Meredity S. Fifer

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

Meredith S. Fifer of Butte City came to Montana in 1865 and 
has seen the wonderful changes in growth and development 
that have taken place since his advent to this region.
Mr. Fifter was born in the State of Missouri, January 12, 
1844. His ancestors came from Germany and settled in 
Pennsylvania, where his grandfather John Fifer was 
born. He served his country in the war of 1812. He 
married Miss Trump and had six children, was a farmer 
and lived to be eighty-seven years old; his wife died 
at the age of seventy-eight years. The son John Fifer, 
was born in Virginia, in 1812, was married in Ohio to 
Miss Zelda Jane 
Smith and moved to Missouri in 1838, where he was a 
farmer. In 1850 he made a trip across the plains to 
California where he remained three years. Returning 
to his home he remained there until 1859 and again 
crossed the plains to the Golden State. Both times 
he made some money but the second time he returned 
with only about $600.

He remained in Missouri until 1865 and still having a 
desire to find gold, he came to Montana, bringing with 
him his family, then consisting of his wife and 
six children, and making the journey with horse teams. 
He purchased a farm of 480 acres of land in Deer Lodge 
Valley, twelve miles from Deer Lodge, where he has 
since resided meeting 
with fair success in his undertakings.

His son, Meridith S., the third born in the family was 
sent to private schools and afterward to the public 
schools after they were established. February 19, 
1864 he was married to Miss Mary L. Dean, a native 
of the state of Virginia and a daughter of George W. 
Dean, a cousin of Henry Clay Dean and a descendant of 
one of the old Virginia 
families. They came to Montana with his father, locating 
on a ranch of 160 acres of land in Deer Lodge Valley 
adjoining his fathers. After residing there five years 
he located 160 acres near Anaconda, lived there 
six years, leased his lands and came to Butte in 
1876. Here he engaged in teaming, making from $5 
to $10 a day. In 1877 he located a mine at Centerville, 
which he named Old Glory. After prospecting there in 
order to develop it he sold his interest in it for 
$1150. Next he following gold mining at Bear Gulch in 
Deer Lodge County, located leads and built a one-stamp 
mill with a five ton capacity. This mine he still owns 
and he has prospected since then. 

He has built a good brick residence in Butte, on the 
south side of Dakota Street which he now occupies and 
he also has another residence in the city.

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