P a g e 8 G h o s t T o w n s a n d H i s t o r y o f M o n t a n a N e w s l e t t e r "School for Joan presented interesting problems and equally interesting solutions. Several years, school was held in the bunkhouse which had previously housed the turkeys. For three years she boarded at the Bill Bridgers by the week when their boys started school. Since most of the original homesteaders were long gone, there were very few children to attend any school. There were never more than three enrolled, and one year Joan was alone in school, with Eulalie Winter from the Musselshell River as teacher.” Photo by Shawn Shawhan “After Nan had a stroke in January of 1967, John and Nan spent their winters in Lewistown, returning to the ranch in the summer. Thus, life flowed on until 1974, when Nan fell at the ranch while attempting to kill a snake with her cane, and fractured her hip. After three months in traction, she moved to Valle Vista Nursing Home, where John was living after a car accident. Here, in her usual ‘take it on the chin’ attitude, Nan became known as the ‘Mitten Lady’, knitting dozens of pairs of mittens for the staff's children and grandchildren.” “John sorely missed his active life on the ranch and found little to brighten his days. On February 22, 1981, he passed away. Although Nan eventually lost her hearing, sight, and ability to walk, she was never to complain. On October 10. 198?, she died at the age of 98.” Photo by Shawn Shawhan Joan added her own memories: "I feel a great sense of pride in being a part of the history of Petroleum County. By the time I was born in 1931, most of the homesteaders had left for ‘greener pastures’, so our nearest neighbors were the Bill Bridgers, five miles to the southeast. I remember riding to Winnett in our Model T Ford and having to back up some of the hills so the carburetor would remain full of gas. School was ‘God's gift to earth’, to me, and I always looked forward eagerly to attending.” “Gen Brady (Mrs. Rondall Brady) was my first grade and eighth grade teacher, and a finer teacher I've never encountered. There were never more than three of us in school in a term, a fact some of my friends can hardly believe. I went to school with Frances Sutton, Lucille Hamilton and William and Lennie Bridger. I lived with Bridgers three years to attend school which was held in their bunkhouse.” [to be continued] - Courtesy of Shawn Shawhan, Check out more of his beautiful photos at: https://abyssart.smugmug.com/? fbclid=IwAR0g5qKKbL-9fGEjGeQOfnoe7G6IIxGIYn298nyBvXDiHu36eR34AqgCzA4
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