Martin & Zelda Capehart Genealogy Website

Montana

The state of Montana, located in the Western United States, name is derived from the Spanish word montaña (mountain). Montana is also known as the "Big Sky Country" and "The Treasure State", and by slogans that include "Land of the Shining Mountains" and more recently "The Last Best Place".

Congress approved Montana statehood in February 1889 and once the appropriate state constitutions were crafted, President Grover Cleveland signed an omnibus bill granting statehood to Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota and Washington. Montanans convened their third constitutional convention In July 1889 and produced a constitution acceptable by the people and the federal government. On November 8, 1889 President Benjamin Harrison proclaimed Montana the forty-first state in the union. It's first state governor was Joseph K. Toole.

Of the 50 United States, it is ranked 4th in size, 44th in population and 48th in population density. Montana is a large state with considerable variation in geography, and the climate is, therefore, equally varied.

The western third of Montana contains numerous mountain ranges with smaller island ranges found throughout the state. A total of 77 named ranges are part of the Rocky Mountains. Between many mountain ranges are rich river valleys. The economy is primarily based on agriculture, including cereal grain farming and ranching. Other significant economic activities include oil, gas, coal, hard rock mining, lumber and the fastest-growing sector, tourism Millions of tourists annually visit Glacier National Park, the Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument, and Yellowstone National Park.

Source:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Montana

Rosebud County, MT

Rosebud County is in southeastern Montana near the Wyoming border and parallels the south shore of the Yellowstone River, ten miles east of Forsyth on Interstate 94 and Route 446. In 1901, Rosebud County was formed from part of Custer County.

This area was explored by fur trappers and traders. On July 28, 1806 William Clark & Company passed through this area. The nearby Rosebud Creek (after which the town of Rosebud takes its name) was especially popular for beaver. A sign there reads, "From July 28, 1806 when Wm. Clark passed Rosebud Creek on his way down Yellowstone, this river valley was served as one of the major avenues for development and trade in eastern Montana. Innumerable trappers and traders followed Clark's route, including the American Fur Co. which constructed Ft. Van Buren at the juncture of the Rosebud and Yellowstone, in 1835. The fort proved unprofitable and was abandoned in 1843".

During the 1869's & 70's buffalo hunters took over 40,000 robes from this area alone, shipping them out by river boat. The slaughter disrupted eastern Montana's Indian culture and resulted in several years of bloody confrontation, ending in the Battle of the Rosebud on June 17, 1876, and the Battle of the Little Bighorn eight days later."

This is also near the spot where Lt. Col. George Armstrong Custer camped along the banks of Rosebud Creek on the way to his ultimate defeat at the Battle of Little Bighorn in 1876

Rosebud Battlefield State Park is an 3,000-acre rolling prairie in eastern Montana which preserves the site of the June 17, 1876, battle between the Sioux and Cheyenne Indians and General Crook's soldiers. Remote, quiet, and undeveloped, the park includes prehistoric sites and the homestead and ranch of the Kobold family. The Northern Cheyenne Reservation is located in Rosebud County.

Source: http://www.rosebudmontana.com/

Forsyth, Montana

Forsyth, Montana, known as the City of Trees, is located in a valley along the banks off the Yellowstone River. The town was named for General James W. Forsyth, who landed here from a steamer. Cottonwood trees were abundant in this area and steamers often stopped there to refuel their engines. In 1880 the town was established and it was granted its own post office in 1882 when the Northern Pacific Railroad arrived. In 1910 the Milwaukee Railroad extended north into the Judith Basin opening a new territory for settlement and establishing Forsyth as a trading post.

Forsyth is located along the Lewis and Clark Trail. On July 28, 1806 Captain William Clark passed through what would become Rosebud County enroute down the Yellowstone River to meet Meriwether Lewis who was traveling down the Missouri River.

Source: http://forsythmt.com/about.cfm

Forsyth Cemetery

Forsyth Cemetery is located off of I-94 at the Forsyth exit. It can be found on the south side of the interstate

Source: http://www.graves-r-us.com/forsyth_pt.html

Map:

https://www.google.com/maps/place/Forsyth+Cemetery/@46.2618949,-106.5855487,11z/data=!4m2!3m1!1s0x0:0x7db0f325792f4d7f