DEATH OF PIONEER. RESIDENT OF STEVENSVILLE FOR FIFTY-FOUR YEARS.
Stevensville, February 12 - William E. Baggs, pioneer resident of the Bitter Root valley, died at his home here early this morning after an illness of five days. Mr. Baggs, who came to the Bitter Root valley in 1877, was 76 years of age. He came to this country during the Nez Perce Indian war, and was detailed as a guard at Fort Owen in 1877.
     He was a former postmaster here for 12 years and for a number of years was an expert accountant with the Missoula Mercantile Company's branch store.
     Mr. Baggs was born August 26, 1854, at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and spent his early boyhood in Smyrna, Delaware. He came to Montana from Delaware in 1882. He was married to Laura E. Dobbins, the first white child born in the Bitter Root valley. After her death, he married Mary Stoddard of Stevensville in 1887. She is a sister of Fred Stoddard of Missoula.
     Mr. Baggs is survived by a son by his first marriage, Marvin Baggs. By his second marriage, he is survived by his widow and three children, Clara Baggs of Stevensville, Mrs. F.H. Ventner of Merced, California, and William Baggs, who is with the merchant marine. He is also survived by a brother, George T. Baggs, an attorney at Stevensville, and a sister, Mrs. Anna E. Pierce of Kansas City, Missouri.
     Funeral services will be held Friday morning at the Federated Methodist church here. The services will be under the auspices of the Masonic lodge. Rev. H.B. Ricketts will officiate.                                                                                                                                            Ravalli Republican, February 13, 1930

    Mrs. Martha S. Bagley, 58, died at he home on South Eighth street yesterday morning following several weeks of illness. Mrs. Bagley was a native of Mountain Home, Ark., and came to the Bitter Root valley with her husband 18, years ago, living for several years at Charlos Heights. The family moved to Hamilton two years ago. She is survived by her husband, William Bagley, three daughters, Mrs. Sam Morton, Mrs. J.J. Boyle of Wenatchee, Wash, and Mrs. North Clark of Hamilton; three sons, Bernard and Raymond Bagley of Hamilton, and John Fullerton, by a  former marriage. A brother, George Raymond of Hamilton, and three step children, Mrs. Otis Talbot and Nova Bagley of Corvallis and Mrs. Mark Cook of Victor, are other relatives in the valley. Two sisters, Mrs. Henry Maggard of Dustin, Okla., and Mrs. William Hopson of Stuttgart, Ark, and four brothers, Harvey, Walter, Robert and Albert, survive. Three of the brothers reside near the old home in Arkansas and the last named lives at Colorado Springs, Colo.
    Funeral services will be held from the Christian Church tomorrow afternoon at 2 o'clock by Rev. J.L. Eccles. Mrs. Bagley had been a member of the Christian Church for many years. Burial will be made in Riverview Cemetery.
    Mrs. Bagley was known as a kindly woman and a good neighbor in the community where she spent so many years. Several grandchildren survive with the immediate family.
Ravalli Republican, April 3, 1930

    William F. Bagley, resident of the Hamilton community for the past 23 years, died Tuesday at the Daly hospital following a ten-day illness that necessitated an emergency operation. He was 62 years old and for the most of his life had following farming as an industry.
    Surviving family members are his wife, the daughters, Mrs. Virginia Talbot, Mrs. Myrtle Cook and Mrs. Fay Clark, and the sons, Raymond, Nova, and Charles, all of the Bitter Root valley. A daughter, Mrs. Argie Boyle, lives at Seattle. Mrs. Sam Morton is a step-daughter.
    Funeral services will be held at the Wright Chapel tomorrow afternoon at 2 o'clock with Rev. H.H. Longenecker officiating. Interment will be in Riverview Cemetery.
Ravalli Republican, Thursday, June 23, 1938   
MRS. W.S. BAILEY TAKEN BY DEATH. LONG A RESIDENT OF THE BITTER ROOT.
Corvallis - Mrs. Elsie Bailey, 79, a resident of the valley for 50 years, died Wednesday morning in Daly hospital in Hamilton, following a long illness from cancer. She had been up and around, but had not been in good health for a year. She was taken to the hospital on Monday.
     Mrs. Bailey was born Elsie Adele McBride, September 16, 1882, at Elk Grove, Wisconsin. She was the daughter of John and Mary Elizabeth McNett McBride, Jr. In 1894, the family moved to Plattville, Wisconsin where she attended school and graduated from the Plattville Normal School in 1904. She taught school for a year at Darlington, Wisconsin, and on December 27, 1905, married a fellow school teacher, Winfield Scott Bailey, at Plattville. They remained in that area for several years and in 1912 moved to ranch property in the Three Mile area east of Stevensville. The next year, they moved to Corvallis where Mr. Bailey was superintendent of schools. In 1916, they built a house north of Corvallis that was they farmed and was the family home until Mr. Bailey's death in 1951.
    Following Mr. Bailey's retirement in 1941, they maintained their ranch home here and spent their winters in Long Beach, California. Since Mr. Bailey's death, much of Mrs. Bailey's time has been spent in California until the past two years, when she returned to Corvallis to make her home with her daughter, Mrs. Otto Quast.
     Mrs. Bailey was a member of the Corvallis Order of Eastern Star, Community Church, charter member of the Corvallis Womans Club, Owego Garden Club, and Ladies Aid.
     Surviving are daughters, Mrs. Otto (Ruth) Quast, Corvallis; Mrs. Larry (Kay) Moore, Stamford, Connecticut; son, Homer, Corvallis; eight grandchildren, three great grandchildren, a niece, and two nephews.
      Funeral services will be held Friday afternoon at 2 o'clock in the Dowling chapel, Hamilton. The Rev. Father Carl Lemm-Marugg will officiate. Interment will be in the family plot in Corvallis cemetery.                                                                                                                 The Western News, Ravalli Republic, June 16, 1962
Contributed by Karolyn Simpson

