Montana's DAR Markers . . . Honoring Where History Was Made

Old Fort Benton’s story is linked to Montana’s second DAR State
Regent, Mrs. David G. (Antoinette Van Hook) Browne. In February
1899, the DAR National Board of Management appointed Mrs.
Browne as State Regent. The new State Regent had personal history
with the old fort–the Brownes for many years lived directly opposite the
buildings of the abandoned military garrison which had given the town
of Fort Benton its name.
While efforts to restore the old fort covered quite a few years, they
had their beginning during Mrs. Browne’s State Regent term (1899-
1901). In 1907, she was instrumental in getting the 10 th Montana
Legislative Assembly to appropriate $800 for the fort’s restoration.
Governor Joseph H. Toole appointed Mrs. Browne Chair of the
Trustees for both property and funds, along with Ella Lydia Arnold
(Mrs. E.H.) Renisch (Butte) and Eliza A. Sturtevant Condon (Helena)
as the other two trustees.
The board quickly started active work on the project and in
October 1907, Jere Sullivan, chair of the Chouteau County Board of
Commissioners, issued to the Trustees of the Old Fort a quitclaim deed
for the former interests of W.S. Wetzel and Sarah E. Eastman for the
consideration of one dollar. In only a few days, this was followed by a
similar deed to the trustees given by Mr. and Mrs. Charles E. Duer.
Mrs. Browne and the Montana Daughters found active support
from local Fort Benton women. A Ladies’ Improvement Society of 73
ladies organized itself on November 7, 1907, at the Grand Union Hotel
and formed four committees–Committee on Fencing, Committee on
Hall, Committee on Lawn, and Committee on Entertainment.
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