Individual Details
Frederick M. "Fred" Kinney
(1 Apr 1870 - 3 Oct 1954)
MARRIAGE: Frederick Kinney and Nellie Boyce, Township of Paw Paw, County of Van
Buren MI, 15Nov1893; Certificate in possession of Eleen Stanton; Copied by
Nancy Hawkinson 1995.
BIOGRAPHY: "Fred Kinney Family," by Gladys Hilton Farri, GARFIELD COUNTY
1919-1969; 1919-1969; pp 162-165; Book compiled by the Students of Garfield
County High School; Copy in possession of Art & Nancy Hawkinson.
CEMETERY-BIRTH-DEATH: Headstone Inscription of Fred M. Kinney; 1870-1954;
Butte Creek Cemetery, Garfield Co MT; ; Copied August 1995 by Art Hawkinson,
Hudson WI.
BIRTH-PARENTS: Letter to Mr. Fred Murray Kinney, Butte Creek MT, 22Jan1935 from
W.B. Murray; Fred Kinney's paternal grandparents were Harvey Murray
(18Mar1790-3Oct1840) and Laura Wilcox (15Jan1794-21Oct1874), daughter of David
and Rebecca Wilcox of Middletown CT. They had children: James H., Charles W.,
Jesse E., Edward Cornelius, Elisha Treat (29Jan1829-1Apr1870), Amelia (married
Luther Hurbbard), Rebecca (married Ira Stillwell), and Ebner N. (died in
infancy). Elisha Treat was Fred's father. Fred's mother, Cornelia Buck, died
in September 1874. Letter in possession of Eleen Stanton, information copied
by Nancy Hawkinson, 1995.
Fred Kinney came to Montana in 1912 from Michigan and homesteaded at Butte
Creek. He was the first postmaster in the Smokey Butte area, the Butte Creek
post office being established in his home in 1913. Later Carl Hawkinson took
over from Kinney, serving until 1935 when he moved into Jordan, at which time
the Butte Creek Post Office was abolished.
Kinney also started the Butte Creek Cemetery, his son being the first one
buried there. The cemetery is located on the original Kinney homestead. Both
Mr. and Mrs. Kinney are buried there.
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Certificate of Marriage
Township of Paw Paw, County of Van Buren, State of Michigan
15th day of November 1893
Frederick M. Kinney of Porter, County of Van Buren, and Nellie Boyce of
Antwerp, County of Van Buren.
Wm. H. Marson, Justice of Peace
Witnesses: Perry Irwin, Porter and Julia Irwin, Porter
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Kinney is described at being 5 foot 10 inches tall, weighing 165 pounds, black
hair and brown eyes. His religion was Spiritualist.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
[Newspaper article/no date or source of publication]
A noteworthy event in the history of Jordan was the observance of the fiftieth
wedding anniversary of Mr. and Mrs. Fred Kinney at their home last Sunday. The
event was greatly enjoyed by the couple who received their many friends
informally as they called to convey best wishes.
It was on November 15, 1893, that young Fred Kinney led a blushing young woman,
Miss Nellie Boyce, to the alter at Paw Paw, Michigan. The first 19 years of
their wedding life were spent in Michigan. Then in 1912 they came to Miles
City, purchased a covered wagon and with their four little girls started for
the then sparsely settled region known as the Big Dry. At Stone Shack, a
primitive way station, they were caught in a heavy May snowstorm which forced
them to remain under cover there for two weeks.
Upon their arrival in the present Garfield county, they picked out a desirable
homestead claim in the Butte Creek section. They later established and named
the Butte Creek post office. Patrons came from a radius of 25 miles to get
their mail.
Among her other noteworthy accomplishments Mrs. Kinney holds the record for
being the first butter maker in that section. For many years she supplied her
neighbors and the neighborhood store with a quality of butter that helped to
make Butte Creek famous.
