Progressive men of the state of Montana, pt 2, Part 130

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 130

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DASMUS FAGERLE .- One of the sturdy sons R of Norway who has taken advantage of the opportunities afforded in Montana, where through his well directed efforts he has won success as a farmer and stockgrower, and with his well im- proved ranch property located in Teton county, in the vicinity of Bynum, his postoffice address, Mr. Fagerle was born in Norway on December 8, 1854, the son of Jorgen and Gertrude (Bustad) Fagerle, both natives of the fair Norseland, where the father was engaged in farming until his death, while his widow still retains her residence there. In the pub- lic and high schools at Meldalin, Norway, Rasmus Fagerle received his education, continuing his studies until he was seventeen, and, in 1873, at the age of nineteen he sailed for the United States, locating at Ishpeming, Marquette county, Mich., where he was employed in the iron mines about

seven years. In 1880 he came to Lewis and Clarke county, Mont., and there and on Birch creek he was employed on sheep ranches for five years. In 1885 he took up a squatter's claim of 160 acres in the Birch creek district, making the same a home- stead claim after the survey. He sold the property in 1897, and for two years was employed on the ranches of W. D. Jones and Conrad Brothers. In 1899 he purchased a homestead of 160 acres of George B. Frey at Bynum and an adjoining eighty acres of townsite land, which was sold for taxes, and still another tract of eighty acres, while he has also a desert claim of 200 acres, so that the aggre- gate of his ranch is 520 acres. Here he is devoting his attention to raising stock and hay, and his en- terprising methods are certain to insure him suc- cess. In politics Mr. Fagerle exercises his franchise in support of the Republican party.

JOHN G. FEY .- Through his industry and dis- cernment has John G. Fey gained prestige as a representative ranchman of this section of the state. He was born in Lewis county, N. Y., on November 12, 1864, the son of Lewis and Kate (Noll) Fey, both of whom were born in Germany. The father came to the United States when about twenty-seven years of age, locating in Lewis coun- ty, N. Y., where he has ever since been engaged in farming and dairying, he and his wife still re- siding on the old homestead. John G. Fey early was inured to the work incidental to the rugged farm. He received his educational training in the public schools, continuing his studies until he had attained the age of sixteen, after which he assisted in the work of the parental farmstead until he was twenty-one years of age, when he set forth to seek his fortune in the west. In 1886 Mr. Fey came to Montana, locating at Dearborn, and was employed . on various ranches for six years. In 1892 Mr. Fey came to the Sweet Grass hills, and in this favored section of the state took up a squatter's claim and, associated with a brother, he has since purchased adjoining tracts until their estate now has an aggregate area of 1,200 acres, located in the Gold Butte district, not far away from the village of Gold Butte, which is his post- office address. Mr. Fey has been engaged prin- cipally in the growing of sheep, having an average of 6,000 head, but he also raises cattle upon a modest scale, usually having about forty head of

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excellent stock. The ranch affords a free range and the owners have made excellent improve- ments, including a good dwelling and necessary barns and other outbuildings. In his political allegiance Mr. Fey is identified with the Repub- lican party, while fraternally he is a member of Dearborn Lodge No. 21, I. O. O. F., at Augusta. He is one of the energetic and progressive young men of Choteau county, and is held in high esteem.

AMES T. FINLEN .- From a long line of J sturdy ancestors and especially from a father of great industry, breadth of view and resourceful- ness, Mr. Finlen inherits resolute determination, mental and physical energy and the business ca- pacity that has made him successful and given him a high standing in the business and social world. And whatever he is, he is altogether a product of the west. He was born on April 14, 1873, at Vir- ginia City, Nevada, son of Miles and Ellen Finlen, who were both natives of Ireland. The father was born in 1845 and when he was two years old was brought to America by his parents, who set- tled in Canada, but later removed to Bay City, Mich. When he was fourteen years old Miles Finlen started to make his own way in the world, and the substantial and extensive possessions, the titles of which stand in his name, testify to the success of his well directed efforts. From his home in Michigan he went to California, and in that state and Nevada passed several years in mining during the palmy days of gold in that country. In 1886 he came to Butte, and for fourteen years was one of the largest mine operators in that great camp. He operated the Buffalo until 1892, then for four years the Ramsdell-Parrott and later the Minnie Healey. These properties were all held by him under lease and bond, and became famous under his development, usually, while in his con- trol, having a working force of 500 or 600 men. In 1900 he disposed of his mining interests at Butte, having, in 1895, bought the McDermott Hotel, which has since been known as "The Finlen." For several years he has owned a fine stud of race horses, to the purchase and development of which he has given much time and attention. His resi- dence is in New York and his stables are at Grave- send, where he has eight as fine runners as there are in the country. They all came from the famous stock farm of the late Marcus Daly, and include

Lucky Star, with an excellent record, and a num- ber of promising two and three-year-olds by the famous sire, Hamburg.

