The Western news. [volume] (Libby, Mont.) 1933-current, 1949-06-09
an OLD FRONTTERSAEAN
PASSES TO REWARD
hr Dr. In NaehtlgaII


The passing OF Jack B. Monroe
pioneer, fronuersn.an and grand old
man of Glacier Park country.
A few days ago. Mrs. Amanda
Monroe of Galata. Montana, wrote
us this message.
Dear Folks: Ny son Jackie and
] Just returned from Browning
WHERE we laid jan - rest with
his people as he tlsret - was
SO years old but ii. s3J~ health 10
the last
/ nave Known Jsch Monroe for
the past IS ears and during all
this time he has Dsen our most
true and loyal fr.-n- and il seems
more than befitting for ne to write
a few lines in meuioTy Of this out
standing man of sterling character,
whose personality was so deeply
interviewer and interlinked with
the creation of Glacier National
Park.
With his passing from this world
he joins the ranks of those men,
whose names stand out prominent
1y in the history Of the State of
Montana.
Jack Monroe's ancestral back
ground was as colorful and roman
tic as the country in which he spent
the largest part Of his life. His
grandfather left Virginia and settled
in Illinois where he participated in
the Black Hawk war His father
went west at an eariv age and
settled in the Green River coun-
try near Fort Bridger, in the ter
ritory of Utah, now Wyoming, and
here far beyond the frontier of
civilization, Jack was born on June
Goth, 1861
The love Of the mountains and
the days of the gold rush must
have impregnated in him a firm
desire to become q mining prospec-
tor. During his early manhood he
worked alternately as a cowboy and
miner In 1881 he arrived at the
old Blackfoot agency at Choteau,
Montana. Here he became a min
ing prospector During his early
manhood he worked alternately as
a cowboy and miner In 1881 he
arrived at the old Blackfoot agency
at Chofeau. Here he became ac-
quainted with the Indian trader Joe
Kipp and James Willard Schultz
(Apikuni). Soon afterwards he mar
ried a Blackfoot girl, a niece of
Mountain Chief To this union six
children were born Shortly after
the birth of the last child, Mrs. /
Monroe died.
With the disappearance of the
buffalo from the Montana plains I
1888, trade in buffalo robes came /
practically to a halt. Mining in |
the Glacier Park sector never was
a successful venture and a paving |
enterprise and so Jack took to |
ranching, prospecting, fishing and |
hunting and settled at St. Mary's
lake. !!
A turn in Jacks future and out 4
look came toward the latter part d
of the eighties. At this time the 4
great naturalist, author and writer
DR.. George Bird Grinnell of New L
York arrived at the old agency at II
Choteau to gather information of u
the Blackfoot tribe which was later n
published in form of serials in the VI
Forest and Stream" magazine and u
which subsequently appeared il n
bOokform as "Blaekfoot Lodge
Tales"
DR.. Grinnell engaged Jack Mon n
roe as ms BOlOe ana contact man II
with the Indians which resulted in
q lifelong friendship between these
two men. His writings unfolded to
the public the many scenic won
ders of this little known alpine A
country, inhabited BY every species
of big game; its lakes and streams II
teaming with fighting fish.
lis exploits in practically new
and virgin country did not remain
very long as il brought
a number Of distinguished sports
men from the east to the Black
foot Indian country, notably the
late DR.. Gould, Emerson Hough.
writer and author North of 49 and |
The Covered Wagon and former
Secretary of War Henry L. Slim
son and his wife and Lord Barring