Chapter Seven
Patriots of Granite County: From Civil War through World War I
Civil War Veterans
The
history of patriotism in Montana is well documented. Prior to immigration to
Montana a large portion of the population was involved in the Civil War. This
is apparent in the disagreement over the name of the first territorial capital.
Varina
was the name chosen by some of the Confederate sympathizer’s among the miners;
even though they were far removed from the battlefields of the Civil War these
men were, for the most part, intensely interested in the conflict and had
definite allegiances. Since Jefferson Davis was as much a hero to those whose
sympathies were with the south as Abraham Lincoln was to the others, it
occurred to the town company to name the new camp after Davis’s wife. The
papers were presented to Dr. Bissell (Giles Gaylord Bissell of Connecticut had
been named Judge on June 12, 1863), whose sympathies were just as strong for
the northern cause. According to the Bissell family legend, the doctor struck
his makeshift desk and exclaimed, “I’ll be damned if I’ll sign it that way”.
Crossing out Varina he substituted Virginia, allegedly with the further remark
that “…no such blot as this shall stain the honor of the camp.[i]
Other
definite feelings, regarding the beliefs of the north and south, were apparent
in the Montana Territorial Assembly of 1872. Section 34 stated: "The
education of children of African descent shall be provided for in separate schools…"[ii]
Plus the
Montana Legislature passed, without comment the following law:
Every
white male inhabitant over the age of twenty one years, who shall have paid or
be liable to pay any district tax, shall be a legal voter at any school
meeting, and no other person shall be allowed to vote.[iii]
The
interesting fact is, individual opinion was allowed to be held, while the hardy
individuals worked for the common good, of the land they were settling.
Tombstones in the Philipsburg Cemetery, Valley Cemetery and newspaper
obituaries, attest to the presence of military men living in Granite County,
who served in the early military and Civil War:
One of the first research found was John
Jeffrey. He died at his home in Granite Thursday April 18, 1890 of inflammation of
the heart. A native of Cornwall England he came to Canada as a youth. He
married Emma Will (?? unable to read) 1878 and they had three children[iv]. There is
no mention in his brief obituary about serving in the civil war, but his
headstone in the Philipsburg cemetery is a Veterans headstone.
Another
early veteran was John Hart Williams, born February 16, 1842 near Richmond,
Virginia (his death notice says Kentucky). He was the oldest of four children,
but his obituary does not identify the names of his parents. His father died in
1848 and one year later his mother moved with the children to Missouri. At the
age of nineteen, John enlisted in the Confederate Army and served throughout
the war. In 1865 he came west across the plains and located in upper Deer Lodge
valley where he took up a ranch on Racetrack creek and engaged in ranching and
stock raising.[v]
He
married Annie Butcher in Colorado in 1877 and they raised one son and two
daughters. About twenty years before his death, they sold the ranch and moved
into Deer Lodge, for a short time, then moved to Philipsburg, where he worked
in numerous positions, in the mines of Granite County. During the winter of
1912/13, he suffered from pneumonia and was not well after that. Seeking
medical care, he had traveled to Deer Lodge, in July and died there, on August
26. After a funeral at the Christian Church, he was interred in the Deer Lodge
cemetery, on August 28. He was a lifelong member of the Christian Church; a
Democrat; a member of the United Confederate Veteran’s and The Society of
Montana Pioneers. Survivors were: his wife Annie of Philipsburg; daughter Miss
Lucille Williams of Philipsburg; daughter Mrs. Harry A. Miller of Livingston
and son Lytle L. Williams, an electrical engineer in Lewistown, Montana.
A
veteran who was an active person in early Montana history was Reverend George
W. Jenkins. Born September 9, 1836 in Minersville, Pennsylvania to English
parents, he spent his early years in Jackson County, Iowa, then in 1861,
enlisted in Company M, Second Calvary and served until 1864, in the Civil War.
He married Sarah E. King on December 28, 1865, at Andrew, Iowa. Employed as a
newspaper man, he was granted his license to preach on August 13, 1859. The
family came to Montana in 1888, where he spent his first five years, in the
Methodist pastorate in Philipsburg and Granite and erected the churches in both
places, plus the parsonage in Philipsburg. He also conducted religious services
at Rumsey during this time.[vi]
He was
serving his second year, as Pastor in Marysville, Montana, when he died four
days before his sixty fifth birthday, on September 5, 1901. The Reverend was a
member of Burnside Post Number 22 Grand Army of the Republic (G.A.R.) and all
the old soldiers of Philipsburg attended his funeral.
The Reverend was the father of six children. One daughter Mrs. G. S. Williams, preceded him in death
in 1896. The other children were: Miss Cora, Wm. S., Mrs. D.R. McRae, Mrs. J.J.
Carmichael, Miss Belle and foster-daughter, Mrs. C.M. Oates of Fairmont,
Nebraska. His daughter Maria had married John J. Carmichael, at the Methodist
Parsonage with her father presiding on December 31, 1896. Albert
Tinklepaugh and Lon Gammon, from the lower valley, helped tend to the arrangements
of the military service and served as pallbearers, along side of Lawrence
Pence, L.C. Degenhart, J.K. Pardee, and J.A. Mathews, all G.A.R. members, at
the internment in the Philipsburg cemetery.
Research of the newspapers found where Jenkins daughter Mrs. J.J. Carmichael
of Seattle, came to Philipsburg to celebrate the fifty year anniversary, of the
St. Paul Methodist Episcopal church,, in 1937. She stated that her father had built this church, and gave the roll call
of all the pastor’s that had served in the church from it’s inception. Her closing remarks were a
brief summary of the contributions of each to the welfare of the church.[vii]
Of the pallbearers spoken about in the previous obituary, Gammon, Pence, and Matthews are not
buried in the Philipsburg cemetery, nor is Pardee. But Joseph and Ruby (Schoonover) Pardee are
buried there. They are the son and daughter-in-law of J.K.Pardee, and were
married in 1904. Refer to the Ranches around Philipsburg in Book II, for more
on their daughter.
Research reveals that J.K. and his wife
moved away from Granite County about 1902.
Prior to that time I find that J.K. came to Granite in 1874, to look at
property for Hon. A.B. Nettleton and gave such a positive report of the area,
Nettleton paid off the bond he and his friends owed for the property and hired
Pardee as the resident manager of the newly formed North West Company, located
at Tower. He was elected Granite County Treasurer, January 1, 1897 and was one
of the many Granite County residents, who volunteered for the Spanish American
War. Plus J.K. was a frequent topic in the Philipsburg Mail, in 1899, during the
prospecting, promoting and development of the Iron Mountain and Iron Tower
mines, in Missoula County. These mines were located east of Superior, opposite the mouth of Cedar Creek, at the big bend
in Missoula River (Clark Fork).
Later that year, J.K. Pardee departed
for Sumpter, Oregon, to give attention to the operations on the “Diadem”, a
mine he had purchased. According to press reports Mr. Pardee was on his way to
become a millionaire mine owners, because the Diadem was said to be one of the
best mines, in eastern Oregon.[viii]
His wife Mary Pardee died at Gladstone,
Oregon on March 25, 1914 after an extended illness, when over seventy years of
age. J.K. took his own life by shooting himself on May 18, 1914:
…due to a spell of despondency over
the death of his wife only a month ago and to his defeat in the republican
primaries last Friday for the nomination for county treasurer…
The obituary goes on to detail he was born
in New York State, then came to Montana after serving in the Civil War in the
1860’s and settled in Philipsburg. Known as the most prominent mining man in
the state at one time, he built the Algonquin Mill, at Hasmark, was a business
opponent of the Granite Mountain Company and a man thoroughly respected by
business associates and competitors alike. He was in charge of the Speckled
Trout mine and had interest in various other mines in the district, with the
most important (promotions), the Iron Mountain Company, of Missoula. In 1881,
Mr. Pardee was a member of the Montana Territorial Council, and voted to divide
Deer Lodge County, creating Silver Bow; served one term as Treasurer of Granite
County, then moved to Missoula. In 1906, he was Postmaster at Plains being
appointed by President (Teddy) Roosevelt. After one term, he retired, disposed
of his property in Philipsburg and located at Gladstone, Oregon, where he has
been engaged in mining and political interests.
The obituary, also discussed
his ardent republican views, describing his frequent attendance, in Helena, at
the legislature. Survivors were: son Joseph T. who worked for the U.S.
Geological Survey and hiss wife, in Washington, D.C. J.K. was believed to be about
seventy two years old at the time of his death.[ix]
Another Civil War veteran spoken of in
a previous paragraph was Albert Tinklepaugh.
Born in Canada June 8, 1845, he immigrated to the United States as a
young child and resided in Wisconsin and later Minnesota. During the Civil War,
Albert enlisted in Volunteer Company K of Minnesota and received an honorable
discharge, at the end of the War. He came to Montana in 1880, located in Hall,
first on a ranch and then due to poor health opened up a merchandise store,
which he operated until a few years before his death. He was Postmaster of Hall
and an organizer of the Granite County Bank, in Hall. He was President, of the
Bank when he died on June 21, 1920, at his home.
Survivors were: his wife, a daughter
Mrs. M.C. Ross of Philipsburg, a son, Freeman A., of Hall, a brother, Charles,
of Hall and two sisters, Mrs. Duncan Dingwall of Drummond and Mrs. Ella Barker
of Rollins, Montana. After a service in the Methodist Church, in Hall, Masonic
services were conducted at the Valley Cemetery, by Ruby Lodge Number 36 A.F.
& A.M., of. Drummond.[x]
Lawrence Pence, died November 14, 1916
of tubercular bronchitis after being ill several months. A native of Ohio, he
was around seventy six years old. He was a veteran and member of G.A.R. but
there were no record of the regiment or state he served from. A resident of
Philipsburg, for about 15 years at the time of his death, he was a miner, had
never married and had no relatives in the area.
There is no mention of where or how he was buried and there is no headstone
or file card on record of his burial, in the Philipsburg Cemetery.[xi]
A veteran spoken of frequently through out
this Book is L.C. Degenhart. He was born June 13, 1843 in Dingelstadt, state of
Prussia and came to the United States with his parents at the age of one year.
