JESSE S. WATHEY.  As superintendent of the Butte Electric Railway, Jesse S. Wathey has for nearly a score of years been actively identified with one of the most practical and beneficial enterprises of this part of Silver Bow county, the road of which he has charge having been an important factor in the upbuilding of the city and the enlargement of its business operations.  Although cautious and conservative, he possesses the energy, judgment and keen business sagacity that enables him to master the details connected with his position, and wins for him the respect and esteem of all with whom he is associated.  With his employes he maintains a lively sympathy, showing an unmistakable regard for their feelings and rights, his kindness towards them being highly appreciated.  He was born November 9, 1852, in Augusta, Carroll county, Ohio, the place in which the birth of his father, Henry Wathey, occurred November 23, 1832.  His paternal grandfather, John Wathey, immigrated from England to America in early manhood, becoming a pioneer settler of Carroll county, Ohio where he married, and subsequently spent his remaining years.

Henry Wathey, while reared on a farm, was for many years engaged in the oil business, being a pioneer in the Pennsylvania oil fields at Titusville and later at Bradford.  The last twenty years of his life were spent as a merchant at Alliance, Ohio, where he died in 1905.  He married Mary Jane Manfull, who was born in Augusta, Ohio, in 1830, and died in 1903.  Her father, Stephen Manfull, a native of England, immigrated to this country from England when young, locating in Carroll county, Ohio, in pioneer days.

The eldest of a family of six children, Jesse S. Wathey was educated in the rural schools of his native county.  Starting in life for himself, he spent two years in Alliance, Ohio, being employed in a lead manufacturing plant.  Going from there to the oil fields of Pennsylvania, he remained there for sometime, being at first an employe, and later being engaged in the oil business on his own responsibility.  Migrating to Montana in 1888, he took up his residence in Butte on June 6th of that year, and during the ensuing four years was stationary engineer for the City Water Company.  On January 1, 1893, Mr. Wathey accepted his present position with the Butte Electric Railway Company, and as superintendent of the road has been very successful, managing the portion of the company's affairs in his charge ably and acceptably to all concerned.

Mr. Wathey married May 30, 1877, in Augusta, Ohio, Jessie Westfall, who was born in Carroll county, Ohio, a daughter of Josiah Westfall, and into their pleasant household five children have been born, namely:  Charles, deceased; Fred; Ralph; Mary, wife of E. J. Nash, of Polson, Montana; and Manfull.  Politically Mr. Wathey is non-partisan.  Fraternally he is a prominent member of the Ancient Free and Accepted Order of Masons, belonging also to the chapter and commandery, and being a member of the Ancient Arabic Order of the Nobles of the Mystic Shrine.