Tenth Generation

308. Eli Ayer VICKERY (+) was born on 28 October 1859 in Unity, Waldo County, ME.^{25,151,268,269} He appeared in the census in 1860 in Unity, Waldo County, ME.¹⁰⁰ He appeared in the census in 1870 in Unity, Waldo County, ME.¹⁰¹ Eli appeared in the census in 1880 in Unity, Waldo County, ME.¹⁰³ In 1890 he was a Gold Miner in Wyoming.²⁷⁰ He and his wife, Carrie, lived on the Placer Gold Mining Claim, homesteading on the Clark's Fork of the Yellowstone River in Wyoming. He appeared in the census in 1900 in Clark, Park County, WY.²⁷¹ His occupation was "Farmer." Eli appeared in the census in 1910 in Clark, Park County, WY.²⁷² His occupation was "Farmer, General Farm." He died on 2 May 1914 at the age of 54 in Clark, Park County, WY.^{25,151,269,270,273} Newspaper Article: "The funeral services of Eli A. Vickery, who died Saturday was held at the home near Clarks, on Sunday af ternoon at 2:30 o'clock and was one of the largest ever held in that vicinity The services were conducted by Rev. Charles C. Walker of Belfry, Montana. Interment was made at Bennett Buttes cemetery.

Deceased was one of the pioneers of this section of th country and his sterling qualities and rugged honesty won for him the respect and highest regard of all who knew him.

An obituary prepared by one of his friends, is as follows: Ell Ayer Vickery was born at Unity Maine, October 28, 1859 and died at his home near Clark, Wyoming, May 2, 1914, being 54 years, 6 months and 4 days old. His parents were James B. and Mary Vickery, and he grew to manhood on the old farm where his mother still lives with her youngest son. When 17 years old he began teaching school. He taught seven terms and used the money thus earned to further his own education at Kent's Hill, Maine.

In 1882 in company with six other young men of his native community one of whom was E. M. Clark, he came to Montana. For a while be worked around, but soon engaged in sheep raising on Fish creek, near Big Timber. After several years he sold out and started a successful mercantile business in Big Timber. He finally disposed of this and returned to farming for two years on the Yellowstone.

In 1893 he came to this vicinity, hav ing bought an interest in some placer mining claims, and for three or four years made a living by mining until the y'eld of gold failed to longer pay. Then he took the ranch here and worked hard to make a living for his growing family. For several years he raised vegetables which he sold at Red Lodge, the trip often taking him three days. He had by his industry just got where he could begin to enjoy the fruits of his labors when his health failed.

Four years ago he was striken with heart trouble, and from that time it was a fight with death, heroically waged, and though often it seemed the end was near, his wonderful vicality saved him again and again. For some months past he had seemed mush better but a short time ago he suddenly began to fall, growing weaker until he finally slept his life away.

He was married to Miss Carrie Brandenburg at Big Timber, November 20, 1889 and had looked forward to celebrating their silver anniversary next fall. Eleven children were born to them, five boys and six girls, and all are living at home.. For many years. in the absence of schools, he and his wife gave them all their instruction the elder ones receiving practically all the education at home, and h's faithful work will bear fruit in all their lives.

Three years ago, while in the hospital at Bridger he was baptized. Though deprived of religious privileges, his long illness gave him apportunity for reflection, and in his last days he found much interest in things that pertain to the faith. A man stalwart and true, a good neighbor, a faithful husband and a kind and examplary father, his untimely death brings sadness to all who knew him and the bereaved family have the sympathy of all." He was buried on 3 May 1914 in Clark, Park County, WY.²⁵ in the Bennett Buttes Cemetery.

Eli Ayer VICKERY (+) and Carrie Jerusha BRANDENBURG (+) were married on 20 November 1889 in Big Timber, Park County, MT.^{63,151,269,274} (According to their marriage license, at that time Big Timber was part of Park County. It is now part of Sweet Grass County, which was formed in 1895.)

Big Timber takes its name from Big Timber Creek, which was named by William Clark because of the large cottonwood trees. The post office was established in 1880, closed, then reopened in 1882 with Ella Burns as postmaster.

As a stop on the Northern Pacific Railroad, Big Timber became a major wool-shipping depot. It became the county seat in 1895. A fire in 1908 destroyed half the commercial buildings and a third of the residential homes. Carrie Jerusha BRANDENBURG (+), daughter of Samuel B. BRANDENBURG and Alverda MURRAY, was born on 4 August 1869 in Shamrock, Callaway County, MO.⁶³ On January 10, 1898, Carrie wrote a letter to Mary True Ayer Vickery, her mother-in-law, in Unity, Maine. These are some excerpts from the letter:

"I remember that quite a long time ago you asked me to tell you about my father's family, and many times I wished to write you in answer to your special inquiries, but it seemed as if I could not get to it.

The little newspaper clipping that I send was printed in 1888. I was in Kentucky that Fall and visited with Mr. Bell, who is a cousin of my father. At that time, Mr. Bell and others of the family had great hopes of obtaining the fortune that rightfully belongs to the Brandenburgs in America. Lawyers were employed and sent to Berlin, but were never heard from and the supposition was that they were paid more there to drop the case than the American heirs could pay them. I have never heard, and I do not suppose that anything more has been done in regard to it.

As you will see by the paper, Solomon Brandenburg was a descendant of the Royal House of Hohenzollern. As I understand it, the marriages in Royal families were seldom love affairs, but Princes must choose their wives as directed by someone higher in authority than themselves.

But Solomon rebelled when it came to that and chose his own wife, a Princess from the much despised race of the Jews, and it was for that that his estates were confiscated. My father was Samuel, the son of Johnathon, the son of David, the son of Matthias, the son of Solomon.

The picture you spoke of was not a picture of the Castle as you thought, but I did have a picture of a gate that is in the city of Berlin, in the street, or thoroughfare I believe it is called, which bears the name Unter den Linden. The gate is called the Brandenburg Gate, and it faces the Royal Palace and is famous for its beauty and historical associations." She appeared in the census in 1870 in Nine Mile Prairie Township, Callaway County, MO.²⁷⁵ (The census sheet indicated that they lived near the Martinsburg Post Office.) She appeared in the census in 1880 in Jackson Township, Callaway County, MO.²⁷⁶ Carrie lived in Big Timber, Sweet Grass County, MT in November 1889.²⁷⁴ She appeared in the census in 1900 in Clark, Park County, WY.²⁷¹ She appeared in the census in 1910 in Clark, Park County, WY.²⁷² Carrie appeared in the census in 1920 in Bridger, Carbon County, MT.²⁷⁷ She appeared in the census in 1930 in Laurel Township, Yellowstone County, MT.²⁷⁸ She and her family were living in the Rollen (?) Apartments. She died on 2 December 1960 at the age of 91 in Billings, Yellowstone County, MT.^25,279,280 Carrie was buried in Clark, Park County, WY.^25,42,280 in the Bennett Buttes Cemetery.

Eli Ayer VICKERY (+) and Carrie Jerusha BRANDENBURG (+) had the following children: