The Sandin Family

The Sandin Women: L to R top row: Mary, Hilda, Annie. Bottom Row: Minnie and Elfie

The Sandin ranch home was located on the south side of Riva Ridge which is on the south side of Eagle Canyon. The original product was a homestead claimed by four brothers, Axel, Olaf (Ole), Bill and Louis J.( Jack). There is a probability that some of the sisters were also involved in the homestead. But at that time women were not often legally recognized. 

Lewis and Anna Sandin were born in Sweden and after having John (Louis), Axel and Oscar immigrated to America in 1880. The U.S. Federal Census for 1900 shows them living in Nebraska with John (Louis) 22 and seven other children: Tom (15), Hilda (13), Olaf (9), Mary (8), Minnie (5), Effie (Elfie) (3) all born in Nebraska. I do not know why William age 13, Oscar age 17 and Axel age 20 are not on this census record. Another son, Emil was born in 1902 and died in 1909. 

The homestead claim was recorded July 3, 1901 under Louis J. Sandin‘s name according to the Granite County Clerk and Recorder files. Over the years, other land was added to the homestead such as acreage from George Albers and section seventeen from August Greenheck. This brought the ranch property over Riva ridge and along the south side of Middle Fork. 

The 1910 Federal Census shows Lewis (Louis) age 32, Hilda age 22 and Olaf age 19 in Granite County in the Porter’s Corner Precinct that included Ross’ Fork. Axel age 30 and William age 23 were hired hands for Don DeForest. The assessed taxes in January, 1913 were $121.84 for L.J. and $122.12 for A.H. Sandin. 1920 news articles state Axel was still on the ranch in 1920. 

At least three of the Sandin sisters came west: Hilda (Johnson), Anna (Lindgren) and Mary. Anne Sandin married H. Milton Lindgren in Missoula on November 21, 1917. Mary Sandin was visiting at her sister home when she became ill and died of consumption. She was twenty-seven years, seven months and nineteen days of age according to her obituary in The Mail March 15, 1918. Her mother and two brothers had preceded her. Bill was running the Sandin Ranch stated the obituary. 

Louis (Jack) Sandin became a Citizen of the United States in 1911, while living in Granite County and died on his way to Stromberg, Nebraska on May 4, 1918. He was returning to Nebraska after becoming ill with pneumonia and the doctor advised him to change his climate and altitude. 

During the years the brother's interest were bought out until the sole owner was Ole and wife Beck (Hess) whom he had married on March 31, 1914. Ole was working at Southern Cross on March 15, 1918 though when his sister Mary died. Ole, Beck and daughters Winnie (26 months) and Mary (7 months) were in Mineral County (Superior) for the 1920 census living next to Beck’s parents, T.R. and Rebecca Hess. 

Axel Sandin married Emma Sutherland in Anaconda, Montana on December 17, 1914. After 1920, illness forced him to retire from the ranch and move to town. Axel died May 21, 1940 at his south Philipsburg home after a long illness. Survivors were his wife Emma, and son Lewis (1916-2000)); sisters: Hilda Johnson of California, Effie (Elfie) Carlson of Nebraska, Anne Lindgren of Washington and Minnie Sandin of Seattle; brothers: Ole of Rock Creek, William of Philipsburg and Oscar of Nebraska. 

Lewis and Mildred had three children: Raymond, Carole and Alta. Raymond and Elaine (Owsley) raised a family in Philipsburg and continue to live there. 

Ole Sandin born in 1890 died at the age of fifty-six in Seattle, in 1946. They had moved to Seattle for his health as Ole had suffered with a severe heart condition for several years. His wife, Beck (1895-1972) returned to Granite County after Ole died. She tried to run the ranch with her second husband Robert Kaiser whom she married in 1948. Realizing Bob was not a rancher Beck turned the ranch duties over to Bus and Grace Hess and moved into Philipsburg. The daughters Winifred and Mary by this time had moved away from the ranch. 

Mary Sandin (Kulaweic) died in Seattle on April 26, 1986. Winifred Sandin (1918-2001) known as Fet to her friends married my uncle Walter Bentz. They divorced and after World War II, she married my uncle-in-law Harvey Bauer (1907-1992) who was the widower of my aunt Vernus Bentz. 

When the Sandin Ranch was sold the acreage in Eagle Canyon was kept by Fet and inherited by daughter and son-in-law Karen and Tom Gresch. They reside in Washington, with a second home on the south side of Middle Fork in Eagle Canyon enjoyed by them and children, Thomas and Amy (Mason) and their seven grandchildren.