This headstone is on BLM land on McCartney Mountain in Madison County MT.
View attachment 7268853 Biography Charles was born 4 Dec 1836. He was the son of
Christian Bührer and
Christiana Hechnerin.
[1] He passed away in 1929.
In many historical publications, Charlie and his brothers, Frank and George W., used the surname BEEHRER. On other occasions, and probably the original German spelling, the family surname was spelled BUHRER (also Buehrer).
Charles Beehrer was the original owner of what was known later as the historical Kessler Brewery on 10-Mile Creek near Helena MT. He was the first brewer in Montana to use traditional hops to brew beer in Montana. At his death, he was the last surviving member of the Montana Vigilantes. A pioneer life well and truly lived .
[2] He married Emily Clough on June 12, 1877 in England on a return trip to Germany. Census records reflect she emigrated to America in 1883.
Obituary Last of the Vigilantes Dies at Home Near Here [3] Charles A. Beehrer, Member of Famous Early Day Band and Montana's First Brewer, Passes Away Last Thursday Charles A. Beehrer, last of the famous Vigilantes who wiped out Henry Plummer and his gang of road agents, passed away at this ranch home near Reichle last Thursday evening. He is believed to have been the lone survivor of that band of hardy and courageous miners who restored law and order to the mining camps of Bannack and Virginia City in Montana's hectic early days.
He first came to Montana in 1863, and brewed the first beer made in the state at Virginia City in July of that year. In 1866 he located on a ranch, and had devoted most of his attention to stock raising since that time. He also founded the Kessler brewery in Helena, in 1865, and was identified with a number of other business enterprises during the early years of the state.
The funeral was held Saturday afternoon at Reichle. The Rev. H. M. Hudtloff of Butte officiated and interment was made in the Reichle cemetery.
Born in Germany, Dec. 4, 1836, he spent his youth in the land of his birth, learning the cooper's trade. In 1855
[4] [5] he came to America and made his home for a few months in Ann Arbor, Mich. He undertook to learn the brewing business in Kalamazoo, and for the next year was employed in breweries in a number of eastern cities.
He spent the winter of 1859-1860 in Kansas City and the following spring purchased a mule team and outfit and started for Denver, Colo., where the gold excitement was at its height. He secured some placer claims, but realized only a small sum from their operations. It was in an effort to raise funds with which to continue his mining that he entered a partnership with a butcher in Denver, and operated the first meat wagon in that city.
He followed this occupation for about three months, then opened a saloon in Denver. His plan of closing the doors of the saloon at 10 o'clock, however, was considered revolutionary in those days when such establishments ran all night.
In the spring of 1863, he disposed of his saloon and purchased a small brewing outfit. He then started across the plains for Montana, arriving in Virginia City on July 1. The following day he turned out a small quantity of beer, the first ever manufactured in Montana. He had only twenty-five cents in his pocket, but the first keg of beer brought him $88. He continued to manufacture beer in Virginia City until October 1865.
When Mr. Beehrer arrived in Virginia City, the famous mining camp was a scene of lawlessness. Henry Plummer, first sheriff of Beaverhead county, and his gang of road agents, were ruling with a high hand. Miners left Bannack and Virginia City after making their stake and either disappeared entirely or were found dead beside the trail, murdered by members of the worst gang of desperadoes Montana has ever known.
With the road agent's chief himself the head of "law enforcement" in the territory, respectable citizens of the camp found themselves powerless to cope with the road agents through the regular means.
It was then that the "Vigilance Committee" was formed, its members to be known as the Vigilantes, the most colorful figures in Montana's history. Charley Beehrer was one of the famous band, and a stout personal friend of its leader, Col Wilbur F. Sanders.
He took part in the capture, conviction and execution of many of Plummer's road agents, including Plummer himself. He was not present at the hanging of George Ives and Clubfoot George, having gone in pursuit of other members of the notorious gang. Plummer was hanged on a scaffold which he had erected for the execution of another man.
A total of 22 of the road agents were executed, and the others were either driven from the community or fled in fear of the relentless Vigilantes.