How the South Shaped Montana

Many things shaped Montana during its early years. The sheep came, then the cattlemen. This helped shape the state in a variety of ways. Whether it was barbed wire or the brutal winter of 1886/188,7 which Russel immortalized in his drawings/sketches.

The discovery of copper in Butte in 1882, the growth of the timber industry (thanks to the railroads and the Butte mines) or just the rapid growth of population all helped to form early Montana Life. These are well noted in the annals of history.

However, many don’t realize that the Civil War and the influx of southerners really had a large influence on the life here in Montana. The Civil War was far far away, but the people here felt passionately about the issues connected to the war.

Confederate Gulch, Yankee Flats and Unionville all reflect the sentiments of the time. Southerners first named Alder Gulch “Varina” after Varina Davis, the wife of Jefferson Davis who was the president of the Confederate States. However, when they applied for the name, the judge, Dr. G.G. Bissell, a Connecticut native, “refused, saying they would be "damned" before he would allow the town to be named for the first lady of the Confederacy.” Bissell said he would allow the town to be named after the state of Virginia, and they did so. Virginia City remained sympathetic to the South, even after being named the capital of Montana.

Civil War politics drove the political life of the Montana Territory. Most new Montanans were Democrats and loyal to the South. As the President and his administration were Republicans, most of the Governors appointed were Republican. And that created a great deal of controversy. Many of the Governors refused to compromise with the Democrats (southern sympathizers) because they were thought of as traitors. So much unrest in the State.

Most of Montana’s Governors after Sidney Edgerton were strangers to Montana and totally unfamiliar with the people, the land and the problems of the state. This resulted in many citizens feeling that their local state government did not represent them very well. This upheld the legacy of political fighting across the state.

The conflict between the North and South ideology shows up vividly just in Bozeman. Bozeman has two Masonic Lodges in two separate buildings. The Lodge for the North sets on the NORTH side of the Street and the Southerner’s Lodge sets across the street on the SOUTH side. Neither the twain shall meet.

Chartered in 1866, the Gallatin Masonic Lodge No. 6 built their brick structure in 1883 for an estimated $20,000, a significant price at that time. Accusations that “only the sons of members or Confederates could gain admission to the Gallatin Lodge” led to the creation of Bozeman Lodge No. 18 in 1872 -for the Northerners.

Confederate sympathizers did have a large presence in Montana. Those who supported the Confederate side were varied. Among them, were Confederate sympathizers who were determined that some of Montana's gold would go into the Southern instead of Northern coffers. But most were those who would rather not fight in the war, which ranged from pure drifters to actual Confederate deserters.

Newspapers across the state waged the war of the words between themselves. The Unionist weekly paper ‘Montana Post’ waged editorial war with the southern sympathizer ‘the Herald”. The Post reported on the death of Abraham Lincoln: “Abraham Lincoln is basely murdered; William Seward, his counselor rests on the brink of the grave. Our heart bleeds as we write; but our sorrow is not for these men, but for the people of America. While in response “Glory enough for one time! Old Abe has gone to hell! Hurrah for Jeff. Davis!”

Our little community actually benefitted somewhat from the Civil War events. Tired of the bloody battles after serving in the 100th Illinois regiment, which suffered severe losses in the war, Augustus Wedsworth headed west to Montana in 1866 to make a new life for himself. Wedsworth’s entrepreneurial success formed the estate which made it possible to establish the Wedsworth Hall and Wedsworth Memorial Library.

Survivors of the war brought Yankees and Rebels to the new territory. Southern and Northern sympathizers brought their families and beliefs with them.

With the flood of war escapees came the freed black Americans. Emancipated slaves surged to the new territory to find a life of freedom they hadn’t lived before. Many of these became quite prominent in the state’s history.

African-Americans who came to Montana in the 19th century include William Taylor, a teamster; Samuel Lewis, a highly successful Bozeman barber; John Gordon, a trained chef; and James Crump who worked as a miner.

African-American women also came to Montana with the first settlers and some assumed non-traditional roles. For example, sisters Parthenia Sneed and Minerva Coggswell ran a Virginia City restaurant; Mary Gordon owned a restaurant in White Sulphur Springs; and of course, our own Mary Fields eventually arrived.

Sarah Gammon Bickford was a former slave who became one of Montana’s most prominent businesswomen. She was the first and only woman in Montana to own a utility.

If you would like to learn more about how Montana was essentially forged on the Battlefield, stop by the library and check out Ken Robison’s “Montana’s Territory and the Civil War”.