What are the opening hours?

Monday 9am - 4:30pm Tuesday 9am - 4:30pm Wednesday 9am - 4:30pm Thursday 9am - 4:30pm Friday 9am - 4:30pm Saturday 9am - 4:30pm Sunday 9am - 4:30pm

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Billings County Courthouse Museum, 475 Fourth Street, Medora, ND (2026)

10/10/2026

Family Fridays! The family is chosen at random. If you want to see if your family is in here comment or send us a message!

Lloyd and Anna Dennis!

Lloyd W. Dennis was born to Edward Dennis and Katherine (O'Donnel) Dennis at Aberdeen, South Dakota, Aug. 17, 1918. The family came to Billings County in 1920 where they purchased a farm north of Belfield. Their place was on SW /4 of Sec. 29 Township 142 Range 98. The farm was known as the Spring Butte Farm and was formerly owned by Hugh McGillvary.

Lloyd attended grade school at Spring Creek School for eight years. He attended high school at Belfield where he graduated in 1935.

On April 24, 1941 he married Anna Skurupey. She was born April 23, 1923, the daughter of John Skurupey and Rose (Repetowski) Skurupey. The Skurupey lived on a farm in a community known as Snow Community. Anna went to school at Spring Creek School #1. (Anna’s parents John and Rose Skurupey have their own Family Friday. Find it in our master list in the pinned post!)

Fourteen children were born to Lloyd and Anna.

Mary Ellen died when she was three months old.

Marjorie (Margie) born August 1942, is married to Dale Smith and lives on a farm south of Belfield. They have four children.

Catherine (Carol) was born November 1944, is married to Gene Sayler and they live in Bismarck. They have four children.

Valerie born September 1945, is married to Glen Ness and they have three children. They live southwest of Minot.

Patricia (Patti) born March 1947, is married to Dennis Hellman and they have two children. They live in Germany where Dennis is in the service.

Daryle born July 1948, is married to Mary Buzalski and they have two children. They ranch southeast of Amidon.

Gloria, born August, 1949, is married to Gary Trauger and they have one child. They teach in Manheim, Germany.

Daniel (Dan), born September 1950, lives in Belfield and works as a driller in the oil field.

Brian, born in October, 1952, lives near Killdeer. He works as a driller in the oil fields.

Robert (Bob), born 1953, is married to Sandy Berger and they have two children. He works for L.P. Anderson and lives in Belfield.

Shannon (Shan) born February, 1955, is married to Marcy Dwang and they have one child. They live in Belfield. Shan works in the oil fields.

James (Jim) born December 1956, is married to Mary Crowder and they live in Tioga. Jim works as a driller of water wells.

Jonathon (Jon), born July 1960, lives in Dickinson and is a senior at Dickinson Central High School.

David, born February 1967, is in the 5th grade and goes to school at Karlsruhe.

All the children but one attended elementary school at Spring Creek School #2 District 18. They walked over the butte to the Dennis School. A path was worn where they walked. High school for them was Belfield High School except for the two oldest who attended St. Mary's in New England, North Dakota and Jon, who attends Dickinson Central in Dickinson, North Dakota.

The family worked on the farm doing chores and helping with the field work. There were pigs to feed, cows to milk, chickens to feed and a few years there were bum lambs to take care of. Cream and eggs were sold for extra money. The younger children caught and sold minnows for extra money.

With thirteen children, life was never dull for Lloyd and Annie. It seemed there was always a crisis to be dealt with.

Many evenings Lloyd would take out his violin or mandolin and play tunes for the family. Lloyd would play and the family would sing. Or Anna would play along on a harmonica.

The family lived north of Belfield until 1973. They sold the farm to Kevin Kirsh and moved to Dickinson. In 1977 they moved to a farm northwest of Karlsruhe, North Dakota.

All this information is taken from Echoing Trails, Billings county history first edition (published in 1979) and is public records

Lloyd Dennis Family

Back row, left to right: Brian, Bob, Daryle, Daniel.

Middle row, left to right: Margie, Valerie, Carol, Patti, Gloria.

Bottom row, left to right: Shannon, Mrs. Anna Dennis, Dave, Jon, Mr. Lloyd Dennis, Jim.

10/02/2026

Family Fridays! The family is chosen at random. If you want to see if your family is in here comment or send us a message!

Charles and Ethel Wolf!

