Circle A Ranch: Ed Heimark

Ed and Bea Heimark

Edward S. Heimark was born November 19, 1894 at Yellow Medicine County, Minnesota. At the age of fifteen the family moved to Kalispell where they owned a meat market, grocery store and ranch. Ed married Lennie Sykes in 1918. In 1933 the family moved to Philipsburg and bought the Shoblom ranch, which was the original J.D. Kennedy ranch and had also been owned by Featherman prior to Shoblom. The Circle A ranch on Section 13, T 6, R.14 was 2220 acres east of Flint Creek and south of Fred Burr. 

Lennie Elizabeth Heimark, the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. John Sykes of Philipsburg, was born in 1895 in Virginia. She died at the ranch on February 5, 1936 of metastatic cancer. Survivors were: husband Ed, and children: Edmond, Jack, Shirley and Richard; and her parents all of Philipsburg. Lennie’s father, John Willis Sykes died just twenty-four hours after Lennie from cardiac failure. The two bodies were taken to Kalispell for a double funeral. 

On April 13, 1939, Ed married Bea Porter Houghton in Missoula. Bea was born on February 23, 1914 in Eureka, Utah to Esther Mae (Dalton) and James W. Webb. The family moved to Butte when Bea was a small child. When her parents divorced her mother married Joe Porter and she lived the rest of her childhood at Porter’s Corner. Bea graduated from Granite County High School in 1934. She married Elmo Houghton on Christmas eve of 1934. Born to this marriage were Patrick and Elmonda who were both born in Utah. Ed brought his children Edmond, John, Shirley and Richard to the marriage and adopted Pat and Elmonda, making it yours, mine and ours. Ed and Bea then had two sons: David and Daniel. 

During the early 1950’s a new home was built on the Circle A ranch. A community minded citizen, Ed served two terms as a Granite County Commissioner and was a member of the School Board. I found where Ed and Bea attended her father’s funeral in Eureka, Utah. James Webb died at the age of sixty-seven after a long illness. Danny and David accompanied their parents to the funeral according to the June 5, 1953, Mail. T

They leased the ranch to Mitchell and Rosalie Munis in 1955/1956, then in 1959 they sold the ranch to Munis and moved into a new home by the Forest Ranger Station in Philipsburg. Ed died at the age of eighty-six at Granite County Memorial Hospital on October 15, 1981. Survivors were: wife Bea, sons: Jack of Philipsburg, Edmond of Spokane, Richard of Bonners Ferry, Idaho, David of Boise and Pat of Missoula; daughters: Shirley Hight of Vienna, Missouri and Elmonda Carlson of Midvalle, Utah; plus twenty eight grandchildren and sixteen great grandchildren. Allen Bradshaw the branch president of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints performed the funeral service. The grave was dedicated by Pat Heimark. Preceding Ed in death were: sons Jack and Dan, grandson John Heimark and Jerry Merrifield and granddaughter Denise Carlson. Pallbearers were: B.G. Paige, Zane Murfitt, Nick Munis, Bill Metesh, E.R. Winninghoff, and Dave Kesler. 

After Ed died, Bea remained in their home until 1988 when she moved to a retirement Home in Missoula. Bea died on January 13, 1993 in Missoula. She was an active member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. Survivors were: Son Pat and his wife Joan of Missoula, stepsons Edmond of Spokane, Richard of Rockford, Washington; daughter Elmonda Carson of Midvale, Utah; stepdaughter Shirley Hight of Velma, Oklahoma; and sixteen grandchildren and four great grandchildren. She was preceded in death by sons David, Daniel and Jack. 

Their son John E., known as Jack was born December 8, 1919. He was married to Elza Budel on October 26, 1946, according to his obituary and 1947 according to Ancestry. To this marriage was born John and Marilyn. Jack served in the U.S. Army in WWII and died December 1, 1975 of crush injuries to the back and chest when a tree fell on him while logging twenty miles north of Seeley, Montana. 

