Clarence Simeon Martin was born on February 12, 1885 to Franklin and Angelia (Luke) Martin in Avon, South Dakota. John was thirty and Angelia was 18 years old. Clarence was the first son and their second child. John and Angelia would eleven more children: Franklin, Maud, Jane, Agnes, Jessie, Isaac, Viola, John, Stephen, and the twins, Leona, and Lee. The family lived in Avon until around 1894 and then moved to Englevale, ND. By 1896, the family was in LaMourne, ND. The turn of the century, the family had located in in Sibley Kidder, ND.
Franklin, Clarence's father, in Iowa, but Clarence's grandfather had been born in France. Franklin worked for the railroad and they rented homes since they followed the work of the railroad. Around the age of fourteen, Clarence ran away from home for several years.
In the 1910 census, Clarence is listed living in Tyndall, SD and working as a laborer at a veterinarian Hospital. The census was done early in the spring, but by later in the summer Clarence was listed as living in Kyle, ID. He probably followed in his father's footsteps working for the railroad. At that time the Chicago, Milwaukee, and Puget Sound Railroad was beginning its expansion through Montana's northwest territory.
During this time period, his life took some unexpected turns. From Clarence and Blanche's marriage certificate their residences are listed as Kyle, ID and Tyndall, SD. Somehow Clarence and Blanche ended up in the same area of Montana. Blanche had been a waitress in South Dakota.
Their granddaughter, Dianne, remembers her gramma and grampa talking about the 1910 fires which burned through northwestern Montana and Idaho. Blanche and Clarence took refuge with the other townspeople in a train tunnel while the fire stormed over them. Some of the stories about the fire included how the railroad employees on the train would get out and check the burned trestles to see if they would hold the weight of the train, the heat and smoke of the fire in the train, and the survivors having to wait for rescuers for several days. There were over one thousand people saved in those tunnels during the fire and 7 major trestles destroyed in the fire.
It was an event which bonded Clarence and Blanche because they married less than two weeks later on September 10, 1910 in Missoula, MT by a Justice of the Peace. Their witnesses were FN Truesdale and Grace Dyson. Blanche did have an engagement ring that Clarence had given her. It was an opal center stone with small diamond chips around it. It was as precious to her as was his love.
After the fire whether it be due to the damage done to the railroad so Clarence was out of work or the couple needed away from their experience, they were back in back in Tyndall, SD. Several years later, in 1913, their son Charles Robert was born. By 1917, the family finds themselves in Maudlow, Gallatin Co., MT with Clarence working for the Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific Railroad. Maudlow is northeast of Three Forks, MT. By 1920, the family had moved to Pleasant Valley, MT which would probably been close to Piedmont, MT.
Piedmont had been built by the railroad as a town for their workers to live in. However, it was located in a low swampy area close to Whitehall. The mosquitoes were horrible with it being so swampy. Clarence was working as a signal maintenance crew with his brother-in-law, Ted McPherson. The Martin home was always full. At that time there were Blanche, Clarence, Charlie, Ted, and Blanche's mother, Aurella living in the home according to the 1920 census report.
In 1925, the family was in Hell Gate, MT when their second son, Clarence, was born. A few years later the railroad would be transferred to Miles City, MT. This was a welcome change since Blanche's brother, Ted, and his family had been transferred there also. Their family had grown by two because the Martin home had taken in Harry's twin daughters, Doris and Dorthy. The family was doing well. They were able to rent railroad housing and even owned a radio.
Finally by 1940, the family took up residence in Willow Creek, MT. The housing was provided to the family to rent and again, the house was full with the Martin family and Maud, Clarence's sister, and Rodney, her son. From that time to the time Clarence retired from the railroad, they rented that house. When Clarence retired from the railroad, the railroad was beginning to sell some of their assets so Clarence and Blanche were able to buy it.
During that time, Clarence worked all day and came home in the evening and worked out in the garden which was at least an acre. He provided for his family and anyone else who needed help. I remember picture of some of their hunting and fishing trips where a lot of game was taken. I cannot even imaging either he or Blanche wasting anything or being frivolous with the extra. As a younger man, he contracted Rocky Mountain fever and almost died. We had also been told that he had been told that his heart was so bad he would not survive to an old age. He had every one of his teeth pulled and lived to 90 years old.
Clarence was lovingly called "Uncle" and everyone in the family knew exactly who you were talking about when you mentioned Uncle. He was always an active man. Although Clarence had only a seventh-grade education, he loved to read and was always a well-informed man. And the one thing that came to my memories when I was thinking about him was at night, he'd look at Auntie Blanche and would say, "Ma, I need some liniment" and head to bed. Auntie would go in and take care of her beloved Clarence.
