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FALLON COUNTY

O’Fallon Flashbacks

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

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Dakota in 1903 helping to build a bridge across the Little Missouri. It was there that he met Luella Gertrude Moss, daughter of very early settlers in western South Dakota.

"Red" and "Ella," as they were known, were married at Ekalaka, Montana, August 1, 1906, by Justice of the Peace, W. H. Peck, with Aubrey Jolly and Addie Conger as witnesses. The famous Conger Hill southeast of Ekalaka that proved to be the nemesis to the Model "T's" was named for Addie's family.

"Red" and Arthur (Big Kid) Dague, built and operated the original Old Stand Saloon, in Ekalaka. With the impending arrival of the Milwaukee Railroad to Baker, Red sold his interest and moved his wife and son, Arthur, (Buster) to Baker. He purchased two lots on the west side of Main Street just south of the corner opposite the Baker Hotel. After the death of their son, December 22, 1910, Ella operated a Millinery Shop.

Prior to the formation of Fallon County, "Red" served as undersheriff to Hugh Wells, Sheriff of Custer County, "Red" working the Alzada area. The formation of Fallon County, from a portion of Custer, and the election of Mat Jones, Sheriff, "Red" still served the Alzada area. In later years he worked for William Beck, and Peter McArthur, both owning saloons prior to Prohibition.

May 1924, "Red," Ella, and daughter, Annabelle moved to Seattle. Annabelle had the privilege of attending, for three terms, the small frame school in the east end of Baker. The teachers were Marcella Ryan, now Mrs. A. J. Mitchell, of Seattle, and Lorene Hibbard, now Mrs. Mike Kirschten, of Baker.

"Red" lived to the ripe age of 91 years, 6 months, passing away September 11, 1967, Ella who did not enjoy such robust health died, October 12, 1953. A number of trips by car and plane to Eastern Montana, where "Red" enjoyed renewing acquaintances and seeing changes in the area, brought much pleasure in his last years.

MAUD PLUMMER BOWEN MILLER

In 1863 Levi and Harriet Plummer took up a homestead in Shelby County, Iowa. They wanted to make a home for themselves and farm land of their own. I, Maud, was born there on February 18, 1888. 1 grew up on the farm and attended elementary school near home. After finishing my high school education at Harlan, Iowa, I taught a country school.

In 1907, when I was nineteen years old, I married Muriel Bowen at Irwin, Iowa and in 1908 we came to Beach, North Dakota on the Northern Pacific Railroad. We took up a homestead in the Golden Valley area of North Dakota close to the Montana border. Since we had no house to live in at first, we had to live in a sod house belonging to a neighbor, until we got one of our own built.

We broke the sod and planted our first crop of flax. It was doing fine until a hailstorm took it. We used lignite coal for most of our fuel. Beach, North Dakota was our shopping center as the towns of Carlyle and Ollie, Montana hadn't been started yet. In the fall we would go 21 miles to Beach and get a supply of things to do us through the winter. Some of the winters were good, some long and some bad.

My husband was killed in 1918. We had seven children one of which was born after the death of my husband. In order to feed and clothe the children I had to go out and work in the fields and run the farm myself. The children had to go four miles to school.

We moved over into Montana in 1920 where our neighbors were; the Martins, the Wangs, the Steens, the Starks, the Abrams, the Woodsens and the Hammonds. I lived, and worked and reared my family on the farm until 1940. There were times of fun along with the hardships. We went to homestead dances, picnics and box socials. After I moved to Montana I attended the United Bretheren Church at Ollie.

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The names of our seven children follow; Mrs. Arnold Beach (Lois), Mrs. Don Scott (Evelyn), Mrs. George Waterland (Mary), B. B. Bown (Bud), M.K. Bowen, Mrs. Gordon Rustad (Ada) and Paul Bowen. I have 33 grandchildren, 72 great grandchildren and 3 great, great grandchildren.

I now live in Baker, Montana where I have many friends and where I can be near to some of my children.

DOROTHY SCOLES MINARD

I was the first child of Merl and Leone Scoles, born Jan. 1, 1921 in the home of Ethel Kenion, a midwife in Baker. My mother says I cut my teeth on the saddlehorn as she wrangled the cattle. Since we lived too far from school my mother taught me first grade at home. She had taught school previous to her marriage. The next year the Scholes School was moved one and a half miles, there I completed 8 grades. When I started high school in Baker I worked for board and room at Ray Coreys and at N Y A work.

My first job was working for the Bernard Martins when they ran the Co-op Store and Postoffice at Willard. I shared my wages with the folks. From Willard I went to work for the Albert Norths taking care of Virginia, a handicapped child, and Joy while their mother taught school. Later I took care of Grandma Lane at Deer Lodge.

