A Tale of Rory McRae

  

The Federal Census, lists Rory McRae as a farmer in 1880 and a miner in 1910. A news article in the December 20, 1887 Mail states “A tunnel is being run in the Boulder District by Dominick Mellen, Rory McRae and Will Albright. indications are good on the surface and when the tunnel is 200 feet the vein will be tapped at 300 feet.” Also, although his residence was at the ranch at Stone Station his family tree indicates he was living in Granite in 1905. All of this gives credence to the fact that needed income to support his family was earned by working in and around the mines and as most of the people in the area, had an interest in the industry. 

 Is the following only a tall tale or did Rory ever realize he was spoofed out of a very rich mining claim or was the story just that…a story developed while the men were swapping tales over a few late night drinks? The December 17, 1905 Anaconda Standard stated that the honor of the discovery of the Hope mine actually belonged to Rory McRae of Stone Station.” “ When the St. Louis Company, which first purchased the Comanche claim on Hope hill began work on it, McRae was employed as a carpenter, his duties being to cut timbers for the mill, which was then in the course of erection. The Comanche was a rich claim, but the ore shoot was small and the mine soon ‘pinched out.’ McRae’s work brought him frequently to the top of Hope hill. Returning one evening. he picked up a piece of float rock which bore the unmistakable traces of mineral. He broke the quartz with his axe and on his way home showed the rock to Anhauser, Anderson and Stewart (sic) who were employed at the Hope office. Anhauser was the son of a St. Louis brewer and could not distinguish a piece of float from a keg of his father’s foamy product and Anderson and Stewart were equally as ignorant of mining. They ‘jollied’ McRae into the belief that the rock was not worth assaying, but ascertained the spot where McRae found it. That evening they showed the rock to Dr. Merrill, who was then the assayer at the Hope mill. Dr. Merrill at once pronounced the rock rich in silver. Before daylight the next morning Anhauser, Anderson and Stewart found the ledge, located the Hope mine and soon afterward sold the property to the old Hope Company for a good sum. The Hope was one of several lodes sold by the Stuarts, Dance et al, to the St. Louis and Montana in 1867 for $25,000. It is likely that part of the sale price was reimbursement for the purchase of the Comanche lode and other claims and part for the Hope itself, which proved to be an excellent mine.” 

Rory was born Roderick Duncan McRae to Duncan and Margaret (Munro) McRae at St. Elmo Muskoka, Ontario, Canada in February 1845. He immigrated to the US in either 1862 or 1866 and had an unclaimed letter posted in the Montana Post on November 15, 1866. Rory married Minerva Frances Burden on June 10, 1873 in Deer Lodge and to this union were born: Roderick Duncan Jr.; Margaret (Holton), William, John, Mary “Mamie” (Powell), and Minnie (Cyr). He retired from ranching at the Stone Station and lived for 13 years in Philipsburg, before his death from Mitral Insufficiency on June 17, 1923.

More of The Michael and Alida Norris Family

 

Michael (Max) and Alida Norris lived in Maxville when their daughter Fern was born on May 9, 1917. Fern married Jesse Golder Evans from Anaconda on June 20, 1935. Jesse, born on August 30, 1913, was a self taught mechanic, machinist and welder who began his trade at the age of 12. Jesse was also an early day pilot. They enjoyed 63 years of marriage before Jesse died May 12, 1998 at the age of 85. At the time they married Jesse was working as a mechanic and equipment operator on the Flint Creek Hill for Bernard and Curtis Construction Company of Helena. This project was a government work program, during the depression to increase employment opportunities. Later he worked for the same company in the construction of East Fork Dam. Jesse joined the Seabees and served in the Pacific during World War II. When Jesse returned from the War he worked some contract jobs, then bought Ellingson and Loobey Logging and operated that until 1960. Next, Jesse and Fern owned and operated Evan’s Repair Shop. Fern and Jesse had three children: Harold, Gerald and Joyce, who survived both their parents. Jesse was also survived by sister Helen Hemsley of Salt Lake City and brothers: Loren of San Diego and Carrol of Butte, plus five grand daughters and great grand children: Cody Larson, Karlin Larson, Jesse West, Joshua West and Hannah Harris. 

After living her married and widowed life in Philipsburg, Fern died on November 8, 2002 at her son Gerry and daughter-in-law Nanci (Kalstead) Evans home in Missoula, at the age of 85 and was buried next to Jess in the Philipsburg cemetery. Besides her children, Fern was survived by grandchildren: Stacey Nadeau, Vanessa West, Nichole Anderson, Janis Valencia and Julie Harris; 6 great grandchildren and her sisters Mildred McArdle of Anaconda and Irene (Susie) Smith of Seattle. She was preceded in death by her two brothers: Walter L. and Lawrence M. Norris. 

Mr. and Mrs. Walter (Skimmy) Norris lived at Stone on the family ranch when their daughter Sharon died of a ruptured appendix on February 17, 1951. Born on May 1, 1941 in Missoula, she lived in Philipsburg and Stone and was in the 4th grade when she died. I was in her class and remember our teacher taking us to Dr. Nesbit’s Hospital (next to Doe’s drug Store) to see her a couple of days before she died. Sharon was suffering from a 107 degree temperature, unconscious and severely dehydrated. Survived by her parents (Walter 1909-1981) and Virginia (1916-1987)), brother Jimmy, sister Dorlene, grandparents: Mr. and Mrs. J.W. Gresswell of Maxville; and the numerous uncles and aunts. Sharon and her parents are buried next to Lawrence (1911-1999) and Eva (1917-1992) Norris in the Philipsburg cemetery. 

Mildred Norris, born April 24, 1920 in Philipsburg graduated from Granite County High School in 1938. She married George McArdle from Anaconda that July 2 and worked for many years for Safeway in Anaconda and Buttery’s in Missoula. She died January 17, 2006 at the Anaconda Community Hospital and was survived by: sister Irene Smith in Seattle, daughters: Irene McArdle of Colorado, Alida Chiddix of Anaconda and Patsy Anderson of Colorado; ten grandchildren and sixteen great grandchildren. Inurnment was in Mount Oliver Cemetery in Anaconda. 

Irene (Susie) Norris was born in Maxville in 1914 and on April 21, 1935 she married George Smith of Philipsburg. To this marriage was born three children. George died on August 26, 1966 in Seattle. Irene worked for and retired from J.C. Penney’s and died on September 5, 2008 in Seattle and was preceded in death by her son Milton Smith on April 19, 1982 in Honolulu. She was survived by her sons: Darrell and Gary; six grandchildren and eight great grandchildren. I will discuss the other Norris family, who were car dealers in Drummond in a later article.

The Michael Norris Family Near Maxville

 

The January 24, 1902 Philipsburg Mail carried an article that described a lawsuit by Michael Norris against Montana, Water, Electric Power and Mining Company. After the court set a hearing date for March 13, 1902 the case was continued in District Court on March 20, 1903, June 5, October 9, October 30 and December 4, 1903. Finally on March 16, 1906 the jury returned a verdict for Mr. Norris awarding him $200 in damages. The following is a synopsis of what occurred: Several years ago Mr. Morris located a piece of land on Georgetown Flats under the Homestead Act. He built some fences, cabins, etc. and started out to improve the land. When the Electric Power Company built the Flint Creek Dam that backed up the water on the Flats, Mr. Norris’s land was inundated and remains so at the present time. His cabin and corrals being covered by about fifteen feet of water…About a year ago the court appointed a board of appraisers consisting of Hon. Duncan Dingwall, Commissioner Joseph Henderson and D.A. McPhail, all of New Chicago. These gentlemen viewed the premises and in due time made their report, which awarded Mr. Norris damages to the extent of $500. The Company appealed and at the March 16, 1906 trial succeeded in getting the amount reduced to $200. Of interest is that four families that had ranches on the Georgetown Flats were compensated by Paul Fusz by trading them similar ranch acreage on Rock Creek before the damned area was flooded. Information as to why Norris was not equally compensated is not present in any researched documents. 

A couple of years later, Bert (Burt) Lindgren, a resident of New Chicago suffered injuries after being kicked by a runaway horse on Friday (September 8, 1905). He was transported by Dr. Craven to the Missoula hospital after the doctor determined that his intestines had been ruptured. Surgery was performed immediately but Bert died the next day according to the Drummond Call September 15, 1905. He was 45 years old and a farmer by occupation living in the Flint Creek valley for many years. Survivors were a wife “and a family of young children. Only last June, Bert had taken out a $1,000 life insurance policy.” He was buried at the Philipsburg cemetery. 

 Next, I found on April 17, 1908 where “Mrs. B.M. Lindgren’s 2 year old baby was found dead in bed. Inquest to be held.” On April 24th the Mail reported that no inquest was held on the advice of the family physician as death was secondary to croup. The funeral was held on Sunday April 19, 1908. There is a Lindgren baby with a wooden headstone that is too weather worn to read in the plot next to Florence V. Lindgren who died October 1, 1899 at the age of 4 years and 23 days in the Philipsburg cemetery. 

Mrs. B. M. (Alida) Lindgren a mother of four, married Michael Norris on February 2, 1909 at Rev. Father Moran’s residence in Philipsburg. After the wedding a sumptuous supper was served to the guests. The Lindgren children (Levi, Milton, Edwin and Alvida ) then had five half-siblings born to the Norris marriage (Walter, Lawrence, Mildred, Irene (Susie) and Fern . 

