When miners immigrated to the remote western region in the 1860’s, they needed supplies and sustenance and the need was filled by stalwart entrepreneurs, not afraid to take a gamble. Often they were also miners or invested in the mines. One of these families was the William Weinstein’s. William is credited with opening one of the first General Merchandise stores, in Granite, in 1885, with his main store in Philipsburg built in 1877, at 210 E. Broadway.
The story goes that he came from Cable, in 1866, with a wagon load of supplies. Whether he came in 1866 or 1867, as the following article stated we know he was one of the very early merchants. According to his obituary, Mr. Weinstein, came to the United States from Poland in the year 1855 as a young boy, and lived at Leavenworth, Kansas, then other western localities, until he arrived in Montana in 1865, where he started a small store in Cable, some time afterward. Next he moved to Philipsburg in 1867, and started a small store, which grew to be one of the largest and most important in the state. I also found where he ran a small store in Corvallis, Missoula County, for a short time, with a man named Block.
Emphasizing the fact, he was an astute businessman, the New Northwest, in 1882, had an article discussing the shut down of the Algonquin Mine and stated “…Mr. Weinstein had secured a judgment and execution against the Algonquin Co. for about $8,000 and was proceeding to sell certain personal property” when a motion was argued and sustained. End result was being awarded the judgment, though I doubt he ever collected it.
William Weinstein and his little son Harry returned from an eastern visit, April 28, 1887. There he had bought and promised the townspeople to shortly exhibit for sale at his Broadway store, the most complete and select stock of general merchandise, notions and ladies’ dress goods that was ever brought into the territory.
Weinstein was an Alderman, for the City of Philipsburg, in 1893 and the June, 14, 1893, Citizen Call, stated their son Harry Weinstein, visited Philipsburg and would be back at Ann Arbor, by Thursday for the resumption of school. Harry had no sooner returned to class, when on July 2, 1893, (a Sunday) his father William, rode up to Granite from Philipsburg:”…in a buckboard drawn by one of his black horses. When he got through with business at his store there he started home and met John Foley, of the Bi-Metallic, who had gone up on horseback. He invited the gentleman to ride down the hill with him. The invitation was accepted and all went well for a short distance. When they got down below the Bi-Metallic mine the horse started to run away, but was controlled, by Mr. Weinstein. They had not gone very far before the horse started again. This time Mr. Foley became very anxious and jumped out of the vehicle while the horse was on a dead run. As he did so he noticed that the horse he had ridden up on and which he had tied to the rear of the buckboard had broken loose, and a man on the road had caught him. In the meantime the [Mr. Weinstein’s} horse had run down near the roadhouse with Mr. Weinstein, and as there was a rut in the road, it is supposed that he was thrown in such a manner when the vehicle struck it that his head hung out and he was either struck by the horses hoof or the wheel. At any rate he was picked up and taken into the roadhouse and physicians were summoned and everything possible was done, but to no avail, and he died two or three hours later. Dr. Heine says that the scalp injury itself was not sufficient to cause death and is of the opinion that it was the concussion which killed him. He also lost considerable blood, as the scalp was badly torn.” His wife and many friends were summoned immediately and went to his side. He never regained consciousness and shortly, after they started home with him in one of their carriages he died.
The funeral took place from the residence Tuesday morning and his body was escorted to the train by a large delegation of the Knights of Pythias and Odd Fellows. Internment was in the Helena cemetery, following the performance of Jewish rites. Survivors were: his widow, and three children: Harry, Alice and Abe; and a brother Hymen Weinstein, a Philipsburg businessman. After William’s death, F.J. Wilson, was named to replace him as vice-president of the Merchant and Miners Bank.
On August 24, 1893, the Weinstein family’s, sorrow was still raw when another accident befell them, again on a Sunday, just seven weeks after William’s death. Little Abe, the youngest Weinstein child, was not yet fifteen when he drowned at the Bi-Metallic plunge bath. Apparently youngsters were not supposed to go to the area, so he talked Johnnie McDonald and R.L. Desourdy, to accompany him. His reason for begging his mother to let him go was because he wanted to learn to swim. His companions stretched a rope across the plunge for Abe to hang onto as the water was twelve to fourteen feet deep.. “Abe evidently had gained enough confidence in himself to attempt getting into the water alone, but he missed the rope and went down”. His remains were taken to Helena, and laid to rest beside his father.
