Progressive men of the state of Montana, pt 2, Part 37

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 37

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In politics Mr. Nihill is an earnest Republican, and fraternally he is an Odd Fellow. He was married March 6, 1895, to Miss Anna Nicholson, a native of England, and daughter of Thomas and Jane (Armstrong) Nicholson, also English by na- tivity, who came to America in 1893 and located at Philbrook, where they at first rented a ranch on Buffalo creek and took sheep on shares. Later they removed to their present ranch, which Mr. Nicholson acquired by purchase, and to which he has added until he has 700 acres. His principal industry also is raising sheep.

Mr. Nihill was reared in the teaching of the Catholic church, while his wife's parents were Presbyterians. They are the parents of three children, John, Albert and Archibald. Mr. Nihill is an energetic follower of his business, looks after its details personally, and has won success. He is classed among the large taxpayers of Fergus county.

R OBERT WORTHINGTON NOBLE, presi- dent of the Noble & Wyeth Improvement Company, of Whitehall, Jefferson county, is one of the leading business men of that village. He was born at Edgewood, Iowa, on November 11, 1850, the son of D. B. and Minerva (Peet) Noble. The father was a native of Bloomfield, Ontario county, N. Y., and the mother of Farmersville in Cat- taraugus county. From New York they removed to Iowa, where they were married and settled down to a life of pioneer farming. In 1860 he came to Pike's Peak, where he was engaged in mining. In 1865 he removed to Virginia City, Mont., and there developed the Noble mine in 1868, continuing to work upon it until his death, which occurred September 19, 1899, leaving two sons and four daughters as his survivors.

The early days of R. W. Noble were passed in Iowa, where he received the education of the public schools which he supplemented by a course at the Iowa College, an excellent institution located

at Grinnell, Iowa. His mother and one son re- moved to Montana in 1870, and two years later Mr. Noble followed them, and in 1873 he was joined by two of the sisters. Two other sisters who were married remained in Iowa. On his arrival Mr. Noble became a partner with his father in the de- velopment of the Noble mine, then quite productive, and continued here until 1889, when, in company with J. H. Wyeth, of St. Louis, he bought into the Whitehall Townsite Company. In 1887 Mr. Noble bought a ranch near Twin Bridges, Madison county, on which he made his home. Several other ranches were purchased by the partners in addition to the townsite and they also bought a number of sheep and horses. On the death of his father, Mr. Noble assumed sole charge of the Noble mine and in 1898 he organized the Noble & Wyeth Improvement Company, of which he is president.

On July 1, 1880, Mr. Noble was united in mar- riage to Miss Minnie Brooke, of St. Louis, Mo. She was the eldest daughter of Maj. Brooke, and born on April 1, 1860. They have had eight chil- dren, Lloyd Marvin, who died June 2, 1901, while attending school in Helena, having graduated five days previously from the business department of the Montana Wesleyan University. He was a young man of unusual promise and his sudden de- parture was a severe blow to his parents and many friends. His funeral occurred at Whitehall and was one of the largest ever witnessed in the valley. The other children are Rachel Grace, Mallory, Frank Worthington, deceased; Edward Gant, Daniel B., Mary Viola and Elizabeth Ruth.

Fraternally Mr. Noble is a member of the United Workmen and the Maccabees. Politically he is a strong Republican, but never an aspirant for office.

At the opening of the Nez Perces war Mr. Noble joined a company with Col. Callaway as cap- tain, organized at Virginia City, where the response to the governor's call had been prompt. Samuel Word and S. R. Buford endeavored to prevail on the Sheridan company, which consisted of 200 men, to join them, but on the first call only six came out. R. W. Noble, Henry Fishback, Sergeant Hall. George O'Dell, Henry Patrick and John Alla- haugh. They went to a point on Beaver Head, near the present city of Dillon, to gain information of the movements of the Indians. They discovered that they had passed by Bannack and were killing the settlers at the head of Horse Prairie creek, four men having already been slain. Mr. Noble's party