Mr. and Mrs. Ed. Minard, 1967

In 1943 1 was married to Floyd Minard and two boys joined the family. It was a continuous moving. Ed Minard became my husband in 1948 and besides raising my two sons, his nephew, four more sons and a daughter filled our happy home. Denver has been home for some time and the three oldest are now married.

To go back, home was on Grandpa Scoles homestead. Winters were cold with lots of hard work. I helped my father outside - late to bed and up early and with many sacrifices. My sister and I joined 4-H Club when I was twelve, Mrs. Martha Colbo was leader. Our neighbors were Eric Berglen, the Dan Gundersons, the Knute Rusleys, the Klauzers, the John Baileys, the Urvin Cox's, the Albert Hansons, the Roy Johnsons, the Tronstads, the Deadys, the Lewell Johnsons, the Ideekers, and the Meecages.

The Scoles family farm, 1967

Social life was school box socials and prairie rodeos at Grandpa Brownson's on the Price place on Beaver. My parents enjoyed the County Fair as it was a chance to get away from home. As a child there were many picnics but the families are too far away for family get togethers now. Father passed away in August 1972.

MR. AND MRS. RICHARD E. MORRIS [BERRY]

Richard Elsberry Morris first saw the light of day in Denver, Colorado, in the year of 1873. His parents homesteaded near Denver in 1868, and then, when Berry was 7 years of age, they moved to a location near Rapid City, S. D. in 1880, where they were occupied in the stockraising industry. Here he received his elementary education and learned the procedures of ranch life.

When he was 28 years of age, he traveled, on horseback, to this vicinity. After working for area ranches for a time he located on a place 10 miles northeast of Baker at the head of North Sandstone Creek not far from a high pointed Butte, now know as Morris Butte. This was at this time Custer County. It was a location near the edge of the Bad Lands. A brother, Robert (Bob) and his family located in the same general area.

The home was a good sized, well constructed sod house to which an addition was made as the time went by. Here he set up for himself in the ranching industry.

In 1903, he married Margaret Driesbach, who had been born at Alliance, Ohio and had come west.

They were married at Rapid City, South Dakota. Some of their neighbors of those early years were the Wm. Damon, Will Wilfong, Charles (Shorty) Shear and R. 0. Dean families.

A story comes down from those early ranch days that Berry developed into an expert roper. One day, while roping a calf a loop of the rope settled around his thumb and when the calf went down, jerking the rope taut, it also jerked Berry's thumb loose. He is said to have set his teeth, dismounted and tied the calf before seeking help for the injured thumb.

After the building through of the Milwaukee Railroad, the Morrises built a roomy, comfortable home in Baker, where they spent some of their time. They had a family of 6 children who attended school in Baker and spent summers on the ranch.

They took an active part in the affairs in the early days of Baker. Mr. Morris and Mr. H. W. Sparks opened a large livery barn on the corner where the present Ford Garage now

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stands (1973). The building subsequently was destroyed by fire, after it had later been converted to a garage. When the barn was completed, before putting in stalls, they initiated it by giving a big barn dance. The weather did its best, also to celebrate, breaking loose that night with a loudly spectacular thunderstorm. No one was hurt!

He was also one of the founders of the Baker State Bank and was engaged with Frank Becker and E. A. Mulkey in real-estate deals and in locating incoming homesteaders on land.

When Fallon County was created, he was sent to the state legislature as its first representative.

Their family was educated in Baker except that some of the elder children went for a time to a sod school near their ranch home called the Morris School.

Their ranch home was, at times, the scene of fun filled country dances where the music was provided by a neighbor, Tom Phillips on the violin, and Margaret Morris at the piano.

He was a member of the Masonic Lodge and of the Episcopal Church in Baker. Mrs. Morris passed away in 1919. That was a difficult year as the summer had been dry and a hard winter followed with a scarcity of hay. Much hay was shipped into Baker that winter and there were heavy livestock losses.

An unusually violent cyclone wind swept the area northeast of Baker in 1922 which caused great destruction on the ranch buildings.

Later on, Berry remarried. A widow, Mrs. Alfred Lemay became his second wife. She passed away at Yakima, Wash. in 1969. They had no family.

Both Richard E. Morris and Margaret Morris are buried at Baker.

The oldest son, Hugh and wife, now retired, live at Upton, Wyoming.

Helen, a retired teacher, and children are at Santa Rosa, Calif. She was recently widowed.

Edith (Mrs. Tyler Hayes) a retired nurse is at Phoenix, Ariz.

Mary is at Yakima, Wash. where her husband is in partnership with her brother, Richard Morris in a trucking business there.

Robert is on a ranch near Billings, and also serves as a security officer on the Billings College grounds from the Yellowstone County Sheriff's Office.

