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ARMELLS CREEK PART 1
HOMESTEAD SHACK
This homestead shack sits now forlorn;
Has seen many moons, droughts and storms;
Now sits alone, as you can see,
All that is left are memories. My brother, Joe, with hopes of fame,
Homesteaded this land upon the plain;
As time went by, his hopes did fade,
The wealth he hoped for was never made.
The good old days have come and gone,
The birds in the nest have flown;
Like all things upon this earth,
It sits lonesome and alone.
With the sun at my back,
I stand here now, your picture to take
To put along with the rest I've got--
A great big album to make.
I reminisce of days gone by
And things that might have been.
I leave you now, old homestead shack.
I may not come this way again.
--Walter A. Wright
ARMELLS COMMUNITY RICH IN HISTORY
by Mrs. Alan Wiedman -- December
1968 The Armells community
which lies about 25 miles northeast of Lewistown on Highway 191 is rich
in pioneer history. Many of the ranches in this area were once a part of
the Fergus family holdings, which took in land bordered on the southeast
land owned by Johnny Wurtz, the Steve Gilpatrick ranch, part of the Bud
Lipke property, the Max Maberry ranch, Yaeger families, and the famous
Horse Ranch. This ranch was the horse range for the Fergus Ranch, now owned
by the Vernon Taylors.
Eighteen miles from
Lewistown on Highway 191, is the old Townsend ranch which took in the first
homestead of Shorty Becraft, stage driver and miner. This ranch was later
the home ranch and headquarters for the George Gilpatrick sheep ranch;
who came to this area in 1895.
The grandparents,
Mr. and Mrs. Stephen Gilpatrick, were early Montana pioneers who came to
Alder Gulch in Helena in 1863. When this pioneer couple was in their eighties,
they took up a homestead on which the Steve Gilpatricks now live, and the
log cabin still stands. They lived there for several years, happy and contented
in their mountain home, making a modest living, raising a wonderful garden
and living until they were 98 years old.
Other pioneer families
who lived in the valley near the Judith Mountains were the Emory Stowell's,
the J. Kelly's, the Goods, the Chandlers, the Hiatts and the Hosiers, whose
land is now part of the Wiedman and Gilpatrick ranches. In the spring the
old-fashioned Iris which still blooms in the tall grass and the rhubarb,
which planted perhaps 50 years ago bring back a bit of nostalgia of the
hopes and dreams of these early rugged homesteaders.
Among the early pioneers
was one Tim Carey, a dashing young Irish bachelor, who homesteaded, and
then was on his way to other surroundings.
This area, too, had
its good and bad sides, as does our modern world. During prohibition days,
several flourishing bootleggers turned out some of the best and worst liquors.
Notorious characters,
too, lived in the area, including one Jack Maher, who was driven out of
Cripple Creek, for murder. A sheep-herder for the Fergus Ranch, went on
a wild shooting spree one night and killed Jack Barclay and others in the
old bunk house which still stands on the ranch owned now by the Yaeger
families.
The Rev. George Edwards
was the early Presbyterian missionary minister who held the first church
services in the home of James Fergus and the Chris Wiedmans, with many
pioneer families attending.
Mining, too, had its
day, in a small way, this side of the Judith Mountains. From the copper
mine of Golden Jack Lee and the lead mine of Vince Geis, ore was freighted
to the mill in Helena. Several placer miners worked the area. A crew of
ten men dug water ditches by hand and spent the winter taking out a fair
amount of gold on Armells Creek on the Wiedman Ranch.
This area is also
rich in Indian lore. The Blackfoot tribe had their winter camp at the head
of Armells and tepee poles were still standing on the bottom land which
is now the Wiedman hay meadows.
The Wiedman ranch
was homesteaded by the grandfather, Chris Wiedman, in the fall of 1888
and the original log cabin still stands at the present building site. The
apple orchard planted then still bears much fruit, and one of the oldest
trees now bearing is 75 years old.
The first school in
the area, for which the registration books are still in the files at the
Wiedman Ranch, was held in the log ranch house. A few years later a log
school house was built on the banks of Armells Creek, a short distance
from the house. The two pupils listed on the school attendance records
for the first two months were May Biggerstaff and Alan Wiedman. Later many
more pupils came and a larger school was built nearby. During the next
few years the Junction School, Romunstad, Knob Hill, Fergus and Horse Ranch
schools were opened and all were well attended.
Winding its way through
numerous ranches in the year 1874 was the Old Carroll Trail, main stage
road from Helena to Fort Carroll near Rocky Point on the Missouri River.
Mail was delivered via this route in four and one-half days; freight fifteen
days, and freight from Chicago in thirty days. This trail was not in use
for a few years, due to Indian attacks. The trail can still be seen through
the Lipke, Gilpatrick, Maberry, Wiedman ranches, and down through the Yaegers
property.
One of the oldest
pioneer ranches was the James Fergus holdings. This ranch was a sort of
headquarters for many homesteaders. Mail was handled here in the early
days and a commissary was run at the ranch. After the hard winter of 1886-1887,
many pioneers who suffered severe losses were helped out by James Fergus.
They paid back their loans with butter, eggs, oats, etc. During the depression
of the 1930's part of this ranch was sold to the Yaeger family.
