Progressive men of the state of Montana, pt 2, Part 20

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 20

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G EORGE JOHNSON, whose fine stock ranch is located eight miles south of the city of Deer Lodge, in the beautiful valley of the same name, is one of the representative farmers and stock- growers of this section, and through his own ef- forts has attained a success worthy the name in Montana, where has been his home for over a quarter of a century. Mr. Johnson was born in Denmark on April 5, 1856, the son of Christian and Annie (Jorgenson) Johnson, also natives of Denmark, where the father, who devoted his act- ive life to the vocation of a carpenter, still main- tains his home, his wife having passed away in 1858, when her son George was but two years of

age. He subsequently married Mary Nelson, and both are living at the old home in Denmark.

George Johnson was reared in his native land to the age of fifteen years with liberal educational advantages. He then left his home and set forth for America. He landed in Quebec, Canada, and thence proceeded directly to Council Bluffs, Iowa, where, and in Omaha, he passed two years. He had devoted one year to carpenter work with his father in Denmark, and engaged in this line after coming to the west. In the summer of 1873 Mr. Johnson came to Montana, and he has never had cause to regret his choice. His location was first in the Scott Hotel at Deer Lodge, and after eighteen months employment here he was engaged at the McBurney House. In the spring of 1875 he became connected with ranching, working for wages until the fall of 1876, when he filed claim on 160 acres of government land, now a portion of his present fine landen estate, and soon after- ward purchased forty acres of unimproved rail- road land contiguous to his original homestead. Mr. Johnson then purchased a house which stood four miles south of Deer Lodge and moved it to his farm, upon which he at once began to make im- provements, showing great discrimination in them and during the years intervening he has accom- plished much through his energy and progressive methods.

His ranch now comprises 415 acres, all well im- proved, while the original primitive dwelling has been replaced by a fine two-story brick residence, of attractive design and equipped with modern conveniences. Mr. Johnson devotes his attention especially to the raising of cattle and sheep, hav- ing usually about 100 head of cattle, while at the time of this writing he is associated with his brother in the ownership of a band of 2,500 sheep. Mr. Johnson came to this county with no capital but his ability, and he has become one of the rep- resentative stockgrowers of this valley entirely through his own industry and well directed efforts. His postoffice address is Racetrack, the office be- ing located two miles south of his residence. In politics Mr. Johnson is a stalwart Republican, though in local affairs he is independent of strict party lines, voting for suitable men and meas- ures. He has served seven years as justice of the peace. In religious faith Mr. Johnson and his family are members of the Morrisite church. On July 1, 1876, Mr. Johnson was united in mar- riage to Miss Josephine V. Oleson, a native of

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Wyoming, the daughter of Ole and Anna Ole- son, who emigrated from Denmark to America in 1860. Mrs. Olson died in Wyoming in 1862, and then the family lived for a time in Idaho, whence Mr. Oleson finally removed to that part of Montana now Powell county, where he died in June, 1888. Mr. and Mrs. Johnson have nine children, Mary, William, Lillie, Olga, Ruby, Emma Louise, Vonnie and Inez.

HUMPHREY JOHNSON, M. D. - The youngest of nine children of Rev. Leonard and Harriet N. (Hatch) Johnson, all of whom have rendered good service to their country in civil or military life, Dr. J. Humphrey Johnson is true to the traditions of his family and the training he received in having lived an upright, useful life and made the most of his opportunities. He was born at Binghamton, N. Y., August 7, 1850, where his father, an eminent Presbyterian preacher and a native of Vermont, died in 1858. His mother, also a native of Vermont, died in 1881. The Hatch family first settled in America in 1635, near where Falmouth, Mass., now stands. One of the descendants was Capt. Zephaniah Hatch, of Connecticut, who in the early part of the eighteenth century was a master mariner and engaged in the West India trade. Timothy, the head of Mrs. Johnson's branch of the family, was born in 1757. He entered the Colonial army at the age of nineteen, and took part in the battle of White Plains, where he was taken prisoner, and was thereafter confined in the Bridewell pris- on at New York. The Doctor had four brothers in the Union army during the Civil war. The oldest, L. M. Johnson, was a surgeon with the rank of major; G. M. T. was a member of tlre First New Jersey Cavalry, under Gen. Kirkpat- rick ; Joseph M. was a captain, and William E. was a member of the Twenty-seventh New York, participated in thirteen engagements and received a medal for personal bravery at the battle of Antietam. Two others were professional men: Charles H., a practicing physician, and Uriel C., an attorney at law.

