The Luthje Family of Upper Willow Creek

According to Anne Luthje, author of “Upper Willow Creek”, Hans Luthje, born in Ohe-Schleswig-Holstein, Germany October 14, 1860, lost his mother at the age of two and shortly after, his father left baby Hans and his siblings to travel to America. In 1881 Hans then traveled to Philipsburg, Montana to join his uncle Nicholaus who had lived in America for ten years and was sponsoring Hans. Hans arrived at Ellis Island and after processing traveled by train to Corrine, Utah. From there he traveled by stagecoach. 

Hans and his uncle traveled extensively (even by horseback) to California and New Mexico where Hans worked in butcher shops and on ranches. When Hans returned to Philipsburg he worked at Kroger’s Brewery and at the bar in The Kaiser House. During this time they were also working a placer mine along Sawpit Gulch, where they built a small cabin. By 1890, Nicholaus and Hans decided it was time to settle down and they bought 160 acres from Jacob and Eliza McConkie on Willow Creek for $2,000. Deciding they both needed their own place in 1898, Hans bought the south one-half of a Railroad Section from Northern Pacific Railroad adjacent to the original 160 acres and he and Nicholaus became neighbors. 

 At the age of forty, Hans returned to Europe, attending the World’s Fair in Paris then traveling to his childhood home where he met Margaretha Bohrnsen and after a one month courtship the twenty-five year old agreed to return to America with Hans and become his wife. The couple married in Omaha on May 8, 1901 at Margaretha’s cousins home and the couple then traveled on to Philipsburg where they were met by Nicholaus and his wife “Mina Nick”. After being introduced to the lively town of Philipsburg, Margaretha was taken by wagon on a bumpy ride to her “Castle” a hand hewn one room log cabin with a dirt floor. Years later she “admitted to her daughters that if she’d had the money and a way to go she would have closed the door on that dirt floor and America and returned to her home in Germany” states Anne Luthje. 

Margaretha (Bohensen) and Hans (Sr.) Luthje 1901

Their first child, Hans was born February 2, 1902; the second child Marie (Mary) (Hollings, Sanders), August 30, 1903 (1976); the third Anna (Superneau), September 19, 1905 (1960); the fourth Margaret (Hayes), November 1, 1907 (1986); the fifth Henry, May 6, 1910 (died in WWII Combat in Germany,1944); the sixth Catherine, February 26, 1912 (1978); the seventh John, January 29, 1914 (1999); the eighth Elsie (Reinoehl), March 17, 1917 (2019). (Hans took Margaretha by horse and sled to Philipsburg; then by train to Butte where Hattie the Midwife now lived for this birth. Hattie had delivered the other seven at the ranch) 

To make the land a home and prosperous ranch, life was filled with hard work. Family members immigrated to the area, including Bohrnsen siblings. As the Luthje children grew they attended school at Spring Creek as did the cousins and neighbors. 

Hans Sr. age 81, died of a ruptured gangrenous appendix at St. Anne’s Hospital August 9, 1942. Margaretha lived on at the ranch until dying in 1965. 

Years after young Hans graduated from Spring Creek and was working at the Sapphire Mines, he met the newest school teacher Marcia Lester in 1927. Marcia, born in North Dakota graduated from High school in 1924 and attended Teacher’s College in Billings. She was hired directly out of school by the Granite County School Board. The couple were married in Thompson Falls on December 22, 1929. Anne Luthje states “Martha would always proclaim that when they married she had money in the bank while Hans had nothing.” and with a smile Hans would reply “I had a 1923 Buick, a fine horse named Red Bird, a Miles City Association saddle with matching bridle and spurs with inlaid silver.” (A rancher always keeps his priorities straight!) 

Hans (Jr) and Marcia (Lester) Luthje 1929

Hans and Marcia had two children, Loren, September 22, 1934 and Trilbe (Fortunati), April 30, 1936 while Hans continued working in Philipsburg for The American Gem and Bi-Metallic Mining Company. Shortly after Trilbe was born they bought the “old Grant Place”, on Willow Creek that had been taken over by the bank during the depression and took up the family life of ranching. 

Hans died February 9, 1996 at the age of ninety-four. Marcia retired from teaching in 1973 and lived on the ranch until two weeks before her death in 2003, at the age of ninety-seven. 

Loren, widowed, continues to live on the Luthje ranch; Trilbe lives in California; Loren’s son Tim owns the Willow Creek “Mungas Ranch” and leases the Luthje meadows; daughter Lori (Ruch) lives with her family in Helena.

The Carey Family: Engineer, Millwright, Homesteader and Politician

William P. Carey, originally a stationary engineer with the NP Railroad, came with his family from Elkhorn, Montana in 1890 and located in Rumsey where William accepted a job as engineer at the Rumsey Mill. When the mill closed he relocated to the Trout Creek homestead. William’s wife, Ellen or Helen (Grady) was born August 3, 1849 in Indiana. She lived in Montana from 1883 until she died on July 18 1899. She had suffered for three years from kidney and liver trouble. Their only daughter (Gertrude) died on December 3, 1906 of pneumonia. She died at the Emmett Carey home where she had kept house for her brother. Gertrude, born in Elkhorn, Montana on February 15, 1887, was escorted by her high school classmates on her journey to the Philipsburg cemetery. 

William Carey made his home at the ranch until his sons grew up, then left them in charge of the place and sought employment in his trade as a mill engineer. For a number of years William was engineer of one of the big sawmills west of Missoula and other places. Prior to becoming ill he held a position in Utah. William came back to the ranch to recuperate but his health did not improve and he was brought to town so medical attendance could be provided at the Silver Lake Hotel, where his end came at six o’clock Saturday morning December 4, 1909. 

A native of Tipperary, Ireland William was survived by five sons, William, Emmett, Sargent, Thomas and George who all resided in the upper valley. After a service at the Catholic Church internment was in the Philipsburg Cemetery next to his wife and daughter. 

George Carey born October 19, 1880 died February 4, 1945. He is buried in the Philipsburg cemetery. At this time I have not found an obituary for him. 

I found a marriage license issued to S.W. Carey and Ida L. Smith for May 4, 1893 but no marriage notice in the newspapers. There is a possibility Sargent’s middle initial was W, even though many articles list his initials as P.S. 

Photo from Tiny Johnson

Sarge, was believed to be the last surviving member of the Old Rumsey Mill crew (Tiny Johnson). Although most of his years were spent on the Trout Creek Homestead and his tax assessment for 1927, was $246.50, Sarge (1873-1958) lived on the south side of East Fork on the Bill Carey Ranch when I was a child. His headstone is engraved “Philip Sarg”. His great-great nephew, Joel Carey states that the family called Philip "Sarch" and he believes the Haacke family began calling him "Sarge".  So when he died, nephew Woodrow put "Sarge" on the tombstone because that was the name the citizenry knew him by.

 Miss Gertrude Maurer married Emmett Carey at their cozy home on California Street on January 17, 1907. Mr. Carey the son of W.P. Carey was employed at the Walker Commercial Company of Philipsburg. With the headline “HAD CLOSE CALL” the following incident is recounted in the Mail April 18, 1913: 

 “Mrs Emmett Carey and Mrs. Oscar Nelson had a rather exciting experience Sunday evening, April 13, while returning home from Georgetown flats where they had spent the day at the home of Mr. and Mrs. John Strom, Mrs. Nelson’s parents. The ladies were accompanied by their five small children and were driving a team of heavy work horses belonging to Mr. Nelson, hitched to a sleigh. There is much snow up there and a sleigh is better to get around than a wagon. At the head of Trout Creek the road crosses a dry gulch which was filled with snow and slush ice. They had crossed it in the morning and it was alright, but the day had been warm and when they drove into it on the way home the horses broke through and got down in the water and became tangled up in the harness. Mrs. Nelson attempted to free the team and was thrown into the water but managed to get out. Then the two ladies removed the children from the sleigh to high ground, and while Mrs. Nelson and her children stayed there, Mrs. Carey carrying her baby ran all the way to her home to call [for] help. By the time Mr. Carey reached the scene of the accident one horse was drowned and the other while still alive was so badly chilled in the cold water that it died after being pulled out. Mr. Carey had to wade into the water nearly up to his arm pits to get the horses loose from the sleigh. The accident happened about 6:30 p.m. and it was nearly 10 p.m. when Mr. Carey returned home, pretty much chilled himself…. The team was valued at $400.00.”

