| | Seth Mabrey was a major in the Confederate Army during the Civil War. After the war Seth had been involved in a number of Texas cattle drives that brought cattle into Montana. He started ranching about 1882 on Redwater River and his ranch headquarters started the original site of Circle. William B. Carter was a manager and later a partner of Mabrey's. They generally sold about 3,500 beef cattle every fall. One year they were rated the best beef in the Chicago market. Jessie Reeves was the capable ranch foreman while the Mabrey Cattle Company was in business. The brand for the Mabrey Cattle Corporation was the Plain Circle O. The ranch ceased to exist sometime after 1896.
By 1900 the Circle Ranch headquarters buildings were owned by Pete Dreyer and Hans Grue. They were using the ranch for a sheep summer camp and as a stopping place for themselves and other ranchers going to and from Glendive. Sheep shearing pens were built and it became a popular shearing center. Dreyer and Grue offered the ranch to Mrs. Dreyer's brother, Peter Rorvik. Mr. and Mrs. Rorvik and 6 children moved into the ranch headquarters in 1905. Peter Rorvik started a store to provide supplies to the herders and ranchers in the area. He started delivering mail and the Circle Post Office weas approved. A school was built and by 1909 there was a Hotel. The land around Circle was surveyed about 1908, homesteaders started coming in 1909 and by 1910 there was a rush for "FREE LAND". |
