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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

 

Dr. Clayton F. Hogeboom

crowded and there was no foreseeable way to earn enough money to buy land and establish a paying agricultural enterprise.

Clayton grew up on his parent's farm. He had a fine life and did many things around the farm. He played, did the chores, hunted, worked in the fields, made fences, helped roundup and move the stock, rode horseback, repaired machinery, buildings and gates. Since he liked to make things, he made chisels, punches, knives, kites and toy windmills.

At the age of eight he started attending school at the Rockham School. He finished grade school and attended some high school at Rockham. In 1921 he graduated from the Redfield High School at Redfield, South Dakota.

Clayton's record of achievements in college and Medical School is quite impressive. He received his B.A. Degree Magna cum Laude -from the University of South Dakota in 1925, his B.S. Degree -cum Laude - in 1926 and graduated from the Rush Medical College in 1929 - Alpha Omega Alpha. He took his internship at the Washington Boulevard Hospital in 1928 - 1929 and an internship at the Durand Contagious Disease Hospital in 1928.

On December 12, 1928 he and Genevieve Merriam Borgers were married in Chicago, Illinois.

In April of 1936 Dr. and Mrs. Hogeboom shipped their household goods and office equipment by train to Baker, Montana and drove their 1933 Chevrolet Town Sedan to our fair city.

Dr. Hogeboom found the climate in this vicinity not very different from that of South Dakota but there was a slowness in getting his practice established which he attributes to the severe depression, a high percentage of dead beats and vicious falsifications.

Dr. Hogeboom, the Physician and Surgeon, is still practicing medicine in Baker. Over the years he has had an outstanding record of medical service, community, state and national service. He is a member of the Baker Chamber of Commerce, the Baker Lion's Club, the O'Fallon Historical

Society, the Southeastern Montana Medical Society and is a past president of the Montana Medical Association. He is a member of the American Medical Association, the American Academy of Family Practice, and the American Association of Physicians and Surgeons. He is the Fallon County Health Officer, is on the staff of the Fallon Memorial Hospital and is on the Board of the Fallon Memorial Hospital. He belongs to the Rush Medical College Alumni Association, the University of Chicago Alumni Association, the University of South Dakota Alumni Association, Phi Rho Sigma, Alpha Omega Alpha and is listed in the Who's Who in the West.

At the age of 71 "Doc" still likes people, hunting, fishing, hiking, swimming, driving a car, flying a plane, riding horseback, fixing things, learning new things, exploring, reading, practicing medicine (especially surgery), trapshooting, target shooting and keeping abreast of medical progress.

Our hats off to you "Doc".

EARLM.HOKE

My father, Harry Hoke, came out to this country in 1909,. A year before we had come, from the state of Pennsylvania. He homesteaded seven miles south of Westmore. In the fall they went back to Boone Iowa. The next spring a cousin of his, a Mr. Yeager, and Dad drove a two cylinder Maxwell Car to Westmore. They had quite a time as they got lost on an Indian Reservation on the way, as there were nothing but trails in those days. An Indian Squaw, who had gone to the Carlyle Indian School in Pa., got them straightened out. At Marmarth, North Dakota the Little Missouri River was up. A ferry was there but the water was too high, so they got permission to bounce the little car over the ties of the railroad bridge.

 

Harry Hoke Homestead, 1913.

Mr, Yeager homesteaded two miles north of us. He and my dad worked together to get up shelter and dig wells. They needed a wheelbarrow, and the little Maxwell broke down, so Dail walked to Westmore and bought a wheelbarrow, some groceries and a sack of flour and wheeled it all on foot back home the whole seven miles. Later he bought a team and wagon and a saddle horse. Transportation became better.

They lived in a tent most of the summer until the house got built, then the horse barn was built and fencing done. Over the years it became a good place to live.

The winter of 16 and 17 was a bad one. They took some loss in cattle and had to haul around 120 loads of straw and hay. At that time there was quite a bit of farming on some of the places and you could buy hay and straw piles that had been threshed. I can remember it well, how after riding to school in 30 or 40 below weather, we would have to go 8 or 10 miles the next Saturday with a four horse team after straw.

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Harry Hoke ranch, 1914.

Winter

scene at the Hoke ranch. Cold!

How we stood the cold I don't know as my brother and I never did stay in town whenever a bad storm was on and we went to school.

 

Well, we finally got a jolt when the Foot and Mouth disease struck a lot of the Western States. I discovered it in a yearling on the way to school about 1 1/2 miles from home. We boys brought the yearling home and Dad called a veterinary at Terry, that being the closest place. The vet got there about dark and said that he didn't think it was "Foot and Mouth", but the next morning when he examined the animal again - It was!! Well, there went some 80 head of cattle. We dug a long pit, put a corral at the head of it and a dirt ramp at the other end of it to drive the cattle down. They were crowded down into the pit and then shot and quick lime thrown over them. Well, we were quarantined for I year then had to run hogs on the place. When nothing happened to the hogs we were back in the cattle business again.

 

As I grew older I started breaking saddle horses for some of the neighbors at $10.00 a head. I got the Rodeo Bug and rode at picnics at Ollie, Ekalaka, Marmarth, Terry and various other places.

