Progressive men of the state of Montana, pt 2, Part 63

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 63

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H ON. B. PLATT CARPENTER, ex-governor of Montana and a member of the state bar, is a resident of Helena. He was born at Stanford, Dutchess county, N. Y., in May, 1837. He is the son of Morgan and Maria (Bockee) Carpenter, the father of English and the mother of French Hugenot ancestry. B. Platt Carpenter, the subject of this sketch, was graduated from Union College, Schenectady, N. Y., in 1857. He then began the study of law at the National Law School and in the office of Thompson & Weeks, Poughkeepsie, N. Y., and was subsequently admitted to the bar in 1858, and became an able lawyer.

During his residence in New York Mr. Carpen- ter held the offices of district attorney, county judge, state senator and member of the state consti- tutional convention. He was a delegate to both Republican national conventions that nominated Gen. Grant for president of the United States, and

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also to the one that nominated James G. Blaine. In 188I he was chairman of the New York Republican state committee.

In January, 1885, Mr. Carpenter first came to Montana, having been appointed governor of the territory in December, 1884, by President Arthur. He located at Helena, where he has since resided. He was a member of the Montana constitutional convention of 1889, previous to its admission into the Union, and he also served as one of the com- missioners to prepare the codes of Montana.

In 1860 Mr. Carpenter was married to Miss Esther Thorn. They have three children : Mrs. A. E. Tower, of Poughkeepsie, N. Y., and Kath- erine and Stephen Carpenter, of Helena. Since his admission to the bar Mr. Carpenter has prac- ticed law and is now engaged in that profession at Helena, at present in partnership with Mr. Stephen Carpenter, under the firm name of Carpenter & Carpenter.

'HARLES M. RUSSELL .- It is with distinct C gratification that the writer takes under re- view the career of one who is truly a typical west- erner, one who has been intimately concerned in the wild, free life which has ever denoted the glor- ious realm of mountain and plain, and yet one who has grandly depicted by palette and brush the scenes which have given to the west its local color and originality. Mr. Russell is distinctively known as the "cowboy artist." and the cognomen is an accurate one, as under it he has limned many strik- ing pictures of western life, particularly in the times when Indians and buffaloes maintained sway with- out let or hindrance. Mr. Russell is a native of St. Louis, Mo., where he was born on March 19, 1865, the son of Charles S. Russell, who is likewise a na- tive of St. Louis, where he was born of Irish descent about 1824. He is still a resident of that city, where he has been engaged in the manufacture of fire brick for nearly a half century, being one of the oldest native residents of the city. His wife formerly Mary Mead, was born in Virginia of Ger- man descent. Her death occurred in St. Louis in 1894.

Charles M. Russell, the artist, received the edu- cation given in the St. Louis schools and then at- . tended for a time Burlington (N. J.) College. When he was thirteen his school work closed, and two years later in 1880, he became a resident of Montana. He located in the Judith basin, where

he lived about two years with Jake Hoover, a well known hunter, whom he assisted in work. Mr. Russell then became a night herder of cattle, or, in western terms, a "cow puncher," operating in the Judith basin in this capacity for eleven years, and making his headquarters at the Jesse Phelps ranch. In 1888 the whole outfit of cattle in that district was transferred to the Milk river country, where he remained until 1892. In the fall of that year he came to Great Falls, and and has since de- voted his attention to reproducing on canvas, in oils and water-colors, in pencil sketches and in clay and plaster modeling, the scenes made so familiar to him during his twelve years' experience in the 1ough, untrammeled life of the plains.

As an artist Mr. Russell has advanced to a fore- most position entirely through his natural talent, as he is entirely self-taught in the technique of the work, but showing conclusively in all of his por- trayals that he has a full command in a technical way of an artist's touch, while the marked strength of his depictures is in their fidelity and action, his composition being effective and the local color un- mistakably exact and true to nature. His work is in demand, both at home and abroad, and he is well deserving of his reputation as a true exemplar of art. In 1900 Mr. Russell published a book of pen sketches of strong individuality and distinctive merit, depicting western life. On September 9, 1896, Mr. Russell was united in marriage to Miss Nancy Cooper, a native of Kentucky, and they have a pleasant home in Great Falls.

