Progressive men of the state of Montana, pt 2, Part 170

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 170

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).

S AMUEL YOUNG .- This progressive, highly respected and representative citizen of Carbon county, is a native of Page, Page county, Iowa, where he was born in 1854. His parents were John and Barbara (Berry) Young, the former a native of Pennsylvania, and the latter of Indiana. The father removed from his native state to Indiana, where he married and then, with his young wife, . took up his residence in Iowa, and remained there for sixteen years, engaged in farming and stock- raising. From there they removed to Kansas, which was their home until the spring of 1880, when they came to Montana, and, locating on the

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PROGRESSIVE MEN OF MONTANA.

Yellowstone, were successfully engaged in farm- ing and ranching until the father lost his sight. Since then he has been living with his son, Samuel, and is now seventy-six years old. Their son, Samuel, remained with the family until he was married in April, 1878, to Miss Elmina Newton, of Kentucky, a daughter of Thomas R. and Sidney J. (Snyder) Newton. They have two children, John T., married to Miss Lena Austin, of Indiana, engaged in ranching on Rock Creek flat, and Charles A., living at home. After his marriage Mr. Young settled on the Yellowstone and engaged in farming and stockraising until 1894, when he re- moved to Rock Fork flat and devoted his attention to raising cattle and horses. In April, 1901, he bought the Monegal ranch in the Joliet district, forty acres of which are included in the present town site of Joliet. The Rock Fork flat property is in the very heart of this rich agricultural section, which is one of the finest regions in Montana. Mr. Young's land is all under irrigation and has been brought by his skill, intelligence and progressive methods to a high state of cultivation, including, in addition to the tracts already mentioned, a ranch known as the Macumber, located six miles north of Red Lodge, which he leases. Mr. Young also has a school section leased which he has improved and brought under cultivation. His favorite brands of cattle are Shorthorns and Durhams, and he usually has from 500 to 700 head, besides 300 head of horses. Mr. Young's enterprise has found expres- sion in lines of industry outside of his ranching operations. He was the originator of the Carbon Milling Company, and was for some years its presi- dent. He retains a one-fourth interest in the plant, although retired from participation in its manage- ment. At times in the past he has had as many as 100 pack horses working at a time on contracts. He has been a man of restless energy, and has con- tributed in many lines to the progress and develop- ment of his county and state.

W ILLIAM H. YOUNG .- This progressive and enterprising ranchman and fruit-grower of Carbon county was born in Page county, Iowa, in January, 1856. His parents were John and Bar- bara (Berry) Young, whose family history is told in the sketch of his brother, Samuel Young, im- mediately preceding this. William H. Young re- mained with his father's family until the arrival in

Montana in the spring of 1880, and then began busi- ness for himself by taking up a ranch on the Yellow- stone adjoining his father's, near Laurel, and re- maining in that location until October, 1892, when the Crow reservation being thrown open he joined the stampede and located his present ranch about three miles east of Joliet, where he has a fine body of land, all under irrigation and in an excellent state of cultivation, yielding abundant crops of grain and hay, and now supporting over 200 cattle and horses. The ranch is well improved, with good buildings and fences, and has a general appearance of thrift and progressiveness that comports favor- ably with the surrounding farms in this highly fa- vored section of the state. In addition to farming and stock operations, Mr. Young gives attention to fruit-culture, having a small but very. vigorous and productive orchard. He has also an apiary of good proportions and produces much honey for the market. He was united in marriage on April 26, 1881, with Miss Hattie Burgher, a native of Kansas, and they have six children, Thomas W., Perry, Clarence C., Albert, Eva and an infant. The older ones are attending school. Mr. Young has been, ever since his advent into Montana, a substantial contributor to her growth and development. His example has been stimulating to those around him, and has aided in raising the standard of farming and of citizenship in his section.

