Montana oil and mining journal. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1931-1953, 1940-04-06

In time to join In the rush to the
t Barker mining district and later serveC
= as assessor of Chouteau county fol
I several years.
We're of Cornish Descent
The Rowe brothers were the sons Of
James and Julia Rowe, natives OF
Cornwall, England, who emigrated in
l845 to the United States and located
IN Illinois. After Charlie and Billy
Rowe had located In Montana, the
father, in 1877, at 70 years Of age, took
passage on a steamboat up the Mis-
souri, river to pay them a visit. The
old man died and was buried at Fort
Buford, near the Montana boundary
line on the upward trip, probably from
cholera which at the time was preva-
lent on the river route to Montana.
The mother died few months later.
Billy Rowe was not yet % years of
age at the time of the Spirit lake
massacre In Minnesota, when the
Sioux rose and for time threatened
70 exterminate the whites in that part
of the state. Rowe was driving a stage,
says Wearn Rowe of Fort Benton, a
nephew, when he was surprised by
Sioux warriors. Despite his youth, he
affected a big black beard, and indeed,
later bore the name of Blackboard"
among Montana Indians But the
beard saved his life, for the Sioux
LUX Ahu1 1Ot q EIcIlC1Hudli Will WlOHl
they were on friendly terms, and
turned him loose.
With his brother Charlie, Billy Rowe
boarded the steamer Deer Lodge at
Omaha on April %, 1867, and landed
| at Fort Benton on the Sd of June.
The boys found prices at Fort Benton
sky-high. Charlie later reported that
he landed with $3.50, in greenbacks,
which at the time were worth only
- L. T.. IL. l. Z
each, and he lunched on crackers and
cheese.
Charles was offered a JOB at 500
month driving stage, but he and his
brother wanted to try their luck at
the mines, and started out on a long
walk to Helena They joined in STAN
! pede to Blue Cloud gIIlch and located
claims, which fizzled out. Billy was
lucky and traded his claim for a
butcher knife and a tin cup, but his
brother probably did not do so well.
Both returned to Fort Benton soon
after, where Billy drove stage and
later went into the livery business.
Charles likewise took a job driving
stage for the Wells-Fargo Co., at SIS
a month then opened saloon where
the Grand Union hotel now stands.
In the winter Of 1868 the two. with
three other men went on a buffalo
hunt in the Marias country and
around Milk river. Growing careless,
the five men lost all their horses when
a party of Indians stole into the
camp one night and ran them off.
Reckless Billy Rowe was furious. A
party of II Crow Indians passed the
camp driving a lot Of horses, and de-
spite the proteStatiOnS of his COM
panions, he set off afoot after the
party. Heavily armed he walked into
the camp and demanded something to |
eat The Indians were more or less |
friendly but suspicious, and it was not |
until late that night that he succeeded !
in his plan of making off with their
horses.
The Crows borrowed horses from
bigger camp and caught up with him,
but he stood them off and returned /
to camp safely with the stolen stock. |
In 1869 Charlie bought the Overland |
hotel and was ready to settle down, |
but Billy Rowe was still restless. He |
bought q span Of mules and set out /
for Silver creek. The animals got away |
and Billy chased them clear 10 Wolf /
Greek, then went on to Helena. where
he was soon at work hauling dirt for
$40 a day.
Later he sold the wagon for $125
and the neckyoke and whiffle tree for /
$25, and was off on another gold stam- /
pede, this time to Pioneer City. The /
water ran out and stopped washing |
operations and Billy went on to French |
gulch, where he struck gold, worked |
for year, sold out and went TO Arkan- /
Sas, where he spent a winter. In the
spring he went to Deer Lodge, was ap-
pointed undersheriff and night watch
man, gave 1t up and opened a billiard
hall, sold that and returned to Fort
Benton in 1872.
There he went into the hotel bush
l-,.A .fv.ta hoy
elected, sheriff of Chouteau county,
which at the time comprised an inn
mense area. A Benton Record of 1876 I
tells the story Of five or six rough,
tough bullwhackerS who went on a
drunk and tried to take over the town.
Sheriff Billy Rowe and his deputy,
Charlie Rowe, were awakened out OF
a sound sleep when the melee grew
beyond the bounds of the cttizenry.
According to the Record, the two men
took a look at the situation, tossed off |
their guns and waded into the bull
WhackerS The miniature battle was /
all in favor of the two officers OF the I
law, and while a couple Of 'whackers
made their escape. four badly battered |
men were deposited In the jail to await |
Judgment. Next morning an unsympa- /
thetic Judge relieved them OF all their
spare cash and sent the bullwhackerS
upon their way pennileSs.
Charles Rowe gave up the Overland I
in 1876, and took up farming, but re-
turned to the hotel business in 1883,
and in the spring of 1891 took over the /
Grand Union hotel, at the time one OF !
the largest and finest in Montana, IN |
which he continued for many years.
Billy Rowe, after serving as United |
States deputy marshal and u. s.
mounted revenue inspector for a couple /
Of years, likewise went into the hotel /
business. At the same time he took q
contract to carry the mail between
Fort Benton and Helena daily for four |
yeaB at 5000 per year, and q special |