Valley View never had a post office or a store but it was a community center. In 1915 the people got together and petitioned a school district to include all of T 18N, R 24E except Sec. 31. The school house was built in the southeast corner of Sec. 16 on 10 acres of land. The schoolhouse they built was really more of a community hall. It was bigger than most of the schools at that time. Valley View had a basement and a main floor. There were long tables in the basement and a kitchen at one end. When they had dances or other gatherings they would serve supper in the basement. The main floor was one big room with 2 cloakrooms on one end. The building was painted on the outside and varnished on the inside. The yard was fenced with 2 hog wires, 2 cattle wire and posts 24 ft. apart. The community put in a cistern that was packed with snow in the winter or water was hauled. There was a furnace in the basement. Later cold air drafts and heat pipes were run to the teacherage. There were dances, pie socials, box suppers and other events to raise money for the furnace, the furnishings and later for library books. The building was put up with donated labor. W.J. Neil was the boss of the job but 33 people donated 164 days of labor and 33 days of labor with a team of horses. It was done in May and June of 1915. It was used as a school until about 1936. The building was later moved to Roy and is now part of the Legion Bar.
  This was a very community spirited group as this is the only area to also build a church, the Waverly Church. Other areas held church services in homes, but Valley View had a church building.

  Valley View district was formed in 1914. The first trustees were Harry Hull, Fred Steinfadt, and Grover Beal.  A large school was built by donated labor.  The school had a large basement where suppers were served at community events.  The first teacher was R. W. Hahn. Other teachers were John Lang, Stella Myers, Mabel Rossiter, Ethel Noel and Margaret Stephens.  In 1936 school was held in the Ackerly house as it was closed to the students.  Then the Dory ^{P. 418} 
(Puckett) schoolhouse was moved to a location in this district and school was held in it. Some of the teachers were: Mrs. W.G. Brasier, Dorothy Schulze, Elsie Jones, Rosalie Charbonneau, and Meda McCartney. #17 Dory was annexed to Valley View in 1937. #172 Kachia was annexed in 1942 and the Fergus County part of #90 Valentine was annexed in 1946. The Fergus county part of #130 Christensen was annexed in 1940. The last teacher was Roherta Heggem in 1966-67. The district was annexed to #74 Roy in June of 1967. The school house was sold to Miro Hell. This district didn't have school every year but it did have enough school to hang onto the district. In 1959 there were two schools in the district. The Valentine school was moved and opened for the children in the other end of the district. It ran for 6 years until 1965. The last teacher was Betty Blair  McDaniel. Other teachers were Alma Grund, Josephine Farrelly, and Donna Lund. 

  Roy Alexander was employed by W·E· Jones. His wife was Velura Kauth, daughter of Gustav Kauth. The Alexanders had three daughters: Lula, Blanche and Josephine Pearl.
  Josephine died on June 3, 1916 when just a little over two years old. Roy died on November 10, 1918 from the flu. Both are buried in the Roy Cemetery.
  After Roy's death, Velura married Harold Ware who lived in the Staff area.
  Lula married Glen Potterf. They lived in Roy. Blanche married Ted Wadman. They moved away and lived at Cut Bank.
  Velura died in 1957 at St. Ignatius.

  Fred and Agnes Bauman arrived in Hinsdale, Montana on December 24, 1907, with their two small children, Harold, not yet three and Alice, who was two weeks old. They brought 3 horses, a wagon and enough furniture for a seven-room house. Charlie Newmage, an uncle, had told them there were great opportunities in Montana. He was supposed to have a ranch. When they got here they discovered Charlie did not own a ranch, only worked on one.
  Fred worked at various jobs. They moved to Great Falls and worked at the pumping station for the water works for awhile. He heard there was work in Washington so they moved near Tacoma where he worked on the sea wall being built there and Agnes owned and operated a boarding house for the men working on the wall. Fred decided the weather was better in Montana so he came to the Roy area in the fall of 1913 and filed for a homestead in the Valley View area. Agnes sold the boarding house and she and children joined him in the spring of 1914.
  Gus Neuman, brother to Agnes, lived with them for two years. Three adults and two children lived in a 6 x 8 foot shack. They cooked outside over an open fire. Agnes packed clothes two miles to Box Elder creek to do the wash.
  At first they got mail at Lindstrom. Later there was a mail route from Valentine that went right by the door.
  Fred proved up on October 7, 1918 and the witnesses were William Neil, Fred Steinfedt, Gust Gustavson and August Steinfedt. They ran sheep and farmed. Fred worked out as a carpenter.
  Alice and Harold went to Valley View School. Harold ^{P. 419} went to Roy High School. He walked to Roy, a distance of 20 miles, on Monday, stayed in town during the week and walked home on Friday. He dropped out after a few months and went to work. He worked for several sheep ranchers in this area and around Eastern Montana.
  Harold had several hounds at one time and he and Alice both hunted coyotes and other fur bearing animals to make some extra money. The following news article is from the Winnett Times, November 20, 1925: 

   The honors of being the champion coyote exterminator of this section goes to a young lady, Miss Alice Bauman, who to this date has 47 prime hides as evidence of her prowess in the hunt. Miss Bauman has four hounds to assist in the chase. The dogs run the wily coyote down, stretch it and hold it while the young lady 
   finishes it off with a rep on the head with a large pair of pliers she carries for the purpose. Seldom does she have to use a gun. Upon killing the coyote, she throws it over the back of the saddle, returns home, skins it, preparatory to shipping it to a fur house. With being very apt at killing coyotes Miss Bauman is also skillful with housework and cooking and very popular among the young folks in her community.