Telephone service
was maintained by a group of ranchers who built their own line into Lewistown
in 1900--Wm. Fergus, Fergus Land and Livestock, Hill Ranch, Fergus Bros.,
and the Geo. Gilpatricks. Later they sold their franchise to the Bell Telephone
Co. Later the rural line for Armells, with the switchboard in the Wiedman
kitchen, served the area until about 1958. (In 1968 the old ringer-type
antique phones were still in use serving the Wiedman, John Gilpatrick,
Fred, Charles and Larry Yaeger ranches and the Tom Byrnes on the Box Elder.
During many winter storms, when the new modern phones were often out of
order, the
antiques still worked and were a comfort when help or visiting was needed.
The line was kept up by willing ranchers who all did their share in a good,
old-fashioned way.)
Postal service was
furnished by the Armells Transportation Co., with George A. Gilpatrick
as proprietor and H.C. Brown as agent. The stage left Lewistown Wednesdays
and Saturdays at 8:30 a.m. Fare to Deer Creek was $1.50 and to Armells
$2.
The postmaster at
Box Elder was Mrs. Odin Romunstad, with the home serving as her office.
Later the post office was moved to Armells and located on the property
now owned by the Yaeger families. The postmaster there was Mathews, Dick
and Mona Thomas, and later Hazel Fergus. During the time Hazel Fergus was
in charge, the building burned to the ground. All patrons then received
their mail at Fergus.
In the years 1912
to 1916 during the gradual closing of the Kendall mines, many of the hard
rock miners came into the area to take up homesteads. Some of these were
the Ed Biggerstaffs, whose ranch is owned by Charles Hala; Reid Biggerstaff,
whose ranch is now owned by John Gilpatrick and family; the William McBurneys;
Busseys; John Bleckel; Willard Lamphier and Jack Huber. Many of these homesteads
are now part of the larger ranches, and some are still in the family with
the second and third generation living on them.
Much land was plowed
and grain was raised in abundance in the area until 1930's when most of
the ranchers became convinced the area was really adapted to the raising
of cattle. Due to the amount of rainfall received, many of the acreages
have been re-seeded to pasture grass, and once again the sheep and cattle
eat and grow fat as they graze in this paradise.
Another pioneer ranch
in the area is the Will Landru property. The Landrus took up homesteads
in 1910, and the property is still occupied by the second generation. Other
ranches were Gladys Hunnewell Hall, now Mrs. Lutz; the Stephens family;
Lokavitch; Jack Badger; the Walter Pecks; Greens and many, many others.
In this area, too,
was the huge sheep shearing plant which was owned first by Jim Wilson where
ranchers brought their sheep many miles in June and July to have them sheared.
As many as thirty shearers were able to shear from 150 to 300 sheep per
day each, these being a small Rambouillet, Merino breed. The shearing plant
was run by a one-cylinder engine and part of the old shearing machinery
is still stored on the Wiedman and Maberry ranches.
We of the pioneer
families are happy and proud to carry on the work started by our ancestors,
and truly enjoy living in a wonderful community with fresh invigorating
air to breathe, blue skies, lots of space and neighbors who believe in
working together. We truly think we are lucky to live in such a wonderful
part of the Treasure State.
AN ARMELLS COMMUNITY FAMILY GATHERING
About 1900-01.
#105 WEIDEMAN (ARMELLS) SCHOOL
The Weideman district
was created in 1913. The trustees were A. C. Weideman and Edward Dougherty.
Other families in the area were W.W. Lamphier, John Cravens, J.J. Sullivan,
Thos. Herbert, Jas. Craig, Reid Biggerstaff. The first teacher was Marie
Singleton. Some of the other teachers were L. Blair, Ivy Davis, Joy Davis,
Ida Anderson, Clara Plath, Alice Hamilton, and Vernadel Green. The last
teacher was Grace McClenning Beattie. The last school term ended November
20, 1936. The district was abandoned in 1942 and attached to #56 Hilger.
ROSE CARMICHAEL AND MOLLIE ANDERSON
Rose Anderson
Carmichael was born in LaPorte, Indiana in 1884. She had a homestead in
Kansas before coming to this area. Her daughter, Keoka, was born in a hotel
in Cheyenne, Wyoming, in 1909, enroute to Lewistown, Montana with her husband
and her mother, Mollie Anderson.
Rose divorced her
husband and homesteaded near Fort Maginnis. She sold that homestead and
next homesteaded on Armells Creek when Keoka was about eight years old.
During the school
year Keoka stayed in Roy with her grandmother, who was a nurse and was
taking care of Cap McCullough's mother. Both Rose and Mollie worked on
area ranches while they were here, among them the Horse Ranch when the
Evert Harrells were leasing it; for Joe Marshall on the Sharp Ranch; and
for Murray Deaton on the Stoddard Ranch. After leaving the Armells homestead,
Rose and her mother both worked on Cap McCullough's ranch.
Rose and Keoka left
here in a team and wagon and went to Shepherd, a trip that took a week's
time. Keoka is now living in Deming, New Mexico. Rose passed away in 1971.
HERBERT BLANCHARD
Herbert Blanchard came
to Montana about 1879. He worked in the White Sulphur Springs area for
about two years, before becoming associated with W.W. Parrett in the sheep
business on Armells Creek. Parrett and Blanchard were in business together
until 1894 when Parrett moved north of the Missouri river.
