Progressive men of the state of Montana, pt 2, Part 57

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 57

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Our subject's father was a farmer with a large family and a small income. He died in 1849, having almost reached the century mark. And so, when George was thirteen years of age he was obliged to make his home with a half brother at Otsego, N. Y., the half brother being a child of the first mar- riage, and our subject a child of the third. He received some little education while with his brother, chiefly through the ministrations of his sister-in- law, who had been a school teacher prior to her marriage. When he was sixteen his brother, who was a large farmer and cattleman, sent him out 10 buy cattle and kept him at this business until he was eighteen, at which time he went back to Elmira and worked for wages. In 1855 he made a trip to Wisconsin in search of some of his sisters who were living in that state. His search was unsuc- cessful, and his money being exhausted when at Whitewater he located there and worked for wages in that neighborhood for nine years.

In 1864 Mr. Wilson came to Montana, accom- panying a large train containing 365 men and fifteen families of women and children. Capt. Townsend was in command and all went well until they reached Powder river, where they were at-

tacked by a band of Sioux Indians, who made friendly approaches and desired to come within the corral. This being refused by the captain, they asked for food, and Mr. Wilson was detailed with some half dozen others to take it out to them. While on their way back to the camp the Indians began firing on them. Capt. Townsend arranged his men and returned the fire, killing two Indians. The Indians occupied the high ground surrounding the train, which was in a small valley, and this en- abled them to kill a man. The fight lasted eight hours, and the train had three men killed and the Indians reported eighteen of their number as dead on the field. One of them, dressed in the clothes of one of the dead white men, came close to the camp and set fire to the grass. The flames were extinguished by the women, the men being at this time on high points keeping guard. After the fight Mr. Wilson and some twenty others went out to recover the body of Martin, the first man who had been killed. They were surrounded by Indians, and were obliged to fight hard to get through. They killed three of their assailants and the rest retreated, but the white leader came into camp with an arrow sticking in his shoulder. Without further mishap they reached Virginia City, August 13, 1864, and there our subject spent the winter cut- ting cordwood for his board. In the spring he went to Blackfoot and worked for wages part of the summer ; then to Helena where he bought a wagon and ox team, cut wood and hauled it into the town and sold it. He wintered in Virginia City, and for a few years thereafter followed about the same course. On one of his trips to Virginia City he was held up by road agents, who took all his hard earned money, amounting to $400, after which he spent the winter in Jefferson valley working for his board. Knowing a butcher in Virginia City he secured a job to work on his ranch at $15 a month, but after three months returned to Alder gulch, and by persuasion of a man named Young, who had come west in the same train with him, he bought a half interest in a claim Young owned, and worked it that winter with good success. In the spring he left the wash-up to his partner, and going down the gulch bought a claim payable on reaching bed- rock. He put thirty men to work on it and realized enough to pay for the claim and all the expense of working it. At this time a friend induced him to go with him to Salt Lake and buy cattle. They made the trip, returned in sixty days with a herd of cattle and cleared 100 per cent. on the deal. Mr.

IR Wilson

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Wilson continued in the business for five years and was very successful at it. He took up a ranch in Boulder valley, Jefferson county, in 1874, located another on the Musselshell, near Martinsdale, and in 1877 settled on the ranch which has been his home ever since. Just before this he made his first trip east with cattle, and since then has made annual shipments.

