Pennington County Biographies - Part I These biographies are from "Eastern Pennington County Memories", published by The American Legion Auxilliary, Carrol McDonald Unit, Wall, South Dakota and is uploaded with their kind permission. Pages 36-54 Scan, OCR and editing by Maurice Krueger, mkrueger@iw.net, 1999. This file may be freely copied by individuals and non-profit organizations for their private use. Any other use, including publication, storage in a retrieval system, or transmission by electronic, mechanical, or other means requires the written approval of the file's author. This file is part of the SDGENWEB Archives. If you arrived here inside a frame or from a link from somewhere else, our front door is at http://www.usgwarchives.net/sd/sdfiles.htm Mr. and Mrs J. A. Galbraith by Ken Lewis and Twila Shelton One of Wall's first tourists, J. A. Galbraith, didn't really want to homestead. He was just seeing the country. A typical modern day traveler except for his horse and buggy. But J. A. as he is known couldn't resist the level grass land which is now the Charlie Harnisch place. However his original disinclination for homesteading seemed to stay with him, for J. A. did practically everything in Wall during the next 58 years except farm. He and his wife stayed close to the life of the area, and in 1965 they still haven't stopped. J. A. was the community's first mail carrier, its mortician, Justice of Peace, Notary Public, merchant, dairy jobber, house mover, and leader of most of Wall's civic clubs. Although retired, he can still (and will) make out your income tax return; marry you; send you to jail; make out your will; write any kind of sales contract; put you under peace bond, or start a court action for you against your neighbor. And in nearly all these things, Mrs. Galbraith has been his assistant in addition to being a wife, mother of nine children; grandmother of twelve and great grandmother of another twelve. She has also been active in many of the community's women's groups and the Methodist Church. Perhaps the source of Mr. Galbraith's greatest satisfaction were the years he served as rural mail carrier. He conceived of the idea; organized it, and for 33 years was the vital link betweenthe scattered country folks and the world around them. Rural people nowadays can hardly imagine a life without their daily mail- letters, newspapers and advertisements. But it wasn't always like this. In 1908 J. A. took out a petition to be signed by scattered homesteaders requesting rural free delivery. "Do you tink da goberment is damn fool enough to send a man out in dis Got forsaken country every day mit de mail?" One German settler greeted J.A.'s crazy idea. But in 1909 the "damn fool goberment" approved a route, and Mr. Galbraith, as the only applicant, got the job as carrier. Over the years, the traditional snow and sleet of the mailman's lament were to be Mr. Galbraith's lot. And whenever the wind and snow rattled the windowpanes, or the spring thaw and rain turned the roads into mud, people along the route would say "I'll bet he doesn't make it today." But more often than not he did. With little faith in the daily mail idea, Mr. Galbraith found only three mail boxes up his first day on the route. Even the merchants didn't get around to stocking boxes, and J. A. ordered them and sold them for cost. By the third day, there were 103 boxes, of assorted sizes, shape and construction, along his route, As a commentary on the changing times and farming methods, his route diminished to 60 boxes by 1911, and today a 70-mile route has only 54 boxes. J. A.'s memories include a generous number of times he was stuck in the mud; run-away horses, and blizzards. "But I remember most of all the many kindnesses, patrons pulling me out of the mud times without number, bringing me back to town when broke down; keeping me over night when I was unable to get through, in one day, and so many little personal kindnesses." "In the early years we were required to go out on Christmas day, and it never failed that at least one patron, (and sometimes several) would meet me at the mail box with a complete Christmas dinner -turkey, cake, pie and the trimmings. "Many times grandmothers, children, or even blushing brides were waiting at the mail box with strawberries and cream, or some other delicacy they wanted me to share with them in honor of an anniversary, birthday or wedding." "Such things one can never forget." In the early years, J. A. was paid $75.00 a month; furnished his own transportation, and was docked for the days he couldn't get around his route. For his 17 years of retirement pay, Mr. Galbraith has earned as much as his wages for 33 of delivering the mail. J. A. Galbraith was born November 19, 1881, at Minier, Ill. second in a family of seven. All are still living except one sister and two brothers. He came with the family to Nebraska at the age of twelve and graduated from high school at Wausa, Nebraska. He took a business course, including special work in banking and lumbering, at the Nebraska Normal College at Wayne, Nebraska. Mrs. Galbraith (VaIda Mae Wood) was born in Ida Grove, Iowa, May 31, 1883, the oldest of a family of nine. She came to Nebraska with her family at the age of three, locating near Wayne, where her father removed the dirt for the basement of the college building. Toddling around after him she had the reputation of being the first child that attended regularly at the Nebraska Normal College. Valda moved with her family to Bloomfield in the late nineties. Mr. and Mrs. Galbraith were married at the home of the bride five miles east of Bloomfield, December 24, 1903. To this union nine children were born: three of them are still living: Twila at Wall, Ethel at Hereford, Elaine at Playa Del Rey, California. One son Wesley burned to death east of Wall in 1936, Marvin died in Mount Vernon, Washington, July 3, 1954; Vera at Toponga, California, Sept. 27, 1960; Grace, November 22, 1960 in Los Angeles, California. Two children died in infancy. Mr. Galbraith taught school in the latter part of 1902, most of 1903, and the first part of 1904. He moved to Spencer, Nebraska, April 1, 1904 and located on one of his father's farms. From this farm they came by covered wagon with Mrs. Galbraith's father and mother and two brothers to western South Dakota. Mr. Wood had worked near Deadwood as a boy in 1878 and wanted to see this country again. They had no idea of homesteading but they landed about noon Sept. 19, 1906 at a big cottonwood tree across the road from the Furnas post office. Coy Furnas (who latter became a brother-in-law) started talking homestead to them. That same day the Woods started looking. They drove one mile when Mr. Wood found the place he wanted; and another mile and a half where one of the boys found a suitable section. Mr. Galbraith wanted level land and in the morning they went through the gap in Lake Hill and over to a rock they found about five miles north of where Wall now stands. Coy said "This, I think, is what you want". The land laid one half mile west and one half mile south from that rock. You could see a jack rabbit any where on the quarter. The next day they started the three day trip to Rapid City to file. They took the covered wagon back to Nebraska and spent the winter getting settled up there and Mr. Galbraith and two of the Wood boys came in an emigrant car to Wasta, which was the end of the road. They bought lumber, forded the river and came up to the Old Surveyers Hill reaching the Galbraith homestead about noon April 3, 1907. Late in 1907 and '08 the homesteaders, Mr. Galbraith included, decided they wanted a telephone so they got together and built one which later was known as the Pedro line. While operating the mail route Mr. and Mrs. Galbraith bought cream from the farmers and operated a farmer's store in 1917-18 and 19. They did a big business but it failed because of the