Progressive men of the state of Montana, pt 2, Part 144

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 144

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M OSES MORRIS .- One of the pioneer busi- ness men of Helena, having located in that city in 1865, Moses Morris, is a native of Prussia, where he was born May 5, 1844. He remained in his native land until he was fourteen years old, attending the state schools as he had opportunity and this was all the education he received. In 1858 he came to America, locating at St. Paul, Minn., and began his business career as a peddler of dry goods and notions ; but not liking the busi- ness he journeyed westward over 700 miles to Denver, Colo., where from 1860 to 1863 he was engaged in a partnership business with his brother. They were burned out in 1863, and the next year he located at Virginia City, and one year later at Helena, where he has since lived continuously. He and his brother engaged in trade in Helena as general merchants, and continued together for a number of years. Mr. Morris as an enterprising man has taken great interest in public improve- ments of every good kind. He was one of the or- ganizers of the Merchants' National Bank of Hel- ena, also of the electric light company, the glass company and the street railway company. To all of these enterprises he gave his best abilities and his close attention from the beginning, aiding in de- veloping them and in enlarging their scope of use- fulness. In politics he is a Republican, and be-

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gan a service of nine years as alderman in 1883, and three years of the time he was president of the council. Fraternally he is identified with the Masonic order, in which he has been very promi- nent and has taken thirty-two degrees. He was married in 1878 to Miss Emma Anson, a native of St. Louis, Mo. They have had five children, of whom only two are living, namely, Esther N. and Irma Jessie. At the time of his immigration to the far west, travel was primitive, costly and dan- gerous. He made the trip with an ox team from Leavenworth, Kan., paying $20 for the privilege of walking behind the wagon on which his bag- gage was carried, and getting his own meals in the bargain. Forty-nine days were taken in making the trip, and although it was tiresome it was inter- esting to him, for he had the enthusiasm of youth and high hopes for success, all of which have been handsomely realized. His parents were Joachim and Esther (Schlesinger) Morris, both natives of Prussia, where the father died some years ago. The mother died in Denver. They had three sons and three daughters, all of whom are now living in the United States. Mr. Morris has seen Helena grow from a rugged and primitive mining camp into a bustling, enterprising and wellbuilt city, and has the satisfaction of knowing that he has contributed materially to the growth and develop- ment, and also that he enjoys in good measure the esteem of his fellow citizens.

E MIEL MUNDT is the owner of one of the best improved and most valuable ranches among the Bear Paw mountains, Choteau county. This handsome property is the result of the gradual ac- cumulation of thirteen years passed in territory and state, during which period our subject has ex- hibited great industry and business sagacity. He was born in Davenport, Iowa, April 16, 1871, and is, therefore, quite a young man. His parents are Claus and Annie Mundt, and they now reside in Denison, Iowa, the father having retired from ac- tive business. They are natives of Germany, and on coming to the United States they located in the vicinity of Davenport, Iowa, but later removed to Crawford county, where the elder Mundt was actively engaged in agricultural pursuits until with- in the past few years.

Emiel Mundt, the son, remained on the home- stead during his school years and materially con-

tributed to the assistance of his parents. He was, however, firm in the belief that the west offered a wider field for the business talents of a young man, and in 1888 he came to Helena, Mont., wherc he followed various occupations until 1892. He then purchased a portion of his present ranch, 160 acres, from George Davis. He and his wife now own 320 acres of land, and it is considered one of the best improved ranches in the Bear Paw moun- tains. During his incumbency of the ranch he has completely fenced and fitted it up with every con- venience necessary for the successful raising of sheep, to which industry it is devoted, the flock comprising some 4,000 head. In 1893 Mr. Mundt was united in marriage to Miss Lizzie Ewoldt, a daughter of Claus Ewoldt. They have two chil- dren, George and Edward. Fraternally he is a member of the Modern Woodmen of America, and politically a Republican.

