The Huffman's: Ad sold the stock and Cos put it on the books

The Huffman's Grocery Store

A merchant and political family that were promoter’s of Granite County without exception are the Huffman’s. 

Addison Sanders Huffman was born in Hillsville, Virginia on May 17, 1858 and arrived in Montana around 1884. The first newspaper ad found was in the Butte Daily Miner January 1, 1888 advertising C.B. Hauser and Company wholesale liquor dealers of Philipsburg, Montana with the owners listed as C.B. Houser, John P. Reins and A.S. Huffman. A. S. served on the Executive Committee of the Democratic party in 1888. 

In 1889 A.S married Lucy Burks daughter of Mr. and Mrs. George Burks. She died in 1916.

In March of 1889, A.S. was elected president of the Business Men’s Club. In that same issue of the Mail Ad had vacated the office of license collector. Next was an ad in the Anaconda Standard on December 25, 1890 and then weekly for liquor, wines and cigars for A.S. Huffman and Company. Ad was a staunch democrat so did not advertise in the Philipsburg Mail at this time. 

By 1891 “excavation for a foundation and cellar area was in progress for A.S. Huffman and Company who intended to erect a brick building 30X95 feet as quickly as possible.” The construction was happening on Broadway at the same time as Doe, McLeod, Morse and A.A. McDonald were constructing brick buildings. 

Also August 16, 1891 wife Lucy (Burks) gave birth to a ten pound son (Rodney). He joined his sister Mary (1889-1982) always called Mae. Brother Carroll was born in 1901. 

In 1892, Cosmo T. Huffman age twenty two ( brother of A.S.) arrived in Philipsburg and joined A.S. in the business named Freyschlag, Huffman and Company which was a general merchandise store located in Granite and Philipsburg. Sadly, when the silver crash occurred in 1893 the Company had to sale inventory at one-third off. Then, “Freyschlag, Huffman and Company, was closed by attachment last Thursday night (September 28, 1893) and that extensive establishment is now in the hands of the sheriff.” The First National bank had claims against the store for $67,000. Josiah Merrell paid $17,500 for stock in the Philipsburg store; $7500 for stock in the Granite store; $300 for eight horses and $2,000 for stock in a warehouse. The buildings were to be sold later and the estimated total worth of the sale was set at not less than $200,000. A.S. had three thousand shares of stock for the Sunrise Mine advertized for sale after the above sheriff sale. 

In the January 10, 1894 Citizen Call there were delinquent taxes listed for Huffman, A.S. and J.H. (should be J.S.) Lot 2, Block 11, Pardee/McDonald Addition; Huffman, Forin and Rains Improvements in the Sea Mew Lode; Huffman Brothers and Rains lot 10, Block 14 and 15; Lot 10, block 19. one house with fixtures and two houses in the McDonald/Pardee Addition. In the same issue was “Judge Huffman is temporarily settled into his new office in the Hyde Building.” 

He also advertized as a Notary. Addison was the second Granite County Assessor with a salary of $450 in June of 1895. He was also appointed by Philipsburg Mayor Valentine Jacky as Registry Agent in July 1895. In 1896 Addison was the Democratic for sheriff and lost. Addison was an incorporator for the Philipsburg Fire Brigade in June of 1896 and elected as one of their Trustees in 1897. Addison and brother Jasper were two of the eighty plus men from Granite County who volunteered for the Spanish American War in May 1898. During this same period Ad was elected Sentinel for the Hope Chapter No. 10 of the Royal Association of Masons. Cosmos was also active in the Masons. 

In 1897 Cosmo, Addison and Jasper bought out Lutey Brother’s Grocery and thus began the Huffman Grocery store on Broadway. All three of the brothers were involved in mining with Cosmo in charge of the Patten Mill for several years and patented the Mountain View Mine at Georgetown in 1901. 

Cosmo married Elizabeth Bowen December 18, 1902. They had three daughters: Dora, Florence and Elza. Cosmo died August 1, 1922. Elizabeth died aged 100 in 1978. 

Jasper elected County Assessor in 1906 was also supportive of “Women’s right to vote”. He died in California after thirty five years at Philipsburg in 1927. 

