Naef Brother's married Parker Sisters

The story goes that the J.A. Naef place was originally the Pleasant Schillings homestead. The property was bought by Naef in 1901. I do not know where Schillings was living when he was arrested in 1904 and 1906. Documents show the Schillings Homestead on Section 34 and 35, Township 5 in a 1914 printing and J.A. Naef as a registered voter living on Section 26 in The Mail, November 1912 voter’s list. It is a possibility that Schillings originally had all 3 sections. 

Of interest is research revealing court notices of D.T. Bowen versus J.A. Naef, set for Monday, March 20, 1916 in the Mail, March 10, 1916. Then I found a comment in the case of D.T. Bowen vs. John A. Naef where the jury found for the defendant (Naef) for a sum of approximately $6,000 in The Mail, March 24, 1916. Next I found under cases passed for the term was D.T. Bowen vs. J.A. Naef in the Mail, December 15, 1916. On the March 1918 court calendar “D.T. Bowen versus J.A. Naef, demurrer to complaint” was filed. Then in May 1918 I found where the D.T. Bowen vs. J.A. Naef damages were set for trial June 17, 1918. Unfortunately that was the last court notices printed in the Mail, until March of the next year. It is unknown what would be a case for that large a sum of money. D.T. Bowen at that time owned the original Kaiser homestead in Section 18, T.5. 

The three Naef brothers: John, H.R. (Roy) and Joseph (Jake) Naef, married sisters, Mary Ellen, Jennie and Minnie, the daughter’s of Thomas and Fannie Parker, of Anaconda. I found this reference in the obituary of Jennie Naef on January 20, 1911. She died at French Gulch and was survived by her husband, son and daughter. Sadly none of them are named in her obituary. 

J.A. (John) (1873-1929), married Mary Ellen Parker in Anaconda and shortly after their marriage came to Granite County. They had seven children. John, (age fifty-six) was working at a mine in Butte when found dead in his hotel room on May 29, 1929. It was believed he died in his sleep. Trying to earn a living wage on a homestead was impossible causing many to work away from home. Survivors were: wife Mary Ellen, children: Miss Ruth and Mrs. Florence Pickett of Philipsburg; Mrs. Grace Peterson and Howard of San Francisco; Asa, Lawrence and John of Philipsburg. 

Mary Ellen (1875-1932) was born to Thomas and Fannie Parker in Cedar Fort, Utah. After John died, Mary married T.J. (Tom) O’Connor in 1931, who was a rancher in section 10. Tom traded his place to George Stephen’s for the Stephens Hotel and they moved into town where Mary died a year later. Survivors were: husband Tom; her seven children; mother Fannie Parker and sister Minnie Naef of Anaconda. 

Of the Naef children: Lawrence “Bud’ Naef (1910-1939) married Ruth Owsley in 1934. On May 14, 1939 he was working at the Contact Mine east of Philipsburg when a jackhammer being hoisted to the surface fell off the cage. Bud who was working 100 feet below was hit with the falling hammer and died instantly. 

Howard (1898-1994) married Ruby Carnegie in the early 1920’s and moved to California. They had a daughter Helen. Howard was in the U.S. Army in WWII from September 9, 1942 to February 12, 1945 and they divorced in 1945. He returned to Granite County in 1950 and married Lola (Van Blarcum) Page, Metcalf in 1951 for a short time. Howard moved into the Norman Bohrnsen bunkhouse and then fixed up the Ike Sander’s house across the road. He lived there until he was moved to the Granite County Nursing Home in March of 1994. Survivors were: daughter Helen McIntyre and sister Grace Peterson (ninety-eight) of California; four grandchildren: and two great grandchildren. 

Florence, married Emmett Picket, who worked at the Haverty Garage, March 10, 1926. Grace married Andrew Peterson and their son (name unknown) died in the early 2000’s in a motor vehicle accident. 

Ruth married Fred Adams and after she died Eleanora the widow of Asa married Fred in 1980. 

John lived in California, with his wife Joy. 

Asa (1901-1957) married Eleanora Steber (1912-2005) December 3, 1933. Asa was six months old when the family settled on the ranch on Ross’ Fork. He lived with his young family on the Featherman Place on Middle Fork then became an employee of the Moorlight Mining Company which became Taylor-Knapp. After thirty-seven years for the company, ill health forced retirement five months before his death. Son Ronald (1934-2000) was a Navy veteran of the Korean War; daughter Marie Dean and son John (Judy Fessler) visit Philipsburg often.

Christensen's of Ross' Fork

Rasmus and Anna Christensen

In 1928 Rasmus Christensen bought the Carnegie ranch on Ross’ Fork of Rock Creek from the Kroger Bank (First State Bank). I am assuming the Carnegie children were unable to run the ranch and turned it back to the bank, after the parents died. 

Family history states Rasmus Christensen born in 1880, came to America in 1898. He returned to Denmark to marry Anna Mortensen and after Eli was born in 1902 they immigrated to Tacoma, Washington. They moved to Montana in 1908 according to Eli’s obituary. In 1919 Rasmus began his career with the Northern Pacific Railroad as a section foreman until he retired in 1945. Rasmus continued working on the Railroad after buying the Carnegie place and died at the Northern Pacific Railroad Hospital in Missoula after a short illness on October 29, 1957.

Alice, Eli, Carl, Francis with Baby Bob and toddler Ozzie sitting on the box

 Anna born in 1873 died in 1959 and is buried next to Rasmus. During their marriage seven children were born. The eldest, Constatine Eli Bessmere-Christensen was born in Denmark in 1902 and arrived in the United States at the age of one. In 1908 the family moved to Jens, Montana, then moved to Bearmouth in 1918. In 1928 Eli began working on the Barr Ranch north east of the Christensen place. Eli authored the book, Just watching the sunset, in 1975. While employed at the Hoben/Barr ranch (now the Bauer Ranch), Eli married a niece of Louise Barr. After a short time the niece (name unknown) left the ranch. After Tom Barr died on April 26, 1930, Eli stayed on at the ranch and married Louise (1884-1976) in 1944. 

In 1950 the ranch went bankrupt and they moved to Philipsburg. Eli worked as the janitor at the court house and on the rural mail route. In 1956 they moved to the Virginia City area, then returned to Philipsburg in 1960 and Eli resumed his position as courthouse janitor. As an active citizen Eli served as a county commissioner and then Justice of the Peace. His obituary stated he retired in 1967 but I found an Official Bond notice for him as Justice in The Mail, March 27, 1969. 

Eli married Annie Debree in Anaconda in 1981 and lived in Philipsburg until 1992 when they moved to Deer Lodge where he died on March 9, 1996. He was preceded in death by his parents and brothers Carl, Oswald, Robert; sister Anne Sullivan and infant brother Oscar and sister Frances who had died as a young girl. 

Rasmus and Annie’s son, Oswald H. known as Ozzie was born in 1911. He worked on the ranch with Robert (Bob) for many years until he married Mrs. Betty (Groves) Horrigan. After their marriage he moved into Philipsburg and helped her manage the Granada Theatre. Ozzie served in the U.S. Army in WWII and died in Philipsburg in 1982. 

Carl Christensen never married and lived out his later life in Kansas. 

Alice Christensen also lived a single life in the Seattle area and California. 

Violet married Frank Hertz who worked for the Milwaukie Railroad and they lived in Deer lodge. They had two daughters: Francis and Anne. She later married a man named Benasch. Her daughter Anne Findlay still lives in Deer Lodge, according to Joel Christiansen.

Robert L. (Bob) born November 13, 1913 spent most of his life on the Christensen ranch. He married Mary Helen Carey from the William M. Carey Ranch, located near the confluence of East Fork and Middle Fork, on August 19, 1937. They had four children: William (1938-2018), Helen (Loran) (1939-2019); James (1942), Steven (1950) and adopted Marilyn (Silva). 

Bob died of cancer on January 11, 1996 at the age of eighty-two and Mary Helen died at the Granite County Medical Center Nursing Home on November 28, 2006. Steven and his wife Ginger continued to operate the ranch until 2008 when they sold out and moved to White Hall. 

Christensen’s kept the Carnegie tradition of raising and slaughtering hogs. Neighbors would go to the ranch early in the day and the men spent the day slaughtering, while the women cooked and the kids played. One year us kids went to the slaughter and watched for a short time before the men shooed us away, so decided to butcher our dolls. We built an elaborate hoist, found a pot to dip the dolls in and brought out hot water, to complete the process. Grandma Christensen saw us hauling out the hot water and told Mom and Mary Helen. When they found us, we had successfully dipped the dolls and were cutting them up. My sister had a ceramic headed doll with eyes that rolled back. The hot water pealed the ceramic head, recessed the eyes and the stuffing fell out as we dismembered her. My rubber doll was not repairable after the hot water and dismemberment. We were all soundly spanked and had to throw away our dolls. I do not know about Helen, but Rosalie and I never had another doll.

