Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1903-01-28
J. n. Mcknight Of Great Falls Dies
Very Suddenly at Havre-Walked
Four Miles.
HE CAME TO MONTANA IN 1866
Formerly Interested in judith Cattle
Co. and Old Associate Of Ex-Sena-
tor r. c. Power.
Great Falls Tribune, Jan. 2l.)

Great Falls, died at the Hotel Havre,
at Havre, at 2 O'Clock yesterday morn
ing, the cause OF death being hemor-
rhagic purpur, or a general breaking
down of the arteries and veins. due to
general illness of several months du-
ration F. George HEIDI and DR.. A. f.
Longeway, who left for Havre upon
receipt of Mr.. Meningitis critical Ill.
ness. did not reach there until six
hours after his death. They and l..
V. Bogy of Chinook, Mr.. Meningitis
nephew, accompanied the remains to
this city last night. the train arriving
here at $3.50 o'clock. The body Is now
at McAllister's undertaking rooms and
will be forwarded, probably tomorrow
morning to Dubuque, Ia, where Mr..
Mcknight was born and where inter-
ment will be made.
Mr.. Mcknight had been in poor
health for the past two years and for
the last six months his steady decline
had been p%erceptiblet to his friends. A
week ago he went to Chinook, where
he had business interests. He became
quite i'll there and Saturday morning
had a violent attack Of bleeding at the
nose, but was not greatly alarmed and
declined to come to Great Falls, as ad.
vised by friends to do. Sunday he felt
some better, but Monday was much
worse, and realizing that he was very
sick. he started for Great Falls, de-
string to enter the hospital here. At
Havre, where he should have changed
to the train for Great Falls, he became
confused, in his state of health, and
boarded the train for the coast. He
soon discovered his mistake and an
attempt was made to whistle down
and hold the train for Great Falls, but
it was ineffective. Mr.. Mcknight left
the coast train at Pacific Junction and
declared he was able to walk back to
Havre, and did so without assistance
and unaccompanied. The walk un-
doubtedly fastened his death, for
when he arrived at the havre hotel
he fell, and when his friends assisted
him to rise they noticed that his
clothes were torn and soiled and he
had evidently fallen several times
while walking the four miles between
the junction and Havre. He raj as
sisted to bed at the hotel and two
physicians were summoned; they re-
allied that little could be done for him
and within ~ hours he was dead.
News of his serious illness had
come to Great Falls during Monday
afternoon and night, but it was sew.
eral hours after his death before the
news Of it reached here, and when it
became known there was great regret
and sorrow among the many who had
long known him.
Few men were better known in bust
ness circles of northern Montana than
was Mr.. Mcknight and none had a
better reputation. He had very few,
If any, intimate friends. Even to
those who had been intimately asso'
ciated with him for 30 years or more
he revealed little of his nature or his
thoughts. He was remarkably reti
cent and unobtrusive, but some learn
ed to know him well and to love and
admire him. and it is the sincere belief
of all who knew him that he had moi
an enemy in the world.
Mr.. Mcknight was born a little ovei
81 years ago in Dubuque, la. Hi:
father was one of the first settlers o.
that region and his father and his
uncle, Joseph Hampstead, were riva
candidates for governor of Iowa in {
/. very early period of statehood, hii
uncle, for whom he was named, beini
elected. Another uncle. General Jones
was one OF the early governors of Wis
consin and later United States senate,
for many years.
. About 1864 Mr.. Mcknight entered
the employ of T. C. Power, now o
: Helena and one OF the first United
States senator's from Montana. ant
they had ever since been associated IL
/. business. Leaving Dubuque, Mr.. Nc
knight went to Sioux City and cam
up the Missouri by easy stages, trad
ing at various posts along the river
] including Pierre. Berthold and Buford
until shortly prior to August, 1866
when he reached Montana, landing a
[ Fort Benton. There were then unite'
States troope at Camp Cook, at tn
mouth OF the Judith, and Mr.. Nc
knight took charge Of the tradinI
posts at that place and at other land
ings In that region. remaining Il
charge ri them until 1871. when h
took charge of the traders post a
Fort SHAW. - miles west OF Grea
Falls, then IN Lewis and Clarke coun
|. ". and there he acquired no littl
wealth. remaining there until IN
spring and summer OF 1881, when h
removed tn Great Falls. When h
went to Fort Shaw. Mr.. Heidi beeam'
4 associated with him and their rela
tons had continued ever since. MI
Mcknight sold the post ~traaership a