Progressive men of the state of Montana, pt 2, Part 31

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 31

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Mr. Marcotte was married in Quebec, in 1854, to Miss Esther Lessard, a native of that province. Eight children have been born to them, namely: Esther, wife of Treffle Vallette, a stockraiser on the Teton ; Sarah, wife of Amie Lapine, rancher on the Teton; Camille, wife of Victor Conteant, car- penter at Lewistown ; Menie, widow of Leander Bi- ron ; Louisa and Angeline, who died in infancy ; and Lula and John, who are still at home with their parents. As he approaches the sunset of life, Mr. Marcotte can look back with comfort over a record of duties faithfully performed and opportunities promptly seized and fully used. His influence on the public thought and enterprise of the community has been healthy and productive of much good, and he is, as he deserves to be, a highly esteemed citizen.

JOSEPHUS P. MARTIN .- One of the most venerable and honored citizens of Bozeman, Gallatin county, Mont., is the above-named gentle- man, whose career has been distinguished for use- fulness. Judge Martin was one of the many bold argonauts who made their way to California at the time of the memorable gold excitement in 1849, braving the perils and hardships of the plains and mountains or the almost equally hazardous trip by the isthmus route in order to reach the new Eldo- rado. Judge Martin is a native son of Kentucky, having been born in Harrison county, on January 4, 1825, the son of William and Catherine C. (Perrin) Martin, who were married March 7, 1822. William Martin was a native of Hagers-

town, born January 4, 1790, whence he removed to Harrison county, Ky., where his death occurred in 1832, at the age of forty-two years. He was a farmer and a carpenter by occupation, and well known as a man of sterling character. The mother of our subject was born in Harrison county, April 5, 1802, and there passed her entire life. William and Catherine C. Martin were the parents of five children, of whom three survive. Josephus P. Martin was reared on a farm amid such environ- ments as brings one in closer contact with nature, and gaining thereby a high regard for the dignity of honest toil. He received such education as the district schools afforded, and thereby laid the foun- dation for that information which has come to him in later years. After crossing the plains to Cali- fornia in 1849 he first settled at Placerville, then known as Hangtown, where he learned the profes- sion of pharmacist, and engaged in the drug busi- ness thereafter in California for thirty years, being located the greater portion of that time at San Jose. In 1879 Mr. Martin came to Bozeman, Mont., and held a clerical position in a drug store, after which he was chosen probate judge for a term of two years, and served in other positions of trust and responsibility. For more than a decade he has been public administrator of the county, and has ably and satisfactorily administered the duties of this office. In politics he has ever rendered allegiance to the Democratic party, his first vote, however, having been cast in support of Gen. Zachary Taylor. In his fraternal relations Judge Martin is identi- fied with the Masonic order, in which he is un- doubtedly one of the oldest representatives in the state, having become an entered apprentice as early as 1846, and advanced to higher degree in the time- honored fraternity of whose principles he is a worthy exemplar. Judge Martin has ordered his life upon a lofty plane of rectitude and inflexible honor, and in Gallatin county there is no citizen who retains to a greater degree the confidence and high regard of all classes. His life has been one of signal probity and usefulness, and he stands well to the front among the representative men of Gal- latin county. On October 7, 1856, Judge Martin was united in marriage to Miss Mary Langhorne, who was born in Virginia September 7, 1839, the daughter of John W. and Martha N. (Branch) Langhorne, natives of the Old Dominion, but among the early pioneers of California, where the former died at the advanced age of seventy-five years, his widow passing away in Missouri. They

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were the parents of four children, two of whom are now living. To Judge and Mrs. Martin nine children have been born, three of the number being deceased. Of those living, Kate N. is the wife of Thomas Lewis, to whom individual reference is made on other pages of this work; John P. is married and has one child; Daisy is married and has three children; William L. is married; and Maude and Alice remain at the parental home, the former being an assistant in the Bozeman post- office and the latter a teacher in the public schools.

JOHN L. MARYOTT .- Three miles to the north

of the thriving little city of Red Lodge, Carbon county, Mont., is located the fine ranch property of this well known and progressive representative of the farming and stockgrowing interests, and such has been his success since coming to Montana that he has reason to view with much pride the confidence and esteem of the community in which he has made his home since 1886. John L. Maryott is a native of Susquehanna county, Pa., where he was born December 14, 1863, the fifth of the eight children of Anson A. and Abigail (Lyman) Maryott, natives of the same county. William Maryott, the grandfather of our subject, was a native of Connecticut, the original American an- cestors having settled in New England in the early colonial epoch. William Maryott emigrated thence and became one of the pioneers of Susquehanna county, Pa., where he passed the residue of his life engaged in agricultural pursuits. He was a man of sterling character and was an active par- ticipant in the war of 1812. The parents of our subject still reside in their native county, where the father has devoted his active years to agricul- ture, but now practically retired at the venerable age of eighty years.

