Homestead Shacks over Buffalo Tracks: History of Northeastern Fergus County [Montana] (2025)

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Homestead Shacks over Buffalo Tracks: History of Northeastern Fergus County [Montana] (1)[...]iues
and of this community.

CI.ARKE AND LUELI..A BELDEN CHRIS AND SENA I.ARSEN
LeRoy and Charlotte Belden Coulter[...]Milton and Dorothy Fogle Kalina
CHARLES AND LOUISE BISHOP[...]JOE AND EVAT. MURPHY
MILO AND MILDRED BUCK Jim and Joyce Murphy
Albert and Betty Westburg & Boys
MIKE AND STELLA MYERS
EMMA CHRISTENSEN[...]Aexsta Fink Myem
Jim and Adelphia Naylor
Dave, Shannon and Stacey Gar
Mildred Koliha
FRANK AND STELLA CIMRHAKI" SR AND INGA OISEN[...]LOUIE RINDAL
Frank and Marie Cimrhakl Melvin and Ella Rindal
Don and Marlene Rindal
SAM AND MARY COULTER
.LeRoy and Chariotte Coulter Glen and Dollie Rindal
Larry and Lucille Rindal Eckhardt
OWEN (WHISKER) AND ALEXANA DAVIS Jim and Joyce Rindal Murphy
Bill and Sharon Davis
ALVAH AND ANNA FINK[...]CI.AUDE AND MARY SATTERFIELD
Agusta Fink Myers[...]Jess and Alma Rindal Satterield
STAN AND ALICE GAR
JERRY GAR[...]Olaf Rindal
Dave, Shannon and Stacey Gar
JOE, JULIA AND CHARLES SWOBODA
OUNE HEMSING Jim and Marcie Horyoa
ANDREW ..JACK'' HEMSING[...]VAUGHN AND ERNISTINE TINDAII
JOHN AND CATHERINE HORYNA George and Victoria Stumpf, Jr.
Ray Horyna
Jim and Marcie Horyna JAY AND SUSAN VESSEY
Annie Horyna Freddie and Patricia Vessey
ARCH JOHNSON STEVE AND ELMA WEBB
laurence Sidney Johnson[...]Albert and Betty Westburg & Boys
Lillian Johnson Damschen
JOE AND CATHERINE EMMA KALINA LOUIS'CURLEY'' AND MARTHA WILLMORE
RJ. "Dick" Kalina[...]DAWN MARIE WILLMORE
Don and Charlottc Kslina Waaen and IIla Willmore
Dave and Marilyn Kalina and girls Ken Willmore Family
Larry and Sue Kalina and girls JeffWillmo[...]lina WILLIAM AND ANNA ZAHN
I.A,URENCE AND MARGA.RET KAI,.NH
JOSEPH & ANTONIA KOMAREK[...]Wilbert Sr. and Ava Kauth Zahn
JACOB AND FRANTISKA FARNIK
Mary Johnson Pollard[...]ARNOLD AND HERB ZAHN
RICHARD AND EMILY KOMAREK Wilbert "Hap" and Regena Zahn
Mary Johnson Pollard[...]Damschen Melvin and Marg:ie Zahn Campbell
Laurence Sidney Johnson
Albert and Sally Komarek ERNEST ZAHN
"Speed" and Jessie Komarek Albert and Betty Zahn Westburg & Boys

Covpn Desrcu By JA[...]Y Honvxe
o 1990 RoY HrsroRv CotttturrrBe
Prur*rBp AND DEsIGNED By CoLoR Wonlo PruNrsRs, BozsMAN,[...]

Homestead Shacks over Buffalo Tracks: History of Northeastern Fergus County [Montana] (2)[...]John and Betty Maruska
Myrtie Beatty[...]Jim and Joyce Murphy and Family
Jerry and Linda Bowser Bea Murray
Jim and l,avinni Bowser Agusta Myers
Richard and Deb Bowser George Netterberg
Gordy and Marcie Brask Artie and B.J- Niemi
Gene Brown V.A. "Bud" and Virginia Norskog
Ramona Brown John and Billie O'Reilly
Bureau of l,and Management Vema Patterson and Family
Lillian Bumett[...]Mary Pollard
f)an and Rosina Cimrhakl Lillian Poepisil
Frank and Marie Cimrhakl Dan and Pat Rindal
Roy and Charlotte Coulter David and Paula Rindal
Bill and Sharon Davis Glen and Dollie Rindal
Bill and Jean DeWes Melvin and Ella Rindal
Jim and Rosalie English Olaf Rindal
Bob and Kathie Fink Rod and l:sa Rindal
Les Fitzgerald Mike and Kathy Shirey and Family
Dave and Shannon Gar Joe Siroky
Bud and Shirley Grindheim Ken and Clara Siroky
Stan and Lu Horachek Mero Siroky Family
Jim and Marcie Horyna and Family Roger and Martha Siroky
Ray Horyna Ted and Delores Siroky
lee and Marcia Iverson Tom and Clara Siroky
Kay Jackson Gary and Jolene Smith
Karen Johnson[...]Muma Southworth
larry and Helen Jordan Elizabeth Stepans
David and Marilyn Kalina Ed and Mildred Styer
Don and Charlotte Kalina Ted and Judy Thompson
larry and Sue Kalina and Family Lucill[...]Agnes Wells
Joe and Marjorie King Albert and Betty Westburg
Wanda Emery Kolstad Sonny and Noma Wiengardt
Dean and bnda Komarek and Familj Mr. and Mrs. Don Williams
Joe "Speed" and Je88ie Komarek Wanen and llla Willmore
Jenny Link[...]lnis Woodard and Family
Monte and Donna Lund[...]Ernest and Marie Zahn[...]Bauman Charles and Ethel Lelek
F'ergus County Credit Union of Lewist[...]nal Bank of Lewistown Jim and Adelphia Naylor Roy Community Fair Booth
Marcie and Jim Horyna[...]Ed and Mickey Styer
George and EDee Komarek[...]
Homestead Shacks over Buffalo Tracks: History of Northeastern Fergus County [Montana] (3)[...]ing on their homesteads
Just a srnall dot on the map[...]Each proceeded to build a life
Told to us and our children[...]it As they sit on Grandpa's lap.
Words on the pages of tltis book[...]ow see acres of grainfields
As th.ey recount the deeds of our ancestors[...]s not as easy as it seerns.
Who preceded you and mq Tremendous herds of sheep and cottle
Many came from oppressed lands[...]n usith prairie dogs
Freedom is here for you and rne.[...]buffalo herds did roam.
When they first saw the rolling plains[...]The pioneers' feet haue trod
Their dreams u)ere focused on the future As they wearily trudged behind the plow
Not just the sight that met their eye. That turned the furrow in the louely uirgin
In place of grass and sagebrush[...]ose hardy pioneers
Tremendous herds of sheep and cattle Who cleored a pathway for us
Grazing on the grassy plain"[...]them be forgotten or
To wrest a liuing from the soil Tales of their hardships and their ioys
Sagebruslt and rocks rnust be cleared away[...]In this History of the area of Roy.[...]and p
Ruth Siroky is the widow ofJim Siroky who died September 1O 19?7. Ji[...]via in 1913 at a-ge four, with his four aiet€r8 and brothem
itd.;;d 1ft. J;h; Siroky Sr. They ho[...]oy, Montana where they experienced many hardabipe and adventures.
Homestead Shacks over Buffalo Tracks: History of Northeastern Fergus County [Montana] (4)[...]NOWLEDGEMENTS

We would iike to thank all the people it took to make this book a reality. people from
the age of 12 to 87 helped with this book. Some peopl[...]l mention.
A special thanks to our patient and fearless leader, Illa Willmore. The secretary-
treasurer, Jessie Komarek, spent hours keeping the records and finances straight. The
research team was Marie Zahn, Ella Rindal, and Donna Lund. They donated a lot of time
and effort. The members of the committee are Bill Davis, Monte Lund, Ray Horyna,
Lucille Umstead, Warren Willmore, Roy and Charlotte Coulter, Dick Kalina and Speed
Komarek. They helped in many ways.[...]ur pioneer residents for their memories of people and places: Winnie Rife,
Harold Bauman, Marcy and Jim Horyna, Frank and Murna Southworth. Frank and
Marie Cimrhakl, Steve Gilpatrick and Ernest Zahn.
Thanks to those who helped by proofreading, filing, indexing and in numerous other
ways: Sue Kalina, Charlotte K[...]rek, Pixie Zieski, Vicki Willmore, Sue
Willmore and Barb Kalal. Thanks to the Roy School and B. J. Niemi, A special thanks to
the students who helped: George Maruska for the computer work; Misty Will*or., Roxie
Willmore, and Kathy Kalina for proof reading, frling and indexing; Jamie Strunk
Kananen for art work. Th[...]e a great help.
Thanks to Mary Ann Quiring and Rachael Eide for their help and advice. Thanks for
photos and information above the call of duty: Carley Graham, Edyth Kauth Oquist,
Earline Tully McNeil, Helen Hanson Hartman, Don Hardy and Dodie Rife.
Thanks to all the people who helped by writing stories and writing letters. Thanks for
art work to Illa Willmore and Marie Zahn.Thanks to Monte Lund for donating a sc[...]like to thank our families for putting up with us and encouraging
us. Many time the housework didn't get done because the book needed work.
Thanks to all the countless others, who donated time, money and knowledge and sent
in material for usage in this book. This book is the result of many hours of volunteered
help.[...]one has to remember that everyone can see, hear, and teli the
same story in different ways, The readers will find various stories that differ slightly in
the telling for this reason. We cannot verify the exact accuracy and details of stories or
dates but they are as close to the facts as possible.
We will continue to gather information and it will be on file for anyone who wishes to
use it. If anyone has data or stories on any of the homesteaders in this area please send it
to us. M[...]e were able to include in this book. We had poems and
maps and information that had to be cut to fit the space in the book.
Don Hardy made us a set of eight maps showing the early homesteads. Anyone
interested in copies should contact the History Committee.
In spite of all the work it toolt to do this book, some people are al[...]Roy History Committee

[The Roy History Committee assumes no responsib[...]

Homestead Shacks over Buffalo Tracks: History of Northeastern Fergus County [Montana] (5)[...]The Auto
Good Buffaio Horse[...].. IDO
Steamboat and Woodhawk[...]193
The names, Legends of Landmarks etc.[...]."..275
How - When and Why of Homesteading C[...]Eariy History of Roy Cemetery
Homesteading and Homesteaders[...]General Histories ............
Poem "The Wind" Servicemen and Missiles
In and Under the Prairie Skies[...]Service men and women
Valentine[...]........ 32 On the Homefront
Railroad[...]Rockford Railroad Line Bits and Pieces ............. ......[...].....,... .... .. -..-DO Poem "The Last Round"
Poem "The Lasr Old Timer" Getting the Harvest In
Horses - Horses[...]L.S. Mclaughlin
The West Was Wild Dirt Moving Now and Then
Ado of Cow Punching[...].............. 477
Goin'To School In The Country Ne[...]
Homestead Shacks over Buffalo Tracks: History of Northeastern Fergus County [Montana] (6)[...]by Donna Lund

The idea for doing a history of the Roy-Fergus-Valentine area had been tossed around
for several years; it took the deaths of a couple of "Old Timers" to get the ball rolling.
From the time we seriousll'began work, till the time we finish will be about three years.
We[...]to have Mary Pollard who had access to newspapers and data at the
library and copied mirads of material for us. Marie Zahn, who was born and raised in this
country, knew many people and had kept track of many and had clipped articles from
magazines and papers of anything about anyone from this area. S[...]full of
items, including old letters, post cards and clippings. This has been invaluable.
To begin with three families met and talked about doing a history. They started a list[...]ld think of that had lived here. Then everyone in the commun-
ity was invited to a meeting. About 20 showed up the first time. More names were added to
the list, also addresses were added where possible. B[...]books were great at giving us all kinds of
advice and ideas.
We organized a history group wiih officers and a set of by-Iaws. It does help to have
people support such a project. Most of the work has fallen on about four of the group. Some
people didn't feel able to do the actual research and writing but were invaluable in identi-
fying photos, remembering people, places and events, in contacting other people for
information and in helping to sponsor raffles, pre-book sales, donations, a dance, the saie
of special pens, paper and envelopes and in memorials. Ideally on a project such as this
there should be one group of people doing the research and writing and another group
dealing with finances. However we d[...]a few did both.
We sent form letters to all the people we had addresses for along with a geneology
form and a request for addresses of anyone else. Response was better from those who lived
away from the area than from the locals. Then began the hours of interviewing people,
verifying facts and correcting dates, names and events. Some people sent complete stories
while others sent facts and someone had to rewrite them in story form. Marie Zahn did
hours of research at the library and courthouse; Frank Cimrhakl also did much research
at the courthouse.
In order to create interest we t[...]ny people, of all ages, as possible in
working on the book. There was a book naming contest and a book cover designing
contest. We gave a talk at the high school. Ilia put little items of history in[...].
We talked to many printers around Montana, and in other states, in an effort to put
out a qualit[...]to
make before printing can begin, such as: type and color of cover, kind of paper, size and
style of type, overall design, number of copies to order and much more.
Many people have helped in many ways and they are mentioned elsewhere in this
book. There were hours of typing and reams of paper used, as well as file folders and lots of
postage.
There is a great deal of wo[...]his type to be able to do it in
three vears shows the dedication of the workers and members of the committee.

Homestead Shacks over Buffalo Tracks: History of Northeastern Fergus County [Montana] (7)[...]s, First came the troppers, who
Pirates haue their[...]Were out for hides and skin.
Summer has its heat Next came the cottlemen, who[...]Sent back for their hin.
,And Winter has its cold.
People haue thei[...]Soon the Indions oroused
To which they are[...]And started out to raid.
But I also haue[...]Their own they costly paid.
In the west it hos its mountains, Next carne the settlers,
In the east, its flatter lands. Who planned to settle down;
In the north, its glacier scenery, Some built up a homestead,
In the south, Crow Indian bands. While others built the town-
Tho the sky may oft be cloudy[...]Then there were rustlers
And the ground be deep in snow,[...]worked only for greed;
You wiII meet the finest people
They stole horses and cattle
You could euer want to kn[...]Of euery brond and breed.
Like euery other state But then the lout moued in
Near lond or near the seo, To help the country out.
A wonderful state lihe this This soon made the rustlers
Must haue its history.[...]To see the broncos buck,
It's just as beautiful[...]The cowboys win their prizes
As it[...]ew men weor their neckties;
Lewis and Clark come thru Some prefer o bandona;
And from that April day[...]-
It grew ond grew and grew. My sto[...]by I. Willmore

The area surrounding Black Butte, and the north- phere, distances can be deceiving and the Little Rocky
eastern corner of the Judith Mountains. across the Mountains and the Bear Paws to the north, at times,
rolling prairie lands north to the Missouri River breaks can look to be within 'hands' reach. The prairie and
and down to the river bottoms and east to Valentine, breaks lay in between.
comprise the area of our history. It is approximately 40 The prairie is an everchanging land. In the spring it
miles square.[...]is a mixture of light greens, gtays and silvers, yellows,
The Roy valley has an elevation of 3100 feet and the reddish-pinks and blues. In the fall it is gray and gold
breaks, where Armells Creek dumps into the Missouri and brown. The highly erodable soil, "gumbo", in
River, is 2900 feet at the top of the ridge and 2200 feet summer's heat becomes a powdery dust that whirl-
on the bottom.[...]w trailing to water, can send blow'
Black Butte and the Judiths frame the southwestern ing high into the atmosphere. A rain shower can
boundary. Under the vast skyline, and clear atmos- quickly turn it[...]

Homestead Shacks over Buffalo Tracks: History of Northeastern Fergus County [Montana] (8)[...]prime game bird habitat is now covered b), the waters
aimost impossible, for man or beast.[...]Peck Lake. Another animal that old timers told
The prairie land is covered r,r'ith sage brush. grasses of, u'as of the fan-tail deer which became extinct *,ith
and cactus. On wet years it can be a sea of yelk_rw the rising waiers. It was a very small anima)., weigh[...]lilies, with their around 50 pounds and had small compact antlers.
fragile white-pink bl[...]this tiny deer.
wild roses, sunflowers and dozens of other wild flowers Whiie the land itself is virtuallS' unchanged, the river
ali dot the landscape with color and fragrance in their channel has chang[...]bly, even in recbnt his-
due season. In dry years the semi-deseri can assume a tory. What once was bottom land on the north side of
gray-tannish pallor, thar, is unbroken. Herds of ante- the river is noq' river channel and new bcttomlands
lope mingle with cattle. Prairie[...]ered with new growth have built up on the south side, and
throughout the plains. The yip and wail of the coyote visa versa. The still waters resulting from the Ft. Peck
can be heard morning and evening and mirades of dam is slowing down this process.
birds break the stillness with song. predators, Buffalo hunters, trappers and earlyr settlers, and
(especially the fox which have become numerous in probably the adverse conditions ofthe eariy 1g00's, all
recent years) a busy highrvay, plus easier access and a but depleted wildlife. WWII was a[...]igh intensity of hunters are taking their toll on the were good years with very little hunting done and game
once numerous sage grouse, ihat old timers tell about increased and moved into nell' areas. Elk, deer and
"flying over in bunches by the thousands." Rattle- geese thrive on the grainfields that border the breaks
snakes are ever present. and favor the fresh artesian water. over reservoirs.
It is a country that can fool one. The seemingly flat The river has many species of fish: catfish, walleyes,
piains are broken up by rocks, hidden washouts and drum, northern pike, sturgeon, sauger, gold eyes, carp,
steep coulees that break offinto the river bottom lands. buffalo fish, river trout, ling; but the biggest prize to
The deeply eroded breaks (called mauvais terres or pull from its waters is the paddlefish, a prehistoric
bad lands by the early French-Canadian rivermen) are creature, with no true bone development and a long
covered with juniper, ponderosa pine and some frr. This paddle-like nose that e[...]length. This paddie is used to stir the mud at the bottom
browse and protection for wildlife and cattle, and in the of the river in search for food. It averages about 40
early days provided logs for homes and firex,ood for pounds in weight but can exceed 140 pounds. Portions
homesteaders and steamboats, and posts to build fences. of the fish are a gourmet delight. A female can yield 10,
Along the creeks that head in the mountains, grow lbs. of choice caviar.
willows, wild fruit trees and bushes of chokecherry, Hunting, frshing, boating and floating the river are
service berries (June berries or Saskat[...]all prime drawing cards for visitors and natives alike.
berries and currants. In and near the mountains are By the 1880's the river had become a major transpor-
poplar, birch, pine and fir trees. tation corridor for a flourishing fur trade. With the dis-
Along the Missouri River are two distinct geological covery of gold in the mountains the Missouri was used
formations. The gray colored Judith formation and the to carry supplies to the mining camps, and gold and
darker Bear Paw shale. Slides are common in the fra- furs out. The first steamboat to pass the UL Bend area
gile Bear Paw shale. Barren gray, lumpy soil deposits was the Chippewa-in 1859.
of bentonite are found throughout the entire area. It The Crooked Creek area north of Roy, from highway
was formed from decomposing volcanic ash and is 191, east to Valentine is rich with fossils and pieces of
composed largeiy of clay particles.[...]petrified wood, which can be found everywhere. The
The badlands are the rugged massive remnants of region is considered one of the most im/ortant in the
eons of erosion. When the great glaciers of the ice age worid for the research on the last dinosaurs. The entire
spread over northern Montana, the Missouri River was area was covered by the Creataceous Sea, some 60 to
forced from its original channel (north of the Little 150 million years ago.
Rockies where the Milk River now flows, 60 miles The fossils unearthed in the breaks date back 80 mii-
away) and moved southward. The present channel was lion years. In the 1960's, in an area above Ft. Peck, the
formed by the river cutting along the face of the ice lower molar of what appeared to be that of the oldest
shield. As the glacier receded the resulting streams that primate in the world was found. The discovery pushed
flowed across the fragile soil formed the steep coulees the evidence of primates back about 5 millign years.
you see today, the trademark of the breaks. The country Since then researchers have discovered thousands of
is prime wiidlife habitat and hunting is a major recrea- teeth and bone fragments.
tion ofthe area.[...]Ann McCollum, wife of former manager of the CMR,
Along the river bottom grow huge cottonwoods. The James McCollum, discovered the fossil of a mosasaurs
Iarge fertiie lands once grew tons of alfalfa and seed in the area between highway 191 and Wiider in the
and other produce. Much of the land that once was 1980's. It is on display at the Museum of the Rockies in
Homestead Shacks over Buffalo Tracks: History of Northeastern Fergus County [Montana] (9)[...]not soon forgotten, were the annual roundups from a[...]),
The Roy-Valentine area has many specimens of bac- range area of 50 to i00 miles and the brandings and F
ulites; strange creatures that lived in the sea 60 to 120 sorting that went on. In 1884 cattle fattened on the
miilion years ago. Secrions of this creaiure were cailed Montana ranges were bringing the highest prices on
buffalo rock by the Indians and were carried as a good the Chicago market.
luck piece.[...]12 varieties of dinosaurs inha- brought in the first herd. Chamberlain Creek north of
bited this region. The remains of prehistoric frogs, Cone Butte[...],
salamanders, turtles, crocodiles, snails, clams and birds built for a line camp, that several hom[...]tion camping in when they came to homestead.
The Indian was once master of this beautiful, harsh One of the large early ranches was the Davis, Hauser
domain. It was his hunting grounds. From it, in its and Stuart[...]season, came his food supply, his clothing supply and 5,000 head of longhorns into Central Montana. The
his lodging. It is no wonder, then, that with the advent Anderson Ranch was originally settled by Reese And-
of white man who took from him his way of life, that erson. The Burnett Ranch was originally headquarters
Indian uprisings became common. for the DHS.
It is through this country in the summer of 1877 that James Fergus came in with cattle and settled on
Chief Joseph led his people, the Nez Perce, on their last Armells. The Horse Shoe Bar Ranch had its origin in
desperate flight for freedom. They came through and the original properties established by H.P. (Governor)
around by the Judith Mountains and Black Butte and Brooks of Helena. The ranch was developed into one of
passed near the present site of Roy and went on to the the finest stock ranges in Central Montana. In 1889,
Cow Island crossing on the Missouri River and headed the property and all the cattle were purchased by Oscar
north for Canada, only to be defeated by the U.S. Army Stephens. In 1898, W.D. Deaton, a colorful oldtimer of
near the Bear Paws. the era, was foreman of the Horse Shoe Bar sp;ead. The
Black Butte was once a favored Indian look-out,[...]ch headquarters was located where
either locating the herds of buffalo or for keeping watch the Lester Sluggetts now live. Murray Deaton's name,[...](son of W.D.) is featured prominently in the early his-
Arrow heads and teepee rings, for the lucky hunter, tory of eattle on the range land surrounding Roy.
can be found near the old camp and buffalo kill sites all In 1883 the number of sheep counted in the Armells
throughout the entire area. As national liistoric items vi[...]s
Indians who inhabited this region were mainly the and built up a sizeable sheep herd on Box Elder. Oscar
nomadic tribes of Assiniboins (a branch of the Sioux Stephens was located at the foot of Black Butte (the Red
breed of warrior-hunters), Crows, Chippewas Barn Ranch now owned and operated by Gary and
-a tough
and the half-breed Metis. It is reported that as early as Toni Keller). In February of 1884 it was reported that
the 1830's and 1840's the Metis were hired as guides for the 6100 head of wethers he drove in from Oregon the
trappers. The Metis are of Cree Indian and French previous fall were all fat and would yield 8 lbs. of wool
ancestry. They came here in 1879, apparently looking at the next shearing. Blanchard & Parrott (or Parcot),
f[...]responsi- Wm. Fergus on Box Elder, Chandler and Chamberlain
ble for the heritage of our area. The families of the of the Cone Butte area and W. H. Peck were all reported
Doneys, LaFountains, LaRocques and Gardipees came to have sizeable flock[...]olgtowers
at this time. These families settled in and near Roy organization was formed in the late 1880's.
of the families were the first permanent
-other unitswhat[...]entral Montana. James Fergus & Son befan
After the demise of the buffalo, came the herds of the Horse Ranch, which was their horse range'
southern cattle to fatten on the hard grasses that grow
and cure in eastern Montana. This grass has feed valu[...]Ranching had its ups and downs, then as now. Cattle
until moisture is rece[...]down, sometimes up rustling was prevalent. The year 1907 was an excep-
to three years. These ear[...]tionally good grass year, the "grass was stirrup high",[...]d for two or more years. Then in 1910 it was
only the population back east, but the miners, railroad
extremely dry and frres burned from the Judith to the
builders and the Indians, after the buffalo were gone.
The first cattle were brought into the area in the late[...]sselshell, blaekening thousands of acres.
1870's and early 80's. These were mostly longhorns, Cattlemen still dominate the range of northeastern
driven over dusty trails from the Texas Panhandle and Fergus County and though their numbers are getting
they dominated the early ranges. After the fall round- fewer as more land is set aside for wildlife and recrea-
ups the cattle were trailed to Fallon or Custer or to some tion and plowed up for wheat and government pro-
point on the Northern Railroad for shipment. By the grams, the cattle business still plays a major role in the
early 1900's the ranges were dotted with cattle. A scene[...]
Homestead Shacks over Buffalo Tracks: History of Northeastern Fergus County [Montana] (10)[...]ny Or NonrHeesreRN Fencus Couxry

Hereford, Angus and crossbreds dot the range. airplanes of all sizes break the quietness with their
The area is still primitive; wildlife abounds, ranche[...]flight area for
are secluded, but where once only the eagles soared, jet our National defense syste[...]a Carpenter, Henry Otten, Dick Reed, Herman Otten and BilI Cook. Some of the other
men who rode for Deoton were: Chunky Conoll[...]-river from St. Louis. This was not
Joseph Kipp and James W. Schultz leave Fort Benton stored in the post because of being in trouble with the
for Carroll to erect a trading post for the I.G. Baker U.S. Marshall as this post was for the purpose of
Company in the "last of the buffalo country", where Indian trade. Hewie was in charge and when Indians
some years previous, Matt Carroll and Colonel C.A. ordered the liquor he received an order from the post.
Broadwater attempted the overland freight route to Another small building was built for smoking buffalo
Helena-the Carroll Trail. tongues. This completed the trading post.
Three four-horse teams loaded with trade goods were North and south, the plains were black with herds of
sent overland while Kipp, Guardipee and Schultz buffalo. Daily they came to water at the river and
boarded the Steamboat "Red Cloud" (an I.G. Baker returned to the plains to graze. In mating season, the
Company boat). They tied up on the upper end of the bulls made a deep moaning sound that rumbled like
bottom, a sagebrush flat and a twenty foot cutbank thunder, so different from domestic bulls. Sometimes
skirting the water. Long John Forgy and his bull- they would come in at a run and charge out into the
wackers were already getting out building logs from a river-often crossing and goingrto graze on the plains
large grove of cottonwoods on the lower end of the bot- on the north side. When stampeded, a herd would wipe
tom. None of the Broadwater-Carroll buildings remain. out ev[...]ing to
Augustus Tyler had a small log building on the extreme guard against when out hunting.
upper end where he carried on trade with the wood- Indians began to arrive to hunt and trade, Blackfeet,
hawks located here who furnished wood for the steam- then the Bloods and next Red Rivers and Crees with
boats. By September the first, the trading post was Ircuis Riel's French Crees.
built. The main building was 100'x 40', partitioned 25' Five dollars was the price given for a head and tail
x 40' trade room with two counters and shelves in back cow buffalo robe. A family would bring from five to
for groceries and dry goods. Behind this building ten robes. The man would count the $1.00 brass checks
another three room building was built for kitchen and and keep a few for himself, $ving the rest to the women
dining room, cooks quarters as well as seve[...]sugar, tea, flour, baking powder,
employees. Kipp and Schultz had their bed in the trade cloth for gowns, beads, thread and needles. The men
building. The warehouse, the greater part of the post bought tobacco, cartridges plus whiskey. Many men
held $6,000 worth of stock and trade goods. A small did not drink.

Homestead Shacks over Buffalo Tracks: History of Northeastern Fergus County [Montana] (11)[...]),
The fur buyers came to the post on the first boat in patched a French-Cree employee, Archie Amiott and F
the spring with Chas. Conrad, I.G. Baker; Thomas Bos- another man to carry on the business. The Blackfeet
ier for T.C. Powers & Brother; A.E. Rogers, Broadwater and most of the Bloods suddenly decided to return to
& Pepin Co. and John Goeway for a Boston firm. Daily,[...]5.00 per head
these men sat in a row, with pencil and paper, counting from that government. They could not be convinced
and inspecting each robe and marking No. 1 and No. 2 that they could earn a better living hunting here.
according to color and sofbness of tanning, seeing both November, when the buffalo hides begin to be prime,
the fur side and the flesh side of the robe. This took an Kipp sent Eli Guardipee out to huni and Schultz joined
entire week to go through the 4,111 robes. Goeway was him as trade was slow. Many exciting times were spent
the highest bidder at $7.11 per robe. Kipp's check wa[...]with their fast horses chasing buffalo, first on the south
in the amount of $29,229.21. Deer, elk, antelope, wolf, side of the river and after the river ice was frozen solid,
beaver, fox and other hides were also sold. I.G. Baker Gardipee hunted the plains on the north side.
and Company bought more than 1,000 buffalo tongues The Crees and Riel's Red River mixed bloods were
which were smo[...]h. Some thousands of good hunters and their wives good tanners. They were
pounds of dried buffalo meat and pemmican went to a hunting hard this[...]ing Rock Agency. and ammunition for the coming war they were plan-
The 1880-1881 winter waa a successfirl season.[...]ds they lay claim to. By March
Big-Nose George and his gang of horse thieves were the last of the blankets were traded to the Cree and a
camped near in the breaks and came to the post for trip was made with saddle horse and sleds to the post at
supplies. One of this gang shot a young Cree boy as he the mouth of the Judith River to replenish the blanket
left the post, this ended their trade. A Cree was sent to supply. The fifty blankets lasted only three days when
Colone[...]action they came back to Caroll.
against the murderer, but to no avail. Bartlett says that With spring came the steamboats, pufEng upstream
he had no control over civil cases and it was in the and from Boston, the fur buyer, John Goeway. He was
hands of Sheriff Healey at Fort Benton. It was out of again the high bidder for the robes, 2,130 robes at $7.35
the question to reach him.[...]ompany bought
Eighteen Eighty OneEighty TVo saw the passing of tons of dried meat and pemmisFn as well as elk, deer,
the herds. During the summer Kipp went to Fort Ben- antelope and other skins.
ton and brought dowa a big supply of trade goods for Several weeks after the fur buyers left, they all set out
the winter. By Augrrst we were aware of big changes[...]ohn Forgy in charge of
wbich would greatly affect the trade. The Cree decided the post. Kipp and Schultz boarded the "Helena" and
to no longer mingle with the Bloods and Blackfeet and the other men brought the bull teams and horses on the
moved down river in the area at the mouth of the long overland trail. This was the end of the buffalo
Musselshell. However, they wished a trading post be trade, a sad day to see the demiee of these animals from
set up there, and so Kipp readied about a thousand dol- the plains on which the Indians needs demanded.
lars worth of trade goods and a samp outfit and dis-

Goon[...]-
Joe LaFountain told of the buffalo bunting days of Eli most of it went to feed the buffalo horees. Thie was done
Gardipee and others. This was in the 18?0'e and '80's, by wetting the hay and epdnkling it with flour. Flour took
when the white men wiehed to subdue the Indiane by the place of oats ae there wa8 not any oats raised bere in
elaughtering the buffalo, thereby forcing the Indians to those days. The buffalo hunters located the herde and
stay on their respective reseryations and accept the whitc start€d ehooting. The herd would run with the huntere in
men's terms.[...]ll as
Eli worked oostly irr Roy, Grass Range and Judith Eany a8 they could.
Basi[...]llent rifle Men would follow up to start the skinning neceesar5r for
shot, was employed for the purpose of killing the animals. the next procedure. Others would follow with teams and
A good buffalo horse wae worth a lot of money for he wag:ons. Teams were ueed to pull the hide from the buffalo
was an exceptional horse. The horee must be fleet of foot, carcass. The buffalo hides were then hauled to the river
must be able to run Bany miles at top speed and muet be points for drying and shipment east.
well broken ao a rnan could eho[...]Flour was selling for $100 a sack at Rocky Point and apiece. Later, ae they became acarce, the price went up. ,[...]

Homestead Shacks over Buffalo Tracks: History of Northeastern Fergus County [Montana] (12)[...]for precious metals, away, in the hay sled. He started up the road but
mine shafts dot the mountain side. Coal was also only went a few feet before he put the case down
mined, as reported on February 14, 1933 in the and switched hands. He did this several times
D emocr[...]t
A number of men are still diggrng coal on the Butte and sure must be heavy." Dad replied that he had
several are through for the winter, having gotten out a lifted it the previous night to move it out of the
good supply. Some of the coal is being sold in Roy. It is way and that it felt like gold it was so heavy.
estim[...]en taken out Ten years later I told the story to another
since fall and it has meant something worthwhile to[...]bars were stoleh from a mine at Zortman and no
supply of coal for the diggrng of it. This coal would not be one c[...]ere they went. They could
of commercial value and is on a school section, but it not fi[...]yone could have gotten out
comes in handy for the farmers who are willing to dig it. with[...]e also found on Coal Hill, east of the river. The description of the man they figured
Roy, and in the Valley View area. took the gold and the man at our house fit" When
A mining claim of Pi[...]anybody in this area.
A fellow by the name of Kies found $10,000 worth[...]ale for several years but
of gold somewhere along the river, on the west then in the late 70's a new surge began and the mines at
side of Musselshell. He went to town, got a couple of Zortman, Landusky, Kendall and in the Judiths are
fellows to join him in a mining venture and they started booming once more. Gold production yields at the
back for the mine. Enroute they were attacked and mines in 1988 figured in the millions of dollars, per
killed by Indians except for Kies Indian wife. The claim quarter. Many local men are employed by the mining
has never been located.[...]0 per dav
for a miner; $4.00 per day for laborers and timbermen Orl
and $2.00 per day for cowboys and sheepherders. Cow-
boys made the best miners. They worked cheap all Ever since the early homestead days the possibility
summer, went broke in the fall and had to go to work in of oil beneath the surface of this country has been
winter to sunriv[...]Several test wells have been dug. Most have
pasts and were rough characters. been capped and the rigs are pulled up and gone before
A story told by a rancher living in the area north of anyone knows what has h[...]aura of mystery and speculation as to what they found.
In the winter of 1949 a man walked into our[...]a small leather case. He asked to and lease the oil rights for a few years from local land
stay all night. The following morning we gave owne[...]appens. But it all keeps
him a ride, as far as the old King Trail, a mile alive the dream of an oil strike. . . . someday![...]by Dolores Rife

Records show that gold and silver and other minerals Bamboo Dick Gies will commence work in earnest on the
were d.iscovered and mined in 1888 and the early 1900's Cave lode in the spring.
in the Cone Butte district. The town of Roy lies about 10 Pretty Dick Hanson is drifting 6n hi5 slpim, "The Bull of
miles north of Cone Butte, a mountain which arises the Woods." He has four feet of line ore.
from the flat land and is part of the Judith Mountains. Lime Horse Jack[...]ntain. He has a fine prospect.
News, stated what the local miners were doing. Contact Billy Maurer is etill running for the contact on[...]Silver Reef. He ie in about 250 feet and expects to etrike it
Straight Tunnel Chris Fassold is laying off and recruit-[...]

Homestead Shacks over Buffalo Tracks: History of Northeastern Fergus County [Montana] (13)[...]'4t
Amalgam Hoppy and and Porphritic Jim Mitchell are
sinking on the Birmingham. They are down 25 feet in[...]and Bernard Neisigh has two glnims. An effort will be
Graball Charlie Wiliiams and Givea-dam Tom Burk are made this summer to interest capitelints in the district
running a tunnel on the Silver Crescent. They think they and it is thougbt that by the judicioue use of a little
have struck it rich[...]0.
Sour Dough Charlie Stephens is drifiing on the lead. He
has about one and one halffeet of$35 ore. Charlie will not[...]Cunningham has been prospecting in the Judiths Bince
Teiluride Vincent Gies is drifting on a small vein of ore in May 1881 and has eome valuable prospects in the Cone
the Bertha. It runs $175 in gold and silver. He is sacking Butte distri[...]money intp mines in the Judith Mountaine.
Gold Bug George Manning is tunneling on the New June 18, 1891. O.[...]Moorhead, Minn., was
Chicago. He is in 60 ft. The vein is four feet wide, six in town several days during the past week taking preii-
inches of$180 ore and three and one halffeet of$15 ore. minary steps for the formation of what will be knowa as
Black Jack Murphy is running a tunnel on the Phoenix. the Cone Butte Miniag Company. The object of the com-
He is about 80 fi. and within 10 feet of the lead. He expects pany will be the developrnent of the Golden Jack No. 1
to strike a bonanza i-n about 10 days. and Golden Jack No. 2.
Hurricane Craig Coughty and Hard Rock George F[...]ehare of accidents
Cunningham are sinking on the Jocko. They are down 38 then too.) The mine belonging to Dick Hanson ir the Cone
ft. The lead is 12 feet wide. with about eeven feet of$27 ore. Butte district and known as "The Bull of the Woods"
From a December 25 issue 1890 of a local paper it caught fire and destroyed the building contnining t}1s[...]boiler. They had reacbed a depth of 107 ft. ia the shaft,'
stated:
and bad only three more feet to sirk before croescutt[...]when the dieaster occurred. Tbe loss ie a eerioue one at
the Cone Butte district. The property is known a8 "The
this geason of the year.
Cave" lode, and is owned jointly by Richard and Vincent
Gies. There are three tunaels on the property, one of New owners have taken over these mines. It is known
which passes along the ore body for a distance of200 feet. that the early day prospector found a lot of the ore
The ore assays from $12 to $26 in silver and about 70 per deposits that are being mine[...]re was made firet gold to be recovered in the Judith and North Moccasin
of the month to Newark, New Jersey, from which returns Mountains. Research has it that the gold deposits were
have not yet been received[...]go from thermal flows, bring-
good figure for the property but says it is not for eale. ing the gold up with the hot fluids.
Those who have seen the mirre say it i8 a great bonanza." Problems between environmentalists and industries
From the nee/spaper "Great Falle L€ader" they wrote: and labor and management have made it diffrcult to
"The Cone Butte district is attracting coneiderable at[...]nes but it is hopeful that well-managed,
tion and will ehow up well in the future. Among those environmentally-aware and community-minded mining
interested in the disfrict is Vincent Giee and hie clains operations can be developed. Mining will take a big
join the M.K. on the west and joins the Voltaire. (At thig[...]step toward attracting the new job, creating mining
time the Voltair was owned by Jqmes Fergus.) Sten[...]that Montana needs.
Haneen has a claim next to the Voltair. Oecar and[...]sed it for eight or ten years
above Landru's. All the wells except two were plugged bef[...]n completely.
since they were looking for oil not the gas that they The well on the Landru property was drilled to 3400
found. Will Landru hauled water to the welle with a feet, hit gas at 1380 feet, with 425 pounds of pressure
team of horses and a big steel water tank mounted on a coming out of the well. It wae caeed and is still being
wagon while they were drilling.[...]used in all Bob Landru's buildings and Doug Landru's
Henry Edwards used one of two wells not plugged. It houee and shop.[...]
Homestead Shacks over Buffalo Tracks: History of Northeastern Fergus County [Montana] (14)[...]by Marie Zahn

It is stated in the Time Life book, "The Rivermen", est to dock at Fort Benton. In[...]ried 300 head
that 700 different steamboats plied the Missouri be, of cattle belonging to Asa Samples to market at Omaha,
tween 1819 and after the disappearance of the paddle- Nebraska. Captains Joseph LaBarge,[...]ic after 1900; of these, some 300 were and Daniel Maratta of the Fontanelle, one of the fastest
destroyed in service and left their bones in the river, boats on the river, were only three of the famous
due to weather related accidents, snags that pierced rivermen.
their hulls, reefs, sandbars and some were the result of The treacherous nature of the upper Missouri was
human error, such as the "Chippewa". She was set on shown when the "Marion", commanded by Captain
fire by her rowdy crew in a drinking session; and when Abe Wolf, went hopelessly aground at Pablo Rapids in
the fire ignited barrels of powder stored in her hold, the 1864. Captain Marsh brought the Luella down from
ship was blown to smithereens. Fort Benton, rescued the passengers and freight, sal-
With the gold strikes in 1863, Captain Joseph vaged the machinery and returned to Fort Benton
LaBarge went into opposition to the American Fur where the unfortunate vessel's equipment was sold.
Company and his firm of LaBarge, Harkness and The beautiful Grand Union Hotel, Fort Benton, one
Company advertised passage to "the mountains", of Montana's oldest hote[...]2
which drew heavy loads of passengers, bound for the November 1882 by Stephen Sptizley and company. It
gold fields. The "Emilie" and "Shreveport", LaBarge was built on the west end of the levee, a three stgry
boats, with 400 tons of cargo and 300 passengers, the brick structure, made from 500,000 red and yellow
first wave of emigrants which came to settle Montana, bricks from the local kiln. It's construction cost was
raced up the flood-swollen river that spring, against the $50,000 plus $150,000 for furnishings. This was the
American Fur Company steamers, "Key West" and most luxurious hotel in the West and catered to river
"Spread Eagle", beating them by three days. and overland travelers, supplying the fineries of East-
The T. C. Power and I. G. Baker businesses in Fort ern civilization.
Benton, together, bought the steamboat, "Benton" in "All trails lea[...]nton" was a familiar state
1875, which was called the Benton Packet Company, ment. The community was the anchor of the Mullan
the Block "P" Line, (a box with the letter P in the cen- Road to Walla Walla;the road to Helena and other gold
ter, their symbol, was made clearly visable mounted mining towns that branched offfrom the Mullan Road.
between the upper smokestacks of their boats). The The Whoop-Up Trail led to Canada and Fort Mcleod,
Coulson & Peck Line, called the Missouri Transporta- with much commerce carried over this route to the
tion Company and the Kountz Line were stiff competi- north. The Fisk Wagon Road brought settlers from St.
tors. Power expanded his business to carry overland Paul and North Dakota through northern Montana
freight and passengers and was known as Benton and was another imporiant overland trail.
Transportat[...]n conjunction with Fort Benton became the commercial center of Mon-
the steamboats. Captain Grant Marsh, a fabled Mis- tana at this period, with the Missouri River, the nain
souri River boatman, was hired by them to pilot their avenue oftravel and transportation from the East and
pride steamer, "The Helena". Power had become the
owner of several more steamboats and thus was able to
underbid the Coulson Line with their diversified system.
The usual up-river trip from St. Louis to Fort Benton
was made in 60 to 65 days. The average fare was 9150
in 1867 and some 1,500 persons reached Montana in
these vessels. Much of the mining machinery was
transported by boat to Fort Benton for the 35 quartz
mills in this area.
Intriguing names[...]D EAGLE, LUELLA, BATCHELOR, The steamboat Helena going up the Missouri Riuer
JOSEPHiNE, SILVER BOW, PENINAH, ROSEBUD about 1875. The boots brought in troppers, ntiners,
and the WYOMING which was 265 feet long, the larg- soldiers and supplies.

Homestead Shacks over Buffalo Tracks: History of Northeastern Fergus County [Montana] (15)[...]Eeru,v Hntonv

boomed in the early 1860's. Some emig:ants came in then overland only the last hundred or so miles to the
via the Bozeman trail and north from Casper. Some placer mines. Shipments of gold, furs and hides, wool
came from the Pacifrc Coast, but to be sure, most of the and livestock, passengers, the military people as well
miners and their supplies came up this river route and as mail went down the river to the Eastern ports"[...]RAcED
Missouri pilots were a hot-blooded breed and engaged narrow chute to port-side, in hopes the high water level
in races, partly because fast boats won lucrative freight would make the short cut passable.
contracts and while mostly on a friendly basis, some Spread Eagle's pilot suddenly saw the short route
became a no-holds-barred, imperiling[...]head of Emilie was navagable. Rather than let her
and passengers lives. take the lead, he threw the wheel over and ro-med
Twenty-nine-year-old Samuel Hauser, pros[...]w into Enilie, deliberately trying to
heading for the Montana gold fields experienced such a disable her. The impact *ss dnngerously near Emilis's
duel. (Hause[...]the two boats were locked together. Emilie's pilot was
June 6, 1862, ihis race began as the "Emilie" and the so enraged that he let go the wheel and snatched his
"Spread Eagle" left Ft. Berthold heading for Ft. Ben- gun and would have shot Spread Eagle's pilot had not
ton. Hauser was aboard the Emilie. Gathering steam to his son stopped him. The boats drifted, while pas-.
the last notch, the quaking boat passed the Spread sengers and crews exchanged threats and curses. For-
Eagle. (There was poor regulation of steam power and tunately, the two boats separated on their own accord,
some of the pilots did not regard the danger.) With as related by Hauser, and f,milig's engineer turned on
much applause from the deck, the Spread Eagle built a the last pound of steam, causing her to glide by and
new head of steam and charged to the lead. Emilie's Emilie reached Fort Bent[...]ilot encouraged his engineer to put on more power and ahead of her rival. This race proved the fleetness of
soon she drew abreast and they held this pace for more Emilie and earned her owner a big share of the river
than an hour. On reaching a point where the river split trade which more than compensated for the damage
by a towhead (an island submerged by high spring done in the race.
water), Spread Eagle veered to starboard, following the
wideJooping main channel. Emilie's pilot chose the

SreAMeoar AND WooD Hawrs
by Con Anderson

In the year 1914 the U.S. Government was still the root portion and let them float down river. Now,
spending money to keep the Missouri River open for the there are many of these trees lodged in the river as
large stern wheel boats that went up to Ft. Benton, snags.
before the railroads were built. Why the river was kept Crews still sawed the trees along the banks of the
open for river tra{c this late is a mystery to me[...]although steam boat haffrc had stopped a long
The Gros Ventre was the name of the stern wheel time before this. These bo[...]ood for fuel
paddle boat I saw in 1914. It raised the cottonwood power and many of the old timers I knew cut pitch pine
trees that were in the river. Men sawed the trees from for the riverboats. They were called "wood hawks".

THo Nalans AND LncnNos Or Laxorraams. Thans AND STREAMS[...]edly received its name from a
French trapper in the early 1860's. Armells also has[...]n-
been known by a couple of other names. Lewis and tana with a trail herd from Texas, was working for
Clark on their journey up the Missouri River called it Spud Stephens and was also a wolfer and a trapper.
South Mountain Creek. The Indians named it "It He would set traps for wolves in their dens in the fall
Crush Them Creek", for some women who were dig- and in the spring would hunt the dens when the pups
ging for red paint in the soil along the creek and were being born.
were killed when a[...]ed in on them. He was camped near the Red Barn Ranch, a few

Homestead Shacks over Buffalo Tracks: History of Northeastern Fergus County [Montana] (16)[...]miies south of Roy, when he saw a grizzly bear at the Side Bear River" named to distinguish it from the
head of the creek that runs past the ranch. The bear Bear River (Marias) and the other name was "Dried
was in some timber and was eating berries. Bob tied Meat River."
his horse to a tree and slipped up close so he could Rottlesnake Butte
get a good shot. As he fired the bear caloe at him, - South of Roy and slightly west of[...]Black Butte. So named because of the high density of
standing on its hind legs. Bob fued five shots at the rattlesnakes found there.
bear's heart, emptying his rifle. The bear came over
Saddle Butte
the log and clawed Bob who pulled out his .45 pistol - On the old King Trail, about halfway
between the river and Roy on the east side of the
and stuck it in the bear's mouth and fired one shot[...]point, from which one can see for
which broke the bears jaw. The bear dragged Bob[...]many miles in all directions.
over the log and stood over him. He crawled out from
under the bear and got to his horse, and rode to Gilt Whisker Coulee[...]horse camp there. It is in the Little Crooked area.
Edge where a'red-light'wornan bandaged his wounds
and took care of hin. There were no doctors or[...]- This trail took its name from the 79 Ranch
nurses in GiIt Edge ai that time. on the upper Musselshell. Supplies for the ranch
When Bob related what had happened no one were unloaded offthe steamboats at the mouth of the
would believe him. They thought he had been in a Musselshell River and the trail wound its way
fight with some Indians. The creek where this hap through Valentine and over the Judiths to the ranch
pened was named Bear Creek, after his st[...]buttes linked together, in the Valentine area.
One is just north of Roy. The other is in the Valen-
tine area. There are two legends concerning the
naming of Blood Creek (Valentine area). One is[...]mile from the head of Whisker Coulee. A log cabin
once it was the scene of a great Indian War; so much used to be there. The chimney which is half brick
blood was shed that the creek ran red with it. The and half stone is still standing.
other is that at one time it was the site of big buffalo CoaI HilI
kills and again the creek ran red with blood. - Named because of the deposits of coal[...]inded early arrivals of a shoe
button. It is in the Uttle Crooked area.[...]- This butte, shaped like a cone, lies on the
north side of the Judiths.
Eleuator Ridge Elevator Ridge lies in the breaks
-
country north of Roy, between Wilder and Sand Creek. Cottonwood Crossing[...]s there was a house on it that would
mirage and look just like a grain elevator from a trees there but in the late 40's beaver dammed up a
distance. hole in the creek and cut many of them down. The
Ford Creek - is supposed to have derived its name grave of a cowboy is on the ridge just south of the
from a cattle rustler, by the name of Ford, who was crossing. It is marked with rock and cactus,[...]the Minerol Argus Creek is very prop[...]d-
Haystach Butte
- It sets near the old 79 Ttail and ness. A preachers son, a bank cashi[...]om a distance.
Indion Butte An old Indian lookout and campground returning board are a[...]Bunyon's Pilgrim had been compelled to havel the
site.[...]d have given up in despair. Nothing but Sheriff
the island. Jones Island, up until the terrible Sullivan's skill as a guide led the hunting party out
Missouri River ice jam and flood of 1947 was home of[...]of its entangling meshes and then all were a trifle
the fan-tail deer.[...]ed when camp was made. No more Crooked
King Troil and King Islond - The north road out of Creek for us."
Roy is the old King Trail. Highway 191, from marker[...]ginates in coulees northeast of
78 north to the top of the Missouri river hill more or Roy and flows eastward to the Musselshell River. On
less follows the trail, sections of it are still visible maps today Crooked Creek is listed as the Sacajawea
from the highway. The King Trail wound its way River. According to a study made by a 'history
through the breaks and down to King Island. student'in an eastern state, Lewis and Clark named
Little Rochies - The Indian name was Mahkwini the creek after their Indian guide. In the 80's a big
Stukists meaning Wolf Mountains.[...]ceremony to officially name the creek to Sacajawea
Missouri River
- Called Big River by the Indians. River was held. Many dignitaries attended. How-
Musselshell Riuer The Indians had two names which
-[...]ever, to natives and old timers it's still Crooked
thev called the Musselshell. One was "On The Far ^ Creek and to local students of hietory data, the
Homestead Shacks over Buffalo Tracks: History of Northeastern Fergus County [Montana] (17)[...]11

description Lewis and Clark gave of Sacajawea Drag Creek The original name was Draggin' Ass
River in no way[...]at if one drank too
normally only flows during the wet season. much of it they drug[...]by Marie Zahn

The Carroll Tlail was 225 miles overland from Carroll[...]stmaster. post
to Helena. Beginning at Carroll on the south side of the offi.ce established: Jvne 22, 18?4, Dawson County,
Missouri River, the Carroll Trail struck out south- Montana Teritory, discontinued October 90, 188?.
westerly around the north and west of the Judith p{urphy, Neel & Company - bra[...]'these
Mountains, to Camp Lewis, left the Judith Basin at stores offered luxuries as well as necessities
Judith Gap, skirting the southern edge of the Little Belt which could be found at Helena. T.L. Marshall"-
Mountains and crossing the Missouri River at Canyon hotel. G.R. Norris - saloon. Captain C.C. Rawn and
Ferry, ending in Helena.[...]. These buildings
1870: E.G. Maclay masterminded the operation of were situated on an alluvial plain, 20 feet above the
the Carroll Landing and the Carroll Trail named for watermark. Kountz[...]was not done.
Helena financier, a partner in the undertaking. Ttre L8752 The Coulson Steamboat Line replaced the
Treaty of 1855 gave the land south of the Missouri Kountz Line in order to provide better river service.
River to the Blackfeet Tribe, through which the It was impossible to transport entire[...]nt land, no matter where they were unloaded and the
revoked this treaty in 1873 and the Crow Tribe nego- layover was hauled at a reduced rate as the freigh-
tiated to trade their Yellowstone lands for one-half ters endeavored to get the goods through before
million acres of the Judith Basin in January of 1874. winter. During 1875 season mail delivery between
General Alfred H. Terry dispatched infantr5r com- Canoll and Helena was made in three days by
panies to guard the new route. One company at stagecoac[...]ttacks were occurring at
small number guarding the road station at Box these locations[...], 3 recruits killed aud 60
Elder, two infantry and one cavalry company at the horses stolen; Armells Station, BB of the 46 mules
forks of the Musselshell and two companies garri- were run off and at Deep Creek Station, the stock
soned at Camp Baker. (Later named Fort Logan) herder was murdered. The Sioux invaded Carrol!
. The Fontenelle, May Lowry, Ida Stockdale, Katie and took many picketed horses. A complete herd of
P. Kountz and the Peninah were the Kountz steam- mules were stolen from Din-ond City. A warning
boats. The first vessel, Peninah arrived at Canoll on f[...]ouis soldier stated, ,,rebove your
May 8, 1874-the cargo was promptly transfered to Diamond R outfi.t from this road before the Sioux do
the Dia-ond R Mule Train. Although the freight did it for you." A call for more military protection was
arrive at Helena ahead of the Fort Benton river issued, but none cam[...]182b, an
route, rejoicing was short-Iived for the Kountz line anonJrmous writer from Carroll stated, ,,The freight-
soon proved inept.[...]ur heights one can gaze on foreuer
The Sentinel of the Prairie to the north, south, eost ond west
Guor[...]We all regard os the Best.
Guiding us Great and SmaII. By Charlotte Coulter

The Indian held you in reuerence Black Butte is probably the most famous of the
The pioneers kept you in sight landmarks in the area. It can be seen from the Winnett
Standing aport from the mountains turn off on Highway 87 to the Hays Hill. Eariy settlers
You guided them home ot night. gave it the tribute of being an ancient volcano because

Homestead Shacks over Buffalo Tracks: History of Northeastern Fergus County [Montana] (18)[...]Hrstonv Op NonrHnesranN Fencus Courrv

the snow never iay on the summit. A Roy science eral deg:ees warmer than on top; another reason why
teacher and some of his students measured the temper' the snow never stays long.
ature of the Butte at one time and discovered that not There are several stories about how it got its name.
too far beneath the surface the temperature was gev- One is that Lewis and Clark, on their expedition,[...]named this promontory when they named the Judiih[...]burned off before Lewis and Clark came. Never-the.less
the Butte usually looks black from all directions, no[...]matter how bright or how cloudy the day.
On the topmost part of Black Butte is a place that[...]was used by the Indians for tbeir signal point. Using[...]It is said that whenever you see a halo on the Butte,
look out for the weather. Many times when the clouds
are hanging low and blowing around the Judiths; they
dissipate when they reach the pass between them and
Block Butte, os seen from the south. the Butte and leave Black Butte standing all alone.[...]by Marie Webb Zahn

Ross Pass is the gateway in the Judith Mountains when asked to pay up, he pulled a gun and tried to kill
between Rocky Point and Fort Maginnis. In the 1880's the winner. Jim stepped in and ordered the man to lay
Rocky Point and Wilder were associated with Fort down his gun and leave the premises, but instead he
Maginnis and the telegraph line between these two fired at Jim. Atkinson was a no-gun man but was cool-
points. Freight brought up the Missouri River on the headed and a good shot he fired once and killed the[...]ransferred to freight wagon trains
pulled by oxen and horses, bound for the Fort, Maiden The shanger canried no identification and no one
and Gilt Edge.[...]from where he came. He was buried in an un-
At the top of the river hill the road followed the old marked grave about 200 feet to the left of the saloon. No
Carroll Trail to Cone Butte, turning south and heading charges were made against Atk[...]y after
through Ross Pass instead of going around the Judith he closed and abandoned the Mountain House. He went
Mountains. The country through Ross Pass is rugged to the lower Yellowstone valley where he worked as a
and scenic. packer and helper at the Burns Trading Post. In 1883
A road house called the "Mountain House" was Jim Atkinson and Millie Burns were married and they
located near the summit on the Gilt Edge side. This moved by covered wagon to homestead at the present
crude saloon was owned and run by Jim Atkinson, site of Roy, Montana. Their buildings were acrose the
known as "Buckskin Jimmie". This ie where tired Box Elder Creek and juet below where the present Roy
wagon masters and their crews, miiitary scouts, pros- Stockyards are located. There was a good spring of
pectors and trail-weary cowboys stopped to wet their water at this point.
whistles. The Mountain House was built in 1881 or 1882 Jimmie was employed hauling government freight
and operated only a short time due to a tragedy. from Fort Benton to Fort Maginnis and supplies to the
A killing took place over a poker game - the victim McNamara store at Fort Maginnis and the mining
being a stranger who rode up and sat in on the game. town of Maiden for four years[...]At first he was winning, but began losing heavily and

Homestead Shacks over Buffalo Tracks: History of Northeastern Fergus County [Montana] (19)[...]by George D. Kurns

Out an the lonely Mountain prairie A s[...]ly, wild frontier.
It's oll weather-beaten and gray
It was once someone's only home, For as cowboys and, the lonely riders
Always could find peace and quiet there.
But now it's all alone and empty Indians, coyotes and bull snokes
As the wind blows in fresh air.[...].
Its roof is all dry as proirie dirt
And the walls are all bore.[...]Someone who really knows.
On the wolls once were a few family pictures Just how far bach in the past
To brighten up the lonely place The story of the lonely cobin goes.
But don't get me all wro[...]disgrace. Yes, I remetnber the lonely cabin
All shaggy, weather-beaten and gray.
In fact it's a great synbol[...]ho ride by there. On the Montona prairies so far away.[...]by Margaret Hedman

When and why the homesteaders came to this hour[...]ation among within one-half hour, by the sun.
the present generation. Visiting and restful socializing usually began the
When they came was more or less determined by the minute someone rode or drove into the yard. If the
Homestead Acts in various parts of the country. Why homesteader was out working the field, into the house
they came can possibly be answered in one o[...]time was never
terms, called desire for adventure and a natural instinct considered wasted as the enjoyment of company was
to gamble with the elements of nature. How they genuine. This was proven by a fire being built in the cook
managed to survive and eke out a bare living is an stove and the presence ofa coffee pot on the hottest lid.It
unanswered question. was understood that the company stay for a meal or
The homesteader did a few improvements and with two. In later years, after the Model T and faster trans-
each passing year the place took on a personality that portation became used, if anyone would get in a hurry
paralleled and conveyed the hopes and dreams of the and not stay for a meal they would quickly make an
ow[...]enemy, because refusing a meal, maybe only spuds and
This raw country had nothing in the line of conven- eggs, was the surest way to make a homesteader angry.
iences; n[...]In those days there wasn't a lock on anything. The
the healthful qualities that nature brings fresh air,[...]I am referring to could only be locked
wild birds and game animals and freedom.- The home, by putting a knife in the door from the insiqe.
stead was truly the embryo of free enterprise; within it's Nob[...]easons; first, they
boundaries lay a challenge to the homesteader, and could trust all their neighbors and secondly, if a hungry
years have proven only the toughest, most stubborn person should ride by while the owner was out in the
and those with the best health stayed on. One had to be field, he was certainly welcome to stop in and fix a
healthy in mind and body to withstand the hardships meal. When done and ready to ieave, it was very uneth-
encountered in[...]ical to not wash the dishes, fill the water pail and the
" To this generation who have enjoyed a pampered[...]'Thank You'.
compared to homestead days, probably the question Homesteaders were keen observers. They could tell
arises as to the sanity of these old timers in sticking to who visited them by the size and shape of the fresh
such a rough life. The life in question was a very satisf- horse tracks in the yard and by how things were left in
ying experience to those who had the spirit to enjoy the the house. In later years this same talent of observa[...]n; was used on Model T tire tracks left in the yard. Model
such as-no schedule for work or play,[...]ng tires like people
to get up, eat or go to bed. The amount of daylight in a have on their cars nowdays, so the different treads were
day was usually the controliing factor in how many[...]

Homestead Shacks over Buffalo Tracks: History of Northeastern Fergus County [Montana] (20)[...]Houpsrreo Acrs
The Homestead Act of 1862 provided that any adult with the registrar of the land district in which any
who had not borne arms against the United States desert land was situate[...]upon it for five years, cultivate a portion of it and within four years. A fee of 254 for each acre of land to be
make certain improvements. If the individual had reclaimed had to be paid.
served in the Northern Army the length of time was The claiment had to describe the land, if surveyed, or
reduced.[...]ve it surveyed as soon as possible; file a map of the
Because there was easier and more tillable land to the area showing the irrigation plans and source of water
east of Montana where danger from Indian uprisings to be used. The land had to be prepared to raise'ordi-
was not as great, the Homestead Act had little effect in nary' agricultural crops.
Central Montana until 1909 when the Enlarged Home- A patent could be issued any time within the four
stead Act was passed. By this act a person c[...]proof signed by two or more
320 acres instead of the original 160. Under this new witnesses that the necessary improvements had been
act one-eighth of the land had to be cultivated con- made. A fe[...]quire-
In i912 legislation was passed reducing the time for ment.
'proving up'from 5 to 3 years[...]TN'{SBN AND STONE I,ETqOS
from the land aliowed each year.[...]any one person at a cost of $2.50 per acre.
The Homestead Act read that any person who was Pnr.Euprrox
the head of a family, or had arrived at the age of. 2t The pre-emption land law of the United States was
years and who was a eitizen of the United States or had[...]d
filed a deciaration of intention to become one, and who public land prior to 1891 could prove up on it as a pre-
was not already the proprietor of more than 160 acres of[...],orsn's AonrnoNu, Scrup
public land to homestead. The applicant had to file an Such scrip could[...]person
affidavit stating that he was entitled to the privileges who served 'in the war of rebellion' for at least three
of the homestead act and that the entry was for his months provided he filed on less than 150 acres prior to
exciusive use and benefit; settlement and cultivation. June22,1874. He could enter or sell enough to make the
He had to pay legal fees and commissions as follows: 160 acres. He cou[...].
acres-$S, commission $2 to $6. Six months after the date
of entry the settler had to take up his residence on the
Coer LeNo
Iand and live there and cultivate it for five years con- Such land could be taken up at $10 per acre.
tinuously. At the expiration of this period, or within
two years afterward, proof of residence and cultivation
had to be established by four witnesses. Final proof
could not be made until the expiration of five years
from date of entry and had to be made within seven
years. The government recognized no sale of a home-
stead claim. Fourteen months from the date of entry the
Iaw allowed the homesleader to secure title to the tract,
if he so desired, by paying for it in cash and making
proof of settlement, residence and cultivation for that
period. The law allowed only one homestead privilege
to any o[...]Desenr Ci-etiu
All lands exclusive of timber and mineral lands
which would not, without irrigation[...]th Dakota, in Morch of 1910. He
was a resident of the state or territory in which tbey wrote on the back, "Am going west next time. WiIl write[...]
Homestead Shacks over Buffalo Tracks: History of Northeastern Fergus County [Montana] (21)[...]s (approx. 6Yz
Such land could be located under the mining laws of million) that remained to be homesteaded. There was
the United States and the State of Montana for a fee of considerable[...]could be bought. Railroads were expected within the
next few years and land and mine values were expected
Each of the above mentioned kinds of locations could t[...]HounsrneDrNc AND Hounsrneonns
by IIla Willrnore
The homestead days started big after the turn of the after the disasterous winter of 1886-87, the drouths and
century, peaking in 1917-18. Homesteaders usually had the cow prices ofthe 1890's through today, the area has
little money, but were always hopeful fo[...]etained it's Cow Country image.
ahead. Several of the people that came, did have money. To protect their acreage, the homesteaders began to
They rented out farms back east and came west seeking fence with barbed wire, changing the course of history.
more land to add to their accumulations or to set up At the turn of the century an ambitious cowboy would
son's on their[...]pring; build a house of
wealth from oil. But, for the most part, where these sorts and some corrals and fence "his" land. These
people came from the owner of a 160 acre farm was rich! early squatters preceded the avalanche ofland seekers
Most of these people couldn't even make a down pay- and homesteaders. These people were essentially
ment[...]ose that preceded them were cattle
Inspired by the Enlarged Homestead Act and by dry- and sheep men.
land propaganda spread by the railroad, homesteaders These farmers[...]ncept called "dry
poured into Central Montana, by the thousands, from land farming". It was a system by which part of the
the mid-west, east and south. land was planted and the remaining land was allowed
The Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul and GreatNorth- to lie idle or "fallow". By plowing deep and harrowing
ern Railroads were spreading the gospel of the over- at the proper times no plant growth was permitted and
abundant harvests produced from these fertile lands the moisture that did fall was conserved below the sur-
that could be had for nothing. The railroads had good face. The following year the fallow land was seeded and
lands to sell too; lands that the government had given the land that had produced a crop was 'summer.
them if they would lay the tracks westward. fallowed'. It is a system still used today.
The railroads enticed people who would raise grain Rainfall was plentiful in the decade that followed
crops and livestock and who would use the rails to ship 1909. Crops and prices were good. These were the
their commodities to market. They transported entire "boom" years, especially afier the outbreak of WWI.
families west with their belongings, offering special With the declaration of war on Germany, Central
rates.[...]Montana men enlisted by the thousands and went off
The countryside began to become dotted with home- to fight in the war in 1917. Montana sent 25% more men
stead shacks and trails became roads as more and more per capita than the nation did as a whole. Some died
traveled their course. Towns began to spring up all during the war. Others just never came back to their
across the prairie. Roy-Valentine-Fergus were some of homesteads afterwards.
thege towns; hubs for the smaller communities, consist- The turning point; the beginning of the end of the
ing of post office, store, school andlor community hall, boom years was 1919. It was the driest year ever
that were everywhere; Armells, Auburn, Bundane, recorded in Central Montana and there were no crops.
Byford, Christensen, Dory, J[...]y. pair, hardship and failure. The early homesteaders had
The newcomers built shacks and began to plow under no idea of what they would be up against and most
pulled up stakes and left
the native grass. The homestead rush began slowly, but - defeated. Then came the
great depression of the 30's and more drouth. Wheat
in less than 20 years an immense grassland in Central
and Eastern Montana, over 500 miles long and 300 harvests averaged only 2.4 bush[...]raged 50 bushels. Prices tumbled on top
plowed up and was producing some of the lushest crops of that. Then came hordes of grasshoppers and cut-
ever seen.[...]heat, winds; all of which added to their
Afier the near extinction of the buffalo. the "Great misery. People starved out and the exodus accelerated.
American Desert" became a cat[...]o departed so quickly that they left
range system the big cattle outfits did not own the land, the dishes sitting on the table.
they merely used it. Cattle became localized and herds Over half of the farmers lost their land through
of a given brand each ran in their own territory. Even bankruptcy and abandonment. Half of the states banks
Homestead Shacks over Buffalo Tracks: History of Northeastern Fergus County [Montana] (22)[...]Nonrnuestenx Frncus CouNry

failed. Montana was the only state in the 48 that had a steaders with only a milk cow or two, and back to large
popuiation decline in the 1920's. iandowners. A small operation today is the fellow who
In the late 30's things began to get better again, and farms a couple thousand acres and runs at least a cou-
with the outbreak of WWII another boom was exper-[...]ing behind a team pulling a plow turning
In the 50's Roy stiil had a grocery-mercantiie store,[...]an, turning over a hundred acres a day.
Union Oil and Hardware Company, two grain eleva- A homesteader, in the early days, might sell out for a
tors, a cafe and hotel, a garage, two bars, postoffice, few hundred dollars, if lucky. Today?
liquor store, school and train service. Fergus had an limit.[...]- the sky's the
elevator, store, postoffice and school. Many of the area's farmers and ranchers of today are
Today Roy has three businesses, a post office and the the children, grandchildren and even great grandchild-
school. Fergus has nothing but a seldom used commun- ren of the men and women who made it through the
ity hall and at Valentine there is only the skeleton of difficult, sometimes imposs[...]are here
that once popular community hall. Alt of the small out- today, despite the drouths, grasshoppers, hail, bliz-
lying rural sc[...]es now zards, weeds, depressions and sometimes cruelly low
transport children to schoo[...]prices they get for their wheat and beef. They are made
The population continues to decline and the ranch of the "tough" stuff that they have to be made of
units get larger. The area has gone from the era of a few order to survive, as they ha[...]a I was to become well acquainted And here we were in Montana, a place where what
with-the remote range land of Central Montana.[...]"Jack" Hemsing, of Seattle, settled The ground was bare, and cold prevailed. Remember,
in Fergus County around 1915. His mother, Olene too, this was the era of the Midwest Dust Bowl, one of
Hemsing, homesteaded adjoining property a few years the most devastating drought periods in our nation's[...]history. It was also the height of the the Great
I recall my mother, Gertrude Hemsing Cornwall, des- Economic Depression.
cribing the dif{iculties Uncle Jack had making it to The frrst lesson, of my off-campus education, had to
Lewistown, the county seat, to register for the draft do with cutting firewood. Uncle Jack had been cutting
when the U.S. entered World War I" burned pine over in the breaks when he contracted the
My Montana experience began Thanksgiving Day, pneumonia that took his life. I drove the Dodge through
1935. We were gathered around the dinner table at the the sage brush to where Uncle Jack had been cutting
C[...]n LaConner, Washington when trees and there I found the tools of my new trade; a
the phone rang unexpectedly. It was bad news. Uncle bucksaw and an axe.
Jack had died. When the job was done, I began heading back. Then
That nighi it was decided that my mother and I, then boom! I hit something! It was a large "hidden rock"
all of 15, would drive to the Montana community of Roy that had been behind some sage brush. The collision
to settle Uncle Jack's estate. The next morning we tore off the bottom of the oil pan.
loaded up the '34 Dodge for our great adventure. There I was with no telephone, no transportation and
I didn't have a license, but I was going to be behind no car tools. So I went to the cabin of John Umstead, a
the wheel. No driving exam could've matched what we[...]steader. Cabins in central Montana
encountered on the trip. It was foggy, snowy, and icy seemed to be paired together for a mutual support, since
all the way to Montana.[...]in any
What an adventure for a grandma, mother and son! direction.
Greenhorns ali. We[...]gh it; thought John, his wife Roxy, and two year old son, Billy, pro-
we could come and go as we pleased. Little did we know v[...]Cope, whose cabin was a 10 mile horseback ride
The cabin, (12 x 24 feet, but to a 15 year old from the away might have a tool to take off the pan bolts. Sure
city, it felt like 8 x 16), was h[...]bedding, no clothing, One of themfit the bolts.
no utensils. No anything. I only had the street clothes My next problem was how to get to Roy, or Lewis-
and shoes that a kid would wear in the Northwest. town, some 75 m[...]

Homestead Shacks over Buffalo Tracks: History of Northeastern Fergus County [Montana] (23)[...]T7

coming from the river to town, one day, and that I could take a nap, which puzzled rrie[...]someone did show. I spotted a car headed our way, and lying down, as we had been. L)thers were g;razing. So rve
flagged it down. The driver said his name was Joe Bell. got our deer, and drove right to them. How convenient
His ranch was on the north side of the river, but he kept it was! No dragging. I was certainly impressed. We
his car on the south side so that he could drive into we[...]We spent the Christmas Floliday Season at the
"C'mon kid," Joe said. "We'll get you fixed up. I'm McNulty Ranch, on the river. On New Years we visited
comin' back right[...]Joe Beil. It was so coid we were able to drive the car on
Those were the best words I could've heard. This was the iced-over river. That was great excitement for th[...], Joe said he'd find me before we Jensen and Woodcock advised us our next need was a
headed back. So we parted, and I headed to Wass Mer- load of ice for drinking water. It was to last well past
cantiie to use the telephone. The car dealer I called in Easter that winter, supplying both the Llmstead and
Lewistown quickly brought me back to earth. He said it Hemsing families. I worked on the pond, cutting and
would take a month or two to get a new oil pan.[...]find a welding shop. But there In January the weather was ctild but clear: and calm.
was none in Roy. What I did find was a livery stable. During the second cold week a bachelor homesteader,
Luckily, the blacksmith there said he could solder a[...]man asked me to drive him to Hilger,
cans of oil, and was sitting alongside the road with the saying he had a family there to see. Turned[...]ll. a battery radio in his shack, and the weather report he
An hour passed. No Joe Bell.[...]said to wait. That was advice I later The blizzard, needless to say, was nervs to me. I got[...]made it to a lost in a prairie dog town, the snow drifts making it
cabin, having evaded range cows and other wildlife. impossible to know exactly where I was. Somehow,
I knocked on the cabin door, and a man answered. around 3 a.m. I made it back to the homestead.
"What do ya want?" he asked. Grandma told me to bring the car battery inside, and
"Will you lend me a horse?" to jack up the car in the morning since the cold weather
"Nope, but I'li take you home." could compress and flatten the tires. But by morning
We arrived at the homestead about 2 a.m. A week the tires were already well down. So I had to put the car
Iater none other than Joe Bell stopped by. "I told ya I up on blocks, and it didn't move again for three months.
was coming[...]e said. That was when I real- Day by day the weather got colder. The wind got
ized that time on the prairie has a different dimension. stronger and the snow flew faster. There was no shadow
I remember making many trips to Roy and Lewis- in the daylight, just a gray blue. It was brighter many
town regarding Uncle Jack's estate and to stock up on nights than it was during the day. So we dressed fully
winter provisions. Among those provisions were sacks for the outdoors 24 hours a day. We were stuck and
of coal, which I was to learn were real luxury items. didn't realize the situation.
We were fortunate to have had good friends helping The snow made the whole country flat. The coulees
us settle in. Ralph and Bertha Jensen, her son Jess disappeared. The corral, barn and cabin became just
Woodcock and his wife Mable and their son, Billy, took odd shapes in snowdrifts, changing with the relentless
us under their wings. They were sheep ranchers on wind and driving snow.
Sand Creek, about 10 miles east on the traii toward Grandma had experience i[...]said, after the snow piled up, "we have wash water."
Jess tol[...]eat, meaning venison. She told us to melt the snow on our stove. AII day we
He voiunteered to take me hunting. The winter weather packed snow into the wash tub on the stove.
was getting cold, but the sky stayed bright and The problem was the snow was so dry it was hard to
pleasant for our hunting foray. I was wild to go on my get water into the tub. It evaporated as fast as it melted.
first e[...]hunt. It made the job nearly ridiculous. To melt our ice for
It[...]inking required that we keep a metal container on the
That was yet one more lesson in time. What followed stove.
the next day was a lesson in prairie hunting. After several weeks there was still no break in the
Jess walked a few' minutes, surveying what he[...]weather. It just got colder. I spoke with Umstead and
"the signs". Then he decided to lie down in the sun and decided to make the more than L0 mile horseback ride

Homestead Shacks over Buffalo Tracks: History of Northeastern Fergus County [Montana] (24)[...]Hrsronv On Nonrur.rsreRN FeRcus CouNrv

to the Jensen Ranch to see if there was any news of the weli's saloon, across from Wass Mercantile[...]The next morning we packed our supplies from
I dis[...]Wass's Store. I was hungry for fresh fruit and stuffed
from Roy out the Little Crooked route, another five my waist with apples and oranges, keeping theur in
miles beyond. So I mad[...]hat made for bulky riding, but it
communicate to the family back home on a weekly was the only way to keep them from freezing[...]made shorter rides with more
Often picking up the mail, for the Jensens, IJmsteads,
Hemsings, Cornwalls, and McNultys, brought no news frequent ra[...]night when it was time to
but I was happy to have the activity and contact with rest ourselves and our horses, we stopped at Curiey Wil-
the nonworld outside. lmore's place, and it was there I discovered to my great
Along the mail route I would stay at Jensens or the dismay that my precious fruit had frozen solid like a
Woodcock cabin, as the weather dictated. The trip to belt around my waist. There would be no treat of appies
the river was great. The McNulty Ranch had feed for and oranges. I was very disappointed, but everyone got
cattle and a rare stock of supplies. I made pack trips to a chuckle out ofit.
McNultys when the river hill was not driveable. The third day on the trail AI Snook headed for our
One difficult part of feeding cattle on bare, unshel- place on the King Ttail and I took off to the Jensen
tered ground was that a poor cow could freeze and Ranch, on Sand Creek, by way of the Jakes place. I
topple over while eating. A gun wa[...]o rested a night at Jensens, dropped off the mail. I then
that the cow could be shot and dragged out if it were to stayed an extra da[...]t, a storm popped up so I didn't
was happening to the stock out in the breaks, as ours get in til dark. I had been five days on the trail. Mom
and Umsteads were, along with many others. and grandma were upset because they'd had no word of
The thermometers we had bottomed out at 52 below. my whereabouts.
So when the mercury plunged to the limit we had no As I walked into the corral shed to put away my gear,
idea just how co[...]that minus -60 degrees was frequently recorded in the beneath the roof. As one magpie swept by I reached for
area. The warmest it got for ten to twelve weeks, at it, but it broke my grasp and its tail feathers broke off.
least, was minus -20[...]onth of these conditions our supply situa- and down like a roller coaster.
tion looked pretty grim. We needed food, firewood and I was to make my long trail ride twice more that
kerosene for lighting. And there was no sign of a let-up. winter, the last time late in March. At the Jensen stop
In February I rode into Roy with A[...]that day Ralph Jensen, Jess Woodcock
flour, bacon and canned milk. and I set about to work. Suddenly a warm wind cropped
When the temperature "rose" to minus -20, it seemed up. The three of us looked at each other and howled in
like springtime. The morning Al and I left the ranch it unison. The eagerly awaited Chinook breeze
was a balmy minus[...]ing a break in the bleak winter weather had arrived.[...]f.
miles away.
About mid-day, halfway to town, the weather deterio- However I was not to use the precious automobile
rated. Our horses' breath fro[...]nt stops, After a brief spring break, the reservoirs filled, and
holding their noses inside our jackets to thaw the huge the cattle, horses and wildlife finally had plenty of
ice balls on their nostrils. The ice would get so heavy on water to drink. The[...]an event
their noses that they couldn't breathe. The poor things. making it possible for us to stay the summer.
Of course none of us had anything to eat or drink. John Umstead, Al Snook and I cut eight inch thick
Somehow we made it to Roy, arrivng between 7 and 8 ice blocks from the reservoir, filling the ice house on
p.m. We faced a howling blizzardthe[...]able to begin settling the cattle and estate business,
In town we rousted out the fellows who ran the livery hopetully by fall.
stable so that we[...]6 seemed to go on
forget how great it was to feel the warmth in the barn forever. It is difficult to describe the power of 40 MPH
and the smell of the animals. winds at -40 temperature, day after day. Many things
The livery owners, truly life-savers, flagged down[...]d in one's memory. For
some folks to cook for us, and gave each ofus a cot and example, the McNultys filled their ice house w'ith river
blanket for the night, ice between 30 and 36 inches thick. That was ouite
The livery was.a small building next to Chet B[...]