Charles Wolf was born in Clayton County, lowa on February 7, 1886, the youngest of eight children. His parents were George and Hannah (Brell) Wolf.

His wife was Ethel Lebo, who was born in 1894. A daughter of Schuyler Norman Lebo and Marguerite “Maggie” (Gerbig) Lebo.

His mother died when he was eleven. A brother was to take care of him, but Charles didn't like his sister-in-law, so he went to work on a neighbor's farm when he was twelve.

In 1903, he came to Medora, North Dakota from Minneapolis, Minnesota, with a load of cattle. He carried mail to the Mikkelson Post Office and stayed at the hotel the first winter. He then went to work for Jud Lebo.

Later he worked for Bill Follis. According to information given the writer, Charles built the Follis ranchhouse. He also built the rock house on Bullion Butte. he homesteaded up the river from the Bill Follis ranch and built the house still in use by Wosepkas.

Charles married Ethel Lebo on December 24, 1913. They bought the Will Rozelle homestead two miles south of Medora in 1916, Sec. 34-140-102.

He was in partnership with Tom Porter for about four years during and after the World War I, was caught overextended by the weather and prices and gave that up, continued ranching south of Medora until 1936 when he sold his cows and went to work for the Custer Trail Ranch.

Later he worked for the Submarginal and the Grazing Association. In 1944, he moved into Medora, and to Killdeer in 1956. He died in 1969 at the age of 83. Mrs. Wolf died in 1955.

The Wolf's had seven sons and one daughter.

Sidney Charles born September 30th 1914.
Sidney later married Florence Ludtke in 1944, daughter of Ollie and Daisy (Holmes) Ludtke. They had one son named Dennis. Sidney passed away in 1997 and Florence passed away in 2006. They are buried together in Thermopiles, Wyoming.

Walter Lawrence was born February 10, 1916.
Walter later married Dorothy Miller. They have three children Charles “Chuck”, Theresa “Jackie” (Draheim) and Kenneth. Dorothy passed in 1983 and Walter passed in 1999.
They are buried together in Princeton, Minnesota.

William George was born November 14th 1920. William later married Marjorie Rixmann. William passed in 1986 and Marjorie passed in 2003. They are buried together in Phoenix, Arizona. (Editor Note: I am unsure if they had any children. Please comment or message to correct this if you know)

Leonard was born December 27th 1927. Leonard married Lillian McLaughlin in 1958. They have two sons Howard and Thomas.
Leonard passed away in 2014, Lillian passed away in 2013. They are buried together in Dickinson, North Dakota.

Luverne was born in 1919 and died in 1922. She is buried in Medora. They also lost a baby boy in infancy in 1929.

Sidney, Walter, William, Clarence and Kenneth all served in World War II. Two sons, Clarence and Kenneth, died in the service of their country in World War II. Clarence was 26 and Kenneth was 21.

All this information is taken from Echoing Trails, Billings county history first edition (published in 1979) and is public records

09/25/2026

Family Fridays! The family is chosen at random. If you want to see if your family is in here comment or send us a message!

Cyprian and Josephine LeDoux!

Cyprian LeDoux, his wife Josephine, their two year old daughter, Lena, and his parents came to North Dakota in 1899 from Boston, Massachusetts. They settled on a farm in Willow City, ND, raising grain, cattle, and horses.

The country was sparsely populated at this time, and Indians were frequent visitors. Mother was deathly afraid of them, and feared for her children. As soon as she saw Indians coming she would call the children to the house and hide them under the beds. When Pa was at home and the Indians came around he would visit with them and in time the children were no longer afraid of them and would not come when Mother called them to hide. Besides Lena they now had four boys Ed, Leo, Bert, and Orice.

The LeDouxs heard of homesteads to be obtained in the western part of the state, so in 1907 they decided to move west.

Pa came out on a railroad car bringing with him the machinery, horses, and cattle. As soon as he had a place ready the rest of the family joined him leaving his parents in Willow City where they lived until they passed away. The new farm was 16½ miles south of Belfield, ND on Sec. 28 in Grand Meadow Township. This farmstead was later known as the John Bell place. It is situated along what is now US 85 and even at that time was a very busy road with everyone going to town to buy supplies.

Most people at this time would go to town with a team and wagon as they normally bought enough supplies to last them a couple of months and needed something to take them home in. As this was a long trip for a lot of the people there was quite a few nights when Mother had to feed and find a place for many people to stay over. The building we lived in was very long with our living quarters in one end and a barn for the cattle and horses in the other end. This was especially nice during cold weather as you just had to walk through a door to do the chores.

