Westport, Brown Co., South Dakota History 1880-1989

Westport, Brown Co. History


	The following material was scanned from the book "Westport South 
	Dakota History--1880-1989" by the authors, Amy (Siemann) VanDover 
	and Albert Bussian. The material was scanned and OCR'd by Maurice 
	Krueger, 178 Southshore Drive, Mina, SD 57462-3000. Since the book 
	contained many photos, just the captions of the photos were included.

	The material may be freely used for non-profit use. Any other use 
	must have the approval of the authors and Maurice Krueger.

	Copyright 1998



FORWARD

As amateur historians, our committee wishes to thank everyone who answered our 
advertisements for photos, information, and other materials for this booklet. 
 We realize there are many worthy citizens names and contributions to the 
Westport Community are not included herein, and for this we offer our 
apologies.  We also apologize for any inaccuracies it may contain. In some 
instances it was necessary to estimate dates or minor details that had not 
been recorded or furnished.  We hope it will serve to preserve many of the 
efforts, incidents and events that have contributed to our PROUD Westport 
heritage.   

Amy (Siemann) Van Dover - Albert Bussian

WESTPORT MARKET DAY ABOUT 1908

WESTPORT THEN AND NOW

Brown County History books fail to state how the town of Westport received its 
name.  However, there are several legends, one of which says it was named by a 
railroad official after his home town of Westport, CT. Another legend states 
that the steamboat "Nettie Baldwin" ventured up the Elm River and came as far 
as practical, naming the terminal the West Port.  This is unlikely, since the 
early history of Brown County published by the Brown County Territorial 
Committee, states that the Nettie Baldwin was built in 1881 and made its first 
trip to LaMoure in May of 1882.  Since the first train arrived in Westport in 
the fall of 1881, the town site was probably already named by then   One more 
legend has it that when the site was selected by railroad officials, a 
homesteader whose name was Port was the nearest settler, and as the proposed 
site for the depot was to the West of him, it was called West of Port and 
later condensed to Westport.  The book on South Dakota Names and Places says 
Westport was named after a Milwaukee railroad official.  In the fall of 1881 
the railroad was extended to the site of Frederick.

The basic needs were met early. The Westport SD Post Office opened May 22, 
1882.

This is a picture of the Westport Post Office taken around 1909.  It is a 
postcard dated May 7, 1909 and was sent to Wetonka, SD.

The following is a list of Postmasters and the year appointed since 1882:

Frank Hemstreet 1882;  
Frank Bailey 1885;   
Murray Dickey 1887;
Ferdinand Benjamin 1897;  
Ruth Denison 1900;  
Hans Nording 1902;
Myrtle Young 1915;  
Susye Brooks 1919;  
Viola Dage 1929;  
Mildred Broadbent Acting PM 1942, appointed PM 1943;  
Shirley Bartles Acting PM 1967, appointed 1971;  
Shirley Wilson OIC 1981;  
Genevieve Gunderson 1982;     
Shirley Wilson OIC 1983;  
Lyle Podoll 1983; 
Ina Schock OIC 1988;     
Pamela Schaffner 1988.

When the branch line of the CM & St P north of Aberdeen was planned, Gage, SD 
was to be the ten mile stop. Gage soon yielded to Westport which was scripped 
June 28, 1880 and survived the changes of the other planned sites.

"Howell Humphrey, station agent and telegrapher for the Milwaukee Railroad, 
was assigned to Westport in the summer of 1881.  He reported to Aberdeen, then 
just a few straggling buildings, and soon left for Westport where he found no 
town, no depot, no inhabitants for miles around.  He returned to Aberdeen, 
where he became assistant agent, and later, in the fall of 1881, agent."  
Brown County History - page 282.

"By 1887, there were four general stores, a blacksmith shop, a hotel, a 
lumberyard, a confectionery, a hardware store, and a bank.  After the turn of 
the century two of the general stores became grocery stores and one closed. 
The town continued to grow, serving the farm and ranch area through the World 
War I years with 11 businesses, a city water supply and two meeting halls.  
From the 1920's on, the town suffered the fate of many small towns too close 
to a city.  By 1950 the population had dwindled to 112.  In 1980 the Post 
Office and a bar, which sells a few groceries, remain.  Many of the remaining 
40 homes are occupied by retirees and people who commute to Aberdeen to work." 
BCH p 58-59

Picture at left shows the original Westport Grain and Coal elevator that 
burned down in August of 1951. The elevator on the bridge was moved from 
Baldwin Spurr east of Fullerton, ND in April of 1952 where it set as the 
Westport Grain and Coal as owned by Tom Seiler. It was later sold to Kurda 
Mills, a thriving screenings operation and burned to the ground again in the 
winter of 1978. The temperature was a -20 and the firefighters were hampered 
by frozen units. The railroad ran it last train in 1978 and the tracks were 
taken up soon thereafter.

Some of the more recent pictures of the elevator with some of the additions to 
it over the years.

A bank was established in 1887 by L A Brooks.  He owned property in Park 
Addition of Westport on which he built a three story house.  His son also 
built a house now owned by Mr and Mrs Dan Schlosser.  When Don DeVey of 
Aberdeen purchased the bank and house from Brooks, Brooks built another house 
now owned by Mr. and Mrs. Milt McKay.

Frequent robberies occurred during the 1920's, a threat that kept the bankers 
and tellers on edge, and led to the building of large cement vaults that 
defied blasting.  Some vaults remain as a reminder of the days of Bonnie and 
Clyde.  Tellers employed by the Farmers State Bank, later changed to Security 
Bank, were Fern Callaghan, Arthur Breitag and Bertha Dage.

THE BANK HOLIDAY

1932 was a bumper crop in this area.  However, with ear corn listed in the 
paper at 2 cents per bushel, and 3 cents less on the ear, prosperity on the 
farm was an impossible dream.  Nothing seemed to work out as hoped.  The 
elevator manager at Ordway offered one customer to load his barley on the 
boxcar and let him take all proceeds.  When Mr. Howell received his statement, 
the shipping charges were more than his barley brought. Mr Ruel Howell had to 
explain to the Chicago & Northwestern Railway that he did not have any cash, 
but he had lots more barley if they could accept it.  The depression was 
general, not just on the farms.  Unemployment was astronomical, and there was 
no Social Security or Government unemployment programs.  Many banks had loaned 
money to farmers and businessmen who now could not meet their obligations.  
There was no FDIC and people who had their savings of a lifetime on deposit 
would hurry to withdraw them before the bank failed which caused a run on the 
bank and many were forced to close, with only a token payment to depositors.

Farmers State Bank of Westport, Don DeVey owner, was never In danger of 
insolvency.  It was commonly reported to be the second safest bank in the 
state of South Dakota, according to the bank examiners reports.

In the midst of this panic, Franklin D. Roosevelt took office as President of 
the United States.  Funds were being transferred from the nations financial 
institutions en masse.  Then as his first official act, President Roosevelt 
declared a Bank Holiday, closing all banks In the US to further business until 
the government could restore order. Business was brought to a standstill 
across the nation.  For at least two days no withdrawals could be made, until 
the plans for the FDIC could be implemented.  As if by magic, bank failures 
were stopped and for several years were practically nonexistent.

However Don DeVey, who was well versed in law, and an ardent non-Democrat, 
wasn't about to allow his business to be interrupted by a Democrat, President, 
Dictator, or any force less than supernatural. After several telegrams to 
Washington it was determined that the Farmers State Bank of Westport would be 
open for business as usual during normal banking hours.  It was unclear to the 
laity whether DeVey was challenging the legality of the President or whether 
he was given a special permit.  It was reported that it was one of only two 
banks In the United States open for business during the Bank Holiday.  If it 
was a challenge of law, it was never contested by the U S Government. Account 
by Albert Bussian.

The first school was a small building constructed about 1885.  As the 
community continued to expand a larger building was provided.  Old timers tell 
of the narrow winding stairs to the upper floor.  The first floor housed the 
first six grades with one teacher.  The second floor was used for grades 7 
through 10.  The school building was used as a hospital during the flu 
epidemic of 1917 and 1918 when all members of a family often became
disabled at the same time and had to be cared for in a common facility.  A new 
brick school was finished in 1923 with a lower level gymnasium, three grade 
school rooms, on the first floor and an assembly room, another classroom, a 
home economics room, a wood working shop room, lavatories and Principals 
office on the upper floors.

Three grade school and three High School teachers were employed for many 
years.  Henry Schubert was custodian all  the years classes were held in the 
Westport School.  In 1967 North Brown School District was formed.  Westport 
became a part of the District, now called the Elm Valley District in 1969.  
The building was no longer used for classes and was demolished later.  Much of 
Westport now attends grade school Barnard through the sixth grade, and upper 
grades and high school in Frederick.  Many Westport residents remember their 
school days and graduating from the Westport School.  Westport High School 
basketball teams won many trophies over the years.  Their name was changed 
from the Whippets to the Wolverines.  Hester Sampsell served as cook for the 
Westport School for many years.

Several grain elevators served the area over the years.  The South Elevator 
was always known as "Westport Grain and Coal Co."  Some of the managers were 
Vern Neer, Frank Callaghan, Maurice Morrison and Ray Milbrandt, Sief Caldwell, 
Tommy Seiler, and Erv Grandbois.  Kurda Mills added many of the steel bins and 
the large pole storage unit which was built on the site of the old lumberyard.

Hugh Agor of Aberdeen owned several farms in the area and had his private 
elevator which he used for grain storage.

Electric Milling and Grain Co. operated the North Elevator.  Chaney Walworth 
was manager for many years. Flavo flour was milled and was widely used in the 
Westport area until the old miller who operated it was replaced.  The new 
miller was unable to produce a quality product and milling of flour was 
discontinued.  The Westport Municipal electric plant that served the town 
prior to NWPS, which constructed a High line in 1927, was a large stationary 
diesel engine and dynamo in the North Elevator.  At 10:45 pm the lights were 
blinked, and at 11:00 pm the plant shut down unless prior arrangements had 
been made.  The elevator burned while operated by Jens Hanson during World War 
II.  Another grain elevator stood North of the Mill, but was no longer used 
when this historian hauled his first load of grain to Westport about 1924. It 
was known as the Brady Elevator.

The Depot was a busy place in the early 1900's.  Station agents were also 
telegraph operators.  The names presently available of past station agents 
were Mr. Swan;  Mr. Case (a civil war veteran);  Mr. Brennan and Mr. Wheeldon. 
 Albert Bussian Sr. was section foreman at Westport during the 1890's.  About 
1956 the old depot was sold to Arnold Lowary and torn down for scrap lumber.

Many cattle and hogs were shipped from the Westport Stock Yards, south of the 
Westport Grain & Coal Co. elevator, the site of the present baseball park.  
Buyers came from other states.  William and Margaret Flanagan came to Westport 
with Thomas McGovern and spent the rest of their lives here.  News of the 
business opportunities in the new town of Westport attracted many other 
settlers.

The Gernon & McGovern general store, owned by Bob Gernon and Fred McGovern, 
also housed a drug store and pharmacy operated by Mrs. Fred (Magdalene) 
McGovern who was a licensed druggist.  Robberies also occurred at general 
stores.  One night the McGovern's, who lived in hotel rooms across the street, 
heard noises and saw lights in the store.  In an attempt to frighten the 
robbers, Fred McGovern started throwing cups and dishes at the windows.  
However, Magdalene put a quick stop to this when Fred started reaching for 
their wedding dishes.  After this experience they purchased a heavy safe which 
sat near the center of the store.

Spring always signaled the arrival of Gypsies.  This called for everyone to be 
alert, as they were masters at holding the clerks attention while their 
cohorts lifted any merchandise available.  Many of them were short change 
artists, using a technique of confusing the clerk at the cash register.  
Between his store and the Post Office, Fred McGovern also handled some John 
Deere farm implements.

The Post Office included a telephone exchange, called 91 central."  Mrs. Roy 
Brooks was the operator for many years in addition to her postal position. 
Some of the rural carriers who served the Westport routes were LeMoyne 
Gardner, John Fox, Homer Laird, and Pat Cantwell.  The Westport patrons are 
proud of the super service we have enjoyed these many years.  Thanks Alb.

Adjacent to the Post Office is the Westport Town Hall.  The present hall was 
built to replace the first one which burned with the pool hall and blacksmith 
shop during the 1930's.  In the early years it was an important social center 
where Saturday night dances were held and the Westport Community Club met 
regularly.  This club was always well attended with acute enthusiasm.  The 
Community News was eagerly anticipated and many tidbits bordered on gossip.  
Unfortunately no known copies have survived.  This historian recalls an item 
telling of Mrs. John Fox washing her windows, and when John got home from the 
pool hall after completing his mail route, he put his fist through the window 
pane before he realized it was not open.  The two churches of Westport used 
the town hall to serve some great chicken dinners. Modern conveniences did not 
exist, so a great deal of work was involved, even the water had to be hauled.

West of the town hall stood the old pool hall with a section reserved for a 
barber shop.  One early operator was Julius Holt, memorialized by a box of 
brass trading chips engraved with his name.  Percy Ophdyke was operator and 
barber for many years.  His skill was once demonstrated by shaving Henry 
Dunkel Sr. while Dunkel never stopped talking of the political problems of the 
times.  Herb Bussian owned the Westport Pool Hall for many years after Percy 
Ophdyke.  This business changed owners on several other occasions.  A small 
restaurant stood west of the pool hall, which was intermittently in operation 
under various managers. Both buildings were destroyed by fire during the 
1930's and never rebuilt.

The last building facing Main Street was the blacksmith shop, originally owned 
by Axel Nelson who remained until 1893.  His son George, born March 10, 1888, 
was the father of Edna Scott Johnson, present chairperson of the Brown County 
Chapter of the South Dakota State Centennial Committee.  Later blacksmiths 
included Archie Grosnickle, Bill Storm and Gus Marquette.  After the fire a 
building was moved in facing the Sunshine Trail, now known as Brown County 
Highway 10, and was used as a filling station operated by Lou Sampsell.  For a 
time Louie Schubert did welding and other repair work in the building.  Later 
it was bought by Rex Bartles and torn down.

