Why Wilma : Thomas Parks

When you drive west on the Skalkaho Highway over the Mungas Hill and down Trail Gulch to the valley, you arrive at the original Parks homestead. The house and barn were located on the left (south) side of the road just as you come out of the gulch.. The ranch was settled by Thomas and Mary (Wight) Parks in 1902. 

News articles state Catherine Wight was Tom’s sister. Research shows all of Catherine’s children listing her maiden name as Haeger and I now realize that Tom married Catherine’s sister-in-law. Because all of the ranchers from East Fork, Middle Fork, Ross’ Fork and West Fork, had to travel to Philipsburg to pick up their mail, Tom petitioned for and became a postmaster. He named his post-office Wilma and located the log building on the north side of the current Highway 38, in the box draw just west of the mouth of Trail Gulch. 

The post office was short lived and served from 1903 to 1905. The reason why he named the area Wilma obviously was left for us to ponder. I found where the Post Office Department was advertising for bids for carrying the mail from Philipsburg to Wilma a distance of eighteen miles twice a week in the August 11, 1905 Mail. The term for carrying the mail was from September 19, 1905 to June 1906. The schedule would be: leave Wilma Tuesday and Saturday at 7 a.m. and arrive in Philipsburg at noon. Leave Philipsburg at 1 p.m. on Tuesday and Saturday and arrive at Wilma at 6 p.m. A bond of $4,800 would be required for each person bidding. Since the Post Office closed in 1905 one has to assume that there were no bids for the contract from September to June 1906. 

Tom was very active in Granite County and ran on the Democratic ticket for state representative in November 1908. He received a total of 381 votes; Hanifen received 455; George Maywood received 311; and Hugh T. Cumming the republican won the office with 488 votes. 

Tom was born in Clayborn County, Tennessee on July 29, 1846 and married Miss Mary A. Wight on his birthday in 1880. Two years later they moved to Montana and located on a ranch near Stone Station. They lived at Stone for ten years then homesteaded the property on East Fork. Tom died July 29, 1923 after suffering a stroke while he tended to the ranch irrigation. At the time, Tom and Mary were living in town and motored out to the ranch where he went to work on the irrigation ditches. When he failed to return to the ranch house at the expected time, Mary became alarmed and notified their daughter, Mrs. William (Lala Parks) Carey. She lived on the adjoining ranch just west of her parents. Tom was found on his side in a small irrigation ditch. He was unable to speak but conscious. A physician was summoned and the stricken man was brought to the family home in South Philipsburg. All measures were used to save his life, but were unsuccessful. 

Tom died on his seventy-seventh birthday and forty-third wedding anniversary. Survivors were his wife and two daughters: Mrs. William (Lala) Carey of the adjoining ranch and Mrs. Paul (Nellie Parks Hickey) Neal of Sandpoint, Idaho. The funeral was held at the family home in South Philipsburg on August 1. Rev. W.H. Calvert of Wibaux, Montana officiated. Pallbearers were: C.E. Kennedy, Claude Russell, Vatis Page, A.J. Murray, Dr. W.I. Power and Robert McDonel with internment in the Philipsburg Cemetery. 

Tom’s widow Mary A. Parks was buried next to him when she died in 1934. After leaving the ranch Mary resided at the home in Philipsburg until infirmities forced her to move to her daughter Nellie’s home in Sand Point, Idaho. Nellie was the widow of James Hickey who with his brother owned the Hickey ranch on Mungas Hill. Mary died in Sandpoint on September 30, 1934. Survivors were: daughters Lala Carey and Nellie Neal; nine grandchildren and one great grandchild (not named in the obituary) and sister-in-law Mrs. Catherine Wight. The funeral was held from the family home in Parkerville on October 2. Rev. Smith performed the service. Pallbearers were: Vatis Page, John Murray, C.E. Kennedy, Frank Richards, S.R. Seelos and Olaf Sandin. 

