Homestead Shacks over Buffalo Tracks: History of Northeastern Fergus County [Montana] (2025)

TXT

CI.ARKE AND LUELI..A BELDE[...]d Joyce Murphy
Albert and Betty Westburg & Boys[...]Albert and Betty Westburg & Boys
Lillian Johnson Damschen
JOE[...]I.A,URENCE AND MARGA.RET KAI,.NH
JOSEPH & ANTONIA KOMAREK[...]Albert and Betty Zahn Westburg & Boys

Covpn Desrcu By JAMIE Srnuxr Kare[...]

HAROLD BAUMAN[...]Midstate Bank of Lewistown
Edith Blair[...]ohn and Billie O'Reilly
Bureau of l,and Management[...]arles and Ethel Lelek
F'ergus County Credit Union of Lewistown[...]usselman Norueet Bank of I:wietom
First National Bank of Lewistown Jim and[...]

We would iike to thank all the people it took to make this book a reality. people from
the age of 12 to 87 helped with this book. Some people need special mention.
A special thanks to our patient and fearless leader, Illa Willmore. The secretary-
treasurer, Jessie Komarek, spent hours keeping the records and finances straight. The
research team was Marie Zahn, Ella Rindal, and Donna Lund. They donated a lot of time
and effort. The members of the committee are Bill Davis, Monte Lund, Ray Horyna,[...]ter, Dick Kalina and Speed
Komarek. They helped in many ways.
We thank our pioneer residents for their memories of people and places: Winnie Rife,
Harold Bauman,[...], Steve Gilpatrick and Ernest Zahn.
Thanks to those who helped by proofreading, filing, indexing and in numerous other
ways: Sue Kalina, Charlotte Kali[...]i Willmore, Sue
Willmore and Barb Kalal. Thanks to the Roy School and B. J. Niemi, A special thanks to
the students who helped: George Maruska for the computer work; Misty Will*or., Roxie
Willmore, and Kathy Kalina for proof reading, frling and indexing; Jamie Strunk
Kananen for art work. These students were a great help.
Thanks to Mary Ann Quiring and Rachael Eide for their help and advice. Thanks for
photos and information above the call of duty: Carley Graham, Edyth Kauth Oquist,
Earlin[...]Hartman, Don Hardy and Dodie Rife.
Thanks to all the people who helped by writing stories and writing letters. Thanks for
art work to Illa Willmore and Marie Zahn.Thanks to Monte Lund for donating a sculpture
to be raffled.
We would especially like to thank our families for putting up with us and encouraging
us. Many time the housework didn't get done because the book needed work.
Thanks to all the countless others, who donated time, money and knowledge and sent
in material for usage in this book. This book is the result of many hours of volunteered
help.
In reading this history one has to remember that everyone can see, hear, and teli the
same story in different ways, The readers will find various stories that differ slightly in
the telling for this reason. We cannot verify the exact accuracy and details of stories or
dates but they are as close to the facts as possible.
We will continue to gather information and it will be on file for anyone who wishes to
use it. If anyone has data or stories on any of the homesteaders in this area please send it
to us. Many homesteaders were not mentioned as there[...]lable on
them. We had more data than we were able to include in this book. We had poems and
maps and information that had to be cut to fit the space in the book.
Don Hardy made us a set of eight maps showing the early homesteads. Anyone
interested in copies should contact the History Committee.
In spite of all the work it toolt to do this book, some people are already talking about
doing another in a few years.[...]Roy History Committee

[The Roy History Committee assumes no responsibility for opinions expressed by individuals in this book.l

TABLE OF CONTEI{TS

Titie Page[...]..92
Tabie of Contents[...]The Auto
Good Buffaio Horse[...]193
The names, Legends of Landmarks etc. Jos1in,..,............[...]qnA
Horv - When - Why of Homesteading ....... ......... ....[...]."..275
How - When and Why of Homesteading Cemeteri[...]Eariy History of Roy Cemetery
Homesteading and Homesteaders[...]General Histories ............
Poem "The Wind" Servicemen and Missiles
In and Under the Prairie Skies[...]........ 32 On the Homefront
Railroad[...].....,... .... .. -..-DO Poem "The Last Round"
Poem "The Lasr Old Timer" Getting the Harvest In
Horses - Horses[...]L.S. Mclaughlin
The West Was Wild Dirt Moving Now and Then
Ado of Cow Punching[...].............. 477
Goin'To School In The Country Ne[...]

The idea for doing a history of the Roy-Fergus-Valentine area had been tossed around
for several years; it took the deaths of a couple of "Old Timers" to get the ball rolling.
From the time we seriousll'began work, till the time we finish will be about three years.
We were lucky to have Mary Pollard who had access to newspapers and data at the
library and copied mirads of material for us. Marie Zahn, who was born and raised in this
country, knew many people and had kept track of many and had clipped articles from
magazines and papers of anything about anyone from this area. She had four boxes full of
items, including old letters, post cards and clippings. This has been invaluable.
To begin with three families met and talked about doing a history. They started a list
of names of anyone they could think of that had lived here. Then everyone in the commun-
ity was invited to a meeting. About 20 showed up the first time. More names were added to
the list, also addresses were added where possible. B[...]munities who had put out history books were great at giving us all kinds of
advice and ideas.
We organized a history group wiih officers and a set of by-Iaws. It does help to have
people support such a project. Most of the work has fallen on about four of the group. Some
people didn't feel able to do the actual research and writing but were invaluable in identi-
fying photos, remembering people, places and events, in contacting other people for
information and in helping to sponsor raffles, pre-book sales, donations, a dance, the saie
of special pens, paper and envelopes and in memorials. Ideally on a project such as this
there should be one group of people doing the research and writing and another group
dealing wi[...]ple, so a few did both.
We sent form letters to all the people we had addresses for along with a geneology
form and a request for addresses of anyone else. Response was better from those who lived
away from the area than from the locals. Then began the hours of interviewing people,
verifying facts and correcti[...]e stories
while others sent facts and someone had to rewrite them in story form. Marie Zahn did
hours of research at the library and courthouse; Frank Cimrhakl also did much research
at the courthouse.
In order to create interest we tried to involve as many people, of all ages, as possible in
working on the book. There was a book naming contest and a book cover designing
contest. We gave a talk at the high school. Ilia put little items of history in her newspaper
column.
We talked to many printers around Montana, and in other states, in an effort to put
out a quality book at a price we thought we could afford. There are many decisions to
make before printing can begin, such as: type and color of cover, kind of paper, size and
style of type, overall design, number of copies to order and much more.
Many people have helped in many ways and they are mentioned elsewhere in this
book. There were hours of typing and reams of paper used, as well as file folders and lots of
postage.
There is a great deal of work in putting together a book of this type to be able to do it in
three vears shows the dedication of the workers and members of the committee.

The area surrounding Black Butte, and the north- phere, distances can be deceiving and the Little Rocky
eastern corner of the Judith Mountains. across the Mountains and the Bear Paws to the north, at times,
rolling prairie lands north to the Missouri River breaks can look to be within 'hands' reach. The prairie and
and down to the river bottoms and east to Valentine, breaks lay in between.
comprise the area of our history. It is approximately 40 The prairie is an everchanging land. In the spring it
miles square. is a mixture of light greens, gtays and silvers, yellows,
The Roy valley has an elevation of 3100 feet and the reddish-pinks and blues. In the fall it is gray and gold
breaks, where Armells Creek dumps into the Missouri and brown. The highly erodable soil, "gumbo", in
River, is 2900 feet at the top of the ridge and 2200 feet summer's heat becomes a powdery dust that whirl-
on the bottom. winds, or even a cow trailing to water, can send blow'
Black Butte and the Judiths frame the southwestern ing high into the atmosphere. A rain shower can
boundary. Under the vast skyline, and clear atmos-[...]

Hereford, Angus and crossbreds dot the range. airplanes of all sizes break the quietness with their
The area is still primitive; wildlife abounds, ranches sonic booms. It has become a training flight area for
are secluded, but where once only the eagles soared, jet our National defense system.

L. to R.: Murray Deoton, Asa Carpenter, Henry Otten, Dick Reed, Herman Otten and BilI Cook. Some of the other
men who rode for Deoton were: Chunky Conolly, Tom McAlpine, Frank[...]by Marie Webb Zahn

POSTOFFICE: April 15, 1880 to June 22, 1880 building was built to house sixty barrels of blue-ribbon
May 26, 1881 to November 28,1882 whiskey brought[...]James W. Schultz leave Fort Benton stored in the post because of being in trouble with the
for Carroll to erect a trading post for the I.G. Baker U.S. Marshall as this post was for the purpose of
Company in the "last of the buffalo country", where Indian trade. Hewie was in charge and when Indians
some years previous, Matt Carroll and Colonel C.A. ordered the liquor he received an order from the post.
Broadwater attempted the overland freight route to Another small building was built for smoking buffalo
Helena-the Carroll Trail. tongues. This completed the trading post.
Three four-horse teams loaded with trade goods were North and south, the plains were black with herds of
sent overland while Kipp, Guardipee and Schultz buffalo. Daily they came to water at the river and
boarded the Steamboat "Red Cloud" (an I.G. Baker returned to the plains to graze. In mating season, the
Company boat). They tied up on the upper end of the bulls made a deep moaning sound that rumb[...]different from domestic bulls. Sometimes
skirting the water. Long John Forgy and his bull- they would come in at a run and charge out into the
wackers were already getting out building logs from a river-often crossing and goingrto graze on the plains
large grove of cottonwoods on the lower end of the bot- on the north side. When stampeded, a herd would wipe
tom. None of the Broadwater-Carroll buildings remain. out everything in their path. This was something to
Augustus Tyler had a small log building on the extreme guard against when out hunting.
upper end where he carried on trade with the wood- Indians began to arrive to hunt and trade, Blackfeet,
hawks located here who furnished wood for the steam- then the Bloods and next Red Rivers and Crees with
boats. By September the first, the trading post was Ircuis Riel's French Crees.
built. The main building was 100'x 40', partitioned 25' Five dollars was the price given for a head and tail
x 40' trade room with two counters and shelves in back cow buffalo robe. A family would bring from five to
for groceries and dry goods. Behind this building ten robes. The man would count the $1.00 brass checks
another three room building was built for kitchen and and keep a few for himself, $ving the rest to the women
dining room, cooks quarters as well as seve[...]powder,
employees. Kipp and Schultz had their bed in the trade cloth for gowns, beads, thread and needles. The men
building. The warehouse, the greater part of the post bought tobacco, cartridges plus whiskey. Many men
held $6,000 worth of stock and trade goods. A small did[...]

Gas Wpr.r-q NSAR Fencus

In 1920, California Oil Company drilled seven wells was not cased, but he used it for eight or ten years
above Landru's. All the wells except two were plugged before it finally caved in completely.
since they were looking for oil not the gas that they The well on the Landru property was drilled to 3400
found. Will Landru hauled water to the welle with a feet, hit gas at 1380 feet, with 425 pounds of pressure
team of horses and a big steel water tank mounted on a coming out of the well. It wae caeed and is still being
wagon while[...]lling. used in all Bob Landru's buildings and Doug Landru's
Henry Edwards used one of two wells not plugged. It[...]

