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O’Fallon Flashbacks

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

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Henry got the old white horse we called "Snowball" and loaded LeRoy and me on the horse, and he and Orvilla walked. We went about 3/4 of a mile to one of the neighbors, George Noftsker's.

Mrs. Noftsker put us all to bed, and we went home after breakfast.

For fuel we had to go thirty or forty miles with a wagon for wood, or use a slip and scraper and uncover coal and haul that for several miles. There would be anywhere from 3 to 10 feet of dirt to move. It was a soft coal and made a lot of clinkers and ashes. It was also extremely dirty. However, in the summer there was one other alternative. We would harness "Snowball," and hitch him to a stoneboat, and go out in the pasture to pick up "buffalo chips". Now a stoneboat is a couple of poles beveled at the front end with boards nailed across for the floor. Buffalo chips were dried cow droppings.

In the fall of 1917, Mother traded the farm for a hotel in town. It was called the Fallon House. That was when the saloons were wide open. I remember many times when a drunk would get disorderly, she would take him by the nape of the neck and the seat of the pants and literally throw him out into the street.

In'17 and '18 when the flu was so bad, the hospital was full, so the doctors asked Mother to take care of some of their patients. They said, "You know what to do. Don't call us unless you have to." They lost a lot of patients, but Mother didn't lose a one.

When I came home from school with the flu, Mother put me to bed and gave me a big shot of "Rock 'n rye" and tucked the bottle under the mattress. Every little while I'd take a little nip. By the time she got around to check on me I was really "looped". The doctor said that was all that saved me. Well, I guess the stuff does have its purpose. It just goes to show that kids are kids, whether it was 90 years ago, 60 or in 1973.

Mother was a pretty good nurse. I don't have a record of all the babies she helped to bring into the world, but there were a lot of them. One I especially remember was my sister in-law, Belva Keech. My Mother said "You know Anna, I'd like to have a little girl just like this one. Well, I just want someone to give me one."

About three weeks later a young woman got off the train with an infant in her arms. She said she found it on the train and asked Emil Veroy if he knew anyone who would take her. He says, "You bet I do". He took her to Mother. The woman asked Mother if she wanted the baby. Mother held out her arms and said "Yes, I'll take her." She didn't even look to see if the baby was red or yellow, black or white. I don't think it would have made any difference.

My mother married Elmer Cate in 1919. Besides the little adopted girl, they had a boy, Elmer Clair, who now resides in Santa Rosa, California. Iva Mae, the adopted girl makes her home at Twisp, Washington. She spends her winters in Arizona.

My Dad's oldest brother, Freeman Cate, also homesteaded in that neighborhood. He and his wife, Nora, lived on the farm during the summer and spent their winters in Wisconsin. They had no children. Henry and Alden farmed their place the last few years before they sold it.

JOHN BRIT CATRON

John B. Catron the son of Mr. and Mrs. Brit Catron, was born at Camp Crook, South Dakota on August 7, 1913. His father was a colorful stockman and homesteader in the Camp Crook area in 1883.

John attended elementary school at Camp Crook and high school at Baker, Montana. After graduating from high school, he attended the Iowa State College at Ames, Iowa.

 

On August 27, 1937 he and Esther Jensen were married at Ekalaka, Montana. From this union there were three children; Dennis, Karen, and Keith.

The Catrons are big ranchers near Camp Crook and John enjoys flying his plane to Baker to take in the Fallon County Fair each year.

Ed And Anna Celander

Delila And Edward-1917

ED AND ANNA CELANDER

by Defila Celander Smith

Ed Celander came to Montana the first time in 1910. He came with his uncle, Emil Wedell, to his homestead about five or six miles east of Ekalaka. He returned to Clarissa, Minnesota and made several more trips to Montana before coming to work for Emil and take up a claim for himself.

On December 31, 1910, he was married to Anna Jeannette Nasset in Minnesota. They came to Montana the following spring, having shipped by rail to Marmarth, North Dakota, then by wagon team to the Wedell place. It took three days and they camped out along the trail. It was so early in the spring they woke up mornings with snow on their bed.

The claim site was picked that summer and logs were felled and hauled to the sawmill to be sawed into lumber.

On November 1st, 1911 their first child was born, but survived only a few weeks.

The spring of 1912 Asbjorn Nasset (Anna's father) came. He was a carpenter and had promised to build the house as a wedding gift. Now, they all moved to the location and set up a tent, which was home until the house was finished. To some people this would have been a hardship, but to Mom it was a lark and she enjoyed every minute of it. Mother was a very capable person and could cope with any emergency that came along.

Our house was big by homestead standards. Most homestead houses were one room or two at the best. Some were "soddy's" and "dugouts". Ours was 24 feet square and had three rooms. Two rooms were finished inside. The kitchen with wainscoting which was the style of the day, and the bedroom with deadening felt and wallpaper. The third room was floored with shiplap and unfinished walls. However it was the largest room and was the neighborhood dance hall for the first years, as there were no schoolhouses as yet to act as social centers.

In 1913 Edward was born. Mother had gone back to the Wedell home to await his arrival, as Mrs. Wedell was a registered nurse and the nearest thing to a doctor around.