The Mail, September 14, 1917, stated Emmett Carey sold his Trout Creek ranch to Mr. Sutherland of Arlee, Montana. Research did not reveal anymore articles discussing the Emmett Carey family. 

Thomas Carey (1882-1944), was a active political figure in the State of Montana. Born in Livingston, Montana, the family moved to Elkhorn sometime after his birth and in 1890 the family located in Rumsey. As a young man Thomas lived in Anaconda where he was president of the Mine, Mill and Smelterman’s Union and president of the Hibernian Lodge of Anaconda. As an active Catholic he studied at Carroll College in Helena and was a fourth degree member of the Knights of Columbus and a member of the Catholic Order of Foresters in Helena. Thomas became a resident of Helena in 1920 and was first elected to the position of State Treasurer, in November 1928. He was elected to the Montana Railroad and Public Service Commission in 1932 and served until 1939. In 1940 he was again elected to the office of State Treasurer a position he held at the time of his death, in a hotel room in Spokane, Washington. 

Lala and Bill Carey Circa 1930's from Joel Christensen Collection

William M. (Bill) (1878-1963) born in Bloomington, Illinois, homesteaded in 1900 on the east side of Eagle Canyon and spent his entire life running that ranch. Bill married Frances Blanche “Lala” Parks (daughter of Tom and Mary (Wight) Parks) on January 3, 1906. Bill and Lala became parents of seven children: Woodrow, Paul, Lawrence, Mary Helen and Chloe lived to adulthood. He received assistance running the ranch, from his children as he aged. A write up in the January 6, 1956 Mail described the party celebrating their fiftieth wedding anniversary. Neighbor, Opal Richtmyer had decorated a large cake for the occasion. 

Obviously the Carey Brothers ran a large establishment even in the early years as evidenced by taxes: In 1912 the Carey Bros. taxes were $318.95 and William was assessed $299.78 for the year 1927. 

Bill died after a lengthy illness at St. Ann’s Hospital in Anaconda. Survivors were: wife Lala; sons, Paul, Woodrow and Lawrence; daughters. Mary Helen Christensen of Ross Fork of Rock Creek and Chloe Owens of Miami, Florida; and fifteen grandchildren. 

Lala (Parks) Carey (1883-1964) was born at Stone to Thomas and Mary (Wight) Parks. She moved with her family to the Park’s East Fork homestead in 1902. Lala taught school as a young woman at the East Fork School prior to her marriage to William. She was an ardent gardener; belonged to the VFW Auxillary and was of the Methodist faith. Of their seven children, two died in infancy. I know that at least one, “a girl” was buried in the side yard of the Carey ranch. I was playing baseball with the Christensen and Carey kids, when we got in real trouble from Lala for moving a stone to make it home base. I remember sobbing to my mother that we would have never moved the stone if we had known it was a headstone. 

Lala, died at St. Ann’s Hospital in Anaconda after being a patient there for six days.  

The Bill Carey children continued to contribute to the ranching community: Lawrence W. P. Carey (1907- 1967) served as a Corporal in the U.S. Army in WWII. He lived his life on the Bill Carey ranch. His brother Thomas “Woodrow” Carey (1914-1997) lived on the ranch his entire life. 

F. Paul Carey(1910-1975) wed Mrs. Olga (Terkla) Rogan in 1936 and had a daughter Delores “Bunny” (Fuhrman). Paul then married Valerie Sheldon a local school teacher and they had seven children. Paul worked outside the ranch to bring money home to assist with running the ranch business. Daughter, Delphine (Driver) shared, that Paul worked on the tunnel under Moose Lake as one of his many jobs. 

Chloe (1916-2003) married Rex Owens in 1936 and they had a son and daughter. Chloe died in Missoula. 

Mary Helen, (1918-2006), married Robert Christensen on August 19, 1937. They celebrated their fifty-eighth anniversary prior to Bob’s death. Preceding her in death were her parents, brothers, sister, daughter-in-law Rosalie and grandson Jeffery and two infant siblings. Survivors were: Helen (Robert) Loran of Walla-Walla, Washington, William (Sharon), James (Jan Ritschel), Steven (Ginger), all of Granite County and adopted daughter Marilyn and husband Albert Silva of Anaconda; plus 14 grandchildren and seventeen great-grandchildren. 

Many of the properties were sold after Mary Helen died. The new owner demolished all the buildings including the original homestead cabin. I do not know what happened to the baby grave(s)?

Our Youth and Cowboys in World War I

Frank D. “Sandbar” Brown, President of the Montana Society of Pioneers, was appointed the official Governors Representative, to visit Montana youth training at Camp Lewis and report back to Governor Stewart. Excerpts of the report written for the Philipsburg Mail published May 24, 1918 follows: 

“Conditions at Camp Lewis astounded me. I found there a vast multitude of perfect young men, physically and mentally the flower of the youth of the country. And I found them spontaneously patriotic and ambitious to serve the country. The very atmosphere of the camp breathed democracy. ..It is my candid belief that every high school and university should, as part of their curriculum, teach the young men in them to be proficient in the duties of a soldier. Not only will the students health and manly bearing be the primary elements of its development the most noticeable, but neatness, freedom from intemperate habits, courteous language, respectful demeanor, and an avoidance of the profane and vulgar, its equally as beneficial effects… They will find the slouchy, awkward boy that left them in tears, erect, graceful in his movements, and wearing his well-fitting uniform with the aplomb of a West Point graduate…signed Frank D. Brown Governor’s Visitor to Camp Lewis”. 

The May 31, 1918, Philipsburg Mail, announced Fort Keogh, was to be made into “one of two National Calvary Training Depots. The Fort is currently a remount station near Miles City where range horses are broken and sent to Eastern stations for finishing.”The article continued on to say several hundred bronco busters have been employed on the Fort Keogh reservation. 

A reference regarding horse training, June 28, Philipsburg Mail, stated “Montana Cowboys training horses for the army at Camp Lewis: let her buck”. 

 “The muster rolls of the companies of busters read like a program of one of Guy Wedick’s stampedes, and all the old champions are there, except Fanny Sperry, who is barred from being a horse soldier by reason of her sex, but who could do the work as well as any man in the service. Tom Three Persons, the Canadian half-breed champion of the world is there, riding better than he has ever ridden before in his life, and among the other busters are many who won fame at Calgary, Pendleton, Cheyenne, Missoula, Billings and Havre in the Wild West shows and rodeos.

