Brief Sketches of the Counties This information appears in Chapter LXXIV of "History of South Dakota" by Doane Robinson, Vol. I (1904), pages 392-407 and was scanned, OCRed and edited by Joy Fisher, http://www.rootsweb.com/~archreg/vols/00001.html#0000031 This file may be freely copied by individuals and non-profit organizations for their private use. Any other use, including publication, storage in a retrieval system, or transmission by electronic, mechanical, or other means requires the written approval of the file's author. This file is part of the SDGENWEB Archives. If you arrived here inside a frame or from a link from somewhere else, our front door is at http://www.usgwarchives.net/sd/sdfiles.htm CHAPTER LXXIV BRIEF SKETCHES OF THE COUNTIES. AURORA. Aurora county was created by the legislature of 1879, on February 22d. It was organized by Governor Ordway on August 8, 1881. Its first recorded exploration was by George Catlin, while enroute from a stranded steamboat near Yankton, to Fort Pierre, in June, 1832. It was first settled in 1879 by Oliver P. Ames and J. Briedenbach, on Firesteel creek. E. H. McIntosh, J. B. Smart and Charles Briedenbach were the commissioners appointed to effect the organization. They located the county seat at Plankinton, where it still remains. Plankinton dates from August 10, 1880. Besides being the county seat, it is the location of the state reform school, founded in 1887. White Lake is the only other town of importance. B. H. Sullivan, of this county, was United States surveyor general for South Dakota during the Harrison administration. W. M. Smith was state railway commissioner, 1892-3. The county is drained into the James by Firesteel creek, contains seven hundred and twenty-four square miles and had a population of four thousand and eleven in 1900. Its chief industry is stock growing and general agriculture. BEADLE. Beadle county, named for Gen. W. H. H. Beadle, as at present bounded was created by act of February 22, 1879, from portions of Kingsbury and Burchard counties. It was organized July 9, 1880, by Governor Ordway, among his first official acts being the appointment of Eli C. Walton, Charles Miner and S. Simon Nielson as commissioners for the purpose. They located the county seat at Huron. The county was explored at least as early as 1832 by William Dickson, and was visited for trapping constantly thereafter. The first settlement was made by Charles Miner, a son of the well-known Captain Nelson Miner, of the Dakota cavalry on Pearl creek, in April, 1879. Among the early settlers were Andrew J. Sweetser and J. S. and S. S. Nielson and Martin Baum, who came in the summer of 1879 and were the only white persons to spend the succeeding winter in the county. The next year the Northwestern Railway was built into the county and with it came a flood of population. Huron dates from May 10, 1880. Other towns are Cavour, Hitchcock, Wolsey and Wessington. The city is division headquarters for the Dakota Central Railway; has the United States land office, surveyor general's office, chief weather bureau office and is the seat of Huron College, founded June 8, 1898. William B. Sterling, of this county, was United States district attorney during the Harrison administration. John L. Pyle was attorney general from 1890 until his death, in 1902, and his term was completed by A. W. Burtt. H. Ray Myers was United States consul to Nicaragua in 1889. Harvey J. Rice and N. T. Smith have been railway commissioners. The county is bisected by the James river. It contains one thousand two hundred and seventy square miles and had 8,081 people in 1900. BON HOMME. Bon Homme county, named for Bon Homme island, was created by the first legislature on April 5, 1862. It was organized by Governor Jayne through the appointment of Byron M. Smith, Laban H. Litchfield and Henry Hartsough as commissioners. Bon Homme village was made the county seat by the organic act. Being upon the Missouri river, it was explored by the earliest voyageurs. Lewis and Clarke, in 1804, who found the island already named and known by its present appellation. The first settler was Zephyr Renconter, who built a trading station on Bon Homme island in 1828. He and his half Indian offspring continued to live there and in the vicinity for forty years. The modern settlement was made July 10, 1859 upon the opening of the reservation, by John H. Shober and a party from Mantorville, Minnesota. Shober and his party had attempted a settlement the previous year, but their log buildings were destroyed and thrown into the river by a detail of soldiers from Fort Randall, sent down to keep trespassers off the Indian lands. Among the settlers of 1859 were Mrs. Rounds and children, Dr. Wallace, Mr. Gifford and family, Nathan McDaniels and family, Thomas Tate, L. H. Litchfield, William Hammond and Daniel P. Bradford. In the spring of 186o these settlers built the first school house in Dakota and established a school of ten pupils under Miss Emma Bradford. The towns of the county are Scotland, Springfield, Tyndall and Avon. Tyndall is the county seat. Two lines of the Milwaukee Railway cross at Tyndall. A state normal school is located at Springfield, founded in 1898. It is a rich agricultural section. Samuel G. Irish was first territorial treasurer. Laban H. Lichfield, United States marshal, 1863-70. Robert Dollard was attorney general from statehood until 1893. George W. Snow is lieutenant governor. James D. Elliott is United States district attorney. Florenzo G. Hale was regent of education, 1893-6. The county contains 569 square miles and had 9,570 people in 1900. BROOKINGS. Brookings comity was created by the first legislature April 5, 1862, but then embraced the north half of Moody county and some adjacent territory. Its present boundaries were fixed in 1873. The county was organized by commissions issued by John A. Burbank, governor, January 21, 1871, with Martin Trygstad, L. M. Hewlitt and Elias Thompson commissioners. The county seat was located at Medary, where it remained until the 18th day of November, 1879, when it was, by vote of the people, removed to Brookings, then a new village on the newly built Northwestern Railway. The first recorded white exploration of the section was by Nicollet and Fremont in 1838. The first settlement was by a party under Maj. Franklin De Witt in May, 1857, but this settlement was broken up by hostile Yankton Indians a year later. In the spring of 1869 Nils O. Trygstad, with his sons, Martin, O.C., Cornelius, Erick and Michael, and Ole Gjermstad and Ole Balstrud, settled at Medary and made the first permanent settlement. About 1873 a considerable settlement came, but it was not until 1877 that a real impulse was given to the immigration movement. The commercial history of the county dates from the opening of a store at Medary by C. H. Stearns in October, 1872. The chief towns of the county are Aurora, Brookings, Bruce, Elkton, Bushnell, Volga and White. Brookings is the most important and is the seat of the State Agricultural College, founded in 1883, the state's most extensive educational institution. Two lines of the Northwestern and the Rock Island Railroads pass through the county. It is a rich agricultural community. Hugh S. Murphy was secretary of state in the statehood government of 1885, George A. Mathews was last territorial delegate to congress; O. H. Parker, commissioner of school lands, 1889-1890; William H. Roddle, secretary of state, 1897-1901 ; Philo Hall, attorney general, 1903. The