To the public schools of his native county John L. Maryott is indebted for his early educational privileges, and when seventeen years of age he came west to Nebraska, joining his uncle, Thomas W. Lyman, then engaged in the banking business in Fremont. In that city our subject attended school for some time, remaining about four years, partially employed in the banking house with his uncle. In the year 1886 Mr. Maryott came to Montana and took up a homestead claim three miles north of Red Lodge, Carbon county, the nucleus of his present valuable ranch property, which aggregates more than 600 acres, the major

portion being under effective irrigation. Here he secures large annual yields of clover and harvests excellent erops of grain. He is also largely in- terested in raising high-bred shorthorn cattle, hav- ing some fine thoroughbred stock, and also suc- cessfully conducts a dairying business of consider- able importance. He has made the best of im- provements upon his ranch, including a fine two- story residence with mansard roof, completed within the past few months, together with com- modious barns and other necessary outbuildings.

In politics he gives his support to the Republican party ; fraternally he is identified with the Royal Highlanders, holding membership in Cluny Castle No. 281, at Red Lodge. On November 15, 1893, was solemnized the marriage of Mr. Maryott to Miss Nellie Luce, who was born in Susquehanna county, Pa., the daughter of Abram Luce, who was one of the influential farmers of that county, where his death occurred in the month of October, 1901. Mr. and Mrs. Maryott are the parents of three sons : Lucius, Thomas and Abram.

JOHN R. MASON .- Among the leading farmers and sheep growers of Fergus county is Mr. Mason, whose prosperity is of his own building and who is clearly entitled to the frequently mis- applied title of self-made man.

Mr. Mason was born in Erie county, Pa., on the 18th of April, 1852, the son of William and Armenia Mason, who were likewise born in the county mentioned. Thence they removed to Chautauqua county, N. Y., locating in the city of Jamestown, where the father has since devoted his attention successfully to the tinner's trade. He is a Republican and both he and his wife are mem- bers of the Methodist Episcopal church. They are the parents of three children : William S., who is engaged in ranching and stockgrowing near Lewistown; Mont .; John R., and Charles.

The early education of John R. Mason was re- ceived in the public schools of Pennsylvania and from the age of sixteen he has been entirely de- pendent upon his own resources. After leaving school he devoted the first two years to farm work and then entered a tin shop to learn the tinner's trade, but his health became impaired and he was compelled to relinquish this vocation. He then traveled for four years through New York, Penn- sylvania, Ohio and West Virginia for a firm of lightning-rod manufacturers, after which he en-

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PROGRESSIVE MEN OF MONTANA.

gaged in farming in Amity township, Erie county, Pa., for several years. He now determined to cast in his lot with Montana, and arrived in the ter- ritory on the 29th of June, 1880, coming to Helena and there securing employment on a ranch in the Prickly Pear valley, near the city. Later he was employed in the flouring mill of Sanford & Evans near the mouth of the Prickly Pear, receiving $40 per month. On the 15th of June, 1881, Mr. Mason came to Fergus county, locating fifteen miles west of Lewistown, where he took up all claims allowed him by the government and to these he has since added by purchase until he now has 1,500 acres of deeded land, of which 1,000 acres are available for cultivation, with a most effective water supply for irrigation purposes. In addition to this fine and well improved ranch property Mr. Mason also leases fifteen hundred acres in the same vicinity, and up to 1893 he was extensively engaged in the raising of cattle. Since that time he has turned his atten- tion to the growing of sheep, and in this line his operations are extensive. In politics he is a Re- publican and fraternally he is identified with the lodge and chapter bodies of the Masonic order, the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and. the Woodmen of the World.