Edmond (known as young Ed) was born in 1918 and married Shirley Rule March 13, 1942. A son Lee was born to this marriage. Ed, next married Wilma Hunt December 31, 1948. Mrs. Norma Howard, sister of the bride was the maid of honor and Ray Budel was the best man. The wedding was at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Helmer Engrav, sister and brother-in-law of the bride. They had two children Eileen, known as Randy (Baile) and Russell, known as Rusty. Ed was Philipsburg Chief of Police and resigned July 1, 1956. He later moved to Umatilla, Oregon where he died on March 6, 2005.

A Major Horse Ranch: Hickey Brother's

Photo from Ray Ham's Book "Horses and Saddles..."

Another prominent ranch on East Fork was owned by John Hickey and his brother James Hickey. They lived their entire life in Granite County. Parents, James J. and Mary A. Grey Hickey came to Philipsburg in 1874 where John was born on April 26, 1876 and James May 8, 1881. 

There was more than one prominent John Hickey in Granite County, so I will attempt to keep them separate by referring to this John as rancher although he was involved in mining. The other John Hickey was nicknamed “The Rock” and was married to Jane O’Neil, my children’s Great-great-grandmother. 

The mine known to be owned and operated by John was the Moorlight, incorporated in 1918. Known originally as the Kroger-Hickey Leasing Company it became the Moorlight Mining Company in 1916. John was still the president when he died in 1945. The Moorlight, was originally patented by Hickey, Anderson and Williams and later acquired by Taylor and Knapp. Since Kroger was the first name I assume the investment was weighted by his money. John was employed by the Philipsburg Mail from 1889 until 1900. He then began ranching with his brother and specialized as breeder of fine saddle and Belgian work horses. 

Some of the property Hickey’s bought was homesteaded by “Uncle” Jack Hall, who came to Granite County in 1863 and had the first contract to haul wood to the Granite mine. After selling, he moved to Willow Creek where he died of pneumonia October 15, 1915. The ranch, totaled over 6,000 acres and was located in sections 7 and 18, T.5, R.14 W. 

Known for it’s fine line of horses, they owned the black trotting stallion “Diamond” secured in 1906. The following description was in the June 6, 1906 Mail: “…a fine looking, coal black stallion, 5 years old, stands 16 hands high, weighs 1200 pounds and is perfectly proportioned… sired by Bitter Root record 2:18, he by Lord Byron, record 2:17. Bitter Root was bred and raised by Marcus Daly… Diamond was raised at Hamilton and while never raced, has every appearance of speed and staying qualities of his sire.” 

James, married Nellie Parks the second daughter of Thomas and Mary Parks on September 29, 1907, and died on November 15, 1913 after being injured by a falling tree near their ranch home. Aside from a broken leg his injuries did not appear serious at first, and he hoped to be about again in a very short time. But the next day he became unconscious. In addition to the family physician who was in attendance, two physicians from Butte were brought to the ranch. After several consultations it was decided that his condition was due to a blood clot on the brain and that the only hope was a surgical operation. Arrangements were at once made to remove the patient to Butte and it was decided the safest way was was to carry him on a stretcher from the Hickey home to the Strom place on Georgetown Flats where a big automobile was waiting to take him to Butte. The distance from Hickey’s to Strom’s is about six miles across hill and dale. Anyone that has traveled around the south side of Georgetown to the East Fork can attest to that. This arduous task was accomplished with thirty neighbors assisting, who carried James, six men at a time, changing at short intervals. The trip from Strom’s to Butte was made by the machine in one hour. Six surgeons were unable to correct the fractured skull injuries and James died at 720 in the evening without ever regaining consciousness. 

Survivors were: his wife and two children, brothers: John, and Thomas; sister Mrs. W.B. (Maggie) Calhoun; half brothers: W.W. Williams and E.H. Thompson and a half sister, Mrs. Eva Staph, of Alhambra Springs. The funeral took place at the Masonic Hall and the funeral procession “…was one of the longest ever seen in the city.” There were no names of the children in the obituary, but I found this comment from a court reporting, in the March 1, 1918 Mail: “…. estate of James Dale Hickey and Howard Ralph Hickey, annual account.” 

James is buried in a plot next to his mother, Mrs. M.A. Hickey, who does not have a headstone. In the same block but a different lot is another unmarked grave for his father, James Hickey. James’ widow Nellie, then married Paul R. Neal June 25, 1916. Paul was the proprietor of the Montana Grocery and they lived in the Atwater cottage adjoining the Presbyterian Church. They later moved to Spokane, Washington.

