Text of Ziebach Co., SD History (1982) - pages 380 - 400 This file is the text of the book, "South Dakota's Ziebach County, History of the Prairie", published in 1982 by the Ziebach County Historical Society, Dupree, SD Permission to publish this book in electronic form was given by Jackie Birkeland, member of the Historical Committee. This book is copyright, 1982 by the Ziebach County Historical Society, Dupree, SD. Scanning and OCR by Terri Tosh , final editing by Joy Fisher, . JAMES and RUBY (OLSON) GRAY James went to school and grew to manhood in Dupree. On February 18, 1933 he and Ruby Olson, daughter of Ole F. and Myrtle Olson of Lantry, were united in marriage. To them were born five children: Pauline, Harvey, Lilah, Dorothy and Jimmy who was killed in 1969. Grandpa George lived with them until his death. James was a willing worker in community services including baseball, dance band and transporting students to sports events by car. He was a member of the Odd Fellows Lodge and he and Ruby joined the Rebekah Lodge. They farmed a mile west of Dupree, the present day Donnie Farlee Ranch, until their home was destroyed by fire in 1941. The next year they purchased a farm two and one-half miles southwest of Dupree and farmed for ten years. In 1952 they purchased a pool hall in Dupree and moved to town. Later they purchased a grocery store in Newell, South Dakota. Within two years that was destroyed by fire and they moved to Sturgis. In 1958 James went to work for Davis Gas and Appliance in Eagle Butte where they lived until his death in 1970. Ruby lives in Rapid City. Pauline Gray married Harold Davis December 25, 1952 at Dupree. Their children are Arlie George and Roxie Leu. Arlie married Janie Miller, their sons are Zachary James and Joshua Ryan. Roxie married Bret Stambach, their son is Austin Joe. Harvey Gray married Yvonne Webb July 20, 1956. He spent twenty-four years in the United States Air Force, they have retired in Colorado Springs, Colorado after so many years in various countries and states. He is presently manager of a country club and golf course. Their four children are: Jeff, Lisa, Marla and George. Jeff and his wife, Debbie and their son, live in Japan where Jeff serves in the Air Force. Lisa married Fred Jackson, their home is Denver, Colorado. Marla's husband is Curt Campbell, their son is Chris and their daughter is Shanna. Their home is in Colorado Springs, Colorado. George is at home and in high school. Lilah Gray married William Bosley in December 1967. Their son Michael William. Lilah has four children by a previous marriage to Frank Bachand. They are Curt, Trudy, Toni and Scott. Curt Bachand is married to Connie (Menzel), their children are Tracy and Jason. Trudy is Mrs. Leo Bakeberg II, they live in Rapid City. Toni's husband is Mark Pierce, their home is Kansas City, Missouri where Scott also lives. Lilah and Bill live at Eagle Butte where they manage the Eagle Butte Municipal Package Liquor Store. Dorothy Gray is married to Norman Mutchler and lives in Billings, Montana. Their son is Robin, their daughter is Ronda. Robin and his wife Leslie, and son live in Billings also. Ronda is Mrs. Dennis Fulkerson, they have a son and reside in Tacoma, Washington. Dennis is in the Air Force. Jimmy Gray was married to Donna Brewer. They had two children, Cheryl and Harold. [photo - James Gray family, 1948. Back row: Harvey and Pauline. Middle row: Ruby and James. Front row: Dorothy, Jimmy, Lilah] GEORGE H. GREGORY George Harland Gregory came to Ziebach County in 1910 by horse and wagon and settled on a homestead on Sand Creek, 6 miles north of Dupree. On June 26, 1912, at Dupree, South Dakota he was united in marriage to Louise Marple. Mr. Gregory served as a Deputy Sheriff in 1910. Also he was a charter member of the Masonic Lodge. The Gregory children are as follows: George Harland Gregory, Eithel Gregory Sever, Roberta Gregory Kadoun, James Merton Gregory, Bessie Gregory Simpson. THE ALVIN GRIFFITH STORY by Rose Griffith Alvin Griffith was born on the Griffith homestead southeast of Dupree, to Carl and Maude Griffith (the sixth child of ten) on March 30th, 1914. He with his parents and family lived here for a couple years then moved to the Kinnik homestead a couple miles southeast. Alvin went to elementary school at Fairview all eight years, then went to one year of high school in Dupree. After that he stayed home and worked on the ranch with his Dad. In 1933 his parents, and rest of the family moved to a ranch north of Arrowhead or west of Redelm. I, Rose (Tracy) Griffith was born in North Dakota on March 3, 1915. When but a baby I moved with my parents and one sister to a homestead near Coal Springs, South Dakota. Here another sister and brother joined the family. In the winter of 1918 we lost our parents during the flu epidemic and were taken to live with our maternal grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. George Yusko, who lived south of Lantry, South Dakota. I went to Soliday school the first three years of grade school, then finished at Rosene school two and one-half miles south west of the home place. I went to high school in Lemmon for three years then returned home and graduated from Dupree in 1934. Alvin and I were married on August 14, 1935. We lived on the Welfl place near his folks the first year, then moved down on the Kinnik place where we wintered the folks' cattle and Alvin worked on WPA. In 1941 we bought the Gladstone homestead from Judge Gladstone. We lived there about twenty-six years during which time we moved to town for a few years to educate the family. Then in 1969 we purchased the Edwin Springer place. We still live here. Seven of our ten children were born while we lived on the Gladstone place, the three oldest ones were born while we lived northwest of Redelm. They are all married now so we are alone again. We live for the times they come home to visit. We also have twenty-nine grandchildren and one great grandchild. Mercedes our oldest daughter married Carl Pritzkau, a boy from Lantry. They live on his folk's place. They have five children; Randy, Tracy, Mary, Ronny and Cara. Alva married Joe Till a rural Dupree boy, they live near Mill Iron, Montana and have three children; Cheryl (Mrs. Baine Maupin), Ray and Justin. Lorretta married Melvin Shuck a neighbor boy. They live in Philomath, Oregon. They have four children; Nancy, Harley, Lyle and Judy. Janet married Bill Vermilyea from Saint Paul which is where they now live. She had one daughter, Ronet Bachman, from her former marriage. Carl married Mary Lu Pritzkau of Eagle Butte. They live on our old home place. They have three girls; Carlene, Ardith, and Cathy Jo. Maudie married John Flahaven from North Dakota. They now live at Montpillier, North Dakota. They have two children; Shelley and Cody. Tom married Deloris Charles of Lead, South Dakota. They live in Belle Fourche, South Dakota. They have one boy from his first marriage, Richard; two children from her first marriage, Jamie and Sam; and one little girl of their own, Gwendolyn. Dorothy married Bernie Tibbs of Ridgeview, South Dakota. They live near Ridgeview. They have two boys; Patrick and Delbert. Gay married Gary Ruzicka from Miller, South Dakota. They live in Belle Fourche, South Dakota. They have three children; Martina, Lynnette and Douglas. Rollis married Connie Weist from Mobridge, South Dakota. They have two boys; Jesse and Cole. They live in Dupree. Cheryl Till married Baine Maupin a boy from Montana. They gave us our first and only great grandchild; Desarae Kay. She is something very special being the first grandchild of Joe's and Alva's and our first great grandchild. [photo - This was taken the Christmas Tom came home on furlough during the Viet Nam conflict. Standing; Gay, Dorothy, Maudie, Janet, Lorretta, Alva and Mercedes. Seated are Carl, Alvin, Rose, Rollis and Tom. Taken in 1967] [photo The bad winter of 1977 and 1978. Our cattle drifted over the snow covered fences and ended up on the creek north of Dupree. When it moderated a little they brought them back through town. Down mainstreet] [photo - This picture shows the cattle coming back through the yard] THE CARL GRIFFITH FAMILY by Helen Maynard My father, Carl A. Griffith was born in Kirkville, Iowa. August 25, 1881. He was the eldest of four children, born to Frank Griffith and wife Mary (Peden) Griffith. My mother was Maude A. Yates of Ottumwa, Iowa