Eastern Pennington County Memories  -- Quinn

	This information is 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 262-287

	Scan, OCR and editing by Maurice Krueger, mkrueger@iw.net, 1999. 

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John Henry Ausherman

by Mabel Meiners

	Mr. and Mrs. John Ausherman and family lived at Forreston, Illinois and 
four children were born, two girls and two boys, then about eighteen years later 
we moved to Rockford, Illinois. My two brothers, Henry Ausherman, William 
Ausherman, and my sister, Maude Ausherman, and myself, Mabel Ausherman Meiners, 
worked in the Burson Knitting factory, then later my father, decided to come OUT 
WEST to South Dakota where he filed on a claim and built this shack. To prove up 
on his claim he was required to break up five acres of land, which he did and 
put this to squaw corn, for which he built a corn crib from small cedar trees he 
drug up from the breaks with a rope. This crib he almost filled with squaw corn 
from the five acres. This claim was fourteen miles from Wall.

	After a few years, my mother, Ida Ausherman, and myself, Mabel Ausherman 
Meiners, came out and I filed on a claim joining my fathers. Part time I worked 
at Ed Morris' General Store in Wasta, South Dakota and I stayed at Condon's 
Hotel, now run by Elmer Anderson, until I proved up on my claim. A few years 
later I married Joseph Henry Meiners and lived in a log house on Sage Creek. 
Nothing was modern; we had oil lamps, four burner oil stove and wood stove, 
small ice box. We put up ice from the dam. The hen house was built in the 
ground.

	Russell Joseph Meiners and Lavina Mae Meiners were born on Sage Creek. 
Later Mr. Meiners bought the place on the Cheyenne River known as the Underwood 
and Frank Jewett place. Kenneth Ausherman Meiners, Maude Meiners Soderquist and 
Joseph Henry Meiners Jr. were born there.

	Mr. Joseph Henry Meiners, while riding horseback about the cattle, with 
his two sons, Russell Meiners and Joseph Henry Meiners Jr.. died instantly of a 
heart attack. The following year I, Mabel Meiners, moved to Rapid City, South 
Dakota, and my son-in-law, Joel B. Soderquist and my daughter, Maude, and their 
two girls, Karen and Pamela, purchased the ranch and are still living there.

[Photo - Mabel Florence Ausherman Meiners, on her mare, Flora, when she was 
living on Sage Creek.]

[Photo - Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Henry Meiners, taken on the homestead place of Mrs. 
Meiners.]

[Photo - Claim shack of J. H. Ausherman - 1902]

[Photo - Mrs. Streeter crossing the Cheyenne River]

[Photo - Mr. and Mrs. George Streeter, standing by their shack on Crooked Creek. 
They came from Des Moines, Iowa.]

[Photo - This picture is Ida Ausherman, wife of John Henry Ausherman, taken on 
his claim near Wall, South Dakota.]

[Photo - Side view of John Ausherman's shack with Mr. Joe Meiners, and his son, 
Russell Meiners.]

[Photo - Russell and Grandpa in the corn.]

[Photo - This is a picture of my father's claim shack, John Henry Ausherman, and 
my claim shack, Mabel Ausherman Meiners. I am standing by the door.]

[Photo - John Henry Ausherman, father of Mabel Ausherman Meiners, hauling hay in 
with his wagon, and one horse. This hay was cut with a sickle and put on the 
wagon with pitchforks.]

[Photo - Joe Bruce]

[Photo - Lavina and Russell Meiners]

[Photo - Old timers around Wasta: Three of the men are George Drey, Lewis Shull, 
and one of the bewhiskered men is Daddy Green.]

[Photo - Frank Miller and George Drey skinning a coyote.]



The Quinn Story

by Ruth Hildebrandt         Mrs. Strasser
Olaf Tennysen               Marjorie Willuweit

	Quinn was founded in 1906 and got its name from Mike Quinn who had a ranch 
on the sight. Quinn was started a year before the railroad reached therein 1907. 
When the railroad came in the depot was built. Among the agents were Higsby, L. 
E. Vick, Ernest Windedahl, Hans Peterson and George Turpin at the time the depot 
closed.

	Some of the section foreman were Root, Anderson, Breck, Goads, Philips and 
Lynch.

	The first post office was Furnas Creek in a log house belonging to Coy 
Furnas, or I should say in his home. Coy was the first postmaster. When the 
creek was high Coy would tie a rock to the mail wanted on the other side of the 
creek and throw it across to the homesteader waiting to receive it. Usually the 
homesteaders would take turns bringing the mail for all of his or her neighbors.

	Soon after Quinn was founded, Coy moved the post office to the new town. 
The building was on the street about where the latest bank was located. The post 
office was in front, the family living in the back. In the front of the post 
office building Coy and Fannie Furnas had what would now be called a novelty 
store selling china, glassware and novelties. Coy was crippled so at Halloween 
he would call the children in and treat them and ask them not to touch his 
place, of course they left everything alone.

	Other post masters were Daisy Chamberlain, Charlie Parsons, Oscar Hunt, 
Harold Krebs and I am sure there were others, At the present time the postmaster 
is Mrs. Ralph (Olvia) Putnum.

	The postoffice has been moved to various buildings or locations through 
the years.

	The first bank was called the First State Bank and was established in 
1907. It was located on the block running east and west toward Balch's store. 
Some of the bankers were Elmer Porter, Carl Johannason and Charley Daws. Mr. 
Munson was the banker when the bank closed in 1927 paying out to the depositers 
about one half of one percent. A branch of the Underwood State bank opened after 
a few years with Delbert Sebade as banker. In a very short time this was moved 
to Wall and combined with the bank there.

	In the early days, that is, in 1912, gas lights were put in to light the 
streets. These were lit in the evening and run until 11 P.M. when a clock 
mechanism shut them off.

	The streets were lined with hitching rails. Main Street is a block west of 
the one we think of Main Street. The business places and road were moved because 
of a hill that made it difficult to pull the wagons up the grade when it was 
wet. It has been said that at times the ruts were at least a foot and a half 
deep.

	The earliest blacksmith was Torgesson. He had a shop near the Brownson 
hardware. He built the house where Mrs. Sophia Votroubek now lives. His wife's 
folks were the Rapps who lived in a sod house north of the cemetery. Some of the 
other blacksmiths were Bill Polk, Harvey Frandsen, Moss, Erickson and Eatherton.

	The first business was the Porter general store. There have been several 
grocery stores through the years, some of the operators were Balch, Smith, 
Haddock, Joe Chamberlain, Knute Tennysen, Kerlin, Krebs, Hoffman, Strasser, 
Audrey Shaffer, and the Farmers Union operated by Martin Ellingson, Harvey 
Hildebrandt and at present by Emil (Amos) Votroubek.

	There was one grocery store run by two men whose names won't be mentioned. 
One evening candy was bought by two ladies. It was dark when they went home and 
they ate candy as they were on their way. They thought it very good. When they 
got home and offered it to another she looked and said, "No thanks". They found 
it full of mouse tracks.

	E. S. Johnson started paper called The Quinn Courant. Mr. and Mrs. Jack 
Enger printed the Quinn Times and the present paper printed by Mr. Browning is 
the Quinn Record, Lewis Flatt had the first livery stable, others were Charley 
Doud and Charley Ritzman, E. D. Hawley, Frank Chamberlain and others. Bill 
Gregson had the last of the livery stables. The liverymen always run the dray 
line.

	Creameries were an important business in the early days as almost all the 
homesteaders milked some cows and as soon as they had cream separators selling 
cream was the one way the women could get grocery money. This business extended 
into the forties. Some of the cream station attendants were Ray Chamberlain, E. 
Mercer, Harold Rawley, Clarence Edgar and probably many more. There are still 
cream stations in several of the towns but none in Quinn at the present time.

	Nelsons had an early furniture and hardware store. He sold to Jim 
Carmichel. Jim, with the help of hired help, put up most of the lightening rods 
in the town and country. W. L. Brownson and Chet Miller had hardware stores for 
many years.

	Reed was an early undertaker, doing his work from his home.

	Green was the only veterinary we know of in the early days.

	E. S. Johnson had the first U. S. Land Office. Flaven and Quinn opened 
real estate office. Another office was Mr. Seifelts. Coy Furnas and Joe 
Chamberlain were also in the land business. Hoyt Hunter was one of the last.

	Lumber yards were owned or operated by Clarence Bliss, Mesterek, Edwin 
Doud, A. C. Kingsbury, Jack Hoffman and others.

	Quinn also had its druggists. Some of them were Oscar Hunt, HoIsclaw, Dr. 
Berlingame was both druggist and doctor. Other doctors were Dr. Messeriow, Dr. 
Jernstrom and Dr. Jones the last resident doctor until our hospital was built 
and Dr. Hvam came. Most of the doctors had their own medicines for their 
patients.

	Towns have always had salons or bars and other places of pleasure. Some 
who operated them are Ben and Jack Roland, Henry May, Joe Strasser, Charlie 
Ritzman, Jim Tracy, Benny LaRouche, Ed Anthony, Doc Bower, John Boland and I 
expect many others. Some operated what were called "Blind Pigs". The present bar 
is owned and operated by Gail Tennysen.

	The Tri-State Elevator has had several operators, and has handled a great 
deal of grain as there is lots of farming around the little town of Quinn. Some 
of the operators were Joe Chamberlain, Al Sefelt, Bob Anthony, Tom Hopkins, Olaf 
Tennysen, Walt Klingbile and at present Dwight Norman is the manager.

	There have been several restaurant operators, Lena Presque, Harry and Mrs. 
Packman, Mrs. Halvorson, Sadie Ritzman, Ollie Walling, Mrs. Elam, Jim Hammer, 
Ira Strandell, Bill Connley, Barney Luken, Strassers, for thirty five years, Red 
Culp and others. The early hotels were run by Col. Doud, Grandma Simpson, 
Chamberlain, Mr. and Mrs. Koller, George Ames, Merl Warner, Sanders and others.

	Mrs. Strasser is remembered by many as the one who came when anyone was 
sick. She brought many children into the world, sometimes with a doctor's help 
but more often alone. She attended many sick people and closed the eyes of many 
who passed away. The writer can remember and still picture her sitting in the 
kitchen peeling big pans of vegetables while savory odors came from the oven and 
stove. Her place was a home for anyone needing a place to stay or something to 
eat.