Blanchard, a bachelor,
died in January of 1896 at the age of 38. His death wa caused by an abcess
on the brain which was undoubtedly the result of an accident that had occurred
eight years previously. He had been run over by a wagon and had received
considerable head injuries and never fully recovered, suffering from headaches,
melancholia and a change in disposition.
In 1881 a brother
of his came to Montana and bought a team, wagon and harness and headed
for the Springs. The first night out on the road, while leading the horses
from water, he became entangled in the rope and was dragged to death.
Herbert was the last
survivor of four children. His father had died years before. His mother
was listed as a "wealthy woman of Boston".
He was well known
and universally admired in Fergus county and was one of this areas most
prominent woolgrowers. His ranch, now owned by Glen Rindal, was known for
many years as the Beatty Ranch.
An interesting article
appeared in the February 6, 1896 issue of Fergus Co. Argus
following his death. It reads as follows:
"The recent death of Herbert Blanchard
reminds us that of the eleven white men who have died in the settlement
north of the Judith mountains since what is now Fergus county was first
settled, his is the first from a natural cause originating here. One was
hung at Judith Landing for horse stealing; one was drowned while crossing
the river, Doyle killed Howard at the Howard ranch near Box Elder, Herbert
Atkinson killed Pool in self-defense on the divide coming from Maginnis,
a sheepherder was pounded and clubbed to death by two rowdies at John Butterfield's,
one man was frozen to death last winter at Oscar Stephens' ranch, a young
man left Armell creek on foot for the North Moccasin some four winters
ago and his body was found next spring on Deer Creek, about the same time
a man left lower Dog Creek for the Bear Paw's and was seen by a sheepherder
off the road going in the wrong direction and has not been seen since,
a sheepherder in the employ of Brooks Bros. was frozen to death near Salt
Creek and a young man from the "east," far gone with consumption, died
at N.T. Smith's. This list shows that the blizzard has cost us four times
as many lives and the gun and club three times as many as natural causes."
EDWARD AND LOUISE CHANDLER
Edward P. Chandler
and his cousin, Will, came to the area in 1882. They were engaged in the
sheep business in the Deer Creek area. Edward came from Concord, New Hampshire.
He graduated from Amherst Agricultural College and farmed and taught in
Kansas before coming to Montana.
Will did not stay
long; this country was "too tough" for him and he returned to Virginia.
Edward married Louise
Hilger in 1889. She was teaching school at Fergus when they met.
Louise came to Montana,
from Minnesota, in a wagon train which was accompanied by the Military
through
Indian country. At one time, during their trek west, they were approached
by Indians who were on the war path. The army's band began to play and
the Indians were so astounded by the music that when all was said and done,
instead of fighting, they all smoked the peace pipe! The trip from Minnesota
to their destination in Helena took three long months.
The Chandlers left
the Deer Creek Ranch in 1899 and moved to Lewistown. He was a county commissioner,
county treasurer and also a state senator.
They had three children:
Helen, George and Alice.
Edward passed away
in 1923; Louise in 1934.
ROBERT DIXON
Roy Enterprise, April 11, 1918
Robert Dixon, a rancher
of Armells, has turned out several patentable articles this winter, one
an eight-ton rotary plow for which he has just received final papers from
the U.S. Patent office. A patent has been allowed on a wagon shoebrake,
also one for automobile valve tester and one on an invention to furnish
light for an automobile in case of trouble at night. This light is operated
by the motor and may be used all around the car.
Dixon has applied for a copyright
on a song that he and his daughter, Edith, who is 12 years of age, have
just composed.
R. H. DONEVAN (DONOVAN)
RUSSELL DONOVER
T 19 R 21 Sec 18
Roy Enterprise, April 11, 1918
R.H. Donevan, who sold his ranch located
near the Maury Bros. Horse Ranch last fall to Obee Bros. and went to Agra,
Kansas, has come back to Montana and will buy another ranch and camp here.
Mr. Donevan came from Kansas originally several years ago and done well
here, but like many others, got homesick, sold out and returned to his
first love which soon faded away. He is a good citizen and we are eager
to extend the right hand of fellowship.
(Though there are 4 different spellings we
believe all to be the same person.)
A Mrs. Russell Donovan taught
the Adams school. A Frances Donovan attended the school.
CHARLES G. EDWARDS
"BUCKSKIN CHARLEY" SPANISH AMERICAN
VETERAN
Charles Grant
Edwards, son of David and Ohio Edwards, was born 1 October 1868 at Flint,
Idaho. He was schooled in South Dakota and came to Montana with his father
as a young man. They were miners in the Gilt Edge area for several years.
His death almost closes
those portions of a chapter in the Treasure State's history concerning
Company I of the First Montana Volunteers who served their nation in the
Spanish American conflict and the Phillippine Insurrection just before
the turn of the century.
In those days Edwards
was known as "Buckskin Charley" and was classified as one of the most dependable
soldiers in his outfit. With his companions--100 strong--they marched out
of Lewistown in 1898 on the 125 mile hike to the nearest railroad, and
then to the wars in which the Montana Regiment won an enviable collection
of citations, medals and everlasting honor.
In addition to his
military service, Edwards was a miner and rancher in Montana's early days,
and he contributed to the development of the state. On 12 May 1913, Edwards
and Matilda P. O'Brien were married in Helena. They settled on a stock
ranch at Armells and remained as ranchers until 1945 when Charley retired
and moved to Lewistown to make their home at 330 Second Avenue South.
