"As a relic the manuscript, inscribed in a most readable hand on the pages of a giant ledger, is esteemed by its custodian as second only to the Masonic Apron once worn by Captain Merriwether Lewis, the leader of the great Voyage of Exploration which opened the West, even to the Pacific Ocean, to American Development.

"Lewis lost his life under mysterious circumstances some years after his famous journey to the Pacific. He was killed (some say he ended his own life) at a location known in its day as Grinder's Stand, on the Natchez Trace in what is now Tennessee. His apron was removed from his coat pocket when the body was being wrapped in a blanket for deposit in a shallow grave.

"Joseph R. Hopper, Past Grand Master of Montana, obtained the apron through Ray V. Denslow, past Grand Master of Missouri, from a member of the Lewis family, in 1960. In 1961 Hopper presented it to the Grand Lodge of Montana. It was specially encased and placed in the Grand Lodge museum in Helena. The Apron was accompanied by documents attesting to its authenticity.

"The Paris Swazy Pfouts manuscript, however, is shown only to researchers. For the purpose of publication it was typed by Lenore A. Keowan, assistant to Lyman E. Smith, Grand Secretary and official custodian of all Grand Lodge property --"

"One must admire Pfouts's modesty as well as his candor. He writes briefly about his four great honors: First Master of Denver City Lodge of Masons under Colorado charter; First Master of Virginia City Lodge; first Chief (President) of the Vigilantes, and first mayor of Virginia City.

"Pfouts wastes no words in telling about his unfortunate clash with the then Grand Master of Masons in Colorado and of being removed from his office because of his sympathies for the cause of the Confederacy. Records of the Grand Lodge of Colorado bear out Pfouts's account in all respects ant it appears, after the lapse of more than 100 years, that Pfouts was indeed the victim of rancor provoked by fratricidal strife. ---

"Pfouts did not remain long in Montana after the Vigilantes established law and order. He returned to St. Louis in June, 1867, to establish a wholesale grocery business and from there, at a date not of record, removed to Texas where he became lost in the "short and simple annals of the poor'. --

- From the Preface by Harold Axford, Portland, Oregon, July 15, 1968

"I do not claim for these sketches that they are even passably good in either style or diction - but I do maintain that they are as nearly correct, in every particular, as it was possible for me to render them with the little data at my command. It is hardly necessary to say in conclusion that they were written only for the perusal of my children at some future day, and, it may be, in part, for my own amusement during hours of idleness.

- From "An Explanation by Paris S. Pfouts.

Chapter II. -- "My father, soon after he attained his majority, was received into the Masonic Fraternity and the three Symbolic degrees were conferred upon him in a Lodge in the town of Canton, Stark County, Ohio. He served as Master of this Lodge during the time he resided at the mill, and although he lived twenty miles distant, never missed attending the Lodge meetings regularly twice a month.

"The great excitement all over the country, consequent upon the disappearance of William Morgan, who perjured himself in an attempt to reveal the secrets of the Order, closed all the Lodges in the United States, and everywhere the Lights of Masonry were extinguished, save alone in the city of New York, where a Commandery of Knights Templar kept them shining brightly, but secretly, upon the altars.

"Taking advantage of the hostility to Masonry which then pervaded all classes of society, William H. Seward, John Quincy Adams and other leading politicians in opposition to the Democrats attempted a great political coup d'état, by which they hoped to raise themselves to place and power, and to occupy all the exalted stations in the government. They organized their friends anew under the name of the 'Anti-Masonic Whig Party' and felt strong hope of overcoming the Democrats in the approaching election, together with Andrew Jackson, who had never renounced, but always defended the Masonic Order as an institution second only to the Christian religion. --

"The war of 1812-15 in its results had filled the people of the Western States with military ardor and a love of martial display which continued for many years after, and the Militia were duly enrolled and officered by men of the highest standing in every community.