The Glover and Carnegie Families of Ross' Fork

Southwest of Zeke’s Meadow on the Ross’ Fork is another meadow known as “Cow Camp.” This camp was built by Alex “Speed” Glover a local rancher. It was used as a round-up cabin for people with cattle grazing in the area in the summer and for trappers to use in the winter. In February of 1921 Alex and his brother William of Anaconda took off from the Glover Ranch to hike the fifteen miles to the camp. After about ten miles on the trail Alex told William he was not feeling well and to go on to the cabin and he would follow. William took the heavier pack and went on to the cabin. He built a fire and waited for a while, then became concerned. He walked back down the trail about four miles and found Alex dead in the trail. Knowing he could not pack his brother in the deep snow, Will walked to the J.A. Naef Ranch to get help. Naef helped him build a stretcher and they carried the body out to the ranch. Then they took the body by sled and wagon on to Anaconda. Only forty-six, he had ranched and trapped on Ross Fork of Rock Creek for the past ten to twelve years and was the son of Andrew Glover an early settler of Deer Lodge Valley. Survivors were: brothers Tom, William, Andrew and sister Mrs. William Nevin.  

Andrew “Dan” Glover and Miss Rosella Carnegie married September 25, 1916 at the Methodist parsonage in Philipsburg. Andrew died at his home in South Philipsburg on January 2, 1929 after a short illness from heart trouble. He moved from Anaconda to Philipsburg in 1915. After numerous jobs he and his wife had contracted to run the county farm a year before his death. Survivors were: wife Rosella, four small children, his sister Mrs. William Nevin and brothers, Tom and William. After services at the family home he was interred in the Philipsburg cemetery next to Dorothy Mae Glover who apparently was one of their children. 

The Carnegie ranch, was located in a meadow south west of the current Bauer (3-H) Ranch on Ross’ Fork. After Frank, Sarah and family moved to Rock Creek I found numerous articles in The Mail where the family came to town from Rock Creek plus events at the ranch, including a large hog being slaughtered on April 1, 1908 that weighed at least 500 pounds. 

On September 17, 1915, The Mail stated: “Sudden death came Wednesday (15th) evening to Frank Carnegie one of the best known ranchers and stock men of the upper Rock Creek district. Mr. Carnegie had just driven in from the ranch and after taking some things from the wagon at the home in south Philipsburg, was proceeding to take several cans of cream to the depot for shipment when he suddenly fell from the seat into the bottom of his wagon. George Higley was in the vicinity on horseback and saw the team starting off on a trot without a driver. After stopping the team he observed Mr. Carnegie lying in the wagon unconscious but still breathing. Summoning Merritt Robey [a trained nurse] who was passing by they drove hurriedly to the office of Dr. Power but when they reached there life was extinct. Heart trouble was the cause of death.” at fifty-five years and eighteen days of age. Frank had been ill for two years. Sarah, Ruby and Rosella had moved into town from the ranch so the daughters could attend school while Frank remained on the ranch with two sons. 

Born in Minnesota, Frank was a resident of Montana for more than thirty years. He first lived near Hall as late as 1893, then bought the ranch on Ross’ Fork. He was survived by Sarah and six children. Sarah was a resident of Montana for twenty-eight years and of Rock Creek for twenty years when she died February 9, 1919, fifty-four years and nine months of age. She had suffered from a kidney problem since August of 1918 and was by survived their children: Mrs. Ed Caruthers of Deitrich, Idaho and Mrs. Rosella Glover, Miss Ruby, Vernie, Emery and Irva of Philipsburg. The funeral at the Red Men’s Hall was conducted by Rev. W.H. Calvert with internment next to Frank. Emery (1895-1970) is buried next to them. 

The Glover Homestead was not recorded until February 6, 1941 by Rosella Glover (Grace, Jurin). Rosella received $30.00 a month “Mothers Pension” in 1935. She ran the County “Poor Farm” and married Louis Grace in 1936. After his death she married Chris Jurin. Rosella (1891-1985) became a Licensed Practical Nurse in 1956 and worked at Granite County Medical Center for many years.

Schilling'Brothers were known to use their fists

Schilling’s Gulch is located above the old Carnegie/Christensen Ranch on Ross’ Fork. The gulch was named for Pleasant A. Schilling, who resided in the area for a number of years and sold to J.A. Naef in 1900. News articles on Pleasant were limited with one in 1890 showing lot 7 Block 2 in Philipsburg up for tax sale for $24.89 and another for delinquent taxes in December 1893 on a frame house on lots 1 and 2 in block 7 Weinstein’s Addition and 8 vehicles, 20 horses, 1 stallion and 1 cow for $26.91. 

In April 1887 Pleasant took offense at some remarks made by D.M. Durfee Esq and punched him. He plead guilty and was fined $10 and costs. Next in the March 25, 1904 Mail: “In the district court yesterday, P.A. Schilling was found guilty of horse stealing and his punishment was fixed at imprisonment for a term of one year in the state’s prison. The verdict of the jury was unanimous, and was arrived at after 18 hours of deliberation. After hearing the verdict the court ordered the sheriff to take charge of the defendant. 

Apparently Schilling did not believe that he would be found guilty. He begged the court for a thirty day stay so he could adjust his business affairs after the court passed sentence for one year at hard labor. He was also ordered to pay a $1,000 fine for the cost of the prosecution. He planned on filing an appeal before he went to Deer Lodge. In that same issue of the Mail, Schilling wrote a letter asking the population to not accuse him of what he was not guilty of. “I only ask what is due me! If you feel that I have not been a man with you, and my grief is your joy, then tramp me as low as you can. I remain a human being. Signed P.A. Schilling. 

Then a court case of the State versus P.A. Schilling for grand larceny scheduled for March 16, 1906 was settled and the action dismissed. This was the last mention of Pleasant until his brother Newton’s obituary. 

On the East Fork of Rock Creek was a ranch located on Meadow Creek in Sec.35, T. 5 N., R. 15 W., owned by Travis Newton Schilling. He was known by Newt. Newt originally lived in Walkerville and had a propensity to get into fist fights over young ladies as early as Thanksgiving 1890. When he could not win the fight he drafted a small army and went back to finish the war. This resulted in Newt being kicked unconscious and “was unconscious until he felt the surgeon’s stitches passing through his torn lip. Four of the group were arrested under a $100 bond.” When released from jail on December 22, he immediately “proceeded to dress out Billy McDonnell. McDonnell either got the worst or voluntarily quit fighting. Schilling is (again) under arrest.” 

On July 10, 1892, an article headlined “Rich, and Racey but not Rare, stated Newt was observed by Henry Rice‘…rolling out of bed with Catherine Rice” and when she refused to go to Virginia City with her husband a divorce was filed naming Newt as the reason. Catherine’s belongings were shipped to Pleasants home in Philipsburg and Henry Rice received the divorce and custody of their four children. Newt then moved to Granite County. Catherine’s fate is unknown. 

Ever popular, Newt celebrated his birthday in 1920 with almost one hundred guests who dined and then danced the night away. His obituary stated: “Newton Schilling well known pioneer rancher of East Fork of Rock Creek died early Monday morning [August 19, 1929], from injuries received at his ranch Thursday evening, when a team of horses ran away. Mr. Schilling had been working in the hay field and was unhitching his team for the evening when the accident occurred. He overlooked one tug which remained fastened to the rake and when he started to drive the horses to the barn, the tongue of the rake struck one horse, causing the run away... Mr. Schilling became entangled in the rake and was dragged a considerable distance. He was found unconscious and badly bruised.” He suffered a severe concussion, never regained consciousness and died at the age of seventy three. 

Born in Missouri on February 12, 1856, he came to Montana about 1889. Newt ranched on the East Fork for thirty-five years and belonged to the Selish Tribe of I.O.R.M. and the Pocahontas Lodge of Philipsburg. Survivors were: a sister in Texas; a brother in Missouri; and two nieces of Great Falls. Obviously, Pleasant had returned to Missouri after he served his sentence for horse rustling. Funeral services were held in Anaconda.

Early Settler's of Ross' Fork

Near the headwaters of the Ross Fork of Rock Creek on the south side of Mount Amerine is a valley named after Vesper “Zeke” Judy and sometimes referred to as Big Moose Meadows. The meadow was settled by Judy about 1898. Zeke was known to be a congenial host and spent every penny he could earn improving his tranquil setting. Every winter he worked in the mines around Philipsburg, to have money to improve the property in the summer. While working his fifth shift at the Algonquin Mine on May 9, 1922 Zeke was at the 600 foot level. When other miners heard a rock fall they ran to see what happened and found Zeke pinned under a corner of the rock. It took two hours of work with jacks and levers to get the body released. His funeral was at Carmichael’s Funeral Parlor and pallbearers were: Albert Forsman, Milo Hoyt, Frank Johnson, Emery and Vern Carnegie and Thomas Roberts, all from Ross’ Fork. Zeke was interred in the Philipsburg cemetery. 