Demonstrating that William’s business was continued on by his heirs, the Mail had a full front page advertisement for Weinstein’s in the December 19, 1895, issue. Through out the Mail, that year, are full column ads, advertising prices and a raffle drawing for a dress.. They not only advertised in the Mail, but also in the Granite Mountain Star.
In 1895, the Citizen Call, stated Harry Weinstein, who was attending college at Ann Arbor, returned home Tuesday, looking well. Then, an article stated “John W. Dawson (Tessy’s Brother-in-law), the genial manager of the Weinstein estate, remembered the Mail, office with some substantial goods that cheer the weary, and makes the ordinary citizen feel that he had no trouble on earth”. Obviously the New Year, toast was not lemonade!
John’s wife, Rebecca died at the, age of thirty two years, in May of 1898. Survivors were: her husband, two children: aged twelve and nine; parents: Mr. and Mrs. Nathan Silverman; brother Sam of Spokane Falls; and sisters: Mrs. Tessy Weinstein of Philipsburg and Mrs. Benjamin Pizer of Helena.
Tessy continued her social life as evidenced in the November,1901 Mail where: “Mrs. Tessy Weinstein, Mrs. Anna Kroger, Mrs. Conrad Wipf, Mrs. G.W. Young, Mrs. L. J. Hartzell, and Miss M.C. Ryan comprised a party of ladies that visited Mrs. T.G. Botscheider at Sunrise, Tuesday. The ladies were driven out by way of Combination, leaving the city about nine o’clock in the morning and returned home the same evening. Notwithstanding the storm that prevailed during the afternoon and evening, the ladies had a very pleasant time and greatly enjoyed the trip.
Then Tessy (Silverman) Weinstein died from heart problem’s in October 1903. A native of Poland she had arrived at Fort Benton, Montana, 35 years earlier. Burial was at Forestvale Cemetery in Helena on October 19th. Her Life insurance paid $12,114, to her heirs. Next, a notice of dissolution stated: “The co-partnership heretofore conducted by H.I. Weinstein of Seattle, Washington and Alice Weinstein of Philipsburg, Montana, under the firm name of T. Weinstein & Company, at Philipsburg, Montana, is this day dissolved by mutual consent. Mr. H. I. Weinstein retiring from the business and Alice Weinstein retaining the entire business. Alice will be responsible for all liabilities of the co-partnership and will collect all notes and accounts due the aforesaid co-partnership. Dated at Seattle, Washington this 21 day of June 1904. Signed H.I. Weinstein and Alice Weinstein.
Alice Weinstein, married E. Archer Hannah, January 30, 1906 in Chicago, Illinois. Mr. Hannah was a former clerk at the Bi-metallic. They made their home in an apartment in the Weinstein Block. Their son Eugene Archer Jr. born in 1907 died in 1914 according to Philipsburg Cemetery headstone. Next, Miss Emma Weinstein, the oldest daughter of Mr. and Mrs. H. Weinstein, married Frank Burke, in Anaconda, on September 5, 1908. Mr. Burke was employed as a blacksmith at the Hope mine. The newly weds made their home in Philipsburg, after a brief honeymoon.
The July 19, 1918, Philipsburg Mail, headlines stated “H. Weinstein dies Thursday”. Hyman, sixty five years of age, came to Philipsburg in 1888 and ran a general store for almost thirty years, before he retired. He was survived by his wife Freda and daughters: Miss Lena, of Philipsburg and Mrs. Frank (Emma) Burk, of Florida and son Victor, the Philipsburg City Treasurer. Hyman’s funeral was performed in Helena and he was interred beside a son, who died several years before. In 1922, Victor Weinstein, was appointed by the School Board, as an election Judge for the upcoming school election. Research has failed to reveal Victor’s death. Hyman’s wife Freda, died at the age of seventy four, in Missoula on February 3, 1928, and was buried next to Herman (Hyman) and two of their sons, in the Home of Peace Cemetery, in Helena. Survivors were: daughters Miss Lena Weinstein and Mrs. Emma Burke, both of Missoula. Alice’s death has not been found.
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