0 LIVER P. ZORTMAN .- Successfully identi- fied with the mining industry in Choteau county, and a young man of force and ability, Mr. Zortman, whose postoffice is Landusky, was born near Harrisburg, the capital city of Pennsylvania, on December 6, 1865, a son of John W. Zortman, who was also born in the Keystone state, of ster- ling German lineage, in 1828. He was a successful farmer near Palmyra, Lebanon county, Pa., where he died in 1894. His wife, in girlhood, Maria Balbauch, was born in 1829, near Palmyra, and now makes her home at Elizabethtown, Penn. Oliver P. Zortman received a common school edu- cation until he was eighteen and from childhood helped his father in his farming until he had at- tained his majority.

In 1887 the gold excitement in the Black Hills drew him to that region, and there he worked in a sawmill for several months, after which, in 1888, he came to the Bear Paw mountains of Montana

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PROGRESSIVE MEN OF MONTANA.

and was engaged in prospecting until 1894, in the spring of which year he went to the Alabama mines, five miles east of Landusky, where he associated himself with John F. Spaulding in the purchase of a promising claim. They worked this claim for a year and then, in company with George Putnam and A. H. Reser, bonded the property for eight months. Since that time the improvements have called for an expenditure of fifty thousand dollars, and the mine has yielded an approximate amount in gold and silver, with a most promising outlook for the fu- ture. In April, 1901, Messrs. Zortman and Putnam made another valuable find, one and one-half miles from the original claim, and this is proving a rich gold proposition. In politics Mr. Zortman supports and votes for Republican principles.

H AYES CANNON .- Born at New Athens, Harrison county, Ohio, on February 28, 1856, and migrating successively to Iowa and Montana, Hayes Cannon, of Butte, has passed the most of his active and serviceable life on the frontier. His parents, James and Mary (Trimble) Cannon were also natives of Harrison county, 'Ohio, where the father died on January 13, 1898. He was a pio- neer farmer of Ohio and made a creditable record as a hard-working, progressive and thrifty man. His widow is still living at the old homestead at New Athens, aged seventy-nine. Mr. Cannon was educated in the public schools of his native county and remained on the home farm until 1882, in the meantime establishing a drug store at New Athens. In the fall of 1882 he removed to Fairfield, Iowa, and in 1883 came to Montana, settling at Butte, where he worked at his trade as a carpenter, and afterward engaged in prospecting and mining. When his brother, John A. Cannon, was elected city treasurer of Butte and assumed the office, he was appointed chief deputy, a position in which he served two terms. In 1896 he was elected alder- man from the Fourth ward as the candidate of the Republican party, serving four years. He has been a successful dealer in real estate and joined in partnership with his brother in this business, the firm name being J. A. Cannon & Co. They have also been very successful together, and their es- tablishment is known as one of the best and most progressive of its kind in the state. Mr. Cannon was united in marriage with Miss Mary Smith, of Iowa, in 1890, the nuptials being solemnized at

Boise, Idaho, Mrs. Cannon's parents came to Mon- tana in early days, locating at Highland Moun- tain gulch, and later removing to Boise, Idaho. Mr. and Mrs. Cannon have three children, Edna Lulu, Lafayette A. and Gladys Marie. In all the relations of life Mr. Cannon has sustained himself as a worthy citizen and his example has been a strong influence for good upon the young men of his ac- quaintance. His has been a productive mentality and his energy has been of great service in building up the business and commercial interests of the city.

