Springfield, Bon Homme Co., SD Centennial Book Part 3 This file contains the full text of pages 69 - 107 of the book, "Springfield South Dakota Centennial July 1970". Scanning and OCR by Joy Fisher, sdgenweb@yahoo.com Permission to post the full text of this book granted by the editor of the Springfield Times. ==================================page 69================================ and crops, fish, etc., instead of treeless prairie. After five years they bought a farm near Perkins, two miles from the Emmanuel Reformed Church of Springfield where they and all their children became members. Dick went to the Equal Rights rural school in the winter time. All his children and some grandchildren attended this same school. Dick took over the farm in 1912. He married Johanna Wynia on March 26, 1913. They lost their farm during the dry years in the depression after 28 years of hard work. Their five children were born on this place. They bought the John Holleman farm and moved two miles south in 1940. This farm was sold later to their son Glenn and they moved to Springfield where they still reside. His wife Johanna (Wynia) Heusinkveld was born in Denison, Ia., February 1, 1894, and came to Springfield with her parents in 1901. She went to Lincoln rural school with over two miles to walk. The church was the center of their social life, with basket socials, ice cream socials, also necktie parties in the winter. Girls would make a necktie, bow or long, and these were sold to the boys with a lunch brought by the girl. Also, skating parties were held. All of their children live in Springfield except Delbert who lives in Hull, Ia. The others are Garret James, Susan Ethelyn Namminga, Glenn Lawrence and Marion Robert. They have 15 grandchildren and 10 great grandchildren. Sisters of Dick Heusinkveld who lived here a number of years are: Minnie Holleman, Holland, Mich.; Johanna Abma, Boyden, Ia., and Gertrude Wandscheer, Sioux Center, Ia. Another sister, Dena Wandscheer, Sioux Center, died in October, 1949. The latest "wild" adventure for the Heusinkveld's was recently when Dick had an airplane ride with his grandson Daryl. This can be described best as an exciting "ho-hum" affair for Dick but Daryl truly enjoyed the privilege of doing this on his Grandpa's 80th birthday. Garret, the oldest son, finally persuaded his mother to take an airplane ride In his own plane. She also enjoyed the beautiful view from the air of the land they love. MR. AND MRS. CHARLES HILL Charles Hill and Mary Webster were married at Columbus, Nebr., in 1877. Directly after this they came to Santee where Mr. Hill was engaged in work among the Indians, later being made Indian Agent and held this position until 1891, when they moved to Springfield where Major Hill engaged in the banking business. They were the parents of Howard, Lawrence, Emma, William and Mrs. Lewis Chladek of Tyndall. Mrs. Hill was born near Philadelphia on May 27, 1855. When she was about 16 years of age she accompanied her parents to Santee, Nebr., where her father had been appointed Indian Agent, and later they went to Platte County, Nebr., where she met Mr. Hill. She died in 1926 and Mr. Hill died in 1920. MR. AND MRS. S. HITCHCOCK Early in the '70s, the family of Mr. and Mrs. Samuel Hitchcock made the long trip from New York state to Dakota Territory and settled upon a farm one and a half miles west of Springfield. The Hitchcocks had been married in 1850 and became the parents of five children: Howard, Edwin, William, Minnie and one child who died in infancy. Religious services were held in the Hitchcock home before other buildings for that purpose were available. When the Congregational Church was organized at Springfield, Mr. and Mrs. Hitchcock became members and were among the most faithful of the fellowship. CHARLES HOAGLIN Charles Hoaglin was born in Tioga County, Pa., July 15, 1874, growing to manhood in New York. He came out to Springfield in September, 1910, drawn by the persuasion of an uncle, William Hoaglin, one of the pioneer settlers here, and at once he found employment on farms. He married Miss Margaret Junge of Bloomfield, Nebr., who was employed in Springfield, on May 9, 1918. They made their home in Perkins, where Charlie conducted a billiard parlor and resided there until the spring of 1927, when they moved to Niobrara, Nebr. Four years later, in the spring of 1931, they returned to Perkins, which was their home until September, 1936, when they moved to Springfield. The children were John, James and Anna. MR. AND MRS. JOHN HOAGLIN John Hoaglin's life covers Springfield history. His parents, Mr. and Mrs. William Hoaglin, had moved to Springfield from Yankton in March and, shortly after, on April 3, 1870, John was born. He grew to manhood and, on leaving school, learned the trade of blacksmith. And this occupation he followed through his life, all of which had been spent in Springfield, except for a short residence in Cuthbert and in Huron. On the 20th of June, 1906, he was united in marriage to Miss Beatrice Jones. Two children blessed this union, Olive Mae, the wife of William Kutil of Huron, and Charles William Vernon, also of Huron. MR. AND MRS. WILLIAM HOAGLIN William Hoaglin was born at Woodhull, N. Y., August 11, 1847, the son of John and Fannie Hoaglin. There were ten children in the family, five boys and five girls. In the Civil War the father and all five of his sons were in the Federal army, all enlisting and serving in the same regiment. William Hoaglin enlisted as a private on January 4, 1864, at the age of 16. He received an honorable discharge on November 8, 1865, retiring with the rank of corporal. On July 29, 1867, he was united in marriage to Miss Juliette Benedict, the marriage taking place at Addison, N. Y. Mrs. Hoaglin died on March 1, 1927, only a few months before they would have celebrated their sixtieth wedding anniversary. In the spring of 1868, Mr. and Mrs. Hoaglin came west to Yankton, and in the early summer of 1870 they moved to Springfield. This place was Mr. Hoaglin's home ever since, a period of more than 60 years. For a year or two his home was upon the river bottom southwest of town, and then upon a farm that he homesteaded on Emanuel Creek about six miles northwest of town. From that farm he moved into Springfield 43 years ago and for 42 years he occupied the house where death came to him at the age of 82 years, 11 months and 13 days. Mr. and Mrs. Hoaglin had three children, Rose ==================================page 70================================ (Mrs. Orrin Addie), John and Thurman. HOGAN FAMILY Dennis Hogan, farmer and landowner, born in Ireland, came In 1880 from Quebec, Canada, to Running Water, to establish a homestead. He remained here until his death. He made the trip with his wife and children in a covered wagon drawn by a team of horses. With them on the journey were Lawrence and Catherine (Kate) Malone and their nine children. The families had been neighbors in Quebec. In 1882 at the Yankton land office in Dakota Territory Dennis Hogan was granted a tract of land, 160 acres, as a homestead. Mr. Hogan became a citizen of the United States in 1881. Both the homestead certificate and naturalization papers are in the possession of a great-granddaughter of Mr. Hogan, Mrs. Harold Malone of Murdo. The eight daughters born to Mr. and Mrs. Hogan were Mary (Mrs. Patrick Conboy) of Springfield, Bessie Hogan of California, Sister Eulalia, in the Sacred Heart convent in Omaha, Katherine (Kate) McElhany of Omaha, Nellie Keenan of Marinette, Wisc., Johanna (Hannah) White of Chicago, Margaret (Madame Hogan) of the Sacred Heart order, Menlo Park, San Francisco, Calif., and Elizabeth (Lizzie) of Omaha. Mary Conboy spent many of her years in Springfield and vacationed in Chicago with her daughter, Nellie (Mrs. William B. Ogden), and in Philip with her son, John Alexander (Al) Conboy. She died in the spring of 1928 in Phillip at the age of 81. She had four sons and three daughters. Most of the boys were in Springfield until the age of 14. Neal made Springfield his home and married a Springfield resident, Grace Ferwerda, after his service In the Navy during World War 1. Joseph served overseas with the Army in the same period. Al, Joseph and Neal took up government claims In the Edgemont area in the Black Hills of South Dakota, and Grace was a great help to Neal. Walter remained in Chicago, but visited the family often during the years. His wife was a Springfield resident, the former Anna Haley. Mrs. Mary Conboy's husband and two of her daughters, Mrs. Patrick (Mamie) Moynihan of Chicago and Mrs. Glenn (Kitty) McClintock of Pittsburg, died in 1917. NELLIE DYKSTRA HOLLEMAN Nellie Dykstra Holleman was born May 23, 1874, to Mr. and Mrs. Henry D. Dykstra who came to Dakota Territory by covered wagon and an oxen team from Sheldon, Ia., about May 1, 1874. A tent was set up as their first home and here Nellie was born, just nine miles west of Springfield on Coffee Creek. She attended a log cabin school there and later where the Hornstra School now stands. Groceries were brought from Running Water and wheat ground into flour at the Mennonite Colony. Firewood was gotten from Nebraska in the winter and hauled over the ice. Nellie Dykstra was married to Edward Holleman in March, 1894, and they farmed about six miles west of Springfield for 50 years, then retired in Springfield. Mr. Holleman came here from Michigan with his parents, Mr. and Mrs. William Holleman, in the spring of 1885. Edward Holleman died in 1951 and Mrs. Holleman in 1964. Their family, a son, Henry D. Holleman, and a daughter, Mrs. Henry (Henrietta) Palsma, reside in Springfield. MR. AND MRS. JAMES HOLLEMAN James Holleman was born May 2, 1875, near Drenthe, Mich., to Mr. and Mrs. William Holleman and came here with his parents in 1885. While attending school at Brookings, he was active in the military band and football. In 1905 he was called back to the farm here on the account of his father's death and farmed with his brother Henry for two years. On July 17, 1919, he was married to Jantina Alingh of Hospers, Ia., and they continued to farm here until his death in 1949. To this union were born twins, James and Jantina. After James' death, Mrs. Holleman was a housemother at Southern for a number of years. About two years ago she moved to Forest City, Ia., where she is a housemother at the college there. JOHN E. HOLLEMAN John E. Holleman was born March 3, 1864, in Zeeland, Mich., to Mr. and Mrs. William Holleman. He came to Dakota Territory in the spring of 1884, with his brother Garret, and settled about five miles west of Springfield. He was married to Katherine Wynia in 1891 and they lived on a farm about six miles west of Springfield. He served In the South Dakota Legislature as a Senator in 1908-1910, and as a Representative in 1912-1914. He retired from the farm in 1918 and they moved to Springfield where they built a beautiful new home. Later he bought the Ford Garage, which he, and their son, Urban operated for a time. He also was a partner in the Holleman and Walpole Drugstore. Mr. Holleman died September 17, 1931. Mr. and Mrs. Holleman had three children: Clare, Mrs. R. E. Walpole of Vermillion; Urban, now deceased; and Joyce, Mrs. W. W. Ludeman of Springfield. At the time of the blizzard of 1888, Mr. Holleman had been on the bottoms cutting wood and his team of horses guided him on his return home. But in an attempt to reach the home of a neighbor he became lost until he happened to come up against a fence and followed that to his house. WILLIAM HOLLEMAN William Holleman was born in 1832 in the Netherlands. He was the only son of his father's first marriage. He came to America in 1855 and settled in Zeeland, Ottawa county, Mich. He was united in marriage to Clara Ulberg in 1859. Their two sons, John and Garrett, came to Springfield in 1884 for the purpose of building a home for the remainder of the family which came in 1885. Mr. and Mrs. William Holleman were the parents of 16 children: John, Dr. Peter, Garrett, Edward, Leonard, James, Timothy, Henry, Ida Engelman, David, Gertrude Scholten, William, Dr. Clarence, and three children who died in infancy. ==================================page 71================================ [photo - CHILDREN OF Mr. and Mrs. William Holleman pictured here are, left to right, back row, Henry, Gertrude, J ames, Timothy, William, Ida, David and Dr. Clarence; front row, John, Dr. Peter, Edward, Leonard, Garret.] [photo - WILLIAM HOLLEMAN] [photo - MRS. WM. HOLLEMAN] MR. AND MRS. WILLIAM HOMER William B. Homer and Martha Crosley were married on Thanksgiving Day, 1886, in Nebraska. To this union were born Ellen, Merritt, Boyd, Mrs. Henry Oliver, Frank, Otto, Charles, and Belle. Ellen and Merritt died during an epidemic of measles and whooping cough in 1913. In 1897 the Homer family came to South Dakota and lived in the vicinity Of Running Water and Springfield. Mr. Homer died in 1941 and his wife died in 1955. BERTHA TALSMA HORNSTRA Bertha Talsma Hornstra, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Rein Talsma, was born in Dakota Territory in August of 1877 near Perkins and spent a long and fruitful life in the community where she was born. She was a person who could always be depended on to assist where death was present, babies born and community problems were to be solved. Her heart and home were always open to those in need. She was educated in the Pioneer log school on Coffee Creek. Being the third child in a family of ten children, she was needed to assist in the responsibilities of the farm and home. When Bertha was 22 years old, her mother died, leaving seven minor children and to these children, especially the four youngest ones, she became a mother indeed. In April, 1899, she was married to Gerrit Hornstra, Sr., and they made their home on a farm ten miles west of Springfield, where they lived to celebrate their fiftieth anniversary and where also their five children were born. After the death of her husband in 1949, Bertha continued to live in the same home and adjusted her life as necessary, continuing to give council, comfort and happiness to those with whom she came into contact. CORNELIUS HORNSTRA Cornelius Hornstra was born In Friesland, Netherlands, November 28, 1848. He was one of a large family and his parents decided that for the greater advantage of their children they should find a new home In America. In the spring of 1872 they formed part of a company of 54 relatives and friends who made the journey together to the new world. They went first to Sheboygan, Wisc., where Cornelius remained a year, and then to Orange City, Ia. Here he worked for a year. On May 1, 1874, he was united in marriage to Miss Mary Ellerbroek, and almost immediately they started, together with Henry Dykstra and his wife, and his brother Fred and wife, to drive with ox teams to Bon Homme County. Two of his older brothers had already come out here and located claims for him and others of the family, who soon ==================================page 72============================== followed. Those first years were years of rigorous conditions, grasshoppers, drought, severe winters, scant living, conditions which called out all the courage and endurance of the pioneers. Eight children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Hornstra. One, a little girl, died in infancy; the others are: John, Ferrit, George, Peter, Degar, Ernest and Mabel. Of the old family Mr. Hornstra had three sisters and two brothers, namely, Mrs. Rachel Pease, Mrs. Flora Woudsma, John, Judson, and Mrs. August (Nellie) Hennies. For almost 49 years Mr. Hornstra and his wife lived upon the farm which they homesteaded. Their oldest son, John C., was born on the homestead in 1875. In 1907 he was married to Sadie Dykstra. They had three children, Theodore, Gertrude and Raymond. CORNELIUS F. HORNSTRA Cornelius Fred Hornstra, was born in the Netherlands July 10, 1873, to Mr. and Mrs. Fred C. Hornstra. When Cornelius was three years old his mother died leaving his father with four children. The two daughters made their home with relatives there and the father and two sons came to America and settled on a farm west of Perkins near other relatives. In 1908 the father bought the Radway farm west of Perkins but died before they moved onto the place in 1909. Cornelius and Nick farmed together till Nick's death in 1916. In 1920, Cornelius was married to Mrs. Theresa Schneider Lukkes, who had been widowed during the flu epidemic in 1918 and was left with five small children, Hans, Ed, Henry and John Lukkes and Mrs. Marvin Peterson. Cornelius and Theresa became the parents of two sons, Fred C. and Nick C. Cornelius died in 1949. Theresa had come from the Netherlands in 1912 with her first husband, Case Lukkes. He managed a farm for P. D. Magnuson for several years and died when he was 32 years of age. A short time after Cornelius' death Theresa returned to the Netherlands and later was married to Abraham Schippers. She died in the Netherlands this spring. EGBERT HORNSTRA Egbert Hornstra, one of 11 children of Mr. and Mrs. John Hornstra, was born in 1854 In Friesland, Holland, and when a young man of 16 years came with the family to Beloit, Wisc., in 1872. Later at the age of 18 he came to join other members of the family in Iowa, near Rock Valley, until the family came to Bon Homme County and settled west of Springfield. On April 18, 1879, Egbert married a local girl, Sarah Ann McCollum, who was born in 1860, and came to Dakota Territory from Tennessee. A year later on June 10, 1880, their son, William, was born in a claim shack that was known as Dalystown Post Office on the old Fort Randall Trail. Egbert proved up on his homestead in 1880, when this was still Dakota Territory. The original deed was signed in the court house in the town of Bon Homme about eleven miles east of Springfield. In the early days of the county, Mr. Hornstra, was for a number of years the postmaster of that region and was also county commissioner for two years. MR. AND MRS. FEDDE HORNSTRA Fedde Hornstra, was born in the Netherlands, In the province of Freesland in 1851. In 1872, he emigrated to America and settled in Sheboyan County, Wisc. Two years later he went to Sioux County, Ia., residing there about six months when he came to South Dakota to homestead on a trust of land ten miles west of Springfield. In March 1909, he moved to Montana and after four and one-half years returned to Dante. He was assessor for Bon Homme County for two terms, farmer and businessman. In 1873, he was married to Harriett Bouma, who was also a native of Holland. Nine children were born to this union: John, Harris, Eugene and Harriet, Mrs. Nellie Ostborn, Mrs. Georgie McCollum, Mrs. Florence Glassier and Mrs. Alice Gregory. MR. AND MRS. FRED HORNSTRA Fred Hornstra came here from Holland in 1884. He was born September 23, 1829. In May 1864, he was married to Jane DeYoung. They were the parents of Nicklas and Cornelius, and a daughter, Flora, who married and remained in Holland. Nicklas was born in the Netherlands In 1867 and came to America with his parents. He died in 1916 after being a sufferer of cancer for which he had seven operations. HUDSON HORNSTRA Hudson Hornstra, a pioneer boy of Bon Homme County, was born April 28, 1869, in Waluega, Friesland, the Netherlands. He was the son of John and Winifred Winstra Hornstra and as a lad of eight years came to Bon Homme County, Dakota Territory, In the spring of 1877. When he was only three, the parents and family had come from Holland to America, settling first at Sheboygan, Wisc., and after one year there they moved to Orange City, Ia., and four years later they came to South Dakota and homesteaded eight miles southwest of Springfield near Running Water. It was on this homestead that Hudson grew to manhood and also continued to live after his marriage. In 1880, the now historic Coffee Creek log house, the first school west of Springfield, was built and Hudson attended there. Later when the Donnelly school was built he attended that. In November, 1895, Hudson married Miss Jennie Bokma and for their 47 years of married life their home was a place of hospitality and joy. When Hudson came here as a lad, Springfield was only a little sprawling village and west of it were only a few scattered log or sod houses, mostly along the creeks. For all but eight of his 73 1/2 years he lived on the one farm and had his part in the developing the region into a great agricultural part of the state. Jennie Bokma Hornstra was born May 24, 1870, in the Netherlands and came with her parents to Running Water at the age of 12 years. Her parents were Mr. and Mrs. Fred Bokma. Mr. and Mrs. Hudson Hornstra reared a family of seven, four daughters and three sons, on the old homestead. After retiring due to Mr. Hornstra's failing health, he and his wife moved into a home in Springfield and their son Fred J. took over the ==================================page 73========================= farm, thus making the third generation to reside on the original homestead filed on by John Hornstra. MR. AND MRS. JOHN HORNSTRA Mr. and Mrs. John Hornstra were both born in Friesland, Holland, and with their nine children came to America in 1872. John was born in 1824 and his wife in 1830. Three of their sons, Egbert, Cornelious and Fred, along with Henry Dykstra, stopped off in Wisconsin near Beloit for a year. The rest of the family came on to Iowa near Rock Valley where another brother, Peter Hornstra, had homesteaded. When Fred and Cornelious Hornstra and Henry Dykstra and their brides came to Dakota Territory in covered wagons with oxen they camped on Coffee Creek as that was the only place they found water for themselves and the oxen. When they filed on homesteads they filed on adjacent quarter sections. Peter Hornstra came sometime later and filed on a timber claim, having already used his homestead rights in Iowa. Sometime later when the parents, Mr. and Mrs. John Hornstra, came to Dakota there was no more land available close by for homesteads so they settled about four miles southeast of the rest of the family. That farm is now occupied by a grandson, Fred J. Hornstra. Two more children were born after the John Hornstras came here, making a family Of 11. The death of the first person in the neighborhood made the settlers realize their need for a cemetery so Peter Hornstra gave a plot of land for the start of the Pioneer Cemetery. WILLIAM J. HORNSTRA William J. Hornstra was born June 10, 1880, the son of Egbert and Sarah McCollum Hornstra. He was born in a claim shack west of Springfield that was also used as the Dalystown Post Office. William grew up in the old homestead of his parents and attended the Hornstra rural school. He was married on June 17, 1902, to Hattie Dykstra and together they farmed and resided on the homestead all of their more than 60 years of married life. Mr. Hornstra was always keenly interested in civic affairs and was a stockholder in the Springfield State Bank of Springfield. Their two children are Mrs. Harvey Newman and Harold who lives on the old homestead. Hattie Dykstra was born in 1877, a daughter of Henry D. and Rachel Bouma Dykstra who came to Dakota Territory as a bride and groom from Wisconsin in 1873. The family of William Hornstra's grandparents, the John Hornstras, consisted of 11 children as did also Mrs. Hornstra's grandparents, the John MeCollums. MR. AND MRS. CYRUS A. HOUSE Cyrus Abram House was born in Mason County, Ill. The family moved from Illinois to South Dakota and settled near Platte where he was employed on a ranch. Later he was in the livery business in Wheeler for a time and later moved to Greenwood where he operated a restaurant, then coming to Springfield to be employed at road work for the county and for many years he operated a shoe repair shop in the city. Cyrus A. and Emma Laudreth House were the parents of eight children, four sons and four daughters. ORAN J. HOUSE Oran J. House, Associate Professor Emeritus at Southern State College, born August 14, 1888, at Creston, La., was the eldest of eight children of Cyrus A. and Emma Landreth House. Ten years later the family moved to South Dakota and resided first near Platte and later at Wheeler. Oran worked his way through school and after graduating from the eighth grade came to Springfield where he continued his education at what was then the State Normal school and meanwhile worked on the Hartman ranch west of Springfield. While a student he was active in sports, track, football, and tennis. In 1908, he set a state record by running the mile in four minutes and forty-two seconds. After receiving his Bachelor's degree at State Normal in 1927, he continued on to receive his Master's degree from the University of South Dakota in 1937. Also during summers he attended the University of Chicago, Iowa State University and at Ft. Collins A. & M. Mr. House's teaching career began in the old brick grade school in Springfield in 1909, teaching Industrial Arts in the grades with also many college students attending his classes. In 1918, he joined the staff of Southern State College and has continued to teach for 60 years, having served under all presidents of the College, either as a student or as an instructor. During these many years Oran (Pappy) House has been active in community affairs such as mayor of Springfield for 18 years and member of Rotary 36 years. He has also operated an upholstery shop for many years. Honors bestowed for his many years of service include being named Senior Citizen by the Civic Improvement Club, honored by the College band for services to Southern State and also the dedication of the Industrial Arts building in his name. The House family consists of nine children, eight sons and one daughter, who all attended Southern State and are now scattered far