W ILLIAM MUELLER, the leading merchant of Neihart, Cascade county, and one of its most highly esteemed citizens, is a prominent and enterprising German-American who has achieved financial success in numerous lines of business. He was born in Frankfort, Germany, on June 20, 1863, a son of Michael and Katherine Mueller, natives of Germany. His father possessed financial ability, conducting a prosperous real estate business, in which he acquired a competence; and is now living a retired life, surviving his wife from January 31. 1867, and he, like his wife, is a member of the Catholic church. William Mueller received an ex- cellent business education at the public and high schools of Germany, and this was increased by at- tendance at the College of Brussels, the capital of Belgium. To the young but thoughtful lad the United States appeared to offer superior advant- ages to the more conservative Germany, and at the age of fifteen he came to New York, where he at once secured employment as a elerk.

He was industrious and frugal, and when he came to Montana in 1883, he was enabled to profit- ably engage for himself in merchandising in Hel- ena. The climate of that city not agreeing with him, and his health failing, on the advice of phy- sicans he relinquished the Helena proposition and opened a general store at Neihart, which he con- ducted until 1892. He then sold out and until 1897 attended the Armour Institute at Chicago. He returned to Neihart, re-purchasing his former

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business, which has proved highly prosperous. He is also interested in the Florence, Cumberland, Com- monwealth and Loudon mines, all good paying properties. Mr. Mueller is one of the most popular Democrats of Cascade county and manifests an active and influential interest in the work of the party. From 1887 until 1891 he was postmaster of Neihart and he was a county commissioner of Meagher county from 1889 until 1893. In 1895 he was elected a delegate to the Cook county Demo- cratic silver convention of that year at Chicago, and to the state Democratic convention held at Springfield, Il1., in 1895. In all public enterprises involving the municipal welfare of Neihart he is at the front, and his liberal, progressive views, com- bined with rare business judgment, have won the confidence of the community. In religious faith he is a Catholic.

E MORY C. NEWBY is one of the influential and prosperous farmers and stockgrowers of Choteau county, and can look back with pride on a long line of American ancestors. In each gener- ation representatives of the name have honored themselves and the nation through their sterling character and their worthy endeavors. The original American ancestor was Samuel Newby, who im- migrated to the New World prior to the war of the Revolution, settling in North Carolina. To him was given a son, William, the grandfather of the immediate subject of this review. William Newby was twice married, the offspring of the first union being twelve children. He was an exten- sive planter in the South, and was a gentleman of influence. After his second marriage, owing to family dissensions he divided his property among his children, and with his wife, whose maiden name was Elizabeth Simonds, removed to Indiana and settled in Wayne county, where he passed the resi- due of his life, his death occurring in 1831, his wife surviving him a full decade. Three children were born of the second marriage, and of these Joseph was the father of Emory C. Joseph Newby was born October 7, 1815, and after attaining maturity he settled in Henry county, Ind., where he engaged in agricultural pursuits until his death, in January, 1898. He married Miss Naomi Dicks, and they became the parents of seven children, the mother passing away in March, 1898. He was an extensive and influential farmer of Henry county, Ind., and

on the old homestead Emory C. was born on November 21, 1851. He grew to maturity on the farm, waxing strong in mind and body through its. sturdy discipline, and secured his rudimentary education in the common schools, supplemented by a course in Spiceland Academy. He remained on the parental homestead until he attained the age of twenty-eight years, when he effected the purchase of a farm in Spiceland township, Henry county, and devoted his attention to its improve- ment and cultivation until April, 1889, when he came to Montana and settled on a tract of 160 acres located two miles west of the present town line of the village of Chinook, which then contained only two houses. He forthwith brought to bear his best energies, and devoted careful attention to the improvement of his place for the conducting of general farming and the raising of cattle. In these lines his efforts have been attended with pro- nounced success, and his ranch is one of the most attractive and well managed in this vicinity. In 1901 Mr. Newby completed the erection of a fine modern residence in Chinook, and here the family maintain their home during the winter seasons. Mr. Newby is a birthright member of the Society of Friends, and has ever clung to its simple and noble faith.

In politics he gives allegiance to the Republi- can party, but has never been an aspirant for pub- lic office. On April 29, 1882, Mr. Newby was united in marriage to Miss Margaret Nixon, daughter of Zachariah Nixon, of Henry county, Ind. Her grandfather, Josiah Nixon, came to Indiana from North Carolina, and was one of the earliest settlers in Wayne county. To our subject and his wife seven children have been born, namely: Arthur, Terrill A., Earl C., Hazel O., Lester, Marie and Nixon. Mr. and Mrs. Newby are held in the high- est esteem in the community and the family home is a center of refined hospitality.