Zeke’s Meadows was bought by Al Forsman from an unknown woman who was probably Zeke’s niece. Al apparently failed to pay the agreed price. Yeats later, without knowing the circumstances, Bob Christensen bought the meadow from Forsman. Bob asked Al a number of times for the title then realized there was a problem. He hired an attorney and took the case to court to obtain a clear title. Bob’s son Steve continued to pasture cattle during the summer in Zeke’s Meadow until selling the property in the spring of 2008. 

Another early settler, Harry Barber Smith came to Granite County possibly running from the law. Harry located his family in a remote meadow south of Medicine Lake near Ross’ Fork. The ranch is now known as the Forsman Place. The story goes that he would walk out to the J.A. Naef place (originally the Schilling homestead) and go to town with the Naef’s when they needed supplies. Right before a blizzard Harry left home to go to the Naef place. His wife did not become concerned until he had not returned a week later. She thought he was at Naef’s waiting out a storm. When she walked out to Naef’s and realized he never arrived a search was mounted, but his body was never found. Research fails to produce any articles about Harry’s disappearance. Mabel remained in the remote area for a time and then moved to the Flood Block in Anaconda where she raised Foster, Lawrence and Ione. She was the sister of Mrs. T.R. Bowen. News articles show her son Foster Smith was involved in a explosion at the Rock Quarry near Anaconda in 1896 but had only minor injuries. 

An article in the Mail January 19, 1917 stated: John Johnson of Anaconda a man employed by J. Forsman to feed stock on the H.B. Smith ranch on upper Ross’s Fork of Rock Creek, was found dead on Thursday of last week by Howard Naef, a neighbor, who visited the place. Johnson had evidently been dead several days as the stock in the barns had not been fed and horses were gnawing each other’s mane and tails and the wood of the manager and stalls. Heart disease is believed to be the cause of death. …Coroner J.J. Carmichael…decided that no inquest was necessary as death came from natural causes. 

Harry Smith’s daughter Ione married John Albert Forsman in August of 1926 and that is why the ranch is now known as the Forsman Place. John Albert Forsman died on June 24, 1951 at the age of fifty-six in the family home in Anaconda. He had been a rancher and at one time operated the Gold Coin Mine. The son of Joseph Forsman a pioneer resident John was born in the West Valley of Anaconda on April 22, 1895. He was buried at New Hill cemetery in Anaconda. Descendants of the original Forsman family continue to spend vacations and holidays at the ranch. 

Medicine Lake mentioned earlier was a Native American spiritual landmark. According to folk lore before the white man arrived in this area the Lake was used by the Indians for spiritual journeys. Fishing is very good in this pristine area and has been for many years. The area, according to a document in my possession, was a patented mining claim known as The White Swan Placer Mineral Location, in 1903. The claim was deeded from F.D. Sayrs to George Stephen Congdon in December 1921 and apparently was then a fish hatchery.

Fessler: A Man Above Reproach

W.N. and Etta Fessler

W.N. Fessler known as Wilbur was born on February 5, 1866 in Perry, Iowa. He married Etta Bennett on February 11, 1889 and they lived on a farm in Iowa for the next ten years. Next they lived on a farm in North Dakota for nine years. In 1909 the family moved to the Bitter Root for eleven months then took up a homestead three miles west of Philipsburg in the Flint Creek Valley. He settled there on the advice of his brother Dr. Emmett Fessler, who died in 1925. 

In the possession of LouAnn Fessler Sichveland is a notebook full of memories that Nina Eva Fessler recalled and wrote down sometime in the mid century. Born to Etta and W. N. Fessler, Nina began with her birth on Wednesday September 17, 1902 at McHenry, North Dakota; then her sister Leonita Gwendolyn Crystal was born December 18, 1903 also at McHenry, North Dakota. Nina indicated that they lived in North Dakota through 1907. In 1908 all the family “took a trip to Stevensville to visit Uncle Elmer, Dr. in Stevensville. Stayed all winter.” In 1909 they moved to Stevensville and she and Leonita went to the first grade there; “Kermit Wilbur was born there on December 22.” 

The family moved to Philipsburg on a homestead in 1910 and Vinson Bodkin was born on July 4. The middle name Bodkin was his grandmother’s maiden name; “Uncle Elmer Dr. in P’Berg.” In 1912 “Cains bought Dr. Fessler’s Homestead next to us.” Nina did not make any entries again until 1917 when Frank went into the military “and only stayed 6 weeks.” The family story is they could not find his birth records, so sent him home. 

Arthur and Cecil went into the Service on June 1, 1919 and Leonita died on July 22. Leonita’s obituary in the Mail, July 26, 1918 stated: “…14 years old and youngest daughter of Mr. and Mrs. W.N. Fessler died at the family home…after an illness of only a week’s duration. Death resulted from Chorea complicated with endocarditis.” Her funeral was held after Cecil and Arthur were able to return from encampment at Petersburg, Virginia on July 27. 

W.N. Fessler was rural mail carrier on the Rock Creek route April, 1911 through 1917, then route was cancelled because of World War I. “Wilbur worked as a contractor and business man who was above reproach in his dealings.” He contracted pneumonia and died at his home on October 5, 1932. Survivors were: wife Etta, sons, Arthur of Portland, Cecil of Roseburg, and Frank, Kermit and Vinson of Philipsburg; two daughters, Mrs. Nina Drinville and Mrs. Ina Sharkey; a brother Lewis and a sister Mrs. S.J. Ballard of Iowa; and three grandchildren. Internment was in the Philipsburg cemetery. 

Nina Fessler chronicles: “1962- Mom went to Stevensville October 13 came home for Xmas, also Judy (Fessler Naef) and John (Naef) they live in Kent Washington. Mom went back 1st of Jan(uary). 1963- Went to see Mom on Easter. Mom died Fri (April) 19th.” Etta Flora Bennett Fessler was a midwife during the 20’s and 30’s in and around Philipsburg and was the rural mail carrier when W.N. took his vacations. 

Kermit Fessler (1909-1975) married Cecile Porter from Oregon and they had Janet and Judy. Janet married and lived in Oregon with children Heidi and Brent. Judy married John Naef and they live in Washington and Arizona. They had three daughters: Paula, Lisa and Jonna (b.d.1963); three grandchildren and a great grandson Mason. 

Frank Nicholas Fessler known as “Stub” (1892-1967) married Beatrice Beekman (1910-1967). Stub bought the rural school houses when they closed and remodeled them into dwellings, two of which are located near Skalkaho Junction. 

Cecil Fessler and Arthur Fessler did not remain in Montana after the War was over. Vinson (Vince) (d-1987) worked for the Trout Mining Company when he married Maxine (Kopie) Ray (1914-1987) on March 16, 1935. Vince bought property from Joe Porter on the south west corner of Porter’s Lane and worked for years on the ranch plus had a trucking business with his brothers hauling ore for Taylor and Knapp and other mining companies. Their daughter Mryna married Ed Leiphmer. They live in Butte and Georgetown Lake and have four children: Edwin G., Mark, Stacey, and Jill and many grand and great grandchildren. Daughter, LouAnn married Don Sichveland (1937-2008) and remained in Philipsburg as do their sons: Thor and Dirk. Daughter Krista and granddaughter Ashley live in Missoula. 

Ina Fessler (1897-1984) married Patrick Sharkey (1893-1975) in September 1918. Their son Cecil (1926-2016) married Dionysia (1926-1995). They are survived by two sons; Jim and Rick; seven grandchildren and eleven great grandchildren. 

W.N. and Etta’s heirs continue life’s above reproach in Granite County and other states.

Heartaches By The Dozen

Josie Walberg, Parfitt, Rupp, Shoblom was a very strong woman as evidenced by the hardship and grief she experienced early in her life and the manner in which she managed a fortune later. Josie was born in 1890 to John (1858-1936) and Anna Ecklund (1863-1938) Walberg. Her parents married in 1884 in Sweden had immigrated to the United States about 1888. John’s obituary states they lived first in Nebraska and then came to Granite County in the 1890‘s, and staked a homestead on lower Rock Creek. Preceding both of them in death was their son Andrew who died at the age of eighteen on November 9, 1911. Survivors were daughters Josie and Violet (Gormley) and grandchildren, Lucille and Vernon Gormley Jr. 