	Mr. and Mrs. Duboise owned a dry goods store. It was later owned by 
Elizabeth Carlson. This store if still operating would be an antique collector's 
paradise. It was located at the north end of the street we now think of as Main 
Street.

	After the gas lights in Quinn W. L. Brownsen put in a local power plant in 
1918. It used a 210 horsepower engine and one direct current generator. This was 
an improvement in the homes over the kerosene lamps or even the gas mantle lamp.

	In 1940 R. E. A. came to the town but it was a few years before it reached 
out very far into the country.

	Quinn had a very good band. They had an open air band stand and on 
Saturday nights they had concerts. Henry Johnson was the band leader.

	Quinn also had a mason or plasterer who built most of the chimneys and 
other brick work. Jim Tracy was always called on when this kind of work was 
needed.

	Quinn did a great deal of live stock shipping. The first shipment of 
cattle out of Quinn followed a round up by Viola Wilsey.

	Herman Ricard had a photograph business in homestead days and many of the 
pictures found today were taken by him and have his signature. He also played a 
harp for entertainment and dances.

	Some of the mail carriers were W. L. Brownson, A. C. Johnson, Ira Bulis, 
Raymond Cross, Henry Whay, Albert Halley, Harold Krebs, Roy Tennysen and others. 
Some of these carried on the north route and some on the south.

	Barber shops were operated by Bill Thompson, Chaffey, Cotton Johnson, Jack 
Roth, Olaf Tennysen, Halvor Tennysen, also others.

	The first beauty shop was operated by Mabel Roth and Pearl Flatt.

	Dan Kelley will be remembered as a cattle buyer. When he retired his son 
Pat bought cattle until his death. Since then there have been no real cattle 
buyers in Quinn.

	Quinn had two churches, the Catholic and the Methodist. For a time the 
Lutherans held services in the Methodist church, school was also held there. The 
first Catholic services were held in the Strasser home. Sometime before 1920 the 
present Catholic church was built. Some priests who served the parish were 
Fathers Hurst, Georgen, Leahy, (the first resident priest), Connelly, Donnelly, 
Major, DeRaaf, Kingsley, and now Father Balfe.

	The Methodist church was started in the fall of 1908 and finished the 
following year. The first minister was Rev. Fillabraun. He also taught the 
younger children of the town. Some of the other ministers Rev. Fish, Olds, Rice, 
Jim Torbert, John De Vries, Merl Wilson, Ernest Jenson, Holman Cowherd, Don 
Clarup, Jim Voss and others. Rev. Lucas one of the early ministers was one of 
the best loved ministers who ever came to Quinn. 

	In 1961 the church was remodeled so the interior is very attractive.

	The first school was in northeast part of town. Then a two story building 
was built on the hill north west of town. Carol E. Brown was the first 
superintendent in the new building. The first graduating class was in 1922 and 
had one student, Mildred Maxwell. The school on the hill was considered a good 
school and was recognized so by the state department. In W. P. A. days a new 
building was built in the center of town. The first class graduating from there 
was in 1939. The building on the hill was turned into a dormitory for the high 
school students. This burned down in 1943.

	Fire striking in the bitterly-cold early morning hours of January 26, 
destroyed the Quinn school dormitory, forcing students and teachers to flee in 
their night clothes.

	All of the occupants escaped safely, after Lyle and Leslie Williams 
sounded the alarm, the former running four blocks in near zero weather, clad 
only in shirt and shorts, to the school house to ring the bell, arousing the 
community.

	The two boys awoke in a smoke-filled room about 4:30 and within a short 
time after arousing the other occupants all but one were safely outside the 
building.

	Florence Craft was missing when the check-up was taken, but the 
soundsleeper soon put her head out the window, asking the group "What's the 
matter?" Thereupon, one of the teachers, Miss Marie Krebs, rushed back into the 
burning building to lead the girl to safety.

	All but one of the students lost all of their clothing, while the 
teachers-Marie and Lucella Krebs and Hazel Wikholm--managed to salvage their 
coats.

	The one fortunate student was Teddy Waugh, a grade school pupil, who had 
the presence of mind to grab his clothing, before rushing out of the building.

	Cause of the fire, which started in the basement, is undetermined, but it 
didn't burst into flames in the upper stories until the children started rushing 
out of the old two-story building.

	Soon after the fire the students were moved to a different building down 
town. This building was also destroyed a few years after it was closed as a 
dormitory, this time by a gas explosion.

	Quinn was noted for it's superior basketball teams, both boys and girls.

	The high school is discontinued and now there is only the grade school.

	In homestead days Quinn had a very good ball team taking on all comers. It 
is stated that they beat the Boston Bloomers and also a professional negro team.



Quinn, Odd Fellows and Rebekah Lodges

by Merl Farnsworth

	The Quinn Odd Fellow lodge was organized in 1909 with a large membership. 
A few years later the organized the Wall Odd Fellow.

	At the present the Quinn lodge has only enough members to hold their 
charter.

	In 1916 the Rebekah lodge was organized with sixteen members, In a few 
years their membership had grown to over one hundred with one of the best drill 
teams in the country. This team had seventeen members. They went from town to 
town putting on the work, organizing other lodges and taking new members.

	At the present time so many have moved away that there are not enough 
members living hereto hold meetings even though their membership is still 
reasonably large.


[Photo - Quinn in 1907. The building farthest in the background is the Odd 
Fellows Hall and is still standing although when this picture was taken and for 
so many years afterward it was W. W. Balch's store.]



Story of Quinn Hospital

	In 1948 a group of civic minded people of Quinn and the outlying community 
met and decided that there should be another doctor and a hospital in eastern 
Pennington county.

	Through correspondence a doctor from Oslo, Norway was secured. Upon his 
arrival plans were drawn and a hospital started. A corporation was formed, 
shares sold and donations received.

	Before long an eight bed hospital was completed. Carpenters were hired for 
part of the work, the rest was donated. Needless to, say this hospital is filled 
to capacity most of the time.

	One out patient addition was added in 1959, as even more room was needed a 
separate Maternity wing was started in 1964. At the present time it is near 
completion and will be in use by this fall, 1965.

	We are indeed thankful to have such a wonderful doctor as a community 
member with his lovely wife and three children.

[Photo - Quinn Hospital]


Cheerful Chums Extension Club

by Extension Club Committee

	The Cheerful Chums Extension Club was organized January 12, 1954 at the 
home of Mrs. Ruth (Albert) Hildebrandt, with the assistance of Mickey Bovee, 
extension agent of Pennington County.

	The following officers were elected: Chairman, Mrs. O. G. Shearer, Vice 
Chairman, Mrs. Albert Hildebrandt, Secretary Mry. Vern McDonnell, Reporter, Mrs. 
Vernice Hildebrandt, Music Chairman, Mrs. Hohn Harnisch, Recreation leader, Mrs. 
Edgar Lamb.

	The first year there were thirteen members, Ruth Hildebrandt, Beulah 
McDonnell, Elizabeth Shearer, Pearl Kjerstad, Ila Kjerstad, Martha Paulsen, Emma 
Lamb, Irene Becker, Cecelia Melvin, Rose McDonnell, Velma Harnisch, Dakota 
Hildebrandt, and Dorothy Shearer. The first six and Dorothy Shearer still belong 
to the club.

	Our special program is Reading. We have taken a first or second either 
individually or as a club plus other reading awards each year.

	We feel we have always had an outstanding secretary as we have received a 
blue ribbon on each of our secretary books.

	Our project leaders have never missed a demonstration given by the Home 
Agents. These leaders have always brought back an interesting and informative 
lesson to the club.

	Each year we donate to a children's home and send toys, games, clothing 
and other needed articles.

	We as a club have sponsored the Riding Rangers 4-H Club. This is one of 
the outstanding 4-H Clubs. At one time a brother and sister were chosen county 
King and Queen at the same time on points. This club has also taken several 
firsts in the projects studied by them.

	This year 1965 we still have thirteen members of which seven are from the 
original group. The new members are Marcia Sawvell, Mary Kjerstad, Clarice 
Kjerstad, Blanche Parsons, Lila Mateicka and Eileen Denke.

	We are proud to have had one of our members, Elizabeth Shearer, elected as 
District Vice Chairman.

[Photo - Dakota Hildebrandt    Cheerful Chums members 1954   Ruth Hildebrandt, 
Emma Lamb, Martha Paulsen, Ceceila Malvin, Beulah McDonnell, Rose McDonnell, 
Irene Becker, Elizabeth Shearer, Velma Harnisch]



Highlights on Life at Quinn 1909 to 19097

by Daisy B. Williamson

	My folks, the J. H. Parsons family, moved from Vermillion to Quinn in 
March, 1909. My oldest brother, Will had filed on a homestead a few months 
before so he was already there. I was teaching our home school so didn't make 
the trip out until June. We had a wonderful spring and summer that year.

	I was surprised to find that my folks had real close neighbors. There were 
several nice families living not more than a half-mile away. It wasn't hard to 
get acquainted.

	During that summer vacation most of the young folks rode horseback to town 
every day for a gettogether, We always congregated at Herman Ricard's Photo 
Studio. Herman played the harp and violin and anyone else who ever played 
anything -played something. We had much fun there. Mr. Ricard later opened an 
Art Studio in Sioux City, Iowa. While at Quinn he took many snapshots every day 
of young folks, dressed in western garb of course - something to send back home 
to show how wild and woolly the west was.

	In the evenings the young people quite often had dances at the neighbors. 
My father's homestead was five miles south of Quinn and since we had many close 
neighbors, we always walked to the dances, even though parking places were 
plentiful. Frank Chamberlain usually played for the dances and no claim shack 
was too small for a pretty good dance. I started teaching that fall and since I 
never went to dances during the school week my social life was over for awhile.

	One day after school I rode my pony into town for the purpose of filing on 
a homestead. I had to wait till after dark to get my application made out and 
signed. Mr. E. S. Johnston was Land Commissioner and those were busy days. He 
had several applicants waiting. I knew all this meant that I had to ride home 
after night came on, and I was pretty worried. It was so dark that night that I 
couldn't see my hand when I held it before my eyes. I had heard that a horse 
could find his way home, so I gave my pony a chance, and we made it.

	After teaching the Hawley School a year and our home school two years, I 
then taught fourth and fifth grades in town.