Homestead Shacks over Buffalo Tracks: History of Northeastern Fergus County [Montana] (25)[...]19

Another example: the crystai-like nights of the to the stockyards in Roy. Both cattle and horses were
Northern Lights. They were so brilliant and powerful frequently bunched together at the river because there
that winter. They had an[...]Summertime in eastern Montana meant being in the
but an arms length away.[...]dragging down a weak bog lines to ride, and fences to tend. I once spent a long
deer outside our cabin door, then awakening in the 10 days on Armells'Bottom, near McNultys, putting up
morning to find bits of hide and a scattering of bones a drift fence to keep the stock in line. Then there was
outside when I got up. the bog chore pulling out stock stuck in the mud of
There were the trips into the breaks with A-l Snook,[...]dried up water holes.
and checking coyote trap sets, using dead or dying deer The heat that summer was almost unbearable. I often
or cattle to set the traps. (The formidable fact of trap- had to gather stock t[...]eed
ping in this environment is you must skin the animal and water.
cleanly and stretch the hide to be suitable for market One day w[...]It was a thrill to hear a low, powerful howl amid the miles away, and had calved. We were asked to come
yapping, giggling coyote sounds. That, of course, was and pick up our stock since water there was growing
the howl of a wolf. I made one positive sighting, com[...]ds of a wolf in company with three pair to the river to join our other stock.
coyotes at the base of Gumbo Ridge at Armells Creek.[...]pon him as he sat beneath a
Then there was the time I heard my grandmother cry tree in a[...]elling" was a dugout in
out from her bedroom. The stove lid-lifter had frozen to the bank. I didn't know people lived that way.
he[...]Since my horse and I were very thirsty I asked for a
Spring o[...]to summer in Fergus County, Montana. And this day one of those words was "nope". He
The first of May saw a faint g:een coat on the prairie. pointed to the alkali buildup and went into his dugout.
Less than a week later the ground had turned brown, He returned with a can of tomatoes and my drink of a
and would remain so the rest of the year. lifetime. I was impressed.
Frank Jakes was engaged to help us check the condi- By late August and early September nearly all the
tion and number of our 4H brand cattle that survived cattle from the ranches were trailed into Roy to the
the winter. Jakes, a husky, good-looking man in his[...]a herd of
20's, came to live with us. He knew the country. And he nearly 500 head from the north shore of the river, which
knew cattle. had to swim or ford across. The trail boss was Larry
Jakes had much patience and put up with me, this Jordan, whom I met 53 years later at the Roy Centen-
dude kid from the coast. From him I was to learn much nial.[...]very drive for
about cattle, horses, people, and patience. Jakes also Warren Willmore and me, so you know it wasn't some-
taught me to[...]cast, which he called a Hoolihan. I sort of got the knack The Hemsing cattle (4H) were gathered by myself,
) of it and amuse myself to this day with the loop. Frank Jakes, Johnny and Elna Wright and Tommy
We rode the country from the river, south, a number and Jenny Link. Tommy tore off a finger roping one
of miles to Armells Creek and along the various ornery critter. But Tommy wa[...]f a coulee. Frank gave Tommy was driven all the way to L,ewistown to get
me the sign to sit tight and watch. Soon after an sewn up. The next morning he was back in the saddle. Wow!
unknown rider came albng with a[...]his rope It was a hot three day drive to the Roy stockyards.
and a running iron on his saddle. Frank corrected the The first night was a dry camp. The second night the
rider's manners. He ordered the man to turn loose the stock was given water. (I'm not sure but I[...]er watered at Cimrhakl's Ranch, it being the only liquid
rope.[...]r miles around.) There weren't many fat cattle at the
I don't remember the count but I know that winter stockyards that year; the best cow and calf pair drew
and others took quite a toll on the cattle. $20-$25. The top two'year-old heifers brought $15'$20-
B[...], was necessary. Around late "Sharky", the herd bull, went for just three cents per
Augu[...]began a general round- pound.
up of all the area's cattle. Branding separated them by[...]load of cows by train home to
owner, clearing the way for cattle drives from the river La C on n er, in w estern W ashi[...]

Homestead Shacks over Buffalo Tracks: History of Northeastern Fergus County [Montana] (26)[...]Rv Or NonrHresrtnN Frncus CouNrv

days to Seattle and one day more on to Skagii County. I When I returned to LaConner I was but a year older,
rode in the caboose the entire way. though hav[...]Federal regulations at that time were to water and outdistanced the calendar. My school records show that
feed stock on the train every 24 hours' Our first stop I we[...]acquainted with "commetcial travelers", The world was hot and dry that year. I didn't see a
hobos on the freight cars"[...]ington State! Eleven
My sister came east to Roy and drove our mother and months.
gtandma Hemsing to Washington. And here our story I have the fondest and most vivid memories of my
ends for half a century[...]homestead experiences and of ali the wonderful peopie
November of i935, I was just 15 years old. Had just in the Roy area, especially my good friends, Warren
star[...]gh School. Willmore, Margaret Umstead and Jenny Link, whom I
Then all of a sudden I was off to Roy, Montana. I told was to meet again at the 1988 Roy celebration.
my school superintendent th[...]by Marie Webb Zahn
The Northern Pony Express venture was put up Ruffee went over this route in fourteen days and
for bid January 1, 1867 by Postmaster Alex W[...]l on Route #13611 from Ft. Poplar and Gros Ventre along the Milk River, which
Abercrombie (on the Red River at the Minnesota- he took to be friendly.
Dakota border near the present Fargo, N.D.) across a On July 15, 1867, Ruffee met Capt. Chas. C., and
thousand miles of plains to Helena, Montana. The Silas S. Huntley, who were the owners of the largest
public notice promised a three year contract to begin transportation firm and made arrangements for
July 1, 1867 with tri-weekly service, each run to be them to take over the Montana division of the Pony
completed within twelve days.[...]Express line. This company had a stage line between
Cariisle Doble and Chas. A Ruffee of Crow Wing, Ft. Benton and Helena, which would carry the last
Minnesota submitted the lowest bid of $84,000, which leg of the mail, via Ft. Shaw at the crossing of the
was half of the next lowest bid! April 11, 1867 they Sun River. The approved contract at Washington
were awarded the bid. notified the Helena Postmaster to deliver mails on
In r[...]s St. Paul headquarters on June 8, 1867 The northern route existed from July until October.[...]new army posts enroute of this proposed The carriers were under constant harassment from[...]hed Fort Ransom at Bears Indian raids and were given solemn warning by the
Den Hillock on the Cheyenne River, Ft. Totten on Sioux and Assiniboine, who infested the northern
the shore of Devil Lake, and Fort Stevenson on the Mis- trail, not to carry mail again. The Indians regarded
souri River twenty miles below the old trading post the mail with mystery and distrust and were bent to
of Ft. Berthold, where he boarded the "Ida Stock- destroy it. Posts were robbed, burned and horses run
dale", going up river to Ft. Union, at the mouth of off or stolen. Riders were unhorsed, made to walk for
the Yellowstone and the adjacent military post of Ft. miles, some disrobed and harmed. At times the
Buford to authorize expansion. No settlements were riders were fearful to leave the stations, where they
found on this 450 miles[...]Montana there were ing their departure. The riders soon became discour-
more Sioux, Assiniboine, and Gros Ventre. The first aged and only the bravest and most competent
route through Montana, 500 miles of even more deso- would attempt the trips, and as a result mail piled up
late country, was to start at Fort Buford on the at the posts.
Montana-Dakota line and follow the Missouri River Captain Huntley seized[...]mme-
to Fort Peck, where it would then go up the Milk diately survey an overland route to the mouth of the
River, with four posts at intervals of 40 to[...]wished to establish a freight
with four men and six horse each, leaving the Milk and stage road to this point to gain the heavy trade
River west of the Bear Paw Mountains and heading anticipated for his transportation firm and also this
south to Fort Benton on the Missouri River which wouid be the most direct route to Helena for the Pony
boasted a stage line to the gold camp of Helena. Mr. Express, u[...]

Homestead Shacks over Buffalo Tracks: History of Northeastern Fergus County [Montana] (27)[...]o*

The south Pony Express route would leave Fort tives huddled, awaiting their fate. Fortunately the
Peck and go up the Missouri River to Ft. Hawley, a decision was to terrify them with threats and set
North West Fur post with a stockade. Hawley w[...]th one gun, their horses, but no food.
located on the north side of the river. about fifteen Gathering the remainder of the scattered mail, the
miles above the mouth of the Musselshell. Hawley relieved carriers traveled three starving days to
was built by Billv Cochrane and noted pioneer men reach Ft. Howie. Rusc[...]ts Boyd reaching Helena on November 2.
and Bradburry, Henry McDonald, and Wm. Bent. . March 12, 1868, Huntley announced that the mail
The pony Express riders would cross the river and service between Abercrombie and Helena had been
travel toward Black Butte, skirting the Judith discontinued; the men had all departed from Hawley
Mountains on the north and west, going through the and agent Bradbury was g:iven orders to close-up
Judi[...]y of Judith Gap to Ft. Howie, affairs and return to Helena. Bradbury, with Harry
Diamond City, and in to Helena, this being much the McDonald, F.M. (Pomp) Dennis, Harvey Martin,
shortest and most pleasant route with an abundance and "Seven-Up" left April 5, 1868. At a point eight
o[...]Butte they were attacked by
On October 1, 1867 the mail took the new route. By Sioux Indians. They fought u[...]an at Ft. Buford reported of arrows and bullets for several hours, having three
much trouble to the east of his post. Then came the horses wounded. The savages withdrew, but only a
severe winter of 1867-68, with violent blizzards and short distance, and at nightfall, returned with in-
deep snow across the Dakota plains. creased force. At dark they started two fi.res some
Henry McDonald and Wm. Bent had been wolfing distance apart and crept in the shadows between the
on the Milk River and answered a call for men to get fires with terrifying yells and volleys of arrows and
the mail moving at Hawley, which had also been bullets. Pomp Dennis was hit in the shoulder, but
under an Indian attack. On February 16, 1868, with they managed to slip away in the darkness and
a party of five, they left Hawley with two ponies retreated to within fifteen miles of the starting place,
loaded with eight sacks of mail and reached Helena, where they camped. Again,[...]looking out for himself. Dennis
Two attacks on the mail have been recorded in the could not be found afterwards and it was supposed
area of Black Butte. Fred Rutschmann and a com- that he had been captured and killed. The rest ofthe
panion rider left Hawley on October 26, 1867 with party reached Musselshell City the next day, and
four sacks of maii bound for Helena. Near Black[...]Helena, which he reached April 21, 1868.
riors. The Indians robbed them of everything except A decade passed by the time the Northern Pacific
their clothing and proceeded to rip open the mail railroad took over.
bag, scattering the contents to the wind. The cap- Ruffee and the Huntleys nevertheless played a

Homestead Shacks over Buffalo Tracks: History of Northeastern Fergus County [Montana] (28)[...]ed in each dif-
ing coid, blinding blizzards and risked the animosi. ferent area with the office in some r".ch house near the
ties of a dozen hostile, resentful Indian tr[...]road. There was a post office near Brooks, one at the
came a grim reminder of the gallant Northern Over- Gilpatrick rauch, one at the Jamee Fergus ranch, at the
land Pony Express when the mail on the east-bound Romunstad ranch and on along the road to the mouth of
train found a package of letters, so old and musty, it the Musselshell. Tbe stage ran daily from Lewistown to
attracted the attention of Mr. Werich, distributing Roy and less frequently, beyond. Railroad construction
the mail. Stained and stuck together with blood, reached Hilger in November of 1911 and began carrying
postmarked Helena, Montana, September 14, 1867 the mail to there i:r June of 1912.
a note written on the package said, "found on the
- Token from on orticle obout the Hilger post office,
prairie near Ft. Buford in the spring of 1868". The written by Stephen Gilpatrick, Jon. 1987.
supposition being that the carrier defended his Following is a list of post offices in the area which
charge with his life.[...]vers. Refer to individual community his-
In the late 1920's an old man stopped to look over tories for more detailed informa{ion.
the sight of the Dutch Louis saloon, located on the 1913 Annells - established in 1913.
Bi[...]Edna C. Pierce P.M.
been a Pony Express rider and had a dug-out in the
hill to the west and across the creek, also a little 1917-18 Bundane - 25[...]horse pasture for his mount, never stopping at the Trail. Byford Wagstaff P.M.[...]Christenseu P.M.
North Dakota in the early eighties and he settled at 1903{5 Delos - Near Two Calf Island. Andrew MacDonald
the mouth of Fourchette Creek, Philiips County[...]th of Roy on Rocky Point Trail.
completed in 1882 and placed in operation on July 28 of[...]r P.M.
that year. It was built in three sections: the first from 19f5-20 Kachia - l$ milge east[...]rom Roy. Wm. T. Harris P.M. Also a store.
spanned the Missouri River; the second section was 1912-1918 Lindstro[...]Agnes Lindshom, store.
from Ft. Buford to Poplar and the third from Poplar to[...]Marshall, Teena Hansen (assistant) and Sadie
From Fort Hawley, where it crossed the river, the Baker P.M.'s.
route went up the river hill and followed the ridge to the 190t08 Mauland - On Knox Ridge. Named for Claus
point of the "skyline trail", which went down to Carroll Mauland.
#2, following the old Carroll Trail up the hill to the 191t33 Staff- Olaf Eike Postmaster.
junction of the Rocky Point Trail. Here a line ran down 19[...]Roland
to Wilder where there was a station. From the Canoll Mathews, Billy Trimble, Sam and Don Connolly,
junction the line continued on to Ft. Maginnis. Pittman's. Wm. Lane carried mail from Graes
The entire 310 mile line was built by regular Army Range in the early days.
troops- Operators were placed at vari[...]Nicholas Welter, P"M.
the line. There was no record of Indian trouble excep[...]der - (See Wilder) 191&35, Elma Webb; 193&36,
for the theft of wire, insulators and an occasional pole Stanley Wright; 1936-38, Bertine Mathieon, P.M.'g"
cut down. Originally the plan was to extend the line to Mail cariers: 1914-Al Wescott; 191&Ernie Peters;
Helena, but Congress failed to make the necessary 1919-Bert Johnson[...]Bill Marsh; 1952-72 Pat O'Rcilly;
appropriations and the extension wa8 never built.[...]es north of Roy. Adam J. Zuley P.M.
its name from the old line. In the 50's there were still a Semi-weekly stage from Roy.
few 'stumps' of the poles visable across the area from
Ft. Maginnis to Rocky Point.
Homestead Shacks over Buffalo Tracks: History of Northeastern Fergus County [Montana] (29)[...]by IIIa Willrnore

The Roy, Montana Post Offrce has been serving area A new structure was built and relocated on the
residents from 1892 to 1988 - a span of96 years. southwest corner of Second Avenue and Main Street,
Walter H. Peck came to Montana from the east in and on fuug.22,1974 the post offrce moved into the new
1881 and went into the sheep business on Box Elder building. Rosalie English is postmaster at this date,
Creek (at the present location of the Dorm Jackson and mail is delivered by mail truck, six days a week[...]was Peck who established from Lewistown.
the Roy Post Of6ce. In his petition to the Postal In the early 1980's the Fergus Post Office was closed
Department he asked for the name "Ray" in honor of a for lack of anyo[...]family member, but through a mistake, it received the About half of the Fergus patrons now receive their mail
name of "Roy". Mail delivery was from Fort Maginnis, out of the Roy Post Of6ce, and the others receive theirs
by stage; semi-weekly. out of the Hilger Post Offrce.
On April 18, 1892 Walter H.[...]There are three mail routes out of Roy. The present
He held this position until July 27, 1894[...]named postmaster. and Paul Pitman is the mail carrier.
The Peck ranch was sold to Oscar Stephens and the John O'Reilly is mail carrier for what is known
post office was moved to the Smith and Laraway locally as the River Route. This route is an "offshoot" of
ranch, one mile west of the present town of Roy. the old Wilder route which was established in 1887
On June 30, 1898 Nathaniel T. Smith became the new between Wilder and Fort Maginnis. During homestead-
postmaster, and on November 6, 1902 Ervin W. ing days the route ran between Roy and Wilder. The
Laraway took his place until the Smith and Laraway last patrons to receive their mail in the Wilder area
ranch was sold to Frank Stephens. were the Ivar Mathisons. The route to Wilder was offi-
James B. Sarjeant[...]Nov. cially discontinued in 1987, except for the mile from
2, 1907, and the office was moved to his ranch at the highway 191 to the Wilbert Zahns. This route also runs
present site of Roy. Mail delivery came from Lewis- south to the Knerr (Braiser) place on the east side of
town, by stage, weekly. Black Butte and on the west side to the old Guy Town-
On October 18, 1913 Jay Gove b[...]send place (Jack Ritts now lives there) and back to Roy.
and the post office was moved two blocks south of Joe The third route is comparatively new. It goes from
Mu[...]site. Roy to Hilger and mail is delivered to those who have
Frederick A. Barney became postmaster on Dec. 16, boxes along the highway, by George Vaughn Jr. who
1915, and he held this post for four years. Mail was now carries the mail from Lewistown to Winifred and Roy
coming in by railroad. and back again.
William L. Marsh took over the job on Aug. 5, 1919 Although the post office "Roy" was established in
and was postmaster for 27 years. Mrs. Marsh was his 1892, the actual town did not come into existence until
assistant. The post office was located, at this time, 1913. To commemorate the birth of the town cachet
where the Roy Bar now stands and remained there envelopes with a special postmark and design, and
until moving to the Security State Bank building. The special stamps, was prepared and were made available
Roy Catholic Church took over this building, and the in June of 1988.
post office was moved into the building beside the First
National Bank (Wass Merc.).
In 1946 Marsh reached retirement age; and Simon L.
Dotson assumed charge until May 31, 1948[...]ostmaster. She held
this position for 23 years.
The post office was moved across the street into the
Rindal building. Mrs. Rife said that she served a[...]This envelope with its homesteader's shack and cancel'
of 1973 when Rosalie Y. Fogle English of[...]stamp of Black Butte was designed by Marie
became the new postmaster. Arlene O'Reilly was clerk Webb Zahn in commemoration of Roy's 75th anniver'
and assistant for several vears.[...]

Homestead Shacks over Buffalo Tracks: History of Northeastern Fergus County [Montana] (30)[...]"THE WIND"

Br-r-r-hear that wind a blowing The wind just penetrates through me
On som[...]I'II be
Soft white petols which ddnce and flirt Just to get owoy from thot mournful song
With euery odd shope and thing on earth That is sung all day and all night long."
It gets in the ualleys and rnokes big drifts[...]Setting him gently on her knee
And neuer is stotionory, but olways shifts[...]replied, to his weII meant plea.
First from the east and then from the west
"The wind is lihc a boy that's gay
Giuing the snowflakes no time for rest.[...]All it euer does is simply ploy.
The wind does blow olmost euery doy:[...]s what some folks do say And neuer again will it you onnoy-
Not only whi[...]Il probobly say
Dorkening nlan's future and his labors foil. "I wish I could play with the wind today."
The wind appearc to haue no end
The wind, has d,one ond seen stronge things[...]Like the lone eagle, it trouels olone,
While it w[...]Watching its prey in the distant zone.
One day I heard a boy his[...]n around, ond stop its hum.
"If I be good and go to bed, One mo[...]thot wind I dread? That is: The wind wiII olways blow.[...]as bright as they did when the night skies entertained-
experiencedin only a few areas of the world - the rather than TV.
northeastern sect[...]nsets with brilliant oranges, rainbow, and the full arch in between.
yellows, golds, pinks, fushias, greys and blacks all The lightning on a hot summer night, for those stout
intermingled and bold can leave both a "foreigner" and of heart, make 4th of July fireworks d[...]tning, streaking clear
lar, unequaled anywhere in the world. These have left across the sky and lighting up the entire countryside
an indelible mark in the memories of many who have like a gigantic incandescent bulb. There is lightning
left the area.[...]ks like a million tiny veins, shootingdarting-
The area lies within the chinook zone, though it has coiling through the air. Ttren there are the earth jarring
been several years since the era of the drastic change. bolts that come from the clouds to touch the earth; the
There are mirages that can stagger the imagination ones that start the frres and can make one's heart leap.
and give one an eerie feeling of being in never-never These are the killers. Spectacular-bright-blinding. They
land. The Northern Lights can'dance' and'play' across leap from ridge to ridge, from pole to post, from bank to
the sky in icy colors of green and blue and silvery white bank. Maybe one gigantic finger reaches out to its point
and pink, colors that no Hollywood or Las Vegas light[...]atch. lightning is-and on the prairie far from tall buildinge
'Sundogs' around the sun, with their bright center to hide behiud, so very close,-and so very humbling.
framed in rainbow hues, herald the advent of frosty air; It is no wonder then, that the weather, which controls
sometimes they will join, making a firll halo around the sun. the lives and livelihood of all within our borders, is a
The harvest moon, in the still unpolluted atmosphere, guaranteed[...]articiparits
can look as though one can reach out and touch it, and from one to one'hundred.
the stars still shine on clear summer and winter nights,

Homestead Shacks over Buffalo Tracks: History of Northeastern Fergus County [Montana] (31)[...]To the north the Little Rockies become obscured as[...](Chinook Indian tribe in Oregon) the Missouri River rises from the bottom land and[...]In the early years when homesteaders were finding
And eat snow it can" It can turn a bitter cold below[...]matters. A landmark could become lost amid the rising
more spectacular have been the times when one goes to
and falling of distant hills, trees and rocks. A lone
bed at night with the temperature reading 25 below zero[...]homesteaders shack, in the distance, would loom up,
and severai inches of snow on the ground. About mid-[...]approaching it, it would always seem
way through the night, the covers are kicked off and
farther away, until it faded and upon reality was found
dad, or mom, gets up to check the fires to make sure[...]to be a large rock; as related in the following narrative
they haven't 'gotten' away. At the light of dawn a roar-[...]by Con Anderson:
ing noise awakens the household and upon investiga-
tion it is discovered that the snow has completely gone,
the "dry" creek is running bank full of water and the Mirag[...]In those earlier years, before the air became dusty and
temperature is reading 45 above.[...]filled with carbon from gas used in cars and tractors,
The Roy area lies in the chinook beit, an area which mirage[...]enerally does not extend more than 200 miles from the How this act of nature was perfo[...]n Africa, ability to explain. The frrst I saw was in 1911, and from
Europe and Souih America they have different names, the front of Dad's homestead shack.
but they are the same occurrence. Chinooks occur in all By 1911 there were a great many homesteaders in the
seasons but are most noticeable when they happen[...]oy area, but most of them at that time were south and
ing bitter cold weather.[...]y. From our shack, normally, we could see only
The where's and why's of a chinook are not yet fully[...]derstood by scientists. A chinook begins out over the while standing in front of our 12x[...]see about twenty five. The landscape east ofus had raised
Pacific Ocean and consists of warm air moving east-[...]right up and for a distance of twenty or more miies, was
erly. As it is forced over the mountain ranges it cools as plainly s[...]from this process Armells Creek near the Missouri River, another miracle
of condensation which results in the air on the eastern by nature was performed.
side of the mountain being warrner than that on the My dad and I were on our way to this homestead and
western side. Chinook conditions occur when a pre[...]incoming up over a hill or rise in elevation in the road and
sure situation results in a steady flow of air from the Iooking ahead of us, Dad said, "A[...]has
west or southwest. A high pressure system to the south built a shack near the road, and lo there it was. It had to
and a low to the west, moving across the mountains, be about twelve by twelve, as most of them were built at
can create the chinook wind.[...]we drove further it became smaller and as we reached it, it
Just before a chinook occurs the cold air layer be-[...]te rock, about three feet, nearly
comes very thin and thawing begins on the mountain
square.
slopes before the warm air reaches the plains area. A
chinook can remain stationary in a particular area,
moving back and forth. Frost can form in the warm Jim Steidley, who came to teach the Indian Butte
damp air and when it comes in contact with the still schoolin 1961-62 from Oklahoma, saw his frrst mirage
cold ground, ice begins to build up and can make for one winter morning, and it left him speechless. He had
very dangerous roa[...]risen to a completely different world, than the one he'd
A tell tale sign of a coming chinook are the appear- become accustomed to..."A quee[...]cal phenomenon produced by the presence of a stratum
M[...]of hot air of varying density across which the observer
Some crisp mornings when the sky is clear and the sees reflections of distant objects, usually inverted and
air is sharp, one steps outside and views a landscape often distorted. When the stratum of air is located
unlike anything ever seen before. The hills to the east directly above the heated area, such as a desert or road,
rise up in the sky in shapes and forms usually seen only it reflects the sky, which to us looks like a pool of water.
in fantasy paintings of the prairie mesas of the south" It is an atmospheric phenomenon in which the air
Dovetail Butte beeomes a lone mountain peak.[...]appears to move in ascending waves.
watches the shapes change. Some float upward and Whatever-the mirage is a fascinating, unpredict-
break off from the main stem and then dissipate. able, mystical and wonderful illusion that few in the
Others widen and flatten and before them, the illusion world are privileged t[...]
Homestead Shacks over Buffalo Tracks: History of Northeastern Fergus County [Montana] (32)[...]- NonrsnnN LlcHrs away or the lights on a vehicle traveling down highway
A "[...]spectacular when 191 will shoot into the air in a column many feet high.
clear night skies become alive as the colorful rays of Yardlights on the scattered ranches become long beams
light shoot clear across the darkened sky with an ever- stretching into the night-time sky. On occasion the
changing array of color. Often in the early morning, lights from the towns of Lewistown, to the southwest,
the color will fade and it will appear as though the sun and Havre, to the north and even Grass Range, to the
is rising out of the north, instead of the east. Most south, will light up the sky and be visable from our
shows occur during the months of March and Spe- area.
tember, the equinox months. Ixotalr Suuupn
The Aurora Borealis begins with a sun storm, or[...]nds out electrically charged particles
that cause the gases, of which air is ccimprised, to glow idyllic time of year. The first cold snap and frost, has
ended the garden chores; harvest is usually complete.
in the vibrant colors. As these particles near earth, the
There's a crisp, pure, tingly feel in the air; a snap and
magnetic field which surrounds our glove channels[...]sparkle peculiar only to this time of year. The fields and
these electron particles into streams of light which can
be from a few miles to a hundred miles long. The larger country surrounding are a mixture o[...]lden stubble, green patches, yellow cured grasses
the sun storm the larger the Northern Lights display
and silvery sage. The trees have donned their autumn
and the further south it can be seen.[...]colors of gold, bronze and red. The sky is a pure blue.
South of the equator is its counter-part, called the
The smoke lazily rises and drifts down coulees. Birds
Aurora Australis.[...]are on the wing, gathering for their flight south. The
Suxnocs AND RArNBows days are getting shorter and evenings are longer and
Sundogs, like rainbows, are caused by moisture in the quieter. Along the river all of these colors and aromas
air. Sundogs differ from rainbows in that they are and quiet gentle sounds are contained and reflected
formed by ice crystals instead of water[...]thin its channel as it continues its journey east and
A sundog is always viewed when looking in the direc- south.
tion of the sun, while the rainbow is always viewed It's a very favorite and special time of the year. A
when the sun is to the back of you! time to take inventory, reflect and to be still.
Another phenomenon are halos seen around the moon The weather and the skies and the special pheno-
or sun at times. These, too, like[...]ly signifies a storm coming in. topics. When the sit-coms on TV are boring-get out
Many times the same condition that causes the halo and view that spectacular show going on outside!
will cause the lights of Roy to glow visibly 20 to 40 miles[...]by Charlotte Coulter

Some of the earlier ones were: February 5, 1933. That[...]ts. It
one came up quick on a beautiful sunny day and caught was Sunday and she was home for the weekend. As the
so many people away from home. They took their sh[...]re weather to hit Central
ter wherever they could and stayed several days. A lot Montana in the afternoon, Roy dnd Mickey left early to
of stock drifted under and smothered. take her back[...], 1938. It was all over about 2:30 p.m. the sky clouded over, the wind blew and
Central Montana and a lot of cattle were lost. One it loo[...]3 it really turned it on.
bunch of cows camped at the Mountain View School, I tried to[...]ost 34 head. the operator said owing to the storm they couldn't
Probably the worst storm I
remember was April 5, reach Billings. I did the chores; put the sheep in the
1955. School Election Day! So many people were caught sheds and got the cattle in around the barns. After that,
away from home. Cars and buildings were drifted everything happened at 10 minutes afler the hour. At
under.[...]10 past 4Lar.y Emery walked in. He, Sandy, Mark and
We had a whole two years of blizzardy winters f[...]hip Styer had been feeding Altenhofen's cattle on the
December L7, L977 to March 2, L979, nothing but snow Puckett place and had gone in the ditch, on the hill
and one perpetual windy nightmare, both of those[...]After taking our 4-wheel drive and pulling them back
But the one storm I'll never forget was the 26th of on the road, I didn't even try to turn around. I backed[...]almost half a mile home, without going in the ditch. I

Homestead Shacks over Buffalo Tracks: History of Northeastern Fergus County [Montana] (33)[...]aneuvered that, just too scared to from the house. It was a real mess.
turn the steering wheel, I guess.[...]ver saw anything like
At 10 after 5, Roy called and said, "I'm here in Roun- it. Cliffs pickup had drowned out on top of the Demo
dup ai the Sheriffs office and they won't let us come hill and ihey had walked 3/4 of a mile into the storm
home. Roads are closed." So while we were talking the and l/2 mile with it to their backs. Nancy's face was[...]h a long ice-cycle hanging from her
broke through the clouds and the thunder just boomed chin. Mel and Cliff were wearing caps and insuiated
along the ground; kinda like being under a bridge when coveralls; had gloves and were warm and okay. David
a iumber wagon rolls over. I tried to explain that to had a cowboy hat, no gloves and a light jacket. His
Roy, but he couldn't hear it or understand. He just said hands and ears were frozen white. I ran a sink full of
"You[...]ong". warm water and he started to thaw his hands in it.
I was just beginning to believe him when all the We sat Nancy down by the stove. I thawed the ice
neighbors started to call, nobody wanted to a[...]g to find oOt who else was! "You boots off and her feet were badly frozen. We put them in
can't believe what I just saw and heard!" a pail of warm water and every time it felt cold to her
"Oh yes I can,[...]er jacket was
Marvin Brimer had started home on the road by Bill frozen solid. We finally got it peeled off of her and
Davis's and had gotten stuck and tried to walk home wrapped her in hot quilts. About 11:00 she started
across the open land. He had gotten lost and returned shivering. None of them had eaten since noon, so I
to the road. He sat down by a fence post and gave up. made soup, fried spuds and ham with plenty of coffee.
By the lightning he then saw Slim rffylands "dog The men finally bedded down on the davenports and a
camp" about a hundred yards away. He made it there big chair and amazingly went to sleep.
and very gratefully sat out the storm with Slim and the Nancy was so miserable I put her in a b[...]water and turned the bathroom heater on high. She had
At 10 after 6, a lady called from the Red Barn. They tried to dress warmly; had on a warm jacket and heavy
had gotten stuck on the corner southwest of our house wool sweater, overalls, wool sox and a pair of her hus-
and walked back to Woodards. No one was home and bands worn-out thermal underwear. He had been
the only heat was from an electric oven. They were very throwing bales in them and the front of the legs were
wet and cold and were afraid if the power went offthey worn through.
would freeze to death. They were Mel Larson, Dave and The next morning she had blisters the size of my
Nancy Holthors who were working at the Black Butte hand. I called the doctor and he said there wasn't much
Ranch and were trying to get to Roy. I frnally told them[...]tried.
from Roy to go, I'd take our 4-wheel drive and show I never want to live through a[...]e. Before breakfast the next morning, the sun was shin-
She called Cliff Emery and he made it to the Red ing. Jim Murphy came looking for them with a snow-
Barn around the road. They called at 10 after 7 to say plow. Roy and Mickey came galloping in with my little
they were starfing back and would call me when they red Mustang. And so ended another Montana blizzard.
got to Roy. I watched and waited. All of the neighbors Roy took Nancy to a doctor in Lewistown where they
were on the phones wanting to know if everyone was at[...]h for her either. Then we were ou our
home out of the storm. I could see the top of the yard way into another week. I've often wondered about
pole, but not the bottom, or the pickup sitting 40 feet Nancy and David, but never heard from them again.[...]by Carol Sluggett

In the spring of 1984 Carol Sluggett and Frank name. If okay it would be called Valentine, if not then it
Cimrhakl contacted the National Weather Service of6ce would be[...]see if Carol could get a station down at back and said that there had been a station at Valen-
Valentine. At the time they told them that they were tine from 1911 to 1941 and that Carol's station would be
not starhing any ne[...]ntine. Joe also told her, at that time, that
In the early part of August 1984 the National Weather the station she received came from north of Mosby on[...]d Carol to ask if she was still interested in the Musselshell River. Carol had been keeping records
a station and she told them yes" prior to the re-opening of the government weather
They delivered the station on August 24th. There was station (years 1972 to 1984).
some question as to what to call it and it was decided, B.M. Bean was the weather observer in the Valentine
before Joe Johnson left. that he would check into the area from 1911 until his death Ju[...]

Homestead Shacks over Buffalo Tracks: History of Northeastern Fergus County [Montana] (34)[...]r NonrsresrnnN Fencus CouNrv

Faulds then became the weather observer and heid the The year with the most snowfall was 1977 with 88".
job until Milo Messenger took over on October 1, 1933. The year with the most precipitation was 1975 with
Lester Bevis began reporting the weather statistics on 20.80". The coldest day was minus 50 on January 31,
September 9, 1936 and did so until W.J' Trimble took it 1918" The hottest day was 110 deg:ees on June 27,1936"
over on June 12, 1941. The station was closed four Altitude of the Valentine Weather Reporting Station is
months lat[...]by Fronk Cimrhak'I

The National Weather Service from Great Falls The longest growing season was in 1963 with 157 days[...]- -May 22 to October 26. And the shortest season was in
delivered a weather report[...]age of 125 days.
station is known as Roy 8 NE and is used to take daily
The National Weather Service Station in Great Falls
r[...]furnished the following State highlights and extremes:
and minimum and maximum temperatures.[...]Heron, Montana, has the most annual precipitation of
April 21, 1988, marked the 50th anniversary of - 34.21 and the least is at Twin Bridges wiih 9.13.
weather obser[...]tation. The most precipitation recorded in one year was at
This report covers the years 1939 to 1987'49 years - Summit with 55.51 in 1953 and the Ieast was Belfry
-1938 and 1988 not being used because they begin and with 2.97 inches in 1960.
end in April and are not full years. The greatest oneday precipitation was 1l'.50 at Circl[...]-
The following are some very interesting recorded on June 20, L92L, and Circle went on to have the most
statistics: in the month of June, 1921, with 16.79.[...]perature recorded in Montana was at Rog-
The average yearly precipitation is 13.94. Due to the - er's Pass on January 20, 1954, at 70 degrees below zero
- last few dry years, the average dropped from a high of and the highest was at Medicine Lake on July 5, 1937,[...]on Julv 20, 1893, at 11? desrees above
The dryest year was 1952 with only ?.03 total precipi[...]- tion. Other dry years were 1960 wiih 8.79 and 1961 with[...]Of the 1?6 reporting stations in Montana,9S report less[...]and 83 report more precipitation than Roy 8 NE'
When the drought broke on May 11, 1962, and before On May 21, 1981, the only tornado in 50 years
- the end of May, we had 7"58 precipitation, followed by
June with 5.03, July with 2.08 and Aug:ust with 3.67 or[...]months. That was an almost swath one and a half miles long North and South and
equal total of the two previous years' about 100 yards wide through timber and rangeland.
On May 8, 1962, Jense Yde had[...]le 18 miles Ponderosa Pine were uprooted and many broke off. Up
- North of Roy. After t[...]tornado missed Bea
telling everyone that the drought would be broken and Munay's ranch by less than a mile. No o[...]e homestead days ever heard of such
From the dryest years to the wettest in 1978 wiih 25.15 terrific destr[...]e flying near Robinson
- precipitation was the mostin one year and June, 1944,
with 8.16 was the wettest month. The gteatest one'day
Bridge observed the tornado in action and called the
precipitation was2.24 on September 12, 1[...]National Weather at Great Falls by radio. The plane
The most snowfall in one year was 91 inches in 1977' was never identified. This was the only tornado re'
- and the least was 14 inches in 1956 - an average of44 ported in the state in 1981.
inches.[...]In 1971, I was presented with the John Campanius
In 1955 probably the worst snow storm was on the 3rd, Helm award by Bill Rammer, Meteorologist from the
- 4th, and Eih of April with 28 inches of snow and 3.48 National Weather Service.[...]In 1981, I was presented with the Thomas Jefferson
The lowest temperature was on January 24, L969, at 4l[...]st; Mac McFee, Field
- degrees below zero, and the longest cold spell was from[...]Representative; and Larry Owen, Weather Forecaster.
December[...]ost every Cameramen from KFBB-TV filmed the presentation
dav. and it was shown on TV that night.
The coldest one day was December 29, 1968, when min-[...]d with a 50-year
- imum was 33 below zero and maximum at 24 below. Edward H. Stoll award by Dave Olsen, Dave Taylor
This was the lowest maximum recorded during one day. and Bill Rammer. who is now retired. Edward H. Stoll
The highest temp€rature was on August 5, 1961, and August has a record of 76 years as a weathe[...]readings of 107 de8rees above zero. the most years for one observer in the Nation"

Homestead Shacks over Buffalo Tracks: History of Northeastern Fergus County [Montana] (35)[...]"$ Coldest *'inter - Ilrrid and I9?8 q.rth 5; days below zero readings,[...]es.
Government weather records have been kept at the Wettest year . I986 .[...]- September 1986 - 7.1D inches precipitation.
was the first weather observer; Lewis Harrell has had[...]Driest r''ear - 1979 . 9.S2 inches precipitation.
the job since 1973.[...]Least snowfall in one year - 197{ - 7 inches.
The following statistics are from 1965 to 1988; Month with the most snowfall . January lg?l - 3? inches.
Hottest[...]rees to 109 degrees Year with the longest growing season - lg8? with l5i
and 1967 - 67 days 90 degrees to 102 degrees.[...]1..,-.li -r-r.r':.

The raging wz.ters of Armells Creek near where it empties into the Missouri riuer, during the damaging ftoods of
June 1962 ripped these huge culuerts out of highway 191, near Mobridge, and twisted them, like pretzels.

The Roy town became isolated as the rDater rose.[...]the winter of 1949-50[...]on the road going[...]where the Floyd[...]Ernery's now liue.

The highway east of town, Iooking west.

Homestead Shacks over Buffalo Tracks: History of Northeastern Fergus County [Montana] (36)[...]Fnou YcsTERYEAR
1885-January. Fred Uplinger from the Crooked Creek area, 1933, February.[...]- through. Had to 'shovel out' the railroad. Many frost-
only a few calf los[...]bitten toes and noses.
1908-May and June. A big flood along the Missouri. The 1933, June. Calvin Birdwell and his grandson, Chet Jr., and
river ran from hill to hill. Everyone fled to the hills and the horse they were riding, all killed when struck by[...]lightning.
1918, Augustl. Boy Enterprdse; The drouth was much worse 1947, April. The worse flood since the big flood of 1907, the
north of the river near the Canadian line. Wheat about old timers say...Reports that the Bill Baucke ranch on
4" hieh and so dry that engines are setting it afire the Missouri River the worse hit-everything gone,
along the tracks.[...]orses shipped living there in the winter.
out by Ben Manning, Joe LeClaire, H[...]reported 4 ft. 7 ir. of water in his home.
and others from across the river because ofpoor range. ...Lived for 3 day's in a tent on the hills...Had moved
No water.[...]cake of ice smash into the house and tear a roon off.
1919, August, Valentine. Worse h[...]Olaf Rindal's granary with 500 bushel of wheat and
up and battered roofs and windows, killed chickens, oats completely under water,
destroyed crops and a truck...hail stones as large as Kendall ranch buildings on south side of the river
eggs...Ted Brooks on Sage Creek sever[...]completely gone.
hit on the head by one.[...]Humor: Kendall scolded his wife for not leaving the ice
1919. December-Judith Basin Farmer. The winter of house door open before they ran for the hills-they'd
1896-97 not as severe as 1919.[...]summer supply.
1919. It began in November and was storming yet Mathison[...]with straw and use it for his summer'g supply of ice
Great cattle losses...no chinooks...shortage of coal and Mike Machler...3 miles from the river said the noise of
a glare of ice covering the country. cracking ice was terrific.
1922-23. The Fritzners and the Sandstroms had a few head Only the tops of the cottonwood trees at the Joe l,egg
of cows. They had to go to Vaient[...]sable.
them, but enroute home their horses (the ones that John Umstead loet 84 head of cattle on the Knox place.
pulled the wagon that hauled the hay) ate most of the Had taken them there to winter them.
straw before they could get home tp feed it to the cows, Ray McNultys and son, John Link and Mr. and Mre.
Joe Hopkins ran for the hills and camped out. Had
1923, April. Ed Evers, cattleman[...]taken horses and cattle out the day before and turned
north of Roy, reports cattle came th[...]them loose in the hills.
shape. Small losses.
1923, July 26.[...]elpe
where two men were unharnessing horses and etruck[...]Relieve Fear of Being Snowbound....through the
them. The horses were kiiled instantly and the two
Iong hard wintere in the Mieeouri Breaks coun-
men, A. M. Stendal and Joe Ferdet, were knocked[...]isolated ranches. Bill Rogers and Bob Kellogg found
unconscious for sometime and were unable to walk for[...]eding help becauee of illness or
entering the barn a horseback, was hit. The horee and[...]planes to look for
rider were knocked to the ground. L.M.A. Wase, an .[...]to angwer an
ex-service man rushed across the street and applied[...]found service
artificial resuscitation to the boy and is credited with[...]invaluable werg the Tobine, Carl Hedman, Kendalle,
saving his[...]Arnold Smithe, Norakogs...The Glen Light children
many hours. Alfred Halver, in a barn across the etreet,[...]was also knocked down, but was uninjured. The Roy[...]Jensen (who was
Enterprise was also hit. The storm started about 10 a.m.[...]Jeee Woodcock.
o'clock last evening and though unconecious from the
1960, February. One of the longest spelle of cold weather
shock for several moments is recovering, but com- and snow in the area'g history began to break up.
plains s[...]breaka country north of
Porter Strausburg and Frank were both working in the[...]at had been isolated by deep drifts.
field and when it started storming left the field and ...Quote from Argus Farmer "But to aak anyone what
started for the barn and while unhitching the team at[...]their loesee were ie not considered manners, and the
the barn door the bolt oflightning struck and killed one[...]is that they are not euffering, but you
of the horses, knocked another one down and at the should eee their neighbora c[...]g coming in
just a few moments later found the boy in a dazed con- Road to Roy[...]o....Road to Irwis-
dition but on his feet and as quickly ae possible brought[...]town open moat of the winter....snow drifte 10 foot
him to Roy where he is now convalescing at the home[...]
Homestead Shacks over Buffalo Tracks: History of Northeastern Fergus County [Montana] (37)[...]an November 19th. We
shortage, starvation and cold. hauled hay over in south pasture for the cows but snow got too
1955, April 3,4,5. Worse[...]48" deep to get over there, so got Laddie and went and brought
of moisture. 8 foot ofsnow in pla[...],ewistown was December L4,L977,
buildings and cattle. Sheds coilapse, corrals level full. which was the last time to this date! It was thawing to the
1959, August. The earthquake which devastated a portion of[...]d-August was keenly felt in this all over the bottoms on Dec. 15 and we got fresh water in the
area. Houses shook, animals went crazy when this dam, which we really needed, and it must have risen 4 feet.
happened in the middle of the night. Bonnie and Mark came December 16 and we took pickup and
1961. Area livestock industry in throes of the toughest years went for a Xmas tree. The North Ridge road had been plowed
ever. Long unbroken drouth of summer has shriveled and we stopped at Greens but snow was knee deep in the
range grasses.,.cut hay production...dried water holes timber and about 8" on the level. It was wann but hadn't
up. N[...]thawed from Turners on. Got a few greens and went on past
1962, June. Worst flood ever hits Ro[...]We walked back a little ways but very hard going and
...houses damaged...tops of fence posts covered with Mark cut a small tree. The oniy one that looked suitable. We
water...water tore away parts of the roads ..10" of water started home and when we got up by Shankline we found a
on Roy Main street....water inside houses...Mr. and tree in the road! Wilbert and Hap had logt it. They had gone
Mrs. Ben B[...]spotted some last fall. Matk
water up to the door handles...a reservoir brimfull and
running over the same one that had 8 cows die in, in and Bon took the two to Billings and Hap got a lovely big one
1961-because of[...]..Water, water every- for us! More snow. The kids all got home on Xmae Day.
where....l[...]out of highway at New Years day Dad and I took pickup and met Betty at the
Armeils Creek due to the flood. Flood was the worst on Corner. We had dinner at 2:00 p.m. Last time I have been away
Box Elder Creek since the big flood of 1908. from home to[...]too late to help crops We dug pickup out and Dad got to Roy for euppliee on Jan. 6"
stunted by a cool growing season. River was the lowest Farm Strike had closed all bueines[...]d recall; 11.25 feet in July. Ice.jam anyway and that's the last trip the pickup made to date. The
raised it to 26.56 feet on December 15th (Flood level at following day we only got to barn and unloaded 4 balee that
25 feet). Ice went out March 7th. . froze over on were left on it and fed them and a few from behind the barn.
November 21st.[...]Terrible storm. I fed everything Ieft at the barn including a
L977-78. A winter of deep unending snow. It started the first couple of bales I had put in the mangers. Pickup wouldn't go
part of November in '77 and did not quit snowing until anJarDore,[...]Jan. 9, 1978 I cbased the cowe to the little hay pile down
1979, Feb. 26th. Total eclipse of the sun. Roy, Montana was below the barn and dragged balee out for them for for a week.
the best place in the world in which to view the solar Then I dug out the tractor which was almoet buried and dur-
show. Hundreds ofpeople, scientists,[...]was so sore he couldn't do anything.
from the world over to observe the phenomenon. It He'd bought a new battery for the tractor and we got it put in
began at 8:30 a.m., lasted 2 hours and 20 minutes and
and dug out the old platform and put it on the tractor so we
there were 154 seconds ofto[...]can haul 11 bales on the tractor. This lasted until Feb. 1 when
1980, May[...]we could no longer make it and had to dig out slaing fey ftrg
and a few days later the Central Montana area became[...]Visibility
during this time became poor. The condition lasted a and then you dig it out"
few days, with no il[...]On Feb. 6th
red that is worth mentioning. The David Kalina and it drizzled all day and froze as soon ag it hit the enow. There'E
Jeff Willmore families went fiehing at a reservoir at Yz" cruet of ice all over the snow. This is going to wreck it for
Frank Sirokys during the "fall out" time. For whatever the horses. They'll never paw that deep snow with ice cruet.
reason the figh would leap out of the water, at them, ae From the 7th to the 12th we had hell trying to get enough feed
they walked around the dam many landing on the shore. for the cows. Heavy snow fell the 11th, about another foot of
1981, May 21. The state's only reported tornado hits in the loose fluffy etuff. Montgomery came and plowed ue out and to
Boy area. It uprooted trees in an area lYz miles long, the haystack.
100 foot wide at the Cimrhakl ranch, north of Roy. Feb. f2th Shoveled out pickup and got loe.d of hay that
1986. Precipitation above n[...]etersen'e gemi....
to 114 days. Year was on the cool side. Many damaging
winds in the area, tore up sheds on the Lund and Zahn
ranches, roof off of Ralph Willmore and Bob Cimrhakl
houses, destroyed bale stacks[...]ctric poles snapped.
1987. Hordes of grasshoppers and drouth conditions. Hay
shipped in.[...]
Homestead Shacks over Buffalo Tracks: History of Northeastern Fergus County [Montana] (38)[...]by I. Willmore
One of the biggest and most successful propaganda On Februar[...]given to Roy
campaigns ever launched was that of the railroads in goldsmith, James Everin, to "begin work at once on the
the early years of this century. There were so-called golden spike." By April the 13th, the railroad was in
"wishing trains"; trains that wer[...]- all to
entice settlers to the country through which these land-
grant railroads had land to sell. This propaganda was
so extensive and so ingrained that even after the
dreams had failed and many had left because of the
years of disaster, there were still those that voiced the a
very words that had brougb.t them here many years
earlier.
The beginning of the railroad into Roy began in 1910
when the Oscar Stephens land was sold to a land
division of the Milwaukee-St. Paul Railroad. In
December of 1911 a large headline announcement from
St. Paul stated that the railroad would be built to Roy
"at once". This announcement also hinted at extending
the line to the Musselshell.[...]-;r
It was announced on January 28, 1913 that "the
townsite of Roy will be sold March 8." In February 'r.
Articles of Incorporation of the Roy Land Co. were fi.led
Building the railroad, to Roy. April27, 1914 the aoyit
with the county clerk and recorder. The company[...]Roy.
organized to conduct a general land, farming and
livery business at Roy and was capitalized for $20,000.
Directors were Harry F. Hunter of Chicago and Lillian
Stephens of Fergus.
March 11, 1913-News article - "The Milwaukee
Land Co. held the first of its new townsite sales at the
Bijou Theater last Saturday afternoon (Mar. 8), Roy
and Forest Grove being the main attractions. The
theater was packed and the bidding spirited. There was
keen competition for business lots at Roy, the first
choice going at $440."
More such sales were scheduled to come up in the
future; Armells was to be sold on May 10th of that year.
And so the buiiding of the railroad began. It was an One of the first train engines to Roy. Chorles Oquist is
exciting procedure, followed closely by all. Day by day the man standing on the left.
progress bulletins preceded the railroad into town.
Building a railroad was not[...]en who didn't mind extremely hard,
physical work. The laying of the track began with the
building of the track bed; hauling gravel, making cuts,
surfacing the track bed, making road crosgings and
bridges-all done by men and horses and or mules with
shovels, fresnos, elevating plows, dump wafons, slips
and dynamite. There was the track itself to lay. Then
there were depots to build, telegraph lines to erect,
stockyards and water tanks to build and right of way
fences to be put up.
The usual railroad camp, that followed along as work[...]consisted of horse tents, blacksmithing The Roy Depot when it was new. Facing west. The
tents, cook tents, sleeping tents, etc. On many of the utater tanh is remembered by seueral from[...]English spokeri as many of In summer time the town milh coLos sought shelter from
the men were newly arrived emigrants from Europe. the summer heat, and in winter huge icicLes hung from it.
Homestead Shacks over Buffalo Tracks: History of Northeastern Fergus County [Montana] (39)[...]33

operation to Fergus. John Stephens received the first The winter of L944,4000 ton of hay was shipped out
fr[...]-
Tuesday April 28, 1914-.Roy Enterprise "The rail- After WWI and again after WWII traffic slowly
road is completed into Roy, the Y is being finished dwindled on the railroad. Better roads made it more
today. A crew of carpenters started to work on the depot attractive to travel to Lewistown and other places by
this morning and the first train, which consisted of auto. The mighty herds of horses that were shipped out
fourteen cars of freight was pulled in last night and by the thousands were gone and trucks that could load
Roy is a busy town today." at the ranches and go straight to market began to take
It wasn't l[...]passenger service was added. over and soon semi's were doing the job of moving cat-
Thus began the years of railroading in Roy. Not only tle entirely. Ft. Peck had covered the productive river
was freight brought in, but the products of the area bottoms and there was no longer the seed and potato
were taken out and hauled to far away markets. There crops to ship out. The railroad was dying and in 1970,
were cans of cream and milk, cases of eggs and crates 56 years after the steel was laid to Roy an era came to a
ofchickens, carloads ofcattle, sheep, horses, grain and close.
potatoes, tons of turkeys; al[...]Through the years many depot agents and section
destinations.
workers lived and made their homes at Roy. Some of
On Augrrst 10,[...]rom Malta were shipped to Helena. the depot agents were: H.M. Underwood, 1916; W.A.
Ma[...]hen in
August 1918, 200 cars of cattle bound for the Chicago later years there were Jim M[...]R.S. PIum. Some of the section workers throughout the
May 1919, Two carloads of potatoes shipped out by the Roy years: J.E. Miller (Armells 1918), St[...]ells,
In December of 1918 rumors were flying that the 'rail- 1915-1916) Clay Smith, Ario W[...]lentine by summer of 1919, for sure.' the 1940's.[...]"THE Lesr Olu Ttrrrpn"
The steers now doys don't carry horns[...]Can't find o reol cow-horse no more,
And giue the Cowboys Willies. And a man can't read o brond.[...]collected a number of articles from
mankind than the horse. The most prized possession of local newspapers which tell of the demise of the range
the indian and horse power to the white man. To this horses in this area, where once there was free range. I
day, the horse is still a necessity to the ranchers and might add that this was a thrilling experience to run
the well-bred animals of the modern day are very popu' horses; to out-maneuver these animals took skill and
lar and valuable in sports of racing and rodeo and the good saddle horses.
show ring, as well. The post war drouth and recession of 1919, saw many

Homestead Shacks over Buffalo Tracks: History of Northeastern Fergus County [Montana] (40)[...]fend for themselves; where they would break and sell them to the local
some came from farmers in the Judith Basin and local ranchers.
owners. The drouth and poor economic conditions Shipment[...]y basis
forced many homesteaders to leave, broke and disillu- for two months. This reduced the horse population to
sioned" Big cattle outfits went under, as well, but the make \r'ay for cattle and sheep.
horses prospered and muitiplied. Drouth returned in the 1930's. Six hundred head of
By 1927-28, the economy boomed and moisture re- CBC, Chappel Brothers horses were gathered off the
turned. Cattle and sheep were claiming the grass and Reservation, swam across the Missouri River and
the horses had to relinquish their range. Gathering and shipped out of Roy in 1934. In June of 198[...]shipping or trailing them out was a big job for the cow- were put across the river at Joe Bell,s and traiied to
boys. There were markets in foreign c[...]state locations; some choice saddle stock went to the US were iost in crossing the river.
Remount stations and many were destined for the A week Later,27 cars of horses l[...]bought by A.B. McCullough of Ft. Smith Horse and
The first sizeable shipment at Roy came from the Mule Auction Company of Ft. Smith, Arkansas to their
dispersion of the lazy F T horses in the estate of Ben large ranch holdings at LaPl[...]South
Manning. These range horses were gathered and swam Dakota. Unloaded at Ft. Pierre and trailed to Laplant,
acloss the Missouri River, Ioaded on the Chicago the Iocation of the ranch.
Milwaukee & St. Louis Railroad at Roy in August of After the Grazing Districts took over the range lands,
1927. Eight cars went to the Butte Packing Company it was no longer feasible to run horses in this area. The ,
and 5 cars to St. Louis, Missouri. Iast of the range horses were disposed ofby the ranchers
The next spring, roundups in lower Fergus County in the early 1950's.
began with F.S. Johnson and his partner, Charley
Miller of Little Crooked, Athearns and John Mayberry,
Roy Hanson and the DAY horses, Johnny Matheson
dispersing the George Davidson estate of the 4p brand,
George Hamilton gathering the Thurlo McCain estate
(T bar M) horses, Sam Sherman and Hank Griener and
the local owners participating.
The first of June, 200 head or eight cars wenr out
from Roy by rail. The follow.ing shipment of 20 cars
went to Wisconsin and Illinois.
Seven hun&ed head, contracted by Chap[...]inois were trailed to Hays, via
Rocky Point, swam the Missouri River at the Wilder
crossing, where they joined several thousand head This photo was taken in the summer of 192g and. shows
being held on the Indian Reservation range until they but a few of the thousands of head of horses that were
could be handled by the eastern packing plant. Sam rounded up and shipped out of the country. In the uery
Sherman rounded up and bought horses in phillips eorly days[...]s. Later
W.W. Weyand of Chinook bought 80 head, the top end many were slaughtered, others were used for the
of the Davidson herd and trailed them to Chinook, coualry d.nd[...]by Ernest Harrell
There were skirmishes between the sheepmen and I remember my fust rattlesnake scare. I was camping
the cattlemen. The sheepherder usually got the brunt of out, b1- Zahns. I laid still for an hour before I realized it
the "war" maneuvers. It was open range at the time. I was the seeds in a weed pod doing the rattling. A fan
remember once when Steve LaRocque[...]weed I think it was.
Carmikle, a cowboy came in and scattered the sheep all The second scare was for real. Larry Jordan and I
over. I worked for cattle outfits, but I thought that was were camping out and the snake crawled in bed with us.
getting pretty mean. I didn't like it. Larrl' saw the snake hrst and hollered and BOYI did we
There were shearing corrals a[...]
Homestead Shacks over Buffalo Tracks: History of Northeastern Fergus County [Montana] (41)[...]35

ornery and hated to cook outside, so he headed for a[...]p stick of wood was chasing the rat and Joe was keeping
residence. his distance. As the fellow went by the'stool'his spur
Joe Wright and his daughters, Jenny and Laura, had hooked on it knocking the stool and pan of water over,
come in. Joe was deathly scared of pack rats. He had a which hit the rat killing it. All bedlam broke loose when
big knife with which to kill the rat if it came near him. he threw the rat over in Joe's direction!!
There was a thick b[...]December 21, 1980 The cowboys had no days off and rarely took part in
-[...]ties but would sometimes ride for hours to
"The cook was up fust at 3 a.m. and would start break-
fast. At 3:30 Sid and Old Tom would get up and Old Tom get to a country dance. They were back at the wagon[...]fthey wanted to keep theirjobs.
would kick me and say, 'C'mon kid - time to get up.'One
morning he just stood there and looked at me. 'Hey kid, Jordan recalls a story when he was working for the
you got some company there,'he said.[...]CBC branding colts, castrating stallions and breaking
"A snake had curled up around my f[...]severai horses in one evening.
and had fallen asleep. Old Tom just got a stick and picked "They gave us this buckskin who wouldn't steer. We
the snake up and threw it away." were up creek from camp and wouldn't come around to tlre
Roy rancher, Larry Jordan, remembers the early days left at all. No way. This old timer would tell me about
with Old Tom and others he worked with when he was a putting him on a picket line and kink his neck a few
dder with the CBC, the Chapple Brothers Cannery. The times."
"CBC worked horses just like cattle" during the depres- "We got a long rope and tied him to this log. Well, two
sion years of[...]night hawks brought the saddle horses by to conal them.
Montana was a large, open country and many home. We figured the tree weighed 500 to 600 pounds. It was
steaders had returned to the east or headed north when hollow! B[...]r when that
they couldn't make things work on the small homesleads buckskin took off.[...]e got all but 40 back
their living riding for the CBC across the plains and riding most of the night."
mountains of eastern and central Montana. The CBC Jordan said the CBC took a bit of getting used to at
rounded[...]as part of an first. He lost 22 pounds the fust six weeks.
agreement the United States had made with the Russians. Jordan had his share of tough times and sustained a
Jobs were hard to frnd and pay was often minimal, but few injuries during his years with the CBC. Men couldn't
for those who could endure the hours, hard work and afford to be injured during the 30s, and CBC riders were
knew horses, the CBC was the place to be. usually in such good shape that they healed quickly.
The CBC hands worked from 3 in the morning until 8 or Jordan remembers a trip to the doctor two years ago
9 each evening, every day of the week in all types of when he broke[...]bosses kept strict control fence. The X-ray showed two previous breahs.
over the CBC cowboys and drinking was forbidden. Cow- While working for the CBC, he was kicked by a big stud.
boys suspec[...]tough in those days." he said.
The giamour of beiag a tough cowboy drew many to the "We made $40 a month. It was hard to get a job riding.
outfit and Jordan has many memories of the CBC days There was always somebody looking for a job".
of long rides and tough cowboys. The crew ate whatever could be hauled on the wagon
-stories[...]wagon included 15 circle riders
who went out and gathered horses, two night hawks who and "spotted pup," a dish of rice and raisins. Steaks,
herded saddle horses at nigh[...]when available were usually horsemeat and a homemade
herded the saddle horses in the daytime, a boss and the pie was true luxury.
all-important cook. He was never the brunt of jokes for "We thought if we could stay with the wagon for a full
fear the crew would have to cook for themselves if the summer we were pretty tough hands,"[...]going for weeks without time for a bath or
The CBC boys were tough and took pride in their work, shave,[...]etime. Jordan rode with CBC in 1932-33 and in 1935-36, work-
CBC's grazing land ran from Hardin to Fort Belknap and ing with cattle between stints with the CBC.
from Miles City to Wolf Point. A former CBC rider and He was born east of Miles City between the town of
historian claims the outfit once ran more than 60,000 Ismay and Ekalaka on a homestead.
horses between the Yellowstone and Missouri Rivers. Jordan remembers hearing a story about those early
Most of the CBC hands were young men in their days when the creek was flooding. "My dad suggested we
twen[...]ad old timers like "Old Tom" go up to the barn and spend the night in the haystack
McAlister.[...]

Homestead Shacks over Buffalo Tracks: History of Northeastern Fergus County [Montana] (42)[...]sheepherders camp. We stayed in the sheepwagon that
nightl"
"Well, the flood ruined the house and got to the barn.
After that they moved the house and built it up higher by
where the sheep camp was.
His parents, Mr. and Mrs. Emmett Jordan,
steaded in Custer Co[...]t
He began working with cattle early and had a job with _t
the Bradshaw Land and Cattle Company on the Powder
River east of Miles City when he was 16. He worked for -!
Disbrow and McVey Cattle Company for a time, swim.
ming cattle across the Missouri and working the range. _:'.i:_ri.,
One fall and winter he took a train to California and rode
for a "cow outfit", returning to marry Helen Kudzia.
They'd met along the road while Jordan worked traiiing
cattle and "met officially" at a country dance in Roy in
the true western tradition. The Jordans married in 193?
and have lived near Roy ever since. CBC riders, Frank Kincaid (background) and Bob
Jordan enjoyed the rough times and said the boys had Ingalls (foreground) at Zahn homesteod, 1935.
dares all the iime. He remembers once how he and Mark
Stanley were trailing a bunch of ca[...]pull ropes," Jordan said.
"Once he asked and I said, 'Everytime you catch me on
this little black horse and you on that big gray horse you
want to p[...]ell, Mark had on these big batwing
black and white chaps and a big hat. 'I'll pull horses with
you,'Isaid.
"We backed up our horses back to back and tied the rope
around the saddle horns. I knew this little black horse[...]ike this
Weli I pulled and the saddle came right
-back and forth.
off and landed on top of him and he was flat on his back. I
thought I'd killed him!"
Jordan hadn't though, and that stunt was only one of
many. "If you[...]round us. We did things like jumping off cutbanks and
swimming in the river," Jordan said.[...]Disbrow-McVey and Bickle cowboys tahe a well-deserued[...]break around the campfire, at Cottonwood Crossing on
I used to t[...]Crooked Creek, July 4, 1935. This was the last roundup
Eorly euer' spring[...]n that ran in this country. Cowboys frorn left to
The outfits paid me 45[...]ry Jordan, Marh Stanley, Ben Burnett, Ted
To ride the bronc rough-string
Allen, and Arnold Zohn.
They fed us beans an'beefsteoh
The pay an' grub was swell[...],\ :) A bunch of young cowboys during the early doys of the[...]
Homestead Shacks over Buffalo Tracks: History of Northeastern Fergus County [Montana] (43)[...]ding in local rodeos was also a favorite pasttime and said he won $85 in three days by rid[...]n they tried out some bucking horses and steers. A friend of his oniy won $50 for two
horses for Gene Autry. "He bought most of them too and first places in bronc riding in t[...]out 38 to 40 head of bucking the CBC and his life with the cowboys of the 20's and 30's.
horses in two days. In 1927 he rode in the Miles City rodeo The breed of cowboy the CBC produced aren't around any
in saddle bronc and bareback. in 1932 he rode in the more and the wild west won't ever seem as wild.
Cody, Wyo. rodeo with all the professional bronc riders of "It w[...]life," Jordan said. "You'd be a hero if
the day. The day money was $25, $15, and $10 and Jordan you could work for the CBC all summer."[...]by Con Anderson

By the summer of 1915, homesteaders had taken up An incident I enjoy remembering took place in the
nearly all of the land north to the river some 30 miles fall of 1914, when the King cattle were taken to Walter
from Roy and east to the Musselshell River. Much of Haney's ranch near the Judith Mountains. One special
these iands were in the river breaks which were hills or cow co[...]ands with a wild bunch of cattle and had me help take her to
were, remember that the Missouri River here eroded soil Mr. Ha[...]saddle hotse, but Henry
down over 900 feet. The creeks and coulees were eroded was riding a youn[...]dden only
down in like manner. By this time, the Government had twice before. We caug[...]I had great dreams of owning many cattle and using and started for the town of Roy some twenty five-miles
much of this land. In the spring of 1915 this area was away. We[...]mesteader to be to a walking gait. The King cow soon began to show
away from his claim six months of the year. This way signs of anger. When we reached Crooked Creek, the
he could work for others and make a "Grub Stake" to cows went i[...]We could not drive
In 1914 a Mr. Brockway and Mr. Vaughn (horse out- them out because of the fighting attitude of the cows so
fit) took500 head oftheir horses south ofthe river and we rode to where we could pick up some rocks to throw
grazed them on unfenced lands in the Indian Butte at them. We were on the top of the creek bank where
country about five miles from the river. These horses Henry could not throw these rocks from his horse, so he
were in the charge of Joe Searles. Indian Butte was a[...]eral times to
higher point of land on one of the ridges running to climb this steep[...]Armells Creek where an Indian war was fought in the Henry thought he was safe afoot. The cow tried again
earlier days. In the cattle round up days of the 1880's and it seemed that this time she would succeed. Henry
and 90's, every higher point of ground was given a started running across the prairie as fast as he could. I
name as were the creek crossings, such as Haystack[...]me!"
Three Princesses, Cottonwood Crossing, and so on. We frnally got these cows to moving again and as we
Naming these points was necessary for[...]s for roads to be built. While
Many horses and cattle were realiy wild and some driving up the first lane, we came to a homesteader's
traveled or grazed in groups and were called wild cabin; their gate was open, and our wild cow went
bunches" One day, Joe Sear[...]f some through it. A young boy seeing the cow came out carry-
of his horses had gotten[...]ng a broom to drive her back. He just got back in the
help him ride. He selected two of his best and fastest house before the cow could hit him.
saddle horses. We located the wild bunch near Indian Next we came to Box Elder Creek where there was a
Butte. When the wild bunch saw us we were still a mile[...]ridge. There was a lot of high brush on
away and they went east at a wild run. We took after the norih side where the cows stopped. This was trouble
them and did not overtake them until we reached[...]towards
Button Butte some 12 or 15 miles to the east. This ride us. As we waited Henry and I changed horses and
was in very rough terrain with sagebrush and cut Henry asked for help. Henry, being a good roper,
coulees up hill and down. What a ride!! Exciting-yes, caught the cow with his lariat rope, the other man
perhaps more so than the horse or car races oftoday. doing the same. Then they dragged the cow across the

Homestead Shacks over Buffalo Tracks: History of Northeastern Fergus County [Montana] (44)[...]Hrsrony Or NonrseesreRN FsRcus Couxry

bridge and some 100 feet beyond. Henry, leaning down, so the driver went around her, going fairly fast. The
got the bther man's rope off. When the cow got up she cow made a lunge after the car but missed it by a few
hooked the horse Henry was riding, then seeing me not inches. Well, on we came, the cow following us. When
too far away on the tired pony, she made a run for me. I[...]. I threw my leg for- gate in the fence, to the north near the creek and much
ward, and the horse had moved enough that the cow brush. The cow went in here, and Henry, following her,
hooked him in the rear. "Whoopie!!" with the second grabbed the rope and tied it to some heavy brush. We
bucking jump I we[...]head first then went on to the livery barn and got three mounted
and made a fast run to and under the bridge, the cow men. They roped the cow using onb rope each to keep
right at me. Henry was really laughing. The cow went the cow from attacking if she managed to get up. They
back across the bridge and headed back to her home dragged the cow into the stockyards where all the ropes
range. The other two cows had gone back before. Well,[...]then went to supper after having
that cow was mad and on a real rampage by now.[...]food" I went to our home ranch five
Henry crossed the bridge after her and I got on the miles southeast of Roy, sa[...]t
bronc again. When Henry came within 100 feet of the help to finish the trip the next morning.
cow, she turned and chased him back across the bridge. I saw Henry a few days later and asked him who
Henry and I headed up the lane (fenced road) towards helped him. "No one would help," he answered, "but
Roy with the cow afLer us. Whenever she stopped, we then, I did not need help. When I opened the stockyard
would go back toward her, and she would take after us gate, she came after me so I took off for the Walter
again, dragging the long rope. Part way up this lane we Haney ranch and the cow chased me all the way. "This
met a Ford car and the driver honked his horn, think- was a tease and a chase for about 10 miles.
ing the cow would get out of his way. The cow did not,[...]ary 1915

Judge Roy E. Ayers (later, Governor of the State of range to ride 'e[...]cident that I know you would enjoy.
Case of "Rock and Rye", two steers that became pals[...]In the Good Old Daye
and long escaped the butcher's block. It was along in the early nineties, before Jim Hill's or
Roy E. Ay[...]Fergus county dirt. It was before the dry-land farmer, irr
now occupying official posit[...]s most fantastic dreams, had ever thought of
rode the range. The Judge was always "the kid" with Fergus county.[...]session of the streams, and before we thought that a
the outfits and he was still a good deal of a kid when he post hole would ever be dug upon the benches. Yes, Doc,
stopped riding and came to Lewistown to attend school, in tbose days thousands of cattle roamed the ranges of
later going east to college. He looks b[...]e days Fergus county at will, and in that portion lying east of
of the range with affection and has a soft spot in his the Judith Mountains browsed over the finegt range
heart for the cow-punchers. The other day a point came ever selected by the bovine. From the Missouri river
north to the Musselshell on the south, and even to the
up in conversation in the judges chambers that led him land of the Crows, we gathered the finest beef that ever
to a reminiscent vein. This followed upon the heels of J decorated the Chicago stockyards.
some dictation to Hal B. Gibson, the court stenographer,
and he was still present and becoming interested he The Real Cowboye
At that time the range was ridden semi.annually by
took down Judge Ayers'talk, transcribed it, and here it scores of cow-punchers-but not of the claes we aome.
is just as it came from the lips of the judge: times see no[...]you any of my Ward, nor were they the parcel poet variety. Most of
reminiscenses of the range, but this morning, in going them knew no other home than the cow camp on the
through those of my belongings which I do not p[...]acrose my "private", a saddle, and a gun, and their etock in trade
old forty-five still sticking in its scabbard and hanging and commodity of exchange was a post-graduate educa-
on the same belt that I used to wear when I was on the tion in the great echool of experience, which education
range. The belt won't go around me now by about eight[...]from leseons taught by Dame Nature.
inches, but the sight of it made me wish that I could They could tell the time of day and night by the sun and
buckle it on and climb to the middle of a cayuse and etars; they could tell when a stonn wa8 coming and
comfortably seat myself in the full flower stamped when it wae going to break, by the instinct in their own
"Clarence Nelson". But I can't do it, Doc, for two rea. bodieg and minds and by the acts of the horsea and
sons: First, i peddled my "Clarence Nelson" when I cattle, and their judgement a6 to whether it was going to
went away to study law, and second. there ain't no be[...]as ueually good. In
horees like I used to ride. and if there were. there ain't no[...]

Homestead Shacks over Buffalo Tracks: History of Northeastern Fergus County [Montana] (45)[...]As sometimes happens, a stampede would occur, and
The time of which I speak was the year that then Rock and Rye would take advantage oftheir early
McNamara & Marlow bought the Circie Bar from the training and not run far-they would immediately
English Syndicate. So numerous were the cow outfrts at attempt to get out of the herd and reach free and neutral
the time that on one circle at the junction of several soil, and there would watch the stampede with the
ranges, known as the Buffalo corral, more than a hun'[...]sing automobile. So great was their love for each
the leading outfits of central Montana. The principal other that on one occassion a horse and rider were
brands represented were: the Z, the FBar, The RL, the knocked down by one ofthe steers, a bonus by the fore
Horseshoe Bar. the Circie C. and others too numerous to man of a new[...]offered to any puncher who
mention. To illustrate the size of the roundup that day, it could separate the pair singlehanded.
is appropriate to say that the state association got[...]spite
returns from forty-one mavericks branded at the Buffalo Oft-times at night while[...]and listening to the "attempted" lullaby of my partner
You say that you are not familiar with the brute crea' across the herd, have I seen those two steers lying side
tion, but Doc, I assume that you, like the poet Burns, can by side in the moonlight, seemingly as comfortable as
see in every living thing a fellow mortal. And this is two children tucked snugly in bed together, while across
especially true of the brute creation, for I have many the prairie I could hear the wailing of the coyote-that
times noticed elements of their nature characteristic of remarkable outcast of the range-mingled with the
the higher animal called man. Love and hatred, gener' ringing of the horse bells in the herd. One night, think-
osity and selfishness, jealousy, fear and courage are ing that all was well[...]track to meet my
sometimes as much in evidence in the lower animals as partner and get "the makin's". My partner and I rested
in the higher. and smoked together until time to wake the next relief,
and as he galloped on to camp to wake the boys for the
Steers Who Were Pals[...]last guard, I rode around the herd-which was conspic-
As they came to my noti[...]uous by the absence ofRock and Rye. I did not tell the
brotheriy love between two steers, whose affection and[...]care for each other, is seldom equalled among men and
those partners of the range at daybreak in a nearby
women.[...]ut much to my surprise, they were not over-
ROCK and RYE-for these were the names Tom taken short of ten miles distant, and as the foreman was
Shaw, the foreman of the Two-Bar outfrt gave them- with the boys who followed them, and the Iong drive
fiyst saw a Montana sunrise on a squatter's claim on the[...]beei it was decided to
lower Musselshell country, and there they lived and leave them to be picked up and shipped with the next
grew until almost ready for market. But God[...]somewhat different from weeks later and be handled by the same men; for it was
the average Montana steer, for, at the age of three they
well known that the rest of the outfit on the home ranch
were sold to a bullwhacker transportin[...]other herd ready as soon as those in
Junction, on the Yellowstone, to Fort Magg:inis, and in charge of the beef returned.
that team the two steers I speak of, worked till the price In two days more, we had safely loaded our herd upon
of horses went down and the price of beef went up. Then
the cars and started it on the long journey to the tables
they were turned out upon the range for a life of freedom of capital at the other end. As the season was growing
among the sagebrush and buffalo B3ass, in order that late, we did not stop long to put red paint on the then
they might put on the necessary flesh to be salable over "cow town"-Billings-but hurried back in order that
the butchers block. That fall they were picked up in the we might load another herd before equinoctial. But, Doc,
roundup in the breaks of the Missouri, fifty miles or you may believe it or not, they turned Rock and Rye over
more from the place of release. They were ranging and[...]contented in each other's com- near the Missouri-but we lost them again in much the
pany, and absolutely disregarding all the rest of cow[...]earlier in the night during the.watch of Bob [,evens, now
The beef herd that fall, as usual, was in charge of the
mayor of Billings. And so it happened for several years
best and moet careful cowboys in the outfit, whose sole[...]pts were made to bring those
duty was to see that the herd did not lose any of its partners of the range to their doom. But years dimmed
weight and quality by its journey over the range to Bil-
their sight and slowed their pace, and finally Rappel
lings, the shipping point; and it was then that these brothers earned a commission for selling them to Swift
companions of the range, in showing such marked & Company.
friendship and brotherly love for each other, became a[...]from calfhood to maturity,
etudy for every man in the outfit-except the cook, who
and in the summer must have had a good time, for they
never[...]anything. picked range where the grass was plenty and the water
A Remarkable Pair[...]w then? You know, Doc,
Sometimes while watering the berd, Rock would lose cattle of their clsss were nevbr fed, and surely those two,
sight of Rye, and then the big steer would suddenly like ma[...]ld do credit Often at night, under the shelt€r of a friendly cutbank,
to the beet "rustler" Montana ever knew. He would rush they heard the howl of the blizzard singing a song of
through the herd, pushing other steers aeide, and call starvation, And how often they must have eeen each
and bellow until a responge from Rye united them once other get thinner while eating sagebrush and willows
more. When they had eaten buffalo grass to their hearts and snow when the grass wae all covered and the water
content, a glance or low moo from one to the other would holea frozen? And how thankful they must have been
indicate that it[...]when friendly chinook solved for them, and in their
spot, iie down together and quietly chew their cuds. favor, the problems of life and death.
Homestead Shacks over Buffalo Tracks: History of Northeastern Fergus County [Montana] (46)[...]stsRN FnRcus CouNrv

A Few of the Old Guard have the reign of the piow horse and the school ma'am.
Rock and Rye are probably forgotten by most ofthoee[...]en a You haue swiftly yiel.ded to the biner's roar,
study-or probabiy I ehould say[...]of them, becauge now it occune to me that many of the Are fields of groin by the farmers plonted;
boys have crogsed the Great Divide. Many of them had 'llhere the Ind.ion ond the buffola used to roam
then grown old in the eaddle-I was the "kid" of the We find some dryJand farmer's hnme[...]ir boots on, others made their Vy'here the sun-tanned puncher with his brand.
exit in the uaual quiet manner. However, there are few of[...]s to inteose his band,
us left-uone ia jail, and none are in the eaddle. Some Vlhere the old, freighter, in his rough way,
are trying[...]ty miles o doy,
clinexng to their old fiend, the horse, by running livery Vlhere potches of sogebrush couered the ground.,
barns; others have been, and etill are, in the eheriffg Nou we find, a dry-land farm[...]ffice, an honor to which all cow-punchers aepire, and Al even though these changes in vocation and indus-
from which clase the beet eheriffe are made. The place try have come to pass, and the man in his arrogance
where Buffalo corral gtood ie now a thriving community still sleims the Spirit Land only for himseU, yet who can
under the Winnett i:rigation project, and the rest of the say that there may not be found at this mom[...]ing side by side, an eternal continuation of the fiend-
iaolat€d cow elmps, ie now a great eettled comunity of ship of Rock and Rye!"
proeperous and ihriving dry-land farmers; and in that by Roy E. Ayers
land once ruled by the bronco and the cowboy, now we[...]by Worren Willrnore

The government land opened for homesteading,[...]d east to
called public domain, was all a part of the Louisiana the county line, aloug the south side of the Missouri
Purchase. After the surveying, certain sections in each River and south for about 12 miles. At a meeting held in
township were reserved for the support of the public November, the decision was made to split the Fergus
school system. These sections, and county lands No. 1 as it was too big and the Indian Butte District
acquired by tax foreclosure[...]was incorporated. Armells Creek was the western line.
the homesteaders, were used as free range until 1934[...]tte was approved as a grazing district coop-
when the Taylor Grazing Act closed all federal lands to eration in January of 1935. It was the fi.rst such district
free grazing.[...]organized under Montana Laws with the approval of
In 1929 the pioneering venture of the people of the the MontanaGrazing Commission. These districts had
Me[...]t 200,000 acres of open range land. They were
had the idea of cooperative grazing districts. Two co- incorporated so the members could control the range
ops were started, which resulted in the State Grazing from over grazing and develop livestock water.
Act passed in 1933 by the legislature. In 1935, with 30 more districts in the planning, the
The first two grazing cooperations had very little fedr state created and organized the Montana Grazing
eral government land, but a lot of county and state Commiseion, by an act of the 24th legislative asBembly,
school lands. They had blocks of school lands, a result to admininster the Taylor Grazing Act in Montana and
of a trade of timber lands of western Montana for grass to supervise the work and promulgate the rules and
land in the eastern section. There are no such blocks of regulations. Senator L.M.A. Wass, of Roy, was the first
school lands in our area, just sections 16 and 36 in each chairman. This group was called the Grass Commis-
township.[...]sion until it was abolished when the Department of
In 1934, Mike Hickey[...]Resources took over in 1976. Montana is the only state
and other ranchers in western states began to work fo[...]perative grazing districts.
control ofthe ranges, the result being the Taylor Graz- The first grase survey, the result of the 1933 State
ing Act passed in Congress which closed all federal Grazing Act, to figure the carrying capacity of a range
land to free grazing[...]was done bv Bill Johnson of Roy. The suney, done at
In August of 1934 stockmen in the Crooked Creek that time, corDpares with later work. It takee 40 acres to
area met at the Rossiter School house and in October of gummer a co'i/ and calf, on the average; less near the
that year stockmen in the Indian Butte area met at the mountaine and up to a hundred in the breaks. There is
Willmore ranch, to formulate plans to create gtazing one school section on the north side of the river that
districts. At the meeting, at Willmores, Fergus No. 1 will summer one cow and a calf.