W.S. BAILEY IS TAKEN BY GRIM REAPER, BURIAL AT CORVALLIS.
     One of the Bitter Root's leading citizens for many years, passed from this world last Thursday, May 31, at Long Beach, California where he as been spending much of his time in recent years. He was Winfield Scott Bailey, former superintendent of schools of Corvallis, one time Corvallis banker, and for many years, one of the leading agriculturists of Ravalli County.
     Funeral services were conducted at the Dowling chapel in Hamilton yesterday afternoon followed by burial rites at Corvallis cemetery. Rev. Jesse Dove of Corvallis officiated at the services and rites of the Masonic fraternity, to which Mr. Bailey had for years owed allegiance, were conducted at the graveside.
     Active pallbearers at the funeral were Paul Lear, Gilbert Chaffin, Albert Miles, R.J. McCall, Ray Morris, and Dan Morris. The honorary pallbearers were Edward Mills, Henry St. John, James St. John, Ivan Gustafson, Charles Swanson, R.A. O'Hara, H.C. Groff, J.W. Kilpatrick, Scotty Brown, R.H. McKay, Peter Haas, Charles G. Johnson, and Albert Hess.
     Mr. Bailey was born September 17, 1881 at Cobb, Wisconsin. After graduating from Plattville Teachers College at Plattville, Wisconsin, he taught school in Wisconsin several years. He married Elsie Adele McBride December 27, 1905 at Plattville and, came to the Bitter Root with his family in 1912, locating first in the Three Mile area and later moving to Corvallis.
     After serving as superintendent at Corvallis for three years and engaging in the banking business there, he started extensive sheep farming operations north of Corvallis. Later, sugar beets and cattle became the main crops. He served as one of the directors of the federal Agricultural Adjustment Administration during the early years of the Roosevelt administration with headquarters in Bozeman. When his health failed, he turned over active management of his farming operation to his son, Homer, who has continued in that capacity up to the present time. He was one of the organizers of the Western Montana Beetgrowers Association.
    He was a member of the Corvallis Lodge No. 39 A.F. & A.M., Corvallis O.E.S., Corvallis Community church, and was state president AAA from 1938 until ill health forced his retirement. He was a member of the Corvallis school board for many years.
    Those who survive W.S. Bailey are his widow, Elsie McBride Bailey; his son, Homer, and his daughters: Mrs. Kathryn Huntley of Long Beach and Mrs. Otto (Ruth) Quast of Corvallis. Also surviving are two brothers, Verne of Astoria, Oregon; and Homer of Tallulah, Louisiana, and three sisters: Mrs. E.E. (Loretta) Scott, Corvallis; Mrs. Charles (Edith) Walters and Mrs. Mary Pritchett, both of Pacific Grove, California; and seven grandchildren.    The Western News, June 7, 1951
Contributed by Karolyn Simpson

DEATH OF MONTANAN
   Mrs. J.I. Ballard, Wife of South American Engineer, Victim of Pneumonia at Chuquamata
Corvallis, August 30 - Mrs. J.I. Ballard succumbed to pneumonia Friday at a hospital in Chuquamata, Chile, according to a cable gram received that day by the aged father here, A. C. Butler, and a sister, Mrs. Mason Simmons. Mrs. Ballard, formerly Fanny Butler, was well known to residents of Corvallis, having visited here a number of times. Of late years, she had been with her mining engineer husband in South American and had engaged in teaching school a part of each year.
    Besides the husband, father and sister, there survives one son, Jack Ballard, located in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. It is thought the remains will be brought to the United States for burial, but it will require 17 days to reach the old home in Ohio and 22 days should burial take place beside the grave of Mrs. Butler here.
Ravalli Republican, August 31, 1939