It is stated in the Time Life book, "The Rivermen", est to dock at Fort Benton. In 1882, it carried 300 head
that 700 different steamboats plied the Missouri be, of cattle belonging to Asa Samples to market at Omaha,
tween 1819 and after the disappearance of the paddle- Nebraska. Captains Joseph LaBarge, Grant Marsh,
wheel traffic after 1900; of these, some 300 were and Daniel Maratta of the Fontanelle, one of the fastest
destroyed in service and left their bones in the river, boats on the river, were only three of the famous
due to weather related accidents, snags that pierced rivermen.
their hulls, reefs, sandbars and some were the result of The treacherous nature of the upper Missouri was
human error, such as the "Chippewa". She was set on shown when the "Marion", commanded by Captain
fire by her rowdy crew in a drinking session; and when Abe Wolf, went hopelessly aground at Pablo Rapids in
the fire ignited barrels of powder stored in her hold, the 1864. Captain Marsh brought the Luella down from
ship was blown to smithereens. Fort Benton, rescued the passengers and freight, sal-
With the gold strikes in 1863, Captain Joseph vaged the machinery and returned to Fort Benton
LaBarge went into opposition to the American Fur where the unfortunate vessel's equipment was sold.
Company and his firm of LaBarge, Harkness and The beautiful Grand Union Hotel, Fort Benton, one
Company advertised passage to "the mountains", of Montana's oldest hotels, opened for business 2
which drew heavy loads of passengers, bound for the November 1882 by Stephen Sptizley and company. It
gold fields. The "Emilie" and "Shreveport", LaBarge was built on the west end of the levee, a three stgry
boats, with 400 tons of cargo and 300 passengers, the brick structure, made from 500,000 red and yellow
first wave of emigrants which came to settle Montana, bricks from the local kiln. It's construction cost was
raced up the flood-swollen river that spring, against the $50,000 plus $150,000 for furnishings. This was the
American Fur Company steamers, "Key West" and most luxurious hotel in the West and catered to river
"Spread Eagle", beating them by three days. and overland travelers, supplying the fineries of East-
The T. C. Power and I. G. Baker businesses in Fort ern civilization.
Benton, together, bought the steamboat, "Benton" in "All trails lead to Fort Benton" was a familiar state
1875, which was called the Benton Packet Company, ment. The community was the anchor of the Mullan
the Block "P" Line, (a box with the letter P in the cen- Road to Walla Walla;the road to Helena and other gold
ter, their symbol, was made[...]unted mining towns that branched offfrom the Mullan Road.
between the upper smokestacks of their boats). The The Whoop-Up Trail led to Canada and Fort Mcleod,
Coulson & Peck Line, called the Missouri Transporta- with much commerce carried over this route to the
tion Company and the Kountz Line were stiff competi- north. The Fisk Wagon Road brought settlers from St.
tors. Power expanded his business to carry overland Paul and North Dakota thr[...]nt overland trail.
Transportation, which operated in conjunction with Fort Benton became the commercial center of Mon-
the steamboats. Captain Grant Marsh, a fabled Mis- tana at this period, with the Missouri River, the nain
souri River boatman, was hired by them to pilot their avenue oftravel and transportation from the East and
pride steamer, "The Helena". Power had become the
owner of several more steamboats and thus was able to
underbid the Coulson Line with their diversified system.
The usual up-river trip from St. Louis to Fort Benton
was made in 60 to 65 days. The average fare was 9150
in 1867 and some 1,500 persons reached Montana in
these vessels. Much of the mining machinery was
transported by boat to Fort Benton for the 35 quartz
mills in this area.
Intriguing names were given these river-giants, to
name a few: IDA STOCKDALE, MINER, CHIPPEWA,
BENTO[...]D EAGLE, LUELLA, BATCHELOR, The steamboat Helena going up the Missouri Riuer
JOSEPHiNE, SILVER BOW, PENINAH, ROSEBUD about 1875. The boots brought in troppers, ntiners,
and the WYOMING which was 265 feet long, the larg- soldiers and supplies.

boomed in the early 1860's. Some emig:ants came in then overland only the last hundred or so miles to the
via the Bozeman trail and north from Casper. Some placer mines. Shipments of gold, furs and hides, wool
came from the Pacifrc Coast, but to be sure, most of the and livestock, passengers, the military people as well
miners and their supplies came up this river route and as mail went down the river to the Eastern ports"[...]hot-blooded breed and engaged narrow chute to port-side, in hopes the high water level
in races, partly because fast boats won lucrative freight would make the short cut passable.
contracts and while mostly on[...]ome Spread Eagle's pilot suddenly saw the short route
became a no-holds-barred, imperiling steamboat hulls ahead of Emilie was navagable. Rather than let her
and passengers lives. take the lead, he threw the wheel over and ro-med
Twenty-nine-year-old Samuel Hauser, prospector, Spread Eagle's bow into Enilie, deliberately trying to
heading for the Montana gold fields experienced such a disable her. The impact *ss dnngerously near Emilis's
duel. (Hause[...]the two boats were locked together. Emilie's pilot was
June 6, 1862, ihis race began as the "Emilie" and the so enraged that he let go the wheel and snatched his
"Spread Eagle" left Ft. Berthold heading for Ft. Ben- gun and would have shot Spread Eagle's pilot had not
ton. Hauser was aboard the Emilie. Gathering steam to his son stopped him. The boats drifted, while pas-.
the last notch, the quaking boat passed the Spread sengers and crews exchanged threats and curses. For-
Eagle. (There was poor regulation of steam power and tunately, the two boats separated on their own accord,
some of the pilots did not regard the danger.) With as related by Hauser, and f,milig's engineer turned on
much applause from the deck, the Spread Eagle built a the last pound of steam, causing her to glide by and
new head of steam and charged to the lead. Emilie's Emilie reached Fort Benton on June 17th, four days
pilot encouraged his engineer to put on more power and ahead of her rival. This race proved the fleetness of
soon she drew abreast and they held this pace for more Emilie and earned her owner a big share of the river
than an hour. On reaching a point where the river split trade which more than compensated for the damage
by a towhead (an island submerged by high spring done in the race.
water), Spread Eagle veered to starboard, following the
wideJooping main channel. Emilie's pilot chose the

SreAMe[...]by Con Anderson

In the year 1914 the U.S. Government was still the root portion and let them float down river. Now,
spending money to keep the Missouri River open for the there are many of these trees lodged in the river as
large stern wheel boats that went up to Ft. Benton, snags.
before the railroads were built. Why the river was kept Crews still sawed the trees along the banks of the
open for river tra{c this late is a mystery to me. river, although steam boat haffrc had stopped a long
The Gros Ventre was the name of the stern wheel time before this. These boats or ships used wood for fuel
paddle boat I saw in 1914. It raised the cottonwood power and many of the old timers I knew cut pitch pine
trees that were in the river. Men sawed the trees from for the riverboats. They were called "wood hawks".[...]posedly received its name from a
French trapper in the early 1860's. Armells also has[...]A cowboy called Panhandle Bob, who came to Mon-
been known by a couple of other names. Lewis and tana with a trail herd from Texas, was working for
Clark on their journey up the Missouri River called it Spud Stephens and was also a wolfer and a trapper.
South Mountain Creek. The Indians named it "It He would set traps for wolves in their dens in the fall
Crush Them Creek", for some women who were dig- and in the spring would hunt the dens when the pups
ging for red paint in the soil along the creek and were being born.
were killed when a high cut bank caved in on them. He was camped near the Red Barn Ranch, a few

miies south of Roy, when he saw a grizzly bear at the Side Bear River" named to distinguish it from the
head of the creek that runs past the ranch. The bear Bear River (Marias) and the other name was "Dried
was in some timber and was eating berries. Bob tied Meat River."
his horse to a tree and slipped up close so he could Rottlesnake Butte
get a good shot. As he fired the bear caloe at him, - South of Roy and slightly west of
Black Butte. So named because of the high density of
standing on its hind legs. Bob fued five shots at the rattlesnakes found there.
bear's heart, emptying his rifle. The bear came over
Saddle Butte
the log and clawed Bob who pulled out his .45 pistol - On the old King Trail, about halfway
between the river and Roy on the east side of the
and stuck it in the bear's mouth and fired one shot[...]higirway. A high point, from which one can see for
which broke the bears jaw. The bear dragged Bob
many miles in all directions.
over the log and stood over him. He crawled out from
under the bear and got to his horse, and rode to Gilt Whisker Coulee[...]- Nn"'ed for Whisker Davis who had a[...]horse camp there. It is in the Little Crooked area.
Edge where a'red-light'wornan bandaged his wounds
and took care of hin. There were no doctors or 79 T[...]- This trail took its name from the 79 Ranch
nurses in GiIt Edge ai that time. on the upper Musselshell. Supplies for the ranch
When Bob related what had happened no one were unloaded offthe steamboats at the mouth of the
would believe him. They thought he had been in a Musselshell River and the trail wound its way
fight with some Indians. The creek where this hap through Valentine and over the Judiths to the ranch
pened was named Bear Creek, after his st[...]arlowtown.
Blood Creek There are two Blood Creeks in our area. Chain Buttes So named because they are a series of
-[...]buttes linked together, in the Valentine area.
One is just north of Roy. The other is in the Valen-
tine area. There are two legends concerning the
naming of Blood Creek (Valentine area). One is that[...]mile from the head of Whisker Coulee. A log cabin
once it was the scene of a great Indian War; so much used to be there. The chimney which is half brick
blood was shed that the creek ran red with it. The and half stone is still standing.
other is that at one time it was the site of big buffalo CoaI HilI
kills and again the creek ran red with blood. - Named because of the deposits of coal[...]utte
- It reminded early arrivals of a shoe
button. It is in the Uttle Crooked area.[...]- This butte, shaped like a cone, lies on the
north side of the Judiths.
Eleuator Ridge Elevator Ridge lies in the breaks
-
country north of Roy, between Wilder and Sand Creek. Cottonw[...]- is straight south of Button
Butte. There use to be a huge grove of cottonwood
In early years there was a house on it that would[...]grain elevator from a trees there but in the late 40's beaver dammed up a
distance. hole in the creek and cut many of them down. The
Ford Creek - is supposed to have derived its name grave of a cowboy is on the ridge just south of the
from a cattle rustler, by the name of Ford, who was crossing. It is marked[...]November 21, 1889 issue of
hung by vigilantes from a cottonwood tree along[...]the Minerol Argus Creek is very prop[...]erly nnmed. Nothing will compare with it for crooked-
Haystach Butte
- It sets near the old 79 Ttail and ness. A preachers[...]Bunyon's Pilgrim had been compelled to havel the
site.[...]reaching paradise, he
Jones Island Named for Sam Jones who inhabited
-[...]would have given up in despair. Nothing but Sheriff
the island. Jones Island, up until the terrible Sullivan's skill as a guide led the hunting party out
Missouri River ice jam and flood of 1947 was home of
of its entangling meshes and then all were a trifle
the fan-tail deer.[...]ade. No more Crooked
King Troil and King Islond - The north road out of Creek for us."
Roy is the old King Trail. Highway 191, from marker[...]Crooked Creek originates in coulees northeast of
78 north to the top of the Missouri river hill more or Roy and flows eastward to the Musselshell River. On
less follows the trail, sections of it are still visible maps today Crooked Creek is listed as the Sacajawea
from the highway. The King Trail wound its way River. According to a study made by a 'history
through the breaks and down to King Island. student'in an eastern state, Lewis and Clark named
Little Rochies - The Indian name was Mahkwini the creek after their Indian guide. In the 80's a big
Stukists meaning Wolf Mountains.[...]ceremony to officially name the creek to Sacajawea
Missouri River
- Called Big River by the Indians. River was held. Many dignitaries attended. How-
Musselshell Riuer The Indians had two names which
- ever, to natives and old timers it's still Crooked
thev called the Musselshell. One was "On The Far ^ Creek and to local students of hietory data, the

description Lewis and Clark gave of Sacajawea Drag Creek The original name was Draggin' Ass
River in no way resemble Crooked Creek, which[...]Creek. It was so full of alkaline that if one drank too
normally only flows during the wet season. much of it they drug . . .!![...]by Marie Zahn

