Progressive men of the state of Montana, pt 2, Part 62

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 62

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Judge Badger has in his possession a relic of great historical interest and value, the same being a commission given by Sir Henry Clinton to Leav- erett Saltonstall, Gent., (a relative of the Badger family) as a second lieutenant in His Majesty's Twenty-third Regiment of Foot, and bearing date of May 30, 1778, executed in the city of Phila- delphia.

On the 16th of November, 1869, Judge Badger was united in marriage to Miss Fannie L. Wood- son, who was born in Columbia, Mo., the daughter of Judge Warren W. Woodson, a native of Vir- ginia and one of the prominent figures in the po- litical life of Missouri for a number of years. Of the children of Judge and Mrs. Badger we incor- porate the following brief record: Warren W. is located at Gilt Edge, Mont .; Kate is deceased; Ellen M. is the wife of L. L. Calloway, of Virginia City; Richard S. is now a student in the mining department of the University of California; and Emma and John A. are still at the parental home, which is a center of refined hospitality.

E LMER J. ANDERSON .- It is now given us to touch briefly upon the life history of one of the representative business men of Meagher coun- ty and one who has attained marked prestige in connection witha public affairs in Montana, being now a member of the state senate and having otherwise been an important factor in forwarding the social and material advancement of the virile young commonwealth.

Mr. Anderson is a native son of the old Buckeye state, having been born in Columbiana county, Ohio, on the 20th of November, 1854, the son of Joshua B. and Mary J. (Beer) Anderson, both of whom were likewise born in Ohio. The former was a son of Thomas Anderson, who was born in the north of Ireland, whence, as a young man, he cmigrated to America, becoming one of the pio- neers of the state of Ohio, where he devoted his time to agricultural pursuits and there passed the residue of his life. The father of our subject turned his attention to mercantile pursuits in his native state and was also the owner of a stock farm. He was one of the successful and influen- tial citizens of Columbiana county and there prac- tically passed his entire life, his death occurring in the year 1878. His wife is living in Alliance, Ohio. Her mother, Elizabeth McClellan, was a

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cousin of Gen. George B. McClellan. Joshua and Mary Anderson became the parents of seven chil- dren, and of the number two of the sons became prominently identified with the history of Mon- tana, Elmer Jay, the immediate subject of this re- view, and James T., who was associated with him in business in Meagher county until his death, which occurred on the 13th of December, 1899. Of James T. Anderson it may be said that he was born in Columbiana county, Ohio, on the 20th of April, 1856, and both he and our subject received their preliminary educational discipline in the pub- lic schools, while both entered Mount Union Col- lege, at Alliance, Ohio, where James T. was grad- uated in 1877 and Elmer J. as a member of the class of 1876. After leaving school they con- tinued their residence on the old homestead until 1880, when they started for Montana, coming through by railroad to Beaver Canyon, Utah, and thence by stage directly to White Sulphur Springs, the official center of Meagher county. They first engaged in farming on a ranch near this little city, but at the end of the first year purchased a band of cattle and were thereafter engaged in stockraising for two years, at the expiration of which time they disposed of their interests in this line and opened a general merchandise establishment in White Sulphur Springs, the association of the brother in this important enterprise continuing until the time of the death of James T., who was then the representative of Meagher county in the state senate. He was identified with the Masonic fraternity, in which he had been raised to the mas- ter's degree, and was honored for his sterling in- tegrity and marked business ability.

Since the death of his brother Elmer J. Ander- son has continued the mercantile business, which is one of the most extensive and important in the city of White Sulphur Springs, a large and well- appointed store building being utilized for the dis- play and salesrooms, while commodious ware- houses adjoining are demanded for the accommo- dation of surplus stock and for the handling and storing of various lines of produce. Mr. Ander- son is thoroughly progressive in his business methods, and his unequivocal fidelity and honor in all the relations of life have ever commended him to the confidence and high esteem of all who have known him. In addition to his mercantile busi- ness Mr. Anderson is largely concerned in the stock business, having control of a ranch of 18,000 acres, located on the north fork of the Smith

river, where he devotes attention to the raising of high-grade shorthorn and Hereford cattle, having inaugurated this enterprise about three years ago, having about 2,000 head at the present time. He also has about 10,000 head of sheep, which are kept on a fine sheep ranch which is located on Sixteen-mile creek. His ranch properties are well improved and are constantly increasing in value, as are also his stock interests, while he has made various investments in mining properties, holding promising prospects in this line at the present time.

