Progressive men of the state of Montana, pt 2, Part 43

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 43

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James Raw received only limited common school education, and remained at home, assisting in supporting the family until he was twenty-one. At that age he went to California, where he en-

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engaged in quartz mining in 1879, and met with fair success. He then returned to his old home in Wisconsin, and there was occupied in farming and mining until May, 1882, when he once more turned his face toward the setting sun and came to Mon- tana with his father and others of the family. They settled at Helena, and there James carried on brick manufacturing in partnership with Richard Lockey. This enterprise he quit at the end of the first season and in the fall of 1882 located his present ent homestead, to which he has added a desert claim, and by purchase he has now 480 acres, 300 of which are under cultivation, producing excellent crops of hay and grain, and supporting fine herds of cattle until 1899, when he disposed of the cattle and began sheepraising, in which he is still en- gaged. He is a member of the Knights of Pythias and of the Woodmen of the World. In politics he is a Republican, but not an active partisan. Mr. Raw was married January 1, 1889, to Miss Sarah J. Coker, a native of Iowa county, Wis., and daughter of John and Adelaide Coker, the former a native of England, and the latter of Wisconsin. Mr. and Mrs. Raw are the parents of twelve chil- dren, three of whom have died. Two of these were twins and died in infancy. A daughter Mabel, has later passed away. The living children are: Hugo, Richard and Walter, twins, Bertha L., Ada A., James, Sarah, Roy T. and May. In re- ligious sentiment the family are Methodists .. Mr. and Mrs. Raw have a high place in the good will and regard of all who know them.

ALEXANDER RAW, an older brother of James, was born at Dubuque, Iowa, Novem- ber 18, 1852, and received a common school educa- tion. He assisted his father on the farm and in the mines until he was twenty-one years old, and then began working in the zinc and lead mines for himself. In 1891 he came to Montana, purchased 240 acres of land one mile and a half east of Phil- brook, in Fergus county, and has since been success- fully engaged in ranching and stockraising. Mr. Raw is a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, and in politics he is a Republican. He was married in November, 1873, to Miss Mary J. Slater, a native of Iowa county, Wis., whose par- ents, Peter and Sarah Slater, were natives of Eng- land, who, after emigrating to America, resided awhile in Illinois, then in Wisconsin, and came to Montana in 1866. The union of Mr. and Mrs.

Raw have been blessed with six children, namely : George A., William J., Frank, Olive, Daisy and Florence. Mr. Raw is well pleased with his Mon- tana home, and finds agreeable and profitable com- panionship in his large circle of friends.

RICHARD RAW, the youngest brother of James and Alexander, was born in Iowa county, Wis., where he attended the public schools until he was compelled to stop and assist his father in the work of supporting the family. He accom- panied his brother and father to Montana in 1882, and took up a pre-emption claim four miles east of Philbrook, to which he has added by purchase until he now has some 720 acres, of which 600 can be put under cultivation. On this he raises hay and grain in quantities, averaging 200 tons of hay a year, and also feeds a number of cattle. In poli- tics he supports the Republican ticket. He was married January 18, 1898, to Miss Elizabeth De- Borde, a native of Iowa, whose father was a Vir- ginian and her mother a Canadian. She was a popular school teacher in Montana for four years, and at her Iowa home for six years prior to her marriage. They, too, have a large circle of friends.

ILLIAM REINIG. - A well-known cattle man, one of a family of brothers engaged in this industry in the Wolf district, and who is also an influential Republican and an Odd Fellow, is William Reinig. He was born on January 31, 1860, in Tama county, Iowa, the son of Jacob and Eliza Reinig, his father a German by birth, his mother a native of Ohio. All his life has Jacob Reinig been a farmer and a successful stock- raiser, coming to the United States in 1854. He is an Odd Fellow, and politically he takes an interest in the Democratic party. William Reinig supple- mented his common school education, after his ar- rival in Montana, by a course at the Helena Busi- ness College. Until he was twenty years of age he aided in the work of the home farm, willing at all times to make himself generally useful. In the spring of 1880 he came to Red Rock and then by stage to Helena. His initial employment was sawing wood and he later became a bread deliverer for his uncle, M. Reinig, in which occupation he continued four years, and was then made manager of his grocery business until 1900, when, in the

