Yellowstone County - Montana Records Direct Access Link
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Eastern Montana Pioneers Hosting Site[1] for
Local Area Records
Direct Linking to Specific Sites
Saturday, March 18, 2006
Welcome to Yellowstone County, Montana reference page. Here you will find links to the detailed presentation summaries available within this site. Click on the referenced topics, and summary locations for the information will be identified. You should examine each link for supportive details, as various researchers provided conflicting information. Please note that much of the information has links and crossties with other types of records.
The various types of Vital Records are noted in the left column of the following table. Sub categories are listed in the second column, followed by short descriptions in the 3rd & 4th columns.
Examples are:
1. Billings – Identification of the town, its beginning, and related information about the land. Not listed below is a graphic timeline (Excel Format) that identifies the major events described in these documents that NPR took to relocate its track from the planned Miles City crossing southward and pass through the Coulson area. See also the bios for Rowley, Foster & North. Compiled mainly from Court Records and personal notes from the settlers throughout the United States. The original NPR route was platted in 1853-1855 and ran from St. Paul northwest to Fort Union, and west to Fort Benton. The map created by the members of this team was accurate to today’s map within one mile in longitude. The Surveyor General of Montana for some unexplained reason didn’t use it. Those maps vary from 6 - 20 miles.
2. Pioneer Biographies – Listed by persons, or business, these bios collectively help to explain why there was such a strong bond between them. These are listed in different categories.
To locate a source and or a record file, review the listings below, or use your computer’s search engine to quickly identify the files that contain information desired. [Example: To locate Paul McCormick’s activities, his cabin or history, enter CTRL + F, followed by “mccormick” into the FIND screen. Paul could also be used.] Click on the website link to visit that page. These files are being updated and revised whenever more information is made available to the WebMaster. The vital record information as presented is primarily a collection of original source record extractions, plus some memoir & other research finding related details when applicable to the subject matter. To obtain a complete historical summary about any one topic, it would be necessary to collect the individual website records listed on that topic. Paul McCormick has ten website locations to visit. All sites are in a continuous expansion.
|Vital Record |Description |Description of Record Material |Additional Information |
|Billings area Records |Airport |In 1925, the Commercial Club (predecessor to the Chamber of |Workers from the Heffner Quarry built|
| | |Commerce) sought to have a Billings-Cheyenne mail route. This|the steps, located behind the |
| | |led to the desire for an airfield. In 1927, Ben Harwood took |MSU-Billings campus. Students from |
| | |an option of 120 acres of land for $1,000 cash. Summary |the Billings Polytechnic Institute |
| | |details of the creation of Logan Field (Billings Airport) and|cut a second set of steps, north of |
| | |its roadway are presented. |Rocky Mountain College. These steps |
| | | |originally led to a cross that was |
| | | |located at the top. The Myers family |
| | | |cut a third set of steps. |
| |Land Plats |The Abstract Guaranty Company generously provided a number of|Identifies the early sub-divisions |
| | |documents that describe the original land plats that created |and details of ownerships, including |
| | |Billings, to the Yellowstone Genealogy Forum for their use. |deed registry throughout the United |
| | |Not all plats and detail record extractions were made |States during this early time. |
| | |available to the Forum before their destruction. (Has | |
| | |thousands of names.) | |
| |Events |Some of the historical events that established Billings as a |How the city got its name, and a |
| | |City, and its various businesses are summarized below. About |detailed chronology of specific |
| | |20% of the information from available files at the YGF is |events is noted. Has numerous links |
| | |presented. Information is primarily extracted from old court |to other sites. |
| | |titles and survey maps. | |
| |Businesses |The NPR track runs through the town at an angle of about 55 |Shows Early City Plat and has link to|
| | |degrees, and is between Montana Avenue and Minnesota Avenue. |Montana Avenue Businesses (Under |
| | |These were the “prime” locations for business development in |continuous revision and improvement) |
| | |1882. The original townsite (platted 1881) is divided into | |
| | |Southside & Northside by the track. | |
| |Early City Pictures |Pictures of early Billings, Pompey’s Pillar and Coulson taken| Photograph collection was originally|
| | |on July 1, 1882 and later in 1883, are captured for |created for City of Billings in 1906,|
| | |posterity. |and later provided to the YGF. Taken |
| | | |earlier by Edward Bromley - |
| | | |Photographer & Publisher of the |
| | | |Herald Newspaper in Billings. |
| |Sugar Factory |In 1883, the town of Billings had an established irrigation |On March 14, 1905, articles of |
| | |system and it created the ability to eliminate ‘crop |incorporation for the Great Western |
| | |rotation’ in the fields; thus the sugar beet industry was |Sugar Factory were filed by I. D. |
| | |created. |O’Donnell, Col. H. W. Rowley, P. B. |
| | | |Moss, & M. A. Arnold of Billings, and|
| | | |F. M. Shaw, a non-resident and sugar |
| | | |specialist. The charter called for |
| | | |the creation of land plats for homes,|
| | | |methods for collection of money, and |
| | | |other business enterprises. |
| |Original surveys |Survey Notes – Establishing the Montana Prime Meridian |Included is the Walter W. deLacy |
| | |Baseline. Baseline through Ranges 16,17,18,19,20,21,22,23,25,|field notes of 1878 and others |
| | |&26 East of the Principal Meridian in the Territory of |through 1904. Also shown for interest|
| | |Montana as surveyed by Dumas L. McFarland, deputy surveyor |are the Mason-Dixon, Oregon survey, |
| | |under his subcontract No. 79 leaving date the 5th day of |Wadsworth Trail in Nevada, DAR Santa |
| | |March 1878. Survey commenced April 4th, 1878, Completed April|Fe Trail Markers, Kansas-Nebraska |
| | |12th, 1878. |Land Survey, Idaho Survey Records, |
| | | |and History of Survey Notes. |
| |Populations |Billings’ population from 1880 to 2000. |Various collection sources of |
| | | |information and summaries. |
| |1883 City Directory |Billings’ Businesses owners listed in the 1883 City |Locations by street address or |
| | |Directory. Note that this directory and the ‘1883-1884 |location are noted. Additional |
| | |directory’ have some minor differences. |details are added as information |
| | | |becomes available. |
| |1885 City Officials |Although the city was formally created in 1882, no local |Coulson didn’t have a formal grouping|
| | |administrative offices were created until a special charter |of city officials. John Alderson, in |
| | |was granted to the city in 1885 allowing it to be |late 1881 tried to rally the town |
| | |incorporated. On January 11, 1893 it was re-incorporated as |into an activity that might have |
| | |the “Town of Billings.” In May of 1885 officials were |created one, but apparently the |
| | |elected, and since that time the number of offices has grown |movement failed. Local residents |
| | |dramatically. Elections were scheduled annually for the first|simply got together and made |
| | |Monday in April. |decisions when an occasion arose. |
| | | |Such was the case in 1880 when John |
| | | |Alderson shot Dave Currier, and a |
| | | |trial was held by a gathering of |
| | | |local citizens to determine his fate.|
| |Early Car Pictures |Yellowstone County reportedly had its first car in 1904. W. |Local photographers and family |
| | |J. Youman (local lumberman) purchased the “self-propelled” |members have captured images of some |
| | |buggy, but soon was glad to get rid of it. (Site needs |of the cars owned by local citizens, |
| | |expanding & clear pictures.) |and businesses |
| |Early Hotels |Listings of early hotels in Billings. [Collected from |Pictures and short bios are noted. |
| | |various Forum GenRoom books and magazines] | |
| |Real & Paper Land Titles |The Clark’s Fork Valley area was settled in three basic |Many obtained Land Patents in name |
| | |manners; and in tracing ones ancestors’ history, could prove |only. Please consider the following |
| | |to be misleading. It is not possible to use the Bureau of |when searching for your ancestor’s |
| | |Land Management Warrant or Patent Title files by themselves |trail. The Forum land files |
| | |to determine where an ancestor was over the approximate |supplement the BLM files, and are |
| | |period of time during the 1877 to1882 land rush. |filled with thousands of names and |
| | | |events. Details of the MMLIC and |
| | | |others are detailed. The land |
| | | |speculation sale that created |
| | | |Billings is defined. |
| |Pictograph Cave |The Indian Caves southeast of Billings have provided a |The “pictographs” within the caves |
| | |significant amount of information about the inhabitants who |themselves have little significance, |
| | |used them for centuries. The Crow leaders state that they did|as most were recently created. The |
| | |not reside there. |ones in red show evidence of the |
| | | |white men, and the ones in black are |
| | | |comparatively new |
| |Indian Rock |Indian Rock was a naturally occurring piece of sandstone |During 1903 Mr. Vermilye had secured |
| | |jutting out from the ground in the northeast section of where|all of the right of way, with most of|
| | |Billings was located. From its appearance, it seems to |it at virtually no cost ($1.00 and |
| | |indicate that it fell from a nearby ledge and buried itself |consideration – e.g., land value |
| | |into the ground. Inscriptions are noted. The Immel & Jones |being worth more with water available|
| | |massacre is said to have occurred near or at this site. |than without); some rights were |
| | | |exchanged for use of the water. In |
| | | |preparation for the ditch’s route in |
| | | |1904 he dynamited the rock, which was|
| | | |in the path of the 1903-planned |
| | | |route. |
| |Immel & Jones Massacre |The Immel & Jones massacre took place during the bonanza days|At one time the Chamber of Commerce |
| | |of the fur trade in Montana, and centered near the area where|had a sign erected on the Black Otter|
| | |“Indian Rock” was located. The incident was so severe that it|Trail near Alkali Creek to identify |
| | |attracted the attention of the Prime Minister of Great |the ambush. The rock cover they used |
| | |Britain and a US Senate Committee. |was called “Indian Rock.” |
| |Area Locations & Their Name |This report depicts various source material extracts relating|Please note that a great amount of |
| |Origins |to the identity of these Sacrifice Cliff & Skeleton Cliff |detail work is still ahead to |
| | |along with the smallpox epidemics that afflicted the Crow |establish and verify the original |
| | |Indians in or near to Billings, Montana. Included is the |sources of the names. There were no |
| | |Josephine Riverboat’s 1875 journey end at Duck Creek. It was |direct-recorded uses of Sacrifice |
| | |used as a ‘wailing’ spot for Crow Indians who lost their mate|Cliff for Buffalo Jumps or Indian |
| | |in the 1870’s. |Sacrifices by the Crow Indians, |
| | |Sacrifice Cliff & the Motor Cycle Hill Climb area was called |according to Crow History research. |
| | |“Belle Buttes in 1875, meaning “Beautiful Mountains.” | |
| |Area Trek from the 1950’s |Take a trip through the Billings’ valley area and “pretend” |Virtually all signs have long since |
| | |that you were there before the numerous settlements took over|vanished, only their words remain, |
| | |the land. Pretend that you can envision the scenes and the |hidden in obscure publications. As |
| | |people of that era, and the turmoil or joy that they faced |the years passed by, the efforts |
| | | |created by the concerned local |
| | |[Lists and describes the early signs of Billings Area |citizens seems to have been lost into|
| | |attractions] |the “faded memory” of our lives. The |
| | | |colorful language used was replaced |
| | | |by modern words with different |
| | | |meanings. |
|Pioneer Biographies |Allen |William Alonzo Allen, son of Robert Allen and Rachel Guiler, |He followed in his father’s footsteps|
| | |was born in Summerfield, Ohio 2 September 1848. [Some burial |and became a dentist in Billings. |
| | |records indicate town was Summerville | |
| |Babcock |Albert L. Babcock started out as a printer’s devil (an |He then worked in a grocery firm then|
| | |apprentice who does chores and becomes ink-black from the |became a partner before age 21. He |
| | |dust) in Illinois. |read an account about the city of |
| | | |Billings and in 1882 moved here. |
