Angus Alexander "Red Mac" McDonald

 

Another pioneer of Philipsburg was Angus Alexander McDonald, known as “Red Mac”. He was woven into all the fabric that created and helped Philipsburg survive. Angus came from a branch of the McDonald (MacDonald) family that emigrated from Scotland to Canada about 1775. 

Born August 15, 1842 in Alexandria, Glengary County, Ontario Canada, he came to Montana in either 1862 (obituary) or 1864 ( Pioneer Society). A.A. was successful in all of his endeavors, be it banking, ranching, mining or politics and he amassed a large fortune. His advice was sought after and valued. 

The first mining property I found him buying was in the monetary publications for Deer Lodge County in 1882: “February 6-John Ulery to Angus McDonald, for $850.50, undivided one-half of Mountain Boy Quartz Lode, undivided one-third of Ranchero Quartz Lode and undivided one-fourth Bowie Quartz Lode and undivided one-half Emerald Quartz Lode, all in Flint Creek Mining District. Sale made February 1.(New Northwest, March 10,1882). 

While collecting mining interests, A.A. built himself many enterprises and was always ready to develop new ones. In 1895 he went into partnership with L.C. Degenhart and Joseph J. Appel under the name of Flint Creek Meat Co. They opened a retail meat business on December 23, in the Hynes Building next to McLeod’s Shoe store. Ads in the Mail, stated they had a first class line of fresh, salted and smoked meats, consisting of beef, pork, veal, mutton, hams, bacon, poultry and fish; pickled and canned meats and dressed beef.. A.A. was the president, L.C. the treasurer and Joseph the manager. 

Articles in the Helena Independent in 1885, show where he was in Helena attending to business connected to the Diamond Hill Gold property, of which he was the principal owner. He had been offered $40,000 for the property, but would sell it for $200,000. Then in the same issue of the Helena Independent was an article stating: “Angus A. McDonald, a Philipsburg banker, is in the city today. His mission here is to meet a millwright from the coast whom he will let a contract for a forty stamp mill, which is to be erected on a gold proposition known as the Diamond Hill, in Indian or St. Louis Gulch…He has a small mill now working the ore, but finds it insufficient …The mine has been producing with this small mill as much as $400 a day” 

Angus and his wife bought the property owned by Northern Pacific Railroad in 1896 on Sansome Street and built the McDonald Opera House for a sum of $30,000. In 1916, I found where Otto Rinderknecht who had been in charge of the Opera House, surrendered management to Mrs. A.A. McDonald. The new manager was to be Angus Jr. Obviously this was A.A.’s nephew nicknamed “Sandy”, as Mr. and Mrs. McDonald did not have children. 

In 1889, A.A. was elected County Commissioner of Deer Lodge County and held that office until Granite County was created in 1893. At the closing of 1895, the Merchants’ and Miner’s Bank had capital of $50.000 with A.A. the president, F.J. Wilson vice-president, C.H. Eshbaugh cashier, C.E. Hymer assistant cashier and the Board of Directors were: M. E. H. Gannon, L.C. Degenhart, F.M. Durfee and August Greenheck. The assessed taxes in 1896 for the Merchant and Miners Bank were $784.86 and for A.A., as an individual they were $565.65. The Merchants’ and Miner’s National Bank went into receivership September, 1897 and the district court was presented the: “petition… to sell personal property. The property to be sold consists of the burglar proof safe and check punch, for which the H.I. Weinstein Company has made a bid of $508.00.” 

From about 1900 until his death, numerous articles state A.A. returned from a visit at his ranch on Willow Creek.. A.A. died April 2, 1910, at his home from pneumonia. Diagnosed with pleurisy one week prior, he became increasingly ill and when it was determined he had pneumonia, everything possible was done for the ill man, but to no avail. 

A. A. served as City Alderman, besides being the Mayor of Philipsburg and prior to his death had again been re-elected to the position of Mayor. He held membership in the Selish Tribe Improved Order of Red Men; Hellgate Lodge B.P.O.E.; the Montana Society of Pioneers and was a member of the Board of Managers for the Montana State Fair. Survivors were: his wife Susie, a niece and several nephews (not named in the obituary). The funeral was held at St. Philip’s Catholic Church and “was the largest ever seen in this city”. As a further mark of esteem, business houses throughout the city closed their doors during the funeral and everybody turned out to pay their respects. Unfortunately. I do not have any pictures of angus in my possession.

