Mettle of Granite County Chapter Five Businessmen, Merchants and Miners

Chapter Five

Businessmen, Merchants and Miners

Table of Contents

McDonald
Lindstad
McDonald Cont'd
Blumenthal
J.C. Duffy
Neitz
Gannon
Schillings
Neu
McDougal
Durand
Sayrs
Doe

Continuing the history of businessmen and miners, one very apparent fact, almost without exception, was their very active involvement in the politics of city, county and state. Merchants and business-men were invested in mining and greased the wheel to keep the mines running. This provided jobs for the miners ready to take a risk and lease the tunnels, with only a small amount of the population, employed as day laborers. Even a lot of the employees working in the corporation owned mills, were paid a monthly salary.

McDonald

One name known since the early days of Granite County was McDonald (MacDonald). There are fifty one McDonald and seven MacDonald names, either on headstones, or file cards at City Hall, indicating burial in the Philipsburg cemetery.  So sorting out the different family histories, will not be an easy task. Assuming relatives are grouped in close proximity, in the cemetery, I will attempt to make sense of the relationships, as I research information on the many names.

A.A. McDonald, whom I believe, to be one of the first McDonald’s in the Deer Lodge /Granite County area, is discussed in Chapter I. The J.J. McDonald family is discussed in Ranchers near Philipsburg chapter, in Book II.

Many of these families may not fit the businessman or merchant category, but fulfilled the role of miner. To sort them makes an even more monumental task, so as I found items about the different names, I placed them in some order and discussed them below.

I found a reference  in the New Northwest, June 10, 1881 edition stating “ May 30, Alex McDonald to Salton Cameron, $100, undivided one half of Moss Lode, Deer lodge mining District” under the monetary transactions of Deer Lodge County. Then on February 6, 1882, I found a sale made by John Ulery to A.A. McDonald of mining property for $850.00, in the Flint Creek Mining district.[1]

The first reference I found of other McDonald’s was in the Philipsburg Mail  March 27, 1890:

Wood: McDonald and Morrison are now prepared to fill all wood orders on short notice. Leave orders at the office in Dawson’s or at the yard near the depot.

Next, I found where D.N. McDonald, of the Peoples Party, ran for Public Administrator against G.V. Sherman, a Democrat and W.T. Allison, a Republican, in the November 1894, election. W.T. Allison won after receiving 629 votes against McDonald’s 324 and Sherman’s 289. 

During the same election Granite County voted 672 votes for Anaconda, to be the new state capital, to 636 votes for Helena, to become the new capital. Obviously the sentiments of Granite were not the same as the majority of the counties as Helena won the election. That same election gave the Granite County Seat, to Philipsburg, by a vote of 715 to 272 votes, for Stone Station and 186 votes for the town of Drummond.[2]

In the same issue of the Mail, was the announcement that John M. McDonald, former Assistant U.S. District Attorney, set up his law practice in the front rooms over L.W. Shodair. His family was visiting in the east, but planned on locating in Philipsburg when they returned.

The next reference found was in the September 14, 1893, Philipsburg Mali, stating:

Born in Granite, Montana September 8, 1893 to the wife of James McDonald a daughter.

In 1895, Rachael Allen Smith, sister of Mrs. D.N. (Annie) McDonald, died of typhoid fever at her sister's home. She was twenty seven years eight months and eighteen days of age. Rachael was credited with being one of the eight people, who were the original organizers of the Philipsburg Presbyterian Church.

D. N. was also ill, but on the mend, from typhoid fever according to the January 24, 1895, Philipsburg Mail. Next, D.N., filed a lawsuit against Benjamin Teft, for foreclosure on a certain property on lot number 156, in Rumsey and a mechanic’s lien in the sum of $137.17, plus $50.00 in attorney fees, in the Third Judicial District of the State of Montana, Granite County. Then in 1897 was a reference: 

D.N. McDonald, the lumber dealer, has placed a new display advertisement in the Mail, today in which he calls attention of residents to the fact that he has just received a new lot of screen doors and windows which are excellent in make and finish and low in price.[3]

In 1898, D.N. McDonald, received a letter from M.S. Morrison, whom he had been in business with under the name of McDonald & Morrison and The Philipsburg Lumber and Fuel Company. Morrison was writing from Dawson City, North West Territory. He was not working at the present as all the dirt they sluiced was now worked out and they had barely made wages. He had seen Jake Franzman and stated that he saw people from the ‘Burg every day.

The country was plenty large enough for all of them. They are too late, however, for Dawson City and the country immediately around it is all located; but this is big country and there were new fields to be discovered.

During the latter part of 1903 and January 1904, The Philipsburg Mail, published two letters received by D.N. McDonald, from a traveling Presbyterian missionary named C.C. Fuller. He was well known in Montana, as he previously sold Bozeman Flour and was employed as the traveling representative of the Bozeman Milling Company.

I also found in 1905, where D.N. McDonald and Valentine Jacky, of Missoula announced partnership in implements, harnesses, wagons etc., according to the September 29, 1905, Philipsburg Mail.

Then In the next issue was the announcement Mr. and Mrs. D.D. Walker of the Big Hole valley were guests of Mr. and Mrs. D.N. McDonald, in this city last week.

Mr. McDonald and the Walker brothers are old-time friends, the first work done in Montana by Mr. McDonald being for the Walker Brothers. Mr. Walker sustained a sprained ankle while rounding up stock here last week and was cared for at the home of Mr. and Mrs. D.N. McDonald for several days until he was able to travel.

There is no record of D.N. McDonald, in the Philipsburg cemetery, but there is one infant headstone with no first name, the date of September 4, 1889 and the inscription “Son of D.N. and Annie McDonald”, in block fourteen, lot one and Annie McDonald, has a headstone with the birth date of 1871 and death date of 1917, also in block fourteen, lot one.

There is a headstone for Ray Lincoln MacDonald (note the spelling) born to D.N. and Annie on June 11, 1895. On November 20, 1908, the Philipsburg Mail carried an article stating he was gravely ill and his condition was causing much anxiety to the parents and many friends and family.

He died November 24, 1908, after being ill for several months with diabetes. The parents did everything to save his life, even taking him to a sanitarium at Rochester, Minnesota, without any results. His funeral took place at the family residence, located on lower Broadway, Friday November 27, with Rev. J.B. Stevens officiating, and then a service at the Presbyterian Church en-route to the Philipsburg cemetery. Pallbearers chosen from Ray’s classmates were: Emerson Bramble, Herman Hauck, Johnnie Morrison, Erton Herring, Julius Troeltzach, and Milton Lindgren[4].

All of the news articles spell his name Mc, whereas his headstone is Mac. In the obituary for D.N.’s sister-in-law, Mrs. John D (Christine Allen) McDonald, I found the statement Mrs. D. N. McDonald was living in Seattle, leading one to believe D.N. remarried into the Allen family, but I have not found a wedding announcement.

Also buried in block fourteen, lot one, are the following: Donald A. McDonald, born February 21 and died six days later on February 27, 1903; Malcolm born 1862 and died 1925; Hazel Anna born 1904 and died 1925, with the inscription: Wife of N.P.. In block fourteen, lot five, grave three, is Murray C. born 1908 and died 1939 and in lot twenty, grave two, with no headstone is Mrs. McRae McDonald.

The MacDonald’s in the Philipsburg cemetery are Angus A. born August 15, 1843, and died April 2, 1910 (this is A.A. “Red Mac” known as McDonald); Charles MacDonald born 1878, and died 1949; Daniel MacDonald born June 12, 1846, and died May 12, 1908; Dela M. MacDonald born 1872, and died 1959; John MacDonald born 1864, and died 1878 and Susie Alice MacDonald born February 15, 1866, and died March 27, 1932, who was the wife of A.A. “Red Mac”.

There are five file cards at City Hall, with the inscription McDonald baby and one with only the name McDonald on it; another file card states McDonald John baby; and there are two headstones of McDonald babies: Maggie died on August 13 in 189? (date un-readable) at the age of four years and six months, daughter of James and Mary; Mary Madilon born May 21, 1922 died September 25, 1922. There is no record of James McDonald being buried, but there is a Mary J., born December 2, 1879 and died November 9, 1908, with the inscription: erected by Women of Woodcraft, who could be the mother of Maggie.

J .J. McDonald and Madilon, along with A.M. MacDonald, owned the MacDonald Mine in McKay Gulch on the West Fork of Rock Creek, in 1938. A.M. was Alex M. MacDonald; J.J.’s wife was Madilon and he was an attorney, according to Bus Hess and I am assuming their daughter was Mary Madilon who died in 1922.

Research revealed J.J. McDonald was practicing law in the upstairs of the Sayrs building according to the March 1, 1918, Philipsburg Mail. Possibly this same J.J. McDonald was selling insurance in 1936. As I found where the county commissioners approved $207.68 premium on insurance to J.J. McDonald, at their August 3, 1936 meeting, announced in the Philipsburg Mail, August 14, 1936. This J.J. is not to be confused with the rancher, J.J. McDonald, who was a nephew to A.A. “Red Mac” McDonald. Both are discussed in other chapters.

Research revealed McDonald’s, owing back taxes on their property for 1895 as: Wm. McDonald for a house on lot 231, Granite Company’s ground, in Granite for the sum of $2.65 and A. McDonald for a log house on lot 207, on Granite Company’s ground, in Rumsey for the sum of $2.65.

Findlay McDonald won the election for Sheriff, in 1896, with a vote of 922 against A.S. Huffman’s, 905 votes. One of his first major events was when he arrested a man who called himself Robert Granville, May 5, 1897. The populous strongly suspected the man to be John Strader, alias Frank Morgan, wanted in Gallatin County for killing Deputy Sheriff Allen during an attempted arrest. He had exchanged several shots with Deputy Fisher and Dan Berry during a break in of the Berry's house on May 10.  

Sheriff Fransham arrived from Gallatin County and though not certain he was the same man, took pictures of the prisoner in the Granite County Jail, to show to person’s that were known acquaintances of Frank Morgan/John Strader. When arrested he had two six-shooters strapped on him “in self improvised  scabbards” made from the boot tops of a sheep herder working for Davis and Williams, a few miles south of Garrison, who the day before had been robbed and roughly handled by Granville and his associate. The sheep-herder identified him, as one of the men who held him up and gave a good description of the other who escaped. 

It was determined by all, the man by whatever name, was a rough one and probably wanted for other crimes, if he was not the person who killed the deputy. At a hearing before Justice Berry of Drummond, he waived examination and was bound over to the next term of district court.[5]

Findlay was defeated by George Metcalf, for Granite County Sheriff, by one vote and the election results were contested in 1898. The case was set for a hearing on December 7, with D.M. Durfee as Findlay‘s attorney and W. Brown, the attorney for Metcalf. The election results were found to be correct and Findlay turned his office over on January 1, 1899. 

He ran again for Sheriff, on the Democratic ticket in 1904 and won, against Republican J.D. Kennedy, by a plurality of 161 votes. Findlay, was not the Democratic nominee, for sheriff in 1906; Robert McDonel, was and he lost to J.D. Kennedy.

The year 1911, saw the former Sheriff Findlay McDonald, summoned by death. He died on Sunday March 5, 1911, after being an invalid for almost three years. On July 22, 1908, Findlay risked his life to stop a run away team in Drummond and was dragged for a number of blocks and severely injured. He saved the life of the lady driving the team, but “it may be said that it was at the sacrifice of his own life”.[6] 

Findlay, the son of John R. McDonald and Margaret McPherson McDonald, was born in Glengary County, Ontario in 1859. He was fifty one years, ten months, and nineteen days old, at the time of his death. Raised on a farm, he attended school in Alexandria, then moved to Saginaw, Michigan and worked in lumber. After a couple of years he moved to Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin and again worked in the lumber industry. Next his interest turned to mining, with a move to Leadville, Colorado. Then after about three years he returned to his native land in Canada, and married Miss Mary McDonald, at St. Fenian’s Catholic Church, in Alexandria.

