Full Text of "75 Years of Sully County History, 1883 - 1958", pages 260 - 274. This file contains the full text of a part of "75 Years of Sully County History", edited by Mrs. E. L. Thompson. Scanning and OCR by Joy Fisher, http://www.rootsweb.com/~archreg/vols/00001.html#0000031 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 This book was produced by the Onida Watchman and is not copyrighted. Reproduction of all editorial and pictorial matter is explicitly permitted. Norval Blair came to Sully County in 1884, and filed on a homestead in Section One, Fairbank Township, where he remained until his death on October 7, 1916, at the age of 102. Mr. Blair was born into slavery in Tennessee in 1814, and after being liberated under President Lincoln's Proclamation in 1863, he moved to Illinois, where he resided until coming to Dakota Territory. He was an industrious worker and became a wealthy man, and at the time of his death was an extensive land owner in Sully County. Two of his sons, P. H. and B. P. (Benjamin) had ready settled here when he arrived. The young men had come out to this country in 1882. Mrs. C. Blair and Edward Blair, of Elliott, Iowa, mother and brother of S. R. Pratt, of Farmington Township, came here on August 21, 1889, to visit and feast their eyes on Dakota territory. During the year 1905, Benjamin Blair received many inquiries from Negroes all over the United States asking about the Colored Colony, and in March, the following year, the first group of investors arrived here. The settlement grew until it reached almost 200 people. Miss Mary Elizabeth Blair, who had come here with her parents in 1884, but had left and found employment in Iowa, returned in October, 1906, with a company of colored people who joined the new colony. Mary was employed by the King Real Estate Company, and her largest land sale of a 1200 acre ranch was to John McGruder, who came here from Missouri, where he owned the farm on which he had once been a slave. While on his farm in Selby County, Missouri, McGruder raised and trained race horses, one of which was a prize winner at the. World's Fair in 1893. After purchasing the farm, formerly belonging to Tom Lytle, for $35,000 in October, 1907, John McGruder went back to Missouri to get his wife, Ellen, and their children. The McGruders engaged in extensive farming and ranching. Mr. McGruder, one of the prominent colored citizens of Sully County, died at his home on September 11, 1913, after an illness of almost a year. Mrs. McGruder, affectionally known as "Grandma McGruder," passed away in January, 1937, from the affects of severe burns, and is buried in the Onida Cemetery beside her son, William. The McGruders are the only ones left of the Colored Colony; the others having moved to various parts of the country following the 1930 depression years. Mr. and Mrs. Cecil McGruder raised their nine children on a ranch located in the isolated butte area along the Missouri River. They were never without entertainment, for they had their own orchestra. Even Linda played her own miniature violin made by her father, when she was six years old. Cecil is a violinist, who usually takes first place at local talent contests, and also makes violins as a hobby. He began this work back in 1895, when a musician with the orchestra of Ringling Brothers asked him to rebuild an instrument. Soon his interest was aroused and he began to construct violins. He ordered violin maple, used a key saw, a plain piece of glass to trim the wood, sandpaper, varnish and cowhide glue, and from these articles he constructed an instrument which later sold for $150. He purchased his own violin for three dollars which he earned selling bluing. [photo - Maxine McGruder. Great granddaughter of John McGruder, pioneer of Fairbank Township.] A daughter, Maxine, is the only Negro teaching at a white school in South Dakota. She attended rural schools in her district, graduated from Pierre High School and went to Northern State Teachers College, Aberdeen, South Dakota, and has always been accepted on an equality with no discrimination. Maxine plans to get a college degree, but before that is possible, she feels a responsibility in helping her younger brothers and sisters receive their education. * * * The Checkerboard School In 1900-11, Sadie Nystrom taught in the South Fairbank School, known as the Checkerboard School because she had an even number of pupils, 12 white and 12 colored. This school had the finest chorus of any school in Sully County, and were asked to participate in many programs within the county. * * * [photo - Aerial View of Kenneth Darland Ranch, 1958] The Kenneth Darland family moved here from Potter County in 1943, when they purchased the Southeast of One. They moved all the buildings from the site below the Fuller Dam to a more desirable location south of the dam. The log house, built in 1875, was also moved and is now used for a garage and shop. Their house, known as a Spaulding house, was moved from its original location southwest of Onida and was remodeled and modernized in 1947. The Darlands have seven children: Gloria, Gary, Janice, Marilyn, Beverly, Betty