MR. AND MRS. HUGH MORRIS

I made my appearance on the scene on Nov. 10, 1904 at Wibaux, Montana, and as soon as I was able to travel, I rode by team with my parents, Richard E. and Margaret Morris, to their ranch 10 miles northeast of Baker, near the edge of the interesting Bad Lands. It was quite a drive.

It was a good location for a ranch; my parents were stockmen and also did some farming. There were many things to do for a boy on the ranch; riding a horse, playing with my sisters and brothers, going to school, mostly in Baker and spending summers on the ranch.

On March 11th of 1933 1 was married to Elizabeth Gail Crow at Wibaux, Montana. Gail had arrived on the local scene on Nov. 1st of 1912, and had taken up residence at the home of her parents, Thomas and Ada Crow in Baker, Montana. Her family lived in Baker for a few years and then moved to a farm 6 miles northwest of town.

She was one of the five daughters of Mr. and Mrs. T. S. Crow, and she remembers many happy experiences on the farm. She recalls that when her parents would drive into town, the girls could hardly wait until they were out of sight so they could cook up a batch of fudge.

Hugh Morris in front of family sod home.

Helen Morris, sister to Hugh, by sod home.

Near the house was a creek which was, at most, about 2 feet deep. This creek was a "No, no!" However when the parents had gone, many happy hours were spent 'boating' on the creek. A wash tub served as a boat, and a board was used as a paddle.

After our marriage, we tried the farm and ranching game for a few years, but the Depression was on. Gail taught in Fallon County those years.

When World War II broke out, we left Baker and I entered the U.S. Navy and Gail was employed at the Kaiser Shipyards at Oakland, Calif. When the war was ended, we returned to Baker briefly and then I went into construction work for a time. We made our home at Upton, Wyoming, where we soon engaged in the trucking business, and Gail once again turned to teaching school. We have no children.

After 22 years in the trucking business we sold out and retired. We still make our home in Upton, but we go south with the birds in the winter and touch down at Cordes Lakes, Mayer, Arizona, where we have a trailer home located. We have made trips back to Baker.

Gail and her 4 sisters were together at Baker in 1952 when their father became ill. We have in our possession, 3000 of the buttons from the Button Collection owned by Mr. and Mrs. T. S. Crow along with 2 chairs from a set of 6 which were presented to Mr. and Mrs. Crow by Wm. Lang as a wedding gift in 1908.

We hope to visit Baker again in the near future. (1973)

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G. R. [ROY] MOSHIER

G. R. (Roy) Moshier was born at Northfield, Minnesota on September 15, 1878. He was the son of George and Rose Moshier. His parents were not farmers nor were they stockmen.

He was married to Ella Blake at Fairboult, Minnesota, in 1905. Although they had no family of their own, they were extremely kind and generous, helping to raise and educate children from several families. Two of these were Allen and Elanor Scott, nephew and niece of Mrs. Moshier's, who lived in Baker and attended school here for a number of years.

Roy Moshier by their home in Baker

In the year of 1913 when Roy was 35 years of age, they came to this area and took up a homestead, 30 miles southeast of Baker, and 20 miles from Ekalaka and 10 miles to Webster, their post office.

During the first 2 years they experienced lack of moisture, poor crops together with very severe winters with a shortage of stock feed. During this period they suffered the loss of half their livestock. While on the homestead they had as neighbors Elias Traweek, Robert Yokley, Sr., Ole Flasted and later Eddie Flasted, Sr., William Pickens, Albert Jardee and Mr. and Mrs. Atkinson. The location of the homestead was in the vicinity east of the Medicine Rocks. After proving up on their claim in 1917 they moved to Baker.

Ella Moshier by their home in Baker

G. R. Moshier was known as Roy to his many friends and acquaintances. Mrs. Moshier opened a Millinery Shop and served the ladies of the community well, often trimming hats to the taste of the purchaser. Later she expanded this operation to the Moshier Ready To Wear Shop.

In 1922, Mr. Moshier became co-owner of the Baker Sentinel, along with Robert S. Hamilton. He held this ownership until 1925.

He served as postmaster of Baker for 12 years and became active in politics, serving as Mayor of Baker from May 1936 to May 1937. He was elected County Commissioner in 1939 in which capacity he served until 1945.

It was through his efforts, that the policy of retaining fifty percent of oil and gas rights for the County, was adopted. This policy has since been followed. Roy was elected to the Mayor's office in which he served from 1947 to 1949.

Following Mrs. Moshier's death in 1948 he continued to operate the Ready To Wear along with his Real Estate Agency. In 1952 he closed out the store and devoted full time to the Real Estate Business.

Roy Moshier spent many years in Public life and devoted much of his time to the writing of articles beneficial to Baker and surrounding areas. He was keenly interested in every day developments of the gas and oil industry in Fallon County.