 The Grover Beals came from Nebraska, with Lou and Lola (Bare) Eaton, and homesteaded and farmed with John Tuma for many years, until ill health (tuberculosis) forced Grover to seek a different climate in which to live. He and his wife, Flora, who was a sister to Frank Bare, and three of their daughters lived in Lewistown for a time, then moved to New Mexico where he passed away in June of 1937. They had left the homestead about 1929.
  Grover was described as a jolly, happy, good neighbor and friend.
  The Beals had four daughters; one, Pearl, married William "Harry" Dundom, the son of William and Pearl Dundom. They lived at Cat Creek where he was employed in the oil fields. Dundom was killed in a truck accident there in September of 1942, at the age of 36.
  Pearl and Harry had four children: Grover, Donna, Medric and Joann.

  George was married to Carrie Kauth, sister to Gustav Kauth. They had four children: Maude, Myrtle, Clarence, born 1894 and Ernest, born 1899. George proved up in 1918. Maude and Myrtle both homesteaded and later each sold half of their land to a brother as the brothers hadn't been old enough to homestead. George was a brick layer and plasterer by trade. He moved to Lewistown where he worked at his trade. They later moved to Washington. The land was taken by the county for taxes in 1935 and sold to Agnes Bauman in 1942.

  Gilbert Orlando Distad was born April 3, 1891 in Dodge County, Minnesota. He served in the Army in the first World War and was stationed at Camp Dodge in Iowa. He homesteaded about 17 miles east of Roy in 1913. After the war, he returned to the homestead which was near that of his brother, Raymond. At first they had no horses or livestock and had to walk wherever they went. After he had developed the farm, he married Edith Grace Hull on November 9, 1929 at Lewistown, Montana. She was the daughter of Harry and Anna Neil Hull. Edith was born ⁽¹⁾July 25, 1907 at York, Nebraska. They acquired more land as another homesteader sold out or moved away and built up a sizable ranch ⁽¹⁾(1,720 acres) where they raised grain and livestock. Low prices and repeated drought prevented any great success. In 1962 they sold out and retired and moved to Lewistown where they bought a home. Gilbert developed cancer and after several years of failing health he passed away on May 4, 1968. He was laid to rest in Sunset Memorial Garden Cemetery. Edith still lives in their home in Lewistown. Gilbert (Gib) and Edith had 4 boys.
  Gene Gilbert Distad, born September 9, 1930 in Lewistown, attended high school at Roy and Lewistown. He first worked for an implement dealer in Lewistown. Later he had his own shop. He became a very popular and well-known auto, truck and tractor mechanic in the Central Montana area. Gene had surgery late in 1970 at the University of Washington Hospital in Seattle, WA. for a heart ailment. He lost consciousness just after the operation and never regained it. He died about seven months later on June 28, 1971. He was laid to rest in Sunset Memorial Gardens near Lewistown. Gene and ^{P. 421} Maxine Mary Heller were married September 26, 1953 at Lewistown. They had one son, Gary Lee.
  Richard Lewis Distad was born on January 11, 1932 in Lewistown. He attended Roy High School. He works with kitchen designs and sales. Richard married Margaret Link on July 1, 1950 at Roy, She is the daughter of James and Florence Link and was born at Forest Grove. Richard and Margaret live in Great Falls and have 3 children. Ronald was born January 30, 1954 in Great Falls and died by drowning on June 14, 1966. Sharon (Mrs. George Evans) and Steven. Steven was born December 17, 1958 at Glasgow.
  Allen Edward Distad was born October 23, 1933 at Lewistown. He attended Roy High School. He stayed on the farm for several years after he had grown up to help with the farming. He then went to Lewistown to work with his brother, Gene, at the auto repair. Later he went to Helena where: he now owns his own shop, "Al's Auto Repair." He married Sonja ⁽¹⁾Helen Anderson on August 27, 1960. She is the daughter of Helmer and Selma Anderson of Helena. They have four children. Brenda Edith was born on June 18, 1961 in Lewistown; Patty Ellen was born on September 3, 1963 in Lewistown; Sandra Jane was born July 7, 1968 in Helena and Alan Antone was born on September 19, 1970 in Helena.
  Ted James was born on December 14, 1938 in Lewistown. He too attended Roy High School. He and Betty Marie Phillips, daughter of Lynn Phillips, were married on July 4, 1957 in Roy. Ted was employed as supervising field representative for the Unemployment Insurance Division of the Montana Dept. of Labor and Industry. They lived in Havre for a number of years. In 1978 Ted was transferred to the field office in Billings, where they now make their home. Betty worked for the O.M. Franklin Laboratory, doing general office work. Ted has been active in Boy Scout work. Ted and Betty have two boys, ⁽²⁾ Hardee Allen and Eric James.

