McDougal: Patriot of World War One

 

                                                             Private John McDougal

The January 10, 1919, Philipsburg Mail headlined: “Another Granite County Boy Makes Supreme Sacrifice for His Country: Philipsburg was inexpressibly shocked Monday when word was received that John McDougal, son of Mr. and Mrs. Donald McDougal, had succumbed November 30, to wounds received in battle the latter part of October. (a recent letter received by his family had said he was doing well and planned on returning home shortly)…Now that he has given his brave young life for the country he loved we know that the splendid conception of what he considered was his duty to others would not permit him to cause his parents and family the least worry and that he shielded all thoughts of his wounds and sufferings as much as possible. 

We all knew John and liked him for his fine and true characteristics which our American manhood is imbued and we were unprepared to receive the saddening news so long after peace was declared. He is one of many of our boys who have fulfilled their duty to the final conclusion on the fields of France. He will not return home to receive the honors which would have been his right of conflict, but his memory will be the more revered for he gave up his life in the sacred cause of humanity…” He John, born February 4, 1889 was twenty nine years of age. Besides his parents he left to mourn his loss two brothers, Joe, in Philipsburg and Dan, who was in the Marine barracks at Hawaii, and one sister, Mamie. 

In the Philipsburg cemetery his large marble headstone reads: “In our country’s service Private John A. McDougal Co. A 104 infantry 26 Division A.E.F. Born in Butte, Mont. Feb. 4, 1889 Wounded in battle of Argonne Forest October 12, Died in Blois, France Nov. 20, 1918 Loved by all who knew him McDOUGAL” 

 A Poem written by Mrs. D.A. McDougal sent in to The Mail, after she wrote it December 20, 1918, was not published until January 10. 

 My Soldier Son 

I have watched for my boy in Khaki 

With his arm tied up in a sling 

For the wounds he got on the battlefield 

To me are a terrible sting. 

I have watched and waited and waited 

For he seems so far away, 

But a ship arrived last Sunday 

And I thought he’d be home today. 

I have sat today by my service flag. 

The one with the silver star, 

Thinking of him in the hospital, 

Away from home so far. 

I have prayed both night and daily 

For my boy to come home safe to me, 

But the hand of the cruel German 

Has made life a burden to me. 

So I’ll watch and wait for my loved one 

Till God sends him back to me, 

To trust in his infinite mercy 

Is all that is left for me. 

To the hearts that are weary and aching 

For their sons to return to them 

Will keep hoping and watching and waiting 

And trusting and praying to Him. 

The following letter was received by John’s mother, from C. Davies, Chaplain, describing the care provided to this young man: 

“Blois, France, December 14, 1918; Dear Mrs. McDougal: I suppose you know by this time through the U.S. government that your dear boy died on November 30, a few hours after I had written you. 

We never thought he would start so quickly, though his condition had suddenly become very serious. On Friday evening he was very weak and on Saturday morning when I saw the state he was in and fearing he would become unconscious I suggested the last sacraments which he received with much piety at two o’clock in the afternoon. Then he made the sacrifice of his own life “for my mother and the cause of the allies” as he said. At 3:30 I came back to him, said a few words and asked him if he heard me. He opened his eyes and answered “yes, Father”. I gave him a last absolution and waited. Half an hour later he passed away very peacefully. 

Well, dear Mrs. McDougal,…I am sure it will be a real consolation for you to know that your beloved son died well. From Heaven he will protect the dear mother he so often mentioned and one day you will meet again, not to be separated any more. 

Your son was really a very good man. We all loved him here and shall never forget the genuine smile we found on his face every time we approached the bed. “Rest in Peace” I pray you, dear Mrs. McDougal to accept my deep sympathy and believe me, Yours very respectfully, C. Davies, K. of C. Chaplain.”