NICHOLAS NEUMEYER, who successfully conducts one of the largest ranches near Arm- ington, in Cascade county, was born in Germany on May 4, 1836, the son of Peter and Barbara Neu- meyer. The earlier years of the father's life were passed in Germany in unproductive farming and freighting, but later he was engaged in mining, which proved more profitable. The mother died in 1878 and was followed by her husband in 1883.

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Three children survive them, Nicholas, Elizabeth and Barbara. Nicholas attended school until he was twelve years old, when he engaged in farm work to aid in the maintenance of his parents. It was but little he could contribute on wages equal to only $1.50 per month, but his will was good and his labor exhausting. At the age of sixteen he began mining, continuing at this occu- pation until he was twenty-eight. In 1879 he emi- grated to the United States and at first located in Milwaukee, Wis. Being able to earn only $1.00 a day there, he went to St. Paul, Minn. But here he found no suitable employment and he went to Michigan, and found fair compensation for three years in the iron mines. The average wages that he here received were $1.75 per day.

Mr. Neumeyer came to Montana in 1882 and at once engaged in silver mining for $3.50 a day, continuing at this work for two years; in 1884 he purchased his present ranch, which at first con- sisted of a pre-emption claim of 160 acres. To this he has added homestead and desert claims and other lands until he now controls about 1,700 acres, which are devoted to cattleraising and the cultivation of bounteous crops of wheat, hay and oats. He is regarded as a very successful and en- terprising farmer and a sterling Democrat. Mr. Neumeyer was united in marriage in May, 1863, to Miss Mary Schafer, a native of Germany and daughter of Peter and Elizabeth Schafer. Her father was a successful miner, but in 1875 he was accidentally killed in one of the mines. Her mother died in 1870. Three children survived them, Mary, Nicholas and Anna. Mr. and Mrs. Neumeyer have had eleven children, of whom five, Mary, Nicholas, Barbara, Peter and Joseph are dead. The living ones are Rosa, Mary, Millie, Nicholas, Michael and Elizabeth.

M URRAY NICHOLSON, SR .- The American frontier is among the things that are vanish- ing. Geographically we shall always have a fron- tier, but for the spirit that has been associated with the word from the early days when only the Indians were present to dispute dominion with the beasts of the field, we are now largely depend- ent on history, poetry and romance. So it be- comes imperative that perpetual record be made of those sterling pioneers who yet abide with us and whose memories constitute the only connect-

ing link between the past and the present. Among the old-timers of Montana Mr. Nicholson stands as a conspicuous figure, and his experience with hostile Indians and life on the frontier would alone make an interesting volume. He is now one of the successful farmers and stockgrowers on the Fort Belknap Indian reservation, and was born at Cum- berland, Guernsey county, Ohio, in the early 'for- ties, the son of John Nicholson, a native of Penn- sylvania. He followed blacksmithing for many years at Pittsburg, Pa., and in Payson, Ill., where he died in 1884. His wife, whose maiden name was Harriet White, was likewise born in Pennsyl- vania, and she died at Payson, Ill., in 1863.

Murray Nicholson, the son of these worthy peo- ple, attended school at Washington, Ohio, until he was fourteen, when he went with his parents to Illinois in 1855. In 1859 he migrated to the Pacific coast, reaching Nevada City, Cal., and after one year passed in mining at Shelby Hill, he went to Virginia City, Nev., where he secured a claim of sixty-six and one-third feet on the later famous Comstock lodes, the almost phenomenal richness of this great mine being then unimagined. He sold his claim for $800 to Henry Mere- dith, and not long afterward this was held at a valuation of $4,000 per foot. Mr. Nicholson re- mained near Virginia City for three years and then went to the Salmon river diggings in Oregon, where he passed six months, proceeded in 1882 to Placer- ville, on the south fork of the Boise river in Idaho, of which Montana was then a part. In 1863 he came to Silver creek, in what is now Lewis and Clarke county, Mont., and in each of these places he met with fair success in mining. Mr. Nicholson devoted the winter of 1864-65 to wolf hunting on Milk river near Fort Benton, and was in the en- ploy of the American Fur Company later for about a year. In 1866-7 he was mostly engaged in hunting expeditions, and in 1867 participated in Col. Eldreth's fight with the Nez Perces Indians, at the mouth of Cow creek. In 1868 he accom- panied Capt. Snyder's party and thus assisted in the survey of the Assinniboine reservation, and for the next five years was chief scout from Fort Assinniboine, under Gen. Ruger. Col. Black, Maj. Morris and others.