THE MORTON FAMILY

This is the history of three of Fallon County's homesteaders. They are Mary Lillian Morton, Peter Dale Morton, and George Morton.

Mary Lillian (Lily) Hamel Morton was born April 1, 1887 the fifth oldest in a family of fourteen children. She was born and raised in Carrington, North Dakota of French Canadian and English parents. When she was sixteen years old she married Peter Dale Morton who was born in Pennsylvania March 17, 1879 of Irish, Scotch and Dutch parentage. Peter Dale (as he was known) Morton and Lily Hamel were married Oct. 3, 1903 at Jamestown, North Dakota. They spent their first year in Steele, North Dakota with Dale's parents. In April of 1904 Dale came to Montana working on round-up, shearing sheep and bronc riding, while Lily stayed in Steele and helped his folks on their farm.

On May 6, 1905 Lily came to Montana to join Dale. She came out from Miles City on the stage. Stayed all night at the station at Knowlton with Bill Gerhart and his wife who ran the stage and station. They changed horses three times between Miles City and Ekalaka. She stayed at the Taylor Hotel overnight and then Bill Sweeny took her out to the Bradshaw Ranch at Chalk Buttes with a livery rig. Dale was herding sheep there. In June when shearing started Dale went with the crew and Lily went to the Jack Schnider ranch. William Dale Morton was born to them September 14, 1905. They herded sheep for Barber the winter of 1905 and 1906 on Box Elder near Mill Iron. When spring came they went back to Ekalaka and freighted, worked on dams for McKay's, broke horses, etc. Cora Lambert and Lily Morton stayed most of the winter of 1906 and 1907 in a log house south of Ekalaka near the Russell ranch while the men freighted between Ekalaka, Terry and Miles City. In 1908 Lily and Dale squatted on the Morton farm located on Milk Creek. When it was surveyed and opened for homesteading they filed on the farmland. George, Dale's younger brother, born August 13, 1886 in Steele, North Dakota came from Steele and filed on a homestead adjoining them. Dale, George, Johnnie and Amos Lambert and Amos Greenlee bought a big steam engine and plows. They also put up hay for McKay's on Lame Jones. Lily did the mowing and raking for 400 ton one year. They also broke horses for saddle and work and sheared sheep. Lots of hard work, but also fun.

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Top picture, A Minneapolis coal burning steam engine, worked in the Lame Jones and Milk Creek area, 1911.

Johnny Lambert and George Morton on engine.

Bottom picture, A Rumley oil burner plow outfit, Harry Juue, worked in the Webster area, 1911.

Robert L. Morton was born on the farm in a 1/2 dug out along the creek June 2, 1910. In the fall of 1914 they built a house on the homestead. In 1948 Bob Morton moved the house to Baker where it now sits across from the museum (then the library.) It is now owned by Coleman Krokker.

In 1914 Morton's kept the schoolteacher Miss Wittenberg and from then on until the school closed in 1948 Morton's kept the teacher many of the school years.

Ruby Morton was born August 29, 1916. That same year Dale got sick with Bright's Disease and went back to Bismarck, North Dakota and stayed with his sister. He passed away December 19, 1916 and was buried at Steele. In 1917 a friend of theirs from Carrington, Bill Crouse, and his wife came to Montana to help on the farm.

Milk Creek Club, 1913. Some

of the ladies in the picture are: Mrs. Everson, Mrs. Loutzenhuser, Mrs. Johnson, Mrs. Morton, Mrs. Kuehn, Mrs. Severson, Mrs. Huber, Mrs. White, Mrs. Mulrys, Mrs. Dorbridge, Mae Everson.

On August 19, 1919 George and Lily Morton were married and lived on the farm until 1944 when they moved to Baker and retired. During George and Lily Morton's years in the Milk Creek area they were active in all community activities, especially school, social activities, Farmers Union, A.A.A. George served on the draft board for many years. He loved to hunt and fish. Mrs. Morton was active in Home Demonstration work in the earlier years.

Morton's 1916 Model T Ford with some south Milk Creek Homesteaders, Back Row, Frank Barbridge and Jack Severson, Front row, Dale Morton and Gunder Everson.

Bill and Bob Morton and their replica

of a big farm wagon, 1918.

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After they moved to Baker they kept their grandchildren while they attended school for several years and George had time to hunt and fish. He stayed active until his death on August 17, 1954. After his death Lily stayed in Baker until her death May 8, 1969 at the age of 82.

Lily and Dale's children grew up on the Morton farm and Ruby Morton lived with them until her Mother's death when she moved to the Golden Valley Manor in Beach, North Dakota.

