TSL Vol 37 No 2 - Great Falls Genealogy Society

Treasure State Lines
Volume 37, Number 2
Treasure
State
Lines
1975 - 2012
Great Falls Genealogy Society
November 2012
Volume 37—Number 2
Treasure State Lines
Volume 37, Number 2
Treasure State Lines
Great Falls Genealogy Society
301 2nd Ave N
Great Falls, MT 59401
Contributions to the GFGS publications are encouraged
and can be in the form of articles, letters, or notices. Submissions can be made by e-mail: [email protected], or
typewritten items (please, nothing handwritten) can be
dropped off at the library or mailed to the Society.
Phone 406-727-3922
E-mail: [email protected]
www.gfgenealogy.org
MEETINGS. Monthly general meetings and programs
are scheduled the second Thursday of each month, September through May, at 6:00 p.m. Guests and visitors are always welcome.
The Great Falls Genealogy Society was founded in
1975 as a non-profit educational and research organization. Membership is January through December. Dues
are $25 for individuals and $30 for couples. We encourage all members to participate in the activities and duties
of the Society. Members receive a monthly newsletter
and the semi-annual publication in May and November,
plus free use of our computers for research and access to
over 10,000 items - books, journals, CDs, and microfilm.
GENEALOGY LIBRARY. The Genealogy Library
is located on the third floor of the Great Falls
Public Library. The genealogy library is staffed
entirely by volunteers. Hours are Monday through
Saturday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
BOARD MEMBERS:
President
Vice President
Recording Secretary
Corresponding Sec.
Treasurer
Trustees
RESEARCH POLICY. Our volunteer research staff is
available to do research on Cascade County and Great
Falls records. Research will commence upon receipt of the
fees; check or money order may be sent to our Great Falls
address. There are three research options:
-Option 1: a comprehensive search of the records
at the Great Falls Genealogy Society library. A member of
the Research Department staff will search appropriate obit/
death card file index, local history books, Great Falls city
directories, Cascade County directories, naturalization
index, people files and some early birth indices for which
the fee is $25 per immediate family.
-Option 2: includes a thorough search of the records at the Cascade County Courthouse including
school census indices, probate indices, marriage indices,
civil judgment indices (includes divorce filings), for which
the fee is $25 per immediate family.
-Option 3: includes five research activities chosen
from option one and two for a fee of $25 per immediate
family.
Photocopies of obituaries, marriage license/certificates
and birth and death certificates are $5 each if ordered separately, $3 each if ordered with option 1, 2 or 3 (Note: Photocopies of birth and death certificates less than 30 years
old can be obtained only by the mother, father, spouse or
child of the individual of whom the record is requested).
For additional information, contact the Research Department by mail or at [email protected]
Dennis Sugden
Marie Berti
Carol Ann Clark
Margaret Lietz
Pat Wardinsky
Janet Thomson
John Birkholz
Jim Lowry
COMMITTEE ASSIGNMENTS:
Library
Diane Green
Acquisitions
Janet Thomson
Computer
Jim Eayrs
Membership
Pat Wardinsky
Obituary File
Jim Eayrs
Projects
Diane Green
Research
Julie Pepos
PUBLICATIONS:
Treasure State Lines
The Falls Newsletter
Notice and Disclaimer: Articles contained in these publications may not be copied, published, or distributed for
commercial purposes without the written consent of the
GFGS. The editors reserve the right to edit contributions
for length, substance, and grammar. The GFGS is not
responsible for accuracy, errors, or omissions in articles
submitted by others, but proven errors will be corrected.
Contents © 2012 All rights reserved.
i
Treasure State Lines
Volume 37, Number 2
Items For Sale
Now available on CD
CONTENTS
$19.95 each
The Miner’s Peril…………………..19, 20
Mining Death Inquests…………..….21-24
Sun River Valley History Book…….….25
Montana Newspapers Online…… . 26-28
W.H. George Obituary…………….…...29
George Co. Funeral Home Records…30,31
Great Falls Funeral Homes…………….32
Esther Combes Vance………………33,34
News from Yesteryear…………………35
Early Settlers of Great Falls………… 36
Cascade County, MT Cemeteries, Disc I - covers Old
and New Highland Cemeteries in Great Falls.
23,297 burials, indexed to 1983
Hillcrest Lawn Memorial, 3,368 interments
Indexed to 1997
Cascade County, MT Cemeteries, Disc II - covers
Mount Olivet—7,183 burials, indexed to 1990
Calvary—4,027 burials, indexed to 2003
Cascade County, MT Cemeteries, Disc III - covers 33
small cemeteries in Cascade County.
From the Editor
Choteau County, MT Cemeteries - covers 14 cemeteries in Choteau County
2012 has been a very busy one for the Society.

Teton County, MT Cemeteries covers 15 cemeteries in Teton County

Blackfeet Burials 1935 - 1999
4,677 entries
Extensive database includes names, birth, death,
burial dates and places, family members, sources


Buy any two CD’s for $29.95!!


All orders:
Add $ 3.50 shipping and handling charge
Familysearch.org digitally imaged over 550,000
records held in our library and has made them
available on their website.
Funeral home records on more than 12,000 individuals was transferred to our library for research.
Our 2-volume book, “Early Settlers of Great
Falls was published in October and sales are
excellent
A series of classes was held in January and a
Family Heritage Fair organized in October
Membership for 2012 was an all-time high of
185
Janet Thomson was named Volunteer of the Year
Thank you to all our members for their hard
work and continued support.
Printed copies available on request – price quote at
time of order – due to fluctuating printing costs.
If we begin with certainties, we shall end in
doubts; but if we begin with doubts, and are
patient in them, we shall end in certainties.