county contains 817 square miles and had 12,561 people in 1900. Company K, First Dakota Cavalry in the Philippines, was recruited in this county. BROWN. Brown county was created February 22, 1879, and was named for Alfred Brown, member of that legislature from Hutchinson county. It was organized by Governor Ordway July 20, i88o, by appointing John R. James, Clarence D. Johnson and D. C. McKenzie commissioners, who located the county seat at Columbia. It was explored by Robert Dickson in 1800, and fur posts were established on Elm river in 1828 and at Rondell in 1835. First settlement by Clarence Johnson and William Young at Yorkville, on James river August 10, 1877. Chief towns, Aberdeen, Groton, Frederick, Hecla, Columbia, Warner, Bath, James, Westport, Plana and Claremont. County seat removed to Aberdeen in 1888. Milwaukee Railway reached Aberdeen, July, 1881 ; Northwestern, October, same year; Great Northern, 1887. Fine farming country. Aberdeen seat of Northern Normal and Industrial School, founded 1902. United States land office, United States court, internal revenue office for North and South Dakota. Extensive wholesaling point. Charles N. Harris, public examiner, 1887-8; George N. Tyner, attorney general, 1887-8; Frank H. Haggerty, immigration commissioner, 1889-90 John H. Drake, United States consul to Kid, Germany, 1892; James H. Fletcher, lieutenant governor, 1889-90; James H. Kyle, United States senator, 1891-1901 Robert W. Haire, commissioner of charities and corrections, 1890-1896; M. R. Henniger, Frank H. Adams and Robert W. Haire, regents of education; John D. Lavin, commissioner of charities and corrections, 1901-3; James D. Reeves, state auditor, 1899-1903; Charles B. Collins, state treasurer, 1903; Joseph Meyers and E. C. Moulton, oil inspectors; Charles A. Howard, major First South Dakota Regiment in Philippine war. Company F, same regiment, recruited here. Area, 1,745 square miles. Population, 1900, 15,286. BRULE. Brule county was created by act of the legislature January 14. 1875, and was named for the Brule (Burned Thighs) band of Teton Sioux. The county was organized at once, but in May of that year all of the land in Brule countv was withdrawn from settlement by executive order of President Grant and was not restored until 1879. Nevertheless the county organization was maintained by the few settlers who remained. The first exploration occurred before 1800. A trading post was established on American island as early as 1822 and it is possible that Manuel Lisa had a post in the county much earlier. Brule City was founded opposite the mouth of White river in 1873 by D. W. Spaulding, Charles Collins, M. H. Day and others. The plan was to make it a great colony for Irish immigrants and a headquarters for the Fenian movement, but the plan was nipped in the bud by the executive order withdrawing the lands from settlement, made in the interest of the Indians for the purpose of keeping liquor remote from the reservations. When settlement was revived in 1879, Governor Howard reorganized the county. The railroad reached Chamberlain in i88o, and the county seat was removed from Brule City to Chamberlain in September. Agriculture and stock raising are chief industries. Seat of government school for education of Indians. Chamberlain, Kimball, Pukwana and Bijou Hills are chief towns. A. G. Kellem, of this county, was judge of supreme court, 1889 to 1894; W. V. Lucas, member of congress, 1893-5; Nelson W. Eggleston, regent of education, 1893-6; A. S. Stuver, commissioner Soldiers' Home, 1903. Area, 808 square miles. Population, 1900, 5,401. BUFFALO. Buffalo county was created January 6, 1864, but its boundaries were fixed by the act of February 22, 1879, when all of the counties of the interior of the state were readjusted, but there was a still further revision of the lines in 1883. Exploration dates from the earliest movements on the Missouri and the Loisee trading post was established within Buffalo county prior to 1796 and was, according to Captain Chittenden, the first trading post in Dakota. It was burned in 181o, together with fifteen thousand dollars' worth of furs stored in it. The section was a favorite resort of the Indians, for the reason that near the mouth of Crow creek there was an easy ford of the river, where for a long period the Sioux swam the river, and it is among them to this day known as "the pass of the three rivers." Near this pass the Crow Creek agency was built in 1863. Most of the territory of Buffalo county is embraced within the Crow Creek reservation. The county was organized on January 5, 1885, by James P. Cleveland, John Tumcane and C. A. Osman, commissioners appointed for the purpose of Governor C. A. Pierce. There are no towns of great importance, and no railways in the county. Gann Valley is the county seat. The area is 483 miles and the population, 1900, 1,790. BUTTE. Butte county, named for the abrupt and precipitous buttes or hills which are characteristic of some portions of the county, was created by the legislature of 1881, but it was greatly enlarged to its present dimensions by the legislature of 1897, for the purpose of bringing all of the range country west of the Indian reservation into a county organization that the property might be more readily assessed for taxation. The county was organized July 11, 1883, with the county seat at Minnesela, but it was removed to Belle Fourche after the construction of the railway in 1889. The first recorded exploration of the county was by Walter P. Hunt's Astoria party in the summer of 1811. The first settlement drifted out from the Black Hills and among the settlers were William Grimmet, William Hayden, Ed Buford and J. M. Eaton. The country is rich in agricultural possibilities, under irrigation, good progress having already been made in that line, but primarily it is the best of stock ranges. Belle Fourche is one of the world's greatest primary stock markets. The area is 7,834 square miles and the population, 2,907. Troop C, Grigsby's Cowboys, Spanish war, 1898, was recruited at Belle Fourche. CAMPBELL. Campbell county was created by act of January 8, 1873, and was named for Newton B. Campbell, of Scotland, a son of the famous Gen. Charles T. Campbell, the man whom Lincoln made a brigadier general upon condition that he should die inimediately. Young Campbell was a member of the legislature which created the county. It was explored by the rivermen at an early date. It is probable that it was the home of Pierre Garreau, the first white man to make a permanent home in Dakota in 1790. Lewis and Clarke were entertained by the Rees on Grand River island in 1804, who told them a marvelous story of a stone idol on Spring creek, which was created by the conversion of a lovely but lovelorn maiden into stone. The county was organized November 6, 1883, by Governor Ordway. It is a good farming and stock country, those being the chief interests of the people. There are no large towns. The only railway is a short branch of the Sault road, which makes down to the Missouri along Spring creek. The town of Herreid, named for Gov. Charles N. Herreid, is the chief village. Mound City is county seat. The area is 765 square miles and there were 4,527 people in 1900. F. M. Slocum, regent of education, 1903. Ira Hatch, agent to Cheyenne river Indians, 1898. CHARLES MIX. Charles Mix county was named for the then commissioner of Indian affairs and was created by the first legislature in 1862 and the county seat located "on the claim of