Jo and Desiree. * * * The Robert Gattons puchased their farm on Section 19, in May, 1950. This was formerly known as the Swede John place. In the spring of 1952, flood waters made farming operations difficult; however, the hay and alfalfa meadows, buildings; and corrals were not damaged by high water. The Gattons have four children: two boys and two girls. The Corps of Engineers purchased their place in 1958, and when the Oahe Dam is completed and filled, only about 60 acres of the farmland will be left. [photo - Robert Gatton Family, 1958] * * * FAIRVIEW TOWNSHIP Some of the first settlers locating in Fairview Township were Andrew Benedict and sons, Elmer and Wade, H. C. Spencer, Charles Eckert, the McCulloughs, the Savage brothers, the Landeau brothers, William Low and sons, and others. Mr. Low was the postmaster at Kasper in 1888. Dr. P. Kendall filed on a homestead on the Southwest of 17, in October, 1904. After the Kendalls moved to Onida, the place was occupied by Tim Shoup for .about three years. Then in 1916, Mrs. Kendall sold to Jim Dillon, the doctor having passed away. * * * [photo - Original Claim Shack of Monroe Shoup in 1906. Mr. Shoup and daughter, LeVaun, with her dog.] The Monroe Shoup Family Monroe Shoup purchased the Dillon quarter of land in the fall of 1918, which included a few buildings-a three-room tarpaper shack, small barn, chicken house and a cattle shed. In 1921, a cyclone leveled off everything except the house, and after a great deal of hard work and sacrifice the Shoups built up the place again and continued to use the claim shack as living quarters. It was difficult during the early thirties and many of the winters were long and cold. Being on a side road, there were times when four and five weeks would elapse before the family could get to town. During the dust storms, it was necessary to light the kerosene lamp at high noon in order to see about the house. And the claim shack, which was still being used as living quarters, kept out only a small portion of the powdered dust which made cooking and eating a real chore. In the fall of 1939, the Shoups purchased a five-room house which still stands where the claim shack had been located. Considerable remodeling was done through the years, and in 1953, Mr. Shoup added more rooms and modernized the house. Then in 1956, they decided to move to Onida and sold all their livestock and machinery. Alvin Heien farmed there on shares the following summer, and that fall the Shoups sold the farm to Henry Buhler, who took possession in December. The Shoup children are all married and Lester, who lives in Onida, is the only one who decided to stay in South Dakota. LeVaun, the oldest, lives in Santa Rosa, California, and Marvin and Doris live in Los Angeles. * * * Fairview Schools There were three schoolhouses in Fairview Township by the late eighties and Sunday Schools were held in the school buildings at that time. Then in 1922, a new schoolhouse was built and later moved to Section 16 in order to be more centrally located. Jacob S. G. Hofer helped build this schoolhouse. The North Fairview School was taught by Miss Freda Minder in 1944. There has always been a school in operation in Fairview Township and at the present time there are nine children attending the Fairview School. [photo - North Fairview School in 1944. Back row, left to right - Dwayne Hofer, Ruth Fuller, Miss Freda Minder, teacher, LeRoy Hofer, Doris Shoup and Alverde Hines. Front row - Larry Venner, Joe Hines, Deloris Venner and Charrel Lytle.] [photo - Snow piled high along cut in Laurence Venner yard in 1952. Madonna Venner standing on bank of snow.] Hines Family The Hines family established a home in Fairview Township in 1917. They erected buildings and hauled water for about a year from the William Vetter farm. The sons, Willard and Roy, continued living on the place after their parents passed away. After Willard Hines and his family left the farm, the Lloyd Clark family lived there and later it was sold to Laurence Venners, who still live there. The Roy Hines family purchased land in Fairview Township in 1930, constructed buildings and put down a well and lived there for a number of years before moving to Onida. Francis Shoup then purchased the place, enlarged and modernized the house, built a new hog house and planted trees around the buildings. The Shoup children are now attending Fairview School. * * * Gilbert Campbell The Gilbert Campbells are living on the place formerly occupied by the Fuller family, and prior to Robert Burlingmire, who erected the buildings on the place. Gilbert has remodeled the house and planted trees in the yard. Hofer Families Mr. and Mrs. J. S. G. Hofer and family moved to Fairview Township from Bridgewater, South Dakota, in 1919, and purchased a farm. They had a complete set of buildings erected and lived there until 1941, when they retired and moved to Onida. The Sam G. Hofer family then took over the farm and are operating it with the help of their son, Dwayne, and family. The tornado of July 29, 1934, damaged the barn and other buildings which were later rebuilt. The Hofers also had a new house built for