The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1901-08-09
w. H.. CLAGGETT.

the death of William II. Claggett
whose name will always figure prom.
inently in the early history of what
lis now the state of Montana. AL
though for almost a quarter of a cen.
fury before his death Mr.. .Claggett
had made his home elsewhere, he still
retained many friends and admirers
in the state among the men with
whom he associated during, the stir.
ring days a~ntecedant to the time when
law and order were made to take the
place, Of Iawlessness and violence.
Mr.. Claggett was a native of Iowa,
having been born at Keokuk, a town
on the Mississippi river, in 1888. Upon
attaining mans estate he crossed the
plains and took up his residence in
Nevada at about the time of the dis
covery of. the, famous Comstock mines,
and speedily gained prominence and
fame a. a lawyer. Twice was he
elected to the territorial legislature
and subsequently took an active part
in the movement for the admission
of the territory as a state and was
elected to the first state senate. In
1866 he removed to Montana and
made his home at the old town of
Deer Lodge and rapidly gained the
same prominence here that he had
won in Nevada. Both in the legal
fraternity and in politics he soon be-
came a leader and in 1892, owing to a
split in the democratic party, was
elected territorial delegate, being, the
first republican to fill that position.
While serving in that capacity he did
much toward advancing; the interests
of the territory and also was one of
the chief movers in. the action by
which the Yellowstone National park
was created, and through his efforts
passage of the mineral land act was
made possible. T
1t a while a resident of the terri
tory Of Montana that the deceased
became associated with the Hon. w.
w. Dixon in the practice of the law.
The two, still partners, left Montana in
1877 and removed to- Deadwood: in
the Black Hills and followed their
profession until 1882, when they dis
solved partnership, Mr.. Dixon coming
back to Montana, while Mr.. Claggett
rnrnUo1 IN Idaho aoJ1 fhnro &c in
the Black Hills, divided, his attention
between mining and, the law. AL
though he had always; been an ardent
republican. when the wave of populism
swept the country he affiliated, with
that party and, entered the race for
United States senator. A snarl. an
sued in the legislature and the, re-
suit was that both he and Fred Dubois
appeared to have been elected. but in
the contest before the senate Dubois
was seated and Claggett returned to
Idaho, where he remained for a time
in the Occur d,A1enes and then re-
moved to Spokane. at which place he
died.
By the sarcasm of destiny the, man
who assisted in the formation of two
states, first Nevada and then Idaho,
was never permitted to attain the
honor for which he strove repeatedly,
a seal in the highest legislative body
Of the nation, and died a disappointed
and embittered man, although the
work he did for those states during
their formative period will live long
for it was due to his wisdom and
learning that many of the best features
e%ngrafted in the constitutions of bott
have place there. Particularly is this
the case of Idaho, for as president Of
the constitutional convention he haG
unusual powers to make his personal
ity felt and the impress of that per
| sonality is to be traced throughout the
entire document framed by the con
vention.
AS a speaker, Mr. Claggett, perhaps
had no. peer during his days in thu
west and he was known from tn
Pacific to the Missouri as "the silve
tongued orator" His ability on tn
stump and his convincing %eloquenc,
were notably recognized, when in 1877
he was called east to deliver speeche
in behalf of the republican nationa
ticket throughout some of the doubt
full states east of the Mississippi. Blu
not only as a political speaker was h
possessed Of ability. AS a lecturer h
had a charm Of delivery and a CON
mand of language that made him re
markable among men of national repr
tation in that field of oratory and ha
he chosen to devote himself to tn
platform his fame would have equale