     Jane M. Balmer, 95, of Hamilton, died Thursday morning at her home of natural causes. Funeral services will be conducted Saturday at 2 pm at the Dowling Funeral Home. Private family burial services will be held at Highland Cemetery in Havre on Monday.
    She was born October 12, 1889 at Renton, Dumbartonshire, Scotland, the daughter of John and Isabel Connell. She was reared and educated in Scotland. She married Adam Balmer at Great Falls in 1916 and operated a sheep ranch in Blaine County for about 25 years. Mr. Balmer died February 12, 1968 and she moved to Hamilton in October 1983.
     She is survived by two daughters, Isabel Molyneaux and Rachael Graves, both of Hamilton; two sons, Thomas Balmer of Tulsa, Oklahoma, and John C. Balmer, of the family home in Hamilton, a sister, Isabel S. Connell of Lincoln, England; 6 grandchildren; 11 great grand children, and several nieces and nephews in Scotland.
Abstract from: Ravalli Republic, January 11, 1985

ROY BARLEY DIES, WAS REARED IN CANYON CREEK AREA WEST OF HAMILTON
     Word was received last week by Lewis Downing of the death in September 1963 of Roy Barley, former resident of the west side district. He was past 80 years of age and had resided in California for many years. Roy Barley was a son of the late pioneers, Mr. and Mrs. James Barley, who homesteaded the Holland Chapin place now owned in part by Mr. and Mrs. Bob Dallman. Barley creek was named after the father whose brother was the early day owner of the Dan Gieman and Bill Bates places on the west side.
         Roy Barley is survived by his half sister, Mrs. Mildred Brenton and by a sister, Mina Barley, an by two brothers, Henry and Allan.                       The Western News, January 1, 1964


ANNA BARLOW, NURSE AT OLD HOSPITAL PASSES. RITES SATURDAY
    Mrs. Anna F. Barlow died at Daly hospital Thursday, March 13, 1952. Funeral services will be Saturday afternoon at 3:00 o'clock, at the Dowling chapel. Mrs. Barlow was born September 4, 1875 at Watertown, Wisconsin, the daughter of James Brooks, who was a miner in Butte. She attended school at Watertown, completing her education in Butte, Montana.  
    Anna Brooks was graduated from the Deaconess School of Nursing in Spokane in 1902 and married Ralph W. Barlow in 1905. Her husband died of spotted fever in 1921.
    Survivors are three daughters, Mrs. Howard Corbin, Osburn, Idaho; Mrs. Roscoe and Mrs. Theodore Fullerton, Hamilton; a brother, George Brooks, Stevensville, sister, Mrs. Ida Heaney, New York, N.Y., and seven grand children.
Abstract from: The Western News, March 13, 1952

WESTON BARNES BURIED WEDNESDAY 
    Weston Barnes passed away Friday, October 5th at a Missoula hospital. He was almost 64 years old at the time of his death. Funeral services were held Wednesday afternoon at the Dowling Chapel in Hamilton and burial was in Riverview Cemetery.
    Weston was born December 24, 1881, at Millport, Pennsylvania. He came to the Bitter Root valley in 1943 from Idaho and bought a place near the Bitter Root Inn and worked most of the time for S.H. Irvine. He was married to Agnes Fleming, May 1918, at Idaho Falls, Idaho and is survived by his widow, two daughters and five sons. The daughters are Mrs. Ella Mae Morris who lives here in Stevensville and Lillian Barnes who lives at home. The sons are George Barnes, now in Okinawa, Weston Barnes, now located in Tinian Island in the Pacific, and Andrew, Tommy, and Gale living at home. There is one brother, Lester Barnes, who lives at Salinas, California and there are two grandchildren.
Abstract from: Northwest Tribune, October 11, 1945

     Edwin R. "Pop" Bay died at his home in Corvallis Tuesday evening. He was born on March 24, 1892 at Lewiston, Michigan, the son of Danish parents. After graduating from high school, he attended college for a year, in 1910. At the age of 17, he followed his older brother Hans to Montana.
     He married Lillian M. Hedges, on June 15, 1914 at Columbus. She preceded him in death on January 19, 1974. Survivors include two sons, Robert and Vance, both of Corvallis, four grandchildren, and six great-grandchildren.
Abstract from: Ravalli Republic, February 10, 1983
                                                           
