P'Burg Nickname Directory

                                              In Memory of Chum

 In December, 2018, a native of Granite county (Bob Sanders), suggested on the Facebook group “I grew up in Philipsburg” that it would be fun to name all the nicknames known to the group but not identify the real name. Within a matter of a couple of weeks there were almost 400 names given. As the days went by names continued to be submitted. 

We know there was a tee-shirt sold for one of the Flint Creek Valley Days with a number of nicknames but at this time I have not viewed one of these shirts. Since the nicknames have been provided we have attempted to find out the given name and story behind each nickname. Obviously this will be a work in progress as some people are not able to recall the story. 

During the past most nicknames were usually accepted lovingly and not considered bullying or derogatory, which is not the case in this politically correct generation. So this article is published with the intent to inform and with great care to not embarrass or intimidate anyone or use obscene or derogatory names. Any person who asked their nickname not to be published were respected for that wish. 

I reviewed historical articles and added all of the nicknames found from the early history also. 

Group A 

Aeagle-- Jimmy Howard, because he had difficulty pronouncing the word eagle. 

Angel Boy 

Ajax-John Michael Courtney; named by Scott from Ajax Nerd in the Driver Ed film. 

A.R.- Senator Allan R. Dearborn. He was also a Pharmacist at Doe’s Drugstore in 1888-1911. (1856-1915) 

Archie-Eddy Moore 

Ashtray-George Andrews was a Pastor’s son and lived in the ‘Burg about 1963-64. He had a flat-top haircut and an “upper classman” chose to stub his cigarette out on the flat top…thus the name ashtray.  

Group B 

Babs-Barbara Miller 

Baldy-Larry Baldwin 

Barney Fife- Art Achershot when he was the Town policeman 

Barney- Clyde Pickett who played Santa Claus from 1950’s to 1970’s 

Barney- Patrick Dougherty a miner that owned a lot of property on Ross’ Fork of Rock Creek on the road to Medicine Lake (!851-1916) 

Barry-Joe Carnahan 

Basco-Don Schroeder

Beaner-Regina Leistko 

Bear aka Teddy bear- Barry Benson 

Bear-Gene Salois 

Beaver-Steve Immenschuh 

Beck-Rebecca Hess, because her mother was also Rebecca 

Beetle-Lee Page Jr. (1940-2018)

Beeler-Joe Braach 

Bert-George Schoonover
Bert-Robert Gillies rancher on Rock Creek 1871-1930

Bessie-Doy (George) Winninghoff when he and Carroll Huffman (Jessie) spent time on Rock Creek Bessie- Elizabeth Butler 

Bessie- Elizabeth Sprague McRae, mother of Beth (Elizabeth) McRae Winninghoff. 

Beth-Elizabeth McRae Winninghoff (1907-1998) 

Bibs-Eugene Noreen 

Big Bill-Bill Schneider 

Big Daddy- Frank Winninghoff (1861-1941) 

Big Jake- Steve Jacobson 

Big June- Mrs. Al Unger who was way smaller in stature than Little June Mrs. John Unger. 

Big Mac- Angus Alexander McDonald usually called A.A. Was Mayor of Philipsburg and owner of the McDonald Opera House with his wife Susie.(1842-1910) 

Big Pete-P.H. McDonald (1851-1926) 

Big Vic-A miner At ? 

B.J.-Barbara Jean McLeod 

Black Jack- Mike Conn from Hall who wrote an English Composition paper on a gambling episode with a man named Black Jack. 

Blackie- Fritz Leuck who was sheriff in 1952 and 1953 and had jet black hair and mustache. 

Blacky-Ned Neu because of his hair and mustache. 

Blinky-Cal Mazza 

Bobcat-T.R. “Bus” Hess (1922-2011) 

Boiled Pine Squirrels-Bob Munis 

Booger-Justin Braach 

Boom Boom-Leslie Smith when she was dating Alan Boomer 

Boom Boom-Jackie Boomer 

Boomer –Jim Lane because of his booming voice.

Boomer-John Roseboom

Bone-Chuck David Williams

Breaker by the Acre- Bill Baker 

Brocky-Fred C. Barocco a Stone Mason that worked on Georgetown Dam. He lived his later years with Spasse Wacheff until Spasse died. (1878-1963) 

Brooklyn- “Brook” and “Brookie” Tom Schneider 

Brother-Lee Page II 

Bubble head-Gordon Owsley
Bucko- K.L. Staninger owner of Eagle Canyon Ranch

Bucky-Lyle Graham 

Buckshot- Art Achershot 

Bud-Colleen Rose 

Bud- Ernie Mc Laughlin 

Bud Joe Kau

Buddy- Bud Braach 

Buddy- William Hunter 

Bugs- Terry Mickey 

Buggy- Terry Mickey 

Buggy-Bobby Tucker 

Bulldog- John Kennedy Olson because of his features and feisty demeanor 

Bullfrog- Martha Bohrnsen Brandon after the song “Freddie and the Bullfrog.” 

Bull Trout-George Mungas 

Bum-Jack Byam 

Bumbo-Bernard LeRoy 

Bumps-Bill Butler 

Bumbler- Bob Lane 

Bumpster- Jack Byam “The Bum when he fell into the Dumpster”  

Bunny- Delores Carey Furham 

Bus- T.R. Hess, shortened from nickname Buster when he was a toddler. Named after his grandfather. (1922-2011) 

Buster-George W. Metcalf 

Buster- Forest Merrifield lived by Porter’s Corner and drove the Rock Creek School Bus route. (1919-1974) 

Butch-Bob Untinen 

Butch-Richard Johnson (1950’s) 

Buzzard Queen-Jean Breeden who owned the Hungry Buzzard Bar after it was the Silver Tavern. She was also called Mean Jean and was married to David McRae for a short time. 

By Golly- Tommy Churchwell the town Barber 

 Group C 

Cabbage- Ed Lawry 

Cactus-Jack Courtney 

Canner Joe-Sid Willis who picked up all the dead animals and sold the meat to the cannery for dog food and the hides to Pacific Fur. 

Carbide- Wilbur Storer brother of Oliver (Poot) 

Captain-John G, McLean (1830-1919) 

Captain-Larry Veis 

Captain Cape-Duane Cape who was a Captain in the Army in Vietnam. 

Captain Video-Tom Guck 

Cart- Clarence Hamilton half brother of Roy Hamilton  

Cat-Dave McRae 

Ceal-Cecilia Lyon Haggard 

Carebear-Carey Aidy (?)

Charger- Brian Challinor 

Chauchy-Chris Goldsby

Cheeseburger-Bob Harris 

Cheeseburger- Johnny Welch 

Chick-Susan Kreig 

Chicken Coop- Henry ? who stole chickens during the depression and served time in jail for it.  

Chief-Bill Metesh 

Chili-Howard Naef 

Chipmunk-James Maehl 

Choop-Chris Godkin/Boydston 

Chrome Dome-Loren Luthje after he lost his hair 

Chuck—Charles McLure III 

Chuck-Charles E. Metcalf 

Chuckles-Chuck (Charles) Houtz 

Chum- Jerry Churchwell name used by his dad Tommy 

Chunk-Doug Benson
Circus Jim- James L. Hollenbeck who worked at the Puller Ranch on Rock Creek. He died from complications of a stab wound received at the Rupp /Greenheck Slaughter house in 1910.

Cleve-Cleveland A. Metcalf (1889-1972) 

Clevie-Cleveland R. Metcalf (1920-1961) 

Clod Ankle-Kenny Mehr 

Clyde-Shannon D. Heimark 

Coach Cleats-David Metesh 

Coke-Tony Kulaski  

Compressor-Tom Page when working at the Taylor and Knapp Mill 

Conklin-“Conk” Dan Schneider  CooCoo-Bruce Mason 

Cookie- Joan Webster Morrison wife of Dan 

Cookie-Susanne Morrison wife of Earl Goodsell
Cord-Larry Bowen

Corky- Harry G. Bentz Jr. because no one wanted to call him junior. 

Corky- Gary Haile named by his Grandfather Carroll Huffman from the cartoon Gasoline Alley.  Cowboy Joe-Joe Johnson taught kids how to count and say other things in Spanish.

Crab Apple-Jack Carico who ate anything he found in his traps. Lived on what later became the Fred Splitt then Lyon Place located right before Uncle Tom’s Cabin/Dance Hall on Middle Fork. Feuded when drunk with his room-mate Harry Smith re-fighting the Civil-War as Crab Apple was from the South and Harry from the north. They would hang from their saddles and shoot over the horses at each other as the horses raced across the field. He ran barefoot in forty below Zero weather to the Sandin ranch when he woke up from one of their drunks to find Harry froze to death. His family sent him money every year to come east to visit and he would make it too Butte then turn back home. One year he went further and died on the train (probably in the 30’s). No death records have been found (Stories from T.R. ‘Bus” Hess) 

Cucumber-? Joe Costello 

Curley- Dan Carlin 

Group D 

Dan-Andrew Glover married Rosella Carnegie and they ran the County Farm and Poor-House 

Dana Banana-Dana Gibson (Vincent) 

Dan-Herman Crowly 

Deacon-Delbert Yardly 

Dee-Delores Dunkerson 

Dee Dee-Dorothy Crnevich 

Deebert-Dee Schroeder 

Dettle-Dan McKenzie, His twin brother died shortly after birth; son of Toasty and Anna Mason and brother of Rod. 