They came west to Butte, on April 8, 1886, and arrived in Granite in 1888. He was responsible for helping to organize and was the first President of the Granite Mining Union, when it was founded in 1888. The next move was to Black Pine, with employment as the mine foreman, until 1896, when he was elected Sheriff of Granite County. He was re-elected in 1900 and 1902, being at the time of his death, the only sheriff serving three terms.

Survivors were: his wife Mary, daughter Catherine (married to Arthur Lindstadt Jr., at that time a druggist in Butte), his father and one sister in Ontario, a brother in British Columbia and two sisters in Rochester, N.Y. The funeral took place on March 8 under the auspices of the Granite Miner’s Union. His remains were conveyed from his home, at the Stephens Hotel, to the Catholic Church, by the Union members. Rev. Father Lee performed the Requiem High Mass. Then the Union members proceeded on foot, with the body to the Philipsburg Cemetery. Pallbearers were: Dan A. McLeod, P.H. McDonald, R.R. McLeod, William Dingwall, D.H. Morgan and Peter Gallagher.

Persons attending the funeral from out of town were: Mr. and Mrs. A.W. Lindstadt, Peter Gallagher, Mrs. Hattie McKay and Mrs. Flora McDonald of Butte; D.H. Morgan, Thomas E. Carey, of Helena; M. Dunnigan, from Clinton; Mrs. W.J. Allen from Anaconda; D. Daigle of Quigley; J. Norris of Drummond; Mr. and Mrs. R. McRae, Mr. and Mrs. W. Jenkins, Mr. and Mrs. Otto R. Neuebert , Mr. and Mrs. P. Ryan, W. Fahey, Misses Nan and Nell Fahey, A. Frazer, R. Conn, of Hall; and D. Mellen, P. Foy, and R. Anderson of Stone .

The next article found on March 27, 1914, was:

Mrs. Findlay (Mary) McDonald has taken over the Royal Café in the Doe Block from W.L. St. Jean who is going to Wisdom, in the Big Hole valley to take charge of his brother’s business there. Mrs. McDonald enjoys a wide reputation for excellence in the hotel business and no doubt will have a large patronage at her new location.

Obviously, Mary McDonald, was operating the Stephens Hotel dining hall when Findlay died and either her lease was up or she was unable to renew it.

Born in Alexandria, Ontario, in April of 1861, as Mary McDonald, she married Findlay in Canada and arrived in Philipsburg with her husband, in 1889. She died July 4, 1927, from pneumonia and the funeral was held from her daughter, Mrs. A.W. Lindstadt’s, home on July 6. Then the procession continued on to St. Philip’s Catholic Church, where Rev. John O’Malley, celebrated High Mass. The body was interred in the Philipsburg cemetery with pallbearers: Henry Price, Ed Miller, Hugh R. McDonald, Dan McGillis, S.R. Seelos, and Otis C. Mersereau. Honorary pallbearers were: D.H. Mellen, of Stone, John J. McDonald, Barney Presbitero, D.M. Durfee, A.H. Neal and Angus McDonald of Philipsburg.[7]

Survivors were: daughter Mrs. A.W. Lindstadt, four grandchildren: Catherine, Jean, Marian and Lois Lindstadt; three brothers: Sandy McDonald of Duluth, Alex M. and Duncan McDonald of Alexandria, Ontario and one sister Mrs. Dan McDonald, of Duluth.

Families of McDonald’s were married into other McDonald families, frequently, as evidenced, just in the local families. I don’t envy the family genealogists trying to unravel these family histories. 

Lindstadt

The Lindstadt family, whom Catherine McDonald married into, was also a merchant family of Philipsburg. Catherine and August W. Lindstadt were married August 22, 1910 and at the time of their marriage they were to reside in Butte.

Prior to their marriage are these newsworthy headlines in 1893:

Cattle stealing case…the (Charles) Boyd and (Gus) Lindstadt case occupied the attention of the district court last Friday and Saturday and up to a late hour that evening. A large number of witnesses examined on both sides. Judge Brantly presided and the prosecution was represented by County Attorney W.L. Brown and Bob Smith, while W.B. Rodgers and Judge McConnell appeared for the defendants. The trial was a long and tedious one and a number of pretty spicy remarks were passed between the attorneys during its progress …..The case was finally submitted to the jury about 10:30 o’clock and in an hour they brought in a verdict of acquittal for Charles and Gus on stealing cattle from Angus. A. McDonald.[8]

I am assuming, because Charles and Gus were butchers in Granite County, they possibly had in their butcher shops an animal (or animals) that had unwittingly been bought from a cattle thief. 

Next I found where Charles and Alex Boyd and August Lindstadt, sold their mine in the Red Lion District on March 31, 1905. It was bought by George H. Savage of the Milwaukee Gold Extraction Company, for nine thousand dollars. The amount was paid in cash, each partner receiving $3,000.The property was situated about 400 yards from the Hannah Group of mines and reduction works of the Milwaukee Gold Extraction Company.

A.J. (Alex) Boyd died in Seattle, the week of March 20, 1931. He was credited with building the Haverty Garage structure with his brother in the 1890's. He left Philipsburg in 1907, after selling his interest in the livery and transfer station and moved to Ballard, Washington. A.J. fell from a moving automobile on the Victory Highway, near his home and died from the injuries received. He was survived by his wife and three daughters: Katherine, Isabell and Alexandria, all of Ballard, Washington.

The patriarch of the family, August Lindstadt died September 18, 1912, in Missoula at the age of fifty seven. Born in Germany, he came to America in his early twenty’s and arrived in Montana in 1887. A butcher by trade, he worked in Butte, Deer Lodge and Garrison. He came to Philipsburg in 1888. August married Miss Minnie Tamke in Deer Lodge, before moving to Philipsburg. August owned valuable property at Red Lion, which he sold to buy his home in Missoula, where he moved in 1905. At the time of his death he still held interests at the Red Lion property.

Survivors were: his wife and three daughters and three sons; August W. was a druggist and proprietor of Red Cross Pharmacy in Philipsburg, Herman and Louis both lived in Philipsburg and Mabel, Ruth and Freda lived in Missoula. August is not buried in the Philipsburg cemetery.[9]  

Arthur Louis Lindstadt died of pneumonia on April 24, 1917, in the Lindstadt apartments, over the Granite County Garage. He arrived in Philipsburg, only two weeks prior with his wife, from Chicago, to assist his brother Herman, in the running of the Granite County Garage. Born in Philipsburg, on December 19, 1890, he attended Philipsburg schools until his family moved to Missoula in 1905. Six years prior, he began his education at Chicago Armour Institute of technology, to learn the automobile business. He worked at the Ford Motor Company, after graduation, as a foreman in the assembly plant for three years. He was married in Chicago, to Miss Amy Provines, on January 19, 1915.

Survivors were: wife Amy, mother Mrs. Minnie Lindstadt; three sisters: Miss Mabel, Superintendent of Missoula County Schools, Miss Ruth, of Missoula and Mrs. Freda Fowler, of Garrison; 2 brothers: Alderman, A.W., owner of the Red Cross Pharmacy, in Philipsburg and Herman, founder of the Granite County Garage. The funeral took place from the Masonic Temple and was commissioned by his Mother Lodge in Chicago “to confer the last solemn rites of the fraternity” according to the Philipsburg Mail, April 27, 1917. The remains were buried with Masonic honors in the Philipsburg cemetery.

Mr. and Mrs. A.W. Lindstadt’s, daughter Marian, married Donald Morrison, in the Parish of St. Philip’s Church, on December 3, 1938. Attendants were Mrs. Roy McLeod, sister of the bride and Edward Morrison, brother of the groom. Marian was employed for five years at her father’s, Red Cross Pharmacy and the groom was also a native of Philipsburg and employed by the Trout Mining Company. After a wedding trip to other Montana cities they made their home in Philipsburg.[10]

Herman Lindstadt and May (Mae)Van Norman, were married in Deer Lodge on September 18, 1916, by Rev. W. J. Attwood, Rector of St. James Episcopal Church. Their attendants were Mr. and Mrs. C.A. Metcalf. May, was the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. George Van Norman and was a sales lady at the Golden Rule Store. Herman was the proprietor, of the Granite County Garage. After the ceremony the bridal party motored to Butte and then returned to Philipsburg and the Metcalf ranch,

…and just as the (newly weds) were congratulating themselves upon successfully eluding the crowd, they were rudely kidnapped by friends who were on the lookout for their return and gave them a joy ride they will long remember.[11]

The newly weds made their home above the garage on Broadway. Herman was the dealer for the Overland automobile, manufactured by the Willys-Overland Company in Toledo, Ohio. The Model 85, sold for $795 FOB according to his ad in the Philipsburg Mail, November 24, 1916. Herman, born in 1888, died in 1952 with burial in the Philipsburg cemetery.

Herman's wife, May Lindstadt, was active in the Woman’s Club of Philipsburg as evidenced when she gave a talk on child welfare to the Club, on December 28, 1928.[12] The talk consisted of clothing, care and feeding of infants, hygiene and diet of growing children, discipline, care of teeth and education of the growing child and outdoor life, such as Camp Fire Girls and Boy Scouts. She also spoke of the proper books for children and the types of pictures they should see. May V. Lindstadt, born in 1888 died in 1965 and was buried in the Philipsburg cemetery. 

Catherine Lindstadt married Wallace Steber, the son of Mr. and Mrs. Henry Steber, on November 3, 1934, with Rev. Father John O’Malley officiating at the Lindstadt home and only members of the two families were in attendance. The wedding announcement was in the Philipsburg Mail, on November 9, 1934.

Other Lindstadt’s buried in the Philipsburg cemetery were: Catherine born March 31, 1885 and died July 10, 1945 and in her grave is the McLeod Baby, born to her sister Jean.

McDonald’s cont’d

A very brief obituary was in the April 29, 1898, Philipsburg Mail, that stated Mrs. R.J. McDonald aged forty one years, died at her home in south Philipsburg on April 22, 1898. She was buried in the Philipsburg cemetery Sunday afternoon. The deceased left a husband and three young children to mourn her death. I assume this was Lilly, as her grave with out a headstone, is next to Robert McDonald, also without a headstone in block sixteen, lot twenty, graves thirteen and twelve.

Lockie McDonald and Malcolm McDonald are names listed in the eighty plus volunteers who signed up for the Spanish American War.[13]  Lockie’s given name was Lauchlin. He was born in 1864 and died in 1941. I found reference to George McDonald attending the Masquerade Ball as a gold mine and Lockie, dressed as a clown, in the January 25, 1894, Philipsburg Mail.

 The following notice was published in the Philipsburg Mail, in 1896:

Notice is hereby given that the co-partnership heretofore existing under the firm name and style of McDonald and Peck is this day dissolved by mutual consent. Loch McDonald will conduct the business, collect and pay all accounts. Signed W.H. Peck and Loch McDonald, Combination, Montana, July 27, 1866 (this should have stated 1896).[14] 

In 1904, D.H. McDonald died, after having surgery for an intestinal abscess, at Mercy Hospital in Chicago, on May 2. It was believed that unforeseen complications and heart failure were the cause of death. His wife telegraphed Philipsburg of the death and his brother, Peter H., immediately left for the east. Mr. McDonald's remains were taken to Green Valley, Ontario, his former home for burial. He had lived in Philipsburg since 1894.[15]

Miss (Lena) May McDonald, married J.C. Duffy a prominent miner, at St. Paul’s Catholic Church in Anaconda, on December 18, 1898. The marriage announcement stated Mr. Duffy had for many years been identified with the government of the Granite Miner’s Union and the prosperous condition of that organization is abundant evidence of his excellent business abilities and faithful application to the duties of secretary. His repeated selection to the responsible position of financial secretary indicated that he enjoyed the utmost confidence of his fellow miner’s and that his services were highly appreciated. The article did not mention who either party's parents or birthplace were. The couple returned from Anaconda on Tuesday’s train and settled in Granite.[16]

Duffy

Because the prominent position and subsequent demise of Mr. Duffy was pertinent to the history of the area, I choose to describe Mr. Duffy’s life at this time. The first reference I found of him was: “J.C. Duffy and wife to Michael Day $800, placer claims No. 21, 22, and 23, finraes, tools etc., in Wilson District” in the New Northwest, September 10, 1875 edition. This was in the section of legal transactions, when Philipsburg was still part of Deer Lodge County. The wife listed here must have died prior to1899, when he married Miss McDonald.  

