A Brief History of
Beaverhead County, Montana

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Beaverhead County, in the Southwestern corner of the state, was organized as one of the original territorial counties on February 2, 1865. It was named for the rock which Sacajawea pointed out to Lewis and Clark explaining that her people had called it that because it resembled a beaver's head [see photo above]. It was one of the smallest of the original counties, but is now one of the largest. Beaverhead County is shown as Beaver Head County in early records and newspapers.  It has maintained its original area until 1911 when 938 square miles of Madison County were added. Beaverhead County contains 5,657 square miles or 3,620,480 acres.
 

Originally populated by Indians, the gold rush started here in 1862 when gold was discovered on Grasshopper Creek.  News spread like wildfire and miners rushed in.    They set up humble abodes and created a town called Bannack (named for the Bannock Indians who were in the area) which sprung up overnight.    Originally called Bannack City, it was first capital of Montana.  Montana's first Governor lived in Bannack and his residence was shown below.   The first post office in Montana was set up there in November 1863.   The capital was moved to Virginia City in 1865 in Madison County, eventually moving to Helena Bannack is now known as a ghost town.

As the miners came in, the "Road Agents" arrived.  Read more about the communities answer to that crime, Vigilantes.

The farmers and ranchers followed the miners. They were primarily cattle and sheep ranches.  John F Bishop brought in the first band of sheep overland into Montana.  At one time Beaverhead County was the largest exporter of sheep wool in Montana. The 1870 census shows a total of 185 dwellings, 293 families and 593 white males.  No doubt some were missed by the census taker, but you can see the area was still sparsely populated.

 

1877 brought the Battle of Big Hole with the Nez Perce.  The Nez Perce were attempting to go into Canada to escape the Cavalry.  The Big Hole Battlefield is a National Battlefield Park now.

 

Next came the railroad in 1879 from the southern end of the county.  As the railroad was built, tent cities were established every fifty miles. Dillon started  in one of those tent cities in 1880, and was named for the Union Pacific Railroad President Sidney Dillon. Dillon became the county seat (taking away from Bannack) in 1881.  The first brick building was built there in 1881.

 

Some historic information is on our towns and communities page.

 

For information about the Vigilante time see that Vigilantes on this website.

 

You can read an excerpt from "Bannack, Cradle of Montana" by F. Lee Graves about Henry Plummer, one of Bannack's most colorful characters. Mr. F. Lee Grave has very generously allowed us to transcribe and place information from his book that pertains to Henry Plummer on this website. we would like to thank Mr. Graves for this wonderful book about Bannack and for granting us permission to use parts of his book for all to read.  Enjoy!

 

Sources: From Names on the Faces of Montana (by Roberta Carkeek Cheney, Copyright 1983 Revised 1984, 6th printing, January 1996); The Church on  the Changing Frontier by Helen O. Belknap, 1922; History of Washington, Idaho and Montana 1845-1889, page 622-623.

 

 

Compilation of people known to have been living in Bannack City and vicinity during the winter of 1852-1863

A

John Ault Harry Arnett and brother, James M. Arnoux

B

William Babbett Ephraim Bostwick (killed by Crows on Bighorn River in 1863) George S Bachelder William H. Bell (died at Bannack Nov 12, 1862, the first death at that camp) Henry A. Bell Samuel W. Bachelder Joseph Bender David A. Bentley William Buchanan Stewart Buchanan William Beeken Charles Benson John Bertwhistle R. M. Biggs Patrick Bray Con Bray George Brown Joseph A. Browne John Bothwell John Burnett (killed by Indians on Salmon River March 1863) George Beatt Mr. Buttica Henry B. Bryan Felix Burton Richard Tinker Brown Joseph Brown (killed by Indians on Salmon River, March 1863) Ed Brown William Buffington N. W. Burris (killed by Indians at the mouth of Maria River 1865) William Butz Henry R. Brooks Peter Butler Mr. Boyd Top

C

John Campbell Peter Cardwell George M. Carhart (killed by road agents in 1863) William Carr Theodore Carrick John Carrico Joseph Carrigan (killed by Indians on the Salmon River 1863) J. M. Castner Alexander Carter Josiah Chandler William Clancy Thomas H. Clark Albert G. Clarke Herman Clarke Mr. Clemens Jack Cleveland (killed by road-agent Plummer Dec 1862) George Cobb George Cobb, Jr. George Colburn William Cole H. Conover William Cook George Copley (killed in attempting to arrest a road-agent 1864) Mr. Cooper Louis Cossette (killed by road-agent Reeves and others in 1863) Thomas W. Cover Messrs. Cox (The two doctors) E. Crawford Henry Crawford Robert Homer Crawford Jesse Crooks J. W. Crow F. E. Curtis Top

D

Charles M. Davis Nathaniel J. Davis L. W. Davenport William H. Deriar George Dewees Mr. Dobbins J. Donnely Baptiste Dorrica Tom Duffey Edwin D. Dukes Frank Dunbar Elijah M. Dunphy Gilbert Durant John Durgan Richard Duryea James Dyke Top

E

Jason E. Eddings George Edwards (murdered by road-agents Jan 1863) Robert Ells John Ellis William H. Emerick J. F. Emory Charles Entwhistle Top

F

Charles Falen Thomas Fallon (killed by Indians on Salmon River Mar 1863) John Falls O. D. Farlin W. L. Farlin William Faulds William Fenton James Fergus James S. Ferster Patrick Florida Thomas Foster David E. Folsom Watson Forst Dr. Fossett Mr. Fox (who shot Arnett in arresting him in July 1862 at Gold Creek) Jack Funn Top

