A Serious Cutting Affray

The September 23, 1910 Philipsburg Mail carried the following incident: “A serious cutting affray, in which W. S. Campbell, a well known old-time miner in this district, and John Periman, a young farmer of New Chicago, figured as the principals, took place last Sunday afternoon on the county road leading from Drummond up the Flint Creek valley. 

Periman got the worst in the encounter, being stabbed and cut with a jackknife in the side, shoulder, arms and hands. Being considered seriously injured, he was on the evening train taken to St. Patrick’s Hospital in Missoula accompanied by Dr. Parkman of Drummond. According to latest reports he is doing nicely and will recover. 

 Deputy Sheriff Morse of Drummond placed Campbell under arrest and on Monday’s train brought him to Philipsburg where he is now in the county jail awaiting a hearing. According to reports received here Campbell acted in self-defense and resorted to the use of his pocket knife when Periman attacked him with a rock. 

It appears that Campbell was one of the judges at the horse races in Drummond on last Fourth of July and incurred the displeasure of Periman over the decision in the result of a horse race. Last Sunday there was a horse race at the Drummond race course and the old grudge was revived. All had returned to town after the race and in discussing the event the Fourth of July matter was brought up again. 

Periman evidently had it in for Campbell and when the latter left for home in his buggy, Periman mounted his saddle horse and followed him. When he caught up with Campbell he started to abuse him and riding close up to the buggy struck him with his bridle reins which are long and commonly used as a quirt. Not satisfied Periman dismounted and threw rocks at Campbell, who then got out of the buggy and while doing so was hit in the side with a big rock which nearly put him out of business. He held onto his horse however, with one hand and as Periman came at him again with a rock he whipped out his jack-knife and used it to defend himself the best he could. 

He then got back into his buggy and drove back to Drummond. Periman also remounted his horse but after riding a while his wounds pained him so much he got off and lay down and a buggy was secured to bring him back to Drummond where Dr. Parkman attended him. He was later taken to Missoula on the evening train. 

It is stated that Periman precipitated the fight, and after it was all over he himself stated that he did not blame Campbell for using the knife on him. Campbell is quite an old man who bears a good reputation and is not at all considered quarrelsome, while Periman is young and strong and on this particular occasion had perhaps imbibed a little too freely and had his fighting blood aroused, and he started out after Campbell with the intention of making trouble. 

The affair is much to be regretted as both men have many friends and the speedy recovery of Periman is generally hoped for. “ 

 I am uncertain of who the above story is about but assume it was John H. Periman, as John E. Periman died at the age of 25 on July 7, 1907 and John A. Periman who fought in the Civil War would have been 65 years of age at the time of the incident. His death date was at the age of 84 in October 1929. John Chester Periman was not born until October 11, 1916 and died January 18, 1985. 

 Perimen’s had also made the news in the June 9, 1905 Philipsburg Mail where court notes stated: “The State of Montana vs Joseph Periman, John H. Periman and Patrick Brogan Jr., burglary. The defendants were permitted to plead guilty to petty larceny and were fined $25 and costs each. The young men were charged with breaking into Dingwall Brothers Store at New Chicago.”

Many early articles have the name spelled Perriman, but all the cemetery headstones have the name spelled Periman.

An Indian Prank

A prank recalled in the February 15, 1907 Mail is worth retelling, even though it may be considered politically incorrect in this day and age. The event occurred in the Eagle canyon area after the East Fork flows into Middle Fork. The article headline read “PLAYED INDIAN” and then detailed:

 

“The following “Indian” story or rather early day escapade in which some well-known Philipsburg people figure, but which has never been published is contributed by one of the Mail’s subscribers. Along in the summer of 1888 your subscriber made a trip to what is known at present as the George Albert placer diggings on upper Rock Creek. Crossing the stream just above Eagle canyon I passed near by the camp of a sextet of Philipsburg’s old time famous fishermen chaperoned by the well known old timer Frank D. Brown, formerly known as “Sandbar.” In the party were Peter Larson now a prosperous rancher of lower Flint creek valley, James Riley, Ed Nagle, Robert Sutherland and George Hammond. The last four named have long since passed on to more congenial hunting and fishing grounds where the hostile Indian has no terrors.