In politics Mr. Anderson gives his allegiance to the Republican party, but has never been an active factor in local political affairs. In 1900 he was elected to represent Meagher county in the state senate, which position he accepted at the earnest solicitation of his friends, and he is now a member of that body, having shown in his legis- lative career the same keenness of judgment and mature wisdom which have conserved his success in business life. His brother was elected to the senate on the Democratic ticket, the other mem- bers of the family having ever given their alle- giance to the Democracy. Fraternally he is identi- fied with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, having passed the various official chairs in Castle Mountain Lodge No. 16, at White Sulphur Springs.

On the 25th of December, 1878, Mr. Anderson was united in marriage to Miss Eva King, who was born in Ohio, being the daughter of George and Sarah King, both likewise natives of the old Buckeye state, the latter having passed away sev- eral years ago. Mr. King, who is now retired from active business, has long been one of the influential citizens of Columbiana county, where he now maintains his home. Of the children of Mr. and Mrs. Anderson we enter the following brief record: Glenn, who received his elementary education in the public schools of White Sulphur Springs, also attended school in California for a time, later continued his studies in the School of Mines at Golden, Colo., and is now a student in Columbia University, New York city, where he will be graduated as a member of the class of 1902 ; Olive is now a student in the Woman's College, in Baltimore, Md., and Eldon matriculated in Johns Hopkins University, in the same city, in Septem- ber, 1901, and is there pursuing his higher scholas- tic work. The family take a prominent place in connection with the social life of their home city, and their attractive residence is a center of refined hospitality.

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E LIZUR BEACH .- We are now permitted to take under review the life history of one of the sterling pioneer citizens of Montana, one whose experiences in the early days were varied and in- teresting and one who has been conspicuously iden- tified with the industrial development and progress of territory and state. Mr. Beach is at the present time a member of the board of county commis- sioners of Lewis and Clarke county, and his con- nection with public affairs has redounded to the benefit of the state, for his judgment is signally con- servative and discriminating and his executive powers are of high order. His life has been one of consecutive endeavor, and he has been the ar- tificer of his own fortunes, gaining success by worthy means and holding the esteem and con- fidence of those with whom he is thrown in con- tact, in either public or private life.

Mr. Beach is a native son of the old Buckeye state, having been born in Portage county, Ohio, on the 28th of April, 1837, the youngest of the six sons of David and Mary (Peck) Beach, both of whom were natives of the state of Connecticut. David Beach removed to Ohio in his young man- hood, and thence, about 1839, to Iowa, where he passed the remainder of his days, having been a carpenter and millwright by trade and having de- voted the greater portion of his active life to work in these lines. His wife also passed away in Iowa, shortly after their removal to that locality, the subject of this sketch having been at that time about three and one-half years of age.

Elizur Beach received his early educational train- ing in the public schools of Iowa and later supple- mented this discipline by a course of study in the academy at Camden Point, Mo. Upon attaining the age of twenty-two years he started out on his own responsibility, seeking to make his way to the Pike's Peak district of Colorado in 1859, in com- pany with another young man, named Thomas Lloyd. They encountered trouble with the Indians, however, and therefore deemed it expedient to re- turn to Missouri, where Mr. Beach remained until the spring of the following year, when he again essayed the task of crossing the plains to Colorado, going through to Denver and the Blue River mines. There he was engaged in placer mining during the summers of 1860 and 1861, passing the winters in Denver, where he found employment as clerk in mercantile establishments. In the fall of 1861 he purchased mule teams and began freighting between Omaha and Denver, continuing operations along