Charles Grant Edwards
died 28 August 1958, with burial in Lewistown City Cemetery. Survived by
his widow, one adopted daughter, Mrs. Antoinette Darrah of Lewistown; his
adopted son, Henry G. Edwards of Belgrade and eight grandchildren and six
great-great grandchildren. Edwards was a member of the United Spanish War
Veterans, Veterans of Foreign Wars and St. Leo's Parish. Military honors
bestowed at the graveside.
Matilda P. O'Brien
Edwards was born 24 January 1868 in Queens County, New Brunswick, Canada,
the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. John O'Brien.
Mrs. Edwards came to Montana in
the late 1880s and was a member of the first graduating class of the Columbus
School of Nursing at Great Falls in 1890. She spent most of her lifetime
in the nursing profession in Helena and Bozeman. She managed the Miners
Union Hospital during the period when Gilt Edge, Maiden and Kendall were
active mining towns. Mrs. Edwards was a member of the Spanish American
Woman's Auxiliary. She moved to Bozeman in failing health, to be where
her son Henry G. resided and spent her last days in a convalescent home
there. She died 31 January 1964 and her remains were interred at the Lewistown
City Cemetery.
THE FERGUS BROTHERS
James and William Fergus
were both born on a farm in Shawton Glassford Parrish, Lanakshire, Scotland.
James was born on October 8, 1813 and William on April 19, 1833. They were
half brothers, the sons of Andrew Fergus.
JAMES FERGUS
James Fergus located
on Armells Creek in 1880 where he began his extensive livestock operation.
In 1885 he was a member
of the state senate for Meagher county when the county was split and Fergus
county was formed and named in his honor. James Fergus gave powerful leadership
in the formation of the Montana Stockgrowers. A close friend of Granville
Stuart, the two were advocates of the vigilante movement to rid the range
of rustlers. Fergus was not a member of the Vigilantes but he did applaud
what they did.
Fergus was a great
reader and a free thinker. He did not use alcohol or tobacco and had only
contempt for those who used vulgar and profane language. He was raised
with a Presbyterian background and was a staunch Republican. James Fergus
died June 25, 1902 at the age of 92 and was buried in Helena beside his
wife, Pamelia, who died October 6, 1887.
Stephen F. Gilpatrick
(a great grandson) and his son, John, and John's son Steve, still live
on part of the old Fergus Ranch. When Fergus divided his property after
the death of his wife, his son, Andrew, was given the home ranch (now Yaegers);
Luella (Mrs. S.C. Gilpatrick) the Townsend Ranch (now Maberrys); Mary (Mrs.
R.S. Hamilton) the ranch on upper Deer Creek (Lipke) and Lily (Mrs. Frank
Maury) the Horse Ranch.
ANDREW (son of James) FERGUS
Andrew, son of James,
married Hazel Akeley. They had three children.
Andrew along with
his father and a hired man, came by wagon in 1880 to locate and establish
the ranch headquarters on the north side of the Judith Mountains. James
and his hired man returned home and left Andrew who spent most of that
first winter alone with the livestock; battling the bitter cold winter,
wolves and renegade Indians. He lived in a small one-room cabin on upper
Box Elder Creek, just west of Cone Butte.
Andrew died about
1928. Hazel is living in Alaska.
WILLIAM FERGUS
Box Elder Ranch, Fergus
William Fergus was
a farmer and a Presbyterian member for all of his life. He remained at
home until he was 17, then went to work on a cousins farm, saving his money.
With his father's assistance he began farming some acres of his own. On
June 16, 1862, he was married to Ellen Hamilton. Nine children were born
to them: Andrew, Agnes (Mrs. Newton L. Landru), Christine (Mrs. David Hilger),
William, Robert and James (twins), Nellie (Mrs. Odin Romunstad), Alex (who
died in 1896) and Margaret (Mrs. J.B. Rauch).
On April 1, 1882,
upon the invitation of his half-brother, James, the eleven Fergus' boarded
the Prussia at Glasgow, Scotland and sailed for America. After a seventeen
day voyage they arrived at Boston, Massachusetts. They went by rail to
Bismarck, North Dakota and from there by riverboat to Claggett. They went
overland to his brother's ranch on Armells. James Fergus had bought the
squatters rights from Nels Strever for William and shortly after their
arrival they moved there, where they started the William Fergus & Sons
Ranch holdings, which incorporated the five sons.
The Fergus postoffice
was named for Nellie Fergus Romunstad, (not William) the first postmaster.
William became one
of the largest sheep growers and wool raisers in the county. His ranch,
on and around Box Elder Creek was comprised of not less than 8,000 acres
and was also one of the largest in the country. Mr. Fergus had 20,000 sheep
and several hundred horses and cattle.
On February 8, 1966,
Con Anderson and his wife visited and interviewed Margaret Fergus Rauch,
who was then 2 months short of her 90th birthday. Excerpts from the interview
follow.
Mrs. Rauch told the Andersons
that the family got on one of the Missouri River steamboats at Bismarck
and came up the river to Fort Claggett, at the mouth of the Judith River,
"Our uncle James Fergus met us there, driving four horses and a covered
wagon. He also had some saddle horses with him. It took us two days to
reach his ranch on Armells Creek near the Judith Mountains. We then located
on Box Elder Creek, where our uncle had planned for us to settle."
