Page 15 - Montana Freemason Feb 13
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Montana Freemason February 2013 Volume 86 Number 1
Donald Grant Nutter (November 28, 1915 – member of the National Governors’ Conference
Executive Committee and he chaired the Western
January 25, 1962), born in Lambert, Governors’ Conference from 1966 to 1967. Babcock
MT. Nutter attended the North Dakota served until 1969. Babcock was appointed by President
State School of Science in Wahpeton Richard M. Nixon to the National Advisory Committee
for two years before transferring to on Oceans and Atmosphere. He was a delegate to the
University of Montana in Missoula Republican National Convention eleven times and
in 1935. Returning to Sidney he served on the National Republican Committee in
entered public service in 1937 as the deputy clerk 1997 and 2000. He later built the Colonial Inn Motel
of the Richland County District Court. He held that and Convention Center in Helena; owned the historic
position for a year, then served for another year Davenport Hotel in Spokane, Washington, and
as the undersheriff of Richland County. With the Ox Bow cattle ranch, in Wolf Creek, Montana; and
outbreak of World War II, Nutter joined the Army owned Helena's KBLL radio and television stations.
Air Forces as a B-24 bomber pilot. He flew 62 combat Babcock also stayed active in Republican politics as a
missions, logging more than 500 hours of combat national committeeman. In his late eighties, he works
time. He spent 13 months in the China-Burma-India as a partner in Montana Ethanol Company.
Theater and was discharged at the rank of captain
after 39 months of service. He received the Air Medal Brother Babcock is a member Yellowstone Lodge
with cluster and the Distinguished Flying Cross. He No 26. EA Degree on Dec 1, 1954, FC Degree on
returned to eastern Montana and opened his own farm March 10, 1955 and MM Degree on May 6, 1955.
implement dealership in Sidney and in 1948 began
working toward a law degree. Nutter was elected to Forrest H. Anderson (January 20, 1913- July 20,
the Montana State Senate in 1950. He attended law
school in western Montana. In 1954, he was admitted 1989), born in Helena. He attended
to the Montana Bar and re-elected in the state senate. public schools in Helena, and then
He served as the chairman of the Montana Republican studied law at the University of
Central Committee from 1958 to 1960. He secured Montana in Missoula. He received
the Republican nomination and was elected governor his law degree from Columbus
in November 1960. During his tenure, state spending University in Washington, D.C.
was reduced and new industrial developments were Anderson was admitted to practice
promoted. On January 25, 1962, After a year in office before the Montana Supreme Court in 1938. He was
he was killed in a plane crash. elected to the Montana legislature in 1942, and also
Brother Nutter was a member of Lower Yellowstone served as Lewis and Clark County Attorney. He was
Lodge No. 90. EA Degree - March 6,1946, FC Degree elected to the Montana Supreme Court in 1952 and
- April 23, 1946, MM Degree - May 15, 1946. Served served 4 years, before running for Montana Attorney
as Lodge Treasurer in 1948. General in 1956. He was re-elected as Attorney
General three times. During the 1959 State Prison
Tim Babcock (October 27, 1919 ) born in riot, he personally negotiated with the prisoners
in helping to resolve the conflict. Anderson's one
Littlefork, Minnesota. He graduated term as Governor was filled with controversy, but
from Dawson County High School in made significant accomplishments. The early years
1939. He served in the US Infantry in of his administration were dominated by conflict
the European Theater during World with the Fish and Game Commission, over the
War II. Babcock served three terms direction of the Commission on environmental
in the Montana legislature prior to issues and on fisherman and hunter access issues.
being elected lieutenant governor in In 1971 the Legislature deadlocked over a sales tax.
1960. He became governor in 1962 upon the death Anderson called two special sessions to deal with
of Governor Donald Nutter. During his tenure, he the issue, and finally resorted to putting the tax to a
proposed a three-percent sales tax to support the public referendum. The sales tax was resoundingly
state government, and moderated the budget signed defeated. Anderson actively supported the Montana
by Governor Nutter. From 1964 to 1965, he was a Constitutional Convention. He viewed his greatest
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