 

After a brief chat I proceeded on my way and on reaching the diggings found the camp deserted. I concluded the boys, Sterling Price, Harry Mallet and a Missourian whose name I cannot just now recall had gone hunting. I picketed my cayuse and found a shady place to rest and await their return. About three o’clock in the afternoon Price and the Missourian arrived in camp and informed me Mallet had gone to the ‘Burg the evening before and would shortly return.

 

While Price was getting supper Mallet arrived accompanied by a liberal package of Billy Lang’s famous snake bite remedy which although vile tasted good out there away from home and civilization and we all imbibed pretty freely. Mallet spoke of passing the Brown fishing camp and suggested we give them an old-fashioned Indian scare. By that time the whiskey was working nicely and I was in for most any kind of a game…

 

{They set out to a spot that I believe was Riva Ridge in Eagle Canyon.] Arriving there a little early we retired to an inviting place among the cliffs to afford seclusion, as well as a fine view of the fisherman’s camp. The fishermen’s camp was pitched in a pretty, open spot surrounded by willows and the Rock Creek running close by. The bottle was freely passed and as our spirits rose the shades of night began to spread over the canyon. In the fishermen’s camp a bright fire was lighting up the landscape. It was evident that one of the party had fallen in the creek and was drying his pajamas and other wearing apparel at the fire. From the distance it seemed as if a long thin duster was about all the raiment the fellow had on. The moon was just rising when we concluded the time was about ripe and the fun began.

 

We fired a volley and the Missourian let out a few war whoops that would have done credit to any buck Indian that ever lived—In this connection let me tell you this Missourian could yell and then some and war whoops were his long suit. In a moment all was chaos in the fishermen’s camp. I heard “George don’t leave me.” Implying it was Hammond and Brown. Hammond being a foot racer. They headed for the Porter Ranch five miles away. The duster was fanning the breeze behind like a boys kite until they disappeared in the twilight. Our guns saluted and the Missourian bid them god-speed until the war-whoops were re-echoed among the cliffs of Eagle canyon as if the place was infested by a thousand Indians…..

 

Even years after the Indian scare if anyone would happen to express himself in the presence of either Brown or Larson that he did not think there were Indians on Rock Creek at the time he would invariably meet a reply that there were and plenty of them.”

 

The February 22, 1907 Mail carried the following response (that I have edited to shorten) in a letter to the editor about the “Indian Prank”

 

“As I am one of the members of the fishing expedition that was so well written up in your last week’s paper, … The country it happened in was a pretty good Indian one even then. It wasn’t settled up and was rough enough to suit anyone… The persons who were in the “scare” as your writer calls it were George Hammond, Ed Nagle, Frank D. Brown, Peter Larsen and myself. {This would mean the writer was James Riley, who was deceased?}

 

We had Mr. Brown’s light wagon and black team, Mag and Mike. Also his white saddle mare. Hammond had a roan horse of his fathers. He and I rode the saddle horses, the team taking the balance of the outfit… I think it was about the last of August 1884… We came out to fish and hunt chickens and had no gun with us but a little sporting rifle brought by Pete. Hammond had a Colt .45.

 

I would say that before starting out Mr. Brown met Al Porter and told him we were coming out for a week’s hunting and fishing and asked the loan of a rifle…Porter said we could have a couple anytime we wished…. As it turned out, instead of going by Porter’s we took a lower route and entered the valley three miles or more below his place, going still further down to make camp.

 

Now as to the linen duster, it belonged to Hammond. When he left camp it went with him and when he started no one asked him “to wait.” That duster was torn up the back and was generally knocked out before I first saw it…. This night we sat up late and it must have been twelve o’clock when we crawled into bed. There was little moon… I remember that the subject of our talk that night was the killing of Joy, Hayes and Elliott over in McKay gulch a few miles west of us (By the Nez Perce in 1877)… Hammond was in bed with Mr. Brown’s duster and all when the shooting on the opposite side of the creek from our camp commenced. He lit out of bed, grabbed up the lariate [sic], picket pin with it and barebacked hit the hike… He took the .45 with him and lost it before he got to the Porter ranch.

 

These are facts here. The shooting on the hill across the way was all six shooter work. The yells were those of Indians and not white men. Finally the yells died away and all was quiet again. Mr. Brown said the Indians had probably ran down some miners on McKay and caught him where the shooting occurred...( The group then decided to leave Pete and Nagle in the willows and the others would go to Porter’s and return with firearms)..

