Progressive men of the state of Montana, pt 2, Part 47

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 47

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A SAHEL D. SIDLE .- Occupying a beautiful ranch well located on the east side of Clark's Fork, half way between Gebo and Bridger, in Car- bon county, which he has brought to a high state of fertility and productiveness by skillful and intelli- gent farming, Asahel D. Sidle is enjoying the fruits of well expended efforts and honest industry. He was born January 3, 1847, at Zanesville, Ohio, the son of John P. and Eliza E. (Roberts) Sidle, na- tives of the same place. The Sidles are of old Colonial stock, who were early emigrants from the mother country, some of whom were prominent in the Revolution. Mr. Sidle's great-grandfather settled in Ohio early in its history, and his son was the first white child born in Muskingum county in that state. He was reared there and when he reached years of maturity was married to Miss Amelia Berrick, the first female white child born in the county. He engaged in farming and also in freighting to New York and Philadelphia. In addition to these enterprises he engaged very extensively in dealing in horses and speculating in land. He was a large landholder in Ohio and ex- tensive areas are still in the possession of the family.

Mr. Sidle's father removed to Knox county, Mo., with his family in 1857, and engaged in farming

and stockraising. When the Civil war broke out he enlisted on the Union side and served through the war. In 1879 he removed to Montana and passed one year in the Gallatin valley, after which he took up his residence in Yellowstone county, near where Park City now stands. In 1892 he removed to Carbon county, where he died in 1894. His son, Asahel, passed his early school days in Ohio, and later was sent to a private school at Farm- ington, Iowa. At the beginning of the Civil war in 1861, he left school and returned to the home in Missouri, where he remained until 1877, when he canie to Montana, and found his first occupation in the territory in sawmill work at Bridger creek near Fort Ellis. He remained there until August, 1879, when he removed to Yellowstone county and worked during the next four years on the range for Nelson Story. After living a year in Park City, he went to work on the range for Flowerree & Lowry, remaining in their employ until the fall of 1885, removing then to Mellville, Sweet Grass coun- ty, and after living there six months settled at Big Timber. His next six years were passed at Big Timber and Boulder, where he was engaged in busi- ness. During this time he located and developed the Independent mine, which proved to be a good property. When the Crow reservation was thrown open he located on Clark's Fork near his present property, which he bought on March 27, 1890, after selling his former location. His land is all under irrigation and is well cultivated. It yields large crops of alfalfa and grain, vegetables and fruit. He has a good residence and other improvements and is a highly respected man.

H ENRY L. SHERLOCK, the present popular sheriff of Jefferson county, and resident of Boulder, Mont., first came to the state in 1879. In his twenty-two years' residence he has achieved financial success and political honors. His life has been an eventful one, far more so than that of many an earlier pioneer in Montana. One ele- ment of his success is this, that he brought with him a general knowledge of the sheep industry ex- ceeded by few now engaged in the business. He was born in the District of Maungakaramea, New Zealand, on July 10, 1868. His father, Jonathan W. Sherlock, was a native of Cork, Ireland, as was also his mother, Ann (Purcell) Sherlock. They started for New Zealand in 1858, remaining in London for some months, and sailing thither by

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Cape Horn. Their eldest son was born on the voyage, and on their arrival in New Zealand they at once engaged in farming and sheepraising, which they continued until 1873, when they sailed for the United States, and first settled in San Francisco, but soon removed to Shasta county, Cal., where they resumed their old occupation of sheepraising, continuing this with considerable material profit.

They remained here until 1879 when they began the long pilgrimage to Montana, driving a flock of 4,000 sheep. They located on Crow creek, in Jef- ferson county, where Mr. Sherlock died in 1880. Since then the family has continued its residence on Crow creek and has added an extensive stock- raising business to their sheep industry and here the mother still lives, and until his election as sheriff of Jefferson county Henry L. Sherlock resided there. The political career of Mr. Sherlock has been eminently successful. He was elected sheriff in 1896, was re-elected in 1898 and is now serving his third term, having been returned at the Novem- ber election of 1900. Previous to his first election he was for two years under sheriff, having been appointment to that position by Sheriff A. Gillam. His political affiliations are with the Democratic party, in whose campaigns he has at all times taken a deep interest and worked faithfully for party success. He is an Odd Fellow. On June 23, 1897, he was united in marriage to Miss Nan- nita M. V. Bagley, a native of Minnesota, who was then county superintendent of schools for Jeffer- son county.

