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Updated 24 March 2008
BASIN CITY *
page 661 - From Leeson's History of Montana 1739-1885 published
1885
SURNAMES FOUND IN THIS ARTICLE: BASSETT; HOPKINS; CALVIN; MURRAY;
JACKSON; LAWSON; ALLPORT
Basin City, the rival of the town of Cataract,
was founded by Lawson & Allport, in 1880, at the mouth of Basin creek, a
tributary of Boulder River. Among the mines of the district are the Mantle,
Boulder, Custer, Independence, Martin Maginnis, Rock of Ages, Nabob, Boston, Big
Medicine, Susie Brown, Mohawk, Mount Thompson, Captain, Cook, Mountain Chief,
Custer, Saginaw, Katie,
Silver Butte, Union, Clipp, Highland, Gib, and
others.
Basin City was once a camp of enterprise, and had its full share
in contributing to the building up of the Territory. Owing to new and more
easily worked mines being discovered, Basin was left over, as it were, for the
era, of new development, new machinery and increased production. That it will
eclipse its olden greatness is only a matter of a short time. The business
circle is made up as follows: Thomas Bassett and Truman Hopkins, liquors; Amos
Calvin, hotel; T. F. Murray, general merchant; D. D. Jackson, postmaster.
The gold and silver ore mills at this mining point are worked.
BEAVER CREEK
page 652 - From Leeson's History of Montana 1739-1885 published
1885
SURNAMES FOUND IN THIS ARTICLE: BROOKS; CRAHN; MARKS; HANLAY;
REYNOLDS; TUCKES; MCPHERSON; SHOFFS; RIDGEWAY; KELLY; ROBINSON
Beaver
Creek is the name given to the center of this great stock range. The hamlet is
18 miles southeast of Helena, at the point where the water of the creek is
diverted into the two French Bar ditches. The name Beavertown is also applied to
this settlement, and under this name the census enumerator credited the place
with a population of 14 in 1880. The discovery of lodes at this point and in the
Park during the years 1878-9, added to the advances made in mining, will
doubtless lead to the development of this district. The commercial ommunity is
made up as follows: M. M. Brooks, carpenter; Crahn & Marks, sawmill; Hanlay
Bros., sawmill; C. Reynolds, hotel; Tuckes & McPherson, hotel; J. W. Shoffs,
meat market; W. H. Ridgeway, blacksmith; John Robinson, wagonmaker, and J. N.
Kelly, postmaster.
BOULDER VILLAGE *
page 649 - From Leeson's History of Montana 1739-1885 published
1885
SURNAMES FOUND IN THIS ARTICLE: WALLS; CASE; BERKINS; STEVENS;
HEATON; HEALY; JEFFRIES; MURRAY; DOUGHERTY; REINS; DEACY; SMITH; COOK; FARNHAM;
DAVIS; WAVE; THOMPSON; DORSETT; KELLY; WHITE;
ROHRBACKER; DOUGLASS; MILLS;
BAILEY; RILEY; HOLT.
Boulder Town Company was incorporated February 8,
1865, almost three years after the first settlement, with N. Walls, president,
G. W. Case, secretary; W. Berkins, Treasurer; H. Stevens, R. Heaton, and J. J.
Healy, trustees. The boundaries of the town were: "Commencing at the north side
of boulder crossing, on the Gillett road, thence north one half mile, thence
west one mile, thence south one half mile, thence est one mile to the place of
beginning, containing three hundred and twenty acres." The stampede from Gold
creek to the Boulder, which took place July 20, 1862, was the origin of the
village. The vicissitudes of the
village are known to every old resident of
the territory. Until the revival of mining the old town was almost forgotten,
but with the new industrial ear it has sprung once more into active life, and
with so much earnestness, that she won from the rival towns the County Seat. The
population of the village and vicinity in 1880 was 215. In July, 1883, the
number of inhabitants in the town was about 150. The business circle of the town
in 1883 comprised the following named citizens: R. W. Jefferies, T. F. Murray,
Edward Dougherty, William Reins, Williams Deacy, J. G. Smith, V. A. Cook, F.
Farnham, proprietor of the Boulder City Hotel. Boulder is the dinner station for
three stage divisions; one from Butte, one from Helena, and one from Dillon. In
1884-5 general stores were kept for V. A. Cook, J. E. Dougherty, R. W. Jeffries
and T. F. Murray; hotel by F. Farnham, saloons by W. Deacy and J. G. Smith,
livery by W, D, Northrup, blacksmith shop by W. Reins, and meat market by Murray
& Davis.
The Australian, Belle of Boulder, Amazon, Wall Street,
Ollie, Chillicothe, Emmett and Spencer lodes are all in this
district.
