John Moffitt
History of Montana,by Joaquin Miller, 1894
May be copied for non-profit purposes.USGENWEB Montana Archives

John Moffitt, a Montana pioneer of 1864 and for several 
years Chief Deputy Collector of Internal Revenue forthe 
district of Montana is a native of Dublin, Ireland, and 
is of Scotch ancestry. His grandfather John Moffittwas 
born in Scotland, was a British soldier and served in 
the battle of Waterloo under the Duke of Wellington. 
His son, John Moffitt, Jr was born in Scotland and was 
a Sgt. Major in the Royal Horse Artillery. He married 
Miss Ellen Riddle, a native of Scotland. As a soldier 
he was stationed in different parts of the English 
realm and there wereborn to him and his wife at 
different places, four children. He died in the 
army in Ceylon in the East Indies in thethirty-
sixth year of his age. His widow survived him until 
1890 when her death occurred in the seventieth year 
of her age. Three of their children are still living.
John, who is the subject of this sketch was their 
eldest child; was born in 1836 and was educated in 
the Royal Hibernian Military School, Phoenix Park, 
Dublin. In 1851 when fifteen years of age he 
emigrated to the United Statesand settled in 
Ohio where he obtained work in a nursery at 
$8.00 per month. Two years later he went to 
Iowa, makingthe journey by wagon, as there 
were then no railroads in the country. In 
Iowa he secured employment as a clerk in a
store and postoffice at $20 per month and board. 
Two years afterward he removed to Topeka Kansas 
and clerked there also until 1861 at which time 
he enlisted in Company A, Second Regiment, Kansas 
Volunteer Infantry. He was enrolledApril 19, 1861 
in answer to President Lincoln's first call for 
volunteers, and served in the army of the frontier. 
At the close of his three months' term he 
re-enlisted in the Second Kansas Cavalry and 
was promoted to 1st Lt. by order from the War 
Department. He was assigned to Company F, Second 
Regiment, Indian Brigade and served as Adjutant 
and Quartermaster for the regiment. He served 
until January 1864 at which time he resigned his 
commission and returnedhome.After his return he
 received the appointment of Enrolling Clerk in 
the Kansas Legislature. Soon after this, hearing
of the discovery of gold in Montana, he fitted 
out a four horse team and crossed the plains, 
bringing with him to this State a year's provisions 
and arriving at Virginia City July 10, 1864. 
While crossing the plains the Indians were hostile 
but he and his party succeeded in keeping them off. 
At Virginia City he engaged in placer mining with 
the pick and shovel; was there two months and then 
came to Last Chance Gulch, arriving on the 10th of 
October 1864.There he prospected and mined a little 
until 1865 when he accepted the position of Deputy 
County Recorder and wascommissioned by Thomas 
Francis Meagher, Secretary of State, Clerk and 
Recorder and served nineteen days. After this he 
was engaged in news-dealing; sold many papers for 
fifty cents each and was the first to put the price 
down to twenty-five cents. With others he was 
engaged in mining at Diamond City, where they took 
out $48,000 and gave upmining. In 1872 Mr. Moffitt 
received the appointment of deputy Postmaster and 
served in that capacity eight years.In 1882 he went 
to Fort Benton and embarked in the harness and 
saddlery business and remained there until 1883  
when he received the appointment of Chief Deputy 
Collector on Internal Revenue, in which capacity 
he has served under all administrations since. 
The collections in the district amount in round 
numbers to about $200,000 per annum. Since he 
became connected with the office the receipts 
have increased from $90,000 to the present figures. 
Mr.Moffitt has, through his long experience in 
the business, become very familiar with the 
internal revenue laws and makes a very reliable 
and satisfactory officer.He was married in 1876 
to Miss Fidelia O. Mather, a native of Elkhorn 
Wisconsin. She was spared to him only fiveyears, 
when she died of Consumption. In 1883 he married 
Miss Phebia W. Duer, a native of Baltimore Maryland. 

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