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O’Fallon Flashbacks

Copyright 1975 O'Fallon Historical Society, Baker, Montana. ALL RIGHTS RESEVED

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Copyright 1975 O'Fallon Historical Society, Baker, Montana. Printed by Western printing & Lithography

 

Brownson Family Group -1916- Taken By The Barn After It Was Rebuilt

Brownie Hitched On To The Buggy Which Was The

Means Of Transportation

Mark Brownson With Turtles Which He Had Caught

For Leu, Jim, The Chinaman, Who Had A Restaurant In Baker

Some of the neighbors near the Price Ranch were, Odin Myhre, John Green, the Kreagers, the Bill Bruces, the Cousers, the Rasmussens, the Deadys, and the Freisings.

Aaron and Ellen were active members of the Methodist Episcopal Church and when weather permitted and after they had cars they always drove to church. Mrs. Brownson was active in the Ladies Aid and often entertained the ladies from Baker and all her neighbors.

Their home was a meeting place for picnics and family gatherings. Strangers and visitors were always welcome, for a meal or overnight. Seems she was never caught short.

There were 10 children. All of them grew up and spent most of their lives in Fallon County except for the three older ones who were married before the folks came to Montana.

The children are; John of Howard, Pa., Mary Wenger of Elkhart, Ind.,Walter of Ashland, Ohio, Clara Berg of Holland, N. Y., Ethel Gustafson of Baker, Leona Scoles of Baker, Mark of Bozeman, Mont.,Magdalena Wolverton of Salem, Oregon, Martha McFarland of Eureka, California and Myrtle Scoles of Aberdeen, Idaho. As you can see by the addresses they are scattered all over the U. S. A. Mother Brownson died in the spring of 1937 and Aaron died July 5, 1951 while visiting his son Walter in Ohio. He always loved Montana so Walter brought him back to Baker for burial.

 

Mr. and Mrs. James Bruce And Children On The Bruce's Twenty-Fifth Wedding Anniversary

Left to right-Bradley, Jim, Peggy, Stanley and Nancy

MR. AND MRS. JAMES BRUCE by James Bruce

In the spring of 1913 my dad, William Bruce, made a trip to Montana to look the country over. Later that year we came to Montana by train, an emigrant train, at a special rate to homesteaders. We arrived in Marmarth, North Dakota and traveled by wagon to my mother's (Barbara Seaman Bruce) claim on Hidden Water Creek.

Mr. and Mrs. William S. Bruce [Homesteaders]

With Nancy Bruce-Daughter of James and Peggy Bruce

Our neighbors were the Walt Seamans and the Earl Allens to the south of us, and adjoining the Allens to the south was the Enoch Norris homestead. To the southeast of us was quite a large sheep and horse ranch owned by the Wells family. East of us was the Dick Foster ranch on Little Beaver Creek. Mr. Foster, an excellent horseman, raised both horses and cattle. He had the first threshing machine which was powered by several teams of horses that walked in a circle. The grain separator had no feeder and would thrash only bundles of grain. Two men stood on a platform and cut the bands on the bundles and then they carefully pushed the grain towards the cylinder. The separator had no blower but had sort of a conveyor to carry the straw to the stack. Threshing was a community project and the size of the crew was unbelievable. To the west of us was the Billy Wagner place (now the Avon Lester ranch). This land was homesteaded by the Weatherall. family. Two of the Weatherall family are still buried on the ranch. Later it was sold to Nels Rasmusson. About three miles below the

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Rasmusson ranch an Englishman had homesteaded on Little Beaver. Once he borrowed a horse from the Rasmusson ranch and as was typical of the times he was given a bucking horse. His description of being bucked off was, "The horse humped his back and bowed his neck and I couldn't remain in my seat. You know!"

My brother Clarence, was born on the ranch in late December of 1913. The years from 1913 to 1919 were fairly good, then 1919 turned terribly dry and the creeks and water holes went dry. The following winter was really bad with lots of snow and severe cold. The people farther south of us were buying hay at Baker, then hauling it clear to the Box Elder country. A lot of them would stay overnight at our place when it was 15 or 20 below. You could hear them coming for quite a while before you could see them as the snow sort of squeeked or squealed under the sled runners and the wagon wheels.

About 1916 there was a homesteader east of Rasmussons. He had just one cow that needed branding so he asked the Rasmusson cowboys to brand her for him, but he didn't want to watch them do it. The boys branded her alright with-D U N C A N- all along the whole side. You see! Duncan was the man's name, and needless to say Mr. Duncan didn't make it as a rancher.

Tragedy sometimes struck the homesteaders. South of us about five miles lived the Coffmans. In the twenties their only girl was going home from school on a cold and stormy day. She didn't make it. They found her frozen body near the high Mud Buttes northeast of the Rambur homestead.

In 1920 the neighbor to the south of us became quite ill from being gassed. Dr. Young got as far as our place in a car then decided to go the rest of the way by team. It was dark and snowing so my dad went. with him. About three miles from our home the horses just stopped. Dad took the lantern and walked around in front of the team and just disappeared. There was a high cutbank there and down he went. There was a lot of snow so he wasn't injured but they came back to the ranch and started out again the next morning. That time they got to the Gunderson's and Mr. Gunderson survived for a year after that.

About 1926 a Wildcat Drilling Co. drilled near our place and struck natural gas. In 1928 the M. D. U. built a pipeline from Cabin Creek to Rapid City, South Dakota. The winter of 1928 the Peter Norbeck Company of South Dakota drilled a well on our place. The crew lived in a tent but they managed to stay fairly comfortable by one of them always keeping the coal fire going. .Norbeck drilled several wells in Fallon County.

In the fall of 1928 1 got a job with the Gas Company (now the M. D. U.) riding the pipeline. That winter I found out what it was like to become really cold, but I managed to keep the job. One day it was 20 below and I got cold out in the field so I built a fire behind a cutbank. The fire was going pretty good and I was eating a sandwich when the snow, which was hanging over the bank above me, gave way and came down and put out my fire. That sort of discouraged me. Another time when it was real cold and snowing I looked back and there was a coyote following me, although coyotes are not dangerous animals it did surprise me. Anyway I worked at different things for many years for the M. D. U.

Going north of Baker up the old highway, I would return down the pipeline road. One day with the snow and wind blowing and the visibility very poor I saw a sled pulled by a pair of mules and Mr. William Harris walking along side in order to keep himself warm. There was a long box on the sled. Mr. Beck had died and that was the only way there was to bring him to town.