born November 21, 1886. Daughter of William Yates and Minerva (Hartley) Yates. My mother was the eldest of six children. She attended public schools in Ottumwa and was later employed by the telephone service as an operator. My father attended the rural schools and helped on his parent's farm. My father and mother were married in Ottumwa on April 5, 1905. They helped out on his parent's farm until 1910 when he decided to homestead in South Dakota. In the spring of 1910 my dad and uncle Joe Peden came by train as far as LeBeau, South Dakota and ferried across the Missouri River. The first day they got as far as the north bank of the Moreau River where they set up camp for the night. They hobbled their horses and bedded down under their wagon. My dad didn't sleep much that night on account of the coyotes howling, animals he had never seen or heard before. The next day they forded the river and got as far as the town of Dupree, where they stayed that night in a hotel. It was too late to go out to the homestead. Uncle Joe helped my dad build a sod house and dig a well, then my dad put up some hay and started on a sod barn. In the spring of 1911 my dad went back to Iowa to get his wife and three children, Ethel, Bernice and Mary. They brought their household goods and livestock in an emigrant car as by that time the railroad went through Dupree. My mother was a typical pioneer woman and enjoyed her new neighbors, who were all young women like herself. They helped each other through all the trials and tribulations that all homesteaders were destined to know, births, deaths, storms, prairie fires, droughts and destructive insects. Also the joys of getting together for parties and celebrations, picnics and Christmas programs. The Griffith union was blessed with the following children. Ethel Florence (1906-1979) married Clarence Redouty in 1924. They moved to Florida. They had two boys and three girls, Earl, Marcella, Mary, Philip and Shirley. Bernice Frances (1908-1945) had a twin, Ernest (who died in infancy). She married Delbert Day of Lemmon, South Dakota. Their children were Doris, Delbert, Loyd (deceased), Kenneth, Helen Cleo, Mary, Bernice and Sam. Mary Elizabeth (1910) married Bennie DiNicola of Kansas City, Missouri. Helen Lucile (1912) was the first to be born on the homestead. She married Clair Maynard of rural Dupree. They have four children, Estella, Dorothy, Clair Junior and Billy Alan. Alvin Alan the second to be born on the homestead in (1914) married Rose Tracy of Lantry, South Dakota. They had ten children. Mercedes, Alva, Lorretta, Janet, Carl, Maudie, Thomas, Dorothy, Gay and Rollis. My folks moved to the Kinnick homestead a couple miles southeast of us. Loyd Gerald was the first to be born there in 1917. He married Violet Olson from Plainview, South Dakota. They had two children Sharen and Gerald. Dorothy Mae was born in 1919. She married Charles Bruno from Kansas City, Missouri. They adopted Bernice and Sam Day after their mother died. Estella born in 1921 died in 1923. Joseph born in 1923 died in infancy. Neva Irene born in 1924, married Charles Samuelson of Faith, South Dakota. They had eight children. Charles, Ginger, Lois, Treva, John, David, Mary and Lori. Treva Jean born in 1926 married Antone Fisher of Faith, deceased. They had eight children. Antone (deceased), Janice, Gary, Teresa, Greg, Tonette, Guy and Rubianne. Darrel Duane born in 1930 married Marlene Dore of Faith, South Dakota. They had five children, Debbie, James, Terri, Doug and Rick. In 1933 the family moved on a ranch north of Arrowhead, South Dakota. They lived here until my father died in 1960. My mother died in 1969. My brother Darrel bought the ranch and still lives there. [photo - Mr. & Mrs. Carl A. Griffith Married April 5, 1905 in Ottumwa, Iowa] [photo- In front of the old homestead barn. Carl behind horse, Alvin, Helen, Ethel, Mary, Bernice] [photo - The old homestead. Ethel, Bernice, Mary and Carl Griffith] DARRELL and MARLENE GRIFFITH Darrell and Marlene Griffith live on the ranch where Darrell grew up, eight miles east and two miles north of Faith. In addition to raising cattle, they train horses. After suffering a broken leg training horses outside, in 1966, Darrell decided it was time to build a training barn. They, along with their son Jim, run a very successful horse training operation. The Griffiths, married in 1950, have always been involved with rodeo, so it is not surprising that four of their five children followed in their footsteps. Jim, Terri, Doug and Rick all participated in 4-H and High School rodeo and all earned the honor of going to National competition in cattle cutting. Terri won the National Cattle Cutting Championship at Tomah, Wisconsin, her freshman year in high school. The children were also very active in high school sports, receiving many conference and state awards. Jim was Golden Gloves boxing champion in 1979, when the event was held at the Civic Center in Rapid City. Darrell participated in rodeo and did some rodeo announcing for Eddie Bachman for a few years. He showed horses for his customers for three years and then decided to take two of his own on the circuit in 1969. He won the South Dakota Champion Novice Cutting, the Champion Open Cutting and the Affiliate Trophy, given to the horse that wins the most money in and out of the state. That same year he won the state champion calf roping and reining. The biggest thrill for the family came in 1975 when Darrell and Terri were invited by the Smithsonian Institute to go to Washington, D.C. and participate in the Folklife Festival on the mall between Lincoln Memorial and the Washington Monument. The purpose of the festival was to educate people about the ways of other cultures, which are also a part of the land in which they live. In addition to horse trainers, there were cattlemen, sheepmen, sheep shearers, auctioneers, cooks, musicians, harness makers, wood carvers and craftsmen of many kinds represented from this region. Marlene came to Faith in the 1940's with her mother and stepfather, Dr. McLean. In addition to raising a family and helping with the ranch work, she was secretary for the South Dakota Cutting Horse Association for two years. Debbie, the Griffith's oldest daughter, has a singing career in California. Jim and his wife, the former Cathy McKaben of Belle Fourche, have three sons, Beau, Austin and Willie. They live and work on the ranch near Darrell and Marlene. Terri is married to Bill Beesley, who is a coach at Pierre High School. They have one son, Jessie Cole. Doug and Rick both attend college at Spearfish. [photo - Terri Griffith and her horse, Miss Boog, on the Mall in Washington, D. C. at the Folklife Festival in 1975] [photo - Darrell Griffith being interviewed by NBC-TV newsman in Washington, D. C. at the Folklife Festival in 1975] WILLIAM M. GRIFFITHS Mr. Griffiths first came to Tennessee from Wales, England, where he was born in 1867. He came to the Thomas L. Riggs Mission School north of Pierre as a missionary teacher. There he married Martha Garbold in 1895. They moved to Plum Creek, across the Cheyenne River from Cherry Creek, and established the Plum Creek Mission School where they taught for ten years. He established a store at Cherry Creek, and maintained his ranch across the Cheyenne southeast of Cherry Creek Station. He was a county commissioner for Stanley County, served as a state representative for Stanley and Haakon counties for six terms. He was initiated into the Masonic Lodge in 1911. Doctor Thomas F. Riggs took part in graveside rites for him at Midland, South Dakota where he was buried beside his wife in January, 1951. They were the parents of four sons. The only survivor is Evan Griffiths of Custer, South Dakota. MR. and MRS. CHRIS GRONDAHL written by Mrs. Homer (Irene) Jones Chris Grondahl and family from Buffalo, North Dakota homesteaded thirteen miles southwest of Isabel, in Ziebach County in the spring of 1917. Chris came in an emigrant car with household furniture, two horses, three cows, a dog and farm machinery. Chris, with help, built their shack at once. Mrs. Grondahl and three daughters, Irene, Clara and Alice arrived in May at their new home on the prairie. Lillian was born February 12, 1918. Two years later Clifford was born on February 12, 1920. The Grondahl schoolhouse was built on the corner of their land. Here their children got their grade school education. This