Walter M. Bickford


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

Walter M. Bickford, Missoula, was born at Newburg, Maine, 
February 25, 1852. He attended the common 
school of his native village and afterward the Bucksport 
Seminary and the Maine Central Institute at 
Pittsfield Maine. He went to Pennsylvania and studied law 
under Colonel George H. Bemus at Petrolia, 
being admitted to the bar at Butler Pa. in 1878. In 1880 Mr. 
Bickford went west locating in Robinson, 
Colorado, where he successfully practiced his profession. 
Here he was elected City Attorney serving his 
city in this capacity nearly four years. In 1884 he moved 
to Montana locating at Missoula where he now resides.

Mr. Bickford has forged his way rapidly to the front in 
Montana and is today one of the best known men in the 
state. Besides winning laurels at the bar, he has made 
good ventures in real estate and mining and has been 
quite successful in these operations. In 1888, he was 
elected to the Territorial Council from Missoula County, 
serving with distinction in that body and receiving the 
recognition as the leader of the Democratic faction. 
He also served his county in the constitutional convention 
of 1890 and the same year received the Democratic 
nomination for Associate Justice of the Supreme Bench of 
the state suffering defeat with the rest of his ticket.
In 1892 he was appointed Commissioner of the World's 
Columbian Exposition for Montana and ably discharged the 
duties pertaining to this office, rendering excellent 
service for the state in this trying capacity.

Mr. Bickford was married in 1878 at Jamestown New York 
to Emma S. Woodford, a grandniece of President Filimore.
From this union there has been one daughter.

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