Leo and Antonie (Pestal) Krahulik were married on June 15, 1915. They homesteaded east of Roy (now Larry Kalina's place). They leased a parcel of their land to the ZCBJ Lodge to build the (Bohemian) hall on. They moved to Eugene, Oregon after they left the ranch. After 5 years in Eugene they moved back to their old home of Omaha, Nebraska where they both passed away.
  Leo was born on November 15, 1889 in Nebraska and he died June 13, 1953. No vital statistics for Antonie.

  Joe Kviz was a native of Bohemia. He came to America as a young man and settled east of Roy in 1914. He married Anna Kasala in 1927.
  Anna was the daughter of John and Rose Kasala. She was born in Czechoslovakia in 1901 and received her schooling there. She was 13 when her parents came to Roy.
  The Kviz's only child, a son Ed, drowned in a dam by their house in 1931 when he was about 3 years old. Joe died a year later. They say that "Joe died of a broken heart"; he never recovered from his son's death. Joe's funeral was held at the ZCBJ Hall, conducted by Lodge members who read the entire ritual in Bohemian. Later a service was held in the Roy Church. Both father and son are buried in the Roy Cemetery.
  In 1934 Anna married Jacob "Jake" Bedlan. Jacob was born in July of 1894 in Milligan, Nebraska, the son of Mr. and Mrs. Martin Bedlan. He came to Montana in 1911, homesteading first in Musselshell county before coming to Roy in 1933.
  Anna and Jake lived and farmed on her former husband's homestead. Jake passed away in Lewistown in November of 1964 after an illness of two years. Anna moved to the Flathead to live with her sister, Rose Sirucek and she passed away, in Kalispell, in March of 1968.

  Frank (Vaclav) Martinec, his wife, Anna Vondracek Martinec and little son, James, came to America from Czechoslovakia (which was Austria, at this time, according to their passport) in 1904. They were accompanied by Mrs. Martinec's parents, James and Anna Vondracek.
  Upon reaching the United States, they went to Kansas and settled at Timken.
  They came to Montana in 1913 to homestead. Anna picked the location. After the flat prairie of central Kansas, she longed to be on a hill, where she could see the mountains, and thus chose their homesite.
  Twelve children were born to the Martinecs. James, born in Czechoslovakia 1902, died May 1969; Mary (Mrs. Joe Rellick) born 1904, living at Poulspo, Washington; Rose (Mrs. Thero Knapp) born 1906; Lillian (Mrs. Frank Pospisil) born 1909 Steve, born 1910; all born in Kansas. Sylvia (Mrs. Carl Lyda) born 1911, RHS 1932; Eddy, born 1913, died July 22, 1924, buried in the Roy Cemetery; Louis, born 1914; Henry, born 1916, died 1936, buried in the Roy Cemetery; Millie (Mrs. Bill Griffith) born 1919, graduated from Buffalo High School; Ruth (Mrs. Gene Long) born 1921, died March 22, 1989, buried in the Lewistown Cemetery; Albina (Mrs. Norm Bawden) born 1924, attended Roy High in Freshman, Sophomore years--graduated at Lewistown Fergus High, all born in Roy, Montana.
  Grandmother Anna Vondracek was a mid-wife and delivered all 12 of her daughter's children, with no problems. What a record! ^{P. 130}
  Frank Martinec was a stone mason by trade. He built a stone barn, chicken house and out buildings on their homestead.
  Mr. Martinec worked at the Billings Sugar Factory for extra income to support the family.
  The Martinec children attended Coal Hill and Roy schools.
  Anna loved animals, especially the cows, cats and dogs, of which she could never have too many. She took in the strays and always made room for another. There were no mice.
  Our father was a gentle man and he would use his cap to swat the kids when they were unruly, which was all it took to correct them. He bought a Model A Ford Sedan. His first attempt to drive was his last, for it didn't "Whoa" but went right through the wire gate. He put the car in the garage and it was not used until one of the boys learned to drive. No cars for Frank.
  After his parents retired and moved to Lewistown in 1940, Louis operated the ranch until he went to the service, when he joined the Army at the start of WWII. It was in the Battle of the Bulge, that his entire platoon was wiped out, with the exception of himself and one other soldier. He was the recipient of the Purple Heart, Good Conduct Medal, wounded in action 16 December 1944. He received an honorable discharge 22 October 1945.
  Anna Vondracek Martinec 1882--1956, 74 years. Frank Martinec 1882-1960, 78 years. They are both buried at the Lewistown Cemetery.
  Jim eventually took over the farm. Lillian married Frank Pospisil and they lived at Moore where they raised a family of 8 children.

  Frank and Anna Martinec came to the United States in the early 1900's from Czechoslovakia. They went to Rush Center, Kansas, where they had relatives. They farmed there for eleven years. They then came to Roy to homestead.
  They stayed with friends in Roy for a few days before they went to live at their homestead which was eleven miles east of Roy. There were no buildings on the place, so they lived in their wagon for two weeks. Father built a rock house out of flat rocks and sand. It took father a long time to build it. We lived in the rock house for about 6 years. Father then built a two-story wooden house.
  He farmed there and raised wheat, rye, corn and hay. They also raised all kinds of vegetables and fruit (apples and watermelons).
  They had six cows that they milked and four horses to work the fields. They threshed their wheat by putting it on a canvas and hitting it with a pole and then blew it out on the wind. They raised a lot of corn which they had to cut and husk and shell out. It was used to feed the cows and chickens.
  Vaclav Vondercek (Ann's folks) were living about 1 1/2 miles east of them. They farmed and raised corn, rye, wheat and lots of nice vegetables and fruit.
  There were about fifty Bohemians living around us, and cousins. Jim Martinec farmed with the folks and took over the farm when they retired in 1945. They then moved to Lewistown and lived there the rest of their lives.
  I am now retired and still living on the farm. My son, Marvin, is now farming the farm. All my children are married. 