this line until the spring of 1863, when the dis- covery of gold at Bannack, in what is now Mon- tana, led him to join the rush of miners to the new diggings. For the long journey he secured an out- fit of four mules, through the medium of which were transported the supplies for himself and three passengers, each passenger paying $75 fare and furnishing his own provisions. They came through without further company as far as Fort Bridger, in Utah, where the government officers refused to allow them to proceed farther save in company with a large train, since there was a constant men- ace from the marauding and hostile Indian bands. Mr. Beach discovered that a train had started from the fort on the previous day, and he prevailed upon the officers to allow him to proceed and overtake the same, which he did in twenty-four hours, there being three men in the train which he thus joined, Jack Gallagher and William and George Greer, the first mentioned of whom was subsequently hanged by the Vigilantes in Virginia City. Some of the horses of the train were stolen by the Indians, and the property was not recovered, the Indians having chased Mr. Beach and one companion back to camp when they attempted to pursue them and re- capture the horses. The party crossed Snake river below Eagle Rock bridge, and arrived in Bannack on the Ist of June, 1863. Within a few days after this the discoverers of Alder gulch returned to Bannack and reported as to the fine prospects in that section, which became one of the most notable placer mining camps in the history of the world, and Mr. Beach was among the first to push on to the new diggings, arriving in Virginia City on the 6th of June, 1863. He located claims in three dis- tricts on the creek and also mined at Highland, securing big returns from his efforts. In No- vember of that year he returned to Missouri, where he passed the winter, and there, in the spring of 1864, was solemnized his marriage, as will be duly noted later on. He soon returned to Virginia City, in company with his bride, and on this occasion he brought through a number of cattle and thereupon engaged in freighting and dairying.

In the fall of 1865 Mr. Beach came to Helena, and in this locality continued in ranching and dairy- ing, meeting with good success. In the spring of 1867 he resumed placer mining, in the McCunus bar, Missouri river district, and was thus engaged for a period of three years. In 1870 he turned his attention to another line of enterprise, driving in wild horses from the state of Washington, via the

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Mullan route, and keeping the' stock on the range until he was enabled to dispose of the same at a good profit. He thereafter continued to be engaged in general ranching, raising horses, cattle and grain, while at intervals he conducted a freighting enterprise, his discriminating and well-directed ef- forts ever insuring the maximum of success possi- ble from his industrial activity. During the later years Mr. Beach has continued to be most conspicu- ously and extensively engaged with the ranching industry in the state and his interests in the line are of wide scope and importance. He devotes particular attention to the growing of live stock, having finely improved ranches in Lewis and Clarke and other counties, and being interested in fine cat- tle herds in the eastern and northern sections of the state.

In politics Mr. Beach has ever given a stanch and unwavering allegiance to the Democratic party, and in 1875 he was elected county commissioner of Lewis and Clarke county, serving with signal efficiency and ability. He was again chosen to this important office in 1892 and is now serving in that capacity, sparing neither time nor effort in promoting the best interests of the county. He also served as a member of the Eleventh and Twelfth sessions of the territorial legislature, being an active working member and taking a prominent part in the deliberations. He has wielded a distinct influence upon public affairs, and all legitimate projects tending to conserve the advancement of the commonwealth receive his cordial endorsement. He was appointed a member of the capitol building commission and served as such nearly four years.

As has been previously noted, the marriage of Mr. Beach was an event of the spring of 1864, and he was at that time united in wedlock to Miss Alice G. Vivian, who was born in Missouri. Of this union three children were born: Emory V., who was born May 10, 1865, in Helena, and who has the distinction of having thus been the first white boy born in the present capital city. He is a rep- resentative attorney of Helena, being a graduate of the literary and also the law department of the State University of Missouri; Lauretta May died at the age of three years ; and Alva W., born March 3, 1869, is a graduate of the law department of the Missouri University, located at Columbia, in that state, and is now associated with his father in the ranching and stockgrowing industry. He con- tracted a second marriage some years ago, his choice on this occasion being Mrs. Tabitha M.

Chinn, a sister of his first wife. Her death occurred August 8, 1901, at Los Angeles, Cal. This review is a slight tribute to the life and services of one of the honored pioneers of Montana, and will be a just matter of permanent record in this connection.

TOS. T. BERTHELOTE .- The subject of this brief biographical notice is a native of the state he has done much to develop and improve in two or three locations. He was born at Hele- na, October 8, 1869. His father, Louis B. Ber- thelote, was a native of Monroe, Mich., who came to Montana when a comparatively young man, engaged in mining and stockraising at Helmville for nine years, and then spent the last three years of his life in the same business at Augusta, on the south fork of Sun river, where he died February 12, 1883. His widow, Helena (Reesman) Ber- thelote, is still living at Augusta.

