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

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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 people need special mention.
A special thanks to our patient and fearless leader, Illa Willmore. T[...], Steve Gilpatrick and Ernest Zahn.
Thanks to those who helped by proofreading, filing, indexin[...]i 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[...]. These students were a great help.
Thanks to Mary Ann Quiring and Rachael Eide for their help[...]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 sculpture
to be raffled.
We would especially like to thank our families for putting up with us and enc[...]t done because the book needed work.
Thanks to all the countless others, who donated time, money[...]ered
help.
In reading this history one has to remember that everyone can see, hear, and teli th[...]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. Many homesteaders were not mentioned as there[...]lable on
them. We had more data than we 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 u[...]ommittee.
In spite of all the work it toolt to do this book, some people are already talk[...]

The area surrounding Black Butte, an[...]ross 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.
comp[...]winds, or even a cow trailing to water, can send blow'
Black Butte and th[...]

L. to R.: Murray Deoton, Asa Carpenter, Henry Otten, Di[...]by Marie Webb Zahn

POSTOFFICE: April 15, 1880 to June 22, 1880 building was built to house sixty barrels of blue-ribbon
May 26, 1881 to November 28,1882 whiskey brought[...]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[...].
Broadwater attempted the overland freight route to Another small building was built for smo[...]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[...]they would come in at a run and charge out into the
wackers were already getting out building logs from a river-often crossing a[...]of the Broadwater-Carroll buildings remain. out everything in their path. This was something 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[...]cow buffalo robe. A family would bring from five to
for groceries and dry goods. Behind this building[...]and keep a few for himself, $ving the rest to the women
dining room, cooks quarters as w[...]

Out an the lonely Mountain prairie[...]once were a few family pictures Just how far bach in the past
To brighten up the lonely place[...]it's not a disgrace. Yes, I remetnber the lonely cabin[...]great synbol Cause, I was raised in a cabin just tike this one
To all who ride by there.[...]WHnN eNo Wny eNo How Or HounsrnaonRs[...]aret Hedman

When and why the homesteaders came to this hours of work was accomplished. Time could be told to
country has become a source of conversation among[...]ts of the country. Why homesteader was out working the field, into the house
they came can p[...]nswered in one or two he came, glad to see company. This time was never
terms, called de[...]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 pre[...]ine of conven- eggs, was the surest way to make a homesteader angry.
iences; no roads, water[...]nature brings fresh air, homestead shack I am referring to could only be locked
wild birds and game animals[...]o reasons; first, they
boundaries lay a challenge to the homesteader, and could trust all[...]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 homestead life. ical to not wash the dishes, fill the water pail and the
" To this generation who have enjoyed a pampered[...]hen this was done that meant'Thank You'.
compared to homestead days, probably the question[...]rs 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[...]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 sa[...]rs didn't usually have matching tires like people
to get up, eat or go to bed. The amount of daylight in a have on th[...]ds were
day was usually the controliing factor in how many easy [o spot.

MY MorqrANA ExpERTENCE
by Wanen Cornwall
I know little of how my family members came to where winter temperatures rarely dropped to freezing.
homestead an area I was to become well acquainted And here w[...]water ihere was had already turned to ice.
My uncle, Andrew "Jack" Hemsing, of Seattle, settled[...]istory. It was also the height of the the Great
I recall my mother, Gertrude Hemsing Cornwall, des-[...]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 cuttin[...]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
Cornwall family[...]Washington when trees and there I found the tools of my new trade; a
the phone rang unexpectedly. It was[...]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[...]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 drivin[...]. It was foggy, snowy, and icy seemed to be paired together for a mutual support, since
all the way to Montana.[...]direction.
Greenhorns ali. We didn't intend to rough it; thought John, his wife Ro[...]le 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[...]e 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[...]

coming from the river to town, one day, and that I could take a nap, which puzzled rrie A i,iruft iiirrr., 1r,i:1,
probably ride in with them. It was almost a week before though, we crawled over to about 75 der,r. $orrre ,.,,t:re
someone did show. I spotted a car headed our way, and lying d[...]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 were to hunt in this fashion several times before sprirrg[...]"C'mon kid," Joe said. "We'll get you fixed up. I'm McNulty Ranch, on the river. On New Year[...]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 this
going to be a great day. dude.
After we got to Roy, Joe said he'd find me before we Jen[...]ur 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. Ioading huge blocks 18 inches thick.
My other option was to find a welding shop. But there In January[...]ctild but clear: and calm.
was none in Roy. What I did find was a livery stable. During the[...]gray male
suitable patch with a piece of tin. So I was back in "Sweetie". He arrived just b[...]to be no coincidence. He was a skilled survivor. He
By mid-day I had a wheat sack loaded with six quart feigned sick. This 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 out, he had
solder-patched oil pan, waiting for Joe B[...]So he
no Joe. Three hours later Bell was nowhere to be seen. I was headed for Hilger. After I dropped him off he told
got nervous. I told people that I was going to walk me to hurry home.
home, but they said to wait. That was advice I later The blizzard, needless to say, was nervs to me. I got
wished I'd taken. About 10 that night I made it to a lost in a prairie dog town, the snow d[...]nge 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." coul[...]ek 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[...]s.
was coming right back," he said. That was when I real- Day by day the weather got colder.[...]and the snow flew faster. There was no shadow
I remember making many trips to Roy and Lewis- in the daylight, just a[...]hter many
town regarding Uncle Jack's estate and to stock up on nights than it was during the[...]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 m[...]d need meat, 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[...]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 fa[...]It made the job nearly ridiculous. To melt our ice for
It took us a day to get our rifles from another ranch. drinking re[...]what he calied 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

to the Jensen Ranch to see if there was any news of the weli's sa[...]The next morning we packed our supplies from
I discovered a mailbag was delivered by pack train 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 made that ride, meaning we could place with my belt. That made for bulky riding, but it
communicate to the family back home on a weekly was the only way to keep them from freezing[...]- or so I
basis
- weather permitting.[...]frequent ranch stops. That night when it was time to
but I was happy to have the activity and contact with rest o[...]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 rive[...]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 drivea[...]on bare, unshel- place on the King Ttail and I took off to the Jensen
tered ground was that a poor cow could[...]Ranch, on Sand Creek, by way of the Jakes place. I
topple over while eating. A gun was always handy,[...]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 day to rest my horse, then headed home
die that way.[...]Wouldn't you know it, 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[...]ad 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 cold it was that winter. Later I learned I was to discover that magpies had taken to roosting
that minus -60 degrees was frequently re[...]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[...]Many weeks later I would see that poor bird flying up
After a mon[...]etty grim. We needed food, firewood and I was to make my long trail ride twice more that
kerosene for ligh[...]late in March. At the Jensen stop
In February I rode into Roy with Al Snook, a boarder over I stayed a day extra to help buzz firewood.
at Umstead's Ranch, to obtain staples such as sugar, After lu[...]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 l[...]and howled in
like springtime. The morning Al and I left the ranch it unison. The eagerly awaited Chinook breeze
was a balmy minus -24. Off we were to Roy, some 25-30[...]I had never known such a feeling of relief.
miles away.
About mid-day, halfway to town, the weather deterio- However I was not to use the precious automobile
rated. Our horses' breath froze to their sides, making quite yet. Gumbo was new to me. What an experience!
them ghostly coiored. We had to make frequent stops, After a brief sp[...]illed, and
holding their noses inside our jackets to thaw the huge the cattle, horses and wildl[...]nostrils. The ice would get so heavy on water to drink. Then winter struck again, an event
their n[...]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[...]se on
p.m. We faced a howling blizzardthe final 8 to 10 miles. Easter Sunday. When spring came f[...]as frozen black. 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 could take care of our horses. I'll never A winter as harsh as that of 1935-36 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[...]avers, flagged down occur which continue to be etched in one's memory. For
some folks to cook for us, and gave each ofus a cot and e[...]was ouite
The livery was.a small building next to Chet Bird- impressive.