Although doing other work I had maintained an interest in the ranch. We bought the Seaman Homestead, the Weatherall 1/4 section and a 1/4 section from Roscoe Bess, a homesteader who later went to Los Angeles and became a policeman. In 1929 we had farmed 200 acres of land, part of it rented. We had about 20 workhorses. After the harvest and paying the bills we had about 20 dollars profit between dad, my older brother and myself.

 

Barns, Corral and Old Windmill at W. S. Bruce Ranch

My three brothers, Ed, Maynord, and Clarence left the ranch and my sister got married and moved to South Dakota. After 1938 conditions improved in the ranching industry and my father was able to operate fairly successfully until 1957 when he passed away. My mother had preceded him in death in 1946. Dad classified Death as a great adventure from which no one has ever returned to tell about. After Dad's death I bought my brothers' interest in the ranch and I still own it. I married Peggy Heistand in the fall of 1940.

Peggy's side of the story;

When I was a little girl my stepfather, Roy Abbott Foster, told us about punching cows along the Powder River and coming to various places in the Dakotas and Montana with the "cook wagon." "Powder River let-'er-buck" was a familiar expression. He was later one of the cowboys in the "Wild West Riders" in the W. F. Cody show.

Perhaps inspired by his stories, I'd always wanted to see eastern Montana. After completing my formal education and graduating from Eastern Montana Normal School in Billings, Montana, I accepted a teaching position at the Hidden Water School in the locality known as Minnesota Valley which is south of Baker.

This was my first time away from home alone. My brother, Bill Heistad, brought me in a 1928 "Chivey" car. It seemed like we drove and drove over house less miles between Miles City and Baker. There were few cars and narrow roads. It was very dry and dusty. The nine churches visible at Plevna were a welcome sight-then finally Baker.

At that time the houses were well separated by vacant lots, no trailer houses, a swamp right in town, dusty roads, no paved streets, not many sidewalks except for a board walk and a bridge. We drove on south of Baker and I found my boarding place, just down the road from the school house, with a widow Mrs. Homer (Ella) Young. My room was a glassed in but airy front porch with no storm windows. Fortunately, with the coming of the cold weather, I was

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invited inside as one of the family. Mrs. Young had a car and we enjoyed many social trips to town, to church and just visiting.

Board Walk And Bridge Across The Swamp

Which Was Between The Business District And

The South Side Of Baker

Mrs. E. M. Young- Landlady Of Peggy Heist and Bruce

I was introduced to the friendliness of having a cup of coffee, generally accompanied by some home baked goodies. I'd never drunk coffee before but soon learned to enjoy this social, friendly gesture of friendship. However brief the visit it was always coffee time.

September 1939 on a Monday is a morning I shall never forget. As I looked out of the schoolhouse door, here came the eager, happy children walking from all directions. Some had walked from three to five miles to school.

As they got closer to the new teacher the talking stopped, and they smiled shyly, brought in the lunch pails and dashed out to play.

At nine o'clock the teacher rang the hand bell and school began. There were nine children and five grades to teach. The teacher was expected to divide her teaching day so each child got to recite each lesson each day, with a special Penmanship class, Art class, Current Events once a week, with some Music Appreciation and group singing and very brief story reading time each day. The eighth grade had to be prepared to go to the Court House and pass the State Examinations in all subjects and the seventh graders had to pass two subjects, Geography and Physiology.

The first week of school I could hardly believe my ears when the pupils excitedly told me, "There is a church coming down the road." I looked and sure enough they were moving the Wesleyan Methodist Church from its Minnesota Valley location to its present location in Baker.

The parents of the older children managed to visit the teacher and the school the first week or two. They were all anxious to meet the new teacher and get acquainted. This meant lots of invitations for the week end and delicious home cooked dinners.

There were no formal School Board Meetings, everybody just invited the teacher over for Sunday or Saturday dinner. Also there were lots of invitations to Church and Ladies Aid organizations. I soon found that distance didn't mean a lack of travel. Because I was a teacher I was invited and welcomed to sing in the various church choirs with out ever going to practice.

The teacher's duties were many and varied, and this was my first school. It was left up to the teacher to provide and order the chalk, paper and art supplies out of the School Supply Catalogue. I was the janitor and built the fires in the good coal stove. I was told that I was especially lucky because our district could afford Roundup Coal. This proved to be true. I was shown how to set the damper on the stove and bank the fire so it wouldn't go out at night.

Surplus foods could be gotten for those schools wanting a hot lunch program. As big lima beans, butter and grapefruit seemed to be the only surplus foods available, our district provided assorted canned soups for variety. It wasn't unusual to have bean soup cooking on top of the big iron heating stove during the morning session. The children brought their own clean cups and spoons from home each day and the older students and the teacher took turns serving the food.

The Christmas Program was well attended by people from miles around. The ladies brought and prepared the lunch. There were presents and Santa Claus, who was actually the Baptist Sunday School Superintendent. Every one cooperated and consented to Folk Dances for the program. All had a wonderful time. It was one of the social highlights of the neighborhood.

Peggy Heistand [Bruce] Teacher At Hidden

Water School After The Snow Plow Had Been Through

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Soon the snow began to pile up. Never had I seen such drifts of snow as the grader cut through the high drifts again and again and then another layer of snow would come. Just when I thought we were snowed for the winter, people simply got out big wooden sleds pulled by teams of horses. The people seemed to enjoy visiting more than ever.

When May Day came all the pupils brought May Baskets to me. I was completely surprised. I had been prepared for Halloween, Christmas, and Valentine's Day but May Day caught me completely unprepared, much to the children's amusement.

With the coming of Spring we decided to have a Nature Study Hike as prescribed by the State Course of Study. The first one nearly proved a disaster for the teacher. The pupils had warned me about the innocent looking "dry gumbo". I got into the gumbo and the children had to pull me out. You might say that the pupils and the young teacher taught each other.

Another highlight of the year was the Eclipse of the Sun. This lasted all afternoon to the delight of the children. There were no lights and it was too dark to study regular lessons. Although we had come equipped with colored bottles and glasses to look at the sun through, they proved to be unnecessary.

One of the many duties of the teacher was to borrow and return library books from the County Courthouse Library as often as possible. Not having a car she must enlist the help of the neighbors or their sons. One of the school director's son, James A. Bruce, was especially helpful. Although he referred to himself as a "pipeliner", he was a welder for the Montana Dakota Utilities Company and lived in Baker.

