Individual Details
Nellie Boyce
(30 Mar 1876 - 23 Aug 1959)
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 Nellie F. Kinney; 1875- ; Butte Creek Cemetery, Garfield Co MT; ; Copied August 1995 by Art Hawkinson, Hudson WI.
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 coupe who received their many friends
informally as they called to convery best wishes.
It was on November 15, 1893, that young Fred Kinney led a blusing 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 of their 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 schoolclothes. 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 salle. 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 andthis 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 ;ivery 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 Chalf 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 find 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 yp 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 filled
up 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 drak. 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 drak night and the onlyway 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. Thias 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.
Mrs. Kinney spent time acting as a nurse and midwife. During these years she delivered 63 babies. She was always cheerful and helpul. She passed away in August 1959.
She is described as weighing about 96 pounds, red hair, blue eyes and a light (blonde) complexion. She was a Spiritualist.
25 Years of Garfield County High School, 1914 thru 1929, ca 1974, p178.
Mrs. Kinney was matron of the Dorm in Jordan about 1928-29. The students that stayed with her will always remember she was sweet, always good to them and full of fun. No child could really do any wrong, according to Mrs. Kinney.
One Halloween night, she went to the party with everyone, then stole back home and put on Daniel Kinney's clothes, went back to the party and everyone wondered who that cute little boy was dancing all around. Under the mask was Mrs. Kinney to their surprise.
Jordan Tribune, 27Aug1959
Long Time Resident Passes at Age 85
Mrs. Nellie Boyce Kinney, a long-time resident of this County passed away Sunday evening, August 23, at the Forsythe Hosptal at the age of 85.
She was born at Paw Paw, Michigan, March 30, 1876, where she grew to young womanhood.
She was married to Fred Kinney and came to Montana in 1912 where they homesteaded.
They established the first post office at Butte Creek, Mont. Mrs. Kinney was a nurse and in the early days she was called whenever needed. She delivered 64 babies and cared for the mothers and was loved by all who knew her.
Her husband and three sons preceeded her in death. She is survived by four daughters, Mrs. Gladys Hilton of Jordan; Mrs. Clarence Morton and Mrs. Carl Hawkinson of Rosebud, Mont., and Mrs. Harry Van Ness of Olney, Mont.
Funeral services were held on Thursday, August 27 at 2 o'clock. Burial will be beside her husband in the Butte Creek Cemetery.
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 Nellie F. Kinney; 1875- ; Butte Creek Cemetery, Garfield Co MT; ; Copied August 1995 by Art Hawkinson, Hudson WI.
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 coupe who received their many friends
informally as they called to convery best wishes.
It was on November 15, 1893, that young Fred Kinney led a blusing 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 of their 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 schoolclothes. 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 salle. 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 andthis 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 ;ivery 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 Chalf 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 find 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 yp 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 filled
up 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 drak. 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 drak night and the onlyway 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. Thias 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.
Mrs. Kinney spent time acting as a nurse and midwife. During these years she delivered 63 babies. She was always cheerful and helpul. She passed away in August 1959.
She is described as weighing about 96 pounds, red hair, blue eyes and a light (blonde) complexion. She was a Spiritualist.
25 Years of Garfield County High School, 1914 thru 1929, ca 1974, p178.
Mrs. Kinney was matron of the Dorm in Jordan about 1928-29. The students that stayed with her will always remember she was sweet, always good to them and full of fun. No child could really do any wrong, according to Mrs. Kinney.
One Halloween night, she went to the party with everyone, then stole back home and put on Daniel Kinney's clothes, went back to the party and everyone wondered who that cute little boy was dancing all around. Under the mask was Mrs. Kinney to their surprise.
Jordan Tribune, 27Aug1959
Long Time Resident Passes at Age 85
Mrs. Nellie Boyce Kinney, a long-time resident of this County passed away Sunday evening, August 23, at the Forsythe Hosptal at the age of 85.
She was born at Paw Paw, Michigan, March 30, 1876, where she grew to young womanhood.
She was married to Fred Kinney and came to Montana in 1912 where they homesteaded.
They established the first post office at Butte Creek, Mont. Mrs. Kinney was a nurse and in the early days she was called whenever needed. She delivered 64 babies and cared for the mothers and was loved by all who knew her.
Her husband and three sons preceeded her in death. She is survived by four daughters, Mrs. Gladys Hilton of Jordan; Mrs. Clarence Morton and Mrs. Carl Hawkinson of Rosebud, Mont., and Mrs. Harry Van Ness of Olney, Mont.
Funeral services were held on Thursday, August 27 at 2 o'clock. Burial will be beside her husband in the Butte Creek Cemetery.
Events
| Birth | 30 Mar 1876 | Paw Paw, Van Buren, MI | |||
| Marriage | 15 Nov 1893 | Paw Paw, Van Buren, MI - Frederick M. "Fred" Kinney | |||
| Burial | Aug 1959 | Butte Creek, Garfield, Montana, Butte Creek Cemetery | |||
| Death | 23 Aug 1959 | Forsyth, Rosebud, Montana |  |
Families
| Spouse | Frederick M. "Fred" Kinney (1870 - ) |
| 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 | George Boyce |
| Mother | Emma Lull |
Endnotes
1. State of Montana, Certificate of Death.