  Raymond Theodore Distad was born on July 4, 1889 in Hayfield, Minnesota. He moved to Montana and in 1913 took up a homestead, east of Roy. He served in France with the Army during the first World War. Raymond and his brother Gilbert both worked in the Judith Basin, west of Lewistown and near Great Falls for a time.
  He came back to the homestead to farm and on May 28, 1930 he married Mildred Dorothy Nelson Puckett.
  This was the second marriage for Mildred; she was previously married to Joy Puckett. Her sister was married to Charles Puckett. Mildred was born on June 23, 1896 at Thurston, Nebraska, the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Oscar Nelson. She passed away on November 6, 1979 in Lewistown and was laid to rest there. Raymond passed away in 1988. They had no children.

  Harry Hull was born August 31, 1876 in York, Nebraska. He served during the war with Spain and the Philippine Insurrection as First Sergeant of Company A, First Nebraska Regiment and was Captain of the National Guard for a number of years after that. He married Anna Marie Neil on April 29, 1903 at York, Nebraska. Anna was born near Waco, Nebraska on August 20, 1878. Their first home was at York, Nebraska where Harry had a photo gallery. Harry later worked as a carpenter and in a furniture store. In 1913 they moved to Grandfather's farm north of York. When the farm was sold and the estate settled, they moved to Montana.
  Father bought two more horses, some cows and some machinery. Uncle Will Neil came to help and go along to Montana. Father and Uncle Will loaded all our belongings into a box car. Besides all the household goods there were three cows, two calves, five horses, and a colt. There was a lumber wagon, spring wagon, a buggy, farm machinery, chickens and a dog, Rover. They took hay and feed for the livestock. The men went along in the car and slept on the hay and ate whenever they could. The trip took several days so they arrived in Lewistown the last of December, 1913 or the first of January 1914. The Kauths came on the same train in another car. When father got to Lewistown he stored some of the goods and moved the rest to Glengarry where there was a log house with several buildings.
  When Mother and us children, Edith, Alton and myself, learned father had located a place to stay, Aunt Nellie fixed a suitcase with food for us and we left on the Burlington train in the afternoon. At sunrise next morning we were near New Castle, Wyoming and we arrived at Billings just before dark where we stayed overnight. The next morning we left on the Great Northern and arrived at Moccasin where we had to wait an hour or so for the train to Lewistown. We arrived just at dark and ^{P. 422} Father was there to meet us. We went right to the place he had rented. Uncle Will and Lloyd Kauth stayed with us. The house had three rooms.
  Father and Uncle Will went out to look for a homestead location. The Daughertys and others had come the year before and were already located. Many other acquaintances from York had located in the area so it was not hard to find a place. The surveyors had placed a rock at the corner of each section and dug holes to the east, north, west and south of it but they often got lost or moved. Later they used iron pipe with brass caps.
  After Father and Uncle Will filed on the land, we waited until the snow was gone and it started to warm up. April 1, 1914 we started for the homestead, the Kauths, Daughertys, Uncle Will and us. The cows and chickens, household goods and machinery, along with some lumber were loaded on a box car and shipped to Armells, the end of the railroad. It was five years before I got back to town. 
  We got as far as Hilger that night. Mother and us children stayed in a new hotel that was just built, while the men stayed with the horses and wagons. Early next day we arrived at Armells where the cows and other goods had arrived. (1)We came by covered wagon the rest of the way. The men went to work building a shed to store the goods, then we went on, with the cows and chickens. There were no roads, only trails and we passed south of Roy. By nightfall we came to a frame house owned by a Mr. Madison. His wife had died recently and he let us stay in the house, which had several rooms. This was near where the Bohemian Hall is now.
  We started early next morning. The sun was just coming up as we passed by Lindstrom. Before we left Nebraska mother had written to Harry Martin, who had come the year before, asking if we might rent a house in Lindstrom until we got settled. Lindstrom at that time consisted of a shack about 14 ft. by 16 ft. It was partly dug into the ground and the top was logs. We crossed Box Elder Creek just below a masonry dam that had been built by the sheep company. There was a good stream flowing.
  The country had been open range land until it was opened for homesteading. Most of the wild game had been killed off. Many buffalo skulls still remained. New homesteader's cabins were being built all around. Many large bands of sheep and herds of cattle remained. There were no trees except a few along the creek but lots of sagebrush.
  We came to Daughtery's place. Maude Daughtery had a cabin she was not using and let us stay there until father could bring our goods from Armells. A place was chosen well up the side of a hill with a view for 20 miles or more. A 14 ft. by 20 ft. cabin was built here. It took many trips to Armells at two days to a trip to get all our goods to the homestead. The first barn was built farther up the hill and partly dug into the bank. Later the cabin was moved up the hill and a house 20 by 26 ft. built from it. A granary was built and later moved and a new barn built on one side of it.
