Progressive men of the state of Montana, pt 2, Part 146

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 146

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given to the development and adornment of the United States many a scholar, many a states- man, many a soldier, many a man of affairs, many a courtly gentleman. In some instances she has united these characters in one, and this was notably true in the case of the late Baron Cornelius C. O'Keeffe, of Missoula county, who after distin- guished public service and private usefulness, died at O'Keeffe's canyon, named in his honor, in March, 1883, aged sixty-three years. He was, per- haps, one of the most popular of Montana's pio- neers, and in the wealth of his natural resources, the geniality of his nature, his obliging disposition and his readiness for every emergency, displayed qualities that fully justified his popularity. He was born in County Cork, Ireland, on September 12, 1827. His parents were David and Mary (Car- roll) O'Keeffe, natives of the same parish as him- self, and long since passed away. In 1853 Mr. O'Keeffe came to the United States and two years later removed to California and engaged in farm- ing. In May, 1859, he joined Capt. Mullan's ex- pedition, organized to build a military road be- tween the heads of navigation of the Missouri and the Columbia rivers, and with that expedition came to Montana. He here entered the employ of Maj. Owen, then an Indian agent, and entered actively into frontier life. He became well known to the settlers and rapidly grew in favor and es- teem. He was a Democrat, but men of all parties in Missoula county voted for him when he was a candidate. He was the first probate judge of the county and for twelve years served faithfully as county commissioner. He was a member of the

territorial legislature for two terms, and con- temporary with Col. W. F. Sanders in that body. In his early life in the territory Mr. O'Keeffe had many thrilling experiences. Once, while on his way to Bannack with potatoes, he was captured by the Indians, robbed of his property and barely escaped with his life. One of the savages drew a knife across his throat, but his life was saved by one of the older chiefs.

In November, 1879, he located his farm in O'Keeffe's canyon, whither he brought the first threshing machine seen in the neighborhood and also the first reaper and mower. He sold 100 bushels of wheat of his first crop for $1,500. In September, 1865, he married Miss Annie Lester, who was born near Cashel, County Tipperary, Ire- · land, on December 25, 1824, of Scotch and English ancestry, and the daughter of Richard Lester. She started for America with her parents at the age of eleven. Her mother sickened and died and was buried at sea. Her father first made his home at London, Canada, and later settled in Iowa, and from there in 1863, Annie came by ox team to Montana with friends. After her arrival she en- gaged in teaching until 1865, when occurred her marriage at Blackfoot City, and she soon went with her husband to O'Keeffe's canyon, where she died on July 4, 1890. They were the parents of two children, Mary and Margaret. Mary is now the wife of Kenneth Ross, foreman and manager for the Blackfoot Milling Company, and with them Margaret makes her home. Mr. Ross is one of the progressive business men of Missoula, and has won the public confidence and esteem by his breadth of view, uprightness and intelligence in business, and his public spirit.

David C. O'Keeffe, a younger brother of Cor- nelius O'Keeffe, is a native of the Emerald Isle, born in County Cork near Blarney castle, on Sep- tember 10, 1837. He remained in his native land until he was sixteen, receiving a common school education and in 1853 he emigrated to the United States, and was for six years collector for his brother in New York. In 1859 he went to San Francisco via Panama, landing there in May of the same year. He followed ranching three years in Big valley, then went to the famous Walla Walla valley and secured work on the ranch of Capt. Mullan near Fort Walla Walla. He soon joined the captain's Mormon expedition, which led to the construction of the celebrated Mullan road, which they completed from the head of naviga-

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tion on the Columbia river to McCarty's bridge, where the company was disbanded. Mr. O'Keeffe then came to Montana, and in June, 1862, located land contiguous to that on which he now makes his home, and adjoining the claim of his brother, Cornelius O'Keeffe. David C. O'Keeffe is the oldest settler in his section of the state, and has an excellent ranch, where he is farming and stock- raising. He was for a time engaged in freighting between Fort Benton and Virginia City, and hauled the first sawmill to Virginia City which was operated there, as well as the first quartz stamps. He was twice captured by Indians, but both times was soon released. In politics he has given a zeal- ous support to the Republican party. In religion he was reared in the faith of the Catholic church.

