Progressive men of the state of Montana, pt 2, Part 136

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 136

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state. Leaving his native city he proceeded to Washington, D. C., where he secured a position in the United States postal department, where he remained for about three years, and then accepted a better position in the signal service, where he continued for a further period of three years.

Mr. Kyle then resigned his position to engage in business for himself, going from Washington to Jackson county, Ore. Here he engaged in min- ing and stockraising for a number of years with conspicuous success. He was one of the pioneer miners of that section of Oregon, and operated extensively in both Oregon and California, hand- ling several large mining propositions in Siskiyou county, in the latter state. He was sucessful and enterprising, and did much to promote the growth and development of that section of the country and has the satisfaction of knowing that his faithful la- bors bore rich fruit in good results.

In 1887 Mr. Kyle was united in marriage with Miss Marietta Mason, the daughter of Robert A NDREW T. KYLE .- One of the leading business men of Great Falls, whose enterprises extend throughout the entire state, is Andrew T. Kyle, who is a native of Leavenworth, Kan., where he was born on September 25, 1863, the son of A. T. and Sarah A. (Keller) Kyle, the former a native of Indiana and the latter of Kentucky. The father was born in 1831, and removed from his native state to the territory of Kansas in 1850. Here, in partnership with his brother-in-law, George H. Keller, he erected the first building of Leavenworth, and engaged there in merchandis- ing and hotelkeeping, in which he continued with marked success for many years, and is now retired from active business. His oldtime partner, Mr. Kelley, died at Leavenworth in 1881. The mother was born in Louisville, Ky., in 1834, and is still living. 'She is of Dutch descent, her mother, Mr. Kyle's paternal ancestors came originally from Scotland. Mr. Kyle grew to man's estate in Leavenworth, and there received his early educa- tion. His opportunities for acquiring an educa- tion in early life, however, were limited, and at the age of fourteen years he was compelled to leave school and engage in active business. Not dis- couraged in this respect, he has by persistent ef- forts largely supplied the deficiencies of imperfect training, and all his life has pursued a systematic course of reading and study, being considered one of the best informed men of his section of the Mason, one of the leading business men of Jack- son county, Ore., who was there engaged in various enterprises, merchandising, mining and farming. She died in 1893, at Los Angeles, Cal., where she had gone for the benefit of her health. Fraternally, Mr. Kyle is affiliated with the Ma- sonic order, being a member of Cascade Lodge, A. F. & A. M., No. 34, of Great Falls, and takes great interest in the fraternal and social life of the city where he maintains his home. Politically, he is a stanch adherent of the Republican party, a trusted leader of that political organization in the county and in the state. During his residence in Oregon, from 1889 to 1892, he held the responsi- ble position of deputy United States marshal for that district, discharging the duties of that posi- tion with ability and fidelity. Since his residence in Montana, he has devoted his entire time and Nancy VanDyke, being a native of Holland, while . attention to the care and management of his ex- tensive business interests, and has met with suc- cess, being now counted as one of the solid busi- ness men and substantial property owners of Cas- cade county. His operations in mines, livestock and real estate, not only in the rapidly growing city of Great Falls, but elsewhere in the state have been on an extensive scale. Since his residence in Mon- tana he has also had a business association with his uncle, H. C. Keller, the manager of the West- chester Insurance Company, with headquarters at San Francisco, Cal., who is one of the prominent business men of the Pacific coast.