A LBERT BRUCKERT .- The son of a prosper- ous farmer of Bavaria, Germany, where he was born January 26, 1840, the subject of this sketch has followed in the new country, to which he came when he was nine years old, the vocation of his father in the old, but on a scale of magnitude un- dreamed of in that land of small area and dense population. His parents were George and Fannie Bruckert, both natives of Bavaria, where their re- spective families had lived for many generations.

In 1849, after spending a few years in the state or public schools, our subject was brought to the United States by an older brother named Michael, who had taken part in the war of 1848. Their first location was at Cincinnati, Ohio, where he learned the barber's trade and worked at it, re- maining there until 1857, when he removed to

G. M. russell

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Missouri and made his home at St. Joseph until 1863. On the 13th day of April, that year, he crossed the river and started for Denver, Colo., where he arrived without mishap, remaining there until March 29 of the next year. He then came to Montana with a wagon train under command of Capt. Steele. They had but little trouble on the way until they reached Snake river where two men of the party were drowned. The ferryman de- manded a compensation of $15 a wagon to take them over, but the Captain refused to pay the price and took his own wagon over and then be- gan taking the others over successfully. When the ferryman saw this he dropped to $5.00 a wagon, but the captain refused to pay more than $2.50, which the ferryman declined to accept. So they got all the wagons over themselves, and proceeded to Virginia City, Mont., where they arrived June 15, 1864.

Mr. Bruckert remained at Virginia City ten months, working at his trade, having a good busi- ness and getting very high prices for his work, half a dollar for a shave and a dollar for a hair- cut. From Virginia City he went to German gulch and opened a hotel which he called the Bruckert House, but the venture was disastrous and he soon lost all he had previously made. From there he went to Diamond City and remained until 1871, engaged in mining and running a bakery, at both of which he was successful, and in course of time bought a ranch from Judge Orr in Missouri valley. This, however, he did not keep long, but sold it without loss. He then went to Thompson gulch, where he remained some six years engaged in storekeeping, finding the business profitable. In 1881 he located on his present ranch and began operations in the cattle business.

Mr. Bruckert was married May 26, 1859, to Miss Rachel C. Wiedman, daughter of Jacob F. Wied- man, of Wittenberg, Germany, who removed with his family to Missouri and made that state his home, after lingering a short time in the state of New York. The marriage was solemnized at St. Joseph, Mo., and Mrs. Bruckert accompanied her husband across the plains and in all his subsequent wanderings. They are the parents of six sons, now all grown to manhood and settled in life, Mr. Bruckert having made a joint stock company of his property in June, 1892, for their benefit, and distributed a portion of the stock among them, re- taining a large interest in the concern for the benefit of himself and his wife during life. The

sons are briefly mentioned in the following para- graphs :

ALBERT BRUCKERT, JR., was born May 22, 1860, at St. Joseph, Mo., and received his early education in Montana, finishing at a college in his native city. He is the general manager and cashier of the Bruckert Land and Live Stock Com- pany, with headquarters at Sixteen Mile ranch. He is a young man of excellent character and habits, strictly attentive to the business of the company, which he manages with success and skill.

JOHN BRUCKERT, who was born July 12, 1862, at St. Joseph, Mo., attended the public schools wherever the family happened to be living from time to time, finishing his education at the college in Helena. He is vice-president of the company and is located on Shields river, in Park county. He was married December 22, 1892, to Miss Sadie D. Faulkner, and has four children : Eli G., Alice M., Albert and Frank.

GEORGE EDWARD BRUCKERT, who was born July 11, 1864, at Virginia City, Mont., was educated in the public schools there and at Helena, finishing his course at St. Joseph. He was mar- ried June 12, 1894, to Miss Ida L. Tubbs, of Helena. He is secretary of the company, with headquarters at ·Sixteen Mile.

WILLIAM AUGUSTUS BRUCKERT, who was born January 20, 1866, at Diamond City, was educated in the schools of Montana. He was mar- ried September 12, 1899, to Mrs. Ella Thompson, of Greenwood county, Kan., and has removed to Idaho, not now being connected with the company.

CHARLES F. BRUCKERT, who was born December 14, 1874, at Diamond City, was educated in the schools of his native state. He was married January 24, 1899, to Miss Bertha M. Brown, a native of Centralia, Ill. He is a member of the company and gives its affairs his close attention.

