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Note: From Lewistown News-Argus Dec. 22-26, 1976 written by Albert: I was born six miles south of Howells, Neb., in Colfax County on July 8,
183. I lived there until March 1904 when we came to Montana.
We left Lincoln, Neb., March 2, 1904. After two days and nights we
arrived in Lombard, Mont., and could go no farther as the railroad was
snow-bound and no trains running.
We stayed there two weeks in a hotel that was owned by a Chinaman by the
name of Billy Key.
We went up the Sixteen Mile Canyon and came to a station named Summit and
could go no farther as the train was snow-bound. We were in a snowbank
for a week - never turned a wheel.
We had one thing in common. We were all lousy. There was no way to keep
clean. If you wanted to wash you opened the car window and got a wash
basin full of snow, set it on the heating stove and when it melted you
could wash and that was it.
My youngest sister was four months old so you can imagine what my mother
went through.
We got to Harlowton and my brother Joe who was here a year ahead of us came with two four-horse teams and sleds and brought us to Lewistown.
It seems I got ahead of my story. In the spring of 1903 my father and
Mr. Joe Vanek came to Montana and after looking around bought a ranch
from Herman Clausen on Cottonwood Creek consisting of 1,380 acres which is now owned by the Fred Jenni family.
When we came out here the Vaneks bought father out and he bought a ranch
two miles west of Lewistown from Peter Weydert consisting of 1,080 acres
at $12.50 an acre, all virgin sod.
My father bought four horses from Chris Stoudt and broke up 20 acres of
sod and seeded it to oats but didn't cut a kernel of it as range horses
ate it all.
My brother Charlie broke up 50 acres of sod and seeded it to winter wheat
and it yielded 50 bushels to an acre.
I had a steam engineers license before I was 18 years old and I plowed
hundreds of acres of sod and thrashed thousands of bushels of grain.
I bought 400 acres of land three miles west of Lewistown and made my home
on it for 52 years.
I married Marie Kottas, June 18, 1917 and she passed away Oct. 30, 1970.
I gave my ranch to my daughter and son-in-law and now live at the Eagles
Manor.
I played solo cornet in the Eagles Band from the time they started until
they quit and I had a good six-piece orchestra and played all over Fergus
county.
I hope I can live here at the Eagles Manor the few years I have left and
I thank God for letting me live in good old Montana.
Obituary: "Albert J. Hruska 90, of Lewistown, died Saturday afternoon at
the Central Montana Nursing Home following a short illness.
He was born July 8, 1893 in Howells, Neb. the son of Baclav and Anna
Hruska. He received his early schooling there and moved to Montana in
1904 and completed his schooling here. They settled in Lewistown and the
family purchased a ranch one and one-half miles west of Lewistown.
He was employed as a steam engine operator and was engaged in the
breaking of virgin soil in the Christina and Belt areas.
On June 8, 1917 he was united in marriage to Marie Kottas in Denton. They purchased a ranch west of Lewistown. He farmed his ranch during the
day and worked as a boilerman for the Arrow Refinery of Lewistown at
night.
In 1907 he formed his own dance band as he was an avid musician. He
played the violin and cornet in his band and they played in the Lewistown
area for more than 40 years. He was active in playing his accordian
until 6 months ago when he was forced to quit due to poor health. He was preceded in death by his wife in 1970 and his parents.
Hruska was a member of the Eagles and Moose Lodges of Lewistown, Knights
of Columbus and the Western Bohemian and a member of St. Leo's Catholic
Church.
He is survived by one daughter, Mrs. Weldon (Margie) Moody of Lewistown;
two brothers, Frank and George Hruska, both of Lewistown; three sisters,
Caroline Stil
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