The Philipsburg Cemetery is located in Granite County. This is a large community cemetery with approximately 3,500 interments.
This cemetery's interments, like most that were established around the same time, did not lack from the tragic maladies of the day: Diphtheria, Pneumonia, Consumption, Spinal Meningitis, and Typhoid Fever were common causes of death, especially children and infants.
If death by sickness were not enough for these early setters to contend with let us not overlook: Murder, Suicide, Death by Indian attacks and those that were accidental: ingesting cyanide, being ran over by a wagon, hanging, sledding accident or ran over by a train. There were countless incidents that took place in area mines and mills.
The first interment took place in 1870 with numerous between 1870 to the early 1900s. The cemetery is still active today.
There is a memorial dedicated to Amos Elliot, John Hayes and Wm. Joy, however, Duncan Campbell also was killed during this same Indian attack on July 10th, 1878.
The inscription reads as follows:
Memory of Frontier Days in Montana
These three placer miners were killed by a war party of Nez Perce Indians, July 10, 1878, in McKay's Gulch, in the Rock Creek Mining District of Granite County, after and brave and desperate fight against over-whelming odds.
This stone was given by Mary El Morouy that their names & resting place may not be forgotten of men.
Erected under the auspices of the Society of Montana Pioneers.
Following is a listing of some of the more interesting deaths:
1870 - Montgomery Fullerton: Born in 1835 and he died on May 12, 1870 One of the first pioneers in the area.
1878 - *Amos Elliot: Birth is unknown and he died on July 10, 1878 Killed by Indians during an attack.
1878 - *Duncan Campbell: Birth is unknown and he died on July 10, 1878 Killed by Indians during an attack.
1878 - *John "Jack" Hayes: Birth is unknown and he died on July 10, 1878 Killed by Indians during an attack.
1878 - *William Joy: Birth is unknown and he died on July 10, 1878 Killed by Indians during an attack.
1879 - Christian Guth: Birth is unknown and he died on December, 1879 Suicide: Shot himself in the head.
1880 - Francis E. "Frankie" Leavens: Born in 1867 and he died on December 31, 1880.
1881 - Elnore Hynes: Birth is unknown and he died on January 11, 1881.
1881 - Eugene Garland: Born in 1847 and he died on March 26, 1881 Murdered.
1881 - Mary Hennessy: Birth is unknown and she died on November 7, 1881.
1887 - Alex McClosky: Birth is unknown and he died on September 1887 Accidental: while hauling a heavy load of ore from the Pearl Mine he fell from wagon and was run over and killed.
1887 - David Finnell: Birth is unknown and he died on April, 1887 Accidently shot himself.
1888 - James Jennings: Birth is unknown and he died on April 1888 Accidental: killed by an explosion of giant powder in the Cable Mine.
1888 - Sylvester Marony: Born in 1875 and he died on December 1888 Accidental: while coasting down Franklin Hill he hit a log which projected him out and struck him in the left side.
1889 - Thomas Marony: Born in 1820 and he died on April, 1889 Old time prospector and miner.
1890 - James Nettell: Born in 1840 and he died on December 1, 1890 an old-time mountaineer
1892 - George Brock: Birth is unknown and he died on December 2, 1892 Accidental: He was run over by a train.
1893 - Custer Lynch: Born in 1878 and he died on April 29, 1893 Accidental hanging
1893 - J C Darby: Born in 1861 and he died on June 23, 1893 blasting occurred at the Killed at Granite mine by a blasting explosion.
1895 - John W. Ryan: Born on October 6, 1844 and he died on January 4, 1895 Murdered: Shot in the head by George Terrell who gave himself up and was later hanged.
1895 - Louis Munson: Born in 1858 and he died on September 12, 1895 Murdered: Shot in the forehead by someone unknown.
1896 - T E Smith: Birth is unknown and he died on November 2, 1896 Suicide: Drank strychnine while working in the county jail.
1898 - David "Dave" McKenzie: Born in 1865 and he died on October 18, 1898 Accidental: While working at the Bi-Metallic mill, he was caught by a swiftly moving belt and crushed to death.
1899 - Jacob "Jake" Johnson: Birth is unknown and he died on December 1899 He was shot and killed by his brother, John Johnson.
1899 - James L. Richards: Born in 1864 and he died on July 14, 1899 James L Richards Accidental: Drowned while bathing in a pond near Silver Lake and Gold Coin.
1900 - Nelson M Soule: Born on November 25, 1848 and he died on July 2, 1900 One of the first settlers in the Flint Creek area.
1900 - George Huntress Plaisted: Born on March 13, 1821and he died on January 13, 1900 He Built Sugar Mills in Cuba and Quartz Mills.
1901 - Pietro Spartani: Born in 1866 and he died in April 1901 Accidental: While working at the Bi-metallic mill, he went downstairs to get a drink of water and accidentally drank cyanide thinking it was water poison.
There were three interments that took place in 2014: This list maybe incomplete.
2014 - Daniel Magnus "Dan" Hamilton: Born on October 12, 1955 and he died on May 30, 2014.
2014 - Doris Ida Mooney Neu: Born on May 15, 1918 and he died on January 3, 2014.
2014 - Gemma Mary Mazza: Born on November 20, 1924 and he died on March 16, 2014.
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