Augustus Barrows facts for kids

Augustus R. Barrows (also known as A. R. Barrows) (July 30, 1838 – December 20, 1885) was an American lumberman from Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin. A lumberman is someone who works with trees and wood, often cutting them down and preparing them for use. He served one term in the Wisconsin State Assembly, which is like a state parliament, representing Chippewa County. Even though his party, the Greenback Party, had only 13 out of 100 seats, he became the Speaker of the Wisconsin State Assembly, a very important leadership role. Later in his life, he moved to Montana where he became a rancher, raising cattle. He also owned a saloon-hotel, a general store, and a sawmill.

Early Life and Family

Augustus Barrows was born in Olean, New York on July 30, 1838. He went to school at an academy in Randolph, New York, which was later called Chamberlain Institute. His father was also a lumberman, and Augustus helped him with his business.

One day, while on a trip to Cincinnati using a raft to transport wood, his father had an accident and lost a leg. After this, his family closed their business in New York and moved to Pleasant Grove, Minnesota in 1855, where they started farming. Augustus went with his family and tried different jobs for a while. He married Alice B. Duncan in Pleasant Grove on November 16, 1862.

Serving in the Civil War

During the American Civil War, Augustus Barrows joined the army as a private in the 11th Minnesota Volunteer Infantry Regiment. He fought for the Union and was promoted to a lieutenant before leaving the army on June 30, 1865. After the war, he returned to Wisconsin and settled in Chippewa County.

A Career in Public Service

Augustus Barrows was active in local politics. In 1869, he was elected as the County Treasurer for Chippewa County to fill a spot that was open. He was re-elected for a full term in 1870. He also served one term as the mayor of Chippewa Falls.

In 1872, he tried to get elected to the Assembly as a Democrat, but he lost to Republican Albert Pound. In 1876, he ran for the Wisconsin State Senate for the Eleventh District, again as a Democrat, but he lost to Thomas Scott.

Becoming Speaker of the Assembly

Barrows became a strong supporter of the Greenback movement. This party was focused on economic issues, especially about money and debt. He was known as one of the best speakers for the Greenback Party in Wisconsin.

In 1877, he ran for the Assembly seat for Chippewa County as an independent Greenbacker. He won the election, beating the Democrat Louis Vincent and Republican O. R. Dahl.

On January 9, 1878, Augustus Barrows was chosen as the Speaker of the Wisconsin State Assembly. This was a big deal because his party, the Greenbacks, only had 13 out of 100 seats. The two main parties, Republicans (45 seats) and Democrats (41 seats), did not have enough votes to pick a speaker on their own. This meant the Greenbacks and one socialist member held the deciding votes, giving them a lot of power.

In 1879, instead of running for re-election to the Assembly, he decided to run for Congress. He ran on a combined ticket as a Greenback/Democrat in the Eighth District. He lost this election to the Republican Thaddeus C. Pound.

Life in Montana

After losing the Congressional election, Augustus Barrows faced some financial difficulties, especially with his real estate investments. He decided to start a new adventure. In June 1879, he led a group of settlers to Martinsdale, Montana, which was a train stop on the Milwaukee Road railway line.

He brought a herd of purebred cattle with him and started a stockraising business, which means raising livestock like cattle. He continued this work for the rest of his life. Soon after arriving, he teamed up with Edward P. Allis to build a large sawmill. They started making lumber at Sawmill Gulch in what was then Meagher County, Montana.

Building a New Community

Augustus Barrows used the Homestead Act to claim 160 acres of land. This act allowed people to get land for free if they lived on it and farmed it. He named his new place "Ubet" (also known as "U-Bet" or "U-bet"), which was in what was then Fergus County.

In 1881, he built a stage stop hotel, a saloon, and a general store along the stagecoach route. He moved there with his family, becoming one of the first permanent white settlers in the Judith Basin area.

Augustus Barrows passed away on December 20, 1885, in Ubet. He was buried back in Chippewa Falls in a Masonic ceremony. He was a Masonic Knight Templar.

He left behind his wife, Alice, and their young children. Alice continued to run the businesses with the help of her children. Over time, she even expanded their original homestead to a large estate of 2,000 acres. Augustus and Alice had four children: John R., Mary (who died young), Olive, and Clarence H. Their son, John, later became a lawyer in San Diego, California. He wrote a book about his family's life in Montana called U-Bet: A Greenhorn in Old Montana. This book was published in 1934 and was described as "dramatic and colorful" by The New York Times.

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