These diary entries are from pages 222-223 of The Montana Frontier 1852-1864, by Granville Stuart. The entries marked J.S. are from Granville's brother James. They were prospecting and running a store and blacksmith shop at Gold Creek on the Clark's Fork of the Columbia. Gold Creek is between the present day cities of Deer Lodge and Missoula, Montana

SEPTEMBER 5, 1862. As almost everybody is on the gamble it did not take long to gather a crowd. The raffle was held in the saloon and the contestants threw dice at one dollar a throw. Clark won the gun, Burr the clothing, and Worden the gum boots, which were the first ever seen here. J. S.

SEPTEMBER 9. Cool and windy. Played poker and won a little. J. S.

SEPTEMBER 10. Granville and Woody started to Hell Gate to try and organize our county government, Granville having been elected county commissioner at our election last July, and Frank Woody having been elected auditor. I gave bonds and took the oath of office, having been elected sheriff of Missoula county, Washington Territory. J. S.

SEPTEMBER 12. Powell came down on a visit. We had a social game of poker. Fred Burr won some little. J. S.

SEPTEMBER 13 Cold and cloudy. Powell and I went up to some new placer mines on the head of Pioneer creek. Saw some men take out one piece that would weigh one dollar or more. They are working with rockers. Sunday went with a party of comrades to Blackfoot. As there are no churches around here to attend and not even a Sunday school, we passed the time playing poker. Funny how often our little testament gets lost, but we can always dig up a deck of cards any place or anywhere. I lost twenty-three dollars. J. S.

SEPTEMBER 14. Balanced accounts with Worden and Co. Are four hundred and fifty dollars in debt. J. S.

SEPTEMBER 18. Woody and Granville arrived from Hell Gate accompanied by two lower country-men. We played poker last night. Worden was winner. I lost twenty-two dollars. J. S.[72]

SEPTEMBER 20. Played poker, lost eighteen dollars. Granville and Reece Anderson mended Plummer's double barreled shot gun, which he had broken off at the grip, coming through the timber from Elk City. Reece forged four strips of iron about five-eighths in. wide and three and one-half in. long and Granville set them into the gunstock on top and bottom of the grip, and screwed them down solid so that the gun stock was stronger than before it was broken. J. S.

SEPTEMBER 21. Woody and York started to the gold placer mines near Beaverhead. Plummer and Reeves went with them. I played poker and won one hundred fifty-two dollars. Ed. and Freeman House were the victims. Granville found the out crop of coal in Pikes Peak gulch. J. S.

SEPTEMBER 22. Mrs. Burchett and family dined with us and will remain here with us while Mr. Burchett, Ed. and Freeman House go over to look at the Beaverhead mines.

[72]On our way to Hell Gate at Beaver Dam hill we met two fine looking young men. One of them said his name was Henry Plummer, the other was Charles Reeves. Woody and I told them who we were. They were from Elk City on Clearwater, and enquired about the mines at Gold creek and at Beaverhead. They rode two good horses and had another packed with their blankets and provisions. We liked their looks and told them that we were only going down to Hell Gate and would return to Gold creek in a few days and asked them to return to Hell Gate with us and then we could all go up the canon together. They accepted our invitation and in a few days we all went up to Gold creek together.