Thomas McLeary Parks (Photo from Joel Christensen Collection)

The Parks homestead ranch was bought by the Allen Webb family after Tom’s death in 1923. After Webb sold the ranch to step-daughter Annie (McCale) and Walt Sanders in 1948, the log post-office was moved across the road to the ranch and remained as a bunkhouse. The ranch house had been rebuilt and burned down in 1934. Neighbors helped rebuild it and that house was demolished a few years ago. At that time the log post-office was still standing. This property is owned by the same people that own the original Sandin ranch so no one lives on the homestead.

Spanish Influenza: Same song second verse?

Emergency Regulations providing for, among other things, the closing of schools, theaters and places of public amusement and prohibiting public gatherings upon the outbreak of influenza in any Montana community were promulgated Monday October 10, 1918, by Secretary W.F,. Cogswell of the State Board of Health. Governor Stewart and Attorney General Ford approved of the regulations stated Helena newspapers. 

The Philipsburg Mail announced: “Notice was published that all public places were closed due to the Spanish Influenza. Dr. W.I. Powers naming this an epidemic issued orders that all public places be closed until further notice. The schools were closed October 10th as was the McDonald Theater and the order also affected the churches"

The Mail goes on to state: “More than 100 cases of the dreaded Spanish influenza has been reported to the Philipsburg Health Officer, (Dr.) W.I. Power since the disease first made it’s appearance and he has issued orders to close all places of meetings, including the schools, churches, and even the public phone exchange…The influenza has already claimed two victims here and it is absolutely necessary that every one take all due caution and use all preventative measures to eradicate this menace to the community. 

“A matter of vital importance” headlined the article October 18th, describing local conditions in reference to the influenza epidemic as extremely serious. The physicians were taxed to the utmost to answer an unusual number of calls for their service and because a dearth of experienced nurses and similar aid it was absolutely necessary that each person co-operate with them in stamping out this disease as rapidly as possible. Strict orders had been given by the Board of Health that congregating for any purpose whatever must stop and the anti-spitting ordinance would be enforced to the letter. Gauze masks were being supplied by the Red Cross chapter and those person’s whose occupation exposed them to influenza were instructed to avail themselves of this article of prevention. For a mask call the Red Cross or Mrs. M.C. Ross. 

Dead from pneumonia was C. Dormet, who had arrived in Philipsburg, from Utah a month before to work in the mill. William Graham of Drummond was rushed to the Missoula hospital, on the evening of the October 17, but died in route. Also, Leland Lacey, who came to Philipsburg, from Hayden Lake, Idaho, about a month ago, became ill a short time ago and died October 17. The ages of these three young men were not given. 

Mrs. John Hickey (Effie May), succumbed to pneumonia on October 14, after an illness of a weeks duration, which began as the Spanish influenza. She was twenty three years old. The influenza epidemic continued and by November 9 had claimed the life of Harry Parfitt Jr., a thirty four year old married man with a ten month old son. Bob Wrightson, died the day of the Mail, publication and the funeral would be planned when word was received from his sister in Salt Lake. Influenza claimed the life of Leslie Bates, of Hall, while being treated in the Missoula hospital. Malcolm McLean died of influenza, in Butte, after moving there from Philipsburg, a short time ago. Services were held in Butte with interment in the Philipsburg cemetery. 

Miles John, infant son of Ralph and Sue (McDonald) Williams, also succumbed to the influenza at the age of two and one half months, October 31.. George J. Egge, aged thirty four years and Mrs. Lucille (Perraut) McClellan, thirty one years old were victims of the influenza and pneumonia the past week. Egge’s body was to be shipped to North Dakota, accompanied by his sister. Mrs. Egge would also accompany the body if she was well enough to travel, according to the Philipsburg Mail, November 22, 1918. 

Two more Granite county residents died by mid November: Twenty seven year old, Hadley Morrison, a rancher in the lower valley who was survived by a wife and two small babies. The other victim was Mrs. Vera Mae (Hughes) Bowles, also twenty seven years of age and the mother of Maxine and Bernard. 

