Jacob "Jake" Kraft History by Lee Kraft

Jake retired early, because he was legally blind in July of 1962. He raised rabbits for profit. Then, my Mom, Lucille, and Jake managed one of the first wand car washes

in Great Falls, Montana, for 4 years. They also managed a hotel in 1966 and a second car wash until they separated in 1968. At that time, Jake bought a trailer, moved it behind the car wash and managed it alone. Mom moved to Billings. In 1971 or 1972 Jake moved to Absarokee, Montana.

My happy memories are the weekends we spent camping. Both my parents enjoyed fishing we went as the season opened in May until it closed in the fall. We were gone every

weekend. Quite a few of the teenagers around Sand Coulee were hunters and their families did not eat wild meat. Jake would pay for their tags, and we got the deer they shot, and Jake made German sausage in a big tub, and then they froze and canned most of it. We lived on deer meat during the winter, and when Jake was laid off from construction, when the weather was bad. Later, after he started raising rabbits, we added rabbit to our diet.

Jake remodeled our home in 1960 by adding 2 bedrooms, and a bathroom. Up to that time, water pressure was so poor, and at that time very few houses had indoor bathrooms in Sand Coolee. A new well was dug and then the water pressure was better. I mention the well because Jake was instrumental in getting it. The town had little money. Jake suggested forming a "water commission" by selling water bonds that would mature like savings bonds. Although he never held an office on the board, he would speak up and many of his ideas were implemented. A few are in place today. Jake was never bashful enough to keep quiet. He was well-liked by the neighbors and especially the "kids" in the community and people still talk about him, because Jake and Mom took them with us on our weekend fishing trips. Jake and Mom lived in Sand Coulee for 15 years.

Most of our holidays were shared with Cecelia, Jake's sister and husband Frank, except Christmas. We either went to Fort Benton or we went to Sand Coulee.      

By Leona Kraft, daughter, written and sent to her cousin, Lucille Jensen Simpson, in 1992.