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In 1914 the Sipma family came and settled about 3 miles from our place. I believe they were the first neighbors near enough to really neighbor with. I was born in 1915 with just my father, Grandfather Nasset and a sixteen-year-old aunt in attendance. I was quite a novelty. I refused to cry and was born with pierced ears. The ears were pierced like little dimples that went all the way thru the ear. However, after three months the ears started to close and I learned to cry, so my popularity diminished fast.

Harley was born in 1918, with Father and Mrs. Dad Findly taking care of Mom. The Dad Findlys lived near the Hilmont School and were not close neighbors, however, they were good friends and he was the only Civil War Veteran we knew. He used to tell us about meeting Abraham Lincoln face to face. It was quite a thrill for us.

Mom's brother, Anton (Tony) came out to Montana before he went into the service in World War I. When he returned he made his home with us until Henry (Mom's brother also) sold his homestead rights to Tony and returned to Minnesota. Tony joined us on the north and Matt, another brother, joined us on the east, while Sam Fredrickson joined us on the west. Sam and Matt went into the service together. Matt was on his way to France when the Armistice was signed. He stayed in France six months while the soldiers who had been in battle were returned.

It must have been between '11 and '15 or '16 that the homesteaders came and there was a shack on every quarter or half section. It was during this period that dances were held in our house. Mom's brothers, Matt and Henry both played violins and Granddad too, but he wasn't with us very much. Sam Fredrickson and Axel Engstrom played accordians, so there was always music. The dances were held in the winter when people had time on their hands. There just wasn't much to do in the winter time, so that was a time for fun and card parties, dancing, taffy pulls, and just plain visiting, with a little skiing and skating, too.

Box Elder Picnic

John Oscar Sipma In The Tree

Anna And Ed Celander, Holding Harley

Back Row-Matt Nasset, Sam Fridricson, Bertha

Nasset, Richard Sipma, Anna Sipma, Mrs. Dan Williams, On The Tree Limb-Lila Celander, Clarence Sipma, Annetta Sipma, Lillian Sipma, Fay Williams, Edward Celander

One of the highlights of the summer was a two day picnic on Box Elder. It was about 10 miles to our favorite spot so it took two days to make the trip worth while. It was a long ways with horse and buggy. We took along plenty of food and quilts, as we slept on the ground, and cooked over an open fire. Fresh fish cooked over an open fire was a real treat. All the extra fish were fried down for later use.

Another pastime was baseball. Each community had its own team. Many Sunday afternoons were spent watching these teams compete.

Another big issue was Sunday dinners. This was among the close neighbors. It seemed there was company every Sunday or else we were invited to someone else's house. Many Sunday evenings were spent around the organ singing as Mother played. We had many good singers in the neighborhood, Mrs. George Boyer had been trained for opera. She had a lovely voice. Her favorite song was, "I'm Forever Blowing Bubbles". Richard Sipma also had a very good voice. I think his favorite song was "Froggie Went a Courtin", at least it was one we kids liked best. Mom and her brother both had good voices.

In late summer we usually went berry picking. This was another neighborhood affair, and an excuse for a late picnic. If there was any wild fruit, we were in driving distance of Buffalo Berries, Chokecherries and Plums. All made good jams and jellies.

We raised most of our food, We had large gardens and fall found the root cellar full of home canned vegetables and fruit. Dill pickles were made in a 15 gallon barrel and mustard pickles in a 5 gallon keg, and probably a few water melons in a haystack.

Meat was more difficult to keep without freezers. It had to be canned, fried down, or salted or smoked. In summer there was an occasional mess of sage hen, grouse or prairie chicken, as well as the fryers Mother raised. Mother made cheese, also, but we never wanted to give it time to age, we liked it just as it came from the press. She made her own soap too, for scrubbing and washing. It was made from lye and tallow poured into a box about 12 x 16 with 3 inch sides. There it hardened and then was cut into bars.

We had to haul drinking water also wash water, as the well we had was strong alkali and was used only for stock in case the dam went dry. It was a very small dam and got pretty low if we didn't get much rain. The well was a good refrigerator. We used it to hang fresh meat in about ten feet above the water level. It was real cool and the meat kept good.

We also had an ice house. Every winter it was filled with ice and packed with sawdust. This meant ice cream, ice tea and lemonade all summer or until about July or August when the ice ran out.

Our post office was "Bisher Corner". This was first located on what is now Bryden Blaser's place, near the Chimney Creek School. Bisher had a store as well as a post office. Then it was moved to Ray Bush's place. Ray also had a store. Then Barney Heying came and built the Knobs post office and store. Barney had a good supply of dry goods as well as groceries. Above the store was a community hall where church was held when a minister was available. It was also used for school plays and basket socials. After the Heying's left, sometime in the thirty's, I think, the post office was moved from one house to another until it was made a rural route.

These were happy times, or so they seemed to me, maybe because almost every one around was young. I think my parents were the happiest people I ever knew. Dad said if he ever came to the house and Mom wasn't singing he would be afraid to go in.