The Carroll Tlail was 225 miles overland from Carroll[...]- George Clendinen Jr. - store - postmaster. post
to Helena. Beginning at Carroll on the south side of the offi.ce established: Jvne 22, 18?4, Dawson County,
Missouri River, the Carroll Trail struck out south- Montana Teritory, discontinued October 90, 188?.
westerly around the north and west of the Judith p{urphy, Neel & Company - branch establishment;[...]'these
Mountains, to Camp Lewis, left the Judith Basin at stores offered luxuries as well as necessities
Judith Gap, skirting the southern edge of the Little Belt which could be found at Helena. T.L. Marshall"-
Mountains and crossing the Missouri River at Canyon hotel. G.R. Norris - saloon. Captain C.C. Rawn and
Ferry, ending in Helena. Lt[...]. These buildings
1870: E.G. Maclay masterminded the operation of were situated on an alluvial plain, 20 feet above the
the Carroll Landing and the Carroll Trail named for watermark. Kountz employees promised a levee to be
Mathew Carroll with Chas. A. Broadwater, a[...]but was not done.
Helena financier, a partner in the undertaking. Ttre L8752 The Coulson Steamboat Line replaced the
Treaty of 1855 gave the land south of the Missouri Kountz Line in order to provide better river service.
River to the Blackfeet Tribe, through which the It was impossible to transport entire cargoes over-
Carroll Ttail[...]land, no matter where they were unloaded and the
revoked this treaty in 1873 and the Crow Tribe nego- layover was hauled at a reduced rate as the freigh-
tiated to trade their Yellowstone lands for one-half ters endeavored to get the goods through before
million acres of the Judith Basin in January of 1874. winter. During 1875 season mail delive[...]d infantr5r com- Canoll and Helena was made in three days by
panies to guard the new route. One company at stagecoach. Freight wagons took twenty to thirty
Camp Lewis (Lewistown), one company at Caroll, a days. By Juiy 1875, Indian attacks were occurring at
small number guarding the road station at Box these locations: Camp Lewis, 3[...]60
Elder, two infantry and one cavalry company at the horses stolen; Armells Station, BB of the 46 mules
forks of the Musselshell and two companies garri- were run off and at Deep Creek Station, the stock
soned at Camp Baker. (Later named Fort Logan) herder was murdered. The Sioux invaded Carrol!
. The Fontenelle, May Lowry, Ida Stockdale, Katie and took many picketed horses. A complete herd of
P. Kountz and the Peninah were the Kountz steam- mules were stolen from Din-ond City. A warning
boats. The first vessel, Peninah arrived at Canoll on from a Camp Louis soldier stated, ,,rebove your
May 8, 1874-the cargo was promptly transfered to Diamond R outfi.t from this road before the Sioux do
the Dia-ond R Mule Train. Although the freight did it for you." A call for more military protection was
arrive at Helena ahead of the Fort Benton river issued, but none cam[...]11, 182b, an
route, rejoicing was short-Iived for the Kountz line anonJrmous writer from Carroll stated, ,,The freight-
soon proved inept.[...]ing season here is now closed, perhaps for good in
September L8742 Carroll Landing, population Z5 to our day!"[...]Bi,acx Burr
To Block Butte From your heights one can gaze on foreuer
The Sentinel of the Prairie to the north, south, eost ond west
Guordian of us all Ouerloohing greot miles of Montana
How mony yeors haue you watched us We all regard os the Best.
Guiding us Great and SmaII.[...]By Charlotte Coulter

The Indian held you in reuerence Black Butte is probably the most famous of the
The pioneers kept you in sight landmarks in the area. It can be seen from the Winnett
Standing aport from the mountains turn off on Highway 87 to the Hays Hill. Eariy settlers
You guided them home ot night. gave it the tribute of being an ancient volcano because

the snow never iay on the summit. A Roy science eral de[...]than on top; another reason why
teacher and some of his students measured the temper' the snow never stays long.
ature of the Butte at one time and discovered that not T[...]tories about how it got its name.
too far beneath the surface the temperature was gev- One is that L[...]named this promontory when they named the Judiih[...]burned off before Lewis and Clark came. Never-the.less
the Butte usually looks black from all directions, no[...]matter how bright or how cloudy the day.
On the topmost part of Black Butte is a place that
was used by the Indians for tbeir signal point. Using[...]limbs from trees they carried there for signal fires, they[...]It is said that whenever you see a halo on the Butte,
look out for the weather. Many times when the clouds
are hanging low and blowing around the Judiths; they
dissipate when they reach the pass between them and
Block Butte, os seen from the south. the Butte and leave Black Butte standing all alo[...]by Marie Webb Zahn

Ross Pass is the gateway in the Judith Mountains when asked to pay up, he pulled a gun and tried to kill
between Rocky Point and Fort Maginnis. In the 1880's the winner. Jim stepped in and ordered the man to lay
Rocky Point and Wilder were associated with Fort down his gun and leave the premises, but instead he
Maginnis and the telegraph line between these two fired at Jim. Atkinson was a no-gun man but was cool-
points. Freight brought up the Missouri River on the headed and a good shot he fired once and killed the
man in self-defense.[...]-
steamboats was transferred to freight wagon trains
pulled by oxen and horses, bound for the Fort, Maiden The shanger canried no identification and no one
and[...]knew from where he came. He was buried in an un-
At the top of the river hill the road followed the old marked grave about 200 feet to the left of the saloon. No
Carroll Trail to Cone Butte, turning south and heading[...]nson, but shortly after
through Ross Pass instead of going around the Judith he closed and abandoned the Mountain House. He went
Mountains. The country through Ross Pass is rugged to the lower Yellowstone valley where he worked as a
and[...]packer and helper at the Burns Trading Post. In 1883
A road house called the "Mountain House" was Jim Atkinson and Millie Burns were married and they
located near the summit on the Gilt Edge side. This moved by covered wagon to homestead at the present
crude saloon was owned and run by Jim Atkinson, site of Roy, Montana. Their buildings were acrose the
known as "Buckskin Jimmie". This ie where tired Box Elder Creek and juet below where the present Roy
wagon masters and their crews, miiita[...]Stockyards are located. There was a good spring of
pectors and trail-weary cowboys stopped to wet their water at this point.
whistles. The Mountain House was built in 1881 or 1882 Jimmie was employed hauling government freight
and operated only a short time due to a tragedy. from Fort Benton to Fort Maginnis and supplies to the
A killing took place over a poker game - the victim McNamara store at Fort Maginnis and the mining
being a stranger who rode up and sat in on the game. town of Maiden for four years during thie era.
At first he was winning, but began losing heavily and

Out an the lonely Mountain prairie A symbol of pure freedom
There stands a cabin oll alon[...]nce someone's only home, For as cowboys and, the lonely riders[...]Indians, coyotes and bull snokes
As the wind blows in fresh air. Were seen eu[...]Its roof is all dry as proirie dirt
And the walls are all bore.[...]Someone who really knows.
On the wolls once were a few family pictures Just how far bach in the past
To brighten up the lonely place The story of the lonely cobin goes.
But don't get me all wro[...]disgrace. Yes, I remetnber the lonely cabin[...]All shaggy, weather-beaten and gray.
In fact it's a great synbol Cause, I was raised in a cabin just tike this one
To all who ride by there. On the Montona prairies so far away.[...]by Margaret Hedman

When and why the homesteaders came to this hours of work was accomplished. Time could be told to
country has become a source of conversation among within one-half hour, by the sun.
the present generation. Visiting and restful socializing usually began the
When they came was more or less determined by the minute someone rode or drove into the yard. If the
Homestead Acts in various parts of the country. Why homesteader was out working the field, into the house
they came can possibly be answered in one or two he came, glad to see company. This time was never
terms, called desire for adventure and a natural instinct considered wasted as the enjoyment of company was
to gamble with the elements of nature. How they genuine. This was proven by a fire being built in the cook
managed to survive and eke out a bare living is an stove and the presence ofa coffee pot on the hottest lid.It
unanswered question. was understood that the company stay for a meal or
The homesteader did a few improvements and with two. In later years, after the Model T and faster trans-
each passing year the place took on a personality that portation became used, if anyone would get in a hurry
paralleled and conveyed the hopes and dreams of the and not stay for a meal they would quickly make an
owner.[...]ybe only spuds and
This raw country had nothing in the line of conven- eggs, was the surest way to make a homesteader angry.
iences; no roads, water, houses or fences. But it held all In those days there wasn't a lock on anything. The
the healthful qualities that nature brings fresh air, homestead shack I am referring to could only be locked
wild birds and game animals and freedom.- The home, by putting a knife in the door from the insiqe.
stead was truly the embryo of free enterprise; within it's Nobody iocked their door, for two reasons; first, they
boundaries lay a challenge to the homesteader, and could trust all thei[...]and secondly, if a hungry
years have proven only the toughest, most stubborn person should ride by while the owner was out in the
and those with the best health stayed on. One had to be field, he was certainly welcome to stop in and fix a
healthy in mind and body to withstand the hardships meal. When done and ready to ieave, it was very uneth-
encountered in homestead life. ical to not wash the dishes, fill the water pail and the
" To this generation who have enjoyed a pampered[...]hen this was done that meant'Thank You'.
compared to homestead days, probably the question Homesteaders were keen observers. They could tell
arises as to the sanity of these old timers in sticking to who visited them by the size and shape of the fresh
such a rough life. The life in question was a very satisf- horse tracks in the yard and by how things were left in
ying experience to those who had the spirit to enjoy the the house. In later years this same talent of observation
numerous freedoms that do not exist in this generation; was used on Model T tire tracks left in the yard. Model
such as-no schedule for work or play, no certain time T owners didn't usually have matching tires like people
to get up, eat or go to bed. The amount of daylight in a have on their cars nowdays, so the different treads were
day was usually the controliing factor in how many easy [o spot.

failed. Montana was the only state in the 48 that had a steaders with only a milk cow or two, and back to large
popuiation decline in the 1920's. iandowners. A small operation today is the fellow who
In the late 30's things began to get better again, and farms a couple thousand acres and runs at least a cou-
with the outbreak of WWII another boom was exper- ple hundred head of cattle. It has changed from a
ienced.[...]alking behind a team pulling a plow turning
In the 50's Roy stiil had a grocery-mercantiie store, a over a couple of acres of sod a day to huge tractors
grocery-locker plant, two service s[...]o grain eleva- A homesteader, in the early days, might sell out for a
tors, a cafe and hotel, a garage, two bars, pos[...]- the sky's the
elevator, store, postoffice and school. Many of the area's farmers and ranchers of today are
Today Roy has three businesses, a post office and the the children, grandchildren and even great grandchild[...]othing but a seldom used commun- ren of the men and women who made it through the
ity hall and at Valentine there is only the skeleton of difficult, sometimes impossible days. They are here
that once popular community hall. Alt of the small out- today, despite the drouths, grasshoppers, hail, bliz-
lying rural sc[...]ions and sometimes cruelly low
transport children to school. prices they get for their wheat and beef. They are made
The population continues to decline and the ranch of the "tough" stuff that they have to be made of
units get larger. The area has gone from the era of a few order to survive, as they have.[...]- in
cattle barons with vast herds, to thousands of home-[...]by Wanen Cornwall
I know little of how my family members came to where winter temperatures rarely dropped to freezing.
homestead an area I was to become well acquainted And here we were in Montana, a place where what
with-the remote range land of Central Montana. water ihere was had already turned to ice.
My uncle, Andrew "Jack" Hemsing, of Seattle, settled The ground was bare, and cold prevailed. Remember,
in Fergus County around 1915. His mother, Olene too, this was the era of the Midwest Dust Bowl, one of
Hemsing, homesteaded adjoining property a few years the most devastating drought periods in our nation's
later. history. It was also the height of the the Great
I recall my mother, Gertrude Hemsing Cornwall, des- Economic Depression.
cribing the dif{iculties Uncle Jack had making it to The frrst lesson, of my off-campus education, had to
Lewistown, the county seat, to register for the draft do with cutting firewood. Uncle Jack had been cutting
when the U.S. entered World War I" burned pine over in the breaks when he contracted the
My Montana experience began Thanksgiving Day, pneumonia that took his life. I drove the Dodge through
1935. We were gathered around the dinner table at the the sage brush to where Uncle Jack had been cutting
Cornwall family home in LaConner, Washington when trees and there I found the tools of my new trade; a
the phone rang unexpectedly. It was bad news. Uncle[...]When the job was done, I began heading back. Then
That[...]I hit something! It was a large "hidden rock"
all of 15, would drive to the Montana community of Roy that had been behind some sage brush. The collision
to settle Uncle Jack's estate. The next morning we tore off the bottom of the oil pan.
loaded up the '34 Dodge for our great adventure. There I w[...]n and
I didn't have a license, but I was going to be behind no car tools. So I went to the cabin of John Umstead, a
the wheel. No driving exam could've matched what we nearby homesteader. Cabins in central Montana
encountered on the trip. It was foggy, snowy, and icy seemed to be paired together for a mutual support, since
all the way to Montana. other neighbors were often 10 or 20 miles away in any
What an adventure for a grandma, mother and son! direction.
Greenhorns ali. We didn't intend to rough it; thought John, his wife Roxy, and two year old son, Billy, pro-
we could come and go as we pleased. Little did we know vided great comfort for we tenderfeet. John toid me that
that we'd be there nearly a year. Tom Cope, whose cabin was a 10 mile horseback ride
The cabin, (12 x 24 feet, but to a 15 year old from the away might have a tool to take off the pan bolts. Sure
city, it felt like 8 x 16), was hardly ready for its new enough, he had a hex J bolt wren[...]no food, no bedding, no clothing, One of themfit the bolts.
no utensils. No anything. I only had the street clothes My next problem was how to get to Roy, or Lewis-
and shoes that a kid would wear in the Northwest. town, some 75 m[...]