EDWARD A. SHERMAN .- Newspapers are most powerful agents in the development of every community, and upon their early establish- ment the rapid growth of the incipient municipality depends to a great extent. Among the ably-edited and conducted papers of Montana is the Ravalli County Democrat, published at Hamilton, and of Edward A. Sherman, its talented young editor and publisher, we are glad to make this mention. He was born in Humboldt county, Iowa, on March 5, 1871, the son of Edward and Sarah (White) Sherman, the former of whom was born in the Emerald Isle, and the latter in Ellsworth, Me. The father emigrated to America, taking up his residence in Iowa, where he was married and where he still maintains his home. The mother died in

Iowa in 1900. In the family were seven sons and seven daughters, Edward A. being the fifth.

To the public schools Mr. Sherman is indebted for his early education and finally he attended the Iowa State Agricultural College, at Ames, from which he was graduated with the class of 1896. He then was city editor of the Fort Dodge (Iowa) Daily Chronicle, retaining this incumbency until February, 1899, when he took charge of the busi- ness of the Post Publishing Company and was editor of the Fort Dodge Post until November, 1899, when he came to Montana, locating in the thriving little city of Hamilton, and here founding the Ravalli County Democrat.

This he has since continued to issue on Wednes- day of each week, the plant having the best me- chanical facilities and accessories utilized in the "art preservative." He is both editor and pub- lisher and the paper controls undoubtedly the larg- est circulation in the county, being arrayed in sup- port of the principles of the Republican party, of which it is the official organ in Ravalli county. Mr. Sherman is an able and facile writer and he has made the Democrat a potent political factor, while it is valued for the excellent manner in which it promotes local interests, being attractive in char- acter and in its make-up. Mr. Sherman has gained a wide circle of friends in Ravalli county and has taken a prominent part in the political affairs of the county. In the Spanish-American war Mr. Sherman enlisted in Company G, Fifty-second Iowa Volunteers, but his command was not called into action, being stationed at Chickamauga park, and Mr. Sherman was transferred to the ambulance company of the Second Division, Third Corps. He is interested in mining prospects and is one of the progressive business men of Ravalli county. Mr. Sherman's religious faith is that of the Catholic church, in which he was reared.

M ONTERVILLE SYLVESTER, of Carbon county, owning and conducting one of the de- sirable ranches on the Stillwater about four miles below Absarokee, and exhibiting great enterprise and prosperity in his business, was born in Meigs county, Ohio, October 20, 1852, the son of John and Margaret (Grimes) Sylvester, the former a native of Maine and the latter of Ohio. The father removed from Maine to Ohio in the 'forties, and there married and settled down on a farm where

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he remained until 1855, when he removed to Iowa which he made his home until his death in 1885, being engaged in stockraising and farming. He was one of the pioneers of Iowa, and contributed to lier population a family of three sons and five daughters. Mr. Sylvester passed his school days in Iowa, remaining on the homestead until 1872, when he removed to California, and remained six years engaged in freighting. He then returned to Kansas, where he passed the next five years at farm- ing. In 1883 he came to Montana, locating at Cook City, and was occupied in mining for five years, when he again turned his attention to farming and raising stock, being located on the Yellowstone, about eight miles below Cinnabar, where he re- mained until 1900. He then sold out and bought the Bequette ranch, on which he now lives, four miles below Absarokee on the Stillwater. Here he has a fine place, well irrigated and highly im- proved. One feature of it is an orchard of su- perior fruit trees which are proving very prolific and profitable. He has a good location and has recently built a good residence. His cattle are principally Herefords, and he is making prepara- tions to greatly enlarge his holdings and his busi- ness enterprises.