schoolhouse was used as a meeting place for all community activities for several years. Church and Sunday school were held there, also. They had many trying years, severe hail, wind storms and blizzards. I remember one severe hail storm. Clifford brought the milk cows home to be milked. Just as they got in the corral the storm hit. The cattle broke loose and ran off towards the creek. Here several drowned. Hail piled up several feet high in places. Folks that stayed during these hard times helped build up the community. The good years came and people prospered. Mr. and Mrs. Grondahl moved to town in 1957. They celebrated their fiftieth wedding anniversary July 25, 1957. Mrs. Grondahl passed away April 22, 1966. Their children are: Mrs. Homer (Irene) Jones, Mrs. Russell (Clara) Hanson, Morristown, Mrs. Don (Alice) Hurst of Milwaukee, Oregon, Mrs. Milton (Lillian) Hansen, Oregon City, Oregon, and Clifford Grondahl of Aberdeen. [photo - Chris Grondahl Homestead, 1917] [photo - GRONDAHL SCHOOL, 1932 Clifford Grondahl, Irene Grondahl (teacher), Phillip Lindskov, Lilly Te Poel, Oswald Rekstad, Sivert Rekstad] [photo - The Chris Grondahl's 50th Wedding Anniversary] JOHN and ROSE GROSS by Esther Gross Mittleider John and Rose Gross, originally from Germany, came to Ziebach County from Ashley, North Dakota in 1929. The Grosses bought a farm six miles southeast of Dupree where they lived until they moved into Dupree in the early 1940's. Mr. Gross worked for various area farmers until his retirement. The Grosses raised eleven children: Ervin, Gasper, Wyoming; Edwin (deceased); Esther (Mrs. Jake Mittleider), Faith; Harold, Seattle, Washington; Irene (Mrs. Ralph Marple), deceased; Herbert, Salt Lake City, Utah; Edward, (deceased); Clarence, Denver, Colorado; Violet, (Mrs. Raymond Titus), Rapid City, South Dakota; Edna Wilson, Salt Lake City, Utah; Janice (Mrs. David Bowman), Deadwood, South Dakota. John Gross died in 1960 and Rose in 1980. FRANK A. HAAGEN Frank Alexander Haagen, son of John and Fayetta Haagen, was born June 4, 1883 ah Beech Creek, Pennsylvania. He was next to the youngest of ten children. Frank was raised on a farm and attended school in Beech Creek. He was interested in music and loved to play the violin. When Frank was twenty-five years old, he went by train to Farmington, Illinois. He lived with his sister and brother-in-law, Margaret and Oscar Brungard. Oscar owned a blacksmith shop and it was here he worked and learned the blacksmith trade. While in Farmington he studied the violin. He soon decided that he wasn't meant to be a violinist. After a time, Frank went back to his home in Pennsylvania. He continued to work on the family farm until the time he went to Philadelphia. His brother, Tennyson Haagen, resided in Philadelphia and owned the Aldine Riding Academy and Livery Stable. Besides giving riding lessons, Frank was gaining business knowledge. The desire to go into business for himself and the opportunities the western country had to offer, played a large role in his decision to go west and pioneer in South Dakota. In 1908 Frank A. Haagen arrived by train in LeBeau, South Dakota. He opened his first store. A postcard postmarked LeBeau, September 6, 1909 to his sister in Pennsylvania says: 'We are going to have a big time here in October -- many thousands of people to come here to register so come and try your luck on 160 acres of land.' It was about this time the people of LeBeau learned the railroad would not be running through their town. This was a big disappointment to most of the people, and especially Frank. He decided to move on west to Dupree. In August 1910 he went to Aberdeen and purchased four lots in Dupree to put his store on. He wanted to be among the first business men to locate in Dupree. Since it was not finally decided just where the town would be located, they set their buildings about two miles out of town. Later they were moved to the present site. A postcard addressed to his sister and with a picture on the card of his building, he wrote 'The first hardware store in Dupree.' Another picture on a postcard is of a store building being moved by horses which says below the picture 'My Redelm store room on wheels for Dupree' and in a newspaper item it stated that his present building was being brought in by horses from Redelm. He sold John Deere farm machinery, DeLaval cream separators, saddlery and other items needed by the farmers. Frank Haagen filed as a homesteader and was given his claim rights to 160 acres of land on which he constructed a house, drilled a well, put in a crop and lived for the necessary amount of time to prove up. In September 1912 he went back to Pennsylvania and married Mary E. Mantle, daughter of Alfred and Eudora Mantle of Beech Creek, Pennsylvania. Returning to Dupree with his bride, their first home was on the claim. Their first child, Esther Faye, was born there. Mr. Haagen purchased a lot in town, built a nice comfortable home, drilled a well. He constructed a windmill so they would have plenty of water and they had one of the few homes with inside running water and bathroom, which was unusual for that area and time. In 1922 Esther Mantle, sister of Mary Haagen, from Beech Creek, Pennsylvania, came to live with them and while there taught the third and fourth grades. The classes were held in the Community Church because part of the school was being remodeled to make more classrooms. Frank and Mary Haagen had three children. Esther Faye was born July 20, 1913, Marian Eudora was born March 17, 1917, and Merrill Dean was born July 7, 1920. Frank Haagen was a life member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. They attended the Community Church, and Mary was active in the Sunday School and was clerk of the church. She also sang in the choir. Frank had promised his wife that she would not have to live on the prairie all of her life, as she liked trees like they had in Pennsylvania. So in September 1925 they decided to go farther west. They sold their store, their home, and packed all their worldly possessions and set out for the west coast. They lived in Eugene, Oregon until 1931. In 1931 a John Deere agency was for sale in Ellensburg, Washington and Frank felt this was what he really wanted to do. Once again they sold their properties and packed their belongings and moved to Ellensburg. He was in business there until his death in 1957. Mary, his wife, is 89 years old and lives with her daughter Esther and husband, Harold, in Olympia, Washington. [photo - Our claim - out of Dupree. Frank and Mary Haagen - daughter Esther] [photo - Pioneering Days at Redelm] [photocopy - postcard to Mrs. John Haagen] [photo - First hardware in Dupree, 1910] [photo - Haagen's store being moved from Redelm to Dupree. Later became Ogard's Store, which burned in 1932] ALBERT HAGAN Albert Sidney Hagan, the seventh child in a family of eight children, was born to Cyprian and Keturah Wright Hagan, July 25, 1869 at Monroe, Missouri. He attended grade school and grew to manhood there. He became a railroad engineer and worked there for several years. He married Bertha Hagist in 1891. Five children were born to them: Albert Sidney Hagan, Mary Adella Raben Briely, Frederic Leslie, Edwin, Olive Blanche Batterberry. He came to South Dakota in 1896 and lived near Rondell, South Dakota. He worked at the blacksmith trade and became interested in farming the following year. He continued that occupation there until 1910 when this part of South Dakota in Ziebach County was allotted to settlement and came here. In May 1910 he located on Section 1-13-21, being one of the early pioneer farmers, and was one of the first commissioners. Bertha, his wife, died in 1907. Three years later he married Cora Spencer Baker, a daughter of the late Cal Spencer of Faith. A daughter, Aliene, was born to them, joining a half-brother, Harry A. Baker, deceased, son of Homer A. Baker, a veteran of the Spanish American insurrection. HALF RED FAMILY Came to Chase(d. 1884) was the husband of Cetansinawin/Hawk Blanket (1840-1915). They had five surviving children. Unkpapa Woman/Comes a Hunkpapa Sioux/Edna Chase was born in 1859; Follows Him/Mary in 1867; Cloud Grows (1869-1887); Oscar Half Red (1878- 1940); and Stays in the Lodge/Stands in the House/Julia Half Red (1882- 1901). In Canada, between 1876 and 1880, Edna Chase was married to Sunkmanitugi/Phillip Brown Wolf. In 1880, he also