Old Missoula

Michael J. Connell – ‘Merchant Prince’ – The Richest Mt. Pioneer You Never Heard Of – Helped found Big Blackfoot Lumber Co. – Connell Ave in Missoula named for him

M. J. Connell, Pioneer Butte Merchant, Dies On Coast

M. J. Connell, pioneer Butte merchant and contemporary of Marcus Daly, E. L. Bonner, Judge A. J. Davis and other empire builders of the territorial days, died at his home in Los Angeles Wednesday night from a heart attack, according to word received yesterday in this city. He is survived in Montana by one blood relative, David P. O’Connor, who is identified with the life insurance business. Other survivors are an adopted daughter and two cousins, Howard Welch of Tucson, Ariz., and Marjorie Welch of Los Angeles. There are also several nephews and nieces in Ireland. Mrs. Connell was killed in an auto accident about 10 years ago in California.

M. J. Connell was born in Kildrin, County Cork, Ireland, in October, 1841. He would have been 84 years old on his next birthday. His funeral will be held in Los Angeles from St. Vincent’s church this morning. He was a member of the Roman Catholic church.

Mr. Connell was in his day one of Montana’s merchant princes. When he left this state in the ‘90s, he was the owner of a large store on the site now occupied by the Howard Pierce auto company and employed a large staff of salespeople. D. J. Hennessy, who was later to become Montana’s outstanding retail merchant, and the members of the firm of Courteney, Case & Gravelle, who for years operated the store now occupied by Wein’s, graduated out of the M. J. Connell company.

M. J. Connell’s rise in life is said to have been almost phenomenal. He came to Boston from Ireland to seek employment. He was for a time engaged in one of that city’s large department stores at the munificient salary of $4 a week- but it gave him an opportunity to become acquainted with the retail business. He came to Deer Lodge in 1875 and obtained employment with the E. L. Bonner company. Two years later he was sent to Butte to become manager of the Bonner store in this city. It was located in the south half of what is now the P. J. Brophy company grocery. He wasn’t content to be a salaried employe and shortly afterwards he engaged in business for himself in the rear of the Clark bank at Broadway and Main. Later on he moved to the corner of Main and Granite. In 1909 he disposed of his dry goods business to H. B. Claflin & Co. of New York.

In 1886 he organized the Miners Lumber company, which later became the Big Blackfoot Lumber company. In this venture he was associated with Marcus Daly, the Montana copper king, and William Thompson, the father of Boyce Thompson, noted capitalist who recently passed away. He was associated in other ventures with P. A. Largey and W. B. Kenyon.

He disposed of his lumber interests at the same time that he sold his dry goods business. The Anaconda company was the buyer. He was among the incorporators of the Silver Bow club. His home in Butte was at the corner of Granite and Idaho streets. In Los Angeles he lived at 2307 Figuero street.

Ardent Sportsman.

He had many important investments in California. He was an ardent sportsman. He had himself appointed game warden in California and his immense estate declared a game preserve. He made annual trips to Montana for many years to hunt ducks. He was chairman of the board of directors of the Citizens National Bank of California.

He made many trips to Europe following his withdrawal from this state. On his trip across the Atlantic six years ago he experienced his first attack of heart trouble that ultimately brought about his death. His last trip to Butte was in 1914.

The fortune which he took with him from Montana grew tremendously in California, it is reported. He was able on one occasion to come to the financial aid of the multimillionaire oil man, E. L. Doheny.

M. J. Connell typified the popular conception of the outstanding men of the old West in his day. Tall, well proportioned and handsome, suave in manner and natty in dress, he had the courage of an adventurer. He possessed a spirit of daring that frequently spurred him on to take chances, which he did successfully in many instances. He had many friends in this city who keenly regretted his decision to leave this city to make his home in California.

The above article appeared in The Montana Standard on August 23, 1935.

Michael J. Connell’s legacy foundation provides grants to a variety of projects, several in Montana. A link to their website is below:

www.mjcf.org