The Daily Missoulian., 1912-08-23
HISTORY or PLAINS
. SET FORTH
MRS, MARY BOYER WRITES IN.
TEREsTlNGLy OF SETTLEMENT
or SANDERS COUNTY.

tultWt AuEs GA.-- ltNIt'NttitJ ut W.
lowing story Of the early history OF
Plains was written by Mrs. Mary
Boyer. pioneer resident Of the city
and the first white woman settler OF
the county now living. Mrs. Boyer
expected to attend the pioneers re-
union. but being unable to he present
has sent the story to be read at the
meeting. The story:
In 1864 Charles kimbel came to
Horse Plains and settled on the ranch
now owned by Mrs James Crossen.
Mr. kimbcl. having trouble with the
Indians, was killed by them In 1867.
During his short stay here he made
his living by trading furs with the
Indians and selling them to the Hud-
son Bay company. He was the first
man to plant seeds and raise potatoes.
In 1866 w. A. Clark and Warren
Witcher obtained a contract to carry
mall from Missoula to Walla Walla,
but on account of other business
matters he, w A. Clark, could not
look after the mail himself. so turned
the contract over to his brother. ] Is.
Clark, who came to the valley In 1866
and located the now famous ranch
owned by Mrs Lizzie Lynch. He was
the first to prove that any kind of
grain and the tenderest Of vegetables
could be raised here. He also was
the first postmaster and the postoffice
was located on his ranch in a little
log cabin. This j. X Clark referred
10 above was brother of Senator
Clark. and an uncle to Walter Clark.
who lost his life on the great Titanic.
The first white man with family
Ia settle in Plains was ]. w Patrick.
who came here In 1868. and lived In a
log cabin on ranch now owned by
j. +. Mathews. His family consisted
of himself. his wife, two sons and two
daughters. This j. W, Patrick was
also postmaster During his term Of
office tho postoffice was located In
his home. Selling his squatter's right
to Neptune Lynch In 1878, he left with
his family for Frenchtown.
Mr.. Lynch who IN TO this time had
been living on the kimhcl place. then
settled on the Patrick place and raised
melons. tomatoes and even peanuts
The first year he lived there he planted
apple trees. which we're purchased
from Jerry Fay. who brought them
from Walia Walla on pack mules. The
growing of apples here at that time
was called "Fay's Folly" Neptune
Lynch came to Montana In 1866. stay
ing for some time in the vicinity Of
Helena but finally, in 1870, settling
In Horse Plains. where he. his wife.
one son. and youngest daughter are
buried. He Is survived by one son,
Charles Lynch. OF kalispel and one
daughter. the writer. Mrs. Mary Boyer.
who. with Andy Lansing. II. +. Bow
man and Horace Edwards, are now the
only real pioneers in Sanders county
since the death OF our venerable Henry
Edgar
our first school was taught in the
family home of Harry Mccormick by
his wife. there being an attendance Of
10 children. small Catholic church.
built by Father Van Corp was the first
place OF worship The first store of
any Importance was built and stocked
by Eddy Hammond & Co. now the
Missoula Mercantile company. Later
the store was sold 10 Charley Lynch
and John McDermaid They were
finally succeeded by Neptune Lynch,
Jr.
In 1888 ]. A. MCGOWAN came here
with handful of merchandise which
has grown into the MCGOWAN Com
mercial company, now tho largest store
between Missoula and Spokane. Mr..
MCGOWAN died year ago.
During all these pioneer days there
was practically no trouble with the
Indians. except nj the time Of the Nez
Perce war from 1s76-7s. and then IL
was almost impossible 10 live here
In 1884 the name of Horse Plains
was changed by the postmaster general
TO Plains
II permitted | may say that since
1854 Horse Plains, with Mr.. Kimbel as
the lone settler. has grown 10 be "A
beautiful little city, with electric lights,
high pressure water works, cement
sidewalks and most of the modern
conveniences that we have In city
From the first potatoes planted by
Mr. Kimbel we have very fine ones
and ship them 10 eastern markets by
the carload. From one lone postoffice
with J. k. Clark as postmaster. the
growth Of the county now demands
several salaried offices. From a mule
load of "Fay's Folly apple trees have
grown many commercial orchards that
for quality and quantity cannot be ex-
celled. From the first school taught
In the home OF Harry Mccormick by
his wife, there has sprung as fine a
school system as there Is in the state.
with $4,000 brick schoolhouse that
employs eight instructors, Besides the
Catholic church there are three
Protestant churches. From the store
owned and stocked by Eddy Ham
tnond 4 Co, we now have several
really large mercantile establishments
and In most of them we can buy any
article from paper OF pins 10
steam plow. One thing which boomed
Plains WAS tho opening of the Flat
head reservation and as Plains Is the
gateway TO that reserve, we will In
the near future have city here OF
some Importance. One of the recent
improvements at Plains is tho steel
wagon bridge that spans the Clarks
Fork river, the longest bridge In the
state. Also here is where the great
automobile road crosses the Clarks
Fork.
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