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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

 

The Homestead in 1916 showing the house, granary and garage, ice house, milk house and barn.

The Gunderson family in 1929. Standing I to r: Esther, Ida, Sam Sitting: Martin, George, John [Dad] and Johanna [Mother].

1918, died and left four sons. They came and lived with us for years and we all attended the Baker Schools. One, Sigurd I Selden, graduated in 1934 after he had served three years in the Marines.

During the "Dirty Thirties" as that decade became known, the Gundersons succeeded in piping natural gas to their home, built an electric line of their own with poles cut and hauled from the forest south of Ekalaka and also had their own telephone line. We were living just like people in town.

Dad and Mother lived on the homestead until they retired in 1950, but they just moved closer to Baker in a house they had built during the Depression as a rental property, so they still lived on the original land of the homestead. Dad passed away suddenly October 6, 1963. Mother passed away February 6, 1972 after spending 64 of her 92 years on the same place. Both of them left us with many pleasant memories.

Mother told us many times about when their household goods finally arrived in the summer of 1908 she uncrated her sewing machine, she took the wooden crate and chopped it up for kindling and told Dad she was never going to move off the homestead, and she kept her promise.

These are but a few of the many memories I have of our lives here. I must say that through the years there always was a feeling of joy, contentment and accomplishment that certainly did help build this bare country into what it is today.

GEORGE AND FREDA GUNDERSON

December 22, 1909 was one of the greatest days of my life for that was the day I was born to my parents, John and Johanna Gunderson on the homestead one mile south of Baker where they had lived less than two year. I attended the Baker School. In 1942 I entered the United States Army and spent most of my time in Arzew, Africa with the Provisional Pipeline Operation and Maintenance department. On my return in 1944 1 married Freda Hoffman, daughter of Edward and Elizabeth Hoffman of Baker. We have farmed one and a half miles south of Baker and at Willard since then.

During my youth threshing was always a headache. Usually there was only one big outfit with a huge crew, and you just waited your turn. Sometimes rains would set in and you had to feed the crews, literally for weeks. My father decided he would buy his own outfit. Late in the summer of 1924, when I was 14 years old, he bought a Fordson Tractor and a small Woods Brothers Separator. My cousin, Jennings Selden who was 15 years old and living at our house because of the death of his mother, and I started threshing on the home place. My dad was just no hand with machinery so he attended to other things around the job. Everything went well and the neighbors stopped and watched the operation and decided they wanted us to thresh for them. Some of the neighbors we threshed for that fall were, Gunder Gunderson, Albert Gustafson, B.P. Meffert, G.O. Everson, Earl Halsey, John Coldwell, Fred Draper, Oscar Ness, E.J. Warren, Henry and Alex Beckman and James Ovens. They were so pleased with our threshing operation that it went on for years. We worked hard and we enjoyed it and many amusing incidents took place. Our crews were made up of neighbors and usually some extras who were floating through on the railroad. We didn't have any serious problems with them, even though some left as soon as they had eaten enough food to have a full stomach. We even had some who liked the job so well they returned every harvest time for many years. There were some who had a taste for "hooch" and as they didn't know the local bootleggers they gave me money and, unbeknown to my folks, I'd go, as having been on the milk route, I knew where all the Baker Bootleggers lived. I bought their "likker" for them. Nice job for a 14 year old!

Going full

blast with the small rig sometime during the twenties

Sometime during these years the Woods Brothers Separator wore out and we bought a new Minneapolis Separator. It is still intact and runs fine as I have kept it in the shop all these years and I figure if the O'Fallon Museum ever gets a large enough building I will make them a present of it.

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GUNDER GUNDERSON By Frances Mae Bertsch

Gunder Gunderson was born June 16, 1887 in Solar, Norway. Gunder left home at the age of 18 coming to America by boat. He lived in Minneapolis, Minnesota about three years and came to Baker in 1908 at the age of 21 years.

Brothers’ John and Gunder were some of the first homesteaders here, squatting on land south of Baker. This land is about two miles from the city limits. Filing of homesteads wasn't open until 1909 and Fallon County belonged to Custer County at that time.

Gunder worked for the Milwaukee Railroad as a section laborer, working 10 hours a day for $1.50. The work was hard because most of it was done by pick and shovel. Gunder also helped build the first church in Baker which was the Congregational Church.

In 1912, Gunder married Martha Gustafson. She passed away in 1915. They had one son, Gilbert. He lives in Lemmon, South Dakota and is a janitor of the First National Bank of Lemmon and a caretaker of the Lemmon cemetery. Gilbert married Wilma Klein and they had one son and two daughter. Howard and wife, Evelyn, live in Minot, North Dakota. They have a daughter and twin sons. Loretta and husband, Ludwig Schmidt, live in Bison, South Dakota. They have a boy and a girl. Darlene and husband, LaVern Wolf, live in Ashley, North Dakota. They also have a boy and a girl.

On June 25, 1919, Gundar married Mae L. Everson. She was born on June 24, 1898, in Harrisburg, South Dakota. Her parents were Gunder 0. and Tressie Lee Everson. It was about 1908 when Mae moved with her parents to Larchwood, Iowa. In 1910, she came with her parents to homestead southwest of Willard, Montana at the age of 12 years. There were eight children in the Everson family; Merrill, Clarence, Theodore, Ray, Francis, Ruby, Florence, and Mae.

Gunder Gunderson and son, Gilbert, hauling water.

Wedding picture of Gunder and Mae Everson Gunderson 1919

Gunder 0. and Tressie Everson, parents of Mae Gunderson.

Generosity, thoughtfulness, love, and willingness expressed themselves in the life of Mae as she provided a home for many children and young people.

In 1953, she became a dealer in Watkins Products acquiring the dealership from Percy Bryson. She spent many hours each day working and traveling from one farm to another selling the products. Besides this she enjoyed going to Black Hills Regular Baptist Camp near Nemo, South Dakota every year for two or more weeks where she was a camp cook. This was appreciated by all who attended.

Mae was willing to give her time and help in many ways. For many years when the First Baptist Church had its annual anniversary dinner, she baked, decorated, and donated the large cakes which were used as a centerpiece and tasted by all who attended. She also made many wedding and anniversary cakes.

