Memories

After reading and writing about some of the Carter County Homesteaders, I felt that I should have an article on my Grandad and Grandma Townsend, Fred G. and Eva. I only wish that I knew more of their early life before coming to Montana.

Again I read a Shifting Scenes Vol. III article for some history and information. It was written by their daughter Alice.

She reports: "In July 1910, my father, Fred G. Townsend, his wife Eva and six children, Bill, George, Alice, Fred Jr., Dorothea, and Abe loaded themselves in a covered wagon and started for Montana. They were headed for Kalispell, Montana where one of Dad's sisters lived but they never arrived there."

Alice doesn't say, but they left in that wagon from Montford, Wisconsin, and were accompanied on the trip by a friend, Dave Crase, and his family.

I will share some of her memories as she described the journey driving across Iowa where they crossed the Mississippi River at Dubuque on a big bridge. Alice celebrated her tenth birthday during the journey and remembers with vividness the times, places and activities during the trip such as traveling across the state of South Dakota to Grandma Johnson's home. Leaving Yankton, S.D. via Wagner, they witnessed a big Indiana celebration with beautiful costumes and horses all decorated with bangles and beads. It was her first sight of Indians. The family crossed the Missouri River on a ferry boat, got stuck in the gumbo at Philip, drove through Harding and into Camp Crook, a thriving, busy little place.

Why Grandad continued on west to Kalispell as winter was coming we don't know, but winter caught up with them as they reached Sykes, M.T. They stayed there a few days and went back to Tie Creek country-snowing, blowing and very cold!

As the name of Sykes came up in her article, I wondered what was there and exactly where it was?

Sideline: A.E. (Ernie) Taylor has several articles in the Shifting Scenes, including two titled "The Old Sykes Log Schoolhouse," and "The Sykes Store and Post Office." It can be found in Shifting Scenes Vol. III on page 90. Ernie also wrote other articles in the books which included "The Helltower Store and Post Office" and those on the Taylor families. He did a great job.

To pinpoint the Sykes area and information, I will give Ernie Taylor's report:

"The Sykes Store and Post Office was started by Horace Hardy. It's location was at the east end of the bridge crossing Box Elder Creek near the Belltower Hall. It being the crossroads of the Ekalaka Ridgeway route and the Camp Crook road by way of Tie Creek, it became the focal point for the entire community. A log schoolhouse was built in 1911 a short distance to the east, used as a school, polling place for precinct eleven, Carter County. About 1912 Banjo Jake Moores started a store nearby, which only lasted a year or so.

In 1919 Mr. Hardy sold the store building and stock of goods to Louie Richmond. He operated till 1922 then quit the business. Hudy and Laura Harvey then took over the Post Office, which they moved to the old Richmond place about a half mile east of where the Belltower Hall now stands. The Post Office was abandoned a short time later."

A few names in his report are familiar and it includes interesting information on Sykes. We still have Sykes Bridge.

Now, back to Fred G. and Eva Townsend:

Going back to Tie Creek, Mrs. Frank Duram let them live in a vacant house, the Tipps place, where Earl was born. Another brother James was born after they moved to Montana.

For readers it may be helpful to identify the Franks Duram place. It later became property and the ranch of Harry and Elizabeth Babb and now is under the Padden Ranch.

"In the spring, Dad bought relinquishment from a man by the name of Bacon and we moved into the place early in the year. We lived in a tent and a little log house until Dad could build. One by one Dad's brothers, Matt, Cal, Ernie, and Elmer took up claims and also my Grandad, A.G. Townsend.

Now the long hard days to come-years of bumper crops, years of no crops, hail and drought, made living hard but somehow we survived."

To be continued...