Page 230 - Cornelius Hedges Story

217 The Cornelius Hedges Story

Chapter 14
The Measure of His Friends

“If a man can be known as nothing else, then he may be known by
his companions.” The following section contains an abridged list of
the friends and associates of Cornelius Hedges.
Nathaniel Pitt Langford, explorer, businessman, bureaucrat, author,
vigilante and historian. From Saint Paul, Minnesota who played an
important role in the early years of the Montana gold fields, territorial
government and the creation of Yellowstone National Park, After
a national park was established, he became its first superintendent.
Langford became a Master Mason on 12/19/1856 in Pacific Lodge No.
10 (MN) he affiliated with Virginia City No. 1 and Helena No. 3, he
served as served as Grand Historian in 1866 and Grand Master of
Montana in 1869.
Wilbur Fisk Sanders, arrived at Bannack, September 17th, 1863.
He was a Lawyer by profession. Republican candidate for Congress,
1864-67-80 and '86. Delegate to Republican National Conventions,
1868-72-76 and '84. President Historical Society of Montana, 1865-
90. Member House of Representatives, Eighth (extra) Session, 1873;
Regular Session, 1874; Ninth Session, 1876; Tenth Session, 1877;
Eleventh and Extra Sessions, 1879, Territorial Legislative Assembly.
Division Counsel Northern Pacific Railroad Company, 1880-9. United
States Senator, 1890-3. President Board of Trustees Montana Wesleyan
University, 1889-1900. Sanders became a Master Mason on 11/8/1959
in Ohio, he affiliated with Virginia City No. 1, and served as Grand
Master A. F. & A. M., 1868
Conrad Kohrs, cattle rancher and politician He became a U.S. citizen
in 1857. He arrived in the gold camps of Montana Territory in 1862.
He built a fortune from owning gold camp butcher shops and selling
beef to miners. In 1866, created a ranching empire by purchasing a
ranch near Deer Lodge, at its peak, he owned 50,000 head of cattle,
grazing on 10 million acres and shipping 10,000 head of cattle annually
to the Chicago stock yards. He earned the nickname, "Montana's Cattle
King". He became involved in politics, first on the local and later on
the state level He was a member of the Territorial Assembly of 1885
and, in 1889, he was elected a member of the original Montana State
Constitutional Convention. He also served as President of the Montana
Stockgrower's Association. Kohrs was also a member of Deer Masonic
Lodge No. 14. He died on July 23, 1920 on the home ranch at Deer
Lodge.