The Fort Peck press., 1935-08-01
PROMINENT MEN
OF MUSSELSHELL
FORREST SMART AND NATHANIEL
GODFREY WERE WELL-KNOWN
SETTLERS IN REGION
fB GRACE STONE COATES)

(B GRACE SlONE OOfAAICj
There figures in current social ana
business news OF the IWouot SET
tion the name of Forrest Smart pres
ent representative of a name notable
among MusselshelI valley pioneers.
MIR. Smart lives on the ranch estab-
Iished by Oscar G. Smart as a home
stead in 1879. A local history OF this
region published at the turn OF the
century has this to say of the Smart
properties: -.
"Anv stranger making his initial TRIP
down the Musselshell valley, midway
between Harlowton and TWodot, cannon
help marveling at the beauty OF a nome
scene at the Pioneer ranch, whose
buildings nestle among cottonWoods ano
willows. while the Musselshell river
makes a grand background to the
whole picture. This is the pioneer
ranch of the Musselshell, first located
bv Oscar G.. Smart III 1879 when he
had the entire valley to chose from.
previous to casting his lot on the
Musselshell, Mr.. Smart WaS a mining
man, well known in many OF the plo-
neer camps of the state, among them
Alder. Last Chance and Emlgrant
gulches. His first trip into the state
was made by boat up the Missouri river
in the early '70's. -,
"After securing himself this local
home in 1884, MI. Smart returned east,
and, in order to complete nus NOME
comforts, secured Miss Alice Winning OF
Windsor. Maine, for his wife. She soon
accompanied him to Montana.
"After building up n OF n f1nest
home ranches in Meagher county, MI.
Smart died in 1899, leaving his estate
to his widow. The ranch consisted OF
1000 acres of fine, cultivated n
we'll stocked and we'll Watered, very
amply supplied with buildings for all
its requirements. One son was born
to this union, in 1885, who now IS re
ceiving his education at Farlpault'
MINI. Mrs. Alice Smart has proven
herself a Wonlan of rare business Ialent,
and no one would think this well KEEP
ranch, with its thousands OF acres, al
titled and everything running IN per-
feet order. was under the dictatlon, care
and Judgment of a woman"
After the death of her husband, Mrs.
Smart became the wife of Andrew D..
Nichols. Her son, Forrest Smart, grad
mated from the Shattock Military
academy. F%aribault, Mimi, but return
ed to the ranch to take charge there
rather than accept a commission IN the
United States army. At n time the
ranch was stocked with 10000 sheep,
]. 200 head of cattle and lOO horses.
When Mr.. Smart enlisted for service
during the world war, he sold OF much
of his livestock, and leased the property
for three years. ooo
Robertson, daughter of Mr.. and Mrs.
Frank Robertson of TWodot, where Mr..
Robertson had a stage line. They are
narents of a large family, its members
now grown and established in homes
of their own.
Not less well-known than the Smart
"Pioneer" ranch is the Nate Godfrey
ranch, long lost to the owner whose
name it retains. Nathaniel God1rey
was one of the leading sheep growers
in Meagher county, who came TO hay
maker creek, five miles north OF Two
dot. to build himself a spacious nome.
He was born Aug. 10, 1859, at Cherry
field Maine, a descendant of n of the
very old American families. He came
TO Montana in 1877 and tended sheep
Smith river valley. He returned TO
Maine. married Georgiana M. womb
ev. and returned to Montana with his
bride. He purchased a homestead OF
go acres and the original water rights
IN Havmaker creek. BY industry he eX-
his ranch to $4,000 acres, with
improvements to the extent on S4U,-
BOO. The expansion of his ranch is told
his first, and later, shipments OF hay;
the first, Is tons; that OF 1905, 50o
,ons.
remains on the old ranch, it still gees
by the name, and older residents of the
Section remember the beautiful home
and lavish hospitality of the original