The Amazon concentrating works, two miles from the Amazon, were
erected in 1883 by Jacob Wave, the mill-builder. Henry Thompson was granted
$2,500 by the Legislature January 11, 1865, for the pursuit of G. Kelly, the
murderer of R. R. Dorsett and John White on the Boulder. Boulder Star Lodge,
No.3, I. O. G. T., was organized February 18, 1869.
The present number of
members is fifty-one, including the following named officers of the lodge: G. W.
Rohrbacker, Elmer Douglass, T. B. Mills, J. A. Bailey, G. A. Douglass, S. A.
Riley, V. A. Cook, J. R. Holt and J. M. D. Holt.
From Boulder City
excellent roads diverge in every direction, east to Elkhorn, southeast to
Gallatin City, south to Dillon, west to Butte City, northwest to Comet and
Wickes, and north to Jefferson and Helena, the several distances being: to
Elkhorn, 15 miles; Gallatin, 40 miles; Butte city, 35 miles; Comet, 6 miles,
Wickes, 9 miles; Jefferson, 12 miles; Helena, 32 miles. South of Boulder City
two and a half miles are the famous Boulder Hot Springs, a favorite resort for
invalids, the waters of which are held on high authority to be a specific in
cases of rheumatic an scrofulous diseases and highly beneficial in nearly all
chronic complaints. A large hotel building was completed at the springs in
1883.
CATARACT
page 652 - From Leeson's History of Montana 1739-1885 published
1885
SURNAMES FOUND IN THIS ARTICLE: STUART; ANDERSON; MCIRWIN; THOMPSON;
HAUSER; BROWN; HATHAWAY; LAWSON; ALLPORT; SMITH
In June, 1862, a month
after the discovery of the Bannack placer mines, the Old Bar near the mouth of
Cataract creek was discovered. The prospectors worked the Old Bar until their
provisions were exhausted, when they fled to Bannack. Subsequently this claim
passed into the hands of the Stuarts and Reece Anderson, who erected their
houses at the mouth of the creek, and resided there with their families while
working the placers. In 1864 the McIrwin Brothers found rich ore 2 and «miles
above the mouth of the creek, but owing to the difficulty of working quartz at
that time, they abandoned the location.
Zach. Thompson's Company
discovered the Big Medicine, the Susie Brown and Mr. Thompson leads in 1873. The
Mantle lode was struck by Smith in 1879, and now belongs to S. T. Hauser. Brown
and Hathaway sold the Boulder Prospect to Lawson and Allport in 1880.
The
numerous mines of this district now worked have been opened since 1880, and are
among the leading industries of the Territory. The population of Cataract and
Basin in 1880 was 99.
CLANCEY *
page 652 - From Leeson's History of Montana 1739-1885 published
1885
SURNAMES FOUND IN THIS ARTICLE: GILLETTE; BULLARD;
HILL;
Clancey, fourteen miles southeast of Helena, is one of the business
centers of the county, settled in 1865. In 1879 this village was credited with a
population of 200, while, according to the census returns of 1880, the number
has fallen to 77. M. H. Hill may be considered the Pioneer Merchant of Clancey.
He carries on a general mercantile business, including hardware and drugs, a
machine and blacksmith shop, and acts as postmaster, assayer and metallurgist in
that district. The sawmill and ore hoister at this point are operated by water
power. Star of the West Lodge, No. 46, I. O. G. T., was founded by Massena
Bullard, May 29, 1874. The number of original members was 27. F. L. Gillette was
elected Lodge Deputy. Charter revoked in 1876.
The Jefferson Valley
Woolen Mill was erected in 1879. This is a two story stone building, 50 x 100
feet, supplied with first class machinery, and is the pioneer of the woolen
manufacturing industry in this Territory - the introduction, as it were, to
hundreds of large manufacturing establishments which the Territory will sustain,
and for which this county is so well adapted.
COMET
page 661 - From Leeson's History of Montana 1739-1885 published
1885
SURNAMES FOUND IN THIS ARTICLE: PARKISON
Comet is the name of
a settlement of 1869, twenty eight miles south of Helena, just west of Wickes.
J. T. Parkison is postmaster. The district is credited with a population of
about 300. The works at Wickes, Comet and Gregory have not only added to the
wealth and population of Jefferson county, but have also given a strong impetus
to prospecting.
ELK PARK
See WOODVILLE
FISH CREEK
page 562 - From Leeson's History of Montana 1739-1885 published
1885
SURNAMES FOUND IN THIS ARTICLE: BRUFFEY; COMFORT; JORDAN; GIST;
RUNDELL; BEALL; TUTTLE; CRISSMAN
Fish Creek, just east of Table Mt., is
an old settlement, dating back to the sixties, when prospectors looked north
from Alder gulch to the quartz hills of the Jefferson, and located there in
1865. The population of the settlement, in 1880 was 12, now increased to 100.
Geo. A. Bruffey is postmaster at this point. (Vide Mining History.) Here a steam
sawmill and crushing mill are located.