By this time Mother had stopped being afraid of Indians, but now had a great fear of the cowboys. The cowboys did not like to see the settlers or squatters move into this country as they had had a free reign over the ranges and now had to put up with barb wire fences strung all over the place.

Because of the fences the cowboys soon became very angry and started to cut the wires allowing the cattle to roam through the farmers' gardens and crops, ruining many of them. Some of the farmers in our area were bachelors and had one room houses which the cowboys sometimes would tip over. The cowboys never did anything to us as Dad got along with them very well and the boys thought it great to talk to the cowboys.

In 1909 they decided they needed a new home as the family was outgrowing their old house. When the new house was finished the children did not want to move into it as they had grown accustomed to their old house. During this time Mother must have worked very hard baking bread and churning butter, some of which she sold at the Molm Store in Ga***rd. The years went by and Rita, Archie, and Irene were added to the family with one daughter dying in infancy.

In 1926 the LeDouxs bought the Margaret Richel Clark ranch in Billings County located on Sec. 18-137-100. This was a wonderful place to raise stock as it was down in the Badlands out of the wind. The only drawback to this place was the water which was very dark. Our drinking water had to be hauled almost two miles from the Charles Geary ranch.

In 1936 Cyprian LeDoux, his wife, and Orice moved into Belfield. Cyprian passed away in January 1949, and his wife, Josephine, passed away in 1959. Orice still lives in their home in Belfield. Lena, Bert, and Archie have also passed away. Rita and her family live in Portland, Oregon. Leo and his family live in Red Lake Falls, Minnesota; Irene and her family live in Buffalo Wyoming.

In 1934 Ed, his wife, Elsie, and two sons, Donald and Robert, moved to the Louie Chase farm in Sec. 22-137-100.

These were tough years with drouth and grasshoppers in the summer and severe cold and heavy snow in the winter. At times the roads were so rough that mail had to be delivered on horseback. In 1946 the place was bought by the Fritz Brothers, and Ed and Elsie moved to the Ott Talkington ranch northwest of Belfield in Sec. 27-140-100. In 1964 we had a very severe winter during which Ed suffered a serious heart attack and was unable to work for several months.

In 1966 we had an auction sale and retired into Belfield. Our son, Donald, and his family live in Glendive, Montana, and Robert and his family live in Kodiak, Alaska.

This passage was written by Ed LeDoux to be submitted and pushed in the 1979 edition of Billings County echoing trails and has been minimally edited

All this information is taken from Echoing Trails, Billings county history first edition (published in 1979) and is public records

09/20/2026

Lloyd wants me to let everybody know that we will be open one more weekend! We will be here Friday the 26th and Saturday the 27th! If you’ve been wanting to come down but haven’t had the opportunity, here’s your chance!

Family Friday posts will continue through the winter thanks to our handy dandy echoing trails books (which are available for purchase btw)

Don’t forget your cash for our admission prices! 5 for adults 2 for seniors and 1 for students (that includes college students!) under 12 is free and we do have a military discount. If we don’t see you this fall we’ll be back once everything thaws out come spring!

09/18/2026

Family Fridays! The family is chosen at random. If you want to see if your family is in here comment or send us a message!

Nicholas and Polly Pedeliski!

Nicholas Pedeliski, son of Alex and Mary Pedeliski was born on December 2, 1912 at somewhat an inopportune time for although it was December, threshing crews were on the place completing the harvest. He spent his childhood in that sod house and went to the "Meschke" School which stood at the top of a high ridge overlooking the badlands. He remembers the teacher, Rosella Hansen, who taught at Meschke but stayed with her sister, Pearl, in the Martian School. In spring and fall she walked morning and night between schools, over four miles and six coulees.

Nicholas spent his boyhood riding over the "Pleasant Flats"' country. One of his colorful acquaintances was a bootlegger called "Wh***ey Joe" who had his still secreted in a dugout in a butte overlooking the "bogholes”.

When he graduated from grade school, Nicholas made plans to attend Belfield High School. Attending involved getting up at 5 a.m., riding five miles to Saddle Butte where he would leave his mount in a pasture and walk half a mile to catch a school bus driven by Mike Frank. When winter snows made the route impassable by truck, Nicholas stayed with the Joe Luptak's. Joe Luptak had a very spirited team and took over the school bus job using horses and sled. In later years he boarded with the Schurke's and Prokop's in Belfield.

