Presentation by Vern Howard of HOWARD FAMILY HISTORY.......

Vern and his two older brothers (Don and Marlyn) came into this world on a farm North
of Williston, ND. But their history began long before.
Grandpa Samuel Howard, together with his brother and his sister, came from the Old
Country near Oslo, Norway to locate in Wisconsin. As was common, people often had
difficulty pronouncing and spelling Norwegian names; the immigrant would take the
name of their first employer to simplify the process. Grandpa Samuel was first employed
by a family with the name Howard (which is actually English!) His brother took the
name Semingson from his first employer. As time passed and the brothers went their
separate ways, it became increasingly difficult to stay in touch, and the family tree
experienced a tragic separation. However, the missing branch was found about 15
years ago and it was quite a celebration at a family reunion.
Grandpa Oswald Martin (Verns mothers father) also came from the old country to
Wisconsin. At the age of 12, he was captured by the Indians and was held until he was
18 at which time he was given the choice to become a brave or return to the white people.
He chose to return to his own kind, and was delivered by the tribe to the nearest settlement.
He migrated to South Dakota where he met and married. Also taking advantage of the
offer of free land, they came to North Dakota and homesteaded about ten miles from the
Howard family. It was on that homestead that the Indians were welcomed to camp and
rest for a week or more as they traveled through the territory going North in summer
and South in late fall. Grandpa understood the Indian ways; a standing invitation was
extended. Verns Mom often remembered their visits.
Grandpa Samuel claimed his homestead by building a claim shack in 1906, returning to
Wisconsin to move the family by wagon in the early spring of 1907. Since the shack had
been constructed of green lumber the previous year, the lumber had shrunk leaving wide
cracks that could not keep out the brutality of the snow storm that welcomed them.
Grandma Sarah creatively nailed heavy quilts to the North and West walls to keep the
weather at bay while they huddled in that corner to wait out the storm. George (Verns
Dad) was just 4 years old at the time and often stated he never remembered being that cold
ever again in his lifetime! Buffalo chips and coal provided heat as well as cooking fuel.
When warmer weather arrived, sod was dug out and applied to the walls and roof of the
shack to provide warmth in winter and cool in summer. (This original homesteaded land
remains in the family all these years later! Several of the Howard Reunions have been
enjoyed there.)
George was the oldest of 10 children; he was 13 years old when he packed all his belongings
in a pillowcase and left home. He had experienced the last of his fathers abusive beatings
so he found his way to a huge ranch in Malta, MT. He was assigned to be the foreman of
an outer ranch a long away from the main house; he lived in a cabin there while he
assumed responsibility for cattle and fences. Eventually he returned to Dakota where he
married Alvyna Martin and they began the challenges of a farm of their own.

The three Howard sons were born on this farm. The circumstances of Verns birth
included the doctor coming to the farm to deliver him. While all awaited the birth, Verns
Dad and the doctor spent the time pulling a birthing calf down in the barn! The
bartered fee for Verns birth was 12 chickens and a half wagon load of grain.
Vern had interesting tales of childhood years.
Hunting.....
An abundance of old sod shacks remained across the land where skunks would
burrow. The brothers developed a system for retrieving them for the 50 cent
bounty. (Rabbits bounty was the same, but only if shot in the head; gophers
brought 15 cents; crow heads brought 5 cents.) Considering a box of 22 shells cost
only 15 cents, there was profit to be had. Big brother Don would crawl down under
the shack with heavy leather gloves and retrieve the skunk and throw him out;
Marlyn would shoot the skunk as it came out the opening of the shack; Vern would
collect and stack the animals. As the system wasnt exactly perfect and sometimes
the boys would experience a good spraying, their mother would meet them some
distance from the house with a bucket of sudsy water, clean change of clothes, and
a shovel so they could bury their smelly clothing in the coal ash pile for at least a
week to remove the odor.
School......
The country school house was a mile and a half from home. Walking was the only
way to get there.....weather didnt stop school ever. Although the school had a barn
and a corral, taking the horses out in a storm was not allowed. In the event of a
severe storm, Verns Mom would send the cattle dog to fetch the kids. A rope was
tied on the dog and the boys would hang on while the dog took them home.
Four of the six students at the school were cousins; the teacher was Miss Rivers,
who lived in the schoolss teacherage behind the classroom. When students had
completed the sixth grade, they would attend a boarding school in Wild Rose, some
6 miles away from the farm.
Christmas vacation was always memorable. It was the time that hay was moved
from the main stack some distance from the barn, to the area in the hay barn.
With winter temperatures plunging to as cold as 30 degrees below 0, the job had
its challenges. The horses and sleigh was used to transport the hay. Once the
wagon was loaded the people would dig down into the hay to keep warm and let
the horses take them to the barn where oats and warmth awaited them. Mom had
a pot of stew comprised of many days leftovers simmering on the back of the
coal cookstove for the crew to devour. (Taste and flavor were often questionable.)