     Mrs. Edwin (Lillian) Bay, 81, a valley resident for most of her adult life, died Saturday night at Marcus Daly Hospital. Funeral rites will be held Wednesday at 2 pm at the Dowling Chapel, with Rev. Monroe Wilcox, officiating. Burial will be in Corvallis Cemetery with OES graveside rites.
     Lillian woman was born November 23, 1892 in Livingston, attended schools and was raised in Columbus and was married to Edwin R. Bay there on June 15, 1914. Theymoved to Corvallis a short time later, where they founded Bay's Store, a firm that has operated continuously up until the present time.
     Survivors include the widower and two sons, Vance and Robert, all of Corvallis, along with four grandchildren.
Abstract from: Ravalli Republic, January 21, 1974 
Abstract from: The Western News, January 23, 1974

D.V. BEAN AT FINAL REST.
    D.V. Bean, the sturdy, good-natured loyal friend of this paper passed over the great divide ahead of the rest of us at 1 a.m. last Sunday morning, July 10, at the Sister's hospital at Missoula, where he had battled manfully with the stern reaper of souls for two weeks, following an attack of pleurisy contracted at Salmon City, Idaho some time ago. His great strength wasted away and he died in the presence of his devoted wife and children who were at his bedside.
    D.V. Bean was born in Rock County, Wisconsin, April 14th, 1847 and became identified with the lumber business early in life at Stevens Point, Wisconsin and followed it to the end. His business interests brought him in contact with many men of influence in Wisconsin and Montana. He was a typical frontiersman of both states, and and night was not too dark nor the road too long for stout-hearted Daniel to travel for a friend in need. He never grew weary in well-doing and took great pride in doing whatever he had to do, well. As near as the writer can remember, he first became acquainted with "Dan" when a boy of sixteen summers wearing the union blue trousers and jacket. It was during the war when we witnesses the departure of our own uncle John for the front in defense of the Union. He was prominent in industrial and political affairs of Wisconsin and held many offices of trust in that state. He put his shoulder to the industrial wheel with no uncertain quantity wherever he chanced to be, and many improvements bear the earmarks of his artistic hand.
    He came to Hamilton in 1895, 15 years ago, and became identified with the lumber interests of the late Marcus Daly. Afterward, he owned and operated mills of his own up to a few years ago when he got badly hurt in a runaway accident and he has never been the robust man he was prior to that accident. Yet, he maintained his prominent place in all that pertained to the interests of Hamilton and the valley he had adopted as home. He was an alderman of Hamilton and took a lively interest in the welfare of the city. He had lately become interested with his son, Charles, in the real estate business at Salmon City, Idaho, and was over there when he took ill with pleurisy and came home, to get gradually worse till the end came.
    The doing of a kind deed; the assisting of a struggling boy; the doing of things right constituted his stock in trade and marked him for favor among men. He pushed aside things distasteful to him with a master stroke that made them stay away. He was the soul of honor; positive in his ideas; loved and admired by many; disliked by only those who hate progression in any form. There was no discount in his friendship; no compromise in his opposition to things material in this world; a man whom we all could call brother and not make a mistake.
    He was buried from the family home in Hamilton under the auspices of the Masonic lodge of which he was an honored member, at 2:30 p.m. Tuesday, July 12th, and his remains were laid beside those of his son, Dee, who preceded him at his majority. The pallbearers were: W.O. Fisk, C.C. Chaffin, C.W. Ward, W.W. Rutledge, A.L. Johnson, and D.R. Boughman. Mayor Logan, J.W. Lister, and Charles H. Marsh of Missoula; Amos Buck, E.H. Metcalf, Henry Buck, Fred Wilson, J.R. Faulds, and George May of Stevensville, Joseph Bowden and E.A. Johnson of Corvallis, and Ellis Weatherford of Victor, were visiting Masons who attended the funeral.
    Mr. Bean leaves a devoted wife, a dutiful daughter, Miss Elizabeth Bean, and emulating sons, Frank of Idaho Falls and Charles of Salmon City, Idaho, to mourn the departure of a loving husband and devoted father. The sorrowing relatives have the heartfelt sympathy of many friends in their sad bereavement.
Northwest Tribune, July 15, 1910

DIED THIS MORNING
Mrs. Fred Bell Passed Away at Her Home Near Grantsdale Early This Morning.
    Mrs. Fred Bell died this morning at 2 o'clock at her home near Grantsdale of convulsions. Wednesday, Mrs. Bell gave birth to a child, and apparently she was doing as well as could be expected, and her death was a great shock to her friends this morning. Mrs. Bell was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and was about 33 years old. She came here about two years ago, being married to Mr. Bell January 25, 1914. Arrangements for the funeral will not be made until word is received from the deceased's relatives.
Ravalli Republican, March 31, 1916                                                                                                                                    