But along with the happy times there were the tragedies too. Jess William's little girl (Gladys) who was five years old wandered away and got lost. Her parents thought she had

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tried to go meet her brother who was in school. For two nights every one kept a light in the window and food ready for any of the searchers who might need it. The whole community was out looking for her. She was found the second morning dead from exposure. Sam Fredrickson found her and called more men to the scene before moving her. She was buried on top of a small scoria hill on the homestead. Mrs. Sipma made the dress for her burial and Mom lined the home made coffin with satin.

Another neighbor boy, Norman Vonde, was killed when his horse got tangled in a wire fence and drug him to death. Mrs. George died of pneumonia. Mom and Mrs. Sipma washed and dressed her for the funeral. Mr. Boyer took the body by team and wagon to Baker, a distance of about 40 miles, where she was buried. She had two small children whom George's parents came and got and took home with them. George sold out and went back to Indiana to his parents.

The homesteaders had started moving out along about '18-'19 and it seemed the country was full of empty houses. Some were pressed into use as schoolhouses and some were sold to neighbors and were moved, but the Mennis house we used to dance in. There was a bed in one room, where small children and babies were piled two deep to sleep while their folks danced. The ladies brought lunch and at midnight the coffee was cooked in a boiler. For these dances we used to wrap the organ in blankets and take it along for Mother to play. Jeannette Tulle is the only person I ever remember playing the organ for Mom so she could dance. Sam Fredrickson and Axel Engstrom played accordians. Schuyler Most, Henry and Matt Nasset played violins. If anyone had an instrument he always took it along.

In time there were only the Sipmas, the Glen Bushs and ourselves left. There were bachelors all around us but no families close. After Matt Nasset came home from World War I he married Bertha Sipma and lived near us.

Mom cooked for "Big" Frank Ondrasek's threshers and harvestors also Sam Fredrickson's. After breakfast she would take us "kids" in the buggy and drive to where she was to cook for the day. Frank's shack was small so a table was set up in the yard. Planks across two sawhorses served as a table. Sam's shack was much bigger and real nice for a bachelor, but he had a pet Bull Snake he kept around instead of a cat. He said a snake was a better mouser that a cat. Mom made him carry his snake to the barn before we came, by morning the snake would be back and Sam would have to remove him again. After there were a few cars in the country someone would haul the crew to our house for meals. This simplified things some.

We received most of our elementary education at the Prairie Rose School. It was built in '17 or '18. It was on George Bower's place between Glen Bush's and John Nichols' places which are the Art Meccage, and Harvey Nichols places now. In 1920 we were old enough to go to school. The school was moved west between Ray and Glen Bush, about one and a fourth mile north of us. Mrs. Glen Bush was our first teacher and Minnie Nichols our second. We didn't always have nine months of school. One year only four and a half months; whatever there was money enough in the school fund to manage. The winter of '24 and '25 there was no school at all and we went to Baker to school. Mom and we kids went in Monday morning and home on Friday night. Dad stayed in the country. We had bought a new Model T Ford that fall so it wasn't too hard to get to town and back. That must have been an open winter as I don't remember having any trouble with bad roads.

Bertha Nasset came to stay with us that winter to await her third child. The baby, a girl, Anna June, was born

 

February 10. Bertha passed away a few weeks later of a ruptured appendix and complications. Mrs. Sipma, (Bertha's mother) took the baby to raise and Matt kept the two older children. Grandad Nasset came to help Matt. He had raised a family of ten after the death of his second wife, so he could cook and bake as well as any woman.

 

Matt Nasset And Children-Ellena, June And Asbjorn [Bud]

 

In December of 1925, Anna Jeanette was born. Again, Mom went to stay with Mrs. Wedell, this time in Ekalaka. Dad took Mother to Ekalaka the first part of December. The baby was born the 16th and it must have been the last of February or the first of March before she got back. There was lots of snow and even in dry weather the roads weren't good.

John Sipma went with Dad when he went after Mom and they insisted they had to push the car down hill! I don't know if it was that bad or not. While Mom and Dad were gone Uncle Tony finished the inside of the third room of our house and bought our first radio. That was quite a novelty.

The next summer ('26, we went to Minnesota. The Yellowstone Trail was completed and was graveled and scorioed all the way. It looked real good to us then, now it would look like a cow trail. We were very lucky though we didn't have a flat tire all the way. We visited all of Mom's and Dad's folks. It was quite a trip and took us most of the summer.

In February of '27 Dad came down with pneumonia and passed away March 27th. It seemed like the end of the world for us. We couldn't imagine life without Dad. Edward quit school and stayed home. We had already missed one month of school while Dad was sick. Harley and I went the next two months but Edward wrote his 8th grade exams and passed anyway.

The next few years Mom hired the farming done and we managed the sheep by ourselves. I think we must have had good crops those years for there was plenty of feed for the livestock.

The summer of 1930 Mother was married to Andrew Peterson, also an early day homesteader of the Webster community. He and his brother had come from Olivia, Minnesota. They came to a cousin, Victor Renstrom, at Beach, North Dakota first then to the homestead about 10 or 12 miles south of Webster. Andrew was an avid ball player and played on the Webster team.