In the fall of 1940 1 married James Bruce. The son of William and Barbara Bruce. Our three children all graduated from the Baker High School but from different buildings.

Nancy graduated with the last class to graduate from the "Old High School" in 1960. Bradley graduated in 1965 and from Montana Tech. in Butte in 1970. Stanley graduated in 1971 and is attending Montana State University.

Nancy taught the Wills School for two years then at the Glasgow Air Base where she met and married M. Sgt. Robert W. Luderity. They have one son, James, named after his grandfather.

I have been an active member of the Baker Woman's Club, Better Homes Club and the Baker Study Club (since disbanded). I was the Blood Recruitment Chairman for several years prior to 1952. All of our family are active members of the Baker Community Church.

L. FREDRIC BRUGGEMAN [FRITZ]

On March 11, 1914, 1 was born, the eldest of four children, to Lorin and Edith Bruggeman at Norfolk, Nebraska. I have two sisters, Jane and Carol Joy, and a brother, Donn. At the age of two I came to Montana with my parents who had taken a homestead twenty miles south of Ekalaka on the Box Elder Creek.

After proving up on the claim my folks moved to Baker, where I entered the first grade in 1919. 1 have been attending the Baker Schools in one capacity or another since that time.

My folks built a home on the east side of town with Bob Rose, Pete Nelson, Jess Holbrook, Emil Ravey, Dr. Blakemore, Cecil Carey and Evelyn Hitch as neighbors. We had fun swimming and skating in and on the Baker Lake. I remember the fun we had playing "cowboys and Indians" in the "Hitch Pasture" - now the Hitch Addition to the City of Baker. I played in a dance orchestra for many years. We played at barn dances and at halls at Baker, Fertile Prairie, Ismay, Plevna, Willard and Webster.

 

After graduating from the Baker High School, I attended Omaha University and the Mac Phail School of Music.

I came home and started teaching music in the high school. After 39 years of teaching I am now High School Principal but I still teach piano. In 1958 1 was awarded the State "Oscar for the Teacher" award, which I feel was a great tribute and honor.

I belong to the Episcopal Church and was confirmed by Bishop H. H. Fox, one of the early day Bishops of Montana. In Baker I have given freely of my time and musical talents to the whole community, and have sung in the Community Choir for years. I am a member of the Masonic Lodge in Baker and a Charter Member of the Baker Lion's Club.

On October 27, 1938, Vera Gilbert, an English teacher at the Baker High School, and I were married at Miles City, Montana. We have three children: Lorynn Neser of Honolulu, Hawaii, Bradely Bruggeman of Rome Italy, and Veronica Bruggeman, a student at the Baker High School.

My wife, Vera, was the first woman to serve on the Baker City Council, representing Ward 2 for 14 years (1953 to 1967). She is past-president of the Baker Women's Club, member of the Baker Public Library Board since 1945, Charter member and past-president of the Baker Homemakers Club, 4-H leader, Cub Scout Den Mother and is a teacher of English in the Baker High School.

LORIN F. BRUGGEMAN

I was born December 11, 1888, in Norfolk, Nebraska. I attended school and Business College in Norfolk where I learned the Electricial trade. I worked for my father in the electrical business until 1916, at which time I filed on a homestead in Carter County, Montana, just about twenty miles south of Ekalaka on the Box Elder Creek. I spent the winter of 1916-17 on the homestead then my wife, Edith and the two children, Fritz and Jane, stayed on the homestead to prove up on it. In 1918 1 came to Baker and went to work for Fritz Carmichael installing Delco Light Plants in Fallon, Carter, and Custer Counties. Mr. Carmichael was killed in the fall of 1918 and I continued working for his widow until 1919 at which time I purchased the business from her.

I built a house in Baker in 1920 and continued to operate the Battery, Delco Light Plant and wiring business until 1925. At that time I sold out to the Burns brothers and William Beck. I went to work as local manager for the Mountain States Power Company. When I had the Battery Business I took care of all the Baker Light and Power Company's trouble work and also all of the telephone trouble work for Mr. Smith, who was the owner of the telephone company.

The records will show that I served on the City Council of Baker and was also the president of the Chamber of Commerce at which time I was instrumental in getting some of the streets covered with scoria. I also served many years on the Fallon County Fair Board and was in charge of the racing programs. I had the pleasure of serving with Larry Burns, Lew Price, Otto Faust, George McHoes, Gib Ziedler and Keith Sime.

I was also a member of the Volunteer Fire Department during the time when we depended on Bill Harris to haul our hose wagon to the fires. Mr. Heinrich and Mr. Ravey were the mayors at the time I was on the council. I helped organize the first golf club in Baker which was in 1924 or 1925. I still play golf.

In 1942 the Montana Dakota Utilities took over the Baker property of the Mountain States Power and I was transferred to Wolf Point as the Division Manager. I retired from the company in 1953 and then spent four years building R.E.A. lines. I went to work for the Montana Highway Department in Helena in 1957.

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In 1964 1 retired and we moved from Helena to Billings. I joined the Masonic Lodge in 1938 and have my membership in Lodge Number Three in Helena. In 1952 1 joined the Scottish Rite in Helena and the Al Bedoo Shrine in Billings.

My wife and I are now living at the St. John's Lutheran Retirement Home in Billings, Montana.

My wife, Edith Stears Bruggeman, was president of the Baker Women's Club 1927-1928. She served for many years on the Civic Improvement Committee which managed a tourist camp on the east side of Baker.

She played the piano in the Lake Theater for the silent movies and provided accompaniment for many performers, notably a men's quartet made of Denzil Young, Lloyd Owen, L. F. Bruggeman and J. C. Swindel. Two more children, Carol Joy and Donn were born in Baker. Mrs. Bruggeman (Edith) passed away in 1973.

MR.

AND MRS. THEODORE BRUHA, SR.

Mr. Bruha was born at Klatov, Czechoslovakia (Bohemia) on July 1, 1885. His parents were Mr. and Mrs. James Bruha. He was one of a family of twelve who lived with their parents on a farm there and raised farm produce as well as geese and milk cows. During his boyhood he went to school there. When not in school he helped around the farm, such as tending the geese and milk cows while they were grazing and other farm chores that a young boy could do. After he had completed elementary school, he studied three years in a trade class, learning the Blacksmithing Trade which consisted of a great deal more than just shoeing horses. He never knew just how much it cost his father for this training, but when he went to work he got $2.00 a week plus his room and board.