The first reference I found of J.C., involved in the Miner’s Union was in the March 19, 1897, Philipsburg Mail:

J.C. Wilson, who was recently elected to the position of financial secretary of the Granite Miner’s Union, has resigned and in his stead James C. Duffy has been elected. No extensive mention of his qualifications is necessary to be made, as almost everybody in the county knows the gentleman and his ability to creditably fill the office is equally known.

J.C. ran for the office of State Representative for the County of Granite, in 1898, on the Democratic ticket, but lost to L.C. Parker, 575 to 610 votes according to the Philipsburg Mail, November 18, 1898. The next article in the news was that Messrs. James C. Duffy and Hector McDonald were down from Granite, making preparations for the Granite Social Club masquerade ball, which would take place at Miner’s Union Hall on, January 2, 1899. 

Another newsworthy article stated:

Mrs. James C. (Lena Mae) Duffy died at the home of her mother, Mrs. A.C. McDonald, in Granite Feb. 5, 1900, after an illness of about three weeks. Mrs. Duffy was only seventeen years and eight days old and her untimely death brought grief and sorrow to all who knew her. Since childhood days, Mrs. Duffy had resided with her parents in Granite. A child was born to Mr. and Mrs. Duffy several weeks prior, but only a short time was Mrs. Duffy permitted to enjoy the blessings of motherhood. When her father, the late A.C. McDonald, died two weeks before, Mrs. Duffy was very ill; her condition so critical that she was not informed of his death, although it occurred in the same house.

Survivors were: her mother, husband and infant and two sisters, but neither the sex of the baby nor the names of the sisters were included in the obituary. The funeral took place from the mother’s home in Granite, with Rev. James B. Butter, officiating. Pallbearers at the Philipsburg cemetery were: Hector McDonald, Vatis Page, Patrick Dougherty, Malcolm McDonald, Fred Baxter, and Dennis Dugan. The obituary also stated J.C. was now the “former financial secretary of the Granite Miner’s Union”.[17]

In 1910, J.C. was elected to the office of State Representative for Granite County, and about that same time he became the Deputy State Game and Fish Warden, for the local district. For no apparent reason a fellow Irishman shot and killed James, on a Saturday afternoon, January 8, 1916. The shooter, Michael Lonergan was a well known miner from Granite and employed by the Granite-Bimetallic at the time of the incident:

The shooting took place in front of the post office about 3:20pm, just after Duffy had left the post office with mail in his hand….As the shot rang out Duffy was seen to fall on the sidewalk and Lonergan stood near by brandishing a revolver. He was excited and said that he did it, but willingly gave up his gun to Herman Hauck, a clerk at the post office, who was on his way out and reached the street just as the shot was fired. Under-sheriff A.R. McDonald was less than a block away and took Lonergan into custody a few minutes later. He made no attempt to escape. The stricken man was carried into Jas. Sundberg’s place where Dr. Casey made a hasty examination. A bullet wound over the left eye showed that there was no hope. A few minutes later Rev. Father D. Meade arrived and administered extreme unction to the dying man. After the rites of the church were conferred, Mr. Duffy was removed to the Silver Lake Hotel where he passed away at 6:30pm without having regained consciousness.[18] 

A coroner’s inquest was held on Monday January 16^th and the jury brought a verdict of death from a bullet wound to the head inflicted by a shot fired from a revolver in the hands of Michael Lonergan. According to the article Mr. Lonergan, had been down from Granite a number of days seeking treatment for a bronchial condition and had been drinking alcohol at the time of the incident. He bought the gun and shells the day before and only one bullet had been fired from the gun at the time of Duffy’s death.

James C. Duffy, born in County Donegal, Ardsmore Turaconnell, Ireland was fifty years and six days of age, at the time of his death. His birth date was January 2, 1866. He had lived in Granite for over twenty five years and was active in the Democratic Party. Survivors were: his sister Miss Maggie Duffy of Granite and a brother John Duffy of Southern Cross. There was no mention of another marriage or of the child born to him and his late wife, in the obituary.

The funeral for James was on January 11, from McGurks’ Hotel (The Silver Lake) to St. Philip’s Catholic Church, where requiem mass was celebrated and then on to the Philipsburg cemetery with internment beside his wife Lena May. Pallbearers were: Dennis Duggan and Michael Mulhren of Butte, Patrick Dougherty and John P. Sullivan of Southern Cross, and D.A. McLeod and P. McGarvey of Philipsburg.

The preliminary hearing of Michael Lonergan for the killing of James C. Duffy was held in Judge Sayrs’ court last Saturday afternoon. Lonergan was represented by Attorney W.L. Brown and Judge D.M. Durfee appeared for the state. A number of witnesses were examined but nothing new was learned in explanation to the trouble which led to the shooting. The prisoner waived the right to testify in his own behalf and the crowd of curiosity-seekers present, who came expecting to hear something sensational, went away disappointed. Lonergan was bound over to the district court without bail.[19]

The Lonergan trial got underway on March 15, after taking two days to secure a jury. The final jury was made up of: John D. McRae, F.C. Pearson, Rueben Conn, C.E. Smith, of Hall; Robert L. Owsley, Geo. W. Sullivan of Drummond; George Cape, Otto Rinderknecht, Rome Saurer, H. H. Hansen, of Philipsburg; and W.W. Shaffer and J.P. Rodda, of Rock Creek. The defendant was on the stand testifying for the defense as the Mail, went to press. The jury returned a verdict “of guilty of murder in the second degree and left the punishment to be fixed by the court”, on Sunday March 16.  Judge Winston sentenced Lonergan, to the State Prison, for a term of not less than thirty years and not more than forty, on March 23, 1916.

I did not find any record for a child of James C. Duffy buried in the Philipsburg cemetery. One Duffy baby has a headstone stating he was eight days old and died on November 14, 1888 and there is a grave of Duffy baby girl in the next grave according to a file card in City Hall, but there is no headstone or date of death. I found a death notice for Katie Duffy, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. John Duffy who died from bronchitis secondary to measles June 5, 1896, and was buried in the Philipsburg cemetery on June 6th, so this must be her grave. The John Duffy family is discussed in the Ranches around Philipsburg chapter in Book II.

McDonald’s cont’d

Returning to the McDonald’s, I found where Kenneth McDonald, had his face and right hand severely burned “while starting a fire with coal oil in the roundhouse last Friday" on December 4, 1908. To prevent the freezing of water in the train engines they maintained a fire all night and apparently the fire still had some coals burning when Kenneth dumped in the fuel and struck a match. Though the burns were painful he was back to work by the next week.

Mrs. A.R. McDonald (Mary Jane Nixon), died November 9, 1909, at the Sister’s Hospital in Deer Lodge, where she had been a patient for the past six months, for cancer and tuberculosis. Born in Teasdale, England, December 2, 1879, she came to Philipsburg when a small child. She was survived by her husband, four small children (names not identified), her mother Mrs. Nixon and sister Mrs. C.A. McDaniel. The body was returned from Deer Lodge and the funeral took place from the C.A. McDaniel home, on the south side with Rev. W.J. Atwood, officiating. She was an active member of the Women of Woodcraft with a degree of Honor and a member of The Rebekah Lodge. Her husband Alexander R. was buried next to her in the Philipsburg cemetery, when he died in 1938.

Allen McDonald married Miss Evelyn Nasslin, on June 26, 1912, at the bride’s mother's home in south Philipsburg. The groom was the son of Mr. and Mrs. D.N. McDonald and the bride was the daughter of Mrs. Hannah Nasslin, both families of Philipsburg. They were to reside in the McDonald house near the Depot that had recently been remodeled for the couple.[20]

Neil R., known as Fog Horn McDonald is spoken of in the Patriots Chapter, but I will provide information from his obituary here.

 In mining camps and palaces, along the trails and in the streets of the cities, men today will pause to regret the passing, at the Corona Hotel last night (November 20, 1923) of the picturesque Canadian….Death, which passed him by on the adventurous paths of his life spent largely ‘mid the rigors and wildness of the last frontiers, called him from the peacefulness and quietude of a Montreal Hotel. Pneumonia and Pleurisy in a few short days accomplished what a long life of exposure and four years of war failed to do.  

As a Major in the Canadian Forestry Corp, during WWII, he was known for sleeping with his boots on, which was frequently used by his pals to wager bets with unknowing gamblers. After completing his overseas duties he attempted to return to the front with the A.E.F., but was deemed too old. He was over 50, when he returned to Canada, to sign up after the U.S. Military refused him. He was known throughout Canada and the American mining west as Fog Horn, because of his booming and often colorful vocalizations. Neil was involved with Augustus Heinze in Butte and had adventured in Colorado and during the early Cobalt days, managed many mines; He was a Porcupine pioneer and saved many victims, when the fires waged through the plants; His obituary expressed the fact he was accepted in all realms of life, be it a kings palace or a miners tent.  “He was admitted to the society of Sourdoughs and the Salon”.

Four days prior to his death he had been drinking and carousing on the Montreal waterfront. Survivors were: a sister Mrs. W.J. Fennell of Montreal, four brothers: John A. McDonald of Montreal, J.A. McDonald of Cobalt, Daniel McDonald of Lewistown, Montana, and Duncan McDonald of Candle, Alaska. He was buried in Montreal on November 23, 1923.[21]

Malcolm McDonald announced that Miss Annie Murray would be marrying him, during the week of October 6, 1901, in the October 4, 1901, Philipsburg Mail. I do not know if this occurred as she is not identified in his obituary, nor did I find a death notice for her.

Miss Hazel McDonald, daughter of Malcolm McDonald, married Nub Allen, in Deer Lodge, during the week of November 23, 1923. Hazel, a native of Philipsburg, graduated from the Granite County High School and had taught during the summer at the Rock Creek School. The November 30, 1923, announcement did not identify Mr. Allen’s, occupation.

Malcolm L. McDonald died at his home, near the Depot March 24, 1925, after a long illness. Born in 1858 at Compton, Quebec, Canada, Malcolm came to Montana in 1887 and was a miner in and around Philipsburg. He was a charter member of the Selish Tribe No. 14; the Great Council of the State of Montana and at the time of his death a Trustee on the Council; and a member of the Woodsmen of the World. 

Survivors were: his daughters: Mrs. Nub (Hazel) Allen, of Hall and Mary McDonald, of Philipsburg and son Murray McDonald, of Philipsburg. The funeral was held from the family home on Holland Street on March 26, with Rev. Percy Arkle, of the First Presbyterian Church officiating. The Red Men conducted the graveside service, with Great Past Chief D.M. Durfee, acting as Prophet and John M. Warner, Sachem conducting the final rites. Pallbearers were: Ernest Maehl, Henry Steber, and D.A. McDougal from the Red Men’s Lodge and Ed King, Rodney Huffman and Frank Beley from the Woods Men Lodge.[22]

Mrs. Nub (Hazel McDonald) Allen died at her home near Hall, on June 19, 1925. Survivors were: her husband and a nine month old son, and a brother Murray and sister, Mary, all of Philipsburg. No funeral arrangements had been made at the time the Mail went to press. She was not buried in the Philipsburg cemetery, so must be in the Allen family plot, in the Valley cemetery.

P.H. McDonald, known as Big Pete, died at St. James Hospital after an illness of ten days, from Apoplexy, on January 12, 1926. He lived in Granite County for thirty six years. Big Pete was born in Green Valley, Ontario on May 26, 1851 and came to Philipsburg in 1890. Survivors were his children: Mrs. Hugh R. McDonald and Hugh J. McDonald of Philipsburg and Axel J. McDonald of Butte.  

The Elks performed a service at the family home on Granite Street, then High Mass was conducted at St. Philip’s Catholic Church, with Father Bourke, of Philipsburg, Father Crowley of Anaconda and Father Landle, of Deer Lodge officiating. He was interred in the Philipsburg cemetery by Pallbearers: John C. Smith, Leo H. McClellan, Henry Price, C.A. Metcalf, Humphrey J. Courtney and John Orr. Honorary Pallbearers were: J.J. McDonald, R.R. McLeod, Frank D. Sayrs, D.M. Durfee, Alex Frazer and D.H. Mellen. 