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spring, he went to Wolf creek and purchased an interest of A. McDonald in a general store. While he had been engaged in the grocery business in Helena Mr. Reinig had an interest in cattleraising on the Musselshell, which he sold at a good profit in 1891. In 1900, with his brothers, Frank and George, he incorporated a stock company. They have since largely increased the business until now it is one of the most prominent enterprises in the district of Wolf creek. In 1894 he purchased the old Silverman place on the Dearborn, comprising 3,300 acres of land with 173 head of cattle and twenty horses. Mr. Reinig is also the owner of valuable property in East Helena, and he is associ- ated with Michael, C. L. and C. N. Reinig in a com- pany controlling profitable placer mines in Deer Lodge county, which are valued at $2,000. On May 24, 1899, Mr. Reinig was united in marriage to Miss Maggie Adami, a native of Montana and daughter of Jacob and Elizabeth Adami, both of whom were born in Germany. (See his sketch elsewhere in this volume.)

M ATTHEW ROBERTS, a prosperous rancher and miner of Broadwater county, near Town- send, first came to Montana in 1864. He was born in Cornwall, England, on October 29, 1839. His parents were Matthew and Charity (Waters) Rob- erts, both natives of Cornwall, where the father was engaged in mining. He was the only son of Matthew Roberts, grandfather of our Montana resident. The latter was of a family of three sons and eight daughters. In 1846 he came to the United States and first located in Jo Daviess county, Ill., where for a year he was engaged in lead mining. He then removed to Lafayette county, Wis., where he continued mining and for the time being here made his home. In 1862 Mr. Roberts went to New York city, thence to San Francisco via the Panama route, and from there journeyed to British Columbia, to Victoria by boat, then by foot traveled to the Caribou mines. After traveling 200 miles he became discouraged at the reports of returning miners and returned to San Francisco, and from there to Sacramento and Marysville, Cal. Taking a coach here he journeyed to Weaverville, Trinity county, Cal., where for one year he engaged in mining with fair success, sold out his interest in claims, and returned to Marysville. He then went into Nevada, where he worked in the celebrated Comstock mine.

In May, 1864, with five others, Mr. Roberts left Nevada for Montana on horseback. From the In- dians they experienced no trouble, although parties before and behind them were attacked and many travelers slaughtered. They found coach stations deserted, and many of them in flames. The trip was a perilous one, and eternal viligance was truly the price of life. In July, 1864, they arrived safely at Alder gulch, Montana's first great placer camp. For ten years Mr. Roberts here engaged in min- ing with varying success, during which time he purchased a number of cattle. For one year he was mining near Clancey, his cattle interests being then in Madison valley, where he had about 150 head. Coming to Duck creek, he continued mining with fair success, and in 1877 purchased the Boise ranch on Duck creek, has since resided there, and for the past twenty years he has been a school trustee. It is now his homestead, and a valuable one. Mr. Roberts is still largely interested in mines, the Cook mine, a very valuable property, being owned by him- self and son. In 1855 Mr. Roberts married Miss Martha M. Gratton, of Wisconsin. She was a daughter of William and Mary Gratton, of New York, the family coming to Madison valley in 1864, and some years thereafter removing to Prickly Pear valley near Helena. Mr. and Mrs. Roberts have seven children: Matthew, born at Clancey; Wil- lard; Ruby, now Mrs. Hamilton; Richardson, at present heavily interested in mining, and represent- ing a New York company ; Rosie, Blucher and Lena Belle. The three latter are attending school.

OHN P. REINS, one of the prominent business

men of Butte, Mont., and a pioneer of the ter- ritory, is a native of Virginia, born there on Sep- tember 10, 1842, the son of William H. and Susan (Ashworth) Reins. The father, also a Virginian, was born on March 6, 1810, and was a farmer. He died March 10, 1895. His wife was the daugh- ter of Louis Ashworth, a Virginia farmer and a minister of the gospel. The ancestry on both sides was English. John P. Reins, the youngest of two children, passed through the public schools and graduated from Hillsville Academy, and in 1861, at the opening of the Civil war, he joined Company H, Twenty-fourth Virginia Infantry, formed of students from his alma mater. He participated in the first and second battles of Manassas, the siege of Knoxville, the battles of Saltville, Crow's Nest,

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Charleston, W. Va., Salt Pond Mountain, Cloyd's Farm and Gawley River. Subsequently he joined the Eighth Cavalry under Gen. Eckels, commander of the Department of Southwestern Virginia. During this service he was wounded in the knee by a caber cut at Clinch river.

