Belknap Buck

[Diane Merkel]

A little fact-checking would have been nice . . . .

It is interesting to note that if not for a twist of fate, local history would have undergone a dramatic change. Belknap Buck served as a captain in the 7th U.S. Calvalry Regiment under General George Custer’s command. He was the only surviving member of the regiment that was annihilated by Sitting Bull and his warriors at the Little Big Horn on June 25, 1876.

Capt. Buck received permission that day to visit his wife who was ill in Helena, Montana.

Article: www.brooksbulletin.com/news/local_news.asp?itemid=65257

[alfuso]

was there a Helena, MT in 1876?

Wotta ride, through those Indians. . . . .

alfuso

[ignimbrite]

Alfuso writes

was there a Helena, MT in 1876?


Actually Helena was founded in 1864 by "The Four Georgians" (only one of whom was really from Georgia) who were riding out in the valley, saw a stream coming out of the hills and said "That's it boys, that's our last chance, if we don't find gold we'll go on home."

Needless to say as with all good legends, they found lots of gold, and Helena became a booming gold camp. The main street downtown is still called Last Chance Gulch. One of their descendants visited a few years ago and was written up in the paper.

By 1876 there was quite a town and the Helena Herald newspaper had Curley's account of the battle before even the Bismark paper.

Ruth

[stevewilk]

The city of Helena was named after the hometown of miner John Sommerville; St. Helena, Minnesota. The miners decided to drop the "Saint" and accent the "hell" when renaming the town.

Trivia question: What was the town originally named?

[clw]

Crabtown or 'ville -- Crab something. And it was established in 1864. I think. Do you expect me to remember everything?

[stevewilk]

"Crabtown" is correct, after founder John Crab. Now you know why the town was renamed. Likely to the dismay of Mr. Crab. Legend has it he left in disgust, headed to the plains where he hooked up with Custer's 7th as a "muleskinner" and was the sole survivor of Custer's Last Stand....oh, sorry, wrong "Jack Crabb". ("Mizz Pendrake.....")

[ignimbrite]

Stevewilk writes-
The city of Helena was named after the hometown of miner John Sommerville; St. Helena, Minnesota. The miners decided to drop the "Saint" and accent the "hell" when renaming the town.


Several years ago the Chamber of Commerce came up with the slogan "Have a Helena Day", complete with signs and bumper stickers. The spirit of the miners lives on as some were quickly altered to read "Have a Helluva Day"

I didn't know about the original name. It would be interesting to see how many towns have undergone name changes

Ruth

[crawdaddo]

I'm reading "the Return of Little Big Man" at the moment,its such a good read as was the first novel. Its great to get the point of view of the old west from an 'also ran".....craw

[stevewilk]

I didn't know about the original name. It would be interesting to see how many towns have undergone name changes

Ruth[/quote]

Ruth, check out this:

www.montanarailroadhistory.info/MontanaPlaceNames.htm

I'd always thought Billings was named for NPRR President Frederick, but it wasn't. It was named for his oldest son, Parmley. Now I know how the library there got its name. I'd often thought the town of Libby was named or renamed in honor of Mrs. Custer. ( Not sure if she used a "y" or "ie".) But it wasn't.

Interesting historical tidbit is that Maj. Enoch Steen, 2nd Dragoons has a peak named for him on the AZ/NM border. Except the cartographer misspelled the name "Stein". It remains to this day "Stein's Peak". Poor Enoch.

But check out Lewistown. Named for Merriwether Lewis of course. But then maybe not.

Finally, LBH buffs must know the town of Comanche MT (what there is of it) was named for Keough's mount. Gets me wondering. Could this be the only town in the US named for a specific animal?

[ignimbrite]

Wow, what a great place to browse and learn. Thanks for the link.

Ruth

[elisabeth]

Came across another "namesake" place in the New York Times archive the other day. It seems to have disappeared from the maps, if it ever made it onto them in the first place, but it sounds delightful: an island in the Yellowstone named Keogh's Island.

The piece is datelined August 23rd 1876, and appeared in the NYT's September 12th 1876 edition. The writer (no idea who -- he signs himself "C.M.") is describing his trip on the Far West to the Powder River camp. He says:

"Beyond Tongue River the scenery on the Yellowstone is more evenly pretty than below it. One point reached about sunset was an island which, in honor of a gallant officer who fell with Custer, has been named Keogh's Island. Here the landscape, in the softened light of the setting sun, had that mellow beauty which we see in the well watered and wooded regions in the East, but which is so rare in all that vast belt of dry country lying between the one hundredth meridian and the Sierra Nevada. I have seen no spot on that belt which so reminded me of home as Keogh's Island."

Wonder if the name did stick for a any length of time? Or whether it was quietly forgotten once Fort Keogh was named ...

[Diane Merkel]

The Crazy Canadians (said with great affection, of course!) are at it again!

[Nancy Millar] tells of a small white marker on the edge of the Three Hills Cemetery that says: John McAlpine, 1849-1941, The Last Survivor of General Custer. She was curious as to how a survivor of the Little Big Horn could end up in Three Hills and so she set out to solve the mystery. In an interview with McAlpine in the Calgary Herald in 1938 that was printed in the Sunnyslope history book, she found that he was indeed at Little Big Horn, but he arrived two days after the battle. Apparently he and about 60 other soldiers were in charge of supply wagons and they were held up by rough terrain and swollen streams. When they finally got there, they found nothing but bodies.

Interestingly enough, my notes said there was indeed one survivor of the battle, a Crow Indian scout named Curly who got away. In Millar’s account, McAlpine himself said not everyone was killed and in fact a Metis scout had pulled a Sioux blanket from one of the dead Indians, wrapped himself in it and escaped. She wrote McAlpine knew the scout personally and talked to him after the battle but when he was interviewed in 1938, he couldn’t remember his name. Interesting stuff!

Haven't we heard that sneaking-off-in-an-Indian-blanket story before?

Article: www.brooksbulletin.com/news/local_news.asp?itemid=65319

[Scout]

Thanks Diane for sending the 'Adventures of Belknap Buck.'

"It is interesting to note that if not for a twist of fate, local history would have undergone a dramatic change. Belknap Buck served as a captain in the 7th U.S. Calvalry Regiment under General George Custer’s command. He was the only surviving member of the regiment that was annihilated by Sitting Bull and his warriors at the Little Big Horn on June 25, 1876."

"Belknap Buck, known as “Baldy” or “Ballie” was born in 1872 and came to Canada as a young cowman..."

Born in 1872 and was later a survivor of "General Custer's command?" Let me see if I can do the math here ...1872...1876. Somethings just not right here but I'll figure it out if it takes all day.

[Scout]

"[Nancy Millar] tells of a small white marker on the edge of the Three Hills Cemetery that says: John McAlpine, 1849-1941, The Last Survivor of General Custer. She was curious as to how a survivor of the Little Big Horn could end up in Three Hills.... he was indeed at Little Big Horn, but he arrived two days after the battle."

Let's see McAlpine was the "last survivor" but arrived "two days after the battle." Was there such a thing as a proof reader back then?

[Diane Merkel]

What's scary is that the same person wrote both articles and (apparently) had no clue that the stories made no logical sense. I thought of writing to the editor, but that would probably be a complete waste of time.

I keep thinking you'll run out of material, Scout, but it just keeps coming! Welcome back!