The Hardin tribune-herald. [volume] (Hardin, Mont.) 1925-1973, 1937-05-07

ing governor for q considerable time
during the absence from h territory
Of Governor Edgerton, he was terri.
torial secretary, and therefore Is not
Listed hs do am OF TIE tn c geysTfnI9dTs, as ait ai fge
The four who were looked upon by
the populace with suspicion at the time
Of their appointments and during their
terms Of office, who later threw off
the carpetbag aspersion by continuing
f 70 ses we're n si Monta Hde aIter le senism oto
F. Potts, B: Platt Carpenter and Pres
All in all they were a brilliant lot,
men of distinction in appearance, in
accomplishment and in ability.
Potts served the longest Of any Of
character and industry, he had much
to do with important territorial legisla-
ton which helped to carry Montana
through a formative period when wise
counsel and q steady, guiding hand
were of vital Importance.
Two Of the territorial governors &C,
cupied the office less than a year. B.
Platt Carpenter served only seven
months and Benjamin F. White served
only eight months. White was the last
Of the territorial governors, going out
Of office upon Montana'S admission to
Cne union as q SCaCe.
Edgerton First Governor
The first territorial governor, Sidney
Edgerton, came to the northwest as the
Of Idaho. That was in 1868. The fol-
lowing year when Montana territory
was created, he was named governor.
He served in that caacity from June
%, 1864, until July II, 1866, although
during a large part Of that time Gen
to the absence Of Governor Edgerton
in the east on business having to do
with the setup Of the territorial gov
eminent.
Edgerton was born in New York in
1918, but came to Montana from Ohio,
where he had studied law, and which
state he had represented in congress.
After years in the west he returned to
Ohio to end his days.
Gen. Green Clay Smith, the second
territorial governor, came very near
being president of the United States.
He was a candidate for the nomination
of vice president at the national con-
vention which nominated Lincoln and
Johnson and was defeated by johnson
by half a vote. johnson became presi-
dent upon the assassination Of Lincoln.
1882. He was a veteran Of both the
Mexican and the Civil wars, and a
lawyer, and an adventurer at heart.
He served as governor of Montana from
July 10, 1866, until Arpil 9, 1869. When
a young man he was one of the first
North Americans to cross the contin-
ent Of South America, making the trip
from Uruguay on the east coast over
land to Valparaiso IN the west coast.
Smith has been described by old
timers as a southern gentleman who
spent most of his time studying the
ology and passing Judgment on the
quality of various brands Of liquor.
After his retirement from public Of
flee, however, he abandoned liquor al
together, and became a clergyman
famed for his pulpit eloquence.
Ashley Second Chief
The third territorial governor was
James N. Ashley who served from
April 8, 1869, to July IL, 1870. He was
a native of Pennsylvania, but a resi-
dent of Ohio at the time Of his ap-
pointment as Montana's governor. He
was educated in both Law and medicine,
had been a newspaper editor, and had
served Ohio as a member Of congress.
Gen. Benjamin F.. Potts was Mon
tana's fourth governor. He was born in
Carroll county, Ohio, in 1896, on q