Ovando Historical Society prints local history book

The "Harry Morgan Story" was recently published by the Ovando Historical Society and written by Sheri Ritchlin, Ovando resident. Harry Morgan was one of the first game wardens in Montana. He served in northern Powell County and parts of Missoula and Lewis & Clark Counties from 1913-1946. Ovando was his home base while game warden.

An interview with Harry Morgan in the 1960s by Deer Lodge High School history teacher Thelma Wells served as the foundational research for the book. Since then Morgan's family has brought family history information and artifacts to the Ovando Museum over the years. The Ovando museum has some of Harry's old equipment, including his rifle used to kill a horse thief.

The Ovando Historical Society thought about putting together an article in a Montana magazine. After Ritchlin started looking up Morgan's story, she found his family had a lot to do with the history of Montana. The article idea quickly morphed into a book.

Through the 121 page book, one is transported to the days of fur trappers, traders, gold rushes, early cattle ranching and railroad development in Montana Territory. The extensive bibliography shows the hours Ritchlin spent researching the life and times of Harry Morgan.

Part one outlines the beginning expansion of trappers, traders and explorers creating the trade routes and settlements in the early days of the Montana Territory. This established the frontier to which Captain John Morgan, Harry's father, traveled. He arrived in Fort Benton in 1852 at the age of 32 from Scotland.

"Fort Benton was a place of daily violence, drunkenness and swindles of every description," Ritchlin wrote in the epilogue.

John Morgan started life in Montana as a trapper in the Sun River and Fort Benton areas. Eventually he became a landowner and lodge keeper along the Mullan Trail outside Helena, offering housing and supplies to both Indigenous people and explorers.

Early marital records are patchy at the best. Harry Morgan claims Mary Rose LaBrush, a Piegan Blackfeet woman, as his mother. Early records indicate she was one of five potential wives of John Morgan.

Part two begins with Harry's birth in Fort Benton in 1863. The adventures of his dad, John, and his trade settlement figure prominently, as well as John Morgan's on-again, off-again relationship with the native tribes.

The short chapters illustrate topics that set the stage for Harry's maturing through the changing times as Montana territory transitioned from Indigenous to settler culture. Fur trading, farming, buffalo, trailing cattle, cowboying, mining and other pursuits in Harry's life are illustrated with maps, personal accounts and documents gathered from Montana historical sources by the author.

Transcripts of original letters from prominent citizens of the day, family photographs as well as maps of the Morgan's activities are prominent throughout the book.

The early history of the Division of Forestry, which became the U.S. Forest Service in 1905, is included to illustrate how Harry got involved as a game warden. Harry was suggested to government surveyor Coert DuBois as one "who knew the country" as Dubois set out to map survey lines from Philipsburg to Missoula and the East Fork of the Bitterroot River.

"At first I thought he was surly but when I got to know him he was simply quiet," said DuBois about Harry in a letter reprinted in the book. "He was a splendid outdoorsman and knew those mountains like a book."

In 1901 Montana's second Governor John Rickards created Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks and appointed the first game warden. In 1913 Harry is quoted saying his friends told him to resign his job as a Forest Guard, planting trees and cutting trails in Missoula, and to come to Helena.

"They had a better job for me," Morgan said. "They appointed me Game Warden for part of Powell County (the northern part), and (the) north part of Missoula and part of Lewis and Clark County."

Harry's life as a game warden is illustrated through many letters and excerpts from interviews.

"Those who remember him well say that he tempered his method of enforcing the law with an old time consideration for those in need," an excerpt from "Cabin Fever" by Mildred Chaffin quoted in the Morgan book said.

Ovando resident Howard Fly told the Pathfinder a story from Ovando oldtimers Wendell and Gene Copenhaver about meeting Harry while fishing and hunting.

"I had too many fish and stuck them into the patches my mom had sewn on my pants, and had the legal limit in my creel," Wendell told Fly. Wendell's brother, Gene, complained that Harry confiscated his rifle for hunting too many grouse.

"And the old bugger never gave it back," Gene said.

There will be a book signing party and powerpoint presentation on Dec. 7 at 1 p.m. in the Ovando Gym. The book is available at the Ovando Commercial Company, the Blackfoot Angler, the Ovando Museum and on Amazon.