 The description of cowboys attempting to be foot soldiers is colorful: 

“Most of the cowboys came into Camp Lewis in the draft and were transferred to the remount depot after having done some training service in the infantry. They couldn’t all be transferred immediately, of course, and those obliged to drill afoot for a time were in a hard way….You see, a cowboy is not built for purposes of pedestrianism. Years of riding get his legs properly squeegeed to fit the curves of the horses back; but the slant is wrong for walking. During the unfortunate moments of his life when it is necessary for him to walk, he teeters around precariously in boots with heels high enough to satisfy a broadway flapper on parade. The result is that in his maturity, while he has more legs and feet than a whale, they’re not much more use to him if you peel him away from a horse and call upon him to circulate around on his own. So a cowboy in the infantry has this in common with a fish in the Sahara desert: he’s manifestly out of place…They drilled around in flat heels for a few days, and the first free hour they got they stampeded for the remount and begged Captain Jackson for transfer to the remount depot. ‘Cap’n, I’d rather be shot at sunrise than walk on these feet o’ mine another day’ ‘If I knowed they’d shoot me for sitting, I’d do something to deserve it; but I’m afraid they’d make me stand up; and it’s too much for my brain to think of, standing on my feet and getting shot at the same time. They gimme shoes ‘thout no heels to ‘em, that set a man back on his spine so’s every time you step your back bone rattles like a box full of dice, an’ then they make me walk... No, sir. I walked my legs off clean down to the knees, an’ I’m working on the thigh bones now… Please, you get me transferred up here where I can pour myself into a saddle and be human again! “ 

The cowboy was busy at the work he understood and when a fieldpiece rumbled by in the clatterous wake of a sturdy well-trained line of obedient horses, you knew that the work of the American cowboy counted.

Why Wilma : Thomas Parks

When you drive west on the Skalkaho Highway over the Mungas Hill and down Trail Gulch to the valley, you arrive at the original Parks homestead. The house and barn were located on the left (south) side of the road just as you come out of the gulch.. The ranch was settled by Thomas and Mary (Wight) Parks in 1902. 

News articles state Catherine Wight was Tom’s sister. Research shows all of Catherine’s children listing her maiden name as Haeger and I now realize that Tom married Catherine’s sister-in-law. Because all of the ranchers from East Fork, Middle Fork, Ross’ Fork and West Fork, had to travel to Philipsburg to pick up their mail, Tom petitioned for and became a postmaster. He named his post-office Wilma and located the log building on the north side of the current Highway 38, in the box draw just west of the mouth of Trail Gulch. 

The post office was short lived and served from 1903 to 1905. The reason why he named the area Wilma obviously was left for us to ponder. I found where the Post Office Department was advertising for bids for carrying the mail from Philipsburg to Wilma a distance of eighteen miles twice a week in the August 11, 1905 Mail. The term for carrying the mail was from September 19, 1905 to June 1906. The schedule would be: leave Wilma Tuesday and Saturday at 7 a.m. and arrive in Philipsburg at noon. Leave Philipsburg at 1 p.m. on Tuesday and Saturday and arrive at Wilma at 6 p.m. A bond of $4,800 would be required for each person bidding. Since the Post Office closed in 1905 one has to assume that there were no bids for the contract from September to June 1906. 

Tom was very active in Granite County and ran on the Democratic ticket for state representative in November 1908. He received a total of 381 votes; Hanifen received 455; George Maywood received 311; and Hugh T. Cumming the republican won the office with 488 votes. 

Tom was born in Clayborn County, Tennessee on July 29, 1846 and married Miss Mary A. Wight on his birthday in 1880. Two years later they moved to Montana and located on a ranch near Stone Station. They lived at Stone for ten years then homesteaded the property on East Fork. Tom died July 29, 1923 after suffering a stroke while he tended to the ranch irrigation. At the time, Tom and Mary were living in town and motored out to the ranch where he went to work on the irrigation ditches. When he failed to return to the ranch house at the expected time, Mary became alarmed and notified their daughter, Mrs. William (Lala Parks) Carey. She lived on the adjoining ranch just west of her parents. Tom was found on his side in a small irrigation ditch. He was unable to speak but conscious. A physician was summoned and the stricken man was brought to the family home in South Philipsburg. All measures were used to save his life, but were unsuccessful. 

Tom died on his seventy-seventh birthday and forty-third wedding anniversary. Survivors were his wife and two daughters: Mrs. William (Lala) Carey of the adjoining ranch and Mrs. Paul (Nellie Parks Hickey) Neal of Sandpoint, Idaho. The funeral was held at the family home in South Philipsburg on August 1. Rev. W.H. Calvert of Wibaux, Montana officiated. Pallbearers were: C.E. Kennedy, Claude Russell, Vatis Page, A.J. Murray, Dr. W.I. Power and Robert McDonel with internment in the Philipsburg Cemetery. 

Tom’s widow Mary A. Parks was buried next to him when she died in 1934. After leaving the ranch Mary resided at the home in Philipsburg until infirmities forced her to move to her daughter Nellie’s home in Sand Point, Idaho. Nellie was the widow of James Hickey who with his brother owned the Hickey ranch on Mungas Hill. Mary died in Sandpoint on September 30, 1934. Survivors were: daughters Lala Carey and Nellie Neal; nine grandchildren and one great grandchild (not named in the obituary) and sister-in-law Mrs. Catherine Wight. The funeral was held from the family home in Parkerville on October 2. Rev. Smith performed the service. Pallbearers were: Vatis Page, John Murray, C.E. Kennedy, Frank Richards, S.R. Seelos and Olaf Sandin. 

Thomas McLeary Parks (Photo from Joel Christensen Collection)

The Parks homestead ranch was bought by the Allen Webb family after Tom’s death in 1923. After Webb sold the ranch to step-daughter Annie (McCale) and Walt Sanders in 1948, the log post-office was moved across the road to the ranch and remained as a bunkhouse. The ranch house had been rebuilt and burned down in 1934. Neighbors helped rebuild it and that house was demolished a few years ago. At that time the log post-office was still standing. This property is owned by the same people that own the original Sandin ranch so no one lives on the homestead.

Spanish Influenza: Same song second verse?

Emergency Regulations providing for, among other things, the closing of schools, theaters and places of public amusement and prohibiting public gatherings upon the outbreak of influenza in any Montana community were promulgated Monday October 10, 1918, by Secretary W.F,. Cogswell of the State Board of Health. Governor Stewart and Attorney General Ford approved of the regulations stated Helena newspapers. 

The Philipsburg Mail announced: “Notice was published that all public places were closed due to the Spanish Influenza. Dr. W.I. Powers naming this an epidemic issued orders that all public places be closed until further notice. The schools were closed October 10th as was the McDonald Theater and the order also affected the churches"

The Mail goes on to state: “More than 100 cases of the dreaded Spanish influenza has been reported to the Philipsburg Health Officer, (Dr.) W.I. Power since the disease first made it’s appearance and he has issued orders to close all places of meetings, including the schools, churches, and even the public phone exchange…The influenza has already claimed two victims here and it is absolutely necessary that every one take all due caution and use all preventative measures to eradicate this menace to the community. 

“A matter of vital importance” headlined the article October 18th, describing local conditions in reference to the influenza epidemic as extremely serious. The physicians were taxed to the utmost to answer an unusual number of calls for their service and because a dearth of experienced nurses and similar aid it was absolutely necessary that each person co-operate with them in stamping out this disease as rapidly as possible. Strict orders had been given by the Board of Health that congregating for any purpose whatever must stop and the anti-spitting ordinance would be enforced to the letter. Gauze masks were being supplied by the Red Cross chapter and those person’s whose occupation exposed them to influenza were instructed to avail themselves of this article of prevention. For a mask call the Red Cross or Mrs. M.C. Ross. 

Dead from pneumonia was C. Dormet, who had arrived in Philipsburg, from Utah a month before to work in the mill. William Graham of Drummond was rushed to the Missoula hospital, on the evening of the October 17, but died in route. Also, Leland Lacey, who came to Philipsburg, from Hayden Lake, Idaho, about a month ago, became ill a short time ago and died October 17. The ages of these three young men were not given. 

Mrs. John Hickey (Effie May), succumbed to pneumonia on October 14, after an illness of a weeks duration, which began as the Spanish influenza. She was twenty three years old. The influenza epidemic continued and by November 9 had claimed the life of Harry Parfitt Jr., a thirty four year old married man with a ten month old son. Bob Wrightson, died the day of the Mail, publication and the funeral would be planned when word was received from his sister in Salt Lake. Influenza claimed the life of Leslie Bates, of Hall, while being treated in the Missoula hospital. Malcolm McLean died of influenza, in Butte, after moving there from Philipsburg, a short time ago. Services were held in Butte with interment in the Philipsburg cemetery. 