Historian and Postmaster: Clara McDonel

Clara Dell McDonel was born on June 6, 1879, in Philipsburg. She graduated from Granite County High School with the first graduating class of 1898. Her parent’s, Charles and Elizabeth McDonel moved to Montana in 1871, with their first two children: Robert and Mary. 

Charles was born on March 9, 1837 in Ireland and came to the United States at the age of seven. The family settled at Beetown, Wisconsin. As a young adult he came to California in 1862, then returned to his hometown and married Elizabeth Hammond. Charles died on August 28, 1906, after a short illness, at his home on Montgomery Street. He was taken ill after dinner at the Hotel on Sunday, where he ate cucumbers and ice cream. A physician was promptly called, but complications set in and he died on Tuesday. He had a history of kidney problems and had been weak since suffering pneumonia, two years before. Survivors were his wife, Elizabeth, son Robert, currently chief of Police and daughters: Miss Clara of Philipsburg and Mrs. John (Mary) Cole of Anaconda. Rev. A.S. Buell of St. Paul Methodist Church performed the service at the home of his brother James on Broadway.. (His brother James was the first Mayor of Philipsburg and died at the age of eighty four at his niece, Clara Dell McDonel’s home, November 18, 1927.) 

Clara’s mother Elizabeth, owned a millinery and Notions Store and in 1893 published a notice in the Philipsburg Mail stating “Mrs. E. McDonel would respectfully request those parties who have been stealing her wood for the past winter to please discontinue the practice, now that spring is approaching.” She obviously was an astute business woman with frequent sale ads in the local papers stating hats all at half price. Born in Tunkhannock, Pennsylvania on November 23, 1846 to Mr. and Mrs. William Hammond, she married Charles McDonel during 1871, in Wisconsin. They left for the west, after the wedding, with a team of oxen and settled in Deer Lodge. Later they moved to Pioneer and then to Philipsburg in 1879. In her later years, she was the constant companion of her daughter Clara Dell McDonel. Elizabeth died at the age of seventy, from a heart condition on January 3, 1917, at the family home. Survivors were: son Robert, daughters: Clara and Mrs. John (Mary) Cole of Anaconda; nine grandchildren: John Elizabeth, Florence, Fan and Cathryn Cole of Anaconda, Mrs. C. C. Baker, Eva (May), Harold and Robert McDonel Jr., of Philipsburg; three sisters: Mrs. Joseph Hyde, of Seattle, Mrs. William Coleman, of Deer Lodge and Mrs. W.J. Matthews, of Butte; and one brother Mr. T.A. Hammond of Bloomington, Wisconsin. Elizabeth is buried next to Charles in the Philipsburg cemetery. 

Miss Clara was very active in government affairs, including serving as Deputy Clerk of Court in 1901 and was nominated as Post Master of Philipsburg in April of 1916. She served in that position through WWI, but I have not been able to determine when or why she left the position. Clara ran for the office of County Superintendent of Schools in 1928, against long-term office holder, Lottie Irvine. Clara won the election 832 votes to 560. She ran unopposed the 1930 and 1932 election. She was President of the Sons and Daughters of Montana Pioneers of Granite County, for many years plus served as their Granite County historian. Clara was the retiring Chief of Honor, in Hope Lodge No.7 on July 14, 1899, so must have been active at a very young age, being only twenty when she retired the position of Chief of Honor. 

In Albert Blumenthal’s book “Small Town Stuff”, he named a local woman Clara McDenry “…who is becoming recognized as the local historian…who witnessed the Golden Age which immediately preceded the panic of 1893”. Obviously this was the fictionalized name he gave to Clara, recognizing that she kept the towns history alive, during her lifetime. 

Clara died on March 11, 1933. The Women of Woodcraft, held a service at her home on Monday evening. Tuesday the cortege took the body to the First Methodist Episcopal Church, where Rev. McKnight officiated at an elaborate service. Last rites were said at the Philipsburg cemetery. 

Clara’s sister, Mary married the first sheriff of Granite County, John Cole. Her brother, Robert owned fine race horses and served as Marshall of Philipsburg 1895-1896 and was Chief of Police in 1906. 

 In the same issue of the Mail, as Clara’s death notice, it was reported thirty eight feet of snow had fallen at the Milwaukie Railway east portal on the Montana-Idaho border; also the 1933 Memorial Day celebration was held in the McDonald Theatre, because one foot of snow fell the day before.

