Text of Ziebach Co., SD History (1982) - pages 497 - 519 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, . THE LANTRY and McDANIEL STORY In June of 1910 the F. M. McDaniels, A. G. Davises, Roy Foltz's and Judge Ott came as far as LeBeau in two immigrant cars. They forded the Missouri River with livestock, machinery and household goods and traveled with teams and wagons 75 miles to a site one half mile west of the town which is now Lantry. The McDaniels built a sod house which was used as a store and post office. Mrs. McDaniel (Carrie) was the first postmaster. Also, homesteaders coming in stayed there until they could get out to their claims. The house soon became too small, so when a couple of salesmen could not find accommodations, they decided the house should have another room, so they, along with the family and a few friends, started building that morning and by nightfall had a room and a place to stay. McDaniels built a new store in 1911. Then they had to move the town the same year, so McDaniels moved their store. The town moved one half mile east, where it now is. The new store still housed the post office. A lady homesteader by the name of Frances Voigt was postmaster for two years until she went back to Aberdeen. It wasn't long until the town grew to be quite a town. The Kimberline Hotel was built, also two lumberyards, Messer and Sanderson, and two elevators, Bagley and Farmers. The Bagley, run by Harold Lange, and the Farmers by John Francis. The Miller Bros., the Pioneer Cafe and Pool Hall. Pete Askin built another store, later bought by Drees, and Stowman's built a hardware store. Bill and Emma Perkins published The Lantry Ledger, a fine paper. Then when the train finally got through in 1910, it became a shipping point, so a large stockyard was built. Then Kady and Austin built a general store south of the railroad track and Roy Foltz and Frank McDaniel built a garage across the street from it. They never got to use it as a garage, as the community bought it for a hall. In the meantime a nice school and the Catholic church were built. Now the town is not the same since they took up the railroad. There is no longer a depot, or elevators. The school burned down and was replaced by a one-story, more modern one. The only place of business now is the Four Winds Bar, owned and operated by Ralph Reede. There are a few homes there yet though. In 1917 Francis McDaniel retired to his farm about one mile south of Lantry, where he lived until he died in March, 1941. His wife (Carrie) died March 28, 1959 in Deadwood. They had five children: Winnie (Mrs. Roy Foltz), who also lived south of Lantry. Winnie and Roy had five children: Eunica, Francis, Grace, Manford and Chadwick, who died in infancy. Howard was born on January 27, 1891. He married Della Greenwalt March 4, 1913. They homesteaded about twelve miles south of Lantry. Della taught school for many years in the county. They had three children: John Hubert, Donald Marion and Patricia (Mueller). Howard died on June 16, 1974. Lewis Ralph was born on June 28, 1894. He married Charlotte Speker January 31, 1915. They had five children: Robert, Sheila (Andrews), Harvey, Jack and Jerry. Ralph died August 26, 1971. Frank married Esther Burke on May 23, 1922. They had four children: Marion, Gailen, Jim and Bill. Frank and Esther live in Spearfish. William Edgar married Marie Staten. They had two children, Margie and Eugene. They live in San Bernardino, California. [photo - Lantry in 1911, ½ mile west of Lantry today. The large building is F. M. McDaniel Store. Also shown, W. A. Messer Lumberyard and R. F. Stowman Hardware] [photo - Frank McDaniels, Lurinda Perkins, Floyd Parker, Maude Parker, Jessie Smith, Marion Smith, Esther McDaniel and Lou Perkins] [photo - Esther and Frank McDaniel with Marie and Edgar McDaniel, taken on their 60th anniversary] [photo - McDaniels original sod house and store at Lantry taken in the fall of 1910. Left to right: Ralph and Howard McDaniel, baby Hubert, Della and F. M. McDaniel. Edgar sitting on frame box used as darkroom to develop pictures] FRANCIS McDANIEL, by Peggy and Cindy McDaniel Francis McDaniel's settling in South Dakota was, in a way, the result of an illness. His son, Howard, was hospitalized with pneumonia while working in North Dakota and it was while on his way to get Howard that he saw an advertisement in Aberdeen about homesteading. He decided to put his name in and when he returned to Illinois the letter was waiting he had drawn some land near what was to become Lantry, South Dakota. In 1910 he moved with his family to South Dakota. At that time LeBeau, South Dakota was the nearest town to many homesteaders and, as many homesteaders arrived before they could move on to their land, it was where many stayed until the land opened. Frank McDaniel remembers living in a tent in LeBeau with such neighbors as Dr. Creamer, A. G. Davis, Al Martin and the Eulbergs. Frank recalls that when they could finally move to their homestead, they passed the Davis family and saw Hattie and Hazel walking behind the wagon herding their two cows. Both families were on their way "home". Once they reached their homestead, the McDaniel family built the first general store in the area, and a sod house. The tent in which they had lived for so long was torn up, painted and became the carpet in their new home. My (Peggy's) side of the family was somewhat in this area too. My grandfather, John LaVoy, worked a while in Newell. He had relatives living in Faith and Eagle Butte. At Faith he met his future wife, Vivian Beck. She was teaching in Faith and boarding at his aunt's place. Vivian was raised along the Moreau near Bixby. Her father, Frank Beck, spent his life there ranching. John and Vivian were married in 1926 and moved to Michigan. A few years later they returned to South Dakota to live near Whitewood. They still reside at this place. Many of Francis McDaniel's descendants have lived in the Ziebach County area and attended school in Dupree. LEO GAILEN McDANIEL by Lois McDaniel Leo Gailen McDaniel (Gailen) was the second of four sons born to Frank M. and Esther McDaniel. All were born at Lantry, and raised there until they moved to California. During World War II, they worked at Douglas Aircraft. When Blanche Burke became ill, Frank came back to manage the Lantry Garage. Gailen was just out of the Air Force, where he served two years in the South Pacific, around Guam and Tinnia during the war. He came back to South Dakota for a visit and stayed. We met and were married shortly afterward. I brought 5 children to this marriage. Gene of Sturgis (deceased), Jerry of Hot Springs, Jimmy of Eagle Butte, Judy of Lantry, and JoAnn of Dupree. Frank, of Rapid City, graduated from SDSU and went on to graduate school at the University of Oklahoma, Norman, Oklahoma, where he received a Degree in Planning. Cindy went to SDSU, received a Bachelor Degree. Mona, the youngest, is a student at SDSU and will graduate in the spring. Gailen became ill in 1969 and passed away at the Veterans Hospital at Fort Meade in the spring of 1970. He is buried in the Black Hills National Cemetery. In the meantime, we moved to Dupree where 6 of the 8 children graduated from high school. I live in Dupree at this time and have 10 grandchildren and one great-granddaughter. GILBERT AMOS McGARRAUGH Mr. McGarraugh started the first bank in Dupree, in fact, he reported that it was the first building in the town. In 1910 he organized this bank and operated it for 18 years. At this time he sold out and joined the Northwest Bancorporation of Minneapolis, and served as executive officer in banks in Brookings, Philip and Sturgis, South Dakota and Roundup, Montana until his retirement. Both Mr. and Mrs. McGarraugh homesteaded northwest of Ft. Pierre near Orton Flat. Both belonged to the Episcopal Church. Mr. McGarraugh was active in Masonic lodges, including the Shrine and Eastern Star. At different times he belonged to either Rotary or Kiwanis clubs in towns in which he lived. Mrs. McGarraugh was a member of the D.A.R. Woman's Club, P.E.O., Eastern Star and Past Matrons. Their children were: John Gilbert; Charles Thomas; and Clara Adelaide Anderson. ARLEIGH McLELLAN FAMILY by Arlene McLellan Klapman Arleigh H. McLellan was born at Door Village, Indiana on April 27, 1885, of Scotch-Irish ancestry. He was accustomed to hard work on the farm as he was reared on one where his mother, who was widowed before Arleigh reached young manhood, brought up five children. After completing a business course at Purdue University he began working his way westward. He traveled as far as Washington before he decided to return to Indiana. At this time a friend of the family, Nate Emery, who had homesteaded near Lantry, South Dakota, suggested in a letter that he stop and look over some of the homestead land. Arleigh arrived in Lantry by train in 1911 and established his claim about six miles southeast of Lantry. While he was getting himself established and his tarpaper shack built, he "batched" with Marion and Earl Smith. December 29, 1914, Arleigh and Selma Speker traveled by bobsled to Dupree, where they were married by the Reverend Blauert. That evening they were charivaried in the custom of that time. Selma Speker McLellan was the daughter of Gustave A. Speker, who, with most of his family, had migrated from the area of Dorchester, Iowa in 1910 to homestead north of Lantry. Selma's mother died in 1911. Selma followed her parents after completing her schooling in Caledonia, Minnesota. She, also, took up a homestead claim north of Lantry. She was teaching school at the time of her marriage. In