The circle banner. [volume] (Circle, Mont.) 1914-1939, 1924-10-17

Montana. owen had served under
General Scott in the Mexican war,
campaigning from Vera Cruz TO
/ Mexico City. Further details OF the
Jump in his life from the army 10
Z The wil6S OF Montana are being work
ed on by Nj DunbSr and the war
department historians AT Washing
TON. M. Dunbar has been unable.
50 far 70 account Tor Ovens -ea-
sons for coming NJ far north OF the
regular route ID California and set
ding n what Vas then : vast nil
6erEsSS At any rate Owen first
srrslrs IN his journals As an Indian
trader z-1 seems 70 have Won speed
1ly Ehs sSlss- Of al the Surr0un :
tribes O-s Of Ovens closest
friends vas EsezC-, the great chief Of
11s E-a-AssES, whose grandson Is
LIVING Cz tEs reservation At present
CEaz took Al Indian Er1 named
NEzCF 5o- his wife and ne StCE- 0f
LIS LsT1-z11 zz5 happiness Is Ike :
1szE zr-Z z-C2 2 John R0l6e-Poes-
Ea1s 1sEzz NzzT died zouE
1855 ard Cw2s grief and 1s e
1-r'E II ms E5E- gzrs ara 81 down
IL VIZ Is II Ds--s great amir
s-1-1 IN Ia ~
AE1uE1 1l5 w2g1- -Es 1E 116
-E=-au5 =ZErszs Tsre og1ti1u-
ET s-E.HE=z IT z-1zE II the re-
E1l II E111 Cw2- t1s 50E1 vas al
1EEEsz U11F C-1a- his ire z band
II I-z-5s-[1F SAKE IEL1z1E from 2
1lz-snI=. rZs1s5 1Ee ECrI and killed
Els q Owens Zzz
Vas Car In the Bitter Root.
VILE Il IKE fOr1 Gwen lived ike
cr HIS word was law He dis
E,alss5 rr5-z1tTe justice and lavish
z-,EE5-sl5-T. W1zls E1s provisions held
g--- Daring the log winter Ovens
s-vV-1zaz- wOz15 nm ont and the en-
srT. No More 1Ies-. would be writ
-s- Il his 65srT. Al al times, he
wzs Ike Z Tsrits de Santa Claus TO
1Ls ELzE1szds and the Blackfeet,
WIG would gather around the fort
n Derzz15-g Weather and await the
5estCwsl q food and blankets upon
tls1 The BIackfset and Flat
Lsads were extremely hostile 10 one
another, and Inadvertently gather
Il Il the same time on one occasion
Ovens influence kept peace, how
ever.
Made Trips to Coast.
Several times q year Owen would
make I'd z pack train and disappear
in the wilderness, going 10 distant
destinations 70 obtain needed sup
plies. The fort had attracted other
settlers who come and established
their homes outside it. Many of
these people are fathers and grand
fathers Of people who now reside in
MissOula and SteYensville and Bitter
Root valley people. To supply these
settlers with provisions, Owen had to
make long and daring trips to the
Pacific coast settlements, through
unknown country infested with hos
tile Indians. He would be welcomed
back after many months, his pack
train loaded with ammunition, cloth
ing, axes, and kettles and other need
ed materials.
Used His Own Ink.
Owens accounts of these trips,
written in ink he made himself,
tell Of getting lost in the countless
mazes of uncharted mountains. At
one time he and his wife, Nancy,
became separated and were without
food and water for several days.
They finally found each other and
and managed to pull through.
Flour at rs cents pound. That
is one of the prices quoted by Major
Owen, who after the settlers arrived,
ground their flour for them in the
first commercial grist mill in Mon
tana. These facts and countless
others relating to the changes in
Montana from an absolute wilderness
to civilized region are contained
in the diary.
Owen, with a wide knowledge of
the country, was called upon by the
engineers of the Northern Pacific
railroad in 1868, when it became
known that railroad would be put
through, and gave valuable informa-
ton about the routes and general
geography of the country.
The final years of the great pr
oneer were darkened by a great sad
ness. After Nancy died, his keen
mind relaxed and he lost his gener-
al grip on things. Gradually his
mind became clouded. This fact does
not show in his journal, which con-
tinued until 1871. In his later years
Major Owen was cared for by the |