to Pondera, Teton county, Mont., and was employed in the track department of the Great Falls & Canada Railroad for eighteen months.

Having become much impressed with the indus- trial possibilities and advantages of this section of Montana, Mr. Thompson then took up a tract of government land four and one-half miles south of Pondera, and to his original homestead he has since added by purchasing and by acquiring other gov- ernment claims until he has now a fine ranch of about 1,200 acres, which is given over to the rais- ing of a fine grade of sheep, in which industry operations are conducted on a constantly increasing scale. At present his average run of sheep is from 3,000 to 4,000 head. Mr. Luce is an ardent advo- cate of the principles of the Republican party, and has done much to forward its cause in a local way, and he takes an active interest in the development and material prosperity of his county and state and commands uniform respect and confidence. At Leba- non, Ohio, in 1871, Mr. Luce was united in mar- riage to Miss Addie Seaman, who was born near Middleboro, in that state, and they are the parents of three children : Raymond; Blanche, the wife of E. D. Jones, of Pondera, and Harry.

W R. ALLEN .- Of the army of successful men in Montana, there is no better type than Mr. W. R. Allen, mine owner, stockman and capitalist, of Anaconda. Born on July 25, 1871, in what is known as French gulch, in Silver Bow county, Mont., where his father was conducting extensive mining operations, he received his early education in the public schools of Deer Lodge county and afterwards attended the Helena Busi- ness College, at Helena, from which he was grad-

uated with honor in 1891. Immediately upon completing his education, Mr. Allen became in- terested in mining in French gulch, where he has since owned and operated good paying properties. A progressive man, thoroughly versed in the most approved methods of mining, he has from the beginning carried on his operations by means of the latest and most approved appliances and machin- ery, and has met with unusual success. His good judgment and successful experience in the opera- tion of mines have given him an extended reputa- tion as a mining expert, and his services have been sought by investors on many occasions. He has accumulated a considerable fortune, and is counted one of the substantial business men and property owners of western Montana. He is the owner of a fine stock ranch on Mill creek, and much valuable real estate in Anaconda, as well as mining properties in Silver Bow and Deer Lodge counties and elsewhere.

His father, William N. Allen, a native of Louisi- ana, Mo., where he was born in 1838, was one of the prominent early settlers and pioneers of Mon- tana, having carried his blankets on his back from Salt Lake City, Utah, to Alder gulch in Febru- ary, 1864, when the first great stampede took place. He remained in Virginia City and vicinity engaged in placer mining until the fall of 1865, when he removed to French gulch, where he owned and operated mines for over fifteen years. He located a stock farm on Mill creek, near where Anaconda now stands, in 1880, and resided there until his death, on February 4, 1898. His wife, Cordelia Waddell Allen, who shared with him the pleasures, hardships and trials incident to ·frontier life, was also a native of Louisiana, Mo., and passed away at Divide, Mont., in 1876. Mr. Allen thus comes of a family of pioneers and pathfinders, and he is a pioneer, having made his home on or near its site long before the settle- ment of Anaconda was thought of. He has seen farm produce growing up on the land where now stand large business blocks, and when a boy on many occasions he played with his companions on the grounds now occupied by the Smelter city. His conspicuous success has been due to fore- sight, integrity and keen business ability. He has availed himself with careful judgment of the busi- ness opportunities which he has found about him, and has not failed to turn them to his own advan- tage and to the welfare and prosperity of others.

