A HISTORY OF JERAULD COUNTY SOUTH DAKOTA; From the Earliest Settlement to 
January 15, 1909

by N. J. Dunham
Wessington Springs, So. Dak.

1910

(HUBER'S NOTE: This copy of the Jerauld County History book was OCRed at 
Alexander Mitchell Library in Aberdeen, South Dakota. There were many 
misspellings in the original book. When I thought the meaning was clear and it 
was just an alternate spelling, I left it as I found it. If it was OCR 
misspelling or if I thought the meaning would be unclear, I corrected the 
spelling. There may still be some misspelled names, if I didn't know what it 
should be, I left as it was originally. You may find an I in place of an 1 in 
places, this was a common typesetting trick as they ran out of 1's to use.  I 
tried to correct all of them, but some may have slipped through. I have also 
scanned all the photos. If you would like one, please contact me at 
huberj@nvc.net. Portions of this book also appear on the Jerauld County SDGenWeb 
page. - Judy Huber)

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A FOREWORD.

In presenting to our readers this history of Jerauld County we are undertaking a 
rather large task. There is so little of record and so much of legend that it is 
hard to separate the wheat from the chaff. However, we have carefully sifted the 
legends as received and have selected what seemed to be accurate. Of the later 
history, of course, records disclose the facts and that has been less difficult 
to gather.

PART ONE.

CHAPTER 1. PAGES 7-10

The story of the country embraced within the limits of Jerauld county, prior to 
the removal of the Indians to their reservations in 1859, is almost legendary.  
Even the man for whom was named the range of hills that run north and south thru 
the center of the county, is only known to have been a trapper who frequented 
the lakes and streams in this part of the great territory prior to 1863.

Of him it is related, that he in company with some other trappers was engaged in 
his usual avocation along the Firesteel and Sand Creeks at the time of the 
Indian uprising at New Ulm, Minnesota, in 1863. The whole western country was 
then swarming with hostile bodies of Sioux. As these bands were driven westward 
by the soldiers from Minnesota, the trappers were caught in the line of retreat 
taken by the savages. Wessington and his companions took refuge in the grove 
near the big spring.  For several days the trappers fought off their enemies, 
but provisions and ammunition failing, they attempted to break through and 
escape.  One by one they fell, selling their lives as dearly as possible. 
Wessington was the last of the number. He was wounded and captured. Taking him 
back to the grove where he and his friends had made such a gallant fight, the 
Indians tied him to a tree and put him to death by torture.  The story of his 
capture and death was told by the Indians. Various trees about the spring have 
been pointed out in later years as the spot where the trapper met his death.

Among the soldiers who followed the Indians in their retreat through the hills 
and camped by the big spring, were Chas. Davis and Richard Butler, both in later 
years, residents of Alpena.

This was the last of the Indian raids in the country between the Missouri and 
James rivers.  During the next fifteen years the Sand Creek and Firesteel 
valleys and the Wessington Hills were mainly occupied by peaceful Indians and 
trappers, and horse thieves and wild buffalo.

In 1876 two squatters named Ham and Nicholson settled at the foot of the hills. 
Ham laid claim to the northeast quarter of section 13, township IO7, R. 65, the 
land upon which the big spring is located. On the bank of the little stream that 
flows from the spring and protected by the trees that grew up from the ravine, 
he built a sod hut and later added to it a building made of logs, which for many 
years stood as a landmark of the county.

Nicholson selected his location about four miles north of Ham, at the entrance 
of a deep gulch afterwards embraced in the farm owned by H. J. Wallace.

These men made no attempt to cultivate the land further than a small garden 
patch. Their means of living was mainly a matter of conjecture.

In 1874 a scout with Custer's soldiers in the Black Hills washed a pan of gravel 
taken from the bottom of French Creek. The result was a find of marvelous 
richness. Custer sent a dispatch to army headquarters announcing the discovery 
of gold in the hill country.

This untimely message was unwisely published to the world.  Immediately a stream 
of excited gold seekers started for the new Eldorado. They went by teams, on 
foot and on horseback, only to find the country of gold guarded by troops who 
stopped the eager prospectors and turned them back.

The disappointed gold seekers returning to their homes told of the mighty 
expanse of fertile prairies that must be crossed before the gold country could 
be entered. The description of the country that had been marked upon the maps as 
the Great American Desert, fired the ambition of the young men of the east to 
obtain homes and try their fortunes in farming and stock raising in the upper 
Missouri valley.

The craze for gold changed to a craze for land. The government land laws 
permitted every head of a family, or single person, male or female, to obtain 
480 acres of her most fertile soil on the continent.
In 1876 Sioux Falls was a town of but few scattered buildings and less than five 
hundred inhabitants. In less than five years a dozen towns of a thousand or more 
people had sprung up in the valleys of the Big Sioux and James rivers.

At no time since the gold fever of '49 took so many people across the plains to 
California, has the nation beheld such a movement from an old to a new country.

Some officials of the Chicago & Northwestern railroad in crossing the prairies 
to lay out a line of transportation to the Black Hills gold region, saw the 
opportunity for developing an empire and at the same time insuring an 
inexhaustable source of revenue to the railroad that should push its lines 
across these fertile prairies.  A report to the directors resulted in an order 
to extend the system westward.
The C. M. & St. P. immediately followed the example of the Northwestern and 
hundreds of miles of railroad were built across, a country that had never known 
a settler.

Immigrants by thousands and tens of thousands followed close after the 
locomotive and began the business of getting land. Some, more venturesome and 
hardy than others, pushed on ahead of the roads and took land far from the towns 
or settlements.

Page 6 photos

The First Inhabitant (buffalo)

The Second Inhabitant (Indians)

Photos on page 9

Scene in Bateman Gulch

CHAPTER 2. PAGES 10-14

Two years after Levi Ham settled by the big spring three brothers, Moses, Peter 
and Ogden Barrett, came out from Minnesota and settled at the mouth of what is 
known as Barrett's Gulch. Peter Barrett filed on land in section one 107-65 on 
the 23rd day of May, 1878, while Moses Barrett at the same time made a homestead 
entry for i60 acres in sections 11 and 12 of the same township. Ogden Barrett 
had made a timber culture entry for a quarter section in section 6-107--64 and 
he began to make improvements on that date.

The Barretts were men who enjoyed the wide range and the free life of the 
frontier. Their new homes were over a hundred miles from the nearest settlement, 
while the only means of regular communication with the rest of mankind was the 
Yankton-Ft. Thompson mail line which passed over the old Ft. Thompson trail 
every two weeks. A post-office, named Wessington, with P. R. Barrett as 
postmaster was established in 1878 and was supplied by this route. The lumber 
that was used in the construction of Peter Barrett's claim shanty was brought 
with teams from Beaver Creek, Minnesota.

The next spring, 1879, a man named W. H. Stearns bought the squatters right of 
Levi Hain to the NE 1/4 of section 13-107--65, and moved into the log house. 
Hainmoved about three-quarters of a mile north and built another log house, 
which afterwards became the first public school house in the territory now 
embraced within the limits of the city of Wessington Springs. In this house Hain 
lived until he moved into Hand county about two years later.

The next settler in the vicinity of Wessington Springs was John McCarter, who 
filed a homestead entry on the SW of 29-107--64, two miles south of the present 
city.  About the same time a man named Strong filed on a claim in section 17-
107--64. In the succeeding fall a Mr. Tucker settled in the vicinty of McCarter 
and Strong.

In the north part of the county Paddock Steves, Chas. Williams, M. J. Thornton 
and J. A. Palme~r settled among the foot hills in 108-65.

Emergencies arise in the lives of pioneers that call for heroic action. No 
matter how carefully plans are laid, something will be overlooked, or some 
accident happen that brings about the unexpected. This happened to M. J. 
Thornton in February, 1880. His team was not in condition to drive and he was 
wholly without means of conveyance. In this condition the supply of flour for 
the family became exhausted. The nearest point at which flour could be obtained 
was the village of Mitchell, fifty miles away. It must be procured and he must 
get it. The winter had been mild and the prairie was free from snow. Bidding his 
family good bye, Thornton set out on foot to bring a sack of the much needed 
article from the distant station. It was a long walk but he arrived at Mitchell 
on the evening of the day he left home. He remained overnight and the next 
morning obtained the flour and, carrying it on his shoulder, began his long 
journey to the Wessington Hills.

It was not hard walking for the ground was frozen and the few streams he crossed 
on the ice.  He followed the trail over which. the mail was carried and had no 
difficulty until darkness came on.  The prairie had been overrun by fires and 
was a great unbroken stretch of titter blackness. As night came the sky became 
cloudy shutting off even the faint starlight. The moon would not rise until near 
morning, and Thornton soon found himself trudging on in a darkness so intense 
that the burned prairie upon which he was walking could not be seen. The trail 
he had been following became invisible and he lost it. A light wind was blowing 
from the northwest and trusting that it had not changed he walked straight into 
it and kept on. There was not a habitation of any kind between Mitchell and the 
Wessington Hills.  After walking for what seemed hours he ascended a small 
elevation and caught a glimmer of a light that appeared to be miles away to the 
left He had not yet crossed the Firesteel Creek and he knew the light must be a 
long way off.

He turned his steps in the direction of the light and soon felt himself 
descending into what he rightly thought to be. the bed of the creek. Guided by 
the wind he kept on until about ten o'clock when he reached the light which 
proved to be from the home of John McCarter.  He stayed with the settler until 
morning and then continued his course north along the foot hills, reaching home, 
tired but otherwise all right.
In the spring of 1879 the mail service was changed so as to make Wessington the 
terminal of the line from. Yankton, another route beginning there and going on 
to Ft. Thompon. The time was altered so as to require the trips on both lines to 
be made twice a week.
 
As the mail in those days contained but few papers, and the letters were not 
numerous it was carried from Wessington to Ft. Thompson; on horseback.

In the summer of .1879 Chas. Williams, one of the four settlers in 108-65, began 
carrying the mail from Wessington (Barrett's residence) to the Missouri river 
and back, making the trips according to the new schedule. The distance from 
Wessington to Ft. Thompson was forty-five miles and, as there was not a settler 
between the two stations, the trip must be made in one day or the rider would 
have to pass a night on the 'open prairie.' In the warm weather a bivouac under 
the stars was no hardship, but in the winter time the experience was not at all 
desirable.

A few days after Thornton made his trip to Mitchell for flour, Charles Williams 
started on his return trip from Ft. Thompson, Feb. 26, 1880, carrying the few 
letters and dispatches sent out by the people at the fort. The trail was a mere 
path, traveled by no one but the mail carrier. The day was mild and Williams was 
having a pleasant ride. He had crossed Elm Creek and had covered about half the 
distance to Barrett's place when one of those terrible winter storms that occur 
at rare intervals on the prairies west of the great lakes, struck him with 
scarcely a moment's notice.  The fine snow filled the air so completely as to be 
almost suffocating. It was mid-day, but in the blinding snow the path was as 
invisible as in the darkest midnight. The trail was soon lost and after 
searching in vain to recover it Williams turned west in the hope of being able 
to reach the thicket of small trees that skirted the banks of Elm Creek, which 
he knew were but a few miles distant. He dismounted and led the pony, facing the 
furious wind and plunging through the snow drifts that formed with incredible 
rapidity. All the afternoon and all night he led his horse about, searching for 
the shelter of the thickets. The next forenoon he reached the creek and a small 
grove of trees. He gathered some dry twigs and attempted to make a fire. The few 
matches he found in his pocket were damp and one by one he saw them fizzle and 
die. Then he lost hope. The storm continued with all its fury and dropping the 
bridle rein he sat down to what he believed would be his last rest. How long he 
sat there he did not know, but was finally aroused by his horse tipping him over 
while trying to free its nose from icicles. Williams then got upon his feet and 
began wandering along the creek bed to keep alive until the storm should cease. 
Along the creek bottom he was protected somewhat from the fury of the wind, but 
unfortunately he fell into a pool of water that had not been frozen.  He held up 
his feet and poured the water from his boots as much as possible and continued 
his combat with the storm. So for sixty hours the contest went on. At last the 
storm abated, the sun came out and although the weather was 30 degrees below 
zero he made his way, now walking, now crawling, now rolling over and over 
across the deep gulleys filled with snow, to keep from sinking to a depth from 
which he could not get out, he finally reached an Indian camp, from which he was 
taken to the fort. His feet were so badly frozen that both were amputated.  
Williams became a traveling peddler, wandering over most of the United States.


Photos on page 13

Levi Hain's Log House

The Big Springs, where Wessington was burned by the Indians

CHAPTER 3. PAGE 14-17

The spring of 1880 found the little band of settlers at the foot of the hills 
all in good health.  They were somewhat curious as to the movements of strange 
men, who mysteriously came, were seen about the hills for a few days and then as 
mysteriously disappeared.  There were rumours of the existence of an 
organization of horse thieves and cattle rustlers that extended from below Sioux 
City to far up the Missouri river, with a station somewhere in the hills. It was 
hinted that a depot or stable existed in the Nicholson gulch, but if so it was 
so well hidden that none of the settlers chanced to find it.  So far no one had 
been disturbed in their possessions and the settlers were content to let the 
mysteries of the hills remain unsolved.

The late snow melted and the warm spring rains started the vegetation and the 
prairies that had been black from the fires that had overrun them, began to take 
on the brightest green, that extended unbroken as fas as the eye could reach.  
From the high points of the hills a person with a good field glass c6uld get a 
view of the great plain from Huron to Mitchell without seeing a human 
habitation, excepting the few shanties close to the range of hills.

The showers continued until the latter part of May and then ceased. By the 
middle of June the grass was evidently needing rain.  By the first of July the 
prairie was taking on a dead-grass color and the vegetation was shrinking and 
dying. One day in the f6re part of July, when a strong north wind was blowing, a 
fire was started among the hills away to the north.  As it advanced the stretch 
of flame extende4 east ,and west. The wind increased as the fire moved forward. 
With no streams nor lakes, nor broken prairie to hinder its progress a mighty 
billow of flame swept past the little settlement leaving only blackness where 
the beautiful green had been but a few weeks before. 

None of the, settlers lost anything by the fire, except the grazing for
their animals. In the ravines among the hills the grass sprang up again in a 
short time, and although the cattle and horses were on short rations for a day 
or two they so6n were able to obtain abundance.
Some rain came after the fire and by the middle of August the settlers could go 
into the draws and put up sufficient hay to last them through the winter.

During the summer of I88o a number of prospective settlers visited the country 
in the vicinity of, the springs and along the foot hills.

W. N. Hill came out from Minnesota and put up a few stacks of hay and was 
followed by Hudson Horsly and his brother Bromwell.  The latter stayed, but Hill 
went back to spend the winter. C. M. Chery came in the fall and took up his 
residence on the NE of 20 in 108-64 though he spent the winter with P.R. 
Barrett.

Andrew Solberg filed on the NW of 14 in 107--64, and his son, Ole C. Solberg 
took a pre-emption and tree claim in section one of 106--64, where he lived 
during the winter. This was the first settlement in what is now Viola township.
During the winter of 188o Mr. Stearns being away, Andrew J. Solberg lived in the 
log house near the big spring.

Among the people who visited the hills in the fall of 1880 were J. W. Thomas, 
Rev. A. B. Smart and D. W. Shryock, who selected land. Though far removed as the 
settlers by the hills were from the towns and villages, yet they were not wholly 
deprived of the comforts of civilization. On the 9th day of May, 1880, Rev. 
Chapin, a Presbyterian missionary, held religious services at the residence of 
Peter Barrett and preached the first sermon ever addressed to an audience in the 
limits of the county. After the church services were concluded a Sunday school 
was organized and became a regular feature of Sabbath observance through the 
summer and fall until October, when, because of the severity of the weather and 
the scattered condition of the settlement, it was discontinued for the winter.

During the fall several unaccountable things occurred to annoy the settlers. A 
few animals mysteriously disappeared and no traces of them could be found. The 
homes were too widely scattered and too few in number to render available and 
concerted action. They had their suspicions, but could prove nothing and the law 
and courts were too far away to afford them any relief even though the evidence 
could have been produced. They were attached to Hanson county for judicial 
purposes and there were no magistrates or police officers nearer than Mitchell. 
They suffered their losses as best they could, making no complaint except to 
each other.  The houses of Strong, McCarter and Tucker were all burned while the 
owners were away and under circumstances that made it impossible for the fires 
to have been accidental.

Strong and Tucker abandoned their land and went away, but McCarter built another 
residence a  prepared to stay through the winter. A man named Stephen Smith had 
settled near the Springs, and one morning a fine colt he had brought with him 
was missing and never returned.

In 1885 the shanties of Paddock Steves and J. A. Palmer were broken open and 
robbed while the proprietors were away from home for a night. Palmer's shanty 
was torn down and the boards scattered about over the prairie.

Hudson Horsley had a fat cow among his animals that would have afforded a good 
supply of meat for his family during the winter. Shortly after the winter set in 
the cow was missing and was never heard of after. One night a span of horses 
disappeared from P. R. Barrett's stable and all search for them proved 
fruitless.
The mysterious strangers continued to come and go, but who and what they were, 
or what was their mission was only a matter of surmise.

Joe Black, a young man who had come out with Hudson Horsley, took the job of 
carrying the mail between Wessington (Barrett's place) and Mitchell, and made 
the trips without molestation two times each week.

The winter of 1880--81 was one of exceptional severity, not only on the plains, 
but throughout all of the middle west. Snow began to fall in October and 
continued on the ground, with an occasional light fall, until in February, when 
a heavy snow fall commenced that lasted a week without interruption. When at 
last the storm ceased and the sun came out the snow was five feet deep on the 
level.

During the severe weather the settlers were annoyed but little by the 
desperadoes. The timber in the gulches afforded plenty of fuel, so there was no 
occasion to make long trips away from home. The deep snow that kept the settlers 
at home, also prevented the horse thieves and, rustlers from moving about 
without leaving a trail that could be easily followed.  So the winter passed 
quietly at the homes by the hills, the greatest hardship being the loneliness of 
their isolated locations.


Photos on page 15

Mr. & Mrs. P.R. Barrett
Hudson Horsely
L. G. Wilson
Robert S. Bateman
Mr. And Mrs. Bromwell Horsley
George Wallace
Daniel Kint


CHAPTER 4. PAGE 18-22.