Library of Congress ISSN 1060-0337
Indexed in PERSI (Periodical Source Index
Francis Bacon (1561-1626)
ii
Treasure State Lines
Volume 37, Number 2
The Coal Miners Prayer
By W. Calvert
Each dawn as we rise, lord we know all too well,
We face only one thing – a pit filled with hell.
To scratch out a living the best that we can,
But deep in the heart, lies the soul of a man.
With black covered faces, and hard calloused
hands,
We work the dark tunnels, unable to stand.
To labor and toil as we harvest the coals,
We silently pray “Lord, please harvest our souls.”
19
Treasure State Lines
Volume 37, Number 2
THE MINER’S PERIL
In the late 1800s and early 1900s, mining operations flourished in many areas of Cascade
County. Miners and their families flocked to these places in search of steady work. There were
deposits of gold, silver, lead and zinc to be mined and smelted-places like Hughesville, Barker,
Neihart………. But, by far, the biggest operations were those of the coal companies, primarily in
Belt and the Sand Coulee/Stockett area, known as “the Gulch”.
Coal is a heavy rock, so when a half-ton chunk
falls from the roof of a mine, it generally crushes a miner to
death or mangles his body so badly that death comes shortly
afterward.
Most Montana coal mining nowadays is open-pit
strip mining, but in the underground coal mines of yore,
roof collapses were the most common causes of death, despite stout bracing along the tunnels with timbers.
Miners commonly poked long steel rods carefully
at parts of the roof that looked suspicious, to bring loose
parts down safely before anyone was walking or working
beneath. They also sometimes poked at the working face
exposed b the most recent dynamite blast. In Montana, the
veins weren’t nearly as thick as the dangerous “high coal”
found in Utah mines, but nonetheless were high enough to
easily crush a miner as he was shoveling coal into a mine
car adjacent to a just-blasted working face.
Explosive methane gas wasn’t much of a problem
in coal mines in Cascade County, most of which were simply dug into hillsides where coal seams were plainly visible.
Even thought some mines extended for miles underground,
the relatively flat floor made for easier ventilation than in
shaft-and-tunnel deep mines.
More dramatic deaths from accidental explosions
of blasting powder and dynamite were less, but they did
happen. Sometimes, a carelessly placed cigarette or cigar
was responsible. Occasionally, a charge failed to explode in
a hole drilled into the working face and a miner didn’t wait
long enough before looking to check the misfire.
Before the advent of tiny battery locomotives to
pull cars in and out of mines, the mules and horses used for
that purpose were no more predictable than the animals of
today. If a teamster had to step off his “trip” of cars to clear
the track of a lump of coal or other obstacle, the animals
might go into motion, crushing the driver between the cars
and the wall. Or the animals might’ve continued forward
when the driver had fallen off the trip, perhaps reaching too
far to reset a connector between the cars.
Mine fatalities and crippling injuries customarily
were not attributed to unsafe working conditions, which
would have made the mine owners responsible. In fact,
coroner’s reports on such deaths usually included wording
holding companies harmless and blaming accidents on carelessness of the workers.
Before 1914 mine owners were protected from
accountability for deaths on their property by common law.
The first concept of the common law was “assumption of
risk” and this premise held that, by accepting a job, the
miner accepted all the risk inherent in the work. So regardless of any unsafe work conditions, the miner or his family
had no recourse to seek compensation. Secondly, the
“fellow servant” concept was that the worker accepted any
risk caused by the faulty work of co-workers. The third
common law concept, “contributory negligence” was probably the most damaging to the miners and their families.
This provision basically guaranteed that mine operators
could not be held legally responsible for any accidents.
Holding to these common law concepts required
not only proof of negligence on the part of an operator, but
also that there had to proof of no negligence on the part of
the worker. With the miner being dead and evidence having
been destroyed in the accident, it was all but impossible to
satisfy the requirement. In the case of death in the mines,
a family’s means of survival often disappeared. Dependents
of the deceased miner most likely had to move, or the wife
make a hasty re-marriage. Sometimes the widow would be
forced to do other desperate things to survive and try to provide for her family. Compensation from the mine company
were basically non-existent and the only monetary assistance came from the union or fraternal organizations. It was
many decades before court cases filed by widows and injured miners started going their way.
Generally, when a mining related death occurred, a
coroner’s inquest was held to determine the cause of death
and any extenuating circumstances. The inquest files contain statements from the company officials, witnesses to the
event and any medical record or post-mortem examination.
In virtually every instance, the employee or a co-worker was
found to have been negligent and the company operator was
officially deemed “exonerated”.
These coroner inquest files
can be quite extensive and are a rich
resource for the researcher. They are
sometimes a supplement to the coroner books on file at the Great Falls
Genealogy Library, but most often
they are the only record of such investigation.
The complete inquest files are located at The History Museum at 522 Second Street South in
Great Falls, and are available for researchers to examine and copy.
The names and notes on the following pages represent the inquest files and may not include
all mining deaths that incurred if no official inquest was held.
20
Treasure State Lines
Last Name
First Name
Volume 37, Number 2
Inquest Date
Location/Remarks
Antonich
Nicholas
22-Dec-1900
B & Smelter - exonerated
Asken
Emil
25-Oct-1920
Cottonwood Mining & Coal Co. Sand Coulee
Atchison
Wesley G.
18-May-1917
Anaconda Copper Smelter - Great Falls
Ayers
Charles F.
1-Jun-1897
Anaconda Copper Co., Belt-exonerated
Bark
Henry
10-Sep-1902
Anaconda Mining Co. - Belt - exonerated
Baroni
Philip
11/12/1899
Anaconda Copper Co., Belt-exonerated
Barrow
Charles
10/30/1893
Boston & Montana Smelter, concentrate
Bartalutti
Antonio
5-Feb-1908
Nelson Coal Mine - Sand Coulee
Bedosky
Steve
6-Apr-1917
Cottonwood Mining & Coal Co. Sand Coulee
Bejvl
Anton
25-Jan-1918
Boston & Montana Smelter - Great Falls
Berini
Joseph
17-Feb-1903
Boston & Montana Mining Co.
