James R. Dilworth left the furniture business in Fort Scott, Kansas, in February 1881 to become a cattleman. Leaving behind his wife, Addie Dilworth, and his son, he traveled by rail to San Francisco, California, and then by steamer to Oregon. There, he and his partners purchased 2,150 head of cattle. They drove the cattle from The Dalles, Oregon, to just south of Bozeman, Montana. They rested the herd in Bozeman for the winter and travelled the last 300 miles, arriving near Miles City, Montana, in August 1882. Dilworth and his family settled in Bozeman, and later in Billings, Montana.
From the guide to the James R. Dilworth Papers, 1861-1939, (University of Montana--Missoula Maureen and Mike Mansfield Library Archives and Special Collections)
