Progressive men of the state of Montana, pt 2, Part 55

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 55

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town for nine years. For some time he conducted a profitable enterprise in importing Canadian horses and marketing them in the United States. In 1884 Mr. Trask came to Montana, locating in Miles City, where for five years he was employed as range superintendent and acting foreman for the Mankato Cattle Company, of Mankato, Minn. In 1890 he removed to Fairhaven, Wash., where he conducted a successful trucking and transfer business for three years, when he went to the east side of the Cascade range, locating in Cle Elum, Kittitass county, where he was employed in connection with mining until 1895, when he again entered the em- ploy of the Mankato Cattle Company as their agent in the closing up of their extensive business inter- ests in that section. A year later he located his present ranch, which is most eligibly situated, 200 acres of the tract being available for cultivation, with an effective system of irrigation. He devotes his attention particularly to the raising of the best grades of cattle, his long and intimate experience making him a good judge.

On the 26th of October, 1897, Mr. Trask was united in marriage to Miss Jane Pirrie, a native of Scotland, and a daughter of Alexander Pirrie. She emigrated to this country in December of 1895. having brothers and sisters in Fergus county. Mr. and Mrs. Trask are the parents of three children.

In his politics Mr. Trask is a Republican, in which party he takes an active interest. Fraternally he is identified with the Masonic order and the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. His wife is a member of the Presbyterian church, taking an ardent interest in its spiritual work and collateral benevolences. They are active in the social life of the community and their home is a center of love, refinement and hospitality.

JOHN J. THOMPSON is numbered among the progressive and successful young business men of Great Falls, Cascade county, and his efforts have been directed with signal discrimination and ability, making his success a natural sequel. Mr. Thompson comes of English lineage, and he is a native of Canada, having been born on the parental homestead near Toronto, on January 15, 1862. His father, John Thompson, was born in England, whence he was brought to Canada when an infant by his parents on their removal from their native land. He received his education in the schools

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of New Market, Canada, and was for many years a prominent and influential farmer. He is now living retired, enjoying the companionship of his cherished wife in the village of Zephyr, Canada. His wife, formerly Miss Annie Hopkins, was born in New Market, and if their lives are spared a few years longer their golden wedding will be cele- brated.

John J. Thompson pursued his studies in the public schools of Zephyr until he was eighteen years old, and assisted in the operation of the home farm until he was twenty-two, when he came west to Sanborn, N. D., where for five years he was employed in mercantile establishments. In 1890 he came to Great Falls, Mont., and for about two years held a clerical position in the Park hotel, and was thereafter with the Montana laun- dry for one year. In 1893 he established the Great Falls Produce Company, conducting this until January, 1899, when he disposed of his inter- ests and soon established his present enterprise, which is analogous in character, his headquarters being eligibly located on Second avenue, south, and here he controls a large business in the hand- ling of all kinds of produce. In 1899 also Mr. Thompson purchased the Rock Springs coal mine, at Sand Coulee, and this valuable property he has since operated, the average output being ten car- loads of coal per day. Mr. Thompson gives a strong allegiance to the Republican party, while fraternally he is identified with the Modern Wood- men of the World and the United Moderns. He is a man of distinctive business sagacity and dis- crimination, and his methods have ever been such as to gain public confidence and esteem. In June, 1896, Mr. Thompson married Miss Annie Traers, of Owen's Sound, Canada, and they have one son, Master Stewart.

JOHN F. TRUMBO .- Among civilized and pro- gressive peoples, at all times and everywhere. the banking business has served as an index of financial and material prosperity ; and whether the system has been that of the primitive money changers or of the gigantic transactions of our day, it has required for its proper conduct the mas- ter minds of the time, its success and full utility being dependent on the skill, judgment and care with which it is carried on. Among the repre- sentatives of this line of mental activity who have