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moved up to Black Tail Deer creek, and then were joined by others and all rode to William's Junc- tion and later joined Gen. Howard, who was in com- mand of about 250 United States soldiers, and whose policy in organizing this expedition Mr. Noble heartily endorsed. The expedition went to Eagle Rock, Idaho, followed by the trail leading toward Henry lake, and on the night of Sunday, August 19, 1877, they camped at Camas meadows, but saw no Indians. About an hour after midnight the Indians made a dash through the picket lines and surprised the camp. Most of the volunteers ran across the creek, only thirteen remaining, but they soon rallied and began firing on the Indians, who were surprised at this sudden change of front and quick response, and fired recklessly and with- out aim. In their first charge, however, the In lians had killed one horse and stampeded nineteen others and 115 pack mules. Mr. Noble and Thomas Ferrell saw three other fine horses following after the Indians and the two men hastened to recover them, a dangerous thing to do, but they succeeded in saving the horses and returning in safety. Capt. Norwood and his men then started in pursuit of the Indians. They were soon overtaken, but the superior force of the Indians surrounded them and kept them in danger until they were relieved by Gen. Howard. Then the savages retreated a short distance and made a stand. The resulting fight lasted four hours and forty minutes, with the loss of one soldier killed, three mortally and four badly wounded. How many Indians were killed is not known, as they carried off their dead and wounded. Mr. Noble was among the volunteers detailed by Gen. Howard on the next day to convey the wounded to Virginia City, 150 miles distant. He provided a light team and wagon to carry the bedding and saddles and teams for the wounded, while those of the escort who had lost their horses went on foot. On the return Mr. Noble stopped at his home in Sheridan, having been gone eleven days. The work of the volunteers had been successfully accomplished in driving the Indians as far away as possible from the settled portions of the state.

OBERT NEWMIRE, after an eventful life in

R the trans-Mississippi country, is now located on a highly improved sheep ranch near Big Tim- ber, Sweet Grass county, and surrounded by every

evidence of prosperity. He is a German, born at Wurtemberg, on May 3, 1848. His parents were George and Gertrude (Snyder) Newmire, and Rob- ert was one of a family of three sons and five daughters. The father was a stonemason and plasterer, and had a small farm. Mr. Newmire learned the trade of stonemason and plasterer in Germany, and in 1868, before he was twenty-one, he came to the United States, locating at Utica, N. Y., where an uncle resided. For five years Mr. Newmire burned lime at and near Utica, and then removed to Salt Lake City, and for two years was in the employ of the Germania Refining Works Company, going thence to Denver, Colo., and soon returning to Salt Lake and taking up his former employment. A year later he moved to San Francisco, worked in the rolling mills and in the refining works for a few months, and then made a short stay in Los Angeles. Subsequently he was employed in the smelter at Sierra Guarda, then went to the Dead valley, purchased real estate and engaged in building vaults. After a six- months stay the camp broke up and he removed to Round valley, and for four months followed placer mining.

Having passed the winter in California Mr. Newmire went over into Rocklyn, Nev., and then to the Black hills, where he prospected unsuc- cessfully. One year was then passed at Fort Custer in burning lime, venturing then on a pros- pecting trip among the Big Horn mountains. Scouts, however, warned his party of their im- minent danger from Indians, and they rapidly made their way back to Fort Custer, from whence he went to the site of Billings, locating on a ranch at Park City, remaining five years and meeting with fairly successful results. The two following years were spent at Clark's Fork, where he opened a small and prosperous store, and then he moved to the Stinking Water creek and for three years conducted the postoffice, stage station and a store. Having disposed of his stock he secured con- tracts for building irrigating ditches and he then procured a lucrative contract on the Rocky Fork Railway. Three years were afterwards passed in mining near Boulder, and he then came to Big Timber creek, where he purchased 640 acres of land of the Big Timber Bank, and began fatten- ing sheep for mutton, carrying 5,000 through the winter and feeding 600 tons of alfalfa. Mr. New- mire has 250 acres of his land under irrigation and it produces fine crops. In the past he has

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done considerable sheep feeding on contract, and has recently completed a fine two-story brick resi- dence, while his outbuildings, sheds, corrals, etc., are of the most substantial description. As show- ing the honesty of Montana pioneers Mr. New- mire relates that while he was merchandising at Clark's Fork canyon, he would sometimes be ab- sent for two weeks, leaving his store wide open. The patrons would take what they wished to pur- chase and leave the proper money or skins for payment, or charge themselves with the amount on the book and on his return he rarely found anything unnecessarily disturbed.

