Faulk County, SD History .....Chapter II State History 1909 ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/sd/sdfiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Joy Fisher sdgenweb@yahoo.com January 7, 2005, 3:48 pm CHAPTER II. STATE HISTORY. While it was as early as A. D. 1850, that a few hardy adventurers settled within the bounds of what is now reorganized as the state of South Dakota there was no real conception of its vast and imposing natural resources until 1875, and it was five years later before the real tide of immigration set in. So far as its real existence as a desirable land for homes and civilization is concerned, there was gradual development and passing through an experimental stage of nearly two decades, before actual facts became fixed in intelligent minds that it was actually one of the most, if not the most desirable agricultural and mining state in the Union. The following, published about 1890 in the Dakota Outlook, is the best and most reliable information in regard to the early history of South Dakota, obtainable. "As originally organized Dakota included Montana, Idaho and Wyoming, thus embracing about a half million square miles. "The first settlement of Dakota by white men was in 1812, when a few of the Scotchmen who composed. The Assinaboine colony of Lord Selkirk, settled at or near where Pembina now is. These loyal subjects of the British crown were not a little annoyed, years after, to learn that they had been tilling the soil and breathing the air of the land presided over by Uncle Sam's 'bird o' freedom,' and most of them moved northward. "It does not appear to be definitely known when the first settlers came into South Dakota. The party of Lewis and Clark (1803-6) were the first white men to explore the Missouri river to its source, and the report of the expedition, published in 1814 probably gave the first information of Dakota. But the accounts of the extreme cold and other hardships which the explorers encountered were not such as to make this land inviting. While the course of empire took its westward flight, Iowa, Nebraska, Colorado and Kansas became the promised land of the eastern emigrants. Dakota was considered a part of the Great American Desert, a land of barren sands in summer, and of snows and frosts in winter. "Sometime, however, about the year 1850, a few hardy adventurers settled in Dakota, and their magnificient crops of wheat bore unmistakable evidence that this was, indeed, a goodly land. Their reports caused others to come, and by the year 1858 thriving settlements had been made along the Missouri at Elk point, Vermillion, Yankton and other places, and at different points along the Big Sioux. These settlements were upon Indian land, which was finally deded in the spring of 1858. "During the next two or three years a large number of settlers came in and the people began to move for the formation of the Territory of Dakota. In these early days the citizens of Sioux Falls were no less energetic and enterprising than they are now. They not only discussed the matter, but proceeded to organize a provisional government, choosing also a full list of territorial officers. "This was during the latter part of 1859. On the 8th of November of the same year there was held at Yankton a meeting, the object of which was to petition congress to organize the territory. A similar meeting was held at Vermillion on the day following. The organization was not accomplished, however, until February, 1861, and the approval on the organic act on March 2nd, was one of the last official acts of President Buchanan. "William Payne, the first governor, entered upon the discharge of his official duties May 27, 1861. A census showed the population to be 1,786. "On September 16, there occured the first election, at which J. B. S. Todd was elected delegate to congress. "The first legislative assembly met on the 17th of March, 1862 and adopted a full code of laws. "In 1870 the census showed a population of 14,181, of whom 12,887 were white. This was a small gain for ten years; but little was yet known of the natural resources of Dakota. "Up to this time two-thirds of the population of the territory lived in the counties of Union, Yankton and Clay. "A gradual increase continued until 1875, when the Dakota boom may be said to have begun. At this time gold was discovered in the Black Hills, and almost all the papers in the country published wonderful stories of the precious yellow nuggets that were found there. Adventurers flocked in from every direction. Not only did they find gold, but they found also, millions of acres of the very best land, and that the country was one of the most healthful in the world. While thousands passed onward to the Hills many stopped on this side of the Missouri. Many more, attracted by the marvelous stories of the golden wheat fields crowded into North Dakota. In that section where in 1878 there could not be found 1,000 people, there are to-day 100,000 people, the assessed value of whose property last year was over three hundred million. South Dakota has nearly a quarter million of people, whose property, assessed on a scale much lower than that of North Dakota, is over one billion in valuation:" The following extract from a letter from the distinguished and much beloved Ex-Governor Faulk in regard to the creation of Faulk county, now in the posession of the author, .will be of interest not only for the important facts but from the source from which they are obtained: "I know from my own personal knowledge, that in the winter of 1873, during the administration of Governor Burbank and Gen. Edwin McCook, the territorial secretary, was acting governor, Governor Burbank being absent in the east. The legislature passed a bill creating several counties, among which was Faulk county: No other county had been previously created by the Dakota legislature covering any portion of the territory embraced in this county. And the same is true to the best of my recollection as to all the other counties created that winter. It was organized under the laws of the territory while Ordway was Governor, the date and facts relating to which you will find in the Times, or other papers published, in your vicinity at that period. "In the winter of 1883 an attempt was made to pass a bill through the legislature cutting off range 72 and 73 from the west side of Faulk county and adding them to Potter county. County seat rivalry appears to account for this very singular movement, at any rate it was resisted so vigorously that a compromise was effected at the last moment by which only one tier of townships was taken and which left the present county seat within three miles of the geographical center of the county. "You wished me to say something about the very beginning of general knowledge concerning this portion of South Dakota. I will briefly allude to its history prior to 1861, the time of the organization of Dakota Territory. Previous to that date, and before the act of congress creating the territory of Minnesota, the Missouri river formed the western boundary of Wisconsin and all that portion laying east of the Missouri river was embraced in the county of the St. Croix. But after the state of Minnesota, was created, congress in 1849, caused it to be attached to Minnesota, and the legislature of Minnesota changed its, name to Dakota county or, at least it formed a portion of that county. All of that portion of Dakota laying west of the Missouri river was taken from the territory of Nebraska. "When I came to Dakota in 1861, this huge territory embraced what are now the four states North and South Dakota, Montana and Wyoming and a part of Idaho—an area of 350,000 square miles. This was more than one third of the whole of the Louisiana Purchase. This vast region was really as little known to the most of the American people as if it had been located in the darkest portion of Central Africa. The Lousiana Purchase, in which South Dakota is situated, was made by President Jefferson in 1803, and contained about 1,000,000 square miles, which was obtained at the nominal cost of $15,000,000, It had once been claimed by Spain by right of discovery, then sold to France, and by France transferred to the United States." Gov. Faulk finished up his most interesting letter with the following-, which is most highly appreciated by .the people of our county: Andrews, the historian, in his "Historical Atlas of Dakota," published in 1884 at Chicago, after giving a general sketch of the geographical features of the country, concludes with this paragraph: "The climate soil and productions of Faulk county •compare favorably with other counties of central Dakota, and the county is being settled and occupied by a very superior class of people, largely from Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota and Wisconsin." This was the verdict of history eleven years ago, and to-day I am very sure it may be written that it has lost nothing of the distinction awarded to it by the publisher of the Atlas of Dakota. Additional Comments: From: HISTORY OF FAULK COUNTY SOUTH DAKOTA CAPTAIN C. H. ELLIS TOGETHER WITH BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES OF PIONEERS AND PROMINENT CITIZENS ILLUSTRATED 19O9 File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/sd/faulk/history/other/gms5chapteri.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/sdfiles/ File size: 9.6 Kb