| |Bair |Charles M. Bair was born on June 18, 1857 in Ohio. He |He came to Montana in 1883 and was a |
| | |started farming in Michigan; then became a train conductor |conductor on the Billings to Helena |
| | |for the railroad. |run with the Northern Pacific for |
| | | |eight years. |
| |Billings |Fredrick Billings became associated with the Northern Pacific|The site has Frederick Billings’ |
| | |in 1869 by purchasing 1/12th interest from Hiram Walbridge. |will, and a short bio. Much |
| | |He was director of the lines from 1870 onward. In 1873 this |information about him is located in |
| | |line collapsed, and he became its president in 1879. In 1881 |the Parmly Billings Library, Montana |
| | |he resigned and Henry Villard became president of the line |Room. He provided funds for the |
| | |after a hotly contested battle and had controlling interest. |Bailey & Billings Bank. |
| | |Identifies where James (Jim) Bridger was during the periods |As an adventurer, Bridger moved about|
| | |he traversed the western areas of the Indian Lands. This |the countryside, cutting through a |
| |Jim |extensive history was developed to assist in locating the |wide swath of terrain during his |
| |Bridger |critical wagon roads in the Yellowstone County regions that |tenure as mountain man and guide. The|
| | |he made or helped create plus those that were identified at |information presented below is |
| | |later dates. |compiled mainly from original |
| | |Section 1 – Birth through 1838 |manuscripts and diaries of those who |
| | |Section 2 – 1839 to Death |were with him at the time. |
| | |James Bridger (or Jim, as most people called him), was born |In 1812 the family packed up and |
| | |March 17, 1804, probably in Richmond, VA. He was the son of |moved to a spot just outside of Saint|
| | |James Bridger and Chloe Tyler who were married in 1803. The |Louis called Six-Mile Prairie. His |
| | |elder James was a Tavern Innkeeper in Richmond, and the |close friend Jeremiah Smith, likened |
| | |County Surveyor. Included is the lineage of his family. |him to the Angel Gabriel, and thus |
| | | |called him “Gabe”. Others quickly |
| | | |adopted the name, and as time went on|
| | | |it was quite naturally changed to Old|
| | | |Gabe. |
| | |Jim Bridger’s timeline of his lifetime events. Used to assist|Details from 1822 to 1826. File under|
| | |in establishing his locations and activities; collected from |construction, and used to support his|
| | |various source materials. |biography (listed in two parts.) |
| |Yankee |Yankee Jim Bridger as a genial fellow who had never seen a |“Yankee Jim” had a toll road through |
| |Bridger |railroad but was ready to squeeze anything he could from the |the second canyon of the Yellowstone |
| | |Northern Pacific. [Not to be confused with Jim Bridger, |(valley area between Livingston and |
| | |Trapper] |Gardiner). |
| |Brisbin |General James S. Brisbin published a book “The Beef Bonanza” |The Magic City name for Billings was |
| | |in the early 1870’s, trying to entice easterners to invest in|created by the General |
| | |cattle in Montana. | |
| |Camp |Edgar B. Camp read an article about Montana, and in 1881 sold|He proceeded to Miles City as the NPR|
| | |his general store in Illinois and moved to Glendive. There he|rail crews advanced, and was there |
| | |got his first job, loading buffalo hides into boxcars; and he|when the first train arrived. He then|
| | |also worked in the rail yards.[In January 1887 he bought the |moved to Coulson, and on May 12, 1882|
| | |Billings Gazette] |he opened a hardware store in a tent |
| | | |with A. W. Miles as partner. |
| |Campbell |Thomas D. Campbell was born in a North Dakota sod hut in1882,|He married Bess Bull, daughter of the|
| | |son of a Scottish farmer who came to America (via Canada) to |‘Cream of Wheat’ founder, and took |
| | |introduce steam power farming to the Red River Valley area |her to California in 1912 for health |
| | | |reasons. . Campbell met with J. P. |
| | | |Morgan and secured a $2,000,000 loan |
| | | |to start farming 200,000 acres on the|
| | | |Crow Indian Reservation north of the |
| | | |Big Horn River |
| |Chapple |No town would be complete without a written and photographic |Charles John Chapple was born in |
| | |history of the events that took place, and Charles Chapple |Bowmanville, Ontario on March 9, |
| | |was one who provided that service for a long time. Most of |1877. He married Jane Winifred Rixon |
| | |the early day pictures of Yellowstone Valley are from his |(daughter of John Rixon[2] & Susannah|
| | |collections, many of which are shared by the libraries and |Panton) on June 12, 1901. (Combined |
| | |the Forum. T heir Drug Store graciously gave me all the Cigar|with Yellowstone County Memoirs) |
| | |Boxes to little kids when they asked! | |
| |Cochran |Joseph M. V. Cochran reported that “he filed homestead papers|Numerous articles and histories about|
| | |for land in Clark’s Fork Bottom at the Bozeman Land Office in|his past exist in the newspaper files|
| | |1877”. He stopped by the land office in Bozeman, quite by |for Billings. Additionally, several |
| | |accident he stated, on his way to the valley and the land |people had interviewed him, and their|
| | |plats from Washington had just arrived. Records of the filing|findings published in booklets, |
| | |are missing. Two years later Congress revoked his patent |including a summary of his life |
| | |filing. Extensive biography included, along with The |conducted by Judy McNally in 1981. |
| | |Josephine Riverboat’s trek into the area in 1875 and 1877. | |
| |Cooper, [Squawman] |Interlocking family history of Lulu Cooper, Major Fellows |Extensive biography of family members|
| | |David Pease, James B. Cooper, Samuel Davis, and Oscar |and their activities in Yellowstone |
| | |Vanaman. James is one of the most remarkable men in the USA. |County. |
| |Countryman |In 1881, Panton and others, as part of a survey team who were|Horace Countryman had a running feud |
| | |locating the railroad’s Yellowstone division up-river from |with the Crow Indian agent, with |
| | |Coulson into Yellowstone Park, where they met Horace |neither willing to let the other |
| | |Countryman. |anchor a cable for a ferry on the |
| | | |side of the Yellowstone that each |
| | | |controlled. |
| | |In 1910, Carl Dallman, considered to be the first settler in |Included are short bios of Nez Perce,|
| |Dallman |Lake Basin, brought his family from Sheboygan, WI to the area|Murphy & the 79 Ranch, Molt, Thomas |
| | |just east of what was to become Rapelje. The railroad, built |Brothers, Keefer, Martin, McMahon, |
| | |some seven years later, went through the middle of his farm, |NPR Hesper spur, Stickley, Crawford, |
| | |only a few yards from his house. |Riopel, and Nora. |
| | |Crow Davis, as Samuel Davis was called, had a ranch on the |He was born in 1868 in Fort Berthold,|
| |Davis |Crow Reservation, on the west side of the Clark Fork River |Dakota Territory. He died about 1918|
| | |where it enters the Yellowstone. This was where his Indian |in Billings, Yellowstone Co., MT. |
| | |wife, half-breed children, and his wife’s relatives camped. |There is one Samuel Davis, who died |
| | |Panton started a rumor (unknown to Davis) that when voting |in the local area that could possibly|
| | |rights were offered to the Indians, he would have the |be this Samuel. He died on 6 May |
| | |controlling vote. |1918. No specific details have been |
| | | |researched for confirmation. |
| | |Interlocking family history of Lulu Cooper, Major Fellows |Extensive biography of family members|
| | |David Pease, James B. Cooper, Samuel Davis, and Oscar |and their activities in Yellowstone |
| | |Vanaman. |County. |
| | |In October 1883, the Marquis De Mores proposed to the |The residents agreed to the |
| |DeMores |Billings’ residents that he be permitted to erect a Beef |proposition, and appointed John R. |
| | |Slaughter House in the vicinity. To support his request, the |King, Fred H. Foster, J. R. Hathaway,|
| | |Daily Herald on Saturday, October 14, 1883, published an |George R. Hulme and J. A. Babcock to |
| | |announcement requesting that each resident attend a town |a committee to determine the cost of |
| | |meeting within two hours to decide the issue. |the and the ice house and ice. |
| | |Mary F. Drake was a registered nurse. She came to Billings |On January 9, 1918, George and Verna |
| |Drake |about 1900. Her cousin Leon Drake was a partner in the Steven|were married at J. T. Williams’ |
| |(Premier Site) |and Drake Mercantile and Livery Barn business. She served as |homestead on Duck Creek. In late |
| | |the private nurse for members of the Yegen, Cardwell and |November, the first son Norman was |
| | |other families for births and illnesses. In 1909, when the |born. Raymond, Vernon, David and Glen|
| | |Duck Creek Area was opened for homesteading, she filed on |followed in the next nine years. |
| | |forty acres; and in 1911, she filed on three hundred twenty |Vernon was an architect, and was |
| | |adjacent acres. |president of the Eastern Montana |
| | | |Pioneers. Vernon Drake prepared the |
| | | |bio. |
| | |Fred Haskell Foster arrived in Montana along with others in |In 1882 his father patented a piece |
| |Foster |the Northern Pacific railroad engineering corps on August 18,|of land, and platted a section to |
| | |1879. He formed a business partnership with Perry W. McAdow |become the Foster Addition to |
| | |in 1881, at Coulson, which lasted until 1883, when he was |Billings. Following this, he went to |
| | |discharged. [He was a 5-time mayor] He, along with |Washington DC and spent a year there |
| | |Breuchard, Rowley and their section chief, (and Panton) |lobbying for opening of the Crow |
| | |established the Billings Site in secrecy. (Full bio |Reservation’s western end for |
| | |available) |settlement. |
| | |Some researchers referred to Henry Albert Frith as being the | His biographical sketch (April 15, |
| |Frith |first settler in the county, arriving before Thomas McGirl, |1922) stated he departed Fort Concho,|
| | |and settling in the Huntley area. All biographical references|TX and traveled by train, rail and |
| | |of other settlers at the time in 1877 indicate that he |steamboat arriving at Standing Rock, |
| | |arrived after Thomas. A link to his Indian adventures is |ND in the summer of 1876 immediately |
| | |included. |after the Custer Battle (June, 1876).|
| | |The National Airplane and Motor Co., had its plant located at|The Bluebird weighed 453 pounds and |
| |Green |4th Ave N and 27th Street in 1935. A. B. Green was founder |could carry a 450-pound payload. It |
| | |and president of the company. |was a two-passenger craft, with a |
| | | |wingspan of 35 feet, and could cruise|
| | | |at 75 mph. |
| | |When Bill Hamilton was first in Coulson in the winter of |Later, during a fishing trip in the |
| |Hamilton |1881, Panton did not become well acquainted with him |Stillwater River with Walter and J. |
| | | |D. Matheson, Panton found Hamilton in|
| | | |a log cabin trying to assimilate a |
| | | |book of statutes following his |
| | | |election as justice of the peace |
| | |The quarry was placed on 80 acres of land, bought from NPR by|In Billings, the stone was used in |
| |Heffner & Quarry |William H. Heffner before Billings was established. It was |the Parmly Billings Library |
| | |located at the end of Virginia Lane at the base of the rims |construction, the original |
| | |and 27th Street. It was positioned 800 feet east to west, |courthouse, the Gazette building, |
| | |and extended 1,000 feet toward the rims. |Billings State Bank, and most |
| | | |schools, churches and various |
| | | |government buildings and Pioneer |
| | | |Park. |
| | |John Brooke (Jack) Herford, Yellowstone County pioneer, |He helped organize the Maverick Hose |
| |Herford |served in three wars. He came to America from England at age|Company (early volunteer fire |
| | |18, along with his Unitarian father, Brooke Herford, and |department in Billings), and was |
| | |within two years was in the cattle business in Texas and New |secretary of the Bearcreek Coal |
| | |Mexico. |Company, and the Bearcreek Townsite |
| | | |Company. |
| | |Accounts vary as to why or how John Johnston got the name of |In the fall of 1843, the steamboat |
| |Johnston |‘Liver Eating Johnson’, but generally it appears that in July|Thames from St. Louis transported |
| | |of 1870 Mrs Captain Hawley was picking Juneberries with an |Johnson to the St. Joseph eddy in the|
| | |Indian Squaw about 300 yards from a post on the Musselshell |Blacksnake Hills of Wyoming. Three |
| | |River when she was hit in the neck by a bullet from a Sioux |years later, he became well known to |
| | |war party of nine men. Johnston and nine others found the |the steamboat captains as a reliable |
| | |woman, scalped, but alive. |supplier of wood for their boilers. |
| | |A letter protesting a dam on the Yellowstone River, was |Included are details of the 1873 |
| |Cpt. Marsh |prepared by Captain Grant Marsh was submitted to President |trips on the Yellowstone, his permit |
| | |Roosevelt on 21 November 1907, and relatives submitted the |from Sitting Bull, and Captain |