Mr. Wilson was married December 7, 1876, to Miss Harriet Salisbury, of New York state, a daughter of George Salisbury, who died when she was a child. They had settled at Whitewater, Wis., and there the marriage occurred. Mrs. Wilson accompanied him in all his subsequent wanderings, and proved herself to be an able helpmate for a man of his push and enterprise. Mrs. Wilson made the trip from Omaha by rail to Green River. From there Mr. Wilson, in December, brought his horses over the range, being thirty days from Green River to Whitehall. Mrs. Wilson went on to Ogden by rail, and from thence all alone to White- hall by stage, where she remained at Maj. Brooks' until the arrival of her husband with his stock. Soon after they located in South Boulder valley · near Ed. Cardwell, where they lived until the open- ing of spring in 1877, when they removed to Mus- selshell. Mrs. Wilson accompanied her husband on many round-up trips, living in the wagon and doing the cooking for her husband and the men, sometimes being out for three months. In the fall of 1877, however, matters became more settled and they began housekeeping where they now live. In 1878, on returning from a round-up, Mr. Wilson found his home surrounded by 2,200 Indians, Flat- heads and Bannacks, all in camp. Tan-Dog was the chief. Nothing daunted, although alone, Mrs. Wilson had invited the chief and two sqaws to a dinner, her husband arriving in the meantime. Mr. Wilson, while at dinner, said to the chief, "Do you like pie?" Stretching himself and expanding his chest, Tan-Dog replied "Heap like pie." Mr. Wilson had no trouble with the Indians. His wife was the third white woman who came to the valley, and often fed the Indians. At one time ten, all armed, called on her. Mrs. Wilson prepared dinner for them and when ready they were inclined to retain their guns during the meal. Mr. Wilson asked them to stack their arms, which they at first refused to do, but on being commanded by him so to do, they readily obeyed. Mrs. Wilson had the reputation of being very brave, but with her natural modesty, she attributes the kind treatment by her

savage neighbors to the kindness she always showed them. Many times she had great cause for alarm, of course, but danger was always warded off.

One incident in Mr. Wilson's life should be noted, as it has given him wide celebrity, fixed a sobriquet on him and given a new town in this commonwealth its baptismal name. In 1868 he adopted two dots as his cattle brand, and since then he has become known throughout the state and all the stock centers of the east as "Two Dot" Wilson, and in his honor the town of Two Dot, Meagher county, also bears this name. He owns most of the town site, has greatly improved the place, having built there a $6,000 hotel, a large livery and a fine store building, the last now occupied by the Bab- cock & Miles Company, of which he is vice- president. He is also a stockholder and director in the White Sulphur Springs Bank. Our subject is one of the most extensive landholders in the state, and carries on the stock business on a scale of great magnitude. He has deeds to about 15,000 acres in Meagher county, and two or three ranches in Sweet Grass county. Frequently he has as high as 8,000 head of cattle, and at present has a flock of 10,000 sheep. He has also 500 or 600 head of Percheron, Norman and Clydesdale horses. At one time he owned $8,000 worth of blooded stal- lions, but at this time has only one, the others having died in the spring of 1900 of a disease which he did not learn how to cure until all were gone but the one he now has. One of those which died cost him $1,900. The expense for hired help in his business amounts to $45 per day, but he pays it cheerfully, and by his close personal attention to his business and his fine executive ability, gets good returns for the money paid out. Mr. Wil- son is an honest, upright man, and has a rugged and picturesque manner, two qualities which have made him well known far and wide in business circles in the east as well as in the west, for he frequently accompanies his cattle to the eastern markets. He has the respect of all who know him, and is highly esteemed for his sterling manhood, his unostentatious generosity, his genuine kindness of heart, and his genial, social disposition. He is a character unique in our history, and when in the course of time he shall be gathered to his fathers, "we shall not look upon his like again." His type is not the graceful tree which ornaments the land- scape garden, but the gigantic oak of the forest, massive in strength, ample in reach, challenging all of the elements and surrendering to none.

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T "HOMAS J. WADDELL .- The life story of this gentleman is an oft-told tale in American history. He is essentially a self-made man, hav- ing gone to work earnestly in the struggle for ex- istence for himself at the age of eleven years, hir- ing out as a farm hand for $12 a month, the top price paid a full grown man being $15. He con- tinued at this occupation nine years, when he re- moved to Utah, and engaged in mining at the Ontario mines, at wages ranging from $50 to $75 a month. After following this for some time he trailed a flock of sheep from Utah to Radersburg, Mont., for Huntley & Clark, consuming four months in the trip, which he reports as very pleas- ant. He herded sheep some nine months at $40 a month, then engaged in sawmill work at Boze- man for the same wages, continuing at this until 1881. He then came to his present location, six miles east of Philbrook, where he took up a home- stead claim, and used all his other claim rights in securing 240 acres. Here he raised oats and hay successfully, but soon sold the land for $1,800, preferring to give his attention to the blacksmith- ing business, which he started when he located in the neighborhood. Mr. Waddell is a member of the Woodmen of the World, and in politics a Re- publican. He was married on November 24, 1887, to Miss Emma Montgomery, a native of Missouri, and daughter of Henry and Hulda Montgomery, who came to Montana in 1874 and located in the Prickly Pear valley, remaining there engaged in mining until 1882, when he also removed to the neighborhood of Philbrook. Mr. and Mrs. Wad- dell are the parents of five children, of whom one, Edward, is deceased. Those living are Belle, Thomas, Guy and Howard.

