Progressive men of the state of Montana, pt 2, Part 167

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 167

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

1865

PROGRESSIVE MEN OF MONTANA.

of that state but for many years residents of Con- necticut. He is a member of the Masonic fra- ternity, and takes active interest in public affairs in everything showing evidence of a clear and strong judgment.

FREDERICK W. C. WHYTE .- The business field of Montana contains no more active expo- nent of successful finance than this gentleman. Well and favorably known throughout the coun- ties of Cascade and Choteau, as well as at Anaconda and Butte, as a man of superior intelligence, personal integrity and progressive views, he has lived to be- come one of the most forceful characters in those localities. A native of Lanarkshire, Scotland, born on July 27, 1863, he came to Montana while still a young man, in 1887, and has since attained prom- inence and wealth. He is the son of Robert and Catherine Whyte, natives of Scotland, where the father was a merchant and died in early years. It was by no means a limited education received by F. W. C. Whyte, for he had the advantages of the public and high schools, and was an industrious student and a great reader of high class literature. At the age of fifteen years he entered the office of a civil and mining engineer at Glasgow, where he remained five years thoroughly qualifying himself as a civil and mining engineer, receiving an annual salary ranging from $25 to $550. Such renumera- tion was by no means satisfactory to an ambitious young man like Mr. Whyte, and in 1887 he came to the United States, locating at first at Socorro, N. M., where he was three months city engineer, but soon came to Montana and settled at Helena. Here he entered the service of the Great Northern Rail- road as a civil engineer, and later he was with the Woolston Water Works Company for five months. Subsequently he engaged in prospecting for eight months, but was unsuccessful.

Mr. Whyte then re-entered the service of the Great Northern and remained with that organiza- tion until 1892, dividing his time between Montana and Washington. From 1892 to 1894 he was em- ployed by the Anaconda Company and the Butte, Anaconda & Pacific Railroad as chief engineer. He then passed nine months on a sheep ranch, familiar- izing himself with that business. At present he is heavily interested in a sheep company in Choteau county, conducted under the firm name of Crichton & Whyte, controlling a flock of 7,000 head. He also holds the position of general manager of the mines

at Belt and Wyoming. He belongs to the Anaconda Copper Company, which employs 650 men at Belt in the production of 1,500 tons of coal, daily out- put, and 1,000 men at Diamondville, Wyo., with a production of 4.500 tons daily. On March 23, 1892, Mr. Whyte was united in marriage to Miss Adeliza Crichton, a native of Scotland and daughter of Wil- liam Crichton. Her father was a successful cattle and sheep merchant of Edinburgh, Scotland, and her mother a native of England. Her mother died in 1881 and was followed by her father in 1889. Mr. and Mrs. Whyte have one child, Keith C. Mr. Whyte's political affiliations are with the Democratic party and, fraternally, he is a member of the Mod- ern Woodmen of America. The residence of the family is now at Anaconda. They removed from Belt in June, 1901.

C HARLES WHITCOMB .- A prominent repre- sentative of the sheep industry in Valley county is Mr. Whitcomb, who is one of the highly es- teemed young business men of this section of the state. He is a native of the Badger state, born in Edgerton, Rock county, Wis., on December 19, 1865. His father, Hiram Whitcomb, born in Penn- sylvania, in 1832, removed to Wisconsin, where he engaged in lumbering until his death, which oc- curred at Big Falls. Wis., in 1869. His wife, whose maiden name was Mera Shepherd, was born in Wisconsin in 1835, and died at Fremont, Neb., in 1894. Charles Whitcomb attended the public schools of Edgerton and Madison, Wis., until he had attained the age of nineteen and, in 1885, he came to Marysville, Mont., and for three years de- voted his attention to prospecting and mining while the ensuing five years were similarly passed in White Castle and vicinity. Thereafter he was identified with mining enterprises at Townsend for six years. having been fairly successful in his ef- forts. In 1897 Mr. Whitcomb came to Malta, Val- ley county, and the next year entered into a part- nership association with Samuel Dennison and se- cured a valuable ranch property on Little Beaver creek, thirty-five miles from the town of Malta, filing on lands covering about twelve miles of the creek and having an aggregate area of 2.000 acres. Here they have made excellent improvements, con- trol a valuable water right and are raising sheep upon an extensive scale. Much of their land is available for cultivation, but thus far is devoted

I866

PROGRESSIVE MEN OF MONTANA.

only to hay, of which large yields are secured an- nually. Mr. Whitcomb also has business and resi- dence properties in the village of Malta, where the family pass a portion of each year. A young man of keen business acumen and executive ability, Mr. Whitcomb is held in the highest esteem in the com- munity, in whose social life the family occupy a prominent position. In politics he maintains an in- dependent attitude, but takes a lively interest in public affairs of a local nature, though never an aspirant for political preferment.