He graduated from Belfield High School in 1931 in a class of eight. Governor George F Shafer was the commencement speaker.

Immediately thereafter with $65 in his pocket he attended DSTC that summer. (The $65 covered tuition, books, and board and room for three months.) He also attended DSTC in the summers of 1933 and 1936 and also in 1955. He began teaching at the Schaff School in 1931 and taught there to 1935 (at wages that began at $45 a month).

On June 11, 1935 he married Polly Logosz. Polly was born January 1, 1914, the daughter of Maxym and Anna (Klym) Logosz, pioneer Ukrainian homesteaders who lived on the SE½ of Sec. 26, 142-99. In 1935 Nicholas and Polly lived at the Alex Pedeliski place while he taught at the Meschke School.

The following year in which their son Theodore was born, he taught at the Murphy School one mile south. To supplement the low wages, Nicholas worked in the summer: as a car salesman for McGarvey and Schneider in 1934 and as a surveyor for the State Highway Department (working on construction of U.S. 10) in 1937 and 38.

In 1938 they moved to the Spring Creek school district where Nicholas taught at the Schmidt School and they lived at the Victor Brablec place in a unique old world stone house built into the earth. In 1940, the year their son Nick was born (May 10) the family moved to the SW¼ of Sec. 20, 141-99 to establish a farmstead with the buildings moved from the Straw-Hat Butte Submarginal Area (Kropolnicki place).

From 1940 to 1955 Nicholas taught at the Murphy School. He also taught at the Snow School 1956-59 after which he retired from teaching after 26 years of service. From 1938 on, Nicholas worked every summer for the Department of Agriculture in Billings County (PMA, ASC, ASCS) in various field positions, measuring fields, surveying dam sites, and supervising personnel. He also served for 13 years as Billings County's ASC Committeeman.

He now continues to farm with his son, Nick, who after graduation from Model High School of Dickinson in 1957 decided that farming and ranching were to be his occupation.

Nicholas passed away in 2005, Polly passed in 2002. They are buried together in Saint Mary’s Cemetery, Billings County.

All this information is taken from Echoing Trails, Billings county history first edition (published in 1979) and is public records

09/11/2026

Family Fridays! The family is chosen at random. If you want to see if your family is in here comment or send us a message!

William and Margaret Richel!

William Oldham Richel was born September 9, 1863 at Ashburnham, Massachusetts, the third child of Karl George and Sophie (Oldham) Richel. The family moved to Minnesota somewhere around 1870, for William could remember standing on a street-corner as a boy of nine and watching as Jesse James' band robbed the bank of Northfield.

Margaret Jane Hamilton was born November 17, 1861 in Quebec, Canada, the daughter of Jane (Saddler) and William Hamilton.

Margaret Hamilton and William Richel were married at Northfield, MN in 1884: they had a son, Robert Carl, born July 28, 1885 and a daughter, Marguerite Jane, born in 1894 both at Northfield.

The Richels moved from MN to North Dakota in 1906 where both William and Robert took up homesteads south of Belfield, ND with mailing address of Ga***rd.

The legal description of Robert's was: SE¼ of Sec. 7-138N-100W, 5th P. Meridian, 160 acres, Serial No. 05705 and Patent No. 267133. William's would have been NW¼ of Sec. 7-138N-100W, 5th P. Meridian, 160 acres.

I know that Robert built a sod house on his homestead and that even though the place is now only used for cattle pasture, on our trips to ND we have found where the buildings were located. Both Robert and William raised grain and livestock; in later years William went to cattle completely.

The W.O. Richels were very hospitable and many parties and picnics were held on their ranch. Mrs. Richel was one of the ladies who organized the Progressive Club. She belonged for many years.

In 1930 they sold their land to Louis Zdrahal, and moved into Belfield where they lived until moving to Idaho. They left many friends in ND when they moved.

Robert Carl and Mabel Almina Madson were married April 19, 1911 at Dickinson. Their first son Carl Robert was born November 27, 1911 in a hotel in Belfield that Mabel's parents were running (the hotel burned down some years later). The baby was so pre-mature, so tiny and having so much trouble breathing that no one believed he would live, but his grandmother Madson put him in a box which she placed on the oven door of the hotel kitchen range where he could be kept warm. It worked wonderfully; he is still alive and is one big man even at the age of sixty-five plus.

