The Kevin review. [volume] (Kevin, Mont.) 1922-1929, 1923-02-08
PASSING OF LANG,
FALL0N PIONEER
FACTOR IN CREATION OF FALLON
COUNTY; WAS FRIEND OF
ROOSEVELT

ElISL luultluud1 W Inv Al
the Baker Townsite; Was Stock.
man, Merchant and Banker, and
Man Of Parts.
BY j. F. LEWIS.
William Gregory Lang, OF Baker,
who died last week in a Miles City
hospital, has been called THE Father
of Baker and Fallon County" He
was the first person to buy a lot for
a business site in Baker when the
Milwaukee railroad came, and on De-
cember Is, 1908, he opened the first
store in the new town, which he con-
Quoted for nine years, selling out to
Joe Doull in 1917.
When Mr.. Lang opened his store,
Baker was in Custer county, and he
Immediately planned the creation of
a new county with Baker as the
county seat. A natural organizer, he
soon interested others in the move
ment to secure the organization of
Fallon county and there to make
Baker the center of government,
for the new county. This precipitated
two fights. Some who wanted the
new county were not willing that
Baker should be given the county
seat. Ekalaka was selected as the
temporary capital but Baker won out
in the end after a hard fight.
With the establishment of Fallon
county and the final selection of
Baker as its capital, the little village
took on a period of expansion that
roc,r1tod IN , rapoarEoh lo Ornpyfh ond
in all of it Mr.. Lang bore a con-
structive part.
Founded Bank
He was one of the founders of the
Baker State Bank, the first n in
the city, and of the First National
bank at Ismay, remaining vice presi-
dent and a director of the first named
bank ever since it's organization.
William G. Lang vas born near
Dublin, Ireland, October 80, 1878.
His father was Scotch and his mother
Irish. He came to this country when
he was about five and one-half years
old, with his mother, to join his IA
Their on the ranch on the Little Mis-
souri, river, IL miles east of the Mon
tana line and 35 miles south of Me-
dora, North Dakota, made famous by
Roosevelt, whose ranch was
in that vicinity, at the time when the
buffalo and Indians held the range.
Roosevelt's Neighbor
Young Roosevelt and Mr.. Lang's
were near neighbors and close
friends and the future president was
frequent visitor at the Lang ranch,
and there formed the acquaintance of
the two Lang boys, William, and his
older brother, Lincoln Lang. Thus
was formed a lifelong friendship be-
tween the two families and linked the
names of Lang and Roosevelt in his
tory and biography.
When Hermann Hagedorn, Jr., was
collecting material for his Roosevelt
book in 1920, authorized by the
Memorial Association, Bill
Lang travelled with him over the
the Rough-Rider president, and as
in collecting incidents, anec-
and various interesting facts
and details connected with Teddy's
in cowboy land.
Winner of the West
Roosevelt said il his later years
hat he would lever have been presi-
lent had it not been for the valuable
,ducation, training and experience
lie received from ranching, hunting
roughing it in the west.
William Lang's smile was striking
y like that of the famous Rough
rider, and it is told of the two men
hat when they met on the stage of
he public hall in Helena in 1912
When Col. Roosevelt was making his
asst big campaign as leader of the
Bull Moose party, that the famous
mile of the former president found
IS counterpart in the expression worn
y Billy Lang, so that when both dis
layed their prominent front teeth in
ordial greeting to each other, the
assemblage responded to the
ointment manifested, and all wore
miles which we're not effaced
the entire evening.
Mr.. Lang's ranch, which he man.
ged after the death of his parents
continued to operate until his
cath, comprises 5000 acres On the
little Missouri in North Dakota. He
7as famous as a breeder and grower
fine registered cattle of the Here
ord strain, and also of Percheron
orses. His connection with any en-
gave it stability from the
tart, for 1t was known that he would
OF take up anything unless he was
3rtain that the cause was a just and
onOrable one, and hat there was
reasonable certainty of ultimate
access.
His friends were legion and he was
Universally known as "a Good Scout"
good enough epitaph for any son
I the west.