Tales of Uncle Taylor by Ray G. Butler

TALES OF UNCLE TAYLOR
June 1978 by Ray G. Butler

This is a true account of tales I remember about my Uncle Taylor Butler, my fathers next younger brother. He was my idol. I really loved and respected him. These are stories as I remember them. He was like a father to me.

There are many stories I remember about my Uncle Taylor, told by someone else. But the first real tale that I remember was: Upon Camas Prairie in the early spring. The men, my Dad, Uncle John, Uncle Taylor, and I suppose some of the neighbors, were taking the cattle out to the City of Rocks where the grass comes early. I have heard so many stories about this place and I never did get to see it. There was still a lot of snow on the Prairie and I guess the men were needing more saddle horses. They had the cattle strung out up the road as far as I could see, so naturally it was hard on horses. Now Dad had his lead team, a bay called Minn and a gray called Ginn, who was Dad's saddle mare. I thought ole Minn and Ginn were really something. He would harness them in the barn and turn them out of the barn and they would go take their places at the sleigh in lead and he would bring the wheelers out as he had to lead them. Well, anyway, Uncle Taylor needed another horse to ride and Minn had to be it. So they saddle her up. Now she wasn't nearly as cooperative as she was on the sleigh. She just wasn't going to leave the yard. She tried sulking and balking. Now, Dad's patience was showing. He picked up a board and hit her so hard on the rump that it broke the board. Well, Minn took out of the yard half bucking and half running.

The round-ups were always fun for me. I got to go sometimes but I always rode ole Tot bareback and everyone else had a saddle. I couldn't quite understand that. One of these drives Ole Tot almost unloaded me just over an old rattlesnake. Well, Uncle Taylor took care of that snake for me.

The next real thrill I got out of my Uncle Taylor was in the spring of 1917 when we took the cattle up on the Reserve north of Old Soldier. We were way up in the mountains when we made camp that night. Throwing several bunches of cattle together gave the bulls a good excuse to fight when we stopped for the night. Oh! I thought that was exciting then the stories they told around the campfire--boy that was something for a kid eight years old to experience.

Then there was the time Uncle Taylor caught the Buckskin bronc up at the Twin Lakes Reservoir. Boy, did Uncle Taylor ride 'im. He sure was a snaky thing. I remember Uncle Lee and his friend he called "Con" and I were riding over by Silby Siding. Uncle Lee was on "Ole Buck", so Con Ryan got off to open the gate, since he had a gentler horse. Well, Con Ryan didn't give Ole Buck enough room as he walked around behind him and WHAM, Ole Buck kicked him right between the house and the barn. It sure knocked the wind out of him, but I guess he survived.

I remember one time I had just unharnesses old Babe and Floss and I started up between them with their oats and old Floss let me have it, but Uncle Taylor saw it coming and hollered Floss so loud it scared her as bad as me. She only knocked the wind out of me.

Well, we moved to Aceguia in the fall of 1917 and I didn't see Camas Prairie until the reunion in 1941. I didn't see Uncle Taylor or Aunt Jane until the next spring. Aunt Jane and this fellow named Elmer Nielson came to our place one afternoon and they hadn't been there very long until I was dispatched on old Tot with two notes. One to Bishop John E. Anderson and one to Uncle John and Aunt Bertha Butler. Well, Aunt Jane and Elmer Nielson were married that evening in our home. Well, now I guess Uncle Taylor must have gotten the bug or got tired of batching as Aunt Jane had been cooking for Uncle Taylor and Uncle Lee since Grandma Butler died. So, I guess Uncle Taylor went acourting in earnest, cause you know in June of that same year, he came to our house in Aceguia, but by this time he was already married to this pretty little gal by the name of Thelma Petersen. I don't remember seeing him again until one spring in about 1923 or 1924. Uncle Taylor came to our place in Acequia. By this time my folks had moved to that log house up on that rock hill half a mile north of Acequia. He was alone this time and very excited about a new adventure and his hopes were running high. He was going to move to Montana and go into the sheep business with a man named Angus Morrison.

I didn't see Uncle Taylor again until July 1927. I got off the train in Chinook just at the first hint of daylight. There was my Uncle Taylor coming to meet me at the depot and was I glad to see him. By the time we got out to the ranch the sun was coming up. Things were starting to come alive. I was so excited to be there my eyes and mouth were wide open trying to take in all the beauties of Clear Creek and the anticipation I had of working on a big ranch. Stacking hay was the name of the game from then until October. One event I remember well. Pete Paulson bought a new car that summer and he wanted to learn how to drive it. Now, Uncle Taylor had the perfect answer, He says, "Pete I need to go out north to check on the sheep, that would give you some excellent driving experience." So the trip was planned. Uncle Taylor asked if I would like to go along. That was my introduction to the north country, of which I saw it many times after that, even lived there for five summers.