Three of their four daughters were with them on Sunday; Mrs. Emily Morton of
Thurlow; Mrs. Gladys Bertsch of Miles City; and Mrs. Lucile [sic] Hawkinson of
Jordan. Their eldest daughter, Mrs. Van Ness of Washington was unable to be
present.
Mr. and Mrs. Kinney have ten grandchildren, three of whom are in the service oftheir country. [They] also have nine great grandchildren.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
The Fred Kinney Family, Gladys Hilton
Farri, Garfield County 1919-1969, Students of Garfield High School, p162-165.
My parents, Mr. and Mrs. Fred Kinney, came from Kalamazoo, Michigan in the year
of 1912, to Montana for my daddy's health. Daddy sold out in Michigan and
loaded a railroad box car with furniture, machinery and stock. It was shipped
to Miles City, Montana. A few days later Mother and we girls (Lucille, 3;
Gladys, 9; Emile, 12; Leona, 16) came by train. Daddy unloaded the car at the
Northern Pacific Stockyards on Friday the 13th, April 1912. That night someone
stole the horses out of the corral. Mr. Dan LaValley was sheriff of Custer
County. After several weeks they found three of the horses.
The folks decided we had to go to school. We walked up town to get school
clothes. We were living in a tent at the stockyards. At this time there was
only one bridge across the Tongue River and we had to cross it to go into town.
Fort Keogh was about three miles west of the bridge-- a Cavalry re-mount
station-- and they used this bridge so there was constantly Cavalry and horse
drawn wagons crossing the bridge.
We bought our school clothes at Shore Newcome's Clothing Store. Mother told
Daddy he would have to write out a check but he said he already had enough
money. She asked where he got it and he said, "I found it just as I crossed
the bridge, a twenty dollar gold piece." In those days it was a lot of money.
Now we were ready to go to school. The folks found a house to rent just across
from the old Washington School. It was a large red brick building. We lived
next door to a man by the name of Kelly who owned a saloon on the corner just
across from Foster's Drug Store. We entered school in April and stayed until
May. In the meantime, Daddy bought another horse and soon we left for Jordan,
100 miles north.
Daddy had made a covered wagon to haul our provisions. We took our stock this
time. Daddy bought me a saddle at the Coggshall Saddlery. We were short of
horse power and Daddy put the chain harness and saddle on the horse and hooked
it to the end of the tongue and I rode in the saddle. Mother and the girls
drove the stock behind the wagons. We traveled with another family, Mr. and
Mrs. Wason and their two daughters, from Colorado. They went as far as Cohagen
with us; then settled east of Cohagen and called it Wason Flats. Mrs. Wason
always rode her saddle horse. She found a full quart bottle of whiskey and got
so excited you would have thought she had found a gold mine.
Being nine years old and seeing the wide open spaces for the first time, was
one of the most impressive times of my life. There were large numbers of
sagehens, prairie chickens, antelope, buffalo wallows-- with water still
standing in them-- but we never saw any buffalo.
When we came to the Big Dry Creek south of Jordan, we had trouble. There were
no bridges at that time. The steep drop into Big Dry caused the chain tugs to
come loose from the singletree. The chains were flying all around my head and
this frightened my horse and she started to run away. A couple of men who were
camped beside the creek saw the trouble I was in and they ran and caught the
horse before she ran through the fence. I do not remember their names, but my
thanks to them.
Jordan, in 1912, was a very small town. It had a post office, started in 1889'
a hotel, called The Nergaard; a school house; a livery stable and rooming
house, owned by Lester Hash; a general store, owned by Mr. Baldwin, which Mr.
Henderson bought later. These seemed to be the most important men at this
time.
We stayed in Jordan a couple of days, then proceeded on northwest, 23 miles.
Daddy found 320 acres that he liked. This land had never been surveyed, so
Daddy staked out the claim and took his horses and plowed a wide furrow around
it. The grass was tall and thick. Anyone could cut their own hay. In order
to do this, you cut a circle around the area you wished to cut for hay and no
other person would bother this spot; so, hay was no problem for the stock. We
pitched our tent and lived in it for several weeks. In fact, we girls
continued to sleep in it until winter. Daddy went up into the "breaks" and
snaked out logs for our dugout. It had a dirt floor, two little windows and a
door. The roof was logs covered with gumbo. The room as 14x16.