Mr. Papineau." It was attached to Bon Homme for judicial purposes and was not organized until September 1, 1879, when Governor Howard appointed commissioners for the purpose. These were James G. Jones, John Johns and William Miller and they located the county seat at Wheeler, where it still remains. The Yankton Indian reservation was within the county, together with Yankton agency. One of the first trading posts in Dakota, if not the very first, was located near Wheeler in 1796 by Trudeau, of St. Louis, and is known as the Pawnee House. It burned after twenty years. The Yankton Indians took their lands in severalty and sold the surplus to the government, and the same were opened to homesteaders in 1895. The county is a splendid agricultural section, but its resources remained undeveloped until recently by reason of lack of railway facilities. In 1899 and 1900 the Milwaukee was extended through the heart of the county, giving rise to the fine towns of Wagner, Geddes and Platte. The area is 1,123 square miles and the population, 1900, 8,498. CLARK. Clark county was created in 1873 and readjusted in 1879 and again and finally in 1885. It was named for Newton Clark, a legislator. Little is known of early exploration. It did not lie in the direct lines of travel, except at the northwest corner at Oak Gulch. which was on the trail from Waubay to the Missouri. Near this point is a well known landmark of the old days, called the Hunter's Well. John Bailey settled on Lake Bailey in the northern part of the county in 1878. The settlement at Clark was made in 1879 by Sylvester J. Conklin and Frank Hoskins. The Northwestern Railway passed through the county from east to west in 1882 and the Milwaukee from north to south in 1887. The chief towns are Clark, Raymond. Bradley, Garden City, Vienna and Willow Lakes, the latter on the Great Northern, which bisected the county in 1887. It is a good agricultural county, draining both into the James and the Sioux. John E. Bennett was supreme judge from statehood to his death, January 1, 1894; Frank Conklin, railway commissioner, 1893-6; S. J. Conklin, adjutant general, 1901 ; S. H. Elrod, United States disbursing agent for Sisseton Indians, 1892. Area, 973 square miles. Population, 1900, 6,942. CLAY. Clay county, created by first legislature, 1862 and named for Henry Clay by Jacob Deuel, a member of legislature from that county. Explored by early fur traders. Fort Vermillion, fur post, located near Meckling, 1823, but removed to Green Point, 1836; discontinued, 1852. Modern settlement, July 10, 1859, by many settlers waiting opening of reservation. Organized by Governor Jayne, 1862. First church in Dakota built at Vermillion, 1860, by Presbyterians under Father Charles D. Martin. Dakota University, located at Vermillion by first legislature, endowed 1883. Milwaukee Railway, then Dakota Southern, came into county 1872. Vermillion, chief city, destroyed by floods 1883. Very rich agricultural county. Wakonda, at north, on Northwestern, is second village in importance. Jefferson P. Kidder, supreme judge, 1865 to 1874, and 1878 to death, 1883; member of congress, 1874-1878; J. W. Boyles, member supreme court to 1866; John L. Jolley, member of congress, 1891-3; Cyrus J. Fry, United States marshal, 1889 to death, 1894; Andrew F. Lee, governor, 1897-1901; E. E. Collins, superintendent public instruction, 1899 to 1903. Area, 408 square miles, and population at last census, 9.316. CODINGTON. Codington county. formerly Adair county, created by act of February 15, 1877. Explored first by Fremont and Nicollet, 1838. Visited by Dr. Riggs, 1840. First railway, in advance of settlement, 1872. In 1873 Joseph B. Montgomery and David D. Keeler settled upon Lake Kampeska, but there was no settlement of consequence until the early spring of 1878, when it came in a flood. The county was organized by Governor Howard in 1878 by the appointment of William McIntyre, O. S. Jewel and George Stoddard as commissioners. They located the county seat at Lake Kampeska, but that fall the settlers voted it to Watertown, where it remains. The county was named for Rev. G. S. Codington, an early Dakota legislator. Rich agricultural county. Watertown, chief city, has United States land office and weather bureau. Large wholesale trade. Rock Island Railroad, built in 1884, also same year Minneapolis & St. Louis. Great Northern came in 1886. A. C. Mellette, governor, 1889-93; Frank Phillips, railway commissioner, 1892-4; Frank Crane, superintendent public instruction, 1895-99; H. M. Finnerud, regent education, 1893-6; Alex McIntyre, regent of education, 1903; John Mulholland, oil inspector, 1891; Lee Stover, lieutenant colonel First South Dakota in Philippine war; Company H, same regiment, recruited in Watertown; Mark W. Sheafe brigadier general of volunteers, Spanish war, 1898; David C. Thomas, commissioner of charities and corrections, 1903. Area, 786 square miles. Population, 1900, 8,770. CUSTER. Custer county was created by the legislature of 1877 and organized that year by Governor Pennington. First recorded exploration by Lieutenant G. K. Warren, 1857. Second exploration by General Custer and Seventh Cavalry, August, 1874. First settlement by Gordon party at stockade near Custer, December, 1874. Gold discovered by Billy McKay, gold expert with Custer, on French Creek, August 2, 1874. Mining and agricultural district. Sylvan Lake great attraction and summer resort. Eleven thousand settlers March, 1876. Stampede to northern hills, 1876. First county seat at Sheridan, now at Custer. Named for General George A. Custer. Area, 1,612 square miles. Population. 1900, 2,728. Company I, First South Dakota, in Philippine War, recruited here. DAVISON. Davison county was created January 8, 1873, but its lines were readjusted February 22, 1879. Its first settler was Levi Ham, at Firesteel, and H. C. Green on the James, who came in 1874. The county was organized the first year of settlement with Levi Ham, J. Platt and J. Head as commissioners appointed by Governor Burbank for that purpose. The county seat was located at Firesteel, but removed to Mitchell in 1880. The Milwaukee Railway was built through the county in 1880 and north from Mitchell in 1883; the connection from Scotland to Mitchell was not made until 1885. Mitchell, the chief town, is division headquarters for the Milwaukee Railway, and an important distributing center. Has United States land office since 1880 and seat of Dakota University, the college of the Methodists, founded in 1884. County named for Henry C. Davison, an early settler. Mount Vernon, also dating from 1880, another important town. Dick Haney, of this county, has been supreme judge since 1894; George A. Silsby, adjutant general, 1893-7; public examiner of national banks, 1897; T. E. Blanchard, public examiner, 1889-93; Major Warne, First South Dakota, in Philippine war. Area, 486 square miles; population, 1900, 7,483. DAY. Day county, named for Merritt H. Day, the pioneer Democratic politician, was created by the act of February 22, 1879, which reorganized the county lines throughout the state. The section was formerly called Greeley county. It was organized December 5, i88i, by Governor Ordway. Chauncy Warner, Lansing Sykes and George Bryant were the commissioners, and the county seat was located at Webster, where it remains. At that time the county included Marshall county and the south tier of towns was a part of Clark county. The session of 1885 created Marshall county and added the south tier to