| | |copy retained by Captain Marsh to the archives of the North |Buesen’s receipt of the first pilot’s|
| | |Dakota Historical Society in Bismarck, along with the |license to operate on the |
| | |President’s response. It is on 16mm and very hard to read. |Yellowstone. [This letter was later |
| | |This letter has been “altered” to reflect his trip to Coulson|altered to accommodate theatrical |
| | |in 1877. |productions. See Cochran’s |
| | | |biography.] |
| | |John D. Matheson was the editor of “The Gazette”, followed by|He lived in Billings for over 30 |
| |Matheson |a number of other professions. He came to Billings at the |years, and had insurance and real |
| | |time it was platted (1882) by the Northern Pacific Railway, |estate offices in the Stapleton |
| | |Co. He previously was mayor and newspaper owner-editor in |Building. He married Rebecca Panton |
| | |Milton, Ontario, Canada before coming to Montana. |in 1872 |
| | |Perry W. McAdow (Bud) was among the Billings’ area first |Perry created the McAdow Subdivision |
| | |settlers and real estate dealers. He is probably best known |from his land, with Cleve & Wadsworth|
| |McAdow |of the Montana gold mining men. He arrived in Fort Owen |as agents specializing in selling his|
| | |[Bitterroot Valley of Western Montana] in July1861. Details |lots. In 1886 he left the area and |
| | |about Coulson and Billings are provided. |moved to Judith Gap, where he mined a|
| | | |little and operated yet another |
| | | |sawmill. He struck it good, and |
| | | |established the “Spotted Horse” mine |
| | | |that gave him his eventual fortune |
| | | |that had eluded him earlier in |
| | | |Coulson and Billings. Extensive |
| | | |details are listed. His 2nd wife is |
| | | |noted. |
| | |Paul J. McCormick was a native of New York, born in |After the Custer battle in June 1876,|
| | |Greenwood, Stuben County, NY on 14 June 1845. His father, |McCormick was honored to raise the |
| | |James, and mother, Margaret were both from Ireland. He wrote |first American flag commemorating the|
| |McCormick |a lot of early western history before his death at age 75, on|new fort in Big Horn County, located |
| | |January 26, 1921. His Junction City log cabin was moved to |at his original trading post site and|
| | |Billings, and it became the Yegen Yellowstone County Museum. |renamed Fort Pease. Many other |
| | |Details noted. |details provided. |
| | |Portions of some relevant letters written by Paul McCormick |The letters are extracted from: |
| | |to Senator Power are summarized herein to help explain when |Senator Power’s collection held at |
| | |he relocated from Junction city to Billings (March 1893); and|Helena, Montana storage boxes. |
| | |to describe some of his business dealings | |
| | |Land deed record listings of Paul McCormick. These tell a |There was no evidence of any sale of |
| | |tale of his life. |his Junction City property or |
| | | |extensive mining leases after 1895 |
| | | |recorded in the county deed books. It|
| | | |appears that he simply abandoned the |
| | | |land and the mining rights. |
| | |After looking around for a home, Paul McCormick and his wife |Paul established several business |
| | |purchased property from Jacob Ellis in 1879 [Lots 15-16, |partnerships in Billings by 1891, but|
| | |Block 85] under a Warranty Deed.[3] The deed was eventually |did not relocate his family until two|
| | |recorded in Paul’s name on 6 July 1885. Here he constructed |years later. In 1893 Paul moved his |
| | |his log cabin that later might have been reconstructed onto |family to Billings, and immediately |
| | |his Billings property. Additional notes for the cabin from |thereafter started to acquire all of |
| | |city maps show that the cabin in Billings had extensive |the property located in Block 6, of |
| | |reconstruction before being made into a museum through the |the town site. |
| | |efforts of Peter Yegen, Jr. | |
| |McFarlin |Henry Frederick (Doc) McFarlin was born 1 March 1866 in |Henry, together with his brother |
| | |Milwaukee, WI, son of James McFarlin (OH) and mother Frances |Charles, John D. Matheson, and |
| | |K. Bell (London, Eng). |Alexander Devine consolidated three |
| | | |local newspapers to form The Gazette |
| | | |in 1885. |
| | |Thomas McGirl was an Irish native who operated a ferry at |Originally, long before 1882, the NPR|
| |McGirl |Baker Ground. This was a stopping point on the Yellowstone |planned to cross the river at |
| | |River for travelers. He arrived there in May 1877 and |Huntley, and lay track to Fort |
| | |immediately filed for a Homestead. In 1878 he opened a post |Benton. Surveys for this route were |
| | |office there, and renamed the place Huntley. |completed after 1875. NPR intended to|
| | | |lay a branch line south to Coulson, |
| | | |and place another bridge there. NPR |
| | | |changed their mind, and selected the |
| | | |Coulson crossing as the prime route. |
| | |Preston B. Moss was a lumberyard owner and banker in Missouri|Moss owned the Billings Gazette from |
| |Moss |before arriving in Billings in 1892, with his bride. He took |1908 to 1914. In 1914 he started the |
| | |over the First National Bank in December of that year, and |Billings Utility Company, and in 1937|
| | |during the panic of 1893 discovered that the previous bank |he sold that business to the Billings|
| | |managers had invested most of its assets in sheep |Gas Company. |
| |Newman |Ed Newman acquired 120 acres of land (Lots 2 & 3) in Section |He placed a fence around the property|
| | |15, Tp 1 S, Rn 26 E in 1883. Date that he took pre-exemption |soon after arriving according to the |
| | |is not available as the BLM records were lost. Included are |survey notes made by de Lacy in 1878.|
| | |bios on the other Newman homesteaders. | |
| | |Austin North had a significant part in the building of |This extensive research changes some |
| |North |Billings, and through the research files of the YGF the |of the events that have been rumored |
| | |direction of his interests that intertwined with Paul |as fact for many years. Only a few |
| | |McCormick, Fred Foster, NPR and the City of Billings is |examples are listed. The files |
| | |outlined. His ties to the Creation of Billings are noted, |contain approximately 2,000 legal |
| | |along with his conversion of the Prison into a home. North |transactions, and each lead to |
| | |Park was not originally named after him. |another claim or settlement |
| |O’Donnell |I. D. (Bud) O’Donnell was referred to as the “best farmer in |He was responsible for the rebuilding|
| | |America.” He was born in Simcoe, Ontario, Canada on 19 |of the Big Ditch, serving farmers in |
| | |September 1860. |the local area valleys, and in 1892 |
| | | |he arranged for the farmers to own |
| | | |the ditch. |
| |O’Leary |Barry O’Leary arrived in America from Ireland in 1917. He |A year later he started his own |
| | |traveled to Billings and started working at the Billings |business with assets of only a |
| | |Brewery. |bicycle, a pick and a shovel. |
| |Osborne |Mrs. Mary James Osborne homestead cabin with sod roof lived |She was the only registered nurse in |
| | |on Flat Willow Creek 27 miles north of Roundup. |the area in 1909. She assisted at |
| | | |most of the births in the area. |
| | |S. P. Panton was the first reporter for the Billings Gazette.|From 1881 through 1887 he met and |
| |Panton |He arrived here in 1881 at age 33 to work for NPR survey |recorded interviews with most of the |
| | |team. His job was to record his impressions of the effort for|early-day characters and prominent |
| | |the eastern and Canadian papers |persons. (Combined with Yellowstone |
| | | |County Memoirs) |
| |Pease |Interlocking family history of Lulu Cooper, Major Fellows |Extensive biography of family members|
| | |David Pease, James B. Cooper, Samuel Davis, and Oscar |and their activities in Yellowstone |
| | |Vanaman. |County. |
| |Peckham |Family histories of the Peckhams, Newmans, Coopers and Walks.|Under construction. |
| | |Under Construction. | |
| | |Henry Ward Rowley was born 1 October 1858 in Newport, Oneida |At age 22, in 1879, he was employed |
| | |County, NY, son of Nelson Burr Rowley (NY) and Abigail Coffin|by the Northern Pacific Railroad to |
| |Rowley |(NY). He lived there until age nine, when his parents moved |assist in the construction of line |
| | |to Minnesota and settled into the Farmington area, near St. |passing through the Dakota Territory.|
| | |Paul. |He quickly rose to the position of |
| | |Partial details of his identity and creation of Billings, and|Chief Engineer and for two years |
| | |the NPR route change to the area are noted. His close |successfully managed the construction|
| | |association with Austin North & Fred Foster is explained. |of the line. Seeing an opportunity |
| | | |for great personal achievement, he |
| | | |left the railroad in the spring of |
| | | |1882 to become an engineer for the |
| | | |newly formed Minnesota and Montana |
| | | |Land and Improvement Company, which |
| | | |established the townsite of Billings.|
| |Schock |Alice McCleary is generally referred to simply as Mrs. |Her diary extracts helps to establish|
| | |Schock, wife of the Ferry owner and operator in Coulson. Her |a timetable on the arrival dates for |
| | |tale of travels from England to Utah, and on to Coulson |other settlers in the Yellowstone |
| | |describes some of the hardships early pioneers had to endure |County area, including Dr. Alonzo |
| | | |Allen. |
| | |Until after the Custer Battle in June 1876, the area |From the biographies of the early |
| |Settler’s Bio Summaries |bordering the Crow Reservation to the mouth of the Powder |settlers, a time frame of Yellowstone|
| | |River inflow into the Yellowstone River was no place for |Valley’s local area settlement can be|
| | |white men. Congress broke early treaties with various Indian |created in order of their appearance;|
| | |tribes making the area a hostile environment for trappers, |some of actual land records defining |
| | |tradesmen and settlers. Many stayed away. |their origination have been located, |
| | | |and most of the others appear to have|
| | | |been lost or destroyed. From these |
| | | |early pioneer settlers, a timetable |
| | | |for the creation of various first |
| | | |towns in Yellowstone County can be |
| | | |made. |
| |Taylor |Muggins’ Taylor was the scout for Custer who helped carry the|In 1881 Panton first met ‘Muggins’ in|
| | |news of his defeat from the Little Bighorn to Helena. |Coulson, where he was complaining |
| | | |about the bacon and groceries he |
| | | |bought from the McAdow store. |
| | |William B. Ten Eyck was born 26 April 1858 in Lumber City, |He is listed on most records as “Ten |
| |Ten Eyck |PA[4]. He died 25 August 1929 in Billings, from a gunshot |Eyck” without mention of a first |
| | |wound[5]. |name[6]. After arriving in Billings,|
| | | |he became a saddler and had a harness|
| | | |business at 2611 Montana Avenue. |
| | |At age 13 Matt Tschirgi got his first taste of cattle |He married Bertha Weidman in 1915 |
| |Tschirgi |business when he worked for his uncle, Frank Heinrich. He |about the same time that the first |
| | |continued to ride herd for his uncle until his death on 27 |buildings were erected on a ranch ten|
| | |October 1928 in Billings, MT. After that he went into |miles south of Wyola, MT. Later the |
| | |business for himself. [Details of his ranch and death are |ranch became known as the Antler |
| | |presented} |Ranch, or more simply put “the |
| | | |Tschirgi Spread.” |
| |Vanaman |Interlocking family history of Lulu Cooper, Major Fellows |Extensive biography of family members|
| | |David Pease, James B. Cooper, Samuel Davis, and Oscar |and their activities in Yellowstone |
| | |Vanaman. |County. |
| |Walk |John J. Walk, early pioneer came to Montana, and settled in |Biography of his life is recorded in |
| | |the local area. |PDF. |
| |Webb |James T. Webb came to the Billings area about 1896. He was a |Extensive details about the posse and|
| | |livestock inspector for David Pratt and large cattle |Webb are available at the Parmly |
| | |companies, and was made Yellowstone County Sheriff. |Billings library. |
| |Wibaux |Pierre Wibaux was an influential businessman in the |He made a second ranch that stretched|
| | |Yellowstone Valley, although his main interests were centered|from his Wibaux location along the |
| | |on the border of Montana where US 10 and the Northern Pacific|Yellowstone River from the Little |
| | |Railway enter Montana from the east. In 1881, the railroad |Missouri west to the Yellowstone, and|
| | |crossed over into Montana and established a line station |from the Missouri to the Northern |
| | |called Mingusville. |Pacific area. His line cabins were |
| | | |located 40 miles apart. |
| | |In the spring of 1882 the Yegen brothers moved to Billings |Their business enterprises soon |
| |Yegen |and opened a store on the corner of Minnesota Avenue and 28th|became known as the “Yegen Bros”, and|
| | |Street, under the name of “P. Yegen and Co.” They created |the name was spread across the valley|
| | |the Yegen Community Park on Sacrifice Cliff. |as they expanded their operations. |
| | |[Refer to Indian Rock for more details.] |Their slogan was “We pay for ashes |