  James Martinec was born in 1902 in Czechoslovakia.
  Lena Matejek was born in 1903 in Ukrania. In 1927 she wed Harry Huculak in Canada. Harry had a son, Michael. Lena and Harry had two children, William and Stephanie. Stephanie was born in Chicago, Illinois in 1928.
  Lens and her children came to Roy in 1935. On October 21, 1939 she and Jim Martinec were married in Winnett. They had one daughter, Stella (Baker), now of Las Vegas, Nevada.
  Jim and Lena retired from ranching in 1965; leased their place to Milford Rellick and moved into Lewistown.
  Jim passed away on May 25, 1969 and Lens on November 27, 1971.
  William joined the service; in later years he lived in Biloxi, Mississippi and in Payettville, North Carolina. He is deceased.
  Stephanie married John Horachek in 1948 (see Horachek) and later wed Frank Skalka. (Deceased) Bob Fink now owns the Martinec place.^{P. 131}

  John Maruska was born in Jirekov Habru, Kraj, Caslav, Czechoslovakia on May 5, 1890. He was the son of John and Francis Maruska; one of eleven children.
  The family had a small acreage of land, on the outskirts of the village they lived in, where they raised a garden, some small grains and pastured a few animals. Mrs. Maruska and the children tended the acreage while Mr. Maruska worked at his trade of shoemaking.
  Young John attended grade school and after two years of high school he attended two years of trade school learning to make shoes. He practiced his trade for another couple of years in Vienna, Austria. He returned home to Czechoslovakia for awhile to visit his family and then in 1909 when John became 19 years old, he persuaded his best friend, James Pleskac, to come to the United States.
  John had two sisters and two uncles who had already emigrated to the U.S. The two young men departed March 3, 1909, by boat, and by the end of March they had arrived in Stanton, Nebraska, where John lived with his sister and family, Agnes and Henry Koza, and worked on their farm. By fall he was working in a shoe store, repairing shoes. Eventually he bought a shoe store in Tilden, Nebraska.
  In 1912 John headed west to Montana. He arrived in Lewistown on May 1st and went to Brooks where his other sister and family, Charles and Tillie Sebek, lived and stayed with them. Meanwhile he filed for 160 acres in the newly opened Roy area.
  John's homestead lay 7 miles east of Roy, in an area that was being settled by many who spoke his native tongue. He had saved enough money to purchase the materials for his 12 x 14 house. The materials were hauled from Hilger. He began the hard work of proving up on his land, plowing with a moldboard plow, which turned over one row of sod at a time; a very slow process. Sagebrush was pulled by hand with the aid of a "sage brush" hoe. The sagebrush was put to good use as fuel for heating and cooking. It made a hot fire.
  Water was another problem to overcome. John could water witch and he dug several wells before he finally located a well with drinkable water. Water for household use was carried from the creek, a half mile away, or if and when it rained, rain water was used. The rain barrel created a mosquito problem, which was unpleasant.
  John had to work out quite a bit, in order to earn enough money to keep going.
  By 1915 he had proved up on his homestead, improved his ability to speak English and had become a U.S. citizen. John filed on 40 more acres and that fall he sold his horse and stock and returned to Nebraska to see his girl friend, Mary Kadlec.
  John and Mary were wed on February 1, 1916 in Howells, Nebraska, where Mary was born on May 13, 1896. A month later, on March 1st, they left Nebraska, on the train, with her dowry of household goods, for Montana. They stayed with the Sebecs until the first of April when they left for the homestead, 40 miles away, in a newly purchased wagon pulled by four new horses.
  As Mary drove across the strange new country with her new husband she had very mixed emotions and was anxious to see her new home. It was a let down. The one room, tar paper shack had been rented out during John's absence and the renter had used it to hold horse feed. Mice had moved in. The couple, tired after their long day's trip, had no recourse but to clean before they could rest. And even then, the mattress for the bed was gone, so John had to go to a straw stack, a quarter of a mile away, and fill a straw tick mattress.
  In the fall of 1916 John bought 80 acres of land from the Cook-Reynolds Railroad that was located on the Box Elder Creek. They relocated their house nearer a water source; bought a milk cow, raised some chickens, enjoyed good neighbors and had a bountiful crop. Their main problem was with the long horn cattle that ran at large and had little respect for a fence, when there was one.
  The winter was cold and the sagebrush fuel didn't last long enough to keep the house warm so trips to the breaks several miles away for firewood were made.
  Shortly after their first anniversary, on February 21, 1917, their first child, Vlasta Marie, was born. Their second child, Ernest John, was born on July 26, 1918.
  The year of 1919 was a disaster. Crops failed; there was no rain and the winter was severe.
  Times were tough, but there were a lot of good times too. Neighbors, Joe Kalina, Anton Hell and Joe Swoboda provided music for the many families in the area, who delighted in dancing to and singing the old Czech songs.
  In 1923 they had a large flock of turkeys which brought such good money that the Maruskas were able to buy their first car, an Overland Touring car, with red disc wheels! And John had another new experience, learning to drive! Before the car, trips to town were delayed until absolutely necessary. Staples such as flour, sugar, coffee, dried fruits were bought to last the winter, then supplies were replenished in the spring.
  Receiving mail was one of the greatest joys in the lives of the homesteaders, it was their one big contact with the outside world. At first, mail was delivered weekly by the mail carrier whose route ran from Roy to Valentine. Later mail came three times weekly, and later still the Maruskas were one of the few ranch families that received their mail on a daily basis. ^{P. 132}
  In 1924 John, along with John Horyna and Anton Hell, went into partnership and bought a Woods Brothers threshing machine and a Fordson tractor. John Horyna's eldest son, Jim, was very interested in mechanics and he soon learned how to adjust the new machine and run it properly. The machine was still in operation 50 years later.
  Two more sons were born into the family. John Leo on February 28, 1926 and Frank on August 15, 1927.
  During 1925 and 1926 the family built a new house with a basement, near the creek. The house is still in use today, with some alterations.
  The Coal Hill School was organized and it was there all the Maruska children received their education up to the eighth grade. John was a member of the school board.
  The next few years were prosperous with ample moisture and good crops. The community organized the CZBJ Lodge and the Bohemian Hall was built. The family purchased a radio and their home became a great place for neighbors to meet and listen to this wonderful new link to the outside world.
  John bought his first tractor in 1928; a steel wheeled International
  John missed the abundance of trees that grew in his native homeland and planted a variety of fruit and shade trees around his buildings. In spite of his tender care, most died. After several years he finally got Chinese Elm and some hardy varieties of apple trees to survive. These did very well over the years and provided beauty and fruit until the dry years of the mid eighties when several of the trees died.
  The 30's were tough years. Wheat prices fell to 256 cents a bushel; hogs sold for 2 to 5 cents a pound; cows were $10.00 a head. Hay was shipped in and was high. It didn't rain. The banks closed. The Roy Bank closed and patrons lost money, John included. Grasshoppers descended; they ate everything in sight and were so thick at times they obscured the light from the sun. But better times came again and once again the family worked together and stayed when many others left.
  Marie went off to college. She graduated from Eastern Montana College in 1936 and taught school for four years before marrying Vencil Vanek and moving to the Warm Spring Ranch at Brooks which they purchased.
  Ernest enlisted in the Air Force after high school graduation and served in England during WWII. After the service he moved to Portland, Oregon where he was engaged in the refrigeration business. He and his wife, Josephine "Jo", whom he married in 1942 raised a family of three children.
  John and Frank both graduated from Roy High School in 1945. Frank entered college in Bozeman and John remained at home until he was drafted into the service in 1945. Frank became a field man for Farmers Union. He married Jean Fraisier, Fergus County Extension Agent, in 1956. They have one daughter and live in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho.
  John Jr. went into business with his parents and stayed on the ranch. John Sr. and Mary retired in May of 1956 after 44 years of life on the homestead and moved into Lewistown.
  John Jr. married Betty Mae Stilson on May 12, 1962. Betty was a school teacher, who was raised on a farm near Lewistown. John and Betty remain on the ranch. They raised one son, George John, who was born on February 27, 1971. Betty has taught in the Roy school system for the past several years.
  On November 27, 1973, after enjoying his years of retirement, John Sr. was accidentally killed when hit by a truck at a Lewistown intersection. He was 83 years old. Mary remained in Lewistown, until her death on May 6, 1983.