	I had a boy in school who had a flair for drawing and at his age he did 
very well. He always wanted to draw western pictures. I told him I didn't object 
to his drawing if he did his studying first. I felt that he had a talent that 
should be followed up. Robert Rapp is now living in Charles City, Iowa and is 
still painting Westerns, and is now getting good money for them in several 
states and in Canada. He brought me a picture last fall of a little mission in 
New Mexico. He had done this picture with only a pallette knife.

	Now a little more about the social life in Quinn. Joe Chamberlain and I 
were married in 1913 and even though we both worked, as did everyone else, there 
were always plenty of social affairs. As years went on, it seemed that Quinn 
folks in general were very civic-minded. If anyone promoted anything for the 
good of the community, we seemed to pull together to get things done. Here are 
some of the social events that took up our spare time for several years:

	Our church had a choir membership of twenty-six, and a very active and 
sizeable Ladies Aid Society (now W.S.C.S.) We had a Home Economics Club and a 
Current History Club, this for both men and women. We had an orchestra and we 
often had visitors on practice nights. Our guests had to stand as we had no 
chairs to offer, so we made a habit of tacking this notice to the door: 
"orchestra practice tonight. Bring your chairs."

	Quinn had a very good band under the direction of Henry Johnson, an 
experienced cornetist formerly with the Beresford, S. Dak. band.

	We organized a Womens' Stucly Club and this group started a Public 
Library. When our accumulation had reached a thousand books, we bought a little 
old building to use for a library and for awhile the club had a paid librarian.

	According to my book, Quinn was quite a town in those days and would still 
be if it wasn't for super hiways and good cars.

	My husband and I were in the general merchandise business for thirteen 
years. We first had the store on Main Street where the postoffice now stands. 
Later we sold that and bought the Balch Store on the hill. After good hiways and 
good cars came along, much of the business was done in the larger towns such as 
Rapid City and Pierre. This caused so many of the little towns to sort of fade 
out which, though deplorable, couldn't under such circumstances, be very well 
helped.

	We used to drive in to Rapid City occasionally, to attend to business. In 
the early days it took nearly all day to make the drive up to Rapid City and 
back, with time enough at noon for a meal, and time for paying taxes, etc. We 
dreaded the hills along the way, if muddy, and we often had to open a gate. We 
were always glad to have a second driver along to help out, Now we make the trip 
in an hour.

	We moved to Rapid City in 1937 on account of the slump in business. After 
four and one-half years with a bad heart condition my husband died in 1952. In 
October, 1954 I was re-married to Frank A. Williamson of Rapid City, who had 
been a good friend of ours for several years. We live at 1019 Columbus and we 
are both glad to welcome any of the Quinn and Wall folks at any time. Some of 
you will remember me as having been the Quinn Postmaster for several years.

	All the organizations and social affairs that I have been writing about 
were interesting and worth-while, but the wonderful thing about those years was 
the fact that our family was together. I'm sure that was the case with many 
others who lived there.

[Photo - Threshing on the Ernst Behrendt place]

[Photo - Laying the rails for the railroad at Quinn.]

[Photo - Quinn's first High School building]

[Photo - Track meet at Quinn]

[Photo - The dormitory converted from the old high school building]

[Photo - Ruins after the fire]

[Photo - Present Quinn School.]

[Photo - One of the first cars in Quinn owned by the Furnas Land Co.: Coy 
Furnas, Joe Chamberlain; in the back is Hattie Swight and Minnie Serck.]



Quinn School

	Quinn's first high school was held in the Methodist Church with Mrs. 
Hattie Dwight as the one and only teacher. This was in 1910 and 1911. The pupils 
in the ninth grade were: Helen Johnston, Merle Halley, Robert Miller, Nettie Van 
Dyke, Ruth Parsons. Berneta Balch, and I believe Waldon Wood. Mrs. Dwight also 
taught the seventh and eighth grades (and possibly sixth). Daisy Parsons taught 
the lower grades that year in another building. They had had grade school one or 
two years before.

	In 1911 the first high school building was built and that fall Rev. C. L. 
Fillebrown taught ninth and tenth grades and also the eighth grade part of the 
year until Clarence Mills took it over the last semester. Rev. Fillebrown also 
was pastor of the Methodist church that year. Irene Winkler taught the lower 
grades, also in the new school house. This building burned down later and the 
present hospital was built where it once stood.

Sketches of My Life
IN EASTERN PENNINGTON COUNTY

by Robert Rapp

	As I remember it was about 1906 when my father George Rapp left Platte, 
South Dakota to take a homestead in Pennington County. He had sold his farm and 
stock in Brule Co. and bought a place in Platte, where we lived for a year or 
so. When he heard of the land opening in Western South Dakota, mother and he 
talked things over and decided to make a move.

	How well I remember him fixing a cover on a light wagon, loading it with 
camping equipment and getting his team Prince and Billy ready for the trip. One 
of my brothers Henry, went with him riding his saddle horse Rusty. They crossed 
the river at Chamberlain, the trip taking a week or ten days. All legal business 
was done at Rapid City. He drove there by team picketing his horses on Rapid 
Creek which is now in the middle of the city. He filed on a hundred and sixty 
acres five miles west of my brother John's homestead, who had came west earlier 
in the year. Furnas-the postoffice and store was four or five miles northwest 
from the homestead. John homesteaded his claim following Cottonwood Creek that 
layed 80 acres east and west, 40 acres to the south of the west end and 40 acres 
on the north of the east end forming a Z. This was planned so as to get the most 
timber and creek flats for farming. Furnishing both places with wood for fuel, 
fenceposts, poles for corral and many other things that could take the place of 
lumber. My father and brothers did all the improving they could on the two 
places that year. Besides working for the railroad, building the grades for the 
tracks with horses and slip scrapers.

	They then came back to Platte, got an emigrant car, packed our household 
goods and about all they could, including two cows, ready to ship. My dad drove 
his team back to Quinn leaving mother and us to come later by train. But the 
anxiety of it all caused mother to take off a week sooner then she should have. 
We were a large family, some of the older children already had married and 
others were on their own. I remember, what a long way around it was to go by 
train. We went to Scottland, to Mitchell, to Wolsey then west to Pierre. There 
was no bridge crossing the Missouri river at this time. Mother missed the ferry 
by a few moments, so a man with a small boat, a gas engine mounted on the rear 
took us across. With all of us and luggage he was loaded to capacity. We were 
all scared as it was the most water we children had ever seen. Then the little 
boat jumping from one wave to another didn't help matters any. West of Pierre 
was the beginning of the new railroad, with wide open country on either side. 
When we reached Quinn there was no one there to meet us.

	Quinn was a new town, building was going on at top speed. The sound of saw 
and hammer seemed to be the tune of the day. Mother talked to a man who said he 
knew where our homestead was. He lived north of town. He had a light wagon and 
said we could ride with him. Leaving our baggage in town, we left by the road 
leading north of Quinn. There were no fences and few roads, everybody drove 
where they were going and few went the same way. For us this was a new town, new 
country, and new people. He stopped his team over the first high hill. Helping 
us out of the wagon, pointed down the draw and told us to follow it east. All in 
sight was prairie, hills and draws. We walked about 1/2 mile and came to "the 
place".

	What we saw was a part dugout in a slope. The front was to the south. A 
big cottonwood log over the entrance, either side of the door were two windows 
built into the smaller logs, making the beams of the roof laid lengthwise. Then 
smaller timbers laid close together cross-wise, a vent built in the center. A 
little hay, then the whole roof covered with a heavy layer of earth. A small 
garden with a few vegetables was west of it and a well at the edge of the draw. 
An earth dam full of water fifty feet to the south, across the dam was another 
dugout. This had two stalls for four horses, beside it was a hay corral, with 
huge stacks of hay. Silence was everywhere, nobody to be found. We had brought 
enough food with us to last for the next day. But thankful we had reached the 
end of our journey, and knowing that tomorrow would take care of itself.

	My father came back a few days later. He had become ill on the road and 
stopped at an acquaintance to recuperate. Now they had to plan for the building 
location. Mother thought where the place was at present was too much shut in, so 
she chose the south slope of the land to the southwest of the quarter. It would 
make it closer to town, also to school and church. From here we could see for 
miles in all directions. Quinn laid right at our front door, the Pinnacles of 
the Badlands to the south and west. The neighboring town of Wall and far to the 
west the Black Hills, which looked like a distant thundercloud. So this is where 
our home was to be. The next day the men took four horses and a wagon to Quinn, 
coming back with all the building material they could haul. It wasn't long 
before we had a house with the help of everybody.

	Firebreaks had to be plowed around all buildings, and hay stacks. There 
were no fences, when we went we drove straight for town. Claim holders soon 
started fencing their land. I remember how the men tied a rag on a buggy wheel 
to measure the distance between corners, they would count the revolutions of the 
wheel to find where their linefence should be built. At the corners were stakes 
sawed from 2x2 pine lumber, these had been driven in the ground with the proper 
marking of their corner on all four sides of the stake. A slight depression dug 
four or five feet from each corner of the stake if the stake was gone the 
depression was still there. In a year or so nearly every 160 was fenced and some 
cross fenced. The homesteaders were mostly all people with the same intentions- 
-their hopes built high looking to the future. Of course there were those who 
just homesteaded thinking they could sell as soon as they had proved up.

	At that time most of the settlers had just a few chickens, cows, and 
horses for farming. Of course in years to come some prospered putting all their 
profits and work in their homesteads. Those first few years were very good there 
was grass and hay everywhere. Plowed fields showed as did herds of milk cows, 
beef cattle and sheep. But things didn't stay the same. The year 1911 was a year 
without rain. There was hardly any snow in the winters of 1910-1911. When spring 
came the ground had no moisture, crops were put in but one could dig out seed 
corn in August that was just as it was when planted. People were leaving almost 
as fast as they came. Covered wagons were going east instead of west, stock was 
getting thinner, grass was harder to find. Gates were opened to land of those 
that had left and cattle drove to where there might be a little grass. The days 
were getting hotter and drier. Wells being fed mostly by surface water were 
going dry, Both of ours wouldn't water our stock from one day to the next. One 
day when I had our cattle down a draw east of our land, I was sitting in a dry 
wash in the shade of some scrubby brush, when I noticed an old cow track looked 
dark on the bottom. I took a stick I carried, dug in a little and found the dirt 
moist. By pushing the stick down water came into the hole. Running home I told 
my brother who couldn't believe me--but he went back with me taking a post hole 
digger. After digging three or four holes each filled with water within 6 inches 
from the top. We dug a well about 10 ft. deep the water was quite strong alkali 
but we had plenty for our stock.

