INTRODUCTORY

To the people of Southern Montana, the cradle of our State, to the men and 
women who bore all of the early hardships, who never flinched when a duty 
was to be performed; who drove the Red man from his hunting grounds, and 
the robbers from their roosts, I dedicate this short history of those 
early days. I want to thank Mr. Charles Beehrer, for throwing light on men 
and things never before published; Judge H. M. Lott, John F. Bishop, A. F. 
Graeter, John C. Innes, James Kirkpatrick and W. B. Carter for early day 
stories; F. L. Graves, Jr., for pictures; George R. Metlen for kindly 
help; Jay Baker and Charlie Conger for records; Mrs. Walter Scott of 
Armstead for information; Ed Hart of Virginia City, for valuable material 
which he alone could furnish; and particularly Miss Myrl Erwin for 
assisting in gathering information and preparing my manuscript for the 
printer; last, but not least, the many boys of Beaverhead who have made it 
possible by their words of encouragement and financial assistance, 
especially T. J. Murray, Harry Gilbert and Gov. B. F. White for the money 
with which to carry the work to a successful termination. Friendship is 
better than a bank because it purchases many moments of contentment 
unknown to him with gold alone.

AL NOYES. 



THE CHAPTERS  

CHAPTER I [1]. EARLY HISTORY. -- MONTANA.

CHAPTER II [2]. THE FIRST CHARTER.

CHAPTER III [3]. LUMBER. -- FIRST TIMBER RESERVED.

CHAPTER IV [4]. THE LOST CITY.

CHAPTER V [5]. THE FIRST PROBATE JUDGE.

CHAPTER VI [6]. JEFF. DAVIS GULCH. -- BUFFALO CURRENCY.

CHAPTER VII [7].

CHAPTER VIII [8]. RANCHING. -- HORSE PRAIRIE. -- BIRD IN HAND RANCH. -- ON 
BEAVERHEAD. -- LAND ON STINKINGWATER.

CHAPTER IX [9]. JUDGE M. H. LOTT.

CHAPTER X [10]. MINING LAWS IN BANNACK DISTRICT.

CHAPTER XI [11]. NOTES FROM OLD COURT RECORDS. -- SUE'S LETTER.

CHAPTER XII [12]. INCIDENTS IN THE LIFE OF AUGUST F. GRAETER.

CHAPTER XIII [13]. W. B. CARTER'S STORY.

CHAPTER XIV [14]. INCIDENTS IN THE LIFE OF JOHN F. BISHOP.

CHAPTER XV [15]. JOHN C. INNES, AN 1862 MAN. -- SANDERS' QUOTATION--FROM 
KING LEAR.

CHAPTER XVI [16]. STORY OF JAMES KIRKPATRICK.

CHAPTER XVII [17]. INCIDENTS OF BEAVERHEAD COUNTY. -- A PROMISSORY NOTE. --
MINER'S MEETING. -- TOLL BRIDGE. -- SETTLING A PARTNERSHIP QUARREL. -- 
FIRST WHITE CHILD BORN. -- WOMEN IN BANNACK 1862-3. -- AT THE BIG HOLE 
BRIDGE. -- SCHOLARS OF FIRST SCHOOL IN BANNACK, 1863.

CHAPTER XVIII [18]. THE GREY HORSE.

CHAPTER XIX [19]. FIRST MEETING OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS IN MONTANA. -- 
GOVENOR EDGERTON. -- FIRST IDAHO LEGISLATURE. -- FIRST MONTANA 
LEGISLATURE. -- GOVENOR WHITE.

CHAPTER XX [20]. ALDER GULCH--BILL FAIRWEATHER.

CHAPTER XXI [21]. ALDER GULCH.

CHAPTER XXII [22]. RANCHING.

CHAPTER XXIII [24]. FIRST COURT HOUSE.

CHAPTER XXIV [24]. CHARLES BEEHRER.

CHAPTER XXV [25]. INCIDENTS IN BEEHRER'S LIFE--FLOUR RIOT. -- AN INCIDENT 
WITH SKINNER. -- TWO MEN HANG A MAN. -- HOW THE YOUNG MAN GOT FREE.

CHAPTER XXVI [26]. GEORGE LOVELL. -- FOURTH OF JULY, 1864.

CHAPTER XXVII [27]. INCIDENTS. -- A TRIP TO THE STATES. -- VIGILANTE 
OATH. -- ORGANIZATION OF FIRST COURT. -- ROAD AGENT LIST BY PROF. GARVER 
OF STATE NORMAL SCHOOL. -- A BULL FIGHT.

CHAPTER XXVIII [28]. LETTER FROM JEFF DURLEY TO J. X. BEIDLER.

CHAPTER XXIX [29]. THE MEN OF BANNACK AND VIRGINIA.