THE RYAN-SMITH RANCH, Our Yesterdays, Jefferson Co., MT USGENWEB NOTICE: These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by any other organization or persons. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material, must obtain the written consent of the contributor, or the legal representative of the submitter, and contact the listed USGenWeb archivist with proof of this consent. Files may be printed or copied for personal use only. "List transcribed and organized by Ellen Rae Thiel, thieljl@aol.com All rights reserved." Copyright, 1998 by Ellen Rae Thiel. This file may be freely copied for non-profit purposes. All other rights reserved. THE RYAN-SMITH RANCH My great Grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. Philip Smith (Philip and Ann), as well as my Grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. John Smith (John and Annie) and Mr. and Mrs. Edward Ryan (Ed and Ellen), all settled in the Boulder Valley in 1864. They were all of Irish descent although Grandma Annie was born in mid-ocean while her parents were enroute to America. My father, Thomas F. Smith was born in Jefferson County in 1867 and married Catherine B. Ryan (Katie) in 1893. She also was born in the Boulder Valley in 1869 and was the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Edward Ryan. My father, Grandpa Ryan, and Grandpa John Smith were all ranchers; and the Ryan ranch is now owned by Mrs. Eddie Murphy (Mabel), the John Smith one is owned by "Nifty" Dawson, and the Tom Smith one is owned by the Carey family. My father died in 1919 and left my mother with seven children - six boys and one girl. Lawrence, the oldest resides in Anaconda; Clarence in Salmon, Idaho; Eleanor in Portland; Nazaire in Klamath Falls; and I (Thomas F.) in Helena. Brothers George and Eddie are dead. My wife, Margaret and I are the parents of one daughter, Eleanor, who teaches Home Economic in the Cut Bank High School. The second generation Smiths were really not as prolific as their ancestors! Of course, George never married, and Lawrence and Eleanor are childless. The other four of us had seven children between us - Eddie - three; Nazaire - two; Clarence and I - one each. I worked for the Veterans Administration at Fort Harrison from 1921 to 1958 and was retired on disability. I was Chief Safety and Fire Prevention Department, when retired. It really seems a bit ironic considering that when a small boy, I set fire to my father's haystack! And did it burn!! All the neighbors came to help put it out, and I can still see my mother throwing the wash water on it. I served with the Second Division during World War II, am a member of Lewis & Clark Post No. 2 American Legion, a Past Exalted Ruler Helena Elks Club, a member of the National Association of Retired Federal Employees and St. Helena Cathedral Parish. SUBMITTED BY MR. THOMAS F. SMITH