At Richland Center, Wis., in 1893, Mr. Whit- comb was united in marriage with Miss Berry, and they are the parents of five children : Margaret, Fredena, Catherine, Mamie and George.

W ILLIAM E. WARDEN was one of the well known and prosperous farmers and stock- growers of Lewis and Clarke county, residing in the vicinity of Augusta. His life was one of signal honor and usefulness, and even after he passed the psalmist's span of three-score years and ten he was hale and hearty and gave attention to his important business interests until his sons relieved him of an active participation in them. Mr. Warden was born on August 24, 1824, in Howard county, Mo., the son of Elijah and Frances Warden, both of whom were born in Kentucky, whence they removed to Missouri in 1814, taking up their residence in Howard county in 1818 as pioneers, and where they were long successfully engaged in farming. Elijah Warden was a zealous Democrat and both himself and wife were members of the Christian church. The latter's death occurred on October 27, 1852, and that of her husband on January 27, 1856. Wil- liam E. Warden received limited educational ad- vantages, for he began to work on the home farm at the early age of nine years, remaining thus em- ployed until 1846, when he engaged in farming in Chariton county, Mo., where his father had pur- chased 320 acres. There he was very successful until the outbreak of the Civil war, when Missouri became the scenes of serious troubles, having zeal- ous supporters of both causes. In 1864 Mr. War- den enlisted in the Confederate service, was elected captain of his company and was thereafter in active service until the close of the war, his regiment then surrendering at Shreveport, La., and being mus- tered out at St. Louis, Mo., with honorable dis- charges. Mr. Warden then purchased 220 acres

of land in Howard county, Mo., and there devoted his attention to agriculture and stockgrowing until 1888, when he came to Montana and located on the Beals ranch, eight miles north of Augusta.

After one year's residence here, he took charge of the ranch owned by A. G. Clark, with whom he as- sociated himself in the sheep industry, their opera- tions being successfully continued until 1899, when the partnership was dissolved. Mr. Warden retain- ed the ranch and he and his sons have since con- tinued the same enterprise, numbered among the prosperous ranchmen of their community. They control 1,200 acres of land, principally utilized for grazing purposes. The sons have two ranches of their own, one located one mile north of Augusta, and the other ten miles north, and one tract of 320 acres is all eligible for effective cultivation, while the other place, comprising 480 acres, has a pro- ductive area of 150 acres. On April 16, 1846, Mr. Warden was married with Miss Martha S. Ballew, also born in Howard county, Mo., and the daughter of Hiram and Dorcas Ballew, who emigrated fromn their native state of Kentucky to Missouri in 1818, where the father was a successful farmer until his death on February 26, 1870, his widow only surviv- ing him until October 15th of the same year. Both were members of the Christian church, and the father an active worker in the Democratic party. Mr. and Mrs. Warden have long been members of the Christian church. Of their five children, three are deceased : Lavina F., Dexter and an infant. The survivors are Walter H. and Stonewall Jackson, both capable young business men and successfully associated in stockgrowing. In politics Mr. War- den was a sterling Democrat. When the autumnal beauty of October, 1901, showed the many charms of the mountains and valleys of his chosen locality in all their witchery, this highly esteemed and use- ful citizen was called from earth to those eternal activities that have no weariness, leaving a void in the circle of his many friends that long years may not fill. He did his life's work well.

G EORGE C. WHITNEY .- The eastern and southern states of the Union have sent numer- ous representatives to swell the population of Mon- tana, and the old Pine Tree state has furnished a fair quota to aid in her development. In both the paternal and maternal lines, the ancestors of Mr. Whitney are traced back to the early days of New

1867

PROGRESSIVE MEN OF MONTANA.

England, and its sturdy scions and their descend- ants are to be found in every state as prominent factors in business life.

