The Western news. [volume] (Libby, Mont.) 1933-current, 1945-07-12
Loved Pioneer
Passes On
Enos Campbell Led a
Full Life; Homesteaded
Near Tobacco Plains.
BORN AUG. 20, 1868;
TO COUNTY WHEN Is

Enos Campbell was born on Au
gust 20, 1853 at Patoka, Ill. When
he was nine years Of age he accom-
panied his family to Kansas. At
the age of Is he was married to
Mary Ann Stratton at Minneapolis,
Kans., and few monthe later he
left for Montana in response to the
urging of an uncle living near here.
He was met in Kalispell by the
uncle who rode there horseback.
Since there was but one horse,
Uncle Enos had to walk to To-
bacco Plains, quite hardship for
the young man from Kansas who
had been accustomed to q lively
horse and buggy. He was joined
shortly after this by his bride and
he met her in Kalispell with team
and wagon, borrowed from the late
Ed Demers. Aunt Mary recalls an
empty larder when they arrived
here and the next day Uncle Enos
walked to the nearest store at
Whites Landing, between Rexford
and Gateway, to purchase food. In
July the young couple drove the
chuck wagon for cattlemen includ-
ing the late Demers, Quirk, Ovid
Peltier and CUTIE, to kalispell when
they drove their cattle to market
They remained in Kalispell for the
winter with Uncle Enos working in
a sawmill and lived in house at
the foot of a bluff on which the
Indians had encamped. After the
mill closed they found work on a
nearby ranch south Of town owned
by bachelor with Aunt Mary do
ing the cooking and Uncle Enos,
who was an excellent hay stacker,
working on nearby farms. One of
these farms was owned by John
Sinclair whose widow in later years
became one OF Aunt Mary's dearest
friends here in Eureka.
After earning grub stake, the
couple returned to Tobacco Plains
and took up a homestead south Of
town, now known as the brick
yards. They had not completed their
cabin before Norton Gaylord, a
bachelor, came for them to spend
the winter with him. It is evident
Aunt Mary's cooking had won a
reputation. In the Spring they went
to Fl. Steele, B. c., where Uncle
Enos worked in livery barn and
Aunt Mary worked in the hotel
dining room. They returned to To-
bacco occasionally in order to hold
on to the homestead but spent most
of the next two years at Ft. Steele
and later three years were spent
at Elko in hotel. While here they
sent for Mrs. Campbell's niece, the
late Annie Stratton Moses who was
living in Scotland. While at Elko,
a man vacationing there from New
York sought Uncle Enos' advice
about investing money in this part
of the West and he was advised Of
the present Lynn Purdy ranch. This
was purchased and Uncle Enos and
Aunt Mary were placed in charge.
About two years later it was sold
for several times its purchase price
and the young couple again moved
to their homestead. Aunt Mary sold
her side saddle and bought two
pigs-the start of herd which
later furnished meat for the rail
road crew who were working on the
right of way.
When the railroad building be-
gan, life became more exciting and
Uncle Enos was called on to take
visiting officials and their friends
on fishing and other pleasure trips
However, they soon found them
selves again in a hotel but this
time as proprietors of the first no.
tel in Eureka on the site of the ole
Albee store building. They ran this
Continued on page eight