A NDERS CHRISTOFFERSEN, one of the prominent ranchers and stockmen of "Powell county, residing near Deer Lodge, the county seat, is a native of Denmark, born on October 1, 1841, the son of Peter and Mary (Anderson) Christoffer- sen, natives of Denmark, who emigrated from Den- mark in 1857, and locating at Burlington, Iowa, where the father worked at his trade of carpenter for years, then in 1859, removed to Utah, locating at Salt Lake City. In the following spring he made the permanent home of his. family at Soda Springs, Idaho, where himself and wife re- sided until their death. Anders Christoffersen re- ceived a fair education in the Danish schools, being sixteen years of age when his parents came to this country. When his family settled at Soda Springs he came east and to Montana in 1865, engaging in mining at Alder gulch, east of Dillon. For two years he lived on Jefferson island and passed one summer mining in Butte. In 1870 he went east to Holt county, Mo., where he purchased a farm, but one year's experience in Missouri farming proved sufficient, and he returned to Idaho, and labored in the Caribou mining district, soon, how- ever, returning to Montana, and locating in Deer Lodge valley, where he purchased 160 acres of land a mile and a half from the city of Deer Lodge. Here Mr. Christoffersen has since resided success- fully engaged in farming and stockraising. He owns 280 acres, also with his sons being interested in 720 acres of farming and hay land and in 960 acres devoted to grazing. Mr. Christoffersen, in 1863, was married to Miss Katie Hansen, a native of Denmark, daughter of Rasmus and Lena Han- sen, who, coming to the United States in 1859, settled in Salt Lake, Utah, in 1865, removing thence to Montana where they resided until the time of their deaths, which occurred at Deer Lodge val-

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ley. In this family are twelve children, eleven now living : William, John, Frank, Nettie, Minnie, An- drew, Levi, Lucy, Emma, Alma and Edward. Mr. Christoffersen and family are members of the Re- organized Church of Jesus Christ, of the Latter Day Saints, the headquarters of which are at Lem- ona, Iowa, while politically he is a Republican.

D AVID A. NOBLE .- One of the progressive, enterprising and highly esteemed farmers and stockgrowers of Cascade county, where he has an honorable record in business and in all the relations of life, David A. Noble descends from good, old English lineage, but is a native of the Golden West, having been born at Iowa Hill, Placer county, Cal., on February 13, 1868, the son of David and Martha E. Noble, English people, who accompanied their respective parents to America in early life. Both families originally settled in Pennsylvania, whence the father migrated to California, thence to Nevada, and from there coming to Montana and lo- cating at Butte, where he was engaged in mining. In 1894 he removed to Cascade county and located on a ranch about four miles east of Sun River crossing, where he successfully followed farming and stockraising. After selling his ranch to his son, Dr. Charles S. Noble, he took up his residence on the ranch where he now resides, four miles north of the village of Cascade, and where his en- ergy and capacity in business and his sterling traits of character have gained for him unqualified respect.

David A. Noble secured the educational advant- ages of the public schools of Virginia City, Nev., and in early youth there secured a clerkship in a general store, where he was employed until 1886, when he accompanied his parents to Butte. There he engaged in mining for the Anaconda Mining Company, his initial duties being cleaning lamps and rendering general assistance in the machine shops. From this modest position he was advanced until he was eventually placed in charge of the hoisting engine of the St. Lawrence mine, retaining this incumbency for six years. At the expiration of this period he came to the Sun River valley, in Cascade county, where he purchased a one-third interest in a ranch located four miles east of the village of Sun River, the ranch comprising 960 acres, of which 400 acres are susceptible of culti- vation. Large quantities of hay are raised and care- ful attention is given to the growing of cattle. In

both lines of effort Mr. Noble has been successful. In national politics Mr. Noble supports the Republi- can party, but exercises independence in local mat- ters. He was married on April 2, 1891, with Miss Dora Rickard, a native of California, and daughter of William T. and Mary Rickard, both of whom were born in England, whence they came to Ameri- ca in their youth. They were early settlers in Cali- fornia, where the father was a successful miner. He is a Democrat in politics, and fraternally is allied with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. Both he and his wife are members of the Methodist church, as are also Mr. and Mrs. Noble.