Mr. Waddell is now in the prime of life, as he was born in Boone county, Ill., October 6, 1856. He is a man of great energy and capacity for work, has mechanical ability and inventive powers, and rejoices in his power to conceive and to exe- cute. He is well esteemed and highly respected.

F REDERICK R. WARREN .- The great agri- cultural and stockgrowing industries of Mon- tana transcend in scope and importance any limi- tations which even the most sanguine pioneer of the state would have defined two decades ago and in no lines of enterprise are better opportunities offered in this favored section of the Union.

Among the leading and successful stockraisers of Fergus county is the gentleman whose name in- itiates this review.

In Wyoming, Wyoming county, N. Y., on the Ist of January, 1858, there was born to Otto and Mary Warren, also natives of New York, a son, upon whom was bestowed the name of Frederick R. His father has long been engaged in farming, and he is one of the prominent citizens of Wyoming county. He is a Republican, and both he and his wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal church. Of their seven children all are living save one, Elizabeth-the others being Frederick R., Edward, Lillian, Josephine, Gertrude and Jennie.

Frederick R. Warren supplemented his early scholastic discipline in the public schools by a course of study in the Geneseo (New York) State Normal School. He began to assist in the work of the homestead farm when fourteen years of age, and thus continued faithfully at these labors until he was of legal age, when he came west to Fort Collins, Colo. This was in March, 1879, and he at once secured employment on a sheep ranch. One year later he engaged in quarrying stone in that state, but in this he met ill-success, owing to . the interference of the railroad company. He then engaged in the transfer business at Fort Col- lins successfully for two years. He then came to Montana, reaching Fergus county by way of Bill- ings, from which point he brought a load of freight to Utica, where he arrived on May 24, 1883, camp- ing for two days on the land now his home. He was thereafter for eighteen months in the employ of John D. Waite on sheep ranches, receiving $50 per month. Realizing the possibilities for success in this industry, he determined to embark in it. He took up a tract of government land, purchased an adjoining squatter's claim, and began opera- tions on a modest scale. He is now recognized as one of the leading sheep-growers of the county, running an average of 10,000 head. To his origi- nal ranch he has added until he now has a fine estate of 3,500 acres. He usually harvests about 500 tons of hay annually. His home is situated six and one-half miles southwest of Utica and is one of the attractive places of the county. Mr. Warren takes an interest in all that makes for the advancement and material welfare of the com- munity, gives stalwart support to the Republican party, but has never sought official preferment. His interest in educational matters led to his elec- tion as school trustee for several years. Frater-

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nally he is identified with the Benevolent Protect- ive Order of Elks, the lodge and chapter of the Masonic order and the Knights of Pythias.

On the 25th of March, 1886, Mr. Warren was united in marriage to Miss Margaret Tabler, who was born in Floyd county, Ind., the daughter of James and Lydia Tabler, natives respectively of Pennsylvania and England, and both members of the Catholic church. James Tabler was a Demo- crat, who devoted his active life to farming and stockraising. His death occurred at New Albany, Ind., on the 28th of January, 1879. His wife is still a resident of the same city. Of their seven children four are living-Josephine, Melvina, Eliza and Margaret. Mr. and Mrs. Warren have one daughter, Ethel G., born on the 25th of May, 1888.