given valuable aid in the development of Mon- tana, John F. Trumbo, of Bridger, Carbon county, is entitled to high rank. He was born at Alturas, Cal., August 3, 1873, the son of Andrew F. and Mary S. (Flournoy) Trumbo, natives of Kentucky and Missouri, respectively. The Trumbos came from Alsace, France, to America in Colonial days and settled in Kentucky. The Flournoys are of Scotch ancestry. Both families gave good ser- vice to the colonies in the war of the Revolution. Mr. Trumbo's father joined the stampede to Cali- fornia in 1849, and passed several years there as wagon-master for the contractors who transported the government freight from Fort Leavenworth, Kan., via Salt Lake City, and had many thrilling experiences with the Indians. In 1866, having brought his family across the plains by means of ox teams, he settled in Grand Ronde valley, Ore., but after a year's residence removed to Yolo coun- ty, Cal., where he engaged in farming for a num- ber of years. He then located permanently in Modoc county, where he is farming and raising stock, having at times 10,000 head. He has reached the advanced age of seventy-six years, but is still hale and active. His family consisted of nine children, of whom John was the fifth. John F. attended the public schools of his native town, a high school at Chatham and Eureka Col- lege at Eureka, Ill., where he passed two years. He then accepted the position of bookkeeper in the state bank at Auburn, Ill., and held it for eight- een months, resigning to take a similar position in the Illinois National Bank at Springfield, where he remained two years. From there he removed to Thermopolis, Wyo., to become cashier for E. Amoretti & Co., and passed two years in their service. Finally he came to Bridger, Mont., to take the position of cashier and manager for the Stockgrowers' Bank, having also an interest in the institution. Under his management the business has grown to such magnitude as to necessitate a new building for its accommodation, which is now (1902) in process of erection.

Mr. Trumbo is a member of the Modern Wood- men of America. He stands well in the confidence and esteem of all who know ·him, and has been a potential factor in the development of Carbon county, exhibiting an active and helpful interest in everything that tends to general improvement. His life has been passed, for the most part, on the frontier. He was the first white child born in Mo- doc county, Cal., and with the exception of his

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school days and early years of business life, has lived in the west. In business he is careful, skill- ful and enterprising; in social life genial, enter- taining and courteous ; in matters of public mo- ment tolerant, considerate and liberal; and in all things he is strictly upright.

H ARRISON J. TUTTLE, who is prominently identified with the ranching and dairy inter- ests of Jefferson county, first came to Montana in 1864. He was born in Marion county, Iowa, Oc- tober 26, 1852, a son of David and Lucinda (Cornwall) Tuttle. His father was a native of Long Island and the mother of Canada. They had eight sons and four daughters, and a further rec- ord of the family will be found in the sketch of Mr. Harrison Jordan, on other pages of this work. Harrison L. Tuttle came to Montana with his par- ents in 1864. The family located at Alder gulchı, where he attended the primitive schools and for a time engaged in mining until his parents removed to Fish creek, Jefferson county. Here their oc- cupation was farming, dairying and ranching, in which they have all been eminently successful. When of age Harrison J. Tuttle returned to min- ing, but, not having satisfactory success, in 1879 he went to the Judith basin, and was engaged as a cowboy until 1885, and here, as a partner of his brother, he obtained a thorough and valuable knowl- edge of all branches of the Montana cattle industry. They then returned to Fish creek, having been quite successful in the Judith country.

On December 24, 1886, Mr. Tuttle was married to Miss Laura Gray, who was born in Kansas City, Mo. She was a daughter of W. A. and Jane (Gist) Gray, the former of Kentucky and the latter of Missouri. They were married in Mis- souri where they resided until they removed to Montana in 1880. At this time Mrs. Tuttle was quite a young girl, and the family consisted of one son and two daughters. To Mr. and Mrs. Tuttle have been born two children, Mabel and Lucille, both now attending school. Their parents take 'ın active and enthusiastic interest in temperance and church work and are valued members of the Chris- tian church.

David W. Tuttle, a brother of H. J. Tuttle, was born in Marion county, Iowa, on December 3. 1854. Coming to Montana at an early age he at- tended school and worked in the placer mines al-

ternately, and removed with his parents to Fish creek, Jefferson county, where he passed a num- ber of years ranching and in the dairy business. In 1879 his brothers bought an interest in the Warm Spring claim, at Pipestone, and shortly afterward David W., purchased an interest in the same prop- erty. Here he passed one year and then engaged in trading and ranching. On January 22, 1888, he was wedded to Mrs. Mary C. (Fisher) Repp, of Millersburg, Ohio, daughter of Isaac Fisher. Their two children are Lena V. and Irwin Noel. For a number of years Mr. Tuttle served as road supervisor, and he is highly esteemed both as a man and a citizen.

