William Dyer
History of the State of Montana, by Joaquim Miller, 1894 
  
Hon. William Dyer, one of Montana's most successful operators, 
dates his birth from St. Austell, Cornwall County, England, 
February 28, 1853. His ancestry were of pure old English 
stock, long settled in that part of the country. Young 
Dyer grew up under parental care, and had the advantage 
of an English training, and when twenty years of age, in 
1873, emigrated to the United States. 

It was but natural a Cornwall man should seek employment 
as a miner after landing in this country; so we find the 
young Englishman, first engaged in the iron mines of New 
Jersey; and as, when a young man of muscle and energy 
leaves parents and native land to carve out his fortune 
in a new country, he is not satisfied with less than 
the best opportunities that country can afford, after 
three years spent in the iron mines of New Jersey, 
young Dyer, then twenty three years of age, turned 
his face toward the rich mining regions of the West. 
He first stopped around Central City, Colorado, and 
there engaged in mining, contracting and kindred 
occupations suited to his skill and experience. 
After two years spent in Colorado, Dyer pushed 
forward to the richer fields of Montana, arriving 
at Butte about the 1st of March 1878. For a number 
of years he worked for wages around Butte as a miner 
in various capacities. His skill and experience 
enabled him to command a good salary, and he was 
saving and careful of his earnings, which were 
judiciously invested in Butte City property, the 
rapid advance in which proved the soundness 
of his judgement. 

In September 1884, after an absence of more than 
ten years, Dyer paid a visit to his old home in 
England. One year was there spent in renewing 
old acquaintanceship and revisiting the scenes 
of his early youth; he returned to Montana and 
again reassumed his former occupation in Butte. 

Whilst Mr. Dyer's skill and experience as a miner 
enabled him to comand high wages, he was still to 
lose all prospects of becoming a mine owner himself, 
so as early as 1879 having made the acquaintance of 
Michael Connors, a prospector in whose judgement he 
had confidence, he entered into the usual 
"grub-stake" arrangement with him; Dyer furnished 
the means and Connor prospected on joint account. 
To show how much pluck and perseverance are 
necessary for success, even in the rich mining 
regions around Butte, it may be stated that 
this arrangment was continued right along for a 
period of seven years. In 1886 they discovered 
and located the now famous Ontario mine. 

Dyer's experience as an expert miner, now served 
him to good purpose. A proposition was made by his 
partner, Connors, to give or take $60,000 for the 
half interest. It was a big price for a partially 
developed mine, but Dyer accepted this proposition 
and gave his partner Connors, his notes for the 
amount and shipped ore enough from this mine to 
meet his payments at maturity. The first car-load 
or ore shipped from this mine netted $1,566 
at the United States sampling works in Helena. Mr. 
Dyer continued to work the Ontario mine on individual 
accounts until about one year ago, realizing about 
$117,000 net profits on ore shipments up to that date. 

Having other mining properties adjoining, he then 
concluded it best to incorporate a company to develop 
and work the whole property on a large scale, and 
with the best and most improved machinery. This 
resulted in the organization, January 3, 1893 of 
the Ontario Mining Company with Mr. Dyer as 
president and principal stockholder. 

The company was stocked at $300,000 and is probably 
the only mining venture in Montana the stock of 
which commanded par from its organization and 
before the company had taken out a pound of ore. 
Mr. Dyer's associates in the Ontario Company are: 
Judge Cornelius Hedges, vice president; Hon. A.C. 
Logan; C. A. Southmayd, secretary and treasurer 
and William Joob, superintendent. 

Born and reared in Cornwall, and having followed 
mining all his life, Mr. Dyer is essentially a 
miner; still it must not be inferred that he is 
a one-ideaded or narrow-minded man. He has given 
the politics and welfare of his adopted country, 
careful thought and has ever been an earnest and 
consistent advocate of the tenants of the 
Republican party and in favor of protection 
for the American laborer. In 1889 when Montana 
was preparing to assume statehood and her 
citizens with no partisan bias, were seeking 
the best-minded and cleverest heads in the 
Territory to meet and frame her state constitution, 
Mr. Dyer was chosen as one of the delegates, and 
his work with that of his associates met with the 
unqualified endorsements of his fellow citizens. 

Mr. Dyer is also prominent in Free Masonry and Odd 
Fellowship and has taken the highest degrees in 
these orders. 

A sketch, such as this, is intended merely to present 
the facts in a plain and simple manner, of the successful
career of one, who unaided and by his own skill and 
industry has raised himself from poverty and obscurity 
to a position of influence and independent wealth. 

There is one incident, however, connected with Mr. 
Dyer's life that might well be treated by the pen of 
the writer of romance. In 1873, whilst an emigrant 
and when only twenty years of age, he met, won and 
married at Plymouth England, Amelia Ann Skelly, a 
native of Cornwood, Devonshire England, who like 
himself was embarking to test an unknown fortune 
in America. They together from the elevated 
position of affluence and influence towhich 
they have so honorably and worthily attained 
can look back with satisifaction over, their 
lives, then united. 

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 
written permission from the author, or the submitter and from 
the listed USGenWeb Project archivist.