Silverbow County MT Archives Obituaries.....Orton, Walter Scott October 27, 1929
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Montana Standard, October 28, 1929
“State Pioneer Passes
[Portrait with the following caption: Walter S. Orton.  But one day before he 
would have celebrated his sixtieth birthday, Walter S. Orton, pioneer of Butte 
and Montana, died at his home at 217 North Clark street, yesterday.]

Walter S[cott] Orton Dies Short Time Before Birthday
Long Illness Fatal to Butte and State Pioneer; Would Have Been 60 Today.

Coming but a few hours before he would have celebrated the sixtieth anniversary 
of his birth, death yesterday closed the career of one of Butte’s most 
prominent citizens and one of Montana’s most widely known pioneers.  Friends 
today are mourning the death of Walter S. Orton.

Born in Virginia City on Oct. 28, 1869, Mr. Orton had spent his life in the 
state of his birth and for the major part of that life, had lived in Butte.  A 
son of Montana pioneers, Mr. and Mrs. J[ames] C[hristopher] Orton, he lived to 
see the time when he himself was classed among that group of men and women who 
have made history for the state.  Preceded by seven months of ill health, Mr. 
Orton died yesterday afternoon [October 27] at his home, 217 North Clark street.

Came Here at Nine.

Coming to Butte with his parents at the age of nine, Mr. Orton, until 15 years 
ago when he retired, was associated with his brothers in the Orton Brothers 
Music company of which he was one of the founders.  He was widely known 
throughout the state and news of his death was received with deep regret by 
hundreds of friends and associates.  He was also a member of the Butte lodge 
No. 22, A. F. & A. M.

Walter Orton was one of five brothers who constituted one of Butte’s first 
orchestras and brass bands.  This famous aggregation was made up exclusively of 
the family and tutored by their father.  It furnished music in the ‘80’s 
and ‘90’s for Butte’s social affairs and celebrations and operated as a regular 
orchestra for a dancing and roller skating pavilion at the corner of Alaska and 
West Granite street, later the site of the famous Langlois barn.  Fred[erick 
Lloyd Orton] was the first of the quintet to pass away, several years ago.  Al
[fred Wallace Orton], who operated a music store in Bozeman, died a few years 
ago.

Until his health began to fail, Walter Orton was a consistent devotee of 
outdoor life and as a fisherman had few rivals.  He scarcely missed a week-end 
that he did not go to some neighboring stream with rod or gun and he was a 
constant visitor in the vicinity of Ennis and the territory around Virginia 
City, the scenes of his youth.

An accomplished musician and a master of many instruments, he knew both the 
practice and theory of instrumental harmony and was a patron of higher quality 
musical recitals which he rarely failed to attend.  In earlier days, piano 
tuning was included in his work and up to a few years ago, long after he had 
retired, some of the pioneer families still demanded his services to tune their 
pianos.

Though of a reserved disposition he enjoyed the association of old-time friends 
and cronies and during the meetings of the Montana Pioneers he was always on 
hand renewing acquaintances and helping to entertain the visitors.

Surviving relatives are his widow, Mrs. Charlotte Orton, formerly Miss 
Charlotte Leipheimer; two brothers, William C. Orton of Butte and James M. 
Orton of Los Angeles; three nephews, Fred Orton of Helena, William C. Orton Jr. 
of Billings and Wallace A. Orton of Bozeman; four nieces, Mrs. L. R. Mann of 
Butte, Mrs. Pearl Smith of Bozeman, Mrs. Viola Williams of San Francisco, and 
Miss Orton of Los Angeles.

The body is at the Sherman & Reed chapel but will be taken to the home this 
afternoon pending funeral arrangements.” END

Additional Comments:
Montana Standard (Butte, Montana).  October 28, 1929 (Monday).



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