Progressive men of the state of Montana, pt 2, Part 124

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 124

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C H. BARSTOW .- This well known citizen of Billings has been conspicuously identified with the work of the Crow agency in Montana, and his services to the government in that connection were of signal value, for the Crows have been in- tractable and indolent, and have required careful treatment and much urging to turn their willing attention to productive and self-sustaining indus- try. Mr. Barstow comes of Colonial stock, and his ancestors were for generations identified with seafaring. He was born on April 29, 1850, the

son of Rogers L. and Abbie (Willis) Barstow, the former being for many years a whaling merchant at Mattapoisett, Mass., while the latter was a relative of the well known poet and author, N. P. Willis. The paternal grandfather likewise bore the name of Rogers L. Barstow, and he also was identified with the whaling industry, as was also Elisha Willis, the maternal grandfather. The lat- ter was also engaged in merchandising, and at the age of twenty years built the first vessel ever constructed in Maine in or about the first year of the eighteenth century.

C. H. Barstow received his early education in a private school and remained at the parental home until 1864, his father dying in 1860. In 1864 he removed to Boston, found employment in a mer- cantile establishment and later held various posi- tions of trust and responsibility. In 1868 he went south to engage in fruitraising, was for a time in Washington, D. C., and then in Dismal Swamp, Va., but not finding a satisfactory opening, re- turned to Boston, where he formed a partnership with two young men and removed to Reidsville, N. C., where they purchased a plantation and en- gaged in raising peanuts and tobacco. In 1871 Mr. Barstow removed to Hutchinson, Kan., and turned his attention to farming and the buying and shipping of cattle, continuing successfully in these enterprises about eight years. In 1878 he came to Montana, under appointment by the govern- ment, as chief clerk at the Crow Indian agency. He had had much experience with the Indians in Kansas, but had never encountered Indians who held white men in such contempt as did the Crows of Montana. They were apparently incorrigible, and the task of inducing them to follow civilized pursuits was one of herculean order.

Mr. Barstow, however, spared no effort in the line, and faithfully and successfully served in the capacity mentioned for more than twenty years, doing a work which should be held in deep ap- preciation by the government, the people of Mon- tana and the Indians. He persuaded the Crows to engage in farming and other forms of work, and by his persistence did much to advance their interests. In January, 1898, Mr. Barstow took up and has since maintained his residence in Bill- ings. While a resident of Kansas Mr. Barstow served for some time as a member of the school board. Fraternally he is a member of the Bill- ing Lodge of the Benevolent Protective Order of Elks. On February 3, 1886, Mr. Barstow was

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united in marriage with Miss Susan E. Chandler, of Iowa, a daughter of Hirman G. Chandler, a far- mer of that state. Their daughter, Susan E., re- sides at the parental home. Mrs. Barstow died on April 19, 1890, and on October 10, 1893, Mr. Barstow married with Mrs. Louise U. (Walker), Witcher, of Boston, Mass., she being the daughter of a prominent merchant and miller.

CHARLES BELL .- Born in Rock Island county, Ill., on October 2, 1853, the son of J. H. and Emma (Campbell) Bell, Charles Bell, of Butte, has had a busy life and made the most of his opportuni- ties by persistent energy and good business capacity. His father was a mason by trade and followed that occupation in his native state of New York and in Illinois (to which he moved in middle life), until he died, which event occurred at Peoria, in the latter state. His widow is still living at Portland, Ore. Their son Charles received the district school education common to the boys of his section, re- maining at home until he was twenty-one years old. In 1874 he removed to Colorado, and, settling in the San Juan country, engaged in placer mining for about four years. In the spring of 1879 he came overland to Butte, Mont., from Corinne, Utah, and has since made Butte his home, although for many years using the summer months in prospecting in Montana, Idaho and other states. He was one of the first man to prospect in the Coeur d'Alene section in Idaho, being there in 1883. He there located a number of valuable claims, and one winter ran a pack train to the mines. During his pros- pecting career he has located hundreds of claims, and most have been disposed of for small con- siderations, but he still holds promising mines in the vicinity of Butte. For a number of years he has passed the winter months as foreman of mines at Butte and other places. Among those of which he has had charge are the Hibernia, the Mountain Chief and the Kid. Mr. Bell is a Democrat.