With the year 1881 began the immigration to Dakota Territory that culminated in 
the mighty rush two years later.  Some who had been here in i88o prospecting, 
came back in 1881 with other prospectors, who "filed" and wrote, or carried back 
to their friends such favorable reports that more came. The melting of the deep 
snows filled the draws and lake beds that were dry the previous year, full to 
overflowing.  The spring rains were heavy and frequent, and were followed by 
abundance of moisture throughout the year. The "sod" crops that were planted 
grew prodigiously.  All who came were greatly pleased with Uncle Sam's farms 
that he was giving away to all who would take.

With the return of warm weather Mr. Solberg went back to his claim on section 
14. Solberg's shanty was a decidedly primitive dwelling. It consisted of four 
short stakes driven into the ground, one at each corner of the structure, and a 
tall one in the center.  Brush, brought from a gulch in the hills, was stood up 
about the center stake leaving a small room underneath in which one could stay 
at night comfortably in warm weather, but the extreme rigor of the winter of 
1880--81 had rendered it uninhabitable.  Mr. Solberg then took up his abode in 
the log cabin by the big spring. With the return of warm weather, however, he 
was able to again take up his residence on his government land.

Mr. Stearns on the 30th of April, 1881, made proof and obtained his final 
receipt. That was probably the first "proof" made in what is now Jerauld county.  
The receipt was filed for record in the office of the register of deeds of 
Hanson county.  On the 3rd day of June, 1881, Mr. Stearns sold the land to Dr. 
C. S. Burr, of Mitchell, and that deed, also, was recorded in Hanson county. The 
consideration for this transfer was $1,000.

During the summer of 1881 several men came to Aurora county and took up their 
abode north of township 105 who, though they did not become men of great wealth, 
yet had much to do with the development in may ways of the county subsequently 
created.

In May of that year two men left the train at Mitchell and tried to get a ride 
on to the end of the road at Mt. Vernon. The passenger train was going no 
further than Mitchell and they were finally offered a ride by the section boss 
if they would help pump the hand car.

They threw their grips on this western "limited" and began to literally work 
their passage. Arrived at Mt. Vernon they took their grips from the hand car and 
set out on foot for the Wessington Hills, the outline of which could be seen 
lying low on the horizon in the northwest.

Qne of these men was Almona B. Smart, afterward a first commissioner of two 
counties; the other, Alden Brown, subsequently the first county superintendent 
of Aurora county.

The next day after leaving the hand car at Mt. Vernon they reached the hills 
where Mr. Smart had taken some land in the east half of section 12-107--65, on 
the occasion of his visit in the fall before and Mr. Brown made a settlement on 
the NW quarter of section 6--107--64.

C. W. Hill and his son, Wm. N. Hill, came on from Minnesota and settled in 108--
65, C. W. Hill in June buying a relinquishment from Paddock Steves to the 
latter's claim in section 22. George Wallace purchased the squatter's right of 
Nicholson and settled on the east half of section 17 in 108--65 while Russells 
and Eagles settled across the line in 108--64.

C.  D. Brown moved his family on the NE of section 31-108--64, being the first 
family domiciled in that township.
D.  
A minister named J. W. P. Jordan, father-in-law of A. B. Smart, settled on a 
claim a mile east of the big spring in May, 1881, and was soon followed by J. W. 
Thomas and D. W. Shryock, who settled on the land selected by them the preceding 
autumn. About the same time C. W. P. Osgood, Hiram Blowers and R. S. Bateman and 
his son, William, joined the settlers near the hills.

On the 14th day of May of that year, John Grant made filing for a half section 
of land, the east half of 19, in town, 107--64, and was followed a few months 
later by his brother, Newell Grant; The two Grants became residents immediately 
after making entry at the Mitchell land office.

About the same time Charles Walters settled on the NE. of the NW. of sec. 22 in 
106--64, and the next year became a permanent resident.

On Sept. 7 L. G. Wilson established his residence on the SW quarter of 25 in 
106--64 and the next day made a homestead entry for the SE quarter of the same 
section.

One day in November, 1881, another man arrived at the settlement about the 
Springs, who afterward became prominent in the affairs of the county, spent the 
night with A. B. Smart and the next morning before sunrise climbed tot he top of 
the hills and took a long earnest look over the James River Valley, glistening 
white in the autumnal frost. He was captivated by the beauty of the landscape. 
Except the few dwellings near the hills nt a thing could be seen as far as the 
eye could reach denoting the presence of a human being. The white carpet, the 
blue sky, the rising sun and the invigorating air fixed in his mind the 
determination to make these prairies his future home. That day he drove to 
Mitchell and on the 6th day of November, 1881, P. H. Schltz made the 6th entry 
for public lands in township 106-64.

 All the settlements mentioned thus far were in what was then Aurora county, 
which, for all purposes of county government was dependent upon Hanson county 
officials.  An earnest effort was then on foot in certain quarters to wipe 
Davison county off the map and attach the western part of it to Aurora county. 
Davison county had been organized and was provided with a full set of officials.
The settlers in Aurora county, therefore,, were in the anomalous position of 
having a fully organized county between them and the official home of the courts 
and constabulary to which they must appeal for legal protection. All deeds and 
mortgages must be recorded in Hanson county, books and court mandates had to 
come from Hanson county magistrates.

Under such circumstances the political and judicial organization of Aurora 
county was a necessity.
The law of the territory at that time provided that when any unorganized county 
should contain fifty voters it should be the duty of the acting governor to 
issue a commission to three of the residents there of whom should by virtue of 
such appointments, be authorized to do all things necessary to be done to 
construct a county government in accordance with the laws of the territory.

In the summer of 1881 a commission was given by the governor of the territory to 
Mr. A. B. Smart of township 107-65, and two other residents of the county of 
Aurora and they proceeded to appoint the other county officials and do the many 
things essential to set the machinery of the county in motion. In this work the 
member from the hills seems to have had his share of influence.  In the 
appointment of the county officials Mr. D. W. Shryock was made a justice of the 
peace, C. W. P. Osgood, constable, Alden Brown, county superintendent, all of 
Wessington P.O., and Mr. L. G. Wilson of township 10664, county assessor.  Of 
these officers appointed by the first commissioners of Aurora county, Mr. Wilson 
was the only one who was selected by the people to succeed himself at the 
expiration of his appointed term.
During the year 1881 the settlers had not been molested by the horse thieves and 
it was hoped that their troubles from that source were ended.

During a part of the summer and fall of 1881 Hudson Horsley lived with the 
family of his father-in-law, Mr. C. W. Hill on the NE of 22 in 108--65. Mr. 
Horsley had nearly completed a house on the SE of 26; which he had taken for a 
pre-emption claim in the same township. He had put up a stack of hay and was 
about ready to take up his abode for the winter on his own land.
Mr. Hill's residence was near the lower end of a gulch or ravine, that extended 
some distance back into the hills. A view to the south from the house was cut 
off by the high peaks that rise many feet above the adjacent tops.

One evening in November, when the wind was in the south, a bright light in the 
air near Turtle Peak gave them warning that a prairie fire was approaching among 
the hills. Mr. Horsley went to his new house on section 26 to protect that and 
the hay.  After he had gone, Mrs. Hill and Mrs. Horsley, growing anxious to know 
the exact location of the flames which they knew must be somewhere near the 
upper end of the ravine, left the house on section 22 and walked up the valley 
in the direction of the fire. They reached the high land at the end of the 
gulch, where a two-furrow firebreak had been made, when they found that the fire 
had already passed them on the west and had crossed the valley between them and 
the house.  In a word they were on the hill surrounded by fire.  The light wind 
drove the flames straight toward them.  To get out of the circle of fire was 
impossible.  There was scarcely a moment for thought even. As the flames rushed 
upon them, Mrs. Horsley threw herself into the furrow that formed a part of the 
firebreak and pulled some of the sods over her head and neck. For one terrible 
instant she felt the stifling heat, then the flames had passed. She sprang to 
her feet and saw her mother standing beside her enveloped in flames. Neither had 
lost consciousness and both realized their peril. With bare hands they tore off 
the burning garments and each saved the other.  They finally reached home again 
but both were ill for a long time from the effects of their fearful burns.  Mr. 
Horsley had saved his barn and other property but had no use for it until the 
next season.

Photos on Page 21

Mr. And Mrs. C. W. Hill
Rev. J. G. Campbell
S.  T. Leeds
Mr. And Mrs. J. A. Holcolmb


CHAPTER 5. PAGES 22-27

The year 1882 was an active year in the prairie settlement.  North and south of 
it the railroads had been extended to the Missouri river, and the C. M. & St. P. 
that year built its James River line north from Mitchell as far as Letcher.  At 
every station immigrants and prospectors unloaded from the trains by hundreds 
and literally scattered over the prairies. They came singly and in parties of 
twos, threes and dozens. Every shanty, sod house and dug-out became a lodging 
place where the newcomers could find shelter for a night.

As we have already seen the settlers about the Springs were a long ways from 
town and in case of sickness were practically without medical aid.  So it was 
with much satisfaction that they welcomed the arrival
of Mrs. Dr. N. C. Weems, in February of 1883. She was a widow, well skilled in 
her profession and for many years was a veritable blessing to the people in the 
central part of Jerauld County.

With the opening of spring, settlers and prospective settlers began to spread 
over 106, 107 and 108 in the north part of Aurora county and he eastern part of 
Buffalo. It was difficult for the newcomers to select the unclaimed land from 
that for which entries had been already made at the land office. This fact 
induced several of the men who had been in the country about the hills long 
enough to become familiar with it, to make a regular business of assisting the 
immigrants to find suitable locations.

Among those who devoted their time to helping the newcomers to locate were C. W. 
Hill, Hiram Blowers, C. W. P. Osgood and A. B. Smart, the latter pursuading C. 
W. McDonald to come out from Sioux Falls to form a partnership and engage in the 
business with him. This was the first firm of land agents at the Springs and 
continued six months, when it was dissolved by limitation of contract.

The first important event of the year 1882, was the organization of the M. E. 
Church, on the 30th of March for which articles of incorporation were adopted 
April 8th. The beginning of this church organization was made by Rev. A. B. 
Smart, on the occasion of his first visit to the hills, Nov. 14th, i88o.  At 
that time he held religion services at the home of P. R. Barrett, and organized 
a class meeting. That organization had been continued, with services at 
irregular intervals, until the foundation of the regular church society as above 
stated. This nucleus of a church had been kept alive mainly through the efforts 
of Mr. Smart.

The charter members of this church corporation were: Sarah Barrett, Mrs. Biddle, 
Fannie Tofflemier, Laura Shryock, C. W. McDonald, Omer Shryock, Thos. Shryock, 
Chas. Shryock, Rubie J. Smart, A. B. Smart, F. T. Toffiemier; Mrs. E. 
Toffiemier, Ruth Toffiemier, Kate Toffiemier, Ollie Toffiemier, Floy Tofflemier, 
Maud Tofflemier, Tell Tofflemier, Wm. Taylor.

With the organization of the church Rev; J. W. P. Jordan, father-in-law of A. B. 
Smart, was made pastor. The meeting was held at the residence of Mrs. Riddle, 
which was located about the center of the south line of section 8--107-64.

At the first quarterly meeting of that year, 1882, it was determined to build a 
church 26 by 40 ft. in size on the northwest quarter of section 17.	Of 
course to build a church required money. As the members of the little community 
were not able to pay the expense of erecting the proposed edifice it was 
necessary to look elsewhere for required funds. By a unanimous vote of the 
members of the church Mr.. R. S. Bateman was appointed a committee of one to 
look after that part of the undertaking.

As soon as he could put his affairs in shape for leaving, he drove to Huron and 
took the train for his old home at Appleton, Wis.

The next important event, especially to the parties concerned, was the birth of 
a son to Mr. and Mrs. Hudson Horsley, of 108-65 at their home on the SE of 
section 26. The little Dakotan was named Orb and was the first birth in what is 
now Jerauld county.

It is impossible to ascertain certaintly the order in which the settlers arrived 
in 1882 and the years that followed. But in the spring of 1882 time number of 
residents was increased by the arrival of J. G. Campbell, C. T. Wallace, Geo. R. 
Bateman, H. J. Wallace, Findlay T. Tofflemier, J. A. Holcolmb, John Chapman, 
Seth Richardson, Wm. Goodwin, B. F. Wiley.

From the 5th of Nov. 1878 when it was established, until the 1st of July. 1882, 
the postoffice of which P.R. Barrett was postmaster, had been known as 
Wessington, but on that day the department at Washington changed it to Elmer, 
and gave the name Wessington to a new office established in the western part of 
Beadle county on the C. & N. W. Ry. The change name came as a complete surprise 
to the settlers by the springs and their indignation was great. Petitions signed 
by nearly all the settlers were time and again sent to the department officials 
asking that the former name of the office be restored.

The immediate employment of the people at that time was getting settled, 
breaking prairie and planting "sod crops."  Their buildings, hastily 
constructed, were either frame shanties or "sod houses."  The former were 
usually covered outside with tar paper and inside with such periodicals as the 
family received through the mails, while the sod structures had no lumber except 
what was required for window and door frames and roof. Occasionally some settler 
would select a spot on a side hill and with pick and shovel scoop out a hole 
1ox12 feet in size, throw over it a few planks and some dirt and use it for a 
temporary abode. These dwellings were models of neatness and afforded their 
occupants as much or more of comfort and unalloyed happiness, as they obtained 
in after years in more pretentious houses.

The erection of these buildings and hay or sod stables was the first move in 
getting settled. The next was to break up as much of the prairie as possible and 
get it planted. There was no "old ground" to rent and each one must prepare from 
the beginning the field that he sowed.

The breaking season always began as soon as the grass started, which was as 
early as the frost was out of the ground and continued until about the 20th of 
June. Settlers who had but one pair of animals would "double up" with a neighbor 
and so "change work" through the season. Horses, oxen, cows, all that had 
strength to pull were put at the necessary work.

C. M. Chery and M. J. Thornton united their teams and began to turn up the tough 
sod. Thornton had been using the team which consisted of two of his own and one 
of Chery's horses for several days, when one morning, on going to the stable to 
feed the animals he found the stalls empty  Filled with misgiving he hurried to 
Chery's shanty to see if the horses had broken out of the stable and gone over 
there. Chery had seen nothing of them and a day of search and inquiry about the 
settlement failed to find any trace of the missing team. The horse-thieves had 
again commenced their work.  In haying time two yoke of oxen belonging to Hudson 
Horsley and his brother Bromwell Horsley were gone and could not be found. Other 
losses were sustained and the settlers began to guard their stables with dog and 
gun. The presence of "night riders" was again reported and the mysterious 
comings and goings of strange men and of some "hangers-on," who had no visible 
means of support was a subject of much discussion in the neighborhood.

The settlers were now sufficiently numerous to dare to protect themselves and 
about Sept. 1st a move was set on foot to drive the lawless characters from the 
hills and gulches. A party captured a young fellow whose actions appeared to 
them suspicious and by threatening him with serious consequences if he did not 
reveal all he knew of the desperadoes, obtained from him a full statement of who 
the thieves were, their place of rendezvous and their method of operation.  The 
boy was detained and application made to Justice of the Peace Shryock for a 
warrant for the arrest of all the members of the gang implicated by the boy's 
narrative. The warrant was issued and placed in the hands of C. W. P. Osgood, 
constable.

The news soon spread through the settlement that a raid was to be made on the 
horsethieves, supposed to be somewhere in the gulches. The constable did not 
feel like searching the hills and ravines alone and began to look about to 
gather a posse to assist him in making the arrests.

While the constable was gathering his assistants a party of settlers in 108-5, 
growing impatient and fearful that the desperadoes would get into hiding, 
started to capture some of them before the constable could arrive. The result of 
this move was the shooting of one man and the escape of the fellow supposed to 
be the leader of the horsethieves.

Meanwhile the constable was riding about with great bluster, calling for a posse 
and spreading the news of the proposed arrest. In the midst of the excitement W. 
I. Bateman drove to the residence of Rev. J. G. Campbell and asked him to join 
in helping the officer to serve the warrant. The minister readily assented and 
taking his Winchester rifle set out with Bateman to join the constable. Mr. 
Osgood was satisfied with this acquisition to his force and immediately started 
for the ravine in 109-65, indicated by the boy's story as the hiding place of 
the men named in the warrant.

At the entrance to the gulch indicated the posse found a strange man, heavily 
armed, standing as a sentinel, who commanded the party to halt and then informed 
them that his instructions were to not allow anyone to go up that valley.

"Look here, my man," said the minister, "you come and look in this buggy."  The 
man came to the vehicle and saw several rifles and revolvers lying on some hay 
in the bottom of the box.  "Now," said Campbell, "it may be for your eternal 
welfare, both here and hereafter to get into that buggy and ride alone with us."

"I guess maybe your advice is good," replied the stranger as he climbed into the 
buggy and the party drove on.

They ascended the ravine to where they expected to find the man they were 
looking for, but he was gone.  The party returned to the mouth of the gulch and 
there separated, Campbell and Osgood going on north along the foot of the hills 
to look for the other men named in the warrant.

Campbell and Osgood went to see the man who had been shot and found him 
suffering considerable pain and terribly frightened. The bullet bad struck a 
rib, followed around his body to the back where it had passed out, giving the 
appearance of having gone directly through him. Campbell probed the wound and 
having learned the course taken by the bullet assured the man that his hurt was 
not fatal. He then sent for Mrs. Dr. Weems to attend the injured fellow and 
departed on his errand with the constable.

It was afternoon when they left home and the trip up the ravine had taken 
considerable time. Night had now come on and the two men proceeded by starlight.

After traveling a mile or so they heard the loud voices of men evidently 
intoxicated. The strangers were on foot and coming along the trail which the 
minister and constable were following. Osgood at once recognized the voices as 
those of the men he wanted. He and Campbell got out of the buggy and taking 
their weapons advanced to meet the approaching group.  The drunken men did not 
notice the constable and his companion until the minister stepped squarely in 
front of them with leveled rifle end ordered them to throw up their hands. The 
men were dumfounded, but their hands went up, instantly.  Soon they realized 
that they were facing a leveled rifle and two revolvers. Then their profanity 
became terrific, but lower their hands they dare not. They obeyed an order to 
face about, and then stood still with uplifted hands until the constable had 
taken a brace of revolvers from each of them. They were then put into the buggy 
and guarded by the constable and his companion were taken to Osgood's residence 
where they were detained until the next day. A preliminary examination was held 
before Justice Shryock and the settlers then realized that it is one thing to 
have suspicions, well founded, in fact to be fully convinced, and feel that they 
absolutely know a thing, and still not be able to prove it.

The boy when brought into court declared the story he had told the men who had 
threatened him was all false, and told to save himself from punishment. The 
justice could do nothing but discharge the prisoners, except the young fellow, 
who spent a long time in the jail at Plankinton. The result, however, was 
effectual. The settlers were no longer molested by the desperadoes.

