Minnie May Morrison

The following was taken from The Lind Leader February 6, 1936:

MRS. MINNIE PERKINS
The remains of Mrs. Minnie Perkins, who perished in a storm in Montana about ten days ago, were brought to Spokane where funeral services were held by Rev. F. L. Moore and Rev. Mick at the Hazen and Jaeger funeral home last Monday. Burial was made at the Peone Prairie cemetery north of Spokane near the birthplace of the deceased. Many friends from Lind and relatives from various places attended the rites.

Minnie Morrison was born Nov. 30, 1886, at Mead, Washington. She came to this county with her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Charles Morrison, when 14 years of age, and the family settled at Griffith Corners. Two years later they moved to Lind which has since been the parents' home. In 1906 she was united in marriage with Don Perkins from whom she later separated, and to this union one child, Delmer, was born. In 1915 Mrs. Perkins went to Brockway, Montana where she acquired a cattle ranch where she has since made her home. She last visited Lind in 1919.

Surviving Mrs. Perkins is her son, Delmer, who is with the Marines in China, her parents, Mr. and Mrfs. Charles Morrison of this city, six brothers, Victor of Cheney, Charles R. of Washtucna, Ralph J. of San Francisco, Floyd of Lind, and Clayton and Bernard of Tacoma, and three sisters, Mrs. J. W. Hubbard of Rose Lodge, Oregon, Mrs. Roy Parrish and Peggy Morrison of this city. May friends, both here and in Montana mourn her passing.

Mrs. Perkins lost her life in a storm near Brockway, Montana on January 25. According to deductions made by friends in Montana the tragedy is explained in this way: Mrs. Perkins and a hired man went to Brockway to obtain supplies. Before leaving town they were warned of the approaching storm but felt that it was necessary to return to the ranch. Mrs. Perkins had no fear as she knew the country well and believed that if the storm prevented progress they would find shelter at some of the ranches along the way.

Apparently everything went well until the double-tree of the buggy broke. They were then in the storm so they covered the supplies with blankets to protect them from the weather and turned the team loose. A short distance away was a deserted house and because the hired man was somewhat feeble he was directed to go to this shelter while Mrs. Perkins startedfor an inhabited ranch a mile and a half away. The hired man fell exhausted and died before he reached the shelter. In the meantime Mrs. Perkins followed a line fence in the blinding snow storm until she reached the ranch gate. The ranch house was some distance away on the opposite side of the field so instead of cutting across the field to the house, and taking chances of losing her way, Mrs. Perkins continued to follow the fence arouhnd the field until it would bring her close to the house. She became exhausted before she reached the building and in the storm soon perished, freezing to death.

Neighbors found the buggy and team, which was still alive, and soon located the body of the hired man not far away. They concluded that Mrs. Perkins had likely gone in the same direction and made an unsuccessful search for her. It was not until the following Tuesday that the body was discovered. She had followed the fence for almost three miles.