Mae started a Resale Store in Baker which was another business venture held for many years.

During the many years of their married life the Gundersons had many ups and downs. Depression was one which was rough. They started out with very little and money was scarce. They used the horses and wagon for quite a while and later on bought a "Overland" car. It was very nice.

The heating system consisted of coal stoves. They dug their own coal going several miles by horses and wagon. It was slow traveling so it usually took two days to get it home.

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The only coal then was lignite and it was usually wet which made the fire slow. The chopping of wood and carrying of the coal was quite a chore, also the carrying out of ashes wasn't too much fun either. The old kerosene lamps and lanterns were the only lights for many years.

Mae Gunderson delivering milk.

They went into the dairy business in 1919. There was no electricity at that time so all the milking was done by hand. As many as 30 cows were milked both morning and night. All milk was bottled by a hand-operated container. Covers made out of cardboard which had been ordered from the stores were pressed in place. Milk was delivered to the houses for 5c a quart, then 8c and 10c respectively. In the wintertime the weather was bad with a lot of snow and was very cold. Deliveries were made with horses and sleigh. During blizzards one depended on the horses to take you home. Many times during blizzards, a ball of twine was strung to the barn and tied so we could find our way to do chores.

As times got better the folks built a new barn. It was a wonderful improvement. It had a large hayloft. After it was first finished we held old fashioned barn dances. Friends and neighbors from far and near attended. John Caldwell and sons entertained the crowd with their music. Everyone had a great time.

Box Socials were an exciting time as everyone was anxious to see whose bid would be the highest. All boxes were decorated very pretty.

Neighborhood gathering at the Gunder Gunderson farm.

Picnics and the Fourth of July proved to be lots of fun. Everyone enjoyed being together for special occasions. Some of the neighbors were R. W. Marks, R. M. Larson, E. P. Meffert, Christ Johnson, Earl Halseys, J. W. Philips, Pat Doran, Joe Cunningham, J. Warren, Fred Draper, Oscar Ness, Jake Johnson, Albert Gustafson, John Gunderson, and J. Walker.

After being in the dairy business for 34 years the folks decided to sell our land. Timber Creek which is about 10 miles southwest of Baker was sold to R.K. Munsell. Our homeplace was sold to Mark Brownson. They in turn bought the home Mark owned and moved into Baker in 1953.

Gunder and Mae were both members of the First Baptist Church holding offices for many years. They helped build the church starting with a basement then the present building.

As for their family they had four sons; Roy, Raymond, Richard, and Lester and two daughters Connie and Frances Mae. They also had two foster daughter; Pauline and Josephine.

Roy was a salesman for M.D.U. He had four children; Brad, Lennie, Conrad, and Patti. In 1960, a traffic accident by Big Timber, Montana, claimed his life. Brad has completed duty in the service having served overseas in Germany. Conrad is in the service stationed in Fort Lewis. He is married and has one child. Lennie and husband, Lanee have one child and live on a ranch at Augusta, Montana. Patti lives in Cheyenne, Wyoming.

Raymond lives in Idaho and is working on a ranch. He has three children; Jerri Anne, Don, and James. Jerri Anne and husband Russ Newell have three children; Jay, Jody, and Kimberly. They bought a home here in Baker. Don is in the Coast Guard stationed in North Carolina. James is in North Carolina working.

Richard passed away in 1955 of Hodgkins Disease at the age of 23 years. Lester died in infancy.

Connie and husband, Rudy Jensen, live in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Connie works in the supply department of Community College in Colorado Springs. They have three children;two girls and one boy. Terry and husband Leroy Cline attend college. Sherry is in elementary school. Larry will graduate and plans to attend college.

Frances Mae and husband Ted Bertsch live in Baker. Frances Mae had worked since 1967 in the Hot Lunch Program for the Baker School System. They have four daughters; Bonnie, Betty, Beverly and Teddie Lee. Bonnie worked at the Frost Bowl and as secretary for the Elementary Schools in Baker. She married Ray Allerdings and they have two sons, Kendall and Brian. Betty worked at the Frost Bowl and as sales clerk for the Ben Franklin Store. She married Milbert Allerdings and they have two daughters, Sheryl and Sheila. Bonnie and Betty married brothers and they live on the former Oscar Rogers farm. Beverly worked at the Tastee Freez and as sales clerk for the Ben Franklin Store. She married Jerry Schell and they live on the former George Huber farm. Teddie Lee is in High School and in Stage Band which is the highest honor in band. She also performs in the Drill Team.

Paulyne and husband John Schmitt live in Sidney, Montana. They have four daughters; Marilyn, Shirley, Sandra, and Arlene who all are married.

Josephine and husband Harley Celander live in Bozeman. They had seven children; Robert, Dennis, Ronnie, Howard, Johnnie, Margie, Barbara, Dennis passed away. Robert, Margie, and Barbara are married.

After many years of hard work, Mother Mae became very sick. After several days she suffered a stroke and passed away August 12, 1961.

Dad Gunder remodeled the house and rented part of it out. He continued to live at Kewanee Avenue until 1964 when

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he went to live with Frances Mae and Ted Bertsch. This was his home until he became ill and entered the hospital. He was a resident of the Nursing Home about six months before he passed away October 16, 1966.

Many thoughts of the folks enter the mind each day with a "Thank You" for their kindness, love, and guidance. Each day we miss them more and more, but know they have a wonderful home in Heaven. Thank You God for this and for our wonderful parents.

THE MARTIN GUNDERSON STORY

June 10, 1922 1 was the sixth and last child to arrive at the home of John and Johanna Gunderson, one mile south of Baker, where, so far, I have spent my entire life. During my early childhood, life was very exciting, as there were always so many people at our home. The four Selden boys, whose mother was my mother's sister had died, were living with us, and some of them continued to live with us until they finished high school. There were many hired helpers and my Uncle "Skeeter" Birkeland, a World War I Veteran, was usually there. His health was bad, but he loved children and taught me many things. One of his pet subjects was language and although he had not come to the United States until he was twelve years old he had attended school in Wisconsin and was very desirous of us to speak well and express ourselves correctly. There were several neighbor children I played with, and we usually had some big deals going, like trading cats or other pets. Through the years, especially during the summer, there were many boys from town who stayed at our home to enjoy life in the country.

