Martin Barrett

1840 - 1927  (87 years)

• Name	Martin Barrett
  Born	2 Feb 1840	, Mayo County, Ireland
  Gender	Male
  Interesting	story, pioneer
  Residence	1847	Hespeler (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada
  Eby ID Number	Waterloo-168575
  Died	13 Aug 1927	Dillon, Beaverhead, Montana, United States
  Person ID	I168575	Generations
  Last Modified	3 Mar 2025

  
  

  Father	Thomas Barrett,   b. Abt 1800,   d. Bef 1847, , Mayo County, Ireland  (Age ~ 46 years)
  Mother	Nancy McDonald,   b. Between 1810 and 1811, , Ireland ,   d. Yes, date unknown
  Family ID	F48803	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

• Photos

  Martin Barrett

  
  

• Notes

  BARRETT, MARTIN A former resident of Hespeler, in Dillon, Montana, on Saturday, August 13, 1927. The following is from the Anaconda Standard of Aug. 14th: One of Montana's true pioneers and a resident of Beaverhead County since 1863, at his home in this city at 7: 30 last night. Though her had been in failing health for several years, his death was rather sudden and came as a profound shock to the community. Mr. Barrett was one of Beaverdale County's most highly esteemed citizens. He was the donor of the Barrett hospital, his gift of $100,000 having made the construction of that splendid institution possible and during a lifetime in the county, had been a leading factor in its affairs. He served as representative from this county in the territorial legislature from 1879 to 1885. It was in the early part of July 1863 that Mr. Barrett came to Beaverhead County and in partnership with Joseph Shineberger, located a stock ranch on Horse Prairie, one of the first ranches established in Montana. Later the partnership dissolved by mutual consent and Mr. Barrett became sole owner of the ranch. He developed it into one of the finest ranches in the state. Born in County Mayo, Ireland on Feb. 2, 1840, Mr. Barrett emigrated with his mother in 1847 and they located near Hespeler, Ontario, Canada, where he received his early schooling. When 15 years of age, he entered upon an apprenticeship at the trade of tanner and currier and assisted his widowed mother in the support of the family until 19 years of age. In 1859, he started on his western journey, first locating at St. Joseph, MO. In 1860, he drove an ox team for a freighting outfit from Atchison to Salt Lake City and later returned with the outfit. The following year, Mr. Barrett drove in a one-horse wagon to Colorado, where he was engaged in mining, without success, during the summer. In 1862, he found employment in mines at Central City and Nevada City and in the fall of that year, returned to his home in Canada to pass the winter. Upon returning to St. Joseph the following spring, he formed the partnership with Mr. Shineberger and the two drove a mule team across the plains to Montana. They arrived on Horse Prairie on July 7, 1863. While Mr. Barrett conducted the ranch, Mr. Shineberger engaged in mining in Alder Gulch. Thus, the partnership was conducted until 1871. Mr. Barrett was elected to represent Beaverhead County in the territorial legislature on the Democratic ticket in 1879 and rendered the state remembered service during the six years that he was a member of the lawmaking body. In 1885, he performed a service that the Treasure State has never forgotten. The legislature was on the point of voting a subsidy for the Northern Pacific Railway and Mr. Barrett, along with five other legislators, left Helena and went to Fort Benton. Their absence made it impossible, through lack of a quorum, for the legislature to pass the proposed bill and upon their return they brought with them, W. G. Conrad, through whose influence the subsidy was defeated. In 1889, Mr. Barrett, along with other leading Beaverhead County pioneers, founded the State Bank of Dillon, now the State Bank and Trust Company, of which he was vice-president at the time of his death. He also had other extensive interest in Dillon and the county. In 1921, Mr. Barrett made known the fact that he intended to donate the sum of $100,000 for the building of a hospital in Dillon, thus increasing an endowment fund of $25,000 left by his former partner, Mr. Shineberger. Mrs. Margaret Roe also donated $50,000 and the beautiful Barrett Hospital was finished in 1923. It is one of the finest institutions of its kind in Montana. This is but a single instance of Mr. Barrett's generosity, for no public cause which promised to benefit community or county has ever lacked his support. In Mr. Barrett's passing, Dillon lost one of its most highly esteemed and respected citizens and the entire community feels and mourns his loss. Surviving are an adopted son, R. A. Barrett and two nephews, T. F. Barrett and Jack Barrett, both of Dillon. Mrs. Barrett died last fall. ___________________________ MARTIN BARRETT True soldiers of fortune were the valiant pioneers who came to the great west and laid the foundations of now opulent and populous commonwealths, and among the names of those enrolled as pioneers of Montana special reference may be consistently made to that of Mr. Barrett. He was one of the early settlers in Colorado, joining the rush of gold seekers to that section when it was known as Jefferson territory. He is now one of the prosperous and influential citizens of Beaverhead county and is a representative and extensive farmer and stock grower. Mr. Barrett comes of stanch old Irish lineage and is a native of the Emerald Isle, born in County Mayo, February 2, 1840, the son of Thomas and Nancy (McDonald) Barrett, the former a farmer by occupation, whose death occurred when Martin was about seven years of age. His widow immigrated to America in 1847, the year after the death of her husband, accompanied by her nine children, of whom Martin was the sixth in order of birth. They located near the village of Hespeler, at that time known as New Hope, in the Province of Ontario, Canada, and there our subject attended public schools, laying the foundation for that broad fund of information which has come to him from reading and application and through association with men of affairs in later years. He early began work on the farm, and when fifteen years of age entered upon an apprenticeship at the trade of tanner and currier, continuing to assist his widowed mother in the support of the family until he had attained the age of nineteen years, having devoted five years to acquiring his trade. He was a youth of ambitious spirit and was determined to make for himself a place in the world. Thus, in 1859, when he was nineteen years of age, we find the young man making his way to the west. He first located at St. Joseph, Mo., securing whatever work came to hand, and in i860 he drove an ox team in a freighting outfit from Atchison to Salt Lake City. He returned with the outfit and in the following year he drove with a one-horse wagon across the plains to Colorado, where he passed the summer, quartz mining in Gold-dust gulch. In 1862 he was employed in mines at Central City and Nevada City, and in the fall of that year returned to his home in Canada, where he passed the winter. In the spring of 1863 Mr. Barrett returned to St. Joseph and formed a partnership with Joseph Shineberger. They secured an outfit and drove their mule team across the plains to Montana, the train of which they formed a part having no trouble with the Indians. Our subject and his partner arrived on Horse prairie, Beaverhead county, on July 7, 1863, and turned their attention to stock raising. Mr. Shineberger went to Alder gulch, where he engaged in mining, while Mr. Barrett assumed the management of the ranch. By mutual consent this partnership was dissolved in 1871, Mr. Barrett becoming the sole owner, which now comprises about 4,500 acres, one of the most valuable estates in the country. Here he is extensively engaged in the raising of high-grade shorthorn cattle, his favorite type, and he usually runs about 2,000 head of stock on his ranch. The ranch is equipped with the best of improvements and facilities, including a commodious and attractive residence, modern in its appointments, and shows on every hand the distinctive evidences of the refinement and culture of those who there make their home, the best of literature and fine specimens of art production showing that Mr. and Mrs. Barrett thoroughly appreciate the ideal phases of life, while the hospitality of the home is unequivocal and most gracious. In addition to his stock interests Mr. Barrett secures large yields of hay from his ranch, much of the land being exceptionally fertile and prolific. He is one of the representative stockmen of the state, and is ever on the alert to forward the interests of this great industry, being at the present. time stock commissioner for Beaverhead county, in which position he has rendered most effective and timely service. His political allegiance is given to the Democratic party, as the candidate of which he was elected to represent his county in the territorial legislature, in 1879. In 1885, at the time when the legislature was practically on the point of voting a subsidy for the Northern Pacific Railroad. Mr. Barrett was one of six men who left Helena and went to Fort Benton, where they found Hon. W. G. Conrad, who they induced to return at once to Helena, and through his influence the subsidy bill was defeated and a great burden averted from the territory, which was soon to assume the dignity of statehood. Mr. Barrett has various capitalistic interests in the county and is one of the stockholders of the Dillon State Bank. His religious faith is that of the Roman Catholic church, of which Mrs. Barrett also is a communicant. They pass the winters either in California or Montana, returning for the summer season to their beautiful ranch home and to the invigorating climate of Montana. The ranch is located sixteen miles west of the village of Red Rock, the post office address of our subject. On August 6, 1867, Mr. Barrett was united in marriage with Miss Alice E. Cook, who was born in East Townsend, Huron county, Ohio, the daughter of Hiram and Mary (Vining) Cook, natives of the state of New York, whence they removed to Ohio about the year 1840. Seven years later they removed to Michigan, where they made their home until 1864, when they located in Missouri. 'In 1868 they came to Montana, and located in Boulder, where they passed the remainder of their lives. Mrs. Barrett's great-grandfather, in the paternal lines, was a soldier of the war of the Revolution; her grandfather bore arms in the war of 181 2; and her father was captain of Company H, Twenty-fifth Michigan Volunteer Infantry, in the war of the Rebellion. Mrs. Barrett came with her brother to Montana in 1867, and here her marriage to Mr. Barrett was solemnized. They have no children. Progressive Men of the State of Montana Volume Part 1

  
  

• Event Map

  Born - 2 Feb 1840 - , Mayo County, Ireland Residence - 1847 - Hespeler (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Died - 13 Aug 1927 - Dillon, Beaverhead, Montana, United States  = Link to Google Earth