and wide. MR. AND MRS. H. J. HUTCHINSON Herbert Jacques Hutchinson was born near Painsville, Ohio, October 22, 1846. He operated the family farm near Warren, Ill., until 1891 when they moved to Arlington, Ia. In 1901 he and his family moved to Springfield. His forbears came from Lincolnshire, England, to the Massachusetts Bay Colony on the ship "Griffin" on September 18, 1634. Here William H. and Anne Marbury Hutchinson took up residence. Julia Ette Simons was married to Herbert J. Hutchinson October 11, 1871, in Warren, Ill. She was born in Wisconsin May 15, 1850, the farm being just across the state line from Illinois, hence her birthplace was considered to be Warren, Ill. "Herb and Ette" moved onto the farm now owned by Glenn Peterson where Herb was engaged in farming. They hauled water from the "river" for ==================================page 74=========================== domestic use on the farm until a well could be drilled. Later they moved to town where Mrs. Hutchinson was engaged in the millinery business. Mrs. Hutchinson and her daughter, Dora B. Stephenson, operated a millinery store until 1923 when she retired. Mrs. Stephenson moved into the store owned and operated by her brother-in-law after the millinery store was badly damaged by fire. Five children, three boys and two girls, were born to the Hutchinsons'. Julia died on December 13, 1925, and Herbert died on December 30, 1926. MR. AND MRS. ED HUTCHINSON Ed Hutchinson was born at Gettysburg, Ohio, in June, 1848. He came to Yankton in Dakota Territory in 1877 and entered the employ of one of the stage companies as a stage driver. For a number of years he drove the stage from Choteau Creek to Greenwood and to White Swan, and then to Ft. Thompson and Ft. Pierre. During the severe winter of 1880-81 he was driving the first lap of the stage run from Ft. Pierre to the Black Hills. In 1881 he was married to Lizzie O'Neil and shortly after came to Bon Homme county to live permanently. For a number of years he rented farms in the Perkins area. In their declining years they moved into Perkins. Mrs. Hutchinson died in 1924 and he died in 1936. MR. AND MRS. W. HUTCHINSON Warren Hutchinson and Katie Talsma were married in Mitchell in October, 1904, and went to housekeeping on the bottom lands south-west of Springfield, where Mr. Hutchinson was employed in a saw mill. After one year they moved to the farm near the Hornstra school, which was their home for more than 50 years of their married life. Mr. and Mrs. Hutchinson were both born and reared here and lived all their lives in the community southwest of Springfield. Mr. Hutchinson was born in July, 1883, on the farm that later became the Sampson Thomas home and Mrs. Hutchinson (Kate Talsma) was born on the farm that was their home for so many years and here their two sons, Vern and Fred, were born. Mr. Hutchinson was an only child of Warren and Lizzie Hutchinson. He attended several rural schools in the county, and spent his entire life at farming west of Springfield. MR. AND MRS. JAMES C. HUTTON James C. Hutton was born in Jefferson County, Ohio, November 7, 1840. At his death he lacked only six days of being 84 years of age. He came west to Illinois in 1862. He enlisted In the Union Army in 1862 and was discharged June 6, 1865. His regiment served under General Sherman in the March to the Sea. After discharge he returned to Illinois. He married Annie M. Bagley on December 16, 1865. Two years after his marriage, Mr. Hutton, his wife, and baby came to Springfield. The summer he came he homesteaded a farm northwest of town a few miles, and a year later he moved into town. For a while he followed various occupations, turning his hand to whatever opened in the way of occupation in the growing little frontier town. Those were days when there was the possibility of Indian outbreaks, and Springfield was the nearest outpost to the restless tribes to the westward. The government had furnished arms to the land office for the protection of the citizens, and a company of home guards was organized, and Mr. Hutton was made its captain; and thus was given to him the title which became his regular designation when, a little later, in company with Mr. Henderson, he engaged in the ferry business. Mr. and Mrs. Hutton had two children, a daughter and son. MR. AND MRS. DAVID HUBREGTSE Mr. and Mrs. David Hubregtse were married on November 27, 1889, and they became the parents of Peter, James, Henry, and a daughter who died in infancy. Mrs. Hubregtse came to this country at the age of 18 and lived here for 66 years on a farm west of town, dying in 1943. MR. AND MRS. JOHN S. HUITEMA John S. Huitema was born in Holland in 1873 and attended grade school there before coming to America with his parents who settled at Grand Rapids, Mich., where John was married to Minnie VanDeunan in 1905. They lived for a time In Wisconsin before coming to Springfield in 1916 where they made their home until moving to Tyndall a few years before John's death. As a young man he learned the trade of painting and paper hanging and followed it throughout his active years. They were the parents of Clara Kloster, Dorothy Elkworth and Sidney Huitema. MR. AND MRS. FRED HUNT Fred and Edith Hunt were married at Olewein, Ia., and made their home in Waterloo until 1906, when they came to South Dakota and homesteaded land near Scenic. They left there in 1913 and came to Springfield and spent the rest of their lives at Running Water and Springfield, where Mr. Hunt followed his trade of mason and plasterer. They were the parents of three children, Wayne, Roy and Lulu Rich. MR. AND MRS. SAMUEL HUNTER Samuel Q. Hunter was born at Reedsburg, Wisc., September 24, 1849, and grew up there and received his education. On Thanksgiving Day 1876, he was united in marriage to Mary Ann Dearborn at her home near Reedsburg, Sauk County, Wisc. In the spring of 1885, they came to Springfield with his parents who had purchased a farm five miles west of Springfield. Here they resided for a number of years, later buying a farm two miles west of town where they resided for four years when they sold out and purchased a home in town in 1919. Mr. Hunter was active in the Odd Fellows and his wife was a member of the Deborah Rebekah Lodge. ==================================page 75=========================== ANNA JACOBSON Ross Crosley and Anna Jacobson were married in 1892. Six years later they came to Running Water and farmed near Springfield until 1908 when they moved to Mead county and lived on a homestead for 18 months, then returning to farm in Cedar county, Nebr., near Santee for eight years. In 1919 they returned to Springfield to spend the remainder of their lives. They were the parents of two daughters, Florence and Hilda. When Hilda was 12 years old she was seriously burned in a fire which destroyed the Ed Dawes home and died on December 21, 1911. They were members of the Church of Latter Day Saints. Mrs. Crosley was always interested in Sunday School and when no Sunday School was near would have classes in her home. Their daughter Florence married Arnold Breittenback in December, 1919. They spent a few years in his home state of Wisconsin and came back to South Dakota and spent 22 years before going to Wisconsin for a time before returning and working in the state hospital at Yankton. He died in 1957 and later Florence was married to Charles Young of Springfield. They continued to make their home here. Charles died in 1968 and Florence died in 1969. MR. AND MRS. C. S. JENCKS The Jencks family has been traced back to 1683 In Massachusetts and, like many others of eastern birth, migrated west. Clifford Spencer Jencks and wife, Mary, and two daughters, Mabel and Edna, came from Boscobel, Wisc., to Springfield in the latter part of 1885. Mrs. Jencks was a sister of George W. Snow. In Springfield during 1887 and '88, Mr. Jencks operated a variety store, similar to a 5 and 10 store, in a building, part of which is still standing and is now the Velzy Hardware building. Also for a while Mrs. Jencks (Mary) ran a millinery store in a building just east of the old Grand View hotel. During the time the Jencks were in Springfield two more daughters, Mildred and Nellie, were born. In 1893 or 194 the Jencks family moved to Monroe, Nebr., and late in 1908 they moved to Mead county, S. D., where the father and daughter, Edna, had filed on homestead near Brushee, southwest of Faith. Several years later after their daughter, Edna, had married and moved to Springfield the parents moved back to Nebraska. MR. AND MRS. J. W. JEWELL J. W. Jewell and Mary Smith were married in Kansas in 1872. In 1883, the family came to the Dakotas and settled in Sully for a short time before coming to Bon Homme County, settling in Springfield for several years. After being in the hotel business at Tyndall for a short time, they returned to Springfield and took charge of the Springfield House. Mrs. Jewell died in November, 1904. ARNE JOHNSON Arne M. Johnson was born in Norway on September 17, 1841, and was at the time of his death 83 years of age. He came to this country as a young man, first settling in Wisconsin, and later coming to Dakota, where he settled on a homestead. Besides his wife, he was survived by three sons, four daughters, 15 grandchildren and two great grandchildren. MR. AND MRS. HARRY JOHNSON Harry and Laura Johnson made their home at Letcher for a time after their marriage. They then moved to Bon Homme County and lived at Scotland and Bon Homme for a time before coming to Springfield. In 1906, they moved across the river to Santee, Nebr., where they resided for six years, moving back to Springfield in 1912. Their children were Frank, George, Fred, Alfred, Peter, Harry, Woodrow, William, Mrs. Hazel Ahle and Mrs. Anna Pool. MR. AND MRS. NELS B. JOHNSON Nels B. Johnson was married to Mary Nelson in Sweden in 1884 and lived there till 1888. Nels came to America and located near Red Oak, Ia., and then sent for his wife and daughter to come to their new home. Later they moved to Wausa, Nebr., and here his wife died, leaving him with the following children: Hannah Krueger, Annie Walker and Martin. In 1897 he was married to Mrs. Cecilia Wright and in 1904 they came to Springfield. To this union were born Alfred, Irene Freidel, Cecilia Scholl, Amanda McCollum and Agnes Walgren. Nels died in 1944. MR. AND MRS. CHARLES JONES Charles Jones and Lydia Carsner were married on April 15, 1884. They spent most of their lives here outside of a few years spent near Perkins and a short time at Cuthbert. They were the parents of Marietta, Everett, Beatrice, Minnie and Paul. MR. AND MRS. LEWIS JONES Lewis and Emma Jones came to South Dakota in 1900 where for five years they resided on a farm at the site of the town of Kingsburg. In 1905 they moved to the north edge of Springfield where they farmed for two years. In 1907 Mr. Jones purchased a farm two miles north of Springfield, to which they moved and built a home where they resided until the fall of 1926 when they moved into Springfield. They had five children, Lawrence, John, Joseph, Mrs. Josephine Eastman and Mrs. Emily McMillan. MR. AND MRS. OLIVER JONES Oliver Jones and Anna Kocourek were married here in 1891 and they became the parents of Fern, who died at the age of three, and Elmer of Niobrara, Nebr. Oliver who lived here for 51 years of his life was born at Vermillion, July 22, 1869 to Mr. and Mrs. Alex Jones, and died in 1942. While living here Oliver worked as a mason, plasterer and common laborer. In October, 1936, Oliver was united in marriage ==================================page 76=========================== to Dolly Wood, a widow with two children, Lavonne and Leroy. MR. AND MRS. GERHARD KASTEIN The Kastein family, Gerhard and his wife Everdina (Heusinkveld), came from Holland in 1887 with two small children, William and Dena. They came to Douglas County in 1888 and moved to Orange City, Ia., where Gerhard found work as a gardener. During this period of time Lena, Henry and Anna were born. From 1901 to 1904 they farmed in Iowa, and in 1905 they went to Artesian, S. D. In 1907, they came to Springfield and rented the Dave, Holleman farm and then the Bixby farm five miles north of Springfield, and the farm known as the Fred Landen farm, near Equal Rights School. In 1914, the family returned to Iowa, with the exception of Henry, who married Johanna Kuiper and continued farming in the Springfield community. Living descendants are Gertrude (Mrs. Harold Wesseling, Stickney), Eva (Mrs. Phil I. Odens of Springfield), Bernaid, and Ruth (Mrs. James Talsma of Springfield). MR. AND MRS. HENRY KASTEIN The fifth child in a family of six, Henry John Kastein was born to Gerhard and Everdena Heusinkveld Kastein in December, 1892, at Orange City, Ia. When he was 14 years old the family came to Springfield and lived on a farm six miles southwest of town. Prior to this time he had resided with his parents in the vicinities of Hull, Boyden and Sioux Center, Ia. He was married to Johanna Kuiper of Boyden, Ia., and they lived their entire married life in the Springfield community and became the parents of three daughters and one son. DR. CHARLES KEELING Dr. Charles M. Keeling, a pioneer physician here, was born in a log cabin near Sulphur Hill, Ind. He attended the public school and began teaching at the age of 17. He attended Hartville College each spring until he entered the Medical College of Indiana from which he graduated in 1887. The medical course then consisted of one year's work. However, he did not consider his education complete, but throughout his nearly 60 years of practice read and studied constantly to keep up with all current advances in medical knowledge. Coming to South Dakota following his graduation, he located first in Delmont and after a few months there came to Tyndall where he looked after the practice of the then veteran Dr. Moore while he was away for awhile. When Dr. Moore returned in the spring of 1888, Dr. Keeling came to Springfield and established the practice which spread to Greenwood Territory on the west, nearly to Yankton on the east and south across the river to Santee community. In his brief stay at Tyndall he experienced the great blizzard on January 12 when 22 people perished in Bon Homme County and many suffered severely. In early days he made numerous trips to distant points under varied road conditions, many of which were extremely difficult. Using a team of horses for many years, he became the owner of the first automobile to be owned in Springfield and was always abreast of the times with motor equipment. That first automobile was limited in its possibilities and sometimes he could have made his trips more quickly by team, but on the whole it made his driving easier and saved considerable time. He brought more than 1,500 babies into the world and served the community in times of depression and pestilence. He was a member of the Episcopal Church, a charter member of the Rotary and also belonged to other organizations. Dr. Keeling died in 1948 at the Yankton Hospital. Funeral services were held at the Congregational Church. The remains were taken to Sioux City by the Crosby hearse from where they were taken by train to Walron, Ind., for burial beside his wife. He was making his home with his daughter and son-in-law, Mr. and Mrs. W. M. Kirby. After Mrs. Keeling's death in 1910, Dr. Keeling was fortunate to have near him his daughter and only child, Mrs. William Kirby, who lived in the Keeling residence for several years. His three grandchildren followed his footsteps of going on to medical school. MR. AND MRS. GEORGE KELLOG George Kellog, of Dutch and German descent, was born in 1860, in Trenton, Canada, and came to Bon Homme County at the age of 21 years. After obtaining his citizenship papers here he filed on a homestead In Todd County. Later he returned to farm In Bon Homme County and married Ida McCollum in Tyndall. Ida McCollum was born at Carroll, Ia., in 1871. She was one of 11 children of John and Elizabeth Riggs McCollum. When a child of two years the parents and family came to Dakota Territory in a covered wagon and oxen team* to a homestead two and one-half miles west of Perkins. Mrs. Kellog's mother, Mrs. John McCollum, made butter and packed it in wooden tubs for the soldiers at Ft. Randall. Mr. and Mrs. Kellog spent most of their married life on the farm west of Springfield and were the Parents of six children, two sons and four daughters. MR. AND MRS. IRA KELLOGG Ira Kellogg was born near Halderman, Canada, August 22, 1834, where he resided until manhood. On November 2, 1859, he was married to Elizabeth Mylkes. In 1864, they joined the great throng coming west and settled in the western part of Bon Homme County. They were the parents of five sons and four daughters. MR. AND MRS. C. S. KELSEY The Kelsey family, dating back to 1776, in the state of New York, steadily migrated west with the many pioneers, first from New York to Pennsylvania, to Illinois, to Iowa, and then, In the early 1900's, to South Dakota. In February, 1892, Mrs. Charles S. Kelsey (Alta) and her two sons, James Burdette and John Theodore, and one daughter, Harriet, came to Running Water ==================================page 77=========================== on the train from Calumet, Ia., the father, Charles having previously come overland with about 20 horses. They settled on the farm across the road from the old Kirkwood school in a house built by Robert Kirk in the 1880s and where another son, Frank Waterman Kelsey, was born In 1895. Charles farmed and also ran a blacksmith shop. He built about the first rural mail box, painted it red, nailed it on a post and paid the driver of the stage coach to bring their mail out from Springfield on the daily trips from Springfield to Greenwood and back. In January of 1896, Charles and family moved to a farm south of Tyndall and a year later to a homestead in Charles Mix county. The house they built on this homestead, still standing two miles northeast of Wagner, was built of cottonwood lumber which was hauled from a sawmill near Springfield on the Missouri river bottoms. In 1899, the Kelseys returned to Springfield where Charles ran a livery stable and Mrs. Kelsey was matron at the dormitory at Southern Normal for ten years. Alta Frances Evans Kelsey was born at Wallingford, Ill., and in November 1881, was married to Charles Sumner Kelsey in Kankakee, Ill. MR. AND MRS. JOHN T. KELSEY John Theodore Kelsey, son of Charles S. and Alta Kelsey, was born January 23, 1886, at Southerland, Ia. At the age of six years, in 1892, he came with a brother, sister and their mother to South Dakota, coming first to Running Water on the train. The father had preceded them here and they settled on a farm in the Kirkwood school district. When John was about 11 years old, the family moved to a homestead in Charles Mix County near Wagner and close to the Indian reservation. Here John and brother, Burdette, were kept busy herding the cattle to keep them from destroying the Indians' patches of corn and gardens, there being no fences anywhere. In March of 1908, John and a friend George Wallace each filed on homesteads in Meade county and it was while homesteading on March 27, 1910, John was married to Edna Jencks who was also homesteading in Meade county. They established their home in a sod house for two years, then moved to Springfield where, with the exception of two years in California, they resided on farms and also ran a dairy with delivery service In Springfield for many years. In 1945, they moved into town where John was employed in the Firestone Store and also the Midkiff Hardware and the Henry Davison hardware. Edna Jencks Kelsey was born in Milwaukee, Wisc., on April 2, 1885, and came to Springfield with her parents when just a baby. When she was about eight the family moved to Monroe, Nebr., and in 1908 she homesteaded in Meade county where she was married. Mrs. Kelsey was a member of the Rebekhas for many years, a charter member of the Sorosis Club and also the Delta Deck bridge club. The Kelseys are the parents of two children, a son George, killed in a car accident in his senior year of high school, and a daughter, LeMayne, Mrs. Reed Alexander, in Sioux Falls. Mr. and Mrs. Kelsey are presently residents of the Good Samaritan Home in Canistota. MRS. REGINALD KIBBLE A cashier in the Springfield State Bank for 33 years was Mrs. Reginald Kibble before retiring in 1957. Vinta Nash was born September 22, 1885, in Greshan County, Nebr., a daughter of Mr. and Mrs. George Nash. She grew up in Nebraska, attended rural school, graduated from high school at Monroe, Nebr., and came to Springfield in 1906 where she was employed in the bank. She was married to Reginald Kibble in October, 1916, and for a while they operated a restaurant in Springfield. Mrs. Kibble was a long time member of the American Auxiliary, the Rebekah Lodge and also the Episcopal Church. RICHARD D. KIBBLE FAMILY Richard Davis Kibble was born in Oxfordshire county, England, August 17, 1860, and came to this country in March, 1879, at the age of 19 years. On March 20, 1886, he was married to Rosina Beatrice Field at Marathon, Ia. Nine boys were born to this union, Reginald, Algernon, Fred, Ernest, Richard, Erwin, George, Harold and Lewis. Mrs. Kibble was born at Oxford, England, May 24, 1866. At the age of 14, upon the death of her grandfather, with whom she had made her home, she came to America with some friends who were coming to LeMars, Ia., where there was a colony of English people. Here she met Richard. After their marriage they spent ten years at LeMars farming and then moved to Springfield in the spring of 1896 with their four oldest sons born in Iowa. Richard was employed here in the Colburn lumber yard, with the exception of a few months before his death in February, 1915. After his death Mrs. Kibble continued to reside here till her death in February, 1941. Eight of their sons spent their entire lives here. Reginald was a mail carrier here for several years as well as his brother, Richard, who was a carrier for 25 years till his death in 1944. Reginald was married to Vinta Nash, who had come here from Central City, Nebr., to work in the bank, a position she held for 40 years. Algernon, Fred, Ernest, Erwin and Harold "Bud" spent their lives here farming and at other jobs in the community, and Lewis went to California. Their son George worked as a store clerk in his early years and later became owner of the grocery establishment which is now operated by his only son, Norman. He was born March 17, 1900, and started working as a clerk in Buche's Grocery store at the age of 16. He also clerked in the Bordwyk and Slasor stores and for J. H. Wallace before going into the mercantile business with Sam Miller. In 1937 he bought his business and conducted it himself. Later he leased his building to Julius Sandvick and when that lease expired he again took up the mercentile business with his son Norman and continued as long as his health allowed. His career as a clerk and merchant began and ended in the same building which is now occupied by his son Norman. On November 1, 1932, he married Laura Martin and to this union the one son, Norman, was born. Laura died in 1956 and George in 1957. Percy Kibble, a brother of Richard Kibble, Sr., and his family also made their home here for a time. Percy did a lot of mason work and several of the side- ==================================page 78=========================== walks in town still have his name on them. Two of the Richard Kibble, Sr., children are still living. Erwin is at the present time a resident in the Marit-Jane home here and Harold, who married Anna Lange of Perkins is retired, and they are making their home in Springfield. MR. AND MRS. JOHN W. KING John W. King was born in Philadelphia, Pa., February 15, 1881. While he was still young his parents moved to South Dakota, settling near Parkston. At the age of 12, he accompanied his sister and her husband to Missouri. Here his sister died a year later and he returned to South Dakota. December 1, 1904, he was united in marriage to Minnie Webb. They made their home on Mr. Webb's farm near Perkins. They were the parents of one son. MR. AND MRS. ALMON M. KINZIE Almon Martin Kinzie was born at Elkhart, Ind., January 19, 1845. As a young man he moved to Missouri, and here on November 10, 1871, he was united In marriage to Julia Ann Ward in Gentry County. To this union were born five children, Mrs. S. J. Rains, Charles, Frank and John and Elmer. They moved from Missouri, first to southern Iowa and then in 1901 they came to Bon Homme County where Almon continued to be engaged in farming. Mrs. Kinzie died in 1920 and Almon in 1925. [photo - MR. AND MRS. JOHN KIRK AND SON JAMES] KIRK FAMILY James Kirk was born November 9, 1843, in Galston, Ayrshire, Scotland. He was educated in Scotland and when he was 18 he went into business in England. In 1871 he came to Missouri to visit his brother, Robert, and helped him to build a railroad bridge across the river at St. Charles, Mo. During the next few years he herded sheep in Colorado, hauled grain in Minnesota, ran a saw mill in Tennessee and a cotton gin in Mississippi. In 1873 he went to Africa as a missionary and after four years returned to Scotland because of malaria. In 1878 he married Miss Mary Mair, a native of Scotland. During the next 10 years he made four more trips to Africa but finally was forced to give up because of the climate there. In 1887 James Kirk made his second trip to the U. S. to visit his brother, Robert, who had homesteaded where Glen Halsey now lives. Mr. Kirk later purchased the section of land where the Kirkwood school now stands and built a home a mile west of the school. He and his family lived there for 36 years. During that time he developed his land into a fine farm