Then I went East to see my mother, as she never was out here. I was there about a month when I joined a rodeo outfit on its way south. During the next winter I helped break ring stock for the Flota Circus at Peru, Indiana, their winter quarters. There was another circus there too, the Hagen Bock Circus. Both were owned by the American Circus Corporation. It was a huge place. There were two large horse barns with 140 stalls in each, an elephant barn and about 30 elephants. There were lots of tigers, lions and panthers. These animals were all put through their routines and training during the winter. In the Horse Ring Barn we put through the 36 head of horses every day. There were 12 whites, 12 sorrel and 12 blacks. They were taught many different tricks and I broke 1 black team, 1 sorrel and 1 white team for Roman Riding. In the spring, in March, we opened in the Coliseum in Chicago after one rehearsal. Everything clicked! There were over 100 people in this circus. They had a groom for three head of horses. Besides the show horses they had beautiful draft horses to pull the wagons in the parade. The grooms saddled up the horses and the Roman Team and led them to the entrance for each performance.

The working boys had their own cookhouse and we had our own tables and waiters. The cowboys had their own and each act had its own table and waiters. We tipped the waiters T5 cents a week. Everything had its place such as your trunk in the bedroom where you dressed. Each act had its own music so you could tell when your act was coming up.

Earl Hoke on a bronco. Reprint from Minneapolis Journal, Sunday Edition, 1925.

Earl M. Hoke on Flying Squirrel, Minot, North Dakota, 1925.

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Earl Hoke on Hipower. Elk Horn Ranch, North Dakota, Teddy Rooseuelt's ranch, 1925.

Well, I left the 20th of June and came back home to Montana. I rode in rodeos at Ollie, Wolfpoint and several other places. That fall I played in the Dakotas with George Gardner and Bill McCarthy,.went to Florida and rodeoed at Tampa, St. Petersberg and Miami, Florida. After the Miami Rodeo, I joined a rodeo. At first we put on one or two shows a week for Curtis and Rizler at Apolocha, as they built Apolocha and Hialeah to start with. In the spring we played the fairs from Florida to New England States. We were booked with Worth and Hammon agencies out of New York. All through the spring we played parks at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Newark, New Jersey, at Trenton New Jersey and for Hartford Life Insurance Company for their field day. They had a beautiful park and they served over 1 ton of sirloin beefsteaks that day.

After that we were in fairs again. They were all weekly fairs and large crowds at all times. We worked on the racetracks between races. There were bucking horses, steer riding, trick roping, a clown and a horse that jumped over a car, also a shooting act from a running horse at rosin balls thrown from a running horse up ahead. I was in this circuit for two years.

In August we played a fair at Pocomoke City, Maryland. There I married Agnes Maser who was with the Rodeo, also. We left and played rodeos in Kentucky, Ohio, Nebraska and back to Montana again. I wintered on my father's ranch but by the next spring I had a bad disc in my back and was unable to ride for two years, so tried farming. That didn't turn out so well because of the dry years and low prices. I trapped in the winter and worked for the M.D.U. for two summers. I moved to Forsyth, Montana and worked as a mechanic and body man at the Teepee Garage. I worked there for 6 1/2 years. One summer I worked with the Army engineers. We went to Northern British Columbia and Southern Yukon Territory to survey for a railroad, then back to Forsyth to work in the garage again. In the spring I went to Gooding, Idaho where I ran a Body Shop for three years.

In the fall of 45, right after the War, I came back to Montana and bought Dad's ranch and ranched until 1960. 1 then sold out and built a Body Shop in Plevna. Now I have my home there, but I spend the winters in Old Mexico as I don't get along with the snow- ball too good. I always knew a human was dumber than a goose, as a goose knows enough to go south for the winter.

 

I spent one term as Mayor of Plevna and a few years as a member of the Fallon County Fair Board.

Earl Hoke family group. Son Harry Hoke [named after his grandfather], E.M. Hoke, brother Bob and Tony [grandson of Earl's].

Editor's Note: Bob Hoke says that his grandfather, Harry, brought his parents [Harry's] to Montana from Dauphin County, Pennsylvania. Hirem Guyer Hoke and his wife Mary Redell Hoke were both born in Pennsylvania in 1844 and both died in 1916, Mary in August and Hiram in November. They are both buried in the cemetery at Westmore, Montana.

Mr. and Mrs. Jesse L. Holbrook, 1915.

JESSE AND CLARA HOLBROOK by Wanda Holbrook Geving

My parents were Clara Josephine Lewis, born June 24, 1879 in Forest City, Iowa and Jesse Leon Holbrook, born May 24,1879 in Albert Lea, Freeborn, Minnesota. They were married February 13, 1902 in Albert Lea. Soon after they were married they moved to Waterloo, Iowa and my father and his brother went into partnership contracting paint jobs.

I was born September 28, 1903 in Waterloo, Iowa and my sister, Mona, was born February 13, 1905.

The fall of 1911 my folks decided to go some place in the west and take up a homestead. Dad had talked about a homestead for so long that mother decided to start selling the furniture. Dad was surprised when she did this, he knew he would have to do what he had talked of doing for so long.

Dad left for Bend, Oregon where he had decided to take up a homestead. Mother, Mona and I went to Forest City,

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Iowa to live with my mother's sister while Dad was gone "out west." We lived with Aunt Emma all winter. Mona and I went to school with our cousins.

My father stopped at Plevna, Montana to visit with some friends who used to live in Waterloo. They were a couple who would settle people on homesteads. They wanted Dad to settle there which he decided to do. He came back to Iowa where we were and stayed for a while. Then he came back to Montana and made plans to build a tar paper shack on the land on which he had filed.

Wanda Holbrook in Montana, 1914.

in the spring of 1912 Mother, my sister and I left by train for Plevna, Montana. We stopped at Minneapolis enroute to Plevna. Dad was expecting us but when we arrived in Plevna he was not there. It was raining the morning we got there and such a dreary and gloomy place to come to. There were just a few buildings and no sidewalks but oh, so much mud. We went to a building that was used as a restaurant, dance hall and gathering place by everyone. It was run by Miss Susie Mayer, a wonderful dear soul whom everyone loved. She helped us find someone who lived out our way so that they could take us out to where my father was staying. She found two men, one was Mr. St. John and the other was Mr. Serve. My sister and I rode with Mr. Serve and Mother rode with Mr. St. John. We met Dad when we got half way out to Wood's ranch where he had been staying. We hardly knew him because he had let his whiskers grow, and they were red which surprised us all. He came back with us to the Wood's and the Bells were there. The Bells and the Woods were old friends of ours from Waterloo. Mrs. Wood and Mr. Bell were brother and sister.

Dad had hired our neighbor to build our house, which was a one room, tar paper home. We didn't think it very much but it was our home and we learned to love it. That first summer we were in Montana, Mother and Dad put in a large garden. It was such a good one that Mother canned food from it for the winter. This was something new to all of us. I remember the big squash and potatoes. I don't think Dad put much crop in that year. He did put in a few acres of flax and when it was in bloom the wild mustard was thick in it. Dad

Mrs. Jesse Holbrook in front of homestead cabin, 1915.

wanted the mustard out of the flax, so he offered Mona and me money to pull it out. We did and when it was harvested he paid us but I don't remember how much. We got ourselves a locket and chain with the money. I still have the locket with my parent's pictures in it.

Albert Geuing on tractor and Jesse Holbrook on drill driuing the horses - on section 11 - North of Pleuna, Montana in the Coal Springs community.

June 23, 1912 we had a very severe hailstorm in the evening. A man by the name of Hubbard stopped to stay all night. He had a load of cedar posts on his wagon and had a long way to go and he did not want to drive his horses any farther. Mother said he could stay over night, but he would have to put the horses in the barn at the neighbor’s place since we did not have a barn. Our neighbors were the Bells and Dad had been caring for their farm work and doing the chores while they were gone. Mother started supper and Mr. Hubbard came back from the Bell place. While Mother was frying the meat and the biscuits were baking, the hailstorm hit. It broke the windows on the west the very first thing, so the wind and hail came in and the roof, which was flat, kept going up and down. We were afraid it was going to fall in. Mr. Hubbard took a quilt off the couch and told us all to go and stand by the door so we could go outside in case the roof fell. There were seven of us. The two Bell children who were staying with us, a friend Alfa Lund from town, Mother, Mr. Hubbard, my sister and I. We were all so scared, but we were safe. Mother lost so very many little chickens in the storm. Their little coops blew away and left the hens and chickens out in the storm. We all went out after the storm and gathered some of them and took them in and put them in the warm oven. Some of them lived but many died.

Later we got something to eat. The meat was burned and the biscuits were doughy, but we got by. When it was time to

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go to bed. Mother made up the two beds we had. The house was small so there was only room for two. There was a couch for my sister and me and the folk's bed was a spring, which hung on the wall during the day. Mr. Hubbard and two of the children lay on one and Mother and the other three children lay on the other. Dad came home late as the storm had kept him in town. We didn't get much sleep that night, but we did become good friends of Mr. Hubbard and family.

Dad hauled our water for drinking and cooking. He could not get good water when he dug a well. There was an old well about twenty years old that he used for the stock, but it was not good for drinking.

We did not have a school close to us so we girls had to go three miles to the Coal Springs School, close to where the Wheelers were living. We and the Bell children walked most of the time and mostly it was fun. It would not be daylight when we left in the morning and would be dark when we got home. When the snow came and it got cold, we moved into Plevna and went to town school. In the spring when it warmed up we moved back on the farm. Our school in town was a one-room building and our teacher was Mr. Consor.

In 1914 we had our own school. The men of the neighborhood built it. There were about ten children at that time, and Miss Fallon was the teacher. We had a mile to walk to school and we really enjoyed it.

We were short of money, as everyone else was, so one summer Dad went back to Iowa to work for a while. The folks in Iowa thought we should move back there, but we children didn't want to and neither did Mother. We liked it in our little home in Montana. Our relatives thought we were crazy to want to live in a bleak country like they thought Montana was.

We had made friends in Plevna such as the Lunds, the Weinschrotts, and the Kearneys. In the summer when the wild fruit was ready to pick, the women and children would come out to our place and go fruit picking. One time when they came it started to rain and rained all day and night. The folks could not go home, so they stayed over another day. That was quite a few people to be in our small one room home. Dad put up a large tent and he and Mother and some of us children slept in the tent. We turned the house over to the company. I think we all had a good time, for we have spoken of it through the years.

There were lots of good times in our school. We had ice cream socials, box socials with neighborhood dances. We would invite folks from town and we always had large crowds.

We had lots of love in our home, very little money, but our parents were able to give us all the food we needed and nice clothes to wear. Mother did all the sewing for my sister and me. Her sisters would send out clothes they were through with. They were nice clothes and Mother would watch the catalogues for the latest styles and make the clothes over for us. She took pride in what she made for us and we were proud to wear them.

We had wonderful Christmases. There were always so many people around. Mother liked to invite relatives, friends and bachelors who had no family. Being a good cook she would cook so many good things to eat.

Mona and I were not privileged to go to parties and dances by ourselves. Mother and Dad always took us. One time we started off to a school doings at the Wills Creek School. It was in the winter and there were eight of us in a light wagon. We got along just fine until we came to a creek we had to cross. It was full of snow as there was no water in it that time of year. We knew that the horses could not pull us across so Dad unhitched the horses and led them across without the wagon. They did lots of floundering but got

Christmas Day - 1919 - At the Holbrook's. Back row: Wanda Holbrook, Soderling, Jeanette Cunningham, Johnnie Wilson. Next row: Charlotte Cunningham, Ethel Wilson, Soderling, Mona Holbrook, Evelyn Gregerson, Georgin Cunningham and Geneuieue Gregerson.

through fine. Then we all pulled the wagon across. You know that was fun for all of us.

Mona and I were ready for high school the fall of 1920, so we moved to Plevna and started school there. There were not very many students going then. There were seven girls and one boy. The teachers were Mr. Meyer, the principal, Miss Knox and Joyce Walrath. I was seventeen when I went into high school and Plevna offered just two years at that time so I went just two years.

Wanda and Mona Holbrook - 1919

We had lots of school parties and we had a girls basketball team. We played several towns around and played and beat Baker three times which disappointed them very much.

On December 27, 192 3 Albert Geving and I were married at, my folks home. The Reverend Seebart from Baker performed the ceremony.

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Albert Geuing, Wanda Holbrook wedding - 1923 - on the Bob Rose farm in the Coal Springs area. Left to right Mr. and Mrs. Holbrook, Albert, Wanda, William Geuing and Mona Holbrook.

May 21, 1925 Virginia and Bessie, our twins, were born; May 19, 1927 Shirley Mae was born and our son Charles was born January 29, 1930.

Four generations: Jesse Holbrook, Wanda Holbrook Geving, Virginia Geuing Cox, Sharrell Cox.

In March 1939 Mother passed away. It happened so fast. She died two hours after she took sick of a cerebral hemorrhage. Father never did get over Mother's death. He lived with me for a while. Then he moved back into his own home and ate his meals with us. On September 7, 1954 Dad passed away after a long illness.

One more thing I'd like to mention. Albert and I and our family joined the church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints in August of 1940.

Albert Geving family picture, Wanda and Albert in front

Children in back: left to right, Charles, twins Bessie and Virginia, Shirley.

Mr. and Mrs. V. G. Hooker

MR. AND MRS. V. G. HOOKER

By Gladys Hooker Rakes

Mr. V. G. Hooker was born on the "Oklahoma Strip" August 13, 1886. From there his family ranched around Pueblo, Colorado. At the age of 13, with his family, he trailed a herd of cattle to the Jordan, Montana area where they ranched.

It was here he met a little Swedish girl, whom he married April 5, 1908.

Hulda Marie (Johnson) Hooker was born in Sweden June 22, 1886. She came as a child, with her parents to the United States in 1889, first to Chicago, 111. In 1897, after the death of her mother, her father moved the family to Montana and homesteaded near Miles City.

After V. G. and Hulda Hooker were married they ranched 27 years in the Jordan area, where their five children were born: I son and 4 daughters. They then lived 7 years east of Miles City. In 1935 they moved to the old Vincellett place north of Baker. It was not only one of the best cattle ranches in the country but was a very pretty place to live. It had deep coulees, many of which had wild fruit, such as plums, choke cherries and buffalo berries. There were many beautiful wild flowers like roses, sweet peas, tiger lilies, crocus and gumbo lilies.

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While living in this vicinity they were members of the Baker Community Church and Mrs. Hooker was active in the Big Hill Home Demonstration Club.

In 1944 they sold their ranch to Harold Wyrick and moved to Glendive where they lived until their deaths. Mrs. Hooker died in 1957 and Mr. Hooker in 1961.

Their youngest daughter, Minnaclare Lavender, is at present living at Baker where she is Home Demonstration Agent for Fallon and Carter Counties.

PARK AND AUGUSTA HOUSEHOLDER

Park Householder came to Montana for the first time in 1909. He went to Miles City where he worked in the roundhouse of the railroad. He tired of that and caught a freight train to Dakota. In 1911 Park came to the Fallon County country in an emigrant car with his father, a brother and wife and her folks, the Tom Wests.

In 1915 he met Augusta Bluske at a community social. They discovered that they had something in common as she was from LaCrosse, Wisconsin, a town near Park's old home. In 1916 he went to Wisconsin and they were married.

They came to Montana and made their home on the original homestead. A sod coalhouse was built. It lasted for 50 years. Their home, however, was made of wood and was added onto as was needed.

Park always said that during the depression years they couldn't raise anything else, so they raised children. There were six of them: Sarah Netzer, deceased; Russell of Custer, Montana; Glen of Plevna, Montana; Bessie Parobeck of Billings, Montana; Park, Jr. deceased and Lynn who lives on the home place at Ismay.

Park used to recall that the first year he was in this country, he was getting ready to go to a dance. He looked for his dress shoes which were kept under the bed. They were gone. He learned later that a tramp had been through the country and had walked off in his shoes! Perhaps his need had been greater.

In about 1917 some friends of Augusta's, named Nelson, stopped to visit on their way west from South Dakota. While stopping at the Householder's they branded their mules with Park's brand as they did not have a brand of their own but felt that they needed the animals branded before they headed west. They felt that this would be a protection against the possible theft of their team. The Nelsons didn't know Park but certainly trusted this newly found friend. Years later, in 1960, they returned for a visit from Hobson, Montana.

Gravity flowing water was the first luxury to be brought into the house in 1928. Park stated later that the faucet should have come up in the center of the dining room table. Ha!

Their coal supply was self-mined and hauled about four miles. Spending money was earned by selling hay to the livery barn in Ismay; butchering hens for the May Butcher Shop; making butter into pound moulds to be sold along with eggs at the grocery store. These bought their supplies. Ten gallons of honey were often purchased to last the winter and was a winter's treat for the children. One remembered treat was "store bought" Christmas Tree Decorations.

