As stated in the previous article about Jennie Porter, she married Sidney Kelly in 1908. I recently found where he had sold his ranch on Fred Burr on January 25, 1907 to R.R. McLeod. This property adjoined McLeod’s ranch on the south side. Jennie and Sidney’s wedding was held at Jennie’s place November 9, 1908. Then on November 2, 1909 it was announced that the Curry ranch five miles north of Plains, Montana had been sold to Mr. and Mrs. S.A. Kelly of Philipsburg. They paid $10,000 for 320 acres and a modern residence. The couple were to take possession of the property in the spring.
Sometime around 1915 Sidney and Jennie moved from Plains to Ledham, Washington where Sidney died in 1924 and Jennie died less than a year later on April 4, 1925. Her daughter Nova (Mrs. J.D. Birran [Birian}), had been with her since December. Nova continued living there until her death in 1954.
I have often wondered what had happened to William Schuh’s children after their mother Ollie died. According to Federal Census records, in 1910 William H. was recorded twice: once at Grandmother Mary’s house in Philipsburg and then with his siblings at the Albert Schuh Trout Creek ranch with his wife Margaret and son Albert Jr. Obviously, childless at the time of Ollie’s death they had taken in her children and then had a son Albert afterwards, as he was 7 at the time of the census. Grandmother Mary had sold her ranch and moved to town in early 1910.
I know that some of Jennie’s ranch was sold to August Greenheck in 1907, so have to assume that the rest of the property was split for Frankie and Joe as they lived across the road from each other at Porter’s Corner. According to the 1910 Federal Census Frankie married in 1902. I know that Frankie’s husband “Perd” Merrifield was living with his mother in Philipsburg when she died in 1905, so they moved to Porter’s Corner after that time. I also know, in 1946 Vince and Maxine Fessler bought a section of land across the lane from Joe Porter and moved the old Courthouse to that land.
Frankie and Perd had 2 son’s, Joe and Forrest “Buster” and she died at their ranch in 1949, at the age of sixty eight. Joe went into the Army in 1917 and wrote many letters home to Frankie while he was in the Military and they were often published in the Mail. The letters are dialogued in the First Edition of "Mettle of Granite County" Chapter 7.
Joe and Esther Porter Circa 1930
Joe married Esther Dalton, who had a daughter Beatrice Webb, in April 1922 and she assisted him in the operation of Porter’s Corner. The “Roadhouse and store” was a well known hangout for locals and tourists alike and usually had music on the weekends with an ample dance space to enjoy. Now famous, Charlie Pride sang there in his early years while performing for the National Baseball Farm Team in Helena, that I believe belonged to the Oakland A’s.
In 1927 a fight broke out between locals and Anaconda youths. A young Anaconda man died causing Joe to be charged with Murder. He was acquitted of the charge after a one day trial. By 1956, Joe and Esther had moved to town and the establishment was operated by Jim and Winnie Burns. Joe operated a small appliance and electric shop in Town for many years. Esther died in 1962 and when his nephew “Buster” Merrifield died in September 1974, Joe was a resident of the Solders Home in Sheridan, Wyoming. Joe died on October 8, 1974. and is buried by Esther in the Philipsburg Cemetery. I will continue discussing Frankie’s Husband and son Buster in the future.
No comments:
Post a Comment