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 ent[...]at easily
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 weighed out in 1935 at 175 pounds. When I started my
was at Deer Lodge where I listened to a prison band junior year in 1936 I was a slimmed down 150!
concert. I got acquainted with "commetcial travelers", The world was hot and dry that year. I didn't see a
hobos on the freight cars" raindrop until I got back into Washington 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.[...]ces 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
started my sophomore year at LaConner High 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 that "I would betright back." I also maintain a gteat appreciation of Illa Willmore,
(Later I couldn't help but recall how that fit Joe Bell's who moved me to recount my stay in Montana.
definition of being "right back").

I.IonrsrnN OvpnlaNo PoNv Expnpss[...]d many Sioux in North Dakota, Assiniboine at
to carry U.S. mail on Route #13611 from Ft.[...]e Red River at the Minnesota- he took to be friendly.
Dakota border near the present[...]Capt. Chas. C., and
thousand miles of plains to Helena, Montana. The Silas S. Huntley,[...]public notice promised a three year contract to begin transportation firm and made arrangem[...]July 1, 1867 with tri-weekly service, each run to be them to take over the Montana division of the Pony
c[...]notified the Helena Postmaster to deliver mails on
In rare fulfillment of mi[...]thern route existed from July until October.
to locate new army posts enroute of this proposed[...]ke, and Fort Stevenson on the Mis- trail, not to carry mail again. The Indians regarded
souri[...]the mail with mystery and distrust and were bent to
of Ft. Berthold, where he boarded the "Ida S[...]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 mi[...]ome 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[...]as a result mail piled up
late country, was to start at Fort Buford on the at the pos[...]Captain Huntley seized this opportunity to imme-
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 50 miles Musselshell River. He 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[...]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. Expres[...]

Sonap Sronus I CaN Wnr,r, Rpununrn[...]el- radio was predicting severe weather to hit Central
ter wherever they could and stayed se[...]ntana in the afternoon, Roy dnd Mickey left early to
of stock drifted under and smothered. take her back to school. It had been a very nice day, but
A trul[...]mped at the Mountain View School, I tried to call St. V's to have Roy stay at Clarkes, but
near Heath, lost 34[...]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[...]ding Altenhofen's cattle on the
December L7, L977 to March 2, L979, nothing but snow Puckett[...]l 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
January 1969.[...]ost half a mile home, without going in the ditch. I

don't know how I maneuvered that, just too scared to from the house. It was a real mess.
turn the steering wheel, I guess. About 9:10 they walked in. I never 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[...]e were talking the and l/2 mile with it to their backs. Nancy's face was a
strangest thing h[...]e warm and okay. David
a iumber wagon rolls over. I tried to explain that to had a cowboy hat, no gloves and a light[...]just said hands and ears were frozen white. I ran a sink full of
"You've been alone too long". 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 admit they from her face with my hands. We finally got her rubber
were crazy; just wanting 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, I heard it too." we'd p[...]of her and
Davis's and had gotten stuck and tried to walk home wrapped her in hot quilts. A[...]shivering. None of them had eaten since noon, so I
to the road. He sat down by a fence post and gave up[...]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 bathtub of hot
greyhounds.[...]lady called from the Red Barn. They tried to dress warmly; had on a warm jacket and heavy
had[...], 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[...]r 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 that could be done; keep her as comfortable as possible.
I wouldn't start out alone, but if they could get someone How??, but I tried.
from Roy to go, I'd take our 4-wheel drive and show I never want to live through another night like that.
them how to get across our pasture.[...]was shin-
She called Cliff Emery and he made it to the Red ing. Jim Murphy came looking[...]-
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[...]stang. 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 couldn't do much 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,[...]Roy East". In a few days he called
in Great Falls to see if Carol could get a station down at back[...]told them that they were tine from 1911 to 1941 and that Carol's station would be
not starhi[...]came from north of Mosby on
Service called Carol to ask if she was still interested in the Mussel[...]old them yes" prior to the re-opening of the government weather
They d[...]ugust 24th. There was station (years 1972 to 1984).
some question as to what to call it and it was decided, B.M. Bean wa[...]area from 1911 until his death June 1. 1928. I*na

The National Weather Service from Great Falls[...]- -May 22 to October 26. And the shortest season was in
delivered a weather reporting station to Frank Cim'[...]1958 with 92 days - June 25 to September 25 - an aver'
rhakl, a cooperative obse[...]25 days.
station is known as Roy 8 NE and is used to take daily[...]e year was at
This report covers the years 1939 to 1987'49 years - Summit[...]on June 20, L92L, and Circle went on to have the most
statistics:[...]The average yearly precipitation is 13.94. Due to the - er's Pass on January 20, 19[...]After two years of dry weather, he was to 500 trees were damaged. This tornado missed Bea[...]living in
big rains start in three days. How true that was![...]ever heard of such
From the dryest years to the wettest in 1978 wiih 25.15 terrific d[...]In 1971, I was presented with the John Campanius
In[...]In 1981, I was presented with the Thomas Jefferson[...], Weather Forecaster.
December 11, 1949, to February 1, 1950, which was
much below z[...], 1968, when min- On April 21, 1988, I was presented with a 50-year
- imu[...]