They settled in Fountain, Wisconsin, where Lee joined the Wisconsin Volunteer
Army when the Civil War started, and served in Company F of the Sixth Regiment
as a Corporal under Captain Henry Schildts. He was honorably discharged on July
14, 1865 near Jeffersonville, Indiana, then returned to Wisconsin and joined in
the harness trade with his brother Peter. In 1868, he started for Montana, by
boat and traveled the Missouri River to Fort Benton, then followed a pack train
to Helena and then on to Philipsburg. At the end of his trip he owned a saddle
horse and twenty five cents in silver. He began farming and freighting between
Helena, Philipsburg, Deer Lodge and the Bitter Root. Lee, married Mary Ellen
O’Neil, the daughter of Hugh and Margaret O’Neil, on December 31, 1877, and was
very involved in the building of Philipsburg, banking and business aspect as
well as ranching. He owned and raced many horses and was frequently spoken of
in the news papers as he raced his horses in Granite and surrounding counties.
He retired from active ranching on his ranch a mile south west of Philipsburg
in 1913, leaving his son Chris to run the ranch.
Lee was one of three remaining G.A.R.
members. The other two were Robert M. Anderson of Hall and John Perriman of
Drummond. Lee also belonged to the Society of Montana Pioneers. Mr. Anderson
had visited Lee shortly before his death and they had agreed that whoever died
first the other would carry the old post flag for the funeral. Unfortunately
Mr. Anderson did not receive word of Lee’s death until Monday evening and was
unable to get to Philipsburg in time for the funeral at 10 am on Tuesday March
31.
The cause of Lee's death on Wednesday March
25, 1922 was from injuries received when his horse ran away throwing him from
his cutter and dragging him about seventy five yards. The accident caused him
to break his hip and he received many cuts and scratches. The injuries occurred
near the Post Office on March 8, 1922, and a number of people saw the accident
and took him immediately to Dr. A.C. Knight’s office. On Thursday he was taken
to the Missoula hospital.
Lee’s, last request was to have a
military funeral and that request was honored well. His body was taken from the
family home in South Philipsburg to the St. Philips Church were mass was said
by Rev. D.P. Meade thence the body was removed to the Philipsburg cemetery
where a firing squad under the direction of Leo H. McClellan, fired three
volleys over the grave and Bugler John Burks, played taps.
The pall bearers were from the Granite
County American Legion Post: George Johnson, Robert E. Perey, James Mazza Jr.,
Herman L. Hauck, John Schuh and Walter J. Gannon. The firing squad was Francis
L. Perey, Bert West, Edgar Sprague, Otto McQuesten, Rod Huffman, Willis Belden,
Angus McDonald and Napoleon Bergamaschi. The Spanish American War veteran’s
attending were: Fay Easterly, Wm. B. Calhoun, Fred C. Burks and George Harris.
Survivors were: wife Ellen, sons, Chris
of Philipsburg, Joseph who lived in Washington State and Frank who was a
student at Montana State in Bozeman; daughters, Pearl who was attending
University of Montana in Missoula and Mrs. Harold (Lena) Mitchell of
Philipsburg, plus numerous in-laws from the O’Neil family.[xii]
His son Fredrick died November 9, 1920
at St. Patrick’s Hospital in Missoula following an operation, at the age of
thirty one. Daughter, Lena Degenhart Mitchell, also died at a young age. Born in 1885,
she died in 1929 and was buried in the Mitchell family plot in block nineteen.
Lee is discussed in other chapters through out this book.[xiii]
The next to last G.A.R. member, Robert
M. Anderson, born May 12, 1845, in Springfield, Illinois, entered the Northern
Army December 29, 1863, as a member of Company A, the Seventeenth Minnesota
Cavalry. He served with General Sully at Fort Benton Montana, was involved in
many Sioux encounters in the Badlands of North Dakota and received an honorable
discharge on April 2, 1866. After discharge Robert joined the Masonic Lodge of
LeCrescent, Minnesota, which he belonged to for sixty two years. In 1866, he returned
to Fort Benton, then Helena, then Henderson Gulch and became an expert in
placer miner. Forty years, before his death he took up the career of rancher,
near Hall, where he died at the home of his daughter, Mrs. James Conn, on
December 17, 1928.
The marriage of Robert Anderson and
Eleanor Madden was delayed a day due to a severe storm that detained Father
DeRyckere, and was performed at the Fahey ranch on February 14, 1878. To this
union was born seven children, of which three survived him: Mrs. Florence
Laughrin and Miss Catherine Anderson, of Butte and Mrs. James Conn, of Hall.
Other survivors were: brother William of Minnesota, half sisters: Mrs. L.C.
Stockton of Colorado and Mrs. Effie Emery, of Hamilton Illinois, sister-in-law
Mrs. Susan Kelly, of Missoula, seven grandchildren and two great grandchildren.
Robert was a member of Lincoln Corpse Number 6, of the Grand Army of the
Republic of Butte and the Society of Montana Pioneers. His obituary does not
state where he was buried or anything about a military service.[xiv] Robert does not have a headstone at the Valley Cemetery.
At the time the first edition was written I was unable to find
an obituary for John A. Perriman, one of the last G.A.R. members, of the Civil
War. His headstone in the Valley cemetery states he died at the age of 84 in 1929. Thanks to the "Find a Grave" website the following obituary has been located and was printed in the Montana Standard, October 11, 1929. John A Periman (GAR) Co.I,2 Regstr, Mo.Lt.Arty. Born in Brighten, Missouri July 1845, joined the Union Military as a teen. Age 20 came to Montana and settled on a ranch near Jens. Married Miss Susan Margaret Treadwell (1851-1920) in 1866. They had 12 children. Survivors were: James living in Texarkana, Texas, Charles living in Middleton, California, Oscar (1877-1950) and Estella A. (1880-1942) both of Drummond, John B. (1885-1964) of Anaconda, Lucy J. Coughran of Conrad, Laura E. Bunker (1892-1972), Daniel (David in Family history) (1889-1977) and Mrs. H. L. Harrison residence not listed. Burial was at the Valley Cemetery. James and Charles do not have a birth and death date in "Find a Grave." Deceased children at the time of Johns death were: William Edward (1867-1868), Mary Lillian Hughes (1873-1897), Fanny Christine (1882-1912).
Francis Thomas, born in Pennsylvania in
1833, apparently was a young married man when he enlisted in The Union Army for
the Civil War and was reported killed in action. When the war ended he chose to let the record
stand that he was dead and started for the west, with his arrival in
Philipsburg, in 1871. The obituary stated he was eligible for a pension, but
never applied, nor did he affiliate with the G.A.R. (Grand Army of the
Republic). Family members are unknown but it was assumed he had relatives in
Pennsylvania as he subscribed to a small town Pennsylvania newspaper. He died
at his home, in South Philipsburg, on July 27, 1921 from infirmities of eighty
eight years of age and after a service in the Carmichael Chapel he was interred
in the Philipsburg Cemetery.[xv]
Joseph Case, who died on March 27, 1930 at
the Soldiers Home in Columbia Falls, Montana, was listed as the last surviving
G. A. R. Veteran in Granite County, in his March 28 obituary. Born in
Flemington, New Jersey on May 4, 1846, he enlisted at the age of sixteen in the
Union Army and served with Company C, as a Private, of the Thirty Seventh Regiment in the New
Jersey Infantry, the duration of the Civil War. Several years
after the war he began his trip to the west and in the late 1880’s settled on
lower Rock Creek.
Joe and his common-law wife Annie had a homestead on Rock Creek and
the story about it is discussed in the Rock Creek chapter in Book II. The
obituary stated he sold his ranch to J.W. Meyers, about 1920 and moved into
Philipsburg. Because Joe “Jack” was an ardent sportsman he was known as "Fisher
Jack from the Hogback." On Memorial Day of 1929, he was the last surviving
G.A.R. in the area, so carried the Post Colors and participated in the
Philipsburg Parade. Little is known of his family in the east, except for a
niece Mrs. Eliza Case who lived in Brooklyn, New York. If her name was still
Case, she must have been a niece-in-law. In the Tex Crowley photograph
collection is a picture of Joe, Oscar Perey, Jack Meyers and Joseph Firth. Joe
is of small stature with a trimmed white beard. The homestead property has been
preserved as a historical site and is under the protection of the Missoula
Forest Service.[xvi]
Eilisee E. Thibault was a Corporal in
the 192nd Ohio Infantry and died May 3, 1920. The obituary listed a daughter
Mrs. L.P. Conway of Philipsburg and two sons: Eugene of California and A.A.
residing in Oregon. There was neither birthplace nor age listed in his obituary.
Also no headstone in the Philipsburg Cemetery or file card at City Hall for any
Thibault. Because I catalogued the Philipsburg cemetery before writing this
book, I have come to the assumption that many veterans are buried there as
paupers, so do not have headstones or file cards. Apparently at the time of
their deaths the American Legion was not aware of their service.[xvii]
J.H. Loomis, died March 24, 1914, in
Philipsburg and his obituary listed him as a member of G. A. R, but there is no
mention of his service during the Civil War in the document. He was born at
Saundersville, Mass., on November 7, 1840, was a resident of Philipsburg for
about 25 years; a carpenter by trade but being in poor health for a number of
years he abandoned his occupation. Elected City Treasurer on 1906, he served
four successive terms in the office. His wife died at the age of seventy two on
March 17, 1912. By his request, the Selish Tribe Improved Order of Red Men
performed the burial rites. Pallbearers were: W.B. Calhoun and Thomas Gorman of
the Spanish Veterans and M.D. McDonald, James Sundberg, Rod McRae and Charles
Sprague of the Red Men.[xviii]
Elijah Powell served his country
throughout the Civil War as a member of a Pennsylvania Regiment. He received an
honorable discharge, with membership in the Burnside Post No. 22 G.A.R of
Philipsburg. Born in Chippewa Township, Beaver County, Pennsylvania on September
26, 1845, he died on December 4, 1899, with survivors: wife (Mary E.),
daughters, Lydia Linguist, and Sadie Barrett of Butte; and sons, Charles and
Edward of Philipsburg. He worked as a stone and brick mason and when that trade
became dull he worked as a miner, until his death from pneumonia. The family
resided in the Rosalind district when they arrived in Philipsburg in July 1880,
after traveling west via the Missouri River. No pallbearers are listed, when he
was interred in the Philipsburg Cemetery.[xix]
John A. Spencer, a resident of Montana
from 1892, collapsed and died while waiting on a customer at his store on lower
Broadway on March 1, 1921. Born in Boone County, Indiana on April 9, 1844
(tombstone states 1840), he moved with his parents to St. Paul when he was
seven years of age. His first trip to Montana was in 1865, when he became a
resident of Virginia City, for nineteen years and ran a mercantile store. I
assume this was right after his discharge from the Civil War, but his obituary
does not refer to his military service. Next he lived in Butte, where he also
had a mercantile business, for three years then returned to St. Paul, for two
years, after which he returned to Butte. He moved to Granite the next year and
in 1892, moved his business to Philipsburg.