BENJAMIN F. BRUCKERT, who was born November 23, 1879, at Helena, was educated in the schools of that city. He is an active and dili- gent member of the company, taking great interest in its business and doing his part to advance its prosperity. His headquarters are at Sixteen Mile. This company controls a large body of land in

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Smith river valley, at Sixteen Mile and in the Shields river district, and usually has on the land some 10,000 Cotswold sheep, 1,500 head of short- horn and Galloway cattle, and 700 or 800 Norman horses. The enterprise has grown from a small and unpretentious beginning, its start being a cabin erected on Shields river in 1871 by Mr. Bruckert, Sr., which was the first building put up in that dis- trict, he being one of the pioneers in Smith river valley.

Mr. Bruckert is a member of the Masonic fra- ternity, to which he has belonged for many years, and in which he has taken an enthusiastic interest. He has been progressive and enterprising in all things, and now enjoys the fruits of his labors in the peace which comes from a consciousness of a well-spent life and the esteem of his fellow men. He bears his advancing years in good form, being hale and vigorous, and capable of great activity yet, although he has left to his sons the management of his business. They are worthy followers of his excellent example, and are exemplifying in their lives the integrity, courtesy and good business sense for which his has been renowned.

R )EV. WILLIAM E. CATLIN, A. M .- One of the conspicuous figures to be considered in connection with the industrial progress of Mon- tana, and particularly of Meagher county, is the venerable gentleman whose name introduces this paragraph and who is honored by all as represent- ing a noble type of citizenship. Mr. Catlin's ca- reer has been singularly varied and interesting in character, and a record concerning the same cannot fail of objective interest in a compilation of this nature. He is a native son of the sunny Southland, having been born in the city of Augusta, Ga., on the 27th of November, 1823. His father, Joel Catlin, was born at Harwinton, Litchfield, Conn., the son of Isaac Catlin, who was born in the same place, as was also his father, who bore the name of Jacob, and who was a son of Benjamin. That the family was established on New England soil in the early Colonial epoch is plainly shown from records extant, and indicated, as well, from the slight genealogical record al- ready entered in this connection. Thomas Cat- lin, one of the original American ancestors, was born in England and arrived in Hartford, Conn., about 1640. A record still extant shows that he

was incumbent of the office of "viewer of lad- ders and chimneys" in that city as early as 1646-7, and for many years he served as constable, one of the most honorable and dignified preferments to be conferred in the colony, as is duly intimated in a standard work designated as "Hinman's Puri- tan Settlers." He also held other positions of trust in the colony and town, and in 1687 he gave evidence in court that he was seventy-five years of age. He acquired considerable landed prop- erty and his death occurred in 1690. He left two children, John and Mary. The former married Mary Marshall, who bore him seven children, the fifth being Benjamin, previously mentioned as be- ing in the direct line of descent to the honored subject of this review. The latter's grandfather, Isaac Catlin, was a farmer in Connecticut at the time of the war of the Revolution, and went to the relief of Danbury, that colony, when the place was sacked by Benedict Arnold.

Joel Catlin, the father of our subject, learned the trade of silversmith at Farmington, Conn., and there, on the 30th of August, 1820, was sol- emnized his marriage to Miss Callista Hawley, who was born in that city. They finally removed to Augusta, Ga., where Mr. Catlin engaged in business with Nathaniel Olmstead, whose inter- ests were subsequently acquired by the former's younger brother, Willys Catlin. The enterprise was thereafter continued under the firm name of J. & W. Catlin, until May, 1832, when Joel re- moved with his family to Jacksonville, Ill., where he remained for a period of three years, after which, in company with a brother-in-law, he lo- cated a tract of land in the southeastern part of Hancock county, the site on which the town of Augusta now stands, the same having been named by them in honor of their former home in Georgia. Joel Catlin remained in that locality until 1849, when he returned to Jacksonville, where he passed the residue of his life, he and his wife there cele- brating their golden wedding on the 30th of August, 1870. His death occurred in October, 1879, and that of his wife in 1875. It may be noted in this connection that our subject, in company with his wife, attended this golden wedding anni- versary, as did they also the similar half-cen- tury anniversary of the wedding of Mrs. Catlin's parents, George F. and Philomela Smith, at New Haven, Conn., in November, 1875, while on the 8th of April, 1900, came to our honored subject and his devoted wife the privilege of celebrating

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their own golden wedding, which they did at their "IV" ranch, six miles south of White Sulphur Springs, Mont.