James T. Finlen, his son, was educated at the public schools and at St. Mary's College in Vir- ginia City, Nev., he being graduated therefrom in 1890. On leaving school he came to Butte and was employed as supply clerk for the Anaconda Copper Mining Company for ten years. In July, 1900, he bought the Parchen-Deachel wholesale and retail drug house, and in 1901 he and the Newbro Drug Company consolidated their whole- sale departments with the Wilson wholesale drug house under the name of the Montana Drug Com- pany. In the same year Finlen and Wilson bought the Newbro interest, and have since conducted the business, which is the only wholesale drug busi- ness in the state. Mr. Finlen is also interested in several undeveloped mines in and about Butte, and has extensive interests in the Kintla Lake oil fields in Flathead county and in the lumber in- dustry of that county. He is an active member of the Montana Jockey Club and is one of its largest stockholders. He has been chairman of the Democratic city committee of Butte since 1900, very active and serviceable in behalf of his party. He is a member of the Butte Lodge of Elks, and enjoys the cordial regard of a large circle of friends, and the confidence and esteem of the entire community.

JOSEPH ESCALLIER .- Coming from the pic- turesque clime of Switzerland, and one who has worked diligently in the young state of which he is now one of the highly respected citizens, Mr. Escallier was born at Aux Matterhorn, D'Anello, Canton de St. Bonnett, Department des Haltes, Alps, Switzerland, on July 1, 1864, at five o'clock a. m. His father, Joseph Escallier, was a native of the same place, and until his lamented death, a farmer and stockgrower. The mother of our sub- ject, Victoria Giraud, was born at Du Chateau, and is at present a resident of Aux Matterhorn. In the excellent schools of his native country Mr. Escallier received an education far above the aver- age, during its acquirement, however, materially as- sisting his parents in the farmwork until he arrived at the age of seventeen years. During 1881 he immigrated to the United States and from New York went directly to Los Angeles, Cal., where

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for two years he found employment as a farm hand and sheepherder, or "shepherd," as he would have called it in his native land. In 1883 he went to Washington, where for three years he was en- gaged in the sheep business on various ranches. During 1886 he was connected with a hotel at Pendleton, Ore., and in 1887 returned to Washing- ton and engaged as a sheepherder with Robert Huett, Michael O'Donnell and Adam Fudge for eighteen months. Mr. Escallier then with two of his Swiss compatriots, Pierre Vallet and Eugene Pour- roy, purchased 9,000 head of sheep of Mr. Fudge, which during the next year they drove to Montana. In the meantime the original firm disintegrated from successive divisions of the stock. At present Mr. Escallier has about 8,000 sheep and his ex- tensive range is located near Shelby, Teton county, and comprises a squatter's claim, a half-section of school land, leased state lands and a free range of many hundred acres. Here he prosecutes a certain degree of general ranching, but his principal atten- tion is given to sheep. Mr. Escallier has never married. Politically his affiliations are with the Republican party and fraternally he is a member of the Masonic order, his home lodge being at Sprague, Wash.

L OUIS GOTHNER, of Helena, Mont., was born in Sweden on September 3, 1860, a son of Peter and Carrie Gothner, natives of Sweden. The father owned flour and salt mills, and did quite an extensive business. He and his wife were members of the Lutheran church. They had three children, Peter, John and Louis, and the mother died in 1865. Louis received a common school education, and assisted his parents until he was eighteen years old, when he concluded to work for himself. He looked over the situation, and saw few renumerative occupations for boys in his own country. Others might have been content ; Louis was not. He thought America must be the land for him, and determined to emigrate. Starting in 1878 he located in North Dakota, where he worked at various occupations until 1885, when he came to Helena, became interested in the coal business and entered into partnership with Mr. Gillchrist. The business was fairly lucrative for two years, when the firm was dissolved. Mr. Gothner has since given all his time to teaming. He is a mem- ber of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows,