and specialized in introducing and improving better breeds of stock. Mr. Kirk was a member of Mt. Zion Lodge No. 6 A. F. and A.M. in Springfield, of Yankton Consistory and El Riad Temple in Sioux Falls. He died November 27, 1924, after having celebrated his 81st birthday on November 9. His wife died at the age of 83 in 1934. The Kirks had five children: John, Margaret, Mary, James, Jr., and Louisa. John, the eldest, after completing his Master's degree at the University of Wisconsin, married Murray Ketcham, who won fame in the state with her writings and poetry. To this union two children were born, James Edward and Jean. John was a member of Mt. Zion Masonic Lodge, served as senator in the state legislature and was active in other civic affairs. He and his wife lived on the family farm. After his wife's death he was employed as veteran agriculture instructor at Armour. He died at the age of 79 in 1960. His sister Margaret became a registered nurse and dedicated her life to taking care of others and assisted the local doctors throughout the years. Her finest contribution to many in her life time was her beautiful flower garden. She died at the age of 81 years in 1966. Mary completed her degree at the University of South Dakota. She remained at home taking care of her mother. Later she was married to Harley Ketcham and they operated the Springfield Telephone Co. Mary died in 1946 at the age of 59. James, Jr., received his law degree from the University of Washington, and practiced law in Avon. He served as judge in Bon Homme County, served four years as senator in the state legislature and at the time of his death was employed by the Internal Revenue Service at Aberdeen. He married Alta Brown, who now resides at Sherman Oaks, Calif. To this union four children were born, Mary Louise, Margaret, Robert and Gladys, who also live in California. James, Jr., died at the age of 68 in 1957. Louisa, the youngest of the James Kirk, Sr., family, completed her education at South Dakota State College and Boston, Mass. She was a dietitian for the Federal Government in Port Townsend, Wash. Later ==================================page 79=========================== she married Bob Roberts of Flandreau. They lived on a farm near Flandreau, where she resided until her death at the age of 72 in 1964. MR. AND MRS. JOHN KRAMAR John Kramar was born in Bohemia June 24, 1837. He was married on the 17th day of November, 1867, to Catherine Krasny. He came with his family to the United States in February, 1887, coming to Humboldt, Nebr., where he was met by his oldest son, John, who had come out the previous year. The family lived in Nebraska for 11 years, coming in the spring of 1898 to old Bon Homme where they lived for 20 years. In 1918 they moved to Running Water. Mr. and Mrs. Kramar were the parents of eight children, four of whom died In infancy. The four living are John, Kate, Stanley and Frank. Mr. Kramar was a shoemaker by trade but farmed in Nebraska and near Perkins before moving to old Bon Homme. Mrs. John Kramar, Sr., Catherine, was born in Bohemia, August 23, 1846. On November 17, 1867, she was united in marriage to John Kramar. They were married over 60 years prior to the death of her husband on May 31, 1928. Grandma Kramar, as she was known, was a gentle hearted wife and mother, who had enriched the life of all who knew her, with love and service. After her husband's death in 1928, she made her home with her unmarried son, Stanley, until his death in 1930. She then lived with her son-in-law and daughter, Joe and Katie Zelenka, until her death. [photo - MR. EMIL KREBER] EMIL KREBER Emil Kreber was born in 1868 at Alsace-Lorraine, a tiny province between France and Germany which was under French rule at the time. He came to America with his parents, brothers and sisters in the spring of 1878. The family came to Garwin, Ia., where relatives had settled many years before. After his father died in 1881, Emil moved with the family to a farm in northwestern Iowa near Remsen and about 25 miles northeast of Le Mars. Many of Mr. Krebers' nephews and nieces, and their descendants still live In that area. In 1889, at the age of 21, Emil set out with a team of horses, wagon and a plow given him by his mother, to pioneer for himself. He settled near Springfield, where he traded his possessions for a farm. His son George lived on that farm almost his entire life. At the present time, Mrs. George Kreber and her son Steve are living there. Emil Kreber operated a saloon in Springfield during the 1890s and also sold real estate. One of his favorite hobbies was horseracing, a popular sport at that time. and he owned a racing horse. Mr. Kreber died in 1919, leaving his wife and four children. Two daughters: Carrie, Mrs. Walter Bardwell of rural Springfield, and Julia, Mrs. Paul Crotty, of Havelock, Ia., are the surviving children. His two sons, George and Napoleon (Polie), both died In 1969. "Polie's" son Wallace, George's son Steve, and Mrs. Bardwell's son, Loy, all continue to live and farm in the Springfield area. [photo - MR. AND MRS. BEN KUIPER'S WEDDING PICTURE] MR. AND MRS. BEN KUIPER Ben Kuiper was born in 1865 in the providence of Drente, Netherlands. He came to America at the age of 17 years. From 1882-1887 he worked at various places, including with the railroad. On March 24, 1888, he married Gerritye (Carrie) Wandscheer, who came to America with her parents and two brothers, in 1871. They farmed three years, then returned to Iowa because of drought and hail storms wiping out their entire crop. Their daughter, Johanna, remembers her parents reminising about the return trip especially crossing the James River with the covered wagon. She was one year old at the time. There were other families who also returned. They farmed in Sioux County until 1903, then returned to the Springfield vicinity, farming until 1914, when he purchased a hardware store from Peter ==================================page 80=========================== Wesseling and in 1917 sold it back to him in 1918. Mr. Wesseling sold it to Morris DeJong who operated this store until 1945, and then sold it to Archie Midkiff. Mr. Kuiper owned a farm six miles west of Springfield. He farmed at this location the rest of his life. Their children were as follows: Ralph, Elizabeth (Mrs. John Lagterman). Jennie (Mrs. Morris DeJong), Grace (Mrs. Jerry Odens), Joe, Clarence, and Johanna (Mrs. Henry Kastein). MR. AND MRS. FRED LANGE Fred Lange was born in November, 1892, at Rising City, Nebr. He married Ethel Williams in January, 1915, at Tyndall. They farmed around Avon, Dante and Geddes until moving to Springfield in 1935. Mrs. Lange was born in Nebraska, March 21, 1898, and still resides in Springfield. Mr. Lange died in 1958. They were the parents of Leonard, Leslie, Betty Nelson, Lucille Morton, all of Springfield, Rosada Nelson and Viola Meyer. Two of their children, Edith and Marie Johnson, are deceased. MR. AND MRS. ALFRED M. LEE Alfred M. Lee was born October 26, 1827, at Frankfort, N. Y., and was married to Sarah Howard January 12, 1850. They lived for a time in Wisconsin and California and came to Bon Homme County in 1886. Sarah died in 1904 and Alfred in 1914. ANNIE E. LINLEY Annie E. Linley was a native of England, having been born in Derbyshire in 1856. She came with her parents to America in 1865, and with them lived at Albion, Wisc., for seven years. Her two half brothers had already come to Wisconsin from England and in 1867 they came to Bon Homme accompanied by Annie, her mother and sister who died the following winter. On October 14, 1874, Miss Linley was united in marriage to Peter Byrne. Three children were born to this union, Frank, Alberta and Alice. MR. AND MRS. ALFRED J. LOCKE Alfred John Locke was born at Davenport, Ia., on May 10, 1863, and was married to Lillian Van Compen on July 3, 1889, at Ashton, Ia. In October of that year the couple moved to Sioux Falls where they resided for four years. Then they moved to Missouri where they lived until 1897, when they came to Springfield. Here they purchased a farm on the Emmanuel Creek bottom, which was their home until 1934 when they moved to Springfield. In addition to farming, Mr. Locke was also employed as grain buyer at the Springfield elevator. They had two daughters, Alice and Bernice. MRS. M. E. LOVE Mrs. M. E. Love died in California March 13, 1895. The funeral was held at the Congregational church with Rev. Chas. Seccombe officiating. She was the mother of Mrs. E. A. Wood and was one of the pioneer settlers of the territory. She had owned the Springfield House. MR. AND MRS. PETER LUDENS Born in Holland in 18499 Peter Ludens came to America with his parents in 1853 at the age of four years, coming first to Wisconsin where he grew up, receiving only a meager education and as a young man spent a great amount of time chopping and clearing the timber from land to be farmed. Mrs. Ludens (nee Maggie Scholten), born in Holland in 1860, came to Chicago, Ill., in 1871 at the age of 11 years. Many years later in reminiscing she would relate to her children how when in Chicago she had to cross the railroad tracks on the way to school and when the freight cars would make it necessary for her to wait too long she would get down and crawl under the cars and proceed on her way. As a young woman after the family had moved to Wisconsin she worked as a servant In a farm home for $1.25 a week and a pair of shoes cost $1.25 so It took a week's work to pay for a pair of shoes. Peter Ludens and Maggie Scholten were married in October, 1881, at Gibbsville, Wis., and 17 years later came with their family (one daughter and seven sons) to Springfield by train. Mr. Ludens engaged in farming and had to build up a home from - scratch". Their house was first built for a granary and later rebuilt for a house. The family always remembered when they lived in a granary. In the Springfield community the Ludens' were the only family to own a three-seated buggy and it was the object of many pranksters especially on Halloween when one morning It was found perched on top of the barn and at another time on top of a hay stack. Mr. and Mrs. Ludens both were members and faithful workers in the Reformed Church. MR. AND MRS. KUIPE LUKKES Kuipe Lukkes was born in Walvega, Netherlands, on September 25, 1890, and came to the United States with his sister and brother-in-law when he was seven years old and grew to manhood in the Springfield area. At the age of 25, he was united in marriage to Martha Morton. One child Hilda, was born to this union. In 1948, they moved near to Avon where they lived for a time. MR. AND MRS. ELBERT M. LUMM Elbert Monroe Lumm was born near Lexington, Ohio, April 28, 1868. When he was five years of age his parents moved to Henderson, Ia., where he grew to manhood. On December 23, 1862, he was married to Susie Martin and they continued to reside in Iowa until 1902, when they moved to Bon Homme County, which continued to be their home until 1925, when they moved to Arkansas. They were the parents of Eldah, Charles and Genevieve. MR. AND MRS. AARON MACY Aaron Joseph Macy was born on September 12, 1856, and grew to manhood in New York state. In early manhood he started west, stopping first in Wisconsin but found the climate did not agree with him and went further west to Dakota Territory. He came with a party of young men. His parents were gravely alarmed at his coming to a wild country where the Indians were still hostile. But it was not long before he persuaded his parents ==================================page 81=========================== to follow with a daughter and two sons. They homesteaded seven miles west of Springfield at what was then called Wanari. In 1880, Aaron married Fannie Niles. They farmed for some years. Then under a Democratic President he was employed for four years as a railway mail clerk from Mitchell to Manilla, Ia., after which they went back to farming. Then for 35 years he was a grain buyer at Running Water then at Scalp Creek on the Missouri, ten miles from Fairfax, where there was no railroad. They had eight children, Bina who died in infancy, Walter, Aaron, Mrs. Jane Dempster, Mrs. Elizabeth Burnett, Richard, Mrs. Olive Palmer and Mrs. Muriel Cain. EDWARD C. MACY Edward C. Macy was born in 1821 at Hudson N. Y. He came to South Dakota in 1880, settling seven miles west of Springfield at what was known as Wanari. He was postmaster there for 10 years. [photo - CHRISTOPHER MATTSON AND OLAF LUNDIN FAMILIES] MR. AND MRS. C. MATTSON Christopher Mattson was born in Sweden December 14, 1842. He came with his parents to this country soon after the Civil War, settling in Minnesota. In 1881, he took up residence on his homestead just south of Perkins where he continued to live. In 1886, he was married to Maria Holmen. Maria Holmen was born in Rengsaker, Hedemarken, Norway, on November 26, 1855. In the early '80s she emigrated to America and arrived first at Menno, where her parents and one brother and two sisters had preceded her. In 1885 she moved to Springfield and the following year, 1886, she was united in marriage to Christopher Mattson of Springfield on the Mattson homestead about eight miles west of Springfield where she, together with her husband and children, made their home for nearly 40 years. Mr. and Mrs. Mattson had three children, Martin, Edwin and Carrie. They were members of the Norwegian Lutheran Church. MR. AND MRS, A. R. MAARSINGH A. R. Maarsingh was born in Holland in 1850, and Seintje Sikkes was born in Holland in 1859, and on April 11, 1878, they were married in the Netherlands. Five children were born to this union, Mrs. A. Alingh, Ralph, Nanna, Mrs. Winnie Holleman and Harry. Mr. and Mrs. Maarsingh came to the United States in 1882, settling in Sioux County, Ia. After a few years they moved to Chicago, where they resided a short time and returned to Sioux County. In 1897, they came to Bon Homme County, settling on a farm west of town. In 1912 they moved to Sioux City, where they resided until their death in 1920. The Maarsinghs were members of the Reformed Church west of town while they resided in this county. Mr. Maarsingh died quite suddenly in 1920 and the shock of her husband's death was unbearable for Mrs. Maarsingh and she followed him in death a few days later. AIKE R. MAARSINGH Aike R. Maarsingh migrated from Holland to America, coming first to Iowa where he bought a small farm near Hospers, in O'Brian county. Later in 1881, he sent for his wife and two children, Johanna and Ralph. After farming a short time in Iowa, the Maarsingh family moved to Chicago where a daughter, Winnie, was born. But the love of the west soon brought them back to the farm in Iowa, where they farmed for several years. Then Aike sold the farm there and the family came to Bon Homme county in 1894, ==================================page 82=========================== where the father bought a farm three miles west of Springfield at $15 an acre. By this time the eldest daughter was married and remained in Iowa. The family now consisted of two sons, Ralph and Harry, and two daughters, Nanna and Winnie, and all attended a little old school house which was on one corner of their farm. The family attended the Reformed Church and Mrs. Marrsingh was one of the first members of the Ladies Aid of that church. Although the Maarsinghs were not pioneer settlers here, yet at that time the county was still very sparsely settled and there were no fences anywhere. Cattle and horses roamed for miles around. Aike was one of the first farmers in the area to bring in full blood Shorthorn cattle and also the first four bottom gang plow pulled by six horses. Many years later, in failing health, Mr. and Mrs. Maarsingh retired and moved to Sioux City, Ia., where, in 1920, both fell victims of the flu, just ten days apart. One daughter, Mrs. Winnie Holleman, still resides in Springfield and a son Harry lives in Omaha, Nebr. MR. AND MRS. N. MAARSINGH Nanno Maarsingh came to Springfield as a boy of thirteen with his parents, Mr. and Mrs. A. R. Maarsingh and their family. He was born on a farm near Hospers, Ia., November 11, 1888. Upon finishing the tenth grade in the rural school he went to Sioux City and studied in Brown's Business College. He then returned home and secured a position as assistant cashier of the First National Bank. On December 6, 1906, he married Miss Gertrude Holleman, and shortly later resigned his position in the bank and moved to a farm northwest of Springfield. After a year or two here he purchased his parents' farm west of Springfield where he resided. Mr. and Mrs. Maarsingh were the parents of five children. They are: Sadie, Nanno, Wilhelmina, Lucile and Wallace. He has two sisters and two brothers: Mrs. Johanna Alingh, Ralph, Mrs. Winnie Holleman and Henry. Mr. Maarsingh died in a truck-train accident near Elk Point on November 24. 1924. JANE HENDERSON MACLAY Jane Henderson Maclay was born October 31, 1832, in Reedsville, Pa., and came west to Clinton, Ia., In 1850, where she was united in marriage to Robert Clark Johnston in 1851. In 1881, Mrs. Johnston came to Dakota, at the request of Bishop Hare, and accepted the position of house mother at Greenwood. In 1884, she came to Springfield to take charge of St. Mary's School, as principal for one year, then going to Sioux Falls. In 1901, she returned to Springfield where she resided until her death in 1915. MALONE FAMILY Among the early settlers of Running Water in the 1800s were the Malones. They came from Quebec, Canada, in 1880 in covered wagons and settled near Running Water. In 1905 seven of the ten children left Running Water and took up government claims in the Murdo area. They each took a section of land and each built a temporary home. After they had proved up on their claims they built a two-story frame house where they all lived together. They were Mary, Jack, David, Anne, Lawrence, Catherine and Joe. Bill, Dick and Hannah remained in Running Water with their parents. They are all buried in the Springfield cemetery. The one best known in Springfield was Harold Malone, the son of Lawrence Malone. He was born in Running Water, November 3, 1902. After the death of his father in 1940 he and his mother moved to Springfield. For a while he owned and operated the College Cafe. He later served as a rural mail carrier. He also was employed in the Springfield Creamery and worked in the sales department of the Palsma-Holleman garage. After the death of his mother he moved back to Murdo. On December 25, 1954, he married Mildred Ogden of Chicago. They spent their time between their homes in Murdo and Springfield. He died in 1956 in Murdo and is buried in the Springfield cemetery in the family plot where three generations of Malones are buried. MR. AND MRS. OGDEN MARSH Ogden Marsh came to Springfield in the spring of 1870. He surveyed and platted the town site of Springfield and as soon as a house was completed sufficient to afford shelter he took up his residence here with his wife, they being the first and only family then living on the town site. He was born in the town of Sparta, Livingston County, N. Y., in the year 1838, educated at Lima College, graduating when quite young. About the time of leaving school his health failed him and he became the victim of the disease of dyspepsia followed by asthma. With the hope of finding climatic relief, he spent some time in Minnesota, then in Kentucky and Texas but experienced no benefits and returned to New York. In his course of studies at college, he thoroughly qualified himself as a civil engineer and surveyor. Mr. Marsh, having determined to go west and to make the legal profession his future avocation, studied law and was admitted to the bar in the summer of 1869. In the fall of that year he was united in marriage to Miss Adaline Magee and soon after started out for his new western home. His first stopping place was at Yankton, and shortly thereafter he entered into -co- partnership in the law, real estate and surveying business under the firm name of Orton, Marsh and Ash. He remained in the firm, however, but a short time, as he was induced by Gov. Burbank to take an interest in this town, then just projected. A man of naturally frail physical make-up suffering more or less every day of his life from asthmatic affection or dyspepsia, he yet evinced a physical and mental vitality and a capacity of endurance truly miraculous. The first to settle in Springfield, he was the first to be summoned by death on April 11, 1872, at the age of 34. His wife Addie L. Marsh died a few months later on November 20, 1872, of typhoid fever after an illness of about five weeks at the age of 28 years. She was a native of Now York and came to this territory with her husband and was the first white woman and the only one for some time on the town she, then just laid out. They left behind two children, Madge and Joise, who were taken back east by relatives. Ogden and Addie Marsh are buried on the southwest corner of 6th and Walnut street in Springfield. A ==================================page 83=========================== monument was erected at their grave site by the Springfield Rotary club. MR. AND MRS. PATRICK MARTIN Patrick Martin was born in Quebec, Canada, March 17, 1835, son of Patrick and Anna Martin. His early life was spent In Canada. In 1865 he was united in marriage to Miss Mary Malone, a native of Kilkenny, Ireland. After his marriage he engaged in farming and continued to live In Canada until the spring of 1881, when he moved to Bon Homme County and settled at Running Water. There he entered the employ of the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railroad with whom he was employed during the ensuing nine years. Meanwhile he purchased 171 acres of land approximately four miles north of Running Water and, upon severing his connection with the railroad, moved to this farm and began to work at its improvement. This he continued to do until his death in 1911. Eight children were born to this union, now all deceased: Patrick, Mary (Martin) Newbowers, William, Jack, Catherine (Martin) Rodgers, Richard (Bud), Anna and Edward. Surviving Immediate relatives living in Bon Homme County are: Theresa Martin, wife, Mary (Martin) Paulson and Jack Martin, children of Richard Martin, Marie (Newbowers) O'Donnell, daughter of Max and Mary (Martin) Newbowers. MR. AND MRS. WILLIAM MARTIN William Martin was born at Greene, Ia., May 24, 1879, and as a child went to Larchwood, Ia., where he grew to manhood. He was married to Minnie Dreyer at Doon, Ia., in 1904. They were the parents of two children, Enid and Charles. In 1906 he was transferred to Delft, Minn., where he was station agent for three years and was then transferred to Springfield in 1909 where he was station agent for 10 years, when he resigned railroading and entered the employ of the Northwestern Public Service Co. as an electrician here till 1929. Minnie died in 1925 and William married Erma Brown in 1928. The following year they moved to Yankton and here he continued in the employ of the light company. Here another son, Llewellyn, was born. Mr. Martin died in 1935. MR. AND MRS. EDWIN J. MARVIN Edwin J. Marvin was born January 10, 1843, at Leicester, Addison county, Vt. His parents moved to Wisconsin when he was seven where they resided for seven years. They then moved to Minnesota where Edwin grew to manhood. On September 1, 1864, he enlisted in Co. C., Fifth Minnesota Volunteer Infantry, and went at once to the front. On April 24, 1866, he was married to Rozillah Young. The family moved to Dakota Territory, making the journey with ox team, and arriving at Yankton June 1, 1871. A few days later he located himself upon a homestead to the northwest of Springfield, two and a half miles from the present village of Kingsburg. Mr. and Mrs. Marvin had six children: Delia, Alma, Ella, Fred, Albert, who died at the age of 3, and Maud. Mr. Marvin was a charter member of General Steadman Post, G. A. R., of Springfield. For 57 years he had been a resident of the county, and had seen its entire development and had had his full share in helping to bring it to its present condition of beauty and prosperity. MARY A. McAULEY Mary A. McAuley, wife of A. F. McAuley and oldest daughter of Michael and Mary Griffen, died on July 31, 1873, of congestive chills at the age of 21 years, 25 days. MR. AND MRS. EDGAR McCLURE Edgar McClure and Lena Talcott were married at Fontanelle, Ia., June 3, 1909. They lived there for ten years with the exception of two years spent in Des Moines. In 1919, they moved to Tabor, Ia., and spent 19 years there. In 1938, they came to Springfield where Mr. McClure started editing the Springfield Times. CHARLES McCOLLUM Former State Senator C. N. McCollum, well known pioneer of Bon Homme County, who has occupied many positions of trust in the community, including county commissioner, was born in February, 1852, at New Vienna, Mo., a son of John J. and Livina (Riggs) McCollum. He grew up in the parental home which was, most of the time, in the state of Iowa. In 1872 he accompanied his father to Bon Homme County, coming first to Bon Homme where the father opened a blacksmith shop. In 1873 Charles filed on a claim southeast of Tyndall and shared in the hardships of the pioneers in the struggle for existence. In 1881 during the big flood on the Missouri River he was on the Bon Homme Island, engaged in supplying wood for the steam boats which at that time plied up and down the Missouri, and he experienced the peril of being swept away In the flood waters. In June, 1883, Charles and Miss Jennie Lee were married. For many years Mr. McCollum engaged in farming and cattle feeding on the farm home northeast of Springfield where they reared their family of a son and daughter. Mr. McCollum was very active in politics and civic life of the