Day. The first exploration of Day county goes back to the fur trading days of the 'thirties, when Major Joseph R. Brown had a trading post at Buffalo lake. Fremont and Nicollet visited the county in 1839. Waubay and the adjacent lakes were favorite resorts for the Indians, time out of mind, and all of their trails across Dakota centered there. The soil is fertile and productive. The railroad came in 1880 and the modern settlement dates from that time. In public affairs the county has been represented by Eugene Huntington, adjutant general, 1890-3; Charles H. Sheldon, governor, 1893-7; Charles W. Stafford, oil inspector, 1893-7; David Williams, census superintendent, 1890. Area, 1.077. Population, 1900, 7,483. DEUEL. Deuel county was named for Jacob Deuel, a member of the first territorial legislature from Clay county. It was created by the first legislature, but was not organized until April 26, 1878, by Governor Howard, who appointed Henry H. Herrick, Byron J. Cochrane and A. J. Torgerson commissioners. The county seat was located at Gary, but in i888 was removed to Clear Lake by a vote of the people. The first exploration of which we have record was made by John C. Fremont in 1838. Chanopa (Two Woods) lake, in the central portion of the county, the home of a band of Sissetons, was a favorite Indian camp and was upon the main trail from the Minnesota to the Missouri; hence all of the early white expeditions westward passed that way. The modern settlement dates from 1872. In the month of July B. J. Cochrane and the Oliver Brothers made homestead settlements there and in August Henry H. Herrick came. The Northwestern Railway reached Gary that fall. There was not much settlement, however, until 1877-8, when the people poured in and occupied the land. Its only representatives in public affairs have been Rev. Mr. Brant and Millard F. Greeley, regents of education. Its area is 621 square miles and population, 1900, 6,656. Clear Lake, the county seat, dates from the building of the Rock Island Railway in 1884. State Blind School is located at Gary, from 1893. DOUGLAS. Douglas county was named for the "Little Giant" and was created by law in 1873. The first attempt to organize it was made in i88o, by a man named Brown, an adventurer who, before there was a single bona fide resident of the county, obtained for himself and some confederates commissions from Governor Ordway to organize the county. They established a county seat at a mythical place called Brownsdale, in a covered wagon, and proceeded to purchase an outfit of blank county, town and school warrants and of these they issued just as many as they were able to negotiate. Major Robert Dollard, since attorney general, settled in the county that fall, and learning of the fraudulent procedure, began vigorous action to defeat it and succeeded in invalidating the bonds in the courts. The county was reorganized July 10, 1882. The county seat was first located at Huston, but was removed at an early election to Grandview and subsequently, after the building of the railroad, to Armour, where it now is. The county is famous as the home of the large and prosperous colony of Hollanders. It has been represented in state affairs by Frank LeCocq as railroad commissioner, 1901. W. E. Tipton, commissioner of charities, 1901. The area of the county is 445 square miles. Population, 1900, 5,012. EDMUNDS. Edmunds county, named for the second territorial governor, was created by law January 8, 1873, and was organized by Governor Ordway July 8,1883. There is no record of early exploration and as it does not lie along the ordinary lines of travel, it is probable that it was not visited by white men until a comparatively recent date. The first settler was Dr. L. F. Diefendorf, who located in the eastern portion in 1882. It is a farming and stock-growing region. The railroad reached Ipswich in 1883 and the county seat was removed there from Edmunds, a nearby village. Its representatives in state affairs have been E. F. Hewitt, regent of education, 1890-3; George C. Aurand, public examiner, 1901-3. Area, 1,176 square miles. Population, 1900, 4,916. FALL RIVER. Named for the principal stream and created by law March 6, 1883. The famous hot springs are the chief feature of the county, which is located in the southwest corner of the state in the southern portion of the Black Hills. Hot Springs and Edgmont are the principal towns. Hot Springs is the location of Black Hills College, a Methodist institution, of the state soldiers' home and of the national sanitarium for sick and disabled soldiers and sailors; the latter, now under construction, is the nation's largest establishment for the purpose. The county was doubtless visited by the early trappers and traders and is doubtless the scene of several of the incidents related by Winsor, in "The Oregon Trail," though the fact cannot be definitely determined. The famous Wind Cave is one of the great natural attractions of the county. The Northwestern and Burlington Railways traverse the section and connect at Hot Springs. Area, 1,757 square miles. Population, 1900, 3,541. GRANT. Grant county was created January 8, 1873, and was named for the General. It was organized June 5, 1878, by Governor Howard, through Oliver Martell, Louis Shaneau and Moses Mireau. It was visited at a very early date by white men. It is probable that DeLusigan was here as early as 1745. Fur trading was carried on in the region in the early years of the century. Solomon Roberts and Moses Mireau; traders, were probably the first permanent residents, dating from 1865, and they still reside in the county. The general settlement came about 1877-8. The railroad came in 1879-80. Milbank, the county seat and chief city, dates from July, 1880. The county seat was originally at Big Stone City, but was removed by an election held in 1882. The region is rich in agriculture. Big Stone Lake is an important summer resort. William M. Evans was railroad commissioner under Governor Pierce: A. B. Smedley, regent of education, 1890-96; John L. Lockhart, commissioner of school and public lands, 1895-1899; W. B. Saunders, Louisiana Purchase Exposition commissioner, 1904. Area, 694 square miles. Population, 1900, 9,103. FAULK. Faulk county was named for the third governor of the territory and dates from January 8, 1873. It was not organized until October 25, 1883, when Governor Ordway appointed commissioners for the purpose. The county seat was located at La Foon, but soon removed to Faulkton. The railroad reached the county in 1884. The earliest exploration of the county was probably by William Dickson, in one of his trips to the James river, about 1828. The county is upon the line of travel from the Missouri to the Minnesota and John C. Fremont and Joseph N. Nicollet passed through it in 1839, Dr. Stephen R. Riggs in 1840 and Father Ravoux in 1842. Joseph R. Brown made many trips through the section in the 'thirties. Scatterwood lake, in the northeastern portion, was a famous Indian camp. Faulkton is the chief town. John A. Pickler represented the county in congress from 1889 to 1897; Howard G. Fuller, judge of the supreme court, from 1894; Major Humphrey, adjutant general, 1897-1901. Area, 1,010 square miles. Population, 1900, 3,547. GREGORY. Gregory county was created by the first legislature of 1862 and was named for J. Shaw Gregory, a member of that body, who resided at Port Randall and was a trader in the employ of Captain Todd. Its present boundaries were defined by the legislature of 