Glacier County chief. [volume] (Browning, Mont.) 1931-1940, 1940-05-03

Mrs. Martin Maginnis were close
friends of the Sheehans.
When Sheehan returned home to
stay In March, 1869, he ordered Mollie
to break off her engagement with
Peter Roman. Then James Sheehan
prepared to move his family again.
News had reached Helena of boom
at San Diego. way off down there in
the southern end of California. So off
started the Sheehans again.
At Corinne. Utah. they pitched their
tent for time. and saw Mr.. and Mrs.
Mollie had her first ride on a railroad
train-from Corinne to Salt Lake City.
She saw Brigham Young and thrilled
to the sight of the Mormon metropolis
In the. fall the Sheehans hit the
road again, San Diego bound. Mollie
helped her father drive. and thor
oughly enjoyed herself. They camped
back to Los Angeles to attend mass
at the church of "Our Lady of Angels p"
After two weeks, the family started
again for San Diego. But on the road
southwark they met travellers who told
them the San Diego boom was a hum
Juan Capistrano. There they met
Richard Egan, known as Don Dick.
the Alcalde"
At Casa Blanca
Don Dick helped James Sheehan file
on l60 acres of land at S225 per acre.
There was a good library at the mis-
sion, so Mollie Sheehan managed to
pass the time pleasantly while her
father built Casa Blanca" Mollie en-
joyed attending mass at the mission,
and she sang in the choir. The Shee-
hans were the only American family
at the mission. ali the others being
Mexicans or Indians. Finally this
tNln t,,+a
Mr.. and Mrs. Sheehan decided to send
Mollie to a convent at Los Angeles,
where she might be prepared to teach.
Mollie found life at the convent less
to her taste. On one occasion China
men INDUCED in a tong war outside
the convent walls, and on another an
earthquake threw both girls and nuns
Mollie renewed correspondence with
Peter Roman at Helena Mollie was
graduated from the convent school on
June a. 1872. BY letter she had
plighted her troth to Peter Roman.
The Rocky Mountain Gazette plant
was destroyed by fire on Aug %, 1872
While the Gazette was being printed
in the plant of the Helena Herald.
Peter Roman made trip to San Juan.
and there he and Mollie Sheehan were
married on Jan. 10, 1873. They made
a honeymoon trip to San Diego. thence
by steamer to San Francisco, by train
to Corinne, and by stagecoach to Hell
ena. They were nine days enroute
Helenas leading citizens gave the
Romans a big reception. They moved
into a house on Wood street. where
they had for neighbors Major and
Mrs. Robert c. Walker-(Mrs Walker
was sister of James G. Blanchard
Fathers Ravalli and Palladino. Father
Ravalli was then past 60. but Father
Palladino was only 81.
which started in the Chinese restau-
rant at the rear of a gambling house,
swept Helena. The Gazette plant again
was destroyed. Peter Roman returned
to prospecting. in partnership with a
man named Quigley at Blackfoot City.
west of Helena. The Romans first
Rankin, was born on May l. 1874
When the baby was old enough to
travel, the Romans moved to Blackfoot.
travelling in a spring wagon The fol-
lowing winter, Mrs. Roman lived in
complete isolation. and complete hap
piness. In cabin four miles from her
husbands mine. The following June
Mary Ellen was born. In the fall of
1875 the Romans returned to Helena.
and Peter was named undersheriff of
Lewis and Clark county. The following
year he was appointed agent to the
Flathead tribe of Indians by Carl
Schurz.
Life Among the Flatheads
The Romans moved to the agency at
Jocko. where Roman served for the
remaining 16 years of his life. Mrs.
Roman remained there until 1893. The
family had Indian girls for nursemaids
and laundresses.
Mollie was hostess to members of