Woodmen of the World and the Teamsters' Union, and in 1902 he was elected alderman of the Sixth ward by the Republican party. On April 7, 1894, Mr. Gothner was married to Miss Matilda Sand- quist, also of Sweden, a daughter of Nicholas M. and Christina Sandquist. Her father was a pros- perous carpenter, and the family members of the German Lutheran church. Mrs. Sandquist died in 1870, the father in 1877. Four children survived them, Helen M., Carl J., Caroline and Matilda. Mr. and Mrs. Gothner have two children, namely, Pearl and Carrie E.

R )EUBEN B. FORNEY .- Among the large number of leading farmers and stockgrowers of the beautiful Yellowstone valley is Mr. Forney, whose well developed ranch is in the neighbor- hood of the city of Livingston in Park county. Mr. Forney is a native of the Keystone state, having been born in Berks county on September II, 1850. His parents, J. K. and Elizabeth (McNeil) Forney, had five sons and four daughters, and both were natives of Berks county, as were also Jacob and Sarah (Kane) Forney, the grandparents. The paternal great-grandfather, John Forney, emi- grated from Germany to Pennsylvania before the war of the Revolution, in which he was an active participant. He took up land in Pennsylvania and extant records indicate that he paid William Penn $1.00 for making out the deed for the prop- erty. In 1857 J. K. Forney removed to Iowa with his family, locating in Jackson county. Reu- ben B. Forney was a lad of five years at that time . and he attained maturity in Iowa, assisting in the development and cultivation of the homestead farm and securing an education in the public schools. In 1870 he went to Montgomery county, Mo., and was principally engaged in farming until 1879, when he came to California, where he re- mained until 1883, being engaged in agriculture. In 1883 also Mr. Forney came to Montana and was associated with his brother in ranching until he individually took up the same industry on the Yellowstone river, continuing there until 1900, when he disposed of his interests and purchased his present ranch, known as the Barney McGuire ranch, also located on the Yellowstone river and 100 acres of which are under effective irrigation. Here Mr. Forney devotes particular attention to the profitable raising of grain and being recognized

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as one of the reliable and progressive men of this section, where he is well known and highly es- teemed. His marriage was solemnized on De- cember 14, 1892, when Mary Ellen Fleishman be- came his wife. She was born in Missouri, from which state her father, Valentine Fleishman, re- moved to Montana, where he now makes his home. Mr. and Mrs. Forney have two children, Montie Jacob and Ruby May.

JOHN F. FORGEY .- This gentleman has passed thirty-one years of his life in Montana and has been one of the active, aggressive workers who have contributed materially to the march of defin- ite civilization and in founding the commonwealth. He was born in Allegheny City, Pa., on June 8, 1853, the son of Samuel Forgey, who was born in the adjoining city of Pittsburg in 1818. He was a carpenter and builder and followed his trade for many years in Pennsylvania, removing to Nebraska when his son John was a child, and there turned his attention to farming, in connec- tion with work at his trade, until his advanced years prompted his retirement from active business. He is now living at Irvington, near Omaha, having attained the venerable age of more than four-score years, as has also his cherished and devoted wife, who has been a true companion and helpmeet for a full half century. Her maiden name was Mary Hill, and she was born at Sharpsburg, Pa., in 1819. He is of French lineage and she of good Pennsylvania Dutch stock.

John F. Forgey attended the public schools of Florence, Neb., until he reached the age of six- teen, and he continued to assist in the operations of the parental homestead until March 4, 1870, when he started for the west, arriving in Helena, Mont., on the 3d of the following July. During the remainder of the summer he was in the employ of the Walker brothers, passing the ensuing win- ter at Sun River. In the summer of 1872 he was freighting for the Diamond R Company, and from that time until 1876 he was in the employ of T. C. Power & Co., teaming and working in its mer- cantile establishments. In the spring of 1876 Mr. Forgey went to the Yellowstone river as wagon boss of a freighting outfit sent out by Messrs Baker & Power, and in the fall he freighted for Huglı Kirkendall and also made another trip for Baker & Power, in whose interest he went to Fort Mc-

Leod, where he passed the winter. In the spring of 1877 our subject took the first bunch of cattle from Fort Benton to Fort McLeod, and in the fall he entered the employ of Edward Lewis, who was engaged in freighting at Fort Benton. In the spring of 1878 Mr. Forgey entered the employ of Joseph Kipp and during the following winter had charge of his general store at Carroll.