  Frank R. Pospisil was born in Prague, Czechoslovakia on May 12, 1873. He came to America as a young child. His folks settled in Nebraska. He married Barbara Haba who was the daughter of emigrant parents, also from Czechoslovakia, on October 8, 1892 in Plainview, Nebraska when he was 19 years old and she was 17. Their first born, Ray, died in South Dakota. Olga, their daughter was born in Wausua, Nebraska. She later married John Hartman. Ernest was born in Plainview on April 11, 1899 and later chose a bride from Nebraska. Rudolph was born in Plainview in 1902 and never married. William was born in Mitchell, South Dakota in 1904 and later married a lady from North Dakota. ^{P. 133}
  Mr. and Mrs. Pospisil started their journey north with two teams of horses and a wagon and four small children. When finances ran out, Mrs. Pospisil hired out as a domestic and Mr. Pospisil as a laborer. Sometimes labor was exchanged for board and feed for the teams and family.
  They traveled north from Nebraska through Kansas, South Dakota, Wyoming, Montana and up into Canada and then back to Montana. Somewhere in Nebraska the children contracted scarlet fever and the mumps. The childhood diseases took their toll on the children; their infant son, Ray, died and was buried along the way. No medical facilities were available and living under adverse conditions the remaining three children paid the price of loosing their hearing. All the children of this union are now deceased except for Ernest who is 90 and lives at the Central Montana Hospital in Lewistown. (William was born after this period in their lives.) They arrived in the Roy area and took up a homestead. They had 6 chickens, 2 ducks and a milk cow they had gotten as a gift from Barbara's folks. They also had a team of horses and so were considered rich.
  They built a barn first and lived in one end of it and the cows and horses lived on the other side. It wasn't very air tight. Barbara said you could see her daughters footprints in the snow 'inside' the barn. They later built the house. All the material came into Hilger and then they hauled it from there with the team. A one room home with a dirt floor was then constructed and provided shelter until a permanent house was constructed. The original house still stands, although in poor shape. It was later converted into a blacksmith shop.
  All timbers for building were hauled by wagon from a timbered area near the Missouri river. The barns were built of poles and tin. The threshing machine was then moved as close as possible to the structure and straw was blown over this, creating an igloo effect, with doors for the livestock to enter. The chickens thought this straw was an ideal place to steal out nests.
  Most of the poultry was raised. There was a hatching house, with probably 20 nests. When a hen exhibited nesting tendencies she was incarcerated in one of these nests and given 10 - 12 candled eggs. Duck, geese and turkey eggs were also set under hens, who after the hatch were proud of their offspring even though the young bore no resemblance to the parenting chicken. Extreme frustration was exhibited by mother hens with ducklings and goslings as they discovered the reservoirs. They would pace the bank and call to their young, pretending they had discovered some tasty morsel. Usually this proved futile until the youngsters themselves tired and came to shore.
  After establishing a shelter to live in the next order of business was to find water suitable for consumption. Several wells were dug but none produced sweet water. The only use for this water was to water livestock, bathe or for washing clothes. Drinking water was hauled by team and wagon from the Kasperek farm. In later years it was hauled from the Krahulik place which was a shorter distance. After the water was hauled it was stored in wooden barrels and covered with tarp-like cloths to prevent contamination. Every farm had a rain barrel, placed at one end of the house to catch any rain from the rain gutters, in the advent it rained! This water was used for hair washing, battery water or for delicate washings.
  Once, while building a reservoir, Frank was driving the team and Barbara was on the fresno. They hit a rock and Barbara flew right over the horses. She was terrible sore but no broken bones. Frank had a terrible infection in his foot one time. Barbara killed a hen and split her open and tied the hen, feathers and all, on Frank's foot. It drew the infection out. Remedy for colds was to melt the tallow of a skunk, which made them terribly sick at the stomach while they rendered it out. They used it as a chest and back rub-down. A favorite remedy for sore throat was a swab with Kerosene oil. Cough syrup was made out of honey and onions.
  Barbara was a mid-wife for several in the Roy community, in fact, she delivered 5 of her own grandchildren. She also took in laundry for people.
  No fences existed and all livestock was herded until fences were slowly but surely constructed. Mrs. Pospisil related a story that happened before fences were up. Seems she was out doing chores, the children were near the livestock when she saw a cloud of dust in the distance, moving closer. She realized that it was a band of horses being driven by some enterprising men who would drive their herd through herds of livestock thus gaining a few more horses. Since her horses were important to the farm she could ill afford to lose even one. She quickly gathered the children, grabbed a table cloth and stood in front of the oncoming herd and frantically waved the cloth, turning them away before they reached her little herd. She stated that as the riders passed, much fist shaking and profanity was expressed by the men.
  They burned Sulphur on the wood stove to kill any impurities; a kind of air freshner.
  Huge gardens were a necessity for winter survival. These were usually planted near a water source such as a hand built reservoir or creek, thus making it easier for watering the plants by either gravity irrigation or by bucket. Beans and peas were grown in great quantities and were dried, then placed in cloth bags for winter use and for seed for the following year. Any plant that produced seed was allowed to fully mature and the seed was used the following spring.
  Each homestead had at least one and sometimes two root cellars. One, which was accessible from the house itself, and one dug into a bank. The root cellar was corduroyed and sectioned off with bins and shelves. Potatoes, carrots, turnips and other long life vegetables were stored in bins. In the summer these had to be cleaned out as the shelf life of these vegetables would have expired, causing them to rot and emit an unpleasant ^{P. 134} smell. Money was scarce so garden products played a large part in bartering with neighbors in exchange for labor, favors or needed supplies.
  Washing clothes was always a big event. This was done twice monthly. It started early in the morning with a great fire in the wood stove with two copper boilers heating water. A small table was brought into the porch, a round galvanized tub was placed on top. The scrub board came out and the process began. This process usually took up most of the day. The white were washed and then boiled for several hours to regain their whiteness.
  Soap for washing was also made at home. All grease was saved and boiled up with lye creating a thick concoction which was poured into pans and later cut into bars before hardening. Hand and face soap was usually "Lifeboy" which had a strong clean odor. Occasionally P & G soap was purchased for laundry purposes.
  Bathing was also an ordeal as water had to be heated in large quantities. Once again the round galvanized tub or water trough was brought in. A fire was built and bathing began. This bathing could be called progressive bathing as it started with the youngest member of the family and proceeded with each person always adding more hot water until everyone had their bath.
  All farming was done with horses and horse drawn equipment. Later an old tractor was purchased to run the threshing machine. Cutting the grain was done with a binder, producing bundles which were then put into shock groupings. Every member of the family took part in this chore, including the children. Four wagons and three hay racks were readied each fall for harvest. Since these wagons had set for the greatest part of the year, the wood in the wheels shrank so wagons and hay racks were pushed into a reservoir and left until swelling had adequately taken place and once again the wheel was tight against the rim.
  Each fall, trips by wagon, were made to Roy to acquire coal for winter. Successive trips were made until an adequate amount for winter use had been gotten. Later when coal was no longer available in Roy, trips were made to Roundup. Children loved to collect the square pieces of paper that came mixed in with the coal. Printed on these small squares of paper was "Bucking Bronco, Roundup Coal."
  An occasional stray Indian passed through in the early years. Mrs. Pospisil related that one day, while baking bread, she had left the door and window open, as it was so hot. Suddenly she felt as though she was being watched and the hair on her neck raised. She turned to see two Indians standing in the doorway. She said they muttered something and pointed at the bread. She hastily gave them the bread and they left without incident.
  Trips to town were a rarity. Usually annual or semiannual trips were made to Lewistown by team and wagon. These trips took several days. Food staples and farm supplies were usually the items purchased. These were purchased in large quantities and usually lasted the year. Flour, sugar and salt came in cloth bags. Their contents were transferred to tall tin buckets which formally held "Nash Brother's" Coffee. The sacks were saved for pillow cases and for storing dry lentils.
  Electrical storms were frequent and violent, without production of rain. Mrs. Pospisil recalled going to the outhouse during one of these storms. The structure was located near a tall cottonwood tree. Lightening struck the tree making the hair on her head and arms sting. She suffered a ringing in her ears for several days. She also recalled a bolt of lightening which struck the chimney of the house and traveled down through the stove pipes and blew open the door on the front of the stove. She related that a ball of fire then zig-zagged around the room and finally hit a corner of the kitchen, blackening the wall and floor.
  There weren't many social events. Usually neighbors gathered and played cards by kerosene lamp. Occasionally there was a community dance. Mrs. Koliha always brought her wonderful poppy seed filled kolaches. The Bohemian hall was usually the place of these functions. The hall was lit by gas lanterns. Once in awhile a baseball game was held, giving neighbors a chance to visit.
  Winter evenings were spent with all family members in the kitchen. Flat irons warming on the stove later were wrapped in cloth and placed at the foot of the bed for warmth. Occasionally a small glass of home-made chokecherry wine was consumed before retiring. This was done to either warm you up or give you courage to undress for bed in a sub-zero bedroom!
  During the year, ducks and geese were relieved of their feathers, during moulting season. This was usually done in an enclosed area out of the wind. The feathers were bagged and saved. On long cold winter evenings these bags were brought out and everyone gathered around the kitchen table. A pile of feathers was given to each person. The feathers and down were stripped from the feather spine. No one dared sneeze. The stripped feathers were then, once again, bagged and when enough down was acquired pillows and feather ticks were made. Several seasons passed before enough down was gathered for one feather tick.
  Mattresses were made at home of heavy tarp-like ticking. These were filled each fall with fresh threshed straw. Each fall the mattresses were taken outside, emptied of straw and washed. Buttons for the closures were replaced if needed. No zippers or Velcro in those days. Straw was stuffed in and once again, fresh mattresses for another year.
  Chimney cleaning was also an annual event. Someone would create a broom looking apparatus, climb to the roof and plunge the broom up and down the chimney. Next the stove pipes came down and were carefully ^{P. 135} carried some distance from the house and cleaned, then reassembled to the stove and chimney flues. Bathing was definitely a must after this chore.
  Mrs. Pospisil repaired all the family shoes. Leather was purchased by the sheet, and later pre-cut sizes were purchased in Lewistown. She had a cast iron stand and a variety of shoe-like heads that fit the stand. She would place the shoe in need of repair on the sheet of leather, trace around it, cut it out and tack it to the shoe after placing it on the stand.
  After an automobile was purchased trips were a little more frequent and faster. The first car the Pospisils owned is still in existence. It is now possessed by John Maruska. Starting the vehicle was a real challenge in the extremely harsh winters. If a trip was necessary it was usually due to illness. Mrs. Pospisil was susceptible to respiratory illness. If the vehicle couldn't start, the team of horses was harnessed and hitched to the automobile and the race was on with the horses going wide open and a cloud of steam coming from their breath and body heat. Some brave driver would be behind the wheel coaxing the engine to life.
  In the late 40's Mr. Pospisil purchased a house in Roy. He lived there for many years and was later joined by his wife Barbara. After his death in 1963 Mrs. Pospisil lived in Lewistown for a short time and then moved back to Roy and made her home with her son William until her death on December 4, 1965 at the age of 93. Rudolph passed away the same year as did his father, in 1963.