William E. Catlin received his preliminary edu- cational discipline in the schools of Augusta, Ga., and Augusta, Ill., after which he was matriculated in Illinois College, at Jacksonville, where he was graduated in June, 1845, receiving the degree of Master of Arts from his alma mater three years later. He was present at the fiftieth anniversary class celebration at this college, in 1895, and at that time there were only five of the members of the class of 1845 still living, while death has since placed its seal upon the mortal lips of two of this number. In 1846 Mr. Catlin went to New Haven, Conn., pursuing his studies in the Yale Theological Seminary until 1849, after preaching a year at North Stamford.

On April 8, 1850, William E. Catlin was united in marriage to Miss Emma Smith, of New Haven, a daughter of Deacon George F. Smith, who was for thirty years city missionary of New Haven and chaplain of the county prison.

In 1850, in company with his bride, Mr. Catlin returned to Illinois and thereafter was engaged in home missionary work, in various states, for the long period of forty years, having been ordained to the ministry of the Congregational church in February, 1851, and having been a faithful and effective worker in the Master's vineyard until his advanced age entitled him to rest from his active and devoted labors. In March, 1883, he removed from Forrest, Livingston county, Ill., and joined his sons in Meagher county, Mont., where he has since maintained his home and where he still gives his attention to practical business affairs, giving in appearance slight indications of his ad- vanced age. He recently suffered from a severe attack of la grippe, and this has impaired his strength to a certain extent, but he still has full control of his mental faculties, having an almost phenomenal memory. His devoted and cherished companion remained his true helpmeet for more than half a century, but she was summoned into eternal rest on the 24th of January, 1901, loved and revered by all who had known her, her life having been one of tender charity and grace and imbued with unmeasured gentleness. It may be stated in this connection that Mr. Catlin met with an accident when a boy of fifteen, being shot in the left arm in such a way as to render necessary the amputation of the member. Of the sons and

daughter of our honored subject we enter brief record in the appending paragraphs.

George Joel Catlin was born at Carthage, Ill., on the 2d of May, 1851, and was the pioneer rep- resentative of the family in Montana, having come here in the spring of 1878. He spent some time in the Missouri valley, while during a portion of the years 1879 and 1880 he was to be found in the vicinity of White Sulphur Springs, and here he eventually located the present homestead ranch and turned his attention to farming and stock- growing.

Edwin H. Catlin was born at Concord, Ill., July 8, 1853, and joined his brother in the Missouri valley, Mont., in the spring of 1879, being also accompanied by his brother, Charles B., who was born in New Haven, Conn., on the 18th of Febru- ary, 1856. The latter received his educational training in Illinois, where he later was engaged in agricultural pursuits until his removal to Mon- tana, as has already been noted, and thereafter the three brothers worked in what is now Broad- water county until the winter of 1879-80, when they came to the vicinity of White Sulphur Springs, Meagher county, where each took up a homestead and laid the foundation for their present extensive business. They continued to be engaged in the cattle business under the firm name of Catlin Brothers until 1893, when Edwin returned to Il- linois, making his home at Augusta. In August, 1898, George J. also returned to Augusta, and Charles B. then became manager of the enter- prise, which was incorporated in January, 1890, under the title of the Catlin Land & Live Stock Company, the specialty being the breeding of pure Hereford cattle. Charles B. Catlin is a Republi- can in politics and is one of the representative men of the county, being now a member of the board of county commissioners. In December, 1895, he was united in marriage to Miss Jennie M. Higgins, of Carpenteria, Santa Barbara county, Cal., the daughter of P. C. Higgins, and of this union one child has been born, William Clark.

In 1883 Rev. William E. Catlin came to Mon- tana, as has been duly noted, being accompanied by his wife and their other two sons and one daughter, Mary. The latter was born at Lima, Mich., was married April 4, 1889, to Rev. George Edwards, and died on the 2d of June of the fol- lowing year. James K., who was born at Camp Point, Ill., on the IIth of September, 1865, is now a member of the company founded by his

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elder brothers, as is also John S. B., who was born at Forrest, Ill., on the 28th of September, 1868. Harry Bridgman died in October, 1879, at the age of sixteen, being killed by a railroad train while driving across the track.

The Catlin Land & Live Stock Company now have under fence 20,000 acres of land, and about 2,000 acres are eligible for cultivation, utilized for the raising of timothy and clover hay, in which line they have large annual yields, having the entire homestead ranch under effective irrigation. They are making the raising of high-grade cattle their great specialty and in this line have done much to forward this great industry in the state, having the choicest of Hereford stock and operating upon a large scale. They were the first to inaugurate the system of keeping cattle sheltered during the winters, in place of allowing them to forage on the range, as the usual custom has been in Montana. The Catlin brothers are young men of distinctive ability and sterling character, and they add to the honors won by their reverend father in his long and useful life.

