Some Citizen's of Black Pine and Combination

 

The Frost family, consisting of father Ralph, mother Mary (Boxsleighter) and four children: Ralph, Roena, John W. (Wally), and Bernice lived at Black Pine during the boom days. Mary and Ralph were married in 1882 and came west from Iowa in 1888. Mr. Frost was engaged in mining and died at Black Pine in 1893. In 1895, Mary married Blair King who was also a mill and mine man. 

To the King marriage was added two more children: June and Rosemary. The Mail on June 3, 1910 stated that Misses June and Tootsie (Rosemary) King of Black Pine were visiting their sister Mrs. J.P. (Bernice) Duffy in Philipsburg. Blair King, suffered from tuberculosis for five years before his death April 28, 1916. He had changed his occupation to farmer after leaving mining and mill work. 

Mary died at her home in north Philipsburg on November 12, 1932. Survivors were all six of her children and was the last surviving member of a family of thirteen children, All, but her, had lived out life in their native state of Iowa. Mary’s funeral was held at the family home with Rev. Earl G. McKnight of the Methodist Church officiating with internment in the Philipsburg cemetery. Her children resided at that time as follows: Ralph L. and J.W. Frost in Philipsburg; Mrs. John (June) McLeod in Mullen, Idaho; Mrs. James Bilbo in San Pedro, California; Mrs. John (Bernice) Duffy in Spokane, Washington and Mrs. T. C. Coburn in Whittier, California. 

 Mary’s son, Ralph died February 10, 1933 during a visit to his sister, June McLeod in Mullen, Idaho. Ralph was a rancher until his health failed and he had been an invalid for several years. He first lived with his mother and then his sister in Mullen. The funeral was held at his brother John W.’s home in Philipsburg with internment at the Philipsburg cemetery. Pallbearers were: C.E. Kennedy, Jack Guinanne, Jake Polich, Arthur Taylor, Angus McDonald and John McDonald. Survivors were the same as for his mother who died few months earlier. 

I believe Roena also went by the name of Edna but I have failed to find any records of her after the 1900 Census when she was six. 

                                                  Photograph from "The Granitonian" 1956
 

John Wallace “Wally” Frost was born in 1885 in Iowa and was only 8 years old when his father died. Wolle, in “Montana Pay Dirt”, quotes Wally as telling her it was not hard to get up a dance in the camp. “All you had to do was go out into the street and holler, ‘Let’s dance’. ” While working at the Bi-Metallic, Wally and Marguerite Steber slipped away from Philipsburg on June 16, 1916 and were married at the Methodist Episcopal parsonage in Anaconda. The newly weds returned to Philipsburg the next day and were “joyously serenaded by several parties of their young friends.” Wally was the second son of Mrs. Blair (Mary) King and the bride was the second daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Henry Steber. Wally, was a fixture in the Philipsburg community and worked tirelessly as janitor of Granite County High School for at least fifteen years after leaving the mines.. He lived to be 85 and died in 1973. 

 Another miner, John Whelan lived for fifteen years at Combination. He died suddenly at the age of 70 on June 7, 1905. His friend James Bissett had visited with him over night on Tuesday and left the next morning with Mr. Whelan in his usual health. A few hours later Blair King ( the company’s watchman) stopped by Whelan’s residence to pick a package up that Mr. Whelan had asked him to mail and found him dead. He lived alone and was in charge of E. Christie’s property at Black Pine. The coroner went out and brought the body into Philipsburg, but an autopsy and inquest was deemed unnecessary as death was natural and probably due to heart failure. He had no known family and his estate consisted of $70.00 found on his person; $800 in the bank of T. Weinstein & Co. of Philipsburg; and some mining claims. Funeral services were conducted at the morgue and Philipsburg cemetery by Rev. W.H. Pascoe, with the M.E. Choir assisting with the songs. 

 According to his obituary Robert A. Hereford was one of the bookkeepers of Black Pine during its’ “Boom Days.” He died on January 15, 1943 at St. Josephs Hospital in Deer Lodge, at the age of 85. Born in Virginia on March 29, 1857, he came to Granite county in 1889. After working at Black Pine, Robert was employed for many years as a telegraph operator. His daughter, Mrs. Mildred Duggan and a sister, both .in Washington D.C. survived him.

Dirty Politics

 Duncan Dingwall was involved in the very heated election campaign of 1886 against the Sligh-Durand ticket for Montana State Senator. The political candidates from Granite county all visited Quigley in October, believing that this was an important voting element. They were greeted by the Quigley A.F. of L. Union president Elliott. The candidates were: Dr. J.M. Sligh running for state senator, J.K. Pardee a former state legislator now running for county treasurer, D. H. Dunshee of Combination and D.W. Hennessey of Flint running for county commissioners and Thomas Glina of Combination running for the state legislature. 

The Record announced the election results on November 14 as follows: J.K. Pardee as treasurer, Findlay J. McDonald as sheriff, Thomas Glina and Israel Clem as legislators, B. (or D.) H. Dunshee, James McDonel and D.W. Hennessey as county commissioners. 

During the election campaign the Mail published the following: That Boycotted Road “A gentleman, a former employee of the Combination company, has hauled into this office a copy of a notice served on him while in the employ of that company. It is an interesting little document and one which caused a great deal of adverse criticism at the time it was posted in various conspicuous places around Combination and handed or transmitted to employees. By reference to the boycott notice it will be observed that it applies to everybody excepting Frank Durand, D.H. Mellan [sic] and Hugh Mellan [sic]. These three gentlemen out of the entire county are the only ones permitted to traverse the road and do business in Combination. If the road had done anything to seriously impair the “general welfare of the community,” it does appear a little strange that the three gentlemen named above could traverse it without injury to the community. 

Following is the circular letter: “Combination, Montana, July 30, 1895 Notice is hereby given that on and after this date all residents of Combination as well as all employees of the Combination Mining and Milling Company will be expected to cease purchasing any meats, vegetables, produce dry goods, clothing or supplies of any kind, from any farmer, person or firm, from the lower valley adjacent to and driving over the road from Stone Station to the Combination Mine and known as the Stone Station Road. 

All persons hauling goods and supplies of any character over or in any way found traversing said road will not be permitted to sell or dispose of same in the Combination camp excepting Frank Durand, D.H. Mellan and Hugh Mellan. All persons in this camp will avoid the patronage of the Horton stage and whether employed or not are expected to live up to the letter of these instructions as we believe it is most reasonable and certainly worthy the co-operation of our employees and beneficiaries, and any and all violations or failure to comply will result most seriously in the general welfare of the community. 

This matter will receive the closest attention and we insist upon it most rigid enforcement. Combination Mining and Milling Co., F.H. Bird, Agent, by order of Chas. D. McLure, president.” 

The Mail continued: “There is not a business man in the county, nor a rancher, miner, laborer or anyone else who can afford to vote the Sligh-Durand corporation ticket if he believes in the free institutions of America. Remember that it is the same corporation tactics that are being used by Mark Hanna to defeat Bryan, that are being used in Granite county to elect Sligh. Down with the corporation ticket by voting the Dingwall ticket straight.” 

As a point of interest:Sligh owned 2,750 and Durand 4,602 shares of Combination stock. 

After Duncan won the election, Sligh by manipulation, went to Helena and occupied the Senate seat. The December 4, 1896 Mail carried the District Court happenings where: “Dr. J.M. Sligh instituted injunction proceedings against G. J. Reck as county clerk of Granite county to restrain him from issuing a certificate of election to Duncan Dingwall as senator from Granite county. The case was ably argued by Honorable W. B. Rodgers, counsel for Dingwall and W. E. Moore of Philipsburg, counsel for Sligh. The court took the case under advisement and on Monday rendered its decision, in which the injunction was denied. Judge Brantly, in rendering his decision held substantially: “That his court has no jurisdiction to pass injunctions… and Duncan Dingwall, having received a majority of all the votes cast at the last election, for that office, was regularly and duly elected as such senator and is entitled to receive a certificate of election from the Clerk of Granite county.” 

The reader is reminded that Granite county received its charter in 1893 and prior to that time was represented by Deer Lodge county, so this was their first election.

Black Pine and Combination

Black Pine photo from the Tex Crowley collection. Notice the warchman Frank Sprague's car. picture prior to the 1935 fire.

After extensive research I have decided to write about Black Pine and Combination together. Many of the articles do not separate the two as Combination was located at the mill in the bottom of Willow Creek Canyon two miles from the ridge where the Black Pine settlement was built. Both were Company towns so when the “Company” left so did the residents. 