CHAPTER 6. PAGES 27-31.

About the 20th of May 1882, assessor L. G. Wilson began the first assessment of 
Aurora county. In that portion now contained in Jerauld county he found 123 
persons.

In the spring and summer of 1882 settlers established themselves in other parts 
of the county. In 106--65 Joseph Mottle located with a herd of cattle on the SE 
of Sec. 5; 5.5. Moore put in a sod crop on the SE of 23 and N. E. Williams on 
the NW of 13 and later in the year V. I. Converse built a small shanty on the SE 
of 28; Jule Swan also located there that summer.

In 106-66 Frank Spinler began work in May on his tree claim and did the first 
breaking in the township.  He built a sod house on the same claim, the SW of 26, 
about the same time.  At the southwest corner of Crow Lake, Albert Allyn, a 
clerk in the land office at Mitchell selected a claim in Sec 27, as soon as the 
surveyor's plat was filed and he and Spinler were at work on their sod buildings 
at the same time.

In the NE part of 106--67, Combs & Harris located a horse ranch in Sec. 2, while 
in 107--67, later in the season Abe Scyoc and Henry Ferren settled in Sec. 18. 
Among those who came to the western part of the county prospecting that season 
was C. S. Jacobs, from Victor, N.Y., who located a tree claim in Sec. 6-106--66. 
S.S. Vrooman, from Pana, Ill., and E. S. Waterbury and his brother Dan, both 
from Polo, Ill., each of whom took from one to three claims in 107--67.  At the 
same time S. T. Leeds came from Amboy, Ill., and traversed the whole length of 
what is now Jerauld county.  Leeds selected a fine quarter section in what is 
Pleasant township and went to the land office at Mitchell to make a tree claim 
entry for it. He paid his money, obtained a filing receipt and went on his way 
to Illinois. When he returned the next year he found that his receipt described 
land six miles west of that he' had selected. The reason was that Io7~6 had not 
been surveyed, but 107--67 had been, and the officials at the land office 
preferred to give him what he didn't want, rather than take the trouble to 
explain.

In the fall of that year Mrs. Mary Hendricks, the first woman settler in 107--
67, came out from Polo, Ill., and filed on the southwest quarter of section II. 
Early in the next spring she came again and for several years remained a 
resident of that township.

On the 11th day of July, 1882, a party of four men, driving several hundred head 
of sheep arrived at the settlement about the big spring and stopped at the 
residence of Hiram Blowers for the night.  The next morning they went west, over 
the hills looking for land upon which to locate a sheep ranch taking the flock 
with them. They were the first to cross the hills for the purpose of settlement 
and two of them are still residents of the county. The party consisted of 0.0. 
England, C. W. England, Chas. Armstrong and N. B. England.  They went up into 
township 108-66, then unsurveyed, and when they found a place that suited them 
they stopped and began the first habitation between the Springs and Ft. 
Thompson.
About two months later Mr. Allan C. Snyder moved on to his present farm in 
sections 14 and 23 in the same township and has kept up his establishment alone 
for twenty-seven years.

In the northeast part of the county in the north part of township 108-63 Wm. 
Arne had found a tract of land that suited him and made it his home. In the 
south part of the township two gentlemen from England had set their stakes and 
were making themselves homes on the prairie. One was John Cook and the other 
Thos. Sheffield. Both are in that township with their families yet.

Just across the line in Sanborn county, Mrs. Mary Barber and Miss Betsy 
Litchfield were holding claims. They will be remembered by all the early 
settlers as the two ladies who for many years were the hostesses of the Alpena 
Revere House.

In township 107-66, B. F. Crittenden, a private surveyor, had established his 
residence on the SW of 35.
Among the newcomers were two of especial assistance to their neighbors--in those 
days "neighborhood" extended over a wide stretch of country.  These two men were 
John Chapman, who had settled on the SE of section 17-107--64 and Wm. Goodwin on 
the SW of 32 in the same township.  Both were skilled blacksmith and soon had 
all they could do in attending to the wants of the settlers.

Until July 1st, 1882, the people about the hills had relied upon the mail route 
from Mitchell to Ft. Thompson for their mail.  Then the government gave them a 
line once a week from Plankinton.

On the 4th day of March, 1882, President Arthur issued a patent conveying title 
to the 'land embraced in Stearns' proof, made April 30, 1881, and upon which the 
big springs are located. On the 10th of May, 1882, Mr. Burr sold to D. A. Scott 
a one-half interest in this tract of land and they immediately set Surveyor 
Israel Green, of Mitchell, at work platting the town of Wessington Springs. The 
town plat was filed in the office of the register of deeds of Aurora county, May 
26th, 1882. This was the first official publication of the name "Wessington 
Springs."

Another important event, the first of its kind in the country embraced in the 
county of Jerauld, was the marriage of C. W. McDonald and Fanny Tofflemier, on 
the 17th of August, 1882, at the residence of the bride's parents, Mr. and Mrs. 
F. T. Tofflemier. The officiating clergyman was Rev. A. B. Smart.
	
On the--day of--, 1882, Alden Brown, growing tired of the duties of his office 
resigned the position of county superintendent of Aurora county, and Mr. C. W. 
McDonald was, at the instance of Commissioner Smart, appointed to fill the 
vacancy. As the school townships were not organized, however, there was but 
little work for that officer to do.

As the time for the November election approached the people of Aurora county 
began to look about for men to succeed the appointed officials.  In the whole 
political arena there is probably no position more trying or thankless than that 
of commissioner to organize a new county. Many a political ambition, or business 
scheme, depends for its success upon the policy to be adopted by that first 
board. The old proverb, "as the twig is bent the tree is inclined," is as true 
of young counties as of young children.

The commissioners of Aurora county had incurred the enmity of a number of men 
possessed of considerable political influence, who determined to punish them by 
defeating their election to succeed themselves. For member from the hill 
district they determined that Mr. Smart should not be continued in office. The 
result was that that commissioner was retired and Mr. R. S. Bateman, of 
Wessington Springs, put in his place.

Mr. L. G. Wilson, of township 106--64, was continued as assessor, but was cut 
off from further work, for Aurora county, by the division of that county, which 
occurred the next year.
Late in the fall of 1882 a man named S. Woodhouse built a shanty on
the townsite of Wessington Springs, but in a few days moved it out into the 
country. This was the first building erected on the townsite.

Photos on Page 29

G. N. Price's Livery Barn at Waterbury.

Mr. And Mrs. Thos. Sheffield.

Miss Betsey Litchfield.

Mrs. Mary Barber.


CHAPTER 7. PAGE 31-34.

In the early part of February, 1883, E. S. Waterbury and his brother, Dan 
Waterbury, came back to their claims in the west half of section 21-107--67 and 
prepared for platting a town. The plat which was filed on the 10th day of March, 
1883, comprised eight blocks, six and a half m the southwest corner of the NW 
quarter of the section owned by E. S. Waterbury, and one and a half blocks in 
the northwest corner of the SW quarter, owned by Dan Waterbury. They had erected 
a building, of lumber brought with them from the woods about Polo, Ill., on the 
line between their two claims. For a time it was the only structure on the 
townsite. The new village was named Waterbury, after the men who founded it.

Two miles away, on the SW of 29, in the same township, a man by the name of John 
R. Miller, but who was masquerading under the name of John Scott, had filed a 
pre-emption claim, and with a man named Burpee and another, a minister, F. M. 
Cooley, of Cedar Lake, Iowa, began to plat a town which they called Sulphur 
Springs. The name was also given to a large spring that was close enough to the 
site to furnish the town with abundance of water. The Sulphur Springs plat was 
made a matter of record five days after the Waterbury plat was filed.  Both were 
entered of record in Brule county, to which Buffalo county had for some time 
been attached for judicial purposes.

The two towns were near the line which it was thought the S. M. branch of the C. 
M. & St. P. Ry. would follow from Diana (Artesian) to the Missouri river. They 
were rival towns in the strictest sense of the wor4. No more beautiful or 
fertile land could be fond in the whole territory and it only required 
transportation and population to make one of them a fine city and the county 
seat of Buffalo county. Which should it be?

The railroads, hotels and livery stables were surprised, astonished and 
overwhelmed.

If 1882 was a year for prospectors, 1883 was, the year for settlers. The number 
of settlers in '83 far more than doubled the number of those who came to "look" 
in previous year's.  All the railroads leading into the territory were strained 
to the utmost to carry the immigrant freight billed to some point between the 
James and Missouri rivers. The railroad between Mitchell and Kimball was lined 
on both sides with people in wagons, in tents and some without any shelter, in 
camp, getting their movables ready, as fast as possible to move off into the 
country. The village hotels and residences were crowded with people who sought 
shelter from the March or April weather.

Everybody was talking of the new county that the last territorial legislature 
had formed out of the north part of Aurora.  Plankinton was the main point of 
debarkation for, those who were going to the central part while those who were 
going into the eastern part of the new county left the railroad at Mitchell or 
Huron.

Townships 106--67, 107-67 and 108-67 had been a part of Buffalo county prior to 
the creation of Jerauld county by the legislature of 1883, and the fact that 
they had been put in to make up the new county, does not seem to have been 
generally known until some months later.

All, however, received the on-rush of settlers. At White Lake and Kimball 
hundreds of men left the train every day, swarmed to the hotels and eating 
houses, and then as fast as teams could be hired, and as fast as teams could 
take them, they rushed for townships i06, 107 and 108, ranges 66 and 67.  The 
objective points were Waterbury or Sulphur Springs in 107--67, or Crow Lake in 
106--66.

Crow Lake in the southern part of 106--66 is a body of water covering an area of 
about 700 acres. It was a meandered lake, and well known by reputation to many 
people who had never seen it. Settlers in telling of their claims referred to 
them as being north, south, east or west from Crow Lake.  People who went into 
the western part of Jerauld county entered it by way of Waterbury or Sulphur 
Springs, or by way of Crow Lake or Wessington Springs.

By the first of August nearly every, quarter section in the surveyed townships 
had been filed on and in the unsurveyed the land was subject to some 
"squatter's" right.  So great was the influx of people that the first assessor's 
report made in June, 1884, showed 1,111 voters in the new county and a 
population of nearly 2,500, and yet it is doubtful if the population increased 
any after the first of October, 1883. The assessment of 1882 had reported only 
123 persons, all told, in the part of the county then belonging to Aurora. At 
the time of the '82 assessment there were no settlers in range 67.

While the incoming settlers were racing over the prairies to get the choicest 
locations, the two towns of Waterbury and Sulphur Springs were vying with each 
other to get the lead in business and general importance.
Each had a newspaper about the same time, "The News" at Waterbury and "The 
Buffalo County Herald" at, Sulphur Springs. Both publications started in May or 
June. Then Sulphur Springs got a saloon, run by Pond & Fluke. Waterbury did not 
have a saloon and did not want one.

But the saloon at Sulphur Springs was short lived. In fact it went to pieces 
before it really got started. One of the partners, Fluke, a German, furnished 
the capital with which to finance the enterprise, and against this Pond was to 
put in his time. They brought from Kimball four barrels of whiskey and a load of 
lumber. Before the building was erected however, a quarrel between the partners 
dissolved the firm. Two of the barrels had been opened and about half the 
contents sold when the dissolution of partnership occurred. Pond clairned and 
took the two full barrels of whiskey and half the lumber and hauled it to his 
claim in Buffalo county.

The part of the assets reserved by Fluke was seized by the landlord, Conrad, for 
a board bill and stored in the cellar of the hotel and then taken to a shanty on 
the SE of section 31 in 1O7--67. From there it disappeared in small quantities, 
portions of it being found later on the surrounding prairie, under stones and in 
other hiding places.

Pond retained his share of the liquor, and the license, until the part taken by 
Fluke was gone and then it also vanished.  There has never since been a saloon 
in the western part of Jerauld county.

S. T. Leeds had already opened a blacksmith shop at Sulphur Springs while W. E. 
DeMent had set up a forge in the rival town. Each town had a hotel ready for use 
about the same time. Dr. Jones built the hostelry at Waterbury and leased it to 
Wilbur Cross, while Mr. Conrad put up the one at Sulphur Springs.

Sulphur Springs secured a post office first, and it was thought a decided 
advantage was obtained by it. But the advantage, if any, was somewhat lessened 
by the fact that the department had refused to give the office the name of the 
town and called it "Delta." Mr. Waterbury offset the advantage that the opposing 
town had from its post office, which received mail from Kimball once a week, by 
going to Kimball twice a week and getting the mail for all the residents and 
patrons of his town.

F. M. Cooley,, who ran the "Herald," told editorially of the advantages of 
Sulphur Springs as a business location, while Dunlap, publisher of the "News," 
told of the growing importance of Waterbury. Burton Brown opened a general store 
in Sulphur Springs and Rice & Herring started a similar establishment, but on a 
larger scale, in the other town.

Then Sulphur Springs organized a brass band, and Waterbury formed a string band.

Sulphur Springs organized a Congregational Church, incorporated it and built a 
church building 20x30 feet in, size.

This church, the first of its denomination in the county, was incorporated Nov. 
1st, 1883, the charter being issued to F. M. Copley, Joseph Ponsford, Henry E. 
Merwin, Chas. Lyon and others whose names are unobtainable. The name of the 
society was "First Congregational Church of Buffalo County, D. T." At the time 
the charter was applied for, the people of that portion of the county did not 
know that the townships in range 67 had been detached from Buffalo county and 
made a part of the new county of Jerauld.
When the time came for laying the foundation wall for the church the minister's 
wife went about among the people of the town soliciting from each some little 
thing to put under the corner stone. She met with good success until she reached 
the blacksmith shop. "I have nothing," said the man at the bellows. "0 yes! Any 
little thing, no matter what," insisted the lady. "I know I haven't anything at 
all-but yet, wait.  I'll tell you, I've a half-pint flask.  I hate to spare it, 
but I'll put that under the stone." "No, no," said the good woman, "there shall 
be no such thing as that in the collection."

"Yes," said the smith, growing determined with opposition, "I'll put it under 
the stone."

"But I say you shall not."

"Well then, I'll put it beneath a stone at the other corner, but under a corner 
of the wall the flask shall go."

So the flask was left out of the collection, but when the mason laid the stone 
at one of the other corners the smith thrust the flask in under it.

A few weeks later a heavy wind struck the church, partly moving it from the 
wall.  Then it was found that the corner resting above the flask had not been 
moved perceptably.

When the crowd gathered about the building to ascertain the damage the smith 
remarked, "If I had only put a flask under each corner."

As both towns were ambitious to be the county seat of Buffalo county, they 
determined to call a mass convention to nominate county officers. The plan was 
to ask the governor to appoint the commissioners nominated by the convention, 
after which the commissioners should, organize the county and appoint the other 
officers named.
The convention was held in the fore part of August, at Waterbury, and E. A; 
Herman, W. H. Crandall and E. W. Cleveland were nominated for commissioners. Of 
course nothing came of the movement and later-the idea of still remaining a part 
of Buffalo county was abandoned.

CHAPTER 8. PAGE 35-37

The surveying of the various townships of Jerauld county was done under 
different contracts, let by the government to surveyors at different times. The 
townships in ranges 64 and 65 were surveyed in i874 and those in 63 the year 
following. Township 106--66, 106--67, 108--66, and 107--67 were surveyed in 
1882, while those numbered 107--66 and 108--67 were surveyed in the spring and 
summer of 1883.

On the surveyed lands the settlers had no trouble in selecting the tracts they 
desired, but in the townships where the lines had not been run, the difficulty 
was sometimes great, especially so if the country was rough and broken. Some of 
the squatters employed private surveyors to extend the lines from surveyed 
townships, some, starting from a corner stake already established, would measure 
with a marked buggy or wagon wheel, while others would "step" off the required 
distance. The greater portion of 107--66, 108--66 and 108-67 was settled upon by 
squatters in advance of the government surveyors.

In the summer of 1883 while the contractor was surveying the lines of 10766, he 
was much surprised by the sudden disappearance of his flagman who was but a 
short distance away and on comparitively level ground.  The man had dropped out 
of sight while the surveyor was looking back over the route they had come.  A 
half hour passed and then in place of the flagman appeared a fellow wearing an 
enormously tall plug hat, a swallowtailed coat and carrying a light cane. All 
the afternoon the surveyor followed the strange flagman who seemed to know well 
enough the duties of his position.

When evening came and the crew gathered at the camp fire the stranger proved to 
be the regular flagman. In passing the NE of 21 the man had noticed a board 
lying upon the prairie about which the grass had been a good deal trampled.  The 
appearance aroused his curiosity and he turned the board over. This disclosed a 
hole leading down into a room about 8x10 feet in size. He dropped into the room, 
which was unoccupied, and found a sheet iron stove, a bed, a rude stool and 
several articles of wearing apparel. He exchanged garments with the unknown 
squatter and climbing to the surface appeared before the surveyor as the strange 
flagman. The next day when passing the same quarter again the flagman stopped to 
"reswap" and found the hole, or "dugout" occupied by a negro who was hoding the 
land under the rules of "squatter sovereignty." The hole was his domicile and 
constituted his improvements. When the surveyor's plat was filed the darkey made 
entry for the land and' afterwards perfected his proof. The hole was the only 
residing place he ever had on -- or in -- the land.

That the reader may get the full interest of the story of Jerauld county as we 
proceed the names are here given that appeared upon the tax list of the various 
townships in 1884, which was made in the months of May and June of that year. 
The list is so large that it is impossible to give the order in which the 
settlers came; but it is safe to say that nearly all came in 1883, or before, 
and all prior to May 1st, 1884:

 Logan, (106-67) --Andrews, John W. Atkinson, S X. Atkins, G. R. Bass, W. J. 
Burnett, D. M. Brannon, E. R. Burgess, Joseph Byer, E. Blakeslee, W. H. 
Butterfield, D. A. Brannon, W. S. Combs, Jr., Mr. Colwall, E. Coleman, T. Chase, 
J. N. Barker, A. J. Brown, F. Coupleman, Zebulon P. DeForest, Mary Dykeman, 
William DeKay, Ira Ellis, Austin 5. Fordham, Wm. H. Fox, Mary Prick, H. A. 
Prick, Henry E. Geweke, A. L. Gotwals, Geo. W. Gallers, W. Hayter, Adam P. Hoag, 
Stephen Hillers, A. Harris, Geo. Housner, Charles Hastings, W. Hodge, J. B. 
June, Neils C. E. Jorgenson, H. Krumswied, August Kappleman, Christian Kuhrt, C. 
F. Kuhrt, Frank Knight, B., F. Levette, James Long, Henry Mundfrom, Alex 
McClellan, John Marris, Charles W. Mentzer, H. H. Moulton, C. C. Meyer, Chas. S. 
Marvin, Annie E. Norin, Wm. Niemeyer, J. E. Noggle, Andrew Pfiaum, J. Purdy, D. 
B. Paddock, E. W. Patten, Joseph G. Reaset, J. A. Riegel, W. Rosenbaum, P. J. 
Rahbe, H. A. Robinson, G. B. Robinson, A. Rosenbaum, Eugene Roe, W. A. Ransom, 
A. Solomon, Joseph Sutherland, Will S. Sapham, David Strabble, R. V. Smith, 
Arthur Sykes, B. L. Solomon, Herman Schurke, Orb Stannard, Willis Stannard, J. 
M. Spears, Herman Walters, Hiram Woodbury, Andrew Wilson, J. M. Wray, J. F. 
Wicks, E. G.	Will, Henry P. Will, J. H. Young. 