coming from the river to town, one day, and that I could take a nap, which puzzled rrie A i,iruft iiirrr., 1r,i:1,
probably ride in with them. It was almost a week before though, we crawled over to about 75 der,r. $orrre ,.,,t:re
someone did show.[...]n. L)thers were g;razing. So rve
flagged it down. The driver said his name was Joe Bell. got our deer, and drove right to them. How convenient
His ranch was on the north side of the river, but he kept it was! No dragging. I was certainly impressed. We
his car on the south side so that he could drive into were to hunt in this fashion several times before sprirrg.
town.[...]We spent the Christmas Floliday Season at the
"C'mon kid," Joe said. "We'll get you fixed up. I'm McNulty Ranch, on the river. On New Years we visited
comin' back right[...]Joe Beil. It was so coid we were able to drive the car on
Those were the best words I could've heard. This was the iced-over river. That was great excitement for this
going to be a great day. dude.
After we got to Roy, Joe said he'd find me before we Jen[...]eed was a
headed back. So we parted, and I headed to Wass Mer- load of ice for drinking water. It was to last well past
cantiie to use the telephone. The car dealer I called in Easter that winter, supplying both the Llmstead and
Lewistown quickly brought me back to earth. He said it Hemsing families. I worked on the pond, cutting and
would take a month or two to get a new oil pan. Ioading huge blocks 18 inches thick.
My other option was to find a welding shop. But there In January the weather was ctild but clear: and calm.
was none in Roy. What I did find was a livery stable. During the second cold week a bachelor homesteader,
Luckily, the blacksmith there said he could solder a Darrell White, from nearby rode in on his gray male
suitable patch with a piece of tin. So I was back in "Sweetie". He arrived just before dinner[...]to be no coincidence. He was a skilled survivor. He[...]six quart feigned sick. This man asked me to drive him to Hilger,
cans of oil, and was sitting alongside the road with the saying he had a family there to see. Turned out, he had
solder-patched oil pan, waiting for Joe Bell. a battery radio in his shack, and the weather report he
An hour passed. No Joe Bell.[...]So he
no Joe. Three hours later Bell was nowhere to be seen. I was headed for Hilger. After I dropped him off he told
got nervous. I told people that I was going to walk me to hurry home.
home, but they said to wait. That was advice I later The blizzard, needless to say, was nervs to me. I got
wished I'd taken. About 10 that night I made it to a lost in a prairie dog town, the snow drifts making it
cabin, having evaded range cows and other wildlife. impossible to know exactly where I was. Somehow,
I knocked on the cabin door, and a man answered. around 3 a.m. I made it back to the homestead.
"What do ya want?" he asked. Grandma told me to bring the car battery inside, and
"Will you lend me a horse?" to jack up the car in the morning since the cold weather
"Nope, but I'li take you home." could compress and flatten the tires. But by morning
We arrived at the homestead about 2 a.m. A week the tires were already well down. So I had to put the car
Iater none other than Joe Bell stopped by. "I told ya I up on blocks, and it didn't move again for three months.
was coming right back," he said. That was when I real- Day by day the weather got colder. The wind got
ized that time on the prairie has a different dimension. stronger and the snow flew faster. There was no shadow
I remember making many trips to Roy and Lewis- in the daylight, just a gray blue. It was brighter many
town regarding Uncle Jack's estate and to stock up on nights than it was during the day. So we dressed fully
winter provisions. Among those provisions were sacks for the outdoors 24 hours a day. We were stuck and
of coal, which I was to learn were real luxury items. didn't realize the situation.
We were fortunate to have had good friends helping The snow made the whole country flat. The coulees
us settle in. Ralph and Bertha Jensen, her son Jess disappeared. The corral, barn and cabin became just
Woodcock and his wife Mable and their son, Billy, took odd shapes in snowdrifts, changing with the relentless
us under their wings. They were sheep[...]driving snow.
Sand Creek, about 10 miles east on the traii toward Grandma had experience in this country. "Now," she
Little Crooked. said, after the snow piled up, "we have wash water."
Jess tol[...]d need meat, meaning venison. She told us to melt the snow on our stove. AII day we
He voiunteered to take me hunting. The winter weather packed snow into the wash tub on the stove.
was getting cold, but the sky stayed bright and The problem was the snow was so dry it was hard to
pleasant for our hunting foray. I was wild to go on my get water into the tub. It evaporated as fast as it melted.
first e[...]hunt. It made the job nearly ridiculous. To melt our ice for
It took us a day to get our rifles from another ranch. drinking required that we keep a metal container on the
That was yet one more lesson in time. What followed stove.
the next day was a lesson in prairie hunting. After several weeks there was still no break in the
Jess walked a few' minutes, surveying what he[...]er. It just got colder. I spoke with Umstead and
"the signs". Then he decided to lie down in the sun and decided to make the more than L0 mile horseback ride

to the Jensen Ranch to see if there was any news of the weli's saloon, across from Wass Mercantile[...]The next morning we packed our supplies from
I dis[...]by pack train Wass's Store. I was hungry for fresh fruit and stuffed
from Roy out the Little Crooked route, another five my waist with apples and oranges, keeping theur in
miles beyond. So I made that ride, meaning we could place with my belt. That made for bulky riding, but it
communicate to the family back home on a weekly was the only way to keep them from freezing[...]made shorter rides with more
Often picking up the mail, for the Jensens, IJmsteads,
Hemsings, Cornwalls, and McNu[...]frequent ranch stops. That night when it was time to
but I was happy to have the activity and contact with rest ourselves and our horses, we stopped at Curiey Wil-
the nonworld outside. lmore's place, and it was there I discovered to my great
Along the mail route I would stay at Jensens or the dismay that my precious fruit had frozen solid like a
Woodcock cabin, as the weather dictated. The trip to belt around my waist. There would be no treat of appies
the river was great. The McNulty Ranch had feed for and oranges. I was very disappointed, but everyone got
cattle and a rare stock of supplies. I made pack trips to a chuckle out ofit.
McNultys when the river hill was not driveable. The third day on the trail AI Snook headed for our
One difficult part of feeding cattle on bare, unshel- place on the King Ttail and I took off to the Jensen
tered ground was that a poor cow could freeze and Ranch, on Sand Creek, by way of the Jakes place. I
topple over while eating. A gun was always handy, so rested a night at Jensens, dropped off the mail. I then
that the cow could be shot and dragged out if it were to stayed an extra day to rest my horse, then headed home
die that way.[...]w it, a storm popped up so I didn't
was happening to the stock out in the breaks, as ours get in til dark. I had been five days on the trail. Mom
and Umsteads were, along with many oth[...]and grandma were upset because they'd had no word of
The thermometers we had bottomed out at 52 below. my whereabouts.
So when the mercury plunged to the limit we had no As I walked into the corral shed to put away my gear,
idea just how cold it was that winter. Later I learned I was to discover that magpies had taken to roosting
that minus -60 degrees was frequently recorded in the beneath the roof. As one magpie swept by I reached for
area. The warmest it got for ten to twelve weeks, at it, but it broke my grasp and its tail f[...]uld see that poor bird flying up
After a month of these conditions our supply situa- and dow[...]rim. We needed food, firewood and I was to make my long trail ride twice more that
kerosene for lighting. And there was no sign of a let-up. winter, the last time late in March. At the Jensen stop
In February I rode into Roy with Al Snook, a boarder over I stayed a day extra to help buzz firewood.
at Umstead's Ranch, to obtain staples such as sugar, After lu[...]. and I set about to work. Suddenly a warm wind cropped
When the temperature "rose" to minus -20, it seemed up. The three of us looked at each other and howled in
like springtime. The morning Al and I left the ranch it unison. The eagerly awaited Chinook breeze
was a balmy minus -24. Off we were to Roy, some 25-30[...]ing a break in the bleak winter weather had arrived.[...]I had never known such a feeling of relief.
miles away.
About mid-day, halfway to town, the weather deterio- However I was not to use the precious automobile
rated. Our horses' breath froze to their sides, making quite yet. Gumbo was new to me. What an experience!
them ghostly coiored. We had to make frequent stops, After a brief spring break, the reservoirs filled, and
holding their noses inside our jackets to thaw the huge the cattle, horses and wildlife finally had plenty of
ice balls on their nostrils. The ice would get so heavy on water to drink. Then winter struck again, an event
their noses that they couldn't breathe. The poor things. making it possible for us to stay the summer.
Of course none of us had anything to eat or drink. John Umstead, Al Snook and I cut eight inch thick
Somehow we made it to Roy, arrivng between 7 and 8 ice blocks from the reservoir, filling the ice house on
p.m. We faced a howling blizzardthe final 8 to 10 miles. Easter Sunday. When spring came for keeps, we were
Any exposed skin was frozen black. able to begin settling the cattle and estate business,
In town we rousted out the fellows who ran the livery hopetully by fall.
stable so that we could take care of our horses. I'll never A winter as harsh as that of 1935-36 seemed to go on
forget how great it was to feel the warmth in the barn forever. It is difficult to describe the power of 40 MPH
and the smell of the animals. winds at -40 temperature, day after day. Many things
The livery owners, truly life-savers, flagged down occur which continue to be etched in one's memory. For
some folks to cook for us, and gave each ofus a cot and example, the McNultys filled their ice house w'ith river
blanket for the night, ice between 30 and 36 inches thick. That was ouite
The livery was.a small building next to Chet Bird- impressive.