James Herbert Richel was born on the homestead at Ga***rd on October 17, 1912.
In 1916 Robert and Mabel decided they could no longer hold out on the homestead and they gave a quit claim deed to the 160 acres to a Mr. Jansen or Jenson who ran a hardware store in Belfield and moved their family west to ID where they settled on a farm six miles east of Worley; their youngest son still owns and farms the land.

William and Margaret stayed behind in ND until 1936 when they too moved west to ID. They celebrated their fiftieth wedding anniversary there in 1934.

Robert Carl died in 1938, Margaret Jane in 1948, William Oldhan in 1955, Mabel Almina in 1971; all are buried in Coeur d'Alene, ID.

This passage was written by their Great Granddaughter Darleen Sheldon to be submitted and pushed in the 1979 edition of Billings Countu echoing trails and has been minimally edited

All this information is taken from Echoing Trails, Billings county history first edition (published in 1979) and is public records

09/04/2026

Family Fridays! The family is chosen at random. If you want to see if your family is in here comment or send us a message!

Hans and Helena Elkins!

Hans Elkins came from Spring Grove, Minnesota with his parents to Taylor, North Dakota in 1886. He worked as a cowboy for ranchers and for the railroad company at Dickinson, North Dakota. In 1893, he married Helena Rosendahl and filed on a homestead.

In 1900, with his wife and family, he moved to the almost unsettled prairie ten miles or so west of Fayette, North Dakota. The railroad section that he settled on was said to be in Billings County. He developed the coal mine on it into a neighborhood mine. People came from miles to get coal. Their cattle and horses ranged on free range. The county was lush with grass. They had plenty of wild meat. For necessary supplies, he would go with the team and wagon to the nearest town. Belfield, about forty-five miles, but more often he went to Dickinson, which was seventy miles.

The years they spent near Fayette, North Dakota were filled with happenings. The homesteaders and land buyers came. Their first school was held in a homestead shack-two miles walking distance. A schoolhouse was built and became the community center. People began to give dances in their homes. Hans often played the violin all night for their dancing pleasure. When all the land was taken up around them, they became overburdened with "stoppers" and decided to move.

This time they moved to the Badlands in Billings County. Since Hans had gone there years before on hunting trips, he had already built a log cabin on the place they settled on. In 1915, Ted, the oldest son filed on this land. It was Section 25, Township 144, Range 102, two miles north of the Jack Connell ranch (now Les Connell ranch).

They enjoyed their home in the Badlands. Hans cut telephone poles for the government and posts for the ranchers and farmers who wanted them. Along with this, he raised cattle and farmed some, which included raising a bumper crop of flax one year.

Their first school there was held in a log cabin located four miles west on what was called the Morgan Bottom. They went by many modes of travel, but walked most of the time, using Skis in the winter. Later a school was built there. As settlers moved in, another school was built on Blacktail Creek, almost two miles from them. This was sometimes called the Annear School.

During the 1920's, the drought and grasshoppers came and conditions got rather bad. Again, Hans decided to move. Hans and the family of six children and his wife went to Alberta, Canada. Only three of the children remained in Canada.
Hans and Helena passed away in Canada.

There were eight children in Hans and Helena's family. All of them grew to maturity.

Theodore A. Elkins, born in 1894, grew up on the home ranch. He spent two years in Canada and later worked for the railroad in Dickinson, North Dakota. After serving two years in World War I, he worked in the coal mine at Medora. About 1922, he went to Alaska. He never married. He passed away unexpectedly at Fairbanks in 1961.

Henry R. Elkins, born 1896, also grew up on the ranch. He worked as a cowboy for ranchers. Sometimes “Hank" participated in local rodeos. After serving two years in World War I, he returned to do ranch work. In 1927, he met and married Marguerite Knudtson. Miss Knutson was teaching in Billings County. They had seven children. They are now retired in New Rockford, North Dakota. Their seven children are Lois Irene, Joyce Elaine, Marian Bernice, Donna Mae, Edwin Robert, Carey Helena, and Richard Gary. Henry died June 5, 1978.

Clara R. Elkins, born 1898, received some schooling at the Morgan School. After attending Dickinson schools, she taught rural schools in four different counties, two being in Billings County. While in McKenzie County she met and married Neil Stevenson. They had seven children. Now retired, they live on a farm south of Alexander, North Dakota. Their seven children are Neil Dwight, Theodore John, Marjorie Ellen, Charles Maxwell, Clara Rosalie, Norma Marguerite, and George Edgar.