On March 9, 1871, he was united in marriage with Miss Addie Beasley, of Iowa, daughter of William Beasley, of English ancestry. They have three chil- dren deceased, Josie, John and Willie, and five living : Estella Gertrude, now Mrs. R. C. Mitchell, living at Dawson in the Klondike; Fred, living at home; Grace Pearl, now Mrs. Edwin McCadden, living on the Stillwater, and Maggie Myrtle and Frank, attending school. Mr. Sylvester's life has not been all sunshine. His boyhood and youth were darkened by the terrible shadow of the Civil war, in which his father and two brothers took an active part. His father was a member of the Seventeenth Iowa Volunteers and served under Grant throughout the war, taking part in many of its hardest battles. While driving an ambulance wagon he was thrown and the wagon, weighing 4,500 pounds, passed over his body, crippling him for life. Mr. Sylvester's brother, John, Jr., also a gallant soldier in the Union army, was killed at Vicksburg. Another brother, Jehu, served under Sheridan throughout the war. The eldest broth- er, Arthur, was in the stampede to Pike's Peak, and soon after joined that to Alder gulch, where he passed some years profitably engaged in min- ing. He then returned to Iowa, where he is still

farming. The father of Mrs. Sylvester, Wm. L. Beasley, was also a soldier in the Union army, be- ing a member of the Eighth Iowa Volunteers, serving with distinction throughout the war, and was in many notable engagements. He was dis- charged at the end of the war with the rank of corporal.

A BRAHAM L. SLICHTER .- To be noted among the representative farmers and stock- growers of Carbon county is the gentleman whose name introduces this paragraph and whose fine ranch property is located in a beautiful valley about twelve miles west of the thriving county seat, the city of Red Lodge. Abraham Lincoln Slichter was born in Johnson county, Iowa, on December 26, 1863, the son of Samuel and Elizabeth (Stauff- er) Slichter, both born in the state of Pennsylvania and of sterling German ancestry, the respective families having been located in the Keystone state for several generations. The father of our subject removed with his family to Johnson county, Iowa. where he was engaged in farming and, stockraising until his death, which occurred in the year 1895. The subject of this review was reared on the par- ental homestead in Iowa and received his educa- tional discipline in the public schools. He remained on the homestead until 1886, when he went to Wyo- ming, where he resided about six months and then came on to Montana, first locating in the city of Butte, remaining about eight months, then return- ing to Iowa, where he passed the winter. There- after he came westward to the Platte river and tarried nearly a year, moving thence came by wagon to Utah and finally continuing his journey to Montana. For the three following years he was engaged in ranch work in the vicinity of Red Lodge, and in 1892 he took up a homestead claim on Hogan creek, at a point twelve miles west of the city men- tioned, which constitutes the nucleus of his present finely improved ranch. The place has a most ef- fective system of irrigation, and from the same large annual yields of hay and grain are secured, while the energetic and progressive young owner also does a successful business in the raising of live- stock. His efforts have always been well directed, and he has achieved a success worthy the name and gaining the high esteem of the people of the community for his integrity of character and up- right business methods.

In politics Mr. Slichter accords allegiance to

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the Republican party, always maintaining a public- spirited attitude, while he has been prominent as a member of the board of school trustees since 1893. On November 25, 1897, Mr. Slichter was united in marriage to Miss Kate Dulin, who was born in Cedar county, Iowa, the daughter of George W. Dulin, now a successful rancher of Carbon county, his place being located near by. . Mr. and Mrs. Slichter are the parents of two children: Ward and Hattie.

0 SCAR G. SMART was a native of China, Kennebec county, Maine, where his life began October 16, 1842. His parents were Ira and Eliza Smart. His father settled in Maine as a young man and made Kennebec county his home. He was highly respected and a man of influence. Oscar G. Smart was educated in the schools of his native county and at Kent's Hill Seminary, Vassalborough. He remained at home until 1872, when he came to Montana, making a pleasant trip across the plains, and located at Alder gulch, where he re- mained three years mining and freighting. He then removed to Haymaker creek for a short time and then made his residence on his present home- stead on the Musselshell river, about four miles below Two Dot. Here he was engaged in rearing stock until his death on May 27, 1899. In 1884 Mr. Smart returned to his old home in Maine and married Miss Alice Lillian Vining, daughter of Daniel and Elizabeth (Choate) Vining, of Ken- nebec county, where the Vinings have lived in good standing and prosperity for generations. Accord- ing to family tradition the Choates are descended from the same ancestry as is the present American ambassador to England, who is a cousin of Mrs. Smart's mother. Mrs. Smart's brother, Marcellus Vining, was a first lieutenant in the Seventh Maine Volunteers, and served with distinction in the Civil war until he was killed at Gettysburg. Another brother, Reuben, was also a gallant soldier for the Union and made a good record, finally yielding up his life on the bloody field of Fredericksburg.