S IMON PEPIN, of Havre, is one of the pio- neers of Montana, well known throughout the state and adjoining territory as a brave, constant and industrious freighter, a successful and pro- gressive ranchman and stockraiser, and a capable and resourceful financier and man of business. He was born at St. Michel, Canada, December 20, 1840, of French parentage. His father, Samuel Pepin, was a native of the same place, as was also his mother, Mary (Peprino) Pepin. They were well-to-do but unassuming farmers, and lived a quiet, respectable life among their neigh- bors, by whom they were much esteemed. His mother, however, died when he was four years old ; and when he was sixteen, after securing a lim- ited education in his native town, he left home and went to Saco, Me., and there worked in a brick- yard from 1856 to 1863. In the spring of the lat- ter year he came to Montana, making the trip over- land from Omaha in charge of a team of cattle, traveling by way of Salt Lake City to Virginia City, where he arrived in November. The next spring he entered the employ of the famous Diamond R Freighting Company, and remained in its service until it went out of business in 1890. But in the meantime, beginning in 1875, in a small way, he engaged in raising cattle as a side line, gradually enlarging his operations and building up an in- creasing trade until for some years he has been one of the most extensive producers in that line in the state. His freighting experience was full of incident and adventure. It was never free from the element of danger, which adds spice to any occupation, and to a man of heroic temperament gives it great zest and attractiveness. For fifteen years his trips were made to the various towns and

trading posts in the vast field covered by the operations of the Diamond R Company from Salt Lake to Fort Benton, and during that time the life of the freighter was a daily round of hardship and hazard. From 1879 to 1890 he was in charge of the company's transportation contract with the government at Fort Assinniboine. This placed on his shoulders a weighty responsibility, but he discharged his duties in connection with it in a way that gave satisfaction to his employers and to all with whom they dealt. Since 1882 his stock operations have been in Choteau and Teton coun- ties, where he has large tracts of land, the home ranch being located two miles from Havre, on the north side of Milk river, and a model farm in all respects. Mr. Pepin located here before there was a town of Havre, or at least before it was anything more than a little country hamlet con- sisting of a few cabins. He has seen every stage of its growth to its present proportions, and can have the satisfaction of knowing that much of its development and prosperity is attributable to his own enterprise and foresight in establishing and pushing forward large business undertakings. He is senior partner in the Broadwater-Pepin Mer- cantile Company, of Havre and Browning; vice- president of the First National Bank of Havre, and owner of the Havre Hotel, one of the finest in the state, which he built in 1900. He also has large interests in other property and business throughout the city and country. He is a single man, and takes no interest in politics in a party sense, but has a deep and abiding concern for whatever militates in favor of the welfare of his section.

DETER NORMANDIEN .- One of the pioneers of Montana who is highly esteemed in the com- munity where he has so long made his home, Peter Normandien is a prominent and successful farmer and stockgrower of the Deer Lodge valley, his fine ranch property being located five miles south of Deer Lodge, which is his postoffice address. Mr. Normandien comes of old French lineage, and was born in Montreal, Canada, on July 12, 1843, the son of Frank and Mary (King) Normandien, who were both natives of beautiful old Montreal. In 1849, at the time of the gold excitement in California, Frank Normandien journeyed to that state, where he was successfully identified with gold mining for seventeen years, though during the last year

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of his residence there he lost about $25,000 in speculation. In 1863 he came to Montana and lo- cated on Warm Spring creek, then in Deer Lodge county, where he took up land and remained one summer, then disposed of his interests and returned to Montreal for his family, with whom he soon re- turned to Montana and located on Dempsey creek, in what is now Powell county. Here he engaged in farming and stockraising for a number of years, after which he retired from active business and took up his residence in the village of Deer Lodge until his death, which occurred in 1896, when he was seventy-six years of age. He was a man of fine business ability and indubitable honor, and held in high esteem. His widow survives him and now makes her home at Butte with her daughter, Mrs. Perron.