Dr. Johnson received his scholastic training in the schools of Binghamton, N. Y. He was then appointed deputy clerk of Broome county, hold- ing the position for nine years, after which he entered the medical department of the University of the City of New York, from which he gradu-

ated in 1879. He returned to Binghamton and entered upon the practice of his profession, and was elected coroner, but after serving four years resigned, going to Oregon, and upon his return continued practicing in Binghamton and Lebanon, N. Y., when he came to Montana in 1891, locating at Red Lodge, where he practiced until 1899, and then removed to Bridger to accept the position of physician of the mines. He has been active in politics as a Democrat and in the fall of 1898 was elected as a member of the Sixth legislature of Montana. He is a Master Mason, a Knight of Pythias and an Odd Fellow. On February 17, 1874, he was married to Miss Catherine M. Brown, of Binghamton, a daughter of Charles M. Brown, of that place. They have three children: Mary M., now Mrs. S. H. Gledden, of Minneapolis, Anna A. and Joseph Hatch.

DETER JOHNSON .- Among those who have come from the far northland to cast in their lot with Montana, and who have here attained success through their own well directed efforts, is Mr. Johnson, who is one of the prominent and influential farmers and stockgrowers of Powell county, his postoffice address being Racetrack. Mr. Johnson was born in Denmark on November 5, 1848, the son of Christian and Annie (Jorgen- son) Johnson, both of whom were born in the same fair land, where the father still maintains his home, the mother being deceased. Peter John- son was reared upon the homestead farm in his native land, and there received his early educa- tional discipline. He acquired the trade of car- penter under the effective direction of his father, who had followed this and farming for many years.

In 1866, when in his eighteenth year, Mr. John- son came to America with a number of other Danes from the same vicinity, and his success in the new world shows that he is the possessor of those sturdy characteristics of the Danish race which make recruits from that land most welcome in the American republic. Landing in New York, Mr. Johnson thence proceeded to Oshkosh, Wis., where he arrived without sufficient money to buy a meal and was entirely among strangers. His sturdy integrity and self-reliance stood him well in this emergency, and, though unable to speak Eng- lish, he showed himself so ready to undertake

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any legitimate work that came to hand that he was soon able to find profitable employment at his trade. Within two and one-half years, such had been his industry and economy that he was enabled to return to Denmark for the one who had been waiting and hoping and biding the time when he should come to her and repledge their mutual faith. There he was married, on Decem- ber 24, 1868, to Miss Hannah Jensen, the daughter of Jens and Bodel (Hansen) Rasmussen, who in later years emigrated to America, where they passed the residue of their lives. Mr. Johnson returned with his bride in the spring of 1869, lo- cating at Council Bluffs, Iowa, where he followed his trade until June, 1872, when he located at Warm Springs, Deer Lodge county, Mont.

Here he turned his attention to farming, and he also erected the flouring mill at Warm Springs shortly after his arrival. Within a year Mr. John- son purchased 160 acres in Deer Lodge county, now in Powell county. He took up his residence on his ranch, which was entirely unimproved, be- ing new bench land, and he has since made there the best of permanent improvements, erecting a fine residence and other requisite buildings and bringing the place under a high state of cultiva- tion. He now has 200 acres of excellent farming land, much of it seeded to clover and alfalfa, and the place is devoted principally to the raising of cattle of excellent grade. He usually has about 100 head of cattle, and is also associated with his brother George in the sheep business, running an average of 2,500 head. He has shown marked enterprise and business sagacity, and is held in high esteem as one of its representative citizens. He gives his support to the Republican party and its principles. To Mr. Johnson and his wife ten children have been born ; two of the number, An- nie and James, are deceased, the others being : Annie (2d), William, George, Almer, Hiram, Eva, Waldmer and Edward.