  Ernest married Minnie W. Henzler in Pierce, Nebraska on May 19, 1932. They met while attending a school for the deaf. They ranched east of Roy along with his folks, Frank and Barbara Pospisil. They had 3 daughters: Norma, Helen and Evelyn.
  Norma married Alex F. Weingart Jr. of Winnett on February 7, 1953. They lived on a ranch there until 1988 when they sold out and moved to a place west of Brooks, Montana where they are semi-retired. For many years Alex "Sonny" and Norms were 'half of the popular dance band of the 60's and 70's, the "Stardusters". Sonny played guitar, Norman the accordion, Dick Kalina the drums and Virginia Kalina the piano.
  Helen married Elmer Hamm on April 13, 1963. This marriage didn't last and she later married Marvin Brimer on October 11, 1966. Helen had 4 children: Barney, Debra, Robert and Ernest.
  Barney was born February 7, 1960. He married Nionia Kleiner on October 12, 1977 in San Angelo, TX. They have 4 children and live in Missoula where Barney is a truck driver.
  Debra was born December 31, 1963. She married Brad Rowton on July 21, 1984 in Winnett. They have 2 children, Neil and Raymond. They live on a ranch and work for Rowton Inc.
  Robert was born May 20, 1965. He has 2 children and is employed on the missiles.
  Ernest was born on July 29, 1967. He lives in Lewistown. He is employed at the gold mine.
  Evelyn married Al Vogl on December 9, 1955. Al was a truck driver. They had 2 boys and 1 girl: Mark, Matt and Valerie. Al was killed in a truck accident on December 27, 1969. Evelyn went into nurses training and is a nurse at the Great Falls Clinic.
  Minnie passed away June 6, 1954. She never saw any of her grandchildren. Ernest moved into Roy after Minnie died. Then he moved into Lewistown and finally into the Central Montana Nursing Home where he celebrated his 90th birthday on April 11, 1989.^{P. 136}

