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

Edmond Lachapelle, as his name indicates, is of French 
ancestry. His people were early settlers of Canada. His 
father,Nelson Lachapelle, was born near the city of 
Montreal, and spent his whole life on the farm on which 
he was born, this farm having long since become a part 
of that great city. He lived to be eighty years of age, 
and his widow still survives, being now in her seventy-
seventh year. They had a family of nine children, six 
of whom are still living, Edmond being the youngest 
child.Edmond Lachapelle was born at Montreal, October 
15, 1840. He remained on the farm with his parents 
until he reached manhood and for five years was 
engaged in farming on his own account in Canada. 
He was married there in 1864 to Miss Mary Chonet, 
also a native of Canada and of French ancestry. 
Three children were born to them in Canada-Edmond,
Hennick and Harter.Believing that there were better 
opportunities for a man to attain success in the 
United States than in his native land, Mr. Lachapelle 
came to Montana, making the journey alone in order 
to prospect and see the country before bringing his 
family hither. He came up the Missouri River, went 
to Holmes Gulch, near Helena and engaged in placer 
mining. Here he met with fair success. He and three 
others in a single day got out no less than $250 in 
the mines. In 1875 having accumulated a nice little 
sum, he returned for his family, sold his property 
in Canada and came back with his wifeand children 
to Montana, this time making the journey by rail. 
He continued his mining operations until 1878 when 
the mines gave out. About this time he met with a 
good opportunity to invest in a farm which he did, 
purchasing 160 acres of land, with improvements 
and stock including cows and horses for the sum of 
$2800 in cash. To this property he moved and on it 
he has since been engaged in the dairy business. 
At present he milks forty-five cows and find a 
ready market for his milk and cream in Helena, 
the city being only four miles distant from his 
ranch. Prosperity has attended his efforts here. 
He has built a good brick residence on his farm 
and has from time to time purchased additional 
farms until he now has 1500 acres in the Flat Creek 
country on which there are no less than 6,000 sheep. 
His two eldest sons have charge of the sheep business. 
Four other sons have been born to them in Montana--
Levi, Obert, Docty and Joseph. Their home is within 
a short distance of the Montana University and the 
sons are attending this institution. The farm for 
which he paid $2800 is now worth $10,000, the growth 
of Helena having largely enhanced the value of 
property adjacent to the city.

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