"My father for several years occupied the position of Brigade-Inspector of General Joseph Augustine's Brigade of Ohio Militia, with the rank of Major, which at the time was looked upon as a station of much honor. This office he held for a number of years, until the people began to lose their interest in the pomp and glory of military pageantry. --

Chapter XIX. "In narrating a correct history of my life, it is here necessary, however unpleasant, to revert to the habit I contracted of gambling. I had sat at cards in California without acquiring a taste for this most pernicious of all the social evils to indulge in it to excess in more mature years. --

Chapter XX. "In pursuing the history of my life it is necessary that I again revert to the political agitations, co-extensive with the whole country which, in the year 1861, culminated in the Great Rebellion of the Southern States. The sequel to the Rebellion was the overthrow of constitutional liberty in the United States and the expatriation of the patriotic men who sacrificed all they held most dear in the vain endeavor to maintain those rights and privileges bequeathed to them by the founders of our government.

"Abraham Lincoln, the chosen leader, bore aloft the black banner of the Republican Party, upon which was emblazoned eternal hostility to Negro slavery and to the Southern States of the Union. He proclaimed that an "irrepressible conflict" was already raging between the Northern and Southern States, which would only terminate when the country became all free or all slave territory, and avowed himself the champion of the anti-slavery sentiment.

"These declarations of hostility to their favorite institutions fired the hearts of the Southern people with indignation. They felt that in the event of the election of Mr. Lincoln, to maintain their institutions and rights under the Constitution of the country, already affected by partial legislation, they must appeal to arms and trust to the terrible arbitrament of war. --

"Thus the Presidential canvass of the year 1860 was begun and maintained until the disastrous end, the success of Abraham Lincoln and the triumph of the Republican Party. The South at once commenced preparations for the great conflict, which it felt was forced upon it by the North, and early in the following year inaugurated the war by firing upon Fort Sumpter, then garrisoned by Federal troops.

"The war lasted for more than three years, and only ended when the resources of the South were exhausted, and her fair fields and broad plantations made a desolate waste." [Add more later] --

"- I, not deeming it safe to remain longer in St. Joseph, prepared to leave for Denver City in Colorado. One all-powerful incentive prompted me to this course - duty to my family - which I considered paramount to all others. I now had a wife and two children, which in a few months would be increase to the number of three. --

"My feelings, the day I left home, were painful beyond description. I felt that I was being driven away from a city that was indebted to me something for its advancement and prosperity, but my greatest suffering was caused by my anxiety for my wife and children. I did not know that they would be exempt from insult and danger on account of my well-known political sentiments --

Chapter XXI. "In the autumn of the year 1861, the Grand Lodge of Colorado was organized and I was invited to participate in its labors. Denver City Lodge received a charter from the new Grand Lodge, and at once petitioned that body for dispensation to elect me the Master. The petition was granted and the next day I was elected and installed the first Master under the new jurisdiction. Thus I was regularly installed the Master of two chartered Lodges at the same time, for my term of office did not expire in St. Joseph Lodge until the last of December following. --

"The only serious Masonic difficulty I was ever party to occurred in Colorado. In December in the year 1862, for the second time I was elected Master of Denver City Lodge and Allen Watson was the Most Worshipful Grand Master of Masons in Colorado. He was a bigoted Republican of the Negro-equality school, while I never denied my Southern sentiments.

"For some pretended offense - not proper to mention here - he suspended me as Worshipful Master of Denver City Lodge, and called an extraordinary session of the Grand Lodge to pass upon his action in the matter. The majority of the members of the Grand Lodge were Republicans, creatures of the Grand Master, and they sustained him in what he had done. --

"Before leaving Denver in September, in the year 1863, the Royal Arch Masons honored me with a banquet, given in the Masonic Hall, as a mark of their esteem and in appreciation of my labors in trying to disseminate Masonic light and knowledge to the less informed brethren. --

Chapter XXII. "My family arrived in Denver City in May, in the year 1862. We now had three children. James, my second son, was born on Tuesday, December 3, in the year 1861, in St. Joseph, Missouri. --

"During the summer and autumn of the year 1863 the excitement in regard to the gold mines in Montana, then a part of Idaho Territory, was at the highest point. From persons who had returned from these mines reliable information was obtained, and they all concurred in regard to the marvelous yields there of the precious metal. -- I would go to Montana with what goods we could purchase and transport to the mines there, while he was to return to St. Joseph, taking my family with him, and in the spring following, should I report favorably of the prospects, purchase what goods he could and bring them, together with my family, to the new field of our mercantile operations, on the headwaters of the Missouri River.