their son, Dwayne and family. The two Hofer boys attended school in Fairview Township, driving a horse and cart two and a half miles to school. Mr. and Mrs. J. S. G. Hofer moved from Onida to Freeman, South Dakota, in 1945, where they are still residing. In the fall of 1920, Mr. and Mrs. Joseph G. Hofer began building their farm on the bare prairie on the Southeast of 32. Mr. Hofer and his brothers dug a pond with several teams of horses and scrapers for their first water supply. Since that time the farm has been steadily improved with a good well, a large grove of trees and numerous buildings. A tornado partially destroyed the farm in 1943, but it was rebuilt "bigger and better." The two Hofer daughters attended the Fairview School two miles east of their farm, and graduated from Onida High School. * * * George Lytle Family [photo - George Lytle moving hay with stack mover.] The Lytle family moved to Fairview Township in 1925, when Mr. Lytle taught the South Fairview School. The family returned to Fairview in 1931, for the summer months, living on the farm that the Riggle family had homesteaded in the early days. The store and postoffice were located in their house, 16 miles northeast of Onida. They returned to the Riggle ranch in the spring of 1934, after having left it for three years, and have made it their home since that time. The farm formerly occupied by the McGillverey and Donald Campbell families, is now a part of the Lytle ranch. Through the years, the Lytles have remodeled their home, constructed 12 dams and planted 40 acres of trees on their ranch. Registered Hereford cattle and saddle horses are raised on the ranch. * * * Guy Archer Guy Archer purchased his farm in 1938, which had originally been homesteaded by George Dillon's father. The house has been remodeled, improvements made on the buildings and a grove of trees and bushes planted as a windbreak. Mr. and Mrs. Archer's son attended the Fairview School. Mrs. Archer has passed away. * * * Donald Campbell Family The Donald Campbell family have lived on their farm for the past 20 years, and prior to that time occupied the McGillverey place for five years, which is now a part of the Lytle ranch. A Mr. Lowe homesteaded the Campbell farm, and the house was formerly a part of the hotel at Agar. The Arthur Venner family reside on the Albert Youngberg farm, and the Dave Pullmans live on the old Dwyer place. The Jack Farley family left Fairview Township in 1934, and the Ike Huffman family left in 1936, both families moving to California to seek greener pastures. FARMINGTON TOWNSHIP An old clerk's record book for Farmington Township records that in 1896, Nick Schlachter built two schoolhouses in Farmington School District at a cost of $800.00. One of the schoolhouses was built on the corner west where Lewellyn Todd now lives. In 1904, the other school stood on the southwest corner of Section 17. However, it may have been built two miles south of there. The first schoolboard members were Charles Beshear, Mrs. Pat Wall and Al Andrews. Among the first teachers at the north school were Maud Cole Garner, R. J. Courtney and Malcolm McLaughlin. McLaughlin later became a sort of merchant prince at Highmore. The north school was moved to the corner west of what is now the Charlie Todd home. Pupils attending school there that Year were Charlie, Melvin, Effie and Fern Todd, the Beshear twins and three of Dave Fairbank's children. During that school year, through no fault of the Pupils, four different teachers were employed before the term ended. In 1904, the Fairbank-Hallam holdings embraced the greater part of Sections 8-9-10-13-14-1516-17-21-22-23 and some in the next township south, with headquarters on the Southwest of 15 where the Art Wittler home now stands. The first artesian well was drilled there in 1896, and for a number of years practically every settler in the township, except John Todd, hauled water from there during at least part of the year. Moisture conditions improved beginning in 1902. Land values increased and Fairbank and Hallam disposed of their holdings and left for greener pastures. [photo - Farmington School - Maud Cole Garner, teacher. Back row, left to right - Buna and Bula Beshear, twin daughters of Mr. and Mrs. Charles Beshear; Effie, Charles, Melvin and Fern Todd, children of the John Todds. Front row - Ruth, Mable and Hattie Fairbank, daughters of Mr. and Mrs. David Fairbank.] In the fall of 1909, the schoolboard hired Frank Merrill as teacher. He had come out from Wisconsin a year or two previously. During the Christmas vacation he went to Onida and while there met and became so enamoured with a young woman that he was several days late opening up the school. The pupils went to school and stood around until noon for a day or two. When he finally did return, a member of the schoolboard informed him that there would be no more school. The next day the members of the schoolboard went to Mr. Cavanaugh's homestead shack and hired him to finish the term at $60.00 a month ' Pupils at that time were the five children of Fred Stoll, six of Matt Wagner's, five Rilling children and Gladys and Lester