THOMAS FLETCHER .- This successful and omplished financier was born at Rigaud, P. Q., Canada, on May 7, 1855. His father, John Fletcher, was born at Edinburgh, Scotland, in 1820, and came to Canada when he was a boy. There he had a long and successful career as a merchant and broker at Rigaud, and died full of honors and secure in the confidence and esteem of the public, in 1897. His wife, Adeline (Barcelon) Fletcher, was born in Canada of French parents and died at Rigaud in 1893. Their son, Thomas Fletcher, was educated at St. Viateur College, Rigaud, from which he was graduated in 1874. On leaving college he took a position in the Exchange Bank at Montreal, and by diligence attained the place of paying teller, and held this position until 1879, when he was made manager of a branch of the bank located at Jol- iette, Canada, where he remained two years. Re- turning then to Rigaud, he assisted his father in his brokerage business. On June 4, 1882, he came to Butte, Mont., and on the 21st of the same month entered the bank of Clark Bros. as bookkeeper. He was in a short time promoted to the post of paying teller, and has held that position continuously since, performing his duties with such fidelity and cour- tesy that he has the respect and confidence of the community as well as of his employers. The bank- ing business has not, however, absorbed all his attention or satisfied all his aspirations. He is in- terested in valuable real estate in various parts of the city and in a number of undeveloped mines in the county. In politics he is a Democrat and for years has taken an active part in public affairs, giv- ing to his party zealous and fruitful service, but not seeking its honors or emoluments. He was married in 1884, at Rigaud, Canada, to Miss Marie Louise

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Fournier, who was born at Rigaud in 1857, of French parentage. They have four children, Mabel, now being educated at a convent, in Canada, and Stephen, Jeannette and Aline, all living at home.

P T. MORRIS is one of the representative busi- ness men of Bozeman, Mont., and being con- nected with an important line of enterprise essen- tially constructive in its nature, that of contracting and building, has had much to do with advancing the material prosperity of the city, and has so or- dered his life as to gain and hold the esteem and confidence of the several communities in which he has lived. He was born in Orange county, N. Y., on April 1, 1853, the son of James B. and Bertha ( Mowett) Morris, also natives of Orange county, N. Y., from whence they removed to Oakland coun- ty, Mich., where the father was engaged in farming until his death. He was of English ancestry and his wife was of Scotch. She died in 1880, at the Michigan home of the family. Their son, P. T. Morris, secured his educational training in the dis- trict schools of Oakland county, Mich., and the high school at Oxford in that county. After leav- ing school he served an apprenticeship to the car- penter and joiner trade, becoming a skilled and competent workman. He located at Detroit, Mich., and engaged in contracting and building, remain- ing there from 1869 to 1877. In the latter year he removed to Reed .City, which place was his home and business headquarters for nearly twelve years, and within this time he erected many of the best public and private buildings in the town, among the largest being an extensive flouring mill. In 1892 he came to Montana and located at Bozeman, which has since been his home, and the seat of his large business operations. Within the first year of his residence in the town he built the mill and elevator of the Bozeman Milling Company, and purchased of Peter Koch a large planing mill on South Church Avenue equipped with the best me- chanical appliances for its work. This mill, which he still owns and operates, has proved a valuable adjunct to his work as a contractor and builder. Among the more conspicuous and important build- ings which Mr. Morris has erected in Bozeman, in addition to those already named, are a large elevator and the Foster sanitarium. The original building of the latter was completed in 1896 and an ex- tensive addition was built in 1901, making it one

of the largest structures in the city. Mr. Morris has also erected a large number of the attractive private residences of the city, and has shown in all his undertakings a conscientious regard for the terms of his contract and an honorable pride in the dignity of his profession and the quality of his workmanship. In politics Mr. Morris is a Republi- can, and, while living at Reed City, Mich., was for six years a member of its board of trustees, and for one term president of the village. In 1900 he was elected to the Bozeman City council for a-term of two years, and filled the office with decided credit to himself and advantage to the community. In fraternal connection he is a Freemason, holding membership in the lodge at Bozeman, and in the chapter and commandery at Pontiac, Mich. He was married at Reed City, Mich., to Miss Katie Auer. They have two children.

