BIOGRAPHIES

Benjamin S. Hollopeter

BENJAMIN S. HOLLOPETER, who is recognized throughout the county of Sweet Grass as one of its most highly esteemed and successful business men, is a native of Ohio, having been born at Covington, Miami county, November 7, 1863, one of a family of six sons and one daughter.  His parents were Samuel and Catherine (Shellabarger) Hollopeter, both of them Pennsylvanians.  The grandfather, John Hollopeter, was also a native of the Keystone state, and removed to Ohio in the early days as did the maternal grandfather, Jacob Shellabarger.  They were successful farmers.  In the excellent public schools near Covington our subject received a good, practical education, and in August, 1875, he removed to Darke county, but in six years returned to Miami county, and for nine years subsequently was employed in agricultural pursuits.  He then went to Illinois, remained a year, and came to Montana in 1890.  Two months were spent near Melville at W. P. Franklin's, and then he went to the Judith Basin, where he was in the employment of Charles Severance; and a year later he removed to Big Timber, Sweet Grass county, and worked at the carpenter's trade for about one year.  Five miles from Big Timber, on the Boulder river, he secured a homestead claim of 160 acres, and began the business of raising cattle.  He has 100 head, principally, shorthorns, and a band of 2,000 Shropshire sheep.  He is also quite extensively engaged in the business of dairying, finding a profitable market for his milk in Big Timber and for cream in Butte.

The domestic life of our subject can be said to date from December 23, 1895, when he was united in marriage to Miss Anna Mary Wetzel, of Carlisle, Pa.  She is the daughter of Moses and Susan (Waggoner) Wetzel, the father a native of Carlisle, and the mother of Perry county, Pa.  The family moved to Covington, Ohio, in 1876, remained there twelve years and then went to Oxford, Ind., where they at present reside.  Mrs. Hollopeter came to Montana in 1895.  She is a descendant of Lewis Wetzel, whose father and brother were killed by the Indians on the Ohio river.  Subsequently Lewis became a terror to all the Indians in the vicinity, owing to his implacable hatred of them on account of the cruel death of his relatives.  In revenge for their murder he became one of the most celebrated of historical Indian fighters.  Foresters, their home, is in a beautiful location, comprising 183 acres, well irrigated and provided with apple, cherry and plum orchards.  The outbuildings are of the most substantial character.  He is now arranging for the erection of a new stone residence which, when completed, will be one of the handsomest houses in the vicinity.  Mr. and Mrs. Hollopeter have no children.

Source: Transcription from the book, Progressive Men of the State of Montana, author and publication date unknown, page 911, located on the website, Internet Archive (http://archive.org), accessed 13 August 2022.

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