R EUBEN JOHNSTON, one of the successful and prosperous ranchmen of Broadwater county, was born in Allegany county, N. Y., on March 1, 1845, the son of Richard and Abi (Pear- son) Johnston, both natives of Allegany county, where they were married and to them were born three sons and three daughters. All the sons served in the Civil war, two of them losing their

lives, John dying while a member of a New York regiment, and Ubert killed while serving in an Iowa regiment of cavalry. The father, a farmer, removed his family in 1855 to Rock county, Wis., where he still continued farming, developing a fine estate from the prairie wilderness. Reuben John- ston enlisted on January 15, 1862, in the regular army under Col. Pitcher, at Janesville, Wis. He first went to Harper's Ferry, and was employed in provost duty. He participated in the second battle of Bull Run, and those of Cedar Mountain, Antietam, Fredericksburg, Gettysburg and the Wilderness, and, having served courageously and efficiently through the war, on January 15, 1865, he received an honorable discharge at Wilming- ton, Del. Following this he served one year as under sheriff and jailor of the Rock county, Wis., jail.

In the spring of 1866, Mr. Johnson started for Montana, a fellow traveler with John C. Picker- ing, one of the prominent Montana pioneers, and the overland trip was long, dangerous and event- ful. Arriving at Virginia City, Mont., in the last of July, he remained until the spring of 1867, engaged in mining with fair success, but the stampede to Sal- mon river carried him with it. There, however, he remained only a month, but went on to Diamond City, and stayed there until spring, with unflattering success. Mr. Johnston then made his permanent home in Missouri valley, homesteading a ranch on Clear creek, on which he is now pleasantly located, surrounded by all the comforts possible to a ranch- man's life, and extensively and profitably engaged in fruit growing, having some 1,500 bearing ap- ple trees, 200 prune and a large number of cherry, plum and other fruit trees. He also raises large quantities of strawberries and raspberries and grows heavy crops of alfalfa.

Mr. Johnston was united in marriage in Rock county, Wis., to Miss Annie Earl, born on July 31, 1847. She is the daughter of Thomas Earl, a native of near Glasgow, Scotland. Coming to the United States in 1832 he settled in Kentucky, where he followed his trade of wheelwright. Here he married Miss Mary Ann Waters, and in 1846 removed with his family to Wisconsin, where he made his permanent home and engaged in farm- ing. Two of the six children of Mr. and Mrs. Johnston are living, Herbert Earl and Florence, a teacher. Lella, May, Fred and Viola are dead. Herbert Earl Johnston was educated in the pub- lic schools and Northern Indiana Business Col-

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lege, at Valparaiso. Subsequently le taught school for two years, and then engaged in busi- ness at Winston, Mont., where he is now in trade and also postmaster. On January II, 1899, ne married with Miss Henrietta Durnen, a native of Montana, and daughter of E. P. Durnen. Polit- ically Reuben Johnston has affiliated with the Republican party. In its various campaigns he takes an active interest and is an influential worker, while for a number of years he was school trustee and clerk. Fraternally he is a member of the United Workmen and Mrs. Johnston is a member of the Degree of Honor. The Montana life of this early territorial pioneer has been emi- nently successful. He is a man of broad, pro- gressive views, sound business judgment and up- right character.

F RED. JORDAN .- Born in the great metrop- olis of the country June 9, 1849, and reared and educated in that center of civilization, busi- ness and culture until he was twelve years old, Fred. Jordan has seen many phases of life and of human nature, had many thrilling adventures and interesting experiences, and faithfully discharged his duties in many lines of useful activity.

Mr. Jordan's parents, Henry and Sophia Jor- dan, were natives of Germany, and immigrated to New York city when they were young. The father followed in that city, his trade of metal spinner, and after a life of usefulness and credit died there January 1, 1876; the mother preceded him to the grave some fourteen years, having died in 1862. Mr. Jordan attended the public schools of New York until 1861, and was then sent to live with a Dr. Uhl, near LaCrosse, Wis. In 1866, he enlisted in the Fourth United States Infantry, and was stationed for a month at New- port, Ky., and then at Fort Sedgwick, Neb., until 1867. From there he was transferred to Fort Laramie, Wyo., where he remained until 1871, when he was discharged from the service. In 1873 he engaged in freighting from Cheyenne to Laramie, Sidney, and Red Cloud, Neb., and the Spotted Tail agency. In 1875 he sold his outfit and the next year drove a team of cattle for a freighting firm from Red Cloud to Spotted Tail, but before the end of the year went into the em- ploy of Messrs. Yates & Brown who had the con- tract for supplying hay to the government at

