The Wolf Point herald. (Wolf Point, Mont.) 1913-1940, 1929-06-07
LAST RITES
HANK USK
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trouble and complications. ant
during the last few weeks it was
known that his condition was very
serious. Had he lived until June
10, he would have been sixty-foul
years old.
The son of pioneering parents
he was the product of frontier
days, and learned to ride and rope
almost as early as he could sit
in the saddle, and when he was
a young man his feats in roping
and Craftsmanship were the talk
of the range.
Born in Washington
He was born near Walla Walla.
Washington, the son of James f.
and Alta (Hayworth) Cusker and
was one of twelve children. Be
fore he was 81 years of age he left
home to become a cowboy with
the Home Land and Cattle Com
pany whose brand vas the famous
N Bar N. Owners of this outfit
We're the Neidrighaus Brothers, st.
Louis capitalists. He joined their
organization at Walla Walla and
came to Montana with a bunch
of their cattle. They had a ranch
on Prairie Elk creek and another
near Jordan. He broke horses
for the concern and served at vari-
Gus times as wagon boss and fore
man, and he rode the range from
the Canadian line to the Yellow
stone. He spent eight years with
the N Bar N outfit and two seasons
with the FUF outfit.
A Noted Rider
During these years his fame as
a rider and roper spread. In Tom
Stout's history of Montana is
found this reference to his skill:
while Mr.. Cusker was never
the Wild West show, some
of his feats as a rider were the
sensation of the northwestern
country and equalled if not ex-
celled anything done by the per-
formers in that show. While with
he home cattle outfit, he and a
companion took a bunch Of
1ronchos and steers to the Min
State fair and entered the
riding staged as part of
he program. There he gave an
of breaking and riding
Ill kinds of horses, roping and
icing stunts, which were easily
he center of interest AT the fair
md one of the first exhibitions of
he kind in the country. Later at
stock meeting in Miles City he
lid exhibition riding. The fea
ure that made him winner of a
,rize was picking up quirts lying
n the ground while his horse was
at full speed. Another
Iorseman behind him was whip
Cusker's mount with a buggy
Whip, and Cusker not only had to
manage his animal but had to pick
p a quirt every rs yards"
Then there was the story of the
unning fight with a bear which
.rmed the basis of a humorous
tory about 80 years ago by w. T..
.Iornaday.
Opens a Ranch
Following his cowboy days Mr..
homesteaded about nine
niles southwest of Wolf Point,
art of Dawson county then, and
here developed a large stock and
Italia ranch, where about twelve
ears g he built a commodious
leven room house. He raised a !
ne herd of Shorthorn cattle, but
he raising of thoroughbred horses
ad claimed his chief interest. He
aised Belgian draft horses for the
larket, and had a fine string of
acing horses raised and trained :
n his farm. Among these were
'ome First and Come Through
hitch have taken a great many
in racing events.
Married
In February. 1904 at Poplar, he
Miss Grace Kimmel who
ad come out from Mt. Vernon.
|. to teach. Six children were
orn to them, all of whom, with
leir mother survive. They are l
/. Jay, Ray, Roy. Clyta. Gertrude
nd Erma. -Four brothers and
,ur sisters also are left. They
re Sig and Myra Cusker and =
RS. William Pipal of Wolf Point,
of Poplar. George of Gar
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