ROY PART 10

  Mr. and Mrs. Reed West lived in Roy in it's early days and were here for several years. West ran the Farmer's Elevator. Mrs. West clerked at Buechner and Weedel's, era 1928-29. She was very active in community affairs.
  They sold their house to Wass's in 1931 and left. They lived in Moccasin for a number of years and were in the mercantile business, before they moved to Seattle, Washington where he passed away on July 11, 1947.
  Reed's sister, Pheobe West, also lived in Roy, for a time.

  My parents, Nora and Homer Willis and their daughter, Eunice Cinderella, came to the Roy-Valentine (Kachia) area from Browning, Missouri, homesteading about 1916 or 1918. After proving up on their 320 acres Dad went to work for Santa Fe Railroad in Colorado and New Mexico as a telegraph operator, until 1934, at which time the family moved back to the Roy area from Springer, New Mexico, arriving in Roy on June 17, 1934. They moved a house from Roy that fall to the Butterfield Ranch 1 1/2 miles east of Roy on the Wilder Valentine road.
  The water supply was from a spring on the place until a well could be dug closer to the house.
  Dad had an older brother, Charley Willis. They had some cattle they ran together sometime in the years before 1934, running them north of Roy in the Missouri River Breaks. They put up winter hay on the creek bottom, east of Roy. Charley also had a 320 acre homestead east of Roy, probably about 1915.
  I remember in the 1950's how my parents, Mr. and Mrs. Claude Satterfield, Mr. and Mrs. Frank Stepan and Mr. and Mrs. C. T. Plumb, who was the Milwaukee agent in Roy, would have get-togethers occasionally at each other's homes.
  Dad passed away in November of 1960 and Mother passed away in December of 1979.
  The family: Homer B. Willis born in Latah, Missouri August 21, 1888. Nora L. Bailey born August 17, 1889.
They were married March 1, 1908.
  Children: Eunice Cinderella Eddy, Homer Raymond, Charles Lee, Alene Loraine (Mrs. Hall Cowen), Robert Leon, and Joyce Joan (Mrs. John Rindal).
  I left Roy January 1941, returning to Roy in 1950 with my wife, Inga, and daughter, Diane. I worked with Dad on the ranch and in 1954 took over the gas station and garage in Roy. Built a new station in 1962 and continued business in the new building until 1966 when we left Roy.
  We have two children: Diane Louise Willis Scharpp and Michael Eugene Willis. Michael was born in Lewistown, Montana. Diane graduated from high school in Roy and Michael went through grade six in Roy, graduating from high school in Bremerton, Washington. Diane is married and has four children, two boys and two girls. My wife and I now live in Washington state.
  June Marsch lived with the Willis family in Roy and graduated in 1964. She married Warren Staples son of Betty (Mrs. Milford Rellick). June was a sister to Mrs. Gordon Anderson.
 

  Lois Jackson was raised in the Dovetail area, the daughter of Carl and Mae Jackson. She came to Roy in 1947 and attended RHS when her mother came to teach at the Bohemian Hall school.
  In June of 1950, shortly after her graduation from high school, she and Jack Woodard were married. They made their home on the Red Barn Ranch, south of Roy, until 1965 when Lois moved into Roy.
  Lois purchased the Roy Grocery from Bill and Ruth Winkler in 1969. She has operated the business since that time except for 3 years, from 1978 to 1981, when she and her youngest daughter, Paula, moved to Billings. During that time Sherry and her husband ran the store.
  Carl Jackson passed away in February of 1969. After his death Mae lived with her daughter for several years. She now resides in Billings.
  All of the Woodard children graduated from Roy High School with the exception of Paula.
 Sherry, class of 1970, married Jim Warneke, the son of Fred and Betty Warneke. Jim graduated from RHS in 1966. His parents had the Roy Grocery for several years during the sixties. Jim and Sherry now live in Watford City, ND where he is employed in oil fields. They have three sons: Jimmy John, Justin and Chad.
  Greg, class of 1972, married Yvonne Westover from Lewistown. They live in Billings where he owns and operates his own repair business. They have three children: Karry Jo, Clinton and Loni.
  Steve, Class of 73, lives in Billings where he is employed in the mine equipment repair business. He is married to Judy Siroky, daughter of Jim and Ruth Siroky. They have a son, Jordan, and a daughter, Amber.
  Carla (Irish), class of 1976 married Doug Irish, son of Glen and Esther Irish. They are separated and Carla now lives in Sheridan, Wyoming with their two daughters, Becky and Carmen.
  Paula graduated from Huntley Project High School. She and her husband, Kyle Morken, and daughter, Alisha, live in Dagmar, Montana.