the early years of their marriage, Selma learned to milk cows as Arleigh helped haul steel for the building of the Cheyenne River Bridge. Her younger brothers, Milton and Elmer, also helped out. Steel for the bridge was shipped into Lantry by train and loaded onto wagons to be carried to the site of the bridge. Selma's younger brothers stayed with her at such times. Arleigh had a great liking for horses, partly engendered, no doubt, by his grandfather in Indiana who made trips to Scotland to buy Clydesdales for his own use on the farm and for breeding purposes. Arleigh had a great ability to gentle horses to work in the harness, and he enjoyed driving spirited horses hitched to the buggy. The horse and buggy was the main means of transportation for the family until 1935 when they acquired a Whippet. Somewhere in the early days of their marriage, they had owned a Dodge car, but that was for only a short time. As the family began to grow, the homestead shack was added to, and a bunkhouse was erected a short distance southwest of the house to provide additional sleeping space. Arleigh and Selma were concerned with providing for church and Sunday School in the community. They were instrumental in helping get the Congregational minister to come from Eagle Butte to hold summer services at the Soliday School, where Sunday School was also held and summer Bible School. At other times the family of nine rode to the Lantry Community Hall where services were held in the summer. Education was another concern for the family. Arleigh served on the school board for Ziebach County School District Number Three for many, many years. He donated land one half mile north of his home for the placement of Soliday School when his oldest child was ready to enter the second grade. All the children completed the first eight grades at this school. All of the children graduated from Eagle Butte High School except Owen, who graduated from Dupree. Arleigh worked at the Ziebach County Courthouse as Director of the Social Security office in 1937-38. At this time Owen began attending high school in Dupree. After leaving the old homestead in 1946, they purchased and remodeled a house five miles southwest of Lantry in Ziebach County. The McLellans brought up seven children on the original homestead. They are: Everett, who married Josephine Byelich and lives in San Lorenzo, California; Paul and his wife, Opal, live in Irvine, California; Arlene and her husband, Jarvis Klapman, who reside in West Columbia, South Carolina; Ruth Kuchenbecker lives in Hayward, California; Owen and his wife, the former Lorane Pritzkau, who reside in Lantry; (He and Archie together form the McLellan Brothers Corporation and are presently ranching and farming in Ziebach County area); Archie and his wife, the former June Henderson, live about six miles southeast of Lantry; and Lyle and his wife, the former Hazel Rousseau, live in Rapid City. There are twenty-eight grandchildren and twenty-two great- grandchildren. Arleigh, who often said, when told to take it easy, that he would rather "wear out than rust out", died in December, 1954. Selma survived him by sixteen years. She died in January, 1971. Both worked tirelessly to make their community the best possible place in which to live, and believed that each person stood strictly on their own merits. CHARLES and CLARA MELIES by Sybil Pogany Charles and Clara Melies were married at Richardsville, Pennsylvania on January 1, 1895. After their marriage, they moved to North Dakota and when the west river territory of South Dakota was opened for the filing on land, Charles was the only lucky man among a group of 30 who came from North Dakota to draw in the land lottery. They came to Isabel, by immigrant car and homesteaded eight miles northwest of Isabel in 1911. They became active participants in helping to build a community. They held various positions in community organizations and survived the droughts, blizzards, grasshoppers and other hardships faced by the early settlers. In 1936 they retired from the farm and settled in Isabel. In 1955 they celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary. Mrs. Melies died December 19, 1956 at the age of 82, in Mobridge Hospital. Charles continued to live in Isabel for a short time, visited relatives in Pennsylvania and then made his home with Mr. and Mrs. Dave Unterseher in Mobridge. He was also a resident in the Dorsett Home at Spearfish and the Manor in Mobridge, where he died on September 2, 1971 at the age of 97. Mr. and Mrs. Melies are buried in the cemetery at Isabel. They raised a foster daughter, Vera Prouty. [photo - Mr. and Mrs. Charles Melies] FREDERICK and SHIRLEY MENZEL by Shirley Menzel Frederick Menzel was born on a farm northeast of Faith in Ziebach County. He moved to Dupree with his parents in 1924. He attended all his school years in Dupree. After graduation he attended the South Dakota School of Mines in Rapid City for one year and then volunteered for the armed services. He chose to go into the Air Force where he served as a navigator on B-24's in the 445 Bomb Squadron and flew 35 missions over Germany. When he returned from the war in 1945 he was married to Shirley Vance. Shirley was born in Dupree and has lived all her life in Dupree except for a few years of working away from home during World War II. She attended all of her school years in Dupree. She attended business college in Rapid City, worked in Rapid City, Inglewood, California and Minneapolis, Minnesota, before returning to Dupree to be married. After marriage, they both worked in Osters' Grocery for a time. Fred served as Ziebach County Auditor for 3 1/2 years and in 1954 went to work at the Farmers State Bank in Dupree. At the present time, he is President of the same bank. Shirley worked in the Selective Service office for a time, at the Farm Credit office, the Ziebach County Welfare office for Mabel Ross, and at the Farmers Home Administration office, all in the Ziebach County Courthouse. She also helped out at the Farmers State Bank when extra help was needed. They have one son, Robert, who lives in Dupree and farms the home place, and also owns a hay moving outfit. He is married to Dondra Richardson and they have three sons and one daughter: Brady, 6; Carl Jo (C.J.), 4; Robert, 2; and Melanie, 6 months. Dondra is the City Finance Officer in Dupree. Fred and Shirley also have a daughter, Connie, who is married to Curt Bachand. They live in Minot, North Dakota, where Curt is a supervisor for the Mini Mart Stores. Connie has worked in the Farmers State Bank in Dupree and American State Bank in Rapid City, also for Barber Transportation in Rapid City. Connie and Curt have two children: a daughter, Tracy, 8, and a son, Jason, 4. Fred and Shirley bought the A. W. Robertson homestead on the south edge of Dupree in 1946 and live there at the present time. They have both been active through the years in 4-H work, Extension work, Dupree High School Alumni Association, and in their church and other organizations. Shirley keeps busy with her knitting and crocheting and enjoying her grandchildren. In December she was honored by being selected as Dupree's Citizen of the Year for 1981. [photo - Menzel family. Shirley, Connie, Fred and Bob in back] [photo - Fred and Shirley Menzel with their grandchildren: Brady, Tracy, Melanie, Carl, Jason and Rob] WALTER MENZEL FAMILY by Flora Lee Walter Menzel arrived in the area by train in 1912. He homesteaded in Ziebach County four miles northeast of Faith. In May, 1917, he married Cornelia (Nell) Kaeding from Milwaukee, Wisconsin at the Ed Passolt home near Arrowhead. Beside farming, he taught the rural school one-half mile east of the farm, then was County Superintendent of Schools, and also, had a law office in Faith. While he was County Superintendent, he would either drive a team and buggy to Dupree, and to visit schools, or would walk to the train at Arrowhead to get to Dupree. The train came back through Arrowhead at night. We would hear the whistle blow and then would know he was on his way home. We did have a shiny black car with fancy lights on each side by the front doors and a horn on the side you squeezed to make a warning sound. Most of the time the car was in a shed and we children played in it occasionally. In 1923, he was elected to be States Attorney of Ziebach County, and in January, 1924, we moved to Dupree -- a truck took the furniture and after putting hot water in the radiator and getting it started, the family rode in the car. We lived in the Wilbur Scott house until August, when our parents bought the Pladsen house. Cornelia Menzel was a trained nurse and while living on the farm, went to many of the neighboring homes to care for the mothers and new babies -- the George Ulrichs, and Nels Olson's are some I remember. When we moved to Dupree, she continued to do nursing in the homes until Dr. Frank Creamer established his maternity rooms at the back of his office, where she worked for many years. Mr. Menzel died suddenly in August, 1940, and their son, Robert, in August 1944. A year or so later, she sold the home to the Woodwards and sp2nt time in Milwaukee and in the homes of her children. For a time she lived in an apartment in Flandreau, and then moved to Spearfish. She was the first one to live in the Pioneer Apartments where she lived until her death on April 1, 1972. There were four children -- Flora (Mrs. Kenneth Lee), who graduated from Dupree High School in 1935. She attended Spearfish Normal and taught in the Cloverleaf and Redelm schools. After teaching in Egan, South Dakota for three years, she married Kenneth Lee. They