1897 and it was organized in 1893. A trading station was located at Handy's Point at a very early date. Bonesteel and Fairfax are the chief towns. It is a good agricultural and stock country. The Northwestern Railway built into the section in 1902. Its area is 1,004 square miles and its population at the last census was 2,211. HAND. Hand county was named for George H. Hand, secretary of the territory, 1874-82. It was created in 1873, but then occupied the north half of the present Hand and Hyde counties. Its lines were readjusted by the Brown reorganization act of February 22, 1879. Little is known of its early exploration. It was not on any of the favorite Indian trails. Its settlement dates from 1880, when the Northwestern Railroad was built through the county. It was organized by Governor Ordway July 10, 1882. The county. seat was located at Miller. The chief towns are Miller and St. Lawrence, two miles apart, and the rivalry between them has been intense. For years they were equally matched, but in recent times the advantage has gone to Miller. L. G. Pinkham, superintendent of public instruction, 1889-90; John Baldwin, engineer of irrigation; D. H. Smith, railway commissioner, 1903, are the public representatives. Agriculture and stock growing the chief industries. Area, 1,418 square miles. Population, 1900, 4,525. HAMLIN. Hamlin county, named for Hannibal Hamlin, created by law in 1873 and organized August 12, 1878, was first settled by Jacob Hanson at Lake Poinsett. The county was explored by Gen. John C. Fremont in 1838, who surveyed Lake Poinsett and named it for the then secretary of war. It is a fine agricultural county. The county seat was first located at Spaulding's ranch, near Estelline, but later was removed to Castlewood. The Northwestern Railway was built up the Sioux valley through Hamlin county in 1882-3, the Milwaukee through the western portion in 1887 and the Great Northern across the northwestern corner in 1888. The chief towns are Castlewood and Estelline, on the Northwestern, Bryant. on the Milwaukee, and Hazel, on the Great Northern. Area, 543 square miles. Population, 1900, 5,945. HANSON. Hanson county was named for Joseph R. Hanson, of Yankton, and was created by the legislature of 1871, but at that time it occupied all of the south half of the present county. the southeast one-fourth of Davison county and a portion of the present McCook county. It was readjusted by the Brown bill of 1879. It was organized by Governor Burbank on December 16, 1872. It is crossed by James river and was explored by Father Hoecken in 1851. The first settlement in the county was made by the soldiers who located Fort James in 1865, but the civil settlement dates from July, 1872, when Peter, Samuel and Michael Bloom, Jerry Flick and Frank B. Foster settled near Rockport. The next year came a colony from Chicago, known as the Army and Navy colony, lead by A. J. Parshall. The county seat was first at Rockport, but when the county lines were readjusted under the Brown bill, by an election on October 11, 188o, it was removed to Alexandria, a station upon the railroad. Lucius C. Taylor, of this county, was state auditor, 1889-93. Area, 486 square miles. Population, 1890, 4,947. HUGHES. Hughes county was named for Alexander Hughes, of Elk Point, now of Bismarck, North Dakota, and was created by the act of 1873 and readjusted in 1879. It was organized November 20, 1880, by Governor Ordway, who appointed his son, George L. Ordway, William P. Ledwich and Joseph Reed commissioners. The county seat was located at Pierre. The railroad reached Pierre at about the date of the organization. The exploration of the region dates to the earliest Missouri river navigation. Several Frenchmen married Indian women and settled within the county as early as 1830, but the chief settlement and trade in the region was at Fort Pierre, on the west shore. The three Rosseaus settled at the mouth of Medicine creek in 1860. In 1855-6 General Harney established three military camps on the east side of the river for the purpose of securing wood and pasturage. In 1863 General Sully built Fort Sully, five miles below Pierre. The first American settlement of permanence was made in 1873, when Thomas L. Riggs established the Congregationalist Indian mission at Oahe, where he continues it to this day. The Black Hills gold excitement brought some settlement into the section in 1876-7, but the real settlement dates from 1880. In 1889 the city of Pierre became the state capital. A government Indian school is located here. The United States land office, district court and weather bureau are also established at Pierre. George L. Ordway was territorial auditor, 1880-84; P. F. McClure, immigration commissioner, 1887-9; J. C. McManima, territorial auditor, 1889; Coe I. Crawford, attorney general, 1893-7; Charles H. Burke, member of congress, 1899-1905; Robert W. Stewart, Major Grigsby's Cowboys, in Spanish war, 1898. Company A, First South Dakota, was recruited at Pierre for Philippine war. Area, 765 square miles. Population, 1900, .3,684. HUTCHINSON. Hutchinson county was created in the first batch of counties turned out in 1862 and was named for John Hutchinson, the first territorial secretary. Its lines were rearranged by the Brown bill of 1879. It is bisected by the James and the county seat is Olivet. The first settlement was made at Maxwell's Mills, on James river, by John, Henry and Thomas Maxwell, in 1870. The Milwaukee Railroad was built into the county in 1879, but it had a large population before that date, much of the Russian immigration of 1873-4 making settlement in this county. It is a great agricultural county. John E. Hipple, state auditor, 1893- 7; John Schamber, state treasurer, 1899-1903; Frank Morris, United States surveyor general, 1897; Jacob Schnaidt, commissioner of charities and corrections, 1901, and A. Sheridan Jones, superintendent of public instruction in the old territorial days, are among the county's public representatives. Area, 817 square miles. Population, 1900, 11,897. HYDE. Hyde county, which formerly occupied the territory embraced within the south half of Hand and Hyde counties, was given its present form by the Brown bill of 1879. It was named for James Hyde, of Vermillion, a member of that session. It was organized April 12, 1884, by Governor Ordway and, as usual with the organizations effected by Ordway, there was a good deal of scandal connected with the proceeding. Its settlement came coincident with the building of the railroad in 1880. Highmore is the county seat. The state's experiment farm, for the test of drought-resisting forage crops, is located near Highmore. Howard C. Schober, of Highmore, was insurance commissioner, 1901-3. Area, 875 square miles. Population, 1900, 1,492. JERAULD. This county was created by the legislature of 1883 and was organized by Ordway October 1st of that year. It was named for H. J. Jerauld, a legislator. Wessington Springs is the county seat. These springs were discovered by a teamster named Wessington in the road-building party of Col. W. H. Nobles in 1857, hence the name. The county was frequently visited by expeditions from Minnesota to the Missouri after the building of the Nobles road. Attention was first called to the section in the late 'seventies by the fact that a notorious band of horsethieves had taken refuge there and made it a rendezvous where they hid the horses they stole in Iowa and elsewhere and again from this retreat sallied forth into the settlements to