During his youth he and a companion hiked around Germany, often going barefoot and carrying their shoes in order to save on shoe leather.

Before marriage, his father had spent 13 years in the Military Service and two elder brothers had been slain in warfare by the Turks. Not caring to become involved in warfare, Theodore decided to migrate to America. He had an older brother in Chicago so he borrowed money from a cousin to make the trip and headed West. After a somewhat rough ocean voyage, he arrived in the U. S. and continued on to Chicago arriving there in the spring of 1905 at the age of 19 almost 20.

Having his background of Blacksmithing, he had no problem obtaining employment in an iron foundry there. But a depression hit Chicago in 1906-1907 and many men were unemployed, so he and a fellow worker decided to go West again. They felt that it couldn't be any worse out there.

Again they boarded the train and went as far as it could take them, which was Marmarth, North Dakota. Marmarth at that time was a railhead for the Milwaukee R. R. which was building through to the Pacific. The line crossed the boundary into Montana during 1907 and on west through to the camp now known as Baker in 1908.

By now he had become 21 years old so he homesteaded on 160 acres of land five miles south of Marmarth, N. D. on the Little Beaver. Here he put up a shack where he stayed during the winters and during two of these winters he attended the rural school in that area, in order to learn more of the English Language. The remainder of the years he worked on neighboring ranches acquiring knowledge and experience in the ranching industry. He worked on the 101 and Ashe ranches among others and spent five years in the employ of Francis Barber, a big sheepman of the area. He recalled how a neighbor was getting married at the home place and how he and a friend were frosting the wedding cake in the kitchen while the ceremony was being performed in the other room.

Mr. Barber had a sheep camp up on the edge of the Bad Lands, northeast of Baker and one time he sent Mr. Bruha up there with a load of feed and supplies.. A long drag! It was in the winter of 1912, which was a hard one. There was much snow and he became lost on the old prairie trails of that time. After roaming around in the Bad Lands in the bitterly cold weather, he came up against a high bank and could go no farther. He unhitched and tied the horses in the lee of the bank and fed them. He knew that he had to keep walking or he would freeze so he just kept walking all night until the weather cleared and he could see where he was.

He had, by this time repaid his cousin for his ticket to America and had also brought a younger brother over here.

On a trip back to Chicago, he became acquainted with Miss Barbara Pergler. Barbara was born in Chicago in 1890 of Bohemian parents. Her father was a very good musician. He played violin in the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and taught piano and stringed instruments to children in that area to support his family. His daughter, Barbara, says that he was so very sensitive to music, that when one of his pupils would make a mistake he would pull his hair and really "lose his cool", as the young people of today would say. Barbara attended elementary school and night school where she took a secretarial course. After finishing her training she secured work with the Sears and Roebuck Company where she worked for nine years.

Mrs. Theodore Bruha, Sr. -July 25, 1915 In Her Wedding Dress

In 1915 Mr. Bruha persuaded her to marry him. He had leased some land in the Bad Lands about 11 miles north-east of Baker, and Mrs. Bruha filed on a 160 acre claim in that same area. This land is the present location of the Bruha Ranch holdings. Mrs. Bruha had filed on her land before they were married.

 

He tore down his shack on the Little Beaver site, carted the lumber to the new location and re-constructed it into a blacksmith and work shop. It still serves in that capacity. He built a good two room, frame house as a starter and added more rooms as the family grew. Here the newly weds settled down to the business of ranching and raising a family. Some of their neighbors were Archie and Ike Stowes, James

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Jenson, Peter Flo, the Pugh family and Christ Christianson. As some of these neighbors moved out Theodore would purchase the land and add it to his own holdings.

Bruha's Two Room Frame House-1915

At first they hauled water from a spring 1 1/2 miles from the buildings, in a barrel, later they placed a small pump in a draw closer to the house. Still later they had a well drilled near the buildings and some time after that it was piped into the house; the first in that area to enjoy that convenience. The bathtub was galvanized steel one, which had to be painted often with enamel, made for use on metals.

The claim on the Little Beaver was sold to the Bradock Brothers. Hard times and good times were encountered. Snow, hard winters, poor grazing, dry summers, clouds of grasshoppers dimming the sun and Russian Thistles mowed and stacked for feed for the livestock when nothing else grew. (Pleasant work) Ha!

Summer Of 1917-Group Picture

Left to right-a neighbor lady of the Bruha's-Mrs. Louie Bradock and three sons -Mrs. Theodore Bruha-Mr. Bruha holding his daughter, Helen, age one year

Caring for the stock and family kept them busy so they didn't get to go to the dances and socials, but they did go up to Ollie to the rodeos and to picnics at the neighbors and to get-to-gethers at the Archie Stowe's or other neighbors, and as the family grew older, to the O'Donnell School for P.T.A. affairs there. Also there were the expeditions for gathering wild fruits and berries not far away, going the 11 miles to Baker for shopping and to the St. John's Catholic Church, of which they were members. The schoolhouse was five miles away so the children either rode horseback or drove a team.

It was a good ranch location. There was lignite coal and an abundance of wood close at hand. The herd fared well and increased.

The Bruha's had five daughters and two sons which they raised in spite of low prices for livestock, cream, eggs, and short range, thistles and grasshoppers.

Helen Ann (Mrs. Herb Scheuler of Baker) was her mother's right hand man. She would take the younger children off for walks and on little picnics. There was always a lunch and a blanket so that they could enjoy a picnic and after that the little ones could be put down for a nap in the shade somewhere.

The other children are; Marie Theadora (Mrs. Ted Ramber of Baker), Theodore Jr.(Teddy) of the home ranch, Barbara Rose (Mrs. Paul Byrne of Tacoma, Washington), Edmon Charles (Eddie) of the home ranch, Lillian Pearl (Mrs. Tom Byrne of Lewiston, Montana), Teresa Katherine (Mrs. Pat O'Neill of Libby Montana).

Mr. Bruha, himself, officiated at the birth of six of these children, there are as of Nov. 1972, 19 grandchildren and 5 great grandchildren.

Mr. and Mrs. Bruha ranched until 1954 when they turned the place over to the two sons and moved into Baker. They purchased the house formerly owned by Pat Crow which is on the South Side of town. Their son-in-law, Herbert Scheuler, remodeled the home and here they lived together until Mr. Bruha passed away at the age of 85 on May 5, 1971 after a long illness. Mrs. Bruha still resides in their home in South Baker.