M ATTHEW OBERGFELL, approaching the sunset of life, although yet in the full vigor of his physical and mental powers, with a progres- sive and enterprising family of sons settled on ad- joining or nearby properties, and the fruits of his labors growing and blooming around him, the lot of Mr. Obergfell seems singularly fortun- ate, but this condition of peaceful enjoyment has not been attained without toil and hardship continued through many years. He was born in Germany on September 21, 1840. He attended the state schools until he was fourteen, then served an apprenticeship of three years at the carpenter's trade and working as a journeyman in his native land until he was twenty. In 1861 he came to the United States, and at Indianapolis worked at his trade for a year. In the fall of 1862 he en- listed in the Sixth Indiana German Battery and served until the close of the war in the Depart- ment of the Gulf. He saw continued and arduous service, but escaped without a serious wound or the horrors of imprisonment. He was mustered out in 1865 at Indianapolis, and worked the next year in that city at his trade, and the two following years in Kansas City. In the spring of 1868 he returned to Indianapolis and was a contractor and builder for many years. He came to Montana early in 1882, located at Newlon in the Yellowstone valley, purchased 320 acres of school and rail- road land, and began extensive farming and stock- raising operations. In 1893 he took up a home- stead of 160 acres adjoining the town site of Sid- ney, on Fox creek, which he also devoted to farm-

ing and stockraising. Several of his older sons are engaged in the same business on adjoining ranches. Charles has cattle, Paul, horses, and Albert, cattle, in partnership with Charles Lohmil- . ler. Mr. Obergfell and his sons are hard workers, frugal in management, and have prospered from their industry and thrift, both financially and in the regard and confidence of their neighbors and friends. Mr. Obergfell is a Republican of firm conviction and takes an active part in local politi- cal affairs, ever on the lookout for what he con- ceives to be the best interests of the community. He was married at Kansas City in the spring of 1867 to Miss Barbara Stierly, born in Germany on February 25, 1847, and with her parents came to the United States in 1866, locating at Indianap- olis. They have had seventeen children, eleven are now living, namely: Charles, Mary, Albert, Pow- ell, Annie, Cecil, Isador, August, Rosa, Matthew and John.

T `HOMAS F. OETH .- Through his own well directed efforts the subject of this sketch has attained a degree of prosperity which marks him as a young man of enterprise and ability. He was born at Canton, Mo., on March 23, 1865, being the son of John P. and Anna E Oeth, both born in Germany, whence they came to America when quite young, their marriage having been solem- nized at Keokuk, Iowa, in 1855. The father was a barber by trade and occupation, and his death oc- curred at Canton, Mo., in 1892. The mother of our subject now makes her home with her daugh- ter, Mrs. Elizabeth M. Hartung, of that city. She is a member of the Lutheran church, as was also her husband, who in a fraternal way was identified with the Masonic and Druid lodges.

Thomas F. Oeth attended the public schools until he reached the age of fourteen years, when he began to prepare himself for the active duties of life by learning the painter's trade, which he has always followed to a greater or less extent. In 1885 he left his native town and made a trip through the southwestern portions of Missouri, and during the winter of 1886 he visited Omaha, Cheyenne, Portland and Seattle, and then came to Missoula, Mont., being engaged in work at his trade during the entire time. He traveled through- out the entire territory in 1887, and in 1888 he came to Great Falls, and devoted his attention to his trade. In 1891 he located his present ranch

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of 360 acres near Evans, Cascade county, of which forty acres are available for cultivation. Here he has since devoted his attention to the raising of horses, both for draft and road purposes, and has contributed in no small degree to the im- provements of the grades in this section of the state, his success having been the natural result of his discriminating methods and executive abil- ity. In politics he has ever given an unfaltering allegiance to the Republican party, in whose cause he has been a very active worker. In the line of his craft he was a principal promoter and active member of the Great Falls Painters' Union, which organization he represented as a delegate to the Cascade county trades and labor council.

F "RANK D. O'NEILL .- In the picturesque little hill city of Guelph, county of Waterloo, On- tario, Canada, Frank D. O'Neill was born Decem- ber 18, 1864. His father, James O'Neill, was like- wise born in Canada, whither his father emigrated from Ireland about the year 1820. James O'Neill engaged in agricultural pursuits in the province of Ontario and was also proprietor of a hotel in Guelph for a number of years. In 1867 he re- moved to Jefferson, Kan., and here raised Durham cattle and Cotswold sheep as his specialty, and later located in Saline county, Mo., where he gave his attention to agriculture. His wife, whose maiden name was Margaret Ryan, was born in Ireland, whence she accompanied her parents on their re- moval to Canada when a mere child. James O'Neill died in Missouri in 1890 and his widow now resides in Miles City. They became the par- ents of six children, of whom the subject of this review was the youngest, and one of the four yet living.