dispose of their ill-gotten gains. Among the enterprises of this gang was an illicit distillery. They left the region when the settlers came about 1880. The county had no railroad until 1903, when the Milwaukee was extended from Woonsocket to the Springs. It is an excellent grain and stock section. Area, 548 square miles. Population, 2,798. A seminary of the Free Methodist church is located at the Springs. KINGSBURY. Named for George W. Kingsbury, editor, of Yankton. Created by legislature of 1873, but rearranged by Brown bill of 1879. Organized by Governor Howard December 15, 1879. Explored by John C. Fremont in 1838, who surveyed and named the lakes Preston, for Senator Preston, of North Carolina, and Albert (Abert), for Senator Abert, of Florida. Jacob Hanson was the first settler at Lake Albert, 1873. The principal settlement came with the railroad in 1880, from which time Arlington, Lake Preston, DeSmet and Iroquois date. The Hawarden line was built in 1883 and the Milwaukee in 1887. Thomas H. Ruth was commissioner of school and public lands, 1891-95; Charles Stromback, oil inspector, 1890-1893; Thomas Reed, regent of education, 1883-5; J. F. Halladay, state auditor, 1903; Carter P. Sherwood, food and dairy Commissioner, 1901. Area, 834 square miles. Population, 1900, 9,866. Company E, First South Dakota, in Philippines, was recruited here. LAKE. Lake county was created in 1873 and organized by Governor Burbank on September 1st of that year. The lakes from which the county takes its name were a favorite Indian resort and it was here that Inkpadutah brought the Spirit Lake captives in the spring of 1857, and it was on the banks of Lake Herman that one of them, Mrs. Marble, was rescued. The settlement dates from 1870, when William Lee and others settled upon the lakes. Brisk immigration set in in 1878. The railway came in 1881. The principal towns are Madison, Ramona, Wentworth and Winnifred. The Madison Normal School was founded in 1883. Wilbur F. Smith, state treasurer, 1889-90, and I. D. Smith, commissioner of charities and corrections, 1900-1, have represented the county in state affairs. Splendid agricultural region. Area, 549 square miles. Population, 1900, 9,137. LAWRENCE. Lawrence county was created by the legislature of 1877 and organized by Governor Pennington March 5, 1877. It was named for John Lawrence, a prominent citizen of Yankton who went to the Hills and became first treasurer of his namesake county. Early explorations of the county are lost in mystery, but the modern settlement dates from the discovery of gold in the placers by John B. Pearson, of Yankton, in the autumn of 1875. The grand rush to the section occurred the following spring. Deadwood, Lead, Spearfish and Whitewood are the chief towns. Deadwood, the county seat, was destroyed by fire in September, 1879, and again by a great flood in May, 1883. Mining is the principal industry. The Homestake is the largest mine in the world. It is located at Lead, the chief city of the Hills, and the second in size in the state. The United States court is located at Deadwood and a government assay office. A state normal school is located at Spearfish, founded in 1887. Gideon C. Moody, of Deadwood, was United States senator, 1889-91; Kirk G. Phillips, state treasurer, 1895-9; Eben W. Martin, member of congress since 1901. The office of mine inspector has from its foundation been accorded to Lawrence county. Area, 814 square miles. Population, 17,897 in 1900. Company L, First South Dakota, in Philippines, was recruited at Spearfish, and Troop A, Grigsby's Cowboys, Spanish war, at Deadwood. LINCOLN. This county was created by the first legislature in 1862 and was named for the President. It was doubtless explored by LeSeuer's voyageurs two hundred years ago. The modern settlement began in the summer of 1866, when A. I. Linderman located at Fairview. The next year there was a considerable settlement and the county was organized by act of the legislature approved December 3oth, fixing the county seat at Canton. It is a great agricultural county. Two lines of the Milwaukee Railroad cross here, having been built in 1878-9-80. The chief towns are Canton, where is located Augustana College, of the Scandinavian Lutherans, and the National Asylum for Insane Indians, Hudson, Fairview, Harrisburg, Lennox and Worthing. Peter C. Shannon, of this county, was chief justice, 1873-81; Oscar S. Gifford, member of congress, 1885 to 1891; Thomas Thorson, secretary of state, 1893-1897; Henry Cooper, public examiner, 1901-3; George W. Nash, superintendent public instruction, '903; N. C. Nash, commissioner Soldiers' Home, 1901; Abraham Boynton, railroad commissioner in territorial days. Area, 579 square miles. Population, 1900, 12,161. Company D, First South Dakota, in Philippine war, was recruited at Worthing. LYMAN. Lyman county was named for William Penn Lyman, the first settler of Yankton county. It was created in 1873, but was defined as at present in 1897. It was organized by Governor Sheldon in 1894. It was an important region in the days of the fur traders and many posts were located within its borders. Among these were Kiowa, Lookout and Hale, the latter a military post to protect the Brule agency. The soil was relinquished by the Indians in 1889 and the present settlement dates from that time. It is all within the great cattle range country and stock ranging is the chief industry. It contains 3,456 square miles and a population of 2,632. Oacoma, on the Missouri, is the county seat. M'COOK. McCook county was carved out by the legislature of 1873 and named for Edward S. McCook, secretary of Dakota. The first settlement was made at Miller's gulch, on the Vermillion, by H. C. Miller, in 1871. The county was organized May 16, 1878, by Governor Howard. The county seat was located at Cameron by the commissioners and at the election the following November the voters chose Cameron as the permanent location, but the election in 1880 sent it to Bridgewater. In November, 1882, it was changed to Salem. The Milwaukee Railroad was built through the county in 1880 and in 1881 the Omaha reached Salem. Salem, Canistota, Bridge-water, Montrose and Spencer are the chief towns. Agriculture the chief pursuit. O. S. Pender, clerk of the United States court, is a resident of Salem. Area, 575 square miles. Population, 1900, 8,689. M'PHERSON. McPherson county, named for General McPherson, was created by the legislature of 1873. It was organized ten years later by Governor Ordway, with the usual attending scandal. Its first settler was John Webber, who settled in the eastern part of the county in 1882. Leola is the county seat, Eureka the chief town. Stock growing is the principal pursuit. F. C. Boucher, of this county, was regent of education, 1893-7, and is now World's Fair commissioner; Charles N. Herreid, lieutenant governor, 1893-7; regent of education, 1897-1900; governor, 1901-3. Elwood G. Kennedy, United States marshal, 1897-1905. Area, 1,146 square miles. Population, 1900, 6,827. MARSHALL. Marshall county, created from north half of Day county in 1885, named for Governor Marshall, of Minnesota. First settlement, Fort Wadsworth, afterward Sisseton, 1864. Chief town and county seat, Britton. Agriculture and stock raising. D. T. Hindman, lieutenant governor, 1897-99. Area, 880 square miles. Population, 1900, 5,942. The agricultural settlement of the county began in 1881. In 1892 the portion of the county embraced within the Sisseton reservation was opened to settlement, adding