| | | |and sell dirt cheap.” |
| | |The YGF has several items offered for sale. |Please check the listings for |
|YGF Books & Materials |Books | |descriptions and prices. |
| | |A referenced Order Form identifies various cemetery & |Included are School records from |
| | |marriage books, available for sale, with specific costs and |1914-1930, information about POLK |
| | |details are listed. |City Directories available for |
| | | |research. |
|Wagon Road from Fort |Military |After the initial trail from Fort Laramie to the Big Horn |This later became the Bozeman |
|Laramie to Virginia City|Reports |River (Platte Road) and on to Virginia City was established |Military Road, and although it was |
|(Bozeman Trail) | |in 1864, the government took steps to create a safe haven for|very short lived, the Military had a |
| | |the emigrants traveling through that area. Numerous reports |great deal to do regarding its |
| | |from Dodge, Wheaton, Connor, Pope, Price, Sanborn, Barnes, |foundation. File records contain the |
| | |Stagg, Moonlight, Halleck, Curtis, and Fisk are included. |commander’s reports about the road, |
| | | |and President Lincoln’s decree of |
| | | |March 18, 1865. |
| |Bozeman Military Trail |Jim Bridger was directed by Col. Carrington to establish the |James Sawyers’ route was followed |
| | |Military Wagon Road across the region (called the Bozeman |until they reached the East Pryor |
| | |Trail) that would provide access to the gold fields of |Creek crossing. From there they |
| | |western Montana and a third fort (Fort Fisher) to be |traveled northwest, essentially |
| | |constructed on the Clark’s Fork or Yellowstone River. |paralleling the current BIA Route 19,|
| | |Note: Bridger was in the Pryor area prior to 1831. |with deviations to avoid hills and |
| | | |gullies. |
| | |Sawyers’ route passed through the Pryor Gap on East Pryor |Mileage & locations reported by the |
| | |Creek for about two-three miles then crosses Hay Creek. The |diaries from Sawyer, Fox and Land of |
| |Sawyer’s Trail |other wagon trains apparently missed this route, and crossed |Gold are tabulated for |
| | |Pryor Creek (called Pryor Gap by the writers) by passing |cross-referencing and to establish |
| | |straight across the creek. This cutoff brought them about two|the most probable location of the |
| | |miles north of Sawyers’ 1866 trail. |wagon trains as they passed through |
| | | |the Pryor Mountains’ foothill areas. |
| | | |Listing used to support the trail |
| | | |locations. |
| | |Sawyers Expedition June 13, 1865 [Notes for the route through|Extracted & tabulated from Journey to|
| | |the Yellowstone Regions. [18 to 26 September Journey] used to|the Land of Gold, Susan Doyle’s |
| | |locate the trails on old topo maps. |emigrant diary extractions. Part 1 of|
| | | |2. |
| | |Sawyers Expedition June 13, 1865 [Notes for the route through|Extracted & tabulated from Journey to|
| | |the Yellowstone Regions, 18 to 26 September Journey] |the Land of Gold, Susan Doyle’s |
| | | |emigrant diary extractions. Part 2 of|
| | | |2. |
| |Hurlbut Wagon Train |At Richard’s Bridge the Allen Hurlbut’s train departed the |On July 25th, Abram Voorhees |
| | |Platte River and headed north, along the trail, or closely |captained the remaining members, |
| | |to, the one created by Jim Bridger in 1859. The Hurlbut’s |after Hurlbut and some prospectors |
| | |wagon train initially preceded John Bozeman’s wagon train, |left the train. |
| | |but was soon passed as most of his train members wanted to | |
| | |prospect for gold | |
| |John Bozeman Train |John Bozeman was camped on the Platte River in Wyoming at |He was planning on using the route he|
| | |Richard’s Bridge for at least two weeks, trying to collect |located earlier while on horseback in|
| | |enough people for his wagon train to Virginia City. In 1891 |1863, and again tried to trail with a|
| | |John T. Smith wrote about his activities on the train. This |wagon train some months earlier, but |
| | |is the only reported record. |was turned back by Indians. He failed|
| | | |to follow his original route, but set|
| | | |the stage for future travelers. |
|Buildings |1905 Montana Ave Buildings |Some of the buildings and businesses in existence on Montana |The Northern Pacific Railway is the |
| | |Avenue in 1905 and in 1925 are listed for reference. Some |city dividing line. In 1905 Montana |
| | |pictures are included. This is one of a series of building |avenue ran from N 19th Street West to|
| | |locations summary sites. Site is under continuous update as |Division Street, and it was the first|
| | |more details are added. Montana Ave and Minnesota Ave were |street north of the railroad track. |
| | |named for the town’s founders, the MMLIC. |It extended east beyond the city |
| | | |limits (19th street) for several |
| | | |blocks. Billings in 1905 boasted as |
| | | |having 26 saloons. |
| |IXL Building |Block 109, located on Montana Avenue between 27th Street and |Details about the Bailey & Billings |
| | |Broadway (28th Street) had 24 lots for cash sale by MMLIC, |Bank (IXL Building) |
| | |and it contained the lot for the Bailey & Billings Bank. Most| |
| | |of these lots were resold, and the new investors constructed | |
| | |permanent buildings on the premises. The original owners are | |
| | |listed in a diagram. There were several changes to the | |
| | |buildings over the years, and the ownership path becomes very| |
| | |cloudy as time progresses. | |
|Burlington | |In late 1892 the Burlington Railroad procured the franchise |Mr. Castor, right-of-way specialist |
|Railroad |1894 RR Arrival |of Big Horn Southern Railway, and had the purchase validated |for the railroad, enlisted the |
| | |by Congress and the Montana State Legislature. Identification|exclusive services of Paul McCormick |
| | |of the construction is noted. |to get permission to cross the Crow |
| | | |Reservation. NPR would control all |
| | | |Burlington traffic movement into, |
| | | |through and out of Billings to |
| | | |designated points where they again |
| | | |tied into their own rail system. |
|Custer Cattle Company | |T. C. Powers (Ex-Montana Senator), A. C. Johnson (Helena |The facility contained a |
| |TC Powers |resident), and Paul McCormick (of Billings) formed the Custer|self-contained waterworks system, |
| | |Cattle Company. Paul McCormick was the president and the |with water supplied from an |
| | |on-site operations manager from 1879 to 1905. |artificial lake, and coming from the |
| | | |Northern Pacific Railroad yard. The |
| | | |ranch extends outward to the Tinker |
| | | |Ranch, which was managed by Paul’s |
| | | |cousin Emmet McCormick. Wind power is|
| | | |used to chop the feed and saw wood. |
|Cemetery Information & |Bear Creek |In June 1988 a team of YGF members visited the Bear Creek |Contains history of the persons |
|Records | |Cemetery, located a few miles outside of Red Lodge, to record|buried and pictures of tombstones. |
| | |burial sites and related information about the area. | |
| | |The Boot Hill Cemetery stopped actively serving the community|Identifies 105 individual burials, |
| |Boothill |in 1884 after Billings established the O’Donnell Cemetery |and details about its creation and |
| | |(Now the Old-Section of Mountview Cemetery.) There are four |the persons buried there. |
| | |rows of gravesites still visible within the plot. The dates | |
| | |presented provide a variety of dates, spellings and events | |
| | |leading up to the individual burials. | |
| |Ygf Cemetery Book |The YGF has published a Cemetery Book, from which the |Includes maps and directions to the |
| | |Yellowstone County cemetery locations are represented, and |sites. Many of the small personal |
| | |may be purchased from the YFG for a nominal fee. The |family graves, which were located on |
| | |three-volume book is certified by the Montana Statehood |private family land, have been |
| | |Centennial Commission and contains extensive details. |located, but not included unless |
| | |Additionally, most of the burial location details and |specifically permitted by the owners.|
| | |tombstone transcriptions are available for those that might | |
| | |be interested in specific persons | |
| |Poor Farm Records |Records for burials in the Poor Farm of Parck County have |Compiled and edited records have |
| | |been mainly overlooked, and not generally included into the |death or burial dates. |
| | |master index for the State. | |
| |Cemeteries |Contact listing identifying persons who are the contact point|Has cemetery identification and local|
| | |for information about their cemeteries. Smith’s Funeral |contacts in the area counties |
| | |Chapel, Billings, provided listing in 1999. |surrounding Yellowstone County. |
| |Cemetery Records |There are four volumes to the complete set of YGF Cemetery |Co-companion to the Cemetery Book. |
| | |records; three are contained within bound volumes depicting |Links to online research of Mountview|
| | |24 cemeteries within the county, and one is a computerized |Cemetery, plat map of the cemeteries |
| | |printout of Mountview Cemetery located in Billings. The |and other research aids are provided.|
| | |Carbon County Cemetery book, prepared by YGF is listed. | |
| |Mountview Headstones |Members of Mrs. Greene’s K-12 Middle School class in April |The website links identifies name, |
| | |2000 visited the Mountview Cemetery in Billings, Montana. |birth & death year, sex, and age at |
| | |There they gathered data from the headstones and recorded |death (recorded on tombstone, and |
| | |basic information from about ½ of the gravesites. |calculated from dates on tombstone, |
| | | |with some pictures.) |
| |Cemetery Listings On-Line |A Cemetery Listing that summarizes various supporting |Yellowstone County has 28 registered |
| | |detailed information listed by the Forum, and is grouped into|cemeteries, and numerous unlisted |
| | |readily accessible general categories. Locations and links |private ones [1995]. Burial |
| | |are tabulated for easy access. |information from many of these |
| | |On-Line links are provided where available. |‘unlisted’ cemeteries has been |
| | | |extracted, but their locations have |
| | | |not been identified so as to protect |
| | | |the current landowners’ wishes. |
|Census Records |School Census (1914-1930) |The Yellowstone Genealogy Forum® has transcribed the school |Over 100,000 names are identified |
| | |census records for Yellowstone County, Montana for years 1914|throughout the 57 school districts. |
| | |through 1930 onto a CD-ROM in an effort to preserve the |District #2, Billings City is not |
| | |information for future generations. The use of these census |included. These records are in |
| | |records is often overlooked, yet they are one of the most |excellent condition, and available at|
| | |valuable sources of reliable information. |the Court House. |
| |Montana State 1880 Census |Census data for Montana extracted from the 1880 Federal |Included, are the crossed-out entries|
| | |Records does not quite match the original information |noted by the census takers, and they |
| | |reported by that census, due primarily to omissions and |are so noted, plus personnel from |
| | |voided entries created by the census takers and extractor |selected military posts not included |
| | |personnel. |in the formal 1880 data. |
| |Germans from Russia Listings |The criteria used for the listing of Germans from Russia |This is an extraction from the 1920 |
| | |settling in the local area are: “the individual, either |U.S. Federal Census for “Yellowstone |
| | |parent or either of the grandparents had to be of German |County” identified on film number |
| | |descent, and from Russia.” This provides the |1820978 available from the Family |
| | |ability in some case to find three generations. |History Centers. |
|County Towns | |Much of the history of how some towns in Yellowstone were |For those researchers who would like |
| |Pioneers & the Towns |created, and the pioneers and corporations behind them, can |to know a little more about the local|
| | |be found in the ancient Title Abstract documents of |area ancestors who helped form these |
| | |Yellowstone County. Here are listed thousands of persons, |towns, delve into their wills and |
| | |major businesses & their owners, and how they got started. |personal statements they made |
| | |Summary details about the NPR operations and affect it had on|regarding their life during the early|
| | |the locales are noted. Many links to persons and related |years in Montana, then this is the |
| | |areas of interest. |place to start. |
| | |Yellowstone County Towns, Train Stations & Post Offices |Basically there is one train station |
| |Towns Listings |The towns, rail stations and post offices were extracted from|town site located on every six miles |
| | |the listings and addresses identified in the City & County |of rail track. Many of these |
| | |Directories for years 1905 through 1928. Includes Army Camps |locations have vanished, or turned |
| | |assigned to protect the NPR construction. |into Ghost Town. Many of the sites |
| | | |are now located in other counties. |
|Crow Indian Affairs |Agents |In examination of wagon roads created in the Reservation |.) It appears that if the Agent |