Across the street to the West Frank Siemann owned and operated the first 
garage and filling station.  Mr. Siemann received recognition the Standard Oil 
Company for his 25 years in the business.  Louie Schubert used part of the 
building for his welding business during World War II.  As combines and 
swathers were coming into general use the area, several swathers were built by 
using old grain binders and making the necessary conversions and additions.

On the north side of Main Street William Siemann owned the lumber yard.  The 
home he built was purchased by Myrtle Walworth to be her home for many years. 
 His business was later sold to Thomas McBride, who built a home which is now 
owned by Mr. and Mrs. Lew Wilson.  Mr. Frank Howarth later purchased the 
lumber yard, and Tom McBride continued as operator until it was closed.

At one time there were two hotels.  Mrs Bernice VanDover recalls that her 
mother, Mrs Dennis, operated the larger hotel.  Soon cars and trains made 
overnight stays unnecessary and upper rooms were rented as living quarters.  
The main floor was then used as a grocery store managed by Bob Siemann.  Next 
it was used as a night club for several years.  Chaney Walworth then used it 
as a grocery store which was purchased by Royce & Erma Parmeter in 1945.  When 
it was destroyed by fire on January 9, 1946, the Parmeters purchased the Pat 
Hollenbeck store in Ashton.

Next was the George Siemann store which had a long history of service. Farmers 
traded cream, butter, and eggs for groceries as a normal procedure.  During 
the 1920's when the county paid a bounty of 2 cents for gopher tails the 
neighborhood kids brought them to the store for trade.  When surrounding 
townships raised the bounty to 5 cents, the grocery stores were deprived of 
this source of business.  The last owners of this store were Mr. and Mrs. 
Louie Heil until the late 1940's. Bud Kopecky then had a grocery store in the 
new brick building.  Later Al Schaunaman acquired the business.  It was then 
purchased by Rex Bartles and used for a garage and blacksmith shop.  The 
present owners, Lance, Leroy, and Lyle Podoll are using the building for 
storage.  In the summer of 1985 the Prairie Homemakers, Lora Schaunaman, 
Elaine Rohwedder, Roswitha Heldenbrand, Carol Sheldon, Gail Berreth, Lois 
Schleder, Janet Hollister, Alice Bender, Laura Torrence, Jane Wendell, and 
Karen Schanzenbach painted a mural on the west side of the building.  The work 
was done by community spirit three mornings a week from June 4th to July 2nd. 
 The 15' x 45' mural "Going To The Fair" was dedicated July 9th in a festive 
atmosphere with speakers and old time fiddlers.  Many motorists have stopped 
to express their admiration of the art exhibit.

The banking business was discontinued in 1950.  Mr. & Mrs. Otto Obermeyer 
operated a grocery store in the building until 1960.  Much of the time Mrs. 
Obermeyer continued teaching school.  The bank vault was left standing when 
Rex Bartles demolished the building.

In the late 1920's Mr Sieguin built a small restaurant west of the Sunshine 
Trail.  His hamburgers were 5 cents, very tasty if you were lucky enough to 
have 5 cents in those early depression years.  The next owner was Mr. Mahaney, 
one of many owners over the next few years.  In 1940 it was purchased by Jake 
and Lorna Mullner and known as the Mullner Grocery and Liquor Store.  When 
they retired in 1969 Mr & Mrs Larry Grieben bought the business and had a 
larger building moved in. Present owners are Mr and Mrs Larry Gerlach.  It was 
renamed "The Shed" and has groceries, liquor, and lunches.

"The Methodist Church of Westport was in operation by 1887. The first church 
building was constructed in 1908."  BCH p119.  It was destroyed by fire in the 
1930's and a new building replaced it on the same location. The building was 
bought by United Methodist of Aberdeen and moved to 1404 N State St in 
Aberdeen.  It was served by Pastor Clark in the 1920's.

"Sacred Heart Catholic Church of Westport was organized soon after the town 
was developed in the late 1880's.  A frame church was built about 1900.  It 
was part of a Parish with Columbia, Hecla, and Frederick before becoming 
affiliated with Aberdeen and Leola parishes."  BCH p129.  The present building 
was built in 1914 and the present congregation is from Westport, Columbia, and 
Frederick.  Mass is held at 7:30 pm on Thursdays and 9:00 am Sundays by Father 
Gary Ternes who is from Leola.  There is a kitchen and hall in the lower level 
that is used for Church School and social gatherings.

"Presbyterian services were conducted in 1882 by a pastor from Frederick who 
also served Ellendale as well as Westport.  Services were discontinued when 
the last minister retired."  BCH p131.

During part of the 1920's Pastor John DeWald of the Columbia Lutheran Church 
held services In the Methodist Church building in Westport twice a month.  On 
September 7, 1924 a class of eight was confirmed.  Walter Hinz, Emil Rose, 
Gustav Neubauer, Arthur Bussian, Elmer Milbrandt, Frieda Hinz, Lorna Neubauer 
and Amanda Bussian.

At the present time, 1989, the only church holding services in Westport is 
Sacred Heart Catholic Church, served by Father Ternes.  Our community is 
fortunate that the congregation graciously offers its parlor facilities for 
family gatherings, especially after a funeral, disregarding denominational 
differences.  Their annual autumn chicken dinner attracts hundreds of 
residents and visitors by its excellent and cordial fellowship.

About 1944 the US Army Corps of Engineers proposed a high dam two miles west 
and 1 3/4 miles north of Westport near the Kruse farm on the Elm River as part 
of a flood control project on the James River.  Plans were later abandoned 
because of local opposition led by the town of Frederick.

"Hamlin Garland came with his parents the Richard Garlands to the homestead 
located north of Ordway in what was originally part of Westport Township."  
BCH p345.  When Westport Township was divided about 1922 the new east half was 
named Garland Township after him. "Many of his works reflect his vision of 
Dakota as a harsh land taking a bitter toll of the lives of the people who 
came here as pioneers." BCH p345.

An article by Ben Walsh in the Farm and Ranch Guide describes much the same 
attitudes. 'Back When' by BenWalsh.  THERE WAS NO PIE IN PIONEERING FOR OLD 
SETTLERS.

It was called by people a fine piece of legislation, well written, and for the 
first time in history, giving the poor man and his family an opportunity for a 
home of their own.  Others said that it ruined more lives than whiskey. I am 
referring to the Homestead Bill signed into law by President Lincoln giving 
each homesteader 160 acres of "free" land.  They were to learn through harsh 
reality and experience how far from free it could be.

Most homesteaders were far from rich, having little money with which to live 
until the sod could be broken and a crop raised.  Coupled with that was the 
fact that many were not familiar with homesteading, and did not realize the 
hardships and sacrifices had always been a part of homestead life and are what 
this article is all about.  It contains only a mere sample of the long litany 
of sacrafices suffered by many of those misguided people.  Some were forced to 
stay because they were too poor to move away. 

Many of them found themselves performing menial tasks that heretofore they 
would have considered below their dignity to perform.  For many it was a case 
of "root hog or die".  Many a tired homesteader, as he plodded the weary 2,000 
or more miles required to break the sod on his 160 acres of homestead, must 
have thought of his younger and happier days, when the future lay before him 
bright and cheerful.  He must have wondered what manner of mismanagement on 
his part lead him to the life he was leading.

Likewise, his wife who before her marriage had her share of suitors, must have 
wondered if perhaps she had been a bit too hasty in entering into a marriage 
that had reduced her to the life she was leading now, as she bent her back to 
the washboard.  Driven by poverty and necessity, the homesteader's ability to 
make do, or do without, became legendary.  Let me tell you of a few of their 
nearly incredible accomplishments that I know to be true:  This is an account 
told to me by a elderly gentleman who was a boy in South Dakota in homestead 
days.  One day he accompanied his parents to the nearest frontier village for 
much-needed supplies, and while there he witnessed a scene that remained in 
his memory for life.  What he saw was a pioneer woman driving into town riding 
a hay rake pulled by a cow, with butter and eggs fastened to the rake, 
together with a bundle of hay for the cow's lunch!

Allow me to explain that the farm implements of those long-ago days (like the 
farms themselves) were not as large as their counterparts of today.  It is 
likely that both the woman and cow were accustomed to working together in the 
hay field.  The rake was intended to be pulled by one horse.  This scene 
proved that it could also be pulled equally well  by a cow.  Just an example 
of the outstanding resourcefulness of the early pioneer.

Then there was the case of the homesteader who carried a sack of flour 60 
miles on his back to his homestead.  He spent the winter in Minnesota working 
as a lumberjack in the woods.  He was earning a grubstake to see him through 
the summer, as he clung to his homestead, and to make the required 
improvements before proving up his claim becoming its owner.

In those long-ago times Devils Lake was the nearest town, which happened to be 
some 60 miles from the homestead, which explains the long grueling, exhausting 
walk.  He had little choice.  He knew that if he expected to eat when he 
arrived at his destination, he had better provide for it by taking some 
provisions with him, for even a homesteader, although always filled with hope 
for the future, can not live on hope alone, he must have bread with it, hence 
the sack of flour.  I knew the man very well, although he was my senior by 
many years.

Then there was the case of another pioneer woman.  This one had no cow nor 
rake for transportation, but fortunately she had a sturdy pair of feet and 
legs.  She walked the 23 miles from the homestead to the nearest town, 
carrying her butter and eggs which she traded for much-needed supplies.  On 
her return trip she would be equally burdened, this time with supplies.

Did she spend the night in a hotel, if there was such a thing in those early 
times?  It is not at all likely that she stayed in one because every cent that 
she received for her produce would be sorely needed for the much-needed 
supplies.  Did she stop to rest along the way?  Did she eat or sleep?  When 
did she return, day or night?  How long did it take her to make the trip?  How 
often did she make the trip?  These are questions that I can only ask, but 
cannot answer.  I only know that it was done, an accomplishment to be admired 
for its stamina and endurance.

They no longer walk the roads carrying the supplies that kept themselves and 
their loved ones from starving, in the grim struggle for survival, those 
intrepid men and women who were our parents or the parents of our parents.  
Perhaps they might not have had the courage to continue the struggle had they 
not had the dreams of good things to come.  In their mind's eye they could see 
their broad acres heavily laden with golden harvest, together with herds of 
slick, fat cattle and horses.

But what has become of those once pleasant dreams?  They are gone because 
often they were only dreams.  In reality they never existed. Many times they 
were never more than an unrealistic dream in a poor, struggling homesteaders 
mind.  The dreams he dreamed gave him the strength and courage to drive 
himself onward.  Often they were his only reward.  He never found the gold at 
the end of the rainbow.

It is a true but unpleasant fact of life that many a homesteader and his 
faithful wife, in the evening of their lives, found themselves without 
support.  In place of the broad acres of their dreams, not even the homestead 
remained in their possession.  In some cases the quarter section for which 
they had given the best years of their lives, and upon which they had always 
depended, had (because of adverse times, and circumstances beyond their 
control) passed out of their hands.

And what became of such people?  They joined the ranks of the displaced.  They 
became the unnoticed and the ignored.  They were the faceless people whose 
names never made the history books, but who nevertheless did much for the 
country, and gave for us who came later. They gave better than they received.

Could we of today do what they did?  Could we have weathered the weather and 
all the adversities that could be thrown in our path?  Are we made of the same 
stout timber as our forefathers or has the easier life made us soft.  This a 
question for all of us to answer, each one for himself.  This is the end of 
the Ben Walsh article.

Discussion was held in the winter of 1975 on organizing and incorporating the 
town of Westport.  A vote was held the following year and a Board of Trustees 
elected:  Robert Cantwell 1 yr term, Quinten Sulzle 3 yr term, Floyd VanDover 
2 yr term, and Rayma Scepaniak treasurer.  Marie Marske has been treasurer 
from 1977 until the present.  Township and town officials held many 
discussions of division of property being held jointly.  The city then 
purchased the township equity in the town hall.  Township officers agreed to 
pay half the cost of cemetery upkeep.  It was agreed to move the dumpsters out 
of town.

The first major undertaking of the newly incorporated town was planning a new 
waste water treatment works In March of 1980.  The project was started in 1981 
and completed the following year.

The next decision involved the service by Web Water System.  After meetings in 
March of 1983 and February of 1986 the town was given two months to decide.  
With forty households signed up the contract was passed with work to start in 
September of 1986.  Many complaints needed settlement before the water was 
delivered in 1988.

In the winter of 1984 plans were beginning to shape up for a new ball park.  
With the hard work of willing volunteers and a great spirit of community 
service the park became a reality.  In the summer of 1985 sod was laid and the 
fence put up.  Gravel was hauled the following spring.  The goal of a better 
town was accomplished by cheerful cooperation and enjoyment of working 
together.  The ballpark is a reminder to older citizens of the many athletic 
accomplishments of teams and individuals of the past.

Fishermen find good success along the Elm River, but are often tempted to 
travel considerable distances to test their skills.  Pheasant hunters have 
enjoyed marked success since the late 1920's in this area.  In 1961 Game 
Warden Lloyd Richardson Sr. stated that the highest pheasant count in the 
State, taken by the Department of Game, Fish, and Parks, for that year was 
centered at the intersection two miles east and one mile north of Westport.  
The two quarters of soil bank growth to the north furnished perfect nesting 
and roosting facilities while the corn and grain fields on the two quarters 
south provided feeding grounds.  It was the rule rather than the exception for 
a group of hunters to have their limit in two hours or less.  It was still a 
far cry from the 1945 pheasant population reported by the South Dakota Crop 
and Livestock reporting service when the estimate for the state was 
14,750,000, an average of 30.1 for every 100 acres of all land.  Deer hunting 
since the 1940's has become popular to the area with success ratio's as high 
as 95% reported.

