~ TOBINS: A Glimpse Into The Past ~: JOHN L. TOBIN SR, b. 1890. d. 24 Dec 1946

John L. "Jack" Tobin, Sr. was born 28 Sep 1890 in Birdseye, Montana to Richard and Mary Tobin.

John L. Tobin [photo courtesy of Jeff Tobin]

[created by Karylyn Bliss]

John L. "Jack" Tobin, Sr. married Margaret Christine "Mugs" Kolf (b. 1892, b. MT, MT. parents=Henry Kolf and Katharina Schlasser, both from Germany) on 10 Jul 1912 in Helena, Montana. They have two children:

Margaret Ann "Sis" Tobin, b. 11 Jul 1915, Helena, MT
John Leslie "Bud" Tobin, Jr., b. 22 Oct 1920, Helena, MT

"Jack" Tobin, "Bud" Tobin, 'Ella" Tobin, ?, Mary Tobin, "Mugs" Tobin,
ca. 1921 at the Tobin Ranch
[photo courtesy of Benda Neuenswander]

"Jack" and "Mugs" lived on the Tobin ranch with both of their children. He owned hundreds of acres of land and ran a sheep ranch near Fort Harrison until the beginning of World War II. At that time, the government took over a huge portion of his property for training at Fort Harrison. According to Jeff Tobin, the military sold back the land for pennies on the dollar and left unexploded ordinance, rendering the land unusable as a ranch.

"Jack", "Bud", Tobin Ranch

"Mugs", Tobin Ranch

Richard Tobin, Ella (Tobin) Murray, "Sis" Tobin, Grandma ?, Alex Murray, Mary Tobin, Mary Tobin, "Mugs", "Bud", "Jack," ca. 1920s, unknown location (NOTE: Tobin ranch never had a picket fence according to Susan DeBree Moran)

[photo courtesy of Justine Tobin]

Richard D. Tobin Sr., John "Bud" Tobin, John Tobin

[photo courtesy of Benda Neuenswander]

Great-niece, Benda Neuenswander relates, "John Tobin Sr. was another favorite uncle. I believe he and Aunt Margaret lived up on Broadway across from the local bakery. They had two children, John and Margaret Ann. My sister and I loved to go visiting there as Uncle John and Aunt Margaret or “Mugs” as he called her, were always so much fun to be around. I used to walk their little dog around the block. Uncle John used to love to play tricks on “mugs.” One day as I was visiting the, Aunt Margaret had her bridge club over and Uncle John could see things were getting rather boring, so he went upstairs for a long time and then I saw him slowly proceed down the stairs. To my squeals of laughter, he paraded down in Aunt Margaret’s dress and hat on, with the dress on backwards, her corset on top of that, her beautiful wide-brim hat on his head, high heels and a fur on his shoulders. The women screamed in shock and laughter, all except Aunt Margaret who look horrified! She finally laughed and was a good sport about it.

Uncle John was a rancher and took care of the Tobin ranch and would leave us fresh beef and lamb in packages at the back door, as meat was scarce during the war but he never would own up to it. We also would come home and find the lawn mowed and yard weeded and Uncle John never had the slightest idea who did it."

"Jack" owned hundreds of acres of land. The Birdseye School was located on his land. When he learned of his terminal disease, and as he prepared to sell his land, he placed wording in the sale of the land where the Birdseye School stood, that the school must be used for educational purposes, or the land would revert back to the Tobin family [see Birdseye School page].

Grandson, Jeff Tobin states John was known as "Grandpa Jack." Jeff Tobin relates a story told by his father, John "Bud" Leslie Tobin, Jr.: John was at someone's house for dinner and got a really bad bloody nose. John traveled to the Mayo Clinic to receive treatment and returned home with the news he had terminal cancer (leukemia). John asked is older brother, Richard D., to take care of his family and be grandpa to his grandchildren, and Richard honored his request. Six weeks later he was dead.

John L. "Jack" Tobin, Sr. lived on the Tobin ranch until he died 24 Dec 1946 sy St. Peters Hospital in Helena, Montana. Cause of death listed "pulmonary hemmorhage due to acute lymphatic leukemia", age 55. Interment at Forestvale Lawn Cemetery, Helena, Lewis and Clark, Montana (Glenwood Block, Lot No. 63 and 64, B2).

Margaret Christine "Mugs" Kolf Tobin stayed in Helena after John's death. At the age of 93, she died 8 Jul 1986 in Helena, MT. Interment at Forestvale Lawn Cemetery, Helena, Lewis and Clark, Montana.

AUNT MARGARET'S "MUGS" BIRTHDAY ~ Little Red Schoolhouse, Helena, Montana ~ ca. 1970s

Front row: Betty Tobin, "Mugs" Tobin, "Sanny" Tobin

Back row: Mary Lou Schmitz, "Sis" Tobin Millegan, "Bud" Tobin, Bob Murray, Frank Tobin

[photo courtesy of Benda Neuenswander]

Margaret Ann "Sis" Tobin married name Robert Looby "Bob" Millegan (b. 8 Dec 1910, Helena, MT, parents=Robert E. Millegan/Maude May Looby) on 18 Apr 1947 in the First Presbyterian Church in Helena, Montana. NOTEWORTHY: Maude May Looby is the sister of Mabel Emma Looby Tobin, who married William J. Tobin ("Jack" Tobin's oldest brother).

