Francis Elliot…He always did like cats

By Eva Hallam Solberg

Published in the PCN on January 15, 1981

He never missed a game. In town or out of town, Francis Elliot was the Malta Mustangs’ Number One fan. He is no longer able to drive his car at 90 years of age, but he manages to get to a few games and uses his walker to steady himself (Jan. 1981).

Francis was born at a stagecoach way-station south of Harlowton, Montana, near the Musselshell River. His mother went to stay with “Aunt Sadie Black” and he was born with Aunt Sadie’s assistance on Sept. 11, 1891.

His father, Alexander Elliot, came from Scotland when he was in his 20s and worked for the Northern Pacific Railroad before starting a sheep ranch in the vicinity of Melville. His mother, Owa Vale, was of Pennsylvania Dutch origin.

The Elliots came by wagon to a ranch northwest of Malta on Assiniboine Creek when Francis was only one year old.

His father returned to Melville the next spring to bring back 1500 head of sheep. It took him and his helper much of the spring and summer to bring the sheep to the new ranch. The ewes began to lamb before reaching their final destination, so they had to remain in the vicinity of what was later the Matador Ranch, until the lambs were strong enough to travel.

Read the rest of the story in "Looking Back Again: Life Stories from the Prairies of Montana"
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