M ILES L. TUTTLE, a prominent farmer and leading dairyman of Jefferson county, came to Montana at an early day and settled at Alder gulch. Thence he removed to Fish creek, where he attended the public schools, remaining until 1878 with the old people, the mother having sold the homestead to the three older brothers. Miles L. Tuttle was born at Pleasantville, Iowa, on May 20, 1859, the son of David Tuttle. For the geneal- ogy of the Tuttle family see sketch of Harrison Jordan. In 1878, at the age of nineteen years, Mr. Tuttle removed to Oregon and passed the summer in the dairy business with his eldest brother, Terry, and in the fall he returned to Fish creek and organ- ized a dairy on his own account. This enterprise he transferred to the Belt river valley in Cascade county in 1879.

In the fall of 1880 he returned to Fish creek, re- siding there until 1884, when he came to his pres- ent home, where he has since engaged extensively in general farming and dairying. During his ear- lier years he followed pedagogic work to quite an extent, teaching some eight terms of school. On March 4, 1883, Mr. Tuttle was married to Miss Martha Elmer, a native of Fairbury, Ill., and daughter of Joseph Elmer, a farmer of that place who had removed to Montana in 1878. To Mr. and Mrs. Tuttle have been born eight children : Orestus, Elvan, Jessie, Rollo, Maude Alice, Eu- gene and an infant. In 1885 Mr. Tuttle was public administrator and he has been school trustee for several years and justice of the peace for three years. Fraternally he belongs to the United Workmen and to the Order of Pendo. Since making his last residence in Montana Mr. Tuttle has been very successful, both in business and

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social relations. His present ranch is most eligibly situated and thoroughly equipped for the thriving business he is conducting. In the community in which he resides he is well known and highly esteemed and considered one of its representative citizens, while the family has a high rank in the county.

J JOHN F. WEGNER is one of the pioneers of Lewis and Clarke county to whom the highest esteem is accorded. He was born in Germany "on the Rhine," December 14, 1848. His ances- try was distinguished for intelligence and patriot- ism. His parents, John F. and Elizabeth Wegner, also natives of Germany, emigrated to the United States in 1849. They were Protestants and de- voted to the interests of their church. The father was engaged in wholesale merchandising and a wine business, but he was more than a mere mer- chant ; he was a far-seeing and scholarly gentle- man. At the national convention that nominated Stephen A. Douglas for president he was the speaker for the German element. Still, although prominent in politics and often urged, he would never accept political office. Soon after he came to America his wife died, and he died in 1889.

John F. Wegner, Jr., obtained an excellent ed- ucation in the schools of Chicago. When only thirteen he secured a situation at Leavenworth, Kan., and remained in that vicinity two years, working for $35 a month. On February 8, 1864, he joined the John Herman train bound for Mon- tana. The party had no trouble with the Indians, but were called upon to bury seven whites of an- other party whom the savages had massacred. Mr. Wegner arrived at Virginia City, Mont., July 15, 1864, and followed bartending for two years, receiving $125 per month. He then entered into partnership with George Brandt. They invested in stock and located in Madison county, on Spring creek. Beginning with seventy head of cattle, they conducted a dairy business, which they con- tinned for two years, but the business was over- done, and the price of butter dropped from a dollar a pound in gold to twenty-five cents a pound in greenbacks. In 1868 Mr. Wegner rented from Miss Nellie Clark the Malcolm Clark ranch, in- cluding the stock. Miss Clark's father had been killed by the Indians, and his death incited Col. Baker's force to slaughter no less than 300 of the bloodthirsty redskins. Mr. Wegner conducted

this ranch with profit for two years, and then located homestead and pre-emption claims at Craig, the nucleus of his present valuable ranch. To this he has added 1,940 acres of railroad land, and he now has 2,580 acres. The cattle business is his principal industry. He began with a small herd which he has increased to 1,200 head. In 1881 and 1882 he was engaged in driving sheep from California to Montana, bringing as many as 7,000 head along the trails.

On May 23, 1883, Mr. Wegner was married to Miss Lena Wallendorf, a native of Henderson county, Minn., and a daughter of John Wallen- dorf, who came to Montana on August 15, 1883. He was a carpenter and contractor, a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and the Grand Army of the Republic, and politically a stanch Re- publican. He died July 1, 1890, and was followed by his wife September 3, 1900. They were mem- bers of the Catholic church. Mr. and Mrs. Weg- ner are the parents of five children, Albert F., Lena A., Erma C., Irene L. and Herbert N. Politically Mr. Wegner has always been an active Democrat. Since the age of twenty-one he has been successively elected to the office of judge of election and for many years he served as school trustee. At the November election of 1900, he was chosen one of the commissioners of Lewis and Clarke county, and on the organization of the board was made chairman. He was also a dele- date to the first irrigation convention held at Helena. He has justly won public esteem and confidence.