lived on a farm near Flandreau until Kenny was drafted, then in Egan and in Flandreau for twelve years. In Flandreau, she taught 1st grade for several years, and started and taught the first kindergarten there. In 1960, they moved to Spearfish where she has taught 1st grade and kindergarten and has been teaching elementary music since 1965. They have 6 children, five of whom have been or are teachers. Sharon Carr, Rapid City; Glenda Bossa, Brockton, Massachusetts; Dr. Kenneth W., head of math department, Missouri Western University, St. Joseph, Missouri; Sally Hoff and Peggy Junek, both Spearfish; and Gary, who taught and coached in Dupree for three years. His wife taught music, and they lived in Mrs. Mable Ross' house. They now are both teachers in Riverton, Wyoming. Robert, the second member of the Menzel family, graduated from Dupree High School in 1936. He attended Spearfish Normal for 3 years before joining the Air Force. He became seriously ill in the service and passed away in August, 1944. Lewis also graduated from Dupree High School and attended Spearfish Normal. While teaching in Newcastle, Wyoming, he was drafted into the army and sent overseas. When he was discharged, he finished his education at South Dakota University in Brookings. He married Ruby Lyster from Langford, South Dakota and they lived in Arlington, where they both taught. Then he was superintendent at Parker, South Dakota, and then assistant principal in Washington High School in Sioux Falls, where he still lives and teaches in the Axtell Park School. They have 4 children: Linda, teaching in Albuquerque; Sandra (Mrs. Martin Mangan), now in Sioux Falls, where her husband is employed as food service director at Augustana College; Cynthia, a news reporter in Laredo, Texas; and Richard, a senior at the University of South Dakota at Vermillion. Frederick, the youngest Menzel, graduated From Dupree High School and attended the School of Mines in Rapid City, until he was drafted into the Air Force. He married Shirley Vance and they have always lived in Dupree. Their children are: Robert, married to Dondra Richardson and they have 3 sons and 1 daughter, and live in Dupree; and Connie, married to Curt Bachand, living in Minot, North Dakota, and they have a son and a daughter. [photo - Mrs. Walter Menzel and Flora by claim shack] [photo - Menzel family] [photo - Fred, Flora and Lewis Menzel] WALTER (CASEY) MILLER Walter (Casey) Miller, was born at Tolstoy, South Dakota on July 4, 1910 to Walter and Eliza Miller. He moved with his family to Dupree in 1929, where they lived on the Jake Maca farm south of town. In 1935 Casey married Genevieve Olson, of Lantry, South Dakota and they lived on the Pevoy farm south of Dupree until 1951. During these years, and until 1969, he also worked for the U. S. Department of Agriculture. Their children are Marlene Kundel, Eden Prairie, Minnesota; Ann Dennis, Tempe, Arizona; and Karen Kuiken of Sturgis, South Dakota. Casey and Genevieve have lived in the Sturgis area since 1953. DELBERT MILLER FAMILY Delbert W. Miller, son of Eliza and Walter C. Miller, Sr., and Eva C. Henderson, daughter of Ben and Elsie Henderson, were married on March 8, 1947. Delbert was born March 2, 1918 in Potter County. In 1929, he came with his parents to Ziebach County to the old Jake Maca place southeast of Dupree. He finished grade school at the Gage School. He stayed out of school a few years, then went to high school, graduating in 1940. While going to high school, he stayed with Dr. and Mrs. Creamer, and drove for the doctor. He went to the School of Mines one term, then went to California and worked at Lockheed for a year or two. He returned to South Dakota and joined the Cadets of the U. S. Air Force. He served as a bombardier in the Pacific theater, was shot down and taken prisoner about three months before the end of World War II. At the end of the war, he was released from prison camp, received a promotion to 1st Lieutenant and discharged from the service, returning to Ziebach County. Eva was born in Brown County on October 25, 1915. She came with her parents to Ziebach County in 1918, went to grade school and then graduated from high school in 1932. She worked in the county agent's office (who handled the farm programs at that time) on the various farm programs, also part-time for the Farm Credit Administration in Dupree. In 1942, she left Dupree, working first in Kansas, and later in the eastern part of South Dakota. She returned to Ziebach County in about 1945, and taught school at Little Ireland for two years before her marriage to Delbert. Delbert and Eva lived south of Dupree on their ranch until 1957. They raised cattle, milked cows and even raised mink one year! In 1956, Delbert was elected county commissioner in the same district his dad had been commissioner of for so many years. In 1957 he resigned as commissioner, and accepted the job of manager of the Farmers Co-op Elevator in Dupree, and they moved to Dupree. He became rural mail carrier, on the route formerly served by Roy Lawrence, and served there from May 1961 to December 1975. At that time, he was transferred to a route in New Underwood, South Dakota. During that time he served on the town board and the school board. He retired from the mail route in New Underwood in 1978 and they returned to Dupree where Delbert is now the County Director of Equalization. We have four daughters: Sally(Stout) Segelquest, who lives in Angleton, Texas. Sally has four children from her first marriage, Kelly, Kristi, Jeffry and Sara. Sue married Vernon Starr, a science teacher, and lives on the old Wartenweiler place north of Dupree. She is Dupree's new postmaster. They have four children, too, Lisa, Lori, Jesse and Duke. Mary married Lee Briggs and lives on a ranch in Haakon County, about 60 miles northeast of Philip. They have two daughters, Rea and Keva. Janie married Arlie Davis and they live north of Dupree on the Davis ranch. Janie is bookkeeper at the Farmers Union Oil Company, and they have two sons, Zachary and Joshua. Delbert also has a son, Warren, from his first marriage to the former Marjorie McDaniel. [photo- The Delbert Miller family. Mary, Eva, Sue, Janie, Delbert and Sally] [photo - Delbert and Eva Miller] [photo- The Delbert Miller girls. Sally, Sue, Mary and Janie] DONALD L. MILLER Donald L. Miller came to Ziebach County when 14 years old. He attended the 8th grade of school at the Gage Country School one mile west of the Miller family residence. My teacher was Lillian Birkeland. I attended the first year of high school in the wooden Dupree School building, during the school year of 1930-31. Not ready for more schooling, I stayed at home for the next few years. In 1934, having my fill of farm life during the depression, drought, wind, etc. of the 1930's, I decided to return to school. I graduated with the class of 1937. After graduation I worked at numerous jobs, and in 1939, with the aid of the National Youth Administration, was employed with the Ziebach County AAA -- a department with Federal Agriculture. My first salary was $45.00 per month. In April, 1942, I was drafted into the United States Army as a medical first aid person. My first month's salary was $21.00 per month. I spent the first year at army camps in Arkansas and Tennessee. In 1944 our general hospital unit went to England -- south of Bath, England. I later went to Verdun, France and Stuttgart, Germany. I was discharged in 1946 and returned to the United States. I returned to work with my past employer AAA -- in 1946 and remained there until 1947 when office clerk strength was asked to be reduced to half strength. I then returned to the Miller place south of Dupree to farm my land. The next year Florence Martin and I were married. She had been an AAA office secretary and clerk since 1940. She remained there during 1948. We lived in two different places south of Dupree during the next 14 years. During those years, our three children -- Donna, Marvin and Douglas -- were born. They attended the elementary grades of school at the White Swan School one mile west of the place. In 1961, we moved to Spearfish, South Dakota. We lived there for the next 5 years. While there I was employed with the South Dakota State ASCS -- Agriculture. Later I accepted employment with the Meade County ASCS and in 1966, we moved to Sturgis, South Dakota. I remained at that job until my retirement in 1973. Since 1966, Florence has been employed with the Veterans Administration at Ft. Meade, South Dakota. She will be eligible for retirement in November, 1981. We welcome her time of retirement, so we do not have to meet a time schedule with outside employment. Donna is married. She and her husband, Dean Dittus, have two daughters -- Jacolyn, age 13, and Gina, age 8. Both are employed and live at Gillette, Wyoming. Marvin is unmarried. Since graduation, he has been employed as a mining engineer with Magma Copper Mining Corporation, north of Tucson, Arizona. He lives at Tucson. Douglas is married. He and Denise (Barton) have three sons -- Christopher, age 6, Ryan, age 4, and Brandon, age 2. They live at Aurora (east Denver), Colorado. Doug is a geological engineer and is employed with AMOCO Oil Company at Denver. Denise has a degree in chemistry, but is staying home while the sons are small. They plan another move in about one year. If plans work out, Florence and I will do more traveling after her retirement. We have always been active during our lifetime, and hope it can remain that way. [photo - Back: Donald and Donna. Front: Douglas, Florence and Marvin] ED MILLER written by Ed Miller I am a native of Nebraska. I