Miles John, infant son of Ralph and Sue (McDonald) Williams, also succumbed to the influenza at the age of two and one half months, October 31.. George J. Egge, aged thirty four years and Mrs. Lucille (Perraut) McClellan, thirty one years old were victims of the influenza and pneumonia the past week. Egge’s body was to be shipped to North Dakota, accompanied by his sister. Mrs. Egge would also accompany the body if she was well enough to travel, according to the Philipsburg Mail, November 22, 1918. 

Two more Granite county residents died by mid November: Twenty seven year old, Hadley Morrison, a rancher in the lower valley who was survived by a wife and two small babies. The other victim was Mrs. Vera Mae (Hughes) Bowles, also twenty seven years of age and the mother of Maxine and Bernard. 

E.P. Rule, of Hall, died from pneumonia secondary to influenza, at the Butte hospital on November 30. His son Elisha was also stricken and his condition continued to be serious. He was survived by his wife, son Elisha age twenty one and daughter Della, age six. 

This pandemic was happening as the world was fighting in World War I, food was rationed, everyone was solicited to meet War Bond Campaign goals and there was no hospital in Granite County. The only difference from the situation today is every able bodied person was ordered to work because all the young men were off fighting the war.

Wight: Valley Pioneer Family

 One of the earliest articles found in the news about the Wight family was in the New Northwest and copied from The Standard April 2, 1897 stating: “Alex Wight of the lower Flint Creek valley is losing about 1,000 sheep a day due to lice. He needs to find new grass to move them to. He has 10,000 sheep and is the largest sheep ranch in this country.” 

The Mail on September 29, 1916 announced that Alex Wight had motored to Missoula in his new Saxon, demonstrating the family was involved with the rest of the population in the automobile craze of the time. 

Alex was born in Beverly, Ohio on October 14, 1842. At the age of 21 he came to Montana as an employee of Andrew Davis, who settled in Butte. They drove a herd of loose oxen and cattle as far as Atchison, Kansas then continued on with a wagon train loaded with merchandise to Virginia City. The wagon trip took four months and seven days and ended in Virginia City on August 7, 1864. During the next year Alex worked odd jobs and then took up a claim at Ophir Gulch. After working the claim for two months he sold it for $150 and worked for the owners of the gulch for a few months. Alex then bought an ox team and began teaming, first at Henderson Gulch and then Philipsburg. He had a contract with the Hope Mining Company to haul 600 cord of wood at $3.00 per cord. Alex increased his outfit to seven yoke of oxen and three wagons and made good profits. In 1869 he took his stock to the lower valley for the winter and ended up deciding to stay in the valley and begin raising stock. He lived in the valley continuously for the next 59 years and increased his land holdings until he was the largest land owner in Granite county with a total of 10,000 acres. 

The obituary stated : 

“Wight was a small man about 5 feet 3 inches with broad shoulders and deep blue eyes. He was one of six children. It is said he was a very stylish man in his youth and had many a spinster’s eye on him. When he was 48, he returned to Iowa to visit his parents and met Catherine who was 20 years old. He courted her and wrote to her after returning to Montana. In 1891 Alex returned to Iowa to marry Catherine. Catherine (Haeger) was born in Germany February 6, 1866. Her father was preparing to bring his family to America when he died of smallpox. Her mother left homeless with six children decided to make the journey anyway. Catherine and one of her sister’s grew up on her uncle’s farm, near Wight’s parents. Catherine lived an active life and died at the age of 80.”

 Alex Wight died at his home near Stone May 14, 1928 at the age of 85. At that time, Alex was the president of the Granite Bank of Philipsburg. Survivors were: widow Catherine; sons Francis and Ernest; daughters Mrs. Ruth Hockett and Mrs. Mary Jensen. His funeral was held at the family home near Stone and then at the Methodist Church in Hall with internment at the Valley cemetery.. 

“The funeral procession was one of the largest ever seen in this county and it was estimated that nearly 200 automobiles were in the procession when it reached Hall.”

Alex and Catherine had six children. Ruth Wight Hockett, Eliza [who died at the age of eight from appendicitis in 1901], Francis William, George, Mary Ella Wight Jensen, Ernest and Catherine [who died as an infant September 1907.] Catherine is buried in the Valley cemetery, but there is no record of George’s burial so I assume he was buried in Catherine’s family plot in Iowa. George died of scarlet fever or asthma while they were on a trip to Iowa in 1904. The family returned to their home from Iowa on January 25, 1905 according to the Philipsburg Mail, January 27, 1905. 

Ruth Wight circa 1916

Ruth Wight married S.W. Hockett June 2, 1917 according to the June 8 Philipsburg Mail. Hockett had been the principal of Granite County High School for the past year. Research revealed where they moved with six children from Oskaloosa, Iowa in October, 1934 back to the “old Allan McDonald ranch” near Hall. 

The 1940 Federal Census shows Ruth as head of the household with daughter Carol 17, son Stanley 16 and daughter Walchine ? 13. Research fails to reveal an obituary or death of her husband S.W. 

Ruth, born October 23, 1891 died June 6, 1993 at 101 years in Great Falls and is buried in the Valley Cemetery.

 Keeping with this longevity Ruth's sister, Mary Ella Wight Jensen a life long resident of the lower valley died at the Granite County Nursing Home on May 26, 2011 at the age of 109. Mary provided me with a lot of history from the lower valley when I was writing the" Mettle of Granite County" Books. 

Born on January 14, 1902, at the family ranch near Hall, Mary was their sixth child. She attended a one room school house in Stone for her primary education and boarded with a Philipsburg family to complete Granite County High School. The only time she was ever seriously ill was during a Scarlet Fever epidemic while boarding in Philipsburg and was quarantined “until she was either consumed by the disease or well enough to go home to the ranch to recover.” 

Mary graduated from Granite County High School in 1921 with the class of Dora V. Huffman (Pennington), Humphrey Courtney, Elsie Hauck, Helen M. Kennedy and Matilda Saurer. After high school Mary attended Normal School where she obtained her teaching certificate. She first taught in Nimrod, Montana where there were 5 children in a one room school. Later she taught at Stone and New Chicago with 21 children in a one room school consisting of all eight primary grades. 

Emery and Mary Wight Jensen circa 1926

In 1926, Mary married Emery D. Jensen. They first lived in Philipsburg where Emery worked in Philipsburg and Granite mines. Then they took over one of the three ranches that had been homesteaded by her dad, Alex Wight. After 35 years Mary and Emery turned the main ranch over to her daughter Lois and husband Stewart Hauptman. Mary, Emery and son Wight continued to keep a small herd of cattle and American Standard and Tennessee Walking horses. She had 41 years of married life with Emery before his death in 1967. 

 Emery Jensen was born on September 29, 1897 to Mr. and Mrs. Hans Jensen at Hall. He was educated in Hall. The couple operated the family ranch until he retired and moved into Hall. Emery was a member of the Ruby Lodge in Drummond and a past patron of the Margaret Cumming Chapter of OES 57; a member of the Drummond Kiwanis and the Deer Lodge Shriners. He died at the age of 69 at Hall on September 9, 1967, just short of his 70th birthday and was buried in the Valley cemetery. 

 Mary was an eighty plus year member of the Margaret Cumming Chapter of Eastern Star in Drummond. She rode horse, a four wheeler and snow mobiles until late in her 90’s. She was preceded in death by Emery and her daughter Lois. Survivors were her son Wight; 4 grandchildren: David Hauptman of Drummond, Dwight Hauptman of Alaska, Dan Hauptman of Hall and Ruth Hauptman Linfield of Helena; and 11 great grandchildren: Blake, Ben and Ross Hauptman of Drummond; Mary, Joseph, Gregory and Ben Hauptman of Alaska; Alec, Holly and Logan Hauptman of Hall; and Kelly Wilson of Helena. Funeral services were held at the Hall Methodist Church with burial in the Valley cemetery on May 30th. 