Uncle passed away on April 15, 1975 in Bozeman, MT at the Deaconess Hospital. He had pneumonia. He suffered for a few days, but in the end his heart gave up. He is buried in Mount Green Cemetery in Willow Creek, MT.
Franklin, Clarence's father, in Iowa, but Clarence's grandfather had been born in France. Franklin worked for the railroad and they rented homes since they followed the work of the railroad. Around the age of fourteen, Clarence ran away from home for several years.
In the 1910 census, Clarence is listed living in Tyndall, SD and working as a laborer at a veterinarian Hospital. The census was done early in the spring, but by later in the summer Clarence was listed as living in Kyle, ID. He probably followed in his father's footsteps working for the railroad. At that time the Chicago, Milwaukee, and Puget Sound Railroad was beginning its expansion through Montana's northwest territory.
During this time period, his life took some unexpected turns. From Clarence and Blanche's marriage certificate their residences are listed as Kyle, ID and Tyndall, SD. Somehow Clarence and Blanche ended up in the same area of Montana. Blanche had been a waitress in South Dakota.
Their granddaughter, Dianne, remembers her gramma and grampa talking about the 1910 fires which burned through northwestern Montana and Idaho. Blanche and Clarence took refuge with the other townspeople in a train tunnel while the fire stormed over them. Some of the stories about the fire included how the railroad employees on the train would get out and check the burned trestles to see if they would hold the weight of the train, the heat and smoke of the fire in the train, and the survivors having to wait for rescuers for several days. There were over one thousand people saved in those tunnels during the fire and 7 major trestles destroyed in the fire.
It was an event which bonded Clarence and Blanche because they married less than two weeks later on September 10, 1910 in Missoula, MT by a Justice of the Peace. Their witnesses were FN Truesdale and Grace Dyson. Blanche did have an engagement ring that Clarence had given her. It was an opal center stone with small diamond chips around it. It was as precious to her as was his love.
After the fire whether it be due to the damage done to the railroad so Clarence was out of work or the couple needed away from their experience, they were back in back in Tyndall, SD. Several years later, in 1913, their son Charles Robert was born. By 1917, the family finds themselves in Maudlow, Gallatin Co., MT with Clarence working for the Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific Railroad. Maudlow is northeast of Three Forks, MT. By 1920, the family had moved to Pleasant Valley, MT which would probably been close to Piedmont, MT.
Piedmont had been built by the railroad as a town for their workers to live in. However, it was located in a low swampy area close to Whitehall. The mosquitoes were horrible with it being so swampy. Clarence was working as a signal maintenance crew with his brother-in-law, Ted McPherson. The Martin home was always full. At that time there were Blanche, Clarence, Charlie, Ted, and Blanche's mother, Aurella living in the home according to the 1920 census report.
In 1925, the family was in Hell Gate, MT when their second son, Clarence, was born. A few years later the railroad would be transferred to Miles City, MT. This was a welcome change since Blanche's brother, Ted, and his family had been transferred there also. Their family had grown by two because the Martin home had taken in Harry's twin daughters, Doris and Dorthy. The family was doing well. They were able to rent railroad housing and even owned a radio.
Finally by 1940, the family took up residence in Willow Creek, MT. The housing was provided to the family to rent and again, the house was full with the Martin family and Maud, Clarence's sister, and Rodney, her son. From that time to the time Clarence retired from the railroad, they rented that house. When Clarence retired from the railroad, the railroad was beginning to sell some of their assets so Clarence and Blanche were able to buy it.
During that time, Clarence worked all day and came home in the evening and worked out in the garden which was at least an acre. He provided for his family and anyone else who needed help. I remember picture of some of their hunting and fishing trips where a lot of game was taken. I cannot even imaging either he or Blanche wasting anything or being frivolous with the extra. As a younger man, he contracted Rocky Mountain fever and almost died. We had also been told that he had been told that his heart was so bad he would not survive to an old age. He had every one of his teeth pulled and lived to 90 years old.
Clarence was lovingly called "Uncle" and everyone in the family knew exactly who you were talking about when you mentioned Uncle. He was always an active man. Although Clarence had only a seventh-grade education, he loved to read and was always a well-informed man. And the one thing that came to my memories when I was thinking about him was at night, he'd look at Auntie Blanche and would say, "Ma, I need some liniment" and head to bed. Auntie would go in and take care of her beloved Clarence.
Uncle passed away on April 15, 1975 in Bozeman, MT at the Deaconess Hospital. He had pneumonia. He suffered for a few days, but in the end his heart gave up. He is buried in Mount Green Cemetery in Willow Creek, MT.
