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Show Pioneer Woman's Reminiscences of Life in Montana MISSOULA, Mont., Aug 5 Shortly before her death here. Mrs, Elizabeth Countryman Wooly who was one of the six pioneer white women living in Missoula in June, 1870, jotted down' for the members of her family some i of her reminiscences of the early days.1 These notes have just been made public. pub-lic. One paragraph reads: "My father, Horace Countryman, oaf1 rled the news of Custer's massacre, ' riding day and night from Columbus.' Montana then StUlwftier, to Helena, and that is how it was 'given to the world, the. wires being down." Mrs Wooly was born In Yuba county.. coun-ty.. California In 1868 As an Infant, her parents returned to New York by way of the Isthmus of Panama, but in 1860 they again headed westward, and crossed the plains in a cavalcade of 75 wagons, her father serving as captain of the train. There were but five women. Of this trip Mrs. Woody wrote: "It was through the mercy of God. and my father's bravery, coolness and good judgment, that we reached our destination In safety The Indians were bad and the train pas3ed through many narrow escapes. Frequently we saw smouldering heaps of what had been less fortunate trains than ours." After a year in California, the family fam-ily moved to Washoe City, Nevada, whence they went to Lakes Kidge. the Oresent site of lk'enn There vcrro. bat four houses, Mrs. Woody wrote. In 1S65 they left for Montana, stopping at Phillipsburg, where Mr. Country'- man had preceded them, and wao : building a mining mill the Hope Mill, which still stands. Following a brief residence in Salt Lake City, Mrs. Woody returned to Deer Lodge, Mont., with her father in March. 1S70. In June she came to Missoula, where she has lived ever since. She was married here in 1S7 1 1 to the late Judge Frank H. Woody. no |