JOSEPH AND EDENIA KREIDLER BATEMAN, JR.

From 'Fanning the Embers', published 1971, Range Rider Reps, Miles City, Montana

By Francesca Bateman Stangland

My father was born March 17, 1881, in Oseola, Penn. While a small boy he moved to Miles City, Mont., with his parents. He graduated from Custer County High School with the class of 1900. My grandfather, Joseph Bateman, Sr., had a little bunch of horses running on the range between Lower Pumpkin Creek and its confluence with Tongue River. Tom Grey had a place about 18 miles from town on Pumpkin Creek and Rudolph Sumer lived on Tongue River across the hills. Sometimes Joseph would go out Saturday evenings, accompanied by father and W. B. Clarke, stay all night and ride after horses, usually branding the colts and turning them loose again. At first there were but two brands, the7-(brace and bit) on the left shoulder and the W on the left thigh, which had belonged to Sam Bateman who had left and gone up in the country north of Great Falls. The boys bought Grandfather's remnant, togethet with some other horses as they could run them under the partnership name of Bateman and Clarke until the end of 1912, when Clarke bought father's interest which also included a section of land in the Pine Hills. While a young man father rode the range assessing on horseback. He also worked as assistant postmaster. Ada M. Bennett was postmistress and William A. Gibb was her assistant until father took the job. He also served as County Auditor and County Treasurer several terms in Custer county. My father married Edenia Kreidler, daughter of E. A. and Mary Wells Kreidler. Her father was the first worshipful master of Masonic Lodge in Miles City. She was born Oct. 14, 1883, in Miles City. Father passed away April 1, 1937, in Miles City. Mother passed away Aug. 19.1951. in Miles City.