I started school in Baker, where I got all my school training, in the fall of 1928 and Mary Ann George (Fulton) was my first teacher. As I grew older I helped with the dairy which my folks ran for twenty-four years, and of those years the last few, I delivered milk every day. At that time it seems I knew everyone in town and where they lived.

In the late thirties and early forties my parents had bought and leased more land and the farming operation was getting bigger. Large tractors and implements were becoming more common. We were very busy getting all the work done. Then April 8, 1942 without warning my brother Selmer (Sam) died. Our family was in a state of shock. Then early that fall my brother George was called into the United States Army and after a short training period was sent to Africa. Dad, who had not paid too much attention to running the new tractors, and I, the dairy hand, were left with all the farming. It was difficult and with the war going on repairs became more scarce. Help was nearly impossible to obtain. To cut down on the work the dairy was closed out late in 1943. We managed somehow and as the rain and weather was favorable we raised wonderful crops.

June 24, 1949 Leona Roth, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Martin Roth of Baker, and I were married by Father H.S. Ciebattone at the Catholic Rectory. I had been raised a Lutheran and never did join her in the Catholic faith. In 1950 my folks retired and moved closer to town and we moved into our old home. A few years later we completely remodeled the house. We built a large quonset for the machinery which was destroyed by fire not too long after it was finished.

During my marriage to Leona six wonderful children were born to us. Gregory John arrived in 1950. He graduated from the Baker High School and attended Vo-Tec in Helena for two years and is married to Judy Fisher and they have three children. He is now my partner on the farm but has his home on 1st Street West in Baker.

In 1951 Velora Ann, just a beautiful little girl, joined us. She graduated from Baker High School and attended Eastern at Billings for two years where she studied Special

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Education. She is now married to Kent Flatness of Marmarth, North Dakota and they live on a cattle ranch just out of town.

Thomas George was the third one to join us in 1955. He too, has graduated from the local High School and has decided to help Gregory and me with the operation of the farm.

Marcella Faye came in 1957. She is in high school and is very active in sports, band and 4-H.

The following year, 1958 Barbara Marie came along. She too, is in high school and takes part in many school activities including band.

In March of 1960 Ida Jo made her appearance. She is in grade school and is in the band with the older girls. She is very busy in 4-H and other school doings. I am very proud of my girls as they are almost always on the Honor Roll.

On April 11, 1963 Linda, daughter of Merle and Etta Mae Michaelson and I were married. Linda grew up in this county and graduated from the Baker High School. Her grandparents were Frank and Regina Ondrasik who were homesteaders in the south country near Webster. We have two sons; Brian Keith who was born December 18, 1967 and Michael Joseph who came to grace our home September 25, 1970. Needless to say, with this large family we never have a dull moment. During the summers they all pitch in and raise a large garden. Then canning is in order. We process our meat and even grind our wheat for bread. We have a few cows and have our own milk, cream and butter. We have chickens, geese and turkeys. The kids have rabbits, horses, dogs and Cal-Is. If there were any other pets they could have, I'm sure they would have them.

Gundersonville, Fallon County's smallest un-incorporated town is something that just happened as the years Came along. Years ago we moved a house in from the Fried place and re-modeled it for a home for a married couple who were working on the farm. Later, the era of hired couples seemed to pass so we rented it out. We had a large bunkhouse so we re-modeled that for rental property. Since then we have purchased three trailer houses and improved them and rent them out. Nearly always the places are filled. Fortunately, we have an abundance of water and gas so the people who live here have the advantages of living in town and the freedom of the country. The population varies with the renters so I seem to be unable to keep my sign current.

The horizon looks great. With the family growing up and the two grown boys remaining on the farm to keep up the family traditions we have many plans for the future.

ALBERT GUSTAFSON

By Ethel Gustafson

Gemerius Gustafson and his son, Albert, came to Baker in 1908. Albert was born in Norway on November 19, 1895. He was a boy of 13 when he came to this part of the county. He had attended school in Norway and one term in Minnesota. Albert had come to America with his parents from Oslo, Norway. Mr. Gustafson had brothers and sisters in the U.S.A. and most of them were in Minnesota. This then was their destination. Mr. Gustafson had a sister and family who located in the Kalispell, Montana area. He decided to take a trip and visit her. On the train coming west from Minnesota he met John Gunderson. Neither one could speak English but they had a good visit. They discovered that they were from the same county in Norway. John at that time had filed on a homestead close to Baker. He spoke in glowing terms of the possibilities of Fallon County. It was "a real gold Mine. "

After visiting his sister Mr. Gustafson returned to Baker, which at this time had a box car for a depot, a saloon, a restaurant and a general store, all in tents.

 

There was lots of activity at this time. They were building, stores, homes, livery barns and everything that goes into making a new town.

He first filed a claim for 320 acres northwest of Baker. He put up a homestead shack, dug a well by hand only to find he was on a section of land that belonged to the Northern Pacific Railroad. This meant another trip to Miles City to the land office. He then filed on land 2 1/2 miles south of Baker. He moved his homestead shack and started over again.

They told many amusing stories about the difficulties they had in filing and proving up on their homestead.

In order to prove up on his land Gemerius had to become an American Citizen. Several friends and Mr. Smith at the Bank coached him of the words he would have to answer for the Judge. The Judge finally held up his hands. Neither one could understand the other. He was very proud to become an American Citizen.

Next they purchased a team of horses, made a sod barn in the hillside and proceeded to break up the prairie. There were no fences. The only way you knew what was yours was by the corner marker left by the government surveyors.

Then followed many hard years of work. They had to go to the "Badlands" with team and wagon to cut cedar trees to be used for fence posts and for fuel for the little camp cook stove.

They built fences around the homestead. Often the neighbors would come in to help, then they would return the favor. Finding water at the new location was a big problem. They dug several dry holes with all the work being done by hand.

There were good things too. The prairie bloomed, they raised grain for their horses and there was lots of prairie hay.