	The last of August they decided something had to be done in preparation 
for winter. My dad having filed on a Quarter section of Kincaid land the year 
before in northwest Nebraska, which made this decision easier. So we loaded what 
we could on two wagons, left the rest locked in the house. Then started for the 
homestead in northwest Nebraska, driving our stock along behind the wagons. It 
was a two weeks slow drive, the stock being thin, cows with calves by side, and 
finding our own way through the rough country between the badlands and the Black 
Hills. We stayed and wintered the stock at the Nebraska homestead, about 12 
miles south of Ardmore, So. Dak. For we children there was no school in fact no 
schoolhouse in that part of the country. It was a long hard winter. In the 
spring 1912 my brother Henry who had found work on a big ranch in the sand hill 
country came and helped drive the stock back to Quinn. We had many unusual 
experiences getting back. The quick sand in the Cheyenne River, the stock from a 
not too good winter, and poor spring grazing caused our grub-box to go empty 
between Scenic and Wall in a very thinly settled part of the country. Camping 
for the night about two miles from Wall, Henry rode into town for supplies. 
Making it almost 24 hours with no food. The year 1912 was a better one, at least 
we had feed for the stock. With all this drouth and hardship the handshake was 
still a little stronger. The following years were pretty much the same--not all 
good, not all bad. Due to difficulties my education was very limited. I am 
thankful for the good teachers I had while going to school at Quinn. The first 
school I went to at Quinn was in the year 1907. It was a little quickly 
constructed building of lumber covered with Rubberoid. Located on the east end 
of town. Later it was moved to the northwest part nearer to the churches. And 
then the new school was built on a hill northwest of town. We had about a mile 
to go, walked it most every school-day, unless the weather was too bad. When the 
snow was deep we had to break our own path as we did not have a road to follow. 
Going straight for the schoolhouse we had several fences to crawl through. My 
three sisters Bertha, Amy, Agatha and I would string out single file. Of course 
we had our dinner pails and when a little late would dog-trot most of the way. 
When about two-thirds of the way another path joined ours which was traveled by 
the Parriott children Mora, Ruth, Ethel and Clinton, our neighbors to the south 
of us. Going to school we often met and parted at the Y. Myteachers?? I cannot 
recall them all. I do remember Mrs. Clarence (Hattie Dwight), Daisy B. Parsons 
(Mrs. F.A. Williamson), Mrs. Conway and a Mr. Higgins. My favorite subjects was 
History and Art. I have had an interest in Art almost as far back as I can 
remember. When four or five years old, I was often given a scissors and paper, 
then told to cut out a horse or some other animal for our company. Horses being 
my greatest interest I was always drawing action pictures of them. The teacher 
who gave me the most encouragement in Art was Daisy Parsons-now Mrs. F.A. 
Williamson of Rapid City for which I thank her.

	Of course we had our blizzards in those days too. The worst I remember was 
March 14-1913. We had lots of snow and a terrific continuous wind blew for two 
days and two nights. To bring us closer to school the folks had bought a house 
in the north part of Quinn where mother and we children lived through the 
winter. In all those two days and two nights we did not see our yard gate, 15 
feet from the house. The buildings on the farm, and hay stacks, were all snowed 
in. The stock was shut in the sheds by huge snow drifts. The folks had their 
sale in 1918 and moved to Huron So. Dak. My father had work there with the 
Northwestern railroad. Later moving to Rapid City where they died and are 
buried.

	I went out on my own quite a bit, working for neighbors. When working on a 
ranch near White Owl-John Harper asked me to help him drive 100 head of horses 
overland to the Kansas Wheat Country. I accepted--this trip was very eventful. 
We spent five weeks on the road, cooking over camp-fires, and sleeping in a 
covered wagon. Spending a year in Western Kansas, I sold my saddle horses and 
came to Charles City, Iowa. Working at different work, I now paint as a hobby. I 
call myself (self-taught). My wife Bernice also paints and we have exhibited and 
sold paintings such places as Cheyenne, Wyo., Omaha, Nebr., Tucson, Ariz., Toas, 
New Mexico, Waterloo and Mason City, Iowa, Rapid City, Wall, and Rockerville, 
So. Dak. We belong to the Waterloo Art Association, helped organize the Charles 
City Art Association, also was their first vice-president. I paint mostly from 
memories of Western So. Dak. My wife's subjects are flowers scenery and 
portraits.

	I worked in the advertising Dept. of Dr. Salsburys Laboratories for 15 
years. Was retired two years ago when reaching the age 65. 1 am now working part 
time in the Circulating Dept. of the Charles City Daily Press, filling my spare 
time putting memories of Western So. Dak. on canvas.

Early Days in Pennington County
Quinn Area

by Eda Edzards Covert

	We probably never would have come west except that my Dad's health 
required that he move, I was between eight and nine years old when he filed a 
claim near Cottonwood, but while he was gone to bring back his family the fence 
and a small cabin were stolen. The one remaining advantage, which my Dad always 
found on a place, was a marvelous well, and as he said, "they couldn't take 
that." However, he felt if that kind of people were neighbors he wasn't 
interested in living there.

	He had also purchased a deeded place five miles south and east of Quinn, 
so that was where we moved. His improvements for that day, house, barn, combined 
corn-crib and machine shed, chicken house, and work shed, plus an apple orchard 
and flowers near the garden plot, exceeded most of the other nearby farms. He 
felt they were only necessities, though the neighbors classed us in a different 
category at first, not knowing my folks had lived and farmed very meticulously 
in Iowa. However, once we came to know each other, friendships developed.

	We walked a mile and a quarter to school past an active prairie dog town. 
The antics of those lively little fellows never failed to intrigue us. We were 
fortunate that our teachers, with one or two exceptions. were above average and 
taught us many things outside the regular curriculum.

	A large part of the territory was unfenced and without graded roads. There 
was plenty of moisture, except for the drought period. In the spring we forded 
creeks to get to town. My Bible that I always carried to the Methodist Sunday 
School still displays a sample of the white gumbo that filled a slough through 
which we had to drive. No car could ever have traversed that gooey mixture.

	Ted, our racer bred horse, with head held high, pulled steadily along, 
with the single buggy and didn't seem to mind too much, though I'm sure he much 
preferred a nice dry road on which he could trot.

	During the dry years rabbit was the piece de resistance, and provided my 
brother and I with hours of pleasure hunting them, accompanied by our dog who 
was alternately a help or a hindrance. They were tastefully prepared in several 
different ways with the ever present navy beans.

	The year that so many left My Mother counted a hundred wagons on one road 
in a comparative short period of time. There remained two wells in the 
neighborhood to care for the stock and the people that decided to 'stick it 
out'.

	Following a dry winter, spring came on but without the needed rain to 
sprout the seeds in the planted fields. All summer the few clouds that passed 
within sight failed to bring any results.

	As I recall it was late September when a hard rain finally came and how 
excited everyone was. We children immediately ran out barefooted to wade in the 
puddles and to watch the creek running bank full of muddy water.

	A wide smile covered everyone's face. One neighbor driving by called out, 
"What's that you're wading in, water?"

	During the dry period there was also the ever present threat of prairie 
fires. Once there was a large one in Montana that got so bad the sun was an 
orange ball for two days while the acrid air was difficult to breathe. 
Firebreaks surrounded us and everything was done to insure safety for the 
family, stock and buildings. In some places they ran parallel to the road hoping 
to make a wider place that the fire couldn't jump in case of a high wind.

	One day one of our neighbors had the misfortune to have an accident which 
started a fire. He jumped from his horse and grabbed the ever present gunny sack 
from the saddle and beat at the flames until he dropped. However, as soon as the 
smoke was seen farmers gathered quickly to help and only a few acres were 
burned. But to stop a fire that created a wind of it's own on a crackle-dry 
prairie was not an easy task.

	Our recreation was simple. In the winter we had snow covered hills and 
after a strong wind had blown for a few days the crust made an excellent slide. 
One year there was a large drift that ran down to the creek behind a nearby 
neighbor's barn. The swift-running sleds my Dad had made for us zipped down over 
the steep incline at a dizzy pace and raced along the frozen creek. It was lots 
of fun except the night my sister fell off the sled and severely injured her 
hip.

	Dancing at some one's home was always fun. More than once we practically 
emptied our kitchen for the folks to have plenty of room, and danced until well 
past the mid-night snack. One night a chinook wind came up and instead of snow 
the guests slid home in mud with their sleds.

	The other main pastime was our Literary Society. I presume this was 
sponsored by our school teacher. We met on regular evenings in the school house. 
We usually had a program and then played such games as Skip-to-My-Lou before 
refreshments were served, and whatever else we wished to do afterwards. The year 
we had a teacher who specialized in elocution (dramatic reading) I recall 
learning and giving some long 'pieces' like "Little Joe". This was a touching 
scene of a young orphan paper boy who had brought home some flowers he had 
picked from a house as he passed by, bringing them to his little brother who 
died right after taking them in his hands. The last line, read with pathos and 
disbelief, "Oh, My God, is Joey dead." Then, there was "Bay Billy", the Civil 
War story of the riderless horse that came over the hill at a crucial moment to 
save the day for his fallen leader. I think I cried quicker and more than my 
audience.

	In a gayer mood I recall some neighbors who lived four miles south of us, 
blessed with a dam and thus a place to swim. We never swam there, but they told 
us one day one of the boys dived and the water being quite a bit shallower than 
he thought, had his head stuck in the mud and his brother had to dive in and 
pull him out.

	Baseball sessions in some one's pasture always brought a crowd. Bachelor 
John usually had a pet trailing him, even a pig that followed from base to base 
and still lived to tell the story. I can't think he was ever very good for 
eating.

	I could go on for hours about Spot, our pinto pony that outsmarted us; or 
how we welcomed the first meadow lark in spring. Childhood memories, who would 
be without them.




Mr. and Mrs. Joe Strasser

by Leona Kelly

	Mr. and Mrs. Joe Strasser homesteaded north of Kadoka in 1906. From there 
they moved to Cottonwood, and in 1909 to the thriving town of Quinn. Mr. 
Strasser started a saloon and operated this business until prohibition. He then 
had a pool hall, grocery store and cafe.