When battery radios came into being, the family would all gather around and enjoy the program "Little Orphan Annie. "

Cattle were shipped to Chicago by railroad and the stockmen received passes to ride with their livestock, so this became the trip east to visit relatives in Wisconsin.

Park always felt that all that got him through the depression years was keeping busy and being too tired at night to worry. Gardens were planted and jars were filled.

Augusta often told how on picnics or travels empty jars, which had been left by people who didn't need them, were taken home, sterilized and put to good use at canning and butchering time.

Lynn Householder was born in September 1928 at Ismay. He attended a rural school and later drove a team and wagon to the school in Ismay.

He helped with the farm work and remembers that the threshing was done with two teams.

In 1955, Lynn married Doris North at Baker and they reside on the home place.

Mr. and Mrs. Charles Huber - wedding picture - December 22, 1910

CHARLES AND DELILAS HUBER

By Mrs. Charles Huber and Mrs. Willard Malcom

I, Delilas Perau Huber, was born of French and German ancestery on February 9, 1889. My father having come to this country from France with his mother. My mother was Nancy Coutts. I was the fourth in a family of six girls and one boy, being born in Rock Valley, Iowa. My elementary education was in Rock Valley. We then moved to Sioux Falls, South Dakota when I was 13. 1 furthered my education by attending six months at Madison Normal, my intentions being to become a schoolteacher.

However I became very fond of a fine young fellow, Charley Huber, who courted me by traveling some distance in. a fine buggy pulled by a horse named Nellie. I recall one time, when the hour was late, Charley returning home, tied the reins to the whip stand and went to sleep. When he awoke he was home. Nellie had taken him there. That's more than transportation of today could do.

I moved, with my family, to Bowman, North Dakota, where my folks farmed. I later returned to Sioux Falls where I married Charley Huber on December 22, 1910. 1 had spent two weeks in November making my wedding clothes at my sister Nannie's (Mrs. Herman Korth) who lived six miles west of Plevna.

Charley Huber was born June 29, 1881 at Muscatine, Iowa. This is close to the Mississippi River. Charley had six

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brothers and three sisters. All of the sisters married but of the seven boys, Charley was the only one to marry.

We settled near Colton, a small town close to Sioux Falls. One of our children, Gladys, was born here in 1916. Evelyn and Elizabeth were born three miles south of Sioux Falls which now is all built up in swell houses.

Heading grain at Nannie and Herman Korth's-1916

One month after Gladys was born, in April, we moved by train to the Plevna area and worked for my brother-in-law and sister, Herman and Nannie Korth, for $46.00 a month.

In October 1917, little Elizabeth, age three years and eight months, died with a sickness going around. She was sick only one day. Pete Herbst was the only one around with a car and he went to Ismay after Doctor Carey. She is buried in the cemetery west of Plevna.

In 1918 we borrowed $1600.00 to buy enough farm implements and horses to start farming. It took sixteen years to pay it up at 10% interest. We rented the Korth place for a couple of years, then we rented the Plath place. In 1918 we bought our first auto, with curtains on the side, from the County Treasurer, Clyde Wilson.

1919, being such a dry year and poor crops, we took our family to Sioux Falls and worked for friends, returning in the spring to the Plath place to continue our farming.

In 1921 we moved to the Moore place, seven miles north of Plevna, where Kenneth was born. Dr. Carey came to the home to deliver him. When Kathryn was born, December 8, 1923, I went to Baker for her delivery. Dr. Blakemore was the attending physician.

Plevna, Montana - July 4, 1915 - Sack race in progress

The Moore house was very large, and we had community dances in the living room. We would take the furniture out and put planks around the walls to sit on. Mrs. John Ludwig chorded on the organ for John Howe (on the violin); Jake Ludwig and Jake Zimmermyer (on accordions). Charley called the square dances and what a grand time we had. At some of the dances prizes were given for waltzes, polkas and schottish. Charley and I took our share of prizes. Dances were hold in other homes and school houses. In those days you made your own entertainment. We had a community Horseshoe Club and had many Horseshoe Meets.

In the winter we would pack a bobsled with hay, warm blankets and heated rocks and go to the neighborhood dance. The rocks would still be warm when we went home many hours later. The horses were tied beside the sled and they would eat the hay while there.

Our children walked to the Lincoln one room school about one-eighth of a mile from home. They went to high school in Plevna, staying with my sister, Nannie Korth, whose husband had passed away. Nannie stayed with us the first part of her "mourning" year. The organ was put away, there was no laughing, no music, no singing or dancing, no entertainment at all. It was as if we had all died. Herman was mourned by the whole community.

In the spring of 1924 the Springdale Extension Demonstration Club was started and I was a charter member with about 20 members , and there were two other clubs started, the Pleasant Valley and Plevna with about 20 members each. In 1929 the three clubs went together as so many members had moved away or died. There were about 20 of us left, so we called it the 3 in I Club and I am the only Charter Member left out of the three clubs. A year from this coming spring I will have been a member of the Demonstration Club for 50 years.

3 in 1 Club - 1965. Taken at the Ed Rieger home. Left to right: Florence and Joe Steffes, Monte Willman, Delilas Huber, De Herbst [Back] Mrs. Singer, Agnes Hoke [Back] Millie Rieger, Meruel Brott [Back] Euelyn Schifelbien.

Later we moved to Nannie Korth's place again. Our neighbors were the Steve Hagers, the Charles Millards, the Harry Hokes, the Pete Herbsts, the Bill Thielands and the Joe Steffes, and many more through the years.