county, having served as sheriff for three terms, county commissioner for, 16 years, State Senator two years and also Indian inspector of the Pine Creek, Lower Brule and Rosebud reservations. He was a member of the Congregational Church and Mt. Zion Masonic Lodge in Springfield. MR. AND MRS. JIM McCOLLUM Jim McCollum, born in Carroll, Ia., in September, 1864, was one of 11 children in the family of John and Lavina Riggs McCollum. When a lad of seven years the family migrated to a homestead west of Perkins. As a young man Jim drove stage coach from Springfield to Ft. Randall, changing horses at Skakel's ranch on Choteau Creek and also at Greenwood. At Greenwood he met Catherine Delaney who at that time was employed as a cook in the Indian ==================================page 84=========================== school there. Catherine Belinda Delaney was born in Lawrence, Kans., in April, 1866. She was a daughter of William and Catherine Delaney. From Kansas the family moved to Michigan and in 1884, came to Dakota Territory, first to Running Water and later to a homestead near Fairfax. Jim and Catherine were married in October, 1892, and resided all of their married life at Springfield, where their family of eight children were born. Catherine attended school at Niobrara, Nebr., and then taught in a log building near Running Water, also at Addison, Nebr., and at the Norwegian Hills. Jim served as sheriff of Bon Homme County and also in the state legislature and for many years was manager of one of the grain buying elevators near the Springfield depot. JOHN J. McCOLLUM John J. McCollum was born December 18, 1815, in Wish county, Va., where he grew to manhood, then moved to Tennessee. In 1840 he was married to Miss Lavina Riggs. A family of 11 children blessed their home, six girls and five boys, all of whom grew to maturity. In 1850, at the time of the discovery of gold, he with many others went to California. Returning from there, he made his home for a time in Missouri, then Iowa, and then came to Bon Homme county. His homestead was located two and one half miles west of Perkins. STANLEY McCOLLUM Stanley McCollum was born near Coon Rapids, Ia., July 5, 1867, and came to South Dakota with his parents, John J. and Lavina Riggs McCollum at the age of three. With the exception of nine years on a farm near Tyndall, he spent his entire life at farming in the community west of Springfield. On April 24, 1905, Stanley and Jane Hornstra were married and they farmed on her home farm until 1909 then moved to near Tyndall. After farming for some time near Tyndall they purchased a farm one and one-half miles west of Springfield. Georgiana Jane Hornstra, daughter of pioneer settlers, was born at Perkins on September 15, 1880. After the death of her husband Mrs. McCollum continued to reside on the farm near Springfield together with their one son, Floyd. MR. AND MRS. HUGH W. MCNEELY Hugh William McNeely was born in December, 1906, a son of William and Lydia McNeely of Avon. He received his elementary education in the rural school near the home of his parents, continuing at Southern State College and also taught school at Millboro. After his marriage in June, 1928, to Gloria Ward of Winner he farmed in the county for eight years and then purchased the Springfield-Sioux Falls bus line which he operated for 20 years. While he served two years in the Navy during World War H, his family carried on the bus business during his absence. The family continued to reside in Springfield while he was employed by the S. D. State Highway Department with headquarters in Tyndall. The family consists of three sons, Wendell, Arlon and Don, and one daughter, Jean Ann, Mrs. Waldo Becker. Mr. McNeely was killed in an accident on January 8, 1963. MR. AND MRS. OLIVER MCNEIL Oliver McNeil came with his parents, Mr. and Mrs. John McNeil, to South Dakota in 1872, and located near Daisy Valley. The following spring he returned to Iowa and was married to Sarah Horr on March 2, 1873. The newlyweds came to South Dakota and located on a farm near Running Water, where they remained a year, moving from there to their homestead located four and one half miles north of Springfield, where they lived happily in spite of the many hardships of the early pioneers. In the spring of 1914, they moved to Tyndall, where they lived until his death. MR. AND MRS. JOHN McNEILL John McNeill and Amy Skinner were married in Iowa and lived there till 1872 when they came to Dakota Territory and lived in the Springfield vicinity until 1893, they moved to Tyndall to live near their son, Oliver. Born to this union were Harriett Dryden, Oliver, Almond, Cyrus, Clarence, Byron, Charles, James and Armina Noble. Amy died In 1910 and John in 1911. MR. AND MRS. JOHN McPEEK John McPeek and Anna Johnson were married on October 14, 1903, at Mission Hill. They lived for a time there and in the Avon and Bon Homme communities before coming to Springfield about 1940. They were the parents of, Thea and Junetta. JOHN G. MEAD John G. Mead, who died March 5, 1920, was one of the early settlers of this county, coming here from Niles, Mich., in 1870, and in company with H. C. Davison and George Mead, conducted a large merchandise business under the firm name of Henry C. Davison and Co. at Bon Homme. They later moved their store to Springfield. John was a nephew of Ruben Groot and a brother-in-law of George W. Snow. After the partnership of the Davison-Mead Store, John spent most of his life at Chadron, Nebr. MR. AND MRS. GEORGE MEAD Mr. and Mrs. George Mead came to Dakota from Michigan with their family in 1871 and built their home on the corner of 8th and Cedar. He was a government contractor and merchant during the early years in the territory. He had sufficient faith in Dakota's future possibilities to remain even through the grasshoppers and drought periods, which proved a depopulating factor to the territory in those days. Mr. Mead was instrumental in establishing the village of Meadville, destroyed by flood, the site of which was in the vicinity of the railway station, ==================================page 85============================ and he had many interests in the development of Springfield. From 1889 to 1897 he was engaged as a partner in the firm of Stephen and Mead, dealing in furniture and harness, and was also postmaster for a number of years. In 1902 the Meads sold their home to their son-in-law and daughter, Dr. and Mrs. J. 0. Dugiud, and moved to Seattle where he had various interests. This home was destroyed by fire in January, 1936. CHARLES H. MELICK Charles H. Melick, the son of Daniel and Elizabeth Melick, was born at East Enterprise, Switzerland county, Ind., June 17, 1855. He grew to manhood in Indiana and in 1875 came to Warren county, Ia., where he lived for 11 years. On February 12, 1881, he was united in marriage to Miss Carrie Monfore. After visiting relatives here in 1885 the couple decided to come to Dakota and in 1886 they purchased a farm just east of Springfield. Here four children were born to them, Alta, Lisle, Loring and Elma. They were active members of the Masonic and Eastern Star lodge. In 1924 they moved from the farm into Springfield. Mr. Melick died in 1929 and Mrs. Melick died in 1934. LORING M. MELICK Loring M. Melick, born April 5, 1891, at Springfield was the third child in a family of four born to Mr. and Mrs. Charles Melick. He attended the public school and also the State Normal in Springfield. During World War I he served with the Veterinary Corps of the U. S. Army in France. In June 1924, he was married to Fannie L. Hamm of Table Grove, Ill., and immediately took over the home place, his parents having moved to Springfield. He was an active member of the Masonic Lodge and the American Legion for many years. There are two children in the family, Betty, Mrs. Maarsingh of Chandler, Ariz., and Robert of Aberdeen. Along with their own family, the Melicks took into their home Valworth Trowbridge, now in Washington, D. C. MR. AND MRS. JOE MESMAN Mr. and Mrs. Joe Mesman moved in November, 1914, from Fertile, Minnesota, to a farm six and one-half miles west of Springfield, known then as the Old Holleman farm, which they purchased in July of that year. Mr. Mesman and son John came by train two weeks ahead of the rest of the family with livestock, machinery and household goods. Mr. and Mrs. Mesman lived on this farm until 1944, when they retired and moved into Springfield into the home which was at one time a Methodist parsonage. Mr. Mesman worked as janitor first at the high school and later at the college for ten years. They had eight children: one son, Edward, now owns the farm formerly owned by his father. The other children are: Mrs. William Talsma, Mrs. P. G. (Anna C.) DeRoos, Mrs. John Boschker, Mrs. Elsie Schotanus, Peter Mesman, all living in or near Springfield, a son John at Platte and Garret of Clinton, Wise. Mrs. Joe Mesman died June 28, 1960 at the age of 83 years, and Mr. Mesman died January 16, 1962, at the age of 87 years. There were 31 grandchildren. They had observed their 61st anniversary. EDWARD C. MONFORE Edward Chapin Monfore, the eldest of the four children of Edward John and Charlotte Melick Monfore, was born June 21, 1853, at Center Lisle, Broome County, N. Y. When a young man of 20 years, in 1873, he came to Springfield, Dakota Territory, where his cousins, E. W. Monfore and Emerson Monfore, had migrated from Iowa in 1871 and filed on a homestead for their father, about four miles north of Springfield. In Springfield on October 10, 1883, Edward married Carrie E. Whipple and for many years he was associated with E. W. Monfore in the general merchandise business under the name of E. W. Monfore and Co. Later, due to a heart condition, he engaged in gardening of all kinds at the home now across the street north from the college campus. Mrs. Monfore was born near Rockford, Ill., on April 25, 1866. Their family consisted of four children: Bessie Amelia, Earl Edward, Minnie Louise and Ruth. [photo - MR. AND MRS. EMERSON J. MONFORE] MR. AND MRS. FRANK MONFORE Frank Monfore, a long time resident of Springfield and community and member of a pioneer family, was born August 1, 1868, in Warren County, Ia. He was the second child in the family of Edward John and Charlotte Melick Monfore. In 1882, when a lad of 14 years, Frank came from Iowa to Springfield with his parents and others in the family. They located on a farm just north of Springfield but soon moved to town. Frank attended the grade school in town and was employed in a local blacksmith shop. In August 1902, Frank was married to Anna Katherine Bouska and for a time they resided in town where Mr. Monfore was engaged in various business ventures. At one time he served as town marshal. He also operated the Commercial House Hotel on ==================================page 86=========================== College street and across the street from it the livery barn. He also served on a committee that built the Woodman Hall in town. While Mr. Monfore was town marshal many Indians camped nearby. At one time one of the Indians escaped from the town jail, which at that time was located south of the Commercial House in part of what is now the residence of Mrs. Stella Mathews. The prisoner also managed to get his team out of the livery barn. In 1911, Mr. and Mrs. Monfore and their three sons, Bryson, Clarence and John, moved to a farm two and one half miles northwest of Springfield where they engaged in farming and stock raising and in time replaced the little stone house with a large modern dwelling now occupied by the Platte Halseys. In semi-retirement, many years later they moved to Kingsburg where Mr. Monfore operated the King Co. grain elevator until failing health forced him to retire and move to a small home in Springfield. Mrs. Monfore was born August 1, 1878, near Tyndall. She was a daughter of Mr. and Mrs. James Bouska, pioneers who came to Bon Homme County from Bohemia in 1870. She attended rural schools from Bohemia in 1870. She attended rural schools and as a young woman was employed as a domestic until her marriage. MR. AND MRS. E. J. MONFORE Lottie Melick was born in New Jersey, November 2, 1836, to Mr. and Mrs. William Melick. When she was two years old her parents moved to Indiana and later to Illinois. She was married to Edward J. Monfore and went with him to his home in southern Iowa where there were four children of Mr. Monfore's former marriage, Edward, Jesse, Carrie Melick and Charles. Edward and Lottie were the parents of Fanny Melvin, Frank, Ira, Stella Mead and an infant girl who died in infancy. In 1882, they came to Springfield and made their home on a farm on the north edge of the city where they lived for twelve years and then moved into town. Edward died in 1908 and Lottie in 1913. [photo - MR. AND MRS. JESSIE MONFORE] GEORGE JESSE MONFORE George Jesse Monfore was born at Center Lisle, Broome County, N. Y., July 18, 1856. He was the second son of Edward John and Clarissa (Chapin) Monfore. In the autumn of 1864, when Jesse was a lad of eight, his father moved to Iowa. The Civil War was still in progress, and the lad was tremendously impressed by the sight of soldiers and military machinery everywhere, as they made their journey by train to Eddyville, and then for the last 90 miles by wagon. Mrs. Monfore sickened upon the way, and one week after their arrival at their new home died, leaving her husband with four little children. After about a year the father moved to Warren county, and here Jesse grew to manhood. When he was 21, in company with Charles Melick, Jesse started for western Kansas in a covered wagon. After much travelling, they returned to Iowa. Mr. Monfore stayed for a short time, and then decided to come north to Dakota Territory, where his uncle, Peter Monfore, had been living since 1872. He arrived in Springfield August 4, 1878. Shortly after coming he took up a claim west of Running Water. A little later he filed upon a timber claim, which is an 80 on the farm east of town that goes by his name. An illustration of the conditions here at that name. An illustration of the conditions here at that day is found in the fact that he purchased about 1880 another 80 acres, lying some four miles northeast of Springfield for $2.50 an acre, and did not pay cash for that, but traded in his watch, gun, and various other possessions and trinkets that he had. He returned to Iowa for his bride, being united in marriage February 18, 1885, to Miss Lulu B. Rodgers. "Uncle Jesse" was a well known citizen and pioneer of the Springfield community. He hob-nobbed with Indian chiefs of note, having remembered seeing Struck by the Ree. At one time he was employed at the Greenwood Agency and taught the son of Sitting Bull. He helped move Fort Randall from Springfield to the site where the remains of the buildings now stand. E. W. MONFORE Elmer W. Monfore was born November 18, 1853, in Center Lisle, N. Y. He was the oldest of eight children born to Peter and Diana Monfore. Elmer's father, who was a miller, migrated to Putnam County, Ill., in 1865, and for a few years engaged in farming. From there he moved to Marion County, Ia., where he resided for two years, moving to Springfield In 1872, when Elmer was 18 years old. Elmer and Emerson had come to Springfield the previous fall. Elmer had attended the common schools and took a course in a business college In Des Moines. Upon coming to Springfield he farmed for about five years, and then entered the employment of the mercantile establishments of D. W. Currier, M. H. Day and P. M. Liddy. In 1881 he engaged in business for himself, conducting a drug and grocery store. At the end of two years he took into partnership ==================================page 87=========================== with him his cousin, Edward C. Monfore, and the firm title became E. W. Monfore and Company. This partnership continued for 20 years, when the firm dissolved. After a little interval, Mr. Monfore again went into business, but ill health had come upon him, and he sold the business and retired. On October 16, 1883, Mr. Monfore was united in marriage to Miss Emma Seccombe. Four children were born to this union, Charles, Alberta, Fred and Millicent. PETER G. MONFORE Peter G. Monfore was born in Milo, Ia., October 11, 1871. His mother, Diana A. Howland, came from Centre Lisle, N. Y. His father's name was also Peter and they named their oldest son Howland. The family came to Springfield in 1872 and settled on a homestead four miles north of Springfield. Five years later they moved into town. Pete Monfore, Jr., was associated for many years with his brother, Elmer W. Monfore, and his cousin, Edward C. Monfore, In the general merchandise business. For a short time he had a harness shop which he had purchased from Mead and Stephens. There was a small stock of furniture and undertaking goods included so he disposed of the harness shop and entered into a partnership with J. C. Young. They built the two-story building at the corner of Chestnut and Elm and operated under the name of Monfore and Young. After Mr. Young retired, Mr. Monfore continued alone. He was one of the first licensed embalmers in Bon Homme County. He married Minnie May Flowers September 16, 1896. The Monfores had three children, Howland, Clarice and Wayne. Howland served in World War I. He sold insurance for several years and farmed east of Springfield. That land is now part of the Lewis and Clark Lake. Later he became Bon Homme County Director of the State Department of Social Security. In 1942 he joined the Red Cross Service to the Armed Forces and was employed by the U. S. Veterans Administration in Sioux Falls until 1959. At that time he installed a Laundromat in Springfield which is still in operation. He was married to Gertrude M. Kositzky in 1927. They were the parents of five children, Peter (deceased), Robert P., Diana, James and Thomas. Clarice married Urban Holleman. They had one son who lives in Ohio. She recently married Don Gilmore and now lives in Cedar Rapids, Ia. Wayne, after receiving his M. S. degree from South Dakota State College, spent his entire professional career in the field of education and was at one time superintendent of the public school here. He died in 1966. His wife, Alice, and son, Jon, still live in Springfield. Peter Monfore died in 1950 and his wife, Minnie, in 1965. Minnie's family, Mr. and Mrs. John Flowers, arrived here by steamboat from Illinois in 1886. Their children were Will and Carrie Whipple from Mrs. Flowers' first marriage. Born to this union were Charles, Etta, Minnie and Maud. They lived on a farm east of town until John's death when they moved to town. Carrie married Edward C. Monfore, Etta married Will Kimball and moved to Chicago, and Maud married Frank Glasner, one-time owner and publisher of the Springfield Times and was also Secretary of State. Later she married Frank Hurlbut, a conductor for the Milwaukee railroad. Charles was interested in the livery business here for several years before moving to Stanley County. Mrs. Flowers' brother, Rev. George W. Swift, came here during the 1880s. He operated a photograph gallery here for a time. Later he became a Baptist minister and served in churches in California and Rapid City and later returned here and is buried in the Springfield Cemetery along with the Flowers' and Monfores. MR. AND MRS. JOHN R. MULLER John R. Muller came as a lad to Bon Homme County in 1873. His parents were Mary and Wm. Muller. They came from Wisconsin. His father took a claim in the southwest part of Bon Homme County. John was born in 1864 in Wisconsin. Of the parental family that grew up on the Muller ranch were the six children- -Henry, Will, Gerald, John, Katherine and Mary (Mrs. W. C. Treffry). They lived in a log house and went to a log schoolhouse. John was married to Miss Julia Snow on Christmas Day, 1902. They lived on farms near Springfield until 1918 when they moved to Mitchell. There were two children, Alice (Mrs. A. J. Endersby) and Clara. Mrs. Muller, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Charles Snow, was born in 1865. In 1886 she came to Springfield. For some years she taught school at Perkins, Kirkwood and the Hornstra School. MR. AND MRS. CHARLES MORTON Mr. and Mrs. Charles H. Morton were married In Nebraska and for a number of years lived on a farm near Lynch, Nebr., before moving to Springfield where they lived on farms in the vicinity for most of their lives, with the exception of a few years spent in western Nebraska. Mrs. Morton was born February 23, 1857, at Ft. Dodge, Ia., and as a child came to Dakota Territory with her parents settling near Yankton for a time before going to Nebraska. After her husband's death in 1914, she made her home with her sons, Jack and Charles, until her death in 1950. Other children born to this union were Henrietta Crofulb, Mrs. Otto Crosley and Mrs. K. C. Lukkes. PHLESTER MORRISON Phlester J. Morrison was born at Newark, Wisc., October 14, 1855, and grew up there on a farm. He was the youngest child and his mother died when he was four years old, and he became the charge of his older sisters. He was united in marriage to Miss Eva Irene Peck at Spring Green. Wisc., October 21. 1876. The first eight years Of their married life were spent upon a farm at Newark, and then Mr. and Mrs. Morrison came to Dakota Territory, where they purchased a farm seven miles west of Springfield. This was their home for five years, when they returned to Wisconsin. But the lure of Dakota had seized them, and they soon returned to Bon Homme county, and lived first at Springfield, and then for a time in Tyndall. He then filed a claim in Charles Mix county, but later returned to Springfield where for some Years he engaged in the hardware business which ==================================page 88=========================== he sold out in 1913, when he retired from further active business. They spent a while in Columbus, Mont., and two years in Scotland before returning to Springfield again. Mr. and Mrs. Morrison were the parents of three children: Ethel, Lelia, and one son who died at the age of three. P. J. MORRISON Philester J. and Eva Morrison were married on October 19, 1876, at Spring Green, Wisc. They made their home at Newark for eight years and then came to Dakota Territory and purchased a farm seven miles west of Springfield. Shortly later they moved back to Wisconsin for two years after which they returned to South Dakota. When Charles Mix County was opened for settlement they took a claim not far from where Avon now is. The postoffice, known as Morrison, was in their home. Mr. Morrison died in 1929 and Eva died in 1942. They were the parents of Ethel Kinyon and Lelia Wollman. MR. AND MRS. V. MONTGOMERY Vincent and Sadie Montgomery were married in Newton, Ia., on September 1, 1915. After teaching in several schools until 1931, he entered into business for two years and then quit that and they came to Springfield where Vincent was athletic director, coach and instructor at the Normal. In the fall of 1940, he took a leave of absence to serve in the armed forces. On account of his age he was not sent overseas with the regiment, but was transferred to the Army Air Corps and stationed at Hamilton Field, Calif., as special service officer. In 1945, he was transferred to Granada, Miss., where he was the executive officer. Mr. Montgomery, after spending a weekend here, was killed on his return trip to Mississippi in a crash landing at Mountain View, Ark. He and his wife were the parents of three sons, Vincent, William and John. William was killed while in training at Pensacola, Fla., when his plane failed to come out of a nose dive. JOHN NAGEL John Nagel was born March 27, 1886, in Douglas County, S. D., the son of Mr. and Mrs. Henry Nagel. At the age of ten he moved to Pease, Minn., with his parents where he grew to manhood. In 1906, he returned to this community and took up his life work of farming. On January 21, 1907, he was united in marriage to Agnes DeRoos. They had three children, Grace N. (Mrs. Edward Mesman), John and Cornelia. He was a deacon of the Emmanuel Reformed Church for 16 years, elder for four years and clerk of the Consistory. MR. AND MRS. JACOB NAMMINGA Rena Bruinsma and Jacob Namminga were both born in the Netherlands, Rena in 1888 and Jacob in 1890. Both received their education in the elementary schools there and then were employed at farm homes in the community where they were born. In 1910 they decided to come to America, a trip which in those days was a long, difficult journey. But as Jacob had a brother already in America, this gave them the courage to make the venture. They departed from the Netherlands on June 3, 1910, and arrived In the U. S. on June 17, 1910. For several months they were employed on farms in the Running Water area and on April 13, 1911, they were married in the Reformed church parsonage near Springfield, with the Rev. Stegeman officiating. They established their home on a farm west of Springfield and farmed until 1955 when they retired and moved to town. They reared a family of seven children, four sons and three daughters. Mr. Namminga writes: "We had our ups and downs. We never forget the "Thirties" with their drought, dust and grasshoppers or the war years, the forties, when two of our sons served their country in the overseas conflict and were glad when they returned home in fine condition. And now that we are old we are thankful to God for all the good we have had in these almost 60 years in this wonderful land." MR. AND MRS. N. NAMMINGA Namen Namminga and Elizabeth Struiving were married May 17, 1902, in the Netherlands. In March, 1911, they immigrated to the United States with five children, coming directly to Springfield. Two more children were born to them here. The children are Mrs. Anna