same reason most farmers stores failed - too much credit. In 1909 when the Galbraiths moved in to Wall there was an attorney Judge Conniff, who was buried in too much legal work and needed a stenographer. He asked J. A. to help him out in his spare time, and they entered into an agreement whereby J. A. would get some study in law and Mr. Conniff a stenographer. They worked together for several years until J. A. decided that he didn't want to be a lawyer, and Mr. Conniff's health failed him so the partnership was discontinued. During this time J. A. was appointed as a Notary Public. A commission he still holds. In 1919 the Galbraith's started in the funeral business, and in 1920 back in the rural mail business after a lapse of a year and a half. From then until 1943 the Galbraiths, working together, kept at the two lines of business, with a side line of buying or moving in houses which were remodeled and resold. In the mean time Mr. Galbraith, one of nine men, put in a lot of time and a little money into getting the R.E.A. established as charter members and members of the board. A few years later J. A. signed as member No. 3, on the R.T.A. which later turned into the Golden West Telephone Co. In December of 1943 he retired as mail carrier and in 1944 bought out the Babcock Mercantile Co. In 1945 when Twila married Woody Shelton and Marvin returned from the Navy (World War II) they named it The General Store. Early in 1953 Mr. Galbraith had a bad coronary attack and had to quit business. He sold the funeral business to Bill Walsh and the store to his children. Woody and Twila purchased the other children's shares and Mr. and Mrs. Galbraith retired. As for Mrs. Galbraith; she acted as assistant mail carrier, assistant embalmer, a homemaker, cream buyer (she bought in one day in 1918, over one thousand dollars worth of cream, at a far lower price than it is today), a clerk in the store. As a side line she made a home for more than two hundred girls and women and fifty boys and men, boarding many and rooming them, while they went to school or worked around town. Some stayed from three months to three years. Both the Galbraiths have been active in the Methodist church, they were present and active in the original organizations of the church and Sunday School, July 11, 1907, Mr. Galbraith was elected as Sunday School superintendent and held this position for many years. Mrs. Galbraith was active in the ladies department holding every position and was communion steward for many years. Mrs. Galbraith was active in the Rebekah Lodge, holding every office and on the degree team where she took the part of chaplain, holds a pin for 50 year membership, was elected to and took the patriarchs degree at the Grand Lodge. Mr. Galbraith wears a fifty year pin as an Oddfellow, went through all the chairs in the Scarlet degree, also all chairs in the Patriarchal degree, wears a jewel designating him as past Nobel Grand and a Past Chief Patriarch, was captain of degree work in both the Oddfellows and the Rebekah lodges for many years. He was also clerk of the Modern Woodman local lodge for more than 20 years. He represented the district at the state Rural Carriers association at Canton when this district comprised the entire west half of the state. He also represented the State of South Dakota at a National Rural Carriers meeting in Columbus, Ohio in 1940. Mr. and Mrs. Galbraith were selected as Wall's King and Queen for their 50th anniversary in 1957. The Galbraiths celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary in 1963. Mr. Galbraith passed away August 9, 1965 following a heart attack. [Photo - Valda Galbraith - 1903] [Photo - J. A. Galbraith - 1903] [Photo - Galbraiths when they were King and Queen of the 50th anniversary of Wall in 1957.] [Photo - J. A. Galbraith homestead in the fall of 1907. Shown in the picture are Park Wood, Vera Galbraith, J. A. Galbraith standing behind his wife and Grace.] [Photo - J. A. Galbraith and his mail buggy.] [Photo - Galbraiths on their 50th wedding anniversary in 1953.] [Photo - Galbraith family in 1953: l. to r., Elaine, Grace, Vera, Mrs. Galbraith, Twila, Marvin, Mr. Galbraith and Ethel.] [Photo - Mr. And Mrs. J. A. Galbraith on their 60th wedding anniversary in 1963.] The Sam Johnson Story by Merle Johnson During the year 1908 Henry Johnson homesteaded thirteen miles north of Quinn on land joining the Kelly ranch. Since he was single, alone and accustomed to the life of a large family (he was one of eleven) he asked his little brother Sam to come out from Beresford to live with him. When Sam was due to arrive, the weather was muddy and transportation was null, so arrangements were made for the local cafe owner to meet and keep Sam till he could get to the homestead. Mr. Packman, the cafe owner, easily recognized the smiling, towheaded thirteen year old. He stepped from the train with one suitcase and a banjo over his shoulder. Sam gladly washed dishes and entertained the cafe customers with his banjo playing and singing in exchange for his meals. He also had his first meeting with the Packman's only child, a daughter, Lila, then 10 years old. The boy's mother, Mrs. Charles Johnson, and their youngest brother, Tom, joined them within the year. Their father remained temporarily in Beresford working as a mason, so as to provide a living for his large family and to save enough to follow them west and establish a home there! This dream came true when he with his older daughter and sons, came and acquired land adjoining Henry's homestead. The family home was established in Peno Basin. Sam occasionally paid his first Quinn friends, the Packmans, a visit when he rode to town on his horse, Bucky. When he found that the little Packman girl had a good pony named Jack, he often challenged her to a race to the bridge north of Quinn. She usually won! In 1910 the Packmans sold their cafe and moved fifteen miles straight north, to the ranch they had purchased from Pourierres. By this time young Sam had barbered in Cottonwood, helped George Kennedy carry mail from Cottonwood to Dowling and the two were breaking horses for the Hart Ranch. Unknown to him he broke a horse that later became Lila Packman's favorite saddle horse, Billy. Following this, Sam set out to see the world. In Iowa he picked corn until his hands became sore, so once again he turned to, barbering. It was in Sioux City where he was barbering when a priest noticed his sore hands, his inexperience, but recognized his ambition and immediately recommended a promotion for him. Within months he had the head chair. In the meantime, the little Packman girl was growing up and attending school in Wall where she became a close friend of Ruth Overholt. Lila took Ruth home for a week end as it was to be a gay one -- a basket social at Peno, an event Sam had returned to attend. Immediately Sam made arrangements to buy Lila's basket but his sister had misinformed him and he got the wrong basket. Not all in vain however, as the Packmans gave Lila a party the next night for her fifteenth birthday and Sam, along with his nephew, Warren Owens, was invited. Three years later on September 17, 1916, Sam and Lila were married at the home of Harry and Clara Johnson in Pierre, S. D. Lila's mother and Clara's family attended the wedding. A brief but most unusual honeymoon followed After a short visit with both parents, the two loaded their every possession on a hayrack--corn, six hens, two pigs, a keg of dill pickles and trailed their cattle and milk cow to their new home at Pedro. The hayrack had no brakes which presented problems and the young couple broke down several times inroute. They were fortunate enough to break down at the Eisenbraun place (Martin's parents) where they were shown real hospitality. Needless to say the next few years were quite an experience in the two room log house. Peno Annie was their first visitor. Sam's brother, Vern, lived