In 1865, he began the study of medicine, which he continued for one year, but losing one of his eyes he abandoned it and in the spring of 1867 re- moved to Kansas, where, for a year, he engaged in farming. In 1868 Mr. Reins came to Virginia City, Mont., by mule team across the plains, via Poll creek, and shortly afterward located in Deer Lodge county and engaged in the stock business as an employe for twelve months. The next two years he was prospecting and mining, after which he went to Butte and subsequently to Philipsburg and Deer Lodge county, still mining, and in 1875 he returned to Butte where he has since remained.

On his arrival in Montana Mr. Reins engaged in the butcher business for one year, and since then he has been heavily interested in real estate, min- ing, mercantile and the wholesale liquor business.

In 1884 he was united in marriage to Mrs. Mary E. Rumans, of Missouri, who died in May, 1894. They had one child, Mary E., who passed from earth May 18, 1894. Mr. Reins is a member of Butte Lodge No. 22, A. F. & A. M. His political as- sociations are with the Democratic party, has served two terms with distinction as alderman of Butte, and is regarded by his fellow citizens as a man of sterling character and superior business ability.

OHN A. SAVAGE .- A typical westerner, com- J bining intellectual and physical qualities of a high order, John A. Savage, while he is one of the ablest attorneys in the state, has also learned in the school of experience valuable knowledge pos- sessed only by the pioneer miner and freighter. He was born in Brownville, Jefferson county, N. Y., on July 29, 1840. His parents were Nathaniel and Mary (Sharon) Savage, both natives of Jeffer- son county, N. Y., where the latter, born in 1814, is now living at the age of eighty-nine. For sev- eral generations the family had been residents of this state, enjoying long and useful lives, the pa- ternal grandmother dying at the venerable age of ninety-six. Nathaniel Savage was a contractor and builder of Brownville, where he resided until his death. The family then located on a farm

near Wilna, Jefferson county, on which they have since made their home.

The elementary education of John A. Savage was gained in the public schools of his native county, following which he took a preparatory course in Carthage (N. Y.) Academy, Governeur Wesleyan Seminary, and subsequently in the Ant- werp (N. Y.) Liberal Literary Institute, from which he was duly graduated and became a popu- lar teacher in the Watertown schools. He began the study of law in the office of Messrs. Starbuck & Sawyer, of Watertown, N. Y., and was admitted to practice at the general term of the supreme court in 1865. He then removed to Philadelphia, a village in his native county, where he engaged for a time in active practice of his profession. Every miner in Montana will recall the great Sal- mon river gold excitement. This probably swept Mr. Savage away from the influences of the "effete east," and brought him in touch with the possibili- ties of a new world. He came into the territory of Montana on the steamer Only Chance, voyaging to Fort Benton on the Missouri, the memorable trip occupying fifty-four days. From Fort Benton he went by mule team to Last Chance gulch. Al- though the party was not molested by savages, they much annoyed the outfits immediately ahead of them. At Sun river the water was extremely high, compelling them to haul the wagons across by ropes, a number being lost in this endeavor. Mr. Savage mounted a mule and swam him across the turbulent stream. It was not a pleasant trip, although he escaped with his life.

Mr. Savage arrived at Last Chance gulch early in June, 1867, and three months later went to Hogum, and successfully engaged in mining for a time on Cedar creek, a tributary to Indian creek. Thereafter he removed to Radersburg, then in Jef- ferson county, where he remained until Septem- ber, 1868, engaged in placer mining and also in the practice of law. In both Mr. Savage met with good success and he there erected a building which, with a story added and otherwise improved, makes a comfortable Odd Fellows hall. But the the practice of law in those early days was more hazardous than mining. This statement will be readily vouched for by the surviving pioneer wit- nesses of a number of "rough houses" in those days of vigilantes and "road agents." However, Mr. Savage never flinched, and no threats could deter him from the full and complete manifesta- tion of what he considered his duty. He then re-

2. A Savage

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moved to Salt Lake City and from there to Hum- boldt, Wells, Nev., where he contracted with the Central Pacific Railway Company to grade seven miles of track, and also furnished the road with several thousand cords of wood, and in these en- terprises he was successful. He again engaged in mining in combination with legal practice and was the honored representative of the county of Elko for two terms in the Nevada legislature.