Dewey-Kevin Learn 

Diamond Bill-Bill Hansen who owned Hansen Core Drilling 

Dicker- Richard Metesh 

Dingo-David Kroger

DK-Donna Kay Morrison 

Doc-Josiah Merrell Philipsburg Merchant and Investor.(d.1913) 

Doc-John P. Cunningham MD 

Doe-Dorothy LeRoy Moran Owens (see Dot below) 

Doe Doe-Doris Metesh

Dogman-David Riggs

Dolly-Dorothy M. (August 29, 1915-July 6, 2001) married to Leland Page Sr. 

Dooley- Adolph Andre 

Dot- Dorothy LeRoy Moran Owens owned a Soda Fountain by the White Front in the “50-60’s Double or Nothing-B.G. Paige 

Doughnut-Louis Mehr 

Doy and Do-ey-George Winninghoff worked with brothers Heck and Heinie at Winninghoff Motors until he bought the Greenheck ranch on Flint Creek (1897-1986) 

Duckboy-Rick Reh 

Dunk- Duncan McRae 

Dunk-Sheriff Scott Dunkerson

Dutch- Margery Winninghoff Metesh 

Group E 

Eddie Spaghetti-Ed Roseboom 

Egg Tycoon-Curtis Smith when he had a massive egg production company 

Ego-John Howard 

Elmer-Louis Salois 

Elroy-Ron Graham 

Emersome-Karen Anderson 

Ernie-Brett Hamilton 

 Group F 

Falcon-Dave Metesh 

Fan-Frances Titus Harrington McKenzie County Historian (1881-1961) 

Father Edgar- Tim Edgar 

Fat Pat-Pat Tatlinger 

Fats-Guy Kneale 

Festus-Paul Coble 

Festus Vince Fessler 

Fet- Winnifred Sandin Bentz Bauer 

Fink-Tim Mickey 

Finn-Harold Marjamaa 

Fish- Edward Morrison 

Fish-Tammy Schneider 

Fisher Jack from the Hogback- Joseph Case who was nursed back to health from Typhoid Fever by Annie Morgan on her homestead which is now a Forest Service cabin on Lower Rock Creek. (1846-1930) 

Flash-Spencer Huffman

Flap jack-Jack Minkler 

Flintstone-Robert Maehl 

Flip-Van Neitz 

Flossie –Florence Morrison McCale 

Fog Horn- Neil McDonald because of his deep voice. he was over fifty when he joined the Canadian Military because the US said he was too old. He died 1923 and was the father of Hugh J., Axel and Mrs. Hugh S. McDonald. 

Foghorn-Tom Schneider 

Foof-Justin Flahuarty 

Fosdick-Bobby LeRoy 

Foxie-Herman Lindstadt who owned the Granite Garage and sold Overland cars (1916), located across from the Hospital and next to Mrs. Chantry on Sansome. He and wife May VanNorman had Irene (Parker) and Connie who married Ed Kahoe, thus it became the Kahoe Garage 

Frankie-Frances Porter Merrifield 

Fred-Robert Maehl 

Freddy-Robert Maehl 

Freddy-Spencer Huffman 

Freddy the freeloader- Carroll Huffman 

Frenchy-DuWayne Forgette brother of Lorraine Forgette Barney and Fern Forgette Nicolaysen-Metcalf 

Fritz-Dwayne White 

Frosty-Wally Frost School Janitor 

Fudd-Elmo Coblenz 

Fuzz Buzz-Russ Morrison . 

 Group G 

Garbage 

Garr- Mary Morrison an Licensed Practical Nurse and midwife to the community in the 50’s (1872-1964) 

Geek-Harold Evans 

George-Ky Morrison 

Godfrey-Mel Wattula 

Goldie-Theodora Stevens Crossman Delp because she was a natural platinum blonde 

Goldie- Golda Davis McCale Webb  

Griz aka teddy bear-also Papa Bear- Bill Bayer then Doug Bayer 

Grizz-Scott Courtney; named by Coach Sullivan and shortened from Grizzly Bear 

Goldfish-worked at the Dorothy’s Café as a Cook and always looked out the window 

Gomer-Gary Morrison 

Gonk- Algonquin Mine 

Goober-David Metesh 

Goose-Don Dee Kennedy 

Goosem-Harry A. Featherman (1867-1954) Granite County Treasurer 1906-1910. 

Grasshopper-Louie Salois 

Gus- Angus McDonald (Sheriff two different times) 

 Group H 

Hambone-Kell Hamilton 

Hammerin’ Hank-Hank West who worked at Winninghoff Garage 

Hands- Jackie Gall 

Happy Jack-Jack Turney owned a service station across from the Andre house and where the City Hall now is. 

Heck- Francis (Frank) X. Winninghoff who owned Winninghoff Motors with brother Heinie (1892-1956) 

Heinie- Edward Robert Winninghoff who owned Winninghoff Motors with brother Heck (1906-1997) 

Hickory Nuts-Clyde Gregory who was shot and killed in the Thirsty Dog Saloon 

High Pockets-Miles Williams 

Hole in the head- hired hand that worked for Dr. Nesbit and had an indentation in his skull 

Honest Ron-Ron Anderson 

Hoople-Ralph Harris and Tom Harris
Hoot-Harvey Bauer as an adult because he wore a hat like Hoot Gibson

Horse-Tom Carlin; Tim Carlin 

Hot Wheels-Kell Hamilton 

Huck-Everett and Tommy Finn 

Huck-Larry White who married Vickie Morgan 

Huey-Barry Carnahan 

 Group I 

Itch-Edwin T. Irvine was unable to pronounce Ichabod Crane correctly when reading "Legend of Sleepy Hollow" in school and called him Itchabod so was forever referred to as Itch.

Ironhead-Randy Larson 

 Group J 

Jack-Gordon Mitchell (1898-1942) 

Jack-John E. Heimark J

Jack-Louis Sandin J

Jake-LeRoy Jacobson 

Jarhead-Dave Jardine 

Jeep- Bill Fischer who owned the Pintler Hotel in the 70’s. He was with a group camping. During the night they thought a jeep was coming through their camp then realized it was Fischer snoring so named him Jeep. 

Jessie-Carroll Huffman when he and George (Doy) Winninghoff were on Rock Creek 

Jo-Jo- Joseph Metesh (1958-1975) 

Jughead-Hugh Carlin 

June Bug-June Collins Saurers 

June Bug-June Sanders 

Judge-Wally Olsen was named that by “Mushy” and it came from “Drunk as a Judge.”Wally drank a lot and when he was doing the two steps forward and three steps back, Mushy would holler out “Here comes the Judge.” 

Judge-Hugh T. Cumming who owned the Moore Hotel in Granite and was the State Representative for Granite County 1908-1910; the Justice of the Peace of Elk Precinct and Mayor of Drummond. (1857-1948)

 Group K 

Katie-Catherine McDonald Lindstadt (1885-1945) 

Katsup-Shannon Heimark 

Kawliga-Cleo LaValley named after the song “Kawliga Was a Wooden Indian” 

Kay-Catherine Lindstadt Steber 

Kettle Belly-Tiny Larson 

Kermit- Phil McDonald
Kiamia-Ky Morrison after he and Larry had an encounter with some Black girls.

Kicky-Dick Johnson 

Kicky-Rick Collins 

Killer-Kevin Mason 

Kook- Bill Kulaski because he was “Kooky” 

Kook-Jeremy Mickey 

Kooks-Gary Kulaski 

Koopie-Maxine Ray Fessler 

Ky-Colin Morrison 

 Group L 

Laramia-Larry Morrison after he and Ky had an encounter with some Black girls.

Laz-Sandra Lazetick (Watulla) when she was a High school teacher. 

League of Nations-Mae Smith, Kammimura, Overly, Werning because of the various nationalities she married. Mae was the caretaker of Granite for many years and died there in 1969. 

Lee-Leo George Metcalf (1881-1949) 

Leebert-Lee Johnson 

LeeLee-Rita Immenschuh 

Legs-Shannon Clemons (Harding) 

Lindy-Granville S. Rice 

Lenie or Lennie –Jolene Yardley 

Lightening-Mike Wininghoff (1951-1999) 

Lip-Shannon Clemons (Harding) 

Lip-Nancy Miller (Owens) when in school 

Little Bit- Elizabeth Morrison 

Little Blinkey-Tom Mazza 

Little Eva-Eva Kurrti Bergamaschi Bentz LPN at the Hospital for many years 

Little Greek-Young Bill Crncevich 

Little June- June Unger married to John Unger a tall big boned blonde. 

Lizzie-Elizabeth Hermann Crowley 

Lo-ass-Lois Evans 

Lockie-Lauchlin McDonald (1864-1941) 

Loey-Lois Lindstadt McCarthy 

Lonnie-Lonette Kulaski 

Lornie- Herman Lawrence Hauck son of Herman and grandson of Lawrence, owners of the P’Burg Mail. (d.2011) 

Lottie- Charlotte Irvine School Superintendent 1906-1928. 

Lou-Louis Shodair Grocery store owner; Helena Shodair Hospital named after him 

Louie-Scott Anderson 

Louie-Louis Mann 

Louie the Lobster-Scott Anderson 

Little Mama- Theresa Iten Winninghoff (1863-1928) 

Lum- Lawrence Wanderer owner with wife Lucille of the IGA grocery store 

L.V. - Lavada Jean Bridgewater 

LV-Larry Veis sexton at the cemetery 

 Group M 

Ma-Marlene Andre (Chor)

Mac-Dan McLeod sheriff of Granite County 1912-1916. 

Mac-Ralph R. McLeod developer of Macville now known as Maxville because postal service mis-spelled the name. 