| | |(1888 through 1920), various Crow Indian Agents were assigned|showed loyalty to the Indians needs |
| | |to look over the interests of the Government (and the Indians|he was certainly to be removed from |
| | | |office. A detailed listing of agents |
| | | |is presents. |
| | |The purpose of the Crow Indian Land Leases is to assist in |This created many wagon trails that |
| |Land Leases |locating the primary trails that were used by wagons prior to|to some may appear as portions of the|
| | |1920. During the time period that land leases were popular, |“Bozeman Trail.” To isolate the real|
| | |virtually all of the area occupied by the Crow Indians was |trails from the service supply |
| | |opened for leasing. Additionally there was a great deal of |routes, the land leases were examined|
| | |traffic throughout the region for distribution of feed and |in depth. Charles Crane Bradley, Jr, |
| | |food supplies. Various Crow Treaties are presented, along |who published his findings in August |
| | |with numerous articles clipped from the local papers. |1970, reviewed the source records |
| | | |available at Crow Agency in detail. |
| | |“After the Buffalo Days,” a book by Charles Crane Bradley, |It was an accepted practice in 1884 |
| |Reservation Trails |Jr’s, published in 1970 is used to assist in locating the |to permit local cattlemen to enter |
| | |leaseholds and wagon trails that eventually passed by the |the Reservation during the spring and|
| | |Twin Monuments located at the edge of the South Hills. This |fall roundups to reclaim strays, but |
| | |book is a “must” for any serious investigation into the |some violated this practice by |
| | |operation of the Crow Indian Reservation. Many details are |deliberately driving their stock |
| | |noted about the leases. |across the river so they would have |
| | | |free grass. |
| |Plenty Coups |Chief Plenty Coups located near to Pryor, MT. He urged his |During the dedication of the tomb of |
| | |Crow tribesmen to follow the ‘ways of the white man’, and |the “unknown soldier” in Washington’s|
| | |gave his 190-acre farm and this cabin to Big Horn County to |Arlington Cemetery, he was selected |
| | |be used as a park for both Indians and whites. |to represent all American Indians at |
| | | |the ceremony. As a result he |
| | | |considered himself chief of all |
| | | |American Indians. |
|DAR |DAR |This Yellowstone County chapter created the basic foundation |Monuments established by the DAR are |
| | |of historic preservation and better education that exists |detailed, with pictures, along with |
| | |throughout the area. Founded on February 22, 1918, the DAR |listing of the society members. |
| | |had 25 founding members. | |
|Family history book |How to Make a Book |It is relatively easy to create a family history book for |A 200-page book can be made for under|
| | |pennies and give it to family members and loved ones as a |$3.00. Details on how to make the |
| | |gift. It will be much more appreciated than if they paid the |book are presented in easy to follow |
| | |high price demanded from book publishers, and which they |steps with pictures. |
| | |probably didn’t like the manner in which they were presented | |
| | |in the book. | |
|Fire Department | |Soon after Billings was created, in 1884, on July 15th, fire |Several fires burned unattended |
| |Maverick Fire Dept |broke out in the rear of the Bank Exchange Saloon on Montana |before petitions got volunteers to a |
| | |Avenue, the busiest block in Billings. A bucket brigade was |meeting in the courthouse on January |
| | |formed using ditch water to try and put out the fire and |14, 1889 to form the Maverick Hose |
| | |rescue the “liquid assets” of six saloons, two wholesale |Company (named for an unbranded bull |
| | |liquor houses and stores in the 100 Block before trying three|from an advertisement), with the |
| | |kegs of powder to check the blaze. |understanding that the group would be|
| | | |under authority of no one but |
| | | |themselves – particularly the mayor |
|Genbug | |The Gen-Bug Newsletter is a publication of the Yellowstone |The site identifies where hard copies|
| |Newsletter |Genealogy Forum, and it is published quarterly. Current and |can be obtained, and which ones are |
| | |past events, materials offered for sale, and general |available for downloading or viewing |
| | |genealogical information and research techniques are |on-line. |
| | |presented. Full schedules of genealogical events throughout | |
| | |the Yellowstone County area are presented for the ensuing | |
| | |several months. | |
|Genealogy |Classes |The Forum presents classes to be taught by leading |Dates of the classes announced |
| | |professionals in the field of genealogy on specific announced|through this listing. Normally |
| | |dates. Check with this link to determine the time periods. |updated once annually. |
| |Old Documents Examples |There are numerous forms of knowledge held within the |This living page is dedicated to |
| | |documented past, each telling a small bit of a tale or fact |showing illustrations of various |
| | |about a person’s life. Photos are provided, and it is |documents so that one can become more|
| | |encouraged that others will add to the listing. |knowledgeable in the never-ending |
| | | |search for ancestral truth. |
| |PAF Classes |The YGF hosts genealogy classes throughout each year. |Supporting those classes are listings|
| | | |of significant places to conduct |
| | | |research. The best are listed for |
| | | |your research efforts. |
| | |Research for information by YGF members for anything on this |Fees are noted for research time and |
| |Membership |page, or what else you might need from the extensive library |costs in examining the newspaper |
| | |resources in Billings, and we will attempt to respond as |files, college & school records, |
| | |quickly as possible. Link to GenWeb query site is provided. |lodge records, obituaries & mortuary |
| | | |record files. A Research Form is |
| | | |provided to assist the YGF in your |
| | | |lookup and material research needs. |
| |Surnames on File |Information about family trees and their history, family news|The file presents a listing of |
| | |letters, persons and dates, are located in a file cabinet and|surnames held in the files. |
| | |stored in file hangers labeled A, B, C ... etc to Z. These | |
| | |are generally loose-leaf materials, although some bound files| |
| | |exist. | |
| |Web Sites to Visit |SOME OF THE BEST GENEALOGY SITES ON THE WEB |Some sites require membership fees, |
| | |There are numerous search engines and web sites available for|others are free. Many offer free web |
| | |the serious researcher, and we have summarized the ones that |site space for expressing your own |
| | |may provide the quickest access to the information you need. |genealogy efforts. Many have |
| | | |bothersome banner ads. |
| |Wills |The Forum has several wills and testaments of persons who had|Along with these listed wills are |
| | |a definite part in the formation of Billings. They are |some statements about the true |
| | |contained within the Title Abstracts that discuss the |meaning that the descendent intended |
| | |property they or their heirs owned. |to be said. This YGF site is linked |
| | | |to the YGF Founder’s Page. |
| |Library Listings |Records of various types, held by the Forum and local Family |Please review these pages then follow|
| | |History libraries, along with a short narrative are defined |the recommendation noted. Links to |
| | |in each of the attached subsections. The listings are by |online details for the City & County |
| | |major categories of counties, towns, types of records, etc. |history locations, the LDS Library |
| | |making your research easier. |file holdings and contents are noted.|
| |FHC File 2 |Family History Center listings for Montana cities & counties.|Record #2. Were located at |
| | | |Belevedere. |
| |Info File 1 |Family History listings for Montana cities & counties. |Record #1. Are at Parmly Billings |
| | | |Library. |
| |FHC File 3 |Family History Center listings for Montana cities & counties.|Record #3. Was at Wicks Lane. |
|Genroom | |Over a thousand research books from around the world, plus |The listings of the research books |
| |Book Titles |numerous documents and books from the local areas, form a |are identified in a separate link to |
| | |large database within the YGF Library room located on the 2nd|an Excel spreadsheet. It is |
| | |floor, within in the Parmly Billings Library. They are |recommended that this listing be |
| | |available for free research at any time the public library is|printed out, and examined for |
| | |open. None of the books or documents may be borrowed, |applicability, before going to the |
| | |although copies of selected materials can be copied on the |GenRoom for research. It will |
| | |library’s copy machines in the adjacent rooms. |expedite your research. |
| |CD ROM’s |YGF Member, Rick Hutchinson, has 97 genealogy CD’s available |The CD’s are available to YGF Members|
| | |for loan. They consist of vital records, census records, |only. Refer to the listing. |
| | |military records and much-much more. | |
| | |The Gen-Room is a research library sponsored by the YGF, and |The library contains over 1400 |
| |GenRoom Listings |is located on the 2nd floor of the Parmly Billings Library. |volumes. The titles and authors can |
| | |It is open whenever the library is open. The room is |be search on the indexing list. |
| | |unattended, but locked, excepting for special times when |Additional lists for the Montana |
| | |training classes and support functions are provided to |Room. Periodicals, Obituaries, |
| | |visitors, usually upon request. The access key is obtainable |Marriages, Cemeteries, Births, |
| | |from the Librarian’s desk on the 2nd floor. |Census, City Directories, Church and |
| | |This is a “MUST READ” document for those visiting the GenRoom|locality records are noted. |
| | |to search for ancestors. | |
|Germans |Germans from Russia Listings |Germans from Russia who settled in Yellowstone County has |The compiled listing is available at |
| | |been compiled. |Yellowstone County-Germans from |
| | | |Russia. |
|History |Homesteader’s |Example of a Pre-Exemption Certificate for Homesteaders, |Whereas _______________ of |
| |Certificates |established in 1841. The full document is on the site. |________________, _____________ has |
| | | |deposited in the General Land Office |
| | | |of the United States a certificate of|
| | | |the Register of the Land Office at |
| | | |______________ - Whereby it appears |
| | | |that full payment has been made by |
| | | |the said __________________ according|
| | | |to the provisions of the Act of |
| | | |Congress of the 24 of April 1820 |
| | | |entitling “An (sp) able making |
| | | |further provisions for the sale of |
| | | |the public lands” |
|Huntley |Huntley |Huntley is 15 miles east of Billings, and was located at the |In 1875 he came to Montana and |
| | |head of navigation on the Yellowstone River long before |operated a ferry (after 1877) across |
| | |Billings was created. Tom McGirl, an Irish native, was a |the river at the stopping place he |
| | |veteran of the Fifth Missouri Mounted Infantry. |later named Huntley. [Was Baker’s |
| | | |Balleground] |
|Indian Treatment |1606 Directive |The letters patent of James I of England, to Sir Thomas Gage |A second charter dated 23 May 1609 to|
| | |and others were issued for “two several colonies”, dated 10 |“the Treasurer and Company of |
| | |April, 1606. This letter defines the treatment to be given |Adventurers and Planters of the City |
| | |to the “Naturals.” |of London for the First Colony of |
| | | |Virginia” granted full and complete |
| | | |rights to the land as “free and |
| | | |common socage.” |
|Journals |Journals |The GenRoom holds numerous genealogy journals of various |These are available for viewing at |
| | |types. Review the listing. |the GenRoom. They are located on |
| | | |special shelves for easy access. |
| |1825 Atkinson Journal Extract |Atkinson & O’Fallon Journal Extract of 1825 Indian Battles. |Brigadier General Henry Atkinson (US |
| | | |Army) and Major Benjamin O’Fallon |
| | | |(Indian Affairs Agent) were |
| | | |commissioned by Congress to establish|
| | | |a treaty with Indian Tribes beyond |
| | | |the Mississippi River and to give |
| | | |peace to the Ricara Tribe located on |
| | | |the Missouri River about 200 miles |
| | | |south of the Yellowstone River |
| | | |confluence. |
|Junction | |Historical presentation about Junction and ceded Crow |Cow Island, Mrs. Draper (Mrs. |
| | |land, 1875 |Woolfolk), Piegan Indians, Liver |
| |Junction City |adventures of the time, erecting of forts, stealing of the |Eating Johnson, Chief Gall, 1884 |
| | |Eschetah post office, biography about Paul McCormick[7], |Indian battles, Big Ox son’s killing |
| | |Brown & Davis ferry built in 1878, telegraph line |and burial, Sergeant King (first |
| | |construction in1879, fire of 1893, selling of material for |death), Major Thompson’s suicide, |
| | |Coulson’s street car line, worthless lots in Billings, Guy’s |Strong killing of Bill Hart, Bob |