Homestead Shacks over Buffalo Tracks: History of Northeastern Fergus County [Montana] (47)[...]4L

Under the Iaws of the Montana Grass Conservation Jones; directors, John Beck, Herb Beck and Ralph
Act, anyone who ran livestock from 1929 to[...]nt.
prioriiy years, could apply for membership in the dis- Over the course of the years many others have taken
tricts. This qualified them for a permit on federal lands. over and served on the board ofdirectors. Some ofthose
In 1935 the War Department bought the river ranches who served on the board were: Swend Holland, Larry
from Fort Peck to Cow Island with the ranches on the Jordan, Ray McNulty and Joe Mauland. Vernon
upper end receiving a life time lease. Several were Puckett held the job of secretary for over 40 years. The
members of the Indian Butte District. pr[...]ectors are: Charles Petranek, chairman;
In 1936 the g:azing districts paid the first fees to the Wilbert "Hap" Zahn, Dan Cimrhakl, Joe "Speed"
Secretary of Interior. When the fee system was set up Komarek and Perry Kalal. Helen Umstead is hired as
under the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), one secretary.
fourth of those fees came back to the county in lieu of The rules, laws and regulations governing the dis-
taxes. trict have changed many times over the years; many of
In 1936, a very dry year, the grazing districts were therchanges having to do with its relationshp to the
recipients of a program to build several stockwater CMR game range. The game range was managed by
dams, under WPA. The districts were set up to improve the BLM and Fish and Wildlife until 1976 when the
the range and there was a provision in the law that Fish and Wildlife took over.
there had to be a dam built so that no cow had to walk The Willmore Ranch is the only one of the original
more than a mile for water. It was at this time that ranches involved in the formation of the grazing dis-
many of the dams were built, among them the huge trict, still in operation by the same family.
Valentine reservoir. There were also[...]rnn Cnner Cooptrurrtvr GnazrNc Assocnttow
side of the river, was set aside by executive order to[...]by Carol Sluggett
create the Ft. Peck game range, to be managed for the
small game of eastern Montana. This area is now On August 22, 1934 the stockmen interested in the
known as the Charles M. Russell Game Refuge. formation of a grazing district on Antelope and Crooked
In 1938 several ranches that were memb[...]Creek held a meeting at Rossiters School House. The
grazing districts sold their places to the government meeting was called to order and Vernon Puckett was
under the Bankhead and Jones Act. The drouth of the elected chairperson. Temporary officers[...]e Peoples, vice president;
for about $3 per acre. The grazing districts were re' Vernon Puckett, Secretary-treasurer, and executive
quired to lease these lands for grazing[...]board members Charles Southworth, Carl Gautier and
The Soil Conservation Service administered these[...]way. Those present were: W.C. Galloway, Joe
lands and transferred the g:azing rights from the pur- Peoples, Frank Southworth, Laurence Kauth, Charles
chased lands and increased them, on the remaining Southworth, Swan Johnson, Rolly Rossiter, Gib
ranches. In the beginning cattle could run on the range Distad, Joe Kosir, Nick Spiroff, Carl Gautier and
for 10 months out of the year, now they are run for 7 Vernon Puckett.
months on summer range and wintered the other 5 The second meeting was held on Sept. 17,1934. Those
,months within the boundaries of the ranches. present in addition to the above were: Andrew Murphy,
In 1940 the grazing districts re-incorporated as State H.[...]y, Frank Messinger,
Cooperative Districts to get the state lands under lease. Frank Perry, A.J. Hughes and Mike Myers. )
From 1944-1946 the two districts bought about 45,000 Perm[...]unty Peoples, Carl Gautier, W.C. Galloway and Nick Spiroff.
land. At the November 14, 1934 meeting it was decided[...]to call the district Crooked Creek Cooperative Associa'[...]Butrn Gnezrwc DtsrRtct tion and that the meeting place would be Rossiter
After the first planning meeting in October of igga School house in Fergus Co. and the post office to be
the decision was made that the Fergus No. 1 area was Roy, Montana.
too[...]meeting in November of that year inter- In the fall of 1949 it was decided to contact Indian
ested parties again met at the Willmore Ranch and the Butte about building a fence between Crooked Creek
Fergus No. I was split and the Indian Butte Grazing and Indian Butte districts. (Up to that time cattle
D[...]ported in 1935: roamed freely and ranchers in either district would
The first officers of the Indian Butte Grazing spend many days and travel many miles to round up
District were: P[...]lmore; Sec.-Treasurer, Mrs. Josie H. In the fall of 1964 and 1965 most of the allotments

Homestead Shacks over Buffalo Tracks: History of Northeastern Fergus County [Montana] (48)[...]. Styer, Sluggett; vice president, Bob Fink; and Carol Sluggett,
Spiroff - E. Styer and Sluggett-Pitman and E. Styer and secretary-treasurer. Other members of the board are Ed
Spiroff were individualized in 1980. Styer, Lee Iverson and John Gilpatrick.
Vernon Puckett was secretary for 45 years, retiring in The Crooked Creek District is joined on the east by
December of 1979. Ed Styer has served the longest time the Chain Butte District. Sections of the Grass Range
on the board, since 1950, making it 38 years. Grazing District lay within the boundaries of this his-
Present board membe[...]by Frank Cirnrhakl and John Sirohy

During the years of drouth and low farm prices the All dams, when completed, were riprappe[...]Administration started a project in on the water side. I (Frank C.) was with a crew that
193[...]This project was to build stockwater truck and with Laurence Christensen helping, picked
dams in the area; starting 20 miles northeast of Roy up rock on the range near the dam site. We hauled 8
and extending 20 miles east. The dams were to be built loads each day. Vaughn Tindall, with a stone boat and
about 3 miles apart. two horses, hauled the rocks to where three men were
All work was done with horses. Each dam site had up doing the riprapping. Charles Yusta was the foreman.
to 12 four-horse teams. Each team pulled a 5-foot My brother-in-law, Frank Stepan and I, lived in a
fresno, one behind the other. Everyone moved very fast. tent on the site, slept on a mattress on the ground and
A helper would load the fiesno, holding onto a Johnson cooked with a small campstove for the 10 days each
bar to steady; then the driver had to hold the lever so as month. On our last shift, in October, we had 3" of snow.
not to lose the dirt before he got to where it was to be Albe[...]ed nearby, so we moved into their house
dumped on the fill. Two other operators did all the to fi.nish the shift. Today, people on the job would be
plowing, each using a one-bottom, su[...]h living in campers. Flunky Scanlon had the best living,
plow was pulled by four horses. All[...]fresno's only picked up loose dirt. and the best comfort on the job. Some called it the
There were several dams built at one time. Earl[...]ins on another. Frank Stepan was on the riprap crew and got $4 per
The dams were numbered as built, from 1 to 13. There day. I received $4.50 for the use of my truck and for
were other dams, in other areas, being built at the same myself $4, for a total of $85 for a 10 day shift.
time. Some of the men working on our crew were: Dam No. t had the only cement spillway. I hauled
William Kudzia, Gus Souchek, Claude Satterfield, Bill sand from the Turner bottom on the Missouri River.
Larson, Con Anderson, John Siroky, Joe Siroky, Frank Wilder still had a post offrce and store where we would
Cimrhakl, John Umstead, Roy Umstead, Murray buy gas and supplies.
Cottrell, Ernie Peters, Flunky Scanlon, Stibal, Joe Everyone appreciated the chance to earn $40 a month,
Kasala and Guy Townsend, the time keeper. He rode close to home. This was one good project the govern-
out everyday and kept check on everyone. ment did for this area as all the dams have good stock-
Walt Braiser, from the Montana Elevator at Roy, water in them to this day.
delivered hay to each site at $40 a ton and oats at $4 a Another WPA project was mattress making. Roy
hundred. Everyone paid for the feed for their horses. Umstead was the foreman on this job. Materials, sheet-
Jess Woodcock, with a 1936 Ford truck and a 1000 gal- ing and cotton batting, were shipped in and the mat-
lon tank, delivered water from the Roy railroad well to tresses were made in the dance hall at Roy. There were
stockwater tanks for the horses at each site at no cost to 30 or more in[...]e
Some had tents to live in; others slept under the "just like boughten ones". "We (John Siroky) used ours
wagons where the horses were tied and fed. The men for many years".
worked in ten day[...]in a These mattresses were to replace the straw ticks most
month. There would be another cr[...]o
another ten day shift. Over 85 people worked in the two $/ages, but each received a mattress. No[...]were ever sold, all were for those who worked on the[...]

Homestead Shacks over Buffalo Tracks: History of Northeastern Fergus County [Montana] (49)[...]Her cheeks a-bl.oorn, her ntanner grand-
Or dirty sneakers on her feet.[...]She is sometimes good, sometimes bad-
Nails and string in bulging pochet.[...]waye had a "flair" for writing.
To clirnb a tree (and neuer fall).
Esther ie the daughter of Dee and I*na Potterf, early day bueineee
To dig for uorms and then to fish, people of Roy.
And opple pie's her fouorite dish. Mrs. Hill was, for a time, editor of the Lewistown News Argus; a[...]by Donna Lund
The history of a country school is hard to trace as[...]amp or
schools were often moved around. Sometimes the build- lantern inside an apple crate and set the child on the
ings were moved, sometimes school was held in a dif- top of the crate to warm her up.
ferent building. When the school sat by Smiths, it was Country sc[...]as there was a
called Smith's school even though the name in the variety of ages and children learned to get along with
Superintendent's office might be Paradise. Then the them all.
Paradise school might be moved nearer to Jones, and The teachers were sometimes ladies from the neigh-
the neighborhood then called it Jones School. borhood. In some areas it was preferred that the teacher
In the early days, school was sometimes only held for[...]a time. Then school might start teachers. the married ones were hired. Teachers often
again in[...]still in
Sometimes the children would be 15 or 16 and The following article by Margaret Hedman tells about
the sixth g:ade. Weather could prevent the children a year in Little Crooked school. It could have been any
from coming all the time, especially if they lived a ways country school, as the narrative is typical of most coun-
from the school. The boys sometimes had to go to work try schools.
and came to school when they had time. Individual schools are listed in the communities
Winnie Rife recalls a time when a child in the neigh- where they were located.
borhood came to school and was very cold. The teacher[...]by Margaret Hedman
The hot, dry, breathless summer of 1930 had a same[...]d school instead of
ness like any summer. Charles and I had our everyday Roy.
chores tending the turkeys and chickens, running They explained how and why it was necessary for an
-
errands to and from the garden, watching and listening attendance of five pupils which were Marie Webb Zahn,
for the milk cows, - however, we had noticed an[...]rd with Mrs. Jensen,
unusual amount of whispering and spelling between the teacher. My mother planned to move into a one
our[...]days-keep room 15 x 20 feet shack for the school year. She would
kids uninformed. We had fr[...]board two of our neighbor kids, Warren and Bob
neighbors, Willmores and Jensens. The same hush- Willmore, Charles and I made the necessary five. "But
hush chatter continued, nonetheless the mystery solved where is Little Croo[...]
Homestead Shacks over Buffalo Tracks: History of Northeastern Fergus County [Montana] (50)[...]usical instrumentin accompan-
Model T. to jiggle and bounce the 22 miles across hills iment to her favorite instrumental side. You never
and a rough road to Wilder Trail. Having crossed it w[...]uch as she
could plainly see a huge log building, the Little Crooked might say, "Today you play the flute, Margaret".
Community Hall which would be o[...]Our play time or free time was seasonal. The fall days
Enroute we had picked up Mrs. Jensen, now our were spent roaming over the near by hills and down to
inspection tour group was complete. Immediately when the Creek where we picked out sticks and willows that
viewing the long interior of the hall, it was decided to would make suitable stick horses.
partition the stage end of the building for a teacherage. This doesn't sound like much today; but to us in the
The building we were to live in had to be skidded int[...]king out a good stick horse became quite an
place between a reservoir and the school house. At one art. First you had[...]emember, we were amazed with scraped the very top of the bark off; and if you needed a
the different atmosphere. The huge room had a bare lpalomino to p[...]our bunch of horses, you
wood floor, high ceiling and ample windows on the side scraped deeper taking all the bark off leaving a pretty
walls.[...]Marie always had the stick horse that bucked the
The school desks were double wide booth like struc-[...]hardest, forever throwing her to the ground. My brother,
tures which made it convenient for the teacher to sit[...]always had a big old clumsy stick just right
with the pupil for class. The teachers desk had a very for a sheephe[...]and range war. Bob and I strung along with the more
The building was heated by a wood burning heater in gentle type.
the middle of the room. Our lights were either a kero- While Warren's semi-wild string always had the best
sene lamp or a gas lantern run by hi-test gas and man- one wire cut or one of Marie's studs had torn his favor-
tles. "Heaven help the kid that broke the last mantle". ite. Our imagination ran w[...]r Winter. In winter we builtsnowmen and slid down
for lunch. Our subjects met the requirements plus music hills in our homemade sleds. Did some skating if the ice
and art education. For music, Mrs. Jensen had a wind-[...]ember only about
type phonograph. When she played the instrumental two of us had skates.[...]rd to seeing W.E.
sides, we were to gless or know the type of instrument Jones, the mailman, for the Wilder Route.
by imitating playing the correct instrument . such as Spring[...]long winter, spring was rvel-
violin, flute, horn and piano. We also learned the basics come. Away we ran again over the hills, watching the
in note reading from a scale that remained on the last bit of snow melt and run down the coulee, looking
blackboard continuously. for flowers and small animals. As I have mentioned
For art work, we decorated the windows with sea- before, we lived near a reservoir. Near the water was a
sonal objects made from heavy construction paper. circle of stones and an old tin frying pan someone had
We had a 15[...]et up to make a meal.
waving a hand brass bell in the doorway meant times I can remember us planning to build a fire in the
up. If we had wandered too far out of hearing, we had to circle of stones. As the shack we lived in was out of
make up the time; very annoying. sight and the school house was quite a distance, we felt
Mrs.[...]ching a lizzard being boiled
She had a chauffeur, and they came in a Model A alive, my mother came over the dam banking and need-
coach. She would make a visit in the fall and another less to say we all got a licking, a scolding and lessons
toward spring - then we had to show off w[...]remember it, was standing up imitating the two years at Little Crooked did us no harm.[...]wn. There were three
A half century has come and gone, but Mre. Duffy of schools in the district, the Fort Maginnis, the Alpine and
Fort Maginnis still remembers the days when she was a the Dengel School. The young school ma'am caught the
pioneer school teacher in the Central Montana com. Great Northern train in Great Falls. While waiting in the
munities.[...]rts, had completed normal a Miss Hanson, and learned that she aleo wae going to
school at Diilon and taught one year in Cascade County Lewistown to accept a school. They changed to the Mil-
when ehe decided to accept a position in School Dietrict waukee in Lewistown for the ride to Grase Range.
Homestead Shacks over Buffalo Tracks: History of Northeastern Fergus County [Montana] (51)[...]45

Aboard the train they made the acquaintance of a The Duffys had a total of seven children. In addition to
young man, Jerry Joslyn, and learned he was also to Tom th[...]tty Ann Harris of Fairfield; Dave of
teach in the area. It ended up that Joslyn got the Dengel l,ewistown; Chet, Dillon; Murray, Bozeman; Mrs. Dorothy
school, Miss Hanson the Fort Maginnis and Anna the Mays, in California; and Mrs. Ruth Burnett, Fairbanks,
A)pine.[...]During that term of school, Anna lived with the Taylor Anna was originally from England. She came to this
famiiy. She drove a team and buggy to school each day, country with her mother and little sister in 1898, when
picking up children along the route. There were 13 she was[...]d. An uncle, who lived near Great
students in the school that year. Falls, had lost his wife and written asking Anna's mother
In those days the school term was short, starting soon to come and keep house for him.
after the school election in the spring and continuing Whether as a stude[...]r in
until winter weather forced it to close. The school was Cental Montana, school[...]in
always out before Christmas; so instead of the traditionai Anna's life.
Christmas program the students usually presented a pro-[...]gram for their parents at Thanksgiving time - if the
school was still in session then.
After teaching at the Alpine school, Maiden and New
Year, Anna accepted the ?9 school in the river breaks
beyond Dovetail in what was then the norihern edge of
Fergus County.
Reaching the school was a major problem. The railroad
only ran as far as Roy, and the school was some distance
beyond that. But with typical pioneer spirit, young Miss
Roberts boarded the train and went as far as she could.
Getting off the train in Roy, she asked a man how she
could get to the 79. Pointing to a tall, lanky homesteader
sta[...]he was Gene Covert
who iived near Valentine; and she might be able to catch
a ride with him as[...]heading out with supplies.
She rode to the Covert ranch, where she stayed over-
night, and the next day Gene Covert's son, Bob, hitched
up the team and buggy and drove her to her school in the
breaks country.
Anna gave up her teachi[...]llo Neuijel, Wasta Stibal, Joe "Speed"
ranch, and she has lived in that area ever since. Her hus- Komarek, in the back row. Front row: Lada Stibal,
band died in 1944, and she lived with her son, Tom. Helen Mouc[...]by Marie Zahn
AraNpa O. Swrn'r AND InursE HART 1873 in Maine, the daughter of Augustus and Abbie
Amanda O. Swift was Fergus County superin[...]Louise Swift was married to Elmer Hart of
in 1912 and homesteading. Miss Swift was born in[...]Mrs. Hart was a graduate of an eastern college and
Montana rural areas for many years and also was Pet- did practice teaching i[...]rintendent from 1925 to 7927. in the suburbs of Boston and in Randolph State
Much credit for the early success of country schools Normal School, Vermont, before her marriage.
here, goes to the indomitable will and unfailing energy After her husband's death in 1923, Mrs. Hart came to
of Amanda Swift. The good of the children in this early Montana as deputy to the county superintendent of
era was her untiring purpose. Many a child in Fergus schools, and was later elected to this office. She also
County received clothing and sometimes even money taught two ye[...]ty
from her or from her appeal to others, so that the child Superintendent, she visited all the county schools, first
might be able to continue school. with horses and then by car, with her chauffeur at the
Her sister, Alma Louise Hart, came to live with her in wheel. Her last term ended the fall of 1932, when
1926 and they made their home together until Mrs.[...]

Homestead Shacks over Buffalo Tracks: History of Northeastern Fergus County [Montana] (52)[...]She married Floyd Green of Lewistown in 1953 and
Springs. The White Funeral Home was in charge.[...]Barsness Green was born in May
LawnrNcr Bersupss AND EuzABETH BARSNESS GnsEN[...]College and received her B.A. degee at Colorado State
Miss Elizabeth Francis and Lawrence Barsness came[...]t Greeley. She was a member of
to Montana in 1914 and homesteaded adjoining claims Delta Kappa Gamma, business women's sorority and
southeast of Roy. She taught schools in the community DAR, the Lewistown Women's Club. She was an active
and in 1917 they married and moved to Lewistown to member of the First Methodist Church of Lewistown.
make their h[...]d, 8 March 1958 at St. Joseph's Hospital, l,ewis'
and Mrs. Barsness continued her teaching career. She[...]wo sons: Larry Barsness
taught Gilt Edge, Cheadle and Roy schools and was of Missoula and Jack Barsness of Bozeman, and four
elected Fergus County Superintendent of Scho[...]grandchildren. She had two sisters and four brothers in
1942 and served until her retirement in 1954. She was[...]u, forlorn; With the sun at my boch
Has seen many moons, droughts and storms; I stand[...]To put along with the rest I'ue got-
AII thot is left a[...]days gone by
Homesteaded this land upon the ploin; And things thot might hove been'
As time we[...]I leat,e you nou, old homesteod shoch.
The uealth he hoped for u'as neuer made.[...]-Walter A. Wright
The good old days haue come and gone,
The birds in the nest haue flou'n;
Like all things upon this earth,
It sits lonesome and alone.
Homestead Shacks over Buffalo Tracks: History of Northeastern Fergus County [Montana] (53)[...]-
The Armells community which lies about 25 miles north[...]n Highway 191 is rich in pioneer
history. Many of the ranches in this area were once a part of the Fergus family holdings, which took in land
bordered on the southeast land owned by Johnny Wurtz, the Steve Gilpatrick ranch, part of the Bud Lipke property,
the Max Maberry ranch, Yaeger famiiies, and the famous Horse Ranch. This ranch was the horse range for the
Fergus Ranch, now owned by the Vernon Taylors.

Eighteen miles from Lewistown[...]is tribe had their winter camp at the head of Armells and
the old Townsend ranch which took in the first home- tepee poles were still standing on the bottom land
stead of Shorty Becraft, stage driver and miner. This which is now the Wiedman hay meadows.
ranch was later the home ranch and headquarters for The Wiedman ranch was homesteaded by the g:and-
the George Gilpatrick sheep ranch; who came to this father, Chris Wiedman, in the fall of 1888 and the orig-
area in 1895. inal log cabin 6till stands at the present building site.
The grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. Stephen Gilpatrick, The apple orchard planted then still bears much fruit[...]a pioneers who came to Alder Gulch and one of the oldest trees now bearing is 75 years old.
in Hele[...]When this pioneer couple was in The first school in the area, for which the registration
their eighties, they took up a homestead on which the books are still in the files at the Wiedman Ranch, was
Steve Gilpatricks now live, and the log cabin still held in the log ranch house. A few years later a log
stands. They lived there for several years, happy and school house was built on the banks of Armells Creek, a
contented in their[...]home, making a modest short distance from the house. The two pupils listed on
living, raising a wonderful garden and living until they the school attendance records for the first two months
were 98 years old. were May Biggerstaff and Alan Wiedman. Later many
Other pioneer families who lived in the valley near more pupils came and a larger school was built nearby.
the Judith Mountains were the Emory Stowell's, the J. During the next few years the Junction School,
Kelly's, the Goods, the Chandlers, the Hiatts and the Romunstad, Knob Hill, Fergus and Horse Ranch
Hosiers, whose land is now part of the Wiedman and schools were opened and all were well attended.
Gilpatrick ranches. In the spring the old-fashioned Iris Winding its way through numerous ranches in the
which still blooms in the tall grass and the rhubarb, year 1874 was the Old Carroll Trail, main stage road
which planted[...]from Helena to Fort Carroll near Rocky Point on the
nostalgia of the hopes and dreams of these early rugged Missouri[...]and one-half days; freight fifteen days, and freight
Among the early pioneers was one Tim Carey, a[...]se
dashing young Irish bachelor, who homesteaded, and for a few years, due to Indian attacks. The trail can still
then was on his way to other surroundings. be seen through the Lipke, Gilpatrick, Maberry, Wied-
This area, too, had its good and bad sides, as does our man ranches, and down through the Yaegers property.
modern world. During prohibition days, several flour- One of the oldest pioneer ranches was the James
ishing bootleggers turned out some of the best and Fergus holdings. This ranch was a[...]for many homesteaders. Mail was handled hbre in the
Notorious characters, too, lived in the area, including early days and a commissary was run at the ranch.
one Jack Maher, who was driven out of Cripple Creek, After the hard winter of 1886-1887, many pioneers who
for murder. A sheep-herder for the Fergus Ranch, went suffered severe[...]James Fergus.
on a wild shooting spree one night and killed Jack Bar- They paid back their loans with butter, eggs, oats, etc.
clay and others in the old bunk house which still stands During the depression of the 1930's part of this ranch
on the ranch owned now by the Yaeger families. was sold to the Yaeger family.
The Rev. George Edwards was the early Presbyterian Telephone serv[...]tained by a group of
missionary minister who held the first church services ranchers who built their own line into Lewistown in
in the home of James Fergus and the Chris Wiedmans, 1900-Wm. Fergus, Fergus Land and Livestock, HiIl
with many pioneer families attending. Ranch, Fergus Bros., and the Geo. Gilpatricks. Later
Mining, too, had its da[...]is side of they sold their franchise to the Bell Telephone Co.
the Judith Mountains. From the copper mine of Golden Later the rural line for Armells, with the switchboard
Jack Lee and the lead mine of Vince Geis. ore was in the Wiedman kitchen, served the area until about
freighted to the mill in Helena. Several placer miners 1958. (In 1968 the old ringer-type antique phones were
rvorked the area. A crew of ten men dug water ditches still in use serving the Wiedman, John Gilpatrick, Fred,
by hand and spent the winter taking out a fair amount Charles and Larry Yaeger ranches and the Tom Byrnes
of gold on Armells Creek on the Wiedman Ranch. on the Box Elder. During many winter storms, when
This area is also rich in Indian lore. The Blackfoot the new modern phones were often out of order, the

Homestead Shacks over Buffalo Tracks: History of Northeastern Fergus County [Montana] (54)[...]NonrHrasrtnN FeRcus CouNrv

antiques still worked and were a comfort when help or abundance in the area until 1930's when most of the
visiting was needed. The line was kept up by willing ranchers became convinced the area was really adapted
ranchers who all did their share in a good, old- to the raising of cattle. Due to the amount of rainfall
fashioned way.) received, many of the acreages have been re-seeded to
Postal service was furnished by the Armells Trans- pasture grass, and once again the sheep and cattle eat
portation Co., with George A. Gilpatrick as proprietor and grow fat as they graze in this paradise.
and H.C. Brown as agent. The stage left Lewistown Another pioneer ranch in the area is the Will Landru
Wednesdays and Saturdays at 8:30 a'm. Fare to Deer property. The Landrus took up homesteads in 1910, and
Creek was $1.50 and to Armells $2. the property is still occupied by the second generation.
The postmaster at Box Elder was Mrs. Odin Romun-[...]s were Gladys Hunnewell Hall, now Mrs.
stad, with the home serving as her office. Later the post Lutz; the Stephens family; Lokavitch; Jack Badger; the
office was moved to Armeils and located on the prop- Walter Pecks; Greens and many, many others.
erty now owned by ihe Yaeger families. The postmaster In this area, too, was the huge sheep shearing plant
there was Mathews, Dick and MonaJhomas, and later which was owned first by Jim Wilson where ranchers
Hazel Fergus. During the time Hazel Fergus was in brought their sheep many miles in June and July to
charge, the building burned to the ground. All patrons have them sheared. As[...]r from 150 to 300 sheep per day each, these
In the years 1912 to 1916 during the gradual closing being a small Rambouillet, Merino breed. The shearing
of the Kendall mines, many of the hard rock miners plant was run by a one-cylinder engine and part of the
came into the area to take up homesteads' Some of old shearing machinery is still stored on the Wiedman
these were the Ed Biggerstaffs, whose ranch is owned and Maberry ranches.
by Charles Hala; Reid Biggerstaff, whose ranch is now We of the pioneer famiiies are happy and proud to
owned by John Gilpatrick and familv; the William carry on the work started by our ancestors, and truly
McBurneys; Busseys; John Bleckel; Williard[...]enjoy living in a wonderful community with fresh
and Jack Huber. Many of these homesteads are now[...]orating air to breathe, blue skies, lots of space and
part of the larger ranches, and some are still in the neighbors who believe in working together. We truly
famiiy with the second and third generation Iiving on think we are l[...]the Treasure State.
Much land was plowed and grain was raised in[...]

Homestead Shacks over Buffalo Tracks: History of Northeastern Fergus County [Montana] (55)[...]#105 WETDEMAN (Anunu,s) Scsoor,

The Weideman district was created in 1913. The trustees were A. C. Weideman and Edward Dougherty. Other
families in the area were W.W. Lamphier, John Cravens, J.J. Sullivan, Thos. Herbert, Jas. Craig, Reid Biggerstaff.
The first teacher was Marie Singleton. Some of the other teachers were L. Blair, Ivy Davis, Joy Davis, Ida Anderson,
Clara Plath, Alice Hamilton, and Vernadel Green. The last teacher was Grace McClenning Beattie. The last school
term ended November 20, 1936. The district was abandoned in 1942 and attached to #56 Hilger.

Rosn CennarcHaEl, AND Mou,Ir ANpsnsoN

Rose Anderson Carmichael was[...]Cap McCullough's mother. Both Rose and Mollie
Indiana in 1884. She had a homestead in Ka[...]Her daughter, Keoka, was born in them the Horse Ranch when the Evert Harrells were
a hotel in bheyenne, Wyoming,[...]o leasing it; for Joe Marshall on the Sharp Ranch; and
l,ewistown, Montana with her husband and her mother, for Murray Deaton on the Stoddard Ranch. After
Mollie Anderson. leaving the Armells homestead, Rose and her mother
Rose divorced her husband and homesteaded near both worked on[...]h's ranch.
Fort Maginnis. She sold that homestead and next Rose and Keoka left here in a team and wagon and
homesteaded on Armells Creek when Keoka was about[...]iving in Deming, New Mexico. Rose passed
During the school year Keoka stayed in Roy with her away in 1971.
grandmother, who was a nurse and was taking care of[...]Rindal, was known for many years as the Beatty Ranch.
worked in the While Sulphur Springs area for about two An interesting article appeared in the February 6, 1896 issue
years, before becoming ass[...]. Argus following his death. It reads as follows:
the sheep business on Armells Creek. Parrett and "The recent death of Herbert Blanchard reminds us that[...]ss together until 1894 when of the eleven white men who have died in the settlement
Parrett moved north of the Missouri river. north of the Judith mountains since what is now Fergus[...]county was first settied, his is the frrst from a natural
Bianchard, a bachelor, died in January of 1896 at the[...]ng
age of 38. His death wa caused by an abcess on the[...]or horse stealing; one was drowned while crossing the
brain which was undoubtedly the result of an accident[...]river, Doyle killed Howard at the Howard ranch near Box
that had occurred eight yea[...]. Herbert Atkinson killed Pool in self-defense on the
run over by a wagon and had received considerable divide coming from Maginnis, a sheepherder was
head injuries and never fully recovered, suffering from pounded and clubbed to death by two rowdies at John
headaches, melancholia and a change in disposition. Butter[...]er at
in 1881 a brother of his came to Montana and bought Oscar Stephens'ranch, a young man left Armell creek on
a team, wagon and harness and headed for the Springs. foot for the Norih Moccasin some four winters ago and
The first night out on the road, while leading the horses his body was found next spring on Deer Creek, about the
from water, he became entangled in the rope and was same time a maruleft lower Dog Creek for the Bear Paw's
dragged to death. and was seen by a sheepherder offthe road going in the
wrong direction and has not been seen since, a sheep-
Herbert was the last survivor of four children. His[...]herder in the employ of Brooks Bros. was frozen to death
father[...]near Salt Creek and a young man from the "east," far
"wealthy woman of Boston".[...]ed at N.T. Smith's. This list
He was well known and universally admired in shows that the blizzard has cost us four times as many
Fergus county and was one of this areas most lives and the gun and club three times as many as natural
prominent woo[...]"

Eownno AND LouISB CHaNolPn
Edward P. Chandler and his cousin, Will, came to the Will did not stay long; this country was "too tough''
area in 1882. They were engaged in the sheep business for him and he returned to Virginia.
in the Deer Creek area. Edward came from Concord,[...]ing school at Fergus when they met.
tural Coliege and farmed and taught in Kansas before Louise cam[...]train which was accompanied by the Military through

Homestead Shacks over Buffalo Tracks: History of Northeastern Fergus County [Montana] (56)[...]nths.
they were approached by Indians who were on the war The Chandlers left the Deer Creek Ranch in 1899 and
path. The army's band began to play and the Indians moved to Lewistown. He was a county commissioner,
were so astounded by the music that when all was said county treasurer and also a state senator.
and done, instead of fighting, they all smoked the peace They had three children: Helen, George and Alice.
pipe! The trip from Minnesota to their destination in[...]pril 11, 1918 and one on an invention to furnish light for an autom[...]able articles this winter, one an eight-ton the motor and may be used all around the car.
rotary plow for which he has just recei[...]xon has applied for a copyright on a song that he and
from the U.S. Patent office. A patent has been allowed on[...]R.H. Donevan, who sold his ranch located near the Maury citizen and we are eager to extend the right hand of
Bros. Horse Ranch last fall to Obee Bros. and went to fellowship.
Agra, Kansas, has come back to Montana and will buy (Though there ore 4 different spellings we belieue all to
another ranch and camp here. Mr. Donevan came from be the same person.)
Kansas orig"inally several years ago and done well here, A Mrs. Russell Donouan taught the Adams school. A
but like many others, got homesick, sold out and returned Frances Donouan attended the school.[...]AN VntnnaN

Charles Grant Edwards, son of David and Ohio Charles Grant Edwards di[...]ery. Survived by his
was schooled in South Dakota and came to Montana widow, one adopte[...]f Lewistown; his adopted son, Henry G. Edwards of
the Gilt Edge area for several years. Belgrade and eight grandchildren and six great-g:eat
His death almost closes those p[...]in grandchildren. Edwards was a menber of the United
the Treasure State's history concerning Company I of Spanish War Veterans, Veterans of Foreign Wars and
the First Montana Volunteers who served their nation St. Leo's Parish. Military honors bestowed at the
in the Spanish American conflict and the Phillippine graveside.
Insurrection just before the turn of the century. Matilda P. O'Brien Edwa[...]1868in Queens County, New Brunswick, Canada, the
Charley" and was classffied as one of the most depend- daughter of Mr. and Mrs. John O'Brien.
able soldiers in his outfrt. W[...]100 Mrs. Edwards came to Montana in the late 1880s and
strong-they marched out of Lewistown in 1898 on the was a member of the first graduating class of the
125 mile hike to the nearest railroad, and then to the Columbus School of Nursing at Great Falls in 1890. She
wars in which the Montana Regiment won an enviable spent most of her lifetime in the nursing profession in
collection of citations, medals and everlasting honor. Helena and Bozeman. She managed the Miners Union
In addition to his military service, Edwards was a Hospital during the period when Gilt Edge, Maiden and
miner and rancher in Montana's early days, and he Kendall were active mining towns. Mrs. Edwards was a
contributed to the development of the state. On 12 May member of the Spanish American Woman's Auxiliary.
1913, Edwards and Maiilda P. O'Brien were married in Sh[...]Helena. They settled on a stock ranch at Armells and her son Henry G. resided and spent her last days in a
remained as ranchers unt[...]convalescent home there. She died 31 January 1964 and
and moved to Lewistown to make their home at 330 her remains were interred at the Lewistown City
Second Avenue South.[...]

Homestead Shacks over Buffalo Tracks: History of Northeastern Fergus County [Montana] (57)[...]Tns Fpncus BRoTHERS
James and Wiiliam Fergus were both born on a farm in Shawto[...]hire, Scotland. James
was born on October 8, 1813 and William on April 19, 1833. They were half brothers, the sons of Andrew Fergus.[...]n his extensive livestock operation. the death of his wife, his son, Andrew, was given the
In 1885 he was a member of the state senate for home ranch (now Yaegers); Luella (Mrs. S.C. Gilpatrick)
Meagher county when the county was split and Fergus the Townsend Ranch (now Maberrys);Mary (Mrs. R.S.
county was formed and named in his honor. James Hamilton) the ranch on upper Deer Creek (Lipke) and
Fergus gave powerfui leadership in the formation of the Lily (Mrs. Frank Maury) the Horse Ranch.
Montana Stockgrowers. A close frien$ of Granville
Stuart, the two were advocates of the vigilante move- ANonnw (sonof James) Fnncus
ment to rid the range of rustlers. Fergus was not a Andrew, son of James, married Hazel Akeley. They
member of the Vigilantes but he did applaud what they[...]Andrew along with his father and a hired man, came
Fergus was a great reader and a free thinker. He did by wagon in 1880 to locate and establish the ranch
not use alcohol or tobacco and had only contempt for headquarters on the north side of the Judith Moun'
those who used vulgar and profane language. He was tains. James and his hired man returned home and left
raised with a Presbyterian backg:round and was a Andrew who spent most of that[...]lican. James Fergus died June 25, L902 the livestock; battling the bitter cold winter, wolves and
at the age of 92 and was buried in Helena beside his renegad[...]Butte.
Stephen F. Gilpatrick (a great grandson) and his son, Andrew died about 1928. Hazel is living in Alaska"
John, and John's son Steve, still live on pari of the old[...]lder Ranch, Fergus

William Fergus was a farmer and a Presbyterian acres and was also one of the largest in the country. Mr.
member for all of his life. He remained at home until he Fergus had 20,000 sheep and several hundred horses
was 17, then went to work on a cousins farm, saving his and cattle.
money. With his father's assistance he began farming On February 8, 1966, Con Anderson and his wife
some acres of his own. On June 16, 1862, he was married visited and interviewed Margaret Fergus Rauch, who
to Ellen H[...]. Newton L. Landru), Christine from the interwiew follow.
(Mrs. David Hilger), Willia'", Robert and James (twins),
Mrs. Rauch told the Andersons that the family got on one
Nellie (Mrs. Odin Romunstad), Alex (who died in 1896) of the Missouri River steamboats at Bismarck and came
and Margaret (Mrs. J.B. Rauch). up the river to Fort Claggett, at the mouth of the Judith
On April 1, 1882, upon the invitation of his half- River, "Our uncle James Fergus met us there, driving
brother, James, the eleven Fergus'boarded the Prussia four horses and a covered wagon. He also had some
at Glasgow, Scotland and sailed for America. After a saddle h[...]Massa- ranch on Armells Creek near the Judith Mountains. We
chusetts. They went by rail[...]n located on Box Elder Creek, where our uncle had
and from there by riverboat to Claggett. They went[...]ther's ranch on Armells. James The William Fergus farnily was very religious and was
friendly with other settlers and the Indians who were
Fergus had bought the squatters rights from Nels[...]here. As Mrs. Rauch said, "The Indians were fiendly
Strever for William and shortly after their arrival they[...]with us. Our mother was afraid that the Indians would
moved there, where they started the William Fergus & take one of us cnil[...]en. These
Sons Ranch holdings, which incorporated the five sons. Indians we thought to be of the Cree Tribe. (Though she
The Fergus postoffice was named for Nellie Fergus was not sure.) In the spring the Indians stole some of our
Romunstad, (not William) the first postmaster. horses, about forty head, and took them up to Canada. In
William became one of the largest sheep growers and the fall of that year, Bill Cantrell, known as "Flopping
wool raisers in the county. His ranch, on and around Bill" went to Canada and brought back most of our
Box Elder Creek w[...]

Homestead Shacks over Buffalo Tracks: History of Northeastern Fergus County [Montana] (58)[...]who had settled on Box Elder Creek below where the
came from Fc,rt )laginnis and was distributed frr.rm the William Fergus ranch was located.
fort, by our place, to and fronr Rocky Point on the Mrs. Rauch stated her father had a school house buiit
Missouri River, and \.!as put in pidgeon holes (mail near the Fergus home where school was held, and that
boxes) along this route,"[...]church services were held about once a month. The
Mrs. Rauch q as not sure of the name of the first mail minister was George[...]Central Montana. He also engineered the building of the
Miss Zelincia Sruart (not related to Granville) was the first Presbyterian Church in Lewistown, Montana.
first teacher and school was at the William Fergus ranch. Con as[...]uncouth, ill-dressed and had no education, although he[...]him and that made Oscar antagonistic toward the
Fergus family and then he bought the land owne{ by
Blanchard and Walter Peck. He later bought the iands
of many of the nesters, as they were called, who had[...]Lanarkshire. He never married and made his home on
the James Fergus Ranch from the time he arrived in[...]William, in the sheep business. Andrew was an invalid[...]the age of 76 years. Bob and Will Fergus ranched at[...].

?ltis stone monument was erected by friends and rela-
tiues as a memorial tribute to the Honorable James
Fergus. It stands urhere the old Fergus home was situ-
ated and is onll' a feu feet from where this pioneer
father of Fergus Countl'died. It is on the old Roy road
on the Yaeger Ranch"
The monument is six feet high and made of stones
which tuere beautifuLLy arranged and set in cement by
WiLliam Dunn.
The stones came t'rom different parts of the state as
well as some from the foundation of Andrew Fergus'
homestead and from the fireplace of the cabin YeLIow-
stone KeLly once liued tn.
The bronze plaque giuen b1' Fergus' grattdson, Tom
Ha[...]JAM ES F.'RG L/S
The father of Fergus County
With *ife, Pamelia and son Andreg
Locatt'd this[...]James Fergus, father of Fergus County, and his wife
Capurin Fisk Espedit[...]Pamelia Dillon Fergus. Photo courtesy of the Montana
I S6:[...]Historical Society, Helena and Steue Gilpatrick, Hilger.

Homestead Shacks over Buffalo Tracks: History of Northeastern Fergus County [Montana] (59)[...]The Wittiam Fergus Home. Left to right: Amelio Wied-[...]family after Andrew died in 1928 and the ranch opera-
tions failed during the early thirties, by utilizing her
knowledge of the former large scale ranch holdings, to
lease and then sublease county land adjacent to vacant[...]the drought-ridden state.
She remarried and with her second husband, Austin[...]Negaard, attempted to regain the ranch holdings during
the Roosevelt Administration Mortgage Moratorium.[...]Shortage of capital for stock and slow national eco'[...]nomic recovery thwarted this effort.
The four daughters of William Fergus. From left to
ri[...]. As a single woman in 1935 she acquired the Armells
post office and store. Early in 1937, during a blizzard the
Dauid Hitger), Margaret (Mrs. J. B. Rauch) and IVellie
(Mrs. adin Romunstad). store burned to the ground. She escaped' dressed in[...]night clothes, heavy stockings and a fur coat' She man'
aged to insure that the safe, with postal records, was
Hszer Axei-nv Fencus secured and to push a 1934 International pick-up away
by Andrew J. Fergus from the building. Typical of her nature, in spite of her[...]Andrew Fergus, son of plight, she sat in the pick-up and decided to enjov the
James Fergus in August of 1909. Andrew was 59 years blaze and exploding of canned goods.
old; Hazel had just turned 2i. They had three children: Rescue came when the 11 a'm. stage driver trudged
Agnes Abbie born in 1910; Pamelia June born in 19i4 through the drifts to attempt mail delivery. He aided her
and Andrew James born in 1916. to the stage, which was parked on the plowed, main road
Hazel was probably the first woman to drive a car and took her to Roy. Mrs' Sturdy, who ran a restaurant
regularly in Fergus Countl'. She was active in the Fer- there, took her in, rested and dressed her.
gus Livestock and Land Company as secretary. She was[...]
Homestead Shacks over Buffalo Tracks: History of Northeastern Fergus County [Montana] (60)[...]information by Stephen F. Gilpatrick

The Gilpatrick Ranch lies on the western edge of the first white child born in the Judith Basin. Her father
Armells territory.[...]life on parents were originally from Missouri.
the ranch, just north of the Judith Mountains, on the The couple had four sons: Stephen Fergus, George Jr.,
west fork of Armells Creek. His home is on the original James Andrew and John Collins.
homesite of his grandparents. Their[...]Stephen "Steve" F. was born in 1906 at Lewistown,
the area's history run deep. Montana- He attended school at Hilger grade and Hilger
John and Ann Collins Gilpatrick came to Helena, high school; a business college in Helena and the State
Montana from Galena, Illinois. They were or[...]teamboat pilot who lost his life while serving on the the Snowies, near Ryegate. Her parents were Harold
Mississippi River during the Civil War;George;Henry and Mona Deffrnbaugh. Her brother is Pete Def6n-
who was also a river boat pilot on the Mississippi, and baugh of Lewistown. Steve and Nellie were married in
Stephen.[...]ne in June of 1838. Nellie was baptized by the legendary pioneer preacher,
He came to Montana wi[...]ther Van, a Methodist Circuit rider.
traveling up the Missouri River to Fort Benton; then Steve remembers miners from Kendall and the North
overland to Virginia City where he prospected. After Moccasins sitting on the mountain and looking east
using up all of his funds, he went to work for wages. He over the prairie country and one of them saying, "I
married Louella Fergus, daughter of James Fergus. wouldn't give a domm for the whole country." The rest
Stephen and Louella had four sons: Collins Fergus, agreed. But many of them did homestead and stay
George Andrew, James Henry, and Frank. Collins and grandchildren of these miners: Biggerstaffs,
became a plumber in Seattle; James a.carpenter and McBurneys, Busseys, Beattys and Wunderlins are still
photographer in Sitka, Alask[...]sentative in Seattle. Steve and Nellie raised two children, John and Mona
George Andrew was born in Helena on Octob[...]h raised three children: Stephen G., Lynne and Jana.
interested in his grandfather Fergus'ranch,[...]s while enroute to her job in Lewistown at the postoffrce.
Fergus' cowboys, who was waiting for him with a sad- Monette is buried on the ranch.
dle horse. Steve and Nellie have loved their ranch home and
It was a long ride for the "tenderfoot" and he said he their life here. They love the beauty, the mountains, the
had trouble walking the next day. The saddle was not climate, the clean fresh air and the wild game; deer, elk,
as soft a job as was his bookkeeping one. antelope and birds. They aren't fond of coyotes which
He filed on a homestead claim along the creek below
the Fergus farmstead. On proving up he sold it to his
grandfather. This was a common practice and in this
way the larger ranchers could controi the area within
reach of the water. Control of the water-control of the
range. Fergus paid these homesteaders a reasonable
price for that time; from $20 to $40 per acre.
George and his uncle, Andrew Fergus, would ride
sometimes as far as Big Sandy, the livestock shipping
point, to attend a dance. Once[...]returning
home alone he was caught in a snowstorm and got lost.
Having been told before to let his hors[...]ch a situation he reluctantly did so. He was sure
the horse was going in the wrong direction, but the August 1915. In the back row on the far left is Shorty
animal took him straight home. (Clifford) Becroft. The 2nd from the right, back row, is
On April 20, 1904 George and Bertha Vannest were George Gilpatrick Sr.[...]anding next to him.
married in Helena. Bertha was the daughter of William Front row, L. to R: George Gilpatrich Jr., S.C. Gilpatrick,
and Elizabeth Wiedman Vannest. She is believed to be Gus Kauth, and Stephen F. Gilpatrick.

Homestead Shacks over Buffalo Tracks: History of Northeastern Fergus County [Montana] (61)[...]thering is held. This photo was taken in
front of the Stephen C. Gilpatricks cabin on Armells
Creek. In the back row are: WiIl Landru, ?, ?, Bill Hosher,
Mrs[...]daughter of
granddaughter, LiIy Maury and Claude Maury. Seated[...]played havoc with their herds of sheep throughout the that they lived in for so many years. The scene below is a
years. Their neighbors are the best too, in times of fantastic, panoramic view of their ranch and of the
trouble they're always ready to help out. Once when the Armells valley and the vast prairie that stretches north
Giipatricks sheep shed burnt down, in the middle of to the Little Rockies, as far as the eye can see. From
lambing season, thanks to the neighbors, within a week another window the Judiths rise tall above them. Deer
a new shed had replaced the old" Everyone pitched in to and other wild game come to their door step. They mov[...]years ago. Their grandson, Stephen G. now
Steve and Nellie now live in a small comfortable home lives in the house along the creek and is the 6th genera-
on the top of the ridge above the home along Armells tion to make his living from the ranch.

P. R. Hell AND JoHN HaLr,

Mr. and Mrs. P.R. Hall came to the Armells section, John went to school at Armells and later the county
probably from Burlington, North Dakota.[...]. Hall, died of pneumonia on March He and Del Samuels enlisted in the Navy in Decem-
20, L921. He was listed as a youth of high character, ber of 1920 and they were home on furlough when John
who made many friends easily and won the regard of was stricken with the fatal illness.
all who knew him. The funeral was held at the Catholic Church.

FF.nNr AND MADGS Jacoes

Frank and Madge Jacobs homesteaded on Armells[...]ren: Leslie Frank, Rose Eva, Jess
Creek, sometime between 1912 and 1915" Madge was a and Harriet. They lived on their homestead for eight[...]n.
influenced Rose's decision to homestead there. The

Homestead Shacks over Buffalo Tracks: History of Northeastern Fergus County [Montana] (62)[...]eputy sherifffor Fergus
1905 at Eagle, Nebraska, the son of Mr. and Mrs. County for ten years before retir[...]con-
William Knapton. He was educated in Nebraska and tinued to live in Lewistown until his[...]. 1976. Al Knapton was a member of the Fergus Post No.
He was employed by various ranches in the area and 16 of the American Legion and the Veterans of Foreign
later homesteaded in the Armells bad lands, northwest Wars Post No.[...]Roy where he lived until 1942 when he enlisted in the in the Veterans Section of the Lewistown City Ceme-
United States Army in World[...]ft from tery with Military honors. At the time of his death he
Lewistown with one of the largest g:oups to enter the was survived by one sister, Grace Richards[...]ranch for several years. He then sold it rado and several nieces and nephews.
and moved to Lewistown to make his home.[...]stead. Nevertheless they did attend school at the Knob
he grew up. Elizabeth Jencick was born April 24, 1878. Hill, Horse Ranch and Fergus schools. School was
The couple met and were married in Austria and came worked in-if and when there was time. George says he
to the United States in the early 1900's. They settled in managed to get the equivalent of a 4th grade education
Mellen, a small town in the timber country of northern by the time he was 16. The kids always walked to
Wisconsin. They also lived[...]feet was a common occurrence. In wintertime the
and George, born in Wisconsin. Another son, John, was youngsters wore grnnysaeks on their feet in lieu of the
accidentally shot to death before they left the east. overshoes the family was too poor to buy. The sacks
They homesteaded on 160 acres, 5 miles nort[...]feet warm.
Armells. They lived on this place for the next 9 years The family, for the most part,lived off the land. They
before moving to a small farm, north o[...]coffee, etc. There were wild berries for the picking along
Four more children joined the family during these the creeks and coulees.
years: Andrew, John, Joe and Elsie. They lost another Clothes were home-made and passed down from child
child, a little girl.[...]"My uncle John Jencick came to this state about the out grew them. Shoes were saved for special occasions,
same time as did the Pelots. They came to the United such as attending church in Roy[...]aded just a few miles from my dad's The kids were kept busy; there was always plenty to
h[...]his life. He never mar- do. They helped with the garden, looked for eggs and
ried and seldom visited his sister's, our mother and nests that the hens managed to hide out, chopped wood
aunt Mary Pelot. He ran a small band of sheep and a and kept tlle woodbox full for it took lots of wood f[...]cooking, warmth and for heating water for washing
He passed away in 1938 and is buried in the Roy and bathing. They milked cows, shoveled manure and
Cemetery."[...]well, There are good memories of good times and "wonderful
even though he was only three years old, at the time. parenls."
They arrived in Lewistown by train, then took another "The land was free the air was clean and what
train to Armells. From there they walked the 5 miles to[...]we did have was ours," George stated.
the place of their relatives, the Pelots. George walked All of the children went out to work at an early age.
too, b[...]k him; she said he Most of them remained in the Central Montana area.
was old enough to walk! Mrs. Pelot and Mrs. Kuras George started on his own[...]farmers and ranchers in the area. Wages were about
Mikil built a two room log house, with a dirt floor and $15 a month, plus room and board.In his adult life he
a dirt roof, on their[...]d. He worked helping to worked in elevators in the Central Montana area. He
Iay the railroad from Hilger to Roy.[...]He maintained that natives of Bulgaria.
the chiidren could learn more at home on the home- Mike was the oldest of the children. He was out on his
Homestead Shacks over Buffalo Tracks: History of Northeastern Fergus County [Montana] (63)[...]oof over his head. As times got better he married and
raised a family, "like we all did". He started a[...]a salvage yard, which he still operates
today in the Lewistown Heights. He is 81 and still
going strong!
Mary, at the age of 15, was working and helping area
families with gardening and cooking. She married
Charles Hay, now deceased. Mary is an accomplished
artist.
Andy was on his own at the ripe old age of 12. He
served several years in the army. He married Edith
Miller. Andy has his home on the Heqth Star Route.-
Andy, with the help of his sons and brother George, Elizabeth Kuras
built an earth home; "the best in the countly". It was
built without blueprints. Andy still does carpentry
work and "does it good," George says. "When he builds
anyt[...]lueprints, just his brain".
He has been a gas man and an electrician.
Andy and his wife are now retired. Their family are
now out on their own and scattered in different parts of
the country.
John remained a bachelor. After his f[...]-:* ti
and handyman. ;2
Joe and Elsie moved away from Montana and now
live in California.
George does not know exactly when or why the Kuras
name got changed to Kurns. It was not done[...]anged it first so it would
sound more 'American', and soon; little by little, L. to R.: Mik[...]d of Kuras. George, Mike, Andy and John Kurns-in the 1920's.

LeNrnu Fur,ttlv

The Landru ancestry is as famous as Central When Will was two years old the family moved to
Montana. It was in 1882 that the matriarch of the Minnesota. Will attended school in Madison, Wisc., and
Landru family came to the United Statesrwith her fam- a Norwegian[...]Evagaline, Louisiana with his grandparents and, or,
Fergus, was born in Glasgow, Scotland on November his parents where they farmed rice and he attended a
22,1864. She was 17 years old when[...]ngfield, Missouri. in 1909 Will tried his luck in the
Newton L. Landru was born on March 14, 1857 in oil fields at Nerv Hall, California. But the prairies and
Primrose, Iowa. He came to Montana as a young buttes (Cone and Black) of Montana that he had heard
soldier in 1884 and was stationed at Ft. Maginnis. about since childhood and the stories of the land near
The couple met, and were married on September 16, the Missouri River beckoned him and so in May of 1910
1885 at Fergus. They settled on a homestead next to he returned to Montana and took up a homestead.
William Fergus. (Coledonia R[...]am "Will" Newton, was born on investment and sent Peny Foster out to Montana to
the old Fergus Ranch on Box Elder Creek. Three other run it. Perry and Will became good friends.
children were born to the couple: Helen (Cariney) in Will reca[...]orth, who died at 9 (Perry) one day and this good-looking girl came to the
months of age; and Mable (Cary) who was born in door. She had an ax in one hand and a tea-kettle in the
Louisiana in 1901. other. She was trying to kill a gopher and I thought to

Homestead Shacks over Buffalo Tracks: History of Northeastern Fergus County [Montana] (64)[...]The Landru farnily: Bob, Will, Harriet, Bruce and
The original house that Will and Haniet liued in is still Williarn. The man stonding between Bruce and WiIIiam
standing on the'Beatty' place. (with hat on) is a friend and neighbor, Louis Mitten.
myself she sure would mak[...]in Illinois on May 15, 1892, had here and die here," he said. Hattie passed away first, on
come out from Illinois to visit her brother and to keep April 19, 1979. Will died November 11, 1981" Both were
house for him. She and Will were married on December laid[...]July 4, 1949; James William born Jan. 18, 1951 and
10. 1924. He was the first to ride a horse to attend school Thomas Wayne born July 7, 1956. William presently
at the Romunstad School District. Bruce Russell was[...]ves in Scottsdale, Arizona.
born on July 17, 1926 and Robert "Bob" was born on Bob remained on the ranch raising wheat, grain, hogs
November 22, 1928. and cattle. In 1948 he wed Verda Mae Wendt. They had
Will and Harriet always put a great stock in friends. 2 children; Alan born October 6, 1949 and David born
He told of times when as many as 16 wo[...]y 14, 1952. He later married Rae Rousek Spurgeon;
and ride to the top of Cone Butte. They attended church[...]ld, Shelly Louise, born in September of
at Fergus and the children attended the Romunstad 1958.
and Fergus schools, and high school in Lewistown. Bruc[...]es in 1959. They farmed on
In 1959 they divided the land among their 3 sons and the home ranch for several years after his folks move[...]fe. to Lewistown, before moving to the Seattle, Washing-
Friends were still an important[...]hey presently reside. Her two children,
they left the ranch. Their Lewistown home was filled Doug and Debbie, attended school in Roy.
with momentos. Some of the most priceless were the The 'home place' was originally homesteaded by
photos of the Landru and Fergus family members and Einor Tiseth. Hattie's father, W.[...]tead some land. It was always known as the 'Foster
was dated February 29, 1917 and was of their first i place'. He also owned most of the land on the Landru
homestead after their marriage. There were 16 men on place and Hattie inherited it from him"
the barn roof, shingling. They had 40 for dinner that Doug and Colette Landru and their two sons, Casey
day. and Kyle, now live and ranch on the home place.

. PBrnn eNo INce LensoN
Peter Larson and Inga Cjerholm were married in The couple had nine children, 5 girls and 4 boys:
Great Fails in 1896. They lived in Belt u[...]e, Marie
they moved to Lewistown. Peter worked in the coal and Oscar.
mines until he took up a homestead of 320[...]ey had one child,
Armells in 1912. Here he farmed and had livestock; Barbara.
cows, horses, pigs and poultry. Art married Leona Blizzard.
He rented the Vestal place about 1925 and with the Ruth married Bill Rabe. They lived in Wisconsin and
help of his sons took care of his homestead, the Vestal had 5 children: Bill, Marjory, Richard, Charles and
place and another place he had acquired.[...]

Homestead Shacks over Buffalo Tracks: History of Northeastern Fergus County [Montana] (65)[...]59

Ebba married Henry "Hank" Rood and they lived at Oscar and his wife, Mildred, live in Lewistown and
Bear Springs. They too had 5 children: Clyde, Betty have one son, Elliot.
Lou, Doris, Jean and Nancy. Peter and Inga worked very hard all of their lives.
Dora and her husband, Alonzo Olden lived in Round- Inga was a midwife and delivered many neighborhood
up. They had 3 childr[...]in infancy, one babies. Peter took care of the children when Inga was
survived.[...]they were old enough all did their share
Percy and his wife, Louise, had 1 daughter, Janice. of the work.
They live in Washington.[...]was born February 28, 1860 in Norway.
Lawrence and his wife, Gayle,lived in Bilings with he came to the United States as a young man. He died
their two children by her former marriage and adopted in 1940 at the age of 80 from Brights Disease.
by Lawrence.[...]hey live in Lewistown Sweden. She came to the U.S. when a young lady. She
and had fi.ve children: Joyce, Roger, Eileen, Sandy and died in 1935, at age 65, ofheart disease.
Ca[...]CARL Anrnun LensoN
Art Larson and Leona Blizzard were married in and did carpentry work. Art passed away in 1981.
Dece[...]chigan. Leona remained in the Roy area. For a time she was
Art had gone to Michigan to find work in the married to Bill Davis and they had a daughter, Janet.
factories. They returned to Montana in 1931 with their Art and Leona's daughter, Marge is married to Perry
3 children, Marge, Donna and Art "Chum". Another Kalal. Their son, Art or "Chum" married Vi Bare the
daughter, of Leona's, Mary Jane (Kellner), stayed in daughter of Laura (Larson) and Elmer Bare. Larry
Michigan and was raised by grandparents. Larson married June Wright, daughter of Harry and
After they returned to Montana, Larr;r and Patsy Ruth Wright.
were born.[...]Many descendents of Peter and Inga Larson live in
They worked on the Horse Ranch at Fergus. Leona the Central Montana area. Among those living in Roy
a[...]Hill. Art lived in Lewistown are Marge Kalal and her children and Jackie Styer
for several years where he was a Fer[...]April 5, 1885 Lewistown where he worked for the Milwaukee Rail-
in Michigan to Pat and Margaret Martin. He received road until h[...]n there. The Martin's had a son, Tommie, and two daughters
He came to Montana in 1910 and homesteaded at Frances (Neet) and Betty (Cerovski).
Armells in 1914. On October 27,[...]ena George passed away February 25,1964 and is buried
V. Lucier in Lewistown. in the Lewistown City Cemetery.
In 1920 they moved to the Brooks area and in 1936 to

C[...]Iowa on ia Lewistown.
August 21, 1883 and came, with his parents, to live on Mary was born in Missouri on November 2, 1884. She
the James Fergus Ranch at Armells when he was about came to Montana with her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Harry
two years old. The family stayed for two years then Butts, a[...]gon. There was also a brother, Marion, The Maurys had three children. Their eldest, Emory,
and a sister. died in November of 1935 at the age of 32 from injuries
When Claude was fifteen[...]He eventually became been paralized since the accident. There were two
nanager and half owner of the old Fergus Horse daughters, Mrs. Frank Bristol and Mrs. Robert
l,anch. He engaged in stock raising o[...]died at her daughter's home in Oakland, Cali
At the time of his passing on March 21, lg32 the fornia of a heart attack in January of 1946. She was
lergus Horse Ranch was owned by the county and buried in Lewistown beside her husband and son.
llaude was owner and operator of the Maury Service Mary's parents ar[...]

Homestead Shacks over Buffalo Tracks: History of Northeastern Fergus County [Montana] (66)[...]THN McXNRLIE FAMILY
The McKerlie family came to Montana from the upper ing on the Grand Coulee Dam when he was strickeg
Michigan peninsula town of Gladstone. Victor and with a heart attack and died in L942.
Clair came first, and later their father, John, and his After leaving the homestead Jean taught school in
brother, Robert, came and homesteaded on Armells many com[...]frame cabin with a bed that school and the University whenever possible. She
folded down against the wall. A table folded up against married Fred N. Thomson, also a teacher of Math and
another wall, and the chairs were hung on pegs when Agriculture. They taught in Lame Deer for several
the bed was down. years, as well as several high schools in the Central
Some time later, their mother, Mary Se[...]ntana area. After Fred's death in 1943, Jean con'
and their younger sister, Jean, came along after she[...]adstone High School. Robert's wife, the University after thirty years! She received her
Minnie and their children lived close by. As there was[...]ence in 1958, then taught in
no school teacher in the neighborhood, 16-year-old Jean Michigan until ill health forced her retirement and she
was hired to teach the grade school. Charlie and George returned to Montana. Until her[...]rous even After their children left the Armells region, John and
before the drought of 1919. Some cattle they brought[...]ll acreage in Beaver
from Oregon didn't withstand the harsh winter, and in Creek Canyon close to Lewistown in the Snowy Moun'
a spring flood their calf crop perished. tains. John died in 1930 and Mary lived with Jean in
Victor came to Lewistown and worked for Thompson Lame Deer until her death in 1941.
Construction; builders of the Montana Building, among The Robert McKerlie family moved to Leavenworth,
others. He enlisted in the Army Corps of Engineers dur' Washington after they left the homestead, as did the
ing World War I, and was so proud of that service that oth[...]ad come from Michigan.
he continued to wear the "puttees" and jodphurs for Vic McKerlie loved to tell stories about the hard times
many years as a sort of engineer's uniform. After his on the homestead; about riding his Harley Davidson
return from the service he started his own Victor Con- bike over the rough roads out there, and how he missed
struction Company, specializing in grain elevators and the train in Lewistown so he walked to catch it ei[...]ildings in every part of Montana and Hilger or Suffolk. One time he had his father on the
northern Wyoming. back of the bike, riding over the bumpy roads, and he
In 1921, he married Helena Wernli at Garneil[...]turned his head to say something to him and dis'
had three children: John, a West Poin[...]ad "thank you
a retired teacher-librarian in the San Francisco Bay marm" as they called the dips in the roads back then! I
area until retiring to Dayton, Nevada, recently; and always remember that he and Helena loved Montana
Pat, who is the wife of Judge Peter Rapkoch i[...]air married Clara Tollefson of Choteau and they loved the climate, and the people, and everything about
had two children, Betty Jean L,ennon and James Allen' the Bie Sky Country, though they lived through[...]Montana but pretty hard times. The Big Sky Country was mighty
left in the late 30's for Washington State. He was w[...]L. J. (Lourr) MIrrrr.r AND MISS RUIH MTTTNU

This brother and sister were long'time residents of was reared and taught there for several years before
Fergus and Roy communities where both were very[...]active in school, church, community organizations and schools for four years before coming to Montana. Her
the American Legion.[...]ere untiring in working for schools, community,
The Mittens were two of a family of nine children and church and Sunday schools. She is remembered for her
were ra[...]loving personality. She last resided in the two story
teacher in high school there. He atte[...]at is now owned by Harold
Bozeman for three years and decided to stay in Mon- (Casey) Jones.
tana, and came to Armells area where he ranched for[...]where she made her home for the rest of her life. She died
Miss Mitten was one[...]e she Mrs. Will Landru was a niece of the Mittens'

Homestead Shacks over Buffalo Tracks: History of Northeastern Fergus County [Montana] (67)[...]o1

Louie Mitten retired from his ranch and moved to Park, Washington. He was[...]one brother,
Vancouver, Washington where he spent the last ten Dave Mitten, the last member of the Mitten family, His
years of his life. Born in 1880, he was 70 years old when obituary was in the 23 November 1950 issue of the
he passed away in mid November 1950, burial at Oc[...]on August 28th, 1853 in Montana and became a sheep man not far from where
Cook County, Illinois, the son of Presbyterian minister, Walter Pe[...]A large operator, a Scotchman
Reverend John Peck and Sarah Bremner Peck. At the by the name of William Fergus lived nearby and had a
age of 12 he went to work in the offrces of the Erie family of three girls and a boy who were nearing school
Railroad where he remained for the next 11 years. Afber age, but there were no schools in the area. Julian wrote
the death of his widowed mother and at the age of 28 to his sister and she decided to make the hazardous trip
years he decided to join those har[...]West to join him to keep house for him and to keep her
challenge in new horizons in the West. anxious parents informed as to his well being as well as
Boarding the train to St. Louis and then on to to teach the Fergus children.
Bismarck, North Dakota, which was then the end of the She often told most interesting stories of her trip as
rail line. He rode up the Missouri River on the first she boarded the train as far as it went to Bismarck,
steamboat of the year, the "Far West", and landed in North Dakota and from there, by stage, where she was
Fort Benton. The trip took 14 days. Fort Benton was the only woman among a group of fur traders. She was
then the last nawigable station on the Missouri and was impressed with the beauty of the grasslands, the
the bustling headquarters for large shipments of furs, streams and the wild game and as they drove into the
wool and supplies and was the gateway for shipments of Maiden Canyon the driver asked where he could 'drop'
gold to the East. his lady passenger. She asked to be taken to the Hotel
There Wairer bought a saddle horse, a frying pan and but the driver shook his head and in astonishment said
a small pail. For provisions[...]a lady. There ain't
pound of tea, a sack of rice and some dried fruit. With no real hotel in these parts....just saloons and lodging
Square Butte as a landmark, he left Fort[...]Mrs. Ballinger's. She is a white
directly across the open fenceless country and event- woman and will take good care of you till your brother
uall[...]comes for you." Zelinda spent a few days with Mr. and
County on the North slopes of the Judith Mountains. Mrs. Ballinger and there formed a fiendship which
Here Walter found[...]ough their lives.
part of his wages in a share of the lambs. In 1882 he took Zelinda, or Lind[...]ed
up a homestead 12 miles north of Fort Maginnis and with her brother till fall. Then[...]of sheep. Eventually adding married and his cabin was quite small she went to live in
desert and timber claims he increased his acreage to 800 the home of Granville Stuart. Granville was a boister-
acres and his band ofsheep to about 7000. On September ous, hearty man of the West (no relation) and was
22, 1885 he married Zelinda Stuart.[...]row Indian. She
in North Carolina inr1849. During the Civil War her taught his children as well as the Fergus children and
father clung tenaciously to his Quaker beliefs and any others in the immediate area. Eventually Linda and
refused to bear arms. He was bitterly persecuted for his Walter became acquainted and were married, and to this
religious convictions, even being hung by[...]union were born three children: Harry, Helen and John.
but was finally forced to march toward the enemy with a The need for a neighborhood post office became
gun ti[...]arched on into enemy territory apparent and induced Walter to promote a petition to
and till the end of the Civil War was sent to work in the have one established. They proposed to have the new
salt mines as punishment. These years passed, and at' post office named Ray, shortened from Linda's child-
the end of the war he got in touch with his family again hood hometown of Raysville, Indiana, butthrough some
and they joined him in Raysville, Indiana to start a new error, perhaps in penmanship, when the official papers
life. Here he rented a small acreage and managed, by arrived, in 1892, to establish the post office in his home
working for his landlord whenever possible, to put by a the name was given as Roy.
small amount toward moving[...]to Plymouth, Illinois Oscar Stephens and sent his family to stay with her
when Zelinda was[...]what was left of his band of sheep in the breaks of the

Homestead Shacks over Buffalo Tracks: History of Northeastern Fergus County [Montana] (68)[...]ny Or NonrneesrERN FERGUS CouNTy

Missouri for the winter. The next spring he was forced to they came by stage to Utica where Walter met them and
sell what was left of his sheep and had barely $f ,000 to they traveled by horse and buggy to their new home 25
show for his labor. miles away. The railroad was built into the area during
About this time he learned of a general store in the next few years and with the excitement of homestead
Garneill which was having financial difficulties. areas opening up and new industry the general store
Through his reputation for personal integrity and with proved to be a thriving business. Peck ran the store until
no collateral, Walter was able to make arrangements 1917, which also included the post office from 1902 to
through Sam Phillips of the Bank of Fergus County to 1912. He was a[...]missioner
become half owner with Frank Hassett of the Garneiil and as such took homestead filings in the area.
property. He soon bought his partner's interest and Peck's retired to Lewistown where he died in 1928 at
became sole owner of the W.H. Peck General Merchan- the age of 74. Zelinda lived to be 94 years old. Thei[...]g from a youngest son, John, stayed in the Garneill area where he
needle up to a threshing machine. Upon taking over the raised a large family, many of them still residing in that
business he sent for Linda and the children. By this time area.
the railroad had been built to Great Falls so from th[...]by Bessie Wiedman

Samuel T. Strausburg, stock and grain rancher in and his sons then turned carpenters and built the
Fergus County, was a loyal and enthusiastic booster of lumber into subst[...]ortunities. He had lived in a number of the improvements on his farm and ranch represent the
states and locations before coming here, and it was direct results of his enterprise and the labor of himself
Montana that proved most permanently attractive and and his children.
afforded him the opportunities for getting securely Mr. Strausburg, in the spring of 1916, laid the founda-
anchored in terms of material prosperity.[...]tion of his livestock by purchasing three cows and their
Mr. Strausberg was born near Centerview, in Johnson calves, and the following year added nine head of the
County, Missouri, June 30, 1869, the son of Jacob and Shorthorn strain. A constant source of r[...]gle) Strausburg. His father was born at and cream. He also raised Duroc Jersey strain of hogs
Union Bridge, Maryland and both parents were of and sold them to the butcher shops in Lewistown.
German Baptist famili[...]What he accomplished as a homesteader and farmer
Ohio to Missouri in 1867 and Jacob Strausburg spenthis had not been at the expense of public spirited partici-
life as a farmer and died at Warrensburg, Missouri in pation in the community life. He helped build three
7924, at the age of eighty-four. His wife passed away in schoolhouses in the region and served on the school
1914, at seventy-nine, and both are buried at Centerview. board nine years. The first schoolhouse was six miles
They were the parents of nine children. from his ranch and his eldest son drove the stage to
Samuel attended the Houx schoolhouse, three miles carry the children to school. After getting on the school
north of Centerville and remained in his home locality board Mr. S[...]ting another
until he was twenty-two. He accepted the advice of a building less than two mile[...]s deputy field
friend urging him to go to Montana and take up a assessor for five years,[...]hat he had into cash, loaded his _ Reddick, and Hughes. He was a Democrat and he was
household goods and his family on a train dnd started reared in the faith of the German Baptist Church. He
for Lewistown, where he arrived in 1914. He brought was a director of the First National Bank of Roy and
with him his wife and five children, and a cash capital of during the World War he and his family assisted in
only $250. carrying out the patriotic proglam of his locality.
His homestea[...]married, October 22, 1891, Miss
Armeil postoffrce and station. He filed a contest on this Martha Burgard, who was born in Fulton County,
homestead but the former claimants agreed to release Illinois on May 3, 1870. She was the daughter of Peter
his claim. Later he found other Government land and Martha (Danner) Burgard. Her people were also
adjacent and entered enough to finish out a section. German Baptists and moved from Illinois to Missouri.
Some of the land was heavily timbered with pine. In the Mrs. Strausburg was one of thirteen children and the
course of his various experiences in the Middle West he others who grew up were: John, Mrs. Lizzie Strausburg,
had acquired the knowledge of a sawmill and he con' Peter, Paul Silas, Mrs. Ruth Kahler of Lewistown,
ceived the idea of saving a great deal ofcash outlay by Montana.
turning the fine trees into lumber. He bought a small Mr. and Mrs. Strausburg had five children. Their
sawmill and sawed up enough of the pine iogs to provide daugher Birdie is the wife of John Pelot and they owned
material for house, barn, chicken and hog houses and he and managed an apartment house in Lewistown.

Homestead Shacks over Buffalo Tracks: History of Northeastern Fergus County [Montana] (69)[...]o,l

Birdie's former husbar.rd was Roy Lee Wolfe and her in i935 she and the children moved to Roy where they
children are Harold, Floyd, Roy Lee and Dorothy Wolfe attended school. The children of Porter D. were: Porter S.
Gilskey of[...]resides in Lewistown; Evelyn who married James
The other children of Samuel and Martha were Gradle, they live in[...]rs.
Howard W. whose first wife was Joyce Johnson and his Fred Youderian) deceased; Martha ([...]Ruby who married Lodi, Caiifornia and Curtis of Cut Bank.
Harold Scanlon and Porter D. who married Ruth Potterf. Samuel and Martha celebrated their 50th wedding
(See Pott[...]y of 1941. Sam died in April of 1952
Porter D. and Ruth had seven children. After his death and Martha a month later in Mav.[...]information by Nellie Belle Vessej, and Freddie Vessey
Jay' C). \"esse1 *'as born on Jzinuary 8, 1S7l in Sauk Llombs and Amanda Butler, u'as born in October of
Center, Mi[...]7 at lhe 1872. She died March 19, 1928 at the age of 56. Both are
age of 76. His *'ife.[...]