Machine Gun Charlie-Charlie Cyr 

Mable-Tom Mazza 

Maggie- Margaret Duffy Connors Sanders (1882-1935) 

Maggie Denny-Margaret Denise Haile McDonald 

Maggot- Bruce Mason after he returned from military service 

Magpie-also Mag- Al Morrison 

Magpie-Maggie McDonald 

Major-Hugh O’Neil (Sutler) These men contracted with the Military as teamsters in the 1800’s Major-William Graham (Sutler) “ Intellect and Pioneer Miner. 

Major-John W. Morse (Sutler) “ 

Mamo-Marion Hauck 

Mamo-Jane O’Neil Hickey who cared for many during the Diptheria outbreak when she lost three daughters at Granite. 

Mannie-Mary Anne Morrison 

Ma P. -Dora Huffman Penington High school teacher and principal for four generations. 

Marb 

Marlo-Rico Barkell 

Maroon Saloon- a car 

Mary-Mae Winninghoff (1915-1980) 

Mason-Justin Mason 

Max- Michael Norris who lived in Maxville 

McDugged-Doug Morrison 

McGurk-Pat Carlin 

Mean Jean-Jean Breeden owner of the Hungry Buzzard Tavern after it was the Silver Tavern; also known as Buzzard Queen.  

Meme- Marian F. Lindstadt Morrison wife of Donald (1915-1973) 

Michael-Melchoir Kaiser Owner of the Kaiser House 

Mickey-Gayle Morrison Hobaugh 

Mollie-Mary Metcalf-(1887-1984) 

Molly-Emily Petrovski

Monk-Lawrence Olson named because of his stature 

Monk-George Mungas 

Montana Pete-Pete Byam 

Moocher-Matt McCale 

Moose-Jack Hamilton 

Moose Lake Johnson- Martin Johnson (1862-1941) miner and hunting guide around Moose Lake who had a pet moose named Bosco. 

Mouse-Rona McOmber 

Mr. Bill-Bill Hellman 

Mr. Green Jeans- “Sparky” Arthur White when he was the school janitor 

Mrs. Murphy-Tom Page in older years

Mumbles-Both Jimmie Howard and son Jimmie Howard 

Munk-James Maehl shortened from Chipmunk 

Munie- John Munis 

Murphy-Merv Graham 

Mushy-Bruce Mason 

Murtz-David Munis 

 Group N 

Nabber-Nick Munis Sherriff 

Nattie- Ernest Mazza 

NATO-Art Degenhart 

Ned 

Nez Perce Jones-J.H. Jones who was involved in the McKay Gulch Massacre in July 1978. His three miner companions were killed by the Nez Perce Indians and Jones escaped by running to Mr. Baldy (Mt. Amerine [Emerine]) then back to the Schuh Ranch and into Philipsburg to warn the town. (1844-1926) 

Nickle Harvey- Harvey Baurer who as a child would sell his dog to people for a nickel then go around the corner and call the dog. He made the mistake of selling the dog to a rancher one day and the rancher tied the dog to his wagon and took off. Harvey went running to Sheriff McLeod crying. The sheriff tracked down the rancher and bought the dog back for Harvey. 

Nickle Nose- Adolph Andre 

Noisey- Lawrence Norris because he was so quiet 

Noonie- Anne Marie Budel 

 Group O 

Oakie-Harold Sanders 

Ollie-Norman Sichveland 

Ole-Olaf Sandin (1890-1946) 

Oly Joe-Joe Callahan 

Oreo- John F. Winninghoff named by Nancy Miller Owens when eating large amounts of Oreo cookies. He told his children it was because all he brought for camping was Oreo cookies. (1945-2001) 

Ozzie- Oswald Christensen (1911-1982) 

 Group P 

Paddy- Patrick Ward who owned the Senate Mine near Moose Lake 

Palm Beach- cleaned the Pool Hall When Nesbit’s owned it. 

Papa Smurf-Harold Evans 

Parsnips-Bob Munis 

Pat- John McDonald 

Pat-Martin Winninghoff (1905-1986) 

Patsy-Emily Kidder (Haacke) 

P dingle-John P. Cunningham M.D. 

Pee Wee- Charles Crossman 

Pedro-Mark Metesh 

Peg Leg- ? Donaldson 

Peg leg-John Luthje 

Pelican-Joe Costello 

Penny Poop-Penny Haile Forney 

Perd- P.W. Merrifield 

Perp-Richard Davis 

Pinecat-Elmer Lamprey a ranch hand who lived west of City Hall. 

Pinhead-Leo Graham 

Pinky- Leonard Eik Named because his Mom washed his white football uniform with a red sweater, so he had to play with a pink uniform the rest of the year. 

Piston Queen-Sue Sanderson 

Poncho- William Rogan son of Olga Terkla Rogan Minster 

Poncho- Ricky Morgan, brother of Barbara Morgan Brown (class of 1975) 

Pop Eye-Leland Hadley Page Sr. (August 31, 1911-April 12. 1994)

Polock Kid-Steve Graham 

Porkchop-LeRoy Owens 

Postmaster Pete- “Pete” John W. Winninghoff (1904-1972)Was postmaster and owned the Original Sweet Palace Candy Store and then Goode Shop Restaurant and Floral Shop on East Broadway. 

Potlicker-Scott Davis 

Poot- Oliver Storer and Carbide’s brother; sisters were Stella Holt, Margie Carlin and ? 

Poot-Bruce Mason

Poot-Larry Morrison 

Professor-Steve Sorenson 

Puddin’- Margery Metesh (1956-1994) 

Pump Handle-Bill McLean  

Putt Putt was also Tarzan- Lawrence “Sonny” Werning a man with probably Parkinson known then as “St. Vidas dance”

 Group Q 

 Group R 

Rabbit-Bobby Neitz 

Rabbit-Clyde Gregory 

Rainbow- Charles Gall who owned the Rainbow Inn located on the old Gregson Highway east of Anaconda

Randy-Eileen Heimark Baile who has now legally changed her name to Randy. Sister of Rusty daughter of Ed and Wilma Hunt Heimark Christy. 

Red- Elmer Swanson 

Red-Mike Carr 

Red Beard-Richard Johnson 

Red Cooper-Walter Cooper was married to Bea Campbell; they had many children; he worked in the mines 

Red Mack (Mac) –A.A. McDonald (1842-1910) Was mayor of Philipsburg and with his wife owned the McDonald Opera House 

Rene- Lorene Metesh 

Rhubarb-Randy Martin 

Rick o’ Shea-Rick Sharkey 

Rivet-Jim Miller because he always wore jeans with a bright copper rivet on the fly. 
Rock- Frank Province Rancher on upper Rock Creek (1860-1931) in partner ship with Bert  Gillies.

Rolly Eyes-Donny Harris 

Rome-Romedius Saurer (1864-1925) 

Rooster-John Howard 

Rosie-Rose Marie Winninghoff 

Roto Rooter-Rona McOmber 

Roundo-Oliver Kingrey named by Bruce Mason 

Roundo-Walter McLeod 

Roy-Leroy Sprague (1881-1951) 

Rubber Neck-Ben Owsley 

Rugged-Doug Morrison 

Runt-Bob Sanders named by Chuckie Houtz because of his small size when young. 

Rusty- Russell Heimark, son of Wilma Hunt Christy and Ed Heimark and brother of Randy. 

Dusty-David Heimark

  Group S 

Sage- George Hilborn 

Sandbar-Frank D. Brown who received the nickname thusly: The Henry rifle, predecessor of the present Winchester had just come into use and Mr. Brown grabbed the first one off the boat. The Henry was brass bound, held 16 cartridges of .44 caliber, with one in the barrel, and rim-fire---the cartridges, not the barrel. Mr. Brown was traveling along innocent like near the Missouri River one gladsome summer day and was jumped by about 20 red brothers, all howling for ruddy gore and riding hell bent for a taste of it. Mr. Brown rode his horse across the river at a convenient ford, leading his pack horse. On the side where he came out was a long spit of sandbar reaching into the river and Mr. Brown rode up the sandbar to the bank, tied his horses and walked back to the open. Lo! The poor Indian had a cheerful habit of drawing the fire from the white man’s smoke stick and then charging in before he could reload; a very disconcerting habit and predicated upon the proposition that the white man had a single shot rifle and all necessary to success was to dodge the first bullet and then wade in. With 20 Indians coming across the river whooping Mr. Brown was to be made an example of the habit the repeating gun not figured in the performance as the first let a whoop and headed for the white man. But Mr. Brown was a different kind of medicine than the red brother had ever met in his scalping entertainments as he kept right on firing while Indians kept tumbling to the sandbar in a most disconcerting fashion--the charge broke up and the Indians headed for the other shore, with seven down and Mr. Brown still shooting for good measure. Then he untied his horses filled the magazine of the little Henry and went on his blithesome way. “Hell”, said Mr. Brown some time after in discussion of the incident when friends commented upon the inequality of 20 Indians to one white man “I could a kivered the whole damn sandbar if they’d just kept comin’!” And thereafter he was known as “Sandbar” Brown---and that is the kind of hairpin “Sandbar” Brown was in the days of real sport! He went on to mining, real estate and to be the Secretary and Historian of The Montana Pioneer Society. 

Sandy-Angus A. McDonald brother of John J and Nephew of A.A (1862-1938) 

Sandy-Kaye Evan Sanderson (Speed’s brother) 

Sapphire King-Richard Stingle who had claims in Capron and Stoney Gulch in the 1890’s. Sarch/Sarge- Phillip Sarsfield Carey (1873-1958) who owned a ranch on Trout Creek now known as the Bill Christensen Ranch (his nephew) 

Scotty-Allen Morrison who was married to Marie Wickberg 

Scowl Face-Roy Hamilton 

Scrappy-Matt LaTray

Sealed Beam-worked at the Douglas Creek Mine 

Shrimp-Monte Sanders Marker because he was so small in stature. 