Ad was active in the store with sons Rod and Carroll until his death October 3, 1934. As Sandbar Brown stated in his eulogy: “Ad sold the goods and Cos put it on the books—where much of it was to remain forever. But what of it! These brothers left behind a reputation for honesty, integrity and humaneness that is an immortal gift to but few.” 

In June of 1900 C.T. (Cosmo) Huffman expanded the grocery store by renting a room from Valentine Jacky and about that same time he purchased the William Neu residence on the north side. The news article stated that as soon as the Neu’s moved to Kalispell Cos was going to take possession and furnish the house for his brother. 

Credit was extended in large amounts by the grocery and when the mining cycles were in a downturn it would be noted in the newspaper that purchases were going to be cash only. I believe that they always extended credit to the ranchers though. The fact being that these bills were paid when the cattle were sold. I know that even the children were allowed to “put things on the account” without any question. 

On October 11, 1912 a tragedy occurred at the Sapphire Mines camp that involved Jeff Huffman. Jeff, son of John (Hillsville, Virginia) and nephew of Ad, Cosmo, Reuben and Jasper had arrived in Montana in 1910 and went to work on the Durfee ranch. During the summer of 1912 he started work on the West Fork Flume. Apparently Bert Crysler, the cook for the Sapphire Mines had been having a problem with a “Finlander” and this morning had ran out of the mess tent to an adjoining tent and retrieved a rifle from under Huffman’s bed. Bert knew where the rifle was as he had used it for hunting when not busy cooking. “As Crysler ran back out of the tent he met Huffman coming into the tent and shot him dead thinking he was the “Finlander.” Bert had been cooking at the camp for about a month and prior to this had conducted the restaurant at the rear of the Combination Saloon in Philipsburg. Bert was being held in custody at the camp and Jeff’s Uncle Reuben, Sheriff Frank D. Morse and Coroner Frank D. Sayrs were on their way to hold an inquest and bring the body to town. 

The next article found about the shooting was April 4, 1913. The person originally involved in the argument with Bert Crysler was Stan Thompson. Stan found fault with his lunch bucket and poured out some coffee. This enraged Crysler and he ran to get the gun. Apparently Huffman was present when the argument occurred and followed Crysler in an attempt to talk him out of shooting Stan. Huffman and Crysler were good friends and the shooting was probably accidental. “It is a very sad case and due to the prominence of the dead man’s relatives is attracting more than usual attention.” stated the Mail. 

The jury returned a verdict of not guilty and the defendant was discharged from custody. Bert was listed as a registered voter in November 1912 with the address of West Fork of Rock Creek, but research has failed to provide any other mention of him. 

Addison was elected County Commissioner in 1912 and served until 1928 when he lost the election to J.F. Shoblom. 

Ad’s son Rodney left for service in World War I in April of 1918 and returned to Philipsburg in January 24, 1919. He was the first Granite County boy to return directly from the battlefield. “On his coat sleeve he wears a gold bar, showing that he was injured in fighting, another gold bar for actual service and a third indicating his discharge from the service. His army life consisted of only eight months but the experiences were sufficient for a lifetime.” 

There is a picture in the December 26, 1963 Philipsburg Mail of Carroll and Rodney Huffman proudly showing off the Huffman Grocery Store expansion just completed by Bryan Hynes and Carl Maehl. The article stated “The proprietor’s of Huffman grocery, the oldest grocery store of the same name and same family are proud of this new facility and the future prosperity of the community is reflected in their investment.” 

The grocery business and life continued on. Carroll, born in 1901 died in 1988; wife Helen (Roe) died in 1952. Their children were: William, Carol (Haile), and Geraldine (Mickey). 

Rodney, born in 1891 died in 1971; wife Estelle “Star”(Neu) died in 1987. To this marriage was born Dorothy (Sorenson), (Dr.)Clifford and Gay (Fischer). 

Mary “Mae” (Huffman) Bowen’s (1889-1982) children were Leonard and Lucy Mae. 

Cosmo’s daughter Dora V. will be discussed in a separate article.

Florence married Francis Scott Neal and their children were Steven, Virginia and Francis. 

Elza graduated from U of M and was a Librarian in Billings. 

The store was sold to Tom and Carol Huckaby in probably 1972. They sold to Joanne and Phil Price, from Pennsylvania in 1981. Price’s moved the store to the west side of town in 1991 where it has continued business under the Huffman name with multiple owners.