Fish Creek Lodge, No. 5, I. O. G.
T., was organized August 2, 1870, by Geo. Comfort. The present membership is 50.
Walter M. Jordan, Etta Jordan, O. J. Gist, J. W. Rundell, John A. Beall, Mattie
Tuttle, A. D. Beall, J. M. Gist and H. M. Rundell hold the official positions
from W. C.T. to W. I. G. Waterloo Lodge, No. 48, I. O. G. T., was formed
February 23, 1875, with 10 members. J. S. Crissman was the first deputy. Charter
revoked in 1876.
GREGORY
page 661 - From Leeson's History of Montana 1739-1885 published
1885
SURNAMES FOUND IN THIS ARTICLE: FREYLER; CULLIVAN; THOMAS; RENSHAW;
MENTRUM; BRITT
Gregory, twenty four miles southwest of Helena, on the
Prickly Pear, is an old mining settlement, now ranking as a postal
town.
D. Freyler & Son conduct a general store at this point; T.
Cullivan and Thomas & Renshaw, saloons; and Mentrum & Britt, the Gregory
hotel. The estimated population is sixty.
HIGHLAND GULCH
page 661 - From Leeson's History of Montana 1739-1885 published
1885
Highland Gulch was discovered July 25, 1866, and the Highland Gold
Co.'s mine started November 1, 1868. Cooley's Gulch was discovered September 4,
1866.
JEFFERSON CITY *
page 650 - From Leeson's History of Montana 1739-1885 published
1885
SURNAMES FOUND IN THIS ARTICLE: CULVER; NEIL; SOULE; McLAUGHLIN;
FAY; CLEMENTS; DENBOW; EYL; BERENDES; ELLIS; TAYLOR; DOUGLAS; BENJAMIN; RUDD;
RUSSELL; HOLTER; PATTERSON; KESSLER; WINTER; WHITSTONE; TICE; DEAFLIN; BLAKEMAN;
BECKER; WEHR; DELL; DILDINE; SANDERS; THOMPSON; MOULTER; CAMIX; REDDING;
CAMPBELL; HAGGERTY; SMITH; ALLEN; SHEENAN; AXE; RADCLIFF; MERRIMAN
The
Jefferson Town Company was incorporated January 11, 1865, with Nathaniel
Merriman, John Radcliff, Allen T. Axe, and Philip Sheenan, incorporators. The
place was settled in 1864 by these men while en route from Alder Gulch to
Helena. Allen T. Axe discovered the Gregory lode, and there the party located.
In 1865 the legislature designated the new town as the seat of justice for the
county. Shortly after the district was organized a post office was established
with Nathaniel Merriman, postmaster. The first school was conducted by Miss
Sallie Allen, during the winter of 1866-7. She was the daughter of "Dad" Allen,
who kept a blacksmith shop after Frank Smith and John Haggerty, the first
blacksmiths. The first hotel was conducted by William Campbell, and the first
store by J. S. Redding; Gou Camix and A. H. Moulter were among the pioneer
business men of the village. A substantial school building was given place to
the pioneer school house of 1866-7., the Emerson House takes the place of the
first hotel, and even the blacksmith shop is modern compared ith the old one,
which was destroyed by the only fire that ever threatened the village. The
business circle of Jefferson in 1879 was made up of the following named traders:
M. B. Thompson, Emerson Hotel; J. G. Sanders, general merchandise; Henry
Dildine, general merchandise; Dell & Wehr, meat market; Conrad Becker,
blacksmith; Henry Blakeman, Blacksmith; Casper Deaflin, shoemaker; Thomas D.
Tice, barber shop; William Whitstone, Saloon and billiard hall; Kessler &
Winters, saloon, Conrad Becker, Saloon and billiards; Becker & Co., livery
stable; Jessie Patterson, lumber dealer; Holter & Russell, lumber dealers;
Dr. A. F. Rudd, Physician. Jefferson Lodge, No. 14, I. O. G. T., was organized
May 6, 1869, with Geo. Benjamin, L. D., but ceased working. Jefferson Lodge, No.
33, was organized by G. A. Douglas, August 10, 1872, with sixteen members. J. M.
D. Taylor was the first deputy of this Lodge. Charter forfeited 1873. The
population of Jefferson in 1879 was estimated at five hundred; in 1880 the
number of inhabitants in the village and vicinity was two hundred and ten. The
business circle of 1884-5 is made up as follows: Ellis & Berendes, general
store; E. C. Eyl, General store; A. F. Rudd and c. Denbow, physicians; Clements
& Fay, hotel; Wm. Campbell, J. McLaughlin, Wm. Whitstone, saloons; Soule
Bros., livery; Wm. Neil, blacksmith; John Culver, justice of the peace, and F.
W. Ellis, postmaster.
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Updated 24 March 2008