Montana to Minnesota
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| Ruby Mae @ 8 months. Dooley,MT |
Mom and Dad had set up housekeeping in the Soo Line depot in Dooley, Montana in 1913, with brother Jim who had been born in 1909 at Anslem, North Dakota, their most recent home.
Our family increased as follows in Montana: Ruby in 1914, Kenneth in 1916, Clarence in 1918, and Francis in 1921. We grew up like weeds on the Montana prairie, content with our lot.
Our life was moving along at the usual pace, the year was 1923. Summer was warm, the biggest excitement being back to school plans for most of us. Ken and I would attend second and fourth grades, respectively. Jim would just begin high school. Clarence and Francis were still pre-school age and perhaps helped Mom keeping house.
Then the news came that would change our lives forever! Dad’s ‘bid’ on the Lowry, MN station had materialized and we’d soon be moving there. His duties as station agent on the Soo Line would begin on September 23, 1923. Such excitement filled the air and so much to be done!
To explain the ‘bid’: Stations would come up on a list when vacancies occurred and new agents were needed. The station agents could then ‘bid’ on a place if he chose to make a move. The agents who had most number of ‘years rights’ caught the bid and if qualified and sincerely interested could put in for the transfer. Thus, Dad was eligible since he was qualified and had put in the greatest number of years. He won the bid and decided to make the transfer.
Brother Jim, at age fourteen, had been sent by Dad and Mom to scout Lowry before Dad made the bid on the station. He stayed a couple of weeks and biked all around the countryside, visited with the people and in general came back with a pretty good evaluation as to what the area was all about.
He liked it very much, telling about the nearby lakes, beautiful trees all over, nice people, church, elementary and two-grade high school, and even a larger population than ever so small Dooley. Industries in Lowry included a busy elevator, flour mill and flourishing creamery.
So it was decided brother Jim would go ahead of the family in a railroad car, loaded with our worldly possessions: two Jersey cows, a player piano, all our household furniture, dishes, linens, and clothing – plus his dog “Ted.” He’d arrive there several days ahead of us, and would wait taking care of the cows, visiting the local points of interest and getting acquainted.
On the 21st of September, 1923, the noon train departed Dooley as usual with one great difference – the remainder of the Robieson family was aboard – traveling east to its new home in Minnesota. The train made stops at every station along the way. They either picked up or put off mail; exchanged empty or full cream cans; or made an exchange of passengers; plus lots of shrill whistling and black smoke blowing.
Mom was heavy in the last trimester of another pregnancy and the bumpy ride must have been most uncomfortable for her, but she never complained. I remember only Kenny fussing about someone eating an orange and how he wanted one as well. Mom hadn’t packed any for the trip. Mom had packed sandwiches and cookies.
I think we drank up most of the ice water on the train. Clarence and Ruby made frequent trips to the water faucet. Dad put a stop to that when he saw it was getting to be a game. We kids were restless with nothing much to do.
There was no sleeper car on these trains; we couldn’t have afforded that luxury anyway. We were traveling coach and there were plenty of seats available so we could stretch out to sleep on a seat when night came, or when a nap seemed the thing to do. Mom finally bedded us down each on a seat for the night. I can’t remember that or breakfast the next morning.
The train stopped too often for those anxious to glimpse Minnesota with its trees! We’d heard there were many lakes, too, in our new home area. Our small Montana town, Dooley, had boasted only three scraggly trees. The long ride had many anxious hours. The prairie kept rolling past, then a second night was upon us.
I remember trying to jot down the names of the stations as we passed through on a sheet of paper. If I wrote them down, as soon as we came into the station it was OK. When I forgot, Dad would spell them out for me. Thinking back the town of “Donnybrook” was the only one that stayed in my memory; for the life of me I can’t say why. But there were so many towns as we traveled nearly transverse across the state of North Dakota.
Finally, we heard the train whistle for a station, and then begin its slow down for the stop. Some of us were sleeping, others dozing in their sitting-up positions. The train finally chugged to a stop. We had arrived in Minnesota!
Mom and Dad led the group as we climbed sleepily down the steps onto the station platform. My three brothers and I followed along, filled with wonder, yawning and looking around excitedly. It was 2 or 3 o’clock in the morning but finally the long, long train ride was over; we’d reached our destination. This was Minnesota, and in the semi-darkness at the small station we couldn’t see much difference from what we’d left back home in Dooley. We were here at last and we were so happy and noisy! No doubt Mom and Dad were less enthusiastic at that moment.