married Mary. After the Lakota returned from Canada, this family lived 17 miles south of Dupree. Oscar Half Red married Martha/Maggie Worn Out Horn. Their children were: Isaac Halfred who married Josephine; Mary who married George Knife; Jennie who married Big Horn; John who died single; Frank Halfred who married Helen Roach Circle Eagle; Martha and Rebecca Halfred. THE CHAS HALL FAMILY written by Clara Hall Mr. and Mrs. Chas Hall came to Ziebach County, 6 miles west of Glad Valley, South Dakota in 1912. Six children were born to this couple. Harold lives in Colorado Springs, Colorado, Vivian Campman lives in Aurora, Colorado; Marjorie Green and Raymond live Cheyenne, Wyoming and Lois Hunt lives in Fountain, Colorado. Forrest Hall of Ukiah, California passed away in April of 1981. He and his parents are buried in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Chas and Grace were engaged in farming and ranching until 1929 when they moved to Sturgis, South Dakota. In 1936 they moved to Rawlins, Wyoming, then to Rangely, Colorado until 1947. In 1965 they moved to Colorado Springs, Colorado where they resided until their deaths. Grace passed away in 1969 and Chas passed away in 1972. HAROLD and CLARA HALL written by Clara Hall Harold and Clara (Wenzel) Hall were married in Isabel, South Dakota in 1933. We operated the Dew Drop Inn until 1936, moving to Rawlins, Wyoming, where we were employed at the Seminoe Dam. We lived there until 1937, moved to Seattle, Washington, and returned to Rawlins in 1939. We moved back to Isabel in 1944 and purchased the William Wenzel farm, living there until 1960. We then moved to Colorado Springs, Colorado where we now reside. We have three children, Marilyn and Larry were born in Isabel and Forrest was born in Seattle, Washington. Marilyn now lives in Los Alamitos, California; Larry lives in Cheraw, Colorado and Forrest in Colorado Springs, Colorado. We have seven grandchildren. We operated a Mobile Home Park in Colorado Springs for 20 years but are now retired. VAL and RUTH HAMPEL Val and Ruth Hampel moved to Dupree, South Dakota in 1943. He was employed by the Milwaukee Railroad as station agent and had previously worked in Isabel, Firesteel, Lantry and Faith, where he got his start as a railroad agent. He retired in 1956, after 36 years with the Milwaukee Railroad, and they moved to Phoenix, Arizona where they lived until his death in 1966. Ruth continued to live there until 1974 when she moved to Irvine, California to live with her daughter, Doris Wilson. She also spends several months each year with her other daughter, Helen McDonald, in Merriam, Kansas. She has 5 grandchildren and 5 great-grandchildren, Val moved to Faith from Rushville, Illinois with his parents, Valentine and Anna, where they lived in a sod house on the land they were homesteading near Faith. Val hauled lumber from the Black Hills to Faith on a horse drawn wagon and when the family moved into Faith, his father became the tailer, a trade he learned while a young man in Germany. Later, Val taught in a country school near Faith until he became a helper to the station agent in Faith. Val and Ruth were married and moved to Lantry when he took over the job of station agent in Lantry in 1920. Ruth and her parents, Gustov and Carrie Anderson, along with her brothers, Gust and Harry, and her sisters, Minnie and Mable, also were homesteading on land near Glad Valley having moved there from Princeton, Minnesota. Another sister, Annie, remained in Princeton. The old homestead is still in the family, now owned by Harry's son Clifford Anderson. Ruth's parents were immigrants from Sweden. Her father, Gustov, preceded her mother to the United States settling first near Minneapolis where all the children were born except the oldest son, Oust, who was born in Sweden. They moved to a small farm near Princeton, Minnesota before moving to South Dakota in 1912. Ruth's memories of her years in Ziebach and Dewey counties are many... from the dust bowl era to the deep winter snows and blizzards, of riding horses to go to dances at a schoolhouse and riding back home at day break, of the ladies aid lunches at the Congregational Church in Dupree and, always, of the many friends and relatives who made a pleasant life for her and Val while living in Ziebach County. AUGUST HANNEMAN August Hanneman was born in 1887 in Edgar, Wisconsin. In the spring of 1915, Mr. Hanneman came by train to Ziebach County. The train was delayed at Mobridge for three days. He was engaged in farming and ranching on his homestead near Redelm. Mr. Hanneman recalled the three day blizzard in the spring of 1919 as one of his early day experiences on the homestead. Mr. Hanneman never married and had no close relatives. HARMON FAMILY by Ruby Harmon Vance My father and mother, Harmon, were both born and raised in Indiana. We children were also. We had a lovely home and a large woods full of all kinds of nut trees. We enjoyed them so much. Then when the government said that if we went to South Dakota we could take up all the land we could use, father thought that would give him more land than the 160 acres he had in Indiana. Father had a sale and sold everything, had the family go to Lebanon, Indiana, rented a house for a month, and then came out to the prairie. He had a nice two- story house ready to move into. It was all planned out in Indiana and the lumber was cut the way he had wanted it. He had a young man that was the son of a friend of father's that came with him, so they had the house ready when we came out on a train. When we got there, it looked so different, we would not go far from the house. Father put in a large crop the first year, but no rain and no crop. The next year the crop was better but grasshoppers ruined it. One year a prairie fire ruined crops, but father and other men beat the fire out. After several years, the folks went to Milwaukee, Wisconsin. They were getting old and were in need of a rest. I took nurses training in Mobridge and was half way through, but mother insisted I must teach school. I taught two years, then Earl Vance and I were married, and raised our large family. Now I am alone in my large house in Spearfish. Earl died about ten years ago, and our many children are scattered. HARRELL - LANGLOIS Brothers-in-law of the same age, Ed Langlois (brother of Louise Halvorson) and J. W. (Jim) Harrell (married to a Langlois girl) were the same age, 64, and died on the same day. Mr. Langlois was a single man living at Helly, Idaho. He was well known in Dupree, having pioneered here in the early days of the west river country. Mr. Harrell was also a Ziebach County pioneer, having operated a fine ranch about 4 miles southwest of Lantry. He also bought and traded cattle on an extensive scale. Jim was born in Texas and drifted north with the large cattle outfits. He was well educated and a livewire around here during the 'hey days' when big crops were raised and money was plentiful. He moved to Deadwood in the early thirties. He raised his children in Dupree and they went to the Dupree school. They were Loretta and Joe Bill. His wife had died some years earlier. REIER HARVEY Mr. Reier Harvey came by railroad emigrant car to Ziebach County in April 1912. He settled on a homestead 3 miles south of Redelm, where he lived on his homestead until 1919. Mr. Harvey recalled a time when he was lost on the prairie at night while looking for a lost cow. Mr. Harvey was married in 1913 to Emma Schroder of Humboldt, Iowa. Their children were: Gretchen (Mrs. Gerald Peterson); Jean (Mrs. Leo Schroeder); Mae (Mrs. Robert Gross); John R. Harvey. FRED and GRACE HASKINS Grace Main Haskins was born on July 18, 1887 to Mr. and Mrs. Aaron Main, at Strawberry Point, Iowa. She was a sister of Claude Main and Alice Main Linn. The Main family moved to Custer County, Nebraska where she lived until 1910. On April2, 1910 she and John Frederick Haskins were united in a double wedding ceremony in Columbus, Nebraska. Her sister, Lela Main and James Reed were the other newlyweds. Fred and Grace homesteaded land at Thoeny, Montana from 1915 to 1920. In August 1920 the Haskins family moved to Pretty Creek north of Dupree which was known as the Judson land. It is located a mile east of the Wallace Brams residence and is now a part of the Brams ranch. At this time their family consisted of Venita, Merle, Harold, and Frank. The older children attended Pretty Creek