Crow, (107-67)--Wm. Austin, D. W. Bracy, U. E. Babb, C. W. Blackney, U. P. Bump, 
Harry T. Bert, David Barr, Geo. W. Burger, H. N. Brown, N. J. Barr, Henry C. 
Corey, Geo. A. Chambers, Wilber M. Cross, T. P. Clark, Hugh Connel, E. Corsen, 
Morris E. Curtis, C. A. Cahill, C. A. Conrad, Clarence C. Carnes, F. M. Cooley, 
J. F. Cooley, T. J. Dickey, T. R. Dunlap, W. E. Dement, Wm. Dunlap, Delavan L.
Davis, James Dunlap, Samuel Dunlap, Frank Dunlap, John Eagen, Jerry Foley, James 
Fogerty (Fgerty in book), Eveline Gray, L. H. Goodrich, J. A. Grace, George 
Gilbert, Charles Green, W H. Howard, Josephine Herring, Mary L. Healy, E. A. 
Herman, S. E. Herman, John Hessett, Henry Herring, Jack Harrison, Jorgen 
Jorgenson, D. T. Jones, Horace P. Jones, G. King, W. King, K. Knutson, E. A. 
Kreitzer, W. G. Kellogg, Seth Kethledge, S. T. Leeds, Geo. L. Light, Thos. W. 
Lane, H. A. Lamb, Chas. H.
McClintic, E. F. Merwin, John R. Miller, H. E. Merwin, C. V. Martin, L. W. 
Miles, Penelope Miller, E. V. Martin, L. P. Miles, A. M. Moore, E. N. Mount, F. 
L. Norm, C. B. Noble, Jacob Norm, Thomas H. Null, Geo. H. Pierce, James A. 
Paddock, W. F. Ponsford, Joseph Ponsford, E. S. Platner, Chas. Platner, L. R. 
Prichard, J. L. Perry, Wm. H. Plank, Anna A. Peterson, G. N. Price, W. A. Pond, 
G. S. Rowe, W. A. Rex, C. G. Robinson, Mrs. S. C. Rowe, H. M. Rice, Jean Rabie, 
Alvah Remington, Joseph Roberts, H. L. Shakespeare, Frank Sage, Eugene Stanley, 
Miss R. F. Scott, Minnie Stanley, A. Snart, John Snart, Patrick Sweeney, Chas. 
M. Torrence, S. S. Vrooman, R. A. Wheeler, Geo. Waterbury, P. A. Wilson, P. H. 
Whalen, David Waterbury, J. L. Wilson, Lewis J. Waterbury, Joseph Wertz, A. E. 
White, David H. Waterbury, E. S. Waterbury, 0. P. Waterbury, D. 0. Wilson.

 Marlaur, (108-67)-John Briles, John Buchanan, Wm. S. Bass, J. P. Boisen, 
Herbert Baker, Chas. Boisen, F. M. Bemis, Amrose Baker, S. M. Baker, Jas. 
Buchanan, W. Cavico, J. F. Calvert, Charles Christianson, J. M. Corbin, John L. 
Coller, Helen E. Dement, A. H. DeLap, J. H. Daniel, Frank Danberg, 0. C. Emery,
J. M. Flint, Evans Flack, Brice Garvis, Geo. G. Groub, Wm. Grace, Mary Grimwood, 
Z. Groub, J. J. Groub, Elial Heaton, Tillman Hunt, John A. Hudson, R. P. Hites, 
A. T. Hudson, Calvin Ham, Hattie Hillman, Oscar N. Hillman, J. W. Lamb, Elwood 
Lancaster, Matilda Lindquist, P.O. Lindquist, Wm. Marshall, B. F. Marlaur, Wm. 
Marlaur, Christian Movek, Theron Mills, Wm. Orr, E. Orcutt, Peter Peterson, F. 
J. Pressey, David Potter, D. Rodney Pavey, John Ruan, C. H. Rhodes, A. 
Remington, Levi
Strong, W. M. Scofield, W. S. Scofield, C. F. Scofield, C. C. Sapp, Geo. A. 
Sloan, Patrick Swiney, A. C. Thompson, James Tolbert, W. R. Whipple, Emeline 
Waterbury. 

Harmony,  (108-66)-Mary E. Burger, Joseph Bromley, Geo. S. Brady, Anson Beals, 
Mary E. Ballard, Wm. Bremner, Chas. A. Brown, Clayton, Brown, Jas. H. Cool, 
Joseph H. Collier, John C. Chapman, Delos Clink, John Collier, Chas. Darling, N. 
J. Dunham, John Eglin, 0.0. England, Henry L. England, Joseph R. Eddy, C. W. 
England, Geo. S. Eddy, L. 0. Evans, Adolph Fesenmier, Fred Fisher, Otto
Fesenmier, James Grieve, Isaac Grimons, W. T. Hammack, Edwin Hamblin, Morris A. 
Hoar, J. M. Hanson, T. J. Morris, A. M. Moor, S. E. Mills, 0. J. Marshall, C. W. 
Mills, W. A. Miller, C. M.
Mills, Daniel Mitchell, J. H. Murphy, Wm. Murphy, Lewis Nordyke, August Ponto, 
H. A. Peitce, C. S. Richardson, I. N. Rich, Moses Rich, G. H. Shepherd, Allen C. 
Snyder, W. M. Skinner, T. W. Sample, Chas. G. Smith, John Shannon. Jefferson 
Sickler, R. 0. Sheldon, Geo. W. Titus, W. M. Titus, Thomas Walsh, Peter 
Welfring, Thomas D. Williams, Thomas S. Whitehotise, Will McGalliard.

CHAPTER 8. PAGE 35-37

The surveying of the various townships of Jerauld county was done under 
different contracts, let by the government to surveyors at different times. The 
townships in ranges 64 and 65 were surveyed in i874 and those in 63 the year 
following. Township 106--66, 106--67, 108--66, and 107--67 were surveyed in 
1882, while those numbered 107--66 and 108--67 were surveyed in the spring and 
summer of 1883.

On the surveyed lands the settlers had no trouble in selecting the tracts they 
desired, but in the townships where the lines had not been run, the difficulty 
was sometimes great, especially so if the country was rough and broken. Some of 
the squatters employed private surveyors to extend the lines from surveyed 
townships, some, starting from a corner stake already established, would measure 
with a marked buggy or wagon wheel, while others would "step" off the required 
distance. The greater portion of 107--66, 108--66 and 108-67 was settled upon by 
squatters in advance of the government surveyors.

In the summer of 1883 while the contractor was surveying the lines of 10766, he 
was much surprised by the sudden disappearance of his flagman who was but a 
short distance away and on comparitively level ground.  The man had dropped out 
of sight while the surveyor was looking back over the route they had come.  A 
half hour passed and then in place of the flagman appeared a fellow wearing an 
enormously tall plug hat, a swallow4ailed coat and carrying a light cane. All 
the afternoon the surveyor followed the strange flagman who seemed to know well 
enough the duties of his position.

When evening came and the crew gathered at the camp fire the stranger proved to 
be the regular flagman. In passing the NE of 21 the man had noticed a board 
lying upon the prairie about which the grass had been a good deal trampled.  The 
appearance aroused his curiosity and he turned the board over. This disclosed a 
hole leading down into a room about 8x10 feet in size. He dropped into the room, 
which was unoccupied, and found a sheet iron stove, a bed, a rude stool and 
several articles of wearing apparel. He exchanged garments with the unknown 
squatter and climbing to the surface appeared before the surveyor as the strange 
flagman. The next day when passing the same quarter again the flagman stopped to 
"reswap" and found the hole, or "dugout" occupied by a negro who was hoding the 
land under the rules of "squatter sovereignty." The hole was his domicile and 
constituted his improvements. When the surveyor's plat was filed the darkey made 
entry for the land and' afterwards perfected his proof. The hole was the only 
residing place he ever had on -- or in -- the land.

That the reader may get the full interest of the story of Jerauld county as we 
proceed the names are here given that appeared upon the tax list of the various 
townships in 1884, which was made in the months of May and June of that year. 
The list is so large that it is impossible to give the order in which the 
settlers came; but it is safe to say that nearly all came in 1883, or before, 
and all prior to May 1st, 1884:

 Logan, (106-67) --Andrews, John W. Atkinson, S X. Atkins, G. R. Bass, W. J. 
Burnett, D. M. Brannon, E. R. Burgess, Joseph Byer, E. Blakeslee, W. H. 
Butterfield, D. A. Brannon, W. S. Combs, Jr., Mr. Colwall, E. Coleman, T. Chase, 
J. N. Barker, A. J. Brown, F. Coupleman, Zebulon P. DeForest, Mary Dykeman, 
William DeKay, Ira Ellis, Austin 5. Fordham, Wm. H. Fox, Mary Prick, H. A. 
Prick, Henry E. Geweke, A. L. Gotwals, Geo. W. Gallers, W. Hayter, Adam P. Hoag, 
Stephen Hillers, A. Harris, Geo. Housner, Charles Hastings, W. Hodge, J. B. 
June, Neils C. E. Jorgenson, H. Krumswied, August Kappleman, Christian Kuhrt, C. 
F. Kuhrt, Frank Knight, B., F. Levette, James Long, Henry Mundfrom, Alex 
McClellan, John Marris, Charles W. Mentzer, H. H. Moulton, C. C. Meyer, Chas. S. 
Marvin, Annie E. Norin, Wm. Niemeyer, J. E. Noggle, Andrew Pfiaum, J. Purdy, D. 
B. Paddock, E. W. Patten, Joseph G. Reaset, J. A. Riegel, W. Rosenbaum, P. J. 
Rahbe, H. A. Robinson, G. B. Robinson, A. Rosenbaum, Eugene Roe, W. A. Ransom, 
A. Solomon, Joseph Sutherland, Will S. Sapham, David Strabble, R. V. Smith, 
Arthur Sykes, B. L. Solomon, Herman Schurke, Orb Stannard, Willis Stannard, J. 
M. Spears, Herman Walters, Hiram Woodbury, Andrew Wilson, J. M. Wray, J. F. 
Wicks, E. G.	Will, Henry P. Will, J. H. Young. 

Crow, (107-67)--Wm. Austin, D. W. Bracy, U. E. Babb, C. W. Blackney, U. P. Bump, 
Harry T. Bert, David Barr, Geo. W. Burger, H. N. Brown, N. J. Barr, Henry C. 
Corey, Geo. A. Chambers, Wilber M. Cross, T. P. Clark, Hugh Connel, E. Corsen, 
Morris E. Curtis, C. A. Cahill, C. A. Conrad, Clarence C. Carnes, F. M. Cooley, 
J. F. Cooley, T. J. Dickey, T. R. Dunlap, W. E. Dement, Wm. Dunlap, Delavan L.
Davis, James Dunlap, Samuel Dunlap, Frank Dunlap, John Eagen, Jerry Foley, James 
Fogerty (Fgerty in book), Eveline Gray, L. H. Goodrich, J. A. Grace, George 
Gilbert, Charles Green, W H. Howard, Josephine Herring, Mary L. Healy, E. A. 
Herman, S. E. Herman, John Hessett, Henry Herring, Jack Harrison, Jorgen 
Jorgenson, D. T. Jones, Horace P. Jones, G. King, W. King, K. Knutson, E. A. 
Kreitzer, W. G. Kellogg, Seth Kethledge, S. T. Leeds, Geo. L. Light, Thos. W. 
Lane, H. A. Lamb, Chas. H.
McClintic, E. F. Merwin, John R. Miller, H. E. Merwin, C. V. Martin, L. W. 
Miles, Penelope Miller, E. V. Martin, L. P. Miles, A. M. Moore, E. N. Mount, F. 
L. Norm, C. B. Noble, Jacob Norm, Thomas H. Null, Geo. H. Pierce, James A. 
Paddock, W. F. Ponsford, Joseph Ponsford, E. S. Platner, Chas. Platner, L. R. 
Prichard, J. L. Perry, Wm. H. Plank, Anna A. Peterson, G. N. Price, W. A. Pond, 
G. S. Rowe, W. A. Rex, C. G. Robinson, Mrs. S. C. Rowe, H. M. Rice, Jean Rabie, 
Alvah Remington, Joseph Roberts, H. L. Shakespeare, Frank Sage, Eugene Stanley, 
Miss R. F. Scott, Minnie Stanley, A. Snart, John Snart, Patrick Sweeney, Chas. 
M. Torrence, S. S. Vrooman, R. A. Wheeler, Geo. Waterbury, P. A. Wilson, P. H. 
Whalen, David Waterbury, J. L. Wilson, Lewis J. Waterbury, Joseph Wertz, A. E. 
White, David H. Waterbury, E. S. Waterbury, 0. P. Waterbury, D. 0. Wilson.

 Marlaur, (108-67)-John Briles, John Buchanan, Wm. S. Bass, J. P. Boisen, 
Herbert Baker, Chas. Boisen, F. M. Bemis, Amrose Baker, S. M. Baker, Jas. 
Buchanan, W. Cavico, J. F. Calvert, Charles Christianson, J. M. Corbin, John L. 
Coller, Helen E. Dement, A. H. DeLap, J. H. Daniel, Frank Danberg, 0. C. Emery,
J. M. Flint, Evans Flack, Brice Garvis, Geo. G. Groub, Wm. Grace, Mary Grimwood, 
Z. Groub, J. J. Groub, Elial Heaton, Tillman Hunt, John A. Hudson, R. P. Hites, 
A. T. Hudson, Calvin Ham, Hattie Hillman, Oscar N. Hillman, J. W. Lamb, Elwood 
Lancaster, Matilda Lindquist, P.O. Lindquist, Wm. Marshall, B. F. Marlaur, Wm. 
Marlaur, Christian Movek, Theron Mills, Wm. Orr, E. Orcutt, Peter Peterson, F. 
J. Pressey, David Potter, D. Rodney Pavey, John Ruan, C. H. Rhodes, A. 
Remington, Levi
Strong, W. M. Scofield, W. S. Scofield, C. F. Scofield, C. C. Sapp, Geo. A. 
Sloan, Patrick Swiney, A. C. Thompson, James Tolbert, W. R. Whipple, Emeline 
Waterbury. 

Harmony,  (108-66)-Mary E. Burger, Joseph Bromley, Geo. S. Brady, Anson Beals, 
Mary E. Ballard, Wm. Bremner, Chas. A. Brown, Clayton, Brown, Jas. H. Cool, 
Joseph H. Collier, John C. Chapman, Delos Clink, John Collier, Chas. Darling, N. 
J. Dunham, John Eglin, 0.0. England, Henry L. England, Joseph R. Eddy, C. W. 
England, Geo. S. Eddy, L. 0. Evans, Adolph Fesenmier, Fred Fisher, Otto
Fesenmier, James Grieve, Isaac Grimons, W. T. Hammack, Edwin Hamblin, Morris A. 
Hoar, J. M. Hanson, T. J. Morris, A. M. Moor, S. E. Mills, 0. J. Marshall, C. W. 
Mills, W. A. Miller, C. M.
Mills, Daniel Mitchell, J. H. Murphy, Wm. Murphy, Lewis Nordyke, August Ponto, 
H. A. Peitce, C. S. Richardson, I. N. Rich, Moses Rich, G. H. Shepherd, Allen C. 
Snyder, W. M. Skinner, T. W. Sample, Chas. G. Smith, John Shannon. Jefferson 
Sickler, R. 0. Sheldon, Geo. W. Titus, W. M. Titus, Thomas Walsh, Peter 
Welfring, Thomas D. Williams, Thomas S. Whitehotise, Will McGalliard.

CHAPTER 9. PAGES 38-40

Pleasant, (107-66)--J. E. Adkjnson, G.. Bingham, C. S. Barber, Joseph Bowen, 
George Barnes, J. A  arnum, L. M. Brown, Jsaac Byam, W. W. Brower, Anna E. 
Brower, James Cavenaugh, W. H. Coolidge,
J. F. Chandler, P. N. Chandler, Ed Cummings, 0. E. Corwin, B. F. Crittendon, Wm. 
A. Dean, John Day, T. H Durfee, E. Dwyer, Hiram Dean; E. Ditsworth, James Dwyer, 
Irwin Eaton, P J. Eddy, Andrew Faust, James Foster, S. W. Foster, Rial Farmer, 
Henry P. Faust, George Fisher, Henry Finster, 0. E. Gaffin, Samuel Gailey, J. W. 
Gerken, J. A.  Gaffin, Mattie E. Gloyd, Frank E. Gaffin, S. F. Huntley, H. D. 
Hinners, B.  C. J. Hunt, C. W. Hilliker, Herman Hinners, Chas. R. Hansen, W.	E. 
Hunt, D. C. Hewitt, Robert Hiatt, I S. Jngham, N. J. Ingham, A. H. Ingham, 
Daniel Jacobs, John Jacobs, Joseph Jacobs, J. B. Jacobs, J. T. Johnston, L. A. 
King, Henry Kallis, Geo. W. King, Kate M. Knieriem, Geo. Knieriem, Herman 
Krueger, W. W. Lewis, J. F. Lynn, Henry McElwain, Noah Moonshover, S. J. Moore, 
Thos. Murphy, Samuel Marlenee, John Murphy, Ira Maxwell, Albert J. Miller, A. R. 
Powell, J. D. Powell, F. M. Pratt, Francis Pryne, Josephine J. M. Pryne, J. C. 
Pomeroy, Miss S. J. Richardson, Theo. Round, J. S. Richardson, Wm. Reagan, J. J. 
Snyder, J. E. Sullivan, Jacob Stickley, E. A. Sowerwine, R. H. Stetson, Geo. 
Strong, Miss Annie Salter, Samuel Sowerwine, S. B. Shimp, B. R. Shimp, G. W. 
Stetson, R. C. Trollope, J. W. Todd, G. W. Trollope, A. E. Turrill, -- Thompson, 
W. H. Toaz, T. Tryon, R. S. Vessey, Mark Williams, Thos. Warburton.