The eldest son, William, married Mary Lyman in 1933. During the 1930's depression he left the farm and went to work for the State Water Board in Helena. He still lives in East Helena after retiring from his job in 1972. He has 2 children, Mary Jo who is a teacher and William, Jr. who works for the state highway department in Helena. His wife, Mary, passed away in 1952 and he is presently married to the former Arva Chenkovich.

Bill, Bob, Lily, Ruby and George Morton, 1932.

The second son, Robert L. Morton, has lived on the Morton farm and in Baker all his life except for a few years during the depression when he worked for the State Water Board. On August 20, 1932 he married Emma Kennedy a schoolteacher from Ekalaka. They moved another house on the Morton farm and bought a piece of adjoining land from William Johnson. On May 27, 1933 Joyce was born to them. She married James Cook, they have 3 boys, Robert 16, Gary 14, and Paul 13. She lives in Richmond, California. On December 17, 1934 Betty was born. She married Charles Hayes October 24, 1953 and they have four children; Karen James 18, Dean 15, Ann 7 and David 4. They live in Cowley, Wyoming where Charles teaches school. On July 9, 1936 Edith was born. She married Raymond Carlisle in 1963. They have two children, Dawn 9 and Shawn 8. They live in Greelee, Colorado. Three years later the last of their four children, Jean, was born on May 29, 1939. She is married to Robert Lutts. They have four children; Mary and Kenneth 10-year-old twins, Amy 2 and Roy 8 months. They live on a ranch 20 miles north of Baker.

On May 30, 1963 Emma Morton passed away and on April 27, 1965 Bob married Alvina Howe. They now reside in Baker where Bob is civil defense director. In 1959 he had a sale and sold his house to C. L. Askins and they moved it just north of Baker.

In summing up Lily, Dale and George Morton's lives. It was hard work but they all had a love of life and lived every minute to the fullest. Many things happened to them they never told such as sickness, bad storms and other hardships. They were quiet people who lived out of the limelight, but enriched the lives of the people around them especially their

Both pictures, July 4,1911, picnic at Medicine Rocks.

family and close friends. Even at 82 years Lily Morton had a zest for life seldom seen in people her age and she always said she lived in the present not the past. We heard few tales of the past and any we did hear were the fun times and not the bad times.

JAMES J. AND LORNA MORROW

James J. Morrow arrived in Mildred, Montana (at that time a part of Custer County) in April of 1908 to homestead 160 acres 1 1/2 miles south of Mildred. He built a house actually a tarpaper shack-in preparation for the arrival of his family. Building materials were scarce but so was money so the hard-surfaced floor in the new house was slab rock laid on a dirt subfloor.

Old school at Mildred, Montana. The building euentually wound up at Wintermote's six mile turn

off.

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Jim's family arrived in Mildred on June 8, 1908 by railroad emigrant car from Minneapolis, Minnesota. The family consisted of his wife, Lorna, and their three sons, Rowland, Russell and Luard. Also included in the emigrant car was a team of horses, a cow and calf, a few chickens and a few pieces of farm machinery and household goods.

While living on the homestead during the years from 1908 through 1916 four more children were born-Lorna in 1910, Margaret in 1912, Fred in 1914 and Donald in 1916. The children of school age attended school in Mildred 1 1/2 miles away. Each morning Lorna would put all four of them on an old horse named Black Beauty and send him off. He dutifully delivered the children to the school; the teacher helped them off and placed the reins over the horse's neck. He returned home and in the late afternoon the same procedure was followed in reverse and the children were returned safely home. The dreaded disease of the century visited the family during these years and left Russell and Luard crippled by polio. In July of 1916 Margaret died of pneumonia.

Early day Mildred, Montana.

In 1917 the family moved from the homestead to the town of Mildred and as the town grew so grew the Morrow family. However, they couldn't be considered city folks since the new home was about a half mile from the center of town and they were still engaged in farming and ranching which provided plenty of work for the children as well as mother and dad. Naturally the years brought their share of happiness and sorrow. William was born in November of 1917 and twins, Keith and Kenneth were born in August of 1919. Mildred was born in February of 1922. Kenneth drowned in a cistern in July of 1922. Dorothy was born in May of 1923 and Marjorie and a still-born twin born in November of 1925. Russell, in spite of his handicap, became a school teacher and taught school at the Ten Mile School in Prairie County. In 1926 he contracted pneumonia and died and in 1927 Luard was killed in an automobile accident. The last of the fifteen children to be born to Jim and Lorna was Doris. She was born in July of 1930. In January of 1931 Marjorie died of bronchitis.

During these tragic times of death Lorna Morrow was wont to walk in her garden very early each morning seeking an answer to such tragedies. She related that one morning as the sun rose she was walking among the tomato plants and the answer came to her. As it was necessary to prune the tomato plants to make healthy plants so was it necessary to prune her family-to strengthen and improve those remaining.