Another siblings of Ruth and Mary was Ernest Wight. He was born April 13, 1903 and married Phyllis Stuart (1910-2000). Their son Mark Wight, born August 4, 1963, died in a motor cycle accident at the age of 19 on July 23, 1983. Ernest died February 6, 1993 just short of his 90th birthday from complications of a gastrointestinal bleed at St. Patrick’s Hospital in Missoula. He was survived by wife Phyllis and daughter Kathryn. Their oldest son William Stuart Wight, married to Carma, had died of cancer in 1984. All of the above are buried in the Valley cemetery. 

The Wight descendants continue to contribute to the history of the lower valley.

The Dirty Dozen

From Left to Right top Row: Percy Barney, Fanny Harris (lower Torso on Fence), Gus McDonald, Bob Kaiser, Big Mac McDonald, Walt Kaiser, Ed Kaiser (on horse). Bottom Row: Jim Young, High Pocket (Miles) Williams, John Schuh, Cecil Fessler, Pat Sharkey

A dozen young men of Granite County earned the nickname of the “Dirty Dozen” during the mid 1910’s. They were all born between 1885 and 1897. A group picture of them after they performed a rodeo at the Degenhart Ranch for the investors and relatives of the Granite Mountain Bi-metallic Mining Company shows very handsome spirited young men. It is assumed this picture was taken prior to World War I as research reveals most of them were drafted or signed up beginning in August 1917. Of interest, there is no record of any of this group graduating Granite County High School, probably secondary to lives of hardship and the War. 

While researching “Mettle of Granite County” books I read a story about a group of rough necks from Philipsburg desiring to attend a dance in Drummond and were unable to find transportation. Being ingenious they “borrowed” the Northern Pacific hand pump railroad car and quickly made it down the valley. When the pump car was missed Sheriff Fred C. Burks wired a notice to Drummond that the pump car was to be returned pronto or the men would be arrested. Finding it much harder to pump the car back uphill the clever guys hitched a saddle horse to the rig and made it back before charges were filed. The article did not mention any names, but “Pat” McDonald verified the story as one of the Dozen’s escapades. 

Research has failed to reveal Percy Barney. I did find a Percy Lawrence Brydon who was rejected for our Army June 1918 because he was a Canadian Citizen. 

I believe Fanny Harris was Frank B. Harris Jr. He was born to Frank B. and Charlotte Harris in 1898 and was one of seven children. He worked as a copper miner; married Agnes Murphy and had daughters Jean and Helen Harris. Frank died at Galen, Montana (Hospital) October 2, 1973 of lung cancer. 

John Schuh (1896-1953) was born to William and Ollie Schuh (who died in 1900). His father then married Jennie Porter with four children, in 1902. William died from blood poisoning in 1906 and I assume grandmother Mary raised Joe, his brother and two sisters. Mary sold 5,000 acres in 1910 and moved into Philipsburg where she died August 22, 1918. John was called by the draft for WWI August 16, 1918. In 1930 he was working in Deer Lodge as a Road Department Mechanic and married Esther Christopherson in 1940. He is buried in the East Helena Cemetery. 

Walt (1892-1980), Bob (1890-1982) and Ed Kaiser (1894-1977) were son’s of John and Jennie (Suppinger) Kaiser. Ed a veteran of WWI,WWII and the Korean Campaign served in the Navy. He worked many years for the State Highway department. Walt, drafted for WWI October 3, 1917, was co-owner of the Hardware store and involved with Charlie Carpp in the Sapphire Mines. He married Irene (McDonald) Bob received his draft notice for WWI August 24, 1917. In 1948, Bob married Beck Hess, Sandin. They are all buried in Philipsburg. 

Gus (Angus) (1897-1962) and Big Mac (John W.) (1895-1956) McDonald were son’s of John J. and Louisa (Kolkschneider) McDonald. Gus served both in WWI and WWII. He married Blanche Kneale in 1920 and Clarice Superneau in 1941. He served as a well loved County Sheriff from 1928 until he resigned to serve in WWII. Clarice (the only woman sheriff), served out the remainder of his term. They had two children: Darell and Colette. Big Mac, married Agnes Maehl in 1926 and continued running the original Schnepel/McDonald Ranch. They had two children: John W. “Pat” and Margaret “Peggy” (Collins). They are both buried at Philipsburg. 

Cecil Fessler (1895-1969) one of eight children born to Wilbur and Etta Fessler, moved to Oregon after WWI and became a logger. He and wife Velma (Abraham) had children: Gerald and Eva Faye. Cecil died in Grants Pass, Oregon. 

Pat Sharkey ( 1893-1975) born to Grace (McGee) and James Sharkey, married Ina Fessler in 1918 and they had a son: Cecil. He was a truck driver and died of Colon Cancer with burial in Philipsburg. 

Jim Young (1895-1956) the son of Sam and Annie (Carten) Young was listed as a Boarder age 15 in the 1910 Census in the John Carmichael household, working as a farm laborer. He received his draft notice August 16, 1918. He became a miner and married Ida Barker June 30, 1934. They had Evelyn and James W. He is buried in Philipsburg. 

High Pocket (Miles) Williams (1890-1942) parent’s were Grant S.(Frank) Williams and Nellie Jenkins. He was employed in grocery stores and as a chauffeur. In 1913 He married Gertrude Madigan and later Marie (Amelia?) Smeberger. He died in Seattle, Washington. 

Tough, spirited men they were!

Desperate Deed: Ball Murder

October 12, 1908 in Drummond was the scene of a shooting that killed Fanny Ball “a sporting woman” also known as Mrs. Laura Fuller. The story goes that Thomas W. Howell a pioneer of the area, who was a widower aged 69, became enamored with Fanny about two years prior to the shooting. By “degrees” she obtained almost everything the man owned. After his money ran out she “induced” him to deed over to her several lots he owned in Drummond with the promise that they would build a house on the property and live “as happy as doves.” 

Fanny apparently bought some lumber and put it on the property to convince Howell she was serious and then as soon as he gave her the deed she sold the lumber and lots, converting the deal to cash and prepared to leave town. He became very obsessed with the situation and friends became concerned, telling Fanny to get out of his sight and leave Drummond. 

She did not leave fast enough and on the evening of October 12, Howell went to her apartment and boarding house located over the Headquarter’s Saloon and shot Fanny in the back of the head. No one downstairs heard the shooting and the first indication that something was wrong was when someone yelled “fire.” Mr. Bryan ran upstairs where he confronted Mr. Howell who said “I give myself up. I consider myself under arrest.” Bryan ignored Howell and ran past him looking for the fire. Then he came to Fanny’s room and saw through the open door her lying on the floor and he realized she had been shot int the back of her head. A crowd was quickly gathering and Bryan ran downstairs to contain the onlookers and Howell who was standing in the Saloon door. Bryan at once ordered a team and started with his prisoner to Philipsburg. Fanny lived but fifteen or twenty minutes after the shooting. 

Howell, born in England September 29, 1838, was an esteemed resident of Drummond and had lived there since 1872. The people who knew him well said he was the last man who would commit murder if in his right mind. He had two sons: nineteen and seventeen years of age. His wife had died in March of 1904 at the age of 45. Thomas had worked for years as the pump supervisor for the Northern Pacific Railroad on the division between Helena and Missoula. 

Tom’s mother, Mrs. Elizabeth Howell died January 16, 1899 at Drummond with her sons at the bedside. She was buried in the New Chicago cemetery. Born in London and a member of the Church of England, Mrs. Howell on January 2nd had celebrated her 81st birthday in the company of her sons “and though quite feeble owing to her ripe age she enjoyed good health.” Survivors were her seven children including three sons of Drummond- T.W., A.J. and C.J. Howell, all respected citizens of the county. 