REV. W. W. VAN ORSDEL .- This prominent evangelist, the present superintendent of the Northern Montana Mission, with headquarters at Great Falls, was born March 20, 1848, near Gettys- burg, Pa., the youngest of seven children, three sons and four daughters, born to William and Mary (Osborn) Van Orsdel. William Van Orsdel was a native of Adams county, Pa., where his father, Isaac Van Orsdel, had settled in 1776, com- ing from Holland when a young man, and there married and reared a family of nine children. Mother Van Orsdel, nee Osborn, also born in Adams county, was the daughter of Samuel Osborn, a native of England, who came to Ameri- ca with his father, Samuel, Sr., prior to the Revo- lution. He espoused the cause of the colonies and entering the army the father became a colonel.

14 Wegnon.

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The son was severely wounded, however, and re- tired a cripple for life.

Rev. William W., our subject, was reared to the life of a farmer boy, received his education in the common schools of his native place and rounded out his scholastic training by an academic course after the death of his parents-his father dying in 1859 and his mother in 1862-he being but four- teen years of age. To most young men of his years, burdened with great personal responsibili- ties, surrounded by the horrors of fratricidal war, and at a time when the terrible battle of Gettys- burg was in progress, almost at his very door- the duties of life might have been entirely over- shadowed by the excitement and chaos in that mad whirl of carnage and devastation. Not so, how- ever, with him. He had already mapped out his future, and ever kept before his mental vision these words :

"Be thou faithful unto death and I will give thee a crown of life."-Rev. 2:10.

From his earliest years he was an earnest seeker after religious truths, and became a member of the Methodist Episcopal church at the age of twelve, hence his studies were pursued with a view to en- tering the ministry. During that period the hor- rors of the Rebellion had drawn his elder brothers into the army, and the heavy burden of conducting the farm and caring for the remaining family fell upon his young shoulders. A few years after peace was declared he left home and went to the oil fields in Venango county, Pa., remaining until August, 1871, engaged as a stationary engineer and occasionally preaching as a layman. There- after he became an active worker in the church, and held many revival meetings. Believing that he could accomplish greater good to his fellow- men he entered upon his evangelistic work in the winter of 1871, and brought many wandering souls into the fold of Christ. In March, 1872, he started for the west, it having been his desire so to do from early boyhood. Reaching Sioux City, Iowa, he eventually worked his way to Fort Benton, ar- riving in June, 1872, and at once began work on his own responsibility, the first practical effort in evangelism in northern Montana. At that time there were but four ministers of the Methodist Episcopal church in the territory, and his active and zealous work attracted such attention that he was engaged by the Montana Mission of the Meth- odist Episcopal church, and now has a territory of 50,000 square miles over which he travels to meet

the wants of his people. In 1873 the circuit em- braced Beaverhead, Madison and a part of Jeffer- son counties. It also reached as far as Salmon City, Idaho, where he made occasional visits. Virginia City, the capital of the territory at that time, was the headquarters of this circuit; there Rev. F. A. Riggin, who had just come to the ter- ritory, was associated with him and was preacher in charge of this large circuit. Rev. Van Orsdel continued in pastoral and evangelistic work until 1890, going to different parts of the state, until he was made presiding elder of the Great Falls dis- trict. When the Northern Montana Mission was founded in 1892, he was appointed superintendent, serving until 1897. At the conference of that year he was appointed presiding elder of the Helena district, served two years and was then re-ap- pointed to his old post at Great Falls, where he is now serving, strong in the regards and secure in the affections of the whole people.

In 1876 he attended the general conference at Baltimore as delegate, and four years later was sent to the session held at Cincinnati. Rev. Van Orsdel has been a conspicuous and active partici- pant in church matters throughout the state and is widely and favorably known. He has been a trustee of the Montana Wesleyan University since its founding, and a member of the State Board of Charities. For thirteen years he rode horseback in order to cover his territory, and traversed thou- sands of miles by stage coach. His life in the ter- ritory is replete with hardships and trials, that have been met with a manly fortitude which comes from perfect trust in the protecting care of the Divine Master. In looking backward over a pe- riod covering a third of a century, he has the grand consolation of knowing that no appointment was ever missed or deferred. Through storms of snow and rain, over roads deep with mud and streams often swollen beyond their bank, he made his way with no thought beyond his life's duty to God in ministering to his widely scattered flock.

