It was a grand life

The headline in  the Havre Daily read John Laird Killed.  So now my interest is piqued.  It read, John  Laird of Laird Montana, one of the best known men in the northern section of the state, was instantly killed at his ranch at East Butte thursday by a flywheel that flew from a gasoline engine and struck him probably in the head.  The date on the paper is Nov ember 9,  1912.   this was  taken word for word.  100 years ago my namesake  actually my great uncle John Laird,  Blackjack Laird the origional, died some 12 miles from where I sit. The story goes it was the first threshing machine in Liberty Co. Great uncle Frank his brother always said "Nothing any good happened after Jack died".  Probably true  because from then on a very prosperous ranch started to deterioate to the point that the two remaining brothers started selling off property and by 1950 the only land left was where we call home, a mere fraction of what once was. 50000 sheep roamed thousands  of acres , story goes that the ranch broke 1000 horses one winter for the calvary either Canadian or American  not too sure on that.  The home place was only 2 or 3 miles from the Canadian border.  The ranch was started in the year 1888. For your reference Custers last stand was in the Year 1876. Enough about the good old days. As for the present 8 inches of snow, chill factor of -30 winds at 20 mph most of today temps below zero at 6 this evening and falling. Rita and I were planning our Saturday night tickle party in our skivies but might cancel too damn cold.  Looks like Sweden is on board finally, where are you Ireland?