Another example: the crystai-like nights of the to the stockyards in Roy. Both cattle and horses were
Northern Li[...]t and powerful frequently bunched together at the river because there
that winter. They had an indescribable quality making wasn't a drop of drinking water for man or beast to be
me seemingly able to feel their electric charge. Their found anyw[...]o sharp it was like they were Summertime in eastern Montana meant being in the
but an arms length away. saddle nearly every day. There were calves to brand,
I remember hearing coyotes dragging down a weak bog lines to ride, and fences to tend. I once spent a long
deer outside our cabin door, then awakening in the 10 days on Armells'Bottom, near McNultys, putting up
morning to find bits of hide and a scattering of bones a drift fence to keep the stock in line. Then there was
outside when I got up. the bog chore pulling out stock stuck in the mud of
There were the trips into the breaks with A-l Snook,[...]oyote trap sets, using dead or dying deer The heat that summer was almost unbearable. I often
or cattle to set the traps. (The formidable fact of trap- had to gather stock that had strayed offto hunt for feed
ping in this environment is you must skin the animal and water.
cleanly and stretch the hide to be suitable for market One day we received a letter sayi[...]brand had strayed to another water hole, on a ranch 20
-noIt was a thrill to hear a low, powerful howl amid the miles away, and had calved. We were asked to come
yapping, giggling coyote sounds. That, of course, was and pick up our stock since water there was growing
the howl of a wolf. I made one positive sighting, coming scarce. It took me four days of hard riding to get that
within 50 to 75 yards of a wolf in company with three pair to the river to join our other stock.
coyotes at the base of Gumbo Ridge at Armells Creek. I had heard of a fellow named "Dutch Fred", a char-
I remember how sound can travel at -30 to -60 acter of some notoriety, who lived somewhere south of
degrees below zero; everything is so brittle.[...]pon him as he sat beneath a
Then there was the time I heard my grandmother cry tree in a creek bottom. His "dwelling" was a dugout in
out from her bedroom. The stove lid-lifter had frozen to the bank. I didn't know people lived that way.
he[...]Since my horse and I were very thirsty I asked for a
Spring of 1936 did arrive. It was a short transition drink of water. "Dutch Fred" was a man of few words.
from winter to summer in Fergus County, Montana. And this day one of those words was "nope". He
The first of May saw a faint g:een coat on the prairie. pointed to the alkali buildup and went into his dugout.
Less than a week later the ground had turned brown, He returned with a can of tomatoes and my drink of a
and would remain so the rest of the year. lifetime. I was impressed.
Frank Jakes was engaged to help us check the condi- By late August and early September nearly all the
tion and number of our 4H brand cattle that survived cattle from the ranches were trailed into Roy to the
the winter. Jakes, a husky, good-looking man in his railroad stockyards. One impressive drive was a herd of
20's, came to live with us. He knew the country. And he nearly 500 head from the north shore of the river, which
knew cattle. had to swim or ford across. The trail boss was Larry
Jakes had much patien[...], this Jordan, whom I met 53 years later at the Roy Centen-
dude kid from the coast. From him I was to learn much nial. At that time he recounted this very drive for
about cattle, horses, people, and patience. J[...]and me, so you know it wasn't some-
taught me to use a rope. He showed me a backhand t[...]up.
I cast, which he called a Hoolihan. I sort of got the knack The Hemsing cattle (4H) were gathered by myself,
) of it and amuse myself to this day with the loop. Frank Jakes, Johnny and Elna Wright and Tommy
We rode the country from the river, south, a number and Jenny Link. Tommy tore off a finger roping one
of miles to Armells Creek and along the various ornery critter. But Tommy wa[...]period" was a sharp "dammit!" We had a car at camp so
an excited cow ran bawling out of a coulee. Frank gave Tommy was driven all the way to L,ewistown to get
me the sign to sit tight and watch. Soon after an sewn up. The next morning he was back in the saddle. Wow!
unknown rider came albng with a slick calf on his rope It was a hot three day drive to the Roy stockyards.
and a running iron on his saddle. Frank corrected the The first night was a dry camp. The second night the
rider's manners. He ordered the man to turn loose the stock was given water. (I'm not sure but I think we
calf, then offered to drag him to town with another watered at Cimrhakl's Ranch, it being the only liquid
rope. for miles around.) There weren't many fat cattle at the
I don't remember the count but I know that winter stockyards that year; the best cow and calf pair drew
and others took quite a toll on the cattle. $20-$25. The top two'year-old heifers brought $15'$20-
Branding, of course, was necessary. Around late "Sharky", the herd bull, went for just three cents per
August or early September there began a general round- pound.
up of all the area's cattle. Branding separated them by I was to bring a carload of cows by train home to
owner, clearing the way for cattle drives from the river La C on n er, in w estern W ashin gto n, &fifln dfihi npfly[...]

days to Seattle and one day more on to Skagii County. I When I returned to LaConner I was but a year older,
rode in the caboose the entire way. though hav[...]ne a maturation that easily
Federal regulations at that time were to water and outdistanced the calendar. My school records show that
feed stock on the train every 24 hours' Our first stop I weighed out in 1935 at 175 pounds. When I started my
was at Deer Lodge where I listened to a prison band junior year in 1936 I was a slimmed down 150!
concert. I got acquainted with "commetcial travelers", The world was hot and dry that year. I didn't see a
hobos on the freight cars" raindrop until I got back into Washington State! Eleven
My sister came east to Roy and drove our mother and months.
gtandma Hemsing to Washington. And here our story I have the fondest and most vivid memories of my
ends for half a century. homestead experiences and of ali the wonderful peopie
November of i935, I was just 15 years old. Had just in the Roy area, especially my good friends, Warren
started my sophomore year at LaConner High School. Willmore, Margaret Umstead and Jenny Link, whom I
Then all of a sudden I was off to Roy, Montana. I told was to meet again at the 1988 Roy celebration.
my school superintendent th[...]." I also maintain a gteat appreciation of Illa Willmore,
(Later I couldn't help but recall how that fit Joe Bell's who moved me to recount my stay in Montana.
definition of being "right back").[...]by Marie Webb Zahn
The Northern Pony Express venture was put up Ruffee went over this route in fourteen days and
for bid January 1, 1867 by Postmaster Alex W. Randall found many Sioux in North Dakota, Assiniboine at
to carry U.S. mail on Route #13611 from Ft. Poplar and Gros Ventre along the Milk River, which
Abercrombie (on the Red River at the Minnesota- he took to be friendly.
Dakota border near the present Fargo, N.D.) across a On July 15, 1867, Ruffee met Capt. Chas. C., and
thousand miles of plains to Helena, Montana. The Silas S. Huntley, who were the owners of the largest
public notice promised a three year contract to begin transportation firm and made arrangements for
July 1, 1867 with tri-weekly service, each run to be them to take over the Montana division of the Pony
completed within twelve days.[...]between
Cariisle Doble and Chas. A Ruffee of Crow Wing, Ft. Benton and Helena, which would carry the last
Minnesota submitted the lowest bid of $84,000, which leg of the mail, via Ft. Shaw at the crossing of the
was half of the next lowest bid! April 11, 1867 they Sun River. The approved contract at Washington
were awarded the bid. notified the Helena Postmaster to deliver mails on
In rare fulfillment of miiitary promises, General July 17, 1867.[...]s St. Paul headquarters on June 8, 1867 The northern route existed from July until October.
to locate new army posts enroute of this proposed The carriers were under constant harassment from
mail route. He established Fort Ransom at Bears Indian raids and were given solemn warning by the
Den Hillock on the Cheyenne River, Ft. Totten on Sioux and Assiniboine, who infested the northern
the shore of Devil Lake, and Fort Stevenson on the Mis- trail, not to carry mail again. The Indians regarded
souri River twenty miles below the old trading post the mail with mystery and distrust and were bent to
of Ft. Berthold, where he boarded the "Ida Stock- destroy it. Posts were robbed, burned and horses run
dale", going up river to Ft. Union, at the mouth of off or stolen. Riders were unhorsed, made to walk for
the Yellowstone and the adjacent military post of Ft. miles, some disrobed and harmed. At times the
Buford to authorize expansion. No settlements were riders were fearful to leave the stations, where they
found on this 450 miles of Dakota plains which would hole-up for days with Indians lurking, await-
swarmed with restless Sioux. In Montana there were ing their departure. The riders soon became discour-
more Sioux, Assiniboine, and Gros Ventre. The first aged and only the bravest and most competent
route through Montana, 500 miles of even more deso- would attempt the trips, and as a result mail piled up
late country, was to start at Fort Buford on the at the posts.
Montana-Dakota line and follow the Missouri River Captain Huntley seized this opportunity to imme-
to Fort Peck, where it would then go up the Milk diately survey an overland route to the mouth of the
River, with four posts at intervals of 40 to 50 miles Musselshell River. He wished to establish a freight
with four men and six horse each, leaving the Milk and stage road to this point to gain the heavy trade
River west of the Bear Paw Mountains and heading anticipated for his transportation firm and also this
south to Fort Benton on the Missouri River which wouid be the most direct route to Helena for the Pony
boasted a stage line to the gold camp of Helena. Mr. Express, under his controi.

The south Pony Express route would leave Fort tives huddled, awaiting their fate. Fortunately the
Peck and go up the Missouri River to Ft. Hawley, a decision was to terrify them with threats and set
North West Fur[...]th one gun, their horses, but no food.
located on the north side of the river. about fifteen Gathering the remainder of the scattered mail, the
miles above the mouth of the Musselshell. Hawley relieved carriers traveled three starving days to
was built by Billv Cochrane and noted pioneer men[...]. March 12, 1868, Huntley announced that the mail
The pony Express riders would cross the river and service between Abercrombie and Helena had been
travel toward Black Butte, skirting the Judith discontinued; the men had all departed from Hawley
Mountains on the north and west, going through the and agent Bradbury was g:iven orders to close-up
Judith Basin by way of Judith Gap to Ft. Howie, affairs and return to Helena. Bradbury, with Harry
Diamond City, and in to Helena, this being much the McDonald, F.M. (Pomp) Dennis, Harvey Mart[...]dance and "Seven-Up" left April 5, 1868. At a point eight
of game, as well. miles short of Black Butte they were attacked by
On October 1, 1867 the mail took the new route. By Sioux Indians. They fought under repeated volleys
November, Agent Gorman at Ft. Buford reported of arrows and bullets for several hours, having three
much trouble to the east of his post. Then came the horses wounded. The savages withdrew, but only a
severe winter of 1867-68, with violent blizzards and short distance, and at nightfall, returned with in-
deep snow across the Dakota plains. creased force. At dark they started two fi.res some
Henry McDonal[...]een wolfing distance apart and crept in the shadows between the
on the Milk River and answered a call for men to get fires with terrifying yells and volleys of arrows and
the mail moving at Hawley, which had also been bullets. Pomp Dennis was hit in the shoulder, but
under an Indian attack. On February 16, 1868, with they managed to slip away in the darkness and
a party of five, they left Hawley with two ponies retreated to within fifteen miles of the starting place,
loaded with eight sacks of mail and reached Helena, where they campe[...]scattered, each man looking out for himself. Dennis
Two attacks on the mail have been recorded in the could not be found afterwards and it was supposed
area of Black Butte. Fred Rutschmann and a com- that he had been captured and killed. The rest ofthe
panion rider left Hawley on October 26, 1867 with party reached Musselshell City the next day, and
four sacks of maii bound for Helena. Near Black Bradbury then struck out alone for Ft. Benton via
Butte, they were overtaken by a party of Sioux war- Helena, which he reached April 21, 1868.
riors. The Indians robbed them of everything except A decade passed by the time the Northern Pacific
their clothing and proceeded to rip open the mail railroad took over.
bag, scattering the contents to the wind. The cap- Ruffee and the Huntleys nevertheless played a