Biesma, Hezekiah, John, Dr. Sam, Andrew, Mrs. Edith Heusinkveld and James. Besides Springfield, they also farmed near Avon, Wessington Springs, Wolsey and Dante. In 1933 they returned to Springfield where they made their home with their son, Hezekiah, and also spent a short time with their son, Andrew. DANIEL NILE Daniel Nile was born at Sand Creek near Otego, N. Y., on December 26, 1883, and resided there until he was 40. There he was married to Malvida Holliday. They came to Springfield and homesteaded here. After his wife's death in 1904 he sold his farm and moved into Springfield and in his declining years made his home with Mr. Macy and his grand niece, Mrs. Robert Dempster, until his death in 1917. MR. AND MRS. ANDREW J. NOBLE Andrew J. Noble was a native of Wisconsin but came to Bon Homme County in 1888, where he was united in marriage to Armina McNeill. Seven children were born to this union, Percy H., Beatrice Marie (Mrs. Glen Pigsley), John Howard, Myrtle May (Mrs. Leo E. Giles), Jessie, Gladys, Clara Blanche and Hazel Violet. Armina F. McNeill, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. John McNeill, was born December 25, 1869, at Indianola, Ia. At the age of four years Armina moved with her parents to Dakota territory, in what was later Bon Homme county. Yankton was the nearest trading post, with commodities supplied by river boat transportation. In 1890 Miss McNeill was united in marriage ==================================page 89=========================== to Andrew J. Noble. The couple homesteaded four miles north of Springfield, remaining on the same place until 1908 when they retired and moved to Springfield. Mr. Noble died in 1914 and Mrs. Noble in 1938, in Los Angeles, her home for 13 years. MR. AND MRS. PHILIP ODENS Philip Odens was born in Gretseil, Germany, to Mr. and Mrs. Boldewyn Odens, on October 9, 1864. His early years were spent in or near Embden, province of Hanover. In the month of July, 1879, he came to the United States and settled in Iowa, first living at Little Rock and later at Hull. Kate Odens was born June 16, 1873, in Sioux County, Ia., near Orange City. She was the last surviving one of seven children of Mr. and Mrs. Jurrian Dykstra. The family later moved to Middleburg, Ia., where she received her education in rural schools. On March 25, 1892, they were married and lived in Iowa for two years. Then in 1894 they moved to South Dakota to a farm west of Springfield, which was across the road from the Ed Holleman farm, now owned by Herb De Jong. They lived there about five years, then moved to Perkins for one year and then to a farm they bought about one mile west of the depot. In 1913 they bought a farm west of Perkins where he farmed and raised his family, until he died on May 6, 1933. Mrs. Odens then lived with her sons on that farm, now owned by Ode Odens, until her death on May 2, 1969. One year after moving to South Dakota the couple with their infant son made the two-day trip to Iowa with horses and wagon to visit their families. Their children attended the Equal Rights and Perkins Schools. Two children also attended Southern Normal School. They attended the Reformed Church, and atone time also attended the Perkins Congregational Church. To them 11 children were born, of whom nine are still living: Wanno (died at the age of eight months); Jerry, Avon; Boldewyn, Avon; Sadie Risseeuw, Clinton, Wisc.; Winnie VanderLei, Springfield; Annie Tjeerdsma (Mrs. Peter Tjeerdsma), Springfield; Charlie, Springfield; Johanna (Mrs. Jess Tjeerdsma), Springfield, Joe (died In 1958); Ode, Springfield; Hessel, Springfield. The parents and infant son are laid to rest in the Pioneer Cemetery, and Joe in the Emmanuel Reformed Cemetery. In addition to their children there are 58 grandchildren; 184 great grandchildren and five great great grandchildren. A newspaper article stated at her 94th birthday that she must be Springfield's champion grandmother. MICHAEL O'DONNELL Michael O'Donnell, probably one of the oldest citizens of Bon Homme County at the time of his death, was born in 1846 in Ireland where he grew to young manhood. At the age of 21 years he came to America and settled first in Iowa. In Dubuque County, Ia., he was married in February, 1878, to Ellen Kiernan and in March, 1892, the family came to South Dakota and established their home on their own farm northeast of Springfield and continued to farm as long as age and health permitted. Mrs. O'Donnell was born in December, 1854, at Mt. Holly, N. J., and her career consisted of being a typical Irish wife and mother and a true friend. Both were life-long members of the Catholic Church. Here their family of two daughters and four sons was reared and they became closely identified with the life of the community. MR. AND MRS. FRED OELRICH Fred Oelrich and Zua Seaton were married in 1893 in Iowa and immediately following their marriage moved to Springfield. To this union were born Roy, Charles, Jesse, Ella Homer, Clara Yule, Effie Michell and Florence Messer. The Oelrichs lived on a farm west of town and Fred was one of the first rural mail carriers here. In 1932, they moved to Minnesota where they spent the rest of their lives. Mrs. Oelrich died in 1937 and Fred in 1951. MR. AND MRS. RICHARD OWENS Mrs. Remster Slade, whose grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. Richard Owens raised her, tells this of her pioneer grandparents: "Richard Owens and Elizabeth Morris were married in Wales and set sail the same day from Liverpool, England, for a new life in America. This was in 1871. Both spoke only the Welsh language. Upon arrival at the New York harbor, they were advised that there was a Welsh settlement in Wisconsin, so they decided to locate there. They lived there for five years and then, in 1876, along with some friends, decided to come to South Dakota. There were the Joneses, the Radways and the Wagners and all homesteaded land in the vicinity of Perkins. "I can recall my grandfather telling of going with ox team to Yankton to get flour and on one trip he encountered Sitting Bull. My grandparents' home was a sort of way-station for the Indians and also for soldiers, passing from Yankton to Ft. Randall. Many times my grandmother fed them and even bedded them on the kitchen floor. Also there was the blizzard of '88, when they broke chairs to keep warm. My grandmother was called upon many a time to go for miles to help care for a sick child and also to 'lay them out' in case of death. She was a tiny, frail little lady who had very poor health when she left Wales, but she gained that rugged true pioneer stamina with her life in America. "She was a member of the little Congregational Church in Perkins and a staunch believer in religion. She had a good voice and often sang the old Welsh hymns. "She was widowed in 1908, but continued to make her home on her beloved farm until her death in April, 1934, at the age of 88." KATHERINE PALSMA Katherine Wynia Holleman Palsma, a pioneer mother of the Springfield community, was born on May 10, 1874, near Orange City, Ia., a daughter of Ulbe J. and Theresa Bootsma Wynia, both of whom were natives of Wommels in the Netherlands. From Iowa they came by ox team and covered wagon to the Coffee Creek area, 12 miles west of Springfield, in 1876, after the grasshoppers had destroyed all the crops in Iowa. After filing on a timber claim they planted the ten ==================================page 90=========================== acres of cottonwood trees as required by the government and lived in a log cabin on this claim, which was located on the old stage coach trail from Sioux City to the Black Hills by way of Ft. Randall. Katherine attended a log school built near Coffee Creek and often related an interesting incident in regard to this log building, which in 1880 was partially destroyed by a storm and in later years became badly deteriorated but residents of the district could not agree as to whether or not to build a new school. On a dark night Mrs. William Muller (who had given the logs for the school) hitched her team of horses to the log building and tore it apart, so a new frame house was built for the school. Katherine Wynia was married to John E. Holleman in September, 1891, by the Rev. Charles Seccombe, pastor of the First Congregational church in Springfield. They established their home on a farm five miles west of Springfield where they resided until 1918 when they left the farm and moved to Springfield and built a fine new home. They reared a family of three children. Mr. Holleman died in 1931 and in 1934 Katherine married Lou Palsma, who died in 1961. Katherine often told of many incidents of the early days. It took her father three days to take a load of wheat to the nearest mill at Yankton to be ground. They roasted their own coffee, if there was any. If there was none they roasted barley or peas to make a drink. They also made tea of wild shoestring weed. The Indians often visited the pioneers who would give them food, especially grease of which they were very fond and would eat it by the spoonful. The settlers would also trade food for the yard goods the Indians received from the government. She often saw large herds of Longhorn cattle being moved from Texas to the western plains and the military wagons drawn by three mule teams, guarded by soldiers, bringing the money for pay-day at Ft. Randall. She was always a willing helper in the neighborhood in time of sickness, death or at the time of a birth. In World War I she was very active in Red Cross work especially in knitting supplies for the servicemen and also organized a children's knitting class. At the age of 88, Mrs. Palsma died in October, 1962. One daughter, Clare, Mrs. Robert Walpole, resides in Vermillion and another daughter, Joyce, Mrs. W. W. Ludeman, at Springfield. ARTHUR PALSMA Arthur Palsma was born April 17, 1880, in Friesland, the Netherlands, where he grew up and in 1911 came to America. On February 29, 1912, he was united in marriage to Winnie Rienstra and they moved to a farm west of Springfield where they spent 32 years, retiring in 1946. To this union were born six children, Andrew, David, John, Bert, Hilda Los, Alvina Wynia and Allen. LOU PALSMA Lou Palsma was born December 2, 1871, at Winsum Province, in Friesland, the Netherlands. When about 20 he came to Hospers, Ia., and on December 2, 1892, married Helena Regina Hamminga and they established their home on a farm a few miles south of Sheldon, Ia. In the fall of 1901, the Palsmas moved to the farm west of Springfield which they had purchased. After the war, having sold their farm, the family moved onto one of the former Gingerich farms near Kingsburg where they farmed until the fall of 1925 when they moved to Springfield. On May 16, 1933, his wife died. In 1934 Mr. Palsma and Katherine Holleman were married. Mr. Palsma took an active part in city affairs, having served as Justice of the Peace for 32 years. Mr. and Mrs. Palsma were the parents of seven children: Annie Ludens, Nellie Ludens, Henry, two children died In infancy, one son, John, died in France during World War I, and another son died on the farm near Springfield. MR. AND MRS. RAY PATTERSON Ray Patterson and Leila Ewing were married August 31, 1910, and immediately established their home on the farm three miles northeast of Springfield. To this union were born two children, Fern Agee and Donald. Leila was born near Yankton, February 13, 1889, where she grew up and, after finishing school, taught for three years in rural schools. She died in 1940. Ray came here in 1909 from Yankton and has spent his time here farming and is at present living on a farm north of town. Ray's brother, Loyd Patterson, lived here for a time, first as a farmer, and later moved into town where he owned and operated the light plant for a time. MR. AND MRS. A. A. PERKINS A. A. and Helen Perkins were married at Beloit, Wisc., in 1863 and came to Dakota Territory in 1875, locating on a homestead at what is now called Perkins. They were the parents of Frank and Nellie Kellogg. Mrs. Perkins died in 1914 and her husband died some years before. OLE J. PETERSON Ole J. Peterson was born in Vefsen, Norway, July 18, 1850. In the spring of 1884, he came to America and made his home near Springfield, where he lived for 33 years. In 1892, he was married to Nellie, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Nels Beret, and they became the parents of Julia Wilson, Nettie, Nora, Martha and Hilda. AARON POELSTRA Aaron W. Poelstra was born November 11, 1869, in Holland. He learned the trade of meat cutter and for some years operated a market there. He was married to Tillie Bloombergeb on May 14, 1894. To them were born three sons, William and Peter and one who died in infancy. In 1905 Aaron came to America and purchased a farm west of Springfield. In 1906 he sent for his wife and sons and they made their home on the farm until 1908 he bought the meat market and operated it till 1940. During the shortage of help during World War I he sold the business and re-purchased it afterward in partnership with his son William. He died in 1950. William was married to Margaret Whitesell Har- ==================================page 91=========================== wood on October 16, 1920. He was affiliated with the business for 39 years. In later years his two sons, William, Jr., and Don took over the management of the market. William died in 1958. Peter Poelstra is at the present time making his home on a farm west of town. MR. AND MRS. JOHN POLSON In 1868, John and Sara Polson and his mother, Mrs. Golin Polson, came by train to Wabasha County, Minn., where a brother, Ernie Polson, had migrated to several years previously. After serving in the U. S. Army during the Civil War, Ernie returned to near Millville and settled on a farm and it was there he welcomed his mother, brother, and wife from Sweden and took them into his home. Near Keegan and Millville, two children were born, Anna Christine on October 10, 1873, and Paul on January 8, 1869. In the spring of 1881, John Polson and son Paul came by ox team to Bon Homme County and settled on a preempted tree claim farm six miles west of Springfield near the postoffice of Waneri. That same year in the fall the wife, Sara, and daughter Anna, and the paternal grandmother came by train to Springfield. Two years later the family moved to the present Lundin farm which was then a tree claim. In 1894, Olaf Lundin, still in Sweden, was invited by John Polson to come to South Dakota, which invitation was accepted. Here he met Anna Polson and on May 24, 1896, they were married at Wausau, Nebr. For a time the young couple worked for James Kirk, whose farm joined the Polson farm on the south. Later they built an addition on to the claim shanty and took over the operation of the farm as John Polson more or less retired. On this farm their four children were born and grew up: two sons, John and James, and two daughters, Anna (Mrs. David Gleim) and Emma (Mrs. Lester Blattner). All were born at Springfield and attended the Kirkwood rural school. In a farm accident Mr. Lundin received serious injuries and became bedridden and the son and daughter-in-law, Mr. and Mrs. James Lundin, moved into the parental home to care for both father and mother as long as they lived. James Lundin and Cornelia DeRoos were married on June 15, 1927, and they and the brother John have lived on and worked their Grandfather Polson's homestead farm these many years. James' family consists of two sons: John Olaf and Perry James, and four daughters: Cornelia E., Mary J., Kathryn A., Janice M. MRS. ANNIS RADWAY Annis Hyatt was born on November 25, 1839, near Montreal, Canada. She was the daughter of Horace and Azubah Hyatt. There were nine children that grew up in this family (Mrs. J. H. Stephens was her sister). While she was still an infant her parents moved to the United States and later lived near Freeport, Ill. She grew up and was educated there. One of the experiences of her youth that she never forgot was the trip she took with her father in a farm wagon to Freeport to hear the great debate between Lincoln and Douglas in 1858. The details of that day she never forgot, including the privilege of shaking hands with Mr. Lincoln. She was united in marriage to Richard M. Radway, March 10, 1860, and the young people started housekeeping upon a farm near Clinton, Wis. In 1862, Mr. Radway enlisted in the Union Army till the close of the Civil War. In the spring of 1877, they came to Dakota Territory, where they took up a homestead and timber claim, and later purchased a preemption claim adjoining, about eight miles west of Springfield. Their first home here was a two-room log house. This farm and Springfield was Mrs. Radway's home for 51 years. Mr. and Mrs. Radway were the parents of four children: Hettie, Horace, Harry, Effie. S. W. RICHMOND S. W. Richmond was born in La Fayette County, Wisc., October 17, 1859. On December 28, 1879, he was married to Emma Humbert and for a time lived in Iowa and Wisconsin and in February, 1889, they came to Springfield. For two years they lived on the Smith timber claim two miles north of where Kingsburg now is. They then purchased land from Joseph Armstrong and put several new buildings on it after living there for several years they sold the place to A. Halsey, after which they lived in Tyndall for a short time, then moving to Springfield where they spent the rest of their lives. They were the parents of one daughter, Mrs. Frank Dawes. Mr. and Mrs. Richmond both died in 1940. Once the Richmonds rented their farm for two years and moved to Scotland where Mr. Richmond served as a Sunday School missionary in the employ of the American Sunday School Union. MR. AND MRS. ISAAC RISSEEUW Isaac and Maira Risseeuw were born in Holland. They came to America in 1906 and spent the first week in the Wagner Hotel located where Arvilla Gretschmann's house is standing now. They came to America because there were relatives here. Their first farm was the Jess Wherry farm, then to the place occupied by Gerald Tjeerdsma, then to the Harry Dykstra farm near Perkins, other farms near Tyndall and Avon and finally to Todd County, moving back to Perkins in their last years. The children were: Janeka (Mrs. Jennie Hento, deceased); Jacoba (Mrs. Cora Wynia, Springfield); Anna (Mrs. Reimer Logterman, Delavan, Wisc.); Abraham (deceased, lived in Wisconsin); Marie (deceased); Martina (Mrs. Ed Logterman, deceased); William (Riddle, Ore.); Isaac (Lakeview, S. D., deceased); Anthonetta (Mrs. Boldewyn Odens); Leonard (Clinton, Wisc.); Jacob (Wisconsin); Joseph (Mission, S. D.). AUGUST ROBSON August Robson, better known as "Rattlesnake Pete," was born on a farm near Kingsburg where he grew to young manhood. Little is known about his life, but it is said that as a young man he worked as a ==================================page 92=========================== barber in Kingsburg and that he worked for several years as a cow hand. For many years he portrayed himself as a colorful westerner, always attired in cowboy boots and hat, red bandana, etc., and let his hair grow long, doing it up in a knot at the back of his head. He died in 1946. GEORGE RODDAN George Alexander Roddan was born in Liverpool, England, in October, 1872, and came with his parents to America in 1879 and they took up their residence at Portage, Wisc. Here he lived for a number of years, having been apprenticed to a tailor at the age of 13 years. Mr. Roddan learned his trade well and spent practically 50 years in his chosen work. He was married to Alice Annen at Madison, Wisc. They came to Springfield in 1915. In 1921 Mrs. Roddan died and in 1922 George returned to Wisconsin, living at Withee until 1930, when he moved back to Springfield. He died in 1935. During his residence here he operated a restaurant, was employed by Henderson and Turner and ran his own cleaning and tailoring business. He was active in the Presbyterian Church and was a member of the Odd Fellow Lodge. They had two children, Alice, and a son, Glen, who made his home here and ran Glen's Texaco service station here for some time until his death several years ago. MR. AND MRS. W. ROMKEMA William Romkenia and Henrietta Vander Veen were united in marriage in 1907 in the Netherlands. To this union was born Cornelius and Tena in the Netherlands and after coming to this country was born Minnie Huisman, Henry, Ernest, Mabel, George, Jennie DeLeeuw, Peter and Raymond. The Romkemas came to America in 1911 and resided in this area till their deaths. William died in 1956 and Henrietta in 1954. JAMES E. RUSSELL James E. Russell came to Springfield in 1870. He was married to Mary Henderson in 1876 and they became the parents of Minnie, George and Ida. His second marriage was to Marjorie M. Pine here May 24, 1881, and they became the parents of William, Henry and Cora. He later moved to Coeur D'Alene, Ida., and died there in 1911. JOSHUA G. SANBORN Joshua G. Sanborn was born in Andover, N. H., June 26, 1837. At the age of 14 he came west to Peoria, Ill., and lived there for several years, working upon the farm and also upon a steamboat sailing as a freighter on the Mississippi river. A few years later he moved still farther west and settled in Tama County, Ia., and again went back to work on a farm. On April 5, 1864, he was united in marriage to Frances Cady. They farmed in Iowa for over a quarter of a century. Having heard of the rich farming country still farther west, they decided to cast in their lot with those moving to this new country. The result was that in 1891 they bought land near here, and also bought property in Springfield, where they lived for 34 years. They were the parents of Edith and James. ELI STAGGE Eli Stagge died February 26, 1895, of pneumonia. He was one of the pioneer settlers of the area, having been a stage driver when the Concord stage line operated between Yankton and the Black Hills. MR. AND MRS. FRANK SCHOTANUS Frank Schotanus was born in Oosterbierum, the Netherlands, January 8, 1874, one of a family of four children. Mary Van Asperen, daughter of Andrew and Sadie Van Asperen, was born August 10, 1880, at Sexbierum, Friesland, Netherlands. She was one of a family of nine children. On the 18th of May, 1901, she was married to Frank Schotanus. In the spring of 1907, they and their children came to America, settling in the Springfield community. They farmed until 1944 when they moved into Springfield. They are the parents of five children: Jake, Sadie (Mrs. Peter Bierema), Agnes (Mrs. John Tjeerdsma), and twins, Frank and Andrew. MR. AND MRS. ANDREW SHAVER In a log house in Sheboygan county in Wisconsin Andrew Shaver was born on February 16, 1852, to James and Charlotte Shaver. At the age of 17 Andrew started out for himself as a day laborer, railroader or working in lumber camps. On January 1, 1876, he was married to Miss Sjoukji (Sophie) Bounia. In the spring, as soon as it was possible to travel, the young couple migrated to Dakota Territory. They came in a covered wagon drawn by a span of ponies, and the journey lasted 29 days. Mr. Shaver filed a claim upon what is now known as the Donnelly place, north of Running Water, and he built a sod house upon that place. Grasshoppers, homesickness and fear of the wild and so sparsely settled country was too great for the spirit of the 18 year old bride. Selling their possessions and buying a team of horses, they departed by covered wagon to Milwaukee. The depression following the panic of 1877 made their living difficult and they moved to Charles City, Ia., until 1884 when they returned again to this area. Mr. Shaver found a home for himself, wife and two little boys in a log cabin on the Wynia farm on Coffee Creek. After a little he purchased the quarter section right south of Rein Taolsma and moved the log house over to it, and later built a comfortable frame house. The two lads, Harrison, 8, and Charles, 4, fell victims during that first winter to the dread scourge of black diphtheria which brought death into so many homes In this county In that winter of 1884-85. Then a little later a third son came to the home, but lived only a year. Two daughters were added to the family and in 1905 the desire to give these girls the best educational advantages possible led to the sale of the farm and the purchase of the farm just west of the city limits of Springfield. This was their home until 1906 when they rented their home and moved into town. On January 1, 1936, they celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary. In July, 1937, Mrs. Shaver ==================================page 93=========================== died and in March of 1939 Mr. Shaver passed away. The daughters were Esther Shaver and Agnes, Mrs. Nick Jelsma. ENOCH SHROLL Enoch Shroll was the son of Abram and Hannah Shroll. They came as pioneers into Dakota Territory in 1868 from Iowa. Enoch was one of 12 children. Enoch was 18 years old when his parents filed upon land a few miles northeast of where Springfield is now. This was two years before the town came into existence. May 6, 1878, Enoch married Miss Martha Horton. They had three boys and three girls. After his first wife's death he married Miss Barbara Rehuska. They lived in Springfield for 42 years. Mr. Shroll was an old time fiddler and was a familiar figure at the country dances. The sons were Ellis, Will and Edward. The daughters were Mrs. Maud Philips, Mrs. Philips and Mrs. Geo. McDaniels. MR. AND MRS. 0. C. SLASOR 0. C. and Mary Slasor came to Springfield in 1899. Mr. Slasor was born in 1867 at Sauk Center, Wisc. He moved to Lime Springs, Ia., at an early age and in 1883 moved to Knox county, Nebr., where he settled on a homestead. In the summer of 1890 he worked as a brakeman for the Milwaukee railroad on a run from Sanborn, Ia., to Chamberlain. He also served as a mail carrier for