Lowry station, at that time, employed a “night man” whose name was Howard Lysen. A most polite fellow who, after introductions, suggested he walk us uptown to the hotel where we could find rooms to stay. I clearly remember the walk as they had a real sidewalk, something we didn’t have in Dooley. What I recall very clearly is this was a cemented black path we walked on to the hotel. Was this so different? Was it so perfectly arranged? What made it pierce my memory to the extent it did that I still can see it in my mind? Just a childish thought, most likely, but a lasting one, a thought provoking one. Why? Did I think of it as an end to Montana days I’d loved so much, and childishly disliked even thinking about needing to give it up? Yes, I am certain that is the truth of it. The next morning we all walked back to the depot. Dad and the section man helped move our furniture and belongings from the railroad car, which had arrived before us, to our living rooms above the depot.
The school kids in the family had to report and enroll in school. This I remember quite well. Since we were two weeks late and didn’t know where to go, we were very tardy that morning and how everyone stared at us!
Lowry’s big brick school building with its tall bell tower had two classrooms on each floor. Each classroom held multiple grades for the students. We’d left Kenny downstairs with a teacher who led him away to his classroom. Jim and I proceeded up the long staircase to the rooms for the higher grades. How the pupils stared at us! We may as well have come from Mars! Jim stayed up there but my 4th grade room was downstairs so I ended up closer to Kenny.
Our family grew quickly as after just two days of school, we came home for noon lunch to find we had a new baby sister, whose name was to be Doris Elizabeth. Boy! My prayers were answered! I had a sister at long last! For a long while Dad wanted to name her “Tanasota” for a combination of Montana and Minnesota, but Mom had better ideas on that. Dad had been very caring and attentive to our Mother during the long trip, as well as preparation for her maternity date. She had a doctor attend her at the house for the delivery and a neighbor woman came to help.
How those kids at school razzed us. First we arrive very late to begin school and now we have a new baby sister! It was too much to comprehend all at once. In time all the excitement wore down and we became just “some of the kids” at our school.
This was a busy time for Mom, already five children to cook, clean and care for, and now a new baby girl! Busy time for Dad, too – a new job, a new community, and a barn to be built for the cows, winter would soon be at hand.
A long, beautiful autumn ensued and we kids played outdoors a long time before cold weather came. There had been recent rainfalls. A nearby ditch still contained water. I found copper colored soil and when mixed it with water pretending it was “tea” and served my brothers who gazed at me with puzzled glances! Fond memories include our “play-house” days and our “pretend coffee” – which just happened when the clay colored water looked coffee-like to us. We had no water in Montana for playtime.
I remember we made mud pies and played out under our huge cottonwood tree. There were trees in this town! A huge one in our yard we eventually learned to climb. This was new to us! I don’t ever remember climbing one of the three trees that Dooley had.
The play area we chose was a small hillside—which I remember well. It was the same place my brothers and I chose to play every day that autumn. That was the year of it—never again—our worlds took on more serious and different paths, among them a baby sister to love and tend at long last.
Near the depot, Gust Nelson had a huge, fine lumberyard. He’d tease my Dad about my brothers having such blond hair and called them Dad’s “Swedes.” We were not Swedish but there were many Swedes with blond hair in this area. Dad laughed and said “OK, be that as it may—they’ll fit in better then.” Later they all had darker hair.
Time went on and all the sharp corners softened. Soon, we were all settled in nicely in our new home and time went on just as before. Dad put up a small two-room barn for the cows and some chickens. Everyone eventually accepted us Montanans. But I’ll never forget how it was that first autumn.
Later, Dad built a garage for our car - a long, open Oakland. On rainy days he’d dress up in his slicker and boots, and snap on a set of icing glass windows to keep out the rain. Oh, how funny they smelled, but we kids became excited when they went on, and chattered like magpies. It was hard to see out with them on for us – Dad’s vision not impaired – but I felt he didn’t like them and was happier when they weren’t needed.
Our move proved a happy and successful one. Roy and the twins, Laberta and Roberta were added to our family. We all stayed and grew up here. Mom and Dad are gone now, as are brothers Jim and Ken. Right now I am the only family member still living in Lowry; others are married and moved away.
The date of our Minnesota arrival was September 23, 1923. Soon we will mark the 79th anniversary. No wonder I feel old! I am! But, oh the blessings I’ve been given in all those years. I have visited Montana twice but would never trade this prairie home for that one!
Ruby Robieson Bennett
Editor note: Doris & Roberta are the surviving Robieson siblings. Deceased are James (1973), Ruby (2006), Kenneth (1971), Clarence (2014), Frances (2007), Roy (2014), LaBerta (2007). Father Jim died in 1970 & mother Ellen in 1976.
What a great story from Ruby, I've heard it many times, but what a treasure to have it captured here. I especially love grandpa jim's proposed name for my grandma. Think she's relieved not to be called tonasota.
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