Skelton Family

[*Sandra*]

This is the family in 1910 in Kirby, Cascade, Montana.
William Skelton 60 born England
Vaitline Skelton 45 born Minnesota
Martha Skelton 23 born Montana later Couglin
Van J Skelton 21 born Montana later with Sofice
John Louis Skelton 20 born Montana later with a Sarah
Peter Skelton 17 born Montana later with Ida
Nina Skelton 16 born Montana later Hogan
Stanford Skelton Jr. 14 born Montana later with
Lena C Skelton 12 born Montana
Carl M Skelton 10 born Montana

[*Sandra*]

This is in 1920 in Great Falls Ward 4, Cascade, Montana. A few of the family flown the nest.
William Skelton 70
Vaitleain Skelton 54 Father born Canada. Mother French
Stanford W Skelton 25 Rancher
Kore M Skelton 20 think this one is Carl - Rancher
Lena Skelton 22

[woodlea]

Hi Dittori28
Thanks for sending this extra information. I am beginning to build a picture of this family.
Regards

[*Sandra*]

Just for your records this is William and his wife in 1880. William  described as a gold miner in Callatta Mining, Meagher, Montana. William Skelton 34 Vitlin Skelton 14.


Great Falls Ward 2, Cascade, Montana in 1920
This is Martha the first daughter born who married Louis F Coughlin in 1914. They are on the 1920 census with a brother of Louis - Frederick L Coughlin.  Louis F Coughlin 34 born in Canada of Canadian/English parents
Martha M Coughlin 34 - brother Fredrick L Coughlin 32 also born Canada. Year of Immigration 1912.
In 1930 Martha is in  Geyser, Judith Basin, Montana and  a widow with an adopted daughter called Frances K Coughlin born in 1928. Although the census does'nt show it - Fred Coughlin is the head but still single.

[*Sandra*]

Not having any luck uncovering the marriage details for the children yet but to continue.
Joseph Van Skelton born 5 Aug 1887 on his WW1 draft is married and says he is a farmer for himself in Geyser. Montana. Having trouble finding anything else on him but suspect he is Van J on the 1910 census and with Sofice (his wife on the 1930 one)

Carl Milton Skelton born 1900 was with the family in 1900 and 1910 and in 1920 (under Kore M) Think the M is for MIlton. 

Another snippet:-  The first settler in Stanford, William Skelton, also opened the first school in the Judith Basin in 1887, in order to educate his many children. Residents later picked up stones from the streets to build the first brick schoolhouse in 1912

[*Sandra*]

3 sisters - daughters of William - all mentioned in obituaries for Stanford Skelton and William Skelton

Martha always referred to as Martha Coughlin -  married Louis Coughlin.
Nina must be married to a Hogan. (In the obit for father William - that is Mrs James Hogan of Chicargo and in Standford obit Nina Hogan of Helena)
Lee - Lena ? In father Williams obit married to a William Sweeney of Helena and in  Standfords Obit is Mrs Lee Sweeney.

Have'nt found Nina or Lena yet.

[woodlea]

Hi Dettori28
Thanks once again for your repeated effort.

[*Sandra*]

With reference to John Louis Skelton - just a few more snippets.
His funeral service was held in St Anns Cathedral in 1962 . Burial was in the family plot at Highland Cemetery. Perhaps you may find a photograph somewhere.
He drove stage coaches between Stanford and Great Falls before the arrival of trains.
The family homestead in 1880 was 2 miles east of the present town of Stanford - parents the first settlers of Wolf Creek. William Skelton was the first settler in that part of the country and his wife was the only woman resident for many miles. William Skelton had been a hunter, trapper, and prospector in the Montana Territory prior to his marriage.

He had 6 grand-children and  3 great- grand-children.

[*Sandra*]

Carl Milton Skelton in Time Magazine 1929 - article on The American Wild Horse.

I929, Time Magazine
…Yet the catching of wild horses undeniably is a U. S. industry, and many a wild horse, caught, corralled, transported and slaughter-housed, is packed into cans and sold as foodstuff. Most famed Wild-Horse-Catcher is one Carl Skelton, who last week was conducting a great wild horse round-up along the Missouri River in Cascade County, Montana. With his five helpers, he has already this season rounded up more than 350 horses, many of which will end their days at the Hanson Packing Co., Butte. Mont., horse-cannery. For the wild horse concession, Catcher Skelton has put up a $2,500 bond.


Wild Horse Round-Up Starts in Montana; Carl Skelton, the "Boss" of the Old-Time Range Riders, Says They Will Capture 5,000
1929, New York Times
Great Falls, Montana  May 26 - The cry of "wild horses" came down across the open range and away the riders raced, out across the breaks in the range, a stretch of bad lands, beyond which the rovers had been sighted. One of the greatest round-ups of wild horses ever staged on the western ranges was under way