The last undertaking which has started but is not yet completed is the 100 
year State Centennial Celebration of Westport which will take place July 8th 
and 9th, 1989.  A committee organized in the fall of 1988 to make plans for 
the festivities.  On Saturday the 8th at 9:00 am a road race is planned to 
kick off the days activities.  A parade is scheduled for 11:00 am.  The 
afternoon events will include kids games, horseshoe, and various other 
activities.  At 9:00 pm there will be a street dance.  Sunday will start off 
with a 5 X 5 softball tournament with a break at 1:00 pm for the dedication of 
the ballpark.  A community picnic is planned for 6:00 pm to be followed by 
fireworks around 10:30 pm.

The committee selected three lasting legacy projects.  First, it was decided 
that a playground was needed for the youth in our community. At this time 
several items have been donated to include:   horse spring rider in memory of 
Lorna Mullner;  duck spring rider in memory of Rita Carlson;  gym set in 
memory of Jake Mullner;  and a dolphin spring rider donated by Susan and Larry 
Gerlach of The Shed.

The second lasting legacy project is a stone monument with a plaque 
recognizing the efforts of the entire community on completion of the new 
ballpark.  This monument was donated in memory of  E. Neil  Prunty  by his 
family.

The third lasting legacy project is a display case for items of interest.  
This project was donated in memory of Robert Jung by Darla Jung and children.

A lot more money had to be raised to add to and complete the above mentioned 
projects so the committee has held several fundralsing efforts to include a 
couple casino nights and a 50's and 60's dance. Other items were donated to 
help the efforts.  All met with a tremendous success due once again by the 
efforts of the entire community.

A special thanks to the committee members:


Road Race		Neil Schaunaman, Jerry VanDover

Parade			Leroy Podol1, John Rydberg

History			Amy (Siemann) VanDover, Albert Bussian

Book			Pat Podol1

Fundraising		Susan and Larry Gerlach

Signs			Lora Schaunaman, Harvin Schiosser

Playground		Lyle Schaunaman, Terry Mullner, Gary Huettl

Games			Linda Huetti, Dixie Wollman

Display case		Dave Scepaniak

Picnic			Elaine VanDover, Larry Wilson

Fireworks		Richard Huettl, Bob Huettl

Monument		Joe Ruhoff, Dale Groop, John Sumption

Clean-up		Dan and Don Schlosser, Fred Wollman

Sec/Treasurer		Pam Schaffner

Co-chairs		Darlys Grieben, Lyle Podoll

Many of the above mentioned worked on several committees.

The Centennial Committee would like to thank everyone who helped in any way to 
make this celebration a success. A special thanks to Grace Wilson and Dorothy 
VanDover for the hand made raffle items.

The rest of the book contains general human interest stories and a variety of 
pictures randomly selected to cover as many years as possible.  The printer 
informed us that year book pictures lack quality for reproduction; therefore, 
we had to use only original pictures that were given to the committee to 
produce this book.

THE OBLIGING ENGINEER 1926 OR 1927

Myron Mincks farmed where Mike Wilson now lives, one mile north and one-half 
mile east of Westport, an ideal location for a school-bus terminal.  He drove 
his horse drawn bus a mile north for Mary Mullner (Brotzel) on a trail beside 
the railroad track.  He then returned to the Charley Anderson farm for Agnes  
Clara and Art.  At the Bussian place it was Amanda, Albert and a cousin Emma 
Yeske who stayed with Bussian's during her High School years.  Next was John 
Evans from a farm then located across the road from the Ray Huettl farm.  
Occasionally a visitor or other passenger was accommodated.  Last to board 
were the Ed Mass children, now the Ray Huettl place.

Myron's eyesight was not up to normal but his integrity and personal qualities 
were such that his qualifications for the bus drivers job were never 
questioned.  There were mornings when the irregular schedule of the Westport 
Cannonball, consisting of a steam locomotive, various freight cars and 
combination caboose and passenger cars would arrive at the crossing ahead of 
the school bus.  However, if it was coming down the hill, it usually meant a 
tiresome wait until it placed cars on the sidetrack or had a passenger 
boarding.

One morning there were sighs of boredom when the smoke indicated we would 
arrive at the same time. Imagine our surprise when the engineer slowed the 
train as we neared the track and then, stopped even with the depot, and 
motioned for us to go on across.  Myron didn't fully trust his vision, but 
when several of the passengers saw the signals, he proceeded to drive across. 
At this time the depot agent, a Civil War Veteran whose last name was Case, 
stomped out of the depot, waving his arms and getting in front of the horses. 

Fortunately the locomotive had good brakes, and with a little urging, Mr. Case 
stepped aside to allow us to continue on to school .  We were unaware of the 
pandemonium and storm clouds that were developing around town.  Case was 
demanding that Mincks be fired from his job.  Many of the townspeople were 
horrified by the reports that were circulating.  Fortunately, as I recall, 
Charley Anderson was on the School Board, and asked his children what had 
happened.  Finally it seems, at least by my memory it was some days later, the 
principal, Mr. Michel, and others got the bright idea to ask the students and 
pupils who were on the bus, whether the train had stopped and whether the 
engineer had motioned for us to cross.  It took considerable time for them to 
imagine that we kids were witnesses capable of seeing what had occurred.  If 
it hadn't been for Charley Anderson displaying a staunch faith in the 
capability of Mr. Mincks, he might have been discharged as bus driver.

We miss the school in Westport.  We miss the railroad, but would we be willing 
to go back to horse drawn school buses and horse drawn grain wagons to have 
them back?  (by Albert Bussian)

A TRAGIC LOSS

There is little comparison between the whistle of a diesel locomotive and the 
whistle of the steam monsters of the past.  It was daily routine to hear the 
whistle of the Milwaukee which was less than two miles from our farm, but 
sometimes the whistle of the Northwestern going through Ordway, fully five 
miles distant would come through loud and clear.  Whistles on the thrashing 
engines were equally penetrating, as many are aware who attend the old time 
threshing bees held at various nearby locations.  One long whistle at noon 
meant give your horses their noon grain in the feed box built on the rear of 
the bundle racks.  Several short blasts meant a shortage of grain wagons.  One 
short meant breakdown, stop pitching bundles into the separator.  Two or three 
early morning blasts indicated the engine was getting fired up and the bundle 
haulers left their hay mow beds for breakfast in the cook car.

Horses soon became accustomed to the whistles.  However since it was a 
seasonal occurrence, the young horses and colts could be easily startled, and 
required watchfulness.

In the early 1920's Joe Issler farmed at the site one mile north and four 
miles east of Westport, now occupied by Roland Couser.  It was a rather long 
haul taking the grain from the thrashing rig to the grain elevator, but the 
team of colts Joe was breaking in had made their third trip by mid-afternoon. 
Joe had dumped his load at one of the three grain elevators In operation in 
Westport at that time and tied them to the rail while he went to attend to an 
errand.  Whether it was for some groceries for the cooks, repairs from one of 
the two implement dealers in Westport at that time, a bottle of malt, which 
was like beer at less than one-half of one per cent alcohol in those 
prohibition days, or some other errand is now a matter of conjecture.  What 
was for certain was the sharp whistle of an extra train, barreling through at 
full speed, with the engineer heralding his approach with extra sharp blasts 
on the whistle to warn the city that the tracks were to be kept clear.  Mr. 
Issler was startled and rushed out to check his horses, but they were startled 
worse, and before he could reach them, they had broken loose and bolted in the 
direction of home.  As they crossed the tracks the locomotive struck.  Horses 
and wagon were demolished.

Insurance was unheard of at the time.  The loss was more serious than would be 
the loss of a new 4 x 4 pickup truck without insurance under today's 
conditions.  There was talk of Joe suing the railroad company, but it was 
generally agreed such action would be futile.  Railroad officials considered 
it an act of generosity to furnish a crew to bury the horses.  (As recalled by 
Albert Bussian)

DO WE HAVE A WINNER?

1925... the days of grain binders, shocking grain bundles, steam powered 
thrashing rigs when bundle haulers were paid by belt time, the 4 am whistle 
would test the boiler pressure on the steam engine.  It also signaled the 
bundle haulers to leave their comfortable beds in the hay mow of the barn, 
which were two blankets on top of some hay for a mattress, and their extra 
pair of overalls rolled up for a pillow. Then get into your dusty clothes, 
slip on your dirty socks and pull on your boots or shoes.  Washing clothes 
wouldn't help, since an hour of trudging through the grain fields loading your 
bundle wagon, would saturate them with dust again anyhow.

Since help was paid by "belt time" we grain haulers had better have a wagon 
backed under the grain spout by 6:00am.  12 hour days were the rule with 14 
hours when everything worked out perfect.

How they had energy left for a session of poker is beyond me, but as I 
recollect, Sunday was a day of rest, and the only thrasherman's worship I can 
recal1 were the afternoon poker sessions.

As a curious 12 year old, usually with a younger brother or friend, we would 
examine some of the bundle haulers gear if there was an opportunity when we 
were certain we wouldn't be caught.  On one rare occasion we discovered a six 
shooter revolver.  Evidently they didn't all take for granted the honesty of 
the other gamblers.

Harvest time was also payday for my brother, Herb, whose wages were the 
proceeds of the Richter quarter, which was rented on shares from William 
Richter of Gresham, Nebraska, who would be finished with his harvest by the 
time we started, and would be here to collect on his share of the crop.

Herb often padded his income during the summer by building township roads with 
horses and fresno while I would be out cultivating corn, either two horses on 
a single row cultivator or 4 horses on a double row.  Evidently 1925 was a 
prosperous year, as Herb was able to purchase a new Model T Ford with windows 
that flexed and slid into a channel overhead.

Poker was a bit more sophisticated for the local clientele.  The Albert 
Krimpitz home was located just west of the Jung farmstead, along the Elm, now 
part of the Jung gravel pit.  Krimpitz, a bachelor, entertained the local 
gamblers at his home on prearranged occasions.  One autumn Saturday night 
several neighborhood gentlemen were assembled at his home, enjoying their 
pastime and each eagerly anticipating the disposition of the extra wealth they 
were confident would be theirs.  But, Alas!!! their enjoyment was interrupted 
by two men, entering uninvited, and masked with thrasherman's bandannas over 
their faces. "Reach for the ceiling boys, and don't try any funny stuff" came 
the command as one of them  brandished two loaded revolvers.  His partner then 
brushed the contents of the rust dinner table into the pouch he carried and 
then proceeded to frisk the host and guests for added loot.  Krimpitz, 
standing beside the cream separator was calculating the possibility of bashing 
the gunman with the supply tank of the separator and tried to motion to Royce 
Parmeter for a nod of assistance. 

"Stop those motions" demanded the alert gunman.  " just nare-vous" explained 
Krimpitz in his notorious German brogue.

"Leave those, they are my car keys" pleaded my brother Herb, as the active 
partner emptied his pockets. "We might need these keys, buddy", was his reply 
in a not unfriendly tone.  Sure enough it turned out to be the keys to the 
only car on which the wiring had not been cut.  Also, being scarce broken in, 
it proved to be speedier than any of the remaining vehicles present, even if 
the amateur mechanics could have rewired them.   Then, too, their wisdom 
reasoned that it would not be very desirable to encounter those two revolvers 
again during a would be chase.  In due time the incident was reported to the 
sheriff, who later arrived to investigate. The extent of the loot was not made 
public.

According to the newspaper account turned in by the sheriff, "several 
neighbors were visiting at the home of Albert Krimpltz Saturday evening when 
two masked men entered the room and at gun point searched them for valuables. 
 "I don't know what gave them the idea we had any money on us" remarked one of 
the victims.  They then drove away In the Ford car, owned by Herbert Bussian, 
license number XXX (unavailable).  (This is not the actual news account as 
printed. It is the newspaper account as recalled by Albert Bussian and 
Lawrence Siemann).

Two days later the Ford was found in a ditch near Hecla.  It didn't appear to 
have sustained excessive damage, however it was obvious it had not received 
tender loving care.  The two bandits were never apprehended, or at least were 
never included in any later confessions.

Gambling has always had its ups and downs.  How about that Saturday night 
game?  Do we have a winner? Not in my estimation. (By Albert Bussian)

NOTE: This is a true incident.  Since it occurred 63 years ago I cannot assure 
the accuracy of all details.  They were all written to the best of my 
recollection, and reviewed with Lawrence Siemann for possible corrections.

THE WONDERFUL TWO HOSS SLEIGH

The practice of trading eggs and butter for groceries at the local grocery 
store is well within the memories of our local senior citizens.  At times this 
means of barter was expanded to other commodities produced on our farms. 
However every type of venture has its hazards, as the following incident, as 
recalled by Bernice (Mickey) Van Dover of rural Westport demonstrates.

Winter was a butchering season on most farms, as this was the time the meat 
could be cooled and processed and often part of it was frozen to be consumed 
before the Spring thaw.  In the meantime some stores or private individuals 
would deal with a farmer for a quarter of beef or a side of pork.

During the winter of 1923 (or therabouts) Ira Van Dover had processed a pig 
for sale and two of the Van Dover boys, Hiram and Harold, better known as Hi 
and Bill, prepared for the trip to Aberdeen.  Their wives, Bernice and Della 
were to accompany them as it was Christmas shopping time. Travel was by horse 
power, so two trips to Aberdeen in one year was considered maximum for the 
ladies.

A wagon box on a bob sled was well padded with loose straw.  The passenger 
seat was usually a box or a spring wagon seat placed inside on the floor. Flat 
stones, heated on a cook stove or coal heater for several hours served as foot 
warmers, and bed quilts or blankets augmented the usual winter sweaters, 
coats, shawls and overshoes worn in cold weather.  The two sides of pork were 
neatly wrapped in cloth sheets, which were probably worn, but newly washed bed 
sheets or table cloths.

For heavy field work, farmers usually owned Belgians, Clydesdales or other 
heavy breeds of horses, but lighter breeds such as quarter horses or broncos 
would be faster on long road trips, so Hi and Bill hitched up a team that was 
young an not well  experienced for the occasion.

