In the summer of 1879, the Beaver family consisting of David and wife Mary, and their 6 children: Maranda Ettie, Sylvia, Ellie, Charley, Adelbert and baby Emelline left Ohio for the mid-west. They traveled aways with wagon, then mother and children went by train to Kansas City, Missouri. Father chartered a railroad box car, put team, wagon and household goods in the box car and came to Kansas City by railroad and joined the family, who were then at a hotel.
Then they traveled into Nebraska to Gage County and settled on Indian Creek, near a small town by the name of Odell. Here the baby Emeline died. Later Docie and Gracie were born.
In Spring of 1886, the family moved to Washington County, KS and was there two years. Then went over into Missouri where father and Ellie and a hired man worked their three teams on grading work for the railroad near Kansas City. Later worked at harvest work. Sylvia worked for awhile in Odell and later went to Omaha to work. In the Fall they went to Brownville, Nebraska, lived there that winter and then in February 1889, the family came to Montana by train, arriving in Dillon. Sylvia was then doing dress making in Omaha.
They stayed a few weeks in Dillon, then went to the Earle Ranch near the railroad bridge over the Big Hole river. Stayed there about a month, then went to the Smith Ranch near Willis post Office, as it was called then (now called Richlie).
Ellie had married while they were living in Nebraska and she and her husband were still living there, so it was the parents, three sons and two little girls who came to Montana.
By this time the boys were working on nearby ranches and father part of the time also.
The next Spring, 1890 they moved across the river which was to the east side.
In late Summer of 1893, Adelbert went to San Francisco by train. Ellie and Charley went to Baine, Idaho by wagon. They worked on the big canal near Boise. In the Fall they went to Odell, Nebraska with wagon and team to visit sister Ettie and Sylvia stayed there all winter. In the Spring they bought them each a bicycle and traveled through the Dakota's, harvested among the Russian people, arriving home in early Fall. During the Summer Adelbert had returned home from California and Sylvia from Omaha. That Fall they finished the new part of the house which made a comfortable home. Later in the early Winter, Ellie and Adelbert went to California.
In late Winter, mother's father in Ohio (Abraham EICKER) died. Later father and mother went to Ohio. Sylvia, Charley and the two little girls keeping house and caring for the stock. They were gone some two months.
About the time they came home in May, Ellie and Adelbert returned from California. In June, Sylvia married Walter BARBOUR, which was 1895. Two years later Walter, Sylvia and Docie took a trip through Yellowstone Park for a month during the summer. That fall Charley and Adelbert bought some land in the Big Hole Valley near twin Bridges. That winter Walter and Sylvia lived in Butte. In the Spring of 1898 Walter and Sylvia went by wagon to Colfax, Washington.
A year later 1889, the parents, Docie and Grace (the only one's at home) moved to the Littermaier Place which was on County Road).
The next Fall, 1900 Ellie died in the hospital in Helena, Montana.(Ellie had one son, Delbert Beaver, no children)
In November 1902, Charley married Lizzie ARTHUR.
Next February 1903, Docie married Charles REYNOLDS.
In April the parents and Grace moved into Dillon. Adelbert living for awhile on the Littermaier Ranch.
In September, Grace married J.L. BINGHAM (1903), son Lawrence born 6-10-1904.
In Spring 1905 Charley and Adelbert sold their farm in Big Hole Valley, moved some distance up the valley into the Big Hole Basin.
In Fall 1914, father and mother went to Soldier's Home in Columbia Falls, Montana to live. Next summer they took a nice journey, visited their children and friends at Dillon-1915.
Summer of 1917, Grace and her boy, Lawrence visited Sylvia and her family on the farm near Genesee, Idaho. In Spring of 1918 Charley and Adelbert sold their stock and land in Big Hole Basin. Charley went to Boise, Idaho to live. Adelbert went to Kalispell, Montana, so as to be close to father and mother.
About that time, Charley's wife Lizzie left him and in fall of 1919 he married again. (Maude)
Summer of 1919 Grace's husband J.L. BINGHAM left her. In early Spring of 1922 she married again.
THE FOLLOWING IS AN AFFIDAVIT AS TO THE BIRTH OF CHILDREN OF DAVID W. BEAVER AND MARY BEAVER.
State of Montana
County of Broadwater.
Docie Frances Reynolds being first duly sworn upon her oath deposes and says: that she is a citizen and resident of Broadwater County in the State of Montana, and has been such citizen and resident for many years last past. That her maiden name was Docie Frances Beaver and her parents were David W. Beaver and Mary Beaver.
That the maiden name of her mother was Mary EICKER. That she had possession of the family Bible the name of her father and mother together with the date of their birth and also the name and date of birth of each child of her said parents. That the following is an exact and complete record of the date of birth of her father and mother as also the date of birth of all of their children as contained in said Bible:
Parents: David W. Beaver born December 7, 1838.
Mary EICKER born September 23, 1841.
Date of marriage of David Beaver and Mary Eicker October 4, 1861.
Children:
Maranda Ettie Beaver born September 10, 1862
Elmer Oravill Beaver born November 21, 1864
Sylvia Esther Beaver born March 9, 1867
Ellie Vinsen Beaver born August 23, 1868
Charlie Harrison Beaver born January 29, 1871
Adelbert Beaver born November 22, 1873
Dellie Menilla Beaver born February 10, 1876
Emilline Beaver born May 10, 1878
Docie Frances Beaver born January 30, 1882
Gracie Beaver born September 22, 1884
That this affiant is the Docie Frances Beaver above named, she having been married to Charles REYNOLDS on February 15, 1903.
This affiant makes this Affidavit for the benefit of her brothers and sisters so that they may perfect proper record of their date of birth or use this Affidavit in any other matter required by law so as to positively show the date of their birth.
Subscribed and sworn to before me this 25th day of March, 1941. Signed Docie Frances Reynolds