several years between Dorsey and Niobrara, Nebr. OTTO B. SLASOR 0. B. Slasor was born in Wisconsin August 1, 1863, and came to Springfield in 1887. At first he clerked for Turner and Bonesteel but in 1909 he started his own store on the north side of Main Street. It was called the Enterprise Store. He later sold his business to Mrs. Anna Schneller but bought it back in 1917. In the meantime he opened a DeLaval cream separator sales room and also accepted the northeastern Nebraska territory as a traveling salesman for the DeLaval Cream Separator Co. From 1917 until 1926 he again operated a general merchandise store, the Cash Store, which he sold to J. L. Bordewyk in 1926 and moved to Los Angeles, Calif., where he died in 1944. His wife preceded him in death in 1940. JOHN A. SLATER John A. Slater and Ellen Jane Bussey were married on August 28, 1885, in Wisconsin. To this union was born William, Mrs. W. P. Smith and Rolly. Soon after their marriage they came with a small group from Wisconsin and settled in the vicinity Of Bon Homme. That year the Bon Homme Church was being built and John was one of the builders and Ellen with the other devoted women did what they could to help, even carrying stones in their aprons to help build the church. Their early married life was spent on a farm north of the A. J. Abbott home and later moved onto a homestead. Mr. Slater died in 1930 and his wife died in 1945. WILLIAM SLATER William Slater and three children came to Dakota Territory in 1867, with the families of Charles and Frank Harrison, the journey being made in three covered wagons and lasting two months. The three families reached Yankton on July 4, 1867, and came on to Bon Homme the following day, where they found a settlement of three or four families. Here the Slater family homesteaded and son, John, grew up and learned the carpentry trade and later was in the dairy business. He married Anna Ratzler in 1885, and they became the parents of three children. After Anna's death in 1908, he married Emma Weigel In 1916. who died in 1934. John died in 1941. JAMES SLATTERY James Slattery was born in 1866 at Clonmell, Ireland. At the age of 18 years he migrated to the United States and settled in Jacksonville, Ill. On April 18, 1899, be was united in marriage to Mary Ormand. They lived in Illinois and Nebraska and later came to South Dakota. Mr. Slattery worked at the Hope Indian School and later was employed as janitor at the public school, which position he held for 15 years. Eight children were born to the Slatterys, William, Tom, John, James, Jr., Helen, Margaret, Mary and Veronica. MR. AND MRS. JAMES SMITH James Harvey Smith was born near Bedford, Ind., February 23, 1844. He grew up there and learned his trade of carpenter. On the tenth of May, 1864, he enlisted in the Union Army in Co. E., 136th Indiana Infantry. After his discharge, he returned to his home and on January 22, 1865, was united in marriage to Elizabeth Anderson. Shortly after their marriage they moved to Iowa, where they resided for a number of years and then in 1892 they moved to Springfield. They were the parents of eight children: Mollie, Cora, Schuyler, Charles A., John, Claude, Marnie and Elizabeth. Mr. Smith was a member of the General Steadman Post No. 38, G. A. R. CHARLES A. SMITH Charles Smith, long time prominent farmer and stockman of the Springfield community, was born December 31, 1878, on a farm near Ocheydan, Ia. His parents were William R. and Anna Bell Crooks Smith. In December, 1892, the mother, two daughters, Minnie and Delight, and Charles, age 13, came by team and wagon to South Dakota. The father followed by train with other possessions. The group with the wagon ate picnic dinner in a grove of trees five miles west of Yankton, then proceeded on to the William Abbott farm south of Tyndall to spend their first night and then the next day on to Springfield to spend the second night at the Sanborn place. During the winter they resided in a house that stood in the field south of what is now the James Tucker home and remained here the next spring while building their house on the farm near ==================================page 94=========================== the Pleasant Ridge school house. After coming to Dakota two more daughters were born to this family, Fern and Thula. Charles Smith received his education in the Pleasant Ridge rural school and also the Springfield State Normal, being a member of the first class held at the Normal school. Charles Smith and Aleta Rehder of Palo, Ia., were married on March 11, 1914, and built their new home that spring near the Pleasant Ridge school. They reared a family of four, three daughters, Elsie, deceased; Mabel, Mrs. Charles Povondra, Spearfish; and Arlene, Mrs. Jack Sunderlin, Downey, California; and one son, Ray, at home. MR. AND MRS. IRA J. SMITH Ira J. Smith was born April 25, 1846, to Mr. and Mrs. Soloman C. Smith in Steuben County, N. Y. He grew up there and received a common school education, remaining at home with his parents till he was 23 years old. In the early spring of 1870, he left home and started west, arriving in Yankton March 27. After a few days spent there, he came on westward to Springfield, which had just been laid out, and where he arrived with a capital of just 600. He took up a quarter section of land about four miles northwest of the town site. For four years he served as Clerk in the United States land office, but then returned to his farm. To this farm he gradually added others and later he erected a home in Springfield, into which he moved in 1902. This house later was sold to the Emmanuel Reformed Church and used as a parsonage and the Church was built west of it The house was torn down in 1969 and the minister and his family moved into a new home just east of it. In 1873, he was united in marriage to Hattie Bell of Beloit. Five children were born to this union, Ward, Maude, W. Berton, Mabel and Rena. Mr. Smith was one of the ones who interested themselves in getting Dr. Joseph Ward to come to Springfield for that first religious service in the new community. He was a charter member Of the Congregational church which organized in 1871. His death in 1921 was shocking to the community. He was stricken in an effort to beautify a tree at the Congregational church when a group gathered there to put in a cement floor and cleanup the grounds. Mrs. Smith came here in 1872. She was a lover of flowers and her place was noted for beautiful shrubbery and flowers. She brought with her when she came from Wisconsin, the first lilac and snowball shrubs ever in this region. The majestic cedars that were before the Smith home were the first cedars planted here. Mr. Smith brought six of them up from the Emmanuel Creek bluff on a wheel barrow at the time he built his first little cottage. WILLIAM ROBINSON SMITH William Robinson Smith was born in Indiana on February 7, 1852. When he was but a small lad his parents moved to eastern Iowa, settling in Fayette county, and here he grew to manhood. Then, starting out for himself he moved to the northwestern part of the state. He homesteaded in Osceola county. For a brief season he lived near Cherokee, and while there he became acquainted with Miss Annie Belle Crooks, to whom he was married March 27, 1875. For over 17 years the couple lived upon the homestead, and then they moved to South Dakota, where Mr. Smith purchased the farm near Springfield onto which the family moved December 5, 1892. Here he built a comfortable home, erected a full complement of farm buildings and beautified the place with trees and orchard. Mr. and Mrs. Smith were the parents of five children. They are: Minnie, Charles, Delight, Ferne and Thula J. SEAGER F. SMITH Seager F. Smith was born in Madison county, N. Y., April 8, 1835, and died August 7, 1907. During his boyhood he moved with his parents to Wisconsin. He served the full term of three years of his enlistment. Returning home he was married July 12, 1865, to Carrie E. Wright. To them were born five children: Mrs. Richard Waters, Mrs. G. H. Tonner, Mrs. H. A. Bridgeman, Seager F. Smith and Mrs. R. S. Jones. In 1884 he came with his family to Springfield. MR. AND MRS. CHARLES SNOW Charles D. Snow and Mary A. Henry were married November 4, 1859, at Racine, Wisc. The following year they moved to Beloit and lived there until in 1887, when they came to Dakota and settled on a farm six miles west of Springfield, later they moved to the family residence at Perkins. They were the parents of Mrs. Peter Barth, Mrs. John R. Muller and W. H. Snow. GEORGE W. SNOW George W. Snow was born in New Harmony, Ind., on December 13, 1842, a son of Agustus Frank and Catherine M. Snow. At the age of six he came with his parents to Montfort, Grant county, Wisc., where he grew to manhood and acquired his education in the common school of Montfort, also the Patch Grove Academy and Worthington Commercial College in Madison, Wisc. Mr. Snow enlisted in Co. F. 20th Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry in August, 1862, and after a few weeks of encampment at St. Louis served in active duty until he was mustered out with his regiment at Galveston, Tex., on July 14, 1865, and then returned home to Wisconsin. In 1869 Mr. Snow came to Dakota Territory and at that time all there was of Springfield was one family living In a dugout. At this time he only stayed long enough to file on a preemption claim about 1 1/2 miles north of Springfield and it is on this claim, which later became the Springfield cemetery, that he and his family are buried. On that trip he came from the end of the railroad on horseback, paying four dollars a day for the pony. In the spring of 1870, together with five companions, he drove by wagon from Dodgeville, Wisc., and after a trip of 17 days, reached Springfield late in May, when there were not any buildings on the townsite. He purchased an interest in a saw mill operating on the river bottomland and also proved up on his preemption claim and filed on a timber claim west of Tyndall, which he soon sold for $100. He then filed on a homestead claim near the present site of ==================================page 95=========================== the railroad station and proved up on this. He later built a fine residence there which was later destroyed by fire. When gold was discovered in the Black Hills, Mr. Snow and several companions tried gold mining for a time, but due to the fact that the Indians were becoming hostile and had killed several men, the party left the Hills In October and returned to Springfield and their homes. Upon his return to Springfield Mr. Snow clerked for a time in the store of M. H. Day. Later he was nominated and elected as treasurer of Bon Homme county and served for two years. He then entered into partnership with his uncle, Reuben Groot, and they opened a bank in Springfield in 1883, the first bank in the county. At the end of 20 years the partners sold out their business and Mr. Snow gave his attention to real estate and insurance. Mr. Snow was a member of the Constitutional Convention in 1885, of the state legislature for two terms, also Lieutenant Governor for four years and did much to secure the location of the State Normal school In Springfield. He became an Odd Fellow in Dodgeville, Wisc., in 1867 and was a charter member of the Springfield lodge; a charter member of the Order of Rebekah; a member of Mt. Zion Masonic lodge, also the Consistory and Mystic Shrine; a charter member of the Eastern Star and one of the founders of General Steadman Post 38 of the Grand Army of the Republic. Mr. Snow was married to Miss Sylvia Tyler of Yankton on April 19, 1874, by Rev. Joseph Ward. Mrs. Snow died in May, 1878, leaving a baby, Harry, who died in August, the same year. In February, 1882, Mr. Snow married Mrs. Alberta Mead Davison and to this union were born two sons, George and Frank M. Alberta was born in Glenville, N. Y., July 16, 1842, and died April 28, 1912. In 1854 she went with her parents to Niles, Mich., where she was married to Henry C. Davison in 1865. They came to Bon Homme County in 1869, locating at Bon Homme. They became the parents of John and Henry. In 1874, they moved to Springfield where Henry died in 1880. OSCAR EARL SNOWDEN Oscar Earl Snowden was the oldest of seven sons born to a pioneer couple, the Peter Snowdens, of Plymouth county, Ia. He came to Bon Homme county in 1891 and farmed south of Tyndall. He married Catharine Eymer on June 17, 1896. He came to Springfield in 1911 and followed the vocation of carpenter and contractor. He was clerk of the fire department, city auditor, policeman, member of Mt. Zion Lodge and member of the board of trustees of the Congregational church. He died In December, 1938. MR. AND MRS. FLOYD SPOHN Floyd Spohn, son of Mr. and Mrs. Emmett Spohn, was born in Tyndall, November 5, 1898. He began his education In Daisy Valley rural school and as a boy about seven years moved with his parents to Iowa where he attended school at Indianola and later In Sioux City. Floyd returned to Bon Homme County in 1915 and was employed as a farm hand for several years. On February 26, 1920, he was married in Tyndall to Maud DeRoos and in July of the same year they established their home on the homestead of Rudolph DeRoos, 11 miles west of Springfield where they resided until retirement. He then purchased the house and nine acres of the original homestead of his grandfather, Oliver Me Neil, six miles south of Tyndall. He restored and remodeled the old home and after moving there proceeded to enjoy his hobby of collecting and restoring antiques, of which he has an interesting display in the yard of his home. Maude DeRoos, one of five children of Mr. and Mrs. Rudolph DeRoos, was born August 29, 1899, on the farm of her parents where she grew up and attended the Dahlenburg school and spent all of her life until they retired and moved south of Tyndall. Mr. and Mrs. Spohn are the parents of two daughters, Lenore, Mrs. Arnold Hansen, and Rosanna, Mrs. Merle Johnson, both in California. HOHAN SORUM Hohan Sorum was born September 1, 1876 in Wabesha County, Minn., and came to Springfield with his parents in 1882 and resided here for 15 years. He moved to Charles Mix County in 1897 and died December 25, 1938. Burial was in Bethlehem Cemetery here. [photo - GEORGE AND CHRISTINA SPURRELL are pictured in 1890 with their children, left to right, Marvin, Cora, and Ida. Another son, Elmer, was born later.] MR. AND MRS. G. SPURRELL BY IDA SPURRELL BEECHER It was on the evening train August 31, 1893, that George and Christina Spurrell and their three children ==================================page 96=========================== namely, Marvin, 11, Cora, 7, and Ida, 4, arrived at the Springfield depot. Jimmy Gaynor met us at the station and took us to a hotel up town where we stayed till our house on the farm was ready for us. We came from Luverne, Minn., where we had lived for about a year and a half. Previous to that our parents had lived for 10 years on a farm near Remsen, Ia., where four of us children had been born. Melvin, the first born, died at the age of 16 months. At this writing, the author is the only living member of the family. Father had been born in Iowa in 1855, the year after his parents had arrived from England. He was brought up on a farm about 18 miles from the Mississippi River near the small town of Charlotte, Ia. He met my mother, who had come from Denmark the year before, at Wall Lake, Ia. They were married on April 8, 1882, and started out at once for Plymouth County, Ia., where Father had bought 160 acres of land. Father was impressed with the country on a visit here and he bought 240 acres of land. He came ahead of us and hired 0. F. Truesdell, a good carpenter, to help him fix a home and set of farm buildings. We started to town school in the large brick building built in 1879, which stood where the Digerness Trailer Court now stands. Marvin and Cora attended this school for three years, but I only went for my first year. We then all went to Niles School, Dist. No. 39. We drove a pony the two and one half miles. This pony had quite a background as he was one of a team used previously to bring the mail by stage from Yankton before the train brought it up. Another son, Elmer James, was born in 1895. Cora, after going to the Normal and teaching for two years, became Mrs. Clyde Guptill and lived on a farm in the community. They were the parents of one daughter, Eva. I graduated in 1911 and taught in the city schools of Scotland, Springfield and Dell Rapids before my marriage to Roy Beecher of Scotland. Elmer was called into World War I. He died while in the service of the U.S.A. at Camp Lee, Va., on October 8, 1918, a victim of influenza and pneumonia. Eva Guptill got her B.S. degree and piano diploma at Southern and taught in the high schools of the state. Our daughter, Myrtle Beecher McCann, and her husband, Marlo McCann, also graduated there as did our other daughter, Phyllis Beecher Turner. Each have taught in schools of South Dakota. As the years went on our grandchildren attended SSC. Joseph E. McCann and his wife Nila received B.S. degrees, Mrs. James McCann was a student, and Stanley Turner is attending now. Our parents celebrated their Golden Wedding quietly on April 8, 1932, in their home. Three years later at the age of 80 years and 8 months, Father died. Mother lived until 1950, and died at the age of 88 years and 7 months. Marvin had never married so spent his entire life at home here with his parents until his death in 1954. This has been the home of some members of the George Spurrell family for 77 years. Their descendants now number three grandchildren, nine great grandchildren and four great great grandchildren. All but one of these descendants are living in South Dakota at the time of this writing. Richard Turner, our son-in-law, and son, Stanley, now farm the land, mechanizing the procedure, using fertilizer on the land, and trying to find better ways of doing things. Roy keeps the buildings in repair and we have other interests to occupy our time here through our retirement years while noting the advancements and changes in family and community. THOMAS STANLEY Thomas Stanley was born in Indiana, June 7, 1846. When he was 16, he enlisted in the 20th Battery Indiana Artillery and remained until the battery was mustered out at Indianapolis in 1865. At the close of the war he went to Wisconsin and on July 4. 1868, he was married to Sarah Stowe. To this union were born three children, Foster, Rose and Lizzie. In 1870 Mr. and Mrs. Stanley moved to Iowa and ten years later came to the little town of Meadville which had been established where the Springfield railroad depot was located. Here they remained until 1883, when they moved to Springfield where Mr. Stanley built a home. He was a charter member of the General Steadman Post No. 38. G. A. R. He died in 1917. MRS. G. W. STARK Mrs. G. W. Stark died December 11, 1899. She was born in Knox County, Ill., in 1843. She married George Stark in 1865 and resided in Springfield for several years. GEORGE S. STARK George S. Stark was born in Indiana on June 19, 1841. At the time of the Civil War, he entered the service of his country, serving for three years and ten months in the Infantry in an Iowa regiment. On November 18, 1865, he was married to Martha C. Armstrong, at Galena, Ill., and they moved to Webster County, Ia. After some years there he moved with his family to Lincoln County, S. D., where they homesteaded and took a pre-emption claim. In 1880, he moved to Bon Homme County to a farm five miles northwest of Springfield. They were the parents of Sherman, Anna, Ancil, George, Oscar and Mrs. J. S. McKenna. Mrs. Stark died in 1899 and George died in 1931. HARRY L. STEPHENS Harry L. Stephens was born in Springfield November 17, 1876, the son of James H. and Emily (Pace) Stephens. Following his college days he enlisted in April of 1898 in Roosevelt's Rough Riders. He took up farming near Springfield after his, discharge from the service. On December 29, 1909, he married Miss Mary Beadle of Lyman, N. Y., and five children were born. From his youth he had been a member of the Ascension Protestant Episcopal church, Springfield, and a warden of the church. He also served as a member of the city school board and for almost 20 years a member of Mt. Zion Lodge No. 6. EVERETT STEPHENS Everett G. Stephens, one of five children of Mr. and Mrs. J. H. Stephens, early day pioneers of Dakota Territory, was born in Springfield June 13, 1879, and, with the exception of the time spent on a homestead near Philip, he spent his lifetime in Bon Homme County, mostly in and around Springfield. He attended ==================================page 97=========================== the city public school and also the State Normal School. While homesteading in Stanley county in 1907, Everett Stephans; married Sadie Campbell of Springfield, who was also a homesteader there. Following their homestead days, Mr. and Mrs. Stephens returned to Bon Homme County and resided on several ranch homes in the western part of the county in the vicinity of Running Water, Loretta, Avon and Springfield. Their family of three children are Kathleen, born in Springfield, and Harry and Helen, born near Avon. [photo - JAMES H. STEPHENS] JAMES H. STEPHENS James H. Stephens came to Dakota Territory in the spring of 1872 and at once found employment in a harness shop in Yankton. He made a visit to the little village of Springfield that had recently came into existence and saw there attractive business possibilities and in December he brought with him from Yankton a stock of harness and furniture and opened the first store of that description in Bon Homme County. He continued in this business for about a quarter of a century, engaging at the same time in other activities, among them the buying of horses and cattle in partnership with George Mead. He also made purchases of land and in the late nineties he disposed of his business and moved to the ranch which he bought on Emmanuel creek where he lived for about 15 years. They then moved to town and purchased the Samuel Henderson residence where they lived until 1927 when his wife died. He then moved to the Grand View hotel. In the fall of 1878 he was elected as a member of the House in the Thirteenth Territorial legislature. In 1894 he was elected to the state senate, re-elected two years later. Then in 1904 he was elected once more to the senate. During these terms he had important parts in the movement that resulted in the establishment of the Southern Normal School in Springfield, also in behalf of the state school and home for the feeble minded at Redfield. After an interval of 12 years he once more donned the harness and served his community and the state for two more terms, being again elected to the senate in 1916 and 1918. At the close of the last session his fellow senators presented him with a diamond pin in recognition of his having given the longest service in the senate of any legislator in the state's history. Mr. Stephens was twice married. His first wife was Emily Place, a teacher in the historic Yankton Academy, the earliest institution above the common grade school to be established in the Dakotas. They were married in August, 1874. She died In Springfield January 2 9, 1880, leaving two small children. He was married on September 26, 1881, to Henritta, Hyatt. Three children, were born to this union. She died in May, 1927. Senator Stephens died at Northville, Mich., where he was spending the winter with his youngest daughter, Dr. Rachel Stephens. He was born at Scales Mound in Joe Daviess, County, Illinois, September 16, 1850. When he was ten years of age his parents moved across the state line to LaFayette County, Wisc., where he grew to manhood. His school days ended when he was 15, and he entered a harness shop to begin learning the harness trade and he completed his training in this occupation in Chicago where he went in 1870. MR. AND MRS. E. STEPHENSON Earl Stephenson was born and raised in Monona County, near Whiting, Ia., January 28, 1833. His mother died when he was very young and his father and he homesteaded in western South Dakota. He became a barber apprentice and then established his own barber shop in Niobrara, Nebr. On January 8, 1910, he married Dora Hutchinson Osborn in Springfield and they moved to Lynch, Nebr., where he owned and operated a barber shop. In 1917 they moved back to Springfield where he operated his barber shop until his death August 30, 1951. He was interested in politics and was a member of the city council for a number of years. He was vitally interested in the youth of Springfield and they liked to "hang out" in the barber shop. Dora Hutchinson Osborn Stephenson was in the millinery business for many years. On March 27, 1919, Dora B. Stephenson & Co. bought the stock of ladies furnishings and millinery of Mrs. Nettie B. Truesdell and named the business establishment "The Elite". Besides making dresses, blouses, skirts and other "apparel for ladies" they specialized in hats. One hat made used a complete tanned pheasant- skin and was the talk of the town. To this marriage one daughter was born during the time they lived in Lynch. Her name was Elizabeth Mallory Stephenson and she married John William Gaynor. When her grandmother, Julia Ette Hutchinson, went to Lynch to assist at her birth, she traveled to Running Water by horse carriage, walked across the river on the ice and took the train from Niobrara to Lynch. ORVILLE STEWART Orville Stewart, prominent farmer of Bon Homme County, was born in McDonough county, Ill., on August 9, 1876, a son of Samuel and Elizabeth McKenzie Stewart, natives of Indiana and Illinois, respectively. Orville remained in Illinois until a young man of 23 years. He came west to Guthrie