The Glasgow courier. [volume] (Glasgow, Mont.) 1913-current, 1919-11-21

in June, 1866 and became a member O
the Montana volunteer militia. Afte
spending only a short time in Virgini
City he drifted into Dry Gulch nea
Helena when that place was on tn
boom, and for a short time worked a
compositor on the first issues of tn
old Helena.
At that time the paper was print
ed on a Washington hand press.
From Helena he went into the Mus
selshell country and during the win
ter of 1S66-67 he rode the pony ex
press between forts Abercombie on tn,
Red River of tho North, in Dakota. ant
Fort Hawley on the Missouri.
In the fall of 1868 he came to For
Benton and hired out to help built
Fort Browning on Peoples creek il
the Milk river country. When the
work on the fort was completed, anc
the men engaged on the work were
discharged, Bent and six other com
panlons went on a prospecting trip
for gold in the Little Rocky mountains
They found gold, but not in paying
quantities, and when they had to give
up the work on account of winter set
ting in they started hunting and trap
ping furs. In this they were quite
successful. 49,
At this time the country was infest-
ed with bands of hostile Indians, but
Bent managed to gain the friendship
of those he came in contact with, and
living among them learned their ways
and their language so we'll that when
the Fort Belknap agency was founded
he was appointed as interpreter for
the government, which position he fill
ed for 25 years.
At the time that General Miles was
sent into the Milk river country to
round up Chief Joseph and his band
of Nez Perez Indians who were on a
rampage, a messenger was sent from
Fort Benton to Bent at Fort Belknap
warning him that the hostile Indians
were headed his way and directing him
to hold a council with the Assiniboines
and hold them from joining the Nez
Perez Indians in the trouble. In this
he was successful.
After quieting them down Bent
went out to meet General Miles and
him what information he could
regards to the lay of the country
and the attitude of the Indians. Mr..
Bent played a very important part in
this Indian controversy by
as interpreter for General
When Bent left the battlefield and
vas sent as a messenger to the ASSN
from General Miles he was
'aptured by a band of Nez Perez In
lians who had escaped. For a time
Bent was in a very serious predica-
nent and it was only through his
knowledge of the Indian language and
'ays that he was permitted to go with
ut being killed.
In 1896 Bent located on his present
anch along Milk river a few miles !
outhwest Of Harlem and resided there
ntil the time Of his death. He was
man of strong personality and great
of character and had a great
ense of right and wrong and always
ealt justly with those with whom he ,
ssociated. He was a great reader
nd had a keen wit about him when re- =
ating tales of the old time days. He ,
'ok a great deal Of pride in his fam Y
y and showered his best attention on :
is children. His whole makeup was r
ne that would distinguish him as a ;
lainsman who had been brought up ,
nder such an environment that he had
AIKEN it for granted that his life had g
cen cut out for him and hat it was =
lied more or less with enjoyment. =
Besides his wife he leaves five ;
aughters and one son, as we'll as a ,
ost of friends all over the country. ,