How Did Montana and Granite County Happen

 

The history of the development of the county is a story within itself. This area was:

•  known first, before 1804, as The District of Louisiana (which included Montana East of the Divide) with the first capital being Biloxi, Mississippi until 1723, when the capital became New Orleans, Louisiana; 
•  which was renamed the Territory of Louisiana in 1805, with Vincennes the capital; 

• Then re-named Missouri Territory in 1812, with St. Louis the capital.  East of the Divide was conceded by Britain to the US in 1818 and west of the Divide was claimed by both countries.
•  Eastern Montana became part of Indian Country in 1821. 
•  Western part of Montana was ceded to the US by Great Britain in 1846. 
•  Next, Oregon Territory was created by Congress in 1848, with first Champoeg, then Oregon City and finally Salem, Oregon being the capital, in 1853. 
•  Eastern Montana was in Nebraska Territory after 1854, and Bellvue, Nebraska was the capital in 1854 and Omaha in 1855. 
• The western half of what is now Montana was included in Clarke County from Fort Vancouver to the Divide, when it was first Washington Territory in 1853; then Clarke was divided and the eastern side was named Skamania county, then Walla Walla county and then Spokane county 
• On December 14, 1860, Missoula County was created out of the eastern part of Spokane County and the seat of Justice was located at Hell’s Gate Road where Worden & Co.’s Trading Post stood and “embraced the present 1885 counties, of Missoula and Deer Lodge, west to the summit of the main range”. 
• Dakota Territory was created in 1861 and included eastern Montana, with the capital Yankton. 
• Then for an even shorter period western Montana, was included in Idaho Territory, in 1863, with the capital Lewiston. 
• The area finally became Montana Territory in 1864, with Bannack the first capital, then Virginia City in 1865 and Helena in 1875; 
• Then the State of Montana, Deer Lodge County in 1889, with Deer Lodge the county seat. 

Finally in March of 1893, the area became Granite County, with Philipsburg elected the county seat, November 1894, by the margin of 715 votes to Stone Station 272 and Drummond 186. 

If the United States Congress had possessed better knowledge regarding the geography of the western territories, Granite County would probably be in Idaho, instead of Montana. The Idaho Territory was shown in a map published by Alvin Jewitt Johnson, in 1863, to extend to the Continental Divide. 

All early maps name Fred Burr Creek as Burr Creek and Flint Creek is labeled as Flint River. Rock Creek is called both Stony and Rock Creek. Also the Hellgate, now known as the Clark Fork was called Arrowhead during the early 1800’s when the Hudson Bay Trappers were in the area and when Father DeSmet journaled about his travels through the area. 

While speaking about Montana politics, K. Ross Toole, in Montana: an uncommon land, described the territorial boundary change, because of Sidney Edgerton. Mr. Edgerton had been named Chief Justice of Idaho Territory, by Abraham Lincoln. When Edgerton recognized the immensity of the area he was intended to administer he: “Realized that the area east of the Bitterroot Mountains could never be effectively governed from Lewiston and that it should not be part of Idaho Territory…” Thus, Edgerton, W.F. Sanders, Con Orem and other influential parties petitioned Congress for a separate territory. 

Edgerton then traveled to Washington D.C. to present the petition and that is how Montana Territory came about. Lincoln named Edgerton the Governor, of the new territory. The proclamation signed by Lincoln on Wednesday May 26, 1864, carved out for future statehood more than ninety two million acres. The designated area was located roughly between the forty-ninth parallel on the north, the forty-fifth parallel on the south, the 104 meridian to the east and the crest of the Bitterroot and Beaverhead Mountains to the west. 

Unknown to the politicians, this vast area divided itself into at least two distinct areas. The eastern boundary was changed slightly in 1873 when Congress realized a small area of land just west of the 111 meridian had been left attached to Dakota in 1868, when Wyoming territory was created. Montana had always exercised jurisdiction over the area and it was physically separated from Dakota by hundreds of miles. 

The Flint Creek Valley, Lower Willow Creek and Rock Creek area are documented either incorrectly on early Washington D.C. maps and as unexplored on the Mullan Maps, first published in 1863. We know that Tom Adams grazed cattle in Flint Creek valley in 1858 and in 1861 the Stuart group took Milch cows into the valley to catch moose calves. Fortunately they did not see any!

Cowboys in World War One

 

I hope you enjoy this article: The May 31, 1918, Philipsburg Mail, announced Fort Keogh, was to be made into “one of two National Calvary Training Depots. The Fort is currently a remount station near Miles City where range horses are broken and sent to Eastern stations for finishing.” The article continued on to say several hundred bronco busters have been employed on the Fort Keogh reservation. 