An old Mogul tractor stood for years on the east side of the Sunshine Trail, 
now Brown County 10, at the correction line four miles south of Westport.  
There was a 50 gallon barrel propped high above the tractor frame which 
substituted for the radiator which had failed on the tractor. When Hi and Bill 
were driving their inexperienced team past this old landmark, the horses 
became frightened and bolted.  The wagon box was thrown from the bob sled and 
the team never halted until they came to the farmstead now listed as owned by 
Gaylen Potts, one mile south and a mile and a half west of Brown County 10 
curve.

Details of retrieving the wagon box and its contents are now forgotten. The 
Louie Leidke farm was located west of the road on the southeast corner of 
Section 35, and a McNeary lived on the northwest corner of section one, so 
help was probably solicited from the occupants of one of these farms. Bernice 
does not recall any of the farms to be equipped with a telephone, so it was 
sometime before Ira learned of the accident.  How did he show his concern?  
The usual anxious remark we would hear today is " Are you all right?" On this 
occasion however, Bernice clearly recalls, Ira's firsi words upon hearing of 
the mishap were "Where's the pig?"  Was this the inspiration for the more 
modern expression "Where's the BEEF?"

Written by Albert Bussian. Details furnished by Bernice Van Dover. February 
12, 1989.

SCHOOL BUS MISHAP

As we observe the transformations occurring throughout the rural communities 
during the last half century, few of us could imagine the rivalry that existed 
between the Westport and Barnard establishments during the 1920's and 1930's. 
 When the Barnard Consolidated District was organized in 1920, it was 
generally believed that property values would skyrocket.  The consolidated 
school house was built and motorized Oldsmobile school buses furnished 
transportation for pupils and students through grade 12.

Westport became anxious to share in the bonanza created by modernized 
educational opportunities, and plans began to develop for a consolidated 
school in Westport. However the east half of Westport Township was reluctant 
to participate, since much of it was actually a part of the Columbia trade 
area.  Westport residents were anxious to act, so it was decided to split the 
Township, since it covered nearly two civil townships, and Garland township 
was organized without participating as part of the Westport consolidated 
district, electing to continue in operation three grade schools and paying 
tuition to neighboring schools for high school students.  With a smaller 
district and tax base, it was felt that transportation by horse drawn buses 
would be more economical, and would be practical considering the distances 
Involved.  Five roof covered and glass windowed buses were purchased, with 
wagon running gears, and five wide tread bob sleds to which they could be 
transferred when the roads were snow covered.  With many unimproved country 
roads, there were winters when Barnard was obliged to build covered units for 
bob sleds to haul some pupils and students, while the old Barnard Hall was 
converted Into a dormitory for those who lived too distant for horse buses to 
be practical.


1932-1933
Bus driver: Melvin Podoll (In the bus) 1 to r: Ray Podoll, Elmer Bussian, 
Albert Podoll, Martin Bussian. Front Row 1 to r: Mariam Laird, Helen Siemann, 
Elva Reszler, Kay Van Dover, George Wilson, Alfred Wilson.

Since farm boys were usually experienced in handling horses, the students at 
Westport would sometimes assume the duties connected with driving and 
maintaining some of the bus routes.  During the 1932 school term, Melvin 
Podoll had assumed such duties on a route east of Westport.  Then, as now, 
horses possessed individual temperments. Sometime the traits were not 
disclosed when a horse was purchased or traded.  Melvin was not aware at the 
time that one horse on his team had a scar from a wire cut, and was wire shy, 
that is, he would panic if anything unexpectedly came in contact with that 
leg.  When the team was trotting down the hill east of the bridge, a tug came 
unhooked from the single-tree as the steel tired wheels caused it to shake 
loose.  The dangling tug slapped against the leg that had been wire cut.  Then 
a spreader on one of the reins broke and the neck-yoke slipped from the end of 
the wagon tongue, eliminating control over the horses or the bus   It crossed 
the bridge as it swayed from side to side.  West of the bridge it 
overbalanced, tipping into the north ditch.  The horses stopped when the bus 
overturned.  Only one window on the bottom side remained unbroken. Art Podoll 
carries a scar from a cut on his hand, which was the only serious injury to 
any of the passengers.  When the horses stopped the remaining three tugs were 
still hooked to the single-trees.  Had the other one remained in place, they 
might never have discovered that their newly purchased horse was wire shy.  
One horse was bleeding badly at the fetlock, which is just back of the hoof 
and slightly above it, where it had been hit by the bouncing wagon tongue.  
Chaney Walworth, manager of the Electric Milling and Grain Company, soon 
arrived at the scene.  He was widely experienced in veterinary work, and was 
able to attend to the injury.

It is ironic that the tip over occurred almost on top of a sign which warned " 
Dumping of rubbish forbidden -$10.00 fine". There is no record that Melvin was 
ever assessed the ten dollars.

Accident details furnished by Arthur Podoll, other details as remembered by 
Albert Bussian.


The whole school of children and buses of the Westport Consolidated School 
taken September 22, 1922.

HORSESHOES

In 1924 Henry Schaunaman Sr. was Tri-State (South Dakota, North and Minnesota) 
Horseshoe pitching champion.  Don Schaunaman was Champion in 1978.  During the 
1950's Glen Morris was once State Champion, and Lloyd Swartwout held the crown 
twice.  Over the years Henry Schaunaman Sr., Don Schaunaman and Edwin 
Schaunaman also rec'del the runner-up trophies.

THE WESTPORT CEMETERY

There is no credibility to the legend that the Old West was so healthy 
cemeteries were non-existent except for the two doctors that came out here and 
starved to death because they never had any patients. However, there is 
credence to the accounts available where healthy existence was often 
interrupted by the weapons carried in the belt holsters of law abiding 
citizens in a community where there was no respect for laws, even if they had 
existed.  Westport was no exception.  A cemetery site was selected west of 
town for the first burial of the community.  It wasn't long before another 
customer was added to provide companionship for the original resident.  This 
new arrival was the result of a gun fight, but where, oh where can we find the 
details of the factors that precipitated this unnecessary intrusion???  Facts 
furnished by Arthur Callaghan, Jr.

FAMILY TRAGEDIES

The Joseph Hansen family lived on a farm in this area.  Joseph was born in 
Germany and married Elizabeth Stevenson.  Alvina and Ab (Abraham) were twins. 
 Alvina married Henry Schubert, the only custodian for the Westport brick 
schoolhouse built in 1923 and used until 1969.  Both of the twins died in 
1988.

On September 12, 1914 Joseph was struck by lightening and killed while 
bringing cattle from the pasture.

Tragedy struck again when sodium flouride which had been stored in a baking 
powder can was used in making pancakes. Elizabeth and Minnie died of poisoning 
September 30, 1934.

This information was furnished by Mrs. Melvin (Janice) Larson of rural 
Columbia, daughter of Jack Hanson.

Another local tragedy occurred In the Milspaugh family.  Family members were 
Mary, Gladys, Clarence and Arthur, who was called "Ole".

Mrs. Milspaugh died as a result of eating pork that was under cooked. Mary and 
Gladys were very sick from it but eventually recovered.

As a young man, Clarence led an exciting and eventful life as a trapper in the 
isolation of Northern Canada. 

PIONEER REMINDED OF WESTPORT'S FOUNDING - 61 YEARS AGO TODAY
Story taken from Aberdeen News 3-17-1943

Comes March 17 and the wearin' of the green by every loyal son-and daughter-of 
Erin. For it's St. Patrick's day, hallowed anniversary of Ireland and not a 
day to trample, even lightly, upon Irish pride.

But the date has an added meaning for W.F. Hohensee, 84-year-old Aberdeen 
resident, and a special significance, too, for residents of Westport  whether 
they know it or not.  It was 61 years ago Wednesday that Mr. Hohensee hauled 
the first "immigrant car" on the Milwaukee railroad to the then "low spot on 
the prairie" that was Westport-to-be.

Spry and brisk as many men years younger, Mr. Hohensee smiles as he recalls 
the day in 1882 when, new in Aberdeen from Fond du Lac, Wis., he assembled his 
homesteading supplies--lumber, household goods, two horses and a cow--and 
approached the Milwaukee agent here for transportation to the site of 
Westport.  A train ran daily over the year-old line northeast but Mr. Hohensee 
found he had missed it that day.

A special was to leave Aberdeen at 10 in the evening, he was informed. So his 
supplies and livestock were loaded on a freight car.

The train arrived in Westport about 11 o'clock, he remembers.  There was no 
depot, "just a pile of rocks for the foundation."  The lumber comprising part 
of the supplies was to build a platform to unload the three head of livestock.

The supplies were hauled next day to the homestead of Mr. Hohensee's  
brother-in-law, F.F. Kemnitz, who lived three miles from Westport.  Mr. 
Hohensee's homestead was five miles east of Westport and he lived there for 
three years before coming back to Aberdeen where he has remained since except 
for six years spent in Minneapolis.  He is making his home with a son, W.H. 
Hohensee.

In 1894, Mr. Hohensee opened a livery stable in Aberdeen and during the winter 
of 1894-95 served as a mail carrier on the route between here and Ellendale, 
ND.  It was a tough winter, he recalls.  "We had a snowstorm that started Oct. 
28 and didn't let up until the following April," he said, looking out the 
window.  "It was a lot like It is now."  He carried the mail on alternate days 
until July 1, 1895.

FRANK RICHARD SWARTWOUT

Frank Richard Swartwout was born June 7, 1860, at Bristol, Illinois. He came 
to South Dakota from Illinois and married Rachel Morris at Ordway, South 
Dakota, on February 21, 1883.  They lived on the farm that is one mile south 
and one mile west of Westport.  He built all the buildings on the farm.  He 
then moved to McPherson County for awhile and returned to farm near Westport 
until 1911.  At that time he moved to North Dakota, around Larimore, and lived 
there until 1922 when his wife died.  He then moved back to South Dakota.

Frank was manager of the baseball team, played the violin which he acquired by 
trading a team of horses to Vine Gage, and also enjoyed playing cards.  When 
he was 80 years old, he could broad jump about eight feet and dance very well 
-- he was a good clogger.  He lived to be 100.

John and Margaret Swartwout going for a buggy ride. View East bridge

Frank, John, LLoyd and Kermit Swartwout. (Fourth Generation)

SIEMANN

Frank Antone Siemann was born in Westphalia, Prussia, in 1824.  He came to 
America to Kankakee, Illinois, October 28, 1855.  His wife was Gertrude 
(Richardts or Beckhord). She died in December 1883 at Momence, Illinois, on 
the old Lar farm and is buried in an unmarked grave.

Jacob was the first of the family to seven children to come to the Dakota 
Territory.  In 1882, he arrived by railway at Ordway, SD. He had shipped a 
team of horses named Dick and Dock and also a handplow.  He walked to his tree 
claim and built a sod shanty with a lean-to for the horses.  He received 160 
acres of land with the requirement that he plant trees.  It was an eight mile 
walk to Ordway for groceries and supplies. (This homestead was located two 
miles north and one-half mile east of Westport.)

Before coming to South Dakota, Jacob had worked for a neighbor.  When he was 
14 years he had earned $.50 a week.  He had to walk through a woods to and 
from work.  He knew that a man had been hanged in those woods, so one night, 
when a hoot owl let out a scream, it really made his hair stand on end.  Jacob 
hated trees, so it is ironic that he came to South Dakota to plant trees.

Jacob's first child, Frank, was a baby when Jacob came to homestead, so his 
wife and son came later.  His wife, Minnie, was from Kankakee.

Jacob's sod shanty had only newspaper covering the windows.  One day an Indian 
stuck his head in and wanted food and it was a frightening situation.  People 
were afraid of an Indian up-rising.  The men gathered for defense training and 
armed themselves with all sorts of weapons.  Jacob had an old musket.

John went directly to Iowa to settle.  He married an Irish lassie who 
pronounced Siemann, "Simmons."  There is a story that when John went to Iowa 
to scout for a place to settle, he was captured by Indians.  He was left to 
fish with squaws while the braves went to hunt.  He kept fishing farther and 
farther away until one day he could escape.  Hiding in the daytime and 
traveling at night, it took about three days to reach safety.  In spite of the 
incident, he liked the country so well that he returned to settle.

John's brother, Frank, went along to Iowa with John to help him get settled as 
he was proficient at building and carpentry.  Then Frank returned to Illinois 
and came to South Dakota with the rest of the family in 1883.  They came under 
the tree preemption and brought trees with them from Illinois which they 
planted in Franklin Township, Brown County, (northeast of Harold Hemen's).

Frank became a farmer in Garland Township after being employed by several 
farmers in the area.  He first farmed one and one-half miles east of Jacob's 
claim and then another farm which was one and one-half miles east of the first 
one, where he remained the rest of his life.

All of the Siemann boys farmed before having any other business.  Henry farmed 
what became known as the Tooker place.  George and Will went to business 
college in Aberdeen.  They drew straws to see which one would run the lumber 
yard and which one, the grocery store in Westport.  Will operated the 
lumberyard and George, the store.  Henry operated the store in 1918-19 while 
Will and George were gone to California.  After operating the store in 
Westport, Henry operated stores in Parker and Fulton.  (I have some tokens 
from his store in Parker).

In June 1927, George's wife Cecil won first prize in a Kitchen Improvement 
Contest.  Forty kitchens in Brown County were judged.  George retired and 
moved to California in 1934 after operating the store in Westport for 23 
years.  He and his wife traveled by car, took camping equipment and camped the 
first night of their trip in Melgaard Park in Aberdeen.

Will and Lottie had moved to California before George.  Will was in the 
banking and building and loan business.

While Henry was running the store in Westport, he told Laura Neer of the 
family's name change.  It had been Spiedaldorfer.  The name was evidently 
changed while the family was in Germany as some relatives named Siemann 
remained in Germany.  One of these was a cousin who was a Catholic priest.  
During the first World War, money was sent to the relatives in Germany.  
Arthur F. Siemann recounts that coffee was also sent and the German relatives 
did not know how to use it.  They cooked it, drained off the liquid and tried 
to eat the grounds.