  There was much to do the first few years. The livestock had to be kept tied up or herded until fences were built. We had to use water from ponds and it became full of wrigglers. When wells were dug very few gave good water. We later built a cistern and filled it with snow each winter. As the snow melted we had water to last up to mid-summer. After that we had to haul water. There was no wood for fuel and we cut sagebrush to burn. It was very messy and had to be put into the stove every few minutes. Later we sometimes hauled wood from the breaks about 20 miles away. Still later we found coal on the homestead and even sold coal for several years but it was very hard work. Two of us with four horses could uncover about $5 worth of coal in a hard day's work.
  The livestock brought from Nebraska started to eat locoweed. It somewhat resembles alfalfa but is a powerful drug. We dug all the locoweed from a field and fenced it to keep the stock until the locoweed season had passed. In doing so, mother got a cactus in her thumb. It became infected and she had to go to Hilger to the nearest doctor. He removed the bone without aid of an anesthetic.
  Uncle Will Neil came to Montana with nothing but a trunk and his carpenter tools. He helped us until we had a house built, then he built a sod house on his homestead. He built several houses for neighbors and at Roy, to earn money to buy some horses and other things he needed.
  We had good rains the first two years and crops were wonderful but there was so little land broken and in crop that it did little good. Later we had dry years and hard winters. The livestock had to be taken to the creek, about three miles, to water each day. In 1916, the snow drifted over the farm machinery and hay rack, so the livestock were walking right over the top of it. Then father received a telegram saying that Uncle Ray was in serious condition in a Miles City hospital, so he had to go there. That winter the frost built up on the walls of the bedroom to about one half inch thick. It was a mess when it started to melt.
  There was gumbo except on some of the hills which were sandy. When wet it would stick to everything and under certain conditions make all travel impossible. The county road was graded by our place in 1918. It was crowned to drain off the water but did little good without gravel. We found a place on the hill where we could pry up flat slabs of rock. This was used around the house for porches and walks and helped keep out some of the mud.
  Lindstrom was our first post office, then the Dory store and post office about 4 miles north of us opened. After the road was graded, a stage line was established from Roy to Valentine and mail was distributed to boxes along the route. We got our mail at the Mike Myers place. About 1920 the route was changed to travel the south route to Valentine once each week and mail was delivered to a box down at the road.
  Mr. Barrows organized the first Sunday school in our community in 1920. It was held in our home for several years. Later, the Waverly Presbyterian Church was ^{P. 423} built, named for the sponsoring church in Baltimore, MD. Uncle Will was superintendent of the Sunday school for a number of years.
  We had some poor crops and then in 1919 there were no crops at all. Farmers started to sell out early and father bought more horses because he could get them cheap. That winter every one had to buy feed shipped in at high prices. They had to borrow from the bank to pay for it. Even then much of the livestock died.
  The only good crop we had was in 1927. I had worked out during threshing in 1925 and saved $100. I used this as down-payment on a new Case tractor in 1926 and summer-fallowed about 150 acres for father. There was lots of rain next year and bumper crops. Prices were good too. Most sold for $1.60 a bushel. Father was able to buy a new car and truck, pay off some debts and get other things. I worked the next three years, plowing threshing, and etc. to pay for the tractor. By then it was worn out and the depression had started so I never did get anything for my work and expense. I never had a chance to put in a crop for myself.
  In 1929 we all went to Nebraska and on to Oklahoma to visit all the relatives. When we got back everything was all dried up. We moved to the Pratt place just west of Roy for that winter because the people there were going on a trip and wanted someone to stay there and do chores while they were gone. This allowed the younger children to go to school in Roy. Next spring we returned to the homestead and stayed until late summer then moved into Lewistown. In 1931 they bought a home north of Lewistown. They sold this in 1944 and bought a home in Lewistown. Harry did carpenter work and bike repair as long as he was able to work.
  Anna M. Hull passed away December 3, 1944 and is buried in the Lewistown Cemetery. She was 66 years old.
  Harry was later remarried to Cora Belle Carter Ditty, in Lewistown on June 30, 1946. Cora was born February 16, 1881 at Coffey, Mass. Her maiden name was Meyers. She passed away November l6,1964and is buried in Lewistown Cemetery. She was 83. She had no children.
  Harry Hull passed away October 1, 1968 and is buried beside Anna. He was 92.
  Harry and Anna had five children. Harold Leslie Hull was born June 24, 1904 in York, Nebraska. He died January 10, 1987 at the age of 82. Edith Grace Hull was born July 25, 1907 in York, Nebraska. She married Gilbert Distad at Lewistown on November 9, 1929. Gilbert and Edith had four boys. Edith still lives in their home in Lewistown. Alton Kenneth Hull was born September 3, 1912 in York, Nebraska. He passed away on July 8, 1969 at the age of 56 and is buried in the Lewistown Cemetery. Robert Edward Hull was born April 18, 1919 at Lewistown. He lives in Connecticut. Donald Arthur Hull was born September 25, 1923 in Lewistown. He lives in Seattle, Washington. [Harold passed away in Seattle January 10, 1987.]