  William Pospisil came to the Roy area with his parents in 1910. He attended school in Roy and in Lewistown and then ranched with his parents.
  On June 26, 1946 he and Lillian Themes were married in Winnett. They ranched at Roy until they retired in 1977, sold their place to Olaf Negaard and moved into Lewistown.
  Bill passed away on June 8, 1980 at the age of 75. Lillian resides in the home they bought when they moved into town.
  The couple had four daughters: twins, Dinah and Vivian were born in July of 1948; Rosemary was born in January of 1951 and Pauline in November of 1961.
  Dinah is married to Bill Cripps. They ranch near Gilt Edge and their 3 children attend school in Grass Range.
  Vivian married Kenny Martin, son of Harold and Amy Martin. They live at Belgrade and also have 3 children.
  Rosemary works in a Billings hospital; is married to Dan Scyphers and has one son.
  Pauline is married to Earl Martin, brother to Kenny. They live in Lewistown with their 3 children.

  Joseph Rellick was born 1 May 1887 in Czechoslovakia, where he received his schooling. He came to the United States at the age of 21 and settled in Kansas. In 1913 he came to Montana and homesteaded east of Roy.
  Joe Rellick and Mary Martinec were married 18 September 1917. They had a family of two boys: Milfred of Billings and Victor (deceased, 7/20/26-9/7/50); three daughters: Mrs. Evelyn Olson, Billings; Mrs. Helen Puckett, Salt Lake City, Utah and Rosemary Roraback of Shelby.
  Mr. Rellick was a WWI Veteran and a member of the Roy Legion Post. Victor was a Marine and saw combat service in Okinawa and Iwo Jima, WWII.
  The Rellick children were schooled in Roy and Lewistown. The Rellicks farmed the homestead until 1949, when they retired and moved to Lewistown.
  Joseph Rellick died at the Veterans Hospital at Walls Walla, Washington, 23 July 1966. His wife Mary, resides at Poulsbo, Washington and is 85 years.
  Mr. Rellick is buried at the Lewistown City Cemetery.

  Stella Mary Jelen was born September 12, 1887 in Czechoslovakia. She came to the United States at the age of 5 with her parents. She grew up in Chicago where she met and married Frank, on November 29, 1916. The couple came to Lewistown in 1919.
  Frank homesteaded east of James Kellner's place. He did not remain on the homestead, but moved to Lewistown, after proving up, where he had a tailor shop. Frank enjoyed a good reputation as a tailor.
  The Ruzek's had three daughters: Mary (Noel), Anna (Henry) and Frances.
  Stella, always healthy and active, passed away suddenly and quietly in her sleep on March 21, 1943 from a heart attack.
  After living in Central Montana for 30 years and after his wife's death, Frank moved back to Chicago where he lived with his daughter, Mrs. Henry of Oak Park, until his death at the age of 67 on March 17, 1955. ^{P. 137}

  Leona Sirucek, daughter of Jacob and Katerina Sirucek, and Frank Siroky, the son of Mr. and Mrs. John Siroky Sr., were married in the fall of 1927. They leased a farm from Walter Buechner and the following spring went to farming. In the beginning Frank farmed with horses; later he bought a 10-20 McCormick tractor. This tractor not only farmed many acres, but was used to pull many cars over the bridge and road, where Box Elder Creek flows through their ranch, in the 30's when water overflowed.
  During the tough years of the depression and droughts, a sow ready to farrow was worth $5.00. One time Leona raised geese. She got several neighbor ladies to help kill and dry pick them. They sold in Lewistown for 10 cents a pound. Wheat was worth 17 cents a bushel, and up, depending on the protein content.
  One year army worms came. They crawled over everything and on into the creek. When the creek was full of dead worms the oncoming ones used them for a bridge to reach the other side. Another time grasshoppers flew in and destroyed the wheat. But the Sirokys persisted and with hard work and endurance built up a beautiful place. Electricity and the telephone came and roads were improved, making life easier.
  In 1960 they drilled an artesian well, 2180 feet deep. This was the first artesian well in the area. It was a wonderful miracle, this flowing well. The water was warm (88 degrees), and flowed at 40 gallons per minute. It was good soft water for the house, the livestock and for the many flowers, shrubs and trees that surround the buildings. Many neighbors hauled water from this well for many years.
  The Sirokys had two children, Doris and Frank Jr.
  A hobby that started for the whole family, about 1957, was that of creating many beautiful works of art from agates. Young Frank was attending school in Roy and two of his teachers who were agate collectors ignited his interest. Soon Frank Sr. and Leona became as enthusiastic as their son was and before long a separate room in the house was set aside to house their collection. The beautiful stones were made into clock and lamp bases, vases, frames and jewelry.
  The Siroky's daughter, Doris Duncan, now lives in Great Falls. Their son, Frank Jr., married Dorothy "Dottie" Sims and they live on and now operate the ranch. Frankie and Dottie have one son, Glenn Charles.

