Weydemeyer, Winton, 1903-1993

Winton Weydemeyer was born in Cass City, Mich., in 1903, and moved at an early age with his family to a ranch near Fortine, Mont., known as Meadow Springs Ranch. He graduated from Lincoln County High School in Eureka, and from Montana State College [now Montana State University]. He was always an advocate for conservation of wilderness, and was an avid birder, hiker, and photographer. In his lifetime, Weydemeyer was active in the Montana State Grange, the National Grange, the Montana Conservation Council, the Montana Wilderness Association, the Tobacco Valley Improvement Association, the Little Theater Group, the Lincoln County Fair, and many other civic organizations. He was a recognized leader in most of these groups. He served in the Montana Senate in 1951 and 1953. He wrote several books and numerous articles for publication. He died on 4 Feb. 1993 and is buried in Fortine.

From the description of Winton Weydemeyer papers, 1919-1993. (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 70975117

Winton Weydemeyer was born in Cass City, Michigan, on March 19, 1903, the son of Harry and Margaret Weydemeyer. From the age of 6 weeks, he lived on the family farm about 6 miles north of Fortine, Montana. He graduated from eighth grade at the local one-room school at the age of 11, having skipped two grades. He graduated from Eureka high school in 1919. He then worked two years on the family farm before attending Montana State College in Bozeman, majoring in agriculture.

In 1939 he was one of the founding members of the Tobacco Valley Grange. He was active in the Grange for the rest of his life, serving as local secretary, master of the county Grange, and eventually master of the Montana State Grange. He edited the Montana Grange News for many years and was a lobbyist for the Grange in the Montana legislature.

Politically a conservative Republican, Weydemeyer served one term in the Montana Senate from 1951-1953. While there he advocated issues involving preservation of personal freedom and of Montana's natural resources. He co-sponsored legislation setting up a conservation education program in the schools. He believed fervantly in the responsible development and use of Montana's natural resources. In 1971 he ran unsuccessfully for the Montana Constitutional Convention. Weydemeyer's advocacy of conservation of natural resources led him to be a founding member of the Montana Conservation Council, successor to the Montana chapter of the Northwest Conservation League. He served as president of the Council, and as the Council's lobbyist in the legislature. He also was active on the Montana Water Pollution Council.

Winton Weydemeyer was also an ornithologist, publishing numerous articles on Montana's birds. He was also a skilled nature photographer, publishing a book Picture Taking in Glacier Park (1986). Weydemeyer married Hallie M. Taylor in 1959. She had four children Richard, Hallie, Roberta, and Betty Thompson from a previous marriage. Winton Weydemeyer died February 4, 1993.

From the description of Winton Weydemeyer papers, 1924-1993, bulk, 1940-1993. (Montana Historical Society Library). WorldCat record id: 252046173

Winton W. Weydemeyer was born March 19, 1903 in Cass City, Michigan to Harry and Margaret Weydemeyer. He was raised in Fortine, Montana, attended Lincoln County High School, and graduated with honors from Montana State University in Bozeman. He ranched near Fortine, but is best known for his many public service activities that ranged from agriculture to bird study and conservation. He served for twenty years as Master of the Montana State Grange, eighteen years as an officer of the National Grange, and helped organize three state-wide citizen conservation organizations. As a state senator in the 1951 and 1953 legislative sessions, he established conservation education in the state’s public schools.

Weydemeyer served on many governmental and educational committees, commissions, boards and councils, and, for sixteen years, was a governor’s appointee to the Montana Water Pollution Council. He received both national and state awards for his considerable service activities. Winton Weydemeyer was a lifelong student of ornithology and contributed more than 150 articles and notes to professional journals. The first article appeared in 1923 and he contributed his last published note in 1992. He also published three books: The Bird Life of Lake Bowdoin, Montana ; A Grange Master’s America – In Defense of Freedom ; and Picture Taking in Glacier Park . His published works and bird study records reflect the meticulous attention to detail that directed his approach to science. Weydemeyer died February 4, 1993.

From the guide to the Winton Weydemeyer papers, 1908-1992, (University of Montana-Missoula Maureen and Mike Mansfield Library Archives and Special Collections)