Margaret Ann "Sis" Tobin Millegan

Margaret Ann received her education in Helena graduating from Helena High School in 1933. She attended Intermountain College of Helena. Her working career began with Mountain Bell Telephone from 1934 to 1954 in the business office. She also worked as the superintendent for Hennessey Department Store from 1973 to 1986.

Bob and Margaret Ann owned and operated the Millegan Poultry Farm delivering fresh eggs and chickens around Helena every Friday and Saturday for over 20 years. As a result of this, Margaret Ann knew most every street in Helena.

She was a good listener, kind, patient, positive person and always had a big smile and never dwelt on negatives. She will also be remembered for the impeccable dresser she was and how she presented herself in public.

Bob and Margaret Ann always gave of their time to different organizations and people who needed help.

Margaret Ann "Sis" Tobin Millegan died on 14 Feb 2004 in Helena, Montana. Internment in Forestvale Cemetery, Helena, Lewis and Clark, Montana.

Robert Looby "Bob" Millegan died 31 December 1998 in Helena, Montana. Internment in Forestvale Cemetery, Helena, Lewis and Clark, Montana.

John L. "Bud" Tobin, Jr. married Dorothy Evans on 27 Dec. 1939 at the Presbyterian Church in Helena, Montana. They have two children: Joseph, and Jeff L.

Joseph Tobin married Rita ? and divorced. (NOTEWORTHY: She has two children from a previous marriage = Shaun and Dawn)
Jeff Tobin married Marie Mack. They have two children: Sarah Lynn and Brian John.

"Bud" and Dorothy lived in Helena and Great Falls, then settled in Butte in 1952 when he purchased the former Moriarity Adjustment Service. He later changed the name to Tobin Adjustment Service. He opened offices in Bozeman, Livingston and Billings.

"Bud" served with the United States Air Force in World War II, was a member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars, was active in the American Legion Baseball sports committee, was chairman of the Chamber of Commerce and was instrumental in bringing many athletic events to Butte. He was also director of numerous basketball tournaments.

He was a member of Summit Valley Lodge No. 123 A.F. and M., the Scottish Rite Bodies and Bagdad Temple of the Shrine, where he served on the executive committee and as a delegate to the national convention. He was a charter member and drill captain of the Janizary Precision Drill Team, which won many accolades. This was later changed to the Janizary Animal Patrol and he enjoyed his character as "Snoopy."

"Bud" retired in 1983 and he and Dorothy wintered in Las Vegas, NV.

John L. "Bud" Tobin, Jr. died on 20 Jun 1996 in Billings, MT. Internment in Last Supper Mausoleum, Mountain View Cemetery, Butte, Silverbow, Montana.

Jeff and Marie Tobin, owners of the Birdseye School, Birdseye, MT

[photo taken by Karylyn Bliss Jan. 2011]

(For additional information regarding the Birdseye School, see "Birdseye School" listed at the left of this page)

RESEARCH NOTES:

Certificate of Baptism
"John Tobin, child of Richard Tobin and Mary Richert Tobin of Birdseye bon in Birdseye (Helena), Montana on the 28th day of September 1890 was baptized on the 21st day of December (Nov) 1890 at the Cathedral of the Sacred Hearts, Helena, Montana according to the rite of the Roman Catholic Church by the Reverend A. H. Lambaere, the sponsors being Anna Mullen and Patrick Tobin." ~ Diocese of Helena Chancery Office, Sister Dolores Brinkel, Archivist, dated 4 Apr 2011

U.S. Federal Census
1930 ~ Helena, Lewis and Clark County, MT (15 Apr 1930)
     Tobin, John, head, 38, male, married, b. Montana, parents=Irish Free State, farmer, sheep ranch
     Tobin, Margaret C., wife, 38, female, married, b. Montana, parents=Germany/Germany, none
     Higg, Nels, lodger, 73, male, single, b. Nebraska, parents=Iowa/Iowa, laborer, farmer
     Tobin, Margaret A., daughter, 14, female, single, b. Montana, parents=Montana/Montana, none
     Tobin, John Jr., son, 9, male, single, b. Montana, parents=Montana/Montana, none

Lewis and Clark County Death Index ~ Forestvale Cemetery, Helena, MT
Tobin, John, birthplace=Birdseye, last residence=Helena, death date=12/24/1946, cause of death=pulmonary hemorrhage, age 55, undertaker=Opp & Conrad & Retz, lot #642, block=Glenwood, remarks=GR#63 2 Glenwood Reserved
Tobin, Margaret C., last residence=Helena, death date=7/8/1986, age 93, undertaker=Retz, lot owner=Tobin, lot #63642, block=Glenwood
[reference: http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~mtlcgs/Forestvale/forestvale-t.html]

Margaret C. "Mugs" Kolf Tobin, Forestvale Lawn Cemetery, Helena, MT.

[Photo courtesy of Justine Tobin, taken July 2010.]

John L. Tobin, Sr. Forestvale Lawn Cemetery,
(Glenwood Block, Lot No. 63 and 64, B2), Helena, MT.
[Photo courtesy of Justine Tobin, taken July 2010].