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

Joseph C. Templeton, B.S., professor of science and 
mathematics at Montana University, is a native of the 
state of Missouri, his birth occurring May 6, 1858.
Professor Templeton is of Scotch descent. As early as 
1730 some of his ancestors emigrated from Scotland to 
this country and settled in Pennsylvania and South 
Carolina, being among the first settlers of the latter 
state. They were prominently identified with the early 
history of the Colonies and were participants in the 
Revolution and alsoin the War of 1812. In the latter 
war our subject's grandfather was wounded. His father, 
John Wesley Templeton was born in North Carolina in 
February 1820; and his mother, whose maiden name was 
Mary Frances Crittenden, was a native of Virginia, her 
grandfather, Pryor Crittenden, having been a Revolutionary 
War soldier. The Crittenden's were of English origin, but 
came from the north of Ireland to Virginia at an early 
date. Professor Templeton's father was byoccupation a 
farmer and merchant and his life was one that was in 
every way above reproach. Both he and his wife were
earnest Christians and were devoted members of the 
Methodist Episcopal Church to which church the Templetons 
have belonged for many years. He died in 1889, in his 
sixty-ninth year; his wife in 1892 in her sixty-fifth year. 
Their family was composed of three daughters and two sons, 
the son Joseph C. being the third born.In the academy at 
Elkton Kentucky, Professor Templeton received his early 
education. He began teaching in the country schools in 
1876 and taught school and went to school alternately 
for several years. Then he entered the National Normal 
University at Lebanon, Ohio where he graduated in 1885 
with the degree of B.S. After his graduation he accepted
the position of assistant teacher of mathematics in 
Glasgow Normal College Kentucky and soon was promoted 
to teach the class of higher mathematics. He continued 
thus occupied for two years and a half. Then he 
resigned his position there in order to come to Montana 
and take charge of the Miles City public schools. He 
was at the head of the publicschools in Miles City from 
January 1888 until 1890, at which time he came to 
Helena to take the Professorship of Natural Science 
and Higher Mathematics in the Montana University, 
which was then just starting. He and Mrs. Cummins, 
also a professor of the university now have the entire 
management of the inside work of the school.From the 
time of teaching his first school when a boy up to the 
present time, Professor Templeton has been constantly
studying or teaching. As the years passed by and he 
graduated in the National Normal University, one of 
the greatesteducational institutions in the country, 
he became an enthusiast in his profession and has not 
been satisfied with anything less than the best 
methods of teaching to which he has given so much 
study. For several years he has been a very efficient 
worker in teachers' institutes and has been highly 
complimented for his enthusiastic efforts in this line. 
A prominent educator said of him "Professor Templeton 
is fully abreast with the current of educational thought.
He is a gentleman, a scholar and a Christian and what 
is no less to the point in his relations with his fellow 
man,he so impresses all with whom he comes in contact. 
As a gentleman, he is courteous, discreet, refined, 
tactful; as a scholar, thorough, progressive, cultured, 
enthusiastic; as a Christian, earnest, consistent, 
manly." Professor Templeton has been very successful 
in the lecture field. Among his popular lectures are 
the following: "Social Fogand Sunshine," "Victor 
Hugo,", "Thomas Carlisle," and "Lord Tennyson".In 1
886 Professor Templeton married Margaret Enlow, a 
native of Bridgeport Ohio and a daughter of John 
Enlow, a merchant of Bridgeport. They have three 
children: Eugene, Joseph Tower and Ruric Ruskin.

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