My parents, Mr. and Mrs. Aaron Brownson, came to Baker in 1915. 1 came in July of that year, my brother, Mark, was 13 and I was 17. 1 can still remember how scared we were. Chicago looked like quite a big place to us. We came on the Milwaukee and Dad met us with a horse drawn buggy. I attended grade school at Smithville, Ohio and high school in Barberton, Ohio.

Albert and I were married in Baker on December 18, 1918. After a short honeymoon in Miles City, I came to the new small house that had replaced the homestead shack. This house was later moved and several rooms were added.

Our winters, as I remember them, were mostly hard. We burned lignite coal. To get the coal was always a problem. The men would start out early before the break of day with teams and wagons. They went out in the hills northwest of town. Sometimes they had to use dynamite to break loose a

Group picture taken in 1920 at the Price Ranch - Albert Gustafson's Model T L to R - Mr. Brownson, Martha Brownson, Mary Brownson, Ethel Brownson Gustafson behind - Albert Gustafson, Myrtle Brownson in front of Albert, Mrs. Brownson with hands on Gilbert Gunderson and Gunder Gunderson.

 

 

ledge of coal. Otherwise they dug with a pick and shovel and a crow bar. They also hauled coal from a mine near the Bechtold place.

Our neighbors were John and Gunder Gunderson, Ruben Marks, Auntie Markham, Oscar Ness, The Fred Drapers, the Jim Walkers and the Olaf Seldons. In later years there was the Fink family on the Mark's farm and T.O. Everson on the Seldon place. In those days everyone for miles around was your neighbor. You didn't need an invitation. Your friends just came and stayed to eat and they were always welcome.

We farmed and had dairy cattle. At one time Albert leased and farmed quite a large acreage. Some years we had plenty of moisture and some years we had none. Several years the grasshoppers came in such numbers that they darkened the sun. There wasn't much left when they got through. Some years we had beautiful crops and the hail would get it.

Not everything was bad. Our three daughters were born in Baker and grew up at the present farm home. They are Marie Ruthesford, Ellen Rustad and Anna Mae Schweigert.

Baker was our closest school. We took them in the Model T. Ford when possible. It was real difficult at times as there were no graded roads or snow plows. Most of the time in winter we went with a team and bobsled.

Then came the drought and the depression. Being on the farm we had the advantage over some others, as we had our own milk, cream, butter, eggs and meat, and vegetables if you could raise them. No one had any money. Those were the times when you churned butter and sold it for,10c a pound. It was also the time when you were thankful for the local business men who extended credit to you, and they, along with you, hoped and prayed you would be able to pay when the crops were harvested.

We were members of the American Lutheran Church.

In the early days we made our own entertainment. Sometimes we would gather at a neighbor’s home and some one would play the organ, accordion or violin. Medicine Rocks was the favorite picnic place and still is today. Wildwood Park was closer and we went there often.

We attended rodeos at Ollie, Plevna, Marmarth, Belle Fourche and any place there was a celebration. Our favorite was the big circuses that used to come to Baker. A whole trainload would stop as there was lots of water for the animals.

I think the pioneers were a special kind of people, and I am proud to have been one of them.

JACK GUTH

 

By Forrest Duffield

Jack Guth was born in Minnesota. He ran away from home when quite young and finally landed at Dickinson, North Dakota, where he was a jockey and rode race horses in early days.

He came to the Fertile Prairie community in 1911 and bought a section of railroad land. He farmed some and had some cattle. He bought a roan cow from Mr. Flo and that cow had three extra large calves. The first one he called Bulgy was taken out to Carnivals and Fair Shows until he died. Then he took the largest one "Steer Montana" on tours until he died. Spot, the smallest one was never taken to shows.

Jack had a big black Labrador dog which he brought with him when he rode his horse to town. That dog just loved water and chasing sticks. He spent all his visiting time in Baker playing with the children at the swimming area of the lake. The children always went swimming when Jack came to town because they loved that dog.

 

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After "Steer Montana" died, Jack had him stuffed and continued to make the fairs and rodeos with him. At one time the steer was in "Wonder Land," on the Laurel Road at Billings. He has been purchased by Don Foote.

Picture loaned by the museum at Baker

Jack Guth and "Steer Montana" - Measurements of the steer: Height -6 feet, Girth - 9 feet 2 inches, Weight - 3980 pounds.

ARTHUR 0. GULLIDGE 1879 - 1954

MYRTLE G. GULLIDGE 1881 - 1947

A.0. Gullidge received his education from Valparaiso University and Chicago University and came to Montana in 1908 from Indiana where he had attended college. He homesteaded near Terry for several years and taught school in Terry. Montana was just being settled at this time and Mr. Gullidge took an active part in the development of the State. He was one of a group who promoted the forming of Prairie County and later represented that county in the State Legislature.

The Gullidges came to Baker in 1924, Mr. Gullidge taking over the Superintendency from A.E. Landis. He held this position for 21 years until his resignation in 1945 to take the position of High 'School Supervisor in the office of State Superintendent of Public Instruction in Helena.

The Gullidges were active Community Church members and he was an ardent worker in politics. Both were civic-minded and took part in many city, county and state activities. Mrs. Gullidge was a long-time member of the Baker Public Library Board and a past president of the Baker Woman's Club.

The Gullidges had one daughter, Mildred, who graduated from Baker High School in 1926, attended the University of Montana, graduated, taught school and later married John Dougherty. They had one son, Philip.

Both Mr. and Mrs. Gullidge are buried in Bonnievale Cemetery in Baker.

GULLIDGE

"Bud" Price remembers when A.0. Gullidge was Superintendent of Schools, a boy (we don't dare mention his name) was having fun flying paper aeroplanes in the study hall. The teacher had stepped out of the hall for a minute. Mr. Gullidge stepped quietly in the door, stood there with his chin in his hand, watching the performance, then when all the students, but the performer, became aware of his presence, he calmly said, "Oh, so the little boy likes to fly aeroplanes. It is fun? Well, make one and show me how it works. That's fine, now you may fly planes the rest of the period but you may not stop." Needless to say, there was no more making of paper planes in the whole school.