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J' JOSEPH KIPP .- This gentleman was born where now stands the city of Bismarck, N. D., on November 29, 1849. His father, James Kipp, born in Montreal, Canada, was for six years em- ployed by the Hudson Bay Company. On leav- ing this service he went to St. Louis, where he formed the acquaintance of the Choteau family, and became associated with the American Fur Company, with which he remained nearly forty years, transacting their Montana business until his death, which occurred at Platte, Mo., in 1880. His wife, Mary (Garneau) Kipp, was born at Berthol, on the Missouri river, and is now living with her son Joseph at Blackfoot. The liberal education received by Mr. Joseph Kipp came from his own industry and application. The element- ary portion of it was acquired at the public school kept near the site of Choteau, and he later at- tended St. Ignatius Mission School for one year. He then attended a boarding school at St. Joseph, Mo., concluding with thorough courses at the Bryant & Stratton's Commercial College, Peoria, Ill., and at a commercial college at Chi- cago. The entire expense of his education was paid for from his individual earnings. In 1866 he came to Fort Benton, Mont., and for two years was a clerk at Carroll & Steele's Indian trading post, and the next season he was thus engaged in the Northwest Territory. It was during an ex- ploring and prospecting tour in the Peace river country, that accompanied by a few companions, Mr. Kipp suffered the greatest hardships of his career. The cold and hunger endured by them can scarcely be appreciated by those who have never gone through a similar experience, extreme hunger driving them to eat material which, un- der happier circumstances, would be absolutely disgusting. In 1870 Mr. Kipp returned to Fort Benton, and for a while was connected in business on a percentage basis with I. G. Baker & Co. In 1881 he located on the Blackfoot reservation, at Blackfoot on the Great Northern Railway, Teton county. Here he has 1,000 acres of land, com- pletely fenced and otherwise improved, and here he is extensively engaged in stockraising and sur- rounded by an atmosphere of general prosperity. The political influence of Mr. Kipp is widely felt in Democratic circles, and he manifests a lively in- terest in all the issues of successive campaigns. By his marriage, solemnized on May 14, 1898, he has three children, James, Mary and George Grin- nell, aged ten, twelve and four years.

A UGUST KROPP .- The life of this sturdy and hardworking citizen offers to the narrator few strong lights or shades. It is a plain tale of duties faithfully performed, responsibilities cour- ageously assumed and discharged, with disappoint- ments patiently endured and triumphs modestly enjoyed. He was born in Hanover, Germany, on April 22, 1857. His parents were natives of the same place and both died there in 1883. The father, Henry Kropp, was a carpenter and builder, and worked at the trade all of his mature life. Mr. Kropp was educated at the town of Hamer, Hanover, learned the carpenter's trade with his father and worked at it until he was twenty-four years old. Then, in 1881, he concluded that there was a more promising field for his energies in the United States, and sailed for this country, coming at once to Helena, where for ten years he was connected with the firm of Wicks & Co. In 1891 he located the homestead on Muddy creek on which he now lives, adding desert and pre-emption claims, and since increasing his holdings by pur- chase, until he has a ranch of about 2,000 acres, desirably located, ten miles from. Pondera and twenty miles from Choteau, and well adapted for his business, raising sheep, cattle and horses. For four years he devoted his attention mainly to horned cattle, but since 1895 he has conducted sheepraising almost exclusively, usually running two flocks of 4,000 each. He gives every detail of the business his personal attention and omits no effort on his part to secure the best returns. Mr. Kropp is a Republican and always takes an active part in local affairs. His party sets a high value on his services and local influence, but has never yet induced him to accept an office. He was mar- ried at Helena in 1883 to Miss Lena C. Knap- wurst, a native of Germany, who died July 27, 1897, leaving four children, Henry F., Walter H., Paul W. and Kate. In 1899 he was again mar- ried, this time in Chicago to Miss Augusta Brill, also a native of Germany. He is on an ascending plane of prosperity and public esteem, and can feel that he has won by his own merits and faithful labor his position of financial independence.

CHARLES D. LABRECHE, of Holy Family Mission, Teton county, is one of the earliest of Montana pioneers, and probably the only one who ever made the long and perilous trip from

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St. Louis up the Missouri river to Fort Benton in a row boat. This he did in 1858, and since then he has thoroughly explored the greater portion of Montana and formed the acquaintance of hun- dreds of the most prominent residents in the state. He was born at Maskinonge, province of Quebec, Canada, on August 1I, 1835. His father, Med- gard D. LaBreche, was a successful Canadian farmer and died in that country about 1880. The mother, Lenora LaBreche, was of Scotch ances- try, although a native of Canada, where she died in 1888. Charles LaBreche attended the public schools of Maskinonge and improved his oppor- tunities until he was seventeen years old, when he entered a grocery in his native town as a clerk. Subsequently he moved to Montreal and officiated as a salesman in a dry goods establishment. Go- ing thence in 1856 to Grand Rapids, Wis., he was for two years employed in a general store, and in 1858 he went to St. Louis and began the memor- able trip up the Missouri river in a skiff, arriving at Fort Benton in September of the same year. He remained at the fort until the spring of 1860 following various pursuits, at one time working in the tailor shop of Jacob Schmidt, of whom a biographical notice appears in another portion of this book.

