Text of Ziebach Co., SD History (1982) - pages 79 - 98 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, . IRON LIGHTNING from "History of Iron Lightning School and Community" by Myron G. Armstrong, teacher; 1941: unpublished. By the year 1890, many people of the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe had settled peacefully along the Cheyenne and Missouri Rivers. Some families, however, were anxious to find better grazing lands. There was also a desire to live farther away from close governmental supervision. Consequently, a few families hunted for a likely place to found a new home. Some of the men desired to choose for themselves the best lands in the upper Moreau River grazing area. This new home was located on the upper Moreau River, some one hundred miles from its mouth. In the locality, the water and grass were good, the wood plentiful, the wild game still roamed at will, and the population was sparse. No doubt, the fact that the white influence was not very effective in this particular part had something to do with the selection of new home sites. [photo – Iron Lightning Mothers Club, W. W. II: Marie Curley, Helen Marrowbone, Mary Talks, Dora Talks, Veronica, Mollie, and Delores Iron Lightning, Cordelia and Barbara Dupris, Dorothy Talks, Lilie Ruth Mandan and unidentified child] It is certain that some of the Sioux people had come into this area before 1890 and settled in a wide area extending from the upper Moreau to below the present site of the Thunder Butte Station. Here are the translated names of some of these early settlers: Paul Red Bird, Amos Clown, James Fights Thunder, John Lame Eagle, John Two Moon, Abraham White Horse, the Wet Skirt Family, and the Card Family -The Fool Dog, Curley, Mandan, Knife, Talks, and Little Hawk Families were the first to locate in this immediate locality, about 1890. The last of the early settlers came to this area shortly after 1906, when the first approved allotments were made. The Iron Lightning family, for whom the community was named, came at that time. Economic Conditions The people who first came to Iron Lightning had large herds of horses and a few cows. The Indian's wealth was determined by the number and quality of his horses. Many of these early horse herds were remnants of the fine Spanish breeds of the early Spanish explorers. The Federal Government introduced the Sioux people to beef, as a food, about 1880. At first, the Indian people did not like beef, nor milk, complaining of an odor which was repulsive to them. The cattle which the settlers brought along with them formed the nucleus for larger herds and added much to the economy of those early people. It is said that several of these settlers owned herds of horses and cows sufficiently large enough to permit the establishing of bank accounts. Education Some of the present 1941 residents attended school at Fort Bennett and later at the Cheyenne Agency. The first government Day School was established at Plum Creek, south of Cherry Creek in 1886. This and other schools were in the home territory of the founders of the Iron Lightning community. Iron Lightning's isolated location made education for the Iron Lightning people very difficult prior to 1920. In 1907, a Day School was established at the Thunder Butte Station on the Moreau River, twelve miles below Iron Lightning. Most of the founders' sons attended school in Pierre, Rapid City, or the Cheyenne Agency. As white settlers came into this community, the need for a public school arose. The Butler School, a public school, was built approximately two miles west of the present Iron Lightning school camp. This school accommodated many of the older children of this community prior to 1935. Others attended school at the Thunder Butte Station. This situation was not the most satisfactory, for attending school at the Thunder Butte Station meant moving from allotments during the school months to the Thunder Butte Station and education of the public schools was not tailored to fit the requirements of the Indian boys and girls. Many of the Indian families wanted a Day School established for their children. Mr. Grant Iron Lightning, Mr. Eugene Mandan, Mr. Charles Talks, Mr. Peter Curley, and others worked diligently to circulate a petition for a Day School here. The school building was a one-room frame structure, built in 1935 at the cost of $2,988, by means of a WPA grant. The teacher's cottage was completed by the government in 1939, at the cost of $8,000. It was built under PWA (Public Works Authority). (The teacherage was later moved to Bridger.) The name, "Iron Lightning", was selected for the new school because most of the families living there in 1936 were related to Chief Iron Lightning, Mr. Grant Iron Lightning's father. After the school was located and built, several families from the Thunder Butte Station, who had land allotted close by, moved to Iron Lightning. Among them were: William Red Bird, Spot Iron Bird, and David Marrowbone. In 1940-41, nineteen students were enrolled. The early teachers included T. P. Hickey, Miss Leona Johnson, and Myron G. Armstrong. The Moreau River Dam Project was to provide the irrigation of thousands of fertile acres along the Moreau. [photo – Mr. and Mrs. Grant Iron Lightning. Iron Lightning community was named for Grant's father] Faith Independent, August 13, 1980 CHAUNCEY MANDAN WINS TROPHY. Chauncey Mandan, Faith area cowboy, won the trophy for the oldest roughrider at the Old Timer's Rodeo at the New Underwood Rodeo July 20th, 1980. Mandan has participated in rodeo for 35 years. He has entered saddle bronc and a few bareback events and also the wild horse race. Chauncey Mandan is 62 years old and plans to ride at the Old Timer's Rodeo at Deadwood, August 23 and 24. When asked if he had anything he'd like to say about himself, Chauncey said, "I hope that I die with my boots on!" Chauncey's father, Eugene Mandan, was one of the early settlers at Iron Lightning. Chauncey is a life resident of the community. [photo – Chauncey Mandan wins trophy. Photo