Bertochini
Julius
9-Dec-1913
Cottonwood Coal Co. - Stockett
Boomala
Jacob
9-Jul-1898
Sand Coulee Coal Co. - exonerated
Boris
Michael
22-Oct-1917
Cottonwood Mining & Coal Co. Sand Coulee
Botsford
Morris K.
21-Dec-1920
Boston & Montana Smelter - Great Falls
Breen
W.J.
15-May-1908
Boston & Montana Smelter Great Falls
Britch
John
20-Jul-1905
Boston & Montana Mining Co.
Bubnash
George
3-Jun-1909
Cottonwood Coal Co. - Stockett
Burch
Ralph
12-Nov-1936
Cerri
James
3-Feb-1916
Collins
Alfred
22-Sep-1904
Boston & Montana Mining Co.
Conrad
Peter
8-May-1908
Boston & Montana Smelter Great Falls
Conway
John
2-Apr-1902
Cottonwood Coal Co. - Stockett
Culkin
Martin
8-Jan-1896
Mining accident, Belt
Dalton
Harry C.
31-Oct-1908
Boston & Montana Smelter-fault of railroad
DeVangis
Angelo
12-Dec-1921
Stockett #5 Mine
DiMarco
Constantino
27-Nov-1916
Cottonwood Coal Co. - Stockett
Dyer
Mike, Jr.
17-Oct-1905
Anaconda Copper Co. - Belt
Erickson
Peter
15-Sep-1900
B & Smelter
Evangelisti
Umbertto
20-Nov-1913
Lochray Coal Co. - Tracy
Filpe
John
25-Jun-1896
Castner Coal Co., Belt-exonerated
Folgman
Matt
8-May-1904
Rock Springs Coal Co. -Sand Coulee
Ford
Elmer C.
30-Dec-1916
Boston & Montana Smelter - Great Falls
Fredrea
Thomas
7-Feb-1899
Hughes Township
Freeman
Gus
23-Aug 1897
Sand Coulee Coal Co. - exonerated
Gallagher
Michael
28-Oct-1896
Anaconda Copper Co., Belt-exonerated
21
Giffen Mine
Nelson Coal Mine - Sand Coulee
Treasure State Lines
Last Name
First Name
Volume 37, Number 2
Inquest Date
Location/Remarks
Gallagher
William
13-Dec-1898
Wright & Edwards Mine - Hughes Twsp.
Grohe
George
16-May-1908
Armington - mine train
Grubisich
Matt
21-Nov-1910
Boston & Montana Smelter - Great Falls
Hackala
Joseph
14-May-1895
Mine accident, Belt
Hanyo
Joe
5-May-1913
Cottonwood Coal Co. - Stockett
Harbaugh
John Robert
21-Dec-1918
Nelson Coal Mine - Sand Coulee
Harms
Rudolph H.
22-Jul-1896
Castner Coal Co., Belt-exonerated
Hayhurst
William W.
2-Oct-1920
Anaconda Copper Smelter - Great Falls
Hill/Liture
Axel
14-Jul-1919
National Coal Co. - Sand Coulee
Howard
Russell L.
25-Aug-1911
Boston & Montana Smelter - Great Falls
Ingham
John
11-Jan-1897
Anaconda Copper Co., Belt-exonerated
Jacobson
Jacob
20-Dec-1901
Bull Dog Mine - Neihart
Jakola
Jacob
11-Dec-1920
Sand Coulee, Dec. 8, 1920
Johnson
August
10-Aug-1908
Rock Quarry - Albright
Johnson
Gust Alfred
9-Mar-1897
Sand Coulee Coal Co. - exonerated
Johnson
John A.
1-Feb-1894
Mining accident,Sand Coulee
Johnson
John Gregor
30-Jul-1909
United States Gypsum Co. - Riceville
Jones
Jack
20-Oct-1898
Anaconda Copper Co., Belt
Jones
Samuel
25-Mar-1896
Castner Coal Co., Belt-exonerated
Jurich
Sam
20-Jan-1936
Sand Coulee 1.17, Francetich Mine
Kaine
Joseph
27-Apr-1919
Anaconda Copper Smelter - Great Falls
Kajola
Jacob
16-Jun-1897
Sand Coulee Coal Co.
Kananen
Charles
2-May-1912
Nelson Coal Mine - Sand Coulee
Kari
Enoch
28-Dec-1918
Carbon Coal Co. Mine - Sand Coulee
Kari
Samuel
28-Jun-1913
Sand Coulee
Kerr
William
20-Jul-1904
Cottonwood Coal Mine - Stockett
King
J.W.
4-Jul-1897
Sand Coulee Coal Co.
Knight
William F.
29-Dec-1909
Mid Canon
Knutson
Knute
27-Arp-1892
Boston & Montana Smelter furnance explosion
Kombol
John
10-Aug-1908
Rock Quarry - Albright
Korba
Andrew
27-Jul-1902
Cottonwood Coal Co. - Stockett-exonerated
Koski
Jonas A.
8-Jan-1907
Stockett - possibly mine accident
Kraiesky
Frank
13-Oct-1921
1/4mi. E. of Gerber, for Pierce Coal Co.
Kuella
Otto
1-Aug-1910
Cottonwood Coal Co. - Stockett
Larsen
Samuel
27-Feb-1900
Lewis Rock Quarry - Belt
Leary
Oiva
4-Sep-1934
Mine exonerated
22
Treasure State Lines
Last Name
First Name
Volume 37, Number 2
Inquest Date
Location/Remarks
Rock Quarry - Albright
Legatich
Joseph
10-Aug-1908
Lind
Robert
16-Feb-1891
Lindsay
David
21-Sep-1901
Lithgrow
Robert
1-Jul-1905
Lukach
Michael
20-Jun-1902
Anaconda Mining Co. - Belt - exonerated
Lunberg
Maurice
20-Jul-1897
Anaconda Copper Co., Belt-exonerated
Luoma
Eric
20-Jul-1915
Tom Hendricks Mine - Carpenter Creek
Luoma
Jacob
4-Oct-1899
Anaconda Copper Co., Belt-exonerated
Macki
Leonard
6-Apr-1910
Belt
Sand Coulee Coal Co. - exonerated
Boston & Montana Mining Co.
