The Dickinson press., 1915-09-11
HISTORY
:: OF MCKENZIE CO,
ATTORNEY GEO. F. SHAFER
WRITES INTERESTINGLY OF
CROW-FLY-HIGH OF HIS
COUNTY.
Weaves in Names of Many Former
Dickinson Residents. Story of
Bird Head Cattle Co. Told.

ings of early days in Mckenzie
ty, the same having appeared last
week in the Schafer Record.
In speaking of early cowboys in the
country north in the installment pub
,lished last week the writer might we'll
have included the name of O. r.
Meyer, senior member Of the Benzie
Drug Co. of Dickinson.
The letter this week has to do with
the early history of the Bird Head
ranch (near the present site of Alex
ander) and tells something of the
Indians of the Berthold reservation.
In reciting early history of the set
Element of the Shafer family, mention
is made of Billy Benson, well known
in Dickinson in the nineties and be-
fore; also Of the Diehm family, for
merly residents of Stark county, at
Dickinson and Richardton.
. The historical story follows:
With the exception of the ranch
just referred to, all of the ranches,
large and small, operated on the
few miles of the home ranch and of
providing shelter and feed for their
cows, calves and young stock during
the winters. Most of the larger ones
had what were called cow-camps, or
summer-places, where the cattle were
taken in the summe time in order
that grazing near the home ranch
might be in better condition for fall
and winter pasturage. The second
largest ranch in the county, the Morn
ing Star Cattle Co., Familiarity known
as the Birdhead outfit, did business
on this plan. It was organized in
1893 by J. M. Uhlman, Jaynes Bros,
and others from Wisconsin. The
home ranch was situated near the
mouth of Timber Creek, in the valley
of the Missouri. The ranch was first
built in 1891 by Stroud Bros. of
Texas, who engaged in the cattle
business there for two years. At the
end of that time they sold out to
Landers and Green, who in turn, dis
posed of their interests to the Morn
ing Star Cattle Co. The manager of
this ranch and the man who was re-
sponsible for it's early success, was j..
M. ,Uhlman. Subsequently the Bird
Head ranch became the property of
w. L. Richards and Frank Banks.
The principal ranchers in Mckenzie
county, outside of the ones mentioned
during the years between 1884-1900,
we're owned by Daniel Manning,
Brooks Goodall, Geo. Bacon, Frank
Banks, Jay Grantier, Townsend Bros,
Noble Bros, Stroud Bros, Cartwright
& Sons, Frank Poe, R. B. Gore and
Chas. ~Shafer.- =
to have been stationed on the Ber-
k1.~1I D~,z.r-~- l,,+ %l1x, lSl o0f
by any means stay there. They were
not hostile, but exceedingly arrogant
and ~overbearing. It was their Gus
tom during their earlier years, to
visit new settlers and give them so
many hours in which to leave the
country. The famous old chief,
Crow-Fl High, took great pleasure
in thus intimidating the white people.
He actually did succeed in causing
some Of the more weak-hearted ones
to seek other locations. AS a pre-
text for ordering the settlers out of
the country, the old chief always
claimed that the reservation extended
over all of the territory now included
in Mckenzie county and ne amount of
evidence OF. argument could convince
him of the contrary. AS a matter Of
fact he knew better than any n else
where the boundary line actually was.
While these Indians outwardly ap-
peared to be bold and dangerous, in
reality, they were cowardly and HARM
| less. These Indians had the reputa-
ton of being the most cowardly tribe
| in the west. A few illustrations will
| give some idea of their tendency to
threaten and their lack of courage to
| carry out their threats. When Chas.
| Shafer first established his hunting
camp at the present county seat, in
1884, he was waited upon by Crow
Fly-High, and given to understand
| that he had to leave the region at
once. His demand was promptly
refused. Whereupon the chief depart
ed in a. great rage, threatening to
return at sunrise the next morning
| with two hundred warriors and that
should the hunter be found there at
that time he would be scalped. Crow
Fy-High did not put in an appear
ance for many weeks and when he
did return he came alone and with
a meek request for something to eat
twas also their habit to leave the
reservation without authority, and
to camp along the rivers all summer
for the purpose Of hunting deer since
the game supply m the reservation
was exhausted. This was very de-
structive of game, since the killing
went on during the breeding season
Shafer was determined to put an enc
to this practice. After securing al
appointment as special gamewarden
he succeeded in putting them al
|kback on the reservation without an!
assistance other than the seal Of hi
authority. For many years after
wards it was the custom of the In
DIAN, agent at Berthold to allow la
Indians a couple of weeks leave O.
absence from the reservation during
tie fall Of. each year, in order :
ggYe them an opportunity to hunt. s.
treat was their respect for the sea
With which Mr.. Shafer was equipped
thai invariably they came TO tn!
3gdne warden for permission to hun
within his territory. The writer wei
remembers these many occasions an,
waAthe recipient Of many presents il
I l. &I.r r. nE|of E ~ 1oooc E4 h., n1vo1,s,