county, Ia., in 1899, ==================================page 98=========================== where he was employed at farm labor for a year and then farmed on rented land. In 1903 he came to Bon Homme County, where he resided first on the McNeill farm, six miles south of Tyndall, and later operated other farms in the community until the spring of 1912, when he purchased the present farm home in Jefferson precinct. In Guthrie county, Ia., on October 23, 1901, Orville married Miss Sylvia South, a daughter of Wellington and Linda McNeill South, natives of New York and Ohio respectively. In 1882, Wellington South came to Dakota Territory and established a home on a farm two miles east of Springfield and later retired and came into Springfield for two years and then returned to Guthrie county, Ia. MR. AND MRS. ALVIN L. STEWART Alvin L. Stewart and Mary B. Mikkleson were married at Butte, Nebr., in 1900, and later took up residence in South Dakota. They were the parents of one son Ralph. Alvin died in 1954 and Mary died in 1961. HARRY S. STIEN Harry S. Stien was born at Denmark, Ia., February 27, 1872, where he grew up and at the age of 17 started teaching in the rural schools, later furthering his education in that state and teaching. In 1906, he came to Geddes and went to Armour in 1911. In the fall of 1912, he came to the Southern Normal School to the position he occupied for 30 years teaching natural sciences. When he came to Springfield he brought his bride, Pearl Hayen, also of Denmark, who he married on August 16, 1912, and they became the parents of one son, Homer. Pearl died in the year 1936 and Harry died in 1942. CLARK EMMONS STODDARD Clark Emmons Stoddard was born atDelhi, Delaware County, N. Y., January 29, 1858. His parents moved to Hancock, N. Y., when he was a child and here he grew to manhood. On November 12, 1884, he was married to Ella M. Lincoln. To this union one daughter was born. With his wife and daughter they arrived in Springfield in 1887, and lived here until in 1911. During most of his residence here he was a pharmacist in the employ of J. L. Turner. When Mr. Turner sold his drug store, Clark filled various clerical positions until his election in the fall of 1910 to the office of county auditor and later register of deeds. MR. AND MRS. OLAF SWENSON Olaf Swenson was born in a village in the Province of Haridallen, Sweden, February 5, 1842. He came to America in 1869, landing in Quebec. Thence he came into Minnesota, where he stayed until 1873. He then came into Dakota Territory and took up a homestead a mile south of Perkins where he made his home for 50 years with the exception of seven years when he made his home in Hills, Minn. In 1873, he was married to Christina Olson, a native of Sweden. Four children were born to this union, Samuel, Ida, Peter and Jonas. MR. AND MRS. GEORGE TAFF George Henry Taff was born in Plymouth, Sheboygan county, Wisc., on March 1, 1857. He Was the son of Charles Augustus and Bridget Taff. At the age of seven years he was bound out as was an early custom and practically made his own way from that time on. He came to Bon Homme county in Dakota Territory in 1876 with a younger brother, Charles, who returned to Wisconsin. He filed on a claim about 3 1/2 miles northeast of Springfield. He was married May 6, 1878, to Ellen I. Allen, nee Shroll. Shortly afterwards they sold their claim and went to Kansas for a few years but later returned to Springfield where he followed his trade of mason and plasterer, and where they spent the remainder of their lives. To this union were born eight children: Cora, Charles, Lulu, Myrtle, Emma and George. One son and daughter died previous to their parents death. Mrs. Taff was born in Floyd county, Ia., March 18, 1857, the youngest daughter of 12 children born to Abraham and Hannah Shroll. In 1869, when she was 12 years old, her parents and the entire family moved to Dakota Territory, and her brothers became pioneers In filing upon land in Bon Homme county, settling upon land north and east of Springfield. MR. AND MRS. REIN TALSMA Rein and Grace (Ferwerda) Talsma, natives of the Netherlands, came first to Iowa, where they were homesteaders for awhile. From there they came to Bon Homme County in 1875, with one little daughter, and homesteaded about ten miles southwest of Springfield and made their home in a dugout. Their son, John, was born here in December, 1875. The dugout soon gave way to a crude unplastered frame house, which was speedily followed by a log house. Later the father built a comfortable home upon his timber claim on the quarter section east of his homestead. Other children born to this union were Rena Street, Bertha Hornstra, Kate Hutchinson, Fred, Margaret Benish and Clarence. Their son, John, was married to Anna DeBoer on March 7, 1902. They became the parents of Martha, Ray, Merritt, Clifford and Mayner. Two other children died in infancy. John was one of the organizers of the Springfield State Bank in 1924 and was a director of the bank and was the president for ten years. He died in 1942. FRANK TEETERS Frank Teeters was born in Ohio in 1856 and came to the Dakotas in 1873, settling near Yankton. He took up stagecoach driving soon after that, driving the first coach from Chapell Creek to Pierre. He later drove stage from Yankton to Fort Randall, later buying the stage line with two coaches and 14 horses. For several years he ran the line to Fort Randall, the route followed being the road through Bon Homme, Springfield, Shagle Ranch Crossing on Choteau Creek, Greenwood and on to White Swan where the crossing was made to Randall on the site of the present Fort Randall dam. In those days there was little trouble with the Indians in the area, though further west in the state there was considerable trouble over the possession of the Black Hills. Mr. Teeters got $20.00 per month for stage coach ==================================page 99=========================== driving. He drove stage in 1878 from Yankton to Nebraska for the N. W. March line. After several years in the stage business, he settled on a farm west of Springfield. In 1886 he married Bessie Wynia. Mrs. Teeters was born at Womels, Holland, and in 1869, when a young girl, came with her parents to Pella, Ia. Later they came to Springfield where her parents took a homestead 10 miles west on Coffee Creek. To this union seven children were born, Margaret, Uriah (who died in 1920), Bertha (who died in 1955), Walter, Frank, Mark and Emma. They farmed west of Springfield until 1918, when they moved to Springfield. MR. AND MRS. W. TENDOLLE William and Ida Tendolle came here in December, 1907. Their family consisted of four daughters, Mrs. J. N. DeRoos, Mrs. Pier DeRoos, Mrs. Peter Hubregtse, Mrs. Oscar DeRoos and three sons, Alvin, Henry and John. MR. AND MRS. JOHN THOMAS John Thomas and his wife, Mary Thomas, came to Mineral Point, Wisc., from the County of Cornwall, England, In 1847. With them came their small son, John C. Thomas, and two small daughters. John Thomas, Sr., died during an epidemic of cholera in Mineral Point In 1850, leaving a wife and three children, John C., Susan and Mary. Another son, William C. Thomas, was born a month after his father's death. John C. Thomas came to Bon Homme County in 1868, and worked at various jobs until 1870, when he built a crude ferry boat to operate between Springfield and Santee, Nebr. William C. Thomas worked in the lead mines around Mineral Point as a boy and later tried farming around Mineral Point where the land was too light and rolling for good farming. In the early 1870's William C. Thomas with his wife, Mary Ann Noble Thomas, and a two-year old daughter, Bessie, came to Springfield. William filed on a claim in Section 20 west of Springfield and built a dug-out house and a dug-out barn on the side of hills about three-fourths mile west of Emanuel Creek. The excavations for these dugouts are still plainly visible from the present road past John Nagel's large pasture. William Thomas was not satisfied with the land of his claim as it was too rough for farming so in 1879 he purchased a relinquishment on another claim, the NW 1/4 of Section 19. He built a house on his new holdings in 1879. Part of this home is still in daily use. Another daughter, Florence, was born in 1881 and died of scarlet fever at nine years of age. Mrs. Thomas died in 1884 and William remarried in 1887 to Georgana Chenhall. Georgana Chenhall came from Mineral Point, Wisc., to near Ireton, Ia., with her parents by wagon. When a young woman she came to Bon Homme County by wagon with her brother Charlie Chenhall, to keep house for him on his farm near which later was Kingsburg, South Dakota. Georgana taught the Armstrong school for one year. Georgana Chenhall met her future husband, William Thomas, while attending the early Methodist Church in Springfield. To this union was born four sons, Charlie, Richard, Sampson and William and two daughters, Grace, Mrs. Kirk Dewey, and Jane, Mrs. Roy Gingerich. William and Jane were the youngest and twins. William Thomas, Sr., died in 1925, his wife Georgana in 1937, Bessie Thomas in 1924 and Sampson in 1964. A grandson of William Thomas, Sr., now lives on the farm of his grandfather - - which has been owned and operated by the Thomas family since early 1879. There are three small great grandsons living on the farm--so the record may continue for some time yet. WILLIAM C. THOMAS "Grandfather" William C. Thomas, Sr., was born at Mineral Point, Wisc., in 1850. He moved to Springfield in the spring of 1877 with his wife and daughter, Bessie. He lived in a "dug out" house in the side of a small ravine four miles west of Springfield. This is the John Nagel, Sr., pasture now. The land was too hilly to farm so he moved to Springfield and drove freight wagon from Yankton to Ft. Randall for the army. One summer he helped his brother, "Capt. Jack" Thomas, run the ferryboat to the Santee Agency across the river in Nebraska. In 1879 he bought homestead rights on the N 1/2 of Sec. 19. This was his home until his death In 1925. His wife, Mary Ann, died in 1884. In 1887 he married Georgianna. Chenhall. Six children were born to this marriage. They are: Charles C. and Richard of Springfield, Sampson, who died in 1964; Grace, Mrs. Kirk Dewey of Billings, Mont.; William C., Springfield; and Jane, Mrs. Raymond Gingerich, Manson, Ia. Bessie Thomas operated a photo studio in Springfield at one time. She died in the early 1920s. Charles C. and Richard are single and farm near Perkins as "Thomas Brothers". They farmed the "home place" until after their parents' deaths. In 1941 they moved to their present farm southeast of Perkins. Sampson C. Thomas married Ladle Eleanor Boyd of Lucas in 1913. Their five children are: David, killed in a truck accident in 1962; Clark, Eleanor (Mrs. Merle Toyne), and Neil of Springfield, and Alicia of Chandler, Ariz. William Jr., married Frances Adams of Dustin, Nebr. Their children are: George, Milwaukee, Wisc.; Phyllis (Mrs. Glen Boese); and Charles W. of Springfield. Charles lives on the homestead with his young family. MR. AND MRS. BREDE THOMPSON Brede Thompson and Alva Arneson were married August 22, 1885. To this union were born Ann, Stella, Theodore, Haldor, Berendt, Albert, Edward, Thomas, Oscar, Alma Dreyer and Lottie Wherry. Mrs. Thompson was born February 6, 1870, and came to America with her parents as young girl and grew up in this area. She died in 1950. After his wife's death, Brede made his home here with his son, Haldor. MRS. JOHN THOMPSON Mrs. John Thompson, whose maiden name was: Emma Daisy Gertrude Slater, was the first child born in Bon Homme, and she had lived her whole life in that community. She was born March 6, 1868. On November 13, 1887, she was married to John Thompson, and to this union were born two sons, William and Dewey. ==================================page 100========================== [photo - MEMBERS OF THE OSCAR TJEERDSMA FAMILY, pictured here, are, left to right, back row, John, Jess. Gerrit, Peter and George; front row, Oscar, Sr., Clarence, Oscar, Jr., and Mrs. Tjeerdsma (Susie).] OSCAR TJEERDSMA Oscar Tjeerdsma was born in the Netherlands on September 7, 1878, and came to America when 15 years of age, living first with his parents at Armour. In 1901 he came to Springfield and was employed in the vicinity for a while before returning to his native land where in 1903 he was married to Susie DeVries. Oscar brought his bride to Springfield and established their home on a farm in the Springfield community. They became the parents of eight sons. One died in infancy. Mrs. Tjeerdsma died in November, 1948. Later in December, 1950, Oscar was married to Mrs. Pauline Travaillie. They spent the following winter In California and then returned to Corsica where they resided for nine years before returning to Springfield where Oscar died in 1959. Five of the Tjeerdsmas' sons still make their homes here. They are Pete, Gerrit, Jess, Clarence and Oscar, Jr. John lives at Avon and George at Delavan, Wisc. WILLIAM TOLSMA William Tolsma was born at Platte in 1893, a son of Johannes and Dora Van Dyke Tolsma who were born in the Netherlands in 1846 and 1851 respectively. They were married in their native land in 1876 and in 1890, with their son, Uiltje, migrated to America coming first to Platte. The family moved to the Springfield area in December, 1900, and established their home on a farm west of Springfield and farmed several years until the father met death in a fall from a tree while picking fruit. The mother and son William and Uiltje continued to farm. In 1918, Uiltie died. In 1920, William married Mary Mesman and they made their home in a small house moved onto the mother's yard and they continued to operate the farm. In 1945 the mother died. Mr. and Mrs. William Tolsma and their three sons, John, James and Elmer, continued to operate the home place until in 1954 in semi-retirement, the parents moved to Springfield to reside in his mother's small house which had been moved in from the farm and enlarged and remodeled. [photo - MR. AND MRS. JOHANNES TOLSMA AND SON WM.] ==================================page 101========================== MR. AND MRS. C. TROWBRIDGE Charles Trowbridge and Mary E. Holman were married in December, 1884, in Iowa and lived there until 1900 when they came to Springfield. They purchased the Benesh farm six miles northeast of Springfield, which later they sold and bought the Albert Tucker farm. In 1913 they moved into Springfield. They were the parents of Harold and Floy Haar. Charles died in 1928 and Mary died in 1938. A grandson, Valworth, lived with his grandmother until 1932. MR. AND MRS. L. TROWBRIDGE LeRoy Trowbridge was married to Alta Belle Melick on January 15, 1913. Mrs. Trowbridge was born to Mr. and Mrs. Charles Melick on March 31, 1888, at her parents' farm. She attended the public school and Normal, graduating in 1907 and taught school for five years. ORREN F. TRUESDELL Orren F. Truesdell was born at McGregor, Ia., February 14, 1864. When a small child his parents moved to Belle Plaine and here Orren grew up and learned the trade of carpenter. In the spring of 1886, he came to Springfield and worked as a carpenter while he was upon a farm, later he was a contractor. Later he was employed by the Morgan Lumber Company here and in 1903 he became the manager of the Fullerton Lumber Company in which capacity he served until 1916. After this he and his wife conducted the Truesdell Company Drug Store. Orren and his wife were married on December 25, 1916, and they were the parents of one son, Chester. Orren died in 1929. JOHN L. TURNER John L. Turner was born in Genesco, N. Y., August 26, 1843. In 1870, J. L. Turner came to Springfield and started in the general merchandise business. After three years, H. E. Bonesteel of Yankton became his partner and the firm was called Bonesteel and Turner until 1898 when his son joined his father in business, then the firm was called J. L. Turner and Son. In addition to this, Mr. Turner also owned the artesian roller mills and also maintained the first light plant and drug store. He had the distinction of being the first postmaster and the first mayor of the town. Mr. Turner grew up In New York and was discharged from the Civil War in 1864. On May 17, 1865, he was married to Mary A. Finley at Genesco, N. Y. To this union was born one son, John W. They made their home in New York State and Ann Arbor, Mich., before coming to Dakota Territory in 1870. He at once opened a business of general merchandise and became the first postmaster. The post office and store in its beginning was in the front room of the little dwelling which his family occupied, which stood where the Harold Stacey residence now stands on 6th Street between Elm and Walnut. This place burned down and was later replaced by the present residence. His wife, Mary, was born in the state of New York in 1846, and was one of the first half dozen ladies who came to Springfield. She died on March 9, 1894. Four years later, Mr. Turner was married to Fanny E. Howes of Springfield. Fanny was born in Ireland December 25, 1850, and after her mother's death came with her father and three sisters to America when she was six years old. She grew up in Chicago and later went to St. Louis, where she took training as a kindergarten teacher, a new profession at that time and was one of the first kindergarten teachers in America. After teaching for some time she came under the notice of Bishop Hare and he then persuaded her to come to Springfield as superintendent of Hope School in 1885, where she then met Mr. Turner. Fannie died here in November, 1934. Mr. Turner's mercantile business, which he operated until 1913, became the largest such establishment in South Dakota. This establishment was completely destroyed by fire in 1913. J. L. was interested in political life and was a lifelong Republican, having a part in the political life of our city and state, being a member of the state Constitutional Convention that assembled in Sioux Falls in 1883. In 1892, he was an alternate delegate to the National Republican Convention in Minneapolis and was a candidate of his party for presidential elector in 1896. He was one of the active workers in the effort to locate the Normal School in Springfield. He was instrumental in the making of Springfield, devoting both time and money to any object which he believed worthy. He helped to organize Mount Zion Lodge No. 6 here and was a charter member of Rachel Chapter. They were members of The Episcopal Church and he was a member of the Steadman G. A. R. He died December 8, 1925. His son, John William, was born at Genesco, N. Y., October 8, 1866, and was four years old when he came here in the summer of 1870, he and his mother following Mr. Turner, who came In the spring. They lived in the store for a time, later moving a block north. The town site had only been laid out, the surveyor's stakes the only indication of streets. A few houses were being hurriedly put up near the bluff. John W. started his schooling in Springfield's first school, the village being so scattered out and opened to dangers that his mother had him escorted to and from school. Later on the account of inadequate school advantages his parents sent him to relatives in Canada and he attended school there. While attending Military School at Fairbault, Minn., his school life was interrupted by the death of his mother in 1883, when he was 17. He then returned to Springfield and entered at once into learning to be a merchant under his father's tutorage. In 1896, the firm of Turner and Bonesteel was dissolved and John W. became a partner with his father in the firm of Turner and Son. In April, 1913, the store with all its contents was destroyed by fire. The elder Turner was too advanced in years to undertake rebuilding and the partnership was dissolved. John W. then went into the insurance business but in the spring of 1916 purchased the interest of E. W. Benedict in the clothing firm of Henderson and Benedict and stayed in business with George Henderson in the firm of Henderson and Turner for 25 years. Besides being in these businesses, he was also at one time editor of the Springfield Times and was president of the Farmers and Merchants Bank which opened for business here October 15, 1914. On February 3, 1892, he was married to Alice Chambers of Niobrara, Nebr. To this union was born ==================================page 102========================== one son, Dr. Lewis C. of San Antonio, Tex. Alice died in 1958. John W. died January 9, 1941. JADEN UKEN FAMILY On July 27, 1885, Jaden Uken was married to Miss Johanna Catharina Fett, the marriage taking place at Traer, Ia. The couple farmed near Traer, then a few years later moved to a farm near Southerland, Ia. With their two sons, Julius and Elmo, they moved to a farm eight and one-half miles northeast of Springfield in Bon Homme County in the year 1892. While living here two more sons were born, Dan and Johannas. Later this farm was sold and they moved to a farm they had purchased four miles northwest of Springfield. Jaden and his son Julius helped haul rock for the first building at Southern State College. While living here a daughter, Olga, and son, Helmuth, were added to their family. Their oldest son, Julius, was married to Maggie O'Donnal and their son, Dan, was married to Fern Smith. In 1915, Mr. and Mrs. Uken retired and moved to Springfield. Here Dan Uken spent many hours on the river fishing. In the spring of 1919, Elmo was married to Mary Elizabeth Gotschall and that fall Johannas was married to Mabel Avery. Some years later their daughter, Olga, married Thomas Smith. Son Helmuth became a dentist and later married Ida Lehr. Mr. Uken died in 1930 and Mrs. Uken died in 1946. Three of the family are still living: Julius, the oldest, is living in the Good Samaritan Home in Tyndall, Olga, Mrs. Lyons, lives at Ukiah, Calif., and Johannas has retired and lives at Springfield. MR. AND MRS. K. VANDER LEI Klaas and Jesse Vander Lei came from Nyega, Friesland, in 1893 to the United States and lived near Armour and Harrison until 1900 when the family moved to Perkins. In 1906 the family was left without a father and son Pete was required to take his place at the head of the family while only 14 years old. ANSKA VAN HAITSMA Anska Van Haitsma was born in Friesland, the Netherlands, on September 23, 1852, and came to America in 1882 and to Bon Homme county in 1890, settling near Avon. Later he purchased a farm just west of the Springfield depot. With advancing age he moved into Springfield and died January 9, 1940, at the age of 87 years. He was a life-long member of the Reformed Church. MR. AND MRS. C. VANDER VEEN Cornelius VanderVeen was born February 15,1877, In Friesland, Holland, where he grew up, received his education and worked as a farm hand. In 1907 at the age of 30 years he came to the United States and for two years worked in a saw mill at Phillips, Wisc. On June 5, 1909, he was united in marriage to Janke (Jennie) Brandsma. In November of the same year they came to South Dakota where they farmed in the Springfield, community for more than 47 years. Mrs. VanderVeen was born on June 2, 1879. also in Friesland, where she grew up and remained with her parents until coming to America at the age of 28 years. She was employed at Phillips, Wisc., for two years, until united in marriage to Mr. VanderVeen. Both Mr. and Mrs. VanderVeen were members of the Reformed Church, first in Holland and then here. They were parents of a family of nine children. FRANK HAROLD WAGNER Frank Harold Wagner, 58, one-time Springfield banker, was born in South Dakota and attended the high school and the Normal school at Springfield. In 1920, he began his career with the First National Bank of Springfield and in 1925, he joined the First National Bank in Denver where he spent the rest of his life. MR. AND MRS. HENRY WALKLING Henry Walkling was born in Germany in 1866 and at the age of 19 years came to America and to Dakota Territory in 1885 and was employed by Jimmy Keegan who was then on the Skagel Ranch in the meat packing business. Later he was employed on the farm of James Kirk, Sr., and while there Henry purchased a farm west of Springfield. About the time South Dakota became a state in 1889, Henry became a citizen of the United States. After purchasing the farm, Henry Walkling returned to Germany to be married in July, 1902, and then brought his bride here to their home where they resided until he retired in 1931 and where also their two sons, Herbert and Walter, were born. Shortly after his marriage Henry helped with the expenses of getting his mother and brothers to the United States. Charlotte died in 1924 and Henry in 1964. MR. AND MRS. JOEL WALLACE A former Springfield businessman and lifelong resident of Bon Homme County, Joel Hunter Wallace, one of four children of John W. and Clara C. Wallace, was born on a farm near Running Water in September, 1887. He attended rural school in that area and then the family moved to Springfield where he finished his education in the public schools. Mr. Wallace served in the Armed Forces in World War I and then returned to Springfield and was employed as a clerk in a local store. Later he bought his own store, the Wallace Grocery, which he operated until 1947 when he was forced to retire due to ill health. Joel Wallace was married in June 1924 to Zola M. Morgan at Mitchell. Mr. Wallace was a member of Rachel Chapter, O. E. S., Mt. Zion Masonic Lodge, for which he had been awarded a 50-year pin, and a member of the Dwight Wood Post of the American Legion and also the Episcopalian Church. Mrs. Wallace, nee Zola Margaret Morgan, a daughter of Charles and Ella Morgan, was born at Table Rock, Ill., in November, 1897. She grew up in the Table Rock community where she attended