On the happiness side it should be noted that the Morrow house was always a center of family love and concern. In the period before radios or television much of a family's entertainment had to be provided by the family itself. After the evening chores were done Mother Morrow would gather her flock around her and read to them until one by one they would drop off to sleep and she would have to put each one to bed. She introduced her children to such authors as Charles Dickens and his "Tale of Two Cities" as well as the books of Harold Bell Wright and Clarence Buddington Kelland. As the children grew older there were parties, dances and school activities in their home to keep them busy and entertained.

For approximately two years Jim and Lorna operated the Mildred Hotel and Cafe.

There were many lean years and it was necessary for Jim to work at his trade of plumber and steam fitter to supplement the small income from the farm and cattle. As a result he was away from home much of the time so that the management of the family and farm was left almost entirely to Lorna with the help, of course, of the older children. Somehow, though, she always managed to find time to make a half dozen Brownie costumes, write a poem for one of the children's school programs or help direct and take part in a home talent play at the old Legion Hall. She was always on call to furnish piano accompaniment for a vocal solo or an instrumental number by one of the townspeople.

Morrow family, 1922. Back row, left to right, Rowland, Jim, Lorna [Mother] with baby, Mildred. Middle row, Donald, Lorna [Daughter] and Fred. Front row, Keith [a twin], Bill and Kenneth [a twinj

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Band from Mildred, 1927. Luard Morrow second from left in front row. Fred Morrow fourth from left, front row, the drummer boy.

Although feeding and clothing a large family kept Jim's nose to the grindstone he more than did his share in community affairs. For years he served on the local school board, church board and cemetery committee. He was serving as a member of the school board during the years that plans were made for the new school building and, as is the case in any community where an expenditure of money is involved, such a project can be a very controversial affair. There were bitter quarrels and hurt feelings but Mildred got its much needed new school building. The building is still in use.

Some years after the town built its new school the Morrows decided that they needed a new barn so one summer morning Mother and the boys went to work hauling flat rock from the surrounding hills. There was no money for mortar so the flat rocks were laid up with gumbo and straw mixed to the same consistency as mortar. The Morrows completed the walls by fall and dozens of neighbors gathered to help them with the raising of the rafters and haymow. An old building had been bought and the lumber and hardwood flooring was used to complete the upper structure. There are many people in eastern Montana who still remember the great dances that hay loft provided.

Uncle Fred Morrow's homestead, ten miles south east of Mildred, 1918. Left to right, Art Burgoen, Florence Morrow, Bill Morrow, Jim Hauge, Clay Stith, Fred Morrow,

Automobiles were scarce the country over but around the Morrow place they were indeed a rarity. An occasional Model T might be found in the yard and it was always ready for the wrecking yard, but it did serve as a means of transportation now and then. Jim Morrow never liked nor understood cars and he was undoubtedly the world's worst driver. One time an easterner came by train to Mildred and, since he was a friend of the Morrows, asked that someone of the family drive him out in the country to see his homestead. Lorna was busy canning so the job was left to Jim. He succeeded in starting the car, but it was necessary to turn it around in the yard before going out through the front gate. There wasn't enough room to make the turn without backing up, but Jim didn't know how to back a car so he continued going ahead hollering, " Whoa! Whoa! Whoa! " as the old car plowed through a high woven wire fence and finally stopped amidst a tangled mess of wire in the middle of the garden. The children, who had watched, with open mouths, their father's futile attempt as a chauffeur, started to unwind the wire from the car's wheels. The easterner, without a word, grabbed his derby hat and stiffly marched up the road toward town where he found a much slower but safer means of transportation- a horse and buggy.

After years of drought and depression it became apparent that actually the grass was greener over the hill and the Morrows began to drift away. Rowland, the oldest, had married and was living in Laurel with his wife. Leith (the former Leith Will) and Lorna were married and living in Choteau. Fred went to work for a construction company working on the highway between Miles City and Glendive. Finally, in 1934 the Morrows sold their home to Waldo Clark and either sold or gave away most of their possessions. The house is now occupied by the Dick Kranzler family.

Jim, Lorna and the children still at home, Don, Bill, Keith, Mildred, Dorothy and Doris, moved to Glasgow where the children attended school and Jim worked on the Fort Peck Dam. Fred also went to work at the dam that fall of 1934. Don married Agnes Wagner, a classmate in Glasgow, in 1935 and he, too, went to work at the dam.