on a claim nearby, so there were few lonely times. A daughter, Norrie and a son, Bud, arrived shortly. The only means of transportation was a team and buggy or wagon, so a trip to town was quite an event and planned several days in advance. On one occasion while crossing the river the wagon fell in a chug hole and Lila fell in the river wearing her brand new Easter outfit. The cream can of groceries floated down stream and Sam yelled, "Don't faint Lila and whoa you so and so team--." In 1926 the family moved to Wall only two days before Norma was born. Sam barbered in Quinn till he was able to open his own shop in Wall. From that time on the two prospered. Another daughter, Peggy was born. Sam entered real estate work as a hobby and eventually accumulated some ranch land and cattle which he thoroughly enjoyed. Lila boarded teachers and with their growing family their home became a happy, busy household. The family was musical with Lila leading the many song fests as she was an accomplished pianist. Sam died suddenly of a heart attack in 1950. Their children are: Mrs. Glen (Norrie) Phillips, Cheyenne, Wyoming; Robert (Bud) Johnson, Rapid City; Mrs. Bryce (Norma) Kennedy, Wall; Mrs. Jack (Peg)_ Benne, Hot Springs; Lila is now married to Glen Percy and still lives in Wall. Her hear mother, Mrs. Louisa Packman lives with them, [Photo - Frank Graham and Sam Johnson] [Photo - Sam Johnson and Boyd Sebade with an antelope in front of the Hut.] [Photo - John and Wm. Bielmaier families. Front row: Delphia, Bobby, Elaine, Billy. Back row: Mary, Esther, Michaela and Dorothy. Taken about 1936.] William Bielmaier Family by Esther Bielmaier Dan Freiberg and Mary DeGonda lived most of their lives in Minnesota, having come to the United States from Switzerland when they were children. After their marriage they lived on a farm 60 mile's southwest of St. Paul in a village called St. Henry, three miles west of LeCenter. They were one block from church and school. This area of Minnesota is a "farmers paradise" where crop failure is never heard of. However, when the family was almost raised, the homestead bug was too much for father and in 1907 he came to the vicinity five miles north of Pedro. Here he bought a ranch and the older children, Kathryn, Jake, Joe, Louie, Dan and Alvina homesteaded around it. This ranch was known as the "Lou Davidson Ranch". In 1909, after the Minnesota farm had been sold, the rest of the family came to South Dakota. This last group consisted of mother and daughters Alvina and Esther. This new country was a land of vast prairies settled by honyackers and a few ranchers. There was no school or church but there was a store, Marcus, eighteen miles away. This was a completely new world for an uprooted family. Nine years later, 1918-1919, Esther taught her first school east of Marcus, South Dakota, a rural school with nine pupils. This was the year of the influenza epidemic in the United States. Many teachers became too ill to complete their school terms and others went home to be of help to the sick ones there. Because of this, the school five miles north of Wall needed a teacher to finish the term. Previously there had been two teachers who had to quit because of the influenza. A school board member, Sorn Sorensen, wrote to this new teacher asking her if she would come to Wall and finish the term of school. This she did. The term lasted until July 3, 1919. So it was because of that, Esther came back to Wall. The first time she was in Wall was on August 1, 1909 when the family came to the country by train. The farm directly across the road to the west of the school house, was owned by Mike Bielmaier. Each day someone from the Bielmaier family, who -lived two miles east of the school, would come to do the farm work on this place. It was usual for them to ride a saddle horse and lead the work horses. In order to get the saddle horse to go back home alone they purposely did not water him. Now, there was a well on this farm across from the school. It had a wooden cover. For some reason the horse did not go home and began to paw the boards from the well cover and soon had them broken. In attempting to reach the water he lost his balance and started to fall into the well. When the children came out for recess they saw what was happening. The teacher sent them out into the field to get the farmer. By the time he arrived it was too late and the horse was in the well saddle and all. Of course, the curious teacher had to cross the road too. The farmer was down in the well standing on the dead horse trying to figure out how to get the saddle off the dead creature. The teacher peered down, the farmer looked up and said, "Hello!" Seven years later on November 25, 1925 in the little church of St. Patrick's on Timber Creek just west of Esther's family home, he said, "I do," and so did she. Thus began the married life of William and Esther (Freiberg) Bielmaier. For twenty-two years we lived a mile south of that small schoolhouse on a rented farm, in a small house, which seemed to grow smaller as the family grew larger. Seven children were born while living here. One child, Paul, died in infancy. The other six, five girls and a boy grew to young womenhood and manhood. Some years were good and some bad. We lived through dust storms, hail, depression and drought. We suffered illness and the sorrow of death in our family. This location did have its advantages; we were close to school, town and church; we were close to a fair conditioned road. We had excellent drinking water which wasn't true of some places. We were no better or no worse off then other people in those years. We never bought anything we could not pay for. Our food supply was always adequate, but not luxuriant. We butchered our own beef, pigs and poultry and cured or canned our own meat. I always raised enough chickens to keep us well supplied with meat and eggs and had some to sell. Turkeys and geese also found a place in my poultry yard. Our garden was a matter of pride and necessity. With a single row corn cultivator and two sturdy horses it was kept well cultivated. Only a small amount of weeding was needed. If the weather favored us we had all the vegetables we needed, both fresh and canned. Often friends shared our garden. The vegetables must have been good for the children along with meat, eggs, milk, butter and plenty of homemade bread. When I took the youngsters to the dentist for their checkup, Dr. Johnson always would say he couldn't make any money off of those Bielmaier children. He was pleased about this and I was very proud. By sewing a great deal I was able to keep the youngsters adequately dressed. Grandma Rosa Bielmaier, bless her, helped me so much. We were able to afford a car and this took us where we needed to go, visiting, to town, to church or to Rapid City. We finally bought a new Model A Ford and this was a source of great pride for us, our first really new car 1 Bill's workhorses were the best. Always well-groomed and able to do any hard work as farming, haying, hauling wood; they even were used on W.P.A. For a few years Bill had a job of maintaining the county road and the horses were very useful there. One dry year a neighbor gave Bill his field of thistles. These were out and stacked in the fall but that winter when Bill had time to haul the one stack of feed in, it was gone, someone had stolen it. When our children were old enough I started a 4-H club for our girls and the children of the neighborhood. A number of our members received trips to Brookings. We were very proud of this. I believe this was the first 4-H club north of Wall. To me it was rewarding because our daughter Delphia went on to work in the State 4-H Extension Department at Brookings and was a State 4-H leader. She came to Rapid City and other towns throughout the state. She went to 4-H camp as a leader in the same location that she had gone to as a 4-H girl. We bought