largely to population and importance of county. Fort Sisseton was abandoned in 1888. The cotean lakes and streams of this county have always been a resort for the Indians, and potteries, where the primitive earthenware of the Ree Indians was made, were discovered by Captain Comfort, of the regular army, at Kettle Lake. MEADE. Named for Fort Meade, which is located in this county and was named for the famous general of the rebellion. The county was cut off from the eastern portion of Lawrence in 1889. Sturgis, near Fort Meade, is the county seat. Agriculture, lumbering and stock raising are the chief industries. The first settlements were road houses on the trail from Pierre, via Rapid, to Deadwood, in 1876. Fort Meade, first known as Camp Sturgis, was located August 1, 1878, and the settlement grew up around it and under its protection. The building of Fort Meade was the practical end of Indian troubles in the Hills. An important Catholic academy is located at Sturgis. Black Hawk has extensive saw mills. The railroad reached this locality in 1889. Dr. William G. Smith, of Sturgis, has been railway commissioner since 1899. Area, 3,003 square miles, and population, 1900, 4,907. Troop D, Grigsby's Cowboys, recruited at Sturgis. MINER. Miner county was named jointly for Captain Nelson Miner and Ephraim Miner, of Yankton, both of whom were members of the legislature of 1873 which created the county. Then it occupied the south half of what is now Miner and Sanborn counties, the remainder being called Bramble county. The Brown bill of 1879 dropped Bramble county and called Miner and Sanborn as at present known, Miner. This county was organized by Governor Ordway, in November, 1880, with Forestburg, on the James river, as the capital. March 9, 1883, Sanborn county was cut off the west end and the capital of the curtailed Miner located at Howard. The settlement chiefly dates from the building of the Southern Minnesota Railway in 1881, tliough there had been some scattering settlement from 1879. The county is bisected by the old Nobles road of 1857, which ran about on the line of the present railway. It is a farming and stock region. Howard, Carthage. Vilas and Canova are the chief towns. S. H. Bronson was commissioner of soldiers' home, 1897-1901. Area, 569 square miles. Population, 1900, 5,864. MINNEHAHA. Minnehaha couuty was created by the first legislature and an organization was effected, but it lapsed that year owing to the Indian troubles, which drove the whites away. The earliest exploration of the section was by LeSeuer's voyageurs in 1700 or thereabouts. The settlement began in 1857, but, as stated before, was broken up by the Indians. The new settlement began with the location of Fort Dakota in 1865. Few settlers came until about 1869 and 1870. Sioux Falls, the county seat, is the location of the penitentiary, located in 1877-79. School for Deaf Mutes, 1883; Children's Home, 1890; United States court, 1890. The three successive constitutional conventions were held in Sioux Falls, 1883, 1885, 1889. Important wholesaling and distributing point. Fred Cross was immigration commissioner, 1875-77; Richard F. Pettigrew, member of congress 1881-83; United States senator, 1889-1901; Melvin Grigsby, attorney general, 1897-99; colonel Grigsby's Cowboys, in Spanish war, 1898; United States attorney for Alaska, 1902; Alfred B. Kittredge, United States senator, 1901; Charles E. McKinney, railroad commissioner, 1891-3; Joseph M. Bailey, territorial treasurer, 1889. Company B, First South Dakota, in Philippine war, and Troop B, Grigsby's Cowboys, recruited here. Area, 802 square miles. Population, 1900, 23.896. Dell Rapids, Garretson and Valley Springs are other important towns. Agriculture and quarrying, chief industries. MOODY. Moody county was carved out of the northern portion of Minnehaha and the southern portion of Brookings by the legislature of 1873, and was organized by Governor Burbank in August of that year. The big bend of the Sioux river has been a favorite resort for Indians always. The Omahas had a town here two hundred years ago. A fur post tributary to Hudson Bay was abandoned here in 1763. In 1822 Joseph LaFrambois established a post here, which he conducted until 1827. In 1857 the Dakota Land Company located Flaudreau town site, but was compelled to abandon it by hostile Yanktons the next year and it was not again occupied until 1869, when, the Sisseton Indian settlement having been made there, C. K. Howard established a trading post. F. W. Pettigrew settled upon the town site in 1872. The government has one of its most elaborate and extensive schools for the education of Indians at this point. The plant consists of fourteen large buildings. It is a rich agricultural section. George Rice, attorney general, 1885-6: Dr. F. A. Spafford, regent of education from 1897; John E. Kelly, member of congress, 1897-1899, are some of the men who have represented the county in public affairs. Area, 517 square miles. Population, 1900, 8,326. PENNINGTON. Named for Governor Pennington. Created, 1877. Organized same year. Exploration by Lieutenant G. K. Warren, 1857, and General Custer, 1874. Settled by gold prospectors, 1875-6. County seat at Rapid City, chief town. Site of government and Episcopal Indian schools, and State School of Mines, founded in 1887. Has large gold reduction works, United States land office and weather bureau. Agriculture, mining and stock ranging. County limits extended in 1897. Rapid City was the entrapot to the Black Hills in the days when all of the passenger and freight traffic was transported from the Missouri at Pierre. John H. King, railway commissioner, 1889-91; William H. Tompkins, railway commissioner, 1897-1900, superintendent Reform School, 1900-1901, are among public representatives. Area, 2,596 square miles. Population, 1900, 5,610. Company M, First South Dakota, in Philippine war, recruited here. POTTER. Named for Dr. J. A. Potter, of Yankton; was formerly known as Ashmore county. Was the home of a band of Yanktonias, called the Siounes. Medicine Rock, a curiously carved stone near mouth of Little Cheyenne, still an object of wonder, was examined by General Henry Atkinson in 1825. County created in 1873. Boundaries changed in 1879. Organized by Ordway in November, 1883. County seat at Gettysburg, chief town. Forest City, on Missouri, has good bridge site. Agricultural and stock section. F. C. King, insurance commissioner, 1899-1901. Area, 900 square miles. Population, 1900. 