Although members of the Shaffner and Kurtz family knew that Oliver had homesteaded in Beaverhead County, no one knew exactly where it was at.   But Don Shaffner was familiar with the area and might remember where it was at.  I am not sure if he remembered the exact spot, but he knew who owned the land.   And he was excited and pleased to locate it.   I think he consulted with the land owner and received permission to look and explore the homestead.   Although there was not much left when we visited in September 2003 during Labor Day weekend, there was evidence of a homestead.  As we stood and looked around the homestead, we marveled that they were able to make a living on this arid dryland.

Oliver's homestead record indicated the land patent was issued 14 July 1916.  There were 280 acres. I am not sure when he moved off.

Don Shaffner pointing out the Oliver Kurtz Homestead

Don's father was John (Jack) F. Shaffner

Don Shaffner and unidentified person examine an artifact

Examining the Oliver Kurtz Homestead 

At the Homestead

Chad Ellison, Jan Ellison, Don Shaffner, Dale Kurtz, Linda Van Orman, Roger Kurtz

Don Shaffner was a nephew of Oliver Kurtz.

Oliver was great grandfather to Chad

Oliver was grandfather to Jan, Dale, Linda and Roger

Looking at Baldy Mountain from the Homestead

Oliver & Bertha Kurtz were included in the First Families of Montana and Early Settlers of Montana, Volume IV book which will be available in September 2015 at the Montana State Genealogy meeting.  To included in the book, proof of residence in Montana before 31 December 1929 was required.

Oliver Berlin Kurtz & Bertha Marie Fjelsted were married in Dillon, Beaverhead County, Montana on 30 April 1902.  (marriage license)

Oliver & Bertha's marriage license

At the Dryland farm

Oliver & Bertha Kurtz

Oliver, Jim, Ollie, Bertha, Lester and Norman

Same building at the Dryland Farm

George and Frank were added to the family.

Frank, the youngest was born in 1923.  

So perhaps this picture was taken about 1925-1926

September 3rd, 1913--Wednesday

Broke camp rather early.  Started on the home stretch.  Drove 1/3 miles when Bertha discovered she had forgotten the suit case.  We drove back for it.  Stopped for lunch.  Took pictures while we were eating, also pictures of the outfit.  Jim and Mabel rode ahead.  Used Little Baldy for the pack horse and delivered the things at Selways camp and got Ethel's bread box.  Stopped at home ranch to see the fine stallion.  Took pictures of him.  Finally reached the homestead about 3:30.  Bertha was so glad to get home she cried.  Jim's dog was most wild to see the little boys.  We're sorry the trip was over, but very glad to get a good bath and glad rags on.  Jim, George, Mabel, Ethel and Jack reloaded spring wagon and went onto town.  Jack got the mail and came home with Jack Houston.  Jim kept mule team and wagon in town.  Came out next day.  Got several letters.  Was glad to get them.  All came back on speaking terms, well and happy.  All decided we could never have another trip like it.  Good weather all the time, everyone congenial and willing to do their share.  Camping trip the only way to see Yellowstone Park.

Recollections from Ollie Kurtz:
When we got to Dillon a month later, after words, George got mad at Jim and Mabel over a horse.  He left Dillon and wouldn't even say goodbye to them.


Recollections from Jack Shaffner:
Bertha and Oliver deserve a lot of praise for providing the livestock and most of the necessary supplies for such a camping trip.

I think this information was complied by Jim and Mary Hester Kurtz:
Using Aunt Della's diary for basic information, additional material was complied through consultation and contributions from surviving members of the trip....Jack Shaffner, Mabel Kurtz, Ollie Kurtz, Norman Kurtz and Lester Kurtz.  We think their recall abilities are excellent after a lapse of 68 years.

The Kurtz brothers, Norman, Lester and Jim now marvel at their parents ability to put this trip together, as poor as they were.  The spirit of caring about relatives in Dillon and Pennsylvania is a testimony of the strength of family ties.

Jim Kurtz was on the trip, too, he says, in his mother's womb...didn't see a thing.  (Jim was born 7 March 1914)  He finally went through the Park, though in 1931, at age 17, with future wife Mary Hester and her parents, Glenn and Blanche Decker.  Bertha contributed to that trip, too.  She baked bread for us, and a huge container of her famous cinnamon rolls.  She said to the Decker's:  "Thank you for taking our son along."

Oliver with stallion at P & O

My (Sydney) thoughts:

How did they afford to take thirty days for the trip?  Grandpa (Jack Shaffner) took a leave of absence from the railroad.  Oliver & Bertha gone from home for 30 days?  It would seem that one couldn't afford to leave work and that Oliver would have farm work to do.  But $16 for a thirty day trip was quite reasonable!  Bertha was pregnant and doing most of the cooking after bouncing all day in a wagon.  And I am sure the laundry wasn't done by a fancy washing machine.  It also amazed me that there was a telephone that far out on the Blacktail in 1913.  But aren't we lucky there was a camera that took such excellent pictures!  For 1913, I think the pictures are pretty darn good!