Mr. Berthelote began his education in the pub- lic schools of Augusta and started on a more ex- tended course in those of Helena. His father died, and at the age of fourteen he was obliged to take charge of the extensive business interests of the family at Augusta, where they had ranches containing in all some 1,200 acres of land and were feeding a large number of sheep and cattle. In 1893 they took up a new location on Miners' coulee, in the Sweet Grass hills, and soon after sold the Augusta property. Their Sweet Grass holdings consist of 2,720 acres, with ample free ranges ad- joining, and are devoted to raising sheep and hay. They have regularly flocks numbering from 5,000 to 8,000 sheep, besides some cattle and horses. Louis, a younger brother of Mr. Berthelote, is an active partner in the business and his mother and sister Mary are silent partners. In politics Mr. Berthelote is a Republican. He is a member of Dearborn Lodge No. 22, I. O. O. F., of Augusta, and manifests a warm interest in everything which looks to the improvement of the neighborhood in which he lives, being a wide-awake, enterprising and progressive citizen.

I QUIS BORHO, deceased, was born in Offen- burg, Baden, Germany, June 4, 1846, and his parents both died in that country. His father was a cooper and constructed the largest cask ever

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made in the world, which was ordered by the Em- peror and delivered at Baden.

At the age of fifteen years Louis Borho, in 1861, came to Helena, or what was properly known at that time at Last Chance gulch. At first he de- voted his attention to ranching, working for wages, but finally he acquired property of his own thirty miles south of Augusta, Lewis and Clarke county, comprising 640 acres of land, and here he followed profitably the business of cattleraising. On October 7, 1882, he was married to Mrs. Mary" Bucher, a widow and the mother of three children, Frank, Mary and Anna. She is a native of Switz- erland and a daughter of Joseph and Amelia Bach- man, also natives of that country, agricultural peo- ple and members of the Catholic church. The mother passed away May 4, 1861, and she was followed by her husband in September, 1863.

The subject of this memoriam, Louis Borho, was a musician and general worker at.other voca- tions. In a runaway accident October 4, 1899, he was thrown from a wagon and killed. To Mr. and Mrs. Borho were born four children, Emma, Edward, Elizabeth and William. Mr. Borho was a member of the Catholic church, as is his widow, who now successfully conducts the ranch. She is an active member of the Grand Circle, Women of Woodcraft. During the past ten years the postoffice at Stearns has been in her charge, Mr. Stearns being postmaster for eight years and she succeeding him. She is a woman of great execu- tive ability and enterprise, showing admirable quali- ties for life in a new country.

AMES H. BRADLEY .- Among the valiant J soldiers of the United States army whose lives were sacrificed in the celebrated and ever-memor- able battle of the Big Hole, when the troops came into conflict with the famous Nez Perce Indian, Chief Joseph, and his band of warriors, was Lieut. Bradley, and when his blood thus drenched the soil of Montana a brave and noble life was extinguished. Well indeed does his name merit a place on the pages of Montana history, and we can but regret that more complete data are not accessible in the preparation of this memoir.

James H. Bradley was born in Sandusky county, Ohio, in the year 1844. He was reared and edu- cated in his native state and in 1861, when seven- teen years of age, he enlisted in the Union army.

Later he was appointed first lieutenant of the Eighteenth Infantry, with which he was sent to quell the insurrection of hostile Indians at Crazy Woman's Fork, Wyo. The next year he was as- signed to the Seventh Infantry of the regular army, at Forts Benton and Shaw, Mont., and was with Gen. Gibbon in his expedition against the Sioux in 1876. In the following year he was in com- mand of a mounted detachment of the Seventh Infantry in the campaign against the Nez Perces, and met his untimely death while gallantly lead- ing his command in the battle of the Big Hole, as before noted. Lieut. Bradley kept a diary of the events occurring in Montana during his service in the territory, and likewise a journal of Gen. Gib- bons' Sioux campaign, and these records consti- tute a valuable contribution to the history of the state and that of Indian warfare in the northwest.

