The Butte inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1901-1912, 1902-08-01
HALF A CENTURY AGO MAlLLETTE
CAME TO BITTER ROOT VALLEY
AND SPENT WINTER.
TREASURE STATE WAS
HOWLlNG WILDERNESS
Denver Was Not on the Map and Salt
Lake Only vi1lage-Men Now Ac-
counted Pioneers Came Long After
He Had Picked Up and left-knew
Famous Men Of Early Days in State.

There arrived from Montreal yesterday
man who has the unique distinction Of
having been the first man now alive to set
foot on Montana soil.
Fifty years ago L. L. Maillette spent the
winter in the Bitter Root valley. In those
days there was not more than score Of
white men in the whole region then known
as part of Oregon and now the state Of
Montana. There is nothing of the brag-
gart in the oldest living Montanan. and
yet he was in the country before mauy
who are known as pioneers thought Of
crossing the plains.
An Old-Timer in 1864.
when the left wing of Prices army
stampeded en- masse for the new gold fields
of Montana, Citizen Maillette had been an
old-tmer Of II years residence.
Judge Frank Woody of Missoula, who is
something of an old-timer himself, came to
Montana four years later than Mr.. Mail
lette and went to work for him and his
partner over in the Bitter Root Granville
Stuart, whose hair has grown gray from
4s years residence in the hills of Montana
did not arrive until 1857.
There are other old-tmers who came I'D
the trail across the plains or up the Mis-
souri, river to Fort Benton many years
ago, but they talk softly when "old man
Maillette" comes around
Half Century Ago.
Fifty-two years ago, when Mr.. Mailette
was but lad of 10, he left St. Joe, Mo-,
with a party of traders and crossed the
plains to the Platte country to trade with
the Sioux.
Did you go to Denver on that trip 7"
asked his visitor. or a moment Mr.. Mail
lette looked amused, ana then, lest there
might be any discourtesy in his manner,
he added, MY dear boy, there was no
Denver in those days. This Northwest
was a bowling wilderness"
mo, SIR" he continued, Denver was
not started till seven years later. Well, to
resume: After the trading we concluded
to come on to Salt Lake, which had been
founded few years before. We got into
the city of the Mormons IN the summer of
1850, and while we were there party Of
trappers and hunters from the Hudson
Bay company came over from Fort Hall,
and ! went back with them. Leaving Salt
Lake on Christmas morning, 1880 was in
Fort Hall the winter of so ana 81, and
came over with another party to the Bitter
Root in the fall of So.
Knew Famous Missionaries.
"Yes, | knew Father De Smet and
Father Ravalli, both men of noble charac-
ter. They had mission at St. Mary's, a
little below the present site of Stevens
vile. The place was afterwards sold to
John Owen, Major John Owen, as we
called him.
Il may say that have been in Montana
ever Since" said the old pioneer, proudly,
"and if there are any alive who came to
Montana when | did or earlier than two
years afterward, don't know who they
are"
In spite of his 68 years Mr.. Maillette is
still strong, rigorous looking old gentle
man. He is spending the time in Butte
greeting many of the old-timcrs, among
whom is his old partner, Sam Marchcsseau.
He will remain in Butte for some time
looking after interests which he still re-
tains.