REV. PHILIP S. BUCK, of Creston, Flathead county, Mont., is a man of great force of character and devout religious convictions, who exemplifies by his daily walk and practice his firm faith in the truth of his tenets, for which he has labored much, endured much and contributed much of time, ability and worldly possessions. He is a native of Edwardsburg, in the province of Ontario, Canada, where he was born March 18, 1833, the son of Stephen W. and Catherine (Kingsland) Buck. His grandfather, Miles Buck, was of Puritan stock, domiciled in Massachusetts from the earliest days of the colony. He came from Sorel, Quebec, to Johnstown, Ontario, as one of the first pioneers, a hard-working black- smith, and a man of fixed religious principles. Stephen Buck, his son and the father of our sub- ject, was a life-long resident of Edwardsburg, where he died in 1889, aged eighty-one years. His wife was born in Johnstown, N. Y., and sur- vived her husband eight years, dying in 1896, at the patriarchal age of eighty-seven. Her family, the Kingslands, have long been prominent in the Mo- hawk valley and northern New York, and the famı- ily tree is intertwined, in different places, with those of the Schuyler, Van Rensselaer and other

leading Knickerbocker families. This devout couple were the parents of nine children, of whom George S. Buck, of Kalispell, and our subject are the only ones resident in Montana.

Rev. Philip S. Buck was educated in excellent Canadian schools, remained with his parents until he was of age, then learned the trade of stone and brickmason, which he has diligently followed dur- ing the greater portion of his life. On Christmas day, 1855, in his twenty-third year, he was united in marriage with Miss Sarah A. Heller, daugliter of John and Cornelia Heller, in Scott county, Iowa, which was his home for ten years.

Always religious in his nature, in 1856 Mr. Buck connected himself with the Disciples Society, al- though an Adventist in belief from early child- hood. His preparation for the ministry began prior to the Civil war, in fact may be traced back to boyhood's days, when he was diligently search- ing the Scriptures for light on the mysterious problem of human existence and man's relation to his Maker. His pulpit ministrations and pastoral . services began in 1865, when he was called as pastor of a church at Alden, Iowa. After this two-years relation he was in various pastorates for a number of years, including important charges in Cascade, Dubuque county, Jackson county, Iron Hill, Manchester, Delaware county, near Maquoketa and at a number of other points, and interspersed with these pastoral labors were twelve years of continuous activity in missionary work. Later he was pastor of the Woodland church, in Decatur county, Iowa, and then for three years in charge of evangelistic work at Nod- away .. Following this, from about 1876, came five years mission and evangelistic work in South Dakota. Probably no missionary connected with any society, whose labors have been along frontier lines, ever gave himself up more unreservedly or faithfully to his work than did our devoted subject. With him his sacred calling was a matter of con- science. All his life a student of one book, the Bible, he seemed to turn a hidden light on its pages, and the illumination is so clear to him he dares not refuse to try to show to others. Broad and liberal in spirit, he is above sectarian narrow- ness, and sees all denominations as children of one heavenly father, who should form a grand union of brotherly love. The salient points of his relig- ious belief are fully set forth in his exposition of faith appended to this sketch, and written sub- stantially by himself.

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Mr. Buck's first wife died in February, 1882, leaving six children, of whom three, Frank W., Charles and Elmer, are residents of Flathead coun- ty. His second marriage took place in August, 1883, when Miss Margaret Newlin, a native of Mercer county, Mo., but then residing in Decatur county, Iowa, became his wife. They have one child, Lena Grace Buck. He is a Republican in political affiliation, but has left official station for others to seek and hold. His connection with Flathead county began in 1892, he coming to Columbia Falls on June 12 of that year to join his sons, who had preceded him to the valley. Four days after his arrival he took up his residence at Creston, where he now lives, and has given his energies to making a home for himself and family out of the fine natural conditions of the locality, at the same time ministering to the spiritual needs of various places as occasion arises and duty demands. He has won and holds the esteem and confidence of all the best people within the circle of his ac- quaintance and commands the universal respect of the community in which he lives.

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Progressive men of the state of Montana, pt 2, Part 63

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