 

                    Fan Titus McKenzie (Harrington) and son Forrest "Toasty" from 1976 Montana Standard

One of the joys of doing historical research is when a search about one person reveals a whole bunch of inter-relationships! I have always said that at one time most everyone in Philipsburg was related either by blood, marriage or shirt-tails. I have long known that Frances (Fan) Harrington was the daughter of Henry Forrest Titus, but did not know much about him. 

Henry was a very intelligent man, born in New Hampshire on February 2, 1857. He received his education at Kimball Union Academy in Meriden and then studied Law in Boston and came west to Helena in 1880, where he formed a law partnership with Judge Atkinson. In 1884, he moved to Philipsburg and was appointed Principal of the public schools. In 1885, Henry married Miss Sarah Burks, who was teaching in the schools. After one year, he resumed his law practice and was elected County Attorney in 1888 and served 2 years. In May of 1892, Henry was elected Mayor of Philipsburg and on March 20, 1893 he died of pneumonia at his home. Survivors were: wife Sarah, daughter Frances age 5 and son Forrest about one year old. 

Needless to say, Mrs. H.F. Titus was in need of a job. She returned to teaching and according to the October 30, 1895 Citizen Call, operated a private school in Philipsburg, when the area was without a school for a short period of time. The 1900 Federal Census shows Sarah had married John Harris and returned to being a housewife. Sarah died of Ovarian Cancer at St. Anne’s Hospital in Anaconda on December 12, 1936. Survivor’s were her husband John and the two children. 

Sarah’s father, George W. Burks, was involved in the apparel business and married Francis (Fannie) Wheeler September 20, 1860 in Mason County, Illinois. To the Burks was born: Sarah (June 28, 1861); Edward (?), George Orin (Nov.14, 1875), Frederick (1872-1945) and Lucy (1856-May 28, 1916). By 1900, the Federal Census shows George in Philipsburg, and we know Sarah married Henry in 1885; Lucy came to Montana in 1888 and married Addison Huffman in 1889; Frederick was Sheriff of Granite County 1916-1024; George O. worked for the Huffman Grocery in 1899. Therefore, somewhere between 1880 and 1900 at least five of the Burks’ arrived in Montana. 

Research has failed to find the death of Fannie. George was still working as a boot and shoe dealer in the 1880 Illinois Federal Census. Until this research, I failed to connect that Lucy, George O., Fred and Sarah were siblings, thus making the large Huffman family part of Fan Titus Harrington’s extended family. Fan would have been twenty nine when her aunt Lucy died after a gallbladder surgery. Survivors were husband Ad, sons: Rodney and Carroll and daughter Lottie. 

Frances “Fan” was born in Havana, Illinois February 14, 1887, so Sarah must have returned to her parents home to give birth to her. Fan’s brother, Forrest was born in Montana four years later. She married Roderick McKenzie, son of John R. McKenzie in 1909 and to this marriage was born Forrest “Toasty” in Idaho (Sept.18,1909-Sept.11,1971) Fan was widowed with an infant when Roderick, while working as a railroad engineer near Frenchtown, was killed on June 9, 1910. His funeral was in Philipsburg. 

I am uncertain what Fan did for a living before she married Jess Harrington June 16, 1920. The 1930 Federal Census shows Jess, Fan, and Toasty with Sally Storer, (16 year old niece of Jess) and Addison Harris, (22 year old adopted brother-in-law of Jess), also living in their household. 

Research revealed a fire at the Harrington house June 26, 1929. The loss was insured for $1,000 and the damage totaled $4,000. The fire was seen by Toasty on his way home; Fan was at the theatre and Jess was at work at the Mill (about three blocks from the home) when the fire broke out. The town came forward to assist the family as they lost everything, but the clothes on their backs. 

Fan was widowed again when Jess died in 1937. Over the years she had started collecting pictures and history of the area and by 1939 was holding picture album parties at her home. She became the librarian and wrote numerous articles for the Philipsburg Mail. Old timer’s remember parents sitting for her interviews. The June 5, 1976, Montana Standard carried a picture of Fan and Toasty with columns of history told by Fan. 

Her son, Forrest “Toasty’ served in WWII and Korea and married Anna Mason (also a veteran) from Hall in 1946. Children were: Rod and twins: Don and Dan. Dan died shortly after birth. 

Fan collected history of the area until her death from ovarian cancer on December 12, 1961. 

I have been fortunate to receive a large amount of her collected pictures in the recent months.