 

I think it was about one o’clock when he left Porter’s. (Porter fell over Nagle lying in the bushes and they fell in the creek)…The boys felt uneasy and the fact that our fire must have been seen by the Indians did not help matters any. They concluded to put some bedding on the grey mare and return to Porters. (the gun accidently discharged and the mare got loose ).. Nagle told me long after that he never met any one man in his life that had so wide a range of oaths as Mr. Brown did. As for Larsen, what he had to say was in Norwegien… Pete offered Mr. Brown then and there fifty dollars for the mare. He said he would like to kill her on sight..

 

The same day we returned to camp, packed up and went home… ..only one man in this world reckless enough to undertake any such job and that was Sterling Price. But he was brave enough not to do it… This is the true story of that stampede, Mr. Editor.”

 

Who wrote the letter remains a mystery, maybe it was  Larsen or was it Brown?

Granite County First Graduating Class

 

Drawing of

 

                                   Drawing of  Historical Granite County School built in 1894

The First graduating class, from the newly constructed Granite County School, occurred on May 27, 1898 at the McDonald Opera House. Headlined in the June 3rd Philipsburg Mail were the following remarks: “ Success in every particular-Seven young ladies and men receive diplomas-the first in the history of the school. The graduation exercises at the Opera House last Friday evening were highly entertaining and showed that a great deal of hard work had been gone through by the graduates. Before the hour for the exercises to begin the house was completely filled, and in fact a crowd had congregated on the sidewalk before the doors to the building were thrown open to the public. Promptly at 8:15 o’clock Prof. Cook appeared on the platform and announced that the program would begin and as the orchestra had not yet arrived the opening piece was a quartette composed of Miss Lucy Paradise, Miss Mary A. Harrison, Fred Geiger and Walter W. Kroger who sang “Who Knows What the Bells Say?” in a manner that was highly appreciated by the vast throng present. 

 An essay entitled “Look Both Ways” by Frederick W. Kroger was the next on the program and the way he handled it showed that he had taken a keen interest in the subject and had weighed carefully all details relating to it. 

“The Womanly Woman” by Miss Mary A. McKenzie showed that young lady’s ability in dealing with a subject so familiar to us all. 

Mrs. R.L. Kelley sang a solo, “Among the Roses”, which was very acceptably received.

“Influence Left behind”, an essay by Miss Lola B. Rust, left the impression on all of deep study and careful preparation. 

William H. Loughrin’s essay on “William J. Bryan” followed, and the impression given its delivery was appreciated by all. 

“Dangers and Dangerous Classes”, by Miss Clara D. McDonel, was a treat inasmuch as so much truth and undeniable fact was embodied in it.

“Gunpowder as a Civilizer”, by Vincent DeP. Doody, came next on the program and the way the audience received it made it apparent that they were also of his opinion. The recollections recalled to mind of the causes which brought on the present American-Spanish war were made manifest in the essay. 

Tom Morton sang the solo “The banks of the Wabash”, in his usual excellent style. 

“The Tyrant Flower Shall Cast the Freedom Seed”, by Miss Pearlette M. Scott, made it apparent that the young essayist possessed the faculty of being able to reason well and to commit it to paper in and entertaining manner. 

Jonas Cook, principal of the school then delivered the address of the evening in a manner that showed his entire familiarity with the question. His remarks were in the point and were delivered in a common-sense manner. That the address was appreciated was made plain by the applause from the audience. 

Miss Hilda Noe followed with an ably rendered piano solo, entitled “The Dying Poet.” 

Dr W. I. Power. president of the school board, in awarding the diplomas to the several successful students did so in a manner highly pleasing to all….(and the musical part of the program continued). 

This being the first class to graduate and to be awarded diplomas the school board has been anxious that the commencement exercises should prove as great a success as possible…The board as at present constituted is as follows: Dr. W.I. Power, Chairman; Frances M. Durfee; George Metcalf; Josiah Shull; Walter W. Kroger; Allan Dearborn and G.B. Ballard.” 

Not present at the graduation ceremony was class member William B. Calhoun who had enlisted and been shipped out to serve in the Spanish-American War shortly before the graduation, according to the Granite Graduate Year Book 

 Besides Jonas Cook serving as Principal, he was also faculty with Miss Anna H. Price.