came to South Dakota at the age of nine with my folks, Mr. and Mrs. W. P. Miller, who homesteaded near Eagle Butte in 1910. My dad and I came via railroad immigrant car from Fender, Nebraska to the Messer Siding, which was the west end of the railroad at that time, about six miles west of Eagle Butte. The rest of the family (my mother, my sisters, Blanche and Martha, and my brother, George) followed by passenger train. Our first year, 1911, was a very dry year no crops, no feed for livestock, etc., but by tightening our belts, somehow we lived through it. In 1915 we were completely hailed out. That was the year the Lantry railroad dam went out. Again we saw hard times. Various jobs were taken to help out. I was one of the original pupils of the Soliday School, which was opened the first Monday of September in 1911. Mr. G. M. (Moody) Drummond was teacher. There were 12 pupils. They were Margaret and Neil Brownlow, Clarence and Alice Olson, Frank and Zelma Davis, Lurinda and Verina Lemke, Blanche, Martha, Ed and George Miller. I was hired by Mr. Drummond to do the janitor work at school, hauling in coal, taking out ashes, etc. He paid me 5cents a day. Things went along, hard times and all, until 1917 when we entered World War I. At the age of 16, I enlisted and entered the Aviation Section (later called the Air Force) part of the Army. I trained at Keller Field, San Antonio, Texas and at the David Parkin School of Mechanics Trade at St. Louis, Missouri. After training, I was assigned to the 236th Aero Squadron and sent to South Field, Americus, Georgia. When the 236th shipped out, I was reassigned to the training school detachment, so I taught World War I training pilots at South Field. After the war, I returned to Eagle Butte and tried farming, threshing, etc. After about 5 years of that, I went with the Highway Department and ran the big 20-ton Holt tractor, building Highway 212 through Dewey County. During the winter months, I worked in Eagle Butte. I ran the shop for Fred Gamutz, the Chevrolet dealer and at times worked for H. G. Arens, the Ford dealer. Early in 1927, I hired out to J. I. Case Company. I worked for them for over 34 years. I started as mechanic and advanced to sales department, assistant manager, and in 1949 I was made Pro. Manager. I held that position until I retired in 1961. I married Bertha Leone Hitchcox of Lemmon, South Dakota in 1934. She passed away in 1980. We had two children. Robert A. lives in Pierre, South Dakota. He is the presiding Circuit Judge there. Susan (Mrs. Steven Sultan), graduated from high school in Aberdeen, South Dakota. She taught army children in Taiwan, Okinawa, Germany, etc. Her husband is a career army officer and is stationed at the Pentagon in Washington, D.C. now. This is my story. I am proud to be a South Dakotan. FRANK and ESTHER MILLER Esther (Drageset) Miller was born on her parents (Mr. and Mrs. Einar Drageset) farm on October 1, 1912. She attended a rural school near their farm and graduated from Isabel High School in 1931. On October 16, 1932, she married Frank Miller, who was born and raised in Minnesota. Their first home was on the Arnt Mortenson place in north Ziebach County. They lived here for 2 years and then moved to the Carl Njos homestead, which they still own. Like many others of the time, Frank and Esther found mere survival very difficult, in the early years of their marriage. Day after day they were swallowed by the scorching sun and the parched prairies, only to be spewed out to look forward to another day of no relief. Many times Esther went to the cupboard, only to view bare shelves. The land was unproductive because of dryness and they had no other income. Somehow, with only a scanty amount of food, they were able to survive and to raise their young children. Their dedication to each other and to God saw them through the difficult times of the 'dirty thirties'. Things brightened for them during the forties. They were able, finally, to turn their investment into a productive ranch. Frank became a government surveyor and staked many dams throughout Ziebach County. Esther worked as a school lunch supervisor and cook at the Isabel School for 20 years. In 1967, they moved to Isabel, where they still reside and are enjoying their retirement. They have four daughters: Bonita Ehly of Timber Lake, South Dakota; Dora Finley of Philip, South Dakota; Kay Nash of Timber Lake, South Dakota; and Shirley Peterson of Shoreview, Minnesota. They also have ten grandchildren. [photo - The Frank Miller family] [photo - Frank and Esther Miller] FRED N. MILLER Fred N. Miller was born in Brown County, South Dakota on November 18, 1902, the second of the nine children of Walter C. Miller, Sr. and his wife, Eliza. The family moved to Tolstoy, South Dakota in 1907 and lived in and around Tolstoy and later Onaka, South Dakota until they moved to Ziebach County in 1929. "Uncle Fred", as he was affectionately called by his family, bought the Maca place south of Dupree, and during his lifetime bought many other places, among them Miss Fielder's claim and the Clarence Potter land. He lived at home with his parents until after their deaths, and a few years before he died he moved into Dupree. He never married, and died February 17, 1978. Fred liked a good time and went to all the dances until his later years. He loved people, had many friends. He never liked to spend on himself, but was generous with his friends and family. There was nothing he liked better than to talk to strangers and tell them about Ziebach County -- I would like to have a record of the tall tales he must have spun! But he loved this country -- to him it was the 'rose garden of the world'. [photo - Fred Miller] JESSE MILLER FAMILY by Everett C. Miller In July 1910 my father, Jesse Miller, was notified by the U. S. Land Office that his application for a homestead on the Cheyenne River Indian Reservation had been drawn. He left Missouri for South Dakota to locate a claim. He came to Isabel by train and by stage from there to Dupree where he hired a land locator to drive him around. They went eight miles southwest of Dupree as all the land closer in was taken. While driving around, they came to James Pidcock's homestead, and living close by was the Ike Lee family. They were from the same place in Missouri as we were. Having located a claim a mile north of these people, he returned to Missouri. He loaded an immigrant car with a team of horses, wagon, household goods and lumber enough to build a house. His brother, who was a cook in the railroad restaurant in Aberdeen, came out with him. My mother and four children (I was ten, Inez was eight, Lucille was three, and James was one) left Missouri the first of October. My mother didn't think much of leaving, as she had never been more than ten miles from her family and friends. We arrived in Isabel in the evening with winds blowing about forty miles per hour and dust everywhere. There had been only one rain that summer. The hotel shook and rattled all night long. The next morning, if my mother had had a ticket, she would have gone back to Missouri. We left that morning in a wagon. The bottom was covered with hay and we covered up with blankets. The wind still blew and it was cold. We got to Dupree about three o'clock, fed the horses and went into the store run by Frank Barnes. Dad bought some groceries and we loaded up and headed for the homestead. It was dark when we got there. Uncle Billie had a good fire going, and supper all ready for us. The next morning when we went out, it was something to see -- no trees -- no grass! There was a water hole on the north side of the place. We hauled our water from it in a fifty gallon barrel while they dug a well. Dad had built a coal shed on the side of the house. He had to haul coal from Eagle Butte. We took the team and wagon and drove around and picked up cow chips and filled the shed. They burned good, but you had to take ashes out of the stove every day. We had to feed the horses hay bought from a homesteader four or five miles east of us. They had good grass. There wasn't any where we were. The Diamond A Cattle Company had the reservation leased. They had a drift fence two miles east of us. It ran from Cherry Creek to the Moreau River. All the cattle were on the west side of the fence that summer, an estimated 50,000 head. The grass east of the fence was winter pasture. A telephone line ran along this fence from Cherry Creek to Thunder Butte. There was a road by the fence from Cherry Creek -- we called it the telephone line road. 1910-11 was a warm winter, no snow at all. The Pidcock family got diphtheria and were quarantined, so Dad got their groceries for them. They were very sick. One girl got dropsy from it and died in the spring. Dad built a coffin for her and they buried her in the northeast corner of the place. Dad broke some sod that spring and we planted corn and a garden. It was so dry, nothing came up. There was no rain all summer. The water holes all dried up and the cattle that were there ran all over the country looking for water. They could be heard bawling day and night. They followed a trail west of our house, traveling one behind the other heading toward water on Bear Creek. My father's folks had shipped us a barrel filled with hams, bacon, smoked sausage and dried fruit. We ate lots of beans as they were cheaper than potatoes. That summer Pidcock, Lee, my father, and a man by the name of Brown who was married to an Indian and lived on Bear Creek west of town, drove two teams and wagons to North Dakota and worked having, harvesting and threshing. There were lots of chokecherries