JEFFERSON COUNTY TOWNS M-Z

MITCHELL GULCH

page 661 - From Leeson's History of Montana 1739-1885 published 1885

SURNAMES FOUND IN THIS ARTICLE: DOYLE; MITCHELL;

The first pay dirt was discovered at Mitchell's gulch, near Helena, on June 12, 1865, by J. J. Doyle, who was associated with J. F. Mitchell. Mr. Mitchell was at Helena the day it was discovered, but being the older man, Doyle named the place in his honor. Doyle was working on quartz at the time, but the gravel looking fair, he thought he would try it, and, doing so , picked out nine dollars that afternoon. There were as many as seventy men working in the gulch during the spring of 1866. The first death took place in the spring of 1876, when a man was shot in a miner's quarrel. Mr. Mitchell now resides in Java. The gold was discovered by Mr. Doyle directly opposite his present house in the gulch.

MONTANA TOWN

page 652 - From Leeson's History of Montana 1739-1885 published in 1885

SURNAMES FOUND IN THIS ARTICLE: GURLEY; HILL; MOULTIN; HALLBACK; MERRILL; ACKEMAN

Reference to which is made in other pages, was incorporated by the first legislature. The name was changed to Prickly Pear, under authority of the act approved February 6, 1865, which chartered the Prickly Pear Town Co., with James Gurley, H. M. Hill, A. H. Moulton, C. G. Hallback, T. G. Merrill and A. Ackeman, incorporators. The boundaries of the new town were: -- Commencing at the northwest corner of mining claim number five, in the lower Prickly Pear district; thence up the Prickly Pear creek, one mile; thence west from said creek, one-half mile; thence north one mile; thence east one half mile to the place of beginning, containing three hundred and twenty acres. James Gurly was appointed president; H. M. Hill, secretary; A. H. Moulton, treasurer; and C. G. Hallback, T. G. Merrill and A. Ackeman, trustees of this town company.

PARNELL

page 661 - From Leeson'S History of Montana 1739-1885 published 1885

SURNAMES FOUND IN THIS ARTICLE: BEEMES; BRADY; CLARK; DAWSON; DUNN; HAGEN; MCCAULEY; MULVY; QUAINTANCE; RYAN; SCHMIT; SHAY; SWARBRICK; LARSON; QUAINTANCE; WEBER; WICKHAM; SHAY

Parnell, now known as Weber, forty-eight miles southeast of Helena, on the boulder, is one of the modern settlements of the County, claiming a population of about seventy. The business circle is made up as follows: George Beemes, miner; J. Brady, stock and grain; C. Clark, grain and stock; T. Dawson, grain and stock; R. Dunn, grain and stock; J. Hagen, grain and stock; Olof Larson, grain and stock; Henry McCauley, grain and stock; William Mulvey, grain and stock; A. C. Quaintance, grain and stock; H. Ryan, grain and stock; Wm. Ryan, grain and stock; Con. Schmit, grain and stock; J. Schmit, blacksmith; J. Shay, farmer and stock; R. Swarbrick, mason; M. W. Weber, miner and postmaster; Patrick Wickham, farmer an stock. At this point a church society and school are supported. Manufacturing industry is represented by a steam saw mill.

PIPESTONE

page 651 - From Leeson's History of Montana 1739-1885 published 1885

SURNAMES FOUND IN THIS ARTICLE: STANARD; BAXTER; TUTTLES; BARNES; BELCHER; BOOTH; PAUL; STANARD

Acturally is called Big Pipestone in Leeson's History, six miles west of Whitehall, was the seat of the placer mines of Worthington, Booth, Paul and others. The Belcher ditch, carrying water from Fish creek to the mines at this point, a distance of seven miles, was the first step toward the true development of the district.

Pipestone Hot Springs, owned by W. B. Barnes, promises to be one of the leading health resorts of the future. Little Pipestone, four miles west of Big Pipestone, was the name given to the placers of Dan Stanard, Baxter, the Tuttles and others. The whole country along the Whitehall, Deer and Pipestone creeks offers advantages to the miner, stock grower and even agriculturist, which haven to been, so far, half developed. The population of Pipestone and Fish creek in 1880 was sixty; of Pipestone and vicinity thirty-six, and of Pipestone Mts., ten.