Mrs. Smart is a highly educated and cultivated lady. and in her life with her husband, whose un- timely death was universally regretted, gave to ad- miring friends a beautiful example of domestic hap- piness and the virtues which make home a paradise on earth. She has one son, La Forrest Vining Smart, who secured his elementary education at the normal school of St. Cloud, Minn. He at-

tended the Billings high school until January, 1902, when he entered the Shattuck Military School at Faribault, Minn. Their home ranch contains sev- eral thousand acres of good land, including a fine large meadow, which yields annually several hun- dred tons of the best quality of hay. They also raise numbers of sheep, cattle and horses. The residence is an unusually commodious and comfortable one, and all the improvements on the place are well built and of the best style. Mr. Smart was for- tunate in being able to show in his own life much of what human life should be-a current of active goodness, of undoubting reliance on Divine Provi- dence, of unfailing benevolence to man. His high- est aspiration was to discharge with fidelity and .cheerfulness his every duty and contribute what he could to the happiness of others.

A LONZO M. SLOAN .- Among the young men who are contributing to the industrial advancement and activities of Fergus county is Alonzo M. Sloan. He is a native of Missouri, born in Caldwell county, on the 17th of July, 1862, the son of Stephen B. and Annie E. (Scovel) Sloan, natives respectively of Ohio and Allegany county, N. Y. They came to Missouri in 1840, and there Mr. Sloan was at first engaged in cabinetmaking, but later in mercantile pursuits, in Kingston, Cald- well county, where he was an influential citizen. He was an ardent Democrat, and was elected circuit judge, in which office he served two terms. Fra- ternally he was identified with the Masonic order. He died on the 23d of May, 1883. His widow now maintains her home on Beaver creek, Fergus county, Mont. Two of their seven children died in infancy, and Refufiga and Oliver B. are also de- ceased, Stephen S., Theodore A. and Alonzo M . now surviving.

Alonzo M. Sloan received a good education in · the public schools of his native state, and in 1881, at the age of eighteen, came to Montana and lo- cated on his present ranch, taking up a homestead claim, to which he has since added until he now has a fine estate of 1,180 acres, of which 750 acres are eligible for cultivation. Mr. Sloan, however, makes the raising of high-grade cattle his chief re- source, and in this line he operates quite extensive- ly. He has been successful in his efforts and his success has been attained by individual effort, in- augurated when he was a mere youth. His ranch

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is located nine miles southwest of Lewistown, his postoffice address. In politics Mr. Sloan supports the Democratic party, and fraternally holds mem- bership in the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and the Woodmen of the World.

On the IIth of March, 1886, was solemnized the marriage of Mr. Sloan to Miss Mary A. Layton, who was born in Michigan, the daughter of Wil- liam and Susan Layton, natives of Maryland and Ohio, respectively. They removed to Missouri in 1865, locating in Caldwell county, where the father has since followed farming. He is a Democrat in his political views. Of their nine children four are deceased-Irene, Clara, Cora and Daniel. Those surviving are William, James, Robert H., Alice S. and Mary A. Mr. and Mrs. Sloan have six chil- dren, namely: Edith C., Annie E., Effie E., Jessie L., Olive E. and Mamie M.

D AVID SMETHURST .- In the consideration of the more salient points in the life history of one of Carbon county's well known and highly honored citizens and a leading representative of the agricultural and stockgrowing interests of this section of the state, Mr. Smethurst claims the "right little, tight little isle" of England as the place of his nativity. He came to America when a youth of nineteen, and here has achieved a success worthy the name, and that confidence and esteem which stands for integrity and honor in the various rela- tions of life. He was born in Lancashire, Eng- land, in 1865, a son of David and Alice (Holt) Smethurst, natives and worthy representatives of fine old English stock. The father of our subject was identified with the mining industry of his na- tive country in life, but is now living practically re- cherished companion, and from the old roof of the tired. His wife still remains as his devoted and homestead eight children have passed forth to as- sume positions in life and to do credit to their revered parents, the subject of this review having been the fourth in order of birth. In the schools of his native county the junior David Smethurst received his early educational training, and early became identified with mining in the great coal field of Lancashire, being thus employed until 1884, when he came to the United States. Through his own efforts he had saved about $1,000 from his earnings in the mines, and this served as the nucleus of his financial success in the new world. The elements of his character were such as to prac-