CLYDE AND MERRI BURNS

Laurence and Marjorie Burns homesteaded near Mill Iron, Montana in 1918 but by the time their son Clyde was born on August 8, 1930, they had moved to Baker, Montana. Clyde grew up and attended grade school and high school in Baker.

Clyde Burns and Merri Barber were married at Minneapolis, Minnesota in 1953. Merri found our Montana climate much the same as that of Minnesota but a lot drier which she enjoys. Her parents, Edward and Gladys Barber lived in Arkansaw, Wisconsin when she was born on February 13, 1934, but when Merri was in grade school the family lived at Webster, Wisconsin for a while then moved to Osseo, Wisconsin where she finished grade school and high school. As a girl she enjoyed camping, swimming, and playing with her pets.

Clyde is the manager of the Bee Line Transportation, Inc. of Baker.

As a family the Burns' attend the Baker Community Church, enjoy picnics, camping and get-togethers with family and neighbors especially on the Fourth of Julys when there are fireworks displays. Clyde and Merri have four children: Larry, Kim, Cheryl and Gayle.

MR. AND MRS. L. W. BUSCH

L. W. (Larry) Busch was born October 19, 1894, in Hastings, Minnesota, and lived in Ipswich, South Dakota before coming to Montana in 1910, where he lived with his father and brother at Westmore.

After graduation from the Hastings High School in 1913 he came to Baker and was deputy clerk and recorder before entering the Army in 1918. On his return from the service in 1919, he worked in county offices in Baker and later went into business as an abstractor..

He married Nellie Lou Beaverstead in Glendive September 1, 1928. Nellie Lou was a teacher in the third grade at the East Side School in Baker.

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Mr. and Mrs. Larry W. Busch, Sr.

Larry opened a real estate and insurance business in Baker in 1929. He was elected as a Republican to the Montana Legislature in 1934, and served as a member of the House in the 1941, 1943 and 1945 sessions.

He was elected as a senator in 1947 and served in every session up to 1953 after which he retired from political life.

He retired from the insurance business in 1960 to devote full time to his hobby of "sidewalk superintending" and generally promoting Baker and Fallon County. He was a member of the Fallon County Fair Board, Sandstone Lodge, AF and AM, in Baker and Al Bedoo Shrine in Billings.

Mr. and Mrs. Busch moved to Bozeman in 1964 and lived in the Hillcrest Retirement Home there.

Larry Busch passed away on June 12, 1970 and funeral services were conducted at the Baker Community Church and internment was in the Bonnievale Cemetery at Baker.

Nellie Lou survived her husband by a little over a year. She passed away on December 5, 1971. Funeral services were held for her at the Baker Community Church with Charity Chapter # 60 0. E. S. and the Reverend Robert Hempel officiating. She was buried by her husband's side. The Busches were charter-life members of O'Fallon Historical Society. Larry and Nellie Lou had one son, Larry, Jr., who is married and lives in Bozeman, Montana.

CALLEN, MARION

Marion J. Callen the son of A. W. and Clara Callen, was born at Red Elm, South Dakota in 1925. A. W. and Clara had homesteaded in South Dakota. They moved to this vicinity in 1946 when Mr. Callen was given the position as Manager of the Bagley Elevator, which position he held until 1950.

The Callens were diligent workers in the Baker Community Church and Mr. Callen is Deacon Emeritus of that body. They were also avid sports fans and could be seen at all the ball games. Mr. Callen retired and they lived in Minneapolis, Minnesota until his death.

Marion came to Baker in 1947 when he was 22 years of age. In 1948 he married Ruby North, the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Victor North. Ruby grew up in Baker and attended the local grade school and the Baker High School.

From this union were born four children; Jerry, Ron, Vick, and Mariann.

Marion and Ruby have lived in Baker where they and family have been active in community affairs such as; American Legion, school events and all types of sports.

Marion has been an employee of the L. Price Co. since 1957 and Ruby has taught private music lessons in addition to being a mother and homemaker.

Mrs. Clara Callen is now living in a Retirement Home at Superior, Wisconsin.

The Ross Cameron Family

Standing Left To Right-Terry, Colin

Virginia And Alan

Seated-Mr. And Mrs. Cameron

MR. AND MRS. ROSS CAMERON

Ross and Janette Cameron moved to the Baker area in June, 1930 from Hawley, Minnesota, where they and three of their children were born. They lived for one year in Coer d'Alene, Idaho, prior to coming here. Ross had been here in 1916 and worked for A. K. Clark on what was later the George Halman's place and also for Kittle Lee where Bob Bergstrom now lives. There were several families here whom they knew in Minnesota --- the O'Donnells, Myhres, Steens, Rustads, Lunders, Molstads and Murphys. The Camerons stayed at Jim O'Donnell's when they arrived here. Terry was five, Colin was four, Virginia was two and Alan was born here in August, 1930. The homesteading days were past, so Ross rented a succession of farms in the Baker area over the next nine years; the Vincellette place (north of Wyrick's), the Marking place, the Van Hook place at Fertile Prairie, the Ness place southwest of Baker, Stroud's at Snowy Basin, the Ames and Cobley places near O'Donnell's.

In the fall of 1939, they moved to the Chadderdon place near Ollie and in 1942 into Ollie, where Ross did carpenter work and Mrs. Cameron resumed teaching. She taught in Ollie for eight years, the Wyrick School for one year, The Willard School for five years, the Clark School for one year and the Tonquin School for five years. Mr. and Mrs. Cameron moved to Baker in 1952 where they continued carpentering and teaching until retirement. Their four children grew up in Fallon County, attending various rural schools, as well as schools in Baker and Ollie.

Terry and Colin were together in the Marine Corps during World War II, returning to Ollie in 1946. Terry worked with his father as a carpenter and for several farmers and ranchers.

In 1950, he married Rosemarie Ulven from Moorhead, Minnesota, who spent the summers with relatives at Ollie, where her mother, Emily Stark, was born and raised. Rosemarie was teaching the Carlyle School at the time. They

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have four children --- Glen, a senior at Jamestown College, N. D., Susan, a sophomore at Western Montana College- and Gary and Linda at home. They farmed in the Ollie and Big Hill communities before moving to Baker in 1954, where Terry went to work in the sheriff's office. He is presently sheriff of Fallon County and farms their land at Ollie.