John, served as Master of both the
Virginia City and Philipsburg Mason’s and was a city councilman, for two terms.
He was survived by a son Clarence C. who recently came from Wallace, Idaho, to
assist in the family business and a sister Mrs. J.S. Yallop, in California.
Masonic services were held at the Temple and the Philipsburg cemetery. Pallbearers were: Angus McDonald, A.S.
Huffman, Lawrence Hauck, John Kaiser, Otis Mersereau and Frank D. Sayrs.
Although nothing is said in his
obituary about a wife, his marriage announcement was in the New Northwest:
Spencer-Welsh: At Highland August 25 1875, at
the residence of the bride’s father, by Rev. R.G. Prout, Mr. John A. Spencer to
Miss Hattie Welsh of Highland.
There are no other Spencer names in the
Philipsburg cemetery so possibly Mrs. Spencer, died prior to John’s move to
Philipsburg.
Research reveals frequent, small ads in
1895 Mail, stating:
John A. Spencer, near N.P. depot,
will take hay and grain in exchange for wagons, carts etc.[xx]
Norman Alexander Eddy, born August 14,
1848, died November 21, 1917 in Parkerville, at his daughter, Mrs. Hanley’s
home. His trade was as a carpenter and was repairing a home, when he died of
probable heart failure. Born in Canada, he came to the U.S. as a small child to
live in Pennsylvania. He had lived in Philipsburg with his daughter for only a
short time. A member of G.A.R., he displayed the Stars and Stripes of his
adopted home conspicuously in his home.
He was preceded in death by his wife,
survivors were: daughter Mrs. Hanley and Mrs. E.J.M. Williams, of Hall. The
funeral was conducted at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Fred Burks (long time friends
of Mr. Eddy), with pallbearers: R.D. McRae, J.A. Harding, H. A. Murphy, W.E.
Albright, Frank Lindsay of Hall and Roy Sprague. L.C. Degenhart a G.A.R.
Veteran was honorary pallbearer, with burial in the Philipsburg cemetery.[xxi]
During preliminary research, I did not
find an obituary for, John Hendrickson Sr., but found one for his son John Jr.,
a Corporal in Co. E, Thirty Seventh Regiment, who drowned on February 24, 1900,
in the Philippines' while serving for the US in the War with Spain. The article
stated that he was twenty seven years of age and survived by a father, a sister
and several brothers, residing at the fathers wood camp, four miles west of
Philipsburg. John Jr. has a headstone in the Philipsburg Cemetery.
While delving for another fact at a
much later date, I found a very short obituary in the February 1, 1901, Philipsburg Mail, for John Sr. that stated
his funeral had taken place on Sunday, January 26, 1901, with services at the
City Hall, by Rev. H.G. Wakefield. GAR, Firemen and City and County officials
attended the funeral and the Philipsburg Silver Cornet Band led the procession
to the cemetery.
The obituary did not state a cause or
date of death, nor list living relatives or pallbearers. There is no headstone
with John Sr., or a file card in City Hall for his burial, but there is a
headstone, south of John and Samuel and next to Viola, inscribed Hendrickson,
with the first name unreadable and no dates.
Thomas Long, born in 1839, died at the
home of his relatives in Galena, Illinois in September, 1917. A tinner by
trade, he operated a tin-shop in Philipsburg, for many years before he settled
a homestead, on Cow Creek, several miles from Hall. He was a G.A.R. veteran and
often entertained his small friends with stories of the battlefield.
The Mail
article goes on to state that he had a very large collection of valuable curios
and for every specimen he had a story to tell. Tom's funeral was at the
Catholic Church with Rev. Father Meade attending and he was buried in the
Philipsburg cemetery with the following pallbearers: Frank Winninghoff, M.E.H.
Gannon, James J. McDonald, Matt Manley, Patrick McGurk, and Barney O’Donnell.[xxii]
Rodney Charles died November 21, 1917
of erysipelas after a short illness. Born June 1, 1843 in Stow, Maine, he lived
in Pennsylvania until his wife died and his daughter, Mrs. H.C. Peterson,
brought him to live with her in Philipsburg.
He was a veteran of the Civil War; a
great reader and student and was generally liked by all who knew him.
The funeral was conducted at his
daughter's home and Methodist Rev. W.H. Calvert conducted the service.
Pallbearers were: E.P. Ballard, Frank Beley, J.W. Holmes, George Cape, C.A.
Russell, and John Ingman. Survivors were sons: Horace Charles of New Mexico and
Perley Charles of Arizona and his daughter Mrs. H. C. Peterson.
J.A. Matthews, I know was a Civil War
Veteran, but I have been unable to find an obituary of his death. He is
discussed through out these chapters.
Paul A. Fusz, described in depth in the
Sapphire chapter, born in Hericourt, France in 1847 to Francis H. and Marie
Regina (Tachaen) Fusz, was brought to St. Louis Missouri when he was six years
of age. He and two friends ran away and joined the Confederate Army when he was
seventeen. He and one of the friends were caught by the Union Army while
smuggling quinine and valuable papers for the confederates and they chewed up
the papers rather than give them to the Union Army. The friend was hanged, but
because Fusz was only seventeen, he was sent to Jefferson City Prison. “One of
President Lincoln’s last official acts was to pardon Fusz”.
Fusz lived in Granite, Montana from
1889, until shortly before his death, when he returned to St. Louis, for
medical care of his pernicious anemia. He was president of the Bi-Metallic
Mining Company which included the American Gem Mining Company on West Fork of
Rock Creek. Burial was in Calvary Cemetery, beside his wife, who had died 20
years prior, in the family plot in St. Louis, Missouri, on February 18, 1910.[xxiii]
Paul is spoken of in other chapters and discussed in depth in Book II in the
Sapphire Mines Chapter.
Charles Weitfle died in the Masonic
Home in the Helena Valley, on January 20, 1921. He held the title of being one of the oldest
Mason’s in Montana. Charles, born in Germany on February 15, 1826, immigrated
to the United States, in 1850 and served in the U.S. Navy with an honorable
discharge in 1859, then served in the Civil War in the Union Army. He was a
noted photographer and received medals for work he did for the Union Pacific
Railroad, while working in Central City, Colorado. He moved to Granite at the
peak of the silver boom in 1892, then, in 1899 he became a bee keeper in Idaho
Falls and continued this career until moving to the Masonic Home in 1914. He
was the Master of the Granite Masonic Lodge for one term. Although survived by
several children and grandchildren, there were no names listed in the obituary.
Charles is memorialized, by his publication of Views of Granite and
Philipsburg and Vicinity[xxiv],
and is spoken of in other chapters of this book.
William Irvine was a miner and
prospector and at the time of his death worked in the mines over thirty years
with his good friend G.B. Ballard. Born in Davis County, Missouri in 1842, he
served in the Confederate Army and died from complications of asthma and dropsy
at the county hospital, on Tuesday evening, August 13, 1901. Funeral services were
conducted the next day by Allison and Sherman Undertaking Establishment.[xxv]
There is no headstone or file card in the city hall for his burial so he must
have been buried, in the pauper section of the Philipsburg cemetery.
Theodore R. Hess, according to his
grandson T.R. “Bus” Hess was in the Union Army. The story goes:
he was sent
west during the Civil War to help fight
an Indian uprising. During a losing skirmish, Hess saw an Indian scout and a
squaw within range. He killed the Indian, but could not find it in him to shoot
the woman and when he turned to look for the others in his troop, the squaw
shot him in the hip with an arrow. Narrowly escaping, he found what was left of
his outfit that had been cut off from the main body of soldiers and were on their
own. After they spent four days without food, someone found an antelope and
killed it. When reunited with the Union Army, Hess’ hip was determined to be a
permanent injury, so he was discharged, in 1865, at Denver.[xxvi]
He lived first in Deer Lodge, then
operated a saloon in Pioneer and finally homesteaded in 1910 in Antelope Gulch
in Section 24, T5, NR 15 W. The family is discussed in the Amerine Chapter in
Book II. T.R. “Bus” Hess had his grandfather’s Civil War discharge papers, but
during the time of his divorce the papers became missing and no one has seen
them since.
Frank D. “Sandbar” Brown also served in
the Confederate Army in the Civil War.
Because he was active for many years in Granite County I have spoken of
him at intervals in this chapter; in Book II the Sapphire Mines Chapter and in
depth in the Rock Creek Chapter, where I covered his Civil War period as well
as much of the other colorful episodes in his life.
Henry “Hank” Snyder, who died at the
age of ninety five, in a Missoula Hospital after an extended illness on August
4, 1928, was a resident of Montana for more than fifty years. He was born in
Germany and immigrated to America, sixty eight years before his death. He served
in the Civil War and received a government pension. Hank came to Western
Montana looking for gold in 1878, and spent many years prospecting in Garnet
and Bearmouth. The funeral services were held in Missoula at the Marsh and
Powell Chapel, August 6, with internment in the Missoula Cemetery.[xxvii]
George Terrell came to Montana after
the Civil War and lived in Philipsburg for about thirty years before he got
into an altercation with John Ryan in the Philipsburg Brewery Saloon, and shot
and killed him, on January 7, 1895, shortly after noon. The story goes that:
Ryan, who had been drinking heavily,
went into the saloon and requested Terrell give him a drink; Terrell refused
him and an argument followed. Eye witnesses say the two men were talking rather
quietly together near a billiard table in the saloon
when Terrell told Ryan to get out of the house; Ryan paid no attention to the
request and Terrell stepped into the back room and got a shotgun; coming back
with the gun in his hands he again told Ryan to leave the house and almost at
the same time the gun was discharged and the entire charge entered Ryan’s face,
just above the mouth, passing upward into the brain and killing him
instantly….Since his confinement in the jail Terrell has become very despondent
and has said that no one felt worse about the tragedy than he does….(He) is
about sixty years old and a veteran of the late Civil War. About three years
ago he was attacked with rheumatism, which had incapacitated him from active
work, and those who have known him for many years say he has grown old very
rapidly of late and for some time has not acted naturally. John Ryan had also
resided in these parts for several years and was known as a hard working man,
but was most disagreeably abusive and quarrelsome when influenced by alcohol.
