Progressive men of the state of Montana, pt 2, Part 13

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 13

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JOHN ELLISON .- Seven miles from Big Tim- ber, Sweet Grass county, on the Boulder river, lies the extensive cattle ranch of Mr. Ellison, who is recognized as one of the most prominent and en- terprising citizens of the district. He is an Englishi- man, born in Lancashire, on August 6, 1847, in a family of five sons and seven daughters. His parents, Henry and Ann (Swift) Ellison, were natives of Lancashire, as was his paternal grand- father, Adam Ellison. Henry Ellison was a farmer and with him John passed his childhood and attend- ed school. In 1870 John Ellison accepted a posi- tion on the police force of the city of Wiggen, in which service he passed five years, resigning as a sergeant. His father was then growing old, and he returned to tne homestead and assumed its charge for three years. Seeing an opportunity for an in- creased income he entered the service of the Lan- cashire & Yorkshire Railway, and three years later he was a train operator on the London & North- western Railway, serving until 1881.

Mrs. Ellen Taylor, a sister, was then living at Fort Assinnaboine, Mont., and in response to her frequent and urgent letters Mr. Ellison came to the United States, and made his initial location at Bismarck, N. D. Ten months later he came :0 Glendive, Mont., to aid in the construction of the Northern Pacific Railroad and later he was in charge of a section four miles east of Big Timber until 1885, when he purchased a ranch, located on the Boulder river, and seven miles from Big Tim- ber, from I. G. Cooper, to which he has since added extensively, and where he resides engaged in cattle-

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raising, having a fine herd of Herefords. Selling these in 1894, he engaged extensively in the sheep business and is wintering a large number for W. D. Ellis, and caring for a herd of cattle. He culti- vates large quantities of alfalfa, usually cutting 300 tons each season. On May 29, 1869, Mr. Elli- son was united in marriage to Miss Elizabeth Rob- inson, daughter of Richard Robinson, of Lan- cashire, England. Two of their ten children, Anın and William Henry, are dead, the others are Alice, Mrs. Charles F. Morris, residing on the Sweet Grass river; Elizabeth Ellen, wife of Mr. Glen M. Parker, a prominent rancher; William Henry, a rancher on the Boulder river ; Arthur T., Maggie,. Frederick, Florence and Albert. Mr. Ellison has served as road supervisor and is school trustee, and each of these offices he most acceptably fills.

A UGUST ERECKSON .- That Montana offers distinct inducements to men of industry and ambition, affording them a means of winning a worthy success, is shown in the career of Mr. Ereckson, who is now one of the prosperous cat- tlegrowers of his section of the state, and who has gained some fine real estate interests in Cas- cade county, where he now makes his home. A native of the far-distant Norseland, he early started out in life for himself, has had many interest- ing and diversified experiences, and has at last secured the merited reward of his individual ef- forts-a handsome property and business and the confidence and respect of his fellow men.

Mr. Ereckson was born in Sweden, on the 9th of August, 1850, being the son of Andrew and Anna Ereckson, both of whom passed their entire lives in Sweden, where the former died in 1851 and the latter in 1859. Both were members of the Lutheran church, and by occupation the father was a merchant. Their son, the subject of this sketch, received only limited educational advantages in his youth, for he was but eleven years of age, when, in 1861, he went to sea as a common sailor, later being advanced to the position of an able seaman, while he eventually became a coal passer on one of the fleet of the Peruvian navy, being promoted fireman after a service of six months. These voyages were made to the various South American ports, and later seafaring trips took our subject to San Francisco, whence he shipped on the coast on a vessel bound for Vic-

toria and Lima, locating on Puget Sound, where coal was plentiful. In 1876 he went to Butte county, Cal., where he was identified with ranch work until 1881, when he came to Montana, lo- cating in Cascade county, where he took up a pre-emption claim of 160 acres and a tree claim of equal area, eventually changing the latter to a homestead claim. In 1892 he purchased 160 acres for $500, and later exchanged this for city prop- erty in Great Falls. In 1897 he purchased another 160 acres for $500, and within the present year (1901) has made another investment of a similar amount, securing an equal amount of land, while he also purchased another town lot, for a con- sideration of $225. Thus Mr. Ereckson has at the present time a total of 640 acres of ranch land and two city lots, on one of which is a two-story brick building. All this is significant when we recall the fact that when he arrived in Montana his proprietary interests were practically summed up in the possession of two blankets. His ranch is located four and one-half miles west of the village of Belt, is well improved, and here he has been successful in farming and stockraising, while his life and industrious efforts have gained him confidence and esteem. In politics Mr. Ereck- son gives his support to the Democracy.