Next, in the June 28, edition of the Philipsburg Mail, was the headline, “Montana Cowboys training horses for the army at Camp Lewis: let her buck”. The article described the actions at the remount as one continuous Wild West show. “The muster rolls of the companies of busters read like a program of one of Guy Wedick’s stampedes, and all the old champions are there, except Fanny Sperry, who is barred from being a horse soldier by reason of her sex, but who could do the work as well as any man in the service. Tom Three Persons, the Canadian half-breed champion of the world is there, and among the other busters are many who won fame at Calgary, Pendleton, Cheyenne, Missoula, Billings and Havre in the Wild West shows and rodeos.” 

The life of the horse is described in the following: “…Here the horses that go to supply the thousands of cavalrymen who are called into the service are trained for the hard duties that are before them on Flanders’ Fields. Immediately after the arrival of the horse at the remount station, he is inoculated against glanders. After that nothing but a German bullet can stop him. As the life of the average horse in action at the front is only 21 fighting days, it will be seen that our equine friends are doing their part in the war. And in the great struggle he serves two purposes. Alive, he smells the battle from afar off, like the war horses of old Israel, and rides into the thick of the fray with his head up and snorting defiance. Dead, if death comes to him quickly from shrapnel or rifle bullet, and the salvage butchers of the French commissary department get to his quivering carcass in time to make good meat of what is left, he goes into the pot and cheers and sustains our allies of beloved France.” 

The description of cowboys attempting to be foot soldiers is very colorful: “Most of the cowboys came into Camp Lewis in the draft and were transferred to the remount depot after having done some training service in the infantry. They couldn’t all be transferred immediately, of course, and those obliged to drill afoot for a time were in a hard way….You see, a cowboy is not built for purposes of pedestrianism. Years of riding get his legs properly squeegeed to fit the curves of the horses back; but the slant is wrong for walking. During the unfortunate moments of his life when it is necessary for him to walk, he teeters around precariously in boots with heels high enough to satisfy a broadway flapper on parade. The result is that in his maturity, while he has more legs and feet than a whale, they’re not much more use to him if you peel him away from a horse and call upon him to circulate around on his own. So a cowboy in the infantry has this in common with a fish in the Sahara desert: he’s manifestly out of place…They drilled around in flat heels for a few days, and the first free hour they got they stampeded for the remount and begged Captain Jackson for transfer to the remount depot.

 “Cap’n, I’d rather be shot at sunrise than walk on these feet o’ mine another day” one temporarily dismounted unfortunate declared tearfully. “If I knowed they’d shoot me for sitting, I’d do something to deserve it; but I’m afraid they’d make me stand up; and it’s too much for my brain to think of, standing on my feet and getting shot at the same time. They gimme shoes ‘thout no heels to ‘em, that set a man back on his spine so’s every time you step your back bone rattles like a box full of dice, an’ then they make me walk. That’s all. Just walk. Not goin’ no place. Just walkin’! Cap’n. there ain’t any place as far away as I’ve walked this week. No, sir. I walked my legs off clean down to the knees, an’ I’m working on the thigh bones now. I’m willing to die for my country, captain, but I jus’ naturally can’t walk for it. Please, you get me transferred up here where I can pour myself into a saddle and be human again!

Importance of Historical Names

 Area Forest Service and Granite County maps record the names of the Pioneers. miners and investors forever remembered by the areas named after them, such as: Moffat Gulch (L.H. and A.D. Moffat), Research revealed the death A.D. Moffat on December 12, 1926 in Salt Lake City. He was seventy-five years of age. He had been foreman of the Granite Co. Bi-Metallic Mill in Philipsburg for five years according to his January 14, 1927 obituary; Meyers Creek (either Emil or John P. “Cross-eyed” Meyers) and Fusz (Fuse) Gulch and Fuse (Fusz) Lake named for Paul A. Fusz. “Fuse” Lake is mis-spelled on the current maps and should be spelled Fusz after Paul who was a large part of the Sapphire Mine. The Royal Mine has the word PORT added which needs to be removed. 