| | |landing, NPR has ownership of riverboats Josephine and Far |Adair and Johnson. Listings of |
| | |West. |suicides, Mike Roach killing, land |
| | | |claims before survey, Paul |
| | | |McCormick’s land claims, early |
| | | |justice of peace officers, last |
| | | |buildings to go in Junction, business|
| | | |in Junction, Custer Hotel, famous |
| | | |pioneers, prices for merchandise, |
| | | |permanent families in Junction, Frank|
| | | |McCormick was deputy sheriff. |
|Laurel |Laurel |Before Laurel was created, only a small railroad section |Some early homesteaders are noted. |
| | |house called Carlton (forerunner of Laurel), was visible on |Picture is being sought. |
| | |the horizon for five years after NPR extended its line | |
| | |westward through the present site of Laurel. | |
|M26 |M26 Dragon |The M26 Dragon first saw action on the Italian Front of 1943,|Billings was selected as one of the |
| | |and was later extensively used in the inland advancement of |assembly sites during WWII, and the |
| | |the Allies following the Invasion at Normandy. In all kinds |facilities at the Fairgrounds were |
| | |of weather, in the middle of the night, or under a barrage of|adapted to facilitate construction. |
| | |enemy fire, the repair crews continually fulfilled their duty|About 100 Dragons were assembled in |
| | |to recover and repair damaged tanks. |the Exhibition Building and tested on|
| | | |Alkali Creek Road in Billings. |
|Maps |Maps |An extensive listing of maps, copies of which have been | Chronologically they show trends of |
| | |reproduced in various size formats to minimize storage, |changing landscapes as location |
| | |support research conducted for the eastern portions of |equipment improves. |
| | |Montana and Yellowstone County. [Held by WebMaster] |{In Preparation} |
|Marriage |Pioneers |The Yellowstone Genealogy Forum compiled over 1600 early |These were extracted from microfilm, |
| | |pioneer marriage listings that occurred in Yellowstone County|and are also a copy of the listings |
| | |for the periods from 1881-1899. |available in the Courthouse. |
| |Licenses for Free |Marriage Licenses issued within Ohio, Washington & Iowa, |These ORIGINAL MARRIAGE LICENSES are |
| | |retained by Reverend Bennett until his death, were forwarded |listed by name, and are available to |
| | |to the Forum. |descendants who ask. |
|YGF |Past Speeches |Speakers who present materials and topics of interest to the |The articles start with the June 20, |
| | |YGF at their monthly meetings have their articles stored in |2000 meeting, and continue to the |
| | |this archive. |present; where available for |
| | | |publication. |
| |Meetings |Meeting Schedules for the YGF are published on this site. |The meetings are open all persons |
| | |(All are held at the LDS Church – 6th St West & Avenue D, |without prior notice of attendance. |
| | |Cultural Hall) Meetings start 7:00 pm with a social at 6:30 |The subjects for the speeches are |
| | |pm. |published here, and in the GenBug. |
| |Area Resources |Billings’ area information regarding activities in the local |The genealogy site provides links to |
| | |area and throughout Montana is actively maintained at the |Billings and Montana resources, |
| | |Billings About Site. Numerous links to various events, |including direct connections to |
| | |including: accommodations, arts, entertainment, attractions, |locations for such things as: How to |
| | |genealogy, health, restaurants and the like are included. |Do Research at the LDS Family History|
| | |(Note: This About Site link is not maintained by the YGF) |Center in Salt Lake City, Genealogy |
| | | |Events, Calendar Listings and |
| | | |Postings of Meetings, and similar |
| | | |topics. |
| | | | |
| |1870 Commands |Military commands established in 1870 for the Plains Indians |Included are the following commands: |
|Military Records | |areas. |Missouri, Dakota, Montana, Riverboat |
| | | |Steamers, and various battalions and |
| | | |Indian Scout Detachments. |
| |Web Sites |Presents the best web sites for locating military records and|Listings cover the war eras of the |
| | |explanations about obtaining copies of the records. |USA. |
|Nez Perce | |The main body of Nez Perce Indians, fleeing from the army |Perry McAdow, seeing the Indians |
| |Flight through Clark’s Fork |attack at Cottonwood Canyon (north of Laurel), had crossed |approach when they reached the |
| |Valley |over the mountains as they headed north and saw a stagecoach |Coulson area (this was on his land, |
| | |heading toward the Canyon Creek stop. They attacked it when |not Alderson’s at the time) hastily |
| | |it reached the Bela Brockway farm. Details about the flight |put up a barricade (breastworks) to |
| | |through Yellowstone County. |protect the sawmill located there, |
| | | |and it wasn’t damaged. |
|NPR Activities | |The chronology of presidents for the line presented in this |The corporate records of the line’s |
| |Presidential Listing |site was created from the biographies of many of the men who |operation were donated to the |
| | |held the presidency. |Minnesota Historical Society on |
| | |This is one of several companion sites about the NPR. |December 2, 1968. On March 3, 1970 |
| | | |the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy |
| | | |Railroad, Great Northern Railway, |
| | | |Northern Pacific Railway, Spokane |
| | | |Railway, Portland and Seattle Railway|
| | | |merged into the “Burlington Northern |
| | | |Railroad.” |
| |Route Structure |Details about the creation, route, mortgages and finances of |Partial details about the site |
| | |the NPR as it made its way into the Yellowstone County area |selection at Billings are noted. This|
| | |from St. Paul are provided. |site introduces the Billings Land |
| | |This is one of several companion sites about the NPR. |Plat details. |
| |Land Patents |Describes the railroad’s local area land patents, |Links to the Land record titles are |
| | |construction summary overview, and links to NPR history & |shown. Available, but not shown is |
| | |worker retirement sites. |the NPR area section map for parts of|
| | | |northern Yellowstone Co. (See |
| | | |WebMaster) |
| | |The 1871route survey started out from Bozeman in the late |General DS Stanley was placed in |
| | |fall, and ran easterly to a point near the mouth of Pryor’s |command of the 1873 survey support |
| |1871 & 1873 Surveys |Creek; to a location they called “Place-of-the-Skulls.” The |party. He had 1,500 men at his |
| | |route was on the north side of the Yellowstone River. In 1872|command, plus an abundance of |
| | |two survey parties were established, one starting out from |ammunition and supplies. General |
| | |Bismarck, and one from the place on the Yellowstone River |Custer, who commanded 450 men of the |
| | |that they abandoned the previous year. They also planned to |7th Cavalry, was a part of the force.|
| | |complete a survey of the valley from there to the mouth of |He was assigned the duty of |
| | |the Powder River. Here the two survey teams were expected to |proceeding up the Yellowstone and |
| | |meet. |looking for a practical road to be |
| | |The military commanders, including Baker’s Battleground |used for the supply wagons and |
| | |activities in detail, report on the routes and Indian |artillery. |
| | |Battles. | |
| | |Partial Extract of Washington Territory Governor, Isaac I. |The actual journey starts in |
| |1853 Survey |Stevens, Report to Congress in which he establishes the |Minnesota, and in Washington |
| | |principle northern route for the proposed railroad. Map of |Territory, but only that portion |
| | |the exploration was published in 1857. Copy available at |leading into Montana is represented |
| | |WebMaster. |by the diary extracts herein. There |
| | | |were three main routes being examined|
| | | |for consideration by the Congress: |
| | | |Northern, Central and Southern. |
| | |After having reached Fort Benton, Washington Territorial |As part of the survey, numerous |
| |1853 Route Letter |Governor, Isaac I. Stevens, who was placed in charge of |reports, detailing the vile treatment|
| | |establishing the practicality of putting a railroad through |received by the Indians from various |
| | |the upper portions of Montana, for the NPR, presented his |white men who were trying to gain |
| | |first letter about the Indians he encountered along the way. |financial advantage by using |
| | | |government goods for personal gain, |
| | | |without regard to the pain and |
| | | |discomfort thrust upon the Indians. |
| |1865 Charter |Northern Pacific Railroad Company was chartered by Congress |Timeline summary of the railroad and |
| | |to construct a railroad and telegraph line from Lake Superior|links to the 1864 charter and |
| | |to Puget’s Sound by the northern route. (Has many |associated documents. |
| | |inter-linking files) | |
|Obituaries |Red Lodge Obits |During the research for burial information and cemetery |Many of these obituaries were used to|
| | |locations within Carbon County performed by the Yellowstone |crosscheck the validity of |
| | |Genealogy Forum in the 1980’s, a substantial amount of |information obtained from funeral |
| | |research for obituaries in the local newspapers at Red Lodge |homes and cemetery lists. There are |
| | |was accomplished. [Links to online information.] |about 200 pages of lists describing |
| | | |the location and date of these |
| | | |obituaries. |
|Pioneers of Eastern |1931 Meeting |Identifies members who attended the March 1931 Annual Meeting|Copied and presented “as is.” |
|Montana & Achievements | |in Billings. | |
| |Application |Application information to join the Pioneers of Eastern |Instructions and details are |
| | |Montana and Their Descendants |provided. |
| | |The Big Ditch Company was incorporated in Billings, Montana |The purpose was to “supply water from|
| |Irrigation Ditches |on May 15, 1900.[8] An initial capital stock of $64,000 was |the Yellowstone River for irrigation,|
| | |raised, and the Improvement period was 40 years. There were |domestic and other useful and |
| | |seven shareholders, PB Moss, LA Nutting, ID O’Donnell, FW |beneficial purposes, to own real and |
| | |Schauer, WD Story, James Steele and Henry Struck. PB Moss was|personal property.” Water was to be |
| | |the primary financial backer. |taken from the river from lot #3, |
| | | |Section 12, Tp 3 south, Range 21 |
| | | |East. [Includes all the local area |
| | | |ditches, and the MMLIC Canal.] |
| | |Soon after the Parmly Billings Library opened in Billings, |Several of these documents, in the |
| |Autobiographies |they instituted a practice whereby early pioneer families |pioneer’s own handwriting still exist|
| | |were invited to prepare their own two-page autobiography. |today. Most were born in the early to|
| | | |mid 1800’s and they share a lineage, |
| | | |description of their life, spouse & |
| | | |children, and when they arrived in |
| | | |Montana. |
| | |After the Parmly Billings library moved in 1969, the old |Other accomplishments are noted to |
| |Vernon Drake’s Effort to save |building fell into disrepair and scheduled to be torn down to|this great and inspiring individual. |
| |the Library |make room for a parking lot. Local architect Vernon Drake |His zeal was second to none. |
| | |heard about the plans and organized a local group to talk | |
| | |Northern Pacific into donating the building and the | |
| | |Yellowstone County commissioners into accepting it. After | |
| | |part of Stella Foote’s collection of historical artifacts was| |
| | |moved into the building, the Western Heritage Center opened | |
| | |in 1971.” | |
| |Meeting schedules |Notices of pending meetings of the Pioneers of Eastern |Updated annually. |
| | |Montana | |
| | |This partial listing contains extracted information from the |Noted are several instrumental |
| |Meeting Minutes Listings |Pioneers of Eastern Montana and Their Descendants meetings |events: Parmly Billings Library’s |
| | |held at various times throughout the state. It forms an |museum opening and call for |
| | |historical background about the pioneer leaders. |donations, Yellowstone County Museum |
| | |[The meetings minutes are transcribed for each one that has |opening and call for artifacts, |
| | |been located.] |preservation of Clark’s signature at |
| | | |Pompey’s Pillar, dedication of |
| | | |Ralston’s painting “After the |
| | | |Battle,” and the change of membership|
| | | |to those who arrived in the state |
| | | |prior to 1900’s end |
| | |This is a collection of short biographical sketches |This is a “work-in-progress” and will|
| |Biographies |summarizing the lives of many of the early developers and |take years to complete, if ever. As |
| | |founders of the Eastern Montana area, many of who are |bios are made available, the |
| | |virtually unknown, but stalwart citizens before the 1900’s. |underlined links to their locations |
| | | |will be added. |
| |MMLIC Creation |In the land of intrigue and investment opportunities, there |There are a lot of underlying layers |
| | |is no better example than the creation of the Minnesota and |to this company, and some of them are|
| | |Montana Land and Improvement Company (MMLIC). The creation of|presented here, all taken from the |