G EORGE W. WARD .- Born on September 28, 1844, at Lyons, Ind., and in his youth engaged in active service in the Civil war, George W. Ward is one of those who have come up through tribula- tion to a present comfort, competence and peace- ful enjoyment of life. His parents were Charles B. and Nancy (Simons) Ward, the former a na- tive of Virginia and the latter of Indiana. They had eight children, George being the second. In his childhood the family removed to Halltown, Mo., where he went to school until the war came on, when he joined the state militia and was in the active service of the Union army for a portion of the struggle. After the war period he attended school for a few months in 1865, then went to farming for himself, following this business con- tinuously until 1881. Coming in that year to Mon- tana, he took up homestead and pre-emption claims in the Bitter Root valley east of Hamilton, which he increased until he had 2,000 acres, all of which he sold to Marcus Daly in 1892 and it now is part of the famous Bitter Root Daly stock farm. He then bought 1,480 acres on Camas prairie, six miles south and two miles west of Hamilton, where he has lived ever since, engaged in ranching and a stockraising business with good success and grati- fying profits.

In politics Mr. Ward is an unwavering Demo- crat and as such was elected as one of the repre- sentatives from the county in 1892. In the ensuing session he displayed great activity in behalf of his section and rendered valuable service to his con- stituents. Fraternally he is identified with the Free-

masons, and takes great interest in the brother- hood. He was married on April 14, 1869, in Lawrence county, Mo., to Miss Hannah L. Wan, daughter of William and Tennessee C. Wan. Mr. and Mrs. Ward have had six children, four are now living : Charles W., Sidney M., Ruth and Dale. Mr. Ward has an interesting family and a fine farm. He fully discharges all the duties of citizenship, according to his convictions, and stands high in the good opinion of his friends and neighbors, as a progressive farmer, a pleasing companion and a substantial citizen.

TILLIAM H. WATSON, while not one of the pioneers of Montana as the phrase is used today by those who assisted in the establishment of civilization in the state, was one identified with the early business interests of central Montana and up to the time of his death in Lewistown in 1894 took an active interest in all that pertained to the upbuilding of that section of the state.

Mr. Watson came not to Montana of his own choice-he was not a homeseeker nor. one who left pleasant surroundings in the east to search for a fortune in the far northwest. While engaged in business with Edward P. Allis, the famous manu- facturer of Milwaukee, Wis., he was sent to Mon- tana in the spring of 1882 by Mr. Allis in the inter- est of the firm of Barrows & Allis, which had been for a few years engaged in the manufacture of lumber near the Judith gap. In the same year he succeeded to those lumbering interests and the next year began operations at the Big Casino mills, six miles south of the present site of Lewis- town. The mill set there by Mr. Watson had a much larger capacity than any now in the Basin and for some years supplied a major portion of the rough and finished lumber, lath and shingles used not only in the basin, but as far south as the Yel- lowstone and north to the Missouri river, teams of twelve yokes of oxen being kept constantly on the road delivering the product. In the fall of 1884 the mill was burned, and the entire plant, together with nearly all the immense stock of logs and lumber, became a total loss, bringing finan- cial ruin to the previously successful owner. From that time until his death Mr. Watson gradually retired from active business, but never lost the acute interest in public affairs which he had taken from boyhood.

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Born in Geneva, N. Y., August 31, 1822, the eldest of a family of fourteen children, he attended Geneva schools until he entered Hobart College, from which he was graduated in 1840. His inclin- ations and talents were in literary lines, and after leaving college he took up the work which he laid aside but for short intervals until coming to Montana. In 1847 Mr. Watson went to Mil- waukee, Wis., and engaged in merchandising, but soon became associated with Gen. Rufus King as one of the editors and proprietors of the Mil- waukee Sentinel.

In 1858 he accepted the post of private secretary to Gov. Randall, of Wisconsin, and when the Civil war broke out became his military secretary, re- taining that important position throughout the administrations of Govs. Randall, Harvey and Sa- lomon, covering the five years of conflict. The duties of military secretary frequently took him to the front where Wisconsin troops were en- gaged and also to the camps in the fever-stricken districts of the lower Mississippi.

After leaving the service of the state of Wis- consin Mr. Watson went to Washington and ac- cepted the head of one of the departments of the Indian bureau. He remained there nearly five years, during which time he personally negotiated several treaties with the Indians. Among them were those looking to the opening of right of way for the Union Pacific Railroad, then build- ing west through Kansas. This work completed Mr. Watson's period of official service, and he re- turned to Milwaukee, becoming associated with Mr. Edward P. Allis, who was his sister's hus- band. With brief intervals he continued with the Allis company until he came to Montana in 1882. During his residence in Montana he held but one public position, that of a representative of Fergus county in the convention which framed the organic law of the Treasure state. Mr. Watson married Maria L. Woodbridge, at Canaan, Conn., in 1855, and his wife and five children survived him when he laid down his life's work in August, 1894, having well done his faithful labors.