 

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Anna Celander Peterson-Andrew Peterson With Jeannette Celander

Now, the depression was on. The spring of '31 while Mother was in the hospital, I sold 30 dozen cases of eggs for 7 cents a dozen. James Peterson was born April 23rd, in '31 and that summer Andrew built on the Axel Engstrom horriestead site. There were no buildings left on it. They moved a house on this place and Grandad helped to build one barn and another was moved on to the place.

Lawrence Peterson was born in August of '32. Now the drought was in full swing, too. People had to sell some of their stock to save the rest. There was no rain so no grass and the crops very poor. The prices of livestock was "rock bottom." What little crop there was, was usually cut for feed, as well as green Russian Thistles and Sunflowers (they seemed to grow) and any weeds that could survive the heat. Pigs were weaned while young and butchered small as there wasn't enough feed.

Andy plowed a garden on a hillside where it could be irrigated from the spring. Everything grew good but we got only the early things, then the grasshoppers would move in and take most of it. We nearly always had enough potatoes as they grew well in the sandy soil but didn't get very big with out rain.

Now, we did as in the homestead days. We had picnics and went swimming when we could find enough water. The Sunday dinners were revived and every living room was a potential dance hall. There were card parties in the winter and house parties the year around. We even had a taffy pull and Mr. and Mrs. Elias Traweek taught us how to pull taffy in teams. As before there was enough local talent for all the music we needed. John and Clarence Sipma played accordians and when Holger and Engve Wiman were'rit working winters they batched in Holger's shack and contributed two more accordians. Roy Johnson sometimes played the violin for parties and Irene Johnson (Wiman) the mandolin. Even the little harmonica had its place in our gang.

After the Johnson teenagers and we "kids" found a trail across country, the families neighbored more. It was four miles by our road and twelve miles around. Of course our road was good only in dry weather, which we had lots of.

In January of '34 Helen Peterson was born and Billy in 1937. Sometime in the early thirties the government programs started. They paid farmers to leave their land idle. Many of the big farmers got on their feet again this way. The people who lived in the country were very lucky. They had most of their living. Eggs sold for 5 to 7 cents a dozen so people just ate them. Of course grocery prices were low too, so a dollar went a long way.

When the CCC Camps started, many boys, who weren't working, joined. It gave them something to do. A small allotment of money was given them and the rest of their pay

 

 

Peterson Children-Lawrence, Helen, Jim, Billy

went to the parents. This helped in many ways. The government also bought land and some people just sold out and moved away. There were many other programs started to promote jobs. On the dam building a man could work and also lease out his horses for work.

It was so dry that if crops got started winds would blow the drifting sand so that the plants were cut off at ground level. The dust storms were so bad that at times we had to light the lamps in mid-afternoon. We hung blankets over the doors and windows to keep the sand from sifting in. Mom said she always wanted a sand box for her kids to play in but not like this. We usually had one big rain sometime in the summer. It would usually be accompanied by hail and high winds. It seemed to be out to destroy what little there was. The stock dams would fill with water, however.

In the mid-thirties the Fort Peck Dam got underway. Wages were better and there were lots of jobs. Young men free to go went to work on it.

Now, Matt Nasset's two older children went to live with their grandparents, the Sipmas, vjiile Matt and Sam Fredrickson went to Fort Peck to work. Edward Celander also went. After the dam was completed, Matt and Sam stayed and worked on ranches in the same locality. Later Harley Celander worked on the same ranch and other ranches in the area. I worked most of these depression years, coming home only when I was needed or when I was out of work.

One summer when I was home the hoppers were so thick, that if you hung your rayon stockings (no Nylons then) on the clothes line they would simply devour them. Many hot afternoons were spent cooling off in the Traweek Dam. It must have been spring fed as it was always full. It was about half a mile from both places and the women and "kids" from the families swam there.

Since there wasn't much money, a lot of our getting around was done by horseback. Any stray horse that wandered in usually would get ridden on a weekend then turned loose again. This way no horse was used much and we didn't have to keep them in and feed them. No one horse was used more than one day.

In the winter the jack rabbits were about as thick as the hoppers were in the summer. If you had a grain stack the rabbits raided it every night. On moon lit nights the boys used to take shotguns out and shoot them. One winter Clarence Sipma and Harley must have sold 4 or 5 pickup loads of rabbits. They weren't worth much, but it was a twofold operation, you got rid of rabbits and had a little cash money.

One afternoon while caring for the little kids, Lawrence disappeared. He was about 3 or 4 years old. Edward and Harley were also home, and as usual had friends around.

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Everyone went all through the farm buildings and the corrals, Finally Edward decided he better get his horse and alert the neighbors. I, for some reason went to my room and there was Lawrence. I ran out and stopped Edward. We certainly were relieved. The memory of Gladys Williams was still too vivid in our minds.

The drought was easing now and when World War 11 broke out it ended the Depression. Both Edward and Harley went into the service. Edward was in the Medical Crop and Harley in radio. Jeannette finished high school and was offered a school to teach as many other girls did with only a high school diploma.

