Montana oil and mining journal. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1931-1953, 1942-11-14
Isabel Tabor Lives Happily
Near Ruins of Old Mission

In the old Mission valley. Isabel
Tabor lives on her ranch within sight
Of the ruins Of st. Peters Mission. She
is now In her 18th year and is happy
and contented in the shadow of that
historic spot where she has lived from
childhood and witnessed q great part
Of the history Of early Montana.
Mrs. Tabor was born in Silver City
on May II, 1866, the daughter Of Ed
ward Lewis, one Of Montana's pioneers
and early settlers in the Mission val
ley. Edward Lewis came to Montana
IN May 1857, in the employ OF the
American Fur Co. and led an ed
venturous life hauling goods and sup
plies from Fort Union to Fort Benton.
In 1853, he began prospecting ct Sill
YER City where Isabel was born. Five
years later Lewis settled in the Mission
valley and remained there until his
death in 1914.
Isabell's mother was Sycowastakapi,
the daughter Of q Piegan chief and OF
Meekiappy known also as Cut Hand.
Her grandaunt, Black Bear, was the
mother of Mrs. Malcolm Clark. When
Isabel was born Black Bear told her
mother that sine would see that this
child would have a long life; she
would sacrifice part of her to the
Great Spirit. Her mothers children
had died in infancy and early child
hood, so in order to insure the longer
life OF the infant Black Bear cut off
the first joint Of the little finger on
her right hand and buried it. BLACK
Bear offered part Of me to the Great
Spirit, buried it in the ground and
prayed that I might live to be very
old" relates Mrs. Tabor, and adds, Il
had eight brothers and sisters but I
am the only one living"
Her early childhood was impressed
by the missionaries. laboring and
struggling at the mission. She loves to
tell Of the days when the family
walked from their ranch home by
way Of Saddle-B Back mountain to at
tend Mass in the little cabin Of Father
Imoda. When the missionaries moved
st. Peters from its earlier location on
the Missouri to the present site. they
built three cabins close 70 the little
canyon and farther removed from the
present road that now winds through
the valley. Isabel Tabor remembers
the crude altar with an oilcloth
canopy necessary to keep the dirt roof
from sitting through on the altar. She
can point out the exact spot where
these cabins stood; now only few
stones mark the spot.
She remembers Brother Claessens
who came to Montana with the first
group Of Jesuits in 1910 and who
labored in his later years at st. Peters.
She recalls how Brother John carved
the altar which now stands IN the old
church. Among her treasured posses
sions Is a crucifix given her mother
by Father Rappaggliosi who died In
1878, while on q mission attending TO
the spiritual care Of the Indians along
the Milk river. She still uses the hand
made rosary Father Prando made and
gave TO her Indeed there is scarcely
one among the early missionaries
whom she did not see OF know at the
mission.
During her school years there was
only the boys school at st. Peters.
The Ursulines did not open the girls
school until 1884, so Isabel was sent to
st. vincent's Academy In Helena from
1878 to 1881. She travelled there on
the old stagecoach along the Mullan
road, taking day and night for the
trip. When she left for school in the
fan Of 1878 the little church was Just
being built and was in use when she
returned the following summer.
Isabel Lewis was married July II,
1881, to John Tabor who was the fore
man ON the Mission ranch operated by
the Jesuits. In 1859 the couple moved