	Quinn was a lively town and was a good business town. Ranchers came from 
miles around to trade. A few of the old time business places besides ours were 
the following: Grandpa Douds meat market, Charley Douds livery stable, Balchs 
Grocery store, Torgesons blacksmith shop, 2 cafes, Herman Rickards photo studio 
and Jewelry store, a post office, an ice cream parlor, a newspaper and a bank. 
There was only one church in Quinn at first. Mass was said once a month in our 
house until a Catholic church was built. When a rectory was built later on 
Father Leahy was the first resident pastor we had. He was in Quinn for 8 years. 
Two of the earliest Methodist ministers I remember were Rev. Oulds and Rev. 
Lucas.

	Baseball was the main sport and Quinn had a very good ball team. Charley 
Ritzman and George Quinn were two of the outstanding players. Before or after a 
game they would always have a foot race and needless to say Gus Knodel was 
always the winner. 

	Frank Steponel was one of the early homesteaders. He always was willing to 
help and was well known and well liked.

	We had a good band, Henry Johnson was the band master. The band played 
every Saturday nite during the summer. Henry taught a lot of the youngsters to 
play in the band.

	Mr. Hunter was a landmark in Quinn and was always there if you needed 
advice. He wasn't one of the earliest settlers but was one of the best business 
men to come to the community. I could go on telling about Mr. Hunter, but I 
think every one knows of the good he did.

	Mr. and Mrs. Seefeldt and daughter Alice lived in Quinn, I can remember 
they were one of the first families to drive a car. Mr. Seefeldt was in the real 
estate business.

	The Barney Lukem Family lived South of Quinn and they drove a car with the 
big wagon type wheels. Barney had plenty of trouble getting to drive it.

	Mr. and Mrs. Jack Huffman moved to Quinn from Cottonwood. Mr. Huffman 
managed a lumber yard.

	The Phillips family resided in the Section House. Mr. Phillips was one of 
the first section foreman.

	Alma Leary and Irene Winkler homesteaded North of Quinn and later taught 
school. Both ladies became Supt. of schools in Pennington County.

	Mr. and Mrs. Strasser had six children. Three boys and three girls. The 
boys died at an early age. The girls all graduated from Quinn high school, 
before going their separate ways.

	Christine married Jerry Burke. They were the parents of Allan and Cynthia. 
Allan and family live in Denver, Colorado. They have two children. Cynthia is 
Mrs. Jim Turner and is the mother of three daughters. They live in Danville, 
California.

	Jerry died in 1943 and Christine is now Mrs. Stephan Le Gault and lives in 
Campbell, Calif. Christine is in the Real Estate business.

	Erma married Mike Mullen and they live in Sacramento, Calif. They have two 
children. Micheal is in college in San Francisco and Catherine is graduating 
from high school. Erma is See. Treas. for Western Fairs in Sacramento.

	Leona married Grant Kelley. They had two daughters. Marsha is married to 
Micheal Montgomery and they have a son. They live in Rapid City. Donna is a 
Junior in high school. Leona and Donna live with Mrs. Strasser.

	Mr. and Mrs. Strasser moved to Rapid City in 1943. Mr. Strasser died Jan. 
12, 1947.

	The Strassers were always ready to help when needed. Mrs. Strasser could 
not keep count of the number of babies she helped bring into this world. In 
sickness and death she was the first one called.

	When people visited in Quinn the Strassers were always ready to entertain 
and have them in their home.

	When some organization in town needed money, Mrs. Strasser would get a 
group of young people together and put on a home talent play. People enjoyed 
this entertainment so she would put on one or two plays a year for different 
organizations. Charley Dawes and Elmaer Porter were two of the early bankers in 
Quinn, and both were interested in civic affairs and did a lot for the 
betterment of the town.

	Spelling bees were popular. Grandma Porter was champion and would 
challenge any of the younger people.

	When the boys were called to World War 2, each of the boys were invited to 
eat a meal at Leonas Cafe. Nearly all of the boys sent Leona pictures which she 
had on display in the cafe. Many of these have been given to the parents of the 
boys.

[Photo - Strassers House in Quinn - 1911. Emma Perschy, Pearl Porter, Mrs. Susan 
Feller, Mrs. Strasser holding Lena, Nicky and Christine.]

[Photo - Mrs. Strasser and Jim Kelly]

[Photo - Pearl Porter]

[Photo - Old timers at Strassers]

[Photo - Transues, Molamphys, Strassers and Roy Robertsons.]

[Photo - Strasser's silver wedding in 1927]

[Photo John Strasser and Ollie Walling]

[Photo - Among those pictured are Mrs. Seefield, Mrs. Vick, Mrs. Gotham, Mrs. 
Balch, Mrs. Brownson, Mr. and Mrs. Burlingame, Grandma Doud, Mary Strrasser, 
Mrs. Mrs. Vern Johnson, Zada Warner, Millie Saylor, Mrs. Werner, Grandpa Doud, 
Frank Steponek, Webb Brownson, Mr. Seefield, Mr. Hunter, Mrs. Carmichael, Mr. 
Gotham, Mr. and Mrs. Ben Williams, Mr. and Mrs. George Quinn.]

[Photo - The Quinn "Stars" ready to put on their play, directed by Mrs. 
Strasser.]

Photo - The Vacant Chair.  Mr. and Mrs. Strasser, Christine and Leona after 
Nicky died.]

[Photo - Building the Quinn Library - Mrs. Connelly and Mrs. Strasser.]

[Photo - Frank Morkert, an early settler in Quinn, hired by the government as an 
Indian scout.]

[Photo - Frank Steponek]

[Photo - Quinn School - 1913]

[Photo - Uncle Jim was quite a character. He would get intoxicated; they would 
put him in jail but never locked the door.]

[Photo - Play cast coached by Mrs. Strasser, "My Wild Irish Rose." Pictured: 
Loyd Balch, Phil Johnston, Christine Strasser, Knute Tennyson, Glen Gregson, 
Theo. Hawley, Gladys Steele, Earl Brownson, Mrs. Egan, others unknown.]

[Photo - Great Election Day In Quinn So. Dak.]

[Photo - Bird's eye view of Quinn in 1909.]

[Photo - Auction Day in Quinn in April 1909.]

[Photo - Quincy Street looking north.]

[Photo - Among those pictured are: Matt Smith, William Hinman, John Boland, 
Julius Johnson, Merle Farnsworth, Jim Carmichael, Pete Smith, John Elam, Frank 
Gregson, Louie Flatt, Mr. Burlingame.]

[Photo - Quinn Depot]

[Photo - Back row: Ruth Parsons, Nina Hawley, Ruth Haddock, Helen Johnston, 
Merle Halley, Bonnie Graham. Front row: Ollie Walling, Bereta Balch, Ruth 
Furnas, Marjorie Burlingame, June 1912.]

[Photo - Lumber yard.]

[Photo - Ranch scene of 1907.]

[Photo - Smith Store of Quinn]

[Photo - Mr. and Mrs. Balch and son. In wagon: Mr. and Mrs. John Lynch and Mae 
in front of the First General Store of Quinn.]

[Photo - Stockyards at Quinn, S. D.]

[Photo - Saloon in Quinn]

[Photo - Cahrley Ritzman, Lew Flatt, Col. Doud, Ples Stephenson, Mr. Miller, 
Johnny Boland and Earl Brownson in front of the first Livery Barn in Quinn.]

[Photo - Claim shack west of Quinn, later purchased by Earl Shaffer and moved to 
his homestead to make a second room on his dugout.]

[Photo - Cowgirls in the early days. All three had homesteads south of Quinn.]

[Photo - On the edge of the Badland Wall near Big Foot Pass.]

[Photo - Mrs. Earl Shaffer, daughter, Iloe and son, Audrey, in Quinn.]

[Photo - Threshing at Shaffers]

[Photo Working on the Quinn Dam.]

[Photo - Building the Quinn Dam. Orrie Miller and team in front, Glen Gregson 
upper left, Merle Farnsworth sitting and Frank Gregson, walking up bank.]

[Photo - Quinn Baseball Team - 1910. Back row: Logan Porter, unknown, Harold 
Shulstead, Mr. Huber, Mr. Ritzman, Orin Crown. Front: Mr. Stanley, Bert 
Hastings, unknown, Edwin Doud and Babe Porter.]

[Photo - Men digging basement for building that used to be Gail's Bar on main 
street in Quinn about 1909. Ernie Olson, Frank Gregson, Merle Farnsworth, with 
pick unknown, Merritt Gregson, Ollie Lamb, with jug unknown.]




A. C. Johnson's Life

(by Mrs. A. C. Johnson)

	Alfred C. Johnson came to Pennington county a young man. He filed on a 
claim southeast of Quinn in 1909.

	He married Grace Stephenson on April 13, 1910. They proved up on that 
homestead and filed and proved up on an additional homestead three miles 
southwest of Quinn.

	The Johnson's have two children: Opal, who is now Mrs. Lynn Flatt and 
lives in Los Angeles, California and Bruce who is single and is a commercial 
teacher and basketball coach at Huntley, Minnesota.

	Johnson was a rural mail carrier out of Quinn for 38 years, first on the 
north route for 8 1/2 years and then he had the south route where he served 
until retirement.

	In addition to carrying mail the Johnsons lived on a ranch where he was 
engaged in raising livestock and buying and shipping horses to Eastern markets. 
At that time horses played a greater share in our economy than at the present 
time.

	On retiring from the mail service, the Johnsons moved to Spearfish, South 
Dakota in the fall of 1948 where they now live.

[Photo - A. C. Johnson in the mail wagon.]

[Photo - Albert Halley and A. C. Johnson, all loaded up with catalogues and 
other mail.]



The E. D. Hawley Family

by Mrs. W. L. Parsons

	In July of 1908 Mr. and Mrs. E. D. Hawley and nine of their children moved 
from Vermillion, South Dakota to a homestead 8 miles southeast of Quinn, South 
Dakota. Three older children, who were married and lived in eastern South Dakota 
never did move to the western part of the state. In 1910 another son was born.

	The Hawleys lived on the homestead until 1921 then moved to Quinn where 
Mr. and Mrs. Hawley lived the rest of their lives. Mrs. Hawley passed away in a 
Rapid City hospital in 1924 and Mr. Hawley died in the same hospital in 1943 at 
the age of 87. One son, Carl died at Tripp, South Dakota in 1936 and Jay died at 
Glendale, California in 1952. The other eleven are still living, the oldest 84 
years old and the youngest 54. Seven of them live in South Dakota, two in 
Washington and two in California.

