The Ekalaka Eagle - Your Community Builder

Sorry it has been some time since my last article, but I will continue with old businesses and individuals who owned and operated them.

The last article was about Pickards Market, later Main Street Market. The building is still there but vacant.

Next door and to the east was a business I only kind of remember because it was many, many years ago. The name was Schnapps Cafe. I was in the building but don’t remember eating there. Well let’s go to “Shifting Scenes” for more information which can be found in Vol. II, page 780. The article was written by Mary Scruggs Bischoff.

“The Scruggs Family

By Mary Scurggs Bischoff

In October, 1910 Mr. and Mrs. George and daughter Mary L., arrived in Ekalaka, Montana. It had been a long three-day and three-night train ride from Geronimo, Oklahoma. They were a young couple starting a new home in a strange land, little realizing the severity of the winters and hardships they would encounter getting started on a land with no fences or buildings to begin with. At first Mrs. Scruggs and baby stayed with Mr. and Mrs. Tubbs at Ekalaka. George was loaned a team of horses and a wagon to help get things started. He filed on 320 acres on Ramey Creek about fourteen miles south of Ekalaka. A home was started, also a shelter for livestock. The first two years seemed hard. Fields were prepared and planted. Wells were dug, a cellar dug, squaw wood hauled by a team from the timber. Chickens and a milk cow were bought. Two teams of horses came to help with the farming and other work. A huge garden was plowed and planted. A horse and cultivator did much of the labor. Large bins were filled with potatoes, beats, turnips, carrots, and rutabagas. Large heads of cabbage were hung from the ceiling. Squash rested on shelves – all helping assure food for the family. Surplus vegetables were sold to neighbors who might not have been so lucky.

A daughter, Lucile, joined the family their second year in Montana. Then came Flora Belle, Vera, and finally a son, Robert.

More rooms were added to the home. A large chicken house was built, plus more stock shelter and pig houses.

All the family worked together farming corn, wheat, speltz and millet, tending livestock and milking cows. About 80 pigs were raised each year. By this time 320 acres were purchased from an adjoining neighbor, Mr. Thomas Rawson and family. Other lands were rented. The cattle grazed on government lands on Buffalo Creek in the summer. It was the girls’ job to keep track of them.

All the children attended grade school at the Peabody School, District No. 34, except Robert.

When Mary and Lucile were ready for high school, they were moved to an apartment in Ekalaka along with Flora and Belle and Vera. Later, Mrs. Scruggs moved to Ekalaka, and George finished the work on the farm then he, too, moved to Ekalaka.

The farm was sold to Jay Hubbard, a neighbor. Other neighbors were: Jim Hubbards, Albert Pangburns, Mrs. Loehding and family, John Triers, Peabodys, Mike Moolicks, Joe Corpus, Hans Stenseths, George Sandon, and others. Bob Renshaw and Chris Egge were also neighbors.

The Scurggs’ purchased a cafe at Ekalaka and called it Scruggs Cafe. They ran it a number of years until failing health forced them to sell. George suffered twelve years and passed away at Dahl Memorial Hospital and was buried at Ekalaka.

Mrs. Scruggs (Katie) was sick to death at that time. As her health allowed, she spent much of her time with her children. She made a visit to Oklahoma to visit a sister and two brothers, nieces and nephews. Katie Scruggs passed away in 1964 at the Ekalaka Hospital and was buried at Ekalaka.”

A few thoughts on the article:

What a garden listed – must have had lots of rain, and the list of neighbors. Some remembered by me and maybe some of you readers. The business was sold to a couple by the name of Nims. The article continues on the history of each child, but I am not going to tell it.