  James was from Nebraska. He had been a police officer there and had a nervous breakdown. He came out here to homestead and recover. He proved up on October 1, 1919. Just before he proved up he was declared insane and Arthur J. Charles (T 18N, R 24E, Sec. 12) was appointed his guardian. He died Jun 20, 1920 in the asylum for the insane in Nebraska. He was survived by a wife, Eudora, and sons, Harold and Fred. Both sons were married and all lived in Kirksville, Missouri. The land went to Blodgett Loan Co. In 1933 it was sold to
the county. They sold it to Harold Bauman in 1945. 

 Swan Johnson was born February 21, 1891, the son of Mr. and Mrs. John Johnson, in Sweden, where he received his education.
  At the age of 17 years he came to the United States and settled in Minneapolis, Minnesota where he attended school to learn to operate tractors and machinery.
  He moved to Hettinger, North Dakota where he lived until he came to Montana in 1913 and homesteaded sixteen miles east of Roy. Swan's homestead was east of where his house was. Later he purchased and added the John Sneath and Charlie Cross homesteads to his place. He lived on the Cross homestead.
  He enlisted in the service in World War I and spent most of his time in Hoboken, New Jersey where he loaded ammunition for shipment. He use to tell that he was in as much danger as those on the battlefield because of this job. After his discharge he came back to his ranch where he farmed and raised cattle. S bar J was his brand.
  In 1953 Swan married Florence Tully. They later divorced.
  Swan retired from ranching in 1958, and spent his winters in Arizona and summers in Roy.
  Swan died at Ft. Harrison on February 16, 1976 after a long illness, and was buried in the Lewistown City Cemetery. He was a member of the American Legion Post 96 of Roy and the Al Bedoo Shrine of Billings. He attended the old Waverly Church and later the Presbyterian Church in Roy. ^{P. 424}

  My father, W.E. Jones, came to Montana in 1913 from York, Nebraska, with a contingent of land seekers. The railroads had special rates for homesteaders at that time.
  Father filed on his 160 acres, 19 miles east of Roy on September 8, 1913. This area was later called the Valley View community.
  He returned to York after filing, then came back in the latter part of October or November to establish residence and to build his 12 x 14 foot shack. A young man, named Merle Durfy, came with him and filed on the adjoining 160 acres. He too, built a shack and they both helped their other neighbors. Some built sod homes. Others, stone masons, brought rocks from the hills to finish the front of their homes.
  My father then took a 6 month leave of absence and returned to York that fall and started preparations for an emigrant car to come to Montana. In March of 1914 he and his son, Earl, came to Armells where, from there, things were hauled to the homestead. He sent mother a telegram to come.
 My mother, I, and my small sister, Doris, camped in the car at Armells while the men transported the household goods to the homestead. This was an all day trip. Just how long we remained there, I do not remember, but we ate some of our meals in the Andrew Fergus kitchen, where a number of other people also ate.
  While at Armells I got tonsillitis and was quite sick. The cook said he had something good for colds. He handed my mother a little box, saying, "Here is some skunk grease we use." MY mother said nothing, but used it with some turpentine.
  Mama and I and Doris first saw the homestead on Apri1 3,1914. After everything was moved to the homestead, everyone worked very hard, from before daylight to get things arranged. A large tent was set up for the kitchen and living room while 2 more rooms were built on the cabin and then a barn was built.
  The next time we went to Roy, the first train of people and emigrant cars arrived. That was a big day in Roy. Everyone was at the depot and railroad tracks. The boom days were coming fast for the big, little town of Roy. In August, 1914, W.E. Jones went to Roy and built a garage for our family to live in while the house, which still stands, was being built. I helped lath and shingle along side of W.J. Neill, the carpenter. This was a 26 x 28 1/2 room. In 1915 the house at the ranch was built. Soon after that the big barn was built. (In May of 1937 these buildings were burned to the ground.)
  That year my brother, Earl, and I were enrolled in the Roy school in the, little white school house that is still being used for the first four grades.
  From then on many miles were traveled, back and forth, to the homestead.
  Soon the land was all taken up and buildings began to show up in earnest. Small acres of grain and gardens were planted and fences were built to keep the range cattle out.
  In the fall of 1915 big herds of cattle were being ^{P. 425} gathered at a big roundup about three miles east of Roy and there were many cowboys there. I and four other girls decided to ride out to see the cattle being gathered. The others were Toots Johnson, whose husband was riding for cattle; Florence Johnson, whose two brothers were there; Katheryn Gove and Edith Stephens.
  The cook asked us to stay and have supper with them. The meal was served from the back of the chuck wagon. We girls were very popular with the boys, as we all sat around on logs or on the ground, around the camp fire.
  The Valley View school house was built that summer and fall and a crowd was on hand there to celebrate the Fourth of July.
  The preceding account was written by Opal for the December 23, 1974 issue of the Lewistown News Argus. Mrs. Marsh's daughter, Adeline Dotson, supplied the following information about her grandfather.

