Montana oil and mining journal. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1931-1953, 1939-06-10

Charles S. Mcdonald, IS, OF
Choteau, banker and one of the
earliest sheepmen on the Teton
river, died suddenly of heart at
tack at his home in that city. Com
planning of pain about 5 a. m, he
notified Mrs. Mcdonald. He ex-
PRED following brief coughing
spell.
Born at Memphis, Mo, Dec. %, 1864,
Mcdonald came to the territory OF
Montana with o. G. Cooper IN 1881.
Cooper, who was a friend OF NC
come to Montana from Missouri after
the war When he returned to Missouri
to visit in 1880, he induced young
Charley to come TO Montana. They
travelled over the Utah g. Northern
railway to Dillon.
Cooper, who was freighting from the
railroad terminus to Butte, Helena,
Virginia City and other mining camps
hired Mcdonald The young man drove
a 12-mule team with three wagons and
supplies into Butte and hauled bullion
from ore roaSterS at Butte to Dillon.
Mcdonald entered the employ Of
John ]. Rohrbeaugh. another stage
line operator between Helena. Jeffer-
son City, WickS and several mining
camps, in the fall Of 1881. While work
ing for Rohrbeaugh, Charley attended
school
Going to Dupuyer the following
spring, he was employed by Charles
Cooper, who operated a sheep ranch
about six miles up Dupuyer creek.
G. Cooper. Mcdonald worked there
for the remainder of the year.
After selling his freight outfit, o.
G. Cooper went to Dupuyer to engage
in the cattle business and Mcdonald
became a ranch hand for him. The
big cattle outfits refused to roundup
with Cooper, and he was forced out OF
business. At that time he did not own
any land and larger outfits guarded
their range carefully.
When Cooper was forced out of the
cattle business he threatened to put
$4,000 sheep in the territory. Mcdonald
stuck by him and had 1000 sheep Of
to winter on his property, which ne
bought from the government.
When Mcdonald purchased a home
stead REIMBURSEMENT from Bill Red
ding in 1887, he started the 6,0O0-acre
ranch on the Teton river which was
known as his home place until 1920, /
when he sold it to Ellis 81 Basket.
State bank at Choteau. In 1914 he
bought the property which was later
developed into the Mcdonald block. /
In 1915 and 1917 he was a representa-
tive In the legislature At that time
Teton county included territory now
in Pondera, Toole and Glacier counties. |
When the Stockmen's bank merged |
with the Citizens State bank, McDon-
aid became a director Of the latter.
Mcdonald married Miss Harriet Todd |
Guyon at Canisto, N Y, in 1893. Miss
Guyon visited Fort Benton in 1880 at |
the home of her uncle, w. 0. Dexter,
pioneer ranchman and business man
of Chouteau county. After teaching |
school In Fort Benton for one winter, |
she went to Choteau to be assistant |
to J. G.. Bair in the public schools,
where she met Mcdonald.
McDonald's parents, Mr.. and Mrs. Ster-
ling Mcdonald, lived In Choteau for
many years. The father served as clerk
of the court from the time the county
was created, in 1893, to 1908. They
later moved to California
Survivors are the widow, son, @.
D. Mcdonald; daughter, Mrs. Kath-
crime Murphy; granddaughter, Leah
Gene Murphy, all Of Choteau, and
three sisters, Mrs Katherine Mclean
Smith of Riverside, Calf; Mrs. Lola
Sleeth Miller of South Orange, N. j.,
and Mrs. j. B. Oliver of Carpenteria,
Calf. Mcdonald was a first cousin of
Rupert Hughes, the author.