"We had no sooner determined upon this course of action than we commenced making our preparations accordingly. In less than a week we had purchased enough goods to load five small wagons and started them on their way to Montana. --

Chapter XXII. "The day of my wife's departure from Denver City, I sold all our household goods at auction, including my few books, and on the morning of September 8, in the year 1863, took passage on the overland coach for Great Salt Lake City, in Utah. -- At Fort Bridger the coach was detained and all passengers ordered to the Adjutant's office to take the oath of allegiance to the United States government.

"This was the first time in my life, and the only time, that I was ever compelled to swear allegiance to my own country. I did it very reluctantly, and with many mental reservations. --

"There was no regular means of conveyance from the Great Salt Lake Valley to Montana, and I was fortunate enough to get a seat in a little wagon, with four others, going to Bannock City. We had to provide ourselves with provisions to supply our natural wants on the journey, and after getting our little necessities snugly stowed away in the wagon, we started. --

"We accomplished the distance from Great Salt Lake City to Bannock City in nine days. The road led through valleys and over mountains, and the journey would have been agreeable, were it not that the nights were damp and very cold. I remember one night in particular that I spent in gathering dry willows for fuel, my blankets being too few and light to keep me warm.

"I remained one day in Bannock City and then started in a covered spring wagon for Virginia City, on Alder Creek, my objective point when leaving Colorado. We traveled all day and about 10 o'clock at night reached our destination. I felt truly glad that my journey was ended.

"The day after my arrival in Virginia City was Sunday, and I began to realize the true character of the people among whom I was about to cast my lot. The City, for it was called such, embraced forty or fifty log houses, and contained between four or five hundred inhabitants. Early in the day the miners and others began to assemble in the street and drinking houses, and before the sun had attained its meridian several fights had occurred, in some of which pistols were resorted to. No one was killed this day, but several persons narrowly escaped with their lives.

"There were no laws in force, save such as the miners had adopted in public meetings, and which were changed or annulled as suited the exigencies of a case as it arose. Dr. Bissel, formerly of Connecticut, was judge of the miners' court and held the scales of justice in equal poise.

"Sunday was his regular court day, and I passed some time in his court room during my first day in Virginia City listening to the investigations of a suit for larceny. The plaintiff swore that he believed the defendant stole some gold dust from him the night previous, but failed to prove the allegation. The Sheriff searched the defendant but did not find any amount of money corresponding with the amount said to have been stolen.

"After long speeches by the attorneys on both sides, the Judge declared the defendant not guilty as charged in the indictment. The costs in the case were enormous, and were assessed against the plaintiff. The plaintiff's horse was seized by the officers and immediately sold at auction in the streets, but not bringing enough to pay the expenses of the suit, the Judge issued another execution against the defendant for the remainder of the fee bill.

"The defendant's horse, a very valuable one, was levied upon and sold for about one-third its value, the Sheriff being the purchaser. This is an instance of what constituted law and justice in Montana at that day, but not the only one by many.

"It is impossible for me to describe society there as I found it on my arrival. There were very many honest, sober, industrious men to be found in the city and its surroundings, but the greater number was the reverse of this. The class known as 'Roughs' far outnumbered all others both in Nevada and Virginia Cities. Many of them resided on ranches, but few of them ever exercised their muscles in the mines. They comprised the most depraved and abandoned characters from California, Oregon, Nevada, Idaho, Salt Lake Valley, and not a few from all the Western States. They controlled all elections, and the officers chosen to execute the law were creatures of their own selection, and not infrequently among the most infamous of their own associates.