( EORGE I. WATTERS .- Whatever there may be in great ancestry as indicative or explanatory of character or career is to be found in the life of George I. Watters. In his lineage the cavaliers of Virginia combine with the sturdy mountaineers of

Vermont, uniting the admirable salient traits of each people and the highly creditable records of two distinguished families. He was born on August 2, 1864, at America City, Kan. His parents were Charles and Eleen (Lawrence) Watters, the former descended from a Virginia family prominent in every age and every phase of the Old Dominion's history from the founding of Jamestown to the present day, and the latter a native of Vermont and belonging to the family which gave to the American navy the distinguished commander whose last injunction to his faithful subordinate on the Chesapeake was, "Don't give up the ship!" This worthy couple had seven children, of whom George I. was the fourth. He attended the public schools of Burnett Junction, Wis., and also the high school at Horicon, After leaving school at the age of eighteen he was em- ployed as engineer in a grain elevator belonging to his uncle, whom he served in that capacity for three years, then he was buyer for the concern for a year and a half. This uncle was George H. Lawrence, one of the first men to engage in mercantile busi- ness in Helena.

Mr. Watters next engaged in railroading as agent at Bridgewater, S. D., for the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul, serving that company four years, and then serving the Northern Pacific seven years in the same capacity at Victor, Mont. He then re- tired from the railroad ranks and went into the drug business at Victor, but a year later sold out and engaged in general merchandising, becoming a member of the firm of Appollonio, Watters & Co., of Victor, with which he is still connected. While he has won high commendation for fine business qualifications in every position he has held, it is only the large, complete and comprehensive business of the present enterprise that has given full scope to his powers and enabled him to display in full measure the versatility and readiness of his active mind.

In politics Mr. Watters is a zealous Republican, not indeed an active party worker, but one who never loses sight of the welfare of his party and who is always willing to contribute to its proper success by counsel and more substantial aid. Fraternally he is allied with the Masons, being a charter mem- ber of Victor Lodge No. 43, although he was made a Mason at Ripon, Wis. His religious affiliation is with the Presbyterian church. He was married at Red Wing, Minn., on January 5, 1891, to Miss Louise Brink, daughter of Charles and Lucinda Brink, the father being a contractor and the builder

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of the union depot at St. Paul, Minn., as well as of other works of magnitude. Mr. and Mrs. Watters have four children, Gladys, Lawrence, Miriam and Dwight, all of tender years. They are among the leading citizens of their section and have a large circle of friends.

A LEXANDER D. WEAVER is one of the hon- ored pioneers, prosperous farmers and stock- growers of the beautiful Gallatin valley, Mont., his fine ranch property being located three miles north of Belgrade, his postoffice address. He has been the artificer of his own fortunes; indefatigable in his efforts and guided by the highest principles, and tangible reward is his in the accumulation of a hand- some property and the respect and confidence of all who know him, hence his life offers both lesson and incentive.

Mr. Weaver was born in Botetourt county, Va., March 1, 1841, the son of John and Eliza (Cainer) Weaver, the former born in Pennsylvania, while the latter was a native of the Old Dominion. The father removed from Pennsylvania to Virginia, and thence to Boone county, Ky., in 1854, where he died at the age of seventy-two years. His wife died in the same county, aged fifty-four. They became the parents of thirteen children, and six of the number are yet living. The paternal grandparents were born in Pennsylvania, and the great-grandfather was a native of Germany, whence he emigrated in an early day and became one of the pioneers of the Keystone state. The maternal grandfather of Mr. Weaver was George Cainer, a representative of an old Virginia family, both he and his wife dying in that state. He was a man of prominence and in- fluence, having been an extensive miller and mer- chant, and having also conducted a hotel. The father of our subject was for a time employed in the mill, and thus met his employer's daughter, who ultimately became his wife. The Cainer springs were named in honor of our subject's grandfather.

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Progressive men of the state of Montana, pt 2, Part 57

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