by Linda Hipps] REDELM HOMESTEAD DAYS by Charles M. Fuller Frank C. and Lena Eben Fuller, with their three sons and two daughters arrived by passenger train and immigrant car at Isabel in August, 1910 en route to their homestead nine miles southwest of Dupree. Dad Fuller built a 14x28 car-roofed house on the claim, and in September, moved the family there. We were greeted by a rattlesnake coiled by the door. We were among the first three or four families south of the soon-to-be developed town of Redelm. When my father filed on his claim in May, 1910, a booklet from the land office described the variable climate and rainfall and advised the homesteaders that poor years would necessitate maintaining cash reserves and feed supplies from good years. A large topographical map of western South Dakota marked townships, sections and quarters and showed accurately all creeks and draws. The land, flat, rolling or rough was indicated as well as soil types, sand, loam or clay. The area was then part of the Cheyenne River Indian Reservation and was under a grazing lease to cattle companies with several thousand head still roaming the pastures. They remained until the 1911 summer roundup. The reservation was fenced on the west at the Ziebach County line extending north across the Moreau River, then east to the Missouri River. The southern border was the Cheyenne River. A cross fence from east to west ran along the township line south of Dupree and Redelm. Bear Creek and Moreau River served as winter shelter for the north pasture, the Cheyenne River and Cherry Creek for the south pasture. We lived within this approximately thirty-five mile wide, seventy mile long pasture. There were no roads, schools or local fences. Wagon trails followed ridges and led to the government stations and schools. The land had been surveyed in 1909. The survey markers of the sections were about three inch square green ash stakes driven in at the section corners with numbers burned on all four sides. Dirt from four holes dug several inches was heaped around the stake. Marking the half-mile on the section line would be a stake with two holes dug near it. To find the center of the section, we measured a buggy wheel, tied a cloth to the rim and counted the revolutions from the half mile stake. Accurate boundaries were marked with stakes. We cut hay with a scythe in the lowlands for winter feed and made a dugout barn along the creek bank. Strips of sod plowed with a walking plow were laid against exterior walls of the house for insulation. The winter of 1910-11 was mild until a bad storm in March. We were forced to dig through the deep snow on top of the barn to a trap door used for feeding, where we found the horses steaming wet and near suffocation from lack of air. The following fall we built a barn on the ground level. Such was the introduction of the three Fuller boys, Charlie, Robert and Arthur, born in 1901, 1902 and 1903 to raw prairie, cactus, rattlesnakes, cowboys and Indians. 1911 was very dry until August when spring planted potatoes and corn came up and grew about six inches before freezing in September. Many homesteaders left the state for harvest work in order to live through the next winter. This was an honest and hardy group of people with dreams of a future, willing to endure hardship with no thought of help from anyone but neighbors. A contract in words was good for a lifetime. In the early days the town of Redelm had a promising future. At one time there was a county-wide election to decide whether Dupree or Redelm was to be the county seat. The town boasted a restaurant operated by Mrs. Reynolds and daughters Mable and Minnie. Her sons were Everett and Pete. Pete Sandoz ran a lumber yard, later Simeon Ross and son, Howard, also operated a lumber yard. L. O. Adams had a grocery store and the postoffice; Bert Smith ran a grocery store. After the Adams store burned, the postoffice was in the depot with Reidar Pederson as postmaster. There was a pool hall operated by Ole Sundsrud and the Ross boys until it burned. There also was a cream buying station. Floyd Campbell was depot agent for the Milwaukee Railroad. Anson Callen moved from his homestead in 1922 to Redelm and ran the elevator and was a barber. The Callen boys were Edgar, Arthur, Leonard, Joseph and Marian. There were several good homes in Redelm. There was no school the first year, a school district had not yet been formed. The parents pooled money and labor to build the Robertson School. Miss Madeline Wallen, who homesteaded with her parents and brother, Jack, taught for five weeks in April and May, 1911. She taught the following year also. Russel Walling was a student I recall among the original group, also Carrie and Mary Bridwell who bearded with a neighbor. Also Harriet and Lydia Lewis, daughters of the Herman Lewis' a mile south of the school. I will try to recall most of the homestead neighbors of the area. There was the Wilbur Vance family with sons Carl, Vernal, Lawrence and Cecil and daughters, Zetah, Florence and Dortha; the Alvin Schuchhardt's with Hilda, Lena, Lenora and Thelma, and sons Ervin and Otto; The Karl Hegre family with Severin, Oscar, Alfred, Chester and Ole and daughters Sophia and Ida. Also Andy Hegre. There was Mrs. Beda Sundsrud with Hilda, Johanna, Olga and Amanda and sons Ole and Penny. She married her brother- inlaw, George Sundsrud. There was Mr. and Mrs. Berndt Christianson and daughter, Marion; Mrs. Spillman and son Charles. The V. S. Wince family with sons Carl, Ross, Paul and Dwyce and daughters Frances and Vera. The Simeon Ross family with sons Howard, Edward, Lawrence, Wally and Lee and daughters Ella, Amy and Eileen. Oscar Hanson lived south of Redelm, also Lars Tysver and Fred Nelson. Then there was Roy Daugherty, John and Kate Leber, Ludwig Graslie, the Evans brothers, the Barney Lannen family and Mr. Lannen's father, Hjalmer Ringsby, J. Swanson, Dr. Huff and Pete Gammon, Fred and Lou Ritter families. North was Ed Armentrout and his mother, Wallings, Roy Fish, the Elmer Lovelady family, also