Anna was also survived by sisters: Mrs. Alex McDonald and Mrs. H.K. Westin, both of Seattle, Washington. Anna’s mother Catherine Ecklund had died on January 25, 1905 in Hall. At the time of Catherine’s death there was five children living: Anna Walberg, Mrs. Fred Westin and Mrs. Charles Weaver, of Philipsburg, Albert, of Hall and Andrew of Lincoln County, Nebraska. 

Anna’s father Albert Ecklund died on December 29, 1929. He started out as a rancher in Hall then changed his occupation to mining in 1899 at Georgetown. Albert followed that occupation for thirty years. He became too ill to work three months before his death and was cared for by Anna at the Walberg ranch. Internment was in the Philipsburg cemetery. 

Josie married Henry “Harry” Parfitt Jr. in 1915 and in their three year marriage five children were born. First she had twin‘s: Betty died shortly after birth and Billy died at the age of five days on January 11, 1916. Then their daughter Vivian Josephine died at the age of five weeks in January of 1917. In November 1917 their last child Thomas was born. The Parfitt family also lost Harry’s brother Tom as the first casualty of WWI in 1918. 

In January,1918 Harry left his job at Huffman Grocery and they moved to the Waldberg ranch on Rock Creek. That fall, Harry became ill with the Spanish Influenza. Josie loaded him up in the family wagon and took off from their lower Rock Creek ranch for Philipsburg. While fording Rock Creek the wiffle tree broke as the team attempted to pull the wagon up the steep bank of the creek. Josie, walked back to a ranch house to get another wiffle tree. Poor Harry, remained in the wagon, while his strong wife took care of the crisis. In town Harry appeared to be getting better, then was stricken with pneumonia and died October 21, 1918. 

After Harry’s death Josie worked hard to support herself and little Thomas. But her grief was still not realized. Two year and nine month old, Thomas died at his Parfitt grandparents home on July 17, 1920. On July 9, Thomas had fallen off a fence at the Waldberg ranch cutting his leg on a hoe and blood poisoning set in. There is no headstone, so my assumption is Thomas was buried in one of the siblings graves and Josie did not have the money for a stone. 

Josie (Waldberg) Parfitt circa 1920

Josie began working for Al Rupp as cook in 1920 at his 3,655 acre Willow Creek Ranch located at the Highway 328 and Willow Creek Road junction. Part of theis property was originally owned by Levi Johnson and bought by Rupp and his partner August Greenheck in 1900. 

The bachelor married his cook on July 6, 1929. Al, a prominent pioneer stockman of Granite county. was born in Fon du Lac, Wisconsin in 1863 and arrived in 1889 in Montana. Handsome and wealthy, Al was sought by local females but managed to stay single while involved in many monetary ventures both by himself and with other county residents. 

News articles abound, such as: “Albert Schuh and Albert Rupp arrived last week from the Flathead where they have been ranging some cattle since early last spring. They made a shipment of beef cattle to Spokane a week ago on which they did very well. One steer in the bunch weighed 2010 pounds.” Rupp and August Greenheck operated butcher stores in Granite until 1893; in Philipsburg before and after 1893 and Drummond in 1896, plus a slaughter house for many years along with the cattle ranch(s). Al had also built on Broadway, housing the Central Café by 1928. 

After the marriage, and in failing health Al lived at their home in Philipsburg, until his death November 21, 1932 and is buried in the Philipsburg cemetery. 

Josie managed the estate very well including the ranch on Willow Creek, the Helm Ranch on Ross’ Fork and many properties in and around Philipsburg. 

Josie married Herman Shoblom December 17, 1934. When Josie died in 1966 the Willow Creek ranch was inherited by her sister and brother-in-law, Violet and Vern Gormley.

Chickens Can Make Money

The following is a story told by Abbie M. McLain to Garnet Stephenson at Georgetown Lake in 1964: I Abbie May Belyea McClain was born in the green timber land of New Brunswick, Canada Sunday afternoon of January 18, 1885..at 5:00 p. m…My father John Wesley Belyea was a hard working dairy farmer. My mother Mary Elizabeth Delong Belyea who was thirty-nine when I was born was a good farm woman. I was her tenth and youngest child. Four girls and five boys lived to maturity. One child died at birth. My father worked in the lumber woods in the winter. I was one month past five years of age when my father died of dropsy at the age of forty-eight. His body filled up with water and when it reached his heart he passed away…My brothers stayed home to finish paying for the farm. $300.00 was owed on it… I was twenty-three years old when in July 1908, my sister’s husband and oldest boy came to Missoula, Montana. 

The following March I helped my sister bring her seven children to Missoula... I fully intended to go back to New Brunswick where I had done housework for another family for seven years. I was young, pretty and had good clothes. I had blue eyes, a straight nose and cheeks that stole the bloom of the wild rose. I wore my hair in a large bun on the top of my head. I had a fancy pin in it. My tall, slim figure was clothed in dresses of the bustle-mutton-leg sleeve style. The better dresses had long trains that trailed behind. Women often carried the trains over their arms. Shoes were high top button style. I found a job doing housework in a place called Washington Gulch eighteen miles north of Avon. I worked there sixteen months, then I went to Missoula to work. 

I arrived in Missoula December 3, 1910. While I was in Missoula a neighbor, Mr. Gibson used to tease me about a Will McClain. I had never seen Will, but jokingly told him to invite Will down sometime. The Gibson’s had worked for Will and his brother Charlie on their farm in the Bitterroot. I found Will to be a handsome, blue-eyed man of medium build with dark curly hair. We had supper at Gibson’s then Will and I went to a revival meeting. A teacher named Lowry had meetings in a big tent across the tracks. We went to revival meetings often after that. 

Abbie and W.H. McClain

I had been in Missoula exactly one year when Will and I were married December 3, 1911… Will was thirty-eight and I was twenty-six. I, the bride wore a brown suit with an ecru lace blouse. I paid $10.00 for the blouse. On my head was a brown velvet hat trimmed in front with blue net. We drove a buggy from Missoula to the ranch near Philipsburg. Will and I lived on the ranch from 1911 until he died January 26, 1949. Will and I worked hard and over the years we expanded the original ranch of 160 acres to 2,470 acres. 

We had three children. The first was a boy who died when he was ten days old. He was born January 29, 1913. Howard was born eleven months later on Christmas day, 1913. Emily was born December 6, 1917… To make a living we raised horses, range cattle, chickens and milked cows. We sold fifty pounds of butter a week…I have always been fond of chickens but Will never wanted to have any. I took some of my own money that I had earned and put away before my marriage and bought a dozen hens. Later I bought another dozen red hens. When Will saw that I could make money with them he built me a hen house… We milked one cow at first then Mrs. Belleview had cows she wanted to sell. We then bought more from Cleve Metcalf. Fourteen were the most we milked at one time. We both milked and after they were big enough the kids milked. After Howard was three years old, we had a hired man all of the time. 

The years have passed and I am an old woman. I have five granddaughters: Lesa Marjorie Lyon, Charlotte, Mary Etta, Lydia “Gail”, and Nellie McClain and one grandson George W. McClain. The ranch that I worked so hard to help pay for is still in the family. My son Howard operates it. I had my part in the progress of the west and now I relinquish the work to younger, stronger hands.

Abbie an unassuming person lived a simple life consisting of hard work, harsh reality, and her legacy: the ranch and grandchildren.

A Crib For The Generations

Earlier this summer at Flint Creek Valley Days, in a conversation with Helen Hauck Shanklin, I asked her if she had any pictures of her maternal great-grandparents, Anna and Charles Kroger. A short time later I was honored to receive not only pictures of the Kroger’s but also a family article written by Catherine Hauck Taylor (daughter of Dora and Lawrence Hauck). 

The following contains excerpts from this family article, written at an unknown date. “ I have wondered what my grandmother, a woman of gentile upbringing from an entirely different environment, thought of the new land where she was to make her home. The names were far from reassuring. Leaving Deer Lodge, they traveled by wagon to the Mouth of Bear, now Bearmouth, hearing of the Hell Gate on down the canyon to the west, then up Bear Gulch high in the mountain country to Beartown. This four year old, rough frontier town consisted of log cabins hastily built, rather close together, to house one thousand miners…Such was the environment which greeted my pioneering grandmother and where she proceeded to make a home for her family for almost five years while they steadily improved their financial standing.” “Two children were born to the Kroger’s in Beartown, Dora Catherine on September 11, 1871 and Walter Wesley on July 11, 1873. My mother was the first white child born in Beartown. 

Anna (Rusch) Kroger

Charles Kroger

This brings to mind two stories. My grandfather bought Grandmother a sewing machine which arrived in time to help her making the layette. One day as she sat at her sewing machine in front of a window, light was cut off suddenly and she looked up startled to see what made the room so dark. The window was filled with the faces of Indians looking at this object of strange magic. Fearfully she continued to sew. After what seemed an eternity, the light returned. The Indians left quietly.” 