In the year 1892 was solemnized the marriage of Mr. Ereckson to Miss Sophie Anderson, who like himself is a native of Sweden, whence she emigrated to the United States in 1882, in com- pany with her mother and step-fatlier, Peter Ol- son, and brothers and sisters and her own father, Andrew Anderson, having died in Sweden. She resided for a time in Minneapolis, Minn., whence she came to Montana. The stepfather and the mother, Augusta Ereckson, still reside in Minne- apolis. Mr. and Mrs. Ereckson became the par- ents of five children, namely : Alice (deceased), Ellen Augusta, Lydia, Helena, Karl Augustus and May Sophia. Our subject and his wife are members of the Lutheran church.

JOSEPH ELMER, deceased, first came to Mon-

- tana in 1879. He was born in England on October 15, 1829, the youngest son of William Elmer, an English farmer. Until he left his native country Joseph Elmer worked on the farm of his father. In 1850, accompanied by two brothers and a sister-in-law, he came to the United States

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and secured employment in New York state as a painter, which occupation he industriously fol- lowed until 1858. In that year he removed to McLean county, Ill., where he passed nine years in farming, then in 1867, went to Bates county, Mo., where he continued farming until coming to Butte, Mont., in 1879. Here he engaged in team- ing for three years and then secured a homestead in Pleasant Valley, Jefferson county. Later he came into possession of several other quarter sec- tions until he had a large and valuable tract, which was devoted to general farming and the raising of fine cattle and horses.

On October 14, 1855, Mr. Elmer was united in marriage to Miss Catherine A. Englert, of Wayne county, Pa., born on February 21, 1840. The cere- mony was performed in Broome county, N. Y. She was the daughter of Adam Englert, of Phila- delphia, and Julia Ann (Smith) Englert, of New York state. The paternal grandfather had come from Germany and settled in Pennsylvania many years before. To Mr. and Mrs. Elmer were born eleven children, Wesley J., Uriah W., Lydia E., now Mrs. David McCall, residing in Whitehall; Harriet E., now Mrs. Morrison, living in Madison county ; Martha A., now Mrs. M. Tuttle, living in Pleasant Valley, Jefferson county ; Julia M., now Mrs. Gist, residing in Medford, Ore .; Edward J., Frank B., Stella V., now Mrs. Wade, and living in Pleasant Valley; Arthur and Charles H. Mr. Elmer died in 1895. For many years he was school trustee and was the principal factor in hav- ing the first school established in Pleasant Valley. He was highly esteemed by all with whom he was brought into association, possessing as he did su- perior intelligence and the highest probity and be- ing harmoniously in sympathy with all progressive and broad-minded views. His was a life of useful- ness and whatever the responsibilities he encount- ered he invariably met them with energy and an appreciation of his duty. He was a life-long mem- ber of the Methodist church and for many years served as steward. The cause of vital religion felt his loss as that of a standard-bearer in Zion's field.

SAVIN R. LISA .- The demand of our country for toilers in her fruitful fields of productive enterprise, where work is plentiful and where work will pay, has drawn to our shores willing la- borers from every civilized country on the globe.

Among the number who have exchanged the vine- clad hills and verdant vales of sunny Italy for the mountains and mines of the great American north- west, is Savin R. Lisa, one of Butte's prominent and substantial merchants. He was born in Turin, Italy, July 7, 1858, a son of Joseph R. and Jose- phine (Bobba) Lisa. The father, a merchant and baker, died when Savin, the fifth of nine children. was quite young.

Mr. Lisa attended the common schools at in- tervals until he was fifteen years old, making up for the interruptions by sessions of night school. and in 1873 he emigrated to America and worked in the mines of Michigan until 1879, when he re- moved to Butte and continued mining there for eighteen months longer. In 188t he went into merchandising, conducting it at various places until 1887. Then he opened an attractive grocery store at his present location, which he has carried on with gratifying success, angmenting his trade and widening its scope as time passed until it is one of the most extensive and profitable of the city. In 1898, in addition to this enterprise, he started a macaroni factory at Great Falls, and has since organized a company with $40,000 capital to inaug- urate a similar factory in Butte. This company recently completed the buildings and plant nec- essary for the business, and began operations with a product of 2,000 pounds daily.