Another time that I was really glad to see my Uncle Taylor was that fall he sent me to Savoy with the bucks and I was to stay there with Carl Roore and help tend the bucks, etc, It started snowing the next morning, November 5,1927, and it snowed every day until the day before Thanksgiving when Uncle Taylor came down to Savoy on the train and took me back with him to the Ranch. It seemed like he would always show up to make things easier for me. After Thanksgiving Uncle Taylor sent Chuck Gribble with a team and wagon to Savoy to help with the feeding. It was 56 degrees below that day when he got into Chinook. The winter was getting colder and more snow. As soon as school was out for Christmas vacation I took Aunt Thelma and the children, Cleona, Dwain, Naymoa, Dale, and Edith Jensen. She had been driving the kids to school. I moved them into an apartment up above Allisons Art Store. It was so cold on the way to town that day that Dwain got to crying his feet were so cold, so I got him out to walk behind the sleigh. At first he just sat down and cried, he wouldn't walk so I went back and beat on him until he got mad enough to try to catch up with me. Well, we finally made it just before dark. It was 40 below and Allison just about froze trying to help me carry things upstairs.

I went back to the ranch the next day as there were chores to do. I spent Christmas and New Years alone at the ranch. Then as I remember about the 7th of January it started to warm up--that wonderful Chinook wind started to blow. By this time Uncle Taylor was on his way home with the ewes. There was Carl Tesse, Chuck Gribble, Stan Gribble, and Uncle Taylor and maybe some more help--I'm not sure. He told me they camped out south of Chinnook the last night and it warmed up so fast in the night that they had to put four head of horses on the sleigh to feed. He had the horses on the trot and the front bobs were on snow on the back ones were in the mud--now that's sure melting fast! But then, that's Montana. I think it was the 9th of January when they arrived at the ranch, and was I glad to see them and they were all just as glad to be there after a week on the trail in that kind of weather. Art Howe of the next ranch name over as the Chinook started to see if everything was alright. Now by this time peaceful little ole Clear Creek was a raging torrent. It looked like the bridge was going to wash away. I'll never forget that. Old Tom Ox (horse) was anxious to cross it with some water running over the top. He was probably smarter than I was. I guess that is how that phrase originated, "Good horse sense". I'll never forget how it looked. Well, for the next two or three months Uncle Taylor, Chuck, and myself were busy adding on another section to the straw shed and building panels and lots of 'em. One day as we went to the house for dinner it had warmed up to 20 below by noon, my so nice and warm we had to start shedding some clothes.

Winter came too early the fall before this, consequently a lot of shocked grain didn't get threshed until the next February and March. As we were building the shed and panels we could see puffs of just around the country as there were several threshing machines at work. In that prairie country one could see for miles and miles. Now after all that winter storm the grain was real dirty to thresh but the farmers were glad to be able to harvest their wheat even in February and March.

Well, lambing time soon arrived. Here again Uncle Taylor taught me Jan interesting lesson. I really enjoyed it, even with all the mess and slop and hard work. The part that was the hardest for me was all the little lambs that didn't make it. After all the miles I rode ole Tot to get bum lambs to raise, I just wanted them all to live. I loved to see the little lambs grow. They would get so fat and pretty then Uncle Taylor would spoil it by messing them up--he'd cut their tails off, ear mark them and brand them. That sure changed their looks. It was real interesting to learn all the different steps in sheep ranching. I think I could have ran a spread of my own after all the lessons he gave me.

Now there was that time we went north to Cherry Ridge with Slim Wines to that bunch of 4p horses. The only time they had been around men was when they branded. Now that was the longest, hardest ride I ever took. We left old Tom and Cricket (horses) in Chinook and rode out with Slim. He gave us two horses to chase these wild horses that weren't fit for kids to ride to school. It took us two days to get them into town and one more day to get to the ranch. It sure seemed good when we got to town so we could get ole Tom and Cricket to ride. I don't remember how Uncle Taylor felt afterward but I was sure sore and stiff for a few days.

Now this Uncle Taylor of mine has this uncanny ability of drawing a map in the dirt and remembering every landmark that will help you find your way. All you have to do is remember all he tells you. Fortunately I never got lost once in all the trips he sent me on. Once he sent me across country to Savoy through gates, some good roads, some poor ones, sometimes just a trail or maybe a land mark in the distance. For the life of me now I can't remember why he sent me to Savoy. Anyway, from there I had to go back south across the Indian Reservation a days drive with ole Bab and Floss and the buckboard and I went right to the sheep where Carl was waiting for me. Then trail the sheep from there across country to Lloyd, a little store and post-office in the Bear Paw Mountains. One night we camped on the very spot where Chief Joseph and General Howard had their final battle called the "Battle of the Bear Paws". Well, we arrived at our winter camp site in the late afternoon. Now Carl wanted a little time off as he had been with the sheep all summer. Now I don't blame Carl for wanting time off but the unpleasant thing was I came down with the flu that night and was sick for three days he was gone. If it hadn't been for old Tom to ride I don't believe I'd have made it.