G

J. M. Galloway Philip Gardner (call the man eater) H. R. Geey (killed by Crows on Bighorn River May 1863) James Gennell John G. Gill Lon Gillem W. C. Gillett Barney Gilson J. S. Glick Ard Godfrey William Goodrich Daniel Gould James Gourley William Graves (hanged by Vigilantes at Ft. Owen 1864) Charles Guy (murdered on Rock Creek by persons unknown) Mr. Gwin (killed by Sioux while descending the Missouri in 1863) Top

H

George Hacker Amos W. Hall John J. Hall William T. Hamilton (known as Wild Cat Bill) Charles Hammond James Harby Richard M. Harris Henry C. Harrison S. T. Hauser Mr. Hawley James Hauxhurst Mr. Heister Harry Heusted Ed Hibbard George Hillerman (nicknamed the Great American Piebiter) John Higgins Robert Holladay Mr. Holman David A. Hopkins Peter Horan Hector Horton Edward House Freeman House Frank and Dr. Hoyt Barney Hughes Daniel H. Hunkins William Hunter (hanged by vigilants near Gallatin City February 1864) George Hurd Rolla Hurd Top

I

John Innes J. F. Irwin George Ives (hanged by vigilants near Nevada City, December 1863) Top

J

John M. Jacobs Leander Johnson David Jones Augustus Jordan Top

K

John Kane Lawrence Keeley (murdered by Peter Horan in 1863) Dr. A. Ketchum E. R. King James King William Kinney William Kiplinger Thomas Kirkpatrick John Kirtz (killed by a cave-in of earth in Alder Gulch in 1864) John Knowles R. C. Knox Conrad Kohrs F. Kuster Top

L

Joshua Laffin Henry Lansing Mr. Lear E. D. Leavitt E. P. Lewis Samuel Livingston M. H. Lott Philip Lovell B. Franklin Lowe Jason Luce (shot in Salt Lake for the murder of Bill Button in 1863) Wilford Luce Andrew Luzi Henry Lynch Hays Lyon (hanged at Virginia City by vigilants Jan 1864) Top

M

Mr. Mackey Frank M. Madison H. M. Mandeville John Mannheim George Manning Elijah Markham James Marsden Capt. O. H. Maxwell Perry McAdow Richard McCafferty Daniel McFadden George McIntyre Thomas McNamaara John S. Mendenhall Saml Mendenhall Robt Menefee John Merry Thomas Metcalf L. C. Miller William Mitchell (killed by Indians on Salmon River March 1863) H. H. Mood Harry Moore Mr. Moore William Moore David Morgan James H. Morely Julius Morley H. F. Morrell Gabriel Morris Charles Murphy John Murphy Andrew Murray                         Top

N

Alfred L. Nichols Lemuel Nuckolls Top

O

Thomas O'Connor A. J. Oliver W. H. Orcutt Top

P

Frank Parish (hanged by vigilants in Virginia City, January 1864) William Parks Alonzo Pease Frederick Peck George Perkins David Phillips (murdered with Lloyd Magruder's party in the winter of 1863-4 Harry Phleger Thomas Pitcher Thomas D. Pitt C. W. Place Henry Plummer (chief of the band of road-agents) E. Porter H. Porter Mark Post A. Prarie George Pratt S. Jeff Purkins Edwin R. Purple Mr. Putnam Top

Q

No "Q" Names Top

R

Mr. Raymond Charles Reeme Charles Reeves (road agent) Charles Revil W. C. Rheem John Rhinehart L. F. Richie (died from an accidental gunshot wound in 1863) Harry Rickards Thomas Riley Orson J. Rockwell Henry Rodgers Frederick W. Root William Rouch James Roup Mr. Rowley Charles Rumley John W. Russell Top

S

John Scudder M. V. Sewell Mr. Shaw O. J. Sharp George Shears (hanged at Hellgate by Vigilants in 1864) J. H. Shepherd William Simpson Cyrus Skinner (hanged by vigilants at Hellgate in 1864) Patrick Skye A. J. Smith Enoch Smith George H. Smith H. P. A. Smith John A. Smith John A Smith (one of the founders of Bannack died 19 Apr 1872) Lew P Smith Mr. Smith (killed by Indians on Salmon River in Mar 1863) James Spence John B. Spencer R. M. Spencer William Spencer William Stamps Asa Stanley and brother A. K. Stanton G. W. Stapleton Joseph Stark E. C. Stickney William Still Christopher Stoker G. and Jas Stuart William Sturgis Jerry T. Sullivan J. V. Suprenant Mr. Sweeney Joseph Swift Jr. Top

T

John C. Terrill William Terwilliger Mr. Thibodeaux F. M. Thompson Robert Tingley and 2 sons, one named Robert C. L. Tisdale Benjamin Townley William Townley Mr. Trainer C. O. Trask H. R. Tyler Top

U

Drewyer Underwood Top

V

Mr. Vancour John Vedder John Venderbilt Top

W

N. Wall William Wallace E. P. Waters Cyrus D. Watkins Frank Watkins S. Walton Mr. Wendell Horace Whea Warren Whitcher George Wickham James Wiggington J. H. Wildman Mr. Wilds J. S. Willard Ned Williamson J. R. Wilson George Wing P. C. Woods Mr. Woodworth Frank H. Woody William Wright Top

XYZ

James N. York Charles L. Young Top

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