1890 Troy Settlers

(a partial listing)

Taken from "Troy, Montana Yesterdays" no. 3

by Marjorie Pomeroy

Copyright 1982

ALLEN, George and Maria ("Ma")- -

George brought the first supply train to Lake city on the Great Northern. He later purchased the Windsor Hotel from Henry Howell, operating it with his wife, Maria, called "Ma" by the railroad men, was also regarded with affection by the townspeople; worked in church and Ladies Aid. The hotel burned down in 1906 after a lamp overturned and was rebuilt the following spring


ALVORD, Frank E.- -

Rancher in the nineties who with his family had a lake ranch across the Kootenai for about seventeen years; later moved to Troy where Mrs. Alvord ran a bakery.


ARABO, George- -

Settler who came between 1890 and 1893.


ATKINS, Robert- -

Early prospector


AUSTIN, Tom- -

Prospector who came here between 1890 and 1893; owned a burro and a pistol; was "still in the hills" when Wood wrote here local history in the mid-twenties.


BAGGS, Frank and Thomas- -

Thomas was one of the area's early prospectors, and Troy constable in 1894. His brother Frank had a hay ranch in the Iron Creek valley; was a Troy mayor in his later years. Frank's wife, Mary Jane (Williams) Baggs, drowned in flood-swollen Callahan Creek in June 1899. The two had started across the creek when their wagon wheels dropped into a hole and the horses became unmanageable. Bolts came out and the wagon box broke loose throwing both people into the water. Mrs. Baggs was carried over half a mile downstream by the swift current, but was no longer alive when found against a huge boulder. Left motherless were Eva, Josie, Frances, and Pearl.


BAKER, Napoleon and Silas- -

Brothers, old men at the time, "who lived in a shack out in the counry which was so small that when they attempted to put a long stick of wood in their little stove (presumably too lazy to cut it shorter) it would stick out of the door, when of course had to be open!" (Wood)


BARKER, Harry- -

Assisted D.T. Wood in 1892 to build "small shacks for their families to live in during the winter months." (Wood)


BARKER, T.J.- -

Advertised in Troy Times, July 24,1896: Freighting. To all camps in the American Kootenai. Pack and saddle horses for sale or rent. Merchandise taken to the Yahk, Moyea, and other sections, with care and dispatch at reasonable rates.


BARTLETT, Joseph P.- -

Married in North Dakota, came on horseback with his wife about 1894 from Smeads Spur. Mrs. Bartlett was a dressmaker, Sunday School Superintndent, a charter Ladies Aid member and its president for years, When widowed, married R. Elmer Clay. Her sister was Troy postmaster Nellie Hagerty.


BENJAMIN, Frank- -

Settled between 1890 and 1893.


BIGANESS, E.C.- -

Advertised as proprietor of Troy Barber Shop (15 cents a shave, 1 ticket of 8 shaves $1.00) in Troy Times, July 24, 1896.


BRAWLEY, Charles- -

Played on a baseball nine organized in 1898.


CALLOW, Fred B.- -

Came with his family in 1898. Played on baseball nine in 1898. Started grocery business buying out E.J. Merrrin's stock. Later became town banker. Mrs. Callow active church member. 50th wedding anniversary 1937.


CARTWRIGHT, Hiram- -

Pioneer home builder of Troy area whose cabin was noted by John VanDyke in November 1898.


CLAY, R. E. and family- -

Came by wagon from Minn. in 1894: Wife, Clifford, Emily, Frank, Rufus, Elmer, and twins Mac and Scott. Rufus, already married then, later married widow Bartlett. Clifford later became Troy Mayor, Emily married Will Raymond. Mac married teacher Lillian Brown who died in childbirth; their son adopted by Rufus E. Clay family.


COBBLEDICK, Harry- -

Prospector and miner who settled with his family between 1890 and 1893. Married widow-homesteader Thornton. Had a mine above the Snowstorm; later lived near Yaak Falls.