On the 25th of August, 1873, was solemnized the marriage of Mr. Mason to Miss Emma Norton, who was born in Meadville, Crawford county, Pa., the daughter of John and Hannah Norton, both natives of New York state, the father of Cortland county and the mother of Wayne county. Mr. · Norton was engaged in mercantile pursuits at Meadville, Pa., for years, and he was a Republican in politics. Both he and his wife were members of the Methodist Episcopal church. To them four children were born, one dying in infancy, and Wil- bur F. passing away in 1890 at the age of forty- three years. The two surviving are Frank B. and Mrs. Mason. The death of John Norton occurred in 1854, and that of his wife in 1855. Mr. and Mrs. Mason were the parents of three children, of whom Frank and Archie are deceased, the only surviving child being Leon J., who was born on the 28th of January, 1876, and now assists his father.

'YRUS B. MENDENHALL .- We, of this C twentieth century, bristling with activity and electrical progress in all utilitarian lines, can not afford to hold in light esteem those who have lived to goodly ends in the days long past. Mr. Men-

denhall's ancestral lines on either side show long and prominent identification with American history, while his own life has been one of honor and use- fulness. He is one of the representative farmers and stockgrowers of Park county, and has been closely identified with the pioneer history of the west. He was born in Muskingum county, Ohio, on July 28, 1830, the son of Thomas G. and Eliza- beth (Hollenback) Mendenhall, natives of Hagers- town, Md., and Wyloosing, Va., and who were parents of three sons and three daughters. His paternal grandfather was Samuel Mendenhall, who emigrated to America from England in the colonial epoch. The maternal grandfather was of pure Holland stock, many generations of the name having been identified with American history. His wife lived to the venerable age of 107 years. In his earlier life Thomas G. Mendenhall was a farmer, but later was long a zealous and de- voted clergyman, being a man of noble character and marked ability. He was one of the pioneer ministers of the M. E. church in Indiana for about fourteen years from the early 'thirties, after which the family home, until 1852, was in DeKalb county, Ill., when they located in Marshall county, Ia., where the father died at eighty-four years, and his widow four years later, at eighty-six. Their lives were gentle and self-abnegating, and a bene- diction to all in their sphere of influence.

Cyrus B. Mendenhall received his education in Indiana and Illinois. In 1851 he removed to Mar- shall county, Ia., where he was joined by the family one year later. He was there engaged in farming and stockraising until 1866, when he started for Montana with ox teams, with which he transported a stock of merchandise. From Fort Laramie, on the Platte river, the train of fifty-two wagons and 170 men, Milton Lutz captain, came by the Bozeman cutoff to Rock creek, where the Indians stole six mules. No further trouble was encountered until nearing the Big Horn river, when they repelled an attack of Indians who had cap- tured ninety-six mules from one McBeers, who was just ahead of the train. After this they had almost daily encounters with the Indians, with no serious results until they reached Tongue river, where one of the party was killed. They arrived in Virginia City, Mont., on August 4, 1866. After a month's stay he joined a party of 150 and came across to the Yellowstone river, which they followed to Sioux City, Iowa, and here he resumed farming on the Iowa homestead.

lay no B Mendenhall

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PROGRESSIVE MEN OF MONTANA.

In 1872 he again started for Montana, coming by rail to Corinne, Utah, and overland to Helena. He remained here about three months, returned to Iowa and thence removed with his family to Utah, and a few months later to Weld county, Colo., where Mr. Mendenhall engaged in the cattle busi- ness two years, and was buying, selling and ship- ping stock in Colorado until 1881, when he re- turned to Montana, and continued operations in the same line until 1887, when he sold out by reason of the severe losses he had met on account of the hard winters. In 1885 Mr. Mendenhall had pur- chased Hunter's hot springs, which he improved, there establishing a sanitarium and pleasure resort that attained great popularity under his manage- ment of thirteen years, when he disposed of the property and repurchased his former ranch of about 700 acres, near Springdale, Park county, and here he has made his home. He is improving the place for extensive sheepgrowing operations, in which his well-directed efforts can scarcely fail to bring success. In former years he has owned large herds of cattle, having at times 20,000 head under his control, conducting operations of wide scope and importance and showing executive ability and an inflexible integrity in his dealings. Politically he supports the Republican party, and fraternally is a Freemason. He is held in the highest esteem and, from his long and successful association with Hunter's springs, has a very wide circle of ac- quaintanceship.

