Granville Stuart and the Montana Vigilantes of 1884
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Date
1980-06
Authors
Mueller, Richard K.
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
University of Oregon
Abstract
In the summer of 1889, Granville Stuart, pioneer gold-miner,
trader, merchant, politician, rancher, and man of letters led one of
the most deadly vigilante episodes in American history. Like the
leaders of the 1862 Bannack-Virginia City vigilantes, Stuart was a Mason.
He entered into the booming range cattle industry in 1879 by becoming
the manager of the DHS ranch in east central Montana Territory. But
by 1884, the ranges were becoming overcrowded, calf increase was down,
and stockmen were becoming increasingly concerned with the depredations
of rustlers. As part of a general understanding among cattlemen,
Granville Stuart led a secret vigilante campaign which claimed the
lives of from nineteen to twenty-three alleged horse thieves. Subsequent operations probably pushed the number of victims as high as
thirty-five. The success of the Montana vigilantes may have inspired
Wyoming cattlemen during the Johnson County War in 1892.
Description
177 pages
Keywords
Gold mining, Masons, Montana vigilantes, Granville Stuart