The summer of '44 while haying, one of the hooks on the hay sling broke and hit Andy in the neck and broke it. He fell from the stack and the fall also dislocated his neck. Now, Edward's medical training stood him in need. He realized it was the neck or back that was injured and kept Andy flat while Jerry Knutson went after a doctor. When the doctor came they built a stretcher and strapped Andy down. They still had to go back to town for the ambulance. He was then taken to the Holy Rosary Hospital in Miles City. Harley got an emergency leave from the army for a month to come home and help. After he returned to his camp he was given a discharge and he returned to help until Andy was out of the hospital.

When Jim graduated from high school he took over the management of the ranch as his father was never able to work hard again.

Lawrence and Bill went into the armed services as soon as they got out of high school. Both were in communications.

Helen went on to school taking up nurses training, graduating in '56 at Aberdeen, South Dakota, and it was while we were all at her graduation that Andy had his first stroke, though not serious and left no bad effects.

Mom and Andy had a pretty carefree life after Jim took over the responsibility of the ranch. Jim also modernized the house, planted trees and shrubs and flowers. The yard was a picture in the summer, and they enjoyed the student nurses Helen would bring home on weekends.

Andy died from a stroke at his home in '58 at the age of 70 years. Jim and Mother continued on with the ranch.

Lawrence married Marlyne Brost of Glendive and works for Bell Telephone at Glendive.

Bill married Diane Panovitch of Whitehall, Montana. They live in Bozeman. He also works for Bell Telephone.

Helen married Duane Hetland of Gascoyne, North Dakota, and they live at Bear Butte, South Dakota.

Jeannette Celander married Charles Roberts of Nelson, Missouri and they live near Seattle, Washington.

Harley married Josephine Lee of Baker. They lived for many years on the Yokley Ranch before moving to Bozeman, Montana, where he works for the Watershed Project.

Edward married Vivian (Collie) Kreager. They live in Baker in the winters and on the homestead in the summers.

I, Delila, married Russel Smith of Baker, whose parents were also early day homesteaders of the Froid, Montana, area. We have lived in and around Baker most of the time. Russel is now a rural mail carrier.

Mother is in the Baker Rest Home. After many strokes we could no longer care for her.

Of the Matt Nesset family, Juiie is married to Floyd Pierce of Ekalaka. They live on a ranch a short distance from town. Ellena was married to Elmer Seiler of Baker. They live at Kalispell. Elmer passed away there.

Asbjorn (Bud) married Lorraine Montgomery and lives at Hinsdale, Montana. We still have a picnic or a family dinner now and then and get as many together of the family that is possible.

 

 

GEORGE R. CHAPIN

George R. Chapin was born May 22, 1881 at Owatana, Minnesota. He received his elementary and high school education in Minnesota and attended college in Mankato.

In December 22, 1904 George and Astrid C. Pederson were married at Pipestone, Minnesota. From this union were born four children: Gertrude, Ralph, Mildred, and Gladys.

At the age of twenty-six George and family came in an emigrant car to eastern Montana where they settled east of Baker in the Fertile Prairie Community and there they set up in the business of farming and ranching.

Some of their neighbors in that community were the Evers, the Fred Hastys, the Sid Goldens, the Tom Ridgeways, the Deans, Sam and Jessie Duffield and the William Fergersons. With all these good neighbors there were many good times at the Fertile Prairie Community Hall where box socials, and dances were held.

They felt the drought of 1918-1919 and the extreme cold, the wind and fought the snow of the winters.

In 1919 the Chapins took a trip back to Ruthton and Tyler, Minnesota to visit relatives. This was really a "Highlight" in the lives of the children.

Forrest Duffield worked for Mr. Chapin for many years. When the travelers returned from Minnesota, Forrest was waiting for them. There was no rain that summer so no crops to harvest. The fields were mowed and the crops stacked for feed. They gathered everything they could find for feed. After the feed was stacked salt was sprinkled on the stacks to make the hay more palatable to the cattle.

George R. Chapin died October 1, 1924.

EUGENE R. CHESMORE

Richard and Lydia Chesmore came to Montana and took a claim for a homestead south of Baker in 1910. Their land was just south of the Barkley place where Cleo Barkley now lives. The other neighbors were, Frank Stanhope; George Staff, Julius Zerbst, Albert Ewick, Bill Crosby and Gus Zerbst. They had come to Montana because they were looking for a place to get a start and have land of their own.

Their son, Eugene R. Chesmore was born on January 19, 1911 at the Barkley home. The Barkleys were close neighbors.

As Eugene was growing up he had to help on the farm as his folks raised cattle and horses, besides farming. When he started school he had to go 4 3/4 miles to one school and 3 3/4 miles to the other. He had a horse and a buggy and tried driving to school but the gates were too tight so he ended up walking. In the winter time it was too cold to walk so he didn't go to school too steadily for a couple of years. He attended the Hidden Water School, the Fertile Prairie School, and the Eastside School in Baker. He also attended the Baker High School.

He was nine years old when he got his first job driving a header box for $1 a day. He worked for many of the old ranchers, such as; John Coldwell, Sr., Robert Yokley, Sr., James Murphy and Marshall Rife. He also did some farming and worked on gravel jobs.

"Gene" is now a mechanic and for entertainment likes to hunt and fish.