When sober, however he was quiet and inoffensive. He leaves a wife and eight
children, and to them the sympathy of the community is extended.
The coroner’s jury, composed of F.A.
Taylor, James McDonel, J.C. McLeod, Conrad Wipf, M.E.H. Gannon and M.E.
Edwards, returned a verdict in accordance with the above facts, and George
Terrell will be tried at the next term of court. [xxviii]
I am unable to find the outcome of this
shooting.
Samuel Sprague, a pioneer of the Flint
Creek district became ill the second week of December and although everything
possible was done, he died December 11, 1899, at his home in Tower “of catarrah
of the stomach and capillary bronchitis”. Born in England June 5, 1835, he came
to the United States when he was twelve, lived in Wisconsin until the Civil
War. Then, enlisted in the Second Wisconsin Volunteers and served with them
through out the war. He married Miss Katherine (Catherine) Smith in Wisconsin
in 1866 and one year later they moved to Missouri. After five years, Samuel
followed the mining rush to Nevada and then Utah, and in 1877, came to Montana.
He was a member of the Burnside Post G.A.R. The remains were brought from
Tower, to his daughter, Mrs. James Patten’s home and the funeral services were
conducted from there on December 14, by Rev. J.B. Butter.
Survivors were: wife Katherine
(Catherine) and eight children-- three daughters: Mrs. James (Luella) Patten,
Bessie (Elizabeth) (age fifteen) and Grace Sprague (age nine); five sons: Will,
Charles, Frank, Leroy and Edgar. Pallbearers were: L.C. Degenhart, J.A.
Matthews, J.S. Axtell, A.L. Castle, A.H. Hawes, and Rev. G.W. Jenkins. The
family is discussed at length in the Businessmen, Merchant and Miners Chapter
of this book.[xxix]
Bernard Dougherty, a gentleman that
spent many years prospecting on the upper tributaries of Rock Creek died August
19, 1916, in the parlor of Mrs. C.S. Congdon’s rooming house, in the Wilson
Block of heart failure. Mr. Dougherty, born in Ireland, lived in Granite
County, for 25 years and was sixty eight years old. He owned a large amount of
property on Ross’ Fork of Rock Creek. According to stories, told by Howard Naef
to Bus Hess, Bernie had the mine just past the corduroy, on the road going to
Medicine Lake. He was a member of the George G. Meade Post of the G.A.R, but no
information was available in the obituary about where he joined the Union Army
or when he came west. His body was taken to the Mahoney Undertaking Rooms, in
Anaconda and a funeral with Requiem High Mass was performed at St. Paul’s
Catholic Church, on August 23. The obituary does not identify a cemetery or
what service was performed graveside. There were no known survivors.[xxx]
John Buhler, spoken of in Book II in the
East Fork Chapter, related to an article in the October 4, 1901, Philipsburg
Mail, that discussed sheep herders, was also a Civil War veteran, but I
have not found his obituary, or where he was buried.
Although stories say, Foster Smith and “Crab
Apple” Jack Carico, were veterans of the Civil War, their ages do not support
this assumption. The Union and Confederate influences probably came from the
previous generation, telling them stories.
By no means do I believe the above
mentioned veterans were the only Civil War members, who lived and died in
Granite County. They are just the ones that I know of, and are spoken of here
as a representation of the counties’ patriotism.
An interesting article was published in
the March 23, 1900 Philipsburg Mail concerning the Federal Expense of the Civil
War:
Number of federal soldiers in
the service 2,688.523
Killed
in battle 61,326
Died
during the war 371,063
Wounded
in the war 275,175
Died
of wounds 34,727
In
hospitals 149,000
Died
in Confederate prisons 22,615
Died
in Andersonville prison 13,715
Captured
by the Confederates 200,000
Confederates
captured by the Federals 220,000
Battles and skirmishes of the war 2,861
Soldiers
discharged for disabilities 222,535
Major-generals
killed in battle 12
Generals
killed 64
Colonels
killed 69
Cost
of Federal Army to government $6,189,929,908
Cost
of the Vanderbilt ship given to the government $1,000,000
Amount
of freewill offerings $5,000,000
Aside
from the amount of Christian commission $4,500,000
Amount
to secure volunteers by states etc. $285,941,036
Whole
amount of cost $1,486,370,944
Other Military men
Varina was the name chosen by some of the Confederate sympathizer’s among the miners; even though they were far removed from the battlefields of the Civil War these men were, for the most part, intensely interested in the conflict and had definite allegiances. Since Jefferson Davis was as much a hero to those whose sympathies were with the south as Abraham Lincoln was to the others, it occurred to the town company to name the new camp after Davis’s wife. The papers were presented to Dr. Bissell (Giles Gaylord Bissell of Connecticut had been named Judge on June 12, 1863), whose sympathies were just as strong for the northern cause. According to the Bissell family legend, the doctor struck his makeshift desk and exclaimed, “I’ll be damned if I’ll sign it that way”. Crossing out Varina he substituted Virginia, allegedly with the further remark that “…no such blot as this shall stain the honor of the camp.[i]
…due to a spell of despondency over the death of his wife only a month ago and to his defeat in the republican primaries last Friday for the nomination for county treasurer…
Francis Thomas, born in Pennsylvania in
1833, apparently was a young married man when he enlisted in The Union Army for
the Civil War and was reported killed in action. When the war ended he chose to let the record
stand that he was dead and started for the west, with his arrival in
Philipsburg, in 1871. The obituary stated he was eligible for a pension, but
never applied, nor did he affiliate with the G.A.R. (Grand Army of the
Republic). Family members are unknown but it was assumed he had relatives in
Pennsylvania as he subscribed to a small town Pennsylvania newspaper. He died
at his home, in South Philipsburg, on July 27, 1921 from infirmities of eighty
eight years of age and after a service in the Carmichael Chapel he was interred
in the Philipsburg Cemetery.[xv]
Joseph Case, who died on March 27, 1930 at
the Soldiers Home in Columbia Falls, Montana, was listed as the last surviving
G. A. R. Veteran in Granite County, in his March 28 obituary. Born in
Flemington, New Jersey on May 4, 1846, he enlisted at the age of sixteen in the
Union Army and served with Company C, as a Private, of the Thirty Seventh Regiment in the New
Jersey Infantry, the duration of the Civil War. Several years
after the war he began his trip to the west and in the late 1880’s settled on
lower Rock Creek.
Joe and his common-law wife Annie had a homestead on Rock Creek and
the story about it is discussed in the Rock Creek chapter in Book II. The
obituary stated he sold his ranch to J.W. Meyers, about 1920 and moved into
Philipsburg. Because Joe “Jack” was an ardent sportsman he was known as "Fisher
Jack from the Hogback." On Memorial Day of 1929, he was the last surviving
G.A.R. in the area, so carried the Post Colors and participated in the
Philipsburg Parade. Little is known of his family in the east, except for a
niece Mrs. Eliza Case who lived in Brooklyn, New York. If her name was still
Case, she must have been a niece-in-law. In the Tex Crowley photograph
collection is a picture of Joe, Oscar Perey, Jack Meyers and Joseph Firth. Joe
is of small stature with a trimmed white beard. The homestead property has been
preserved as a historical site and is under the protection of the Missoula
Forest Service.[xvi]
Eilisee E. Thibault was a Corporal in
the 192nd Ohio Infantry and died May 3, 1920. The obituary listed a daughter
Mrs. L.P. Conway of Philipsburg and two sons: Eugene of California and A.A.
residing in Oregon. There was neither birthplace nor age listed in his obituary.
Also no headstone in the Philipsburg Cemetery or file card at City Hall for any
Thibault. Because I catalogued the Philipsburg cemetery before writing this
book, I have come to the assumption that many veterans are buried there as
paupers, so do not have headstones or file cards. Apparently at the time of
their deaths the American Legion was not aware of their service.[xvii]
J.H. Loomis, died March 24, 1914, in
Philipsburg and his obituary listed him as a member of G. A. R, but there is no
mention of his service during the Civil War in the document. He was born at
Saundersville, Mass., on November 7, 1840, was a resident of Philipsburg for
about 25 years; a carpenter by trade but being in poor health for a number of
years he abandoned his occupation. Elected City Treasurer on 1906, he served
four successive terms in the office. His wife died at the age of seventy two on
March 17, 1912. By his request, the Selish Tribe Improved Order of Red Men
performed the burial rites. Pallbearers were: W.B. Calhoun and Thomas Gorman of
the Spanish Veterans and M.D. McDonald, James Sundberg, Rod McRae and Charles
Sprague of the Red Men.[xviii]
Elijah Powell served his country
throughout the Civil War as a member of a Pennsylvania Regiment. He received an
honorable discharge, with membership in the Burnside Post No. 22 G.A.R of
Philipsburg. Born in Chippewa Township, Beaver County, Pennsylvania on September
26, 1845, he died on December 4, 1899, with survivors: wife (Mary E.),
daughters, Lydia Linguist, and Sadie Barrett of Butte; and sons, Charles and
Edward of Philipsburg. He worked as a stone and brick mason and when that trade
became dull he worked as a miner, until his death from pneumonia. The family
resided in the Rosalind district when they arrived in Philipsburg in July 1880,
after traveling west via the Missouri River. No pallbearers are listed, when he
was interred in the Philipsburg Cemetery.[xix]
John A. Spencer, a resident of Montana
from 1892, collapsed and died while waiting on a customer at his store on lower
Broadway on March 1, 1921. Born in Boone County, Indiana on April 9, 1844
(tombstone states 1840), he moved with his parents to St. Paul when he was
seven years of age. His first trip to Montana was in 1865, when he became a
resident of Virginia City, for nineteen years and ran a mercantile store. I
assume this was right after his discharge from the Civil War, but his obituary
does not refer to his military service. Next he lived in Butte, where he also
had a mercantile business, for three years then returned to St. Paul, for two
years, after which he returned to Butte. He moved to Granite the next year and
in 1892, moved his business to Philipsburg.
John, served as Master of both the
Virginia City and Philipsburg Mason’s and was a city councilman, for two terms.