  W.E. Jones (Ed) came to Roy with the idea that he was going to make it big out west. He built a big barn, shed and a two bedroom house.
  Opal was of school age so he went to town (Roy) and built a house for the family to stay in during the school year.
  He bought cattle, horses and did some farming.
  In 1922 he leased the homestead and moved to town and took over the Wilder mail route. He bought part interest in the McCain-Johnson Lumber Company, which went broke in 1929. He then added another mail route, the Black Butts route. So he ran the Wilder route 2 days a week and the Black Butte route 2 days a week. He kept these routes until the spring of 1946 when he retired. His grandson, Bill Marsh, came home from World War II and took over the routes.
  He loaned lots of money to several people in and around the area, most of which he never got back. The big bank closing and a drought coming at the same time was hard on everyone.

  Gus was born in 1862 in Buffalo, Iowa. Barbara Scheider was born in 1870 in Muscation, Iowa. They were married December 2, 1888. Barbara died in 1907 and is buried at Fairmont, Nebraska. They had seven children. Gus homesteaded in the Valley View area in 1913. Several of his children came with him.
  Velura, born 1890, married Roy Alexander who died in 1919 and later married Harold Ware. Lawrence homesteaded near his dad. Lloyd, born in 1896, worked on farms, mostly in Nebraska. He died in 1966 in Missouri. Pearl, born 1898, married a Mr. Danzer. They divorced and she came to this area with her two sons. She died in 1931 in Lewistown. Cecil, born 1903, married Florence Welter and moved to Lewistown where he died in 1962. May, born 1904, married Perry Walker. They had one child, Gertrude. They settled in Denton where they ran the grocery store for many years. They raised Pearl's boys after she died. Gus went to Denton and lived with May in his later years. He died in 1947 and is buried in Lewistown.
  Ladema, born 1894, died in 1974 in Wheatland, Wyoming.

  Francis Patrick Lonergan was born in 1870 in Ireland. He came to the USA when he was 17 and went into the Army. His army service earned him his American citizenship.
  He met and married Nellie R. Morrissy, born in 1871. The couple lived in St. Paul, Minnesota and after his discharge from the service, he was a mail carrier. He was a good violinist and played at dance halls and in park concerts. They had three children: Mary born in 1892, Ruth born in 1895, and Philip born in 1900.
  When homestead land became available in Montana, Francis urged Nellie to 'go for it'. Nellie and her daughter, Mary, made the trip to Montana by train. They brought with them a piano. A rancher befriended them and brought the piano to their home by wagon. Neighboring ranchers would come to their home to share the music.
  At the time that Nellie and Mary came to Montana, Ruth was teaching school and Philip was in school so they waited and came out during the summer.
  Francis became ill with pernicious anemia and the family returned to St. Paul to be with him. He died in 1915 without having realized his dream of living on their land in Montana.
  Ruth taught school in Roy the years of 1915 to 1917.
  Nellie died in 1961. She kept her land and passed it on to her children. She was very proud to own land. Philip died in 1975 and Ruth and Mary passed away in 1976. The land now belongs to a granddaughter.
  The family has a picture of the homestead house which was very small with a flat roof. Nellie is sitting on the roof, in her rocking chair. ^{P. 426}

  Michael Edward Myers filed on his homestead east of Roy about 1916. Stella Margaret McGinnis followed and filed on her claim, to the north of Mike's. Mike was "swinging on Stella's gate" back in Minnesota. Stella worked in her mother's boarding house until she graduated from St. Cloud Normal and began teaching. Mike had a 6th grade education, but he took a course, passed the test, and became a railway mail clerk. He pursued his career until he came to Montana to homestead. Stella taught school in Moore, Hobson and Geraldine. Mike worked the harvest crews each fall as it was slim picking in the Roy area.
  Mike was quite talented - he was a barber to the men around the area, baked bread when necessary. He also was a great mimic. He could mimic women, one was Mrs. Kalal.
  Stella and Mike were married in St. Lee's Catholic Church, September 4, 1917. Stella was "fit to be tied" when Mike was late, as he had to purchase the wedding band at the last minute.
  The "great flu" took many of the early pioneers. Mike's sister, Margaret, died in a boarding house in Lewistown. The hospital was full of the sick and dying and the new cemeteries were filling also.
  World War I called the men from their small farms. Mike stayed behind to mind their small places. These years were tough, the homesteaders were ignorant to the ways of the "new land"; the harsh winters, dry summers, constant winds and gumbo soil. Black clouds rolled in late in the hot afternoons, devoid of moisture, only dust, or worse - hail.
  Many gave up when the "Great Depression" hit in 1929. They packed their meager belongings and returned East. A fire often hastened their decision, they collected their few dollars on insurance and left.
  The Myers, Distads (Roy and Gib), Pucketts, Baumans, Spiroffs, and Leleks persevered. These folks were a wondrous lot! They augured their own coal from a ridge that ran south of Leleks on past Baumans. Mike said it was poor grade. "They got two heats from it. One carrying it in and one hauling out the ashes!"
  Stella taught school during the school year, while Mike cared for the farm. She claimed she taught every school in the rural area - and every child!
  Dances were held in the school house. Local talent was the music. Stella played the piano, Joe Kalina played the violin. These I remember. Mike was a pall bearer at many a funeral and a mortician also. He told of "Kink Kosir", who had been dead for quite some time. The local men prepared him for the burial, one eye wouldn't stay shut, so they put a penny on his eye lid. Mike told wonderful stories.
  Mike and Stella had one son, Donald Edward. Don and Agusta Louise Fink were married on November 6, 1946. They bought the Lelek place; $7000 for 700 acres.
  They had eight children all of whom were born in St. Joseph's Hospital in Lewistown. Donald Michael lives in Missouri, Nannette Marie lives in Billings, Maureen Ann, Sheila Margaret, Mark Gerard and Jennifer Catherine all live in Gillette, Wyoming as does Agusta. Theresa Jean lives in Morrill, Nebraska and Shannon Rose lives in Roy.
  Mike, Stella and Don all passed away in 1976. They are buried in Calvary Cemetery in Lewistown. ^{P. 427}