school. Two of their teachers were Edna Reich Anderson and Esther Burke McDaniel. Fred and Grace raised cattle and farmed while in Ziebach County. Their two younger children were born while here: Mildred Grace in 1921 and Norma Fern in 1922. In June 1927 the eight members of the Haskins family drove to Oregon in a Model T. Ford. They located near the Williamette Valley, near Salem, Oregon. Grace passed away in January, 1929. Fred passed away in August 1952, at Scotts Mills, Oregon. The six Haskins children live in the western states of Washington, Oregon and California. In June 1975 all six returned to South Dakota and Ziebach County in the original Model T Ford that they had traveled to Oregon in 1927, to commemorate their parent's trip west. Their oldest son, Merle, passed away in 1976. [photo Alice Main Linn, Grace Main Haskins, Fred Haskins, Aaron Main with their children standing in front] [photo - Merle Haskins on his return to South Dakota with the Model T Ford in 1975 that had taken his family of eight to a new home in Oregon in 1927] RALPH HEBERER (taken from the Faith Country Book) Ralph Heberer filed on a claim in Ziebach County in the spring of 1911, and came by train with an immigrant car in March of 1912 to live on the claim. During the summer of 1912 his sister, Maude Heberer, filed on a quarter section and later he bought it from her. He still owns this land. Mrs. Heberer taught a school nearby for six months. Mr. Heberer was the Ziebach County Assessor for two years, and was a member of the Equity Trading Company, and also helped to build a creamery in Faith. Two of our children were born in Ziebach County -- Richard and Ray. Glenn and Norma were born after we left there in 1919. We celebrated our Golden Wedding Anniversary in April 1959. ALBERT HEBNER FAMILY by Pansy Hebner Albert and I were married at Eagle Butte, South Dakota, February 12, 1931. Because Albert was from Avon, South Dakota, we went there to live right away. We farmed and had a few head of cattle. Pastures were small because all or most of the land was farmed. This was through the depression and dry years. Our daughters, Irene and Ronda were born there and Irene went to a country school after she was old enough. In 1941 we decided to go back to Eagle Butte, South Dakota to live. Here we farmed, raised cattle and milked cows. It rained more now and crops were pretty good most of the time unless hail came and ruined them. Irene graduated from Eagle Butte High School in 1949, and that fall went to work at Dupree as secretary at the Public Welfare Office for Mable Ross. It was here she met Floyd Linn and was married in December, 1950. They live at Lantry and have the grocery store and post office there. They have three daughters: Laurie, Dixie and Annette. In 1952, we quit farming at Eagle Butte and moved to Dupree. Albert bought some lots here and built a house. Here, Albert did carpenter work and later worked at the Dupree Lumber Yard until he retired because of poor health. Ronda graduated from high school here in 1958. After a year or so she went to work at McIntosh, South Dakota, as secretary for Mr. Hatch at the Public Welfare Office. It was here she met Robert Burke and was married in 1962 at the United Church of Christ in Dupree. They live at Chamberlain, South Dakota and have two sons; Jeff and Brian who are going to school there. They have a filling and bulk station, so keep busy. Albert passed away July 8, 1981 and I still live here, have for twenty-nine years in March. [photo - Golden Wedding Anniversary of Mr. and Mrs. Albert Hebner, 1981] KARL HEGRE FAMILY by Della Fuller Hegre Karl Hegre came to South Dakota from Montevideo, Minnesota in the summer of 1911 and built a house for his family. He then went back to Minnesota and got his family. They came by train into Redelm with six children, Sophia, Oscar, Alfred, Ida, Chester, and Ole. Severin and Andrew remained in Minnesota to work. The oldest girl, Hannah, went to California. They came by immigrant car with 4 horses, 3 cows, household furniture and a carload of hay. Both Karl and Carrie were born in Norway and came to Minnesota as young adults. Karl was a tailor in Norway and made all his boys suits of clothes. He was in logging and lumbering business in Minnesota until he was married, then he farmed near Montevideo, where the children were born. In South Dakota he built the Trinity Lutheran Church south of Redelm and helped build the Robertson School. They raised all their meat and vegetables to feed their large family but always had time for their church and helping the neighbors. Hannah married Fred Softron, had one daughter, Helen. She lived in Beverly Hills, California. Sophia married Wilbur Prejean and lives in New Orleans, Louisiana. Ida married J. P. Jensen and they had three children, Marie, Volmer and Eldon. They lived at Faith, South Dakota. Andy lives at Atwater, Minnesota. He married Dora Nelson. Alfred married Amanda Bangsund, had one daughter, Marlene, and they live at Montevideo, Minnesota. Chester married Mildred Kelly in Arkansas. They had two daughters, Connie and Kathy. Oscar died in 1928. Ole married Della Fuller and they have one son, Douglas and live in Rapid City, South Dakota. Severin married Irene Fuller. They lived in Milwaukee, Wisconsin where Daryl and Gladys were born. They came back to South Dakota in 1930 and lived in Dupree, where Roger and Carol were born. Daryl and Gladys live in Washington state. Carol lives in Long Beach, California and Roger in Timber Lake, South Dakota. Gladys married Freddie Brown, Carol married Don Stumpf and Roger married Ella Oberg. OLE and DELLA HEGRE FAMILY by Della Hegre Ole Hegre came to South Dakota in 1911 with his parents and five brothers and sisters. Della Fuller Hegre was born in South Dakota at the homestead three miles southeast of Redelm in July 1911. Dr. Creamer came from Dupree, 10 miles northeast of the Fuller homestead. Mrs. Della Moore was the nurse. Earl Moore lived a mile north. We lived one mile south of the Karl Hegre homestead. Ole and Della both went to the Robertson School through the 8th grade and then attended the Dupree High School for one year. Dad and Mother and brother Bill went to Fort Atkinson, Wisconsin where Dad worked through the winter. Della attended her second year of high school there. The folks came back to South Dakota to farm during the summer. Ole helped his dad with the farming on the family farm. Della worked at the Knipfer Store in Redelm several years. Then went to Faith to work at Kelly's Grocery for several years. Ole worked with CCC, building roads in the Black Hills and in lumber and forestry work. We were married at the Frank Fuller home in Dupree in February, 1937. We farmed the Hegre farm one year. The crops dried out so we moved to St. Onge where Ole had previously worked. Ole built his own filling station and we lived there until 1941, when we packed our possessions in the car and moved to California. Ole went to work for Lockheed Aircraft and we lived in Hollywood, California for three years. We moved to Los Angeles when Ole and two other men started doing piece work for aircraft companies. When the war ended we moved to Rapid City, South Dakota. Frank Fullers lived in Spearfish and Karl Hegres lived in Dupree so we felt we were back home again. Ole worked in machine shops. He worked at Johnson Machine until he retired in 1973. I worked at Mills Drug for ten years. We adopted a 4 1/2 month old baby boy in 1947. At the present time our son, Douglas K. Hegre, wife Karen Reed Hegre, and their son Richard D. Hegre, live next door to us. Douglas is employed at Ellsworth Air Force Base. He graduated from Rapid City High School in 1966, attended mechanic school in Aberdeen, and was called into the Army in 1968, and spent two years in Vietnam in mechanics. After he came home from Vietnam he attended Southern State College at Springfield and also Rapid City Business College. He was married in Arkansas and lived in Ohio for a short time. They then came back to Rapid City to make their home. We live in the Canyon Lake area in the same home we moved into when we returned from California. South Dakota is home to the Ole Hegre and Douglas Hegre families. Ole has his own machine shop in his home garage and his retirement is a continuation of work he enjoys. DORIS (BENNETT) HEIDLEBAUGH I'm presently married to Rex W. Heidlebaugh. I now live at Watford