Mr. Allen is identified with the Republican party,

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taking an active and patriotic interest in party affairs, although never seeking office. Many times he has declined positions of public honor which have been tendered him, preferring to give his en- tire time to the management of his private interests. But he believes it to be the duty of every citizen to attend primaries and conventions, thus contributing to the proper conduct of the public business and the promotion of public wel- fare. He is often seen in county and state con- ventions, and his judgment and advice are ever in demand when arise questions of importance. Mr. Allen is affiliated with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, and also with the Masonic Order, being a member of Acacia Lodge, A. F. & A. M., of Anaconda, and he has a laudable interest in the fraternal and charitable work of these societies. In the fall of 1893 Mr. Allen was married at Liv- ingston, Mont., to Miss Eliza Berkin, a native of Boulder, born in 1874. She is the daughter of William and Jane Berkin, early pioneers of Mon- tana, who came hither in 1863. Mr. Berkin was for many years the Boulder agent of the Diamond R Freighting & Forwarding Company, and has since been largely connected with mining, ranch- ing and stockgrowing in Jefferson and Fergus counties. He is now retired from active busi- ness, and resides with his son, Hon. John Berkin, in Meagher county. Mr. and Mrs. Allen have a charming home in Anaconda and three children, Mildred, Esther and an infant. They are notably happy in their domestic life, Mrs. Allen being a helpmeet and companion to her husband, con- sulted by him in connection with all his business enterprises. He attributes much of his success to her wise counsel and conservative advice.

IRVIN D. ASKEW .- One of the rising stockmen of northern Montana of the younger generation, is Irvin D. Askew, whose address is Cascade, Mont. A native of Pennsylvania, he was born January 2, 1865, in Rushville, the son of Miles and Mary (Raught) Askew, the former a native of Lan- cashire, England, and the latter of Pennsylvania. His father emigrated from his native country to America in early life, establishing his home at Plymouth, Pa., where he conducted blacksmithing until his decease, in 1899. His mother was of Scotch lineage and was born in Rushville, Pa. She died at Rushville in 1871 and lies buried in that city. Their son, John D. Askew, attained manhood

in Pennsylvania, receiving his early education in the excellent public schools nearhis boyhood's home. When seventeen years old he began life for himself as a clerk in the Elmer hotel, at Towanda, Pa., where he remained for about three years. In the spring of 1885, resigning his position, he deter- mined to seek his fortune in the west, and coming to the then territory of Montana, he first located at Johnstown, now known as West Great Falls, and remained there for about two years in the employ of the Montana Cattle Company. At the end of that time he removed to Ulida, now Cascade, Mont., and located 160 acres of land at the head of Bird creek, and engaged in ranching and stockraising.

Mr. Askew has steadily added to his acreage and holdings until he is now the owner of a fine ranch of about 1,100 acres of land, 150 acres being de- voted to general ranching, and the remainder to the raising of cattle and horses. His livestock op- erations have recently grown to quite large pro- portions, and his herds are increasing from year to year. For about ten months in 1900, Mr. Askew conducted a livery stable in Great Falls, but, dis- posing of that business, he has since confined him- self to his ranching and stock interests. Decem- ber 13, 1897, at West Auburn, Pa., Mr. Askew was united in marriage with Miss Pearl Kirkoff, the daughter of George Kirkoff, for many years a prominent farmer and stockgrower of Susquehanna county, and one of the leading citizens of that sec- tion. Their home is one widely known for its gracious and generous hospitality, and is graced with two children, May and Edith, the oldest nearly three years of age and the youngest a year old. Fraternally Mr. Askew is affiliated with the Inde- pendent Order of Odd Fellows as a member of Chestnut Valley Lodge No. 29, of Cascade, while politically he is a stanch adherent of the Republican party, taking a leading position in the councils and management of that political organization in his county. He is a member of the Republican county central committee, and is also deputy county as- sessor of Cascade county, having been appointed to the latter position in 1901. He is a progressive and enterprising man of business, energetic, straight-forward and successful in his undertak- ings. He has taken an active part in the develop- ment of northern Montana, and has been foremost in the advocacy of all measures intended to promote the section of the state where he maintains his home. He is held in esteem by his fellow citizens and is one of the rising men of Montana.