[Photo - Hawleys lived in this shack while their house was being built in 1908: 
Kate, Wayne, Alta, Nina Hawley, Laura Lou Brookman and E. D. Hawley.]

[Photo - The Hawley Homestead - Mother, Wayne, Father, Alta, Deo, Nina, Kate, 
Glenn, Theo. And Jay.]

[Photo - The Porter Boys bought the first car in Quinn in 1909. In the picture 
are Babe, Grace Stephenson, Katie Dwyer and Elsie Hawley.]

[Photo - Elsie Hawley Parsons at Battle Mountain Hospital in Hot Springs, as a 
Gray Lady.]


The Webb and Minnie Brownson Family

by Earl Brownson

	My mother, sister Gail, (then one month old), mother's sister Grace 
Stephenson and I, arrived at Quinn by train on April 29, 1908. Father had come 
before and established residence on a homestead 2 1/2 miles southwest of Quinn. 
He was on the first passenger train to cross the new railroad bridge spanning 
the Missouri river at Pierre. The Stephenson family, except Grace, had moved out 
to this area the fall before. We all came from around Vermillion. There was 
quite a settlement of Vermillion people south of Quinn at that time.

	Shortly after our arrival, father and a brother-in-law, Chester Miller 
started building a hardware store in the town. There was one hardware 
establishment before that, the M. Nelson Co.

	Father and Miller commuted to the place of business daily by horse and 
buggy, as the Miller homestead adjoined ours. My cousins and I walked the 2 1/2 
miles to town to school.

	During the months to come, friends and relatives of various families came 
to visit and see what the new country was like. On these occasions the highlight 
of the visit would be a trip to the badlands for a picnic. The trip was made in 
wagons and buggies, a distance of about 8 miles, to the foot of the "Pinnacles". 
The Pinnacles so named from their appearance, as it was an area of real sharp 
spires reaching considerably above the rest of the terrain, known as the Great 
Wall. Today, 57 years later they have eroded to about the same level as the wall 
which stretches north and levels out just north of the town of Wall.

	On these trips, the men and boys would climb the face of the cliffs to the 
top, which was almost perpendicular and several hundred feet high. Little did 
anyone dream that, today, there would be a modern highway up this dame area, 
carrying thousands of tourists daily.

	In 1909 the first rural mail route was established out of the Quinn post 
office. The partition to the post office department, was circulated by W. C. 
Wood, who was a homesteader 3 1/2 miles north of town. Father, along with 
several others, took the examination for carrier. Thus, father became the first 
rural carrier in the community. He gave it up after about a year.

	In the spring of 1910 the Miller family decided to move back to Nebraska, 
whence they came and he sold his interest in the hardware business to father. 
1911 was the dry year all the old timers talk about. Seed which was planted in 
the spring had no moisture to sprout it. The first rains came in August, and 
then the grain came up and made fine fall pasture.

	People left the country by the hundreds. Many going by covered wagon, 
which was the only transportation they could afford.

	The families which had the will and fortitude to stay, eventually came out 
alright. Their descendants are, in a large part, the citizens of the area today.

	By 1913 we had lived the full 5 years on the homestead, so final proof was 
made and we moved to town. I was old enough to be useful around the store, so 
before and after school and on Saturdays I was kept pretty busy.

	Father disposed of some land back east about this time, and in 1914 built 
an 8 room house just south of town. The carpenter work was done by James Hight 
and his two sons Joe and Alvin, who were real artisans. The painting was done by 
a homesteader who came west for his health. He was a master at his trade too, as 
he mixed all the paint himself, even made his own putty for the nail holes.

	Along about this time, the economy of the area was escalating and the 
hardware business was expanded to include farm implements.

	One of the first gasoline engines of any size was sold to Nick Caspers 
Sr., who had a wonderful alfalfa farm on Lake Creek about 5 miles northeast of 
town. Nick used that engine to pump water from the creek onto his alfalfa 
fields.

	For several years he raised premium alfalfa seed. Almost every farmer had 
some alfalfa, and the seed business developed into one of some magnitude. Father 
got into seed buying, and every fall we bought and shipped several car loads of 
seed. There were other buyers in the area, also. At that time South Dakota seed 
was second only to that raised in Idaho.

	The drouth of the 1930's wiped out all the alfalfa fields and that phase 
of farming has never come back to any great extent.

	By 1915 automobiles began to appear in the West River country and 
increased to where garages were in demand. In 1918 a company was formed and we 
built a building for the sales and service of automobiles. It was a two story 
building with dance hall and show house above. It also housed an electric plant 
to furnish the town with the first electric lights. In the later part of 1923 it 
was all destroyed by fire which originated in an adjacent building. The town had 
no fire protection at that time.

	Tractors and power farm machinery came in the early 1920s, and the 
implement business flourished until the depression and drouth of the 1930s.

	Father died in 1934. He was always civic minded and served on both town 
and school board, and was also active in church and lodge work. Mother passed 
away in 1942. She was active in ladies aid and lodge work also. They are both 
buried in Mont Hope Cemetery at Quinn.

	My sister, Gail, after finishing high school, was married to Walter 
Klingbile in 1926. They farmed and had other businesses in the community and are 
well known in eastern Pennington County.

	My aunt, Grace Stephenson, who came with us in 1908, married Alfred 
Johnson in 1910. Alfred was a rural mail carrier out of the Quinn post office 
for over 30 years.

	I established a machine and welding shop in Quinn in 1927. In 1928 I was 
married to Rozella Hall in St. Paul, Minnesota.

	When the war came I closed out the shop and went into government service, 
where we taught machine work, training men and women for defense plants.

	For the past 20 years I have been in the mechanical department of the 
South Dakota Cement Plant.

[Photo - Web, Minnie, Earl, Doris and Gail Brownson]


The Tonnesen Story

by Josephine Tennyson Hoveland

	Compiling the facts and events that make up the history of the Tonnesen 
family my thoughts go back to when I was a little girl on the farm one and one 
half miles south east of Quinn, in Eastern Pennington County.

	I was one of four small girls along with two older sisters and four older 
brothers. All the memorable things come to my mind -- four little girls can 
think of many things to do which leave memories that aren't forgotten; such as 
our make believe home among the choke cherry trees, even to rag rugs mothers 
mother let us use on the dirt floor. The old bag swing we had hung in a big 
cottonwood tree which took us sailing across the creek. The mud pies we made 
from Badland's gumbo from a little flat near our house. We boasted the whitest 
flour any little girls had to bake with. Or just strolling down by the stock dam 
following our dad, seeing the fish jump and watching a mother duck with her 
large brood of ducklings learning to swim. Or evenings spent, after supper, when 
the hot summer days were ending, on the large east porch, while dad entertained 
us with playing the violin or accordion, with old Dewey, our dog, singing along.

	My mother was born July 18, 1871 in Quebec, Canada. Her folks, the 
Halversons, were enroute to the United States from Norway when the ship they 
were traveling on was quarantined at Quebec, because of a scarlet fever epidemic 
on board ship. They were held in Quebec for four months and during this time my 
mother, Martha Halvorson was born. When they were allowed to proceed on their 
journey, she and brother Knute, sister Serina and parents, and several other 
families from Norway journeyed on to Decorah, Iowa, where the men folk worked 
and saved for several years until they could buy oxen teams and covered wagons 
to journey on west. In 1875 they moved to Inwood, Iowa where mother grew up and 
attended school.

	My dad Ole Johan Tennesen was born December 26, 1868 in Karmoi Kapperinh, 
Norway. As a young man he went to school there and as he grew up he worked in 
the fishing industry. At the age of seventeen he came to Inwood, Iowa to an 
uncle John Thompson. There he worked, and bought a farm. He and mother were 
married January 29, 1889. They lived on the Iowa farm, dad farmed, had some 
stock, ran a road grader, and owned and operated a threshing rig. To this union 
nine children were born in Iowa, Tennis 1890; Halver 1892; Maria 1894; Mayme 
1896; Amanda 1898; Olaf 1901; Knute 1903; Elizabeth 1905; Josephine 1908; Maria 
became ill and passed away October 21, 1895.

	In 1907 my dad and several neighbors from Lyon County Iowa, including 
Martin Tweed, Albert Stobl, and Chet Leedam who became well known in western 
South Dakota as a great auctioneer, decided there was great opportunities 
farther west so the men came out to western South Dakota looking for homesteads. 
Albert Stobl and Martin Tweed found land west and north west of Quinn, but dad 
had a little trouble finding as most of the homesteads had been filed on, but, 
he was fortunate to get a homestead someone else had just relinquished his 
rights to, southeast of Quinn about one and one half miles.

	The men from Iowa proved up on their claims in 1907. In the spring of 1908 
Albert Stohl and Martin Tweed and dad returned to Iowa. The Tweeds and Stohls 
loaded emigrant cars in preparation to moving west. Albert didn't have quite 
enough possessions to fill his cars so dad arranged to bring a few things 
including Nellie, our old horse and a light spring wagon, and four cows in 
Stohls cars. A nephew Jake Severson, came out west with dad and helped him build 
our homestead house, a story and a half 1 2xl 8 foot house covered with red tin 
siding and lined inside with blue paper. All the lumber and material needed to 
build this house was hauled from Quinn by Nellie and the spring wagon.

	In November of 1908 the house was ready and mother came to Quinn on the 
train with six of the children, leaving from Larchwood, Iowa enroute to Quinn. 
We stayed over in Huron, South Dakota for a while with relatives. My two oldest 
brothers Tennis and Halvor remained on the farm in Iowa and farmed for two 
years, so dad went back to Iowa each fall and operated his threshing rig. In 
1910 after harvest he had an auction sale and sold his Iowa farm and most of his 
machinery and stock. He loaded two emigrant cars, bringing a team of horses two 
cows, a pair of unfriendly turkeys, chickens, grain, machinery and more 
household goods, and shipped them to Quinn. He and my brother Halvor rode out in 
the emigrant cars to care for the stock as it took over two weeks to get out 
here from Iowa. The cars were set out at different points along the way.

	Also in 1910 on April 28 another little girl, Selma was born to our 
family. The older children were beginning to leave home for part time jobs. My 
brother Tennis went to business college at Pierre and Halvor, Mayme and Amanda 
worked out part time, when work was available.