SOREN R. BECK, who arrived in Deer Lodge, where he now resides, with a capital of only $2.25, has, by good management and sound business judgment achieved a gratifying success in raising cattle and sheep. He was born in Denmark on July 9, 1866, the son of Anders and Annie (Sorenson)

Beck, and the father was a prominent and success- ful farmer, who acquired a competency and is now living retired. Soren R. Beck was reared on the farm and received the advantages of a superior education. At the age of eighteen he came alone to the United States, and after his arrival at New York came directly to Montana, and settled in Deer Lodge, now Powell county, in 1884. Here for three years he was employed on a ranch belonging to Nels R. Beck, adjoining the city of Deer Lodge. In 1889 he leased 640 acres of land on the Little Blackfoot, nine miles north of Deer Lodge, and di- rected his attention successfully to raising horses for five years. He then engaged, first in the cattle and later in the sheep business, and now has seventy head of the former and a band of 1,200 sheep, con- trolling, with his leased land, three sections, thus having an excellent range. Mr. Beck's first success was made in horses, he having sold out at remuner- ative prices and invested the money in sheep and cattle before the panic of 1893. In 1891 he returned to Denmark and there married Christine Christen- sen, a daughter of Peter M. and Meren (Sorenson) Erickson, who was born in Denmark-where the par- ents still reside. Mr. and Mrs. Beck have six chil- dren : Andrew, Peter, Annie, George, William and Rosa. The fraternal affiliations of Mr. Beck are with the A. O. U. W., and politically he is a Republican.

A RTHUR BECKWITH .- A native of Nova Scotia, born on October 25, 1854, in Corn- wallis, County Kings, and reared amidst the com- forts of that conservative section, Arthur Beckwith made a long stride into the wilderness when he took up a claim of land in Montana amid the Indians, who were his only neighbors for a time and who lived around him for several years. His parents were Albert and Rebecca Beckwith, Nova Scotians, the father being the first graduate of Acadia Col- lege in that province. They had seven children, all sons. Arthur remained at home until he was twenty, attending the public schools and assisting his father on the farm which furnished the family a livelihood, and, when he had reached that age, he began farming on his own account, continuing this occupation for four or five years, then coming west and locating in Colorado for three years.

In 1878 Mr. Beckwith came to Montana and hired out on a ranch for three years, after which he took up a claim and has since been engaged in ranching

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for himself. His property is four miles north of Victor, where he has 235 acres of as fine land as can be found in the Bitter Root valley, sixty head of cattle and a number of very fine horses, most of which he has bred himself, and are very creditable to his stables. 'The claim which he took up, and which is the nucleus of his present ranch, was originally located by the Indians, and, as has been noted, for a year they were his only neighbors. He had no trouble with them, however, and found them of material assistance at times. They re- mained in his vicinity for three years and then went away, their lands being taken up by the whites to whom they sold their rights. Mr. Beck- with located on his land in 1882, and since then he has greatly improved the property and made it a most desirable home, equipped with good build- ings, adorned with trees and shrubbery, and brought to a high state of cultivation. Mr. Beckwith is an unwavering Republican. He was one of the twelve who out of a total vote of 215, in 1896, voted for President Mckinley in his precinct, and always takes great interest in the success of his party. He is also intelligently interested in all local mat- ters in which the welfare of the community is in- volved, and neglects no duty of citizenship that is properly his to perform. He has the cordial regard of a large number of friends and the good will and esteem of all classes.

JOHN BERKIN .- In reviewing the life of this J well known citizen of Boulder, Jefferson county, it would be excusable to say that "he is to the manor born," as much of his boyhood was spent in fruit- ful wanderings over Montana's plains and in her mountain wilds. Still he was born in Leicester shire, England, on April 11, 1865, but accompanied his father to America, who settled on a farm near Boulder when John was but a lad of five years. His education was secured in that city, and he was noted for his intuitive grasp of subjects and of thought beyond the average boy of his years. Reared in the wild life of the plains he early be- came master of the rifle, and before reaching his majority passed much of his time in the mountains, hunting game and prospecting for gold and silver. When not upon one of these exploring expeditions his time was employed at carpenter work. He was the discoverer of the placer mines on the tributary of the North Boulder, and had the energy and ability

to bring water over three miles to his claim and thus was enabled to take out $1,300. He subse- quently sold his claim to George Hauser. The dis- covery and the surmounting of the difficulties of obtaining water from such a distance when he was but a boy showed that Mr. Berkin was possessed of far more than ordinary talent. So impressed were Messrs. Hauser and Vail of his capabilities that he was employed by them to prospect the mountains and streams for mines. He was in Butte when that camp contained only three cabins, and those constructed of logs, but nearly his entire life has been spent in Boulder and the immediate vi- cinity. He saw much of Indian life and customs, as the aborigines were quite numerous in that lo- cality, and he was well acquainted with Chief Jo- seph, the noted Nez Perce chief.