Fanny Ball aka Laura M. Fuller came to Philipsburg in 1891, and moved to Drummond at an undisclosed date. She was about 38 years of age and considered thrifty so “accumulated a considerable amount of money.” Coroner Allison went to Drummond the next morning and after holding an inquest brought Fanny’s body to Philipsburg. Her brother was expected to travel to Philipsburg and accompany her body back east to Moline, Illinois. 

 Judge F. D. Sayrs arraigned Howell, the next morning and set a preliminary hearing for the following Thursday. George A. Maywood represented the prisoner. On December 4, Howell’s bail was fixed at $7,500. County Attorney W.E. Moore and Judge D.M. Durfee would conducted the prosecution. 

The March 12, Philipsburg Mail announced four days transpired while the selection of a jury was attempted. On the morning of the 12th the twelve man jury was finally filled with M.R. Stairs, Pat McGarvey, J.H. Morgan, G.A. Schoonover, Martin Senty, P.S. Carey, S.B. Clark, D. Daigle, W.E. Hunter, D.R. Murray, Fred Geiger and L.C. Degenhart. 

The March 19, Mail stated 

“On account of being insane, Thomas W. Howell of Drummond, charged with killing Mrs. Fannie Fuller, has been acquitted. The jury before whom the case was tried returned a verdict to that effect at one o’clock today…It now rests with the court what further action is to be taken.”

 Several physicians from out of town were being contacted as all the local M.D.’s were disqualified to determine the level of insanity. Natives of the area say the Mason’s were responsible for getting the insane verdict and transported Thomas to Warm Springs where he stayed a short time before coming back to the area. He died September 8, 1918 in Helena after a cerebral hemorrhage with burial at Forest Vale cemetery.

First Class Building (First Rock Creek School)

Flint Creek Rural School House Date unknown

Public schools were established in Philipsburg in the 1890’s. This was great for the children living in town but for those living miles away education was difficult to obtain. Some ranchers found someone to board their children with in town, so they could attend school. Others bought a second home in town and the wife lived in town with the children during the school year. Because most of the population was just making enough to survive on the homesteads many children were not able to attend school. Therefore the families came up with the idea to set up rural schools. 

At first, a group of parents got together and pooled their resources to pay a teacher wages. One ranch would contribute a bunk house or cabin for the classroom. Another would set up a room for the teacher to live in. The logger would provide wood for the school house heat. Someone with a good garden and root cellar would provide food for the teacher, if she was not furnished board with her room. Usually a teacher lasted one school year and then married one of the local single men. It was against the law for a married woman to teach school. The school year in the country schools was at the most only six months. The children began school as soon as the snow started melting about April and they attended school until haying season around the end of July. During school break everyone worked in the fields until the hay was all stacked. School resumed after hay season until the weather set in and the children could not make it to the school house horseback. All eight grades were taught in a single room by one teacher. 

The first news article found about a Rural school was in the May 13, 1898 Philipsburg Mail: 

“The Rock Creek school house is situated where the Ross’ Fork road crosses Middle Fork. The building is 18x30 feet, is built of logs. It has four windows and outside shutters to protect them when there is no school and one door and storm door. The roof is double boarded and the building has a first class floor, and in fact, it is first class all through. The following names are those that contributed towards its erection: Wm Clawson $64.09; P.A. Schilling, $68.75; T.N. Schilling $4.80; John Kaiser $12.75; A. R. Dearborn, $12.75; Daniel Arms, $12.75; Bimetallic Mercantile Co., $4.50; A. McIntyre, $1.80; Fred Albert, $4.80; Herman Price, $6.30; D.N. McDonald, $2.50; John Clawson, $4.50; Harry Ungersum, $12.00; Smith & Kent, $13.80; Calhoun & Son, $8.40; Frank Young, $2.10; Eli Sage, and partner, $6.00; Chas. Porter, $8.10; John Bowen, $4.90; Lew Anderson, $3.00; Fred Helaine, $3.00; total $202.40. One can readily see these people have the American spirit in them to build such as house. Too much credit cannot be given them in their endeavors. Wm. Clawson and P.A Schillings certainly deserve credit for the amount of labor and their unceasing perseverance until they had the house completed. If all the citizens of our county were as loyal to the cause of education, all of our young Americans would have a chance for a fair education. Educate your children and peace and harmony will prevail; if not retrogression will follow.” 

Named the Rock Creek school originally, this was later renamed as the Middle Fork School and served all the children of Ross’ Fork, Middle Fork and for several years East Fork, and the last few years, also West Fork. When the School Districts were formed a minimum number of students were demanded to keep a school open. The Middle Fork School was closed at the end of the 1946-1947 school year as the only children on Ross’ Fork were Helen and Bill Christensen. 

The last one room school house was located in the Sapphire Ranch meadow on West Fork, in 1947-1948., taught by Jewell Ball. Jewell and Bill were allowed by the Walt Kaiser family to live in the Ewing Bungalow. I attended my first grade there with Helen Sanders age five; my half sister Rosalie and Helen Christensen in third grade; Bill Christensen in fourth grade; Wesley Sutherland sixth grade and Naomi Sanders seventh grade. 

The Sanders family moved then from the Amerine Homestead to the Tom Parks ranch at the mouth of Trail Gulch and no district could qualify for a rural school. The School Board gave parents a token fee for fuel and they transported their children as far as 15 miles to Porter’s Corner to ride on the School bus. By 1950 the school bus driven by Forrest “Buster” Merrifield, drove to the West Fork Bridge and turned around. The final route then became over the Marshall Creek Hill to Rock Creek and south to the Skalkaho Highway and back to Philipsburg via Porter's Corner and Highway 10 A, which is now Highway 1.

                                                Middle Fork School Class of 1928-1929

Top Row: Mary Helen Carey, Alice Christensen, Chloe Carey, Ceal Lyon, Fet Sandin, Jean Lyon, Walt Bentz (out of picture). Bottom Row: Bus Hess, Mary Sandin, Faye Lyon Harry Bentz.

 Community Involvement Brings Quality Education 

 In 1893 Miss Abbie Wilkinson the Superintendent of Granite County Schools compiled a school census, which comprised the following school districts and numbers: Philipsburg-358 between 6 to 21 and 278 under age 6; Granite 222 over 6 and 168 under 6; Rumsey 46 over 6 and 5 under; Trout Creek 31 over 6 and 13 under; Black Pine 14 over 6 and 16 under; Princeton 12 over 6 and 11 under; Stone Station 34 over 6 and 12 under; Flint 36 over 6 and 23 under; Willow Creek 29 over 6 and 9 under; New Chicago 30 over 6 and 22 under; Drummond 54 over 6 and 17 under; Hoover 4 over 6 and 1 under; Valley 22 over 6 and 8 under. 

As you can see there was no recognition of children on any of the Forks or Rock Creek at that date. In November, 1894 Stella Engle, Ona Dingwall, Edith Carnegie, Nettie McPhail and James Dingwall were recognized as honor students at the New Chicago School. By 1897 the school Boards of Granite county had passed the Free Text Book Act which gave each district the right to decide whether to buy books at a discount or have the students buy their own. M.E. Doe began advertising School Text Books for sale on a cash only basis.

By 1894 there were 17 voting precincts which consisted of the same population as the school districts. Hoover and Valley were no longer; Philipsburg had been split into North and South; Alps, Rock Creek, Sunrise, Quigley, Mammoth, Royal and Bi-Metallic had been added. By 1906 Porter’s was added (named for A.H. Porter who had owned the property on both sides of Spud Hills that separate East Fork and Middle Fork and was killed in 1897), changing the Rock Creek School to Middle Fork and the Spring Creek School served the Upper Willow Creek and Rock Creek students. 

