The circle banner. [volume] (Circle, Mont.) 1914-1939, 1924-10-24
MADISON COUNTY
PIONEER PASSES AT
LONG BEACH, CAL.
NOTABLE IN CIVIC AND COM
MUNITY SERVICE.
Served In the Major Engagements of
Civil War; Fought With Custer In
Famous Battles; Spent Weeks in a
Confederate Prison.

The death recently at Long
Beach, Cal, of James NJ. Page, 80,
of Twin Bridges, counts the pass
ing of another of MOntana's pi-
Oneers. and the close of a life that
was sound1y constructive, and that
contributed much to early state
development. Mr.. Page was pi-
oneer rancher and raiser of pure
bred stock in Madison county
where he made his home from the
states earliest days.
Mr.. Page was widely known am
ong the pioneers of the state and was
one of Montana's most progressive
stockmen. He was the owner OF
about 1900 acres of land, mostly
in the Madison valley. The home
ranch about five miles from Twin
Bridges was noted for the pure-bred
Shorthorn cattle and Belgian horses
that it produced. The town of Page
vile, located in the valley was named
in honor of the late pioneer.
He first arrived in Virginia City
in 1866, after long period of mer-
itorious service in the union army.
The story of his engagements and es-
capes during the civil war is replete
with hazardous experiences. He en-
erged from the war with the rank
of lieutenant.
James Madison Page was born in
Crawford county, Pennsylvania, July
%, 1889, the youngest of five child
rem of Wallace and Nancy Page. Both
maternal and baternal grandfathers
of Mr.. Page were soldiers of the re-
volution, and he himself, served
with valor and distinction in the CT
vii war
After the death of his father, his
mother removed to Michigan in 1843,
and it was in the public schools of
West Leroy that he received his
first schooling He was four years
old when his mother moved west,
and from his tenth to his twelfth
year, he lived with an uncle in the
northern part of Michigan. He then
ran away and secured work on a
farm and was enabled to attend
school in the winter. He resided in
Michigan until he was 23 years old,
when on August IA, 1862, he enlist
ed in Company A, Sixth Michigan
Volunteer cavalry, of which he be-
came commissary sergeant. Join
ing the army of the Potomac, the
regiment was assigned to picket duty
at Fairfax courthouse during theI
winter of 1862-63, and then went
forth against the army of General
Lee. The first great battle in which
his regiment participated was Get
tysburg, and of the II men in Mr..
Pages company who went into the
fight, only rs came out alive.
On Sept. 81, 1868, Mr. Page was
one of "a members of his company
captured by the Confederates after
the battle of Orange Courthouse. The
lamented General Custer was bril-
gade manager of the cavalry CEN
tered at Culpepper Courthouse, and
at that battle General Custer was
and the command devolved
to Colonel Sawyer of the First Yer
mont cavalry. The same day the
Sixth Michigan cavalry engaged with
General Al. P. Hills corps, and one
result was the capture noted above.
Of the 23 prisoners who were con-
lined at Libby, Belle Isle, Anderson
vile, and Millen prisons, only Mr..
Page and one other lived to be par
oled on November 81, 1864. Mr.
Pages normal weight was 205
pounds, and when he was released,
10 great had been the privations and
he hardships, of prison life that he