The Bozeman courier., 1927-10-07
DODSON VISITS COMRADES GRAVES
H. 58 YEARS AFTER indian MASSACRE

two east of the river. Some wild |
rosebushes at the foot of a knoll !
marked the graves west Of the river. /
Mr.. Dodson, accompanied by Mr..
Rea and Mrs. c. L. Anceney and her
son, Charles, came over from Boze-
man Sunday to locate the graves. Mr.
Rea is interested in raising funds for
markers, and states that several
Bozeman people have offered to sub
scribe to the fund.
The spot where Horace Noell and
Sam Moore We're buried is said to be
at the foot of knoll about a quar-
ter mile directly west of the Grannis
! school house, The field is cultivated
up to the foot of the knoll, and an ir-
rlgatiOn ditch follows around the hill
about where the graves were placed.
The rosebushes have been destroyed
with the passing of time, and no trace
OF the graves was found, although
Mr.. Rea said he knew he was stand
ing within 20 feet Of where they
were. 1t is hoped someone may be
found who remembers the graves. .
The graves of Frank Leonard and
Jack McDaniels are located about a
quarter mile east of the highway in
a field on the Bonnell ranch. The
field is under cultivation, but the To-
cation of the graves has been pre-
served.
! When the party returned to Liv-
lngston and Mr.. Dodson was furnish
ing information for this story he
stated that so far as he knows he is
the only man living who had any
connection with the camping party. A
lew years ago one of the men, a
Frenchman, resided in Butte, but he
is believed to be dead.
This is the first time / have Wis
, tied the spot since / started walking
. to Fort Ellis. that March evening in
, 1869" said Mr.. Dodson. "Visiting the
scene of our camp and the graves ot
i Leonard and McDaniels for the first
, time, 90 years after the massacre
r brings to me peculiar feeling which
2 cannot express in words"
= Mr.. DOdson came from England II
1852, and spent three years at Deca
] tur, Ill, during which he was EN-
4 ployed in railroad work. He thel
4 went to Kansas, and came to Montan:
!, In 1866, first spending some six weeks
g at Fort G. F. Smith near Hardin. H,
= arrived in Bozeman October 8, 1856
n With the exception Of 1875 to 1879
r When he lived at Walla Walla, Wash
q and the following year in various
e Montana cities, he has resided il
Bozeman ever since. He was in tn
hotel business from 1880 to 1883 il
r BoZeman and then entered the mer
S camille business, from which he re
i tired about 20 years ago.
i Mr.. Dodson resides with his sol
Y Philip G. DOdsOn, at Bozeman.
n Mr.. Dodson says that while campe
e on the Shields river in 1869 he pu1
chased a small notebook from Fran
a Leonard. Mr.. Leonard called his al
r tentiOn to the address of his fathe
e on the flyleaf with the remark ths
a he would like to have Mr.. Dodso
? notify his father in case anythin
p happened to him. The massacre OF
n Cured shortly afterwards and M
le Dodson wrote the father, who mad
k further inquiries from the command
l. ing officer at Fort Ellis. The son
n remains were left in the grave in til
4 Bpnnell field, however.
ri 80
lie Both Mr.. Dodson's employers
le that time are dead.
I'd Mr.. Coover sold out to his partne
< Perry w. Meadow and went to Cal
le fornia. While searching for a go
in mine there he disappeared and W;
n. never heard from again. Mr.. Nj
he AdOw died in Kentucky some tv
years ago. 1t is said Meadow
brother still lives somewhere in Cal
IS, fornia.
ne
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