CUMMINGS, John J.- -

Came from Halifax, Nova Scotia, about 1892. Stopped first at Lake City. Lost most of his possessions while crossing the Kootenai to reach Troy. Marriage to Anne M. Stanley in 1896 was Troy's first wedding. Ranched in Lake Creek valley; was a school board trustee for Fall Creek school in 1906. Mrs. Cummings was a charter member of the Ladies Aid Society.John died in 1932, Anne in 1952.


DAVIS, George, Judge- -

A Civil War veteran who lived alone and made his home in Troy for many years; settled between 1890 and 1893. Served as Justice of the Peace.


DOBSON, Thomas H. (Tom)- -

Grocer and postmaster at Lake City in 1893, moved into Troy shortly after. Traded his store in 1895 for worthless Oregon property. Opened a feed store at Sylvanite during mining boom some time between 1895 and 1900. His brother was David Dobson.


DOWNEY, Bart, Jack, Jerry, Maurice, and Nellie- -

Bart was one of the discoverers of Snowstorm Mine, then the Banner & Bangle, in 1888; in 1894 was a notary public. Brothers Jack, Jerry, and Maurice were also mining men. Maurice heading a company developing mines in 1905 on Callahan Creek. Nellie came to Lake City on the first train from Spokane at 16; back in Troy later, her son, young Bronson, was lost in a fall storm while hunting, and she married Al Swesey.


DOYLE, William J.- -

Early prospector. Petitioner in 1891 for a Lake City peace officer.


DRAKE, Charles- -

Arrived in early nineties with family, ranched across the Kootenai


ELLEGAN, Maggie, Mrs.- -

Charter member of the Ladies Aid Society.


FREEMAN, James- -

Early prospector


GETCHEL, Ben- -

"Big, husky, good-looking fellow" who was "a law unto himself" and the "darling personification of Freedom in the raw." (Johnson)


GREGG, Robert- -

Long-time townsite manager after Preston, first came September 1890; was one of Troy's 1890's bachelors. One of Lincoln County's first commissioners.


HALVERSON, Andrew- -

Came from Minnesota, first section foreman here on the railroad. Town photographer; carpenter. One of Troy's bachelors in the nineties. Later worked for Forest Service. Cancer reportedly caused suicide.


HANSEL, Frank- -

Station agent for some years whose wife was a charter member of the Ladies Aid Society,


HARRIS, Walter- -

Purchased the Great Northern restaurant in 1896.


HARTWELL, George- -

Called an old-timer of the early days; had an interest in mining claims near Bull Lake. His inventions were used by the railroad. He was known to write songs and some poetry.


HAYS, Jimmy- -

Irishman who ran a restaurant in Troy in 1896 and later at Sylvanite during the boom. He was called "Jimmy the Nibbler"


HOWELL, Henry- -

One of the first trustees of Troy's first school (built1894)


HULSE, Robert- -

One of the discoverers of Snowstorm Mine, then known as Banner & Bangle, in 1888, Settled between1890 and 1893


JOHNSON, William and Mary- -

Came from Bonners Ferry to operate a hotel in Troy. Their daughter Nora married James Stonechest.


KEELER, William (Bill)- -

Prospector. Came between 1890 and 1893. (See also pp.11-12)


LAFOE, Louis- -

One of Troy's bachelors in the nineties, Organized a baseball nine in 1898 with Henry Whiting. Prospector; lived on Keeler Creek. Was instrumental in developing trail access to Spar Lake in 1907.


LAURANCE, J.E. or J.R., Mrs.- -

A charter member of the Ladies Aid Society.


LAWLER, George E.- -

Listed (with initials G.E.) as editor of Troy Times in extant copy, July 24, 1896. Sources Johnson and Wood used the name Shawler (which was used in No. 2 of this booklet series). See also Shawler.


LYNCH, James- -

A railroad man who played on a baseball nine organized in 1898.


MACINTYRE, Frank, Lew, and Will- -

These three brothers came to Troy in the early '90's from Glasgow, Montana, and Will was still here in 1926


McDERMID, Angus- -

Advertised as proprietor of "The Windsor; Good treatment. Good accommodations, Good meals" in Troy Times, July 24, 1896 (Johnson and Wood give name as McDernict).