While working at carpenter work on a scaffold Mr. Berkin fell and sustained such serious injuries that it largely changed the current of his business life. One of his limbs was fractured in such a way that it seemed certain for a time that he would lose that member, and, although it was saved, he was obliged to use crutches for a long time. During his convalescence he was not idle, devoting his hours to the study of photography, hence the time was turned to excellent profit. He has long en- joyed· a high reputation as a photographic artist of unusual merit, and his elegant art rooms at Boulder are supplied with all appliances necessary to produce the highest and best art effects. He has a fine traveling outfit and has taken many of the pic- turesque, grand and rare views of Montana.

Mr. Berkin still enjoys the reputation of being one of Montana's most expert hunters, and has un- doubtedly killed more large game in a given time than any other man in the state. He has in his studio a number of pictures showing his trophies of the chase; one with twenty-three deer as a re- sult of six days' hunt. Another shows eighteen deer, secured in eight days by himself, W. E. San- ders, Jr., son of the ex-senator, and Charles Wal- gamot, a brother-in-law, the scene being a log hut on Quinn Canyon, twelve miles from Boulder. Some of the views are reproduced in oil and present a vivid and realistic scene of events which will no longer be possible in many parts of Montana. Mr. Berkin has a pleasant residence in Boulder, and, while his attention is principally devoted to his studio, he is interested in several quartz mines, mostly his own discoveries. W. E. Sanders has been his partner in these enterprises since they were

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young men. Mr. Berkin was married on March 28, 1881, with Miss Hallie Walgamot, a native of Iowa. They have three children: Nellie, Hazel and Isabelle, all born in Boulder. He enjoys the credit of building the first structure for business purposes in Boulder, located on Main street, north of the First National Bank. In political matters he affiliates with the Democratic party and has been twice elected public adminstrator of Jefferson county. Socially he is a member of the Ancient Order of United Workmen and Knights of Pythias. Mr. Berkin from his expert knowledge of mineral- ogy, particularly the peculiar phases shown in Mon- tana, is often called upon as an expert by investors as well as mine owners. As a promoter of mining deals he has been very successful, and his reliability is such that all parties feel assured that no mis- representation of facts will be tolerated by him.

JOHN E. BLACK .- This long successful me- chanic, miner and business man, who was left an orphan when a mere boy and compelled to fight the battle of life for himself, was born at Glasgow, Scotland, on May 20, 1828, the descend- ant of old Scotch families, and is truly one of the "old timers" of the west, having landed in Cali- fornia in 1852 and in Montana in 1866, and hav- ing participated in all of the exciting episodes of life incident to pioneer existence. His father, Edward Black, was captain of an Atlantic vessel voyaging between Liverpool and New York. Taking up his residence in New York, he was killed in 1831 by falling into the machinery of his boat, and his widow died soon after. Their son John obtained his education in the night schools of New York, and also served an apprenticeship at the black- smith's trade, becoming a very skilled workman. In 1852 he went to San Francisco, Cal., and fol- lowed his trade in that state until 1865. In 1857 and 1858 he was in Portland, Ore., and in 1858, he accompanied the famous Col. Wright expedition to the Coeur d'Alene region to fight the Indians. This trip covered four months and was memor- able for the severe sufferings of the men of the expedition, who contracted scurvy through lack of food and were almost exterminated by the In- dians. In 1859 Mr. Black returned to California and passed a year there and then two years in Portland, Ore. From 1862 to 1885 he was occupied in the summer time in mining, passing the winters in San Francisco.

