The Western news. [volume] (Libby, Mont.) 1933-current, 1936-02-06
One Time vigilante
Goes To Final Reward

EUREKA, Feb. 3.--Michael Elzeor
Demers was born Sept. g, 1859. at
Northan, Province of Quebec, Canada.
He acquired his education in his ma
tive country and left home when twen-
ty years of age. The next few years
he spent logging and mining in Mich
igan, Minnesota, and Wisconsin, COM
ing to Montana about 1882. He knew
Butte, Helena. Missoula and >6ther west
ein cities when they were<frading posts
or mining camps, and Worked or some
time on the Bozeman tunnel on the
Northern Pacific railroad which vras
one of the important links in the OPEN
ing Of the northwest.
Later he joined a pack train outfit
and trailed from Butte to Thompson
Falls experiencing hardships of which
we know little today. During the gold
rush in the Occur d'Alenes, he freighted
between Trout Creek and Eagle City
The Vigilantes were depended uron 10
keep law and order and Mr. Demers
was chosen as one Of their number.
This, however, was vital secret at
that time
Later he moved into the Flathead and
subsequently had a cattle ranch at
Spring Prairie. In the spring of 1887
he settled on land in Tobacco Valley.
part OF which is nowthe present site Of
Eureka. AT the time this was a very
wild country; only sixteen white men
and one white woman were in the en-
tire valley and the Indians were ex-
ceedingly Troublesome breaking into
homes OF the settlers, destroying prop
erty, killing or running of livestock.
AT Columbia Falls in June, 1899, Mr..
Demers married Anime Dewey, who
had come from Iowa to teach in the
old Tobacco school They made their
home in large two-story log house
on the ranch in Tobacco Valley.
Everything had to be packed over
the old trail from Kalispell and during
the winter months an Indian was sent
on snowshoes to bring in the mail.
In 1903 the Great Northern railway
was completed and the country de-
veloped rapidly. Mr.. Demers was al
ways counted upon to support every
progressive measure in his section Of
the country. When Lincoln county was
created from Flathead county. he was
appointed one Of the first commission
ers, and helped inaugurate the business
OF the new county. He served also as
school trustee and as vice president
Of the Farmers and Merchants State
bank of Eureka.
In 1912 he built fine modern home
On top OF one OF the hills overlooking
Eureka. He travelled extensively
: western Canada, California.
and Old Mexico, but none of these
places interested him for more than
short time and he was always glad To
return to Montana.
During all these years of ACTIVITY he
enjoyed exceptionally good health until
l933. The end came Jan. Is. 1895. in
at the home Of his daughter
Mrs. w. FL Sinclair. Also SURVIVING
nm are his younger daughter, Mrs. p.
McNulty of Spokane, Wash, and n
son, Louis Albert Of Fort Peck, Mon
ana
!, Funeral services were conducted bv
The Masonic lodge at the temnle |
Jan. 30, 1886. Active pallbearers were
Joseph Peltier, Frank Baney. Frank
oaoir' George McGlenn, J. H. Sailing
frank Cooms, and Frank Thomas
among the honorary pallbearers were
octave Forth, F. P. Carey, A. T. Purdy
lanes Forsythe, Adam Mustoe, Will |
west, John Sans, Joe Eastland, Frank
leonard, Lew Bradburn. Enos Camp
DELL, George Drake and c. r. Young. ali |
u whom had known Mr.. Derners since
he early days.
:, The body was laid to rest In the |
Eureka cemetery beside his wife who
passed away in 1917.