The rest of the Dingwalls, Plus Jack Nelson

           Jack Nelson photo cropped from the Jill Brody Book "Drummond: Ranch Life in the West"

Earl Duncan Dingwall was born on October 22, 1892 in New Chicago and was the only son born to Duncan and Lodema ( Lomeda). He attended schools in Granite county and graduated from Intermountain Union College in Helena, then went into the mercantile business with his father. When Duncan died Earl moved into the ranch home south of Hall and lived there until becoming ill and moving to a house in Drummond. He died at his home in Drummond after being ill for a year according to the February 7, 1936 Philipsburg Mail. An active member of the Masonic Ruby Lodge in Drummond assured him of burial with Masonic rites at the Valley cemetery, after a funeral service performed by Rev. Musket at the Methodist church in Drummond. Survivors were: aunt Mrs. Ella Baker of Rollins; cousins: Freeman Tinklepaugh and Mrs. Vatis (Eva Tinklepaugh) Page of Philipsburg, and cousins: Leona, John, William D. and James Dingwall of New Chicago. 

William and Catherine’s son, William Duncan who was born on October 26, 1881 died October 15, 1943 shortly before his 62nd birthday. He is buried in the Valley cemetery. William’s wife, Catherine died at the age of 86 on April 15, 1945, in Missoula. from pneumonia. She had lived 67 years on the ranch in the Flint Creek valley, before moving with her daughter into the Palace Hotel in Missoula on December 20, 1944. Born at Lawrence, Kansas October 15, 1858, Catherine (Kate) Price crossed the plains three times in her early life and at 18 traveled to Corinne, Utah and then by way of stage arrived in Montana in 1876. She lived both in Deer Lodge and then New Chicago (with aunt Lucy Coberly) until she married William Dingwall on December 20, 1877. Catherine was a member of the Montana Society of Pioneers and the Methodist Church in Drummond. Besides her children Catherine was survived by three brothers and three sisters. 

John Dingwall, the son of Catherine and William, was born on October 18, 1878 and died June 6, 1956 at the age of 76. He is buried at the Valley cemetery. The September 6, 1957 Philipsburg Mail District Court Notes stated: 

“At a session of the District Court on Tuesday September 3, Judge William R. Taylor approved the final account of Leona Dingwall and James A. Dingwall, executors of the estate of John Dingwall, deceased and signed a decree of settlement of said account and distribution of estate. The distributes were Leona Dingwall, James A. Dingwall and John Arthur (Jack) Nelson, each of whom received a one-third of the residue of the estate; the inheritance tax due the state of Montana was fixed at $2,208.10.” 

John Arthur (Jack) Nelson was born to Carl and Johana Peterson on December 5, 1920. Carl had a butcher wagon and sold meat to the ranchers, farmers and miners in the area. They lived on the Nelson place on the edge of New Chicago when Jack was born and then moved to what is now Verlanic’s next to the Dingwall’s. It was then that Jack began working for them and was basically taken under their wing. 

Onita was born to Henry and Ellen Kolbeck Sept.7, 1920 in Hall and began driving as chauffer for Leona Dingwall while in High school. She had met Jack in the first grade at Hall School. At the age of 21 they carved out enough time from their respective ranch chores during haying season and told their parents they were going to attend the State Fair in Great Falls. They were married there on August 6, 1942 and lived in Hall at the Heady house until the Dingwall’s built a house for them on the ranch. Born to Onita and Jack were Gordon and Joy (Wetsch). 

Leona (1879-1966) and James Dingwall (1885-1960) left the William Dingwall Company to Jack when they died. A beautiful Coffee Table Book was published by Jill Brody in 2004 titled “Drummond: Ranch life in the west” that carries many stories including Jack, Onita, Joy and husband Ron Wetsch’s life. in text and photographs. 

Jack died on August 2, 2010 and Onita moved about six or eight months later to Granite County Nursing Home where she died July 4rh 2012 at the age of 91. Survivors were: son Gordon and wife Mary, of Michigan, daughter Joy and Ron Wetsch of Drummond; Grandsons: Jon Nelson of Seattle, Shawn (Toby) Wetsch of Drummond, Justin Wetsch of Big Sky and four great grandchildren: Jacklyn and Trice Wetsch of Deer Lodge and Twins-Piper and Kameron Wetsch of Drummond. The Wetsch’s: Joy, Ron, Shawn, Toby and the twins continue operating the original Dingwall ranch that Jack and Onita dedicated their entire life to.