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.
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