MRS. RON BIBLER DIED JULY 17 OF INJURIES FROM CAR ACCIDENT
    Many friends in the Bitter Root joined family members in shocked sorrow upon hearing of the death of Mrs. Ronald Bibler at 9:45 pm July 17. Mrs. Bibler was en route to the home of her daughter, Mrs. Dennis (Helen) Jones at Flathead Lake Lookout Museum near Lakeside. Highway patrolmen reported that the northbound car driven by Mrs. Bibler collided with the rear of another car driven by Gary Burland, 27 of Pablo who had slowed down to make a left turn off Highway 93 into a camp ground area. It is suspected that the sun blinded Mrs. Bibler so that she did not even see the Burland car.
    Rosary was said Sunday evening at St. Francis Church and requiem Mass Monday morning for Mrs. Bibler with Father James Burns officiating. Interment was in Lone Pine cemetery beside the grave of her late husband. Melba Ogg was organist and Wayne Chambers of Seattle presented guitar music. Pallbearers were Barney Billings, Bruce Blahnik, George Vogt, Don Schallenberger, Douglas Gallbraith, and Ernie Wales. Honorary pallbearers were Fred Roberts, Clint Roberts, Lee Hahn, Joe O'Meara, Kris Wales, and Bud Myrdal.
    Pauline Kerlee Hayward was born June 26 in Hamilton, daughter of Dr. and Mrs. Herbert (Grace) Hayward. She made her home in Darby with her uncle and aunt, Bert and Anna Z. Kerlee, attended school there and was a graduate with the class of 1933.
    Her marriage to Ronald Troyer Bibler took place in Darby, July 15, 1933. The late Rev. E.T. Thorn officiated. Their witnesses were Bert and Anna Kerlee. They made their home in Darby where he was manager of the Waleswood, Inc. sawmill and for many years she was bookkeeper there. She was an accomplished musician for many years in church, school, and at other events. She had lately taken brush-up lessons. She was a member of St. Francis Church, active in the Elks Ladies, and Bitter Root Duplicate Bridge club. She participated in four bridge marathons during the past four years.
    Surviving is the daughter, Mrs. Dennis (Helen) Jones; son, Herbert Gerald (Jet) Bibler, Darby; sister Mrs. Dorman (Betty) Newton, Independence, Oregon; brother, Herbert (Bill) Hayward, San Jose, California; grandchildren, Jet Gordon Bibler, Darby; Ronald, Mark, and Bruce Bibler, Great Falls and the latter three boys' mother, Mrs. Douglas (Charlene) Bibler, Great Falls; aunt, Mrs. B.K. Monroe, Hamilton; sister-in-law, Mrs. Kenneth (Carolyn) Wolfinbarger, North Star Ranch, Selway Area, Idaho; nieces, nephews, and cousins.
    Mr. Bibler died January 3, 1973. A son, Lt. R. Douglas Bibler, died September 27, 1966 while on a training flight. Her sister, Mrs. Lawrence (Helen) Prather died April 28, 1967, and a brother, Gordon Hayward, died December 20, 1962. Her parents also preceded her in death, Dr. Hayward, November 12, 1954; Mrs. Hayward, November 12, 1950; Bert Kerlee, February 1, 1954, and Mrs. Kerlee, September 30, 1972.
    Among those coming to Hamilton for the rites were Mrs. Newton, Charlene Bibler and sons; Mr. and Mrs. Wolinbarger. In charge of the funeral was Shrider Mortuary, Plains. James Faust, partner in the mortuary, is a former Darby resident and longtime friend of the family.
The Western News, July 24, 1974
Contributed by Helen Bibler

John Brooks, 77, Dies Here Friday
    John Brooks died in Daly Hospital Friday morning. Mr. Brooks was born in Iowa, August 14, 1873, came to the Bitter Root in 1900, and settled on a farm near Corvallis. Preceding him in death were his first wife and a daughter. He was married to Ada Gunter in Hamilton in 1943. Survivors include the widow; two sons, L.S. and Cecil, both of Portland, Oregon; a sister, Mrs. George West, Spokane, Washington; two brothers, William, Aurora, Nebraska, and Elva, Caney, Kansas. Burial will be in Riverview cemetery and the funeral his been tentatively set for Monday afternoon. Arrangements are pending the arrival of the sons.
Abstract from: Ravalli Republican, September 29, 1950

Dr. H.D. Browning died Tuesday, Services in Dowling Chapel