Harry William Wight

BEST, BURGER, ETTIEN, HAWSON, HIGHAM, JELLISON, TUGGLE, WIGHT

Posted By: Judy Wight Branson (email)
Date: 10/3/2012 at 20:53:41

Harry Wight

Harry Wight is one of the old time men and ranchers of Fergus County, his home farm being located 3 miles north of Moore. He has been a resident of Montana for 45 years and has experience putting him in touch with many of the prominent pioneer cattlemen of the Northwest.

He was born November 18, 1864 in Madison County, Iowa, son of James M. Wight, who was born in Sangamon County, Illinois, near Springfield.

James M. Wight married Mary Ann Ettien who was born near Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, and as a girl moved out to Iowa. The Wight family came from Iowa to Montana in 1884. The parents were accompanied by 11 children, and two other children were born after reaching Montana. James M. Wight located on Antelope Creek, near Utica, where he entered land, proved up his claim and developed a ranch. As a cattlemen his stock were identified by the brand of a Y over a 'Lazy D' he was a trustee of the Antelope School, and was quite active in Democratic politics. James M. Wight and wife reared all of their large family of children, Harry being the oldest: Fred of Carbon County; Ralph of Judith Basin County; Philip who died in Arkansas and is buried in Iowa; and, of Carbon County; Dick, of Utica; Maggie, wife of Charles Hawson, of Olympia, Washington; Bert who died near Billings; Lizzie, wife of J. S. Tuggle, of Fromberg, Montana; Dicie, who died after her marriage to Charles Burger, near Los Gatos, California; Mrs. Jenny Higham, of the Belfry, Montana; and William of San Jose, California.

Harry Wight acquired his education in Iowa and was about 19 years of age and his family came to Montana. For some years he was a ranch hand, helping break while horses and writing after cattle. For four years he worked on the ranch of Charles M. Beldon and for several years for E. J. Morrison of old Philbrook, and also for Clarence Goodell. After his marriage he began working land and cattle of his own, buying his first property on Ross Fork. That was his location for about 17 years. After selling that property, Mr. Wight moved to his present place 3 miles north of Moore. In early years he handled cattle, gradually including sheep, and at the present time had a flock of about 500 on his ranch. He had practically all of the thousand acres of his ranch under cultivation, and for a number of years had been growing wheat, since it was learned that week was one of the most valuable grain crops of Montana. His enterprise has met much to his own family and has set an encouraging example to the community. Mr. Wight put up a group of substantial building improvements on his ranch. He is a Democrat in politics and cast his first vote for Grover Cleveland in 1892.

Mr. Wight married, and Fergus County, Ms. Aura E. Jellison, daughter of Richard A. Jellison, and a sister of the postmaster at Hobson, Montana. Mrs. Wight was born in Maine, in 1874, being the eldest child of her parents, who brought her to Montana when she was a girl, and she finished her education in the schools of Fergus County. Mr. and Mrs. Wight have three children: Teddy, who finished his education in the Moore High School, married May Best, and their children, the five grandchildren of Mr. and Mrs. Wight, are named Harry, Teddy, Georgie, Jean and Joy; Harold Wight was educated in high school at Moore and Lewistown, and is on the home ranch; and Aura is attending high school in Lewistown.

This biography was sent to me without a source noted.