S.M. Fitzgerald ~ 1840-1932

FITZGERALD, BROWN, BASSETT, BURG, RADER, TRIPP, HOPPE, FRENCH, HICKS, HENDERSON, LATTA

Posted By: Volunteer - Rhonda Rankin Rowe
Date: 1/31/2002 at 10:03:32

Livingston, Mont., News

Selleck Madison Fitzgerald, Montana pioneer and former Park county resident, died Tuesday morning at his home in Fishtail from complications arising from advanced age. He would have been 92 years old on April 25. Mr. Fitzgerald had been in failing health for the last year and a week ago was confined to his bed. His wife, four daughters and his son were with him at the time of his death.

A native of Iowa, Mr. Fitzgerald was born April 25, 1840, at Keosauqua. He was married to Mary Ann Brown April 12, 1863 at Ft. Laramie, Wyo., while crossing the plains to California. Thirteen children, eight of whom are living, were born of this union. Mrs. Fitzgerald died April 14, 1906.
From California Mr. Fitzgerald came to Oregon and from the latter place to Montana Aug. 1, 1873, where he resided continuously until his death. Locating first near Emigrant he was engaged in ranching and the cattle business in the Yellowstone valley and later conducted a livery business in Bozeman. From Bozeman, Mr. Fitzgerald came to Livingston, where, with C.B. Scott of Gardiner, he engaged in a similar enterprise and was connected also with Mr. Scott in the contracting business in Cooke Lity during the building of the Republic smelter. He then located in Gardiner until 23 years ago when he went to the Stillwater country. He had made his home in Fishtail the last four years.

Mr. Fitzgerald was married Sept. 1927, to Betty Bassett, who survives him, as do seven daughters, Mrs. Chas. A. Burg of Livingston, Mrs. Chas. R. Rader of Three Forks, Mrs. D.W. Tripp and Mrs. Walter Hoppe of Gardiner, Mrs. A.T. French of Joliet, Mrs. T.W. Hicks of Harlowton, and Mrs. W.J. Henderson of Chula Vista, Calif., and one son H.B. of Nye. His eldest daughter, Mrs. Ned Latta, of Nye, was killed in an automobile accident June 22, 1930. 14 grandchildren, 22 great-grandchildren and one great-great-grandchild survive him.

He was a member of the Elk lodge and, until his death, was the oldest living Elk in the state. He attended an activity of this organization last month in Livingston.

He served as an appointive member of the first Pary county school board and also was elected to the board and was a member when the school building was constructed.

The Livingston Elks lodge will hold services Wednesday at 2:30 at the Elks temple. Funeral services will be held Thursday afternoon in Gardiner with Rev. Lewis D. Smith, Episcopal minister in charge. Interment will be in the family plot at Gardiner.

Source; Iowa Rankin and Jenny Matheson newspaper clippings