the Frickie place west of Wall and from then on we bought adjoining land as it was available, hoping someday to build a home of our own and move onto this place. There was some timber on this place which supplied us with plenty of fuel. Bill always hauled it in the fall when the harvesting was done. It got to be pretty cold weather before he got enough hauled. Besides the wood we burned coal and cobs which kept us warm and cooked our meals. I had a kerosene cookstove which I appreciated as the house didn't get quite so warm while getting the meals. One cold day when Bill went for wood he reached up to chop a limb from a tree. The axe caught and when he tried to get it free, it fell and struck him on the temple knocking him down and cutting a deep gash. He got up and managed to hitch his horses to the hayrack and started for town, bleeding profusely. Dr. Mills did a good job of sewing up the cut, told him to eat lots of steak and sent him home. It was evening, dark and very cold by this time but he arrived home safely, weak, sick and so cold. It was quite a long time before he regained his strength from this experience. We were now able to buy a few head of cattle and keep them on our new ranch, we added cattle and land as time permitted. We also milked six or seven cows these kept us in cream and butter. There was cream to sell with which we bought groceries. In 1928 we bought our first tractor, a Farmall Regular, this was very useful for our farm work. Our children all went to grade school in the country and graduated from Wall, High School. The four youngest children were all in high school the same time for one year. After graduation they went their various ways, one a stenographer, three nurses, a home economist and a rancher. In 1947 we finally moved to our farm west of Wall. We had bought a house moved it and remodeled and modernized it. The first modern home for me. By this time son Billy was old enough to do much farm work and he and his father worked together. During the blizzard of 1949 we were as immobile as everyone else. The men had moved their fat cattle up near the barns and planned to sell them on the following Monday. They sold them one month later a much thinner bunch of cattle. The cows and calves were suffering too. Twenty six perished in that storm. The two men worked very hard to feed and help the livestock. It was a disastrous storm. Sometime later Bill became ill and spent a long time in the hospital after which he found it difficult to carry on his usual work. So in 1956 he retired and we moved to Wall. Billy married and moved onto the place we had worked so many years to have. A very wonderful opportunity came to me, I was asked to teach the third and fourth grades in Wall from September until Christmas. This I did. The next fall I asked and received the opportunity to come back to teach again. Later the grades were divided and I chose to teach the fourth grade. It has been a pleasure and an honor to have been able to work with all the wonderful children who have been in my room. Last year the high school graduating class contained only four of the original fifteen youngster that had been in my room that first year. This year, 1965, there are eleven out of a class of fourteen fourth graders. Our children live in various parts of the country. Mary was first to graduate and then went on to business school. She worked as a bookkeeper at the Becker Drug Store in Rapid City. There she met and married Byron Strandell who graduated from the School of Mines in Electrical Engineering. They moved to Watertown where Byron is in business for himself as a consulting engineer. They have nine children. Dorothy took nurses training at St. John's Hospital in Huron. After graduation she worked in South Dakota for a year then went to San Diego, California where she worked for a Dermatologist. She met and married Peter Montgomery Jr., a broker. They live in Pasadena, California and have six children. William J. finished high school, spent a year at South Dakota State and served in the U.S. Marines for a few years. He is now living on the homeplace where he farms and ranches. He married Marjorie Fritz a Home Economics graduate from South Dakota State College who taught for 3 years at Wall High School. They have three children. Michaela graduated from St. John's Nursing School in Rapid City. She married Norman Shyne of New Underwood. He graduated from the School of Mines and received his PhD. in Electrical Engineering from Montana State at Bozeman. He teaches at this college and does research there. They have six children. Esther finished nurses training at St. John's in Rapid City, worked for a few years then married Raymond O'Dea of Cottonwood, South Dakota. Raymond was a graduate of Northern State Teachers College of Aberdeen, received his master's degree from Creighton University, Omaha and is presently working on his PhD in Literature and English. They live at Big Rapids, Michigan where he teaches at the Ferris Institute. They have two boys. Delphia graduated from South Dakota State at Brookings, taught Homemaking at Madison, South Dakota. She then joined the 4-H staff at Brookings. Later she married Harlan Dirks county agent from Miller. He graduated from Brookings and the University of Minnesota. He has a PhD in Agricultural Economics. Both Delphia and Harlan teach at the State University at Brookings. They have one boy. During the years Bill was always busy with farming and ranching. He was interested in community affairs and was willing to give of his time to this. For twelve years he was on the town school board. He was on the Extension Board for eight years, on the Weed Board for six years, was Soil Conservation supervisor for about fifteen years. He operated the scales at the Wall Livestock Commission for thirteen years. Because of his career in Pennington County you may find his name in the 1956 edition of Who Is Who in South Dakota. Bill and I have a comfortable home in Wall. We spend some of our vacation visiting our children and our twenty-seven grandchildren. I chose to leave out the more gruesome and disappointing things that happened during the years, because I'm sure no one enjoys that type of story. I firmly believe in this quotation: "Laugh and the world laughs with you. Weep and you weep alone. The good old world has need of your mirth, It has sorrow enough of it's own." We are most thankful for our many blessings. Editor's note: Mr. Bielmaier passed away July 11, 1965. [Photo - Wm. And Esther Bielmaier's children, taken in 1937.] [Photo Henriksen School - 1919 Left to right: Gordon Buckner, Lionel Sutfin, a Buckner child, Mildred Sutfin, Mary Buckner, Agnes Musseau, Melvin Winkowitch, Ivan Crown. Top row: Florence and Mable Sorensen. Teacher: Esther Freiberg Bielmaier.] [Photo - Faithful workers cultivating the garden with a one row cultivator on the Wm. Bielmaier farm.] [Photo - Bielmaier Family in 1959 Front row: Michaela, Delphia, Mrs. Bielmaier, and Mr. Bielmaier. Back row: Mary, Dorothy, Bill and Esther.] [Photo - William and Esther Bielmaier in 1962] [Photo - Wm. Bielmaier Ranch, blizzard of 1949. The car is buries under the snow.] Dixon Story [Photo - Msgr. Connolly, Mrs. L. J. Dixon (Nora), and L. J. Dixon at the Dixon Garage in 1949.] L. J. Dixon (Dick) came to Wall in 1907 and filed on a claim south of town. He worked for Ollie Marshall, in the Livery Stable for quite a while. He also worked at Babcock's Bar, in the old Hotel. He was married to Nora Edwards in 1913. He then worked on the railroad. Dick finally went in the Garage business, and lived in Wall until 1957 when he moved to Calif. for his health. There are four children. His widow, Nora still lives in Monterey Park, Cal. with a son, Lowell, and near a daughter, Mrs. Bill Armstrong (Marguerite), another daughter Mrs. Leroy Desmond (Lila) lives in Omaha, Nebr. and a son Norris, and family live at Pierre, S.D. Peter