Black Pine was originally occupied from sometime in 1882 through 1897. After the original discovery, little work was done for the next few years due to the high cost of road building. In 1886 James A. Pack leased the property and formed the Black pine Mining Company according to papers at the Montana Historical Society. The Company was composed of Pack, Josiah M. Merrill, Jospeh H. Harper, Frederick W. Flint, Aeneas McAndrew, Ralph B. Wallace and William P. Shyrock. The Company built the 10-stamp mill down the hill to the west in the Willow Creek Valley, which became known as Combination.. Pictures from the Tex Crowley collection show Black Pine as a string of cabins lining the east and west side of the dirt road. Other articles describe cabins also being in the trees to the west down the slope to Willow creek. The school house was located in Middletown Canyon and was operated in the summer months when it was safe for the children to walk to the building. Winters were severe and snow deep. Water was scarce on the ridge and was hauled by a horse drawn cart to Black Pine from Willow Creek, where the residents paid $1.00 for a gallon. During the winter most people melted snow for their needs. Because Black Pine was a company town there was no liquor allowed. Some articles stated this was because the camp was for family men. Needless to say most miners were not a dry lot so a settlement called “Whiskey Flats or Hill”, sprang up just south of the mine property. Seven or eight saloons and brothels made up this settlement. There was no cemetery in the area “because the miners preferred to be “buried in the ‘burg.” When a miner died the Miner’s Union closed the mines for the day and everyone accompanied the body to Philipsburg for the funeral. 

The original Company underestimated the costs and could not pay off their debts with the October 8, 1889 Mail advertising a Sheriff sale of 36 different person’s and businesses suing Black Pine Mining Company. The lawsuit was asking for $22,000 and interest which made an aggregate total of about $25,000 that had been advanced to the defendant company. Quoting the article:…”The company’s property consisting of the mines, hoisting plants and mill at Combination, has been attached and Deputy United States Marshall Wall arrived from Helena last Saturday and took possession. The suit it seems was precipitated through a disagreement among stockholders… The matter continued in court for some time and the injunction was at last made permanent with the result that the money paid in by those who had consented to the assessment was returned and the debt remained unpaid. Several watchmen have constantly been employed in taking care of the property and it seems at least some of them had difficulty in disposing of their time checks, even at a considerable discount. Thus the matter dragged along, the debt increasing everyday, and as there seemed no way for the several factions among the stockholders to agree upon a satisfactory settlement, the St. Louis Bank evidently grew impatient and attached the works.” 

                 Combination Mill Illustration by Muriel Sibell Wolle in "Montana Pay Dirt" , 1983

For three years the property has been idle, not because of good ore, but that some stockholders had an idea that they were being wronged and became hostile managers. In December some of the Company stockholders reorganized under Combination Mining and Milling Company and bought the assets being sold at the sheriff auction. This Company headed by Harper with Anthony H. Barrett, Patrick Talent, George E. Maule, Elliott H. Wilson, Henry Williams and Charles Goodale was capitalized at $600,000. In the fall of 1890 the unsettled silver market caused the closing of the mine for the winter months. But they did re-open in the spring. 

By 1891, Charles D. McLure from the Bi-Mettalic and Granite Mountain Mining Companies had acquired the majority of stock and by 1893, the officers of Combination were almost identical to the Bi-Metallic. The mine and mill operated until 1897 but even though the output was over two million ounces of silver, the Company was never able to pay dividends and had to assess each share a total over 35 cents during the next 10 years of operation. At the turn of the century, Charles was the primary owner. 

       Combination Mining Office Illustration by Muriel Sibell Wolle in "Montana Pay Dirt" ,1983

Following are news articles during the early years:

 

Miss Sadie Downs taught the Black Pine School during the spring of 1893 and according to the Philipsburg Mail was awarded a first grade certificate from the county the week of August 10, 1893. She was then elected by the school trustees to fill a position at the Philipsburg schools for the term beginning in September. Sadie was the sister of Suzi (Downs, Berthoud) Hull, wife of W.T. on Rock Creek. 

The January 2, 1896 Philipsburg Mail unpaid county taxes for the year 1895 that were in arrears: Joseph Racine for a house in Combination owed $2.64; Roe and Drake for a cabin in Combination owed $1.58; Joseph Reil for a cabin in Combination owed $1.57;Weinstein Estate for a lodging house in Combination owed $1.08 

On September 18, 1896 the Philipsburg Mail stated that Louis B., the infant son of Mrs. B.L. Schultz died the week prior and the body was taken to Butte for internment. He was one year and twelve days old. Mrs. Schultz had only been a widow for a few weeks when the toddler died. Mr. Schultz had died a few weeks prior in Combination. So far research has not found his obituary. 

In that same issue of the Mail was a story about J.S. Thorp being robbed of $200 by highwaymen on the road from Combination. Thorp was a grocery man and was returning to Philipsburg when two masked men blocked his way about 9 pm and ordered him to stop. He put his team into a run. This caused the robbers to begin shooting. One shot injured his lead horse and then a second shot hit another one of the team causing the wagon to stop. The robbers blindfolded Mr. Thorp and threatened him with a knife to his throat before he gave up his money. The article stated Thorp was probably also going to lose his two horses from their wounds. Further research of the newspaper does not reveal the highway men identified or on trial. 

There were four main shafts developed at Black Pine: The Barrett, Harper, Harrison and Lewis. From these shafts it is estimated that 2,135,000 ounces of silver and 1,411 ounces of gold were mined between 1881 and 1897. The ore was hauled through Middletown canyon to the mill at Combination by eight to sixteen horse or mule teams There it was crushed and the concentrates were taken out by William Gillespie’s eighteen head string of pack mules. Gillespie hauled in the freight from Philipsburg and hauled out the concentrate on his return trip. Some estimate the population during the boom time to be near 1,200 with three shifts of miners working every day of the week. 

The Western Mining History states there ultimately were eight vertical shafts, 3 tunnels, drifts, inclines and crosscuts by 1906; by 1974 all surface openings were closed except the Lewis shaft and Combination Adit. 

The May 5, 1887 Mail stated: “W.H. Presley who is running the boarding house at the Black Pine mines went to town during the week. He states there are 30 carpenters at work at the mill and that the strike was made in the west instead of the east drift, as incorrectly reported [in an earlier issue].” 

The July 17, 1890 Mail stated that John H. Price of Black Pine and John Ainsley of Philipsburg left on the train for a trip to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania where they were to remain for a week or two. 

Combination Notes, July 20, 1893 Philipsburg Mail stated: “Mr. Christie is again in possession of the hotel; Combination is without a physician; Dr. Orr has gone to his home in Ohio. The mill shut down entirely last Saturday evening. Mr. Sherman, the genial superintendent, took a party of ladies through early in the afternoon, explaining things as he went along in a way to make them wonder. The whistles have ceased to blow at the mine. The work for the supply of electric lights has been completed since the shutdown. 

W.J. Carpenter published a notice in the Citizen Call on October 30, 1895 that stated: “Owing to the large amount of business that I am doing at Combination, it will be impossible for me to open my photography gallery in Philipsburg until November 5th. Also, in the same issue of the Call was the rumor that Wm. H. Robinson foreman at the Sunrise would be replacing J.T. Carroll as foreman at Combination. 

In 1897 low silver prices closed the mine; It re-opened from 1937-1974 then although individuals worked claims it did not open again until 1985 with final closure by Inspiration Consolidated Copper Company in 1988. The mine has 57 patented claims. in Sections 7,8,9,16,17, and 18. T.8 N, R.14W.

The Riddick Field and Namesake

 

                    Merril K. Riddick in the Boomerang Newspaper (Laramie, Wyoming)  at age 79

Private airplane enthusiasts have been around since before Orville and Wilbur Wright flew their contraption at Kitty Hawk, North Carolina in December 1903. Local memories recall Jess Evans constructing a rudimentary grass strip on the Black Pine Ridge in the mid fifties. I wish he and Dean Nietz were still around so I could pick their brains. I did not decide to become a private pilot until later in life so missed a lot of their escapades. When I did start flying and earned my Instrument rating I would always contact Dean and he would find me an empty hanger to house my Piper Cherokee 180D for my visits to Granite County. 

The first history that is found was the Forest Service allowed a 30 year lease on 44 acres of land to be used as an airport in 1967. The first minutes found in the Court House are in 1968 authorizing the construction of a runway. This was the beginning of airport UO5 with runways 16 and 34 being developed and mapped on the Great Falls Aeronautical Sectional Maps for Philipsburg. 