John Dooley McDonald had lived in Philipsburg for 30 years, when he died at Mrs. Glover’s Hospital, the week of November 18, 1927. He had been ill for several years, causing him to quit the mining business and open a harness and shoe repair shop in town. Born in Quebec in 1864, he came to Montana in 1897 and married Catherine Smith, in 1902. Catherine was in Seattle visiting her sister Mrs. D.N. McDonald, when John died. Besides his wife he was survived by a son George in Butte, and a brother in Canada. The Mail, assumed he would be buried in the Philipsburg cemetery, but arrangements were awaiting the arrival of Mrs. McDonald.

Angus Alexander (Sandy) McDonald, born in 1862, came with his brother John J. McDonald, in 1883 to Philipsburg, Montana. The two brothers were nephews of A.A. “Red Mac” McDonald, the pioneer, banker, miner, investor and rancher. Sandy died in 1938 and was buried in the Philipsburg cemetery.   

A news article in the October 12, 1915, Mail, stated Catherine McDonald, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. P.H. McDonald married Hugh R. McDonald, of Butte on October 12, 1915.

John Angus McDonald married Miss Breda Sullivan, of Butte, at the Sacred Heart Church, in Butte on June 13, 1920. The Rev. Father Joyce performed the ceremony. The bride was attended by Miss Nellie Connolly and the groom’s nephew John Sullivan, was the best man. Following the wedding a breakfast was served at the home of the bride’s sister, Mrs. Charles Lee. After a honeymoon on the coast the couple returned to Philipsburg to make their home according to the Philipsburg Mail, June 17, 1920.

There is no record of either John or Breda, in the Philipsburg cemetery.

On June 30, 1922, A.R. (Alex) McDonald, County Treasurer, was congratulated along with County Clerk and Recorder, by State Examiner A.E. Williamson, for the excellent jobs they were doing in managing the affairs of Granite County. He stated:

…the books of the County Treasurer were found to be written up promptly, neatly and efficiently, it is a pleasure to check an office that is handled in this manner.

A.R., served as County Treasurer from 1920 through 1924, then lost to J.W. Johnson 545 to 848, in 1928 and received two write in votes in the 1930 election, where Johnson ran unopposed.[23]

Alex was born in Ontario, Canada in 1867, moved to Rumsey in 1890 and then Philipsburg. He married Mary Nixon December 18, 1901 and was the father of twin girls Enid and Edna and two sons Dan and George. Besides serving as County Treasurer he was under-sheriff for D.A. McLeod. Alex died on May 11, 1938 and Mary died in 1909. They are both buried in the Philipsburg cemetery.

Enid and Edna were both attending nursing school at Murray Hospital when they came home to visit their father Alex according to the July 22, 1927 Philipsburg Mail. The young ladies had graduated on May 28, 1926 from The Granite County High School.

Teresa Eleanor McDonald, the eldest daughter of  Mrs. D.H. McDonald, married Emil Leland Blumenthal in Reno on August 25, 1928. Both of the newlyweds were born in Philipsburg and attended Granite County schools. They graduated on May 31, 1918. Teresa then attended and graduated from the University of California. Emil graduated from Standford and was currently attending the School of Medicine. 

Blumenthals

Emil's parents, Emil E. and Emma L. Augentein were married in Denver on March 20, 1900. Emil was employed as the assistant assayer at the Bi-Metallic Mill and had been engaged to Emma before moving to Philipsburg.  The local people knew Emma as she had been in town nursing Emil during a recent illness.

The Philipsburg Mail stated that Emil and Emma:

left yesterday morning for the coast where they will visit for about three weeks. This is Mr. Blumenthal’s first vacation in twenty years and he thinks he is deserving of one in a lifetime, at least. His son Emil will have charge of the laboratory, during his absence.[24]

Emma’s father Ernest Augenstein died on January 12, 1920 at San Francisco, California. Mrs. Augenstein then moved from California to Missoula, to live with Emma and her family.

I know that Emil and Emma had daughters, as I found where:

Miss Allene Emma Blumenthal married Nelson E. Byberg, of Missoula on July 19, at the home of the bride on Daly Street in Missoula, with the Rev. Palm of the Swedish Lutheran Church performing the service. Miss Louise, sister of the bride and Captain George Bloomquist of Spokane were the bridesmaid and best man. They honeymooned in Spokane. The bride is a student of music and the groom works for White Pine Sash and Door in Missoula and plays on the Missoula baseball league. The couple will make there home in Missoula.[25]

Miss Florence Irene Blumenthal married Ralph William Erickson, in Phoenix, Arizona on October 2, 1928. The couple made their home in Los Angeles, where Mr. Erickson, was in the banking business.  Also Mrs. E.E. Blumenthal and daughter Mrs. Edward P. Ogle and son of Indio, California, spent the Thanksgiving holiday as guests at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Erickson at Corvallis, according to the December 4, 1936, Philipsburg Mail.

Albert Blumenthal, the youngest son of Emil and Emma,  married Miss Marie Cullen, in Missoula, August 1, 1925. Reverend D.P. Meade of St. Anthony’s Catholic Church performed the ceremony. The bridesmaid was her sister, Miss Florence and the best man was W.R. Wyatt, principal of Powell County High School. Albert was a junior at the University of Montana and the bride was a teacher at Missoula Grade School. 

They obviously, had a daughter as I found where “Mrs. Albert Blumenthal and Miss Eileen Blumenthal spent several days shopping in Missoula this week” in the Philipsburg Mail, September 7, 1934. Albert was the author of Small Town Stuff, a book of fiction, believed to depict the town of Philipsburg.[26] Albert died in California in 1988, but I have not found an obituary.

McDonald's

Returning to the discussion about Granite County McDonald’s, Mrs. Julia McDonald died at the home of her daughter, Mrs. Frank Kreig, in Maxville, on October 31, 1934, after being ill several weeks. Born Julia Miller, in New York City, on October 6, 1872, she came to Corrine, Utah as a child and in 1875, came by wagon train to Deer Lodge. In 1888, she married Albert Neitz and lived in Deer Lodge until 1891, when the family came to Philipsburg and lived on a ranch on upper Trout Creek.

Neitz

Julia, was survived by her son Roy A. Neitz, of Philipsburg, and her daughter Mrs. Frank Krieg, in Maxville, plus four sisters, a half sister and two half brothers: Ed Tamke of Deer Lodge and Fred Tamke of Maxville; and five grandsons: Vernon Neitz, of Fairbanks, Alaska; Jack and Dean Neitz, of Philipsburg and Frank and Ralph Kreig, of Maxville. Another son, Arthur, died in 1908. The funeral was November 3, at the Methodist Church, with Rev. A.J. Smith officiating. Interment was in the Philipsburg cemetery with pallbearers: John Kennedy, E.V. Johnson, J.H. Florey, Angus Murray, John Murray and B. Schoonover. 

Albert, born in Germany on January 1, 1852, came to the United States in 1871. He lived in New York a short time then, moved to Pennsylvania for several years and then California.  His final move was to Montana in 1880. He lived in Deer Lodge until 1883 (or 1881 according to Julia’s obituary), when he moved to Philipsburg. For several years he had a ranch in the upper valley then was engaged in the restaurant business for many years. 

On October 5, 1900, I found where Albert Neitz bought out the St. Louis Restaurant, opposite the Bimetallic Mercantile Company’s store. The place would, in the future be known as Neitz’s Restaurant. Mr. Neitz announced he would employ white help only and give his personal attention to the business. A first class meal at a reasonable price is what he proposed to give to his patrons. Meals would be 25 cents.

Then by 1916, he had been the proprietor of the City Bakery for the past two years according to the March 17, Philipsburg Mail. Albert died March 15, 1916, of cancer of the stomach. Although he had been in poor health for several months, he continued to take care of his bakery business. But on March 4, he gave up his baking and took to his bed.

At the time of his death, he was survived by his wife Julia and two children: Roy Neitz, of Philipsburg and Mrs. Frank Krieg, of Anaconda. His son, Arthur preceded him in death in 1908. The service was held in the Presbyterian Church with Rev. Charles Greenway officiating. Pallbearers were: Senator George Metcalf, C.T. Huffman, G.E. Northey, J.D. Kennedy, P.E. Taylor, and F.A. Taylor. Relatives coming from out of town to attend the funeral were: Mrs. Phil Sullivan of Butte, Mrs. Jack Conlin, Mrs. Jack Sullivan and Mrs. George Scheutz and small son of Deer Lodge, Mrs. August Lindstadt of Missoula, and Frank Krieg of Anaconda.

Two months before on January 15, 1916, Eva Neitz, daughter of Albert and Julia Neitz, married Frank Kreig, in Butte, without any of their friend's knowledge. They went to Anaconda after the ceremony and made their home there.

In 1918, Frank’s widow, Julia married Alex McDonald. They lived on Marshall Creek, until Alex became ill.  They then moved to Philipsburg. I found reference to the Alex McDonald ranch home, on Marshall Creek, being totally destroyed by fire while the family was in town, on March 21, 1923, so they moved to town after that. Alex died in September of 1933. He was a member of Court Algonquin No.3969 Independent Order of Foresters and in 1904 was elected to the post of V.C. Ranger.

Albert and Julia’s son, Roy Neitz, married Anna Zoldorf and to this marriage was born Vernon, in 1913. They divorced about 1918. Next, Roy married Miss Vera Fern Norton, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Stephen Norton, of Drummond, in 1924. She was a graduate of Montana State Normal College, in Dillon and taught in the Lima and Drummond schools. Vera died after having surgery at Rochester, Minnesota on January 1, 1939 and her body was returned to Philipsburg for burial in the Philipsburg cemetery. Pallbearers were: R.J. Huffman, J.W. Kaiser, Fred Bowen, George Drinville and D.D. Corlett. Survivors were sons, John Forest and Dean Albert, according to her obituary published in the January 6, 1939, Mail.

A few years after marrying Vera, Roy became the owner and publisher of the Philipsburg Mail and operated it until his death in 1953. During this time period, Roy married his third wife Eunice Eagle, about 1943. Eunice, originally from Kansas, met Roy, while she was working at Stark Printing Company, in Butte. After Roy’s death, Eunice and step-son Dean kept the business running. Once Dean married Trilby (Horrigan), in 1955, the two took on the task of running the Philipsburg Mail, until they sold it in 1992.[27] 

Roy’s other sons were Vernon and Jack Neitz. Vernon, born in 1913, was laid to rest in the Philipsburg cemetery, with full military honors, on October 17, 1952, by the American Legion and Veterans of Foreign Wars Posts, with Allen McKenzie serving as the captain of both posts. Survivors were: brothers, Jack of Fairfield and Dean of Philipsburg; cousins Ralph and Frank Kreig Jr. and Tom Ryan and Ed Kahoe.

The obituary does not mention his wife Helen or children Bobby, Darell or Michelle. Darell died about 5 years of age in the early 1950's, and does not have a headstone. His grave is in block twenty one, lot thirty two, grave three.  Bobby born in 1941, died in Butte about 2006 and Michelle, died in Butte about 2003. Helen born in 1916 died in 1985 and is buried in the Philipsburg cemetery near Darell.

There is a baby Thomas A. Neitz buried in the Philipsburg cemetery with a headstone having the date 1944. It is not certain, but believed this is Jack's son.[28]  Also there is a headstone for a Eunice Marie Neitz, with the date December 5, 1954, believed to be Jack's daughter.  Jack baby, with no headstone is in block twenty one, lot seventeen, grave seven. I will continue to look for these obituaries.

Roy's third wife, Eunice E., born in 1904, in Kansas, traveled to Hawaii and Florida after becoming a widow and died in 1984. Her headstone is in block seventeen, but there is no file card at City Hall.

