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

J. Fred Loeber, the pioneer butcher and meat-market man of 
Butte City, is a native of Germany, born in 1840. His 
father was a farmer and dealer in horses.Mr. Loeber was 
brought up and educated in his native land and learned 
his trade there. In his twenty-second year he came to America, 
first stopping at Frankfort, Nebraska and forming a 
partnership there; but the crops were destroyed by 
grasshoppers and he removed to Sioux city, Iowa and 
obtained employment in the War Eagle House. April 27, 
1865 he enlisted in the Omaha Volunteers, under Colonel 
James Sawyer and served on the plains keeping the Indians 
straight and making a road across the country from Sioux 
City, Iowa to Virginia City Montana. On arriving at the 
latter place his company was disbanded and he went to the 
Blackfoot country and engaged in driving the stage to Deer 
Lodge and return for about seven months. Next he obtained 
a position in a meat-market at Blackfoot which he filled 
for eighteen months. Then, going to Deer Lodge, he was 
employed in driving cattle from Deer Lodge Valley to Deer 
Lodge, Blackfoot, Pioneer and Helena. At Pioneer, in the 
spring of 1869 he engaged in butchering, in partnership 
with Conrad Kohrs, and continued in this business for 
four years. Next he engaged in placer mining at Yam Hill 
and then in quartz mining at the Bismarck Hill, sixteen 
miles from Helena, for three years but without success 
and left there broke.Coming then to Butte City he 
engaged in his trade of butchering and in dealing in 
live stock. Prosperity came to him and he continued 
in the business until 1882 at which time he retired.
In 1876 he built the Butte meat-market, in 1877 the 
California Brewery, and since then the Loeber block 
on East Granite Street and for himself a good residence. 
He has also two silver and coppery mines in the Fourth-
of-July district--the Four Johns and the King Solomon. 
Since 1882 he has been retired from active business.In 
1887 he became a member of the Territorial Militia and 
was Captain of Company F. When the regiment was 
organized he was elected its Quartermaster in which 
office he has served up to the present time. He has 
also been president of the Liderkranz, a German 
singing society in Butte and in 1886 he organized 
an expedition for them to the National Park. About 
thirty individuals comprised the expedition which 
was under his direct management and supervision; 
they were absent about five weeks, enjoying a good 
time. Dr. W. H. Dudley accompanied the expedition 
as its physician and after their return he edited 
and Mr. Loeber published in book form an account of 
their trip. It is entitled "The National Park from 
the Hurricane Deck of a Cayuse," is dedicated to 
the members of the Liederkranz and is a very 
interesting book. The publication of this little book 
is one of the evidences of the liberal and public 
spirit possessed by Mr. Loeber. June 18, 1882 he 
married Elizabeth Otto.

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