We lived at Nannie's until the fall of 1937 when Charley, Kenneth and I moved to Missoula, Montana. Later we moved back to Plevna and worked for Johnny Medearis.

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Evelyn married Willard Malcom in 1937 and they have lived 16 miles north of Baker since 1940 when they bought the Charles Shepherd place, now known as the "Big Hill Community." They have four children, Marilyn, Richard, Lynnda and James. Willard was born at Miles City, Montana in 1911. His folks, Jim and Althea Malcom moved to the Walkins country to ranch north of Terry. Willard has five sisters and one brother, Russell, who lives on the home ranch at Walkins. Gladys married Pat Murray and lives in Savage, Montana. They have one girl, Patricia, and two boys, Mike and James. Kathryn married Clyde Fifield and they had five girls, Pricilla, Karen, Dianna, Clydene, Pam and one boy, Curt. They live at Missoula and Curt who is 17 is in the Navy. Kenneth married Eva Jane Owen of Baker. They had two girls, Marsha and Debbie. Kenneth enlisted in the Air Force in 1942 and flew all over England, Germany and France during World War 11. He flew supplies for the Battle of the Bulge in Belgium and for the Cherbourg Invasion in France. Kenneth was killed in an airplane accident near Miles City, Montana March 12,1964 while flying a Commercial Plane for the Frontier Airlines out of Billings.

I have 15 grandchildren and the 15th great grandchild is coming in the spring.

Mr. and Mrs. Charles Huber - Fiftieth wedding anniversary.

Charley and I bought a house in 1946 in Plevna and lived there twenty years, then we moved to Baker November 1, 1966. Charley died June 18, 1970 and now I live alone.

The Fallon County Senior Citizens was organized in the spring of 1971 and there are about 100 members. We have pot luck dinners once a month and card parties and moving pictures. We can play cards any day and Bingo for those that don't play cards - from Tuesday through Saturday. The Reverend Barnard of the Lutheran Church got the Senior Citizens started.

My church affiliation is Catholic. I was a convert to the Catholic Church since Charley was Catholic and our children are all Catholic.

My years have been long and happy and my feelings can best be expressed in this poem.

WHEN I'M GONE

When I quit this mortal shore

And mosey around this earth no more,

Don't weep, don't sigh, don't grieve, don't sob;

I may have struck a better job.

Don't go and buy a large bouquet,

For which you'll find it hard to pay;

Don't hang around me looking blue,

I may be better off than you.

Don't tell folks I was a saint,

Or anything you know I aint'

If you have stuff like that to spread,

Please hand it out before I'm dead.

If you have roses, bless your soul.

Just pin one in my button hole;

But do it while I'm at my best,

Instead of when I'm safe at rest.

MR. AND MRS. BERT HUDSON

My parents, Fred and Caroline (Lyseng) Hudson lived at Fargo, North Dakota when I was born on August 9, 1903. In 1.908, when I was five years old, my folks came to Carlyle, Montana and took up a homestead near there. They had as neighbors the Ferguson, the Stark, the Hartse, the Bowen and McKann families.

I attended the school and the Lutheran Church at Carlyle and the U.B. Church at Ollie, Montana. There were rodeos, picnics, box socials, and Fourth of July Celebrations at Edge Hill and Dennis. Threshing Bees were always fun, so were the dances.

I married Carol Evelyn Stark in her mother's home in Ollie, Montana on March 21, 1925. We have four children, Marguerite (Fisher), Delbert, Dolores (Veroye) and Myrtel (Stanhope). There are fourteen grandchildren and four great grandchildren.

Over the years I worked for Lee Moline at the gas station, drove the Highway Post Office eleven years, was the custodian at the Washington School in Baker and drove the 101 School Bus for four years. I am now retired and live in Baker where my wife and I have our home.

HENRY AND KATHERINE HUETHER

by Martha Huether Rediske

Henry Huether of Alpena, South Dakota was married to Katherine Oberlander of Eureka, South Dakota on February 29, 1910 and they moved to the Mitchell, South Dakota community. In the spring of 1915 brothers George and Henry Huether and families arrived in Plevna, Montana with their personal belongings. Henry's daughter O'Tillie was 1 1/2 years old and daughter Bertha was I year old. Through an agency at Plevna they had previously purchased the Matt Ehret homestead. It was an unusually dry March when they arrived, but late rains came and their crop was one of the best ever reaped. July 5, 1915, was a cold, snowy, blustery day (which happens very seldom in this country) and this was the day that Martha picked to make her appearance into this world. In spite of drought and cold winters, when the snow was sometimes as high as the barns, ranching and farming progressed. In 1918 a son, Albert, was born on May 2nd.

The winters were long but busy ones. Reading was a favorite pastime for Henry and sewing, crocheting and tatting kept Katie busy. A community spirited teacher, Mrs. Grace Wells from California, volunteered her services to the adults for a night school during the winter months. The highlight would be Spelling Bees on the weekends. The hunting was excellent. Rabbits, foxes and coyotes were plentiful for hunting and trapping. It was not unusual to have coyotes howl a short distance from the home.

About 1923, two merchants of Plevna, Weinschrott and Himsl, helped organize rabbit drives. It was a big event and farmers and ranchers from far and wide came with their sleds, horses and guns to join the drive.

Another memorable time was being in partnership with Matt Ehret - owning a Steam Engine and Threshing Rig.