In the fall of 1881 he located at Butte, but a year later made his permanent home at Livingston, where he at present resides in the enjoyment of successful practice. In business matters his judg- ment has brought about wise practical accom- plishments, and among these he was the promoter of and a most important factor in securing the organization and success of the Livingston Water & Electric Light Company.

In Masonry Mr. Savage has touched many links of the fraternal chain. He is a member of Liv- ingston Lodge No. 32, A. F. & A. M .; Livingston Chapter No. 7, R. A. M .; Adoniram Council and St. Bernard Commandery No. 6, in which he has been eminent commander ; Algeria Temple of the Mystic Shrine, and Livingston Consistory, thirty- second degree. He has served as exalted ruler of the Elks, in which order he holds distinctive rank. He is eminently popular and is a strong man of affairs, sagacious in business and also profoundly versed in the law.

THOMAS F. RICHARDSON, the present representative of Cascade county in the state legislature, is one of the popular young men of Great Falls, where he maintains his home, being well known as a passenger conductor on the Montana Central division of the Great Northern Railroad. Thomas F. Richardson comes of sterling Scotch lineage on the paternal side and of good old Irish stock on the maternal. He was born at Winona, Minn., on March 8, 1868, the son of William and Bridget (Maloney) Richardson, the former born in Dumfries, Scotland, and the latter in County Tip- perary, Ireland. The father emigrated to the United States in 1853, settling in Minnesota, where he passed the remainder of his life, dying in 1885. In Minnesota was solemnized his marriage, and his widow maintains her home in Winona.

Thomas F. Richardson received his preliminary education in the public schools, thereafter taking

a course of study in a business college. At the age of fifteen he gave inception to his independent career as a railroad man, instituting his services in a dignified way by acting as water-carrier on a gravel train on the Chicago & Northwestern Rail- road. He was thereafter employed for four years in the shops of the same road at Winona, and in 1886 entered the train service as brakeman on freight trains on the Northern Pacific Railroad, later being promoted to conductor, and continuing with the Northern Pacific for four years. In July, 1890, Mr. Richardson came to Helena, where he entered the service of the Montana Central Rail- road, as freight conductor, having his headquarters at Helena until 1896, since which time he has been passenger conductor on trains running between Great Falls, Butte and Anaconda, enjoying marked popularity with the traveling public.

In his political adherency Mr. Richardson is a stanch supporter of the Democratic party, taking an intelligent interest in the questions and issues of the hour and keeping himself well informed, so that he is able to defend his convictions with vigor and consistency. In 1900 he was the nominee of the Labor party for representative of Cascade county in the lower house of the state legislature. This nomination was endorsed by both the Demo- crats and the Populists, and he was successful at the polls, leading the legislative ticket by about 500 votes, and he served most efficiently during the session of 1900-1901. Fraternally he is a promi- nent member of the Order of Railroad Conductors, and has been chief conductor of Black Eagle Lodge No. 356, of Great Falls, from the time of its organization in 1896, while he is also a member of Great Falls Lodge No. 214, B. P. O. E.

W YNNE H. ROBERTS .- A native of the city of Manchester, England, where he was born on February 10, 1866, the fifth of the eight children of Robert and Ellen Roberts, both of whom were born in Wales, Wynne H. Roberts attended the Manchester grammar school until he was seventeen, when he was apprenticed to a wholesale shipping firm, with which he remained until 1884, when he came to America, locating at Arcata, Humboldt county, Cal., where he was engaged in various pursuits until 1887, when he came to Missoula, Mont., and entered the employ of the Missoula Mer- cantile Company, with which he continued until

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1889. when impaired health caused him to visit his home in England, where he remained one year, re- cuperating his strength. He then returned to the service of the Missoula Mercantile Company and was placed in charge of the drygoods department of their store at Stevensville, Ravalli county. Con- tinuing with this firm until 1891, he opened a book and stationery store in Missoula. The great and universal financial depression which came so short- ly afterward resulted in Mr. Roberts' failure in 1892, but his integrity and honor are shown by the fact that he has since paid all of his creditors one hundred cents on the dollar, thereby winning a reputation as a business man whose word is as good as any bond ever signalized or attested. In 1892 also he removed to Hamilton, and here opened another book and stationery store, adding departments of crockery and wall paper. This new undertaking has been attended with gratifying suc- cess, and has become one of importance in this sec- tion of the state. Mr. Roberts has made invest- ments in local real estate and has erected two brick stores, one of which he occupies, renting the other.