The William Fergus family was
very religious and was friendly with other settlers and the Indians who
were here. As Mrs. Rauch said, "The Indians were friendly with us. Our
mother was afraid that the Indians would take one of us children, which
did not happen. These Indians we thought to be of the Cree Tribe. (Though
she was not sure.) In the spring the Indians stole some of our horses,
about forty head, and took them up to Canada. In the fall of that year,
Bill Canttell, known as "Flopping Bill" went to Canada and brought back
most of our horses."
"The first post office was at Fort Maginnis.
Our mail came from Fort Maginnis and was distributed from the fort, by
our place, to and from Rocky Point on the Missouri River, and was put in
pidgeon holes (mail boxes) along this route."
Mrs. Rauch was not sure of the name
of the first mail carrier but thought possibly it was Joe Doney.
Miss Zelinda Stuart (not related to
Granville) was the first teacher and school was at the William Fergus ranch.
This was in 1884. In 1885 Zelinda married Walter Peck, who had settled
on Box Elder Creek below where the William Fergus ranch was located.
Mrs. Rauch stated her father had a
school house built near the Fergus home where school was held, and that
church services were held about once a month. The minister was George Edwards,
pioneer minister for Central Montana. He also engineered the building of
the first Presbyterian Church in Lewistown, Montana.
Con asked Mrs. Rauch why Oscar (Spud)
Stephens got to feuding over range lands with Fergus. She said that Oscar
wanted to marry her sister, Agnes, but that he was uncouth, ill-dressed
and had no education, although he had very good business ability. Agnes
refused to marry him and that made Oscar antagonistic toward the Fergus
family and then he bought the land owned by Blanchard and Walter Peck.
He later bought the lands of many of the nesters, as they were called,
who had smaller holdings.
Helen Hamilton
Fergus died January 11, 1892. William Fergus died in 1904..
ANDREW (son of William) FERGUS
Andrew, son of William,
was born April 30, 1863 in Lanarkshire. He never married and made his home
on the James Fergus Ranch from the time he arrived in 1882. For a time
he was in partnership with his brother, William, in the sheep business.
Andrew was an invalid most of his life.
James P., son of William,
died November 14, 1946 at the age of 76 years. Bob and Will Fergus ranched
at Suffolk, where their uncle, James, had four of his hired men go with
them to take up squatters rights to enlarge his ranch holdings.
(Photo)- This stone monument was erected
by friends and relatives as a memorial tribute to the Honorable James Fergus.
It stands where the old Fergus home was situated and is only a few feet
from where this pioneer father of Fergus County died. It is on the old
Roy road on the Yaeger Ranch.
The monument is six feet high
and made of stones which were beautifully arranged and set in cement by
William Dunn.
The stones came from different
parts of the state as well as some from the foundation of Andrew Fergus'
homestead and from the fireplace of the cabin Yellowstone Kelly once lived
in.
The bronze plaque given by
Fergus' grandson, Tom Hamilton, reads:
JAMES FERGUS
The father of Fergus County
With wife, Pamelia and son Andrew
Located this ranch
1880
Came to Montana with
Captain Fisk Expedition
1862
HAZEL AKELEY FERGUS
by Andrew J. Fergus
Hazel Akeley Fergus,
married Andrew Fergus, son of James Fergus in August of 1909. Andrew was
59 years old; Hazel had just turned 21. They had three children: Agnes
Abbie born in 1910; Pamelia June born in 1914 and Andrew James born in
1916.
Hazel was probably
the first woman to drive a car regularly in Fergus County. She was active
in the Fergus Livestock and Land Company as secretary. She was always an
active person. She maintained support for her family after Andrew died
in 1928 and the ranch operations failed during the early thirties, by utilizing
her knowledge of the former large scale ranch holdings, to lease and then
sublease county land adjacent to vacant or open federal land, to stockmen
from other parts of the drought-ridden state.
She remarried and
with her second husband, Austin Negaard, attempted to regain the ranch
holdings during the Roosevelt Administration Mortgage Moratorium. Shortage
of capital for stock and slow national economic recovery thwarted this
effort.
As a single woman
in 1935 she acquired the Armells post office and store. Early in 1937,
during a blizzard the store burned to the ground. She escaped, dressed
in night clothes, heavy stockings and a fur coat. She managed to insure
that the safe, with postal records, was secured and to push a 1934 International
pick-up away from the building. Typical of her nature, in spite of her
plight, she sat in the pick-up and decided to enjoy the blaze and exploding
of canned goods.
Rescue came when the
11 a.m. stage driver trudged through the drifts to attempt mail delivery.
He aided her to the stage, which was parked on the plowed, main road and
took her to Roy. Mrs. Sturdy, who ran a restaurant there, took her in,
rested and dressed her.
In 1989 Hazel celebrated
her 100th birthday anniversary.
GILPATRICK FAMILY
information by Stephen F. Gilpatrick
The Gilpatrick Ranch
lies on the western edge of Armells territory.
Stephen Fergus Gilpatrick
has lived all of his life on the ranch, just north of the Judith Mountains,
on the west fork of Armells Creek. His home is on the original homesite
of his grandparents. Their family's roots in the area's history run deep.