Muller by Son Emil My Dad, Peter Muller was born in Belgium in the year of 1876.. In 1905, being in his late twenties and wanting to see whatwas in store for him across the ocean, came to the United. States, leaving his parents, brothers, and sisters. Staying a while in Iowa, he then came to Rockham, Zell, and Frankfort, the northeastern part of South Dakota. Here he went to work with Peter Norbeck and Nickleson, drilling Artesian wells in that community. Dad homesteaded ten miles north of Wall in 1906, building a one room tarpapered shack. Many people living further out, would stop and stay overnight, as this was about halfway to town for them. It was only a small place, yet everybody was welcome. Biscuits were their main bread those days, Dad was very handy in making them. Those same biscuit pans which my Dad used then, we have and are still using. Dad freighted out of Rapid City (this being their closest town) taking about three to four days by horses and wagon to make the trip. This was quite a task. He encountered many difficulties, especially when fording the Cheyenne River. There was a time or two when the river was quite high and they had to cross it. They were nearly washed downstream, horses and wagon! In the year of 1908, my Dad married Gottliebina Geigle, who, with her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Jacob Geigle Sr., homesteaded north of Quinn in 1907. My folks were blessed with two children, my sister dying in infancy. While homesteading, the folks, as well as other homesteaders, encountered many hardships; severe storms, blizzards, droughts, influenza epidemic of 1918, fires, grasshoppers, and etc. They saw many of their neighbors moving out and going back to their fatherland, yet they, being good old pilgrims, stuck it out. Dad was very much interested in raising good draft horses, some weighing over a ton each. He would break these horses to work, then sell them. I can remember Dad had four extra good work horses, well trained. He thought a lot of them and used 'em to do all his farm work. Along came a horse buyer and offered Dad $800.00 for these four horses, yet the answer was, NO SALE! Dad had as many as 75 horses at a time, and a person could go out in the pasture, and with a little oats these horses would come right up to you and lick oats out of your hand. The folks milked lots of cows, this being a sure income for, them. I remember an instance when I was small. The folks, while doing chores, would put me in the cattle salt box. Many is the time I would go to sleep, and be wakened by a cow or two licking on my face. I used to say, that was why I had so many pimples in my teens. Being unable to buy more land around the homestead, my folks sold out in 1920. In the spring of 1921 they bought a place on the east edge of Wall. In later years, Dad bought the homestead back, and as of now, I still own it and have purchased more land around it. My folks still kept on milking cows, when they came to town, and I can well remember how we walked all about town delivering milk for five cents a quart, and now it is twenty-five cents a quart. Times sure have changed. My mother was a very hard worker, doing housework and milking cows, and, when extra help was needed, working in the field. She was always willing to lend a hand. Mother passed away in 1944, and Dad in the year of 1946. Dad had been a very prominent man in Wall. He served many terms as a town trustee. He was regarded as a conservative type, and always against wasteful spending of town funds. He was known as "Old Pete." Now, a few lines about myself. In 1934 I was married to Bertha Simpfenderfer from Golden Valley, North Dakota. We were blessed with four loving children, three daughters, and one son. Laura, Dale, Donna, and Beverly. Laura is married to Theodore Kjerstad, living on a ranch north of Quinn, South Dakota. Donna is married to Dean Zubke, living in Rapid City, South Dakota. Beverly, living at home, is a Freshman in Wall High School. In 1958 our son Dale, enlisted with the United States Air Force, serving as Chaplain's Assistant, while stationed in Germany in the year of 1961. Our telephone brought us the sad news that our son Dale died suddenly of an acute bronchitis, which came on him during deep slumber with no warning to no one. This was a big shock abroad, as well as at home. One of the many things I am very proud of, I graduated from Good Old Wall High, and also three of our children have graduated from this same school. The fourth one is a freshman now. I hope she too, will be able to graduate from the same school her father did. [Photo - Wedding picture of Mr. And Mrs. Peter Muller, Dec. 17, 1908.] [Photo - Grandpa Muller's horses which he used to raise.] [Photo - Mrs. Peter Muller] [Photo Emil Muller, age 3] [Photo - Peter Muller cultivating potatoes.] [Photo - Mr. And Mrs. Peter Muller and son, Emil. The room to the right was the tar paper shack in which the Mullers homesteaded. When the new addition was added the tar paper shack had a face lifting with new boards and paint.] The Harold Welshs Harold Welsh and Mary McDonald were married in Wall on April 23, 1927. Harold was the son of Mr. and Mrs. Thos. Welsh of Wasta, and was one of eight children. He was born near Wasta, where the home in which he was born still stands, northeast of the Cheyenne River bridge on the new inter-state 90 highway. Harold started school in Calgary Alberta, Canada; and went to school for a time in Hysum, Montana; finishing his schooling in Wasta. Mary McDonald was born on a farm near Highmore, one of a set of twin girls. Her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Charles McDonald, moved to western South Dakota in 1908 when Mary was three years old. McDonalds lived north of Creighton, later moving to seven miles northwest of Wall, along the present inter-state highway. They had three sons and one daughter; two daughters died in infancy. Mary attended the Cedar Canyon and Lake Flat grade schools; her mother taught those schools for a number of years. Mary went to high school in Wall for two years; and in Rapid City, graduating in 1923. Carrol McDonald, after whom the Wall American Legion Post was named, was Charles and Sarah McDonald's eldest child. He had taught the North Star school and the Cedar Canyon school near Wall; and was assistant cashier of the Wall bank when he was called to service. He was killed at the battle of St. Meihel in France Sept. 12 9 1918, when he was twenty-one years old. The other two sons of Mr. and Mrs. McDonald are Stephan and Paul, who reside in California. The newly-weds, Harold and Mary, lived at the Welsh homestead near Wasta for a year after their marriage; they moved to Wall in 1935 when their eldest child, Laura Jean, started school. Mr. Welsh worked for the Chicago North- Western Railroad, was school custodian for a number of years, and Standard Oil bulk agent for nine years before going into the motel business. Mr. and Mrs. Welsh have four living children, a son having died in 1928. Laura Jean is now Mrs. George Gunn, wife of the postmaster at Wasta. They reside on a ranch near Wasta and have six children: Rodney, Barbara, Jacqueline, Terry, Scott, and Denise. Wesley is married to the former Beverly Wheeler of Raymond, So. Dak. They have four daughters: Dawn, Tracy, Kelly, and Kari Reni. Wesley and his father own and operate two motels in Wall. Gail lives in St. Paul, Minnesota. He is married to the former Evonne LaRoche, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Ben LaRoche of Rapid City, formerly of Wall; and works as a department head in a GEM department store. Gail and Evonne have eight children: Wendy, Peter, John Mark, Paula Jean, Richard, Joseph, Patrick, and Christine Ann. Gary is a student at the University of South Dakota. All four of the Welsh children attended twelve years of school in Wall, Wesley went to college at Chillicothe, Missouri; and Gail attended