MacPherson Archibald
21-Jan-1909
Nelson Coal Mine - Sand Coulee
Maki
Jack
21-May-1909
Cottonwood Coal Co. - Stockett
Maki
Victor
15-Feb-1915
Cottonwood Coal Co. - Stockett
Malone
Patrick
30-Dec-1891
Boston & Montana Smelter, construction
Manilla
Lawrence
13-Dec-1898
Black Diamond Mine-Sand Coulee
Maren
Joe
21-Dec-1899
Anaconda Copper Co., Belt-exonerated
Margurattai
Frank
31-May-1910
Nelson Coal Mine - Sand Coulee
Markl
Joseph
21-Oct-1918
Cottonwood Mining & Coal Co. Sand Coulee
Martel
George
9-Sep-1893
Fall of coal, Sand Coulee
Martin
Thomas
16-Dec-1899
Anaconda Copper Co., Belt-exonerated
Mathews
Arthur
12-Aug-1916
Anaconda Copper Smelter - Great Falls
McCartney
Charles
27-May-1916
National Coal Co. - Sand Coulee
Michel
John
20-Apr-1911
Cottonwood Coal Co. - Stockett
Mike
Theodore
20-May-1911
Jury advised safety precautions for others
Montgomery Henry
12-Dec-1916
Anaconda Copper Smelter - Great Falls
Morrison
John P.
27-Apr-1919
Anaconda Copper Smelter - Great Falls
Murray
Richard
2-Nov-1897
Sand Coulee Coal Mine - exonerated
Nalevanko
John
3-Jan-1903
Cottonwood Coal Co.-Stockett
Nordberg
Gust
22-Jul-1920
Leaching Plant, Anaconda Copper Mining Co.
Oshork
John
17-Jun-1895
Mine accident, Boston & Montana Smelter
Palmer
August
10-Aug-1908
Rock Quarry - Albright
Parac
Nicholas
12-Sep-1913
Anaconda Copper Smelter - Great Falls
Pattee
Ira
8-Sep-1920
Moulton Mine - Neihart
Pavlisin
Andrew
6-Apr-1904
Stockett - #2 mine
Pejko
George
4-Dec-1936
Colone & Johnson Mine, Belt; 12.2
Pistoria
Paul
9-Nov-1896
Sand Coulee Coal Co. - exonerated
Pistoria
Paul
7-Jun-1905
Cottonwood Coal Mine - Stockett
Prudent
Ernest
8-Feb-1897
Anaconda Copper Co., Belt-exonerated
23
Treasure State Lines
Last Name
First Name
Volume 37, Number 2
Inquest Date
Location/Remarks
Quinn
Harry
18-Oct-1901
Boston & Montana Smelter
Quinn
Terry
17-Jan-1929
Hughesville, St. Joe Lead Co.
Reiber
Wendal
21-Apr-1897
Anaconda Copper Co., Belt-exonerated
Riley
Frank
1-Nov-1899
Boston & Montana - negligence found
Sado
Mike
30-Aug-1901
Anaconda Copper Co. - Belt
Seymore
Do*
16-Aug-1892
Epileptic seizure, Boston & Montana Smelter
Sharara
Alfonso
12-Dec-1917
Nelson Coal Mine - Sand Coulee
Sherari
Alfones
13-Dec-1917
Nelson Coal Mine - Sand Coulee
Sineizy
Anton
12-Feb-1907
Boston & Montana Mining Co.-Belt
Smolak
Joseph
10-May-1897
Sand Coulee Coal Co.
Stockbauer
John
22-Oct-1898
Boston & Montana Smelter - exonerated
Sturman
Benjamin
13-Nov-1920
Moulton Mine - Neihart
Sundberg
Carl J.
25-Feb-1898
Suojanen
Jacob
6-Jun-1917
Svedic
Ivan/John
31-Dec-1914
Cottonwood Coal Co. - Stockett
Swanson
Charles
25-Jun-1907
Galt Mine - Neihart
Sward
Patrick
28-Nov-1921
Neihart--Colsolidated Mine
Swartz
Mike
9-May-1905
Cottonwood Coal Mine - Stockett
Szabo
Mike
29-Aug-1907
Anaconda Copper Co. - Belt
Tabaracci
Frank
31-Oct-1913
Cottonwood Coal Co. - Stockett
Tegtmyer
Fred
1-Apr-1904
Neihart
Tenney
John C.
1-Apr-1917
Merkle Coal Mine - Belt
Trigg
James H.
15-Feb-1897
Anaconda Copper Co., Belt-exonerated
Tuss
Ivan
21-Jun-1904
Boston & Montana Mining Co.
Vernon
William Thomas
20-Apr-1917
Nelson Coal Mine - Sand Coulee
Walkovick
Lawrance
28-Aug-1899
Anaconda Copper Co., Belt-exonerated
Wans
John
16-Feb-1895
Fall of rock, mine, Belt
Westman
August
4-Aug-1919
Cottonwood Mining & Coal Co. Sand Coulee
Wilder
William
8-Jan-1909
Boston & Montana Smelter Great Falls
Williamson
John
15-Apr-1935
East Belt Mine Accident
Wurula
Jacob
25-Jun-1896
Castner Coal Co., Belt--exonerated
Yeager
Peter
15-May-1909
Boston & Montana Smelter Great Falls
Zlatich
Mike
22-Aug-1907
Boston & Montana Smelter - Great Falls
Cottonwood Mining & Coal Co. Sand Coulee
24
Treasure State Lines
Volume 37, Number 2
HISTORY AND FAMILY HISTORIES OF SUN RIVER VALLEY
In the beginning the Sun River Valley was rich, river bottomland with buttes, breaks, and lush meadows
overflowing with buffalo, elk, deer and antelope; a haven for native American hunters, as has been
proven by the arrowheads and bones found below the many bluffs used as buffalo jumps.