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This was in 1918 and the only one in that community. Only to have run a steam engine can one appreciate the excitement of it which Henry loved to talk about. Years later, in the thirties, a more compact and up to date threshing rig was purchased from Eph Keirle. The owner usually had to board and room his crew when they were laid up due to bad weather. A crew usually consisted of 15 to 20 men. Katie had to do all the cooking in these instances. Threshing period was usually from late August to Thanksgiving time, weather permitting same.

Neighbors were dependent upon each other both in work and in social life. Some of the close neighbors were George Huether, John Karch, Henry Fuchs (who had come from the same town as Katie - Eureka, South Dakota), Gottlieb Ehret and John Wenz. Due to virtually no roads and the mode of travel, which was horse and buggy, there were many neighborhood gatherings. Often worship services were held in the homes. Another frequent annual affair was the 4th of July. Neighbors would gather and enjoy fresh garden produce with fryers and lots of Home Made Ice Cream. The celebration was topped with fire-works.

In the winter months neighbors would go visiting at night but would have to wait for the moon to come out and give light to get them home. The children would go out and skate and the adults would visit. Usually at night a big dinner was served. Tractors, cars and trucks finally became more common in the neighborhood. However because of heavy snow and no roads, the batteries were taken out of the cars and stored, in the wintertime, to prevent them from freezing. In the spring the batteries were replaced in the car and ready for use.

In 1934, the Montana Children's Home brought a new member to the farm; a little nine month old boy who needed a home. His name was Russell Thomas. Russell was adopted as soon as the waiting period was over, but our happiness with him was short lived due to a gun accident. He was shot by a friend of his in 1946. The Plevna Bank closing its doors in 1933 was another big blow to the Plevna community, as many had all their life savings in it, however in 1940 the bank started paying back its debts to the creditors and is still paying interest at this time - thanks to the oil revenue from the bank property.

In 1935 Henry became part owner of the Plevna Ford Garage with Pat Kaiser. E. E. Evans took over the management. The garage later on burned.

Gardens were always a must in the country, and in the fall "Water Melon Raids" were the In Thing. Usually a gang of "kids" out for a night of fun were the raiders. Another annual caller in the fall was the Chicken Thief. One could hear the chickens squawking and the thieves were driven away by shot gun blasts in the air which caused them to lose the chickens while on the run. Dogs played a big part in the average home, too. Salesmen, in those days, were very determined people regardless of how the reception was. All we would have to do was give the dogs orders and the salesmen were on their way. The Watkins Man, Mr. Bryson, will always be remembered with his horse and buggy. He would always be invited to eat with the family when calling. He would never miss the "Corn on the Cob Season" at our home. Mother felt there was no product equal to the Watkins Product.

The home place was sold to Walter Huether in 1951 and the Sandon Farm and Ranch on the Big Hill, where Albert and family are presently residing, was purchased.

Henry Huether passed away in April 1959. He and Katie were living in Baker at the time. Their next door neighbor, Mrs. Karl (Mary) Pleissner, had been a girlhood friend of Katie's in Eureka, South Dakota.

Katie Heuther celebrated her 85th birthday February 5, 1973. She lives in her home part time and with her daughters during the winter months.

Albert Huether married Delores Bondell of Baker and they have six children; James of Baker, Ernest, a student at Dawson Jr. College at Glendive, Donald, Linda, Shirley and Donna, all students at Baker and living at home.

O'Tillie married E. E. Evans from Turtle Lake, North Dakota, and they live in Missoula, Montana. They have four children; Iris (Mrs. Frank Ramus) of Seattle, Washington; Helen Kay (Mrs. Paul Hecht) of Tiburon, California; Marcella (Mrs. Roger Lindgren) of Hungry Horse, Montana and Ernest, Jr. a student at the University of Montana at Missoula.

Bertha married Edward Koenig of Baker and they have five children; Stella (Mrs. William Bigger) of Naples, Italy; Dennis of Baker; Beverly (Mrs. Lyle Neary) of Bridger, Montana; Peggy (Mrs. Kenny Meccage) of Baker and Ralph of' the family home.

Martha married Sheldon Rediske and they have three children and live at Baker. The children are; Kay (Mrs. Eugene Walker) of Alzada, Montana; Sheldon Lee who is married and lives at Great Falls, Montana and Thomas who is a student at Rocky Mountain College at Billings, Montana.

MINNIE E. IDEKER

I was born in Creighton, Knox County, Nebraska July 22, 1893. My parents were Katie and Peter Cox. I was the fifth of eight children. I attended grade school in Nebraka and then my folks moved to Colome, South Dakota where I received the rest of my schooling.

I came to Baker in 1911 and lived on the Findlater place until spring when I then moved to the homestead at Knobs with my sister Lavina Cox. I went to Normal School at Aberdeen, South Dakota for two summers, after which I received my teacher's certificate. I taught one year at the Harry Williams School at Mill Iron. I spent the weekdays at the school, then on the weekends I would ride horseback to my homestead.

We had dances and box socials. Millicent Clark (Lee) and her two brothers had an orchestra. They were good and I attended all their dances. I taught other rural schools and then I married John Nichols on January 18, 1918. 1 went to the present Nichols ranch as a bride.

There were three children born to this union; Marjie, Harvey and Grace.

In the spring of 1919 the little Williams girl started after cattle and wandered off and got lost. A spring storm came up. The alarm was sent out and thirty or forty men rode horseback for three days looking for her. On the third day she was found dead in the buttes by the Howell place. The little girl was buried on her father's farm.

John Nichols was thrown from a saddle horse and killed in November of 1923. 1 remained on the homestead, rented some of the land and farmed some of it.