First Christmas Mass in Montana Territory

 

Hugh O’Neil was a devote Catholic, as documented in many Montana history accounts. Hugh is credited with finding a place for Christmas Mass to be held in Virginia City in 1865. The story was told many times and finally documented in The Magazine of Montana History. The facts of the story were validated by an unpublished sketch written by Father Francis Xavier Kuppens S.J. and was preserved in the Archives of St. Louis University. The sketch details how Father Giordia arrived in Virginia City a few days before Christmas in 1865 and lodged with a Catholic miner. He and the miner looked in vain for a building to hold Christmas Mass. The plight “reached the ears of many late one evening in a place where the youth and sporting fraternity of the town amused themselves at cards and dice”. Leader of the group was Hugh O’Neil who felt “it would be an everlasting shame if the Catholic religion could obtain no place for worship on Christmas Day”.

Hugh took the issue to the Acting Governor, Thomas Meagher and the two formed a plan. They awakened the proprietor of the theatre (the largest building in town), and presented a business proposition. A large amount of gold would be paid to rent the theatre for two weeks and all the scheduled performances would be cancelled. Hugh convinced the proprietor that the actors all needed a vacation over the holidays. 

Father Giordia was presented first thing in the morning with the news he was to meet the Acting Governor and Hugh O’Neil at the theatre immediately. Hugh took charge of the alterations of the theatre and the Governor took charge of the Priests’ comforts. By the end of the day, news of the upcoming Mass had been sent by riders to all the distant communities and the theatre had been renovated. In fact to such an extent that the proprietor came and declared that he could no longer use the building as a theatre. Not to worry. Funds were raised when the collection plate was passed after Mass, to buy the building and it was established at that moment as the first Catholic Church in Montana Territory. So as history goes, not only did the citizen’s of Virginia City and the surrounding area have a Christmas Mass in 1865, but they also had a “church established and paid for by raw gold mined from this virgin earth.” 

 “The priest tried to express his thanks, but was overcome by tears. Hugh O’Neil, his strong attendant, supported the frail form and guiding his faltering steps, led him away that Christmas Day of 1865 in the rough, uncouth, wicked frontier mining camp of Virginia City, Montana (Territory)--tempered and tamed by the spirit of Christ’s birth.(Magazine of Montana History Autumn, 1953).”

The Building of West Fork Sapphire Mines Flumes

Anaconda Gulch is listed as the richest gulch by the Mt. Gov. DEQ site, but local knowledge and archive documentation show Sapphire Gulch, producing the most gems. The Web site, goes on to describe a sixteen mile wooden flume from Stony Lake being constructed to serve the McLure Placer, Aurora and twenty-two other claims in 1901 and credits these statements to “Expert Miner” McElroy in 1911. The cost was stated as $75,000.00. The article states the McElroy article is on file at DLNF. E-mail requests for the document have went unanswered. Staff at the Montana Historical Society Library interpret DLNF as Deer Lodge National Forest and contact with that office is unable to reveal any such document in their files. The following is what I have been able to research about the flume. 

A letter from J.R. Lucas to Paul Fusz of August 17, 1904 raised the question whether the flume was built in 1901. Lucas had a discussion in August 1904 with Joe Sorenson regarding the feasibility of an 18 inch wooden pipe being built, instead of a wooden flume. This would run from Stony Lake and Lucas discussed a wooden gate as a dam at Fusz Lake instead of a cement dam, because of the slide rock in that area. Foreman Sorenson also stated he was widening the road up Basin Gulch that fall. Then on September 4, 1904 the conversation continued “…In regard to flume from Stony Creek: he [Sorenson] suggests and I think his suggestion is right, that a “V” shaped flume from Stony Creek to Cralle Ditch would be the proper kind of a flume put in, having same properly braced.” As evidenced by the flume that still remains the “V” shaped plan was never carried out. The letter continued: “He also suggests that if it is possible for us to get a small saw mill up in there it would be much cheaper than hauling lumber. That is one of the things we have got to consider in building a flume. He states we can get a small saw mill up in that country at a very small expense, as there is plenty of timber sufficiently large to cut flume lumber out of it. However will take the matter up when you arrive.” Their conversation when Fusz arrived is not documented in files available. 