In 1908 Moose Lake was added but it represented only the residents of Moose Lake and Zeke’s Meadows. 

School teachers had to be single and were not provided with any luxuries causing high turn over. In May 1898 Miss Mary Harrison was hired to teach for four months at the (Rock Creek later Middle Fork) school. By June, she was replaced with Miss Pearlette Scott. Miss Stella Achmire was hired in April 1899. Fred Baxter then began teaching May 4th 1900. Miss Nellie Fahey also began teaching at Lower Willow Creek in March 1900. Miss Mand Pennell (G.B. Ballard’s niece) began teaching at Middle Fork (Porter’s) school May 1901 and took a month long vacation due to extreme heat August 2, 1901. 

Research revealed a front page article concerning the Trout Creek School in the June 2, 1916 Mail that described an exemplary school system. The following is a synopsis of the news article: 

 “The Trout Creek School in District Number 4 was visited by the State Rural School Inspector C.W. Tenney and awarded the degree of Excellence. The award was needed to become the first school in Granite County to be named a “Standard School” on May 17, 1916. This meant the school met all the requirements of the state and county departments of education. The teacher of Trout Creek, Miss Edith Featherman (Horrigan, Seavert, 1894-1983), was presented the standard name plate while many local parents, students and county school superintendent Mrs. Lottie Irvine, looked on. Refreshments were then served to the group that had braved the storm, blowing outside the school building. The trustees: Mssrs. Shoblom, Barker and McCrea assisted with the work done on the school grounds after a new building replaced the old log building a year ago. The grounds were planted and swings and teeters were built for the playground. The games played were so interesting, with the teacher participating, that supervision was un-necessary. The attendance rate of the students was exhibited on an attendance board. This display had increased attendance to a level needed to meet the standard requirements. Participation with other schools was met by putting programs on in conjunction with the Rock Creek students. New lights, a ventilator system and a sanitary bubbler were installed, plus primary equipment and library books were purchased. The old school building was turned into a stable for the students horses and a “first class well was dug.” 

The teacher had visited all the homes of the current students during the school year. 

“Volunteers agreed to keep the grass and flowers alive, so visitors will become interested in this being used as a community park, thus increasing the value of every farm in the Trout Creek School District.”

Edith Featherman married Frank Horrigan and they had a son Sidney before divorcing. She died in Santa Clara, California.

Old Man Rodda: Short on cash and long on offspring

Left to Right: Josie Walberg Parfitt, Young Ed Rodda, Mrs Walberg, Ed Rodda, Mary Hoyt Rodda, Arlene Rodda, May Bentz, Vernus Bentz, Al Rupp and James Rodda (circa 1930)

John Rodda Senior (1842-1916) became foreman of the Granite Mine in 1881. His son John Jr., born in Redruth, England on May 10, 1870, joined his father in 1886 and also worked at Granite. Mrs. Rodda and other family members came to Montana territory in about 1887. In 1889, they lived on the “Granite Companies Ranch” located about ½ mile west of Philipsburg. During this time, John Jr. homesteaded a ranch on lower Rock Creek. 

John Senior, born in Cornwall, England, became a coal miner and married in about 1868. He immigrate to Canada in 1870 and spent several years in the gold camps in Canada and the United States. The story is John would return to England every few years only to father another child and see the one born after his last visit. Mrs. (Cecilia Emma Phillips) Rodda finally packed up the children and came to Montana. One of the stories long told is that Mrs. Rodda ran out of money on her trip and telling her misfortune to another traveler, learned he was a friend of John. The traveler loaned her enough money to continue on to Philipsburg. 

John Senior died at the ranch after an illness of several months. The obituary stated “He found pleasure on his ranch and there lived in perfect contentment and came to town on only rare occasions.” Survivors were: wife Cecilia; sons: John, James, Sidney and Edward all living in Granite County; and three daughters: Mrs. Wm. (Annie) Wills (1873-1967) of Bonita, Mrs. Wm. (Heddie) Davey (Kinsman) (unknown B and D) and Mrs. H. (Cereta) Richards (Hickey, Applegate) (1878-1967) both living in California, and many grandchildren.  

Cecilia Emma (Phillips) Rodda,(1845-1934), married John Rodda Senior, in England in 1868 and bore seven of their eight children there. One daughter died at the age of two in England. Sidney Rodda 1880-1929 died of pneumonia in Missoula. Sidney was to marry Miss Bernie Rice, in the near future. Celia died at the ranch on lower Rock Creek. Survivors were three sons and three daughters. Internment was beside her husband John. 

Annie Rodda (1873-1967) married William K. Wills, June 9.1884 at the residence of Mr. and Mrs. John Rodda. They had: William, Ernest Roy and Lauretta (Tingley). Rodda taxes for the year 1912 were “Rodda, John and son $203.46” on their 16 section homesteads. 

John Senior had also homesteaded on Rock Creek, when Granite was closed. Edward was born on the lower Rodda homestead in 1889 and married Martha Hoyt, on September 23, 1912. They lived on the “Old Man Rodda’s” ranch where they raised three children: Edward, Arlene and Miles. Schooling the children in the rural area was difficult causing Edward to buy the home of Mrs. Nasslin, on the south side of Philipsburg “so they could make their home in the city during the winter” (October 27, 1916 Mail). Edward and Martha died in 1974 and 1978 in San Diego and are buried there. 

Young Ed (1913- 1973) married Miss Francis Smith in Butte, Montana on May 24, 1940. He joined the Army Air Force in 1942 and was discharged July 12, 1944. Edward married Ruth Irvine (1918-1979) in 1948.. After their marriage the couple moved to the John Rodda ranch. They had a son David and daughter Susan (Larner) and grandson Jody Larner. 

 Arlene married Elmer Lueck on November 30, 1938. The couple lived in Philipsburg and he worked at the Jenkins Garage. Research fails to disclose their history. 

Miles (1930-2015) married Janet Dingman (2014) October 4, 1952. They lived for twelve years on the lower ranch before electricity was brought to the ranch and had six children: Juanita Kay (1953-1955), Terri (Kreps), Carol, Peggy (Orr), Brenda Costillo, and twins Ken and Russ. After selling the ranch they moved to Arizona then Ronan, Montana where they lived their last years in a care facility. Their headstones are in the Philipsburg Cemetery. 

In the August 2, 1918 Mail: “Married in Butte on July 22, John Rodda (1870-1944) of Philipsburg, to Miss Annie Lyons of Albany, New York. The newly wedded couple arrived here last week after a very pleasant honeymoon spent at the coast. Research fails to disclose the fate of Annie. 

James P. Rodda (1874-1938) married Miss Edith Dowe of Butte, in Butte, September 1, 1920. The newlyweds were to live on the Rock Creek ranch according to the wedding announcement. In 1928 James P. Rodda ran independently as a write in against G.L. Atwater for Alderman of the second ward. He lost by a majority of two votes.. 

The Rodda family ranches were sold in 1960 to Matilda Wyman. This property was then passed into the hands of Bob Neal. Ed and Ruth remained on Rock Creek until 1965 when they moved into Philipsburg.

Nickel Harvey

Nickel Harvey and "Puppy"

Harvey Bauer, and five siblings (Aloyes, Kathleen, Robert, Alberta and Kenneth) were raised by their tiny, spunky mother Mary, after the death of father, Al, on July 27, 1918. The obituary stated Mary had a premonition and the family story was that Al had a young wild horse in the team of four and the horse had been acting up. Whatever was the cause of her concern, she did get Al to agree he would only haul one load of stulls for the Beaver Creek Mining Company in the morning. Then he would come home early to celebrate Harvey’s 11th birthday, which was that fateful day. About noon one of the team of horses returned to the house and Mary immediately notified neighbors, who took off looking for Al. They found him just above the old Altona Boarding House at the head of Browns Gulch. 