Mr. Whitney was born in Maxfield, Penobscot county, Me., November 17, 1874, a son of John F. and Victor A. (Piper) Whitney, the former born at Newburg, Me., in 1824, passed his entire life in his native state and rendered devoted and effective service as a clergyman of the Christian church. He died in the village of Newport, Penobscot county, in the year 1891, in the fulness of years and hon- ors. The mother of our subject was born in New Hampshire, about the year 1835, and now makes her home at Glasgow, Mont.

George C. Whitney was educated in the public schools of Newport, Me., supplemented by a com- mercial and preparatory course in the New Hamp- shire Literary Institute, an academic institution at New Hampton, N. H., and thus fortified himself for the practical duties of life. At the age of twenty-two, in 1897, he came to Montana, locating in the village of Glasgow, the county-seat of Val- ley county, where he entered the employ of the Lewis Wedum Company in a clerical capacity. Holding this position for a period of two years and proving so faithful and efficient in the duties de- volving upon him, on June 1, 1900, he was installed as manager of the company's large branch store at Hinsdale, where he has a well equipped establish- ment in which may be found a select and complete stock of general merchandise. Through the ener- getic efforts of Mr. Whitney the business of the concern has been extended throughout the large territory tributary to the town, gaining the good will and esteem of all with whom he has come in contact in a business or social way.

In politics Mr. Whitney gives loyal support to the Republican party and its principles. He is one of the popular and progressive young business men of Valley county, and well deserves representation in a publication of this character.

A LEXANDER WIGHT .- Whenever nature has a work of unusual magnitude or importance to perform she provides the means for its accomplish- ment. If a crisis in human history which requires a master hand to deal with it confront her, when the hour is ripe the man is ready. If there be con- ditions which will not yield to individual effort, but require the united force of a race of men especially

prepared for the work, she brings forth the neces- sary brood and places it in the environment which will give it the proper preparation for what it has to do. When the great northwest of America was to be reduced to peaceful and productive submis- sion to the will of man, she called forth from every section and every land the race of hardy pioneers who endured the hardships and privations inevitable in the case, and have worked out the desired re- sult. Among the number thus brought into ac- tivity is Alexander Wight, a prosperous, progress- ive and highly esteemed rancher of Granite county, near Stone postoffice, whose early life in Montana was full of adventure and danger. Mr. Wight was born at Beverly, Ohio, October 14, 1842, a son of Francis and Eliza (Rodgers) Wight, the former a Kentuckian and the latter a Pennsylvanian by birth. They had six children, of whom Alexander was the first born. He attended the public school at Beverly until he was ten years old, when the family re- moved to Eldon, Iowa, where he continued his edu- cation until he was twenty years of age. He then came to Montana as an employe of a wagon train owned by the late Andrew J. Davis, of Butte, but at that time a resident of Iowa. They loaded an ox train with general merchandise for Virginia City, and in addition drove a herd of loose cattle as far as Atchison, Kan., and there took on more goods with which to cross the plains. The trip occupied four months and seven days, and ended August 7, 1864. Mr. Wight worked for Mr. Davis for a few days in order to discharge a small debt, and then secured employment with Richard Farris on Three Forks, for whom he worked until January 15, 1865. The next five months he spent in the service of Mr. Matthews at Race Track, Deer Lodge county, and when Ophir gulch was discovered he shared in the excitement and joined the eager crowd that hastened to the favored spot. There he took up a claim and worked it two months; but finding it would not pay he sold it for $150 and went to work for wages in the employ of the discoverers of the gulch, Messrs. Hunt, Norton and Pence. After working two months he bought an ox team and did teaming until the fall, and then leased a place from A. J. Davis at Race Track, and put in seventy-five acres of oats and wheat, which throve well and gave every appearance of an excellent crop until the grass- hoppers destroyed it. After this disaster he sur- rendered his lease and went to work for Henry Frederickson who took the land, receiving a yoke of oxen as his wages. These he took to Hender-

1868

PROGRESSIVE MEN OF MONTANA.

son gulch, but moved on to Philipsburg, where he teamed until he got a contract with the Hope Mill Company to haul 600 cords of wood at $3.00 per cord for the hauling. Thereupon he increased his freighting outfit to seven yoke of oxen and three wagons, and continued to freight with good profits until September, 1869, when he took his stock to Flint Creek valley for the winter. While there he concluded to take up land and devote his attention to ranching and stockraising, which he did in the spring of 1870, and has been a resident of that sec- tion of the state ever since. He has increased his ranch by subsequent purchases until he now has a most productive and beautiful place of 1,600 acres, on which he feeds 7,000 head of sheep and raises fine crops of grain and hay. The place is well im- proved with the necessary buildings and other ap- pliances, and is regarded as one of the most desir- able homes in the valley.