Clarence Simeon Martin was born on February 12, 1885 to Franklin and Angelia (Luke) Martin in Avon, South Dakota. John was thirty and Angelia was 18 years old. Clarence was the first son and their second child. John and Angelia would eleven more children: Franklin, Maud, Jane, Agnes, Jessie, Isaac, Viola, John, Stephen, and the twins, Leona, and Lee. The family lived in Avon until around 1894 and then moved to Englevale, ND. By 1896, the family was in LaMourne, ND. The turn of the century, the family had located in in Sibley Kidder, ND.
Franklin, Clarence's father, in Iowa, but Clarence's grandfather had been born in France. Franklin worked for the railroad and they rented homes since they followed the work of the railroad. Around the age of fourteen, Clarence ran away from home for several years.
In the 1910 census, Clarence is listed living in Tyndall, SD and working as a laborer at a veterinarian Hospital. The census was done early in the spring, but by later in the summer Clarence was listed as living in Kyle, ID. He probably followed in his father's footsteps working for the railroad. At that time the Chicago, Milwaukee, and Puget Sound Railroad was beginning its expansion through Montana's northwest territory.
During this time period, his life took some unexpected turns. From Clarence and Blanche's marriage certificate their residences are listed as Kyle, ID and Tyndall, SD. Somehow Clarence and Blanche ended up in the same area of Montana. Blanche had been a waitress in South Dakota.
Their granddaughter, Dianne, remembers her gramma and grampa talking about the 1910 fires which burned through northwestern Montana and Idaho. Blanche and Clarence took refuge with the other townspeople in a train tunnel while the fire stormed over them. Some of the stories about the fire included how the railroad employees on the train would get out and check the burned trestles to see if they would hold the weight of the train, the heat and smoke of the fire in the train, and the survivors having to wait for rescuers for several days. There were over one thousand people saved in those tunnels during the fire and 7 major trestles destroyed in the fire.
It was an event which bonded Clarence and Blanche because they married less than two weeks later on September 10, 1910 in Missoula, MT by a Justice of the Peace. Their witnesses were FN Truesdale and Grace Dyson. Blanche did have an engagement ring that Clarence had given her. It was an opal center stone with small diamond chips around it. It was as precious to her as was his love.
After the fire whether it be due to the damage done to the railroad so Clarence was out of work or the couple needed away from their experience, they were back in back in Tyndall, SD. Several years later, in 1913, their son Charles Robert was born. By 1917, the family finds themselves in Maudlow, Gallatin Co., MT with Clarence working for the Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific Railroad. Maudlow is northeast of Three Forks, MT. By 1920, the family had moved to Pleasant Valley, MT which would probably been close to Piedmont, MT.
Piedmont had been built by the railroad as a town for their workers to live in. However, it was located in a low swampy area close to Whitehall. The mosquitoes were horrible with it being so swampy. Clarence was working as a signal maintenance crew with his brother-in-law, Ted McPherson. The Martin home was always full. At that time there were Blanche, Clarence, Charlie, Ted, and Blanche's mother, Aurella living in the home according to the 1920 census report.
In 1925, the family was in Hell Gate, MT when their second son, Clarence, was born. A few years later the railroad would be transferred to Miles City, MT. This was a welcome change since Blanche's brother, Ted, and his family had been transferred there also. Their family had grown by two because the Martin home had taken in Harry's twin daughters, Doris and Dorthy. The family was doing well. They were able to rent railroad housing and even owned a radio.
Finally by 1940, the family took up residence in Willow Creek, MT. The housing was provided to the family to rent and again, the house was full with the Martin family and Maud, Clarence's sister, and Rodney, her son. From that time to the time Clarence retired from the railroad, they rented that house. When Clarence retired from the railroad, the railroad was beginning to sell some of their assets so Clarence and Blanche were able to buy it.
During that time, Clarence worked all day and came home in the evening and worked out in the garden which was at least an acre. He provided for his family and anyone else who needed help. I remember picture of some of their hunting and fishing trips where a lot of game was taken. I cannot even imaging either he or Blanche wasting anything or being frivolous with the extra. As a younger man, he contracted Rocky Mountain fever and almost died. We had also been told that he had been told that his heart was so bad he would not survive to an old age. He had every one of his teeth pulled and lived to 90 years old.
Clarence was lovingly called "Uncle" and everyone in the family knew exactly who you were talking about when you mentioned Uncle. He was always an active man. Although Clarence had only a seventh-grade education, he loved to read and was always a well-informed man. And the one thing that came to my memories when I was thinking about him was at night, he'd look at Auntie Blanche and would say, "Ma, I need some liniment" and head to bed. Auntie would go in and take care of her beloved Clarence.
