Drumlummon Mine

Inside the Drumlummon Mine

~ Lark ~ Leave a comment

Here’s an interesting photo taken from inside the Drumlummon Mine in Marysville. My great grandfather, George Schenk, is the man with his back to the camera.

Although the photo is not dated, it must have been taken prior to October 1915, since George died on October 31, 1915. And comparing it to other photos from Mary’s collection that appear similar in quality, I would date this photo in the late 1890s or early 1900s.

The photo back reads as follows:

1 Geo Schenk stooping
2 Alick Burrell
3 Nick Murphy.

in Drumlum-
mon mine
Marysville
Montana

 

Drumlummon Mine

~ Lark ~ Leave a comment
Drum Lummond_my daddy
Courtesy of the Montana Historical Society, “Mary Gertrude Schenck Shaffer Riordan Photograph Collection”. Click image to enlarge in a new window.

This is an interesting photo of the men who worked at the Drumlummon Mine in Marysville in 1894.  The photo is not indexed on the back but Mary’s daughter, my grandmother Georgiana Frances Schenk Dalin, did identify her father, “George Schenck“, on the front.  He would have only been 16 or 17 years old at the time this photo was taken and had already worked in mines since he was 13 or 14 years old.The photo back reads:

Drum Lummon Miners

Taken in 1894

Marysville Mont.

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1903 – Steam shovel at Drumlummon Mine

~ Lark

Front and back of “steam shovel” photo –

1903 railyard photo

 

railyard photo_Page_2

Back of photo reads:

1903 – Steam shovel at Drum Lummond syanite [sic] [1] below Marysville

1 – Mike Dobler in white shirt 35 yrs ago

2 –

3 – Wm W. Rumping

4 – Angus McKillican

5 –

6 –

7 –

8 –

Notes:

 [1] Syenite is an uncommon “coarse-grained intrusive igneous rock with a general composition similar to that of granite, but deficient in quartz”.  It occurs in only a few places in North America, including Montana.  Click here for more information.

Also, I noticed the words “Montana Mining” on the side of the steam shovel and assumed it was probably “Montana Mining Co.”  I did a little research and learned that Montana Mining Company Ltd., a British corporation, operated the Drumlummon Mine from 1882 to 1911 (per the Montana Historical Society).

George Schenk, Mary’s 1st husband

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1897 G Schenk
George Schenk circa 1897. Mary G. Rumping Schenk Schaffer Riordan Photograph and Personal Papers Collection. ©J. P. Ball & Son

George Schenk (sometimes spelled Schenck) was born September 29, 1877 in Houghton, Michigan, the son of John Frederick Schenk and Katherine “Kate” Ziegler.  When George was 6 years old, his father died and Kate was left to raise George and his seven siblings, ranging in age from 9 months to 14 years old, on her own. By at least 1887, and possibly as early as 1885, Kate moved with the children to Belmont Township, Montana.  By age 10, George was working in hard rock mines as a water carrier.

Mary and George married on September 29, 1899, and had five children between 1901 and 1914.  They lived in Marysville, Montana, where George worked primarily in the Drumlummon Mine.  After suffering from tuberculosis of the lungs for two years, George died October 31, 1915 – at the young age of 38. He is buried in the Marysville cemetery, together with his baby daughter Valentine.

Mary was 37 years old when George died and their children ranged in age from 5 to 14 years old.