William E. Bancroft
History of Montana, 1898
US GENweb Montana Archives

William E. Bancroft, a veteran of the civil war, and now Commander 
of the Frederick Winthrop Post, G.A. R. Missoula, dates his arrival 
in Montana in 1867.  Of his life we make record as follows:

William E. Bancroft was born in Hartford Connecticut, December 9, 
1838.  His father, James M. Bancroft, a native of Massachusetts, 
was born in 1812, his mother whose maiden name was Catherine 
Chapplin, was born in Westfield, Massachusetts, In 1839 his 
parents removed to New Hampshire, where the father spent the 
greater part of his life.  He lived to be sixty-two years of 
age.  By occupation he was a farmer and blacksmith.  His first 
wife, the mother of William E., had three children, her death 
occurring when our subject was three years old.  By his second 
wife Mr. Bancroft had four children.

William E. Bancroft was reared in New Hampshire, and had 
attained his twenty-second year when the civil War burst 
upon the country.  April 22, 1861 in response to President 
Lincoln's call for volunteers, he enlisted in the First New 
Hampshire Volunteer Infantry; May 22, he enlisted in Company 
F., Second New Hampshire Volunteer Infantry.  In his regiment 
he was promoted as Sergeant and served in it until April 27, 
1864 at which time he was commissioned Second Lt. of the First 
U.S. Volunteer Infantry.  In July of that year he was promoted 
to 1st Lt. and in this office he served until the close of the 
war, his discharge being at Leavenworth Kansas, November 25, 
1865.  He participated in both battles of Bull Run, the 
battles of Fair Oaks, Malvern Hill, Williamsburg, Gettysburg 
and many minor engagements.  In the second fight at Bull Run 
he was wounded in the neck, and from the effect of the injury 
thus sustained he was in the hospital at Washington five months.

The war over, Mr. Bancroft returned to his home in New Hampshire, 
and the following spring came west as far as Atchison Kansas 
where he remained until July 1866.  He then started across the 
plains with a mule outfit.  While on the plains he and his 
party had all their mules stolen by the Indians.  With the aid 
of Government mules they continued their way to Ft. Beaufort, 
where they purchased cattle and in that way completed their 
journey to Salt Lake City.  At the latter place they spent the 
winter of 1866 and 1867 and in the spring they came on to 
Helena, arriving here in July.  Mr. Bancroft mined at Canyon 
Creek and on the Missouri River until December 1869, but did 
not meet with flattering success and from there came to Cedar 
Creek in Missoula County.  Upon his arrival he and his two 
companions had only a dollar in money and their provisions 
were nearly exhausted.  It was with difficulty that they got 
through the winter.  In March they secured a contract to build 
a log cabin for a Frenchman and while they were at work Mr. 
Bancroft became snow blind and it was a month before he 
regained his sight.  While he was recovering, one of the 
other men got sick, so the two came together to Missoula 
where they could be more comfortable.  During their absence, 
the third man, while still working away on the house, fell 
from one of the logs and broke his leg.  The partnership was 
thus dissolved.  When Mr. Bancroft was able, he worked for 
wages.  For a time he was employed on a farm which then 
included the lots he now owns and the ground where the 
courthouse stands.  There were only a few houses in the 
town then.  After working out by the month for a few years, 
he engaged in the livery business where the Florence Hotel 
now stands, and there he did a successful business until 
the railroad was built.  He was also for some time interested 
in a sawmill on Rattlesnake River.  In 1886 he purchased a 
wood saw outfit, with steam power, the first outfit of its 
kind in Missoula, and with this business he has continued up 
to the present time, sawing the greater part of the wood 
used in the city.  He built the residence he owns and 
occupies and besides this owns several pieces of property 
in Missoula.

During his residence in Missoula, Mr. Bancroft has met all his 
obligations honorably.  He has always been a straight out and 
out Democrat, has served his party well, and has been its choice 
for Assessor and Marshall of the city.

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