Tom Lovelady and Ole Hoaas, Harry Powers, Ermine Powers and Jane Cape, the Earl Moore family and John Olson, Jim Hersey family and Cliftons, the Lars Peterson family, Orbecks and a Nelson family, the Day family with sons Floyd and Dewey and daughters Ethel, Lelia and Sylvia, Minkners, V. J. Smith and the Heckel family, Roy Scott, Warren and George Knipfer, Lee and Loretta Eaton, Chris and Rate Williams, the Hortons, Peter and Paul Knott and a sister. Sincere apologies to any homesteaders I may have missed. Frank Fuller spent many years as county auditor and treasurer and as deputy for the same offices in Ziebach County. Mother, the brothers and I did much of the farm work. Bert Smith came to Ziebach County as a carpenter. He tells some of his experiences at Redelm: "In the late fall, I built the first most modern home in the country for Oscar Hanson, who lived south of Redelm, and many homestead shacks for people as they moved in. In the early summer of 1911 the settlers wanted me to start a trading post, so I built a store. Maupin and I had a partnership at first, but as cards and a grocery business did not mix, we dissolved the partnership. Earl Vance was my next partner and we had a good business. He had a good business head and a personality that the people liked. Next the settlers wanted a post office and they got up a petition for me to be their first postmaster. I got my appointment under General Hitchcock, which I held until 1916. Howard and Ed Ross and myself had the first steam thresher in Ziebach County. We covered a lot of ground, from the edge of Dupree to fourteen miles east of Faith. [photo – Red Elm's First Depot, 1910] HOW REDELM GOT ON THE MAP by L. O. Adams In the Faith Country Book In the fall of 1910, when the road graders for the Chicago, Milwaukee and St. Paul Railway made camp 9 miles west of Dupree, they called the camp Red Elm, because there were all elm trees along the creek where they camped. In the spring of 1911, it was plotted for a townsite and at once it took the shape of a village, overnight. Jake Nelson started the first lumber yard. Pert Smith built the first general store. Later L. O. Adams built and started a general store. Frank Haagen from Dupree built and started a hardware store. A restaurant was started by Hoaras McMann. Everyone in business doing well and working overtime. The lumber yard was doing the best business, a team of horses and wagon was at a premium hauling lumber out for homesteaders building homestead shanties, and some built barns also. In the spring of 1911, Redelm got a post office. Pert Smith was the first postmaster. In 1912 Pert Smith's store and post office burned down and L. O. Adams took over the post office and held the office until 1927, when he sold out and went into ranching. 1911 was a busy year and the country was building up. Simeon Ross, who homesteaded one mile southeast of Redelm, owned and operated a big steam plow outfit and broke sod for the homesteaders. A. B. Nygaard, who homesteaded two miles west of Redelm, also operated a big steam plow. In 1913, N. O. Nielsen built and started a pool hall and lunch counter. James Thomas, a homesteader of northwest of Redelm, started a blacksmith shop. George King from Faith started Redelm's first newspaper, called the Redelm Record. Now Redelm was a thriving town with a depot and a large stockyard, and really looked like a town. But in a few years it met with disaster, the railroad weed burner went through and burned the depot. A strong wind was blowing from the southeast and fanned the blaze to the lumber yard close by, and also other buildings close by. [poem - Redelm – Red Elm Is it one word or two? Even the road signs Do not agree So we'll leave it up to you.] [photo – Approaching Redelm from the west] [photo – Approaching Red Elm from the east] LATER REDELM RECORDS Contributed by Ed Ross, Lawrence Ross, Vera Wince Fuller, and Charles Fuller for the Faith Country Book [photo – Threshing time at Fred Nelson's. F. Meyer, August Hanneman, Fred Nelson, Lloyd Teller, Graslie, Warren Knipfer, John Bieber, Lawrence Ross, South Redelm] [photo – Redelm, 1930] [photo – Smith & Vance Store in Red Elm, 1911] A land office built by Nels Nelson was later turned into Lars Tysver's cream station. E. L. Schetnan bought the Redelm Record and later moved it to Dupree, and changed the name to The West River Progress. Simeon Ross built a lumber yard in 1913, and sold it to Schroder Lumber Company who in turn sold it to the Anderson Lumber Company. After their fire of 1919 they rebuilt on main street. About 1932 or 1933 they discontinued and tore the building down. Part of the building was sold to Anson Callen for a home and moved to the northwest part of town. In about 1930 the L. O. Adams building, owned by Tom and Florence Griffin, burned. Warren J. Knipfer now took the post office in his store, located in the building which was Louis Robertson's pool hall originally. Later Warren Knipfer had his store moved down to the southwest corner of main street, on the Anderson Lumber Company site. Across main street was Dewey's Day Garage. Later Mr. and Mrs. Day went into the grocery and creamery business until about 1940, when they moved to Oregon. Pete Reynolds purchased the store at this time and ran it until 1953, when he sold out to Francis Stocklin. Other grocers through the early years were Rosenthahl, Clarence Johnson, John Sejnoha and H. V. Nielsen. Mrs. Flora Reynolds at one time ran a restaurant. Simeon Ross built an elevator in the southwest part of town which was torn down and sold in 1918, part of which was sold and put into a barn, and still stands on the L. W. Eaton farm. Bagley Elevator Company built an elevator across from the depot in 1918, which burned in 1922, and was rebuilt. Anson Callen managed this elevator and also had a barber shop in his elevator office. This elevator was dismantled in 1938 and part of the lumber was sold to Charles Fuller, and is now the barn of the Ralph Freeman ranch. The railroad had two section houses and an ice house