James Ettien (Uncle Jim) was at the depot to meet them. Although he was dressed in typical Western garb to meet the needs of any mood of Montana weather, he was a welcome sight to J.S. and Amanda (Jim's sister) with their 5 children ranging in age from Mattie 10 years to Ira, a babe of 1« years. Albert, John and Walter were in between.

    Since it was late in the day, they went to a hotel to stay overnight and rest before the long trip to Pig Eye where they would live with Jim and another brother of Amanda's, William "Bill" Ettien for the next two years. Here they helped to run a dairy before locating a tract of land on Antelope Creek situated about 5  miles below the familiar landmarks, the 'Twin Sisters' atop that portion of the 'Little Belt Mountains.'

    In the train traveling to Montana, they shared an emigrant coach with two other families using a cookstove in one end for both heating and cooking. Although a large pot of coffee was kept warm at all times, each family cooked their own food. Beds at night were made by facing two seats together with boards laid across covered by feather ticks and heavy quilts.

    It was a long, cold and tiresome trip with some of the children being sick with colds and fevers. The following morning they loaded their worldly goods and started for Utica. After climbing up out of the Yellowstone Valley, they let the horses rest, built a fire and cooked breakfast and packed a lunch for noon. That evening they camped early as the tough little cayuse team became weary with the heavy load. They made camp along the trail and prepared for a night under the stars. Amanda, no larger than a child herself, slept with the little children to keep them covered and warm. She made their bed in a buffalo wallow for protection from the wind. Rain came during the night and filled in around the bedding by morning. It was a damp, cold camp in which to cook breakfast and pack again. The next night was spent at a ranch along Swimming Woman Creek somewhere. The next night they reached the Ubet hotel, owned and run by Mrs. Barrows a short, stocky German woman who took them in where it was warm and comfortable.

    The youngest child, Ira, was running a fever and all had colds so they departed early on the last lap of their journey. Everyone along the Judith River knew of their coming. After they forded the last crossing, a tall overgrown boy walked out to the trail to welcome them and get acquainted with the new boys who would be their only neighbors. It was Finch David, son of C.C. David. Like Bill and Jim Ettien, Mr. David settled along the Judith River after the Yogo gold rush failed to pan out.

    Mrs. C.C. David, who had a heart of gold and a true pioneer spirit, called on them the next morning, taking a basket of baked foods. She found them all sick and in need of help for she pronounced their illness as measles. She sent Finch home to tell her family then stayed and cared for them until all were out of danger. The family were always grateful to Mrs. David for her knowing care and possibly saving some of their lives.

    In the spring of 1885 J.S. (as he was known to friends, Uncle Jont to nieces and nephews), bought a pre-emption right from Charles Overocker and his partner who had filed and built a log cabin above a good spring seven miles down Antelope Creek from Antelope Canyon. There was excellent grass, good water and protection in coulees and along brushy creeks.

    Amanda's sister, Mary and family, the Matt Wights, left Iowa about the same time that they did, but under different transportation. They drove through in covered wagons with 11 children driving 175 head of heifers of different breeds and colors: one hundred was their own and 75 head for J.S. They too settled on Antelope Creek two miles down from the canyon by a big spring. J.S. and the Ettien brothers had gone over and put up wild hay in the meadows toward the mountains for saddle horses and as needed to get through the winter before they arrived August 29th.

    In the spring of 1886, the Phillips family moved over on Antelope Creek to live in the little log cabin (built by Overocker). In size it was about 16'x20' with sod roof and dirt floor and was located on the hill above the spring. Its cold semi-soft water gave life to those who drank deeply of its pure, refreshing draughts. The overflow trickled through the grass to form a swamp below the spring where huge hard clumps of black mud were pushed up the livestock wading from pasture to corral. The sandy loam of a buck brush patch below the barn was broken for their first garden where Amanda with a green thumb and a drive to make good in a new land, planted garden seeds. They were given her by the C.C. Davids. Mr. David was a great gardener and shared freely the seed of proved strains that he grew so abundantly. Though many miles apart over Red Hill, they were still neighbors.

