William T. Mauldin
Beaverhead County
History of Montana, Sanders, 1913

When death came to William T. Mauldin of Dillon, Montana, 
one of the pioneers of the state passed away.  He had been 
engaged in many different occupations in various sections 
of the state for over forty years and his death left a gap 
in the ranks of the businessmen of Dillon which would be 
difficult to fill.

William T. Mauldin was  born in Cecil County Maryland on 
the 3rd of September 1843, a son of John and Sophia 
(Simpers) Mauldin.  John Mauldin was for many years a 
shoe merchant of Baltimore, Maryland and at the time of 
his death he had removed from Baltimore and was living 
in northeast Maryland.  William T. Mauldin received his 
early education in the public schools of his native state 
and then entered Tuscarora Academy in Pennsylvania.  
Completing his course in the academy he came west as 
far as Indianapolis Indiana and for the next four years 
was in the employ of his brother James who was at the 
time the leading shoe merchant of the Hoosier State.

It was in 1865 that he first came to Montana.  He 
brought with him some merchandise which he disposed 
of at the high prices which were prevalent during 
these early days.  In the spring of the following 
year he crossed over into Idaho and there in the 
Salmon River country he spent the next two years 
engaged in Mining.  In 1869 he made a journey down 
to Utah, and bought a lot of cattle and drove them 
back to Montana where he disposed of them at good 
profit.   There being no way of making any more 
money in Montana that he could find at that time 
he returned to the east and for a time was engaged 
in the mercantile business in Chicago.  Then he 
entered the product business in Cedar Rapids, 
Iowa where he remained for some time but the 
charms of Montana served to lure him back in 
1876 he and his brother James began to operate 
a farm on Beaverhead River.  His next move took 
him to Kansas where he continued as a farmer for 
some time returning at length to Montana.  This 
was in 1886, ad he located in the city of Butte 
and there engaged in the cigar and tobacco 
business.  After some time spent thus he 
determined to once more invest in land in 
Beaverhead County and purchased a farm of 
eight hundred acres near Dillon which is now 
considered on of the valuable properties.  Of 
a quiet demeanor, and little given to telling 
tales of his own prowess, he was well known and 
had many friends in every community.  His death 
occurred in Dillon, August 21, 1907.

Mr. Mauldin married at Ogden Utah February 11, 1877 
to Mrs. Nancy Featherly, who in her maidenhood was 
Miss Nancy Rowley.  She was born in Pennsylvania at 
Catanon on the Shenango River but was reared at 
Girard in the same state.  Her parents were George 
and Jeanette (McCracken) Rowley.  Mrs. Mauldin 
had three sons by her first marriage, including 
James S. and George R. Featherly, the latter of 
whom managed his mother's ranch near Dillon.  
Mrs. Mauldin is an energetic and wide-awake 
woman and since the death of her husband she 
has managed the large estate with wisdom and 
success.  In 1892 Mr. Mauldin in connection 
with Simmon Hausworth built the Columbia Block 
in Butte and Mrs. Mauldin is still the owner 
of this property.  As a diversion she took up 
painting and now she gives her few spare moments 
to the art.  She has a rather remarkable memory 
and many of her canvasses show scenes from her 
childhood home in Pennsylvania which she has 
painted from memory.