	Having sold his Iowa farm dad now bought more land to add to our South 
Dakota farm. He bought the Mike Quinn ranch to the north and east of our place 
which added good sheds and corrals. Mike Quinn was the man that the town of 
Quinn was named for. Then dad bought the Kehleir ranch joining our place on the 
south. This land had some fair buildings which dad and the boys tore down and 
the lumber was used to add on to our house a large 12x18 foot room and a large 
porch on the east side of our house, giving the large family much needed room. 
There was lumber left which was used to build a large barn near the house.

	Our family wasn't too lonesome or homesick for Iowa as there were many 
families who had just homesteaded here, and-Sundays were spent at one home or 
another, always having good times, and having many events to look forward to.

	After dad had his family well settled in Dakota and the older boys were 
still home he took a lengthy trip back to Norway to see his folks. During the 
time he was away the two oldest brothers became very sick with measles. Mother 
asked my oldest sister to go into Quinn, where they had one telephone, and call 
a Doctor for the sick boys, from the neighboring town of Cottonwood. Doctor 
Cowan arrived soon after at our farm riding in a nice sporty high wheeled car 
with rubber tires on wheels like bicycle wheels. It was amazing to see a buggy 
that moved under motor power instead of drawn by horses. As I recall this was 
the first car I ever saw. Dr. Cowan also brought medicine for the sick boys and 
in due time they were better.

	On March 18, 1913, during a bad snow storm which left fences buried and 
large drifts everywhere, our sister Ruby was born. The storm was so bad dad 
couldn't go for help so he and my oldest sister delivered the baby and my sister 
had to bath and dress the new little girl, which was a new experience for her 
but the storm subsided and help was gotten later in the day.

	All of us children but Halvor and Tennis attended school in Quinn, 
entering school the teachers changed to Norwegian name of Tonnesen to English 
version of Tennysen, which seemed to remain with us. Most of the time we walked 
to school but occasionally we had a small buggy and horse to, drive. The short 
way to town was across a creek bottom and every spring when the heavy rains came 
this bottom flooded, then we would have to go south from our house over higher 
ground to the hiway to get to town which made it a lot farther. Along about 1915 
dad bought a house in town from Mr. Doud and we'd live there during the coldest 
part of school and go back to the farm in the spring and summer.

	Many of the new settlers were of Lutheran faith, so they got together and 
got a Lutheran minister to come to Quinn and have services monthly. These 
services were held in the Methodist Church. I don't remember any of the 
different ministers except Rev. O. H. Olson who came to Quinn from Powell for 
services and always came down to our place to stay as he traveled by train. 
Years later after I was married and Severt and I and children lived in Nolin, 
Rev. Olson was our minister. He had served the Nolin community for over thirty 
years when he retired. Severt and I were confirmed by him, and he baptized and 
confirmed our son, John and daughter Romona. He will always be remembered as a 
dear friend of our family.

	After moving from Iowa to Dakota my oldest brother, Tennis worked at 
several jobs, before starting a barber shop in Quinn, then he set up a shop at 
Wall in the Babcock Hotel and barbered part time in both places. In 1918 he was 
drafted into the army being stationed at Camp Funston. He continued to barber 
and during the influenza epidemic he became ill and passed away at Camp Funston 
October 17, 1918.

	My brother Halvor also worked at different jobs including the railroad, 
and on January 7, 1914 he married Merle Holley. For a while after their marriage 
they lived southeast of the home place on land he got from Tom Thoresen. Halvor 
working on the railroad. Later they went to Huron where John Stach told him 
Blunt didn't have a barber and needed one, so they moved to Blunt where he 
opened a barber shop. He and his family lived in Blunt until 1918. After Tenny 
passed away, dad and family moved into Quinn into the building where Tenny had 
his barber shop. Halvor then moved his family to dad's farm for a few years but 
returned to Blunt in the early 1920's. There he stayed until after dad passed 
away in 1935. He moved his family back to Quinn, where he still lives. Halvor 
and Merle have five children.

	Mayme after finishing school got a certificate by writing exams to teach 
school. She taught the Jarvis school down near Interior. She met Robert Simcox 
while teaching there and on April 15, 1916 they were married. Bob worked on the 
railroad. They operated various cafes at Draper, Wall and several others. Later 
they moved to Hot Springs where he worked for years in the Veterans Hospital. 
They live in Hot Springs. Mayme and Bob have six children.

	Amanda went to Blunt and worked and there she met and married Willard 
Gordan on October 25, 1921. They moved to Winterset, Iowa where his folks lived. 
Willard followed construction work which led to their separating, after their 
daughter Kathryn was grown, Amanda came back to Quinn. She cooked in the Quinn 
dormitory for years until it was closed after the high school was closed. She 
also cooked for Boy Scout Camp during summers at Old Broadax Camp for years. The 
last few years her health hasn't been good. At present she is in the Dorset Home 
in Spearfish.

	Olaf worked at various jobs and in 1919 he went back to Iowa for a while. 
When he returned to Quinn he got a job at the Kingsbury lumberyard and soon 
became manager. He married Kathryn Overholt November 19, 1921. Later he ran a 
cream station, then operated the Creighton store for a while. He then moved out 
on dad's farm and operated it for a number of years. When his children were old 
enough for school he moved to Wasta and managed the Fish and Hunter Lumber and 
Hardware. In 1946 he moved back to Quinn and was manager of the Tri-State 
elevator until several years ago his health was so he had to quit work. He and 
Kathyrn live in Quinn and have nine children.

	Kenute went to school in Quinn and took a business course in Aberdeen. He 
has been occupied in various businesses in Quinn, he barbered, ran a grocery 
store, locker plant, theater and worked at various occupations. He married Sadie 
Anderson on September 23, 1930. They have always lived in Quinn and still live 
there where he is presently in the oil and gas business. They have one son, 
Larry.

	Elizabeth finished school in Quinn and went to Spearfish Normal and began 
teaching. She has taught school almost continuously since she finished school. 
On December 20, 1941 she married Oscar J. Larson and they lived on his farm 
ranch near Nowlin. Oscar passed away November 1, 1964. Elizabeth has leased her 
land, she is presently at home on her farm near Nowlin. They have no children.

	I, Josephine, went to school in Quinn. I worked at various jobs that were 
available while I was at home. On May 29, 1925 I was married to Severt Hoveland. 
We lived at Van Meter for a year where Severt was Section Foreman on the 
railroad. We moved to Powell in 1926 and to Nowlin in 1927 where we stayed for 
fifteen years. When Joe Hereth retired here at Wall we moved here in 1941 and 
continue to live here. We have two children.

	Selma and Ruby finished school in Quinn. Ruby married Lloyd Saines May 18, 
1928. Carolyn was born to them. In 1930 and July 10 going from Quinn to Wall to 
the celebration, Selma and Ruby were killed in a car accident. Carolyn was one 
and one half years old. Mother and dad raised her.

	January 1917 mother gave birth to their twelfth child. This baby girl was 
still born.

	After we moved to town in 1919 my dad worked as water pump operator for 
the Chicago and North Western Railroad until they closed the pump house. He also 
carried mail from the depot to the post office. He was a very familiar figure in 
Quinn pushing the two wheeled mail cart to and from the depot to the post 
office. He worked at this until he became ill. During the late 20's and early 
30's when the folks lived in the east part of town, dad had a very unique pet, 
that of a big white gander, this gander was dad's staunch friend and followed 
him everywhere, altho he was not always so friendly with everyone else.

	My dad became ill in 1935 and on September 23, 1935 passed away. After dad 
was gone it was very lonely for mother but she had her granddaughter, Carolyn 
with her until she finished school; then she married Howard Kruegar on May 13, 
1948. They lived in Rapid City until several years ago they moved to Burke, 
South Dakota where Howard is highway motor patrolman. They have three girls.

	Mother's health began failing in 1948 and in April of 1949 she passed away 
at her home. All her children were with her.

	This history could go on and on as our family is now in the fifth 
generation. We lived our share of happiness and also our share of sadness, bad 
and good times. History will go on and on and we will always have memories.

[Photo - TonnesenHomestead: Ole and Martha Tonnesen, Mayme, Amanda, Olof, Knute, 
Elizabeth and Josephine.]

[Photo - Tennis Tonnesen]

[Photo - Halvor Tonnesen]

[Photo - Ruby Tennyson]

[Photo Selma Tennyson]

[Photo Granddaughter Carolyn]



The Elam Family

by Mrs. John Mayberry

	My father John Elam came to Pennington County in the year 1905 and filed 
on a homestead one mile west of Quinn. In the fall of 1906 my mother and five 
girls came out to make a home. We came to Quinn in a covered wagon. We crossed 
the Missouri River on a ferry boat and landed at Ocoma. We came from Geddes, 
South Dakota. We had a nice home and did not intend to stay here but we all 
liked it so well we just stayed on.

	We learned to play cards and as we had the largest claim shanty they came 
to our house for our neighbors were mostly bachelors. I will name a few: Jake 
and Ben Roland, the Porter boys and a sister Pearl Porter, Mrs. Bennet and 
Johnny Boland were a few that were close.

	The five girls were Minta, later married to Earl Shaffer. They lived in 
and around Quinn until she passed away on May 6, 1964. Earl passed away on May 
28, 1965. They had five children. Avis married Charles Hastings and moved to 
Denver, Colorado in 1934. They had six children and they all live in Denver. 
Beatrice married John Shaffer and had two children, Lawrence lives in Denver and 
Estol in Newcastle, Wyoming, later she married John Jr. Mayberry and they are 
living in Wall, South Dakota. Leota married Earl Hawley and they have lived in 
California since 1924. Lexie married Jay Hawley lives in California. Jay passed 
away in May, 1952.

	The lumber for our homestead house was hauled from Rapid City by team and 
wagon. By the time winter set in we were ready for it. Most of our food was also 
hauled from Rapid City, enough to last until spring. There was a small store at 
Quinn owned and run by the Porters so we could pick up a few needed groceries.

	The winter of 1906 was very cold and a lot of snow. So much snow we had to 
walk to get our mail and the post office was two miles north of Quinn. The 
postmaster was Coy Furnas. It was in a log house where the family lived. The 
neighbors would change off getting the mail. 

	My father passed away in 1934 and my mother on August 17, 1953 at the age 
of 90 years.

