Webmaster’s Research Documents
available for
GenWeb & YGF Researchers /
Logo image – Vikki Gray, re-defined by Cleve Kimmel / A Few eBook Listings by Kimmel / Document Date: January 1, 2010
These on-line e-books were created to preserve for you - inposterity the historical records, as best as was possible – regarding the factual lives of the individuals noted and some of their major achievements and disappointments. Most of the material used is obtained from Senate Documents of those eras, the War of the Rebellion (which details virtually all of the frontier events in Montana during the Civil War), various court documents; plus private research and details from a great number of local friends. Those who are interested may use these findings in furthering their collective knowledge of YellowstoneCounty. Most of the noted links lead to various other inserted links in this site about the subject matter.There are over 1,000 other bulletins, books, and pioneer record details available within the website.
Paul McCormick / His family, time in Junction City, ties to WashingtonCity, specific details on his cabin in Junction City, the move to Billings, and the creation of the YellowstoneCountyMuseum using that cabin.Major James Bridger
(Summary--Volume 1 Volume 2)
(Bridger Timeline References) / His family, times as fur trapper, guide and creation of the Military Montana Road (Bozeman Trail) running from Ft Kearney, NB to Virginia City. After the road was closed to settlers, the volume of wagon deliveries increased by several magnitudes.
Joseph MV Cochran
The Nez Perce Raid at Canyon Creek / His family, times spent in Canyon Creek settlement, previously undisclosed details on the Nez Perce flight through Canyon Creek September 1877, and the US Senate’s failure to process his Depredation Claim for damages while engaged by Perry McAdow to cut timber for local construction efforts. Map provided to illustrate the routes taken by various members of the Tribe. They were not all in one group.
Perry McAdow / His family, times spent in Coulson, secret ties to the NPR in creation of Billings, and his efforts in creating the water works and electrical power stations for Billings. Relocation to other states.
The Fetterman Massacre (153 pages) / Captain Fetterman refused to follow his commanders orders, ignored the specific advice given by Major Jim Bridger, and was led into a well laid out plan to entrap he and his men. (Includes Official Governmental Reports.
Manuel Lisa-Briefing Charts
Manuel Lisa-HisLife &Times / His families and life as a business man and founder of the first fort in Montana – its location and personal details. The briefing charts depict the location of his ‘temporary’ 1807 fort located on GovernmentIsland. The Life & Times define his full life span, marriages, business activities, utilization of fur trappers and explorers, and numerous definitions of that effort as chapters in a book. Presented by chapters and addendums in PDF and MS Word formats to simplify downloading & reading. Select chapters, etal, in sequence to review. Included location and images of his name and that of John Colter carved into a nearby sandstone rock. The Montana State Historical Society has stated that these names can only be called inscriptions, ‘as there is no written knowledge accompanying their creation’.
Boothill Cemetery / Creation and extensive burial details on this small plot of land originally created for Coulson residents.
M-26Dragon (Info Bulletin) / Details on the US Army’s tank retriever fabricated at Billings Fairground (MetraPark) during WWII. Field test was on Alkali Creek Road. 100 units were constructed.
Northern Pacific Railroad (NPR)
Part 1, Part 2, Part 3Part 4 / Origination in Congress, changes of routes, surveys, conversion from government funding to private capital, establishment of the “Secret” Yellowstone Division that led to the route passing through Coulson. How Perry McAdow came to know about the route change before anyone else in Coulson. How the land grant expanded from 80-miles wide to 120 miles wide. Creation of the three largest lumber mills in the US.
Montana Vigilantes
Origins of 3-7-77 / For details refer to: Montana Vigilantes and the Origins of 3-7-77; plus Montana: The Magazine of Western History, Spring 2001by Allen, Frederick. Additional effort by Carrie Adell Strahorn’s book,“Fifteen Thousand Miles by Stage, Vol I, Chapter VIII – describes her personal interviews with Col Sanders about the formation of the vigilantes. Carrie Adell’s book was omitted from Allen’s examination; and is an absolute “must read”, as it defines ‘first-hand’ from the originator of the group,how and why this organization was created.
Joseph MV Cochran
Riverboats on the Yellowstone River / Cochran was among the first settlers in the local area, arriving in 1877. He filed for a ¼-section of land in what is now called “RiverfrontPark’. These filings were terminated by the GLO in 1879, as the government changed the rules for domain land, and reclassified his as “mineral”. The various riverboats that ascended the Yellowstone are defined. The BLM maps as of 2014 incorrectly identify the date when the Josephine reached its highest point upstream as being 1877. That date is actually the highest point for that specific trip – placing it at Cochran’s homestead. However, in 1875, acting under orders from the War Department, it reached 1-1/2 mile upstream of Duck Creek. Mineral (eg, gravel) taken from Cochran’s former homestead was used to assist in construction of the Thomas Nolan bridge over the Yellowstone. That effort created the lake located at RiverfrontPark.
History of the Crow Indians Vol 1
by
The LodgeGrassPublic School System
1971 / History of the Crow Nation starting with the Dog Days, and going through to the present (1971). This was compiled entirely by the Lodge Grass Schools’ students through interviews with all living elders of their Nation. Cindy Buckingham, Jan Green and Geneva Stewart were the coordinator students who assembled this ‘one-of-a-kind’ masterpiece. There are several volumes to the whole history; this first volume was extracted from a Big Horn County Scrapbook (Billings Public Library).
Yellowstone Stage Line / Some signs in use today east of Billings denote “Bozeman Trail.” These sign refer to the Tongue River Road as it heads towards Bozeman. The route was established by the Military in July 1860, by Lt. Maynadier, who accompanied the Raynolds “Yellowstone Expedition” in 1859 and 1860. He reported that virtually the entire survey route lies upon a well-formed road. Apparently the numerous Indian Bands traveling over it wore it into that condition. [Note: Extract of that report follows on 90-pages, including the survey map sketches.]
Cooper Pease Family History / James B Cooper (Squawman) and Maj Fellows D Pease lineages and life event summaries are defined. Inter-relationships with several other relations are defined, including land and business holdings. Together they define a wealth of contribution to the formation of YellowstoneCounty and Montana.
Montana State Federal Prison in Billings (Pamphlet) / This building was designed and constructed be a showpiece for the state, and that it was. But, it laid empty and alone for nearly a half-century! It never housed an inmate, was destined to become a famed “Country Club”, a personal residence, and finally a Federal Prison, but these events did not happen either. It was constructed of sandstone cut from the Heffner Quarry and resembled a medieval castle.
Cleve Kimmel – Former CountyCoordinator
Original Release Date: February 12-2014
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