Currier. Lloyd Gates had been a pupil, but he quit. Vina Brehe, Alex Brehe's oldest daughter, attended school the final month. Mrs. Brehe and son Ed, a lad of four years, brought her to school with a team and lumber wagon. The North School was moved four times and found a final resting place a mile north of Frank Weischedel's. The Brehe School ended its usefulness one mile north of the home of Bertha and George Westphal. Both of these older schools have been sold, dismantled and gone. In 1922, a new schoolhouse was built to accommodate the Charlie Todd and Cavanaugh families. Edith Evans Vadnerwal was the first teacher. That school usually had a large attendance, but now has dwindled to three. A new schoolhouse was built near the site of the old on north of Frank Weischedel's about four years ago. The population of Farmington Township has never been large, the voting registration being about 60. So naturally the acreage per farm includes considerable land. The soil is productive, wheat being the main cash crop, but corn and other feed grains are also raised. Among the residents not already mentioned are the Fred Stoll and Silbaugh families, who came in 1907. Oscar and., Carl Fransen with their brother-in-law, - Charlie Johnson, and their cousins, Gus and Augie, also came in 1907. Carl lives in Section Two, on the land he first bought. Oscar went west years ago. The Johnson family (Charlie died with the flu) have all moved away. As is only natural, great changes have taken place through the years. "Old Dobbin" has practically disappeared except as a family saddle horse. The tractor has taken the place of horses and the farmhand and the farm grain and corn elevator have replaced the scoop shovel and the pitchfork. The spiritual part of Farmington's life was not neglected. An itinerant preacher, J. W. A. Collins, came in the late nineties and for a number of years he tied marital knots, baptized children and buried the dead. He preached whenever he was asked, even though many times his only means of transportation was "shanks" Pony or an old bicycle. About 1921 a Sunday School was organized at the Cass School. After the new Todd - Cavanaugh schoolhouse was built in 1922, it was moved to the Cass School location because there was more room. Preaching services were held when ministers could be obtained. Among them were Rev. Bledsoe, Martin McGuire and Rev. J. Gugin, Sr. An interesting part of the services was an excellent male quartet consisting of Calvin, Albert and Charles Brehe and Verne Pearson, with Grace Brehe or some other lady as organist. These meetings were held until about 1940 when they were transferred to Agar. Rural Free Delivery organized at Gorman on June 2, 1913, with Ed Cronin as carrier, came from the north and turned east at the corner one-half mile west of the Carl Fransen home. That route gave residents their first free delivered mail and to begin with there were five mail boxes on one corner. Sometime in 1925, the Agar R.F.D. was organized, With Neil Bever as carrier, and since then practically all of Farmington has had R. F. D. service. The Bell Telephone line was built from Agar northwest as far as the Cavanaugh farm in 1929, with customers all along the line. The Gas Belt Telephone Company came into existence in 1910, and the people in the west half of Farmington, as well as a good share of Western Sully, had some service from that line. However, poor collections over the years and hard times during the thirties practically wrecked the Company. The, new Sully Buttes line now blankets the western part of the county not served by Northwestern Bell. Practically all the boys and girls born in Farmington between 1915 and 1935 finished high school at Agar and a few at Onida, and their names invariably appeared on the honor roll. Farmington Township has had a full quota in the Armed Services and of the young men, that took advantage of the GI Bill of Rights, several are University graduates and now have fine positions. Of those at home, many own and operate profitable farms of their own. The tarpaper shack and the partly underground residence has disappeared. Homes, if not seasonably new, have been rebuilt and modernized. The R.E.A. came in about 1951, and almost every home in the community is served with electricity, the septic tank, hot and cold water, and the bathroom. The day of the cow chip, the corn cob and the hated lignite for use as fuel is probably gone forever. Over the years, Farmington residents have had many good times at the Bouchie, Alex Brehe and Gus Brehe barn dances. The Community Hall, built by people's subscriptions in about 1948, gives ample room for various home affairs. Farmington people without exception are all good neighbors, clean, and hardworking citizens, and the homemakers are invariably good cooks. * * * The Rilling Family David E. Rilling was born at Omro, Wisconsin, July 26, 1855, of German parents. His wife, the former Edith Sage, was also born in Wisconsin on Dec. 12, 1857, where she grew to young womanhood and in 1878, married David Rilling. They lived in Kingsbury County two years and then moved to Sully County where they filed on