The Kalispell bee. [volume] (Kalispell, Mont.) 1901-1901, 1901-07-10
THE OLDEST
OLD timer
OF the Flathead Country Goes
East to Die Comfortably
THIRTY YEARS AGO
He Settled in this County-Traded with
Indians and Raised Horses
aud Cattle.
THIRTY YEARS AGO.

Harry berne, the first white man
that settled in this part of Montana,
left last night for his future home at
Davenport, la. He was accompanied
on his journey by o. G. Cornish.
Mr.. Berne came to what is now
known as Flathead county, but was
then called the Blackfoot country, in
1866, but did not locate here perma-
nent until 1872. coming here on May
8, of that year. He located on the
east side of the Flathead river about
10 miles east of the present site of
alispell. At the time the nearest
other whites were at Missoula.
Shortly after his arrival here he was
joined by Valentine Combs, an uncle
of Andrew Hammond, of the Missoula
Mercantile company of Missoula.
They engaged in the stock business,
paying $50 head for yearling steers.
They were afterward joined by An
drew Hammond, one of the present
members of the NJ. M. Co., who work.
ed for them. Mr.. Combs afterwards
went to Missoula and engaged in the
mercantile business.
Berne remained on the ranch, MAX
ing occasional trips to Missoula, but
never went out OF the state since his
arrival here. He traded with the In.
ior yh0 hNr in, Low
bers, but never had any difficulty with
them.
Mr.. Berne was born in Ireland in
1916, coming to America in 1912, land
ing at Philadelphia. He worked for a
farmer for IS a month for time and
afterward went to the coal fields,
where he remained for ten years. At
tracted by the gold excitement in Cali
fornia he left Pennsylvania and was
in San Francisco in 1853, going from
there to the diggings at Table noun
tain.
He had five claims at that place pay
ing an assessment of 500 month on
each. The ground was rich and paid
good for awhile but when they began
to give out he sold them. He pros.
pected at different points in Caiifor-
mia until 1862, when he went to tile
Frazer river country in British Column
bia. From there he prospected
through Washington, Oregon and liza
no, landing in Missoula in 1865 and
then returned to California. He re.
NAMED in that state until 1879 AM
again started on respecting trip to
the north. reachiay Missoula in the
(: ring of 1872 an! coming here in
t." same year.
His experiences in the early days
W, uld be interesting, but owing tn his
aG1 anced age he ranbl".; somewhat
ii his talk. making it impossible tn
get connected stn'' from him. One
rh neer incident he expaliateu upon,
the punishment melted out to thieves
in the mining camps of California in
the early days was summary and eff.
fective. If not shot the culprit was
made to "shag the cannon" AS ex-
planned by Mr.. Berne, this consisted OF
he thief being stripped and his hands
lied around a log or stump A hand
saw was then used as a whip and a
given number Of t1ows given on the
hacked back with the jagged teeth of
the same. Salt was then thrown in tho
wounds and the victim given so many
hours to leave camp.
Mr.. Berne will make his future
home at Davenport, Iowa. where his
brother resides. He has disposed OF
his property here and will not return
to Montana again.