Montana oil and mining journal., 1939-08-05

John Henry Mardis, who will be
rs on Nov. / of this year, is look
ing forward to the annual conven-
tion of the Society of Montana
Pioneers to be held in Butte Aug.
IL, 18 and 1o. He said that at last
years meeting in Helena he was
the "kid of the bunch" John
Henry, who years ago was given
the nickname of "Old Grizzly" /"
also "Rattlesnake Jack" was born
at Virginia City, the second child
born in the camp. His parents had
come overland from Iowa. with John
M Bozeman (after whom Bozeman
was named) as the guide for the train.
They arrived at Bannack Aug. IA,
1868, and later pushed on to Alder
gulch, now Virginia City, where Mardis
built the first log cabin in the camp
The family lived for a time at Alder
gllch, then moved to Bozeman where
Mardis took up land-a homestead and
re-emption-three miles south of
town. 1t was there that their son, the
subject of this articleA grew I'D. He
learned to ride, among other things
an accomplishment that finally took
him to Europe with Buffalo Bills wild
west show. He says Cody was every
bit as expert a shot as newspaper
stories have given him credit for ''I
have seen him hit a silver dollar that
was thrown into the air for him." said
MardiS. Not once but many times"
Never Took Aim
Incidentally, he said that the old
timers on the range never took aim
ffrQI ,-@
pulled" he declared. SYou may not
know it, but whenever you point your
finger at anything you are pointing
directly at the object. It is the same
with a pistol. Just point quick and
pull. That's all there Is to it."
Mardis said he was the only child
IN the Bozeman district during the
first four years the family lived there:
He talked about the vast herds Of
buffalo that roamed the country and
of how his father experimental with
them as beasts of burden. "He drove
them like oxen," he said, "but they
weren't much good. They didn't take
to 1t very good. My dad had a herd of
them"
He told, also, Of the great buffalo
kill" on the banks of the Missouri
river near Fort Benton. He said some |
fasteners conceived the idea of kill !
ing them off for their hides. The car
casses and bones were left to rot, the |
hides being shipped east. ''They killed |
them by the thousands" he said. "It !
was the beginning Of the end for Mon
tana buffalo"
He said that at an early age he
was sent by his father to the ranch |
IN the Judith Basin country, owned
oy Two Dot Wilson. The present town
of Two Dot is named for him Wilson
had come TO Montana in the same
wagon train as the Mardis family. HE
and bis wife had no children" said
daTs, 80 my father sent me to him
and they raised me. They eventually
lad 1900 cattle and 5000 horses. After
the Wilson's died, some nephews came
from the east and took possession of
The ranch.
Often Saw Russell
Mardis said he often saw Charley
RUSSELL the cowboy artist, but had
40 personal acquaintance with him.
Russell was farther north, in and
around the present site of LewistoWn.
After the nephews took control of
5he ranch," said Mardis, Il went west
outfit in the Malheur country in Ore
Oregon desert. 1t was the
worlds largest ranch at that time"
After riding the range a few years
n Oregon, Mardis joined up with Buf-
,alo Bill and became a rider in his
Wild west show. The show was taken
% Europe, where it was seen by many
If the crowned heads. On his return
rom across the Atlantic, Mardis Joined
/ wild west show that originated in
1avre, owned by man named Bever-
dge. "It went broke in CINCINNATI"
aid Mardis, land 1 came back to
Montana. 1 have been around the state
yer since"
In addition to holding membership
n the state society of pioneers, Mar
lis is q charter member of the Pio-
leers' society Of Gallatin county, or
anized NOV. IS, 1893. He wears a gold
medal given to him by the Society of
dontana Pioneers on which is a rep
lea of the Mardis cabin in Alder
ulch.