B DURKARD GEIER .- Twenty miles north of Helena, in the beautiful Prickly Pear valley, is located the well improved ranch of Mr. Geier, who has directed his efforts with such excellent judgment as to attain marked success in farming and stockgrowing. He was born in Koenig, Baden, Germany, August 14, 1845, the son of Andrew and Serana Geier, both of whom were people of sterling character and devoted members of the Catholic church. The father was engaged in farming until his death in 1882, and his widow survived him until April 14, 1889. The assistance of Burkard Geier was demanded at the homestead to such an extent that he received limited educational advantages. He remained at the parental home until 1872, when, being twenty-seven years old, he decided to emigrate to America, feeling assured that better opportunities were here afforded for one dependent upon his own exertions. His first employment in the United States was in the city of Washington, and in the butchering business, but this was so repugnant to him that he abandoned it and went to Baltimore, where he was employed in various capacities until 1882, when he decided to come to Montana, where he believed he could command better wages and attain better health. Arriving in Helena, he soon found employment on the ranch of Laurence Kop- pler, located twenty miles north of the city, where he remained until 1883, when he rented 130 acres of land for five years, but his ranching was attended with so poor success that he found himself in debt.

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Not disheartened, he determined to persevere, and in 1889 took up his present homestead of 160 acres, where he has ever since been engaged in successful farming and stockgrowing. He started with $400 sent him from Germany, and this was the basis of his present prosperity. He is energetic and pro- gressive, and holds public confidence and esteem. In politics he is independent, giving his support to men and measures rather than to strict party issues. His religious faith is that of the Catholic church, of which his wife is also a member. On May 26, 1874, Mr. Geier was married, in Baltimore, Md., to Miss Elizabeth Busch, daughter of Henry and Elizabeth Busch, who came from Germany many years ago to Baltimore, where they passed the remainder of their lives, the mother passing away in 1882 and the father in 1884, both being members of the Catholic church. Mr. and Mrs. Geier have had four children, one dying in infancy, the others being Mary E., Michael J. and Katie. The wife and mother died in March, 1878, and on May 1, 1882, Mr. Geier was again married, being then united with Miss Frederica Felelnar, a native of Saxony, Germany, the daughter of August and Mary Felelnar, who cmigrated to the United States, where the father was engaged in the grain business until his death, in 1870, his wife having passed away in 1868. Both were members of the Catholic church. Mr. and Mrs. Geier have four children, John, Minnie, Anna and Ida.

D ANIEL W. SPRANKEL .- Five miles east of Helmville, Powell county, Mont., lies the hand- some ranch of Danicl W. Sprankel, the subject of this sketch. It was a rough and unpropitious con- try that he first visited in 1866. Yet out of the ruggedness of the wilderness he has carved a goodly share of this world's success. He was born in the state of New York in 1835, the son of John and Susan t Keck ) Sprankel, but was raised and edu- cated in Ohio. The father was born in Pennsyl- vania, and after residing in that state and New York until he was thirty-five years of age he went to Ohio where he passed his subsequent life, being a successful farmer. The mother was born in Penn- sylvania and died in Ohio. Daniel W. Sprankel was brought up on the pleasant homestead farm in Ohio, being educated in the neighboring schools. While still a young man he began life for himself. living an active and useful life successively in Wis-

consin, Michigan and Minnesota. He arrived at Helena, Mont., in 1866 and for two years mined in- dustriously and with some profit in the now his- toric Last Chance gulch. He subsequently located in Deer Lodge county, and in 1869-70 he was a miner at Cedar creek, whither he had gone in the sensational stampede of that exciting year. For two years he remained in this locality prosecuting placer mining with varying success. He named the new town of Superior and was the genial landlord of the leading hotel of the place, the Superior House. Later Mr. Sprankel went to the Bitter Root county and followed ranching in that locality, thence removing to the Blackfoot country, where he has since resided on his ranch. He is a Royal Arch Mason and socially he is a highly esteemed citizen, numbering a host of friends.