Crow Lake, (106-66) -A. M. Allyn, Elizabeth A. Amos, Thomas Amos, W. R. Annis, 
R. A. Buckmaster, Mary V. Burroughs, Fred E. Burroughs, August Bachmor, 
Elizabeth Bartlett, Sherman Bartlett, James H. 
Baker, Perry Blojak, Gustav Beutner, Frank Bruz, E. H. Crossman, C. S. Crossman, 
John Conley, James Conley, Gideon E. Clark, John Deindorfer, Vaurin Dusek, Geo. 
Deindorfer, Carsten Detlefs, Louis Deindorfer,  Wm. H. DeGroat, B. F. Drown, 
Fred Daum, Sr., Fred Daum, Jr., C. E. Daum, A. Duschick, J. P. Evans, Alex 
Erickson, Bertha E. Erickson, Joseph Fox, Thomas Fox, Ellis Gratz, Ellen D. 
Gordon, John Gibisch, Enos Granby, Joseph Gibisch, Sr., Joseph Gibisch, Jr., 
John Hicks, Robert Hibel, Samuel Hibel, John Hiller, J. L. Heintz, Wm. A. 
Huffman, R. Y. Hazard, D. R. Hughes, Robt. Hughes, E. N. Huntley, R. J. Hughes, 
Chas. W. Henning, Frank Haas, E. J. Holdridge, Thos. Henning, John N. Henning, 
Coleman Harrington, Henry M. Haffey, Carl Haas, Fred Hoagland, Charles S. 
Jacobs, B. F. Jones, Samuel L. Kneedler, John Klekar, Louis Kratzer, Ernest 
Lain, Albert Maxwell, Peter Mohr, Thomas Mitchell, Corneilus Myer, Nicholas 
Myer, Sr., Nicholas Myer, Jr., John Monarch, Frank Morawac, George J. Moest, Z. 
S. Moulton, David Moulton, Eliza J. Mentzer, Theo. F. Mentzer, Samuel H. 
Melcher, James Nelson, Andrew Nelson, Joseph O'Brien, Fred Paulson, Emma 
Paulson, Anton Reindl, Matt Rupert, Elliott L. Sawyer, Frank Spinler, Wm. 
Shultz, John H. Schmidt, Nelson Swanson, Philip W. Tabor, Joseph Vanous, John 
Vanous, Geo. Vanous, J. H. Wichman, James Wamuse.

Anina, (106-65)--W. A. Baker, E. T. Bowen; John Bancroft, Mrs. Mary E. Bogardus, 
Michael Barr, James Barr, C. B. Blake, J. C. Barr, Chas. H. Coggshall, Miss F. 
Cummins, Miss Emma Cady, Elmer Carpenter,  Anton Clementson, Christian 
Clementson, Robert Coe, V. I. Converse, A. D. Cady, Thomas G. Derry, W. R. Day, 
James T. Ferguson, I H. French, Mrs. L. G. French, M. Greer, Claus Gunderson, 
Henry Gunderson, Mary J. Genet, Wm. H. Hensley, Kate Hannaberry, Wm. Hodgson, 
Fred A. Hageubruck, Asa Hodgson, Mary D. Hagenbruck; 0	F. Kellogg, Erie E. 
Kellogg, Bridget A. Kenny, C. C. Little, Louie Lindsey, J. M. Lyle, E. C. Lyle, 
George Lind, Joseph Lehmen, Miss Nellie  Lewis, Joseph Motl, E. Moon, Gordon 
McDonald, Adolf Mahler, Geo. Maxwell, John Moore, McReady Martin, S. S. Moore, 
Jas. T. Mc-. Glashan, C. R. Nelson, John B. Neal, Don C. Needham, Hattie E. 
Needham, Barnet Neal, Fidelia Overton,  William Pooley, Frank Pecachek, John 
Pavek, Alva Primmer, W. B. Primmer, Orin Parker, G.  V. Rhoades, Jas. C. Ryall, 
Mrs. Rhoades, R. S. Russell, Westly Shultz, Jesse, Shultz, H. John W. Shultz, 
David S. Smelser, Miss Jennie Swan, Louis Schwarz, Jule A. Swan,  I.  Thomas E. 
Sadler, Henry J. Talbot, Samuel Totten, Charles Vesey, Mittie S. Vessey,  J.  C. 
W Vessey, Peter Van Slyke, Henry Walters, Norris E. Williams, ,Geo. Walters, K.   
C. F. Walker, G. A. Winegarden, Helen Wheeler.

Media, (107-65)--Samuel Arnold, A. S. Beals, W. R. Brush, W. I. Bateman, A. F. 
Bateman, Geo. W. Bennett, R. S. Bateman, A. A. Beels, Wm. Bush, C. L. Beach, 
Miss M. H. C. Bennett, D. E. Bra~ght, R. Bush, R.	H. Cowell, E. E. Cummings, 
B. G. Cummings, M. A. Cummings, Horace B. Coley, John Cross, M. D. Crow, Lucinda 
C. Comforth, Lucy A.	Dixon, E. L. DeLine, Theodore Dean, James F. DeVine, 
Thos. V. Donovon, John DeVine, J. H. Farnham, Mary A. French, E. H. Ford, Jas. 
A. Hindman, W. A. Housel, M. J. Harris, Daniel Hindman, Charles Hanson, G. B. 
Hanford, A. Johnson, John H. Kugler, Chas. Kugler, Rudolph Krauz, Edward 
Kutzner, Mike J. Long, Augustin LaPoint, W. C Mundie, C. W. McDonald, Donald 
McDonald, T. A. McGinnis, A. M. Mathias, R. M. Magee, J. E. McNamara, Calvin 
Ott, Mortimer Powell, George Pratt, Myron Pratt, A. Phillips, Wm. P. Ryan, Jos. 
Rummelhart, A. Schubert, Harland Stowell, J. M. Smith, Mrs. A. B. Smart, A. B. 
Smart, Isaac L. Stevens, B. F. Swatman, Mrs. L. G. Swatman, Wm. Theeler, Herman 
Theeler, John Tawlks, C. Thompson, Gustaf Theeler, Cyrus Thompson, C. E. Thayer, 
W. E. Taylor, E. Voorhees, J. H. Ves sey, Jas. H. Woodburn, Jas. Weibold, Mrs. 
A. B. Williams, A. Warburton. 

Chery, (108-65)-Joseph Ackerson, George Archer, Henry L. Bartlett,  K. W. 
Blanchard, Harvey Butler, Geo. W. Bolton, J. F. Bolton, E. H.  Cleaver, C. M. 
Chery, B. F. Chapman, Lina French, John Decker, I. B. Davis, Chas. Davis, B. 
Drake, A. R. Doty, Joseph Geopfert, G. Goppert, J.   John Gilbert, S. B. 
Georgia, B. Horsley, Wm. Horsley, H. M. Hay, Jesse Harmston, K.  R. M. Kayner, 
Jerusha Johnson, Chas. Marson, A. Mercer, Wm. Marlow, Fred  L.  Phillips, Philip 
Phillips, Salon Palmer, E. A.  Palmer, Samuel Richardson,  M.  0. W. Richardson, 
Lemuel F. Russell, Mrs. A. A. Riddle,  W.  H.  Robeson, N.   Wm. J. Reese, Jacob 
Rosenthall, Lawrence Russell, Thos. Roach, Bridget Roach, O.   James, Roach, 
Joseph D. Roach, Albert Russell, Chas. Smith, Hudson Horsley,  P.  W. T. Hay, W. 
N. Hill, E. C. Hill, C. W. Hill, James Hoar, Inez L. Hoar, Geo. Homewood, George 
Iosty; H. P. Jones, Sarah Johnston, John Juza, Albert N. Louder, Miss Love, H. 
J. Louder, H. W. Louder, T. W. Lanning, T. J. Lanning, W. R. Lanning, J. W. 
Mellick, Herman Miller,, J. W. McCullough, M. H. Martin, Ole Nelson, John Neff, 
C. W'. P. Osgood, D. N. Paxton, J. H. Palmer, W. E. Phillips, Fred Phillips, 
John Poff, -- Raymond, M. E. Small, Jesse Simons, A. Sturgis, E. D. Schaefer, J. 
W. Simons, M. A. Schaefer, E. L. Turner, Chas. Taylor, M. J. Thornton, F.M. 
Townsend; H. J. Wallace, T. L. White, F. E. Woodruff, Sarah Wilkinson, Miss L. 
Young, J. C. Zimmerman.

Dale, (108-4)--John A. Adebar, Vincent Brechtel, Wm. Burns, B. B. Beadell, 
Anthony Bixler, Alden Brown, Chas. D. Brown, R. A. Bartlett, W. G. Cakebread, 
Edward Crawford, John Campbell, Archie
Campbell, John Cook, Ely W. Chapman, John Crawford, John N. Dynes, Chas. Dawson, 
James Eastman, F. J. Eastman, A. B. Easter, Wm. Edgar, Emily J. Easter, Ira 
Eldell, B. F. Eagle, Louis Fenstimaker, R. R. Griffith,  Daniel Schmidt, Ernest 
Schmidt, Joseph Scott, Charles Scott, John Teasdale, Robt. Tracy, Wilber I. 
Tower, D. Townsend, Clement Turner, R. Vandervene, Peter Wieland, Geo. H. 
Youngs.


CHAPTER 10. PAGES 41-44

Wessington Springs, (104-64)-- H. Albert, M. C. Ayers, P. R. Barrett, Hiram 
Blowers, P. B. Berlin, J. J. Barnes, Geo. R. Bateman, J. G. Campbell, A. V 
Custer, Solomon Carey, Geo. T. Chapman, John Chapman, Daniel Carey, Thomas 
Drake, LaFaette Ewers, Lucina Eager, M.  M. Flint, John R. Francis, J. F. Ford, 
H. D. Fisher, Andrew Gillerson, N.   Ernest Garendt, John Grant, Wm. M. Goodwin, 
Newell Grant, W. W.  Goodwity, N. C. Hall, Wm. Huffman, Wm. Hawthorne, C. E. 
Hackett, Lars Johnson, James
Johnson, J. W. P. Jordan, Robert Johnson, George Johnson, S. Kinney, E. Knudson, 
Andrew Lund, Martha Lewis, Ed Lowe, M. A. McCune, John A. McCarter, John 
McCarter, Samuel McDonald, John
McCormick, Chas. Meihak, Sarah McCormick, Richard McCormick, E. V. Miles, J A. 
McDonald, James A. McCarter, H. W. Mills, J. D. Morse, Samuel McCormick, E. B. 
Orr, Harvey M. Russ, Seth Richardson, Edwin A. Riddle, Charles Rohr, Berton 
Richardson, Matthew Sheppard, J 0. Shryock, Thos. H. Shryock, S. K. Starkey, C. 
H. Stephens, H. C. Stephens, A. C. Shultz, H. S. Starkey, L. S. Starkey, S.S. 
Starkey, D. W Shryock, John Stone, E. L. Smith, F. T. Tofflemier, Wm. Taylor, 
Ruth Tofflemier, L. H. Tarbell, E.
L. Turner, J W. Thomas, Jane R. Williams, B. F. Wiley, Wm. J. Williams, Mary 
Williams, S. West, E. C. Williams, J9hn E. White, Owen E. Williams, Adam West. 

Viola, (106-64)--David A. Bryant, Augusta T. Berge, Alanson Barrs, Miss Barrs, 
E. L. Brown, Abram N. Brown, C. R. Bruland, A. Bywater, Archie B. Creswell, 
Daniel Cockle, Christian Clodt, W. V. Dixop W. C. Davis, D. V. Davis, M. P. 
Dunn, C. W. Dougherty, Gustave Draeger, George Dean, Mary F. Ford, T. K. Ford, 
John B. Folsom, Joseph A. Ford, B. F. Cough, Cotlish Gates, John Gerkin, John M. 
Houk Chas. Hein, J. T. S. Irons, C. E. Johnson, Andrew Jacobson, Louis Jonker, 
Ole A. Knutson, John Kuch, Peter Klink, Ebbert Kellog, H H. Kieser, Henry 
Krabbenhoeft, L. D. R. Kruse, Louis Kruse, Henry Kasulka, Daniel Kieser, Fred 
Kieser, Ceo. N. Kalb, Stewart King, Christian Krohmer, Paul Lillehaug, M. M. 
Modlin, Stephen H. Morse, J. C. Morse, Karl Meiback, E. H. Merville, 0. W. 
Morehead, E. E.
Nesmith, M. W. Nesmith, John M. Primmer, John Phillips, Fred Primmer, Wm. 
Pagenhart, N. C. Rhoades,  Jesse Reynolds, Perry Reynolds, Peter A. Roti, Jas. 
W. Simpson, Sr., Jas. W. Simpson, Jr., John Simpson, Francis E. Simpson, Robert 
H. Simpson, Peter H. Schultz, Ceo. A. Seekatz, Jacob N. Smith,  Christoph 
Schultz, Wm. P. Schultz, C. A. Solberg, F. J. Shellmyer, August Schuttpelz, 
Chas. Shabley, A.  J. Solberg, Ole J. Solberg, Ole C. Solberg, Ole Swenson, 
Jonas A. Tyner, Wm. E. Towner, Charles Towner, 0. L. Tucker, Wm. E. Towner, Wm. 
Villebrandt, Frank Voge, Wm. P. Wilson, J. M. Winslow, Chas. Wolk, Henry 
Walters, Louis 0. Woem, Charles Walters, C. E. Walker, 0. J. Walker, Wm. Wetzel, 
L. C. Wilson, W. F. Zimmerman.

Blaine, (106-63)--H. H. Atwood, Auriel Antonio, Thos. 0. Berg, 0. G. Berg, E. 0. 
Berg, T. W. Barrs, Jacob Buckawatz, Thomas Biggar, Fred E., Cook, Charl 
Christoferson, A. I. Churchill, Peter Davick, Lester Dunton, Richard Dalton, 
James R. Dalton, L. F. Daniel, Washington Eddy, Steffen L. Endal, Sylvanus 
Freeman, Christyan Feistner, Leonard Feistner , D. A. Grant, W. A. Grant, Julius 
Hart, Henry Hart, Ole 0. Hollebakken, D. R. Hale, Ole Johansen, Knute Knudson, 
Henry Koons, Fred Luker, Nettie Lee, Halver Mekkelson, Battis Miler, Fred W. 
Myer, George Mills, Miss Meyers, A. M. Matthews, Hortense McKune, Eveline E. 
McKune, Peter Manning, Forest Olin, Bertle Olson, Mathias Pfaler,
LaFayette Pearce, Nellie E. Parker, C. W. Parker, Andrew Peterson, August 
Pauloski, Emma Pauloski, Ira Purdy, Richard Price, John Parquet, C. W. Rychman, 
Antoin Rygnski, Fred K. Strasser, Wm. Stiner, Joseph Steichen, Jacob Stromer, 
Mary Shannon, Henry W. Scott, Kittie Shannon, Ole R. Solberg, Ole T.
Soarem, Sam K. Swenson, Andrew 0. Swenson, Herman Schraeder, James Stoddard, 
John Steiner, W. R. Thomas, Mrs. M. M. Teachout, M. L. Thomas, Jonas Velle, Wm. 
Wusson, Bottis Wecker, John P.
Wolf, John M. Wheeler; Peter Wolf, Franz H. Wams, Charles C. Wright, C. H. 
Waldron, Calvin M. Young, M. W. Young, D. W. Young, I. A. Young, John Zimmerman, 
John Steichen, Nicholas
Steichen.

Franklin, (107-63)--Magnus Anderson, C. T.. Adkinson, Joshua Adkinson, Perry 
Bush, A. J. Bevens, Martin Baker, I. J. Black, D. Boge, C. 0. Bergelian, Andrew 
Berg, W. I. Bellows, D. P. Burnison, George Bryon, W. N. Brown, Joseph Bouton, 
Frank Bush, D. M. Black, S. W. Boyd, Henry Beogelee, Hugh Confry, R. H. Chase, 
C. M. Clark, S. D. Catlon, Joseph Doctor, A. B. Dalrymple, C. C. Evans, H. L. 
Evans, Jacob Etzel, Josephine Englestad, A. L. Eager, Hiram Freeman, R. W. 
Foster, L. E. Franklin, Edward Fitzgibbon, Charles Gurte, Henry Coll, Albert 
Gunderson, J. M. Hardin, J. W. Harden, Knute N. Hovey, Larome Hessdorfer, George 
Hodges, Anna A. Hoff, Andrew Hessdorfer, Z. T. Harmon, Geo. Hessdorfer, Wm. J. 
Houmes, Moses N. Hefte, John Hautenbourg, R. Hessdorfer, Frank Janoush, Wm. 
Karril, Henry Knieriem, John Kogel, John Klemm, Ole C. Lindebak, Chas. E. LaRue, 
Lars Larson, A. Maldren, John Marshall, John McLean, F. W. Martin, David 
McDowall, B. R. McCaul, Wm. McCaul, Ira McCaul, J. A. McCaul, Gust Newman, 
Robert Nisbet, A. M. Nettleton, H. D. Newton, C. Nettleton, Herbjorn Ostenson, 
Theo. Offerman, George O'Brien, Walter P. Pierce, Wm. M. Posey, Elijah Purdy, 
Mrs. W. Pinkham, Henry M. Posey, S. D. Ray, I. P. ray, Iver H. Refvrem, E.M. 
Smith, Olena solberg, James Susha, Michael Selz, Edwin S. Starkey, L. W. Sunan, 
Henry Sunkler, John J. Sime, Charles Thorpe, Margaret Trofter, P. T. Varnum, 
Thomas M. Whiffin, J.C. Wallace, H. D. White, H. A. White, Minnie J. Whiffin, 
Jas. G. Young, James H. Boyd, J. M. Brown.

