Edward W Harney (1860 - 1907)

Born 19 Jan 1860 in Rock Island, Illinois

Husband of Mattie Dell (Kistler) Harney — married 8 Jan 1890 in Rock Island, Illinois

Died 4 Dec 1907 at age 47 in Butte, Silver Bow, Montana, USA

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Biography

Edward W. Harney was born 19 Jan 1860 or 1862 (records vary), in Rock Island, IL, the son of Irish immigrants, Matthew Harney and Winifred (Corbett).

Edward attended public schools in Illinois, and the State University of Iowa at Iowa City, and at Tabor College, Iowa. He relocated to Nebraska where he was admitted to the bar in 1889. While in Nebraska he became part of the national guard of that state, serving three years, and was made captain of his company. He practiced law in Valentine, Nebraska and became county attorney until 1895, when he moved to Montana and established himself in Butte. There he became judge of the district court in Silver Bow county.

Judge Harney was associated with E.B. Howell in the compilation of the Montana miners’ code, which became the uniform standard throughout the state.

As a judge in Butte, Montana, Edward is mentioned in the book “The War of the Copper Kings”.The book states there were questions on whether he was an honest judge or in the “pocket” of F. Augustus Heinze. Harney was offered bribes by William Clark and refused them, leading to the quote that if he had been bought by Heinze at least he stayed bought. - book reference from Tom Harney, Bainbridge Island, WA, May 2003.

Edward W. Harney married Mattie Dell Kistler on 8 Jan 1890, in Illinois. She was the daughter of William Kistler and Josephine (Gorton) of Rock Island, Illinois. They had three children:

• Ethel Eithne Louise b.1890
• Maurice William (1893-1974)
• Eugene Edward (1897-1975)

Sources

• The War of the Copper Kings, by C.B. Glasscock.
• Montana, Death Index, 1868-2011
• 1870 United States Federal Census
• 1900 United States Federal Census for Edward W Harney, Montana Silver Bow Butte Ward 06 District 0121
• Progressive Men of MT, p.199, Judge Edward W. Harney, Published by A. W. Bowen & Co. in Chicago .
• Montana, County Births and Deaths, 1830-2011 Ancestry.com Publication: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc. Record Collection 61255
• Newspapers.com Obituary published, The Butte Daily Post, Butte, Montana · Thursday, December 05, 1907