We've Got The County Covered
We've Got The County Covered
Pat and Joseph Pitchenese, from Ontario, read about Pat's family that homesteaded in the north country in 1918. Larry Wisch, who maintains three cemeteries in the north country, had taken the couple to find the gravesite of her dad's sister who was killed in a farm accident in 1922. Wisch says each summer he gets a number of visitors, mostly from out of state, who are looking for the graves of relatives.
Larry Wisch, who lives in Chinook, has been taking care of three rural cemeteries since the 1980's. He works in no official capacity, he does it on his own time and at his own expense. Asked how he began doing this work, he said, "I used to take an aunt to one of the cemeteries each year. I saw the cemeteries needed upkeep and decided I would take care of them." Sometimes it's been more than just mowing and cutting weeds, he's installed stones, reset grave markers, even made name markers to go on graves.
Some readers may be surprised to know that each summer a number of people come to Blaine County to find the graves of relatives. Larry has told some interesting stories of people he's helped as they tried to locate a grave, or find the right cemetery to begin a search. Several months ago he promised to let me know when visitors came for a grave search, I thought it might be interesting to visit with these folks and see what motivates them to make such a trip.
Pat and Joseph Pitchenese
of Wabigoon, Ontario
It turned out that at the time Pat and Joseph Pitchenese wanted to visit the Mennonite Brethren Cemetery with Larry Wisch, I had already scheduled an appointment for another story. But mid-afternoon, when they returned from the cemetery to a local motel, they gave me a call and I went to talk to them.
It was Pat's family that was of interest. She said, "My dad's family homesteaded in the area near the old Mennonite Brethren Church and Cemetery. When my dad was five years old his family left this homestead and went to Manitoba." Looking at the "Unyielding Prairie" books with Pat and Joseph, we found information about her grandfather, George Klassen, who was issued a patent on a 320-acre homestead in 1918.
Though several aunts and uncles are buried in the cemetery, the only direct member of the Klassen family in the cemetery is Pat's aunt, who died as a teenager in a farm accident. The story of what happened to the young girl may be known by locals familiar with the north country.
A family tragedy on the prairie
George and Sarah Janzen Klassen's oldest daughter, Esther, was born in 1907, about 10 years before the family settled on the homestead in north central Montana. In the spring of 1922 a terrible accident claimed the life of Esther who was fourteen years old at the time.
A May 11, 1922 newspaper story on the front page of the "Chinook Opinion" told the story of Esther's death when she fell while driving a four-horse team pulling a disc. Both Esther and her father were working in the field, but at opposite ends, preparing for spring planting. When George Klassen looked back toward the end of the field from where he was working, he couldn't see a driver on the disc. He went to find out what was the problem.
As the day was a bit chilly, Esther had put a muffler around her neck to keep out the cold. Apparently the disc hit a rock and threw the young girl from the seat. Her muffler caught in the hub of the disc and wound up, pulling her head against the disc wheel. At the end of the field her lifeless body was drawn up tight against the machine and her neck was broken. That November the Klassen family abandoned their homestead and headed to Manitoba to resettle there.
Distant family honors loved ones at the Mennonite Brethren Cemetery
Larry Wisch said, "I've had several visits by members of the Klassen and Janzen families. They are all very nice people, interested in the history of the area and appreciate my taking care of the cemetery." Some family members had earlier purchased a stone marker listing the names of the 12 people known to be buried in the Mennonite Brethren Cemetery. The marker is in memory of Esther Klassen. Wisch later found about nine additional graves, small and likely those of children, that were never recorded at the courthouse.
Having found the cemetery where her aunt was buried and learned some of the history, Pat and Robert planned to spend some additional time visiting other parts of northern Montana. Where they live, in Ontario, is east of Winnipeg and nearly 900 miles from Chinook. The couple agreed the trip and stop were well worth the effort, to get a better understanding of the history of their family. And Larry Wisch will likely be getting calls from other families, with connections to the north country, wanting to find their ancestors.
