The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1918-01-06

that OF the adventures OF Peter Tho
mander, pioneer off western Montana
who passed from this life at an early
hour on the morning of December %
at his ranch home in the Bitter Root
valley. near Victor.
It is a long bark back to April II,
1888, when the baby Peter first opened
his eyes in Lund. Sweden, amid the
poverty and hardships Of the time. He
gained the rudiments OF education in
his own home, meager as it was. a
trial at sea life at the age Of Is disil-
lusioned young Peters fondest dreams.
Then the opportunities of Denmark
came as a mirage across the horizon,
but after a season of virtual slavery in
the employ. of a demanding taskmas-
ter, he made his way back to Sweden
after an absence of five years.
Embarks for America.
In the early sixties many Scandi-
navtans who were converts to Mormon
faith were emigrating to the United
States, and Mr.. Thomander decided to
risk his fortune with them in the new
world. In May, 1862, at the age OF
"a, he landed in New York. But his
destination was Salt Lake City. the
Zion" Of the Rockies out by the great
American desert. From New York he
journeyed by rail, by way of Chicago,
Quincy and st. Joseph to Florence, Ne
braska. Here he, with many others of
his countrymen, were compelled to
wait several weeks for the arrival of
a wagon-train from Salt Lake. 1t was
the middle of July before they were
ready to embark on the long, tiresome
trip Of 10 weeks across the plains.
There We're two trains. each consisting
of 62 wagons. heavily loaded, and $50
yoke of oxen. Every able bodied man
who Joined this overland train was
given the privilege Of walking all the
way to Salt Lake City. where they
arrived on the first day Of October. And
for his board and the delivery of his
scanty supply of baggage each foot
man was assessed some 40 odd dollars
by the captain.
ese Al aAsss v sss~ea.s.4s
Otsappointnents Await.
A few months in Zion sufficed for
many Of these new arrivals from Ei-
rope to gather at first hand the truth
regarding the conduct of affairs there.
They very soon realized that extreme
hardship lay before them; for they had
sAstANS" oAh0uuCAp at liiC bSSjliHlISs VI
winter. The hope inspired by the mag
nified reports from the paradise of
the new world, which had induced these
honest people to leave the dear home
land, was soon displaced by a regret
that they had ever beiield the land of
Utah.
In 1864 Mr.. Thomander with others
settled in the southern part of the
Tor t1,SrS
they were beginning to get fairly we'll
established, the Indians went on the
warpath. and the settlement was brokf
en- up and scattered. He next took up
his residence In the little town of
Ephraim, 100 miles south OF Salt Lake
City, where he learned the cabinet
makers trade, at which work he spent
most of his time for the next 10 years
Times Are Distressing.
On september 2, 1875, Mr.. Thoman-
der married Miss Hannah Pereson, who
had come to America about two years
previous to her marriage. Miss PEREZ
son, also a native OF Sweden, was born
May Is, iS43. at Christianstad, few
miles distant from MIR. Thomander's
native town.
In those days times were awfully
hard in Utah. Both food and merchan-
disc were very scarce. And had they
been plentiful, there was little money
with which to purchase them. Neces-
sites for the home were obtained, al
most invariably. by bartering products
Of the soil or labor Flour was made in
the crudest ways, for gristmills We're
few and widely separated. Many a
time did Mrs. Thomander gather wheat
from the field, thrash and clean it by
hand. and make 1t into bread.
The year 1877 found them in Maiad
City, Idaho, which section they found
even more destitute than Utah. The
two years following they merely exist
ed. For an axe. a saw and pound of
coffee Mr.. Thomander paid all the
money he had been able to accumulate
In two years.
For some time favorable reports re-
garding the Bitter Root valley had
been reaching the remoter settlements
of the west. and in July, 1879, Mr.. and
Mrs. Thomander decided to try their
lot in this, the Ileasantest valley in
Montana. Four hundred miles of
rough, mountain road lay between them
and the present town Of Hamilton. With
today's improved highways and our
modern means of travel 400 miles
through the Rockies is not only an
inconsiderable trip. but "A real pleasure
TO a man and his family. But such a
journey IS years ago with an ox-team
was a very different undertaking. when
it is remembered that hostile Indians
infested the woods and road agents
haunted the routes Of the overland
stage. Clusters massacre was but three
years past. and the Battle Of the Big
Hole. over which sacred field the route
would lead them, was stili 50 recent
that remains of gone OF the victims Of
that bloody fight were still in evil
dence
Start Hazardous Journey.
Mr.. Thomander was a man of deci-
sion. and his little wife woman of
resolution. Mutually, they had one
purpose--to create q home where they
might live contentediy and raise their
family. The Bitter Root valley seemed
TO offer this opportunity.
A few implements, provisions cook