Winter.......
Preparation for winter included the family traveling to town to get the supplies
and food needed for the first half of winter. Around the first of December, the
men would take horses and sleighs to purchase the needed supplies for the last
half of the harsh winter season. While town was only 6 miles away, a slight hill kept
town from being seen.
Storms could often be seen approaching miles away. Last minute preparations
could sometimes be made. A measured rope would be tied to the porch post;
when visibility and snow depth would make it unsafe to be outside, one would tie
the rope around the waist and allow the distance to reach the barn or outhouse.
Vern remembers one particular storm coming; cows were locked safely in the barn
and preparations made to endure the storm. Going as far as the rope would allow,
they would go back and forth to search for the barn. For a week they searched and
at the storms conclusion found they were walking on the roof!! Much effort was
given to assist milk cows that suffered from not being milked so long.
Trees were planted on the North and West side of the outhouse and kept it
accessible. Mom always made sure there was a fresh catalog to use when company
was expected.
Saturday nights............
Farmers and families headed for town on warm summer Saturday nights. The
parents would park around the town square to visit while the kids found their
own entertainment. When Dad had it, hed give each of the boys a quarter. This
would allow them to go to the movies (the room behind the drugstore), buy popcorn,
a candy bar and pop, leaving a nickle to take home for other things.
World War II ............
Their upright radio informed them that Pearl Harbor was struck, although they
didnt know what it was. Farming became very regulated. They could sell meat
only to the government (a 1200 lb. steer brought $10). Farming no longer provided
a living; the family moved to Crosby where Dad worked as a mechanic for the
county until he was let go to make a spot for the bosss son. Another major move
was about to happen.
(Oldest brother Don joined the Army Air Force. He was flying over France when
his plane was hit by anti-aircraft fire. He made it back across the channel, crash
landing in England. He was loaded on a landing barge that took him back to France
to act as an artillery spotter. Upon reaching St. Lo, an artillery shell exploded next
to him and was badly wounded. When found he had only one pant leg, shoe, and
one shirt sleeve. Dog tags were gone and he lay in an iron lung in London for six
months before becoming conscious enough to tell who he was!)

The older brothers came to Libby.

Don and his wife came in 1947. He was planning to go to Faragut for a Navy job
in electronics. However, Olgas brother-in-law offered him a job for Libby
Transfer so they stayed. He later began the Libby Cab Company charging a fare
of 50 cents to any location in the Libby area. He partnered with Bob Nichols
in opening an appliance store. Being savy in electronics, he took steps to bring a
TV signal to Libby for the first time. Attempts to purchase an antenna met with
failure, so a shortwave antenna was substituted and adjusted until it was proven
it could be done. Although the picture was terribly snowy, they got reception.
The very first program received in Libby was live wrestling from the Spokane
Armory. Don later opened a fish mart to sell tropical fish and acquariums.
Marlyn came in 1948 to work in construction, leaving when the job was completed.
He returned in 1954 after discharge from the Air Force since the family had moved
here. He married Darla Cooley and the Howard Electric business was begun. He
was later hired at the Asarco Mine as electrician and computer technician; and went
on to the mine at Winnemucca NV where he retired.
Vern moved to Libby with the family in 1951. His Dad came first and went to work for
J. Neils Co. the day after his arrival. He worked as a mechanic at the Rexford site and
later transferred to the Libby mill. Vern and his Mother followed several weeks later.
A search began for purchasing land for a home. Dad was offered the land extending from
Poplar Street south to include Pioneer Park, including the log house that still stands in
that area, just West of Idaho Avenue, for $500. However, Don insisted that they build on
the corner of his property on Idaho Avenue. Dons little electronic workshop was rolled
to the building site on prest-o-logs and became the base of their home. Verns first room
was an framed Army tent heated in winter by a small electric heater. Ledums cats kept
him company. His first car was a Model A Ford.
He started school that fall as a freshman. He was employed by the Dome Theater in his
sophomore year for 70 cents per hour. He ran the big projectors and cleaned between
shows. Work hours were from after school to around 11:00 p.m. daily. Often time did not
permit his getting a burger and fries at the Blue Bear (at a cost of 50 cents), so one of the
girls at the concession stand would go next door to get him his Blue Bear dinner.
(Timberline Auto now occupies that location.) Summertime found him running the
projectors at the outdoor theater. This job continued until well after graduation when he
added working for the Propane Company during daytime hours. The summer months
also found him working with his brother, Don, in driving the ambulance. At that time the
ambulance was the Gompf Funeral Home hearse.
In 1957 he went to the Seattle area to work for Boeing, returning once again to Libby when
his Dads heart attack made it necessary to be home. In 1960 he joined the Air Force to

avoid being drafted, making him the third brother to do so. This would take him to the
Philippines, China, Viet Nam and many USA bases. During his four years, he saw his
family only about six months, with only brief visits with his small children. Feeling it not
worth the cost, he again returned to Libby to work at the J. Neils plywood plant and
retail.
1970 found him in Kansas City working in air traffic control. With many changes in that
field, his return to Libby brought about the purchase of the Union 76 Station where he
experienced the trauma of the gas shortage. In spite of restrictions, however, the station
did well. Perhaps it was the history-making hiring of high school girls to pump gas, check
oil and wash windshields, dressed in the Union 76 colors of dark blue and orange denim
shorts and orange T-shirts!!!! He was always able to get another tanker load of gas, even
when had used up his allotment.
Upon selling the station, he worked several years for Cox Machine Shop and, finally, did
many years working and traveling for the U. S. Army Corps of Engineers until retirement.

Verns reminiscence spurred many memories for our members and also stimulated
questions such as Whatever happened to the Blue Bear? Many expressed the desire
to also hear Jeannes family story the Deckers. It has been scheduled on the agenda
for the October meeting.