But an article recently in the Mail reminded me again that mis-spelling on these maps has created a grave loss of history for some sites. I am referring to all the sites North and Northeast of Philipsburg spelled erroneously “Stewart.” The Lake, Gulch and locator and often referenced road should all be spelled Stuart after James and Granville Stuart. Their history does not need to be retold here. There are also those areas not recorded on the maps but forever remembered by the local people such as: Maley Gulch named for Al Maley, rancher and trapper on West Fork and the Ewing Bungalow, for Charles G. Ewing, August B. Ewing, F.B. Ewing and Mark Ewing all from the St. Louis area. The bungalow was a frequent residence of D.A. Jankower, a gemologist and prominent member of the Precious Stones Corporation, from London and New York City. Jankower was the one who “…assisted Lou Moffet and J.T. Pardee in marketing the gems in Switzerland and other foreign markets” according to the Mail, May 13, 1927. 

Sites close to Philipsburg such as Fred Burr Creek were named after Fred Burr. Moses Rumsey and L.M. Rumsey had Rumsey Gulch and the mining camp of Rumsey named after them. Noted in the Mail, June 29, 1900 was the departure of “President Paul A. Fusz of the Granite Bi-Metallic Mining Co., L. S. McLure, and Messrs. William Lange and Edward S. Orr of St. Louis …[on the Drummond] east-bound train for St. Louis. Their hasty departure was occasioned by the news of the death of L. M. Rumsey, one of their business associates.” research also revealed that a telegram on August 21, 1905 was received notifying Lucas that Moses Rumsey had died. 

Of interest is the constant reference in documents to Sapphire as the name of a mining claim, but research at the Granite County Courthouse does not reveal any claim ever patented, with the name Sapphire. It is an important fact that Paul A. Fusz, M. Rumsey, L.M. Rumsey and C. Jagels, incorporated in May 1899, as the Montana Water, Electric Power and Mining Company and acquired the interests of the Flint Creek Power Company according to the Mail May 19, 1899. 

By November 10, 1899 the Mail announced: "After completing the dam and installing powerful electrical machinery in August of 1900: “the use of steam at the Bi-Metallic Mill was discontinued and electricity generated by the waters of Flint Creek seven miles distant was substituted. This major accomplishment meant that when a part of the Mill was broken, the rest of the Mill could continue operation."

This had not been the case when running by steam. On steam when there was a problem the entire steam generator had to be shut down to maintain any one section of the Mill. 

McKay Gulch is spelled Maukey Gulch on the Deer Lodge National Forest map. This gulch is where the MacDonald Mines were located and was possibly named after the well known miner Thomas S. McKay. He was born in Vermont and came to Montana at a young age. He worked in the mines in Butte before he worked at the Hope Mine and managed J.C. McLeod’s properties on Harvey Creek. I found reference to a Walter McKay who advertised for a patent on October 18, 1901 for a 1250 foot vein on the Younce Lode on Harvey Creek. But I have no knowledge regarding their relationship. T.S. McKay died of miner's consumption at the young age of forty-five January 14, 1902 while a patient at the hospital in Warm Springs. He worked for Dr. Peter Mussigbrod at his mines in Garnet until he became too ill to continue. T.S. was buried in the Philipsburg Cemetery with a headstone captioned “here rests a woodman of the world.” Needless to say he was a prominent member of the Woodsman Organization. 

The Board of Geographical Names is responsible for corrections. A very long story and one I have not had the patience to continue to pursue as they believe the spelling has been as it is now for such a long period of time that it should remain as is....so Mt. Amerine continues to wrongfully be spelled Emerine; McKay is McQuay; Royal Mine is Port Royal and all the Stuart sites are Stewart!

Early History of the Page Family

 

    Eva Tinklepaugh Herring Ross Page in the doorway of her store on Broadway in the early 1900"s

Another family that was active in the political arena during the early 1900’s was the Page family. According to Mrs. C.A. Page’s obituary, the Richard Page family arrived in Granite on May 18, 1889. When Richard died in February 3, 1897 (headstone states 1899), Christy A. (Mrs. Richard) moved to South Philipsburg, where she lived until her death, on August 3, 1911, at the age of seventy two. At the time of Christy’s death she was survived by three sons: Vatis of Philipsburg, Edward of Drummond and John R., who was then living in Red Lodge; daughter: Mrs. Mary McKeown of Kalispell; and a brother (not named) of Kalispell. Obviously a child preceded them in death, as Philipsburg City Hall records have a grave file card for R. and C.A. Page (Baby), but no birth or death dates. 