and wild plums on Ash Creek. We would take the team and wagon, load our family, Pidcock's, Lee's and another neighbor family and drive down the creek about six miles from where we lived. We took food and had a picnic, and picked chokecherries and plums. Some of the homesteaders butchered a range steer once in a while. After having no fresh meat for some time, the women thought they would try. We drove our team to Pidcock's, one of their girls took a saddle horse and another neighbor took hers also. My mother and Mrs. Pidcock took the team and wagon. I wanted to go, but they said "No". They took my twenty-two rifle and a few shells. None of them knew anything about shooting. They drove around that afternoon until they found a herd of range cattle with calves. They wanted a calf because they didn't think they could handle anything bigger. Well, they followed the herd, shot all the shells, but didn't hit anything. My father came home the last part of August. My sister and I had missed school the year before and there was still no school in the area. My parents decided to go back to Missouri for the winter so we could go to school. We stayed with relatives that winter and came back to Dupree in April. It was too late to plant any crops except corn. We had a big garden and a large patch of potatoes. There was plenty of moisture in the ground. That summer Pidcock, Lee and my father plowed sod and sodded up the outside of all three houses. The walls were about eighteen inches thick. We had rain, so everything grew well. My mother canned a lot of vegetables and we had a bin full of potatoes. We had hogs to butcher and some to sell. We got six cents a pound for dressed pork. We sold fifty bushels of potatoes for fifty cents a bushel. We had butter and milk, and sold a lot of eggs, so we were in good shape for the winter. My brother, Harold, was born that September, 1912. The next spring, 1913, my father sowed grain and planted corn. Everything came up and looked good. In July, we got hot winds for days. It cooked everything. My father said he had had enough and we were going back to Missouri. In August, my mother and we five youngsters took the train to Missouri. My father was going to load everything in a railroad car and come later. We got into a union station at Council Bluffs, Iowa in the evening. There were hotel rooms on the second floor, so we got a room and went to bed. In the night my mother woke me. She was sick and said for me to go down to the office and tell someone she needed a doctor. They called a doctor and he took her to the hospital, leaving us children there. My mother had given me the tickets and told me what to do. I got the rest of the children up the next morning, some were crying and wanted to know where mother was. I told them she was in the hospital, and we would have to go on without her. We went down to the waiting room and the agent was waiting for us. They gave us something to eat and put us on the train. The conductor said he would help us off when we got to Burlington Junction, Missouri. When we got there, my mother's folks came with a team and wagon and took us home with them. My mother came about a week later. My sister, Margaret, had been born at the hospital. My father arrived about a week later. He worked for his brother-in- law until the corn was all picked and at other jobs the rest of the winter. In the spring he looked for a farm to rent. He came home one night from looking and said, "We're going back to Dupree". They wanted cash rent or half the crop and he said he wouldn't pay it. We would go back to South Dakota and what we raised would be all ours. So we loaded the stock again and came back. He put up hay in July and had a good corn crop. In August, a neighbor and my father went south of Aberdeen and worked on a threshing crew until October. We made it from then on. It had been tough, but we did it. My youngest sister, Jane, was born in 1915 and brother, Francis, in 1918. [photo - Jesse and Maggie Miller on their 60th Wedding Anniversary] [photo - Inez, Jim and Lucille Miller in 1912] [photo - The Jesse Miller family in 1947. Back row: Everett, Lucille, Jim, Margaret and Harold. Front row: Inez, Maggie, Jesse and Jane. Not pictured: Jack] THE JIM and BERNEITA MILLER STORY Jim Miller was born August 3, 1909 to Maggie and Jess Miller. He married Berneita Pooley, the daughter of William J. and Mazie Pooley from Miner County, Fedora, South Dakota. They were married on November 18, 1930 in the Jess Miller home, where Bill Marple lived at one time. They tried to keep the wedding a secret -- just for the family, but Reverend Owen got lost, took a wrong turn which led him to the Henderson's place, where he then stated, "I've got a marriage to perform but I can't find it"! The secret was now out of the bag and neighbors as well as the family got to attend their wedding, followed by a wedding dance at Floyd Frame's place. Jim and Berneita lived on the Kaufman and Mundt places and finally on the John Budahl farmstead. Their neighbors were the Jim Grays, Grandma Pooley, Emil Hertel's, Schuchhardt's, Brown's and Albert Wilson. Their children would later attend the Whittier School. Some of the teachers that they remember were Mildred Klinchuch (who later married Berneita's brother, Orville), Lova Hersey, Doris Herren and Mary Alley. They made their living primarily by farming and raising cattle. Jim and Bill Marple supplemented their family's income by drilling wells using a team of horses and an auger. Life was not all work though -- the "Sunshine Band" was formed and Jim's partner was Darrel Sprague. They used to play for dances and box socials at the Whittler School, Cherry Creek and Red Scaffold. Hersil Sprague and Frank Mestes would, oftentimes, play with them and to advertise their ability as a dance band, they'd go to the neighbor's homes and play under their windows at four o'clock in the morning. Bernita moved her family to Dupree in the mid-50's following Jim's death, and she began her career as a retail clerk at Hickenbotham's, Jo Damberger, a waitress/cook at one or the other of the cafes in town, as maintenance person for the Laundromat and, finally, to her current position as manager of the Lewis Everyday Shop, owned by her daughter, Eileen Lewis, of Laramie, Wyoming. Jim and Berneita's children are as follows: Doris, married to Bill Dunbar; they are retired from the U. S. Air Force and living in Sturgis, South Dakota. Joan, married to Harold Ross; they farm/ranch near Redelm. Eileen, married to Jerry Lewis; they own the Lewis Everyday Shop in Dupree, and Jerry is a supervisor for the FAA in the tower at Laramie, Wyoming. Eileen works in a nursing home there as well. Jane married Mick Jung; they farm/ranch north of Isabel, South Dakota. Twin sons, Jesse and James, died in infancy. Joyce is married to Bill Collins; they, too, farm and ranch near Dupree. And Judy, who is married to J. T. Stout; they manage the Siesta Motel and operate the Phillip's 66 bulk plant in Dupree. Berneita has 28 grandchildren and 14 great-grandchildren. [photo - Jim and Everett Miller in 1911] [photo - Berneita Miller and her six daughters - 1981 - Judy Stout, Joyce Collins, Jane Jung, Berneita, Eileen Lewis, Doris Dunbar and Joan Ross] MARGARET MILLER My parents were Jesse Nelson Miller (1876-1964) and Margaret Mae Maines (1878-1968). They were married at Burlington Junction, Missouri, December 22, 1897. My dad and mother and their four children, Everett Compton, 10 years old; Inez Irene, 8 years old; Jessie Lucille (Sis), 3 years old; and James Clark, 1 year old, came to Ziebach County from Burlington, Missouri in October, 1910. They homesteaded 8 miles southwest of Dupree. My brother, Harold Nelson, was born September 12, 1912 at the homestead. I was born August 2, 1913 at Council Bluffs, Iowa. My mother and brothers and sisters were on their way to Missouri. My sister, Jane Elizabeth, was born June 24, 1915 and brother Francis Pershing (Jack) on March 20, 1918 at the homestead. Some of our close neighbors were Goodnows, Shorty Brown, Andy Lee's and Kaufman's. I went to school at the Whittler School. It was one mile south of our place for one year, and then was moved another mile south. My first grade teacher was Ruth Solmonson. Other teachers were Mrs. Leach, Ruth Stevens, Mrs. Broberg, Mrs. Talbott and Darwin Clifton. We went to school with the Tupy, Klinchuch, Stopka, Diermier and Henderson children. I met my husband-to-be, Lewis (Cully) Tolvstad Miller (March 27, 1901-July 17, 1961) at a country dance. We were married at the Congregational Church parsonage in Dupree on September 20, 1933. Eva Henderson and Cliff Birkeland were our witnesses. Cully and I had 8 children and all were born in Dupree. They were: Inez Lavonne, born August 22, 1934 and died August 25, 1934; Lewis Tolvstad, born July 17, 1935; Eliza Jane, born December 10, 1936; Margaret Mae, born February 24, 1938; Robert Clark, born June 28, 1939; Gerald Lee, born April 5, 1941; Donald Dean, born January 24, 1944; and Jean Ileen, born December 17, 1946. We lived in Ziebach County all our married life except for about a year when we lived near Lead, South Dakota. We bought the Ben Henderson place in 1943 and I lived there for 22 years. It was about 9 miles south of Dupree on the Cherry Creek Road. Our neighbors were Cliff Birkelands, Ed Diermiers, Carl Johnsons, Harold Johnsons, Casey Millers and later Donald Millers. Also Little Woundeds and Felix Condons. Our kids went to school at the White Swan School, which was about a quarter of a mile from our place. Cully died July 17, 1961. I sold the place in 1965 to my daughter