Life of Grace Leora Bean-Edwards-Judy
Grace Leora Bean was born on 22 Octorber 1893 on the Bean family homestead located on Clover Creek in the Centennial Valley, Beaverhead County, Montana.
Grace was the daughter of Milton and Henrietta Bean and was the 7th child of a family of 12 children. She attended schools in the Centennial Valley, MT and Salt Lake City, UT. The family moved to Salt Lake City, UT a few years after selling their property in the Centennial Valley, MT. Her mother, Henrietta, had developed Milk Leg and required treatment available in Salt Lake City, UT.
The Bean family came back to "The Valley" and homesteaded on Clover Creek, on the North-west side.
Grace worked at the Summit Hotel in Monida, MT for Ossie Smith for several years.
She married William (Bill) Edwards on Saturday, 01 March 1913, by Rev. Jesse Lacklen in the Methodist Church in Dillon, MT.
Bill and Grace lived in Monida, MT for a time, as Bill was driving stage from Monida to Lakeview in the Centennial Valley. They later worked on the Paul Brothers Ranch and on the Staudaher Place for the P&O Cattle Co.
Two children were born to this union, a son Vernold on 16 July 1914 and a daughter Muriel Leora on 16 May 1916.
Grace and Bill filed on a homestead on Clover Creek in 1917 and built a house on the property. the family lived there part time and also worked on other ranches.
They were working for the P&O at the Stauduhar Place in 1918 and everything was going well… Then the “Spanish” flu epidemic made it into the valley. Bill died from the flu at the age of 27, on 31 Oct. 1918. He is buried in the Jones Cemetery in the Centennial Valley.
After Bill died, Grace took her children to her mother, Henrietta, further down on Clover Creek and went to families with the flu to take care of them until they either died or were able to take care of themselves.
The Orr’s wanted Grace back at the Stauduhar Place to cook for their ranch hands. She and her children lived at the Stauduhar Place part of the time and part of the time they lived at the homestead so she could prove up on it. A certain amount of time had to be spent living and making improvements in order to receive a patent for the property.
On 14 August 1920 Grace married Milford (Tug) Judy from Alder, MT. He was working for the P&O Ranches. They continued working for the P&O in the Centennial Valley and also on the Blacktail.
Vernold Edwards died on 05 November 1920 of “septic” from the toxins released when his appendix ruptured… He is buried beside his father, William (Bill) Edwards, in the Centennial Valley at the Jones Cemetery.
Grace & Tug made a valent attempt to get Vernold into the old Curtis Hospital in Dillon, MT. They hitched up the team of horses to the wagon, at the homestead on Clover Creek, and took off on a run… They had to come up over the hill from Clover Creek, into the Blacktail and down that long valley into Dillon. It was many, many miles on a single wide, 2 track, rocky dirt road.
At that time, there was nothing they could do medically once his appendix ruptured!
Muriel was 4 and Vernold was 6. This tragedy had a lifelong effect on Muriel.
Grace, Tug and Muriel moved back to the homestead in 1921.
Grace proved up on the property and received a patent to it later in the 1920's. The place was called the "Judy Ranch". Everyone stopped at the ranch and were always welcome. The cowboys stopped for a meal of Grace's excellent cooking and perhaps to stay overnight while trailing cattle to summer ranges in the Centennial.
Grace was a loving, caring person and was always willing and ready to help those in need and in illness. She also delivered several babies. She loved the outdoors and went fishing whenever possible. Grace and Tug sold the Judy Ranch on Clover Creek and moved to Dillon in the late 1940's.
Grace passed away on the 17th of March 1959, from a heart attack while she was visiting Tug in the hospital in Butte, MT. Grace is buried in the Mountain View Cemetery in Dillon, MT.
Grace was the daughter of Milton and Henrietta Bean and was the 7th child of a family of 12 children. She attended schools in the Centennial Valley, MT and Salt Lake City, UT. The family moved to Salt Lake City, UT a few years after selling their property in the Centennial Valley, MT. Her mother, Henrietta, had developed Milk Leg and required treatment available in Salt Lake City, UT.
The Bean family came back to "The Valley" and homesteaded on Clover Creek, on the North-west side.
Grace worked at the Summit Hotel in Monida, MT for Ossie Smith for several years.
She married William (Bill) Edwards on Saturday, 01 March 1913, by Rev. Jesse Lacklen in the Methodist Church in Dillon, MT.
Bill and Grace lived in Monida, MT for a time, as Bill was driving stage from Monida to Lakeview in the Centennial Valley. They later worked on the Paul Brothers Ranch and on the Staudaher Place for the P&O Cattle Co.
Two children were born to this union, a son Vernold on 16 July 1914 and a daughter Muriel Leora on 16 May 1916.
Grace and Bill filed on a homestead on Clover Creek in 1917 and built a house on the property. the family lived there part time and also worked on other ranches.
They were working for the P&O at the Stauduhar Place in 1918 and everything was going well… Then the “Spanish” flu epidemic made it into the valley. Bill died from the flu at the age of 27, on 31 Oct. 1918. He is buried in the Jones Cemetery in the Centennial Valley.
After Bill died, Grace took her children to her mother, Henrietta, further down on Clover Creek and went to families with the flu to take care of them until they either died or were able to take care of themselves.
The Orr’s wanted Grace back at the Stauduhar Place to cook for their ranch hands. She and her children lived at the Stauduhar Place part of the time and part of the time they lived at the homestead so she could prove up on it. A certain amount of time had to be spent living and making improvements in order to receive a patent for the property.
On 14 August 1920 Grace married Milford (Tug) Judy from Alder, MT. He was working for the P&O Ranches. They continued working for the P&O in the Centennial Valley and also on the Blacktail.
Vernold Edwards died on 05 November 1920 of “septic” from the toxins released when his appendix ruptured… He is buried beside his father, William (Bill) Edwards, in the Centennial Valley at the Jones Cemetery.
Grace & Tug made a valent attempt to get Vernold into the old Curtis Hospital in Dillon, MT. They hitched up the team of horses to the wagon, at the homestead on Clover Creek, and took off on a run… They had to come up over the hill from Clover Creek, into the Blacktail and down that long valley into Dillon. It was many, many miles on a single wide, 2 track, rocky dirt road.
At that time, there was nothing they could do medically once his appendix ruptured!
Muriel was 4 and Vernold was 6. This tragedy had a lifelong effect on Muriel.
Grace, Tug and Muriel moved back to the homestead in 1921.
Grace proved up on the property and received a patent to it later in the 1920's. The place was called the "Judy Ranch". Everyone stopped at the ranch and were always welcome. The cowboys stopped for a meal of Grace's excellent cooking and perhaps to stay overnight while trailing cattle to summer ranges in the Centennial.
Grace was a loving, caring person and was always willing and ready to help those in need and in illness. She also delivered several babies. She loved the outdoors and went fishing whenever possible. Grace and Tug sold the Judy Ranch on Clover Creek and moved to Dillon in the late 1940's.
Grace passed away on the 17th of March 1959, from a heart attack while she was visiting Tug in the hospital in Butte, MT. Grace is buried in the Mountain View Cemetery in Dillon, MT.
