Henry J. Blume
History of Montana, by Joaquim Miller, 1894 
  
  
Henry J. Blume, who is ranked with the enterprising and 
successful men of Butte City, Montana, is eminently a self 
made man. 

He was born in Toledo, Ohio, March 25, 1856, and from his third 
year was reared in Chicago, Illinois. When he was ten years 
old he began earning his own living by doing such work as he 
could in a brick yard. Later he obtained employment in the 
office of the Northwestern Christian Advocate. In the meantime 
he attended school whenever he could. He attended a German 
school three years and also took a course in a business college--
all before he was sixteen. After that he learned the heating 
and ventilating business and in 1877 came to the Territory of 
Montana to get a business start. Three hundred and fifty miles 
of the journey hither he made on foot, was sick a portion 
of the way and it was under the greatest difficulty that he 
reached his destination. 

In Helena Mr. Blume obtained employment with the firm of 
Clark, Connard & Curtain. Subsequently he worked at 
McClellan Gulch in the placer mines of his uncle, Harmon 
Blume. In the spring of 1878 he came to Butte City 
and two years following he was in the employ of Kinna & 
Jack. Then he spent one year in freighting between Dillon 
and Butte City. In 1881 when the Butte Hardware Company was 
organized he became one of its stockholders and 
took charge of its tinning, plumbing and heating department. 
In this position he continued until 1884. That 
year he invested all he had saved at Coeur d'Alene; but 
the effort that was put forth to boom that place proved 
a failure and he not only lost all his savings but also 
soon found himself $3000 in debt. That same year he came
back to Butte City and with nothing save his good name 
and his energy he established himself in business, at 
first in a very small way. Soon he began to prosper and 
from the little shed he at first occupied he removed to 
a better room, 32 West Park Street, where he had eight 
feet front and where he continued for two years, having 
all the work he could do. At the end of that time, his 
business had outgrown his quarters and another move was 
necessary, which was to 19 West Park Street, where his 
room was 15 x 40 feet. This sufficed for a year and then 
he moved into No. 20 West Park Street which was 14 x 100 
feet, and from which three years later, he came to 
his present location, No. 78 West Park. Here he occupies 
two floors, each 20 x 100 feet, which are well stocked 
with stoves of all descriptions and with shelf hardware, 
stoves, however being a speciality. He does a large 
heating and plumbing business, and also handles bicycles. 
He has the right of manufacture and sale of the Champion
roaster for the states of Montana and Washington and 
receives large orders for this article from various points 
of both states. His business in stoves is both wholesale and 
retail. While his establishment has had a marvelous 
growth and while he now employs a number of men in its various 
departments, he himself has not forgotten how to 
work but gives his personal supervision to its every detial 
and is found at his place of business every day from 
early morning till late at night. 

Although Mr. Blume has from time to time enlarged and extended 
his hardware business, he hasby no means kept all 
his money in it, but has made some valuable investments 
in mines and other property. He has invested n no less 
than fourteen mining lcaims, has been the owner of several 
fruit orchards and land in San Luis Obispo County, 
California and has also built a nice residence in Butte City. 

Mr. Blume was married in 1881 and has one son, George H. 
who is now being educated in the Montana University 
at Helena. 

For many years Mr. Blume has been identified with the 
Methodist Episcopal Church. He aided in the building 
of the Mountain View Church, has served as Trustee of the 
Church and for many years has been an active Sunday 
School Superintendent. His political views are those 
advocated by the Republican party. 

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