Black Hills State College. The Harold Welshs built a home in Wall in 1961, where they like working in their fruit and flower garden They enjoy their grandchildren, have many young friends; and rarely miss any school music activities or ball games in which Wall participates. Michael and Rosa Bielmaier by Esther Bielmaier Michael Bielmaier was born in Germany in 1886 and came to the United States with his parents in 1892 when he was sixteen years old. He landed in Texas and one of his best jobs was picking cotton. Later the family moved to Iowa and he worked as a farm hand. Rosa Rurtzhals was born in Chicago in 1875. Rosa moved from Chicago to Carroll, Iowa with her family and settled on a farm. Mr. Kurtzhals was a farmer and a cattle feeder. Mike and Rosa were married in 1893. They moved to a farm in Iowa. Some years later they moved near to Sioux Falls where they lived until the Homestead bug came along and they moved to a homestead northeast of Wall, South Dakota in 1914. In those days it was possible to range cattle almost to Wall and the boys, Frank and William kept an eye on the herd. Water was a problem and had to be hand pumped for the cattle. Mr. Bielmaier raised quite a number of horses The boys broke them and then they were sold. The first winter on the claim was a severe time. It was necessary to buy cotton cake and also hay for the cattle. Prices were very low until World War I came and then everything sold for a great deal of money. These were times of hardship and frugal planning. Fuel had to be gotten along the creeks wherever it could be found. Rosa worked diligently to raise garden vegetables and also poultry for family use. To this union was born seven children - Lucy (Mrs. C. C. Rinehart), a teacher; William of Wall, a farmer and rancher; John of Wall, a farmer, later a carpenter and businessman; Frank of Carroll, Iowa, an undertaker, later a salesman and a carpenter; Anna of Rapid City, a teacher, later a nun and presently Mother Superior at St Martin's Junior College near Rapid City, South Dakota; Agnes, a teacher (Mrs. Edward Pivney) presently postmaster at Underwood, South Dakota; Joe of Wall, a farmer and rancher. Bielmaiers stayed on the farm until 1941 when they retired and moved to Wall. Mr. and Mrs. Bielmaier celebrated their Golden Wedding in 1943 All the children were present for this event except Frank. Mr. Bielmaier passed away at the age of eighty-four and is buried in the Wall cemetery. Rosa Bielmaier celebrated her ninetieth birthday on February 15, 1965 She now resides in a retirement home in Hot Springs, South Dakota. [Photo - The Bielmaier Family at Bonesteel] [Photo - A broncho disrupts the chain of breaking-in at the Michael Bielmaiers.] [Photo - Red Cross sale during WWI. Clyde Rinehart was the auctioneer; tall lady is Rosa Bielmaier.] [Photo - William Bielmaier, aged 15, and the twin mules.] [Photo - William cutting 1919 wheat crop.] [Photo - Mike Perlmaier Family - 1943] [Photo - Mr. And Mrs. Mike Bielmaier on their Golden Wedding Anniversary, Feb. 7, 1943] Elizabeth Boot by Florence Doughty Elizabeth Boot came to South Dakota with Mr. and Mrs. Joe Herink and Florence, settling first at Nowlin, South Dakota, in 1907, moving to Wall and living with the Herink's until her death in 1930. She was always known to everyone around Wall, as Aunt Betty. Hardly anyone knew her real name was Elizabeth Boot. She was a friend and loved by everyone that knew her. [Photo - First telephone switchboard in Wall} [Photo - Ethel Herink and Tillie Joens Hamann] Mr. and Mrs. Joe Herink by Florence Doughty Joe Herink's contribution to the Town has been of a different nature. An excellent man in his line of railroad work he held down his position without criticism, a mainstay in the railroad system. An ardent sportsman, he contributed much to the moral side of life in Wall. His enthusiasm for hunting generated the hunting and fishing spirit in anyone with the least sporting blood. He organized and developed a rifle club in town. Through his efforts and suggestions there was always one or two clay pigeon shoots a year, but the thing that will stand as a monument to Joe is this. In the spring of 1938, he began talking of stocking the dams adjacent to Wall with fish. The idea seemed all right to others, but a lot of work. It took a lot of work and a lot of enthusiasm on the part of Joe to sell the idea. Finally the idea began slowly to take form and the Commercial Club took it and carried it through stocking some ten dams throughout the community with bass. In 1938, the local fishing licenses sold out of Wall was some 25 or 30. In 1940 it was over a hundred. Over a glass of beer Joe can tell more stories of hunts and hunting, of fish and fishing than anyone in the country. His theory of how and where to catch them, of what bait to use, and what type of tackle, what gun is best for what type of game and where to buy equipment are practiced and used by half the hunters in the community. Today on any Sunday if one could see all the fishermen and fisherwomen at all the dams and could count the fish caught each summer, one would not hesitate to put Joe Herink's name on the Who's Who in Wall. Early in the days of Wall, Mr. and Mrs. Joe Herink came to live in the Section House along the Chicago and Northwestern Railway. To Mr. and Mrs. Herink, their life no doubt seems common place and uneventful from the standpoint of public activities, but checking we find; when the Herinks came to Wall, there were no electric lights and shortly afterwards Mrs. Herink became interested in a small two motored Delco plant. She helped develop the plant and it progressed from the time she had it until she sold to Beck and Cihak who continued. She also became interested in the local telephone line and hard part ownership together with Mr. Jones and others. Over a period of years the other members of the company dropped out and left Mrs. Herink to carry on alone. At first there was not a great deal of repairing and upkeep, but as the line grew older the telephone poles began breaking and the line became stretched and weak. The expense and labor of keeping the line intact was almost more than the income justified. Times were hard, collection was poor, many of the customers took advantage and kept their phones for months after their accounts were delinquent, never stopping to think that because of delinquent accounts the company might fail and thus throw the entire community back to the point where there would be no telephone communication system. There were times when the income was far less than the expense and it would have been very easy to let the system slide, to have taken all the income without keeping the line up, to have let it die a natural death taking what income there was and forgetting it. Mrs. Herink did not do this, she kept going, waiting patiently for those customers who did not pay and never penalizing those that did by adding the cost to their accounts. She developed an all night service. She kept pace with the growing town but she did not get rich. Anyone familiar with business today can know that Mrs. Herink has never gotten a legitimate profit from an investment and an endeavor as large as the Wall Telephone system would justify. Does the community appreciate this? I think most of the individuals do. If some should doubt let them look at the adjoining towns where telephone owners have had the same opportunity but not the same faith. Quinn, Cottonwood, Wasta, and Owanka all had as good a start as Wall, but today all there is left of the lines are a few posts here and there and stretches of wire lying on the ground rusting and valueless. Mrs. Herink has done more than this. As Town Treasurer for the past ten years she has worked diligently and conscientiously for the welfare of the Town's financial condition and has watched the Town's debt of some $20,000.00 in 1938 dwindle to a net debt of some $5000, and at the same time has written the checks that have helped improve the Town to the extent of several thousands of dollars. Ethel passed away in 1949, and Joe passed away in 1955. Their daughter, Florence, who moved to Wall with them in 1912 married Charles Doughty and moved to Wyoming and Colorado until 1955 when they moved back to Wall where they are still living. Walter S. Babcock by Bruce Babcock One of the early Pioneers of the Wall, South Dakota area was my grandfather, Walter S. Babcock. He first came to Wall in the spring of 1907, arriving by wagon from Rockwell City, Iowa. Wall, not yet officially a town at that time consisted of a few frame and sod buildings located west of the present Chicago and Northwestern Railroad tracks. Walter decided to build a hotel and purchased the lots where the present American Legion hall stands. He returned to Iowa to dispose of his possessions there and returned with his wife, Bertha and their children, Clifton, Clayton, Wayne and Irma a few weeks later. They came by railroad by way of Rapid City from the south through Nebraska, as the railroad from Pierre to Rapid City had not been completed. Due to the lengthy construction of the Cheyenne River bridge between Wall and Wasta the tracks were laid from Rapid City, east, and from Pierre, west. The first passengers from the East were brought as far as Wall, taken by wagon to Wasta where they continued on by train to Rapid City. Later in 1907 the Chicago and Northwestern Railroad made its first complete run from Pierre to Rapid City. Walter Babcock built his first hotel in 1907, only to have it destroyed by fire in early 1909. That year he re-built on the same location a much larger hotel which was to become quite famous in the ensuing years. The new two-story hotel, containing 40 guest rooms also housed a barber shop, pool room, saloon, dining room and general store. With no modern plumbing in those days the hotel also boasted a unique two-story "out house". The Babcocks' four children helped in the operation of the hotel. Bertha Babcock became quite renowned as a cook and people from far away came to partake of her hospitality. A local citizen could enjoy the finest of meals for 25 cents, while the prosperous-looking traveler paid fifty cents. No one was turned away, and a person down on his luck would be fed or given a room free of charge. One story goes that her iced-tea was so strong that a large crock filled in the spring, would last through the summer by just adding more water. The dining room also served, as the dance hall for many years. During the coldest part of the winter the guest rooms were hard to keep warm. On one particularly cold night a weary traveler, after shivering in his bed for half of the evening decided to go down to the lobby and warm by the fire. A moment before he came down the stairs a Homesteader -from the north of town came in to get warm. He had ridden several miles horse-back and was covered with frost and nearly stiff with cold. Seeing him by the stove the Traveler exclaimed, "Ye gods, what room did you have?" The Babcock Saloon was the scene of many happy memories. They tell a tale that my grandfather offered to wager a local fellow that he couldn't drink a gallon of beer without stopping. The fellow left for a short while, then returned and challenged the bet. The stakes were placed and he tilted the gallon jug to his mouth and didn't lower it until it was empty. He pocketed the money and headed for the door. My grandfather asked him where he had gone a few minutes earlier, before deciding to take the bet. He replied that he had gone to a saloon down the street where he drank a gallon of beer without stopping, to see if it could be done. The Babcock Hotel burned to the ground in 1918, and Walter decided to try his luck at farming and ranching. He bought a place just west of Wall where he resided until his death in 1924. Perhaps Walter's main contribution to Wall was the effort and money he spent in trying to find a good supply of water for the town. He drilled many wells and explored the possibilities of using lakes and dams. He signed the first water rights for the present Town Dam south of Wall. After Walter died my grandmother moved to California where her sister Rose Hickey lived. She returned to Wall in 1945, and died in Rapid City in 1955. Clayton Babcock, my father, married Claire Stomley of Rapid City, who was teaching school in the Wall area. They farmed a few years before establishing the Babcock Mercantile Company in 1927. After his death in 1936, Mrs. Babcock and sons Robert, Bruce and Noel continued operating the business until 1944. Robert Babcock again operated the store from 1946 to 1948. Clifton Babcock moved to Nebraska where he farmed until his death in 1961. Wayne Babcock moved to Beresford and died in 1938. Irma Babcock married Roy Bortle and now resides in Rapid City. Roy Bortle Homesteaded in the Dakota City area in 1906, then moved to Wall and operated a store in partnership with Harry Fuller; later moving to Rapid City. Certainly Walter Babcock and the Babcock Hotel played an important part in the early history of Wall, and their influence has been felt up through the present time. The Babcock's, always a pioneering family began moving West after fighting in the American Revolution. Some of them moved on from the Dakotas to California and Alaska. [Photo - Babcock Hotel, Wall, 1907] [Photo - Interior of the Babcock Hotel] [Photo - Dining room of the Babcock Hotel] Alfred and Bonnie Strandell by Alfred Strandell Bonnie Graham Strandell came to western South Dakota from Anthon, Iowa, when she was 14 years old, in 1909. She came with her mother, two brothers Beven and Clyde Graham, and one sister, Mrs. Ben Hoffman of Creighton, South Dakota. Beven passed away some years ago and Clyde lives in Minnesota. The Graham's homesteaded three miles east of Creighton, South Dakota in 1909. Bonnie taught school for seven or eight years. Alfred and Bonnie Strandell were married December 22, 1919 at Rapid City, South Dakota. To this union three sons were born, Byron of Watertown, South Dakota, Joe of Wayne, Michigan, and Donald of Wall. Bonnie passed away February 14, 1961. Alfred Strandell was born at Jackson, Minnesota, May 5th, 1893, and came with his parents in a covered wagon when one year old. Al didn't have much schooling in those days. Al worked for different ranchers in the neighborhood and went on his own shortly after being married. Al says he has had a good life in South Dakota. Al and Bonnie ranched from 1920 until 1937 and ran a grocery store in Wall for ten years. He has been painting for the past 14 years. Al also has been Mayor of Wall for the past five years, and served on the City Council from 1943 to 1949. Al lives alone at the present time and seems to be quite happy with his lot. [Photo - Al and Bonnie Strandell on Decenber 22, 1919, on their wedding day.] [Photo Old Strandell log house built in 1904, on Deep Creek; picture taken in 1958.] [Photo - Al Strandell and Martin Grover in 1907 on Deep Creek.] [Photo - Joe, Byron, and Don Strandell - 1925] [Photo - Al Strandell's new barn - 1931. Son, Don, in doorway.] [Photo - Al Strandell and Carl Erickson by the old Strandell log house, taken in 1958.] Joseph T. and Myrtle M. Haynes by Thelma Allen Joseph T. Haynes was born March 1, 1870 in Kenton, Ohio. Myrtle M. was born October 11, 1873 in Hollenberg, Kansas. They came to Rapid City, South Dakota in November 1918, That year they took teaching positions in Cedar Canyon and Lake Flatt School Districts near Wall. After several years of teaching in the area they purchased a farm south of Wall. Mr. Haynes turned his interests to farming but never lost his interest in teaching. He was president of the Wall School Boards for many years; he was an active member of the Odd Fellows and Masonic Lodges. Both were faithful members of the Methodist Church and no Church