Alida Josephine (unknown maiden name) was born June 4, 1874 and came to Montana in 1892. She died March 23, 1937 and is buried in the Philipsburg cemetery. Michael Norris was born in 1867 and died in 1946 and is buried next to Alida. Levi Edward Lindgren, died at his mothers home on March 22, 1920, at the age of 21. Born in Maxville October 8, 1898, he lived his childhood there and then attended Philipsburg Grade School and Granite County High School. Next, Levi worked at the Red Cross pharmacy for about a year and then joined his brother Edwin in the cattle business. He had been troubled with a heart problem for some time. Internment was in the Philipsburg cemetery. Future articles will detail the researched lives of others in this large family.

Man of Misfortune: Ed Heilman

 

The Citizen Call on January 27, 1897 carried the following story: “Reports reached this place [Philipsburg] last Sunday that Ed Heilman, the well known valley rancher, had been caught in a storm Saturday afternoon and was evidently buried in a snow bank somewhere between this place and his home, in the vicinity of Stone Station. The day was bitter cold, and as Ed had left here in his cart for home the day before, the story looked plausible. Anxious friends made diligent inquiry concerning the particulars, but nothing further than the first report could be learned until Sunday evening, when Jack Sullivan, who had come up from Dunkleburg Saturday, relieved their anxiety by telling what he knew about it. He related that on his return from Dunkleburg he stopped at Stone station about noon to take a short rest and say “howdy” to the boys. Shortly afterward the storm began and he mounted his horse for home. When about 300 yards this side of Stone he ran across Heilman’s horse and cart in the wild storm and not knowing the owner, led the rig back to Stone, where it was identified as Heilman’s. As advised he then took it to Lindgren’s place, and not finding the owner there, Billy Albright got into the cart and drove along the road in search of Heilman, where he was found at a neighbor’s home safe and sound, and toasting his shins. Before reaching Lindgren’s, Sullivan found a 100 pound sack of sugar which had fallen from the cart. Mr. Heilman is very much alive and cannot be killed off by the imaginative brain of the individual who put the first report, with its attendant horrors, in circulation.” 

The next information found regarding Ed Heilman was his conviction of stealing a calf owned by Frank Carnegie and H. M. Thomas in 1898. Ed was sentenced to one year in the State Penitentiary. His nephew Ed Powell was also implicated but escaped and was not caught until early in 1899. Apparently Powell skinned the calf for his uncle believing it was his property. When he heard that he was implicated he took off and traveled by horseback to the Bitter Root then onto Idaho where he sold his horse. He finally arrived in Salt Lake where he became ill with Typhoid Pneumonia and was under treatment for many weeks. After recovering Ed returned to his family in Butte and was arrested by stock detective J. C. Collins. 

Ed’s trial was on March 17-18, 1899. Powell testified that the killing was done in broad daylight and there was no attempt to hide any of the circumstances which gave him no reason to believe anything but that the animal belonged to his uncle. On Sunday, the jury returned with the verdict: “We, the jury in the above case find the defendant, Ed Powell, not guilty.” The outcome of the case was a surprise as citizenry had expected a very strong case being presented by the prosecutor as during the trial of Heilman most of the testimony tended to make Ed Powell the guilty party. 

Six years later, Edward H. Heilman was not as lucky as in 1897 and was killed on his way home October 8, 1903. His wagon rolled over him when it went off the grade between Bennett’s and Loughrin’s about 6 miles down the canyon from Philipsburg. Heilman stopped at Mrs. Franz’s place and picked up a calf he had bought. Near Loughrin’s place the team evidently got off the grade and the wagon turned over with Heilman being caught underneath. The team was caught about one-hundred yards away from the wagon. Patrick Loughrin was the first on the scene but Heilman was already dead. All Bennett and others kept watch over the body during a very cold night after Coroner Ray stated he would hold an inquest at 9 a.m. and for them not to touch the body. After the inquest they brought the remains to Allison & Sherman’s undertaking establishment. Mr. Heilman was 54 years old and unmarried.

Drummond Was On Fire

 

July 17, 1917 about 10 o’clock in the evening a $100,000 fire destroyed a large part of the business section in Drummond. “According to citizens of Drummond, the fire started between the Headquarter Saloon and Wells Brothers’ place and made such rapid headway that nothing was saved. Nearly the entire contents of the buildings with the exception of a few personal belongings was burned. The buildings destroyed were those occupied by the Faust-Bassett Mercantile Company, Asa Jenkin’s Lunch counter, Maurice James Saloon, Wells Brothers’ Saloon, H. Whitworth’s Saloon, Tong Ching’s Restaurant, Pat Clavin’s Saloon, Tim Hanifen’s Barber Shop, The J.H. Shannon Hotel, and Jens Madesen’s grocery; two buildings owned by Fred Howell were destroyed and one owned by Ambrose Alix was also burned. 

When the entire town seemed to be threatened a call for help was sent to Deer Lodge and Mayor Frank Conley with a crew of fifty men and fire fighting apparatus left for Drummond on a special train. The post office equipment and supplies, located in the rear of the Faust-Bassett Mercantile were saved and the office was open for business in the Pioneer Drug Store the next morning. 

Wednesday’s Missoulian has the following account of the conflagration: "Fire originating in a saloon destroyed the entire business section of Drummond. Kenneth Wilson, assistant cashier at the Drummond Bank was injured while trying to remove some furniture from a building (apparently a timber fell on him)…Lack of proper fire fighting equipment is given as the principal reason for the loss. The city offered only a small hose cart and this proved to be worthless and word was sent to Missoula for a fire engine of the Northern Pacific Railroad. By the time the fire engine arrived the fire had gotten beyond control. To prevent the fire from spreading to the residence section of the town, large quantities of dynamite were used to blow up a row of small shacks in the rear of the business district. It was thought for a time that the Northern Pacific depot, which lies across the street would be destroyed and more than 100,000 gallons of gasoline was removed from the building by citizens and N.P. workmen…” 

The 1985 edition of Philipsburg Territory has a picture of downtown Drummond and stated that “the original buildings in this photo were constructed before the arrival of the Northern Pacific Railroad in 1890. The buildings are listed from left to right as Morse General Store, Roche Hotel, Hanifen Barber Shop, Pat Clavin’s Saloon, Chinese Restaurant and Rooms, Headquarters Saloon, Maurice James’ Saloon, Plummer’s Saloon and Featherman’s Store. This entire block on Front Street burned in 1917 and again about four years later. On the next block only the Palace Hotel and Turf Bar remain as evidence of the early days. There are many old buildings remaining in Drummond. Among them are the Community Hall, which was built by Plummer Royal prior to 1905 and was used as a roller skating rink with an ice cream parlor attached; the old grade school; the Catholic Church and Methodist Church. An old log barn near the Post Office was used to keep horses for the freight line between Drummond and Helmville. Clark Smith’s Realtor Office, which was built in 1895 by two sisters as a millinery shop, is almost in its original condition [the article did not name the sisters]. The old Milwaukee Depot which was built about 1908 was moved in 1982 to Fort Missoula for restoration.” 

The fire of July 17, 1917 must be the one Hugh Cumming refers to in his dairy entry for July 21 stating “Trying to save my diary, so much of it was lost in the fire.”

The Lyon Family of the Lower Valley

 

The Lyon family moved to Flint Creek valley from Utah on July 8, 1872. Mrs. E.F. (Smith) Lyon was believed to be the first white woman to make her home in the Drummond area. Mrs. Lyon was born in Rhode Island on March 11, 1854 and immigrated to Corrine, Utah as a young girl. After marrying Mr. Lyon they came to Montana. Mr. Lyon died in 1885 and I have been unable to find an obituary for him. When Mr. Lyon died Mrs. Lyon was left with the care of three small children. The May 21, 1896 Mail stated: “ Mrs. E.F. Lyon has completed her elegant new residences just below town and is now moving into the same.” Mrs. Lyon died at her home in Drummond after a lingering illness during the last week of February, 1920. Her reputation as a ranch manager was widely known and treated as one of the community legends. Survivors were: Son’s George of Anaconda and William of Drummond. Their son Arthur had died the year before in Missoula and his widow was still residing there. A brother and sister, Ed and Kate Smith of Evanston, Wyoming arrived to attend her funeral, held Sunday February 28th with internment at the Valley Cemetery. The Rev. T.H. Barker of Missoula officiated at the graveside service. 

The December 18, 1925 Mail announced that Drummond was a busy city on Wednesday with many folks coming from all parts of the valley to attend the Lyon sale. 

George Lyon died April 23, 1973 at the age of 90 in the Deer Lodge hospital. He was born January 9, 1883 in Drummond and attended the local schools. He married Ethel Perro on October 12, 1908 in Missoula. At that time the couple planned on living in Missoula. His occupations included operating the contracting business in Spokane, working at the rock quarry at Milltown and for several years operating the family ranch at Drummond. George retired several years before his death. George was preceded in death by his wife Ethel (Perro) on February 23, 1962. Survivors were his daughter Kathryn L. Smead of Drummond. The funeral was under the direction of Beck Funeral Home in Deer Lodge with Rev. Ray Estes officiating. George was buried in the Valley cemetery. 

Of interest is that the elder Lyon family (Arthur, Ella and William) are listed in the cemetery files as Lyon. Young George and his wife Ethel are listed as Lyons. I have failed to find any relationship between the Lyon family of Ross’ Fork of Rock Creek and the Lower Valley family. 

Charles R. Fortune resided on the Lyon ranch for 40 years and died at the age of 68, October 5, 1937 at Galen, from Consumption. Born in 1868, he came to Montana in 1894 from Salem, Missouri and lived first in Philipsburg and then moved to Drummond. He was buried in the valley cemetery and no other history is known about Mr. Fortune. 

