Page 26 - MSN_363_FebruaryMarch

PAGE 26 MONTANA SENIOR NEWS • FEBRUARY / MARCH 2020
Spotlights

HISTORY • FEATURED AREA • NARRATIVES • HUMAN INTEREST • TRENDS

Joseph “Proc” Proctor

2019 RECIPIENT OF THE MONTANA COWBOY HALL OF FAME LEGACY AWARD

Sarah attended, the teacher sent the girls to
BY SUZANNE WARING ask their father to remove the snakes. His
fear arising, yet fully determined to fulfill
The Hays family had just moved onto land his obligations, he took his shotgun and let
near Sarpy Creek in southern Rosebud County, loose on the blackboard. On what was left
Mont., when a black cowboy came riding his of the board, he wrote, “I kilt yore snakes.”
horse into the yard. He introduced himself as One summer it was rainy, so Proc
a neighbor. As the two men were visiting, the and his helper couldn’t hay. They picked
black man looked around and inquired as to pails of currents and gooseberries until
whether the family had a milk cow. “Lizzie” got tired of making jellies and
Mr. Robert E. “Pudge” Hays admitted Joseph Proctor and his two daughters, with his wife jams. Proc would make jelly glasses from
looking from corner of the house.
they didn’t. The next day, the cowboy bottles. He would use a hot ring to cut the
returned leading a cow and her calf. Proc remembered when the black people top off smooth.
“Here’s a cow you can use to have milk were freed and given a sack of corn by the
for the children,” he said. “Children slave owner as they were sent on their way.
need milk.” This caring gesture contin- Proc eventually got to Montana by joining
ues to be told by descendants of the Hays up with different cattle companies taking
family, three generations later. herds north. He became an exceptional herder
That kind man was Joseph ‘Proc” Proctor, and horse wrangler, which always afforded
who is the 2019 recipient of the Montana him a job, despite the color of his skin.
Cowboy Hall of Fame Legacy Award from Eventually, he joined the John T.
District 3, which includes Rosebud County. Murphy’s 79 ranch with headquarters near
Proc was born into slavery in Burnett, Ryegate, where the cattle grazed along with
Texas, around 1856. His father was sold the buffalo before the buffalo herds were
to a neighboring plantation, but the sym- wiped out.
pathetic owner allowed him to return to After Murphy closed out, Proc moved
his family every Saturday evening, so they around a bit and then settled with the R U
could spend Sunday together. R horse outfit in 1885. He stayed with them
until they closed out in 1908.

If you have access or mobility barriers, In 1900 he met Elizabeth “Lizzie”
call today and let us assist you. McHarg, an African American girl who
had come north from Missouri by boat
• Elevators and worked for a family in Miles City. She
• Stair Lifts became Mrs. Joseph H. Proctor in 1901. He
• Scooter Lifts was 45 years old, and she was 21.
• Wheelchair Lifts The Proctors took up a homestead
• Power Seats to ranch in the Castle Rock area near Joseph “Proc” Proctor.
• Hand Controls where Colstrip is today and not far from
• Pride Scooters where Proctor delivered the milk cow to In 1934, the 50th anniversary of
• Porch Lifts the Hays family. It was located 40 miles the Montana Stockgrowers Association
• Vehicle Modifications from town, and, at first, there were no Convention was held in Miles City. All the
• Wheelchair Conversion Vans neighbors. A trip to town took one day ranchers in Rosebud County were planning
G & J Enterprises of travel each way. to attend. When asked, Proc told neighbors
In 1931 when Proc was 75 , the cou-
that he wouldn’t be attending. Area ranchers
3353 Old Hardin Rd • Billings ple sold their large ranch and moved to a were determined that he should, so they had
406-248-5767 • gandjenterprises.com small spread on Sheep Creek, which was the county attorney serve him a subpoena
closer to Forsyth. Over the years, their two to attend. During the Stockgrowers parade,
daughters, Martha he was found on the chuckwagon with the
35TH ANNUAL and Sarah, learned roundup cook.
MONTANA JUNE 11-13 to be good riders and Proc died in 1938, and in his obituary
SENIOR OLYMPICS Missoula to take part in cattle one sentence read “… kindly disposition

work. Both eventu- and gentlemanly traits of character served
ally married, but not to implant in the minds of who knew him
until late into their that their confidence in, and esteem for,
lives. him were never misplaced.”
Open to Athletes 50 Years and Older • Qualify for 2021 National Senior Games Having grown up Cowboy poet Wally McRae commem-
• Archery • Golf • Shuffleboard in Texas where rattle orated Joseph Proctor’s cowboying skills
• Badminton • Horseshoes • Swimming snakes were enor- and life in the book, Cowboy Curmudgeon,
• Basketball • Pickleball • Table Tennis mous and lethal, with the poem “Ol’ Proc” by telling his life
• Bowling • Racewalk • Tennis Proc was famously in rhyme.
• Cycling • Road Race • Track & Field afraid of them. When Proc now rightly sits among the other

Register by May 1 and save! some snakes got remembered cowboys of the Montana
montanaseniorolympics.com behind the black- Cowboy Hall of Fame. MSN
[email protected] | 406-552-6664 missoulaparks.org board at the school
Athletes who competed at past MSO events should receive registration packets by April 1. New athletes can check the MSO website: where Martha and
montanaseniorolympics.com, for registration details. Competition in 5-year age group increments. $28/participant + $4/event by May 1