Posted by (+187) 8 years ago
Missoulian wrote:Steve Daines’s official biography describes him as “a fifth-generation Montanan,” which implies his family’s unbroken residency in the state for a century or more. While several of Daines’s ancestors may have lived in Montana at one point in their lives, there was by no means a continuous presence in the state. Daines was born in California. His parents were born out of state, as were three of his four grandparents. Not what one would expect from someone who claims to be a fifth-generation Montanan.
A historian wrote that he was puzzled by the pride Montanans took in having lived in the state for several generations, until he realized they were proud that their families had managed to survive here. Apparently Daines’ ancestors survived by spending a lot of time out of state.
He has repeatedly told the story of his great-great-grandmother, who moved to Montana as a widow with seven children. This paints a touching figure of a pioneer woman who braved the wilds of Montana with small children clutching her skirts. In reality, Mrs. Dyrud was 65 when she was widowed in 1911, and all of her children were adults at the time. When some of her children decided to join the homestead boom to Montana in the 1910-1920 period, they brought their aging mother along. Not quite the image Daines would have us believe, particularly since his great-grandmother and his grandfather eventually returned to Minnesota.
This wouldn’t matter if Daines had not chosen to make his family history the centerpiece of his campaign. By claiming to be a fifth-generation Montanan, he expects us to believe that his family were among the real Montana pioneers, who toughed it out and raised their families here despite numerous hardships. The facts suggest otherwise. Steve Daines is a phony.
http://missoulian.com/new...79168.html
[Edited by Larry Antram (10/25/2014 10:48:39 PM)]