Colin returned to Ollie after serving in the Marines. He worked for farmers and ranchers in that community before managing the Farmer's Union Store in Ollie and the Occident Elevators in Ollie and Thelen, North Dakota. They have two children --- Becky and Joanne. Colin has been employed by Shell Oil Co. for nineteen years. Jean, who taught school in Fallon County for several years, now works in the Clerk of Court's office. They also have a farm in the Big Hill community.

Virginia taught school in Ollie and area before marrying Ralph (Buck) Shepherd in 1948. They farmed in the Ollie and Carlyle communities and now ranch on Box Elder Creek in Fallon County. They have five children --- Scott, who works in Wyoming; Patty who is married and teaches in Jamestown, North Dakota, Gale, a student at Jamestown College and Ross and Jan at home.

Alan enlisted in the Army Air Force, returning to Ollie where he engaged in carpenter work with his father. He went to work for L.R. Moline in Baker where he has worked for 23 years. He married Lolita Yokley in 1953. They have two children, Terry and Pam, both at home. Lolita also taught school here and presently works in the welfare office in Baker.

Cecil Carey in Greece-1962

MRS. CECIL [MARKIN] CAREY

Mrs. Cecil Markin Carey was the daughter of George W. and Rebecca Markin and she came to them at West Bend, Iowa, on March 18, 1892. When her mother, Rebecca Markin and two older sisters came to this area in 1908, Cecil remained in Iowa and continued her education. She had completed earlier years at West Bend and then went on to Iowa State Teachers College until 1912 when she graduated and came to Baker. She taught a year north of town and then went down to what is now Carter Co. where she taught a few years.

Here she met and married Edward S. Carey who had homesteaded in the Chalk Buttes area in 1912. After their marriage, they moved to Baker, where Edward was employed for 2 years as town marshal. He then went to work as manager of the Columbia Grain Elevator, operated by Wm. O'Loughlin. He continued in this work until the summer of 1924 when he was seriously injured in an elevator accident. Mr. O'Loughlin quickly chartered an engine and caboose from the Milwaukee Roundhouse at Marmarth and conveyed Mr. Carey to Miles City, but the injury proved to be fatal. The Columbia Elevator Co. assumed the expense of chartering the transportation. The railroad called for a guarantee of the amount of 300 regular passenger fares for the service rendered!

Mrs. Carey then took a refresher course at the summer session at Montana Normal College at Dillon, and went back to teaching. She taught the second grade at Baker for four years at the end of which she was elected to the office of Fallon County Clerk of Court. She held this position until 1943, at which time she retired and went to live in Evanston, Ill,

March - 1926

Cecil Carey and her second grade class Boys-left to right

Bernard Beckman, Roy Rakes, Robert Barstow,

Lester Seaman, Fred Stark, Neil Pleissner, Pat Lowery, Robert Lucky

Girls-left to right

Joan Johnson, Alberta Rusley, Alice Johnson, Frances Peck, Ray Potterton, Helen Stark

Edward and Cecil had 3 sons: John Patrick, James and Esmond, all of whom grew up in Baker and graduated from High School, and all served in the armed services. Later, when the sons were settled, Cecil moved to Oakland, California to be near them. Patrick and wife Peggy and 2 daughters live at Napa, California; James and wife, Betty, and daughter reside at Mantua, New Jersey and Esmond and wife, Meredith Lou, and 3 children live at Castro Valley, California.

In 1961, James was sent to England and his mother decided to visit him there, so she sailed from San Francisco and visited him in England; then on around the world, making stops in Egypt, India, Japan and Hawaii and so on back to San Francisco. This was in 1961-62. For a year she enjoyed good health. Jim came from New Jersey to California on a business trip and all the family had a wonderful get together. Then the night before Jim was to return home, she suffered a heart attack and passed away very suddenly in Sept. of 1963 at the age of 71 years.

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Cecil M. Carey-1930

She was a member of the Christian Science Church. She was the first reader here for a number of years and she and Mrs. Madge Hills used to alternate with the reading and playing the accompaniment for hymns. She was also the president of the Business and Professional Women's Club which was active in Baker for a number of years.

Pat Carey Family- Christmas 1972 Pat, Peggy, Alice and Patrice

JOHN PATRICK CAREY

I was the eldest son of Edward and Cecil Markin Carey and I joined them on Jan. 19, 1918 at Baker, Montana. My father homesteaded in Carter County in 1912 in the Chalk Buttes vicinity where he raised stock.

In 1916 he married Miss Cecil Markin, a young lady who had come from Iowa and who was teaching school in Carter County. They soon left the Chalk Buttes country and moved to Baker where I first became acquainted with them. Two other brothers, James and Esmond, joined the family circle.

In 1924, my father, Edward Carey, who had been employed since 1919 as manager of the Columbia Grain Elevator, was fatally injured in an elevator accident. After his death, my mother, Cecil Carey, returned to teaching in the Baker school system, where she worked until 1928, when she became Fallon County Clerk of Court. She held this position until 1943.

During those years, we 3 boys received our grade and High School education. During the 1940's we all served in the Armed Forces.

I married Mattie L. Hendy at Berkeley, California in Dec. 1956. We have two daughters, Alice and Patricia. Alice was born only a few days after I returned from Baker's Golden Jubilee celebration of 1958.

Brother James married Betty Bryant in 1945. They have a daughter and their home is at Mantua, New Jersey. He has worked for Shell Chemical Co. for 31 years. Esmond married Meredith Robinson in May of 1946. They have 3 children and they make their home at Castro Valley, Calif. He has been assistant business manager for the Haywood High School District for many years.

Christmas-1949

Esmond, Meredith, Betty and Jim Carey

I am employed as a Craft teacher and occupational therapist of the California Veterans' Home at Yountville, Calif. I graduated from the University of Calif. at Berkeley after having studied to become an Occupational Therapist and Craft teacher.

The Three Carey Boys-1972

Right to left-Esmond, Jim and Pat

I have many fond memories of my boyhood school days in Baker. There were so many young friends around the neighborhood. Children from the Hills, Keirle,

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Young,Proctor, O'Loughlin, Rose, Kochel, Bruggeman, Felt, Chesmore and Livingston families made the lake a lively place. Other neighbors were the Blakemores, the Paynes, and the Dickeys. Several of these had boats and there was much swimming and paddling during the 1930's. We hiked along Sandstone Creek in the summer, and in the fall waited eagerly for the lake to freeze solid enough to permit skating. We'd skate all week-end, building bon-fires to warm up by, and when the snow got too deep, we'd shift our base of operations to the tank hill area for sledding and to ski. Who would have thought then that 10 years later, many of us would be in uniform for Uncle Sam.