When the 75th Centennial was being planned for Granite County, it was suggest by people and submitted in the County Commissioner’s Minutes by Mike Kahoe to name the field for Merrill K. Riddick. Steve Immenschuh relates that Merrill had great joy as a passenger in a bi-plane ride during the dedication ceremonies. The reason for selecting Riddick were many and varied and following is his life history. 

Merrill was born March 7, 1895 in Madison, Wisconsin and moved to eastern Montana at the age of eleven. Merrill’s father, Carl served two terms as a U.S. congressman for the Eastern District of Montana from 1919 through 1922. When Merrill was sixteen, he became interested in aviation while traveling throughout the Northwest and was a member of the first graduating class from the Army Air Force Aeronautics School in San Diego, California. He served in World War I as a flight instructor and flew reconnaissance flights. After the War was over he became one of the first airmail pilots and barnstormed with Charles Lindbergh in the Harry Perkins Air Circus. (Steve Immenschuh shared that Charles visited Merrill once during the early 1960's when he was living in Philipsburg.)

During this time Merrill met and married his wife, Helen May Williams, from West Virginia. To this marriage was born three children: Mary Ruth, Keith and Barbara. By 1928, Merrill was flight instructor for the first preparatory aviation school in Rochester, New York At that job he instructed the future president Franklin Delano Roosevelt. 

Merrill re-joined the Air Force during the Second World War, serving as a technical instructor. Before and after the War he became involved in prospecting and was involved in many mining claims. After the War he returned to Montana, but continued traveling the states. His wife died in 1949 and it was then that Merrill became involved in politics. 

 As a resident of Granite county, his political campaigns were focused on the management of natural resources and in reforming campaign finance. Merrill authored and published in the Journal of Applied Human Ecology and focused on his plans to develop the resources. He campaigned for Governor of Montana as a Democrat in 1960 and 1968. Next he ran for U.S. Congress in 1972. 

His campaign ad shows where he crossed out Democrat and wrote in Republican and stated: 

I OPPOSE making a wild river out of Rock Creek and the Missouri River; 

I FAVOR a navigation canal up the Missouri to Winifred and Fort Benton to save farmers 30cents a bushel on shipping their wheat; 

I FAVOR $500,0000.000 worth of dam construction on the upper Missouri River to pump water for Eastern Montana and to generate millions of kilowatts of power for new industry in Montana. 

A vote for Riddick is a vote for progress. Paid for by Merrill K. Riddick, Philipsburg, Mont. (printed by Daily News Lewistown, Montana.) 

Next he ran as a candidate of his self-created political party named Magneto-hydrodynamics-Puritan epic-prohibition party for President in 1976, 1980 and 1984. The Puritan Ethic and Epic stood for Moral values and Magnetohydrodynamics is a process for clean electricity generation. Prohibition meant barring illegal campaign contributions. He refused to accept any campaign contributions, but did accept a silver dollar from Steve Immenschuh as a token.. 

Interestingly, Merrill traveled only by bus during his nationwide campaigns. He stated in 1981 “I live on the bus. I can get passes for less than $12 a day. It’s cheaper than living in a hotel.” The cost of a hotel he knew well as he resided for a number of years at the Pintlar Hotel in Philipsburg during the years Steve Immenschuh's parents operated the establishment in the 1960's.

After his last campaign he relocated to his sister Ruth’s home in Annapolis, Maryland. Merrill died of cancer two days after his 93rd birthday on March 9, 1988 in Annapolis and is buried there. 

Now you know for whom and why the airfield outside of Philipsburg is named Riddick Field! The Forest Service has renewed the thirty year lease for the 44 acres again, so aviation enthusiasts can continue to enjoy flying into this beautiful valley.

The First Gas Lighting in Drummond

 

 Mrs. Mary Morse was very active in the Granite County Hotel business and by 1885 had established a first class hotel in Drummond. The Philipsburg Mail carried the following article on December 2, 1898. “Mrs. T.H. Morse, proprietress of the Windsor Hotel in Drummond, has made a noteable improvement in that institution in the matter of lighting it up. Of course, situated as the hotel is—in a small town—electric lighting is out of the question, so that enterprising lady determined to put in a gas plant of her own, having made up her mind some time ago to dispense with the use of coal oil. Mrs. Morse claimed to the Mail representative that for years she had been in fear that someone would knock over one of the lamps and burn her well known hostelry out, but until recently she saw no way out of the difficulty. However, her opportunity came at last, and the result is that she now has in operation a first class acetylene gas plant, connected with pipes to every room in the house. In a back room on the ground floor she has her gas generator and other necessary apparatus for the manufacture and distribution of the gas, and people who are guests of the hotel can turn on the gas at any hour, apply a match, and have as fine a light as anyone could wish to see. Of course, the first expenditure has been rather heavy, the cost of installing the plant being something like $250, but now that it is in, the regular cost will be reasonable, and the satisfaction of having a good steady , brilliant and safe light is indeed great. That lady says there is no danger whatever in making the gas as long as no light is used in the room where the generator is placed. 

Her young son (Herb) found out to his sorrow that a light in the room is something out of place. He recently raised the metal cover and held a light over the receptacle to see how the gas was getting along. Shortly afterward he was picked up on the other side of the room, where he was thrown by the force of the exploding gas. No injury was sustained, however, but the moral has been studiously observed and no attempts to renew the gas supply at any time other than in day light—a lesson which has been learned, happily, without any serious injury. 

Mrs. Morse is certainly entitled to credit for her enterprise and pluck and the Mail hopes she will find her investment a profitable one.” 

 Mary was a shrewd business lady as she also had taken over the Sparcey (Hotel) restaurant in the ‘Burg in January 1889 and ran it as the Metropolitan for that entire year while operating the Windsor. She advertised weekly in the Helena Independent for the Metropolitan Hotel the entire year of 1889, obviously believing persons traveling over the Divide would be interested in her accommodations while transacting mining deals during the silver boom.

Happenings of The T.H. Morse Family

 Years ago I found a news article where Herb Morse shot Miss Vera Leyden about 1 am on September 14, 1896. The Mail stated: “It seems that young Morse, who is between 16 and 17 years of age, became infatuated with the young lady, who is employed at his mother’s hotel, and attempted to take her life by shooting. It appears from what can be learned that Morse became jealous and entered Miss Leyden’s room with a revolver in his hand and when she attempted to run he shot her in the back, the ball striking between the shoulders. Dr W.W. Spottswood of Missoula, was summoned, but after probing for the bullet, he could not locate it. Miss Leyden is well and favorably known in Philipsburg, where she has resided for two or three years. She has a married sister there, Mrs. Gus Westlund, whose husband is employed at Combination . Young Morse had been attending college in Helena, and his mother Mrs. Thomas Morse was at the Wesleyan University arranging for Herb to continue his studies when the shooting occurred. He was arrested immediately and arraigned in New Chicago by Judge Ferguson the next day. He waived examination and was held on $1,500 bail. Miss Leyden was taken to Philipsburg where she was staying at the residence of August Eck and not believed to be in any danger from the shooting.” 

The outcome of an indictment or trial was not discovered at that time, so recently I began searching the archived newspapers again. The above incident was repeated in the New Northwest, September 25, 1896, with additional information that Miss Leyden was 25 and working at the Windsor Hotel as a dining room helper. The girl did not return young Herb’s feelings and was sitting up with a man named Harris when Herb attempted to shoot her. She escaped through a window and was climbing through another window when “the maddened youngster sent a bullet into her back. She may recover. W.B. Rodgers of this city has been engaged for the defense and appeared for the boy, at the preliminary hearing, which was bound over.” 

In the Ravalli Republican September 23, the story was repeated with the addition “The girl was more muscular than the lad and in the struggle which ensued, worsted him. She finally jumped out the window and Morse followed and shot her in the back, just below the shoulder blade.” They misidentified his first name as John. There is absolutely no further mention of the incident which leaves me to surmise that the prominence of the family assisted in the situation “being taken care of.” 

My search found many references to Herb’s family. His father Thomas H. Morse was born in 1839 or 1842 in New Brunswick to a father from Massachusetts and mother from Canada. T. H. was a New Northwest subscriber as early as Sept. 1873. He was picked as a juror in Deer Lodge County April 1876; earned $3.00 for a trial in 1887 and $2.10 in 1888. The New Northwest June 30, 1876 states T.H. was the village smithy at Pioneer and in May 1880 states he also ran a hotel. July 30, 1878 carried a collections notice from Pioneer stating “All persons in debt to me must settle in 30 days or debt will be turned over to attorney for collection. Signed Thomas H. Morse.” Then, on July 28, 1882, the New Northwest correspondent in a trip from Deer Lodge passing Gold Creek to Helmville described T.H. Morse’s place as “a neat well located little house, with pleasant surroundings, waving fields of grain and meadowland and plenty of good range for stock." 