The Mail, August 31, 1906 stated: “The American Gem Mining Company which operates the Sapphire mines on the West Fork of Rock Creek has filed an application with the forestry department for a million feet of timber along the headwaters of the West Fork. The company proposes to build a ditch and flume eighteen miles in length and the timber is to be cut along the proposed line of the ditch, clearing a strip 100 feet wide. A portable sawmill is to be used to saw the lumber for the flume.” 

Rasmussen was foreman of Camp #1 which started the flume from Gem Creek with intake from Gem Creek and Little Gem Creek. Rhudy was foreman of Camp #2 which was the Main Flume on the West Fork of Rock Creek with intake at Spruce Creek and Dunshee Creek. 

On March 30, 1912 J.R. Lucas writes a request to P.C. Miller in Stevensville, Montana to submit a bid to AGMS for building a flume. Miller responded on April 1, 1912 and asked to be notified when “snow leaves so we can make definite estimates and bid.” The next correspondence I found was from J.R. Lucas to Blakeslee and Cheatham on June 3, 1912 which details that their company was “going to construct 8 miles of flume and dig 2 miles of ditch on the West Fork of Rock Creek….can either your Mr. Blakeslee or Cheatham come to Philipsburg and…run this survey line over and check it up?” 

The response on June 8 was a telegram stating someone would be in Philipsburg from the company either Sunday or Monday. Another hand written document from C.W. Cheatham recommends his brother J.N. Cheatham to be hired as the engineer of the flume and ditch digging and that he would work for $100.00 per month and expenses. Then, on July 30, 1912 J.N. Cheatham wrote to J.R. Lucas that “E.E. Rhudy started work on the 11th; G.E. Rasmussen started work on the 12th.”

J.R. Lucas requested on July 30, 1912 that Cheatham send weekly reports of the crews work so they can withhold 15% of the estimated wages as per original contract. Cheatham wrote Lucas on the same date “We need lumber delivered by the 31st as sawmill has not started.” Two documents sent to Lucas that were not signed, state the motor sent for the saw mill was the wrong size. 

Also on file are eight pages of “Monthly estimates of flume construction” for July 1912 through October 1912. The estimates describe the work in number of “bents” completed and itemized the costs: July: Main Flume starting at West Fork $ 425.05; E.E. Rhudy Foreman Main Flume starting at Gem Creek $ 620.50; G.E. Rasmussen Foreman - Intake from Gem Creek $ 9.50; Intake from Little Gem Creek $ 21.72 August: Camp #1 Rasmussen $1102.93; Camp #2 Rhudy $884.11 September: Camp #1 Rasmussen $1129.31; Camp #2 Rhudy $ 635.68 October: Main Flume $1,548.15; Intake at Spruce Creek $9.32; Intake at Dunshee Creek $37.23 Camp #1- 100% completed and Camp #2- 95% completed by November 1. 

On July 25, 1912 J.R. Lucas sent a request to Missoula Employment Agency requesting a sawyer capable of cutting 100,000 feet of lumber and a sawmill engineer. Then, on August 23 Cheatham wrote to Lucas in regard to the need for road work and that no one had authority to order supplies. Because of these problems the men were ready to leave if the situation was not resolved. He also requested another six or seven men. The situation must have been resolved, because in 1913 a request from Cheatham to Lucas for references, was responded to. Lucas gave Cheatham a positive reference for the period he worked for American Gem with the date being from April 1912 through December 1912. 

The amount of pay received by the flume crew is evidenced in a letter from J.R. Lucas to J.N. Cheatham the Supt. Of Construction dated September 19th, 1912: “Dear Sir: Calling your attention to time sheet covering Flume Camp No.2, E.E. Rhudy, we note that in three instances you have shown the total deductions to exceed the gross amount due the employe [sic].We refer to L. O’Brian, Martin McNulty and A. Miller…We have therefore altered your August time sheet to show as follows: L. O’Brian, wages due $4.87, Board deducted $4.70, Comissary deduction 17 cents; Martin McNulty, wages due $4.87, Board deduction $4.87; A. Miller, wages due $4.87, Board deducted $4.87. This leaves their accounts as follows: L.O’Brian owes the commissary 13 cents; Martin McNulty owes the board 48 cents, commissary 40 cents; A. Miller owes board 48 cents… (What) these employes [sic] owe should be included with the deductions of the September time sheets.” 

