Storyteller shares tales of great-grandfather

A Missoula storyteller will kick off the Sons of Norway’s 100th anniversary celebration Sunday.

Phillip Burgess will share the story of his great-grandfather’s sojourn on the 19th century American frontier in “Great-grandfather’s Montana Journey: The Irish Horseman and the Northern Cheyenne.” The program takes place at the Museum at Central School in Kalispell, starting at 2 p.m.

Burgess’ presentation begins with his great-grandfather’s witnessing the Santee Sioux uprising during the Civil War, then as a pioneer in northeastern Nebraska, and finally as boss farmer on the Northern Cheyenne Reservation in Southeast Montana during its very early years. There George Burgess found himself caught in a conflict between hungry, fearful and angry Cheyenne and local white ranchers violently opposed to the Indians’ presence. Eventually the Burgesses fled for their lives.

The presentation is free and open to the public. Funding for the Humanities Montana Speakers Bureau program is partially provided by a legislative grant from Montana’s Cultural Trust and the National Endowment for the Humanities.

The Sons of Norway will offer other presentations this year to celebrate the organization’s century milestone. For more information about Sons of Norway or the presentation, call Deanna Conley, 837-6856.