City, North Dakota. I minister for Jesus. My husband is a GS11 Forest Service man and has one year until he can retire. We hope to continue a ministry together in years we have left. My oldest son, Don Pesicka is a company man for Boyles Bros. He is presently in Santiago, Chili. I'm very proud of his self achievements in life. He has two sons. Walt Pesicka lives in Troy, Montana. He was hurt in a skidder accident when it rolled over on him. He has been to many specialists and doctors. He can't lift over 30 pounds, is struggling to support himself, wife and three little girls. David Pesicka lives on a ranch north of Dupree, is a water well driller, is married, father of five children. Wayne Heidlebaugh is a college graduate in business managing, so is a sporting goods store manager in Billings, Montana, is married, his wife runs a miniature doll house business. Wesley Heidlebaugh served four years in the U.S. Navy, went to college before that, and presently lives near us in Watford City. He is married and works for Tierra Drilling Company, in the oil fields. GEORGE and JENNIE HEIDEMAN George Martin Heideman, born in Iowa, and his wife, Jennie Frantz Heideman, born in Pennsylvania, moved from Pennsylvania to Hinzdale, Montana, where their two sons, George Loren and Franklin A., were born. They moved to Ziebach County in 1919 or 1920 and built their home three miles southwest of Dupree (Leon Starr home today). They ranched and farmed. Loren and Franklin attended school in Dupree. In 1933 George Heideman moved to California. He passed away in 1960 and is buried in Calexio, California. Jennie lived in Dupree and moved to Pennsylvania to be closer to her family. She passed away in 1978 at the age of 91, and is buried in Pennsylvania. Loren worked for George Hall in the garage and in the Dupree Power Plant. In 1936 he married Mable Maynard and in 1937 they moved to Buffalo, South Dakota and operated the light plant there. They had four children: Richard Loren, George Henry, Janet Mae and Mable Lorene. Loren was killed September 1943 in a car accident near Reva, South Dakota. He is buried in the Dupree cemetery. Mable and the children moved back to Dupree. Frank married Bertha Hanson of Faith, South Dakota. They moved to Long Beach, California. They had two boys, Gary and Michael (deceased). Bertha is also deceased. Frank resides in Palmdale, California with his second wife, Winnie. [photo Jennie Heideman] [photo - Frank and Bertha Heideman] [photo - Loren Heideman] [photo - Janet, Michael, Richard, George, Gary and Lorene (Babs). Children of Loren and Frank Heideman] J. M. HEIMER I was raised on a Stock and Dairy Farm in Minnesota near the small village of Johnsburg. During the early 1900's, I had read the old slogan, "Go West, Young Man," also "Feather Your Nest in the Beautiful West." In March, 1911, I rode in an immigrant car to Reeder, North Dakota, which had stock in it to go to Harding County. After trailing the stock overland, I did not find any open land, so went back to Reeder. There I met up with John Heus, William Volkman, Cy Schumanski, and others that were bound for Ziebach County. We arrived in Dupree in April. After a few days of checking on homesteads available, I located on the NW 1/4, Section 35-11-20. one-half mile west of the original Chase Post Office, established later. At the time, there were six lumber yards in the process of being built in Dupree, and I worked at unloading lumber and other building material, setting fences and building sheds. It was very dry in this part of the state and many of us Honyokers, as we were called, were short of funds and had to seek employment in order to make a living. We found work near Hoven, South Dakota, and worked until the fall of 1911. One rainy night, after retiring, I was awakened by a terrible windstorm, and found the snow drifted in over my bed, and all over the one room shack. I started ripping up paper and old clothes into strips to fill the cracks in the boards to keep out the storm. Also, in order to keep warm, I had to run out and bring in a few pieces of firewood and saw it up by hand in order to keep the stove going. A carpenter-saw was all that I had to use. The storm continued for two days, and I was busy carrying in snow to melt for water. What worried me most was that I had few supplies on hand -- a few pounds of flour, a few beans, some baking powder and coffee. I had to mash the coffee with a stick as it was not ground. One had to keep busy to keep from freezing. When the sun finally came out, it was 30 degrees below zero. This ordeal was quite a scare for me, and I immediately caught a ride to Dupree, where I again found employment. Jack Askin and I had built our shacks on the dividing line and were together a great deal. Others in the neighborhood were Frank Farrell, John Collins, Chas. Buettner, Jennersons, Crowleys, Campbells, the Chase family, Swansons, Fowler and O'Hern Brothers. We spent our time visiting, playing cards, etc. and many times had to spend the night wherever we happened to be, as there were no landmarks to guide us to our homes. Good parties and dances, that lasted until daylight were not uncommon. After spring opened up in 1912, many of us hired out to the C.M. & St. Paul Railroad on a special gang. We were located between Trail City and Mobridge. The melting snow and rain had caused some landslides on the gumbo hills and the railroad was covered in many places with slush and gumbo. It was necessary to raise the entire track and put either gravel or cinders under the ties to keep the trains running. There were also some washouts to be repaired. Our wages were $1.75 per day and we had to board ourselves and sleep in boxcars. We pulled up grass and buckbrush by hand along the creek to cover the floor of the boxcar. We used horse blankets for covers as well as under us. We worked for the railroad for several months, then I hired out to Arnold (Doc) Raben, who had a lease on the Ewing Ranch, two miles east of Dupree, (now the Lawrence Woodward place). While here, the Indian Fair was being staged northwest of Dupree, Joe Narcelle was killed. I proved up on my claim in October, 1912, and, since there were very few, or no jobs, I headed back east again. I was away for several years, attended the University of Minneapolis one winter and was married to Barbara Simon of Adams, Minnesota in 1916. I made several trips back to Ziebach County and therefore kept in contact with the development of the county. In 1924, we moved to the Dr. Creamer place north of Dupree, where we lived for over twenty years. I was treasurer of the Pretty Creek School District, and represented the Equity Union Creameries of Aberdeen, South Dakota, as a director for ten years. From 1933 to 1954, I worked with the various Government Farm Programs such as the Wheat, Corn and Hog Programs. During the Government Cattle Buying Program of 1934 and 1936, when 70% of our livestock was shipped out of Ziebach County, because of the drought and shortage of feed, I helped , and have worked with the Soil Conservation Program since 1937 when the Tri-County District No. 7 was organized, and have served as County and District Chairman of the various programs for over 15 years. My wife passed away in 1942. My oldest son, Herbert, lost his life in April 1943, while serving as Radio Operator in the Navy, during World War II. Shortly, thereafter, the Dr. Creamer Ranch was sold. My son, Ambrose, and I had formed a partnership in farming and stock raising by this time, so we purchased some land west and south of Dupree. In 1945, Joe married Lorna Vance, and they continued to make their home in Dupree until their deaths in 1971. [photo - Joe Heimer] LEE and ESTHER HEMEN by Esther Hemen Lee Hemen was born in Columbia, South Dakota, son of Jim and Luella Hemen. He grew up around Columbia, South Dakota. Esther Birkeland Hemen was born in Wilmar, Minnesota, daughter of Ole and Olina Greenfield Birkeland. At age of ten years I moved with my parents who homesteaded two and one half miles south of Dupree. I went to Fairview School and graduated from the eighth grade and then attended Dupree High School for three years. I attended Aberdeen Normal summer term in 1917 and wrote for Teachers Certificate and passed, so started to teach in fall of 1917, teaching rural schools five years. In 1924 I married Lee Hemen of Columbia, South Dakota and moved there and lived on a