Frank Morse and Sons

 

Frank D. Morse was president of the Drummond State Bank and served as the republican sheriff of Granite county from 1910 through 1912. Frank’s undersheriff was Sam B. Clark. Frank was elected Constable of the Drummond Township in November 1900 (Philipsburg Mail, November 1, 1900). He was also a deputy sheriff from 1898 through 1902 and 1906 through 1910. He died of a probable blood clot in the heart at his residence near Drummond on November 1, 1922. 

Born in Bradley, Maine on November 7, 1855, Frank came to Montana at the age of 22 and located in Philipsburg. At that time he was engaged in the lumber business. Next he re-located to Elk City and ran a general store for the company of Morse and Brogan. He next mined in Bear Gulch and then located on a 160 acre homestead near Drummond. During the years he added to the acreage for a total of 1600 acres in hay and grain, with many head of stock. The ranch was considered one of the most valuable in the lower valley. 

Frank was married May 5, 1883 at New Chicago to Miss Julia Gasper. He is not listed as a registered voter in November 1912. They had two sons: Verdine B. and Frank M. Both were married and involved in the mercantile business in Hall at the time of their fathers death. Other survivors besides his wife were a sister Mrs. James Rodgers in Helena and two brothers Melvin Morse of Bangor, Maine and George W. Morse of Park City, Utah (not to be confused with Colonel George W. Morse of the Drummond area.) The funeral was held from the ranch home to the Methodist Church in Drummond with Rev. Allan Haldeman conducting the service. He was assisted by Rev. T.H. Parker of Three Forks. Burial was in the Valley cemetery and no pall bearers were listed in the obituary. Frank was a member of the Macabee Lodge in Drummond and a past commander of that society. 

A.A. Peters bought the business owned by the Morse Brothers (The Hall Mercantile) in January 1920 according to the January 9th Mail (But the Morse brothers continued to operate the store.) The Granite County Commissioner minutes in January 1932 noted payments to the “Morse Brothers of $54.34 for supplies” bought by six different persons conducting business for the county. 

The Morse brother’s General Store in Hall was broken into on the 24th or early on the 25th of June, 1924 and a large amount of merchandise was stolen. The robbery was discovered by Frank when he went to open up the store on the morning of the 25th. An inventory of stock showed the robbery consisted of several pocket watches, three pair of shoes, and other small articles. The cash register was opened but they found only pennies. 

I found frequent references about Julia Morse in the papers such as when she returned to Drummond from Missoula May 26, 1927 after being a patient in the Missoula hospital for several weeks. The September 27, 1929 Mail noted that Verdine Morse, Donald Morse, Nevin Morse, Russell Willsey and Robert Miles were visitors in Deer Lodge on Wednesday evening to attend the Deer Lodge chapter of De Molay. 

The December 17, 1949 Deer Lodge News carried the death notice of Julia S. Gasper Morse. She died at her Drummond home. The death notice and headstone are in disagreement on her death date. The newspaper printed on the 23rd states she died on the 17th of December, 1949; the headstone states December 18th. Born May 8, 1861 at Surrey, Hancock county, Maine, Julia was the youngest of 7 children. At the age of 16 she traveled by stagecoach to California to live with her sister Mrs. Rodney F. Phillips. Several years later Julia came to New Chicago to live with her sister Rozenia McPhail. As stated above she married Frank on May 5, 1883. The wedding service was performed at New Chicago by Rev. W.A. Shannon a Deer Lodge pastor. The newlyweds settled on the ranch east of Drummond where they lived for more than 40 years. The remainder of her life Julia lived in Drummond. Julia’s funeral was held at the Methodist Church in Drummond with Rev. Warren Pardun performing the service. Internment was in the Valley cemetery. Survivors were: sons: Verdine B. Morse and his wife of Drummond and Frank M. Morse and wife of Hall; Grandchildren: Donald V. Morse of Wenatchee, Washington, Nevin B. Morse of Drummond, Julia Irene Smith of Long Beach, California, Fern Olson of Missoula, Edith Barker and Phyllis Steck of Helena, Flora Jean Olsson of Hall, Frances Paddock of Victor, Muriel Chartier of Missoula, Revel and Dalton Morse of Drummond; sixteen great grandchildren and several nieces and nephews. 

The 12year old son of Frank and Annabelle McDonald Morse drowned August 26, 1929 in Flint Creek near Hall. Carroll was swimming with friends on the Nelson ranch and as they were getting dressed to return home a Nelson let out a cry for help. Carroll was tying his shoe when the distressed call came and without thinking ran into the water fully clothed to save his friend. Carroll saved his friend and dragged him to the creeks edge where others helped Nelson out of the water. Carrol fell back into the current and went under in an area about 7 feet deep. The friends ran for help and Carroll was found about 30 minutes later. The coroner thought the youngster may have died from heart exhaustion due to the cold water and strenuous exertion, rather than drowning. The funeral was held at the Methodist Church in Hall with internment in the Valley cemetery. Rev. Miss Nellie Phillips officiated. Pallbearers were: Russell Lyon, Fred McRae, Ted Hughes, Glenn Robbins, Robert Miles and Russell Willsey. 

The accident notice and another news article announcing a Hero Award are in conflict as to the name of the distressed swimmer. One gives his name as Fred and the other states Carl Nelson Junior. The family had children by both names, but Frankie (Morse) Fickler states that Fred was the Nelson saved. The Carnegie Hero Fund Commission announced on November 1st that a posthumous award of a bronze medal was given to Carroll for saving his friend and that the medal would be mailed to his father Frank M. Morse at Hall, Montana in Granite County, according to the Popular Standard, November 20, 1930. 

Frank and Julia’s son Verdine Morse died on May 31, 1953 at the age of 68 and was buried in the Valley cemetery. He was listed as a registered voter on November 1, 1912 with the address of: Section 10, Township 10, range 12 W. 

Dalton Morse was the youngest of five children born to Verdine and Wanda Morse. He served in the Army Air Corp during World War II and returned to the Drummond ranch after his discharge. He married Pearl Farman in 1956. Dalton was a fire fighter with the Blackfoot Forest Protective association and worked for many of the local ranchers. When he died on November 13, 2009 at the Granite County Memorial Hospital, Dalton was the last survivor of his siblings: Verdine Edwin, Reul L, Muriel (Chartier) and Francis (Paddock). Wanda also preceded Dalton in death. Memorial services were held at the Drummond Community Hall on January 12, 2010. 

Verdine’s brother Frank and sister-in-law Annabelle McDonald Morse celebrated their fiftieth anniversary with an open house at their home in Hall in June of 1958. All seven of their children and families were present at the celebration. As noted in an earlier story, Annabelle’s mother and father Anna and Jonas McDonald were killed in a train wreck near Caldwell, Idaho on July 31, 1909, while enroute to the Seattle World’s Fair. 

Frank M. Morse died in a Missoula hospital on May 26, 1965. He was born on his parent’s (Frank and Julia Morse) ranch east of Drummond on October 6, 1886. After attending schools in Drummond Frank became the postmaster at Hall from 1913 to 1956. Frank was listed as a registered voter on November 1, 1912 with the address of Drummond. He also operated a mercantile business in Hall during the same period. Frank was a past master of Ruby Lodge A.F. & A. M. and past patron of Margaret Cummings Chapter of OES. Frank was survived by his widow and seven children: Donald V. of Wenatchee, Washington, Nevin W. of Drummond, Julia Smith, Edith Barker and Phyllis Steck all of Helena, Fern Olson of Missoula and Flora Jean Ollson of Hall and their families which included 15 grandchildren and 3 great grandchildren. Twelve year old son Carroll preceded him in death. After a service in the Hall Methodist Church with Rev. Robert Lamphere officiating internment was in the Valley cemetery. Pallbearers were: Archie Henderson, Wilford Johnson, Robert Fischer, Robert Conn, Jack Nelson and Tim Hanifen. 

Annabelle Morse was born on April 24, 1887 in Gravenhurst Ontario, Canada to J.D. and Anna McDonald. At an early age the family moved from Canada to Bonita, Montana then moved to Drummond in 1900. She married Frank on June 8, 1908 and from 1913 until her death except for five years (1920-1925) she and Frank lived in Hall. Annabelle died at the age of 96 on October 23, 1983 at the Granite County Nursing Home. Survivors were 6 of her 8 children and their families. She was preceded in death by son Carroll (1929), daughter Edith (1979) and Frank (1965). Burial services were performed at the Hall Methodist Church with internment in the family plot at valley cemetery. 

Frank and Annabelle’s daughter Fern Elizabeth Morse Olson died May 25, 2008 in Polson, Montana at the age of 82. She was buried in the Sunset Memorial cemetery in Missoula. 

 It looks like the Morse Mercantile Store was operated by the Morse family until 1956. I have failed to find anything about the new operators at this time.

McPhails: Prominent Citizen's of New Chicago

Headlines in the April 29, 1910 Mail were: “FIRE IN THE VALLEY; The McPhail Hotel at New Chicago is burned to the ground.” The property owned by Archie and Mary Ann McPhail burned Wednesday evening April 27. The fire was discovered about 8:30 p.m. in the second story of the building. Neighbors quickly gathered to assist and about 35 people worked for several hours. Some formed bucket brigades and others removed as much of the belongings as they could before the roof caved in. The only water available was 50 feet from the house. The barn and other nearby buildings were saved. A few days before the fire an irrigation ditch that ran near the house had been closed off to let the area dry so it could be cleaned out. The cause of the fire was believed to be from a chimney. The building was erected 29 years before the fire after the previous hotel on the same spot had burned down. (This would make the hotel’s original start date prior to 1881.) 