Frank D. O'Neill received his early education in the public schools of Kansas, to which state his parents had removed when he was but three years of age, and thereafter he remained at the parental home until nineteen years of age. In 1884 he went to California, where he remained one year, at the expiration of which time he came to Mon- tana, locating in Custer county, where he took up a shepherd's staff and sheep shears, and later a tract of land on Powder river, now having a well improved ranch of 5,000 acres, and also having access to an almost unlimited open range. Here he has been extensively engaged in the sheep busi-

ness, running at the present time about 10,000 head. His ranch is located forty-five miles southeast of Miles City, where he maintains his residence dur- ing the greater portion of the year, having an at- tractive home of modern design and conveniences.

In his political allegiance Mr. O'Neill has ever been stanchly arrayed in support of the Demo- cratic party and the principles, having been a mem- ber of the Democratic central committe of Custer county for the past ten years, while for two terms he held membership in the state central commit- tee, having been identified with the same in 1900, when a dissaffected element in the ranks of the or- ganization attempted to disrupt the party in Mon- tana at the state convention, held in the city of Butte. Mr. O'Neill was the Democratic candidate for representative of his county in the lower house of the state legislature, at the election of November, 1900, but was defeated by a small majority. He has been a member of the state board of sheep commissioners since 1898. In his fraternal rela- tions our subject is a popular member of the Benevolent Protective Order of Elks, the Inde- pendent Order of Odd Fellows, the Ancient Order of the United Workmen and also the Knights of the Maccabees.

On the 21st of October, 1901, Mr. O'Neill was united in marriage to Miss Ina Mckenzie, who was born in Minnesota and reared in Montana, hav- been a successful and popular teacher in the pub- lic schools of Miles City prior to her mariage. She is a daughter of John G. and Margaret Mc- Kenzie, natives respectively of Scotland and New Brunswick, and now residents of Miles City.

BERNARD G. OLSON, than whom no man is more highly esteemed in Choteau county, re- sides on a splendidly equipped ranch in the Bear Paw mountains, near Chinook. He gives his at- tention to both sheep and cattle, and has made, emphatically, a success of each of these enter- prises. He was born in Chicago, November 15, 1857, the son of Oliver and Gurana Olson, natives of Stavanger, Norway. In 1842 the family came to the United States from Norway, and settled in Chicago, when that city was just springing into existence. Here the elder Olson engaged in the cooperage business, and here his wife, the mother of Bernard G. passed away in early life. The father is now living a retired life in Chicago. Bernard G.

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Olson was one of a family of three brothers and two daughters. In his boyhood days he received an excellent education in the public schools of Chicago. Subsequently he sought and secured em- ployment as a measurer and designer with the large retail and wholesale dry goods house of Field & Leiter, now Marshall Field & Co. This was in 1874, and young Olson remained with this firm ten years, a length of service that speaks volumes for his diligence and business qualifications. Be- coming imbued with a desire to face the world on his own account and responsibility, in 1884 he came to Montana and at first located in Fergus county, where he secured three claims of 160 acres each, and upon which he engaged in the growing of sheep and cattle.

In the fall of 1888 Mr. Olson removed to his present location in the Bear Paw mountains. His holdings comprise 620 acres, with an additional 640 acres under lease, all of which land is fenced in a most substantial manner. Here he has erected a fine two-story residence and surrounded it by commodious outbuildings and all necessary con- veniences for the satisfactory prosecution of his sheep, cattle and horseraising business. At pres- ent there is a band of 9,000 sheep on the range.

L AURIS J. OTNESS, now one of the leading stockmen of Teton county, residing near Choteau on the Burton bench, was born on a farm in Norway, on May 22, 1862. His father, Jacob L. Otness, also a native of Norway, was born in 1837 and emigrated to the United States in 1872. He resided in Lac qui Parle county, Minn., until 1893, in that year coming to Montana, where he is now engaged in general farming near Choteau. His wife, Bertha O. (Agre) Otness, was born in Nor- way, and died in Minnesota in 1891. When he was nine years of age Lauris J. Otness came to this country, previously giving diligent attention to the schools of his native town, and at Lac qui Parle he continued his studies, alternating these with work on his father's farm until he became of age. He came to Miles City, Mont., in 1883, but returned home the same season, and in 1884 removed to Clark, S. D., where he secured homestead and pre- emption claims, comprising 320 acres of land, and for seven years was stockraising and farming.