Mother planted a garden. Daddy plowed and put in crops. He also bought ten
head of milk cows. Mother made butter and sold it around the country. We were
the first to have a cream separator in that part of the country; it came from
Sears, Roebuck.
Jordan was a little over 23 miles away and by this time there were several
families in the area. Daddy took the test for postmaster and started the first
post office, naming it Butte Creek. Naturally, this became a center for
families and cowboys for miles around.
We always had plenty to eat and wear. Mother was a good seamstress. We looked
forward to Fourth of July and Christmas, because this meant a new dress.
The first school was on the Nels Ringheim sheep ranch. He donated a building
and a place for the teacher and children to live in. On weekends the children
went home. There were eight students in all. Next year the school was moved
to Chalk Butte. The lumber for the roof was shipped down the Missouri River by
barge from Fort Benton to Mr. Henshaw's ranch and freighted overland by wagon,
forty miles. Daddy and I hauled the lumber. This was the time that I learned
to drive a four horse team.
The teacher and her husband, John Trotter, were very active in social and
political affairs. Mr. Trotter rode for days to get signers on a petition to
divide Dawson county into Garfield. They were both musicians. He fiddled and
she chorded on a little suitcase organ. They would put the organ on one side
of a pack horse and their suitcase on the other and travel for miles to
different dances and gatherings. I have in possession this suitcase organ that
was made in 1906. When Jordan has a museum, I will place the organ there with
it's history.
My mother was a nurse and the demand for her was great. She delivered 64
babies, including two sets of twins. I might add that she never lost any of
her deliveries. She claimed everyone of the 64 as her children. At one time
she was called to the home of Mrs. Joe Kemph, who was "expecting". Mother
always took care of the family while the woman was confined. Mrs. Kemph had
twin boys and this was of great interest to everyone.
Our teacher, Mrs. Trotter, was an exceptionally fine teacher. She believed in
a student earning their grades and also living by rules and regulations agreed
upon by teacher and parents. As I stated, we went home on weekends. This
particular time that Mother was at Mrs. Kemph's house, we decided to go and see
the twins instead of going to our home. This was against the school ruling.
When we arrived at school the following Monday, we found our names on the
deportment list, five points down. Emile noticed it first and began to cry.
School was very important to us.
My two older sisters began to have boy friends. Their names were Harry Vannest
and Clarence Morton. I liked to tease, and Harry decided something should be
done about it. He tied me up tight and said, "Guess that will stop you for
awhile." But, I managed to get out of it in short time. Leona and Harry were
married in 1917. The Justice of Peace, Mr. Parker, was wearing one white sock
and one black sock and we all got quite a chuckle out of it.
Emile's young man, Clarence Morton, was from Oklahoma, and his folks had
homesteaded about 10 miles from us. Clarence broke horses for Jack Mier over
on Hell Creek. He got $10 a head for breaking the broncos. Every chance he
had he would come over to see Emile. Brother Adkins lived on Blackfoot Creek.
He officiated at their wedding.
One Fourth of July they had a large celebration in Jordan. A lady by the name
of Mrs. Jane Reed owned a nice bay race horse. She had been taking all the
honors and money. Zeke Roberts had a little sorrel with white stocking feet.
He asked me if I would ride it in the race for him and advised me not to get
out there until the last minute. This race was run down the middle of Main
Street in Jordan. We won and when I collected the $10, I offered it to Zeke.
He was only interested in winning the race and told me to keep the money.
After school was out I went back with the Trotters to their ranch. They did
not have a well and had to get water from the river, which was always muddy.
They had two barrels on a stone boat, which was drawn by one horse. We filledup the barrels with this muddy water and hauled it back to the house. Then we
cut up cactus and we would have clear, good-tasting water.
