Gillette histories

From the Dec. 22, 1921 News Record:
Cattle thieves have been operating for many months in the vicinity of the state line north of Gillette, and as far east as the Dakota line, at more or less frequent intervals. Some of the stock shortages have been slight while numerous ones have been on a rather large scale, and the persistence of the rustlers in their operations leads to the growing belief that there is a well organized gang of thieves connected with the transactions. Ranchmen over in Powder River County, Mont., in the vicinity of Broadus and Moorhead, have formed an organization with the purpose to cooperate in riding the range and picking up any stray cattle, and they have held many meetings about the affairs, which have been more or less unsatisfactory. According to the Broadus paper, it has been difficult to tell who were friends and who were enemies, even at the meetings of the association, and little has been accomplished so far.
From the Dec. 1, 1939 News Record:
One of the finest specimens of petrified wood was brought to Gillette yesterday from the Mike Elmore ranch, and will be converted into a monument for a deceased pioneer, Nels Martin. Mr. Martin, who died here several years ago, was one of the earliest settlers in this vicinity. In true memory of this man, the petrified tree will be inscribed and erected at his grave in the local cemetery in the near future. The tree was reported to weigh over a ton. It was brought to town by J.S. Taft, E.W. Record, Bill Underwood, and Mr. and Mrs. Ted Wassenberg.
From the Dec. 30, 1965 News Record:
It is regrettable that there isn’t a picture to accompany this story of Nels Martin. To each and everyone who knew him, he was a most unforgettable character, yet no one has called about or sent a picture of him. One is still desired for the Campbell County Historical Society picture project. Nels Martin was born in March of 1857 in Karlarp, Sweden, one of five children. He was seventeen years of age when he came to America. These were the gold rush days and he came to the Black Hills. Martin obtained employment as a “bull-whacker,” which he stuck to most of the time. Not too long before he died, he said he came to Wyoming in 1879, probably in Johnson County near Lariat, on a tributary of the Powder River. He never married and later in life developed a passion for gambling, which was a probable factor in his loss of his homestead in a sheriff’s sale. He told of living around Indians when he first came to America and tried to learn the Indian language since there was no one to talk Swedish to. The old pioneer would laugh and tell what a time he had forgetting his native language and the difficulties of learning to talk to the Indians. Buster Lynde remembers “He had a language all his own.” The late D.C. Wilhelm secured a large piece of petrified tree and had a monument made for his grave.