E.P. Rule, of Hall, died from pneumonia secondary to influenza, at the Butte hospital on November 30. His son Elisha was also stricken and his condition continued to be serious. He was survived by his wife, son Elisha age twenty one and daughter Della, age six. 

This pandemic was happening as the world was fighting in World War I, food was rationed, everyone was solicited to meet War Bond Campaign goals and there was no hospital in Granite County. The only difference from the situation today is every able bodied person was ordered to work because all the young men were off fighting the war.

Wight: Valley Pioneer Family

 One of the earliest articles found in the news about the Wight family was in the New Northwest and copied from The Standard April 2, 1897 stating: “Alex Wight of the lower Flint Creek valley is losing about 1,000 sheep a day due to lice. He needs to find new grass to move them to. He has 10,000 sheep and is the largest sheep ranch in this country.” 

The Mail on September 29, 1916 announced that Alex Wight had motored to Missoula in his new Saxon, demonstrating the family was involved with the rest of the population in the automobile craze of the time. 

Alex was born in Beverly, Ohio on October 14, 1842. At the age of 21 he came to Montana as an employee of Andrew Davis, who settled in Butte. They drove a herd of loose oxen and cattle as far as Atchison, Kansas then continued on with a wagon train loaded with merchandise to Virginia City. The wagon trip took four months and seven days and ended in Virginia City on August 7, 1864. During the next year Alex worked odd jobs and then took up a claim at Ophir Gulch. After working the claim for two months he sold it for $150 and worked for the owners of the gulch for a few months. Alex then bought an ox team and began teaming, first at Henderson Gulch and then Philipsburg. He had a contract with the Hope Mining Company to haul 600 cord of wood at $3.00 per cord. Alex increased his outfit to seven yoke of oxen and three wagons and made good profits. In 1869 he took his stock to the lower valley for the winter and ended up deciding to stay in the valley and begin raising stock. He lived in the valley continuously for the next 59 years and increased his land holdings until he was the largest land owner in Granite county with a total of 10,000 acres. 

The obituary stated : 

“Wight was a small man about 5 feet 3 inches with broad shoulders and deep blue eyes. He was one of six children. It is said he was a very stylish man in his youth and had many a spinster’s eye on him. When he was 48, he returned to Iowa to visit his parents and met Catherine who was 20 years old. He courted her and wrote to her after returning to Montana. In 1891 Alex returned to Iowa to marry Catherine. Catherine (Haeger) was born in Germany February 6, 1866. Her father was preparing to bring his family to America when he died of smallpox. Her mother left homeless with six children decided to make the journey anyway. Catherine and one of her sister’s grew up on her uncle’s farm, near Wight’s parents. Catherine lived an active life and died at the age of 80.”

 Alex Wight died at his home near Stone May 14, 1928 at the age of 85. At that time, Alex was the president of the Granite Bank of Philipsburg. Survivors were: widow Catherine; sons Francis and Ernest; daughters Mrs. Ruth Hockett and Mrs. Mary Jensen. His funeral was held at the family home near Stone and then at the Methodist Church in Hall with internment at the Valley cemetery.. 

“The funeral procession was one of the largest ever seen in this county and it was estimated that nearly 200 automobiles were in the procession when it reached Hall.”

Alex and Catherine had six children. Ruth Wight Hockett, Eliza [who died at the age of eight from appendicitis in 1901], Francis William, George, Mary Ella Wight Jensen, Ernest and Catherine [who died as an infant September 1907.] Catherine is buried in the Valley cemetery, but there is no record of George’s burial so I assume he was buried in Catherine’s family plot in Iowa. George died of scarlet fever or asthma while they were on a trip to Iowa in 1904. The family returned to their home from Iowa on January 25, 1905 according to the Philipsburg Mail, January 27, 1905. 