and son-in-law, Jean and Clint Farlee. They and their family still live there. I lived near Usk, Washington for 3 years and at Athol, Idaho for several more. I now live in Dupree. Four of my children still live in South Dakota, but only one in Ziebach County. Jean is married to Clint Farlee and they farm and ranch near Dupree. Donnie and family, live at Post Falls, Idaho, where he is a musician. Jerry and Tarri live near Hermosa, South Dakota on a ranch. Bob and family live at Dallas, Oregon and he is a carpenter. Maggie married Frank Laurenz and they have a farm near Eagle Butte, South Dakota. Lit married Dale Eberhard, and they live in Rapid City, South Dakota. Lewie and family live at Athol, Idaho and he is a carpenter. [photo - Margaret, Jane, Inez and Jim Miller in 1916] [photo - Jane and Margaret Miller in 1917] W. P. MILLER by Ed Miller My father, the late W. F. Miller, and a carpenter, Matt Finch, traveled by covered wagon from Fender, Nebraska via LeBeau to our homestead, 5 miles west and 3 miles south of Eagle Butte. A prairie fire had wiped out all the grass, etc., two days before they arrived. They were forced to turn back due to lack of feed for the horses. They returned to Fender. Later in 1910 when the railroad reached Eagle Butte, Dad and Mr. Finch returned by rail and built our first claim shack. He then returned to Fender. Early in 1911 the family moved from Fender, Nebraska. Dad and I by immigrant car, and the rest of the family by passenger train, to establish our home on the claim. 1911 was a terribly dry year. No crops and no feed for the livestock. We fed our cattle Russian thistles, etc. The going was tough. The year that followed also had its problems, hail, rust, drought, etc., were always with us, but somehow we always came through. Later the girls, Blanche and Martha, taught school and we boys, George and I, worked out wherever we could find jobs, so in that way, we made it. In 1925 the girls bought a store in Lantry. Later as the family split up to get married, Father, Mother and Blanche made the store their project, and it remained that way until their retirement. My father, W. P. Miller, died in 1927. My mother followed in 1953. Blanche (Mrs. Leo Burke) died in 1954. Martha M. (Mrs. Harry Perkins) died in 1961. Edward L. lives in Spearfish. George W. died in 1978. Floyd Linn bought the Miller's store, then built a new one north of the highway. The old store is still standing, but empty. WALTER C. MILLER, SR. Walter C. Miller, Sr. and Eliza Tolvstad were married at Redfield, South Dakota in 1900. They lived near Redfield. Later they moved to various farms or homes in, or near, Roscoe, Tolstoy and Onaka, South Dakota. Walt farmed, raising hogs and horses, ran a livery stable and a saloon during these years. Walter's people had come to New York in the early part of the 17th century, from Holland and England. Eliza's people came to Whitehall, Wisconsin from Norway. Both of their grandparents came to South Dakota about 1885, settling along the Jim River southeast of Aberdeen. Walt and Eliza raised nine of ten children, one having died in infancy. In 1929, Walt and his family (except Eunice, who had married Roy Baker, and Hazel, who was teaching school) came to Ziebach County. Some things came by train, while part of their belongings they hauled in a covered wagon made out of a trailer and pulling a hayrack. Delbert tells of this trip. Fred drove the team while Delbert rode horseback, driving some loose stock. When they came to the bridge at Whitlock Crossing, Fred insisted that Delbert walk over the bridge and lead his horse. He said, "Your horse could get scared and shy and throw you into the river". Delbert was nine years old at the time and was highly indignant at being treated like a little kid! However, once Fred made up his mind, nothing could change it, so Delbert walked and led his horse. The family bought the Jake Maca place, south and east of Dupree. Walt soon became actively involved in county affairs and was elected county commissioner, an office he held for many years. The family members that came to Ziebach County to live were: Lewis (Cully), who later married Margaret Miller, daughter of Jess and Maggie Miller. Fred, who remained single and died in 1978. Walter C., Jr. (Casey), who married Genevieve Olson. Verna, who married Arthur Flick and raised four daughters -- Dawn, Mary, Ginny and Lorna. Donald, who married Florence Martin. Delbert, who married Eva Henderson. Inez, who married Walter Boettcher and raised four children -- Linda, Bill, Bob and Nancy. Delbert, Donald and Inez all attended grade school at the Gage School south of Dupree and all graduated from Dupree High School. Verna attended high school her senior year and graduated in Dupree. Eliza died in 1956 and Walt died in 1961. [photo - The Walt Miller family in 1950. Standing: Hazel, Casey, Eunice, Verna, Fred, Donald, Cully, Buck and Inez. Seated: Eliza and Walt] [photo - Walt and Eliza Miller in 1955] ALEXANDER MILNE Alexander Milne, better known as "Scotty", was born in Scotland in 1865 and lived there until he was 21 years of age, when he emigrated to New York City in 1886. He worked there for some time as a bricklayer's helper. He then came out to western South Dakota in the spring of 1887 and was employed as a cook for the Flying V Ranch. He also worked as a sheepherder in Montana. During this time, he bought calves at $8.00 per head, and started his own brand the "9R", which he continued to use. He first went to Rabbit Creek in Perkins County and started a ranch there until homesteaders came in. He sold most of his cattle and moved to Ziebach County in 1917. He ran a ranch on the Moreau River until 1947, when he leased the cattle on a 50-50 basis to Roy Viet and practically retired. He stayed, however, with Mr. Veit until he had a stroke March 8th. He was taken to the St. John's Hospital at Rapid City and there he passed away on March 15, 1953. ROALD MITCHELL FAMILY Roald, son of Warren and Ragnhild, ranched with his father until his father passed away in 1954. In June 1956, he married Bonnie Stapert. They expanded their ranching operation by purchasing part of the old Eddy ranch. They have 5 children. They are as follows. Pamela Sue is employed at the Farmers Co-op Elevator in Dupree; Cindy (Mrs. Casey Weaver) graduated from Mitchell Vo-Tech School; Bernie attended Western Dakota VoTech at Sturgis and is in ranching with his father; Brenda graduated from Watertown Vo-Tech with a degree in medical assisting and is presently a nursing student; Dianna is a junior in Dupree High School and is active in cheerleading and all the sports. Cindy and Casey Weaver are the parents of Cody, the only grandchild. [photo - The Mitchells, 1979. Pam, Brenda, Cindy, Bernie, Bonnie, Roald, Dianna] WARREN MITCHELL FAMILY Warren was born in Minnesota and came to South Dakota around 1903 and spent several years in the Sansarc area northwest of Pierre before going into the service. He spent several years in the Army and Navy. In 1925 he married Ragnhild Pederson of Redelm and they lived south of Dupree. They had two children, Roald and Ida. Warren passed away in 1954 and Ragnhild continued to live at the ranch until she moved into the Dupree Manor. She passed away in December 1980. Roald married Bonnie Stapert and they live on the ranch. Ida married Till Wicks and they live near Redelm. ROY and ETHEL (ANDERSON) MOHAGEN Ethel Ruth Anderson, daughter of Carl and Hazel Anderson, was married to Roy Henry Mohagen in the "Little Church Around the Corner" at Inglewood, California, on June 29, 1941. Roy worked at Lockheed Aircraft Company at Burbank, California. In 1945, they moved back to Roy's birthplace, Grafton, North Dakota. In 1947 they purchased a farm at Grafton and have lived on the same place to date. To this union three children were born. Delores Nell Mohagen was born in Burbank, California on May 10, 1942. She is married to Dennis Fast and lives at Thompson, North Dakota. They have two children, Anthony Dale, born January 18, 1969 in Rolla, North Dakota; and Janelle Ray, born May 19, 1972 at Mayville, North Dakota. Donald Roy Mohagen, born July 20, 1945 at Burbank, California. Donald married Carol Melin of Mohall, North Dakota on June 21, 1974 at Mohall. They live in Bismarck, North Dakota. Donald is employed as a field engineer with the John Larson Construction Company. Henry Charles Mohagen was born on October 18, 1949 in Grafton, North Dakota. On June 25, 1971, he married Linda Moberg at Fairdale, North Dakota. At the present time they live on a ranch at Towner, North Dakota. They also carry mail on a rural route. They have three children. Jennifer Lin was born at Williston, North Dakota on August 3, 1973. Robert Henry was born in Thief River Falls, Minnesota on June 2, 1976. Faith Darlene was born September 3, 1978 at Rugby, North Dakota. Donald and Henry also served a term in the United States Army. Henry served overseas in Viet Nam. [photo - Roy H. and Ethel Mohagen] RUDOLPH MOTIS by Mildred Motis Toman Frank Motis and Catherine (Baxa) Motis came to America in the 1860's from Czechoslovakia, settling at Lisbon, Iowa before homesteading near Milligan in Fillmore County, Nebraska where Rudolph was born July 6, 1873. On November 21, 1875 Mary Eliza was born to John and Antonia (Skliba) Kasak of Milligan, Nebraska. She married Rudolph Motis December 31, 1894. They continued to live near Milligan until 1904 when they moved to a farm between Solon and Lisbon, Iowa. Leona was born here. While still in Nebraska, five children were born: twins in 1896 died the same year; Antonia; Amalie, who lived only 6 months; and