Fort Custer. In the winter of 1877 he made a trip to Cheyenne, taking what were supposed to be the remains of Gen. Custer, found on the scene of the massacre, which were shipped to Maine. During the next two years he was prospecting in the Black Hills and hunting in the Gallatin valley. In the spring of 1880 he was on the Musselshell round-up, and the rest of that year was in the employ of the Davis, Hauser, Stewart Cattle Company, until near its close, when he became an employe of the Diamond R Freighting Com- pany, with which he remained continuously for fourteen years. In 1894 he took up a ranch in the Bull Hook basın, near Havre, and was there engaged in raising stock until the spring of 1900, when he sold the entire property to Mr. Frederick Schwartz. Since then he has been liv- ing at Havre, giving his attention in various ways to public affairs and the general welfare of the community. He is a Democrat in politics, ar- dently interested in the success of his party, but not an active partisan in the sense of concerning himself particularly with the control of party work or seeking favors at the hands of the organ- ization. Mr. Jordan is energetic in business, broad of view in matters of general interest, en- tertaining in social relations, and firmly estab- lished in the confidence and esteem of those who have the pleasure of his acquaintance.

IJARRISON JORDAN, one of Montana's prosperous ranchers and general farmers, re- sides in a beautiful modern residence in Pleasant Valley, Jefferson county, Mont. He was born in that portion of southern Illinois called Egypt, on March 17, 1825, and is the son of William F. and Isabelle (Painter) Jordan, both natives of Ken- tucky. They married in Illinois and there en- gaged in farming until 1847, when they came to Pleasantville, Iowa, where the father continued agriculture until his death. The maternal grand- father emigrated from Germany, while the Jor- dans are of Scotch-Irish ancestry. Harrison Jordan passed his boyhood days in Illinois, re- moving in 1847 with his father's family to Pleas- antville, Iowa, a town surveyed and platted by his brother Wesley. In 1846 three of the Jor- dan brothers enlisted in Company A, First Illinois Volunteers, for service in Mexico under Capt. James D. Morgan and Col. John J. Hardin, who

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was killed at Buena Vista. After a few weeks passed at Alton, their place of rendezvous, they went to San Antonio, Tex .. Their first engage- ment with the Mexican troops was at the battle of Buena Vista. After the close of the war he re- turned to Illinois, and . was mustered out at Quincy.

Mr. Jordan then went to Iowa and remained there, teaching school and serving as clerk of the board of county commissioners until the winter of 1851-2, and as town agent he laid out the town of Indianola, in Warren county. In the winter of 1851-2 he went to California by the Isthmus of Panama. He there engaged in dairying until the spring of 1855, then came back to Iowa and for seven years was engaged in merchandising. Dis- posing of this in 1862 he went to Colorado, cross- ing the plains with mule teams. He there en- gaged in the dairy business for a year and again went to California, going by mule team, and re- maining for a time at Carson City, Nev. In the spring of 1864 Mr. Jordan came back to Mon- tana, bringing a carefully-selected stock of mer- chandise for miners. He arrived at Alder gulch on July 17, 1864, and started a store. The ven- ture, however, was not successful, and he re- moved in 1866 to Fish creek, where he engaged in ranching and dairying. Here was his home for thirty-two years until 1898; for the latter part of the time he engaged in stockraising. In 1898 he disposed of his holdings and removed to his present home in Pleasant Valley.

The political affiliations of Mr. Jordan are with the Democratic party, in whose interests he is a hard worker and influential. In the sessions of the Montana territorial legislature of 1866 and 1872 he served as a member, and in 1874 he was chairman of the board of county commissioners of Jefferson county. For the past thirty years he has been a notary public, and for many years a school trustee. Fraternally he has passed the chairs of his Odd Fellows' lodge, and in 1850 he was made a Mason, in which order he was ad- vanced to the Royal Arch degree in 1855. On November 28, 1850, Mr. Jordan was united in marriage to Miss Catharine Tuttle, of Mansfield, Ohio, born on February 14, 1836. She is the daughter of David Tuttle, of Long Island, N. Y., and Lucinda (Cornwall) Tuttle, a native of Canada. When quite young David Tuttle re- moved with his father from New York to Ohio, later to Indiana, and still later to Iowa. In the

last state they remained for some time and then, with Mr. and Mrs. Jordan, came to Montana. Mr. and Mrs. Jordan have six children: Celeste Grace, now Mrs. W. W. McCall; Violet Jose- phine, now Mrs. Reese Wampler, residing in Pony; Perneca Etta, now Mrs. Arthur Phelps ; Ida Isabel, now Mrs. F. A. Riggin; Walter Ma- rion, now residing in Helena, as pastor of the First Christian church, and Jasper O. On No- vember 28, 1900, Mr. and Mrs. Jordan celebrated their golden wedding, which was attended by four children, a number of grandchildren and one great-grandchild. The general health of each of the excellent couple is good, and Mrs. Jordan is still able to read small type without glasses. At present they afford every indication of living to celebrate their diamond wedding. Probably no people in the state have more or warmer friends. Their home is an old-timer's home, where the latch- string hangs out, and where honesty, integrity and rectitude crown the results of well-spent lives.