Two years were passed between Salt Lake City and Deer Lodge, Mont., and in 1862 Mr. La- Breche accompanied Mullen's escort to Walla Walla, Wash., and here he followed the occupa- tion of packing in the mines for two years. From the summer of 1864 until the spring of 1865 he mined and prospected on Wild Horse creek, Brit- ish Columbia, and at Frenchtown, now Missoula, Mont. The fall of 1865 he was in charge of the ferry at Bear gulch, in Deer Lodge county, re- moving thence to the town of Deer Lodge and re- maining there until 1871. Then followed two years of teaming in the Gallatin valley, and in 1873 he came to Helena and engaged in the same pursuit. The year 1877 he spent in Fort Benton, from which place he removed to Dearborn, and for ten years he devoted his time profitably to stockraising, and while here Mr. LaBreche con- structed for the use of gold seekers the first sluice boxes ever made in the state, cutting them out with a whip-saw. The nine following years were passed on Sheep creek, fifteen miles from Dupuyer, in Teton county, where he still con- tinued the cattle business. To his present home, near the Holy Family Mission, he came in 1897.

It comprises a fine ranch, with plenty of range, well improved, with conveniences necessary for a successful prosecution of the business, on the Blackfoot reservation, and here Mr. LaBreche is lucratively engaged in raising high-grade cattle. At Frenchtown, now Missoula, on April 19, 1865, Mr. La Breche was married to Miss Emily Hamill. Of their ten children, one, Eli D., died at the age of thirty years. The living children are Charles R. D., Julia D., David D., Mary D., Madard D., Leonora D., Emily D., Jessie D. and Theophile. Mr. LaBreche affiliates with the Democratic party, and, while residing at Dearborn, served as school trustee and justice of the peace for several suc- cessive terms. He possesses the esteem, confi- dence and good will of the community.

CHARLES E. LACHAPELLE, one of the prosperous agriculturists and stockmen of Lewis and Clarke county, is a native of Quebec, Canada. He is the son of Edward and Mary La Chapelle, both Canadians. The father followed farming in Canada with fair success, but the at- tractions of the rapidly unfolding northwest proved too strong for him to resist, and in 1869 he left Quebec and came to Montana, locating first at Lincoln gulch, near Helena. Here he engaged in placer mining which he continued industriously until 1878 when he engaged in ranching, stock- raising and dairying, six and one-half miles north of Helena. His ranch consisted of 240 acres of land which he sold in 1900 for $11,000. In 1884 he secured 240 other acres in desert and tree claims and purchased 1,600 acres located twelve miles southeast of Augusta. Here he began sheep rais- ing, at first in an unpretentious way. This he continued until 1899 when he sold the band of 2,600 sheep for $5,600. He is now exclusively en- gaged in farming, but he intends soon to resume stockraising. Both Mr. and Mrs. LaChapelle are members of the Catholic church and their present residence is near Helena. Politically his affiliations are with the Republican party.

Charles E. LaChapelle received a good common school education, which he has supplemented by home study, attaining a valuable store of informa- tion. At the age of twelve years he began to materially assist his parents on the ranch, and in 1884 he took up homestead, tree, desert and pre- emption claims comprising 400 acres, while re-

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cently he has leased 3,840 acres of land. He first engaged in sheep raising in partnership with his father, beginning with 1,400 head and to purchase these he was compelled to involve himself in debt to quite an extent, but he has since seen no reason to regret this part of the enterprise, as he has been decidedly successful. In 1899 Mr. LaChapelle and his father dissolved partnership and he has since individually continued business. On January 2, 1893, Mr. La Chapelle was united in marriage with Miss Clara Vigeant, a native of California and daughter of Samuel and Louisa Vigeant, natives of the province of Quebec, Canada. Her father was a farmer and the family had removed to California in 1866. Both of her parents were members of the Catholic church, and her father was an active Lib- eral in Canadian politics. Mr. and Mrs. Charles E. La Chapelle have one daughter. They are mem- bers of the Catholic church, while Mr. La Chapelle is in political adherence a Republican.

