Belt Valley times. [volume] (Armington, Mont.) 1894-1977, 1926-08-26
OUT.
VALLEY PIONEER
CROSSES OVER

AS@Ass~nt VI AFA4Ah4# N4A ana a 84oGA
uaan IN the Judith Easln prewions e
that died 1t the ranch home on Mon,
day morning last after a long and
painful illness from which he ap.
peared to be recovered for a short
time only to lose out in the final
struggle.
Mr.. Hay was 70 years of age and
was born in Fergus, Ontario, in Feb
.rlary 1853. He Is survived by two
brothers, George and Charles w.
Hay Of Great Falls, two sisters, Mrs.
John Grove Of Belt and Mrs. John
Scott of Great Falls.
His Widow was Miss Isabel Nc
Kenzie before her marriage TO Mr..
Hay, To this union was born four
SONS, Kenneth W. Hay, now an in
surance man Of ST. Mary's, Idaho,
A. G. Gerry Hay now at Fort Prov
idence, Canada; Edgar M. who has
been home from the far north for a
year and has been preparing to re-
turn this week and Lorne S. who is
in San Francisco.
The Hays have resided at Arming-
ton for s3 years and their sons, after
completing the grades, have been
attendants at the Belt High School
from which two of them are gradu.
ates.
In early days A. G. Hay and his
brother, John, went into the sheep
business and in the early eighties
were associated with Paris Gibson in
that business near the mouth Of OF
ter Creek.
In 1892, Mr.. Hay was elected
county commissioner and served one
term at same time as George Ellis
of Great Falls
Some interesting side-Iights upon
his life are given in the tribune on
Tuesday morning which says
Mr.. Hay before his death often
told Of an occasion when the three
partners camped on a hill overlook
ing the present site Of Great Falls.
You can go on with the sheep
business. Mr.. Hay quoted Mr.. Glib
son as saying. as he pointed to the
exact location of the pesent city.
''but I'm going down there and star.
a city" Mr.. Gibson soon retired from
the sheep business and concentrated
his efforts on building the city.
While encamped at Wolf Creek OF
the same trip, the Hays and Gibson
were joined by another man. who
made his camp beside them. The
following morning the newcomer was
building fire when a party Of vigi-
lantes from Helena reached the camp
and promptly hanged the stranger
to the nearest tree.
Pioneer Dry Farmer
In 1892 Mr.. Hay was elected county
commissioner. One year later he
moved to Arlington where he en-
gagged in farming and stock raising.
He was pioneer in dry land farming
in this section and is credited with
having introduced the first steam
tractor and combine harvester in
northern Montana"
It can hardly be said that the death
of Mr.. Hay was unexpected to his
family who had watched the ravages
of disease until his strength was un-
dermined The boys had recently,
gained their fathers consent to the
sale of the stock and equipment Of
the ranch and had planned that
their parents should spend their de-
clining years in the comfort Of a
city home.
The Hays were of adventurous
blood, of Scotch ancestry, and among
their relatives are some of the best J
people in Ontario. AS young men
the Hay brothers drifted west through 9
Canada and because it promised 7
quicker Development they cast their .
lot with Montanans long before Mon I
tana was a state.
ms adventurous blood seems TO
have been transformed to the sons.
one Of whom is now 1900 miles north
Of the End of Steel IN Saskatchewan !
and another has been in Montana for 2
= number Of months disposing Of .
large amount Of valuable fur which !
he, Edgar, and his brother, Gerry,
had trapped in the soIitudes of Artie 6
canads q
To this blood Of pioneer ancestors \
Was added that trait Of business in G
'egrity and reliability which almost p
always goes with the first
Mr. Hay was liked and respected
y his neichbors and numerous nc
Iuaintances throughout the state. He el