In 1888 Mr. Nicholson located on a ranch on Clear creek near Yantic station, and two years later, 1890, he took up a ranch on Big Peoples' creek, where he made his home until 1892, when he secured his present ranch on Little People's

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creek, Belknap reservation, thirty-five miles south of Harlem, Choteau county. He has a fine ranch of 200 acres, all under fence and well improved, and he has access to an almost unlimited open range, so that he controls the best of facilities for his extensive cattle and horse business, while in the line of general agriculture his efforts have been attended with success. Mr. Nicholson has been an active worker in the Democratic party. He served as deputy sheriff of Choteau county from 1875 to 1877 under Sheriff William Rowe. In Harlem, in 1892, Mr. Nicholson married a Gros Ventre Indian woman, and they have two bright children, Mary and Edith, who are being finely educated.

JOHN M. NILAN .- From the fair Emerald Isle have come many sterling citizens of the United States, and among the number is the well known and successful farmer and stockgrower of Lewis and Clarke county whose name initiates this review. Mr. Nilan is a native of County Gal- way, Ireland, where he was born on the IIth of February, 1857, the son of Patrick and Margaret Nilan, both of whom passed their entire lives in that, their native land, where the father was en- gaged in agricultural pursuits. Both stood repre- sentative of sturdy old Irish stock and both were devoted members of the Roman Catholic church.

John M. Nilan received rather limited educa- tional advantages in his youth, and early assumed the individual responsibilities of life. He attended the public schools as opportunity afforded and as a boy began to assist his father in the work of the farm. He bade adieu to home and native land at the early age of sixteen years, when, in 1873, he emigrated to America, believing that better opportunities were here afforded for a young man who had to make his own way in the world. It may be said with all confidence that he has never had occasion to regret his decision at this juncture, for success has come as the result of his consecu- tive industry and well directed endeavor. Upon arriving in the United States Mr. Nilan located in Massachusetts, where he was engaged in rail- road grading until the succeeding year, when he turned his face toward the setting sun, coming as far west as Marquette, in the upper peninsula of Michigan, where he was for four years employed in the blast furnaces connected with the great iron

mining industry in that section, and for two years thereafter he was identified with copper mining in the same section of the Peninsula state, meet- ing with good success in this line of work. His next occupation was in the responsible position of foreman in connection with the construction of the Canadian Pacific Railroad, and to this line of enterprise he devoted his attention for a period of five years, at the expiration of which, in 1881, he came to Montana, which has ever since con- tinued to be his home. He made Bozeman his des- tination, and there he secured employment on the ranch of Nelson Story, with whom he remained one year, after which he went to Helena, and there engaged to get out timber for use in the con- struction of the Northern Pacific Railroad, being duly prospered in the contract thus entered upon. In the spring of 1884 he removed to the Sun river district of Cascade county, and there took a con- tract for getting out timber for supplying Fort Shaw with the requisite fuel, and the next two years he was employed in sawmill work.

The year 1888 witnessed the permanent location of Mr. Nilan in Lewis and Clarke county, since he then purchased a tract of 160 acres, located seven miles north of the village of Augusta, which is his postoffice address, and to this he has since added 680 acres, so that his ranch is one of suf- ficient area to enable him to carry on his cattle business upon an extensive scale, while 160 acres of his place are available for effective cultivation, and here he has raised excellent crops of hay. He has conducted operations with discrimination and ability and has not been denied a due measure of success, while he is looked upon as one of the reliable and progressive ranchmen of this locality. In politics he gives an unqualified support to the principles and policies of the Democratic party, and in religion he and the members of his family are adherents of the Roman Catholic church, in which faith they have been reared.