Soon the white men came: trappers and fur traders, and then those searching for gold, that was never
found in the valley. Next came the settlers with huge cattle and sheep herds to the large valley , perfect
for grazing lands.
Then came the freight wagons and stagecoach travelers, traveling between the steamboat port at Fort
Benton to the state capitol in Helena and on to Walla Walla, Washington. Now protection was needed
for the travelers, and a military fort was build at Fort Shaw. When the protection from Indians was no
longer needed, the fort was turned into a school for Indian children, and the children came from many
tribes. When that school was closed, some of the buildings were used by the Reclamation Bureau for
offices and the other buildings were used for a public school for children of the many settlers coming to
the valley.
The Homestead Act opened up land in 1910, and brought many families to the valley and the Fort Shaw
Military Reservation. A railroad was soon built from Great Falls to Gilman in 1912 and later on to Augusta. The railroad established many small towns, which brought many more settlers, and soon the
towns of Vaughn, Sun River, Fort Shaw, Simms, and Augusta were bustling communities. Willow Creek
Dam construction was first started in 1910, then Diversion Dam and, finally, Gibson Dam in Sun River
canyon was finished in 1929 and a sophisticated irrigation system was set in place to enable farmers to
irrigate the land; and many more settlers came to live in the valley.
The Sun River Valley Historical Society is presently finalizing a book
about the history of this valley, concentrating mainly on stories of the
families who settled in the valley, telling their rich histories. The area
and family histories include many pictures of the past and present.
If you are interested in learning more about the book, or purchasing this
hard-cover book, contact the Society president: Burnette Batista, phone
406-965-3025, or email:
[email protected], or Alice Heisel: [email protected]
25
Treasure State Lines
Volume 37, Number 2
Thomson’s Montana Newspaper List
MONTANA NEWSPAPER AVAILABILITY FULL TEXT ONLINE
Ancestry.com (Subscription Required) (free to members at GFGS library)
CA=Chronicalingamerica.loc.gov; FREE
GenealogyBank.com (Subscription Required) (free to members at GFGS library)
Newspaper Archive.com (Subscription Required)
NEWSPAPER
Anaconda Butte Miner
Anaconda Standard
Anaconda Standard
Anaconda Standard
Anaconda Standard
Benton Record
Bigfork Eagle
Billings Gazette
Billings Gazette
Billings Gazette
Billings Gazette
Billings Daily Gazette
Billings Herald
Billings Weekly Gazette
Bozeman Daily Chronicle
Bozeman Daily Chronicle
Butte Anaconda MT Standard
Butte Daily Bulletin
Butte Daily Miner
Butte Daily Miner
Butte Daily Post
Butte Inter Mountain
Butte Montana Standard
Butte Miner
Butte Miner
Butte New Age
Butte Weekly Miner
Clark Fork Valley Press (Plains)
The Colored Citizen (Helena)
Culbertson Searchlight
Daily Independent (Helena)
Daily Inter Lake (Kalispell)
Daily Inter Lake (Kalispell)
Daily Inter Lake (Kalispell)
Daily Miner, The (Butte)
Daily Missoulian
Daily Yellowstone Journal
DATES AVAILABLE
1908
Sep 1889-Mar 1898-Jan 1900
Jan 1898-Dec 31, 1922
1900-1914; 1927, 1928
1900-1928
Feb 1875-May 1884
July 20041906-2007
Jan 1899-Dec 1909
1910-1977; some years missing
Oct 20091908-2007
1947-1951
1923-1926
1926
June, 19961960
Jan 1918-Dec 1920
1879-1890
1880-1881
1932-1934
Jan 1902-Dec 1903
2007
1876-1880
1876-1914
May 1902-Feb. 1903
Jan 1896-May 1901
Jan 2008Sep-Nov 1894
Jan 1909-Dec 1912
1874-1875)
Sep 2004
1916-2007
1911; 1917-1923; 1930-1977
1879; 1881-1885
Nov 1909-Dec 1914
Oct 1882-Dec 1890;Jan 1891-Dec
1894
Janet Thomson, Ed. D., Last Updated December 6, 2012
26
FROM:
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CA
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CA
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NewspaperArchive.com ($)
CA
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CA
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CA
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CA
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CA
CA
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CA
CA
Treasure State Lines
Volume 37, Number 2
Thomson’s Montana Newspaper List
NEWSPAPER
Demersville Inter Lake
Fergus County Argus (Lewistown)
DATES AVAILABLE
Demersville, Flathead County
Sep 1886-Dec 1904
FROM:
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CA
Great Falls Leader
June 1888-Dec 1889
CA
Great Falls Tribune
May 1885-Dec 1896
CA
Harlowton News
Havre Daily News Promoter
Feb 1909-Jan 1914
1925-1930
CA
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Havre Daily News Promoter
1925-1930
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Havre Daily News
1930-1931; 1936; 1971-1977
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Havre Daily News
1930-1977
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Havre Daily Promoter
1925-1928
Havre Hill County Journal
1935-1942
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Helena Daily Independent
1917-2003
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Helena Independent
CA
Helena Independent
Jan 1889- April 1890; Jan 1891Dec 1893; Jan-Dec 1894
Jan 1898-Dec 31, 1900
Helena Independent
1889-2006
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Helena Independent Record
1948-2001
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Helena Independent Record
1964-1997
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Helena Independent
1875-1884; 1894; 1924-1942; 1954
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Helena Weekly Independent
1893
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Helena Weekly Herald
Nov 15, 1866-Nov 25, 1869
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Herald (Billings)
1947-1951
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Hungry Horse News (Columbia
Falls)
Independent (Helena)
July 2004-
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1874-1948