The Roy, Montana Post Offrce has been serving area A new structure was built and relocated on the
residents from 1892 to 1988 - a span of96 years. southwest corner of Second Avenue and Main Street,
Walter H. Peck came to Montana from the east in and on fuug.22,1974 the post offrce moved into the new
1881 and went into the sheep business on Box Elder building. Rosalie English is postmaster at this date,
Creek (at the present location of the Dorm Jackson and mail is delivered by mail truck, six days a week
Ranch, west of Fergus). It was Peck who established from Lewistown.
the Roy Post Of6ce. In his petition to the Postal In the early 1980's the Fergus Post Office was closed
Department he asked for the name "Ray" in honor of a for lack of anyone desiring to be officer in charge.
family member, but through a mistake, it received the About half of the Fergus patrons now receive their mail
name of "Roy". Mail delivery was from Fort Maginnis, out of the Roy Post Of6ce, and the others receive theirs
by stage; semi-weekly. out of the Hilger Post Offrce.
On April 18, 1892 Walter H.[...]tmaster. There are three mail routes out of Roy. The present
He held this position until July 27, 1894 when Zelinda route to Valentine was established in November 1943
S. Peck was named postmaster. and Paul Pitman is the mail carrier.
The Peck ranch was sold to Oscar Stephens and the John O'Reilly is mail carrier for what is known
post office was moved to the Smith and Laraway locally as the River Route. This route is an "offshoot" of
ranch, one mile west of the present town of Roy. the old Wilder route which was established in 1887
On June 30, 1898 Nathaniel T. Smith became the new between Wilder and Fort Maginnis. Dur[...]ovember 6, 1902 Ervin W. ing days the route ran between Roy and Wilder. The
Laraway took his place until the Smith and Laraway last patrons to receive their mail in the Wilder area
ranch was sold to Frank Stephens. were the Ivar Mathisons. The route to Wilder was offi-
James B. Sarjeant was appointed postmaster on Nov. cially discontinued in 1987, except for the mile from
2, 1907, and the office was moved to his ranch at the highway 191 to the Wilbert Zahns. This route also runs
present site of Roy. Mail delivery came from Lewis- south to the Knerr (Braiser) place on the east side of
town, by stage, weekly. Black Butte and on the west side to the old Guy Town-
On October 18, 1913 Jay Gove b[...]send place (Jack Ritts now lives there) and back to Roy.
and the post office was moved two blocks south of Joe The third route is comparatively new. It goes from
Mu[...], Roy townsite. Roy to Hilger and mail is delivered to those who have
Frederick A. Barney became postmaster on Dec. 16, boxes along the highway, by George Vaughn Jr. who
1915, and he held this post for four years. Mail was now carries the mail from Lewistown to Winifred and Roy
coming in by railroad. and back again.
William L. Marsh took over the job on Aug. 5, 1919 Although the post office "Roy" was established in
and was postmaster for 27 years. Mrs. Marsh was his 1892, the actual town did not come into existence until
assistant. The post office was located, at this time, 1913. To commemorate the birth of the town cachet
where the Roy Bar now stands and remained there[...]h a special postmark and design, and
until moving to the Security State Bank building. The special stamps, was prepared and were made available
Roy Catholic Church took over this building, and the in June of 1988.
post office was moved into the building beside the First
National Bank (Wass Merc.).
In 1946 Marsh reached retirement age; and Simon L.
D[...]fficially name postmaster. She held
this position for 23 years.
The post office was moved across the street into the
Rindal building. Mrs. Rife said that she served a[...]rth was her
assistant. When Mrs. Rife retired in May of 1972,
James C. Fuller was named clerk in charge until March This envelope with its homesteader's shack and cancel'
of 1973 when Rosalie Y. Fogle English of Forest Grove lation stamp of Black Butte was designed by Marie
became the new postmaster. Arlene O'Reilly was clerk Webb Zahn in commemoration of Roy's 75th anniver'
and assistant for several vears. sary in 1988.

Br-r-r-hear that wind a blowing The wind just penetrates through me
On som[...]which ddnce and flirt Just to get owoy from thot mournful song
With[...]s sung all day and all night long."
It gets in the ualleys and rnokes big drifts[...]His mother replied, to his weII meant plea.
First from the east and then from the west
"The wind is lihc a boy that's gay
Giuing the snowflakes no time for rest.[...]All it euer does is simply ploy.
The wind does blow olmost euery doy: Just forget about it, my d,eor boy
At least that's what some folks do say[...]foil. "I wish I could play with the wind today."
The wind appearc to haue no end
The wind, has d,one ond seen stronge things[...]Like the lone eagle, it trouels olone,
While it w[...]Watching its prey in the distant zone.
One day I heard a boy his[...]as plying some household tosk; To turn around, ond stop its hum.
"If I be good and go to bed, One more thi[...]thot wind I dread? That is: The wind wiII olways blow.[...]ald Koliho

IN lxo ljxpsn Tnp MowtANA PRArRre Srr[...]as bright as they did when the night skies entertained-
experiencedin only a few areas of the world - the rather than TV.
northeastern section of Fergus County is one of those In very few other places can one see both ends of a
lucky areas. Fantastic sunsets with brilliant oranges, rainbow, and the full arch in between.
yellows, golds, pinks, fushias, greys and blacks all The lightning on a hot summer night, for those stout
intermingled and bold can leave both a "foreigner" and of heart, make 4th of July fireworks displays dull in
a native speechless. Sunrises can be no less spec[...]ightning, streaking clear
lar, unequaled anywhere in the world. These have left across the sky and lighting up the entire countryside
an indelible mark in the memories of many who have like a gigantic incandescent bulb. There is lightning
left the area.[...]ks like a million tiny veins, shootingdarting-
The area lies within the chinook zone, though it has coiling through the air. Ttren there are the earth jarring
been several years since the era of the drastic change. bolts that come from the clouds to touch the earth; the
There are mirages that can stagger the imagination ones that start the frres and can make one's heart leap.
and give one an eerie feeling of being in never-never These are the killers. Spectacular-bright-blinding. They
land. The Northern Lights can'dance' and'play' across leap from ridge to ridge, from pole to post, from bank to
the sky in icy colors of green and blue and silvery white bank. Maybe one gigantic finger reaches out to its point
and pink, colors that no Hollywood or Las Vegas light- of contact, maybe a dozen fingers touch. Scary-thie
ing technician can begin to match. lightning is-and on the prairie far from tall buildinge
'Sundogs' around the sun, with their bright center to hide behiud, so very close,-and so very humbling.
framed in rainbow hues, herald the advent of frosty air; It is no wonder then, that the weather, which controls
sometimes they will join, making a firll halo around the sun. the lives and livelihood of all within our borders, is a
The harvest moon, in the still unpolluted atmosphere, guaranteed subject of conversation for participarits
can look as though one can reach out and touch it, and from one to one'hundred.
the stars still shine on clear summer and wint[...]

S[...]by Charlotte Coulter

Some of the earlier ones were: February 5, 1933. That Kay was taking nurses training at St. Vincents. It
one came up quick on a beautiful sunny day and caught was Sunday and she was home for the weekend. As the
so many people away from home. They took their shel- radio was predicting severe weather to hit Central
ter wherever they could and stayed several days. A lot Montana in the afternoon, Roy dnd Mickey left early to
of stock drifted under and smothered. take her back to school. It had been a very nice day, but
A trul[...], 1938. It was all over about 2:30 p.m. the sky clouded over, the wind blew and
Central Montana and a lot of cattle were lost. One it looked just plain wierd. About 3 it really turned it on.
bunch of cows camped at the Mountain View School, I tried to call St. V's to have Roy stay at Clarkes, but
near Heath, lost 34 head. the operator said owing to the storm they couldn't
Probably the worst storm I
remember was April 5, reach Billings. I did the chores; put the sheep in the
1955. School Election Day! So many people were caught sheds and got the cattle in around the barns. After that,
away from home. Cars and buildings were drifted everything happened at 10 minutes afler the hour. At
under. 10 past 4Lar.y Emery walked in. He, Sandy, Mark and
We had a whole two years of blizzardy winters from Chip Styer had been feeding Altenhofen's cattle on the
December L7, L977 to March 2, L979, nothing but snow Puckett place and had gone in the ditch, on the hill
and one perpetual windy nightmare, both of those where Floyd Emery now lives.[...]ing our 4-wheel drive and pulling them back
But the one storm I'll never forget was the 26th of on the road, I didn't even try to turn around. I backed
January 1969.[...]almost half a mile home, without going in the ditch. I

In the spring of 1984 Carol Sluggett and Frank name.[...]lled Valentine, if not then it
Cimrhakl contacted the National Weather Service of6ce would be called, "Roy East". In a few days he called
in Great Falls to see if Carol could get a station down at back and said that there had been a station at Valen-
Valentine. At the time they told them that they were tine from 1911 to 1941 and that Carol's station would be
not starhi[...]named Valentine. Joe also told her, at that time, that
In the early part of August 1984 the National Weather the station she received came from north of Mosby on
Service called Carol to ask if she was still interested in the Musselshell River. Carol had been keeping records[...]old them yes" prior to the re-opening of the government weather
They delivered the station on August 24th. There was station (years 1972 to 1984).
some question as to what to call it and it was decided, B.M. Bean was the weather observer in the Valentine
before Joe Johnson left. that he would check into the area from 1911 until his death Ju[...]

Faulds then became the weather observer and heid the The year with the most snowfall was 1977 with 88".
job until Milo Messenger took over on October 1, 1933. The year with the most precipitation was 1975 with
Lester Bevis began reporting the weather statistics on 20.80". The coldest day was minus 50 on January 31,
September[...]until W.J' Trimble took it 1918" The hottest day was 110 deg:ees on June 27,1936"
over on June 12, 1941. The station was closed four Altitude of the Valentine Weather Reporting Station is
months lat[...]by Fronk Cimrhak'I

The National Weather Service from Great Falls The longest growing season was in 1963 with 157 days
- -May 22 to October 26. And the shortest season was in
delivered a weather reporting station to Frank Cim'[...]1958 with 92 days - June 25 to September 25 - an aver'
rhakl, a cooperative observet, on Aprii 21, 1938. This age of 125 days.
station is known as Roy 8 NE and is used to take daily
The National Weather Service Station in Great Falls
readings of precipitation, snowfall, hail, high winds[...]furnished the following State highlights and extremes:
and mini[...]Heron, Montana, has the most annual precipitation of
April 21, 1988, marked the 50th anniversary of - 34.21 and the least is at Twin Bridges wiih 9.13.
weather observation from this station. The most precipitation recorded in one year was at
This report covers the years 1939 to 1987'49 years - Summit with 55.51 in 1953 and the Ieast was Belfry
-1938 and 1988 not being used be[...]with 2.97 inches in 1960.
end in April and are not full years. The greatest oneday precipitation was 1l'.50 at Circle
-
The following are some very interesting recorded[...]on June 20, L92L, and Circle went on to have the most
statistics: in the month of June, 1921, with 16.79.[...]Lowest temperature recorded in Montana was at Rog-
The average yearly precipitation is 13.94. Due to the - er's Pass on January 20, 1954, at 70 degrees below zero
- last few dry years, the average dropped from a high of and the highest was at Medicine Lake on July 5, 1937,
14.38.[...]on Julv 20, 1893, at 11? desrees above
The dryest year was 1952 with only ?.03 total precipita-[...]Of the 1?6 reporting stations in Montana,9S report less
10.61 for a total of 19.40 in two years.[...]t more precipitation than Roy 8 NE'
When the drought broke on May 11, 1962, and before On May 21, 1981, the only tornado in 50 years
- the end of May, we had 7"58 precipitation, followed by[...]touched down on this ranch 15 miles NE of Roy, cut a
18.36 in less than four months. That was an almost[...]es long North and South and
equal total of the two previous years' about[...]re uprooted and many broke off. Up
- North of Roy. After two years of dry weather, he was to 500 trees were damaged. This tornado missed Bea
telling everyone that the drought would be broken and Munay's ranch by less than a mile. No one living in
big rains start in three days. How true that was![...]this area since homestead days ever heard of such
From the dryest years to the wettest in 1978 wiih 25.15 terrific destruction. A plane flying near Robinson
- precipitation was the mostin one year and June, 1944,
with 8.16 was the wettest month. The gteatest one'day
Bridge observed the tornado in action and called the
precipitation was2.24 on September 12, 1985. National Weather at Great Falls by radio. The plane
The most snowfall in one year was 91 inches in 1977' was never identified. This was the only tornado re'
- and the least was 14 inches in 1956 - an average of44 ported in the state in 1981.
inches. In 1971, I was presented with the John Campanius
In 1955 probably the worst snow storm was on the 3rd, Helm award by Bill Rammer, Meteorologist from the
- 4th, and Eih of April with 28 inches of snow and 3.48 National Weather Service.
precipitation. In 1981, I was presented with the Thomas Jefferson
The lowest temperature was on January 24, L969, at 4l award by Dave Olsen, Meteorologist; Mac McFee, Field
- degrees below zero, and the longest cold spell was from[...], Weather Forecaster.
December 11, 1949, to February 1, 1950, which was
much below z[...]ost every Cameramen from KFBB-TV filmed the presentation
dav.[...]and it was shown on TV that night.
The coldest one day was December 29, 1968, when min- On April 21, 1988, I was presented with a 50-year
- imum was 33 below zero and maximum at 24 below. Edward H. Stoll award by Dave Olsen, Dave Taylor
This was the lowest maximum recorded during one day.[...]mer. who is now retired. Edward H. Stoll
The highest temp€rature was on August 5, 1961, and August has a record of 76 years as a weather obseryer, which is
- 6, 1983, with readings of 107 de8rees above zero. the most years for one observer in the Nation"

The raging wz.ters of Armells Creek near where it empties into the Missouri riuer, during the damaging ftoods of
June 1962 ripped these huge culuerts out of highway 191, near Mobridge, and twisted them, like pretzels.