The previous fire occurred in the dead of winter and the temperature was 20 degrees below zero. Archie rebuilt the hotel the next spring as it was a welcome place for the weary traveler on their way to “Old Bear.” 

Archie’s son, R. D. McPhail, assistant cashier at the Drummond State Bank married Miss Grace Hanifen of Garnet during the week of September 20th stated the September 27, 1912 Philipsburg Mail. The ceremony was performed in Butte at the Catholic Church with Rev. Father McCormick performing the ceremony. The attendants were Mr. and Mrs. Noel McPhail. The bride’s parents were Mr. and Mrs. H.T. Hanifen. The couple set up housekeeping in Drummond. 

 Archie A. McPhail died April 6, 1928 at his son Noel McPhail’s home in Los Angeles. Born in Canada on August 31, 1838, to Archie and Christie (McIntosh) McPhail, he came to the United States as a young man. Archie arrived in Montana by way of Pike’s Peak in Colorado and traveled from Fort Bridger to Bannock where he arrived on September 20, 1862. I have been unable to determine if he was the same person referred to as D. A. “Archie” McPhail, married to Matilda Schnepel Wenandy McPhail when she died June 8, 1888. I also found references to Archie McPhail having problems with A.H. Porter in 1893 and that Archie had married one of Porter’s sisters in 1890. 

 Archie’s wife, Mary Ann died in 1923 and a year later he moved to his son’s home in Los Angeles. Prior to that, he had always lived on a ranch near New Chicago that was settled in the 1860’s. He did some mining, but the majority of his efforts were in ranching and raising stock. The Society of Montana Pioneers (1899), stated that his occupations was a miner and stock raiser. The funeral was held in Drummond with internment at the Valley cemetery. 

Allen McPhail “…the oldest citizen of Granite county” died January 23, 1930 at his ranch home near New Chicago at the age of 94. Born at Harrison’s Corners, Ontario, Canada August 3, 1836, Allen went to the gold fields in Colorado as a young man. After living in Denver for two years he moved to Oregon and then Boise, Idaho. In 1865, Allen came to Montana and settled in the Flint Creek valley where he had lived continuously for the past 65 years. When he first settled in Montana, Allen engaged in placer mining activities. Then in 1871 he settled a homestead near New Chicago and engaged in ranching. He married Rozenia Gasper in 1879. Allen was an active member of the Society of Montana Pioneers and had a very nice eulogy written in the paper by “Sandbar” Brown’s son James: …Civilization for one brief moment was halted last week while Time recorded the fact that a peaceful man’s work had been completed. In the interval every beating heart in the little community wailed. Stand Aside! while a monument to a man was being moulded to remain forever in memory! Thus as the warrior used the moment for his trumpet, the peaceful man uses the human heart. Here, then, is his place in the sun, and Death perpetuates it. Internment was at the Valley cemetery. Survivors were; wife Rozenia, son Emery McPhail of Three Forks; Daughters: Miss Nettie McPhail a teacher in Missoula, Mrs. J.R. (Annie) Enman of Hall and Mrs. (Christie) Nakken of Drummond; one brother Chris McPhail of Harrison’s Corner, Ontario and three grandchildren. 

 Rozenia Gasper McPhail died on October 2, 1932 at the family ranch at the age of 86.

One Man Dead Another Hospitalized

 Following is the story the July 15th 1938 Philipsburg Mail headlined: Huebeck Dead, Deputy Sheriff Wounded in Shooting. This is a synopsis of the article: “One man dead and another in the Northern Pacific Hospital in Missoula seriously wounded Tuesday morning as the result of a shooting affray on an upper Willow Creek ranch 18 miles west of here. The dead man is John Heubeck a “hermit” rancher, who committed suicide by hanging himself on a rafter in the attic of his ranch home after wounding Fred Superneau, Granite County Undersheriff, four times, and later engaging in a gun battle with Angus McDonald, Granite County Sheriff. Superneau was wounded when he went to Heubeck’s ranch Tuesday morning to arrest Heubeck on a warrant signed by F.F. Redman, Forest Ranger, charging Heubeck with burning brush without a permit.” Fred knew Heubeck as his ranch was below the Luthje ranch and Fred was married to Anna Luthje, so when he presented John with the warrant and told him he needed to go with him to town, thought nothing about letting John go change his clothes. John came out of the bedroom with a pair of overalls draped over his arm which concealed a short-nosed 38 calibre revolver. John fired four shots at Fred with one creasing his “rib just under the heart, another passed through his right wrist, another his left arm and the fourth lodged in the upper right leg.” Hans Luthje heard the shooting and came to Fred’s aid, rushing him to Dr Knight’s Hospital in Philipsburg and he was then taken to Missoula. Hans notified Sheriff McDonald who notified the Silver Bow Sheriff asking for gas guns and headed for the scene. Butte Undersheriff Joe Boric and Deputy Carruther’s responded bringing the gas guns. When McDonald arrived at the ranch Heubeck fired at him and when he ran from the barn to the house was fired on a second time. McDonald then broke out a window in the house and hearing no shots peered inside to see Heubeck’s feet disappearing into the attic. After calling for the man to come out of the attic, McDonald pushed open the trap door and Heubeck fired again. He had already put the rope noose around his neck. McDonald returned fire with three shots: two going high and one hitting Heubeck in the cheek and then realized the rope had been tied to the rafter as Heubeck fell. 

Heubeck had lived on the ranch for 30 years and was survived by a brother in California. Fred’s wounds healed quickly and he returned to his undersheriff position. Fred was the son of William F. and Bertha Superneau who had moved to Philipsburg from Illinois prior to 1899. The 1910 Federal census show’s the family living in the Roslind district with Maynie, age 9, William Frederick age 7, Richard age 5, Laurence age 2 and Clarice an infant. Their son George died as an Infant in 1899. Fred married Anna Luthje at the age of 29 on March 9, 1927 and they had two daughters: Mildred died at the age of 17 January 1, 1949 and Shirley “Shammie” married Herbert Abbey. Fred worked as a Mill Man and was undersheriff for his brother-in-law Gus McDonald. When Gus went to fight in WWII his wife (Fred’s sister) Clarice was given the position of Sheriff with Fred remaining as undersheriff, until the term was up. Fred died of a CVA (stroke) on January 22, 1963 after being in St. Ann's Hospital in Anaconda for 2 days. All of the family are interred in the Philipsburg cemetery.

Letters From The Trenches in France

Vince Winninghoff wrote letters to his family during WWI that brought the realities of war home. Published in the Philipsburg Mail are the following: 

(August 30, 1918) The other morning they had quite a time around here and the Americans did fine work making the Germans more than pay for our losses which were very light, although a number of fellows were slightly wounded. In one place the Germans crept up real close with a liquid fire apparatus. The Americans heard a noise and just then the Germans shot the fire, but there was no one where they shot. This fire revealed the Boche and the Americans made short work of them, capturing a lieutenant and the apparatus, besides killing a couple and wounding more. The losses the Americans sustained did them more good than harm. It seemed to raise their moral 100 per cent and make them determined to get the Boche…We have lots of companions in the trenches. We have Frenchmen like in the picture. We talk with them and try to learn French and they try to learn English. Then there are the rats. If the allies had as many soldiers in the trenches as there are rats this war would soon be over. One ran up on the end of my gun while I was standing guard, and when you are sleeping rats play hide and seek on you as the little fellows did in the English story about Gulliver. And last but not least are the gray backs. Thousands of them! One sees fellows with their shirts off playing hunt the lice every day. At night while standing guard we hate the rats worse, for then while straining our ears to catch the slightest sound a rat will start running around on No-Man’s Land scaring us because we think it is a Boche. Sometimes as the day is breaking there won’t be a noise: even the boom and crack of gun is absent, then the birds will start singing. How beautiful it is one cannot imagine. And it is hard to realize that war exists. It really seems to me as if there are more birds on No-Man’s Land than any place else on earth…I am writing this in a dugout by candle light, and in a very poor position to write. Your Loving Son, Vince” 

(September 4, 1918 Somewhere in France) Dear Father; Just another short note but active hitch at the front. But it was quite different from the hitches before in that we had a different kind of foe to face. Here the German infantry did not put up much of a fight. Every chance they got they threw up their hands and hollered “Kamerad”. They said their officers went to the rear before the attacks, otherwise they would have been shot if they showed a white flag. But the artillery fire at times was a fright. The Germans threw over shells that would dig a hole big enough to bury several horses in. … The German soldiers seem to have come to realize that the Kaiser cannot win the war and he has lost all ambition to fight. This I believe is true with the exception of the artillery and some of the machine gun men. The latter will often stand at their posts pumping lead into you until you reach them, then they will throw up their arms and holler, “Kamerad, Kamerad”, but they are shown little mercy. This is something to much for anyone to stand, but those who give up decently are treated as men should be. …I saw my first areoplanes brought down. The first one came down in flames. It was an Allied plane and was flying over our lines. I don’t know what struck it, but all of a sudden a tongue of flame darted out behind her. The aviator started toward the German lines then he turned and started to come down. Our ante-aircraft hit a wing and tore it off. The German came straight down. His machine kept spinning this killing the momentum and he came down fairly slow… Well father, I’ll bid goodbye; Your loving son Vince. 

(April 13, 1928) announced the marriage of Vincent C. Winninghoff to Miss Anna (Anne) M. Brooks, on Monday April 9, in Los Angeles, California. Vince, had been working in a U.S. Post Office position in Los Angeles for several years. He was the son of Mr. and Mrs. Frank Winninghoff, and after graduating from Granite County High School won an appointment to the U.S. Naval Academy in either 1912 or 1913 and was rejected secondary to a minor eye condition. Not being able to serve as an American, he served in the A.E. F., in France in WWI. After an education at The University Of Montana he moved to California and is credited in the Family History as "conceiving and designing the automobile transmission and flowing rear axle for automobiles as we know them today." He is also credited with developing the Zip Code System for the U.S. Post Office which is still in operation today.  