 Whether there was only one main flume built, or if Stony Flume, Ewing Flume and West Fork of Rock Creek Flume are all different flumes and built at separate times, was not explained in the archived documents. We know water became available and as a child, I saw pictures of the placer miners working with huge pipes with nozzles knocking people over by the massive water pressure being directed at the placers. Massive earth movement and tailing dams are evident, especially in Maley Gulch and Anaconda Gulch. The drop in altitude from the beginning of the flume to the gulches, created the head of pressure. As you drive east on the Skalkaho Highway, near the Stillwater turn-off, you can still see areas of flume clinging to the steep slide rock mountainside. Building and upkeep of flumes, plus ditch digging, without considering the employment of the placer mines, provided a substantial number of jobs for the people of Philipsburg and surrounding areas, prior to 1930. 

West Fork Sapphire Mines and Conrad Wipf

 

A constant issue in mining Sapphires was a water supply and references show in 1905 water problems were becoming severe as early as June 11. By August 9 “Jamieson’s laid off most of crew in Anaconda Gulch-no water and did not get any water from Fusz Lake. Eight men left to prospect and look for source of red sapphires” wrote J. Lucas to Paul Fusz. Communication on August 22, 1905 stated water was okay in Sapphire Gulch and on August 27 Lucas told Fusz “Cralle’s survey says we should continue the Cralle ditch to the North Fork of the West Fork of Rock Creek--that would give a good supply of water to both Basin and Sapphire [Gulch].” By June 19, 1905 Wipf had worked the lower Sapphire and obtained only 100 pounds of sapphires. “Last year that would have been 600 pounds-so he is going higher up the gulch” wrote Lucas to Fusz. Obviously the move was strategic as the final shipment on November 23, 1905 totaled 3,657.25 pounds and 3,641 of these pounds came from Sapphire. 

Later that year, Conrad’s son was hired to do ranch work after graduating from high school and a letter from Lucas to Fusz, on October 9, 1905 stated “Have Sandin and young Conrad Wipf stay on ranch at $35.00 a month this winter…” Stop work by October 18. 

Conrad Wipf was born at Marthalen Canton of Zurich, Switzerland on December 4, 1843 and came to America as a carpenter in 1868. He worked in Chicago then Iowa before coming to Montana in 1871. He worked at the Kleinschmidt Brother’s lumber yard in Deer Lodge. Then moved to the saw mill at New Chicago and in 1872 moved to Philipsburg. I found where contracts bids were requested for laying sidewalk from Botschieder and Wipf’s Carpenter Shop on Sansome to the new school house. The bids were requested by John A. Spencer City clerk and Julius Hansen Assistant clerk in the January 9, 1896 Mail. 

Conrad worked at the Trout Mine and then took up Placer mining for the next fourteen summers according to the Mail, November 5 1909 (1895-1909). During the winters, Conrad continued to work in the building trade and during the mining boom at Granite formed a partnership with T.G. Botscheider. They built an extensive business as contractors and builders. Conrad was defeated for the office of City Treasurer by James H. Loomis on April 6, 1908. He served as alderman in the City Council and as School Trustee for many years, plus was president of the District Board of Education and County Commissioner at the time of his death. Con married Elise Huber of Zurich, Switzerland in 1885 and they had one son Conrad Jr. 

Conrad Senior died on October 30, 1909 at his home in Philipsburg of stomach cancer, about one month after being diagnosed. Survivors were his wife Elise and son Conrad Jr. Pallbearers were: William Dingwall, William Stahl, John H. Williams, Nicholas Noe, George Albert and Walter Kroger. He is buried in the Philipsburg Cemetery. 

Mrs. Elise Huber Wipf was born September 11, 1852. She died on June 3, 1936 and is buried next to Conrad in the Philipsburg cemetery. 

Conrad’s business partner Tom Botscheider born February 29, 1852 died February 21, 1940 just eight days short of his eighty-eighth birthday. Tom married Adelaide Durfee a native of New York in Philipsburg in 1884 two years after she moved to the area. I have been unsuccessful in finding Tom’s obituary, but Adelaide’s showed the marriage devoid of children, when she died on July 15, 1923 at the age of seventy. Tom and Adelaide are buried next to each other in the Philipsburg cemetery.

