I would not attempt to write the history of Montana. History is simply his-story, aud from personal experience, I know that he is a composite character that hears with many ears, and sees with imperfect vision, the multitude of things that have taken place during the fleeting years of his existence.
Several people have given to the world a story of Montana. Some of these so-called historians have never breathed one breath of the pure air of our mountains and plains, nor gazed with rapture on the wonderful mountain peaks, that lift their heads toward the sun, bidding it wreath them with hues so glorious that they become wonderful pictures -- pictures that no painter in his right mind, would try to produce with any accuracy. They have never gazed on the beautiful lakes that lie embedded in mountain gorge nor listened to the song of the ruling stream, as it rushes gladly to join the river that is soon to mingle with the "Father of Waters," on its way to the great salt sea. Much has been said of such a nature, that it is contradicted by those who claim to know the facts. Much of it is true, and no fault can be found, other than that there was not enough detail to satisfy the minds of those who were more exacting.
In my work, I shall try to give as many facts of actual things as have come to my knowledge, either by an examination of old records, or from personal talks with some of the men who helped to make the history of Southern Montana. I want to place before the people many things never before published; I want to give men credit for having helped in various ways, in the up-building of the State so many of us have learned to love, and into whose care we desire to entrust all that is left of us, when we cease to enjoy its many blessings.
That I will leave out much that some of you will want to know, goes without saying, because we only choose those things that appeal to us, personally, as being apt to be of worth to others. Another thing, we cannot make this work too long, because our main object is to republish the book of Thomas Dimsdale, the first man to write the story of the thrilling days of 1863 and 1864.
MONTANA.
The name is of Latin origin, meaning mountainous. The La Verendrye were probably the first white men to see the Rocky Mountains in 1748, and no other known whites came until the Lewis & Clark expeditions in 1805.
I am not attempting to write the story of the first settlement of the state, as that can be found in the several works already before the public.
After the Mormons had settled Utah, and people had begun to cross the plains for the mines in California, some daring whites had settled in the Bitter Root, and near where Missoula is now. That the first man to take a wagon through Southern Montana was Emmanuel Martin, a Mexican, who, according to Judge Frank H. Woody, did so in the early fifties, there can be no doubt.
There is no story of anyone to tell us who came to look on this section between 1806 and 1850. Trappers may have hunted on the extreme head waters of the Missouri, and have left no sign.
The lone sentinel that has stood guard over this gateway to a new commonwealth, that saw the first white men as they pushed and hauled their boats up the Jefferson and Beaverhead; that saw them when they disappeared over the main range into Idaho, and gazed on the fragment that returned via the Big Hole, after having seen the glories of the Pacific, holds her secret as did the Sphinx of old.
The same sentinel saw the trapper, if he came at all; saw Martin as he struggled with his wagon over a new roadway; she saw Captain Mullan in 1858, as he wended his way on horseback down the lonely banks of the Grasshopper, until he, too, disappeared over the mountain pass at Monida. She saw that other party that found the first gold on the Big Hole, in 1862 and watched in breathless awe, John White dig the first pan of dirt that was to change conditions, and furnish men to scratch her hide and dig for wealth in her own vitals. Yes, only a sentinel knowing, but not divulging, stands old Baldy, queen of a Montana range.
That gold was found in Gold Creek is no part of this tale. What we desire to learn is who were the men that found gold in Old Beaverhead, the cradle of our state. In "The Story of Ajax," I saw, in my imagination, the protectors as they wended their way up Dehlonaga, and came to the headway,ters of the Ruby. As Granville Stuart was considered an authority, I gave his version (with that of Lou Smith, also). As to the parties who were fortunate enough to find the first gold in paying quantities, Granville said Jack Slack and party. This has left the wrong impression on the pages of early Montana history, and I am only too glad to be the one to rectify it.
About the 9th day of July, 1862, M. H. Lott, Hiram Conley and the Woods Brothers, followed up the North Fork of the Salmon river, to the head of the main divide between Idaho and Montana and on the 10th, they found gold on Ruby, or Pioneer Creek. Some of them stayed to open the ground, while the remainder left for Old Fort Lemhi to get their teams, which had been left there while they event out on their prospecting trip. Judge Lott was one of them that returned for the teams.
You must remember that there were no roads in those days over the nearest trail that would take them back through the Grasshopper, into the Big Hole prairie, where they would have a possible chance of getting their wagons to the mines. The only way to keep their wagons from upsetting was to place both hind wheels on the same side of the wagon. This was done, and they succeeded in getting up the hill. They arrived safely at the new find, and at once put up a saw pit, andLott and Dave Dunkleburg proceeded to make the first lumber of Beaverhead County. On the 16th, they had sluice boxes set and were washing out gold. Lott believes these to have been the first sluice boxes. Granville Stuart claims that his party began in May, two months before. Judge Lott says he will not quarrel over this matter, because he wishes the honor to fall where due.
Lott and Dunkleburg continued to saw for the trade, and sold at 30c per foot, and made $30.00 each per day, in this very, very trying occupation -- making lumber with a whip saw.,Judge said that Dave took the under side.
The miners were taking out from $25.00 to $75.00 per day, per company of eight men. Only a short time after this discovery, others came and took up claims near them. Unfortunately, for the first men, they did not find the richest ground. There was at no time many men in Pioneer Basin. (See Judge Lott's story). It was no secret that Lott's party had found pay dirt. John White, the man who bound White's bar on Grasshopper, was hunting for Lott when he, on July 28th, panned the first dirt that was actually to change the conditions, and allow white men to take the place once only occupied by the Indians. As White's story has been told by Dimsdale and Langford, I shall not comment on it, or try to throw any light on it. I shall, however, give a copy of the laws that were adopted by the miners' meeting, for their guid- ance, to show that their desire was to live with some assurance of peaceable settlements of troubles that might arise.
The news that diggings had been discovered on the Grasshopper, soon was wafted by the four winds of heaven, in every direction, and men, who had Florence in view, turned from that trail and came to cast their lots with the others in this new Eldorado. Stapleton had come and found a bar that was to be known by his name.
Dr. Glick had left Colorado to mingle with the adventurous spirits of this section, and men, who were to fill big spaces in state and nation, had gathered, before a year had gone by at Bannack.
No matter that Benetsee and the Stuarts had found gold in Deer Lodge Valley, the richer pay on Willard's Creek weaned them from their first love, and forced them, too, to take their abode in what was to become Montana's first capital. There were many adventurous persons in that crowd that were to lay a foundation for stories that, though true, would have better never been written.
That men will gather where gold is found, we know full well, and as men are the makers of history, they must be made of peculiar stuff. It would have added little to the literature of this state, if all of these men had been good. The element that came to the gold mines in those days, that had no regard for the rights of others, has made the first settlement of Montana one of deep interest to the historian. I do not care to dwell long on them, as their lives have been well covered by Dimsdale and Lanford. My idea is to record some of the acts of men who came here -- really for gold -- but to live to build up a commonwealth, of which we are not ashamed. Soon after the gold excitement, we find that men must turn their attentions to other matters. Matters that had connection with, and would help to further the gold hunter, to make a success. Mines cannot be conducted to any great extent, with the gold pan, or even the rocker. Ditches, for ground sluicing, must be dug, and we find that it does not take long for these men to organize into companies in order to fetch the water to the claim.