west of the depot. Among the section foremen were F. Pitsor and Charley Batson. George Fuller worked on the section. Anderson Lumber Company had a company residence, occupied at various times by Art Farstad, "Pete", Albert Sandoz, and Keith Styles. Grant Iron Lightning built a nice home which was later sold to Charlie Bjork, which in turn was purchased by Darrel Griffith and is now his ranch house. The first Redelm School sat on the hill where the present school sets. Some of the early teachers were Edna Walker Drummond, Mable Reynolds Ross, Everett Reynolds, Earl Vance, Lucille Eddy, Grace Stevens, Leona Callen, Mrs. L. W. Eaton, Esther Anderson Orbeck, Betty Johnson Tibke, Lillian Birkeland, Homer Nordvold, Ruth Davis, Edith Jensen Dexheimer, Ruth Lovelady. The summer session in 1911 was taught by Madeline Wallen. Redelm also had a high school, with Miss Ann Holey teaching the term of 1922-23 with six pupils -- Vic Nielsen, Chester Hegre, Sylvia Day, Belva Skinner, Noble Harmon, and Esther Fuller. The next term was taught by Eva and Alice Payne. Another room had been added and the school house became the social center of the community. Music for dances was furnished by the Callen orchestra, and Orbeck Bros. (Adelstein and Eyold). Early clubs were The Thimble Bee, Women's Missionary Circle, Prairie Home Extension Club, Red Cross Unit during World War I, and the Good Will Club, organized in 1934. The Redelm Cemetery Association was incorporated October 17, 1919 with the following officers: President, H. V. Nielsen; Secretary, A. B. Sandoz; Treasurer, Jessie Smith; and Trustees, Ludwig Orbeck, Louis Rosenthal and L. M. Tsyver. A cemetery was staked out southwest of town. Near the location of the school was a Catholic Church which was later moved to Faith. Then a Lutheran Church was moved in, but was moved out in 1924. In 1923, Daniel Baker and family moved to Redelm from the Bixby country. Dan Baker ran a blacksmith shop on the hill for approximately twenty years. He also had a welldrilling outfit. Mr. and Mrs. Baker lived a long and useful life, Mrs. Baker living to her late '80's and "Daddy" Baker to the age of 96. In 1930 Severin Hegre and Al Tibke established a bulk oil station. Tibke purchased the Lumber Yard house and later moved it to Dupree. Some of the early depot agents were Waterman, Hanson, Floyd Campbell, George Dimick, Mrs. Metzel, Charles Donnenwirth, Jr., and Constance Kirby. Reidar Pedersen was custodian the last years of the depot. He also had the post office nearly fifteen years in the Depot, until the railroad sold it in 1957. [photo – The Fourth of July Picnic at Redelm was an annual event. Notice the politician who always showed up to give a speech] [photo – 1910 or 1911. V. J. Smith and Samuel Haller, south of Redelm] [photo – Ole Sundsrud and his tractor and Model T. South Redelm area] This anthem was sung during the heated contest over where the county seat would be located. BOOSTING FOR REDELM To Tune of "Marching Thru Georgia" Bring the Redelm booster boys, Who work with might and main. They will make a tussel, We are in the battle boys The county seat to gain, While we are marching to victory Chorus: Hurrah, Hurrah, we're sure to win the day, Hurrah, Hurrah, it's coming our way, So we'll shout the news from Eagle Butte to Faith, While we're boosting for Redelm. Courage boys the fight is on, The song is almost sung, The clouds they are now breaking; The victory almost won, We will show Dupree How the trick is done, While we are marching to victory. Chorus: We must work together boys, The county seat to gain, Dupree will give us scornful looks, But we are not to blame, For we are all for justice boys To all alike the same, So we are boosting for Redelm. Chorus: --Redelm Thimble Bee Society [photo – L. O. Adams store, 1911, Redelm] [photo – Gathering of young people, 1911 near Redelm ] [photo – Red Elm, 1911] RED SCAFFOLD The history of Red Scaffold begins with the people who settled along the upper Cherry Creek, after Hump's and Sitting Bull's bands returned from Canada in 1881, and again after the survivors of Big Foot's band returned from the Wounded Knee Massacre of 1890. Many of these people lived thirty miles from the sub-station at Cherry Creek, which was the central point for business. Trips to the station took three days at the least. Each family desiring to get rations was compelled to make the trip once a month. Narcisse Narcelle built his NSS headquarters a few miles west of present Red Scaffold. Many 'old-timers' rode for Narcelle. Ed Lyman and James Chasing Hawk chose allotments west of Narcelle. Other settlers along upper Cherry Creek were Eagle Staffs, Ed Red Bull, James Bear Stops, and George Little Crow. Phillip Black Moon and John Little Star lived on Cherry Creek, east of Narcelle's, in the 1940's. Billy Circle Eagle's allotment was north on Red Scaffold Creek, as were Drag Rope's, Curley's, and Lillibridge's. Hollow Horns and White Wolfs settled around the mouth of Red Scaffold Creek. The Did Not Go Home, Comes Out, Holy Bull, and Phillip Lone Eagle families lived east of present Red Scaffold. Charlie Knife, Charging Clouds and War Bonnets lived near present Frazier. Owl Kings, Brown Wolfs, Little Dogs, Dan Red Bull, Thunder Hoops, Widows, Shoots Offs, Longbrakes, Inamongsts, Knights, and Bridwells were among the families who lived on Ash Creek. Many of the old family names such as Brown Dog, Grouse Running, and First Eagle are no longer heard in Red Scaffold. By 1911 a Catholic church, St. Plus, had been built south of the Cherry Creek, near Paul Chasing Hawk's. St. Mark's was built by 1921, east of Red Scaffold. In 1938 it was moved into Red Scaffold and named Sacred Heart. Education of the children during the early 1900's required living near a Day School such as Carson, Turtle Creek, and later White Swan, or sending the children to boarding schools in Rapid City, Pierre or Cheyenne Agency. [photo – Burial Scaffold. (SDSHS)] [photo – Red Scaffold, 1940's] [photo – poster for 1936 Celebration in Red Scaffold] [photo – Traditional burial scaffold (SDSHS)] [photo – Cheyenne River Sioux Tribal Council, 1963. Front row: Isaac Useful Heart. Second row: Dennis Buffalo, Ray Clown, Pete Smith, Ernest Ducheneaux, Catherine LeCompte, Frank Ducheneaux, Tribal Chairman; Eunice Larrabee, Schuyler Phillips, Emmett Hollow Horn. Back row: Alex Chasing Hawk, Ben Hawk Eagle, Olney Runs After (hidden), Andy LeBeau, Leonard Claymore, Gib LeBeau, Kenneth West and Howard Dushane, Superintendent] In the 1930's, while John Collier was Commissioner of Indian Affairs, a change in philosophy at the Federal level brought the Wheeler-Howard or Indian Reorganization Act, Tribal government and BIA Day Schools which completely reversed the educational process. These schools were to become the center of community activities. Their purpose was to give training to the adults as well as to the children. [photo – Pow Wow at Red Scaffold] [photo – Pow Wow at Red Scaffold] [photo – 1956-1957 Cheyenne River Basketball Team. Seated: Fred Knife, Andy Candon, Eugene Red Bird, Melvin Bagnola and Bob Mandan. Standing: Burkie Ducheneaux, Carroll Swan, Darrell Hump, Ronald Clown, James Chasing Hawk, and Gus Kolb] This area organized as a district and took the name of Red Scaffold. A celebration in the summer of 1936 commemorated the event and a scaffold was built near the mouth of an original scaffold. Red Scaffold and Red Scaffold Creek get their name from a traditional burial scaffold. Some say that the original scaffold was painted red. Others say a red blanket was used on the scaffold to honor the dead person, possibly a brave leader or an oldest son. Charles Royer ran a store in Red Scaffold, near the present rodeo grounds, in the 1940's. In the early days, he had driven a stagecoach from Philip to the Cheyenne River, possibly to Pedro. Joshua Comes Out had a log building on a flat north of Cherry Creek. It was called Joshua Comes Out Hall and many dances were held there. HISTORY OF THUNDER BUTTE by Amos Clown (1862-1943) This story was told to the school children by Amos Clown in 1941. Mr. Clown was a member of the Bowless Band and told the story of the Bowless Band from the time of Custer's Battle until 1941. He told the story of Custer's Battle as he saw it from a distance. Being only thirteen years old at the time he didn't have to take an active part in it. A Winter Count was used to verify certain dates. Amos Clown held a prominent place among his people. In 1941 he was eighty years old, blind, and residing at the home of his daughter, Mrs. James Makes Trouble. "After the Custer Battle we left the scene and headed for the Black Hills. We camped here at the foot of the Hills. It wasn't long before General Miles came up with his soldiers and also the Crow Indians as an ally. We fought here for three days. Many were killed on each side. We moved away from there and the different bands began to move back to their reservations. Our Tiyospaye, led by Chief Spotted Eagle, wandered up to Canada. We stayed in Canada three years and in 1881 we came back to the Tongue River in Montana. There we met General Miles, who was stationed there with his regiment. General Miles issued us rations once a month. In the spring of 1881, he made us put in a garden, like the community gardens we have today. Our gardens were fine that summer, but before we could harvest our crop, General Miles received orders to take us down the Missouri River in steam boats to Fort Yates. The younger men drove our stock cross country. We camped here at Fort Yates for three weeks. Then orders came that we were to be transferred across the Missouri River to Fort Bennett. Here our guns and ammunitions were taken away and the officials gave us back two head of our horses for every head of a family. We were then counted and told that we now enrolled in the Cheyenne River Reservation. We were kept at Fort Bennett awhile and after we were tamed down a little, we wandered back to Bowless Bend. The Bowless Bend was straight south of the present site of Eagle Butte on the Cheyenne River. We lived here one year and the next summer Chief Spotted Eagle moved up to the mouth of Bear Creek. We didn't move up in a band, but came up in families of two's and three's until our band was scattered as far as White Horse Station. We were looking for a homesite to build our homes. In 1883 the government gave us land but the home sites we first picked were not legally ours, but we had an understanding with each other that that was to be our land. In the summer of 1883 Chief Spotted Eagle was sent to Washington, D.C. The next year in 1884 we received oxen, wagons and implements for farming. In 1884 Chief Spotted Eagle went back to Washington, D.C. and this time we were issued one cow for each person, two mares and five draft stallions. In 1889 General Crook came to this reservation to help divide the land. He also told us that the agency was to be built northeast of the present sight of Rapid City. In the 1889 treaty we were to have homes built out of the pines of the Black Hills. We were to receive a Sioux benefit payment as long as we lived. We were to receive rations and half of the gold mined from the Black Hills. He told us that in thirty years we would go back to the Black Hills and live. In 1891 we lived up the river from the mouth of Red Earth Creek near Green Grass. Sitting Bull was killed and his bands moved in with us. The people that came down from North Dakota were poorly dressed and half starved. These Bands became restless and started moving toward the Agency. We also went along and camped at Fort Bennett. Here we were guarded by soldiers as we were many in number. The official's didn't know what to do with these six or seven bands of Indians. They decided to keep these bands here and enroll them in the Cheyenne Agency. These groups of Indians were from the Standing Rock, Pine Ridge, Rosebud, and Santee Reservation. This is one of the reasons why we have land owned by different people from other reservations. Some of the Chiefs from these reservations came after their