Jack married Mary Rita Waldbillig, daughter of Frank and Josephine O'Neill Waldbillig, on May 31, 1950. The family was raised in Laurel, where Mary taught school from 1969 through 1987.  She moved back to Philipsburg in 1992 and next to Wisconsin in 1998. I am not certain when Jack and Mary divorced, but he is still alive. Mary died April 7, 2005, in Wauwatosa, Wisconsin and was interred in the Philipsburg cemetery. Survivors were: daughters, Mary Jo of Columbia, Missouri and Julie Neitz Weilga, of Denver, Colorado and son, Jay of Waterford, Wisconsin, plus five grandchildren. The obituary stated she was preceded in death by her brother Frank, but no mention of Jack.[29]

Dean and Trilby (Horrigan) Neitz had three children: Frank who lives in Alaska; Sydney who lives in Washington and Van who lives in Anaconda and continues working with his father in the printing business.

McDonalds cont’d

Returning to the McDonald's, there must have been more than one Alex McDonald, as research reveals:

 Mrs. Alex McDonald of Trout Creek, received letters from two of her sons, Lawrence and Elmo Weaver, during World War I and the third son Fred, was at home suffering from a severe attack of pleurisy, according to an article in the Philipsburg Mail, on April 19, 1918. 

D.A. McDonald had returned from Missoula and would remain during the winter and work in the mines in Philipsburg in November 1908. But I did not find any follow up to D.A.’s future life.

Mrs. Christine Allen McDonald died May 9, 1935, at the home of her sister Mrs. Mary McKenzie after a brief illness. Born February 4, 1865, in Hampden Province of Quebec she came to Philipsburg in July 1889 and married John D. McDonald, in 1898. He operated a harness store on Broadway, until his death on November 17, 1927. Survivors were: son George of Kellogg, Idaho; sisters: Mary of Philipsburg, Mrs. D. N. McDonald of Seattle and four nieces and five nephews. The funeral was conducted from the Wilson Funeral Home and then moved to the Presbyterian Church where Rev. Everett Topp, of Anaconda performed the service.

Internment was in the Philipsburg cemetery and the pallbearers were: Otis Mercurial, Edward Morrison, H.A. Featherman, Allen McKenzie, Charles Powell and A.J. Murray. Christina has no headstone but her file card at City Hall stated Wife of J.D. She was interred in the same grave as John D., born September 14, 1864 and died November 17, 1927. In the next grave was buried Baby McDonald with no headstone; grave eight also has a baby McDonald with no headstone; in grave nine was buried another baby McDonald with no headstone.

In the same issue of the Mail, as the above obituary, is an article regarding the twenty four seniors graduating from Granite County High School, with Peter McDonald, as graduate and gave the salutary address. Classmates were: Robert Bauer, Arseal Bazinet, Ellen Courtney, Paul Danielson, Robert Easterly, Jack Franke, Bernice R. Parliament, Hale Haile, Roy Hamilton, Victor Johnson, Dale Kennedy, Thomas Lake, Emily McClain, Raymond Morrison, Melvin Owens, Thomas Page, Edythe Peterson, Otto Rinderknecht, Winifred Sandin, Vernon Steffan, William Thomas, Albert Mickelson and Ralph Williams.[30]

Mrs. Hugh R. McDonald was active in the American Legion Auxiliary and served as hostess with Mrs. W.C. Bowen and Mrs. A.S. McKenzie at the Masonic Temple dining hall on Tuesday March 13, 1944. Hugh R. McDonald was born in 1877 and died in 1954. He was buried in the Philipsburg cemetery.

By no means, do I believe the above McDonalds were the only one’s contributing to the mettle of Granite County. They are just the only one’s I found reference to.

Other merchants active in the early Philipsburg community were Gannon, Neu, Durand, Hynes, Sayrs, Doe and Bowen families. Gannon and Neu were not only in business together, but also brother-in-laws. M.E.H. Gannon’s wife was Emma Neu, whom he married in Tolono, Illinois in 1891.

Gannon

M.E.H. (Mike) Gannon born in Perth, Canada in 1857, moved to Illinois, as a baby. The Gannon & Neu Mercantile business was opened on Broadway, in 1888. In a publication titled Views of Granite, Philipsburg and Vicinity, published by Charles Weitfle, sometime before 1900, the Gannon and Neu Mercantile, was shown next door to the Barrett and Jacky Brothers, harness business. The pictures are either engravings or lithographs.

Research reveals a notice in the January 17, 1895 Mail:

 Weitfle’s gallery would be closed from the first to the eighth of each month until further notice.

I was unable to find a date the closure was canceled. Charles obituary stated in 1899 he became a beekeeper in Idaho Falls, Idaho and continued that career until moving to the Mason Home, in the Helena Valley during 1914. Charles died there on January 20, 1921. He served one term as Grand Master of the Granite Masonic Lodge and at the time of his death held the title of being one of the oldest Mason’s in Montana.

In the same Mail, issue is the article: “Mr. and Mrs. M.E.H. Gannon will depart for the east in a few days and Mrs. Gannon will visit her people in Illinois while Mr. Gannon is engaged in New York and Chicago purchasing the spring and summer stock for their Philipsburg store”.[31] 

In the April 8, 1904, Mail was the notice C.W. Maitland, employed since January 5th, by Gannon & Neu, died April 4, 1904, at his apartment in the Kaiser House, due to the “bursting of a blood vessel on the brain”.

He was forty two years of age and had worked as the manager of The Anaconda Copper Mining Company store, in Hamilton for several years. Then he was employed by the Strain brothers, in Great Falls. After his death, his mother Mrs. W.M. Lynch, wife of Dr. Lynch, in New Orleans was notified, and they requested that he be buried in Philipsburg. The funeral was April 7, 1904, from the Episcopal Church, with Rev. H.G. Wakefield officiating. Pallbearers were M.E.H. Gannon, John Kaiser, Conrad Wipf, J.S. Axtell, L.N. Van Vranken and J.E. Abbey, with internment in the Philipsburg cemetery. The file card in City Hall reads Charles A., instead of W. and he does not have a headstone.

Schillings

In 1905, F.A. (I think this should be F.C.) Schillings brought a law suit against C.F. Jacky for:

division of property of the Gannon and Neu Store in which both are jointly interested. Schillings, desires the property sold and the money split. W.L. Brown is the attorney for Schillings.

The next reference to the suit stated, Gannon and Neu block sold Saturday by referee, A.A. Fairbairn for $2,000.00. August Greenheck was the successful bidder. It was estimated the block needed $1,000 to $1,500 worth of repairs. W.E. Moore was present as the lawyer for Jacky.[32] 

The October 6, 1905, issue of the Mail, stated:

J.L. McBride and assistant, George L. Elliott, of Missoula arrived in Philipsburg Monday evening to put on a new tin roof at the Gannon and Neu store building recently purchased by the Walker Commercial Co. The tinner’s commenced work Tuesday morning and expect to finish the job tomorrow (Saturday). Workmen have also been renovating the interior and putting in shelving and fixtures and yesterday teams commenced hauling down all the Walker stock from Granite. It is expected that in another week the Walker Commercial Company store will be fully established in its new location in this city.

In 1918, the Mail, received a letter from F.C. Schilling, of Shelby, Montana, stating that a number of men in Shelby, would like a steady job as they were out of work due to the loss of crops that year.[33] 

Then in November, was the obituary of George J. Egge, who had arrived to go into partnership with F. C. Schillings, in the Featherman Block. He died with the Spanish Influenza and  pneumonia, a week after arrival with his wife and children. The surviving family were also sick with the influenza. His body was returned to Towner, N.D. for burial and would be accompanied by his wife, if she recovered. 

I found advertisements for Schillings Grocery store, in the Philipsburg Mail, during the year of 1918. Then in 1920, was a notice that Roy A. Oliver, of Augusta, had purchased an interest in the F.C. Schilling Grocery Store. Finally in 1922, Henry Bockfisch, of Hebron N.D., purchased an interest in the Schilling Store.

The new partnership had been in effect since the first of May and the new firm is now going under the name Schilling Grocery Company.

The article stated as soon as a house could be found, Mr. Bockfisch would move his family from North Dakota. In 1926, Leland Schilling’s Cash and Carry Store opened as a branch of the F.A. Schilling’s Grocery Store. I was unable to find any information to relate F.C. to the brothers Pleasant A. and T. Newton Schilling. They are discussed in the Mount Amerine and East Fork chapter in Book II. F.A. is not buried in the Philipsburg cemetery.[34]

Printed in the October 5, 1905, issue of the Mail, was the following article:

A special dispatch to the Standard from Missoula, under date of October 3, says: Architect A.J. Gibson of Missoula is at work on a set of plans for a large store building to be erected in Philipsburg by the Walker Commercial Company, formerly of Granite. The building will consist of two stories and a basement and the exterior finish will be of Spokane pressed brick. The structure will be placed on the vacant lot in Philipsburg where the town band stand has stood for years. It will cost in the neighborhood of $10,000.00. Construction work will be commenced in about 10 days, from this date.

This building has to be the building discussed in all the above articles concerning Gannon and Schillings.

Gannon’s cont’d

Returning to the Gannon’s, I found a Card of Thanks, published by Mrs. M.E. H. Gannon on behalf of the Ladies of the Catholic Church, to thank the ladies and gentlemen who by their untiring efforts, made the minstrel show a grand success. Especially she wished to thank non-members, who sacrificed their time to insure the success of the entertainment, among them being Mrs. Williams, Mr. S. Archibald, Mr. and Mrs. Ed Davis and others. Also Mrs. Owen McBride, through whose efforts ads for the program were secured in Drummond in the March 120, 1908, Mail.

During the course of Gannon & Neu’s business relationship, there was a mercantile business opened in Missoula in 1910 and Gannon’s moved to Kalispell in November 1901, where they opened a store. They returned to Granite county prior 1917, with Mrs. Gannon, very active during the First World War, as the county chairman for the Granite County Women’s Liberty Loan Committee. She continued an active social life as evidenced in 1921, when Mrs. Gannon and Mrs. S.E. McClees were hostesses at “a delightful whist party” at the Gannon home.  The family moved to Deer Lodge in 1922, where Gannon operated a mercantile store, until he retired and moved back to Philipsburg in 1933.[35]

M. E. H. Gannon died September 17, 1937 from a heart attack at his home. His funeral was held at St. Philips’s Catholic Church, on September 20 and Reverend John O’Malley assisted by Reverend Landy of Deer Lodge officiated. Mike was interred in the Philipsburg cemetery with active pallbearers: Frank Winninghoff Jr., John O’Donnell, R.J. Huffman, O.M. Bryan, Dr. Frank Unmack, of Deer Lodge and Gene Tracy of Butte. Honorary pallbearers were: D.M. Durfee, Frank Winninghoff Sr., W.E. Albright, George A. Cartier, H.A. Featherman, and Peter Pauley, all of Philipsburg and Senator Williams of Deer Lodge. Survivors were: wife Emma, and two married son: Edward, of Seattle and Walter, of Anaconda, two grandsons of Anaconda, plus a sister Mrs. Middleton Smith, of Illinois. 

I found the marriage announcement of Edward Gannon, to Laura Critzler, on September 20, 1928, in Deer Lodge. At that time Edward, was working with his father and Walter in the mercantile business and had attended Washington State College, in Pullman. There are no records, of any other Gannon, in the Philipsburg cemetery.

Neu 

Describing the Neu family, William Neu’s grandson, David Neu, wrote in the foreword to the second printing of his father Clyde J. Neu’s book, A Town Founded on Hope, this statement:

In 1888, my grandfather, William Neu, and his friend, Mike Gannon were returning to Illinois from Seattle, where they had been looking for business opportunities, when they were lured to Philipsburg by the promise of a “booming mining camp”… (when) a fellow passenger (recommended it)…they left the Northern Pacific’s main line in Drummond and boarded a train for Philipsburg. 

Clyde, born fifteen years later, was the sixth of seven children born to William and Ella Colvin Neu, whom William had married in Illinois and brought to Philipsburg as a bride. I wonder if he and Gannon both returned to Illinois for brides and married at the same time (as Gannon married Neu's sister in 1891). When Clyde was born in 1903, David stated the Gannon and Neu Mercantile Store's were well established in Philipsburg, Granite, and Black Pine.