Thomas married Mary (Cox) Childs, ( mother of Charles and Alice) in 1879. Born in 1837 in Missouri she was at Grizzly/ Silver Creek near Helena in the 1870 census. They lived in New Chicago by 1885, with property valued at $5,155.00 and taxes of $110.40. In 1885 they began operating the Windsor Hotel in Drummond. Throughout 1889 Mary advertised in the Helena Independent for the Metropolitan Hotel (former Sparey Hotel) in Philipsburg which she owned. In 1897 they were paid for prisoner meals and in 1901 meals and damages for Smallpox patients. In 1913 they built a four room dwelling near their Hall in Drummond where they were now showing movies. 

Herb (T.H. Morse Jr.) was born April 15, 1880.; married Martha Galivan in 1905; and was appointed Postmaster of Drummond on July 28, 1919. 

T.H. died November 11, 1924; Mary died March 7, 1925; Herb died October 15, 1929 while working at the Missoula Hotel. The autopsy stated he died of natural causes. They are all buried in the Valley cemetery.

The Open Cross Ranch

 

About three miles south of Hall on the east side of Highway 1 is a sign “Open Cross Ranch” with a driveway crossing Flint Creek leading to the ranch buildings and houses that the fourth and fifth generation of the Anderson homestead live in. Stated in an earlier article, Linda Franz married Charles J. Anderson on July 5, 1906 in Missoula, Montana and they settled on the Open Cross Ranch in 1908. 

The Anderson family history in the United States begins with Peter Anderson, who was born in Stockholm, Sweden in 1852. The 1900 Federal Census states he immigrated to Montana in 1882 and was naturalized in 1894. But there is a Peter Anderson (consistent with his age and home country) listed in the 1880 Census living in Yamhill in Deer Lodge County which was a settlement near Gold Creek. 

Research also reveals Peter Anderson advertising in the Philipsburg Mail beginning January 30, 1896 through April 1896 on the O K placer mining claim in the Harvey Creek Mining District. The public notice stated Peter had made the $100 improvements and that unless his co-partners P.A. Anderson and C.W. Anderson contribute their portion of the improvement dollars within ninety days the claim ownership reverted to him as sole owner. 

Family history states that Peter began freighting ore from Granite to Philipsburg after his son, Charles J. Anderson immigrated from Sweden in 1895 at the age of 17. Peter’s brother, Charles O. Anderson, born in 1866, immigrated in 1889 and was naturalized in 1904. Charles O. had a homestead at Nimrod and also at Silver King Ridge (Sec.29, T.9N, R.14W) on Lower Willow Creek where he had a cabin. This acreage was incorporated into the ranch after his death with the payment of twenty some odd dollars in inheritance taxes. Charles, a bachelor, died when he accidently fell from a bridge into the Flint Creek, November 12, 1941 at the age of 52. 

Peter Anderson, prior to immigrating, married Ida (Carlson) Johnson. She was born January 1, 1856 in Stockholm, Sweden and immigrated in 1902. To this marriage was born Charles John, in 1878 and Erick G., on December 22, 1879. The family resided at a homestead near Nimrod. Research by the family revealed that the August Ohrmann family raised prize winning Angus cattle and Peter bought a bull from him at a bull sale November 15, 1918. 

Erick died when he was kicked in the head by a horse April 21, 1924. Sometime after Peter died, on May 14, 1930, Ida came to live on the Open Cross Ranch with Charles O., Charles J. and Linda. As Ida aged she suffered dementia and apparently wandered off from the ranch one day. After an extensive search she was found five miles east of the ranch on Douglas Creek and her Death Certificate states she was pronounced dead from exposure and old age at 12:30 pm on August 12, 1942 at the age of 86. 

Family history knows that at some date Charles J. owned the Silver Tavern Bar in Philipsburg which is documented with ads in the Granitonian Senior yearbooks in the 1956 through 1960 publications shown below 

Charles was also instrumental in getting telephone service from Drummond towards the ‘Burg in the early years. Charles died at the age of 93 from Pneumonia at Granite County Memorial Hospital on November 12, 1971 and is buried in the Valley Cemetery, next to Linda who died on May 9, 1965 at the age of 80. 

To the marriage of Charles J. and Linda was born: Alfred C. (April 5, 1907- 1935); William E. in 1908; and John Howard and Margaret: September 21, 1910. The family is together though the 1930 Federal Census and then by 1940 only John Howard, age 29, remains on the ranch with his parents and housekeeper Evalina D. Staples age 25. 

Bill Olson shared that his mother related one Memorial Day at the Valley Cemetery that "Linda planted the first spruce tree at Alfred's grave and dutifully packed water to it until it reached self sufficiency."

John, always known as Howard, met his wife, Evelina Staples when she was visiting someone at Moose Lake and came to work for Linda as a housekeeper to get enough money to return home to Minnesota. She returned to Minnesota and Howard having fell in love with her, followed and they were married April 27, 1941 at Grand Marais, Minnesota. Howard then brought her back to Open Cross Ranch as his wife. He died on October 16, 1980 and when Evelina died on December 11, 2002 she was buried next to him at the Valley Cemetery. 

Their daughter Gayla married Leland Skaw, native of Hamilton, whose family moved to Ovando in 1967, where he lived when Gayla met him. Gayla and Leland operated the ranch until their daughter Jolene and husband, Levi Parsons, took over the operation and built themselves a house a little ways up the ridge. Currently Skaw’s, Parson’s and their children: Colt, Kimber, Dakota and Cooper live on the ranch.

The Franz Family Legal Woes

A family spoken of frequently in the Philipsburg Mail was the Franz family. Their ranch was located at what was called Three Mile, about 5 miles north of Philipsburg. 

One of the first researched articles discussed an amicable agreement in Judge Connolly’s court on July 18, 1901. The case was between X. Bennett and Mrs. Ed Franz and her two sons. “The trouble arose over a dam across Flint at the head of Bennett’s ditch, which is located in Mrs. Franz’s field. The backwater caused by the dam flooded Mrs. Franz’s field and damaged the meadow. Bennett refused to listen to her complaints so she ordered her son, Robert to cut the dam out. Bennett thereupon had the young man arrested for interfering with his ditch. This was last Saturday. On Monday he had the other son Ed arrested for threatening his son Ephram. The cases occupied the police court for several days this week. Numerous witnesses were called to testify and the grievances of both parties were thoroughly aired. Yesterday afternoon an agreement was reached and both complaints were withdrawn. Both Mrs. Franz and Mr. Bennett made some concessions and agreed to live in peace and harmony, as good neighbors should, and thus a happy ending was secured in a quarrel involving two of the most respected families of the lower valley.” The Franz family remained but the Bennett family moved to Anaconda according to notes in the Mail during WWI. 

The next incident involving the Franz family was in October of 1905 when Robert Franz “of the three mile house, eldest son of Mrs. Ed Franz came near being instantly killed by the accidental discharge of a shotgun one day last week [October 13]. The charge tore away practically the entire left hand, leaving only the little finger and inflicted a painful wound in the young man’s breast and face. Sixteen shot were removed from the breast and several stitches were required in his face where his lip was badly cut.” The accident happened while Robert and his brother Edward were driving home from the Loughrin place (several miles from the Franz ranch.) The boys had bought an old wagon bed from Mr. Loughrin and went down with a team and running gears to get it. They had taken a shotgun with them. On the way home they got tired of standing up and decided to make a seat to sit down on. Finding a piece of fence rail they proceeded to build a seat. The shot gun was stood up against the side of the wagon and while adjusting the seat it was bumped and began to fall. Ed grabbed for it as it fell and caught hold of the muzzle just as the gun went off. “It was nothing less than a miracle he was not instantly killed.” 

During this same time period the Water Suit against the Power Company was decided and the Franz family was awarded two water rights; Sixty inches appropriated November 3, 1895 and 75 inches appropriated June 1, 1901. 

Headlines in the January 12, 1906 Mail were “A Big Sensation” followed by this story. “Mrs. Theresa Franz and her two eldest sons Robert and Edward, were placed under arrest Wednesday afternoon and charged with the murder of George Reed, a woodchopper, whose remains were found buried in Wyman gulch last August. 