operation to Fergus. John Stephens received the first The winter of L944,4000 ton of hay was shipped out
freight a load of hay. of Roy, destination mostly to Washington State.
-
Tuesday April 28, 1[...]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 th[...]uto. The mighty herds of horses that were shipped out
fourteen cars of freight was pulled in last night[...]at the ranches and go straight to market began to take
It wasn't long before passenger service wa[...]here 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[...]56 years after the steel was laid to Roy an era came to a
ofchickens, carloads ofcattle, sheep, horses, g[...]close.
potatoes, tons of turkeys; all shipped out to other[...]sheep
(20,000) brought from Malta were shipped to Helena. the depot agents were: H.M.[...]es shipped by Dengel. Rowiand, 1916 to i936; J.T. Plumb, 1936 to ?; then in
August 1918, 200 cars of cattle bound[...]re were Jim McCarthy, 196364; D.R.
Market shipped out plus 35 cars ofcattle for another destina-[...]Sept. 1918, 10,000 more sheep from Malta shipped out, plus
12 carloads of cattle.[...]the
May 1919, Two carloads of potatoes shipped out by the Roy years: J.E. Miller (Armells 19[...]They feed'em grain by hond,
That used to wear a cow-horse down Can't find o reol cow-horse no more,
And giue the Cowboys Willies. And a man can't read o brond.[...]by Marie Zahn
I don't think any animal has contributed more to Mary Pollard has collected a nu[...]he 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[...]

horses turned loose in this area to fend for themselves; where they would break and sell them to the local
some came from farmers in the Judith[...]conomic conditions Shipments went out of Roy almost on a weekly 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,[...]wam across the Missouri River and
the horses had to relinquish their range. Gathering and shipped out of Roy in 1934. In June of 1985, BbO head
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 countries, out of their new ranch southeast of Mosby. F[...]d
state locations; some choice saddle stock went to the US were iost in crossing the river.
Re[...]Mule Auction Company of Ft. Smith, Arkansas to their
dispersion of the lazy F T horses in the e[...]Dakota. Unloaded at Ft. Pierre and trailed to Laplant,
acloss the Missouri River, Ioaded on th[...]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. I[...]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, cont[...]thers,
Inc. of Rock Island, Illinois were trailed to Hays, via
Rocky Point, swam the Missouri River at[...]king plant. Sam rounded up and shipped out of the country. In the uery
Sherman rounded up an[...]sed for the
of the Davidson herd and trailed them to Chinook, coualry d.nd others were use[...]kirmishes 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 rat[...]Steve LaRocque was herding for weed I think it was.
Carmikle, a cowboy came in and scat[...]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. Lar[...]

ornery and hated to cook outside, so he headed for a h[...]All bedlam broke loose when
big knife with which to kill the rat if it came near him. he th[...]ial activities but would sometimes ride for hours to
"The cook was up fust at 3 a.m. and would s[...]Tom would get up and Old Tom get to a country dance. They were back at the wagon[...]t b"fore dawn though, ifthey wanted to keep theirjobs.
would kick me and say, 'C'mon kid - time to get up.'One
morning he just stood there and l[...]and breaking
"A snake had curled up around my feet to keep warm severai horses in on[...]were up creek from camp and wouldn't come around to tlre
Roy rancher, Larry Jordan, remembers t[...]"We got a long rope and tied him to this log. Well, two
sion years ofthe 30s.[...]night hawks brought the saddle horses by to conal them.
Montana was a large, open count[...]We figured the tree weighed 500 to 600 pounds. It was
steaders had returned to the east or headed north when hollo[...]buckskin took off. It didn't take us long to dress. We slept
in Montana.[...]Jordan said the CBC took a bit of getting used to at
rounded up wild horses to provide horsemeat as part of an first.[...]tough times and sustained a
Jobs were hard to frnd and pay was often minimal, but[...]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 go[...]until 8 or Jordan remembers a trip to the doctor two years ago
9 each evening, ever[...]g horses or equipment were "But I didn't think nothing of it. You were supposed to be
quickly fired.[...]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[...]CBC wagon included 15 circle riders
who went out and gathered horses, two night hawks who[...]the wagon for a full
fear the crew would have to cook for themselves if the summer w[...]ty tough hands," Jordan eaid. He
cook decided to leave.[...]-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[...]their days when the creek was flooding. "My dad suggested we
twenties, but wagons often had old timers like "Old Tom" go up to the barn and spend the night in the haystack
M[...]with blankets. My mom insisted we go up higher to a

Can't ride o bronc no more
I'm stif an' turning' gray
So I'II just make o picture:
"Fightin' broncs in my
younger doy."

Ben Gorthofner[...]/ t.
,?i/r, ;.2,,/_714,ll! ,\ :) A bun[...]open range. L. to R. Albert LaFountain, Maruin Sher-[...]

were fenced to individual except for J. Styer-E. Styer, Slu[...]started a project in on the water side. I (Frank C.) was with a crew that
1936-37 to give local people some form of employment hauled rock for riprapping. I had a 1927 Chev. flat bed
near their homes. This project was to build stockwater truck and with Laurence Ch[...]uled 8
and extending 20 miles east. The dams were to be built loads each day. Vaughn Tindall, wi[...]two horses, hauled the rocks to where three men were
All work was done with ho[...]ng 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. Everyon[...]d 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 Albert Jakes lived nearby, so we moved int[...]he fill. Two other operators did all the to fi.nish the shift. Today, people on the job would[...]g,
plow was pulled by four horses. All ground had to be as he had a tent on a hayrack with a b[...]ot $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, be[...]Dam No. t had the only cement spillway. I hauled
William Kudzia, Gus Souchek, Claude Satter[...], 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.[...]Montana Elevator at Roy, water in them to this day.
delivered hay to each site at $40 a ton and oats at $4 a An[...]tank, delivered water from the Roy railroad well to tresses were made in the dance hall at Roy.[...]ater tanks for the horses at each site at no cost to 30 or more individuals involved. Six to eight would
operators.[...]t a time. When through they were
Some had tents to live in; others slept under the "just li[...]was allowed in a These mattresses were to replace the straw ticks most
month. There would b[...]ew that worked people were using up to that time. Workers received no
another ten[...]

She loues to swim, to throw a ball, Esther[...]member that ehe alwaye 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.
A[...]na Lund
The history of a country school is hard to trace as - she thinks it was Benjamin Pie[...]hool was held in a dif- top of the crate to warm her up.
ferent building. When the school sat[...]variety of ages and children learned to get along with
Superintendent's office might be P[...]them all.
Paradise school might be moved nearer to Jones, and The teachers were sometime[...]did not mention they were married in order to have a
teacher.[...]ost coun-
from the school. The boys sometimes had to go to work try schools.
and came to school when they had time.[...]eigh- where they were located.
borhood came to school and was very cold. The teacher

Gonc To Scnool IN THs CouNrnv[...]athless summer of 1930 had a same moving to Little Crooked to attend 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[...]ing and spelling between the teacher. My mother planned to move into a one
our parents. A common practice in[...]The same hush- Willmore, Charles and I made the necessary five. "But
hush chatter contin[...]solved where is Little Crooked?" we asked. My dad said "We'll
itself in about two weeks[...]

My brother, Joe, with hopes of f ame, I reminisce of days gone by
Homesteaded t[...]pes did fade, I leat,e you nou, old homesteod shoch.
Th[...]u'as neuer made. I ma1' not come this waY again'[...]