Shakey-Walter Phillips lived in Parkerville and had a small Park named after him. 

Shenanigans-Shannon D. Heimark 

Shooshie- Shirley Winninghoff 

Short Cord-Bob Budel 

Shorty-Lester Dean 

Shorty-Jody Yelton
Shorty- Frank Province also known as Bert rancher with Gillies on upper Rock Creek.

Shrub-Gary Parks 

Shrub-Travis Thomas 

Sis- Clara Reynolds Adams 

Sis- Mary Jane Lawry Johnson who was married to Walter “Tiny” Johnson 

Silver King-Joe Metesh 

Skeeter-Park McLure 

Skillet-Jack Miller  

Skimmy-Walter Norris who owned the Stone House north of Maxville 

Skinner-Walter “Tiny” Johnson when he was the Science Teacher and had a crew cut. The students thought he might skin them alive if they got in trouble. “If they only knew-his bark was tougher than his bite” (daughter Sue Abbott) 

Skip-Rod McKenzie 

Skip and Skipper- Don Durand 

Skipper- Gerald Barney who was married to Lorraine Forgette and became lost October 5, 1957. He died in the area between Middle Fork and Ross’ Fork in the Fish Lake area. He was found by Frank Haacke on October 13 about six miles from where Gerald had first began hunting.

Slim- Ernest Bronderslev

Slim Hambone- Felix Aiken who was a railroad enthusiast. The kids would sing "Hambone, Hambone where you been" and he would answer "Around the world and goimg again"
Slick Vic-Vicky Harding
Slud-Allen Lund
Smiley-Lynette Page  

Smitty- George Smith 

Smokey-George Sutherland who owned a ranch on West Fork of Rock Creek (1898-1964)  

Snoz-Albert Bauer because of his nose

Sox- Albert Morrison (1899-1973) 

Sparky- Arthur White who ran the service station on west broadway 

Speck-Joiner Mickey 

Speed-Alex Glover 

Speed- (Young) Byron Sanderson
Speed- Elwyn Kingrey

Sponge-Bob Saurer 

Sport-Bill Gallagher 

Spud and Spudly-Gary Parks 

Squeek Pearson-Gordon Ballard 

Star- Estelle Neu Huffman 

Star-Jay Kreig because of the Star on his brand of tennis shoes. 

Stetson-San Brown because he always wore a cowboy hat. 

Stretcher-Joe Braach 

Stoney-Stonewall McGuire (Sheriff) 

Stork-Dan Strahal 

Stu-Stuart Chaney 

Stu-Stewart Gray 

Stu-Sue Sweeny

Stub-Frank N. Fessler who bought most of the rural school houses when the county rural schools were closed. 

Stubby-Jacky Morrison after his brother (Doug) cut off his finger 

Stubby- Lenard Delaware because of his size. 

Stucco- Carl Maehl because of his building skills and passed down to his son Carl. 

Studly-Steve Graham 

Studebaker Bill- Bill Eckles 

Stumptown- nickname of the town of Tower because the trees were cut for lumber to build the town but the stumps were never removed. 

Stumptown-Walter Sanders who lived in Stumptown nicknamed to differentiate him from the Walter Sanders that owned the “Old Parks/Webb” ranch at the west end of Trail Gulch. 

Sully-Mr. Sullivan the Music teacher for many years 

Susie-Irene Norris Smith 

Swanny- David Swanson 

Swede-Leonard Swanson 

Swede-Evald Olsen because of his nationality. 

Swelter-Bruce Metcalf 

  Group T 

Tata-Carol Huffman Haile 

Taco-David Winninghoff 

Tarzan also known as Putt-Putt – Lawrence “Sonny” Werning who suffered from Parkinson’s  

Tater-Byran Butler 

Tater Tots- Jodi or Leon Parks T

T-Bone-John Welch 

T.C-Terri Collins 

Ted-Theodore Saurer (1921-2008) 

TeDo- Patricia Metesh 

Tex- Louis E. Crowley (1906-1996) 

Tex-Eric Kenny

The Blonde Indian-Bonnie Fiddler

The Buffalo- Bill Kempfer 

The Chisler- Adolph Andre 

The Duke-Chauncey Kennedy 

The Finn Falcon-Virgil Marjamaa 

The Greek- Bill Crncvich who owned the bowling alley above the Antlers Bar 

The Gwendolizer-GwenVise

The Indian-LeRoy Owens Pontiac (1957) 

The Lush-Ronny Naef 

The Sneakin Deacon-Delbert Yardly

The Stud duck-Jim Kistle
The Wop-Dennis Fortunati because he was Italian.

Thelma and Louise-Theresa Loobey and Carol Bohrnsen 

T.J.- Terry Jo Vietor 

Thunder-Bill Winninghoff (1943-2019) 

Thunder-Tim Stephenson 

Tickbeard-Mike Coble 

Ticket Queen- Shirley Finn because of all the tickets she sold 

Tiger- Lee Page II 

Timmy Z-Tim Torres-Housel 

Tin Grin-Spencer Huffman 

Tiny- Walter Johnson who was not Tiny in build.  

Tiny- Leon Lesly Larson who was not tiny in build 

Tiny- ? McLaughlin who threw the bowling ball so hard that the pin setters left the back of the alley before he threw the ball for fear of being injured by flying pins. 

Tizzy Lizzy- Jeanne (Mickey) Plima 

Toad-DuWayne Forgette 

Toph “Topher”-Christopher O’Grady  

Tom-Winas T. Hull Rock Creek Rancher (1851-1928) 

Tony-Marion Wickberg 

Tracky-Lee Tracy 

Tree- Thor Schiveland 

Tricky Dick-Dick Tunstill 

Tritone- a car 

Tuffy- Elmer Beatman married Bea Fessler 

Turkey-Terri Collins 

Tuss- Lois Morrison 

Two Bit Annie-Annie Cantaro 

  Group U 

Uncle Jim-James McDonel first Mayor of Philipsburg. (1843-1927) 

Uncle Tom- William T. Van Norman (1889-1982) owned the Dance Hall and picnic area just south of the West Fork Bridge on the Middle Fork of Rock Creek from 1929-1971. He also brought in income by trading in fur pelts, cowhides and deer hides with the local trappers and rancher. 

Ugly Bug-Colleen Byam 

  Group W

Wad-John Hoehne 

Wally- Waldo Haacke who later legally changed his name to Wally 

Wally-Mark Williams 

Wally-Wallace Frost 

Wart Hog-Mr.George Hail a Math Teacher in the “70’s 

Watson-George Mungas 

Whimpey- Billy Churchwell was the brother of Tommy and lived and worked at Echo Lake. 

Whisky Bill- William Terkla who died at the age of fifteen from an injury when struck by a bucking bronco at the Grade School Rodeo grounds on July 4th 1930. 

Whitey-Mike Costello because of his platinum blonde hair 

Whitey-Bob Williams 

Whitey-Bob White 

Wild Bill-Bill McCale because he loved to ride bucking horses. (1914-1987) 

Wild Bill from Parkerville-Bill Hellman named at the age of two 

Wildmeat-Davie Harris 

Willow Creek Hippie- John Luthje 

Willie-Wilma Hunt Heimark Christy 

Window Joe-Joe Callahan who did windows and siding and painted cactus on the town buildings. Wings-Lonette Kulaski 

Word One-Tex Crowley 

Wow-Dave Bowen
Wus-Leonard Bowen

  Group Y

Ya Banjinia-Mark Housel 

 Yard Stick-Dan Yardley 

 Yo Yo-Yolanda Taylor

  Group Z 

Zeke-Vesper Judy who was a miner and owned a mine beginning in 1898 near what is now called “Zeke’s Meadow” on Ross’ Fork of Rock Creek. Killed in a cave-in at the Gonk in 1922.

 Zelmo-Jim Beattie 

 Zip- Bryan Hynes (Sheriff) 

 Zip-Robert Steffan

Educator of Generations: Dora Penington

          Dora Huffman Penington

 I imagine many generations of freshman students had similar experiences to mine on their first day of school at Granite County High School. The big brick building was located on Church Hill on property donated to the city by August Greenheck in 1911. Signing up for classes on your first day consisted of freshmen and new students lining up in the entrance foyer and taking turns being registered. The face that greeted you was Mrs. Penington. She looked at my face and stated “Your Dad is Harry Bentz and your mom’s maiden name was Stevens. Give me your birth date and spell your first name.” She probably did not need that much information from the kids that lived in town, but being a country kid I had never run into her before. 

Mrs. Penington was Cosmo Huffman’s daughter, Dora. She was born in 1903 and graduated from Granite County High School on May 27, 1921, at ceremonies conducted in the McDonald Theatre. Class mates were James Calhoun, Humphrey Courtney, Vernon Cutler, Elsie Hauck, Laura Johnson, Helen M. Kennedy, Dan McDonald, Mary McGarvey, Florence Neu, Matilda Saurer, and Mary Wight. The class Motto was: Backbone not wishbone. Dora was the Assistant Editor of their Class Book named “The Montana Sapphire.” 

After completing a degree at the University of Montana and some graduate degree work also at the University, she began teaching Home Economics at Granite County High School in 1926. There she met W.W. Penington, in 1927 who was hired to teach Manual Training and Social Science. Dora married him on August 7, 1929, at her parent’s home, with Rev. E.J. Groenevald, of the First Presbyterian Church, performing the ceremony. Elsa Huffman was the bridesmaid, Florence Huffman the maid of honor, George Metcalf the best man and Luther Page the usher. After spending several weeks on the Pacific coast the couple returned to make their home in Philipsburg. 