farm where our sons Duane and Jim were born. In 1941 we sold our farm and moved to North Dakota. In fall of 1943, we moved to Vancouver, Washington, where we worked in the Shipyards. Later we moved to Aberdeen, South Dakota and our daughter, Sally, was born there. We moved to Brampton, North Dakota and lived a few years before moving to Igloo, South Dakota and working in the Ammunition Depot. In 1953 we moved to Dupree and I went to Spearfish College to renew my Teachers Certificate and taught Whittler and White Swan schools. In 1958, I ran for Register of Deeds in Ziebach County, was elected and took office on January 1, 1959. I held this office for twenty years and retired December 31, 1978. Upon retiring I planned on visiting places and friends that I hadn't seen for quite some time, but in the month following my retirement, January 29, 1979. I slipped on my kitchen floor and broke my leg. I had a cast on for six months and then had to use crutches for a while, so that ended my plans for that year. My husband, Lee, suffered from emphysema for many years which contributed to his death, February 22, 1977. My older son, Duane, lives in Butte, Montana. He has three daughters and one son and two grandsons and two granddaughters. Duane always liked to work with big machines and has worked on road construction for many years. My younger son, Jim, lives in Ponchatoula, Louisiana. He and his three sons work for the same oil company in New Orleans. His oldest son has a daughter two years old. Jim's only daughter lives in Denver, Colorado. Her husband is regional administrator for C-E Natco, Combustion Engineering, Inc. They have two daughters. Sally married Donald Fairbanks, a schoolmate. They live in Rapid City, South Dakota where Donald works as a mechanic and Sally works for Sears Roebuck & CO. They have two children. Walter will be a senior in high school next year and Dawn will be in the ninth grade. [photo - Esther and Lee Hemen] BEN and ELSIE HENDERSON by Eva C. Miller The Henderson family came to this country from England and lived in what is now New York City. They were Loyalists at the time of the Revolution and fled to Canada, where John William married Eliza UptoGrove or Bratt. From Canada they moved to Wisconsin, where Emerson, my grandfather, was born. Emerson Wesley Henderson and his wife, Ada Savinna Griffin, had Mary Luella and Albert, both deceased before age 21. Their other children included George, Chester, Florence, Benjamin, Harvey and Clarice Henderson. My father, Ben Henderson, the sixth of eight children, was born on June 24, 1888 near Heart Prairie, Wisconsin. At the age of 14, his family moved to Brown County, South Dakota. On November 1, 1911, Ben was married to Elsie Kranhold, the daughter of Frederick Kranhold and Anna Kraus Kranhold. She was born on November 1, 1890 in South Dakota. To this union two children were born, Eugene Harvey, on June 19, 1913 and Eva Clarice, on October 25, 1915. My parents lived and farmed near Groton in Brown County until the fall of 1918, when they moved to Ziebach County south of Dupree. They continued to farm and ranch until 1948, when they mowed to Sturgis, South Dakota. Our family did not homestead but my father and his oldest brother, George, bought the SE 1/4 and NE 1/4 of Sec. 1, R. 11, T. 20. We arrived in Dupree by train with George, his wife, Eliza and their two sons, Donald and Dyle. George's family didn't stay long, moving back to Brown County within a couple of years. Our two families lived in a large tent while the men mowed, raked, and gathered their winter supply of hay. Next they built houses, a bank barn, and dug a well by hand. My dad, always a peaceful man, did on one occasion, have to take up his revolver to prevent, so he thought, our hay from being stolen. Strapping on his gun he bravely strode out to the nearest rack. The "hay rustler'' happened to be an Italian, J. P. Werner, who spoke very little English. He waved his hands and pointed to the next man. Turns out it was Anson Callen and anyone who knew Anson can imagine how tickled he got when dad accosted him. Instead of stealing the hay, they had come to haul and stack it for the "new neighbors". They were served lunch and got to meet the wives and children when they were finished. Before they left we had been invited to Thanksgiving dinner at the Olivers, who lived south of us, where Erling and Linda Wilkins Olson are now living. Our house, a two-room shack, had a boxcar roof and was lined only with building paper. In the winter it was heated by the cookstove and the frost never thawed from the corners till spring. I remember one time we had gone to bed and there came a knock at the door. The caller was one of the Longbrake girls. She'd heard there was a barn dance at Talbott's (probably 8 or 10 miles east of us) and thinking we might be going, wanted to ride along. She must have lived 10 or 12 miles north and west of us. The folks got up, got us all ready, hitched up the team and we all went to the dance! Dad played the violin and was often called upon to play for these neighborhood dances. The women took cake or sandwiches and we kids usually lasted at least until after lunch was served before falling to sleep on a pile of coats. Sometimes the women fixed box lunches, trying to outdo each other in decorating their boxes, and they were auctioned off to the highest bidder. This was usually done to raise money for the schools. Or, they would take pies to be sold. If a young "courting" couple happened to be in the crowd, the men would try to find out which was her pie or box lunch and they would run the price of it way up. Eugene and I attended the Whittler school, the Pretty Creek School, and when the winter snows came, we went to the Hanneman School were we would live with the teacher during the week. What a long winter! In order to have spending money for the Fourth of July and Labor Day celebrations, we would trap gophers, remove their tails and keep them in a tobacco tin. When it was full, we'd take it to the courthouse and were paid 10 cents a piece. We also rode the creeks and killed crows for 10 cents each. We'd also try to enter all the street sports we could at the celebrations. There were three-legged races, sack races, 50 yard or 100 yard dashes and pie-eating contests. We were lucky some of the time and won our share of the money. In the fall of 1927, while we were back visiting in Brown County for Thanksgiving, our house burned down. Nothing was saved and in those days, we didn't carry fire insurance either. Once again we came to know of the generosity of friends and neighbors. Jess Miller and Lester Jennerson contacted everyone for miles around, and each one donated what he could to buy lumber for a new house. By January, the neighbors pitched in and helped us to build a new home. Jess and his son-in-law, Clarence Phillips, drove a team over 4 miles every day to help. I was in the 8th grade at the time and took turns staying at the Miller's or with the teacher, Mrs. Leach. Mom, Dad, and Eugene stayed over at Owen Shedd's while work was going on in the house. At that time, all the farmers milked cows and sold cream, either at the local Cream Station or shipped it in 5, 8, or 10 gallon cans to some produce company like Tilden's or the Equity in Aberdeen. Dad and Mother discovered they had a talent for making good butter and they could make more money by churning their cream and delivering the butter to regular customers. So we churned our cream every week and on Friday or Saturday delivered it to our customers. We must have had 25-30 customers taking an average of from two to four pounds of butter weekly. They paid 50 cents a pound which was usually a little higher than creamery butter price. In 1934, Dad was elected County Commissioner in the District south and west of Dupree. He served in that office until 1948. At that time he moved to Dupree, which was out of the district. He had also served as community committeeman, and county committeeman on the then AAA program (Agricultural). In the early forties he traded places with Cully (Lewis) Miller, who lived on Cherry Creek in a settlement that became known as Little Ireland. The year before he traded and moved, Mother had suffered severe burns on her face, arms and legs, from an explosion in our cellar --one we thought must have been due to a natural gas leakage, as there was water in the cellar at the