William Seelos: WWII POW

 

                                                      William Seelos and "Montana Power"

Granite county demonstrated their patriotic spirit enthusiastically during World War II, just as they had in WWI, and not only lost sixteen of our young men, but had a number captured and held as prisoners of war. William Robert Seelos was one of those brave men. Born to Marie and Sebastian Seelos on May 22,1920 in Philipsburg, he joined his sister Marian and lived the life of a small town boy until his father was killed in a motor vehicle accident on December 21, 1934. This accident happened on what we called “suicide curve’ on Flint Creek Hill and as a child I remember my father pointing out Sebastian’s car mostly hidden by brush far down the steep hillside just west of the hairpin curve, whenever we drove to Anaconda for school clothes. I have to assume William moved into the role of “Man of the House” after this accident and assisted his mother any way he could. 

William enlisted at Missoula, Montana on August 18, 1941 (before America joined the War) as an Aviation Cadet in the Air Corp. He progressed rapidly to becoming a B17 pilot, flying the “Montana Power” and on his 19th mission was shot down when hit with fighter flak on April 3, 1943 while flying to the ERLA Works in Antwerp, Belgium, MACR 15534. William parachuted unto Wuustwezel, north of Antwerp and was immediately captured as a Prisoner of War. He was interned at Stalag Luft I and was liberated at Stalag Luft VIIA (7A) on Moosburg, Germany by Patton’s 3rd Army and returned to Military control on July 6, 1945 He returned home to Philipsburg to spend a long furlough with his mother and after discharge from the Army-Air Corp moved to the Los Angeles, California. 

Of interest, his Philipsburg Mail obituary, May 26, 2005 stated : He died May 16, 2005 in Los Angeles and was 85 years old. He was raised in Philipsburg and attended and graduated locally. He served as a bomber pilot in World War II where he was shot down over enemy territory in Europe and was held as a prisoner of war until the end of WWII. Afterward William moved to L.A. to start a business. He is survived by his wife Mary and many children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. At present I have not identified his children.

Lower Valley Gun and Knife Fight Ended in Death

Philipsburg Mail headlines on December 30, 1910 carried the story that there was a tragedy at the Miller and Lockaby Ditch Camp on the afternoon of the 9th. The camp was located about three miles south of Hall in the Alex Wight field. Between three and four in the afternoon, Miller went after Lockaby with an axe and Lockaby shot to protect himself according to the report that Lockaby phoned in to the sheriff office, from Hall, before he started off on foot to Philipsburg to turn himself in. 

Lockaby arrived in Philipsburg in the early morning and County Attorney Moore and Judge F.D. Sayr took the morning train to investigate. At the time of printing the Mail had no other information as Lockaby did not wish to “make a statement for publication.” 

The January 6, 1911 Philipsburg Mail published the following: “…According to the testimony given at the inquest Geo. A. Miller and William Lockaby, {age 50} were partners in a subcontract on the Thayer Ditch, their camp being located several miles south of Hall. Miller tired of the job and Wednesday evening he and Lockaby settled up their affairs between them, Miller stating that he wanted to go to Idaho. Everything was adjusted amicably between them and all that remained to divide was a lot of groceries amounting to $24 and in which three parties owned equally. Miller did not want the groceries and told Lockaby he could have his share. Thursday morning Miller left camp to take the train to Drummond. On his way to Hall he met two men coming up who had been sent from the lower camp by another contractor to work at the head of the ditch. All three stopped and talked and the two inquired of Miller if he knew of a place where they could stop while working up there. Miller told them they might be able to stay with Lockaby as he was alone in camp. Miller went on to Drummond but on the afternoon train he returned and went back to camp. Lockaby asked what brought him back and Miller replied that he thought it over and concluded that the two fellows should not come to camp and eat up his grub and that he had come back to see that they didn’t. Lockaby started to cook lunch for Miller and while doing so Miller continued to talk about the two men, who then were out on the ditch at work, that he would kill them both before they should eat up his grub and that he would kill Lockaby too, if he took them into camp. The more he talked along this line the more violent he got. Lockaby tried to quiet him but it did no good and finally Miller stepped out of the tent to the wood pile and in a moment came back with a double-bit axe and made a pass at Lockaby who dodged the blow and jumped over the bunk. As he did so he grabbed up his gun and shouted to Miller to let up or he would shoot, but Miller kept on coming with the axe uplifted. Lockaby fired as he run until he had emptied the gun. He saw Miller fall just outside the tent but kept on going until he got to where the other men were at work. He told them what had happened and asked them to go and do what they could for Miller, and that he was going on to Hall to telephone the sheriff and give himself up. 

Miller was dead when the men reached the cabin, they covered him with a canvas and left things just as they were until the coroner arrived. Lockaby sent word to the sheriff from Hall that he was on his way to Philipsburg and arrived here early Friday morning. He went right to the Sheriff’s office and surrendered himself.” 

Judge Sayr acting coroner and County Attorney W.F. Moore went to Hall Friday morning, impaneled a jury; viewed the remains and the scene; and brought Miller’s remains to Philipsburg. The autopsy revealed Miller had been hit four times: once on his watch, one grazed his skull over the left eye, one entered the left breast and one entered the right breast, puncturing the lung. Both bullets were found under the skin on his back. The jury was comprised of: Frank D. “Sandbar” Brown, J.J. Carmichael, J.E. Barret, Peter Larson, William McRen and Napoleon Robishaw were satisfied that Lockaby was justified and had acted wholly in self-defense. “He was promptly given his liberty.” 

Nothing was known about Miller’s relatives so the remains were buried in the pauper section of the Philipsburg cemetery.

How Sandbar Got His Name: Frank D. Brown

 

                                                             Frank D. "Sandbar" Brown

An exaggerated account of this tale was published in the May 4, 1923 Mail that was taken from the Great Falls Leader. Because the story is a good yarn I will quote the entire excerpt: “[this story]…brings us to the name “Sandbar” as attached to Mr. Frank D. Brown. Not vouching for the story, but telling it as it was told to me in the days when every man had something tacked onto the name his folks gave him, it relates to Mr. Brown and the red brothers of the days when scalp locks were more fashionable in the Indian village than short skirts to the rail bird brigade of today. Mr. Brown was rather sudden with a gun in the early time, and also a chief clerk of a large institution, between prospecting and hunting trips. 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!” 

The above article was written at the time Sandbar was elected to be the secretary of the Society of Montana Pioneers. He was the Historian for the Society for many years and was “…pioneer extraordinary as well as plenipotentiary to every ghost city of the west” according to the May 4, 1923 Mail. 

The year of 1875 found Sandbar as a government scout on the ill-fated Baker Expedition down the Yellowstone, Sun River, Prickly Pear, Last Chance, Bear Gulch, Cedar Creek and then one season of “fruitless” prospecting in Utah. In 1878 Sandbar and his wife moved to Philipsburg where he accepted the position of superintendent of the Northwest Company at Tower. He had married Anna E. (unknown maiden name) in Helena, Montana in December 1873. 

Born in Hesse-Darmstadt, Germany she immigrated to America as a child. Anna died at the age of fifty-nine on October 6, 1914 at her daughter’s home in Missoula. Frank D. “Sandbar” Brown died January 16, 1931 “of sheer old age” at 2:30 in the morning at the home of his daughter Mrs. Rutledge Parker in the Rattlesnake Valley near Missoula. He was eighty-five years old “and never were years more crowded with action, with adventure, with achievement.” 

According to his wishes “Sandbar” was buried next to his wife in the Philipsburg cemetery.

More Granite County Patriots of the Civil War

Norman Alexander Eddy, born August 14, 1848, died November 21, 1917 in Parkerville, at his daughter, Mrs. Hanley’s home. He was a carpenter and was repairing a home, when he died of probable heart failure. Born in Canada, he came to the U.S. as a small child to live in Pennsylvania. He had lived in Philipsburg with his daughter for only a short time. A member of G.A.R., he displayed the Stars and Stripes of his adopted home conspicuously in his home. He was preceded in death by his wife, survivors were: daughter Mrs. Hanley and Mrs. E.J.M. Williams, of Hall. L.C. Degenhart a G.A.R. Veteran was honorary pallbearer, at his burial in the Philipsburg cemetery. 

First I found an obituary for John Hendrickson Jr., a Corporal in Co. E, Thirty Seventh Regiment, who drowned on February 24, 1900, in the Philippines' while serving for the US in the War with Spain. Then in a very short obituary, the February 1, 1901, Philipsburg Mail, stated John Hendrickson Sr.’s funeral had taken place on Sunday, January 26, 1901, with services at the City Hall, by Rev. H.G. Wakefield. The GAR, Firemen and City and County officials attended the funeral with the Philipsburg Silver Cornet Band leading the procession to the cemetery. 

Thomas Long, born in 1839, died at the home of his relatives in Galena, Illinois in September, 1917. A tinner by trade, he operated a tin-shop in Philipsburg, for many years before he settled a homestead, on Cow Creek, several miles from Hall. He was a G.A.R. veteran and often entertained his small friends with stories of the battlefield. He had a very large collection of valuable curios and every specimen had a story. After a Catholic service, he was interred in the Philipsburg cemetery. 

J.A. Matthews, I know was a Civil War Veteran, but I have been unable to find an obituary of his death. He is discussed through out the “Mettle Of Granite County Books.” 