Supper was complete without one of Mr. Haynes' famous cakes. Myrtle continued teaching at Cedar Canyon School also finding time for such activities as Rebecca Lodge, piano lessons (teaching many pupils), along with a garden and raising chickens and turkeys. Life wasn't easy in those days of drought and depression--watching and praying for the rains that never came--seeing any hope for a harvest flattened by a sudden hail storm, hauling water for thirsty stock when the wells ran dry in the summer, coaxing the Model T that kicked and wheezed and wouldn't start, but they never lost their faith and courage. Mrs. Haynes finished her teaching career with four years at the Lauer School south of Wall and retired after 37 years in the school room. After leaving the farm they moved to Mahto where Mr. Haynes passed away in 1939. Mrs. Haynes made her home with her daughter Beryl, in Minnesota, until she came to California in 1951. There she lived with her daughter Thelma until her death in 1961 at the age of 87 years. Always a vital and active part of their community Joe and Myrtle Haynes truly lived their Christian Philosophy "Trust in God and Love Your Fellow Men." [Photo - Joe and Myrtle Haynes] [Photo - Lauer School, Mrs. Haynes, teacher; Anna Lauer on the left.] [Photo - Cedar Canyon School, about 1920. Back row: Chuck Collins, Ona Collins, Margaritte Batterman, (White), Agnes Simpson, Naomi Foster, Mrs. Haynes. Second row: Fred Batterman, Albert Simpson, Leo Foster and Jim Foster. Third row: May Foster (Yoeman), Clay Simpson, Freda Batterman (Tupper), Cliff Collins, Ada Collins (Doud), and Otto Batterman.] [Photo - Lake Flat School - 1924. Back row: Mrs. Haynes, Leone Kitterman, Howard Renner, Evelyn Kitterman (Todd), Violet Kitterman (Doud), Kenneth Renner, Leslie Renner, Loyal Moler, Kenneth Graham. Front row: Maurice Scott, Ruby Scott (Anderson), Norma Kitterman (Noller), Opal Scott, Vivian Renner, and Loyal Scott.] William W. and Erma Wood by Milly Kennedy In 1925 we moved from Scotland, South Dakota to Western Pennington Co. Bill had leased the old Sinykin Ranch, 35 miles North and East of Wall. We had five children at the time, Eunice, Merwyn, Shandon, Lloyd and Doris, (Milly was born in Rapid City later) and we made the trip from Scotland with the five children in a Model T Ford. It took us two full days to travel those few hundred miles. The children went to school four miles from the place at Matt Smith's. The school house was so small that they had to close it for two weeks after our arrival while the men all got together and built an addition onto it so there would be room for the "Wood kids" to go to school. Isabelle Nelson was the first teacher the children had. Most of the time everyone traveled to school by horseback but they all waited anxiously for the first good snow so they could ride in the sleigh that Bill had made. It consisted of the body of an old Model T with runners and was quite the vehicle. We traveled eight miles to Grindstone to pick up the mail and buy groceries and to catch up on all of the latest news of the area. Grindstone at that time was the Social Center for the entire area. Church services, card parties, and dances were held regularly, all in the same building and it was the meeting place for all of us. Some of our neighbors at that time were the George Nelson's, Matt and Mary Smith, and the Frank and Austin O'Dea families. Prairie fires were a threat then, as now, and I recall one in particular. It was in the early 30's and when we saw the smoke on the horizon we filled all the water containers that we could find, piled cans and buckets in the car and with all the children took off to help fight the fire that we thought was over by the Coleman place, about two and one half miles, instead, we drove nearly to Dowling, about twenty miles before we came to the fire and we spent all day and most of the night fighting fire. We saw the dust storms of the 30's move into the country. Dirt covered the fences completely, water holes and dams dried up, and the crops were ruined. Then, in the early morning of December 18, 1933 we stood by helplessly and saw everything we owned destroyed by fire as our house burned to the ground. With only the clothes on our backs and some bedding that we had saved and the temperature below zero we put the children in the cellar to wait until help came from the neighbors. We stayed on the ranch, living in a small building that Bill had made livable for us until the spring of 1934 then we moved to Wall where we lived until 1942. Bill and I spent several years living in Custer but returned to Wall in 1957 where Bill passed away May 11, 1958. [Photo - The William Wood Family in 1944] [Photo - Merwyn and Lloyd Wood - World War II] [Photo - Erma Wood and Birthday Cake] [Photo - Erma Wood and Family at her 75th Birthday Nov. 23, 1964.] Walt Whitcher Mr. & Mrs. Walt Whitcher came from Highmore, South Dakota, to eastern Pennington County in 1921. They lived on the East Fork of Deep Creek in a log house. Here all their five children were born. They had a hard time making a living on this place, there was a lot of cold and a lot of heat. They milked cows, farmed some, and had a big bunch of horses. Horses sold for $10.00 a head. Their neighbors were Crouch's, Al Strandell, the Bastians and Lars Petersons'. Visiting was done with a buggy and horses. They got a car in the thirties. Their daughter, Marjorie Hope, passed away while the family lived on this place in 1932. Walt worked on W.P.A. projects. He worked on the Louis Sinykin dam and hauled gravel for the road to Pedro. He used horses on these projects. The work was far from home so the workers had to get up real early in order to be on the job on time. While graveling Walt camped in Tom McDonald's school section in order to be closer to the pits. This money may not have amounted to much in dollars and cents, but it looked like a lot to people who hadn't had any for a time. This work was really appreciated. The Whitchers moved to Wall in 1936. Walt worked on odd jobs wherever he could get something to do. He worked for Smoot in the elevator for several months. Walt bought the place on the edge of town in 1939 and moved there in 1942. After Hope died Mrs. Whitcher seemed to go down hill. She was bothered with arthritis and finally became bedridden. Alice Faith had to do all the work about the house starting about the time she was eleven. Mrs. Whitcher always took her affliction very good natured and never grumbled. There were four other children. Walt, Jr., lives on Quinn Table on a ranch. He is married and has two children. Alice Faith is married to W. A. Naescher and lives north of Wall. They have one girl. Ruth is Mrs. Willard Sharp and lives in Interior where her husband works for the park. They have a place where they have cattle and do some farming, they have five children. Jim was killed by a horse which he was riding. This tragedy happened south of Wall on Quinn Table. Jimmy had a place where Conata used to be. Walt, Sr. lives alone on his place on the edge of town. He has quite a few cattle and a few horses. He keeps busy by working a little and visiting a lot. Walt refers to it as "bumming". Walt remembers one winter which started when he was a youngster first starting to school. In October it started to rain and froze on the ground. Then it snowed on top of the ice. The draws were leveled over with snow, there were 130 some inches of snow that winter, the first thaw came the second day of May. This was east of the Missouri River, out here it wasn't so bad as the "banana belt weather" gave some nice days with warm weather. This was the winter of 1896-97. [Photo - Jim and Walt, Jr. Whitcher] [Photo - Alice, Jim, Walt, Jr. and Ruth] [Photo Walt, Jr.] [Photo - The Walt Whitcher Family, 1951] [Photo - "Chief" H. M. Hatton] [Photo - Out of gas?? Get a horse] [Photo - Prof. Dan B. Luce] [Photo - Wall Stockyards]