On April 6, 1935 Eugene and Bertha Tronstad were married at Ekalaka, Montana. From this union two daughters were born. They are Jean Chesmore Hickey and Verna Chesmore Kreitel.

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William Chilton-1970

WILLIAM CHILTON

I was born in Marmarth, North Dakota, April 27, 1909. My father was James Chilton, called Chap by all his friends. My mother was Mae Burke Chilton. I have one sister Emily Chilton Matthew. In 1908 my father and mother came to Baker, Montana, to work in my Uncle Robert Pearce's Store. They lived up above the store with my aunt and uncle, May and Robert Pearce. At the time I was born there wasn't a doctor or hospital in Baker so my mother went to Marmarth, North Dakota to the hospital. She returned to Baker with me as soon as she was able to travel.

Pearce's Store-Baker, Montana-1909

James Chilton Worked In The Store And He And His Family Lived Upstairs With The Pearces-Third Man From Left Is James

I lived in Baker until I was fifteen years old, then the family moved to Seattle, Washington. I finished school in Seattle, then went to work as a glass cutter in Seattle and Oakland, California where I married Anona Bowen in 1934. After that we spent several summers in Alaska. Then moved to Bremerton, Washington, where I was employed by Signal Oil Company for many years. Then we moved to Oakland, California where I now reside. I am married and have one son, William Glen Chilton and two grandchildren, Bruce and Beth Chilton.

Cousins

Kenneth Pearce And Bill Chilton

Kenneth Pearce And Emily Chilton

Emily Chilton Matthew- 1970

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EMILY CHILTON MATTHEW

I was born in Baker, Montana, January 17, 1911. My parents were James and Mae Chilton, they were among the first settlers in Baker. I have one brother, William Chilton. My father and mother have both passed away. My father in 1950 and mother in 1955.

The family moved to Seattle in 1924. 1 attended grade school in Baker and high school in Seattle at West Seattle High.

I worked in the accounting department of Sears Roebuck in Seattle for several years, then moved to Oakland, California where I worked in the accounting office of General Motors.

I married John T. Matthew a California building contractor in Oakland, where we reside.

Mae Burke Chilton-Wife of James [Chap] Chilton Taken at Baker, Montana

Robert Pearce House

In the Back And Chap Chilton House In Front

These two houses were north of the tracks where the Bessert

Place is now

Bill, Chap And Emily Chilton In Front Of The Chilton House

James Lloyd Clellen And Ella Taken In 1923

Gleason Clellen

JAMES LLOYD CLELLEN AND ELLA GLEASON CLELLEN by Iona Wells Phebus

James Lloyd Clellen was born Nov. 8, 1861 at Delphia, Ohio, the son of John and Mary Argo Clellen.

Ella B. Gleason was born June 18, 1858 at Mahommet, Ill., the daughter of Johnson and Sarah Keppler Gleason.

James Lloyd Clellen and Ella Gleason were married at Champaign, Illinois November 25, 1881.

They and six children came to Montana in 1915 and homesteaded on Spring Creek south-west of the Fulton Ranch. He filed and received a certificate for 180 acres which was later sold to the Fulton's and is now part of the Palm Ranch. James worked for William Fulton, going over early every morning and returning home at night. This was an ideal way to prove up on your homestead and still support as large a family as the Clellen's. To prove your homestead you had to live on the land seven months out of the year. Clellen's neighbors were: a Chris Flynn, the Pat Burns family, the Knight family, Miss Edna Marshall (later Mrs. Dave Collie), and Mrs. Nellie Caton and children. The Mackenzie Post Office was about 2 miles from Clellen's on O'Fallon Creek.

The James Clellens had seven children they are; Roy married Anna Fox; Lloyd G. -married Alice Fox, a sister of Anna; Mattie is still living in Texas with a daughter. Connie was a Section Foreman on the Milwaukee Railroad for many years. They lived at Gascoyne, North Dakota, Mildred, Montana and at Lavina, Mont. He died at Lavina in 1960 and is buried at Custer Battlefield National Cemetary, Hardin, Montana. Fern married Eva Brewer of Baker. They moved to Chicago. Lillie died in infancy. June married Leslie Knight, whose folks were neighbors of the Clellens on the homestead. They were married in 1910 and had five children; Vivian, Sigel, Royal, Connie, and Donald. June and Leslie were divorced in 1919 and June Clellen Knight married Raymond Clenton Wells at Marmarth, North Dakota Sept. 4, 1920. They had five children: Floyd, Delbert, Edna, Ionia and Clair.

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June And Mattie Clellen-About 1899

My mother June Clellen Knight Wells told us many stories or incidents that happened during her lifetime. Once, when she was a child in Illinois, a neighbor lady came to help because the mother had just had a new baby. The neighbor lady was kneading bread and the children couldn't understand why the dough didn't turn black, for you see the neighbor lady was a colored lady. They asked their mother why and the mother and the helper had a good laugh together.

She told us of her folks homesteading south of Willard, Mont. In the community were three families by the names of Good, Knight and Shirt. She also mentioned names of people whom I have met since: the Bechtolds, the Stanhopes, and the Goods.