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R D. ANDERSON, of Dupuyer, Teton county, is a striking example of the successful evolu- tion of a determined, industrious man of all work into an enterprising and prosperous citizen through the medium of cattleraising, one of Montana's leading industries. On January 10, 1861, he was born on a farm in Dubuque county, Iowa. His father, David Rice Anderson, of Irish ancestry, was a Kentuckian, born about 1821, and who died in Dubuque county, Iowa, in August, 1861. His widow, Mary Ann (Bailey) Anderson, was born in 1830 in Liverpool, England. She passed away near Leon, Decatur county, Iowa, on September 22, 1901. R. D. Anderson passed through all of the pub- lic schools of Dyersville, Iowa, faithfully improv- ing his early opportunities. At the age of fourteen he left home, but he continued school education until he was sixteen. Then, in 1877, he removed to South Dakota, where he secured employment during the summer as night- herder of a freighting team, and he subsequently worked on ranches near Yankton and in Hutchinson county until the spring of 1882. During the summer of that year he came to Montana, where his first occupation was driving a freighting outfit between Junction City and Forts Maginnis and Custer. At this he continued until the spring of 1883, and during the following winter he chopped wood on the Mis- souri river to supply the steamboats. In 1884 he went to Lewis and Clarke county, then, in 1885, after a short period passed at Augusta, he came to Dupuyer, Teton county. He made this his home for ten years, being employed on neighbor- ing ranches where his general ability and diligence won appreciation. At one period, between 1885 and 1887, he carried the mail to and from Choteau and Blackfoot. The homestead upon which he at present resides he located in 1895. It com- prises 160 acres, and to this' he has added by lease 640 acres on the Dry Forks of the Marias, where he is extensively engaged in general farm- ing and the breeding of cattle and horses. He is a Democrat and has never married.

J AMES ASHBAUGH .- This gentleman is the scion of families bred in old Kentucky, where his father, Frederick, and his mother, Martha Ash- baugh, were born and reared. His father was a potter and made crockery and also farmed in In- diana, where James Ashbaugh was born on May 7,

1830, the sixth of eight children. He was edu- cated in the public schools until he was eighteen years of age, then devoted all of his time to work on his father's farm. At twenty-four he set sail from New York for the Isthmus of Panama, and from there went up the Pacific coast to California, then the land of promise for all the seekers of sudden fortunes. After mining for three years in Cali- fornia he returned to Illinois, there passed two years, and came overland to Montana, reaching the bustling camp of Bannack at the height of its pros- perity and excitement. During his first winter he mined for gold on Grasshopper creek, and the next spring secured a ranch on Beaverhead and for twelve years was engaged in stockraising. Selling out he went to Sidney, Iowa, and near there he farmed for five years. He then returned to Montana and traveled over the territory seeking a satisfactory location, and in 1884 he took up a desert claim of 160 acres, the ranch on which he now resides, near Laurel on the Yellowstone, and has placed 80 acres of it under good cultivation, producing fine annual crops of wheat, oats, alfalfa and other farm pro- ducts. Mr. Ashbaugh is an ardent and consistent Democrat. His first presidential vote was cast for Franklin Pierce, and he has voted the ticket of his party ever since. His life has of late years been peaceful and always useful, a valuable contribution to the productive forces of his community, and an example of industry and thrift.

J B ANNIN .- This gentleman was born at Le- roy, N. Y., on October 26, 1865, the son of J. W. and Julia (Burt) Annin, the former a native of Leroy and the latter of Mt. Morris, N. Y. The maternal grandfather, a Mr. Burt, removed from Warwick, N. Y., to York in the fertile Genessee valley in 1824. The Burts are also descendants of the celebrated New England Winthrop family, one of whom, the famous Robert Winthrop, was the first governor of the Massachusetts colony. Mr. Annin's father removed from Leroy to Lakewood, N. J., in 1870, making that place his home until 1876, when he became a resident of Mt. Morris, N. Y., until his death in 1879. He was a prominent merchant and horticulturist. J. B. Annin, after his graduation from the high school at Mt. Morris, engaged in mercantile business in that place until 1886, when he came west and located at Evans- ton, Wyo., where he remained until February, 1889,

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then he came to Livingston, Mont., entering the employ of Thompson Brothers, with whom he re- mained until July, 1890, when he engaged in busi- ness for himself at Cokedale, and in October, 1892, opened the nucleus of his present establishment at Columbus. In 1896 the closing of the Cokedale mines caused him to abandon his enterprise there and give his whole attention to the business at Co- lumbus. Two years later his establishment was merged in the Columbus Mercantile Company, and in 1899 the present commodious and convenient stone building was erected. It is 30x100 feet, and contains two stories and a basement.

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Progressive men of the state of Montana, pt 2, Part 122

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