PRICKLEY PEAR

See MONTANA TOWN

RADERSBURG

page 650 - From Leeson's History of Montana 1739-1885 published 1885

SURNAMES FOUND IN THIS ARTICLE: BACHELDER; BALLARD; BEHRENGER; BLACKER; BRIGHT; BRODOCK; BULLARD; CLARK; DOUGHERTY; EASTERLY; HALLBECK; HALLECK; HAMPER; HASSEL; HOSFEILD; HORSFEILD; HUNTLEY; JEWELL; JOHNSON; LOWREY; MACUMBER; MYERS; NOREM; PARKS; POWERS; PREWITT; QUINN; RIPLEY; SEDERBERG; SMITH; SUDERBURG; SKINNER; SHULL; TAYLOR; TOWNSLEY; WARNER; WELLS; WESTON; WINTER; WORDEN; WARNER;

Radersburg, forty-eight miles southeast of Helena, where the old Bozeman stage road crossed Crow creek, may be classed among the early settlements of the county in 1866. The population in 1879 was 250, reduced to 169 in 1880 in the village and vicinity.

The valley of Crow Creek at this point possesses all the qualities to render it at once a rich agricultural and stock country. This was for years the county seat, and here a court house and jail were erected at a total cost of about $26,000. The quartz lodes, known as the Congress, Ohio, Keating, Leviathan, and Iron Clad, were yielding freely in 1879. The Blacker Mill of 15 stamps, and the Ten-stamp Keating Mill, were most important contributors to the welfare of the district; while the system of ditches, operated and owned by William Quinn, afforded the necessary water supply to carry on the mining industries, as well as for the purposes of irrigation.

The business circle of the town in 1879-80 comprised: Frank Wells, general merchandise; J. E. Dougherty, General Merchandise; J. R. Weston, drugs, tobaccos, and notions; Charles Hosfeild, meat market and stock dealer; D. G. Warner, livery stable; Mrs. M. A. Parks, Central Hotel; Archie Macumber, hotel; S. S. Huntley, sheep grower; P. B. Clark, sheep grower; Charles Halleck, saloon; Mrs. J. W. Hamper, saloon and brewery; G. E. Norem, blacksmith, since deceased; F. M. Smith, blacksmith. In 1884-5 the following named firms and individuals formed the list of business men: E. M. Batchelder, notions and tobacco, and postmaster; J. E. Dougherty and Frank Wells, general merchants; J. D. Ripley, hotel; Warner & Horsfield, livery; E. J. Ripley and A. H. Dougherty, liquor dealers; Chas. Horsfield and Huntley & Clark, horses and Cattle; S. Shull, -- Skinner, blacksmiths; R. Norem, shoemaker; Johnson & Suderburg, carpenters; D. G. Warner, Judge of Probate; A. H. Dougherty, deputy sheriff.

SOCIETIES: The first society organization at Radersburg was Mount Hope Lodge, No. 4, I. O. G. T., organized April 12, 1868, reorganized in September, 1868, with twelve members, H. C. Powers, Lodge Deputy. Jefferson Lodge, No. 15, A. F. & A. M. , was chartered November 1, 1870. The Past Masters and Master Masons of this lodge in 1883 were: Charles Horsfeild, P. M.; Frank Wells, P. M. ; H. E. G. Winters, p. M.; Benj. Townsley, P. M. ; A. F. Bright, George Behrenger, Charles G. Hallbeck; J. C. Blacker, James S. Bullard, A. M. Easterly, John R. Gilbert, Charles G. Hallbeck, O. Brodock, G. B. Ballard, J. M. D. Taylor, Joseph E. Hassel, William Jewell, B.
F. Lowrey, Alfred Myers, Isom Prewitt, Philip Robertrs, C. E. Worden, A. W. Sederberg, John Johnson, Robert Horsfield.

The latest strikes of gold quartz in this county are the Deer Lode, worked by Boyd and Rader, in 1878, and the Bonanza Chief, discovered in April, 1879, by Boyd and Rader, showing native gold in a a large vein of soft sulphuretted quartz, running up into the thousands per ton. The discovery is in the mountain of the Prickly Pear, about eight or nine miles south of Helena and Radersburg.

ST. LOUIS

page 651 - From Leeson's History of Montana 1739-1885 published 1885

SURNAMES FOUND IN THIS ARTICLE: CLARK; MOORE

St. Louis, at the head of Crow creek, eight miles northwest of Radersburg, was a prosperous placer mining camp up to 1879, and offers today resources which will reward development. Here the Little Giant and the Jaw Bone quartz lodes were worked, and the Lewis & Reese twenty stamp mill erected. There is a church and a school maintained in this settlement. St. Louis Lodge, No. 49, I. O. G. T., was organized by R. S. Clark, March 8, 1875. The original members numbered eighteen. W. L. Moore was elected first deputy. Ceased work in 1879.

