Glacier County chief., 1940-04-05
BY JOEL F. OVERHOLSER

Skipping hurriedly through the
files Of Fort Benton newspapers,
one is struck by the frequency
with which the names of the Rowe
emily animated by bubbling
spirit Of adventure, the three men,
Billy, Charlie and James Rowe,
seemed to have a knack Of CROP
ping up wherever there was ex-
element, and some of their doings
add interesting sidelights to life in
Montana in the sixties, seventies
and eighties.
OF the three, William Rowe had the
most adventurous career. His beard
saved his life when a youngster in
Minnesota. He traded a mining claim
for a tin cup and butcher knife, set
a war party of Crows afoot, and
runaway span of mules resulted in a
$50 day job at Helena.
Charles Rowe had less spectacular
series Of adventures, but drove stage
for Wells-Fargo, was a participant in
half dozen gold stampedes and even
tually settled down to run the Grand
Union hotel, at the time one of the
finest in the northwest.
James, brother of the two, did not
come to Montana until 1873. but was
in time to join in the rush to the
Barker mining district and later served
as assessor Of Chouteau county for
several years.
Were Of Cornish Descent
The Rowe brothers were the sons of
James and Julia Rowe, natives of
Cornwall, England, who emigrated in
1845 to the United States and located
In Illinois. After Charlie and Billy
Rowe had located in Montana, the
father. in 1877. at rs years of age, took
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
to exterminate the whites in that part
Of the state. Rowe was driving stage,
says Wearn Rowe of Fort Benton, a
nephew. when he was surprised by
Sioux warriors. Despite his youth, he
affected big black beard, and indeed,
later bore the name of "Blackbeard'
among Montana Indians. But the
beard saved his life. for the Sioux
they were on friendly terms, and
turned him loose.
With his brother Charlie, Billy Rowe
boarded the steamer Deer Lodge at
Omaha on April 25, 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
about half face value. Meals were 81 so
each. and he lunched on crackers and
cheese.
Charles was offered a job at 500 a
month driving stage, but he and his
brother wanted to try their luck at
the mines, and started out on long
pede to Blue Cloud gulch and located
claims, which fizzled out. Billy was
lucky and traded his claim for a
butcher knife and tin cup, but his
brother probably did not do so well.
Both returned to Fort Benton soon
later went into the livery business.
Charles likewise took a job driving
stage for the Wells-Fargo Co., at SIS
a month, then opened a saloon where
the Grand Union hotel now stands.
In the winter of 1868 the two, with
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 Ol IL SEOW 1IluldllS pdSSeQ lIlc
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 a
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 a span of mules and set out
for Silver creek. The animals got away
and Billy chased them clear to Wolf
Creek, then went on to Helena, where
he was soon at work hauling dirt for
500 day.
Later he sold the wagon for SIPS
and the neckyoke and whiffle tree for
S25, and was off on another gold stam-
pede, this time to Pioneer City. The