Frank Antone was adept at carpentry and furniture making.  Gertrude Morris has 
a board that he carved which has birds on one side and on the other are the 
names of the seven children and the date when he came to Illinois. Others in 
the family remember that there was a wooden block, no doubt carved by him,  to 
record the family name change.

Frank Antone came to South Dakota after his wife died.  While living in 
Kankakee he had lost his right arm (on September 18, 1869).  He died in 1889 
and is buried in Aberdeen.  The picture below is the J.C. Siemann threshing 
rig.

WESTPORT. SOUTH DAKOTA
by William H. Morgan.

Westport, so beautiful and bright,
Cuddled in its snug valley so tight.
It is a most picturesque, good vale;
Located on the river and on the rail.
On a State Road and between the hills;
Where are found the Westport Mills.
Then it's hurrah, hurra and hurrelm!
For beautiful Westport on the Elm.


So this Westport we'll talk about;
We're glad coming into it, sad going out.
When we are there it is hard to get away,
And when we are away it's hard to stay.
For people and place both grip the heart;
And make it difficult from them to part.
This is the power holding heart to heart;
Where friendship does its force impart.

Westport is between Frederick and the Hub;
It plays baseball and has a ball club.
Its boys can give pointers on that game;
They are ambitious--seek a base ball name.
And as there is always room at the top;
Westport's boys will be very hard to stop.
Then it is hurrah, hurra and hurrelm;
For beautiful Westport on the Elm.

Its electric lighted, with artesian on tap;
And must have a large place on the map.
Have a mark that's very easy to find,
Even by persons who are almost bl md.
But Beauty is its strongest claim;
And upon this quality will rest its fame.
For beauty of valley, hills and stream;
Are like the flawless beauty of a dream.

In closing now we may freely state;
Westport desires to be something great.
It has placed its ambitions very high;
And hopes the mark to reach by and by.
By its boys or girls this must be done;
With brains, soils, new machine or gun.
Then its hurrah, hurra and hurrelm,
For Westport on the Elm.

Ambition is truly a very noble thing,
And does to the world, much good bring.
If it is bounded by the truth and right;
It might carry humanity up out of sight.
Might help to bring Earth's millenial day;
When all injustice shall be held at bay.
Men and Earth to their best are brought;
And better from Heaven alone is sought.

William H. Morgan was born June 23, 1851 and died December 14, 1929. This poem 
was taken from "The Selected Works" of William Morgan.  He was a retired judge 
and lived in Westport.

Broadbent Trashing Rig Early 1920's

Louie Schubert Engineer; Adrian (Al) Parmeter Separator man.  Most rigs had 14 
bundlehaulers who gathered the shocks of grain from the fields with a team and 
rack.  Two or three spike pitchers to help unload into the separator, a tanky 
to haul water for the steam engine and a flunky to haul coal and do other odd 
jobs.  Two cooks prepared 3 meals every day for about 20 men.  The grain 
haulers with 6 to 10 teams and wagons were neighbors exchanging help and were 
given a noon meal at the place where the thrashing was being done.  Their 
breakfast and supper were eaten at home and chores done before the 7 am start 
and 8 pm shut down of the rig.

WESTPORT SCHOOL PICTURE - 1929-30

Back row 1 to r: Lloyd Swartwout; Burl Matteson; Dooly Anderson;
Leonard McBride; Maurice Morrison; Frank Saul; Albert Bussian; John
Evans (later Ables); Henry Kruse; William Higgins (coach & teacher)
Second row 1 to r: Principal Mr. Michel; Minnie Pautsch; Florence
Rohwedder; Dorothy Morrison; Amy Siemann; Julia McGovern; Eileen
Callaghan; Ella Mass; Caroline Miller; Orpha Broadbent; Martha Stern;
Lerae Wray, teacher.
Front row 1 to r: Esther McBride; Marie Dunkel; Martha Spangler; Lester
Fletcher; lb  Matteson; Martin Bussian; Walter VanDover; Arthur
Callaghan; Merton Michel; Arthur Anderson and William Kruse.

Westport school picture about 1932

Taken at Daniel Milbrandt Farm
1 mile east & 1 mile south of Westport, SD July 4, 1906 This is now the John 
and Carol Rydberg Farm contains Daniel Milbrandt, Albert C. Bussian, August 
Yeske Mllbrandt, Fritz Oschmann, Erma Bussian &
Louise Bussian

Installation of the Westport sewer - around 1907


WESTPORT BAND 1910
1 to r: John Edwardson, Ross Hanson, Willie Ulrich, Louis Schubert,
Charlie Stoddard, Roland Richards, Charles Milbrandt, Ryder Edwardson,
Ralph Dage, Lawrence Siemann, Max Heinz, Warren Buttke, Dick Milbrandt,
Ray Brooks.

WESTPORT COUNTRY SCHOOL - NOW GARLAND - ABOUT 1913
People in the picture: Fred Bussian, Jake Waltman, Walter Parmeter,
Arthur Timpe, Mrs. Timpe, Mrs. Ed Sonday, Howard Sonday, Philip
Waltman, Richard Bussian, Art Siemann, Ella Weismantel, Herbert
Bussian, Mrs. Weismantel, Hazel Parmeter, Frank Waltman, Royce
Parmeter, Louise Waltman, Mary Waltman  Teacher: Ruby Loken, Myrtle
Parmeter, Grace Parmeter, Louis Bussian, Grace McGovern, Grace Sonday,
Helen Parmeter, Tom Parmeter, Martin Waltman.

WESTPORT SCHOOL--1916
Front row: Francis Schurin, Harvey Mills, Frank Mullner, Lawrence
Slemann, Lyle Morris, Houser Mullner, Orville Matteson, Henry Johnson,
Dave Mullner, Archie Matteson, Jake Mullner, Walter, ? Harris, Daniel
Turner, Glen Young, Leonard VanDover, Leonard Harris, Oliver Nelson.
Middle row: Florence Young, Agnes Anderson Buntrock, Margaret Boysen,
Mabel Mllbrandt Walker, Ola Taylor Winters, Mary Mullner Brotzel,
Dorothy Sequin, Marjorie Brooks Winters, Clara Anderson. Back row:
Margaret Muilner Marko, Erla Morris Roundy, Katie Muliner, Minnie
Mllbrandt Forrest, Lizzie Milbrandt, Fanny Torguson, Gaye Dage, Hazel
Richards, Viola Matteson, Della Painter VanDover, Adelaide Makins,
Mayme Moyle, Mary Schurin, Esther Fox, Bernice Hanson VanDover, Lena
Torguson, Gertude Siemann, Gladys Dage, Gaye Siemann Huettl.

WESTPORT HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL - 1925-26
1 to r standing: Lavern Winters, Coach Otis Jerde, kneeling: Wiblur
Dage, Edward Beeson, Jake Mullner, sitting Arthur Bussian, Ellsworth
Chittick, Lyle Morris & Emery Hanson.

7th and 8th grade - September 20, 1922
School held at Henry Siemann Store upstairs (Woodmen Lodge quarters)
Standing 1 to r: Esta Stutzman, Margorie Brooks, Lorma Neubauer, Melva
Morrison, Bessie Vance, Hilda Neubauer, Emma Milbrandt, Mabel
Milbrandt, Lucille Rehling, Agnes Anderson, Agnes Hainline, Ola Taylor.
Seated:   Dave Mullner, Frank Nichols, Walter McBride, Dale Nichols,
Emery Hanson, Glenn (Ike) Morris, Tuffy (Edwin) Morrison, Frank
Matteson.

Westport Girls Basketball - 1926-27
Standing: Lerae Wray, Clara Anderson, Agnes Anderson, Marjorie Brooks, Mabel 
Milbrandt. Sitting: Mary Beeson, Esther Clark, Grace Sonday.

SPIRIT OF WESTPORT - ABOUT 1930
Back row l to r: Melva Morrison Dage, Edith Matteson,(Mrs. Warren), Mrs
Luther Morris, Gladys Ophdyke, Myrtle Walworth, Berths Siemann, Olga
Taylor Winters. Middle row 1 to r: Viola Dage, Mrs. Bertha Dage, Maggie
Slemann (Mrs. Bob), Tophie Brooks (Eloise), Alma Morrison (Mrs. Earl),
Mickey VanDover (Bernice). Front row 1 to r: Della VanDover (Mrs.
Bill), Eloise Ophdyke & Agnes Bussian.

WESTPORT HIGH SCHOOL 1930 GRADUATION
Standing l to r: Miss Wray-faculty, Maurice Morrison, John Evans (later
Ables), William Higgins-faculty, Leonard McBride, Minnie Pautsch,
Marths Spangler.  Seated 1 to r: Lloyd Swartwout, Albert Bussian, Burl
Matteson, Mr. Michal-Principal.

WESTPORT HIGH SCHOOL - 1929-30 BASKETBALL TEAM
Standing l to r: Walter VanDover, Henry Kruse, Albert Bussian, Coach
William Higgins, Frank Saul William Kruse. Seated 1 to r: Leonard
McBride, Burl Matteson, Maurice Morrison, Lloyd Swartwout, Arthur
Anderson.

WESTPORT HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL TEAM 1932
Standing l to r: Lester Fletcher, lb  Matteson, Mel Podoll, Coach R.G.
Berg, Frank Saul, Art Anderson, Martin Bussian. Seated 1 to r: Derre;;
Gronso, Bill Spangler, Bill Kruse, Bennie VanDover & Art Podoll.

WESTPORT SCHOOL PICTURE 1934
Those in the picture: Mariam Laird, Cecelia Schubert, Jennie Mincks,
Jean Fuller, Lucille Huettl, Lucile Schliebe, Doris Kruse, Margorie
Brietag, Marjorie Calaghan, Augusta SchI iebe, Rosabel le Spangler,
Dorothy Mueller, Leone Calaghan, Mary Swartwout, Gertrude Podoll,
Marian Kelly, Violet Schliebe, Amelia Gates, Dorothy Calaghan, Audrey
Jones, Reada Milbrandt, Gertrude Buntrock, Ruth Broadbent, Florence
Huettl  Hazle Poe, Maxine Kelley, Elaine Rippleman, Ella Milbrandt,
Albert Spangler, Albert Podoll, Bob Walworth, George Schaunaman Derrell
Gronso, Bernard Taylor, Herbert Schaunaman., Howard Poe, Jack Poe, Elmer
Bussian, Emery Backous, Leonard Mass, Ray Podoll, Jasper Holmes, Emery
Stucke, Gus Pautch, Geroge Calaghan, E.T. Walseth, E. Hablentzel, F.H.
Washington. Absent Edith Schnell, Charles Schaunaman, Irl Schaunaman.

WESTPORT HIGH SCHOOL
Picture taken during the late 1920's or early 1930's

WESTPORT SCHOOL PICTURE 1936-37
Those is the picture: Eugene Prunty, George Calaghan, George Struck,
Dick Dage, Robert Podoll, Arlie McCarthy Gus Pautch, Robert Cal laghan,
Robert Prunty, Frances Mincks, In  Schaunamann, Jasper Holmer, Ray
Podoll, Marvin Schijebe, Walt Buntrock, LeRoy Davis, Keith Ringgenberg,
Alfred Mass, Edna Mae Schnell, Betty Siemann, Lucille Huettl, Lucille
Schliebe, Anita Schaunamann, Alice Giese, Amelia Gates, Marie Hovrud,
Jeannie Mincks, Marian Kelley, Mariam Laird, Marjorie Callaghan, Audrey
Jones, Violet Schuebe, Martha Milbrandt, Mary Swartwout, Maxine
Kelley, Dorothy Miller, June VanDover, Mariam Brietag. Teachers: Mr.
Hiaain. Mr. Ulvested, Miss Oakes.

WESTPORT SCHOOL PICTURE - 1937-38
Those pictured starting back row l to r: Vernon "Duke" Podoll, Dick
Dage, Jasper Holmes, Bob Sieman, Bob Cal laghan, Audrey Jones, June Van
Dover, Alice Murray, Maxine Kelley, Bob Mass, Marvin Schliebe, Bob
Prunty, Mariam Laird, Marian Kelley, Evelyn Champlin, Betty Broadbent,
Eleanor Backous Gertrude Podoll, Anita Schaunaman, Betty Siemann,
Cecila Schubert, Violet Schliebe Leroy DAvis, Gene Murray, Russell
Backous, Mariam Brietag, June Palmer, Beverly Palmer, Lola Torgeson,
Mary Schubert, Matilda Milbrandt, Bob Podoll, Gus Pautsch, Vernon
Pautsch, Willard Kruse, Lyle Backous, Leroy Rohwedder, Glenn Brietag,
Gene Prunty.

WESTPORT SENIOR CLASS OF 1935-36
Back row: Albert Spangler, Bernard Taylor. Front row:  E.T. Walseth, Class 
Advisor, Florence Backous and Hazel Poe.

WINTER OF 1935-37
These buses were used when the roads were blocked and there was no other way 
to get the students to school. In the left picture is Marlan and Maxine 
Kelley.

WESTPORT BASKETBALL TEAM OF 1936-37
Back row l to r: Eugene Prunty, Keith Ringgenberg, Walter Buntrock,
Robert Podoll, Alfred Mass, LeRoy Davis, Marvin Schliebe, Coach
Ulvestad. Front row 1 to r: Robert Prunty, Russell Backous, Irl
Schaunaman, Emery Backous, Ray Podoll, Charles Schaunaman, Francis
Mincks and Dick Dage.

Westport Grade School about 1925
Front row l to r: Warren Walworth, Ella Milbrandt, Eileen Morrison,
Fred Housen, Florence Huettl, ? Taylor. 2nd row: Dorothy Swortwout,
Helen Gemlocke, May Rehling, Julia McGovern, Bernice Hainlme,
Florence Backous, Derrell Gronso, Helen Marko. 3rd row: ???, Helen
Neubauer, Lloyd Mllbrandt, Martha Rehling, Spangler, ???, Frank Soul,
Frank Rehling.

