John M. Bozeman - Unveiling of Monument Recalls Eventful Career of Montana’s Famous Trailblazer

(June 17, 1926)
The memory of another sturdy pioneer of Montana - a man who gave his life while engaged in an enterprise that contributed materially to the earlier development of Montana Territory - has been further glorified this week when a monument to John M. Bozeman was unveiled in Pioneer triangle at Livingston.

The monument to the great trailblazer, whose name already is secure in American history, as the founder of the Bozeman Trail and as the courageous frontiersman for whom the city of Bozeman was named, was erected by Charles Donnelly, president of the Northern Pacific railway, under the auspices of the Montana Society of Pioneers. It was placed at Livingston because of the city’s proximity to the place where Bozeman died.

Bozeman was killed by renegade Blackfeet Indians April 18, 1867, at a point 12 miles east of Livingston. A plot of ground at this place has been purchased by the Society of Pioneers, a curbing placed around it, and the exact spot marked to indicate where he fell victim of the redman’s treachery.

At the time Colonel Bozeman was killed, his comrades buried him 150 feet from the place where he was slain. Later on his body was moved to Bozeman and a stone erected by the late Nelson Story, Sr. Many who knew the trailblazer were present at the unveiling which was under the direction of a joint committee of members of Livingston’s Rotary club, Kiwanis club and chamber of commerce.

Governor is Chairman

Mayor John Fryer of Livingston, introduced Governor J. E. Erickson who was chairman of the program. Frank Brown, secretary of the Montana Society of Pioneers, delivered a eulogy to John Bozeman. Mrs. Beall, of Bozeman, a pioneer resident of Montana, unveiled the monument. Congressman Scott Leavitt spoke on “Perpetuating the Memory of Pioneers.” Dean A. L. Stone, head of the school of journalism at the Sate university and an active member of the Society of Pioneers, gave a eulogy to Montana pioneers.

Music for the program was furnished by Helena high school band, champions of the state. The band was on its return trip from Denver where it was featured at the international convention of Rotary clubs.
The monument is three feet, 10 inches square at the base and stands 10 feet, six inches in height. Its base is of granite and rests upon a concrete foundation while the upper structure is of white italian marble and the inscription of dedication is in gold.

The inscription reads:

To the memory of John M. Bozeman who was killed near Livingston by the Blackfeet Indians, April 18, 1867. Erected June 17, 1926, by Charles Donnelly, president of the Northern Pacific Railway, under the auspices of the Montana Society of Pioneers.

Two streets meet at the apex of Pioneer triangle in Livingston and form the main highway to Yellowstone national park. Because of its convenient placing, the monument will be viewed by thousands of tourists who visit the park each summer.

A Courageous Trailblazer

These tourists, whether they come by rail or by automobile, travel a much easier and safer route than did the intrepid gold seekers of the ‘60s. And they owe much of this security to John M. Bozeman, for he had the courage to seek and establish a shorter route for the middle west to the gold fields of what is now south-western Montana and northern Idaho than existed prior to that time. In doing this, however, he precipitated a series of Indian wars in which the whites were victorious.

Granville and James Stuart had made the first real discovery of gold in Montana on what is now Gold creek in Powell county, in May, 1858. News of it had not gained much currency in populous centers of this country until after the Civil war was in progress. In 1861, Granville Stuart wrote a letter to his brother, Thomas then in Colorado territory, urging him to come to Montana as it was believed that prospects for mining the much sought yellow metal were better here than in Colorado. Thomas showed the letter to several friends and the next spring a party of 12 set out for Gold creek. In this party was John M. Bozeman.

Bozeman left his wife and two children at his home in Coweta county, Georgia, a few years before because of his strong desire for adventure. It was because of this desire for adventure that he later devoted his time to blazing a trail for emigrants and freighters while other men searched frenziedly for claims that would make them rich.
By 1865, Montana had a population of 120,000 which had to be fed and furnished with supplies that were not produced in the territory. According to E. A. Brininstool, in his “The Bozeman Trail” this population in the main was producing nothing but gold and was dependent upon the outside for things to eat, clothing to wear and supplies for their mining outfits.

Two Former Routes

There were, at the time, two routes. One was a branch from Fort Hall on the Oregon Trail which came to Montana from the direction of Salt Lake City and the other was up the Missouri river by boat to Fort Benton and then by bull-team through a pass in the Rocky mountains to the gold fields on the other side. The continental divide had to be crossed twice by the Fort Hall route, while the latter necessitated passing through about 30 miles of Indian territory after leaving Fort Benton.

Bozeman, after studying the situation, became interested in finding and location a possible cross country road to the states, a road that would materially shorten the distance that then had to be traveled by old trails.
So he and John M. Jacobs, in the winter of 1862-63, left Bannack, then one of the promising mining camps, for the Missouri river where it passes through what is now South Dakota. Their determination was to find a shorter route for emigrants and freighters on their way to the Montana goldfields.

Skirting along this south side of the Yellowstone river in search of a possible road to the North Platte, the two young men found that they were being followed by the Sioux, who finally overtook Bozeman and his companion on the Powder river. The Indians stole their horses, ammunition and guns and set the men afoot, doubtless believing that no white man could long survive in the dangerous redman’s country without a gun, horse or food. Print this post