In a week or so, I went home as my mother was expecting a baby in July. On the
26th, Daddy had gone over to Mr. Morton's place to set up the binder. I rode
all that days after the bulls and did not get home until dark. Mother met at
the gate and told me I had better put my horse on picket, as she did not feel
well. At ten o'clock that night she woke me up and told me to get Mrs. Vannest
who was a midwife. She was living with her daughter, Mrs. Lottie Butts, on a
ranch 6 miles away. It was a real dark night and the only way I could find my
horse was by his snorting. I saddled and went after Mrs. Vannest. When we
arrived home, Mother said that she didn't want me to spend any longer time in
the saddle but she wished that Daddy was home, so away I went again. When we
got home Daddy put a fresh horse on picket, just in case we should have to go
for a doctor. This did become necessary, so after a short rest, I again
climbed into the saddle for a 23 mile ride into Jordan. When I arrived in
Jordan, I found that Dr. Baker was in Miles City. I went to the Livery Barn
and told Mr. Hash about my predicament. He sent me to the rooming house where
Mrs. Hash gave me food and had me lie down. Big Mike Wehinger (a sheepman)
came and told Mrs. Hash that we did not need the doctor, as I had a little baby
brother. Later, after it cooked off, I left for home. This had been a lot of
hours in the saddle for a fourteen year old girl.
One of the amusing things was the nicknames given to different men. For
instance: Porcupine Reynolds, Big Finer Jack, Snaky Jake, Montana Kid, Wild
Horse Pete, Captain Joe Parsons, Nigger Bob, Fatty Schultz, O.X. Kid, Turkey
Hash, Pug McMellon, Pen Hendershott, Big Mike, Harry Cant Cutter, Boots
Tollfson, Dutch Fred.
The philosophy of my parents was often expressed by both of them.
Daddy would say, "If a man's word is no good, he is no good," or "Do unto
others as you want them to do unto you."
Mother always said, "If you can't say anything good about anybody, don't say
anything at all."
What a wonderful way of life to live and they had 63 wonderful years together.
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OBITUARY: The Jordan Tribune, 7Oct1954
Final Rites for Fred Kinney Conducted Wednesday
Friends and relatives were saddened this week to hear of the death of one of
the old time residents of this area, Mr. Fred Kinney. He passed away at the
Miles City hospital last Saturday, at the age of 84. For the past few months
Mr. Kinney has been in ill health.
Mr. Kinney was born in Lawton, Michigan on April 1, 1870. He came to Montana
in 1912 and homesteaded in the Butte Creek area. He established the first post
office and cemetery there. He was married to Nellie Florence Boyce on November
15, 1892.
Surviving in addition to his wife are four daughters, Mrs. Leona Vannest,
Olney; Mrs. Emily Morton, Thurlow; Mrs. Gladys Hilton, Jordan; and Mrs. Lucille
Hawkinson, Cartersville; twelve grandchildren and fifteen great-grandchildren.
Three sons preceeded him in death.
Funeral services were held Wednesday afternoon at the Presbyterian Church with
Rev. A.E. Arney in charge of the services.
Funeral arrangements were in charge of Graves Funeral Home of Miles City.
Burial was in the Butte Creek Cemetery.
A quartet composed of Chet Wilson, Orlando Patterson, Wm. Rasey, and Rev. Paul
Freligh sang a song and Rev. Paul Freligh sang a solo.
Pallbearers for the funeral were Wilbur and Frederick Morton, Harold and Elmer
Hawkinson, J.E. Stanton and Frank Baker.
Buren MI, 15Nov1893; Certificate in possession of Eleen Stanton; Copied by
Nancy Hawkinson 1995.
BIOGRAPHY: "Fred Kinney Family," by Gladys Hilton Farri, GARFIELD COUNTY
1919-1969; 1919-1969; pp 162-165; Book compiled by the Students of Garfield
County High School; Copy in possession of Art & Nancy Hawkinson.