time. There seemed to be no other explanation. The house did not burn--it was just a flash explosion. After they moved to Dupree, they ran a lunch counter a year in an old building next to the old laundromat. They moved to Sturgis in 1949 where Dad had secured employment as a Nurses Aide at Ft. Meade. Dad worked at Ft. Meade until about 1959, when he retired because of ill- health. He died at Sturgis in June, 1961. Mother continued to live in Sturgis until December of that year, 1961. She came back to Dupree and lived in a trailer in our yard until her death in December 1964. While they lived in Sturgis, they were active in the Presbyterian Church, then mother joined the United Church of Christ in Dupree. During those early years, some of our neighbors were: Norman and Nora Jennerson, and Lester; the Carl Johnson family, Anson Callen family, Les Leake, Vern Oliver's, Pevoy's, the Solomonson's, John and Henry Nagel (they were bachelors and each had a claim), the Tupy family, Zacek's, the Klinchuch family, Diermier's, the Jesse Miller family. Further south and southwest were the Serres' family, Wall's, Herren's, Holmes, Mitchell's, Hensley and Starr, Wuennecke's, Ike Lee's, Floyd Frames, Bolander's and Bowlings, Ritter's, Bridwell's, Longbrake's, Thede Lafferty's, Ed Lafferty, Glen French's, Ohnemus' family, and the Campbell Bros. Owen Shedd's came later, and the Walter C. Miller, Sr. family moved on to the Jake Maca place, also the Pete Christiansen family. I think the one memory that stands out above any of them was Henry Nagel, the bachelor. He used to come to our school picnics and dances, etc. and when he opened the door to come in, he flipped over on his hands and walked around the room that way. He walked everywhere and he said it rested him to walk a ways on his hands. Eugene married Jane Miller in 1933 and Eva married Delbert W. Miller in 1947. [photo - Eugene H. Henderson holding Eugene C. (Gene) Henderson, Emerson Henderson, Ben Henderson - about 1935] [photo - Eugene H. Henderson, Gene Henderson holding Bill Henderson, Ben Henderson] [photo - Ben and Elsie Henderson and Eliza and Walter C. Miller, Sr. Two old Commissioners] EUGENE H. HENDERSON by Eva C. Miller Eugene H. Henderson, son of Ben and Elsie Henderson was born at Groton, South Dakota on June 19, 1913. He came with his parents to Ziebach County in the fall of 1918 where he grew up. On June 24, 1933 he married Jane Miller, daughter of Jesse and Maggie Miller. They lived on the old Oliver place, where they farmed, milked cows and Eugene and his dad built dams under the Range program. Eugene C. (Gene) was born in Dupree on August 14, 1934. They moved to Idaho and lived there a year or two. Harley, their second son was born in Idaho on October 30, 1937. While Harley was a baby, they returned to Dupree and lived on the old Thede Lafferty place. Their house burned in 1940, when Harley was three, and Harley was badly burned on his legs. As before, when the Ben Henderson residence burned, members of the Henderson family knew the wonderful generosity and love of the people in this community. Money, furniture, clothing and food were donated. In February, 1941, after their home burned, Eugene, Vin Jeffries, Ben Olmstead and Cully (Lewis) Miller bought a ranch down on Cherry Creek. The location came to be known as "Little Ireland". A year or so later, Cully and Ben Henderson traded places and Ben and Elsie moved down on Little Ireland, while Cully and his family moved up on Section 1-11-20 where Ben had lived. The same fall Eugene and Jane moved to Little Ireland, on November 19, 1941 their third son, Benjamin Jesse, was born. They lived on Little Ireland until the spring of 1947, at which time they sold the Cherry Creek ranch to Voyle Samuelson and moved to the old Andrew Lee place, southwest of Dupree. Then they moved to Dupree for a year, while he worked for the State Highway Commission. They bought a small acreage from Bill Wartenweiler and built up the place north of Dupree where they still reside. Gene, Harley and Ben all went to Dupree High School. Gene married Elsie Fuhrer, daughter of William and Christine Fuhrer, and they have two sons, Bill and Dale. Both sons graduated from Dupree High School and are living at Dupree--both unmarried. Harley served a term in the Army, stationed in the Philippines, then he went on to school at Aberdeen where he met and married Terri Hayashi from North Dakota. They are now living at Rosholt, South Dakota and he is vice- president of a bank in that area. They have five children--Jimmy (attending SDSU at Brookings), Tracy (a high school senior), Shawn, Audra and Michael. Ben went to college at Brookings and Aberdeen, then served a hitch in the army. He was stationed in Germany. When he came back, he married Audrey Rohrer from Faith. He then finished school in Spearfish and Vermillion and went on to become a doctor. He rejoined the army and served his internship at Fort Sam Houston, then to Ohio and is now at the clinic in Mobridge. Ben and Audrey have two sons, Travis and Josh, still in elementary school. [photo - Jane and Eugene Henderson] [photo - Eugene Henderson Family Ben, Jane, Harley, Eugene, and Gene] HARVEY HENDERSON by Eva C. Miller My uncle, Harvey Henderson, (Dad's youngest brother) his wife, Pauline and two of their four children, Ivan and Alveretta, moved to Ziebach County from Brown County in 1919. Their other two children, Mildred and Milton LeRoy (Bud) were born in Dupree. They lived on the old Philips place west of Dupree and north of the old rodeo grounds. Later, they moved south of Dupree on the Les Leake place. Ivan and Alveretta attended the Whittler school for one year. Harvey played the guitar and mouth organ, Dad played the violin, and together they often played for dances in the area. Harvey's family moved back to Brown County in the mid-1920's. HENSLEY AND STARR RANCH Fletcher Hensley and Leo Starr were well known cowmen in Ziebach County. They came to this area from Oklahoma in 1919. In June 1919 both went to work for the G 6t S Cattle Company located south of Dupree on Cottonwood Creek. In 1920 there was a bad spring storm and Grant Smith had a big cattle loss and decided to sell out. Fletch and Leo bought 160 acres of land which had been previously owned by Louis Fisherman and the rest of G & S cattle, and went into the ranching business on their own. They started their operation with six saddle horses, which they bought for $50.00 ahead, and 13 cows apiece, for $30.00 a head. Since it took money to run the business, Leo worked out for wages and Fletch took care of the ranch. They branded (Diamond Cross). Fletch and Leo operated this ranch for twenty-seven years before moving in to Dupree in 1948. On the ranch, they built a nice two bedroom house with large living room, kitchen and bathroom. There was a big sun porch on the front and the back of the house. They had a good root cellar and garage. Their home was very well kept and they entertained friends frequently and were well known for their hospitality and Sunday dinners. Fellows who worked for them said no matter what kind of work was lined up, there was always a delicious dinner on the table when the work was done. When they went to town they were always generous spenders and enjoyed having a good time with their many acquaintances. Ralph Hensley later came to live with the bachelor cattlemen and he worked for the CBS horse outfit for a long time. Ralph was a brother of Fletch. Fletch and Leo were lifelong Masons. They eventually bought 13 quarters of land adjoining their original ranch. They sold out to William Ullman in 1953. In 1972 Gene and Effie Hunt bought the spread from Ullmann and have since that time built an elaborate ranch home with large horse training facilities, where they raise and sell quarter horses. [photo - Back: O. B. Wheeler and Fletch Hensley. Front: Leo Starr] FLETCHER HENSLEY Fletcher Hensley was born September 6, 1885 in Taney County, Missouri and moved from Missouri to Oklahoma in 1904. He was a part of a large family of 7 brothers and 2 sisters. Fletch lived in Mooreland, Oklahoma until 1914 and resided for five years in New Mexico and Texas. On June 18, 1919 he moved to Dupree where he spent his life ranching with his friend, Leo Starr. In 1948 he retired from ranch work. His last four years were spent at Belle Fourche. He passed away in February 1966 and was buried at Mooreland, Oklahoma.