Homestead Shacks over Buffalo Tracks: History of Northeastern Fergus County [Montana] (70)[...]Hrsroni' On NonrHsesrnRN Fpncus CouNry

The Vessey's homesteaded in 1915, about 14 miies
from[...]was killed in France in
WWI; Winfred (Winnifred) and Ernest, who moved to
the west coast; Donald, who was around Roy for several
years and Fred.
Fred Vessey was born in 1895 in Sauk Cent[...]ed December 29, 1936, buried in The J.C. Vessey's at their homestead on Armells Creek[...]lJrO.
born September 26, i9a3 (all in Lewistown) and Dan
born March 5, L952 in Grangeville, Idaho, died Feb-
ruary 18, 1969.
Nellie Vessey wrote the following about her husband
Fred:
Fred worked for a large cattle outfit between Roy and
(Valentine?) the winter of 1919. He and Charles Russell
rode the range together for this outfit. This outfit could[...]idn't die, so Charles drew a
picture for Fred and left it in his house and when he was
gone someone stole it. This happe[...]Fred Vessey 1930
Before Fred and his family came to Montana, Andrew
Fergus had the Horse Ranch on Armells Creek. Some
settlers c[...]s cowboys ranching himself. They had sheep and cattle.
hung a boy on a cottonwood tree. That was in the early The Fred Vessey's bought the Bill Lane ranch below
days that happened, but[...]Roy where they lived for several years. In the spring of
That took place about 7z mile of our place on Armells 1944 they sold the ranch and moved to Stites, Idaho
Creek. and bought a ranch. Fred also worked at a planer mill
After Fred and Nellie were married they lived on a[...]February 26, 1962 of a heart attack at
Creek near the Horse Ranch. Fred had been foreman on the age of 77. Nellie was 81 years old in 1988 and
the Gilpatrick Ranch for several years before he star[...]a composite from the writings of
Alan and Bessie Coluer Wiedman
Albert C. Wiedman was one of the substantial They sold their grocery store and in 1888 Chris headed
ranchers and farmers of Fergus County, his homeplace the family migration to Montana. The family condisted
being located three miles south[...]of Albert. then 14; Amelia 12, Emma 4 and Charles 4
Creek, and comprised of the lands homesteaded by his months.[...]They came up the river and across the plains to White
Albert was born near St. Joseph[...]ight children Bruckert, Iiving. Chris and Albert left the rest of the
of Christian and Sibylla (Gutekunst) Wiedman and a family there while they came[...]Vannest and Mrs. Frank Hash.
Chris and Sibylla were married in 1871 in America.[...]arlet fever they Sulphur Springs for the winter. There were only three
decided to leave Missouri with its unhappy memories. houses between the homestead and Lewistown then;

Homestead Shacks over Buffalo Tracks: History of Northeastern Fergus County [Montana] (71)[...]65

the Townsend Ranch, now known as the Mayberry Alan retired in 1969 and lived in a mobile home at the
Ranch; the Coiver Ranch and the Vannest Ranch, now Colver ranch until his passing in 1980.
the Clark Carter Ranch.[...]six
Albert was 15 years old when they returned the children: Bob, Tom, Tim, Debra (Mrs. Rich Bowser),
following spring and he and his father worked together Mike and Leda (Mrs. Mike McReynolds). Tim, Deb,
in putting up the log house; their chief implements Mike and Leda all attended school in Roy and are RHS
being a cross-cut saw and a wood axe. graduates. Marcelyn and John took over the ranch
After he retired from the responsibilities ofgrain and when Alan retired and continue to operate it along with
stock farming,[...]ruction business.
town, where he died in 1924, at the age of 85, and his Emma Wiedman married Marion Maury in 1900.
wife in 1927 at the age of 77. They had two girls, Emma and Amelia. The mother
Albert C. Wiedman acquired his education[...]05. Amelia Wiedman married William Fergus
leaving the old Missouri home. After assisting his in 1899. They had no children but adopted the Maury
father in the preliminary work of developing the home- children. William Fergus died in 1916, Mrs. Fergus
stead he became a range rider and cowboy on some of married Louis Smith in 1921. She died in 1955.
the ranch holdings of the Fergus Livestock and Land Amelia Fergus married Bud Wiliiams in 1930. They
Company. Later he returned home and took the active had one son, Charles.
management o[...]a Fergus married John Simofy in 1930. They
sented the original claims entered by his father and had a son, Jack, killed in the crash ofa B52 in 1971 and
mother and other additional claims totaling 1180 acres.[...]rles Wiedman took a homestead near Christina.
ing the location of his parents, and his individual He married a neighbor girl[...]boy, Wayne, Iiving
Mr. Wiedman served as one of the trustees of the in Omaha and another named Norman now living in
in
home school and helped organize two school districts India[...]Republican in Charles later remarried and had two daughters. The
national politics, and during the World War he was reg- mother, the former Lily Wilson, died when the girls
istered under the second draft law but was never classi- were very young. He took care of them until he died in
fied. The Wiedman's as a family were members of the 1942. One girl is now married to Art Chri[...]h. Dillon. The other one lives in Idaho.
Mr. Wiedman married a[...]r. Elizabeth
was born in Aberdeenshire, Scotland, and she and her
sister, Mrs. William Gordon, came to the United States
in 1900. Both of their parents had[...]iedman attended a business college in Scotland.
The ranch was on the main road to the Roy country.
When the lower country was being settled many un-
loaded their emigrant cars at Hilger and also hauled
lumber from the three yards there. Many of them
stopped at the ranch the first night. Usually there was
no charge for meals or horse feed. This was a heavy
load for Elizabeth. The pioneer women are the ones
who had it tough. Elizabeth was always cheerful. She
was well read and could recite an endless amount of
poetry. She died in 1929. Albert died in i945.
The only child of Mr. and Mrs. Wiedman was Alan
B., who was born August 19, 1905 and was a graduate
of the Lewistown High Shcool. He is a Charter member
of the Lewistown DeMolay organization.
Alan stayed on the ranch. On November 12, 1948 he
married Bessie Colver, the widow of Fred W. Colver.
She had two childr:en, Marcelyn and Fred D. Colver. The original Chris Wiedman homestead home located
B[...]in 1969. on the Montgomery (Wiedman) Ranch on ArmeIIs Creek.

Homestead Shacks over Buffalo Tracks: History of Northeastern Fergus County [Montana] (72)[...]on August 7, 1885 in moved to the Castle Creek area south of Lewistown
Germany, the son of Mr. and Mrs. Claude Wilkens. He where they raised cattle and sheep. After Fred's death
received his education[...]e lived until her passing on February 28, 1980 at the
town.[...]survived by two daughters, Mrs. Edward
Tennessee, the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Henry Corle of Plymouth, Indiana and Mrs. Raymond May of
McDonald.[...]llinois. Margurite Abbott of Lewistown was
Fred and Jessie homesteaded in the Horse Ranch a niece of the couple.
area in the 1920's. They lived there for 12 years then[...]eaver Creek, west of to Armells from the Beaver Creek Ranch. In the early
Glengarry, purchased the oid James Fergus Ranch, 1950's the old George Gilpatrick house in Hilger, which
which was settled in 1880. It is located where the old was located just east of the brick bank building (Rain-
Carroll Trail crossed Armells Creek and one mile south bow Bar), was purchased and moved to the ranch for
of the Chicago, Miiwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific Rail- Rudolph and Betty to live in.
road townsite of Armells. However, the post office at The Ranch always employed several hired hands,
Armells was closed by this time, so the address was and some of them stayed on for many years" Louie
Ferg[...]ay in 1888, herded sheep for us for
miles east of the ranch. The old main highway (graded 20 years, quitting when he was over 80. John Paul
and graveled) between Lewistown, Hilger, Fergus and Jones worked on the ranch from the early 1940's until
Roy went through between the main ranch buildings going to Valle Vista Manor in Lewistown in 1978.
and crossed the creek at said Carroll Trail crossing. Andrew Tresch of Roy worked on the ranch for over
(Where the east fork of Armells Creek runs into Armells 20 years after he sold his ranch in the breaks down on
Creek.) The Milwaukee Railroad also passed through the Mussellshell Trail. The last few years he and Mike
the buildings at right angles to the old highway. Machler, another ba[...]rland, win-
Several bands of sheep were run on the main ranch tered in Arizona and Andy helped here during the
and in the spring one band was trailed across country summers and Mike lived in his house in Roy (first
through the Horse Ranch, north of the Charlie Bishop house south of L.M.A. Wass' big house.) The last year
house, down the county road past l'red Mabee's house Andy worked here he was 88 years old. He died in 1987
and turned east at the old country (Zuley) school house at the age of98.
to a pasture between the Indian Butte and Crooked Bill Bucher, son of sheriff Fred and Mary (Keller)
Creek Grazing Districts, near Button Butte. The dis- Bucher worked here 10 or more years too.
tance was around 40 miles and took about2r/zdays (if it Charles Yaeger Jr., son of Charley and Esther (King)
did not rain) to trail there. However, if it rained the of Beaver Creek, started working summers on the
sheep wagon could not be moved in the gumbo-mud and ranch as a hired hand in 1951. He went on full time in
the herder would have to keep them where they were[...]7. On May 22, 1959 he married Mary Rose Raw,
when the rain hit. In the fall the sheep were moved eldest child of James and Mary (Colwell) Raw of Moore.
home the same route, but by fall the lambs were big and They built a house that fall. They have four children:
traveled better than the baby ones had that spring. Cynthia[...]ren:
them kill to eat....but some just kill lambs and ewes for Stephanie Marie, ageBYz, Kayla Rose age 2 and Clay'
sport and one coyote will kill 35 or more lambs in a[...]pson age 5 months); Charles Clinton
single night. The sheep herder had to "bed" the sheep born March 8, 1962; Corey Andrew born January 3,
close to his camp wagon every night and sleep with one 1965 and Christopher James born August 23,197I"
ear listening, so if he heard coyotes in the sheep at Larry A. Yaeger, second son of Charley and Esther,
night he could shoot in the air and scare them away. started working on the Armells ranch in 1959. He mar-
After George died in 1948, Rudolph and Elsbeth ried Betty Jane Pallett, one of a set of twin daughters of
(King) "Betty" Yaeger and Fred "Fritz" Yaeger moved William and Doris Pallett, of Lewistown, on May 26,
Homestead Shacks over Buffalo Tracks: History of Northeastern Fergus County [Montana] (73)[...]67

1962. That fall they moved into Rue and Betty's house ranch raising cattle, sheep, hay and some small grains,
on the ranch. They have three children: Ronnie Anton[...]lson) of James R. Yaeger, Charley and Esther's youngest son,
Spokane (they have on[...]e on their Beaver
was born February 18, 1965 and Bradley Allen born Creek place and is in partnership with Charles and
December 27,1967 .[...]living at Lewis Willow apartments in
1963 at the age of 60. Rudolph and Fred both died in Lewistown.
1969. Charies and Larry have continued to operate the

ti
From Fergus County Argus[...]il28, 1897 larger blade of the knife and placing his frnger on a hard
SHEE[...]substance proceeded to amputate the finger at the first
R.S. Reid, a shegpherder in the empioy of Will Fergus, joint, which he[...]. With
arrived in town last Friday minus the end of a frnger on the blood flowing freely and without stopping to kilt the
his left hand, and in explanation of his loss related a snake, he put the stump in his mouth and started for the
snake story which some discredit, though not at all ranch, two and one-half miles away. Arriving there a
im[...]ast Thursday while chicken was killed and the intestines bound upon the
herding a band ofsheep on Lower Dog Creek he laid down wound at once.
on the grass to rest, placing his hands under his head, The following day Reid came on to Lewistown and on
when suddenly he felt a blow and a queer sensation on the Saturday had another operation performed on the finger
ball of one of his fingers. He wit[...]by Dr. Monahan, it being necessary to amputate the
and at the same time jerked a rattlesnake out of the ciump finger again in order to get a flap.[...]ich his head had been resting. Realiz- to the knife was all that saved his life. and if it was a sure
ing the danger he was in, Reid resoived to cut his fi.nger enough "rattler" and not a cactus thorn that came up
off, and taking an old, dull knife form his pocket, com- against his finger, his act was the proper one, although it
menced to whittle[...]Black Butte
Black Butte is the area south of Roy. There was a Black Butte school, now a part of the Gary Blakemore's house.
Most residents came[...]' There was also an area south of Roy known as the Sand Rock community. No accommodations, just an a[...]lva, J.H. Hustad,
Moyers, W.M. Kruger, Weike and High Selvige.[...]25 from part of #?4 Roy. Guy Townsend, Walter Cox and Clyde Miller were the first
trustees. The first teacher was Helen Lawton. Other teachers we[...]Josie
Jones, Laurie Hinkley, Barbara Blair, and Mary Hogan. Adelphia Koliha was the last teacher with the term ending
May 31, 1937. The district was abandoned in 1942 and attached to #74 Roy.
Bill Dauis Sez:
At the time Johnny Rife was going to country school he kept being a little late in arriuing. When the teacher
questioned him about it, he said he had gotten caught in a fence and tore his clothes.
One morning the teacher said, "John I see you're little be[...]

Homestead Shacks over Buffalo Tracks: History of Northeastern Fergus County [Montana] (74)[...]ing story is pieced together from seueral The saying was at that time, "That the Government
stories that Con Anderson wrote in the 60's and early bet 160 acres of land against $i6.00 that you could not
70's about his father and the early days of home- live on it for five[...]some won the bet and others sold their relinquishments[...]rance companies and lending agencies who were eager
I, Conrad Ander[...]d, Iiving with my to invest or loan monies to the homesteader's after
parents at Glenrose, a community adjacent to the city proving up on their homesteads. Well, actually they did
iimits of Spokane and attending the South Central not sell but took the loans and left the country. Smart
High School in Spokane when I heard my father dis- people, I would say.
cussing the idea of going to Montana to take up a In the fall of 1910 several land seekers filed south of[...]Roy where the better grass and land seemed to be. The
My Dad saw advertisements in the Spokane paper Olson's (dad and 3 sons), a Mr. Burk, and Mr. Hatch,
that the Milwaukee Land Co. was going to build rail- and Mr. Ginthur from Iowa came and homesteaded on
roads to Winifred, Roy and Winnett with much land in what was later ca[...]homesteaders were needed. Jones and wife came in the winter of 1910 and 11 and
My father, who was a brick layer, had worked in worked for Bert Sargent building their cabin in the
Spokane since the first railroad reached there. A neigh- spring o[...]with my Dad, later in 1910. Afler
my father from the homestead idea, stating that all the arriving in Lewistown with some bedding and cooking
good lands had been taken long ago. Then, as now, the material, a team of horses had to be purchased and a
thinking of people is that the other fellow has the best wagon.
opportunities, so Dad stuck with the homestead idea, We had a tent with us, as[...]k that could not make a town a few days for the railroad to bring in some other
good living on 16[...]equipment. We pitched our tent on the depot grounds
My father, in the year 1883, whiie in Helena, Mon- which was then at the south end of town" We were then
tana had turned down the chance of taking a home- told to get our tent off the railroad property; so we
stead adjacent to, and where a friend had one on a moved it over the fence nearer the creek.
creek and a band of sheep. The fellow wanted a partner When purchasing horses, there were two teams to
who worked in town and could bring him supplies once choose from one of sorrels and the other gray in
a week, and would go halves. Good land was to be had[...]anywhere in Montana. buy the sorrel team. They were some cheaper in price.
Dad's name was C. F. Anderson and he was later The teams were of the saddle horse type.
called by many as "Spokane" An[...]er home- We finally were on our way to the homestead and we
steading. stopped at the Andrew Fergus place. This was on the
In April 1910, my father, my older brother Ted, a Mr. Carroll Trail in the early days.
James Know, two ladies and another fellow left We were told, "[...]eas. I have good reason to After eating, the horses were watered and had their
believe they were the first homesteader's or rather good dinner of hay. We stopped at the Romandstad
"honyockers" or "scissotbills" to loca[...]Ranch where we were asked to stay with them for the
Joe Montgomery had an office in Lewistown. Joe[...]what we should have done; because it
took them to the Roy area that spring and they located was very far to the Chamberlain cabins where we had
homesteads about five miles southeast of where the planned to stay until the homestead cabins were built.
town of Roy was buil[...]aters, would say "This is became so worn out and tired it could not go any further
about the best land ieft to be taken by homesteaders." with our wagon. We then led our team of horses and
The filing fees were $16.00. The locater charged carried some bedding and walked on to the Chamber-
$50.00 for showing him a piece of land,[...]lain cabins (a Mr. Chamberlain had located on the
cription. Homesteaders had to build a house on their creek many years before at the northeastern end of the
land within six months, so Dad and my brother had to Judith Mountains. and the creek was named Chamber-
do this by Septem[...]
Homestead Shacks over Buffalo Tracks: History of Northeastern Fergus County [Montana] (75)[...]69

Next morning we went back to our wagon and sup- found later frozen to death. The ranch was known as
plies and brought them to our camp and then had our the Red Barn because of the large barn Mr. Stephens
breakfast. We let our hor[...]drove to Lewistown to buy lumber. He was and many sheep. It had two wide alleyways through it
worried about the horse and thought something must with hay stored between them. There was also a large
be the matter with it so he went to a veterinarian. sheepshed near the barn.
"No wondel," he was told. "A two-year-ol[...]hard trip." tain and family, John Doney and family, two LaRocque
So Dad bought another horse and let the colt rest and families, and the Gardipee family. These were all in a
grow up. It[...]ood horse. radius of 10 miles of the town of Roy.
Lumber was hauled and a 12 x 12 shack was built on Walter Haney, an old cowhand, filed in 1908 on some
Dad's homestead, the same size as my brother's. A land along Bear Creek east of the Red Barn Ranch and
lean-to 12x12 stable was built for the horses. Mr. Know built a house and barn in 1909.
had a house about twice that size.[...]There were three men who had iocated claims in the Mr. Know, and Dad hauled lumber from Lewistown
summer of 1910 who worked helping get up hay. The and built a 16 x 24 one on the south side ofschool sec-
men were Harry Oquist, John Nylander, and Don (Pat) tion 16, which was about a mile and a half southeast of
Cochran.[...]Roy. School was held there in 1912 and 1913. When the
I went with Dad in the early spring of 1911 to pur- Roy school was opened in the fall of 1913, our school
chase oats for horse fee[...]for sale; so we stopped there. He had was the first teacher in this school.
many seamless sacks. We filled the sacks with oats and Back in 1911 Mrs. Haney had a relative named Hazel
loaded them (about a ton and a half) into our wagon. staying with her. The girl rode by our house and took
Mr. Brooks asked us to stay overnight. Early next my sister with her to the first teaching held at Smith
morning we headed for home. The horses could not pull Laraway's about a mile west of Roy. This was a few
the wagon and oats up the steepest part of the Gil- months in the summer. Julia Sargeant and some of the
patrick hill, so we unloaded half the load; and the John Doney children attended school there.
horses could then pull the rest up. We unloaded at the Many homesteaders located southeast of Roy, and a
top of the hill and went back for the other half we had school house was built there in 1911.
left on the road. Back on top of the hill we reloaded and L,ewistown was not a very big town in those[...]years. We bought all our supplies there and travel was
Some miles west of Roy we had to cross a dry weather on the Carroll Trail with no grading or bridges.
creek, but the gtound near the creek was very soft in There were people living ou most of the Missouri
wet weather and in the early spring. Holy, gee! All four River botto[...]me. They were nick-
wheels sank nearly axle deep. The horses could not pull named "River Rats." And there were many around Ft.
any further" Dad and I had to each take a sack of oats Maginnis, Giltedge, and Fergus.
and after several trips had carried all the load to solid
ground, about 100 feet away. Then we had to dig the
wagon wheels and loosen them from the mire, so the
horses could pull the empty load and headed for home
reaching it late in the evening.
Another time we took our wood and fence posts from
Black Butte. While getting some dried timber from the
east side, a Mr. Townsend, brother of Guy Townsen[...]The Anderson
hoping to find gold. He came to where we[...]harles
our wagon. "Say men," he said, "f want all the timber[...]here for propping up when needed for my gold mine and
Anderson and
for other necessary timber work."
The years of 1912 and 1913 Dad and Mother moved to[...]Standing are
Lewistown. In the summer he contracted the brick work[...]Ted, Mable and
on several homes and one large brick buiiding. This[...]up some $2000 he had when
he homesteaded. Brother and I did the farm work on his[...]and Hazel
and Dad's homestead.[...],000 sheep
in a blizzard.One man was sent to help the sheep-
herder" but he never returned to the ranch and was

Homestead Shacks over Buffalo Tracks: History of Northeastern Fergus County [Montana] (76)[...]Jnnnunu B. AND HANNAH
Jeremiah B. Bowser was born in Fayette[...]h Bowser was born in September 30, 1954 at the age of 94. She was a life time
Dunleith, Illinois on February 27, 1860. The couple member of the Royal Neighbors and of St. Victor's
married in 1880 in Claremont. Iowa and came to Mon- Catholic Church. Interment was in Lewistown at the
tana in 1913, originally homesteading near the Calvary Cemetery.
Snowies. Jeremiah walked from the Snowies to Valen- The children of Jeremiah and Hannah were: Maude
tine where he secured land; la[...]rn on August 6, 1895 ican Legion Auxiiiary and the Roy Women's Club'
in Estherville, Iowa. He attended schools in Iowa and Ernest and Hattie had three sons: William "Bill" E.
Kansas.[...]in Hiiger. February of.L927 and Jerry who was born in 1933 and
Ernest came with his family to Montana in 1913 and died when about 6 months old.
moved from L[...]years later he moved to Roy. In 1927 they bought the the U.S. Army from 1944-1946. He returned to Montana[...]rge, for a short time. For most of his life
until the death of Ernest on January 26, 1963, at the he was employed as a tree faller in the lumber industry
age of 68. Hattie then moved into[...]d in Washington, Oregon, California, Idaho, and Mon-
until her death on January 15, 1984 at the age of 84. tana. He returned to Roy in 1981[...]l never
was a member of Modern Woodman of America and she married.
was active in the Sacred Heart A-ltar Society, the Amer-

Jerrrss AND LAVINNIE BowsER

Jim Bowser and Lavinnie Strausburg were married
on May 2, 1946.[...]marriage they ranched on
Hannah Bowser's place in the Valentine area as well as
farmed for Joe Murphy in Valentine and Roy from 1948
to 1961. They began farming for Fre[...]nieces of Fred's.
From 1949 to 1955 they leased the Clark place where
they lived until moving into Lewistown where their
children attended school and where the two oldest, Ken
and Larry, graduated from Fergus High School.
The family returned to Roy when they purchased the
home place from Jim's mother, Hattie, which they[...]The Bowser Family
Jim and Lavinnie had five children. L. to R.: Jim, BiIl, Ernest, Jeremiah, Pearl and Moude.
Larry was born on August 18, 1949. Afte[...]1; attended college
for two years, then he joined the army. He was sta- in Bozeman and graduated with an Engineering
tioned in Germany.[...]gree. He married his high school classmate, Linda
and is now employed as an accountant. Rindal, daughter of Melvin and Ella Rindal. The couple
Ken, born in March of 1951, was in the service in have 3 children: twins, Mindy and Melissa and a son
Germany also. He and Larry were both in the army at Lance. They live in Helena where Jerry is the Resident
the same time, 1970 to 1973. Ken has one daugh[...]

Homestead Shacks over Buffalo Tracks: History of Northeastern Fergus County [Montana] (77)[...]t\

married to Deb Montgomery, daughter of John and The Bowsers only daughter, Rhea graduated from
Marcy Montgomery. They live on the old Con Anderson RHS in 1980. She is married to Jim Hughes and they
place, south of Roy, and run a successful sheep opera- ranch sou[...]s 2 children,
tion. They have 3 sons: Loren, Adam and Evan. Jillian and Jeffrey.[...]A story about "Nigger" Bertie Brown as written in the 'Nigger" Bertie was never arrested, but Hill warned her
Dec. 22"26 issue of the Lewistown News Argus 1976. repeatedly not to sell any more 'moon'. The ladies of
Also from her obituary in the May 14th, 1933 issue of Lewistown were becoming very vocal in their objections
the Lewistown Democrat News.[...]That last batch was one too many.
THE LAST BATCH WAS FATAL! While Bertie was running it off the still blew up, scalding
Moonshine, stills and "revenoors" have long been asso- her severely. She died five days iater.
ciated with the hills of Kentucky and Tennessee, but Cen- Bertie was 62 yea[...]ts share of all three in past years. The burns from the explosion which covered her body,
One of the leading makers of the thirst-quenching brew were especially bad on top of her head and were so deep
was a native of Missouri who sett[...]Butte. ary that the explosion occurred from "gasoline she was
"Nigger" Bertie as she was known, "Made the best in using in connection with cleaning some garments".
the country" according to a Lewistown man who sampled[...]When Gilt Edge was booming she resided there and
her moonshine occasionally in the early days. He remem- later she resided in the Valentine area for five years. At
bers "her place was like a bar is now. You could stop there the time of her death she was reported as operating "a
for a drink," the old timer says. "She sold it by the drink large scale stock ranch near the old Stoddard buildings".
or you could buy a pi[...]s a short, heavy-set per-
son who seemed jolly and good natured. She took great
pride in keeping[...]His name was Jack King. He was
reportedly not the kind ofman anyone questioned about'
his relati[...], or about much else. He car-
ried a gun up to the time he died in the '40's.
Bertie kept her still somewhere near King's cabin on
Edwards Creek. The creek which still flows year around
apparently supplied the water required for moonshine.
Burr Hill was the prohibition officer and Internal
Revenue agent in those days.
The[...]on, who Hill often tried to capture. Hill
knew the man had a still but could never frnd it. Finally
he rode up one day and said, "Jack, let me have your[...]horse."
Badger did not know why Hill wanted the horse and let ian who settled on Brickyard Creek near Black Butte in
him have the animal. the early 1900's, made "the best moonshine auailable"
The horse had carried its owner to the stiil so many during prohibition. Her cabi[...]tically went right to it. Hill arrested tude on the land she homesteaded which is now & Dart
the still operator. of the Gilbert Schultz ranch.

STsVp AND JOSEPHINE JUNGER CAMPAIN
T 17N R22E Sec. 5,6, 7, 8, 9

Steve and Josephine Campain met and married after Dad's place to get the mail. My folks had the post otlice
they had homesteaded near each other in the Black for 8 years before the town of Roy got started.
Butte area, south of Roy[...]n recalls, "They came separ- home to the homestead again.
ately to the area, about 1910 (1914). Each took up a "They had a iittle band of sheep and a few cattle-for
homestead. The homesteads were joined when they milk and meat, at least."
married.[...]ould ride horseback into my Nebraska, the son of Mr. and Mrs. John Campain. He

Homestead Shacks over Buffalo Tracks: History of Northeastern Fergus County [Montana] (78)[...]born on June 16, 1887 in Watertown, South Dakota, the
daughier of Mr. and Mrs. Michael Jungers. She received
her educatio[...]in Lewistown.
In addition to their homesteads the Campain Ranch
eventually consisted of several other homesteads they
bought out. They raised cattle and had a band of sheep.
In 1945 they sold out to Don and Margurite Marso and Steue and
moved to Lewistown. tinks eventually bought the[...]Carnpain.
The Campains had no children of their own, but[...]e a niece, Pearl Selchert. r
Steve and Josephine died about l0 weeks apart in
19?3;she on March iSth and he on Mav 30th.[...]by Floyd Carter
After the Joslin Post Office closed, Frank and Nancy
Carier moved to the Black Butte area.
Loyd attended the Stubbins school. After he was
through school he married Phyllis Pierce, the eldest
daughter of H.O. Pierce" They farmed the McCauley
place until 1937 when they went broke and moved to St.
Ignatius where Loyd "did any kind of a job to make a
living" throughout the forties.
Phyliis passed away in 1947 from cancer. The couple
had lost their oldest son, Glenn, the year before from
biood poisoning. Glenn was born[...]Tip Carter and
Loyd remarried and moved to Kalispell in 1g53[...]1966.
ment. He still resides in Kalispell and is a member of
the Montana Fiddlers Association.
The Frank Carters other children were Sadie Ellen,
Gertie May, Herbert Ray and Tilford "Tip" Spurgeon.
Sadie was married[...]Herb's son, Homer, attended Roy schools and went
away in 1962. Gertie (Syron) passed away i[...]ome a County Extension agent in Montana.
Herb and Tip, along with their wives, ran boarding The Frank Carter's were originaily from Mountain
, houses during the mid 30's in Roy. The Herb Carter's Grove, Missouri where all their children were born.
ran one for the school teachers and the Tip Carter's had They were married on December 30, 1888 and came to
one for the high school students. The men also did all the Joslin area and homesteaded in 1914. Frank passed
kinds of odd[...]away in 1948; Nancy in 1930. Both are buried in the[...]Counrxpv AND STENSON[...]in Waseca County, Fergus County and came to Montana and filed on 320
Minnesota in May of 1874" He worked[...]big ranch called the Red Barn. They had lots of cattle
Ella Florence Stenson was born in Boyd, Minnesota and leased most of my Mom's land. Mom taught school
o[...]ere she had from 3 to 6 students . . . She
School and taught for several years in different areas of[...]out homesteadins available in My Mom and Dad were married in 1919 and decided
Homestead Shacks over Buffalo Tracks: History of Northeastern Fergus County [Montana] (79)[...]te where my Dad got a job as loved farming and if the machinery of 'today' had been
an automobile mecha[...]rive by a wheat field
They decided to return to the Roy area early in 1921, and tell the "bushels to the acre". It sometimes irritated
where they farmed u[...]my Mom, so she'd ask the people in the fall what their
We had a dear friend and neighbor, his name was harvest ran and my Dad's figure was always within a
Antone (Tony)[...]bushel or two!
had given me. He seemed elderly at the time, tho' After we left the Roy area in 1925 my Dad worked for
maybe not. the Don Deyoe Agency, seliing Stars and Durants and
My Dad was from a large Irish family of 10 children whatever Don handled later on.
and he was next to the youngest. The family farm Since my Dad was Irish, he loved to dance and Irish
always went to the eldest boy in the family, so jigs were his specialty.
naturally my Dad left home around age 18 or 20 and I remember my folks talking about the Stabb family
was 'daring' and went West* The rest of his family a great deal. I think they probably visited back and
stayed close to home; all Iived within a 50 mile radius of forth. I remember going back to the area when I was 10
the 'home place'. or 12 and stopping by Stabb's. I remember there was a[...]dear friend and the person who attended her when she
and Dad married. Dad's attendant was a C.D. McCullen.[...]cal Ella Stenson's tar paper shacb. The last stage-..putting
things. His interest in animals was not that great. He on the roofing.[...]by Kathryn Johnson and information by BilI Dauis
O. J. Davis homesteaded 8 miles south of Roy, Mon' several ribs and never fully recovered from the acci-
tana in the early 1900's. He married Alexzina LaRocque[...]at Gilt Edge in 1909' Thev had 11 children. With the hospital February 22, 1932.
exception of Jack who was born in a hospital in Lewis' The children attended the Black Butte school which
town, they were ali born in the log cabin that Whisker was a mile from the home. Owen Jr-, Simon, Rose, Nora
built. One child died at birth and is buried on a hill not and Frances graduated from the eighth grade at the
far from the homestead. Another little boy, a son of Joe Black Butte School. Bill and Kathryn from the eighth
Y. and Tillie Doney, is buried beside him. His name was grade at the Roy school.
Boy Blue.[...]His doctor told him to "go west" Charley and Jim, and they also raised Louise's three
and at 16 years of age he started out. He moved into children, AIex, Alfred and Lorraine LaFountain. Louise
Idaho and then Montana. He spent a few years as a had a homestead 5 miles from the Davis ranch and 5
freighter from Fort Benton to Lewistown and Gilt miles from Roy. They lived there during the summer
Edge. He was a farmer'stockman and raised horses, months and moved to their home in Roy during the
sheep and cattle; also a lot of hay and grain" Mr" Davis sehool months so the children couid attend school'
did his banking and business in Grass Range. On one Owen was[...]or years. He moved to
occasion he was unhitching the wagon and the horses Lewistown and worked for the Milwaukee Railroad'
were spooked by a little dog and ran over him' He broke Louise died of a heart attack in the early sixties. Owen
Homestead Shacks over Buffalo Tracks: History of Northeastern Fergus County [Montana] (80)[...]cinrueasrER^- FERcus CouNry

moved to Great Falls and worked for the railroad for 22 on several ranches in the Wiisall area. He joined the
years, until his death in August of 1967 at the age of56. army in Worid War II and served in Germany. He mar-
Simon didn't stay at the ranch after frnishing school. ried Lois Ford in Seattle and they had one boy, Stanley,
He moved to the Missouri Breaks and worked on differ- who graduated from Roy Hi[...]r a
Sumatra. They had 2 girls, Betty Jane and Nina. He piumber contractor. On the off season when not busy[...]-
worked on a ranch at Wilsall and then moved to the plumbing
west coast. He served in the Navy and the Army and[...]Perry is married to Marge Atwood and after working
spent his remaining years with his wife, Erlene, in for the railroad all these years he retired. He spends hi[...]e was a meat cutter until his time fishing and visiting his sister Kathryn in the
death in 1972.[...]They Tom worked on ranches as a young man and is a
lived on farms near the home place also at Fergus and friend to all. He was a meat cutter by trade and broke a
Grass Range and Roy. Arnold was a horse trader at the lot of horses for his friends. He joined the,army and
time. They had 12 children. The oldest girl, named served in the Korean War. He married Elva Ripley and
Vivian, died at age 2. The others were: Clinton, Kenny, they had 4 children: Tom, Denny and Danny (twins)
Wayne, Melvin, Sharon, Gary, Curtis, Kay, Pam, and Cheryl. Tom is now retired and lives in Helena. For
Deanie and Harold.[...]brother Bill during
Arnold was a truck driver and railroad man so they lambing and calving.
lived in several towns and states throughout their mar- Jack Davis was a truck driver for years and served in
riage. Arnold died in California in 1970. She passed the army in England. He later married Bette June
awaj[...]Enger in Livingston and they had 6 children: Jackie,
Nora worked for s[...]er school, as a Donnie, Bill, Steven, Yvonne and Carla.
young g:irl. Bill says of his sister, "Nora rode a lot of In the past years after several car and truck acci-
bucking horses. Horses of Albert and Tony LaFountains dents he has been crippled and went into the horse
that they couldn't ride she could ride. She never got trading business. He buys and sells horses, tack, feed
-
bucked off, just would sit up there and let them buck. and grain. He now lives in Helena, Montana.
She'd be[...]rds though". Bill Mother Alexzina was born and raised at Flat Willow
said she died of cancer, he blamed it on her riding those near Grass Range and attended school in Gilt Edge.
bucking horses.[...]. She lived to be 7 months demand throughout the community. Besides raising
old and died of pneumonia. her family, with all the hardships and work in those
Nora married Ray Canfield and lived in Dillon and days she never changed. She aiways had a[...]. She always told her family "If you
help friends and family when they needed her. She had can't[...]out someone don't say any-
a great sense of humor and it was a joy to have her thing at all." She worked in Roy for Mrs. Sturdy at the
around. She had many talents. She passed away at age cafe a few years and throughout her life worked in
34 in Lewistown, Mo[...]6, 1956.
Frances graduated from Roy High School and moved
to Butte and worked for several years. She married
Harold Gugler of Big Timber and they moved to Boeing
in Washington state and worked throughout the war
years. She later married Walt Leninger and they oper-
ated an Insurance Business until their deaths: Walt in
1982 and Frances in 1984.
Kathryn moved to Roy with the familywhen she was
9 years old. They then moved to Lewistown and later to
Livingston where she married George Adkins and had
8 children: Vernon, Sonny, Frances, Gloria, Tom,
Jackie, Mike and Ronnie. She lived in Livingston 16
years and moved to Jardine with her husband, Vern
Johnson. They had 5 children: Clarence, Warren, The Owen Davis family about L. to R. are[...]1924 or 25.
Ralph, Lloyd and Charlotte. They operated the John- Frances, Nora, Rose, Simon, Owen Jr., Alexzina and
son Outfitters and Guide Business. Vern passed away Owen "Whisker" Dauis. In front are Kathryn and B|II.
in 1980 and Kathryn still manages the business with
her sons and daughter.
Perry lives in Livingston and as a young man worked

Homestead Shacks over Buffalo Tracks: History of Northeastern Fergus County [Montana] (81)[...]ob for
in 1921. His dad originally had a place in the Little 1472 years before retiring and turning it overto Dan Horadrek
Crooked area; a dug-out house, corrals and he ran Bilis ranch is made up of the Jire Jurica piace, which
horses. He later lived where Doc Smith eventually he bought from the county, and the Cliff Larson place.
located. In the early 1900's he settled in the Black Butte He and his present wife, Sharon, raise sheep and cattle
area, just down from where the Blakemores live, where and do some farming.
his children were born and raised. Sharon[...]s old when his dad died, in 1932. Mosby, and children, Cy, Mickey and George "Buck",
He was a tough young guy; said he[...]pair from Mosby, when they took over the custodians job at
of overshoes, cap or underwear until after he was the school in 1974. Kenneth passed away in 1980.
grow[...]barefooted, at 40 below wiih no ill the army. He married while in the service and after
effects! being discharged he and his wife, Rhonda, and her two
One of the things he did as a young fellow was run a sons, Kevin and Cory, came back to Roy and he became
trap line. Every Saturday a.m, he took off and would go school custodian for a couple of years and they both
up the creek to the Jim Ranch (Melvin Rindal's), cut dro[...]They now live in Henderson, Kentucky.
across over the hills and go down the Chamberlain Mickey is married[...]ere Winnie Rife Christopher. They live and work in Great Falls.
used to live and back into Roy
-all in one day. Some- Buck is stationed with the Navy in Tennessee.
times the snow would be knee deep. Bill laughs about it[...]ay, "Hell of a long ways to go for a skunk or two and he helped to raise and put about 14 others through
a few weasles. I don'[...]d. We didn't live on steaks I know!"
20
He took the hides to town; "had to ride in the back of[...]His
the stage", he laughs. "I skinned the skunks till I found His granddaughter, Tammi Anderson Combs and her
out the guy was grving another guy more money for sons, Ean and Shaun, live in Mt. Vernon, Washington.
unskinned ones. After that I buried and froze the Ean and Shaun love to spend their summers with
skunks in a snowbank." He got g1 to $1.25 for the "Grandpa". Janet lives in Elko, N[...]grandchildren, Charlene and C.W. Kananen both g:ad-
Bill attended the Black Butte school and a half a year uated from RHS and reside and work in the Roy area.
at Liitle Crooked. They needed 5 kids to keep the school Bill has a wonderful sense of humor and a great out-
going there
- at least to get it opened up in the fall, so look on life. He loves to tell stories about people he's
Eli Doney and Bill went down. "They paid for our food
and clothes, so we would attend." The other students[...]- he always remembers the humorous and[...]uman side of those people.
were Marie Webb. Belle and Earl Castille. Mrs. Bertha One he tells about concerns Mr. and Mrs. Joe Wright.
Jenson was the teacher. The Joe Wright family lived where the Gary Blake-
He was attending high school in Roy[...]According to Bill, one time a cow got down in the
wrongfully, of cheating. Bill got mad and quit school; barn and Joe called upon the assistance of his wife to
no amount of pleading f[...]her up. Mrs. Wright was a very short woman.
from the teacher could get him to go back. "Biggest[...]her.
mistake I ever made, hurt me worse'n it did the teacher. They got the cow hoisted up in the rear and it was Mrs.
Ever since I always stress to these kids, GET THA.T Wrights job to "hold up the rear" while they got the
DIPLOMA -no matter what!" front end up. As the front end came up, the back went
Bill joined the CCC (Civilian Conservation Corps) in down, with the result that Mrs. Wright was on the barn
1937. Later he worked for the Montana State Highway , floor with a cow sitting in her lap.
department. He was working for the highway depart" She sat there, uttering phrases, trying to get someone
ment and began the preliminary work on the building to help her. But it was impossible for awhile, they were
of the section house at Mobridge. all laughing too hard. Mrs. Wright was the only one not
Bill was employed by the Fish and Wildlife Service amused by the situation!
for 7 years before he took over the job of "county road
Homestead Shacks over Buffalo Tracks: History of Northeastern Fergus County [Montana] (82)[...]Clarence Dick Fergus participated in the organization of the
Solberg. His father was Ben Solberg. His mother, Grass Range Grazing District and was a director fron:
Regina Egeland, was born at[...]reside in Great Falls.
Thelma, and Eleanor. After Ben Solberg's untimely
death (suic[...]his ranch operation" He was schooled in
Lewistown and left school in 1928, at the age of 16 and
carried on his stepfather's ranch interests. This pros- r

pered, after the depression years. They sold the
cattle in 1936, at a good profit and went into sheep. In
1945, they went back to cattle and sold out in 1949.
Richard Fergus married Marcel[...]auer at
Hobson, Montana, 12 November 1932.
With the proceeds of the cattle ranch, they purchased[...]Dich Fergus ranch home.
and built the Fergus Motel at Great Falls, Montana, a

Fneo AND LEoRA Focls

Fred Fogle and Leora Stratton were married in I[...]903 with their periods in Washington and Oregon and finally settled
daughter, Esther. Esther died in[...]in 1929, where son Ralph passed away in
living in the Moore-Straw area. There were also four 1953, L,eora in 1955 and Fred in 1959.
boys in the family: Wilfred, Roy, Lester and Ralph. Wilfred married Lydia Jurica of Roy and they farmed
In 1915 the family moved to an area east of Valentine in the area until, they too, moved to Bozeman.
where they farmed and raised cattle. Fred also hauled Fred Fogle and George Fogle, father of Harvey, were
freight between Roy and Valentine. brothers.[...]Nnn

Antone Frehner was a native of Switzerland and was Millie (age 6) Vogd, in Zurich, Switzerland. Frehner
known as Tony, a very special friend to the George was around 60 to 62 years old when he died and had
Courtney's little girl. He was unmarried and had no resided in the U.S. for over 40 years.
relatives in the United States. When he died, December Frehner was a skilled meat cutter and he worked at
21,1928, he left his entire estate, which included Roy the Kalal Market in Roy where he resided for many
properties, to his two young nieces, Lyde (age 8) and years, and at various markets in Lewistown.[...]in Green' Canadian line. He worked for the Bloom Cattle Co. at
ville, Texas and died June 14, 1941 in Lewistown, Mon- Crane Lake on the C.P. & R. in Canada for a year. He
tana. He spent his boyhood on ranges near Vernon, said the mosquitos were as big as horseflies.
Texas. In 1892 he and his partner, Earl Butler, hired on In his[...]Amarillo, Texas with a trail herd heading north. The on the Missouri River. One time when woik was scarce
trip ended on the Powder River, south of Miles City, he got a few head of beef and started a butcher shop in
Montana. He worked for the Lazy S A outfit awhile and Zortman, Montana. He also accumulated an interest on
for several other outfits. In '96 he rode for the Circle a small herd of cattle in the Wilder area. When
Diamond outfit trailing cattle from Billings to the "Humpy" King of King Island die[...]

Homestead Shacks over Buffalo Tracks: History of Northeastern Fergus County [Montana] (83)[...]nn

guardian of Louise King and Wallace King and took in a hurry, but Walt followed him out and said, "You try
care of their interest. that again and they'll carry you out feet first!" I guess
He returned to Fergus County in 1903 and worked for the fellow didn't want any more.
the 2 Bar outfit, better known as the Stephens Ranch, Walter was probably the best man at reading brands
until 1912. He took u[...]ontana. For several years he was brand inspector
the Bowser place south of Roy, Montana. In 1915 Walt[...]he ranched brands that he was offered the job as brand inspector at
in the Roy section continuously. the Chicago stockyards.
Walter Haney lived a very interesting life, coming up At one time he had the Barbee place and also Barn-
with the last trail herd from Texas when only twenty graber place east of Roy. In later years the Fadrhonc
years old. He was a good all around cowboy and well family had the Barngraber place.
thought of by his many bosses. The winter of 1919 the Murray Deaton Cattle Co. had
When the cattle drive had to pass through an Indian their cattle pastured on the creek bottom below the
reservation, a bunch of braves would come put to nego- Barngraber place and lost most of their cattle due to
tiate the number of cattle they wanted to aliow passage bad weather and no feed. A good many years later Fred
through their territory. One time the Indians burnt a Haney and Billy Johnson picked up a wagon load of
cowboy to a wagon wheel and the band of cowboys bones from that[...]Bones were selling for $10.00 a ton.
Word got to the Government Indian Agent and he got Walter later moved the family into Roy and started
there in time to prevent a massacre. buying the creek bottom and also the house, three
Walt got into a fist fight with a fellow down on the houses from the school. That street was known as 'silk
river one[...]o won, but from then on stocking row' and had all nice houses on the street. It
they "packed" grns for each other. The nearest they was real close to schoo[...]n't please Fred, as he
came to meeting was out on the range one day and never had an excuse to miss school or even take his
Walter saw the fellow in the general area. He knew he lunch.
packed[...]around to a sheep Walter lived by the code of the west and figured a
wagon and borrowed the herder's rifle. By that time the man was only as good as his word.
man wa[...]hipments of cattle that were
destined for Chicago and he went with them to make
sure they were cared for and sold in the best groups. All
the Roy ranchers looked forward to the Chicago ship-
ments and several ranchers would go with him.
For each c[...]shipped, someone could
have a free pass with them and a return trip on the
Olympian and 10 days to fool around. One time Walt
wenf to a movie, probably a Burlesque, which was pop-
ular with the cowboys, and some fellow sat down beside
him. In the dark, Walt felt a hand working its way up
his leg until it reached the cold steel of the .45. He got up[...]by Fred Haney

Fred Newton Haney, the son of Walter M. Haney and "As a kid spending all my c[...]a year later be a pastime to talk and play in front of the post office
but died when only 6 weeks old.[...]while Mr. Marsh was trying to put up the mail. He would
Fred grew up on the ranch south of Roy and attended come out and grab a couple of us and take us to the con'[...]Murphy, for our regular'talking to'.
grade school and four years ofhigh school in Roy.[...]horses would go out north of
Close neighbors of the Haney's were Fred's grand-
Roy and round up a bunch of Bert Sargents cattle and
father, F. "Spokane" Anderson and his son's, Ted and bring them in to the stock yards and ride the calves. He
Con; also his aunt and uncle, Julia and Charles Oquist. would sure get al[...]One time, another boy and I found the whiskey cache of
Fred relates a few tales of his childhood in Rov. the town bootlegger and took it all, a ten gallon wooden
"These are a few[...]barrel, a two gallon keg and one gallon crock jug. The

Homestead Shacks over Buffalo Tracks: History of Northeastern Fergus County [Montana] (84)[...]tv

drinking folks got wind as to who had it and we finally Fred had promised another first chance if he sold. Well,
gave back the eight gallons of it for 52.00. We had the the two prospective buyers got together and one
town of Roy real dry for awhile. dropped out and left it to the other. This one dropped
I guess the worst thing I was involved in, and it was an his offer trvo thousand dollars. Fred, fresh out of com-
accident, was the time three of us kids were playing with bat and slightly confused, didn't have brains enough to
matches and set the Green Livery Barn on fire and it
burned to the ground. It was full of baled hay, brought in[...]tell him to "stick it". Before the final sale, several[...]people were involved. The Haney Dynasty came to an
by the railroad. The little two wheeled fire engine was no
match[...]t is
Every barber Roy had was a bootlegger and us kids ironical, but everyone[...]getting this deal made, have long passed over the
dance and sell them to them. When i learned barbering, I "Great Divide". The oniy two left is the buyer and the
didn't know I'd have to cut hair." seller and who knows which one will be next.
In 1935 F red[...]red for a short time in Lewistown before entering
the service. He then spent 3% years in the European
Theater of War during WWII.
He married[...]A bunch of young cowpokes, L. to R. are
and wanted to buy his ranch. One made an offer but Fred Haney, BiIl Anderson and Charlie Willis.[...]Floyd and Mae Kennett lived on the Beatty place and[...]also on a place southeast of Roy where the children
attended the Bear Creek School. The children were:[...]Emery, Bessie, Harold, Dorothy and Hazel. Bessie mar'[...]ried a William Canet and they lived in Cayucos, Califor-[...]nia. The Kennetts left around 1923.

The Town Pump in Roy prouided mony gallons of water[...]for children and mothers to pach each day. The lady in
the picture, taken about 1962 is Bessie Kennett, a Ro[...]old timer. The pump was located in the middle of the
street where the Legion Bar and the post office ore now'[...]bv Helen Larsen Martin

Christian "Chris" P. and Sena (Olsen) Larsen came Chris and his eldest son, Cliff, came ahead with cat'
to Montana in the year of 1912 from North Dakota. tle, horses and the family belongings on the train. Mrs.
They were onginally from Denmark. They homesteaded Larsen and the other children: Bill, Myrtle, Laura, Ber'
5 miles[...]e was not a town of Roy nice and Chet soon follorved. Thel'rode in the caboose
when they came. of the train as far as Hilger where they were met by

Homestead Shacks over Buffalo Tracks: History of Northeastern Fergus County [Montana] (85)[...]until their homestead house was farmer of the Roy area, a veteran of WWII and was
buiit.[...]passed away in 1954
Mrs. Larsen's parents, Mr. and Mrs. S. H. Olsen and at the age of 55.
her other brothers, W. A. Olsen and Ed Olsen, all Myrtle married Harvey Fogle.
homesteaded in the area earlier. Laura married Eimer Bare. They lived in Roy until
The youngsters attended the Iowa Bench, Sunnyside the 30's when they went to Ft. Peck to work on the dam.
and Roy schools. Two of their five children, Mary Jane and Violet, were
After the Larsen's moved to their homestead their born in Roy. Other children were Dale, Archie and
last two children were born. As the nearest doctor was Edward.
in Lewistown, Sena's mother, Mrs. S. H. Olsen, acted as
midwife and helped bring Helen into the family in 1914
and Amy in 1918.
"We got mail at the Burt Sargent place.
My father and the neighbors had to go to Hilger for
supplies and sometimes in winter would get caught in
blizzards and would drive in circles 'till they would get
their bearings and could see lights. My father had a big
brown fur coat that was real long and would hold out
the cold.
Sometimes there would be Christmas programs at
schools or dances in the winter time. They would fili the
bobsled with straw and lots of blankets and we would
all cuddle down and be warm. It was real exciting.
I started school in the Sunnyside school about a
fourth of a mile east on the old Stillwagon place in the
house Bill Davis now lives in. My first teaeher was
Charlie Morgan and other teachers were Irene Scott Standing from left to right in front of the lowa Bench
and Winnie McNeii (now Rife). Later my folks moved to[...]school. Larsen, Helen and Chet.
Close neighbors when I was a child were the Kaisers,
Mr. and Mrs. George Jurica, Frank Wallas, Horaceks, Bernice married Cecil Warner. Their son, Don, at-
and Mr. and Mrs. Fred Wonderlick. tended school in Roy and left when he joined the service
The Fred Fogles moved onto the Frank Wallas place in WWII. Bernice later married Remi "Ray" Blais and
and had four boys. All the children attended the Sunny- they adopted a daughter, Bonnie. Th[...]Ft. Peck. They now live in Lewistown.
Cliff was the frrst to marry. He wed Ann Jurica, Chester "Chet" was well known in the Roy area for
daughter of the George Jurica's in 1917. He was later his music. He along with the Zahn brothers and Harvey
married to Edith Beam in 1945. Cliff and Ann had a Fogle were known as the "Midnight Rounders", a popu-
daughter, Jean Lois, who now lives in Georgia and a lar dance band in the early days.
son, Theodore died as an infant and is buried on the Chet married Margaret Cooper of Valen[...]vis). Ieft in the 30's and lived in Rainier, Washington for
Cliff bought the Frank Wallas place about 1924, in many years. Both are deceased,
the 30's he moved to Bozeman. Helen married George Martin and Amy married
Cliff was born October 22, 1896 in Albert Lea, Minne- Harold Marbin the sons of Mr. and Mrs. George Marbin Sr.
sota and passed away in December of 197 4 at the age of Sena passed away in December of 1953 and Chris in
78.[...]Eznen "JoE" AND MARY LeFouNretx[...]Brit.)*
Big Sandy, Montana, on November 9, 1871, the son of Mary Rose Turcotte was born November 21, 1869 at
Anthony LaFountain and Madely Ross. He spent his Dunseith, North Dakota, the daughter of Modess
early years in North Dakota and in Canada. Naturaliza- Turcotte and Mary Rose Peltier.
tion papers for "Ezre L[...]
Homestead Shacks over Buffalo Tracks: History of Northeastern Fergus County [Montana] (86)[...]trrHr Op NonrHEnsrEnH Ft:Rt;t's Ct,l u'rv

Joe and Mary were married in 1869 at the Turtle Ezear "Joe" passed au.ay[...]in Belcourt, North Dakota. They had and Mary Rose passed away on May 29, 1963. Of their
1[...]never went to a children, Francis and Dorothy of Lewistown and Tiny
hospital. of Winifred still survive.
The children are: Collins, the eldest, died April 16, 1936.
Isadore, born in N[...]LaFoUNTATN oR LA FouuNr
Plummer, and died August 26, 1928 at 28.[...]lization records are dated 25 March
ciaimed to be the first white child born at Wilder. 1[...]er 14, John died I\larch 1i, 1948 at the age of 72,
1985. He married Martha Bakshos of Win[...]3-!iiE
1915 and died in Billings August 76, 1947, in a rodeo[...]ene "Max" LaFountain, who was born on May
22,7911 and died at the age of 2 years and 5 months at
Black Butte. The story is that this child was bitten by a
rattlesnake and is buried close to Black Butte.[...]Mary holding twins Joseph and Francis.[...]Demo. Records indicate that they came to the Roy area[...]The Demos lost a son, George, on June 26, 1923 after
John LaFountain and Julia Oquist. John always he was kicked by a horse. The child was born in Roy on
claimed to be the first white child born at Wilder. Dece[...]by Con Anderson
This is the story of J,re LaFountain who came to the three tr:ns of hay, paying for it n'i[...]ullc E<r the banks in Lewistown. Joe came to our cabin and said
He ll'as a Meteetse. That is, his grandfather was one the check *'as no good.
of the French Canadians w'ho .,vere the eariiest hunters "That's queer," said Dad. "I deposited $20tt0 in the
and trappers in the upper Missouri River country.[...]

Homestead Shacks over Buffalo Tracks: History of Northeastern Fergus County [Montana] (87)[...]6,t

taken his money out of the bank, but the bank replaced where he could easily get his nose up for air.
the money for Dad. The LaFountain's and us became The Indians reached the top of this ridge and could
good friends. not see him, but they could see the country for miles
Joe LaFountain died in January, 1949. He was strong around and knew he had to be in this pond of muddy
and healthy unfil just before his death.[...]ur they believed he died from
He was married at the time and had several children. drowning and left.
Oscar Stephens, asked Joe to take up land on Cham- Joe said he helped move the log cabins built at Car-
berlain Creek near the Red Barn Ranch. which was roll on the Missouri River in the year 1873 which was
headquarters for the Stephens' cattle industry. where the trail hit the river. The trail was built in 1869
Joe, being half Indian,[...]acres of Indian to Helena to supply the old camp. The river with the
claims and his children could also have claims on land. meandering current was cutting the bank away from
Spud Stephens hired Joe to work for him. Joe also had a the site where those cabins were built so they were
few cattle and horses of his own. moved up river a few miles to another and better site
In 1935 or before, when the depression was hurting us that was called Rocky Point.
all financially, Joe lost all'his property and moved into Joe told me that many trophy hunters came up to
the town of Roy. He had no money or horses and wag. Rocky Point and he would take them camping and
ons and asked another old-time resident for a team and hunting. He had what was called a Red River cart. The
wagon to haul wood on shares[...]lf carts were made completely from wood and no iron was
and one load for his friend. on them. The tires were rawhide.
The next year he asked me for a team and wagon to The hunters would shoot and kill all the game they
haul wood on shares. "No, Joe," I said, "not on shares. I saw and keep only the largest heads and horns, throw-
have plenty of wagons and horses but no money and ing the rest of the bodies away. The buffalo were killed
must haul wood. I can't buy coal for heat and cooking. by hunters who were paid by the government so as to
You come and get two or four horses and a wagon and I control the Indians and they received $1 a hide for
will take four horses and a wagon and we can go skinning them.
together and haul wood. What you haul is then yours."[...]lo skins piled up waiting
We made four trips to the rough lands of Armells for boats to take them east - skins piled as high as
Creek and north where years before a frre had killed could be reached and a quarter of a mile long.
most of the timber which had dried and become good Joe said, "People[...]in the depression of the 1930's) but they are nothing. I
Those trips took two and three days to complete and had to sell wheat at 19 cents a bushel and good yearling
we made camp at night. Sitting by the campfire Joe cattle at $20 a hea[...]I asked if he had seen worse times and Joe said, "Yes,
now. when the buffalo were killed off and the deer, elk and
He told me how his father saved his life from the antelope were very few. I did a lot of trapping," he said,
Indians. The Indians detested halfblood people as much "and at times I had to eat skunk and coyote meat. Yes,
as the white race.[...]or their furs when then," Joe said, "and many times the groceries brought
a band of Indians saw him and came for him. He ran up to Rocky Po[...]d
to a ridge where he knew a pond of water was on the to someone."
other side. He jumped into the pond and lay down

The following story was written by James Sacks and
appeared in the December 20, 1981 issue of the Lewis-
town News-Argus.
ALBERT LAFOUNTAIN REMEMBERS THE OLD DAYS OF RODEOING IN MONTANA AND THE WEST
FROM S[...]most of his time these days working sixties. And LaFountain wasn't just a pro[...]- he was a success
on sculptures and drawings, His favorite subject, he says, is at it. He was recently named to the Rodeo Hall of Fame being
wildlife.[...]built in Calgary, Alberta, north of the Canadian border.
Working with Clarence Cuts-the.Rope in Hays, some of the He doesn't think much of being named to the hall, and calls
time, and with his nephew, John Garlick, he passes his time[...]there, he said, "After you follow the rodeos for as long as I did
Starting in the late 1920's Albert LaFountain worked the you just get to be known-people kind of remember[...]ider for His father ran a livery stable in Roy and worked for the
almost 20 years. He rode his last rodeo in Great[...]stage lines in those days. He had a homestead on the side,
and didn't retire from working as a pickup man until the early originally settled in 1883. Back then Roy was "at least half the

Homestead Shacks over Buffalo Tracks: History of Northeastern Fergus County [Montana] (88)[...]ncus CouNrv

size of Lewistown," LaFountain said, and the town shrank as "Even back then, with gas under 20 cents a gallon, it was
"the years got dryer and the money got harder." pretty expensive to travel. We did okay if we were in the money
As a child, l,aFountain worked with horses and spent much three out of four times, but it was hard to keep the wolf away
of his time in the breaks of the Missouri River. on what is now from the door.
the C.M. Russell National Wildlife Refuge.[...]as why I started riding full-time, it seemed like the
"My brothers and I spent a lot of our time four or five miles only way to make money."
from where the Fred Robinson bridge is today," he said. "That After a few years of riding the circuit; small, local rodeos
was before they made it into a big lake and it was better coun- and larger ones such as the Denver Stock Show, the Calgary
try then." Stampede and the Great Falls Fair, LaFountain married Mar-
"We used to trap horses and sell them to the rodeo stock tha Baksah in Winifred in 193[...]k then, would come She went with him on the rodeo circuit "quite a little," while
out and look at the stock and buy the good horses." they maintained a h[...]ss Range. Eventually
"I guess catching them in the breaks was how I started they had 12 children, including present Lewistown residents
riding the tough ones," he continued. "We'd catch them mostly Donna Walraven, Ronald LaFountain and former mayor,
in the winter, sometimes by setting up a corral as a tra[...]other event LaFountain rode in more than once was the
then, and we'd keep the good ones we caught and ride them. iarge annual rodeo in Madison Square Garden in New York
Most of them weren't worth much and we'd get maybe gb to City. "I never di[...]said. "A horse fell on me one time and I was buri for six or
LaFountain frnished grad[...]seven months. I didn't like New York or the other cities in the
He went to high school for a year and a half, then quit to work East or the South, 6ut the ones in the West were alright, like
full time. Seattle and Portland. And I learned what I do now," he said,
"We didn't h[...], they
spent more time doing ranch work, trapping and breaking just couldn't ride anymore.[...]than
horses. From 1923 to 1928, he stayed around the breaks riding some guys. I didn't drink and spend ali my time laid up. Some
"smaller rodeos t[...]s in Shelby in 1923," he recalled. "I didn't me and got killed in 1948 when a horse fell on him in Bi[...]LaFountain eventually won saddlebronc at the Great Falls
experience. four years running in the 1930's. He estimated that in his best
"I kept working and mostly rode around here until 1928. If year he made about $35,000.
you won, the purses were only around $35, sometimes 915 or Asked whether the circuit was rough in those days, he rep.
$20. The[...]oy Hanson out at lied, "Not realiy, most of the cowboys were willing to get along
Crooked Creek. He figured I was good enough to ride any and you didn't really see as many fights as people think. But if
horse and took me up to Calgary to prove it that summer.[...]"That was my first big rodeo, about 150 cowboys, and my "Like me, I've probably had as man[...]orse." ever, except the jealous ones, but I'm rough on my enemies. It's
When the five day event was over, LaFountain had taken[...]g to his artifrcial leg. "I got this
second place and brought home $1200. The frrst-place winner from a police shotgun[...]ot me. I'm probably as much to blame as they are, and I
when a top rider can make more than $100,000 a[...]it at all, but I'm not scared of
From then on the rodeo circuit was Albert LaFountain's life. a[...]didn't bother
"After that summer I turned pro and stayed on the circuit all good cowboys."
the time," he said. "I bought a Model A Ford with a g[...]rodeoing in 1962, he kept traveling
Bill McGuire and we took to the road, riding as many rodeos quite a bit until the early seventies. His house near Grass
as we could get to. He got to be the world's top bulldogger in Range, with all his trophies and rodeo memorabilia, burned
the 1930's. We went all over; Oregon, Washington, Idaho, oown ln rv/r-
North Dakota and all across Montana, but mostly Canada.[...]had some
There were more rodeos in Canada than in the states, and good rodeos, But there were a lot of c[...]than I was. You never got to be 'the best.'
"We tried to ride a rodeo a day, someti[...]Alrx LnFouNterN
Montana lost a great and talented artist . . . and this Alex had gained much recognition[...]ed our pride; was how western artist and his work was exhibited throughout
an editorial expressed the loss ofAlex LaFountain after several[...]where several of his sculptures were displayed in the
99 1Q71[...]

Homestead Shacks over Buffalo Tracks: History of Northeastern Fergus County [Montana] (89)[...]Alex was born Juiy 2I, L923 ar Roy. He was the son of
large wall placques by LaFountain, depicting the meet- Isadore LaFountain. He attended school in Roy and
ing of Lervis and Clark and the Indians are on perman- moved to Lewistown in 1946. For several years he was a
ent display in the Lewistown First National Bank. lineman for the REA.
Art critics compared his work to that of Charles He served with the Army's 49th Rangers in World
Russell because of it's authenticity and style. War II and received the Silver Star and Purple Heart.
LaFountain never had any formal art[...]'teacher'. Robert, Wade and Duane; daughters Pennelope and
He died trying to rescue a swimmer in trouble. His Candace; a sister, Lorraine (Mrs. Don Sandaine) and
greatest ambition, he expressed many times, was t[...]veral half brothers: Monroe, Jim, Oliver, Charles and
his talent to bring recognition to his heritage,[...]18, 1960 at the age of 35.[...]near Black Butte, south of up on one of the trips home and it was impossible to see
Roy in f 917. N{y father[...]eve" McCandless, where we were going. Dad let the horses take us home,
was born March 5, 1887 in Gretna; Nebraska. He and when they pulled up and stopped, we found our-
married my mother, Nellie[...]My brother, Howard, was those I recall were the Steve Bullock's, Nels Jorgensen,
born there. They[...]a, Nebraska for about Steve Campain family, the Walter Brasier's, Paul
4 years, but Dad had a yearning to go west, so they Townsend, and our very good friends, Guy and Edna
went to North Dakota, renting a farm at Kempton, Townsend and girls. The Steve Bullock's had a phono-
North Dakota. Alice was born there and they stayed at graph that everyone enjoyed. The records were round
Kempton for 2 years. and it was cranked by hand. Other memories come to[...]ontana, Dad arrived at Roy mind, such as the prairie dog towns, and rattlesnakes
and filed a homestead claim located 10 miles south of and Howard worrying the folks by walking and running
Roy at Black Butte, about half-way between Roy and barefoot when there were so many snakes.[...]ward, was almost five wagon for Howard, and since we had such strong
years old at the time and I was going on three years. winds, he made a sail to fasten on it and the wind gave
The trip wasn't as hard as earlier trips west for mot[...]a ride. We also entertained ourselves by getting
and us kids, as we could ride on the train, which went into mischief once in awhi[...]d
into Roy by then. Dad met us in Roy with a team and be fun to jump off the chicken house using Mother's
wagon for the 10 mile ride to our new home, which umb[...]o try it
turned out to be somewhat of a shock, as the only first to see if it would work. I floated to the ground,
building there was a small one-room shack. Dad gently, so he jumped and his extra weight turned the
assured my mother that as soon as he got a barn built umbrella inside out and he had a bad fall. Several years
for shelter and care of the animals. he wouid build a earlier, the Indians had camp grounds here. Many
new house. The buildings were built where a creek was happ[...]nt by us picking up arrow heads.
close for water. The water for house use, came from the Remembering my Dad brings to mind his playing the
big spring near by.[...]was then usually called a fiddle. He
With the much appreciated help of neighbors, the always played and sang to us every night before bed-
buildings were[...]e much of our furni- time. He played by ear, and could remember all the old
ture as time went on. My sister, Marjorie was[...]at home by Grandmother We went through the bad flu epidemic of 1918 when
McCandiess, rvho made the trip from Nebraska to be Dad caught the flu. Mother managed to nurse him
with mother at this time. There was a doctor in Roy, but through it and take care of everything with Howard,
the horseback ride to get him took too long so Grand- six years old, to help her. The drouth of 1919 wiped out
mother delivered her. all crops and in order to survive, most of the men had to
I remember the trips to town for suppiies and the find jobs. Many found work in the gold mines and for
candy treats that were aiways given to the children large established cattle ranches.
when supplies were purchased. Howard, Marjorie and I Mother taught my brother the first 3 years at home,
would snuggle under heavy quilts and deer and bear then when I was old enough for schooi she moved into
lap-robes in the back of the wagon and sleep on the way Roy for the school term, as daily trips by horse and
home. I remember a really bad snow storm t[...]
Homestead Shacks over Buffalo Tracks: History of Northeastern Fergus County [Montana] (90)[...]Or NonrHeasrrnN FeRcus Couxry

pump in Roy, but the water was so bad we carried water ':.
in a bucket from a place at the edge of town. When t'-l
Marjorie and I would get almost home, a much larger
girl had l[...]t =F*
It became apparent that the homestead land could :
never pro[...]passed
away January 12, 1973. Both are buried in the Lewis-
town City Cemetery.
The history of our family is as follows:
Howard Perry: born July 31, 1911 and died January
16, 1976, married Agnes McPhee and their children are:
Donald and Kathleen. r
Alice Jane: born September 28, 1914, married to Keith
Royston and their children are: Penny and Marjorie.
Marjorie Melvina: born September 12, 1917, married
to William Taylor and their children are: William Jr., Grouer "Cleue" and NeIIie with the children: Alice,
and James. Morjorie and Howard. 1924.[...], Armells, where he met Dema Marshali, who was the
Montgomery Co., Pennsylvania. At the age of 14 years cook at that time, and married her on the 7th of April
he left Pennsylvania and worked his way through the 1914. She died May 5th, 1925. Clyde never remarried.
southern states to Utah and came to Montana in the He homesteaded 5 miles south of Roy ne[...]ng up" on his homestead he worked
He worked for the Morman's in Utah and liked it for Murray Deaton and for Spud Stephens for several
until they decided[...]was time to In later years he moved to Roy and worked for John
move on!! Mayberry at the Roy Bar till the time of his death in
He drove the frrst stagecoach from Stanford to Lewis- July of 1953.
town and the Lewistown to Roy stage. At that time the He is surgived by his only daughter Elsie Coulter and
post office was where Bert Sargeant lived. Jim Mu[...]He was married hours hoping to be rescued and finally he chewed his
twice. His first wife was a[...]63. She had
Jake was minus a thumb on one hand. The story is been a resident of Roy for 30 y[...]hat while working in a granery one day he slipped and a daughter-in-law, Mrs. Prouty, as a survivor.
fell and got hung up by his thumb. He hung several[...]Mvens Feurlv
Jacob Marion and Mary Jane Myers came to Montana The Myers had several sons who also homesteaded.
in 1914 with their daughter, Mary Ellen and her They were: Harry, Jesse, Charlie, John, and Jim.
husband, Claude Satterfield. The Myers homesteaded Another son, Earl, was too young to homestead.
3Yz miles south of B]ack Butte on the south side of Bear John Myers married[...]

Homestead Shacks over Buffalo Tracks: History of Northeastern Fergus County [Montana] (91)[...]dc

and Earlene who live in Tonkawa, Oklahoma, and Leo He was born in Harrisonville, Missouri. Among those
and Clarence who reside in Lewistown.[...]married Agnes Johnson. Charlie was a and Earl of Pleasant Hill, Missouri;three sisters: Mary
veteran of WWI. He was owner of the Willow Inn and Satterfield of Roy, Betty Hawn, Beulah Shortridge and
later the Mid-Way Bar in Lewistown.[...]lahoma.
Charlie passed away January 7 , 1947 at the age of 57.[...]of it had fallen off. They had been papered over
and live on Bainbridge Is., WA. I am writing this with old newspapers. Jim and I were intrigued with the
account of-my early years in Montana with the collabora- pictures of old cars, people, fashions, animals, and
tion of my Mother, Winnie (McNeil) Rife and one of my buildings. We learned to spell m[...]n my folks moved to Blakeslee there were im-
Earl and Winnie Rife and later my brother, Jim (Orin mense straw s[...]crops. These
miles south of Roy which was called the Hamilton straw stacks greatly helped get the stock through the
Place.[...]pression that started that year. There was
Jim and I were born in Lewistown. Momma says one to come: drouth, army worms, poor crops and even a
of us was paid for with the returns from a load of hogs cyclone. Our brother John was born November 25,
and the other from the sale ofveal calves. 1929. I remember the cyclone.
When my own fi.rst memories start we were living at Our Dad was out riding and saw it coming, turned
Blakeslee, twenty some miles east of Roy. We moved homeward and rode as fast as the horse would go. He
there in 1929. had lived in Oklahoma and knew a cyclone was com-
The farm had been built by William Wilke about ing. He yelled "Get the children, the lantern and
1910. It was set in mainly flat land, surrounded by rol- blankets and get into the root cellar." Momma grabbed
ling hills. I remember the alkali patches which were the baby, and ordered Jim and I into the cellar. Daddy
powdery white and hard, gleaming in the bright sun- joined us.
shine. Nothing grew on these spots. I remember our Jim and I, each on one side of our Dad, tried to peer
Mot[...]es athletics, one time standing on her out the crack in the door to see what was happening. He
head on one ofthese alkali patches, just to show us that watched the destruction. A quarter ofthe barn roof, the
she could do it. roof off the porch of the house, the corn crib and pig
There was a ridge of rimrocks jutting out of the ter- shed all went. I remember Dad saying, "There goes the
rain, dividing the ranch. At the end of the rimrocks was porch roof." He later repaired the barn rood but the rest
a fresh water spring from which my Dad piped water to was never repaired.
a tank for the livestock. Our drinking water was pulled O[...]well on slightly higher ground. When Jim and I started school we rode double on our
The well was cased with rocks. Dad's saddle horse. Florie. It was four and a half miles
We loved to play on the rimrocks. It was a wonder- each way. I was[...]lace. After a quick summer rain, Neuman. The other students were Hazel and Roy
small pools of rainwater collected in the dips in the Fleharty, Doug and Dick Delaney, Hugh Straight
rocks. Our favorite wading place. Nature had its and an eighth grader with the last name of
hazards, however; those rimrocks wer[...]In the school yard were the Giant Strides. There was
The farm had a very good barn with hay mow, cow a metal pole with several chains spaced from the top
stanchions, horse mangers and plenty ofroom for hay. piece which revolved as we children settled into the
Another great place to play.[...]straps around
There was also a large building, the upper part of a our thighs. We propelled ou[...]around
granery with bins for grain. It stood off the ground and around the pole untii we were airborn. I have never
several feet. It was on a hillside and underneath was a seen another "Giant Strides" since that one.
chicken house, shop and space for a car. One lazy afternoon, Jim and I were riding Florie
There was also a corn crib, hog shed and the two home from school along the rimrock road. Suddenly
story house. The house was built on a hillside directly Florie snorted, side stepped and broke into a full gallop.
beside a large root cellar, which had cement walls. The To this day I do not know how I kept from getting
ceiling and walls of the house had been plastered but dumped[...]

Homestead Shacks over Buffalo Tracks: History of Northeastern Fergus County [Montana] (92)[...]bought some sheep. The horses could forage for grass
stepping and snorting as she raced homeward for the higher up in the mountains.
snakes were coming from all directions. Momma and three year old Bonnie would go out with
At home we told our parents. Our Aunt Ruth and the sheep each day. Later our Dad and a neighbor
Uncle Bill were there. We all got into the old car. At the leased additional land for grazing their sheep. They
site of the den, Bill drove and our Dad straddled the took turns staying there with the sheep while the other
hood and with a shovel, whacked snakes heads off until[...]up on his farm work.
he haci killed those around the car. Then he covered the July 2, 1937 our little sister, Claudia, was born in
den with dirt and inserted a pipe attached to the Lewistown. We four older children stayed alone on the
exhaust of the car and proceeded to pump the fumes ranch.
into the den, the intent to asphyxiate the snakes. The Bonnie remembers that when our parents brought
next spring our Dad rode by there and there was no Claudia home, she and I put her in our wicker doll
indication that any of the snakes had survived or b,tggy.[...]lee, Momma looked outside just for the sheep. A sudden electric storm came up, catching
as our Dad's team came running for the barn, dragging him between two fences. He was struck by lightning
part of the cultivator. I still have a sense of her terror, and killed. The next day, his Aunt, Uncle, friends and
her fear that he had been dragged and injured or killed. neighbors came up the two mile road to tell us the
Then we saw him, walking rapidly through the freld. dreadful news. We thought it was people coming up the
He had been thrown off the cultivator, startling the road to have a picnic in the mountains. His birthday
team. He was uninjured.[...]Dad Mother called we children into the bedroom where the
had long wanted. It lay about half way between Black baby was sieeping and as gently as she could, told us
Butte and Cone Butte. It was owned by L.M.A. Wass our Daddy had been killed by a bolt of lightning.
and about ten miles south of Roy. Mr. Wass's brother, And so the years have gone by. Momma moved us to
Avery Wass,[...]ter it for him" Roy for the school terms. Some years we took a milk
Our Dad[...]Jones, who was about fifteen cow and sold milk. In the spring we eagerly moved back
years old, to help drive the livestock. The farm machin- to the ranch. Momma put the sheep out on shares. We
ery and household goods were hauled in wagons. had sold most of the horses, but as we got older, there
Momma drove the car with the children and what else were new horses,
she co[...]to teaching in 1943. We had been on
I remember the scene yet. We came to a gate, the last welfare. Mr. Alva Fink asked her if she would take a
one before reaching the buildings. I got out to open the teaching job on the Missouri River. They would lose
gate and our Mother pointed to the farm buildings. The their school district and would have to join another dis-
house was painted white and stood out from the rest. trict where the taxes were higher if they didn't hold
The scene to our right, was a most beautiful field of[...]told Mr. Fink that her teaching certifi-
alfalfa. The plants were about two feet high and in full cate had expired. Mr. Fink went to the Superintendent
bloom. There was this rolling movement of green and and Momma was subsequently issued a permit.
purple as[...]ght breeze. Jim and I batched in Roy. Momma went the twenty
And so we moved into the house with the hardwood five miles to the river to teach, taking Claudia, Bonnie
floors. It was on a rounded knoll along side a gurgling and Johnny with her. Claudia started school that year.
creek, which was edged by trees and a variety of other Momma remembers the children she taught. There
greenery.[...]John Rife, eighth grade; Roy Mathison, seventh;
The following three years were very pleasant and John Rindal, sixth; Bonnie Rife,[...]s for fourth; Marvin (Boots) Mathison and Claudia Rife,
our parents. It was the depression years. beginners. She taught that school from February
We attended the Black Butte School. We walked the through May.
two and a half miles each way. Jackie started his Momma then went to Roy Junction School and taught
school years at that school.[...]nton
We had a few horses, some cattle, chickens and pigs. Rindal, Johnny worked for Charl[...]orked
Dad had a nice garden in a lower spot along the creek. I for Lynn Phillips and Bonnie stayed on the ranch.
remember his giving each of we children a[...]Jeanne Fox stayed with her.
coal oil in it and heading us down the rows of potatoes Bonnie tells this story of that summer: Anton
to pick potato bugs and drop them into our cans. He Rindal's steers had gotten into the grain field. Bonnie
buried the root vegetables in bins of dirt in the cellar. and Jeanne were chasing them out. One of them had
Momma canned the other vegetables. bloated on the grain and fell into the creek and died,
Due to lack of grass and hay for the cattle, my right at the crossing. Bonnie and Jeanne walked to Pat
Homestead Shacks over Buffalo Tracks: History of Northeastern Fergus County [Montana] (93)[...]ere they got a ride with them to Roy. In the spring of 1946 when school was out, we all
That night they stayed rvith me at Lynn Phillips. The went back to Montana and the ranch. That July 2nd,
next morning they walked to the ranch, via the road. our Mother's father, Orin McNeii, passed away in
They stopped at the Demo Dam to swim. Then they Everett.
stopped at Woodard's and Mrs" Woodard gave them a In September she went to teach in the Fergus school.
piece of pie to eat. They went on toward the ranch. They Johnnl' went to High Schooi in Roy and graduated in
were into our field when Momma and Claudia came 1947. We were all growing up and establishing our own
driving along. They got a ride the rest of the way. They lives and families.
had been so thirsty they drank water out of the horse I feel the deepest appreciation of our Mother, after
tracks along the road. Momma threw gasoline on the losing our Father. The courage, stamina, persistance
dead steer and set fire to it. She burned it every day or and her devotion to all ofus, that has never waned. She
two until finally it disappeared. She said the flies has alu'a1's had a very special enthusiasm and interest
burned up also, as there were none at the house that in life. Though there have[...]is always able to focus on the good side of Life loving
In September Momma went to the Cimrhakl School[...]and inspiring all of us and our families. She now has
where she taught for t[...]arded with twenty-seven grandchildren and I do not know the
Potterfs all winter. During that first winter Jim[...]ber of great grandchildren.
driving Momma, Bonnie and Claudia to the school. On May 18, 1988 our de[...]John, was killed in
Dale Sandstrom was sitting in the front seat with an on the job accident. We are stili in shock. He was.
Momma and Jim. Albert LaFountain came over the hill and is, loved deeply by all of us.
and the cars collided. Momma, Claudia and Jim got
bloody noses. Bonnie's knees were bumped.[...]his ear cut. He put a blanket over his shoulders and
walked to Speed Komarek's. Momma wore sun glasses[...]black eyes for some iime. This
event happened in the winter.
In the summer Johnny and Bonnie rode to Pat
O'Reiily's. John worked for Pat in the fieids. I remember
that summer he made up poetry about his work. It was
fun poetry, full of humor and observation of his work.
Bonnie helped Arlene tak[...]isappeared. Later they found it down by
Woodard's and the caif was gone.
In November of 1944, Momma and I went on the train
to Everett. I had graduated that spring. I stayed with
my aunt and her family and soon got a riviting job at Winnie McNeil Rife with the sons and daughters she
Boeing. raised all by herself, after the loss of her husband,
In the fall of 1945, the whole famiiy, except Jim, went when _they[...]laudia McMartin, Bonnie Sandstrom,
Johnny, Bonnie and Claudia were enrolled in ihe Winnie, Lila Williarnson and O.S. (Jim) Rife. Picture
Everett schools and Momma worked'at several iobs. tahe[...]We were so happy to have a Iot of deer and antelope and
was named after Orin McNeil and Stewart Rife, both small game and plenty of good water.
my grandfathers who were both early day home. It rvas so dry and so many grasshoppers that we had
steaders in the Roy area. My parents were Winnie and to sell about everl'thing in 1936. A good cow and calf
Earl Rife.[...]hard to believe now days.
My older sister, Lila, and I started school at Blakes- We rented a house in Roy in 1937 and went to school
lee, it was 472 miles to school. We rode horseback when there, moving to the ranch for the summers. This we
the weather permitted, otherwise we missed sch[...]
Homestead Shacks over Buffalo Tracks: History of Northeastern Fergus County [Montana] (94)[...]always remember. We didn't move until the end of Jan-
In 1946 I joined the Army. I spent most of my time in uary, 1973, the roads were icy and temperature down to
Japan with the 43rd Engineer Construction Battalion[...]in Missouri but decided
again. I batched most of the time because in 1948 Mom to return to our families in Montana. Our ranch renter
took the job as postmaster at Roy. was ready to move, so we returned to the ranch, bought
In the fall of 1948, my brother, John, a friend, Don more construction equipment and it's as though we
Rindal and I made a trip through the Dakotas, and to never left.
Oklahoma to visit my d[...]ildren but Janine are married
Arizona, California and Washington to visit my moth- and we have six grandchildren. All in all, life has been
er's relatives, and then back home. A never to be forgot- very[...]st, was
born September 3, 1961.
In 1956 drought and grasshoppers again forced the
sale of livestock, so I went to work on construct[...]aska (a sure way to get rich). We moved
to Alaska and worked for a year. Beautiful country, but
no gold. We came home broke and I went back to work
on construction for two years. We then managed to
start in the construction business for ourselves.
We bought the home ranch from the family. All went
well, but in 1972 we got the urge to move to a warmer
climate. We looked around and bought a ranch at Elk"
land, Missouri. We rented our Roy ranch and sold most The Jim Rife family from L. to R.: Back row: Jim, Joh.n,
of our construction equipment and made a move we'll Jarnie, Janet. Front: Janine and Judy,

Lu,v ScseEFFER

John R. and Lily Schaeffer came to Montana from[...]r. They then moved to Cut Bank.
Indiana, first to the Moore area, then John home- They c[...]. They had four children: Edgar of
Stanley, Homer and Charlie Winifred, Charley and Wilbur of Cut Bank, and Betty
John and Lily were divorced and Lily and the boys of Helena.
came to the Roy area to homestead, close to the Corth's. Charlie Schaeffer had a homest[...]oy Schaeffer, served in World War I and was killed in a train wreck'
would stay with Lily during the summers when the Robert and Lily rented the Miller place for awhile
boys were off working, or[...]Long before moving to Oregon.
holidays with the Corth's. She and Roy were married Robert and Stanley went to work in oil fields at Win-
when she was 16. They stayed with Frank and Ada nett and Cat Creek and Homer moved to Hilger from
Corth for a while and then moved back to Winifred to Rov.[...]Oscen "SPUD" SrnpunNs

Oscar Stephens was the leading stockgrower in head of cattle and 40,000 head of sheep. He was also the
Fergus County in the early 1900's. He figures promi- large[...]r that year - $6,398.95' Stephens was a
nently in the beginning of the town of Roy and is men- chief owner of the Cumberland mines at Maiden.
tioned in many storie[...]unty,
In 1905, a year before his death, he was the largest Pennsyivania, where he was raised on a farm' He frrst
individual land owner in the county; 25,000 acres, 13,000 came to Montana in the 1870's and worked as a cowboy.