After James’ death John was left to run the ranch alone until 1917 when he married Effie Barker on March 18, 1917. She was born at Stevensville April 7, 1895, to Mr. and Mrs. R.N. Barker. Effie and John had a baby boy named John Robert on January 8, 1918 and he lived only one day. Effie died of pneumonia from the Spanish Influenza on October 14, 1918 at the age of twenty-three years. Effie and son are buried in the family plot in the Philipsburg cemetery. Survivors were: John, her parents and three brothers and three sisters. The obituary named her brothers as: J. E. Barker fighting the war in France, Charles working in the Seattle shipyards and Paul living in Stevensville but did not name the sisters.

John Hickey then married Cereta (Rodda) Richards on Thanksgiving Day November 30, 1926. The wedding took place at the James Rodda home on Rock Creek. Witnesses were: Mr. and Mrs. James Rodda.

John Hickey’s taxes for the year 1927 were $137.48, comparable to neighbor C.C. Edwards at $133.84. As a very active member of the community, John was Past Master of Flint Creek Lodge No. 11, A.F. and A.M., a member of the Helena Consistory-Algeria Shrine, The Philipsburg Rotary Club, The Montana Stock Growers Association, and the Mining Association of Montana. He also served one term in the Montana legislature and was active in political affairs in the local community. Newspaper accounts have him winning saddle horse races as early as 1894.

Ray Ham, worked the Hickey ranch breaking horses in the winter 1941/42 and in his book “Horses and Saddles” stated he broke fifty head of saddle and fifty head of work horses that winter. The work horses were broke as follows: Once they could harness them they were hooked up to a bobsled in an alley way then one man would hop in the sled and the other would open the gate and out they would lunge into deep snow. The goal was teaching them to rein so they cut figure eights in the snow. They rode the saddle horses out in the deep snow chasing rabbits. The Army would send out buyers throughout the country looking for certain types of horses; light colors would show up in battle, so were not bought.

Ray Ham on Hickey horse he broke for WWII Remount

John died on September 30, 1945 at the ranch. Survivors were: wife Cereta, brother Thomas of Missoula, sister Mrs. W.B. (Maggie) Calhoun of Seattle. John is interred in the Philipsburg cemetery. In an eulogy the following quote was received from the Mining Association of Montana: “Officers and members of the Mining Association of Montana were shocked and grieved to hear of Mr. Hickey’s death and several of the officers and members attended his funeral. John Hickey took a great interest in the affairs of the Association, having been first vice-president from 1941 to 1943 and president from 1943 to January 1945. At the time of his death he was a member of the important Executive Committee of the Association. Resolution of his death will be drafted by a committee to be appointed by Robert P. Porter of Helena, who succeeded Mr. Hickey as President in January.”

I remember being at the Hickey ranch auction where all the horses were sold after John’s death. During the auction a horse reared and came down with his hoof on a young girls clavicle, lacerating the brachial artery and the girl bleed to death. I have never been able to find any news articles about this accident or the victims name.

The ranch land was bought by the Howard Lord (Section 7) and Ralph Buchanan (Section 18) families. I found where Ralph Buchanan purchased the south half of the Hickey ranch from Dr. McCaffery in November 1949. The families had been land owners in the Geraldine and Fort Benton area prior to buying in Granite county.

Tom Hickey died at his home in Missoula in April, 1949. His was in partnership with brother John and J.C. Harrah during the development of the Moorlight Mining Company. Survivors were: daughter Ruth Thomas; granddaughter Mrs. Frances Peck; and sister Mrs. Maggie Calhoun in Seattle. He is buried in the family plot in Missoula.

The Williams spoken of as an individual on the original Moorlight patent was W.W. Williams a half brother of John Hickey. W.W. Williams died in Los Angeles, California, during the week of March 20, 1925, at his daughter Montana’s home, and his body was returned to Philipsburg for burial. His funeral service was at the Methodist Church with the Mason’s performing the graveside service. He was born fifty-seven years before, in Basin, Montana and had been Secretary-Treasurer and General Manager of the Moorlight Mining Company until two years prior, when he sold out to his partners.