  K.W. Wright was an early day homesteader in Roy and also owned and operated a furniture store in Roy.
  Kerridge William Wright was born in London in 1860. He received his education there and after college immigrated to the United States in the late 1880's.
  He built up and operated an extensive teaming and storage business in Chicago, where he settled.
  In 1885 he married Katherine Elizabeth Mooney, an Irish girl born and reared in Chicago. To this union were born eleven children, 8 boys and 3 girls. Their first born, a daughter named Laura, was born in 1889 and lived only a couple of months. All of the children were born in Chicago.
  Wright came to Roy in 1913. He retained his business interests in Chicago and opened up a furniture store in Roy. August Diamond bought the stock in 1917 and moved it into his furniture store, and J.E. Cox moved his office into the vacated building. Wright then moved out to his homestead north of Roy, which adjoined the homestead of his son, Joe. He farmed for grain, using horses for power.
  Walter remembers that they went into Roy for mail and groceries with horse and buggy, and once in awhile they would go on into Lewistown on the train. His first sight of the lights in town were an astounding thing! "We got off the train and on the platform we walked out towards the street and here were these big electric lights on tall poles and each had four big bulbs! The electricity for them was generated by the creek in Lewistown".
  In 1930 the children of K.W. and Katherine were listed as: William Kerridge of Chicago; Joe F. of Roy; Esther, the wife of Charles Soper, who continued the transfer and storage business in Chicago built up by K.W.; Harry, a homesteader in Roy; Viney, who was connected with the Western Electric Company in New York City; Charles who was employed in Bermuda;
 

 John and Welter who ranched along the Missouri River and Stanley who was a student in Chicago.
  K.W. returned to Chicago in 1928 where he passed away in February of that year. Katherine returned to Chicago in the 30's and she died there in December of 1936.
  Joe, Harry and Walter all remained in Central Montana.
  John married Elna Brumfield and they left the area in 1936 and went to Nevada with Joe Bell. They never returned.
  Stanley married Leta Mae Cottrell. He lived in the area periodically. His son, Gene, now deceased, attended school in Roy.
  Walter, Melvina (Vina) and Stanley still survive as well as many descendants who live in the Central Montana-Roy area.

Harry Wright was born in Chicago, Illinois June 4, 1896. He received his schooling there and at the age of 22 he came to Montana, with his father and brother, Joe, and homesteaded north of Roy and worked for his dad. A couple of years later his mother and three younger brothers came to Roy. His father, K.W., had started a furniture store in Roy. Harry stayed out on the homestead.
 In 1933 Harry married Ruth Kauth.
  Ruth was born November 2, 1913, the daughter of Lawrence and Margie Kauth, homesteaders in the Kachia area. Their three eldest daughters were born in Roy, while they were still on the homestead. Esther was born on April 24, 1934; Harriet on December 22, 1935 and June on June 9, 1937. They left the homestead in 1937 and went to Flint, Michigan for two years.
  Returning in 1939 they took over the Chevron gas station and bulk plant from Mr. Lane, which Harry operated until he retired in 1978. Two more daughters were born: Elaine on January 29, 1951 and Carol on Apri16,1952.
  The Wright's marriage ended. Ruth married Doyce Woodiweiss and moved to Winnett. She passed away on September 11, 1980.
  Harry married Ruth Stephens Carr in 1964. They moved to Lewistown in the fall of 1979. Their property and buildings in Roy were sold to Ralph and Shelly Willmore.
  Ruth passed away in the fall of 1985 after a lengthy illness. Harry died the following year on August 29, 1986.
  Esther, a registered nurse, married Glen Irish Jr. They ranch at Fergus. Harriet married his brother, Jim Irish and they live in Lewistown. June married Larry Larson, son of Carl and Leona Larson and they reside in Billings. They had three children: Joanie, Cheryl and Terry. Elaine is married to Ray Goetts and they live at Stockett. She has one son, Tim. Carol married David Martin.