tically assure him success, has ever shown a deep appreciation of the dignity of honest toil, having 110 false pride, and recognizing true worth as above mere fortuitous circumstance. Upon his arrival in America he went to Ohio, was engaged in the mines of Athens county for a short interval, made a trip through Colorado and then returned to Eng- land, where he made a brief visit. Being impressed with the advantages and opportunities afforded in the great west, upon returning to the United States he came to Montana and located at Timberline, Gallatin county, where for a year he was employed in coal mining. In January, 1887, by reason of his fidelity and intimate knowledge of the industry, he was sent by the Bozeman company to Red Lodge to develop the coal mines at this point, then a portion of the Crow Indian reservation, Carbon county not having been organized. He continued in the employ of this company until February, 1895, having held various positions of trust and responsibility and retaining the highest confidence and esteem of his employers. Just prior to resig- ing he was in charge of all the work of timbering in the mines and did much to promote the effective development of the coal industry in this section. In 1895 Mr. Smethurst turned his attention to the raising of stock, maintaining his headquarters in Red Lodge, and rapidly advanced to a place of 10 insignificant character through his business sa- gacity and energy in the forwarding of his plans. His fine ranch property, comprising 360 acres, is located near Rock Creek canyon, six miles from Red Lodge, and the major portion of the tract is so equipped with excellent irrigation facilities that large crops of hay are secured annually, although the soil is well adapted to the cultivation of the various cereals. Mr. Smethurst is interested in a large band of sheep, and also has a fine herd of high-grade cattle. His energy in the promotion of the stock industry is unflagging. At the present time he is a member of the state board of sheep commissioners, having been appointed thereon by Gov. Smith and re-appointed by Gov. Toole, in 1900. He is also a member of the Carbon County Stock Association, in whose affairs he takes a prominent part. The confidence in which he is held in the community has been shown in a signal way, having been appointed public administrator for Carbon county in 1900. a position lie is well qualified to fill, and is giving thereto a most ef- fective administration.

Mr. Smethurst's political faith is that of the Re-

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publican party ; fraternally he is a popular member of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, being identified with Beartooth Lodge No. 534, in the city of Red Lodge.

JOHN M. STEWARD .- Left an orphan in early life by the death of his father when he was eleven years old, and by that of his mother when he was fifteen, and thus thrown on his own re- sources even before he realized definitely what were the responsibilities of life, John M. Steward, of Butte, has by innate force of character, deter- mined resolution, industry, thrift and a readi- ness for every emergency, risen to a position of consequence among his fellows and wrung from the hard conditions which surrounded him an es- tate that defies the shafts of misfortune and as- sures him of a generous competence for life. More than this, he has been one of the makers and build- ers of the great commonwealth which his cit- izenship adorns, having set in motion by his tire- less energy and fertility of resources many fruit- ful and productive enterprises which are aiding in the development of the state and the benefit of her people. He was born in Missouri on Jan- uary 3, 1844, of Scotch and English ancestry. His parents were George W. and Sibyl (Lind- ley) Steward, the former a native of Ohio, where he was born in 1816, and the latter of Pennsylvania, of about the same age as her husband. They were engaged in farming in Ohio until 1838, when they removed to Missouri, where the father died in 1855 and the mother in 1859. Of their ten chil- dren, only five were living at the time of their death, and only two now survive. John M. was the third of the ten. Under the circumstances he did not get much opportunity to go to school, and was able to snatch only a handful of the golden ingots of book learning amid the neces- sities of his orphan existence, and depend for his armor in the world's stern combats on his na- tive force and the sharp lessons of every day experience.

In 1859, when the death of his mother broke up the family and drove the surviving children out into the world to shift for themselves, he crossed the plains, driving a team for an Indian trader. He had removed to Kansas City soon after his father's death and found employment on a farm in the neighborhood, and to Kansas City

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Progressive men of the state of Montana, pt 2, Part 47

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