people. Those who wanted to go back with their Chiefs went back, others stayed. General Miles then told us to go back to our lands which we picked as homesites and plant a garden. We came back and went to work on our gardens. Some of the people had horses, some oxen, and other used spades. We had very good gardens that year. We then had a council of all the Cheyenne Sioux at the agency. We all agreed not to visit another reservation for five years. During this five year period we were not supposed to kill any of our cattle. We had plenty of horses and cattle on this reservation and the grass was knee high all over the prairie. We all had our figure brands and initials above. My brand was a C on the right thigh and III on the right shoulder. During the sixth year we could get passes to visit other reservations. It was during this time we came to Thunder Butte to pick out our permanent homes. We camped where Jim Iron Bird's home stands today. As we were living in Bands we picked out our land close together so we could visit each other every day. In 1902 Chief Straight Head moved up here and had a following of his own. These people belonged to the Roaming Bird and Plants by the Water Tiyospaye. Chief Moses Straight Head is considered to be the most outstanding Indian on this reservation in the last fifty years. In 1904 Chief Iron Lightning drifted into this district for the first time. He was a noted Chief who had three wives at one time, all living together. He located across the river from where Grant (his son) is located today. He is buried near his homestead. In 1905 the west end of the Cheyenne River Reservation was fenced. That spring in May we had a big snow storm in which many of our cattle and horses were lost. A hundred head of horses were found in fence corners frozen to death. Most of our horses had shed their winter coats and they started drifting with the wind. When they' couldn't go any further they piled up. In 1906 we received our rations every month, and when a child was born he was issued land. In 1907 the Utes were escorted here from their wanderings in Wyoming and Montana by the Cavalry from Fort Meade. The Utes and the Cavalry stayed here a year. In the fall of 1907 the entire Sixth Regiment of cavalry was sent out to stop a disturbance growing out of their refusal to place their children in school. The next year, in 1908, they were taken back to their home reservation at White Rocks, Utah." THUNDER BUTTE AS IT WAS IN 1941 Thunder Butte is located fifteen miles north of Dupree, South Dakota, on the Moreau River. The Station itself is nearly an island as the Moreau winds itself almost around the Station and leaves about a twenty-foot road, for us to get to and from the Station and school. In the summer when we have our rodeo and baseball games this is the ideal set up, as no one enters except through this one passage. The camp site is a mile away from the Station and school. The people live closely together. About two hundred feet is the farthest distance one would have to travel to reach a neighbor. In the summer, after school closes, about ten of these families move back to their own allotments. There are twenty-eight families here with a total of one hundred twenty-five people. The community is mostly full-blooded Cheyenne River Sioux, and like most communities it has its leaders: Moses Red Bird, Robert Straight Head, and Jim Clown. In 1907 the buildings that now stand were being constructed. The warehouse was built first, then the farmer's cottage. Then the schoolhouse and cottage. The materials used in the construction on these buildings were hauled overland from a station called Evarts, just below the present site of Mobridge. Some of the lumber used was cottonwood, gotten from the Cheyenne Agency. The agency had a sawmill there and most of the joists used in the construction of the teacher's cottage are cottonwood. The teachers at Thunder Butte were: Beginning in 1907: the Cawlins, Zackmans and Bungas (Chippewa). In 1916, the school was public and Mae Stewart taught. From 1917 to 1922 there was no school, perhaps because of the flu epidemic. Opening again in 1922 as a public school, teachers were Mrs. Paul Stafford and then Miss Lila Thompson. Returning to Indian School status in 1926, the teachers were the Porters, Neilanders, Mrs. Blessing, the Mile Blowers, George Fox, and the C. Mackeys through 1941 (Mr. Barber was the last Day School teacher, leaving in August, 1965. The school closed that fall and the children were bussed to Dupree.) Farm agents at Thunder Butte Station: Beginning in 1907: Healy, Baker, Eugene Rousseau, Meyers, Deli Meter, Forrest Stone, and John F. Carson (taught school at Cherry Creek in early days). In-the years 1918- 1919, there was no farmer. Between 1919 and 1941, agents were: L. R. Beckley, H. Wallace, S. Pugh, M. J. Pribble and C. A. Nelson. THUNDER BUTTE by Raymond Clown [photo – Henry Red Bear's grandfather, One Bull – age 94] [photo – Maggie Elk Nation and Mary Bagola] [photo – Mr. and Mrs. Jobe High Elk] Beginning back in the 1890's the people started staking claims along the rivers and creeks, Owl Creek (Hin han wakpa) or Moreau River. They built their homes and lived there, raised stock, planted gardens, and received rations once a month. They have to go after their rations clear down to Old Cheyenne Agency, along Missouri River. Finally they start building Sub-stations about 1900. Thunder Butte Sub- station is one of them. More people moved west, over to the reservation line, so the government started to build a school at Thunder Butte Sub-station about 1904. In 1906-1908, the Ute Indians came from Utah and some lived along the Moreau River, Sophia Creek, Worthless Creek, Thunder Butte Creek and Beaver Trap Creek. The Army camped one mile west of Thunder Butte Sub-station. Lots of graves can still be seen on the knells, and holes dug by the Army for their tents can still be seen. In 1935 there was the Reorganization Act and they built more schools. So people who lived out on their land started moving