CEMETERY-BIRTH-DEATH: Headstone Inscription of Fred M. Kinney; 1870-1954;
Butte Creek Cemetery, Garfield Co MT; ; Copied August 1995 by Art Hawkinson,
Hudson WI.
BIRTH-PARENTS: Letter to Mr. Fred Murray Kinney, Butte Creek MT, 22Jan1935 from
W.B. Murray; Fred Kinney's paternal grandparents were Harvey Murray
(18Mar1790-3Oct1840) and Laura Wilcox (15Jan1794-21Oct1874), daughter of David
and Rebecca Wilcox of Middletown CT. They had children: James H., Charles W.,
Jesse E., Edward Cornelius, Elisha Treat (29Jan1829-1Apr1870), Amelia (married
Luther Hurbbard), Rebecca (married Ira Stillwell), and Ebner N. (died in
infancy). Elisha Treat was Fred's father. Fred's mother, Cornelia Buck, died
in September 1874. Letter in possession of Eleen Stanton, information copied
by Nancy Hawkinson, 1995.
Fred Kinney came to Montana in 1912 from Michigan and homesteaded at Butte
Creek. He was the first postmaster in the Smokey Butte area, the Butte Creek
post office being established in his home in 1913. Later Carl Hawkinson took
over from Kinney, serving until 1935 when he moved into Jordan, at which time
the Butte Creek Post Office was abolished.
Kinney also started the Butte Creek Cemetery, his son being the first one
buried there. The cemetery is located on the original Kinney homestead. Both
Mr. and Mrs. Kinney are buried there.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Certificate of Marriage
Township of Paw Paw, County of Van Buren, State of Michigan
15th day of November 1893
Frederick M. Kinney of Porter, County of Van Buren, and Nellie Boyce of
Antwerp, County of Van Buren.
Wm. H. Marson, Justice of Peace
Witnesses: Perry Irwin, Porter and Julia Irwin, Porter
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Kinney is described at being 5 foot 10 inches tall, weighing 165 pounds, black
hair and brown eyes. His religion was Spiritualist.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
[Newspaper article/no date or source of publication]
A noteworthy event in the history of Jordan was the observance of the fiftieth
wedding anniversary of Mr. and Mrs. Fred Kinney at their home last Sunday. The
event was greatly enjoyed by the couple who received their many friends
informally as they called to convey best wishes.
It was on November 15, 1893, that young Fred Kinney led a blushing young woman,
Miss Nellie Boyce, to the alter at Paw Paw, Michigan. The first 19 years of
their wedding life were spent in Michigan. Then in 1912 they came to Miles
City, purchased a covered wagon and with their four little girls started for
the then sparsely settled region known as the Big Dry. At Stone Shack, a
primitive way station, they were caught in a heavy May snowstorm which forced
them to remain under cover there for two weeks.
Upon their arrival in the present Garfield county, they picked out a desirable
homestead claim in the Butte Creek section. They later established and named
the Butte Creek post office. Patrons came from a radius of 25 miles to get
their mail.
Among her other noteworthy accomplishments Mrs. Kinney holds the record for
being the first butter maker in that section. For many years she supplied her
neighbors and the neighborhood store with a quality of butter that helped to
make Butte Creek famous.
Three of their four daughters were with them on Sunday; Mrs. Emily Morton of
Thurlow; Mrs. Gladys Bertsch of Miles City; and Mrs. Lucile [sic] Hawkinson of
Jordan. Their eldest daughter, Mrs. Van Ness of Washington was unable to be
present.
Mr. and Mrs. Kinney have ten grandchildren, three of whom are in the service oftheir country. [They] also have nine great grandchildren.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
The Fred Kinney Family, Gladys Hilton
Farri, Garfield County 1919-1969, Students of Garfield High School, p162-165.
