Nathan Spencer Vestal was born in North Carolina on February 14, 1835. He married Mrs. Mary A. Hoyt in Helena on February 22, 1878. Mary's daughter, Viola V. Hoyt, from a previous marriage was born about 1864 in Wisconsin. [A search for Mary and her daughter revealed no further information.] Nathan then married Harriet Ellen Talbott on August 1, 1883. Vestal's daughter, Hattiellen (Vestal) Tuttle, visited Montana in 1965 with this newspaper account in part, "A Sentimental Journey. . . The former Hattiellen Vestal, daughter of Nathan Vestal, developer of one of the richest mines in Marysville, Mrs. Tuttle left Helena in 1898 to move with her parent to California. After settling his family, Vestal took up the last big gold trail into the Yukon. Death ended his long career in mining promotion in 1919. Vestal's career started in the 1850s when he left his home in North Carolina to take the overland trail to Colorado and California. He arrived in Helena in the 1870s equipped with a vast knowledge of ores and formations and a willingness to share that knowledge. When mining in the Marysville district suffered a slump with the rallying cry of gold in the Black Hills in the late 1870s, Vestal remained to encourage others to work properties in Marysville and Helena. His biggest triumph was the development of the Penobscot mine, a million dollar producer, located near Marysville. The mine was sold in 1885 to John Longmaid and by him to his son, J. Henry Longmaid in whose estate it still remains. Vestal's money is reported to have helped Thomas Cruse in operation of the Drumlummon at Marysville and to have opened the Belmont and Whippoorwill operations at Empire. . . ." (Helena Independent Record, 10/3/1965) Nathan died on February 14, 1919 at age 83. He has a tombstone which is shared with other family members. Masonic Section, Row 5.