Westport Grade School - 1929
Front row 1 to r: ????, Russell Backous, Floyd Mass, Dick Dage. 2nd row: 
Elluise Opckyde, Cecelia Schubert, Martha Milbrandt, Marie Rehling, Betty 
Siemann, Josie Fox, Rosabelle Spangler, Mary Swartwout, Marjorie Callaghan, 
Lois Fletcher. 3rd row: Warren Van Dover, Emery Backous, Lester Milbrandt, 
Elva Fletcher, Fred Hansen, Practice teacher, Irma Hansen, teacher. 4th row: 3 
practice teachers, Francis Mincks, Paul Fox, Arlie McCarthy, Dick DeVey, 
George Callaghan, Ernest Milbrandt.

Westport from the east hill before the road was gravelled.       Westport 
Depot above left bridge rail.

Westport Basketball~Team 1940-41
Front row: Erling Podoll, Melroy  Morrison, Vernon Podoll (team
captain), Owen Mincks, Larry Dage and Glenn Breltag. Back row: Kay
VanDover, Vernon Pautch, Edwin Schaunaman, William Backous and Coach
Ray Engbretson.

East Bridge view during 1943 flood.

Spring of 1943 - Frank Siemann standing, Larry Dage sitting

Tom Parmeter, with his Minneapolis Moline Combine, 22x36 IHC Tractor Old Max 
Hinz Farm - now owned by Frank Farrar of Britton - taken 1945

WESTPORT HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL TEAM 1946
Back row 1 to r: Darwin Podoll, Clarence Von Eschen, Clarence Huettl, Bernie 
Kopecky, Harold Krage. Front row l to r: Loris Walworth, Lyle Morrison, 
Clifford Backous, Orville Kanaly, Lyle Van Dover.

Grace Dennert worked at Bob's Store in Westport in 1913. Standing by old gas 
pump.

Wally Dennert 1923   

 1948-49 - Dennis Dennert, Arnold Dennert, Grace Dennert, Earl Buchter, Wally 
Dennert and Earl Dennert.

WESTPORT SCORES 5--1 TO WIN
SCHAUNAMAN WHIFFS 18
Article taken from American News 1948

WATERTOWN-- The South Dakota amateur baseball tournament headed into the 
second round play Monday with 32 of the original 45 teams remaining in the 
battle for the championship.

Westport, representative of the annually tough Northern South Dakota league; 
Wallace, the Little Eight's representative; a powerful Dell Rapids club, and 
White, the Upper Sioux league titleholder, scored victories in Sunday's 
four-game program that completed first round plan.

Second round play was to open with a four-game program Monday followed by four 
more Tuesday.  This will complete the top bracket with play in the lower 
bracket scheduled Wednesday and Thursday, the Aberdeen Pred's meeting Rapid 
City at 9:30 p.m. Wednesday.

The First six batters went down via the strike route, followed by two straight 
singles and then the next four batters also struck out.

Westport was held hitless by Steve Acheson from the sixth inning after he had 
relieved Humboldt's starting pitcher, Francis 

WESTPORT BASEBALL TEAM - 1948
Back row: Lloyd (Lefty Turnwall, Lyle VanDover, Bill Winjum, Bob Wendt, Roger 
Wolff, Tony Crady.
Middle row: Dean Sampsell, Art Yeske, Cliff Backous, Neil Prunty, Earl 
Backous, Harold Schaunaman. Front
row: "Chic" VanDover, Ed Schaunaman, Art Borden, "Dutch" Von Eschen.  Team 
members absent: Merrill Hemen
and Bill Emery.

WESTPORT HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL TEAM - 1953
Fron row 1 to r: Darrell Hinz, Richard Marko, Daryl Kaven, Leo Green. Back row 
l to r: Dale Hilgemann, Gerald Hilgemann, Herb Schroeder, Darwin Grieben, 
Larry Grieben and George Huettl.

WESTPORT PEP CLUB AND CHEERLEADERS    1952-53
Front row l to r: Janice Broadbent, DarLys VanDover ,Anita Namock,
Jeanette Dehne. Middle row l to r: Karen Bartles, Evelyn Hilgemann,
Dorothy Crompton, Darlene Breck, Shirley Heupel, Evangeline Saylor,
Mary Huser, Gloris Hilgemann, Connie Broadbent, Amy Catlette, Beverly
VanDover, Jeannette Kanely, Donna Robinson. Back row 1 to r: Arlene
Raetzman, Marlene Broadbent, Ila Schaunaman, Darlys Nelson, Peggy
Flanagan, Lorna Howe, Marilyn Kaven, Norman Bortvet, Marlene Wilson,
Lois Bortvet, Jane Catlette, Marilyn Easterby.

WESTPORT HIGHSCHOOL PROM 1953-54

WESTPORT HIGH SCHOOL GIRLS BASKETBALL - 1959
left to right: Arlene Loomis, Annette Hoenes, Linda VanDover, Judy Schwahn, 
Larae Podoll, Janice Opsahl, Margaret VanDover, Pat Prunty, Myrna VanDover, 
Manly Erdmann, Clara Marko, Donna Prunty, Ceclia Dehne.

Westport High School's last graduating class was 1960. Listed below are the 
students graduating.

Myrna Van Dover, Richard Graham, Lyle Conn, Roger Prunty, Robert Huettl, 
Claudia Wilson, Ronald Humphries, Donald Van Dover, all pictured above. Not 
pictured: Marilyn and Walter Erdmann.

WESTPORT HIGH SCHOOL CLASS PLAY OF 1960
Front to back - l to r: Myrna VanDover, Ronald Humphrles, Donald
VanDover, Richard Graham, Claudia Wilson, Janeen Obermeyer, Frank
Waltman, Lyle Mueliner, Robert Huetti, Lyle Conn, Eugene Corn, Arlen
Humphries, Roger Prunty.

Spring of 1969 - Winter's heavy snow caused flooding.

Winter of 1968-69 - Heavy Snow fall

Family of Rosina and Jacob Heupel taken in 1951: Back row l to r: LeVern, 
Harry, Milo, Leo, Calvin, Eugene, Walter and Jacob Jr. Front row l to r: Anna, 
Hertha, Rosina, Jacob Sr. Frances and Shirley.

ROSINA AND JACOB HEUPEL - 50TH WEDDING ANNIVERSARY - 1966

WESTPORT INTERMEDIATE CLASS OF 1951
Front row l to r: Donald Van Dover, Richard Dehne, Keith Namock, Larry
Olson. Second row 1 to r: Ronald Humphries, Ralph Grieben, Arlen
Humphries, Lynn Podoll, Lyle Mullner,  John Bortvit. Back row 1 tor:
Myrna Van Dover, Janice Opsahl, Claudia Wilson, Janeen Obermeyer,
Shirley Broadbent, Linda Van Dover. Teacher: Mrs. Olson.

Kindergarten Class of 1968
Front row l to r: Jim Jung, Bart Rathert, Kevin Schaunaman, Jeff Hall.
Back row l to r: LeAnn Mahlke, Rhonda Grieben, Susan Huetti, Karen
Olson, Karen Schaunaman.

1974 Horseshoe Tournament winners
 John Rydberg, Jack Browning, Lenny Lipp and Dennis Walworth.
1974 - Rick Grieben, Mark Van Dover, Kim Wernson, Kerry Wilson, Daryl Fuhrman.

Westport Little League Baseball team
Front row l to r: Brian Hertel, Jim Jung, Kraig Cantwell, Kermit Cantwell Dan 
Gooding, Eddie Peldo, 2nd row: Jack Cantwell, Mike Gulley, Kurt Christianson, 
Dave Peldo, Ronnie Carlson, Eugene Hieb. 3rd row: Rick Grieben, Monty Podoll, 
Kerry Wilson, Steve Engelhart.

Halloween in Westport
Sherry Wilson, Bobbie Howell, Doreen Howell, Candy Wilson.

Westport girls make Frederick Cheerleading Squad- Avis Jarve, Nancy Grieben, 
Candy Wilson, Darla Engelhart, Karen Ronning

Fourth of July Celebration in Westport - 1988

WESTPORT BASKETBALL TEAM - 1951-52
Left to right: Leo Green, Jake Heupel, Daryl Kaven, Gerald Hilgemann,
Nels Esterby, Henry Schaunaman, Herb Schroeder, Darwin Grieben, George
Huettl, Jerry Van Dover, Harry Heupel, Kenneth Van Dover.  Water Boys:
Phillip Van Dover, Dale Hilgemann.

George Siemann with his Rumely Oil Pull tractor

POE FAMILY
The Poe family moved onto the Hugh Agor farm south of Westport In 1933.  Jack, 
Howard and Hazel went to the Westport High School and Robert Lavonne, Shirley, 
Alice and Betty were in the lower grades.

Jack and Howard were on the Basketball team in 1934 and 1935. Hazel was 
elected queen for the Athletic dance held in May of 1935.

Many times Jack and Howard walked to events at school during a dirt storm in 
the 30's.  Jack passed away in February, 1984.  Howard lives in Aberdeen, 
South Dakota, Hazel in Columbis, Lavonne, Betty and Alice in California, 
Robert in Deer Lake, Washington, Shirley in Siou~ Falls, and Roger in Indiana.

Westport High School Class of 1936. Front row: Albert Spangler Florence 
Backous. Back row: Hazel Poe & Bernard Taylor.

Grain storage building on the site of the old Lumber Yard. Erected for 
screenings operation of Westport Grain and Coal Company.

Muriel Parmeter on horse-drawn mower

WESTPORT RESIDENCE STREET - 1909

MAIN STREET WESTPORT - LOOKING EAST - 1910

Ward Broadbent Family - Gloria, Shirley, Gail Todd & Ward.

Albert Bussian 1984

Susan, Alvin, Amy and Larry Gerlach

Darwin, Ralph, Larry, Henry and Emma Grieben

June, Milt, Terry, Micky and Mike McKay - 1955

Don and Marie Marske Family
Front row: Coleen Marske Mathison, Don & Marie Marske, Kay Marske
Baumeister. Middle Row: Jim Mathison, Lee, Ann & Larry Marske, Harley
Baumeister. Back row: Dean & Marion Marske, Julie Marske Eno, Bruce Eno

Jake, Lorna, Terry and Lyle Mullner July 9, 1956

Terry & Alice Mullner August 21, 1976

Owen, Kenneth, Phillip, Gerald, Donald, Beverly, Linda, Mark, Floyd, Amy & 
Margaret Van Dover

Margaret and John Swartwout

Walter (Benny), Myrna, Dorothy, Bonnie & Darlys Van Dover

Myrtle and Channey Walworth

Mary, Warren & Dennis Walworth

Leah, Dennis, Annette, Mary, Warren, & Gary Walworth

ANNA AND FERD PODOLL FAMILY   1938
Back row l to r: Gertrude, Robert, Erling, Vernon, Ray, Marjorie. Front row l 
to r: Darwin, Albert, Anna, Ferd, Arthur & Melvin.

Wyatt Wilson
Son of Kerry & Julie Wilson
First Solo Northern - May 1989

Henry and Cecicila Schaunaman Family
Front row l to r: Ila, Cecicila, Henry Sr., Anita, Ruth. Back row l to r: 
Leon, Ed, Irl, Harold, Vern, Al, Hank, George, Don and Lyle.

1955-56   Westport Grammar Room
Back row l to r: Bob Huettl, Larry Olson, Roger Prunty, Teacher: Ruth 
Obermeyer, Arnold Maiar, Donald Van Dover, Ronald Humphries. Front row 1 to r: 
Linda Van Dover, Pat Prunty, Claudia Wilson, Janice Opsahl, Shirley Broadbent, 
Myrna Van Dover.

Westport Wolverines "A~' Squad - 1957-58
Top row: Dale Homes, Thomas Beilke, Lyle Schaunaman, Arlen Humphries, Arnold 
Meyer, Ralph Grieben, Mr. Mannes. Bottom row: Ronald Humphries, LeRoy Dehne, 
Richard Dehne, Frank Waltman, Owen Van Dover, Roger Prunty.

Easter hats on display. April 1958 Westport grade school.

Special occasion at Westport grade school May 1958.

Cheering for the home team. Karen Bartles, Darlys "Duff" Van Dover Janice 
Broadbent.

Baldwin Elevator comes to town.
First picture shows elevator turning onto Main Street. Second picture shows 
the elevator on Main Street. Third picture elevator turns off Main, going by 
the depot heading for permanent ground.

Westport Gym about 1959-60

Names of businesses and residences In Air Photo Listed by number in picture

1.   Luther Morris Farm
2.   Westport School
3.   Sacred Heart
4.   Morgen House
5.   O.C. Matteson House
6.   Bitz Heil (Fred Matteson)
7.   Sizers House
8.   M. Farnam
9.   Jack Mullner Store
10.  Methodist Church
11.  Rube Young Machine Shed
12.  Methodist Parsonage
13.  Frank Siemann Garage
14.  Hank Schubert
15.  Mrs. Walworth  (Everett Morris
16.  Lew Sampsell Texaco
17.  Town Hall
18.  Post Office
19.  Gernon Store/Herb Bussian
20.  Percy Opdyke
21.  John Swartwout
22.  Claude Morrison
23.  Lew Sampsell House (George Siemann)
24.  Kim Taylor
25.  T.J. McBride
26.  Oly Torgeson
27.  Bank
28.  George Siemann Store/Heil
29.  Bob Siemann Store
30.  Old Hotel
31.  Frank Callaghan House
32.  Luther Morris
33.  Brick (Holton)
34.  ?
35.  Agor Elevator
36.  Gernon Barn
37.  Bob Siemann House
38.  Lloyd Milbrandt
39.  George Moeller Creamery
40.  Dive
41.  Flat House
42.  Westport Grain and Coal Elevator
43.  Milwaukee Depot
44.  McBridge I.H.C. Impl.
45.  Lumber Yard Office
46.  Coal Shed
47.  Elevator

Mrs. Obermeyer's Grade School Spelling Champions
In the picture seated is first place winner, Sandy Seiler, behind her is the 
second place winner, Annette Walworthand the third place winner on the far 
left is Corrinne Dennert. The other children in the picture may not be from 
Westport.