John and Ann Collins
Gilpatrick came to Helena, Montana from Galena, Illinois. They were originally
from Augusta, Maine. They had four sons: Charles, a steamboat pilot who
lost his life while serving on the Mississippi River during the Civil War;
George; Henry who was also a river boat pilot on the Mississippi, and Stephen.
Stephen was born in
Augusta, Maine in June of 1838. He came to Montana with family members
in 1863, traveling up the Missouri River to Fort Benton; then overland
to Virginia City where he prospected. After using up all of his funds,
he went to work for wages. He married Louella Fergus, daughter of James
Fergus.
Stephen and Louella
had four sons: Collins Fergus, George Andrew, James Henry, and Frank. Collins
became a plumber in Seattle; James a carpenter and photographer in Sitka,
Alaska; Frank, an automobile corporation representative in Seattle.
George Andrew was
born in Helena on October 22, 1896. He received his education there, later
becoming a bookkeeper in his father's plumbing shop. Very much interested
in his grandfather Fergus' ranch, he came by stage to Lewistown where he
was met by one of James Fergus' cowboys, who was waiting for him with a
saddle horse.
It was a long ride
for the "tenderfoot" and he said he had trouble walking the next day. The
saddle was not as soft a job as was his bookkeeping one.
He filed on a homestead
claim along the creek below the Fergus farmstead. On proving up he sold
it to his grandfather. This was a common practice and in this way the larger
ranchers could control the area within reach of the water. Control of the
water--control of the range. Fergus paid these homesteaders a reasonable
price for that time; from $20 to $40 per acre.
George and his uncle,
Andrew Fergus, would ride sometimes as far as Big Sandy, the livestock
shipping point, to attend a dance. Once when he was returning home alone
he was caught in a snowstorm and got lost. Having been told before to let
his horse "have his head" in such a situation he reluctantly did so. He
was sure the horse was going in the wrong direction, but the animal took
him straight home.
On April 20, 1904
George and Bertha Vannest were married in Helena. Bertha was the daughter
of William and Elizabeth Wiedman Vannest. She is believed to be the first
white child born in the Judith Basin. Her father was an army sargeant stationed
at Fort Maginnis. Her parents were originally from Missouri.
The couple had
four sons: Stephen Fergus, George Jr., James Andrew and John Collins.
Stephen "Steve" F.
was born in 1906 at Lewistown, Montana. He attended school at Hilger grade
and Hilger high school; a business college in Helena and the State Agricultural
College of Montana in Bozeman.
Steve's wife Nellie,
was born on a homestead south of the Snowies, near Ryegate. Her parents
were Harold and Mona Deffinbaugh. Her brother is Pete Deffinbaugh of Lewistown.
Steve and Nellie were married in 1933.
Nellie was baptized
by the legendary pioneer preacher, Brother Van, a Methodist Circuit rider.
Steve remembers miners
from Kendall and the North Moccasins sitting on the mountain and looking
east over the prairie country and one of them saying, "I ' wouldn't give
a domm for the whole country." The rest agreed. But many of them did homestead
and stay and grandchildren of these miners: Biggerstaffs, McBurneys, Busseys,
Beattys and Wunderlins are still here!
Steve and Nellie raised
two children, John and Mona (Mrs. Don Freshour). John ranches nearby. He
married Monette Hall, a stepdaughter of Clyde Martin..They raised three
children: Stephen G., Lynne and Jana. Monette was killed in an auto accident
in December 1979 while enroute to her job in Lewistown at the postoffice.
Monette is buried on the ranch.
Steve and Nellie have
loved their ranch home and their life here. They love the beauty, the mountains,
the climate, the clean fresh air and the wild game; deer, elk, antelope
and birds. They aren't fond of coyotes which
played havoc with their herds of sheep
throughout the years. Their neighbors are the best too, in times of trouble
they're always ready to help out. Once when the Gilpatricks sheep shed
burnt down, in the middle of lambing season, thanks to the neighbors, within
a week a new shed had replaced the old. Everyone pitched in to build it.
Steve and Nellie now
live in a small comfortable home on the top of the ridge above the home
along Armells that they lived in for so many years. The scene below is
a fantastic, panoramic view of their ranch and of the Armells valley and
the vast prairie that stretches north to the Little Rockies, as far as
the eye can see. From another window the Judiths rise tall above them.
Deer and other wild game come to their door step. They moved there seven
years ago. Their grandson, Stephen G. now lives in the house along the
creek and is the 6th generation to make his living from the ranch.
P. R. HALL AND JOHN HALL
Mr. and Mrs. P.R. Hall
came to the Armells section, probably from Burlington, North Dakota.
Their son, John J. Hall, died of
pneumonia on March 20, 1921. He was listed as a youth of high character,
who made many friends easily and won the regard of all who knew him.
John went to school at Armells and
later the county high school.
He and Del Samuels enlisted in
the Navy in December of 1920 and they were home on furlough when John was
stricken with the fatal illness.
The funeral was held at the Catholic
Church.
FRANK AND MADGE JACOBS
Frank and Madge Jacobs homesteaded
on Armells Creek, sometime between 1912 and 1915. Madge was a sister to
Rose Carmichael, which is what probably influenced Rose's decision to homestead
there. The Jacobs had four children: Leslie Frank, Rose Eva, Jess and Harriet.