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Independent Record (Helena)
2009-
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Inter Lake (Kalispell)
2007
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Kalispell Daily Inter Lake
1909-1977
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Kalispell Inter Lake
1892-1909
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Lake County Leader & Advertiser
Dec 2008-
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Libby Herald
Aug 1911-Aug 1913
CA
Malta Enterprise
Mar 1908-Dec 1916
CA
Mineral Argus
CA
Missoulian
Aug 1883-Dec 1884; Jan 1885-Aug
1886
Oct 2009-
Montana Herold (Helena)
May 1893-July 11, 1901
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Montana News
April 1904-Jan 1912
CA
Montana Nonpartisan
Oct 1918-Dec 1919
CA
Montana Plaindealer
Mar 1906-Sep 1911
CA
Montana Post
Aug 1864-June 1869
CA
Montana Radiator (Helena)
Jan 27, 1866-Oct 13, 1866
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Janet Thomson, Ed. D., Last Updated December 6, 2012
27
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Volume 37, Number 2
Thomson’s Montana Newspaper List
NEWSPAPER
Montana Standard (Butte)
DATES AVAILABLE
1900-2007
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Montana Butte Standard
1928-1930; 1934; 1938-42; 1950;
1956-1964; 1971-1977
1931-1937
Montana Standard-Post (Butte)
1959-1966
New North-West, The
July 1869-April 1897
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New West (Missoula)
Mar 10, 2005-
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Philipsburg Mail
April 1887-Dec 1901
CA
Producers News
April 1918-Dec 1922
CA
Ravalli Republican
Aug 1894-Dec 1898
CA
Red Lodge Picket
CA
River Press [Fort Benton]
Rocky Mtn. Husbandman
Mar-July 1890; Aug 1891-Dec
1901
Oct 1880-Dec 1887
Nov 1875-Dec 1884
Ronan Pioneer
Feb 1911-Dec 1917
CA
Sidney Herald
Jan 2001-
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Suffrage Daily News
Sep-Nov 1914
CA
Sun River Sun
Feb 1884-April 1885
CA
Western News (Libby)
August 2004-
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West Shore News (Bigfork)
Mar 24, 2009-
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Whitefish Pilot
July 13, 2004-
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Yellowstone Monitor
Jan 1908-Dec 1912
CA
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CA
“A good newspaper is a nation talking to itself.”
Arthur Miller
“People don’t actually read newspapers. They step
into them every morning like a hot bath.”
Marshall McLuhan
“Every time a newspaper dies, even a bad one, the
country moves a little closer to authoritarianism…”
Richard Kluger
“The newspaper is a greater treasure to the people
than uncounted millions of gold.”
Henry Ward Beecher
Typesetter from era of hand composition. Photo
from Morning Oregonian, December 4, 1900, p.15
Janet Thomson, Ed. D., Last Updated December 6, 2012
28
Treasure State Lines
Volume 37, Number 2
W.H. George, State’s First Licensed Embalmer
and Civic Leader Here, Dies
Great Falls Tribune , November. 4, 1955
Wade Hampton George,
78, Montana’s first licensed embalmer and a
Great Falls civic and business leader for more than
half a century, died in a
local hospital Wednesday
morning. His health had
been failing for the past
year and he had been hospitalized several times during that period.
Funeral service will be
held at 2 p.m. Monday at
the First Methodist Church,
Rev. Vernon Hanks will officiate. Entombment in
Hillcrest Lawn Memorial will follow.
George was born June 29, 1877, at Arcola, La.
When he was 4, the family moved to Denver where
young Wade attended school. Later he took a
course at the Champion School of Embalming and
Sanitary Science in Chicago, graduating Nov. 20,
1897.
In 1900 he assumed management of Hermann &
Co., funeral directors in Helena, as Montana’s first
licensed embalmer. Having worked in Helena two
years, George bought the small established mortuary in Great Falls which was to be the foundation
of his enterprises.
That first mortuary was in a rented building at 409
Central Ave, then on the outskirts of the business
district, and was purchased from George Berthold.
George and the former Susan K. Kline, a native of
Bloomington, Ill., were married July 23, 1903, at
Helena.
In 1913 George erected a four-story building at
417—419 1st Ave. N., in which he established a
new funeral home. The building also houses several business establishments and the Hampton
Apts., in which the Georges have made their home.
The apartment building was sold by George last
November to the Montana Bank, which in turn sold
the property to Nels Thisted last April. George retained ownership of an adjoining building and
parking area at 413-415 1st Ave. N.
Realizing that an ambulance was badly needed in
Great Falls, George was the first to place one at the
disposal of local physicians and hospitals, one of the
first in the northwest.
He was the first funeral director in Montana to use
automobile equipment in his business, never having
used horse-drawn equipment from his new building
except, by special request, for the funeral of Charles
M. Russell in October 1926.
After conducting a mortuary here 45 years, George
sold his full interest in the W.H. George Co. Nov. 1,
1947, to C.E. Saylor.
In 1928 George established the Great Falls Mausoleum, which was reorganized in January 1953, as the
Hillcrest Lawn Memorial, for the purpose of perpetuating the institution as a community memorial. George
served as president of both organizations. Originally
420 crypts were installed. Two new building were
opened this week bringing the total to about 1,800
crypts.
A prominent exponent of good highways, George
was influential in the building of many state roads. He
was for years chairman of the Good Roads Committee
of the Great Falls Chamber of Commerce. He was one
of the founders and the first president of the Cascade
County Good Roads Assn. and had served as a director
of the Central Montana Highway Assn.