“The second story is about a little crib. Originally it was a cradle, but the rockers have been lost through the years. My mother’s coming had created considerable interest in the camp. As a special gift, Mrs. Joaquin Abascal and her husband, recent arrivals who had established a general store in Beartown, sent for the cradle. It came by train to Corrine, Utah; thence to Deer Lodge by freighter and from there to Beartown by packhorse to be delivered by the mail carrier, Mrs. Abascal’s brother W.A. Clark, Sr. (shortly thereafter, Mr. Clark went into other fields, becoming heavily interested in the Butte copper mines. In later years he became Unites States Senator from Montana.) Grandmother told me they used to carry the baby in the crib to dances and other community gatherings where she slept peacefully, not awakening even on the trip home. No baby sitter problems for them! Four generations have slept in the little crib, my mother and her three brothers, my mother’s five children, five of her grandchildren and four of her great-grandchildren. Following is the list: Dora Catherine Kroger September 11, 1871; Walter Wesley Kroger July 11, 1873; Henry August Kroger October 25, 1975; Frederick William Kroger January 22, 1879; Herman Lawrence Hauck November 18, 1894; Catherine Dorothy Hauck September 10, 1901; Elsie Christine Hauck August 13, 1903; Dora Marguerite Hauck April 6, 1905; John Christian Hauck December 22, 1910; Lois Jean Hauck November 4. 1926; Marian Irene Hauck November 2, 1928; Elsie Margaret Taylor June 30, 1929; Dora Catherine Taylor September 27, 1932; Ellen Jean Taylor February 22, 1944; John Ryan McGarvey June 15, 1955; Allan Michael McGarvey June 26, 1957; Michael Dale McGarvey December 12, 1960; Margaret Ellen McGarvey February 18, 1964.” 

“During those early years in primitive Beartown, Grandmother and Grandfather often spoke longingly of their homes in Schleswig-Holstein and their families there. Finally, in 1874, fortified with eight bags of gold dust to finance the trip, they started out on the long trip from Beartown with their two small children, Dora, three years and Walter, one year old, to visit for several months in Germany. I do not know how many months it took for them to get there, but it could not have been an easy trip with such young children. According to Uncle Fritz, mother’s youngest brother, as he had heard the story, ‘the return trip was made with the two small children, three 16 gauge, pin fire shotguns, a large 12 tune cylindrical music box, a medicine chest, miscellaneous boxes and the necessary traveling luggage. By ship to New York, by train to Corrine, Utah and home by stage coach. A trip to end all time.’ Grandmother told me that she and Grandfather took turns holding the precious music box wrapped in a steamer robe.” 

 Wonderful stories!

Dora (Rusch) Lehsou, Anna (Rusch) and Charles Kroger, John Lehsou

Munis (Munesi)

South of the Mungas ranch on East Fork Road was located their cousin’s ranch owned by George and Annie Munis (Munesi) (Unknown when the spelling changed). The November 1, 1912 Mail, listed registered voters of Granite county with George Munesi living at Sec. 24, T5N, R15W. 

Born in 1881 in Yugoslavia, he came to America in 1900 and moved to Philipsburg in 1903. The homestead was taken up in 1910 and he married Anna in 1912. 

Annie and George (Joe) Munis 1912

Born to Annie and George were Nick, John, George, Mitchell and Robert. George’s (often known by Joe), headstone in the Philipsburg cemetery states George Joe Munis. 

Annie Parich (Perish, Perich) born 1887 in Yugoslavia came to the Flint Creek valley in 1912 when she married George and moved to the homestead. She lived there continuously with sons George and Robert after becoming a widow, until her death in 1954, at the age of sixty-seven. 

Their son Nick, born in 1913, was under-sheriff for Bryan Hynes beginning in 1946. He continued the position when Fritz Lueck was elected to the Sheriff office and when Fritz left the office Nick was acting sheriff until the 1954 election. He won the election and served as Sheriff until he retired in 1980. Prior to under-sheriff, Nick worked on the family ranch, logged, worked the Sapphire Mines, the Anaconda Smelter and the East Fork Dam Project. He held the Philipsburg Chief of Police position and resigned as of February 1, 1953. Apparently, he was filling the job of under-sheriff and chief of police at the same time. Nick lived on the Mitchell Munis ranch after he retired until his health forced him to move to the Granite County Memorial Nursing Home. He was an active member of the Flint Creek Masonic Lodge and The Montana Law Enforcement Association. He died at the Nursing Home July 10, 1996. 

Robert (Bob), born in 1931, worked for eighteen years for the Granite County Road Department and then ranched with his brother George. He died at the age of fifty-three, in 1985 from a motor vehicle accident at the junction of Highway 38 and what is now Highway One. 

John, born in 1914 married Bessie Terkla in 1937 and went to work in the local mines. On January 18, 1944, John enlisted in the Army and served during WWII until 1945. In 1947, John and Bessie bought the Miller ranch located just off the Skalkaho Highway in Section 5 and he ranched there until his death in 1994. He was a member of the Maxville Veteran of Foreign Wars and served on the Philipsburg School Board. Survivors were: wife Bessie; sons John and wife Peggy (Mungas) of Billings and Michael and wife Nancy of Manhattan; grandchildren Dr. James Munis of Boston and Bonnie Sue of Concord, New Hampshire and five great grandchildren; Bessie continued living in Philipsburg until her death on December 18, 2002. 

Mitchell, born in 1917 began to learn the trade of raising purebred Hereford cattle at a Wyoming Hereford ranch at the age of seventeen. Next he was herdsman at the ranch of Governor Dan Thornton of Gunnison, Colorado. He was drafted into the Army in 1942 and discharged after serving in France, North Africa and Germany in 1945. Mitchell returned to the cattle business in Colorado and Wyoming, being involved in the first sale of a $100,000 bull at the Baca Grant Ranch disperser sale. He married Rosalie Moore ( a telephone operator) in Gunnison, Colorado in 1953. 

They moved back to Philipsburg in 1956 and leased then, bought the Ed Heimark ranch in 1959. They had two children: William and Betty (New). Mitchell died in Missoula at St. Patrick’s Hospital in 2001. 

Mitchell and Rosalie’s son William “Bill” (1955) graduated from Montana State University with a degree in Agriculture Mechanic and died at the age of fifty at St. Patrick’s Hospital in Missoula in 2006. Survivors were: his mother Rosalie and sister Betty New of Boise, Idaho. Rosalie lived in assisted living near her daughter Betty in Boise her final year and died in 2016. 

George born in 1916 spent his entire life on the ranch, except for WWII. He was as a sharpshooter from 1941 to 1945 with the 18th Infantry Brigade, Company F and earned the combat Infantryman’s Badge. He was wounded, received a Purple Heart and was discharged with the rank of Sgt. George married Mary Diane Sward in 1957 and they had: Brian, Joe, David, Stephen and Jennifer. They later divorced. The ranch specialized in registered Herefords and Black Angus cattle. George died in the same house he was born in at the age of ninety in 2006.. 

The fourth generation of Munis families continue to manage the ranches.

Who was the Mungas Hill and Willow Creek Mungas Named After

Mike Mungas circa 1914

One family instrumental in the development of the Trout creek area was Mungas. Water was the life blood of ranching and the following article in the Mail October 15, 1937 discussed the long standing battle waged to protect what was needed to ranch effectively: “A complaint, praying for the adjudication of the water of the East Fork of Rock Creek, was filed in the District Court on October 9th . Rock Creek Ditch and Flume Company, a corporation, John Hickey, George Munesi, Mitchell Mungas and George Mungas are named as plaintiffs and The Flint Creek Water User’s Association, State Water Conservation Board et al are named as defendants. The complaint alleges that plaintiffs appropriated 1000 miners inches equivalent to a flow of 25 cubic feet of water per second, on or about July 18, 1910. …plaintiffs were denied the right to transport their irrigation water through the canal and water system constructed by the defendants as provided for in an agreement.” As you can see by the date the issue started about 1910 and when the law suit was filed in 1937 this action was long lived and ended up with most of the Trout and Flint Creek valley involved in the action, making water a very contentious and precious product. 