Uncle passed away on April 15, 1975 in Bozeman, MT at the Deaconess Hospital. He had pneumonia. He suffered for a few days, but in the end his heart gave up. He is buried in Mount Green Cemetery in Willow Creek, MT.
Franklin, Clarence's father, in Iowa, but Clarence's grandfather had been born in France. Franklin worked for the railroad and they rented homes since they followed the work of the railroad. Around the age of fourteen, Clarence ran away from home for several years.
In the 1910 census, Clarence is listed living in Tyndall, SD and working as a laborer at a veterinarian Hospital. The census was done early in the spring, but by later in the summer Clarence was listed as living in Kyle, ID. He probably followed in his father's footsteps working for the railroad. At that time the Chicago, Milwaukee, and Puget Sound Railroad was beginning its expansion through Montana's northwest territory.
During this time period, his life took some unexpected turns. From Clarence and Blanche's marriage certificate their residences are listed as Kyle, ID and Tyndall, SD. Somehow Clarence and Blanche ended up in the same area of Montana. Blanche had been a waitress in South Dakota.
Their granddaughter, Dianne, remembers her gramma and grampa talking about the 1910 fires which burned through northwestern Montana and Idaho. Blanche and Clarence took refuge with the other townspeople in a train tunnel while the fire stormed over them. Some of the stories about the fire included how the railroad employees on the train would get out and check the burned trestles to see if they would hold the weight of the train, the heat and smoke of the fire in the train, and the survivors having to wait for rescuers for several days. There were over one thousand people saved in those tunnels during the fire and 7 major trestles destroyed in the fire.
It was an event which bonded Clarence and Blanche because they married less than two weeks later on September 10, 1910 in Missoula, MT by a Justice of the Peace. Their witnesses were FN Truesdale and Grace Dyson. Blanche did have an engagement ring that Clarence had given her. It was an opal center stone with small diamond chips around it. It was as precious to her as was his love.
After the fire whether it be due to the damage done to the railroad so Clarence was out of work or the couple needed away from their experience, they were back in back in Tyndall, SD. Several years later, in 1913, their son Charles Robert was born. By 1917, the family finds themselves in Maudlow, Gallatin Co., MT with Clarence working for the Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific Railroad. Maudlow is northeast of Three Forks, MT. By 1920, the family had moved to Pleasant Valley, MT which would probably been close to Piedmont, MT.
Piedmont had been built by the railroad as a town for their workers to live in. However, it was located in a low swampy area close to Whitehall. The mosquitoes were horrible with it being so swampy. Clarence was working as a signal maintenance crew with his brother-in-law, Ted McPherson. The Martin home was always full. At that time there were Blanche, Clarence, Charlie, Ted, and Blanche's mother, Aurella living in the home according to the 1920 census report.
In 1925, the family was in Hell Gate, MT when their second son, Clarence, was born. A few years later the railroad would be transferred to Miles City, MT. This was a welcome change since Blanche's brother, Ted, and his family had been transferred there also. Their family had grown by two because the Martin home had taken in Harry's twin daughters, Doris and Dorthy. The family was doing well. They were able to rent railroad housing and even owned a radio.
Finally by 1940, the family took up residence in Willow Creek, MT. The housing was provided to the family to rent and again, the house was full with the Martin family and Maud, Clarence's sister, and Rodney, her son. From that time to the time Clarence retired from the railroad, they rented that house. When Clarence retired from the railroad, the railroad was beginning to sell some of their assets so Clarence and Blanche were able to buy it.
During that time, Clarence worked all day and came home in the evening and worked out in the garden which was at least an acre. He provided for his family and anyone else who needed help. I remember picture of some of their hunting and fishing trips where a lot of game was taken. I cannot even imaging either he or Blanche wasting anything or being frivolous with the extra. As a younger man, he contracted Rocky Mountain fever and almost died. We had also been told that he had been told that his heart was so bad he would not survive to an old age. He had every one of his teeth pulled and lived to 90 years old.
Clarence was lovingly called "Uncle" and everyone in the family knew exactly who you were talking about when you mentioned Uncle. He was always an active man. Although Clarence had only a seventh-grade education, he loved to read and was always a well-informed man. And the one thing that came to my memories when I was thinking about him was at night, he'd look at Auntie Blanche and would say, "Ma, I need some liniment" and head to bed. Auntie would go in and take care of her beloved Clarence.
Uncle passed away on April 15, 1975 in Bozeman, MT at the Deaconess Hospital. He had pneumonia. He suffered for a few days, but in the end his heart gave up. He is buried in Mount Green Cemetery in Willow Creek, MT.
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