George was a life member of the local Elks Lodge
and was a charter member of the Rotary Club here. He
also was affiliated with the Meadow Lark Country
Club, Great Falls Shrine Club, Cascade Lodge No. 34,
AF&AM Knights Templar, Scottish Rite, Mystic
Shrine, Eagles, Modern Woodman, American Cremation Society and American Cemetery Owners Assn.
He also was a former member of the Montana Funeral Directors Assn., National Funeral Directors
Assn., National Selected Morticians and Western
Cemetery Alliance.
Survivors are the widow, Susan K. George; a brother,
S. Larkin George of Great Falls, and a sister, Mrs.
Harry Bailey of San Diego.
29
Treasure State Lines
Volume 37, Number 2
The W.H. George Co. was the longest continually operating
funeral home in Great Falls. (1902—1978)
In 1902 Wade Hampton George purchased the small mortuary located at 409 Central Avenue in a rented
building. The previous owner, George Berthold had been in business for about two years.
In 1913 the business re-located to a four-story building erected by George at 417-419 1st Avenue North.
When the property was sold in 1954, he retained ownership of an adjoining building and relocated to 413415 1st Avenue North.
In 1958 The George Co., now owned by C.E. Saylor, moved to a new building in the Country Club addition
at Fox Farm Road and 10th Avenue South, and ownership was transferred twice more.
In 1978, under the name of Torman-George Funeral Home, the doors were closed after the last service on
October 13th.
Over the 76 year span, the company served more than 12,000 individuals in their final needs.
GEORGE CO. RECORDS NOW AT GF GENEALOGY LIBRARY
Since the business shut down in 1978, the records had been in the possession of the
O’Connor Funeral Home. Owners Steve and Carla Schnider have generously allowed us
to move them to our library so that researchers can have better access.
In September, all known records of the W.H. George Co. Funeral Home were transferred
to the Great Falls Genealogy Society, 301 2nd Ave. North in Great Falls MT.
After the society inventoried and re-organized the books, drawers and files, library volunteers can now assist patrons in combing thru the many facets of the records. All are indexed alphabetically for ease of researching.
There are 35 books and over 20 file boxes that cover the period 1902—1978, well over
24,000 pieces of information relating to the deceased.
30
Treasure State Lines
Volume 37, Number 2
The value of the information in these records
cannot be over-stated.
The forms vary for different time periods and are extremely interesting
and informative.
Some of the fields include for the deceased:
 birthdate
 death date
 birth place
 nationality
 occupation
 residence history
 religion
 name of spouse
 name and birthplace of father
 name, birthplace and maiden name of mother
More recent files may also list surviving relatives.
Even the smallest of details is noted:
 expenses for flowers
 transportation arrangements
 preparation of the body
 any clothing items purchased
 correspondence
Additionally, the disposition of the body is included, along with location of cemetery plot, if local.
Disposition is very important because if the deceased was shipped
somewhere else for burial, this may be the only burial record to be
found. The Society has done extensive listing of all county burials, but
would not have any record of those not actually buried locally. Also,
in the case of a cremation where no burial took place, there may be no
other record.
31
Treasure State Lines
Volume 37, Number 2
GREAT FALLS FUNERAL HOMES — 2012
Records similar to those of the George Co. are also available at these existing funeral homes
Lloyd, sons Dennis, Gary
CROXFORD FUNERAL HOME & CREMATORY
Lloyd Croxford and his wife, Patti came to Great Falls, Montana from Salt Lake City, Utah on April 15,
1930.
Croxford Merrill mortuary began in a temporary building located at 307 1st Ave. North. Lloyd began
construction of a beautiful English Tudor funeral home in September of 1930.
The mortuary located at 1307 Central Ave. was opened for business in May of 1931 "It is an artistic
addition to the city." (Great Falls Tribune 1931.)
Two sons, Gary and Dennis were born. The family lived in a five room upstairs apartment in the funeral home for twenty-five years.
Gary and Dennis became associated with the mortuary as funeral directors and the name was
changed to Croxford & Sons Funeral Home.
On Dec. 17, 1973 Lloyd, funeral director, civic leader, singer, religious man, died from a heart attack
at the age of 73 in his home. Lloyd was active on the school board for nine years. He was a major fund
raiser for the Boy Scouts and organized the Century Club. He was past president of the Great Falls
Lion’s Club and a member of the Chamber of Commerce and YMCA for many years.
His only two children, Gary and Dennis, became owner-operators of the mortuary. In 2003 Gary retired and Dennis became the owner.
Since 1930, the funeral home has served Great Falls and surrounding communities. It is the only second generation, family owned, funeral home in Great Falls. Croxford's is considered the most beautiful
older funeral home in Montana with its unique English Tudor design inside and out. It is a historical
landmark on Central Avenue.
O’CONNOR FUNERAL HOME & CREMATORY
The O’Connor Funeral Home recently commemorated 100 years of service.
In 1911, T.F. “Tom” O’Connor purchased the McAllister Funeral Home located at 701 Central Avenue. The original McAllister Funeral Home was at 209 Central Avenue.
W.G. “Bill” O’Connor joined the business with his father following World War II. Upon the death of
T.F. O’Connor, he became president of the firm and continued to operate the firm until his death.
T.C. “Tom” O’Connor, son of Bill O’Connor, became associated with the firm in 1959, when the new
facility was built at 2425 8th Avenue North. In 1978 O’Connor purchased George Co. Funeral Home.
O’Connor Funeral Home is now owned by Steve and Carla Schnider, owners of Schnider Funeral
Home.
SCHNIDER FUNERAL HOME
Steve and Carla Schnider were both born and raised in a small farming community in northern Idaho,
where they later married in 1977. As Steve developed his career as a mortician, they called several
places home.