The very first settlement I found regarding water rights was in 1905 and pertained to the rights in Flint Creek. The suit was by the Montana Water, Electric Power and Mining Company versus Mary Schuh et al. This suit was settled in the circuit court of Helena and published on the October 6, 1905 issue of the Mail. The settlement gave the power company 1200 miners inches of water and “that on average one and one-half inches of water per acre is ample and sufficient to properly irrigate the said lands of the defendants.” The East Fork water issue was thought solved in an item published in the June 12, 1914 Mail with the headline “Water from Rock Creek is now flowing over the divide.” The article stated: “Water from East Fork of Rock Creek is now flowing through the Mungas ditch and down the Trout Creek slope toward Flint Creek… With irrigation the fertile bench lands of this section will become the most productive in Granite County. The idea of bringing the water from the East Fork of Rock Creek over the divide to irrigate thousands of acres along the Trout Creek is not a new one. Such a project was planned and surveys made more than twenty years ago. But the cost of the enterprise proved a barrier; it was more than most of the ranchers could afford to put into an irrigation scheme. Finally M. Mungas became interested and to his enterprise and persistent effort is due the successful completion of the project. It makes intensified farming in the Trout Creek district a possibility and in a few years will bring a complete transformation to the upper valley. While the cost of the big ditch has been a small fortune its value to the district is inestimable. Mr. Mungas has earned distinction as an empire builder. 

I am not certain when Mungas located on East Fork. Reference in the Mail November 5, 1909 stated “W.B. Ritz who worked at the Mungas saw mill in Sluice Gulch was brought to town with his left hand so badly lacerated it had to be amputated.” Sluice Gulch is located north of Antelope Gulch in Township 6, so was a number of miles north of the Mungas homestead. Mike Mungas made homestead entry No. 05516 on N½,S½ section 12 Township 5, North, Range 15 West, on October 20, 1914 and his Notice of Publication was March 8- April 15, 1918 in the Mail. Witnesses were: John Hickey, William Carey, George Carey and Axel Sandin. 

According to Michael’s obituary, he was born in Dubrave, Yugoslavia March 17, 1858 and immigrated to the United States in 1888, Michael first settled in West Virginia where he worked in the coal mines for about one year then returned to Yugoslavia. In 1895 he returned to the United States and was employed at the Anaconda Reduction Works for a few months before he came to the Philipsburg area where he was employed at cutting stulls for “a number of years.” Then Michael became a prosperous rancher in 1912 on upper Trout Creek. Michael died in St. Ann’s Hospital in Anaconda on March 14, 1944 just three days before his eighty-sixth birthday. Survivors were: widow Mrs. Christine (Boja) Mungas, sons George and Mitchell and grandson George M. Jr., who all lived on the home ranch. Mike’s wife Christine (Boja) Mungas died in 1947 and is buried next to him.
                               
                                         "Zatesalo is Much Too Cumbersome"
In 1890 twenty three year old George Zatesalo left his wife Mary and infant son Peter in Yugoslavia to find a better life in America. He arrived in New York, then went to relatives in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania where he began work in the steel mills. George worked across the country until he arrived in Anaconda, Montana and worked for the smelter. At an unknown date he started working for Mike Mungas and on March 17, 1913 a 160 acre homestead on upper Willow Creek was recorded for George Zatesalo Mungas. Mike had told George that “Zatesalo was much too cumbersome” and suggested George change his last name to Mungas (Anne Luthje, “Upper Willow Creek”).

George built a two room log cabin on his homestead and sent for wife Mary and now seventeen year-old son Peter. Within the first year after arrival Mary gave birth to a daughter named Emma. Life was hard but the family never gave up. Peter worked at home and on the other ranches helping put up hay and calving. In his thirties he met a young seventeen year old girl through a friend in Anaconda. Anjah (Angela) Kosanovich immigrated from “the old country” at the age of sixteen.

Mary, Emma George and Peter (standing) Zatesalo Mungas

Anjah and Peter married and had two son’s: George (1922) and Peter (1924).  Father George was involved in a wagon roll over and his team went on to the Luthje ranch without a driver. Henry Luthje found George lying in rocks with a broken hip. George refused care and was crippled the rest of his life. Mary died of pancreatic cancer in 1936 at the age of sixty-nine. Grandson Peter was run over by a vehicle in India, while serving in World War II and died July 4th, 1945 and Grandpa George died later that year of prostate cancer.

After the Spring Creek School house was moved to Willow Creek on 1.7 acres George had provided, the school teachers boarded at the Mungas ranch. That is how young George fell in love with Miss Dorothy McGrath and married her. Born to this marriage was Peggy (1943), James (1944). Bob (1947) and Dan( 1952).

Emma completed teacher’s college and taught in a rural school west of Kalispell. She died in 1981 and is buried next to her husband in Kalispell. Anjah died in 1955; Peter died in 1970.

While George ran the family ranch, Dorothy taught school in Philipsburg for many years. In 1973, George and Dorothy sold the ranch. Peggy married John Munis; Bob married Andrea; Dan became a Doctor and married Theresa; James became a Doctor and married Carol. James died from ALS January 2011 in Great Falls. Dorothy and George died December 2008-January 2009.

And that is how there became the Mungas Hill and Willow Creek Mungas’s.

Now back to the second generation living on Mungas Hill: It is apparent the monetary aspect of the Mungas ranch was being managed by the son prior to Michaels death as taxes for George M. Mungas for the year 1927 were $637.38. George was president of the Montana Stock Growers Association; a legislative assembly delegate from Granite County in 1937; Secretary of the Rock Creek Grazing Association; a charter member of the National Cowboy Hall of Fame; a member of the Montana State College Experiment Station Advisory Board; director of the Deer Lodge Bank and Trust; school board member; Granite County chairman of the U.S. Savings Bond program; State Legislative Representative for Granite county in 1937; a member of the Masonic Lodge and Shrine; a lifetime member of the Rotary and attended the Episcopal Church.

George born in 1888 in Austria, died September 13, 1976 at St. Patrick’s Hospital in Missoula. Survivors were: wife Margaret, son and wife: Mr. and Mrs. George M. Mungas Jr.; three grandchildren: Michael, Mona Gaye and Craig and cousins: Nick, John, George, Mitchell and Robert Munis.

Mitchell Mungas, made homestead entry No. 05517 on October 20, 1914 at the age of 21. Mitchell was a member of the Flint Creek AF&AM. Born on October 15, 1893 he died on March 25, 1970 of a heart attack.

George and Margaret’s son George M. Mungas Jr., born November 4, 1943 took over the 2T Ranch after his father died in 1976. He attended University of Montana and studied Business Administration. After serving in the Army, George returned to the ranch and married Dana Skoglund in 1964. They had Mike and Mona, then divorced and George married Sharon Barkell in 1975. Craig and Joe were born to this marriage.

George and Sharon started The Mungas Company in 1981 and built a thriving business in mine reclamation and construction. George died May 16, 2006. The family continues to manage the property and business. 

The T.R. Hess Family

T.R. Hess and Rebecca holding 9 month old "Bus"

Theodore Raymond Hess (Known as T.R.) was born in Pennsylvania in 1844 and joined the Union Army at the beginning of the Civil War. His Battalion was sent out west to fight the Indian uprising. The story goes that during a losing skirmish he sighted an Indian scout and squaw within rifle range and shot the scout. He could not find it in himself to shoot the squaw. When he turned away to look for the remainder of his troop the Squaw shot him in the hip with an arrow. Narrowly escaping, T.R. found what was left of his troop that had been cut off from the main body of soldiers. After spending four days without food some one found an antelope and killed it. When reunited with the other Union Soldiers, Hess’ hip was determined to be a permanent injury and he was discharged from the service at Denver, Colorado. 

Hess married Rebecca Shortly, (born in Canada in 1852) and before leaving Colorado they had two children: Celestia (1871) and George (1872). They first lived in Deer Lodge. Laura (1874) was born at the Griffin Place near Drummond. Then, Margaret (1878), Mabel (1880), Delia (1882), Clara (1884), Benjamin (1886), Charlie (1890), Raymond (1893), and Rebecca (1895) were all born at Pioneer where T.R. operated a saloon. 

I found where Charlie died on June 29, 1907 at the age of seventeen in St. Joseph Hospital at Deer Lodge from Diptheria while working on a railroad construction crew at Gold Creek. During this epidemic Margaret, Delia, Clara and Benjamin also lost their lives. 

Laura married Joseph John Kau and had three children: Clayton, Margaret and Walter. Then in 1902 married Robert McDonel in Philipsburg and had Robert Jr. Laura died after a short illness September 26, 1912 and is buried in the Philipsburg cemetery. 

In 1910, T.R. Hess homesteaded on Trout Creek just north of East Fork. During those years he delivered potatoes around the area in a buckboard pulled by an oxen team. In later years T.R. and Rebecca moved to a homestead near Superior. T.R. died in 1926 at Missoula at the age of 82, while walking into the hospital. Rebecca died at her daughter Beck’s home, on the Sandin Ranch on Ross’ Fork, September 20, 1927 at the age of 74. They are both buried in the Missoula Cemetery. 