He was survived by a son Clarence C. who recently came from Wallace, Idaho, to
assist in the family business and a sister Mrs. J.S. Yallop, in California.
Masonic services were held at the Temple and the Philipsburg cemetery. Pallbearers were: Angus McDonald, A.S.
Huffman, Lawrence Hauck, John Kaiser, Otis Mersereau and Frank D. Sayrs.
Spencer-Welsh: At Highland August 25 1875, at the residence of the bride’s father, by Rev. R.G. Prout, Mr. John A. Spencer to Miss Hattie Welsh of Highland.
John A. Spencer, near N.P. depot, will take hay and grain in exchange for wagons, carts etc.[xx]
Norman Alexander Eddy, born August 14,
1848, died November 21, 1917 in Parkerville, at his daughter, Mrs. Hanley’s
home. His trade was as a carpenter and was repairing a home, when he died of
probable heart failure. Born in Canada, he came to the U.S. as a small child to
live in Pennsylvania. He had lived in Philipsburg with his daughter for only a
short time. A member of G.A.R., he displayed the Stars and Stripes of his
adopted home conspicuously in his home.
He was preceded in death by his wife,
survivors were: daughter Mrs. Hanley and Mrs. E.J.M. Williams, of Hall. The
funeral was conducted at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Fred Burks (long time friends
of Mr. Eddy), with pallbearers: R.D. McRae, J.A. Harding, H. A. Murphy, W.E.
Albright, Frank Lindsay of Hall and Roy Sprague. L.C. Degenhart a G.A.R.
Veteran was honorary pallbearer, with burial in the Philipsburg cemetery.[xxi]
During preliminary research, I did not
find an obituary for, John Hendrickson Sr., but found one for his son John Jr.,
a Corporal in Co. E, Thirty Seventh Regiment, who drowned on February 24, 1900,
in the Philippines' while serving for the US in the War with Spain. The article
stated that he was twenty seven years of age and survived by a father, a sister
and several brothers, residing at the fathers wood camp, four miles west of
Philipsburg. John Jr. has a headstone in the Philipsburg Cemetery.
While delving for another fact at a
much later date, I found a very short obituary in the February 1, 1901, Philipsburg Mail, for John Sr. that stated
his funeral had taken place on Sunday, January 26, 1901, with services at the
City Hall, by Rev. H.G. Wakefield. GAR, Firemen and City and County officials
attended the funeral and the Philipsburg Silver Cornet Band led the procession
to the cemetery.
The obituary did not state a cause or
date of death, nor list living relatives or pallbearers. There is no headstone
with John Sr., or a file card in City Hall for his burial, but there is a
headstone, south of John and Samuel and next to Viola, inscribed Hendrickson,
with the first name unreadable and no dates.
Thomas Long, born in 1839, died at the
home of his relatives in Galena, Illinois in September, 1917. A tinner by
trade, he operated a tin-shop in Philipsburg, for many years before he settled
a homestead, on Cow Creek, several miles from Hall. He was a G.A.R. veteran and
often entertained his small friends with stories of the battlefield.
The Mail
article goes on to state that he had a very large collection of valuable curios
and for every specimen he had a story to tell. Tom's funeral was at the
Catholic Church with Rev. Father Meade attending and he was buried in the
Philipsburg cemetery with the following pallbearers: Frank Winninghoff, M.E.H.
Gannon, James J. McDonald, Matt Manley, Patrick McGurk, and Barney O’Donnell.[xxii]
Rodney Charles died November 21, 1917
of erysipelas after a short illness. Born June 1, 1843 in Stow, Maine, he lived
in Pennsylvania until his wife died and his daughter, Mrs. H.C. Peterson,
brought him to live with her in Philipsburg.
He was a veteran of the Civil War; a great reader and student and was generally liked by all who knew him.
The funeral was conducted at his
daughter's home and Methodist Rev. W.H. Calvert conducted the service.
Pallbearers were: E.P. Ballard, Frank Beley, J.W. Holmes, George Cape, C.A.
Russell, and John Ingman. Survivors were sons: Horace Charles of New Mexico and
Perley Charles of Arizona and his daughter Mrs. H. C. Peterson.
J.A. Matthews, I know was a Civil War
Veteran, but I have been unable to find an obituary of his death. He is
discussed through out these chapters.
Paul A. Fusz, described in depth in the
Sapphire chapter, born in Hericourt, France in 1847 to Francis H. and Marie
Regina (Tachaen) Fusz, was brought to St. Louis Missouri when he was six years
of age. He and two friends ran away and joined the Confederate Army when he was
seventeen. He and one of the friends were caught by the Union Army while
smuggling quinine and valuable papers for the confederates and they chewed up
the papers rather than give them to the Union Army. The friend was hanged, but
because Fusz was only seventeen, he was sent to Jefferson City Prison. “One of
President Lincoln’s last official acts was to pardon Fusz”.
Fusz lived in Granite, Montana from
1889, until shortly before his death, when he returned to St. Louis, for
medical care of his pernicious anemia. He was president of the Bi-Metallic
Mining Company which included the American Gem Mining Company on West Fork of
Rock Creek. Burial was in Calvary Cemetery, beside his wife, who had died 20
years prior, in the family plot in St. Louis, Missouri, on February 18, 1910.[xxiii]
Paul is spoken of in other chapters and discussed in depth in Book II in the
Sapphire Mines Chapter.
Charles Weitfle died in the Masonic
Home in the Helena Valley, on January 20, 1921. He held the title of being one of the oldest
Mason’s in Montana. Charles, born in Germany on February 15, 1826, immigrated
to the United States, in 1850 and served in the U.S. Navy with an honorable
discharge in 1859, then served in the Civil War in the Union Army. He was a
noted photographer and received medals for work he did for the Union Pacific
Railroad, while working in Central City, Colorado. He moved to Granite at the
peak of the silver boom in 1892, then, in 1899 he became a bee keeper in Idaho
Falls and continued this career until moving to the Masonic Home in 1914. He
was the Master of the Granite Masonic Lodge for one term. Although survived by
several children and grandchildren, there were no names listed in the obituary.
Charles is memorialized, by his publication of Views of Granite and
Philipsburg and Vicinity[xxiv],
and is spoken of in other chapters of this book.
William Irvine was a miner and
prospector and at the time of his death worked in the mines over thirty years
with his good friend G.B. Ballard. Born in Davis County, Missouri in 1842, he
served in the Confederate Army and died from complications of asthma and dropsy
at the county hospital, on Tuesday evening, August 13, 1901. Funeral services were
conducted the next day by Allison and Sherman Undertaking Establishment.[xxv]
There is no headstone or file card in the city hall for his burial so he must
have been buried, in the pauper section of the Philipsburg cemetery.
he was sent west during the Civil War to help fight an Indian uprising. During a losing skirmish, Hess saw an Indian scout and a squaw within range. He killed the Indian, but could not find it in him to shoot the woman and when he turned to look for the others in his troop, the squaw shot him in the hip with an arrow. Narrowly escaping, he found what was left of his outfit that had been cut off from the main body of soldiers and were on their own. After they spent four days without food, someone found an antelope and killed it. When reunited with the Union Army, Hess’ hip was determined to be a permanent injury, so he was discharged, in 1865, at Denver.[xxvi]
He lived first in Deer Lodge, then
operated a saloon in Pioneer and finally homesteaded in 1910 in Antelope Gulch
in Section 24, T5, NR 15 W. The family is discussed in the Amerine Chapter in
Book II. T.R. “Bus” Hess had his grandfather’s Civil War discharge papers, but
during the time of his divorce the papers became missing and no one has seen
them since.
Frank D. “Sandbar” Brown also served in
the Confederate Army in the Civil War.
Because he was active for many years in Granite County I have spoken of
him at intervals in this chapter; in Book II the Sapphire Mines Chapter and in
depth in the Rock Creek Chapter, where I covered his Civil War period as well
as much of the other colorful episodes in his life.
Henry “Hank” Snyder, who died at the
age of ninety five, in a Missoula Hospital after an extended illness on August
4, 1928, was a resident of Montana for more than fifty years. He was born in
Germany and immigrated to America, sixty eight years before his death. He served
in the Civil War and received a government pension. Hank came to Western
Montana looking for gold in 1878, and spent many years prospecting in Garnet
and Bearmouth. The funeral services were held in Missoula at the Marsh and
Powell Chapel, August 6, with internment in the Missoula Cemetery.[xxvii]
George Terrell came to Montana after
the Civil War and lived in Philipsburg for about thirty years before he got
into an altercation with John Ryan in the Philipsburg Brewery Saloon, and shot
and killed him, on January 7, 1895, shortly after noon. The story goes that:
Ryan, who had been drinking heavily, went into the saloon and requested Terrell give him a drink; Terrell refused him and an argument followed. Eye witnesses say the two men were talking rather quietly together near a billiard table in the saloon when Terrell told Ryan to get out of the house; Ryan paid no attention to the request and Terrell stepped into the back room and got a shotgun; coming back with the gun in his hands he again told Ryan to leave the house and almost at the same time the gun was discharged and the entire charge entered Ryan’s face, just above the mouth, passing upward into the brain and killing him instantly….Since his confinement in the jail Terrell has become very despondent and has said that no one felt worse about the tragedy than he does….(He) is about sixty years old and a veteran of the late Civil War. About three years ago he was attacked with rheumatism, which had incapacitated him from active work, and those who have known him for many years say he has grown old very rapidly of late and for some time has not acted naturally. John Ryan had also resided in these parts for several years and was known as a hard working man, but was most disagreeably abusive and quarrelsome when influenced by alcohol. When sober, however he was quiet and inoffensive. He leaves a wife and eight children, and to them the sympathy of the community is extended.
The coroner’s jury, composed of F.A.
Taylor, James McDonel, J.C. McLeod, Conrad Wipf, M.E.H. Gannon and M.E.
Edwards, returned a verdict in accordance with the above facts, and George
Terrell will be tried at the next term of court. [xxviii]
Samuel Sprague, a pioneer of the Flint
Creek district became ill the second week of December and although everything
possible was done, he died December 11, 1899, at his home in Tower “of catarrah
of the stomach and capillary bronchitis”. Born in England June 5, 1835, he came
to the United States when he was twelve, lived in Wisconsin until the Civil
War. Then, enlisted in the Second Wisconsin Volunteers and served with them
through out the war. He married Miss Katherine (Catherine) Smith in Wisconsin
in 1866 and one year later they moved to Missouri. After five years, Samuel
followed the mining rush to Nevada and then Utah, and in 1877, came to Montana.