In February, 1874, the first district Methodist Episcopal conference ever held in Montana was held in the city of Helena, which had but five mem- bers; all who were in the territory at the time were present. They were: Rev. J. A. Van Anda, Rev. T. C. Iliff, Rev. F. A. Riggin, Rev. W. C. Shippin, Rev. Hugh Duncan and Rev. W. W. Van Orsdel. Two years later, August, 1876, the first annual conference was held in Montana at Helena, known as the Rocky Mountain Conference, and in-

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cluded the territories of Montana, Idaho, Utah and part of Wyoming. Bishop W. D. Harris presided, the first bishop of the Methodist Episcopal church to visit Montana. Rev. Van Orsdel was in at- tendance at each of these initial sessions of the conferences, and was a valuable aid in mapping out the work of the church throughout the scat- tered settlements of the immense territory within the jurisdiction. While Rev. Van Orsdel is not a member of any of the social or benevolent orders, it is probable that he is more widely known and has the entre to more homes than any other man in the state. To give an account of his services within the church during the busy period he has been identified therewith would be impossible in this work. His personal experiences while in the discharge of his duties, which allowed but scant rest, traveling under conditions that would make the ordinary man shrink or covet the more genial atmosphere of some hospitable home, was to him no thought. His aim and ambition was to carry into the widely separated families the cheery in- spiration of God's word and the redeeming prom- ise of the Christ who suffered that all mankind might live. Go where you may throughout the state; enter the humblest shelter of the pioneer who here has sought to make a home for himself and family, far from the congenial influences of social intercourse, and you will find him held in that kindly remembrance which knows not forget- fulness. His ministrations were not only words of cheer when adversity or the dark angel visited some humble home ; his purse was ever open, and that assistance gladly and silently rendered which goes deep into the hearts of stricken ones. Such acts were almost of daily occurrence, but the glad- ness of his own heart and the knowledge that it was one of the Divine comands was to him ample reward. Much could be written, but no words can convey to the reader a better insight into the true character of the man than the following :

"'He whom thou servest here would have thee go Alone to Spiran's huts, across the snow, To serve Him there.' Ere Asmiel breathed again The eager answer leaped to meet him, 'When?' The angel's face with inward joy grew bright, And all his figure glowed with heavenly light ; He took the golden circlet from his brow And gave the crown to Fermor, answering, 'Now, For thou hast met the Master's hidden test, And I have found the man who loves Him best.

Not thine, nor mine, to question or reply When he commands us, asking "how?" or "why?" He knows the cause; His ways are wise and just ; Who serves the King must serve with perfect trust.' "

D R. THOMAS VAN SCOY, president of the Montana Wesleyan University, is one of the most distinguished and highly esteemed residents of Helena. He was born in White county, Ind., February. 13, 1848, the son of William and Mary (Channel) Van Scoy, natives of West Virginia and Zanesville, Ohio, respectively. The father was born in 1803; Mrs. Van Scoy in 1808. Following their marriage in Virginia they continued to reside in Randolph county until 1847, having in that year removed to White county, Ind., where the father engaged in agricultural pursuits up to the time of his death. On the old homestead in Virginia, how- ever, he had been largely interested in stockrais- ing, and frequently drove cattle to market over the Blue Ridge mountains. While on these commer- cial excursions his road was past the elegant resi- dence of Thomas Jefferson, located on the summit of a mountain, and the ex-president being quite hospitable Mr. Van Scoy would frequently pass the night at the mansion. In after years he would relate stories concerning the genial disposition and personal qualities of the great man whose name had become a household word in America. In 1855, having entered land for his boys, in Iowa, he re- moved to that state and remained five years. There were fourteen children in the family, of whom Thomas was the youngest. Iowa, at that period, was a frontier state and after a thorough trial of its advantages and drawbacks they returned to In- diana, taking with them the three younger chil- dren. The boyhood days of Thomas Van Scoy were passed on the Indiana farm, applying himself dili- gently during the summer months, and attending the district school during the winter. The war of the Rebellion broke over the country during his minority, when he was but thirteen years of age. Young Van Scoy was patriotic, and while the spirit was willing the mustering officer was obdurate. hence he was compelled to remain at home until the age of eighteen. In 1865 he enlisted in Company I, One Hundred and Fifty-fourth Regiment, In- diana Volunteers, and a year was passed in guard duty in the Shenandoah valley. At the beginning of the war his three older brothers, Aaron, Jacob

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Progressive men of the state of Montana, pt 2, Part 55

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