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Mr. Calkins has worked his way up from a poor boy by his energy and ability and is now proprietor of a wholesale and retail book and stationery store occupying two floors of a building each 30 x 100 feet.
Mr. Calkins was a member of the First Montana Regiment State Guards and when that organization went to the Philippines he was the adjutant of the regiment. After about a year’s service there he returned to his business at Butte and the following spring was elected city treasurer.
BENJAMIN E. CALKINS - This popular and progressive young business man of Butte and the present city treasurer, is a native of Troy, Pa., where is was born on Christmas day, 1862, the son of Newberry E. and Helen M. (Mitchell) Calkins, both of whom were Pennsylvanians. Mr. Calkins traces his lineage by family tradition to the pilgrims who came to America in the Mayflower. Newberry Calkins was a miller and continued his residence and trade in Pennsylvania until his death. At the outbreak of the Civil war he gave evidence of his patriotic zeal by enlisting in the One Hundred and Seventh Pennsylvania Cavalry. He was made captain of his company and served with distinction until the expiration of his term. In his family were three children, Benjamin E., being the second in order of birth. Benjamin E. Calkins, after attending the public schools of Troy, went to Elmira, NY, where he was employed by two years as a clerk, after which he resided five years in Corning, NY, from which city he came to Butte, Mont., in 1884. Here he held a clerkship in a mercantile establishment for two years. In October 1886, he opened a book and stationery store, and with this line of enterprise he has ever since been identified. His establishment is one of the best equipped in the city, supplying the demands of a large and critical patronage. The business was soon expanded to include a wholesale department. It largely outgrew the building originally occupied and on February 10, 1901, Mr. Calkins removed his fine stock to his present commodious and attractive location at No. 31-37 North Main Street, where he has a stock that would do credit to a much larger city. In 1887 Mr. Calkins became identified with the National Guard of Montana as a member of Company G, First Regiment. He was the adjutant at the outbreak of the Spanish-American war and joined his comrades in the service of the government. They went to Helena on April 28, 1898, and on May 6 were mustered into service, Mr. Calkins as fist lieutenant of his company. They arrived in San Francisco on May 28, and on July 17 sailed for the Philippine Islands, arriving at Cavite on August 24. As the outlook did not promise active service, and as his business demanded his attention, Mr. Calkins remained in the Philippines only a few months and on December 3 he left Manila on his return voyage, and arrived in Butte on January 11, 1899. When active military operations commenced in the Philippines Mr. Calkins regretted that he had not remained with his regiment, but the inaction was irksome in the extreme and he took the course which seemed the most expedient. Mr. Calkins is prominently identified with the Masonic order and other fraternal organizations, in the first of which he has maintained a deep interest from the time of his initiation as an Entered Apprentice. He was raised to the degree of Master Mason in New York, and was admitted to become a frater of Butte Lodge No. 22, A. F. & A. M., of which he served as master in 1893. In the capitulary body of the fraternity he is identified with Deer Lodge Chapter No. 3, R. A. M., of which he is now scribe, while he holds chivalric honors as a sir knight of Montana Commandery No. 3, K. T., of which he is a past commander. He has been made a noble of Algeria Temple of the Ancient Arabic Order of the Mystic Shrine in Helena. He also belongs to the Elks and to the Sons of America. Mr. Calkins has ever supported the Republican Party, and has taken an active interest in local politics. In 1887 he was elected one of the board of aldermen of Butte to represent the Third ward; in 1899 he was elected city treasurer, and in the municipal election of 1901 he was chosen as his own successor in this important office, securing a majority of 300 votes and receiving the distinction of being the only candidate elected on the Republican ticket. In the administration of the city’s finances he has shown marked executive ability and thorough business methods, and his re-election was a mark of the public appreciation of his services. During his first term as treasurer the revenues of the city were increased by full $50,000, as, before this time, licenses had not been collected from banks and from various other sources prescribed by the ordinances of the city. The devotion to the city’s interests shown by Treasurer Calkins has gained to him the endorsement of the citizens of Butte without to political affiliations. On September 3, 1886, Mr. Calkins was united in marriage to Miss Mary Doty, who was born in New York, the daughter of Martin V. Doty and wife, who are deceased. Treasurer Calkins and wife are prominent in the leading circles of the best social life of the city of their home.
Check out the attachment for his bio from Montana
Butte, Silver Bow County, Montana Directory 1891-92
Business- Books & Stationery, 209 N. Main
Residence- 108 E. Granite
Butte, Silver Bow County, Montana directory 1902
Business- Books, Stationery, Wrapping Paper & Bags, 31-37 North
Main
Occupation- City Treasurer, @ City Hall
Residence- 14 N. Washington
1900 census- Montana, Silver Bow, Butte Ward 4, ED#110
Line 32- Calkins, Benj E., head, Dec. 1862, 37 PA x 3, Merchant
Line 49 - Calkins, Mary C., wife, June 1866, 34 NY x 3, 0 pregnancies/0
children
1920- Calif., Los Angeles County, Los Angeles Assembly Dist. 63, ED#179
p.135
Line 12 - Calkins, Benjamin E., 57 PA x 3, no occupation
Line 13 - Calkins, Marie G., wife, 45, Utah Germany x 2
Line 14- Calkins, Frederick B., son, 4 11/12, Idaho PA Utah
1930-Calif., Los Angeles, Los Angeles Assembly Dist. 58, ED#182
p. 142
Line 35- Calkins, Benjamine, owns home worth 17,000, 67 Missouri x
3 (I question this), no occupation, married @ 23
Line 36- Calkins, Marie, wife, 52 Utah x 3, married @ 20
Line 37- Calkins, Fred, son, 15, Montana Unk. x 2
(I think that maybe someone else gave some of the information)
WWII enlistment Records 1938-1946
Frederick B. Calkins b. 1915 Idaho
enlisted - Los Angeles Calif. on 4 Mar 1943
Post-graduate education; married
1940-1997 Calif. Death Records
Marie GINDRUP Calkins, father surname Gindrup (probably second wife)
b. 3 July 1874 Utah
d. 7 Mar 1945 Los Angeles
Frederick Benjamin Calkins
b. 1 Feb 1915 Montana (?)
d. 9 May 1982 Los Angeles
CALKINS, Benjamin E, wife's initial M, age 76, died in Los Angeles County, 8 Sep 1939 - Historical Newspapers, Birth, Marriage & Death Announcements, 1851-2003, Los Angeles, California, 9 Sept. 1939
CALKINS - Benjamin E. Calkins, formerly of Butte, Mont.; beloved husband of Marie Calkins, father of Frederick B. Calkins. Services Monday (Sep. 11, 1939)at 2 p.m. in the Little Church of the Flowers. Forest Lawn Mortuary in charge.- Historical Newspapers, Birth, Marriage & Death Announcements, 1851-2003, Los Angeles, California, 10 Sept. 1939
CALKINS - Benjamin E. Calkins - Masonic funeral services for Benjamin
Elmer Calkins, 76, of 22 N. Gower St., will be conducted tomorrow at 2
p.m. in the Little Church of the Flowers, under the direction of the Forest
Lawn Mortuary. Calkins was a past Masonic official and a Potentate of the
Shrine for the State of Montana. He leaves his widow, Mrs. Marie Calkins,
and a son, Frederick B. Calkins. Interment will be in Forest Lawn Memorial
Park. - Historical Newspapers, Birth, Marriage & Death Announcements,
1851-2003, Los Angeles, California, 10 Sept. 1939
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