He had quite a subtle sense of humor and loved to do the unexpected. One time on New Years Eve, when the Town Team had Challenged the School Team to a Basketball game he planned some entertainment at half time. Mr. Gullidge borrowed Dick Price, who was about six months old at the time, dressed himself up as a funny looking woman with a pillow as a posterior, wrapped Dick, bare naked in a blanket and put him down in an old baby buggy. Mr. Gullidge came out into the Gym, strolled around the room bowing and greeting every one, all the while pushing the buggy and telling every one about the lovely baby in the buggy. The audience never dreamed that there was a real live baby in the buggy. At the very last moment A.0. reached in the buggy and lifted out the bare naked baby, held him up and said "HAPPY NEW YEAR." The Gym shook with the laughter.

CORRINNE ELLEN HACKETT

I was born in Montecello, Minnesota November 23, 1896 to Clarence Edmund and Gracie May Bishop, in a creamery. Not as bad as it sounds. the front of the creamery had living quarters. I was the only child.

When I was 3 years old the family moved to Zimmerman, Minnesota to operate a creamery there. I had had pink eye when we were living in Montecello. They made bandages of wet tea leaves to put over my eyes. Later when I was 9 years old and we were living in Litchfield I managed to stick a very sharp, thin, narrow penknife blade in my left eye, by accident. I went through the lid and white of the eye. A. year before a small, hard rubber ball had bounced up and hit me in the right eye. It hit so hard the eye felt pushed to one side. While running through the creamery, instead of walking as I had been told, I ran into a rope belt which I hadn't seen. I put my hands up to protect my face and the rope belt burned my hands to the bone. I received no sympathy, just a scolding. My folks later realized I was near sighted. It wasn't until I was going to school in Rockford, Minnesota that my teacher realized my need for glasses. My parents were talked to but they didn't see the need for glasses and besides they couldn't afford to buy them. Later when we were living in Litchfield an optician noticed how badly I needed glasses and persuaded my folks to get them for me. After I got the glasses my whole world changed. I could see. This was when I was 9 years old.

At 10 years of age, I started to listen carefully to noises, in order to recognize them and know where they were coming from. At the end of the sixth grade term I was given the eighth grade state examination which I passed. I could have gone into high school but went into the seventh grade instead. The teacher told me I was the fastest, most distinct sight- reader in the school, including the teacher

On the last day of March in 1910 my mother and I came to Beach, North Dakota. The next day we went to join my fat her where he was working near Carlyle. He was working for "Smiley" Douglas, "breaking sod" for the future fields. It was Mother's first ride in an automobile, a Ford, and my second. The roads were rough, wagon tracks. My mother cooked for the "plow crew", and we lived in a one room cook shack, on wheels. Later on Mother and I stayed with friends near Carlyle while my father went to work for Dave Richards as a steam engineer in a saw mill seven miles east of Ekalaka.

Papa got a team and wagon and came to Carlyle after us. On the way back we went down the "Big Hill" north of Baker. It was so steep we were afraid we would fall down onto the horses. We moved on out to the sawmill where Mama cooked for the crew. After we got to the sawmill I was given a baby chick and I bought two more tiny ones. I raised them as pets. They knew their names and came when I called them and would let me pick them up and pet them.

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In the fall of 1910 Papa hauled lumber out to the claim (homestead) 14 miles north west of Ekalaka. On December 31, 1910, we moved to the claim. The wagon reach broke down in the middle of the creek. The next day, the first of January, 1910, the coldest day of the year, they went over and unloaded the wagon into the snow, put in a new reach, loaded it back up and hauled it home. Papa walked 3 1/2 miles to return the team to their owner, Bird Hall, who lived east of us.

My parents and I stayed at Bird Hall's once while they were away. Papa wasn't home that day when the cows and the bull got into the yard. I opened the gate and the cows went back into the pasture with the bull following until he came to the open gate, then, without warning, he turned and charged me. I ran to one side, started for the open carriage shed, thinking to climb on the top of a buggy and on up if I had to, but he went on by the shed and on to the house, pawing the ground and muttering away. Mama and I went into the horse barn and watched through the window until he wandered into the corral and laid down.

I went out and climbed the corral post fence, walked along on it to the gate and pushed that shut. Then I walked along the fence to the farther side and pushed the bar into place, fastening it firmly. The corral and gates were about seven feet high. The bull got up, pawed the dirt some more and was ready to chase me again. I went to the pasture side and opened that gate and three others through the series of corrals. Then I went up on the fence and over into another corral and over that fence into the yard. About two hours later the bull wandered out into the pasture, so I went through the corrals shutting gates but having the one to the yard open. Years later I found out a bull shuts his eyes as he charges, while cows do not.

The old Steele Road ran through our claim from northwest to southeast. It was a wagon trail where Mr. Steele hauled supplies from Miles City to Ekalaka. This trail was straight, right over the hills.

Price Orton, Ray Sutton and Big Team. Ray Sutton raised horses and would take them to Minnesota to sell.

Papa went to work on a ranch owned by Ray Sutton which was located four miles west of Ollie. Ray Sutton was County Commissioner in Baker in the early 20's. Mama cooked in the hotel in Ekalaka and I went to work along with her and washed dishes. Mama would go back to the claim and stay until the loneliness got so bad then we would go back to the hotel and cook and wash dishes again. The nearest house to the claim was three-quarters of a mile over a butte. No houses in sight, so it could be very lonely.

In 1914 both parents left me, by myself, to stay and check the fences and keep an eye on the cattle so that they wouldn't get into the hay. I spent my 18th birthday alone. A neighbor woman was supposed to come and spend each night with me but decided, after my parents had gone, that she couldn't stay at my house. I was supposed to walk to her place and spend the night, but because a bobcat had been seen in the area I wouldn't walk by myself.

A neighbor lady, Mrs. Potter, had me come to her house each day, which was not quite a mile away, for reading material. In this way she knew I was all right. A widower would get the mail and groceries for me twice a week. Several families kept a check on me during this time.