Homestead Shacks over Buffalo Tracks: History of Northeastern Fergus County [Montana] (95)[...]89

He later worked in the mines. nieces and nephews. A brother, Alf, was postmaster in
I[...]r was successful in all his endeavors, from The bulk of his estate was left to his nephew, Frank
1881 on he accumulated and soon became a rich man. He Stephens, but ev[...]who received one
relied entirely upon his memory, the loyalty of em- dollar.
ployees, his checkbook and a vest pocket memorandum John H. Stephens, one of Oscar's nephews, was sheriff
book. He knew, to the penny, to whom and how much he ofFergus Co. from 1917 to 1920. John's son, George, was
owed and how much was owed to him. sheriff from 1959 to 1968 and his daughter, Ruth
He was brusque and somewhat peculiar in conduct. Stephens Carr married Harry Wright. Other descend-
He had a big heart and stuck by his friends and ents of John Stephens who have lived in Roy were
employees through thick and thin. The 'latch string' Ruth's daughter, Betty Carr Warneke and family who
was always out, to anyone who came to his door. ran the Roy grocery store until her marriage to Frank
S[...]rried. When he died on June 18, McArthur and Jim Warneke and family who ran the
1906, in Denver, Colorado, at the age of 57, he was sur. Roy Grocery in the early 1980's.
vived by several brothers and two sisters and many[...]o Montana from Missouri, Company in the thirty's. The folks raised purebred
to Missoula. He was born Ma[...]Herefords.
He met Mary Jane Harris, a born and raised Montanan The center of entertainment during that time was
at B[...]born in Missoula on Stubbins Hall. In the summer they enjoyed baseball
October 15, 1888. Th[...]games, picnics, dances, box socials, visiting and
they took up a homestead, southeast of Roy, on wh[...]traveling preacher. They always found
now part of the Delany ranch. time to go.
In order to have money to stay on the homestead they We went to the Black Butte School. Teachers I
took tu[...]ever he could work for a month, then of the first school buses. She picked up kids on the way
Mom would go. She talked about working in the Bright in her car. Mrs. Bill Hinkley, Miss Blair fiater married a
Hotel and for the Waite family at Utica. Burnett[...]One thing I remember is, in August when the sage-
During the winter of 1918-19, after a dry summer, hens would move onto the meadows at the Red Barn,
they trailed their cattle into Roy. A t[...]it would be black out there.
was shipped in from the Dakotas. It turned out to be They came by the hundreds.
swamp grass and the cows died anyway. Walt Haney Mom died on March 16, 1949 and Dad bought a ranch
leased them some grass so they[...]f at Grass Range. (Blaine later moved onto the place.) He
the cattle.[...]of Lewistown.
Their homestead shack burned to the ground and I He sold this and bought a place on Warm Spring Creek
was in the house alone. Blaine ran to get Mother, who by Danvers. That was sold when he quit working at the
was milking the cows. She saved me, a basket and an age of 79 and moved into Lewistown.
old Indian beaded glove. Jack and Mary were members of the American Here-
Neighbors and friends donated furniture and money ford Association. Jack worked with L[...]ousekeeping. They were generous bring relief and W.P.A. in the Roy area when things
because no one had much to spare. The folks were were so depressed. He promoted the sale of U.S. Sav-
always grateful.[...]s during World War II. He also became a
Dad won the lease to the Red Barn Ranch in a poker member of the Lewistown Chamber of Commerce when
game with Spud Stephens. They then moved from the it was getting started.
homestead in 1925 to the Red Barn. The Red Barn was Jack passed away on October 17, 1968.
then bought from the Chan Cook and Reynolds

Homestead Shacks over Buffalo Tracks: History of Northeastern Fergus County [Montana] (96)[...]Tue CHIIonEN OF JAcx AND MARY Wooo.IRo

Blaine was born December 1, 191[...]. She became a beauty operator in Lewis-
moved to the Grass Range ranch after he came back town. She married Peter Wallinder and they moved to
from the Army. He served with Patton in Germany dur- Billings. They had two girls, Carol and Kim. After Pete
ing WWII. He married and raised four girls: Joannie, passed away, Judith took over their business, the
Debra, Christie, Nancy and two boys, John and Robert. Farmer's Insurance Group, and continues to operate it.
He is now retired and makes his home at Roundup, A.J.[...]married Lois Jackson in June of 1950 and they lived at
Theresa Woodard Burch was born July 5, 1922 at the Red Barn Ranch with their family' They had five
B[...]1952, Greg in 1954, Steve in
Nursing. She joined the Army and served in England 1955, Carla in 1958 and Paula in 1963.
and Germany in an evacuation hospital. She married Jack and Lois separated in 1965. The Red Barn
Ed Burch; they raised three girls: Donna, Terry and Ranch was sold and Jack left the area. He now resides
Jodie. Theresa continued to work until she and Ed in Orville, Washington where he works as a carpenter.
retired and now spend their time between Cottage
Grove, Minnesota and Mesa, Arizona.
Virginia Woodard Meckling Norskog was born on
May 17, 1924 at Blakeslee. She and her husband, Bud
Norskog, moved to Stanford from the Winifred-Roy area
in 1980 to another ranch. Ranching has always been a
way of iife for me. Roy and the Missouri River are still
my roots. (See Meckling-[...]s born on December 2,

Marie (MarJ) and Jach Woodard Blaine[...]Blaxnslpu ColtltuNlrY
The Blakeslee Communit), had it's beginning in 1910 when Bill Rowland homesteaded on Bear Creek. The area
rlas on the Minnesota Bench. so named bucuu.. of the 14 families from Minnesota that moved to the area' Rowland
had encour:rged the Nlinnesota emigrants to settle there because of the good land available.
Some of the ranches in the area were The Fergus Co" Sheep Ranch, Forbes. Burnett and Leslie.

Homestead Shacks over Buffalo Tracks: History of Northeastern Fergus County [Montana] (97)[...]eville, Wisconsin 12 Montana.
May 1861. The famiiy moved from Wisconsin to Aller- Grace recalled gathering buffalo chips for fuel for the
ton, Iowa and Will grew to manhood there. He married fire on the long treck to Montana. They would stop over
Ada S[...]. They farmed there for a number of to do the washing and bake their bread.
years, then went to Enid, Oklahoma. In 1912, the Mr. DeSilva was a devout Bible st[...]wagon. They They left in 1933 and moved to Whitefish, Montana.
homesteaded south and east of Roy and the Flehartys Will DeSilva died at Enid, Ok[...]41"
were their neighbors" They had two sons: Burl and Joe; Ada DeSilva died the last of 1959.
four daughters, Olive and LaVera of Enid, Oklahoma; The Joe DeSiivas left Whitefish and moved to
Grace Knight Jones and Ella Nickeson of Cut Bank, Dundee, Or[...]T 18N R 28E Sec. 1, 12

Grace homesteaded the above location. She was worked fo[...]. were three Jones boys: Robert, Oliver and Buddie D.;
Mr. Knighi died in a fire when their home burned" and three girls: LaVera Jones Hoffman, Jane Jones
Gr[...]lerton, Iowa. Wildman and Joy Woodard of Billings.
Grace married Earl H. J[...]s live in 1983.
Roy, 30 March 1921. They lived in the Roy, Fergus and She was visiting in Billings when she di[...]to Billings. Earl was employed by an Oil Company and Mountain View Cemetery at Billings.

ELMsn AND GRAcIA GRINDE[...]Minnesota along with their four children. The children
to the Moore area in 1910 on the recommendation of his are: Ruth Grinde Vie[...]n, Montana; Jean Grinde Halverson, born
W.J. came and was followed in a September snow by on the Mgntana homestead, who died in 1960 in
his four c[...]Theodore Anderson; William, 12, who died in 1913 and fornia; John William Grinde, retired sch[...]William J. Rowland was a loving father and g:and-
Moore.[...]to keep his family together esp+
W.J. operated the Grass Range creamery and Gracia cially with daughter Gracia's he[...]entral Montana locations - He cooked for the Cat Creek oil well crew in the 1920's
Trout Creek, out of Moore; the Minnesota Bench; and was always a favorite visitor at the homes of his
Biakeslee, Grass Range, Christensen and Black Butte. children. He died in 1941 and is buried at the l,ewis-
Both W.J. and Gracia (my mother) filed homestead town Cemetery as are Gracia and Elmer Grinde, Ruth
claims as did my father, Elmer Grinde, who had come and Fritz Meisser, and Ruth Messier's son, Col. William
to Montana from[...]ere married in 1918. Elmer's father, John Grinde, and Gracia Rowland Grinde returned to Montana to teach
brother, Henry, also homesteaded in the Valentine in 1943 in rural schools while Elmer worked for the
(Blakeslee) area, now part ofPetroleum County.[...]rnia, she again returned to Central
Grinde farmed the W.J. Rowland land until 1929, when Montana and taught at King Colony and other rural
he and Gracia sold out and moved to Sauk Centre. schools[...]

Homestead Shacks over Buffalo Tracks: History of Northeastern Fergus County [Montana] (98)[...]n.
was a first cousin to William Jonathan Rowland and Their's was a musical family. They played for area
lived in the Roy area with his wife, Martha. They had dances and occasionally at the W.J. Rowland ranch,
two daughters: Mildred, who m[...]; there adding daughters Gracia at the piano and Ruth
Eva, married Bert Cummings; and a son, Horace Clark, on the ukelele. In later years, Horace directed a dance
who married Ada Thomas. Both Horace and Bill filed band heard on several radio stations in Spokane,
on homesteads. Horace and Ada had one child. Dolores Washington.[...]1915-1918

Byford Postoffice and store was named for Byford Wagstaff and located on the knoll south of where John Turner
last iived which was the T. L. Peterson homestead. It was a two room frame[...]a pitched roof.
John Beck's moved this building and added it to their two room homestead house in 1929. He finished the walls
with plaster-board and put in carbide lights. Warren Willmore, Jean Hutton and Marie Webb boarded with Beck's
and went to Byford school.[...]Bypono Scuoor-

This school was named for the Postoffice. It was in district #207, which was formed in 1926 from Distict #101 to
accommodate the Jakes and Beck children. The school house was set half way between the two families. A one room
teacherage was located at the school. The teachers were: Ada Hurd, Roland Schrier, John Bos[...]Helen Weinert, Goldie Kilpatrick, Ole Williamson and Leilla Tullis. The frrst school board was A.J.
Anderson, Fred Mabee and L.C. Willmore.
Byford closed the spring of 1933 and supplies were moved to the Zuley school house. John Mayberry bought the
schooi house and moved it to Roy where he made his home and was located to the north of Joe Murphy's Garage.
Fred Wonderlick purchased the teacherage and moved it to Roy on the place that Lillie Burnett now owns. He used it
fo[...]ung people of sides. I gave Mr. Shanklin the $350.00 to give to the
that time. soldier boy, and I soon had a homestead.
I frrst came to Montana in the spring of 1914 to spend In September of that year the "Fad" gave me a week
my vacation with friends who had come the year before to go out to Roy to look over my land and establish
to teach in the Montana schools and had taken home. residence. A friend, Elmie Kronke, from the law offrce
steads in the Winifred area. Those two weeks in of Belden and Dekalb took a week off to go with me.
Winifred we[...]This turned out to be a fun trip for Elmie and me. We
Montana. I wasn't, at the time, old enough to home- took the train to Roy, Montana. It was the same train I
stead. but I was determined to wait[...]ad taken to Winifred three years before. It seems the
three years before I finally found what I wanted. Those same train went one day to Winifred and the next day
three years were spent as bookkeeper at the Fad Shoe to Roy, changing tracks at Hilger, so each town had
and Clothing Co. During this time I made many friends[...]other day. That time there were no
among them was the Shanklin family who homesteaded "Hot Boxes" though and the trip was uneventful.
east of Roy, Montana near the Missouri River. Mr. At Roy, we went to the grocery store to stock up on
Shanklin told me he[...]for me six miles food for our week's stay and then went to the livery
from them. A young man had entered the services and stable to hire transportation for the next morning. We
wanted to relinquish his rights[...]stead?" Mr. Shanklin asked. too much for the team that night. We could, of course,
There was a small house on the place and 20 acres understand that.

Homestead Shacks over Buffalo Tracks: History of Northeastern Fergus County [Montana] (99)[...]ttorney from Lewistown, whom I some of the bedding. The big fancy box got the dishes
knew very well, and another man who was a collector and some bedding. A telescope bag got the rest of the
from a Lewistown wholesale firm were on their way to bedding and a rug. The mirror went in my trunk.
Little Crooked where a small grocery store was located. Everything got to the depot, pronto, that morning,
This was about six miles from my place. So when we including me and my bags. The train for Roy tooted off
told them where we were going, they told us to go back once more.
to the stable and cancel our team for the next day. They At Roy, I started for the livery stable once more. It
had a Franklin car. T[...]20.00 they said to get that stuff out to
so Elmie and I just had a snack so we could get started.[...]to see Harry
We rode out to Little Crooked Creek and they finished Shanklin and his wife, Vanita, who had opened up a
their business with the Scotsman who ran the store and drug store in Roy. They were happy to see me and when
we started for my homestead. It was supposed to be i told them I was moving out and had hired a dray to
three miles north of Byford. By this time it was dusk take me out in the morning, they said that was foolish'
and houses along the way were lighted, so we had to "Peters,[...]s will take care of
no light, which was it. I had the key, but I think the you. He'll be in here, and I'll send him over to the depot.
door was unlocked. It was my house! There was the You go back there to be with your stuff, and don't
name of the soldier boy. As Elmie and I belonged to a wony." Back to the depot to wait! "I'll take care of that
hiking clu[...]ng dray", Harry shouted.
equipment and sleeping bags with us, so we felt right at The wait at the depot was short. In walked a little
home. The two men didn't want to let us stay there. It[...]this confident little man comes in and I relaxed. "Here's
After the men left us, we found a broom in a corner my stuff', I said. "Do you think you can take it?" "Oh,
and swept the dust offthe pine bunk and spread out our yes, I'Il get it on", he said, and he did.
camping equipment. We then opened our food from the Peters had an ordinary wagon much like wagons we
store and had a snack and went to bed. It was g:eat! had on the farm at home. He already had much on
The next day we cleaned up the house which seemed there but somehow[...]el, fancy
quite roomy. There was a homemade table and chair in big box, trunk, telescope bag, two suitcases, and on top
there. We went to Crooked Creek, which was just a of it all, my cot and my groceries and me in front. We
short walk, and got water to scrub with. We really too[...]fore, it was early in March
scrubbed our house up and felt quite at home. Then the and the roads were muddy. Most of the snow was gone
following days we visited our neighbors. and the gumbo stuck to the wheels so it was necessary
The cool September air was so invigorating and the to have some contraption on the wagon that scraped
seven mountain ranges hemmed us in and old Black the wheels off. The horses didn't have that and balls of
Butte seemed to move into our back yard[...]feet. They would shake their
ings. Too soon came the day when we picked up our feet once in a while and great mud balls would fly.
gear to catch the stage at Byford. Trave[...]we were carrying a big
L9l7 . . . In March of the next year it was time for me load. As night wa[...]s told me we would be
to go live on my homestead. The fiends who had beat spending the night at the Edwards. (Clay Edwards)
me to homesteading by thr[...]with me. He just seemed
advice as well as many of the things they no longer to radiate confid[...]saw, an axe, a ham- Edwards' hill. At the foot of this rather forbidding hill
mer and lots of nails. Mother Smith gave me some we stopped. Peters unhitched the horses, and he and I
sheets, pillow cases and two big warm quilts. The girls and the horses went up the hill to the Edwards' home.
from my Bridge Club gave me a big mirror. The boys at Mr. Edwards came out and took the horses, and Peters
the drug store got a big rain barrel for me and in it were took me into the house to Mrs. Edwards and introduced
magazines, bandaids, and mosquito dope. Others gAve me to her and then left. Mrs. Edwards was such a warm
me dishes and pots and pans. I bought for myself a and friendly woman as so many western women were.
fo[...]g box covered She had just baked bread, and the kitchen was so
with cretonne that really turned[...]ter a
treasure. My boss also gave me his .22nfle and his wife while Mr. Edwards and Peters came in and we all had
gave me a lot of pretty cretonne for a closet in a corner. coffee and good new bread along with other food' It had
How was I to get all this out to my little house and started to rain and soon Peters left. He had to stay with
into it after that? Here goes . . . the mail, he said, and must put a tarp on the load too.
The rain barrel got the tools, the pots and pans, and He said good night to us and disappeared.
Homestead Shacks over Buffalo Tracks: History of Northeastern Fergus County [Montana] (100)[...]er, io build a new school house to the west of my place. In
and I asked Mrs. Edwards what I owed her. She smiled the mornings, I could hear them emptying water into
and said, "Oh, give me 50Q." I think I was near tears[...]ch warm We all know about the restrictions on all white flour,
hospitality. As we left that morning, after the men had and everyone learned of new ways to make bread. This
unloaded part of the load to get to the top of the hill, it young Canadian boy taught me how to make oatmeal
took two trips to get the stuff up, but from the top the bread. I made it often then.
rest of the trip was fine. I think it was about 15 miles. One night I was awakened by a roar, and my house
At noon Peters stopped to rest the horses. He made a was shaking from side to side. I was frightened! "An
fire and fried bacon and made coffee and sandwiches. earth quake", I thought[...]dow to see a
It was like a picnic out there among the sage. After great sea of horses rushing by. There were men on
lunch Peters left me to tend the frre. He needed to take a horses driving them. The drive split at my house, so it
walk to stretch hi[...]wasn't run over, but my yard was a trampled mess. The
about 4:00 o'clock that afternoon when we reached[...], I heard later that wild horses were being
house and it was not so roomy anJ[nore. Peters had an rounded up for shipment overseas.
axe and was out at my wood piie splitting kindling for[...]n I asked what I owed him, he said, the land office that anyone who would work on a farm
"Oh, five bucks is plenty". I handed him the twenty the would have credit for that time as hom[...]ray wanted, but he handed it back with a big grin and so I packed my bags, checked out at the Lewistown
a warm handshake. He was gone. I'm sorry to say, I land offrce and went back to my home in Minnesota.
never saw Pete[...]e all my own, no alarm my parents, John and Lena Anderson. My older
clocks, no regular time f[...]brother, Fritz, was in France with the engineers, so
The Byford store and post office was 3 miles away, so there was much to do for me at home. The war ended
it was easy to get supplies. During the summer, the that fall, and my year on the farm ended the fall of
stage was motorized, and ran, I believe, three times a 1919. Once again I left for Lewistown and the land
week. A young man, named Roseland, had a well of office. At the land office Mr. Kelly happily told me they
very good water. It was the only well for miles around had secured a drought leave for all of us as the fields
that had good water and he was a very popular young were dr[...]ld
Crooked had much water in pools someplaces but the horses, and the year that I had winter rye dried up, so I
water was alkaline and no good for drinking. We all was ve[...]There was a need of a bookkeeper at the Sweitzer
me to get it down the hill to the big pool in the creek to Department Store, and I was lucky once more to get
soak up, so one day I started rolling my barrel down the work. The remaining time of my residence on my
hill. It thumped and bumped its way over the cactus homestead was just trips out there for weekends and
and the sage, ending up with just the bottom stave on the kindness of Mr. Sweitzer who gave me time off
it. I kept busy trying to pick up the hoops or staves as occasionally. The E.C. Abbott family of the "Three
they flew off the barrel. That day was spent trying to Deuce Ranch" were about the most wonderful friends I
make a barrel out of som[...]had there. They made many trips out to the Little
sunflower. At last it looked like a barrel[...]ed country, including one that moved me back
into the pool it went. Afler soaking for a week or so the from my little house. I have many pictures of my house,
Jakes boys took the team and rescued my barrel, filled of the Jakes family and of wild horses which I treasure.
it with water and hauled it up to my house. It was a I don't think many of the folks who shared those
precious treasure in the alkaline countfy. early da[...]younger people there now who are as wonderful and
ful carefree days. The children who came by my place gracious as the friends I loved and treasure so in my
each day, to and from school, were a joy to me. My memories.Amen....
neighbor, Peter Roseland, and a young Canadian boy, (Nena Anderson liues in Minnesoto and still owns her
David Bruce, who had a homestead near, were helping land on the prairie in Montana)

Hnnnnnr AND JANE Bpcr AND FAMILY[...]by Thelma Beck Erickson
Herbert and Jane Beck and family came to Montana were from Trenton, Illinois, about seven miles from
and arrived at Roy train station 7 April 1923. They where Herb, John and Ethel's parents lived.

Homestead Shacks over Buffalo Tracks: History of Northeastern Fergus County [Montana] (101)[...]ary 1950; Beverly Ann,9 February 1951 and Patti Lee,
Nascoutah, Illinois. He died 20 November 1981 and is 25 October 1952.
buried at Grand Moun[...]He had the American Motors dealership and was a
Mom's maiden name Jane Muir. born 29 Nove[...]brother-in-law and son, Neil, were his partners in the
years old. Jane and Herbert were married, 20 June Beck &[...]o children were born to working on motors and cars were his great love and
them: Thelma Christena,25 November 1915 at Summer[...]making them run gave him pleasure. His wife, son and
ville, Illinois and John Wesley, 11 October 1919 at brother-in-law have continued to operate the garage
Trenton, Illinois.[...]since his death.
John was stricken with cancer and died 18 March I, Thelma, was marri[...]Sr.,
1984 at Hawe, where he was buried in the Veterans 15 December 1934 and we lived on a ranch southeast of
section with Military Honors. John went into the Malta for 7 years. In the fall of 1941 we left Larb and
Service, 27 June 1942, went overseas in August of 1943 moved to Missoula, where Bill worked on the power
and received his honorable discharge, 27 September Iine. He then went to the west coast to work in defense
1945. He served in WWII in the South Pacific zone in plants during WWII. I stayed at Ronan until May of
the Medical Unit as a mechanic sergeant. He helped 1942 and moved to Bainbridge Island, Washington.In
carry out some of our Missionaries that were held in the 1954 we moved to a farm near Oakville and in 1969,
Philippines near Luzon.[...]uary 1984,77 years of age. We have four children:
and six children were born to them: Connie Rae, 8[...]1948; Neil Rowland, 9 Janu- 1942, Ronan and Bill Junior, born at Seattle.[...]rn, 4 January 1883 at they sold to the Government, due to the drought of the
Mascoutah, Illinois. He married Ethel Schaefer, 4[...]30's. They moved their belongings to St. Ignatius and
March 1910 in Illinois. They had no children. Eth[...]k died at Lebanon, Illinois, 1 December and returned to their native location in southern
195[...]in Illinois Illinois, where they remained for the rest of their lives'
and they were both killed when their car was struck by The Becks were very industrious people; farmed,
a tra[...]1958. raised cattle, milked cows, had hogs and chickens and
John Beck and his uncle came West and did some they kept stoppers, as well as boarding some of the
prospecting and mining in Idaho before coming to Byford teachers and three pupils from outlying com-
Montana" He worke[...]munities. John was handy at carpentering and fixed up
this locality and took up a homestead22 miles north' a nic[...]st of Roy in 1918. Ethel joined him shortly after and taking part in social events in the surrounding com-
they made their home at this loc[...]"CoutNG To Mox'reNA AND HolunsrneDlNc"[...]re
tana, when I arrived at Roy wiih my parents and and there was snow on the g'round at Roy. Uncle John
brother, Johnie on the train. This was a long train ride. came with his pickup, to haul our trunks and his
The last 22 miles to my uncle John's homestead, we[...]came with his car, two seated
traveled by pickup and car. w.ith side curtains. The back seat held our suitcases,
In Billings, we saw our first Indians. There was a grub box and some gtoceries and just enough room for
Pow-wow going on and we saw papooses, feathered me to sit, while Mr. Peterson and Pop were in the
head dresses, beautiful blankets and real Indians. What front seat.
a sight[...]ar old! Mom and Johnie rode with uncle John. It was late
Homestead Shacks over Buffalo Tracks: History of Northeastern Fergus County [Montana] (102)[...]rived, for whenever we
came to a steep hill, Mom and Johnie got out and
walked and T.L. and Pop would push, as the pickup
was weighted down with our possessions. We followed
in T.L.'s car.
The next morning, the snow was so white and pretty,
ail the winter wheat that had come up was covered. One
of[...],2 August 1923, there was snow on Black Butte.
The folks lived in cramped quarters in the three room
shack with uncle John and aunt Ethel. He had moved
another shack in prior to our coming and so, when
warmer weather came, my family slept there and we
continued to cook and eat with Johns', Mom helped
with housework, cooking and canning and Pop helped
uncle John, while he was filing on our homestead. At
this time, the land was not in one piece. One 40 A. was John and Ethel Beck
right on Crooked Creek with the creek running the full closet. The north room was my special den, when I was
way across, then an 80 A. with another 80 A. on the hill. home. Mom and I did a lot of sewing and made many
The 320 A. had been homesteaded and let go back, so it quilts and rugs.
was again open. This place had a shack with a gabled I started school at Little Crooked and boarded away
roof and small dam, plus some old machinery had been from home with the Bakers, for two terms. They lived at
left. This was four miles down Crooked Creek and just the Little Crooked Postoffice and store and was on the
above Hennemans. Pop made a road across those four north side of the Rocky Point Trail, across from the log
miles and finally got some culverts for crossings. He[...]which was used as a dance hall, meet.
fenced all the land, but this part, being out of sight f:.om ing place, voting and political gatherings. Yes, there
where we lived,[...]en!
being cut, which allowed range cattle, horses and sheep The Byford school district, #207 was formed and had
to get in, eat and trample the crop which was so hard to the first school in 1925-26 term, with Hazel Van Hein[...]ing and Roland Schrier, teachers. Johnie and I and the
Also, range horses were gathered and shoved across younger Jakes children attended.
the Missouri River and shipped out on the Great North- I remember when I was at Little Crooked school and
ern Railroad from such points in Phillips, Hill and Bridg:ie Hickey was our teacher, she a[...]Egaatius Krafden to learn our language and how to
In the fall of 1923, the folks got a shack moved onto read and write and American history, so that he could
the 40 A. where we were to live. It was roofed with[...]ers. He was in our reading
heavy metal roofing and a slate covered, heavy tar class.
paper was put on the outside. The inside was covered My Mom attended the births of the Jakes twins, Earl
with a heavy pale blue building paper, put up with lath and Pearl, with the help of Mr. Jakes. She was with
to secure it. Mom made curtains to put around beds and Mabel Cottrell and Murray when Guilberi, Edwin and
in one comer. We had a cookstove with two doors in the tiny little Eleanor were born. I used to stay with Mabel
oven, hearth in front and a water reservoir in back, tin and would ride their saddle horse, "Mistake", home in
stove pipes and a )uretal roof-jack, so that no wood the morning and go back in the evening and pick up the
would be near the pipes as they would get hot. We had a milk cows and do the milking for Mabel and help with
brick chimney later" As time went on, another building the dishes. I stayed with them quite often as Murray
was added, grving us two rooms. We had one bed and 2 was camp tender for Swend Holland, Sr. and was away
cots and at one time three beds in the new room. The from home all week. Mabel needed help with all her
kitchen was used as the dining room and a place for the small children and coulcin't do the milking.
cream separator" Cream was our cash. product from With the money I earned, I bought my first pair of
milking[...]there was a san- patent leather dress shoes with a strap. I cleaned them
itary cot, with both sides that folded down and would with vasoline and put them in the shoe box and wore
open into a full bed. Space was necessary to move them for Sunday and special occasions.
about, as one room was 12' x 16'and the bedroom. 12, x I will also mention that the Phillips', Abe, Jen and
12'.Later,we bought the Garwood house, as this family Len, who was Abe's brother, stayed at uncle Johns'
had moved away, and it was added to our home. It gave when t[...]Chevie car to Illinois in 1g29
us three bedrooms and it had a brick chimney, also a to take[...]ration. Abe was never without his chew of tobacco and
never accomplished) and it was used for a clothes eve[...]
Homestead Shacks over Buffalo Tracks: History of Northeastern Fergus County [Montana] (103)[...]q7

and had a heart of gold. He showed my dad how to lay
brick and make mortar. Dad put up both of our brick
chimneys. Phillips' were to do the milking and chores,
however I wrangled the cows and did most of the milk-
ing as they really weren't able. -
My folks got our first car in 1934, and it was second
hand. This was shortly before I was married. My
brother, John went right to work on that car and that
started him in fixing autos and the car business which
was the love of his life.
As I write this, many old friends and neighbors have
gone over the Great Divide. and we who are left aren't
getting any younger'[...]Erickson
and son Johnie. and daughter Lillion[...]AMoRE

Vivian Dickamore, Eudora Bontrager, Ivy and taught at the Joslin school 1919 to 1920. Flora Sand-
Virginia Davis were sisters. They were the daughters of strom also taught that year at Joslin. There were 22
Mr. and Mrs. Noble Davis. They came from Iowa. They[...]Virginia taught school in South Dakota before she
and Lewis Davis of Fontanelle, Iowa. All four women[...]. She was teaching a school near
taught school in the area. the town of Roy when she met and married Joe Reeble,
Vivian was married to Henry Dickamore. Their home- proprietor of the Roy Hotel. The couple was married on
stead lay on the ridge between Crooked Creek and March 13, 1916.
Antelope Creek. T1[...]She taught at Just five days after the wedding, on March 18th,
the Joslin school September 7922 to December 1922.[...]ied of injuries sustained in a fall, on a frshing
The couple had a son, Donald.[...]ried to Frank W. Bontrager. They in the Roy Cemetery.
lived in the Josiin area. T19 R24 Sec. 2. She taught Virginia was born in Broadwater, Iowa and was 20
at the Joslin school, 1921 to 1922. There were 14 pupils. years old at the time of her death. She was described as
Mrs. Bontrager raised her sister, Virginia, and prob- being a "young woman of unusually br[...]ay when a high school graduate and a public school teacher. To
Virginia was only 3 and their father died when she was know her[...]sweet sunny disposition and her spirit of helpfulness
Ivy also had a homestead; T19 R24 Sec. 2, and and optimism."

Broone[...]rnv,
MrcHerl Ancpi,o Hrcxsv AND JoHANwn (Josre) Htcrsv Jouns[...]on January 15, 1875. Kentucky.
At the age of three, her family moved to Sharpsburg, In February 1911, Bridgie, Josie and Miss Dula
Bath County, Kentucky where Johanna (Jo[...]ent to Altus, Oklahoma.
born on November 13, 1879 and Michael Angelo was They had a good start in the millinery business in
born on July 30, 1890. They were 3 of the 10 children Altus, but when it was learned that Bridgie and Josie
born to James J" and Johanna Crowe Hickey. were t[...]rg School; at that time ing children and Miss Ashley was left to run the busi-
parents paid tuition for each child who att[...]ness. While in Altus, their two brothers, Michael and
She attended Sharpsburg Academy and graduated from Augustus, came to Altus and entered Business School
there in June i895 with the completion of three years in Oklahoma C[...]. Subsequently, she attended college for the U.S. Navy and Michael obtained a teaching posi-
one year in Car[...]he was a teacher in Kentucky schools for 12 years and icate in Boise County and taught there from August

Homestead Shacks over Buffalo Tracks: History of Northeastern Fergus County [Montana] (104)[...]a they met Miss Anna Good (laier Anna
Mussellman) and she informed them of the homestead
opportunities in Montana. In 1914, Bridgie, Josie and
Michael, who had again joined them, and Miss Good
went to Montana where they filed homest[...]ontana, in Fergus County.
Their only shelter in the beginning upon this acreage[...]iving.
Later, they built corrals, acquired cattle and horses,
cultivated wheat crops and began their many years of Hilger in 1937, having sold the homestead. The new
gardening. Their brand was the "Lazy E Bar L". ranch was ideally situated and very productive. They
Michael entered the Military service in 1915. ranched ther[...]n Montana in Roy, Bridgie then purchased the St. James property at 414
District 74, in the spring of 1916. Subsequent Montana Montana St[...]. She enjoyed
schools in which she taughtinclude: The Woods School, kwistown and attended many church and social organ-
the Joslin School, the Clear View School, Prairie View, izations. When the Kentucky relatives visited Lewis-
the Byford School, the Little Crooked School, Suffolk town, Bridgie's was the focal point of those visits. A
School, Forest Gro[...]hool, Stubbins niece, Mrs. Gertrude Drennon, and her daughter,
Hall, Zuley School, Hidden Hollow,[...]She received her "Certificate of Retirement" from the She was very instrumental in teaching her to r[...]ement Board in September 1937 for 23 write and the social graces. Margie is now an excellent
years o[...]Montana. However, following teacher in the Cincinnati, Ohio school system.
retirement she ta[...]he met and married Emily P. Bowers who was visiting
Josie also taught schools in Dawson County and fiends. They lived in Lewistown until 19[...]terling, Kentucky. Michael passed away
Life on the homestead in the early years presented February 10, 1970. Emi[...]Pennsylvania to be nearer to her daughters and she
talked of the spring wagons they used for traveling, passed away there a few years later.
and how "one of the horses wouldn't let a man work After the death of Josie's husband, W.E. Jones, in
her", so she and Josie were the only ones who could 1956, she and Bridgie decided to return home to Ken-
hitch up t[...]orse. She also recalled pre- tucky to be near the other family members. They
paring holiday dinner[...]ho purchased several homes in Mt. Sterling and accom-
otherwise would have celebrated the holidays alone. plished extensive remodeli[...]e told of riding horseback to many of her schools and dence on Sycamore Street in Mt. Steriing is no[...]hobbies, while by their nieces, Florience and Anne Christine Hickey.
alone in these teacherages, included writing poetry and Josie passed away on March 6, 1968.
expertly painting in oils. Several of the family are in After Bridgie's return to Kentucky, her last teaching
possession of these paintings and display them promi- assignment was at St. Pa[...]y taught, but encouraged those stu' where, at the age of 82, she finished the last six months
dents showing talent along ariistic lines. Some of the of the school year for one of the Sisters who had
children would stay after school and she would help sustained a fractured hip, We have a photo of her riding
them to learn to draw and paint. Because ofthe lack of a horse at her b[...]She enjoyed her return to Mt. Sterling and as usual,
black stove polish. Bridgie treasured this drawing and was very active in church and social activities. How-
displayed it in her home[...]ever, she never forgot her friends and experiences in
Before leaving the homestead, the Hickey family had Montana. On her 100th birthday she received letters
accumulated 1580 acres of. grazing and improved land. from President Ford; Julian M[...]of
Josie had married William Edward Jones in 1929 and Kentucky, as well as a Kentucky Colonel Commission
had moved to Roy. Bridgie and Michael purchased a and letter and greetings from her many friends in Roy,
ranch approximately a mile from Roy on the road to Montana.
Homestead Shacks over Buffalo Tracks: History of Northeastern Fergus County [Montana] (105)[...]She was a member of St. Patrick's Catholic Church and[...]Mt. Sterling, near her mother and father and all but one
brother and sister.[...]traveled extensively and did more things then most[...]America. She saw the advent of the automobile, radio,[...]telephone, airplane, television and watched a man
walk on the moon. She maintained her interest in
national and local affairs; her love of people and her[...]one; students, friends and relatives alike. Her pioneer
Josie Hickey Jones -[...]lNote: Another brother of the Hickeys, John Andrew,
She died on September 21,[...]llness of also settled in Central Montana, in the Suffolh-Winifred
two weeks, at the age of 106 years and seven months. orea and many of his descendents still liue there.)[...]by Barbara Jakes Krantz

Alberb and Barbara Jakes resided by Alenia, Minne'[...]We moved to Roy. Mother died in 1945, Dad
sota in the early years of their marriage. They lived on in 19?1. Both are resting in the Lewistown Cemetery.
a farm and six of their children were born there. They People who lived around us during the homestead
were all born at the farm house without any doctors days were: Ed and Henry Bushman, Gus Roseland, Ed
assistance. Grandma Jakes delivered all of them. and Mrs. Campbell, Mr. and Mrs. Schuller, Mae and
(Brave soul.) Murray Cottrell, Mr. and Mrs. Harry Frlrman, Carl and
In 1915 Albert wanted to go west, which he did. He Floria Sandstrom, Josie, Bridgit and Mike Hickey,
fiied on 320 acres, 26 miles northeast of Roy, in the Herb Becks, John Becks, Clarence Baker, Tom Copes,
spring of 1915. On November 10, 1915 the family came the Sinclair's, the Phillips, John Turner, the Ander-
by train to Lewistown. There he rented a house and son's, the Mather's and the Norbeck's.
bought some furniture. We stayed in Lewistown for a The Jakes had 9 children in all: Barbara, Albert,
month, while he went out to the homestead to build our Frank, Edward, George, Helen, Lillie and twins Earl
"shack", consisting of one room. 14x20. There six kids, and Pearl.
Mom and Dad all piled in. Imagine ihe tight quarters! Frank and his sisters, Ullie (Burnett) and Pearl
Later a kitchen and several bedrooms were added. That (Smiih) still live in Roy.
really took the pressure off. Frank worked for many years for Joe and Laura
Lillie was born there" Dad delivered her. That's when Mauland until they retired and moved to Lewistown;
Barbara found out where babies came from, she had to then he retired and moved into Roy.
wrap her in a blanket and hold her by the stove.lshe Ullie, a widow, was a tailo[...]lives just outside of Roy and runs a small band of sheep.
Six years later along came the twins, Earl and Pearl, Pearl married Clay Smith in 1945. For several years
who were also born on the homestead. Thank heaven's she operated a[...]ety-drug store in Roy. After
a neighbor lady came and took care of them. selling it, s[...]sted their son, Gary, in his busi-
We stayed on the place till 1936 when it was sold to ness, the G & S Oil Company, as bookkeeper.
the government. By that time all the older children[...]by Richard Lucas
This is a list of the people from Indiana that took up bert's parents Mr. and Mrs. Henry Barchardine, John
homesteads that I knew: The Frank Miller's, Mr. and and Ethel Beck, Martha McElwee and my mother's sis-
Mrs. Will Isaccs, Mr. and Mrs. Orville Isaccs, Walter ter, who also took up a homestead. She married Ben
and Mabel Ritz. Herbert and Cora Barchardine, Her- McCloud and they gave up their homestead.

Homestead Shacks over Buffalo Tracks: History of Northeastern Fergus County [Montana] (106)[...]nn Fsncus CouNry

Dad moved her tar paper shack and added it on to I rented a box car and filled it with a team, cows and
his. Gatch and Sara Lucas came from Brownstone, household furniture and tools.
Indiana along with three of the children: Richard, That winter the thermometer went to 46 degrees below
Andrew and Annalee. zero and that old tar paper shack was pretty cold. That
The folks gave up the homestead in 1920 or 1921 and winter and the following ones I did a lot of freighting[...]Roy. I hauled lumber for other home
moved back to the Lewistown area to stay.
steader shacks and also supplies for the stores at Roy.
The following story wos written by Gatch Lucas, about[...]Many times I walked most of the way to keep warm. I
his Roy homestead before he p[...]-
an acre and up, and with produce prices low, you could
By the spring following, there was a shack on every 320[...]acres from Roy to the Missouri. Now it is nearly all in a
barely pay interest on the money and not reduce the grazing district with very few farms[...]outh I heard about free land in In the required three years I proved up on the place and
Montana. I could get 320 acres just by living[...]with a team all over
plus a frling fee of $25 and making $400 worth of improve- Lewistown. At[...]cs. We went farmed, etc.
out to Roy on the train, then walked 25 miles to where[...]- we marked
out a place and "squatted" on it. It wasn't open for[...]of us from the same loeality in Indiana, and nearly every[...]Sunday we would get together and have a picnic or
homesteading for thirty days[...]s putting something.
up a $25 shack and staying there. I had a farm crop in We had 10 children and four: Andrew, Richard, Annalee
Indiana so had to go back, but returned in 30 days and and Harry settled in Montana. Martha, Margaret, Walte[...]. This place was 25 miles northeast of Roy. and Robert in Washington and Alice and Mary in
In the fall I went back for my family; my wife, Sarah, California.
and Andrew, Richard and Annalee, all small children.[...]s. There was also a small store. Auburn was south and east of Roy about 8 miles
and was situated on the old Northern Pony Express Trail of the 1860's. Gene and Sherry Horyna now live where
Auburn once was.[...]#135 SruserNs HALL Scsool
The Stubbins district was created in 1914. The first Trustees were Fred Bingman, Fred Foutch and G.E. Gever. The
first teacher was Opal Williams. Some of the teachers were Merritt Rankin, Virginia Davis, Grace Rowland, Mrs.
W.G. Braiser, Wilma Marsh, Julia Sargeant, and B.A. Hickey. Helen Jordan was the last teacher in 1936-37. The
district was abandoned in 1942 and attached to #74 Roy.

This picture wos taken eround 1923, probobly ot the
Stubbins School. In the bacb row the lst gentlemon on
the left is Jacob Marion Myers. The Srd person, with
head in the shadows is ElIa TuIIy. The 6th person, the
gray hoired gentleman is the Reu. Benjamen Woshing-
ton Pierce, who taught at the Stubbins School. He
officio.ted at the marriage of Charles M. ond Nancy
Russell. In the second row frorn the bach, the 2nd per-
son from the left is Mary Jane Myers (Mrs. Jacob). She
is the lady with the large white collar. The Myers were
the parents of Mrs. Claude (Mary) Satterfield. The
young boy in the front row with the stoching cap is
Basil Tullv.

Homestead Shacks over Buffalo Tracks: History of Northeastern Fergus County [Montana] (107)[...]Bnucs
Iowa Bench district was created in 1917. The first trustees were A.J. Burke and Frank Genther. The frrst teacher
was Elizabeth Frances. Other teachers were Zoe Baker and Mrs. L.E. Barsmey. According to the school records the
school only ran for about three years" There is n[...]Christensen was located east of highway 191, in the Bear Creek area, on the east end of where the old Trvin Sheds
Ranch was. There was a post office named for the first postmaster. Nels Christensen which ran from 1915 to 1g21.

The Christensen School, District # 130 wos created in
1914 and abandoned to District #135 in 1921. Ella
Stenson taught at the school for a fiue month term from
September 5, 19[...]Linnabell Coots, 12
years old daughter of Williom and Debbie Coats; Ethel
P. Chestnut, 12 year old daughter of Susie McKenner;
Clarence and, Lawrence Christensen sons of Chris and
Emrna Christensen and CarI Christensen (about 11
years old), son of Paul and Marie Christensen. Two
other students who were also listed on the school roll
tltat term were: Charley Christensen, son of PauI and
Marie, and Lester A. Day, son of John McJonnett ond,
Eualyn[...]Flovn BenNnv
Roy, June 12, 1928. Special to the Democrat News.

Floyd Barney, from the Deerfield section who has range horses being taken from the big open spaces more
rented the A. M, Stendal ranch about 10 miles southeast and more, stockmen will avail themselves of the opportun-
of Roy has moved his family to his new home and is now ity to rent some good ranch o[...]ll give them
busiiy engaged in looking after the herd of cattle driven access to some of the finest land in the state of Montana.
over, which he expects to run in that section. With the[...]by Rachel Brasier Eide
The original 160 acres of the Brasier Ranch (-F9) was had was August 1924-the crops were in and good and
homesteaded in 1910, 12 miles south of Roy, under the a daughter, Rachel Ann, was born'. They built the big 2
east-side shadow of Black Butte. Ruth and Walter Bras- story ranch house and moved into it in 1927. Ruth loved
ier made it their home until they retired in the late art, writing and flowers which they worked into a beau-
1960's and moved to Lewistown. tiful yard with fountain and waterfall into a lily-
Their childhood yea:s we[...]na- attend- pond surrounded by a lilac hedge and yellow roses.
ing the same schools and Church. They were married In the lean years of the 30's and 40's they moved into
there February 14, 1910. They came to Kendail, Mon- Roy. Walter ran the Montana Elevator for 13 years.
tana as Ruth's fat[...]Ruth taught school at several rural schools in the area.
volved with the Barnes-King Mine. Walter drove a[...]n 1942. After
freight line team for T.R. Matlock, and proved up on the World War II the family put the ranch in full operation
homestead land and built their first one-room home. again. 'Gramp' and 'Nanny'enjoyed a close relation-
Ruth always said "when they sat at the table she could ship with their three grandchildren: Keay, Diana and
reach the cupboard and Walter the stove without gei- Bill in their early years through college graduations.
ting up". The ranch grew in size with eattle, wheat and Fondest memories are of iong hours on horse back
corn. Walter's story was 'the biggest harvest they ever and the big picnic every fall when people came from all

Homestead Shacks over Buffalo Tracks: History of Northeastern Fergus County [Montana] (108)[...]food cakes were so Garden Club, Cowbells and Eastern Star. She wrote
beautifully decorated" many stories and poems of early days and painted pic-
Walter was active in the Montana Stockgrowers Asso- tures ofthe beautiful sun sets over Black Butte"
ciation, Masonic Lodge and Eastern Star. His first love
was his land.
THE TIME HAS COME, MY i.AD
Ruth enjoyed Woman's Club in Roy and Fergus,
WHEN I MUST ROUND UP THE HERD:
CALL IT A DAY AND RIDE AWAY.[...]MOTHER NATURE THREW DOWN THE GLOVE
AND CHALLENGED ME.[...]TAKE ON THE TASK.''[...]DO I REGRET.
and Wolter G. I HAD NO TIME TO FUME AND FRET.
Broiser. I WATCHED THE SUN SET IN THE WEST.[...]NOW THE TIME HAS COME: FOR ME THIS[...]Peer-* AND MARro CHTsTpNSEN

Paal and Marie Christensen came to the United States water in the ditch.
from Denmark in 1880, long on courage and short on Digging the wells turned out to be a bigger job than
cash. They only had enough Eoney for one passag:e, so Paal and Nels thought it would be. They thought it
Marie came on the passenger ship and Paal worked his would be a simple matter to just dig a shallow well and
way over on a cattle boat" He landed somewhere north they would have all the water they needed. After digging
of New York City, probably Canada or Maine, and had down some distance, they hit rock, t[...]own to New York City to meet his lower the hired man into the bottom of the well, he
wife, having little or no money and unable to speak would set the dynamite charges, and they would pull
English. him up. After the blast they would clean out all the
They lived variously in Colorado and Kansas, event- loose rock from the bottom of the hole and repeat the
ually settled in Iowa and then came to Roy in 1912 with process. After[...]ree of whom were rlarried at that some way and the charge went off when the hired man
time. Their sons were Nels, born in 1880, shortly after was only about halfway up the well. When thdy got him
they arrived in the U.S.; Christian (Chris), born in 1884; to the top, his hair was standing straight up on end,
Fred, born in 1885; Charley, born in 1889; Anders and rocks were imbedded in the platform he was on.
(Andrew or Andy) born in 1895;John, born in 1900 and That was the end of that well and they got a profes-
Carl, born in 1905.[...]sional driller in. They went farther up the rimrocks and
They spent their first winter at the Smith.Laraway about 50 feet down hit a layer of granite. They were
Ranch, west of Roy. They and several of their ilons filed only able to get[...]t finally
homesteads 15 miles southeast of Roy by the rimrocks, they hit good water about a foot through the granite.
east of the present highway. To prove up on a homes- Prior to the well drilling they had carried two buckets of
tea[...]ime on a framework across their shoulders
acreage and dig a well. Irrigation ditches were required from the Spencer's homestead over the rimrocks.
in some places also. After the ditches were dug, homes- Paal had been a carriage maker and wheelwright in
teaders would pull a barrel of water down the irrigation Denmark and he and several of the boys were good
ditch with a team of horses, leaving the hole in the[...]

Homestead Shacks over Buffalo Tracks: History of Northeastern Fergus County [Montana] (109)[...]103

carpenters. They built a big house on the homestead. house. When the Roy bank went broke in 1929 Paal had
The house was sold in about 1937 and moved into Roy, about $3500 on deposit and received back only 10 cents
across from Joe Murphy's house. on the dollar, $350.
Paal and Marie retired in 1927 and bought a house in Paal died in Roy in 1935 at the age of 83 and Marie in
Roy which would be known now as the Paul Bischoff 1937, at the age of 78.

ANonow (ANnBns) AND PEARL (OrsBN CHRrsrrNSnu[...]ensen Houn

Andrew (Anders) J. Christensen, the fifth son of Paul I remember my dad's parents, Paul and Marie Chris-
and Marie Christensen, was born on May 27, 1896 in tensen. They lived in Roy and Grandpa C. smoked a pipe
Casey, Iowa. He came to[...]him as a very stern per-
Pearl Irene Olsen was the daughter of Willie and son. Grandma C. was a very sweet lady and ghe had the
Inga Olsen. She was born on October 11, 1905 in L[...]warmer climate for her hedth- She lived to be 75 and
in 1911.
Grandpa C. was 83.
The couple was married on November 12, 1926. They I remember the drug store in Roy. We always got to go
lived and farmed a place which they leased in the Fer- there for ice cream cones. Ed Kalds had the grocery store.
gus area for several years. They had five children: The town pump was in the middle of town. I remember the
Marie Jean (Mathern) born April 12, L927; Evelyn Corths: Shirley, Clayton and Betty and their parents.
(Haun) born May 8, 1928; Aadrew Jr. born February 11, Tindals and Scanlons lived not too far from ue at Fergue
1934[...]r 15, 1938, all born in and we all went to grade school at Fergus. My cousins,
Lewistown and Dolores Irene (Hainer) who was born in Irene, Earl, Larry and Harley Christ€nsen and parents,
Miles City after they had left the Fergus area in 1940. Chris and Em, lived a ghort digtance from ug.
Evelyn writ[...]I do remember the Fergus dances and how my foiks[...]loved to dance; also the neat Chrisbnas plays the teacher
I don't really remember too much abou[...]had us put on.
- In the winter it was extremely cold and we slept in Evelyn attended the Fergus grade school, grades 1
feather ticks to keep us warm,
I remember the terrible ground dirt storm we had in t[...]approximately 1936. We were coming home from the Fer- Andrew passed away in October of1971 and Pearl on
gus store and it was all we could do to get the car home May 31, 1980. Both are buried in Miles City. Their
aad get into the house where we laid on the floor to get children all suryive.
any air at all we just knew it was the end!!
-

Nnrs, Fnno, Csanuev, AND JoHN CnnrsrnmspN

These four sons of Paal and Marie Christensen did in Iowa and Nebraska and never returned to Montana.
not remain in the Roy community for very many years. One day in 1p18 John was working in the field on his
Nels ran a post office on the Smith-Laraway ranch parents homestead. Sometime in the forenoon he pulled
when they first came to Roy. He then took up a home. the team over to the side ofthe field, tied the horses to
stead adjoining his parents, southeast of Roy and built the fence, went to the house and gathered all his things
a community hall and post ofEce there. He held many and walked away. He made his way to Butte where he
dances in the hall and homesteaders from miles around worked briefly, then he joined the Navy. He served
attended. Nels built the first store in Roy, the Hanson from 1918 until after World War II and retired in San
store, before tryrng his hand at h[...]n 1966.
ted with their well-diggrng experience on the home- Charley stayed in the Roy country until 1922, and
stead, he took his family to Long Beach, California then he disappeared. The only contact any of the
where he worked as a carpenter and cabinet maker. He family ever h[...]1943 when John met him on the street in Butte. He said
Fred and wife, Estella, farmed in the Moore area until he had been working in the Butte mines for the previous
sometime during WWI when he moved briefl[...]20 years. So far as is known he never married and was
He worked for his brother, Chris,[...]

Homestead Shacks over Buffalo Tracks: History of Northeastern Fergus County [Montana] (110)[...]INnonuarroN ON DBvrNr AND HASSTNGER Holrpsrneonns
AND THE W.E. Drvnn Fevny Op SourHnasr Roy Anse[...]en miles southeast of Roy until June 1933, the lasi original homesteaders to leave
and eighteen miles northeast of Grass Range, Roy was that area between Bear Creek to the north and the
our hometown insofar as shopping and attending high Little Box Elder to the south of us, between Stubbins
school. It was to Roy that my parents delivered their Hall and Brasiers to the west and the Fergus County
cream, their grain, their cattle, and did their banking Sheep Company ranch, nine miles to the east. This was
and other business. Roy was their postal address except known, to the old ranchers, as part of the Big Dry
in those years that country post office[...]where cattle were driven out to graze in summer and in
wherever my sister and I were attending rural school. the fall rounded up to the ranches in the foothills of the
My mother, Evaline Emily (known as Eva) Hassing[...]as always rain enough for mak-
her sister Minnie, and their father Jacob, came from ing hay.
ea[...]Dakota in 1910 by train, shipping goods The area was in a very dry cycle their entire stay and
by freight car to Lewistown because the spur of the covered with sagebrush. They were skepti[...]ranchers' stories about there being little sage and with
brooding father away, after the death of his wife Agnes, grass as high as saddle stirrups in the years before the
the two women convinced him to finance their home-[...]ermanently. time to time, most notably Jack and Marie Woodard,
They freighted their goods and lumber for homestead who left the homestead adjacent to ours, on the east,
shacks, by wagon, over Gilt Edge Pass, often spending when their house burned down in the mid-1920's, and
a night at the Stoddard Ranch in the eastern foothills came back to run the old Red Barn Ranch east of Black
of the Judith Mountains, en route to their claims twelve[...]of Black Butte. Perry and Jenny Cox left their homestead, about five
As s[...]miles east of us, on Bear Creek before that and came
Roy as their address. back in 1925 for a briefstay. The school year of1925-26
Once mother and grandfather came over Roy Hill, Father and Perry fixed up a homestead shack near
and saw a great circle of wagons and saddle horses on Blakeslee School on the Minnesota Bench, six miles
the flat just before where the high school later stood. southeast of us and our mother's took turns staying
Grandfather insisted she drive over and see what was with my sister, Ruth, myself, and Harley and Merle
going on. They got there just before a cowboy in the Cox. They later lived northwest of us running the
middle of the ring mounted a horse and stayed with it Auburn Post Office.
through sunfishing, rolling, and hard bucking, riding it The Wilke family, who had moved to Nebraska before
to a standstill. There's more to this story, but the horse I can remember, came back for part of 192[...]as Wilson Everett Devine, known as The Claude Satterfields moved to the Paul Christen-
Everett or W.E. Devine, who came t[...]after a stint in
with two married brothers, Herb and Wiil. His intention the Bear Creek School district northwest of us.
was to help them and their families get established on There was a great deal ofreturning for a few years to
their claims and then return to Fairmont Academy in a dif[...]. They shipped by railroad directly to ing and the promise of farming better than on the
Roy, the spur having been completed by then.[...]im. Throughout this whole period, people
Seeing the flatlands south of Bear Creek and think- who had homesteaded on the plateau known as the
ing it good farmland, the brothers homesteaded Minnesota Bench, that rose just south of the Little Box
adjacent to my mother's claim and insisted that father Elder, had mostly remained and farmed on more fertile
also take out a claim to i[...]e homesteader, Russell Rowland, did not leave his
the north side of a rimrock and sand ridge. The only land, two and a half miles southeast of us on the bank
remaining open area was the south side of that ridge. of the Little Box Elder, until about 1920. The Rowland
Father was lucky in that good water was f[...]thirty head of of artesian water right into the creek, that kept water
stock at one pumping. holes here and there, even during the serious drouth
He did not return east, nor did[...]n fact, have
married in Roy on December 16, 1914, and remained had to leave earlier h[...]
Homestead Shacks over Buffalo Tracks: History of Northeastern Fergus County [Montana] (111)[...]-
range creek waterholes two and a half miles east. on his land, seven or eight miles west of us, in the late
Russell and his grandmother (Elliman) moved to Roy[...]left before we did.
where she died in about 1932" and where he remained There were few newcomers. Notably Jack and Kate
for years.[...]lagher moved into a substantial homestead shack
Between Christensen's and ours, Ed Hansen, who near the Christensen School, together with Jess
iater ran a pool hall in Roy and then moved to the oilfi.elds, Warren, a year or so before he removed to the Church-
and his first wife, Katie, lived for some years. He and well place. During Ruth's first yea[...]er
his second wife returned for a short period in the late and she and I iived in one room of the Christensen
1920's. Katie moved to Lewistown in the early 1920's. school, for the worst six weeks of a bad winter. Ruth
One mile south of us, the buildings tucked away and the three sons of Chris Christensen were the only
behind another ridge so we could not see them, were pupils. Besides the saga of getting an elementary
two homesteads The Churchwell and that of Charlie
- education for the "Devine girls" was closely allied with
Moore, whose wife had died before my memory. They the history of this area, I will mention that Ruth, born
had both gone, but the buildings were intact, still there September 21, 1915, and I, born July 31, 1917, were the
when we left Montana, though the Moore place was only children in the district after the Chris Christensen
never again iived in. Charlie came back in1922 or 1923 family left in the mid 1920's.
and lived in the Churchwell buildings. My uncle Herb Mr. Pierce believed strongly in the three 'R's
had left his alkali flat to live there[...]ing, reading and reading and despite conflicts with the
moving to Plum Creek near Lewistown to run the county superintendent of s[...]ny years later he following the new course of study, persisted in teaching
acquir[...]us to read in our first year in school. Given the libraries
Another two homesteaders remained just east of the our parents had each brought west to help kill time in
Churchwell place, a brother and sister named Hustad. proving up their claims, magazines, the Lewistown
In the last half of the 1920's they left, together with Democrat Nerus and books borrowed from the few
Moore, for western Montana, and a newcomer, Jess homestead-ranches here and there, we made good use
Warren, moved onto the Churchwell property where he of[...]a ranch in teaching he had taught and preached, sometimes as a
the rimrocks, five miles northwest of us, where a fam[...]Montana. He
named Flaherty lived for a few years and ran the was a grand old man.
Auburn[...]His granddaughters, Elsiva and Leona, were in the
Minnie Hassinger left for Lewistown and then Black Butte Boosters 4-H Club that was first led by
Oregon in the 1920's. Others simply left. My uncle Will,[...]Walter Brasier, in their home near Stubbins Hall,
and family went back to Indiana before I was born in[...]in 1928. Mary Alice Satterfield; Ruth, Jean and Lois
1917. Cal Bratt, who lived towards Sand Rock[...]rinde, whose parents had come to live seven miles
and wife went to Lewistown where he was a butcher.[...]elyn Strait of Blakeslee-1? miles
Someone by the name of Alexander Theodosis from Stubbins Hall; Lorraine Lenling; and Ruth and I
Fulanwider (a name I shall never forget, as it intrigued were among the members to fill the 5-person minimum
my child brain) had gone before my time. The Gootch quota, in the years until 1932 when we ended our last
girls, as[...]o Boston. A learning (sewing) and social function and brought the
brother of the Hustads, had homesteaded just south of[...]hat he meant to luck Sunday dinners and other community gatherings
me was an open cistern[...]at StubUins Hall during those last few dry years.
the source of much of the drinking water, as wells were In order to avoid higher taxes in the Christensen
scarce.) Sometimes people hauled wate[...]hrown each five years or have the district annexed to the near-
across high cutbanks, built in the very early days, and est live district, and with the Roy School district now
across a gumbo flat on the north side of Little Box bordering ours, the few childless people in our district,
Elder. The Paul Christensen's had a working well. agreed to pay board and room for Ruth and me. In 1924'
Later, some people got their drinking water from us, as 25 we boarded with the Alli Thomases on the Minne-
did the oil drillers, and their wash water from the sota Bench, and the next year attended the same
Rowland well. To the northwest of us, Marcus Stendal school, Blakeslee, as mentioned with the CoxlDevine
had a lived-on homestead, and his brother Rudy's arrangement. The following year, our school district
house still stood. The Lenling family, newcomers, imported the teacher, Lillian Hurd, who had taught us
iived th[...]left. Marc Stendal conducted the two years at Blakeslee. To lure her from North
business in Roy, trucking and other. It was he who Dakota, they had to pay her $85 per month instead of
acquired the WED brand and most of our horses when the going rural rate of $65. First she lived in the home-
we left. One homesteader. Jakie Mill[...]
Homestead Shacks over Buffalo Tracks: History of Northeastern Fergus County [Montana] (112)[...]oom, but soon she served by a spur of the Milwaukee that passed from
was boarding with us because of the loneliness. In 1927- Grass Range through a whistling post named Teigen
28, a first grader from the Fleharty family living in the after the man who ran an elevator and store. Because of
aforementioned ranch five miles northwest of us and at lack of roads and the often impassibility of Little Box
that time in charge of the Auburn Post Office, which Elder near[...]would have had to
flitted about almost as fast as the people who lived in go west to the Roy-Grass Range road and then south to
these parts; a seventh-grader who was unhappy with Grass Range and east to Winnett. My parents fought
Stubbins School; myself also in the seventh grade; and the division because the proposed maps came well out
my sister in the eighth grade, were schooled in the of the way of occupied sections to include just the
Christensen School, opened once more. This was a very Churchwell and Devine land, and to split us off from
substantial white building o[...]ict. By that time we had about 1400
been built in the halcyon homestead days not as a ac[...]sides. We were paying $300 in taxes the year the
early years of the teens when wery half section or measure passed, and the next year as residents of
section had a homestead bachelor or family on it, the Petroleum, $600.
area was iively.[...]There were two sisters and a brother in Lewistown
During the winter of 1916-17, my parents lost 10070 of who handled the offrces of the County Superintendent
their cattle, starved to de[...]rs. I should neuer forgetthem.
racks of dry reeds and inedible weeds that the govern- The brother oflen drove them to remote areas of the
ment had shipped to Grass Range and Roy while county, such as ours[...]rging people not to sell their cattle, because of the war. nation to get us educated without sendi[...]r. Faulds of Roy who boarding schools, and because to these education-
had attended my mothe[...]e, it was ag:eed there be a joint school
both her and me, realized she could not possibly manage district, which they managed to get approved by the
being nearly blind and recovering from toxemia, and so County Commissioners. Because of the tax situation,
kept him from leaving for France.[...]ho there being no other children in the district, the few
still lived nearby, and father spent the winter driving to other voters agreed.
Roy on one day, returning the next for overnight, then However, whe[...]was a state apportionment complication and the offr-
that cost up to $35 a ton against a price o[...]ls in Winnett, save for Mrs. Grey county superin-
the preceding fall. My parents swore they would never tendent, were reluctant to turn over the money for us.
live through the horror of that winter-listening to the Each fall, my parents went to Winnett and pleaded.
cattle bawling. They would shoot them first. The last year or two, when Winnett refused to yield, the
To return to education, Ruth and I each finished Roy school board permitted us to attend without the
elementary school in six years. Because Ruth was state money.
starting high school the fall of 1929, we did light With a[...]929; with 51% of our cattle dying
housekeeping in the old hotel on main street that the of starvation in 1931-32 because they[...]a class of eleven stacked g:een thistles and straw from old straw-beds
eighth graders under the superb teaching of a Mrs. and there being no money for bullets for the deer rifle,
Jenson who came from a ranch on the river. Our family and the hope always present that this time maybe they
was[...]itting us to further could survive; with the second and last bank in Roy
our education there. having closed the spring of 1931 and a nationwide
In my second year of school, a group of Winnett depression; and with my fathdr at death's door from a
businessmen and other residents of eastern Fergus fractured skull received in an accident in the Judith
County, petitioned to have a new county, P[...]a
spiit off from Fergus, because they were sure the new grubstake at $1 a day to see us through the winter[...]with all that, Roy had agreed to accept me gratis and to
and school costs, and no one in the new county would let Ruth stay in sch[...]nt. By this time,
There had been wildcatting on the Little Box Elder the Halberts had left the hotel building but rented us a
from before my time-the Golden West and the Boston room in their house nearer the high school until we
Montana, nearer the Judith's, and after my time, the were through.
Rowland No. 1 as mentioned, the Rowland No. 2 and Ruth was Valedictorian of the Class of 1932, with a
two or three more a mile or two south of us, during the scholarship as a result. I was Valedictorian of the Class
1920's. of 1933 and in addition to my scholarship for that, one
In the proposed area for Petroleum there were two from the 4-H Club also. It was not until the summer of
communities, \ralentine and Dovetail, served by stage- 1933that we finally gave up all hopes of utlizing them.
coach; the to*'n of Winnett with about 400 people, My father did not soen recover, and the doctor said an
Homestead Shacks over Buffalo Tracks: History of Northeastern Fergus County [Montana] (113)[...]altitude, so soon after my Wahl in 1942, and after the war moved with him to
graduation in June 1933 we sold out and moved to Day Maine, Georgia, Michigan, and Texas; the last three
County, South Dakota. There had been no drouth there, places in a position with the Ford Tractor Division.
and there was spring water feeding a good well and a I transferred to the University of Minnesota in the fall
big grove and orchard planted by my late grandparents. of 1938, taking a major in journalism, and was gradu-
Five days after we arrived, the drouth and dust storms ated magna cum laude in 1940. I worked for six years in
began and there was no crop until 1939.[...]sm, one of those in Lg42 as associate
Meanwhile the drouth had continued where we lived[...]of a small newspaper in Leola, South Dakota. My
and wife, moved to ours. The barn blew down, the house parents moved to Salem, Oregon. After the war we
burned down. I have not been back except t[...]to Missoula, Montana for Ralph to start college.
the Grass Range - Malta highway in 1965 with no time[...]In 1948, with a Rhodes
except to wonder where all the sagebrush had gone. Scholarship from Missoula we left for three years in
Sister Ruth and her husband, Charlie Wahl, managed England, then three years in Baltimore, Maryland
in the 1970's to borrow a jeep and wire-pullers and get where he got his Ph.D., then eight years with him
onto the old ranch site where there were no buildings[...]aching economics at Purdue University in Indiana;
and where the grass came to the door handles of the two years in Uganda where he taught at Makerere
jeep. There was no sagebrush to speak of. The land was University and worked for the Rockefeller Foundation,
obviously being farmed and they thought possibly by and finally since then in New York City where he con-
the operation at the top of the piateau, just above the tinued to work in international higher education and
old Rowland No. 1 artesian well. A big reservoir fed by other areas for the Foundation until his retirement in
it, covered the area south of us along the Little Box 1984. Aside from family responsibilities, I have man-
Elder where the other wildcat wells had gone down. aged a bit of published prose and "other" poetry, but
After Montana, Ruth and I lived in South Dakota, have made a mark in the world of haiku poetry.
then went to Winona State[...]family of 3 children. I raised two
ern Minnesota and where Ruth received her teaching daughters. Our mother died in 1947 and father in 1975;
degree. She taught elementary sch[...]in 1984 and my sister, Ruth, in 1985.[...]by Ethel Geyer Reynolds
The Geyer family homesteaded east of Black Butte in plow, mower and the binder, all horse drawn. Thresh-
1909 or 1910, coming to the area from South Dakota. ing machines came in the fall to do the harvesting.
The railroad had not yet reached Roy. A trip was Shocking grain was done manually with the entire
made to Ft. Maginnis to get the mail. Shopping was family partici[...]was a long Transportation about the neighborhood was by a two
trip over the mountains by horses.[...]programs, dances in driven by Mother.
the Stubbins Hall, Literary Society meetings, card Cooking was done on a wood burning stove. The
games in various homes, picnics, baseball and visiting wood was gathered on Black Butte. The house was
and dinners in the homes. Church was rarely held, bui heaJed by coal, which was lignite, mined in the vicinity.
during the summer months ministers came from Lewis- Large gardens were grown and during dry weather
town and held Sunday School. Rev. Cottom was the one water was carried by buckets to[...]Much canning of vegetables and meat was done using
Neighbors were: Bingaman, Stebbins, Burkettes, the hot water bath and a wash boiler.
Fouch, Know, Pierce, Tully, Ole and George Johnson, Women of the community were most resourceful in
Townsend, Minnie and Louise Trumer and their meeting the health needs. I remember only two deaths
brother,[...]es of Ida Geyer. while living on the homestead. One was the little Tully
The children attended the Stubbins school. Attend- girl. That[...]nce at a funeral. It was
ance was large. A few of the teachers were Gracia held in a church in Roy and burial was in the Roy
Rowland, Mr. and Mrs. Jerry Joslyn, Ruth Brasier and Cemetery. Another death was that of[...]the name of William Rowland. on both occasions my
Water was supplied by two wells. The stock-water father drove a make-believe hearse drawn by two
was pumped by a windmill. The surplus water formed a beautiful biack horses-
dam and a running creek" The dam was used by the The above is a summary of my seventeen years lived
kids for swimming and the creek for wading. in the Roy vicinity.
The farm machinery remembered the best were: the
Homestead Shacks over Buffalo Tracks: History of Northeastern Fergus County [Montana] (114)[...]GeoRce AND IDA Gevnn
by Ernery Geyer
George and lda Geyer homesteaded 3 miles east of[...]had five children: Emery born in the high school closed he then atrended in Lewistown,[...]fal'ette, Indiana. He was
January 28, 1916 in Roy and Beulah (Mrs. Paul Curey) married to[...]January 20, 1970. George, Ida and Florence are all bur-[...]orge Geyer's ranch six miles south of
here and have him show a check he received for three
ten-months-old shoats, that were raised and fattened on
Buffaio Grass and wheat. Mr. Geyer hauled the three
shoats to Roy Tuesday morning and carried a check home
worth S99.70. To be exact these shoats were ten months
and seven days old, were fed wheat as a grain food and
allowed to run in a fair-sized lot along the creek bottom
for what green food they could get. Mr. Geyer had no way
of weighing or measuring the amount of wheat he fed, but
can state as a[...]eater
amount of money for his wheat, labor and amount of
money invested than he could otherwise under present
conditions and prices, and he only wishes he had more The George Geyer homestead house, 1913. From left to
wheat and pigs than he has. right in the picture: Emery, Ida, Ethel and Florence.[...]gton Pierce was born August 28, and N. Cooper at Cascade, Montana on September 5,
185[...]on February 16, 18?9 in Perry He and Charlie were very good friends. In fact, had
County, Ohio. The couple had seven children, one of the family only known, they could have become very
which (Heber) came to the Roy country in 1916. rich if they had reallzed what the many sketches that
Benjamen was a graduate of N[...]Charlie had given Benjamin *'ould be worth in the
versity in Lebanan, Ohio. In 1885 he became presi[...]ere
of Green City College in Green City, Missouri and held thrown away in later years.
that[...]it closed in 1890. in addition to being The records of Fergus Count-"* indicate that he filed
head of the college he taught Latin, English and higher on 240 acres in 1912. The homestead was located about
Mathematics. In 1897 he wrote a book entitled, "The 5 miles east of Black Buite approximately 10 miles
Civil Government of the United States", which was southeast ofRoy. A patent was issued in 1917.
used in the college. In 1916, his son, Heber O. Pierce and family joined
After the Green City College closed, Benjamin went him on the homestead. In later 1'ears, until his death on
back to school and became a minister in the Methodist- October 10, 1935 he pursue[...]ter
Episcopalian faith. A second book was written and and teacher. For several years (around 1930) he was the
published in 1902 on the life of Christ. Because of reli- Legisla[...]story Max Pierce recalls his grandfather telling
the late 1800's. The public records show that he per- about was the time he was visiting an area family and
formed the marriage ceremony for Charles M. Russell[...]
Homestead Shacks over Buffalo Tracks: History of Northeastern Fergus County [Montana] (115)[...]109

tough and many people were very hungry, especially
young gr[...]Pierce was asked to say grace.
Upon conclusion of the prayer he discovered that the
plate which had been heaped with fried chicken when
he bowed his head was now empty" The next time he
was asked to dine at this particular place he stabbed a
piece of chicken with his fork and held it while he said
the blessing. Upon completion this time, he found that Benjamin
his fork held the only piece of chicken left on the plate! Washington
Benjamin was a spendthrift, one of the reasons the Pierce
Green City College went broke. He died penniless in the
county hospital in Lewistown. His funeral was held at
the ranch home; burial took place in the Roy Cemetery.

Hnsnn Ocr,B aNo GnnrRuon McKsrvnn PreRcn
The Heber and Gertrude Pierce family came to the Leona married Russell Marsh, son of Orville and
area from Crooksville, Ohio. They lived on his f[...]b,
homestead near Black Butte. Heber later bought the she was 19 when they married. Russell was a nephew of
Stebbins place. The Tully family was living there when[...]mont, North Dakota.
There were four children in the family when they Douglas Pierce was one of the pitchers for the Roy
came; all were born in Crooksville. They wer[...]ruary 13,
1910; Douglas Adrian, December 31, 1912 and Elgeva[...]-wasand one ball only - to play a game with. If the ball[...]Max recailed one game when a player and the umpire
Jack Robert, August 23, 1919 and Max Benjamen, had a difference of opinion. The ump threw the offend-
November 25, 792I. The children attended Stubbins ing player out of the game, then had to let him in again.
school. At that time there was a horse barn at the He owned the ball they were using that day and it was
school for the children to stable the horses they rode to either let him play or call the game offl
school. The father, Heber, passed away in October of 1964, at
Gertrude died from cancer in September of 1g28 and the age of 79, and is buried in Worland, Wyoming. He
was buried in the Roy Cemetery. Heber was remarried, w[...]tlick Town-
about 1934, to Grace Strait, a widow. The Strait's lived ship, Ohio. He was living with his son, Doug, in Wyom"
east of the Pierce's about 20 miles. Grace had two sons, ing at the time of his death.
Hugh and Ralph (who married Lola Baker) and two Two grandchildren of Rev. Pierce (Heber and
daughters, Evelyn and Mable (Bowman). Gertrude's children) visit in Roy occasionally and tend
Max tells of a peculiarity that his father had. It seems their grandfather and mother's graves. Max lives in
that Heber always w[...]e never took it off. Anchorage, Alaska and Leona lives in Kalispell.
Max remembers seeing hi[...]His Max Pierce graduated from the 8th grade at Stubbins
stepmother confided that Heber even wore his cap to school, with the 10th highest grade average in Fergus
bed on the night of their wedding! r[...]re: Bridget Hickey,
Elgeva married in 1935. She and her first husband Betty Phipps who m[...]d three children. Wayne Edwin Baker the name of Heatherly and Ruth Brasier.
who died shortly after birth in Lew[...]d shortly after left here in 1938 when the Pierce place was sold to the
birth in November of 1937 after they had moved to St. government. He served in the 37th Infantry, Ohio
Ignatius. A son, Gene Robert Baker, was born in May National Guard in the South Pacific during WWII. He
of 1941 and survives. Elgeva also had another son, is a retired federal employee and now works as a tax
Timothy Mark Gonzales, who die[...]Gonzales of Longmont, Colorodo
When we lived in the Black Butte area, we children a wood and coal stove. Sometimes the teacher lived in a
attended the Black Butte (Stubbins) school. There was small room in the building; later at a teacherage near
one teacher for all grades; the building was heated with by. Later this building was moved into Roy and used as

Homestead Shacks over Buffalo Tracks: History of Northeastern Fergus County [Montana] (116)[...]as also three younger than I and I couldn't leave them, the
used for community gatherings, dances, etc.[...]oungest was only 6 years old at that time.
All the other homes in the area were heated by a I married in April of 1935 and lived near there until
wood and coal stove. There were no inside faciiities, or[...]na.
electricity, so water was carried from a well and heated All of us are still living except one sister, Phyllis, and
on a stove for washing, baths, etc. We used coal[...], Douglas. I have four children, 11 grand-
iamps and had an outhouse. I only remember one home children and one great grandchild.
in the area that had an inside bathroom, which was the
home of Walter and Ruth Brasier.
My father, Heber Pierce, hauled mail from Roy to
Auburn with a team of horses and a buggy for many
years; twice a week. Then later he got a Model T Ford.
Sometimes the roads were almost impassable, where
there were drifts of snow and later mud. So when
anyone drove to town they had[...]was a long way to Lewistown with a team of horses
and a buggy.
My mother died in 1928 when I was 13 years old. I
had to take over the household duties, being the oldest
girl at home. I didn't get to go to high s[...]n Roy. There was fied as being mostly from the Pierce family. From left to
no way of going back and forth each day. There were right: Mox, Leona, ?, Elgeua, Basil Tully and Jack.

