William Owsley (Montana politician)

William Owsley came to Montana in 1863,[1] intending to make his fortunate in mining. However, after working a placer claim for a year with a partner, the two parted ways with the partner taking the past year's proceeds and Owsley retaining the claim - which became Owsley's first property in what would become a successful livery and real estate career.[2] Owsley was one of a handful of Butte pioneers who built their fortunes on commercial property rather than resource extraction.[3] In 1869, he married Katie Van Ettin of New Jersey, who died shortly after the marriage. In 1889, he remarried Bertha "Irene" Pease of Madison County, Montana, and they would remain married until his death in 1919.

Beginning in the late 1880s, Owsley built several large brick commercial buildings in Butte that bore his name. The largest, completed in 1891 and named the Owsley Block, was a six story brick building that was the first large business block constructed in Butte.[4] As of 2019, two Owsley buildings remain standing on East Park Street in the Butte-Anaconda Historic District.