No community, however, has laid a greater claim than Great Falls, Montana, where they’ve lived and
raised their family for nearly thirty years. Steve managed several funeral homes, including O’Connor
Funeral Home, which they now own, and Chapel of Chimes, now closed.
In 2001 Steve and Carla founded Schnider Funeral Home, realizing their lifelong dream of owning a
business and serving the community.
32
Treasure State Lines
Volume 37, Number 2
A Tribute to Early Society Benefactor,
Esther Combes Vance
In November, 1976, the newlyorganized Great Falls Genealogy
Society received a communication
from Esther with an offer of
books to help the society establish
a library. She and her sister, Geneiva Combes of Sidney had collected 187 genealogical publications.
We are now the largest, pri
vately held genealogy library
in Montana.
Our entire catalog of materials can be viewed on our website:
These materials ranged widely in www.gfgenealogy.org
the geographic areas covered and
included books on immigration,
military history, census and research aids.
Society charter member Thelma
Marshall and her husband, Art,
made three trips to Missoula to
collect the materials and turn
them over to the society for the
new, small one-room library at
Paris Gibson Square.
From the original eight books the
society had and the 187 books
donated by Esther Vance and
Geneiva Combes, our library has
grown to have over 10,000 resources.
33
Treasure State Lines
Volume 37, Number 2
Genealogist, Pioneer Aviatrix, Business Woman
Esther Combes Vance was the first woman licensed to fly airplanes in
Montana, and the twenty-second in the nation. She was born August 19,
1903, in Clinton, Indiana, the daughter of William and Dicy Pastre
Combes. The family moved to Sidney, Montana, and in 1921 Esther
graduated from Sidney High School. Four years later she received degrees in both physical education and teaching from the University of
Washington. In August 1925 she married Earl Vance, owner of a commercial flying business in Sidney. In 1928 Esther Vance became licensed first
as a private pilot and then as a limited commercial pilot. The couple became a barnstorming team with Great Falls as their headquarters. She
served as business manager and treasurer for Vance Air Service in Great
Falls until the business was destroyed by fire in 1931. From then until
Earl's death in 1944, she assisted him in a variety of jobs. After his death
she moved to Missoula, Montana, where she worked in the registrar's office at the University of Montana until her retirement.
Picture from Smithsonian, source unknown
Biograhical note from Montana Historical Society
“Guide to the Esther Combes Vance Papers
1904-1977
Photo from “Montana and the Sky”
34
Treasure State Lines
Volume 37, Number 2
“All I know is what I read in
The papers.”
Will Rogers
The Great Falls Tribune
No Moonshine About This Snake;
It Travels From Tropics in Car
Of Bananas, Packs an Awful Scare
August 17, 1927, page 7
They had snakes down at the produce house of Devine & Asselstine
Tuesday.
Not the employees, the bananas.
And not of the B. V. era, but the
regular old wriggle kind that don’t
know Mr. Volstead.
The reptile was found when employees were unloading a car of bananas
and storing them in the banana room.
It was the misfortune of Alfred Fitzgerald, an employee, to “find” the
snake, and he disclarimed all possession as soon as he located him.
It was a cold day and the men
unloading the car were working with
their sleeves rolled down. Fitzgeral
reached for a bunch of bananas and
felt something cold drop down his
shirt sleeve.
It took him less than half the time it
took the snake to get in where it was
35
warm to get rid of the reptile. It did
not even have time to bite him.
News of the find spread rapidly
and there was a large crown of curious onlookers on hand in a few minutes to view the reptile, but none
could classify it.
Oshey Devine, member of the
firm, held to the belief that the snake
belons to the boa constrictor family.
The reptile was preserved in a fruit
jar and an attempt will be made to
learn more of its family.
“It was about a foot long and the
most beautiful snake I ever saw”,
Oshey declared. “We often find tarantulas I the bananas, but this is the
first case I have ever heard of finding a snake in them. It gave the
boys an awful scare, but did no damage.”
Treasure State Lines
Volume 37, Number 2
EARLY SETTLERS OF GREAT FALLS
Stories about early residents of Great Falls, Montana 1884—1920
AVAILABLE NOW
THIS 9 x 12, 2 VOLUME SET
HAS OVER 900 PAGES AND INCLUDES

FAMILY STORIES AND PHOTOS SUBMITTED BY INDIVIDUALS

INFORMATION ON EARLY RESIDENTS,
COMPILED FROM NUMEROUS SOURCES

COMPREHENSIVE HISTORIES OF THE
CITY, EARLY NEIGHBORHOODS, POLICE AND FIRE DEPARTMENTS AND
SCHOOLS

PHOTO SECTION
COST OF THE 2 VOLUME,
SOFT-COVER BOOK
$ 39.95
A publication of the Great Falls Genealogy Society
BOOKS WILL BE AVAILABLE AT THE GENEALOGY LIBRARY
(FOR ORDERS TO BE MAILED : ADD $ 6.00 POSTAGE COST)
OR
ORDER DIRECTLY THRU AMAZON.COM: $ 20.00 per volume
ORDER FORM
_______2 Volume Sets at $39.95 and will pickup at the Great Falls Genealogy Library
_______2 Volume Sets at $39.95 plus $6.00 postage to be mailed to the address below—Total $45.95 per set
(allow 3 weeks for delivery)
Name___________________________________________________________________________________
Address_________________________________________________________________________________
City__________________________________State______________________ZIP_____________________
Phone (
)
E-mail______________________________________________________
Amount Enclosed________________________________
MAIL TO: GREAT FALLS GENEALOGY SOCIETY
301 2nd AVE. NORTH
GREAT FALLS MT 59401
For more information call 406-727-3922
36
Great Falls Genealogy Society
301 2nd Ave N
Great Falls, MT 59401
Return Service Requested
NON-PROFIT ORG.
U.S. Postage Paid
Permit No. 10
Great Falls MT 59401