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.