H ENRY JOHNSON .- In the yet sparsely set- tled portions of Montana the work of de- velopment is going steadily forward, and in Cho- teau county the interests of progress are to a large extent safely vested in the keeping of young men of vigorous purpose and definite ambition. The industrial activities are advancing in scope and ini- portance, and those who are thus taking the in- itiative will be the ones to reap the maximum re- wards in the days to come. Among the successful young stockgrowers of the county is Henry John- son, who was born on December 31, 1863, in Fin- land, the son of Henry and Margaret Johnson, both of whom passed their lives in his native land, where the mother died in 1873 and the father in 1888. Henry Johnson had the educational advantages of the Finnish schools until he had attained the age of seventeen years, during which time, however, and until he had reached his legal majority, he assisted in the work of the homestead farm. In 1884 he came to the United States to avail himself of the superior opportunities here afforded to the young man dependent upon his own resources.

For some time Mr. Johnson traveled in search of a satisfactory location, visiting northern Michigan, Minnesota and the Northwest Territory. From the last mentioned locality he came overland to Fort Assinniboine, Mont., in 1886, and entered the em ploy of Broadwater, Mel'ullough & Co., driving bull and mule teams in connection with their extensive freighting business for five years. The year follow- ing he was engaged in freighting for himself to

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PROGRESSIVE MEN OF MONTANA.

various points on the Great Northern Railroad, then in process of construction, and during this time he maintained headquarters at Havre. In 1893 Mr. Johnson took up a homestead claim on Big Box Elder creek, near Big Sandy, Chotcau county, prov- ing up on it and disposing of it in the spring of 1901, having there given his attention to raising hay. Since that time he has been located on a ranch owned by his brother Charles, it being six miles from the village of Big Sandy, and here he is giving his attention to the raising of cattle and horses. He is using much care and discrimination in the improving of the grades and the enterprise promises to become a lucrative one. In politics Mr. Jolinson gives his support to the Republican party.

G EORGE W. COOK .- In the improvement of the grades of livestock in Montana Mr. Cook has been conspicuously concerned, and is recognized as a representative breeder of high-grade stock in Sweet Grass county, where he has a finely improved ranch near McLeod, his postoffice address. His progressive methods have brought determinate suc- cess, and he merits consideration in this work. Mr. Cook, a native of Burlington county, N. J., was born in January, 1848, the son of Joseph and Amy (Frazec) Cook, both of whom were born at Long

Branch, N. J., Mrs. Cook being a half-sister of Judge Gifford, one of the associate judges of the supreme court of New Jersey. George W. Cook was rearcd on the old homestead farm, in Burlington county, and educated in the public schools. Con- tinuing to abide at the parental home until the death of his father, in April, 1877, he then started for the Pacific coast, but, having fallen in with friends while en route, he was persuaded to stop in Dead- wood, S. D., where he remained about three months, after which he came to Virginia City, Mont., to join his brother, John B. Cook, who had come to Montana in the early 'sixties, engaging in mining. Hle passed the winter in Virginia City, and in the spring of 1878 assumed charge of a band of 500 cattle, owned by Sedman & McGregor, herding them on shares. Soon taking up a tract of land, he commenced those operations in stockraising which he has conducted successfully for so many years. He has proven himself equal to every emergency that has presented itself, and since making his home on his present location near McLeod, he has been one of the solid men of his section, one of whom Sweet Grass county may well be proud. As a citizen he is of potent force in advancing every in- terest he deems of value to the community, and in politics his party holds him as one of its stanch and reliable members.

HECKMAN BINDERY INC.

JUN 92 N. MANCHESTER, INDIANA 46962

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Progressive men of the state of Montana, pt 2, Part 170

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