Remember When?

90 YEARS AGO • OCTOBER 11, 1933

PLAINS HAS FEVER

There have been a number of typhoid fever cases during the last month in Plains, which apparently developed in the neighborhood where the Montana Logging Company conducted its operations this summer, on Lynch Creek four or five miles out of town. Mrs. Mike Garvey, wife of the manager of the Missoula Logging Company is at present critically ill in a Missoula hospital.

The State Board of Health officials were in Plains investigating the water and other factors that might have given rise to the outbreak of this epidemic.

30 YEARS AGO • OCTOBER 28, 1993

HELEN PIRKER CELEBRATES 90TH BIRTHDAY

Helen M. Pirker, a longtime resident of Sanders County, celebrated her 90th birthday at an open house Sunday.

The event was hosted by her son and daughter-in-law, Ronney and Gwen Pirker, at their home west of Thompson Falls.

Mrs. Pirker was born October 17, 1903 at Appleryd Bromsebro, Sweden.

She came to the United States via ship (to New York) in September 1921.

She stayed with her foster sister in New Jersey for two months, then went to Minneapolis, Minnesota where she lived with an aunt until June 1927.

Helen later moved to Alger, Montana, where her father, Magnus Peterson lived. Alger, a small railroad settlement, was located between Thompson Falls and Trout Creek, at about mile marker 34.

Helen and Mathias Pirker were married in October 1927. They homesteaded at Whitepine Creek until 1933, when they moved to Belknap, 10 miles west of Thompson Falls.

In 1962, they sold their ranch to their son, Ronney, and purchased a home at Copper King, three miles up Thompson River.

Helen lived there until 1982 when she moved back to Belknap, across the driveway from her son Ronney. Helen continues to live in her own home at Belknap.

Following is information on the Pirker family from Crosscuts and Rails by the Whitepine Homemakers group:

Victor and Barbara Pirker moved to the Whitepine Creek area from Radersburg, Montana in 1914. Their son, Math, had been in the area prior to that time but had returned to Radersburg, then returned to live in Alger in 1916.

Pirkers were from Germany and Austria and likened this part of Montana to their homelands. They settled on 40 acres located in the Whitepine Creek area that they purchased through the secretary of the Blackfoot Land Development Company of Missoula.

The Pirkers had four children: Victor, Pauline, Albert and Mathias.

Math worked at ranching and logging and like so many of that era, he also worked for the railroad. He was employed at the Jack Waite mine while it was in operation and cooked for the crews and also worked with the Forest Service ‘blister rust’ crews.

Math married Helen Peterson in 1933 and the couple moved onto the Emil Butte homestead.

The couple recalled the good times at dances in the White Pine School, but said the biggest party in their neighborhood was held when the Whitepine Creek road was graveled. The local residents had endured the muddy, rough roads for many years and the completion of the project demanded a proper celebration.

Math Pirker raised four children who attended White Pine school. Sons Robert and Donald both died in automobile accidents while they were in their 20’s. A third son, Ronny, lives on their former ranch land between Belknap and White Pine. Their daughter, Barbara, lives in California.

Albert Pirker moved to the Whitepine community in January of 1921. He married Johanna Kanduch of Anaconda in 1934. Both were emigrants from Austria.

They had four children: David, Mary Jo, Victor and Irene.

Albert farmed and with help from Johanna they raised beef cattle and milked dairy cows. Like so many of those early day homemakers, Johanna raised a big garden and “put up” her produce for their winter food supply.

The children attended the first eight grades at White Pine school and attended high school in Thompson Falls. David, Mary Jo and Irene have left the area. Vic served his country in Viet Nam and did not return. He is listed as missing in action.