Mrs. Page was an active member of the King’s Daughters Society of the Presbyterian Church and Pearl Chapter No. 14, Order of the Eastern Star. The funeral was conducted by the O.E.S. and she was interred next to Richard in the Philipsburg cemetery. Son, John was born September 12, 1880, at Harrisburg, Missouri and came to Granite, at the age of eight. He was married December 18, 1906 to Gertrude Wickersheim, of Corbin, Montana, in Boulder, Montana. They set up residence in Philipsburg and lived there most of the time, until his death. Although his obituary stated he served as a State Senator for 6 terms, this is not correct. As a Democrat, Mr. Page was elected as a State Representative in 1914 and 1916. In 1918, he was elected as a State Senator, re-elected in 1922 and lost the election to J.D. Kennedy in 1926, by fifty votes. John ran against Kennedy again in 1930 and won the senate seat back by 167 votes, then in 1934, was re-elected, over Kennedy, by almost 300 votes. He also served on the City of Philipsburg Finance Committee in 1920. After his last term as a senator, John was a mine boiler inspector until his retirement. 

John was serving as the Judge for the City of Philipsburg when he died. He was a veteran of the Spanish American War, and belonged to the Silver Post VFW, the AF&AM Pearl Chapter, Order of Eastern Star and the Presbyterian Church. John died at his home, while getting ready for bed, on December 22, 1956. Survivors were: wife, son Perry Page and wife of Salt Lake City, Utah, daughters and spouses: Mr. and Mrs. Glen Taylor Vancouver, Washington; Mr. and Mrs. Taylor (Mamie) Baker of Spokane, Washington; and Mr. and Mrs. Bert (Doris) Kingery of Greenough and brother Vatis Page and wife Eva of Philipsburg. Funeral services were performed by the Masonic Temple and Pallbearers at the Philipsburg Cemetery were: Earnest McLaughlin, Jack Courtney, Everett Doe, Dr. L.R. Nesbit, Joe Beretta, and C. M. Huffman. Graveside services were conducted by the VFW. 

John’s wife, Gertrude Wickersheim Page, born October 29, 1889 died November 7, 1967, and has a headstone next to John, in the Philipsburg cemetery. John’s eldest son, John Page Jr., died while his Dad was a Senator, of a throat ailment. He had been ill at the family home in Philipsburg for several days before being taken to the Hospital in Butte on July 29, where he died July 31, 1933. John Jr. graduated from Granite County High School in 1927, with athletic honors and had continued his education with two years at the University of Montana. Burial was in the Philipsburg cemetery after funeral services at the Methodist Church. Pallbearers were: George Metcalf, Milton Doe, Leslie Herring, Harold Kaiser, Leonard Rinderknecht and Emile Perry. Honorary pallbearers were: George Grover of Anaconda; Tom Moore of Missoula; Herb Crossman of Hall; Harold Bowen, Forrest John McKenzie and Roddie McRae of Philipsburg. 

John’s daughter Doris, born August 26, 1911, married Ronald Pelkington, on May 28, 1928, and to that marriage was born a daughter, Lois (now Mrs. Gordon Owsley). Then on June 3, 1936, Doris, became the bride of Ernest A. Simell who died after a brief illness, at the home of his step-father and mother Mr. and Mrs. A. Anderson, on December 28, 1937. Ernest was born in Anaconda and as a child, also lived in Philipsburg. He served nine years in the U.S. Army and received his honorable discharge in 1934. He had lived in Philipsburg for the past two years.. He was interred in the Philipsburg cemetery. In 1950, Doris married Bert Kingrey, in Virginia City, Montana. Doris died, February 12, 1990, with burial in the Philipsburg cemetery. Bert died at the age of eighty four, at the Granite County Medical Center of cancer, on February 19, 2007. His graveside inurnment service were held with military honors. 

Senator John Page’s older brother Vatis was born on December 6, 1874, in Nova Scotia, Canada, so was probably fourteen when the family arrived in Granite. His obituary stated he attended school in Granite, but I do not believe they had a High School at that time. He married Birdie Nevada Keiley, from Granite, when he was twenty-five, on July 26, 1900. They made their home in Philipsburg. 