My parents, Mr. and Mrs. Fred Kinney, came from Kalamazoo, Michigan in the year
of 1912, to Montana for my daddy's health. Daddy sold out in Michigan and
loaded a railroad box car with furniture, machinery and stock. It was shipped
to Miles City, Montana. A few days later Mother and we girls (Lucille, 3;
Gladys, 9; Emile, 12; Leona, 16) came by train. Daddy unloaded the car at the
Northern Pacific Stockyards on Friday the 13th, April 1912. That night someone
stole the horses out of the corral. Mr. Dan LaValley was sheriff of Custer
County. After several weeks they found three of the horses.
The folks decided we had to go to school. We walked up town to get school
clothes. We were living in a tent at the stockyards. At this time there was
only one bridge across the Tongue River and we had to cross it to go into town.
Fort Keogh was about three miles west of the bridge-- a Cavalry re-mount
station-- and they used this bridge so there was constantly Cavalry and horse
drawn wagons crossing the bridge.
We bought our school clothes at Shore Newcome's Clothing Store. Mother told
Daddy he would have to write out a check but he said he already had enough
money. She asked where he got it and he said, "I found it just as I crossed
the bridge, a twenty dollar gold piece." In those days it was a lot of money.
Now we were ready to go to school. The folks found a house to rent just across
from the old Washington School. It was a large red brick building. We lived
next door to a man by the name of Kelly who owned a saloon on the corner just
across from Foster's Drug Store. We entered school in April and stayed until
May. In the meantime, Daddy bought another horse and soon we left for Jordan,
100 miles north.
Daddy had made a covered wagon to haul our provisions. We took our stock this
time. Daddy bought me a saddle at the Coggshall Saddlery. We were short of
horse power and Daddy put the chain harness and saddle on the horse and hooked
it to the end of the tongue and I rode in the saddle. Mother and the girls
drove the stock behind the wagons. We traveled with another family, Mr. and
Mrs. Wason and their two daughters, from Colorado. They went as far as Cohagen
with us; then settled east of Cohagen and called it Wason Flats. Mrs. Wason
always rode her saddle horse. She found a full quart bottle of whiskey and got
so excited you would have thought she had found a gold mine.
Being nine years old and seeing the wide open spaces for the first time, was
one of the most impressive times of my life. There were large numbers of
sagehens, prairie chickens, antelope, buffalo wallows-- with water still
standing in them-- but we never saw any buffalo.
When we came to the Big Dry Creek south of Jordan, we had trouble. There were
no bridges at that time. The steep drop into Big Dry caused the chain tugs to
come loose from the singletree. The chains were flying all around my head and
this frightened my horse and she started to run away. A couple of men who were
camped beside the creek saw the trouble I was in and they ran and caught the
horse before she ran through the fence. I do not remember their names, but my
thanks to them.
Jordan, in 1912, was a very small town. It had a post office, started in 1889'
a hotel, called The Nergaard; a school house; a livery stable and rooming
house, owned by Lester Hash; a general store, owned by Mr. Baldwin, which Mr.
Henderson bought later. These seemed to be the most important men at this
time.
We stayed in Jordan a couple of days, then proceeded on northwest, 23 miles.
Daddy found 320 acres that he liked. This land had never been surveyed, so
Daddy staked out the claim and took his horses and plowed a wide furrow around
it. The grass was tall and thick. Anyone could cut their own hay. In order
to do this, you cut a circle around the area you wished to cut for hay and no
other person would bother this spot; so, hay was no problem for the stock. We
pitched our tent and lived in it for several weeks. In fact, we girls
continued to sleep in it until winter. Daddy went up into the "breaks" and
snaked out logs for our dugout. It had a dirt floor, two little windows and a
door. The roof was logs covered with gumbo. The room as 14x16.
Mother planted a garden. Daddy plowed and put in crops. He also bought ten
head of milk cows. Mother made butter and sold it around the country. We were
the first to have a cream separator in that part of the country; it came from
Sears, Roebuck.
Jordan was a little over 23 miles away and by this time there were several
families in the area. Daddy took the test for postmaster and started the first
post office, naming it Butte Creek. Naturally, this became a center for
families and cowboys for miles around.