FERDY CARLSON

Mr. and Mrs. Oscar Carlson left Minnesota in 1906 to homestead near Scranton, North Dakota in hopes of having a better life. Their son, Ferdy, had been born at Welch, Minnesota in 1903 before they moved to North Dakota.

When Ferdy was ten years old his mother died and the children had to "sort of take care of themselves" as their father never was much of a cook. While a youngster, Ferdy went to the Woodberry School and helped on the farm. Ferdy always looked foreward to Sundays as they always played baseball and he liked to play ball, and when the Fourth of July came around it was always celebrated.

In 1930 Ferdy Carlson and Edith Alice Langh were married at Medora, North Dakota. They had five children; Fern Myhre, Shirley Sieler, James, Ferdella Kono and Carol Plum.

When Fern was born she needed a very special diet, so it took most of the money her parents could get hold of to keep her alive. Life was not easy for the young couple.

In 1932, when Ferdy was twenty-nine years old, he moved his family in a Model T Truck to a farm southwest of Baker.

The first few years they encountered dry summers, low prices for grain, and cold winters with lots of snow. It was very hard to keep going during these years.

They had to get their mail at Baker which was a twelve mile trip. In 1937 things began to improve and since then the Carlsons have prospered and have done very well. They have a nice home in Baker which is located fairly close to the American Lutheran Church to which they belong.

Their daughter, Fern Myhre, recalls some events which made impressions on her when she was small. Here is what she has to say.

Biffle's Cafe: There has never been since and probably never before was such a good hamburger as was served by Lydian Biffle in her cafe. We lived on the farm but went to school in Baker at the Eastside School in the late thirties. I had to take my lunch to school. Sometimes I forgot it. If it was noticed in time, Dad could usually reach in his pocket and come up with a dime. The first time for a second grader was sort of scary. To walk down town, to get to the right place and sit one's self up on a big stool at the counter and order. Mustering up a great deal of courage, I told Mrs. Biffle I would like a hamburger, when she asked what I would like.

She brought a big delicious hamburger. I in return gave her a very sweaty dime that had been held very tightly in my hand for a very long time. Mrs. Biffle thought a little girl size my should have a glass of milk, too. This was "thrown in " on the deal. It seemed the milk was so much better than what we had at home. What a great day that turned out to be.

My parents lived just a half a mile west of the Red Butte Dam. It was quite a project in its day. I suppose with the heavy equipment of today it could have been built in a week but then it was done with horses, shovels and men who needed the work badly. The W. P. A. (Works Project Administration) was manned by men who earned every penny that Uncle Sam paid them.

My folks furnished room and board for many of the men while the work was going on. Their room was the haymow of the barn.

Most of the men who stayed at our house were farmers from various parts of the country. They had to furnish their own horses. Working on jobs like this was the only way they could keep their families through the winter.

The thirties were very hard years for the adults, but when there was company for every meal, it was a pretty exciting time for "us kids. "I remember my dad and another guy mixing grasshopper poison in the little exhibit building at the Fair Grounds. The building was used for 4-H in the forties. I don't know where it disappeared to. Did it ever smell good. I told them that if I were a grasshopper I would eat it. I was very thoroughly warned to never, never taste it or even touch it. I believe it was a mixture of saw dust, molasses, banana oil and arsenic.

JAMES BRIGHT CARTER

AND

ALICE BREWER CARTER

James Bright Carter was born April 5, 1854, in Cherokee County, Texas, and his wife, Alice Jane Brewer, whom he married in 1881, was born June 10, 1866, and was also born in Texas. One son, Rufas, was born in 1882 and died a month later. Aither was born in 1884, and Luther in 1885.

Five years after their marriage, James, or Bright as he was usually called, left Texas with his cowboy comrades to trail a herd of 3,000 Longhorns to Montana. They encountered many Indians who were still a bit hostile, and one cowboy was killed by lightning, but they went doggedly on. They arrived at their destination in the fall of 1886, six months after leaving Texas. They endured the hardest winter of their lives, losing hundreds of cattle.

He settled near the McCleary ranch in what is now Carter County and built a log house. He sent for his wife and two small sons. They, along with her two brothers, Jim and George Brewer, struck out in a covered wagon. They also had many problems. One being that it took them one whole day to cross the Brazos River. They put their wagon and team on the ferry or raft. The river being low, they ran into sandbars constantly, and the men would have to struggle to keep the raft afloat. The news of their coming was brought to Bright by a fellow cowpuncher, who told of a new family that had just arrived in the country by the name of Brewer. Bright said it was his family, and immediately saddled a horse and rode out to meet them.

Mrs. Carter and her two little boys lived alone all summer, as Bright was away on a job. Indians came in the fall to hunt in the vicinity and came to their home and expected her to give them something to eat, which she always did without hesitation. She lived in fear all the time as a neighbor woman had been murdered by the Indians.

Eight more children were born to the Carters:Mrs. Carl Berry (Ella) born in 1887,died in 1966, Grover, 1889, and now living in Dewey, Oklahoma, Orrie, 1891-1958, Mrs. Lewis Foss (Florence) 1893-1968, Esther, 1895-1904, Mrs. Alvin Rost, (Ina) 1897-1970, Mrs. Jim White, (Bertha) born 1901, living in Miles City, and Mrs. Fay Shepherd (Lorena) 1905 and living in Livingston, Mont.

After living in Montana for eight years, the Carters moved to South Dakota and settled on Rabbit Creek. Dry years forced them to move again. This time they settled in Fallon County and farmed in the Big Hill Country. Mrs. Carter died there at the age of 52. Mr. Carter then sold out and retired. He lived various places until his death in 1940, at the age of 86.

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Jim Brewer remained in Baker where he ran the old Baker House, later known as the Fallon House, and was mayor of Baker at one time. George Brewer returned to his home in Texas.

Robert and Alice Cartwright, 1927

 

 

ROBERT AND ALICE CARTWRIGHT

by Neva Cartwright Loutzenhiser

Robert and Alice Cartwright were married October 20, 1910, in Dodge Center, Minnesota. One daughter, Neva, was born in 1912. In 1914 Robert and a brother-in-law, George Hitchcock, moved their stock and household goods via freight car, to Baker, Montana. In the spring of 1915 Alice and Neva came by train and took abode in a claim shack about 4 miles west of Baker. The year that they lived there was a good crop year because of plentiful rain but the roads were muddy. and drinking water was not so good.