  Jacob Sirucek and Katerina Slaby were married in Visnova, Czechoslovakia where Jacob made their living by farming a small acreage of land. In the spring of 1899, after much discussion, Frank came to the United States, going to Milligan, Nebraska where other relatives had already settled. He located a farm and that fall Katerina sold and disposed of their property in Czechoslovakia and with their five children: Joe, Rosie, Frank, Mary and Louis, came to the United States and joined Frank at their new home in Milligan. The principal crop on their farm was corn.
  They stayed in Milligan for 10 years. During that time four more children: Bessie, Emil, Leona and Willie were born, and Rosie and Mary both married and left home.
  As the boys grew older they decided wheat raising would be a better prospect than corn. After a family conference in the spring of 1909 the family bought a farm in South Dakota and moved there. After settling on the new farm the boys plowed and seeded a large field into wheat. Just about the time the wheat started heading out heavy rain fell and soaked the fields. After the rain stopped the sun came out, and turned the fields into steaming pots which cooked the wheat and in three days the wheat turned yellow and dried up.
  That fall, after Frank had come ahead, the family sold the farm and came to Montana where they leased a farm near Moore. Finally they realized their dreams of a good harvest for three years in a row.
  In February of 1912 Jacob and his two sons, Joe and Frank, filed for homesteads in what is now known as the Roy country, but was then only a wilderness with big herds of cattle roaming all over. There was no road, only a wagon trail through the prairie and sagebrush. Jacob filed on a homestead of 160 acres, and also a desert claim of 160 acres. Frank and Joe each had a claim of 160 acres.
  After locating their homesteads came the tedious job of hauling lumber from Hilger to build the houses. All of the lumber was hauled with teams of horses and wagons. A two story house was built on the Jacob Sirucek homestead and as more people came in to take up land grants they found a night's lodging and meals at the Sirucek home, free. The next morning Frank would take them out and show them his homestead and then where land was available to file on. Louis was kept busy hauling lumber for them so they could erect their homestead shacks.
   It was rough going for the first few years. There was an abundance of sagebrush, which was used for firewood. In order to save lumber, Jacob plowed up some sod, without the sagebrush, and the children would carry the sod to their mother, who would carefully place each piece on top of the other, forming four walls to make a neat sod house. The roof was made by placing poles across the top, from wall to wall, and piling sagebrush on top. The sagebrush was then covered with dirt. The sod house was used for a granary. Mother and children made three of these houses. ^{P. 138}
  Another problem was water. Wells were dug, but the water was often bitter. Small darns were made across coulees and they filled with rain water. The men finally found a good source of water in a coulee. After locating the water the next project was to move the house to the water which was over a half mile away. It took sixteen good horses to move the two story building.
 After the house was located, many dances were held in the large living room. Furniture would be moved out to provide room. Several neighbors played the accordion and music was furnished by anyone who wanted to play. The one in charge of the dances would buy a keg of beer and later at the dance a hat would be passed around and the men would chip in enough money to pay for it. A lunch was served consisting of sandwiches and poppyseed and prune kolaches or cake. Everyone always had a good time and looked forward to the next dance.
  After Frank had proved up on his claim he decided that 160 acres wasn't enough land to make a living. He sold out to Jacob and bought a place near Glengarry.
  As families with school age children moved in, the need for a school arose. Frank's 14 x 16 foot homestead shack was moved and used for a school, temporarily. It was known as the Sirucek school. Many children went to school there until a larger schoolhouse was built later on.
  Sage hens and jackrabbits were very numerous then. Men would come to the Sirucek place with their guns and all would go on a rabbit hunt. They would spread out, far apart from each other, and walk in the same direction. If one man missed the target the next one would get it. Afterwards the rabbits would be skinned and cleaned and everyone took some meat home. It was a fun day of hunting and visiting.
  Later on logs were hauled from the timber to be used as fuel. People knew that there was coal in the nearby hills and with a scraper and horses they would move the soil off of the hill side and then with hand picks, break out the coal and haul it home. It was a soft coal and was red in color and was very hard to get. When the coal had been removed from the bank there was a large dugout left. Ice was put in this dugout in the winter time and used during the summer. Many gallons of ice cream were made from this ice, in a hand cranked ice cream freezer; a treat for everyone.
  As time went on the Sirucek homestead was turned over to their son, William, who farmed it for several years before selling it and buying a farm near Moore.
  Jacob Sirucek died in June of 1946 and Katerina 10 months later in April of 1947. Joe passed away in 1956, Frank in 1962, Emil and Willie in 1965, Rosie in 1975 and Louis in 1984.
  Leona still lives in the Roy area on the ranch she and her husband, Frank Siroky, developed; Bessie lives in Idaho and Mary (Mrs. Charles Kolar) resides in a Lewistown Nursing home. (see Kolar)

  Leodegar Skalka was born in Czechoslovakia on May 5, 1887, the son of Mr. and Mrs. John Skalka. He received his education there and migrated to the United States settling in Nebraska in 1900. He came to Roy in 1912 to homestead. He was a member of the ZCBJ Lodge and was a veteran of WWI.
  Leodegar's homestead was near the Heil homestead. It was there that he met Frantiska Kasala, the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. John Kasala.
  Frances, as she was known, was born in Czechoslovakia on May 31, 1980 and received her education in that country.
  The couple was married at Joslin on June 17, 1917. They had three children: Frank, Emma and Joe. The children all attended Coal Hill School.
  They moved to the Plum Creek area near Brooks in 1927. In 1966 they retired and moved to Lewistown.
  Frances passed away on July 20, 1967 at the age of 77; Leodegar died on August 2, 1973 at the age of 86. Both are buried in Calvary Cemetery - Lewistown.

  I have only visited Roy, Montana once. My father, Frank A. Vlasak, and uncle, Joseph C. Vlasak, came in 1912 or 1913 and filed on homesteads somewhere east of Roy. My uncle "proved up" on his, my father did not. My father left the area in September of 1917 and my uncle in 1918. Both went off to World War I. My father ^{P. 139} spent 18 months in France and was wounded in combat.
  My father was married when he came to Roy, but his first wife (not my mother) divorced him there in 1914, in Fergus County. The settlement was $75.00!
  When the two brothers arrived the railroad was built only to Hilger so they walked to Roy. Both were carpenters and built many of the early buildings in Roy and for homesteaders of the area. My father, besides being a carpenter, bought a dray wagon and moved homesteaders of the area from the rail head, along with their belongings, to their homesteads. He also had a small hotel in town where they slept, while locating a homestead. They furnished their own bedding.
  The brothers were also musicians, my Dad played guitar and Uncle Joe the violin. They were much in demand at local dances.
  My father and his brother never returned to Roy after World War I. When my father left, he just left everything and went to war. I understand that my Uncle Joe sold his homestead, I do not know to who or for how much.
  My father was one of those early settlers that came and went; an adventurer, one of the last of the breed. He was able to do almost anything, naturally without training, his long career covered many occupations.
  He was born at Dodge, Nebraska in 1877, one of eleven children. He lost his mother at age six. Being born on a farm he naturally turned to work as a ranch hand in Nebraska (Cowboy). Tiring of this he tried fur trapping and was one of Omaha, Nebraska's earliest motorcycle policemen. (1911) He married, had problems, went to Roy to homestead with his brother. He also ran a saloon in Clarkson, Nebraska and one in Roy as well. After an honorable discharge from the Army in 1919, he became a grain buyer in Nebraska; met my mother and was married. He bought a grocery store, sold it when service connected disabilities prevented him from running it. He served as a municipal Judge and Police officer in Morse Bluff, Nebraska. He had two sons, my brother died in infancy, I survive.
  When he became too disabled to work my father and I spent all of our time together, traveling and even living together in a shack back in the hills, for three years. He died in the Veterans Hospital in Lincoln, Nebraska on St. Patricks Day, 1957 at the age of 79. He and I were the closest of friends. He tried mining at Landusky and Zortman and cut timber up on the Missouri, north of Roy. I could write about my Dad, the brawler, veteran of many early day saloon fights and land disputes. I could write about the sense of humor he possessed. Like the time he emptied a suitcase of clothing of a homesteader, who would scarcely leave it out of his sight, and filled it with cow chips and let him carry it, walking all day to his homestead shack. And returning the clothes to him the next day, by horseback, along with a supply of groceries and laughing with him over the humor of the situation.
  My Dad and Uncle Joe, who died in Sandpoint, Idaho at age 87 on May 31, 1965, are both long gone from the rugged homesteading days of Roy, Montana. They were not in the area for long but they were there in the beginning. The sounds of their carpenter hammers still echo over the plains and in the dark recesses of Black Butte Mountain, a haunting refrain, that they too, helped to shape the community and build a nation!
  Note: They also built a Z.C.B.J. Lodge Hall and a grain elevator at a place called "Kolin". These were their largest building projects in the area. They were of Czech ancestry and Kolin was settled largely by people of that ethnic  background. For the past 16 years I have been a National Director for the ZCBJ.