"They openly defied the laws enacted by themselves, and openly avowed their determination to settle all differences with the knife and pistol. They affected to believe that cowards only resorted to law for a redress of grievances. Murders were of frequent occurrence, while thieving and highway robberies were perpetrated almost daily, and in truth became so common as barely to attract attention and remark.

"Upon investigation I concluded Virginia City was a good point at which to make money, provided it could be protected from the depredations of cutthroats and villains, and I determined to remain there. I accordingly at once commenced my arrangements, and bought a log cabin covered with dirt, which fronted sixteen feet on the main street, with a depth of thirty-two feet, for which I paid sixteen hundred dollars in gold dust, borrowing a good part of the money to make the payment. It was not until late in November that my little stock of groceries and provisions arrived in Virginia City, and I at once opened them for sale.

"Soon after my arrival in Virginia City, some of my friends insisted that I should take steps for the organization of a Masonic Lodge. It was with great reluctance I acceded to their urgent request, and in due course of time we received a dispensation for a Lodge from the Grand Master of Kansas, in which I was designated as Worshipful Master.

"This was the first Lodge ever regularly organized in the Territory, and I believe, without vanity, I may claim to be the Father of Masonry in Montana. --

Chapter XXIV. "The frequent murders, robberies and other outrages in Montana Territory began to fill the minds of the people with the most fearful forbodings, and good men began to talk in secret of adopting some measure of redress and which would render life and property more secure. Two murders were committed in the year 1863, which for boldness and cold-blooded atrocity were never surpassed, and which hastened results of the most important character.

"One of the murderers was arrested, and during the progress of this trial before a meeting of the citizens of Alder Creek and vicinity, five gentlemen held a secret meeting in Virginia City and determined upon the formation of a Vigilance Committee. These five men were Captain Nick Wall of St. Louis, Colonel Wilbur F. Sanders, Major Alvin V. Brookie, John Nye and myself.

"We agreed to hold another meeting the following night, and each one of us was to bring such other gentlemen as were willing to unite with us in the cause, but the utmost caution was to be observed in inviting none but those who were known to be trustworthy. An oath of secrecy was administered to all and a plan of organization discussed.

"I and Colonel Sanders were for immediate and decisive action, but no definite conclusion was arrived at. We continued our meetings and in the course of three or four days the Committee was increased to the number of about fifty, and all among the best and most reliable citizens of Virginia City, and the mining camps surrounding it, when they resolved upon the election of a President or Chief.

"Other engagements prevented me from being present when this election was held, and I was astonished to learn that I had been selected as the head of the Committee, with full power to organize and control the whole. It was not until after the most urgent persuasion that I gave my consent to accept the position. Having done so, however, I at once entered fully upon the work before me, which required both time and labor.

"The first step I deemed necessary to take towards a permanent organization was to prepare an obligation, by which each and every member bound himself to obey the commands of the Chief, and to stand by each other even unto death should danger threaten from their connection with the Committee. Each member bound himself by oath to execute summary vengeance upon any one who should betray the secrets of the organization.

"I selected, with great care, an Executive Committee, to decide upon the guilt or innocence of accused persons, and appointed Captains of companies, investing them with power to administer the obligation of the Committee to such as were willing to unite themselves with the organization.

"It seems perfectly wonderful at this day, how, in the space of ten days or less, our organization had extended all over the mines, even to and beyond Bannock City, and over a thousand men had been enrolled and taken oath as required of them. The time had arrived when it was absolutely necessary for men to combine to protect their lives and property, and it was difficult to find in Montana Territory a good man who was not a Vigilante.

"The Committee secretly made investigations and soon learned that an organized band of murderers and robbers extended all over the Territory, and that the Sheriff of Virginia City, who was also the Sheriff of Bannock City, was its recognized leader. They were bound together by oaths, and had instituted passwords and signs of recognition.

"After acquiring a full knowledge of all these facts, from confessions of members of the band and other sources, the Executive Committee decided that parties should be sent from Virginia City to Bannock City with orders to the Committee there to arrest and execute five men who were known to belong to the band of murderers, the Sheriff, Henry Plummer, being one of the number.