Peter Normandien passed his youth in his native city, and owing to the absence of his father in California and the somewhat straitened circum- stances of the family, his educational privileges were very limited, as it early became necessary for him to assist in the support of the family. At the age of eight years he was employed in a Massachu- setts factory, and when only eleven he set forth for the long journey to Montana, becoming one of its youthful pioneers and making the trip entirely on his own responsibility. He took one of the Missouri river steamboats at St. Louis and came up the Mississippi and Missouri rivers to Fort Benton, and then drove a bull team through to Deer Lodge, where he arrived in July, 1864, without a cent and dependent entirely upon his own resources. His fortitude and self-reliance stood him well in hand then, as in after years, and none can begrudge a success won against so great odds. Mr. Nor- mandien soon secured work on a ranch, until the following spring, when he found employment in a mine on the Cottonwood river, receiving $6.00 per day for his services, this being the first appreciable wages he had ever received. He was a mere boy at the time, but before the summer had passed he was receiving $12 per day. His success did not "turn his head," for he saved his earnings, the vicissitudes through which he had passed and the responsibilities he had so early as- sumed, making him fully appreciative of the value of money. He was identified with mining for four years, and then, at the age of sixteen, took up a claim of 160 acres of land in what was then Deer Lodge county, five miles south of Deer Lodge vil- lage. After the surveys were made he took up

desert and pre-emption claims adjoining his original homestead, and, after the building of the Northern Pacific Railroad, which traverses his original place, he purchased railroad lands, and at the present time he has a finely improved ranch of 740 acres, most of which is rich bottom land, not dependent upon irrigation.

Here Mr. Normandien has made his home from his early youth, and the appearance of his estate today, with its wide-stretching range of pasture, its modern improvements, its herds of excellent cattle and its air of prosperity, indicates what may be accomplished by a boy who will work to definite ends and who appreciates the value of consecutive industry. Mr. Normandien has devoted special attention to the raising of cattle, and has a herd of about 300 head, while he also secures excellent crops from the cultivated portions of his ranch. From the beginning he has had the confidence and re- spect of the community, and is today recognized as one of the representative men of Deer Lodge valley. Mr. Normandien also owns a residence in the city of Deer Lodge, which is the winter home of the family, that the children may take advantage of the educational facilities afforded in the excel- lent public schools. In politics Mr. Normandien gives allegiance to the Democratic party, but while he takes a deep interest in the welfare of the county and state, he has had no desire for office. On De- cember 18, 1880, in his native city of Montreal, Mr. Normandien was united in marriage to Miss Marie Beaurais, who was born in the same city, the daugh- ter of Casimir and Esther (Perron) Beaurais. both of French lineage. Her father was for many years a successful grocer in Montreal, where he now lives retired, his wife having passed away in 1894. In Mr. and Mrs. Normandien's family are eight children : Laura M., Clara G., Oscar P .. Pacific A., Albert A., Bertha A., Zelia A. and Marguerite H.

A LEXANDER NORRIS, one of the oldest set- tlers of Madison county, and practically the founder of the town that bears his name, has seen the growth of Montana from a wilderness and has contributed his share of the energy that has made the change. He was born in the good old Quaker city of Philadelphia, Pa .. October 10, 1840, a son of Samuel Norris, who emigrated from the north of Ireland as a young married man, and after liv-

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ing for a time in Philadelphia removed in 1850 to Wisconsin and engaged in farming until 1864. He then took up his residence in Iowa, where he ended his days. His wife, the mother of Alexander, died before he left Philadelphia. Mr. Norris passed his school days in Wisconsin, and in 1864, when Mon- tana was an almost unknown region, he came into its territories, driving an ox team across the plains for W. A. Fredericks, of whom mention is made elsewhere in this volume. He experienced no trouble with the Indians, and arrived at Alder gulch by way of Lander's cutoff on September 25, 1864. After working there two or three weeks he went to Bozeman, and secured employment at the sawmill for which he had helped to haul the machin- ery across the plains. In February, 1865, he made a trip to Emigrant gulch, but soon returned to Boze- man, and afterward walked to Alder gulch where he passed the summer mining. In the fall he removed to Sterling, and went to work for the Clark & Upson Mining Company. Later he took up property near that place and engaged in ranching and stockraising. At different times he has located mines of value, among them being the Revenue. When the branch of the Northern Pacific, which touches at Norris, was run up to that point, the terminus was on Mr. Norris's place, and in his honor the town was named Norris. Here he has a ranch of some 1,200 acres, on which he is exten- sively engaged in raising assorted breeds of stock, with fine crops of hay and grain, and is a pleasant resort for his many friends. Throughout the com- munity Mr. Norris is highly esteemed and well spoken of. His extensive fund of reminiscences and his genial manner make him an entertaining companion, and his liberal public spirit gives him an interest in whatever seems good for the neighbor- hood. He has another ranch at Gebo, near Bridger, and on the two he usually has several hundred head of cattle. He lives a quiet, peaceful life, doing his part for the welfare of his kind, and giving a good example to all who happen to come in con- tact with him. In politics he has always been a stanch Republican although not seeking political honors in any way.