A series of moves found the family in Billings for several years. In 1942 they moved to Orem, Utah where Jim worked as a master plumber until his death in 1957. Rowland and family had settled in Billings then in Coeur d' Alene, Idaho. Fred was working for a construction company in Colorado and later went with this same company to a project in the Canal Zone where he and his wife, Ella, (the former Ella McDowell of Terry) lived for four years. He now resides in Baker, Montana. Bill, Keith and Don served their country during World War II-Bill and Keith in England and Don in the Philippines. Keith, a bomber pilot, was injured on a bombing mission over Germany and spent many months in an English hospital. He and his wife Donna (the daughter of Glen and Lottie Meredith and the granddaughter of Ed and Inez Older, two early day pioneers in Prairie County) are living in California. Bill and family lived in Wallace, Idaho for many years until November of 1972 when Bill was killed in a mining accident. Dorothy married and lives in Rapid City, South Dakota. Mildred, Doris and Lorna all married and settled in Orem, Utah near their parents. Jim died in 1957 and Lorna in 1970. Both are buried in Utah.

FRED N. AND ELLA MORROW

Fred N. Morrow was born in 1914 in Mildred, Montana when the town was still a part of Custer County. His parents were James and Lorna Morrow who had homesteaded south of Mildred in 1908. He was one of fifteen children, six of whom died early in life.

Fred's first home on the homestead was a tarpaper shack with a rock slab floor built by his father in 1908. This was his home until 1917 when the family-now mother, father and seven children-bought a home in Mildred and moved to town.

Mildred was a thriving community at that time and Fred's home was the hub of that activity -not only because a large family makes for much activity but because everyone was always welcome and made to feel a part of the family. There were weekly rodeos, dances, picnics and other events which drew people from the entire area.

However, it wasn't all fun and games. Fred's father was away from home working as a plumber much of the time so the boys of the family had to do the farming and ranching. Fred's mother decided a new barn was needed so she and the boys proceeded to build one. He recalls vividly the gathering of slab rock from the hills, the mixing of mortar from gumbo and straw (no money for cement) and the laying up of the walls of the barn. Neighbors and friends assisted in the erection of the roof and the haymow. The barn was then the place for regular dances for which his mother furnished the piano music.

The years were hard with no money-it was during the 1920's and the 1930's-yet Fred's stories of his life in Mildred are full of humor. He tells of the rodeos held every Sunday

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afternoon during the summer. Much to the consternation of all of the neighbors who happened to have a few head of cattle, the Morrow boys, with plenty of help from their young friends, broke every cow, calf and bull to ride before the summer was over, but each summer there was a fresh herd to use as rodeo stock. Fred, not being much of a cowboy and essentially a coward when it came to riding a bucking animal, usually appointed himself as keeper of the ticket gate while his brothers took all of the chances as the riding contestants.

In describing his life as a boy Fred told of handling six horses on a two-gang disc plow at the age of eight. He also maintained that they ran away every day without fail. There were years when the only hay crop was thistles and he tells of the nerve it took to jump from the rail of the hay rack into the loosely loaded thistles in order to pack them down especially true when the jumper was barefoot. Shoes were a luxury and to be cherished and cared for because what money was available had to be spent for more important items. But in spite of the hardships that at the time seemed unbearable, Fred looks back on the years in Mildred and the big house down in the trees near O'Fallon Creek with fond memories and no regrets.

In 1934 Fred left Mildred to earn his own living driving a truck re-oiling the highway between Miles City and Glendive. It was at this time he met his future wife, Ella McDowell, only child of E. H. and Ada McDowell of Terry.

Ella was born in Terry in 1917. Her father died when she was eight and she and her mother lived alone. Her only claim to fame was her ancestral chart tracing her ancestry in a direct line back to Daniel Boone. She attended the Terry schools and graduated from high school in 1935. She had had a different life than Fred in that she was an only child, and as such, was fortunate in not having felt the effects of hard times and the depression as had Fred. She had always had a bit of envy for those who were part of a large family as hers was a more lonely life with no brothers and sisters. During her high school years Ella was pianist for a dance orchestra called "The Eight Aces". The orchestra was composed of high school students (one of whom was Fred's brother, Don) and played for dances in Terry and the surrounding area. Each member was paid the top salary of $2.00 per night. After graduating from high school Ella attended the University of California at Berkeley, California for two years.

During this time Fred continued working for Wunderlich Construction Company and was sent to Fort Peck Dam, Augusta, and Glacier Park, Montana and finally to Colorado.

In March of 1937 Fred and Ella were married in Denver, Colorado. In those days there was no such thing as a vacation with pay, but Fred did succeed in getting one day off in which to get married. As is true with all construction work many moves were involved during the next two years and 1939 finally found them in Durango, Colorado where their first daughter, Carolyn, was born in 1940. In 1941 Fred was sent to Panama. He was still working for the same company and by now had been promoted to the position of manager of the parts department. Since the company carried a parts inventory in Panama in excess of one million dollars this position carried a great deal of responsibility.