  William (Will) J. Neill came to Montana in the fall of 1913. He came here from York, Nebraska on an immigrant car with his brother-in-law, Harry L. Hull. They rented a place west of Lewistown while they looked for a homestead. The Kauth family came at the same time, in another car.
  On April 1, 1914 they moved to their homesteads, 17 miles east of Roy. The Daugherty family had filed on their homestead a year earlier. My Dad's homestead joined theirs on the west side.
  My Dad helped Hulls build their house, then built a sod house for himself. He occasionally did carpenter work, building a number of houses for others in the community and in Roy.
  He married Margaret Lewis, daughter of Nathan and Z. Ann Lewis, who were also homesteaders in that area. Will and Margaret had four daughters and a son while they lived on the homestead. They were: Nellie, Ann, Helen, Ruth and Lewis. Nellie was born at the home of Mr. and Mrs. W.E. Barrows in Lewistown. Mr. Barrows (we called him Uncle Bill) was a Sunday School Missionary to the Waverly Church, east of Roy. The church was about a mile east of our place. Sunday School was held at the Daugherty home, until a church was erected on a hill south of Daugherty's place. I remember many good times we had there. People would come from miles around on special occasions. My Dad was Superintendent of the Waverly Sunday School for many years.
  The entire community used to get together on special occasions. One 4th of July everyone gathered at Clifford Clark's home.
  Some years crops were good and others they were bad. I remember sometimes we had to haul water in barrels to put on the garden. Another year we had a wagon load of watermelons.
  The Valley View school was one mile west of our home. Will was a school board member for a number of years. Nellie, Ann, Helen and Ruth all attended. Most of the time we walked, however, sometimes we would ride with Adeline, Irene and Bill Marsh in their buggy. They lived three miles from school. Fred Bauman lived about one-half mile west of our home and on our way to school he used to tease us and we all thought he was a lot of fun.
  My Dad had a windmill he used for charging batteries. One time, Mr. Bauman brought his radio battery over to be charged; later he put it in a sack and carried it over his shoulder when taking it home. Next day, his overalls were ruined as some acid had run down the back of them.
  The family moved to Lewistown in 1936 where another daughter, Pearl, was born. The family moved to Portland, Oregon in 1955. Will passed away in 1961. Margaret came back to Lewistown and she passed away in 1980. Nellie Neill Bunt passed away in Seattle, Washington in 1960.
  Margaret's parents, the Nathan Lewis' and her sisters, Almira and Helen, moved to Washington when they left Montana. They were from Charlton, Iowa.

  Fred Steinfadt was a native of Germany. He drifted around the world working at various jobs. He came to the U.S. in 1881 and settled in Iowa with a wife and two grown children. After his wife's death, Fred returned to Germany, where he married Mary. They came back to Iowa and after several moves came to Roy in 1913.
  The couple had to become naturalized citizens before they could homestead. Their homestead was in the Valley View area.
  Fred had been in the German Army at one time and had, on his arm, a tattoo with his army identification.
  Fred and Mary had four children: August "Gus", Henry, Ella and Lydia.
  August was born November 14, 1893 in South Dakota. He homesteaded east of Roy and then bought a relinquishment and filed on an additional claim. (T 18N, R 24E, Sec. 8 and T 20N, R 24E, Sec. 21). He bought the J. A. Brown place in the Dory area. Later he took a mortgage on his land and did share cropping on various places in the area. He never married. August died of an ulcer on October 25, 1947.
  Henry played on the baseball team in Roy. He stayed on the homestead and farmed with his folks for several years. Later he lived at Warm Springs, Montana and then he moved near Seattle, Washington where one of his sisters lived. There he worked in a lumber yard. ^{P. 428}
  Ella married Floyd Moore, whose folks had homesteaded in the area. In 1919 they moved to northern Minnesota and later to Minneapolis where Floyd drove taxi and learned to be a barber. They then moved to the Seattle area. They had several children. One son died in infancy.
  Lydia married Harry Baker who was a barber in Lewistown for many years. Lydia ran a beauty shop. They divorced and Lydia later married a Mr. Anderson and moved to Idaho.
  Fred's first two children from his first marriage were: Fred Jr. of South Dakota and Millie Stein of Iowa.

