Montana State Baseball League 1892

 

Recently on Face Book in the “I grew up in Philipsburg” group, Lee H. Graham posted a picture of a sweat shirt advertising the Philipsburg “Burgers” 1892 baseball team, he had found on the internet. Research by Joey Berreta found the Montana State Baseball League for 1892 and newspaper research found a couple of news articles. With a lot more digging the following has been documented. The Montana State League was a minor league baseball league that played various seasons between 1892 and 1925 as an independent league. The league consisted of teams based exclusively in Montana with the exception of 1909 when Idaho and Utah were represented. The state league played only 3 documented minor league seasons with several other times that have no professional records, according to Wikipedia and numerous Baseball historical documents and history books. 

In 1892 the League was a six-team Class B level minor league. This league played a split season with the Bozeman and Great Falls franchises leaving after the season’s first half on July 23, 1892. Bozeman left with a record of 10 wins and 8 losses and Great Falls Smelter Cities( this included Black Eagle) had 6 wins and 10 losses at the end of the half season. The final standings were: Helena 29 - 21; Butte 26-22; Philipsburg Burgers 22-23 and Missoula 18-29. Butte won the first half and Missoula won the second half title. The seasons best overall was Butte with Helena apparently forfeiting due to complaints about money and umpiring. 

Baseball Hall of Fame member Clark Griffith played for Missoula in 1892 and was showered with gold coins after the game and later bought property and built a home in Montana. After the season was over betting and cheating complaints were possibly the reason the league did not return in 1893. 

The team managers were: Helena- Con Strothers; Butte- Jim Powell; Philipsburg Burgers- Charlie Hoover; Missoula- ?Marin; Bozeman- B.E. Vaile and Great Falls Smelter Cities (This included Black Eagle)- ?Meilli. (The ? are because no first name were listed) 

The Philipsburg Burger players were: Manager Charlie Hoover, Pete Lohman, George McMillan, Tom Parrot, Harry Raymond and Guerdon Whiteley. Unfortunately there was no Federal Census performed in 1890 and so far I have not found any of the above Burger names in the 1880 Federal Census.  I will continue to search and if anyone has information about any of the above names please let me know. 

Can you imagine a person putting in a hard week of labor and then traveling to another town with very undependable modes of travel to play a game of baseball and return to work . As I am certain none of these men would have been able to spend a baseball season without continuing their hard labor, which was probably in the mines, mills and smelters.

A Noteable Resident : Lou Shodair

 

                                                                    Louis W. Shodair

Lou Shodair, had an early Grocery store in Philipsburg, with ads dispersed through-out the Philipsburg Mail, stating such things as:”Live and dressed poultry at Shodair’s”; “ Swiss Cheese at Shodair’s”; “ Lindberger Cheese at Shodair’s and “ Green Groceries at Shodair’s.” In January, 1895 was a notice stating parties indebted to L.W. Shodair were asked to call and settle their accounts with County Attorney Moore and save collection costs. In the same paper it stated Mr. and Mrs. Lou Shodair had left for the coast to spend a couple or more months in California. By December they had returned as Lou was elected to the office of Prelate in the Philipsburg Lodge No. 20, Knights of Pythias, on December 16. 

August 21, 1898. the Philipsburg Mail stated Mr. and Mrs. L.W. Shodair went by train to visit Yellowstone National Park. L.W., was elected to the Philipsburg City Council prior to 1897 and submitted his resignation for his position as Alderman at the May 3, City Council meeting, with Charles Boyd, elected by the Council to serve the remainder of Shodair’s term. The 1897 election, was very contentious, with a lot of verbal insults between the Independent Citizen’s and the Citizen’s Fusion parties. Lou was City Clerk, when he signed the notice stating the annual city election would be held on the fifth day of April, 1897. 

A social event sponsored by the Kings Daughter’s of the Presbyterian Church, was held at the home of Mr. and Mrs. L.W. Shodair, to say farewell to Miss Addie Arnold, who was returning to her home in Missouri, according to the December 18, 1897, Philipsburg Mail. 