Research revealed an article in the Citizen Call, July 3, 1895 taken from:

Today’s Standard, contained a misrepresentation of a conversation over the telephone between J.B. Losse for the Anaconda Gun Club and Wm. Neu for the Philipsburg Shooters, which will result in a shoot between the two teams from each place in the near future. Mr. Neu today said: it is not necessary for us to shoot them for satisfaction. We got it both at Butte and Anaconda. The records will bear us out as having done the best all around shooting…we have concluded to make them shoot, and shoot hard if they carry home with them anything but defeat. 

In the same issue, was the announcement all gambling was discontinued in Philipsburg on the first in compliance with the new gambling law.

Then on January 2, 1896 a note in the Mail stated: “Gannon & Neu, the dry goods and clothing merchants, have a new advertisement in this issue of the Mail”. By 1897 they were advertising: “$8.50 for any suit in the store”. This was the same year the State Soldiers home was to be opened in June in Columbia Falls. 

Another Neu, was also operating a business in Philipsburg, as I found on October 5, 1900, where

John Neu, the grocer, has sold out. The principle part of his stock was purchased by George Stephens, formerly the city marshal, and some of the stock which Mr. Stephens did not want was bought by C.T. Huffman…..Mr. Neu retires from business to enter the political field.

Obviously, his political career ended up being a Clerk for the Granite County Commissioner’s, as evidenced by his signature on notices in the Philipsburg Mail, November 13, 1903, advertising for sealed bids for medical and physical care of the county paupers for 1904.

The election results for November 1904 show John Neu, running as the nominee for the Peoples Party, with 164 votes versus L.E. Higley, Republican with 383 and Edgar P. Ballard, Democrat winning with 607 votes and a plurality of 234, for the office of County Clerk and Recorder. Neu did not run in 1906, when Ballard won re-election against James T. Baker, with a plurality of 253 votes.[36]

In 1910, William Neu ran against Fred W. Kroger for Granite County treasurer and lost, by a plurality of 59 votes according to election results in the November 18, 1910, Mail.

Florence Neu was a graduate of Granite County High School in 1921, with classmates: Dora V. Huffman, Humphrey Courtney, James Calhoun, Vernon Cutler, Elsie Hauck, Laura Johnson, Helen M. Kennedy, Dan McDonald, Mary McGarvey, Matilda Saurer and Mary Wight.[37]

William Neu became involved in 1921, with Francis Perey, R.E. Perey and Pat O’Laughlin, when they took a lease on the Huffman property at Stump Town (Tower), and began mining manganese, after installing a gasoline hoist. According to Clyde’s book:

Mining was the lifeblood of the Gannon and Neu stores, so much so that the two partners themselves put back much of their earnings into mining ventures which sparkled with hope but little else. My father, too, found the mines a necessity for a time in his youth and joined fellow miners in the long walk each morning to seven days a week toil in the mines about town. After he had established a clothing store years later when my brothers and I were growing up, it was hard to place him as having once been a miner…

Estelle Neu, the second daughter of William and Ella, born in 1895, married Rodney Huffman, on January 18, 1923, in Butte at St. Joseph’s Church. Rev. D.P. Meade, from St. Philip‘s Catholic Church, performed the service, with attendants Attorney and Mrs. R. Lewis Brown. After a short honeymoon trip to Helena, Deer Lodge, and Missoula, they made their home in Philipsburg. Estelle was the manager of the Mountain States Telephone and Telegraph Company, according to the wedding announcement in the January 19, 1923, Mail. Estelle’s nickname “Star” was engraved on her headstone in the Philipsburg cemetery, when she was interred in 1987.  

Muriel Neu married Otis Francis Forge, on August 6, 1929. Muriel was the daughter of Dr. and Mrs. John P. Neu, formerly of Philipsburg, but currently residents of Oakland, California. She was the niece of Mrs. M.E. H. Gannon, of Deer Lodge and William Neu, of Philipsburg. The ceremony was held at the Historic Mission Chapel, on the University of Santa Clara campus.  Miss Marjorie Neu, sister of the bride, was the maid of honor. The groom’s sister, Miss Winifred Forge, was the bridesmaid and Robert McRae, cousin of the bride was best man. The bride completed her B.A. and M.A. degrees, at the Notre Dame at San Jose, and was a member of the Fremont High School faculty. The groom had a degree from the University of Santa Clare and was interested in agriculture, causing him to recently purchase a ranch near Cupertino.[38]

Emma L. Neu, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. William Neu, died in Butte, at the home of her sister, after a short illness, on November 27, 1932. She was the manager of the Mountain States Telephone and Telegraph, in Philipsburg. Survivors were: her parents, brothers William, Clyde and Ned; sisters Florence, Mrs. Rodney Huffman and Mrs. R. Lewis Brown, of Butte; and aunt, Mrs. M.E.H. Gannon, of Deer Lodge. Funeral services were conducted by Rev. O’Malley, of St. Philip’s Catholic Church, with internment in the family plot in the Philipsburg cemetery on the 29^th. Pallbearers were: Robert Perey, August McDonald, George Winninghoff, Carroll Huffman, Harry Herron and J. Walter Kaiser.[39]

According to the May 27, 1938, Philipsburg Mail, Ned (Blackie) Neu filed for the elected office of Clerk and Recorder of Granite County. Also filing for positions, were Mrs. H.E. McDougal, for her current position of Clerk and Recorder and William C. Bowen, for County Assessor. Mrs. McDougal won the primary and general election. The results are discussed in a later chapter.

William Neu, born in 1857, married Ella, and died in 1942, with internment in the Philipsburg cemetery, next to J. William Neu, born 1892 and died in 1948, on one side and Ella, born 1867 and died in 1941, on the other side. In the next grave is Emma L., born 1898 who died 1932. Also buried in the Philipsburg cemetery in the same block and lot are J. Clyde Neu, born 1903 and died 1993 and Edward Colvin Neu, born May 10, 1907 and died January 23, 1972.

C.J. Neu, had ran for the Granite County office of Clerk and Recorder in 1928, against A.J. McDougal and lost 580 votes to McDougal’s 793, then was elected Granite County Treasurer in 1932 with a plurality of sixty six votes against M.C. Durfee. He received wages for the month of August totaling $150.00. He ran unopposed in 1934 as evidenced in the November 9, Philipsburg Mail, election results.  

E.C. Neu was elected to the Philipsburg Grade School Board, as a write in vote stated R.L. McLeod, Election Clerk. Neu defeated Howard H. Lord, the lone person filing for the position. Of 118 votes cast 14 were left blank, Lord received 31 votes and Neu received 73, on April 13, 1956.

McDougal

In a previous paragraph the McDougal, name was mentioned. Headstones in the family plot of the Philipsburg cemetery show the first person buried there as Wilbur R. McDougal, born July 29, 1895, died November 26, 1906, the beloved son of D.A. and S. There is also a file card in City Hall with the name Wilbur, buried in another plot, without a headstone, which makes me wonder if they are not the same individual. Two Higby children are buried in the plot with Wilbur. They died during the Diptheria epidemic and were children of Margaret (McDougal) and Silas Higby, from the lower valley. Their names were Laura M., born in 1919 and Edwin Philip, born in 1921 and both died in 1924.

Sophia L. Kinney McDougal born 1861 died in 1926 and was buried next to Wilbur. Donald A. McDougal born in 1869 died in 1934 and was buried next to Sophie. Their son, Archibald Joseph (A.J.) born in 1891, married Hildegarde Gross, from Unionville, Washington. She was born March 26, 1896 to Gertrude and Andrew Gross and moved to the area to teach school on Willow Creek. A.J. met her at a dance on Rock Creek. Sophie and Donald's other sons were Dan and John. Dan was buried in California and John is discussed in the Patriots Chapter, as he died in WWI.

A.J. was elected as Clerk and Recorder of Granite County in 1928, by 793 votes to Clyde J. Neu’s, 580 votes in November 1928.  In 1930, he ran unopposed and received 853 votes, with W. Bowen, receiving one. In the nineteen thirty two election, there was a republican opponent, A.W. Lindstadt, who received 562 votes to McDougal’s 352, in the primary.  McDougal barely won in the general election by a plurality of 17 votes. The wages for the position in 1932 were $150.00 a month, according to Synopsis of the County Commissioners Meeting, on June 6, 1932.

A.W. Lindstadt tried again, for the position in 1934 and lost 636 votes, to McDougal’s, 878. A.J., died in 1936 and his wife Hildegarde, was appointed to fill the remainder of the term, and won the 1938 election, against Wm. W. Moore, 1066 votes to 544. Hildegarde remained in that position, until about 1958 and died September 25, 1984. A.J. and Hildegarde are buried beside each other in the Philipsburg cemetery.

Their daughter Beverly graduated from the Philipsburg schools and taught school for six years. Then, she worked for Northwest Airlines as a ticket agent for twenty six years, retired and returned to Philipsburg. When Phyllis McLeod Patten, wanted to retire, Beverly worked as the part time Librarian. She was an active member in the Philipsburg community until her death in a Missoula hospital on February 14, 2009. She was preceded in death by her parents and brothers John Joseph and Robert.

John Joseph McDougal, three years younger than Beverly, was in WWII and worked for the Forest Service, in the Dillon area. John married Joan Swartzlow on March 25, 1952 in Omaha. He died of pancreatic cancer in 1980 and is interred in the Mountain View cemetery in Dillon. Survivors were his wife and sons: Graeme of Horse Prairie and Scott of Dillon; daughter Glynis of Dillon and mother and sister of Philipsburg.

 The youngest sibling, Robert McDougal, born November 7, 1928, served in the U.S. Air Force as a Master Sergeant, during Korea and Vietnam. He died July 20, 1977, with internment in the Philipsburg cemetery. A recent arrival to the McDougal family was Koy Warren, born February 18, 2006, to Alecia (Palmer) and Charles McDougal. Beverley McDougal was Koy's Great-great Aunt.[40]

Durand

The first articles research revealed for the Durand family, was the announcement J.M. Merrell, who purchased the Freyschlag, Huffman & Co. Store at Sheriff Sale, appointed Frank Durand as manager. This is discussed in detail in Chapter I .The next news article detailed an anniversary party where a number of friends of Mr. and Mrs. Frank Durand surprised the couple at their home on the anniversary of their marriage. The party adjourned to Twohy’s Hall and danced till midnight to Prof. Westphal’s music. Mr. and Mrs. Durand were recipients of a handsome gift appropriate to the occasion. After midnight the party adjourned to the house where a sumptuous collation was served. A highly enjoyable evening was spent by all who participated in the affair.[41]

A large advertisement in February 1896, stated:

Durand will sell more goods of better quality for a $ than any other house in town. Prices quoted are convincing. Tangerines and Grapefruit. The most delicious fruit ever offered in Philipsburg Markets ….Fresh creamery butter…Ceretana Flour, Best Made…Columbia River Salmon, 1 lb. Cans, 6 cans (for) $1.00. Mackerel per pail, $1.60.California tomatoes, 10 cans, $1.00.[42]

Research then revealed the two sons of Frank Durand, were attending college at Deer Lodge, and spent the holiday vacation with their father.  In this same issue of the New Northwest, the court case of John S. Axtell was concluded in District Court. 

The complaining witness to the case was Frank Durand and the charge was grand larceny. Mr. Axtell employed as book keeper in the Durand store during 1895 and last summer, he had severed his connection with Durand and obtained employment for L.C. Johnson, as book keeper, in Quigley. Mr. Axtell was arrested in Quigley, during the month of October, when two men presented themselves at his place of employment and told him that the books, at the Durand store had been examined by expert accountants and the books were short $12,000. Axtell posted a bond and returned to his job at Quigley. Frank Durand, then asked for a change of venue, but with affidavits filed by many of the best citizens in the county, Judge Brantly denied the change of venue. The majority of the case was based on the personal character of the two individuals. The court examined the books and decided the shortage was only $900. Axtell, did not deny making false entries into the books, but said he had made them on the request of Durand. The law says “mere false entries in books of account do not constitute a crime. Hence the jury could not have done otherwise than acquit Axtell”.[43] 

The article goes on to discuss the issue that a “local correspondent for an outside newspaper ….told mostly everything but the truth about this case”. The correspondent was John H. Cole, Sheriff of Granite County in 1893 and the newspaper was the Anaconda Standard. The jury was comprised of: H.H. Goodspeed, W.T. Hull, J.C. Calhoun, H.A. Featherman, J.L. Schoonover, John Hickey, Archie McDonald, H.J. Kolbeck and Cliff Shelley.