Ruth Wight circa 1916

Ruth Wight married S.W. Hockett June 2, 1917 according to the June 8 Philipsburg Mail. Hockett had been the principal of Granite County High School for the past year. Research revealed where they moved with six children from Oskaloosa, Iowa in October, 1934 back to the “old Allan McDonald ranch” near Hall. 

The 1940 Federal Census shows Ruth as head of the household with daughter Carol 17, son Stanley 16 and daughter Walchine ? 13. Research fails to reveal an obituary or death of her husband S.W. 

Ruth, born October 23, 1891 died June 6, 1993 at 101 years in Great Falls and is buried in the Valley Cemetery.

 Keeping with this longevity Ruth's sister, Mary Ella Wight Jensen a life long resident of the lower valley died at the Granite County Nursing Home on May 26, 2011 at the age of 109. Mary provided me with a lot of history from the lower valley when I was writing the" Mettle of Granite County" Books. 

Born on January 14, 1902, at the family ranch near Hall, Mary was their sixth child. She attended a one room school house in Stone for her primary education and boarded with a Philipsburg family to complete Granite County High School. The only time she was ever seriously ill was during a Scarlet Fever epidemic while boarding in Philipsburg and was quarantined “until she was either consumed by the disease or well enough to go home to the ranch to recover.” 

Mary graduated from Granite County High School in 1921 with the class of Dora V. Huffman (Pennington), Humphrey Courtney, Elsie Hauck, Helen M. Kennedy and Matilda Saurer. After high school Mary attended Normal School where she obtained her teaching certificate. She first taught in Nimrod, Montana where there were 5 children in a one room school. Later she taught at Stone and New Chicago with 21 children in a one room school consisting of all eight primary grades. 

Emery and Mary Wight Jensen circa 1926

In 1926, Mary married Emery D. Jensen. They first lived in Philipsburg where Emery worked in Philipsburg and Granite mines. Then they took over one of the three ranches that had been homesteaded by her dad, Alex Wight. After 35 years Mary and Emery turned the main ranch over to her daughter Lois and husband Stewart Hauptman. Mary, Emery and son Wight continued to keep a small herd of cattle and American Standard and Tennessee Walking horses. She had 41 years of married life with Emery before his death in 1967. 

 Emery Jensen was born on September 29, 1897 to Mr. and Mrs. Hans Jensen at Hall. He was educated in Hall. The couple operated the family ranch until he retired and moved into Hall. Emery was a member of the Ruby Lodge in Drummond and a past patron of the Margaret Cumming Chapter of OES 57; a member of the Drummond Kiwanis and the Deer Lodge Shriners. He died at the age of 69 at Hall on September 9, 1967, just short of his 70th birthday and was buried in the Valley cemetery. 

 Mary was an eighty plus year member of the Margaret Cumming Chapter of Eastern Star in Drummond. She rode horse, a four wheeler and snow mobiles until late in her 90’s. She was preceded in death by Emery and her daughter Lois. Survivors were her son Wight; 4 grandchildren: David Hauptman of Drummond, Dwight Hauptman of Alaska, Dan Hauptman of Hall and Ruth Hauptman Linfield of Helena; and 11 great grandchildren: Blake, Ben and Ross Hauptman of Drummond; Mary, Joseph, Gregory and Ben Hauptman of Alaska; Alec, Holly and Logan Hauptman of Hall; and Kelly Wilson of Helena. Funeral services were held at the Hall Methodist Church with burial in the Valley cemetery on May 30th. 

Another siblings of Ruth and Mary was Ernest Wight. He was born April 13, 1903 and married Phyllis Stuart (1910-2000). Their son Mark Wight, born August 4, 1963, died in a motor cycle accident at the age of 19 on July 23, 1983. Ernest died February 6, 1993 just short of his 90th birthday from complications of a gastrointestinal bleed at St. Patrick’s Hospital in Missoula. He was survived by wife Phyllis and daughter Kathryn. Their oldest son William Stuart Wight, married to Carma, had died of cancer in 1984. All of the above are buried in the Valley cemetery. 

The Wight descendants continue to contribute to the history of the lower valley.