into communities. Around 1935 they quit issuing rations. Everybody had to look for work and then in 1936, the drought started. No water, no hay. The government started relief projects: W.P.A., P.W.A., E.C.W. and C.C.C. camps to help the people earn a little to live on. Lots of Indian boys were in the service in World War I. The Cheyenne River Sioux Tribal Council issued 30 heifers and 1 bull to each Indian serviceman, to help them make a living by raising livestock. After this, the government built dams on the Missouri River and flooded lots of Indian land. With money for that land, the Rehab Program was started, to help people raise cattle, farm, or open small businesses. So, once more, the people started to move back out to their places, those who qualified to participate in some program. All the programs ended in 1977 and now everybody is on some kind of working program, to make a living. In 1974 the Housing Authority built 15 houses in Thunder Butte Community. That left a ghost town west of the new housing area. In 1980 they built a water line to Thunder Butte. Thunder Butte Oyate (Community) The people that used to live along the banks of the Moreau River and Thunder Butte Creek are as follows, beginning from the reservation line 16 or 18 miles west of Thunder Butte Substation: A few miles east of the reservation line, at a big bend along the river bottom, lives Fred Allison and his wife. At the next place a few miles from it lives George Short Bull, married to Ka sla la. Charlie Knife lives above the mouth of Flint Rock Creek. Puts on the Shoes lives down along the Flint Rock Creek, southeast of Charlie Knife's place. No children. They adopted a daughter. Her name is Sophie Puts on the Shoe. [photo – Mr. and Mrs. Eugene Slides Off, parents of Owen Slides Off] [photo – Joseph and Emily Clown, parents of Elsie Slides Off] [photo – Moses and Anna Red Bird working in their garden near Thunder Butte Station] Sophie Knife, daughter of Charlie Knife, married Ed Black Bear, grandson of Chief Crazy Horse. No children out of this wedlock, but Sophia has a daughter still living on the bend. Northeast of Charlie Knife lives Peter Talks, married to Mary Traversie Dupris. [photo – Delegation to Washington, D. C.: Eastman, Daughter of Straight Head, Mr. Straight Head, Fish Gut, Charger, Mrs. Charger, Major Craig and Mrs. Fish Gut (SDSHS)] [photo – Episcopal Church, Thunder Butte] Next bend on east of Peter Talks' place lives Thomas Fox. Right across from Thomas Fox lives Charlie Roach. Right south of Charlie Roach up on hill lives Charlie Talks. Charlie married Dora Iron Lightning. East of Charlie Talks, down along the river, Thomas Swift Bear used to live there years ago. Whole family died. Book Talks, sister to Charlie and Peter Talks, married Paul Widow from Red Scaffold area. East of Swift Bear, across the river, live the Iron Lightnings. This man has had three wives. To the northeast of Iron Lightning's place lives Shell Necklace (Pan ke ska na pin), also on the north side of the River. But they moved across the river to the South bank of Moreau River. Just south of their place lives Paul Fool Dog (Sunka witko), a bachelor who later married Rate Drops Two. Old Fool Dog's place is now where Iron Lightning community is established. South of Fool Dog's up on hill, lives Peter Curley. But they didn't live there very long moved to north of St. Luke's Church, between Moreau River and Thunder Butte Creek. Northeast of old Fool Dog's place, across one bend, lives Two Moons. Across the River from Two Moons' lives Joseph Marrowbone (Ta cu pal. His wife is sister to Mrs. Two Moon and Mrs. Bear Thunder (Mrs. Ti go han ko ke pa). To the south of Marrowbones', across the river, lives Bear Thunder (Teyo ha koke jpa) and his wife, (Hin han lu ta win). Their son is Thomas Bear Thunder or Elk Eagle. East of Bear Thunders lives Long Mandans. Across the river from Mandans, St. Luke's Episcopal Church is located on 80.0 acres of land. [photo – Henry Andrew Red Bear, a great-grandson of Sitting Bull, has lived at Thunder Butte 56 years. His wife Louise, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Amos Clown, is a descendent of Chief Crazy Horse] [photo – Amy and Ed Clown] [photo – Moses Red Bird] Rev. John Promise used to live there. East of the church, across the river, old man John Black Smith (Maza ka ra) used to live. His son, Tommy Black Smith, also lives there. He later moved to Pine Ridge Reservation. [photo - Mr. and Mrs. Owen Slides Off, Jack and Julie] Across the river towards north lives Mr. and Mrs. Lame One. Across the river from them lives Thomas Eagle Chasing who married Lame One's daughter, Annie Lame One. One of their kids is still living. Mrs. Annie Eagle Chasing- Red Bird. Towards the northwest, across the river from Eagle Chasing, lives Luke Marrowbone up on the flat, north side of the river. East of Marrowbones, along the river, lives Blows On Himself (A e kpo ran) or Wasu (Hail). Across the river from that place Iron Birds (Sa ke) and Charlie Blue Horse live close together, as old man Iron Bird and Mrs. Blue Horse are sister and brother. Across the river toward south, on the south side of the river, lives Moses Straight Head. This man also married a lady from Cherry Creek. East of Straight Head on the same side of the river, Robert Straight Head used to live there, married to Susan Marrowbone. North of Robert Straight Head's place, same side of the river, (south side) lives Standing Straddle. North of Standing Straddle about 1/2 mile lives Bear Looks Running. He moved to Cherry Creek along Cheyenne River. East of Bear Looks Running, across the river: Frank Logg (Can ka pi) used to live there. He moved to Old Agency. East of Cedar Grove, across the river, lives Eugene Slides Off and his wife, Bessie. East of Slides Off lives Black Eagles Justin Black Eagle and his wife Louise. They have one child, Luke. He married Elizabeth Loves the War, of Standing Rock. They adopted a girl. Her name is Eldora. East of Black Eagles lives Thomas Brave Alone. The Butte Sub-station