Old Missoula

Harrison’s Proclamation Puts State in Union

Montana became the 41^st state by proclamation of President Harrison on Nov. 8, 1889.

For all practical purposes, the territory achieved the status of statehood a month before when the state constitution was ratified and the first officers were elected.

Instrumental in the composing of the constitution were six representatives from Missoula County. They were Walter M. Bickford, Charles S. Marshall, William R. Ramsdell, Luke D. Hatch, William J. Kennedy and Joseph E. Marion.

Missoula Considered

Missoula was mentioned as a possible location of the state capital, but it was agreed that Helena should remain the capital until the voters decided the issue at the next general election of 1892.

Presiding at the constitutional convention was William A. Clark. Representation at the convention was almost equal politically with 39 Democrats and 36 Republicans. They met from July 4 to Aug. 17, 1889.

First Governor Is Toole

Voters gave Joseph Kemp Toole the office of governor. Toole was to serve a second term in 1901. Toole had served two terms in Congress before becoming governor. As a lawyer educated mostly in Kentucky, he became the junior member of the Toole & Toole law firm before being elected chief executive of the state.

Those who preceded Toole, starting in 1864, as territorial governors were Sidney Edgerton, Thomas Francis Meagher, Green Clay Smith, James Tufts, James M. Ashley, Benjamin F. Potts, James E. Callaway, James H. Mills, John Schuyler Crosby, Issaac D. McGutcheon, John S. Toker, B. Platt Carpenter, Samuel T. Hauser, William B. Webb, Preston H. Leslie and Benjamin F. White.

Of these Meagher, Tufts, Callaway, Mills, McGutcheon, Tooker and Webb were secretaries of the territory acting as governor in the absence of the real holder of the position.