We always had plenty to eat and wear. Mother was a good seamstress. We looked
forward to Fourth of July and Christmas, because this meant a new dress.
The first school was on the Nels Ringheim sheep ranch. He donated a building
and a place for the teacher and children to live in. On weekends the children
went home. There were eight students in all. Next year the school was moved
to Chalk Butte. The lumber for the roof was shipped down the Missouri River by
barge from Fort Benton to Mr. Henshaw's ranch and freighted overland by wagon,
forty miles. Daddy and I hauled the lumber. This was the time that I learned
to drive a four horse team.
The teacher and her husband, John Trotter, were very active in social and
political affairs. Mr. Trotter rode for days to get signers on a petition to
divide Dawson county into Garfield. They were both musicians. He fiddled and
she chorded on a little suitcase organ. They would put the organ on one side
of a pack horse and their suitcase on the other and travel for miles to
different dances and gatherings. I have in possession this suitcase organ that
was made in 1906. When Jordan has a museum, I will place the organ there with
it's history.
My mother was a nurse and the demand for her was great. She delivered 64
babies, including two sets of twins. I might add that she never lost any of
her deliveries. She claimed everyone of the 64 as her children. At one time
she was called to the home of Mrs. Joe Kemph, who was "expecting". Mother
always took care of the family while the woman was confined. Mrs. Kemph had
twin boys and this was of great interest to everyone.
Our teacher, Mrs. Trotter, was an exceptionally fine teacher. She believed in
a student earning their grades and also living by rules and regulations agreed
upon by teacher and parents. As I stated, we went home on weekends. This
particular time that Mother was at Mrs. Kemph's house, we decided to go and see
the twins instead of going to our home. This was against the school ruling.
When we arrived at school the following Monday, we found our names on the
deportment list, five points down. Emile noticed it first and began to cry.
School was very important to us.
My two older sisters began to have boy friends. Their names were Harry Vannest
and Clarence Morton. I liked to tease, and Harry decided something should be
done about it. He tied me up tight and said, "Guess that will stop you for
awhile." But, I managed to get out of it in short time. Leona and Harry were
married in 1917. The Justice of Peace, Mr. Parker, was wearing one white sock
and one black sock and we all got quite a chuckle out of it.
Emile's young man, Clarence Morton, was from Oklahoma, and his folks had
homesteaded about 10 miles from us. Clarence broke horses for Jack Mier over
on Hell Creek. He got $10 a head for breaking the broncos. Every chance he
had he would come over to see Emile. Brother Adkins lived on Blackfoot Creek.
He officiated at their wedding.
One Fourth of July they had a large celebration in Jordan. A lady by the name
of Mrs. Jane Reed owned a nice bay race horse. She had been taking all the
honors and money. Zeke Roberts had a little sorrel with white stocking feet.
He asked me if I would ride it in the race for him and advised me not to get
out there until the last minute. This race was run down the middle of Main
Street in Jordan. We won and when I collected the $10, I offered it to Zeke.
He was only interested in winning the race and told me to keep the money.
After school was out I went back with the Trotters to their ranch. They did
not have a well and had to get water from the river, which was always muddy.
They had two barrels on a stone boat, which was drawn by one horse. We filledup the barrels with this muddy water and hauled it back to the house. Then we
cut up cactus and we would have clear, good-tasting water.