their homestead, which was about one-fourth of a mile east of where the old home now stands. Eleven children were born to them. One son, Earl, passed away of diptheria when he was four years old. Ruth and Arlie (Mrs. Albert Gordon) have also passed away. Archie and David D. are living at Lavona, North Dakota. Elsie O'Hair is living at Atwater; Minnesota; Russell, at Pierre, South Dakota; Viola Currier at Selby, South Dakota; Agnes Reiger at Java, South Dakota; Rolland at Watertown, South Dakota, and Alfred at Yankton, South Dakota. When the township was searching for a name, Mr. Rilling submitted.the name of Farmington, which was chosen as the one best suited to that locality. Mr. and Mrs. Rilling loved the farm and the wide open spaces of South Dakota. They enjoyed working with trees and flowers and every year Mr. Rilling would plant a new fruit tree. He had many kinds and could remember the name of each one. He also loved birds and was thrilled when he saw his first robin in South Dakota. [photo - Mr. and Mrs. David E. Rilling. Picking apples on their farm home in 1925.] One time, while the family was at the Missouri River on an outing, Mr. Rilling could not be found for some time. When he returned he told the family he had been trying to catch a young crow. He had had one for a pet when a small boy and had wanted another just like it. He was also a lover of music and could play the violin, and together with Will Ripley, played for many dances in the community. Mr. Rilling often spoke of retiring but couldn't bring himself to leave his beloved farm, so he stayed there until his death in March, 1937. Their daughter and son-in-law, Mr. and Mrs. John Reiger, moved to the farm and Mrs. Rilling continued to live with them until her passing in March, 1949. Mr. and Mrs. Fred Brehe, a son of Mr. and Mrs. Alex Brehe, purchased the Rilling farm in 1957 and are now living on it. * * * The Fisher Homestead George W. Fisher was born at Boston, Massachusetts, on February 23, 1847. His parents moved to Lewiston, Maine, when he was seven years old. From there he joined the 16th Maine Inf. Co. K., at the age of 14 and served 21 months during which he was wounded at the Battle of Gettysburg. He was discharged in 1865. In 1883, he was united in marriage to Sarah J. Kingsley of Janesville, Wisconsin. The young couple moved to Farmington Township and homesteaded on the Southwest of 32-116-78 in 1886. They had five children, two of whom are still living, Laura, now Mrs. Ed Pitlick of Pine River, Minnesota, and George K. of Eugene, Oregon. The Fisher's first home in Farmington Township was a dug-out which they lived in until about 1901. They hauled water from Clifton well situated on Okobojo Creek, across the road from the Frank Hayes place. This well had to be pumped by hand. Corn, straw, hay and cow chips were the only fuel they knew, with the exception of a little wood when it was available. Many a time, they hauled manure into the yard to let cattle and horses pack it, cut it in squares and then piled it to dry for winter fuel. In 1901, the Fishers moved to Hartford Township on a tree claim near the George Ripley place. Here they put down an artesian well which also kept neighbors supplied with water for farm use but they still hauled their drinking water from the Missouri River. In 1908, they moved to Onida, and resided there until their passing; Mrs. Fisher in 1916, and Mr. Fisher, in 1921. Laura Fisher was born on February 21, 1890, at Gettysburg, South Dakota, with Dr. Hurley in attendance. C. R. Garner was her first teacher. She was married to Ed Pitlick on November 16, 1910 in Pierre and lived on a farm in Grandview Township. They also had to haul water for their own use for the first 10 years, then were fortunate in purchasing a well drilling outfit, with a neighbor an succeeded in putting down two wells on their place. They left Sully County in 1936. Three children were born to them - Francis, Edna and Vivian. George K. Fisher is married and living in Eugene, Oregon. They have three children, all married. * * * Lewis Johnson Homestead Lewis L. Johnson took a patent on Northwest of Section 17 in Farmington Township in 1890, and since then this piece of land has had many owners, a few of whom being I. P. Gates, Mike Mikkelsen, Clyde Tidrick, Dr. B. M. Hart, Alex Brehe and at present is owned by Mr. and Mrs. George Westphal. Mrs. Westphal is the former Bertha Brehe, youngest daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Alex Brehe. They have three children; Carol and Jackie, both married, and Albert (Corky) at home. Some of the tenants occupying this farm were Mr. and Mrs. J. B. Fast, parents of Mrs. Axel Mikkelsen; Mr. and Mrs. Art Swanson and his brother, Roy; Karl Kowalski; Mr. and Mrs. Otto Serbousek; Mr. and Mrs. Arnold Neuhauer; Ed Westphal and his son, George; Mr. and Mrs. Adolph Brehe, and Mr. and Mrs. Leonard McDonnell. Mr. and Mrs. I. P. Gates purchased this land, which was then a raw quarter, in April, 1907, and built it up. They lived there until February, 1919, and then sold it to Clyde Tidrick. The Gates' had two sons, Lloyd and Ed. Lloyd was married in 1924, and