Ros[...]n area ranches while they were here, among
coming to this area. Her daughter, Keoka, was born in[...]re
a hotel in bheyenne, Wyoming, in 1909, enroute to leasing it; for Joe Marshall on t[...]s Creek when Keoka was about went to Shepherd, a trip that took a week's time. Keoka
e[...]Hnnsnnr Br,aNcnano

Herbert Blanchard came to Montana about 1879. He Rindal, was[...]suffering from pounded and clubbed to death by two rowdies at John
headaches, melanchol[...]Butterfreld's, one man was frozen to death last winter at
in 1881 a brother of his came to Montana and bought Oscar Stephens'[...]occasin some four winters ago and
The first night out on the road, while leading the horses[...]ruleft lower Dog Creek for the Bear Paw's
dragged to death.[...]herder in the employ of Brooks Bros. was frozen to death
father had died years before. His mother wa[...]n
Edward P. Chandler and his cousin, Will, came to the Will did not stay long; this cou[...]heep business for him and he returned to Virginia.
in the Deer Creek area. Edward came fro[...]aught in Kansas before Louise came to Montana, from Minnesota, in a wagon
coming to Montana.[...]

Mr. and Mrs. P.R. Hall came to the Armells section, John went to school at Armells and later the county
probably f[...]They lived on their homestead for eight or
sister to Rose Carmichael, which is what probably nine vears then moved to Lewistown.
influenced Rose's decision to homestead there. The

Cr.auop aNo[...]f James Fergus, Claude was married to Mary Margaret Butts in 1902
father of Fergus Coun[...]town.
August 21, 1883 and came, with his parents, to live on Mary was born in Missouri on Novem[...]s Ranch at Armells when he was about came to Montana with her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Harry
two[...]years then Butts, as a small child.
moved to Oregon. There was also a brother, Marion,[...]om injuries
When Claude was fifteen he returned to Montana to suffered in an auto accident in Ma[...]

Tahing utool to market 1892 James Fergus Ranch at Armells[...]T. 19N R.21E Sec. 3,4,9 & i0
information b[...]

ti
From Fergus County Argus[...]substance proceeded to amputate the finger at the first
R.S. Re[...]the blood flowing freely and without stopping to kilt the
his left hand, and in explanati[...]wn 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[...]ickly 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. Reid thinks that resort
of sa[...]which 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[...]ct was the proper one, although it
menced to whittle on his frnger as if sharpening a lead required considerable nerve to amputate one's own finger
pencii. Finding[...]house.
Most residents came into Roy or went to Gilt Edge-Ft. Maginnis for supplies. Stubbins Hal[...]. 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 arr[...]othes.
One morning the teacher said, "John I see you're little behind again". John replied, "I know, but if I'da had one
more safety pin, you couldn't!"

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 b[...]e. It could hold several horses
Dad then drove to Lewistown to buy lumber. He was and many sheep. It had[...]was also a large
be the matter with it so he went to a veterinarian. sheepshed near the barn.[...]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[...]chool 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[...]rl 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 heade[...]re and travel was
Some miles west of Roy we had to cross a dry weather on the Carroll Trail wi[...]d there were many around Ft.
any further" Dad and I had to each take a sack of oats Maginnis, Giltedge[...]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 mir[...]The Anderson
hoping to find gold. He came to where we were loading[...]"Spokane"
here for propping up when needed for my gold mine and[...]The years of 1912 and 1913 Dad and Mother moved to[...]ome $2000 he had when
he homesteaded. Brother and I did the farm work on his[...]and of 3,000 sheep
in a blizzard.One man was sent to help the sheep-
herder" but he never returned to the ranch and was

married to Deb Montgomery, daughter of John and[...]Anderson RHS in 1980. She is married to Jim Hughes and they
place, south of Roy, and run[...]ws Argus 1976. repeatedly not to sell any more 'moon'. The ladies of
Also from her[...]t News. to her presence.[...]leaning some garments".
the country" according to a Lewistown man who sampled When[...]A man who lived above "Nigger" Beriie is reputed to
have been her lover. His name was Jack King. H[...]tie, or about much else. He car-
ried a gun up to the time he died in the '40's.
Bertie kept[...]nshiner in
Maiden Canyon, who Hill often tried to capture. Hill
knew the man had a still but cou[...]e auailable"
The horse had carried its owner to the stiil so many during prohibition. Her[...]d soli-
times that he automatically went right to it. Hill arrested tude on the land she homestea[...]in met and married after Dad's place to get the mail. My folks had the post otlice
they had homesteaded ne[...]lman recalls, "They came separ- home to the homestead again.
ately to the area, about 1910 (1914). Each took up a[...]Steve was born on January 3, 1892 in Charles,
"I remember Josephine would ride horseback into my Nebraska, the son of Mr. and M[...]

to move to Washington State where my Dad got a job as loved farming and if the[...]n automobile mechanic in Opportunity, Washington. I available, he'd have been truly thrilled.[...]could just drive 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 until 1925. my Mom, so she'd ask the people in the fall what the[...]neighbor, his name was harvest ran and my Dad's figure was always within a
Antone (Tony) Frehner. I located his name in a Bible he bushel or two[...]After we left the Roy area in 1925 my Dad worked for
maybe not.[...]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'[...]t* 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[...]My Mom talked a great deal of Rose Scott Clow, a[...]e
Courtney

My Dad seemed to have a knack for mechanical Ella St[...], Oliver,
was in poor health. 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 an[...]the Davis ranch and 5
freighter from Fort Benton to Lewistown and Gilt miles from Roy. T[...]n and raised horses, months and moved to their home in Roy during the
sheep and cattle; al[...]Owen was a government trapper for years. He moved to
occasion he was unhitching the wagon and[...]

moved to Great Falls and worked for the railroad for 22[...]n Seattle and they had one boy, Stanley,
He moved to the Missouri Breaks and worked on differ- w[...]-
worked on a ranch at Wilsall and then moved to the plumbing
west coast. He served in th[...]Perry is married to Marge Atwood and after working
spent his remainin[...]mountains where he loves to go camping.
Rose married Arnold Dolsman at a[...]ar the home place also at Fergus and friend to all. He was a meat cutter by trade and broke a
Gr[...]She worked on ranches near Roy; helping out when
Nora had a daughter, named Nina Norrine,[...]in great
born while they lived in Roy. She lived to be 7 months demand throughout the community.[...]ays she never changed. She aiways had a nice word to
Lewistown. She later married Ted Hanson. She loved to say about someone. She always told her fami[...]ds and family when they needed her. She had can't say something nice about 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[...]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[...]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 ha[...]onnie. She lived in Livingston 16
years and moved to Jardine with her husband, Vern
Johnson. They had[...]The Owen Davis family about L. to R. are[...]

