James "Mike" Madison Marchant

James Marchant, Cheyenne River Pioneer, Dies

James Madison Marchant, 81, pioneer rancher on the Cheyenne River, died Monday afternoon in the Purcelli Rest Home in Newcastle. He had made his home with his son James in Newcastle until about ten days before his death when he was taken to the Rest Home.

Funeral services were held at the Peet Chapel at 2:00 p.m. Tuesday with the Rev. James Davis in charge. A quartet composed of Mrs. Hobart Cockreham, Mrs. Carl Peterson, Dave Wood and Al Davenport sang "Beyond the Sunset" and "The Old Rugged Cross." Mrs. J.P. Watson was organist. Pallbearers were Harold Hammill, James Reed, Jr., Francis Sedgwick, Bud Black, Russell Christensen and Jim Zerbst. Honorary bearers were Chris Christensen, Jim Reed, Sr., Wm. Hanson, Paul McDaniel, Floyd Moore and Frank Johnston. Burial was in the Lusk Cemetery.

Mr. Marchant was born in Texas May 13, 1880, the son of James and Sara McWhorter Marchant. At 15 he became a cowboy on a large Arizona ranch. He came to Belle Fourche, S. Dak. In 1896, working on various ranches from Belle Fourche to Calgary, Canada. In 1902 he came to Niobrara County where he was employed on a horse ranch operated by Will Pearson. He married Sylvie Hogg August 26, 1907, and they were the parents of two sons, James A. of Newcastle and Patrick H. of the Cheyenne River community.

Interested in the pioneer history of the country, Mr. and Mrs. Marchant collected information of old timers to be recorded. A book composed by Mrs. Marchant "Pioneering on the Cheyenne River," was the result. Mr. and Mrs. Marchant lived on their ranch until Mrs. Marchant died eight years ago. He then sold the ranch to his grandson Jack and moved to Newcastle to live with his son.

He is survived by his two sons, four grandchildren and two great grandchildren.

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