An information charging murder in the first degree was filed by County Attorney G.A. Maywood in the district court Wednesday and the arrest was made the same day. The accused were brought into court Thursday morning to be arraigned and answered their true names as given in the information. Mrs. Franz engaged Judge D.M. Durfee, as her attorney, and her two sons, being financially unable to employ counsel, the court appointed Attorney W.E. Moore to defend them. The case was then continued until 5 o’clock Thursday afternoon at which time counsel for the accused filed motions to quash the information.  The arguments continued into the evening session and at the conclusion Judge Winston announced that he would give his decision at 8 o’clock, this morning. 

At the appointed time this morning Judge Winston gave his decision, over-ruling the motion to quash the information and ordered the defendants held to await trial. A pleas of not guilty was ordered entered for each. Mrs. Franz asked that she be admitted to bail, to which the court replied that the offense charged was not bailable, but he would consider the matter and advise by Monday whether or not he would grant the request.” To keep them apart, one son was taken to Deer Lodge; the other to Anaconda; Mrs. Franz remained in Philipsburg. 

With Mrs. Franz and her two sons in jail, The Philipsburg Mail continued covering the family in January of 1906 thusly: "The Franz family are old time residents of this county, having lived at their little ranch, five miles north of Philipsburg, for over seventeen years. They are industrious and hard working people and the arrest of the mother and two eldest sons has created quite a sensation here. The crime with which they are charged is a most dastardly one. George Reed was shot down in cold blood from behind, while at work in the timber near his camp in Wyman gulch. This was about the middle of last June. He was last seen about June first and it was not until August 26th that his remains were discovered in a thicket of underbrush where the murderer had buried them in a shallow grave. The gruesome discovery was made by James Schoonover while searching for cattle in that vicinity. Mr. Schoonover first found an old hat which led him to investigate further and then a tree cut down in an unusual place and left lying where it fell was found to mark the place where George Reed’s body was buried. The coroner’s inquest disclosed nothing and the verdict was to the effect that Reed met his death at the hands of some person unknown. The officers have been working diligently on the case, but what evidence they have to connect Mrs. Franz and her sons with the crime is not known. The January 19, 1906 Mail stated that Mrs. Franz and sons bail was set at $5,000 each. A short note on page two revealed: “ Mrs. Theresa Franz was released from jail Monday evening, her bond having been approved by Judge Winston. The sureties are August Greenheck and Henry Boge.” 

hen a few notes later in the column was stated: “Ed Franz, one of the men accused of killing George Reed, the woodchopper, was taken to Anaconda Monday by Sheriff McDonald to be confined in the jail there until his trial comes up in March. Since his arrest last month Ed has been locked up in the city jail, which is not considered a very safe place.” 

The February 16, 1906 Philipsburg Mail carried an article stating that between Friday and Sunday the prior week someone had broke into the Franz barn and carried off a martingale and other straps from a harness. Mrs. Franz was away for a few days and this occurred while no one was home. She stated she would prosecute the guilty party to the full extent of the law if she can obtain proof of who did the deed. 

On March 9, 1906 the Mail carried the following: “State vs Theresa Franz, Robert Franz and Edward Franz for murder. The defendants asked to be tried separately and the county attorney elected to try Edward Franz first and the cases were set as follows: Edward Franz, March 21 at 9:30 am; Robert Franz, March 22, 9:30 am; Theresa Franz, March 23, 9:30 am. All subject to motion for continuance. By request of the county attorney the court granted an amendment to the information on file in this changing the date upon which the crime is alleged to be committed from June 13 to June 18. The names for the following witnesses for the state were indorsed on the information: Clyde Lee, Archie McPhail, Ira Cutler, Louis Hendrickson, Mrs. Frank Elphison, John Duffy Jr., John Roe, D.H. Morgan, Mrs. James Dissett, and James Fischer. Charles H. Hall county attorney of Missoula county is to assist County Attorney Maywood in the prosecution. The attorneys for the defense are W.E. Moore and D.M. Durfee of this city and J.H. Duffy of Anaconda.” 

 

March 23 the court room was packed with spectators as the regular panel of forty persons called as jurors and two special venues of 25 each were exhausted over a two day period before a jury of 12 men was obtained for the Franz trial. The jurors selected were: J.J. Lawyer, Maurice Storer, H.L. Monahan, Nick Hoeg, D. Daigle, Riley Ritchey, Marx Mohr, George W. Carey, Thomas Buchanan, L.P. Kelley, Fletcher Kirk and Al Locke. 

County Attorney Maywood presented his case that Ed Franz had killed George Reed after having more than one argument with Reed witnessed by persons in Philipsburg. Also Ed Franz was said to have bragged to Clyde Lee that his 30-30 hanging on the wall was the gun he used to kill Reed with. Clyde Lee was not deterred from his statement during cross examination. After hearing 19 State and 23 Defense witnesses, which included former sheriff’s, Legislators and prominent citizens, the case went to the jury. 

Edward Franz’s trial outcome caused a sensation when the jury returned with an acquittal of the murder charge. Due to the long proceeding in Ed’s trial, Robert and Theresa’s trials were set over for June 12, 1906 according to the April 6, Mail. 

The June 1 Mail carried the notice that bids were being invited by the Granite County Commissioners for a number of cords of wood cut by George Reed before he was murdered. The minimum bid was to be at least $37 needed to defray the burial costs of Mr. Reed. The cords of wood were lying in timber about 5 ½ miles north-east of Philipsburg. 

When the June term of the district court convened, George Maywood filed the following motion: 

 1. That he believes that all the defendants are guilty of the crime charged in the information on file in this cause and has some considerable evidence of the guilt of each defendant, but that said evidence is insufficient to obtain a conviction of the defendants, Robert Franz and Theresa Franz, of the offense charge or of a lesser offense. 

 2. That ever since the last term of court he, the said county attorney has made a diligent effort and search to find evidence upon which to obtain a conviction of the defendants and has failed to obtain sufficient new testimony against said defendants to warrant the trial of said defendants on the said charge. 

3. That at the last term of court, Edward Franz, one of the defendants jointly charged in said information, was tried on the charge and acquitted, and that said trial and cause had been very much discussed by the people of Granite county and the county attorney believes that nearly all of the persons residing in said county and qualified to act as jurors therein, have formed an opinion as to the guilt or innocence of said defendants, and therefore it would be very difficult to obtain a jury in Granite county to try Theresa and Robert Franz and that the expense of obtaining a jury and the trial of said cause would be great.

Wherefore, the said county attorney requests the court to dismiss the said action and to discharge said defendants, Robert Franz and Theresa Franz. With that action Robert was discharged from custody and Theresa’s bail was exhonerated and the court adjourned. 

Suffice it to say that the persons on the defense list of witnesses covered many of the elected officials of the county and was heavy in law enforcement representation. 

In December, 1908 Johnnie Franz got up early on Saturday and built a fire. While standing around the fire Johnnie began playing with a giant cap from his trouser pocket. He put the cap against the hot stove and it exploded in his left hand taking off part of the thumb and forefinger, A piece of shrapnel struck him in the face causing a laceration near his eye. 

The voter registration list published in November 1912 lists Robert Franz as living on Section 2, Township 7 N., Range 14 W. ; and Edward on Section 36, Township 8 N., Range 14 W. Theresa is not listed. 

Theresa died April 21, 1926 at the Anderson Open Cross Ranch near Hall at the age of 70 and had lived in the lower valley for the past 38 years. She had lived for one and one-half years in Granite after arriving from Wisconsin in 1886. Funeral services were at the Anderson ranch and the body was shipped to Mabel, Wisconsin for internment. Survivors were: daughters: Mrs. Charles J. (Linda) Anderson, and Mrs. Charles B. (Hilda) Donaldson; sons: Robert, Edward, John and William; and unidentified grandchildren. 

Although her death certificate lists her as married to Eduard H. Franz and her maiden name as Weidewitsch research fails to provide any information about him. 

I know Edward, born 1880 died in 1953; Robert, born 1878 died in 1950 and John (Jack) born in 1896 in Philipsburg died in Deer Lodge hospital in 1961. During the 40’s Jack worked as an officer of the law in Philipsburg. He was married to Jennie and then Alice when he died. 

I have failed to find a death date for William who was born in 1899 in Philipsburg. Linda married Charles J. Anderson on July 5, 1906 in Missoula and she died May 9, 1965 at Granite County Memorial Hospital and is buried in the Valley cemetery. Hilda born in 1894 married Charles Donaldson of the lower valley. The 1940 Federal Census shows them with children: Ralph H.(21), Howard C.( 17), Rose L.( 15), Dorothy A.( 13), and Eugene F.(8) but I have failed to find her death certificate at this time.

