Abundant Talent: Fred Geiger

                                            Fred Geiger from the Fan Harrington Collection

A question I have often had is how many talented people that lived their lives in Granite county were not able to live to their fullest artistic potential? Was this a loss to the individual and society or were they happy and fulfilled by their role in life? 

One such person is Fred C. Geiger who died when I was young but I knew who he was and continued to hear his name spoken after his death because of the memories he had left with people while performing for their parties, funerals and weddings. His mother Margaret Kisling, born in Bavaria on June 12, 1858, arrived in Philipsburg as a widow with seven year old Fred in 1885. Shortly after their arrival, Margaret married Marx Mohr and they operated the Cityview Ranch just west of Philipsburg. Born to this marriage were Wilhelm (1890-1890), Baby Marx and Baby Augusta (without headstones) and Alvina. Alvina married John Doering from Missoula and returned to the ranch to care for her mother while she was dying from cancer in 1918. 

From the time of Fred’s arrival in Philipsburg he was in the newspaper. There are more than fifty articles in the Philipsburg Mail covering the school honors and activities that Fred participated in. Every semester Fred was listed with awards in the Grammar classes and always on the honor role. He became active in the Literary Society when it was formed in 1896 and had speeches published that he delivered on the importance of Literary Societies. The first Federal Census records in 1900 list Fred as the step-son of Marx Mohr living with his mother and half sister Alvina at the age of 21. Frequent articles covered Fred debating both the negative and positive sides of current issues such as “Should Cuba be annexed to the United States.” Fred was elected to the position of “Critic” in 1896. By 1896 Fred was also actively involved in the dedication of the New School and delivered his essay on “Public schools in Washington’s Time” at the ceremonies during the entire month of February. 

From 1894 Fred was active in the Fire Department and was responsible to run up town to ring the fire bell as early as 1894. Most of the events Fred served on the Reception Committee or was the Floor Manager. He always sang at the Fireman’s gala events and usually was involved in at least 3 quartette every party. Often the group was Fred, Miss Lucy Paradise, Miss Mary Harrison and Walter Kroger during the school years and later he sang in an all male group that included Walt and Fred Kroger and L.A. Bulliard. At the Trades Carnival, Fred sang with Mrs. Carmichael and Mrs. A. Fairbairn and L.A. Bulliard. Examples of the songs he sang were: “The Welkin”, ‘Who Knows What the Hills Say” and all of the funeral favorites such as “An Old Rugged Cross.” Fred belonged to the Philipsburg baseball team and was always in the catcher position during the Philipsburg-Anaconda play-offs and the Miner’s Union Picnic when Philipsburg played against Granite. 

Parties were frequent after the group graduated in 1899 and in 1900 The Philipsburg Band was formed. Fred was designated Second Alto in the band and paid $75.00 for an Alto instrument and case that he received from the east September 7, 1900. I am assuming this must have been a saxophone. Research shows where Maude Hammond participated in the Literary Society in April 1896 and Fred married her in Missoula January 30, 1904. Maude gave birth to a baby boy on January 7, 1905. The baby died on January 11 and Maude who had developed Puerperal Fever died January 12, 1905. 

In my possession is a photograph of Fred with the Philipsburg Iron Works owners and employees at an unknown date. I know the business owned by the Bowen’s and Thompson was incorporated in 1895 and became Philipsburg Electric Light Company in 1908, so Fred was employed with them sometime during this period. 

The Federal Census in 1930 and 1940 have him identified as a miner and living with his wife Josephine. They were married in June of 1906 and did not have any children. Fred died at the age of 66 on June 20, 1947 and Josephine was moved to the Deer Lodge Nursing Home eight years before her death April 19, 1961. Father Courtney said the committal prayers upon her return to the Philipsburg cemetery. 

After his marriage to Josephine, newspaper content is absent about Fred in social, band or fire department activities. I know from local stories that he continued to sing and make music for his friends, but apparently no longer debated or volunteered. My question is left unanswered.