drinking folks got wind as to who had it and we finally Fred had[...]ile. 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 k[...]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 f[...]ave 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." sel[...]A bunch of young cowpokes, L. to R. are
and wanted to buy his ranch. One made an offer but[...]for children and mothers to pach each day. The lady in[...]s and his eldest son, Cliff, came ahead with cat'
to Montana in the year of 1912 from North Dak[...]

relatives who took them to Sena's uncle Emil Olsen's lVilliam "B[...]ench, Sunnyside the 30's when they went to Ft. Peck to work on the dam.
and Roy schools.[...]Jane and Violet, were
After the Larsen's moved to their homestead their born in Roy. Othe[...]918.
"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[...]ey 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 pr[...]cuddle down and be warm. It was real exciting.
I started school in the Sunnyside school about a
fo[...]wagon 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 are: mother, Sena Larsen, Amy, father Chris
Roy to put us youngsters in school. Larsen, Helen and Chet.
Close neighbors when I was a child were the Kaisers,
Mr. and Mrs. George[...]hey adopted a daughter, Bonnie. They too left Roy to
side school."[...]They now live in Lewistown.
Cliff was the frrst to marry. He wed Ann Jurica, Chester "[...]e along with the Zahn brothers and Harvey
married to Edith Beam in 1945. Cliff and Ann had a[...]many years. Both are deceased,
the 30's he moved to Bozeman.[...]

Joe LaFouN[...]son
This is the story of J,re LaFountain who came to the three tr:ns of hay, paying for it[...]the banks in Lewistown. Joe came to our cabin and said
He ll'as a Meteetse. That[...]iest hunters "That's queer," said Dad. "I deposited $20tt0 in the
and trappers in the upper[...]-- ^-,.
i first met .Ioe in l9l0 when m1' father had[...]

taken his money out of the bank, but the bank replaced w[...]e was strong around and knew he had to be in this pond of muddy
and healthy unfil just b[...]drowning and left.
Oscar Stephens, asked Joe to take up land on Cham- Joe said h[...]Indian, filed on 160 acres of Indian to Helena to supply the old camp. The river with the
claims an[...]utting the bank away from
Spud Stephens hired Joe to work for him. Joe also had a the site[...]moved up river a few miles to another and better site
In 1935 or before, wh[...]Joe told me that many trophy hunters came up to
the town of Roy. He had no money or horses and wa[...]e had what was called a Red River cart. The
wagon to haul wood on shares[...]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[...]ies 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 receiv[...]ffalo 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[...]e 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[...]head."
told me a lot of his early doings of which I will write I asked if he had seen worse times and Joe said, "Y[...]re 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 Ind[...]lfblood people as much "and at times I had to eat skunk and coyote meat. Yes,
as the white race[...]saw him and came for him. He ran up to Rocky Point on steamboats were mostly already sold
to a ridge where he knew a pond of water was on the to someone."
other side. He jumped into the pond and[...]FROM SIDNEY TO MADISON SQUARE GARDENS
Albert LaFountain spends m[...]ject, he says, is at it. He was recently named to the Rodeo Hall of Fame being
wildlife.[...]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 in it "nothing to get excited about." Asked how he thinks he got
a quieter way than he once did.[...]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 you."
pro[...]

I am Lila (Rife) Williamson, born December 3, 1925[...]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 many words from those
sisters, Bonnie (Rife) Sandstrom. newspapers.
My first four years of iife were lived with my parents, When my folks moved to Blakeslee there were im-
Earl and Winnie Rife and later my brother, Jim (Orin mense straw stacks whi[...]sion 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
o[...]m 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, twent[...]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, gl[...]joined us.
shine. Nothing grew on these spots. I remember our Jim and I, each on one side of our Dad, tried to peer
Mother, who loves 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 quart[...]and pig
There was a ridge of rimrocks jutting out of the ter- shed all went. I remember Dad saying, "There goes the
rain, dividi[...]rood but the rest
a fresh water spring from which my Dad piped water to was never repaired.
a tank for the livesto[...]on slightly higher ground. When Jim and I started school we rode double on our
The well was[...]Florie. It was four and a half miles
We loved to play on the rimrocks. It was a wonder- each way. I was almost seven. Our teacher was Adra
fully inte[...]we children settled into the
Another great place to play. seats with[...]and around the pole untii we were airborn. I have never
several feet. It was on a hillside and[...]One lazy afternoon, Jim and I were riding Florie
There was also a corn crib,[...]rge 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. We had a moment to see, to our horror, a large

I was born July 7, 1927 at Lewistown, Montana- I We were so happy to have a Iot of deer and antelope and
was named aft[...]small game and plenty of good water.
my grandfathers who were both early day home.[...]rasshoppers that we had
steaders in the Roy area. My parents were Winnie and to sell about everl'thing in 1936. A good cow and ca[...]were worth $12.00 a pair, 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 pe[...]n did until we were all through school. I went to work
1934 my parents bought a ranch 10 miles south of Roy. drivirrg tractor when I was 12 for 95.00 a month. At 13, I

John R. and Lily Schaeffer came to Montana from work with his father. They then moved to Cut Bank.
Indiana, first to the Moore area, then John home- Th[...]nd Lily and the boys of Helena.
came to the Roy area to homestead, close to the Corth's. Charlie Schaeffer had a ho[...]Roy Schaeffer, served in World War I and was killed in a train wreck'
would stay with[...]ranches. Lily moved to Lewistown to cook for George
Bertha remembers Roy coming back to Roy to spend 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[...]nett and Cat Creek and Homer moved to Hilger from
Corth for a while and then moved back to Winifred to Rov.[...]r in the county; 25,000 acres, 13,000 came to Montana in the 1870's and worked as a cowboy.

A. F" Jack Woodard came to Montana from Missouri, Company in the thirty's. The folks raised purebred
to Missoula. He was born March 2, 1885 in Austin, MO[...]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 turns working out. Dad cooked in Denton, Lewis- remember wer[...]ord. One thing I remember is, in August when the sage-
During th[...]y around those Big Springs, it would be black out there.
was shipped in from the Dakotas. It turned out to be They came by the hundreds.
swamp grass[...]then bought a place on Casino Creek, out 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 w[...]ford Association. Jack worked with L.M.A. Wass to
so they could set up housekeeping. They were gen[...]he Roy area when things
because no one had much to spare. The folks were were so depressed.[...]orld War II. He also became a
Dad won the lease to the Red Barn Ranch in a poker member of th[...]it was getting started.
homestead in 1925 to the Red Barn. The Red Barn was Ja[...]

