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

John Tilton, one of the leading merchants of Bozeman, 
Montana, is another one of the representative citizens 
who is entitled to personal mention in this work.Mr. 
Tilton was born in Ashland County, Ohio in 1843, son 
of Samuel and Mary Ramsey Tilton, both being descendants 
of pioneer families in Ohio, and Samuel Tilton being one 
of the well-to-do farmers of Ashland County. The Tiltons 
originated in England, while the Ramseys descended from 
the Irish. Grandfather Tilton was a soldier in the 
Colonial Army during the Revolutionary War and was 
present at the surrender of Cornwallis at Yorktown, 
Virginia. John W. Tilton has one brother and two sisters.
Soon after attaining his majority, the subject of our 
sketch, started out on his own responsibility, going to 
St.Louis, Missouri, in 1864 where he secured passage on 
the steamer Welcome , commanded by Captain Townsend, and 
bound for Fort Benton Montana. The time occupied in 
making this trip was seventy-six days; fare, $150.00. 
At Fort Bentonhe joined a party consisting of Major 
Graham, J.C. Ramsey, and Mr. Keblinger and together 
they purchased pack animals and proceeded to the 
south side of the Missouri River on their way to 
Virginia City, crossing the Belt mountain rangeand 
going down Eldora Gulch, where n after years the 
famous rich placers were discovered. The first 
settlement they struck was Gallatin. Mr. Tilton 
spent two years mining at Alder Gulch, but as he 
met with only fair success he decidedto leave the 
mines and turn his attention to agricultural 
pursuits. Accordingly he came to the Gallatin 
Valley and located near the old town of Hamilton, 
on the West Gallatin, where he and J.C. Ramsey 
each took claim to 160 acres ofland. The first 
two years their crops were nearly all destroyed 
by frost and the two years following the grasshoppers
became a destructive pest and destroyed all vegetation 
in this locality. Thus having had four unfortunate 
years on the farm, he determined to try the mines 
again and went to Wilson Creek, twenty-five miles 
south of Helena, where he operated with fair 
success for two years. At the end of that time he 
sold his mining interests and came to Bozeman. Here 
he engaged in the dry goods and general merchandise 
business, being in partnership with A.M. Tanner. Several months
later he sold his share in the establishment, purchased 
property in the eastern limits of the town and erected a 
frame building thereon in which he conducted a mercantile 
business for four years. Then he purchased the fine business
corner on Main and Rouse Streets, where in 1887 he 
erected his present modern business block, 44 x 110 
feet, two stories and basement at a cost of $30,000. 
Here he is doing large cash business in general 
merchandise, hardware, etc.in fact handling everything 
except dry goods. His magnificent store building is 
handsomely finished inside with hard woods. The columns 
at the main entrance are Massachusetts polished granite.
In speaking of his early experience in Montana, Mr. 
Tilton remarked that when he landed in Virginia City 
his cash capital was fifteen cents. Produce of all 
kinds was high in those days. Flour sold at Virginia 
City in 1864 for $1.25a pound; potatoes fifteen 
cents a pound; salt, fifty cents a pound. After he 
settled in the Gallatin Valley there were two weeks 
that he lived on meat and potatoes; flour could not 
be had at any price. The year of General Custer's
massacre, Mr. Tilton spent three months with General 
Gibson down on the Yellowstone, in the employ of the 
Government, being in the transportation department.
Mr. Tilton was married in 1878 to Mary Thompson. Her 
parents reside in Christiania Norway. She is a member 
of the Presbyterian Church.

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