Memories

In my search for another article I came upon a couple of interesting families in “Shifting Scenes,” and after reading some of these family histories, I have decided to share. This couple each has their own article with information about their parents, origin, families and ranch life. Upon reading, I realized how activities and life have changed from that time until now.

The couple was Harold “Bud” Asbury and his wife Edna Asbury. I will introduce Bud to you with information about his life mostly here in Carter County. First is some information about Bud’s parents, Elmo and Bessie Parnell Asbury, written by Mrs. Pat LaBree. This is taken from “Shifting Scenes Vol. I,” page 29.

“Elmo Asbury was born at Mayburg, Missouri on February 17, 1877. The family lived in Ballard, Missouri, later to Oklahoma and then back to Missouri. After he was grown he went to Kansas City, Kansas for employment.”

Now an interesting connection:

Through correspondence with his cousin, Edgar Wear, and his uncle, Tom Wear, of Ekalaka who had charge of a large horse ranch, he was lured to Montana in 1897 and was employed by the Wears for a time. One winter he worked at the Charters Store. (Oh yes, I remember the Charters Store — my dad worked there and it was on Main Street where the Carter Manor is today).

That ranch was what is known today as the Wear Hills. They raised large numbers of horses and mules which had a big market back then.

Edgar Wear married Nellie Miller of Rapid City, South Dakota on December 25, 1895 and they moved to the Wear Ranch. They lived on the ranch until 1938 when the years added up and the home burned, then moved into Ekalaka. To that couple a son Robert (Bob) was born on October 27, 1914. He grew up on the ranch, went to school at Ekalaka and graduated with the class of 1933.

Many of us remember Wear Hardware operated by Bob and Velma, and later by Bill and Winnie.

Now back to Bud Asbury:

Again, “Shifting Scenes Vol. I” has a short history on him (which doesn’t give an author). I will quote from it and make a few comments.

“Harold (Bud) Asbury was born at Oswego, Kansas, June 8, 1909 and brought to the home ranch twenty-two miles north of Ekalaka when only a few weeks old. His parents were Elmo and Bessie Parnell Asbury. He had an older brother, James Parnell, and later two sisters, Nellie Nevsho and Leone. Later a half-brother and sister, Phyllis Esther and Benton Franklin, were added to the family.”

Continuing on the short article states that Bud grew up as most kids do by learning to ride early and riding all over the country and taking part in the large horse roundups. As was the custom in those days, he rode five miles to the O’Fallon school with his brothers and sisters until his mother’s death in 1924 (if my calculations are correct, he would have been only 38 years old).

Bud then attended one year of high school at Leston, Kansas and then returned to the home ranch. He attended high school in Ekalaka, graduating in 1928. During those school years he was an outstanding athlete participating in all sports, football and basketball, and rode in rodeos after high school. He worked on various ranches on Fort Peck dam, and followed the rodeos.

Bud evidently became quite good at riding bucking horses and bulldogging as he participated at Calgary, Pendleton, Cheyenne and Madison Square Garden as well as local shows.

Bud was active in community affairs as well as Carter County Sheep and Cattle Growers, Montana Stockgrowers Association, National Cattlemen's Association, and the Taylor Grazing Board.

He died on the home ranch where he had lived most of his life on November 7, 1956 at the age of forty-seven (this young age may be part of the reason many of you readers did not know him).

My next article will focus on Bud’s wife, Edna, her family and their marriage, and her time as a teacher and ranch wife.