The Hardin tribune-herald. [volume] (Hardin, Mont.) 1925-1973, 1936-10-16
Spear
Died Sunday
Pioneer Wyoming StOckman Had
Resided in This Section
Sixty Years.

the people of Big Horn county
learned of the death of Willis Nj.
Spear, aged IA years, who passed
away Sunday morning at the
Sheridan County (Wyo.) Memorial
hospital following a sudden illness
che day before. The following
account of the life of this lovable
man is taken from the Monday
edition of the Sheridan Press:
One of the best known and best
loved of all the pioneers VINO
GLAZED the trails into this region
when the west was young, MI.
Spear was stricken with a heart
attack Saturday morning in front
of his home at 1874 Wyoming ave-
nue. Later in the day he was
moved to the hospital, where
death occurred at los o'clock
Sunday morning.
Uncle Willis" as he was known
by the people of his home COM
munity and by his countless
friends, scattered throughout the
nation, attended the theatre With
members of his family Friday
night and was apparently in good
health. However, he had suffered
a severe heart attack while in the
mountains late in August.
AS a 12-year-Old boy, Mr.. Spear
rode into Wyoming with a covered
wagon train more than three
years agO-and had engaged
in the cattle business in the Land
OF the Big Horns for the past So
years.
AT n time, about a quarter of
a century ago, Mr.. Spear ruled a
cattle empire of more than a mil
lion acres, stretching all of the
way from the Wyoming line to
the Yellowstone river along the
eastern side of the Crow r~eServa-
ton. It comprised one of the larg-
est outfits in all of the Cow
country"-and nearly 6 10000 head
OF cattle were running on the
Spear range.
Until his death, MT. Spear re-
manned active as a cattleman and
a dude rancher-and his camp
fire stories" took their place
among the pleasing traditions of
the west.
Final tribute to the memory of
Mr.. Spear was paid at 2 O'Clock
on Tuesday afternoon, when fun
eral services were held at Cham
pion's drawing room The SER
vices we're in charge of the Elks
Lodge, with the Rev. Donald G.
Smith of st. Peters Episcopal
church assisting. Burial was in
Bellevue Memorial park.
Two daughters and two sons
survive. The daughters are Jes-
samine Spear johnson, of the NJ
Bar ranch at Kirby, Mont, and
Elsa Spear Edwards, 845 Sumner
street, Sheridan, while the sons
are Philip Torrey Spear, of the
Rafter Cross ranch near Lodge
Grass, Mont, and Willis Benton
Spear, Jr., commonly known as
Junior Spear, who operates the
Spear o Ranch near Kirby. Mont.
and is sheriff of Big Horn county,
Montana.
There are IL grandchildren and
one great grandchild. The chill
dren OF JeSsamine Spear johnson
are Jessanine Annabelle Moody. of
the Bar v ranch; Phillis Vie
Smith. of Ashland, Mont; VIII
liam johnson Spear, of Sheridan;
ELSE Eileen johnson, Of the Bar v.
ranch; Torrey Benton johnson.
OF M1ssoula; Victor Elarth John
son OF Sheridan; and Bradford
Johnson Spear Of Kirby.
The children Of Elsa Spear Ed
wards r Virginia May Fernandez
OF Alamosa, Colo; Elise Benton
Edwards, Charles Howard Edwards,
Lois Burt Edwards, and Marilyn
Spear Edwards.
The one great grandchild is
/ Gwendolyn Agnes Spear, daugh-
ter Of Mr.. and Mrs. william John
son Spear.
Mr.. Spear is also survived BY
two sisters-Mrs. Emma Dewitt,
of Sheridan. and Mrs. Mary Nc
Cormick Of Billings. Two brothers
William Hulett Ooc) Spear and
Charles Spear, died several years