"These orders were executed to the letter, not however, until two members of the Vigilance Committee had been killed in arresting one of the band of murderers. These executions in Bannock City exasperated the members of the band of cutthroats in Virginia City and they threatened terrible vengeance on the Vigilantes.

"One man, named Harrison, fired off his pistol and swore he would kill me and others, and with a murderous intent started towards my house. But discretion getting the better part of his valor, he did not attempt to carry out his threat. I was prepared for him, and would have sold my life dearly had he even attempted to raise or cock his pistol.

"This occurred on a Sunday, and on the following Thursday, in the broad light of day, the Vigilantes arrested seven of the murderers - five of whom were executed. They were all hung on one beam in an unoccupied house in Virginia City. The other two men arrested were discharged from the custody of the Committee, although known to be members of the band of murderers, because no positive proof implicated them in any of the depredations committed in the Territory.

"The Committee immediately took steps to arrest other known murderers and robbers. Parties were sent in all directions over the Territory, and they only ceased their exertions after executing twenty-seven of the most desperate and daring villains the world ever produced.

"It is worthy of mention that every man executed by the Vigilance Committee at that time was proved to be a murderer or highway robber. The vigorous and decided action of the Vigilance Committee of Montana gave peace to the Territory for a long time, and the people enjoyed the most perfect safety from depredations by outlaws which no milder means could have accomplished. The Roughs ceased to control the elections, and the miners adopted such laws as they deemed expedient for the good of the community.

"Good men filled the offices, the people were contented with their rulers, and the citizens of Montana were models of order and propriety until the Federal Government sent out rulers and established laws for the Territory.

"I twice, at general meetings, handed in my resignation as Chief of the Vigilance Committee, but on both occasions was unanimously reelected to the position, and I remained connected with the organization in that capacity until about September 1, in the year 1865, when I left the Territory for a short time to visit the Atlantic States.

"There were several other criminals executed by the Committee while I acted as its Chief, but no one familiar with the facts ever disputed the justice of any of its acts up to the time of my resignation. The Committee still maintains its organization, but it has fallen into different hands and other men control its actions, and the people have ceased to repose that confidence in it which they did when every good man in the Territory was an active member of it.

Chapter XXV. "In the spring of the year 1864, I sold my house for two thousand dollars, and purchased another which was larger and much more convenient, paying fro it twenty five hundred dollars. I has succeeded in selling all my goods, and when Mr. Russell arrived in Virginia City my profits had netted us fully ten thousand dollars. On June 9 my family arrived in Virginia City. I had purchased a log house with two rooms, one of which I fitted up by flooring it, in which we resided during our stay in Montana. On Wednesday, May 3, in the year 1865, my second daughter, Anne, was born. She was the only one of my children born in the Rocky Mountains.

"In the beginning of the year 1865, the first Legislature of Montana Territory granted a charter to the citizens of Virginia City to form and organize a municipal government. My friends all urged me to offer myself as a candidate for the office of Mayor. I flatly refused at first to suffer my name to go before the people for that or any other position, but I was importuned for my consent, and at last when the Democratic convention unanimously placed me in nomination for the office, I acquiesced in what appeared to be the wishes of the whole party.

"The Republicans promptly placed in opposition to me for the office Mr. John J. Hull, a gentleman whose popularity with all classes in the city was unequaled by any other person. This was probably the most exciting race for office that ever came off in Virginia City. The personal and political friends of Mr. Hull, as well as of myself, labored day and night, and were lavish in the expenditure of money for the success of their respective candidates.

"During this canvass, I made the first public speech of my life. It was very short, but my friends say it answered the purpose, while I know it would have appeared well in print. I was elected over Mr. Hull, receiving the largest vote ever cast for any candidate in Virginia City.

"Accepting this office was one of the most injudicious acts of my whole life. Organizing a government for a new city is sure to meet with the disapprobation of nearly every property holder, for a new source of taxation is always repugnant to taxpayers. Still I succeeded in carrying out and embodying my views in the acts of the City Council, and sooner than anticipated the citizens became reconciled to the city government.

