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.