On May 19, 1859, Mr. Mendenhall wedded Miss Emeline Dean, a native of Ohio, who in 1879 was called to her final rest. She became the mother of seven children, Ida Elizabetlı, wife of T. C. Ben- bow, of Absarokee, Carbon county ; Hattie M., wife of Montie Blevins, of Colorado; Conway B. and James R., who are ranching in Carbon county ; Alfred V., deceased; Charles P., a merchant at Springdale, Park county; and Inez B., wife of Ralph Jarrett, of Yellowstone county. Mr. Men- denhall consummated a second marriage on Sep- tember 18, 1881, with Miss Susan A. Cooley, born in Auburn, Susquehanna county, Pa., daughter of R. W. Cooley, who later resided and died in Bing- hamton, N. Y. Mrs. Mendenhall's maternal grand- mother, in maidenhood Elmira Bostwick, was the first white child born in Bradford county, Pa., her birth occurring in 1796, anterior to the historical Wyoming massacre. Mrs. Mendenhall was edu- cated in Binghamton, N. Y., being a graduate of Miss Barton's seminary, and was engaged in teach-

ing for several years, coming to Nebraska in 1876, and from thence to Montana. She is an active member of the Episcopal church, earnest in all good works. Like her husband, she enjoys a wide circle of friendship, and the home exemplifies true hospitality. They have many old documents and souvenirs of historic value and interest. Among them is a commission as captain given to Mr. Men- denhall's father by Gov. Trumbull, of Ohio, dated June 29, 1829, while another is a land grant signed by John Quincy Adams. Mr. Mendenhall gives his support and influence to the Republican party, but has been ever averse to accepting official in- cumbency, though often requested to do so. He has, however, served a number of years as school trustee, an office hardly political. Mr. Mendenhall is well known and highly esteemed by the old settlers, acquiring their friendship by his honest course as a pioneer merchant.

JOHN MATHESON .- The subject of this sketch holds marked precedence as one of the sheepgrowers of Montana, and has been identified with the industry for several years Mr. Mathe- son is a native of the old Pine Tree state, where he was born on August 20, 1837, the son of Dougal and Annie (Kennedy) Matheson, natives of bonnie Scotland and of pure Scotch ancestry. The father of our subject immigrated to the United States about the year 1822, settling in Maine, whence he later removed to Huron county, Ontario, Canada, where he purchased a farm and devoted his atten- tion to its cultivation until his retirement from the active duties of life, when he joined his son, the subject of this sketch, in Montana, where he made his home until his death, which occurred on Sep- tember 7, 1898, his wife having passed away many years previous.

John Matheson grew up under the invigorating influences of the homestead farm in Ontario, re- ceiving such educational advantages as were af- forded by the common schools in the vicinity of his home. Upon attaining man's estate he went to Houghton county, Mich., and was employed as a miner in the Quincy copper mines until 1867, when he returned to Huron county, purchased a farm and engaged in cattle growing and exporting, shipping cattle to England and Scotland. On December 16, 1890, Mr. Matheson came to Montana and ef- fected the purchase of his present home ranch of

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PROGRESSIVE MEN OF MONTANA.

500 acres, located in the Milk river valley, six miles east of Chinook, which is devoted to the raising of hay. When he first settled on the ranch he turned his attention to a system of irrigation, and at once set about the work of providing effective facilities in this line. Four times his ditches were destroyed, but his fifth attempt was crowned with success, and he succeeded in establishing a fine and thoroughly effective irrigating system which covers a wide area of country in the valley. In addition to his home ranch Mr. Matheson owns 320 acres on Woody island creek ; another, of 160 acres, on Crow creek, and one of equal area on Fifteen Mile creek, all de- voted to the growing of sheep upon a very ex- tensive scale. Each ranch is well improved, all the incidental work having been accomplished under the immediate direction of Mr. Matheson.

In politics Mr. Matheson gives allegiance to the Republican party. He has been a member of the Masonic fraternity for a period of thirty-three years, having passed the degrees of the capitular or Royal Arch body. His religious faith is that of the Pres- byterian church. His life has been one of absolute integrity and honor in all its relations, and it is needless to say that he retains the confidence and esteem of all who know him. On February 13, 1865, was solemnized the marriage of Mr. Mathe- son to Miss Annie McDonald, daughter of John McDonald, who was born in Scotland, and of this union ten children have been born, namely : Hugh, William, deceased, John M .; Murdock, Roy, Mar- tha, wife of Arthur Benton, of Colorado, Jessie, wife of J. S. Roberts, of Milk river valley, Mary, wife of B. Bernard, of the state of Washington, Annie, wife of J. R. Malone, of Montana, and Donalda.