Papa took a mortgage on the claim. They had one good crop, but lost the crop the next year. One summer I had two friends spend the summer with me. One evening lightning caught the grass on fire. The girls ran up to a butte to watch the fire. The rain came and the fire was put out.

My great grandfather was George Washington Huston and my great grandmother was Mercy Ann Huston. After we came to Montana my great grandmother sent me money for my birthday. I bought some chickens and a 22 rifle. I was an expert shot even with my eye trouble. I shot a lot of rabbits so we had meat to eat. One time I can remember getting a rabbit by sound. I couldn't see it but Mama told me about the rabbit and I could hear it, so I took a shot at it. I shot the rabbit through the heart. The rabbit was so big that when pulled by the hind legs its head and shoulders dragged on the ground. It was too big and old to eat so we fed it to the chickens.

One day Mama and I had gone to the top of a butte that looked like a cannon, to watch for Papa. We looked back toward the house and even though it was almost dark, the chickens were still out. I hurried back to the chicken house but something seemed to keep me from going inside. I looked in and saw a blind rattle snake by the door. If I had gone in it would have struck at me. I called to Mama to bring my 22. I had been told by the cattlemen that any snake would sight a rifle if you didn't aim. I managed to get a couple of flesh wounds on the snake then I got a pitchfork and dragged the snake outside and cut off its head and rattles. The rooster, Mr. Gray, was a pet. I had raised him so I could pick him up any time. I told the chickens they could go in now, but Mr. Gray warned them and they stopped and wouldn't go into the chicken house. Mr. Gray went inside and inspected every corner and roost, then he came to the door and gave the signal and in flew the hens all at once.

One evening when I was alone on the claim I was out on the butte and thought I saw a stick on the ground. I reached down to pick it up, but then I saw it was a rattler all stretched out in the sun. I stepped back and stepped on another rattler. I tried to kill both the snakes, but didn't have anything but a rock to kill them with. This was the first day of April 1914.

Papa bought four workhorses which were very gentle and trained to do work. He had to rent the land to a couple for a year to pay for the horses.

In 1915 the family moved to Baker. Papa drove the team from Baker to Ismay and this was the first and only time I had sunburn. Mama and Papa rented a restaurant in Baker and ran it for a while. The place was called the Yeoman Cafe and was located where the Baker Furniture is now. There was a tailor shop on each side run by Sam Cohen and Tom Burns respectively.

On the first of February, 1916, 1 married William Daniel Hackett in Baker. We had a room in the Fallon House which burned in recent years. In July, 1917 our first baby, a son, was stillborn. In the fall of 1917 we moved to Thunderhawk, South Dakota, then to Agar, then to Huron, South Dakota where a daughter, Rose Ellen was born on June 3, 1919.

I left my husband because of drink and came back to Baker in the fall of 1920. On March 9, 1921, a son, Daniel Edmund, was born to me in a building that was then known

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Mr. Sargent's ox team. He picked up garbage and took it out in the country to feed his pigs.

as the Peerless Cafe. Later, it was a rooming house near the Lakeside Hotel.

Three weeks after the birth of my son, my folks, my children and I moved to the Slater house four miles west of Ollie. Later after moving to the Sutton Place the Slater house burned. Rose started school, at the age of five, to the Hillside school. Suttons sold the place but left my folks in charge of the wheat harvest.

William Ettles needed someone on his place for two months so the family moved there. It was two miles west of Baker. There was no way of getting Rose to school, so the teacher would send the books to me and I coached her for the two months we were there.

In front of Lew Jim's place after the blizzard of March 18, 1920.

We moved on to 30 miles south of Plevna to the Milk Creek area, on the Ruth Lyman place. While here Papa, Rose, Don and I collected assorted rocks for the foundation of the Milk Creek School which has since been moved. Rose entered the second grade in this school. Ruth Lyman was county superintendent of schools. She questioned Rose and was satisfied that she should enter the third instead of the second grade. After school got under way, the teacher said that Rose would have to go back to the second grade because she didn't know her multiplication tables. So instead of putting her back, I taught them to her at home and she caught up and stayed in the third grade. My son, Don, started school at this same school.

Ray Lyman, Ruth's brother, hired Julius Bessert to remodel their house which was on the creek "kitty-corner" from her land. Ray and family had been in South America where Ray was a civil engineer for several years. He spoke Spanish-and interpreted at a Mexican man's court trial in later years. We weren't far from Lame Jones, west and east was Calumet, a small store. Some of the neighbors at that location were: the Archie Marshalls, the C.W. Bucklins, an elderly couple named Haycroft, the Adolph Brandemihls and the Fred Hartmans. The Hugg house was one mile south of us. It was long abandoned and having been built of rocks, soon fell apart.

In 1928 the family moved to Baker. We lived on the north side of the railroad tracks where the Greenlees now live.

Both children went to school in Baker and both graduated from the Baker High School.

Mama and I both did laundry at home for several years because Papa wasn't well. Mama tired of the laundry work, so she bought dishes and rented the Burt House (where the Fire Station is now) and opened a rooming house and cafe. Maurice Myhre remembers that the cafe was called the Bishop Cafe.

Mama wasn't well so gave up the cafe and she and Papa moved out to the Milk Creek area.

I stayed in Baker and did laundry work and kept the kids in school.

Mrs. Bill Harris moved me and family out of the house so she could make the house modern, so we moved to an apartment on the south side for a while.

The waterline, which was privately owned by three families, broke. They wouldn't fix it and I couldn't do the laundry work, so I had to move. I did laundry and house cleaning for 35 cents an hour.

We then moved into the old Hatchery building where the Valley Motor Co. is now. I didn't stay there long because the building took too much to heat, so I moved back into the house by the Lakeside Hotel.

Rose graduated in 1936 and married Ernest George Kruger in 1937. Daniel enlisted in the Army in November of 19,40.

In the spring of 1941, Mama and Papa moved back to Baker. They lived in a house by the railroad tracks at the end of 5th street west. The fall of 1941 the sun didn't shine for 6 weeks on Baker. Any direction 5 miles out, the sun was shining. People believed the lake was the reason for this.