He was a member of the Burnside Post G.A.R. The remains were brought from
Tower, to his daughter, Mrs. James Patten’s home and the funeral services were
conducted from there on December 14, by Rev. J.B. Butter.
Survivors were: wife Katherine
(Catherine) and eight children-- three daughters: Mrs. James (Luella) Patten,
Bessie (Elizabeth) (age fifteen) and Grace Sprague (age nine); five sons: Will,
Charles, Frank, Leroy and Edgar. Pallbearers were: L.C. Degenhart, J.A.
Matthews, J.S. Axtell, A.L. Castle, A.H. Hawes, and Rev. G.W. Jenkins. The
family is discussed at length in the Businessmen, Merchant and Miners Chapter
of this book.[xxix]
Bernard Dougherty, a gentleman that
spent many years prospecting on the upper tributaries of Rock Creek died August
19, 1916, in the parlor of Mrs. C.S. Congdon’s rooming house, in the Wilson
Block of heart failure. Mr. Dougherty, born in Ireland, lived in Granite
County, for 25 years and was sixty eight years old. He owned a large amount of
property on Ross’ Fork of Rock Creek. According to stories, told by Howard Naef
to Bus Hess, Bernie had the mine just past the corduroy, on the road going to
Medicine Lake. He was a member of the George G. Meade Post of the G.A.R, but no
information was available in the obituary about where he joined the Union Army
or when he came west. His body was taken to the Mahoney Undertaking Rooms, in
Anaconda and a funeral with Requiem High Mass was performed at St. Paul’s
Catholic Church, on August 23. The obituary does not identify a cemetery or
what service was performed graveside. There were no known survivors.[xxx]
John Buhler, spoken of in Book II in the
East Fork Chapter, related to an article in the October 4, 1901, Philipsburg
Mail, that discussed sheep herders, was also a Civil War veteran, but I
have not found his obituary, or where he was buried.
Although stories say, Foster Smith and “Crab
Apple” Jack Carico, were veterans of the Civil War, their ages do not support
this assumption. The Union and Confederate influences probably came from the
previous generation, telling them stories.
By no means do I believe the above
mentioned veterans were the only Civil War members, who lived and died in
Granite County. They are just the ones that I know of, and are spoken of here
as a representation of the counties’ patriotism.
Other Military men
Captain Thomas Lyons died at his
daughter, Mrs. J.T. Jessie Pritchard’s home, on February 12th at the
age of eighty eight years. Born in Troy, New York, on November 14, 1830, he was
a world traveler and served in the United States Navy. Married to Miss Jennie
Crawford, in Glasgow, Scotland in 1885. (This must be an error and is probably
1855.) They had eight children of which two survived him: Mrs. Jessie Pritchard
of Philipsburg and Mrs. J. Rhoda of Sullivan, Michigan. When he was discharged
from the Navy the family settled on a farm in Michigan where his wife died in
1875. After his wife’s death he settled in Montana where he homesteaded near
Bonita. His grandson B.E. Reynolds was serving in the United States Army. The
funeral took place at 2 o’clock on February 15 with Rev. Calvert officiating,
with burial in the Philipsburg Cemetery.[xxxi]
Colonel George W. Morse, a resident of
Drummond and the valley, earned his title Colonel, during the Spinet Lake
massacre by the Sioux Indians in Minnesota. Governor Rumsey called for
volunteers to subdue the Indians and eighty young men answered the call. A
company was organized and elected Mr. Morse as the Colonel. Born in Maine, he
arrived in Montana in 1862, prospecting for gold near Deer Lodge. He then moved
to Orofino, Idaho and engaged in mining there, before returning to Montana, in
1865. He spent time mining in Helena, Mercer and Elk Creek, before purchasing a
ranch at New Chicago and becoming a cattle rancher. He continued full time
ranching until 1914. The Colonel continued some interest in ranching, even
after selling a residence, and 320 acres for $65,000 in 1919.
The Colonel was remembered as the first
presidential elector from Montana and cast his vote for President Harrison. He
served as president of the Society of Montana Pioneers, in 1915 and also served
as a Deer Lodge and Granite County Commissioner. The Colonel attended the
Chicago Convention as a delegate and nominated Roosevelt for president in 1912.
He is discussed at length in the early history of Philipsburg and Granite
County.
Death came from the infirmities of age
at eighty four, on December 9, 1922, at his home in Drummond. Survivors were
his wife, and sons George W. of Drummond and Averill P. Of St. Ignatius. After
a funeral service, at the Drummond Methodist Church, the Colonel was interred
in the Valley cemetery on December 11. Pallbearers were: A.S. Huffman, Stephen
Norton, J.E. Meyers, C.C. Corlette, Leslie Like and Freeman A. Tinklepaugh.[xxxii]
Nez Perce Battles
As one reads the copies of the
newspapers, the pride of the population in representing our country and
protecting our freedom is very apparent. The New Northwest, Granite Star,
Citizen Call and Philipsburg Mail, are the ones available at the
Montana Historical Society. As evidenced in the individual chapters of this
book, many of the people participated in both national and local military
needs.
Captain Thomas Lyons died at his
daughter, Mrs. J.T. Jessie Pritchard’s home, on February 12th at the
age of eighty eight years. Born in Troy, New York, on November 14, 1830, he was
a world traveler and served in the United States Navy. Married to Miss Jennie
Crawford, in Glasgow, Scotland in 1885. (This must be an error and is probably
1855.) They had eight children of which two survived him: Mrs. Jessie Pritchard
of Philipsburg and Mrs. J. Rhoda of Sullivan, Michigan. When he was discharged
from the Navy the family settled on a farm in Michigan where his wife died in
1875. After his wife’s death he settled in Montana where he homesteaded near
Bonita. His grandson B.E. Reynolds was serving in the United States Army. The
funeral took place at 2 o’clock on February 15 with Rev. Calvert officiating,
with burial in the Philipsburg Cemetery.[xxxi]
Colonel George W. Morse, a resident of
Drummond and the valley, earned his title Colonel, during the Spinet Lake
massacre by the Sioux Indians in Minnesota. Governor Rumsey called for
volunteers to subdue the Indians and eighty young men answered the call. A
company was organized and elected Mr. Morse as the Colonel. Born in Maine, he
arrived in Montana in 1862, prospecting for gold near Deer Lodge. He then moved
to Orofino, Idaho and engaged in mining there, before returning to Montana, in
1865. He spent time mining in Helena, Mercer and Elk Creek, before purchasing a
ranch at New Chicago and becoming a cattle rancher. He continued full time
ranching until 1914. The Colonel continued some interest in ranching, even
after selling a residence, and 320 acres for $65,000 in 1919.
The Colonel was remembered as the first
presidential elector from Montana and cast his vote for President Harrison. He
served as president of the Society of Montana Pioneers, in 1915 and also served
as a Deer Lodge and Granite County Commissioner. The Colonel attended the
Chicago Convention as a delegate and nominated Roosevelt for president in 1912.
He is discussed at length in the early history of Philipsburg and Granite
County.
Death came from the infirmities of age
at eighty four, on December 9, 1922, at his home in Drummond. Survivors were
his wife, and sons George W. of Drummond and Averill P. Of St. Ignatius. After
a funeral service, at the Drummond Methodist Church, the Colonel was interred
in the Valley cemetery on December 11. Pallbearers were: A.S. Huffman, Stephen
Norton, J.E. Meyers, C.C. Corlette, Leslie Like and Freeman A. Tinklepaugh.[xxxii]
Nez Perce Battles
As one reads the copies of the
newspapers, the pride of the population in representing our country and
protecting our freedom is very apparent. The New Northwest, Granite Star,
Citizen Call and Philipsburg Mail, are the ones available at the
Montana Historical Society. As evidenced in the individual chapters of this
book, many of the people participated in both national and local military
needs.
The New Northwest, August 10,
1877, named forty nine individuals, from the Philipsburg and Granite County
area, who organized, when the band of Nez Perce Indians, under the leadership
of Chief Joseph, were announced to be headed toward Montana. Twenty volunteers,
from The Philipsburg Co. B First Battalion, under the command of Captain J.G.
McLean, were the only volunteers, actually in contact with the Nez Perce during
what is called Fort Fizzle.
In the book, An Elusive Victory, author Haines stated:
The Editor of The New Northwest says
that Captain Rawn put them (the volunteers) into the abandoned rifle pits, and
so, kept them free from danger, and literally denied them a chance of becoming
better acquainted with the refugees from Idaho. That was just as well, as the
Philipsburg men were armed with muzzle loading Civil War muskets.
These twenty volunteers, provided their
own gear and rode their own horses to respond to the call for arms, when Chief
Joseph was reported crossing the Bitterroot divide. The discussion stated:
While the main column of Nez Perces was
crossing the trail, the company of volunteers from Phillipsburg (sic), under
Captain McLean, marched up to the Indian cavalcade, and actually passed through
the heart of the Nez Perces, minus knowledge of them being the Indians they came
to annihilate.
Editor Barbour of the Missoulian, later made a point
of noting emphatically that of the fifty eight armed men who answered his call
for help and reached Missoula that Saturday, “only twenty--the Phillipsburg
(sic) company--were ever at Rawn’s barricade”.[xxxiii]
Rawn’s barricade was what is now known as the famous Fort Fizzle. An editorial in The Missoulian, August
17, 1877, stated:
Col. Jenkins, of Philipsburg, who was in the
camp all the time of the passage, an intelligent man, of wide military experience, says he did not see that Rawn
could do anything but what he did do--hold the camp.
The men of Company B, First Battalion,
Philipsburg, regularly sworn in and organized are listed in the August 10,
1877, New North-West as: Captain J. McLean, First Lt. J.K. Pardee, J. Arthur,
W.T. Allison, Second Lt. D.B. Jenkins, John Caplice, John Duffy, T. Baier, H.
Horton, H. Lamb, G. Ternic, A. Lock, T. McKay, S. Lablain, J.H. Price, B.P.
Tilden, J.M. Merrill, John Ulery, John Westfall, C.V. Timmons, T.O’Conner. J.K.