In 1866 he came to Highland Mountain, Mont .; and for three years there worked at his trade in the mines. In 1869 he came to Butte, established a blacksmithing business and remained three years. In 1882 he again went to the Coeur d'Alene coun- try, from whence in 1886 he returned to Butte, and has been since that time incapacitated for active work by chronic rheumatism. During his active life in Butte he owned two blacksmith shops on South Main street (then nothing but a trail) and throughout the whole his active career in the west made money rapidly at his trade, in which he was an acknowledged expert. He invested his savings in real estate and mines, at one time own- ing large blocks of property in the center of Butte (notably the ground south from Park street on the west side of Main) and other valuable par- cels now worth several fortunes. In his mining ventures he located the Welcome Stranger and Self Riser, and owned a half interest in the Tom Harney, and all have been valuable producers. In all of these he lost his interests through the sharp practice of supposed friends, and his valuable real estate passed from his ownership in the same manner, he being unable for the last fifteen years to properly look after his affairs. He also owned two good farms in Jefferson county for a num- ber of years, but disposed of them in 1900. Mr. Black was married at Butte in 1876 to Miss Alice M. Reed, a native of Pleasant Prairie near Keno- sha, Wis., and a daughter of Mr. and Mrs. William Reed, who located at Dillon, Mont., in 1870. Mrs. Black has been a patient and comforting attend- ant upon her husband in his afflictions, and en- joys the high esteem of a very large circle of acquaintances.

W ILLIAM BETHKE .- An excellent type of the sturdy, thrifty and industrious German is William Bethke, of near Musselshell, a prosperous and progressive ranchman, who was born in Bran- denburg, Germany, on October 3, 1860, the son of William C. F. and Dorothea (Stahl) Bethke, of the same nativity as himself. His father moved to Hamburg with his family, and was there employed in an alcohol refinery, remaining until 1886, when he came to America, and after a short time settled on the Musselshell, where he is engaged in raising cattle. His son William was educated in Hamburg and in October, 1880, arrived in America. He

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farmed for two years in Illinois and then worked in a wholesale grocery in Chicago for a short time. In October, 1882, he came to Montana, and en- gaged in farming for two years, when he removed to Pease's Bottom, below Custer station on the Yellowstone. In the spring of 1887 he came to the Musselshell and formed a partnership with George Bachman in the sheep industry. They remained together until 1892, when they sold out and they individually engaged in raising horses, and Mr. Bethke was then located five miles above Mussel- shell crossing. In December, 1899, he was united in marriage with Mrs. Caroline Bauman, a native of Michigan and of German parentage. They have since made their home on the wife's property twelve miles above Musselshell crossing. They have one child, Grace Lillian Bethke. Mr. Bethke has rented his lower ranch and on the upper one is engaged in raising cattle. The ranch is well irrigated from a large ditch, the lower one also having a good supply of water. He runs usually eight cattle, Herefords being the favorite breed. For some years he raised horses extensively, as has been noted, but sold out this line in 1900, sheep being more to his taste and promising better returns. The duties of ordinary citizenship and of his home and farm satisfy Mr. Bethke's desires and occupy his mind and are well performed. For the same reason he has never taken an active part in politics or society organizations or looked with even mo- mentary longing on official station for himself.

G EORGE LEWIS BLUM may be considered, in contradiction of the term "old pioneer," as a "young pioneer," having been brought when an infant to the territory by his parents, and where he has since remained, keeping even pace with the wonderful growth of the country. He was born in Waukesha county, Wis., on October 30, 1863, the son of Valentine and Catherine (Blessinger) Blum, natives of Germany. The father was born near "Bingen-on-the-Rhine," and the mother at Baden. Valentine Blum, reared and educated in Germany, while still a young man, came to the United States, becoming a resident of New York, and met and married Catherine Blessinger at a later day in Wisconsin. For a number of years he conducted farming in the Badger state, but in 1863 removed to Montana and engaged in mining in the far famed Alder gulch, at Philipsburg, Pio-

neer and elsewhere. At Philipsburg he was joined by his family and they subsequently located on a ranch near Pioneer. Mr. Blum died at Philadel- phia, Pa., whither he had gone for medical treat- ment for paralysis. His widow resides with her son, George L., having attained the age of seven- ty-four. George Lewis Blum was but five years of age when he was brought to Montana by his mother. He was reared in what is now Powell county, and received a common school education. . In 1889, when he was twenty-six years old, he purchased 480 acres of the land upon which he now lives, lying six miles west of Gold creek in the "Hellgate" valley. A portion of this prop- erty lies in Granite county, and to the original ranch he has added 560 acres of railroad land. For a number of years he was profitably engaged in raising cattle, but now gives his attention to sheep, having now a band of about 3,000. On January 24, 1898, Mr. Blum was married with Louisa, a daughter of Joseph and Louisa Bles- singer, and a native of Racine, Wis. They have one child, Loretto C. In the community in which they reside the family is highly esteemed and Mr. Blum is regarded as a man of integrity.