McEVERETT, Bob and Dan- -

Relationship, if any, unknown. Bob played on a baseball nine organized in 1898. Dan was a "little old bachelor" (Johnson) employed by Frank Baggs; he stayed on to help raise the four Baggs girls after their mother's tragic death.


McGRATH, James- -

Justice of the Peace in 1894. Troy's first butcher.


MERRIN, E.J.- -

Early grocer and mine investor. In 1895 took $10,000 bonded lease on Banner & Bangle mine and put Downey brother in charge. Sold grocer's stock to Fred Callow.


MILNOR, William- -

Early homesteader (one source says 1882). One of the first trustees of Troy's first school (built 1894); children Estella and Will were pupils in this school. Instrumental in setting up new district and Fall Creek School.


MOORE, George- -

Advertised in Troy Times, July 24, 1896, as proprietor of Troy Freight and Transportation Co., with Al Swesy. "Freight and transportation to the Yahk Gold Fields. Free ferry. No delay and the best route over the new county road. Saddle and pack horses furnished at moderate rates." Moore was listed in the same issue's Official Directory as road supervisor.


MORRISON, Norman- -

One of Troy's bachelors in the nineties. Early barber. Later brought up his family in Troy. His son's name graces Troy's new elementary school.


MULLIN, Alex A.- -

Advertised as Justice of the Peace, notary public, and "conveyancer" in Troy Times, July 24, 1896. Also advertised typewriting "at reasonable rates" and collections made."


PECK, Elie- -

Came from Peck's Gulch, Helena, between 1890 and 1893. Purportedly a one-time millionaire, down on his luck here, who spent when able but slept in the streets when broke.


PRESTON, E.L.- -

Great Northern surveyor who laid out Troy townsite; named the town for Troy Morrow, a boy in the Bonners Ferry home where he was then boarding. Townsite manager in the early days. Lived with his family in Troy in the nineties.


RAYMOND, Will- -

Came in the early nineties and was considered a most eligible bachelor until he married Emily Clay. Later became a forest ranger.


REYNOLDS, Bernard, and Kate (Nyman) Reynolds- -

Operated an early grocery store. Of three Raymond brothers from the east, one arrived in 1893, two were described as pioneers. One of them clerked for Tom Dobson when he moved his store-postoffice from Lake City to Troy. Mrs. Kate Reynolds was a charter member of the Ladies Aid Society.


RILEY, Ed- -

Troy saloon keeper whose establishment "was referred to in early news items as "The Riley Zoological Gardens," (Johnson) presumably because of his pets (a bear, monkeys). Advertised as proprietor of the Headquarters Saloon: "Fine wines and liquors. Imported and domestic cigars" in Troy Times. July 24, 1896.Opened a saloon at Sylvanite during boom between 1895 and 1900.


ROBERTS, Marsh- -

Came with family in early nineties, himself a nineties bachelor. Played on a baseball nine organized in 1898. Later moved to Libby when serving as county commisssioner.


RUTHERFORD, Jim- -

Settled between1890 and 1893; ran the "pioneer"store with Tom Dobson at Lake City


SAILEY, "Doc"- -

First Troy druggist, '90's; later Libby. Sought out in absence of a doctor.


SAVAGE, W.D.(Will)- -

Came in 1895 with wife Harriet and children Hallie and Glenn with a team of horses and a spring wagon to build at what became Savage Lake. Mrs. Savage served in valleys & town as midwife and nurse; during a typhoid epidemic in 1895 nursed lone men with no one to help them.


SHAWLER, George E.- -

Name used probably in error for Lawler (which see). Editor of Troy Times (1894- ) and Troy Herald (1910- ). Moved to Sylvanite when mining boom started there (between 1895 and 1900, ran mining camp newspapers at Sylvanite and Cabinet camps.


SHERLOCK- -

Three Sherlock children were pupils in Troy's first school (built 1894).


SMITH, Chester ("Highpockets"- -

First roundhouse foreman here for Great Northern. 1892.