[Photo - Lexie Elam Hawley]


Memories of Happy Days

by Carrie Winkler Kellner

	My parents Mr. and Mrs. Lenard Winkler took up a government claim of 160 
acres in 1903 to 1910. It was about three miles north and west of the town of 
Quinn. My sister Elizabeth Irene Winkler and our older sister Mary and her 
husband, Mr. and Mrs. Cyrus Colvin also took claims there. As I remember all 
these claims joined and a creek ran through the Winkler and Colvin lands.

	The soil was very productive, our father raised watermelons by the wagon 
load. They were good quality and Texas size. Cattle and sheep raising were the 
main means of making a livelihood, along with some farming.

	Our house was of sod with a frame lean-to. The sod portion had a dirt 
floor, it was warm in the winter and cool in summer. The roof was of limbs and 
branches covered with sod, if it was laid right it didn't leak, but the roof 
also was the abode of an occasional pack rat. They were very awesome creatures, 
not in the least welcome. They really did carry away things mostly bright and 
shining, like silverware, watches, and an occasional man's boot.

	Our school house was about a mile and half west of our places, my small 
nephew, John Colvin, a beginner, and I about the third grade, walked to school 
when the weather permitted. We followed the creek part way to school and a few 
times we saw a bobcat in the trees. There were coyotes, wolves, and 
rattlesnakes. While we never saw them, many livestock were lost to wolves and 
chickens to coyotes.

	The school house was of log construction, heated by a heating stove. Our 
teachers in 1905 was Miss Rena Whitman of Vermillion. She had a claim in the 
vicinity as the Leary girls, Messes Alma and Abbey did. Both of them were 
teachers. They taught school in the fall and winter and in summer lived on the 
claim.

	Miss Whitman married Isaac Murphy of Rapid Valley and when he passed away 
she and her family, a son and daughter, continued to live in Rapid Valley. Mrs. 
Murphy now lives east of Scenic at Imlay.

	There were an average of fifteen pupils in the school in 1905 representing 
all eight grades.

	May 5th 1905, the date of the terrible blizzard, the sun was shining as we 
trudged along to school as though we were to have a beautiful spring. However by 
noon the clouds were dark and threatening and soon a full fledge blizzard was 
upon us. The next morning a couple teams and wagons came for us and took us to 
nearby homes until the blizzard abated.

	So many stock were lost in the blizzard. They drifted over the ravines and 
into fence corners and smothered. Many people went broke due to their losses in 
the blizzard, but in true Pioneer spirit they started over again. Some were big 
outfits as the Kalkbrenners of Wall (sheep), Corb Morse (cattle), Kelihers 
(cattle), the Holcombs (cattle), and many other stockmen.

	Comparing the mode of travel with then 1905 and now, when we went from 
Rapid to our claim at Quinn. We generally left Rapid at noon going as far as the 
Taylor ranch at Box Elder where we stayed all night. The next day we made it to 
Cheyenne River to Harley Boomer ranch where we stayed all night again. Mr. 
Boomer helped us ford the river if the water was high. The next day we arrived 
at Quinn our destination. Now we can make the same trip in a little over an hour 
by auto and much less by plane.

	My sister Elizabeth Irene taught in the town of Quinn about 1909 and still 
later she was County Superintendent of Schools for Pennington County. Miss Alma 
Leary was also.

	I went to school in the Quinn school about 1910 or 11. At that time 
Reverend Fillibroron was Principal and also taught the higher grades. He also 
served the Methodist Church as pastor. My sister Irene taught the lower grades. 
Some of the pupils were the Johnston, Helen and Everett; Bonita Balch; the 
Raymonds; Hankins; Furnas; and Brownsons.

	Some of the businesses were Coy Furnas-Postmaster, Brownson store, Elmer 
Porter in the bank, E. S. Johnston-Quinn Courant. Others were Chamberlains, 
Parson, Strasser, Pearl Florence (Winchell), Babe Porter and Mr. and Mrs. 
Porter, Sr.

	Among other things the pioneer families during those days was the problem 
of fuel and water. To the women and children fell the chore of gathering cow 
chips to dry to use for fuel, mostly in the cook stove in the summer. They made 
a very hot fire.

	Even though many hardships were endured when we lived on the claim at 
Quinn - they were happy days. Friendships were sincere and neighbors were true 
neighbors. When one was in need of assistance they helped each other. Threshing, 
sheep shearing, branding and such were more than hard work. They had the social 
aspects, the bountiful meals, and we heard and learned of the latest news and 
happenings of the area.

	There were no cars, telephones, electricity, plumbing and etc. The mode of 
travel mostly by team or horseback. No hospitals except in large cities.

	Our social activities were mostly church and school connected, a wedding 
dance and charivari and dancing in the small homes until break of day.

	The Winklers and Colvins sold their land to Elmer Porter but later the 
Waldon Wood family acquired the Lenard and Iren Winkler claims.

	I perhaps have left out many names and happenings, but this is a span of 
sixty years 1905 to 1965 and I have never been back to the claim and place we 
called home for several years, but I do have happy memories.




The J. H. Parsons Family

by Ruth Knodel

	As I am the only one of the J. H. Parsons family now living in eastern 
Pennington County I suppose it behooves me to do whatever writing is done about 
the family.

	My brother, Will, came to live on his homestead the first part of 1907 
before the railroad was built this far west. Conductor Ed Hanigan took the first 
train into Rapid City Aug. 15, of that same year. Will got his mail from the 
post office at the old Furnas place a few miles north of where the town of Quinn 
was located. Coy Furnas was postmaster and when the Quinn was built and the post 
office moved there he remained postmaster for many years. Will, being a 
carpenter, also helped build some of the buildings of the new town. His 
homestead was southeast of Quinn.

	My father and mother knew something of what life in a new country was like 
for they were both pioneers in Dakota Territory at Vermillion when there were 
still Indiana "scares" in that part of the country. Nevertheless, they decided 
the family should all be together and Uncle Sam was offering 160 acres of land 
for 50~ an acre and the living on it for 8 months. If one improved it for 3 
years the 50~ cost of the land was dispensed with.

	Dad, Mother, Chas., Lloyd and I arrived in January 1908 from Vermillion. 
Daisy was teaching school but came after school was out in June. My other 
sister, Jessie Maxwell never moved out. I disliked moving away from our home and 
friends but after I got here I never had the desire to go back east to live. 
Many people commuted and went "back home" when their eight months time was up. 
None of our family ever leftnot even in years when we had so many crop failures 
although the men folks went elsewhere to work at different times.

	There is something about the West and it got us. There were people living 
on nearly every quarter of land and western people are so friendly! Some of our 
close neighbors were: Bruyers, Whitakers, Merriweathers, Kings, Burrs, Nichols, 
Colsons and a little farther away Mrs. Cope, Mrs. Beam, Mrs. Gillihan, Frank 
Stepanek, Steve Sanders, Pitcocks, Penquites and Pelroys.

	Nearly every Sunday in the first two years we went to the Badlands on 
picnics. We visited neighbors often evenings, the whole family walking together. 
Then there were dances, ball games and skating parties.

	We all liked horseback riding except Mother. She had enjoyed that when she 
was a girl but now her hobby. was flowers and gardens. She always raised them 
even in the driest years.

	We had a well of good water which was a life-saver in this dry country, 
not only for ourselves but for others who were less fortunate. The folks often 
hauled water in cream cans to women on claims who had no means of 
transportation.

	Dad died in 1930 and Mother passed away six years later. Lloyd, was the 
main-stay of the family, living at home with the folks as long as they lived. He 
served in the Army in World War I at Camp Funston and Edgewood Arsenal, Md. He 
is now living at Hot Springs where he and Will have a nice orchard of fruit 
trees.

	Charlie taught school, farmed, carried mail on Route 2, was Quinn 
postmaster, moved to Rapid City with his family and died there in March 1959, 
the same month my sister at Vermillion died.

	Daisy married Joe Chamberlain in 1913. She taught school, taught music, 
ran a millinery shop and was postmaster in Quinn, worked in the bank and a 
store, then she and Joe had a store of their own there. She now lives in Rapid 
City.

	Will, Elsie, their daughter Vera Brownson and her family, live in Hot 
Springs.

	Curly Knodel and I were married in 1926. We are still living on the same 
place where we began our married life and where he has lived since 1909. We 
don't farm anymore. We rent out our land but still live here because we like 
country life and like living near our good neighbors and relatives. I taught 
school for nearly 25 years, sometimes teaching children of former pupils or 
eighth graders who had been my beginners in earlier years. Now I am retired from 
teaching and am weaving rugs and just doing my housework.

[Photo - Chas. Parsons driving "Dolly"]

[Photo - Mrs. Parsons' iris and roses in 1923.]

[Photo - Will Parsons and his claim shack, 1907. Fred Stephenson with the gun.]

[Photo - Picnic at the Pinnacles, June 14, 1908. Mr. and Mrs. Jake Whitaker and 
Ralph, Mr. and Mrs. Fred Stephenson, Gladys and Martin, the Jim Nichaols, Mrs. 
M. E. Cope and Alice, the J. H. Parson family and Emma, Joe, John, Albert and 
Louie Bruyer.]

[Photo - The Parsons - 1928  Back, l. to r.: Charles, Will, Jessie, J. H. and 
Mrs. J. H.  Front: Ruth, Lloyd and Daisy.]

[Photo - Quinn Livery Stable. Among those pictured are: E. D. Hawley, Ray 
Chamberlain, John Street, Joe Chamberlain, Ole Tennyson and Walter Nelson.]

[Photo - Standing: Olaf Torgerson, Geeorge Johnston, Wayne and Jay Hawley and 
Earl Brownson. Seated Verne Johnson, Lonnie Brownson, unknown, Harold Rowley and 
Theo. Hawley.]

[Photo - Coy and Fannie Furnas at the post office in Quinn - 1908]

[Photo - Just having fun! Preacher Johnny Bolnad, Sheriff with gun, Harry 
Packman; hanging is Charlie Ritzman.]

[Photo - Star Restaurant]

[Photo - Star Restaurant going down]

[Photo - Odd Fellows Lodge - 1914  Standing, l. to r.: William Doud, Charles 
Farnsworth, Fletcher Franklin, Merle Warner, Frank Gregson, Webster Brownson, 
Will Kruse, Joseph Gregson, Bill Balch, Hoyt Hunter, Chas. Flint, Mr. Woods, 
Earl Bronson. Seated: Merle Farnsworth, Mr. Kohler, Mr. Bullis, Hartley 
Brownson, Jim Carmichael.]

[Photo - Aftermath of a snow storm.]