One of the first articles I found when I began researching The Philipsburg Mail articles at the Montana Historical Archives microfilm in Helena about 1999 was the headline “Joe Gird’s Murder- Two bullets do their deadly destruction. J. Brown fires both shots.” The shooting took place at Flint Station (an early railroad spur located just south of Stone Spur) in the saloon of Brown and Clay in May of 1893… The remains of the unfortunate man were brought to Philipsburg Monday afternoon and buried beside his mother and child in the Philipsburg cemetery. He was survived by his wife Mary (Byrne) and five children (Mary age eleven, Helen age ten, Agnes age nine, Joe age seven and Emmett age 2) to mourn the loss of a loving husband and parent, and the entire community sympathizes with them in their terrible bereavement. Joseph A. Gird was 38 years old and had lived in Montana most of his life. He was numbered among the earliest settlers on Willow creek, was industrious and provided well for his family. He was well known throughout the county and was highly thought of by all his acquaintances who regret the circumstance of his sad demise.”
The following week, The Call had a paragraph stating that the killing of Joe Gird by J.W. Brown at Charleston during the past week had been the principal topic of conversation during the past week. I have never heard the Stone or Flint Station area called Charleston at any other time so wonder if maybe Charleston was the name of the saloon where the murder occurred. On April 21, 1905, The Philipsburg Mail had an article which stated Tom Higgins and J.F. Gerbil were getting ready to open the old Silver King mine on Gird creek. I assume that sometime after the murder the creek near the original Stone Station was named for the murdered man. At this time the signage for Gird creek is prominently displayed along Highway One a couple of miles above the Boulder Creek bridge. A map (in my possession) of Montana dated 1895 has the sites of Stone Spur, Flint Spur, Toohy Spur and Nabbs Spur identified between New Chicago and Philipsburg next to the Northern Pacific Railroad extension that had been built from Philipsburg to Drummond.
The life of Mary had to become very difficult after Joe’s death, although her parents had a farm nearby I cannot imagine that Don and Ellen Byrne were in any position to support five grandchildren, plus their own. On November 2, 1895 The Citizen’s Call stated “ Mrs. Mary Gird has leased the Sharp boarding house and will open up a first class restaurant. Mrs. Gird was born and raised in Granite county and we bespeak her success.” Then on January 22, 1898 the Philipsburg Mail stated “Mrs. Mary Gird has concluded to remove to her ranch in the valley with her family and will consequently give up the restaurant business. We are informed that Mrs. James Vallely has taken charge of the stand and will conduct the business.” Next the Mail carried an article on September 23, 1898 from Mrs. Mary Gird that stated she would rent her ranch for two to four years. It was identified as 320 acres on Willow Creek with 180 acres fenced. At that time Mary’s address was Stone Station, Montana. The January 10, 1900 Philipsburg Mail carried the announcement: “Notice of private sale of Gird property on February 5, 1900.”
By the 1900 Federal Census Mary was operating a Boarding House in Granite and had Agnes (16), young Joseph (13), and Emmett (9) living with her. Helen (17) was living with Owen and Helena McBride, an Aunt and Uncle in South Philipsburg and Mary (18) was living at Stone Station with her grandmother Ellen Byrne, aunt Anna McHugh and Uncle Patrick Byrne. I have failed to find a record of Mary’s death.
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