lives in Iowa. They have two children. Ed has since passed away. [photo - Mr. and Mrs. I. P. Gates. Pioneers of Farmington Township.] Mr. and Mrs. J. B. Fast lived on this place from 1922 to 1924. The Fasts had nine children, three of whom are still living. Mr. Fast put down the well which is still being used. Mr. and Mrs. Art Swanson moved onto this farm after it was vacated by the Fasts. In January, 1927, the Otto Serbousek family moved in. They had two daughters and one son. Their daughter, Thelma, lives in Portland, Oregon, and the other daughter, Arline, lives in San Francisco. Their son, Maynard, is a Professor at the University of Hawaii. The Serbouseks left the farm in 1928, and shortly thereafter, the Arnold Neuhauer family moved in. The Neuhauers had three children; Clifford, Irene and Kermit. They left the farm and moved to California in about 1932. Clifford was killed in action while serving in World War II. Mr. Neuhauer and Irene have also passed away, and Mrs. Neuhauer and Kermit are still living in California. After the Neuhauers left the farm, Ed Westphal and his son, George, moved onto it. George was married in 1936, and moved to Washington state. Ed continued to live there until the fall of 1941. The Adolph Brehe family moved to this place in the spring of 1942, and lived there for about three years. The Brehe's have three children; Gale, who is married and farming in partnership with his father; Kent, who is working in Colorado, and Joy, who is still at home. After the Brehes left the farm, it was occupied by the Leonard McDonnell family. Mrs. McDonnell is the former Alma Flood. They have three sons, Michael, Randall, and Charles, and a daughter, Teah Beth. Mr. and Mrs. George Westphal purchased the place in 1956, when it was vacated by the McDonnells. * * * The Todd Family John Wesley Todd was born February 2, 1858, at Anamosa, Iowa, where he grew to manhood. He married Hattie Roberts, at Mitchell, Iowa, on December 25, 1877. The Todds filed on a homestead at Neligh, Nebraska, where they lived until 1888, and then moved to South Dakota, taking a tree claim in Potter County, where they experienced the Indian scare on November 22, 1890. In May, 1893, they moved across the county line and purchased the Henry Brisco homestead on the Southwest of One in 1901. [photo - Mr. and Mrs. John W. Todd. Pioneers resident of Farmington Township.] They went through all the hardships of those times without a murmur. They saw prairie fires sweep past their door, and listened to icy blasts rattle their little shack. Fuel had to be rustled off the prairies. There were no roads and the lumber wagon and riding horse were their only luxury of conveyance. Dry years robbed them of the fruits of their toil, but they never gave up. Success awaits at labor's gate, and so it was with the Todds. Endowed with fine common sense and a generous measure of business ability, they used their heads as well as their sturdy hands and acquired a good ranch, buying it piece by piece, as they were able to pay for it. They lived on this farm until Mr. Todd passed away, November 7, 1938. Mrs. Todd continued to live in the house until June 1943, when she moved to Onida to make her home with her daughter, Mrs. Effie Cass. Shortly thereafter, she suffered a paralytic stroke and was an invalid until her passing on November 18, 1945. The Todds had 10 children, of which five are still living. Arthur, of Onida; Effie Cass, Charles and Fern Otto of Agar and Melvin, of McMinnville, Oregon. Maude, Kate, Myrtle, Herbert and Cecil have passed away. Charles was married to Annie Siebrasse of Potter County, South Dakota, in September, 1912, and for a few lived in Milford Township. In March, 1917, they moved to the farm in Farmington Township, where they started building their own home. The Todds had eight children. Orville, the oldest, was married to Lorraine Gamble of Miller, South Dakota. They are living on the former Arthur Todd farm. Ronelly was married to Marie McCamly in 1941, and they have established a home in Summit Township. Rose married Leonard Tarrell of the Sioux Falls area. They established a home in Farmington Township, but sold out and moved to the Huron, South Dakota area, in January, 1958. Lewellyn married Alosia LaRosh, of Potter County, in January, 1942. They are at home on the former John Todd farm in Farmington Township. Fern Joyce was married to Leonard Pollman in August, 1948, and they live in Lincoln Township. Anton was married to Grace Ruckle and they live on the former Ruckle farm in Garner Township Basil married Claire Hoff, of Minnesota, in May, 1957. Since they returned from Army life they have made their home in the former Tarrell home. Arlo, youngest child, is still at home with his parents. Melvin Todd purchased his father's farm in 1910, and married Anna Lomheim in 1916, and four daughters were born to them, Evelyn, Beulah, Helen and Phyllis. Evelyn, now Mrs. Herbert Anderson, is living near Lebanon, South Dakota, and they have one son, Kenneth. Helen is married to Albert Wart and is living at McMinnville, Oregon. They have three sons and one daughter. Phyllis is now Mrs. Clyde