Herbert Bartist Beck was born, 19 September[...]912, at Lebanon, Illinois. Two children were born to working on motors and cars were his great[...]r 1919 at brother-in-law have continued to operate the garage
Trenton, Illinois.[...]cken with cancer and died 18 March I, Thelma, was married to William E. Erickson, Sr.,
1984 at Hawe, where he[...]942, went overseas in August of 1943 moved to Missoula, where Bill worked on the power
and rece[...]harge, 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 nea[...]came into town, where I reside. Bill passed way 20
John married Lillian[...]We have four children:
and six children were born to them: Connie Rae, 8 Lillian Marie, bo[...]born, 4 January 1883 at they sold to the Government, due to the drought of the
Mascoutah, Illinois. He marrie[...], 4 30's. They moved their belongings to St. Ignatius and
March 1910 in Illinois. They had[...]ught a farm in 1940. After a few years, they sold out
Schaefer Beck died at Lebanon, Illinois, 1 December and returned to their native location in southern
1952. John Beck remarried, to Stella J. Miller in Illinois Illinois, where t[...]the
prospecting and mining in Idaho before coming to Byford teachers and three pupils fro[...]m-
Montana" He worked at Heath when he first came to munities. John was handy at carpenter[...]J

"CoutNG To Mox'reNA AND HolunsrneDlNc"[...]by Thelma Beck Erickson
I, Thelma Beck Erickson, remember my trip to Mon- It was all green at Trenton, Illinois whe we left there
tana, when I arrived at Roy wiih my parents and and there was snow on[...]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 neighbo[...]d we saw papooses, feathered me to sit, while Mr. Peterson and Pop were in th[...]

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 a[...]car business which
was the love of his life.
As I write this, many old friends and neighbors have
g[...]taught at the Joslin school 1919 to 1920. Flora Sand-
Virginia Davis were sisters. Th[...]Fontanelle, Iowa. All four women came to Roy, in 1915. She was teaching a school near
taug[...]met and married Joe Reeble,
Vivian was married to Henry Dickamore. Their home- proprieto[...], on March 18th,
the Joslin school September 7922 to December 1922. Virginia died of inju[...]r honeymoon. She was buried
Eudora was married to Frank W. Bontrager. They in the Roy[...]water, Iowa and was 20
at the Joslin school, 1921 to 1922. There were 14 pupils. years old at th[...]high school graduate and a public school teacher. To
Virginia was only 3 and their father died when she was know her was to love her for her sterling character, her
10 years[...]Kentucky.
At the age of three, her family moved to Sharpsburg, In February 1911, Bridg[...]Ashley, also from Carlisle, went to Altus, Oklahoma.
born on November 13, 1879 and Mi[...]t when it was learned that Bridgie and Josie
born to James J" and Johanna Crowe Hickey. were teachers, they were called upon to return to educat-
Bridcde attended Sharpsburg School; at[...]ing children and Miss Ashley was left to run the busi-
parents paid tuition for each child[...]my and graduated from Augustus, came to Altus and entered Business School
there in June i895 with the completion of three years[...]

i913 to August 1914. Bridgie taught three years in
Oklaho[...]el, who had again joined them, and Miss Good
went to Montana where they filed homestead claims.
Each o[...]only two years old when they came to live with Bridgie.
She received her "Certificat[...]the She was very instrumental in teaching her to read,
Teacher's Retirement Board in September 193[...]retirement checks State for a year, returning to Lewistown in 1946 where
cancelled.[...]uring these years. moved to Mt. Sterling, Kentucky. Michael passed away
Li[...]presented February 10, 1970. Emily returned to her home state of
many challenges, as well as many hardships. Bridgie Pennsylvania to be nearer to her daughters and she
talked of the spring wagons[...]g, passed away there a few years later.
and how "one of the horses wouldn't let a man work[...]es who could 1956, she and Bridgie decided to return home to Ken-
hitch up this ladyJoving horse. She also recalled pre- tucky to be near the other family members. They
paring hol[...]heir permanent resi-
She told of riding horseback to many of her schools and dence on Sycamore Stre[...]of the family are in After Bridgie's return to Kentucky, her last teaching
possession of these p[...]fractured hip, We have a photo of her riding
them to learn to draw and paint. Because ofthe lack of a horse[...]John's farm when she was 92
materials with which to work, one young girl painted a years of age.[...]going west with She enjoyed her return to Mt. Sterling and as usual,
black stove polish. Br[...]was very active in church and social activities. How-
displayed it in her home in Mt. Sierling.[...]s well as a Kentucky Colonel Commission
had moved to Roy. Bridgie and Michael purchased a and[...],
ranch approximately a mile from Roy on the road to Montana.

This picture wos taken eround[...]

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, 1916 to March 2, 1917. She taught in Roy
in 1918. Pictu[...]fiue of her students at
Christensen, from left to right: Linnabell Coots, 12
years old daughter of[...]Flovn BenNnv
Roy, June 12, 1928. Special to the Democrat News.

Floyd Barney, from th[...]of the opportun-
of Roy has moved his family to his new home and is now ity to rent some good ranch or buy it, which will give t[...]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[...]s which they worked into a beau-
1960's and moved to Lewistown. ti[...]hey moved into
there February 14, 1910. They came to Kendail, Mon- Roy. Walter r[...]

Paal and Marie Christensen came to the United States water in the ditch.
fro[...]nd short on Digging the wells turned out to be a bigger job than
cash. They only had enough E[...]Paal worked his would be a simple matter to just dig a shallow well and
way over on a cattle[...]own some distance, they hit rock, then they would
to make his way down to New York City to meet his lower the hired man into the[...]ll, he
wife, having little or no money and unable to speak would set the dynamite charges, an[...]him up. After the blast they would clean out all the
They lived variously in Colorado and Ka[...]nd repeat the
ually settled in Iowa and then came to Roy in 1912 with process. After setting one[...]d in the U.S.; Christian (Chris), born in 1884; to the top, his hair was standing straight up on end[...]hey and several of their ilons filed only able to get through a few inches a day, but finally
homes[...]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[...]rSometimes referred to os Paul
barrel open, then someone would sw[...]

Although I grew up seventeen 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[...]heir 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 tho[...]ffices substituted 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) Hassinger,[...]ry dry cycle their entire stay and
by freight car to Lewistown because the spur of the covere[...]were skeptical of
Milwaukee had not yet been run out to Roy. To get their ranchers' stories about there bein[...]the years before the
the two women convinced him to finance their home- homesteading rush.[...]s returned from
steading, though neither intended to stay permanently. time to time, most notably Jack and Marie Woodard,
They f[...]omestead who left the homestead adjacent to ours, on the east,
shacks, by wagon, over Gilt Ed[...]rd 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 Butte.
miles straight eas[...]sted she drive over and see what was with my sister, Ruth, myself, and Harley and Merle
going[...], 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 1929 to again try
thereafter was Mick Green's saddle horse, though still a out their homestead at Sand Rock Springs, five miles
bucking bronc to others who tried to ride it. east of us on Little Box Elder.
My father was Wilson Everett Devine, known as The Claude Satterfields moved to the Paul Christen-
Everett or W.E. Devine, who came to Montana in 1912 sen homestead one claim[...]e 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 different homestea[...]entral Indiana. They shipped by railroad directly to ing and the promise of farming better than[...], that rose just south of the Little Box
adjacent to my mother's claim and insisted that father Eld[...]tly remained and farmed on more fertile
also take out a claim to increase their holding when he Iand with bet[...]ey were, however, wholly
had remained long enough to settle his. Aunt Minnie oriented towards Grass Range.
had homesteaded next to mother's half section. but on One homest[...]a tremendous flow
feet down in sandstone, enough to water thirty head of of artesian water righ[...]serious drouth
He did not return east, nor did my mother. They were from 1929 until after we[...]on December 16, 1914, and remained had to leave earlier had it not been for one of t[...]