SMITH, Frank- -

Troy's first barber whose barber chair remained on Judge Davis's porch into the mid-twenties, battered and worn but still a reminder of earlier times in Troy.


STANLEY, Foster and Marietta- -

Homesteaders who came to Troy about 1892 from Kansas via the Black Hills by wagon, Their grown boys Frank and Tom also took up homesteads. Foster was a school trustee in 1896 with H.D. Whiting and D.T. Wood. Children Annie, Hannah and George were pupils in Troy's first school (built 1894) and Annie's wedding to John Cummings in that building in 1896 was Troy's first. Marietta Stanley died in 1914 , Foster in 1924.


STONEBERG, Gus- -

Settled between 1890 and 1893.


STONECHEST, Frank and James- -

Settled between 1890 and 1893. Jim was one of the discoverers of the Snowstorm mine, then known as Banner & Bugle, in 1888. He carried mail in the 1890"s by horseback to and from Leonia. He was Lincoln County's first assessor.


SWANSON, Frank W- -

Rancher who came to Montana from the Middle West in 1892 and filed a homestead claim in 1894 just beyond Savage Lake.


SWESEY, Albert- -

One of Troy's bachelors in the nineties who later married Nellie Downey. Ran a livery stable with George Moore, with whom he also ran a stage between Troy and Sylvanite during the late nineties mining boom.


TATUM- -

Postmaster who left in 1895.


TEASDALE, Al- -

Leased a restaurant building with D.T. Wood in1895 from Mrs. Lynnie Wylie for a hotel.


THOLCKE, Julius- -

Prospector and mining man who located the "Cabinet Queen" group of mines, named for Queenie Hopkins, Mrs, D.T. Wood's sister, who later married him.


THORNTON, Widow- -

Homesteader, Joe, John ("Bode"), and Stirl Thornton were her sons who reportedly came to Troy before the railroad tracks were laid. Married Harry Cobbledick; as Mrs. Cobbledick was a board member for Fall Creek school in 1906.Later left Troy to live elsewhere.


TOUHEY, Mrs. Ed- -

Early Troy resident, a charter member of the Ladies Aid Society.


VANDYKE, John G.- -

Pioneer and homesteader near Savage Lake. Came in with pack train Nov. 23, 1890, from Bonners Ferry. Packed for Big Eight Mine.


WALKER, Tom- -

Settled between 1890 and 1893.


WATTERS, George- -

Bachelor rancher at mouth of O'Brien Creek, settled between 1890 and 1893. Crossed river with fiddle every Sunday, helped with music and led a Sunday School class.


WHITING, Henry- -

Came to Troy from St. Paul in 1893 with wife and three daughters to replace Chester Smith as roundhouse foreman. Trustee of Troy's first school (built1894); Hazel and Mabel Whiting were pupils in that school. With Louis LaFoe organized a baseball nine in 1898. Ran a saloon which burned down in 1906. Elected Troy's first mayor in 1915.


WILLIAMS, Al- -

Played on a baseball nine organized in 1898.


WOOD, David T. and Edith Louise- -

D.T. came to Troy Nov, 1. 1892, from Benson, Minnesota, with the Great Northern, Edith with two children shortly after. Established his first grocery store 1894. Built hotel with store 1900. Had Riverside Ranch on Kootenai 2 1/2 miles from town. After years as Troy postmaster (probably from 1895) resigned 1908. Ran a grocery at Sylvanite in late '90's. Ran on Populist ticket for county commissioner 1894, lost to Republican E.L. Preston (first commissioner from Troy). Edith Wood was a charter member of Ladies Aid Society, first to write historical narrative of Troy.


WRIGHT- -

Purchased hotel run by first station agent,Cooper


WYLIE, Lynnie, Mrs.- -

Ran a restaurant in Troy in 1894.


YOKUM, Frank- -

Settled between 1890 and 1893; one of Troy's bachelors in the nineties. Afterward settlled in Sandpoint.

*This page is being used with the gracious permission of the Author "Marjorie Pomeroy" for personal use only.

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