Ray Hess married Cecil Henthorn and they settled in Superior. When Cecil died from peritonitis nine months after the birth of their only child, Ray and baby “Bus” came to the Ross’ Fork to live with sister Beck on the Sandin ranch. Ray died at the age of forty in December 1933. His son, Bus was only a small boy, with the memories sometimes vague about his father‘s death. He thought his dad died in 1934 because they had a five year lease (1929-1934) on the Stephens ranch and reservoir and he remembers removing all the belongings from the ranch and driving the cows to market prior to his father’s death. Thus, he believed the 1934 death date. The headstone in the Philipsburg cemetery has that date. Ray’s correct death date is December 16, 1933. The article in the Mail, December 22, 1933 described in great detail Ray’s death. 

George married Amy (Simert) and they had Celia, Walter, Lavina and Mona. A double ring wedding ceremony in Missoula was announced in the Philipsburg Mail for Lavina and Celia on January 9, 1920. Lavina married Clyde Wyman and Celia married William Busick. Lavina’s marriage must have been short lived as the family records show her married to Anton Thrasher. George lived a good life until his death June 22, 1972. 

Mabel was married to Fred Russell and had Winnifred (who died at the age of four years), Ted and “Sis”. She later married and divorced a Mr. Goldsby. Mabel died in Little Rock Arkansas. 

Beck Hess sitting and Frankie Porter standing

Rebecca, always known as Beck attended school in Deer Lodge (with Frankie Porter [Merrifield]) and married Ole Sandin on March 1, 1914. They ultimately ended up the sole owners of the Sandin ranch. To this marriage was born Winnifred (Fet) 1917 and Mary 1919. Ole born in 1890 died in Seattle in 1946. Beck married Robert Kaiser and they supervised the running of the ranch while living in Philipsburg. Beck died at the Granite County Hospital April 27, 1972 at the age of seventy-six. “Fet” married my Uncle Walt Bentz for a short time and then married my widowed Uncle-in-law Harvey Bauer after he returned from World War II. They have a daughter Karen. She married Tom Gresch and have a home on the original Sandin property at the base of Riva Ridge on the Middle Fork in Eagle Canyon. 

When Bus' mother, Cecil Henthorn Hess went into labor the family traveled by train from Superior to the Missoula hospital. Bus was known as the ambulance baby because he was born during her transfer from the train depot to the hospital. Cecil, the wife of Raymond was only seventeen when she died of peritonitis in Missoula, Montana according to her obituary in The Missoulian December 10, 1922. Bus was only nine months old when she died. Cecil is buried in Superior, Montana. After her death, Ray and Bus moved from Superior to Granite County to live with the Ole Sandin family. 

Ole’s wife Beck (Hess) and Ray were two of the eleven children born to the early Pioneer and Trout Creek settlers, Theodore R. and Rebecca (Shortley) Hess. In 1934 after Ray died, Bus spent the majority of his time either with the Bentz family or “old timers” such as Oscar Gasper and Price Townsend. He earned his keep by helping them with their trap lines and gathering winter wood. He said he would return to the Sandin ranch when he needed a change of clothes as he continued to be conflicted by his father's death. Oscar may have been running around with Fred Splitt about that time as an article in the Mail on June 8, 1927 stated Fred Splitt and Oscar Gasper were business visitors in town from Rock Creek. Bus Hess influenced by his two female cousins, Winifred (Fet) and Mary Sandin attended all four years at Granite County High School in Philipsburg. But due to flunking English in his senior year, he did not graduate. Bus did not return to school in the fall to repeat the English class for Mrs. Dora Penington because he had a job at the MacDonald Mine in McKay Gulch. 

When World War II broke out Bus joined the Coast Guard and served his time in the Pacific Northwest. An article found in the Mail, July 14, 1942 stated Bus won first place in a Rodeo while in his service uniform. I was able to illicit the following account from the cowboy. While Bus and a friend were hitch hiking to Portland from Astoria, Oregon, where they was stationed, the servicemen saw a sign about a rodeo in Hillsboro, Oregon. The friend suggested that Bus compete in the rodeo. All the money Bus had was $20.00, the cost of the entry fee. The friend assured him he had enough money for the two to get a room, eat and buy drinks so Bus paid the entrance fee and attended the first day of the rodeo. Realizing they had to be back to base or be AWOL they hitch hiked back to Astoria and told the commander the rodeo was continuing through the next few days. The commander said as long as he did not see anything, no one knew what was going on, but Bus must perform his nightly watch. Bus agreed and found another friend with a car so they did not have to hitch hike to the rodeo every day. Bus feared he would draw a horse that was difficult to ride and sure enough that was the horse drawn. He used all his knowledge learned at home on the ranch and stayed on the horse and won first place. This amounted to a purse of $80.00 and another $114.00 for the rider with the most total points for the rodeo. For someone spending their last $20.00 for the entry fee he was a rich man after that Fourth of July weekend and as stated in the paper: “…the only rider in uniform and as a result was the most cheered and popular rider of the rodeo.” 

During a leave in Snohomish, Washington, Bus was introduced to Grace Johnson a friend of the wife of another serviceman and married her on May 10, 1946. After their marriage they lived on and worked the Sandin Ranch until 1975. The Sandin daughter’s gave Bus and Grace fifteen acres on the north side of the Middle Fork in Eagle Canyon and there a home was built. The summer of 1976 the Sandin ranch was sold. Bus and Grace were employed with Gem Mountain Mining Company at the Sapphire Mines on West Fork until they divorced in 1991 and Bus continued working there until 1994. Born to this marriage were two boys: Robert on June 2, 1948, and James on May 16, 1950. I worked as flunky to the cook and babysitter for the Hess family at the age of ten. After the hay was put up Bus and Grace took a vacation to Seattle and I stayed with the boys on the ranch. 

As the Hess boys grew up they lived the life familiar to all of us on the Forks of Rock Creek: fresh air, hard work and lots of freedom to explore the scenery. Bus and my Dad, Harry Bentz had a trap line as kids from Medicine Lake to Moose Lake and Bus continued exploring the area by fixing up a cabin at Zeke’s Meadow, where his boys and grandkids spent leisure time. 

Jim married Delvera Vose and they had three children: Ray, Becky Jo and Chad. 

When Bob returned from the Vietnam War he married Linn Sorenson and they had two children: Jake and Tracy. Property from the Sandin ranch and next to Bus in Eagle Canyon was sold to Jimmy and Bobby and homes were built for their families. Bobby sold his property and moved to Yamhill, Oregon where his family has a car restoration business. Grace originally moved to Missoula. She has now returned to Philipsburg and lives an independent life at the age of 92. 

Bus continued to live on his property in Eagle Canyon. In the early 2000’s Bus needed a shoulder replacement but did not want to leave his dog and cat: Cubby and Festus while recovering. I agreed to stay with Bus during his recovery. I had realized after my father died that all of their stories needed to be written down, so spent the time listening and questioning Bus about the old timers and taking notes. 

The following is one of those stories: Dad and Bus were about 15 and 16 and working their trap line from Medicine to Moose Lake. The snow was exceptionally deep as they snow shoed along near Fox Peak. Dad was carrying a rifle and Bus his pistol with a hair trigger. Suddenly ahead of them appeared a Cow and two young Bull Moose walking in their snow shoe trail. The cow demanding the boys give up the trail charged them. Dad’s rifle jammed and Bus threw him the pistol which went off in the air just missing Bus’s arm. The shot dad took with it blew up a little dust on a now really mad Cow Moose. The next thing Bus remembers is Dad buried in snow where he jumped off the trail and Bus in the top of a tree that he had climbed with snow shoes on. The Cow and Bulls were continuing on down the snow shoe trail. 

Another story was about Harry Smith and “Crab Apple” Jack Carico. They lived on the property in Eagle Canyon later owned by Fred Split then Emily (McClain) Lyon. Ole Sandin and his brothers Bill, Jack (Louis) and Axel asked Crab Apple to milk the cows and feed the horses and chickens so the young men could go to town for a little R and R. After the first day in town Ole became nervous and on the second day took off back to the ranch to check things out. When he arrived at the ranch no chores had been done and the cows were voicing their discomfort for lack of being milked. After taking care of the animals, Ole took off over Riva Ridge to see what was the matter with Crab Apple. As Ole neared the top of the ridge he could hear gun shots and rushed to aid the victims. What came into view was Crab Apple and Harry, hanging off the side of their horses and firing their guns at each other under the horses necks. They were very drunk and re-fighting the Civil War, as Crab Apple was from the South and Harry was a Yankee. It took some care for Ole to get the war stopped. One bullet came close and lodged in the saddle swell. Crab Apple was well known for having a moon shine still and they had been in the brew before the battle began. 