AN AccouNr OF Tnn Frnsr Ypans Op H[...]hey were still farming the Tully place but wanted to
February 22, l9Ll at Moberly, Missouri. They farmed strike out on their own.
for two years in Sullivan County, M[...]out for Montana by train. They got as far as Lewis-[...]Harris who was aiso from Winne- train to Hilger, which is around 15 miles. That was as
gan[...]m and
change of climate might heip so they iroved to Gilt sled to go the rest of the distance, which was approxi-
E[...]a large sheep
Harris drove a stage from Gilt Edge to Lewistown. Mr. ranch. Their meal consist[...]was the best meal they ever ate.
is believed to be buried either in Gilt Edge or Lewistown.[...]g 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[...]18 T. 1?, R. 23"
it would be a good idea for them to go to Montana with They started their homest[...]the
After much talking and planning they decided to go. tent caught frre while Dad[...]

opening. Mother managed to get it put out. A lightning on a Sunday r.r'hen all the s[...]and as Dad started into it a Chinese came out and saw
ground. Mother was so scared she climbed[...](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 partia[...]Geyer, who lived three said. When he got to Lewistown the delivery man
or four miles from the[...]n 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.[...]It would take time as made up his mind then to buy a Model T Ford; his first
they had to go to Black Butte which was west of their car.[...]roof and bare floo!," said Dad. Peddled out to the stores, the biggest amount to a
George Geyer helped Russell cut timber for th[...]t in Grass Range. "Best cucumbers
house. They had to go quite aways. They would cut the and di[...]r would haul two or three barrels of water, to keep them
meals on the wagon wheel. "Many a meal[...]nt of the team. He jumped and caught it as it
had to spend the night. Dad and George Geyer slept[...]nto 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 st[...]hat
Later Dad bought a two room house, moved it to their wasn't broke 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[...]23 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 wa[...]Montana. dently the Dr., enroute back to town, reached into his
After it was over, Dad had to shovel five feet down to bag for something and realized the mistake[...]he well and use a post digger the rest of the way to headed back to Tully's when he met Russell who was
reach water. trnrig to catch 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[...]e 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 wa[...]For a period of around two years they returned to She remembers her dad telling her abo[...]ully farm again. Their who were trying to get the people in the area to go into
frrst child was born in Bucklin. Missouri[...]drilling for oil - "of course they would have to put up
arrived on February 28, 1916. Their second child, Arline the money to start it. They never did."
Elizabeth was born on[...]east of the house where
In 1918 they returned to Montana. Dad came on what the wolves had[...]h the railroad. toward it, she took out a gun and as the wolf had been
Dad got[...]

tion. Dad milked 12 to 18 head of cows. own, so w[...]d. It was a 50 bushel crop for
In1924 we moved to the old Fergus Horse Ranch with sure. We[...]ch 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[...]d 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 c[...]are as a
we'd take the buck board and team and go to town. The summer fallowed field.
buck board had a top. It was pretty fancy. We'd feed our So I rode for a cattle outfit for a few years and had[...]Denton road
The ranch was sold so we moved back to Hilger and crosses Warm Spring Creek w[...]uld move the
When spring came, this was L927-28,I didn't pass out bulls and late calvers. We would have a h[...]ade. School was held in different houses. A to 150 head, 55 to 70 bulls. This job would fall to me and
school district had been formed so it wasn't so far to a couple of other guys. When they had been 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[...]en 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 our own cattle broke to ride we started slipping Holding cattle that are dry is one thing, but to bed
a few head of range cattle in, that belonged to a large them down and keep them overnight[...]er 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 coff[...]ee in it. Going across Lukins Flat the horses got to the
penny. New strings, new sheep skin. We had go[...]d 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[...]hat steer dumped Butch didn't take long to get packed and underway. It was a
and jumped over[...]the pack horse loose and he went straight to the corral.
was kicking and running and that new[...]y came quite
and we were running after him trying to catch him. If quickly.
the trees hadn't[...]called her, had just had
been going yet. Needless to say we sure had to pay for a fried chicken dinner for abou[...]The CBC had arrived with five to six hundred horses
My brother Butch was going to high school in Hilger, and John Mayberry[...]and about
by now, so when the fall work was done I also started to 300 head of horses. But there was still plenty left to eat.
school. We rode that ? miles every morning and at This was my home away from home for many years.
night. I '*'as breaking 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 McVey, yet. They shipped some drouthy 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. Butch went on to graduate; I went to work for a came with them and a drift fe[...]hip. His name was Harry long, had to be built.
Baulch, a moose of a man. When he got well I went to 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 outfi[...]Fergus Horse Ranch which
people, then dad decided I should have a crop of my by now was mostly hay. i was in charge of breaking

Joe Kalina came to Roy on April 1, 1g14 from Lons. same[...]Joe was. Swoboda talked
dale, Minnesota. He came out west to look for work. His Joe into taking up a[...]claim. He figured it was a cheap rvay to get 160 acres.
brothers at home on the farm, Joe[...]and he didn't have any went back to Minnesota and on November 15, 1915 he
money to buy one of his own.[...]many a
When he arrived in Lewistown he decided to come to homesteader did; once they filed on[...]oda was from the went back home to get their s*'eethearts and brought

Milton and Dorothy moved to Lewistown in 1974. Stacey born May'[...]he chickens and rented the farm land 1983.
to Artie Niemi. Miiton went to work for United States Dorothy was active[...]d
Gypsum at Heath as a mechanic and later changed to United Presbyterian Women, a member of t[...]cakes for all occasions and did
wedding of Colene to Garry Roberts in 1979. extensive[...]Union and the American Legion Post #96, He likes to
Susan; Kathy born July 1, 1976 and Heidi born Sep[...]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[...]ooks on her place until
1983 when they moved back to the home place and
leased the Miro Heil ranch. Th[...]rmotion by Miro HeiI
John and Rose Kasala came to the United States Joe Kasala proved u[...]or their son, Joe, who had immi- they moved 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 O[...]ied Joe Kviz and
then after his death was married to Jake Bedlan; Rose
who married Emii Sirucek[...]