Chris Ideker and I were married in 1927. Two children were born to this union, Dick and Mary Ann. The Prairie

Rose School was moved to the south of my home about one mile away. My children all received their grade school education there. All the children graduated from the Baker High School. The ranch is now operated by Harvey Nichols and son Jim.

I reside in Baker.

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MRS.

ROLLAND [RUTH HELGESON] IRVINE

I was born at Thief River Falls, Minnesota, on September 10, 1905. When 8 years old, we left Minnesota and came to this vicinity. In 1914 we arrived here by train and settled on land about 6 miles northeast of Baker. We did not homestead, but purchased the land and began the business of farming. We also had some livestock, but weren't considered stockmen. My parents were Hartvig and Dena Helgeson and they raised their family of five girls and four boys during their days here.

 

The Hartvig Helgeson family in front of their home. Left to right, back row: Ernest, Cora, Ruth and Victor. Front row: Marian, Norman, Agnes, Elinor and Daniel.

They had their ups and downs, what with dry weather. 1915, 1922, 1924 and 1925 were good crop years. The winters of 1916-17 and of 1919-20 were very severe, and in 1919 there was no crop.

As to distances, our school was from 2 1/2 to 3 miles away and Baker School was 6 miles. Our nearest neighbor was 1 mile away, however.

During my childhood days, there were always home chores to be attended to and we enjoyed climbing buttes as we were close to the Badlands, Northeast of Baker. Here we could pick berries and flowers. We loved to eat ice cream cones, too. The older children had to take care of the younger brothers and sisters. We had as neighbors the Peter Flo, the Mike and Jim O'Donnells, the Henry Jensens, the George Jenners, the R.E. and Bob Morrises and the T.E. McGinnises.

I attended grade school at the Morris School, District 17 and later graduated from the Baker High School. I then attended Summer Sessions in Miles City and began teaching. My husband, Rolland Harrington Irvine, whom I married December 30, 1926 at Baker, and I are retired farmers and now live at Kinsey, Montana. We have no family.

In the early days there was quite a bit of social life in our community. We went to dances at the residence of our near neighbors, R. E. Morris, and to picnics at the Ike Stowe's and at Baker as well as at our schoolhouse. We spent much time coasting and we enjoyed the meetings of our Neighborhood Literary Society. Also a circus now and then came to Baker for added pleasure.

From the 4th through the 8th grade we attended school in a sod schoolhouse with windows on both sides. We had no limits to the school yard so at noon and recess we would run to the Morris Buttes, 1/4 mile away, to climb, often not hearing the teacher's bell.

It was a real event when we could ride to town with R. E. Morris and his family in their Overland Car. Our mode of travel was by team and wagon for many years. Dances were often held in the Morris home. It was a sod house ingeniously equipped with a sliding wall which converted two rooms into one. My mother played a guitar and sang and another neighbor, Mrs. T.E. McGinnis, played and sang Irish Ballads on the organ. They were both delightful songbirds.

An interesting and exciting event was the Literary Society held at the Berry home. On evening the room was darkened and Mr. Berry, dressed in outlandish clothing sat on the floor and produced a dancing puppet. We couldn't see the strings and we youngsters thought that he mysteriously made the little man dance.

My memories of my home are dear and sweet. It was warm and cozy in the winter and very sunny in the summer. My mother had a double window on the south full of blooming geraniums, fuchsias, chrysanthemums and the Christmas cactus which bloomed in all it's glory at Christmas time. We always had a cedar tree brought down from Cedar Butte, trimmed with popcorn and cranberries and beautifully lit with real candles. We children planned and put on our own program. My mother worked and planned and made our Christmases most enjoyable events. There never was much money but each of us received a beautiful gift.

Before my father became deaf it was his custom to seat us all about the table and we had prayer and Bible study. We were unable to get to Sunday school in town.

ROLLAND H. IRVINE

Rolland H. Irvine was born to Robert and Mary Jane Irvine in Chicago, III. -on September 10, 1888. He attended grade school in Minnesota and Illinois.

He left Minnesota in 1908. He and his cousin, Lesley Craney, went to Canada where they worked on farms as far north as Saskatoon and Prince Albert. Meanwhile his parents moved to Missoula, Montana and after a few months of Canada, Rolland decided to join them there. He worked for a gas company as a Teamster until strikes forced him to give that up. In Missoula he and his brothers and sister were very ill with smallpox. When he recovered he joined a friend at Baker, Montana, Joe Anderson by name. They had a house in Baker and hauled oats from farms on the Big Hill to sell to the freighters. Then he went to work firing a steam engine for Roy Ringrose who lived on the place where Wilbur Irvine is now. Mrs. Ringrose and Rolland came down with typhoid fever and Mrs. Ringrose died leaving two small girls. Walter Lee took over the place and later Matt Jones who lost his shirt in the winter of 1919 and spring of 1920.

Rolland filed on the homestead and worked at Willard while proving up on it. His most amusing story is about an incident which occurred one summer. The lady, who later became Mrs. Adam MacLay, was going to build a house. Rolland was working for Fred Anderson who operated the Willard Store. Two gentlemen from Baker came out one afternoon in a touring car (no top) to make some building arrangements with the lady and Rolland went along with them to show them the way. Everything went fine going over but on the way coming back, there were only trails in those days, one of the gentlemen was placidly smoking his pipe when they drove down a bank they had forgotten about. The gentleman with the pipe went sailing out of the car, landing on his back. They stopped the car and there he lay, out cold, the pipe still safely in his mouth. He wasn't hurt nor was the pipe. Rolland goes into gales of laughter every time he tells this story.

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