  In 1930 Joe F. Wright was "one of the most prosperous and highly esteemed citizens of Roy and Fergus county". Joe by 1930 had gone broke after 9 years of struggle on the homestead. He had then worked as a cowpuncher for such big outfits as the PN Ranch and the Murray Deaton Cattle Company and had built up a stake which enabled him to lease a ranch of 3,000 acres on which he developed a large herd of high grade Hereford
 

 cattle. In addition a herd of milk cows, tended by his wife and children while he was away working, was built up and was the important reason that he pulled through. Milk was delivered to the Roy Creamery and was a steady source of income for the family. Later on Joe leased the Elmer Turner place at Rocky Point. The government had bought Turners for the Ft. Peck Dam project.
  Joe was born in Chicago, Illinois in August of 1892. He attended school only through the grades and while still very young went to work helping his father in the teaming business.
  In 1913 he left Chicago, came to Montana and filed on a homestead, 7 miles north of Roy.
  He built a one-room cabin of logs on his land that was home for the family during their nine years on the homestead. The family consisted of his wife, whom he married in December of 1909 in Chicago, and three children, Jennie, Laura and Bill.
  Mrs. Wright was born Mary Hennessy, a daughter of Patrick Hennessy, in County Limerick, Ireland and was reared and educated there. When she was 16 she immigrated to the United States and worked as a maid in homes of influential Chicago families before her marriage to Joe. She had a brother, Patrick, in New York, and a brother, Michael, and a sister, Kate, in Chicago.
  Wright was a staunch Democrat. He belonged to no fraternity or church.
  The daughters, Jennie and Laura, were "exceptional young women of unusual energy and enterprise." Both were accomplished horsewomen and they both also accumulated cattle of their own and they had their own brands. Their ranching knowledge and skills were invaluable to their father in his ranching enterprise.
  Jennie was known throughout Fergus county as a range rider. She broke her own horses, knew all the brands in the Northeast section of Fergus county and "her experiences and accomplishments have made her known as far away as Chicago", as reported in "Montana: The Land and The People", published in 1930 by the Lewis Publishing Company of Chicago and New York. She was a popular young lady who began her cowboying days at the age of five.
  Jennie married Tom Link in 1936. Together they leased a ranch from the Army Corps of Engineers along the Missouri River. They flooded out in 1947 and in the late 40's they purchased the old DHS and Reese Anderson ranches, south of Black Butte.
  Tom passed away in July of 1971. Jennie lives part time on the ranch, which is now operated by their only child, daughter Kitty, and her husband, Wayne Wyman and their daughters; Tammy, Dusty and Wendy. She spends part of her time in Lewistown in the home she shared with her sister, after Laura became a widow. The Wymans still live in the house built in 1876 by Reese Anderson. It has been remodeled and today is an attractive and modern ranch home.
  Laura married Joe Mauland in 1946. Joe was the son of Louie and Annie Mauland who emigrated from Norway in 1896. They operated a post office from their homestead until 1907 (Two Calf area). Two other sons were Odin and Oscar.
  Joe and Laura ranched along the river bottoms on the old Mauland-Anderson ranch, which Joe inherited from his uncle, John Mauland. The couple remained childless, though Laura dearly loved children and many youngsters growing up in the Roy area called her "Aunt" Laura. She always had a special gift for every new one that arrived, and for birthdays for the youngsters.
 

  Bill ranched in partnership with his sisters, except for a period during World War II when he served with the Army in Europe. Later he was in partnership with Tom and Jen when they moved to the DHS.
  Bill did not share his sisters love of horses, the mere presence of being in the same corral with them would cause utterances that were "unbelievable". But Bill loved his machinery; he would drive a tractor or truck all day in complete contentment.
  Joe Wright and his wife lived in the Roy area until 1936, when they moved to Lewistown because of her ill health. She passed away in 1956. He worked for the city until he retired in 1959. Joe passed away in April of 1967 at the age of 74 from injuries sustained in an auto accident.
  Bill was in ill health for many years following his discharge from the service. He never married. He died October of 1975.
  In 1968 Joe and Laura leased their place on the river and retired to Lewistown.
  In April of 1975 Joe passed away very suddenly from a heart attack. Laura and Jen were as close as sisters could be and after Joe's death they spent their time either in the Lewistown home or on Jen's ranch, helping out.
 Laura passed away in 1985 after a long bout with cancer.

