Page 31 - Nov 2020 JOA

Granville Stuart:

z American Avenger

by Mike Burns, social media specialist
for Rock Island Auction Company

t’s a cold night on the Montana plains as a In 1852, Granville and his brother James
small but intimidating group of men weathered the harsh conditions of the Oregon
Iconverge upon a dilapidated building Trail all the way to California where they
nestled near a quaint forest. While the barn looked to make their fortunes. Wild animals,
appears empty, the sober disdain on each of Native American raids, confrontations with
the men’s faces indicates otherwise. In an other pioneers, and dysentery were all not
instant, the night sky is suddenly illuminated only violently rampant along the notorious
by the flashes of gunfire as the structure is torn Oregon Trail, but predictably routine as well.
to shreds, obliterated by rainfall of bullets
ripping through the wooden slats. As the shots
die down, their sounds echoing and reverber- Finding little success prospecting for gold in
ating for miles, the men knew the job was Sacramento, Granville and James ventured
done. A lean man gallantly ventures forward elsewhere in California before ultimately
from the group, rifle in hand, to assess the deciding to return home to the Midwest.
work. As he peeks his head into the seemingly Granville fell seriously ill at the start of
empty barn, Granville Stuart cracks a smile at the journey and, unable to complete the
the near dozen cattle and horse thieves lying remainder of the trip before winter, he and his
motionless before him. His town was safe brother became stranded west of the Rocky
once again. But for how long? Mountains. With the Mormon War taking
place to their south, and increasingly harsh
QMr. Montana conditions stalking their every footstep, the
brothers knew they needed to leave quickly.
Granville Stuart, also known as “Mr. Few options left, Granville and James traveled
Montana,” was an American businessman, across the Monida Pass in 1857 and arrived in
gunsmith, author, rancher, politician, what would later become the Montana
prospector, historian, renowned self-biogra- Territory. Granville would spend the rest of
pher, and vigilante leader during the late 19th his life here.
century. Besides successfully introducing the The Stuarts began purchasing and trading
territory to cattle ranching, Granville Stuart tired or unhealthy cows and oxen from
also led a group of avengers, famed for their travelers throughout the winter, rehabilitating
merciless capture of livestock thieves, known the animals, and then reselling them the
as “Stuart Stranglers.” Stuart’s political following summer; a common practice picked
ambitions took him around the world. up along the Oregon Trail. With rumors of
Because of his dedication to Montana, he small amounts of gold being discovered to
was inducted into the Montana Cowboy Hall their north, Granville and James used their
of Fame in 2008. Granville Stuart was consid- profits to explore the area in 1858. The two
ered a hero of the frontier, and an active are widely credited with making the first
firearms tinkerer and enthusiast who amassed major gold strike in Montana, an event that
a beautiful collection of some of the rarest permanently relocated them at the mouth of
and powerful weapons available during the aptly named “Gold Creek.” An ideal
his lifetime. location because of its close proximity to
Granville Stuart traveled frequently with First sluicing for gold in Montana, James and urban areas of commerce along with additional
his family around the American West in search Granville Stuart in the Big Hole Country in the spring protection provided by nearby Fort Benton,
of gold throughout much of his adolescence. of 1858; Oil on panel by Olaf Carl Seltzer Gold Creek paved the way for much larger

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