2023 #3 Out of Place 52 Ancestors in a Year
This was a difficult idea for a topic. At some point it seemed like many of mine or Leroy’s ancestors were "Out of Place". Moving to America from Russia was certainly "Out of Place". Traveling across the Oregon Trail was “Out of Place”. But there was a Lloyd “Out of Place” in Montana,
This is a very "Out of Place" for a member of this family. Most were engaged in agriculture, primarily farming in Walla Walla County and eastern Washington. William Ray Lloyd lived a different life than his parents and brothers & sisters. He was a gambler and a cowboy.
William (aka Tony) Ray Lloyd was the third child of Albert Gallatin Lloyd & Lois Jasper. Tony was born in Walla Walla County on 10 June 1861.
In the 1900 U.S. Federal census, Tony is located in Fort Benton, Montana on the 27th of June. He was single. He was a boarder and the head of his household was a saloon keeper. Tony’s occupation was a gambler. I presume he lived in a hotel or above the saloon. In reviewing the census, Fort Benton was definitely a town in the “Wild West”. There were several occupations of salon keeper and gamblers and people listed as boarders. Tony was apparently living in a neighborhood of “ill repute” as the neighbor was a “whore house keeper” and her girls were listed as boarders.
I suspect that Tony followed the Mullin Road to Fort Benton. The Mullin Road was connected Fort Benton, Montana which was the last point of steamboat travel on the Missouri River; to Fort Walla Walla near the Columbia River. Fort Benton began as a fur trading post. The discovery of gold in Montana and Idaho created a boom town of outlaws, merchants, madams and others seeking their fortune. There were also trails into Canada.
Maybe Tony left his life as a gambler, and returned to th life of a cowboy. He was definitely “Out of Place” on the wide open prairie of Montana.
Takes His Own Life:
W. R. Lloyd Stabs Himself Fatally on the Prairie Near Hays
Milk River Valley News, 1 March 1905
Malta, Montana
Word was brought to this city the middle of last week that a dead man was found one mile west of Hays, some forty odd miles south of here, and that the body was found on the old Mission road to Chinook, with two large gashes on each side of the throat, while an ordinary pocket knife was lying by the side of the corpse, plainly telling how the deed had been accomplished. In the absence of the county corner, Justice of the Peace G. W. Vennum, left for the scene and by driving all night reached the place of suicide early Sunday morning. The body was found by John Cochrane, while he was hunting cattle and the authorities were at once notified. At the inquest several witnesses were examined and the body was identified as that of W. R. Lloyd, better known as "Toney", who had been engaged in doing some contract work at Zortman for Harry Kellar, and who was supposed to be on his way from Zortman to Forgart's ranch in the Bear paw mountains, where he had secured employment as a ranch hand. Lloyd was 44 years of age and well known in and around the Little Rockies where had lived for some time. His folks were located at Waitsburg, Wash., and two brothers arrived yesterday evening to take the body home with them for burial. The coroner's jury composed of W. H. Granger, Jay T. Rhoads and Ernest Whetstone, all of Havre, brought in a verdict that the deceased came to his death by his own hand. The body was brought to Harlem and will be shipped from here to Washington for burial.
TONY LLOYD FOUND DEAD -
March 3, 1905
newspaper clipping from the "Waitsburg Times
Mr. and Mrs. A. G. Lloyd received word Sunday that their son William R. Lloyd better known as Tony Lloyd had been found dead on the prairie about 40 miles from Harlem, Mont., on Saturday, Feb. 25. He was found by a stage driver and had probably been dead three or four days. Two jagged gashes in the neck indicated the cause of death while nearby was a dull pocket knife with blood which would indicate that Tony had met with foul play or had committed suicide. No particulars have been received but the family do not believe it is suicide. Wesley Lloyd left for Harlem Monday and will return with the body, arriving here Friday afternoon. The funeral will take place from the farm home near this city, probably Saturday afternoon. William R. Lloyd was 43 years of age and unmarried.
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