The Roy town became isolated as the rDater rose.[...]the winter of 1949-50[...]on the road going[...]south of Roy towords[...]where the Floyd[...]Ernery's now liue.

The highway east of town, Iooking west.

operation to Fergus. John Stephens received the first The winter of L944,4000 ton of hay was shipped out
freight a load of hay. of Roy, destination mostly to Washington State.
-
Tuesday April 28, 1914-.Roy Enterprise "The rail- After WWI and again after WWII traffic slowly
road is completed into Roy, the Y is being finished dwindled on the railroad. Better roads made it more
today. A crew of carpenters started to work on the depot attractive to travel to Lewistown and other places by
this morning and the first train, which consisted of auto. The mighty herds of horses that were shipped out
fourteen cars of freight was pulled in last night and by the thousands were gone and trucks that could load
Ro[...]today." at the ranches and go straight to market began to take
It wasn't long before passenger service was added. over and soon semi's were doing the job of moving cat-
Thus began the years of railroading in Roy. Not only tle entirely. Ft. Peck had covered the productive river
was freight brought in, but the products of the area bottoms and there was no longer the seed and potato
were taken out and hauled to far away markets. There crops to ship out. The railroad was dying and in 1970,
were cans of cream and milk, cases of eggs and crates 56 years after the steel was laid to Roy an era came to a
ofchickens, carloads ofcattle, sheep, horses, grain and close.
potatoes, tons of turkeys; all shipped out to other
Through the years many depot agents and section
destinations.[...]workers lived and made their homes at Roy. Some of
On Augrrst 10, 1916, 100 double deck carloads of sheep
(20,000) brought from Malta were shipped to Helena. the depot agents were: H.M. Underwood, 1916; W.A.
March 19L7, a carload of potatoes shipped by Dengel. Rowiand, 1916 to i936; J.T. Plumb, 1936 to ?; then in
August 1918, 200 cars of cattle bound for the Chicago later years there were Jim M[...]64; D.R.
Market shipped out plus 35 cars ofcattle for another destina- Hildahl 1964; E.W. Stewart[...]re sheep from Malta shipped out, plus
12 carloads of cattle. R.S. PIum. Some of the section workers throughout the
May 1919, Two carloads of potatoes shipped out by the Roy years: J.E. Miller (Armells 1918), St[...]ocque, Mr. Jones (Armells); C.R. Doolan (Armells,
In December of 1918 rumors were flying that the 'rail- 1915-1916) Clay Smith, Ario Wilcox Section foreman in
road will be in Valentine by summer of 1919, for sure.' the 1940's.[...]"THE Lesr Olu Ttrrrpn"
The steers now doys don't carry horns[...]They feed'em grain by hond,
That used to wear a cow-horse down Can't find o reol cow-horse no more,
And giue the Cowboys Willies.[...]I don't think any animal has contributed more to Mary Pollard has collected a number of articles from
mankind than the horse. The most prized possession of local newspapers which tell of the demise of the range
the indian and horse power to the white man. To this horses in this area, where once there was free range. I
day, the horse is still a necessity to the ranchers and might add that this was a thrilling experience to run
the well-bred animals of the modern day are very popu' horses; to out-maneuver these animals took skill and
lar and valuable in sports of racing and rodeo and the good saddle horses.
show ring, as well. The post war drouth and recession of 1919, saw many

horses turned loose in this area to fend for themselves; where they would break and sell them to the local
some came from farmers in the Judith Basin and local ranchers.
owners. The drouth and poor economic conditions Shipments went out of Roy almost on a weekly basis
forced many homesteaders to leave, broke and disillu- for two months. This reduced the horse population to
sioned" Big cattle outfits went under, as well, but the make \r'ay for cattle and sheep.
horses prospered and muitiplied. Drouth returned in the 1930's. Six hundred head of
By 1927-28, the economy boomed and moisture re- CBC, Chappel Brothers horses were gathered off the
turned. Cattle and sheep were claiming the grass and Reservation, swam across the Missouri River and
the horses had to relinquish their range. Gathering and shipped out of Roy in 1934. In June of 1985, BbO head
shipping or trailing them out was a big job for the cow- were put across the river at Joe Bell,s and traiied to
boys. There were markets in foreign countries, out of their new ranch southeast of Mosby. Fourteen head
state locations; some choice saddle stock went to the US were iost in crossing the river.
Remount stations and many were destined for the A week Later,27 cars of horses left from Roy by rail
canneries.[...]bought by A.B. McCullough of Ft. Smith Horse and
The first sizeable shipment at Roy came from the Mule Auction Company of Ft. Smith, Arkansas to their
dispersion of the lazy F T horses in the estate of Ben large ranch holdings at LaPlant-Ft. pierre, South
Manning. These range horses were gathered and swam Dakota. Unloaded at Ft. Pierre and trailed to Laplant,
acloss the Missouri River, Ioaded on the Chicago the Iocation of the ranch.
Milwaukee & St. Louis Railroad at Roy in August of After the Grazing Districts took over the range lands,
1927. Eight cars went to the Butte Packing Company it was no longer feasible to run horses in this area. The ,
and 5 cars to St. Louis, Missouri. Iast of the range horses were disposed ofby the ranchers
The next spring, roundups in lower Fergus County in the early 1950's.
began with F.S. Johnson and his partner, Charley
Miller of Little Crooked, Athearns and John Mayberry,
Roy Hanson and the DAY horses, Johnny Matheson
dispersing the George Davidson estate of the 4p brand,
George Hamilton gathering the Thurlo McCain estate
(T bar M) horses, Sam Sherman and Hank Griener and
the local owners participating.
The first of June, 200 head or eight cars wenr out
from Roy by rail. The follow.ing shipment of 20 cars
went to Wisconsin and Illinois.
Seven hun&ed head, contracted by Chappel Brothers,
Inc. of Rock Island, Illinois were trailed to Hays, via
Rocky Point, swam the Missouri River at the Wilder
crossing, where they joined several thousand head This photo was taken in the summer of 192g and. shows
being held on the Indian Reservation range until they but a few of the thousands of head of horses that were
could be handled by the eastern packing plant. Sam rounded up and shipped out of the country. In the uery
Sherman rounded up and bought horses in phillips eorly days a steady market was considerably stimu-
County for two months, for this buyer. Iated by Spanish-American ond Boer Wars. Later
W.W. Weyand of Chinook bought 80 head, the top end many were slaughtered, others were used for the
of the Davidson herd and trailed them to Chinook, coualry d.nd others were used in France, for food,

Sour RrMeRANcrs Op Tnosp[...]Ernest Harrell
There were skirmishes between the sheepmen and I remember my fust rattlesnake scare. I was camping
the cattlemen. The sheepherder usually got the brunt of out, b1- Zahns. I laid still for an hour before I realized it
the "war" maneuvers. It was open range at the time. I was the seeds in a weed pod doing the rattling. A fan
remember once when Steve LaRocque was herding for weed I think it was.
Carmikle, a cowboy came in and scattered the sheep all The second scare was for real. Larry Jordan and I
over. I worked for cattle outfits, but I thought that was were camping out and the snake crawled in bed with us.
getting pretty mean. I didn't like it. Larrl' saw the snake hrst and hollered and BOYI did we
There were shearing corrals at Little Crooked. scatter.
Murray Cottrell herded for one outfit. At one camp our cook was Bob Allen. He was kinda

ornery and hated to cook outside, so he headed for a had a pan of water sitting on it. Another guy with a
nearby sh[...]had already taken up stick of wood was chasing the rat and Joe was keeping
residence. his distance. As the fellow went by the'stool'his spur
Joe Wright and his daughters, Jenny and Laura, had hooked on it knocking the stool and pan of water over,
come in. Joe was deathly scared of pack rats. He had a which hit the rat killing it. All bedlam broke loose when
big knife with which to kill the rat if it came near him. he threw the rat over in Joe's direction!!
There was a thick block of wood used for a stool. that

THn Wnsr Wes Wn o WrrBN L,ennv Jonoex Wes IN TnB Seoou[...]December 21, 1980 The cowboys had no days off and rarely took part in
-[...]any social activities but would sometimes ride for hours to
"The cook was up fust at 3 a.m. and would start break-
fast. At 3:30 Sid and Old Tom would get up and Old Tom get to a country dance. They were back at the wagon[...]t b"fore dawn though, ifthey wanted to keep theirjobs.
would kick me and say, 'C'mon kid - time to get up.'One
morning he just stood there and looked at me. 'Hey kid, Jordan recalls a story when he was working for the
you got some company there,'he said.[...]aking
"A snake had curled up around my feet to keep warm severai horses in one evening.
and had fallen asleep. Old Tom j[...]this buckskin who wouldn't steer. We
the snake up and threw it away."[...]were up creek from camp and wouldn't come around to tlre
Roy rancher, Larry Jordan, remembers the early days left at all. No way. This old timer would tell me about[...]picket line and kink his neck a few
dder with the CBC, the Chapple Brothers Cannery. The times."
"CBC worked horses just like cattle" during the depres- "We got a long rope and tied him to this log. Well, two
sion years ofthe 30s.[...]night hawks brought the saddle horses by to conal them.
Montana was a large, open country and many home. We figured the tree weighed 500 to 600 pounds. It was
steaders had returned to the east or headed north when hollow! B[...]r when that
they couldn't make things work on the small homesleads buckskin took off. It didn't take us long to dress. We slept
in Montana.[...]everything on but our hats."
Jordan was one of a raw bunch of cowboys who made "There were[...]s. We got all but 40 back
their living riding for the CBC across the plains and riding most of the night."
mountains of eastern and central Montana. The CBC Jordan said the CBC took a bit of getting used to at
rounded up wild horses to provide horsemeat as part of an first. He lost 22 pounds the fust six weeks.
agreement the United States had made with the Russians. Jordan had his share of tough times and sustained a
Jobs were hard to frnd and pay was often minimal, but few injuries during his years with the CBC. Men couldn't
for those who could endure the hours, hard work and afford to be injured during the 30s, and CBC riders were
knew horses, the CBC was the place to be. usually in such good shape that they healed quickly.
The CBC hands worked from 3 in the morning until 8 or Jordan remembers a trip to the doctor two years ago
9 each evening, every day of the week in all types of when he broke his leg afier a bull[...]bosses kept strict control fence. The X-ray showed two previous breahs.
over the CBC cowboys and drinking was forbidden. Cow- While working for the CBC, he was kicked by a big stud.
boys suspected of abusing horses or equipment were "But I didn't think nothing of it. You were supposed to be
quickly fired. tough in those days." he said.
The giamour of beiag a tough cowboy drew many to the "We made $40 a month. It was hard to get a job riding.
outfit and Jordan has many memories of the CBC days There was always somebody looking for a job".
of long rides and tough cowboys. The crew ate whatever could be hauled on the wagon
-stories[...]awks who and "spotted pup," a dish of rice and raisins. Steaks,
herded saddle horses at night, a horse wrangler who when available were usually horsemeat and a homemade
herded the saddle horses in the daytime, a boss and the pie was true luxury.
all-important cook. He was never the brunt of jokes for "We thought if we could stay with the wagon for a full
fear the crew would have to cook for themselves if the summer we were pretty tough hands," Jordan eaid. He
cook decided to leave. remembers going for weeks without time for a bath or
The CBC boys were tough and took pride in their work, shave,
developing a set of values that would last them a lifetime. Jordan rode with CBC in 1932-33 and in 1935-36, work-
CBC's grazing land ran from Hardin to Fort Belknap and ing with cattle between stints with the CBC.
from Miles City to Wolf Point. A former CBC rider and He was born east of Miles City between the town of
historian claims the outfit once ran more than 60,000 Ismay and Ekalaka on a homestead.
horses between the Yellowstone and Missouri Rivers.[...]bers hearing a story about those early
Most of the CBC hands were young men in their days when the creek was flooding. "My dad suggested we
twen[...]n had old timers like "Old Tom" go up to the barn and spend the night in the haystack
McAlister.[...]with blankets. My mom insisted we go up higher to a

