The Montana Veterans' Home Cemetery is a large cemetery in Flathead County. There are approximately 800 gravesites. It was established in 1896. There are many grave markers with no dates and some could have been the first interments. The last recorded interment was in 2013.
This is a most impressive cemetery and some of the interments are from the Mexican - American War (1846 to 1848), Spanish - American War (1898), and the Civil War (1861 to 1965). More recent are interments from World War I (1914 to1918), World War II (1939 to 1945), Korean War (1950 to1953) and the Vietnam War (1960 to1975).
There is a large monument displaying the VFW Posts throughout Montana. At the entrance is a plaque, "Lighting A Soldiers Way Home" listing individual memorials. In addition is a "Thank You" plaque with contributors to the 2009 renovation project.
There was one burial in the Montana Veterans' Home Cemetery in 1900 and most likely the first interment. He was Samuel L Trout Sr. who was born April 14, 1820 and died October 11, 1900 at the age of 80.
Samuel H. Trout, Sr. was born in Virginia and later married Margarett W. "Margery" Brown on February 4, 1846 in Highland County, Ohio. At least seven children were born to this union. The family had moved to Camp Township in Polk, Iowa by 1850, where Samuel served during the Civil War in Company "G," 23rd Iowa Infantry Regiment.
In about 1864, after death of his wife, Margarett, Samuel placed some of his children with relatives and neighbors then took oldest son John, age about 9, to the gold rush region of Galletin County, Montana to make his fortune.
Source: Find a Grave (
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Also, there are interments that were in 1901.
David L. Anderson
Birth: unknown
Death: May 22, 1901
Served 99th Infantry CO.B
Jeremiah Caton
Birth: unknown
Death: Jun. 14, 1901
Served: 2nd Arkansas Infantry CO.F
Henry Clark
Birth: unknown
Death: May 18, 1901
Served: 1st Minnesota M.R.
James Buttolph
Birth: unknown
Death: Jan. 13, 1901
Served: 74th Illinois Infantry CO.B
The last recorded interment is most likely PFC Clifford L. Cottengim who was born May 29, 1932 and died January 26, 2013. He served during the Korean War.