G EORGE MAY, the prominent stockman, mer- chant and financier of Stevensville, whose word on 'change is accepted by everybody and whose progressiveness and resourcefulness in business is an inspiration in the community, is a native of Clinton, province of Ontario, Canada, where his life began September 14, 1858, and where he lived and attended the public schools until he was fifteen years of age. When he was sixteen he left home and entered upon an apprenticeship of three years at the trade of cabinetmaking, receiving $30 for his first year's work, $40 for the second and $50 for the third. Of the gross sum he saved about $40 with which he bought tools wherewith to begin

working at the trade for himself, which he followed until 1881, and then came into the northwest of the United States, believing he could do better here than in the older portions of the country. He stopped for a few weeks in Colorado, then came to Montana, locating for a time in Judith basin, where he took up a claim and raised a big crop of hay, which was destroyed by a disastrous fire in the fall that swept over that whole section of coun- try, consuming everything before it. Mr. May herded sheep that winter, but not finding it very encouraging work he took a steamer at Rocky Point and went down the Missouri into Dakota, where he engaged in boring wells for two years. At the end of that time he took up a claim in Dickey county and farmed for four years. In 1888 he returned to Montana and worked at various occupations until he finally settled in the Bitter Root valley, near the town of Stevensville, which has since been his home. He has a large ranch and very extensive stock and mercantile interests in partnership with his brothers. Together they form the Bitter Root Live Stock Company, and as such own some 3,000 acres of land, 20,000 head of sheep, 500 head of cattle and other stock. They have also an extensive butchering business known as the May Brothers Butchering Company, which supplies a large scope of territory and many lines of profitable trade. In addition, as the Stevens- ville Mercantile Company, of which Mr. May is · president, they conduct one of the largest, best and most complete department stores in the whole northwest.

Mr. May has in his own right a fine ranch of 150 acres, just outside of the city limits, whose ap- pearance and state of improvement is a tribute to his enterprise and taste. Of this he recently do- nated ten acres and gave $500 in cash to the Stevensville Training School, now in process of construction, and is working hard for its future success. He has always been deeply interested in educational, moral and civil affairs which tend to elevate and improve the community, and has given liberally of his time and substance for their ad- vancement.

In politics he is an ardent Republican; in re- ligious affiliation a member of the Methodist Epis- copal church. Mr. May was married in December. 1890, to Miss May L. Rairden, whose parents are residents of Dakota. The nuptials were solemnized at Park City, where Mrs. May was living at the time. They have two children, George R., aged seven, and Sarah A., aged six.

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M ARCO MEDIN .- It is fitting that memoir be here entered of this honored pioneer of the Pacific coast, for his life was one of signal useful- ness and honor, concerned with affairs of wide scope and importance and attended with a success worthy the name, though a number of his ventures were unfortunate. He made a record of which any man might well be proud, and his name is honored in the three states with whose history he was con- spicuously identified. Marco Medin was born in Budua, Dalmatia, Austria, on May 4, 1824, the son of Anton Medin, who was for many years a prominent merchant and influential citizen of Budua, of which he had the distinction of serving as mayor for sixteen years and where his deatlı occurred. Marco was the eldest of five children, and his education was received in the excellent schools of Budua, and he was there identified with mercantile pursuits until 1850, when he emigrated to America, and by the Panama route made his way to California, attracted by the gold excitement.

From that state, in 1861, he removed to Virginia City, Nev., where he engaged in merchandising, as he had been in California. He made extensive investments in mines, and, although successful in a number of ventures, he here lost fully $250,000. In September, 1884, he came to Montana, locating in Butte, where he was merchandising until his death on June 24, 1901. He devised his business to his sons and the residue of his estate to his cher- ished wife. Mr. Medin enjoyed the esteem of those who knew him and was acknowledged as one of the large-hearted business men of Mon- tana's metropolis. He was a stanch supporter of Democratic principles and policies. June 16, 1865, Mr. Medin was united in marriage with Miss Sarah Thornton, a native of Ireland, who survives him, as do their six children, who were born in Nevada, and of whom we enter brief record as follows : Antoinette is the wife of Marco Zarick, of Sacra- mento, Cal .; Marco J., a young business man of Butte; Sarah, wife of J. J. O'Meara, of Butte; Mamie, wife of John G. Holland, of Butte; Annie (deceased), wife of W. A. O'Brien, of Butte, and Tony, who is in business in Butte. Mr. Medin, at his death, was the owner of a large amount of Nevada real estate and had valuable holdings in Great Falls.

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Progressive men of the state of Montana, pt 2, Part 31

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