Mr. Lisa was appointed consular agent for Italy for the states of Montana, Wyoming and Idaho, on January 3, 1901. He also represents several trans-Atlantic steamship lines and issues tickets and exchange to all parts of Europe. He is still conducting his mercantile business at 63 East Park street, carrying an extensive stock of wines, liquors, groceries and queensware. He also owns and operates valuable mining properties. In every thing he undertakes he is a man of energy and leaves no effort unmade on his part to secure the best results. He is an active Republican, and as such was elected county commissioner in 1894 for a term of three years. He discharged his official duties with credit to himself and with eminent sat- isfaction to the citizens of the county. He has also represented his party in conventions, both county and state, with distinction. He is a Mason in all branches of the order to and including the thirty-second degree : is also a Knight of Pythias and an Elk, and a member of the Christoforo Colombo Society, of which he was the originator and served as president for ten years. Under his

Javin R. Lisa,

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management it was the most flourishing and suc- cessful branch of the order on the Pacific slope. In this order he also founded the first lodge organ- ized in Michigan, and was its first president, al- though he was then but eighteen years old.

ILLIAM ETTIEN .- The year which marked the centennial anniversary of our national independence stands as the date of Mr. Ettien's advent into Montana, of which state he is truly a pioneer, while this has been the scene of his well directed efforts during the ensuing period and he now stands as one of the extensive stockgrowers of Fergus county, where he is considered a reli- able and progressive citizen and one whose integ- rity is not to be gainsaid. Mr. Ettien was born in Iowa, near Burlington, in Des Moines county, on July 19, 1852, the son of John and Susan Ettien, both of whom were born in Pennsylvania. They removed to Illinois in an early day and, after passing a few years there, continued their way westward and located in Des Moines county, where they lived eight years and where William was born. In 1857 they moved to Madison county, where the father devoted his attention to agriculture for years and died at Los Angeles, Cal., on No- vember 12, 1901, at the venerable age of nearly four score years, and he was buried in Evergreen cemetery. He was a Republican until after Grant's second administration, from which time he voted with the Democrats. His wife died nearly twenty years before her husband passed away. Of their twelve children nine survive, Mary, Lizzie, David H., Susan, William, Amanda, James, Charles and Etta.

William Ettien began to assist in the work of the old home when a mere child and his services were given to his father until the attaining of his legal majority gave him emancipation in harmony with the wishes of both, and he then learned the carpenter's trade, at which he worked for three years, becoming a skilled artisan. In the spring of 1875 the gold excitement in the Black Hills drew Mr. Ettien to that section, and there he was for several months engaged in unsuccessful pros- pecting. He came to Montana in 1876 and for the first two years of his residence engaged in hunting and trapping on the Big Horn and Yel- lowstone rivers, meeting with excellent success and greatly enjoying the exhilarating sport. Fin- 67

ally he went to Fort Custer and secured a con- tract for supplying hay and wood to the Federal troops, and also engaged in freighting to that point for one year. In the spring of 1879 Mr. Ettien proceeded northward to where Fort As- sinnaboine was being constructed, and there se- cured a contract similar to that which he held at Fort Custer and also worked at his trade. In the fall of 1879 the Yogo river gold discoveries brought him to the vicinity of his present home, now in Fergus, but then in Meagher county. He took up a pre-emption claim of 160 acres, twelve miles southeast of Utica. Hehas now 800 acres of land, all but 80 acres being in one body, a part of this is the adjoining ranch of his brother James, which he has recently purchased. Here Mr. Ettien on his valuable estate is raising cattle of high grade, and also secures large yields of hay. Fortune has favored his energetic efforts since he came to Fergus county, and he is held in esteem by the best people. His political allegiance is accorded to the Republican party. Fraternally he is iden- tified with the time-honored order of Freemasons, as a member of Lewistown Lodge No. 37 and Hiram Chapter No. 15, both of Lewistown.

JOHN GUS. ERNST, one of the prominent and successful stockraisers of Cascade county, Mont., is a resident of Sand Coulee. He was born in Saxony, Germany, on June 21, 1848. His par- ents were John G. and Katherine Ernst, natives of Germany. The father was a night watchman of a railroad company until his death in 1860, and his wife survived him, dying in 1870. John G. Ernst at the age of thirteen years began learning the trade of a blacksmith, and when sixteen he came to the United States. Here he secured work in New York city in a tin shop as helper for three months, and then began working for the Brew- ster Carriage Company as a blacksmith, contin- uing with that prominent firm for two years, after which he drove an express wagon for two years and next driving a bakery wagon for nine months.

In 1868 Mr. Ernst came to Fort Shaw, Mont., where he was a blacksmith for two years, and in 1870 he went to Fort Pritchard, Wyo., and was still employed by the government as a blacksmith. He returned to Montana in 1871 and, settling at Helena, he cooked at the Magnolia Hotel until 1875. He then formed a partnership with C.

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Kinck. Until 1879 Mr. Ernst continued in the hotel business. In that year he purchased 260 head of cattle. During the winter of 1880, with pros- pering conditions apparently ahead of him, one of the severest ever experienced in Montana, he was met by adversity and he lost 130 head of his stock. In 1881 he located in Sand Coulee, where he has ever since resided in one of the handsomest houses of the section, profitably engaged in rais- ing cattle and feed. Of his 500 acres of land, 100 acres are well cultivated. In 1878 Mr. Ernst married with Miss Elizabeth Pierson, of Kris- tanstad, a native of Sweden, whose parents were farmers in that country. Her mother, Mrs. Olive Pierson, died in 1864, her father, John Pierson, in 1890. Six children have been born in the Ernst family, two, Mabel and Ollie Katherine, are dead, while Jessie, Augusta Elizabeth, Henry and George are living.

'HARLES FALEN, deceased, was one of C the earliest of Montana pioneers, having come to the territory in 1862. He was born in Stock- holm, Sweden, on January 28, 1821, and died in Broadwater county, Mont., on October 29, 1896. For many years Mr. Falen followed the sea, but in 1862 he came to the territory of Montana, and in 1865 located a ranch in Jefferson county, now Broadwater, on which he continued in the occu- pation of successful raising of cattle until his death. On November 20, 1887, Mr. Falen married Mrs. Amelia (Grandolene) Carlson, widow of E. A. Carl- son, a native of Finland. Mrs. Carlson was born in Finland, on May 24, 1844, and immigrated to this country in October, 1887. She has a son, John Carlson, born in Finland, October 12, 1869. He came to the United States in 1880 and for a time made his home on the ranch in Broadwater county, but has recently purchased a ranch in Big Timber county. Mrs. Falen still conducts the ranch and homestead, profitably raises hay and cattle, and is quite successful in general farm- ing.

'LLSWORTH EWART .- Mr. Ewart was born

E on September 30, 1861, at Akron, Ohio, of which state his parents, Robert L. and Mary (Young) Ewart, were also natives. The father

was a soldier for the Union in the Civil war, serving three years in that sanguinary struggle as a mem- ber of the One Hundred and Twenty-third Ohio Volunteers. After the war he settled in Mis- souri and there Ellsworth Ewart, the first born of the four children in the family, lived until he was twenty years old, attending the public schools and assisting in the duties of the home. In 1882, with very little else save health and adaptability to circumstances, he determined to make his own way in the world, and left the paternal roof and came to Montana. He located first in the Missouri valley, passing his first year in the state clerking for Raleigh H. Clark in his branch store at Cen- treville, and the next year filling the same posi- tion in the mercantile establishment of Davis & Shennick at Townsend. He then joined the cele- brated Coeur d'Alene stampede and prospected for some months. In 1884 he accepted employ- ment as clerk at the Rodgers House, which lasted up to the death of Mr. Rodgers, after which he clerked a year at the Windsor.

He was then called to Missouri by the serious illness and death of his mother, and remained there three years in charge of the farm and returned to Missoula and entered the employ of Mr. Kennedy, who was conducting the Rodgers House. After eighteen months in this service, he removed to the Bitter Root valley under contract with the Mis- soula Mercantile and Montana Grain & Produce companies to bale and deliver hay, which he did until 1892, then removed to Anaconda, where he had a teaming contract with the Anaconda Cop- per Mining Company that he continued to exe- cute for a year and a half. He then returned to the Bitter Root country, prospected for a year, teamed for a time and finally settled at Stevens- ville, where he was appointed constable to fill an unexpired term, at the end of which he was elected to the office, serving also as deputy sheriff under B. S. Chaffin. He is now the manager of the Stevensville Hotel for the proprietor, W. H. Mace, and by his close attention to the wants of its pa- trons, his genial companionship and thorough knowledge of the business, he has made it one of. the most popular hostelries in the state. Mr. Ewart was married on July 2, 1896, to Miss Katie M. Huson, a daughter of Elijah and Alice Huson, prosperous farmers near Stevensville. He is an active Republican in politics, and in fraternal re- lations is identified with the order of Modern Woodmen of the World.

