The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1906-10-04
GRAFTON MAN FIRST
WROTE HELENA'S
Interesting Bit of History Re.
lated By Thomas Cooper
of Grafton.
DATES BACK TO YEAR 1864
Was Chairman of Committee
and Present at Naming of
State Capitol.

Mr.. Thomas Cooper passed through
the city yesterday on his way home =.
from the gathering of Montana pion-
GERS which assembled in Anaconda sew
eral days ago. Mr.. Cooper holds the
unique record of having been present
at the naming of the Montana state
capitol, Helena, in the year 1864 and
also holds the honor of having in his
capacity as chairman of the commit
tee, written the name of the great city
for the first time in it's history.
Mr.. Cooper is now almost 81 years
of age, reads we'll, is possessed of good
health and walks like q man of rs
years.
Out in Montana there has TO. years
been decided lack of unanimity re-
garding the manner, time, place and
circumstances regarding the naming
OF the great capital of the state. Even
the historical society was in the dark
In the matter. 1t has been generally
understood out there and accepted as
an undisputed fact, that man known
as Captain Wood, was chairman of the
organization WHICH met at Last
Chance and named the city. For the
last few years no one has come for
ward to protest against naming Wood
as the founder until last week when
Mr.. Cooper stepped briskly off the
train at the Anaconda depot and in
quired the way to the old pioneers
conclave.
New Chapter In History.
An Anaconda paper in speaking of
the new light thrown on the subject
by Mr.. Cooper says the following:
At the meeting of the pioneers just
adjourned in Anaconda there came to
light an interesting chapter of Mon
tana's early history. Thomas E.
Cooper of North Dakota, who came all
the way from that state to be present
at this meeting, brought with him a
letter which was read yesterday be-
fore the society in the Margaret the
alter. This letter contained a copy of
letter Mr.. Cooper wrote to his wife
in Minnesota, dated Helena, Montana
Territory, Nov. -. 1864, 10 days after
the meeting at which the city was
named. Mr.. Cooper was secretary of
that meeting, and he is credited with
the distinguished act of having been
the first man to write upon an official
document the name of Montana's pres
ent capital. John Summerville of
Minnesota was chairman, and after
number of names had been suggested,
he proposed the name of Helena in
honor of the name of a town in Scott
county, MINI. This motion carried.
The letter written by Mr. Cooper to
his wife follows:
Mr.. Co0per's Letter.
Helena, Jefferson County, Montana
Territory, Nov. IL, 1S64-My Dear
Wife: You will see by the heading of
this letter that we have given this
place new name. A few days ago
a man wearing the title of Captain
Wood called meeting at his cabin for
the purpose of an organization. Mr..
Wood has appeared little anxious, it.
Is thought, for political position for
himself and his father-in-law. Hence
the call, suppose. think 1t is right
that the name should be changed from
Last Chance. But as you will see. the
Wood scheme didn't work. not that Mr..
Wood is not all right, and 1 think
competent for sheriff, or such a posi-
taken in the organization and quite
good many were present.
"a Mr.. John Summerville of Scott
county, Mimi, was elected chairman
and your husband secretary. Mr.. Sum-
merville was at one time ship car
penter at Quebec, Canada. He Is a
very tall man and seemed still taller
in the cabin.
II proposed the name Rochester;
Cutler wanted to call it Winona; 9TH
ers had their pet names and there was
quite a contest to fix a name. Mr..
Summerville, arising from the pine
block as substitute for chair, said:
Gentlemen, see you are not like
ly to agree upon name for this place.
l propose to call it Helena Mr.. Sum-
merville is strong union man, and as
he stood waiting for his motion to be
seconded, /, looking up in his honest
face, said:
"Wh, Mr.. Chairman, do you pro-
pose to name this place in honor of
the rebel city in Arkansas? to which
he replied, with all the emphasis OF
his power:
"Not by a id sight, sir. l pro-
pose to call it Helena in honor of Hell
ena in Scott county, Minnesota, the
best county in the state and the best
state in. the union
"And with Mr.. Summerville's inspir-
ing words the vote was unanimous and
l had the honor of recording the new
name for the coming capital of the
territory. Now, see If don't guess
right.
Some territorial officers were to
be chosen or appointed and your hus-
band was put in nomination by our old
friend Mr.. Ben Bear, for local Judge"
In commenting on the clipping the
Grafton man said that the above was
the way in which the city was named.
He went further and said to the news
paper man:
after the meeting Captain Wood
came to me and wanted to know when
was going over to Bannack, the then
capital, to see Governor Edgerton to
be appointed to the judgship or JUS
tice of the peace. told him l had
not the least notion of going, that I
was not there for either politics or my
health. but to attend to business and
try to make a little money. This was
very satisfactory to Captain Wood,
HOLSTERS