Paul A. Fusz, was born in Hericourt, France in 1847 to Francis H. and Marie Regina (Tachaen) Fusz, was brought to St. Louis Missouri when he was six years of age. He and two friends ran away and joined the Confederate Army when he was seventeen. He and one of the friends were caught by the Union Army while smuggling quinine and valuable papers for the confederates and they chewed up the papers rather than give them to the Union Army. The friend was hanged, but because Fusz was only seventeen, he was sent to Jefferson City Prison. “One of President Lincoln’s last official acts was to pardon Fusz”. Fusz lived in Granite, Montana from 1889, until shortly before his death, when he returned to St. Louis, for medical care of his pernicious anemia. He was president of the Bi-Metallic Mining Company which included the American Gem Mining Company on West Fork of Rock Creek. Burial was in Calvary Cemetery, beside his wife, who had died 20 years prior, in the family plot in St. Louis, Missouri, on February 18, 1910. Paul is spoken of often in “Mettle of Granite County Book One” and discussed in depth in Book II in the Sapphire Mines Chapter. 

Charles Weitfle died in the Masonic Home in the Helena Valley, on January 20, 1921. He held the title of being one of the oldest Mason’s in Montana. Born in Germany on February 15, 1826, He immigrated in 1850 and served in the U.S. Navy with an honorable discharge in 1859, then served in the Civil War in the Union Army. He was a noted photographer, receiving medals for work he did for the Union Pacific Railroad in Central City, Colorado. He moved to Granite at the peak of the silver boom in 1892, then, in 1899 he became a bee keeper in Idaho Falls and continued this career until moving to the Helena Masonic Home in 1914. He was the Master of the Granite Masonic Lodge for one term. Charles is memorialized, by his publication of "Views of Granite and Philipsburg and Vicinity", and is spoken of often in “Mettle of Granite County Book One.” 

William Irvine worked the mines over thirty years with his good friend G.B. Ballard. Born in Davis County, Missouri in 1842, he served in the Confederate Army and died from complications of asthma and dropsy at the county hospital, August 13, 1901. He was a miner and prospector. There is no headstone or file card in the City Hall, so he must have been buried in the pauper section of the Philipsburg cemetery.

Civil War Veterans Part Three

Continuing the history of Civil War veterans, Lawrence Pence, died November 14, 1916 of tubercular bronchitis after being ill several months. A native of Ohio, he was around seventy six years old. He was a veteran and member of G.A.R. but there were no record of the regiment or state he served from. A resident of Philipsburg, for about 15 years at the time of his death, he was a miner, had never married and had no relatives in the area. There is no mention of where or how he was buried and there is no headstone or file card on record of his burial, in the Philipsburg Cemetery (Mail, November 17, 1916). 

After serving in the Civil War, J.K. Pardee, came to Granite in 1874, to look at property for Hon. A.B. Nettleton and gave such a positive report of the area, Nettleton paid off the bond he and his friends owed for the property and hired Pardee as the resident manager of the newly formed North West Company, located at Tower. He was one of the many Granite County residents, who volunteered for the Spanish American War. He was a frequent topic in the Philipsburg Mail, in 1899, during the prospecting, promoting and development of the Iron Mountain and Iron Tower mines, in Missoula County. Later that year, J.K. Pardee departed for Sumpter, Oregon, to give attention to the operations on the “Diadem”, a mine he had purchased. His wife Mary (Schoonover) died at Gladstone, Oregon on March 25, 1914 after an extended illness, at over seventy years of age, J.K. took his own life by shooting himself on May 18, 1914: “…due to a spell of despondency over the death of his wife only a month ago and to his defeat in the republican primaries last Friday for the nomination for county treasurer…” The obituary stated that in 1881, Mr. Pardee was a member of the Montana Territorial Council, and voted to divide Deer Lodge County, creating Silver Bow; served one term as Treasurer of Granite County (1897) then moved to Missoula. In 1906, he was Postmaster at Plains being appointed by President (Teddy) Roosevelt. After one term, he retired, disposed of his property in Philipsburg and located at Gladstone, Oregon, where he has been engaged in mining and political interests.. Survivors were: son Joseph T. who worked for the U.S. Geological Survey and wife, in Washington, D.C. He was believed to be about seventy two years old (Mail, May 22, 1914). 

Albert Tinklepaugh was born in Canada June 8, 1845 and immigrated to the United States as a young child to Wisconsin and later Minnesota. During the Civil War, Albert enlisted in Volunteer Company K of Minnesota and received an honorable discharge. He came to Montana in 1880, located in Hall, first on a ranch and then due to poor health opened up a merchandise store, which he operated until a few years before his death. He was Postmaster of Hall and an organizer of the Granite County Bank, in Hall. He was President, of the Bank when he died on June 21, 1920, at his home. Survivors were: his wife, a daughter Mrs. M.C. Ross of Philipsburg, a son, Freeman A., of Hall, a brother, Charles, of Hall and two sisters, Mrs. Duncan Dingwall of Drummond and Mrs. Ella Barker of Rollins, Montana. After a service in the Methodist Church, in Hall, Masonic services were conducted at the Valley Cemetery, by Ruby Lodge Number 36 A.F. & A.M., of. Drummond. 

Francis Thomas, born in Pennsylvania in 1833, was a young married man when he enlisted in The Union Army for the Civil War and was reported killed in action. When the war ended he chose to let the record stand that he was dead and started for the west, with his arrival in Philipsburg, in 1871. The obituary stated he was eligible for a pension, but never applied, nor did he affiliate with the G.A.R. (Grand Army of the Republic). It was assumed he had relatives in Pennsylvania as he subscribed to a small town Pennsylvania newspaper. He died at his home, in South Philipsburg, on July 27, 1921 from infirmities of eighty eight years of age and after a service in the Carmichael Chapel he was interred in the Philipsburg Cemetery (Mail July29, 1921).

Civil War Veterans Part Two

This article continues the details of known Granite County residents that served in the Civil War. 

Joseph Case, who died on March 27, 1930 at the Soldiers Home in Columbia Falls, Montana, was listed as the last surviving G. A. R. Veteran in Granite County, in his March 28 obituary. Born in Flemington, New Jersey on May 4, 1846, he enlisted at the age of sixteen in the Union Army and served with Company C of the Thirty Seventh Regiment in the New Jersey Infantry, the duration of the Civil War, as a Private. Several years after the war he began his trip to the west and in the late 1880’s settled on lower Rock Creek. Joe had a homestead on Rock Creek, that was originally homesteaded by Annie Morgan. Annie found Joe near Rock Creek suffering from an attack of malaria and nursed him back to health. He was supposed to be the heir of Annie’s homestead but she did not make it back to town to sign the papers before her death. The obituary stated he sold his ranch to J.W. Meyers, about 1920 and moved into Philipsburg. Because Joe “Jack” was an ardent sportsman and had supplied the mining camps with fish for years, he was known as “Fisher Jack from the Hogback”. On Memorial Day of 1929, he was the last surviving G.A.R. in the area, so carried the Post Colors and participated in the Philipsburg Parade. Little is known of his family, in the east, except for a niece Mrs. Eliza Case who lived in Brooklyn, New York. The homestead property has been preserved as a historical site and is under the protection of the Missoula Forest Service according to Philipsburg Mail May 22, 2008. 

Eilisee E. Thibault was a Corporal in the 192nd Ohio Infantry and died May 3, 1920. The obituary listed a daughter Mrs. L.P. Conway of Philipsburg and two sons: Eugene of California and A.A. residing in Oregon. There was neither birthplace nor age listed in his obituary. Also, no headstone in the Philipsburg Cemetery or file card at City Hall for any Thibault. Because I catalogued the Philipsburg cemetery before writing this book, I have come to the assumption that many veterans are buried there as paupers, so do not have headstones or file cards. Apparently at the time of their deaths the VFW and American Legion were not aware of their service. 

J.H. Loomis, died March 24, 1914, in Philipsburg and his obituary listed him as a member of G. A. R. He was born at Saundersville, Mass., on November 7, 1840, was a resident of Philipsburg for about 25 years. A carpenter by trade but being in poor health for a number of years he abandoned his occupation. Elected City Treasurer on 1906, he served four successive terms in the office. His wife died at the age of seventy two on March 17, 1912. By his request, the Selish Tribe Improved Order of Red Men performed the burial rites. 

Elijah Powell served his country throughout the Civil War as a member of a Pennsylvania Regiment. He received an honorable discharge, with membership in the Burnside Post No. 22 G.A.R of Philipsburg. Born in Chippewa Township, Beaver County, Pennsylvania on September 26, 1845, he died on December 4, 1899, with survivors: wife (Mary E.), daughters, Lydia Linguist, and Sadie Barrett of Butte; and sons, Charles and Edward of Philipsburg. He worked as a stone and brick mason and when that trade became dull he worked as a miner, until his death from pneumonia. The family resided in the Rosalind district when they arrived in Philipsburg in July 1880, after traveling west via the Missouri River. He was interred in the Philipsburg Cemetery. 