The "Elephant" in the Valley

The Geological attributes of the lower Flint Creek Valley between Maxville and Hall are very obvious to even the untrained eye when you are driving on Highway One. In the April 9, 2020 Philipsburg Mail Jeff Conn described some of the shaping of the outcrops thusly: “Red Hill is the oldest rock in the valley and is unique because it actually has older rock sitting on top of younger rock that slid in from the Bitterroot. This happened because of the shifting of the continental plates 100 million years ago due to volcanic activity. At that time, Montana was made up mostly of sedimentary rock formed from shallow inland seas with prolific marine life. Due to the plates activity, the sedimentary rock in the Bitterroot then traveled 45 miles all the way to Deer Lodge. As it went westward it crumpled up rocks and slid over the top of others. In the case of Red Hill, the younger rock slid underneath the much older 1.4 billion year old Precambrian rock"

 Many papers have been published dealing with the geology and minerals in this area and a large deposit of papers are available at the University of Montana for anyone interested in pursuing this topic. One of the topics include the distribution of phosphate. J.T. Pardee in 1913 described the deposits of “the southwestern three-fourths of the Philipsburg field, including the Philipsburg and Maxville localities, lies within the Philipsburg Quadrangle, the exceedingly intricate geology of which was worked out in detail in 1906-1908 by F.C. Calkins. In the Philipsburg Quadrangle, therefore the probable distribution of the phosphate deposit as shown by outcrops of its inclosing rocks is already known…In the course of the present investigation the phosphate bed was uncovered at Philipsburg by trenching and was sampled near Maxville in a tunnel already made by private enterprise…Workable deposits of high grade rock phosphate (containing 60 percent or more of tricalcium phosphate) occur in both the Garrison and Philipsburg fields." 

Extensive beds of phosphate at Maxville were owned by the Montana Phosphate Company according to the February 4, 1916 Mail and Mr. John D. Fields was in Salt Lake City working on investments in the interest of the company. The belief was that in the not too distant future phosphate would be the ideal fertilizer for the world. In an experiment at the ranches of H.M. Morkassel in Warren, Minnesota they sowed 100 acres of wheat. They harvested 42 ½ bushels an acre from 70 acres and 17 ½ bushels an acre from the remaining 30 acres. The soil was the same in each section except that 14 tons of phosphate had been applied to the 70 acre section. The article stated that it was believed the phosphate applications would only have to occur once every four years.

Prosperity for Maxville was the headline in the Mail, February 6, 1920, “With the purpose of developing the large phosphate beds at Maxville, 12 miles north of Philipsburg, a fertilizer plant is to be erected at Maxville early in the spring by Fred Irwin and F.J. Russell of Spokane it was announced today, at a cost of $250,000 to $300,000 according to a story in the Wednesday issue of the Anaconda Standard. They declared they were assured of contracts for the delivery of 80,000 tons of fertilizer annually to the Japanese government and are negotiating with a large plantation in Hawaii. The contemplated plant, it is stated, will employ 300 men and will have a daily capacity of 500 tons of fertilizer. In all probability a railroad spur will be built from Maxville to the site of the plant on Boulder Creek to handle the product.” 

Seems it was not to be. Apparently the market and investment was not available until the 1940’s when the International Mineral and Chemical Corporation began exploring the Permian Phosphoria formation several miles up the Douglas Creek drainage area south of Hall. Because the phosphate was a lower grade than being mined at Garrison, upgrading by floatation was needed. They established a mill by the highway near Douglas Creek. 

Then in the 1960’s Cominco operated the mine with the mill part way between the mine and the highway. A railroad spur named the “Elephant” was established over the ridge with the railroad bed angling up the hill still visible behind the Open Cross Ranch buildings on the east side of the Highway. The Spur’s name "Elephant"was derived from Cominco’s fertilizer brand name. Dave Harris worked there and told Ted Antonioli they believed 40 years of reserves were there. Unfortunately. the company owned an open pit in Vernal, Utah that operated at a much lower cost so they closed, transferring the mill equipment to their properties in Greenland.

Judge Ferguson Of Henderson Gulch

Another pioneer of Henderson Gulch was Judge R.M. Ferguson, who was a resident of New Chicago when he died December 23, 1908 at the Sisters’ Hospital in Deer Lodge. The judge was 79 years of age and died of dropsy and heart disease. He had resided at the McPhail Hotel. His old time friend Col. G.W. Morse had accompanied the Judge to the hospital the day before. He walked from the station up to the hospital so everyone was surprised when he died the very next day. 

A native of Scotland, the judge came with his father to Canada in 1844. As an adult he came to Montana and located in Henderson Gulch over 40 years prior to his death (in the 1860’s). Mr. Ferguson opened a black smith shop and worked there until the placers ran out. Shortly after setting up the blacksmith business, he was elected as the Justice of the Peace and according to his obituary was successfully elected every term since that time. But I found a reference January 8, 1897 in the Mail stating :”New Chicago is now without a court of justice or peace officer as R.M. Ferguson’s term of office as justice and J.A. Carnegie as constable expired on Monday of this week, without anyone elected to take their places.” Obviously the populous got busy and appointed or re-elected their Justice of the Peace. 

The New Northwest frequently made mention of Judge Ferguson being in Deer lodge and noted he was appointed as an election Judge at McPhail’s hotel along with Archie McPhail and Peter Fowler in the October 5th paper and that he was paid $6.00 for performing as election Judge in December 1888. In 1887 they stated the Judge had returned from his Silver Bow Mines and would be in New Chicago for the winter in October. In 1896, Dr. James M. Sligh named Judge Ferguson as Public administrator and he was unanimously approved according to the Philipsburg Mail of March 1. 

In August (1896), William Smith, from Ohio had returned to visit Judge Ferguson. He was in partnership with the Judge, R.D. McRae and L.J. Hendrickson in placer mining Henderson Gulch until fifteen years before. Smith recently rented out his Ohio ranch and was planning on doing some prospecting in the valley. 

When the mining camp closed Judge Ferguson moved to New Chicago and set up his black smith business there. The Judge performed many marriages, but did not chose one for himself. There were no living relatives in America at the time of his death. He was a charter member of the Flint Creek Lodge No. 11 A. F. & A. M. and many members received their teachings from him. 

The Judge had lived at home and then at the McPhail Hotel where Mrs. McPhail took excellent care of him until a day prior to his death. The remains were brought by train from Deer Lodge to his home in New Chicago where the burial service took place under the auspices of the Ruby Lodge in Drummond under the direction of the Flint Creek Lodge. His body was then taken to the Methodist Church where Rev. Fulford performed a Christian service. Internment was in the Valley cemetery with Masonic Honors. At the time of his death the Judge was the longest serving Justice of the Peace in Western Montana.

A Mother's Anxieties

                                                  Maxine "Kopie" Ray Fessler circa 1941

Since the beginning of time a mother has had anxious thoughts before, during and after bringing a child into this world. Some historical events probably created more foreboding than others and the quote below describes such an occurrence. A dear friend, Lou Ann Fessler Schiveland, found the following newspaper clipping in her mother Maxine (Kopie) Ray Fesslers possessions. Obviously, this mirrored her thoughts as she brought her second daughter into the world. The news article from an unidentified paper, without a date was written by Ruth Millet. 

 “She is truly TODAYS MOTHER. Her child was born in one of the troubled months of 1940 or early 1941. She knew she would bring her child into an uncertain, insecure world even while she was deciding that one had a perfect right to do so. Never for a minute was she lulled into thinking that “everything would be all right” before it was a great deal worse. Some of her friends and a number of older people said. “How foolish to bring a child into this world at this time. Why didn’t she wait to see how things will go? For all she knows her husband may be in the army for a few months—and think how a baby will complicate her life if it becomes necessary for her to earn her own living.” 

They had all sorts of sensible sounding reasons for thinking TODAYS MOTHER was foolish. She could have answered them had she wished—for she herself had thoughts of every one of their reasons for waiting. But she had what she believed were better reasons for going ahead and having a child. The first reason was simple. She wanted a child—and she didn’t want to wait for it until world conditions straightened themselves out. Experts said it would take years. Then, too, she had faith in herself—faith that she could, if it became necessary, take care of both herself and her child, alone. Other women had done it—not only in war but in peacetime. 

Another thing, if war should come to America, perhaps she could get her child here for its father to see and enjoy a while before he was called away from home. It never occurred to her to question what kind of heritage she would be offering her child. She knew that he would be born into, live and grow up in a free country. His father is willing to fight to see that he does. And so are fathers all over the land. She has the child now, and she isn’t afraid of the future—her child’s future—even though she is wise enough to know that hard, perhaps tragic times are ahead. She is TODAYS MOTHER and proud of it.” 