I went back to my home in Aceguia, shortly after that for Thanksgiving. By this time my youngest brother Dale was about 15 months old and I had never seen him. By now Montana was in my blood and the 1st of April the next spring saw me on my way back to Chinook. I was so glad to get back there. With all its faults I loved the wide open spaces of Montana. Now lets not forget the mosquitoes. The following summer we were out north at shearing time where they were shearing at the foreigners place. I call him Buck-a-chuck. I know that isn't the right way to spell it. I was herding one band down the creek south from them at those bachelors. I think it was Massey Bros. Anyway, the mosquitoes were so bad the sheep just wouldn't bed down. I would get them around the barn them jump into bed and cover up my head for awhile until the sheep would take off again. Then it was after 'em again with ole Jack's (dog) help. I sure was glad when Uncle Taylor came the next day and we moved the band up to the shearing plant. Old Martin was herding at the time, I think.

Now, I can't forget the winter I herded sheep and we camped at Bill Simon's place. I ate with them. It was fun there. They were always having fun with me teasing me about Thelma. Bill said I leaned on the mail box so much he had to put in a new post. Mrs. Simon was so cute about it. I baby sat for them a couple times. One morning I took two or three pancakes at one time and Snookie (Beverley) says, "Oh, look how many he took", Bill could see my embarrassment and he said his Uncle always takes a stack this high and he measured about six inches high.

Now, the day we moved the sheep from there down to the ranch was another cold windy day. By the time we got gown to the sheds both my cheeks and nose were frost bitten and Uncle Taylor said you had better get some snow on them. I guess Carl took over the herding then I helped with the getting ready for lambing. That was my last year with the lambing as I got married the next January.

Frank, Slim, and I did the hay pitching that summer and that fall Uncle Taylor got all three of us a job in the sugar factory Merrill did the farming then. All four of us boarded at Thompsons and worked in the factory. That was really a coincidence. Slim and I pitched horseshoes every night after work. We got pretty good, too. Once in awhile Uncle Taylor would have a minute to spare so he would get in a game with us.

Sorry, I mustn't forget the birthday spanking WE gave Uncle. The men a little bit shy about tackling him so I had to start it. After Gaylord Ross and I held him down and Aunt Thelma spanked him with a broom, then they all cleared out and I was left alone with a tiger by the tail and wondering how I was going to let go! I think I lost a little hide there. Dwain was enjoying it but the girls thought we were hurting their Dad.

Oh yes, that first fall, Uncle Taylor and I took two teams and wagons up to the Bear Paws on Joe Phealans place for poles to use in the straw shed. Was that ever a fun trip with my Uncle. Then Chuck and I went back a second trip. I didn't enjoy that at all cause I had a tooth ache all the time we were gone. Dr. Stann pulled it when we got home.

Well, the next important event Uncle had in my life was when he and Aunt Thelma made me acquainted with Thelma Wadsworth, the girl I later married. They were sure she was the girl for me. I am very thankful they were such judges of wife and mother qualities, as Thelma was blessed with as well as being beautiful. In the months to come Uncle Taylor was made Branch President at Chinook and later he married Thelma and I. I think we were the first couple to perform the ceremony on. He married several more couples later in Chinook before he moved back to Gooding, Idaho, including my brother Frank and Dora. From then on ouf visits were rather far apart but Thelma and I were always glad when they would come out to see us.

In 1941 Thelma and I were able to make a trip to Idaho and attend a Butler reunion at Fir Grove where it was a special treat to see Uncle Taylor, Aunt Thelma, and all my cousins I had lived with for about six years. Then there was the time Uncle and Auntie came when we were living on the church farm and I was loading hay with a fork and I remember him saying, "Didn't I tell you to always take an extra fork along. You might break one or someone might come along and offer to help you." , that was good advice. Then they came and stayed all night with us when Wallace Peterson was buried--again when Carol was married, also when Patsy was married. They were so special that night and we were so glad to have the picture of them we got that night.

I remember so very well the obituary he gave at Aunt Bertha's funeral and how we talked Dwain and Albert into staying all night with us, then the race we had with the bus all the way to American Falls to catch them a ride home. The beet harvest was in full swing at the time and Dwain had to get home. I recall it was so wet you were using Bud and Bolly to snake your trucks out of the field. Uncle told me he had them broke to Gee and Haw so he could hang the lines up and he could drive the truck also the team by just talking to them.

Well, bye for now, maybe we can get more for next year if I haven't bored you to tears with this.

With love, Ray