Mr. Roberts has maintained a deep interest in all that concerns the advancement and substantial up- building of his city and county, and, as a stalwart Republican, has been an active worker in the party cause, being at the time of this writing the in- cumbent as secretary of the Republican central committee of Ravalli county. In 1896 he was the nominee of his party for representative of Ravalli county in the lower house of the state legislature, but was defeated, owing to normal political ex- igencies. In 1897 Mr. Roberts was appointed post- master at Hamilton, gave a most effective service in this office. Owing to the demands of business he resigned the office on October 14, 1901, his suc- cessor being appointed in December, following. Fraternally Mr. Roberts has been identified with the Knights of Pythias since 1889, and has represented his lodge in the grand lodge three times, and he is also a member of the Modern Woodmen of America. His religious faith is that of the Protest -. ant Episcopal church, of which he is a communi- cant.

On May 24, 1894, at Darby, Ravalli county, Mr. Roberts was united in marriage to Miss Sophia Southwick, daughter of Josiah and Huldah South- wick, now residents of Hamilton. Mr. Southwick was for many years a successful and influential farmer of Erie county, N. Y. He was particularly prominent in the Democratic party, and was chair-

man of the Democratic central committee of his county when Grover Cleveland was there nomi- nated as sheriff, and the future president was en- tertained at Mr. Southwick's home during his term of office as sheriff. For thirty years Mr. South- wick has served as a judge of elections and for a number of years he was a collector of internal revenue in New York state. Mr. and Mrs. Roberts have an attractive home in Hamilton, which is brightened by their three children, Lloyd, William and Eleanor.

C HARLES G. ROEHL, one of the enterprising, wide-awake business men of Neihart, Cascade county, is a German-American who is highly esteemed in that city. A native of Stralsund, Prussia, he was born October 10, 1838. His par- ents were Charles A. and Sophia R. Roehl, mem- bers of the Lutheran church. The father, during his lifetime was a successful miller, dying in 1896. The wife and mother passed away in 1876. They are survived by five children, Charles G., Charles T., Lucinda, Amelia and Sophia.

Having received an excellent business education Charles G. Roehl, our subject, entered his father's mill and with him continued until 1864, when he opened a bakery and mill and began business for himself. The venture, however, not proving suc- cessful, owing to hard times and a stringency in the money market, he decided to come to the United States, and in 1870 landed in New York. Going at once to Allentown, Pa., he secured work as a practical miller at $40 per month, with house rent added, and here he remained two years. Thence he removed to St. Paul, Minn., where he engaged in carpenter work, and subsequently found employment with the Northern Pacific Rail- way Company. The failure of Jay Cooke wound up further improvements on the road for some time, and our subject then went to Michigan and engaged in copper mining, and later worked at the trade of a carpenter, receiving $4 per day. In 1875 he removed to Minneapolis, Minn., and at once secured employment in the flouring mills of that city, and there he remained a year. The de- sire to go into business for himself induced Mr. Roehl to go to Greenleaf, Minn., where he rented a grist mill, but the enterprise proved a total failure and he took the position of miller at Spring creek, in the employ of a country merchant who owned a mill at that place. Two years following he bought

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a mill at Pine Lake and added a saw and shingle mill, but the business proved a financial failure from the inception. Discouraged by the results of his various unsuccessful enterprises, in 1888 he came to Montana and settled at Great Falls, Cas- cade county, where he rented and assumed charge of the Milwaukee House in that city. He con- tinned the business until 1890 when he removed to Neihart and erected the Frisco Hotel. This he conducted prosperously until the spring of 1901. Subsequently, in connection with relatives, he has become heavily interested in the Black Diamond Mining & Milling Company, which business is highly remunerative.

Mr. Roehl was married, May 1, 1864, to Miss Amelia Rampe, a native of the island of Rugan in the Baltic sea, and among the German possessions. She is the daughter of Herman and Emelie Rampe, who were born on the same island. The father was in the furniture business ; both parents were members of the Lutheran church, and have passed away. To Mr. and Mrs. Roelil have been born ten children, four of whom are living: Paul, Max, Hans and Lucy. The parents are members of the Lutheran church; Mr. Roehl is an active Democrat.

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Progressive men of the state of Montana, pt 2, Part 43

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