Early Settler's of Ross' Fork

Near the headwaters of the Ross Fork of Rock Creek on the south side of Mount Amerine is a valley named after Vesper “Zeke” Judy and sometimes referred to as Big Moose Meadows. The meadow was settled by Judy about 1898. Zeke was known to be a congenial host and spent every penny he could earn improving his tranquil setting. Every winter he worked in the mines around Philipsburg, to have money to improve the property in the summer. While working his fifth shift at the Algonquin Mine on May 9, 1922 Zeke was at the 600 foot level. When other miners heard a rock fall they ran to see what happened and found Zeke pinned under a corner of the rock. It took two hours of work with jacks and levers to get the body released. His funeral was at Carmichael’s Funeral Parlor and pallbearers were: Albert Forsman, Milo Hoyt, Frank Johnson, Emery and Vern Carnegie and Thomas Roberts, all from Ross’ Fork. Zeke was interred in the Philipsburg cemetery. 

Zeke’s Meadows was bought by Al Forsman from an unknown woman who was probably Zeke’s niece. Al apparently failed to pay the agreed price. Yeats later, without knowing the circumstances, Bob Christensen bought the meadow from Forsman. Bob asked Al a number of times for the title then realized there was a problem. He hired an attorney and took the case to court to obtain a clear title. Bob’s son Steve continued to pasture cattle during the summer in Zeke’s Meadow until selling the property in the spring of 2008. 

Another early settler, Harry Barber Smith came to Granite County possibly running from the law. Harry located his family in a remote meadow south of Medicine Lake near Ross’ Fork. The ranch is now known as the Forsman Place. The story goes that he would walk out to the J.A. Naef place (originally the Schilling homestead) and go to town with the Naef’s when they needed supplies. Right before a blizzard Harry left home to go to the Naef place. His wife did not become concerned until he had not returned a week later. She thought he was at Naef’s waiting out a storm. When she walked out to Naef’s and realized he never arrived a search was mounted, but his body was never found. Research fails to produce any articles about Harry’s disappearance. Mabel remained in the remote area for a time and then moved to the Flood Block in Anaconda where she raised Foster, Lawrence and Ione. She was the sister of Mrs. T.R. Bowen. News articles show her son Foster Smith was involved in a explosion at the Rock Quarry near Anaconda in 1896 but had only minor injuries. 

An article in the Mail January 19, 1917 stated: John Johnson of Anaconda a man employed by J. Forsman to feed stock on the H.B. Smith ranch on upper Ross’s Fork of Rock Creek, was found dead on Thursday of last week by Howard Naef, a neighbor, who visited the place. Johnson had evidently been dead several days as the stock in the barns had not been fed and horses were gnawing each other’s mane and tails and the wood of the manager and stalls. Heart disease is believed to be the cause of death. …Coroner J.J. Carmichael…decided that no inquest was necessary as death came from natural causes. 

Harry Smith’s daughter Ione married John Albert Forsman in August of 1926 and that is why the ranch is now known as the Forsman Place. John Albert Forsman died on June 24, 1951 at the age of fifty-six in the family home in Anaconda. He had been a rancher and at one time operated the Gold Coin Mine. The son of Joseph Forsman a pioneer resident John was born in the West Valley of Anaconda on April 22, 1895. He was buried at New Hill cemetery in Anaconda. Descendants of the original Forsman family continue to spend vacations and holidays at the ranch. 

Medicine Lake mentioned earlier was a Native American spiritual landmark. According to folk lore before the white man arrived in this area the Lake was used by the Indians for spiritual journeys. Fishing is very good in this pristine area and has been for many years. The area, according to a document in my possession, was a patented mining claim known as The White Swan Placer Mineral Location, in 1903. The claim was deeded from F.D. Sayrs to George Stephen Congdon in December 1921 and apparently was then a fish hatchery.