Granite-Deer Lodge County MT Archives Obituaries.....Morse, Colonel George W. December 1922 ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/mt/mtfiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Teresa Taramasso califiadesigns@yahoo.com April 24, 2008, 11:40 pm The Anaconda Standard - December 10, 1922 Philipsburg, Dec. 9. -- Col. George W. Morse, Montana pioneer, prospector and cattle man, died at 2 o'clock this morning at his home at Drummond, according to word which reached this city today. Death was caused by old age. Colonel Morse was the first presidential elector from Montana, casting his ballot for President Harrison, and also was a delegate to the convention which nominated Roosevelt as the candiate of the progressive party for president in 1912. He was also honored by the trail blazers into the Treasure state, who, in 1915, elected him to the presidency of the Montana Society of Pioneers. During the early days he served as county commission in both Deer Lodge and Granite counties. Although he retired from active business life in 1914, he did not completely relinquish his interest in Montana enterprises, which during his long career extended from prospecting and cattle raising to banking. Colonel Morse was born at Whitefield, Me., Dec. 2, 1838. In 1862 he was married at Ogden, Utah, to Miss Nettie Milliken, who, with two children, survive. The children are Averill P. Morse, cashier of the Mission State bank at St. Ignatius, and George W. of Drummond. In addition he is survived by five grandchildren. A brother, Frank, died about a month ago at Drummond. Colonel Morse attended the rural school of Lincoln county, Me., and grew up on his father's farm, where he remained until he was 14 years old, at which time he began working on the Penobscot river in a sawmill, receiving $13 per month for his services, which amount was turned over to his mother, who was left with a large family to support, as well as care for her paralyzed husband. He continued to work in the sawmill in the summer and attended school in the winter until 1856, when with $36 as his capital he started West, and reached Stillwater, Minn., where for four years he was engaged in lumbering on the St. Croix river. Leaving Minnesota, Colonel Morse went to Louisiana, and for a year was engaged in work on the Texas & Shreveport railroad. The westward trend of the empire then took him to Pike's peak, and he was engaged in prospecting and mining in its vicinity for four years. It was during 1862 that Colonel Morse first entered Montana, coming at that time to the present site of Deer Lodge, and prospected for a short time. Later he engaged in mining for wages at Orofino, Idaho, and also leased the ground for himself. He then went to Auburn, Ore., and mined for wages and dug a ditch for the Oregon Navigation company, earning quite an amount of money in the four months he was thus employed. Leaving Oregon, he returned to Idaho and until 1865 was engaged in prospecing and mining with considerable success. In 1865 he came back to Montana and for a short time was engaged in mining at Bear gulch, from whence he went to Helena and found gold in paying quantities on Indian creek. His next prospecting was done at Mercer, Mont., and then for five years he was engaged in gold mining on Elk creek with marked success. Colonel Morse then went to Utah, and buying 600 head of cattle, drove them to Rock creek, Mont. For the subsequest seven years he was engaged in ranching and cattle raising, but then sold at a profit. While he was thus engaged he did business upon an extensive scale, selling 1200 head of cattle at one time. His next venture was a ranch at New Chicago, Mont., upon which he erected a house in which he lived until 1914. This ranch comprised 2200 acres and on it he raised cattle to such an extent that they consumed 1200 tons of hay annually. In 1914 he retired and moved to Drummond, where he built a fine residence which, in conjuction with 320 acres of land, he sold in 1919 for $65,000. A whig, with the organization of the republican party he espoused its principles and held to them since. He was presidential elector and cast Montana's first electoral vote for President Harrison. Colonel Morse was a delegate at the Chicago convention in 1912 which nominated Roosevelt. For two terms he served old Deer Lodge county as county commissioner, and later held the same office for Granite county. Faternally Colonel Morse was a member of Ruby lodge, No. 36, A.F. & A. M.; Deer Lodge chapter, Royal Arch Masons; Saint Omar commandery, Knights Templar of Missoula, and is a charter member of Algeria temple, Ancient Arabic Order Nobles of the Mystic Shrine of Helena. He was elected president of the Montana Socity of Pioneers in 1915. Colonel Morse was always interested in the growth of Drummond and was a heavy stockholder in the Drummond State Bank. File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/mt/granite/obits/m/morse105gob.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/mtfiles/ File size: 5.2 Kb