Individual Details
William Pluhar
(20 Aug 1886 - )
"Celebrates 89th Birthday", Jordan Tribune, 21 Aug 1975
BIOGRAPHICAL: William Pluhar, Sr. of Miles City celebrated his 89th birthday
Sunday at his daughter's home, the Floyd Lilienthals.
Mr. Pluhar was born August 20, 1886, in Marion Burk, in Ukrania, Russia, to
Joe and Sophia Pluhar. His parents came to the United States in 1907 to settle
at Wagner, South Dakota. They rented a farm there and farmed for three years
before taking up a homestead in the new territory opened in Montana. They came
to Montana and filed for a homestead in December of 1910; however, since it was
so late in the year they did not move to an area north of Miles City in the
Cohagen community, until April 1, 1911.
Mr. Pluhar went to school for eight years at a Bohemian settlement school in
Russia. Ipon coming to the United States he was ready for work-- and farming
was what he knew best. He worked with his parents at the Wagner, South Dakota
place and also at the Cohagen commjnity, before he and three of his brothers
filed on homesteads of their own. The brothers were Frank, Vrat and Bill and
they all farmed together. Another brother, Joe, also lived in the area and
worked later at Miles City for the Milwaukee Railroad.
William married Mary Uherka in Tyndall, South Dakota the last day of January
in 1911 and he brought his new bride to the farm in the Cohagen community. The
couple raised 7 there: Edward, Elsie, Sylvia, William, Mayme, Arthur and
Leonard. Leonard now lives on the place of the elder Pluhars.
The young Pluhars lived in a tent the first year until they could build a
house on the property. William built the "bunkhouse" which was the first house
on the present Leonard Pluhar property and reports that original shingles are
still on the building. He used linseed oil for preservation and always kept
them painted.
When the Pluhar family came to Montana they brought with them two milk cows,
a heifer, a breaker plow, wagon, mowing machine and household goods, as well as
hay, oats and corn. He had three horses and the Pluhars had an immigrant car
to haul the items to Montana. The Pluhar family, as a whole, had five
immigrant cars.
Mr. Pluhar told about freighting his own machinery, crops and lumber for
buildings to and from Miles City with two horses he called Charlie and Prince.
The items he transported to market were corn, oats, barley and hay.
Mr. Pluhar was a well known figure in the community activities at Cohagen
and served on the Cohagen school board for 20 years. He also was in on the
building of the school at Skunk Arroya as donated labor was the order of the
day and carpentry was a skill that Mr. Pluhar could contribute. The school
house was built with lumber purchased from funds from the school district.
Mr. Pluhar also served on the election board in the Cohagen district for
many, many years.
After retiring in 1950, he and his wife moved to Miles City where he built a
home for them on North Montana. His wife died in March of 1974 and he now
lives alone.
BIOGRAPHICAL: William Pluhar, Sr. of Miles City celebrated his 89th birthday
Sunday at his daughter's home, the Floyd Lilienthals.
Mr. Pluhar was born August 20, 1886, in Marion Burk, in Ukrania, Russia, to
Joe and Sophia Pluhar. His parents came to the United States in 1907 to settle
at Wagner, South Dakota. They rented a farm there and farmed for three years
before taking up a homestead in the new territory opened in Montana. They came
to Montana and filed for a homestead in December of 1910; however, since it was
so late in the year they did not move to an area north of Miles City in the
Cohagen community, until April 1, 1911.
Mr. Pluhar went to school for eight years at a Bohemian settlement school in
Russia. Ipon coming to the United States he was ready for work-- and farming
was what he knew best. He worked with his parents at the Wagner, South Dakota
place and also at the Cohagen commjnity, before he and three of his brothers
filed on homesteads of their own. The brothers were Frank, Vrat and Bill and
they all farmed together. Another brother, Joe, also lived in the area and
worked later at Miles City for the Milwaukee Railroad.
William married Mary Uherka in Tyndall, South Dakota the last day of January
in 1911 and he brought his new bride to the farm in the Cohagen community. The
couple raised 7 there: Edward, Elsie, Sylvia, William, Mayme, Arthur and
Leonard. Leonard now lives on the place of the elder Pluhars.
The young Pluhars lived in a tent the first year until they could build a
house on the property. William built the "bunkhouse" which was the first house
on the present Leonard Pluhar property and reports that original shingles are
still on the building. He used linseed oil for preservation and always kept
them painted.
When the Pluhar family came to Montana they brought with them two milk cows,
a heifer, a breaker plow, wagon, mowing machine and household goods, as well as
hay, oats and corn. He had three horses and the Pluhars had an immigrant car
to haul the items to Montana. The Pluhar family, as a whole, had five
immigrant cars.
Mr. Pluhar told about freighting his own machinery, crops and lumber for
buildings to and from Miles City with two horses he called Charlie and Prince.
The items he transported to market were corn, oats, barley and hay.
Mr. Pluhar was a well known figure in the community activities at Cohagen
and served on the Cohagen school board for 20 years. He also was in on the
building of the school at Skunk Arroya as donated labor was the order of the
day and carpentry was a skill that Mr. Pluhar could contribute. The school
house was built with lumber purchased from funds from the school district.
Mr. Pluhar also served on the election board in the Cohagen district for
many, many years.
After retiring in 1950, he and his wife moved to Miles City where he built a
home for them on North Montana. His wife died in March of 1974 and he now
lives alone.
Events
| Birth | 20 Aug 1886 | Marion Burk, Ukrania, Russia |
Families
| Father | Joseph Pluhar |
| Mother | Sophia Jelinek |
| Sibling | Frank Pluhar (1889 - ) |
| Sibling | Ludmila (Lea) Pluhar (1900 - 2001) |
| Sibling | Joe Pluhar (1901 - ) |
| Sibling | Mary Pluhar |