Arthur B. Elkins, born 1900, grew up to be a natural out-doorsman. He didn't like school. He hunted coyotes and helped his dad with the work, haying, fencing, branding, cutting posts and anything else. He carried the mail from Mikkelson to Gorham and back again for about three years. Later he went to Townsend, Montana. He passed away there in 1963. He had never married.

Elmer E. Elkins born in 1903, grew up on the home ranch. He was known to many as "Slim Elkins." At one time he owned a place of his own in the Fairfield area. For many years he also did road construction work. Slim liked to hunt big game and go bowling. He never married and lives in Fairfield, North Dakota.

Mabel J. Elkins, born 1906, attended the Morgan School and Black Tail Creek School, but finished her education in Canada. There she met and married Willard Love, a wheat farmer. They have three children. They are now retired in Alberta. Their three children are Elaine Evangeline, Willard Carson, and Shirley Anne.

Floyd W. Elkins, born in 1909, attended the Annear School, but finished the grades in Canada. While he was there he did farm work, broke horses, and played hockey. He was engaged to be married when he was taken ill. In 1938, he died of an abscessed liver.

Elma S. Elkins, born in 1911, received some schooling at the Annear School, but finished her education in Canada. While there, she met and married Paul Buhler, a Canadian Flyer. After twenty-six years of teaching, she is now retired and living with her husband in British Columbia. They have two daughters, Charlotte and Jacqueline.

This passage was written by Clara (Elkins) Stevenson to be submitted and pushed in the 1979 edition of Billings Countu echoing trails and has been minimally edited

All this information is taken from Echoing Trails, Billings county history first edition (published in 1979) and is public records

09/02/2026

Weekly Reading Recommendations!

These books are available for purchase at Amble Inn & Western Edge Books, Artwork, Music and displayed at our front desk for a week. This series will mostly be historical nonfiction and showcase local histories besides the Marquis and President Roosevelt! (We do love them but let’s show some love to the over looked history)

The final book we are highlighting this season is

“Badlands Boyhood”
Written by John Ambrose Coleman
Compiled and Edited by Douglas W. Ellison

“The author of this unique memoir was a California attorney who had spent several years of his boyhood in the rustic western Dakota settlements of Sully Springs, Little Missouri, and Medora during their boom years of the 1880s. Any primary account of frontier life is valuable, but an insightful rendering of the halcyon days of a young boy in that world is especially worthy and rare.”

“John Ambrose Coleman was born to a farming family in Linton Township, Alamakee County, Iowa on June 27, 1877. He was the eldest son of Michael M. and Margaret (Corcoran) Coleman, part of a large clannish family of uncles, aunts, and cousins. Michael Coleman was born in County Galway, Ireland in September 1844; Margaret Corcoran was born near Covington, Kentucky on July 20, 1846. Following Michael's Civil War service they married at Waukon, Alamakee County, Iowa on February 22, 1867.”

“Eight surviving children were born in lowa before Michael took a job with the Northern Pacific Railway and moved his growing family west to Dakota Territory in April 1882.
Michael's railway job first took his family to Sully Springs in the picturesque Dakota badlands. They soon moved a few miles further west to Little Missouri and the booming new town of Medora, which faced each other across the Little Missouri River. There, Michael left railroad employment and worked for the flamboyant Marquis de Mores, founder of Medora, as manager of the Medora Hotel and restaurant. Michael and Margaret became leading citizens of the new town, receiving steady mention in the local newspaper, the Bad Lands Cow Boy. Among the news items were announcements of community dances held on February 22nd in 1885 and 1886, sponsored by the family to honor Michael and Margaret on their wedding anniversary. As the progenitor of such a large brood, Michael was instrumental in establishing a school, and when Billings County was formally organized in April 1886 he was elected constable.”

“An example of Michael Coleman's fortitude was remembered in 1917 by long-time Medora resident James William Foley. Foley recalled an incident in March 1886 in which local hardcase Michael Finnigan was drunk and indiscriminately shooting his r***e in town. Probably because Foley's residency overlapped only briefly with that of Coleman, he misremembered Coleman's first name, but he remembered his action vividly: "One Sunday evening when walking near the Cow Boy print shop we saw Finnigan, who was under the influence of
"red eye with a r***e in hand, shooting into the print shop. William Coleman, the father-in-law of Johnny Goodall, who lived near by, came out of his house and called to Finnigan to stop firing.