The marriage was short lived, as William Wayne Penington, born April 18, 1895, died in Rochester, Minnesota, on June 24, 1932, where he had traveled for medical treatment. The obituary stated: “Unfortunately, complications due to his training in the camps, during the World War and subsequent hospitalizations made recovery impossible, and Mrs. Penington is left to mourn the passing of a husband at the beginning of their life together.” 

According to the obituary Mr. Penington, enlisted in the Army and trained first at Camp Grant in Illinois, then Camp Hancock, Georgia, where he was awaiting overseas orders, when the armistice was signed. He then returned to school and received a degree in Education from Western Illinois, State Teacher’s College, then taught at White Lake, South Dakota, next Western State Teacher’s College and in 1927 came to Philipsburg. After the marriage, William took a teaching position in Deer Lodge in 1931 and planned to return there, in the fall of 1932. 

He was affiliated with the Mason’s and had assisted in setting up the Granite Chapter of the order of DeMolay, of which he served as Dad. In 1931, when he moved to Deer Lodge, he served as a Boy Scout Leader. A short funeral service was held at Rochester for family and friends. Then, Dora accompanied by her mother, Mrs. Elizabeth Huffman, sisters Elizabeth and Florence and uncles William and Charles, Bowen, traveled back to Philipsburg, where a service was held in the Masonic Temple on July 1.  

Dora continued teaching and in total, spent over forty two years as teacher-principal in the Philipsburg schools. Classes she taught included English I-IV, French, Journalism, American History, Typing, Home Economics, Library, Dramatics, Chemistry and for a number of years was the High School Principal. When she was the girl's basket ball coach, the team was recognized as champions of Western Montana. At the end of her career she was the school librarian. 

She was strict. I know of at least one person that failed English IV and never received their High School Diploma. A frequent event was students putting their books on the window sill of an opened window then accidently knocking them out the window during study hall supervised by Mrs. Penington. You then had to be excused to recover your books on the sidewalk below. She always won as the student and sometimes the entire class was detained after school hours to make up for the interruptions. 

Dora died in 1994. She was a Past Matron of the Eastern Star; Past Mother Advisor of the local Order of Rainbow; a member of: the American Legion Auxiliary, the National Council of Teachers, a charter member and first President of the Omicron Chapter of Delta Kappa Gamma National Honorary Society. Dora sponsored many High School Annuals and the Granite County Prospector.

Winninghoffs; First and Second Generation

Johnny Hauck sitting in a wagon built for Heinie (Middle) by his dad with Jimmy Carmichael on the right.

A name well known in Granite County, is Winninghoff. Fortunately, Bob Winninghoff loaned me a copy of the Family Tree of the Minnesota/Montana Winninghoff Family. This history was compiled by Vince Winninghoff and published in 1998. 

Joseph Winninghoff, born in Furstenau, the Kingdom of Hannover, about 1825-1828 immigrated to New York from Bremman, Germany on the Windjammer Brig. Telegraph, May 24, 1841. He gave his age as 20, but was really about 13. The 1850 Census has Joseph living and working in Rotterdam, New York, in a broom factory. By 1856, he had migrated through Ohio, Michigan and into Victoria/Chanhassen, Minnesota. “At some point he met Michael Ess, his future father-in-law and Joseph Iten, the father to Theresa Iten who became the wife of Frank Winninghoff (Daddy Pa)”. This family is known by their nicknames. 

Joseph and Victoria Ess married and had ten children: Rose, Michael, Frank Xavier, Mary Ann, George, Josephine, Frances, Florian, Barbara and Rudolph (died age one). Joseph was a blacksmith by trade, a businessman and involved in local and national politics in the democratic and reform party. He died at the age of fifty nine in 1887. 

Frank “Daddy Pa” “appears to be the brave one of the family and ventured out of Minnesota to Montana in 1883”. Florian and George soon followed Frank and also migrating was their mother, Victoria, who died in Philipsburg in 1916. 

“Frank, born August 18, 1861 was a blacksmith in Minnesota, where work was not abundant, so he hired on the Northern Pacific Railroad in 1883, as a blacksmith, ending up in Stevensville, Montana where they were building the branch line up the Bitter Root. He heard about Philipsburg and hired out helping drive stock, to Philipsburg, over the Burnt Fork Trail…In 1887, he had Theresa Iten “Little Momma” meet him in Helena, Montana, where they were married in the St. Helena Cathedral. They then came to Garrison by train and on to Philipsburg by Stage Coach.” 

Children born to Theresa “Little Momma” and Frank “Daddy Pa”, were: Wilford, Rose, Frank Xavier “Heck”, Eugene (January,1893 - March 1893[ headstone states 1894]), Vincent, George “Doy”, Florence, John “Pete”, Edward Robert “Heinie” and twin Robert Edward (December 19, 1906 - February 14, 1907). 

 On October 4, 1893, The Citizen Call stated: “Sheriff (Cole) will sell at public auction on October 9, 1893, to satisfy a mortgage held by Frank Winninghoff, certain property belonging to George Coulter.” Frank owned and operated a blacksmith and repair shop on the corner of Broadway and California. He obviously knew how to work as a plumber too, because at the June 6, 1904, City Council meeting the bond application was read and referred to the judiciary committee from Frank Winninghoff, to become plumber for the city. The judiciary committee found the bond to be sufficient and “on motion it was duly approved”. 

George, (1864-1926) was a blacksmith and ladies man. He advertised his availability in a local newspaper and married a woman named Anna. She died in 1923. George was elected Assistant Chief, of the Philipsburg Fire Brigade in January 1897 and his name was listed among the Philipsburg men that volunteered for the Spanish American War. They moved to Illinois in 1913 returning in 1917 to Philipsburg to work at the Hickey Mill. He was buried next to his wife and son (not named), in Illinois. 

Florian married Miss Mary Orr, on January 22, 1899 at the Catholic Church, “Both of the young people are well known and highly respected in this community, where they had made their home for many years... After the wedding the couple settled into a cottage on Sutter Street.” Mary moved to Philipsburg, with her parents at the age of five, making the trip from Deer Lodge by Stage Coach. She died in 1929, living forty seven years in Philipsburg. She was survived by Florian and children: Mary, Richard and Martin “Pat.” 

Florian then lived alone in a cabin about thirty miles out of P-Burg. He made over $1 million in WWI, mining for manganese and lost it all. If he needed a few dollars, he’d go down to the river right near his cabin and pan for gold. In a couple of hours he could pan enough gold to buy a month's supply of coffee, tobacco, evaporated milk and the like. Florian died in 1941. 

The death of “Little Momma” Winninghoff occurred on August 11, 1928. Survivors were: “Big Daddy”; daughters: Mrs. Thomas N. (Rose) Brogan of Butte, Miss Florence Winninghoff of Philipsburg; sons, Wilford, South Orange, New Jersey, Vincent, Los Angeles, California, Francis, George, Edward and John W. all of Philipsburg.

Frank “Big Daddy” was laid to rest in the Philipsburg cemetery in 1941.

As stated previously: children born to Theresa “Little Momma” and Frank “Daddy Pa”, were: Wilford (1887), Rose (1889), Frank Xavier “Heck” (1892), Eugene (1893 and died 1893 or 1894 as his headstone states), Vincent (1895), George “Doy” (1897), Florence (1899), John “Pete” (1904), Edward Robert “Heinie” (1906) and twin Robert Edward who died February 14, 1907.

According to a news article on January 2, 1896, “Master Wilford Winninghoff entertained a few of his young friends last evening with a magic lantern show”. This same young man was involved in more magic and a lot of hard work as evidenced by the following announcement that Joseph Wilford Winninghoff received the degree of Doctor of Philosophy at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, on June 9, 1914. He graduated from Granite County High School in 1906 and received a Bachelor of Science at the University of Montana in 1910. Then pursued advanced studies at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, in chemistry and physics, from October 1910. He was an assistant in theoretical chemistry at the Institute in 1913-1914, and during this time carried on research of certain applications of the Ionic Theory of Solution. His thesis described these investigations and was presented to the faculty May 23, 1913. He served as a Captain in the U.S. Army, during WWII and died July 8, 1959. His military headstone is in the Philipsburg cemetery. Wilford was living in South Orange, New Jersey, when Little Momma died.

Frank “Heck” Winninghoff Jr. married Miss Dorothy Grace, on April 25, 1927, in Missoula. Miss Dorothy was from Butte and for the past ten months, had been working at the Banquet Café, in Philipsburg. Frank, graduated from Granite County High School and attended the University of Montana. During WWI, he served with the A.E. F. and received an honorable discharge, from Fort D.A. Russell, Wyoming, on August 11, 1919. Then he was associated with his father, in the blacksmith and wagon repairing business. After a honeymoon in western Montana the couple made their home in Philipsburg. When the couple returned from their honeymoon they were met by the Philipsburg Fire Brigade who took the young couple on a tour of the town in the fire truck. Then, the bride was taken home and “Heck stood for the treats at the Firehall.”

The June 24, 1927, Philipsburg Mail, stated Frank “Heck” and George “Doy” Winninghoff, under the name of Winninghoff Bros., were remodeling the brick building, at the corner of Broadway and California Street, for a gasoline filling station. The building had formerly been used by Frank Winninghoff Sr. for a blacksmith and repair shop. Arches were cut in the front of the building for an automobile driveway and the entire room had been plastered. Two gasoline pumps were installed and as soon as the cement driveway is installed the boys would be ready to serve the public. Besides handling gasoline and oils, there would be tires and accessories, plus car washes and light service work.

 A notice was found in the January 21, 1938, Philipsburg Mail, stating: “A petition for the voluntary dissolution of Winninghoff Motors Inc., a corporation, was filed in the district court on Tuesday; Judge McHugh set the petition for hearing on Wednesday February 23.