| | |a specialized business venture of this magnitude took great |Yellowstone Genealogy Forum’s file |
| | |skills and courage, not to mention personal trust and |records. |
| | |financial resources. | |
| |Water & Power Plant |The Billings Water Power Company was incorporated in 1885 for|Officers of the power company who |
| | |the purpose of supplying water to the Holly System |invested $60,000 for the construction|
| | |waterworks. Later, when the facility was being built, they |were: Capt. Henry Belknap, A. L. |
| | |decided to add electrical power to the plant. Maps showing |Babcock, H.H. Mund, and Henry Rowley.|
| | |the exact locations when integrated with Coulson are |In 1905 Preston Moss was president |
| | |included. | |
| |History Preservation |The Pioneers of Eastern Montana has a great interest in the |Tabulated index is included to assist|
| | |preservation of area history and site preservation. Many |in navigation through the site. |
| | |stories and tales were created by these early pioneers and | |
| | |published in government documents, manuscripts, letters and | |
| | |miscellaneous newspaper articles. Many articles are stored in| |
| | |boxes at various historical society, state institution and | |
| | |college sites throughout the United States. Some are still in| |
| | |the hands of their descendants. | |
| | |There has been much said about the Eastern Montana State |This building was designed and |
| |Prison |Prison, but very few words ever made it into actual print. |constructed be a showpiece for the |
| | |This summary is basically compiled from personal awareness, |state, and that it was. But, it laid |
| | |land records and editorial comments presented in the Billings|empty and alone for nearly a |
| | |Gazette and elsewhere. |half-century! It never housed an |
| | | |inmate, was destined to become a |
| | | |famed “Country Club”, a personal |
| | | |residence of Austin North, and |
| | | |finally a Federal Prison, but these |
| | | |events did not happen either. |
| | |Contains Montana historical record files on published |Published on microfiche, the articles|
| |Microfiche Files |articles covering biographies, state history, counties, maps,|span a large cross-section of the |
| | |military operations, Wheeler expedition, Civil War |areas history and vital record |
| | |pensioners, railroad employees and guides to genealogical |research. Listing identifies source |
| | |resources. County files depict articles on “Eye Witness |locations for the subject matter. |
| | |Accounts” of the Custer Battle in 1876, vital records and |Read the listing to determine if the |
| | |various important articles. |file might be of interest. (stored at|
| | | |WebMaster location) |
|Riverboats |1878 Survey Notes |General Description (Tp 1S, Range 26E) W.W. deLacy Field |Copied directly from the field notes |
| | |Notes. Oct 22, 1878. Verifies that the packet steamer |prepared by deLacy. This is one of |
| | |“Josephine” tied to tree on Cochran’s land in 1877, after he |five source notes related |
| | |had established a home there. Locates other buildings in |specifically to the steamer’s journey|
| | |1878. |on the Yellowstone River in 1877 |
| | | |only. |
| | |The Josephine was a wooden hulled stern-wheeler packet/snag |Captain Grant Marsh piloted it up the|
| |Josephine Travels on the |boat originally owned jointly by John S. Coulson, Elisa |Yellowstone River in 1875 when it |
| |Yellowstone River |Coulson, Sallie Coulson, James McVay and Fanny Maratta |docked across from Sacrifice Cliff |
| | |(Coulson Packet Co.) so as to conserve on the expense of |area on June 6th, (tying up to two |
| | |insurance coverage. [Travel events of the steamer into the |trees) and subsequently turned around|
| | |local area are recorded by five prime record sources.] |on June 7th at Duck Creek. Captain |
| | |Included are the memoirs of the events, which led to the |Grant Marsh commanded it in May 1877 |
| | |hasty local misunderstandings of the steamer’s landing in |when it delivered supplies to Thomas |
| | |Riverfront Park and tying up to a large tree on Cochran’s |McGirl at Pryor Creek’s juncture, and|
| | |land. |then traveled on to Coulson, docking |
| | | |at Cochran’s land on June 7th. |
| |River Navigation |The era of river navigation began in 1836, when a new |Earlier, in 1831, Pierre Chouteau of |
| | |riverboat Yellowstone made its way up the Missouri to the |St. Louis had a small flat bottom |
| | |mouth of the Yellowstone River[9]. [Chronological listings |steamboat also named YELLOWSTONE and |
| | |of the boats is noted] |he brought a cargo of goods up the |
| | | |river[10]. |
|American Legion |AMVETS |The American Legion is Nationally Chartered, and for Montana |Location, information and addresses |
| | |is headquartered in the Veterans & Pioneers Memorial Building|are provided. |
| | |in Helena, MT. | |
|Survey | Yellowstone River |The early land surveyors created an excellent picture of the |These survey notes cover the |
| | |land conditions during their initial visits to the area south|Yellowstone River’s right bank and |
| | |of the Yellowstone River. Compiled from the original 878-1904|terrain eastward into the hilly area,|
| | |Land Survey Notes. Used in locating portions of trails in the|essential to the identification of |
| | |South hills area. |Sawyers First Expedition across the |
| | | |South Hills area of Yellowstone |
| | | |County for clearing a new trail to |
| | | |Bozeman. |
| | |Tabulated survey routes occurring in local areas between 1805|Identifies commanders, military |
| |1805-1874 Surveys |& 1874. |protection, survey comments and maps |
| | | |generated. |
| |Survey Notes |Survey summary notes taken from the military journals and |Created as handy sources to assist in|
| | |used to help locate maps, and where the events occurred. |map-making for the events. |
| | |1870-1876. Instructions for steamer Josephine’s use in 1875 | |
| | |is noted. | |
| |Survey Routes |Portions of the major surveys and expeditions that touch upon|Others, such as the De Smet, Hunt, |
| | |or travel through the local Yellowstone area are shown in the|Lewis & Clark, Montana Land Surveys, |
| | |table. |Nicollet, Bozeman and Bridger trails |
| | | |are not shown here. |
| | |This file of short excerpts from various government files |The system of exploration was |
| |Surveys & Reconnaissances |identifies the surveys and reconnaissance of the areas in or |established to be under the command |
| | |nearby the Yellowstone River. Where map sketches are |of a member of the Corps of |
| | |available they are shown in highlighted Blue Titles. There |Engineers, and occasionally supported|
| | |are over 100 such local surveys recorded for the local area, |by the Military Commands for |
| | |but only a few have been transcribed. The Raynold’s |protection. To support the Corps, the|
| | |Expedition in 1859-1861 formulated the best description of |leader would occasionally take along |
| | |the local area. |qualified civilians as part of their |
| | | |retinue. The Expedition Commander |
| | | |submitted detailed reports about the |
| | | |trip, along with maps and attached |
| | | |sub-corps commander reports. |
|Trails & Locations |Bridger Trail |Jin Bridger’s route through the Pryors. Also depicted is the |Copied from the 1867 & 68 Survey |
| | |Bozeman Military Trail, |General’s Map of Montana |
| | |The Twin Monuments marked a collection point for freighters, |The lone monuments, located on the |
| |Monument Trail & Twin Monuments |who hauled wool to the railroad in Billings in wagons drawn |Bridger Trail (Bozeman Military Trail|
| | |by horses or mules. In 1900 the Burlington Railroad was being|section) near where a microwave tower|
| | |built through Pryor Gap. In 1866-68 McAdow and Story |is located today served as a landmark|
| | |freighted food supplies to Fort C. F. Smith along this route.|for Red Eye Smith’s Roadhouse, which |
| | | |catered to the paychecks and whims of|
| | | |railroad laborers. |
| | |The Monument Trail, e.g. Portions are noted as the McCormick |It would appear that soon after the |
| | |trail, is currently non-existent, as farming has removed the |new boundary for the Crow Indian |
| | |route; or where portions are still visible, the route is |Reservation was established, |
| | |closed to travel. A PowerPoint presentation is available of |identification of this trail’s |
| | |the six-mile route section from Pryor Creek to the top of |existence became evident from the |
| | |South Hills (5.5 meg.) |surveyor’s field notes. |
| | |Nelson Story had taken the John Bozeman Trail to Gallatin |Both men left in the fall of 1867 to |
| |McAdow & Story Supply Route |Valley in 1866, driving with him some 2,000 head of Long Horn|seek a government contract for |
| | |cattle [accounts of the actual number vary from 500 to |supplying food to the soldiers at |
| | |3,000]. Perry McAdow, a miller and farmer from Missouri, |Fort CF Smith, on the Big Horn River.|
| | |arrived in Montana in 1861, and by 1864 Perry was in Gallatin|[Nelson was 29, Perry 31] They left |
| | |Valley. He operated a gristmill and a sawmill, which he later|the fort on October 13th with a |
| | |sold. Details of the routes and its creation are noted, |contract to supply them with |
| | |including a PowerPoint presentation of Monument Trail. |vegetables and chopped wheat. They |
| | | |traveled over a portion of the |
| | | |Bozeman Military Trail created by Jim|
| | | |Bridger that goes from Silesia, |
| | | |across the South Hills area, into the|
| | | |Pryor valley area and onto the fort. |
| | |The Mee-Tee-Tse Trail[11] (Section from Absarokee to Wyoming |This section of the trail is one of |
| |Meeteetse Trail |Border) |the few locations where it is not |
| | |On this trek we will visit the St. Olaf’s Lutheran Church, |closed to free public access. Parts |
| | |Crow Agency on Rosebud Creek, Tolman Cemetery, Chance |of the trail exceeds 12% road |
| | |Cemetery, and Chance, MT. |climbing grades, and 4-wheel drive is|
| | | |a necessary ingredient. |
| | |[Maps and driving directions included] | |
| | |There were two rock-cairns (Monuments) set on the north edge |William Doss first homesteaded this |
| |Twin Monuments Trails |of the South Hills’ rim rock areas overlooking Monument Creek|land in the early 1900’s, and city |
| | |in Section 5, Township 4 South, and Range 25 East. They are |records indicate he arrived here |
| | |called “Twin Monuments”, and several pictures have been |between 1915 and 1916. He received |
| | |displayed in the Billings Gazette over a span of about 80 |his Land Patent on December 5, |
| | |years. |1921[12]. His brother Samuel |
| | |[Maps and driving directions included] |homesteaded on the property to the |
| | | |east. They are located directly on |
| | | |the mid section line extension of T3 |
| | | |S, R25 E, Section 32; approximately |
| | | |160 feet south of the Township |
| | | |boundary line. |
| | Weatherman Draw Trails |Directions to Golden, Weatherman Draw, Bean and Wade |Listed are burials and other area |
| | |[Maps and driving directions included] |facts. |
| | |Early pioneers and fortune seekers traveling into the area |This small section describes |
| |Wagon Roads |for settlement (or just passing through) created trails that |precisely where the major trails and |
| | |have been presented by most genealogical researchers in |wagon roads used by the white man |
| | |generalized verbal or visual form. These renditions vary from|were actually located. The lands |
| | |publication to publication, and soon it becomes difficult to |surrounding the Clark’s Fork Bottom |
| | |understand where these settlers traveled. |(Yellowstone County – Crow Indian |
| | | |Reservation) are mainly rugged |
| | | |vertical sandstone bluffs rising |
| | | |about 500 feet above the Yellowstone |
| | | |River’s stream bed. |
| | |February 15, 1865, Lieutenant Col. William 0. Collins, |“Saturday, the 4th instant, I was |
| |Report of Collins |Eleventh Ohio Cavalry, Commanding Eastern Sub-District of |informed by telegraph that Mud |
| | |Nebraska. |Springs, a telegraph station 105 |
| | | |miles east of Fort Laramie, was |
| | | |attacked by Indians. There were at |
| | | |Mud Springs Station at that time nine|
| | | |soldiers and five citizens, one of |
| | | |the latter connected with the |
| | | |telegraph company and the others |
| | | |herding stock in the vicinity for |
| | | |Messrs. Creighton and Hoel [Hod?].” |
| | |February 18, 1865, Lieutenant Col. William 0. Collins, |“I have time honor to report that, in|
| | |Eleventh Ohio Cavalry, Commanding Eastern Sub-District of |obedience to verbal instructions |
| | |Nebraska. |received from the general commanding |
| | | |district, I moved from post to Fort |
| | | |Rankin, Cob. Ter., on the 30th |
| | | |ultimo, arriving at the latter post |
| | | |on the night of the 3d instant, about|
| | | |4 a. in., hurriedly taking with me |
| | | |such troops as were available for the|
| | | |march from the various posts of this |
| | | |sub-district, a mounting in all to |
| | | |300 men, all of whom had but lately |
| | | |returned from the expedition under |
| | | |Brig. Gen. B.B. Mitchell toward the |
