Edmond Hamel

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

Edmond Hamel, deceased, one of the representative early 
settlers of Montana and one of the late proprietors of the 
Western Hotel, was born in Canada West, January 19, 1840 
and is of French descent. His ancestors located in Canada 
in an early day where the father of our subject, Francis 
Hamel was born. He married Delarde Perron and they had 
eight children, seven of whom are living. The mother died 
at the age of thirty eight years; and the father now 
resides with Mr. Hamel, has reached the age of eighty-two 
years. Edward Hamel was reared to manhood in his native 
country, where he learned the blacksmith's trade. From 
1856 to 1859 he worked at his trade in Burlington, Vermont 
and then went to San Francisco and next to Calaveras County 
where he was engaged in repairing miner's tools. After 
two years spent at that occupation he went to Virginia City 
Nevada and was the discoverer of the Austin Mine from 
which he afterward took out many thousand dollars, he 
finally sold the property for $10,000. Next he spent a year 
and a half in Canada then came up the Missouri River to 
Fort Benton, Montana worked at his trade six months in 
Helena and then went to Deer Lodge, later to Alder Gulch 
and in 1869 came to Frenchtown. In company with Theodore 
Bedard, he opened a shop in this city; but as soon as gold 
was discovered at Cedar Creek he went to that place, 
where he mined with his usual success. In 1870 he came 
again to Frenchtown and engaged with his former partner 
in the stock business, in which they continued until Mr. 
Hamel's death which occurred June 23, 1894 from pneumonia. 

Although he suffered much he never complained. He received 
the last rites of the Catholic Church. He and Mr. Bedard 
invested in farm land until they owned together 3,000 acres 
and were also owners of the gristmill and hotel in 
Frenchtown. In 1887 they came into possession of a flock 
of sheep and continued in the business of sheep raising 
giving one share to J. Joiner of Dupuyer, Choteau County.

Mr. Hamel was married March 8, 1883 to Melvina Bergearon, 
of French extraction and they have five children--Alberto,
Evon, Florence, Edmond and a babe yet unnamed.

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