Pardee is described in a previous paragraph and John Duffy and T. McKay’s life
are covered in chapters of Book II.
Also listed in this same newspaper, is
an Independent Company, from Philipsburg, named as: T. Ryan, N.B. Ringeling,
G.W. Morse, H. Gilbert, J. Billings, H. Showers, John Price, C. Gath, A. McRae,
J. A. Matthews, (no initial) Fisher, A. Bradshaw, L. Darrow, M. Jones. G.W.
Morse and J.A. Matthew’s, obituary are documented in a previous paragraph and
the McRae and Bradshaw family’s, are spoken of in another chapter. The article
also lists volunteers from: Willow Creek-George Calderwood and D.G. Morse;
Sawmill- J. Catching; Rock Creek- A. Elliott; Silver Lake- E.Barker, Hammond and Bennett.
The March 29, 1890, Granite Mountain
Star, had the obituary for George Hammond, who probably was the Silver Lake
volunteer. He died at his parent's home after a five month illness, on March
22.
Although George was but forty years
of age he was numbered among the pioneers as he came to Montana with his
parents in 1865 and has since resided in Deer Lodge County (Granite county was
not born until 1893)…He was a natural athlete and at one time claimed the
worlds championship for the fastest sprinter for a distance of 100 yards,
having covered the distance in the remarkable time of 9.0 seconds…He was
acknowledged to be one of the best horsemen in Montana and has ridden some of
the most notable and closely contested races that occurred in the Northwest. He
also served in several official capacities with efficiency and credit to
himself and others. He leaves a wife and little child, Maude; father, mother,
four sisters and one brother to mourn the loss…His sisters are Mrs. Joseph A.
Hyde, Mrs. E. McDonel, Mrs. William Coleman, and Mrs. W.J. Matthews. His only brother
resides in Wisconsin.
The services were conducted on March
24, by Rev. G.W. Jenkins and the pallbearers were: John G. McLean, John Duffy,
Frank D. “Sandbar” Brown, James Riley, A.A. McDonald, and Henry Browning.[xxxiv]
The New Northwest, August 10,
1877, named forty nine individuals, from the Philipsburg and Granite County
area, who organized, when the band of Nez Perce Indians, under the leadership
of Chief Joseph, were announced to be headed toward Montana. Twenty volunteers,
from The Philipsburg Co. B First Battalion, under the command of Captain J.G.
McLean, were the only volunteers, actually in contact with the Nez Perce during
what is called Fort Fizzle.
The Editor of The New Northwest says that Captain Rawn put them (the volunteers) into the abandoned rifle pits, and so, kept them free from danger, and literally denied them a chance of becoming better acquainted with the refugees from Idaho. That was just as well, as the Philipsburg men were armed with muzzle loading Civil War muskets.
While the main column of Nez Perces was crossing the trail, the company of volunteers from Phillipsburg (sic), under Captain McLean, marched up to the Indian cavalcade, and actually passed through the heart of the Nez Perces, minus knowledge of them being the Indians they came to annihilate.
Editor Barbour of the Missoulian, later made a point
of noting emphatically that of the fifty eight armed men who answered his call
for help and reached Missoula that Saturday, “only twenty--the Phillipsburg
(sic) company--were ever at Rawn’s barricade”.[xxxiii]
Rawn’s barricade was what is now known as the famous Fort Fizzle. An editorial in The Missoulian, August
17, 1877, stated:
Col. Jenkins, of Philipsburg, who was in the camp all the time of the passage, an intelligent man, of wide military experience, says he did not see that Rawn could do anything but what he did do--hold the camp.
The men of Company B, First Battalion,
Philipsburg, regularly sworn in and organized are listed in the August 10,
1877, New North-West as: Captain J. McLean, First Lt. J.K. Pardee, J. Arthur,
W.T. Allison, Second Lt. D.B. Jenkins, John Caplice, John Duffy, T. Baier, H.
Horton, H. Lamb, G. Ternic, A. Lock, T. McKay, S. Lablain, J.H. Price, B.P.
Tilden, J.M. Merrill, John Ulery, John Westfall, C.V. Timmons, T.O’Conner. J.K.
Pardee is described in a previous paragraph and John Duffy and T. McKay’s life
are covered in chapters of Book II.
Also listed in this same newspaper, is
an Independent Company, from Philipsburg, named as: T. Ryan, N.B. Ringeling,
G.W. Morse, H. Gilbert, J. Billings, H. Showers, John Price, C. Gath, A. McRae,
J. A. Matthews, (no initial) Fisher, A. Bradshaw, L. Darrow, M. Jones. G.W.
Morse and J.A. Matthew’s, obituary are documented in a previous paragraph and
the McRae and Bradshaw family’s, are spoken of in another chapter. The article
also lists volunteers from: Willow Creek-George Calderwood and D.G. Morse;
Sawmill- J. Catching; Rock Creek- A. Elliott; Silver Lake- E.Barker, Hammond and Bennett.
The March 29, 1890, Granite Mountain
Star, had the obituary for George Hammond, who probably was the Silver Lake
volunteer. He died at his parent's home after a five month illness, on March
22.
Although George was but forty years of age he was numbered among the pioneers as he came to Montana with his parents in 1865 and has since resided in Deer Lodge County (Granite county was not born until 1893)…He was a natural athlete and at one time claimed the worlds championship for the fastest sprinter for a distance of 100 yards, having covered the distance in the remarkable time of 9.0 seconds…He was acknowledged to be one of the best horsemen in Montana and has ridden some of the most notable and closely contested races that occurred in the Northwest. He also served in several official capacities with efficiency and credit to himself and others. He leaves a wife and little child, Maude; father, mother, four sisters and one brother to mourn the loss…His sisters are Mrs. Joseph A. Hyde, Mrs. E. McDonel, Mrs. William Coleman, and Mrs. W.J. Matthews. His only brother resides in Wisconsin.
The services were conducted on March
24, by Rev. G.W. Jenkins and the pallbearers were: John G. McLean, John Duffy,
Frank D. “Sandbar” Brown, James Riley, A.A. McDonald, and Henry Browning.[xxxiv]
Eighty two men volunteered and are
listed in the Philipsburg Mail, May 13, 1898, when the call came for the
need for troops in the Spanish American War. Many of these individuals were in
the middle and late years of life but were quick to step up to the National
Cause, as patriots.
He was five weeks into the war
and…according to the English, they were going to be in Transvaal in three days,
but things have taken a different turn. Instead of the English coming up here,
the Dutch have gone into the English country and have beaten the English troops
in every battle they have fought. If Mr. John Bull had known what was in store
for him he never would have started this war; but it is live and find out.
Herman goes on to describe how much
smarter the Dutch are than the English. Such as seizing all of the gold in the
banks and the mines, plus they took possession of all the horses, wagons,
harness, boots, shoes, clothing and food. The Dutch worked the mines and gave
the owner’s receipts for the work done.
If the Dutch lose---well the
property owners have the paper; if the Dutch win, the owners will get their pay
for everything. In fact it is the smartest trick I ever heard of.
He continued on to say that there were
a number of men from Butte and from every country in the world, but that the
main army was made up of German’s. I found no other letters from Herman, or an
obituary.[xxxvi]
A letter from George Seelos, serving on
the Battleship Oregon, was published in the Mail, on August 17, 1900.
The battleship went onto a rock off the coast of China a few weeks before
the letter was written and gives the following account of this mishap:
On June 24th the Oregon left Hong
Kong for Taku and all went well until the 29th. A very dense fog was
hanging over the sea. The sun was not visible and the navigator of the ship was
unable to get his bearings. During the afternoon he dropped anchor and intended
to wait until the fog had raised. The ship had just anchored when the fog began
to raise and in a short time the order was given to weigh anchor and we again
started our journey. The ship had not gone over a hundred yards when she struck
the rocks and stopped short. The first night all hands were up and ready to
abandon the ship at any moment, because she began to settle at the starboard
side. She staid (sic) above water that night, but was generally settling. The
next morning the gunner’s mate went down as a diver to ascertain the extent of
the injuries. He reported a rip in the plates about twenty feet long and from
one to eighteen inches wide. A steam launch was then dispatched to the nearest
port to summon assistance, and a working crew with divers, pumps, and other
appliances arrived during the day and started to work that night. We worked day
and night for four days. On the evening of the fourth day two English steamers,
which had been sent to our assistance arrived. On the fifth day the Oregon was
pulled off the rock, but through some misfortune we struck another one. This
however did no further damage to the ship’s bottom, although we stuck fast for
three more days. At noon on July 5, she floated herself and our captain and
those of the other steamers wasted no time in getting the great battleship in a
safe place. Now we are in shallow water and the divers are at work patching up
the hole in the ships bottom so she can be taken to the dry dock at Yokosuka,
Japan. This is 700 hundred miles distant, but is the nearest dry dock large
enough for this ship. After we come out of dry dock I expect to see the blue
jackets go to the firing lines and join in the march on Pekin. While it is no
pleasure to be shipwrecked, we lost none of our courage in our misfortune, and
while the Oregon was fast on the rocks we captured the first prize--a Chinese
cruiser. It was a fine boat---just the kind our government needs.
The mail reaches me regularly and it
seems like meeting an old friend when reading the news from my old home. I hope
to be able to visit in 1903, providing the China men do not do away with me.
Best regards to all.
Eighty two men volunteered and are
listed in the Philipsburg Mail, May 13, 1898, when the call came for the
need for troops in the Spanish American War. Many of these individuals were in
the middle and late years of life but were quick to step up to the National
Cause, as patriots.
The volunteers were: Walter W.
Kroger, George W. Suppiger, W.I. Power M.D., S.A. Swiggett, Eugene Smith, Wm.
B. Calhoun, C.T. Capron, J. W. Opp, N. H. Connolly, Bert Tarr, Alex Berthoud,
Jay Gould, John H. Cole, James Vallely, Burr Roberts, Joseph Orr, M. E.
Edwards, E. B. Hyde, O. F. Featherman, August Greenheck, Lockie McDonald,
Andrew Simpson, J.K. Pardee, John Walton, Bert Northey, G.S. Wilson, Thomas
Hickey, Wm. Johnson, Edgar Ballard, Joseph Bradshaw, Henry Schnepel, Julius
Hanson, J. L. Blockwood, Frank Lamont, Jo. X. Bryan, Peter Gallagher, M. B.
