Old-Timers From the York and Nelson Area
At this time, 1985, the Trout Creek Canyon has been populated from Vigilante Campground to the Missouri River. During the 1920s and 1930s the people living in the Gulch were, from the Vigilante Campground to the River:
Welch -- Originally the property belonged to the McCreanors. Mrs. Welch and Bud still live there, as of the late 1980s.
Bowers -- Has been sold several times and has been divided into two. Before Bowers it belonged to Belcher. Rob Bowers lives near the head of Kingsburry Gulch, as of the late 1980s. The Bowers homestead was in that area.
Dudley Freeze --
Townswick Brothers --
McCreanors' Upper Ranch -- Originally Charlie Nolan.
The Town of York -- Some of the people who lived there will be listed later.
Earl DeBorde -- Lived across the creek and a short way down from York.
Joe Hughes -- Was a bootlegger. No one was ever able to find his still. He had a wife, Cassie, but no children or heirs. His property went to the Catholic Church and then to Andy Utick. He won the property in a raffle.
The following is a partial list of the people who lived in the Town of York and the immediate surroundings. A little of their history is known in some instances and none in other cases. Spelling of names are just guesses.
McCreanor -- The McCreanor home can be seen in the picture at the end of this history. Edna McCreanor Hinman lives in Helena on Fifth Avenue at this writing.
Hans Holms -- He had a daughter, Gerda, whose married name is Mrs. Warner Anderson. She owns the "Wise Penny" shop in Helena.
Dick Cotter -- Remembered as living at the "poor farm". Often times he would be taken for Sunday drives in the 1918 Ford touring car of Albert and Annie Jones. Annie was just learning to drive and Mr. Cotter told her she could "just run it into that stone wall if you can't stop otherwise." The stone wall was the
HOME CONTINUED