Bus was fortunate to have his grandson Ray with wife Debbie (Dauenhauer) and great grandson, Kane, living next door. They are active in Real Estate and Education. Plus, Ray continues the Zeke Meadow lifestyle. Granddaughter, Becky Joe Metesh, assisted him with doctor visits and long drives. Grandson Chad bought the property from grandpa. He and wife Andrea now have a son Casen and live in the Hess house. Jimmy built a log home on his property and lives there when he is home from his work as a logger. 

Bus died April 5, 2011 in a Missoula Hospital at the age of 89. The sixth generation is continuing their contributions to Granite County as Kane Hess and Sierra Metesh graduated from High School with exemplary standing in sports and honors. Avery and Preston Metesh and Casen Hess will follow in their footsteps.

Before the Ranch at Rock Creek

Ray Ham riding Major at the Eagle Canyon Ranch (1940's)

Anna and Frank “Sandbar” Brown moved into Philipsburg sometime after September 3, 1910 when Minnie their youngest daughter, married John Werning, at the Brown ranch. John and Minnie spent their honeymoon camping at Moose Lake, then began actively running the ranch. 

The property was the first ranch located on the west side of the Upper Rock Creek Road at Brown’s gulch. When I was growing up, the first property on the east side of Rock Creek Road was referred to as the Grover Bowles place. I found a reference in the Mail on January 11, 1918 stating “G. Bowles in from Rock Creek Sunday to make a homestead entry. Then, “Mr. and Mrs. Norman Thoreson, Mr. and Mrs. Grover Bowles and Mr. and Mrs. John Werning were in from their respective ranches on Rock Creek last Friday evening to attend the dance given by the local post of the American legion” on February 13, 1920. Next is an article: “Born to Mr. And Mrs. Grover Bowles on Thursday July 8th at their home on Rock Creek a daughter” July 9, 1920 and as late as October 14, 1921 the Mail stated “Mr. and Mrs. Grover Bowles were visitors in the city Thursday from their ranch on Rock Creek.” 

In the book “Horses and Saddles I have Known” Ray Ham stated when he first worked on the ranch in 1939 the ranch belonged to Faye LeGrow. Faye was a banker in Athena, Oregon and an active promoter of the Pendleton Roundup. Grover Bowles (Faye’s brother-in-law) was the ranch boss with his wife Hazel. Grover and Hazel had a drinking problem and Grover was troubled with emphysema. His health rapidly failed in the fall of 1940 and Grover died on May 15, 1941 in St. Ann’s Hospital. The obituary stated he was born in Walla-Walla on April 3, 1887 and came to Rock Creek as a young man. Survivors were: wife Hazel, daughter Sarah Jane, mother Mrs. Sarah Jane Bowles and sister Mrs. F.S. LeGrow. 

During this period the Brown/Werning ranch was absorbed into the Eagle Canyon Ranch. Ray quit the ranch before the Pendleton Round-up in the fall of 1940. This was right after he married Hazel Dennis a local Philipsburg girl. After the rodeo season was over and the peas in Oregon harvested the next summer they returned to Montana. Ray worked a very short stint in the Mines in Butte. Then they returned to Granite county and worked the Hickey ranch where Ray broke horses in the winter of 1941. When the job ran out he and Hazel returned to Athena, Washington to work the pea harvest and then to ride in the Cheyenne Rodeo. When they returned to Athena after the rodeo, Faye LeGrow asked Ray if he would run the Rock Creek Ranch. A lease deal was set up where Ray got half of the calf crop but could not keep any of his stock on the ranch. 

Ray had a dog named Rowdy who was not a cow dog but loved to chase coyotes and would come running to Ray with a coyote chasing him on both sides for Ray to shoot . All Ray had to do to get Rowdy’s attention was holler “Coyotes” and he was right there. By 1942 the ranch was a lot more than a homestead. Ray described the ranch as 6,500 deeded acres, running 400 head of cattle. They pastured the cattle on Forest Service land in the summer. The ranch had fifty head of horses and put up 400 ton of hay. This is how I remember it when my Dad worked the ranch for a short time after Ray left in 1946. 

By 1956, Ray and Hazel Ham had settled in the Spokane area with their two sons: Jay and Dee. Hazel died in 2002 and Ray died in 2004. 

Bill and Jewell Ball were the next ranch managers until it was bought by K. L. Staninger, known as “Bucko”. His wife Beatrice (Beah) was the sister of Helen Paige, wife of B.G. Paige and mother of Ron and Gail. Bucko died in 1978 and Beatrice died at the age of eighty, in 1996 at Missoula. Her obituary stated they had owned the Eagle Canyon Ranch. 

My brother (Corky) broke a pony named “Blue Boy” for Bucko. He was one mean animal! Dennis Strand bought the ranch from Staninger then Strand sold the ranch about 2001 to a Mr. Watson. In turn, Watson sold the place in about 2007. Now a resort, “The Ranch at Rock Creek” is no longer a working cattle ranch. They have become a leading employer of Granite county, servicing visitors coming to the area for a western experience.

Amerine: The man and the mountain

Mt. Amerine June 2019 photo by Tom Gresch

The most prominent landmark on the western side of Granite County is Mount Amerine of the Sapphire Range. Current maps name the mountain Mt. Emerine. The same peak was called Mt. Baldy when Nez Perce Jones made his escape from the Indian renegades in 1878. 

Mount Amerine and the currently named Emerine Gulch on the north side of the West Fork, were named after a miner-rancher that settled in the area. This fact is documented by frequent mention made over the years in The Mail of E. (Erastus) Amerine such as “He traveled to Philipsburg to do business from his mine and expected to have his mill operating by spring (December 2, 1898 Mail). 

Erastus was kicked by his horse and had recovered enough to return to his mine according to the July 13, 1900 news. He had been in town and returned to his ranch on the West Fork of Rock Creek stated the November 1, 1901 and the January 10, 1902 Mail. Erastus’ name was among many on a petition to appoint Nicholas Connolly as Justice of the Peace in the Citizen Call October 4, 1893. All these articles verified he was established in the area in the 1890’s and left the area in 1910. 

Erastus sold his ranch to George C. Downing of Anaconda the week of May 13, 1910 for $6,100.00 in cash. The parties met in Philipsburg on Tuesday where the deal closed. The price included all the property, stock, wagons, tack and farm implements. The article stated Amerine had lived for seventeen years on the ranch and mining claim meaning he settled there in 1893. 

Local recollections establish the hay and pasture were used by American Gem Mining Syndicate. Also, the Hans Luthje family lived there while referring to it as the “Werning Place.” John Werning worked for The American Gem Mining Company and they probably leased the ranch from Downing prior to him selling it to Walt and Anne Sanders in 1938. As early as 1901 Erastus sold fourteen head of beef at an average of $40.00 per head. The cattle brand was capital A over a bar. But there is no record of the brand registered with the Montana Stock Growers Association.

On January 10, 1902 the Mail stated a son of E. Amerine, after not seeing his father in twenty years, arrived from Illinois and planned to stay for a month. Through the next years are news comments regarding deterioration of his ability to hear and finally that he was going to Illinois to see if the doctors there could help him. According to his obituary, after Amerine sold the ranch to George C. Downing, he spent time in California and returned to Philipsburg in the fall of 1910. 

Before Christmas of 1910 Erastus left to visit his son Bainter. On, June 30, 1911 The Mail received a letter from Bainter which stated Erastus had experienced improvement in his health and traveled to Hamilton, Illinois in search of investments where Bainter joined him on July 19. The news article continued with the following details: As they arrived at the depot the next morning, Amerine found a concrete platform being erected at the depot and had to go onto the train tracks to get around the construction. An eastbound T. P. and W. Freight train was approaching. Due to the inability to hear, Amerine did not realize a train was near. The engineer, being on the opposite side of the cab, did not see him in time to avoid the accident. Bystanders tried to get his attention, to no avail. The train struck him and the outcome was a severe head injury, amputations of the right leg just below the hip and his arm, at the elbow. He died in the depot waiting room, at the age of sixty-eight. 

Born on January 1, 1843 in Somerset, Ohio Amerine traveled to Montana in 1878. His wife Mrs. (Bainter) Amerine died in 1881. I am unable to find her death notice in the New Northwest, which was the local paper of that period. The obituary stated son Bainter was in Philipsburg to arrange for the funeral and services were to be held after the body was released by the Illinois coroner. Research has failed to reveal a funeral notice or record of Amerine in the Philipsburg cemetery. 

The Mount Amerine (Emerine) Look-out was built during the summer of 1920 and “was thirty feet high with a small room on top which would furnish living quarters for the vigilant guard who had command of hundreds of miles of forest which are endangered by forest fires.” I made many trips horseback up the trail to the look-out as a youngster.

                                                    Amerine Lookout at an unknown date.