Old Missoula

Peter Whaley

Pioneer Goes Over The Divide

Peter Whaley Veteran of Alder Gulch And Bitter Root, Answers Last Call.

Peter Whaley, pioneer of Montana, passes away yesterday morning at his home on the south side, after a lingering illness. For weeks his death had been hourly expected, but his wonderfully strong constitution resisted the attack of the dread cancer long after an ordinary man would have succumbed. For a fortnight the members of his family have been with him, waiting for the end which was inevitable. Though there is deep sorrow, yet there is the comforting thought that death brought relief from terrible suffering.

Peter Whaley was born in Tella, County Carlo [Carlow], Ireland, June 29, 1828. He came to America when 13 years old. In 1850 he went to California and was always, after that, a man of the west. In 1858 Mr. Whaley was married in Hastings, Minn., to Miss Hannah Whitehead.

In 1863 he came to Montana, attracted to Alder gulch by the gold discoveries. After May of that year Montana was his home. In 1874 he was appointed Indian agent at the Flathead agency. Two years later he located in the Bitter Root valley, near Stevensville and lived there until six years ago, when he came to Missoula. Here his sunset days were spent. He had a host of friends and there are many mourners over his passing. Mr. Whaley was one of the first county commissioners in Montana after the territory was organized.

Of his family, eight children survive the old pioneer; all of them were with him when the end came. The surviving members are D. J. Whaley, whose home is with his family on the south side; Mrs. N. J. Tillman of Florence; E. C. Whaley of Hamilton; C. P. Whaley and M. L. Whaley of Stevensville; Misses Mamie and Annie Whaley of Missoula; Arthur R. Whaley of Wallace, Idaho.

Funeral services will be held at 9:30 o’clock Wednesday morning. Burial will be in the Catholic cemetery.

 

The above obituary appeared in The Missoulian on June 18, 1912

https://www.newspapers.com/image/349085914/?terms=peter%2Bwhaley

 

Hannah Whitehead Whaley

Pioneer Woman Dies At Home In Missoula

Mrs. Hannah Whaley Came to Montana in 1863.

Mrs. Hannah E. Whaley, a pioneer resident of Montana, died at her home at 514 Cleveland street, early yesterday morning. General debility due to old age was the cause of her death. Mrs. Whaley has been a resident of Missoula for the past 13 years and has been in Montana since 1863. Her age was 83 years, three months and four days at the time of her death.

Mrs. Whaley was born at Summersette (sic), Ohio, on January 18, 1836, and married Peter Whaley at Hastings, Minn., May 25, 1858. She is survived by five sons and three daughters, David, Clement and Mathew
Whaley are residents of Missoula, E. C. Whaley resides at Hamilton and Arthur Whaley is of Wallace, Idaho. Misses Mary and Anna Whaley live in Missoula and the other daughter, Mrs. N. J. Tillman, is of Florence.

Peter Whaley died several years ago in Missoula. He came to Montana in 1863 with Mrs. Whaley. They were attracted to Alder gulch by the gold discoveries. In 1874 Mr. Whaley was appointed Indian agent at the Flathead agency. Two years later they moved to the Bitter Root valley, near Stevensville and lived there until 13 years ago, when they moved to Missoula.

Funeral services will be held tomorrow morning at 9 o’clock from the Church of St. Francis Xavier. Interment will be made in St. Mary’s cemetery.

 

The above obituary appeared in The Daily Missoulian on May 5, 1919.

https://www.newspapers.com/image/349040905/?terms=whaley

 

Man of the West

Below is a Peter Whaley biography from “An Illustrated History of the State of Montana” by Joaquin Miller:

Peter Whaley, a Montana pioneer of 1863, was born in Tullow, county Carlow, Ireland, June 29, 1828, a son of Peter and Mary Ann (Clary) Whaley, who had six children in their native land. In 1838 the father emigrated to America, to enjoy the liberty denied him in his beloved native land, and to make a home for his family under better advantages. He succeeded in saving sufficient money to send for his family in 1841, and they immediately joined him in this country, having spent thirty-five days in crossing the ocean. They located in Jo Daviess county, Illinois, where Mr. Whaley followed lead mining many years, and his death occurred there at the age of sixty-seven years; his wife survived him on four years. They were devout Catholics, and were honest and worthy people.

Peter Whaley, the youngest of their four children, was thirteen years of age when he came to the United States, and remained with his parents until reaching years of maturity. In the winter of 1849-50, via the Isthmus, he went to California, and followed mining at Shasta, French creek, Sonora, and Weaverville, where he often made as high as $200 a day. Two years afterward he returned to Wisconsin, but after spending six months there went again to California. Not meeting with as good success in mining as at first, he again returned East, and for the following three years was engaged with his brother in the mercantile business at Hatching, Minnesota. During that time they sold much on credit, and they failed to collect from $12,000 to $15,000. After his marriage, in 1859, our subject emigrated to Central City, Colorado; three years afterward went to the gold fields of Idaho, spent one winter at Camp Floyd; in the following spring went to the gold mines at Bannack, and two weeks later located at Alder Gulch. While there he was very successful in his mining operations, often making as high as $250 in a day, and was a witness to all the exciting times of that camp. From Alder Gulch he went to Diamond City, Meagher county, where, in company with his father-in-law, D. J. Whitehead, they opened numerous supply stores, and continued in that occupation until the camp was deserted. After following agricultural pursuits two years, Mr. Whaley received the appointment of United States Indian Agent from the Government, for the Flathead Indians; but one year afterward, on account of his strong Democratic belief, was removed from that position.

He then purchased 160 acres of his present farm, in the Bitter Root valley, three miles north of Stevensville, and erected a small log cabin. He has added to his original purchase until now he owns 400 acres, has a good frame residence, and all other necessary farm improvements.

May 20, 1859, Mr. Whaley was united in marriage with Miss Hannah Whitehead, a native of Somerset, Perry county county, Ohio. They brought their two eldest children, David J. and Julia, to this State. Six children have been added to the family in Montana, – Edmond C., Clement P., Matthew, Mary, Anna and Arthur. The family are strict adherents to the Catholic faith. In political matters, Mr. Whaley is a stanch Democrat.

 

More information about the Whaley family is available from The National Register of Historic Places / Whaley Homestead – see link below:

 

https://npgallery.nps.gov/GetAsset/e468df0a-4926-4e90-a639-8c08a0e6b0c6