  Emma Grace Suchan was born at Jackson, Minnesota on November 4, 1890, the daughter of Anton and Mary Kalash Suchan. At the age of 14 her mother passed away. She stayed with her father until she was 18 years old, when she moved to Winner, South Dakota. In 1915 she came to Lewistown where she and Frank Vodicka were married.
  Frank came to Montana in 1908 from Chicago. After he and Emma were wed they took up a homestead in the Coal Hill area east of Roy. They lived and farmed on the place of his aunt and uncle, Mr. and Mrs. Cizek (who were very early homesteaders) until 1943 when they moved to Heath and then into Lewistown in the spring of 1944. Emma died on December 14, 1944 in Lewistown. She was buried in Chicago, Illinois.
  Frank and Emma had one adopted son, Harvey, who was 15 years old at the time of his mother's death. Harvey later became a Great Falls chiropractor.
  Frank moved to Great Falls in 1953 and was employed by a motor company until his retirement in November of 1959.
  He was married to Jen E. (Stanley). She had four sons: Joe, Ed, Jack and Jerry Stanley. Another son, Frank, was born to Jen and Frank.
  Frank Sr. passed away on January 2, 1960, just two months after retirement. Jen passed away in April of 1988.

  James and Anna Vondracek came to America on the same boat with their daughter and son-in-law, the Frank Martinecs. Vondraceks brought their cattle and possessions with them from the old country. The cows ^{P. 140}  supplied milk for the whole family. They first settled in Kansas and then came to Montana with their children and homesteaded over the hill, east of Martinecs. Theirs was the ranch that became Jim Martinec's. He stayed with them and worked, and when the Vondraceks retired, they turned the place over to Jim.
  Anna Vondracek was a mid-wife and delivered all twelve of her daughter's children. Another daughter settled in Kansas and died there. She was the mother of Martha Jecha (1)who married Lynn Phillips and bore his five children.
  Grandfather James (Vaclav) Vondracek, born in Czechoslovakia, 27 December 1853. Died 8 January 1933, 79 years, buried in Roy Cemetery.
  Grandmother Anna Vondracek, born 27 February 1851; died 1 October 1936, 85 years, buried in Roy Cemetery.

  Vaclav and Anna Vondracek came to America from Debrova, Czechoslovakia to Timken, Kansas. From there they decided to go west and locate on a homestead. They came to Roy in 1913. Their homestead was 160 acres. Their daughter, Anna Martinec was already here on a homestead. They left a daughter, Martha (1) Jecha, in Kansas.
  Vaclav and Anna built a stone house out of flat sand rock; also a chicken coop as Anna raised many chickens and sold eggs. They took their grandson, Jim Martinec, in to live with them and to help do the necessary ranch work.
  Their daughter, Martha, died at child-birth and a baby daughter survived. The grandparents went back to Kansas to bring back and raise the baby, named Martha after her mother and a boy, James Jecha .(1) The grandparents went for both of the children but Joseph (1) Jecha decided to raise the children himself and did not let them come to Montana. He then remarried and the children were raised at home.
  Vaclav and Anna, not getting the children, returned to Montana. While they were gone, only a year or so, Jim went to Lewistown with his father, Frank, and worked on ranches. Even though he was only a youngster he was able to earn money for clothes and winter groceries.
  Vondraceks_then built a stone barn for their milk cows. They sold cream to Lanes Creamery in Roy. They continued farming and planted current and apple trees which all produced fruit. They stayed on the ranch the rest of their lives.
  Jim Martinec later married a lady with two children; Bill and Steffie. A daughter Stella, was born to the family. Stella grew up and went to country school in the area. 

  After Martha grew up she and her brother, Jim Jecha, visited their grandparents, the Vondraceks and their aunt Anna Martinec. When Martha returned to Kansas her cousin, Sylvia Martenic, accompanied her. Later Martha returned to Roy to stay with relatives; Sylvia remained in Kansas.
  Martha was working in the cafe in Roy when she met Lynn Philips who she later married.

  Arthur W. and his wife, Mina (Railsback) came to the Roy area about 1915 and homesteaded T 18N R 23E parts of sections: 21, 22, 27, and 28. Warner received the patent, signed by president Woodrow Wilson, on November 8, 1917.
  The family came from Iowa. There were four children: Cecil Raymond, March 5, 1905; Francis Earl, February 15, 1907 to July 10, 1976; Opal Fern, March 13, 1909 to March 13, 1954 and Clyde Orlan, November 12, 1911.
  Three more children were born while they lived in Roy: Claire Dollie, May 2, 1915; Doris Margaret, January 18, 1919, both born on the ranch and Wilma Jean, born April 8, 1921 at the Price Hospital in Lewistown.
  The only one in our family born in a hospital was Wilma. Mother and the new baby came on the train from Lewistown and May Kennett met them with the team and spring wagon to take them home. I will never forget that day, we all thought she was a beautiful baby.
  Mother and I would take the cream and eggs to town in the spring and fall of 1919 to 1923, when it was not too hot. The eggs were buried in oats in bushel baskets, and the cream cans were covered with damp sacks. We would sell all the eggs we could to private houses, and take the rest to the store. We also delivered home churned butter. When this was done we would then take the team to a little creek nearby to water them and put the feed bags on. I was now ready for town and a six cent ice cream cone.
  We always went by Joe Murphy's garage and Vicker's Blacksmith shop. We nearly always visited the bakery for some other good things to eat.
  I remember how the train came into the depot and turned around on a Y. There were two elevators which did a lot of business during harvest. A reward of the trip to town was a sack of candy included with our grocery order.
  I vividly remember the new Ford touring car we purchased January 20, 1921. Dad rode the train to ^{P. 141} Lewistown to drive it home. It was equipped with starter, speedometer, demountable rims, chains, spare tire, and lights. It was well equipped for those days. I could ramble on about a lot of things while living there ten years.
    We still have the original copy of the land grant on the Warner Homestead, signed by Woodrow Wilson, dated November 8, 1917.
    The family left the area after the tragic death of the father of the family as is recounted in a July 1, 1923 article in the Lewistown Democrat News. Warner died June 23, 1923.

