Memories

I will continue on as reported in my last article. In 1910, the Scruggs family came to Ekalaka and filed on 320 acres on Rammey Creek about fourteen miles south of Ekalaka.

After a couple of hard years, a house was built and then enlarged, wells and cellars dug and chickens and a milk cow bought. Teams that plowed gardens and did farming helped create abundant garden produce for the family and some to the neighbors. More land was acquired and cattle were raised.

Also, the family increased as Mary, who came with them from Oklahoma, was joined by daughters Lucile, Flora Belle, Vera and finally a son named Robert. Mary reports all the children attended grade school at the Peabody School, District No. 34, except Robert.

Life changed when Mary and Lucile were ready for high school and they moved to an apartment in Ekalaka along with Flora Belle and Vera. Later, Mrs. Scruggs moved into Ekalaka and George finished the work on the ranch and then he too moved to Ekalaka.

Several neighbors are mentioned and I will list them as I remember a few of them and some of you readers might too. Jay Hubbard bought the place. Other neighbors were: Jim Hubbards, Albert Pangburns, Mrs. Loehding and family, John Triers, Peabodys, Mike Moolicks, Joe Corpus, Hans Stenseths, George Sandonds, Rob Renshaws and Chris Egge.

The Scruggs purchased a cafe at Ekalaka and called it the Scruggs Cafe. They ran the cafe until failing health forced them to sell.

As my folks (George & Jessie Townsend) came to Ekalaka in the Spring of 1936, I remember the Scruggs Cafe as a special place to go buy (and yes, this is hard to believe) a one cent Baby Ruth candy bar. If it was a warm day, you licked the wrapper for all the “goodies.” Had to get your money’s worth! I have been trying to place the location where the cafe was and I believe it was on the northside of main street, about where the Guest House and lot are now.

As mentioned, the Scruggs’ purchased a cafe and ran it for a number of years until failing health forced them to sell. George passed away at Dahl Memorial Hospital in December 1952 and was buried in Ekalaka. Katie Scruggs also in ill health, visited relatives in Oklahoma and passed away in 1964 at the Ekalaka Hospital and is also buried in Ekalaka.

Now some information on the children. More history can be found in Shifting Scenes Vol. II, page 780.

Lucile married Walton Carter and they made their home in the Long Pines near Camp Crook, South Dakota. Mary married Fred Bischoff of Alzada and they lived on the original Bischoff homestead. Flora Belle married Clifford Elmore of Ekalaka and they farmed and raised stock ten miles southeast of Ekalaka. Vera married Albert Peterson near Butte, Montana. Robert served time in World War II in the Air Force, serving in the pacific. He met a girl from California. They were married in Miles City and returned to California to live.

I know this is getting long, but after looking at the Scruggs Children’s Carter County High School graduation years, I find some individuals (who graduated at the same time) would bring back memories to me and will to some of you.

Lucile 1929: Ernest (Sharkey) Stenseth, Granville (Red) Tooke, Royal Sandy, Leonard Mumedy, Clyde Schallenberger.

Mary 1930: Josephine Lane, Ben Brownfield, Alberta Pangburn (Schneider) Richard Tooke.

Vera 1936: Tom Pickard, Agene Lilletvedt (Collins), Lucile Welch (Marston) (Venhaus).

Robert 1939: Arlene Costlow (Tooke), Edwin Loken, Eldora Hope Bailey (Kittelmann), Gentry Bush, James Nies, Glenn Brewster.

I find no record of Flora Belle in the graduation book.

Well, again individuals who were and made Carter County a special place bring back those by-gone years.