Claupn AND MARY Setrnnrrplo
Claude J. Satterfield was born on September 8, 1891 Mary Alice, Jesse and their mother moved into Roy
in Missouri. Mary Ellen Myers was born on March 19, for the school year when Mary Alice started high
1891 in[...]. They were married on school, then in the following years Mary Alice and
March 23, 1911. Jesse lived alone in Roy during the school year.
In 1914 they and her parents came to Montana. The Claude and Mary moved into Roy when they retired
Myers homesteaded 3% miles southeast of Black Butte, in 1958 and first lived in Chet and Ed Trusty's house,
on the south side of Bear Creek. Claude's homestead[...]e, where they lived
was 17 miles southeast of Roy and two of his neigh- until the time of their deaths. Claude passed away Jan'
bors were Frank Spoon and Ed Thornquist. They later uary 14, I9?2 and Mary on November 25, 1976. They
moved to about 2 miles southeast of the Olsen home- are buried in Sunset Memorial[...]as is their son, John, who died in 1974.
The eldest child of Claude and Mary was a son, John Mary Alice marrie[...]ter, Mary Alice, was born on
September 4, 1916 on the homestead as was their
youngest son, Jesse Marion, born April 24, 1920.
John, Mary Alice and Jesse went to school at the
Iowa Bench school and then the Bear Creek school.
One of their teachers was Mrs. Frank (Ada) Corth.
The Satterfield's moved to the Castle Butte area in
1927 and then back to the Roy area in 1929. They lived
21/z mtles southeast of the Brasier place for two years.
The children rode horseback to the Stubbins Hall
school, which was 3 miles west of their home.
They moved to the Christensen place for a short time
in 1938, then[...]they
remained until they retired in 1958. During the time
they lived southeast of Roy they bought most of their
groceries in Roy. In the fall they would take a load of Clo[...]Mary Ellen
grain to Grass Range and trade it for flour and cereal. Sotterfiel"d[...]

Homestead Shacks over Buffalo Tracks: History of Northeastern Fergus County [Montana] (117)[...]JOHN AND CARRIE STUBBINS
Mr. and Mrs" John Stubbins of the Auburn vicinity
are mentioned in several stories. but there is little
information about them. The Stubbins Hall or School
south of Roy, was probab[...]ld of a number of watermelons
Stubbin had raised and brought into Roy. The picture
was taken of them in 1942 in Marysville,[...]John and[...]Pictured aboue are Mrs. Claude Satterfield, Ello and lilhen the grass and hay got short during the dry eorly
RusseII Tully. The older couple on the right ore uniden- 30's mony people just turned their horses loose on the
tified. In the front are ?, Jahe Satterfield, Mary Alice[...]themselues as Basil TuIIy is prcpar-
Satterfield and Basil Tully.[...]uided by Earline Tully McNeil
Russeil A. Tully and Ella N. Cooley were married They were still farming the Tully place but wanted to
February 22, l9Ll at Mo[...]n.
for two years in Sullivan County, Missouri, on the Tully Even though it was winter the four of them started
farm.[...]Chris. Hattie married a snow storm. When the snow cleared, they traveled by
man by the name of Harris who was aiso from Winne-[...]aith wasn't good, t\ey thought a far as the railroad went. There they hired a team and
change of climate might heip so they iroved to Gilt sled to go the rest of the distance, which was approxi-
Edge, Montana. There they homesteaded and Mr. mately 36 miles. They stayed[...]they had hoped it meat, dried apricots and plenty of coffee. Russell said it
would in the Montana climate and he passed away and was the best meal they ever ate.
is believed to be buried either in Gilt Edge or Lewistown. They left early the following morning and near mid-
Hattie, then went back to Winnegan and got her night, very near exhaustion, they arrived at Hattie's
nephew to go west rvith her and work on their ranch. cabin. They were so tired they never bothered to eat
His name was George Long and he was to iive in Mon- supper. They built a fire and slept on the floor that first
tana for quite some years. Hattie and her husband had night. Hattie's cabin was one room, 10 x 12 feet.
had no children and she was quite naturally very lone- The Tully's homestead lay east of Roy and north of
some after the passing of her husband. She knew Black Butte. It was the S% of NW%, N% of SW% of sec.
Russell and Ella owned no land in Missouri and thought 17 ,NV2 of the SE% of ihe NE% of sec. 18 T. 1?, R. 23"
it would[...]arted their homesteading by putting up a 12 x
her and her nephe*' and put down a homestead claim. 14 tent, floored up with lumber three feet high. Once, the
After much talking and planning they decided to go. tent caught frre while Dad was gone, by the stove pipe
Homestead Shacks over Buffalo Tracks: History of Northeastern Fergus County [Montana] (118)[...]t out. A lightning on a Sunday r.r'hen all the stores were closed and Dad
storm came up one night; one of the worst storms. wanted some lemons. A C[...]they had there. Fire could be seen running along the and as Dad started into it a Chinese came out and saw
ground. Mother was so scared she climbed upon the the marks left on him and started hollaring "Small-
feather bed and cried and cried. (Lightening was not pox!" Dad went back to the depot and they had to send
suppose to strike a feather bed.) Wind and hard rain the Health Officer out who gave him a clean bill of
took the tent partially down, so they went and stayed health, "except for recovering from the measles," Dad
with neighbors, George and Ida Geyer, who lived three said. When he got to Lewistown the delivery man
or four miles from them, for the rest of the night. The unloaded his stock and Dad stayed in the Fire Station a
next day, Dad built a cyclone cellar in the ground and week before continuing on to the ranch.
then went to Lewistown and bought lumber to build a Dad went to a sale at Fort Maginnis; that was the
barn. last time he drove a wagon and team any distance. He
Mother wanted a log house[...]hill as fast as a horse will trot?"
homestead. So the barn came first. It was 14 x 16 feet, asked Basil.
three walls, a roof and a bare floor. "You never did see One time[...]hills of cucumbers. They
two happier kids in the worid than when we moved into prt 2Yzbarrels in brine and Ella canned the rest.
those three walls, a roof and bare floo!," said Dad. Peddled out to the stores, the biggest amount to a
George Geyer helped Russell[...]house. They had to go quite aways. They would cut the and dill pickles you ever did eat," Russell said. He
posts while there, sleep under the wagon and cook their would haul two or three barrels of water, to keep them
meals on the wagon wheel. "Many a meal was cooked g:owing, on the sled.
and ate on the wagon wheel while in Montana." Russell was breaking in a horse one time and he had
On November 25, 1913 they moved into their log five horses hooked up and this bronc was prancing
house. On the first Christmas Eve the nearby neigh- around and just at this time Russell saw a rattlesnake
bors were over and a snow storm came up and they all run in front of the team. He jumped and caught it as it
had to spend the night. Dad and George Geyer slept was going into it's hole in the ground. Threw it on the
next to the ceiling where Dad had put a shelf to store g:ound and trampled it to death. After killing it he
things on. Dad said he knew the walls would hold up realized how foolish that had been. "Should have seen
under the wind, but kept expecting to see the ceiling me shake." There was a straw pile close by that the
come down upon them any minute. rattlesnakes always kept getting into and a horse that
Later Dad bought a two room house,[...]was really hard to handle when a snake
land with the help of a neighbor who had a Ford trac- did get close to one.
tor, and with Dad's team of horses. Then in the fall they Russell and George Long used to play at houses./or
moved it to the house, left about four feet between the barn dances in the neighborhood. Russell played the
two houses and enclosed it. It was made into a hall and banjo and George the mouth harp.
was the coolest part of all the house, Dad said. On March 2,7923 Arline died tragically at the home-
They had to dig about three feet for the well. One time stead. Her death was due to a doctor grving her strych'
while carrying the wash water a snow storm started nine in place of other medication for a bad cold. Evi-
and was one of the worse they had seen in Montana. dently the Dr., enroute back to town, reached into his
After[...]shovel five feet down to bag for something and realized the mistake, and was
the well and use a post digger the rest of the way to headed back to Tully's when he met[...]h up with him. But it was too late to save
Ella and Hattie Harzis used to hang up a tea towel on the the little girl. She was buried in Roy. George Geyer and
clothes line if they wanted the other to come over. They other neighbors helped to fashion the casket for her.
used a sheet if it was an emergen[...]ranch was Earline Ruth Tully was born in the log house on the
across the road and up a small hill from the Tully's. homestead in August of 1926.
F[...]mbers her dad telling her about some men
Missouri and helped on the Tully farm again. Their who were trying to get the people in the area to go into
frrst child was born in Bucklin.[...]ebruary 28, 1916. Their second child, Arline the money to start it. They never did."
Elizabeth was[...]was away. There was a big cave east of the house where
In 1918 they returned to Montana. Dad came on what the wolves had a den. "Mom had seen a wolf running
was called an 'emigrant' car with the railroad. toward it, she took out a gun and as the wolf had been
Dad got the measles in Sioux City, Iowa and was as coming from the ranch yard it had a chicken. Mom was
sick as he h[...]He never fed his an expert shot; she aimed and when she shot, the wolf
stock for 48 hours. They got into Harlowtown, Montana went over into a dip by the cave and old Frank, the
Homestead Shacks over Buffalo Tracks: History of Northeastern Fergus County [Montana] (119)[...]is also deceased. He passed away in 1gZ0
sights and then back down again. Mom thought for and is buried in St. Paul, Minnesota. Earline, a wido[...]et me waik back under my own power. Never
did see the wolf and dear old Frank was just fine. I
asked my Dad, one of the last times that I saw him,
what kind of a gun she had and he said it was a war
rifle, big, and a large shell was needed, either a BE/45 or
45/55. I know she used to shoot rattlesnakes from the
kitchen door.
Basil was fourteen when the family moved into Lewis-
town so he could go to high school. This was in 1g30.
Dad stayed on the ranch awhile and later had to give it
up due to the depression. He got a job at a ranch close to
Lewi[...]work I ever did,,, said
Dad.
When Russell lost the homestead, Mrs. Tully bought
ii back for taxes, which didn't make Russell too happy.
The Tully's left Lewistown in 1g44. Ella passed away
in August of 7944 of cancer and she is buried in Renton, EIla, Basil, Ru[...]54 years old. Russell is buried in be the last picture of Arline, taken before she so
Redla[...]in 1g72 from a tragically died at the age of 5.[...]by Ethel Geyer Reynolds

Minnie Trumer and her sister, Louise Trumer, Minnie is now a patient of Jenkins Nursing Home in
managed the Claridon Hotel in Gilt Edge in 1g10. They[...]100th birthday was
both filed homesteads in 1912 and proved up on the celebrated at the home. She is mentally alert, but
land in 1916. The homesteads were in the Black Butte suffers from physical disabilities.
area, near the Geyer's homestead and their brother. I, Ethel Geyer, have over the years, made twenty-nine
Matt's.[...]odinton County, near Bemis,
South Dakota. She was the daughter of Mr. and Mrs.
Albert Trumer. Her mother died when she was very
young. She had two brothers and thrbe step-sisters.
Minnie was a traveler. She traveled all over the con-
tinental United States, Hawaii and Cuba. She worked
as a cook on a cook-car for the railroad, in restaurants,
factories and at whatever was available to women at
that time. She was also a beautician and worked at that
trade for a time in Washington sta[...]s death she moved to Watertown, South The homestead of Minnie Trumer neor Block Butte.
Dako[...]son. She had no Frorn left to right in the picture: Minnie, Louise Trurner
children o[...]

Homestead Shacks over Buffalo Tracks: History of Northeastern Fergus County [Montana] (120)[...]to Smiles east of Roy. There was once a school at the top of the hill, but Coai Hili was
never a community[...]- with store, postoffrce, etc. Most who lived in the area went in to Roy for their
supplies. At one ti[...]osits on Coal Hill.
Today about a mile south of the hill at the junction of highway 191-19 there is the Bohemian Corner Cafe, operated
by Peny and Marge Kalal, and the Corner Service, operated by their daughter, Jackie. The ZCBJ Hall, which once
was the social center for peopie, all around, is across the highway, from the station, and is still used occasionally for
meetings and get togethers and rarely for a dance.[...]Hill district was created in 1916. Joe Gerig was the first teacher. The school board was G. Siruc0k, Anton Heil
and James Kellner. In 1920 an isolated territory in T19N R23E was added to the district. In 1939 #52 Joslin was
attached to the district. On January 20, 1947 Coal Hill was annexed to #131 Central School. Some of the local people
that taught there were: Winnie McNei[...]Mabelle Woodcock, Margaret Stephens, Helen Jordon and
Mrs. W.G. Braiser.[...]This district was created in 1914. The first trustees
were John Drake, A.W. Warner and Frank Pospisil.
There were several schools in the district"
East Box Elder ran until in the 40's. Some of the[...];.]j::;,1:,.j Jordon and Helen Kostaryz Siroky.[...]Bear Creek ran for a few years. The teachers were
Coal Hill School 1924[...]tine and Benjamine Pierce. The families in this area
Martenic, Euelyn Koliha, the teacher, Lucille Turnbull,[...]were: Warner, Bobenmoyer, Kennett, Olson and Orr.
Margaret Stiendorft and Emil Koliha. Front row:[...]in the 30's. Some of the teachers were Nora Kinsella
Wasta Maruska, Henry Martenic, Miro Heil and Louise
Lund and Joe Gerig.
Martenic.[...]The schools were combined into a central school calle[...]"Central". The last teacher was Mr. Kelly in 1963-64.[...]Some of the teachers were: Mae James Jackson, Stella[...]Elsie Jones, Ernie Harrison and Beatrice Arthur.[...]What was known as the Madison Boulevard in the[...]Euelyn Koliha, Delphia it was long and level and perfect for a buggy race[...]e perhaps?!! l,ewis Madison, who homesteaded in the
Marttnec, VIasta Martinec, Euell'n Rellick. area is probably where the Boulevard got its name.
Homestead Shacks over Buffalo Tracks: History of Northeastern Fergus County [Montana] (121)[...]Alice Fadrhonc and Donald Kalina.

Bear Creek School
Boy in front: Emery Kennett. Next row: Hazel and Opal
Kennett, Claire Warner. Third row: Clyde War[...]e
Olson. Fourth row: Micky Bobmier, Lillian Olson and
tuo girls that were grandchildren of the teocher, B.W.
Pierce.[...], MaRTTN AND Cenor-rNp BpNss[...]ied by Tom Benes (son of Lambert)

Martin Benes and his wife, Caroline, homesteaded in Delia, in her 80's, are the only two of Martin and
the Roy area in 1913, having come here from Bontimer,[...]zechoslovakia. Caroline's parents, Mr. and Mrs. Frank Martinek,
There were eight children in their family; Lambert also lived on the homestead with them for awhile.
and Marie (who each also had a homestead), Ed,[...]was a carpenter.
Wiliiam, Jim, Martin Jr., Helen and Della. Paul, his wife Jessie and their smail daughter, Linda,
Lambert married Lidmilla Hruska (who was origi- lived on the Koliha place for a year in 1954, when they
nally[...]had it leased. They then moved back to Christina and
children, Paul and Marie, were born while they lived on leased a place there. Linda is married to Dean Komarek
the homestead. and resides in the Roy area with her family; they have
In 1919 the family moved to Hilger and then to the trvo children, Shawn and Paulette.
Moltown (Molt) area. Marie who is in her 90's and

Homestead Shacks over Buffalo Tracks: History of Northeastern Fergus County [Montana] (122)[...]Sec.5,8

(There are seueral newspaper items about the they were living in Great Fal[...]ates. I haue tried to, that they moved to the area from Oregon in 1937.
in the following account, giue as accurate a picture as The Bezouskas had one daughter, Gladys (Dunn-
possibl[...], 1879 in Lubino, Czechoslovakia. Roy and a news item told of a time when Caroline was
His[...], bitten by a rattlesnake while out on the ranch.
i889 in Prague, Czechoslovakia. She attended schools The Bezouska's moved to Lewistown in 1943. Vaclav
there. In 1906 she and her mother moved to Omaha, had palsy and was ill for many years before passing
Nebraska. She and Vaclav were married either on away on November 6, 1953, at the age of 74.
August 10, 1916 in Omaha 5r in 1915 in[...]Caroline worked at St. Josephs Hospital and was a
They moved to Salem, Oregon and lived there for 16 housekeeper for the Catholic priests. She retired in 1958
years, before coming to Roy where they ranched. One and passed away April 28, 1981, at the age of 92. Both
source stated that Vaclav homesteaded in 1918. while Caroline and Vaclav are buried in Calvary Cemetery.[...]CaenLKA

Frank Cabelka and his younger brother, Robert, raised him and when he was old enough he joined the
immigrated to the U.S. from Veletov, Bohemia around army (in the late 20's or early 30's) and never returned.
1906. Frank was the eldest of 8 children; Robert, one of Robert never lived in Montana but he made several
the youngest. They neve! saw their family again.[...]a quit claim deed
In 1911 Frank homesteaded in the Coal Hill area, for some land from W[...]r, later moving to Rochester, New years, and then leased it out for farming.
York where he wor[...]. He is
1913. Anna had a son, whom Frank adopted, and this buried in Lewistown.
son also went by the name of Frank Cabelka. Robert passed away in 1986 and is buried in Rochester.
Anna died in 1923 at the age of 41 of tuberculosis and Robert and Frank's farmland is now owned by
is buried in the Roy Cemetery. Young Frank was in his Robert's daughter, Marie Christensen, and is farmed
early teens when his mother passed away[...]IcNec AND MARIn Ciznr[...]was next to Frank Vodicka, who was a nephew
vakia and Marie was born 6 December 1856,.a1so in the of Mrs. Cizek. They spent several years on the home-
same country. They were married in 1879 air[...]Cizek operated a shoe repair shop at the corner ofFirst
Chicago and lived there for eighteen years and then and East Main, in the building where the B&H Grocery
moved to St. Paul, Minnesota where th[...]ve years.
1910, when they came to Central Montana and made Marie Cizek died 4 February 1936 at the age of 79-
this area their home for the rest of their lives. Ignac Cizek w[...]uary 1939. Both
They homesteaded east of Roy at the above location interred at the Lewistown City Cemetery.[...]Roy area.
Czechoslovakia. He came to the United States in 1909 Like most homesteaders, Alois made many friends
and worked as a farm laborer in Kansas and Nebraska. and one he met was Joe Swoboda. Both were bachelors.
in 1912 he came to Montana and homesteaded in the Joe asked Alois to stay with him. While the two

Homestead Shacks over Buffalo Tracks: History of Northeastern Fergus County [Montana] (123)[...]-
bachelors iived in Joe's shack; the household chores, so now Alois had another helping neighbor. (Bedlan
cooking and Cishwashing were shared. Joe washed later married Anna Kviz.)
dishes, Alois dried the dishes, all the while whistiing a Mr. Dockal was a very s[...], one with a Dockal was a member of the ZCBJ Lodge, since it's
pitched roof. Alois moved[...]ginning in 1925. He hardly ever missed a meeting,
the land, but he didn't have any horses or machinery. which was held at the hall, once a month. He walked
His neighbor, Joe Kviz, broke up the necessary land for the four miles up and four miles back home, unless
him. Joe then farmed his own land, and that of someone passing by gave him a ride.
Dockal's, so now Alois did the cooking while his friend, On April 5, 1[...]ton. He had no survivors in the U.S. They had all
When Kviz married Anna Kasala[...]ried to remained in Czechoslovakia. The Dockal land was sold
farm his own land. Kviz passed away and another to James Kellner and is now owned by Perry Kalal.
neighbor moved on the Kviz land. He was Jake Bedlan,[...]carry water to them. Some two weeks went by and
when I was four years old. Dad came ahead in an emi' everything was gtowing gteat. Came the middle of May
grant car. They were called that because you took every- and a big snow came and of course that ended the
thing in it. I remember them loading it. Oats, hay, a garden. That was the first time I can remember my
plow disc and harrow, 2 wagons, 4 horses, 2 pigs,[...]e was ready to go back to Illinois.
chickens, cow and calf, furniture, some real good stuff; W[...]. We had to walk
everything to start a farm with, and of course, dad had about 2 miles. It was held in a little homestead shack
to go along to tend the animals. belonging to the teacher. We learned to read and count
Mother and we three boys followed a few days later in and write, but there was a lot of Sunday school too.
the passenger train; a real experience for me. Mother Dad couldn't make anything on the homestead so we
had her hands full, so a nice man took me in tow and moved some 2 miles east. We had a nice house and barn
helped mother with the other two. and a good chicken house. It was here that my grand-
I don't recall much of the trip from Suffolk, which is father, my fath[...]McClemins (Mack)
where we met dad, but I recall the little log house we Harrell, came to stay[...]mestead. It was small, with a dirt place. The homestead is part of the Horse Ranch.)
floor and a dirt roof. We wintered there. Dad built a He and my dad dug a well for water and walled it
barn for the livestock and a place to keep the feed. with flat sandstone which they hauled with a team and
We had a lot of snow that first winter. Things got wagon. The well turned out to be a great well, good cool
pretty tough. Dad knew very little about the country, water. The well was about 30 feet deep-
but I remember once he took his old shotgun and came We had a lot of great experiences there' The winter of
back with an old sage rooster and a big porcupine. 1918 was a hard winter' The flu epidemic hit and many
Range cattle ran at large everywhere, so[...]alking remember how sick I was, as was the rest of the family'
about Christmas. A rider came by, it was late in the I had an infant sister, Martha Ann, who died in that
evening and the.t dtnn *u. coming down. He wore a big epidemic"
buffalo coat and I was sure it was Santa Claus. He was In the spring of 1919 dad had a sale, then we moved
probabiy the first cowboy I had ever seen" He stayed to Kendall which at that time was turning out a lot of
the night and at the frrst light was gone before we kids gold. Dad worked hauling timber for the mine.
got up. He layed his big coat in front of the kitchen I started to a real school here. The town was quite
range and that's where he slept. But dad did have a well inhabited. My teacher had three grades and almost
good barn for the horse, and feed. 60 students.[...], but I'll
Our milk cow would wander away with the range say I learned and real good too.
cattle. Many a mile my dad walked[...]fter that night those range cattle were kept away and born.
the cow didn't stray anymore.[...]was working. It was
When spring came my mother and dad made a about 2 miles, by trail, to Kendall and 3 miles by road.
garden by the creek where we could carry water to the We three boys walked to school in the spring and fall
plants. I can remember how hard they worked putting and rode horseback in the winter. Then as we got larger
everything in. Mother had started tomatoes and cab- we d.rove a horse on a heavy two wheeled cart with
bage plants and we would go down there everyday and which we also delivered our cream to the railroad sta-
Homestead Shacks over Buffalo Tracks: History of Northeastern Fergus County [Montana] (124)[...]It was a 50 bushel crop for
In1924 we moved to the old Fergus Horse Ranch with sure. We were farming two places at the time.
a big bunch of cattle and also did much grain farming One afternoon dad and I went to get the horse to
and haying. I attended various schools and worked on bring the binder home so we could cut my crop. We just
the ranch as a hand. I never had a full year of school. got the horse in and it started to hail. Now I've never
By now I was around 13 or 14 years old. It was the same seen it hail in the mountains, but boy that was a hail
old story, we survived by miiking a bunch of cows and storm. Killed chickens, tore off shingles, even killed
we had to go to Roy to buy groceries and deliver cream some of the trees, and my wheat field, needless to say,
and eggs. By now I could handle a team pretty well so was completely gone. The ground was as bare as a
we'd take the buck board and team and go to town. The summer fallowed field.
buck board had a[...]So I rode for a cattle outfit for a few years and had a lot
team at noon, wait for the cream check, buy supplies of great experiences. The name of the two fellows who
and return home, about 12 miles, one way. owned the big spread near the place the Denton road
The ranch was sold so we moved back to Hilger and crosses Warm Spring Creek were Disbrow and McVey.
Kendall. By now, no school was left so we attended Wages was 800 a day, board and tobacco. In the
school in Hilger. spring after the main herd was gone we would move the
When spring came, this was L927-28,I didn't pass out bulls and late calvers. We would have a herd of some 25
of the 8th grade. School was held in different houses. A[...]0 head, 55 to 70 bulls. This job would fall to me and
school district had been formed so it wasn't so f[...]n moved it
school. By now I had two more brothers and a sister. was back to the ranch to move saddle horses.
The mischief we got into, no one can imagine. We had By now I had met and adopted a family by the name
been to several rodeos and this was upper most in our of Zahn. They[...]ould be seen for
minds. We conceived every way in the world to get miles and many an outfit stopped there to rest and get a
something to buck. We built a big corral and after get- good home cooked meal.
ting all[...]le in, that belonged to a large them down and keep them overnight is quite a job.
ranch. and that ran loose all over the mountain, Once we were down to a bit of hard bread and some
Sometimes things have to be fixed and dad had just reboiled coffee, as the mud holes tasted better with cof-
had his saddle[...]ty fee in it. Going across Lukins Flat the horses got to the
penny. New strings, new sheep skin. We had gotten a water holes first and had rolled and pawed in them.
big steer in, so we got dad's newly repaired saddle and The horses weren't gentle. My partner Tom Blair got
got the big steer in the chute" He was big enough to bucked off out of Hilger aways and he was off his
carry two people. We put the saddle on. My brother, rocker two days and then didn't feel too sharp. We were
Butch, was to ride him. I was to open the chute. My five days travel from Hilger and then three days to
other brother, Jake, was to ride with Butch, holding the Hilger. It was quite a trip. But how sweet it was when
old steer down. But when I opened the chute, Jake Tom stood up and said, "There's our destination". It
cleverly stay[...]ed Butch didn't take long to get packed and underway. It was a
and jumped over the fence and staried running through gradual slope so the cattle moved pretty fast. We turned
the brush. The saddle, by now, was under his belly. He the pack horse loose and he went straight to the corral.
was kicking and running and that new lining was It was open range so we dropped the cattle and went
really getting torn up. The strings were being broken ahead. They had smelled the water so they came quite
and we were running after him trying to catch him. If quickly.
the trees hadn't stopped him, he probably would have[...]with a good spanking. The CBC had arrived with five to six hundred horses[...]Butch was going to high school in Hilger, and John Mayberry was there with his crew and about
by now, so when the fall work was done I also started to 300 he[...]o eat.
school. We rode that ? miles every morning and at This was my home away from home f[...]reaking small horses for a fellow. It didn't The next two summers and winters I spent there in
take many trips to school to gentle them down. But the Crooked Creek drainage. I was riding for Disbrow and
when it came the last of February, one morning when I McV[...]cattle from
went to school I kept right on going. And never went Miles City and we had to look after these. Larry Jordan
back. Bu[...]ate; I went to work for a came with them and a drift fence, about 10 or 15 miles
fellow who ha[...]Summers I rode, winters I mostiy stayed at the
work for Eno Jensen, at Hilger. I worked all spring and Zahns, helping where I couid.
summer. then was fired. I worked for several other The outfit leased the old Fergus Horse Ranch which
people, then[...]
Homestead Shacks over Buffalo Tracks: History of Northeastern Fergus County [Montana] (125)[...]-
*'ork horses and haying, either one a big job.
After I left there I tried another stab at farming. This
was in the Armells area. I had a terrible time getting
the crop in. The tractor broke down and I had to hire it
done. Me and tractors were at odds. I worked on the
home Fergus ranch. A man by the name of McKenzie
operated it.
One evening after work I rode over to my home and
discovered that the grasshoppers had eaten everything
in sight. We finished haying, which didn't take long, as
the hoppers came on there too. I then went to fightin[...]- in Idaho one could make g6 a
day. We worked in the beet and potato fields. There
were seven of us in the crew: myself, Jake, Butch, Ernie
Hartman, Bill Letty and two others.
After harvest, we moved the family to Idaho Falls. I
worked the first winter feeding fat lambs for a big out-
fit. In the spring I helped dad and rented an 80 acre
farm, joining my dad's, and had a good crop. I worked
in the spud cellars till the last of January, then went to
California. Haying on the Horse Ranch in the early 1920's. Circa.
I went to work for a big[...]eg
so I went back to be with him. We finished out the year Ernest rode in a lot of rodeos. Nona liked the rodeos.
there then moved 50 miles northwest to an old lake bed Ernest was one of the better riders, simply because of
called Mud Lake.[...]t to farming for ourselves. Dad on. The last rodeo he ever rode in-was his last because
ran the potato digger. We needed potato pickers. Nona of a near accident. The horse tripped near the sidelines
was one of those hired. where Nona and the baby were sitting and almost fell
on them. "That took the rodeo outa me," said Ernest,[...]section of land and after working for the PN Cattle Co.
EnNpsr AND NoNA we moved to the plot of ground, got sheep and started[...]keeping house.
by Ernest and Nona Hatall Ernest came back in an emigrant car; Nona and the
[Ernest and Nona met and courted in the potato fields! two boys, Lewis and Tom, followed later, by bus. We
They were married[...]came in November of 1943, the day after the school
That fall we were on Dad's place. The oldest boy was house burnt down. Ernest's homestead was 12 miles
born during the time I was driving truck, hauling east ofRoy, between Ernest Zahns and Larry Jordans.
wheat from the dry farm for Nona's step-dad's cousins.[...]there until 1948. Ernest worked for Hugh Ford,
The next spring we started to develop the raw land. building dams and also for John Rindal. Then we
The wind would blow the sand so bad a person could moved over the Valentine road. so that Tom and Lewis
build a bie ditch and the next morning it would all be would b[...]one. Finally we got 200 acres of peas growing but the We farmed a little and raised a few cows. Ernest also
wind never forgot us. My brother, Harold, and I started went to work on a drilling[...]then he went to work for a big siesmographing
to the acre, but the ground was covered. One of the outfit. He worked for them until 1955. We then moved to
fellows who had the lease on the land then hired seven Winifred where he was once again working for Murray
tractors and mowers. They cut all those peas. We got a Cottrell. After about a year we moved back to the ranch
thresher in there and salvaged as many as possible for a short time then we sold it to Ed and Chet Trusty in
after the wind blew them into ditches. fence rows and the spring of 1956. We moved to Lewistown. All of our[...]children were born in Roy, except Tim and Tamie,
have a large herd of hogs and they grew fat on those L,ewis and Tom.
shelled peas. Lewis, Tom, Jesse and Mike graduated from Roy.
Homestead Shacks over Buffalo Tracks: History of Northeastern Fergus County [Montana] (126)[...]nv Op NonrHEesrsnN Fencus CouNrv

Ernie Jr., Edna and Tamie graduated from Lewistown. near Kimberly and he works in a beet factory. He is a
We have lived[...]e for 27 years. retired Navy man. Mike and his family live in Jackson,
The Harrells had 10 children: Lewis, Tom, Jesse, Wyo. where he is employed as an estate manager and
Mike, Ernie Jr., Edna, Tamie, Patsy, Dan and Tim. caretaker. Patsy married Wayne Heppner and they live
Dan died while they were still living in Roy. Tom and at Colstrip with their family. Lewis and his famiiy live
his family live in Boise, Idaho where he is in the retail at Mobridge. The rest of the family is scattered far and
grocery business. Jesse and family are living in Idaho, wide.

ANtoN AND MARY Hnrl
information by son Miro Heil and daughter Ann Carter

Anton Heil was born in the village of Cjezd in Czech- All of the children attended Coal Hill school. Miro
oslovakia. His father was a tailor by trade and he also graduated from the 8th grade there. The rest all attended
had a farm of about ten acres. His mother's name was high school in Roy and graduated from there.
Anna Moravek. He attended grade school and when he The Heil's would stock up on food, in the fall; enough
was thirteen years old he worked on a farm for $15.00 a to last the whole winter. A whole large bag of coffee
year. He learned his trade of blacksmith in two and a would be ordered, which they ground with[...]Blatna, fee grinder.
(Blatna was formerly the town of Zlatna; when the gold Mail was picked up and delivered by whomever hap-
ran out they changed the name to Blatna, which means pened to be passing and going into Roy. Horses and
mud.)[...]tation until 1925
In 1907 he decided to come to the United States. Most when they got their first car, a Model T.
of his family stayed in the old country. He arrived in Miro made his first trip to Lewistown and attended
New York on the frrst of May, on the Kaiser Wilhelm the fair when he was about six. This was also the frrst
Der Grose. He had $20 when he arrived, but[...]k. was about four years old. He heard a noise and saw
The work was hard, but everyone seemed to be happy what at first he thought was a bird. Only it landed and
and satisfied. He changed jobs several times but stayed some men got out and came to ask directions to Roy!
in New York City for four years. In 1925 all the neighbors got together and built the
In 1911 he decided to come to Montana. He got a[...]used for community
on a ranch for $40.00 a month and board. In the fall of gatherings.
1911 he filed on a homestead, built a cabin and stayed In 1958, Anton and Mary moved to Lewistown and
there during the winter with two friends. In the spring retired. Their oldest son, Miro, and his family took over
he got a job in the New Year Mine as a blacksmith. He the ranch. Molly, their oldest daughrer, married
felt that this was the best job he had ever had. The Norman Haas and in 1945 died of childbirth complica'
wages were $4 a day. The mine shrit down in about five tions.
months and everyone was laid off. He went back to the George became a teacher. He married Shir[...]oy (Coal Hill) there were about Christine and Jenny. George taught in Roy in the mid
seventy-five Czec homesteaders; some of these[...]sixties, then at Red Lodge for a couple ofyears and then
were family units, but most were single men and a few went to Philipsburg where he has sinc[...]He and his family spend their summers in Roy on
Anton[...]'s, west of Roy.
Montana in 1915 with her parents and three sisters. Ann married Clark Carter and lives in Lewistown.
She worked in Lewistown for two years. Anton and Gene lives at Moore with his family and manages the
Mary lived on the farm and raised a family of three Moore Cenex.
sons and two daughters. The two eldest chiidren, Miro At Easter time in 1982 Mary and Anton celebrated
and Molly, were born in Roy; the other three, Ann, their 65th wedding anniversary. In July of that year,
George and Eugene were all born in Lewistown. They Anton passed away and is buried in Sunset Memorial
lived through the 1930's and the depression on the Gardens. Mary now lives alone in[...]

Homestead Shacks over Buffalo Tracks: History of Northeastern Fergus County [Montana] (127)[...]-

Anton HeiI and A good crop about 1938. Miro HeiI in the bachground
Mary Kasala, when he was about 20 years old' In the foreground,
in their George, Gene and Anton.
"courting doys".

Mrno eNn Brlrv Hrtl
Miro Heil and Betty Hatfreld, of Ohio, were married
July 12, 1958. Betty's roommate while she was in the
service was a cousin of Miro's, who introduced them.
The couple have three sons; left to right in the photo:
William Scott "Bill" born August 1965; Edward
Monroe, born August of 1961 and Stanley Anton born
in March of 1963.
Miro and Betty have retired from the ranch near Coal
Hill and now live in the Fergus area. Ed and Stanley
both reside in the Salt Lake area of Utah and Bill lives
in Fargo, North Dakota.

ANTOU AND CHARLES HOSNA[...]n 17 March 1893 in Czechoslova- Mr. Hosna died at the St. Josephs Hospital 8 Febru-
kia and came to the United States at the age of 14 arylg66attheage of72yearc.Hewassurvivedbythe
years. He came to Montana and homesteaded in Sec- family of his brother Joseph of Iliinois and was pre-
tisn 12 and 18 of the above description. After he made ceded in death by his two brothers, Charles and Joseph.
proof on the homestead he began working for the Great Charles Hosna homesteaded in Sec. 14, T. 19N, R'
Northern Railway in 1920 and continued to be employed 238., near his brother, Anton.
by them until I9b? when he retired and moved to He was brought to the hospital in Lewistown, suffer-
Lewistown. Hosna was a member of the Fraternal ing from a severe attack of typhoid fever and Anlon
Order of Ea'gles for 42 years and belonged to the West- died 9 October 1915, after one week of illn[...]ociation. Hosna are buried in the Lewistown Cemetery.[...]p a homestead. Young Joe bought a
father had sold the grain elevator that Joe was running rel[...]woboda on 160 acres of desert
for him in Lonsdale and as there were two younger claim.[...]cheap rvay to get 160 acres.
brothers at home on the farm, Joe knew that he could Pienty of rain in l9l5 made a bumper crop so Joe
not stay on the home farm, and he didn't have any went back to Minnesota and on November 15, 1915 he
money to buy one of his own. and Emma Cervenka were marricd. He did as many a
Wh[...]ader did; once they filed on a homeslead they
Roy and visit Joe Swoboda. Swoboda was from the went back home to get their s*'eethearts and brought

Homestead Shacks over Buffalo Tracks: History of Northeastern Fergus County [Montana] (128)[...]Joe Kalina played for many school dances and
parties during the early years. He'd tie his three-row,[...]button accordian on the back of his saddlehorse and
would go to play for dances at the Bear Creek and
Swoboda School houses; at the Bohemian Hall and in[...]they'd waltz, two-step and polka. Many a young couple[...]at the Stoddard Ranch he played a solo dance for[...]From 1922 to 1926 Joe ran an Avery tractor on a
The Joe Kalina family in 1939. Standing are Dick,[...]rig. Fourteen neighbors had gotten together,
Emma and Joe. In front are Don and Milton. formed a company and bought the rig. Joe was one of
the first committee men on the first Farm Administra-
tion. He helped set up the fuL{ Farm Program'and
them out to a12 x 14 homestead shack. Emma's mother with the sign up in 1933 and was community committee
couldn't see her daughter[...]n, Dick, was
gave them 91000 to build a house. In the fall of 1916 elected to that position for the next 27 years. Joe also
they built a 24 x 28 two story house, with the help of ran a grain elevator in Roy during the winter of 1933-34.
homestead friends. One was a carpenter and the other Joe mapped and measured many fields. From 1938
one a mason, who did the plastering of the rooms. and on, when the government paid for the building of
Thus began many tough years with dry summers and stockwater dams, Joe staked and measured for many of
hard winters during which th[...]f them. In 1949 Joe taught veteran's in the farm school at
prairie and sagebrush. Dick Kalina paid tribute to his Roy for two years. In 1951 he and Emma moved to
early pioneer parents when he said that "all ofthe sons Lewistown, when their son's, Dick and Don, took over
and daughters ofhomesteaders owe a very great deal to the ranch, and he worked classifying land for the
their parents for making a country and home out of the county. When he retired from this he got an[...]worked right along with our drilling rig and drilled many wells for people in the
fathers. The women gathered a lot of sagebrush, milked ar[...]ss rate with his talent. When
cows, shocked grain and even worked in the field with he reached the age of 80 he had to quit, due to arthritis
horses[...]in his knees.
Three sons were born to the Kalina's. Richard was Emma passed away in 1972 at the age of 78. The last
born on August 26, 1918 at the homestead. Mrs. Frank five years of Joe's[...]son,
Pospisel, as midwife, helped bring him into the world. Dick, and Dick's wife, Virginia, on the home place. Joe
Milton was born on December 1,7922 in Minnesota and passed awayin 1979 atthe age of87. Both a[...]exn VrRcwn KauNa
Dick spent his entire life on the home ranch until his
retirement in February of 1980 when he and Virginia
moved into Roy. Dick and Virginia Martin, daughter of
Mr. and Mrs. Harry Martin, were married on June 3,
1946.[...]is father's musical footsteps, as did
all 3 boys, and for many years he played drums at a
dance, somewhere, every Saturday night. He still does
when the occasion arises.
Virginia was a talented piano player and for years
they, along with Sonny and Norma Weingardt, were
known as the popular dance band, "The Stardusters".
Dick started in 1941 with the Zahns, Harvey Fogle
and Chet Larson when they played for monthly dances
at the Bohemian Hall. They played good music
ever[...]
Homestead Shacks over Buffalo Tracks: History of Northeastern Fergus County [Montana] (129)[...]-
guitar and drums. Dick has remodeled the old Stendal house, which
Dick and his brother, Don, leased the home ranch for they bought in Roy, and has made it into an attractive
several years, unt[...]He leads an active life, doing ranch work
bought the ranch in 1960. where needed, trucks, does dirt moving work and helps
Virginia passed away in April of 1980.[...]Mouing the Kalina house from the homestead to it's
The drilling rig that Joe Kalina used to drill water wells present location on the honte place. The mouing of a
for many a Roy former. This one he is[...]u)as a. comtlon occurance in the homestead days.[...]rts
Dorothy Elnore Fogle, daughter of Harvey E. and the late 1970's.
Myrtle L. Fogle, and Milton Wilford Kalina, son of Additional farm ground was rented from Cabelka in
Joseph W. and Catherine C. (Emma) Kalina, were 1956 and the lease was retained throughout the couple's
united in marriage on October 2, 1943 in the chapel on farming career.
the Coast Artillery Base, Fort Crockett, Galveston, The introduction to sheep was quite by accident. In
T[...]the fall of 1960, when Swend Holland was transporting
Milton received his discharge one week after the sheep by truck, one jumped over the side and escaped.
couple were married. They returned to Ro[...]with dust, Milton finally caught the sheep. The next spring
Dorothy's aunt, Helen and George Martin. Milton was 25 ewes were purchased from Bill Stockton of Grass
employed at the Anaconda Smelter in Great Falls. Range. The band of sheep increased to an eventual 90
The purchase of the Leo Krahulik farm, seven miles head.
east of Roy, brought the couple back in March of 1944. The winter of 1960 did not seem as cold as past win-
The farm was 480 acres and had a three room house. ters to the family because it was their first winter with
The kitchen lighting was powered by two six volt bat- indoor plumbing. The modernization n^--tinued with
teries and there were two orange crate cupboards. They the installation of the telepho-^ i- 1962. Prior to 1961 a
had a borrowed milk cow and thirty chickens. Their selfinstalled, battea' -p€rated telephone connected the
first crop was whead and rye, farmed with a 10-20 Kalina fo-... wrth Maruskas and Martinecs. Two longs
International tractor, a Sanders plow, a combine, and a an.r a short would get an answer at the Kalina house.
home-made drill. The highway to Grass Range was under construction[...]e, was born on August 27,1946 in 1961 and 1962. The construction company headquar-
in Lewistown. Shortly thereafter, Dorothy got a gas- ters was in the Kalina yard and the gravel pit was in
powered washing machine, purchased at an auction the field next to the house so it was an unusually busy
sale for $35. time. The highway right-of-way reduced the Kalina
In 1948, a 32 volt light plant was installed and the farm to 451 acres.
Kalinas built their[...]. Jess Bilgrien rented the land on the corner for the
Colene Kay, their daughter, was born October 12[...]1950 in Lewistown. That same year they built onto the Larry graduated from Northern Montana College in
house and dug the well in the basement. Havre in 1968 and married Susan J. Roth of Bridger in
Electricity was brought to the farm in 1951. By 1953, November 1970.
Milton and Dorothy were milking nine cows and selling The Roy High School reunion in 1970 recognized the
cream. The year of 1954 was the beginning of the egg Kaiina family as the only entire family to have gradu-
business[...]
Homestead Shacks over Buffalo Tracks: History of Northeastern Fergus County [Montana] (130)[...]Hrsronv Op NonrueesrsRN FeRr;us Couxrt

Milton and Dorothy moved to Lewistown in 1974. Stacey born May' ll, 1982 and Erir.r burn Septenrber 27,
They gave away the chickens and rented the farm land 1983.
to Artie Niemi. Miiton went to work for United States Dorothy was active in the Presbyterian Church and
Gypsum at Heath as a mechanic and later changed to United Presbyterian Women, a member of the Valley
Bourke Implement where he worked for 8Yz y[...]lerk at Anthony's in Lewistown. Auxiliary and was a leader of the Silver Sage 4-H Club.
The family gathered at Nodaway, Iowa for the She also decorated cakes for all occasions and did
wedding of Colene to Garry Roberts in 1979. extensive sewing.
Milton retired in 1985 and stays busy helping area Milton was on the School Board for 2l consecutive
farmers, when nee[...]years, an elder of the church, member of the Farmer's
Grandchildren include the daughters of Larry and Union and the American Legion Post #96, He likes to
Susan; Kathy born July 1, 1976 and Heidi born Sep- hunt, fish, and play musical instruments.
tember 30, 1980; and the daughters of Gar4r and Colene,[...]information by Charlotte Kalina
Don and Charlotte Anderson were married on Febru- Charlotte is a charter member of and was the Valley
ary 14, 1953 in GlenEllyn, Illinois. They lived and View Extension Homemakers first secretary-treasure.
ranched on the home ranch with his brother Dick until
1956 when they moved to the Bill Harvey ranch (the old
Jennings place). In i980 they sold this ranch and pur-
chased the home place from Dick when he retired.
The couple has one son, David, who was born on
August[...]s on her place until
1983 when they moved back to the home place and
leased the Miro Heil ranch. They have two daughters,
Christine born November 7, 1984 and Tracy, born
November 19, 1986.
Don enjoys music, as his brothers do, and is an excel-
lent carpenter. He remodeled the houses on both the
Harvey and home places and fixed them into attractive
modern homes as well as restored other buildings on
the places. Don and Charlotte on their wedding day,
Their son, Davi[...]JosN AND RosE Kasar,e
informotion by Miro HeiI
John and Rose Kasala came to the United States Joe Kasala proved up on the homestead and he, his
from Czechoslovakia. They came with ail of their fam- wife Katherine, and family lived there until 1936 when
ily in 1915, e[...]oved to Moore. Joe passed away in 1965.
grated to the U.S. earlier, and their youngest son, Ben,
who stayed behind to serve in the Czechoslovakian
army. During World War I, Ben and his brother Joe
fought on opposing sides. Ben finally came to the Uni
ted States after the war and settled in Ohio.
The other Kasala children were: Franc'es who mar-
ried Leodegar Skalka; Anna who married Joe Kviz and
then after his death was married to Jake Bedlan; Rose
who married Emii Sirucek and Mary who married Mary (HeiI) and
Anton Heil.[...]Rose (Sirucek)
The Kasala homestead was north of Coal Hill near Kasala
the Rocky Point trail.
John passed awaf in[...]

Homestead Shacks over Buffalo Tracks: History of Northeastern Fergus County [Montana] (131)[...]ipkov, Czechoslovakia ing many a day out on the prairie in scorching heat,
and immigrated to the United States in 1907. He lived dust, amid[...]fearing rattlesnakes, being hungry, and just plain lone-
Dakota. There he manied Barbara[...]a day or two before some
15, 1914 in Lisbon, N.D. The couple had known each of these kids got home again. It was no fun!
other in the old country. That same year they moved to Kellner Sr. was a member of the ZCBJ Lodge. He
Montana and homesteaded northeast of Roy. passed away at home on a stormy day, April 9, 1958.
When the Kellners left North Dakota, for Montana, a Because the weather conditions were so bad it was a
friend ga[...]ng rifle, which had couple of days before the undertaker was able to come
been used in the Boer War. He wrapped it in newspaper, and get him.
and all the way to Montana, he protected that gun like Mrs. Kellner and her son continued ranching.
a baby. His wife was[...]During her last years she was bedridden. Her son
and pans he was guardfng with such tender care. She[...]n a nursing home, mainly because she had never
The Kellners were mainly grain farmers. learned to speak English and would not have been able
Their only child, a s[...]tana. In his youth there was a herd law in effect and Jim married Mary Jane Tabor on November 14,1972"
the Kellners like most everyone else had a few head of He had spent his entire life on the ranch, except for a
cattle. Youngsters were delegated to watch and herd year spent in the CCC camp in Idaho, where he suffered
the cattle to keep them out ofneighbors'grainfields and acute homesickness. His only other adventure[...]Erunn Kruunrv

Einer Kennedy homesteaded in the area just north of out of a well he was digging.
Coal Hill. In 1928 Anton Heil bought his place, also the On another occasion, Kennedy's tractor could be
machinery. Kennedy was gone most of the time, he heard running. Heil assumed[...]a
Miro Heil remembers him as being an inventor and a considerable length of time, Heil decid[...]le invention was a shaver that somewhat the field. Kennedy was using the tractor for other pur'
resembled and worked on the principal of a lawn poses. He had rigged up a cooker using the tractor
mower. Rigged up with strings he could pull it up and manifold for heat and was cooking beans.
down his face. He claimed he h[...]Miro's father, Anton, was going over to the problem by starting his Model T and jacking it up,
Kennedys place, and in coming over the hill, all he saw he rigged a chain from the rear tire to the crank ofthe
was a strange tri-pod standing out on the prairie. All of tractor. He would put the car in gear and let it do the
a sudden a carrier of sorts come qp out of the ground, cranking! On cold days, after using this method to start
full of dirt, and tipped over dumpiirg the contents off to the tractor, he would then use the hot water out of the
the side; then back into the ground it went" Einer had tractor radiator to wash his clothes!
built the strange looking mechanism to bring dirt up

Cuanr,ns AND MARv Koran's Devs Ar Rov
by the Kolar farnily Leona Theilman[...]-
Charles (Charley) and Mary Kolar came to Montana frling for a[...]of Roy. Wanting to own his own land he frled the appli-
James. They leased a ranch south of Moore. In July of cation for the homestead.
1911 Dad shipped 4 horses, 1 milk cow,[...]bruary of 1912 a son, Adolf, was born. They
goods and furniture to Moore on the immigration car harvested the 1912 crop at Moore. His application for
from Nebraska and it arrived just in time for him to the homestead was accepted, so Dad wiih his brother'
work the land and seed the winter wheat that fall. He in-laws, Frank, Louis, Emil and Bill Sirucek, went to
read about the new land at Roy, Montana available by Roy and put up the house. They moved to the homestead.

Homestead Shacks over Buffalo Tracks: History of Northeastern Fergus County [Montana] (132)[...]oy. He hardware business was good but the homesteaders
built a two story structure, using the upper floor for part bought merchandise on credit and then there wasn't
time living quarters during the week days, operating enough money to pay their bills so Dad was forced to
the hardware, as it was too far to go back and forth sell the hardware, moving back to Moore. The buildings
from the homestead. They named the store, CHARLEY were sold off. The house was moved to Anton
KOLAR'S HARDWARE. With the homesteaders and Koliha's farm and is still standing there. The folks
people moving to the Roy area the hardware was a bought a farm, 5 miles east of Moore.
great asset to the community. Si[...]oore: Karel Kolar,
Dad did a lot of freighting between Hilger and Roy Leona Kolar Thielmann, Viktor Kolar, Judith Kolar
and into Lewistown with his lumber wagon and horses Berg, Willie Kolar and Louis Kolar.
for supplies before the railroad came to Roy. The trips In 1945 the folks bought a farm west of Lewistown.
to Hilger[...]ack he stopped Their son, Adoll took over the farm at Moore and they
at the Bert Sargent ranch on the outskirts of Roy where moved to the Lewistown farm.
they fed and bedded the horses down for the night. The During the 1950's Dad received a check from,one of
Sargents[...]g quar- his customers that owed him, from the hardware days
ters, with meals, for people who spent the night there. in Roy. We are sorry we didn't write down the parties
They were very kind hearted people, every[...]that were never paid.
Mother (Mary) would tend the store with her two sons Dad passed away July of 1960 and Mother continued
while Dad was either working on the homestead or to live on the farm with her son, Ed. Then Ed built a
freighting. During the summer months, on sunny days, new house, when he got married, on the same place.
Dad would ride his bicycle to Roy from the homestead Later she sold the farm to Ed. In 1984 Mother was
on Mondays and then return at the end of the week, so admitted to the Valle Vista Manor Nursing Home
Mother would be alone out on the homestead with the where she still lives. She is at the age of 96.
boys. In 1986, the Kalina men were helping with an auction
Dad always put in a supply of wood for the year, so sale, east of Roy, and they found a calendar that Dad
he'd go to the Missouri breaks with the team. One gave out during his days in the Hardware in 1914. The
morning a heavy, dense fog moved in as he was on[...]ar was printed with CHARLEY KOLAR'S
way, early in the morning. He kept on going, thinking HARD[...]t would break but finally he decided to turn back and the Kalina men for grving it to our family. Viktor Ko[...]his sense of direction, as there now farms the homestead and we hope to keep it in the
were no roads or trails. to follow. He decided that if he family. We still drive out to see the acreage, thinking of
let the team go they would come out somewhere. Sure the work, hardship and pleasure they had during that
enough they stopped at the gate back home. time.
As time went on they cleared the land, put up some
more buildings, but no water was available. Tbey
hauled water for the house use and the livestock, part of
the time.
October 4, LgL4 another son, Ed, was born on the
homestead with Grandmother (Katrina Sirucek) and
her neighbor lady, Mrs. Zaruba, as midwives. There
were no doctors available from Lewistown so the neigh-
bors had to help each other during sickness. Mother
and Mrs. Zaruba saved a little boys life by making him
drink whiskey while they sucked the poison from a
rattlesnake bite. They made an incision where the
snake had bit the boy in the leg, using the whiskey as Charles ond Mory Kolar are standing by the accordion
an anesthetic. player with their two sons, Jarnes and Adolf. They were
They had the homestead all proved up now. The celebrating the claim of their homestead. 1914.[...]nuary 14, 1885 in Czechos- in Lewistown and Milfred and Charles are both listed
lovakia. Emma Kosmata[...]as being bornin Roy.
Omaha, Nebraska. The couple was married January Emil married Marie Walters, the daughter of Joe
19, 1910. Walters who homesteaded in the Fergus area. He lives
They had five children. Emil and Evelyn were both in Billings and was a self employed car mechanic,
born in[...]
Homestead Shacks over Buffalo Tracks: History of Northeastern Fergus County [Montana] (133)[...]-
and Marie had two children, Emil Jr. and Carley. his wife, Jean Stiff (o[...]Evelyn (Lohse) passed away in February of 1969 and do their two sons, David and Bruce.
is buried in Kalispell.[...]ilfred "Mei" became an air traffic controller. he and
Delphia attended Eastern Montana College and be- his wife, Nola, iive in Yakima, Washington and they
came a teacher. The first school she taught after had one son, Ronald. Milfred is a gifted poet.
graduation was the Black Butte school. She married Anton passed away February 11, 1962 and is buried
James Naylor and they lived at Danvers for many in Lewistown.
years before retiring and moving to Lewistown. The Koliha place is now a part of the John Maruska
Charles lives in Stockton. California where he and ranch.[...]n Koliha, first came to Roy from St. the horses. While they were out binding and shocking
Paul, Nebraska in 1915. My uncle, Joe, h[...]n on a hot summer day, my sister, younger brother
and encouraged Dad to come to this new land as many and I were playing in front of the house. I was lying on
people were coming and filing on homesteads. The my stomach on a bench along side the house and right
country was being settled fast. Since most of the land next to it I saw a huge rattlesn[...]- just happened to come home from the field and killed it.
ment of 160 acres from a bachelor, named Adolph We attended the Coal Hill school our fi.rst eight
Pospisil, 8Yz m[...]grades. We walked across fields and I remember how
My oldest brother and sister were born in Nebraska heavy o[...]t come until Dad had a place for them the spring of the year.
to live. There was only a tar paper shack w[...]. She is still living in Sumner, Washing-
roof on and built a barn for the livestock, though it was ton.
difficult[...]ined for two weeks steady. All the teachers boarded with Frank Vodicka. My
Like all of the homesteaders they moved by immi- 2[...]n named Lou Gerig. He was
grant car as far as Roy and brought only the necessary very strict and I was so scared of him because he did
things. Mother wasn't very impressed with the tar whip some of the boys. In later years I was grateful to
paper shack and many times wished she could return to[...]ving taught me phonics.
Nebraska, but it took all the money they had to buy the The drought and depression years were especially
Iand. With courage and determination they stuck it out. hard in the 30's. Little cash was realized from meager
It mus[...]garden without irrigation,
able to see her family and friends. milked cows, raised chickens, raised hogs for meat and
Land was covered with sagebrush so had to be helped Mother with the canning of it. We also raised
cleared before an[...]e planted. Rains came geesefor meat and we stripped feathers and Mother
and crops were good until the terrible drought of 1919. made pillows and feather comforters. She baked all our
The crop failure was a disaster. Many of the early bread; mostly whole wheat.[...]read was
homesteaders left then. Mother went over the grain like angel food cake. She rnade all our dresses. Father
freld picking the little heads of grain for the chickens. repaired our shoes.
That winter was a cold hard one. The hay they bought It was hard and I am glad we don't have to iive like
was shipped in and was very expensive and the that today. Mother at age 96[...]was slough grass. home in Lewistown and enjoying pretty good health.
Mother worked rig[...]athering sage- lNote: Emrna died in the Central Montono Hospital in
brush, milking cows, shocking grain and working with Lewistown on October[...]Koliha
I willalways have many fond memories of the Roy pleasures. During the dry depression years it seems
country. That is where I had my beginning and I enjoy everyone had a hard time, a few moved away' but the
going back to visit old friends and see the homestead of majority stuck it out and never lost hope that better
my parents.[...]veled at their fortitude
When I reminisce about the old homestead and the and self-reliance. Adversity only slowed them down a[...]little.
ten. There were many happy moments and simple Aithough we had to work hard and didn't have the
Homestead Shacks over Buffalo Tracks: History of Northeastern Fergus County [Montana] (134)[...]Cot sLr

many materiai luxuries we enjoy today, the homestead atmosphere that prevailed. We received the basic values
was a wonderful place to grow up and commune with and appreciation of life. Our parents sacrifices and
nature. There were no TV's, but a simple battery courage to survive in very harsh winters and years of
powered radio which brought us the news and of course drought without bene{its of furnaces, insulation, water
the famous Amos & Andy show. or bathroom facilities in the house, are a memorial to
Each of us had daiiy[...]eers who blazed a path for us to fol-
wood, feed the livestock, and carry water into the house low. We can certainly be proud of our parents for their
for our daiiy use. We also had our cats and dogs. My Iove and solid values they instilled in us.
most important pet was our pony; so very useful. It
seems that ail the youngsters in the area grew up on a
horse. We spent many hours riding and herding cattle. 'q\[...].-?
It was about 172 miles io the Coal Hill School. We ':-[...]e of weather; rain, snow, biizzards,
dust storms and sunny weather. It was a one room with
dedicated teachers, who had all eight grades and who
gave us the greatest gifi of all, that of wanting to learn
and better ourselves; to be good citizens and to appre-
ciate this great land called America. The eight grades
in one room actually turned out quite well as the
younger grades would hear the information being given The Anton Koliho family in 1939. From left to right:
by the older kids and we learned beyond our grade Duffy, Cha[...]y later on. (Emil's wtfe)and Emil.
The above conditions described may sound harsh, but
everyone seemed h.ppy. One big disadvantage was the
avaiiability of medical care. The nearest doctor was in
Lewistown, about 50 miles away on dirt roads. People
were generaliy very ill before the trip was made for
medical care. I know we kids were brought into this
world by a mid-wife and never saw a doctor for many
years. Outside of the normal childhood diseases most of
the children were healthy. I had the misfortune of con-
tracting polio in my second y[...]chool in Roy
so I fought a long battle to regain the use of my limbs,
especially when so little was known of the problem. If it
wasn't for that fact, I might have remained on the
ranch.
Neighbors were always willing to help each other
and I remember going with Dad to the different neigh-
bors and it was impossible to leave without enjoying
the goodies that were offered. The hand of fellowship
was always offered to all who happened to pass their The Koliha homestead shack along Box Elder Creeh in[...]1915. Notice the water in the creeh-but also notice
I There is much that can be said for the simple carefree there were NO trees along the creek, back then![...]t of his brother Joe did not stay in the Roy area very long" They
Anton's place. Joe's wife's name was Emma too. She moved to Great Falls and he worked in the smelter in
was Emma McCarty, a sister to Mrs. Gradle. Joe met the Wire Mill. Joe is now deceased; Emma still Iives in
her when he was working for the Hruska famiiy near Great Falls.
Lewistown.

Torvv AND MATILDA KozELUH
information by Georgia Kozeluh Netterberg
Tony and Matilda (Tillie) Kozeluh homesteaded in Other families who lived near were the Swobodas and
Roy in 1913. They farmed 8 miles east of Roy. Tillie's the Lambert Benishs. The Benish name was later
parents, Frank and Anna Halla lived close to them.[...]

Homestead Shacks over Buffalo Tracks: History of Northeastern Fergus County [Montana] (135)[...]t29

Four of the six Kozeluh children were born in Roy: Helen, went into the chicken house and got full of
Georgia in 1914, Helen in 1916, Mildred in 1917, and mites!
Evelyn in 1919. Paul was born in 1921 and Geraldine in "I was ornery," she says recalling an incident when
1929 after they had left the area and moved to Ballen- she scattered 100# of flour all over the house while her
tine. parents were outside and another time when she rubbed
They lived in a tar paper shack and had, as Georgia Helena's hair full of axle grease.
recalls, "not much to eat". Water was hauled. In the Georgia was 5 years old when the family moved from
winter the water wouid freeze inside the house and the Roy to Ballentine.
blankets they were sl[...]denelle, Arkansas and he passed away on January 11,
"We had cows for milk and chickens and I suppose 1974. Tillie Halla was bor[...]had a garden; I know September 20, 1894 and passed away on November 5,
he (father) raised pot[...]elen who died
Georgia remembers a time when she and her sister, in April of 1971.[...]Lro nNo ANrorqm KneHuux
Leo and Antonie (Pestal) Krahulik were married on[...]They leased a parcel of their land away.
to the ZCBJ Lodge to build the (Bohemian) hall on. Leo was born on November 15, 1889 in Nebraska and
They moved to Eugene, Oregon after they left the he died June 13. 1953. No vital st[...]emia. He came to Amer- members who read the entire ritual in Bohemian. Later
ica as a young man and settled east of Roy in 1914. He a service was held in the Roy Church. Both father and
married Anna Kasala in 1927. son are buried in the Roy Cemetery.
Anna was the daughter of John and Rose Kasala. In 1934 Anna married[...]an. Jacob
She was born in Czechoslovakia in 1901 and received was born in July of 1894 in Milligan, Nebraska, the son
her schooling there. She was 13 when her parents came of Mr. and Mrs. Martin Bedlan. He came to Montana in
to Roy[...]omesteading first in Musselshell county before
The Kviz's only child, a son Ed, drowned in a dam by[...]when he was about 3 years old. Joe Anna and Jake lived and farmed on her former hus-
died a year later. They[...]an illness of two years. Anna
funeral was held at the ZCBJ Hall, conducted by Lodge moved to the Flathead to live with her sister, Rose[...]gton; Rose (Mrs. Thero Knapp) born 1906;
Martinec and little son, James, came to America from[...]22,1924,
panied by Mrs. Martinec's parents, James and Anna buried in the Roy Cemetery; Louis, born 1914; Henry,
Vondracek.[...]born 1,916, died 1936, buried in the Roy Cemetery;Millie
Upon reaching the United States, they went to Kan- (Mrs. Bill Griffith) born 1919, gtaduated from Buffalo
sas and settled at Timken.[...]tead, Anna March 22, t989, buried in the Lewistown Cemetery;
picked the location- After the flat prairie of central Albina (Mrs. Norm[...]High in Freshman, Sophomore years-graduated at
the mountains, and thus chose their homesite. Lewis[...]n in Roy, Montana.
Twelve children were born to the Martinecs. James, Grandmother Anna Vondracek was a mid-wife and
born in Czechoslovakia 1902, died May 1969[...]

Homestead Shacks over Buffalo Tracks: History of Northeastern Fergus County [Montana] (136)[...]was a stone mason by trade. He built put the car in the garage and it was not used until one
a stone barn, chicken house and out buildings on their ofthe boys learned[...]After his parents retired and moved to Lewistown in
Mr. Martinec worked at the Billings Sugar Factory 1940, Louis operated the ranch until he went to the ser-
for extra income to support the family. vice, when he joined the Army at the start of WWII. It
The Martinec children attended Coal Hill and Roy was in the Battle of the Bulge, that his entire platoon
schools.[...]wns wiped out, with the exception of himself and one
Anna loved animals, especially the cows, cats and other soldier. He was the recipient of the Purple Heart,
dogs, of which she could never have[...]d Conduct Medal, wounded in action 16 December
in the strays and always made room for another. There 1944[...]1945.
Our father was a gentle man and he would use his Anna Vondracek Martinec 1882-1956, 74 years.
cap to swat the kids when they were unruly, which was Fr[...]them. He bought a Model A Ford buried at the Lewistown Cemetery.
Sedan. His first attempt t[...]his last, for it Jim eventually took over the farm. Lillian married
didn't "Whoa" but went right through the wire gate. He Frank Pospisil and they lived at Moore where they[...]Fnqlx AND ANNA Menrnqnc

by LiIIian Pospisil
Frank and Anna Martinec came to the United States to work the fields. They threshed their wheat by putting
in the early 1900's from Czechoslovakia. They went to it on a canvas and hitting it with a pole and then blew
Rush Center, Kansas, where they had relatives. They it out on the wind. They raised a lot of corn which they
farmed[...]years. They then cane to Roy to had to cut and husk and shell out. It was used to feed
homestead. the cows and chickens.
They stayed with friends in Roy for a[...]as eleven miles east of them. They farmed and raised corn, rye,
miles east of Roy. There were no buildings on the place, wheat and lots of nice vegetables and fruit.
so they lived in their wagon for two weeks[...]living around us,
a rock house out of flat rocks and sand. It took father a and cousins. Jim Martinec farmed with the folks and
long time to build it. We lived in the rock house for took over the farm when they retired in 1945. They then
about 6[...]t a two-story wooden moved to Lewistown and lived there the rest of their
house. lives.
He farmed there and raised wheat, rye, corn and hay. I am now retired and still living on the farm. My son,
They also raised all kinds of vegetables and fruit Marvin, is now farming the farm. All my children are
(apples and watermelons). married.
They had six cows that they milked and four horses

Janss AND LENA Manrwnc

James Martinec was born in 1902 in Czechoslovakia. Jim and Lena retired from ranching in 1965; leased
Lena[...]In 1927 their place to Milford Rellick and moved into Lewis-
she wed Harry Huculak in Canada. Harri had a son, [own.
Michael. Lena and Harry had two children, Jim passed away on May 25, 1969 and Lena on
William and Stephanie. Stephanie was born in Chi-[...]William joined the service; in later years he lived in
Lena and her children came to Roy in 1935. On Biloxi, Mississippi and in Payettville, North Carolina.
October 2i, 1939 she and Jim Martinec were married in He is deceas[...]Horachek) and later wed Frank Skalka. (Deceased)[...]Bob Fink now owns the Martinec place.

Homestead Shacks over Buffalo Tracks: History of Northeastern Fergus County [Montana] (137)[...]JonN AND MARY Menusra
information by Marie Vanek and Joltn Maruska Jr.

John Maruska was born in Jirekov Habru, Kraj, John and Mary were wed on February 1, 1916 in
Caslav, Czechoslovakia on May 5, 1890. He was the son Howells, Nebraska, where Mary was born on May 13,
of John and Francis Maruska; one of eleven children.[...]month later, on March 1st, they left Nebraska,
The famiiy had a smail acreage of land, on the out- on the train, with her dowery of household goods, for
skirts of the village they lived in, where they raised a Montana. They stayed with the Sebecs until the first of
garden, some smali grains and pastured a few animals. April when they left for the homestead, 40 miles away,
Mrs. Maruska and the children tended the acreage in a newly purchased wa[...]of shoemaking. As Mary drove across the strange new country with
Young John attended grade school and after two her new husband she had very mixed emotions and
years of high school he attended two years of tra[...]home. It was a let down.
school learning to make shoes. He practiced his trade The one room, tar paper shack had been rented out dur[...]nna, Au.stria. He ing John's absence and the renter had used it to hold
returned home to Czech[...]visit his horse feed. Mice had moved in. The couplg tired after
family and then in 1909 when John became 19 years[...]d, James Pleskac, to they could rest. And even then, the mattress for the bed
come to the United States.[...]o a straw stack, a quarter
John had two sisters and two uncles who had already of a mile away, and frll a straw tick mattress.
emigrated to the U.S. The two young men departed In the fall of 1916 John bought 80 acres of land from
March 3, 1909, by boat, and by the end of March they the Cook-Reynolds Railroad that was located on the
had arrived in Stanton, Nebraska, where John live[...]ey relocated their house nearer a
with his sister and family, Agnes and Henry Koza, and water source; bought a milk cow, raise[...]orking in a shoe enjoyed good neighbors and had a bountiful crop. Their
store, repairing shoes. Eventually he bought a shoe main problem was with the long horn cattle that ran at
store in Tilden, Nebaska. large and had little respect for a fence, when there was[...]arrived in one,
Lewistown on May 1st and went to Brooks where his The winter was cold and the sagebrush fuel didn't
other sister and family, Charles and Tillie Sebek, lived last long enough to keep the house warm so trips to the
and stayed with them. Meanwhile he frled for 160 acre[...]ks several miles away for fi.rewood were made.
in the newly opened Roy area.[...]18.
tongue. He had saved enough money to purchase the The year of 1919 was a disaster. Crops failed; there
materials for his 12 x 14 house. The materials were was no rain and the winter was severe.
hauled from Hilger. He began the hard work of proving Times were toug[...]too. Neighbors, Joe Kalina, Anton Heil and Joe
turned over one row of sod at a time; a very slow pro- Swoboda provided music for the many families in the
cess. Sagebrush was pulled by hand with the aid of a area, who delighted in dancing to and singing the old
"sage brush" hoe" The sagebrush was put to good use Czeph songs.
as fuei for heating and cooking. It made a hot fire. In[...]n could brought such good money that the Maruskas were able
water witch and he dug several wells before he finally[...]e water. Water for house- disc wheels! And John had another new experience,
hold use was carried from the creek, a half mile away, learning to drive! Before the car, trips to town were
or if and when it rained, rain water was used. The rain delayed until absolutely necessary.[...], sugar, coffee, dried fruits were bought to last the
unpleasant. winter, then supplies were replenished in the spring"
John had to work out quite a bit, in order to earn Receiving mail was one of the greatest joys in the
enough money to keep going. lives of the homesteaders, it was their one big contact
By[...]oved up on his homestead, improved with the outside world. At frrst, mail was delivered
his ability to speak English and had become a U.S. weekly by the mail carrier whose route ran frorh Roy to
citizen. John filed on 40 more acres and that fall he sold Valentine" Later mail came three times weekly, and
his horse and stock and returned to Nebraska to see his later still the Maruskas were one of the few ranch fami-
girl friend, Mary Kadlec.[...]

Homestead Shacks over Buffalo Tracks: History of Northeastern Fergus County [Montana] (138)[...]us CouNry

In 1924 John, along with John Horyna and Anton Ernest enlisted in the Air Force after high school
Heil, went into partnership and bought a Woods graduation and served in England during WWII. After
Brothers threshing machine and a Fordson tractor. the service he moved to Portland, Oregon where he was[...]son, Jim, was very interested in engaged in the refrigeration business. He and his wife,
mechanics and he soon learned how to adjust the new Josephine "Jo", whom he married in 1942 raised a
machine and run it properly. The machine was still in family of three childr[...]s later. John and Frank both graduated from Roy High
Two more sons were born into the family. John Leo School in 1945. Frank entered college in Bozeman and
on February 28,1926 and Frank on August 15,1927. John remained at home until he was drafted into the
During 1925 and 1926 the family built a new house service in 1945. Frank became a field man for Farmers
with a basement, near the creek. The house is still in Union. He married Jean Fra[...]Extension Agent, in 1956. They have one daughter and
The Coal Hill School was organized and it was there live in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho.
all the Maruska children recejved their education up to John Jr. went into business with his parents and
the eighth grade. John was a member of the school stayed on the ranch. John Sr. and Mary retired in May
board.[...]of 1956 aftet 44 years of life on the homestead and
The next few years were prosperous with ample mois- moved into Lewistown.
ture and good crops. The community organized the John Jr. married Betty Mae Stilson on May 12, 1962.
CZBJ Lodge and the Bohemian Hall was built. The Betty was a school teacher, who was raised on a farm
family purchased a radio and their home became a near Lewistown. John and Betty remain on the ranch.
great place for neighbors to meet and listen to this They raised one son, George John, who was born on
wonderful new link to the outside world. February 27, L97I. Betty has taught in the Roy school
John bought his first tractor in 1928; a steel wheeled system for the past several years.
International.[...], 1973, after enjoying his years of
John missed the abundance of trees that grew in his retirem[...]was accidentally killed when hit
native homeland and planted a variety of fruit and by a truck at a Lewistown intersection.[...]s he finally got May 6, 1983.
Chinese Elm and some hardy varieties of apple trees to
survive. These did very well over the years and pro-
vided beauty and ftuit until the dry years of the mid-
eighties when several ofthe trees died.
The 30's were tough years. Wheat prices fell to 250 a[...]ound; cows were 910.00 a
head. Hay was shipped in and was high. It didn't rain.
The banks closed. The Roy Bank closed and patrons
lost money, John included. Grasshoppers descended;
they ate everything in sight and were so thick at times
they obscured the light from the sun. But better times
came again and once again the family worked together
and stayed when many others left.
Marie went off to[...]graduated from East-
ern Montana College in 1936 and taught school for four
years before marrying Vencil Vanek and moving to the
Warm Spring Ranch at Brooks which they purchased. Ernie, John and Franh Maruska.[...]FnaNx AND BARBARA Posprsrl
by Euelyn Vogle and Norma Weingart
Frank R. Pospisil was born in Pr[...]He married Plainview on April 11, 1899 and later chose a bride
Barbara Haba who was the daughter of emigrant from Nebraska.[...]lso from Czechoslovakia, on October 8, 1892 and never married. William was born in Mitchell,
in Plainview, Nebraska when he was 19 years old and South Dakota in 1904 and later married a lady from
she was 17. Thei[...]