The outcome of the above case, probably influenced Durand’s decision discussed in the Mail, a couple of weeks later.

Frank Durand has decided to go out of the mercantile business, and this week began a genuine closing out sale in his dry goods, clothing and gent’s furnishing departments. All goods were to go at cost and below cost, for CASH.[44]

Then on into1897, things became even more complicated for Frank. Research revealed a news article that stated Frank Durand announced he will remove from Philipsburg in a short time to engage in business in Butte. Then in the same issue was the following article:

Frank Durand Arrested….A warrant was issued last night for the arrest of Frank Durand on complaint of the M. & J.K. Water Company, charging the defendant with turning on water where the company had shut it off for the non-payment of water rent. On the first of this month when the collector for the water company called on Mr. Durand for his monthly water rental it is claimed that he refused to pay, on the grounds that some member of the water company owed him money. The collector insisted that individual matters did not concern the company and that unless the water rent was paid he would be obliged to shut off the water until the same should be settled. Mr. Durand still declined to pay the rent and on Thursday morning the water was shut off by the company, and during the same afternoon some one in Mr. Durand’s store turned it on, and the issue of a warrant for his arrest followed.[45] 

Frank posted a bond and was released from jail while the case went to trial, but things did not quiet down, as demonstrated by the next headline:

Frank Durand Attached…The people of Philipsburg were startled Thursday morning by the announcement that the large mercantile establishment of Frank Durand had been closed by Sheriff McDonald. Investigation proved such to be the case, and showed that suit had been commenced by Joseph A. Hyde and James H. King, doing business in Philipsburg under the firm name of Hyde & King, bankers, through their attorneys, Messrs. Durfee and Brown and Forbis & Evans.

The suit is brought to recover on a promissory note executed by Frank Durand on March 1, 1897, to the First National Bank of Butte, by the terms of which he undertook, and agreed to pay to the bank, or order, thirty days after date of said note, without grace, the sum of $30,000, with interest thereon at the rate of 10 percent annum from the date thereof until paid; and he also agreed that in case of default in the payment of the said note, principal or interest at maturity, he would pay all costs and expenses in collecting same, or any part thereof, including a reasonable attorney’s fee to be allowed by the court before whom the suit should be brought.

It appears that Joseph A. Hyde and James H. King indorsed Mr. Durand’s note at the time of its delivery to the Butte Bank, and the plaintiffs waver in their complaint that no part of the note had been paid, principal or interest, and that about the first of April the plaintiffs paid the First National bank of Butte the whole amount of the principal and interest due upon said note, which payment was demanded by the bank upon the failure of Mr. Durand to meet his obligation. The plaintiffs also claim that $3,000 attorney’s fee should be allowed them for collection, as being reasonable.[46] 

Hyde and King, were also suing for $200 rental, on the Philipsburg store for April and May, plus the legal rate of interest and all of Durand’s property in Granite and Silver Bow County, including the mercantile establishments and warehouses, the ranch and mining interests in New Chicago, plus, the dry goods and clothing stock, recently moved from Philipsburg to Butte. Mr. Durand furnished bonds for the release of his property until the matter was settled in court. 

Obviously, Frank was involved in racing horses as indicated in the following article that occurred while all the legal issues were being addressed:

Philipsburg horses in Anaconda. Frank Durand has five entered for the races--a two year old in training. Much is expected by Granite County horsemen of their horses in the Montana circuit the coming racing season, and from the records of some already in training for the several stake events in Anaconda, it is probable they will not be disappointed. Lee C. Degenhart  expects to enter the arena with Thomas Carter, a beautiful black flyer of unusual ability, and Frank Durand already has on the Anaconda track, under the cluck of D.K. Cole, an experienced horseman, five fleetly animals. Four have been entered for stake events for purses of $1,000 each, and the fifth Nellie Hayes, a two year old, is in training for the next season…Mr. Durand has entered Golongin the 2:27 class, miles heat, 3 in 5; also in the 2:40 class under the same conditions. In the China Silk stakes for two year olds, mile heats, 2 in 3, he enters Cream Puff, Holly Bird, and Pope Clark. Each of these animals are in fine condition, and indications now are that they will prove to be valuable as record breakers before the season is ended.[47]

Next research found: “Frank Durand vs. M. and J. K. Water Company--a Jury returned a verdict for the defendant company in the sum of $3.00”.

Sadly, there was no cost quoted for taking this small sum to a jury trial. Review of the entire court goings on reveals a very litigious population, with people that appeared to be good friends, frequently going to court for small sums of money or attachment of property, to satisfy debts.

Continuing the litigious issues the next article concerning Frank, was the following:

In the probate court of Silver Bow County last Saturday, Frank Durand filed a petition in the matter of the estate of P.A. Largey, deceased showing that in May 1897, in an attachment suit brought by Joseph A. Hyde and James H. King against him, Mr. Largey had in his lifetime, and at the request of Durand, executed a bond for the release of the attachment. To secure Largey, Mr. Durand assigned a judgment for $8,561.25 and costs, which he had formerly obtained against Cyril Panwelyn, executor of the estate of James Twohy, deceased and also executed to Largey and S.V. Kemper, the other surety on the bond given to release the attachment, a mortgage on real estate situated in Silver Bow and Granite county.[48]

The circuitous dialogue continues on, with the issue being condensed down, to state the clerk of court, received from Frank Durand, a certified check for $35, 442.25 to satisfy the judgment brought by Hyde and King for principal and interest due.

On a more social note, in 1898, Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Durand gave an enjoyable dance at the Nolan house, Kirkville. Over fifteen couples were in attendance and all had a pleasant time. Music was furnished by Prof. Westphal and Chas, Snyder according to the Philipsburg Mail, August 5, 1898.

Then in June 1900, Oscar Durand and family moved back to Philipsburg. Mr. Durand stated he would devote his entire time to his trade upholstering and repairing furniture. He was located for the present in the Smith building opposite the electric light plant.

On November 24, 1919, A Bennett Live Stock Company, certificate of Co-partnership was filed by Oscar Durand and Ralph L. Johnson, with their address as Philipsburg and was posted in the January 9, 1920, Philipsburg Mail.

In the July, 1920, Philipsburg Mail was the news article that Ed Durand and wife of Pablo, Montana were in Philipsburg to visit with Mr. Durand’s nephews, Oscar, Frank and Arthur Durand at the Six Mile house. 

Then in an October Mail, was and ad stating the Durand’s Home Market located in the D.N. McDonald Building has Meat, Poultry, Vegetables, Eggs and Grain.

As was so often the case, the early business people were really miners at heart and this was the case with the Durand family. It is uncertain just when the family relocated to the lower valley, but current family, remember the forefathers as living in Hall and the family cemetery plot, is in Valley View at New Chicago.[49] Therefore, I will continue this discussion in another book, when I write the history of the northern part of Granite County.

Sayrs   

The name Sayrs, is memorialized on the facade on the corner of Sanborne and Broadway, where the Broadway Hotel and Philipsburg Brewery are now located. A picture in the small book by Charles Weitfle, titled Views of Granite, Philipsburg and Vicinity, shows the First National Bank building and the façade but the name on the facade is not Sayrs. It appears to be GAN. This block was originally owned by the Hyde family.

The earliest I found reference to the Sayrs family was an article in the August 21, 1896, Philipsburg Mail,  stating Mr. and Mrs. Frank D. Sayrs expected to start on their annual camping trip. They would probably be joined by Mr. and Mrs. Sam Taylor. Frank, who was a great lover of fishing and hunting, said he could not allow a season to pass without taking his regular outing, in the 

F.D. Sayrs ran for Justice of Peace, Philipsburg Township, in the city election, unopposed in 1908. Then on February 5, 1910, a note in the Mail, stated

Judge F.D. Sayrs asks the Mail to announce that he now has a supply of fishing licenses and is prepared to accommodate those boys who have been anxious to try their luck on the creek these bright sunshiny days. These licenses will be good for fishing and hunting for the entire year and those who buy one now will get the most for their money. 

During the 1910 election, the article with election results began with the comment there was no great interest taken in the election and the vote cast fell considerably short of the registration. Judge D.M. Durfee, was elected as Mayor and F.D. Sayrs, was elected as Police Judge, unopposed with a total vote of 123 from all the wards. F.D. was again elected Judge in 1912 and was discussed in an article of the Mail, at that time.

Judge F. Sayrs performed the wedding ceremony for Richard Hoehne and Doris Huddleston, at the home of the bride's parents, Mr. and Mrs. John Huddleston, in the Rosalind district on August 23, 1920. Attendants were Mayme McLean and Francis Hoehne. Then in August 1928, he was paid $8.00 for canvassing election returns, by the Granite County Commissioners, in their August 4, meeting.  Sayrs received 438 votes in the November election, running unopposed, for Justice of Peace, in the Philipsburg Township. In November 1930, he was re-elected with 663 votes for the office of Justice of the Peace.[50]

Frank was born March 7, 1856, in Jackson, Michigan. As a young adult he was a Conductor on the Michigan Central Railroad. In 1887, he moved to Montana due to poor health and decided to remain in the healthy environment and open a business. In 1891, he married Amanda Erickson, in Philipsburg. Amanda, born October 29, 1866, in Skiro, Sweden, came to Laramie, Wyoming in 1886. She moved to Philipsburg in 1890. Amanda died December 16, 1934, at her home. An active member of Eastern Star, with affiliation to the Pearl Chapter, in 1895, she served as Worthy Matron in 1905. 

Survivors were: three sisters in Sweden, a sister Mrs. J.E. Johnson, in Laramie, Wyoming and her husband. Funeral services were conducted at the Masonic Hall, under the auspices of the Eastern Star, with Rev. A.J. Smith, officiating. Burial was in the family plot, in the Philipsburg cemetery. Pallbearers were: Angus McDonald, A.J. Murray, Erick V. Johnson, M.C. Durfee, Clyde Neu and John Hickey.

Frank died at the family home a few weeks later, on January 6, 1935, after being ill only a few days and was buried beside Amanda. As stated in previous paragraphs, Frank served as the Philipsburg Justice of the Peace continuously from 1904 until his death at the age of seventy eight.  He was a member of the Masonic Order for more than forty years, as he was a member before coming west. His funeral was conducted from the Masonic Temple by Flint Creek Lodge No. 11 A. F. and A. M. and assisted by Rev. A.J. Smith. Pallbearers were the same for Frank as for Amanda. Survivors were a niece Miss Emma Connelly of Chicago and two nephews, Nicholas, of Chicago and Charles, of Jackson, Michigan.[51] 

Doe

The Doe family another early merchant family is still remembered in Philipsburg. A sign on Highway 1 a few miles on both sides of town, advertise the Doe Brothers Soda Fountain. The current business advertises 'Antique Ice Cream'. The first comment I found of Doe’s while researching the news papers was an article stating:

 The members of the May-Pringle combination, who have traveled all through the western country and have played in much larger cities, said they have not anywhere seen a stock of holiday goods or a collection of books equal to the present display at the store of M.E. Doe & Co. As a result they bought their Christmas presents here.[52] 

The next article thanks the Doe’s when they remembered the Mail office New Year’s Day by presenting the staff with a bottle of the celebrated Harper’s whiskey. All the staff could say was thanks, but assured Messrs Doe & Co., that the chemical was not wasted on the drifted snow, according to the January 2, 1896, Mail.

Next research found: “On July 7, 1896 a son was born to Mr. and Mrs. M.E. Doe”.

In an attempt to correct rumors, the Philipsburg Mail, May 14, 1897, carried the following notice:

WHAT M.E. Doe & CO. HAVE TO SAY. We want the people of Granite County to know that we are not trying to get away from Philipsburg. From the beginning, year after year, we have told this people that we were here to stay; this statement still holds good. We are not advertising a closing out sale on account of removal, but will duplicate prices made by others on any line of goods that we handle. We guarantee quality on every article we sell, and we will be here to make it good. Just now we are offering special inducements on fishing tackle. Signed M.E. Doe & Co.