Rudolph. They moved to South Dakota in 1910, first to Huron and then to Leola where their last child, Mildred Frances, was born October 4, 1913. In April of 1917 the family homesteaded one hundred sixty acres, which was located five and one half miles northeast of Glad Valley. Later my sister, Annie, homesteaded another one hundred sixty acres adjoining Pa's land on the north. We built a shanty on it and Annie and I used to walk over there and sleep every night for a year. Isabel was our nearest town. We drove our team and wagon to get groceries and other supplies once a month. At that time there were no specific roads or highways, just wagon trails over the prairie. In the springtime I remember Pa always helping our neighbor, Charlie Swift, during lambing season. Charlie owned a large sheep ranch about one and one half miles north of our homestead. Some of our nearest neighbors were Peter Jensen, John Goltz, Gus Grieppe, Clinton Harris and Chris Goltz. Peter Jensen, a bachelor and his uncle came from Sweden to homestead in South Dakota. We had some hard times, but there were always good times that we looked forward to. On Fourth of July, there was a big annual celebration at the Glad Valley Store with a picnic dinner and homemade ice cream. Around mid-August, we always had a picnic and get-together of North Ziebach County and South Ziebach County on the Moreau River. One year it was on the south side of the river and the next year it was on the north side. The men always had a tug of war, North side against the South; pitched horseshoes and played baseball. Some of the older men sat on the riverbank and fished. Leona and I both attended Glad Valley School through the tenth grade. We drove the horse and buggy two and one half miles daily to school. When I was in the seventh grade, I won the county spelling contest in Dupree, which sponsored a free trip to the state fair in Huron, where I entered the state spelling contest. Here I received a ribbon for fifth place. My parents lived the remainder of their married life in South Dakota. After retirement in 1932, they moved to Isabel and lived there until 1940 when they moved to Tabor. It was while living at Tabor that Pa received his calling and passed away in the hospital in Yankton, January 6, 1946. He was buried in the Bohemian Brothers Cemetery near Milligan, Fillmore County, Nebraska. My mother sold their Tabor property and made her home with us. She passed away at the home of my sister, Anna, May 26, 1960 in Douglas County, Nebraska. She is interred next to her husband. Of the surviving children, Antonia, known as Anna or Annie, married John Svagera on September 6, 1922 in Timber Lake, South Dakota. Rudolph married Lela May Lyon in April 1932 in Dupree. She was born November 9, 1908 in Stillwater, Payne County, Oklahoma, the daughter of George Henry Lyon and Estaline Clara (Pringle) Lyon. To this union, ten children were born, with nine surviving and living today scattered over the world. Josephine Mary (Motis) Thomas, a school teacher, lives in Portland, Oregon; Frances Mildred Motis, a school teacher, lives in Los Angeles, California; James Joseph Motis, a Vietnam veteran, lives in Dayton, Tennessee. All three of these were born in Ziebach County. Benjamin Rudolph Motis is a missionary with the Sudan Interior Mission, living in Liberia, Africa; Alvin George Motis, an accountant, lives in Seattle, Washington; Julian Eugene Motis, a factory worker, lives in Dayton, Tennessee; Mabel Leanna (Motis) Nicholson, lives in Portland, Oregon; Harvey Arnold Motis, a Baptist minister, lives in Spokane, Washington; Joseph Daniel Motis died within seven days of birth; and Dona Marion (Motis) Burney, a school teacher, is living in Washington, D.C. Rudolph and Lela are still living in Dayton, Tennessee. They prematurely celebrated their Golden Wedding Anniversary at the home of their daughter, Josephine Thomas, in Portland, Oregon on the Fourth of July, 1981, where the entire family gathered for the happy occasion. Leona Mary Motis married Henry August Spellman, April 6, 1925 in Dupree. He was born August 9, 1898 in Gaylord, Sibley County, Minnesota, the son of John Henry Spellman and Emile (Boese) Spellman. To this union four children were born, three of which survived and are living today. Their firstborn, Bernal Leonard Spellman, was born and departed this life all on the same day and is buried in Isabel. Russell Lloyd Spellman served in the navy during World War II, now lives in Haines, Alaska; Shirley Elaine (Spellman) (Potter) Rhodes, lives in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho; and Duane Alien Spellman served in the air force, lives in Houston, Texas. All children were born in Isabel, Dewey County, South Dakota. Leona and Hemy are still living today in their own home in Coeur d' Alene, Idaho. Mildred Francis Motis married Matthias Milton "Mick" Toman, September 6, 1932. He was born February 25, 1906 in Plattsmouth, Cass County, Nebraska, the son of John Joseph Toman and Mary Theresa (Severin) Toman. We began our married life two and one half miles southwest of Mynard, Nebraska. During the fall of 1948, I was stricken with the dreaded disease, polio, which was raging the nation in epidemic proportions. I have been a paralytic victim for thirty two years in a wheelchair. We farmed all our lives in Cass County until retirement in March of 1963, when we moved to the village of Murray. To this union one daughter was born, Marie Elizabeth (Toman) Hammons, a school teacher, living on a farm near Murray. We are presently living in our own home in Murray and will celebrate fifty Golden Years together in September of 1982. [photo - Rudolph and Mary Motis and son, Rudolph, with their first Model T Ford in 1922] [photo - The Rudolph Motis family, 1948] [photo - Rudolph and Mary Motis on their Golden Wedding Anniversary, 1944] FRANK MRAZ FAMILY by Paul Mraz, Sr. Frank and Ella were married at Tyndall, South Dakota on September 22, 1910. Father came from Geddes, South Dakota in 1917 to Dupree with an emigrant car by railroad. He brought with him 2 horses, 2 pigs and 3 dozen chickens. Mother came out to Dupree in 1917 by railroad. They homesteaded 16 miles south of Dupree, near Cherry Creek Road, a wagon trail. Their first house was built in a draw (small creek) -- a shack with no windows. Later on, a home was built on a small hill south of the first house. Dad dug many water wells by hand for various people in that area. He also worked for the Staple M Cattle Company. The cattle company lost most of their stock in the blizzard of 1920. The stock drifted with the storm into the Cheyenne River. Dad started drilling wells with a new well machine, his first well was at the home place. He dug many wells with this rig, until he lost it and the homestead. We moved from the home place to the George Kruckman place (young Woodward's). He farmed and did odd jobs, digging basements in Dupree (one is still used today -- the old Pollard building -- now Denton's and the news office). In 1926 we moved to the A. A. Karley farm (Nordby's now). Dad farmed and raised hogs. He was bit by one, which left him partly crippled. From the Karley place, we moved to a place 5 miles north of Dupree, where he farmed. Mother and Dad lived there until he sold out and moved into town (brother Chet now owns this place). Father passed away in 1972. Mother passed away November 1, 1981 at Deadwood, South Dakota, at the age of 90. There were fourteen children in Frank and Ella's family: Paul, Bob, Helen, Edwin, Dorothy, Olive, Herman, Chester, Frank Jr., Jerry, Lowell, Darrell, Norman and Eleanora. Seven sons served in the armed forces. Edwin passed away in 1951. Eleanora died in infancy. Bob, Herman and Helen live in California. Darrell lives in New Mexico, Lowell and Frank Jr., live in Montana. Dorothy lives in Rapid City. Olive lives in Deadwood. Jerry lives in Yankton, Norman in Lemmon and Paul and Chet live in Dupree. [photo - Lowell, Frank, Chester, Betty and Ella Mraz. Fran Marple, Beth and George Till. November 25, 1955] NARCISSE NARCELLE NSS was the brand of Narcisse Narcelle, a French-Indian whose herd was one of the first and largest in the west river area. According to Lee and Williams in The Last Grass Frontier, 'the French-Canadian, Pierre/ Paul Narcelle (1816-1898), was employed by the American Fur Company at Fort Pierre. When it was sold to the government in 1855, he probably started his herd from the few head of cattle left there. Paul Narcelle had a herd of 400 cows on his ranch at Medicine Creek. He supplied beef and had a trading post at Fort Sully. 'Paul married Elizabeth/Blazie, a daughter of Thomas L. Sarpe. Basil Claymore married another daughter of Sarpe. The children of Blazie, who was part Sioux, and Paul Narcelle were: Esther (Mrs. Romielo Rousseau, the mother of Luciel (Mrs. Ovila 'Babe' LaPlante)); Sophia (Mrs. Herbert, pronounced Abair); Lucy (Mrs. George Pardis, for whom Parade was named); Edward Narcelle; Julia (Mrs. LeCompte); Louise (Mrs. Kid Rich); and Narcisse Narcelle who married Cecelia Benoist. Narcisse was the father of Joseph, Edward, and Rosie Narcelle, all of whom died without issue. The brothers, Ed and Narcisse, both became prominent cattlemen. Ed built up a ranch south of what would become Eagle Butte. Narcisse came to the Cheyenne River with his father, when he was single. Paul Narcelle had a trading post at Four Corners. Narcisse worked at his father's Big Stone Ranch. He moved to the Circle Dot Ranch, north of the river, a few miles west of the old bridge at the mouth of Narcelle Creek and got his start in ranching. He later moved to the Cherry Creek where the NSS headquarters remained. When the Edmunds Commission came to the Cheyenne River Agency in 1882, to negotiate the relinquishment of reservation lands, Narcisse Narcelle was the agency interpreter for Charger, White Swan and Swift Bird. It was later discovered that Edmunds had threatened the Indians, causing that Commission's failure. In 1892, Narcisse Narcelle was admitted to the Western South Dakota Stock Growers Association, along with Scotty Phillips of Fort Pierre and Ed Narcelle of Pierre. According to Alex Chasing Hawk, James Chasing Hawk was discharged from Fort Meade in 1893 and he went to work for Narcelle. 