Alpena, (106-63) -- Wm. H. Arne, William Ault, Virgil P. Arne, Syver P. Amenson, 
Albert Ahart, H. M.  Arne, W. L. Arnold, James Barnes, John Busse, Wm. 
Brandenburg, George Brevier, Allen N. Brayton I. W. Black, Chas. Bechtold, Fred 
Busse, T. Linus Blank, Moses D. Blank, Ray Barber, Wm. Bechtold, C. P. Canon, J 
A. Calhoun, A. N. Canon, Wm. S. Corothers, J. E. Cook, James Conlin, L. W. 
Castleman, Geo. D. Canon, John Campbell, A. B. Davenport, Richard Davenport, 
Leopold Dietz, Wesley Davis, James
W. Eastman, Charles Eastman, Daniel Eastman, E. M. Eastman, R. J. Eastman, Wm. 
Forshire, Thomas J. Forbes, R. P. Flagg, J. 0. Gray, Wm. Girton, H. M. Hall, 
Joseph P. Harding, Chas. G. Haskins, Levi Hamilton, John A. Houmes, Fred Heller, 
Mathias Hedtrom, D. S Kellogg, Daniel Kint, Henry E. King, W. A. Linn, L. N. 
Looms, Chas. E,. Moore, M. M. Moran, Joseph H. May, James Moran, Hugh J. Moran, 
Peter Milroy, B. F. Miller, Patrick McDonald, Joseph  A. Moore, E. F. Makemson, 
Dan A. McCoy, Ole
Onstad, Andrew Onstad, Mary Onstad, Betsey Onstad, Morgan Onstad, Frank B. 
Phillips, Isaac Pierce, B. Quirk, Frank Quirk, Daniel F. Royer, John Smith, 
Council Sparks, D. N. Smith, Thos. Sheffield, Matt Suerth, Gustave Scheel, Fred 
M. Schemer, And. Sundberg, August Scheel, Joseph Terrell, Warren C. Tubbs, 0. F. 
Woodruff, John R. Woodruff, John Woods, Daniel Webber, John Wallace, Edson 
Whitney, Frank 0. Wheelihan, M. J. Wolcott, J. M. Webber, C. M. Yegge, F. W. 
Whitney.

 The following is a list of the first settlers in the various townships as 
nearly as we have been able to gather from the memory of the oldest inhabitants: 
Logan-W. S. Combs, Jr. Crow-Abel Scyoc. Marlaur-J. J. Groub. Harmony-O.O. 
England. Pleasant-B. F. Crittenden. Crow Lake-Albert M. Allyn. Anina-Joseph 
Moti. Media-Levi Ham. Chery-Chas. Nicholson. Dale-C. D. Brown. Wessington 
Springs-Ogden Barrett. Viola-Ole C. Solberg. Blame-Joseph Steichen. Franklin-Wm. 
M. Posey. Alpena-Wm. H. Arne.


CHAPTER 11. PAGES 44-47

While the villages of Waterbury and Sulphur Spring were striving for supremacy 
as the  commercial and political center, settlers were locating  among the hills 
and valleys of the adjoining townships.

Among them were citizens and  profesional men of all kinds. In 108-66 there were 
in 1883 nineteen graduates from eastern colleges, and this township was no 
different from the balance of the county.  

Then there were carpenters, masons, blacksmiths, harness makers, printers, 
painters, who were able to bring to the new settlements all the comforts and 
conveniences of older countries as fast as their mechanical skill could be used.

Townships  108-67,  and  107-66  were  unsurveyed  in  the spring of 1883. Yet 
the squatters were able by the means of stakes and corners of the adjoining  
townships to select their claims.  There were but few cases of two persons 
claiming the same tracts of land. The land laws of the United States divide a 
section into forty-acre tracts, which is the smallest legal sub-division.  A 
squatter could only hold 40 acres by virtue of his settlement. Still the 
instances were rare where any portion of a quarter section was claimed by more 
than one settler.  One instance of this kind occurred, however, in 108--67.  F. 
M. Cooley, of Sulphur Springs, made improvements on the SE of 35, and Joseph 
Roberts settled himself on the same quarter. Robert's shanty was on a line on 
the northwest forty, while Cooley's was in the valley on another forty. Both 
stuck to the claim until the surveyor's plat was filed, when Cooley went to the 
land office at Mitchell first, and made entry for the NE, SE and SW of the 
disputed quarter and also for the SE forty of the SW 1--4 of the section. This 
left Roberts with the northwest forty acres and no land adjoining that he 
considered desirable. He therefore abandoned the tract.

In this township (108-67) settlement began on the 6th day of May, when J J. 
Groub and B. F. Marlar, both from Missouri, squatted on their claims. They came 
from the same county in Missouri, but were strangers until they met while 
looking for land in that township in Jerauld county. Groub settled on sections 
19 and 20 and Maarlar on the NW of 4. They were soon followed by W. S. Scofield 
and his sons Frank, Mark and George; John and A. T. Hudson, J. M. Corbin, the 
Bakers and Zacharia Groub and his daughters, all of them taking claims near each 
other. In section 12 Mr. E. Olcutt made his improvements in the forepart of 
June. In Mr. Olcutt's house, his little daughter Fanny, was born in the month of 
August of that year, being the first child born in that township.

Among the people who came to Jerauld county in 1883, were the Vessey brothers, 
who arrived at White Lake on the 17th day of May.

They immediately began to transport their goods to the SE of section 12-107-66, 
upon which R. S. Vessey established the rights of a squatter.  They arrived at 
their destination on the morning of the i8th of May and began the construction 
of a "claim shanty."  By night the structure was completed and the men were 
housed in one end of the building and the horses in the other. The season that 
followed was a strenuous one. One hundred and thirty days were put in on the 
road between the claim and the town of White Lake. Though the air was full of 
politics, the future governor of the state was too busy getting established in 
his home to give the subject any attention.  By fall a new house had been 
ereced, a horse stable built and sheep shed, 18 feet wide by 240 feet long had 
been completed for the 6oo head of sheep brought out from Wisconsin by Mr. S. H. 
Albert in August.

On the morning of April 5th of that year a gentleman with his wife and children 
and his sister engaged a team at Plankinton to take them to Wessington Springs. 
They made the start early for they did not wish to hurry on the way--and they 
did not. About an hour after the horse team started a man left the station with 
a yoke of oxen, following the same road. Mile after mile the two teams traveled 
along the wearisome way. Other teams came up behind the ox team, turned out, 
passed with a cheery word to the driver, and soon after drove by the horse team.

The distance between the ox team and the horses grew perceptibly shorter. The 
boy driving the horses began to slap the animals with the lines and whip and say 
"giddap."  After a while the man with the ox team turned his cattle to the side 
of the road and for some time the two traveled side by side. Then the oxen began 
to draw ahead, and at length turned into the road and went on. In vain the 
gentleman riding behind the horses suggested to the boy that he might hurry a 
little, and in vain the boy slapped and cried "giddap."  The ox team kept 
gaining and finally disappeared in the distance. After dark the horse team 
arrived at the residence of Rev. J. G. Campbell on the SW of 17-107-64, Mr. 
Campbell came out and inquired who they were and what they wanted. Being 
informed that the party consisted of Rev. S. F. Huntley and family on their way 
to the residence of Rev. A. B. Smart, he took his lantern and piloted them 
across the gully and over the hills until the light in Smart's house could be 
seen and there the weary passengers alighted about 10 o'clock in the evening.

In June following Mr. Huntley built a sod house on the NW of 4-107--6 and with 
his family became a squatter on the "unsurveyed." Although in after years he 
served his county with distinction in the constitutional, convention and state 
senate, he never forgot the wearisome journey from Plankinton to Wessington 
Springs when he "just moved into" Jerauld county.

On the 11th day of April , 1883, five men stopped near where the townships of 
Media, Anina, Crow Lake and Pleasant are located. One of them was Theodore Dean, 
who came in a covered wagon, which he placed on the SW of 30-107--65, and in 
which he lived until in the fall, when he built a shanty. Another of the party 
was J. T. Ferguson, who at once built a shanty with a board roof on the NE of 6-
106--65, where he lived and still lives. The shanty, but built with .a shingle 
roof, is still on the place. John Conley, another of the number, built a shanty 
on the NE of 2--106--66, while his brother, Joseph Conley, made his improvements 
on the SW, of 26-107--66. John W. Todd, the other member of the party, had 
brought his family with him and put up a tent for a dwelling and lived in that 
during the summer on the SE of 25-108-66. His wife, Mrs. Minnie Todd, was the 
first woman resident of that township.  Dean is one of the commissioners of the 
county, and Ferguson is the clerk of courts.

Nearly all the land in 107-66 was soon taken and the people began the process of 
getting acquainted. This is soon accomplished in frontier settlements, where 
each must help the other.

Samuel Marlenee, a skillful carpenter, who settled on the SW of 5 was in great 
demand in assisting to build the shanties that sprung up as by magic everywhere.  
So fast they grew that the next spring Mr. Huntley from his residence on the NW 
of 4, counted 84 dwellings. It is impossible to give particular mention of each 
settler, but we must refer the reader to the list already published.

In August the people had become so well settled that they began to take steps 
toward a more organized condition of society.  On the 5th of that month a Sunday 
school and church service was commenced at the residence of Chauncey Barber in 
the southern part of the county. A minister from White Lake was present and 
preached to the settlers. Mr. Barber was elected superintendent of the Sunday 
school, 0. E. Gaffin, assistant; T. H. Null of 106-66, was made secretary and 
Mrs. Moulton, also of 106--66, treasurer.

In October, 1883, the government established a mail route for a weekly service 
between White Lake and Elmer with a postoffice at the residence of G. W. Stetson 
with that gentleman as postmaster and another at Crow Lake with Albert M. Allyon 
as postmaster.

The Stetson postoffice was kept in a dugout on the NE of 34-107-66, which was 
Mr. Stetson's dwelling place.

The mail carrier over the new line was Mr. R. Y. Hazard of 106--66; his 
compensation being $312.00 for performing that service from October 15th, 1883, 
to June 30th, 1884.

The mail facilities for the new county had now been very much increased. A line 
was established during the summer running from Miller to Kimball via Sulphur 
Springs, with George N. Price as carrier; another from Elmer to Miller with A. 
B. Smart as carrier. The Plankinton line was extended to Huron and the service 
increased to twice a week on the first of March, 1883. Jack Sutley, who had 
carried the mail between Plankinton and Elmer from the time the line was 
established' July I, 1882, continued to drive that route until April 3, 1883, 
when he sold it to Bert Orr, who was then living at Plankinton.  The offices in 
the southern part of this line in Jerauld county were Parsons, Gordon and 
Sullivan.

In November a postoffice was located on the NE of 7--107--65, named Templeton 
with J. N. Cross as postmaster. This office was supplied by the Elmer and White 
Lake line.

The line from Mitchel1 to Port Thompson was still continued, but the service was 
anything but satisfactory.

During the summer of 1883 the people of 108--66, among whom were a goodly number 
of Quakers, progressed as rapidly as their neighbors on the south. Nearly all 
the land was taken, and a large acreage broken up. Along in September or October 
C. G. Smith, A. G. Snyder, William Marshall, I. N. Rich, 0. J. Marshall, Peter 
Wilfring and C. W. Mills organized a Sunday school at the residence of the 
latter on the SW of I5. This organization is still in existence. At first the 
meetings alternated between Mr. Mills' home and that of Mr. Wilfring on section 
2, accompanied by preaching by Mr. and Mrs. Huntley and William Marshall.

CHAPTER 12. PAGES 48-51

One morning in the latter part of April, 1882, a party consisting of John and 
Peter Primmer and W. B. Wilson set out from the south part of 106--64 to meet 
Fred Kieser at Huron, who was coming over the C. & N. W. with 300 or 400 head of 
sheep from Iowa. They arrived at Huron that evening and found Kieser there with 
the sheep unloaded and ready for an early start in the morning. He had brought 
with him a few rods of portable fencing that he put on a wagon to take along for 
use as a coral at night while on the way from the station to his claim in 
section 35--106--44. On the wagon with the fencing he put the provisions for the 
party during the trip.

At Huron they met Charles Walters who was also going to his claim in section 22-
106--64. Walters, as a matter of company, decided to go along with Kieser's 
party.

All being ready the sheep were started in charge of Mr. Kieser, Ben Wilson and 
John Primmer, leaving Pete Primmer to follow on with the team, fencing and 
provisions.

It was at the time of year when the new grass was just starting and the sheep 
were inclined to straggle a good deal.  They were finally brought out of the 
town and started in a southwesterly direction. The drivers had gone on with the 
flock of sheep until near noon, but the team with the fencing and food for 
dinner did not appear.  Kieser became anxious about the missing wagon and driver 
and rode back to the town to see what was the trouble while Ben and John moved 
on with the straggling herd.

Back in Huron Pete leisurely put the team to the wagon, knowing that a flock of 
sheep move slowly, and thinking he would soon overtake them. When everything was 
ready he drove out of town on the road he supposed the sheep had taken. In those 
days the trails ran everywhere without regard to section line, for there was not 
a fence between Huron and Plankinton. Pete got on to one of these trails, or 
roads, and followed on, expecting every moment to come in sight of the moving 
herd. As he did not come up with the drivers as soon as he thought to, he 
concluded they had gone faster than usual and whipped up the team. On and on he 
went, following in a direction toward home as nearly as he could judge, but no 
sheep could he find.

Mr. Kieser reached Huron in search of the team and wagon and learned that Pete 
had gone after the herd. The thought at once occurred to him that the team was 
on the wrong road and immediately set off
on another road of course -- to overtake Pete and bring him around to the boys 
who he knew by this time must be getting hungry. Away he went, mile after mile, 
but no Pete could he see. At length he gave up the search and returned to the 
herd and the hungry drivers.  All the afternoon they kept the sheep moving on in 
the direction of their destination, constantly scanning the surrounding prairie 
in the hope that Pete would appear with the food and the coral fence.

Just before dark they came to a claim shanty and camped for the night.  The 
people who occupied the shanty were hospitable and the party obtained a good 
supper and then took turns through the night in herding the sheep.  The next 
morning after a hearty breakfast the flock was again put in motion and the long 
wearisome journey continued-seeming doubly long for there was not another 
dwelling on the way. Still the missing wagon did not come in sight and with 
nothing to eat or drink, except the water in the lake beds that, they passed, 
the boys and men trudged on till night. About sundown they arrived at the bank 
of a small lake west of where Alpena now stands and again camped. The air was 
chilly and no shelter to be seen.

From among the things in his wagon Mr. Walters brought out a single blanket, a 
spade and a loaf of bread. The loaf was divided among them and then with the 
spade they dug a hole about a foot deep and six feet square. Into this they 
piled a lot of dry grass, that with their pocket knives they cut from the lake 
bed, and all but one lay down under cover of the one blanket to get what rest 
and sleep they could. The one stayed up to watch the sheep for two hours when he 
changed places with one of those in the hole. They slept but little, but got 
some rest.  It was tiresome to lie in one position, but were packed so closely 
that all must turn at the same time. Lying "spoon fashion," when one would get 
tired he would cry out, "prepare to spoon, spoon," all would turn.

But the longest night has a morning and the longest journey has an end.  At 
daylight on the first day of May they were up and on the journey again. That 
night they reached home and glad enough to get there. Pete had arrived before 
them. He had wandered about on the prairie in search of the flock until all hope 
of finding it was gone and then, after spending one night in the wagon, drove 
home.

On the 31st day of May, 1882, a party composed of James O. Gray, Edson Whitney, 
J. Bridgeman, J. P. Harding and Mrs. Roxy A. Bartlett, mother-in-law of 
Bridgeman and Harding, crossed the east line of Aurora county near the southeast 
corner of section 1--107--63. Mrs. Bartlett had previously filed a preemption 
claim on the SW of 30--108-63, and Mr. Harding had placed the same kind of a 
filing on the northwest quarter of the same section. While in Mitchell to get 
lumber and her household furniture she and her son-in-law, met Gray and Whitney, 
who were going up the James River Valley to look for land. An arrangement was 
made with Mr. Gray, who had a good span of horses, to take a load to the 
Bartlett claim.

Soon after crossing the county line they arrived at the residence of W. M. 
Posey, who with his family, had located a few days before on the NE of 2 in 107-
-3. The Poseys were then the only family in what is now Franklin township. After 
a few minutes spent in greetings and inquiries the party passed on taking a 
course west by north. On the NW of 33-108--63, Mr. Gray made a slight 
improvement, as notice to any who might come after him that he had selected that 
quarter as his claim.

At, the SW of 32--108--63 Mr. Whitney made his selection and the party went on 
to the spot, where Mrs. Bartlett wanted her claim shanty built.  It was 
afternoon when they reached he Bartlett claim and the weather indicated a storm.  
A temporary shelter was constructed for the household goods and in it the whole 
party took refuge from the rain that came with the night.

The number of settlers in townships 107 and 108--63 was small at that time. Mr. 
Posey with his family was busy getting a rude shelter on section 2-107-63, and 
in digging a well close by. The shanty was 14x16 of rough boards with a shed 
roof. The covering of the shanty was made of 16 foot boards which projected 
about 18 inches over the north side. The well was dug down to a depth of about 8 
feet, but not finding water they concluded to use the hole as a place in which 
to keep milk and butter. For convenience in getting out and into this improvised 
outdoor cellar, some steps were dug from one side down into it.
In the Posey household at that time there were eleven persons and as it was 
impossible to make separate beds for all one long bunk was built across one end 
of the shanty which served as a brace for the walls and a sleeping place for the 
whole family.

On the SE of 5-107--63, a gentleman named I. P. Ray had built a commodious house 
one and one-half story high, but his family had not yet arrived.

In sections 3 and 10 of 108--63 W. H. Arne and Richard Davenport had located, 
while Albert Ahart had built a house on the SE of 29, and August Scheel on the 
SE of 32. The last two settlers had put up their buildings in February.

The coming of the party mentioned at the beginning of this chapter was a welcome 
addition to the settlement. Mr. Gray had provided himself with a tent and in it 
he and his .family took up their abode.
By helping each other all were soon comfortably housed in their temporary 
quarters.

The 24th of June was an intensely hot day and the sun set in a bank of clouds 
that threatened a severe storm before morning. Each of the settlers kept close 
watch of the weather until toward midnight the clouds disappeared and all 
retired to rest.

About two o'clock in the morning a terrific wind storm struck the sleeping 
settlement.  Ahart's house was literally crushed to splinters. The roof of Mrs. 
Bartlett's house was scattered over the prairie and the family exposed to the 
rain and hail that soon followed. The Gray tent was blown from its fastenings 
and whirled away in the darkness. The rain and hail began to come and getting a 
wide board that had been used by the family as a table, Mr. and Mrs. Gray held 
it in a slanting position over the terrified children, until the violence of the 
storm was past.

