Page 38 - Jan 2021 MFM.indd

Montana Masonic Museum
New Acquisitions

Th e Montana Masonic Foundation, Inc., as the owner of the Montana Masonic Museum, does from time to
time add signifi cant acquisitions to the collection. Recently, several pieces were acquired and are in the process
of being added to the display.

Colt Model 1851 Navy, .36 caliber, 7 1/2-inch barrel, Colt Navy, Circa 1863.

Th is piece belonged to Leroy Southmayd (1833-1883), an early Montana Territory pioneer. He was one of the
fi rst miners at Alder Gulch, arriving in 1863. He lived in Virginia City, Montana, and is buried there. Leroy
Southmayd was a member of the Vigilance Committee.

Nathan Leroy Southmayd was born on 28 February On 11 December 1863, members of the miners'
1833 at Jay, Essex, New York. Leroy Southmayd. Sr., safety committee captured George Ives. Th ey also
was educated in his native state. found seven dragoon and navy revolvers, nine
shotguns, thirteen rifl es, and the pistol taken from
In 1849, he moved on to Appleton, Wisconsin, Leroy Southmayd at the time of the coach robbery, in
and subsequently engaged in the steamboat and the possession of George Ives. On 22 December 1863,
transportation business on the Missouri River the Vigilance Committee was founded to bring safety
between St. Louis and Kansas City. He was partnered to the citizens and law and order to the territory. Leroy
with his brother Capt. William Clark Southmayd. In Southmayd also became a member of the Vigilance
1859 he and his brother joined the "Pike's Peak" rush Committee.
for gold and traveled overland to Denver, Colorado,
where they mined at Georgia Gulch. Leroy partnered with A. C. Hall in the exploration
of some of the fi rst mining claims in and around Alder
In 1863, with gold discovery in Montana, they moved Gulch. In 1864 Leroy Southmayd returned to St. Louis.
again, settling at Alder Gulch, Montana. William and Th ere he contracted for the construction of a stamp
Leroy Southmayd were among the fi rst settlers in mill and shipped parts overland to Alder Gulch, and
Alder Gulch. established bedrock fl ume in Alder Gulch. It operated
successfully for many years.
On November 22, 1863, the A. J. Oliver stage was
robbed on its way to Bannack from Virginia City by In 1866 Mr. Southmayd again returned East to Essex
road agents George Ives, "Whiskey Bill" Graves and County, New York, where he married and spent about
Bob Zachary. Th e robbery netted less than $1000 in a year. Th ey traveled back by railroad to St. Louis
gold and treasury notes. One of the victims, Leroy and by steamboat up the Missouri River. Th e steamer
Southmayd was robbed of four hundred dollars in was compelled to tie up to the shore every night, and
gold and his pistol. Leroy reported it to Bannack consequently, they were three months in making the
Sheriff Henry Plummer immediately aft er it happened. journey.
Members of Plummer's gang confronted Southmayd
on his return trip to Virginia City, but Southmayd was From 20 August 1869 to 11 August 1873, Leroy
managed to avoid injury or death. Southmayd served as Postmaster of Summit, Madison
County, Montana.
Montana Freemason Page 38 Jan/Feb 2021 Volume 97 No. 1