J JACOB LAFRANTZ, a merchant, a hotelkeeper and the postmaster at Lloyd, Choteau county, Mont., is a son of Nicholas and Sarah (Fulton) Lafrantz, natives of Germany, who emigrated to the United States prior to the Civil war, and set- tled in Jackson county, Iowa. Later they re- moved to Crawford county in the same state, where they engaged in farming. In 1880 Mrs. Lafrantz died, and Mr. Lafrantz remarried. He has retired from active business and now (1901) resides in Denison, Iowa. His son, Jacob La- frantz, was the oldest of four sons and two daugh- ters by the first marriage. He was born in Jack- son county, Iowa, on October 16, 1862, and was reared on the homestead in Crawford county, re- ceiving his education in the public schools. He remained on the home farm until he was past thir- ty years of age, and then, in 1893, removed to Montana, settling on People's creek, in Choteau county. There with his brother Daniel he took up 320 acres of land and they conducted sheep- raising on a large scale until 1899, when the part- nership was dissolved. Jacob then took charge of the hotel at Lloyd, engaged in mercantile business and also in raising cattle. Politically Mr. Lafrantz is an active Republican and takes great interest in the success of his party. He was appointed postmaster at Lloyd November 6, 1896, and has given the patrons of the office very satisfactory

service. He was married in 1885 to Miss Maggie, daughter of Herman Bruhn, a native of Germany and a resident of Scott county, Iowa. Mr. La- frantz is regarded as one of the most enterprising and public-spirited citizens of his county, mani- festing a warm interest in every public improve- ment or effort toward the welfare of his people and section, and commands the respect and good will of all who know him.

ILLIAM LARKIN .- Incumbent of the chief executive office of the municipality of Red Lodge, Carbon county, and giving a discriminat- ing, economical and business-like administration of its affairs, Mr. Larkin is known and esteemed as one of the progressive and representative busi- ness men of the city. He is a native of Iowa, born in the city of Ottumwa, the county seat of Wapello county, on December 4, 1865. His father, Patrick Larkin, was born in County Kings, Ireland, as was also his mother, whose maiden name was Mary Dwyer. Peter Larkin, the grandfather, was a suc- cessful farmer in the Emerald Isle, where he passed his life. One year subsequently to his marriage, in 1847, Patrick Larkin came to America, first lo- cating in St. Louis, Mo., where he remained until 1852, when he removed to Iowa, where he was en- gaged in agricultural pursuits until his death. In his family were twelve children. In the public schools William Larkin received his education and he continued to be identified with farm work at home until he was eighteen years old, when he came to Wyoming, making Rock Springs his head- quarters, later removing to Washington, where he passed a year principally in mining operations with varying success. In 1888 Mr. Larkin came to Montana and here devoted the first year to pros- pecting, after which, in 1889, he came to Red Lodge, Carbon county, and engaged in coal min- ing for one year. He then opened a wholesale and retail liquor establishment, which he has ever since successfully conducted, having admitted his brother-in-law, R. J. Fleming, to partnership.

From the time of his arrival in Red Lodge Mr. Larkin has shown a proper and timely interest in public affairs of a local nature. In 1898 he was the candidate of his party for the office of sheriff of Carbon county, but normal political ex- igencies compassed his defeat. In the spring of the same year, however, the citizens of Red Lodge

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gave distinctive evidence of the confidence and re- gard which they repose in him, by electing him to the office of mayor. In this capacity he served with such signal ability that he was re-elected in the spring of 1900. He is one of the most popular mayors the city has ever had and his course has met with uniform endorsement, irrespective of strict partisan lines. His business has reached large pro- portions, and the headquarters is a fine brick store on the main business street, equipped with the most modern accessories. He is also the owner of valu- able realty in Red Lodge, including a fine residence property, which is one of the attractive homes of the place. Fraternally he is a popular member of the local lodge of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks.

On May 20, 1895, was solemnized the marriage of Mr. Larkin to Miss Elizabeth Fleming, who was born in Pennsylvania, the daughter of James and Mary Fleming, natives of the Emerald Isle, whence they came to the United States and finally to Montana, where the father passed the remainder of his life, his death occurring in Red Lodge. Mr. and Mrs. Larkin became the parents of two chil- dren : William and Thomas, deceased.

T O. LARSON, who is incumbent of the office of assessor of Teton county, and whose well improved ranch is located six miles north of Choteau, has won success through his own efforts and has proved a worthy and enterprising busi- ness man. He was born in Krogero, Norway, on November 27, 1874, the son of Ole Larson, who was born in the same town, and who came to America in 1880, locating in Benton county, Minn., where he has since devoted his attention to agricultural pursuits. His wife, whose maiden name was Annie Thompson, was likewise born in Krogero, and there their marriage was solem- nized. T. O. Larson was but six years of age at the time of his parents' removal to the United States, and he attended the public schools of Ben- ton county, Minn., during the winter months and assisted in the work of the homestead farm dur- ing the summers until he had attained the age of fourteen years, when he located in Princeton, Minn., where he acted as town herder of cattle for eighteen months, then for six months was em- ployed in a hotel at Bridgeman. The following year he passed on the parental homestead, and

from 1890 to 1895 he held a clerkship in a store at Princeton. In 1895 he came to Montana, lo- cating in Burton, Teton county, where he associ- ated himself with Lewis Tellefson in the opening of a general store.