He then returned to his old home in Minnesota, but the same year came to Miles City, Mont., and

for two and one-half years was section foreman on the Northern Pacific Railroad. His advent in the Burton bench district was made in 1896, at which time he resided with his brother-in-law, Jacob Lindseth. In 1897 Mr. Otness took up homestead and desert claims, and his family two other claims, making 640 acres of land in all, and upon this he now carries on an extensive business in stockgrow- ing and general farming. He is one of the pros- perous residents of the county, and is recognized as a man of sterling character and superior busi- ness ability. In Lac qui Parle county, Minn., in 1892, Mr. Otness was married to Miss S. Hagen, who was born in Norway in 1873. His political affiliations are with the Republican party.

D ARWIN D. OSTROM, proprietor of the Sun River Hereford ranch, is numbered among the successful and enterprising cattlemen of Lewis and Clarke county. This fine ranch is handsomely located near Augusta, and is equipped with all the modern conveniences necessary to make the business profitable. Mr. Ostrom was born on May 8, 1859, in New York, the son of Jesse and Anna Ostrom. The parents were also natives of New York and the father successfully followed farming until his death in 1880 and politically he was a Democrat. Both parents were members of the Methodist church. Darwin D. Ostrom was educated in the public schools near the place of his nativity. But in the active business life he has since led, by observation and experience he has added much to education of the schools. At twelve years of age he began to give full days work on the parental farm, and this he continued to do until 1880, when he caught the western fever and started for Montana. He, however, first located near Bis- marck, Dakota, and worked for the Northern Pa- cific Railroad for one year .. In 1881 he came to Montana and engaged in herding sheep for L. Berthelote, four miles southwest of Augusta. Here he passed two years and was then employed by E. Beech, a portion of the time as ranchi fore- man. But he was eager to work for himself, and, in 1883, he located a homestead claim in Teton county and engaged in sheepraising for six years. He was successful beyond his most sanguine ex- pectations. In 1889 he sold his ranch for $925 and purchased 160 acres four miles southwest of Augusta, of Mrs. M. Furman. Here he has since

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extensively engaged in cattleraising, and has added 320 .acres to his property, of which 175 is fine arable land. He also makes a specialty of raising full blooded Hereford cattle. His herd is headed by the fine bull Modern Armour No. 98069, and the prize-winning cow Blanche No. 25326. On Sep- tember 1, 1886, Mr. Ostrom was married to Miss Emma Auchard, daughter of Richard and Kather- ine A. (Lamb) Auchard, and a native of New York. (See sketch of Mr. Auchard elsewhere in this volume.) Two children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Ostrom, Maud E. and Rita E. Mr. Ostrom is a member of the Woodmen of the World, the Circle and the Odd Fellows. Politically he is a Republican.

A LBERT E. PAISLEY. - Highly esteemed throughout Teton county and recognized as one of the eminently successful stockgrowers of the Blackfoot reservation, Mr. Paisley is a man of progressive views and wide experience in the world's active business life. He was born near Wiston, Ontario, Canada, on March 1, 1860. His father, Jared Paisley, born in 1816, was a native of the north of Ireland, and of that brave, resolute Scotch-Irish stock. When three years of age he came with his parents to Toronto, Canada, and with them he lived all of his life, with the ex- ception of six years, during the American Civil war, when he resided in Illinois engaged in ship- ping horses from Canada for the United States government. His Canadian life was passed on a farm, and he died at Toronto, in 1891. His wife, Rebecca (Rutledge) Paisley, was also born in the north of Ireland and came to Canada while yet a child. She died in 1863, leaving her son Albert without a mother when almost an infant. In the public schools of western Canada and of Cham- paign, Ill., Mr. Paisley acquired the education they afforded, attending them until his graduation at the age of nineteen years, and then he continued diligent study at home until he attained his majori- ty. That his abilities were highly appreciated is attested by the fact that in 1882 he came west and was in the employment of the Indian department as head farm instructor at Fort McLeod, North- west Territory, for a year. Passing one season at Sun River, Mont., he located in 1883 at Choteau, where he remained until the autumn of 1886, when he removed to the Blackfoot reservation in Teton county, where he now has a splendid stockraising

ranch of 480 acres, within two miles of the railway station of Blackfoot. Mr. Paisley was united in marriage in 1888 at Choteau, to Miss Lou Steele, daughter of Maj. George Steele, of Birch creek. They have four children, George S., Allen, Mattie and Chauncey.