“Heck” died at the Granite County Hospital April 6, 1956, after being ill for several years. He was survived by his wife and three daughters: Kay (Catherine Grace) of Philipsburg; Mrs. William (Winnifred, but called Shirley and Shoose) Carroll, of Butte and Sister Marcella (Frances) of Billings; plus three grandchildren.

After graduating from Granite County High School Vincent won an appointment to the U.S. Naval Academy in either 1912 or 1913 and was rejected secondary to a minor eye condition. Later he served in the A.E. F., in France in WWI. Vince was a student at the University of Montana, and “conceived and designed the automobile automatic transmission and the flowing rear axles for automobiles, as we know them today” (Family History)

The April 13, 1928, Philipsburg Mail, carried the announcement of the marriage of Vincent C. to Miss Anna (Anne) M. Brooks, April 9, in Los Angeles, California. The newly weds continued living there where Vince, had been working in a U.S. Post Office position. He also created and implemented the initial Zip Code, for the U.S. Postal Service, in Los Angeles and this later became the foundation for the Zip Code, utilized in the present time. Vince and Anne’s children were: Elizabeth Ann (d. 1963), Vincent Charles; Barbara Clare and Francis Joseph all who lived in California.

 Continuing with Winninghoff children of the second generation I found very little about Miss Rose Winninghoff except that she was home for a brief visit while teaching school at Clancy, (Jefferson County) Montana, according to the December 26, 1913, Philipsburg Mail. She was also listed as a teacher at Garnet, Montana. She married Thomas Brogan (date unknown) and lived in Butte and California.

Florence, was attending the “University of Montana after spending the holiday with her parents”, in January of 1920. She was married in September 1930, to Henry Dante Calanchini at St. Phillip’s Church in Philipsburg. To this marriage two children were born: Philip R. and Eugene Francis. Both were born in Eureka, California and Florence died in Eureka on May 5, 1993.

The first reference found in the news articles regarding Mr. George “Doy” A. Winninghoff, was that George A. Winninghoff had returned, from Detroit, Michigan. He had spent several weeks specializing on automobile construction, in one of the large automobile factories according to the Philipsburg Mail, May 7, 1920.

Next I found where he stole a march on his friends when he mysteriously slipped away and was quietly married to Miss Pauline Rollman of Butte, on November 26, 1934. They had three children: Paul George (1936) Philip Frances (1938) and Rose Marie (1940).

According to the writings of Rosie Winninghoff Olsen, Doy and Pauline bought a ranch six miles south of Philipsburg, when Rosie was five years old. She described the experience as moving from one of the nicer homes in P-Burg to a “decrepit old farm house”. She felt the worst part of the farm house was no indoor plumbing, which soon changed, providing the family with an indoor tub and toilet. She continued on stating “My dad loved the ranch…my Mom…well, my Mom loved my Dad”.

Apparently Doy, being an excellent mechanic soon found available wrecked vehicles and converted them into haying and ranching equipment, so hay was only put up with horses and man power for a short time. Doy was with the Winninghoff Brother’s business until he bought the ranch. Doy died in 1986 and Pauline died in 1991.

Another Winninghoff wedding was announced when John W. “Pete” Winninghoff and Elizabeth “Beth” McRae were married June 2, 1930. Pete had been working for the California Telephone Company for a year and Beth had taught school in Hall for two years. Beth was the daughter of Roderick D. and Elizabeth (Bessie) Sprague McRae. Children born to this marriage were: Mary Catherine (1935.) Margery “Dutch” Metesh, Theresa “Jean” Gochanour Getzlaff, Judy Loobey and John “Oreo” (2001).

Pete owned and managed the original Sweet Palace on Broadway, then the Goode Shop Restaurant and Floral Shop, which included the Trailways bus depot for years, in the historic Degenhart building. His daughter Judy stated he began making candy in 1929. The business was carried on, by daughter Judy (Loobey), operating under the name The Gallery and Floral, in the same location until recent years. Pete died December 6, 1972 and Beth died in 1998.

 Margery “Dutch” married Bill Metesh (1981)and had nine children that have contributed many more generations of Winninghoff –Metesh descendants to Granite county.

 Judy married Allan Loobey (1981). Their children were: Allan, Theresa, Cheryl, Clinton and Jonelle. Judy and daughter Theresa have continued an active life in Philipsburg.

Edward Robert “Heine” Winninghoff, was the ninth child born to Frank and Theresa. His twin Robert Edward died February 14, 1907 and is buried in the Philipsburg cemetery. Heine married Mary (Mae A.) Foote, from Butte, on September 14, 1931. To this union, four children were born: Robert Edward, born September 17, 1932, Margaret Alice, born August 23, 1934, William, born January 24, 1943 and Michael, born August 26, 1951.

Mae, known as Mary died in 1980. Heine died November 25, 1997 and is buried beside Mae. 

Winninghoff Motors was started in 1927 with the three brothers and George Hinkle. George Hinkle probably left the group when the Corporation was dissolved in 1938. Winninghoff’s were awarded the Ford franchise in 1928 and sold many vehicles through the years. I remember a beautiful Ford Station-wagon with wood side panels bought by my parents in 1949.

Heine was at the business throughout his life. Heine and Mae’s son, Robert Edward “Bob”, returned from service in the Marine’s in 1956 and began his lifetime work at Winninghoff Motor’s. The business continued to provide many important services until it closed in 1999. The original building has been remodeled and now houses American Gem.

Bob married Carol Ray Bowman, the daughter of Martin and the late DeLone (Ray) Bowman, on April 14, 1956. To this union four children were born: Deann, Mary Jo, Sarah Rae, and Amy. Bob and Carol continue to contribute as they live an active life in Philipsburg.

The Huffman's: Ad sold the stock and Cos put it on the books

The Huffman's Grocery Store

A merchant and political family that were promoter’s of Granite County without exception are the Huffman’s. 

Addison Sanders Huffman was born in Hillsville, Virginia on May 17, 1858 and arrived in Montana around 1884. The first newspaper ad found was in the Butte Daily Miner January 1, 1888 advertising C.B. Hauser and Company wholesale liquor dealers of Philipsburg, Montana with the owners listed as C.B. Houser, John P. Reins and A.S. Huffman. A. S. served on the Executive Committee of the Democratic party in 1888. 

In 1889 A.S married Lucy Burks daughter of Mr. and Mrs. George Burks. She died in 1916.

In March of 1889, A.S. was elected president of the Business Men’s Club. In that same issue of the Mail Ad had vacated the office of license collector. Next was an ad in the Anaconda Standard on December 25, 1890 and then weekly for liquor, wines and cigars for A.S. Huffman and Company. Ad was a staunch democrat so did not advertise in the Philipsburg Mail at this time. 

By 1891 “excavation for a foundation and cellar area was in progress for A.S. Huffman and Company who intended to erect a brick building 30X95 feet as quickly as possible.” The construction was happening on Broadway at the same time as Doe, McLeod, Morse and A.A. McDonald were constructing brick buildings. 

Also August 16, 1891 wife Lucy (Burks) gave birth to a ten pound son (Rodney). He joined his sister Mary (1889-1982) always called Mae. Brother Carroll was born in 1901. 

In 1892, Cosmo T. Huffman age twenty two ( brother of A.S.) arrived in Philipsburg and joined A.S. in the business named Freyschlag, Huffman and Company which was a general merchandise store located in Granite and Philipsburg. Sadly, when the silver crash occurred in 1893 the Company had to sale inventory at one-third off. Then, “Freyschlag, Huffman and Company, was closed by attachment last Thursday night (September 28, 1893) and that extensive establishment is now in the hands of the sheriff.” The First National bank had claims against the store for $67,000. Josiah Merrell paid $17,500 for stock in the Philipsburg store; $7500 for stock in the Granite store; $300 for eight horses and $2,000 for stock in a warehouse. The buildings were to be sold later and the estimated total worth of the sale was set at not less than $200,000. A.S. had three thousand shares of stock for the Sunrise Mine advertized for sale after the above sheriff sale. 

In the January 10, 1894 Citizen Call there were delinquent taxes listed for Huffman, A.S. and J.H. (should be J.S.) Lot 2, Block 11, Pardee/McDonald Addition; Huffman, Forin and Rains Improvements in the Sea Mew Lode; Huffman Brothers and Rains lot 10, Block 14 and 15; Lot 10, block 19. one house with fixtures and two houses in the McDonald/Pardee Addition. In the same issue was “Judge Huffman is temporarily settled into his new office in the Hyde Building.” 

He also advertized as a Notary. Addison was the second Granite County Assessor with a salary of $450 in June of 1895. He was also appointed by Philipsburg Mayor Valentine Jacky as Registry Agent in July 1895. In 1896 Addison was the Democratic for sheriff and lost. Addison was an incorporator for the Philipsburg Fire Brigade in June of 1896 and elected as one of their Trustees in 1897. Addison and brother Jasper were two of the eighty plus men from Granite County who volunteered for the Spanish American War in May 1898. During this same period Ad was elected Sentinel for the Hope Chapter No. 10 of the Royal Association of Masons. Cosmos was also active in the Masons. 

In 1897 Cosmo, Addison and Jasper bought out Lutey Brother’s Grocery and thus began the Huffman Grocery store on Broadway. All three of the brothers were involved in mining with Cosmo in charge of the Patten Mill for several years and patented the Mountain View Mine at Georgetown in 1901. 

Cosmo married Elizabeth Bowen December 18, 1902. They had three daughters: Dora, Florence and Elza. Cosmo died August 1, 1922. Elizabeth died aged 100 in 1978. 