In a week or so, I went home as my mother was expecting a baby in July. On the
26th, Daddy had gone over to Mr. Morton's place to set up the binder. I rode
all that days after the bulls and did not get home until dark. Mother met at
the gate and told me I had better put my horse on picket, as she did not feel
well. At ten o'clock that night she woke me up and told me to get Mrs. Vannest
who was a midwife. She was living with her daughter, Mrs. Lottie Butts, on a
ranch 6 miles away. It was a real dark night and the only way I could find my
horse was by his snorting. I saddled and went after Mrs. Vannest. When we
arrived home, Mother said that she didn't want me to spend any longer time in
the saddle but she wished that Daddy was home, so away I went again. When we
got home Daddy put a fresh horse on picket, just in case we should have to go
for a doctor. This did become necessary, so after a short rest, I again
climbed into the saddle for a 23 mile ride into Jordan. When I arrived in
Jordan, I found that Dr. Baker was in Miles City. I went to the Livery Barn
and told Mr. Hash about my predicament. He sent me to the rooming house where
Mrs. Hash gave me food and had me lie down. Big Mike Wehinger (a sheepman)
came and told Mrs. Hash that we did not need the doctor, as I had a little baby
brother. Later, after it cooked off, I left for home. This had been a lot of
hours in the saddle for a fourteen year old girl.
One of the amusing things was the nicknames given to different men. For
instance: Porcupine Reynolds, Big Finer Jack, Snaky Jake, Montana Kid, Wild
Horse Pete, Captain Joe Parsons, Nigger Bob, Fatty Schultz, O.X. Kid, Turkey
Hash, Pug McMellon, Pen Hendershott, Big Mike, Harry Cant Cutter, Boots
Tollfson, Dutch Fred.
The philosophy of my parents was often expressed by both of them.
Daddy would say, "If a man's word is no good, he is no good," or "Do unto
others as you want them to do unto you."
Mother always said, "If you can't say anything good about anybody, don't say
anything at all."
What a wonderful way of life to live and they had 63 wonderful years together.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
OBITUARY: The Jordan Tribune, 7Oct1954
Final Rites for Fred Kinney Conducted Wednesday
Friends and relatives were saddened this week to hear of the death of one of
the old time residents of this area, Mr. Fred Kinney. He passed away at the
Miles City hospital last Saturday, at the age of 84. For the past few months
Mr. Kinney has been in ill health.
Mr. Kinney was born in Lawton, Michigan on April 1, 1870. He came to Montana
in 1912 and homesteaded in the Butte Creek area. He established the first post
office and cemetery there. He was married to Nellie Florence Boyce on November
15, 1892.
Surviving in addition to his wife are four daughters, Mrs. Leona Vannest,
Olney; Mrs. Emily Morton, Thurlow; Mrs. Gladys Hilton, Jordan; and Mrs. Lucille
Hawkinson, Cartersville; twelve grandchildren and fifteen great-grandchildren.
Three sons preceeded him in death.
Funeral services were held Wednesday afternoon at the Presbyterian Church with
Rev. A.E. Arney in charge of the services.
Funeral arrangements were in charge of Graves Funeral Home of Miles City.
Burial was in the Butte Creek Cemetery.
A quartet composed of Chet Wilson, Orlando Patterson, Wm. Rasey, and Rev. Paul
Freligh sang a song and Rev. Paul Freligh sang a solo.
Pallbearers for the funeral were Wilbur and Frederick Morton, Harold and Elmer
Hawkinson, J.E. Stanton and Frank Baker.
Events
| Birth | 1 Apr 1870 | Lawton, Van Buren, MI | |||
| Marriage | 15 Nov 1893 | Paw Paw, Van Buren, MI - Nellie Boyce | |||
| Death | 3 Oct 1954 | Miles City, Custer, Montana |  | ||
| Burial | Butte Creek, Garfield, Montana, Butte Creek Cemetery |
Families
| Spouse | Nellie Boyce (1876 - 1959) |
| Child | Wills Leo Kinney (1894 - 1894) |
| Child | Leona Ruth Kinney (1896 - 1975) |
| Child | Emily Enima Kinney (1899 - ) |
| Child | Gladys Carmelita Kinney (1902 - ) |
| Child | Ralph Kinney (1903 - 1903) |
| Child | Lucille Julia Kinney (1907 - ) |
| Child | Raymond Kinney (1916 - ) |
| Father | Elisha Treat Murray (1829 - 1870) |
| Mother | Cornelia Buck ( - 1874) |
Endnotes
1. State of Montana, Certificate of Death.