Those of us born to these mother’s have never had any catchy label like Baby Boomers or Millennials. We have always just been called “War babies” and grateful for our mothers strength and courage to bring us into this world.

News highlights of Maxville during the years

The May 28, 1915, Philipsburg Mail described a disastrous fire that occurred early Tuesday morning in Maxville when the saloon and nearby buildings owned by Axel Miller were burned to the ground. A log barn that belonged to R.R. McLeod also was burned. The fire was found at 3:30 a.m. and by the time of discovery was fully engaged. There was no water nearby and everything was consumed. The Miller family was in Philipsburg that night and learned of their loss when they arrived on the train the next morning. The loss was considerable as Miller stored a large amount of goods. The origin of the fire was not determined. Research shows the Axel Miller family living in Silver Bow by the 1920 Federal census. 

The September 27, 1929 Philipsburg Mail detailed a case in court where the State of Montana vs Jack Lee and William Spawn were tried by a jury in the District Court in Philipsburg. By the request of the defendants each was granted a separate trial. Each were charged with assault in the second degree and burglary. Lee was found guilty and given a three year sentence in the State Penitentiary. While the jury was out another jury was impaneled and the case of Spawn tried. A verdict of not guilty was found for Spawn. The two men were discovered by C.C. Varney a rancher at Maxville, breaking into a bungalow owned by R.R. McLeod. Lee pulled out a gun and shot Mr. Varney in the leg. Lee was described as 28 years of age and was said to have a wife in Helena. Spawn was several years younger and a resident of Anaconda. He was being held by the Sheriff of Granite county pending the arrival of the Sheriff of Meagher county, where he was suspected of holding up a gas station. 

A small chest or trunk was found under the floorboards of an old miners cabin on Boulder Creek near Maxville in 1932 and many stories were fabricated of what the trunk was and where it came from. The contents were so fragile that they could not be handled but resembled bank notes and other securities which were believed to be worth several thousand dollars. The contents were brought to the sheriff’s office and were under the care of Sheriff Gus McDonald. One of the theories fabricated was by M.E. Buck of the Montana Power Company who believed the chest was from the holdup of the Northern Pacific Train No. 2 that occurred near Bearmouth 20 years before and was connected to the arrest of a man named Frankhouse in an Idaho “Hurdy Gurdy.” 

Finally on Christmas day in 1932, the realms of the past opened up and Henry G. Price a Montana pioneer told the story as it really happened in the days of the ‘colorful two gun man’ of the old west. A letter was received by the Philipsburg Mail dated December 25, 1932 and revealed the following: “Mr. Price was a resident of Pike’s Peak creek seven miles south of Gold creek in Powell county. He states he is eighty years old and had lived in this community for 69 years. He had lived on Gold Creek for the past 60 years. The writer stated in his letter that he came to the Flint Creek valley in the year 1864 and from that year until 1875 he had occasion to be in and out of Philipsburg a great deal. He recalls that in the year 1875 a sensation passed over the entire United States by reason of a robbery of currency and securities which was perpetrated in Philadelphia. That same year three eastern men arrived in Philipsburg and proceeded to organize what was known as the Belmont Mining Company with offices at Philipsburg and in that connection began the erection of a quartz mill on the southwest side of town. Along toward the close of the year (1875), two detectives arrived in Philipsburg and identified the operators of the Belmont property as the thieves of the currency taken in the Philadelphia robbery. When they found that they had definitely located their men the detectives notified peace officers and the three would-be mine operators were captured in their rooms in the Captain (George) Plaisted boarding house in Philipsburg by Sheriff Warren and Deputy Sheriff Mike McShay.” 

Unfortunately research has not disclosed any further details about the men’s names or trial. I am also unable to locate an obituary or grave site for Henry G. Price.

 unable to locate an obituary or grave site for Henry G. Price.

The Maehl Family and Jim "The Mayor of Maxville"

                                               Ernest and Margaret Maehl's wedding picture

Agnes holding baby James, Carl standing on the right Marg  standing back left and Mary left front.

One of the long time residents and known as the “Mayor of Maxville” was James Maehl and his wife Grace (Collins). Jim was born near Porter’s Corner, south of Philipsburg, on September 17, 1916. and was the youngest of the five children born to Ernest and Margaret Maehl. 

Jim’s father, Ernest Maehl, moved from the Missoula area to a home near Porter’s Corner, in 1911 and is remembered by several major structures he built or worked on. Known jobs he worked are the Flint Creek Grade, with his son “Bud”; the wooden flumes built for the American Gem Mining Syndicate on the Skalkaho; the “Ewing Bungalow” originally owned by the president of the American Gem Mining Syndicate, and the Winninghoff garage. A number of people credit Ernest with building the stately Lawrence Hauck home, but there is no evidence of his involvement. 

Ernest was born on December 4, 1876 in Reese, Michigan and married Margaret Emily McGibbon. She was born on September 25, 1869 in Brantford Ontario, Canada to Daniel McGibbon, born in Scotland and Sarah Ann Mills McGibbon, born in Canada. The family history states she was sent to Laramie, Wyoming at the age of eleven or twelve to live with an uncle who had a sheep ranch. She may have returned to Canada as the 1900 census stated she came to the U.S. in 1896. In the 1900 census Margaret was listed as a servant for William and Elizabeth Cordiner. At an unknown date she moved to Missoula and was working for a lumber company in Missoula when she married Ernest Maehl on June 29, 1904. 

Their children married the following people: Sarah Agnes born May 14, 1905 (in Lolo) married John William McDonald, son of J.J; Margaret, born March 29, 1909 married Jim Mitchell July 3, 1934. Jim was killed in a mine accident on October 20, 1936. Margaret then married Robert Henry Lawry on October 29, 1941 in Philipsburg. She died at the age of eighty-five, on June 8, 1994 at her home in Philipsburg. They did not have any children; 

Carl, known as Bud was born on October 31, 1911 in Philipsburg. He married Edith Emma Hansen on March 4, 1938 in Deer Lodge (Her obituary stated May 4); Edith was born on January 27, 1916 in Arco, Idaho to Nels and Christine (Wilkinson) Hansen. Edith graduated from Dillon Normal school before moving to Philipsburg where she was the housekeeper for the Catholic Church. Bud assisted his father with many perilous jobs including the Flint Creek Hill road. Bud died on October 17, 1986 and Edith died on March 26, 1996, at the Anaconda Hospital. Survivors were: Children and their spouses: Carl (Karen) of Helena, Lois (Tom) Lowe of Oregon, Robert (Joyce) of Anaconda and Edith (Matt) Roberts of California; 

Mary born on April 14, 1914 married William Winfield Moore, March 27, 1941 in Drummond. William was born on September 5, 1900 in Clay Center, Kansas. William James Moore was born to them on September 29, 1943 in Butte. Mary died in 1971 in Philipsburg and William died in August 1974 in Helena; 

Their youngest child James born September 14 (according to baptismal record) or 16, 1916 near Porter’s Corner. He married Grace C. Collins on August 21, 1948 in Missoula. Grace was born in Dixon, Montana on January 20, 1920. 

Ernest died in 1951 at the age of seventy-five and is buried in the Philipsburg cemetery. Survivors were: wife Margaret, the children listed above and grandchildren: John and Peggy McDonald, Carl, Lois and Robert Maehl, and Billy Moore. Margaret died in 1972 at the age of 103 and is buried next to Ernest. 

After graduating from the Granite County High School in 1936, Jim worked local jobs before serving in the military during WWII. Fortunately Jim’s son, Bill wrote a family history that included a detailed account of his fathers war experience. After being discharged from the service, Jim returned to Philipsburg and began working for Winninghoff Motors. During this time he met Grace Collins, daughter of Edward and Fannie (Cody) Collins. They were married on August 21, 1948 in Missoula, Montana. The couple then began building their “dream” home on the banks of Boulder Creek in Maxville. The couple spent their life together there. Three sons were born to the couple: David James was stillborn on July 1, 1950 in Missoula and is buried in the Philipsburg cemetery; William Cody was born November 29, 1954 in Missoula; Ronald James was born on August 24, 1956 in Anaconda.

The following chronology was documented by James’ son Bill: “James enlisted into the Army on October 10, 1941 and served in World War II in the South Pacific. He was 5’9” tall and weighed 144 pounds when he enlisted. His army serial number was 39603180. He served with the 41st Division, 186th Infantry Regiment and was with the 218th Field Artillery Battalion (10/10/1941 – 2/13/1942), 641st Tank Destroyer Battalion (2/14/1942 – 6/23/1944), and the 98th Chemical Battalion (6/24/1944 – 12/1/1944) 10/10/1941 

Inducted into army-Missoula, Mt. and travel to Ft. Lewis, Wa. 

