Thomas "Tommy" Cruse
Tommy Cruse was born in County Cavan, Ireland, on March 18, 1834, the son of James Cruse and Mary McEnerny. He immigrated to America in 1856, spent several years in New York, and then traveled to California by steamer in 1863. He prospected for gold throughout the California, Nevada, Idaho, and Montana mining regions for several years without success. He came to Helena in 1867, an impoverished Irishman whose Drumlummon Mine at Marysville eventually made him wealthy. Cruse sold the mine in 1882 to the London Company Associated in England for nearly one and one-half million dollars. This company reorganized as Montana Company Limited to operate the mine. Cruse contributed a third of the cost of building the St. Helena Cathedral. He also bought and carried the bonds that built Montana's State Capitol. He formed the Thomas Cruse Savings Bank in Helena in 1887 and expanded his investment and mining enterprises into cattle and sheep ranching and oil speculation in Montana. Cruse Avenue and an ostentatious mausoleum in Resurrection Cemetery bear his name.
Cruse married Margaret Frances "Maggie" Carter, on March 2, 1886 in Helena, John B. Brondel, Bishop of Helena, performed the ceremony. They had one child, Mary Margaret, who they called "Mamie." She was born December 17, 1886. His wife, Maggie, died just ten days after their daughter was born and Cruse was left to raise Mamie. She died at age 26, in 1913. Before Cruse died in 1914, he gave Helena one last gift—fifteen bells installed in the Cathedral's north spire. Each inscribed to his daughter, they were known as "Mamie's Bells." He was living at 328 Benton Avenue, Helena, when he died on December 20, 1914 from myocarditis, at age 80 years 9 months 2 days. His mansion on Benton stood until 1963 when it was subsequently demolished. He was placed in the Cruse Mausoleum at Resurrection Cemetery.
Written by Ellen Baumler and Charleen Spalding
Tommy Cruse was born in County Cavan, Ireland, on March 18, 1834, the son of James Cruse and Mary McEnerny. He immigrated to America in 1856, spent several years in New York, and then traveled to California by steamer in 1863. He prospected for gold throughout the California, Nevada, Idaho, and Montana mining regions for several years without success. He came to Helena in 1867, an impoverished Irishman whose Drumlummon Mine at Marysville eventually made him wealthy. Cruse sold the mine in 1882 to the London Company Associated in England for nearly one and one-half million dollars. This company reorganized as Montana Company Limited to operate the mine. Cruse contributed a third of the cost of building the St. Helena Cathedral. He also bought and carried the bonds that built Montana's State Capitol. He formed the Thomas Cruse Savings Bank in Helena in 1887 and expanded his investment and mining enterprises into cattle and sheep ranching and oil speculation in Montana. Cruse Avenue and an ostentatious mausoleum in Resurrection Cemetery bear his name.
Cruse married Margaret Frances "Maggie" Carter, on March 2, 1886 in Helena, John B. Brondel, Bishop of Helena, performed the ceremony. They had one child, Mary Margaret, who they called "Mamie." She was born December 17, 1886. His wife, Maggie, died just ten days after their daughter was born and Cruse was left to raise Mamie. She died at age 26, in 1913. Before Cruse died in 1914, he gave Helena one last gift—fifteen bells installed in the Cathedral's north spire. Each inscribed to his daughter, they were known as "Mamie's Bells." He was living at 328 Benton Avenue, Helena, when he died on December 20, 1914 from myocarditis, at age 80 years 9 months 2 days. His mansion on Benton stood until 1963 when it was subsequently demolished. He was placed in the Cruse Mausoleum at Resurrection Cemetery.
Written by Ellen Baumler and Charleen Spalding
Thomas "Tommy" Cruse
Tommy Cruse was born in County Cavan, Ireland, on March 18, 1834, the son of James Cruse and Mary McEnerny. He immigrated to America in 1856, spent several years in New York, and then traveled to California by steamer in 1863. He prospected for gold throughout the California, Nevada, Idaho, and Montana mining regions for several years without success. He came to Helena in 1867, an impoverished Irishman whose Drumlummon Mine at Marysville eventually made him wealthy. Cruse sold the mine in 1882 to the London Company Associated in England for nearly one and one-half million dollars. This company reorganized as Montana Company Limited to operate the mine. Cruse contributed a third of the cost of building the St. Helena Cathedral. He also bought and carried the bonds that built Montana's State Capitol. He formed the Thomas Cruse Savings Bank in Helena in 1887 and expanded his investment and mining enterprises into cattle and sheep ranching and oil speculation in Montana. Cruse Avenue and an ostentatious mausoleum in Resurrection Cemetery bear his name.
Cruse married Margaret Frances "Maggie" Carter, on March 2, 1886 in Helena, John B. Brondel, Bishop of Helena, performed the ceremony. They had one child, Mary Margaret, who they called "Mamie." She was born December 17, 1886. His wife, Maggie, died just ten days after their daughter was born and Cruse was left to raise Mamie. She died at age 26, in 1913. Before Cruse died in 1914, he gave Helena one last gift—fifteen bells installed in the Cathedral's north spire. Each inscribed to his daughter, they were known as "Mamie's Bells." He was living at 328 Benton Avenue, Helena, when he died on December 20, 1914 from myocarditis, at age 80 years 9 months 2 days. His mansion on Benton stood until 1963 when it was subsequently demolished. He was placed in the Cruse Mausoleum at Resurrection Cemetery.
Written by Ellen Baumler and Charleen Spalding
Tommy Cruse was born in County Cavan, Ireland, on March 18, 1834, the son of James Cruse and Mary McEnerny. He immigrated to America in 1856, spent several years in New York, and then traveled to California by steamer in 1863. He prospected for gold throughout the California, Nevada, Idaho, and Montana mining regions for several years without success. He came to Helena in 1867, an impoverished Irishman whose Drumlummon Mine at Marysville eventually made him wealthy. Cruse sold the mine in 1882 to the London Company Associated in England for nearly one and one-half million dollars. This company reorganized as Montana Company Limited to operate the mine. Cruse contributed a third of the cost of building the St. Helena Cathedral. He also bought and carried the bonds that built Montana's State Capitol. He formed the Thomas Cruse Savings Bank in Helena in 1887 and expanded his investment and mining enterprises into cattle and sheep ranching and oil speculation in Montana. Cruse Avenue and an ostentatious mausoleum in Resurrection Cemetery bear his name.
Cruse married Margaret Frances "Maggie" Carter, on March 2, 1886 in Helena, John B. Brondel, Bishop of Helena, performed the ceremony. They had one child, Mary Margaret, who they called "Mamie." She was born December 17, 1886. His wife, Maggie, died just ten days after their daughter was born and Cruse was left to raise Mamie. She died at age 26, in 1913. Before Cruse died in 1914, he gave Helena one last gift—fifteen bells installed in the Cathedral's north spire. Each inscribed to his daughter, they were known as "Mamie's Bells." He was living at 328 Benton Avenue, Helena, when he died on December 20, 1914 from myocarditis, at age 80 years 9 months 2 days. His mansion on Benton stood until 1963 when it was subsequently demolished. He was placed in the Cruse Mausoleum at Resurrection Cemetery.
Written by Ellen Baumler and Charleen Spalding
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