2,988. ROBERTS. Roberts county was named for S. G. Roberts, of Fargo, was created by legislature of 1883 and was organized August 1st of that year. The chief portion of this county was comprised within the Sisseton Indian reservation and was not opened to settlement until April 15, 1892. The original county seat was at Wilmot, but after the opening of the reservation Sisseton was built and has become the county seat by vote of the people in 1898. The earliest exploration known was probably made by DeLusigan in 1745. Joseph R. Brown, about 1830, was the first white settler. His descendants still reside in the county. It is a fine agricultural section and with the opening of the reservation in 1892 a flood of homesteaders poured in making it one of the most populous and wealthy counties of the state. David Eastman, commissioner of school and public lands, 1899-1903; L. A. Perkins, insurance commissioner, 1903, are among the representative men in public affairs. Sisseton agency is the capital of the Sisseton Indians, who are citizens, holding their lands in severalty. The area is 1,102 square miles and the population in 1900 was 12,216. SANBORN. Sanborn county, in 1883 cut off from the west end of Miner county, was named for G. W. Sanborn, of Mason City, Iowa, then general superintendent of the Milwaukee lines in Dakota. Its first settlement was made in 1875 near Forestburg. The county seat, first at Forestburg, was removed to Woonsocket, at the crossing of the James Valley and Southern Minnesota divisions, of the Milwaukee Railway and is the chief city. Letcher and Artesian are other important towns. Agriculture and stock growing chief interests. Theodore D. Kanouse, member of congress, statehood movement and warden penitentiary, 1889- 91; Henry E. Mayhew, state auditor, 1897-99; Robert F. Dowdell, oil inspector, 1897-99; John T. Kean, lieutenant governor, 1899-1901; H. C. Warner, railway commissioner, 1893-95, are among the public men. Area, 576 square miles. Population, 1900, 4,464. SPINK. Spink county was named for S. L. Spink, secretary of the territory, 1865- 68, delegate to congress, 1869-71. It was created in 1873 as the south half of the present county, the north half being called Thompson county, but by the Brown bill of 1879 the present boundaries were fixed. The first settler was probably William Dickson, who established a fur post at Armadale in 1832. Armadale was an important Indian camp down until 1882. The first modern settlers were Samuel W. Bowman and Harlan P. Packard, who located at Old Ashton in 1878. The county was organized by Governor Howard July 22, 1879, and the county seat was located at old Ashton, where it remained until 1885, when it was removed to Ashton by act of the legislature, and by vote of the people that year permanently located at Redfield. Redfield is chief town. Ashton, Mellette, Northville, Athol, Frankfort, Doland, Conde are important villages. Redfield College, founded in 1884, and State Asylum for Feeble Minded Children, 1899; Frank J. Cory, regent of education, 1890; W. W. Taylor, state treasurer, 1891- 95; C. H. Meyers, public examiner, 1893-95; Otto C. Berg, secretary of state, 1901-1905; C. M. Howe, commissioner of charities and corrections, 1890-94, are public representatives. Agriculture and stock growing are chief industries. Area, 1,518 square miles. Population, 1900, 9,487. STANLEY. Named for the African explorer. Created by act of 1873. Was part of great Sioux reservation opened in 1890, organized that year by Governor Mellette. County seat and chief town, Fort Pierre. Boundaries enlarged in 1897. Settled at Fort Pierre by Joseph LaFrambois in 1817. Fort Tecumseh, built about 1822. Fort Pierre, 1832. Government buys Fort Pierre for military purposes, 1855. Harney, with one thousand two hundred troops winters at fort and vicinity, 1855- 6. Entrapot to Black Hills, 1876-78. River point for vast stock range. Area, 4,882 square miles. Population 1900, 1,341. TURNER. Turner county was named for J. W. Turner, a pioneer legislator and superintendent of public instruction, 1870-71. It was settled by Gideon C. Moody, W. W. Aurner, S. H. Elliot, F. C. Hills and G. M. Ripley, who settled at Swan Lake in July, 1879. Mr. Aurner and his family were the only residents during the next winter. It was created and organized directly by the legislature of 1871, which by law named the officers for the organization and fixed the county seat at Swan Lake. The railway came as far as Marion Junction in 1879, giving rise to Parker and Marion, and in 1883 the Northwestern built through the county and Hurley and Centerville were born. It was not until 1893 that the Great Northern came, bringing into being Davis and Viborg. The county seat remained at Swan Lake until 1886, when it was removed to Parker. J. J. McIntyre, superintendent of public instruction in 1875-6; Cortez Salmon, 1891-95; Emil Brouch, oil inspector, 1901-5; C. J. Bach, commissioner school and public lands, 1903, are among the public men who have served the state and territory. Very rich agricultural community. Area, 624 square miles. Population, 1900, 13,175. SULLY. Sully county was created by the act of 1873, and was named for General Alfred Sully. It was organized by Governor Ordway in 1883, and the county seat located at Clifton, a town no longer upon the map. The present county seat is Onida. The county was explored by Lewis and Clarke and the early traders. Present settlement began in i866 with the removal of Fort Sully from Pierre to the point opposite the Cheyenne where it was maintained until abandoned in 1894 as not longer needed to protect the frontier. The country is especially adapted to stock growing. Thomas M. Goddard, of this county, is commandant of the Soldiers' Home. Area, 1,052 square miles. Population, 1900, 1,715. UNION. This county was organized by the first legislature as Cole county and the county seat was located about where the village of McCook now is, but in 1862 was removed to Elk Point. The earliest settlers were French squaw men at Sioux Point. Eli B. Wixson settled at Elk Point July 22, 1859, the first settler in that vicinity. The next year a large colony settled upon Brule creek. The inhabitants were largely driven away by the Indian excitement of 1862. Company B of the Dakota cavalry, was recruited at Elk Point, 1862-3. Milwaukee Railway, then Southern Dakota, came 1872. Northwestern, bringing Alcester and Beresford, in 1882. Very rich agricultural section. T. M. Stuart, 1869, J. W. Turner, 1871-72, E. W. Miller, 1872-74, W. E. Caton, 1877-78, were superintendents of public instruction; John Clemantson, 1875-76, territorial treasurer; J. M. Talcott, commissioner of charities and corrections, 1889-90; Amund O. Ringsmd, secretary of state, 1889-93; H. H. Blair, regent of education, 1897-1901, are men of the county who have served in state offices. Area, 447 square miles. Population, 1900, 11,153. WALWORTH. This county was named in honor of Walworth county, Wisconsin. It was created by the legislature of 1873, and organized by Governor Ordway May 5, 1883. The county seat is at Bangor. The county was explored by the Missouri river voyageurs at the beginning of the nineteenth century. Its settlement came in 1882-3, in the days of the great Dakota boom. The Milwaukee Railway was built to Bowdle in 1884-5 and extended to Evarts, on the Missouri, in 1900. Selby and Evarts date from 1900. It is an agricultural and stock-raising country. The rescue of Shetak captives in 1862, referred to in another chapter, occurred in this county. George H. Hoffman, lieutenant governor, 1891-3, and Dr. J. P. Foster, present state veterinarian, reside in this county. Area, 745 square miles. Population, 1900, 3,839. YANKTON. Was created by first legislature and named for Yankton Indians. The county seat was fixed at Yankton, territorial capital, 1861-1883. Settled by W. P. Lyman, 1857, as trader. General settlement began July 10, 1859, with opening of reservation. Rich agricultural section. Important Portland cement works established 1889. Yankton College founded by Congregationalists in 1881, oldest college in state. State Hospital for Insane founded 1879. First railroad in 1872. Initial point for extensive up-river steamboat traffic from 1872 until 1881. Has furnished more men for public service than any county. Home of present United States Senator Robert J. Gamble. Company A, Dakota cavalry, 1862, and Company C, First South Dakota, in Philippine war, recruited here. Area, 515 square miles. Population, 1900, 12,649.