Albert Lewis Moore was born in Placerville, CA, June 6, 1886. When eight years old, his father, Will Moore, and mother Joined with an oxen train coming too Montana. They had their four children, Belle, Will Jr., Lew and Walter (Dixie). The trip took nine months. One child of the group died and was buried along the trail. Another child was sick and fed milk from a mare and lived. Many hardships were encountered.
Upon arrival in Sheridan, Montana, they settled on ground later known as the Foster Ranch. The children attended school in the building which later became the creamery, then remodeled for the home of James and Jennie Duncan, on Water Street. School was only four years in those days.
Mr. Will Moore disappeared soon after arrival in Sheridan. Mrs. Jennie Moore married Addie Vincent and they made their home in Brandon. Two girls were born, being Ella Rowe and Margaret Speedy when grown.
Lew grew to manhood, being quite a dancer in younger years. He rode horses a lot. He make many friends with the Indians. One day, while out with some of his friends, they decided to race. When they came into town, all the townsfolks were inside the fort. They thought the Indians were on the war path, seeing so much dust. The fort was located where the Texaco station now stands.
Lew followed mining and while working at Leiterville he became acquainted with Martha Bothwell from Allensville, Ohio. She was visiting her sister, Mrs. Charles C. Hill. They married in Dillon, Montana. March 4, 1894. they lived in Sheridan, but much of the time at Leiterville, nobleville, and Lake Shore. Their third daughter, Charlotte, was born high up on one of the hills at Nobleville. Lew leased the noble mine and at one time had fifty men working for him. The Foster Brothers hauled the ore for him. He had several rich ore strikes, but had to give it up when he ran out of ore.
When living at Nobleville, the older girls went to school to Mrs. Walter (Edna) Hill. While Lew was foreman at the Lake Shore mine, his wife did the cooking.
The family lived in Brandon for a while, then in the Schultz Hotel. where Standard Service Station is now, and then to their home on Water Street. While in the motel, the men building the Marsh Garage boarded and roomed with the Moores.
Mrs. Moore took a correspondence course in nursing in 1917. She aided Dr. Sutherland on many baby and flu cases. His car seemed so fast that she would close her eyes and hang on, so to speak.
In years later, Lew became engaged in mining with his son-in-law, Lyle Wright. They built a three stamp mill up Ramshorn Creek. Many times while the men mined the ore, Charlotte operated the mill.
Mr. Moore loved hunting and card playing, Mr. and Mrs. Moore went to the World Fair in 1904. Otherwise their trips were few, the most exciting was to Twin Bridges fair. The horse races and a large balloon were the big attractions.
Mr. and Mrs. Moore had seven children: Hazel McDowell, deceased, Fern Elliott, living in Port Angles, Washington, Charlotte Wright Groves, in Lakeport, CA; Bula Werner, in Boise Idaho; Leroy Moore in Greenbank, Washington; Laura Braach, in Stevensville, Montana; and Harry Moore, deceased, of Absarokee, Montana.
Laura (Meka) Moore Braach