grade and high school, graduating in 1915. After teaching for several years in her home community, she came to Springfield in 1922 to accept a position as teacher ==================================page 103========================== in what was then the Hope School for Indian girls. She was an active member of the Congregational Church. The Wallace's were the parents of two children, a daughter, Patricia Gaynor, and a son, Charles. MR. AND MRS. JOHN WALLACE John Wallace was born at Columbus, Wisc., November 18, 1858. His parents were English, George William and Emily Thompson Wallace. He received his education in the common schools of Wisconsin, and came west with his father when in his late teens. He at once found employment with the Milwaukee railroad upon the new roads they were building in Dakota Territory, first as linesman and rodman of surveying crews, and later as full-fledged civil engineer and surveyor. He worked on the survey of the Marion Junction-Running Water branch as it was built down through this country in 1878 and 1879. While here he purchased a farm two miles north of Running Water. On February 13, 1884. Mr. Wallace was married to Miss Clara Hunter at Reedsburg, Wisc., and came out to his farm, which was his home for the next 16 years, when he moved Into Springfield. Mr. and Mrs. Wallace were the parents of five children: George, Joel W., Carl, Clara, and one son who died in infancy. Mr. Wallace's connection with the county covered just 50 years. He came down through the county carrying a surveyor's chain. His long service with the railroad company is the witness to the thoroughness of his work as a civil engineer. MR. AND MRS. R. J. WALPOLE Robert James Walpole was born April 14, 1868, at Princeton, Ontario, Canada, and while he was still an infant his parents, James and Janet Walpole, moved across the border to New York state where he resided with his parents until coming to Running Water, Dakota Territory, in the spring of 1882 to join his uncle and aunt, Mr. and Mrs. Robert Treffry. As a lad of 17 years he started to work for the Chicago, Milwaukee and St. Paul railroad company at Running Water and for many years was a fireman on that line. Flora Benedict Walpole, youngest daughter of Mr. and Mrs. W. W. Benedict, was born November 3, 1869, in Yankton, Dakota Territory, and at an early age came to Springfield and, with the exception of a short period of residence In Mitchell, spent her entire life in Springfield. Mr. and Mrs. Walpole were married on January 25, 1890, and they reared a family of four children. Both were members of the Springfield Congregational Church and at the time of her death Mrs. Walpole was the oldest member of that organization. REV. A. C. WARNER Rev. Alexander C. Warner was the fifth pastor to serve the Congregational Church of Springfield. He came in 1910 and served until 1945. This was one of the longest pastorates served by any Congregational minister in America. Rev. Warner was born in England March 20, 1871. His family came to America in 1883 and settled in Illinois. He attended Beloit College and graduated with a Bachelor of Divinity degree from Chicago Seminary in 1899. He came to Springfield in 1910. He was awarded the degree of Doctor of Divinity from the Yankton Theological Seminary. In addition to serving the Springfield Congregational Church, he also conducted regular services in Perkins, Kingsburg, Running Water and Bon Homme. After 35 years of service, he retired because of failing health. He died suddenly of pneumonia April 14, 1949. Mrs. Pearl Warner died in 1962. The regular services at the Emmanuel Reformed and Episcopal churches scheduled for the Sunday of his funeral, were cancelled so that their congregations could participate in the services for Rev. Warner. Rev. Warner was a man who served actively, not only his church, but his whole community. He was a charter member of the Rotary Club and a valued member of the Masonic and Odd Fellow orders, because of the humanitarian principles which they represent. MR. AND MRS. G. WARRINGTON George Edward Warrington was born at Liverpool, England, on July 19, 1866. He was married to Annie Elizabeth Davies at the Stoke Church at Stafford on November 10, 1889. A sister-in-law of Mrs. Warrington was living at Perkins and after she revisited her old home in 1897 Mr. and Mrs. Warrington and their four children accompanied her on her return to America, settling at Perkins. Four more children were born to them in America. Mrs. Warrington died in 1916. Mr. Warrington continued to live in this area until 1926, at which time he moved to Lake Andes. He also spent a few Years with his daughter in California and then came back to Lake Andes. Their children were Amy, Mrs. W. 0. Jones; Eva, Mrs. Earl Isaacson; Ann, Mrs. S. 0. Morris; Martha, Mrs. W. H. Arnold, Daisy, Mrs. Will Wilkinson; Walter, Clifford and George. MR. AND MRS. ED WATERMAN Mr. and Mrs. Ed Waterman were married at Centerville about 1906, and went to North Dakota and lived on a homestead for ten years. In 1916 they came to Springfield where Ed took up his trade as a plasterer and brick layer till his death in 1951. They were the parents of two daughters, Jennie Heath and Hope Lorraine Wynia. MRS. JOHN WATWOOD The daughter of Edwin and Rosilla Marvin, Alma Elmira came with her parents to a farm northwest of Springfield in 1873, when she was only two years old. Here she grew to womanhood, taught school In her late girlhood and on December 24, 1889, was married to John Watwood, the ceremony being performed by Rev. Seccombe at his home in Springfield. She was one of the earliest settlers of this community and contributed much to the life of the community, from the time of her coming into the neighborhood in 1871 until the time of her death in November, 1945. Mr. and Mrs. Watwood lived all their married life on farms in this vicinity until his death in April, 1935. After this she spent almost 10 years in Arizona ==================================page 104========================== with her daughter, and then returned here to spend the last years of her life. She was a member of the Congregational Church and the Order of the Eastern Star, both here and at Tuscon, Ariz. Marion E., son of John and Alma Watwood, was born September 27, 1896, on the family homestead west of Perkins and lived all his life on the family farm. He attended the rural school and also the State Normal at Springfield. He was married on September 30, 1935, to Stella Kuhlman and they engaged in farming. He was a charter member of the Kingsburg Church and a member of the Masonic Lodge and Order of the Eastern Star. MR. AND MRS. CHARLES WEBB Charles Emery Webb was born in Winneshiek county, Ia., November 1, 1856. He was married on January 5, 1879, to Miss Jennie Jacklin. Mr. and Mrs. Webb moved to Dakota territory in 1885, and settled on a farm seven miles northwest of Springfield, where they made their home for 23 years. In 1908 they moved from the farm into Springfield. They were the parents of four children: Minnie, Florence, and two who died in infancy. MR. AND MRS. PETER WESSELING Peter Wesseling was born at Lawndale, Chicago, Ill., on March 14, 1879. At the age of ten he came with his parents to Douglas County to what is known as Gordon Valley. It was at this place he grew to manhood. In 1900 he was married to Jessie Dykstra of Harrison. They were the parents of Mrs. Cornelius Ludens, Henry and Harold. Two years after their marriage they left Douglas County, Ia., where he worked for the Schoeneman Lumber Company in Sioux Center. After being there a year he purchased a farm near Springfield where they resided until 1951, when they moved to Corsica. JOSEPH WHITING Joseph Williams (Uncle Joe) Whiting was born in 1864 on a farm in Wisconsin. He received his education in the public schools and Normal schools of Wisconsin. He came to Springfield in 1888 where he taught in the public school for two years. In March, 1890, he married Orluna Monfore. That fall he taught at Scotland. After three years he returned to Springfield. He taught in rural schools, drove a mail stage and operated a store in Andrus. In 1897 he became a member of the faculty of Southern Normal. He held this position for four years. He then went to Memo, Ashton and served as superintendent of schools at Bonesteel. In 1917 he became County Superintendent of Schools of Bon Homme County and served until December 3, 1937. He was known over the state as a chalk-talk lecturer. They had one daughter, Madge. ABSOLEM WILCOX Absolem Joseph Wilcox was born near Ontario, Canada, June 6, 1863, and came to the States at the age of 14. On May 22, 1890, he was married to Hulda Mauksch in Yankton County. Five children were born to this union. Hulda died in 1920 and in May 1924, he married Mrs. Mary Vlieger at Tyndall. In his young manhood he was engaged in teaching in public schools of South Dakota, later taking up the study of law, and practiced law in Yankton, Springfield and in Tripp County. He died in 1943. The Wilcox children were Edna Broadbooks, Inez Robertson, Theodore, Edith and Milton. WILLIAM P. WILLIAMS William P. Williams was born at Beddglest, Wales, in December, 1855. When he was seven his parents moved to Cape Cureg in Wales, where he grew to manhood. In 1873, at the age of 18 he came to Iowa where an older sister was living. He came to Springfield in the spring of 1876 and homesteaded on a farm north of Perkins until 1906, when he moved to town. Shortly after coming to Springfield, he was united in marriage to Alive Evans of Iowa, who died in 1890. In 1891, he was married to Emma Jones of Perkins. They were the parents of Winnifred Murphy, William, Elizabeth Townsend and Margaret Morrison. MR. AND MRS. CURTIS H. WOLFE Curtis H. Wolfe was born at Erie, Pa., August 5, 1851. When a young man he came west and settled in Nebraska, where he engaged in farming. On February 26, 1897, he married Margaret Ellen Carr. They were the parents of May, Robert and Hester. In the spring of 1902, the family moved to Charles Mix County, near Platte, where they lived till 1906, when they moved to Springfield. Mr. Wolfe helped to organize the Farmers Elevator at Springfield and Kingsburg and was a director in both of them. He was also a director and the vice president of the Bank of Kingsburg, and was one of the organizers and a member of the Kingsburg Congregational Church. MRS. B. E. WOOD Harriet Benedict Wood was born in Pennsylvania in 1827. When she was six years old she moved to New York state where she grew to womanhood. On April 20, 1850, she married B. E. Wood. In 1855 they moved to Fort Atkinson, Ia. Five years later they came to Dakota Territory, settling near Vermillion. In 1870 they came to Springfield. When the Springfield Congregational Church was organized in 1871, she was a charter member. They were the parents of two children. EDWIN DWIGHT WOOD Edwin Dwight Wood was born at Prescott, Mass., on July 6, 1846. His parents were both natives of Massachusetts and were of colonial ancestry. One of Mr. Wood's ancestors came to this country on the Mayflower. Edwin received his education at Prescott after which he spent some time in Illinois and Wisconsin. He taught school in Wisconsin and fitted himself for entrance in the State University. He graduated in 1874 with a degree of Bachelor of Philosophy after which he taught again in Wisconsin. In 1881 he moved to South Dakota, teaching at Canton and Parker. In 1883 he filed a claim in Charles Mix ==================================page 105========================== county, just west of Academy. He was appointed county superintendent of schools by the county board and was re-elected twice for this position. In 1891 he entered the Federal service, being appointed superintendent of the Sisseton Agency school. In 1892 he was appointed superintendent of the Yankton Agency Industrial School at Greenwood and this position he occupied for six years. In 1898 the family moved to Springfield where Mr. Wood taught school in the country and for one term he was the county superintendent of schools. On December 24, 1879, he was married to Mary Van Waters at West Salem, Wisc. They were the parents of four children, Cora, Ralph, Susie and Edwin Dwight, Jr. The local American Legion Post was named after their son, Edwin Dwight, who was killed in Soissons, July, 1918. Mrs. Wood taught school in Charles Mix county for a number of years and after moving to Springfield she taught in the Springfield schools for 20 years. MATILDA IRISH WOOD Matlida Irish Wood was born at Irving, Ia., to Mr. and Mrs. Reuben Rogers on April 27, 1880, in a log cabin. In 1888 the family moved to Correctionville, Ia., where she grew up and became a school teacher. In 1904 she was married to Harry L. Irish. To this union one son, Lyle, was born. Harry died in 1910. On February 3, 1914, she was married to Alex Wood of Tyndall. Matlida died in 1951. Her son, Lyle, still makes his home in Springfield where he owns and operates the Springfield Implement. His wife, Lil, owned and operated the College Cafe here until the fall of 1969. MR. AND MRS. ALBERT WYNIA Albert Wynia was born on a farm in western Bon Homme county on December 18, 1890. He was the eldest son of Henry and Dora Van Dyk Wynia, early day pioneers who migrated from Holland, the family having lived on Coffee Creek when General Custer and his soldiers came through here. Albert and Cora Risseeuw were married in Springfield on March 19, 1914, and have spent all of their active lives at farming in the Springfield and Tyndall areas and a few years ago retired on a small acreage at the west edge of town. Cora Risseeuw, the second of 12 children born to Isaac and Maria Risseeuw, was born July 25, 1891. Her parents were both born in Holland and migrated to America in 1906 to be with relatives here. They farmed in the Springfield and Tyndall areas for many years before going to Todd County and then returned to Perkins to spend their last years. In the family of the Albert Wynias are four children: Dorothy, Mrs. Frank DeRoos, Selby; Mabel, Mrs. Ruben Gretschman, Oregon, Ill.; Howard, Springfield, and Leona, Mrs. Ed Dumdei, Pickstown. MRS. DIRK W. WOUDSMA Mrs. Dirk W. (Sophia Cavier) Woudsma came to America at the age of 19 years, in 1894, from Bremen, Germany, where she was born on June 21, 1874. For a short time she lived near Avon in Charles Mix county, where she had a brother who had preceded her to America some ten years earlier. Later she came to Bon Homme county and worked as a domestic in farm homes west of Springfield. On April 4, 1903, she was married to Dirk Weaver Woudsma. Mother Woudsma's early life was a big adventure, leaving home and family in Germany to come to South Dakota when it was still a Territory. In 1930 she and her brother returned to Germany to visit their four brothers and one sister there. In the year 1904 a small church was organized west of Perkins in what was known as the Dahlenburg school, under the name of Lyden church, a name given by Mrs. Woudsma's husband, after a town in his native country, Holland. Mrs. Woudsma was a charter member of the Lyden Ladies Aid and later joined the church when it was reorganized as the Perkins Lyden Congregational church and was an active worker in the group. Mrs. Woudsma died at the age of 79 years in March, 1954. Her daughter, Mrs. Leonard Boschma, and a son, Weaver Woudsma, are residents of Springfield. MR. AND MRS. DAVID WYNIA David Wynia, son of Henry and Dora VanDyk Wynia, was born February 20, 1866, on a farm west of Springfield. His parents were both born in Holland. Henry migrated to America at an early age with his parents, coming first to Iowa for a couple of years then to Springfield in 1869. David attended the rural Hornstra school and as a lad of 14 years began work as a farm hand on several farms in the community. On December 18, 1923, he was married to Nadene Halsey and together they established their home on what was then the Herman Voight farm and continued at several locations in the community before purchasing the farm four miles north of Springfield where they resided until retirement when he built a new home on Ninth Street in Springfield. David served in the 132nd Machine Gun Battalion of Texas in World War I. Mrs. Wynia (Nadene Halsey), daughter of Alex and Sue Halsey, was born at Sparta, N.C., and came to Bon Homme County from Hamburg, Ia., in 1908. As a boy, Dave remembers his parents having a small general store and his father also ran a peddler's wagon with a horse and delivered groceries and supplies in the rural area west of Springfield. The Dave Wynia family consists of five children: Donald, Dorothy, D. Duane, Delores and Delvana. MR. AND MRS. GERBEN WYNIA Gerben Wynia and Dora Logterman were married in 1875 in Sioux County, Ia. After a few years spent in Iowa, they moved to Running Water where they lived for a time. They also spent some time in Charles Mix County and then came back to the farm west of Springfield where they continued to live. They were the parents of Katie, John, Frank, Peer, Jacob, Reemer, Nicholas, Anna and Reeney. MR. AND MRS. HENRY WYNIA Dora Van Dyk was born July 10, 1871, in Holland and came to Iowa in 1886. Henry Wynia was born in Holland in 1857 and migrated to Iowa at the age of 15. His parents home- ==================================page 106========================== steaded some time later at Coffee Creek, and also built up a homestead on what was once the William Holleman place, south of Petersburg. Miss Van Dyk and Henry Wynia were married at Springfield and lived on the place occupied by Lloyd Reiff. Children born were: Albert, Springfield; Dirk, died 1892; John, deceased; Dave, Springfield; Theodore, deceased; Henry, deceased; Grace (Weisser) Hot Springs; Andrew and three infants, deceased. MR. AND MRS. THEODORE WYNIA Theodore Wynia and Susan DeJong were married here in 1887. After residing here for seven years, they moved to Denison, Ia., where they lived for seven years before returning to Springfield. They were the parents of Mrs. Dick Heusinkveld, Mrs. Ralph Kuiper, Mrs. Walter Ludens, Mrs. John Ludens, Urban and Anna. Susan was born in the Netherlands on February 23, 1866. ULBE WYNIA FAMILY Ulbe Jan Wynia was born in the Netherlands and in the year of 1869 immigrated to the U. S. with his family. They settled in Pella, Ia., and after a few years moved by covered wagon to Orange City, Ia., and then on to Springfield, where he homesteaded in 1878. The Wynias were the parents of 12 children. The oldest, John, became a minister in the Presbyterian Church and served churches in northwestern Iowa. The next was Theodore, born in 1853, who married Susan DeJong at LeMars, Ia., in 1887. They immediately started farming about 12 miles west of Springfield. They were the parents of nine children. Four of these still live at Springfield, namely Mrs. Dick Heusinkveld, Mrs. Walter Ludens, Mrs. John LudAns and Urban Wynia. Two other daughters, Mrs. Ralph Kniper and Mrs. George Jones live in Rock Valley, Ia., and Sioux Falls respectively. Ulbe was the first elected elder of the Emmanuel Reformed Church and also the first organist. Services and Sunday School were held in the Hornstra school before the church was built on the O. Swenson farm in 1888. Henry, a brother of Theodore, owned and operated a country store, one half to three quarters of a mile north of the school for some time. He later farmed here and west of Tyndall. There were also three sisters who lived at Springfield, Mrs. Fred Landan Brown, Mrs. Frank Teeters, Sr., and Mrs. John Holleman Palsma. Many were the experiences of the early pioneers and the tales told the Theodore Wynia children, such as during the Blizzard of 1888 when an Indian stopped, the ponies were put in the back kitchen, the ice rubbed off of them, and the Indian given a bed for the night. The parents had no fear of the Indians, instead they made friends to the extent of even learning to speak some of the Indian language. MR. AND MRS. JOSEPH YOUNG Joseph Charles Young was born April 5, 1853, the third of four children, at Eagle, in Fond du Lac County, Wise. He got his schooling in the common schools of Wisconsin and at Brookfield, Mo., where his father had moved. At the age of 16, he returned to Avoca, Wisc., where his sister was living and for one year taught school. He then moved to Beloit and engaged in carpentry work, and shortly afterwards formed a partnership of Gates and Young carpenters and contractors. His mother died when he was six years old. He was able to trace his ancestry back directly through nine generations to the Rev. Christopher Yonges, the vicar and minister of the old church at St. Edmunds, Southwold Suffolk County, England. This man's entire family joined the Puritan movement and migrated to America, and his son John became the pioneer founder of Southold, Long Island, and until his death was the minister of the First Church of that place. His grave, with its altar tombstone, is still one of the objects of historic interest on Long Island. He was married on Christmas Day, 1877, at Beloit to Florence Emmie Brittan. They lived there till spring of 1878, when they moved to Springfield and homesteaded five miles west of town. Those were still days of rigor. The main road to the west passed right between their house and barn, neighbors were few and far. Mr. Young was frequently at work in town and Mrs. Young more than once found it advisable to take her baby and hide in the fields when prowling Indians or strangers approached. In 1883, they moved into town and shortly afterwards Mr. Young erected their house in the north part of town where Mr. Young's gifts of carpentry kept him in demand. He was carpenter, contractor, millwright and later surveyor. From 1890 to 1897, he was owner and editor of The Springfield Times which was part of that time a semi-weekly. In 1901, he formed a partnership with P. G. Monfore in the furniture and undertaking business till January 1, 1920. After that he was employed as a cabinet maker and with his lathe. The Youngs were the parents of four children, Mrs. May Schroder, Mrs. Grace Nichol, Mrs. Florence Nichol and Mrs. Myrtle House. Mr. Young was a member of the local I. O. O. F. for 34 years and a member of the Modern Woodmen. They were members of the Congregational Church and Mrs. Young also belonged to the Rebekah Lodge. Mr. Young died in 1923 and Mrs. Young died in 1920. MARTIN YOUNG Martin Luther Young was born on a farm near Brandon, Wisc., July 1, 1885. He was the youngest child of Noah and Mary Ann Young. He could trace his ancestry back directly to the Rev. John Yonges, who founded the town of Southhold, Long Island, in the third decade of the Seventeenth century, and whose grave at that place is an object of historic interest. Mr. Young's father had been a canal boat builder at Orville, N. Y., and had migrated to Wisconsin, where he became a farmer. He died when Martin was four years old, and the boy was taken to live with an aunt in New York where he made his home until he was eight, when he returned to the parental home in Wisconsin. There and at Brookfield, Mo., his education was received. For a little while he found employment as a telegrapher, but soon settled into the occupation of painter and paper hanger that he followed through all of his years at Springfield. He first came to Springfield in 1881, following his brother Joseph C., who had come out three years earlier. He returned to Wisconsin, coming back here in 1885 to make this his permanent home. On the 24th day of April, 1886, he was united in ==================================page 107========================== marriage to Miss Nellie Benedict. This union was blessed with six children: Charles, Fred, Lottie, Nellie, Ray and Mary. MR. AND MRS. THOMAS YULE Thomas and Eleanor Yule came west from Wisconsin in 1879. They settled at Niobrara, Nebr., where they farmed until his death in 1906. At the time of the flood in 1881, they were living in old Niobrara and were rescued by boat from their home. A large part of the town was inundated and many homes swept away. Mrs. Yule came to Springfield in 1917. Their son, Isaac, still makes his home here. MR. AND MRS. JOE ZELENKA Joseph Zelenka was born on a farm near Table Rock, Nebr., November 13, 1871. He attended the country school. He was one of nine children born to Frank and Mary (Spilka) Zelenka. On November 6, 1893, he was united in marriage to Katie Helen Kramar at Pawnee City, Nebr. They made their home near Table Rock until 1898, when they moved to South Dakota where they lived in Bon Homme County for the remainder of their lives. Four children were born to this union, Frank, now deceased, Vernon, Helen (Zelenka) Murillo and Elsie (Zelenka) Geist. Joe and Katie Zelenka farmed in this community many years. Their last home was on the banks of the "Ole Missouri," about seven miles up the river from Springfield at Running Water. Katie Helen Kramar Zelenka was born in Bohemia, now known as Czechoslovakia, on November 20, 1873. She was one of eight children. However, two brothers and two sisters died when very young before her parents came to America. She was the only living daughter of Mr. and Mrs. John Kramar, Sr. She attended school in her native land. At the age of 13, she came with her parents in February, 1887, to America and Nebraska. She worked as a domestic servant, and while so employed learned to speak the English language. After her marriage to Joseph Zelenka, she was active in the Congregational Church and Ladies Aid, Eastern Star and Rebekahs in Springfield. Most of the church and Aid work was in Running Water. Mrs. Zelenka died on October 2, 1958. [photo - MEMBERS OF THE JADEN UKEN FAMILY are, back row, left to right, Julius, Joe, Emil, Dr. Helmuth; front row, Ben, Olga Lyons, Mrs. Uken and Mr. Uken.] [photo - SENATOR J. LEACH]