Entry from Journal #1, August 21, 1930
I was to the fair to-day. It was nice in every way. I sure like the Geological displays, also the Mt’s map of Montana. I could look and look then think, study and want to figure out the formation of the strata, designs and [different] minerals the wonderful outer surface contains in its unseen depths. My graduation “Essay” was on Geology. Oh! I feel my life handicapped and short for what I want to see and know.
Entry from Journal #1, April 24, 1930
The radio just played Tinker polka, I danced it alone but my mind was away back 30 yrs ago – with my sweet heart George Schenk and youth pals.
When I pulled this paint-splattered book out of the box that had been in my Grandmother’s basement for about 14 years, and then in my Aunt and Uncle’s garage for another 45 years, my first impression was that it was some sort of school record – for obvious reasons. But after just a few minutes of flipping through the pages, I realized it was a journal written by my great grandmother! This is the sort of thing all family historians hope to find – the genealogy “lottery” jackpot!!
The inside cover gives you a flavor of what this journal is like . . . and I’ve highlighted the part that immediately caught my eye.
Here’s the passage enlarged . . .
So . . . even though she references specific page numbers, not all of the pages are numbered – and the few pages that are numbered aren’t numbered sequentially. Confusing, right?? To add to the confusion, the entries are not chronological and it appears that she often revisited certain entries several or many years later and added a comment in the margin or at the top of the page. Here’s a good example of what I’m talking about . . .
As you might imagine, I was frustrated at first – but it turned out that reading this journal was a bit like putting together a jigsaw puzzle – and I love jigsaw puzzles!
I believe Mary was actively writing in this journal for about 20 years, beginning in 1929. The journal includes some daily “this is what I did today” entries, but also includes her thoughts and dreams regarding her life, as well as some wonderful family history and Marysville historical information. On a practical note, one entry contains a list of all the residents in Marysville on that particular day. And on another day, she made a list of all the flowers in her garden. And as you can see, she used every square inch of paper!
Mary’s note above – “Don’t Destroy This Book” – is probably the single greatest reason I am sharing this journal. I believe she intended it to be read and shared. I hope, and believe, I have her blessing.
But that’s enough from me – I’ll let Mary tell you her story.
Entry from Journal #1: circa 1935
My mother (Mrs. Eva Rumping) left St. Louis in March 1879, being 3 months on the Missouri river up to Fort Benton[1. Fort Benton. Originally established in 1847 as a fur trading center, Fort Benton (nicknamed “The Birthplace of Montana”) later attracted steamboats carrying goods, merchants, gold miners and settlers, arriving from several ports including St. Louis, Missouri. See this website for more information.], the boat was checked in the waters by heards [sic] of buffaloes and there [sic] calves fording the river . . . My Father coming up some months before Mother. I (Mary) was born in St. Louis, 1878-3-3 and the first white child coming to Belmont, Mrs. Elizabeth Wilkenson Fletcher Forlander, next, Lawrence Welch found my baby shoe on the road to Belmont. The Indians and white mens [sic] scalps were met traveling by stage from Fort Benton to Old Silver, 300 miles, a place 6 miles below Marysville. Swamps and beaver dams were first where Marysville was built afterwards. Penobscot, Empire, Gloster, Mt. Plesant [sic] and Belmont were the mines working. My Father was an engineer in the first 5 stamp mill built in Mary’le by Thos. Cruse. T. Cruse came here clad poorly riding a black horse from California 49 yrs. ago. Mother did his washing & baking, he used to fondle me and call me Mamie. Father had a claim on the Drum Lumond [sic] hill he sold for $12,500 in about 1889 . . .
Later, Mary added the following three sentences at the top of the page:
Mother rode 300 miles on stage from Ft Benton to old Silver City. Heavy sand bars delayed the boat for days. The boat was the “Rose Bud”.[2. Click here for additional research in this blog on the Rose Bud.]
And also this entry at the top of another page:
Mother came to Belmont July-7-1879 & so did Wallace Burkhead from St. Louis, MO. and myself, 12 mos. old.