Page 231 - Cornelius Hedges Story

For This And Succeeding Generations Gardiner 218

Thomas James Walsh, an attorney, he moved Helena, in 1890. Walsh
worked on injury cases involving railroad accidents. He served in the
United States Senate from 1913 until 1933.
William Wesley Van Orsdel, "Brother Van" was born near Gettysburg,
Pennsylvania on March 20th 1848. Arrived in north central Montanan
in 1872, he became one of the first Methodist circuit riders in the State
of Montana. Brother Van was trusted and loved by all of the Native
American tribes in Montana, he was given the name “Great Heart”. He
is immortalized by Charlie Russell in a painting he called “Brother Van
Shooting Buffalo”. Brother Van would go on to become one of the most
recognizable and best loved men in Montana history. During his 47 years
as a circuit rider and administrator for the North Montana Missions and
the Montana Methodist conference, he founded more than one hundred
churches, a university, a half a dozen hospitals, a children’s home and
over fifty Methodist parsonages. His charismatic style and faith drew
to him people from every walk of life from gunslingers to governors.
Granville Stuart, In 1857 he arrived in Montana with Captain Grant at
the present-day location of the Grant-Kohrs Ranch. He discovered gold
at Gold Creek the following year. He is often credited as the first man
to discover gold in Montana. In 1862, Granville moved to Bannack,
where he set up a butcher shop. Granville helped to organize the
Montana Historical Society in 1865, he was the first secretary and later
president. Continuing his service to the state, Granville became one of
13 members of the Territorial Council in 1871. He was a member of
the Upper House of the Seventh Session of the Territorial Legislature,
which met at Virginia City from December 4, 1871, to January 12,
1872. In 1880, Granville entered into the cattle business with J. Davis
and Samuel Hauser. Their brand was the famous DHS. In 1884, when
horse thieves took a toll on residents in the area he organized the Stuart
Stranglers and led a successful vigilante raid into the Missouri River
Breaks. That same year, Granville was elected the first president of the
Montana Stockgrowers. In 1891, Granville was appointed State Land
Agent and personally selected some 600,000 acres of land which the
federal government had given to the State of Montana for the purpose
of providing revenue for schools. Granville was appointed Ambassador
to the Republic of Uruguay and Paraguay in South America in 1894, a
position he held for five years. In 1916, he was commissioned by the
state to write a history of Montana. Stuart became a Master Mason
on in 1866 in Virginia City Lodge No. 1 he later affiliated with Deer
Masonic Lodge No. 14, he served as Junior Grand Deacon.
Daniel A. G. Flowerree, departed from Missouri, traveled, across the
plains by stage; arrived at Virginia City, march 16th, 1864. Occupation,
stock raiser.