Leon Reporter, Leon, Iowa
Thursday, December l4, l899

TOM C. BURNS and wife, of Chinook, Montana, came in last Thursday to visit his mother, MRS. ABNER BURNS and brother, JOHN BURNS. He had not seen his mother since May, l862. When the Civil War broke out he enlisted and was mustered out in l862. After spending a short time in Leon in company with his wife and brother, ROBERT BURNS, he went to Des Moines and started west with an ox train, their destination being Fort Benton, Montana. The train was six months making the journey and had a number of thrilling experiences with the Indians who thronged the plains in those days. After reaching Fort Benton, he spent six or seven years prospecting with various success and then served several years as a civil engineer with the U.S. Government, exploring Montana. Later he drifted into the cattle and sheep business and is now one of the big ranchmen of Montana.

Since leaving Leon, he has made and lost a half dozen fortunes and is now well off in this world's goods. One winter's experience cost him almost $20,000. In company with three other cattle men he started to drive his herd of 400 four year old steers to a point, 300 miles distant to where grass was plenty, intending to return as soon as the country was reached and send men to care for the cattle and supplies for the winter. Just as they reached the place a big blizzard came and covered everything with snow. Instead of getting home in a few days, they were compelled to stay in the canyon until March, rustling like beavers to gather enough wood during the day to keep from freezing at night. When spring came, out of a herd of over 2,000 steers, only about 80 remained alive the prairie being covered with dead carcasses. They made their way back home and surprised their friends, who had given them up as dead months before.

MR. BURNS is connected with a big English cattle syndicate and left Tuesday for New York City to meet their representatives, MRS. BURNS going to Perry the same day to visit her father. They will return to Leon for a more extended visit before returning to their western home.

Copied by Nancee (McMurtrey) Siefert
"With permission from the Leon Journal Reporter"
December l2, 2002