Old Missoula

Pelkey, First White Baby in State, Passes

Arlee Man, Born at Hell’s Gate Ronde, Dies Suddenly at Home on Flathead Reservation.

Father Was Noted Montana Pioneer

Birthplace Near Spot Where Five Road Agents Were Hanged by Vigilantes Two Years Later.

Jefferson H. Pelkey, aged 73 years, first white child of record born in Montana, died suddenly at his home at Arlee Sunday morning. His death occurred about 9 o’clock in the morning when he was about to be brought to Missoula for medical treatment.

O. C. Marcyes, historian for the Society of Montana Pioneers, is authority for the statement that Mr. Pelkey was the first white person born in what is now Montana. He was born at Hell’s Gate Ronde, a few miles west of the present city of Missoula and near the spot where five notorious road agents were executed by the Vigilantes on the night of January 24, 1864, when Mr. Pelkey was about two years old. The road agents who were hung on that winter night were Cyrus Skinner, Alick Carter[1] and John Cooper, hung on a pole over a gate near Worden’s store, and Bob Zachary and George Shearns [Shears], executed on the same night on the farm now owned by John Latimer.

Mr. Pelkey is survived by three sisters, Mrs. E. A. Hollenstein, Forks, Wash.; Mrs. S. Graves, Longview, Wash., and Mrs. Ida Smith, Arlee, also by six brothers, S. A. Pelkey, San Diego, Cal.; W. G. Pelkey, Missoula; Alfred Pelkey, Vancouver, B. C.; E. J. Pelkey, Seattle, R. D. Pelkey, Blaine, Wash., and Wallace Pelkey, Arlee.

Mrs. Frank Nelson of Missoula was a sister-in-law and Richard White, George White and W. W. (Chick) White of Missoula and Mrs. Rossback of Missoula are cousins.

The body was brought to the Marsh & Powell undertaking place here. Funeral arrangements have not been made.

 

By C. O. Marcyes,

Historian of Society of Montana Pioneers.

The passing of a noted pioneer occurred Sunday at his home at Arlee. Prominent citizens and pioneers pass away every day in Montana. But no other can carry to the grave the distinguished honor accorded this first American citizen of what is now Montana. Jefferson H. Pelkey has not only the honor of being the first white child born in Missoula county, but also the first child of record born in Montana territory. There were numberless children born in what is now Montana, beginning as far back as the Lewis & Clark expedition, on down to when our first permanent white citizens came here to make their homes, but they were of mixed parentage.

Father Famous Pioneer.

Mr. R. A. Pelkey, father of the deceased, was a noted trail blazer. He came to what is now Montana from the Oregon country in 1859, and settled on a homestead in the Hell’s Gate Ronde, now known as Grass Valley, a few miles west of Missoula.

This was a beautiful place for a pioneer to make his last retreat. Broad virgin meadows, dotted here and there with pine trees and bushes – a peaceful stream of purest mountain water passed nearby. As a background the eternal hills and snow-capped peaks watched over the pleasant valley and guarded the settlers from storm and distress.

As a matter of convenience, a majority of our pioneers married native Indian women, reared families and lived happily. However, R. A. Pelkey set a precedent. He made the long journey to St. Louis in 1861 and was married, returning in the fall to homestead, where he became a prominent citizen of the valley.

He was elected Missoula county’s first assessor after the territory was organized. The election was held September 4, 1865. Missoula county then covered seven present day counties in Western Montana. Mr. Pelkey received 104 votes and his opponent, H. Cohn, received 53 votes. He served two years and then resigned. Later, in November, 1868, to March, 1872, Mr. Pelkey served Missoula county as sheriff.

On the 13^th day of February, 1862, there was born to Robert and Adeline Pelkey, a son, who was christened Jefferson H. Pelkey. Jeff was reared in the valley and attended Missoula’s first public school, which was presided over by our first teacher, Emma Slack, who later became Mrs. W. H. H. Dickinson.

During his youth and early manhood Jeff lived on the farm. He was married to Miss Jennie Lish, who died many years ago.

Some years ago Mr. Pelkey removed to Walla Walla and remained until the nineties, when he came back to the home of his birth, old Montana. During his mature years he followed the hotel and restaurant business. He was a member of the Society of Montana Pioneers and his passing removes one more living link in the history which connects Montana’s romantic past with our present day of peace and comfort.

The above article appeared in The Daily Missoulian on November 7, 1932.

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