sheepherders camp. We stayed in the sheepwagon that
nightl"
"Well, the flood ruined the house and got to the barn.
After that they moved the house and built it up higher by
where the sheep camp was.
His parents, Mr. and Mrs. Emmett Jordan,
steaded in Custer County which Jordan said was "pretty[...]4
near all of Eastern Montana."[...]early and had a job with _t
the Bradshaw Land and Cattle Company on the Powder
River east of Miles City when he was 16. He worked for -!
Disbrow and McVey Cattle Company for a time, swim.
ming cattle across the Missouri and working the range.[...]ri.,
One fall and winter he took a train to California and rode
for a "cow outfit", returning to marry Helen Kudzia.
They'd met along the road while Jordan worked traiiing
cattle and "met officially" at a country dance in Roy in
the true western tradition. The Jordans married in 193?
and have lived near Roy ever since.[...]id (background) and Bob
Jordan enjoyed the rough times and said the boys had Ingalls (foreground) at Zahn homesteod, 1935.
dares all the iime. He remembers once how he and Mark
Stanley were trailing a bunch of cattle from North Dakota.
"He was always after me to pull ropes," Jordan said.
"Once he asked[...]and you on that big gray horse you
want to pull ropes.'Well, Mark had on these big batwing[...],'Isaid.
"We backed up our horses back to back and tied the rope
around the saddle horns. I knew this little black horse[...]this
Weli I pulled and the saddle came right
-back and forth.
off and landed on top of him and he was flat on his back. I
thoug[...]Jordan hadn't though, and that stunt was only one of
many. "If you didn't have life insurance[...]s like jumping off cutbanks and
swimming in the river," Jordan said.[...]break around the campfire, at Cottonwood Crossing on
I used to toke a job o' ridin:[...]Crooked Creek, July 4, 1935. This was the last roundup
Eorly euer' spring wagon that ran in this country. Cowboys frorn left to
The outfits paid me 45[...]ght: Larry Jordan, Marh Stanley, Ben Burnett, Ted
To ride the bronc rough-string[...], and Arnold Zohn.
They fed us beans an'beefsteoh
The pay an' grub was swell[...]ray
So I'II just make o picture:
"Fightin' broncs in my
younger doy."

Ben Gorthofner[...];.2,,/_714,ll! ,\ :) A bunch of young cowboys during the early doys of the[...]open range. L. to R. Albert LaFountain, Maruin Sher-[...]

Riding in local rodeos was also a favorite pasttime and said he won $85 in three days by riding mount money
Jord'an[...]bucking horses and steers. A friend of his oniy won $50 for two
horses for Gene Autry. "He bought most of them too and first places in bronc riding in two days.
took them back to Madison Square Garden"" Jordan has many other memories of his early days with
Jordan once checked out 38 to 40 head of bucking the CBC and his life with the cowboys of the 20's and 30's.
horses in two days. In 1927 he rode in the Miles City rodeo The breed of cowboy the CBC produced aren't around any
in saddle bronc and bareback. in 1932 he rode in the more and the wild west won't ever seem as wild.
Cody, Wyo. rodeo with all the professional bronc riders of "It was a way of life," Jordan said. "You'd be a hero if
the day. The day money was $25, $15, and $10 and Jordan you could work for the CBC all summer."

AovnNruRES OF CowpuNcirrNc
by Con Anderson

By the summer of 1915, homesteaders had taken up An incident I enjoy remembering took place in the
nearly all of the land north to the river some 30 miles fall of 1914, when the King cattle were taken to Walter
from Roy and east to the Musselshell River. Much of Haney's ranch near the Judith Mountains. One special
these iands were in the river breaks which were hills or cow co[...]. Later Henry King located her
deep coulees. To understand how rough these lands with a wild bunch of cattle and had me help take her to
were, remember that the Missouri River here eroded soil Mr. Ha[...]saddle hotse, but Henry
down over 900 feet. The creeks and coulees were eroded was riding a young horse which had been ridden only
down in like manner. By this time, the Government had twice before. We caught up to this bunch after a mile of
allowed 640 acres as homestead lands.[...]along with two others,
I had great dreams of owning many cattle and using and started for the town of Roy some twenty five-miles
much of this land. In the spring of 1915 this area was away. We rode fast before these cows were slowed down
open for claims which permitted a homesteader to be to a walking gait. The King cow soon began to show
away from his claim six months of the year. This way signs of anger. When we reached Crooked Creek, the
he could work for others and make a "Grub Stake" to cows went into a shallow pool of water which was
buy necessities.[...]ank about 15 feet high. We could not drive
In 1914 a Mr. Brockway and Mr. Vaughn (horse out- them out because of the fighting attitude of the cows so
fit) took500 head oftheir horses south ofthe river and we rode to where we could pick up some rocks to throw
grazed them on unfenced lands in the Indian Butte at them. We were on the top of the creek bank where
country about five miles from the river. These horses Henry could not throw these rocks from his horse, so he
were in the charge of Joe Searles. Indian Butte was a got off his horse. This cow had tried several times to
higher point of land on one of the ridges running to climb this steep cutbank, each time[...]Armells Creek where an Indian war was fought in the Henry thought he was safe afoot. The cow tried again
earlier days. In the cattle round up days of the 1880's and it seemed that this time she would succeed. Henry
and 90's, every higher point of ground was given a started running across the prairie as fast as he could. I
name as were the creek crossings, such as Haystack[...]on. We frnally got these cows to moving again and as we
Naming these points was necessary for rounding up came near Roy where[...]fenced lands provided lanes for roads to be built. While
Many horses and cattle were realiy wild and some driving up the first lane, we came to a homesteader's
traveled or grazed in groups and were called wild cabin; t[...]went
bunches" One day, Joe Searles, wishing to know if some through it. A young boy seeing the cow came out carry-
of his horses had gotten into a wild bunch, asked me to ing a broom to drive her back. He just got back in the
help him ride. He selected two of his best and fastest house before the cow could hit him.
saddle horses. We located the wild bunch near Indian Next we came to Box Elder Creek where there was a
Butte. When the wild bunch saw us we were still a mile large county bridge. There was a lot of high brush on
away and they went east at a wild run. We took after the norih side where the cows stopped. This was trouble
them and did[...]ing towards
Button Butte some 12 or 15 miles to the east. This ride us. As we waited Henry and I changed horses and
was in very rough terrain with sagebrush and cut Henry asked for help. Henry, being a good roper,
coulees up[...]. What a ride!! Exciting-yes, caught the cow with his lariat rope, the other man
perhaps more so than the horse or car races oftoday. doing the same. Then they dragged the cow across the

Cowaoy Days IN Fnncus CouNry[...]anuary 1915

Judge Roy E. Ayers (later, Governor of the State of range to ride 'em on. But, Doc, it made me remember a
Mont[...]little incident that I know you would enjoy.
Case of "Rock and Rye", two steers that became pals[...]In the Good Old Daye
and long escaped the butcher's block. It was along in the early nineties, before Jim Hill's or
Roy E. Ay[...]ssed upon
genuine ex-cowboy, but there are plenty of other men Fergus county dirt. It was before the dry-land farmer, irr
now occupying official positions in this state who once even his most fantastic dreams, had ever thought of
rode the range. The Judge was always "the kid" with Fergus county.[...]session of the streams, and before we thought that a
the outfits and he was still a good deal of a kid when he post hole would ever be dug upon the benches. Yes, Doc,
stopped riding and came to Lewistown to attend school, in tbose days thousands of cattle roamed the ranges of
later going east to college. He looks back on those days Fergus county at will, and in that portion lying east of
of the range with affection and has a soft spot in his the Judith Mountains browsed over the finegt range
heart for the cow-punchers. The other day a point came ever selected by the bovine. From the Missouri river
north to the Musselshell on the south, and even to the
up in conversation in the judges chambers that led him land of the Crows, we gathered the finest beef that ever
to a reminiscent vein. This followed upon the heels of J decorated the Chicago stockyards.
some dictation to Hal B. Gibson, the court stenographer,
and he was still present and[...]ed he The Real Cowboye
At that time the range was ridden semi.annually by
took down Judge[...]ribed it, and here it scores of cow-punchers-but not of the claes we aome.
is just as it came from the lips of the judge: times see no[...]e from Montgomery
"Yes, Doc, I know I am slow in relating to you any of my Ward, nor were they the parcel poet variety. Most of
reminiscenses of the range, but this morning, in going them knew no other home than the cow camp on the
through those of my belongings which I do not permit lange. Most of them had no possessions except a
my wife, or any other person, to handle, I ran acrose my "private", a saddle, and a gun, and their etock in trade
old forty-five still sticking in its scabbard and hanging and commodity of exchange was a post-graduate educa-
on the same belt that I used to wear when I was on the tion in the great echool of experience, which education
range. The belt won't go around me now by about eight[...]from leseons taught by Dame Nature.
inches, but the sight of it made me wish that I could They could tell the time of day and night by the sun and
buckle it on and climb to the middle of a cayuse and etars; they co[...]a stonn wa8 coming and
comfortably seat myself in the full flower stamped when it wae going to break, by the instinct in their own
"Clarence Nelson". But I can't do it, Doc, for two rea. bodieg and minds and by the acts of the horsea and
sons: First, i peddled my "Clarence[...]cattle, and their judgement a6 to whether it was going to
went away to study law, and second. there ain't no[...]a dry sumroer or a hard winter was ueually good. In
horees like I used to ride. and if there were. there ain't no fact, Nature spoke to them in all her varioue languages.

A Few of the Old Guard have the reign of the piow horse and the school ma'am.
Rock and Rye are probably fo[...]range, you are nn nwre;
on that roundup, but to me they have always been a You haue swiftly yiel.ded to the biner's roar,
study-or probabiy I ehould say[...]Your sunny shpes with gross once dented
of them, becauge now it occune to me that many of the Are fields of groin by the farmers plonted;
boys have crogsed the Great Divide. Many of them had 'llhere the Ind.ion ond the buffola used to roam
then grown old in the eaddle-I was the "kid" of the We find some dryJand farmer's hnme[...]ir boots on, others made their Vy'here the sun-tanned puncher with his brand.
exit in the uaual quiet manner. However, there are few of Used to follaw tle herds to inteose his band,
us left-uone ia jail, and none are in the eaddle. Some Vlhere the old, freighter, in his rough way,
are trying to "make it" go on a dryland fam; eome are Shinned ahng some twenty miles o doy,
clinexng to their old fiend, the horse, by running livery Vlhere potches of sogebrush couered the ground.,
barns; others have been, and etill are, in the eheriffg Nou we find, a dry-land farmer's town.
office, an honor to which all cow-punchers aepire, and Al even though these changes in vocation and indus-
from which clase the beet eheriffe are made. The place try have come to pass, and the man in his arrogance
where Buffalo corral gtood ie now a thriving community still sleims the Spirit Land only for himseU, yet who can
under the Winnett i:rigation project, and the rest of the say that there may not be found at this moment, roan-
range over which we worked, inetead of having a few ing side by side, an eternal continuation of the fiend-
iaolat€d cow elmps, ie now a great eettled comunity of ship of Rock and Rye!"
proeperous and ihriving dry-land farmers; and in that by Roy E. Ayers
land once ruled by the bronco and the cowboy, now we[...]by Worren Willrnore