September 2nd, 1913--Tuesday

Everybody up rather late.  Everyone hated leaving cow camp.  Hard such a glorious time there.  Herb put a string of taffy above the door to remember us by.  Bertha rode in surrey with Mother, Jack and I.  Lulu and Ethel rode with Oliver.  Jim and Mabel horseback and George, the chuck wagon.  Left H8 at the cow camp.  Hated to give him up.  Did not stop for lunch.  Camped over night at Lewis place---quite a large cabin.  Jack and George went fishing.  Mabel put out a wash.  Mother, Oliver and Mabel walked about two miles to telephone to Dillon.  Made pop corn and spent rather a quiet evening.  Everyone busy with their own thoughts and feeling rather blue to think it was the last night of our trip.  Hard rain in the night.

Interrupting the Yellowstone Diary for a sad note:

Yesterday, September 1, 2015, a member of the Kurtz family was called to heaven,  Martha McCracken.  I first met Martha when she and her mother came west to a family reunion in Dillon, Montana.   (I don't have the date, but it was in the 90's)   Martha grew up with stories from life in the west from her grandmother, aunt and as she knew Grandpa Shaffner, Martha was thrilled to meet other relatives and see the west.   As was her mother,  Dorothy.  It was Dorothy's mother, Lulu, who at the age of 29, made the trip to Yellowstone Park. Lulu was a sister to my grandmother, Della Kurtz Shaffner.  Martha and I would be second cousins.   Martha was a Lutheran minister in Puerto Rico for many years and had moved back to Pennsylvania within the last year to a church near Williamsport.  I kept in contact with Martha via email.  She was always encouraging me to research and document the family history.  Martha & Dorothy made another trip west in 2004, and she wanted to come this summer for the reunion. 

 RIP Martha

Martha and her mother, Dorothy

Dorothy Botts McCracken

Don Shaffner & Dorothy McCracken

I always thought there was a family resemblance

Martha with 2nd cousins

Roger Kurtz, Martha McCracken, Dianna Cunningham

Gail Kuntz, Sydney Gabel, Suzanne Dean, Phil Kurtz, Marilyn Kjosen

First cousins

Don Shaffner, Dorothy McCracken, Lester Kurtz, Freda Walker, Jim Kurtz

First cousins

Helen & Don Shaffner, Dorothy McCracken, Lester Kurtz, Jack & Freda Walker, Jim and Mary Hester Kurtz

September 1st--1913 Monday

Spent this day at the cow camp.  Fine weather.  Jim and Jack went with two of the cowboys to rope a steer.  Took a number of pictures.  Jim and Jack each riding the steer after it was roped.  Bill Gray, one of the cowboys, and Sandy, the foreman, went duck hunting on the Red Rock River.  Got ten ducks.  Ethel, Mabel, Lulu, George and I drove down to the river to bring ducks home.  Mutton pot pie and pumpkin pie for dinner.  Very good.  Bertha feeling better.  In the afternoon too a number of pictures of girls and boys dressed in chaps.  Girl's tent was let down in the afternoon when someone was in it.  Little boys found pan of fudge that big boys stole and hid.  In the evening Mabel tried to  make cream pull candy.  Had bad luck, it went to sugar, so she put some molasses with it and made molasses pull candy.  Some of the boys helped pull it, others payed cards and read.  Stayed up quite late waiting for the candy to get hard.

I think this is Grandpa Shaffner.  It is labeled first cow ride, P & O Cow camp

Grandpa Shaffner labeled this as 1 min (minute?) on

Jim Kurtz or J.F.S. after action??

August 31st, 1913--Sunday

Broke camp rather late.  Ethel, Sandy, Lulu and George rode horseback.  Jim and Mabel drove chuck wagon.  Very cold and windy.  Bertha had very bad sick head ache.  Stopped for lunch.  Wind blew so hard we couldn't get a table.  Made tea in a cabin.  Bertha went to bed for a while.  We ate our dinner standing around the chuck wagon.  Roads very rough and uneven.  Traveled about 15 miles further.  Reached P & O cow camp about 5 PM.  Just as soon as the tents were up Bertha went to bed.  Very good supper.  Made fudge after supper.  (I wonder who has the recipe for the fudge?)
The boys stole one pan of it and hid in chuck wagon.

Somehow I missed this picture on the way to Yellowstone!

Ollie is the child.

Then George, name I can't read, Mabel, Sandy, Della, (Arnold?)

2 other P & O riders

I don't think Grandpa remembered the dogs name!

Notice the ax in the log!

And the pistols!

August 30th, 1913--Saturday

Rain in the morning, wet camp.  Broke camp about 9:30 AM.  Stopped for lunch at Alaska Basin.  George and Jack fished.  Got 28 trout all together.  Took some pictures and drove on to Lakeview.  Stopped at store and got weighed--gained 4 pounds.  Camped near the store just beside the dance hall.  Went to the dance in the evening.  Organ and violin for music.  Lunch at Hotel during intermission, very good.  Sandy and Ethel passed as bride and groom.  Lots of fun and congratulations.  Heavy showers in the evening.