On the 19th of November, 1888, Mr. Nilan was united in marriage to Miss Margaret Owens, who was born in Nebraska, the daughter of John and Mary Owens, where the father was engaged in stockraising and farming until his death, which oc- curred in 1865. He was a member of the Catholic church, as is also his widow, who now makes her home in the vicinity of Augusta, Mont. Mr. and Mrs. Nilan are the parents of five children, namely : John E., Ellen, Katherine R., Walter J. and Thomas F.

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W ILLIAM LARKIN MURPHY .- The sub- ject of this brief review, although a member of the bar of Montana for less than two years, has already established himself in a good practice and impressed the community as one of the closest reasoners in the profession in his part of the state. He is a native Montanian, born at Philipsburg, in Granite county, on January 4, 1877. His par- ents were Cornelius and Mary (Quaile) Murphy, the former a native of County Tipperary, Ireland, where he was a prosperous merchant, and the lat- ter of St. Louis, Mo. The father came to Amer- ica in 1862 and making his way into the far north- west, engaged in mining and merchandising, set- tling eventually at Philipsburg, where he passed the rest of his life, dying on October 14, 1887. The mother died August 13, 1883. The ancestry of Mr. Murphy was somewhat distinguished in Irish his- tory, and contributed a generous share to the devel- opment and renown of the Emerald Isle. He was cousin german to Larkin, the Manchester martyr, whose career is one of the sadly picturesque events on the pages of the general history of that coun- try. W. S. Murphy received his elementary schol- astic training in the public schools of his native state, and it was continued and concluded at the University of Montana, where he was graduated in 1897. His professional training was secured at the law department of the Columbia University of New York, from which he was graduated in 1900.

Mr. Murphy at once entered on the practice of his profession as a member of the law firm of Dixon & Murphy, at Missoula, and his prog- ress in the practice has been steady, constant and substantial. He has impressed the people of the county with his industry, energy and close atten- tion to business, and his professional brethren and the courts with the cogency of his reasoning, and the fullness and accuracy of his legal learn- ing. The present he has well in hand, and the future is full of promise for him. Mr. Murphy is an active Republican, and is now serving as city attorney and clerk, a position to which he was appointed on May 6, 1901, and to the duties of which he gives his best powers and is winning by his manner and fidelity in administering them high commendation from all classes of the peo- ple. In religious faith he is a Catholic, and in fraternal relations he is only connected with his uni- versity Greek letter fraternity, the Beta Theta Pi, and into which he was initiated in 1898. He is a valued member of the social circles in which

he moves, and manifests an intelligent and abid- ing interest in all matters of public concern that appertain to the welfare of the city and county in which he has cast his lot.

ILLIAM J. NIX .- Born at Auburn, N. Y., August 26, 1865, and prepared for the duties of life through arduous effort and some tribulation, the subject of this sketch has been engaged in works of construction during his maturity ; in fact, ever since he has been old and strong enough to work, and now sees the fruits of his labors in active operation and doing good service to the world around him. His father, Thomas Nix, was born in Ireland about 1830, and when eleven years old started with his parents to the United States. Both of his parents died on the voyage, and he landed in New York a friendless orphan. He was taken in charge by a Mr. Flannery, and lived in New York until 1867. He then removed to Ben- ton, Minn., and there followed farming as an oc- cupation until advancing age compelled him to retire, but he is still living in restful peace after many struggles and arduous toil, secure in the re- gard and esteem of all his fellowmen who know him. His wife, the mother of our subject, whose maiden name was Julia Hogan, was born in Ire- land about 1830, and died at Benton, Minn., in 1892. William Nix was educated in the public ele- mentary and high schools of Benton and Sauk Rapids, Minn. After leaving school he worked for two years in the lumber woods of that state. From 1885 to 1887 he was a section laborer on the North- ern Pacific at Sauk Rapids, and in 1887 went to Medora, N. D., and ran a section there for two years. In 1889 he came to Sherley, Mont., and at that point and Conlin ran construction sections until 1890. From that time until 1893 he was sec- tion boss at Rosebud, and from May 27, 1893, to 1899, had charge of a large extra gang of work- men on the Yellowstone division. On June 1, 1899, he was promoted to the position of road- master between Miles City and Billings, with head- quarters at Forsyth, a position which he is still filling, and the duties of which he is discharging with satisfaction to all concerned.

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Progressive men of the state of Montana, pt 2, Part 144

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