  Norman was born April 15, 1892 in Iowa, the son of Mr. and Mrs. William H. Taylor. He came to Montana in 1913 and homesteaded in the Valley View area. He took an additional homestead on Blood Creek in Petroleum County. During WWI he served in the Army, in France, with the 77th Division.
  Following the war he returned and proved up on his homestead on Blood Creek. He remained on the ranch in the cattle business. He was a member of the American Legion Post No. 95 of Winnett.
  Norman died of cancer, October 27, 1965 at the Veterans Hospital at Miles City and is buried in the Winnett Cemetery. He was survived by a brother, Ward (John) Taylor who was a partner in the cattle business.

CROSS, C.H.-- lived in the Valley View area. Along with Mike Myers shipped the first load of wheat in August 1918. It averaged 5 to 6 bushels per acre of No. 2.

DEAN, LEVI-- traded his wife to his brother for a pair of mules.

GATIER, CARL A.-- died in 1942 from Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever. A native of Evansville, Indiana he was buried there. He was a tinsmith by trade. He homesteaded in 1910. 

PETERSON, FRANK-- and family lived in the Valley View area. He worked for the county with horses and a fresno and put in culverts and built roads.

• The Waverly Bible School of Central Montana taken at the Daugherty homestead where the religious services were held for a year or more, before the church was erected south of this, on the hill. Back row, from left: Gilbert Walters, Clifford Clark, Mr. Fritzner, Mr. Brownlee, Joe Gerig, Mr. Sandstrom, Gus Gustafson, Mr. Watlers, Rolland Rossiter, Harold Hull. Second row from back: Mr. Miller (a visitor), Della Lambert, Mrs. Roy (Viola) Marsh, William Neill holding Helen, Seth Ackerly, Doris Ware Opitz, Mrs. Fritzner, Opal Marsh, Valura Alexander, Hartley Lambert and baby. Third row: Mrs. Martz, Mrs. Clifford Clark, Edith Hull (Distad), margaret Lewis Neill, Mrs. Art Charles, Art Charles, Clifford Marsh, Mrs. Sandstrom and baby. Fourth Row: Annie Hull with Donald, Mrs. Paul Prouty, Paul Prouty, with Minnie, Anna Prouty, Alton Hull, Virgil Prouty, Ava Kauth (Zahn), Lulu Alexander, Nrs. Walters, Albert Opitz with baby. Fifth row: Nina Prouty, IDa MArsh, Anna Neill, Pharoby Prouty, and Mr. Walter Barrows, the SundaySchool Missionary, holding Rozella Prouty and Billy Marsh.
• The Valley View School (circa) 1917: Mr. Hahn, teacher, Mae Kauth, Anna Kosir, Elmira Lewis, Helen Lewis, Harold Hull and Harold Bauman. Front row: Alice Bauman, Lydia Steinfadt, Leona Bare.
• Valley View School--1960. Teacher, Rosalie Charbonneau, L. to R. David Kalina, Don Myers, Ed Thompson, Frank Puckett, Nanette Myers, Theresa Myers, Maureen Myers, Nancy Puckett, Sheila Myers.
• L. to R. standing Harold Bauman, sitting: Alice Lund holding Tye, Agnes Bauman and Monte Lund.
• Picture of the Grover Beal family taken in 1919. Grover age 30, Flora age 26, Pearl age 8, Fay age 6, and Louise age 3. 
• Edith Hull Distad
• W.E. Jones family, From L. to R.  Opal Jones Marsh, W.E. Jones, Earl Jones and Doris Jones Goodell.
• W.E. Jones with his grandsons Bill Marsh and Robert Jones.
• W. E. Jones on a stallion he had shipped from France.
• Wedding picture of Mike and Stella Myers taken about 1916 L. to R. Stella's brother, Frank McGinnis, Mike, Stella and Mike's sister Mary.
• (Photo) Mike and Stella Myers stand in front of their first home on the prairie east of Roy.
• A 1920 truck garden at Valley View grown by William J. and Margaret Neill. In the picture ate their daughters Nellie and Ann.

• ⁽¹⁾Changes by Edith Distad 
• (April 25, 1907 to July 25, 1907)
• (added (1,720 acres)to sentence)
• (Helena to Helen)
• ⁽²⁾  Changes by Betty Distad (Hardie to Hardee)