Homestead Shacks over Buffalo Tracks: History of Northeastern Fergus County [Montana] (139)[...]IJJ

Mr. and Mrs. Pospisil started their journey north iater years it was hauled from the Krahulik place which
with two teams of horses and a wagon and fbur smail was a shorter distance. After the water was hauled it
children. When finances ran o[...]l hired was stored in wooden barrels and covered with tarp-like
out as a domestic and Mr. Pospisil as a laborer. Some- cloth[...]rm had a rain
times labor was exchanged for board and feed for the barrel, placed at one end ofthe house to catch any rain
teams and family. from the rain gutters, in the advent it rained! This
They traveied north from[...]ttery water or for
South Dakota, Wyoming, Montana and up into Canada delicate washings.
and then back to Montana. Somewhere in Nebraska[...]ce, while building a reservoir, Frank was driving
the chiidren contracted scarlet fever and the mumps. the team and Barbara was on the fresno. They hit a
The childhood diseases took their toll on the children; rock and Barbara flew right over the horses. She was
their infant son, Ray, died and was buried along the terrible sore but no broken bones. F[...]errible
way. No medical facilities were available and living infection in his foot one time. Barbara kiiled a hen and
under adverse conditions the remaining three children split hel open and tied the hen, feathers and all, on
paid the price of loosing their hearing. AU the children Frank's foot. It drew the infection out. Remedy for colds
of this union are[...]ed except for Ernest who is was to melt the tallow of a skunk, which made them
90 and lives at the Central Montana Hospital in Lewis- terribly sick at the stomach whiie they rendered it out.
town. (Willia[...]d in their lives.) They used it as a chest and back rub-down. A favorite
They arrived in the Roy area and took up a home- remedy for sore th[...]Kerosene oil"
stead. They had 6 chickens, 2 ducks and a milk cow Cough syrup was made out of honey and onions.
they had gotten as a gift from Barbara's[...]Barbara was a mid-wife for several in the Roy com-
also had a team ofhorses and so were considered rich. munity, in f[...]of her own grandchild-
They built a barn first and lived in one end of it and ren. She also took in laundry for people.
the cows and horses lived on the other side- It wasn't No fences existed and all livestock was herded until
very air tight. Ba[...]t surely constructed. Mrs. Pospisil
footprints in the snow 'inside' the barn. They later built related a story that happened before fences were up.
the house. All the material came into Hilger and then Seems she was out doing chores, the children were near
they hauled it from there with the team. .{ one room the livestock when she saw a cloud of dust in the dis-
home with a dirt floor was then constructed and pro- tance, moving closer. She reali[...]horses being driven by some enterprising men who
The original house still stands, although in poor sha[...]re hauled by wagon from a important to the farm she could ill afford to lose even
timbered area near the Missouri river. The barns were one. She quickly gathered the children, grabbed a table
built of poles and tin. The threshing machine was then cloth and stood in front of the oncoming herd and fran-
moved as close as possible to the structure and straw tically waved the cloth, turning them away before they
was blown ov[...]reached her little herd. She stated that as the riders
for the livestock to enter. The chickens thought this passed, much fist shaking and profanity was expressed
straw was an ideal place to steal out nests. by the men.
Most of the poultry was raised. There was a hatching They burned sulphur on the wood stove to kill any
house, with probably 20 ne[...]rdens were a necessity for winter survival.
nests and given 10 - 12 candled eggs. Duck, geese and These were usually planted near a wat[...]s
turkey eggs were also set under hens, who after the a hand built reservoir or creek, th[...]r
hatch were proud of their offspring even though the watering the plants by either g'ravity irrigation or by
young bore no resemblance to the parenting chicken" bucket. Beans and peas were grown in great quantities
Extreme frustration was exhibited by mother hens with and were dried, then placed in cloth bags for winter use
ducklings and goslings as they discovered the reser- and for seed for the following year. Any plant that pro-
voirs. They would pace the bank and call to their duced seed was allowed to fully mature and the seed
young, pretending they had discoverd some tasty was used the following spring.
morsel. Usually this proved futile until the youngsters Each homestead had at least one and sometimes two
themselves tired and came to shore. root ceilars. One, which was accessible from the house
After establishing a shelter to live in the next order of itself, and one dug into a bank. The root cellar was
business was to find water suitable for consumption. corduroyed and sectioned off w'ith bins and sheives.
Several wells were dug but none produced sweet water. Potatoes, carrots, turnips and other long life vegetables
The only use for this water was to water livestock, were stored in bins. In the summer these had to be
bathe or for washing clothes. Drinking water was cleaned out as the shelf life of these vegetables would
hauled by team and wagon from the Kasperek farm. In have expired, causing them to rot and emit an un-

Homestead Shacks over Buffalo Tracks: History of Northeastern Fergus County [Montana] (140)[...]garden products farm supplies were usually the items purchased. These
played a large part in ba[...]bors in were purchased in large quantities and usually lasted
exchange for labor, favors or needed supplies. the year. Flour, sugar and salt came in cloth bags.
Washing clothes was a[...]buckets
done twice monthly. It started early in the morning which formally held "Nash Brother's" Coffee. The
with a great fire in the wood stove with two copper sacks were saved for pillow cases and for storing dry
boilers heating water. A small table was brought into lentils.
the porch, a round galvanized tub was placed on top. Electrical storms were frequent and violent, without
The scrub board came out and the process began. This production of rain. Mrs. Pospisil recalled going to the
process usually took up most of the day. The white outhouse during one of these storms. The structure was
were washed and then boiled for several hours to regain located[...]iteness. the tree making the hair on her head and arms sting.
Soap for washing was also made at[...]nging in her ears for several days. She
was saved and boiled up with lye creating a thick con- also recalled a bolt of lightening which struck the
coction which was poured into pans and later cut into chimney of the house and traveled down through the
bars before hardening. Hand and face soap was usually stove pipes and blew open the door on the front of the
"Lifeboy" which had a strong clean odor. Occasio[...]purchased for laundry purposes. around the room and finally hit a corner of the kitchen,
Bathing was also an ordeal as water had to be heated blackening the wall and floor.
in large quantities. Once again the round galvanized There weren't many socia[...]b or water trough was brought in. A fue was built and gathered and played cards by kerosene lamp. Occa-
bathing bega[...]ance. Mrs. Koliha
sive bathing as it started with the youngest member of always brought her wonderful poppy seed frlled kol-
the family and proceeded with each person always aches. The Bohemian hall was usually the place of
adding more hot water until everyone had their bath. these functions. The hall was lit by gas lanterns. Once
Ail farming was done with borses and horse drawn in awhile a baseball game was h[...]ractor was purchased to run chance to visit.
the threshing machine. Cutting the grain was done Winter evenings were sp[...]er, producing bundles which were then put in the kitchen. Flat irons warming on the stove later
into shock groupings. Every member of the family took were wrapped in cloth and placed at the foot of the bed
part in this chore, including the children. Four wagons for warmth. Occasionally a small glass of home-made
and three hay racks were readied each fall for harves[...]ore retiring. This
Since these wagons had set for the greatest part of the was done to either warrn you up or give you courage to
year, the wood in the wheels shrank so wagons and hay undress for bed in a sub-zero bedroom!
racks were pushed into a reservoir and left until swel- During the year, ducks and geese were relieved of
ling had adquately taken place and once again the their feathers, during moulting season. This was
wheel was tight against the rim. usually done in an enclosed area out of the wind. The
Each fall, trips by wagon, were made to Roy to feathers were bagged and saved. On long cold winter
acquire coal for winte[...]e made evenings these bags were brought out and everyone
until an adequate amount for winter use had been got- gathered around the kitchen table. A pile of feathers
ten. Later when[...]available in Roy, was given to each person. The feathers and down were
trips were made to RounduB. Children loved to collect stripped from the feather spine. No one dared sneeze.
the square pieces of paper that came mixed in with the The stripped feathers were then, once again, bagged
coal. Printed on these small squares of paper was and when enough down was acquired pillows and
"Bucking Bronco, Roundup Coal."[...]e
An occasional stray Indian passed through in the enough down was gathered for one feather ti[...]ome of heavy tarp-like
baking bread, she had left the door and window open, ticking. These were filled each[...]y she felt as though she was straw. Each fall the mattresses were taken outside,
being watched and the hair on her neck raised. She emptied of straw and washed. Buttons for the closures
turned to see two Indians standing in the doorway. She were replaced if needed. No zippers or velcro in those
said they muttered something and pointed at the bread. days. Straw was stuffed in and once again, fresh mat-
She hastily gave them the bread and they left without tresses for another year.
i[...]mb to
annual trips were made to Lewistown by team and the roof and plunge the broom up and down the chim-
wagon. These trips took several days. Food staples and ney. Next the stove pipes came down and were carefully
Homestead Shacks over Buffalo Tracks: History of Northeastern Fergus County [Montana] (141)[...]more frequent and faster. The first car the Pospisils[...]Maruska. Starting the vehicle u'as a real chailenge in
the extremely harsh winters. If a trip was necessary[...]ible to respiratory iilness. If the vehicle couldn't start,
the team of horses was harnessed and hitched to the
automobile and the race was on with the horses going
wide open and a cloud of steam coming from their[...]breath and body heat. Some brave driver would be[...]behind the wheel coaxing the engine to life.
In the late 40's Mr. Pospisii purchased a house in[...]Roy. He lived there for many years and was later joined[...]by his wife Barbara. After his death in 1963 Mrs.
The Pospisil family, tahen in 1947. In the bock row Pospisil lived in Lewistown for a short time and then
from I. to r. are: Rudolph, the next two (lady and man) moved back to Roy and made her home with her son
are relatiues from Neb[...]William until her death on December 4, 1965 at the age
Minnie, Lillian tl)ith Bill kneeling in front of her and of 93. Rudolph passed away the same year as did his
Frank, Pospisil to the far right. Front row: second from father, in 1963.
Ieft is Euelyn, fourth from left is Helen and Normq" is on
the end of the row. The other children are uisiting
relatiues.

carried some distance from the house and cleaned, then
reassembled to the stove and chimney flues. Bathing
was definately a must after this chore.
Mrs. Pospisil repaired all the family shoes. Leather
was purchased by the sheet, and later pre-cut sizes were
purchased in Lewistown. She had a castiron stand and
a variety of shoe-like heads that fit the stand. She
would place the shoe in need of repair on the sheet of
leather, trace around it, cut it out and tack it to the shoe
after placing it on the stand.
After an automobile was purchased trips were a little Haruest time in the early days on the Pospisil farm.[...]as born December 31, 1963. She married
school for the deaf. They ranched east of Roy along[...]984 in Winnett. They have 2
with his folks, Frank and Barbara Pospisil. They had 3 children, Neil and Raymond. They live on a ranch and
daughters: Norma, Helen and Evelyn. work for R[...]Robert was born May 20, 1965. He has 2 children and
February 7, 1953. They lived on a ranch there until 1988 is employed on the missiles.
when they sold out and moved to a place west of Er[...]ed. For many town. He is employed at the gold mine.
years Alex "Sonny" and Norma were'half of the popu- Evelyn married Al Vogl on December 9, 1955. Al was
lar dance band of the 60's and 70's, the "Stardusters". a truck driver. They had 2 boys and I girl: Mark, Matt
Sonny played guitar, Norman the accordian, Dick and Valerie. Al was killed in a truck accident on
Kalina the drums and Virginia Kalina the piano. December 27,1969. Evely[...]mer Hamm on April 13, 1963. This and is a nurse at the Great Falls Clinic.
marriage didn't last and she later married Marvin Minni[...]Ernest moved into Roy after
Barney, Debra, Robert and Ernest. Minnie died. Then he moved into Lewistown and finally
Barney was born February 7, 1960. He married into the Central Montana Nursing Home where he
Nionia Kiei[...]birthday on April 11, 1989.
They have 4 children and live in Missoula where

Homestead Shacks over Buffalo Tracks: History of Northeastern Fergus County [Montana] (142)[...]ion Lillian Pospisil

Wiiliam Pospisil came to the Roy area with his Vivian were born i[...]s born
parents in 1910. He attended school in Roy and in in January of 1951 and Pauline in November of 1961.
Lewistown and then ranched with his parents.[...]ipps. They ranch near Gilt
On June 26, 1946 he and Lillian Thomes were mar- Edge and their 3 children attend school in Grass Range.
ri[...]Vivian married Kenny Martin, son of Harold and
in 7977, sold their place to Olaf Negaard and moved Amy Martin. They live at Belgrade and also have 3
into Lewistown.[...]children.
Bill passed away on June 8, 1980 at the age of 75. Rosemary works in a Billings hospital; is married to
Lillian resides in the home they bought when they Dan Scyphers and has one son.
moved into town.[...]ne is married to Earl Martin, brother to Kenny.
The couple had four daughters: twins, Dinah and They live in Lewistown with their 3 children.

JosrpH Rnllrcx AND MARy Menrnvec Rrlmcr[...]oslova- Mr. Rellick was a WWI Veteran and a member of the
kia, where he received his schooling. He came to the Roy Legion Post. Victor was a Marine and saw combat
United States at the age of 21 and settled in Kansas. In service in Okinawa and Iwo Jima, WWII.
1913 he came to Montana and homesteaded east of Roy. The Rellick children were schooled in Roy and Lewis-
Joe Rellick and Mary Martinec were married 18 Sep- town. The Rellicks farmed the homestead until 1949,
tember 1917. They had a family of two boys: Milfred of when they retired and moved to Lewistown.
Billings and Victor (deceased, 7/20/26-9/7/50); three Joseph Rellick died at the Veterans Hospital at Walla
daughters: Mrs. Evelyn[...]wife Mary, resides
Puckett, Salt Lake City, Utah and Rosemary Roraback at Poulsbo, Washington and is 85 years.
of Shelby. Mr. Rellick is buried at the Lewstown City Cemetery.

FneNx AND SrELr,A Ruznr (Ruzrcr)[...]Septembet12,1887 in Czech-
oslovakia" She came to the United States at the age of 5
with her parents. She grew up in Chicago where she
met and married Frank, on November 29, 1916.
The couple came to l*wistown in 1919.
Frank homesteaded east of James Kellner's place. He
did not remain on the homestead, but moved to Lewis-
town, after provin[...]p.
Frank enjoyed a good reputation as a tailor.
The Ruzek's had three daughters: Mary (Noel), Anna
(Henry) and Frances.[...]Ruzek
Stella, always healthy and active, passed away sud'[...](Ruzick)
denly and quietly in her sleep on March 2I,1943 from a
heart attack.
After living in Central Montana for 30 years and
after his wife's death, Frank moved back to Chica[...]o eost of Roy ond o well
Park, until his death at the age of 67 on March 17, 1955. h,nown L[...]

Homestead Shacks over Buffalo Tracks: History of Northeastern Fergus County [Montana] (143)[...]FneNx AND LEoNa Snorv

Leona Sirucek, daughter of Jacob and Katerina were improved, making life easier.
Sirucek, and Frank Siroky, the son of Mr. and Mrs. In 1960 they drilled an artesian well, 2180 feet deep.
John Siroky Sr., were married in the fall of 1927. They This was the first artesian well in the area. It was a
leased a farm from Walter Buechner and the following wonderful miracle, this flowing well. The water was
spring went to farming. In the beginning Frank farmed warm (88 degrees), and flowed at 40 gallons per minute.
with horses; lat[...]rmick tractor. It was good soft water for the house, the livestock and
This tractor not only farmed many acres, but was used for the many flowers, shrubs and trees that surround
to pull many cars over the bridge and road, where Box the buildings. Many neighbors hauled water from this
Elder Creek flows through their ranch, in the 30's when well for many years.
water overflowed. The Sirokys had two children, Doris and Frank Jr.
During the tough years of the depression and A hobby that started for the whole family, about
p.roughts, a sow ready to far[...]k was attending school in Roy
ladies to heip kill and dry pick them. They sold in and two of his teachers who were agate collectors
Lew[...]ignited his interest. Soon Frank Sr. and Leona became
bushel, and up, depending on the protein content. as enthusiastic as their son was and before long a
One year army worms came. They crawled over every- separate room in the house was set aside to house their
thing and on into the creek. When the creek was full of collection. The beautiful stones were made into clock
dead worms the oncoming ones used them for a bridge and lamp bases, vases, frames and jewelry.
to reach the other side. Another time grasshoppers flew The Siroky's daughter, Doris Duncan, now lives in
in and destroyed the wheat. But the Sirokys persisted Great Falls. Their son, Frank Jr., married Dorothy
and with hard work and endurance built up a beautiful "Dottie" Sims and they live on and now operate the
place. Electricity and the telephone came and roads ranch. Frankie and Dottie have one son, Glenn Charles.[...]JAcuB" Jacon aNn KarnnrNe Srnucnx
Jacob Sirucek and Katerina Slaby were married in In February of 1912 Jacob and his two sons, Joe and
Visnova, Czechoslovakia where Jacob made their li[...]own as
ing by farming a small acreage of land. In the spring of the Roy country, but was then only a wilderness with
1899, after much discussion, Frank came to the United big herds of cattle roaming all[...]other only a wagon trail through the prairie and sagebrush.
relatives had already settled. He located a farm and Jacob filed on a homestead of 160 acres, and also a
that fall Katerina sold and disposed of their property in desert claim of 160 acres. Frank and Joe each had a
Czechoslovakia and with their five children: Joe, Rosie, claim of 160 acres.
Frank, Mary and Louis, came to the United States and After locating their homesteads came the tedious job
joined Frank at their new home in Milligan. The prin- of hauling lumber from Hilger to build the houses. All
cipal crop on their farm was corn. of the lumber was hauled with teams of horses and
They stayed in Milligan for 10 years. During that wagons. A two story house was built on the Jacob
time four more children: Bessie, Emil, Leona and Willie Sirucek homestead and as more people came in to take
were born, and Rosie and Mary both married and left up land grants they found a night's lodging and meals
home. at the Sirucek home, flee. The next morning Frank
As the boys grew.older they decided wheat raising would take them out and show them his homestead and
would be a better prospect than corn. After a fam[...]was available to file on. Louis was
conference in the spring of 1909 the family bought a kept busy hauling lumber for them so they could erect
farm in South Dakota and moved there. After settling their homestead shacks.
on the new farm the boys plowed and seeded a large It was rough going for the first few years. There was
field into wheat. Just about the time the wheat started an abaundance of sagebrush, which was used for frre-
heading out heavy rain fell and soaked the fields. After wood. In order to save lumber, Jacob plowed up some
the rain stopped the sun came out, and turned the frelds sod, without the sagebrush, and the children would
into steaming pots which cooked the wheat and in three carry the sod to their mother, who would carefully place
days the rvheat turned yellow and dried up. each piece on top of the other, forming four walls to
That fall, after Frank had come ahead, the family make a neat sod house. The roof was made by placing
sold the farm and came to Montana where they leased a poles across the top, from wall to wall, and piling sage-
farm near Moore. Finally they realized their dreams of brush on top. The sagebrush was then covered with
a good harvest for three years in a row. dirt. The sod house was used for a grainery. Mother and[...]

Homestead Shacks over Buffalo Tracks: History of Northeastern Fergus County [Montana] (144)[...]Another problem was water. Wells were dug, but the break out the coal and haui it home. It was a soft coal
water was often bitter. Small dams were made across and was red in color and was very hard to get. When
coulees and they filled with rain water. The men finally the coal had been removed from the bank there was a
found a good source of water in[...]large dugout left. Ice was put in this dugout in the win-
the water the next project was to move the house to the ter time and used during the summer. Many gailons of
water which was over a ha[...]m this ice, in a hand cranked
good horses to move the two story building. ice cream freezer; a treat for everyone.
After the house was located, many dances were held As time went on the Sirucek homestead was turned
in the large living room. Furniture would be moved out[...]several
to provide room. Several neighbors played the accor- years before selling it and buying a farm near Moore.
dian and music was furnished by anyone who wanted Jacob Sirucek died in June of 1946 and Katerina l0
to play, The one in charge of the dances would buy a months later in April of 1947. Joe passed away in 1956,
keg of beer and later at the dance a hat would be passed Frank in i962, Emil and Willie in 1965, Rosie in 1975
around and the men would chip in enough money to and Louis in 19p4.
pay for it. A lunch was served consisting of sandwiches Leona still lives in the Roy area on the ranch she and
and poppyseed and prune kolaches or cake. Everyone her[...]developed; Bessie lives in
always had a good time and looked forward to the next Idaho and Mary (Mrs. Charles Kolar) resides in a
dance.[...]nough land to make a living. He
sold out to Jacob and bought a place near Glengarry.
As families with school age children moved in, the
need for a school arose. Frank's 14 x 16 foot homestead
shack was moved and used for a school, temporarily. It
was known as the Sirucek school. Many children went
to schooi ther[...]rger schoolhouse was built
later on.
Sage hens and jackrabbits were very numerous then.
Men would come to the Sirucek place with their guns
and ail would go on a rabbit hunt. They would spread
out, far apart from each other, and walk in the same 1

direction. If one man missed the target the next one tt
wouid get it. Afterwards the rabbits would be skinned fr.ft.
and cieaned and everyone took some meat home. It was The Sirucek farnily gathers to celebrate the Golden
a fun day of hunting and visiting. Anniuersary of Jacob and Katerina Sirucek on the
Later on logs were hauled from the timber to be used Sirucek homestead at R[...]ouis,
as fuel. People knew that there was coal in the nearby Emil and BilL. Front row: Rose, Mary (Kolar), Bessie
hills and with a scraper and horses they would move and Leona (Siroky). Seated: Mr. and Mrs. Jacob Sirucek.
the soil off of the hill side and then with handpicks, Taken on October 12.1936.

Lpoorcen AND FRANTISKA "FRANCES" SKALKA
Leodegar Skalka was[...]oslovakia on vakia on May 31, 1980 and received her education in
May 5, 1887, the son of Mr. and Mrs. John SkalkarHe that country.
received his education there and migrated to the United The couple was married at Joslin on June L7, 1917.
St[...]in They had three children: Frank, Emma and Joe. The
l9l2 to homestead. He was a member of the ZCBJ children all attended Coal Hill School.
Lodge and was a veteran of WWI. They moved to the PIum Creek area near Brooks in
Leodegar's homestead was near the Heil homestead. 1927. In 1966 they retired and moved to Lewistown.
It was there that he met Frantiska Kasala, the daugh- Frances passed away on July 20, 1967 at the age of
ter of Mr. and Mrs. John Kasala 77; Loedegar died on August 2, 1973 at the age of 86.
Frances, as she was known, was born[...]C.Vlasak,camein My father left the area in September of 1917 and my
1912 or 1913 and filed on homesteads somewhere east[...]

Homestead Shacks over Buffalo Tracks: History of Northeastern Fergus County [Montana] (145)[...]-
spent 18 months in France and was wounded in combat. met my mother and was married. He bought a grocery
My father was[...]nning it. He served as a municipal
Fergus County. The settlement was $75.001 Judge and Police officer in Morse Bluff, Nebraska. He
When the two brother's arrived the railroad was built had two sons, my brot[...]When he became too disabled to work my father and I
ters and built many of the early buildings in Roy and spent all of our time together, traveling and even living
for homesteaders of the area. My father, besides being a together in a shack back in the hills, for three years. He
carpenter, bought a dray wagon and moved home- died in the Veterans Hospital in Lincoln, Nebraska on
steaders of the area from the rail head, along with their St. Patricks Day, 1957 at the age of 79. He and I were
belongings, to their homesteads. He also had a small the closest of friends. He tried mining at Landusky and
hotel in town where they slept, while locating a home- Zortman and cut timber up on the Missouri, north of
stead. They furnished their ow[...]Roy. I could write about my Dad, the brawler, veteran
The brothers were aiso musicians, my Dad played of many early day saloon,fights and land disputes. I
guitar and Uncle Joe the violin. They were much in could write about the sense'of humor he possessed. Like
demand at local dances. the time he emptied a suitcase of clothing of a home-
My father and his brother never returned to Roy after[...]n my father left, he just left every- and filled it with cow chips and let him carry it, walk-
thing and went to war. I understand that my Uncle Joe ing all day to his homestead shack. And returning the
sold his homestad, I do not know to who or for how clothes to him the next day, by horseback, along with a
much.[...]supply of groceries and laughing with him over the
My father was one of those early settlers that came humor of the situation.
and went; an adventurer, one of the last of the breed. He My Dad and Uncle Joe, who died in Sandpoint, Idaho
was able[...]t age 87 on May 31, 1965, are both long gone from the
training, his long career covered many occupation[...]aska in 1877, one of were not in the area for long but they were there in the
eleven children. He lost his mother at age six. Being beginning. The sounds of their carpenter hammers still
born on a[...]y turned to work as a ranch echo over the plains and in the dark recesses of Black
hand in Nebraska (Cowboy).[...]tain, a haunting refrain, that they too,
trapping and was one of Omaha, Nebraskas earliest helped to shape the community and build a nation!
motorcycle policemen. (1911) He m[...]Note: They also built a Z.C.B.J. Lodge Hall and a
lems, went to Roy to homestead with his brother[...]hese were
also ran a saloon in Clarkson, Nebraska and one in their largest building projects in the area. They were of
Roy as well. After an honorable discharge from the Czech ancestry and Kolin was settled largely by people
Army in 1919,[...]ska; ofthat ethnic background. For the past 16 years I have[...]been a National Director for the ZCBJ.

FneNr AND EMMA Vontcre
Emma Grace Suchan was born at[...]14, 1944 in
sota on November 4, 1890, the daughter of Anton and Lewistown. She was buried in Chicago, Illinois.
Mary Kalash Suchan. At the age of 14 her mother Frank and Emma had one adopted son, Harvey, who
passed away[...]her until she was was 15 years old at the time, of his mother's death.
18 years old, when s[...]opractor.
In 1915 she came to Lewistown where she and Frank Frank moved to Great Falls in 1953 and was employed
Vodicka were married.[...]908 from Chicago. After of 1959.
he and Emma were wed they took up a homestead in[...]He was married to Jen E. (Stanley). She had four
the Coal Hill area east of Roy. They lived and farmed sons: Joe, Ed, Jack and Jerry Stanley. Another son,
on the place of his aunt and uncle, Mr. and Mrs. Cizek Frank. was born to Jen and Frank.
(who were very early homesteaders) until 1[...]on January 2, 1960, just two
they moved to Heath and then into Lewistown in the months after refuement. Jen passed[...]988.

Jaurs AND ANNA Honecnr VoNoRecex[...]by Albina Martinec Bawden
James and Anna Vondracek came to America on the Frank Martinecs. Vondraceks brought their cattle and
same boat with their daughter and son-in-law, the possessions with them from the old country. The cows

Homestead Shacks over Buffalo Tracks: History of Northeastern Fergus County [Montana] (146)[...]p NonrnrasrnRN Fencus CouN.ry

supplied milk for the whole family. They first settled in Their daughter, Martha, died at child-birth and a
Kansas and then came to Montana with their children baby daughter survived. The grandparents went back
and homesteaded over the hill, east of Marti.necs. Theirs to Kansas to bring back and raise the baby, named
was the ranch that became Jim Martinec's. He stayed Martha after her mother and a boy, James yecha. The
with them and worked, and when the Vondraceks grandparents went for both ofthe children but Joseph
retired, they turned the place over to Jim. Yecha decided to raise the children himself and did not
Anna Vondracek was a mid-wife and delivered all let them come to Montana. He then remarried and the
twelve of her daughter's children. Another daugh[...]children were raised at home.
settled in Kansas and died there. She was the mother of Vaclav and Anna, not getting the children, returned
Martha Yecha who married Lynn Phillips and bore his to Montana. While they wer[...]Jim went to Lewistown with his father, Frank, and
Grandfather James (Vaclav) Vondracek, born in[...]ster he was able to earn money for clothes and winter
1933, 79 years. buried in Roy Cemet[...]continued farming and planted current and apple trees[...]clev Vonnnacex
AND ANNA They stayed on the ranch the rest of their lives.
by Marcel[...]later married a lady with two children;
Vaclav and Anna Vondracek came to America from Bill and Steffie. A daughter Stella, was born to the family.
Debrova, Czechoslovakia to Timken, Kansas. From Stella grew up and went to country school in the area.
there they decided to go west and locate on a home-[...]After Martha grew up she and her brother, Jim[...]Yecha, visited their grandparents, the Vondraceks and
here on a homestead. They left a daughter, Martha[...]usin, Sylvia Martenic, accompanied her.
Vaclav and Anna built a stone house out of flat sand
rock; a[...]Sylvia remained in Kansas.
and sold eggs. They took their grandson, Jim Martinec[...]Martha was working in the cafe in Roy when she met
in to live with them and to help do the necessary ranch[...]information from Clyde Warner and Wilma Warner Ford
Arthur W. and his wife, Mina (Railsback) came to the Mother and I would take the cream and eggs to town
Roy area abour lg15 and homesteaded T 18N R 2BE in the spring and fall of 191g to Ig2B, when it was not
parts of sections: 21, 22,27, and 28. Warner received the too hot. The eggs were buried in oats in bushel baskets,
paten[...]president Woodrow Wilson. on Novem- and the cream cans were covered with damp sacks. We
oer d[...]r would sell all the eggs we couid to private houses, and
The family came from Iowa. There were four child- take the rest to the store. We also delivered home
ren: Cecil Raymond,[...]o July 10, 1926; Opal Fern, March 18, the team to a little creek nearby to water them and put
1909 to March 13, 1954 and Clyde Orlan, November 12, the feed bags on. I was now ready for town and a six
191l-[...]We always went by Joe Murphy's garage and Vicker's
Ciaire Dollie, lv{ay 2, 1915; Doris Marg[...]Blacksmith shop. We nearly aiways visited the bakery
1919, both born on the ranch and Wilma Jean, born for some other good things to eat.
April 8, 1921 at the Brice Hospital in Lewistown. I remember how the train came into the depot and
The only one in our family born in a hospital was[...]a Y. There were two elevators which
Wilma. Mother and the new baby came on the train did a lot of business during harvest. A reward of the
from Lewistou'n and May Kennett met them with the trip to town was a sack of candy included with our
team and spring wagon to t,ake them home" I will never[...]was a beautiful I vividly remember the new Ford touring car we pur-
babv^[...]chased January 20, L92L. Dad rode the train to l,ewis-

Homestead Shacks over Buffalo Tracks: History of Northeastern Fergus County [Montana] (147)[...]r NonrHe,c,sreRr FoRcus CouNry

supplied milk for the whole famiiy. They first settled in Their daughter, Martha, died at child-birth and a
Kansas and then came to Montana with their children baby daughter survived. The grandparents went back
and homesteaded over the hill, east of Martinecs. Theirs to Kansas to bring back and raise the baby, named
was the ranch that became Jim Martinec's. He stayed Martha after her mother and a boy, James Yecha. The
with them and worked, and when the Vondraceks grandparents went for both of the children but Joseph
retired, they turned the place over to Jim. Yecha decided to raise the children himself and did not
Anna Vondracek was a mid-wife and delivered all let them come to Montana. He then remarried and the
twelve of her daughter's children. Another daught[...]children were raised at home.
settled in Kansas and died there. She was the mother of Vaclav and Anna, not getting the children, returned
Martha Yecha who married Lynn Phillips and bore his to Montana. While they were[...]Jim went to Lewistown with his father, Frank, and
Grandfather James (Vaclav) Vondracek, born in[...]ster he was abie to earn money for clothes and winter
1933, 79 years. buried in Roy Cemetery.[...]continued farming and planted current and apple trees[...]which all produced fruit.
Vecr-ev AND ANNA Vor{oRacsx They stayed on the ranch the rest of their lives.
by Marcell[...]later married a lady with two children;
Vaclav and Anna Vondracek came to America from Bill and Steffie. A daughter Stella, was born to the family.
Debrova, Czechoslovakia to Timken, Kansas. From Stella grew up and went to country school in the area.
there they decided to go west and locate on a home- M[...]After Martha grew up she and her brother, Jim
160 acres. Their daughter, Anna[...]dy Yecha, visited their grandparents, the Vondraceks and
here on a homestead. They left a daughter, Martha[...]usin, Sylvia Martenic, accompanied her.
Vaclav and Anna built a stone house out of flat sand[...]any chickens Sylvia remained in Kansas.
and sold eggs. They took their grandson, Jim Martinec, Martha was working in the cafe in Roy when she met
in to live with them and to help do the necessarv ranch Lynn Phillps who she lat[...]information from Clyde Warner and Wilma Warner Ford

Arthur W. and his wife, Mina (Railsback) came to the Mother and I would take the cream and eggs to town
Roy area about 1915 and homesteaded T 18N R 23E in the spring and fall of 1919 to 1923, when it was not
parts of sections: 21, 22,27, and 28. Warner received the too hot. The eggs were buried in oats in bushel baskets,
patent, signed by president Woodrow Wilson, on Novem- and the cream cans were covered with damp sacks. We
ber 8[...]"r would sell all the eggs we could to private houses, and
The family came from Iowa. There were four child- take the rest to the store. We also delivered home
ren: Cecil Raymond,[...]to July 10, 1976; Opal Fern, March 13, the team to a little creek nearby to water them and put
1909 to March 13, 1954 and Clyde Orlan, November 12, the feed bags on. I was now ready for town and a six
191 1.[...]We always went by Joe Murphy's garage and Vicker's
Claire Dollie, IvIay 2, 1915; Doris Marg[...]Blacksmith shop. We nearly always visited the bakery
i919, both born on the ranch and Wilma Jean, born for some other good things to eat.
April 8, l92l at the Brice Hospital in Lewistown. I remember how the train came into the depot and
The only one in our family born in a hospital was[...]a Y. There were two elevators which
Wilma. Mother and the new baby came on the train did a lot of business during harvest. A reward of the
from Lervistou'n and May Kennett met them with the trip to town was a sack of candy included with our
team and spring wagon to take them home" I will never[...]was a beautiful I vividly remember the new Ford touring car we pur-
baby.[...]chased January 20, 1921. Dad rode the train to Lewis-

Homestead Shacks over Buffalo Tracks: History of Northeastern Fergus County [Montana] (148)[...]s equipped with starter, slipped and fell on the steep bank, throwing the rider off
speedometer, demountable rims, chains, spare tire, and in that manner, is, of course,[...]d for those days. I could ram- The horse made his way across the stream and came[...]out some little distance below the point from where he
ble on about a lot of things[...]entered the creek. No marks were found which wouid
We still have the original copy of the land grant on[...]show that he had been injured in any way.
the Warner Homestead, signed by Woodrow Wilson, Mr. Warner had been a resident of the Roy country for
dated November 8, 19i7.[...]eight years. He is survived by a wife and seven children,
The family left the area after the tragic death of the one of the boys being a graduate of the Fergus County
father of the family as is recounted in a July 1, 1923 High School.
article in the Lewistown Democrat News. Warner died
June 23, 192[...]MnuoRIEs Or Clvos We.RNnR
The body of A.W. Warner, a well known farmer living[...]rner, youngest son of Arthur Warner,
morning, the decedent apparentiy having been drowned who lived on what was known as the Warner place. We
while attempting to ford Box Elder Creek, Thursday homesteaded in i914 and my Grandmother, Kate Rails-
afternoon.[...]nd is
Coronor Curtis W. Wilder was notified and together
now all part of the Kaiina family holdings.
with George R. Creel went to Roy Friday afternoon. The
My mother and the five youngest children, which
testimony of the witnesses showed plainly that the dece
dent had met death by drowning. The body was taken[...]included me, returned to Iowa the spring of L924 foliow-
back to Lewistown and shipped Saturday afternoon to the ing ihe death of my father. I was the last one to see him
old home at Blakesburg, I[...]be alive. We were rounding up cattle and I had just left
made. Two of his sons, Cecil and Earl, accompanied the him to go another direction about thi[...]he rode into the creek.
Mr. Warner and his sons had been gathering cattle for[...]e happy times to
several days in that section and last Thursday left their remember. We attended Bear Creek School" There were
home as usual and after proceeding: some distance from box suppers and dances to attend. I remember the town
the place they separated, each of them taking a diffe[...]in some bad weather
return home until late in the evening, no importance was
near the Kalina place and Joe loaned him a pair of
attached to his not being home Thursday night when the
rest of the family retired. In the morning, however, when curly haired chap[...]returned a search was at comes to mind and the people were always helpful and
once instituted, the parties going out to the point where neighborly.
they had separated the previous day, and taking up the I still remember everyone who lived[...]d. mile area of our home place. We farmed the Ed Olson
When near the river the horse that he had ridden was place after they left. I helped plant wheat in the fall
seen standing alongside of a fence on the other side of the before we left the next spring. Our mail box was over on
creek. One of the boys crossed the creek, which had gone the Valentine road by the Hala place. I think we
down some three feet from the day previous, and followed received our mail once each week. I remember Frank
the horse's trail from where he was found to the point
Bare, Fred Schultz and his brother.
where he had clambered out ofthe creek bank.
Wires weie stretched across the creek and the process of[...]er we came to Iowa we rdceived a
dragging for the body commenced the body finally being Lewistown paper and an article telling of frnding the
found at about i0 o'clock Friday morning, Iodged against remains of a Deputy Sheriff under the floor of a vacant
a small island which the flood waters had created. The cabin on our place, possibly two miles from our house.
current was still strong but one of the boys swam out to My brother and I went in this cabin the last year we
the island and fastened a rope to the body and brought it were in Montana, to escape a rainstorm. I remember a
t<.r the shore.[...]Sheriff came by our house asking questions-
The general supposition is that Mr. Warner had maybe the guy was under the floor then. The article
attempted to cross the creek at a point where a bridge had said[...]taken; watch,
been originally, thinking that the bridge was still there spurs, etc.
although covered with water. Instead, the bridge had I also remember Joe Kaiina playing the accordian.
been washed out and the horse and rider were plunged[...]He played for us at the Bear Creek School. Everyone
into a swift curr[...]liked to hear him play and he seemed to enjoy playing.
Warner was wearing knee length rubber boots and spurs
which would make it extremely hard for[...]life until nine years ago when we retired, sold the farm
kicked off. Whether the horse on entering the creek had and moved to town.
Homestead Shacks over Buffalo Tracks: History of Northeastern Fergus County [Montana] (149)[...]rt Will Be Made To
Find The Body
Of The Former Nebraska Sheriff
Volunt[...]F
June 29, 1916-Responding to the general desire of
people in the Grass Range, Roy and Valentine sections,
Sheriff Firmin Tullock[...]for a volunteer
search party to assemble at the Taylor ranch on Sunday,[...]F" "b g
Juiy 2, for the purpose of making a thorough and extended
search for any evidence that may throw light upon the
mysterious disappearance of John Afflerback[...]F*
company of one Randolph of Roy, the iatter being in
Afflerback's custody for the theft of an auto from York,
Nebraska.
It was at the Taylor ranch that Rlndolph stopped on The Warner family
April 14 on his way to Lewist[...]on the homestead
the rear of his car on that occasion that he appeared[...]Father, Arthur,
under a lot of bedding, and Randolph seemed nervous Mother, Mino and
whenever anyone went toward the rear of the car. The Op[...]ond Doris.
with Afflerback at that time and had the body in the car. el!
It is the unanimous belief that Afflerback was mur- 0.. i
dered by his prisoner and it is the hope that this search n.
party may find the body of the former sheriff.

Dory
J.V. Puckett started the Dory store and post office which ran from 1915 to 1918. He also carried the mail from Roy
to Valentine. The store and post offrce was just off the north Valentine road which ran about a mile north of the
present Valentine road.
Puckett ieft in 1921, after going broke; the reason being, according to his grandson, Vernon,[...]The first trustees were Lee Jacobs and J. Asbergee.
Some of the teachers were Stella Myers, Agnes Berri-[...]gan and Minnie Luton. In 1927 Joe Kosir and Blazej[...]Lelek had their land transferred from 131 and 140 to[...]later became part of Roy.

Christmas Eue day at the Dory School in 1930. Stella
Myers was the teacher. Students were from left to right:
Donald Myers, Charlie Lelek, Harold Puckett and Vic-
tor Lelek.

Homestead Shacks over Buffalo Tracks: History of Northeastern Fergus County [Montana] (150)[...]nY

FnaNrx AND EMMA Meorsox Bann[...]d when we came to Montana so I
died February 1958 and is buried in Walthill. can't remember everything that happened in the early
Emma Madison Bare born January 22, L884 i[...]years. I do remember when we landed at Hilger and
ings, Montana; died June 6, 1965 and is buried in had to drive to the homestead with a team and wagon.
Lewistown, Montana.[...]we had to go to buy groceries, etc. until
Frank and Emma were married on March 3, 1903. Roy was built and the railroad was completed."
They came to the Central Montana area in 1911 and Another son, Clarence, was bo[...]only lived a short while.
was about 8 years old, and daughters, Leona 6 and The children attended the Bear Creek, Valley View
Violet about 3 years old. and Bohemian grade schools and high school in Roy
"When we first homesteaded, we lived in a tent. My and in Lewistown.
brother and I would pick up sagebrush and cow chips The summer of 1916 many fine grain crops were
and that is what we had for fuel for a short time" We realized in the Roy-Valentine area and it was reported
had only a camp stove until our furniture etc. arrived. in the July 27 ,1906 issue of the Lewistown paper (Roy
My Dad built a barn with a nice floor in the hay lofi Enterprise) that the County Agriculturist, Carl Peterson
and we then moved into it until a small house was built. stated that Frank Bare "has one of the best pieces of
We used to have barn dances and everyone had a wheat" that he had so far seen.
good time. The music was an organ and a vioiin. Elmer Bare marrie[...]iplets a few years after we came to and Sena Larsen, and they had five children; Mary
Montana. They were b[...]ater married Arthur "Chum" Larson,
delivered them and a lady by the name of Mrs. Norby Dale, Archie and Edward. Leona married Fred "Fritz"
assisted. Two were stillborn and the other lived only an Corth (see Fred Co[...]arried Odith Latham
hour. They were buried out at the homestead. and they moved to Billings. They had one son, Keith
My parents left the homestead in the late twenty's, Latham. She later married Nile Proffer. A widow, she
and like most of the others they went broke and had to now resides in Roundup.
sell personal belongings and leave, looking for work"[...]A,No Manv (Novar-CHAKA) Bant.q.
Joe came to the United States in 1912 from Czechoslo- moved to the Fairfield Bench area, where they also
vakia at the age of 20. After spending three years in farmed.
Omaha. he came to Montana and homesteaded about Later the[...]He passed away on November 21,1967.
Mr. and Mrs. Bert Chaka. Mary was originally from[...]r is a niece, Millie Barta Horyna
They farmed on the homestead until 1937 when they ([...]trude Kees was born in 1888 Don and his son Donny both died in a boating accident
als[...]y were married May 3, in 1969, and are buried in Lewistown. Bill Harvey died
1911. They came to Roy in the fall of 1942 and bought in 197?, and is buried at Shelby' Bill and Frances had
the Union Central place. Bill farmed and raised cattle' four other children. F[...]es at Sun-
He also did a lot of trucking of wheat and cattle for brust. Montana; Marion Gay lives in Texas; Harry
people in the community.[...]eral years ago of cancer, he lived in
They sold the ranch in 1956 to Don Kalina. Frances[...]rothy Harvey married Milton Peterson
died in 1956 and is buried in Shelby, Montana. Their and they live in Cut Bank, Montana. Petersons ran the
son Don lived with them on the ranch. He graduated Roy Grocery[...]. Harvey.
Spiroff. He ranched with his folks. Don and Margaret Robert's son, Bob, bought the Gib Distad place and the
had three children while living here; Donny, Rose Ann, and Frank Southworth place in the eariy 60's.
Connie. They bought a place by[...]

Homestead Shacks over Buffalo Tracks: History of Northeastern Fergus County [Montana] (151)[...]Henny JoHNsoN Fanrly

Mr. and \Irs. Harry Johnson were homesteaders in He remembered the incident well. His father helped Mr.
the Dory area. about a mile and a half away from the Johnson make a little casket, Mrs.[...]y of 1915. Mr. Southworth and Mr. Johnson then took the little
The child *'as playing with a bali and fell into a boy, in his casket, to Roy to be buried. The grandfather,
bucket of boiling water that his mother was using to E.D. Johnson, and August Diamond purchased the
scrub the floor with. He died two days later. land the cemetery is now located on. Little Ernest was
Frank Southrvorth was about 12 vears old at the iime. the first to be buried there.[...]der Twin City Land Co. Frank Kosir & Sons
Frank and Karoline Kosir and their family came to Edward passed away on August 6, 1964. He is buried
the United States in 1911-1912. Frank, his son, Joseph,inLewistown.JerryretiredandmovedtoArizonawhere
and daughter, Amalie, came to this country frrst; fol- he passed away in the late 1970's. His ashes are scat-
lowed by the rest of the family in 1912. There were eight[...]veteran, passed away suddenly on
Adolph, Caroline and Rosalie. May 10, 1959 at his ranch, at the age of 66. ida moved
Kosir was a native of Moravia, Czechoslovakia, born into Roy and lived there until she, too, passed away very
ther[...]rade. buried in Lewistown. Joe and Ida had no children. The
The Kosirs missed their passage on the Titanic, but Ed Styers now have their place.
took the next ship across. They sailed on the Bremmer- Adolph continued to ranch on the original homestead.
haven; leaving rhe Port of Bremen, Germany and land- A bachelor, he stayed pretty much to himself and wasn't
ing in Baltimore, Maryland five days later[...]ntovisitmuchexceptwithoneortwoclosefriends
across the Atlantic they passed by the ice berg that on occasion. He was found dead in his ranch home in
sank the Titanic. October of 1985. He, too, was cremated and his ashes are
The familf iived in Omaha, Nebraska for two years. scattered over the ranch.
When they had saved enough money they came to Roy The only two members of the original family still liv-
and homesteaded 160 acres of farm land. Amalie had ing are Anna and Caroline. Don Kalina now leases the
married in Omaha and did not come to Montana with Kosir place from them.
them.
Anna picked up the English language very fast and
became the interpreter between her father and the real
estate peopie in Roy,
They built their own home, room by room, and raised
cattle and *'heat.
The boys remained in the area; ihe girls all left.
Joe married ida Vasecka. Ida was born in Staples,
Minnesota to iVlr. and Mrs. Vincent Vasecka. She came
to Lewisto*'n in the early 1920's with her sister, return-
ing to Minnesota a few years later. Joe and Ida were The old Kosir homestead where Adolf liued until[...]1985.
Both frled on homesteads, east of Roy, near the home-
stead of Frank and Karoline.
Frank passed away at the age of 75 on December 21,
1941 in the mountains around Maiden. He was no longer
actively working at the Roy ranch and was staying with
his son, Ed. at Maiden. He loved the mountains and
was found by his son, Adoiph, and good friend, Blazej
Lelek, who had come to visit[...]Joe and lda Kosir
taken the sheep out to graze on the mountain side.
Both Frank and Karoline, who passed away February
11 of 1947 at the age of 77, are buried in the Roy
Cemeterv.

Homestead Shacks over Buffalo Tracks: History of Northeastern Fergus County [Montana] (152)[...]Butzu Lnmx Fanati-v
Blazej Leiek and Mary Holoubeck were married in 19[...]rom Czechoslovakia. Blazej carrier. He and his wife, Barbara "Teddy" had four
was a barber before they came to Roy to the homestead daughters: Vicki. Linda, Laurie and Janis whom they
in the spring of 1912. Their homestead lay 15 miles east lost.
of Roy and 1 miie southeast of the Dory post office and Ernest workeC in the oil fields in Wyoming, Colorado
2 miles east of the Lindstrum post office. Blazej talked and Texas until he retired in 1986. He lives in Coior[...]at City, Texas.
time they were friendly and did no harm. Edward is deceased and is buried in Silver Springs,
He was a partner in a threshing machine and steam Arkansas.
engine along with Ch[...]Colorado City, Texas where she
Mike Myers, Frank and Joe Kosier, Grover Beal and was visiting in I974 and is buried there. Blazej died in
John Tuma. Blazej usually hauled the coal and water 'I
982 at the ase of 98. and is buried in Lewistown.
for the steam engine. Charlie Puckett was the steam The Lelek homestead is now owned by Agusta Myers
engineer and Swan Johnson or Joe Kosier were the and is leased and farmed by Larry Kalina.
thresher operators. There were usualiy 8 or 10 bundle
wagons and 2 grain wagons. Combines replaced the
sfeam thresher about 1938. Their son, Charles, bought
the first tractor used on the farm in 1938.
Blazej and Mary were the parents of four sons:
Edward born March 3, 1916; Charles born December 26,
1917, Victor born January 1, 1921 and Ernest born Sep-
tember 2, 1926. The boys attended the Box Elder and
Dory grade schools and Roy High School.
Up until about 1922 most of the groceries and supplies
used by the Lelek famiiy were purchased at the Puckett
store at Dory. After that they went into Roy for their
purchases. A team and wagon were the main method of
travel used.
During World War II Blazej had to do all the farm
work by himself as aII four boys were in the service The Lelek family in 1924 at their homesteod. From the
from 1940 to 1945. Ed was in the Air Force, Charles in left: Charles, Blazej, Mary and Edward with Victor in
the Army Engineers, Victor in the Navy and Ernest in front.
the Marines. Only Charies was seriously injured during
the war.
Charles came back to the ranch for a year after the
service but because of the serious head injury he suf-
fered in the war he could not farm and so moved into
Lew'istown where he has been associated in the insur-
ance business for many years. He married Ethel Bowen
and they have two children: Wayne and Nancy
(Wichman).
Victor also stayed in the Central Montana area. After
three years in the Navy he returned to Lewistown. He
worked for ten years in a hardware store and then from Threshing scene at the Leleh farm in 1927.[...]ad about to Nebraska rainfall of 30" and saw no reason to be
what was the post office
13 miies east of Roy, or next to[...]d of drouth.
of Dory. He lied about his age,20 at the time to qualify He at first rvorked on the railroad, which was being
as a homesteader. He wa[...]n Ro5'. Then he took up a homestead where he
Cook and Reynolds Land Co. These were managers of thought the railroad r,r'ould continue. The town to be,
land given to the railroads in the region. They adver- Dory, was named af[...]ompared He later sold his homestead to the Pucketts and
Homestead Shacks over Buffalo Tracks: History of Northeastern Fergus County [Montana] (153)[...]s from John Hultberg, or Holtberg, 2 1937 and also moved to Bozeman. A son, Charlie Pis-
miles[...]or 1918. To finance himself he kac, worked in the Red Elevator until WWI and upon
bought a hammer and a square and a saw and became being discharged moved to Nebraska. Jerry Piskac
an immediate carpenter and buili several buildings in changed his name to Prescott and resided in a nursing
town, as well as some farm b[...]1891 in Czechoslovakia, died February 22,
Piskac and this he did until 1929, when the drouth and 1970 in Bozeman, Montana; Anna Piskac Pacovsky
the depression hit. Then he sold his accordion and born March 22, 1890 in Czechoslovakia, m[...]; Gerald E. Pacovsky
Grandfather, Anton Piskac, and wife, Katerina, born September 30, 192[...]7; all born in Roy, Montana; Patricia
east of Roy and settled with son, Jerry, and daughter, Ann Pacovsky (Campbell) born Septe[...]information by Marie Peterson Lirnpus

Mr. and Mrs. Charles Peterson and family came to family moved to Winifred, she taught in that area.
Montana from Thurston, Nebraska and homesteaded Brother Frank, Annie and their family stayed on the
16 miles east of Roy in 1914. There were a number[...]s moved to Winifred. Richard
families who came on the emigrant train from the same Gustafson, who was a close friend, als[...]. Pucketts, Gustafsons, Charles Peter- ifred and he worked in the lumber business with Charles.
son and family, his brother Frank E. Peterson and Gustafsons homesteaded 18,24,9 and 15. These places
family, as well as their mother,[...]s another
Marie Peterson Limpus was seven years and the old- neighbor and homesteaded 18, 24, l0- He taught at
est of the Charles Peterson children. She remembers[...]. Marie Limpus says that she remembered
that when the trail reached Armells, it derailed. Several tha[...]ght cottage cheese in a jar for his
cars went off the track. Her father borrowed a grey mare lunch. She said that he didn't do much toward teaching
and buggy and drove Mrs. Peterson and the children to the young children, so they played, but he took an inter-
Roy to await the train with all their belongings. est in the older pupils.
Charles was associated with the Lumber Company When they lived in Roy, a lady and her children, (Mrs.
and elevator business in Nebraska. He and his brother Johnson) came in on the train and was to go to the
put up scme good buildings on their homesteads and he Valentine section. She had no place to stay, so her father
went to manage the Montana Lumber Company in brought them home. The little girl became very ill. She
Roy. Soon after the railroad reached Winifred the had scarlet fever and in due time all the Peterson child-
Company transferred him there to[...]ren came down with it. They were quarantined and very
ness. Lumber was a thriving business durng the home' sick, also missed a lot of school.
s[...]r Their grandfather,.,Alfred W. Peterson and his son
homestead shacks. Andy eame out later and he homesteaded.2t, 22 and
The Petersons had three children when they came 23. This was by John Umstead's and after he proved up,
to Montana: Marie ("Sis"); Chester Alfred ("Sonnie"); went to Roy and ran the livery stable until Charles and
Bessie Henrietta ("Toots"); Flavia, another child had family went to Winifred and he went too. John Umstead
died in Nebraska. Charl[...]n also sold International Harvester
Vern Peterson and Glacil's, born at Winifred. tractors and machinery along with the lumber and
Marie remembered that Grandma Puckett and her hardware business at Winifred. The company furnished
father delivered her brother Ernest Frank, when the him the building material for their home and it is still
doctor they had called from Lewistown didn't come. in use. The trees that they planted are still alive.
Mrs. M[...]ooling
Hattie E. Peterson homesteaded 18,24, l7 and was there and married her childhood sweetheart. They are
Frank and Charles mother. She was a teacher and retired and live in Lewistown, and are both past eighty
taught Valley View and Central schools and when the years.

Homestead Shacks over Buffalo Tracks: History of Northeastern Fergus County [Montana] (154)[...]1886 at Ettney, Frank worked for the Fergus County road department
Kansas was the son of Mr. and Mrs. Alfred Peterson. for a numb[...]uilding country roads with one
Mary Angela Dean, the daughter of James Dean and ofthe first gas-powered grade[...]ame to Montana November 1956 at the age of 71. He is interred in the
from Thurston, Nebraska in 1914 and homesteaded Lewistown City Cemetery.
east of Roy at the above location. Four sons and five Mrs. Peterson went to Paradise, California to live
daughters were born to the Petersons: Charles Edward, with h[...]Vincent's Hospital in Billings at the age of 79. She is
Angela (Jones), Viola Elizabeth[...]in Lewistown.
(Works), Anne (Murray) now deceased and Verle Frank- Besides their c[...]d-
lin who died in May of 1932 from tick fever at the age of 19. children and 21 great-g"randchildren.[...]My father, Charles Puckett, homesteaded in 1913 and
1912 and homesteaded fifteen miles east of Roy, Mon-[...]a home. My mother, Emily Nelson Puckett,
tana on the Roy-Valentine road. He had sold his farm brother, Donald and I came to Hilger, Montana, in the
near Pender, Nebraska and was looking for land for spring of 1914 and went to the homestead by team and
himself and his sons.[...]n Lewistown in
In about 1915 he started a store and post office 1918. He was lost[...]en he
named Dory, Montana. He had a Model T Ford, the parachuted from his plane over the Pacific Ocean.
only one in the country at that time. He carried the mail My dad lost his homestead in 1929 and we bought a
from Roy to Valentine. He also bought[...]ours where we lived till I got married to
engine and a threshing machine and threshed all the Arlene and I bought dad's share of the ranch in 1953.
way from Fergus to Valentine. Not[...]ood We lived there till we sold the ranch in 1979 and moved
business man, he went broke in 1921 and left. He to Billings, Montana. Our children, Frank and Nancy,
passed away in 1937 in Lewistown. were born in Lewistown and graduated from Roy High
I had three uncles, Elvin, Foster and Joy Puckett, Schooi and from college in 1978. Frank is a Doctor of
and their sister, Maude Puckett Wilson, who came to Optometry and lives in Monument, Colorado. Nancy
Montana too. M[...]Oscar Nelson, had a (Verschoot) and family have a ranch near Lambert,
homestead next[...]tana were her Bank, Montana and passed away in 1954.
brothers, Arthur and Ed Nelson and a sister, Mildred Twelve famil[...]at one time. had homesteaded in the vicinity of our place. By 1936

On the Puchett homestead in 1916. Note the root cellar ot the right, a must on all homesteads, where food was kept
and where families found refuge during sumrler wind storms, if needed. L. to R. in the picture are: Charles and Emily
Puchett, Mildred Nelson Puckett (Distad), Vernon and Donald Puchett and Oscar Nelson, Emily ond Mildreds father,

Homestead Shacks over Buffalo Tracks: History of Northeastern Fergus County [Montana] (155)[...]roRy Or NonrHn.csrERN FERcus CouNTy

all had left the area and we were the oniy famiiy that
stuck it out,. A homestead of 320 acres was not enough
for an economical unit and most homesteaders left in
i920. We increased our[...]untry.
(Vernon was for many years secretary of the Crooked
Creek and Indian Butte Grazing Districts, sewed on
the Roy Rural Fire board and was a faithful member
and elder of the Roy Presbyterian Church.
Arlene was instrumental in the formation of the
Valley View Home Demonstration Club and served as The Puckett Store and Post Office at Dory in 1917. Dory
it's first president. She was a member of the Roy school Iay 15 rniles east of Roy on the Volentine Road. In the
board for a number of years.) doorway are Adolph Kosier, as a younEster, and J.V.
Puckett. On the wagon are Joy and Mildred Puckett.[...]r Puckett passed away in July of 1963 at the Central Montana area he farmed in the Blind Breed
the VA hospital in Miles City. He was born on November Gulch area east of Lewistown. James also ran the Red
21, 1891 and raised in Elmwood, Nebraska, the son of Elevator in Roy for several years.
Mr. and Mrs. James V. Puckett.[...]il of 1949 in Raton,
He came to Montana in 1916 and homesteaded east of New Mexico. He was a brother of Joy Puckett. He is
Roy. He served in the army in WWI. After returning to buried i[...]taught school at Kachia for several years and also at
was born there on June 28, 1876. Rossiter[...]Mable passed away in March of 1948 in Omaha. She
the Spanish American War and Philippine Insurrection. was staying the[...]G. Snyder
He was discharged on August 23, 1899 at the Praesidio and Miss Pearl Montgomery.
in San Francisco, Californ[...]and Mrs. Peter Hesler at York, and his summers at
On June 13, 1905 he and Mable Montgomery were Brooks. Rossiter died at the home of his sister. Mrs.
married at York. They came to Fergus County and Hesler, on February 15, 1950.
home[...]Rossiter was a member of William Meyersick Camp
the next 21 years. About 1934 they moved to Christina No. 15, Spanish-American War Veterans and the Roy
where Mable taught school for four years. They moved Presbyterian Church.
to Brooks in 1938 and lived there for the next seven Both Mr. and Mrs. Rossiter are buried in Lewistown.
years, whe[...]There were no children. r
Roy and lived there for two more years. Mrs. Rossiter[...]by IIla Willmore
A modern highway crosses the plains where once power and many'a owner of a 4-wheel has had to leave
only wagon wheels and later the tracks of the darly cars his vehicle to the elements until it becomes dry enough
wound their[...]ound rocks, sage- to get it out.
brush and deep coulees. The old trails are still there and The day of the dawn of motorization seems far
some are maintaine[...]behind us, but there are several who can recall the
the plague when rain once again 'brings to life' that[...]were viewed
infamous stuff called GUMBO. Some of the roads are with skepticism, scorn, awe and admiration. Best of all
even graveled now days. And with the modern 4-wheel they provided the material of which legends are made.
drives, nothi[...]at is This wonderful scary introduction to the modern day
generally believed. The gumbo still retains its hoiding aut[...]

Homestead Shacks over Buffalo Tracks: History of Northeastern Fergus County [Montana] (156)[...]t49

ln the 30's there were still some who relied totally on[...]tells about his mother trying to learn to
horse and buggy to travel. In the 50's a few still did drive. She loved to go visiting and so decided, one day,
their ranch chores with a t[...]places, she would drive herself. She got the car backed
came by foot, by team and wagon and or by train. out of the garage all right, but in stopping she stomped
Th[...]of accounts of homesteaders down on the wrong pedal, the reverse, with the result
arriving via auto. that it zoomed backward and right straight up the
Scattered through out the prairie one can still find a g:ranary *'all and slid back down. In her excitement she
few remain[...]here it was aban- again stomped down on the reverse pedal instead of the
doned. They were tempermental; it was thought that brake, *'ith the same results. A few more tries and she
only a man'could tame her wiles'. They were uncomfor- gave up driving, for good.
table. The thin, upholstered and unpadded, hard board The drivers of these new vehicles often forgot that
seats and backs were stiff and unyielding. they had to watch the road when driving, unlike when
They were FAST![...]riving a team which just kept going right on down the
top speed! There are tales toid of these old Model A's trail. And they bften steered in the direction in which
speeding through sage brush, rock and rut at unbeliev- they were looking. One[...]y have speedometers? at pretty girls and more than one would have to duck in
The rum-runners were the elite of automobile owners. the nearest doorway for safety's sake.
They always d[...]day vehicle was higher
Nashes; big touring cars. And they always had ele- than it u'as lo[...]e, without benefit of even an expe- with the mechanics of the auto, but more with the type
rienced driver created havoc. How they ever[...]ed by a bunch of country fellows. It
out of town and home is one of life's mysteries. But they occurred at a dance at the Bohemian Hall.
did, and then began the process of mastering the Bill had purchased a brand new c[...]not respond to Whoa. Marie very proud and of course he had to brag it up, some-
Zahn recal[...]every proud owner of a new car does. Whether
"The car was delivered to the Wilder Post Office for
Joe. It was a Model T t[...]t set there quite
awhile before Joe rode up to the post office, on
horseback, to look at it.
Mr. Jones, the mail carrier, was there that day
and of course he could drive a car. Joe did not
kn[...]ructi.ons. He told him what everything
was for and how to operate it. The gas feed was on
the steering wheel and there was a pedal for low
gear, a reverse and brake pedal.
Joe got the car cranked up and going. Oniy
Jones didn't get in with him, he j[...]He'd come around to where Jones w"as standing
and yell, "How do I stop!"
Mr. Jones would yell[...]would make a circle
'about a good half-mile, up the ridge and babk'.
This process continued, until Joe ran ou[...]hill in these autos was hazardous
enough, and going uphill required skiilful navigation.
Gas was gravity fed and when the carbureror got
higher than the gas tank, no gas was fed to the motor.
So
- they would turn around and go up the hiil back-
wardsl When one fellow bought a new Model T he
solved the backing up problem by building a garage Mart and Curley Willmore and son's, Warren and
with a door at both ends.[...]

Homestead Shacks over Buffalo Tracks: History of Northeastern Fergus County [Montana] (157)[...]would run. Bill obliged and shifted into reverse and
gently eased up on the gear shift pedal and fed the gas.
NOTHING. The car wouidn't move. The crest fallen[...]owner couidn't understand what was the matter" He
tried to get the car to move again. Still nothing.
One of the helpful by-standers suggested he wasn't[...]giving it enough gas. Bill took his advice and put his
foot to the floorboard and as he did the pranksters
kicked the blocks out from under the vehicle, with the
Tom Hutton pulling a surueyor and his uehicle result that the car shot backwards at an unbelievable
out from the Missouri Riuer bottoms. The fellow speed and wiped out several feet of new fence and
neuer thought about how he wos going to get out wound up out in the surrounding field before the
when he went down the "trail". This wos in the startled driver got it stopped. To his dying day he never
days before roads and it was ouer rock and sage did figure out exactly what stuck in that engine!
and ruts he traueled enroute down the hill. One more story,, a mys[...]About 1920 a fellow rode into Roy and bought
it was envy, just plain orneriness or the position of the himself a Model T at Joe Murphy's Garag[...]ew men decided to paid cash for it and took it out for a little drive. He
play a prank o[...]brought it back a little while later and told Joe
While several kept Bill busy describing the qualities about some minor adjustment[...]ixing.
ofhis new car, a couple others slipped out the door and He walked off and never came back.
got the vehicle set up on blocks. Their deed done they There it sat
rejoined the group talking to Bill. Finally one of them[...]still there. No
suggested that Bill show them how the car worked. one ever knew who the fellow was, whete he came
He gave them the tour; got in, started the motor and from or what happened to him.
beamed at the Oohs and Ahhs. over the smooth run-[...]his side of heaven because
at that shiny car with the funny top", or it could be, then you had[...]limb
"Why do they have that pretty car sitting on the grass river hills. This meant we didn't have to walk up and
in the yard?" To my children, who were born in the 40's, down the river hill to go fishing and camping. Some'
the Model T is of no special significance. The Model T how it was discovered, how or wh[...]e
something people talked about, but wasn't real. The impossible to go up forward. But then[...]to ride in reverse with
tion they are very real. The Model T was a way of life, these newly accomplished drivers, who had their share
not to mention the frustration and anxiety the Model T of trouble going forward. Consequently my mother and
caused the owners. It may not start or it might roll I walked while my brave brothers rode. The Model T
down a hill into a garden if the wheels weten't blocked. tried to make mechanics out of hors'emen and farmers.
When viewing a torn and patched wire gate, of which The horseman, farmer and the Model T were equal as
there were many in those days, one would know that a one strived to run it and the other strived to run. Can
Model T had run through it a time or two. The reason you imagine the outcome had the Model T been born
couid be no brakes or the drivers lack of coordination, the big powerful machine of today?
or of someone forgettting which pedal was the brake. However, I am glad the Model T, with new paint, has
To own a Flivver, one of the names for a Model T, obtained the dignity of a front yard.[...]BaspSILL
Basebail was 'the' game in those early years and Roy put together. Roy's first team was organized in 1914
had one of the top teams in the league. It seems that the and was made up of alJ local fellows. A few of the locals,
frrst order of business for most of the new towns, however, were not[...]
Homestead Shacks over Buffalo Tracks: History of Northeastern Fergus County [Montana] (158)[...]-
the Byford area was one of these excellent players.
Basebali was serious business and piayers received a
salar:y. In 1917 it was reported in the Enterprise that
J.E. Cox had just "returned from the east on a scouting
trip for ball players for the Roy team". Curt Wijliams, a
pitcher, Bud Edmundson, 3rd baseman and C. Edding-
ton, an infielder, were imported from[...]nt Emery ar,d
his brother, Cliff.
Identified in the picture are, back row, on the left:
Curt Wiiliams and Jimmy O'Toole. L.M.A. Wass is
at the far right. Dan Cochrane the manager is the fel-
low in the center front. Other players on this 1g14 team
wer[...]ley, Clyde Story, Bill More, John Cox,
Hurley Cox and Walter Cox.

WtNru[...]x Ronenny
Early in 1922 I was invited to spend the summer with I got my groceries and came out and people were all
the Jim Pratt family who lived on the Smith & Lara-
way farm just west of Roy. - shouting and calling to others - THE FIRST[...]who was ill. Marguerite Pratt, their daugh-
ter, and Walter, their son, would be there also.
It was a very pleasant summer and we enjoyed it a
lot. Of course, there were chores[...]Winnie Rife on the
cows to milk and a large garden to tend.[...]to Ray
One day it was my turn to ride into Roy and get the
the day of tlrc bank
groceries and mail. I rode my faithful buckskin pony, Joe.[...]mbers that his
This was different. Both men in the car looked just[...]teocher wos so tiny
straight ahead and drove. This seemed strange to me so[...]that the students
I turned and watched to see where they were going.[...]had to assist her
They just drove to the approach to the Smith & Lara_[...]in getting on her
way ranch; backed up and here they came again. Just[...]n't reach
When I got to Roy I tied my horse to the hitching rail[...]the stirrups.
across from the grocery store. Mr. p.A. Weedell owned
the store then.[...]was street, when a man entered the front door, and waiked
cashier at the First National Bank of Roy and was the straight down the lobby to my office in the rear. Upon
man who was robbed at gun point. His a[...]na Banker, July 10, rvith a gun and commanded to ,,put'em up."
1922.[...]"By a wave of his gun the robber indicated that he[...]*'anted me to go into the front room, which I did, and then
Cashier F. B" Stevens of the First National Bank of
turned around and faced him as he stood in the doorway
Roy, who was the only one present when the bank was
between the two rooms. This was fortunate as he seemed
entered and robbed of approximately 92,500 in cash and[...]Liberty bonds on June 13th, sent, on request of the
stand exactly what was wanted, and it was partiy by his
Montana Banker, the following personal account of the
voice u"hich is out of the ordinar;- that I was able to
robbery and the exciting chase which followed, resulting[...]identify him when captured.
in the capture of the two men suspected, who are now in "When I had faced around to the wall the second man
jail awaiting trial.[...]appeared, and I suppose it was he *'ho gathered up the
"At about four o'clock I was alone in the bank, our
money u'hile the first man kept me covered with his gun.
assistant, Lynn C. Van Zandt, hawing stepped out on the[...]

Homestead Shacks over Buffalo Tracks: History of Northeastern Fergus County [Montana] (159)[...]On NonrupesrnRN Fenous Couurv

to gather up the money and then one of them went out the tify by a bullet hole clear through from the rear and whiel,
back door where their car was standing with the motor they had attempted to camouflage, and also by numerous
running, while the other iocked me in the vault. heads of rye gathered whe[...]over onto another.
citizens who saw the robbers drive away, came in and "It deveioped that they arrived in Winnett at about 9:30
threw the bolts. These two citizens came along the street in the evening of the day they robbed us. The owner of the
just as the second man was coming out the back door with car is Chas. Jarrett, pro[...]Tex'
prehend that something might be wrong, and upon frnd- Jackson, livine 18 miles east of Winnett, and a man by
ing the front door locked with the shade still up they ran the name of Spellman, employed in the oil fields.
around to the back. "Two of the deputy sheriffs, two Winnett citizens and
"Upon getting out of the vault I ran down the street, myself went after Jackson, while another car went after
stopping at the pool hall to give the alarm, and then to a Spellman. We arrived at Jackson's[...]hardware store where I asked them to prepare guns and ing a heavy rain storm and he was taken by surprise and
ammunition while I went for a car. I took[...]captured without a fight.
car, it being the fastest car in town and with Grover Beal, "My identifrcation of him as the man who first entered
William Olson, farmers, and A"L. McCain, a hardware the bank is positive, and he is the man arrested some
merchant, was soon on the[...]thing like a year ago charged with holding up the
"We followed them toward Grass Range and overtook Melstone Bank. He escaped t[...]evidence. Spellman was heid for a few days and released
about one half mile and they disappeared over a hill. We after proving his innocence, and after we obtained con-
expected an ambush and were just about to stop and get clusive evidence that Jarrett and Jackson were both in
out of the car when we saw a cloud of dust come up over Roy on that day.
the hill to the left, and thinking they had gone on staried "They[...]preliminary hearing last Saturday
up again, and as we went over the top of the hill, disco- at which time they pleaded not guilty and their bonds
vered them waiting for us to the right at a distance of fixed at $15,000[...]"They shot McCain as he was getting out of the car. "This is about the whole story to date. I will say, how-
Beal[...]ever, that while Mr. McCain's wound is serious and he
and it looked so serious that I held up my hands in sur- will probably be in the hospital all summer, it now seems
render. They allowed us to go and after getting over the that he will come out of it in good shape and will probably
hill where we had an opportunity to examine more care' have the use of his right arm, which it was at first feare[...]ed it was not safe from he might lose. The bullet entered the right side, ranging
his standpoint to linger. It looked as though he would up through the shoulder and out the top of his shoulder.
surely bleed to death[...]ss His arm is broken from falling out of the car, but the
Range, a distance of eight miles.[...]"shortly after getting into Grass Range the sheriff and "I wish to say that the county attorney and everyone
two deputies arrived and with them we started out again, connected with the sheriffs offrce are doing excellent
taking up the trail where we left it about an hour before. work on the case in the way of collecting evidence, and I
By that time a considerable number of cars were out and believe that there is a very good chanc[...]we conviction.
were able to track the car. "It[...]ett furnished cash bail
"We knew exactly the imprint of each tire and the next for Jackson when he was arrested in connection with the
day were able to trace it nearly into Winne[...]t Melstone job."
Winnett we soon had the car. which we were able to iden- (The money from the robbery was never recovered.)[...]Marie Zahn
Rodeo has always been a big part of the lives of those Following are some excerpts from rodeo doings:
in Central Montana and the area surrounding Roy- 1926 The Roy Community Business Club announced[...]that they planning for a rodeo the latter part of July or
Valentine and Fergus has produced some outstanding frr[...]gust, however it never materialized.
cowboys over the years. The early celebrations usually[...]ODEO
had a rodeo of sorts-mostly bucking contests and wild Roy town goes all-out for a big celebration. The town gets a
cow milking or riding contests. Many times the arena thorough cleaning, board walks repaired and a rodeo ground
was of the human kind. Peopie and autos or buck- prepared for the big event. There is much enthusiasm by all
boards formed a circle; several cowboys would hold the the business men- Roy Hanson and George Hamilton are the
(who usually had a few under rodeo promoters.
horse and assist the rider[...]him up, or make him braver) to ing stock and George Hamilton is experienced in managing
mount; they'd let go and the cowboy would be on his rodeos as he put on the rodeo at Sprague, Washinglon and Dog
own-till either he quit or the animal quit" Pound, Canada[...]

Homestead Shacks over Buffalo Tracks: History of Northeastern Fergus County [Montana] (160)[...]-
Phillips, Jim Kipp and Ted Putro will be on hand to put on a[...]y, first in bronc riding; Francis
top-notch show. The Killham boys from Dovetaii; Ted Allen, LaFountain, Bareback; Lew McMillan, calf roping and Irvin
Lewistown; Clarence Saunders of Musselshell; Bill Swears, Smith, cow milking.
Hilger; and Ray Carr of Christina are more of the cowboys VALENTINE RODEO,[...]ge E. E. Cheadle, well known orator, will address the horse race, relay race, wild cow milking and calf roping.
crowd. A cowboy parade will go through the town and travel Baseball game: Roy vs. Winnett CCC outfrts. Dance. View-
to the rodeo grounds, starting at 12:30 PM. John Kaaro, our ing the Valentine Dam, recently completed by the WPA.
1ocal auctioneer will be the announcer and MC. Walter Haney
is the town Marshall.[...]Hickey Ranch, 1 mile west of Roy
and steer riding); bulldogging; wild horse race; wild cow milk- In the 40's the Komarek Brothers, Speed and George,
ing; roping maverick race (roping a calf and branding it) and were promoters for several rodeos.
hors[...]an arena director. A big parade was held.
DeSilva and the Killham boys are entered in the circingle rid-
ing events.[...]Alma Rindal (Saiterfield) was rodeo queen" In the
Concessions and picnic areas are provided as well as Frank[...]Don
Nickolson is barbequing beef to be served by the plate or in Doney, 3rd. Calf r[...]oney 1st with
A basebail game is scheduled between the Lewistown Larry Jordan doing ihe roping, Francis LaFountain
Creamery boys and the local team, following the rodeo. A 2nd. Larry Jordan won the Stock Horse'Show.
dance will be held at the special paviiion, as the frnal event of In 1944 the winning team ropers at a Melviile rodeo were
the festivities. Larry Jordan and Speed Komarek.
AIl the citizens of Valley View, Auburn, Staff, Dovetai], July 1947-Ed Styer was the producer of the 4th and 5th
Macaha, Little Crooked, Wilder, Valentine and Fergus are[...]of Juiy Rodeo held at the Jackson arena. Larry Jordan
planning to attend.
A report in the paper states that the Fourth at Roy was a big was lst in calf roping; Sonny Smith 2nd.
success and there was an overflow crowd ofbetween five and July 3rd & 4th, 1948-George Komarek promoter for the
six thousand people in attendance. It was aiso a[...]. Jackson arena rodeo.
Jim Kipp and Lynn Phillips were a couple of the top riders 1949-George Komarek won the 'all around cowboy'
that day. Lynn was known as an outstanding all around title for the 4th of July rodeo that he promoted in
ranch cowboy - "broke horses and ran wild horses in the Lewistown. He won the calf roping. Dorm Jackson was
breaks; Lynn would[...]4th. Speed Komarek and Wade Buffington won the
VALENTINE RODEO, AUGUST 2I,1927 team roping; Sonny Smith and Jack Stevens were 2nd.
Cowboy's bucking contest[...]ucking horse, Sunday June 29, 1952 was the first annual Roy rodeo.
$5.; bareback riding, $5.[...]hat year that several community
calf roping, $i5. and 5.; maverick race, one calf or g15.; 1/4 members met and organized the Roy Rodeo Club. In the
mile horse race, 920, and 10.; pony race, $10. and Ladies race, two months between April and June the action was
$10.[...]about as fast paced as the rodeo itself. During that time
Baseball game following the rodeo; Flatwillow vs. Valen-
tine. Bowery dance. the rodeo arena was built on land donated by Olaf
U[...]Rindal. Volunteers traveled to the nearby mountains
Bob Covert and Roland Mathews, in charge. Roy Hanson's and cut the posts and poles for the project.
hrrnlrino cirino[...]Ed Styer was elected as first chairman of the board,
August 22, L927: Newspaper reports that[...]Charlie Phillips the secretary and Clay Smith the
treasurer.
ROY RODEO AND HARVEST FESTIVAL[...]ored by Harry Dundom, general and to work out details on a dinner and a dance that
manager; James Dundom, secretary and treasurer and Sam was held following the first rodeo.
Sherman. arena director.[...]George Komarek drew up the arena plans and as was
Bronc busting, steer riding, bulldogg'in[...]ilking, reported in a June 1952 issue of the Lewistown paper:
and fancy riding, along with horse races. 9700, prize[...]"The date of the Roy Rodeo is not far away, Sunday, June
be awarded.
The Harvest Festival will have fine exhibits of grain, 29th. The arena has been completed and plans are being
grasses, vegetables, sewing and cooking. made to entertain a large crowd at the first rodeo to be[...]July 4th, 1929
Dick Fergus placed 2nd in the bucking contest and lst in "The rodeo club hopes to make it an annual event and
bareback at a Gilt Edge Rodeo. the arena has been built in such a way as to provide[...]quick moving, well mandged affair."
During the 1930's-Albert LaFountain was the top saddle
bronc rider from Central Montana.[...]According to reports following the first rodeo, it was
VALENTINE RODEO. JULY[...]cess". A total of g5 cowboys vied for $1,000 in
The Valentine Rodeo was a big success. A.n election rally prizes and 2,000 spectators were on hand to cheer them
was held after the rodeo.
ROY RODEO, JUNE 14, 1936 In 1952 the stock was brought in offthe range. Larry
Roy Ro[...]p moneys went Jordan, Jim Phillips and George Komarek each pro-
Homestead Shacks over Buffalo Tracks: History of Northeastern Fergus County [Montana] (161)[...]nN FeRcus CouNrv

vided 15 head of bucking horses and cattle were June 1954-At the 3rd annual Roy Rodeo; outstanding
provided by Jess Satterfield, Ed Styer and Oiaf Rindal. performer[...]deo in conjunction won the cloverleaf race, Marie Zahn was 2nd, Alta
rvith the 75th birthday celebration of the founding of Styer 3rd and Helen Jordan was 4th. AII Roy cowgirls.
Roy, and it was, as all have been, a roaring success. Bob Harvey won the calf roping. Jack Styer placed 2nd[...]in the kids calf roping.[...]themselves in the worid of Rodeo a couple became[...]Larry Ed Jordan became one of the top bronc riders
on the Professional Corvboys Rodeo circuit for severai[...]and was publisher of a rodeo magazine. Billy Phillips[...]also became a professional saddle bronc rider and rode
A part of the crowd at one of the popular Mobridge the PCRA circuit for several years.
rodeos promoted by George Komarek during the 60's. Jim Murphy was one of the best saddle bronc and[...]bull riders to come out of the Roy country. He was the[...]I g,--,.r;r-t!.ii times. "He had the ability to ride the toughest horse
aA[...]and win." Jim's son, Danny, was becoming a tough[...]competitor in the bull riding, before his death in 1980 at[...]s\ the age of 16.[...]Glen Hough was aR outstanding team roper and[...]Joe Finn was an excellent roper and John Rife was[...]won the first belt buckle the Roy Rodeo ever gave in[...]saddle bronc riding. He and John Rife had a 'ride-off[...]for the buckle.
... .. ^ ,:;-::----!9 "*[...]bronc and bull rider. Jim and Charlie Phillips and
tlte distinction of being the only man in the state of Raiph Rindal[...]three of these fellows participated in the first National
a string of 63 horses that Joe Fin[...]held in Santa Rosa, New
Gene Autry, Henry Knight and Euert Colburn, the top[...]excellent bareback,
producers of PCRA rctdeos in the early 40's. The horses
saddle bronc and bull rider.
were 'tried out' the day before a PCRA rodeo by three[...]ing horse breaker of roping
men: Speed, Bob Olsen and Albert Vermandel. Julia[...]horses and pick-up horses and a top rodeo pick-up man.
Jackson Snyder recalls t[...]in an Bud Norskog and Jess Satterfreld were also top pick-up
hour! This photo was taken in 1944. Speed was the Cen-
men and worked most of the local rodeos.
tral Montana Champion Bronc rider f[...]Women rodeo performers to be remembered are
the 40's.[...]Mickey Styer, reining horses, rodeo queen and timed[...]Betty Blair Steele, barrel racer and roper who is still[...]competing and winning; Marie Zahn, barrel racer and
timer; and Alma Satterfield, Kay Yuill Jackson, Helen[...]Jordan, Ann Smith, Bev Knerr and Carol Sluggett for[...]There are several up and coming young cowboys that[...]are making a name for themselves: Jess and Jerry[...]high school bull rider; and the Rindal brothers: Harley,[...]Casey and Tyler. Harley was tops in cow cutting and
A rodeo at Byford on July 4. 1917. Rodeo was held[...]was YRA team roping champion. Casey qualified for
the open prairic tt'ithout benefit of an arena or chutes. the National High School Rodeo finals for 4 years in[...]row; as a steer wrestler, team roper and calf roper. He
Phillips. and Tyler were the state team roping champions in 1988.

