The Western news. [volume] (Libby, Mont.) 1933-current, 1934-12-27
Tells Of
Early Xmases
In Montana
White Men Celebrated Day
In This Territory AS
Early as 1907.
FEASTING AND
MERRY MAKING

STATE UNIVERSITY, nj S 0 u a,
Mont, Dec 24LTradition of more than
hundred white mans Christmasses'
was reviewed here today and found
robust in optimism and healthy in out
look for the new year,
There is an indomitable purpose
and cheerful, forward looking spirit in
Montana's Christmases that seems pc
culiar to mountain peoples Prof. Paul
c. Phillips of the history faculty at the
State University explained as he riffled
the pages of manuscript of his forth
coming book on fur trade in the North
west
From the first white mans Christ
mas in Montana, in 1907, when Manuel
Lisa. and John Coulter celebrated at Big
Horn-yes in measure today-Christ-
mas has been a time of merry making
and thanksgiving, but more particularly
a time of planning for bigger achieve
ment in the approaching year.
Look he suggested, reaching to
shelf for the journal of David Thomp
son, official geographer and explorer for
the Northwest company.
Thompson established Mullyspell
House on the Pend d'Oreille lake in the
early fall of 1909 On November 2, he
started up the Clark Fork river, along
the Seleesh buffalo road to the present
Thompson Falls and established another
trading post called Saleesh or Flathead
House
DAY by day, his journal tells of
drizzling rain, mild temperatures, and
hunger because of difficult hunting.
Late in the month the Flatheads re-
turned from the buffalo country with
ample food supplies.
Here it is-the entry of December
"a, 1909: Mean temperature plus Al.
And the comment How different from
the east side Of the mountains, where
the largest rivers and the lakes have
now thick ice on them Each year OF
his journal finds summarizing OF hope
for the new year
Wife Walks Out.
and this one-He reached for the
journal of Major John Owen of Fort
Owen, now Stevensville. "Mm-m-m--
December rs, 1854-Mr. Burrs Snake
wife left Nothing more until December
81 when he wrote. Christmas is over
and gone the year too. We had quite
Merry time. Mince pies and cakes that
would have done credit to table in
a more civilized part OF the world.
There was but one thing to mar our
pleasure and that was the departure OF
Mr.. Burr's wife who left his bed and
board without just and sufficient prov
ocation. Most of the past month
the weather has been quite unpleasant,
not on account of the severity OF the
cold or snow but the general blustery
time
Owen made great celebration OF
Christmas time The next year found
no entries for the Christmas week for
Owen until December 31-perhaps with
good reason-then he writes Sufficient
brandy for punches and mince pies
which were got up in very good style.
'Mm-m-m - 1861, The Christmas
week has passed and we wind up the
holidays with a party tonight. In fact
it has been nothing but dancing and
Teasing for the last past ten nights
Here's what | mean about optimism
Granville Stuart's winter at Dillon IN
1857. Captain Grant invited Reece An
derson, Ross, James Stuart, Jacob Meek,
and myself to dine with him. The menu
consisted Of buffalo meat boiled
smoked tongue, bread, dried fruit, a
preserve made from choke cherries,
and coffee. This was an elaborate din
ner. Supplies were scarce and hard to
get, and most of us were living on meat
straight
Later he tells of 10 men under B
f. Ficklin who arrived January | on
their way to Fort Bridger for cattle
They were compelled to eat some OF
their horses on the way, as indeed die
some of the mountaineers, game being
very scarce.
"Of course, the high point of Christ
mas. in 1863 in Virginia City was the
hanging by Vigilantes of George I've.
not particularly festive, perhaps, hu
they seemed to think the town woule
be better off the next year.
Nov, Warren "A. Ferris, whose jour.
nal I'm preparing for the press, had ;
blythe attitude. He spent Christmas 0
1883 in the present Sanders county will
David Montour, / think 1t was. He says
Christmas passed agreeably OIL
bill of fare consisted of buffalo tongues
dry buffalo meat fresh venison, whea
flour cakes, buffalo marrow (for but
ter), sugar coffee, and rum, wit
which we drank variety of appro
pirate toasts !. Remote from our kline
and the thralling, contracted opinion
which communications with cheatin
world are apt to engender, when on
stomachs were filled with substanti;
viands and our souls with contentmen
we were at peace with all mankind"
Professor Phillips is regarded as ii
outstanding student of history of ii
Northwest and is preparing comprs
hensive history Of its development.
The fellow that thinks the world ow'
A.. r.......x mxe,s.a unable ~, find