On September 27, 1912, “L.W. Shodair, a former merchant of Philipsburg, was a visitor in the city, Monday evening, having come over from Butte to see about improvements in his building, occupied by the Crystal saloon and lodging house and incidentally, to visit some of his old time friends. Mr. Shodair for some years has resided in Los Angeles, California, coming to Montana occasionally on business during the summer. The recent fire on West Park Street in Butte brought him to Montana this time. He owns a block across the street from the fire and had a large plate glass window broken and sustained other damage, the adjustment of which required his attendance. 

On January 3, 1920, The Crystal Saloon caught on fire. The fire was discovered by Chris Larson, who alerted Fay Easterly, the proprietor of the soft drink parlor on the bottom floor. A space about two feet wide saved the Banquet Hotel, along with the iron shutters on the windows. All the furniture from the saloon was removed, except the stove, but the upper floor was a total loss. Mr. Easterly’s loss was about $2,000 and the loss to the building was estimated to be about one third of the building. Louis Shodair owned the building and it was assumed that Mr. Shodair would be able to remove the second story and put a flat roof over the storage room, making the building a one story. In February, L. W. Shodair, sent the Philipsburg Fire Brigade a check for $50, showing his appreciation for their work when the fire damaged his building. 

Headlines in The Mail , “L.W. Shodair Makes Donates (sic) to Home”, in February 5, 1937 stated “Of much interest to old time residents in the city is the announcement made this week by trustees of the Montana Children’s Home and Hospital at Helena, that Louis W. Shodair, of Los Angeles, had donated $50,000 to the home. The money will be used to furnish a new unit at the hospital on the grounds of the present unit. Mr. Shodair is a former resident of Philipsburg, having lived here some forty years ago…in the mercantile business.”

This hospital is still in operation in Helena with a multi-million dollars land trust from Shodair and is named Shodair Children’s Hospital. Louis W. Shodair died after a heart attack in 1940 at the age of 78, in California, with burial in Helena. He had originally arrived in Helena, Montana in 1891 at the age of 19.

Maynard Hunt: Engineer, Surveyor and Mapper

 

                                                                 Maynard H. Hunt

If you are looking up cemetery plots in the Philipsburg City Hall, Maynard Hunt’s signature, dated 1930, is on the Philipsburg Cemetery plot maps that are hung on swinging doors. Maynard credits the surveyors, Ackerman and Cralle, and the date as surveyed, October 1889. The scale is ten ft. equals one inch, which leads one to believe that Maynard had formal topography and drafting education. 

Maynard Harold Hunt was one of seven children born to William Henry and Lura Jane Jackson Hunt, on July 6, 1886 in Potosi, Wisconsin. He attended grade school and high school in Potosi. Because of his career as an adult it is assumed that he attained an engineering degree before moving to Philipsburg, Montana, and there is a newspaper account “Mr. Hunt, who is attending Bailie’s Commercial College at Dubuque, made a visit home Saturday” detailed in "The Hunt Connection" from the Grant County Herald Newspaper, but there is no date for the article. 

Some time after 1908: “with the building of the Milwaukee Railroad into Montana, William Henry Hunt, his wife, Lura and several of the children moved to Three Forks, Montana where his son Charles and Ben Reynolds had established a hardware business known as Reynolds and Hunt which opened its doors in 1908” states The Hunt Connection, 1980. In 1909 the name was changed to the Three Forks Hardware Company with the following announcement: “W.H. Hunt, the new member of the firm, is a man of sound business judgment." 

It is not known when the Mercantile was sold, but there are homesteads recorded in August, 1913 for Charles and on March 2, 1914, for William Henry Hunt, north of Three Forks in the Crow Valley, according to the Three Forks Herald, March, 4, 1910. 

I am uncertain when Maynard arrived in Butte, but family history states Maynard met Nora Hickey at a dance in the Miner’s Union Hall in Granite; experienced a whirlwind courtship and married her on May 24, 1917, in Drummond, Montana. Maynard continued working in the mines in Butte, Montana, for another year and then moved into the house with Nora and her mother Jane (O’Neil Hickey) and began drafting plans to build a large modern home on the property. These detailed drawings are in the possession of Grand-daughter Camille Engrav Jacobsen. 