Finnigan replied: 'If you dare to come near, I will shoot you, but Coleman dia not stop, and as Finnigan was very drunk we really expected that he might take a shot at Coleman, but the latter went up to Finnigan and forcibly took the r***e - and gave several kicks under Finnigan's coat tail." A few days later, Finnigan and two confederates stole Theodore Roosevelt's boat from his downriver ranch and were pursued and arrested by Roosevelt and his ranch managers, William Sewall and Wilmot Dow. That episode gave Roosevelt a reputation as a manhunter, and resulted in Finnigan being sentenced to twenty-five months in the Territorial Penitentiary at Bismarck.”

“Three more children were born to Michael and Margaret Coleman during their stay at Little Missouri and Medora. Ten of their fourteen children survived to adulthood, being, in order of age: Mary; Elizabeth; Margaret; Catherine; John; Rosa; Emily; Charles; James; Stella.”

“In April 1886 the Coleman family left Medora and moved west to Fallon, Montana Territory, where Michael again worked for the railroad. In early January 1890 Margaret received a federal appointment as Fallon postmistress, but later that year the family moved to Miles City, Montana. A year later they moved to Livingston, Montana. John left Livingston in 1896 to attend St. Thomas College at St. Paul, Minnesota. Two years later he entered the University of Minnesota at Minneapolis and graduated with a Bachelor of Laws degree in 1900. John then moved back to Livingston, where he set up his law practice.”

“John's mother Margaret Coleman, after several months of ill health, died of pneumonia at Livingston on May 9, 1901 at the age of 54.”

“John next took up residence at Butte, Montana and entered state politics. He was elected to the Montana House of Representatives in November 1904 but was defeated in a bid for State Senate two years later. Soon thereafter, he met and quietly courted Anna Maguire. Anna was a native of Butte, born on December 23, 1883. On June 15, 1908 the couple married at Bozeman, Montana, causing the local Butte newspaper to remark jestingly: "The announcement of the marriage received here this afternoon was a surprise to the friends of the bridegroom." Within the next two decades John and Anna would become the parents of five sons and a daughter. In October 1909 John moved his family to Lewistown, Montana, where he was appointed City Attorney in July 1910.”

“About 1908 widowed patriarch Michael Coleman had taken a homestead near his eldest child Mary Goodall and her husband John in McKenzie County, North Dakota. In late May 1914, 69-year-old Michael journeyed to Montana for an extended visit among his children. In mid-June he was at the home of son John and family at Lewistown.”

“A month later he traveled to Miles City. On July 26th John received a telegram announcing that his father had been found dead that morning just north of Miles City in a shallow pool of water. Testimony revealed that Michael had been despondent and had threatened su***de, and such was the official verdict of his death. John, however, remained convinced that his intoxicated father had drowned accidentally. Michael was interred beside his late wife Margaret at Livingston, Montana.”

“By late 1919 the John Coleman family had begun a partial residence at San Diego, California. Oddly, in the 1920 federal census the family is recorded as living at both Lewistown, Montana and San Diego, California. By 1930 the family had moved to Los Angeles, where John continued his law practice and where they would remain. As required by law, John filled out a Draft Registration card in 1942, during World War II, which provides his only known physical description. At 64 years old he stood 5' 10¼" and weighed 170 pounds. As for physical marks, "He states scar on right shin bone." “

“John's wife Anna died on December 30, 1955, one week after turning 72 years old. In May 1958, 80-year-old John returned to the scenes of his boyhood in the North Dakota badlands after an absence of 72 years. While there, he was asked to record his memories in observance of the 75th anniversary celebration of the founding of Medora. That memoir appears in the following chapter. John Ambrose Coleman died at Pasadena, California on February 8, 1970 at the age of 92 years. He is buried there in Holy Cross Cemetery.”

Billings County Courthouse Museum

10/10/2026

10/02/2026

09/25/2026

09/20/2026

09/18/2026

09/11/2026

09/04/2026

09/02/2026

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Listing takedown request

Monday	9am - 4:30pm
Tuesday	9am - 4:30pm
Wednesday	9am - 4:30pm
Thursday	9am - 4:30pm
Friday	9am - 4:30pm
Saturday	9am - 4:30pm
Sunday	9am - 4:30pm