  The body of A.W. Warner, a well known farmer living 10 miles east of Roy, was found in Box Elder Creek Friday morning, the decedent apparently having been drowned while attempting to ford Box Elder Creek, Thursday afternoon.
    Coroner Curtis W. Wilder was notified and together with George R. Creel went to Roy Friday afternoon. The testimony of the witnesses showed plainly that the decedent had met death by drowning. The body was taken back to Lewistown and shipped Saturday afternoon to the old home at Blakesburg, Iowa, where interment will be made. Two of his sons, Cecil and Earl, accompanied the remains east.
    Mr. Warner and his sons had been gathering cattle for several days in that section and last Thursday left their home as usual and after proceeding some distance from the place they separated, each of them taking a different course. As on several occasions, Mr. Warner did not return home until late in the evening, no importance was attached to his not being home Thursday night when the rest of the family retired. In the morning, however, when it was learned that he had not returned a search was at once instituted, the parties going out to the point where they had separated the previous day, and taking up the tracks of their father's horse which were easily followed. When near the river the horse that he had ridden was seen standing alongside of a fence on the other side of the creek. One of the boys crossed the creek, which had gone down some three feet from the day previous, and followed the horse's trail from where he was found to the point where he had clambered out of the creek bank.
    Wires were stretched across the creek and the process of dragging for the body commenced the body finally being found at about 10 o'clock Friday morning, lodged against a small island which the flood waters had created. The current was still strong but one of the boys swam out to the island and fastened a rope to the body and brought it to the shore.
    The general supposition is that Mr. Warner had attempted to cross the creek at a point where a bridge had been originally, thinking that the bridge was still there although covered with water. Instead, the bridge had been washed out and the horse and rider were plunged into a swift current of water nearly ten feet deep. Mr. Warner was wearing knee length rubber boots and spurs which would make it extremely hard for any one to swim once they became filled with water unless they could be kicked off. Whether the horse on entering the creek had slipped and fell on the steep bank, throwing the rider off in that manner, is, of course, not known.
    The horse made his way across the stream and came out some little distance below the point from where he entered the creek. No marks were found which would show that he had been injured in any way.
    Mr. Warner had been a resident of the Roy country for eight years. He is survived by a wife and seven children, one of the boys being a graduate of the Fergus County High School.

  I am Clyde Warner, youngest son of Arthur Warner, who lived on what was known as the Warner place. We homesteaded in 1914 and my Grandmother, Kate Railsback, had a homestead which joined ours. This land is now all part of the Kalina family holdings.
  My mother and the five youngest children, which included me, returned to Iowa the spring of 1924 following the death of my father. I was the last one to see him alive. We were rounding up cattle and I had just left him to go another direction about thirty minutes before be rode into the creek.
  I have some sad memories, also some happy times to remember. We attended Bear Creek School. There were box suppers and dances to attend. I remember the town of Roy, but not a lot about it.
  One time my Dad was caught in some bad weather near the Kalina place and Joe loaned him a pair of curly haired chaps to wear home. Many things like that comes to mind and the people were always helpful and neighborly.
  I still remember everyone who lived in a five or six mile area of our home place. We farmed the Ed Olson place after they left. I helped plant wheat in the fall before we left the next spring. Our mail box was over on the Valentine road by the Hala place. I think we received our mail once each week. I remember Frank Bare, Fred Schultz and his brother.
  A few years after we came to Iowa we received a Lewistown paper and an article telling of finding the remains of a Deputy Sheriff under the floor of a vacant cabin on our place, possibly two miles from our house. My brother and I went in this cabin the last year we were in Montana, to escape a rainstorm. I remember a Deputy Sheriff came by our house asking questions-maybe the guy was under the floor then. The article said none of his personal things had been taken; watch, spurs, etc.
  I also remember Joe Kalina playing the accordion. He played for us at the Bear Creek School. Everyone liked to hear him play and he seemed to enjoy playing.
  I think often of Montana. I farmed all of my married life until nine years ago when we retired, sold the farm and moved to town.^{P. 142}

  June 29, 1916--Responding to the general desire of people in the Grass Range, Roy and Valentine sections, Sheriff Firmin Tullock has issued a call for a volunteer search party to assemble at the Taylor ranch on Sunday, July 2, for the purpose of making a thorough and extended search for any evidence that may throw light upon the mysterious disappearance of John Afflerback of Grass Range, a former Nebraska sheriff, who was last seen in company of one Randolph of Roy, the latter being in Afflerback's custody for the theft of an auto from York, Nebraska.
  It was at the Taylor ranch that Randolph stopped on April 14 on his way to Lewistown. He had something in the rear of his car on that occasion that he appeared anxious should not be examined. Whatever it was, it was under a lot of bedding, and Randolph seemed nervous whenever anyone went toward the rear of the car. The theory now is that he might already have made away with Afflerback at that time and had the body in the car.
  It is the unanimous belief that Afflerback was murdered by his prisoner and it is the hope that this search party may find the body of the former sheriff.

• Ernie, John and Frank Maruska
• The Pospisil family, taken in 1947. In the back row from 1. to r. are: Rudolph, the next two (lady and man) are relatives from Nebraska, then Ernest, Barbara, Minnie, Lillian with Bill kneeling in front of her and Frank Pospisil to the far right. Front row: second from left is Evelyn, fourth from left is Helen and Norma is on the end of the row. The other children are visiting relatives.
• Harvest time in the early days on the Pospisil farm
• Frank Ruzek (Ruzik)
• A homesteader in Coal Hill area east of Roy and a well known Lewistown tailor.
• The Sirucek family gathers to celebrate the Golden Anniversary of Jacob and Katerina Sirucek on the Sirucek homestead at Roy. Back row: Joe, Frank, Louis, Emil and Bill. Front row: Rose, Mary (Kolar), Bessie and Leona (Siroky). Seated: Mr. and Mrs. Jacob Sirucek. Taken on October 22, 1936.
• The Warner family on the homestead in Montana.  Father, Arthur, Mother, Mina and Opal, Clyde, Claire and Doris.