John A. Spencer, a resident of Montana from 1892, collapsed and died while waiting on a customer at his store on lower Broadway on March 1, 1921. Born in Boone County, Indiana on April 9, 1844 (tombstone states 1840), he moved with his parents to St. Paul when he was seven years of age. His first trip to Montana was in 1865, when he became a resident of Virginia City, for twenty seven years and ran a mercantile store. I assume this was right after his discharge from the Civil War, but his obituary does not refer to his military service. Next he lived in Butte, where he also had a mercantile business, for three years then returned to St. Paul, for two years, after which he returned to Butte. He moved to Granite the next year and in 1892, moved his business to Philipsburg. John, served as Master of both the Virginia City and Philipsburg Mason’s and was a city councilman, for two terms. He was survived by a son Clarence C. who recently came from Wallace, Idaho, to assist in the family business, and a sister Mrs. J.S. Yallop, in California. Masonic services were held at the Temple and the Philipsburg cemetery. Research reveals frequent, small ads in the 1895 Mail, stating: “John A. Spencer, near N.P. depot, will take hay and grain in exchange for wagons, carts etc.” 

 I will continue discussing Civil War Veterans in other articles.

Civil War Veterans Part One

The history of patriotism in Montana is well documented. Prior to immigration to Montana a large portion of the population was involved in the Civil War. This is apparent in the disagreement over the name of the first territorial capital. D. Pace in 1962 writes in Golden Gulch: “Varina was the name chosen by some of the Confederate sympathizer’s among the miners;… Jefferson Davis being as much a hero to those whose sympathies were with the south as Abraham Lincoln was to the others, it occurred to the town company to name the new camp after Davis’s wife. ..Judge Giles Gaylord Bissell of Connecticut had been named Judge on June 12, 1863, whose sympathies were just as strong for the northern cause and Bissell legend, states The doctor struck his desk , exclaiming, “I’ll be damned if I’ll sign it that way”. Crossing out Varina he substituted Virginia, allegedly with the further remark that “…no such blot as this shall stain the honor of the camp.” 

Tombstones in the Philipsburg Cemetery, Valley Cemetery and newspaper obituaries, attest to the presence of these men who served in the early military and Civil War: John Jeffrey died at his home in Granite, Thursday April 18, 1890 of inflammation of the heart. A native of Cornwall England he came to Canada as a youth. He married Emma Will (?? unable to read) 1878 and they had three children, according to the Granite Mountain Star. There is no mention in his brief obituary about serving in the civil war, but his headstone in the Philipsburg cemetery is a Veterans headstone. 

Veteran, John Hart Williams, born February 16, 1842 near Richmond, Virginia, was the oldest of four children, but his obituary does not identify the names of his parents. His father died in 1848 and one year later his mother moved with the children to Missouri. At the age of nineteen, John enlisted in the Confederate Army and served throughout the war. In 1865 he came west across the plains and located in upper Deer Lodge valley where he took up a ranch on Racetrack creek and engaged in ranching and stock raising, according to the August 29, 1913, Mail. He married Annie Butcher in Colorado in 1877 and they raised one son and two daughters. About twenty years before his death, they sold the ranch and moved into Deer Lodge, for a short time, then moved to Philipsburg, where he worked in numerous positions, in the mines of Granite County. During the winter of 1912/13, he suffered from pneumonia and was not well after that. Seeking medical care, he had traveled to Deer Lodge, in July and died there, on August 26. After a funeral at the Christian Church, he was interred in the Deer Lodge cemetery. He was a lifelong member of the Christian Church; a Democrat; a member of the United Confederate Veteran’s and The Society of Montana Pioneers. Survivors were: his wife Annie of Philipsburg; daughter Miss Lucille Williams of Philipsburg; daughter Mrs. Harry A. Miller of Livingston and son Lytle L. Williams, an electrical engineer in Lewistown, Montana. 

A veteran who was an active person in early Montana history was Reverend George W. Jenkins. Born September 9, 1836 in Minersville, Pennsylvania to English parents, he spent his early years in Jackson County, Iowa, then in 1861, enlisted in Company M, Second Calvary and served until 1864, in the Civil War. He married Sarah E. King on December 28, 1865, at Andrew, Iowa. Employed as a newspaper man, he was granted his license to preach on August 13, 1859. The family came to Montana in 1888, where he spent his first five years, in the Methodist pastorate in Philipsburg and Granite and erected the churches in both places, plus the parsonage in Philipsburg. He also conducted religious services at Rumsey during this time, stated the August 16, 1890 Granite Mountain Star. 

He was serving his second year, as Pastor in Marysville, Montana, when he died four days before his sixty fifth birthday, on September 5, 1901. The Reverend was a member of Burnside Post Number 22 Grand Army of the Republic (G.A.R.) and all the old soldiers of Philipsburg attended his funeral. He was the father of six children: Mrs. G. S. Williams d.1896; Miss Cora, Wm. S., Mrs. D.R. McRae, Mrs. J.J. Carmichael, Miss Belle and foster-daughter, Mrs. C.M. Oates His daughter Maria had married John J. Carmichael, at the Methodist Parsonage with her father presiding on December 31, 1896 and in 1937, she came to Philipsburg to celebrate the fifty year anniversary, of the St. Paul Methodist Episcopal church, her father built, and gave the roll call of all the pastor’s that had served in the church.

Contributions to Granite County: The Boyd Brothers

The four Boyd Brother’s , John (Jack), Charles, Alex and Dave, were born into a family of six children in a ‘hard scrabble farm” near the town of Vankleek Hill, Ontario, Canada in the 1860’s. The brothers worked their way into Montana in 1880 as loggers and lumberman and between 1883 and 1886, according to the family history documented by a descendant Terry Kayes, were involved in building in Granite, Philipsburg, Ovando, Missoula and Anaconda. 

In Granite and Philipsburg, Charles opened up a slaughter house and retail meat market while operating a stage business. Alex was involved in the Livery business and as an avid ballroom dancer built a dance floor on the 2nd story of his livery stable. He was also involved in building the Haverty Garage. Prior to moving to Seattle in the 1908-09 time period, Alex also built a dance floor in Missoula. Charles  built a home and ranch on the Dirty Dick Creek, which is located just south of where the Forest Service buildings are now located. (If anyone knows how this creek was named I would love to hear the story). 

In 1894 Charles (age 34) married Anna Wyman (age 20) from the lower Rock Creek ranch and by the 1900 Federal Census they had 3 children: Clarence A. age 5, Edna age 4 and Carrol age 1. In 1897, Charles Shodair resigned his position as Philipsburg City Council-man and Charles was appointed to fill the position. In 1900, Charles was elected to fill the City Mayor position and served one four year term. Shortly thereafter the family moved to Bend, Oregon where they homesteaded and when he died daughter Carrol took over the operation. The ranch is now a National Historic site. 

The first news articles research found was July 20, 1893 stating “The Charles Boyd and Gus Lindstadt case occupied the attention of the district court last Friday and Saturday and up to late hours that evening. A large number of witnesses examined on both sides. Judge Brantly presided and the prosecution was represented by County Attorney W.L. Brown and Bob Smith, while W.B. Rogers and Judge McConnell appeared for the defendants. The trial was a long and tedious one and a number of pretty spicy remarks were passed between the attorneys during its progress. .. The case was finally submitted to the jury about 10:30 o’clock and in an hour brought a verdict of acquittal for Charles and Gus on stealing cattle from Angus A. McDonald.” Because of other cases I have ran across I am assuming that Charles and Gus ended up with the alleged stolen cattle because as both being butcher’s. The cattle rustler (s) saw the slaughter house as an easy way to get rid of evidence while also making money on the beef. Unfortunately unless they skinned the animal before bringing it to the slaughter house the brand would be there on the hide as evidence of ownership.

Research also revealed where Charles, Alex and Gus sold their interest in the Red Lion District on March 31, 1905 which was around the time all the brothers moved from the area. Alex and Dave moved their business to the Seattle area. I believe descendants of Dave continue operating a ranch in the Ovando area. It appears that Jack was considered a “black sheep” of the family and little history other than his escapades are available and those are absent in the family history.

Bi-Metallic Bullion and Jack Boyd

The Mail, September 1, 1899, headlined a major arrest when John (Jack) Boyd was charged in Butte with Grand Larceny. Boyd was charged with stealing retort from the Granite Bi-Metallic Mining Company where he had been employed as a watchman. The amount stolen ranged from $10,000 to $70,000. It was claimed retort had been missed for the past fourteen months and the company was aware it was being systematically robbed. Paul Fusz had offered Mr. Boyd a $500 reward to discover who the parties were stealing the retort. Detectives were also employed. Apparently Mr. Boyd visited Butte last week and: “…about the same time a quantity of retort valued at about $30,000 was found with Max Meyer which was identified as coming from the Bi-Metallic mill. It was this that caused Mr. Boyd’s arrest. Assayer Meyer has also been taken into custody and it is said the detectives are looking for other parties who are thought to be implicated. Two detectives arrived Tuesday and Mr. Boyd was taken to Butte Wednesday morning. 

The affair has caused a sensation in the city as Mr. Boyd had borne an excellent reputation and is a man of considerable prominence. He is the brother of Mayor Charles A. Boyd of this city and also of the well known liverymen, A.J. and David A. Boyd of this city and Anaconda.” 

The September 22, 1899 Mail stated that John Boyd was released on Bond for $10,000. The bond was put up by Kenneth McRae, Samuel T. Salverson, David A. Boyd and Alex J. Boyd. The outcome of this charge is unclear and failed to produce any more comments in the Mail. 

Then, I found a description of another robbery in the September 9, 1904 Mail: “A bold and desperate attempt was made between 12 and 1 o’clock Saturday morning to rob the bullion vaults at the Granite Bi-Metallic Consolidated Mining Company, where at all times there are stored several thousand dollars of silver bullion. Two men appeared near the retort room at the mill where the vaults are situated and there met watchman George Johnson. They ordered him to throw up his hands and upon his refusal to do so they knocked him down and beat him over the head with the butt of a revolver. The men then carried Johnson to a barn nearby and bound him hand and foot and gagged him also. The robbers then returned to the bullion room, where they met George McGuire, an electrician in the employ of the Montana Water, Electric Power and Mining Company, who had come into the room for some supplies for his department. He also was commanded to put up his hands. McGuire at first thought that the intruders were joking, but they soon convinced him that they were in earnest. McGuire was also knocked down and carried to the barn where Johnson lay bound and gagged. He as well was tied hand and foot and a gag placed in his mouth. 

