#48 Thief. Newspaper gave Ancestor's name!

#48 Thief

Witness in Court-Tom Gabel

As I began genealogy research, I discovered a family in Jefferson County, Nebraska in the 1910 Census that almost matched Leroy’s great grandfather’s family, Philip Gabel.  But ages were correct for the children but names were different for the twins that born in 1909 in Nebraska, after the family arrived in the United States from Russia.  The twins were named Ferndinand and Adolph.

I was quite sure that this was the family I was looking for, but when I questioned members of the family; they assured me that I was wrong.   The twins had been known as Tom and Otto.  Of course there was the issue of location as no one in the family knew  they had been in Jefferson County, Nebraska.  

Archived newspapers are a great source of information.  I love and hate them because they are fantastic reading, contained incredible information and I end up wasting time reading them!  But one snowy day I decided to search the Gabel family.  It is always helpful in genealogy research to search for information on siblings.  So I began with Tom Gabel.  

And what a gold mine I discovered!  In February of 1928, there was a cattle rustling trial in Forsyth, Montana.  The chief witness for the state was 18 year old Tom Gabel.  Tom was employed by a rancher and aided in the theft of the cattle and helped cut away the original brands.  Tom stated on the stand that he left the employment when he was ordered to steal 50 head of cattle.  

But the newspaper reporter wrote about Tom Gabel’s life!  He stated that Tom had been born in Nebraska and had been on his own since age 16.  Tom grew up in the Billings and Huntley area and worked on the Cold Springs ranch near Forsyth.  The reporter stated that “Tom was christened Ferdinand”.  As Tom was growing up, Tom Mix was the western movie actor that Ferdinand Gabel admired.  Ferdinand was nicknamed “Tom” by his friends!

I remember letting out a yell….I was right!  And doing a genealogy happy dance!

Staff Correspondent, “Spirit of the Old “Wild” West Prevades at Forsyth Trial of Rancher for “Rustling”, The Billings Gazette, (Billings, Montana), 20 February 1928, p. 1-2, image copy, newspapers.com (https://www.newspapers.com/image/413320267 : viewed 9 December 2019)