Frank Christenot

Early Life

Frank Christenot was born November 2, 1880, near Puller Springs in the Upper Ruby Valley, Madison County, Montana. He was the seventh child of Charles and Martha (Craig) Wilton Christenot, who traversed the Bozeman Trail and arrived in October 1866.

Charles worked at the Christenot Mill, at Union City, then settled his family near Puller Springs, Montana, on the Ruby River. He served as a constable and worked in construction.  The heat stroke that Charles suffered during the Civil War left him with epileptic seizures that grew worse with age.  He died on May 23, 1886, at the Insane Asylum at Warm Springs, Montana.  Frank was almost 6 years old. His mother, Martha, was 40 years old and without financial support, other than some Civil War pensions.

The children still at home were Mary (14), Amelia (10), George (8), Frank (6), Fred (3), and Clemma (8 months old). Frank and Fred were made to leave school after receiving a fifth and third grade education, in order to labor for the family. They both noted this in the 1940 census which asks adults what the highest level of education that they had received.

Children of Charles and Martha Christenot, Frank’s Siblings

• Hattie (Christenot) Kyle (1867-1936)
• Anna (Christenot) Swisher (1869-1950)
• Mary (Christenot) Patrick (1872-1919)
• Charles Christenot (1874-1875)
• Amelia “Mae” (Christenot) Pendarvis Jordan (1876-1959)
• George Christenot (1878-1934)
• Frank Christenot (1880-1956)
• Fred Christenot (1883-1961)
• Clemma (Christenot) Newton Briscoe (1885-1970)

Marriage to Kate Russell

Frank, 26, married Kate Russell, 23, the daughter of David Harrison Russell and Ijkalaka on October 18, 1907. Ijkalaka was the daughter of Eagleman, an Oglala Sioux. The town of Ekalaka, Montana, was named for her. Frank and Kate had four boys, Ralph, David, William and Alfred. They ifled on a homstead and lived in a tar paper shack with no floor. Postcards from Kate and Frank to his mother, Martha Christenot, speak to a close relationship. Kate mentions a quilt that Martha had made that she later passed to Ralph. Their marriage lasted thirteen years, with Frank spending long amounts of time working away from the family. Kate later remarried. Only Ralph lived to adulthood to have his own children: Ralph Jr., Marcella, Edward, and Alberta.

Children of Frank and Kate Russell

Desertion of First Family

Frank worked as a laborer and drover, and found jobs far from Ekalaka. He moved to southward and signed his draft card for World War I from McCurtain County, Oklahoma, in 1917. It is not known if he ever contacted Kate and his four boys again.

Second Marriage – Betty May Lucas

Frank married Betty May Lucas (1893-1985) in Sevier County, Arkansas, on February 19, 1921. They had six children. Ather, Margie, and Wilhemina were born in Arkansas. Nettie was born in Pratt, Kansas. Johnnie and Henry were born in Oklahoma. Frank and Betty were sharecroppers and mostly farmed or found work as laborers. Frank had a fifth grade education and felt that was enough for his own children as well. They all stopped attending school once they could labor at the farm or find odd jobs. Margie, at age eight, was expected to mind the younger children at home while Frank and Betty worked.

Children of Frank and Betty Christenot

Life in New Mexico

Frank and Betty spent many years farming in Roswell, New Mexico. In the 1950 census, Frank was 69 and worked as a Night Watchman at a sawmill. His son, Ather, 28, was living at home and worked as a log turner at a sawmill.

Frank died on March 2, 1956 and is bured in Roswell, New Mexico. Betty died on March 25, 1985, also in Roswell.