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JAMES E. FAULKNER, one of the most enter- prising and successful stockmen in Jefferson county, Mont., was born in London, England, on October 1, 1836. He is the son of Thomas and Mary (Martin) Faulkner, both natives of London, where the father was a gardener and florist. Of their three sons and three daughters, but three are now living. James E. Faulkner remained in London until his fourteenth year, and became a messenger for J. E. & T. Banning, sugar brokers, at quite remunerative wages. Young Faulkner had a brother who had emigrated to Kentucky, and, having saved some money from his earnings, he concluded to try America and that he did not require assistance from his parents. Accord- ingly the stout-hearted little fellow came to this country, joining his brother in Kentucky, where very soon he secured employment on a street railway.

In 1851 his brother was sub-contracting on the Maysville & Lexington Railroad, and gave James a position with him. Remaining in Kentucky until 1854 he then passed one year in running an ex- press wagon from the iron works in Vermillion county, Ind., to Terre Haute. In the fall of 1855 he engaged in feeding cattle, and in 1856 he went to Missouri, where during the three years of his stay he leased a piece of ground and engaged in raising hemp. In the fall of 1859 Mr. Faulkner de- cided to go west, and went to Colorado and en- gaged in teaming. While there he was employed in this business by the late George M. Pullman, of sleeping car fame. In the spring of 1862 he went on to Oregon. Here his initial experience in mining proved very successful, and in fact since Mr. Faulkner's arrival in this country, as well as in England, almost everything he has en- gaged in has well rewarded him.

In June, 1863, Mr. Faulkner came to Montana,; a long distance to come, and in July of that year he arrived at Alder gulchı. Those were the "boom" times, and like most he went to pros- pecting. He had come to the Treasure state to carve out his fortune and he had brought with him will and determination, superior intelligence and sound judgment. Since that period he has continued to be largely and quite successfully interested in mines, and he still has a heavy hold- ing in the "Pipestone" mine. Mr. Faulkner and James Ford were freighting in the fall of 1863 and one day, while driving along the road, they found the body of John Ross, who had been shot by "road

agents," probably by some of the notorious Plum- mer gang. In 1872 Mr. Faulkner acquired by pre-emption a ranch on Big White Tail creek, and after selling this he purchased one of 400 acres, which is now his home. He usually feeds from 200 to 300 head of cattle through the win- ter. For many years he has served as a delegate to the county conventions of Jefferson county, and has for many terms been a school trustee and a road supervisor. His two brothers, George and Charles, were members of the Second Kentucky Cavalry, Union, during the Civil war. Charles served through the war and was twice wounded. In the community in which he resides Mr. Faulk- ner is highly respected, and regarded as a man of superior business judgment and high integrity.

ILLIAM FERGUS .- One of the best ele- ments of our composite American life is that resulting from the immigration of Scotch agri- culturists. They bring with them integrity, hon- esty, a practical knowledge and a painstaking industry and thrift that not only benefit themselves, but by their example tend to influence for good the people by whom they are surrounded. It is a proven truth that "blood will tell," and when these Scotch immigrants possess traits that come from careful education and nurture the force of character derived from good ancestry, one can confidently expect to find them leaders in this land of their adoption. Intelligent, thoughtful and pa- triotic, they become the highest grade of American citizens. Of such is William Fergus, of Fergus county, one of the representative stockmen of Mon- tana, a younger half-brother of Hon. James Fergus, a sketch of whom is published elsewhere in this work. He was born April 19, 1833, the only son of Andrew and Christian (Hamilton) Fergus, of Lanarkshire, Scotland. Both Fergus and Hamilton are frequent names in Scottish history. Along in the fourth century, a bloody war was being waged in Scotland between the Caledonians and their bitter enemies, the Picts, who far outnumbered the former. The Caledon- ians sought aid from Ireland, and one of the chief- tains of that country came to their assistance with well-drilled troops and drove the Picts out of the land. In their gratitude the Caledonians elected this prince the first king of Scotland, under the name of Fergus I. From him the numerous peo-

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Progressive men of the state of Montana, pt 2, Part 13

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