Roy and Lloyd Clellen worked for the neighbors as cooks, Connie stayed and worked at the Anderson's Store one season. The store was later known as the Willard Store. Fern stayed at home most of the time but did help the neighbors with chores, Mattie and June led a sheltered life and stayed at home.

June's first husband Leslie Knight was a professional cook and cooked for the Army at Fort Keough. They lived in one of the houses, similar to the one preserved at the Range Rider's Museum or it might be the same one. Leslie also cooked in restaurants in Miles City and other towns before moving to Marmarth, North Dakota to manage the Beanery

Raymond [Cub] Wells-taken at Marmarth, North Dakota1947

for the Milwaukee R. R. Art Knight, Leslie's brother, managed the Grainger's Cafe in Baker during World War I.

After her divorce June met Raymond (Cub) Wells who was just back from World War 1, and was working at the Machine Shop for the Milwaukee R. R.

Marmarth, North Dakota-1923

"The City Of Trees"

I, Iona, remember when Marmarth, N. D. was a very thriving and prosperous town. There were boulevards in the middle of Main Street with bushes and flowers planted on them. Since Marmarth was known as "The City of Trees", because of all the Cottonwood Trees, it was a very pretty town. It was a farm and ranch community but most of its prosperity came from the railroad. I understand that Marmarth had the only turntable, to work on engines, between Minneapolis and Seattle. We used to have a large department store, the Barn's Store, also known as Commercial Store. This store burned and we kids thought we had found a gold mine when they poured smoked jelly beans outside. We ate some of the beans and became sick from the smoke taste. We had a thriving Bakery, owned by Howard Olberg who later established the Palm Tavern. On a late Saturday afternoon you could get a large brown paper bag full of rolls for 10 cents. In the years of the depression, my father (Cub) Wells lost his job at the Milwaukee Shops. Things were really tough at that time. We lived next to the railroad and there was a grove of trees between our house and the tracks. It was called a "bum camp", or "Hobo Jungle". There were young men, some families and some couples hitching rides on the freight trains. There were five or six camp fires at a time where groups were making "Mulligan Stew" and coffee in tin cans. Many "bums" knocked on our door for food. Mother always gave them food if we had it and if they were willing to earn it by chopping wood. Mother seldom turned anyone away because my older brothers were also "bumming" around the country trying to find jobs in order to send money home to help support the family.

The brothers, who were, at home, hunted young Jack Rabbits, Cottontails and froze them on the back porch. They would meet the morning trains going east and sell them to the colored porters and conductors of the train. They were really wild about rabbit. The boys would take orders for the rabbits and sometimes when the rabbits were few the porters would outbid one another.

My father loved to hunt and fish and was good at both. He taught all of us how to shoot a 22 rifle. We would go down to the Little Missouri River which partially circles Marmarth, and shoot at tin cans. We were taught to never load a gun in the house and unload it before going into the house.

Mother worked at the Sewing Room during the depression after President Roosevelt started the Works Program Administration (WPA). They sent their garments

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Taken In 1948-From The Top Of Pretty Buttes

North Of Marmarth, North Dakota-Below Is The Little Missouri River-This Is Not Too Far From Where The

Triceratops Skull Was Discovered By Geologist Charles Frye, Of The North Dakota University In 1964

People-Left To Right-Cub Wells, Sigel Knight, Clair Wells And Levi Simmons

1937- W. P.A. Days-Sewing Room Group At Marmarth, North Dakota

Back Row-Left To Right-Eliois Crow Houseman, June Wells, Mrs. Houseman, Mrs. Sayres, Mrs. Gray, Ann Stuart, Mrs. Nath, Mrs. Nena Sonnek, Mrs. De Lange,

Mrs. Eva Peterson, Caroline Robinson

Front Row-Mrs. Gust, Mrs. Hattie Nitcy, Mrs. Meggers, Mrs. Letha Renner, Mrs. Clara Boyce

to other towns to be given away and we received garments from another area. I feel that Roosevelt was the greatest president we have had because of this. He created work for people to make a living. Five of my brothers were in C.C. C. Camps at different times to help support the family, besides the clothing we received from the Sewing Room (every body in town had the same dress), we got the greenest fresh pears, prunes, navy beans, dried milk, cracked wheat cereal and corn meal. The green pears were put under the bed to ripen. We "kids" ate many a green pear unknown to Mother until she went to can them. She always had a garden and canned food for the winter. She would also bake 12 loaves of bread and 2 pans of cinnamon rolls at a time.

The most entertainment was walking around in the summer and ice skating in the winter time. The city always flooded a whole block for ice skating. When I was about five or six years old every "kid" in town went to the North Side and sledded down Kelly Hill. There were three families of Kelleys living on the North Side. The road was a curved road

and on each curve we would build a fire of wood and old tires to give light and warmth. The lucky ones used sleds and the rest of us slid down on cardboard or scoop shovels.