Apparently the ring came off of the neck yoke, near the wheel horse which caused the tongue to drop on a very steep part of the road. The coroners inquest believed Al was sitting on a piece of belt stretched between the bolsters and: When the front wheel struck a tree he lost balance and was thrown violently against the wheel and then the second tree was hit by the hind wheel, the shock throwing the body clear to the road. His watch was found on that side of the road, where the body struck the ground and it is probable that he was rendered unconscious for a while, as a heavy bruise was found under the right arm across the ribs. After coming to, he managed to cross the road where feeling faint he leaned against a tree for support, gradually slipping into the position in which he was found, life being extinct for some time. The watch stopped at 10:10 and this is thought to be the time of the accident. This watch is in the possession of Harvey’s daughter Karen Bauer Gresch. 

Al’s body was shipped to his home town of Medford, Wisconsin on July 29. Mary traveled with the body to Medford, accompanied by the six children ranging in age from eleven years to three months of age. Al was thirty-eight years of age and had lived in the Philipsburg area about six years. His obituary was difficult to find as the name is misspelled as “Bowers”. The obituary stated when Al and her first arrived in Granite County (1912), they homesteaded on Willow Creek and then moved into Philipsburg where Mr. Bauer operated a livery stable. 

In Kathleen Bauer Barlow’s recollections are these statements: “We must have spent one winter out there [the homestead] too as I remember coyotes howling and mountain lions screaming. By this time Dad had bought a saloon and restaurant in town. We lived in a sort of apartment near town and the saloon…After dad bought the saloon and restaurant, Mom would do some of the cooking and send it over to serve. Harvey and I would take his little red wagon with pots of soup and deliver it.” Karen Bauer Gresch, remembers her Dad, Harvey telling stories about Mary making big pots of soup and the children putting the hot soup in a wagon to pull it down to the business, where Al sold it to his customers for lunch. 

Harvey, the eldest, was enterprising from a young age which is how he became known as “Nickel Harvey.” There is a picture taken of him and his dog at about the age of five. A postcard made of the picture is dated 1912. The story goes that Harvey would take his dog downtown and find someone unsuspecting and ask them if they wanted to buy his dog for a nickel. If they agreed and paid a nickel he would take the money and walk away. When he got around the corner, Harvey would whistle for the dog and the two would run off with the nickel clutched in his hand. One day he approached a rancher with a wagon and team and asked if he wanted to buy the dog for a nickel. The rancher said yes; gave Harvey the nickel; put a rope around the dog's neck, tied the dog to the wagon and took off out of town. A very upset boy went in search of the sheriff D.A. McLeod and told him the sad story. Sheriff “Mac“ went after the rancher and obviously bought the dog back and returned him to Harvey. It is unknown if that was the end of his dog sales. 

Harvey (1907-1992) married Vernus Bentz in the early 1930’s and she died in January 1936. After World War II, Sgt. Bauer married Winnifred (Fet) Sandin (1918-2001) July 27, 1945.

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.

George Lyon Ranch on Ross' Fork and his family

George and Ida Lyon owned the ranch above John Naef on Ross’ Fork Road going to Medicine Lake. This family is not to be confused with the George Lyons family that lived in the Lower Flint Creek Valley. George was born in Idaho Territory October 2, 1886. His parents were from West Virginia and Wisconsin according to the 1930 U.S. Federal Census. At the age of eleven he traveled with his family by covered wagon to Montana. They settled first in Jefferson county and then moved to Butte in the early 1900’s. George married Ida Bachie in 1907 at the age of twenty.. She was nineteen years of age and born in Tacoma, Washington. Ida’s parents were from Switzerland and Washington according to the 1930 U.S. Federal Census. 

While in Butte, George helped lay the original sidewalks. He also operated a freight and mail route with his father between Jefferson Island and Mammoth. He moved to Southern Cross and Georgetown Lake in 1917 and then in 1922 to Ross’ Fork, where he engaged in ranching until 1969. 

George then sold the ranching business to Charles Nicely. George continued to live on the ranch and died there on April 11, 1971. He was preceded in death by Ida in 1953, son Jesse in 1943 and Arthur in 1959. Survivors were: daughters, Ceal Haggard, Jean Anderson and Faye Howrey of Anaconda and Shirley Wight of Missoula; eight grandchildren and seven great grandchildren; brother James M. of Anaconda and sister Madge Des Jardin of Seattle. The funeral service was held at the Wilson Funeral Home with Rev. Kenneth Wooten of the Community Church presiding. Pallbearers were: Lum Wanderer, O.H. Christensen, Eli Christensen, Billy McLean, Robert Munis and Bob Neal. Honorary pallbearers were: Henry Hull, Charlie Anderson, Fred Splitt, Bob Christensen and Woodrow Carey. All of these men except Lum (the grocery man) were his neighbors on Rock Creek. George is buried in the Philipsburg cemetery. 

Jesse Lyons the son of Mr. and Mrs. George Lyon, bought the Fred Splitt Place in Eagle Canyon on the Middle Fork after the 1930 Federal Census. Miss Erna Hoyendahl and Jesse were married in Anaconda during the last week of December 1936. Erna was the daughter of Olaf and Doris Hoyendahl of Philipsburg. She had attended Philipsburg schools and was a member of the Rainbow Girls. Wedding attendants were: Mr. and Mrs. Leonard (Jean Lyon) Anderson of Anaconda, Miss Anne Hoyendahl, Vernon Steffan and Art Lyons of Philipsburg. 

The marriage ended sadly. Jesse was cutting stulls at the Jow Kanduch camp west of Anaconda when he was taken ill. He died from a ruptured appendix at St. Ann’s Hospital in Anaconda, on November 1, 1943. Survivors were: wife Erna and two daughters: June Lorraine and Pauline Dora; his parents; and four sisters: Mrs. Leonard (Jean) Anderson of Anaconda, Mrs. Dallas (Shirley) Hosbrook of Drummond, Mrs. Forrest (Cecelia) Haggard of Rock Creek and Miss Fay Lyons of Rock Creek. Burial was in the Philipsburg cemetery, after services at the Masonic Temple. Erna then married James Hess of Nevada in June, 1945 and the girls grew up there under the name of Hess. 

 Arthur and wife Emily (McClain) moved onto Jesse’s property. They had a girl named Lesa Marjorie who lived with her grandmother Abbie McClain at Georgetown Lake. Art and Emily’s marriage was short lived with Emily living as a single woman on the “Old Fred Splitt” place until her death in 1989. 

 Ceal Lyon married Forrest Haggard in the early 1930’s and they bought the place Ritchmeyers’ were leasing, at the base of Kaiser Hill, near the confluence of Middle Fork and East Fork, right before the beginning of Eagle Canyon. Richtmeyers’ then bought the original Amerine Homestead from Walt and Annie Sanders and Sanders’ bought the Allen Webb Ranch (The original Tom Parks Homestead) in 1948. 

Ceal and Forrest had son George in 1934 who died as an infant; Lee, born in 1936 and Joe, born in 1938. Lee met his wife Sumiko while in the military. She died in 1989 and Lee was buried next to her when he died in 1997. Joe operated the White Front Bar for several years. He and wife Phyllis had a baby that died and Phyllis died in 1983. Joe was also married to Kathy Mehr. He moved to the Lolo area in 1978 and died in May of 2019. He was survived by wife Becky of 30 years; children- Jolynn, Leanne, Joe Jr., Sarah and Danielle plus grand and great grandchildren. 

Faye (Howrey) had a son Edgar and died in 2000 at Anaconda; Shirley (Wight) died at Missoula in 1993; Jean (Anderson) died at Anaconda in 2007. Gone is the Lyon Ranch. Most recently,  I am told the property was bought by the Country Music Star Kelly Clarkson and her husband.