Jasper elected County Assessor in 1906 was also supportive of “Women’s right to vote”. He died in California after thirty five years at Philipsburg in 1927. 

Ad was active in the store with sons Rod and Carroll until his death October 3, 1934. As Sandbar Brown stated in his eulogy: “Ad sold the goods and Cos put it on the books—where much of it was to remain forever. But what of it! These brothers left behind a reputation for honesty, integrity and humaneness that is an immortal gift to but few.” 

In June of 1900 C.T. (Cosmo) Huffman expanded the grocery store by renting a room from Valentine Jacky and about that same time he purchased the William Neu residence on the north side. The news article stated that as soon as the Neu’s moved to Kalispell Cos was going to take possession and furnish the house for his brother. 

Credit was extended in large amounts by the grocery and when the mining cycles were in a downturn it would be noted in the newspaper that purchases were going to be cash only. I believe that they always extended credit to the ranchers though. The fact being that these bills were paid when the cattle were sold. I know that even the children were allowed to “put things on the account” without any question. 

On October 11, 1912 a tragedy occurred at the Sapphire Mines camp that involved Jeff Huffman. Jeff, son of John (Hillsville, Virginia) and nephew of Ad, Cosmo, Reuben and Jasper had arrived in Montana in 1910 and went to work on the Durfee ranch. During the summer of 1912 he started work on the West Fork Flume. Apparently Bert Crysler, the cook for the Sapphire Mines had been having a problem with a “Finlander” and this morning had ran out of the mess tent to an adjoining tent and retrieved a rifle from under Huffman’s bed. Bert knew where the rifle was as he had used it for hunting when not busy cooking. “As Crysler ran back out of the tent he met Huffman coming into the tent and shot him dead thinking he was the “Finlander.” Bert had been cooking at the camp for about a month and prior to this had conducted the restaurant at the rear of the Combination Saloon in Philipsburg. Bert was being held in custody at the camp and Jeff’s Uncle Reuben, Sheriff Frank D. Morse and Coroner Frank D. Sayrs were on their way to hold an inquest and bring the body to town. 

The next article found about the shooting was April 4, 1913. The person originally involved in the argument with Bert Crysler was Stan Thompson. Stan found fault with his lunch bucket and poured out some coffee. This enraged Crysler and he ran to get the gun. Apparently Huffman was present when the argument occurred and followed Crysler in an attempt to talk him out of shooting Stan. Huffman and Crysler were good friends and the shooting was probably accidental. “It is a very sad case and due to the prominence of the dead man’s relatives is attracting more than usual attention.” stated the Mail. 

The jury returned a verdict of not guilty and the defendant was discharged from custody. Bert was listed as a registered voter in November 1912 with the address of West Fork of Rock Creek, but research has failed to provide any other mention of him. 

Addison was elected County Commissioner in 1912 and served until 1928 when he lost the election to J.F. Shoblom. 

Ad’s son Rodney left for service in World War I in April of 1918 and returned to Philipsburg in January 24, 1919. He was the first Granite County boy to return directly from the battlefield. “On his coat sleeve he wears a gold bar, showing that he was injured in fighting, another gold bar for actual service and a third indicating his discharge from the service. His army life consisted of only eight months but the experiences were sufficient for a lifetime.” 

There is a picture in the December 26, 1963 Philipsburg Mail of Carroll and Rodney Huffman proudly showing off the Huffman Grocery Store expansion just completed by Bryan Hynes and Carl Maehl. The article stated “The proprietor’s of Huffman grocery, the oldest grocery store of the same name and same family are proud of this new facility and the future prosperity of the community is reflected in their investment.” 

The grocery business and life continued on. Carroll, born in 1901 died in 1988; wife Helen (Roe) died in 1952. Their children were: William, Carol (Haile), and Geraldine (Mickey). 

Rodney, born in 1891 died in 1971; wife Estelle “Star”(Neu) died in 1987. To this marriage was born Dorothy (Sorenson), (Dr.)Clifford and Gay (Fischer). 

Mary “Mae” (Huffman) Bowen’s (1889-1982) children were Leonard and Lucy Mae. 

Cosmo’s daughter Dora V. will be discussed in a separate article.

Florence married Francis Scott Neal and their children were Steven, Virginia and Francis. 

Elza graduated from U of M and was a Librarian in Billings. 

The store was sold to Tom and Carol Huckaby in probably 1972. They sold to Joanne and Phil Price, from Pennsylvania in 1981. Price’s moved the store to the west side of town in 1991 where it has continued business under the Huffman name with multiple owners.

Tough Trip:Andrew Garcia and In-Who-Lise

Andrew Garcia

About one year after the Nez Perce Jones incident, the miners in McKay Gulch were subject to another fright. Unknown to the miners was the fact that a mountain man and his Nez Perce wife had camped near Beaver Creek after a harrowing trip along the Sapphire Mountain ridges from the Big Hole Battlefield. Andrew Garcia and In-who-lise had made a water proof camp and settled in before a strong thunder storm came and lasted the better part of the night. 

In the morning Garcia realized that all his horses had pulled their pickets and taken off during the night. In Garcia’s words 

After breakfast, taking my carbine along and a lariat, I struck out for the ridge where I ran the bunch last night. Not a hoof sight of them could I find…After going about a quarter of a mile I ran on their trail, fresh after the rain. Following their trail a short ways down along the ridge I ran into a kind of wagon road…I though I might as well follow it to the top of the ridge…Soon gaining the top of the ridge I was looking down from the wagon trail into a narrow valley or large gulch, and I could see two cabins about a quarter of a mile away down in this gulch… forgetting about the horses, I thought this is good, just what I want. I will go down and see if anyone lives there. I wanted to find out if there was a trail back across the mountains to the Bitterroot valley.

 After surveying the cabin Garcia determined that no one was inside and spotted fresh tracks of two people going from the cabin down into a mining dig. 

I seen two white men about a hundred feet away in the bottom of the cut. They were placer mining. I could see now up and down this gulch the worked over bars of wash or tailings and knew that this was a placer mining camp…Like all bonafide squaw men of that time, I usually wore buckskin clothes from toes to chin. But after this heavy rain, to keep my pants from getting wet in the long grass and brush, I had wrapped an Injun blanket of rainbow colors around me, fastening it at the waist with my cartridge belt. Silently crawling on the bank of the cut, I lay there like a savage with deadly hatred gleaming in my eyes, as I look at these two white men. Now like the bad Injun bucks and old squaws in the buffalo camps did whenever they see a white man, I hissed to myself ‘Souie-app-e A-O (whitemen yes)’. In-who-lise says they are all bad. She hates them. There is only one good white man and that is I, all the rest are evil and bad. Coming to my senses I remember it was not long ago when I was a white man myself. Then I yearn to hear the voices of them men, to talk with them…But first I would fool them. Like the fool I was, just to show off, I stepped out on the edge of the bank above them, where they could see me well and not fifty feet away from them. I raised the Injun blanket up over my shoulders, and up over the lower part of my face. Assuming a dramatic pose, straight as a ramrod with my broad brimmed hat pulled down so they could not see the rest of my face, I stood as erect as a statue, gazing sternly down at them, with my rifle resting in the hollow of my arm. The one who was washing the pan of wash on his knees at the spring now stands up to show the other the prospect he had in his gold pan. Now he gets a good sight of me. He stands looking at me for an instant or two, as though petrified, letting the gold pan drop out of his hands as it came rattling down at his feet. Now he finds his voice and yells to the other “Get Bill, Injuns, Injuns”. His partner fairly leaped. Both were off across the old tailings and across the gulch like startled deer. At first I could not help but roar with laughter, seeing them legging it for their lives in their heavy gum boots. It was not long when I saw what a cussed fool I had been…I was not aware that some of White Bird’s people had come through here on their way from Canada..and killed three miners.” Nez Perce Jones was mining that same day only a few yards away.

 This narrative was excerpted from “Tough Trip Through Paradise.” 

After frightening the placer miners in McKay Gulch, Garcia rounds up his horses and the book “Tough Trip Through Paradise” details in a historical fiction style the story of Nez Perce Jones that had occurred one year earlier. 

Garcia returns to the camp where In-who-Lise questions him about his activities as she had ventured out and saw white men on horseback. Garcia admits to seeing miners but denies talking to them and fails to mention his foolish prank. He then decided 

…I would change my Injun rig and innocently, as though I had never been there before, ride over the ridge and ask them about the trail. But this was not to be. Hearing snarling and howling commotion among our dogs, I sprung to my feet. Susie was already peeping out under the teepee and whispers to me, ‘Yaw, E-S white Souie-app-o. What deviltry have you done to them that they now come here with their guns in their hands?

Then the flap was thrown violently back, and I was surprised to find myself looking into the rifle muzzles of several half-drunken white men. They say ‘Come out of there, you and them buck Injuns, and be sure you don’t try any monkey work.

 With considerable conversation Garcia was able to convince the miners that he was alone with his wife, as Red Jim had told Bill Uquhart he had seen twenty Injuns hiding when Garcia frightened the two of them. In the group of miners was Art Hays (brother of the John Hays killed the year before), Porter, Sim Shively and Jack McDonald. Determining that Garcia was involved in the Jones incident and had returned to find the dead miners gold, there were many angry words and a fight between Porter and Hays ensued. Finally, the group decided they were going to tie Garcia and In-Who-Lise up and put them in a cabin until they could go for the sheriff in Deer Lodge. 

 About this time, Garcia recognized Sim and Jack. 