"It was during my term of office as Mayor of Virginia City that intelligence of the assassination of President Lincoln reached Montana Territory. In accordance with a request of my friends, I issued, as Chief Executive of the City, a proclamation closing all the business houses, and invited the citizens to assemble in mass meeting and express their sorrow for the death of the Martyr President by listening to the breathing thoughts and burning words of eloquence poured forth by Montana lawyers. I presided at this meeting and opened the ceremonies in a short speech, wherein I expressed my disapprobation of the official acts of the late President, as well as my horror and indignation for the manner of his death.

"During the summer of 1865, I determined to spend the following winter in the Atlantic States, hoping to sell some quartz mining property for enough to enable me to remove my family from the mountains to some more congenial locality. --

Chapter XXVII. [1866, returning home] "I remained one day in Great Salt Lake City, and then continued my journey homeward. The winter in the mountains was just beginning to break and on account of mud in the valleys and snows on the mountain divides, we were two weeks in accomplishing the distance from Great Salt Lake City to Virginia City in Montana. Some idea may be had of the miserable condition of the roads at that time by stating that the distance is usually made by coaches in less than five days.

"I found my family in good health, and anxiously awaiting my arrival home. No material changes had taken place during my absence of seven months, and I was glad to find that but few of my old acquaintances and friends had taken their departure for other localities.

"Upon my arrival home, I found the Territorial Legislature of Montana in session in Virginia City, it having been called together by proclamation of General Thomas Francis Meagher, Secretary and Acting Governor of the Territory. There was a great deal of excitement in political circles and the legality of the Legislature was called in question. The Democratic party was pursuing a policy suicidal and wholly at variance with its instincts and well defined principles, under the direction of converts to the party who assumed to be its leaders. One of these would-be-leaders was an old broken-down politician from St. Joseph, named John P. Bruce, who, but a few months before was a Radical Republican, while at least two others had served as Generals in the Federal Army during the war, and their hands were yet reeking with the blood of Southern men. These, with several others of like principles but less capacity, were now dictating the policy of the Democratic Party. --

"In the latter part of the year 1866 I concluded to close out my business affairs in Montana Territory, and remove with my family to St. Louis in the State of Missouri. -- This required much more time than I had anticipated, and it was not until late in June, in the year 1867, that I got my family into a coach at Virginia City and started for Fort Benton, the head of steamboat navigation on the Missouri River. --

"We found the steamboat Octavia -- nearly ready to cast off her cables and direct her course for St. Louis. I secured passage for myself and family and placed them aboard immediately. I had about twenty thousand dollars in gold with me, which I had been compelled to smuggle through on the coach to avoid paying an exorbitant price for having it carried through as express matter. I had it locked up in the safe on board the boat and it gave me no further trouble until I arrived in St. Louis.

"We were two weeks on the river, stopping at every fort and trading post on the way down. The Captain was an old Mountain Man, and knew many of the Indians personally.

"At Fort Berthold we found a large camp of Indians, and he invited them all, old and young, on board the boat, and feasted them on hard bread and coffee, while the redskins in return for his kindness left us plenty of venison and gave the Captain a few buffalo robes. I remained with my family two days in St. Joseph and while there settled up some affairs which needed my attention badly, and then left on the cars for St. Louis. --

"I immediately made provisions for the reception of my family in St. Louis. I bought a house on Morgan Street, for which I paid eight thousand six hundred dollars. The improvements I made to the house cost me in addition to the amount paid for it several hundred dollars.

"On the arrival of my wife and children in St. Louis, we took boarding with a private family for a few days until our house was furnished, and then moved to our own home, by far the best we ever occupied.

"I am now seated in our family room writing these memoirs of my life, and in the house where I hope to live the balance of my days, should peace continue to extend her olive wand over our country and prosperity attend my business undertakings.

"On Tuesday, December 3, in the year 1867, my third son, George, was born. It is a singular co-incidence that my two youngest sons were born on the same day of the week, and on the same day of the same month, one just six years older than the other.