Page 31 - MFM Aug Sept 2019

sums of money by persons having no just claims against the his inordinate appetite for ardent spirits. Mr. Belden was not
estate, and when the settlements were all made, the balance by nature a man of bad disposition he knew the deplorable
in her hands was far less than she anticipated it would be. results of his intemperance, but had not the power, or self-
will, to resist the temptation when off ered to indulge his love
She at once saw the necessity of doing something towards for strong drink. He resolved again and again to reform his
the support of the family, and like nearly all women in her habits, but not the ability to abide by his determination. He
situation, concluded to engage a few boarders. In this way she at last became quarrelsome and contentious, abusiveness
assisted in the maintenance of herself and younger children to his family followed until fi nally his wife could no longer
until the autumn of the year 1848, when she invested her submit to his ill-treatment. A separation was agreed upon as
money with Mr. Isaac T. Whyte, and became partner with necessary, when his whole nature seemed to change for the
him in the mercantile business. worse, and his conduct toward his family became insuff erable.
His wife compelled to apply to the courts for protection, and
In 1849 she was married to Mr. Whyte and they continued decree divorcing her from the bonds of matrimony was the
to reside in Oregon until the year 1855, when they moved to only alternative left her. From the time of their arrival in
Brownville in Nebraska. For two- or three-years Mr. Whyte Nebraska, Rebecca had supported her large family by her
entrusted his business almost entirely to the management of own labor and exertions. The suff ering she endured through
young men, whom he employed as clerks, and he was not fully long years of her life are only known to herself, for she never
aware of the disastrous course he was pursuing until he found told half the miseries infl ected upon her by her husband. Mr.
himself, in 1858, hopelessly bankrupt. He at once made an Belden died at Brownsville on the twenty-fi rst of August 1862,
assignment of all his property for the benefi t of his creditors, age forty-seven years. Rebecca was the mother of six children,
barely receiving enough for the immediate necessities of his Inez the eldest married Mr. G. Y. Wallace in 1868, a member
family. from that time, he has labored hard in every way to of Convent Lodge U.D. (now No. 11). George her eldest son,
provide a comfortable support for himself and family but has a Lieutenant in the army, married in 1866, and is stationed
never been able to emerge from the poverty attending his at one of the Forts in the Rocky Mountains. Nellie, Harriet
failure in business.
and William are all living with their mother in Omaha
In the 1867, Mr. Craig received the appointment of Collector City. Rebecca succeeded in giving her children a very good
of Internal Revenue for the St. Joseph District, and turned education and they are all highly respected and occupy a good
over the business and emoluments of the offi ce to Mr. Whyte, position in Society.
who is still engaged in the duties attending that position. My Helen M. was born on the twenty-fi fth day of July 1825.
mother is now (1868) living in St. Joseph, Missouri, enjoying On the twelfth day of August 1843, Helen my second sister
good health for one in her advance age. married James Craig, when she was about age of eighteen
years. He was a young lawyer of good talent, ambitions, and
Chapter 3
possessing excellent business qualifi cations. He opened a law
My Sisters and Brothers offi ce in New Philadelphia, Ohio, but at the suggestion on my
father he moved to Oregon, Missouri, in the spring of 1844,
My older Sister, Rebecca, was born on the eight day of April where he established himself for the practice of his profession.
1823. On the Second day of May 1842, at the age of nineteen He was a man of very popular manners, a close observer and a
years, was united in marriage to Mr. Seymour Belden, a young good judge of human nature. He at once took a good position
lawyer of good legal attainment. His business qualifi cations, among his professional brethren and acquired a larger share
however, were not of an order which promised his family an of the legal business of the county. He served one term in
overabundance of this world’s goods, and his means soon the State Legislature, and when was declared with Mexico in
became inadequate to maintain the extravagance of his every- 1846, was commissioned Captain of a Company of volunteers,
day wants. Immediately after his marriage he entered upon and stationed at Fort Kearny, on the Platte River. His Company
the practice of his profession in New Philadelphia, Ohio. was mustered out of service in the year 1848, when he again
He sold the farm given to Rebecca by her Grandfather, and resumed the practice of the law in Oregon, Missouri. In the
withe proceeds commenced the erection of an expensive year 1849 he went to California, where he remained until the
dwelling house. When it was completed, he found himself spring of 1850, when he returned to Missouri and took up his
somewhat involved in debt, and my father came to his relief residence in St. Joseph. He was elected to the offi ce of Circuit
with money suffi cient to liquidate his outstanding liabilities. Attorney in 1851 and served the regular term of two years.
He soon acquired a professional business which would have In the year 1856 he received the nomination for Member of
supported his family comfortably, but he lived far beyond his Congress in the Democratic Convention and was elected to
means, and in a few months was compelled to sell his house to the offi ce at the ensuing election in the same year serving
pay his debts. He also contracted the habits of intemperance, 1857-1859. He was re-elected a Member of Congress serving
which grew on him year by year until he became a confi rmed 1859-1861. At the end of his term he returned to St. Joseph
drunkard. He remained in New Philadelphia until the and resumed the practice of his profession. He soon after
summer of 1856, his dissipation having reduced him to received the appointment as Attorney for the Hannibal and
poverty when he removed his family to St. Joseph Missouri, St. Joseph Railroad, which position he fi lled for several years.
and from there to Brownsville in Nebraska. Here he again During the Great Rebellion of the Southern States he was
attempted to practice his profession, but his love of strong commissioned a Brigadier General of U.S. volunteers. From
drink overcame all his better resolves, and he lost control of April to November 1862, Craig was the military commander
Montana Freemason Page 31 Aug/Sept 2019 Volume 95 No .6