Scott, George Burks, A. M. Barnes, F. F. Grimes, Jonas Cook, O. J. Quivey, Si
Pence, P. J. Neff, James Lee, L. J. Dubrule, George Amerine, E. A. Cralle, W.
J. Fisher, L. J. Moffatt, Sam Snyder, J. V. Loomis, Dan McGillis, Theo. Smith,
L. A. Bullard, J. E. Northey, John Page, Vincent Doody, S. J. Clarke, W. B. Wilson, E. H. Ryan, Malcolm
McDonald, W. J. Sprague, James McKenna, W. E. Castle, T. Maley, J. Cummings,
Samuel Sprague, Frank Gerbil, Wm. Berthoud, J. E. Wagerly, J. A. Ballard, A. R.
Dearborn, J. T. Kelly, S. V. Bowman, George Winninghoff, J. S. Huffman, G.
Harmison, John Neu, A. S. Huffman, J. J. Carmichael, Angus Johnston, and John
A. Smith.
In the Montana, Adjutant General’s
Office, Records at the Montana Historical Society, are records of a: William
Johnson enlisting on April 28, 1898, in Butte, Montana, as a teamster. He was discharged,
in San Francisco from the First Montana Infantry Company F on October 17, 1899,
as Quartermaster Sergeant at the age of thirty two. He was born in Sharon Hill,
Pennsylvania.
I did not find W.J. Fisher, but a William
P. Fisher, enlisted in Anaconda on May 1, 1898, as a brakeman. He was
discharged in San Francisco, from the First Montana Infantry Company M., as
private on October 17, 1898, at the age of 32. He was born in Euganee, MI. I
also found where a Williard D. Fisher, enlisted in Virginia City, on May 1,
1898 and deserted on July 1, 1898.
Two John Smiths, enlisted in Anaconda,
in April and May of 1898. One listed his occupation as a waiter. He was
discharged in Manila from Company M. in 1899, with the promotion from private
to a corporal, at the age of twenty three. He was born in New York, NY. The
second was a private with Company K., and a laborer, discharged in San
Francisco, October 17, 1899.
There are no other names, similar or
matching, of the Philipsburg volunteers, in the archives. There are reference
to Fay Easterly, Fred C. Burks, George Harris and Thomas Gorman, being Spanish
American War veterans, during various articles in the Philipsburg Mail, in
1922. Obviously they moved to the area after the war was over.
Another noted resident of Granite
County, who served in the Spanish American War, was John R. Page. Born September
12, 1880, at Harrisburg Missouri, he came to Granite when he was eight years of
age. He was married, December 18, 1906 to Gertrude Wickersheim of Corbin,
Montana, in Boulder, Montana. They set up residence in Philipsburg after the
wedding and lived there until his death. John was a mine boiler inspector,
until his retirement. As a Democrat, Mr. Page, served Granite County, as a
State Senator for six terms. He also served on the City Finance Committee
according to the Philipsburg Mail,
May, 1920 and was serving as town Judge, for Philipsburg, when he died. He
belonged to the Silver Post VFW, the AF&AM Pearl Chapter, Order of Eastern
Star and the Presbyterian Church.
John died at his home while getting
ready for bed, on December 22, 1956.Survivors were: his wife; son Perry Page
and his wife of Salt Lake City, Utah; daughters and spouses: Mr. and Mrs. Glen
Taylor Vancouver, Washington; Mr. and Mrs. Taylor (Mamie) Baker of Spokane,
Washington; and Mr. and Mrs. Bert (Doris) Kingery of Greenough; and brother Vatis
Page and his wife Birdie of Philipsburg. Funeral services were performed by the
Masonic Temple and Pallbearers at the Philipsburg Cemetery were: Earnest
McLaughlin, Jack Courtney, Everett Doe, Dr. L.R. Nesbit, Joe Beretta, and C. M.
Huffman. Graveside services conducted by the VFW. He was preceded in death, by son John Jr., who
died July 31, 1933. The family is discussed in depth in an earlier chapter.[xxxv]
The obituary for Fred Schultz stated he
was a veteran of the Spanish-American War.
He resided in Philipsburg for about ten years prior to his death and
lived in the Big Hole valley for thirty years, prior to coming to Philipsburg.
Masonic services were performed at the grave-side, after his death October 3,
1945.
References are made on occasion in the
news paper about young men being in the military, after the Spanish American War,
such as Herman Kamiske, who wrote to John Kaiser, about his service in the Boer
Army. Mr. Kamiske, a well known miner at the Hope and Bi-Metallic, traveled to
South Africa, to work in the Gold fields in 1894. At the time of his letter
written November 15, 1899:
He was five weeks into the war and…according to the English, they were going to be in Transvaal in three days, but things have taken a different turn. Instead of the English coming up here, the Dutch have gone into the English country and have beaten the English troops in every battle they have fought. If Mr. John Bull had known what was in store for him he never would have started this war; but it is live and find out.
Herman goes on to describe how much
smarter the Dutch are than the English. Such as seizing all of the gold in the
banks and the mines, plus they took possession of all the horses, wagons,
harness, boots, shoes, clothing and food. The Dutch worked the mines and gave
the owner’s receipts for the work done.
If the Dutch lose---well the property owners have the paper; if the Dutch win, the owners will get their pay for everything. In fact it is the smartest trick I ever heard of.
He continued on to say that there were
a number of men from Butte and from every country in the world, but that the
main army was made up of German’s. I found no other letters from Herman, or an
obituary.[xxxvi]
A letter from George Seelos, serving on
the Battleship Oregon, was published in the Mail, on August 17, 1900.
The battleship went onto a rock off the coast of China a few weeks before
the letter was written and gives the following account of this mishap:
On June 24th the Oregon left Hong Kong for Taku and all went well until the 29th. A very dense fog was hanging over the sea. The sun was not visible and the navigator of the ship was unable to get his bearings. During the afternoon he dropped anchor and intended to wait until the fog had raised. The ship had just anchored when the fog began to raise and in a short time the order was given to weigh anchor and we again started our journey. The ship had not gone over a hundred yards when she struck the rocks and stopped short. The first night all hands were up and ready to abandon the ship at any moment, because she began to settle at the starboard side. She staid (sic) above water that night, but was generally settling. The next morning the gunner’s mate went down as a diver to ascertain the extent of the injuries. He reported a rip in the plates about twenty feet long and from one to eighteen inches wide. A steam launch was then dispatched to the nearest port to summon assistance, and a working crew with divers, pumps, and other appliances arrived during the day and started to work that night. We worked day and night for four days. On the evening of the fourth day two English steamers, which had been sent to our assistance arrived. On the fifth day the Oregon was pulled off the rock, but through some misfortune we struck another one. This however did no further damage to the ship’s bottom, although we stuck fast for three more days. At noon on July 5, she floated herself and our captain and those of the other steamers wasted no time in getting the great battleship in a safe place. Now we are in shallow water and the divers are at work patching up the hole in the ships bottom so she can be taken to the dry dock at Yokosuka, Japan. This is 700 hundred miles distant, but is the nearest dry dock large enough for this ship. After we come out of dry dock I expect to see the blue jackets go to the firing lines and join in the march on Pekin. While it is no pleasure to be shipwrecked, we lost none of our courage in our misfortune, and while the Oregon was fast on the rocks we captured the first prize--a Chinese cruiser. It was a fine boat---just the kind our government needs.
The mail reaches me regularly and it seems like meeting an old friend when reading the news from my old home. I hope to be able to visit in 1903, providing the China men do not do away with me. Best regards to all.
Endnotes
[i] Pace, D,
.Golden Gulch, 1962, pp.16-17.
[ii] Schmurr &Toole, Historical Essays on Montana and the Northwest, 1957, pp.150.
[iii] ibid.
Endnotes
[i] Pace, D,
.Golden Gulch, 1962, pp.16-17.
[ii] Schmurr &Toole, Historical Essays on Montana and the Northwest, 1957, pp.150.
[iii] ibid.
[iv] Granite
Mountain Star, April 19, 1890.
[v] Philipsburg
Mail, August 29, 1913.
[vi] Granite
Mountain Star, August 16, 1890.
[vii] Citizen
Call, January 6, 1897; Philipsburg
Mail, September 13, 1901, November 12, 1937.
[viii] Wolle, M.S., Montana Pay Dirt, 1963, pp. 234-254.
[ix] Philipsburg
Mail, April 3, 1914; May 22, 1914.
[x] ibid,
June 25, 1920.
[xi] ibid,
November 17, 1916.
[xii] ibid,
March 10, 1922; March 31, 1922.
[xiii] ibid,
November 11, 1920.
[xiv] ibid,
December 1928.
[xv] ibid,
July 29, 1921.
[xvi] ibid, March
28, 1930; May22, 2008.
[xvii] ibid, May7,
1920.
[xviii] ibid,
March 27, 1914.
[xix] ibid,
December 8, 1899.
[xx] ibid,
March 4, 1921; New Northwest,
September 3, 1875; Philipsburg Mail,
January 17, 1895.
[xxi] ibid,
November 23, 1917.
[xxii] ibid,
September 14, 1917.
[xxiii] ibid,
February 18, 1910, copied from the Anaconda
Standard, February 7, 1910.
[xxiv] Date of publication unknown.
[xxv] Philipsburg
Mail, August 8, 1901.
[xxvi] Hess, 2006; Philipsburg Mail, November 1, 1912.
[xxvii] Philipsburg
Mail, August 8, 1928.
[xxviii] ibid,
January 10, 1895.
[xxix] ibid,
December 15, 1899.
[xxx] ibid,
August 25, 1916.
[xxxi] ibid,
February 14, 1919.
[xxxii] ibid,
December 15, 1922.
[xxxiii] Haines, A.L., An Elusive Victory-The Battle of the Big Hole, 1991, pp.21-34.
[xxxi] ibid,
February 14, 1919.
[xxxii] ibid,
December 15, 1922.
[xxxiii] Haines, A.L., An Elusive Victory-The Battle of the Big Hole, 1991, pp.21-34.
[xxxiv] Granite
Mountain Star, March 29, 1890.
[xxxiv] Granite
Mountain Star, March 29, 1890.
[xxxv] Philipsburg
Mail, December 28, 1956.
[xxxvi] ibid,
January 12, 1900.
[xxxv] Philipsburg
Mail, December 28, 1956.
[xxxvi] ibid,
January 12, 1900.
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