Mama died in 1942 and Papa in 1946. In 1947 1 went to Chicago to visit my son and family for two months. In 1948 I bought a sheep camp wagon and moved it in Rose's back yard and in 1953 1 moved the house to the present location and added on to it. At present it is three rooms and a bath. In April 1973 1 will have lived here for 20 years.

Corrine Hackett by her house.

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In the summer of 1949 1 went to school for the adult blind in Bozeman on the campus of the University. In the summer of 1950 I returned to the school for 5 weeks of training. I learned Braille and I also learned to type. But later I mashed the only finger I could read the Braille with. Other fingers read it backwards. Then later my little finger didn't have the strength to press the keys on the typewriter, so now I am unable to type.

 

I have had the talking books since 1948, but now I received a letter from the library and the congress wants to cut the amount of money that is needed to keep the library open in Helena. At the age of 76 I am nearly blind.

I have seven grandchildren, seven great grandchildren and one great-great grandchild.

I live alone, about two blocks from my daughter. I enjoy being alone where it is quiet but do welcome occasional visitors.

Isabel Hall, teacher

ISABEL HALL

Twenty year old Isabel Hall had several good reasons for leaving Loyal, Wisconsin and venturing out to Montana in September of 1911. Her sister, Mercy and husband, Robert Rose had homesteaded north of Plevna. They had a wee one she wanted to see. There was a possibility of finding a school near their place to teach. Besides, it would be interesting to be in a new land and meet different people.

She stayed on, teaching in various parts of the county for about seventeen years. She and another sister, Pauline, (also a teacher) made their headquarters with the Roses. When the little tar paper house got too crowded "Grey Gables" was built just up the hill a ways. They had a place to "let down their hair" between school sessions.

Isabel spent weekends and vacations with the Doerings after Pauline married Glen and Roses moved to Wisconsin. When she and Mrs. Pat Crow (Ada) taught in Westmore in the 20's the train service from there to Baker proved most convenient.

One of her very early schools was held in the back part of a cafe until the school building was ready. The partition wasn't quite ceiling high. The pupils started looking up and grinning. She turned to see several pair of handsome cowboy eyes.

Grey Gables for Isabel and Pauline Hall, 1918.

RUSH HALL

Rush J. Hall was born on January 18, 1889 on a plantation at Redford, Virginia, one of eight brothers and three sisters. Rush had told how he liked to sneak into the negro church to hear the gospel singing.

He came to Montana in 1908 to visit his brother, Courtney Hall, who had homesteaded in the Ollie community. Courtney's homestead is now the Shy Tennant Ranch. Rush then took a homestead ten miles north of Baker which was the beginning of the Rushmore Hall Ranch of today.

He married Ethel Moore on November 29,1911. Ethel was a schoolteacher whose parents were from Michigan and New York. The Moore family tree goes back to the Pilgrim Days with one of them coming over on the Mayflower. Her folks homesteaded near Fargo, North Dakota and later west of Glendive, Montana.

Ethel taught the Horse Creek School east of Ollie and boarded at the Courtney Hall farm. There she met Rush.

In the spring the young couple traveled by horse and buggy to their little homestead shack north of Baker. With just a few horses and a cow or two the Hall Ranch was started. Their first son was born in August of 1912. A few days after his birth the wood box, which was standing next to the cook stove, caught fire and everything went up in flames. Their close neighbor, Mrs. W.A. Goble, helped move Mrs. Hall and the baby to the new house that was being built a few hundred feet away. Within a few hours all the neighbors; the Vincelettes, the Christ Rosts, the Chris Christensens, the Cooks, the Thompsons, and the Straubs were bringing furniture, bedding and food for the unfortunate family. The neighbors had seen the smoke in the distance.

Rush J. Hall's teams delivering one of the first gas drilling rigs for Frank Becker. Hotel Damon, now Lakeside Hotel, in background. Picture given to the museum by Ethel Hall.

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During the depression and dry years of the 30's, sheep kept the ranch together. The older boys got part time work checking gas wells for the M.D.U.

Nearly all foods were grown on the ranch with hundreds of quarts of home canned rhubarb and vegetables. Lots of dried beans and even soaked wheat. The wheat was soaked for a day or two and then boiled like rice. It was very nutritious and very tasty.

There were many good times in spite of hardships. There were lots of picnics, baseball games, whist tournaments with oyster stews and Saturday night dances. Even in below zero weather the families bundled up in bobsleds and drove ten or more miles to dance or play whist all night.

Rush died suddenly of a heart attack at the family ranch on July 24,1942 at the age of 53 and is buried in the Bonnivale Cemetery at Baker. That fall Ethel moved to Baker where she lives alone today at the age of 82. Her brother, Roy Moore is 86 and still lives alone on his homestead south of Broadus, Montana. When asked why he had never had a dog he answered that it would be too lonesome for a dog.

Mrs. Hall's six children keep in close touch with her. They are: Raymond of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma; Bernard of Glendive, Montana; Rushmore at the home ranch; Beatrice Atkinson of Baker; Dorothy Faulkner of Norman, Oklahoma; and Bobby in Redmond, Oregon.

The Jim Hamby homestead on O'Falloh Creek, 1900.

MR. AND MRS. JIM HAMBY

Jim and Ella Hamby came to Montana from Clayton, Georgia in 1900. They homesteaded five miles south of Ismay along the O'Fallon Creek. There was no railroad through Ismay so they did their freight hauling with team and horses from Terry. They built a log house and some barns and went into the sheep business, running two large bands.

Jim died in Miles City, Montana in 1940. Then Ella moved to Ismay and later to Miles City where she passed away in 1961.

MR. AND MRS. R.L. HAMBY

"Bob" Hamby came to Montana in 1907 from Georgia where he was born. At first he worked with Jim Hamby on his ranch, then he worked in the coalmines out of Miles City. After serving in World War I he went back to Ismay and homesteaded 12 miles west of Plevna.