In 1906, according to the Philipsburg Mail, Vatis and Al Schroller were taking out rich ore from the Lucky Boy mine east of Granite. His obituary stated he also worked at Walker Grocery. Vatis’ wife, Birdie, born on September 23, 1869, in Marshall County, Iowa, died on February 8, 1919, after being ill eight days, from an abscess in the inner ear which affected the brain. She was only forty eight years, four months and fifteen days of age. Besides Vatis, she was survived by three daughters: Mrs. Ethel Lambson of Mackey, Idaho, Mrs. J.E. McClannahan of Everett, Washington and Althea Page of Philipsburg and four sons: Wallace D. Kelly in the Signal Corp in France, Vatis Jr., Leslie and Kenneth Page, all of Philipsburg and brother Ed Smith of Mackey, Idaho and sister Mrs. Henry Overly of Philipsburg plus her mother Mrs. Frank Harvey of Mackey, Idaho. She had lived in Philipsburg for the past eighteen years. The funeral was held on February 11, after the train arrived and Rev. W. H. Calvert officiated, with internment in the Philipsburg cemetery. 

Birdie and Vatis’ daughter Althea married Melvin H. Johnson, on September 22, 1923, at the Methodist Parsonage, in Anaconda, with Rev. Edward H. Bartlett of Anaconda performing the ceremony. Mr. Johnson was employed by the Philipsburg Mining Company and Althea was a sophomore at Granite County High School. 

After Birdie’s death, Vatis continued as a merchant evidenced by articles such as “Vatis Page, proprietor of the Philipsburg Cash Grocery, returned Wednesday from a business trip to Butte and Helena” His obituary stated he was in a Grocery store partnership for several years. 

On September 14, 1920 Vatis married Mrs. Eva M. Ross, in Butte, at the home of Mr. and Mrs. William Loring. They honeymooned at the Montana State Fair in Helena and a reception was to be given when they returned to Philipsburg on September 20, at the Rev. and Mrs. Fred Austice home. 

Eva was the daughter of Albert Tinklepaugh and the owner of the two story Ross building which caught on fire March 6, 1920. The fire was discovered by D.M. Durfee when he entered his office located in the building. Judge Durfee’s law office and fixtures were saved, as was Mr. and Mrs. F.C. Schillings household and personal effects. Sadly, Mrs. Ross was in Butte, with her young son Leslie, having his cast removed as he had broken his leg several weeks earlier in a coasting accident. Her son Claude was at home and had looked at the fires only a few minutes before the fire started and everything was alright. Both stoves, which he had started fires in, were removed by the firemen and neither were more than warm. So the firemen thought a defective flue was the cause of the fire. When Mrs. Ross returned from Butte she found she had only the clothes she was wearing left. She had bought the building, originally built by Joseph A. Hyde in the 1880’s “several years ago and has since used the lower floor for her residence and the upper floor as a lodging house”. 

Eva’s son, C.E. (Claude) Herring married and lived in Missoula and her son Leslie Herring married Miss Lois Aileen Donnelly, in Butte on August 27, 1928. Lois was the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Edmund Donnelly and had worked as a telephone operator in Philipsburg for the past year. Leslie was engaged in mining. 

Vatis died after a lingering illness at The Granite County Hospital in 1959. Vatis was employed as custodian for the Granite County Courthouse for 11 years before his retirement in 1951. He had lived in Granite County for 70 years. Reverend Raymond Cheney officiated at the Community Church funeral and Mrs. Roy Greenheck and Mrs. Norman Schiveland sang “Beyond the Sunset” and Beautiful isle of Somewhere”. Pallbearers were: A.L. Ackershott, W.C. Bowen, K.E. Hannah, E.T. Irvine, Erick Johnson and R.J. Huffman with burial in the family plot in the Philipsburg Cemetery, next to Birdie, his first wife. Survivors were: Eva; sons: Vatis in N.D., J. Leslie in Chicago, Kenneth in Chicago and daughter: Althea Rook in Reno. Plus step children: Less, Claude, Erton Herring and Wallace Kelly. 

Eva was 99 years old when she died March 19, 1973 in Butte and is buried in Philipsburg.