Dad decided to build a hardware store in Roy. He har[...]g 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 nam[...]were sold off. The house was moved to Anton
KOLAR'S HARDWARE. With the homesteaders 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.[...]ouis Kolar.
for supplies before the railroad came to Roy. The trips In 1945 the folks bought a farm west of Lewistown.
to Hilger took 2 or 3 days. On his way back he stopp[...]ranch on the outskirts of Roy where moved to the Lewistown farm.
they fed and bedded the horse[...]name who paid up his bill. There are still many out-
ciated their hospitaiity.[...]either working on the homestead or to live on the farm with her son, Ed. Then Ed built[...]ed, 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 st[...]f 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
morn[...]HARDWARE name; in fair condition yet. Thanks to
it would break but finally he decided to turn back and the Kalina men for grving it to our family. Viktor Kolar
about that time he lost[...]s 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[...]s available from Lewistown so the neigh-
bors had to help each other during sickness. Mother
an[...]

My father, Anton Koliha, first came to Roy from St. the horses. While they were out binding and shocking
Paul, Nebraska in 1915. My uncle, Joe, had come earlier grain 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[...]led fast. Since most of the land next to it I saw a huge rattlesnake. Luckily my father
was already taken up, Dad bought out a relinquish- just happened to come home from the field and killed it.
ment of 1[...]grades. We walked across fields and I remember how
My oldest brother and sister were born in Nebraska[...]lace for them the spring of the year.
to live. There was only a tar paper shack with no roof I liked all my teachers-one of my favorite was
on it when Dad came. With Uncle Joe'[...]ll the teachers boarded with Frank Vodicka. My
Like all of the homesteaders they moved by imm[...]ht only the necessary very strict and I was so scared of him because he did
things. Mothe[...]whip some of the boys. In later years I was grateful to
paper shack and many times wished she could return to him for having taught me phonics.
Nebraska, but it took all the money they had to buy the The drought and depression y[...]and. With courage and determination they stuck it out. hard in the 30's. Little cash was rea[...]er
It must have been very lonesome for Mother not to be crops raised. We grew a garden without irrigation,
able to see her family and friends.[...]eat and
Land was covered with sagebrush so had to be helped Mother with the can[...]hay they bought It was hard and I am glad we don't have to iive like
was shipped in and was very expensive[...]by Milfred (MeI) Koliha
I willalways have many fond memories of the Roy[...]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. times were ahead. I often marveled at their fortitude
When I reminisce about the old homestead and the[...]d simple Aithough we had to work hard and didn't have the

Wiiliam Pospisil came to the Roy area with his Vivian were bo[...]rtin, son of Harold and
in 7977, sold their place to Olaf Negaard and moved Amy Martin. The[...]Rosemary works in a Billings hospital; is married to
Lillian resides in the home they bought when they[...]Pauline is married to Earl Martin, brother to Kenny.
The couple had four daughters: twins, Di[...]the
kia, where he received his schooling. He came to the Roy Legion Post. Victor was a Marin[...]rvice in Okinawa and Iwo Jima, WWII.
1913 he came to Montana and homesteaded east of Roy.[...]s: Milfred of when they retired and moved to Lewistown.
Billings and Victor (deceased, 7/20/26[...]rn Septembet12,1887 in Czech-
oslovakia" She came to the United States at the age of 5
with her parent[...]ed Frank, on November 29, 1916.
The couple came to l*wistown in 1919.
Frank homesteaded east of Ja[...]ce. He
did not remain on the homestead, but moved to Lewis-
town, after proving up, where he had a tai[...](Ruzick)
denly and quietly in her sleep on March 2I,1943 from a
heart attack.
After living in Centr[...]ears and
after his wife's death, Frank moved back to Chicago
where he lived with his daughter,[...]

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, 22,2[...]"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 Raym[...]n this was done we would then take
ruary 15, 1907 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.[...]cksmith 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[...]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 grocery order.
forget that da1', we all thought she was a beautiful I vividly remember the new Ford touring car we pur-[...]chased January 20, 1921. Dad rode the train to Lewis-

town to drive it home. It was equipped with starter,[...]own.
lights. It was well equipped for those days. I could ram- The horse made his[...]out some little distance below the point from where h[...]sident of the Roy country for
dated November 8, 19i7.[...]y, was found in Box Elder Creek Friday I am Clyde Warner, youngest son of Arthur Warner,[...]nown as the Warner place. We
while attempting to ford Box Elder Creek, Thursday homesteaded in i914 and my Grandmother, Kate Rails-
afternoon.[...]na family holdings.
with George R. Creel went to Roy Friday afternoon. The
My mother and the five youngest children, which[...]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, Iowa, where i[...]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 thirty minutes before[...]his sons had been gathering cattle for I have some sad memories, also some happy times to
several days in that section and last Thursda[...]distance from box suppers and dances to attend. I remember the town
the place they separated, e[...]One time my Dad was caught in some bad weather
return hom[...]a place and Joe loaned him a pair of
attached to his not being home Thursday night when the
re[...]orning, however, when curly haired chaps to wear home. Many things like that
it was learn[...]had not 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[...]the previous day, and taking up the I still remember everyone who lived in a five or si[...]d ridden was place after they left. I helped plant wheat in the fall
seen standing[...]e the Valentine road by the Hala place. I think we
down some three feet from the day pr[...]lowed received our mail once each week. I remember Frank
the horse's trail from where he was found to the point[...]hultz and his brother.
where he had clambered out ofthe creek bank.
Wires weie stretched ac[...]A few years after we came to Iowa we rdceived a
dragging for the body comm[...]article telling of frnding the
found at about i0 o'clock Friday morning, Iodged against[...]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.[...]s under the floor then. The article
attempted to cross the creek at a point where a bridge had[...]h water. Instead, the bridge had I also remember Joe Kaiina playing the accordian.
been washed out and the horse and rider were plunged[...]liked to hear him play and he seemed to enjoy playing.
Warner was wearing knee length[...]which would make it extremely hard for any one to swim I think often of Monfana. I farmed all of my married
once they became hlled with water unl[...]se on entering the creek had and moved to town.

An Afflerback Search Party Effort Will Be Made To
Find The Body[...]F
June 29, 1916-Responding to the general desire of
people in the Grass R[...]issued a call for a volunteer
search party to assemble at the Taylor ranch on Sunday,[...]The Warner family
April 14 on his way to Lewistown. He had something in[...]mous belief that Afflerback was mur- 0.. i
dered by his prisoner and it is the hope th[...]he 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[...]1, after going broke; the reason being, according to his grandson, Vernon, was that "he wasn't a
very[...]was created in 19i8 from school district #178 Cimrhakl.[...]Lelek had their land transferred from 131 and 140 to
#17 to make them closer to a school. Dory was attached
to Vailey View in 1937. It later became part of Roy.[...]la
Myers was the teacher. Students were from left to right:
Donald Myers, Charlie Lelek, Harold[...]