April 28 1899, the sad news was published that Marshal Edwin Jr., the eldest son of Mr. and Mrs. M.E. Doe, died early Friday morning after being ill a few days. He suffered convulsions, which resulted in death, at the family home on Montgomery Street, April 28. Marshall was three years of age and interred in the Philipsburg cemetery.

In 1910, Doe’s became known as the Rexall Drug Store which was announced by this article:

M.E. Doe & Co. are so well and favorably known for their sterling honesty and square dealing that we predict a great success for them with the Rexall Remedies, and they are heartily congratulated in bringing this great and modern business enterprise to Philipsburg. We urge all who may be in need of prepared medicines to call on M.E. Doe & Co. and learn about the Rexall remedies. Enterprise of this sort should be encouraged.

The December 26, 1913, news stated Mrs. M.E. Doe was in receipt of a telegram from Los Angeles, California, stating that Mrs. G.W. Odell, Mrs. Doe’s Aunt, died there at 8:15 that morning.

Describing happenings at Doe’s was the following article. “French Joe” a well known miner of the district died in his room in the Doe Block, on April 6, 1915. His given name was Celestin Aubuchon. He had lived in the area for more than thirty years and worked in the mines all that time. He had a wife and one daughter and two sons that all remained in Montreal Canada and a daughter in Edmonton, Canada.  He had visited them occasionally in the past forty years and once the daughter from Edmonton, did visit him in Philipsburg. 

He was a fine old gentleman and had many friends, and but for a failing for drink would have attained prominence. 

His funeral service was held in the Carmichael Funeral Home with burial in the Philipsburg cemetery, on April 8, 1915. He is listed in the file cards at City Hall, but has no headstone.

Also a news article on July 27, 1917, described an accident at the Doe’s store.

One of the Lewis automobile stages from Drummond backed over the sidewalk into M.E. Doe & Co.’s drug store last Friday afternoon, causing considerable damage to the front of the building. It is said that the driver killed the engine after backing his machine and neglected to shift gears before starting up again with an open throttle. The car shot backwards over the walk with force sufficient to push the west half of the store front inward several inches and shatter the plate glass window on that side.

During the same year, the cast of a local operetta, the Pennant, given at the McDonald Opera House, consisted of a talented local cast, including Everett Doe.  He played “Owen a friend of Jacks” and Miss Margaret Doe played “Mrs. Reno Grass”.[53]

Then, M.E. Doe bought out J.D. Thomas’s, interest February 1, 1918 and on September 23, 1921 C.K. Durkee of Glasgow, Montana, accepted a position as pharmacist in the M. E. Doe drug store. Mr. Durkee had completed his pharmacy course at the school in Fargo, N.D.

Everett Doe married Miss Wilda Marie Wetzel, on December 31, 1925, in St. Louis, at the home of the bride’s sister.  Rev. Oliver Shank, of the Second Baptist Church, performed the ceremony. Mrs. Doe was a native of Rumsey, Kentucky, and Mr. Doe had been studying for the past two years in the Pharmacy School, in St. Louis. After a honey moon in Minnesota, the couple made their home in Philipsburg.

Bridge parties were held at Mrs. John Werning and Mrs. H.O. Flickenger homes, on October 31, 1927, afternoon. At the Werning party, Mrs. R.H. McHugh and Mrs. Everett Doe were awarded the first and second prize. At the other party, Mrs. M.E. Doe and Mrs. Lawrence Hauck were awarded dainty prizes for the holding of high scores.

A point of celebration was when Milton Doe graduated from Granite County High School, on May 28, 1926. This happiness changed to grief when M.E. Doe, died at his home, on October 13, 1928.

Taken ill at work, he was brought home and put to bed, on October 10. He died from bronchial pneumonia and a blood clot in the lung. Marshall, a native of Canada, born April 25, 1858 (His headstone says 1856), moved with his family to Shepardsville, Michigan at the age of eight. At the age of twenty three he came west to Utah and from there by stage, on the route through Dillon to Butte, where he was located for several years. He first engaged in mining and then operated a skating rink for a year and a half, selling out his interest to join a surveying party enroute to Anaconda. He remained with the surveying crew for a period of two years and then went to California, where he remained for a year. He returned to Montana in 1885 and located in Philipsburg where he established the drug store on upper Broadway. He later moved to a more central location, where he had since conducted his business, was the information stated in the October 19, 1928, Philipsburg Mail.

Marshall married Miss Jennie Crable in Los Angeles on July 25, 1895.  Survivors were:  his widow; a daughter Mrs. L.W. (Margaret) Maxson; two sons: Everett, who was associated with the business and Milton, a student in a School of Pharmacy, in St. Louis; his mother, Mrs. James Doe, in Ovid, Michigan and four sisters and three grandchildren. He held membership in the Philipsburg Rotary Club and Granite Camp, Woodsmen of the World.

The funeral was held at the family home with Rev. Maris, of the Methodist Church officiating. Services at graveside were conducted by the Woodsmen. Pallbearers were: Dr. W. I. Powers, Walter W. Kroger, Edward Miller, Alex R. McDonald, John W. Duffy and H.A. Featherman. Honorary pallbearers were: A.S. Huffman, D.M. Durfee, Nicholas Noe, Thomas Botschieder, Frank D. Sayrs and G.S. Williams. 

His good friend, that he had worked with on the surveying crew in Anaconda, Peter S. McDermott, aged seventy seven, came to Philipsburg to attend Marshall’s funeral. He contracted influenza and succumbed to pneumonia, on December 4, 1928. His life had been spent in mining, especially in the Garnet District. He was also interred in the Philipsburg cemetery.

Milton married Ruth Anderson, at the Doe house on Sunday, May 27, 1934. After a wedding breakfast the couple left for Billings, where they attended a Rexall convention. When they returned from their honeymoon, they were treated to a charivari by the young people of town. In the same issue of the Mail was advertised:  

The modern wall finish is Minnesota Flat Interior Paint. It is more sanitary than other methods of decoration. Comes in soft pleasing shades. Sold by Doe’s Drug store.[54]

The February 5, 1937, Mail, announced Mrs. M. E. Doe, had been ill at her home, but was recovering. Then on February 25, 1938 was the obituary of Mrs. Jennie C. Doe, who died at her home after being ill for several weeks, on February 19. She worked at the Drug Store, with her two sons, after Marshall’s death, ten years prior, until her illness forced her to retire.

Born in Owatonna, Minnesota, on November 30, 1870 she came west with her mother, brother and aunt by steamboat to Fort Benton and then ox team to Deer Lodge, at the age of eight. After a short time the family moved to Butte, where she received her education in the primary and secondary schools. Jennie attended a Normal School and later a business school, in California and then taught school for three years, in Los Angeles. While still living in Butte, she met Marshall and they were married in Los Angeles in 1894, ten years after he had established his business in Philipsburg.

Survivors were: two sons, Everett and Milton and their wives; a daughter, Mrs. L.W. (Margaret) Maxson and her husband; two grandsons, Billy and John; and a grand daughter, Marilyn Doe. Her funeral was held at the Masonic Temple on February 22, with Rev. T.T. Fike, from the Methodist Episcopal Church officiating. Pallbearers were: Alfred Johnson, A.J. Murray, H.A. Featherman, R.J. Huffman, R.D. Metcalf and E.J. Donnelly, with honorary pallbearers: Alex McDonald, W.E. Albright, Frank Winninghoff, Dr. A.C. Knight, A.W. Lindstadt, Ed Miller, H.A. Murphy, Vatis Page, John R. Page, G.A. Cartier, D.M. Durfee, A.H. Neal, C.A. Schoonover, Victor Johnson, George Harris and John Hickey. She was interred in the Philipsburg cemetery, next to her husband and young son in block fourteen.

There is another headstone in the Philipsburg cemetery with the name Elizabeth Crable Doe, born 1846 and died 1897. Of interest is the fact that Jennie’s maiden name was also Crable. So did Jennie’s mother marry a Doe, after they came west?

Everett Doe died at the age of 66 on January 5,1967, in a hospital in Arcadia, California. His death was after an un-named emergency surgery. Everett had retired after nearly 45 years at the drugstore in 1965. Everett served as the Granite County State Representative when he won the 1932 election by 590 votes to M.T. Henderson’s 350. Survivors were his wife Wilda, daughter Marilyn and husband Don Lovitt and their children Cynthia and Stacey. Also sister Margaret Maxon of Butte and two nephews.

I have been unable to find Milton’s obituary as of 2016.

I end this chapter with the hope justice has been done in describing the mettle these individuals demonstrated while establishing the settlement known as Philipsburg.

  

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McDonald

[1] New Northwest, March 10, 1882.

[2] Philipsburg Mail, March 27, 1890; June 1, 1893; November 14, 1894.              

[3] ibid, July 27, 1895; May 21, 1897

[4] ibid, November 27, 1908.

[5] Citizen Call, May 12, 1897

[6] Philipsburg Mail, January 7, 1899; November 4, 1904; November 6, 1906; March 10, 1911.

[7] ibid, July 8, 1927.

Lindstadt   

[8] ibid, July 20, 1893.

[9] ibid, September 20, 1912.

[10]  ibid, December 9, 1938.

[11]  ibid, September 22, 1916.

[12]  Philipsburg Mail.

[13]  ibid, February 14, 1889.

McDonald’s cont’d

[14] Philipsburg Mail, May 13, 1898; August 21, 1896.

[15] ibid, May 6, 1904.

Duffy

[16]  Philipsburg Mail, December 23, 1898.

[17] ibid, February 9, 1900.

[18] ibid, January 14, 1916.

[19]  ibid, January 28, 1916.

McDonald’s cont’d

[20] Philipsburg Mail, November 12, 1909; June 21. 1912.

[21] ibid, November 30, 1923, copied from the Montreal Star, November 21, 1923.

[22]  ibid, March 27, 1925.

[23]  ibid, November 12, 1920; November 17, 1922; November 16, 1928; November 14, 1930.

Blumenthal

[24] The Granite Graduate, 1929; Philipsburg Mail, October 12, 1928; March 23, 1900; July 26, 1918.                

[25]  Philipsburg Mail, July 31, 1925.

[26]  1932.

[27]  Dean Neitz, 2008.

[28]  ibid.

Neitz

[29] Philipsburg Mail, January 6, 1939; Dean Neitz, 2008;April 14, 1918;October 24, 1952; April 14, 2005.

McDonald cont’d

[30] Philipsburg Mail, May 17, 1935.

Gannon

[31] Philipsburg Mail, January 21, 1921.

[32] ibid, September 29, 1905.

[33]  ibid, October 4, 1918.

Schillings

[34] Philipsburg Mail, June 2, 1905; September 29, 1905; October 6, 1905; October 4, 1918; November 22, 1918; April 2, 1920; May 12, 1922; November 5, 1926; October 6, 1905.

Gannon’s Cont’d

[35] Philipsburg Mail, February 4, 1910; December 6, 1901, November 18, 1921; September 24, 1937.

Neu

[36] Philipsburg Mail, November 8, 1904; November 6, 1906; November 18, 1910.

[37] ibid, May 27, 1921; The Sapphire, 1921.

[38] ibid, August 23, 1929.

[39] ibid, December 2, 1932.

McDougal

[40] ibid, March 9, 2006; Beverly McDougal, 2008.

            Durand

[41] Philipsburg Mail, November 2, 1893; January 10, 1895.

[42] ibid, February 27, 1896.

[43] New Northwest, January 8, 1897.

[44] Philipsburg Mail, January 27, 1897.

[45] ibid, March 12, 1897.

[46] ibid, April 30, 1897.

[47] ibid, May 12, 1897.

[48] ibid, March 4, 1897.

[49] Durand, LeRoy, 2007.

            Sayrs

[50] Philipsburg Mail, April10, 1910; October 23, 1920; August 17, 1928; November 18, 1928; November 7, 1930.

[51] Ibid, January 11, 1935.

            Doe

[52] Philipsburg Mail, December 19, 1895.

[53] ibid, August 13, 1917.

[54] ibid, June 8, 1934.