M AJ. JAMES B. CAMPBELL .- The history of Montana covers little over a third of a cen- tury, yet it is full of high examples of noble man- hood and womanhood with deeds that stir the blood and furnish themes of ennobling interest and lofty character. None of these is more suggestive and in- teresting than the life story of the late Maj. James Blackstone Campbell, of old Gallatin City. He was born and passed his early life in Maury county, Tenn., his birth occurring on October 15, 1799. In 1825 he made his home at Vandalia, Ill., and being well qualified for any business, he was soon appointed clerk in the auditor's office, then held by Col. E. E. Berry. About 1831 he married Miss Sarah A. Kain, a beautiful and accomplished young lady of Carlyle, Ill., and, removing to the north- eastern part of the state, became one of the enter- prising business men of the then little village of Chicago. He was a genial, generous and captivat- ing gentleman, and readily won the friendship of his associates. He was also sagacious and for- tunate in his investments, and was soon recognized as a very successful operator in real estate and as one of the rich men of the town. Later through generous endorsements for friends he lost heavily and became financially embarrassed. Not disheart- ened, however, he sought new fields of enterprise in the farther west, for whose rough and hazardous

Aged 73 Years

Mayor GB (amplede.

Aged 62 Years

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life he was well fitted by nature and training. He was fully six feet tall and well built, and was an amateur athlete of note, having the reputation of being able to outrun, outwrestle and outfight any- thing he came in contact with. He was also an accomplished violinist, and had other graceful and attractive attainments. In 1852 he removed with his wife, two sons and five daughters to Missouri, where he remained ten years and, in 1862, brought part of his family overland to Montana, leaving the two younger children in a Missouri school.

The trip was made with teams of horses, and the Major brought with him some cattle which took prizes at the first Helena fair. The Indians were very troublesome and one night they stole all the horses of the party. The night before a good look- ing stranger rode up to their camp and spent the night. He left at daybreak, and when their horses were stolen they thought he had something to do with the theft and it became known later that he was the notorious George Ives, afterwards hanged by the Vigilantes. The Major and his party arrived at Bannack on July 20, 1863, and after temporarily stopping in a number of places, he finally located at Gallatin, and took up a ranch across the river, where he resided until his death on January 3, 1873. Mrs. Campbell was a most estimable lady, beau- tiful in form and features, and is lovingly remem- bered by the numerous beneficiaries of her bounty. that was never withheld from any person in need who came within her knowledge. She died on March 13, 1875.

Their youngest daughter, Miss Fannie Campbell, now generally considered the first woman in Mon- tana to take up a homestead in her own name, was one of the two children left in Missouri. She and her sister, Anna, joined the Montana portion of the family in 1865, making the trip up the Missouri to Fort Benton, their father meeting them 200 miles below the fort. While on the way the steamer on which they were traveling sank at De Soto, and she was obliged to wait a week for another boat. Later this boat got on a sand bar and while the men were looking for the channel the Indians captured one of them and two others were shot. Miss Campbell. at her father's death, took charge of the homestead and continued to manage that and her own ranch which adjoined it, until a few years ago, when she sold it and bought the Joe Wilson ranch, on which she at present resides, and raises numbers of fine stock. In 1897 she had a serious fire in her out- buildings, including the large historic stable in

which the first United States court in Montana was held. She also has a piano which was brought into the valley in 1866, and is yet a remarkable sweet- toned instrument. Miss Campbell has, as a mem- ber of her family, Samuel Weir, who came across the plains with her father, and has seen the pleas- ures, the vicissitudes, the varieties and the strange experiences of pioneer life. Among the events of strange interest which he distinctly remembers was the hanging of Jack Gallagher, Boone Helm, Hayes Lyons, George Parish and Clubfoot George by the Vigilantes. It was a thrilling incident and he re- members all the details with remarkable distinctness.

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Progressive men of the state of Montana, pt 2, Part 20

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