Notes From Old Court Records.
Second,Judicial District, Beaverhead County, L. E. Williston, Judge; Wm. C. Goodrich, Sheriff; S. F. Dunlap, Clerk.
Resident Attorneys practicing at Bannack: Phelps C. Mead, John M. Galloway, G. W. Stapleton, B. R. Peabody, admitted September term, 1867.
First Crand Jury: N. E. Wood, B. S. Worth, Thomas Watson, Con Bray, S. W. Bachelder, A.,J. Nay, W. R. Witten, Herman Clark, H. F. Wood, John S. Milligan, J. A. Brown, E. W. Weston.
Probably first Notary Public was W. C. Rheem, appointed by Gov. Edgerton, May 17th, 1864.
The first man to declare his wish to besome a citizen of the U. S. was John Griffiths, a native of Wales, 1st of September, 1866.
Even in the Courts, they were apt to use an old account book for keeping records, as an old account book of Leesburg, Idaho, was brought to Bannack, and used as an account book to be used later in which to record probate matters. This book shows that the price of sugar was 60c per pound.
1 keg of nails, coin $35.00.
1 keg 10 gals. sherry, $100.00
greenbacks.
1 lb. of apples, 50 cents.
1 box sardines, $1.00.
We also find that one of the first men to contest the election of another, was George Bachelder, against Thos. H. Gordon, for the office of Sheriff. Following are the returns:
Election held September 2nd, 1867.
| For Bachelder | For Gordon | |
| In Bannack | 205 | 170 |
| Horse Prairie | 25 | 30 |
| Montana (Argenta ) | 29 | 27 |
| Beaverhead | 19 | 27 |
| French Gulch | 10 | 39 |
| Totals | 288 | 293 |
Whole matter hinged on French Gulch, which Bachelder held was not in Beaverhead County. Case dismissed 23rd of September, 1867.
(Twine was scarce in those days, as I found these papers tied with a buckskin string.)
Sue's Letter.
In looking over Court proceedings of early days, we find the love letter of "Sue" to her lover, Wm. Farnsworth, who was killed at Horse Prairie in 1877, just in front of John C. Brenner's house, then owned by Winters and Montague. Montague was killed the day before. The lady was a beautiful letter writer. Her impassioned appeal to her lover was in the following words:
"Oh Will, my dearest one, how I long to see you this spring as never before. I am impatient for your dear comforting letters. I don't believe we made a mistake three years ago. (I did not, if you did), for every day I am more certain that I am yours and you are mine, for life, and it seems to me for eternity. There isn't ;, day or an hour but I find myself thinking of you. Every thought and every joy I want to share with you. I don't value luxuries as I used to, and think them indispensable to happiness. I think I could be so patient, and so saving, and think it the greatest pleasure in the world. If our wishes were all gratified, how soon ice would become used to it, and they would cease to be luxuries. Iucky for you I'm kept within bounds, lest I might set up my anthority to get out of that, or come unbidden to your humble home.What a trust she had in this man, and no doubt he was worthy of her love and affection. He could not take the treasure that was his for the asking. Think of the deep love of the woman who would willingly surrender a magnificent body and soul to his keeping, to make his life so much more worth living. He must struggle for gold till death robbed them each from the other, and left a pale woman to moan, and ask "Why?""Don't get too mercenary for nay sake. What's good enough for you is good enough for me."
I do not know where ''Sue,'' is, but if she should read this, I hope that she will pardon the liberty I have taken in giving this little story to the public.
God made woman for man's chief comfort, and for his good. She (God bless her), is willing to go with her lover, out into the by-ways, wherever his lot will take him, and help him in his struggles. When he gets an idea that he must have enough wealth to make each day a day of careless freedom from want and responsibility, he is simply wasting the days of most supreme happiness -- the days of youth -- for a foolish idea.