H ON. ALEXANDER C. BOTKIN, of Helena, Mont., was born at Madison, Wis., on Octo- ber 13, 1842. His parents, Alexander and Jane (Sinclair) Botkin, were natives of Kentucky and Scotland respectively. Receiving his elementary education in the public schools of Wisconsin and graduating from the State University at Madison in 1859, in 1865 Mr. Botkin matriculated in the law department of the University of Albany, N. Y., and was graduated therefrom in 1866. From 1868 to 1878 he was engaged in journalism on the Chicago Times and Milwaukee Sentinel, and in 1878 he was appointed by President Hayes as United States marshal for Montana, and became a resident that year of the territory. He was com- missioned in 1882, and the same year was the nominee of the Republican party for delegate to Congress, but was defeated by Hon. Martin Magin- nis, the Democratic nominee.

Upon retiring from his Federal office in 1885, Mr. Botkin entered upon the practice of law, and from 1887 to 1890 lie served as the city attorney of Helena. In 1892 he was elected lieutenant-gov- ernor of Montana for a term of four years, at the

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expiration of which he received the Republican nomination for governor, but was defeated at the polls. In 1897 he was appointed by President McKinley as a member of the commmission for the revision of the criminal and penal laws of the United States, and in 1898 was chosen chairman of the commission. By virtue of subsequent acts of congress the commission prepared a system of codes for Alaska and revised the laws relating to the organization, jurisdiction and practice of the Federal courts. . In 1872 Mr. Botkin was united in marriage to Miss Harriet E. Sherman, of Milwaukee, Wis. They have two children, a daughter and a son. In Montana the professional career of Mr. Botkin has been marked with signal success. Throughout the state he is widely known and has a wide circle of devoted friends. In the political affairs of the state he manifests a lively interest, and wields undoubted influence, while professionally he stands high among the members of the Montana bar, being recognized as authority on abstruse questions involving an exact knowl- edge of the intricacies of practice.

T THOMAS J. BONNER .- The subject of this sketch holds distinctive prestige as one of the most successful Nimrods of Custer county, where he is also engaged in stockraising. His experience as a hunter has been wide and varied, and his familiarity with the game of the plains and moun- tains has made him an adept in his line. Mr. Bon- ner comes of stanch old Scotch-Irish stock, his father having been a brother of the late Robert Bonner, the well known turfman and capitalist of New York city. Thomas James Bonner, the im- mediate subject of this review, is a native of the city of Milwaukee, Wis., where he was born, and his parents were P. M. and Margaret (Whel- and) Bonner, the former of Scotch lineage and the latter a native of Ireland. The father of our subject was for a number of years prominently engaged in the lumbering business, in Wisconsin and Minne- sota, and he finally removed to North Dakota, where he founded the village of Bonnerville. Later he removed to the city of Spokane, Wash., where he has since been engaged in the ice business, in which line he has been successful.

Thomas J. Bonner received his early educational training in the public schools of Lake City, Minn., and later attended the high school at Moorhead,

that state. Upon leaving school, he came at once to Montana and worked on the trail with cattle. Finally he removed to the state of Washington, where he was engaged in the horse business for a period of three years, after which he still farther varied his experiences by removing to Texas, where he was employed as a hunter with the T. H. cat- tle outfit, supplying the men with game and being thus engaged for three years. He then went to Ok- lahoma to take part in the race for land when the same was thrown open to settlement, and he se- cured a claim in Salt valley, retaining the same for a fortnight and then selling out at a good profit. He then started again for the northwest, devoting his time to hunting for wolves and coyotes while en route, and making $1,100 through his efforts in this line while coming through to Montana, having killed about 500 wolves. He still continued to devote his attention to hunting during the fall and winter seasons, and is known as the famous hunter of Custer county. Finally he located on his present home ranch, on Mizpah creek, and here he has a well improved place for his home, and devotes his attention to the raising of sheep and cattle, keeping an average ·of 200 head of cattle and 5,000 head of sheep. As a hunter he supplies fine-grade hides to one of the leading concern's handling this line of products in. the city of Chicago. In his political proclivities Mr. Bonner is a stalwart supporter of the Republican party and its principles. Mr. Bon- ner was married with Miss Helen Kasper, who was born in Minnesota and who died in 1899, leaving three children, Matilda, Robert and George.

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Progressive men of the state of Montana, pt 2, Part 124

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