Family members believe Maynard worked as a surveyor for the U.S. Department of Interior, Topographical Division while the mapping of the Patrick Quadrangle in the Flint Creek Mountain Range, was being done. This mapping covered the time period of 1895 to 1917 and Maynard had in his possession maps that he had been responsible for completing. Once he arrived in Granite he went to work for the Bi-Metallic Mining Company. He was in charge of all the leasers and drew maps for the company. He also had a history working for Moorlight Mining Company and leased in several mines. 

He and Nora were very social and not a week goes by in the Philipsburg Mail, during their marriage, that an item isn’t included describing a party or social happening at the Hunt household such as: “The next meeting of the Star of Compass will be held at the home of Mr. and Mrs. M.H. Hunt in Kirkville addition”. Maynard was a member of the Masonic Temple and served a one year term on the School Board. 

Nora and Maynard (known to his friends as Mike) had three daughters. Florence Neil (Baker, Engrav), August 22, 1918, in Butte; Norma Jane (Howard) February 9, 1920, in Butte; and Wilma Eileen (Heimark, Christy), June 13, 1930, in Anaconda. There was no hospital in Philipsburg at this time. 

Maynard became ill in May of 1940, with pneumonia and died on the 22nd, at the young age of fifty four, leaving a wife, three daughters and a beautiful log home he had built on Frost Creek. The home is still standing, but has had extensive remodeling done on it,

Sheriff Candidate, Indian Agent and Prison Warden

 

Hugh O’Neil married Margaret Pitt Meredith in 1858. She was born to Joseph Meredith from London, England and Marguarite Pitt Meredith from Wales, in Glen Morganshire, Wales, on June 18, 1844. The family story states. “Margaret’s family was on a wagon train coming west, when they were attacked by Indians in what was believed to be present day Colorado. The only survivors were some of the young members of the wagon that had been hidden in the woods. These survivor’s, including Margaret, were picked up by a Mormon wagon train and “one of the Mormon men wanted to add her to his already numerous list of wives. The army was sent out to protect the wagon train after the Indian attack, found the children and Margaret met Hugh O’Neil, one of the army teamster men. They were married in Fort Bridger in 1858, by the military, then a Methodist minister they encountered (at an undocumented date or place) and finally by a Jesuit Priest.” I assume that the Priest was Father Giordia in Virginia City. 

Margaret is credited with being the first white woman to ride into Montana on horseback, in 1858. Margaret and Hugh had eight children: Jane, John, Mary Ellen (Ellen), Hugh, Mary, Adelaide or Adaline (Addie), Elizabeth (Liddie), and William (Willie).Willie died at the age of three years and five months, in 1877, from pneumonia. He is buried in the Philipsburg cemetery. 

O’Neil ran for Sheriff of Deer Lodge County in 1865, on the Peoples Ticket and the election results were: Hugh O’Neil 788, Fred Burr, Democrat, 835, C.S. Williams, Independent, nineteen. 

Family stories tell of the family living on the Flathead Reservation when Hugh was an Indian Agent. It is possible that in 1871, during the time Agent Galbraith served he was removed due to Chief Charlo refuting the treaty and Hugh filled in until Peter Ronan was appointed in 1873. Documenting Hugh provided support for the Missoula sheriff is this news item: “Fight or Run---Last week W. C. Taylor took it into his head that he could run the town. He managed to do so until shut off by Hugh O’Neil and Sheriff Pelkey…He was put under $500 bonds for assault with a deadly weapon and disturbing the peace.” (Missoula Pioneer ,1871.)

Hugh was a Deputy Marshall for Missoula County in 1874 (Helena Herald). The New Northwest November 25,1881 states” Warden Hugh O’Neil returned from Helena Sunday…and brought over discharges for …” listing five prisoners. and stating the prison population would then be 62 convicts."   