In the fall of 1879 Mr. Forgey took charge of a branch store which he opened on McDonald creek, and later of a similar enterprise on Flat Willow creek, while in 1882 he was placed in charge of Mr. Kipp's traders' store at Carroll on the Mis- souri river, where he remained until the spring of 1883, when he removed to Little Dry creek, at its confluence with the Missouri, where, as a part- ner of Mr. Kipp, with whom he had become thus associated the preceding year, he conducted a gen- eral store until the spring of 1884, from which time until October he was located at Fort Conrad. In the month mentioned he joined the stampede of gold seekers to Alder gulch in the Little Rockies, and the succeeding spring he established a wood yard at the mouth of Fourchette creek on the Missouri river, where he remained until 1887. In the spring of 1888 Mr. Forgey was the first settler in the vicinity of the present village of Harlem, Choteau county. He here took up a homestead claim, and in 1896 sold the property to H. B. Everett and shortly afterward bought a re- linquishment from William Bent on Savoy creek, fourteen miles east of Harlem. Here he now has a fine ranch of 480 acres, and is successfully en- gaged in the raising of cattle and horses, also se- curing extensive crops of hay from his ranch, the greater portion of which is available for cultivation. In his political adherency he stanchly supports the Republican party. In the village of Carroll, Deer Lodge county, in February, 1883, Mr. Forgey was united in marriage to Miss Catherine Beleynere, who was born in South Dakota in 1867, and they are the parents of nine children, namely, Robert, George, James, Jessie, Florence, Isaac. Emma, Maggie and Samuel.

B ENSON ENGLISH is one of the successful young farmers and stockgrowers of Teton county, his well improved ranch being located on Dupuyer and Sheep creeks, only one-half mile from the town of Dupuyer, which is his postoffice ad-

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dress. Mr. English was born in Cobourg, Canada, on January 8, 1865, the son of James and Mary (Benson) English, the former of whom was born in Ontario, Canada, about 1835, while the latter was born in Ireland in 1836. Both father and mother are still living on their farm near Cobourg. Benson English received a public school education in Cobourg, and assisted in the farmwork of the homestead 'until 1887, when he came to Grand Forks, N. D., being employed on a ranch in that vicinity until 1889, when he came to Augusta, Mont., and for four years engaged in driving stage between Sun River and Craig. In 1893 he came to Dupuyer, taking up homestead and desert claims for himself and a desert claim for his wife, and to this original tract he has added by purchase until the area of his ranch aggregates 1,200 acres. Here he has directed his efforts principally to raising cattle, usually having about 1,200 head, and it is gratifying to note that excellent success has been his, for he has merited this by his industry and sterling worth of character. In politics Mr. English gives an unqualified support to the Democratic par- ty. In Augusta, Montana, in February, 1892, was celebrated the marriage of Mr. English to Miss Mary Manning, who was born in Connecticut in 1866, and accompanied her parents to Montana. They have a pleasant home and Mr. English is ac- counted one of the progressive and reliable ranch- men of his section.

G USTAVUS D. GOERIZ .- A native of Au- burn, Ind., where he was born on December 5, 1864, the son of Adolph and Tenna M. Goeriz, the former a German and the latter a North Caro- linian, Gustavus D. Goeriz has risen by his force of character and business acumen to independence and influence in his community. He was the youngest of the six children of his father's family, and attended the public schools of Auburn and Fort Wayne, Ind., finishing his education at a state normal school at Kalida, Ohio, in 1882. He worked then on farms and at lumber camps in Michigan, Dakota and Washington for four years, and then located at Boulder, Mont., after a short time removing to Missoula for a few months. Go- ing to work for the Bass brothers on their fruit farm he was in their service four years. In 1887 he took up a pre-empted claim, but did not im- mediately settle on it, but worked at various oc-

cupations, principally in lumber camps, until 1893, and then took up his residence on his ranch, which adjoins his mother's, about four miles northwest of Darby. Mr. Goeriz has his land well improved with good buildings, and with a very productive orchard of thirty-two acres from which he ships annually 3,000 boxes of the finest fruit grown in the Bitter Root valley. In political relations he is an enthusiastic Democrat, while in fraternal af- filiation is a member of the Red Men. He performs with fidelity all the duties of citizenship, and freely gives aid to every good enterprise, helping to build up and develop the resources of the country. His farm is a model of thrift, neatness and taste, and his life has won for him high respect and regard.