A NDERSON W. OWENS, deceased, was a na- tive of Indiana, having been born near Clear- spring, Jackson county, on October 31, 1843, a son of Albert and Elizabeth Owens, of Kentucky. The father was quite successful in farming and mercantile pursuits, and an active member of the Democratic party. Anderson W. Owens had an excellent high school education and this was sup- plemented by a college course. On the farm he was of great assistance to his parents until they died, which was when he was young. At the opening of the Civil war he enlisted and served three years and three months. He was very desirous to re- enlist, but was rejected by the examining sur- geon on account of disability acquired in service. Returning to Clearspring he engaged in merchan- dising until 1870, when his health failed and he removed to Kansas and engaged in farm work, unsuccessfuly, however, owing to continued grass- hopper ravages. In 1875 he went back to the farm in Indiana where he remained until 1883, and then he secured railroad employment in Kansas.

In 1888 Mr. Owens came to Montana, locating on Otter creek in Cascade county, where he took up pre-emption and homestead claims comprising 320 acres. Here he devoted his time to stockrais- ing in which he was successful, horses being the principal source of revenue. The ranch is ten miles southeast of Armington, and fifty acres of it is under the plow. Politically Mr. Owens' af- filiations were with the Democratic party. He mar- ried on April 26, 1867, Miss Adeline Henderlider, a native of Jackson county, Ind., and a daughter of Martin and Rachel Henderlider. They were Kentuckians and the father a successful farmer and a stanch Democrat. Mrs. Henderlider died March 19, 1866, and was followed by her husband on January 1, 1873. To Anderson W. and Adeline Owens were born six children, three dying in in- fancy. The living are Edith ( Mrs. R. E. Lawson), Martin A. and Bertha A. (Mrs. Harry L. Price). Mr. and Mrs. Owens were members of the United Brethren church, and his political faith was Demo- cratic. He died on April 26, 1896.

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D A. PALMER .- Prospector, miner, promoter and public-spirited citizen, D. A. Palmer, of Butte, has contributed essentially and variously to the development of his adopted state which has been his home since 1864. He was born at Columbia on the Hudson, N. Y., on October 18, 1838. His education was secured in the schools of Lewiston, N. Y., and he remained on the family homestead until he was eighteen years old. In 1854 he came west to Wisconsin and after working on a farm for a year went to Milwaukee, where he dealt in grain on commission until 1862. During the next two years he was prospecting and mining in Colorado, near Denver, and in the spring of 1864 came to Montana, and was occupied for a year at Bannack and Alder gulch. In the summer of 1865 he went on a collecting tour through camps in various places in the state, meeting with many experiences and some dangerous adventures. He next went to Salt Lake and from there freighted a load of supplies to Helena in the cold winter of 1865-6. In the follow- ing summer he was prospecting on Elk creek, in Bear gulch, Henderson's gulch and at other places. In the fall of 1866 he went with the stampede to Leesburg, Idaho, but returned to Elk creek within the year, and with four others took up claims which they worked with varying success during the next three or four years. In the summer of 1869 he removed to Butte and entered the employ of W. P. Wheeler until autumn, when he went to Cedar creek, locating a number of mines there, some of which he developed during the next three years, at the end of which he sold out and went to pros- pecting in Missoula county.

In July, 1872, he came to Butte and leased placer grounds near the city from W. P. Wheeler, which he worked for a short time and in 1873-4 he took a contract for building a 700-foot tunnel from west to east through the Rocky mountain divide. Dur- ing 1874, 1875 and 1876 he was a placer miner at Pioneer, and in the winter of 1876 he conducted a billiard hall at Missoula, which place has since been his home. From 1877 to 1880 he was quartz- mining near the city, and then for fifteen years lie was conducting placer mining on leased grounds in Missoula gulch and acting as manager for A. W. Bernard. In 1896-7 he was engaged in mining in Utah, his enterprising spirit impelling him to seek new fields of conquest rather than rest upon results already accomplished. Mr. Palmer is a Republi- can, always taking an active part in the interests of his party. Nothing that makes for the welfare of

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Progressive men of the state of Montana, pt 2, Part 146

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