The robbers then again returned to the bullion room and set to work to effect an entrance to the vaults where the bullion was stored. They had tools with them for breaking through the brick walls to the interior of the vault and tools also for boring the iron portions of the vaults and they worked vigorously at their enterprise for a time. In the meantime Johnson, lying gagged and bound in the barn, somehow managed to work his shoes off and slip the ropes from his feet. He then got out of the barn and gave an alarm. The robbers evidently saw their game was up and quit, leaving their work only started and the tools they had been using on the ground near the vault. They left not only their tools but also a number of sacks they had brought with them in which to carry away their loot. 

James Thompson and Arthur Smith were arrested the next morning, having been suspected of being connected with the affair. Smith has since been released, there not being any evidence against him, but Thompson has so far been unable to satisfactorily explain his whereabouts on the night of the holdup and is still in jail. Hank Noble and Jack Boyd have been arrested, the complaint charging them with burglary, for which they have been placed under $5,000 bonds each. A second complaint charging them with assault in the first degree has been preferred and $6,000 bonds each, making a total of $11,000 each in bonds. Both say they are innocent.” 

The final conclusion was both parties were found not guilty. Did the family name's influence the verdict?

Sacrifice of his life: Findlay McDonald

Findlay McDonald won the election for Sheriff, in 1896, with a vote of 922 against A.S. Huffman’s  905 votes. One of his first major events was when he arrested a man who called himself Robert Granville, May 5, 1897. The populous strongly suspected the man to be John Strader, alias Frank Morgan, wanted in Gallatin County for killing Deputy Sheriff Allen during an attempted arrest. He had exchanged several shots with Deputy Fisher and Dan Berry during a break in of the Berry's house on May 10, according to the May 12, 1897 Citizen Call. 

Sheriff Fransham arrived from Gallatin County and though not certain he was the same man, took pictures of the prisoner in the Granite County Jail, to show to person’s that were known acquaintances of Frank Morgan/John Strader. When arrested he had two six-shooters strapped on him “in self improvised scabbards” made from the boot tops of a sheep herder working for Davis and Williams, a few miles south of Garrison, who the day before had been robbed and roughly handled by Granville and his associate. The sheep-herder identified him, as one of the men who held him up and gave a good description of the other who escaped. It was determined by all, the man by whatever name, was a rough one and probably wanted for other crimes, if he was not the person who killed the deputy. At a hearing before Justice Berry of Drummond, he waived examination and was bound over to the next term of district court. 

Findlay was defeated by George Metcalf, for Granite County Sheriff, by one vote and the election results were contested in 1898. The case was set for a hearing on December 7, with D.M. Durfee as Findlay‘s attorney and W. Brown, the attorney for Metcalf. The election results were found to be correct and Findlay turned his office over on January 1, 1899. He ran again for Sheriff, on the Democratic ticket in 1904 and won, against Republican J.D. Kennedy, by a plurality of 161 votes. Findlay, was not the Democratic nominee, for sheriff in 1906; Robert McDonel, was and he lost to J.D. Kennedy. 

The year 1911, saw the former Sheriff Findlay McDonald, summoned by death. He died on Sunday March 5, 1911, after being an invalid for almost three years. On July 22, 1908, Findlay risked his life to stop a run away team in Drummond and was dragged for a number of blocks and severely injured. He saved the life of the lady driving the team, but “it may be said that it was at the sacrifice of his own life”. 

Findlay, the son of John R. McDonald and Margaret McPherson McDonald, was born in Glengary County, Ontario in 1859. He was fifty one years, ten months, and nineteen days old, at the time of his death. Raised on a farm, he attended school in Alexandria, then moved to Saginaw, Michigan and worked in lumber. After a couple of years he moved to Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin and again worked in the lumber industry. Next his interest turned to mining, with a move to Leadville, Colorado. Then after about three years he returned to his native land in Canada, and married Miss Mary McDonald, at St. Fenian’s Catholic Church, in Alexandria. They came west to Butte, on April 8, 1886, and arrived in Granite in 1888. 

He was responsible for helping to organize and was the first President of the Granite Mining Union, when it was founded in 1888. The next move was to Black Pine, with employment as the mine foreman, until 1896, when he was elected Sheriff of Granite County. His obituary states that he was re-elected in 1900 and 1902, being at the time of his death, the only sheriff serving three terms, which as stated above is not correct. Survivors were: his wife Mary, daughter Catherine (married to Arthur Lindstadt Jr., at that time a druggist in Butte). 

The next news article, found March 27, 1914, was: “Mrs. Findlay (Mary) McDonald has taken over the Royal Café in the Doe Block. Mrs. McDonald enjoys a wide reputation for excellence in the hotel business and no doubt will have a large patronage at her new location.” Previously, Mary McDonald, had operated the Stephens Hotel dining hall when Findlay died and apparently decided to expand.

Born in Alexandria, Ontario, in April of 1861, as Mary McDonald, she married Findlay and arrived in Philipsburg in 1889. She died July 4, 1927, from pneumonia and the funeral was held from her daughter, Mrs. A.W. Lindstadt’s, home on July 6. Survivors were: daughter Mrs. A.W. Lindstadt, four grandchildren: Catherine, Jean, Marian and Lois Lindstadt; three brothers: and one sister. She was interred next to Findlay in the Philipsburg cemetery.

A Rich History: The Metcalf Family

                     George, William, Lee, Cleve, Margaret, Molly, Robert and Sarah Metcalf circa 1920

George Metcalf, who leased and then bought John Yandell’s ranch was born to English parents in Brigham, Utah, March 4, 1857. George had four brothers and five sisters and left home at the age of fourteen. First he worked the mines around Utah for one and a half years then moved to Idaho and worked as a freighter using ox teams between Idaho and Montana. In 1876, George started his own freighting business in Virginia City, Montana and operated it until 1880 when he returned to Idaho where he freighted between Wood River and Challis. During this time he met Sarah Richards and after their marriage on September 18, 1880 in Malad, Idaho, they moved to Marysville, Montana in 1882. Next he worked a short time for the Anaconda Copper Company and then took a contract with the Butte and Gallatin Railroad Company in 1888. 

The family then moved to Philipsburg where he built a branch railroad from the depot to the Bi-Metallic Mill. He then engaged in hauling for the Bi-Metallic until 1893and it is believed that they moved back to Malad for a short period during this time period. It was during this time that the family moved to the Yandell Ranch on Trout Creek. 

Their children are as follows: George Leo, known as Lee born October 8, 1881, in Malad (d-1949); William E. born in 1883 (d-1950); Margaret in 1884 (d-1988); Mary known as Mollie born in 1887 (d-1984); Cleveland A. born in 1889 (d-1972); Robert D. born 1892 (d-1973), plus in the Philipsburg cemetery are C.E who died at the age of six months and twenty seven days on October 14, 1891; William Baby without a death date; Charles Baby without a death date and Baby Roy without a birth or death date. 

During George and Sarah’s lifetime they were very active in the Granite county society as evidenced from all the entertainment and organizations they participated in. George served as Sheriff from 1888 to 1902; served on the School Board in 1900 and in 1904 was elected as the State representative of Granite County. He won the State Senate seat in 1906 and served through 1913, when he lost the seat to the Pharmacist, A.R. Dearborn. George was a member and President of the Trout and Rock Creek Grazing Association in 1916 and for several years was President of the Philipsburg State Bank which he retired from in 1922 due to his health causing him to give up an active business life. 

He traveled to California for medical treatment and after having surgery failed to improve and died on May 20, 1923. His body was returned to Philipsburg where his funeral was held at son William’s home with burial in the family plot containing his infant children. 

After George’s death, Sarah’s daughter Margaret and her husband Reuben Huffman lived with her and she spent her winters in Idaho and California until 1938 when she returned to her ranch home and died there on May 28, 1938 after a brief illness. Internment was beside her husband and infant children in the Philipsburg cemetery. 

The Metcalf ranch, now consisting of 3,600 acres was sold in 1938 to Bill Studdert and became known as the Tee Bar Three ranch. In September 1957 Gary Cooper bought a “substantial interest in the 13,000 acre Tee Bar Three ranch” according to the September 20, 1957 Philipsburg Mail. Then the Mail stated on May 19, 1972 that the Flint Creek Land Company had bought the Tee Bar Three ranch comprised of 12,400 acres on April 1. The seller was Mile T. Quinn who had bought the ranch from Studdert in 1971. 

The Metcalf children became active members of the community with Cleve partnering and operating drinking establishments including the Club Bar which he bought from his brother William (George Cartier Building). The two brothers owned the Sanitary Meat Market and bought the City Meat Market in July of 1920. Margaret and brother William operated the Metcalf’s Confectionery beginning in 1908. Robert operated The Philipsburg Cash Grocery until he sold out to Vatis Page in 1918 and then lost about $30,000 from a fire in his M.D. Warehouse later that year. He won the mayor election in 1928 and served in that office for twelve years. He then moved to Arizona and when he returned bought a feed and grain store on lower Broadway. This later became the Sparky White and then the Bowen’s Service station. As evidenced above by this short synopsis, a large portion of Philipsburg business was owned and operated by the Metcalf family and their descendants continued this pattern for another generation.