They lived on their homestead for eight or nine years then moved to Lewistown.
AL KNAPTON
Alta Thomas "Al" Knapton was
born 17 November 1905 at Eagle, Nebraska, the son of Mr. and Mrs. William
Knapton. He was educated in Nebraska and came to Montana in 1920, settling
at Armells.
He was employed by
various ranches in the area and later homesteaded in the Armells bad lands,
northwest of Roy where he lived until 1942 when he enlisted in the United
States Army in World War II. He left from Lewistown with one of the largest
groups to enter the service on 15 April 1942. After his discharge in 1945,
he returned to his ranch for several years. He then sold it and moved to
Lewistown to make his home.
Knapton was employed
as a deputy sheriff for Fergus County for ten years before retiring in
1973. He continued to live in Lewistown until his death, 28 January 1976.
Al Knapton was a member of the Fergus Post No. 16 of the American Legion
and the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post No. 1703. He was never married. Burial
was in the Veterans Section of the Lewistown City Cemetery with Military
honors. At the time of his death he was survived by one sister, Grace Richards
of Glendale, California, one brother Paul Knapton of Arvada, Colorado and
several nieces and nephews.
KURAS (KURNS) FAMILY
information from George Kurns
Mikil (Mike) Kuras
was born in 1883 in Russia, where he grew up. Elizabeth Jencick was born
April 24, 1878. The couple met and were married in Austria and came to
the United States in the early 1900's. They settled in Mellen, a small
town in the timber country of northern Wisconsin. They also lived in Indiana
before coming to Montana in 1916 with their three children; Mike, Mary
and George, born in Wisconsin. Another son, John, was accidentally shot
to death before they left the east. They homesteaded on 160 acres, 5 miles
north of Armells. They lived on this place for the next 9 years before
moving to a small farm, north of Fergus, which they bought from Jim Patton,
in 1925.
Four more children
joined the family during these years: Andrew, John, Joe and Elsie. They
lost another child, a little girl.
"My uncle John Jencick
came to this state about the same time as did the Pelots. They came to
the United States around 1908.
He homesteaded just
a few miles from my dad's homestead. He was a loner all of his life. He
never married and seldom visited his sister's, our mother and aunt Mary
Pelot. He ran a small band of sheep and a few cows.
He passed away in
1938 and is buried in the Roy Cemetery."
George Kurns remembers
his arrival at Armells well, even though he was only three years old, at
the time. They arrived in Lewistown by train, then took another train to
Armells. From there they walked the 5 miles to the place of their relatives,
the Pelots. George walked too, because his mother wouldn't pack him; she
said he was old enough to walk! Mrs. Pelot and Mrs. Kuras were sisters.
Mikil built a two
room log house, with a dirt floor and a dirt roof, on their piece of land.
He worked helping to lay the railroad from Hilger to Roy.
Mikil was not much on schools.
He maintained that the children could learn more at home on the homestead.
Nevertheless they did attend school at the Knob Hill, Horse Ranch and Fergus
schools. School was worked in--if and when there was time. George says
he managed to get the equivalent of a 4th grade education by the time he
was 16. The kids always walked to school, usually barefooted. Picking cactus
out of their feet was a common occurrence. In wintertime the youngsters
wore gunnysacks on their feet in lieu of the overshoes the family was too
poor to buy. The sacks kept their feet warm.
The family, for the
most part, lived off the land. They raised most everything they ate, except
for flour, sugar, coffee, etc. There were wild berries for the picking
along the creeks and coulees.
Clothes were home-made
and passed down from child to child, or from neighbor to neighbor as their
children out grew them. Shoes were saved for special occasions, such as
attending church in Roy, traveling in a two seated buggy pulled by a team.
The kids were kept
busy; there was always plenty to do. They helped with the garden, looked
for eggs and nests that the hens managed to hide out, chopped wood and
kept the woodbox full for it took lots of wood for cooking, warmth and
for heating water for washing and bathing. They milked cows, shoveled manure
and cut hay with a scythe. But it was a "wonderful life". There are good
memories of good times and "wonderful parents."
"The land was free
-- the air was clean -- and what we did have was ours," George stated.
All of the children
went out to work at an early age. Most of them remained in the Central
Montana area.
George started on
his own at age 13, working for farmers and ranchers in the area. Wages
were about $15 a month, plus room and board. In his adult life he worked
in elevators in the Central Montana area. He married Alice Anderson in
1938. Her parents were natives of Bulgaria.
Mike was the oldest
of the children. He was out on his
own
at 15. He worked at anything he could find. He broke lots of horses. Many
times he worked just to have a roof over his head. As times got better
he married and raised a family, "like we all did". He started a business
of his own, a salvage yard, which he still operates today in the Lewistown
Heights. He is 81 and still going strong!
Mary, at the age of
15, was working and helping area families with gardening and cooking. She
married Charles Hay, now deceased. Mary is an accomplished artist.
Andy was on his own
at the ripe old age of 12. He served several years in the army. He married
Edith Miller. Andy has his home on the Heath Star Route. Andy, with the
help of his sons and brother George, built an earth home; "the best in
the country". It was built without blueprints. Andy still does carpentry
work and "does it good," George says. "When he builds anything he does
it without blueprints, just his brain". He has been a gas man and an electrician.