| | | |Republican River.” |
| |Dill Report |SEPTEMBER 11—30,1864 - Expedition from Fort Rice, Dakota |Report of Col. Daniel J. Dill, |
| | |Territory, to relieve Captain Fisk’s emigrant train under |Thirtieth Wisconsin Infantry. |
| | |siege while traveling to Idaho Territory | |
| |Trail Index Listing |Each of the trail segments used to establish early activities|Maps and routing details are |
| | |in the Yellowstone County areas and on the Crow Indian |presented for the sectional areas |
| | |Reservation partially support one another, but specific |between the Big Horn and Clark’s Fork|
| | |details can be more readily found by using this index. |or Yellowstone Rivers. |
| |Trail Trek Index Listing |Listing index of treks that can be taken in the local area. |Prepared by Dave Dodge & the |
| | | |WebMaster, they include driving |
| | | |information, pictures and maps. |
| | |Exploration of the Yellowstone River – 1859, By Brevet |The report was released six years |
| |Raynold’s 1859 Exploration |Brigadier General W. F. Raynolds. “To accomplish these |later, on 13 February 1866, following|
| | |objects most effectually the expedition should proceed by the|the end of the Civil War. Jim Bridger|
| | |Missouri river to Fort Pierre. Here a large number of the |was guide for the trip into the |
| | |Dakotas will be assembled to receive their annuities, and |Montana & Wyoming Territories that |
| | |overtures should be made to obtain their assent to your |took them from Fort Pierre to the |
| | |proceeding to the source of Powder river by the Shayenne and |Platte River at Richard’s Bridge. |
| | |its north fork, by which a new route leading west from the | |
| | |Missouri river should be examined.” | |
| | |The 39th Congress (1st Session) reportedly passed House |HR 107 stopped these funding |
| | |Executive Document No. 58 establishing the actual |diversions in 1866 for future road |
| |Sawyer’s Trails 1866-1867 |construction of the Bozeman Trail by Col. Sawyer. It appears |improvements. Sawyers didn’t actually|
| | |that the original funding of $50,000 established on March 3, |build a road, and there is no record |
| | |1865, was for two roads, and that additional funds be |of any connecting routes created by |
| | |diverted from the Cheyenne Road in Dakota to the Niobrara |Brookings during this time frame. |
| | |road being constructed by Sawyer. [Detailed Congressional |Details of the route established by |
| | |Listings, and map] |John Bozeman, Jim Bridger and Gen’l |
| | | |Connors, and the duplicated waste are|
| | | |noted. |
| | |This section identifies the second expedition trail created |After Jim Bridger established the |
| | |by James Sawyers in 1866. This trail, passing through the |route from Fort Kearny to Fort C. F. |
| | |area below Yellowstone County is generally considered to be |Smith in August 1886, the Army was |
| | |the “Bozeman Trail”. The trail blazed by Sawyers differs |created a new Bozeman Trail road |
| | |slightly from the Bozeman Trail as defined on current maps. |section leading to the Big Horn |
| | | |River. |
| |Wagon Roads |The Wagon Roads in the south Hills identified by the members|. The portion of the route passing |
| | |of the wagon teams that used the 1866 Sawyers’ route appear |through “Pryor Gap”, as reported by |
| | |to follow very closely to the old “Bozeman Trail” identified |them appears to be a one-mile section|
| | |on the 1878-1903 survey topographical maps. |of trail going in a |
| | | |southwest-northeast direction. |
| |Twin Monuments Dedication |Dedication of Vernon Drake’s contribution to the restoration |Has extensive collection of |
| | |of the Twin monuments. |photographs. |
|Veterans |Off Site Listing Reference |The names of those who were killed or died of wounds received|Please contact this site for |
| | |during any war are listed by Vicki Thauvin, and copied for |additions. [Note was on site when |
| | |ready reference |current WebMaster took over.] |
| | |The Evangelical Lutheran St. Paul’s Church was founded and |Pastor H. Jannsen from Marsh, MT gave|
|Vitals |United Church of Christ |incorporated on March 3, 1923. (United Church of Christ – 3rd|the Festival Sermon. Church history |
| | |Ave South & 34th Street) |(and its congregational lists for the|
| | | |period of 1923 through 1992) were |
| | | |donated to the Forum by Howard |
| | | |Guenthner. The church was officially |
| | | |closed by membership vote on March |
| | | |29, 1992. |
| | | |These files are available for |
| | | |research in the GenRoom. |
| |1st Congregational Church |These records are a listing of the 1st Congregational Church |If any of these records are of |
| | |Death Records Remembrance and Clergyman’s Records for the |interest to you, please email the |
| | |individual noted. They are in various forms, and many contain|WebMaster, and they will be mailed to|
| | |added family history including places of residence and |you for your personal use. First come|
| | |relationships to the deceased. |– first served. |
| | |The boundaries for Yellowstone County were controlled by |Records were maintained as to the |
|Yellowstone County |Boundaries |Montana State legislature. They identify population segments|political representation for each |
| | |of the state where voting jurisdiction will occur. Site |voting year. The boundaries of |
| | |includes a graphic portrayal of the various boundaries. |Yellowstone County during the |
| | | |pre-statehood date, up to 1899 and |
| | | |later shifted as more people arrived |
| | | |into the state. |
| | |A few of the listings below were extracted from the War of |Nearly all of the riverboat trips |
| |Early Survey Listings |the Rebellion[13] compendium that tabulates [in Military |(steamers) required by the Military |
| | |Command and date sequence] first-hand correspondence between |during the early years are included; |
| | |various commanders during the Indian Wars (Rebellion). They |as well as some keelboats used before|
| | |show an intense interest in mapping the Yellowstone Region, |the advent of the steamers. The |
| | |and of placing military posts at strategic places. [Used to |compendium collection is available |
| | |assist in identifying and location trails & roads.] |for additional research in the |
| | | |GenRoom of the Parmly Billings |
| | | |Library. |
| | |There many claims that the ranchers in Yellowstone and |Some of the major Sheep men of the |
| |Livestock & Ranches |neighboring counties established leasing arrangements with |times were CM Bair, Charles Severans |
| | |the Bureau of Indian Affairs, at the Crow Indian Reservation,|(Lake Basin), TA Snidow, Lee |
| | |to take advantage of the massive land area that was |Simonsen, George A Martin, the Thomas|
| | |essentially wasting away. Some stats are provided and links |Brothers, Rudolph Mott, Jim Elliott, |
| | |to grazing rights it available. |George Perrie, Millard Trask, Louis |
| | | |Lehfeldt, Gus Evers, the Rea |
| | | |Brothers, Charles McDaniels, Charles |
| | | |Watkins, and Dan Slayton. |
| | |There many claims that the ranchers in Yellowstone and |This article summarizes the livestock|
| |Leasing Details |neighboring counties established leasing arrangements with |trade during the early years prior to|
| | |the Bureau of Indian Affairs, at the Crow Indian Reservation,|the eventual closing of lands in the |
| | |to take advantage of the massive land area that was |South Hills area of Yellowstone |
| | |essentially wasting away. |County by homesteaders. Prior to that|
| | | |time, wagon roads had to be created |
| | | |to support this vast trade. However, |
| | | |just how large was that trade? |
| | |Yellowstone County in Montana has a colorful and illustrious |The histories and lives of early |
| |Summary of Early Settlers |past. Most of the activity for the county history centers |residents, summarized below from |
| | |around the city of Billings, although it was not always so. |numerous identified, and many |
| | |Includes some “duplicated links” to biographies and major |unidentified articles printed in the |
| | |events. |local newspapers, are by themselves, |
| | | |not complete entities. Most of these |
| | | |early settlers had very interactive |
| | | |lives with the other residents, and |
| | | |therefore it is necessary to review |
| | | |the biographies of the others to |
| | | |obtain a more complete picture about |
| | | |an individual’s life. |
| | |Much of the history of how some towns in Yellowstone were |For those researchers who would like |
| |Town History Listings |created, and the pioneers and corporations behind them, can |to know a little more about the local|
| | |be found in the ancient Title Abstract documents of |area ancestors who helped form these |
| | |Yellowstone County. Here are listed thousands of persons, |towns, delve into their wills and |
| | |major businesses & their owners, and how they got started. |personal statements they made |
| | |Summary details about the NPR operations and affect it had on|regarding their life during the early|
| | |the locales are noted. Many links to persons and related |years in Montana, then this is the |
| | |areas of interest. |place to start. |
| | |Yellowstone County Towns, Train Stations & Post Offices |Basically there is one train station |
| |Towns & Stations |The towns, rail stations and post offices were extracted from|town site located on every six miles |
| | |the listings and addresses identified in the City & County |of rail track. Many of these |
| | |Directories for years 1905 through 1928. Includes Army Camps |locations have vanished, or turned |
| | |assigned to protect the NPR construction. |into Ghost Town. Many of the sites |
| | | |are now located in other counties. |
| |Attractions |Depicts history of Yellowstone County events, the land |Tabulates narratives about local area|
| | |offices, and political boundaries. Extensive file. |attractions, rivers and cliffs noted |
| | | |by various sources. |
| |Resources Available |Locating specific detail information about land development, |This Summary is an attempt to |
| | |early pioneers, ancestors, historical facts of interest and |categorize the available on-line |
| | |archaeological findings about Yellowstone County for use in |facts along with other resources so |
| | |ones own personal portfolio can be a time consuming task. |that you might more readily |
| | |. |accomplish your research. Information|
| | |[Partial Listing] |is presented that should allow you to|
| | | |compile family histories, collect |
| | | |historical facts, and even publish a |
| | | |book of the events if you so desire. |
|YGF |Help Wanted |Positions are available to assist in the Yellowstone County &| Please take a moment to review this |
| | |YGF support positions for volunteers. |list, and get involved with your |
| | | |community. |
| |Application |Application to Join the YGF |Mail-in Form. |
| | |The Yellowstone Genealogy Forum (YGF®) was founded at |The Forum promotes the preservation |
| |Membership Activities & Duties |Billings, Montana, in 1977. A notice of the pending |of historical records and assists in |
| | |organization was published in the Billings Gazette on May |the instructional training for |
| | |24th. Descriptions of the board membership duties are |various forms of genealogical |
| | |explained. |resources. The Forum is a non-profit |
| | | |society consisting of an operating |
| | | |executive board, standing committees,|
| | | |and general membership. Its meetings |
| | | |are open to all persons interested in|
| | | |the various facets of genealogical |
| | | |research, and record or historical |
| | | |site preservation. |
-----------------------
[1] ~mtyellow/pioneers/activity.htm is the Site Homepage.
[2] John Rixon arrived in Billings in 1882 to work for the Herald Gazette. He was 50 at the time.
[3] See Deed Book A-559; Yellowstone County.
[4] Captain Tenador Eyck (probable father to son William) was among the group of men and women in Colonel Carrington’s command, when he marched from Fort Kearny, Nebraska to establish forts on the Bozeman Trail (Fort Phil Kearny, and Fort C. F. Smith, in Dakota Territory) in the spring of 1866. Jim Bridger, their military guide, directed them northward on this trek. (Anyone with additional knowledge, please contact WebMaster)
[5] Death Certificate record. Cause of death was suicide from a gunshot.
[6] Ten Eyck is a common Dutch (Netherlands) surname, it s often hyphenated, and sometimes as one name. There are various spellings.
[7] Additional details about Paul McCormick are located in Crow Reservation & Burlington railroad files. See People-Places-Events.
[8] Incorporation file #112, County Records.
[9] Jamestown Dam and Reservoir, A Feature of the Garrison Diversion Unit, Pick-Sloan Missouri Basin Program
[10] Burle County Historical Society {South Dakota} news article.
[11] A century ago the trail was called “Mee-Tse-Tse.” On 130-year-old maps, the trail was generally labeled as “Road to Mee-Tse-Tse.” Somewhere along the span of time the trail itself disappeared and became a road.
[12] BLM Patent Ascension file # 836925.
[13] Volumes 48-1, 48-2, 50-2 and 52-1 dispatches related to the Plains Indians and local area efforts.
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