1969 8th Grade Graduation Class
This is the last eighth grade class to graduate from Westport. Left to right: 
Rodney Mahlke, Wanda Schaunamann, David Jund, JoAnn Valentine, Dianna Rathert, 
Richard Padget.

WINTER OF 1935-36 LIVES ON IN DAKOTA HISTORY Article from Farm and Ranch Guide 
- 12-23-88
By: Ben Walsh

As the summer gives way to autumn, the days grow noticably shorter and the 
nights become cold and damp.  It is nature's way of warning the good folk in 
the Dakotas of the long months of cold that lie ahead.

As a result, the weather is often the first topic of discussion when friends 
meet, whether on the street of over coffee.  The optimists among them predict 
a "nice winter" when actually there is no such thing as a nice winter this far 
north.  What is meant if that the coming winter may have a minimum of high 
winds and low temperatures.

Down through the years, winters of ordinary length and severity have come and 
gone, and were soon forgotten in the hustle and bustle of modern-day living.  
Only those of unusual length and severity have left their indelible mark 
in-the minds and memories of those who survived them.

Heading the list (and for a good reason) is the winter of 1935-36. Many true 
tales have been told, and will continue to be told about that winter.  The 
elderly among us remember it well.

Although their memories might be clouded by the shadows of old age, that 
winter stands out bright and clear, as they remember it for what it was and 
for what it was not,  They will recall that like most hard winters, it came 
early and stayed late.

By mid-October fierce wintery blasts came howling out of the Arctic, and 
forerunner of what was soon to follow.  Winter with its deep snow soon 
arrived, and the state was locked in its cruel grip.

The snow became deeper, and deeper, while the temperature plunged to new lows 
and remained there.  Instead of a few blizzards during the winter, killer 
blizzards occurred once and sometimes twice a week, sometimes taking their 
toll of lives.

Lacking the modern snow-removal machinery of today, men fought the drifts 
bravely with what they had, but later gave up the hopeless struggle.  As a 
result highways that carried a heavy summertime traffic, lay silent and 
deserted, except perhaps for a sturdy farmer and his powerful draft team.

Those horses were one advantage that the farmer of those times had that we of 
today do not have. Instead of the modern farmer's four-wheel drive pickup 
truck, he had a barnful of powerful draft horses that he could turn to when 
the snow lay deep upon the ground.

Also, unlike today, when making a trip to town the farmer's sleigh invariably 
carried a can of cream, seldom if ever seen today, for this was in the heart 
of the Great Depression, when families struggled to gain a mere existence; 
when children learned at an early age, life's facts, and shared with their 
partents the risks and responsibilities of living.  The contents of that 
humble can helped buy the winter's fuel, bought the family's groceries, and 
kept the children in school.

Also, the sleigh often carried the kerosene can for a refilling at the general 
store.  It held the fuel for the farmer's lanterns and the farm wife's lamps. 
They beat back with their feeble glow, the total darkness until the coming of 
the blessing of electricity to the rural areas.

Upon arriving in town the farmer had little time to talk or visit with 
friends.  The most important item to be purchased was lig-coal, a very 
necessary item indeed. Perhaps there was nothing could or would strike terror 
into the heart of a farmer of that era like the thought of the supply of 
lignite becoming exhausted, even for a day, in the heart of a Dakota winter.

If caught on the road by such a blizzard the wise farmer gave his team their 
heads.  Generally his faith in his horses was justified when they brought him 
safely home, guided not by the reins but by that invisible knowledge that our 
Creator gives to his lesser creatures but withholds from us humans.  Such 
risks and hardships were considered a part of farm life, and was accepted 
without complaint.

But Spring finally came, as it has always done since the beginning of time.  
It took its sweet time, but it came. Snowbanks black and hard from months of 
traffic, there for so long as to seem almost permanent, started first to 
soften, later to melt and disappear.

Many winters have come and gone since that never-to-be forgotten winter.  
Actually the winters of modern times differ little from those of the distant 
past.  The climate has not changed, but the way of life has changed radically, 
much of it for the better.  Instead of the horse-drawn sleigh slowly plodding 
its way to the nearest town for supplies, we have instead, the farmer in his 
comforable car or pickup, speeding over roads cleared of snow by a modern snow 
plow.

But this pleasant scene also has its negative side.  Even in this modern age 
when communication is nearly instantaneous, how many warnings are ignored and 
go unheeded!  This is especially true of the winter storm warnings.  Winter in 
the Northland is noted for its Christmas bells, its New Year resolutions, and 
stranded motorists. Many motorists listen, hear, but do not heed.  There is 
scarcely a winter storm that does not have its list of stranded motorists, 
most them in serious trouble, with their lives in danger.

The modern motorist caught out in a killer blizzard, stands less chance of 
survival than did the farmer of years ago with his team of horses. Only 
someone who has been caught out in one, knows the awful feeling as the winds 
of death shriek about him, and the curtain of white closes around him.

He may feel a sudden surge of religion as he breathes a silent prayer for 
deliverance.  He may sense that he is about to meet his Maker.  His sense of 
values undergo a swift and radical change.  Property and prestige, once so 
desirable, are as nothing to him now.  Just as the early settler caught away 
from home without horses, often paid with his life, so does the motorist of 
today who leaves his stalled car to walk to shelter, pay the same price.

When will we ever learn!

GARLAND TOWNSHIP
by Mr. & Mrs. Merriel Olson, Joe Huetti, Mrs. Walter Kepke

This township was named after Hamlin Garland, a novelist, who lived in this 
area with his pioneer parents, Mr. and Mrs. Richard Garland.  The land south 
and west of Columbia to Ordway and Westport was immortalized by this writer in 
"Among The Corn Rows", and "A Son Of The Middle Border". Today, Garland 
Township is a prosperous land, with many fine sets of farm buildings.  But 
there were hard times in the 80's and 90's and some homesteaders traded their 
land for a good team of horses and a wagon that they might load their meager 
belongings and go East again.  Homesteaders who stayed were rewarded later 
with good crops, and plenty of grass and hay for their cattle.  From the 
earliest pioneer times, there were more cattle in this area, than east and 
south, where the land was more level.

The western part of the township was rolling, while the east part was flat, 
tild conducive to level farming. When the homesteaders first came to this 
wide, sunny, windy country, the sky seemed so big, and the horizon line so low 
and so far away, there was a majesty to the landscape, regardless.

Garland Township was an inland township with no railroad, no town, not even a 
creek.  However, there were early settlers.

Records show that Elof Fredell filed on a homestead here in 1882, anti a year 
later the following settlers came:
Jason B. Roots, John H. Miller, Herman Schliebe, F. C. Logan, L. J. Lawson and 
George Crock and their families.  S. C. Johnson and W. W. McDonald and their 
wives arrived later.  Abigail Mason also came here. Many of the early 
homesteaders in Garland Township came from Michigan or Iowa.  By 1887, a 
number of families of German descent had taken up homesteads here.

As is true, of all the pioneers in Brown County, when the settlers had their 
claim shanties built, wells dug, and their first 10 acres plowed, they thought 
of their children's schooling.  And soon a school house was built in each 
corner of the township. At the present time, none of these early school houses 
are running. Children go to either Westport or the Columbia schools.

Books used for texts in these early day schools included the McGuffey readers, 
the Mitchell geography, and the Ray arithmetic books.  Every boy and girl had 
a slate on which to do his sums.  Since schools were in session only two to 
six months, there was no time for the frills of education, such as art, 
handcraft, music, poetry, etc.  Teachers had to be most resourceful in their 
lesson plans.  Probably never in all the years since, has "spelling" been so 
interestingly given as it was in early "spelldowns".
.
Memorial to Hamlin Garland on the site of the pioneer R. H. Garland home.  
Left to right: Mrs. Lawrence, Mrs. R. M. Van Winkle and Mrs. J. E. Kelly.

In many social affairs, adults participated in this type of thing, too.

These early school houses on the prairies had not a leaf for shade in the 
summer, nor a branch to break the wind in the winter.  They were small, 
rectangular "boxes" painted white, with a door at one end, and three windows 
on each side.  These barren buildings were also community centers for the 
pioneers.

After the German residents came they built a church in the northeast corner of 
the township.

This was about 1887. However there were services in the homes before the 
church (St. John's Lutheran Church) was built. The little cemetery still 
stands, but the building itself was torn down, and the parsonage was moved to 
Columbia in 1939.  Residents now attend church in nearby towns.

Most of the residents now of Garland Township are third generation persons 
from the pioneers.

In this short history of the land, we hope no pioneers have been omitted.

WESTPORT TOWNSHIP
As told by Mrs. John H. (Elizabeth Van Buren) Perry to Paul W. Kieser


Father and I left Dolgeville, N. Y., when I was 21 years old (1884) and went 
to Westport, Dakota Territory, where my sister, Maie, and her husband (Charles 
B. Shouse) were located. We went on the railroad, via Minneapolis and 
Aberdeen.  When we got to Minneapolis we were held up several days by a 
blizzard. We stopped at the Dayton Hotel.  The country west of Minneapolis was 
wild and unsettled. Aberdeen boasted only about a dozen houses, but many 
stores.  We saw about four houses in Westport, and three store buildings and 
the hotel.

Mr. Shouse had a bank, hardware store and lumber yard in Westport and a farm 
about seven miles out of town. The bank and the hardware store were housed in 
the same room of his store building and he had very comfortable living 
quarters upstairs. The bank's safe was just an ordinary big mercantile safe.

My reason for going to Westport was partly to keep my sister from getting so 
homesick and partly to prove up on a claim.  Father, who had retired from 
business the previous year, went along because he didn't want me to make the 
long trip alone, and also to prove up on a claim himself. We staked out 
adjoining tracts of land, about two miles west of Leola, and built a wooden 
shanty for the two of us. My claim was next to the one staked out by Hamlin 
Garland, who later became a famous author.  He lived with his people in Ordway 
most of the time, spending only the required time on his claim to enable him 
to perfect his title to the land.

Before we made the trip west, Maie had sent me a newspaper with pictures and 
an elaborate write-up of the Methodist University at Ordway, Dakota, which 
gave us an idea of a wonderful institution to be found there. When we arrived 
in Ordway and looked for the University we found that it did not exist.  There 
was only a hole in the ground and "great expectations"  which  never 
materialized. There must have been some other Methodist plans, too, which went 
awry in those same days. We got to know a Mr. Boggs who was bitterly 
disappointed -he had expected to become a presiding elder or something of the 
sort in the Methodist Church in that area.  But he did not realize his 
ambition; he felt that he had "gotten a rotten deal" from the church.
When father and I got established on our claims it became my duty to go in to 
Leola for the mail. I would walk the two miles to town with father sitting up 
on top of our shanty so that he could watch my progress across the lonely 
country.  He was afraid, I guess, that the Indians might get me. Father would 
spend a good deal of his time hunting ducks; and my, the ducks he would bring 
in.

I never did prove up on my claim. I was married in December, 1886, and sold my 
rights to the land. Father, however, did prove up on his claim and then went 
back to Dolgeville.  E. C. Torrey many years later, northwest editor of the 
Minneapolis Journal, was on a nearby claim, and Mr. and Mrs. Charles N. 
Herreid were also located near us. The Herreid's house in Leola, quite small, 
had Mr. Herreid's law office in the front room.  I do not recall that they had 
a shack on their claim-they may have just slept out in the open to fulfill the 
actual residential requirements.  Mr. Herreid was later governor of South 
Dakota.

Soon after we arrived in Westport some outdoor religious meetings were held 
there.  One night the Shouses took a guest from the East, Lottie Akin, to the 
services. The congregation had to sit on planks. The Shouses and their guest 
sat on a plank but the plank broke and Maie, in her beautiful plum colored 
dress, far and away the most fashionably dressed woman there, went down in an 
ignominious and undignified heap, which completely spoiled the event for her.

When we were located on our claims, father and I had as near neighbors, as 
distances went in that country in those days, Mr. and Mrs. Clark from 
Brooklyn.  Mr. Clark was a Baptist minister and was a mighty fine speaker, but 
he was a cripple. He had to preach sitting down.  Mrs. Clark had to do most of 
the work about the place.  I remember her driving an ox team to Ipswich (more 
than 30 miles distant) to get the lumber for their shanty. A pole was hung 
between the oxen and the other end was slung between a pair of wheels.  Mrs. 
Clark rode this pole to Ipswich and back and brought the lumber on this rig.

Mr. Martindale (a bachelor) and his sister were other neighbors that we saw 
something of.  Miss Martindale once invited me to stay overnight with her.  
That night a big hailstorm came along and practically ruined her garden, on 
which she had worked so hard.  I still remember how she cried when she saw the 
damage.  Another time Miss Martindale saw a streak of lightning apparently go 
right into the ground not far from their shack. She later went to this spot 
and found in that exact location an Indian mound. The body of an Indian was 
exposed and the many beads and other paraphernalia which had been buried with 
him.

J. B. Johnson Store and the first hotel.

Mr. Boggs, whom we saw frequently, used to go to Ordway to visit the Garlands. 
Then, when he visited with the Shouses and us, he would tell us the latest 
news about the Garlands. "You will hear from Hamlin," he would tell us, "He's 
a talented boy."

Maie used to sing beautfully in those days.  I would play for her 
accompaniment.  Once she was invited to sing in a concert given for the 
benefit of the Methodist Church in Ordway.  I went along to play her 
accompaniment.  She made a decided hit at the concert.  The Garlands 
entertained us that time. They lived in the back of their store. We had a very 
nice dinner and visit with them.