Mr. Wight was married March 1, 1891, in Davis county, Iowa, near Bloomfield, to Miss Catharine Hager, a daughter of Frederick and Christina Hager, natives of Germany, who came to America with their young family when Mrs. Wight was six years old. Mr. and Mrs. Wight have four children, namely: Ruth, Eliza C., Francis W. and George A., who brighten their home with the sunshine of happy childhood and add to the attractiveness of life for all who come within its influence. I11 politics Mr. Wight is a Democrat, but is not an ac- tive partisan, finding plenty to occupy his mind and time in his own affairs and the local interests of the community. He is an excellent citizen, who omits no part of his duty to his fellows.

CHARLES WILLIAMS .- One of the most suc- cessful and most highly esteemed business men of Philipsburg, Granite county, is Charles Williams, the subject of this brief review. He was born at Beech Glen, N. J., April 21, 1867. His parents were Zachary and Margaret (Roberts) Williams, the father being a successful mining man. They had three children, of whom Charles was the eldest. Mr. Williams removed with his family in early life to Colorado. They settled at Bald mountain, in that state, where he received his early education in the public schools, which he attended until he was fifteen years old. He then left school and be- gan working in the mines, at which he continued four or five years. In 1887 he came to Montana

and worked seven months in the mines of Butte. From there he removed to Granite and mined a year, after which he was employed by the Montana Liquor Company for seven or eight months, and then engaged in the stationery, news and confection- ery business on his own account, continuing until 1893, when he removed to Philipsburg and con- ducted the same kind of a business with expanding volume and increasing profit.

Ir politics Mr. Williams is an independent voter and not a seeker of political preferment. In frater- nal relations he is identified with the Masons and the Odd Fellows, holding his membership in Colo- rado. He was married at Philipsburg April 9, 1896. to Miss Florence Shaw, daughter of William and Isabel Shaw, of Denver, Colo. They have twin daughters, Margaretta and Isabel, who were born June 15, 1897. Life for Mr. Williams has passed on rather smoothi lines. He has been successful in business, has won the high regard of his fellow citi- zens, is much esteemed in social circles and has a large number of devoted friends and an abundant measure of domestic happiness.

EDWARD WILLIAMSON is a young man who has acquired prominence in the business circles of Teton county, and by industry, superior business ability and unimpeachable integrity won the confi- dence of a large circle of acquaintances. He was born near Kingston, Ireland, on August 1, 1869. His father, John, and his mother, Margaret, were natives of Ireland, where the former died in 1875, and the mother is still living. The public schools of Kingston afforded the elementary portion of Ed- ward Williamson's education, and this he greatly improved in after life by home study. In 1883 he emigrated from Ireland to America, and settled at Point Fortune, Canada, where he secured ein- ployment as a clerk in a store devoted to the sale of general merchandise, and remained in that voca- tion until 1891. In that year he removed to Mon- tana, locating at Great Falls, Cascade county, and assuming a responsible position in the department store of Strain Brothers, with whom he remained nine years, proving a valuable and efficient business man. His abilities won the appreciation of the members of another corporation, and in February, 1900, Mr. Williamson came to Choteau, Teton county, and was given the superintendency of the general store of the Choteau Mercantile Company at

1869

PROGRESSIVE MEN OF MONTANA.

that place, and which through his superior ability, diligence and attention has become the leading mer- cantile enterprise of Teton county. At Butte, Mont., Mr. Williamson was married to Miss Minnie Voss. She died at Great Falls on January 3, 1901, leaving a son, Raymond. In the political affairs of the day Mr. Williamson is in accord with the Demo- cratic party. Fraternally he is a member of Cho- teau lodge No. 44, A. F. & A. M., and of Columbus lodge No. 47, Choteau, A. O. U. W.