    While Amanda, Mattie and younger boys were busy milking cows and doing other chores, J.S. and his older boys were getting out logs from the mountains to build sheds, a barn and in 1889 a large log house at the bottom of the hill near a bend in the creek supporting 5 bedrooms, living room, dining room and kitchen with a lean-to of 2 rooms: utility and spring water cement tank. It was a typical ranch house of those days a lovely place to be.

    Along the side hill in the corrals were other log buildings: a chicken house, milking shed and long shearing shed where neighbor for miles around brought their sheep to be sheared when hand-shearers set up in the spring. They usually finished soon after July 4th. The old log bunk house was erected in the corner of the yard.

    Bessie Phillips was born March 14, 1888 in the first little one room home during a blinding blizzard. Fourteen years old, Mattie, with the other children, went to bed until after the birth of the baby girl. J.S. took care of his wife, but after the storm subsided the next day, he went up the creek 5 miles and brought her sister Mary Wight down to see if everything was okay. Mattie washed and dressed the baby sister with the 4 brothers crowded around her chair lending any assistance necessary. Both Claude and Ellis were born in the new house in September 1890 and June 1892. Sister Mary was able to be there to help.

    After the severe winter of 1886-87 with quite a loss of cattle, J.S. went into the sheep business. Since his range extended down past the old Webster place on Big Coulee Creek, he was able to keep two bands. He kept herders as a rule but there were many times when the boys went out and herded from the camp wagons.

    The first school was held in the first one room home after the new log house was built. Miss Dockens was the first teacher and boarded with Phillips family. Boards were nailed to the logs for desks and benches and wooden store boxes served as seats. A long cast iron wood burning stove served for heat, the kind where you either scorched in front or behind, a revolving motion in order to keep the fringes warm.

    Miss Dockens was an excellent teacher but also kept the 16 to 20 year old pupils in hand. Text books were generally books that families had brought with them. Pupils studied together then passed the book on to others. Slates and slate pencils were used from written exercises and arithmetic. It was surprising how many good students and professional people came out of these primitive educational centers. Having taught 20 years later in rural schools, I always felt the younger ones heard the older classes years before they arrived at the 6th-8th grades.

    For many years Billings and Great Falls were the Phillips' trading centers where they went in the spring and fall for supplies to carry them through the year. They bought salt by the barrel, dried fruit by boxes, prunes by the 100# as well as flour and sugar. Other staples came in large quantities.

    After moving over on to Antelope Creek, Amanda broke cows to milk and with the help of the children, made the cream into butter, (using a big old barrel churn with handles on each side for a way to turn), molded in 2 molds wrapped in butter paper and packed in salt water. They were lowered in tanks of cold running water in the spring house until such times when they traded it for supplies in Billings or Strain Bros. in Great Falls. She also sold to hotels in Ubet and Utica. This was her contribution to the family living. In return for credit given, she chose materials for dresses, shirts, quilts, etc. and all notions used in the making. Yarn for knitting socks and mittens wasn't forgotten. It was an exciting day on the ranch when they returned and children helped unpack. On one such trip to Billings, there was enough cash left to buy a china closet.

    After college in Pennsylvania, Albert Phillips returned and taught school in Utica. Mattie attended in Bozeman and taught in rural communities many years. John went to college with Albert and was later cashier of a Moore Bank. Ira went to Oberlin College in Ohio and business courses in Bozeman. Bessie (later Mrs. Paul Bradley) went to Bozeman with Mattie and took music and art with other subjects. Walter took short courses during the winter and learned the carpenter trade. They all worked hard on the ranch and were encouraged in the home to get an education.

Mt Pioneers ©1998-2000 by Ann Kramlich  All Rights Reserved.

** Consent to post the stories and photos for non commercial use from the Lewistown News Argus was graciously granted by Dave Byerly owner and Publisher. These stories and photos may not be used by any commercial entity for any reason without consent from the  Lewistown News Argus.