1916- Cousins Ruth Hitchcock and Neva Cartwright in front of Cartwright homestead

In the spring of 1916 they moved into Baker at the present address, 15 South 2nd. Street West, where Alice lived until two years ago.

Robert worked at the Burns Brother's Garage for a few years, and in 1918 went to work building roads for the county of Fallon. In the winter he would run the snowplow in all parts of the county. He practiced this profession until 1918 at which time he went to work for the M.D.U., drilling gas wells. He drilled wells for this company and later worked at the Booster Plant, east of town, until his retirement in 1950.

1933-Robert Cartwright and his drilling outfit Left to right-Critchfield, Skidmore, Cartwright

Robert and Alice were active in the Community Church, the Masonic Lodge and the Eastern Star, of which Alice was Worthy Matron in 1941. She also enjoyed Woman's Club and her Bridge Clubs. Robert was a volunteer Fireman until his death in 1958.

Robert Cartwright Good Hunting In The Forties

Neva received her education in the Baker School System and graduated from High School in 1930. To further her education she went into Nurses Training at Minot, North Dakota where she met and married Earl Jornson in 1934. To this union two daughters, Sherry and Nancy, were born. In 1952 Earl died and Neva and the girls came back to Baker. Neva went back to school, to a Business College, and then worked as a secretary until her marriage to Clayton Loutzenhiser in 1961.They moved to Dodge Center, Minn. where their home now is. Daughter Sherry passed away in 1966. Nancy is married to Bruce Nord and lives in Kasson, Minnesota. They have a son, Derrin.

Alice Cartwright fell and broke her hip and is now a resident of the Fairview Nursing Home at Dodge Center. Her health is good, considering her accident, and she does get out and visits with her daughter and grand daughter.

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IDA SPEELMON CASTLEBERRY

My parents Jacob and Mary (Young) Speelmon, were both born in what was then Virginia but is now West Virginia. They were married in 1858 in Grant County, Indiana and around 1865 they homesteaded in Iowa. I was born October 25, 1880 in Cherokee, Iowa, the youngest child in a family of four boys and six girls. In 1883 1 came with my folks to the Montana Territory in a covered wagon. They settled on the Powder River at the mouth of Alkali Creek.

Ida Speelmon Castleberry

Later my father took a place on the head of Speelmon Creek in what is now Carter County, as it was a good place for hay. He wintered his cattle there in 1886 and there was such a heavy loss of livestock that winter that he moved to Camp Crook, South Dakota in the spring of 1887. There he started a blacksmith shop and my mother opened a hotel.

Johnny Brummit of Ekalaka, Montana asked my folks to move there and start in business since Camp Crook had another hotel owned by Mr. and Mrs. Jackson, and Ekalaka had none. In the spring of 1889 we moved to Ekalaka and I have lived in the Ekalaka area since that time. The only other businesses in Ekalaka then were Brummet's store and Whit Terrill's Saloon.

I had started school while living in Camp Crook. The elementary school I attended at Ekalaka was built between the David Russel ranch and Ekalaka. This was to make it about the same distance for all the school children. Ijalaka, Russell's wife, was an Ogalala Sioux girl and the name, Ekalaka, is derived from her name.

Riding horseback was my favorite recreation and my sister, May, and I sometimes entered the horse races that were features of summer picnics. My brother broke horses and May and I would even try riding those horses.

Dances were held and they were attended by all ages.

I married Frank Castleberry September 8, 1897 at my sister May's (Mrs. Billy Wirt) house at Ekalaka. We were married by Amos Lambert, Justice of the Peace.

Frank Castleberry, son of Benjamin Franklin Castleberry and Margaret (Reese) Castleberry, was born March 6, 1870 at Auraria, Lumpkin County, Georgia. He lived as a boy at Hayesville, North Carolina and while still a youth he went to Texas with two other young men from Hayesville. He worked for the Hashknife outfit and came up the trail with a herd in 1885. He returned south and made a

Frank Castleberry

second drive to Montana. He returned to Colorado with the saddle horses of this drive and they were wintered there. In the spring he went to Wyoming and worked for an English cattle outfit for a while. He came back to Montana around 1895 and worked for himself. He bought a relinquishment on a place two miles north and west of Ekalaka and this was his home until his death, November 28, 1941.

We had five children; Myrtle (Mrs. Brice Lambert), and R. Lee both deceased; Frank and a boy and girl who died in infancy. A grandson, Marshall E. Lambert, came to live with us after his parents and sister lost their lives in a tornado, June 24, 1923 at Bucyrus, North Dakota.

After my husband's death in 1941, our son Frank ran the ranch. In 1945 he married Margaret Argo, and I moved to Ekalaka. Frank has now retired and my grandson, Fulton Castleberry, his wife, Betty Jo (LaBree), and three children live on the old ranch home.

HOSEA AND CLARA CATE

Hosea Cate was born near Melrose, Wisconsin in 1869. As a young man he went to Iowa where he met and married Clara Kreager, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Henry Kreager. They moved to Browns Valley, Minnesota where they farmed for several years. They lived for a time in South Dakota, McCoon, Sask, Canada and moved to Carlyle, Montana in 1906. From there they returned to Canada and then to Minnesota Valley in 1909, where they homesteaded about 12 miles south of Baker. He served in the capacity of Locator and located many of the people who settled in that area.

He was instrumental in getting the first school in that community, and also a Sunday School. He was Sunday School Superintendent for a number of years. He also served as lay minister when there was no pastor to serve.

About 1914 Mother and Dad agreed to disagree, and Dad left the community and lived and worked in various places: Canada, South Dakota, Colorado and other places..

He never remarried, and spent his declining years with his daughters, Mrs. James Olinger and Mrs. Charles Noftsker. He became impossible for home care and was placed in a home, where he remained until shortly before his death when he was taken to the home of Mrs. Hammersmith. He passed away in September, 1946.

There were six children. Henry, Maude, Orvilla, Alden, LeRoy, and Gladys. In the spring of 1915, Mother's house burned. It was caused from a faulty chimney. We lived in a tent while another house was being built. One night when Mother was gone, we kids got real frightened by a noise out in the barn (we were deathly afraid of one of the neighbors).

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