Within the following year Mr. Larson sold his interest to his partner and then purchased a stage line, which he operated until the fall of 1898, when he sold the business and equipment to D. E. Mc- Cormack. In the meantime he had purchased the mercantile business of his former partner, Mr. Tellefson, and he removed the stock of goods to Farmington, where he continued in trade until the summer of 1899, when he sold to M. A. Mun- son, and within the same year took up a des- ert claim ten miles north of Choteau, where he en- gaged in raising cattle and horses. At the ex- piration of two years he sold to E. Estel, and in 1900 purchased his present ranch of his brother, Jenson Larson, and here he is engaged in raising cattle and horses. In November, 1900, Mr. Larson was the successful Republican candidate for assessor of Teton county, and assumed the duties of the office at the opening of 1901 and is now the incum- bent of the office. Fraternally he is identified with the Masonic order, being a member of Choteau Lodge No. 44, A. F. & A. M., and Fideli- ty Chapter No. 18, R. A. M. He is a young man of executive and business ability, and is highly esteemed in the community.

E E. LEECH .- Among the representative young business men of Teton county is numbered Mr. Leech, whose progressive methods have made him one of the leading farmers and stockgrowers of this section of the state, his finely improved ranch being located in the vicinity of Dupuyer, which is his postoffice address. Mr. Leech is a native of Afton, Union county, Iowa, where he was born on December 15, 1864, the son of James P. and Mary (Cooper) Leech, the former of whom was born in Virginia in 1838, removing to Lucas county, Iowa, when nineteen years of age, where he was engaged in agricultural pursuits and as a veterinary surgeon until his death, in 1865. The mother was born in Pennsylvania in 1840, and still retains her residence in Afton, Ia. E. E. Leech, after com- pleting a course in the high school continued his study in Parsons' College, at Fairfield, Iowa, and further supplementing this discipline by a course of

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study in the well known business university at Valparaiso, Ind. Mr. Leech left home at the age of nineteen years to cast in his lot with Montana, whither he came in 1884, locating in Choteau county, which at that time included Teton county, and taking up tracts of government land in the vicinity of the present village of Dupuyer. He has since added to his estate by purchase until he has a total of 2,920 acres, located on Dupuyer creek and the Dry Forks of the Marias river.

The ranch is one of the most eligibly located and one of the best improved in Teton county, giving evidence of the discriminating methods which have been brought to bear by the enterprising proprietor, who began his labors here when scarcely more than a boy. Through an effective system of ir- rigation Mr. Leech is enabled to raise excellent crops of hay, while he gives his attention to the raising of horses, cattle and sheep, usually run- ning about 10,000 head of sheep and operating up- on an extensive scale. Mr. Leech is a stalwart sup- porter of the Republican party, being one of the leaders in its local councils, and in 1893 he was chosen to represent Choteau county (of which Te- ton was then an integral part) in the lower house of the state legislature. He proved a capable rep- resentative of the interests of his county and state, being one of the active workers in the assembly. Fraternally he is identified with Choteau Lodge No. 44, A. F. & A. M., and also with the I. O. O. F. and Knights of Pythias at Choteau. In 1889, at Buchanan, Mich., Mr. Leech was united in mar- riage to Miss Mary Geyer, who was born near North Liberty, Ind., and they have two children : Arba and Florence M.

C ARL LINDSTRAND .- Coming directly from his native land to Montana in 1889, and at once going to work vigorously and diligently and living frugally, Carl Lindstrand, of Flat Willow, has prospered and has well deserved his success. He was born July 13, 1869, at Smalland, Sweden, the son of Elias Lindstrand, who was a prosperous carpenter and builder and also conducted a farm with success and profit. His family consisted of six children. Carl passed his school days at the old homestead, and in 1889 came to Montana, locat- ing at Flat Willow, where he had an older brother, Magnus, who later removed to the Musselshell four miles above Roundup, where he is at present

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Progressive men of the state of Montana, pt 2, Part 136

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