Smith and is living at Sheridan, Oregon. They have three sons. One daughter, Beulah, passed away in 1928, when she was nine years old. When Mr. and Mrs. Todd left in 1932, and moved to McMinnville, Oregon, the farm was sold to Mr. and Mrs. Clifton Otto. [photo - Mr. and Mrs. Charles Todd. Residents of Farmington Township.] [photo - Mr. and Mrs. Arthur B. Todd. Pioneers of Farmington Township.] Clifton Otto was born in Canton, Illinois, on December 26, 1892, and came to South Dakota in 1897. He married Fern Todd, youngest daughter of Mr. and Mrs. John Todd, in 1917 at Gettysburg. They started their married life on the Fairbank farm, now occupied by Orville Fairbank. They later built a house on the Northwest of 13 in Farmington Township, and lived there until 1932, when they purchased the Melvin Todd farm in Section One. Four children were born to them, Raymond, Marshall, Willard and Dorothy. Raymond married Dorothy Joens, of Rolfe, Iowa, in 1940. They now live on a farm at Hutchinson, Kansas, and have seven children. Willard married Ruth Hoberts of Rolfe, Iowa, in 1940, and now have eight children. They operate a restaurant at Laurens, Iowa. Willard also works in a welding shop. Marshall married Marjorie Joens in 1942, and they now operate a farm at Rolfe, Iowa. They also have eight children. Dorothy is now married to John Riedel, and they operate a dairy in Gettysburg, South Dakota. Arthur purchased the Northeast of Six in Farmington Township in 1907, and Put down a shallow well the following year. This well is still being used by Orville Todd, who now owns the place. Arthur married Gladys Currier on September 10, 1913, and seven children were born to them. They continued to live on this f arm until 1946, when, due to Mrs. Todd's ill health, they moved to Onida. Mrs. Todd passed away on January 1, 1948. Mr. Todd still lives in Onida. Their oldest son, Elvin E., has served in the Army for the past 25 years, and at present is stationed at Travis Air Field Base near San Francisco, California. Ethel is now married to Paul Ramler and he, with his brother now own and operate the Onida Electric in Onida. They have two sons, Randy and Ricky. Irene is the wif e of Paul White, and they live in Lansing, Michigan. They have two sons, Bobby and Gary, and at present Irene is operating a book store. Marian is married to Larry Mayes and they are living in Onida. She is receptionist and nurse at the Onida Community Hospital for Dr. Westland. Mr. Mayes is bookkeeper at the H & H Motors of Onida. They have twin sons, Larry and Terry, and another son, Gregory. Richard is married and living in Pierre. He is working in the Laboratory Division of the Highway Department. They have two sons, Douglas and Steven, and a daughter, Janet. Doris is now Mrs. Floyd Robinson and she, with her husband and daughter, Pamela, live at Eaton Rapids, Michigan. Her husband is a Bap tist minister. Jeanne is married to Jack McClure of Onida. They farm in Garner and Grandview Townships. They have one son, Jeffrey, and a daughter, Jenna. The Brehe Family Alex Brehe came to South Dakota in 1895, from Arkansas, a miner looking for adventure. He came as far as Blunt by train, on to Clifton with the mail carrier and then walked the last nine miles to the home of his cousin, Henry Esselbrugge, one mile north of Lewiston. His first job was on the Esselbrugge ranch as a sheep herder, having 2,000 head under his care. These he herded on open range, wintering them in the Okobojo Creek hills west of Onida. Later he was foreman of a threshing crew. This rig consisted of a steam engine and threshing machine. Some of the men who worked the circuit, which went as far as Lake Preston, were Charles Weischedel, Julius Brehe, Ed Wagner, Martin McGuire, Tom Berry and Johnson Wilcox. When land was released for homesteading, he and his brother, August, chose Farmington Township for their future home. It was here that he and his wife, the former Fannie Weischedel, made their home. In spite of drought, grasshoppers, prairie fires and dust storms, they built up one of the better farms in the community. [photo - Mr. and Mrs. Alex Brehe and daughter 1902.] Alex served his district as county commissioner for 35 years, and was a member of the schoolboard for many years. He and his family were enthusiastic workers in all community undertakings. Six of their seven children, Edith (Mrs. Theron McKenney), Adolph, Ed, Albert, Fred and Bertha (Mrs. George Westphal), still farm in Sully County. Mrs. Vina Zeuge resides in Coeur 'd Alene, Idaho. [photo - Alex Brehe breaking land in Farmington Township with a steam engine, 1912. Left to right - August Brehe, Fred Weischedel, Henry Esselbrugge, a hired man and Alex on the tractor.] In the spring of 1898, August Brehe came to Sully County from Fort Smith, Arkansas. He and his brother, Alex worked in partnership until the fall of 1908, when August bought a farm from Cyrus Glenn. He was married to Stella Florence Weischedel on June 23, 1909, at the home of her parents in Pearl Township, with Rev. J. W. A. Collins officiating. The newlyweds set up housekeeping in a small house, and in 1919 this house was replaced