After living in Panama for four years Fred, Ella and their daughter, Carolyn, returned to the states seeking a location in which to open a hardware store. When Baker, Montana was suggested as a thriving community Fred was very hesitant since his memories of eastern Montana were of the dry, depression years of the thirties. However, he agreed to go to Baker and investigate the business prospects.

So it happened that on August 5, 1945 the Morrows arrived in Baker. Seemingly their worst fears were realized since it was a blistering hot day even though a slight breeze was blowing. Small puffs of dust and an occasional tumbleweed seemed to be the only moving things on the streets. However, after due consideration of the business possibilities of the area, Fred decided to ignore the bleak welcome and proceed with his plans.

Fred Morrow's original store at Baker, 1945.

He secured a lease on a portion of the building occupied by the Corner Bar and began preparations for a November Opening. While working in the building before the opening an old timer of the community stopped by and greeted him with these words, "Young feller, I've got you sized up as either a damn fool or else you're crazy as hell! If there is one thing Baker doesn't need it's another hardware store! I'll give you about six months!" On the other side of the coin a leading businessman in Baker, Martin Russell, came to see him and welcome him to the community while giving encouragement as to future business growth. So it was that the Coast to Coast Store was opened November 25, 1945 and continued in its location next to the Corner Bar until 1953 when it was moved to a new building between Russell's Clothing and Lawler Drug. In 1965 Fred changed the store affiliation from Coast to Coast to Ace Hardware. The predicted six months of business has lengthened into over twenty-seven years as Fred continues his hardware business as Morrow's Ace Hardware.

In 1945 shortly before their arrival in Baker, another daughter, Diane, was born in Miles City and in 1949 a third daughter, Jeannine, arrived. Upon the arrival of the third daughter Fred was heard to remark, "Nothing is better than two daughters- unless it is three daughters!"

Fred and Ella both became active in the life of the community and worked for the betterment of Baker. Fred served as Mayor in the 1950's as well as taking his turn as President of the Chamber of Commerce, the Lion's Club and other organizations. He served on the school board and has been a member of the Fallon County Fair Board since 1957 serving as its president during part of that time. He served as President of the Rocky Mountain Fair Association in 1964 and as President of the Montana Hardware and Implement Association in 1971 and 1972. He has been a director of the latter association for ten years.

Ella did her share in local organizations serving as president of the Baker Woman's Club and Baker Homemakers Club. Both she and Fred were active members of the Order of the Eastern Star serving as Worthy Matron and Worthy Patron in 1952. Fred served, as Master of the Masonic Lodge and Ella was Mother Advisor of the Order of Rainbow for Girls. Both have been active members of the Baker Community Church serving many years as officers of the church.

Carolyn, Diane and Jeannine all graduated from the Baker High School where they had been active in every phase

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Fred Morrow family by the home in Baker. Left to right, Diane, Mrs. McDowell [Ella's mother], Fred, Ella, Carolyn. Jeannine in front.

of high school life but particularly in the music department. Carolyn married Jack Havens in 1958 and they have one daughter, Barbara. They have a floor covering and home decorating business in Wolf Point, Montana. Diane and Jeannine both graduated from the University of Montana with a degree in music. While attending the University both girls were selected to sing with the Jubileers-the select singing group of the University. They remained members of this group for four years and during these years the Jubileers entertained in the Orient and Europe. After graduation Diane taught school for one year and is now in the entertainment field which requires extensive traveling. Jeannine is teaching music in the state of Washington. Fred and Ella continue to live and work in Baker which is still "home" to all the family.

WILLIAM AND EVA MOSCRIP

William G. Moscrip, son of Edward M. Moscrip and Margaret Gilmore Moscrip, was born in a sod house January 4, 1875, and grew to manhood on a farm nine miles south of Sioux Falls, South Dakota. He helped his parents on the farm except when logging in the Black Hills a few winters. He was a graduate of high school.

Eva V. Messner was the daughter of Andrew and Eva Messner. She was born at Sioux Falls September 6, 1881 and lived on a farm until the age of 14. Her parents moved to Harrisburg, South Dakota, where her father was interested in a bank. She was also a graduate of high school and later worked in a store for her father until she was married.

On May 16, 1900 we, "Will and Eva", were married at Harrisburg, South Dakota and moved on a farm which was owned by Will's parents. On December Ollie Isabell came into our home but she "was budding on earth to bloom in heaven" as she left us at the age of six years.

Will had always wanted to go west on a ranch so we decided to go. Both our parents had settled in South Dakota while it was still a territory and had to ship all their supplies from Iowa as that was their nearest railroad and from there by oxen. It was a long and tiresome trip. They endured so many hardships and were deprived of so many necessities of life. The winters were long and cold. The long tall grass was

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