WEBER

See PARNELL

WHITEHALL *

page 651 - From Leeson's History of Montana 1739-1885 published 1885

SURNAMES FOUND IN THIS ARTICLE: BROOKE; BELCHER; PAUL; THURSTON

Whitehall, on White Tail Deer creek, sixty miles south of Helena on the overland road, is one of the old settlements of 1864. In 1879 it had a population of one hundred, which, owing to discoveries at Pipestone and other places in 1879, was reduced to forty-one in 1880. Since the date of the census the little village has shared in the general progress of the Territory, so that in 1882 the population had reached its normal state, giving a vote of thirty-two. E. G. Brooke, cattle grower and hotel keeper; John Paul, A. Belcher, C. Thurston and others, stock growers, may be named among the first who have aided in the development of this village and neighborhood. A schoolhouse was erected in 1879, and the first regular religious services of the Methodist church were held here. This society erected a house of worship some time ago. E. G. Brooke is Postmaster.

WICKES

page 649 - From Leeson's History of Montana 1739-1885 published 1885

SURNAMES FOUND IN THIS ARTICLE: ANDREWS; GILLETTE; CLARK; DALLAS; BAYLIE; LAMPTON; MORGAN; WOODBRIDGE; DOUGLASS; TODD; BAILEY; REYNOLDS; TAYLOR; HARDIN; TOLE; STREET; PARKER; DEAN; STOUT; WICKES

Wickes, named in honor of T. A. Wickes, the leading merchant of the town, was settled in 1877, and is one of the most prosperous mining camps on the county. The Alta, Alta South, Gregory, Rumley, Custer, and Comet mines have made a record for the district. These mines have been operated on a large scale, and are so located in the hills that they can be easily worked. The ores, which are rich galenas and high grade in silver, are found in true fissure veins, in a favorable formation, and the Wickes district contains all the elements and ingredients needed in smelting, and in just the proportion required for that purpose. The elevation of the district is not high, and the mines are reached by wagon-roads of easy grade. Best qualities of rich ore, opened and developed in these mines, will supply the reduction works for years to come.

The destruction of the costly and extensive reduction works of the Alta-Montana company at Wickes was a prostrating blow to the camp. Those works had been erected at a cost of over 250,000,
and were in operation at the time the property was purchased by the Helena M. & R. Co. The business of the village in 1883 comprised a half dozen of saloons, a notion store, the Wickes general store, and the post-office store by Messrs. Dean and Stout. IN 1884-5 the business circle comprised E. R. Dean, postmaster and notion store; T. A. Wickes, general store; Dean & Street and c. F. Parker, hotels; Tole & Hardin, Saloon; H.
D. Taylor & Co., meat market; J. T. Reynolds, shoemaker; J. A. Bailey, Blacksmith, and the officers and employees of the H. M. & R. Co's works.

CHURCHES: The Presbyterian society of Wickes completed a very neat and comfortable church edifice, 27x45 feet, at a cost of $2,750, in December 1882. Newberry & Graham, of Helena, were the contractors. The seating of the church cost $250, paid by the Sabbath school. The final payment was made and a deed received from the Alta-Montana Co. For the land upon which the building stands. Much of the success of this church is due to the efforts of Rev. T. A. Wickes and his wife. Rev. T. M. Todd is pastor in charge.

SOCIETIES: Eureka Lodge, No. 13, I. O. G. T, was organized April 22, 1880, by Geo. A. Douglass, G. W. C. I. The number of members belonging to this lodge, in January, 1883, was 104, including the following named officers: John Andrews, Carrie Gillette, J. T. Reynolds, Geo. Clark, T. A. Wickes, Anna Dallas, John Baylie, T. N. Todd, Bettie Lampton, am. M. Morgan, and W. D. Woodbridge.

WOODVILLE

page 661 - From Leeson's History of Montana 1739-1885 published 1885

SURNAMES FOUND IN THIS ARTICLE: WRIGHT; WARD; NOONAN; LAWRENCE; GREGORY; MCGEE: PARSONS; GIVENS; HARRIS; THAN; SMITH

Woodville, or Elk Park, nine miles north of Butte City, is a modern settlement (1883). Here Thomas Wright is postmaster and general merchant; W. J. Ward, Hotel and general storekeeper; Wm. Noonan, justice of the peace; Louis Lawrence, Noonan & Gregory blacksmiths; James McGee, hotel; W. Parsons, lumber and wood; Wm. Givens, wheelwright; c. L. Harris, A. Than, meats; D. E. Smith, saloon; Mrs. A. Than, barber. The population is estimated at about 170.

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Updated 03/10/98