Joseph J. Kieron: A Short Sketch of His Life and Road to Montana

~ Lark Dalin Robart
Joseph J. Kieron circa 1900

My great grandfather Joseph J. Kieron was born in Drumgoosat, County Monaghan, Ireland, on February 15, 1874, the son of Peter Kieron and Genevieve Martin.  He was their sixth child out of eight, and the third of four sons.  Based upon census records, I believe he came to the United States, and then directly to Montana, in about 1896.

Having settled in Butte, he married Catherine “Kate” Myers on September 20, 1899.  Kate was also Irish, having been born in County Galway.  In September of the following year, Kate gave birth to twins, a boy and a girl.  The baby girl Nora survived but baby boy Peter died when he was only 4 days old.  On August 1, 1902, Kate gave birth to another son.  However, tragedy struck again only two days later when both Kate and the baby died. Continue reading →

Ada Cordelia (Buchenau) Blacker: A Short Sketch of Her Life and Road to Montana

~ Lark Dalin Robart
Ada Cordelia Buchenau Blacker circa 1871

My great grandmother Ada Cordelia Buchenau Blacker was born February 7, 1853 in St. Joseph, Missouri.  Her parents were John Buchenau, born in Germany, and Catherine B. Tyler Buchenau, born in Pennsylvania.

At the age of 18, she married David Lyman Blacker in Wathena, Kansas on February 27, 1871.  Shortly afterwards, she moved with her new husband to the Montana Territory. 

Continue reading →

Mary Gertrude (Rumping) Schenk Schaffer Riordan: A Brief Sketch of Her Life and Road to Montana

~ Lark Dalin Robart
Mary Gertrude Rumping circa 1899

In March 1879, when Mary was only a one-year-old, she came to Montana from St. Louis, Missouri with her mother Eva (Specht) Rumping aboard the steamboat Rosebud.  The boat trip lasted three months and was followed by a stage trip from Ft. Benton to “old Silver City”.  They ultimately arrived at their destination of Belmont on July 7, 1879.

Mary grew up in a mining town in Montana known as Marysville.  Her father, John H. Rumping, was an engineer in the 5-stamp mill built by Thomas Cruse.  She graduated from high school in 1895 and hoped to become a school teacher. Sadly, that dream was never realized. Continue reading →

Anders “Andrew” Dalin: A Brief Sketch of His Life and Road to Montana

~ Lark Dalin Robart
Anders “Andrew” Dalin (1859-1919)

This is my paternal great grandfather, Andrew Dalin.  He was born October 21, 1859, in Hudiksvall, Sweden.  At this time, I have no information about his parents.  I do know that he had at least one sibling, a brother Erik.

In 1979, my father told me the story – as he knew it – of how his grandfather came to be in Montana:

Andrew and his wife Brita met and married in Sweden.  Several years later, Andrew – being a sailor – left Sweden to travel, leaving Brita and their small son, John, behind.  At some point in time, Andrew’s brother Erick learned that Andrew was in the United States and set out to locate him.  When the two brothers were re-united, it was decided that Erick would go back to Sweden and bring Andrew’s family back to the United States.  Sadly, Erick returned to Sweden only to find out the son had died, but he did bring Brita back with him.  When Erick and Brita finally caught up with Andrew, he was in Minnesota where he had acquired 800 acres located in the Mesabi Iron Range.  Andrew sold the land and the three set off by covered wagon for St. Joseph, Missouri.  From there they traveled by steam boat on the Missouri River to Ft. Benton, Montana, and then continued by covered wagon to Hassel, Montana.  Andrew timbered the mines in Hassel until 1907 when they moved to Helena.  Continue reading →