IRA ALBERT LEIGHTON, M. D., Sanders Volume III, Jefferson Co., MT

USGENWEB NOTICE:  These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in
any format for profit or presentation by any other organization or
persons.  Persons or organizations desiring to use this material,
must obtain the written consent of the contributor, or the legal
representative of the submitter, and contact the listed USGenWeb
archivist with proof of this consent. Files may be printed or copied
for personal use only.

"List transcribed and organized by Ellen Rae Thiel, thieljl@aol.com All rights 
        reserved."

  Copyright, 1998 by Ellen Rae Thiel. This file may be freely copied for non-profit 
        purposes. All other rights reserved.

IRA ALBERT LEIGHTON, M. D.:  - pg 1461

From Sanders Volume III History of Montana published 1913

SURNAMES FOUND IN THIS BIOGRAPHY: HARTELL; TIBBETTS

The life of the city physician and surgeon in these modern days
is one of unceasing activity. Modern methods and the high speed
with which civilization pursues its relentless way makes
demands upon the time and energy of the physician greater,
perhaps, than upon men in any other profession. The extent to
which specialization is pushed, the deep study required to keep
abreast of the discoveries of the age and the everlasting call of
the suffering public all combine to sap the vitality of the most
rugged. But as modern days are strenuous, so the modern man has
something of power in his makeup which works best under pressure.
Dr. Ira Albert Leighton is well equipped to handle the
responsibilities of his position. As not only is he well known,
and that favorably, as a practitioner, but also as a legislator,
having served with credit in the Tenth legislative assembly and
is at present acting as state senator, and having the distinction
of being the first and only Republican state senator elected form
Jefferson county, which is the most eloquent commentary possible
upon his standing in the community.

By the circumstance of birth Dr. Leighton is a New Englander, his
birth having occurred in Cornith, Maine, March 6, 1860. There he
lived until the age of five years and then removed with his
parents to Pittsfield, Maine, where he remained until 1880. His
father, Ira Leighton, was a native of Cornith, Maine, and there 
married. He was a farmer by vocation and devoted the earlier part
of his life to agriculture. However, he was an invalid for forty
years and died at Pittsfield at the age of ninety two years. The
maiden name of the mother was Eunice Tibbetts and she was the
daughter of John Benjamin and Sanaba Tibbetts. Her demise
occurred at Pittsfield at the age of eighty six years and both
she and her husband are buried in that city. Dr. Leighton was
the youngest of a family of eight sons, all of whom survive with
the exception of one.

Dr. Leighton is a self made and self educated man. In his youth
he earned money in various humble capacities. His first work was
in a shoe factory at Haverill, Massachusetts, starting in
with a salary of three dollars and a half per week, but he did
not long remain at the bottom of the ladder, working up
eventually to be head man in the shipping department. The big
fire which nearly destroyed the whole town lost him this position
and doubtless changed his whole career, taking him from the
industrial field and giving him to his profession. He also worked
for a while at one of the resort hotels at Old Orchard Beach,
Maine. He made his own way unaided through the several
institutions of  learning in which his education was obtained. In
1880 Dr. Leighton matriculated in the University of Michigan at
Ann Arbor and was graduated there in 1885, having taken a
literary and law course and then a complete course in medicine,
to which his choice turned while in college. While at Ann Arbor
he earned his way through college by acting during vacations as
traveling representative for a publishing house. This concern
offered a handsome gold watch as a special prize, and the Doctor,
who won the watch, still carries it today. The results of his
first year's medical examination at Ann Arbor (the same being
competitive) were so excellent that he was placed in charge of
the first ward of an Ann Arbor hospital. From his first
introduction to Minerva he was known as a splendid student. His
earlier education was received in the public schools of Kent's
Hill and at Bucksport's Seminary, and after finishing in the
public schools he attended and was graduated from the Maine
Central Institute at Pittsfield. Subsequent to that he took a
four years' preparatory course at Westbrook Seminary, whence he
went to Ann Arbor. This self acquired education will thus be seen
to have been of the most thorough and varied character.

Dr. Leighton's brilliant career out of the immediate field of his
profession has been referred to in a preceding paragraph. He was
elected to the Tenth Montana legislative assembly in the fall of
1896 and served two years, well representing the cause of his
constituents. His professional duties were such as to make it
expedient for him to refuse renomination, bu tin 1910 the
nomination for state senator was forced upon him and he was
elected for a term of four years, being the present incumbent of
the office. A circumstance of which the Doctor is justly proud is
the fact that not withstanding Jefferson County's being
overwhelmingly Democratic he was elected on the Republican
ticket, the affair being a great personal victory. He holds the
pleasant position of pioneer Republican state senator from
Jefferson County, Montana. At the present time he is acting as
president pro tem of the senate. He was acting governor of the
state from November 25, to December 2, 1912. His personal
integrity and fine capacity for public usefulness are generally
recognized and he everywhere enjoys trust and confidence, having
conducted all his transactions according to the strictest
principles of honor.

Dr. Leighton enjoys a number of fraternal affiliations, being
prominent in Masonry and in his own life exemplifying those
ideals of moral and social justice and brotherly love for which
the order stands. For ten years he has been treasurer of the
Masonic lodge. He is also affiliated with the Benevolent and
Protective Order of Elks. He is a communicant of the Episcopal
church.

Dr. Leighton took a western girl for his bride, being married in
Boulder, December 9, 1886, to Miss Cora Mae Hartell, of Kansas
City, Missouri, a daughter of Jacob and Susan Hartell. Dr. and
Mrs. Leighton hare their charming home with one daughter -
Katherine - aged thirteen. They enjoy a secure position in the
best social life of the city and their circle of friends is
con-incident with that of their acquaintances. Mrs. Leighton's
mother died at the comparatively early age of forty, Mrs.
Leighton being an infant at the time of that lamentable event.
Her father died at the age of sixty, and both of these worthy
people are interred at Independence, Missouri.
Dr. Leighton is exceedingly fond of reading good books, his taste
in literature being of the highest character. He would be an out
of doors man did he have leisure, but he is one of the busiest of
men, his duties, professional and legislative, giving him time
for no other considerations. Boulder has been indeed fortunate in
acquiring him, for he has successfully achieved that highest
vantage point of good and public spirited citizenship.