  Born in Chicago, Ill., I came to Montana in 1913. I was two years old.
  I don't remember much about those early years, except that everything seemed a long way off, and big in size.
  Joe homesteaded seven miles north of Roy on the dry Armells Creek, and it was just that--dry. We had to go six miles, to Charlie Bishop's place just north of Roy, to get drinking water. We had to go 40 miles to get wood. Somehow, it seemed that I was the only one who could cut it up!
  I picked lots of sage brush in those early days, and followed four head of horses on a drag harrow all day.
  In about 1924 we moved to Roy, and it was there that I received my education.
  I guess I have done just about everything in my life. During World War II, Uncle Sam sent me on a "vacation", and paid all my expenses. I saw a lot of country that I would never have seen otherwise.
   About all I get done now that I'm retired is a lot of nothing. I just live one day at a time, and sometimes reminisce in rhythm and rhyme:

ANDERSON, BOSTWICK (BAUSTIC) Mr. and Mrs.--his nickname was Turkey Red. A homesteader and horse trader, he was here in 1911.

BRANDMETER, JOHN F. (BRANDMEIR)-- came to Roy in the fall of 1917. Rented rooms in the Summer building and opened a law office. He was a graduate of the University of Minnesota. He had been associated with the firm of Kotz and Molumby in Great Falls.

CLOW, BYRON L.-- in 1913 he was U.S. Land Commissioner in Roy. In 1914 he was appointed a Justice of the Peace. In 1917 he was secretary of a Federal Farm Loan bank organized that fall. Mrs. Clow was a daring woman for her day. Her dresses were so short that the toes of her shoes could be seen when she walked!!

FREDETTE, JOE (FRENCHIE) AND DORIS-- Joe "Frenchie" Fredette was a dray man in Roy. Later he drove the Lewistown stage for Stendal. He was a small, chunky man; very nice and likable. He married Doris Aualey who taught primary grades in Roy. She was a small, very pretty young woman. It seemed as though every boy in school "had a crush on her."

FORTE, PETER-- was a native of Asiago, Italy and was a partner of Steve Ghezzo. He lived in Roy in 1936. He had a brother, Christian, who died in '36 or '37, possibly in Roy. Pete and Chris were homesteaders on Dry Armells, T 20, R 21 and neighbors of Steve Ghezzo.

O'HARA, BLANCHE-- conducted a business school in Roy. The school was located in the Hanson Bank Building. Blanche
 

 was a school teacher. Her sister, Alice O'Harra, was the Superintendent of Roy schools in 1919-20.

SUMMERS, J.E. "JACK" AND MRS.-- was known as the Land Man. He was an agent for the Union Central Insurance Company. He maintained land locating offices in Roy as well as other towns. Homesteaded in Roy and lived here for 12 years. Jack died in 1930 in Los Angeles, California.

THORSON, ED AND HANNAH-- Homesteaded in the Roy area in 1914. The 55-year-old rancher died on April 4, 1947, following a stroke. It was determined that he had been stricken the day before he was discovered unconscious and near death. A daughter, Mrs. C,A. Johnson, of Clinton, Minnesota was the only listed survivor.

WEILOFF, BERTHA AND VICTOR-- owned and operated Weiloff Oil Company at Winnett, Roy and Lewistown, retiring in 1945.

WEYER, ARTHUR- family came from Blue Earth, Minnesota in May of 1920 when he accepted a position in the First National Bank of Roy.

WUNDERLICH, FRED- committed suicide in September 1955. He had lived in Roy for more than 35 years. A bachelor, he was born in March 1885 in Montpelier, Iowa where he received his schooling. In May 1926 he and Frank Bare had their road grading crew working on the Rocky Point road near Joslin. He lived just west of Roy, raised chickens and delivered eggs all over.

PHOTOS-DESCRIPTION

• Mrs. Reed West.
   
• From top to bottom: Frances Dougherty, Alma Rindal (Satterfield) and Alene Willis (Cowen).
   
• From L. to R. Charlie, Vina, Walt, Esther, and Harry, taken in the 1950's.
   
• Early day transportation. Bill Stanley, Laura (Mauland) and Walter riding Maggie.
   
• Clockwise, starting at the top: Juanita Fox Richards, Esther Wright Irish, Bonnie Rife Sandstrom, June Wright Larson, Harriet Wright Irish and Tommy Fox, Takem Circa 1940
   
• Tom Link and Jenny Wright were married in 1936.
   
• Joe and Laura Mauland wedding picture.
   
• Bill Wright