JOHNNY HEALY: MANY OF MANY TALENTS

John J. Healy

As one of Ft. Benton’s premier citizens, C. E. Conrad was well acquainted with his fellow citizens of that brawling frontier town, not only from his business interests, but from his personal friendships. Since Charlie and his older brother George (known to most as W. G. Conrad) arrived in Ft. Benton on May 30, 1868, they both knew most of the old-timers. One of those old-timers was John J. Healy.

Johnny Healy was a very interesting man. Wholly Irish, Healy was at one time or another an infantryman in the U. S. Army, trader, trapper, lawman, entrepreneur and other things. He was a co-founder of the notorious trading post known as Fort Whoop-Up in Canada. His time in Montana Territory and Ft. Benton was but a small part of his life, but while there, he not only was a trader, but later became Sheriff of Choteau County.

He eventually headed north, to Alaska, where he mined the miners, so to speak. A colorful character was Johnny Healy, but I haven’t even scratched the surface here. I don’t need to. A very thorough biography of this fascinating man has been written by Gordon F. Tolton and published by Mountain Press of Missoula. I strongly urge you to get a copy and get to know Johnny Healy.

Healy’s West: The Life and Times of John J. Healy, by Gordon F. Tolton. Missoula: Mountain Press, 2014. 287 pp.; illus., bibliography, index. Trade paperback. $5.00. ISBN 978-0-87842-634-8. Order direct from the publisher to get that discounted price.