CLAYTON CLANS

In one small corner of Big Foot Valley, three family's were thrown together. As neighbors, friends and marriage the blood strains of all three still reside on two of the three farms.

The Coffin log barn nestled against the mountain side in Big Foot Valley, where deer, coyotes cougar and bobcats kept you company.

The Coffins' sturdy log barn snuggled in a sea of grass. The young lad pictured is none other than Peter Coffin. This log barn was probably built by A. Joseph Falter who patented the Coffin farm in November of 1895. Later sold to the Enfield family, it was sold it to Peter's Grandfather in 1909 /early 1910 for $2000.00 according to records in Colville, WA. It was paid off in 1920.

The Michie House in Big Foot Valley, 1917. The young lady is Peter Coffin's Mother, Frances Ethel Michie with her dog Prince. Peter Coffin writes, "This quarter section must have been patented and built by John Goulett in the year 1909." Note that buildings are of lumber, not logs. The barn is still standing.

The Michie farm buildings in 1917. From the photo library of Peter Coffin.

To this very day those very same families are still friends and neighbors. The Michie Blood line is carried on through Peter Coffiin who still owns and maintains the old homestead and sons of Guy and Delores Wessling Davis occupy their old place.

Notice in the narration of the Davis family to the left, the referral of Mr. Davis taking children to school in a van pulled by a team of mules. The Big Foot Valley school was located 1 mile due north of the Coffin place.

Mike Coffin on the tractor with Peter and Mr. Coffin tying off on the baler.

Peter Coffin identifies this as the Big Foot Valley School with the young lady front and far right as his Aunt Charlotte Coffin.

Peter Coffin's Grandmother and Grandfather Michie's barn built before 1914 and photographed this spring by Bill Sebright. This farm lies a half mile south of the Coffin farm.

Third from the left is Florence Coffin, Aunt to Peter Coffin at the Big Foot Valley School.

Guy and Delores Davis. On a visit not long before Guy passed away, the topic of the day was the kids and the vegetable garden.

Homer Young on the wagon with his hay crew L-R Pete Peterson, Ira Davis and Bob Clouse. The summer of 1949.

E.F. (Jack) Coffin in the 1930s mowing hay.

Peter Michie's matched team Dolly and Queen pulling a single disk.

Dolly and Queen pulling a buck rake while Mr. Michie trips the rake just so. Those windrows looked best good and straight.

Big Foot Valley Ownership Map for 1933. Peter Coffin was a Petroleum Geologist in his working life. Having among many others helped survey the Bakken Oil fields back in the 1970s and 1980s now attracting so much attention in Eastern Montana and Western North Dakota. Surveying is still in his blood.

The Big Foot Valley School was also their Community center and Church-Sunday School.

Big Foot Valley ownership map 1940

One of the Coffin/Davis neighbors was the George Barnes family, early settlers. George's brother John married Grace Peasley, daughter of Mark Peasley who contributed to the community by being an expert machinist. He hand built many portable saw mills from the ground up similar to the one below.

Big Foot Valley ownership map 1950

Although this was listed as a sawmill near Clayton there is no telling where it was located or if in fact it was built by Mark Peasley. There were many scattered around the area and many farmers cleared timber land, sawed lumber for their own use, then sold the mill to a neighbor.

Big Foot Valley ownership map 1956

Simply because the road ends here doesn't mean the story ends here. At the far end is the end of the road. The School bus turns around. The Lindh Family farm sits to the right. To the left The Hayes Lewis family emerged. They later purchased the farm you see to the immediate left in this photo. But with courage and the proper mode of transportation you could venture beyond the Lindh's to the Camine's parents of Mrs. Marie Peak and her Husband Walt a half mile beyond. That was the end of the trail. The mountain behind was called Peaks' Peak by the locals.

Big Foot Valley ownership map 1973

A gathering of the Son and two Daughters of Mr. and Mrs. Tom Scriven. Ray Scriven, Wilda Nord and her husband Clarence. And Mrs. Selma Lindh and her Husband Con and all their children

A little Oasis on the old Bill Carpenter farm. An abandoned clay pit filled to the brim with fresh spring water.

This is the ellusive Peter Coffin, who single handedly preserved the history of the romantic Big Foot Valley. Thank you Peter for a job well done.

Just to the east and bordering the Barnes was the Bill Carpenter farm and bordering the was the Pioneer family the Klawunders.

The Klawunder's more or less were the gatekeepers to Big Foot Valley. The farm ended up in the hands of Mr. Norm Warren, Husband to Mildred Klawunder Warren.