Montana oil and mining journal. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1931-1953, 1934-12-08
BY SENATOR w. n. CHURCH
Helena. Montana.

kaEHEAAz4s AAoAa41AtAs
Among the most picturesque CHAR
acters, and undoubtedly the oldest
uaoneer staeknan who stigI attends
the annual gatherings 81 the Nom
Aana SkoekgrOwers association and she
Montana W0oIgr0wers association is
Henry Sieben Of Helena. Henry Is 81
years young, and we say young ad-
vssedIy for ne stIH walks the streets
without q cane, except, as he says,
snow and then Just for STYLE" enjoys
4 good story, has the same 1ovEal
smile In his eye, recalls incidents o.
80 years ago when he arrived in MOn-
tana. and gets q big kick out Of q
Saturday night game Of two-bAt limit
with his OEd-time crOnies Incidental
b. the latter admits that whenever
Henry fails 10 cash In the biggest
sack, Il is, like California weather
~mest unusual"
Mr.. Sieben has always been active
IA livestock affairs in this state and ma
tionally In 1882, the International
Livestock show came into existence In
"a Paso, Texas, promoted by repre-
sentatives of the Chicago Stockyards
and patrons. Mr.. Sieben was one Of
the organizers and the institution be-
came very successful, not only as a
nation wide exposition, but socially as
well, for Henry recalls q trip to 81
Paso in 1892 when, as he says I'VE had
q carload Of delegates and another car
load Of accessories -.
In 1885, the Montana Stockgrowers
association was organized in Miles City
and Mr.. Sieben was one of the pro-
motors Col T. J. Bryan was the first
president, former Governor B. F. Potts
vice president and Russell B. Harrison,
publisher of the old Helena Journal
secretary. Henry was also charter
member of the Montana Woolgrowers
association. He was at one time di-
rector and was later honored by cleo
ton as honorary president for life.
Mr.. Sieben was born in Germany in
1847 He was five years old when his
father decided to come to the United
States. With his parents and five
brothers and sisters he landed in New
York In the fall of 1852 after IS days
trip aboard ship. His mother was III
all the way over and continued in poor
health until the spring of 1853 when
she passed away in Chicago. With
their father the six children moved the
same year TO Dutch Bottom in a Ger
man settlement located about eight
miles north of the present site Of Cen
eseo, III.
In April, 1854, Mr.. Sieben. then II
years old, hts brother Leonard, 90, Louis
Arnett, Il, and Louis Heller, q, started
for Montana with a four-horse team
and wagon that had ben furnished
TO Arnett and Heller by their fathers. !
Leonard and Henry paid 500 each for
their passage which included food and
the privilege Of walking about half way,
as the boys took turns driving and
walking.
They arrived in Madison county a few
months after the Vigilantes had COM
pleted a highly satisfactory job of
cleaning up the infamous Plummer
gang. The murderous depredations of |
this cutthroat outfit was still the topic
OF discussion at every gathering, much
to the amazement of the young fellows
from Dutch Bottom, Ill
Henry's first job was with two ranch
ers named Joe Goey and JEFF Gowan.
They put him to work cutting hay
with a scythe and raking it with hand
rake on their ranch on Meadow creek,
where Lake McAllister or Meadow lake
Is now located. The hay was baled and
hauled to Virginia City for stage and
saddle horses, and found ready mar
ket Haying with a scythe and hand
rake was too much of job for cattle
feed and If a critter couldn't make the
winter on his own resources he Just
passed out Of the picture Henry's pay
was $50 month but when winter came
the boss told him his pay would be cut
to SIS. While the idea didn't sound good
TO Henry, he stayed until spring and
then walked to the Gallatin valley and
bought a team of oxen and a wagon
This was his first business venture Tor
himself and was the start of long, ac-
tive and successful career in the live
stock industry In Montana. From this
primitive start, Henrys later activities,
tn his own words, follow:
Il drove back to the same ranch and
Mr.. Gowan and pulled out for Vir-
ginia City, March nth, 1865. The rea-
son remember the date is that it was
st. Patrick's day and the Irish miners
had parade and displayed their beau
taful green flag, which thought was 1
tine most beautiful thing had ever
seen. The next day we loaded up some
freight for Last Chance gulch d7elena) I
we arrived there on March 25th. We !
camped there a few days and then we /
got contract to cut logs and haul to
the sawnill at the mouth of Lump j
gtIlch and the lumber we would haul to
Helena. That work lasted until June |
10th. when the high water took out j