Winthrop Raymond History of Montana,by Joaquin Miller, 1894 May be copied for non-profit purposes.USGENWEB Montana Archives Winthrop Raymond landed in Montana in 1865 and has since been identified with its interests. As one of the representative stockmen of the Ruby Valley and as the founder of the town of Sheridan, he is entitled to more than a passing notice of his work. Winthrop Raymond was born in Cincinnati Ohio October 22, 1848. Of his ancestors be it recorded that some of them camefrom England to America in 1632 and settled in Connecticut on a grant of land they had received from the Crown. They were prominent in the early history of the country, among them being successful farmers and eminent lawyers and doctors.Grandfather Christopher Raymond married Rachel Hillhouse, she too being a descendant of a Connecticut family. She died in the sixty-sixth year of her age and he lived to be seventy-three. There were thirteen children in the family.Their son Daniel Fitch Raymond was born September 12,1786. By his first wife, nee Sara Amos, he had two children and by his second wife whose maiden name was Deliah Mattock, he had six children. Four of the latter are still living and three of them are prominent citizens of Montana. Daniel Fitch Raymond died in Cincinnati Ohio June 1849 leaving a widowwho at this writing is in her eighty-first year. Daniel was a lawyer and gained eminence at the bar.Winthrop Raymond is the youngest in the family. His early life was spent in Missouri, then in 1865 in his sixteenth year he crossed the plains with his mother, brother William H and sister making the journey at the same time. They had two yoke of oxen, a yoke of cows and a span of horses. The oxen pulled the wagon on which they brought their provisions and the horses were attached to a light wagon which the mother and sister rode. They were nine months making the journey. Some of the trip was very enjoyable and at other times it was attended with great danger and often troublesome. On part of the journey they traveled ninety miles without water and during this time some of themembers of the train as well as some of their cattle died.It on was the 7th of September 1865 that they landed safely in Virginia City. There, the brothers opened a wholesale grocery house and conducted it successfully for a number of years. Later they engaged in banking under the first nameof Raymond, Harrington and Company and they had the honor of being the first bankers of the town. The banking businessthey sold to Mr. Hall and it is now known as the Hall-Bennett Bank. They also owned Bellmont Park, were engaged in importing and breeding blooded horses and were thus prominent factors in this line and to them is due the credit of having been the importers and owners of several of the finest trotters in Montana. After being engaged in this business for a number of years, the subject of our sketch sold his interest in it to his brother, who still carries it on successfully.In 1889 Mr. Raymond came to his present place in the Ruby Valley. Here he became the owner of 1,080 acres of choice land. The party who had formerly owned it had in 1885 platted a part of the town of Sheridan and since then Mr. Raymond has platted, improved and sold lots. He still owns a large portion of the town and rents a number of buildings which he has erected. On his ranch he raises hay and stock horses and cattle. He also loans considerablemoney in a private way.February 28, 1876 Mr. Raymond married Miss Hannah E. Bateman who was born near Detroit Michigan. Mr. and Mrs. Raymond have three children, all natives of Virginia City, their names being Carrie Bell, Daniel Walcott and Deliah Ellen. USGenWeb Project NOTICE: In keeping with our policy of providing free information on the internet, data may be used by non-commercial entities, as long as this message remains on all copied material. These electronic pages may not be reproduced in any format forprofit, nor for commercial presentation by any other organization. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material for purposes other than as stated above, must obtain express writtenpermission from the author, or the submitter and from the listed USGenWeb Project archivist.