Mr. Ray, whose family had come on a few days before felt the house yielding to 
the fury of the wind and catching up the children he and his wife rushed for the 
protection of the sod stable that stood near. When about half way between the 
two buildings he heard the house behind him crush to pieces and by the flare of 
the lightning he saw the roof of the sod stable go off with the wind. He stopped 
and for a minute braced against the wind while he thought what best to do. By 
the light of the thunder bolts he saw that the roof of the house had settled 
down onto the lower floor and seemed to be intact and holding together.  It 
appeared to be the safest place and under it he hustled the family.

When the Posey family heard the storm coming they ran to the well that had been 
used for an outdoor cellar and crowded into that for shelter from the wind. The 
roof of the shanty soon disappeared and then the rain and hail came in torrents. 
The steps down into the cellar made a ditch for the water and soon the well was 
filling. They helped each other out of the hole and then ran to the walls of the 
shanty for protection. The bunk had braced the walls sufficiently to keep them 
right and under  the whole family gathered and remained until daylight.

In the morning the settlers hurried about from one family to another to 
ascertain what damage had been done and who if any had been hurt. It was found 
that no one had been seriously injured, but the stock had been scattered. 
Nothing in the history of the county is more firmly fixed in the memory of the 
settlers of '82 than the storm in the night of June 24.

Nearly all of the settlers put in a few acres of sod crop and gathered a good 
harvest. In September a prairie fire swept over the settlement destroying a 
stable for Mr. Kellogg, who had settled on, the NW of 31-108--63, and burned all 
the hay that Gray had made. Mr. Posey lost a part of his hay and R. J. Eastman 
lost all.

CHAPTER 13. PAGES 52-54

Early in the spring of 1882, Joseph and John Steichen located in the central 
part of township 106-63, in sections 20 and 21, put up sod houses and made the 
beginning of what have since become some of the best farms in the county. They 
were soon followed by Andrew and Samuel Swenson, who settled in sections 5 and 
9. These four settlers were in time to break up a few acres of prairie and each 
raised a fair crop of sod corn.

Later in the season, J. P. Parquet, C. C. Wright, Richard Dalton, John M. 
Wheeler and Thos. Biggar found land that suited them and became early pioneers 
of that  township.  All these settlers except Mr. Wright started their Dakota 
settlements with sod buildings.

The winter of 1882-83 was about an average Dakota winter, and the pioneers found 
plenty to occupy their time.

In February, 1883, Rev. J. G. Campbell, who was hauling building material from 
Mitchell to his farm near Wessington Springs, was caught by a snow storm and 
stayed over Sabbath with Mr. Wright.  It was suggested that religious services 
be held and notice was accordingly sent out through the neighborhood.  

A few of the settlers gathered in response to the call and the first sermon in 
township 106-63 was preached by Mr. Campbell in Mr. Wright's house, from the 
following text:
"A bruised reed shall he not break and the smoking flax shall he not quench.  He 
shall bring forth judgment unto truth."-Isa. 42 :3.

Geo. W. Ryckman came to 106-63 in April, 1883, and built a frame shanty on the 
NW of 5. At that time there was the residence of but one actual settler in sight 
from Ryckman's dwelling which stood on a little knoll.

On the fourth of July folling quite a number of the newcomers gathered at 
Ryckman's to celebrate the day. Then, from the place of celebration, 72 
residences were in sight. A few were frame shanties, many were of sod and some 
were "dug-outs."

One morning in the summer of 1883 a lady entered the Liverpool office of one of 
the great Trans-Atlantic steamship companies and bought a ticket for herself and 
six children -- all boys -- to Huron, D. T.  Her luggage consisted of eleven 
large boxes packed almost to bursting. The trip was a nerve-racking one, with 
all the boys, each one curious to see every part of the ship.  But the voyage 
was made without incident worthy of note until the ship, the "City of Berlin," 
arrived in the harbor of New York.

There the customs officers, the terror of all ocean travelers, came aboard.  Now 
there is as much difference between revenue officers, as there is between 
civilized people and barbarians.  Some would roughly
each open a box or bail of goods, dump out the contents, scatter the articles 
about on the floor and after making a mark on the box to indicate that it 
contained no dutiable things, leave the mess for the owner to pack as best he or 
she could.

The English lady stood for some time watching the, officers as they emptied and 
ransacked the bundles, bags, boxes and trunks of the other passengers.  What 
would she do if they emptied all her luggage and spread it about like that  She 
thought she could never get it stowed gain.  She soon noticed the difference in 
the methods of the government agents and picking out a man with a kindly face 
she approached him and holding out the keys to her packages told him she was in 
a hurry, that she had six little boys to look after, and wouldn't he please 
inspect her goods.

"Madam," he said, "do all these packages belong to you?"

"Yes, sir."

"Well," he said musingly, "you do not look like a smuggler, so just open this 
box first. Now put your hand down on the inside clear to the bottom and pass it 
around the box. There now lock it up again and we will peep into the others." So 
they went through all the boxes, the officer putting a chalk mark on each one as 
she locked it. In a few hours they were on the train with no more danger of the 
little fellows falling overboard, and if she could keep them together until they 
reached their destination she would think herself lucky indeed.

On the third day out from New York they arrived at Huron and made inquiry for a 
gentleman named Reed, to whom they had been directed. Mr. Reed being found, for 
whom the lady's husband was at work she requested that gentleman to please 
inform Mr. Thomas Sheffield that his wife and family had arrived. The husband 
soon appeared, and a few weeks later all were settled on their homestead, the SW 
of
22-108--63.

At the residence of August Scheel on the NE of 32-108-63 a daughter was born on 
the 12th of December, 1882, and all the newcomers, who settled in that vicinity, 
must go and see the first native born in the township. The little lady grew to 
womanhood in that township and now bears the name of Mrs. William Ahart.

The spring of 1883 brought many new settlers to the townships in range 63.  All 
was hustle and hurry, the land must be selected and a trip made to the Mitchell 
land office to make a filing. Then lumber and other material brought for the 
claim buildings, for though the buildings were made of sod stripped from the 
prairie, the roofs, doors and window frames must be made of wood.

These primitive structures answered the purpose on the prairie that the log 
houses did in the forest settlements of the wooded states farther east.

In May, 1883, T. L. Blank and his sister, Sadie, (now Mrs. L. W. Castleman of 
Alpena) arrived from Iowa.  Mr. Blank at once built a sod house on his claim, 
the SW of 27-108--63.  Other settlers had come and more were arriving every day. 
There were a number of children in the neighborhood, and Miss Blank determined 
to organize a school, using her brother's sod residence for a school house. This 
school was commenced about the 10th of June, 1883, and in it were gathered Elva, 
Mary, Ella and Clara Eastman, Ira and Jessie Posey.

About the same time that Miss Blank began her day school a Sunday school was 
organized at the residence of Chas. Eastman which was named Plainview Union 
Sunday School.  Mr. Blank, who had been most energetic in its organization, was 
made superintendent, and Mrs. Chas. Eastman organist.
About the same time Liberty Sunday School was organized at the residence of I. 
P. Ray in 107--63.
Religious services, conducted, by Rev. A. B. Smart, were held in connection with 
the Sunday schools.

CHAPTER 14. PAGES 54-58

In the early autumn of 1883 some of the people of township 108--65 (Chery) 
determined to provide school privileges for their children. Mr. M. E. Small 
furnished a building, located on his homestead, the SE of 22, and Miss Sarah 
Johnson was employed as teacher. The school continued for several months and was 
attended by the following named pupils: Chas. Miller, May Miller, Lucy Hill, 
Phoebe Hill, Ole Olson, Joe Thornton, Mary Johnson, Maggie Johnson.

The building in which this school was taught was afterward used by Mr. Small for 
a granary and still is in use on the same farm which is flow owned by Mr. R. W. 
Johnson.

The teacher, Miss Johnson, afterward taught several terms in the public schools 
of the township and then married Mr. Owen Williams of Wessington Springs 
township. She died near Wessington Springs a few years later.

In township 108--65 occurred the first death in Jerauld county. A little child 
of Mr. and Mrs. G. W. Bolton died after a short illness and was buried on their 
homestead, the NW quarter of section 32. The only cemetery in the county at that 
time was on the SW of 29-107--67, near Sulphur Springs. That was too far away 
and so, with the sympathetic aid of the neighbors the little one was laid near 
the prairie home and there it rests today.

On the 25th day of July, 1883, Mr. Jas. F. Bolton, who owned the NE of 31-108--
65, employed Mr. H. J. Wallace, a surveyor, and platted a townsite, which he 
named "Monclova."  He afterward changed the named to "Bolton," but he never 
recorded the plat nor sold any lots.

Benjamin Drake took the SE of 6-108--5 as a pre-emption claim in the spring of 
1883. He put up a frame shanty and purchased a breaking plow, which nearly 
exhausted his ready cash. He raised a few acres of flax and by the first of 
September was in shape to go comfortably through the winter.  But that morning 
he met with a disaster that changed the whole aspect of affairs for him.  He had 
risen early as usual and built a fire in his cook stove.  He then took the water 
pail and went to the well, which he had dug about forty rods from the house. As 
h~ started back with the pail of water a dense volume of smoke at the shanty 
told him it was on fire. The old man hurried ~s fast as possible, but before he 
reached the building the flames were bursting from the roof and sides. He lost 
all his outfit and had to build a sod house in which to spend the winter. He and 
his family worked hard for several years, but finally gave it up and moved to 
Minnesota, where they still live.

In the western part of 107--65 a Sunday school was organized with 26 members at 
the residence of Mr. Kendall on section 5, May 27th, 1883.  M. D. Crow was 
elected superintendent, Mr. Kendall, assistant superintendent, Mrs. E. L. 
DeLine, secretary and treasurer, and R. S. Vessey, librarian. This organization 
was kept up until fall when it was merged in the Union Sunday school, held at 
the residence of Mr. J. N. Cross on the NE of 7.

With the coming of spring in 1883 Wessington Springs began to shown signs of 
life.
The territorial legislature that closed on the 9th of March had passed a bill 
enabling the people located in the townships numbered 106, 107 and 108 of Aurora 
county to make a new county of the townships described therein.

At once interest centered about the new town located at the big spring. The few 
residences in the vicinity were thronged with settlers and prospectors.  The 
dwellings of Hiram Blowers, R. S. Bateman and A. B. Smart, being nearest the 
townsite, became almost per force, regular boarding houses.

C. W. McDonald and W. I. Bateman formed a partnership under the firm name of 
McDonald & Bateman, and began the publication of a weekly newspaper, named "The 
Wessington Springs Herald." The first issue published on the 24th day of March 
was printed in the office of the Aurora County Standard, then located at 
Plankinton. The next two issues were also printed in Plankinton, and then the 
Herald printing office was located in a room in R. S. Bateman's house a few rods 
south of the Wessington Springs townsite. The first issue printed in the new 
location was run through the press on the 28th day of April, 1883, and contained 
15 quires of paper.

According to the law creating the new county, it could not take effect until the 
people residing in the proposed county should say by their votes that they 
desired the new political organization with the name as fixed by the 
legislature. The vote was taken on the 17th day of April and Jerauld county was 
born that day.

There has never been a time when the Dakotan has not felt an interest in 
politics. At this election one of the polling places was at the residence of I. 
P. Ray, in Franklin township. The result of the vote in that precinct was 
carried by L. W. Castleman that night to the residence of H. J. Wallace in Chery 
township.

On the day before the first issue of the Herald was printed in Mr Bateman's 
house, a real estate firm by the name of Reed & Akin, began the construction of 
an office building on the south side of Main street, a short distance west of 
where the State Bank building now stands.  It was moved across to the north side 
of the street a few weeks later and occupied by Drake & Magee, after Reed & Akin 
left the town, which occurred about the first of June. The Reed & Akin office 
was the first building to remain permanently on the townsite and at the time of 
its construction it was the only building on the original plat of the town. It 
now stands back of the office building of Ausman & Wallace and is used by that 
firm as a private office.

A few days later Mr. A. R. Powell, then a squatter in township 107 -- 66, hauled 
a load of lumber from Planktinton for Lew Hoes and a Mr. Phillips, who formed a 
partnership and with the load of lumber erected a rough board shanty, with a 
board shed roof. The building was 16 feet square, and stood a little north and 
east of where the Oliver Hotel now stands.

In this building Hoes & Phillips opened a stock of groceries, which had been 
brought by Powell with the lumber for the building. This was the beginning of 
the commercial life of Wessington Springs.

A day or two after Hoes & Phillips put up their grocery "store," Mr. A. J. 
Wentworth built a shanty about where the stable of the M. E. parsonage is 
located. This building remained on the townsite but a short time. Mr. Wentworth 
moved it to his claim on the NE of 15 - 107--65.

During the same month (April) the townsite company at that time composed of C. 
S. Burr, of Mitchell, and D. A. Scott, of Rockford, Ia., began active work to 
set the town on the way to a vigorous growth. A hotel was a first necessity and 
they commenced bringing lumber for that purpose from Plankinton, then the 
nearest railroad point. It was a long haul, the roads were bad, and no bridges 
between Plankinton and the Springs. The worst place on the road was at the 
crossing of the west branch of the Firesteel creek in Aurora county.  The water 
was high and the creek bed soft.

To remedy this difficulty Mr. Scott brought out some timbers and banks and built 
a bridge over the stream. That was a great convenience while it lasted, but a 
few days after the bridge was constructed a heavy rain flooded the stream and 
the bridge disappeared completely and forever so far as Mr. Scott was concerned.

About the last of April a couple of gentlemen arrived from Ludlow, Vermont, to 
look at the new town with a view to building a hotel. Mr. Scott at once offered 
them the lumber that he had brought, at what it cost him, and also offered to 
make them a present of the tree lots on the corner where the First National Bank 
now stands. The offer was accepted and work on the foundation of the hotel 
commenced at once.

By the first of May the cellar was ready for the stone masons to begin laying 
wall. Quite a crowd was standing about when Mr. Mark Scofield rolled the first 
stone to its place in a bed of mortar and one of the bystanders exclaimed, "By 
Halifax! that's the first stone laid in mortar in the county of Jerauld."  From 
that time the workmen rapidly pushed the work to completion.

On the 13th of April Mr. R. S. Bateman, who had been in Wisconsin soliciting 
funds for the erection of the church building, returned to tile Springs and 
reported a successful trip. The matter being called to the attention of the 
townsite company, Messrs. Burr & Scott at once contributed five hundred dollars 
towards building the new church and also promised the society a block of lots 
upon which to build the edifice, a promise that was fulfilled as soon as the 
preparations were completed.

April 22, 1883, two young men, quiet and unpretentious in demeanor, came into 
the little village at the foot of the hills, and soon became a part of the 
business life of the community. One of them, Mr. F. Drake, remained but a short 
time. The other, Mr. E. L. Smith, has lived in Wessington Springs more years 
than any other man. No man's handiwork has been felt in the now thriving city, 
to a greater extent than his. A carpenter by trade, Mr. Smith has been one of 
the few indispensable citizens of the place.

CHAPTER 15. PAGES 58-61

May 5th, 1883, Mr. T. R. Dunn, of the firm of Dunn & Hackett, Wessington Springs 
to prepare for opening a real estate office. Mr. Hackett remained in Mitchell a 
few days to close up some business he had there and to get a supply of blanks 
and others things essential for the office. In a few days the new firm procured 
a building that had been erected a short distance east of town and moved it onto 
one of the lots where Shull's drug store now stands. On May 19th their 
professional card first appeared in the Wessington Springs Herald. Jt was the 
beginning of an office maintained by Mr. Hackett for a number of years. The 
building was afterward moved across the street and now occupies a place in the 
rear of Hawthorne's restaurant.

About a month later, June 16th, 1883, Drake & Magee also opened a law and real 
estate office in the building put up by Reed & Akin.

Mr. Phillips remained in the grocery business with Lew Hoes but a short time and 
about the first of May sold his interest, which was small, to C. H. and H. C. 
Stephens.  The new firm conducted the business under the name of Hoes & Stephens 
for a few days and then Mr. Hoes being compelled to go to Iowa for an indefinite 
stay, he sold his share to his partners, who continued the business for several 
months as H. C. & C. H. Stephens.

In the month of May Stephens Bros. began the construction of a store building, 
one and one-half stories high, that occupied their time during the following two 
months. By the fourth of July their building was so far along that they began 
selling goods over rough board counters. The upper story was made into one room, 
which was used as a public hall.
When Stephens' Hall was completed the church services were held in it instead of 
at Mrs. Riddle's house on section 8. Until the building of the First M. E. 
church the room over Stephens' store was the place for all public gatherings.

Immediately after Dunn & Hackett placed their office on the south side of Main 
street Sam Arnold and Will Housel began to put up a store Building on one of the 
vacant lots west of the present site of the State Bank.

During the first week in June, 1883, E. B. Orr, who had purchased of Jack Sutley 
the stage line from Planktinton to Huron, began the erection of a livery stable 
in Wessington Springs near the present location of the residence of Geo. N. 
Price. While Mr. Orr was building his stable Silas Kinney was at work on a store 
and residence which still stands opposite Short's notion store. The Kinney 
building was completed and a our and feed store opened in it the first week in 
July.

In the meantime work on the hotel was being rapidly pushed and on the 4th day of 
July the building was opened to the public. The following is an accurate 
description of the well known hostelry:

The main building was two full stories in height and was 24-60 feet n size. 
Above the second story was an attic, in which beds and cots were placed for use 
when the rooms below were all occupied, which was generally the case. The second 
story was divided into single and double sleeping rooms, so that with the use of 
beds and cots in the attic about seventy-five persons could be cared for at one 
time. At the rear end of the main building was the kitchen, 12X24 feet in size. 
In the southeast corner of the main building and adjoining the kitchen, was the 
dining room and fronting on Main street was the ladies' sitting room, 11X20.
The hotel office, 11X30, was in the northwest corner. The hall and stairway was 
located between the office and the ladies' sitting room, with doors leading into 
both and opening onto the Main street through the front door. A side door 
opening on to 2nd street was near the northwest corner of the office room. Two 
more sleeping rooms, designed for the use of the proprietors, were situated west 
of the dining room and south of the office. The hotel was heated with P. P. 
Stewart hard coal burners in the office and sitting room.

Connected with the hotel by a covered passage, in true New England style, was 
the hotel barn, 22x50, with an addition for stable room, 14x30.

While the hotel was being built Mr. Applegate, of Mitchell, put up and enclosed 
the building in later years known as the Carlton House.