HOMAS NORTHY .- Among the sturdy sons of the Norseland who have become identified with the industrial life of Montana and attained success is Mr. Northy, a representative farmer and

stockgrower of Carbon county and one of the hon- ored citizens of his community.

Mr. Northy was born in Vermland, Sweden, January 29, 1865, a son of Andrew P. and Chris- tina (Johnson) Northy, natives of Vermland, Sweden. The mother passed away in 1878 and the father in 1879, having devoted his life to agri- cultural pursuits. Thomas remained in his native land until he attained the age of sixteen years, hav- ing received such educational advantages as were afforded by the local schools, and then severed the ties which bound him to his native land to seek his fortunes in America. He remained about two years in the state of New York, where he was em- ployed in the iron mines, coming then to Montana, where he found employment in April, 1863, with the construction force on the Northern Pacific Railroad between Bozeman and Helena. The severity of the work impaired his health and he sought other em- ployment. He finally located at Chestnut, Gallatin county, and assisted in opening up the coal mines in that vicinity, being thus engaged for a period of eighteen months. He then went to Timberline and engaged in opening the coal mines there, re- maining one year, going thence to Virginia City, and successfully engaged in placer and quartz min- ing for three years. Returning to Timberline his marriage was solemnized and with his wife re- moved to Elkhorn, Jefferson county, where he was identified with mining enterprises for two and a half years; thence to Red Lodge, Carbon county, and engaged in general merchandise, with a branch store at Cokedale, Park county. He successfully continued operations in this line for three years, when he disposed of his mercantile interests and engaged in the sheep industry, locating on Dry creek, at a point eight miles north of the city of Red Lodge. This he continued for five years, when he turned his attention to the raising of cattle and general agriculture, in which he has been very successful. He now has a fine ranch of 160 acres, all under effective irrigation, his principal crops being clover and alfalfa, and securing large yields. He also here devotes considerable attention to the raising of grain. In the raising of cattle he gives preference to the Durham and Hereford types, and has a fine line of stock of each of these strains, usually feeding about 150 head. He is essentially progressive in his methods and is recognized as one of the enterprising farmers and stockgrowers of this section. He has made excellent improvements on his ranch, and has one of the attractive homes

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of this section. In politics Mr. Northy gives his allegiance to the Republican party ; fraternally he is identified with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, retaining membership in Mountain Home Lodge No. 31, at Elkhorn. He commands the confidence and esteem of the community and is public-spirited in his attitude, taking a particularly deep interest in educational affairs. Upon the for- mation of what is known as the Northy school dis- trict he was chosen chairman of the board of school trustees, and still holds the position.

At Timberline, Gallatin county, on the 3d of April, 1888, Mr. Northey was united in marriage to Miss Janet Watson, who was born in Pennsylvania, the daughter of Matthew Watson, of Scotch lin- eage and a native of the Keystone state. He was a resident of Timberline at the time of his daughter's marriage, but is now deceased, having died in Red Lodge, Mont., May 30, 1897. His widow is still living at the age of sixty-six years, making her home in Red Lodge, Mont. Mr. and Mrs. Northy have four children, namely : Emma C., Matthew A., Anna M. and Wilhelmina.

M ORGAN J. NULLINER, although a young man, has achieved considerable prominence in Cascade county as an extensive and enterprising cattleraiser. He was born in Tipton county, Ind., October 22, 1872, the son of Frederick and Mary E. Nulliner, both of whom were born and reared in Indiana. Like his energetic son, the father was a successful stockgrower, though in the Hoosier state. Both of the parents were members of the Lutheran church. During his life he at all times manifested a lively interest in Democratic politics and was an influential worker within the party lines. The mother died in 1879 and the father in 1900. Five children survive them: Morgan J., Lewis, Harvey, Julia and Mary. Morgan J. Nulliner was deprived of the advantages of a liberal education, having been required at the age of eight years to assist his parents on the farm, and he remained with them until he attained his majority. It was then that he commenced the practical business of life for himself, removing west and settling in Beach county, Mo. For one year he found em- ployment as a teamster, and he then went to Kan- sas, but remained there only three months, coming to Montana on April 15. 1890, and locating on his present ranch near Geyser, twenty miles south-

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Progressive men of the state of Montana, pt 2, Part 37

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