He married Lena Olivetti, who came to America from Italy in 1910 and to Montana in 1918. Lena was a waitress in the Prindle Cafe. They were married in Plevna in 1921. They built a small, four room, log house six miles south of Ismay. They reared six children there. When the children started leaving home, Bob moved the Old American Legion Building

 

The "Bob" Hambys and friends. Left to right: Mrs. Jim Hamby holding Della Mae Hoke, Mrs. Harry Hoke behind Afrs. Bob Hamby, Bob Hamby, Harry Hoke, Frank "Red" A'euman and Jim Hamby.

from Ismay in 1950. He chose a nice spot two miles farther south from the other house and made it into a modern home which had plenty of room for the grandchildren.

The children are: Melvin, living at Boyes, Montana where he works for an oil company; Bill is retired from the army and lives at Spokane, Washington where he works for a Custodial company; Kate Redman who lives south of Ismay; Ella Mae Obie lives at Billings; John is an electrician at Bozeman and Charles (Buster) lives at Billings and is a partner in the King Construction Company.

Bob retired from the farm in 1959, moved to Billings and bought a small home in Billings Heights. He was looking forward to enjoying his retirement but suffered a stroke in the fall of 1960 and has been paralyzed and in a wheel chair ever since. He is now 84 years old. Lena is in good health and takes care of Bob and things at home.

JEAN EMERSON HAMILTON

My name is Jean Emerson Hamilton. I was born at my Uncle Frank Emerson's home (called the "V 0", from his brand) on September 23,1898. It was five miles from our place and on Little Beaver Creek. My sister, Louise, 13 months older than 1, was born at the Hunter ranch, which was 2 1/2 miles up Little Beaver from the V 0. Our brother, Tom, was born in Ekalaka on February 7, 1901. My father's brand was AO (open A 0).

My father, Charles H. Emerson, was born and raised on a farm near Monroe, Wisconsin. He had come to Cheyenne, Wyoming to join a brother, Frank, and after working near there for a time they moved to eastern Montana in 1880 and established the ranches which were to be their homes for the rest of their lives. My Uncle Frank died of a heart attack in 1910 and my father also died of a heart attack in 1924.

My mother, Mary Hunter, was born in southern Scotland and came to Montana in 1891, with her sister, Grace, to join their brothers, James and Hugh, who had also settled on Little Beaver Creek, 2 1/2 miles above the Hunter place.

In the summer of 1893 my father had a four room, log house built on his place on Fletcher Creek where he had been living and had already built a one room log dwelling, a stable, corrals and sheds. He and my mother were married on Christmas Day 1893 and set up housekeeping. Except for some narrow boards in the living room, the materials for the house, logs and boards, were all hauled from the saw mill near Ekalaka. The logs are covered with boards about six inches wide, which have been planed, stained and varnished

 

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Front view of the Emerson ranch home 1908 or 1910.

and look much as they did when first put on. The original four rooms look much the same as when built, although several additions have been made and a water system installed after the coming of electricity in 1949. Before that our water supply was a strong bubbling spring separated from the creek by sinking a large wooden barrel over it. We had to carry the water to the house in pails. Although the water was very clear and cold it contained considerable iron, which stained the pails brown. We got soft water by melting snow in winter and catching rainwater in a barrel placed at a corner of the house under the eaves in the summer. The water in this spring never froze solid in the winter nor dried up in the summer, so there was always a dependable supply for both ourselves and the stock.

People, perforce, learned to be independent and resourceful. We had a wonderful garden spot sub-irrigated by the little creek and each summer we raised enough vegetables to feed us all summer and we stored the rest in a root cellar for the winter. Every fall my father would "freight", to Wibaux and bring home flour, sugar, coffee, tea, dried fruit, salt and etc., to last all winter. They could go to Ekalaka for supplies if necessary and no doubt did, but I have no recollection that we ever ran out of anything.

When it became necessary to start a school, the neighbors got together and put up a frame building, 2 1/2 miles north of us. It has been moved twice and is now (1973) being used as a summer home for the Walter Melvins, when Mr. Melvin comes up from Colorado to farm. We had summer school, running from about April first into December. This did away with winter problems of snow and cold. The teacher roomed and boarded with us, for which she paid $12.00 a month. She earned $60.00 a month, I believe. We drove to school in a two-wheel cart pulled by one horse, a big fight bay, named Abe. I was only four the spring I started and my sister, Louise, was only five. I think I was sent because they needed five pupils to open a school, and the fact that I was not legal age was overlooked. Anyway, I did learn to read and write that first summer and still have a letter I wrote to my Aunt Margaret (Dad's sister) on my fifth birthday. About all I remember about it is that I got very tired and sleepy those hot summer days and wished I could go outside and lie in the shade of the schoolhouse. The school had large windows on both the east and west, which were covered with Venetian blinds. It had only one door on the south, which , of course was a fire hazard, but fortunately we never had a fire.

I attended the country school only through the sixth grade. Our first teacher was Miss Minnie Burns, who later married a sheepman in the Marmarth area, named Francis Barber. He erected a substantial brick building in Marmarth, which is still standing and bears his name. Our second teacher was Miss Morna Cooke from Wyoming. She taught our school two or three years then returned to Wyoming and married a man named Jay Wood. Some years later, following his death, she married David Anderson, a cousin of Mother's. Our third teacher was Miss Margaret Ault from Minerva, Ohio. She returned to Ohio and married Neil S. Coleman. We heard from her for many years.

Mr. and Mrs. Charles Emerson and son, Tom, at Long Beach, California, the winter of 1914.

As I look back on it, it seems our social life was very limited-consisting mostly of "comings and goings" with our relatives and an occasional trip to the Mulkey ranch. Since we were away at school in Miles City and in Long Beach, California, where we finished high school and then went to college, I didn't spend a winter at the ranch after I was ten and the summers were so busy getting the winter's supply of hay put up, there seemed little time for social affairs. I recall going to a 4th of July celebration, at the original building at Webster, when I was in the teens. A baseball game was the main afternoon entertainment and a lot of time was wasted as the players looked for the ball in the sagebrush. Dances were held there, too, in the hall above the post office and store. It was a long, ill-ventilated room and much too hot in the summer to make dancing a pleasure. It was also a "fire-trap" as it had only one entrance, reached by a flight of outside steps.

At Ekalaka Fair, 1920. Charles Emerson in suit talking to Henry Newbary. Mrs. Emerson in the coat, back to the

camera.

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