BIOGRAPHIES

DAVID J. RIFFLE

DAVID J. RIFFLE, of Big Timber, is a native of Fayette Co., Pa., born November 24, 1847.  His parents were Joseph and Martha Riffle, his father being a farmer by occupation.  Leaving Pennsylvania in 1863 our subject went to Nashville, Tenn., and thence came to Montana by way of Salt Lake City, Utah, stopping at the latter place for one year.  Coming to Helena he remained for six years, and then went to Sun River, being the first party to locate a ranch on that stream.  From Sun River he returned to Helena, and visited various portions of the Territory, spending one year on the Yellowstone and Clarke's Fork district.  He has followed freighting a great portion of his time, was the first settler on Big Timber, and his ranch now consists of 400 acres.  When he first settled on Big Timber it was fifteen miles to the nearest neighbor, and six months before any other settlers came.

Source: Transcription from the book, History of Montana, 1739-1885, published in 1885, page 1157, located on the website, Hathitrust Digital Library (http://www.hathitrust.org), accessed 22 February 2023.

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