Oct. 1941 Left knee blown-out in basic training. 1

0/16/1941 Transferred to Camp Roberts, Ca. for basic training. 

12/7/1941 Assigned to guard the west coast beaches near Grayland, Wa. 

4/22/1942 Left San Francisco with the 41st Division in convoy aboard the SS Matsonia. Early May, 1942 Convoy had to skirt major ship battles in Coral Sea. 

5/13/1942 Arrived Port Adelaide, Australia. 

5/13/1942 - 7/1942 Training at Puckapunyal, Australia. 7/1942 – 1/1/1943 Jungle training at Rockhampton, Australia. 

1/1/1943 Shipped with 41st Division aboard Bendigo to Port Moresby, New Guinea. Encountered heavy bombing while in port. Jan. 1943 Engaged in combat to secure Sananada. After allied troops got through the last enemy defense line, they found evidence of Japanese cannibalism (eating of American soldiers). 

Feb.-Mar. 1943 Landed on Palawan Island, completing the occupation by March 8th. Allied losses totaled 8,546 killed and wounded. 

Jan – April 1943 Engaged in the Owens Stanley Ridge campaign turning back enemy counterattacks. Rainfall of 10 inches per day in saw-toothed jungle range reaching a height of 13,000 feet. High temperatures and humidity near the coasts contrast with biting cold above 5,000 feet. Tangled growth requires a machete to cut through it. Knife edged kunai grass up to 7 feet high, reeking swamps full of leeches and malarial mosquitoes, and a slippery ground surface under dripping vegetation add to the formidable obstacle course. One group stumbled and slid 2,000 feet downhill in forty minutes; it took eight hours to recover the distance. 

4/14/1943 Survived intense bombing raid of up to 100 Japanese bombers while in port at Milne Bay, New Guinea. Witnessed bombs drop on either side of his ship and two transports sunk within his convoy. This memory and story never forgotten and retold often. 

July 1943 Return to Australia with over 35% of troops down with a active malaria. 

Late 1943 Back to New Guinea and island hopping with Higgins landing craft around the east end of New Guinea and northward to Bougainville, Hollandia, Wadke and Biak. 

4/17/1944 Invasion of Hollandia and Cyclops Airfield. U.S. casualties when the Hollandia campaign was officially closed were listed as 124 killed, 28 missing and 1,057 wounded. The Japanese losses were 4,475 killed. 

May 1944 Elements of the 641st Tank Destroyer Battalion supported the 41st Division with the 4.2 inch chemical mortars they had received while in New Guinea. The enemy feared this weapon. The mortar men then used phosphorus rounds which, when exploded, sent pieces of burning phosphorus into the enemy foxholes, forcing them back to exposed ground. The Americans then fired high explosive rounds again to decimate the enemy. 

5/27/1944 Landed and participated in the battle for Biak Island. The island was not completely secured until mid-July. The casualty figure for the U.S. at Biak was 474 killed, 2443 wounded and 7,234 non-battle casualties. The non-battle casualties resulted from malaria, scrub typhus, dengue fever, psycho-neurosis, and other afflictions. Total casualties numbered 10,151, approximately equaling the number of U.S. troops making the original landings (one of the worse [sic] battle fought during WWII). 

9/13/1944 Left Australia on ship headed back to USA. 

9/30/ 1944 James Maehl arrives back in USA. 

9/30 – 12/1/1944 Debriefing, civilian training at Santa Barbara, California. Comes down with first bout of chronic malaria. 

12/1/1944 Discharged at Fort Douglas, Utah. 

Jim was active in the VFW #1876 and the DAV Post #13 and often served as commander of the local Philipsburg VFW. Jim served on the Maxville District School Board (#6) from at least 1960-1966. Jim died on June 22, 2009 at the age of 94 and ¾ years of age. Survivors were his wife Grace, sons: Bill at Billings, Montana and Ron at Carson City, Nevada and their families which include 3 grandchildren and 4 great grandchildren. 

Grace worked for 33 years along side Jim at Winninghoff Motors as the primary bookkeeper and died

in her sleep at their home in Maxville on June 14, 2010.

 in her sleep at their home in Maxville, on June 14, 2010. To be continued…

"Macville" and R.R. McLeod

The above photo is at the Presbyterian Church with R.R. McLeod's coach and team. The men standing in front left to right are: R. R. McLeod, Angus Murray and "Doc" Power.

The little hamlet now known as Maxville located in the Flint Creek Valley on Boulder Creek was originally named Flint Spur on my 1895 Rand, McNally and Co. map. It then was called Flint City according to the October 13, 1911 Mail and was to be re-named Hennessy after it had been laid out and surveyed by V.O. Eastland. “The town site is now being platted and will shortly be filed with the office of the Clerk of Court in the city where lots will soon be for sale.” The property was owned by R. R.. McLeod and he believed these plots would make suitable places to build houses and businesses that would be operating due to the extensive mining in that area. The town would be “located from the railroad tract to the county road.” 

Apparently, by 1912 the residents decided to name it after R.R. McLeod when they applied for a post office and the application for Macville was mistakenly recorded as Maxville. The first Postmaster was Henry Bauer. Research does not reveal any other references to the town ever being called Hennessy. 

Robert Ross MacLeod, most often referred to as R.R. , was born August 15, 1858 in Cape Briton, Nova Scotia and immigrated to America either in 1879 or 1880. He married Miss Christina McLennan daughter of Duncan and Janette McArthur McLennan on March 13 1887 in Butte and she then returned to Nova Scotia for one year. The couple located in Philipsburg on her return. Their second child, Robert D. was born in August 1891 and died 19 days later on September 14th. His headstone, a marble lamb laying on a scroll, is located in Block 17, Lot 21, Grave 7 at the Philipsburg Cemetery. 

By January 1896, R.R. was the proprietor of The Rock Creek Stage which ran from Bonita to the mines in Quigley and in July the stage was held up by two masked men and robbed the driver of $35.00. In February the Mail announced that R.R. had a contract hauling machinery and supplies to Flint Creek Falls with eleven railroad cars arriving in Drummond that week for him to haul. 

According to the 1900 Federal Census the McLeod family included R.R.(42), Christina (39), Agnes (11), Jessie (7) and Anna Louise (4 months). The Mail announced Anna Louise’s birth on January 13th and stated the family lived in Parkerville. R.R. paid $215 in taxes for the year 1904. In June of 1905, R.R., F.J. Wilson and Percy Geirson were charged with seining fish in Stewart Creek on the Georgetown Flats and each fined $25. 

By September, 1905, R.R. was running as an Independent for the office of Sheriff and lost handily to J.D. Kennedy. By October “R.R. McLeod the well known contractor has obtained a lease on the Hughes and Peoples Iron Mines” with Charles Harding handling the mining and McLeod hauling the ore. In 1907 the Mail stated that McLeod owned the original Durfee ranch and had just bought the Ralph Kelly Ranch at Fred Burr. Then in 1910 McLeod sold 700 acres of ranch land at $40 and acre to G. R. Groth of South Dakota. (Groth leased this ranch to the Elery Owen family.) 

In 1915, daughter Jessie, age 21 went to Butte for “an operation that seemed unimportant” and died after the surgery on January 31st. She had been a student at Deer Lodge College and just recently accepted a position as telephone operator at Deer Lodge. Daughter Agnes, married Kenneth Hannah on June 18, 1913 in Deer Lodge and Louise the baby of the family married Harry Herron on November 28, 1919 in the Presbyterian Church. Harry worked at the Bryant Mines. 

R.R. was the owner of many buildings on Broadway by this time, thus the name “The McLeod Block” was a frequent reference. R.R. (Bob) died September 21, 1935 at the family home from Pneumonia at the age of 79. His obituary stated “ Besides ranching he was engaged in teaming and contracting and employed a large crew of men. He hauled the first machinery installed in the Granite and Bi-Metallic mines. About 25 years ago he retired from ranching and has resided part of his time in Maxville, where he had numerous property holdings, among them the town site of Maxville.” He was renowned for his ability to move large buildings. He was survived by his daughters: Mrs. Harry (Louise) Herron and Mrs. Kenneth (Agnes) Hannah, grandchildren and three brothers and two sisters. He was buried in the family plot Block 17, Lot 21, Grave 4. Christina died at her home on January 11, 1951 at the age of 90. and was interred in grave 3 in the family plot.