H F. WILLETT is a representative of the ranch- ing industry in Cascade county, his homestead of 160 acres being located in the district of Evans. His alert and enterprising methods have brought in sequence a due measure of success and he has been identified with many of the stirring events which marked the earlier annals of the state. Mr. Willett was born at Burlington, Boone county, Ky., on No- vember 3, 1849, the son of Carlton and Nancy Josephine Willett, natives respectively of Maryland and Kentucky. The father was born in 1801 and died at the age of eighty-two years. He was a farmer and extensively engaged in the raising of fine-bred cattle and horses. Both he and his wife were members of the Christian church; the latter was born in 1814, and died in 1898 at the memor- able age of eighty-four years. H. F. Willett enjoyed the life and discipline of the parental homestead, at- tending the public schools until the age of nineteen years, when, in 1869, he went to New Orleans, La., to visit an uncle, William Willett, in whose furni- ture store there he for a time held a clerkship. In 1869 he went to St. Joseph, Mo., and was variously employed until 1872 when he boarded the steamer "Durfee," on the Missouri river and came to Fort Benton, Mont., whence he made his way to Sun river and after a brief interval of time thence pro- ceeded to Helena, where he was employed in the placer mines. In 1873 he returned to Kentucky for a visit with his parents, returning in the spring to Helena where he remained until 1876, when he went to the Black Hills on a prospecting tour, his suc- cess in this venture being questionable.

In the fall of the succeeding year Mr. Willett went to Sargent Bluff, ten miles south of Sioux City, Iowa, where he was employed until the follow- ing spring when he returned to the Sun river dis- trict of Cascade county and entered the employ of Robert Vaughn and Beauford Ferris, who were

engaged in the raising of thoroughbred cattle. Mr. Willett took some of the best specimens of the stock to the fair, securing premiums on all of the animals he exhibited. In the spring of 1879 he went to Cho- teau county and assisted in the building of Fort Assinniboine, having hauled the first load of lumber and laid. the first board which gave inception to the post buildings. In September he returned to Sun river where he was associated with Judge Lippen- cott in the retail liquor business until 1880, after which for six years he was engaged in hunting, fishing and trapping, meeting with unqualified suc- cess. In the meantime he had taken up his present homestead claim of 160 acres, upon which, in 1882, he had built a cabin. In 1886 he took up his resi- dence on his ranch and he has made excellent im- provements, 100 acres of the place being available for cultivation, and here he has since been engaged in the raising of horses and cattle, his property hav- ing a valuation of $4,500.

F 'REDERICK WHITESIDE. - Merchant, farmer, fruitgrower, politician, representa- tive and editor, "Fred" Whiteside, of Kalispell, has had a career of varied usefulness and honor- able service in many lines of activity. He was born at Litchfield, Ill., on October 31, 1863. His parents were T. D. and Ellen (Clarke) Whiteside, the former a native of Tennessee and the latter of Illinois. The father settled at Litchfield, Ill., when he was a young man, and remained there many years working as a millwright and con- tractor. In 1882 he came to Montana, and, lo- cating in Custer county, remained there six years. From there he removed to Helena, where he lived four years, and in 1896 settled in the Flathead valley, and has since been prosperously engaged in the fruit business near Kalispell. His wife died at Miles City, Mont., in 1883.

Their son Frederick was educated in the schools of Litchfield, Ill., and in 1880 he removed to Miles City, Mont., and was engaged in lum- bering and contracting until 1888. He then be- came connected with the silver smelter at Great Falls in the capacity of purchasing agent, the business requiring him to pass part of his time in Helena. In 1891 he removed to Kalispell and engaged in contracting, mining and fruitgrowing, making his home on a fine, productive fruit-farm of forty acres about one mile from the city, which

1870

PROGRESSIVE MEN OF MONTANA.

is the best of its kind in the county. On Novem- ber 1, 1901, he took charge of the Kalispell Bee, a live and progressive semi-weekly newspaper. In politics Mr. Whiteside is a Democrat, and has taken an active share in campaign work in behalf of his party for many years. He was elected as the first representative from Flathead county to the state legislature in 1896, and in 1898 was elected to the state senate, but was beaten in a contest for the seat by J. H. Geiger. Mr. White- side was married at Chicago, Ill., in February, 1899, to Miss Clara Jurgens, a well known lady of Helena, and they have one child, Eunice Ellen. Mr. Whiteside is progressive, enterprising and re- sourceful, of influence and high standing in the state, and with a business capacity which has brought him success in many commercial and in- dustrial ventures, and is a factor to be considered in all matters connected with northwestern Mon- tana and in many touching a much larger area.

Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.

Progressive men of the state of Montana, pt 2, Part 167

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