TOM PENDERGAST AND THE GRADY FAMILY

From 'Echoing Footsteps', published 1967, Powder River County Extension Homemakers Council

By Andrus Tyler

Tom Pendergast bought the Doc Evans homestead on Starvation (Strello) Creek. He came here from Butte, Montana, where he was a street-car conductor. He brought his wife, Johanna and children here to live to get them out of the city. Then he went back to Butte. His father-in-law, Patrick O'Grady, who had been a miner in Butte, lived here with them, as did his 3 sons, Bill, Henry, and one other boy, and his 3 daughters, Johanna (the Mrs. Tom Pendergast mentioned above), Agnes, and Rose. After moving here the O'Gradys dropped the "0" in their name, and were known as just "Grady'. While staying with the Pendergasts, Agnes Grady taught the nearby North Stacey School. Later Agnes Grady took up a homestead about 4 miles southeast of Pendergasts, and then married Mr. Lynch. Her brother Henry Grady homesteaded the south half of the same section. This land now belongs to the Merchant family.