Homestead Shacks over Buffalo Tracks: History of Northeastern Fergus County [Montana] (162)[...]by Stephen Gilpatrick

The Fergus community received it's start when the
Milwaukee Railroad reached the point previously ob-
tained by the Milwaukee Land Company, subsidiary of
the Milwaukee Railroad. It was named Fergus as it was
midway between the two rather large Fergus ranches
and it's post office was to replace the original Fergus
post office.
Previous to the railroad carrying the mail, it was
carried by stage coach and left at the local post offices
established at most of the major ranches.
The first Fergus post office was at the William Fergus
ranch (Box Elder) with Ellen Fergus Romunstad as the
postmistress. There were local post offices at the James
Fergus ranch (Yaegers) on Armeljs Creek and another
at the Gilpatrick ranch. When the post office was
moved to the townsite of Fergus, John Kaaro became Fergus Community HalI
the first postmaster there.
The completed townsite included a grain elevator, two dwellings, a store and post office combined, a school, a
church, a community hall and a smalj farmer-owned oil and gas cooperative. I have a fuel ticket from that g[...]ith gasoline priced atll1/z cents per gallon pius the state tax of 5 cents. The
elevator was built by Western Grain & Lumber Co. and had a capacity of 12,000 bushels.
The Lewistown Daily Neps of July 27,1g48 lists the population of Fergus at ti. This did not consider the near
neighbors.
A community club organized January 25, 1919 held it's first meeting in the church. The purpose of the cjub was to
"promote the social, intellectual and material welfare of the community." The club became too large to hold their
meetings in the various homes so a club building was purchased from near the Armells post office and moved. by
volunteers io the Fergus townsite. The building, a community building at its old site, was re-roofed and remodeled in
1954 and a "homecoming" was scheduled. Past residents, friends and relatives attended from many areas.
A yearly harvest dinner was provided by the club members and was well received. This was a Thanksgiving-type
meal and enjoyed by many. The home-cooked meal was particularly appreciated by[...]g by campfire.
A new foundation was provided at the club building, all by volunteer help and today it stands in good condition.
Farm consolidation took a severe toll of a once very active community. The elevator was dismantled when the
railroad abandoned the line in the early 60's. Jess Bielgrien tore it down, part of it is the garage at the old Fergus store
and part of it is the old station at the Bohemian Corners. The store and post office was[...]-o'o"a near the state ilighway
and later closed. The church was moved to Roy. The townsite now includes the school, which is closed for lack of
students, a dwelling and the community club building which is still used occas[...]#27 Fencus ScHoor, Drsrnrcr
The Fergus district was created in 1914. There were four schools in this district: Fergus, Romunstad, Knob Hill and
Horse Ranch. The first trustees were Odin Romunstad, Andrew Fergus and Clamore Maury.
There was not much information on Knob Hill and Horse Ranch school but they are mentioned in manv of the
stories.
The Fergus school was a summer school at iirst, running from April til September. Mrs. Nlaude Misner was the
first teacher. Pauline Patton taught for many years and later became the County Superintendent of Schools. 11 l91g
a new building was built, the present building. Milada Walter Smart, who had be[...]ere: Jenn-v McEneaney, Bertha Huey, Selma Ulsaker and Zelma Gordon. The
last Leacher was Margaret Cannan in i977-7E. The district was abandoned in lgSi and annexed to Rov.

Homestead Shacks over Buffalo Tracks: History of Northeastern Fergus County [Montana] (163)[...]missed because the electrictl' rvas offl This school was a[...]part of the Jesse Adams homestead shack. A log house[...]was built on one end that the family lived in. Jimmy[...]White, a homesteader north of the Adams, worked for
different farmers in the summer and lived in this[...]homestead shack in winter. School was held in the
shack during the summers, for several years. Mrs.[...]t picnic held in May of 1931. Standing
in the backrow are: Lincoln Jones, Earl Christensen,
Mrs. Vaughn TindalL, Margit Rindal, Irene Christensen,
and Grace Jones. Middle row: Robert Jones, Jimmy
and Norman Rindal. Front row: Raymond Tindall,
Fa[...]Students in the picture from L. to R. are: Dorothy Rowe,
Lauera J[...]Wyule Adams, Georgia Adams, Ernest Harrell and
sidewaiks and it's a sure bet that classes weren't dis-[...]n 1930 from part of #L27 Fergus. Fannie Young was the first teacher. The first trustees
were: C.J. Romunstad, Anton Rindal and Will Landru. Romona Britzius was the last teacher in 1941-42. The district
ws reannexed to Fergus in i945.[...]Jnssn AND ADA Man Aoevs[...]by Wyule Potterf
Jesse Adams came from Missouri and homesteaded Robert in 1930.
in the Fergus area in 1913. His place lay about five The Adamses lived in the area for fifteen years before
miles north of the Horse Ranch. moving to the Christina area in 1928. Jesse passed
His wife, Ada Mae, and their three year old daughter, away in 1962; Ada in 1972. Both are buried in Linley
Wyvle, came the following year. Five more children P[...]915, Earl in 1920, Margaret in 1922, Lois in 1925 and Wyvlie married Ernest Egger in i930 and they lived
Homestead Shacks over Buffalo Tracks: History of Northeastern Fergus County [Montana] (164)[...]that were matched and full of spirit.
Morgaret Adams and He ordered a kit of new harness[...]Alene Willis when bridles, and two-seated buggy from a catalog.[...]hey were attending He assembled the buggy and painted it black[...]early one morning, put on our Sunday best and
loaded up the eggs and cream. It was a hot day, so[...]mom said we'd take the umbrella; a big black one.
My sister and I were riding in the back seat. I[...]was probably eight or nine years old and my[...]Ioaded, I couldn't wait to raise that umbrella. And[...]The horses went crazy and my dad couldn't do a[...]coulee. The buggy rolled to the bottom, scattering
The Trimble School. Bach, Alice Knowles, the teacher. eggs and cream everywhere. My dad jumped as
lilyule ond Georgia Adoms; Ernest ond Butch (Wiltiam) the buggy went over the hill. The cream can hit
Harrell; Frank (Charles) and George Petraneh; Earl my sister in the stomach. My mom was at the
Adams. bottom of the coulee and couldn't walk. My dad[...]ed her out on his back; don't know how he did
on the homestead for five years; moved to Christina for[...]was a good sized person.
two years, then to Roy and lived there from 1937 to I was probably hurt the least. I landed on a sage
1942, when they moved[...]my head off.
daughters: Doroihy, Heien, Shirley and Mary Joe. My folks sent me[...]help. They lived a couple miles from us and I
married William Glenn Potterf in 1960. He passed away walked there and they brought me home.
in 1966.[...]IVIy mom's back was hurt and she spent quite
Wyvle composed the foilowing story about an experi- some time in bed and Mrs. McKerlie stayed and
ence she remembers from her chiidhood days on the took care of us all. We had such wonderful
homestead. She calls it "The Runaway!" neighbors.
My dad was a proud man and took a lot of pride in When they found the horses all they had left
his horses. He had a[...]orrel mares was their collars and the neck voke![...]Orr Milton Allyn led a short but exciting life. The cattle and horses.
young Fergus rancher died May 19, 1936 in[...]o Milada Walter, who was a long
crash in front of the Fergus store. Allyn had been flyrng time resident of ihe community, and who was teaching
quite low, g:eeting friends when the accident occurred. at the Fergus School at the time. They had exchanged
His plane was a small mo[...]Milton was survived by his wife, who was the first to
He was considered the best automotive engineer in reach the accident, and his mother and sisters at
the community at that time, and was also an expert IJrbana, Illinois and his grandparents at Modesto,
motorcycle rider and car driver. He drove truck for two Illinois, his home state.
years, making trips to Billings and other points with[...]JoHw Beamy Farurr,y
John M. Beatty lived in and near the Fergus area for paper in them." John was[...]ker.
most of his life, except for a time spent in the Geraldine John was born on May 19, 1887 in Maiden. He had a
area where he homesteaded and for a time when he sister, Nita, who married Pete Patterson, a Lewistown
lived at Cheadle and at Stanford. At Stanford he made chiropractor, and two brothers, Charles, aiso a Lewis-
his living as a cigar maker. He had the tobacco shipped town chiropractor and Bert. Another sister died in
in from one of the southern states. His stepson, Jim infancy.
Wight, remembers him saying that the ones bought John married Ella Donahue and the couple was
over the counter weren't any good. "They had too mu[...]
Homestead Shacks over Buffalo Tracks: History of Northeastern Fergus County [Montana] (165)[...]built when Blanchard had the place. It is still in[...]excellent condition and current residents are Dave and[...]John always talked about how bad the weather was[...]during his younger days; how tough it was to walk and
to feed the cattle. When he and Ella were newly married
they went into the sheep business. Having no paint to
mark the ewes and lambs, in the spring, they tried[...]the iambs were being born too fast to keep up! The
sheep business and need for pasture is what originally[...]brought John into the Roy area.[...]battle with cancer. In the fall of that same year John
John and Myrtie Beatty married[...]and married Phyllis Parks. They later moved to Great[...]Kenny and Kathy.[...]John passed away on December 29,1975 at the age of
88 years. Ralph and Mrrtie moved into a new mobile
home on the place, nearer to the highway.[...]Ralph never married. He served in the European and
African theaters of war during WWII and was dis-[...]Sergeant. He ranched with his dad and after the place[...]years. Ralph was a Boy Scout leader in Roy during the[...]1960's. He passed away in April of 1982 at the age of 71,
John Beattl' and son Ralph
from cancer. Ralph and his parents are buried together
in the Lewistown City Cemetery.
Marshall rvas born on Au[...]Myrtie still maintains her home in Fergus and keeps
The Beattys bought the original Blanchard place at active, raising chickens, with crafts and as a member of
Fergus from Cook Re1'nolds in the early forties and the once very active Fergus Community Club and the
ranched there untii the late 70's rvhen the place was Fergus Women's Club (of wh[...]r John's death. remain) and in traveling to Great Falls to visit her son
The house that is slill nrr tho.lo.o;c ih. ^.iginal one and family and to Billings to visit her sister.

Enrvssr AND BLANCHE BuRBRTDGE

Ernest Burbrrdgt[...]tana with his parents Larry in 1939; and Audrey in 1941.
in 1912. They settled in the Suffolk area. He'met his Blanche ta[...]to visit was too far to go to school. The next year they started
friends and stayed on to teach scl.rool. They were mar-[...]e would be enough students to have a
ried in 1926 and moved tir the Fergus area, to the Harry school class.
Danner place (H<,rse Ranch urea) a few years after The Burbridges went to Fairfield in 1939 to a new
the[...]sir chiidren: Bradley, born in August of 1953 and Ernest in November of 1958.
1930; Edith in[...]

Homestead Shacks over Buffalo Tracks: History of Northeastern Fergus County [Montana] (166)[...]Ti8 R21
William Clegg homesteaded in the Roy area in 1912, time of his death[...]who was a pioneer rancher on lower Spring Creek and
this area for some time. He had four sons: E.L. Clegg of his son, George stili lives on the ranch on the Hanover
Fayette, Iowa; Quincy of Santa Paulo, Cai[...]Road.
Harley of Huron, South Dakota and W. Virgil of Lewis- William Clegg was in failing health for some time. He
town who worked for the Arro Refinery in Lewistown. passed[...]His daughter, Mrs. James Tuckness lived at Roy at the His body was forwarded to Fayette, I[...]Jon H. Donny AND FAMTLY[...]aginnis, 11 August There were Ambrose and Ralph LaRocque, the
1888; he died 12 April 1948 and is buried at St. Paul's LaFountains, Demos, and Davises. All owned land
Mission, Hays, Montana.[...]cque was Isabelle LaRocque's
Julia A. Gardipee and Joe H. Doney were married, 24 husband.
Nov[...]dipee's log cabin on
1890; she died 20 March 1970 and is buried at St. Paul's his place southwest of Black Butte, at the foot of the
Mission, Hays. Butte, along the creek.
Their children were: Joseph Walter, born 20 May My husband, Michael Morin and I lived in Roy when
1912, died in 1954 at Mesa, Arizona; Margaret Doney they were building the new highway - i91 and 19. We
Morin, born 14 November 1914; Eugene "Happ[...]ry 1918; Marie Doney Morin, born months and this was in 1958 or'59.
7 June 1919; Bernice Done[...]5 July 1922, all Our people are known as the Metes (mixed or half
born at Roy. Florence Doney Sayers, born 1? January breeds). The first white men to come West were trappers,
1925 at Fergus, died 10 January 1976 and is buried at traders, scouts, ex-soldiers and miners; a good many
St. Paul's Mission, Hays; Charles "Lindy" Doney, born married Indian girls and most had common names. In
26 December 1927 at Lewistown and Mabel Doney contrast to these, there were those who came from the
Hawley, born 8 December 1930 at Lewistown. East into North Dakota, then to Canada and back to
Marie Doney Morin has four sons: Marvin M. Morin, the United States, who were of French Canadian
31 May[...]., born 27 October 1938; Douglas descent, and mainly had French names. These people
A., born 30 April 1943 and Dwight F., born 28 August 1948. were given no land and were called "Landless Indi-
Marie Doney Morin w[...]ans". They were later given US citizenship and were
steaded southwest of Roy in the early 1900's and lived free to file on government land, which many of them
there for many years. Her father worked for the did.
Romunstads on the Box Elder ranch for eight years A prominent name in the latter French Canadians,
and then the family moved back to Roy. Her parents were the Doneys. Others were Gardipees, LaRocque,
spent most of their lives in this part of the country. ,.We LaFountain, LeValle, Fiant, Fluery, Lavadure,
went to the Romunstad and Roy schools and got our Turcotte. to name a few."
mail and groceries at either Fergus or Roy. We traveled
by team and wagon in the early years. My family left
this area in 1933.
My grandparents were John and Virginia Doney and
Eli and Marie Gardipee and had homesteads south and
southwest of Roy. John Doney's place was southwest of
Roy where Gradles iived. The big tree at the reservoir
was pianted by my grandmother.
My gnandad, John Doney, is the man who shot Rattle-[...]Eugene "Hoppy"
snake Jake in Lewistown at the July Fourth Celebra-[...](Mount) and
Eli Gardipee's place was near Black Butte, whi[...]Marie (Morin),
was later known as the Moulsby place, and still later the Children of
was owned by Paul Bishoff.[...]Joe H. Doney.
Charlie LaRocque owned the place that later became
Paul Bishoffs home ranch.
Joe LaRocque owned what is called the "Red Barn"
under the ownership of Spud Stephens.
Homestead Shacks over Buffalo Tracks: History of Northeastern Fergus County [Montana] (167)[...]ry

Enweno AND ALVTNe DoucunRry

Edward William Dougherty was born in 1888 at John, born on the ranch in 1920. He now lives in
Boulder, Montana.[...]Bozeman. Their next child, Ruth, was also born on the
years old and was adopted, along with his three ranch, in 1924. Ruth Briody iives in Cut Bank. Their
brothers and sisters, by an aunt who also had four la[...]born in Butte in 1928 where
children of her own. The aunt's husband died soon after Edward had gone to work for a couple years. Marian
that and the aunt was hard-pressed to eare for all of the Swensen married and lived on a ranch near the Cana-
children. William went to work on the Fergus Ranch at dian border, out of Cut Bank, until her death in 1976.
the age of 15. When he was a little older, he home- The children attended the Weideman school which
steaded near the old Armells townsite. was ab[...]funeral. His Fergus County High School and Ruth and Marian went
brother was married to Alvina's sister, and had been to Roy High School.
killed in a train accident. Edward and Alvina were The Dougherty's continued to live on the homestead
married in 1917 and iived on Edward's homestead. until 1943 when they moved to a ranch up Armells
The Dougherty's had four children. The oldest was Creek, over the hill east of Steve Gilpatrick's place.
Constance,[...]. Constance Pryor Edward died there in 1956 and Alvina moved to Cut
presently lives in Boise, Idaho. Their second child was Bank and passed away in 1988 at the age of95.[...]tana from O'Neill, nothing but drouth and grasshoppers. All who lived in
Nebraska in L927. We, Wyvle Adams and Ernest, were that time remembers the dirty 30's. After getting a loan
married June 28, 1930 in Lewistown, Montana. from the bank, for seed to plant for two seasons, and a
Ernie was working on the railroad as a section hand, loan for feed that one winter, we had to have still
but got laid off in the fall. This is when the depression another loan for feed. The banker said, "No". We had
hit; there were no jobs to be found. So we took our few 12 cows. So the banker said, "I'll send a truck out
dollars and bought $20.00 worth of staple groceries t[...]ear old
(that lasted all winter), two turkey hens and a gobbler, heifer that was ready to calve and the truckep wouldn't
and moved down on my uncle's homestead, north of the take her, so we got to keep her. She had a[...]h was just a half mile away ears, tail and feet had been frozen, her feet curled
from my unc[...]she was a good milk cow. Both cows
my Dad's place and raised a lot of corn and beans. had heifer calves each year and so we got a start again.
Our first year was rather rough, but with the help of Ernie worked on W.P.A. and that $30.00 a month
my folks we made it. They kep[...]emed like a fortune to us then.
some cows to milk and a dozen hens, loaned us their We moved to Lewistown in the spring of 1942. We
incubator and, for 10Q a dozen for eggs, we raised 100 brought 4 milk cows, two horses, a pig and chickens
white leghorn pullets and enough roosters to eat. with us. I ofte[...]bors
What we had to have in furniture came from the
second hand store" We had apple boxes to sit on and
orange crates, with a piece of cloth over the front, for
cupboards.
We had four little girls: Dorothy in 1931, Helen in
1932, Shirley in 1933 and three years later Mary Jo
came along.
We moved[...]for 3 years. Dorothy started to
school there. In the spring of 1938 we moved to Roy and
left there in 1942. My sister, Margaret Adams, li[...]o farm three miles east of Christina, on Ernie and Wyuel Egger with their doughters: Mary Jo,
the old Frank Schraeder place where we lived. we had Helen, Shirley and Dorothy.

Homestead Shacks over Buffalo Tracks: History of Northeastern Fergus County [Montana] (168)[...]McKerlie's Construction. work at Penney's and Ernie went back to Victor Con"
I raised a big gar[...]struction. Later he built our house on the hill west of the
put the hose down, I wanted to water everything. We City Cemetery. In 1952 we moved in and I'm still there.
sold milk, cream, eggs and chickens for spending money. Ernie had a stroke and passed away in November of
Pete Forte lived with us in Roy and moved to Lewis- Iyco.
town with us. He used to take the cows to the pasture In February of 1960 Glenn Potterf and I were married.
for me. Pete moved to a nursing h[...]He had four daughters: Glenna, Bev, Irene and Mary
away a few years later, when Ernie sold our home and Lou. Glenn passed away from luekemia October 1966.
bought a trailer house and we went to Exeter, Califor- I have eight daughters, 23 grandchildren and 24
nia for two years.[...]hbors to
Nebraska from Czechoslovakia in 1908, at the age of an Agnew family. We don't have[...]with her mother, Marie Kodejs, a sister, Bessie, and about their life in Montana.
a brother, Jo[...]le they lived there.
Joe Walter in Czechoslovakia and they had come to Mildred was born on May 19, 1919 and Alice on April
Crete, Nebraska some time earlier then the rest of the 19, 1922. There were eventually 10 children in the
family. Later the Walter family moved to Montana. family; the rest were all born in Crete or Denton,
In the meantime our father, Frank Antone Filipi, and Nebraska.
his parents, Frank J. and Antonie Filipi, moved from We have[...]1916. In Milada Smart, daughter to the Joe Walter family and
1918, our mother went to Montana to visit her sis[...]y lived close to where our parents lived. Another
and family and she met our father. They got married[...]1944. Frank A. passed away on July 14, 1967
Iived and had to haul water from quite a distance. Dad and Milena on January 4, 1962. All are buried in
told[...]d also
said one time he helped a neighbor shingle the roof of fNote: The gathering of the Filipi history was the result
his house. His wife was expecting a baby and was also of o. pen-pol project of an English closs in the Roy
helping. When Dad returned the next morning he found school, 1988. Kathy Kalina selected the name of Jessica
out they had the baby over night, but she was there on Koll, o student in Nebroska. When Jessica shared her
the roof shingling again.[...]Edna Koll,
Mother talked about having a garden and the potatoes the foct that Edna's porents were Roy homesteaders
gr[...]SraNLsY AND OPAL For,oe
infornration by Dorthea Folda Fadrhonc

Stanley and Opal Folda and family rented and moved it as a fun time, "There was quite a crew, most were
to the Blanchard Ranch at, Fergus in the spring of 1938. from the Roy area and we really had some fun times."
They farmed, ranched and Stan worked for the State The Foldas came to Fergus from Hilger and were
Highway Dept. as maintenance man for the Roy-Hilger only here three years. They left in the spring of 1941
road. At that time it was gtaveled only. AII of the and Stan went to Bozeman where he worked for the
equipment used to maintain the road was kept in Census Bureau. Later he was employed by the Federal
Folda's yard. One of the jobs that Foida did while with Crop Insurance.
the dept. at Fergus was head the WPA crew that built Opal and children moved to Lewistown for a year
all the snow fences along the highway. Dot remembers and later to Moore where the younger ones finished

Homestead Shacks over Buffalo Tracks: History of Northeastern Fergus County [Montana] (169)[...]remained in the area.
Stan and Opal had six children: Dorthea, Stanley Jr. In later years Stan Sr. married Gladys Kalal and
"Bud", Jessie Wilma, Alice and Opal. Dorthea gradu- Opal S[...]1984; Stan died in 1986; Bud died in 1981 and Wilma
schooi in Roy. The others went to school at Fergus.[...]ea married George Fadrhonc in 1941 and

FnponnrcrsEN AND HaLr,ocr
T 2ON R 21E

The Fredericksens, Peter B. and Lena Mortensen, Ther[...]oldest brother,
emigrated to America from Denmark and were early Roy and sister, Marie were born at Roy, Montana. The
homesteaders northeast of Fergus, Montana on Arme[...]next three were born at Lake Chelan, Washington and are
Creek where they built up the "Pine Nook Ranch". Dan, Lee and Jim (me). I am eieven years younger than[...]-
They had one of the nicest homes in that area" Sections[...]The way I remember my Dad telling it, he traded the
20 and29,[...]Hallock. His wheat land and three trucks. We had a nice home and
parents were Abraham H. and Fannie Langley Hallock.[...]nother.
Lillian's property was in Sections 20,21, and 29. Victor's They were active in the Odd Fellows Lodge and Grange.
in Sections 27 and29. Pop passed away at the age of 77 years and Mom was 84
The Roy Enterprise, 24 November 1915 tells of the when she died.
beautiful wedding on last Wednesday at the Pine Nook I remember P[...]before he met
sen, daughter of P.B. Fredericksen, and Victor Abraham my Mom. He[...]t on their wed- this injury. The water at Roy did not agtee qrith him, one[...]of the reasons they left Roy. (Alkali water!) Anyway, he
ding trip to the old home in the east.[...]n crutches,
An inquiry was sent to Jim Hallock, the youngest son[...]My brothers were Veterans in WWII and I served in
of Victor A. Hallock and he writes the following: Korea. My wife and I separated nine years ago. We raised
"I[...]e about three children; Lia, Jim and Joe. Lia is an air ttafEc
Roy, as I was bo[...]Washington where controller in the Navy; Jim is finishing his mechanical
my parents made their home when they left the Roy area. engineering degree at Laramie, Wyoming and Joe is a
My Dad was born in North Dakota near the Red River physical therapist."[...]James Hallock
in 1890 and her parents emigrated to America from[...]August 1878, a native of on the ranch, he tells of this man building fence in the
Italy. He came to the Armells Creek area north of Roy winter, digging post holes in the frozen ground and he
and homesteaded in 1914 in partnership with Peter used large trees for posts instead of the usual sized
Forie where he lived until 1942 when he moved onto timbers they cut in the Armells breaks. Steve was in his
property he bought on the north out-skirts of Roy. He si[...]s death 7 May 1953. and timbered the good sized room, which was also done
Steve rvas an exceptionally strong man and had been in the winter months.
a miner the greater part of his life. He had been in the Steve never married. He was seventy-five years at the
Alaska Klondike Gold Rush of 1897'1898; he mined in time of his death when he died at the St. Joseph's
Butie in the copper mines; was in the bakery business Hospital in Lewistown. He had no known relatives in
in Butte; *'orked at the coal mines in Roundup as well the United States. Burial was at the Lewistown Citv
as being a rancher on his h[...]

Homestead Shacks over Buffalo Tracks: History of Northeastern Fergus County [Montana] (170)[...]heim

Lars Grindheim was born in Norway in 1878 and Elingson and others whose names I do not know. Many
emigrated to the United States about 1905. He worked of these moved away by the early 1920's.
at Belt, Montana and for William Fergus and Sons near The days and miles were long and travel slow. An all
Fergus. He homesteaded at the head of Dry Armells day chore was to go to Roy and back with the lumber
Creek in 1910. He hauled supplies from Hilger and wagon. Most supplies were gotten at the grocery and
Lewistown. Better known as Louie in the neighborhood, hardware that was established at Fergus after the
he liked peopie and enjoyed visiting and talking with railroad got into Roy. M[...]that post office was closed in the 1970's. Before the
Emma Hronek was born in Cedar Rapids, Iowa on[...]auled from Hilger or Lewistown.
November 10, 1884 and came to Montana in 1914. She The neighborhood had good water from wells and
took claim on a homestead that was being vacited. It springs; timber for fi.re wood and log buildings.
already had buiidings; a log house and a water well. There were neighborh[...]cnics
Her nearest neighbor lived a half-mile away and her at home under the old box elder trees. The annual
father, Joseph Hronek and sister, Lib, took homesteads Fourth of Juiy picnic held at the Romunstad's grove
near there later. Emma's hobbies were playing the provided lots of soda pop and ice cream for us kids.
piano she brought from Iowa and growing flowers. Other activitie[...]re were: Pelot, Larson, Wolfe, Strausburg,
Emma and Lars married in 1915 and raised two sons, Petranek, Harrell, Cameron, Hano, Stevens, Hackling,
Norman born in 1916 and Louis "Bud" born in 1918. Dawson, Tompson and perhaps others.
Untii the early nineteen twenties there were many[...]1924, we got a 1919 Buick car. I remember
helpful and sometimes much-needed neighbors. A[...]that car we got to see Valentine, Grass Range and a few
was born at home on a very cold January day and Pete other distant places.
drove a t[...]iles away r,o ger I, Norman, lived at the ranch until 19b6, except for a
the doctor" My father told him, "Drive them hard but stint in the Army from 1942-1945. In 1956 I moved to
don't kil[...]Lewistown and worked on various ranches until retir-
Early day[...]red, Mother, Emma, passed away the summer of 1988 at
Bottleson, Gordon, Hronek, Engh, Lucier, Steinbring, the age of 103 years.[...]-
Louis "Bud" Grindheim, the second son of Lars and
Emma, remained on the ranch he grew up on until his
retirement in 1983, when he and his wife, Shirley
(Corth) moved into Roy.
Bud and Shirley raised two children, both of whom
graduated from Roy High School. Their son Lyle and
his famiiy live near Denton.
Their daughter, Marilyn, married John Gervais in
1978 and took over the ranch when the Grindheims
retired. John had previously been manager of the Horse
Ranch and after the couples marriage they lived and
worked in the Judith Gap area for a short time before
moving back to Roy. They are the parents of three sons: Emma Grindheim on her 100th birthday in 1984
Joshua, Travis and Brent. surrounded by rnembers of her family. In the bach row[...]and Marilyn Grindheim Geruais holding her son,[...]Joshua. Middle row: l. to r. Shautn Grindheirn and[...]Emma and Shane Grindheim.

Homestead Shacks over Buffalo Tracks: History of Northeastern Fergus County [Montana] (171)[...]Nelson
Axel Olaf Hage, son of Amund Olsen Hage and Mari
Oldsdatter Lovslerten, was born on December 28, 1895
in Kvikne, Gudbrandsdalen, Norway. He came to the
United States in about 1915 and settled on the Ella
Hage homestead north of Fergus, Montana.
Ax[...]out 20 years of age when he came to
this country, and spent from the time of his arrival
until about 1949 on the Fergus homestead.
This man, Axel O. Hage, was[...]person
who had a pleasant, unassuming personality and
tended to his own affairs in a private and quiet manner.
In his years at Fergus, his sist[...]n Axel Hage
and her family would make frequent trips to his home
in order to do his Spring and Fall housecleaning (some-
times in between) because bachelors in those days, and
perhaps even norv, were not the best of housekeepers. for a man of his age[...]ps to Lewistown in his one which to move.
and only vehicle, a pickup truck. He was especially[...]a mile south of
included in holiday gatherings at the Peter Nelson Lewistown[...]- a small house and a few acres for a
home, and also at the home of his brother, Ludvar Hage garden, on Upper Spring Creek. He lived there for
and family in Kolin, Montana.[...], but sold it when he married Ellen
In the early spring of 1948 or 1949, Axel was unloading Ferguson in 1955. The couple then made their home in
a barrel of fuel from his pickup when the barrel fell Lewistown. This marriage lasted only one year and
upon him, pinning him under it's load for several[...]self even though his legs nephew, John Hage, and then back to Lewistown in
were injured. Somehow,[...]died
Axel told us that *'hile he was pinned under the load of At that time he was living at the Leland Hotel. He is
that fuel barrel, he began thinking that it was not good buried in the Lewistown City Cemetery.[...]eember 12, 1880 in Kvikne
Gudrandscialen, Norway, the daughter of Amund Olsen
Hage and Mari Oldsdatter Lovsletten. She came to the
United States in 1905, making the journey with her
cousin, Marie Bolstad. They came[...]er Ella acquired a homestead near
Fergus, Montana and proved up on it. One of her close
neighbors was a[...]Etla Hage
The two girls stayed together a lot because in those[...]young woman to stay
by herself. Ella told once of the two women being alone cowboys left. There was[...]Transportation was a problem because the railroad
their homestead. In fear, the women barred all of the was not built to the Fergus - Roy area until 1914.
windows and doors and huddled toeether until the Ella Hage was married to Pete[...]
Homestead Shacks over Buffalo Tracks: History of Northeastern Fergus County [Montana] (172)[...]ewistown, on November 11. i911 in Ella and Peter Nelson were charter members of Zion
Great[...]in Lewis- Lutheran Church in Lewistown and Ella was the first
town until their deaths.[...]on; her brother, who came from Norway and settled on the
Harold Nelson of Phoenix, Arizona; Paul E. Nelso[...]n April S, 1951. Peter M. Nelson died
Washington and Burton A. Nelson of Bellevue. August 6, 1975. Both are buried in the Lewistown City
Washington.[...]living"

Tnacnores AND HARD Tllrns Srelx Houesrpaonns
Evenr AND HESTER HaRnnn[...]n accident by spilling kerosene on a hot
Harrell and Sara Ann Bright in Lovington, Illinois. stove and burned herself so badly she died. She was
Evert was raised in and around the Lovington area able to save her two[...]chooling. He was born Aaron stayed on the farm in Illinois.
into a large family of seven boys and three girls" The After drought, hail, and the death of a baby girl
farms there were small so h[...]plagued them they sold what they could and gave up
young age and went to school when work was scarce. the homestead. Moving to a ranch near Kendall they
He managed to complete the tenth grade, which was lived, ranched and added five more children to their
pretty good at[...]family.
Evert and Hester May Eastin were married August[...]Kendall at that time. There were about
22, lgLL and lived on a small farm. Evert and his 3,000 people in Kendall during the gold mining days.
brother Aaron rented a small farm also and they After school the kids could ride their sleigh down the
worked it together. Most of the crops raised at that time Kendall hill, almost to home.
was broom corn and small grains.[...]ntil people like Joe
After farming a few years the urge was ,,GO WEST Peters, Charles llle, Hasslers and the Harrells got
YOUNG MAN, GO WEST." Aaron came to Lewistown together and had the little school on the Charles Ille
and found a place near Suffolk where they could. home[...]r there
stead. He returned to Illinois to harvest the crops and for 10 years.
let Evert go to Montana and prove up on the place. So Evert also leased the Fergus Horse Ranch for three
they loaded two team[...]ng it back to production
chickens, farm equipment and household furniture into again. They did lots of haying there and ran cows on
a box car, which took about two weeks[...]30's they moved to
Montana. When he unloaded from the train in Suffoik, Idaho and returned to Montana in 1948. He did odd jobs
with the help of two other homesteaders, he had two until 1952 when he bought his own farm at Roy and at 80
wagon loads. years of age was still farming and raising cattle. They
It was very hard living on[...]still living are: Ernest Harrell, Marie
Hester and their three boys came on the train about Hall and Lucille Kalal all of Lewistown; Harold Harrell
th[...]ter. Haviag to change depots in Chicago and James Harrell of Idaho and Ruby Tull of Roundup.
by a horse drawn cab was something else. The driver Wilfred (Jake) and William (Butch) are deceased. Jake's
turned the team too sharp, tipping the cab over. wife, Frieda Harrell, lives in Phoenix, Arizona and
Luckiiy, no one was hurt. The police and red caps Butch's wife, Virginia Burnham Harrell lives in Lewis-
helped, but in the confusion a man tried to steal one of town. (The baby girl who died was Martha Ann. born in
her bags. A red cap caught him and so another scarey October of 1918 and died March of 1919. She is buried in
ordeal was b[...]Lucille Kalal didthe aboue story, of her f ather and
room in the hotel for the night. Everyone was very family, a history that Euert himself had written (at the
friendly and nice here in the West thoush. age of 97) was discouered and submitted.l

Homestead Shacks over Buffalo Tracks: History of Northeastern Fergus County [Montana] (173)[...]by Euert Hanell

When I lived on the flat and farmed, Roy was my McFadden. I was close to the end of the bench, or flat,
town, not far from my homestead. My ciose neighbors and he pointed out the cabin across Murphy's Coulee.
were: Mr" and Mrs. Jessie Adams on the east of me, Mr. I was close to a corner on top of the hill and a steep
and Mrs. Charles Petranek on the west of me and and hill it was going down into Murphy Coulee or ravine. I
Mr. and Mrs" Charley May on the south of me. All good had to tie my back team and wagon to the fence and
neighbors. AIso on rvest were Mr. and Mrs. McFadden, rough lock my wagon wheel with a chain for it was a
where the children rvent to school. They had sehool in a[...]Jessie Adams I took one wagon down and came back after the other
place. . . I think Mrs..Donovan was the teacher. one. I took it down and at the bottom of the hill there
When I came to this country I came[...]was a big pine tree, so had to turn out around the tree.
loaded all my things in a railroad car in Cadwell, There was a big root running on top of the ground and
Illinois, where I lived and farmed. I had two days to when I run over the root with the hind wheel of the iron
load my car. It was a big furniture car. So I loaded all wheel wagon it upset my load and scattered my furni-
my farming tools and my 4 horses and cow and calf in ture and other stuff all over the ground. It broke my
one end of the car and my household furniture in the couple pole in pieces so I had to cut a fir sapling, or little
other end of the car and 2 dozen chickens and 2 pigs tree, and hew it down so it would go through the hounds
and my bed in the middle between the 2 doors and I of the back wheels, or back part of the wagon that holds
paid them for the car. the front and back part of the wagon together, and
They billed me for Suffolk, Montana. I was 2 weeks make a big hole that the coupling pin had to go through
on the road. I had to unload the horses every 24 hours, in front of ihe pole and get my brace and bit out and
so it took me awhile to come. make a hole large enough for the coupling pin to go
When i got to Suffolk, Mont[...]on a through an inch hole. I got it made and got my wagon
side track and went on to Winifred. When they came together and it was a 2 man job to put the rack back on
back they said I was over loaded and I had to pay g4? the wagon. But I did manage to get the rack on the
more or they would take me back to Lewistown, wagon and all the stuff on the rack. It was getting late
Montana. So I paid them and went on unloading. Two and it was dark when I got the two wagons to the log
men came and helped me unload.[...]thing to eat or
I had brought 2 wagons with me and we put them drink nor had the horses had nothing.
together" One was a wagon with a box and the other I unloaded the wagon with the wagon box on it. Mr.
was a low iron wheel wagon w[...]but I had to go up a little
loaded everything on the two wagons and I started for hill to see his house. I had not seen it before dark and he
the homestead. i put the 3 year olds on one wagon and had no window in the west side of the house. So I just
the 2 yearlings on the other; they had been worked run on t[...]ould see it. I had my two barrels in
some. I tied the cow and calf on back of it and started my wagon. I knocked on his door and he came to the
east. I had never been out to the homestead but the men door and said he was not looking for me yet. I asked
that helped me unload the car told me to take the road him if I couid get some water some place.
east of Suffolk and I did. The first five miles was up one He said he had just got through supper and said for
hill and down the other tiil I got on the bench and then me to come in and eat. So I did and he said we could go
it was miles that was level. I had to put 4 horses on a over about 1 miles south and east. He got his lantern
wagon to puil the hills. I would put all 4 horses on a and we went to a good spring and filled our barrels and
wagon for a few hills and then go and get the other one. went back home.
I done that till I got to the bench about 5 miles and it I had unloaded some bed springs in the cabin and
began to get dusk. One man came along and said he bedding, so I unhitched and watered my horses and
]ived about 5 miles on up the road, or trail, after I got on cow and calf and tied all the horses and cow to my
the bench. So I tied one team. hitched to the one the wagon for there was not a post any place. I went in and
hayrack was on, to the one I was driving and started on made my bed on the springs and let the coyotes sing me
east up the road till I got to the house that man and wife to sleep, with my dog on my feet, and that was my first
lived in. It was dark then so I stopped and put up for the night in my log cabin. I hoped every day would not be
nisht. I tied my horses to my wagon and unharnessed like my first day was.
them and fed them and slept in his grainery. My wife and 3 little boys came out on the train in
I got up early and fed and harnessed them and ate November. I drove to Suffolk and put my horses in the
my breakfast and hitched all my stuff together and livery barn and took the train to Lewistown when she
started east on the trail. About noon I met Mr.[...]

Homestead Shacks over Buffalo Tracks: History of Northeastern Fergus County [Montana] (174)[...]hem. I met a man from out just a town of the past. The Bol' Scouts took it over"
near my homestead and he knew Lewistown, so he took I moved to Idaho Falls, Idaho and in 1948 moved back
me to a hotel and we stayed all night and left for Hilger. to Roy. In 1952 I bought 160 acres on the east side ofRoy
The railroad forked and they had two trains a day to from Mr. L.M.A. Wass and then sold it back to Mr" Wass.
Hilger and one was a passenger train and the other was He had run a store in Roy. In 1[...]sed away
a freight train. One went to Roy one day and one went and about 1980 I moved to Lewisrown and then to Round-
to Winifred. They just changed off[...]ughter, Ruby Tull.
a train each day to Hilger.
The first day we got to Hilger and we stayed in the
hotei one night and went on to Suffolk and then on out
to our little log cabin. It was not very big; 14x16. We ate
and slept in it till we got a lean-to built on. It was 14
below zero when Hester, my wife, was handing the
boards up for the roof.
We had it pretty tough the first few years.
I had a sale in Roy the winter of 1919 or 1920. I moved
to Kendall, a mining town, up in the Kendall mountains
and worked for Dwight Cresap.
He was my uncle's brother. He owned a place on the
mountains east of Kendall. There was a store and a
church and other business places. There was a parson-
age for the preacher to live in" I lived in the parsonage.
The town was about gone, several lived there yet in Euert Harrell on June 18th, 1988 at the 75th Jubilee
1920. In later years the grave yard fence went down and Celebration of Roy, just a rnonth and a half before his
the cattle trampled all the tombstones down. Kendall is 100th birthday[...]arrod came to Montana in 1909 from The Harrod's moved to San Diego in 1950. He died in
I[...]e owner in Fergus for many years The Harrod's had a son Lee (of Polson) and a
and after he moved to Lewistown he was in the garage daughter, Mrs. W. J. (Lillian) H[...]married Ruth H. White in 1926, They ranched in the
22, 1872 in Kansas. They were married in the year of Fergus area until he passed ar,r'[...]ix children: Perry J. Jr.; Glen E.; Gladys on the ranch.
(Kalal-Foldah Bob; Nora (Barber) and Babe. Gladys was married to Ed Kalal. She is the mother of
P.J. was a horse trader, stockman and was under- Joan Kalal (Jakes), Perry and Dick Kalal. After Ed and
sheriff of Fergus County at one time. Perry J. pa[...]rced she married Stan Folda.
away in June of 1960 and Eliza in July of l922.Both are At the age of 89 she is living in a Lewistown nursing
bu[...]Nora and Babe Irish both moved awav from the area"[...]ught his family by Lewistown area until the 1920's. In 1917 my Dad, Uncle
covered wagon from[...]in Perry, their sister, Gladys Irish and cousin, Bill irish,
1896, to Beaver Creek. My father, Glen Irish Sr., was took out homesteads in the Dovetail area.
one year old at the time and my Uncle Perry Irish was My dad left the homestead and went into the Army
two years old. during Worid War I where he served with the U.S.
They lived on different ranches in and around the Cavalry. When he returned from the Army the Irish
Homestead Shacks over Buffalo Tracks: History of Northeastern Fergus County [Montana] (175)[...]ry

famiiy moved to Caiifornia for a few years in the early ranching business on my late Uncle Bob Irish's ranch.
1920's, and then they moved to Washington. I am married to Esther (Wright) and we had five
My grandfather, P.J. Irish, moved b[...]a children. All attended school in Roy and graduated
and he and my Uncle Bob Irish bought the Kaaro from RHS. Our oldest daughter, Dorlene, passed away
Ranch in 1939 and lived there until the time of their at the age of 24 in August of 1978. Our other children
d[...]s born in California in 1928; my sister, and Gary born in November of 1962. I also have two
Frances, was born in 1930 and my brother, Jim, in older children, Richard born in 1946 and Glenda born
1933, both in Washington. We had a dairy farm in in 1948.
Washington and moved back to Montana in the middle My brother, Jim Irish, lives in Lewistown where he is
40's and settled at Fergus, Montana. My parents owned in the real estate business. He married Esther's sister,
and operated the Fergus store for a few years and then Harriette. They have four children:[...]es
moved back onto a ranch where they lived until the and Joey.
time of their deaths. Dad passed away in April of 1971 My sister, Frances Irish Conwell, and her husband
at the age of 75 and Mom died in 1973 at the age of 69. Iive in California where they are retired.
My family and I live at Fergus where we are in the

Prnny Inrsri Jn. AND DAvrD IRrsH

Perry Jr. was born in Beloit on A[...]).
married Patience Eldridge in 1916. They leased the Joe Patience passed away in 1973.
LeClair river bottom from McNultys and there Perry David never married. Except for time spent in the
lived until he was 90 years old. Perry remained active service during WWII he remained on the ranch with his
all his life and worked until he left the ranch. Perry's dad. David passed away suddenly, during his sleep, on
was the last active ranch operation within the bound- December 28, L984 at the age of 66.
ries of of the CMR Range. When he left an era came to Perry then left the ranch and went to live with a
the end.[...]e passed away a few months later in 1g85.
Perry and Patience had four children: David J. (Red), Perry, Patience and David are all buried at Beaver
Lois (Sullivan), Patricia (Gleason) and Jean (Norskog- Creek.[...]ugh many changes in his lifetime; from travel-
in the Gallatin Valiey. His parents were Mr. and Mrs. ing in a covered wagon to the time when a man walked
Robert George Jackson. A liitle over a year later, on on the moon.
July 3, 1884, the eve of the historical shooting of His daughter[...]ves on her ranch east of Lewis-
Rattlesnake Jake, the Jackson's arrived in Lewistown. town. It is a part of the original Jackson place"
He was a member of Fer[...]Roberta "Bobbie" married Dan Monroe, from the Win-
first graduating class May 24, 1901.[...]ifred area. Their children are Christine and Bud. The
Dorm became a neighbor of Richard "Humpy" King family is very well known on the rodeo circuit. Christine
in May of 1904 when he moved 567 head of cattle and a "Butch" was a top barrel racer and Bud one of the top
string of good horses onto the range between the mouth saddle bronc riders in the PRCA; he won the
of Fargo Coulee on Armells Creek and the mouth of National Championship in 19[...]Bonine, is also a National Saddle Bronc Champion and
He fenced in a saddle horse pasture of about 50[...]imi, is a National Barrel Racing Champion.
acres; the first built within a radius of 50 miles. Roy[...]of 1956. They took over operation of the Yuill Ranch
- -
In March of 1914 he married Julia Clifton in Leslie, and raised their family and lived there until moving to
Michigan. They ranched east of Lewistown for many Lewistown in the mid 1980's. Dorm was a school board
years and raised a family of three daughters and a son: member, at Fergus and at Roy, for many years.
Julia (Snyder), Roberta "[...]roe), Minon Their children remain and now operate the ranch.
Jackson and Dorman Jackson Jr. John, Bonita, and David Jackson all received their
Jackson composed ballad type poetry and often would education in the area and graduated from Roy High
recite poetry at g[...]

Homestead Shacks over Buffalo Tracks: History of Northeastern Fergus County [Montana] (176)[...]Now don't think she was the kind of a girl
,"H".i1:[...]Who looks down on common men.
One fall upon the round-up, What good was a cowboy anyhow?
Just across the big divide, For the West-it was full of them.
To the ranch house of the old 4-J
And she wanted to marry a man from town
I di[...]Who couid dress in the latest style,
And there I met a maiden,[...]wasn't working for wages
A maiden sweet and fair;[...]eyes were of a velvet black,
She'd dark and wavy hair. And now if I had a million.[...]For a smile from the lips of that little maid,
I never was t[...]The queen of the old 4-J.
'Till I met that little maid,
The Queen of the old 4J.
It waS in the spring of 1903 Do[...]as in it's infancy, there were few white women in the
The fairest maiden in this land[...]has ever seen. between the mouth of the Musselshell River and Clag-
Her form was full and perfect, gett at the mouth of the Judith River. They were, 19
She had a que[...]year old Sadie King, 18 year old Ida Marcotte, and 17
Her cheeks were of the color year old Hattie Moore "
Of the fairest summer rose. Sadie King was the daughter of Richard "Humpy"
But I was only a cowboy, King and Lucy Louise King. Dorm wrote the poem to
A working for small pay;[...]as a special tribute.
What show had I to win the heart
Of the queen of the old 4-J?[...]. eNo Elr,pN Kaano

John E. Kaaro had a part in the ranching and farm returned. He was mustered out with the regiment in
development of Fergus County for many years, and he Minneapolis.
and Mrs. Kaaro were very intelligent and progressive While living and working in Minneapolis, John mar-
members of the Fergus community, playing a helpful ried Miss Ellen Romunstad on December 25, 18gg. Mrs.
and public spirited part in the schools and church life of Kaaro was a sister of Odin[...]in Wisconsin and was raised and educated there" The
Mr. Kaaro was born near Tondjhem, Norway on Ju[...]s, who was born in 1gl7,
16, 1871, a son of Evan and Isabel Kaaro" He had two whom they adopted.
younger sisters, Mattie and Ella. In August, 1908, Kaaro entered a homestead in Fergus
The family migrated to the United States in 1881. county and in February, 1909 he established his perma-
sett[...]nent home there. He and John J. Romundstad were
John was ten years of[...]after coming to
He had attended school in Norway and soon after the Montana was a team of horses, which cost $450 and
family located in Minneapolis he went to work. His first which could and did break up fifty acres of sod, and in
employment was unloading brick from box cars at fifty 1910, harvested his first crop of wheat and oats.
cents a day. He and a number of other boys worked T[...]farming, planting some wheat, barley, oats and attempt-
whip to stimulate those who lagged in their work. After ing to grow alfalfa. The hay problem was partially
that he did other things and eventually became an solved when it was discovered that the wild oats,
employee of the General Electric Company in Minnea- considered a scourge and a pest at first, was the best
polis and was with that corporation ten years, resigning[...]ana. acres broken by the plow, sufficient to supply crop
While in Minneapolis he enlisted for service needs. Mr. and Mrs. Kaaro, in 1909, started a livestock
in the Spanish-American War, with the Minnesota enterprise with a single cow and calf. The offspring of
National Guard.[...]ed while in service, spent a time in about the same time Mrs. Romunstad presented them
a hospital and was invalided home just before the end of with seven lambs, which was aii the milk their single
the war, remaining in San Francisco until his[...]

Homestead Shacks over Buffalo Tracks: History of Northeastern Fergus County [Montana] (177)[...]rneasrERN FERGUS CouN'ry

band of sheep.
The couple were active members of the Fergus Com-
munity Club, which was organized in 1916. They also
helped organize the first Lutheran Church of Roy. Mr.
Kaaro served several years as precinct committeeman
of the Republican party, and during the World War was
registrar of his home locality and volunteered for active
service, but was rejected[...]as made a Mason in Lewistown Lodge No. 37 in
1916 and was a member of Meyersick Camp No. 15 of
the U.S. Spanish War Veterans at Lewistown. An
ardent sportsman, he was the chief originator of the
Roi' Rod and Gun CIub, and through this organization John E. and
and personally had promoted measures for the preserv- Ellen Kaaro
ing of the wiid game of the state. He was one of those
who succeeded in securing the shipping in of a carl.oad[...]. Three
of elk, twenty-nine head, turned loose in the Judith good things are abso[...]ntial; good eats, a good
Mountains. Mr. Kaaro was the first postmaster of warm bed, and congenial people.
Fergus after the office was moved to the railroad from Your approach must be subtle and suave lest you flush
the Fergus Ranch, where Mrs. Romundstad had charge[...]your prey before you get a shot at thein. Try and make it
of it.[...]f mendicancy. After you have established yourseif and
he only had a third grade formal education he was well like the place, stay as long as it is safe.
read and won all the spelling bees, "against teachers Watch for storm signals. When the lady of the house
and everyone else", when he lived at Fergus. During kicks the cat, when the lord and master, usually a placid,[...]tempered gentleman, starts an unseemingly, sense-
the 30's, in. addiiion to writing articles for a nati[...]bickering wiih his equally placid, gentle wife at the
war veterans paper, he also wrote a column for the[...]"Well foiks, I'11 have to leave you today as I
The foilowing story, written by him, appeared in a promised to visit Mr. and Mrs. Smith. I cannot disappoint
March 1937 iss[...]them and my time is quite limited, as I have to be back in
"Ridin'the Grub Line" town on the 20th to attend to some important business
The old timers will understand the above caption, but matters. I want to thank you for your hospitality and a
some of the youngsters, especiaily if they are city reared,[...]sit."
may not. So I'll endeavor to give you the formula. This, in Rider's parlance, is known as the "judicious
To be a successful "rider" requires a technique of a high exit." It paves the way for a comeback. Who knows?[...]Belanger.
Montana. He was raised by John and Ellen Kaaro on He was a trick[...]others Circus
their ranch west of Fergus, Montana and began to and King Brothers Circus, traveling all over the United
practice roping at an early age. As his interests in trick States and Canada with them for eight years, training
ropi.n[...]t many long hours practicing animals and successfully broke and trained a zebra,
in the upstairs of ihe ranch home. With his determina-[...]s almost an impossibility.
tion, he became one of the most skillful trick ropers in In 1965, he performed his trick and fancy roping act
the nation. His great interest in horses and animals on Johnny Carson's "Tonigh[...]im trained several horses for his roping act, but the
He was educated in local schools and Fergus County one that proved most[...]on his hind-quarters
in 1939 Kaaro enlisted in the Cavalry and served that was in a bunch of wild horses that came from the
almost six years in the service during the Worid War II. Arrow Creek breaks and Jim bought him when he came
After his discharge, he joined a Wild West Show in through the horse saie at the Lewistown Auction.
Georgia.[...]Kaaro was one of nine trick ropers of the world to be
Jim and Betty Moyer were married 27 Decemb er 1942 selected to rope at the oniy World's Championship Trick
at St" Paul, Minn[...]born to Roping Contest ever held and sponsored by the Cowboy
them: Bonnie Sandman Messier and Debbie Rich Hall of[...]

Homestead Shacks over Buffalo Tracks: History of Northeastern Fergus County [Montana] (178)[...]que performer, along with his speak-
ing ability and keen sense of humor, which rivaled Will
Rogers in his presentations. He was named to the
Cowboy Hall of Fame, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma and
the Circus Hall of Fame at Sarasota, Florida.
Afte[...]ing Fergus County
Sheriff George Stephens tenure and was selected by the
Board of Commissioners to fill the unexpired term of two
years, when George Stephen[...]ue to ill health.
Kaaro became Superintendent of the Montana Center
for the Aged, after being sheriff.
Betty and Jim were divorced in 19?3.[...]Jimmy Kaaro
He opened the "Bits and Spurs" shop combined with
an art gallery in the Great Falls Federal Savings and
Loan building at Fifth and Main in Lewistown. His
popularity as a professional speaker and trick and attack, 30 June 1979. In his honor, the Montana
fancy rope acts were escalating. Sheriffs and Peace Offi.cers established the Jimmy
Jim married Shirley Egger Hansen, a native of Roy Kaaro Award, which is to be given to the student with
and Lewistown. the highest academic grade for each session at the Law
He was featured in articles in the IVeste rn Horseman, Enforcement Academy in Bozeman.
Amusement Business, The Grit and Ford Times as well Jimmy had plann[...]oping
as publicized by many newspapers throughout the and horse acts according to brochures he had printed[...]tise for these engagements.
He worked last with the Montana Department of Fergus[...]just one of it's best known citizens and native son.
retired at the age of 62 and was entertaining at the He was a member of the American Legion, National
Montana Sheriffs and Peace Officers Association's Sheriffs Association and a life-time member of the pro-
Convention when he was stricken by a fatal h[...]by Alice Lane Kahler
John and Ruth Kahler came to Montana in lglg from
Warre[...]rom William Culver. Mr. Culver moved
to Lewistown and opened the Culver Studio. The ranch
was known as the Sunny Slope Ranch.
John and Ruth and two sons, Wilbur was 8 years old
and Henry was 5 years old when they arrived in Mon-
tana. Both boys attended the Fergus school, riding
horseback to and from school. After grade school at
Fergus, they a[...]y. Wilbur
passed away in 1930. He was a senior at the time of his
death, which came as a result of com[...]ry continued high school in Roy, graduat- The Kahlers, Wilbur, Ruth, Henry and John Sr. in front
ing in 1933" After the death of Wilbur, Henry lived with of the house soon after they arriued in Montana in 1g 1g.
the William Marsh family, while attending school. Mr. and Mrs. Kahler were very active in the Fergus
The Kahlers, John and Ruth, continued to farm, community, N{rs. Kahler often a soloist at the Fergus
although they moved a mile east of their[...]in 1936.
death in March, 1952. Ruth stayed on at the farm, but Ruth Kahler moved to Great[...]ntained an apartment at Soropto-
Mrs. Fred Colver and later helped at the Melchert home. mist Village. She passed away in June lg78 at the age
The Yaeger boys, James, Larry and Charles, bought of 9,1 years plus. At the time of her death she was resid-
the ranch but many of the buildinss still stand. ing[...]
Homestead Shacks over Buffalo Tracks: History of Northeastern Fergus County [Montana] (179)[...]by Alice Lane Kahler

Henry Kahler and I, Alice Lane, were maried in John[...]tana,
After our marriage u'e worked for Laura and Jack
1936.[...]in 1955. John was married in
Baucke, who lived on the Missouri River. Jack threshed Choteau, June 1958 and then moved to Great Falls.
alfalfa seed and also had a truck garden and sold pro- Henry and i had been transferred to Great Falls in
duce in l,ewistorvn. After the threshing was completed January 1956. Henry managed the Montana Elevator
we moved back to Fergus and built the little house here. In 1960 the feed plant u'as built and Henry man-
which later became the home of John and Ruth. aged it along with the elevator. He retired in 1980 after
In i937 our son, John, was born. In the spring of 1938 42 years with Con Agra and i\'{ontana Flour Mills.
we moved to Roy and lived one and a half miles east of We have lived in ou[...]s ranch. We were there until August, son and his daughter live across the street. His wife
then Henry was offered a part time job as manager of passed away in 1985.
the Fergus Elevator owned by Montana Elevator Com-
pany. He managed the elevator through harvest time
and we also farmed the land which was known as the I

Fletcher place. While at Fergus we lived on the Patton
place, since the elevator house was used as a teacherage.
Henry[...]10 years. During that time
Henry not only managed the elevator but took care of
the Farmer's Oil Co. and served on the school board as
clerk. I became postmaster in i944 and held that job
until 1951 when rve left. We also had a small Brocery
store in conjunction with the post office.
Our son finished grade school in Straw and we
moved then, in 1951, to Pendroy, Montana; Henr[...]ontana Elevator Co. We
sold our grocery inventory and a Mrs. Wetzel became John, Alice and Henry Kahler,
postmaster at Stra,,v.[...]ana.

Gnoncn AND PAULINE (RrNoer,) KNutsor.r
George Knutson came from Norway to the United
States in the early teens. He did some professional
wrestling in Canada and Montana in his early years in
this country.
George and Pauline Rindal were married in 1914, in
Lewistown. They lived at the Berquost Boarding House
after their marriage. Lat[...]in a coal
mine near there. They had no furniture and used apple
boxes for chairs.
In the back row from left to right are: George Knutson
When they moved to the Fergus area they lived on the
and Lars (Louie) Rindal. Front row: A friend of
Chris[...]efore buy- Paulines, Pauline Rindal Knutson and Anton Rindal.
ing a place southeast of Fergus. They were among the
earliest ones to have running water in their hous[...]lly bring
since they had a very good spring above the house and them a birthday cake on their birthdays. She also made
piped it to the house with gravity flow. They had a lots of the traditional Norrvegian goodies: lefse,
large, weil-built barn for milking the many cows they krumkake, sandbakkelse and rosettes. George and
had.[...]their own.
About 1927 they movecl to Lewistown and ran the Thev[...]I vwrr !v in .l 948 and moved back to Lewistown
Standard Rooms for a few[...]where they had an apartment house for awhile.
the ranch in 1931" While they were on the ranch, they George was reputediy one of the most active boot'
lived close to Pauline's brother. Louie Rindal, and his leggers in the counrry during Prohibitjon.

Homestead Shacks over Buffalo Tracks: History of Northeastern Fergus County [Montana] (180)[...]DaNrnr, AND MoLLIE MoLTZAU

Daniel and Mollie Moltzau's place is now a part of his[...]ull of fun which was
Moilie was a sister to John and Odin Romunstad and sort of frowned upon in those days," according to Helen
to Ellen Kaaro and Oiga Oquist. Hanson Hartman. She left home at an early age and
Moitzaus came to the Central Montana area in 1902, went out on her own.
presumably from the Strum, Wisconsin area. They had T[...]omund, attended school in Wisconsin
two daughters and a son. and later taught college there.
Mona Moltzau marrie[...]Patton was in Kendall as an assist- and Lewistown. She was the assistant county superin-
ant to Dr. Lakey from 1[...]had an office in Roy with 17, 1927 and was superintendent from January 2, L923
Dr. White[...]6, 1915 to March 29, to January 1925 and again from January 1933 to Janu-
_t v 10.[...]here from 1910 to 1946. He James and Pauline were brother and sister. Neither
followed the carpenter trade at Roy and at Fergus from ever married. They came from Verden, Illinois and
1910 to 1915 and then farmed north of Fergus"[...]Pelor Falttt v
Antone and Mary Pelot and family eame to the John and Hazel Yuill, widow of Archie Yuill, were
United States in 1906, from Austria. (Mary and Mrs. married 2 February 1974. J[...]r children: John, born 3 October and Sue Runnings; brothers, Rudolph and Theodore,
1899; Mike, born in i904; Rudolph and Theodore; two all of California; 3 step-sons, Roy Lee, Floyd and
daughters, Ann Pelot Beverly and Sue Pelot Runnings. Harold Wolfe and Dorothy Gilskey, step-daughter.
This family came to Montana in 1911 and settled in the Buriai was at Sunset Memoriai Gard[...]AxroNr AND M.A,RY Pelor
John married Libby Hronek, who h[...]r, Emma Hronek Grindheim. Their
parents were John and Katherine Hronek, who came I don't know too much about the Pelots. Aunt Mary
from Bohemia. Libby died at her[...]They are all gone now except one boy and two girls
John Pelot married Bertie Strausburg Wolfe,22 June and they live in California. The girls came to Montana
1928, at Lewistown, the widow of Roy Wolfe of the for a big family reunion that rve had in 1988 and that
Fergus community. John was working for the Wolfes at was the first time we met our cousins since we saw them
the time of Roy's death in the spring of 1926. Bertie was in 1929.[...].
They bought his uncie Leonard's place, above the
Horse Ranch. Leonard and Lillian Pelothad two daugh'
ters, Margaret and Lillian. They attended the Horse
Ranch school in approximately 1921. They left in 1935
and moved to Augusta. Margaret remained at Augusta
and Liilian moved to Idaho Falls, idaho.
John and Bertie ranched until 1959, raising sheep
and cattle" They sold the ranch to Bob Strain and
moved to Lewistown, where they operated the Corner
Antone and Mary Pelot
Grocery at north 7th Avenue and also had some rental
property. Bertie died[...]

Homestead Shacks over Buffalo Tracks: History of Northeastern Fergus County [Montana] (181)[...]k came to ihe Fergus area on April ried the magnificent sum of 50 bushels of wheat. Their
6, 1914 and fi}ed on a homestead on the SW%NE% of frrst car was purchased[...]t In 1934, they got a bum lamb from the Horse Ranch,
the urging of his brother, Williarr,, who had a home- which was the start of their sheep business.
stead in the Winifred area. The Petraneks had three children: Charles Francis[...]er 6, 1917 in Lewistown, George
to Roy for lumber and tarpaper to buiid a typicai tar- Andrew on May 12, 1919 in Roy, and Stella A. on Janu-
paper shack. In 1916, his fiane e, Margaret Moore, came ary 25,7922 at the home.
to the U.S. from Canada and they were married in St' The children attended the Victory and Horse Ranch
Leo's Catholic Church in Lewistown. Schools, with the exception of Stella finishing the
For many years, their main source of income was a eighth grade at the Fergus School, where she boarded
large garden of five or six dcres that they were able to with the Chris Christensen and Louie Rindal families.
irrigate from springs. The[...]then attended Fergus County High School in Lewis-
and the surrounding area. town, and worked in Lewistown after her graduation.
In the early days, Petranek bought a team and She married Ervin Weinheimer in September of 1943
wagon, unaware that the person he purchased it from and moved to the Danvers area. Ervin and Stella have
didn't have a clear titie. When he ma[...]five children: Charlene Fuglestad, Betty Schmidt,
the sheriff tried to take them from him, but Petranek David, Eric and Diane Weinheimer.
talked him into letting him use[...]his supplies Charles Francis served in the CCC's in 1937 and
home. He turned them r..rver to the sheriff later, and then 1938. During the Second World War, he was in the Sea-
bought them at a sheriffs auction, so had to[...]bees. He was in a construction battalion and served in
for them.'A team and wagon were necessities to North Africa and the Philippine Islands. ITe married
Petraneks in orde[...]ick up Catherine Fuhs on April 9, 1957 and they have four
supplies and mail in Roy. Charles remembers laying children: Thomas Bruce, David Hiram, Sarah Jane and
awake at night listening for the ciatter of the wagon James Earl.
signifying his fathe[...]ome. Charles bought the first new truck that was sold after
The Petraneks started in the cattle business in 1925, the war from Gore Chevrolet in Hobson.
picking up cal[...]of 1959.
carload of 2-year-old steers to Chicago. The steers The Petranek's retired to Lewistown in 1950 and
weiglred 26,600 pounds and brought 4t/z cents a pound' Charles and George took over the operation of the
Charles bought his frrst truck, a Model T Ford,[...]anch. They have continued to add to their acreage and
1926 from the Joe Murphy garage in Roy. It cost some- now have one ofthe Iargest sheep and cattle operations
where between six and seven hundred dollars and car- in the area.[...]mer

One of my early' recollections of years on the farm pened that nighi, but the next morning she went to
was of Indians or Native Americans. It seemed when- check for tracks and there was a long bladed knife
ever we went to do anything they were always there. under the window. My mothers always said it was the
They could be just over a ridge, along the creek or happiest day of her life when the Indians were taken to
behind bushes, but they were always there to see what the reservation.
we were doing. A number of times the[...]My dad worked very hard trying to make the neces-
stomachs for nearly a half mile to steal chickens from sary improvements, clearing land and building fences
our chicken house. on the homestead. He got TB of the bone in his knee
If my mother and we children went any place we had and went to Rochester where they removed part of his
to iay down in the back of the wagon until we were out knee. I believe he was there for one month and his bill
oftheir sight, so they would not ransack our place, and was $200 at Rochester. When he returned[...]no medications but was to expose his knee to the sun for
One night, quite late, we were sitting around the tabie 4 hours a day. If there was no sun in Montana he was to
with our kerosene lamp and my mother jumped up. She go where t[...]there was no sun'
was sure she had seen a face in the kitchen window' My but this did seem to end the problem.
father was not home, as he had gone to Roy and wouid My dad borrowed a small amount of money (I beiieve
not be home until the next day. Nothing more hap- $50) from the Roy bank and the only security he had

Homestead Shacks over Buffalo Tracks: History of Northeastern Fergus County [Montana] (182)[...]Fsncus

was our two work horses. In the fall he could not pay it under them. About 10:00 m1' mother found that the colt
back, but went in to talk to them about it and they made had gotten under the manger anci could not get out. My
him ieave our only 2 horses and only means of making father would not be back much before dark and the colt
a living or transportation. He had to walk home the 20 could not stay there all that time. With a lot of effort she
miles. In the spring some one paid the $50 and brought was able to get the bottom out of the manger and the
our horses back but I can't remember who. Wha[...]colt '*'as able to stand up, which it did, the rest of the
Noble Deed! day. When my father arrived home, with the mother, it
I remember my mother telling about the time my jumped right out of the manger to be with it's mother.
father went to Roy and Nellie, the work-horse, left her I can't remembe[...]very three weeks. When my grandparents
locked in the barn. Our barn had mangers along each died we always got telegrams (I believe) and someone
side the length of the barn. These mangers were about 8 came and delivered them.
inches off the floor so the cats could have a warm olace[...]by EIla Rindal
John was the first of the Rindals to come to America, ton so she and John stayed on at the Patton place. John
but was here only a brief ti[...]ning to Nor- worked with Anton. Pete, Oiine and Leif returned to
way. It's not known whether he even came to Montana Montana by train in the fall of 1924 to care for Kristi.
or oniy to Minnesota. A short time later, in 1910, the They moved to the Wisokay'place and Kristi lived with
oldest son, Anton, came to the Roy area. In 1912, Lars them there until her death from gallstones in 1924.
(Louie) and Pauline arrived, followed by their brother, Pete's family stayed on until the fall of 1926 then
John Jr. in 1921. Two more brothers, Pete and Kristian returned to Washington taking father, John, with them.
came in 1922, followed in 1923 by the rest of the family; They did not return to Montana to live. On John's
parents John and Kristi; Pete's wife, Oline, and their death in 1945, his body was returned to Lewistown and
son, Leif; Mike, and his wife, Ingeborg, and their two he and Kristi are both buried in the Lewistown City
children, Arne and Christine; and Olaf, the youngest Cemetery.
son. The Rindal's did not intend to become permanent John Jr. and Clarence Darrah went to Washington to
residents[...]untry; only wanted to earn lots.of work in the woods in 1926. Clarence was killed there in
mon[...]in Washingfon.
Anton, Louie, Pauline and Olaf stayed in the Roy- Kris Rindal married Margit, Haug[...]Margit, a sister of George Knutson, came to the U.S. in
When most of the family arrived in 1923, they lived 1922 at the age of 21 by herself. She learned the English
on the Jim Patton place until December of that year. language from Helen Rindal. Kris and Margit worked
There was not much work in the area so sorne of them for Louie at times,[...]their son, Jim, was born in 1926. They returned
the woods. Louie had a touring car, so Mike, Ingeborg, to the Fergus area and lived in the little house across
Arne, Christine, Pete, Oline, Leif, Olaf and Louie from the present location of the Fergus store. Their son,
squeezed into it and headed for Washington. Olaf Norman, was born here in 1928 and their daughter,
r remembers it as a cold, miserab[...]Inez in 1933.
They broke an axie at one point and had to wait several One cold winter they[...]ir sheep. In 1933,
days for a replacement. Olaf and Kris returned to the Kris planted spring wheat and it shelled out badly. He
Fergus area in the Spring of 1924. Kris returned mainly harvested it anyway and *'as short seven bushels of
because of a romant[...]ght turkeys to
worked as a cook-housekeeper for the Romunstads. clean up the shelled grain and the turkeys were all
Louie stayed on in Washington, working in the woods killed in a hailstorm. That was enough for them and
until the Spring of 1925, when he also returned to[...]home.
Kristi Rindal was too ili to make the trip to Washing-

Arurou AND HELEN RtNoer-
Anton Rindal was born in Rindal, Norway on October went to work on the Romunstad Ranch. After working
16, 1889. He came to the U.S. in 1910, the first of the there for about six years and saving his money, he was
Rindal family to settle[...], close to Oquist's, then sold his relinquishment and team of horses and a wagon, took them and settled

Homestead Shacks over Buffalo Tracks: History of Northeastern Fergus County [Montana] (183)[...]Hrsrony Or NonrHEesrenN FERcus Cou^-rv

Antan and Helen Rindal's first home. This is now the
Keefer Ranch. Helen and Anton Rindal.

about a mile north of Cone Butte"[...]They killed at least one right on their porch and AIma
there he lost two-thirds of his herd to wolv[...]on married Helena Alma girlfriend and they saw a rattlesnake go in a hole.
Darrah, a daughter of neighbors, the Joseph Danah's. Alma got'a stick and was poking into the hole trying to
Their only chiid, Alma Pauline, was born April 11, i923. get the snake to come out. She heard a rattle behind her[...]en married Anton she used to walk from and realized that the snake had come out the back door!
her folks'homestead to visit her Aunt Kate McArty and Needless to say, the girls moved in a hurry.
her husband Charles, who lived a mile beyond the Red Some of the homesteads incorporated into the
Barn Ranch. She remembers being chased by a herd[...]hrew her John Romunstad, Rodegard, Bilgrien and Tony and Ed
parasol at them, then ran to the Miller's house, barely LaFountain, the Olean's (two brothers who died in the
making it to the fence in time. Her route took her across flu epidemic about 1918), and Tony the Butch.
Rattlesnake Butte, but she never saw a rat[...]Anton raised Hereford cattle, both registered and
there. commerciai. When he had no hay or pasture in the fall
She also remembers attending a party at the Art of 1936 he shipped his cattle by[...]rents. Others attending were Columbus in the fall of 1937. He trailed them home in
the McArty's, their children, Emmett and Casper; Clyde the spring of 1938 with the help of Clyde Miller, Jim
and Elsie Miller, and Whisker Davis. A blizzard came Gradle and Chink Jordan. It rained every day they
up while they were there and.they all had to spend the were on the trail.
night. They had to depend on their horses to find the Anton and Helen retired in 1956, selling the ranch to
way home the next day. John Clarke, and moving to Lewistown where Anton
There were many[...]ugust 14,I974. Helen still resides in I-ewistown.
the years, but they were lucky to escape with no bite[...]. She took up a home-
stead southwest of Roy near the area where her cousin,
Anton Rindal, honlesteaded[...]John and Ellen
woman she said that it didn't worry[...]

Homestead Shacks over Buffalo Tracks: History of Northeastern Fergus County [Montana] (184)[...]177

she did tie the reins of her horse to the doorknob at the rest of their lives. She sold her homestead when[...]any activity around her married.
place the horse would get excited, which in turn rattled The Haugens had three children: Trygve, Margrette
the doorknob, and it would alert her to that fact. and Emmett.
In 1914 Ellen married John Haugen who also had John Haugen died in 1974; Ellen and Emmett both
immigrated from Norway. John Haugen was a carpen- died in 1976. Trygve and Margrette (Turner) live in
ter and building contractor. They lived in Lewistown[...]Lewistown shortly anyhow, so left immediately and the
1895, the son of John and Kristi Rindal. Grace Olsen Rindal's[...]Louie later bought George Knutson's place after
the daughter of William and Inga Olsen. George and Pauline moved to Lewistown, and also the
Louie worked on the Romunstad Ranch for several Hickey place and the Jim Ranch from Jack Baucke to
years after his arr[...]2. He served add to his other holdings.
in the army for a short time in World War I, then Louie was on the school board at Fergus and then at
returned to the Romunstad Ranch after the Armistice. Roy for many years, serving as Board Chairman for a
During the 1920's Louie had a threshing crew, and good share ofthose years.
two of the cooks he employed were Grace Olsen and G4ace and Louie always milked several cows and had
Leona Bare. Fritz Corth was one of the men working for chickens. Grace was an excellent cook and her pies,
him. On September 14,L926,Louie and Grace, Fritz and cakes made with cream, cinnamon rolls, and pancakes
Leona went to Harlowtown where they were married in in particular were favorites with the many men who
a double wedding. worked for them over the years, with their children and
Times were not easy when Grace and Louie were first then gtandchildren.
married. Louie tried to buy the Knutson place from his Louie passed[...]29,1967. He had had Par-
brother-in-law, George, and lost it when he couldn't kinson's Disease for several years and had a stroke
make the payments. They lived next on the Wisokay that incapacitated him for some time before his death.
place, then the Allyn place. Grace continued to live on the place for a while, then
Louie did custom thres[...]r house closer to Roy, later moving to
ing around the county from Winifred to the Snowy Lewistown where she now re[...]rly
Mountains. Later he also did cusiom combining and owned by George and Pauline Knutson.
custom haying. He had quite a variety of machinery. Louie and Grace had seven children, all born in
One was a R[...]cille Ellen on August 31, 1938; Jovce Erleen
into the 1950's. In 1939 he bought the first Model M on August 27, !94!, Le[...]to come into Montana, taking delivery and Phyllis Pauline on February 25, 1946'
in Great Falls and driving it home from there. Melvin, Donald, Glen and Joyce's stories will be
Melvin remembers an Au[...]her still living here in
from Jimmy Kaaro for $25 and later traded to Martin the area or retain financial interests here.
Noble fo[...]ome from Christina. Brownie was a favorite of all the and Kay Wood went to Billings to college for a short[...]Eckhardt there and they were married August 17,1957.
In 1946, during a lunch hour, a fire started in the Larry worked for Ryniker Steei until joining the Mon-
shop adjacent to the Allyn house where Grace and tana Highway Patrol in 1959. Lucille and babv daugh-
Louie were living at the time. Dick Kalina was passing ter, Lynette, came home to stay with f,ouie and Grace
by and saw the frre and helped them to get some of the from the summer of 1959 to the summer of 1960 while
things from the house, but they weren't able to save Larry traveled around the state working at GVW
very much. Friends and neighbors donated items; statio[...]g weekends with them.
clothes, bedding, etc. but the old pictures and memen- Larry was then stationed in Cus[...]n in 1961. In June of 1977, Larry was
place down the creek where Gibsons had lived for many assigned to the Driver's Exam Office in Lewistown,
years and where Chris Christensen was living at the where they are living now.
time of the fire. Chris was planning on moving to Larry and Lucille have three children, Lynette Kay

Homestead Shacks over Buffalo Tracks: History of Northeastern Fergus County [Montana] (185)[...]then they moved to Dallas, Texas.
March 31, 196i and Ricky AIan born February 26, 1966. Phyllis and Neal were divorced and she married Harvey
Lynette is married to John Gerstenberger, has three Logsdon in 1989 and they reside in Plano, Texas.
children; Ryan, Kelly and Paul and lives in Oregon.
Kevin and his wife Lori reside in Salt Lake Citv and
Ricky lives in Lewistown.
LeRoy graduated from[...]ch after they were married, then
went to Billings and were later divorced. They had one
child, Dalene A[...]en were born there. Shawn was born July The Lars Rindal family on June 21, 1952. Back row:
21, 1969, Shane on December 1, 1971 and Shannon on Lucillie Ellen, Glen Howard[...]r. Front row: LeRoy Allen, Grace Ceclia, Phyllis
and died on June 17. 1974. Neal was transferred to Pauline, Lars Johnson and Joyce Erleen.[...]y so everyone could listen to President Roosevelt and
a place about 2 miles south of the original townsite of congress declare war. Many of the eligible men started
Fergus. My dad ran mostly sheep at that time with a enlisting and families moved io the coast to work in
full-time sheepherder living in[...]t some During my junior year in high school the school
cows from Elmer Phipps who lived north of[...]urned down. High school classes were then held in the
Maginnis. Dad, Anton and I rode to the Phipp's place, present elementary school.[...]asses were
arriwing about noon. It was wintertime and cold. Phipps held in various buildings around town, one of them
helped us through the mountains, then Anton dropped being the Women's Club Building across from Murphy's
off as we went by his place. Dad and I got home about Garage. The Women's Club Building also burned down.
dark and I was glad to get there. We had two high schooi teachers at that time, Mr. and
I went to elementary school at Fergus. My dad drove Mrs. Squire. Agnes Bauman was the janitor. My gradua-
us to school except when the roads were blocked by tion ceremony was held in the Presbyterian Church'
snow. Then I rode a horse and dad pulled Donald on a I worked on my[...]we June of 1952 I married Ella Hitchcock and we moved
walked. When we moved to the Allyn place which was onto a place Dad[...]k Baucke
only 3/a mile from school, we walked all the time. Milada earlier that year. It was called "The Jim Ranch" by the
Walter was my teacher through the frrst six grades. oldtimers since James[...]while she was my teacher. We purchased the ranch from Dad in 1966'