Andy and his wife
are now retired. Their family are now out on their own and scattered in
different parts of the country.
John remained a bachelor.
After his father's death, February 18, 1955, he stayed with his mother
until she passed away, September 9, 1967. John was a carpenter and handyman.
Joe and Elsie moved
away from Montana and now live in California.
George does not know
exactly when or why the Kuras name got changed to Kurns. It was not done
"legally". He thinks one of his sisters changed it first so it would sound
more 'American', and soon, little by little, everyone just wrote it Kurns
instead of Kuras.
LANDRU FAMILY
The Landru ancestry
is as famous as Central Montana. It was in 1882 that the matriarch of the
Landru family came to the United States with her family. Young Agnes Pate
Fergus, daughter of William Fergus, was born in Glasgow, Scotland on November
22, 1864. She was 17 years old when she arrived in this country.
Newton L. Landru was
born on March 14, 1857 in Primrose, Iowa. He came to Montana as a young
soldier in 1884 and was stationed at Ft. Maginnis.
The couple met, and
were married on September 16, 1885 at Fergus. They settled on a homestead
next to William Fergus. (Caledonia Ranch) On May 5, 1886 their first child,
William "Will" Newton, was born on the old Fergus Ranch on Box Elder Creek.
Three other children were born to the couple: Helen (Carthey) in 1889 in
Madison, Wisc.; Ellsworth, who died at 9 months of age; and Mable (Cary)
who was born in Louisiana in 1901.
When Will was two
years old the family moved to Minnesota. Will attended school in Madison,
Wisc., and a Norwegian School in Canby. In 1895 he moved to Evagaline,
Louisiana with his grandparents and, or, his parents where they farmed
rice and he attended a private school. In 1907 he went to business school
in Springfield, Missouri. In 1909 Will tried his luck in the oil fields
at New Hall, California. But the prairies and buttes (Cone and Black) of
Montana that he had heard about since childhood and the stories of the
land near the Missouri River beckoned him and so in May of 1910 he returned
to Montana and took up a homestead.
W.R. Foster of Illinois
bought some land from Will for investment and sent Perry Foster out to
Montana to run it. Perry and Will became good friends.
Will recalled that, "I went down to visit a friend (Perry) one
day and this good-looking girl came to the door. She had an ax in one hand and a
tea-kettle in the other. She was trying to kill a gopher and I thought to.......
PHOTO-DESCRIPTIONS
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Front row: Fred Colver (holding child), Nellie
Fergus Romunstad (in white skirt), James Fergus Sr., Mrs. William (Elizabeth
Wiedman) Vannest (white skirt), Delia Colver, Maude Colver, ?, ?, Harry
Vannest, Dave J. Hilger, Charles Wiedman, Mrs. Chris Wiedman. The little
girl in front holding onto Mrs. Wm. Vannest's hand is Mae Vannest. Back
row, L. to R.: Bob Fergus, George Gilpatrick, Andrew Fergus, William Fergus
Jr., ?, Ameilia Wiedman, Emma Wiedman Maury, Marion Maury, Bertha Vannest
Gilpatrick, ?, Mrs. Fred Colver (holding child), Mrs. David Hilger, Jim
Fergus, Albert Wiedman, Lottie Vannest (standing in front of Albert), Charlie
Wiedman, Margaret Fergus Rauch, William Fergus Sr., Chris Wiedman
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James Fergus, father of Fergus County, and
his wife Pamelia Dillon Fergus. Photo courtesy of the Montana Historical
Society, Helena and Steve Gilpatrick, Hilger.
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The four daughters of William Fergus. From
left to right: Agnes (Mrs. Newton L. Landru), Christine (Mrs. David Hilger),
Margaret (Mrs. J. B. Rauch) and Nellie (Mrs. Odin Romunstad).
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The William Fergus Home. Left to right: Amelia
Wiedman (Fergus); ?, Mrs. William Fergus; Emma Wiedman (Fergus); George
Gilpatrick; William Fergus.
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August 1915. In the back row on the far left
is Shorty (Clifford) Becraft. The 2nd from the right, back row, is George
Gilpatrick Sr. with his wife standing next to him. Front row, L. to R:
George Gilpatrick Jr., S.C. Gilpatrick, Gus Kauth, and Stephen F. Gilpatrick.
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Stephen C. Gilpatrick
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A family gathering is held. This photo was
taken in front of the Stephen C. Gilpatricks cabin on Armells Creek. In
the back row are: Will Landru, ?, ?, Bill Hosher, Mrs. Bill Hosher, Mrs.
George Gilpatrick, Odin Romunstad, Andrew Fergus (William's son), Pauline
Patton and Hattie Landru. Middle row: Jim Patton, George Gilpatrick Jr.,
George Gilpatrick Sr., Mrs. Stephen C. Gilpatrick, Mr. Stephen Gilpatrick,
Lily Maury, her granddaughter, Lily Maury and Claude Maury. Seated in front:
Wayne Hosher, Stephen Gilpatrick, Lucille Hosher, ?, Margaret Maury.
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Louella Fergus Gilpatrick daughter of James
Fergus.
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Elizabeth Kuras
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L. to R.: Mikil Kuras, Charles Hay, Antoin
Pelot, George, Mike, Andy and John Kurns--in the 1920's.
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