Wells-Knight Family-left to right-Connie Knight, Sigel Knight, Donald Knight, Mother June Clellen Knight Wells holding Baby Edna Wells, Floyd Wells in front of Mother, Vivian Knight, in front of Vivian is Delbert Wells, Royal Knight

We didn't have electricity for many years so we used kerosene lamps, We had only two lamps, one we took upstairs with us at night and the other we left below. We had a Majestic Coal Range which was quite elaborate; warming ovens, a copper clad water reservoir, and little side shelves to let down when needed. In those days they banked their potbellied heating stove, which was in the living room, and sometimes the kitchen range with coal for the night to keep it alive so the fire would be easier to start the next morning. This was done only in the very coldest weather. On really cold nights we would heat flat irons or bricks, wrap them in towels or pieces of blankets and put them in the bed to keep our feet warm.

Donovan Simmons-son of Iona Wells and Levi Simmons

Graduated from Baker High School 1964-Army Reserve 1969

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I, Iona M. Wells, married Levi A. Simmons from Rutherford, Tenn, in 111. We had one son Donovan Lee who was born in Chicago. On the way back to Marmarth to visit my father who was ill in the Vet's Hospital in Miles City we had a car accident and Levi was killed. My son, Donovan, and I returned to Marmarth to live in 1952. 1 married Drury Phebus at Baker, Mont. where Drury is now the Post Master, on April 4, 1954. We have four children.

Raymond Clinton Wells, my father was born in Sundance, Wyoming on April 18, 1877, the child of Clinton Henry and Lottie Wells. In the Adams Memorial Museum at Deadwood, South Dakota is a picture that was taken of an ox drawn wagon that belonged to my Grandfather, Clinton Wells.

Drury and Iona Phebus and Children

Left to right-back row-Sherry Rae, Dawn Faye, fiont-Atichael and Drury Scott

GILBERT GUSTAVE CLOCKSENE by Janet Clocksene

Enos

Gilbert Gustave Clocksene was born in Crystal Lake Township, Wis. to Gustave and Minnie Doyle Clocksene. He was the youngest of a family of thirteen children. His father came from Germany as a small child to a German settlement at Neshkora, Wisconsin.

As a young child Gilbert worked on his father's small farm, hoeing corn, walking behind the walking plow and herding the cows. His elementary schooling was gotten at Budson, Wisconsin High School at Princeton, Wisconsin and Business College at Naperville, Illinois.

Winifred Electa Fero was born the second of ten children to a Wesleyan Methodist minister's family, The Reverend Albert D. and Pearl Strong Fero at Dixonville, Pennsylvania on April 29, 1898. She received her elementary schooling in several states. Her father later bought a small farm near Houghton, N. Y. where she graduated from high school. Here she met and married Gilbert who had gone east to further his schooling and learn the carpenter trade.

Gilbert came to Montana in the spring of 1915. He took over his brother Arthur's homestead, now located in the northwest corner of Carter County. In 1918 his brother Harry took over the homestead and Gilbert returned east.

Gilbert and Winifred were married on March 28, 1919 at her family home by her father. They worked at various jobs. After the birth of three daughters: Winetta in Ohio, Janet in New York and Delores in Pennsylvania, they returned to the Willard area. A fourth daughter, Joan, was born in Montana. They arrived at the home of Gilbert's sister, Mrs. Frances Ginsbach, on September 25, 1926. They had driven through

Gilbert and Winifred Clocksene after Their Wedding In August-1919

from Akron, Ohio in a Model T Ford, which they had purchased at a cost of $416.00.

They spent the first winter in the Sig Bernson house. It was a bad winter, so they were kept busy digging coal to heat a drafty house. In early spring they moved in with Gilbert's brother Harry.

In 1927 they bought a relinquishment on a desert claim which had been held by Obe Jolly. Gilbert built a one room shack and a shed for the livestock. The family of five made do until a small house, which had belonged to Lloyd Johnson, was moved onto the premises.

Later they bought the Obe and Clarence Jolly land. Early neighbors were the Charles Emersons, the Percey Sawyers, the Howard Cooks and the William Cretsingers.

Like all of those who stayed through the thirties they remember the hard winters and many dry summers. The drouth of 1934; the year the government bought cattle, an appraiser came out and bought the cattle. The highest price paid was $20 a head and few cattle were appraised at that figure. The Clocksenes didn't have any. Later the cattle were driven to Baker to be loaded in cattle cars.

The snow was so deep in the winter of 1935-36 that the State Plows were forced to leave the highway and make roads in the fields to avoid the hard, deep drifts.

I (Janet) remember returning from a Fourth of July rodeo at O'peechee Park below Congar Hill to find the ground like newly plowed land from a hailstorm. A wall of water had passed through taking fences, dams and anything in its way making a new path of water holes, some extremely deep!

The summer of 1936 was very dry following the snow of the winter before. Hay consisted of Russian Thistles with a load or two of trucked hay.

1938 had prospects of a good crop until the grasshoppers moved in just before harvest. No one could forget the ground and buildings alive with them. One could hear the grain heads dropping. Gilbert began mowing the grain and making hay. It proved to be wasted effort because the cows refused to eat the hay the next winter. What a noise the morning the "hoppers" lifted and sailed away in clouds!

A grove of trees was planted and water was carried for each hole. which was dug by hand. Even though it seemed

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