Hugh and Margaret separated sometime after they moved to Philipsburg, in 1875. The Divorce document states the 26th day of August 1887 was the first date of publication and September 16, 1887 was the last date of publication notifying Hugh O’Neil that a divorce was being requested by Margaret. 

The New Northwest, in Deer Lodge stated: “Mr. Hugh O’Neil and H. S. Neal are building substantial residences. The latter is on the west side, near the bridge, and the former in the southern part of town”, on July 15, 1881. So, Hugh was living in Deer Lodge again in 1881, but in the Philipsburg items of The New Northwest, in 1882 was the statement: “…now under our new and elegant Kaiser House is the billiard hall and sample rooms presided over by Herman K., who as a very apt pupil of Hugh O’Neil, has attained such admirable proficiency, in the manly art as to make himself a terror to amateurs in the fist cuff line. Research does not reveal whether he left his new home and returned to Philipsburg or was providing tutelage to Kaiser, while living in Deer Lodge. 

Hugh, died of cancer at St. Patrick’s Hospital and was buried February 23, 1895, at St. Mary’s Cemetery in Missoula, Montana. The obituary had Hugh’s last name misspelled as O’Neal, but the history recited belonged to O‘Neil. “The deceased was a man of powerful frame in his younger days and many are the feats of strength, heroism, and endurance credited to him by his old time friends” (Citizen Call, February 27, 1895).

Hugh O'Neil Escapades Continued

 

The National Archives for Military Service Records is unable to find any record of service by Hugh O’Neil (12-17-2003). But records in the Salt Lake City Archives show Hugh O’Neil had an account for supplies at Fort Floyd, as did other civilian military teamster’s. These civilian men were given the title of Major so they could gain access to the military forts to pick up supplies. 

All accounts, be it historical documents, the two pictures we have or family documents, affirm that Hugh was a man of large proportions and possessed great strength and fortitude. This fact is further evidenced in his bare fisted boxing match with Con Orem, in Virginia City on January 2, 1865. A round by round description of all 185 rounds can be read in the historical writing titled The Frightful Punishment, written by Warren J. Brier, in 1969. The research for this book came from the published description of the pugilists endeavor written round for round by a reporter for the Montana Post, January 3-4, 1865. The story also includes the publicity leading up to the bout and other advertised and fought bouts of Con Orem and Hugh O’Neil’s in later years. 

Hugh was a heavy drinker and social person, known to light his cigars with a $10.00 bill when the children were in need of sustenance, as related by Jane O’Neil Hickey in 1931 in an interview with Winifred Griffith the daughter of Jane’s sixth child, Bertha. Hugh was a true pioneer and as such, a politician and negotiator. Such as, when his skills were instrumental in 1863 at Grasshopper Gulch, where he problem solved a rumor started by two Frenchmen that about two hundred Bannack Indians were stealing from a small group of miners. 

These two groups had lived close together all winter during which the Indians had kept the miners alive by sharing their stores of food. Some of the level headed miners convinced the Indians to move a little farther from Bannack, but some of the men went to the moved camp and found the Indians ready to fight. A couple of days later shots were heard and two Indians (one was the well liked Chief Snag), were found dead. The other Indians had departed. Hugh was: “furious and called the killing of the Indians a cowardly, dastardly act. Buck Stinson, who was later executed by the Vigilantes, took O’Neil’s tirade as applying to himself and said he was insulted. With a double- barreled shot gun filled with buck shot he set out one night to kill O’Neil. Friends of both men calmed him down and took away the gun,” according to the Jefferson County Sentinel. 

But Stinson carried a grudge. Fearing that the Indians would go on the warpath, a relief party was sent out to escort a freighter outfit from Salt Lake that was due with sorely needed supplies. Hugh was elected Captain of the group. When they came upon a group of Indians, all disappeared except three, which included Pete” and “Slim”, two Indians that had been employed with the freighter company. Buck Stinson and the other road agents in the party wanted to execute the Indians right there. Stinson it was believed would have killed O’Neil with a stray bullet during the execution. O’Neil was aware of the danger and the fact that the killing of the Indians could lead to an Indian war. O’Neil was able to convince all of the group, but the road agents, that the Indians were innocent and should not be killed. He negotiated that two of the Indians would be held and the other sent out to bring back the rest of the tribe. If they were peaceful and unarmed then the group agreed to let them go, otherwise they would all be killed. Only squaws, papooses and old men were found. Therefore, all the Indians were set free and hastened on their way to Idaho. The Indian war was prevented, but the road agents did not forgive Hugh O’Neil, and later one tried to kill him, during a boxing match in Helena. To be continued… .