with a much larger and more comfortable home. He bought his first electric plant about 1924, and his home was one of the first in the community to be furnished with electricity. Gus was always thoughtful of the comforts of his family. Nearly every fall he would load up his family in the old car and take in the State Fair at Huron. This was about the only recreation they had in those days. In 1917, he put down an artesian well, and this well is still being used. He built a barn in 1927, and it was in this barn several years later, that many dances were held, including the Farmington Community Club dances. Mr. Brehe lived on this farm continuously until his death on April 26, 1945. Five children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Brehe. The oldest, Grace Irma, was born May 27, 1910, with Dr. Carter in attendance. Dr. Carter lived close to the Missouri River at the time. Grace is now the wife of Fred Smith and resides on the old Frank Wink place in Milford Township. Calvin Henry was born Jan. 5, 1912, with Dr. S. B. Stegemann in attendance. A real South Dakota blizzard was raging at the time, and this winter was long remembered by the Brehe's as being one of the coldest winters in the history of Sully County. Cal is now married to Pauline Hanson, who served as a WAC during the war. They have three children; Harvey Allen, ten years; Gregory Cecil, seven years, and Wendy Sue, five. Myrtle Evelyn was born Oct. 10, 1914, and is now the wife of Verne Pearson. They were married in 1938, and started their married life on the old Doner place just across the county line in Potter County. They resided there until 1945, when they purchased the Schnoose place just west of Agar, in Milford Township where they still reside. The oldest son, Delvin Dean, was born in 1939, and is now in the United States Navy, stationed at Norfolk, Virginia. A daughter, Sola Jean, was born in 1940, and is now the wife of Dennis Jost, residing at Hoven, South Dakota. They have a son, Timothy Lee, born June 4, 1959. Charles DeVere was born in 1945, and Dervin LaVerne, in 1949. Both the younger sons are at home. Charles Richard was born July 19, 1917. He entered the United States Army in 1941, and was discharged in 1945. He served mostly in Australia and New Guinea, and was married while in Australia. Their son, Frank Richard, is living with them at their home at Mountain Home, Arkansas. The youngest, Arlene Marie, was born in 1919. She is now the wife of Leland Thompson, and they have one daughter, Jeanne Ann. They reside in Onida and Mrs. Thompson is now serving her second term as Sully County Register of Deeds. In May, 1931, Mrs. Brehe's sister, Mrs. Emil Flood, passed away, leaving five small girls. The Brehes took the youngest child, Minnie Mae, into their home and raised her as their own. Minnie Mae is now Mrs. Richard Claggett, of Rockville, Maryland. In October, 1934, Mr. Flood passed away, leaving the five girls orphaned, so at that time they took Hazel into their home also. Hazel is now Mrs. Phil Marshall, of Milford Township. The Marshalls have three children; Glenda, Nancy, and Chuckie. Mrs. Stella Brehe left the farm in 1948, and purchased the former R. J. Courtney home in Onida where she still resides. Mrs. Brehe has been very active in church and community activities all her life, but is now semi-retired. J. W. A. Collins The Rev. John Williams Alfred Collins was born in Illinois, March 13, 1872, and when about two years of age, moved with his parents to Neosho County, Kansas, where he grew to young manhood and, graduated from the Thayer, Kansas, high school. He entered Baker University at Baldwin, Kansas, in the fall of 1894, but due to ill health was unable to continue his studies after the first year. He came to South Dakota in 1900, and settled along the southern border of Potter County. Here he spent his days in the service of his fellow men until his health rendered him unable to go about his daily tasks. In October, 1902, he was united in marriage to Ruby Lockwood, who, passed away in 1908. In 1910, he was united in marriage to Mrs. Emma Kempf. He became a prominent citizen in this territory, serving as Potter County Superintendent from 1908 to 1910. He was State Senator in 1910, and carried mail in 1916 and 1917. His first and greatest interest, was the work of the Christian Church and was active in the Methodist churches at Gettysburg and Agar. However, he did not confine his efforts soley to these two churches, but went into outlying communities where he held services in schoolhouses, halls or wherever people would gather. While not an ordained minister, he was licensed as a preacher in these Methodist churches and supplied the pulpit from about 1908 to 1913. His license to continue was kept effective until the time of his confinement at Yankton. [photo - Rev. J. W. A. Collins. An early-day preacher and teacher.] Like St. Paul, he was afflicted with an incurable ailment which was a "thorn in the flesh", but in spite of it he carried on to the limit of his strength. His health gradually began to fail and he was taken to Yankton, South Dakota, where he passed away May 2, 1934.