Mr. McPherson, who with his daughter lived in Westport, started a dramatic 
club.  Maie and I belonged to the group and some of the other members were: 
Mr. Shouse, Frank Garland, and George Narregang.  We gave plays in Westport 
and surrounding towns and had an awfully good time doing it.  One of the 
places where we put on a play was Ordway.  I was in Aberdeen, visiting with my 
friends the Butlers, when the arrangements were made for this play.  The 
McPhersons sent me a telegram asking me to come to Ordway to help put on the 
play. The Butlers said that they would come up for the occasion and bring 
their crowd of friends. They did, and Mr. Butler afterwards said that he had 
never dreamed that a home-talent play could be put on as well as this was.  He 
invited our group to come to Aberdeen, where he arranged for the play to be 
given at the Opera House which that town already boasted. We had to give a 
repeat performance the next night, and, all in all, this appearance in the 
"big city" was a great success.

As Christmas was approaching, my first Christmas in Dakota, the Shouses went 
back to Joliet for a visit.  They decided to leave me in charge of the store, 
closing the bank for the time being.  Mr. Shouse had by this time disposed of 
his lumber yard. I was to live in their apartment above the store and have the 
hired boy to help me during business hours and a neighbor woman and her 
daughter to stay with me in the apartment at night. Mr. Shouse had paid off 
numerous wheat checks before he left so that there would be very little 
banking business to be done in his absence.

The first night that I was to spend in the apartment things were somewhat 
complicated.  The mother (Mrs. McCoffin) and daughter would be quite late in 
arriving, for the 12-year old daughter was going to her first dancing party 
that night. Ralph, the hired boy, volunteered to stay until Mrs. McGoffin and 
her daughter arrived. Ralph and I stayed up till 10 o'clock marking goods that 
had come in that day.

Most of the money taken in that day I had already sent to the bank in 
Aberdeen.  But after this had been sent more trade came in and some folks came 
in to pay off on their notes. I had more than $200.00 with me when I retired. 
I put it in a deep pocket of my dress, turned the dress inside out and hung it 
in the closet.  I left only a few dollars in the safe downstairs.

During the hours of the night, before the McGoffins arrived, I was uneasy.  I 
woke up once and heard the sign banging.  Other times I stirred until thought 
I heard noises.  When Emma finally arrived, I asked her to go through the 
store and see if everything was all right.  Apparently it was. This was about 
three o'clock in the morning. In the morning Ralph called me down to the store 
to see a shattered window, the stove left with door open and fire gone out, 
and the safe door blown open and papers scattered all over the place.

I was immediately suspicious of a traveling man who had been in the store 
several times that day and had seen come of the folks paying off on their 
notes.  But when I investigated him I found that he was a man of good 
character and above suspicion.

An early visitor that morning was a local resident, known to be somewhat lazy 
and shiftless.  It was unheard of to see him up and about at the early hour 
when he visited the store.  One of the first things he said to Ralph was: 
"Heard about the burglary?"  And he went on to tell us that a pair of white 
horses had been stolen out of the livery barn the night before.  I then told 
him that burglars had also visited the store.  When the train

The day the train arrived in Westport, 1881.

arrived it brought another traveling man who visited the store.  He told us of 
seeing a pair of white horses tied up down the road a ways. I wired Ellendale 
to be on the lookout for suspicious characters but none were taken up.

Years later lightning struck the house in which our shiftless neighbor lived. 
Mr. Shouse in walking about the ruins after the house was burned down kicked 
up up object which excited his curiosity. On closer examination he found it 
was his own revolver which had been left in the store the night of the 
robbery.  While we felt now that we knew who burglarized the store, we kept 
quiet about it.

WESTPORT TOWNSHIP and TOWN
by Mrs. C.L. Callaghan

The townsite of Westport was scripped on June 28, 1880. The first filing in 
the vicinity appears to be that of J. H. Neer, made in September, 1880. Frank 
A. Howard filed the following January. John A. Lovelace and John A. Houlahan 
filed the same year, but the rush came in 1882.  The grading of the railroad 
was done in the summer of 1881, and the rails were laid that fall.  The 
townsite was platted in the fall of 1881. It is twelve miles north of 
Aberdeen.  A trial trip was made by train to Frederick in the fall of 1881.  
Among the passengers was a Mrs. McHugh of Aberdeen.

The first building in town was the Hempstead Hotel which is still standing 
(1952) and is used as a residence. A general merchandise store wis built on 
Main Street.  This store was occupied by Cole and Obreight.  Later it burned 
down.  The bank that was built on this site by Roy and L. A. Brooks is now 
used as a grocery store. The depot was built in the spring of 1882.  Oscar 
Dicky circulated a petition for a post office. Obreight was the first 
postmaster.  Frank Hempstead was another early postmaster.  In the "Westport 
Watchman", in September, 1883, Campbell and Geeslin have their store 
advertisement, calling it the Post Office Store.

Rev. Brown was the first minister.  R. L. Gernon told of going to the 
Methodist Sunday School upstairs, on a ladder, in a boarding house run by Mrs. 
A. V. Dennison, mother of. Ruby and Ralph Dennison.  Mr. Dennison was a barber 
and died of tuberculosis.  Catholic services were held in homes in the 
community, often in the Patrick Callaghan home nine miles northwest of 
Westport.  A church was built in 1914.

The school house was built in 1884 or 1885. One of the first teachers was Miss 
Obreight, sister of the storekeeper.  Country schools were built at the same 
time.  The school southwest of town, in later years called the McGovern 
School, was taught by R. L. Gernon in 1886.

In 1885, "The Westport Watchman" was moved to Frederick and the name changed 
to the "Frederick Mirror".  Early business places ,advertised in it were : C. 
B. Shouse, Hardware ; Wilcox Brothers, One horse Store; Crosby, Heninger and 
Co., Lumber; Campbell and Geeslin, General Merchandise; Bergoff and Bergoff, 
Dry Goods ; F.  H. Halloway, Harness Maker. John Firey ran a drug store in the 
early eighties.  Adolph Morrow, a Frenchman, was one of the early 
blacksmiths.. Frank Sieman, still living here, came in 1882 from Kankakee, 
Illinois. In 1915 he opened the first garage in Westport. Mr. Siemann was 1 
year old when he accompanied his parents, , Mr. and Mrs. John Siemann

Grant  Tooker, one of the early settlers, told of the first burial at 
Westport. In the late fall of 1883 a man named Albright died of consumption. 
He had lived west of town.  No one would volunteer to dig the grave but when 
Jim Tooker, Grant's father offered to do it if pick and shovel were furnished, 
others came and helped, also. A man named Austin was murdered just west of the 
county line in McPherson County and was the second to be buried there.  A Matt 
Gregory, who was thrown from a horse, breaking a leg which failed to heal was 
the third to be buried there.

Indians from Sisseton would go through to visit the Sioux out towards Mobridge 
and LeBeau. They traveled in light wagons drawn by teams of ponies. Often they 
had a pony tied behind which they used for racing purposes. Murry Dicky asked 
an Indian, "Run race?" The Indian replied "See horse." So Dicky sent Will Neer 
after a pony. An Indian woman dug up $12 to bet on the race. The Indians were 
seen to stop and spend some time at the Indian mounds, one right north of 
town, where remains and relics of Indians were later dug up. The government 
finally forbade the visiting between Indians and Whites on account of smallpox 
which quite a toll of lives of red men in those times.

Ed Friel of Wetonka told of coming to Westport in the spring of 1887. He said 
it was a thriving village of three general stores, hardware store, harness 
shop, lumber yard, machinery store, two grain elevators, three hotels, but 
only four private residences. The business men were mainly living in real of 
stores or on the second floor. He related that in those early days Westport 
was a great shipping point for grain, its western territory extending several 
miles west of Leola and north to Frederick..

Fred Newell was the first depot agent.

On several occasions water was in some of the store buildings.  One store 
keeper, Murry Dicky, used to wade around in rubber boots waiting on customers. 
A raft was used to carry people around the town. A ditch, dug to the river, 
was put in and no more trouble was experienced that way. Wooden sidewalks, 
raised up on posts, were remnants reminding people later of the watery 
condition.

A store on Main Street, managed by O. Ostrum, was bought by Gernon and 
Anderson. They operated it for five or six years; then it became the Gernon 
store.  Fred Benjamin was in charge part of the time in 1897. The general 
store operated by Frank Geeslin was wiped out by fire caused by lightning n 
1895.

The Gernon claim shanty was on the government rail between Watertown and 
Bismarck. They kept a hotel for passing immigrants.  William Gernon was cook 
part of the time.  Gerald and George Gernon were also in claim shanties there. 

A herd 260 oxen were driven at one time over the trail on the way to the 
Standing Rock Agency . They were held over until a few days later when seven 
carloads of young cattle were added, 400 cattle in all. When the herd came to 
the Dr. C. M. Walworth farm in Oneota Township, he rode out to tell the Indian 
guides not to cross his wheat field.  They couldn't understand and he had to 
get his gun to make them understand.

A water tank for the railroad was built on the river north of town.  It 
remained there until the 1920's. One hotel built on Main Street in 1882 was a 
rendevous for gambling and the liquor business. Mark Heninger and Crosby
opened a lumber yard. Martin Nelson ran a blacksmith shop next to Agor's 
elevator.  He had all the business he could handle and sold it to Jim and 
Rocky Claton who operated it in 1883, as Thomas McBride remembers their 
shoeing a team of horses for him then. The house, for years occupied by R. L. 
Gernon was built in 1882 by Henry Fletcher. The next year Henry Fletcher built 
a house west of it. He had a machine business with an office where the town 
hall is now.

Among the first settlers on farms was O. Archie Dickey who had a dugout in a 
hill northwest of town.  Buffalo bones were picked up in low places on the 
prairie and shipped to sugar refineries where powdered bone was used for 
filters.  A man could make up to $10 a day at it.

Social activities were more prevalent then than now. Literaries, spelling 
schools, debates were held. At Carlisle School, west of town, people came from 
Aberdeen and all around.  Dances were held in homes. In the school props were 
put in and dances held upstairs.  Early musicians were Jim Tooker and Frank 
Hefflin.

Dr. Coyne from Illinois filed on a claim in Carlisle Township and practiced 
medicine in the Westport community. Foggy Anderson filed three miles north and 
one mile west.  R. A. Day homesteaded land just south of town now owned by 
Earl Morrison. A man named Fletcher, who had many horses and worked with them 
when they were glanders victims decided he too, was suffering from the same 
disease. No one could persuade him that he didn't have it. About 1886 a man 
named Weismail, living east of town invented the seamless bandage for cheese. 
 Later, Nels Washburn had a small cheese factory and sold as much as he could 
produce. Mrs. Cynthia Turner's sister, Cylista, married Jerry Bacon who later 
was prominent in North Dakota politics. W. H. Morgan, first Brown County 
judge, homesteaded four miles northwest of town on the Elm River.  Later he 
retired to Westport, where he died. The Misses Ella and Eva Evans, twin 
sisters, homesteaded east of town and their uncle, Hugh Evans settled west of 
town.  He brought lumber from trees on his Minnesota farm to build the 
sisters' cabin.

Anthony Southers, Ed Olson, and Lou Struck were in the southwest part of the 
township.  Frank Mincks and family and the Werts family came from Michigan in 
1883. They lived in the Henry Swartout barn southwest of town for some time 
before going to the McPherson County territory where they homesteaded.  Eph 
Mogoffin, now living in Monango, N. Dak., as a lad of seventeen, drove the 
mail from Westport to Kota from 1884 to 1886.  Kota was a thriving village 
located seven miles north of Leola. It is now gone, but at one time had 
several businesses, a newspaper among them.

Thomas J. McBride got off an immigrant car at Westport in 1883.  He 
homesteaded with his father, Moses McBride, in "no man's land", Range 66, not 
in either county, but later added to McPherson. Moses McBride died on the farm 
in 1898 and was buried at Leola.  Thomas returned to Westport in 1902 and has 
run a lumber yard up to the present time, 1952.

Mr. and Mrs. John Hogarth Perry, parents of Judge Van Buren Perry.

Edwin, Lucille & Raymond

Joe, Jr.  

Joe, Jr., Edwin, Ray

Huettl Farm - 1913 - Joe, Sr., Mary and Frank

Joe Sr. and Nettie - 1964 50th Anniversary

Joe Jr., Lucille, Joe Sr., Edwin, Nettle and Raymond.

Betty & Joe Huettl Family

Left to right in the rack: Loule Schubert, Charles Sizer, Charles Insley, 
Altie Anderson, Mary Milspaugh, Rowland Richards, Nellie Anderson, Lenore 
McGovern, Grace McGovern, Rose Callaghan and Herb Morrison.  Left to right on 
the ground: Gladys Muspaugh, Grace Siemann, Vern Neer, Walter Callaghan, Grace 
Callaghan, Herb Breitag, Dave Strachan and Art Callaghan.

Families of the Westport Community that may not be mentioned else where in 
this book, but have made significant contributions to the Westport area over 
the years are:  Anderson, Backous, Beer, Beeson, Breitag, Broadbent, Bushnell, 
Buttke, Callaghan, Cantwell, Clark, Dage, Daker, Dehne, Dennert, Evans, 
Fletcher, Fox, Gage, Gerlach, Genung, Grieben, Gronso, Hainline, Harmon, 
Hedges, Hinz, Howes, Huettl, Johnson, Jung, Kayl, Kelley, Krage, Kruse, Lee, 
Liedke, Mahlke, Marko, Mass, Matteson, McBride, McGovern, Milbrandt, Miller, 
Mlncks, Moellner, Morgan, Morris, Morrison, Moyle, Muilner, Myers, Namock, 
Olson, Ophsahl, Oschmann, Parmeter, Pautsch, Pence, Plummer, Podoll, Porter, 
Prunty, Radke, Rehling, Rohwedder, Rydberg, Rystrom, Saylor, Schaunaman, 
Schubert, Schliebe, Sizer, Siemann, Smith, Spangler, Stoddard, Struck, 
Stutzman, Swartwout, Taylor, Tidball, Turnquist, Torguson, Ulbrlch, Van Dover, 
Walker, Walworth, Wilson, Winters, Wright, Wylie and of course, many many 
more.

1915 - Joy Ride through Westport