In the month of June and the forepart of July the proprietors of the Wessington 
Springs Herald had a force of carpenters at work putting up the building used 
afterward by them as a printing office and bank. July 21st the Herald was issued 
from its new office for the first time.

Nearly all of the lumber used in the construction of the various buildings in 
Wessington Springs and vicinity was brought with teams from Plankinton.  In many 
places, where the trail crossed the streams and draws it was in dangerous 
condition. Especially was this the case at the
Crossing  what was then termed "The Long Gully" on the east line of section 18 - 
107 -64.

On the 15th of May, 1883, Mr. H. Blowers, who had been elected a road supervisor 
before Jerauld county was born, called on the neighbors and spent the day in 
rolling stone into the streams and making it passable. That was probably the 
first "road work" done in the new county.

About the first of June word was received that the lumber for the church had 
arrived at Wessington station on the C. & N. W. Ry. Hiram Blowers and R. S. 
Bateman at once went to that place to receive and unload the material. They met 
a great many people going to or from the station, and among them Mr. Jefferson 
Sickler, then living at Wessington Springs.  Mr. Sickler had with him a wagon 
and a yoke of oxen and they induced him to haul a load of the lumber home for 
them. That was the first load of material hauled for the church in Wessington 
Springs. On the 5th of June Blowers and Bateman came in with two more loads. The 
church building committee then got together and selected the block upon which 
the Willard Hotel is situated as the site for the church. There the lumber was 
unloaded and preparations made to commence work on the foundation, but at the 
request of the townsite company the location was changed to the block south and 
to it the society received a deed from the company.

It was a long ways to haul the lumber and the roads, in places, almost 
impassable. Yet the frame of the structure was up and enclosed in July and on 
the 26th of August the cornerstone was laid. The ceremony of laying the stone 
was conducted by the pastor, Rev. J. W. P. Jordan, assisted by Rev. J. G. 
Campbell. The sermon was preached by Rev. W. H. Hoadley of Huron.

A "mite society" had been organized by the ladies of the church and on the 
evening of the 29th of August they held, in the church building, their first 
sociable.

In July Mr. Chas. E. Bourne, of Boston, Mass., purchased a one-fourth interest 
in the townsite, and was henceforth identified with the growth and development 
of the town.

In the early spring Jefferson Sickler put up a rough board shanty, 16x32, a 
little south of where the Kinney store was afterward built, and E. L. Smith and 
F. Drake later put up another small shanty west of the creek and both of these 
buildings were used as temporary residences. But the first permanent residence 
in the town was built by R. M. Magee in August, on the north side of the creek. 
That little house is still standing on the ground where it was built and is a 
part of the residence of Mr. James Barr.

During the same month, August, J. H. Woodburn and L.. H. Tarble built a 
blacksmith shop where F .M. Brown's livery barn stands, near the alley north of 
Vessey's store.

Two lots east of Morse & La Point's store, E. H. Ford built a small room that 
was used for millinery, restaurant, printing office and other purposes in the 
years that followed.

In November the school house, built by subscription, was completed.

The post office building, west of the Herald office, was completed the fore part 
of November, and on the 5th of the month Postmaster Barrett moved the office 
into it from his farm at the mouth of the gulch.

At the same time J. F. Ford and I. N. Rich began the construction 6f a law and 
real estate office, which is now used by Hermsen for a barber shop.

CHAPTER 16. PAGES 61-66

But other matters besides the erection of buildings occupied the attention of 
the people of the town of Wessington Springs and the county generally.

Among the immigrants to the new county were a large number of the survivors of 
the Civil war. Of these veterans fifteen met in Stephens' Hall in Wessington 
Springs on the 16th of June, 1883, to take steps toward the organization of a G. 
A. R. Post. J. M. Spears was chairman of the meeting. The other present were P. 
R. Barrett, C. W. P. Osgood W. T. Hay, C. T. Hall, T. V. Donovan, H. C. 
Stephens, C. D. Brown, J. H. Woodburn, J. G. Good, Wm. Taylor, C. H. Stephens, 
Jno. R. Francis, Jas. T. Ferguson, and C. M. Chery. At this meeting it was 
decided to organize a G. A. R. Post, to be named in honor of Gen. E. 0. C. Ord, 
of Pennsylvania. A charter was applied for and granted. The organization was 
completed on the 25th of August with H. C. Stephens, commander, and C. W. Hill, 
adjutant.

One of the things most desired by the people at the Springs was school 
privileges for the children. To meet this necessity Miss Jeanette Richardson 
organized a school in September, which she taught several weeks. The author has 
been unable to learn in what room this school was held, nor who were the pupils 
that attended it.

For several years the people of the Territory of Dakota had been asking congress 
for division into North and South Dakota and the admission of both into the 
Union as states. In the spring of 1883 a large number of the advocates of 
division and admission living in the south part of the territory, assembled at 
Huron and issued a call for a constitutional convention to meet. in the city of 
Sioux Falls on the 4th day of September, 1883. In that call Jerauld, being an 
unorganized county, was allowed but one delegate to the convention.

A call for a mass convention of the voters of the county was published July 21st 
to be held on the 25th of the same month at Stephens' Hall to consult as to the 
best method to secure representation in the Sioux Falls convention. As Jerauld 
county had not been represented in the Huron meeting no one had been appointed 
to call a meeting of the voters of the county, so this notice was simply signed 
"By Request."

At 2 o'clock on the afternoon of the day appointed (Wednesday) 24 voters met in 
the hall. Mr. R. S. Bateman was made chairman and C. W. McDonald, clerk. The 
matter before the meeting was fully discussed and at length it was determined to 
proceed to the election of a delegate. The vote was by ballot with the following 
result:

C. W. McDonald, 17; C. W. Hill, 2; John Chapman, 2; J. M. Spears, 2; R. S. 
Bateman, 1.

The election of Mr. McDonald was then made unanimous.

The constitutional convention met in Sioux Falls on the 4th of September, 1883, 
and perfected an organization. Bartlett Tripp, of Yankton, was made chairman. In 
the appointment of committees the member from Jerauld county was made chairman 
of the committee on printing.

A gentleman named George Whalen appeared to contest the place from Jerauld 
county. His notice of contest was presented by A. Converse, a member from 
Sanborn county. The matter was referred to a committee of three, who reported 
that grave irregularities existed in the selection of both delegates and 
therefore it was recommended that both delegates be seated, giving Jerauld 
county two representatives.  A C. Mellette moved that both be seated with the 
right to half a vote each. Neither plan was adopted, and Mr. Whalen retired from 
the convention, leaving Mr. McDonald to perform his duties without further 
annoyance.

The convention was in session for several weeks.

People generally throughout the territory gave but little attention to the 
doings of the convention. Yet some of he leaders of certain movements brought 
forward their ideas and forced them upon the attention of the delegates.

At the 4th quarterly meeting of the M. E. church at Wessington Springs, held on 
Sept. 16th, for the year 1883, the services were held in the new church.  Rev. 
McCready, of Huron, delivered a stirring temperance address, and at the close of 
the meeting a petition was circulated and extensively signed asking the 
convention in session at Sioux Falls to incorporate prohibition in the 
constitution they were framing. This petition with another asking for equal 
suffrage, was given to Mr. Converse to be presented to the convention. The 
petitions were duly presented, but both were rejected.

The constitutional convention of 1883 concluded its labors by the appointment of 
a committee in each county having authority to call an election, at which the 
people could adopt or reject the proposed constitution. The committee for 
Jerauld county were C. W. McDonald, chairman, and J. F. Ford, secretary.

The committee called the election for Nov. 6th.  They defined the precincts and 
named the judges of election as follows:

No. 1 - All of township 108 - 63 and that part of 108 -- 64 lying east of the 
bed of the Firesteel Creek from the point where it crosses the south line of the 
township, and thence north through the channel of said creek, to the east line 
of section 16, thence north to the county line. Election to be held at the house 
of Mr. Stewart. No judges named.

No. 2-All of township 107-63 and that part of 107--64 lying east of the 
Firesteel Creek. Election to be held at the residence of W. P. Pierce. No 
officers named.

No. 3-All of township 106--63 and that part of 106-64 lying east of the 
Firesteel Creek. Election to be held at the house of John Ahlers. Judges, Joseph 
Steichen, Henry Walters, Samuel Swenson.

No. 4-All of township 106--64 lying west of the Firesteel Creek and the east 
half of 106--65. Election to be held at the house of T. K. Ford. Judges, T. K. 
Ford, S S. Moore and John Phillips.

No. 5-All of township 107-64 lying west of Firesteel Creek and the east half of 
107--65. Election to be held at the Herald office in the village of Wessington 
Springs. Judges, H. C. Stephens, P. R. Barrett, Hiram Blowers.

No. 6-All of township 108--64 lying west of precinct No. 1, and the east two-
thirds of 108--65. Election to be held at the house of W. N. HiIl. Judges, H. A. 
Miller, Jesse Simons and H. J. Wallace.

No. 7-West one -third of townships 108--65 and all of 108--66 and 108-67. 
Election to be held at the house of I. N. Rich. Judges, C. M. Chery, 0.0. 
England and I. N. Rich.

No. 8-The west one-half of township 107--65 and all of 107--66 and
107-67. Election to be held at the house of John Sullivan.  Judges, Mr. Pryne, 
Samuel Marlenee and W. Crittenden.

No. 9 -- The west one-half of township 106--65 and all of 106--66 and 106--67. 
Election to be, held at Crow Lake post office. Judges, S. H. Melcher, Mr. Jones 
and Joseph O'Brien.

Polls to be kept open from, 8 a. m. to 5 p., in. The call for the election was 
dated October 20, 1883.

To get the constitution before the voters and do the work necessary to be done 
before the day of election a constitutional executive committee was appointed, 
composed of C. W. McDonald, chairman; J. F. Ford, J. M. Spears, Ceo. Whalen, 
John Sullivan, C. W. Hill and R. S. Baternan.

Prior to the call of the election a number of the prohibitionists of the 
proposed state met at Huron and organized a temperance party and named it "The 
Prohibition Home Protection Party of South Dakota."  This meeting was held on 
the 10th day of October. A platform was adopted and a committeeman appointed for 
each county, Rev. J. G. Campbell being named for Jerauld county. Many prominent 
members of the new party advocated opposition to the adoption of the proposed 
constitution, because of the defeat of prohibition and equal suffrage. No 
opposition was made in Jerauld county, however, an4 the election came on without 
any strenuous campaigning.
The vote on the constitution in the county was light, the, reports from the 
various precincts being as follows:
No. 1- No votes cast.
No. 2-No votes cast.
No. 3-For the constitution, 7.
No. 4-No votes cast.
No. 5-For, 35; against, 1.
No. 6-For, 31.
No., 7-For, 7; against, 2.
No. 8-For, 32; against, 5.
No. 9-For, 26; against, 1.
Total-For, 128; against, 9.

All the work in connection with the proposed constitution had been done without 
authority of law and neither the members of the convention nor the election 
officers received any compensation for their services, nor were they reimbursed 
for their expenses.

Throughout the proposed state the vote was heavily in favor of the constitution.

By September, 1883, a number of Sunday schools had been, organized in the 
county, and on the 6th of the month a county picnic was, held at the grove by 
the big spring. As it was the first gathering of its kind in the county the 
author has, taken, the time and space to insert the program in full:

PROGRAM.

Music-Wessington Springs Sunday School.
	Prayer-Rev. J. W. P. Jordan.
Music-West Valley Union Sunday School	
Address-Rev. 0. E. Murray.
Song-By all the schools.
Basket Dinner and Social Hour.
Afternoon, 2 O'clock.
Children's Meeting.
Music-Quartette--West Valley Sunday School.
Address-Prof. W. H. Jordan.
Music-Wessington Springs Sunday School.
Address-Mr. Huntley.
Song-West Valley Sunday School.
Blackboard Exercise-M. D. Crow.
Song- Wessington Spring Sunday School.
Closing Remaks --Rev J. G. Campbell.
Closing Song by all present.

At the close of the picnic a county Sunday school organization was perfected 
with the following officers:
President, J. G. Campbell; secretary, T. L. Blank, treasurer, Mrs. E. L. DeLine; 
executive committee, Harvey Russ, T. L. Blank, C. M. Barber, C. C. Wright, J. N; 
Cross, Mrs. D. Whealand; Lettie Ford.

This was followed on Nov. 2, 1883, by the organization of a County Sunday School 
association with M. D. Crow, president; T. L. Blank, secretary, and R. M. Magee, 
treasurer.

In September, 1883, a further change was made in the Wessington Springs townsite 
company by the addition of Mr. P. R. Barrett, who sold to D. A. Scott the 480 
acres farm at the mouth of Barrett's gulch for $1 ,000 and an undivided one-
fourth interest in the townsite.

Photos on page 63
E. B. Orr
D. A. Scott
Members of the G.A. R.

CHAPTER 17. PAGES 66-70

When the first settlers in the three eastern townships of the county located 
there it was expected that the James river division of the C. M. & St. P. would 
meet the Southern Minnesota branch of the same system at Milwaukee Junction, a 
little town that had been platted by parties, not connected with the railway 
company, about five miles northeast of Woonsocket.

People had not then begun to realize how fully railroads were run primarily in 
the interest of the few men who controlled the corporations.

They did not know that townsite companies, organized among the officials of the 
road were platting the townsites in the name of the company and that private 
parties who platted land were given no consideration whatever.

All through the spring and early summer of 1883 there were rumors of the 
extension of the line north from Letcher, but where it would go no one could 
even guess. In the fore part of June one of the Plankinton papers stated that 
the line would run northwest from Letcher, passing about six miles east of 
Wessington Springs. It was not until about the first of August that the public 
became appraised of the course the extensions would take. During that month the 
company platted the town of Woonsocket in Sanborn county and in September Alpena 
was platted in the northeast part of Jerauld county.

Before the surveyors had completed the work of platting the town of Alpena, a 
house mounted on four wagons and drawn by eight horses appeared in the 
southeast, coming across the prairie from the direction of Milwaukee Junction. 
As the moving building approached, the clear notes of a cornet floated out on 
the evening air. When the teams had reached a point near what is now the main 
street of the town, one of the teams hesitated and seemed about to stop. At that 
instant a voice, that for two decades drove things in the village and county, 
roared out "gedap." It was the first word spoken in the town by an actual 
settler. The teams were finally halted and two men -- the one with the cornet 
and the one with the voice -- stepped to the ground and became from that moment 
the first settlers of the village of Alpena.

The building rested on the four wagons until the next morning when the surveyors 
marked out a lot on the south side of main street and then the structure was 
placed on its temporary foundation. It stands on the same spot to this day.

L. N. Loomis and Wesley L. Davis, the two men who arrived in the building from 
Milwaukee Junction at once engaged in the real estate business. One of their 
first moves was to purchase a printing office out-fit, which they hauled from 
Letcher with a span of horses and on the 19th day of September they issued the 
first number of the Jerauld County Journal. The paper is still in existence, but 
now under the name of the Alpena Journal, being the oldest publication in the 
county.

Within a few weeks after Loomis & Davis placed their office on the townsite, 
other buildings arrived from Milwaukee Junction, which town had by this time 
disbanded, so to speak, part of it going to the new town of Woonsocket.

0. B. Jessup brought a building, which he placed on the north side of Main 
street and is now used as a paint shop. Mr. Richard Davenport opened a 
restaurant in the Jessup building soon after its arrival.

W. L. Arnold, who had been in the mercantile business in the now deserted 
village in Sanborn county brought to Alpena a store building which he used that 
winter for a store, and in which Mr. Jessup, the first postmaster in Alpena, 
opened the post office about the middle of December. The building has since been 
used for a drug store, first by Dr. D. F. Royer, until February 1st, 1891, and 
then by W. W. Hillis.
A residence building was also moved to Alpena from Milwaukee junction by W. L. 
Arnold.
Isaac Pearce, who owned a claim a mile south of town,- built a residence and 
restaurant combined on the south side of Main street and began doing business in 
November.

By the 1st of October, 1883, the railroad was constructed as far as Alpena and 
trains were running.

About the same time F. W. Whitney opened a hardware store in the building now 
occupied by Grant Anderson on the northeast corner of Main and 2nd streets.

Soon after the completion of the railroad into the town D. F. Royer and Wm. 
Walcott started a lumber yard which they continued  as partners until the spring 
of 1884 when Royer drew out and engaged in the drug business.

During the winter of 1883 Dr. Royer built a residence on a lot south Main 
street, fronting on 2nd street.

Before the winter closed in Wallace Linn built a barn for a livery business and 
established a dray line

Soon after the town was surveyed John Zimmerman put up a black-smith shop.

In the township 107-63, a cemetery was located at the northeast corner of the NW 
quarter of section 4, then known as the Whiffin claim. 

Here Dr. Whiffin was buried in the fall of 1883, being the first burial in the 
township. A lady named Quiven was also buried in that cemetery, but in 1884 an 
acre was platted in the southwest corner of section 33 and both the bodies moved 
there. The new burial ground was named Fairview Cemetery, and is controlled by a 
corporation known as the Fairview Cemetery Association.

In September, 1883, a postoffice named Starkey was established on the NE of 35-
107-64, with Wm. Morrill as postmaster and supplied by the route from Mitchell 
to Elmer. Morrill retained the office but a few weeks and then turned it over to 
Ed LaRue, who took the office to the NW of 31-107-63, but soon resigned and 
James Johnson was appointed. Johnson kept the office at the same place and 
opened a little candy store. But in the spring of 1884, he resigned and office 
was moved to the residence of W. P. Pierce, who retained it for several years.

On December 15th, 1833, Guy Posey was born, being the first birth in township 
107-63.

The location of the new town over the line in Sanborn county was a great 
convenience to settlers in the east half of Jerauld county. As soon as the new 
town became a fact a petition was circulated in Wessington Springs and vicinity 
asking for a daily mail connection.

On October 10th, 1883, E. B. Orr put on a stage line between Wessington Springs 
and Woonsocket, and on the 25th of the same month, A. Peck, of Woonsocket, put 
on a competing line.

Farmers began hauling their produce to Woonsocket before a warehouse or elevator 
had been built. The first load of grain taken into the new town was a load of 
flax by Rev. J. G. Campbell. The man who had located there to buy grain was out 
of town that day, but Mr. Campbell chanced to meet John T. Kean, a lawyer, who 
purchased it rather than see the first load of grain brought to the town hauled 
away again.

Photos on Page 67
Isaac Pearce
F. w. Whitney
Rev. and Mrs. S. F. Huntley
Mrs Isaac Pearce 
L. W. Castleman.

End of Part 1.