W ILLIAM FOUST, one of the best practical farmers in his section of the state, and showing remarkable energy in his business not- withstanding his poor health, is a native of War- ren county, Iowa, where he was born on January 12, 1862, the son of Jonas and Adeline (Ashworth) Foust, the former a native of Pennsylvania and the latter of North Carolina. Both his parents died when he was quite young and he realized early in life much of the bitterness of the struggle in- cident to the lot of an orphan left to his own re- sources. He was reared and educated in his na- tive state, where he remained until 1884, engaged in farm labor. In that year he removed to the Black Hills, locating in Mead county, S. D., where he passed seven years in the stock business, but from the hard winters was unsuccessful. He then came to Montana, and, settling on the Yellowstone, was occupied in ranching there until the Crow reservation was thrown open to settlement, when he located on Clark's Fork, at the site of the pres- ent town of Bridger, a part of which is built on what was then his land. On this location he re- mained until 1900, then sold it and bought the Snedeger ranch on Blue creek three miles from Gebo, which he now has out on lease. In 1899 he leased for his own use the John Nelson ranch two miles and a half north of Bridger, and is still occupying this property. From his arrival in Montana Mr. Foust has been engaged in the stock business, Hereford cattle being his favorite breed and he having usually a hundred head or more. He was united in marriage in February, 1882, with Miss Effie E. Carter of Iowa, a daughter of Sam-

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uel Carter, a native of Virginia, who remained in Iowa until his death, having moved into the state many years before. Mr. and Mrs. Foust have eight children, Hugh, Esther, Frederick, Arthur, Amanda, William, Roxie and an infant. Mr. Foust is a representative man of the section, a good citi- zen whose usefulness has been somewhat limited by his feeble health, but who is highly appreciated by all who know him. Throughout the commun- ity he is universally esteemed.

CHARLES H. GOULD .- In reviewing the career of this gentleman we are led to accord a tribute of respect for a life of integrity and use- fulness. He has had to do with affairs of im- portance, has shown executive ability, has held of- fices of grave responsibility, and was one of the valiant defenders of the Union in the Civil war. He also stands prominent in that greatest of all fraternal organizations, Freemasonry, and there are many salient points in his career which render its consideration desirable. Charles H. Gould was born in LaPorte county, Ind., on October 2, 1837. His father, Ingraham Gould, was born in Maine, and he was a sailor before the mast, both in the whaling and merchant service, but in 1832 he re- moved to Indiana, becoming one of its pioneers, and he was engaged in merchandising, and erected the first store in Michigan City. Later he re- moved to Wisconsin, where he passed the residue of his life. His wife, whose maiden name was Anna Leaming, was born in New York, and they were the parents of ten children, of whom C. H. Gould was the second in order of birth, and of whom four are now living at the time of this writ- ing. Both the Gould and the Leaming families were represented in the forces of the Revolution. During the early boyhood of Charles H. Gould his parents removed to Wisconsin, and after his school days in the district schools were passed he became associated with his father in the nursery business, and later joined the engineering party which was surveying the route of the Iowa Central Railroad, only eighty miles of whose line was ever graded. At the age of twenty-three he returned to Indiana, and there his marriage was soon solemnized.

At the outbreak of the Civil war Mr. Gould en- listed in Company C, Sixteenth Wisconsin Infan- try, was mustered in at Camp Randall at Madison, and his regiment was at once assigned to the Army of the Tennessee. At Shiloh in 1862 he was

wounded in the left leg, and after being mustered out was disabled for any labor, for six months. He returned to Indiana, was appointed deputy provost marshal of the Ninth district and had numerous conflicts with bounty jumpers. In 1864 he again enlisted, becoming a member of Company A, One Hundred and Fifty-first Indiana Infantry, with which he served under Gen. N. A. M. Dudley, the principal duty being to defend bridges in Tennes- see and other sections of the intermediate south. Mr. Gould was mustered out at Indianapolis, Ind., as second lieutenant in command of Company D at the close of the war.

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Progressive men of the state of Montana, pt 2, Part 130

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