Hugh O'Neil 1857 Arrival

 A pioneer of Montana and Deer Lodge/Granite County was my children’s Great-great-great grandfather, Hugh O’Neil. Born in Loughgee County of Antrim in Northern Ireland in 1831, he was proud of his family lineage and claimed descent from Red Hugh O’Neill. Hugh told his grandchildren of the banner of the O’Neil’s emblazoned with a bloody hand, and their battle cry “Red Hand to Victory”. Documenting that the descendents were in peril is recounted in a researched term paper for History 323, Hugh O’Neil, Montana Pioneer, written by Winifred M. Griffith, July 7, 1972. Ms. Griffith was the daughter of Bertha Hickey Fredrickson and a great- granddaughter of Hugh O’Neil. “He came to the United States as a young boy. According to the story he told his grandchildren, he got out of Ireland just one jump ahead of the British soldiers, who killed everyone in the immediate family they could catch. He came to America as a stowaway on a ship which landed in New York, where he almost starved to death before joining the Army. Although he was called Captain by the Irish miners, he probably was not an officer. It is probable that, like many another pioneer, he came out west with the army and took French leave of the military when gold was discovered in the area."

In preserved Montana history, the first mention of his name is in The Historical Sketch of Louis Maillet, which stated: “Maillet spent the summer of 1857 in the Bitter Root, part of the time working on the new Fort Owens. In November, Hugh O’Neil and a man named Ramsey came from Walla Walla, on their way to Fort Bridger. They wished to reach Colonel Johnson’s (Johnston’s) command, but were ignorant of the way, and moreover were afraid of the Mormons, who looked upon all gentiles as their enemies and feared the mountain men would induce the Indians to kill them and burn their property. O’Neil and his party therefore engaged Maillet to guide them to Fort Bridger. Traveling up the Bitter Root to Ross’s Hole, they crossed the main range and proceeded up the west side of the Big Hole Valley twenty miles. Crossing once more the main range to Salmon River, they came out near where Salmon city now stands. A few miles further up the river, O’Neil and Ramsey concluded to remain in camp among the willows and thick brushes, while Maillet went ahead to Lemhi to reconnoitre and find out if the Mormons were hostile….The Mormon’s tried to induce Maillet to remain with them (to no avail)…after leaving Lemhi the party traveled up the Valley twenty miles, crossing what was afterwards known as Grasshopper Creek (Bannack City). Proceeding to little Beaverhead, at the mouth of Blacktail Deer Creek, they met John Jacobs, an old mountaineer, who had a letter for Maillet which had been thirteen months on its way from his people in Canada….Jacobs gave such a terrible account of the Mormon scouting parties that O’Neil and his companions became discouraged and decided not to go on…O’Neil and Ramsey concluded to remain with Jacobs."

This account is continued in "A Sketch by Frank Woody", stating: “..in the fall of this year, Hugh O’Neil and a man named Ramsey, came to Hells Gate from the Colville mines on the Columbia River, and were employed by Mr. Brooks to put up two buildings with the timber cut the previous winter. These were the first houses put up in the Hell’s Gate Ronde” (now Missoula). Further research finds that one home was for Henry Brooks and the other one was for Neil McArthur. They also helped McArthur and his partner move their cattle to the newly erected buildings. But according to “Missoula, The way it was”, by Koebel (1972), the structures were never used as ‘a trading post, only as a stockyard for their livestock enterprise.” 

Hugh made it to Fort Bridger; became a teamster under the command of Colonel Johnstone, giving him the title Major and his story will be continued next week.

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.