I said, ‘Mr. Shively, don’t you remember me, the one the troopers at Fort Ellis called the Kid, when you and that man there with several prospectors had in 1876 went overland to the Black hills excitement, and were returning from there in 1877, when you went into camp at Benson’s Landing on the Yellowstone River, and the Crow Injuns stole every saddle horse and pack mules you fellows had, and set you afoot. And when you fellows came to the fort for help to get back your stock, it was then Lieutenant Doane sent a corporal with five troopers and I along with them to track your stock. After finding this stock cached on Boulder Creek and bringing them back to you fellows, when you and that man said to me, when you and the others were leaving Ellis, that your name was Sim Shively and that man said his name was Jack McDonald from Philipsburg and for me to remember, if I ever came around them diggings, to hunt you fellows up, and you would be glad to see me and make this right. Well you guys have a good chance now to make it good, without costing you any money.

Sam Shively said, “You that kid, well I’ll be damned. You have changed a lot since then. I suppose that having that Injun woman with you is why I failed to recognize you. Why did you not tell me this in the first place? It would have saved you and your woman all this bad trouble.

I said, ‘How could I do that, when I only recognized you a few minutes ago, and had plenty bother the way it was to get you to remember me?’ Sim Shively said to the crowd. ‘Boys, this fellar is all right. Jack and I know him. He could not have had anything to do with them killings around here last summer.

 Hays was not happy letting the two go as In-Who-Lise had hit him hard in the middle of the confrontation, but the other men said 

…not to feel sore at them. After the way them Injuns had murdered their friends they could not be blamed for coming over here like they did.

 Garcia asked if there was a way to get into the Bitterroot Valley. 

They told me yes, down the creek from here, about a mile and a half you will come to the Salish buffalo trail, that this trail crossed Rock Creek near the mouth of Ross’s Fork. After it left Rock Creek, it followed the West Fork to the divide, then crossed over to the Skalkaho and followed down this creek into the main Bitterroot Valley. 

 On January 3, 1943 Andrew Garcia died at his home near Fish Creek, Montana. The story was that when he died there were “hundreds if not thousands” of pages of his memoirs wrapped in wax paper used to protect blasting powder and stored in dynamite boxes. Critics and educators have discussed the possibility of these papers still being in a readable format when they were “found” by Ben Stein who edited then published them in 1967 as “Tough Trip Through Paradise.” 

William Bevis in 1990 discussed Garcia and other Montana tales in his book “Ten Tough Trips.” 

What a wonderful and crazy book. Imagine Andrew Garcia sitting in his ranch house near Alberton, on a benchland above the Clark Fork gorge west of Missoula, writing his memoirs in type, in ink, in charcoal, and stuffing the thousands of pages into dynamite packing crates. He started writing in 1923, when he was seventy years old, and kept writing until 1943, when he was ninety.

 Bevis then discusses Garcia’s style and the varied voices he used from young man to an old man reminiscing with verb changes frequently in the middle of the sentence. Bevis had spoken to Stein about the photographs of the Indian women on the book cover and was told that these were the pictures carried by Garcia and shown to people as his three Native American wives. Diane Smith, in “Montana The Magazine of Western History”, Winter 2008, Tough Trip to Publication ( pp. 3-21) discussed the issues these pictures created: first the dates when he married his wives were before the photography used in the pictures were available: second at least two of the pictures are probably professionally done by Carl Moon. The photograph of In-who-Lise first became known when Garcia mailed a copy to Nez Perce historian L.V. McWhorter shortly after attending a Society of Montana Pioneer’s convention for the first time (1931). According to Garcia this photograph was taken by a government photographer in Fort Benton two weeks before her death. 

Said by Garcia to be In-Who-Lise

Through the years, as I have read the critics and comments, I have never doubted that Garcia made a trip through Ross’ Fork. As long as I can remember my Dad, Harry Bentz and T.R. “Bus” Hess recounted the story and meeting a man introduced as Garcia, when they were about eight and nine. Documents in the Big Hole battlefield notes state Garcia revisited the Battlefield Memorial in 1931. It is possible that this was the same time he and a Forest Service employee posted a sign where Garcia believed he had camped at the base of Mt. Amerine. The story goes that both Bus and Dad were elbowed and given a stern look by the elders accompanying the Ranger and Garcia when they tried to correct the site chosen. The boys had been told by their elders the site was in a different spot. To my recollection the sign ended up being posted near Stephen’s Reservoir. This sign was reported to still be hanging in a rancher’s bunkhouse as late as the turn of this century. 

The mystery of the original manuscript was answered in the recent past when the Rock Foundation donated their collection of historical documents to the Montana Historical Society. Catalogued as Archives West: Ben Stein Research Collection, 1908-2003, the documents are in four subgroups: Andrew Garcia, Ben Stein, David Stein and Barbara Stein. The Andrew Garcia documents contain general correspondence (1926-1942); financial records (1908-1941); writings (ca 1930’s) that include autobiographical manuscripts as well as biographical items written for fellow Montana Pioneers; miscellany including historical accounts, transcriptions and interviews given by Garcia; and clippings (ca 1930’s) of articles on historical topics, Andrew Garcia, and Society of Montana Pioneers. 

In the Ben Stein subgroup are agreements concerning royalties for the book Tough Trip Through Paradise and writings consisting of edited copies of Garcia’s manuscripts as well as complete drafts by Stein. 

After ten hours researching these files I have many questions. Because the subject matter was not well know by the intern cataloging the collection there may be items in files that I have not read. Many more hours will be spent reading all of the files before I make a final comment. What I do know is Garcia did leave manuscripts that his four children were aware of. His son Andrew wrote to Ben Stein telling him that the documents were in his possession and wanted money up front and gave Stein possession of the papers for $2,000.00. The other son’s received small royalty payments after publication. Ben’s grandson David was contacted by Robert Redford and reviewed the manuscript for a movie script The final decision was the documents were to confusing to write a script from.

Nez Perce Jones

Nez pece Jones standing infront of the Bi-Metallic

Numerous articles and books have mentioned the killings at McKay Gulch in 1878. The incident happened when some of the Nez Perce Indians traveled through Granite County while attempting to return to their land in Idaho and Oregon. They had escaped to Canada during the surrender of Chief Joseph at the Bear Paw battlefield in 1877. During this return journey a number of young warriors became renegades and killed two miners in Bear Gulch before they came up Henderson Gulch to Upper Willow Creek. The group then traveled down to Rock Creek to Quartz Gulch and over the mountain to West Fork on July 11. They camped where the Amerine Ranch was later homesteaded. That evening the renegades traveled to Mc Kay Gulch and encountered John Hays. After killing him they stayed overnight at his cabin. Before sunrise the warriors knocked on the cabin door where Amos Elliot, Bill Jory and J.H. Jones lived. 

The entire conversation between the Indians and the men is contained in the New Northwest July 19, 1878; The Philipsburg Mail July 1,8,and 15, 1904 and March 3,10 and 17, 1916. The most recent account prior to Jones’ death was written in the Mail on December 22, 1922. 

Many accounts dispute “Nez Perce” Jones’ tale of escaping from the Indians after his prospector friends were killed. The mining partners who lost their lives that day: Amos Elliot age forty-five, William Jory age thirty-five and John Hayes age thirty-five are memorialized in the Philipsburg cemetery. In memory of the incident is a life sized memorial statuary outside the Philipsburg Library and City Hall at the corner of Broadway and Sansome of Jones sneaking away from two Indians. 

The story goes that after seeing one friend killed and being wounded himself, Jones took off for Mount Baldy (later named Mt. Amerine and now mistakenly spelled Emerine). It was about ten in the morning when Jones reached the summit and could see Indians driving horses up Ross’ Fork and the two who had chased him just leaving McKay Gulch. Traveling back down the mountain Jones traveled Beaver Creek, West Fork Butte’s to Brown’s Gulch, then Antelope Gulch through the divide between Rock Creek and Trout Creek and arrived at the Schuh Ranch about nine in the evening. “Mrs. Schuh gave me a horse… (and) it was about eleven when I reached town... Captain McLean organized a company to bring the dead bodies in. I couldn’t say whether Hays and Elliot were killed or not, but I told them where Jory was killed.” 

According to his obituary “Nez Perce” was driving his team daily on the streets of Philipsburg until a few days before his death. Twice a year he made the trip from Philipsburg to the Flathead Lake to visit his daughters, grandchildren and a brother that lived in that area. Arriving with the salutation  

Just dropped in to see how you are getting along', he usually stayed just long enough to make his presence felt. Never at ease with the confines of any enclosure it was always a mystery to him how anyone could live all penned up in a building. 'Couldn’t do it myself ' was the way he finally summed up his opinion on the matter and upon departing always promised to return later. Nez Perce Jones kept his promise as men of few words and good character always do.

 This account was written by Sandbar Jr. (James Brown after his father, the original Sandbar died.) J.H. Jones was born in Carthage, Missouri on January 31, 1844. He and Mrs. Jones raised six adopted children before coming west. They first lived in Colorado and then Helena, Montana. The Jones family finally arrived in the Philipsburg area sometime prior to 1878. After they moved to the west they adopted two more children: Mrs. A.R. Engle and Mrs. Alice Hebert. The family lived on the money Mr. Jones earned prospecting and his work as a freighter. Mrs. Jones died in 1919 and is buried in the Missoula Cemetery. “Nez Perce” was buried beside her when he died of pneumonia on April 5, 1926 according to his obituary. 

As a youngster, I heard the story told many times of Nez Perce Jones and it always ended with the assumption that all the miners had put their daily mined gold in tin cans and at the end of the day went off separately, to hide their treasure. The story teller would then discuss how many times they had looked in old logs and under the tree roots for the hidden caches. Concluding the story with a sigh and the comment, “I’m sure the gold has returned to its natural place again as the cans have to be rusted out by now.”