'About 10 men worked for him in, those days. At one time, they went almost to where Lemmon is on a round-up. There were nine wagons and it was the biggest round-up ever, in these parts.' 'Narcelle had a big three-room log house, barns and corrals. He tried new things. He was the first one to irrigate. He built places with earth along the creek. The creek flowed into those ditches and then the water trickled over the end into the fields. They got a lot of hay there. He even dammed Cherry Creek. They used scoops and everything and built a dam. Then when a big rain came it flooded. Narcelle went out to look at it and threw his hat into the air. As fast as that hat came down and hit the ground, the water swirled around and the dam broke. Some of the dirt from the dam is still there on the edges of the creek.' 'Narcelle was a breed, married to a full-blood. She would fix meat and have it hanging to dry. Narcelle really liked dried meat, boiled and made into soup. He liked Indian food. He would call young Paul Chasing Hawk into the kitchen and they would eat dried meat, even though his wife had fixed all sorts of food for the rest of the men. 'Joe Narcelle was shot on Bear Creek, west of Dupree, for being rowdy after drinking. He was buried on the hill south of the present house. From Red Scaffold News by Billy Circle Eagle came the following: "Long years ago Mr. Narcisse Narcelle bought a train load of cattle somewhere in Texas." "The train stop so many places they lost time to coming home. Narcelle walked up to engine and pull out 45 colt and say you black engine don't you know that I am engine too you are to run faster and make couple bullet holes on the stove pipe. After that the engineer run that train faster." "Mr. Narcelle first wife is Miss Benoist, Mr. Felix Benoist sister. Mrs. Narcelle is first school teacher at Cherry Creek station. Schoolhouse was lokeded at round Mr. Ed Little Shield house. Mr. Narcelle was boss forman at station same time." "First NSS cowboy is Mr. Felix Benoist, first NSS Round-up wagon in charge of Mr. Ed Narcelle, his cowboys: Rousseau, N. Pissanna, Ed Lyman, Chas Pearman, Chas La Plante, Chas. Pierpont Wood, Ron Flank, John Chasing Hawk, Jack Bull Eagle, Iron Shield and Carl Bridge." "Next round-ups in charge of: Nick Janis from Pine Ridge, Quill Ewing, Duff Quinn, Ed Lyman and Manuel Coy. About that time Narcisse Narcelle turned NSS outfit over to the Bert Cumming, First National Bank from Pierre. Dade Holcomb in charge from there on. After getting through shipping all the NSS cattle. After that Billy Troy work for the Diamond A roundup wagon to pick what they left over and after that Bill Circle Eagle pick NSS strays and put throught the government ration beef for Indians. No more NSS." Returning from Philip, Narcelle had set his horses to a gallop and dropped the reins (French style) on Hump Flat. He crossed Felix Creek and the tongue pulled out. Narcelle fell out and died. Narcisse was buried on Bear Creek and later moved to Whitlock's Crossing. Before the reservoir was flooded, the body was moved to the Eagle Butte Cemetery. Another version of Narcelle's death is that he forced his team into the Cheyenne River when the water was high and after the bank had given way in the rain. He was on his way back from Philip where he had gotten a gallon of whiskey and groceries. The horses and Narcelle drowned. Narcisse Narcelle died in the winter of 1911-1912. His son, Joe, was shot on Bear Creek the following summer. The ranch was later mortgaged to Dallyn in Chicago by Louise Narcelle Rich. Dallyn foreclosed and Charles Steen got the title from the county in 1948. The place was bought by Bill Ullmann in 1975. Mrs. Narcelle died after Narcisse and was buried on the hill between the present house and the old Narcelle house, with her son Joe and an infant child. Among the cowboys working for the NSS were Chauncey Johnson, A. E. Ewing, wagon boss in 1887, Kid Rich, and Blackmoon who broke horses for the outfit. At age 15, Irish Tommy Condon was brought from Fort Pierre to the Cheyenne River by Narcelle. Louise Narcelle married Kid Rich and lived on the Circle N Ranch, north of her brother, Narcisse. Narcelle Rich was their son. Gene Steen later owned the ranch. NSS had 15,000 head along the Cheyenne River and horses with Narcelle's brand survived into the 1920's on the Lower Brule Reservation. According to Ed Spurling, 'Sophia Narcelle married Herbert (Abair) about 1888 in Pierre. Herbert, a shoemaker, had come from Montreal. Sophia homesteaded and later received an allotment on the Cheyenne River Reservation near Lindsay Crossing. They also lived on the 24 Ranch. The 24 Ranch was on Bear Creek. Helen Lackey wrote that 'Herbert struck it rich in the Klondike country, coming to the reservation country and building up a large holding, which touched on the eastern border of the county. When Herbert passed away, Chauncey Johnson took over and assisted Mrs. Herbert.' Charles LaPlante also rode for the 24. Miles Hudson of Sturgis worked for the Diamond A on the 24 Ranch in the winter of 1928-29. [photo - Mrs. Paul Narcelle (Pelagie Sarpe) and granddaughter, Julie Narcelle (SDSHS)] [photo - Original NSS fencepost] T. R. NELSON Attorney T. R. Nelson was born at Sioux City, Iowa on February 25, 1884. He graduated from the Nebraska School of Law in 1906 and practiced the law profession at Rapid City until 1910, when he located in Dupree. He was for a short time at LeBeau, South Dakota, but was primarily interested in the new undeveloped territory around the west river country. He had the distinction of being the county's first practicing lawyer. He served as United States Commissioner from 1910 to 1914, and also as County Judge and States Attorney. He was a member of the South Dakota Historical Society, the American Bar Association, Odd Fellow Lodge, and the Woodmen of the World Lodge. He married Gertrude Young and to them were born two sons, Robert and Gerald. Mrs. Nelson was very active in church, school and club work while living in Dupree. WILLIAM and JENNIE (PIDCOCK) NELSON by Ruth Edwards William H. Nelson came to Dupree, Ziebach County, in February, 1917 and settled on a claim south of Dupree. He came from Stickney, South Dakota. He married Jennie Pidcock, daughter of Jim and Lulu Pidcock on September 17, 1917. He entered the service in World War I September 22, 1917, and served 19 months. He returned and lived on a farm southwest of Dupree. They had four children: James William (deceased); Robert Madison, Stickney; Ione Forche, Corpus Christi, Texas; Richard Keith, Louisa, Virginia; eleven grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren. Bill and Jen lived on their farm south of Redelm for several years. Bill bought the "Old Dance Hall" in Redelm, and with the help of Claude and Fred Maynard tore it down and built a four room house on his farm in 1923. Later this house was bought and moved to Dupree and is now owned by Mildred Collins. In the fall of 1927, the Nelsons leased their farm and moved into Dupree to send their children to school, and Bill worked for Martin Broberg in the Dupree Garage. Later he had his own car repair shop in the John Hipner garage for several years. The family moved to Stickney in 1936 and farmed until 1951. They then moved to Chamberlain where Bill was in business with his son, James, in Nelson's Electric until he retired in 1958. In 1979 Bill and Jen moved to Stickney where they presently reside. In September, 1980, they celebrated 63 years of married life. [photo - Mrs. William Nelson] [photo - William Nelson] MELVIN NESHEIM by Marjorie Jeffries Nesheim Mel was the second child born to Mr. and Mrs. Albert Nesheim in Winnisheik County, Iowa on October 30, 1906. The children were Alice, Mel, Ruby, Ethel, Eunice, Carl, Nathan, Ervin and Selma. The latter four are deceased. The family, of Norwegian descent, moved to the Hayes, South Dakota area in 1908. Mel learned English after he started to school. Mel went to work on the L/Y Ranch east of Cherry Creek in 1922 working for V. W. Jeffries, and has spent the greater part of his life in Ziebach County working for many ranchers through the years, in filling stations and garages, dirt work with heavy machinery and in law enforcement. He was an early day cowboy and bronc rider, still has a saddle horse and maintains his great love for livestock. We were married September 23, 1936 and have six children. Two sons have retired from twenty years of military service. Don is studying for the Episcopal priesthood, David is in law enforcement where he and his wife live in Fayetteville, North Carolina. Vincent is an LPN. Ruth is in the National Guard in Rapid City, where she lives; Janice lives in Yakima, Washington; and Rose on the east coast. I doubt that we will ever leave western South Dakota. We like it for a "good place to live a good life". Good friends and neighbors certainly outweigh the tantrums of weather and nature. We have retired to Rapid City, South Dakota.