Anne Filmore was gifted a picture of Tom and Adelaide's marriage certificate when she acquired the building (Tom had owned) she made into the Silver Mill on Broadway and that picture is attached below.

g cemetery.

Early Lodges and Organizations and John Rains

 

 Lodge affiliation was a very important part of the early Deer Lodge/Granite County settlements, with the A.F. & A.M. Flint Creek Lodge chartered October 7, 1867. It was one of five lodges chartered at the Montana Annual Meeting held that year in Virginia City. Only Flint Creek and King Solomon of Helena were still in existence in 1951. The Flint Creek Lodge had twenty four members in 1869, according to Campbell “From the Quarries of Last Chance Gulch (1951). 

The I.O.G.T Band of Hope Lodge No. 20, was organized November 3, 1876 and Cable Lodge No. 9, was the ninth Lodge to be founded. The Order of Red Men was an early organization but I am not certain the date of inception. These male members dressed in garb that resembled Native American wear, according to their photograph history. Charter members of this Lodge arrived in the area prior to 1889. 

The Woodsmen of the World was another active organization that provided insurance to the members and is often referenced in obituaries with sums of $1,000 to $3,000 in payment to the deceased families. 

The Order of Eastern Star and Pocahontas were female organizations, with spouse participation who belonged to the Masonic Lodge. I believe the Pocahantas were the wives of the Red Men organization. 

The Churches had active organizations that provided assistance to families in need during the mining recessions. The Philipsburg Women’s Club was a very active group during WWI and The Red Cross fostered an active county association. The Sons of Herman and The Odd Fellows are other organizations spoken of through out newspaper articles. 

The Philipsburg Pioneer Association was founded in 1880 and included pioneers that had arrived in Montana on or before 1865; California on or before 1849; and Idaho on or before 1860. At the founding meeting there were nine bylaws adopted by the members of which I will quote two:

 “Sixth: we reserve the right to get decently drunk and to recognize a social game of cards, where money is not staked, as a necessary of our daily lives; 

   Ninth: we want no legal advice no long winded set of bylaws, nothing but good fellowship and lasting friendships; and as the flume is all clear, we lift the head-gate and start to work on discovery.” 

These bylaws were signed by the following pioneers: John Merrill-1848 California, John Rains-1849 California, John G. McLean-1850 California, George Plaisted-1850 California, Henry Imkamp-1856 California, M. Kaiser-1852 California, Eli D. Holland-1856 California, D.B. Anderson-1855 California, G.V. Sherman-1858 California, Daniel Session-1848 California, John Kaiser-1857 California, Angus McIntyre-1863 California, Mrs. Louisa Kaiser (I assume her date is the same as John’s), J.H. Monhart-1869 California, Wm. Hammond-1865 Montana, A.A. McDonald-1864 Montana, M.S. Caplice-1864 Montana, C.N. Freeman-1864 Montana, James McDonel-1864 Montana, Herman Kaiser -1865 Montana, David Simmons-1864 Montana, Frank D. Brown-1863 Montana, Joe Stahl-1863 Montana, Geo. E. Tyrriell-1865 Montana, Dan C. Morgan-1851 California, Sim Shively-1850 California, John W. Hall-1863 Montana.  A photograph of the document from the Tex Crowley picture collection below.

One of the above pioneer signatures John Rains, according to his obituary, was married to a sister of A.H. Porter, in 1882. I have been unable to find her first name, although her initials are listed on their children, Minnie and Johnnie’s tombstone as H.E. 

John Rains, born in Norway, died at the age of seventy seven, in Golden. He was vigorous until a few minutes before his death, when he suffered a pain in his side and in a few minutes was dead, on February 20, 1896. John immigrated to the United States in 1849; settled in California, then moved to Philipsburg in 1863 and resided in the area, working in various enterprises in which he made and spent several fortunes. The marriage produced seven children, with six of them and his wife buried in the Philipsburg cemetery, prior to his death. At the time of John’s death his only living daughter aged six was living with the George Brown family, formerly of Philipsburg, in Anaconda. The daughter had lived there since the death of her mother and was expected to inherit the estate.