JAMES BRIDGER .- Among the pathfinders of the great northwest there is none more worthy of honor than "Jim" Bridger, whose life history, if known in detail, would be as full of ad- venture as that of Kit Carson or any other of the noted scouts and frontiersmen of the American continent. It is to be regretted that only the briefest outline concerning the career of this brave and gallant man can be entered in this work, for the available data are scant in the extreme. Such was his influence, however, upon the early history of all the northwest that it is proper that definite mention be made of him in this connection, the Bridger route across the plains and over the mountains being one traversed by many of the Montana argonauts of the pioneer epoch.

James Bridger was born in Richmond, Va., in the year 1804, and as early as 1823 became identified with the life of the western plains, having accom- panied Gen. Ashley to the frontier. In 1832 he accompanied Capt. Bonneville as guide in his fa- mous expedition through the Rocky mountains. Two years later he entered the employ of the Rocky Mountain Fur Company and the American Fur Company, continuing to be engaged in trad- ing with the Indians until 1839, when he associ- ated himself with Messrs. Frappe and Vasquez in the trapping trade, in connection with which they established Fort Bridger. In 1851 Bridger was employed as guide in Gen. Johnson's expedition against the Mormons. In 1864 he acted as guide

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for the United States troops in the Powder river country ; in 1866 he was similarly engaged with Gen. Carrington's command. He built Fort Bridger on the Black fork of the Green river and there lived for many years with his Indian wife. To him is attributed the discovery of the Great Salt lake. Capt. Stansbury, of the United States army, said of Bridger that he "was a wonderful guide and a born topographer. The whole west and all the passes and labyrinths of the Rocky mountains were mapped out in his mind." Gen. Sheridan often consulted him and his kindly ser- vices were freely accorded to many of the weary and jaded travelers across the plains in the early days. As early as 1823 he had crossed and re- crossed the Rockies, and before 1830 he was a recognized leader among the mountaineers. In physique he was tall and spare, standing erect and being very active and energetic. His hair was long and brown, his eyes gray and exceedingly sharp, his habitual expression mild, his conversa- tion always agreeable and his manner kindly. He died in Washington, Jackson county, Mo., in the year 1881, one of the last of the noble mountain- eers and trailsmen of the great west when it was practically a terra incognita.

H ERMAN BRUNS .- After a career involving great variety of experience and laborious work in many lines, Herman Bruns, the subject of this review, has settled down on a fine ranch in Choteau county, Mont., and finds pleasure and profit in rearing the large droves of horses, herds of cattle and harvesting the great crops of grain and hay for which his ranch is noted. He was born in Brown county, Wis., October 23, 1869. His parents, Henry and Lottie (Sponholt) Bruns, are natives of Germany who emigrated to the United States in their early married life and set- tled in Wisconsin, afterwards moving to South Dakota, where they are still living.

Mr. Bruns was educated in the schools of Wis- consin and South Dakota, graduating from a Ger- man course when he was twelve years old, and then taking a year's instruction in an English school. At fifteen he went to work regularly as a hand on his father's farm, remaining there in that capacity three years. In 1888 he was railroad- ing and harvesting in Minnesota and South Da- kota, in the summer of 1889 sailing on the lakes,

that winter lumbering in the woods of Minne- sota, and the following spring taking log drives down the river from Duluth until the strike in that region stopped operations and he was appointed a deputy marshal to aid in preserving the peace until the difficulties were settled. In July, 1890, he came to Fort Assinnaboine and worked four months for the men who had the contract for grading the roadbed of-the Great Northern Rail- road, which was then building. In the spring of 1891 he took up a ranch on Box Elder creek in the Bear Paw mountains, and was engaged in stockraising there for the next six years. Then in 1897 he located on his present ranch on Clear creek, also taking up a desert claim on Box Elder creek. He devotes his attention principally to farming, raising superior breeds of horses and running sheep on contract. But notwithstanding the exacting nature of this occupation, he finds time to give the public affairs and matters of gen- eral interest in his community a due amount of his active aid and to do what he can to further their best features. He is a Republican in politics and has great influence in the local concerns of his party. Socially he is an agreeable, genial gentle- man and is much beliked by all who come in con- tact with him. His partner, Joseph Mooser, also an esteemed and serviceable citizen of this sec- tion of the state, is noticed at some length on an- other page of this work. -

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Progressive men of the state of Montana, pt 2, Part 62

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