Campground on 40.0 acres. Schoolhouse and farmer's house, warehouse and police quarters. Now start at the mouth of Thunder Butte Creek, northwest of the campground. That's where the Utes and the U. S. Army had a winter camp in 1907-1908, on both sides of the river, east of Thunder Butte Creek. Countings used to live there, east of Thunder Butte Creek, just above the mouth of the creek. About 5 miles up the creek, Eugene Slides Off used to live over there. About a mile up the creek, people by the name of Fish used to live there. About three miles up the creek lives John White Hawk and his family. West of John White Hawk's lives Drops Two family. George Top of Lodge lives southwest, up on flat. His brother is David. They are all dead. About 10 miles west up the creek lived Charlie Roach before he moved to Moreau River. Come back down to the east branch of Thunder Butte Creek, called Beaver Trap Creek. Paul Red Bird and his family used to live over there before they moved to Moreau River, three miles east of Thunder Butte Substation. Frank Corn married Molly Red Bird; lived northwest of Paul Red Bird's place along the Beaver Trap Creek. The only one living now out of that family is Minnie Corn-Noisy Hawk. Back to Moreau River going east: East of Paul Red Bird's, north side of river, lives Henry Stricker who married Margaret Red Bird. East of Strickers, same side, lives Joe Clown and his family. Across from Joe Clown's place is the old place where Amos and Julia Clown make their home and raise their children. There is a cemetery about half a mile west of the place, where Julia and Amos Clown were buried. Pvt. Moses Clown's grave is there. East of Clown's about a mile across the bend of the river is Bentley's homestead. They lived there for quite a while and moved out. East of Bentley's, at the mouth of Worthless Creek or Irish Creek, was where the Utes used to camp, along the river and up the creek. East of the mouth of Worthless Creek, next bend, old man Takes the Blanket used to live there. All there is left is one log house, in the middle of the field. East of Takes the Blanket's, around the bend on the south side of river, lives Joseph Scar Legs and his family. His daughter is Mary Scar Legs Bagola. This is the last place that comes toward Thunder Sub-station to get their rations. All others from there east go to Eagle Butte or other places to get their rations. Chris and Kate Williams live south of what is now Iron Lightning. (Ta pe to la) Giles lives south of Thunder Butte Sub-station about seven miles, toward Dupree. Tony Ackers and his family used to live east of Thunder Butte Sublstation, on the south side of the river. There used to be a store at Thunder Butte Camp run by To win Abear. [map of Thunder Butte Oyate – showing the locations of the homesteads] THUNDER BUTTE CHRISTMAS by Edna Place Pesicka Mr. Earl Zachman, the teacher of the Government Day School, and his wife, who did the cooking for the noon meal, lived with their two young children in a five room cottage near the school. The schoolhouse consisted of a long cloak room, with the facilities for washing and brushing of teeth. Then the large schoolroom for the children and their teacher, and at the rear, was a large room used for dining and cooking purposes. As I was teaching in the Birkenholz home, I was invited to spend the Christmas vacation at the Zachman home three and a half miles away. The Indians, Catholics, Episcopalians and Congregationalists were preparing a Christmas entertainment and feast to be given on Christmas eve at the school. The Zachmans and their guests were asked to attend. Mr. Zachman had prepared colored sacks (made of mosquito bar netting) of candy and nuts with a gift for each of his pupils. Mrs. Zachman and I took his gifts over to the schoolhouse in the afternoon to place at the base of the big tree, and such a tree! It must have been the tallest one that could be found on the reservation. It was planted in a large tub, weighted and wedged with rocks and dirt. The top was bent over three or four feet. The tree, as far as ornaments were concerned, was bare, but with the many beaded gifts, such as hat bands, hair and headbands, gauntlets, necklaces, belts and moccasins, which hung from nearly every branch of the tree, made a beautiful sight. After depositing our gifts, we went to the kitchen and were invited to sit down at a long table, where a number of Indian men were sitting, drinking coffee and eating thick slices of bread with roast beef. These men had been riding all morning in the cold. The stove in the kitchen part of this room was the largest cookstove I have ever seen and was covered with large kettles of boiling meat, several enormous coffee pots and teakettles of boiling water. At the zinc covered work tables, older women were peeling potatoes and preparing other vegetables to be cooked. They invited us to step into the pantry and asked if we thought there would be enough pies. Shelves, about one foot apart ran along both sides of the pantry and each shelf was stacked with pies, one on top of the other, as high as the shelf room allowed, row on row, more than 300 pies. These were mostly two-crust pies, filled with dried fruit, peaches, apples, raisins and apricots. Also mince, squash and pumpkin. We left promising to return to their feast that evening. From the Zachman home, we could see a steady stream coming in wagons and on horseback, to the feast. The families having children in the school, lived or camped about a half mile west of the school, during the school year. While we were at dinner that evening, Mrs. Tony Acker came. She sat down and ate with us, then brought into the teacherage her contribution to be taken over to the school later. It consisted of 20 leaves of bread, her own baking, several large frosted cakes, a few pies, a big roast of beef and a three gallon stone jar of plum preserves. When we arrived at the schoolroom in the evening, all the seats and desks had been removed. The teacher's large desk, a chair or two, the heating stove and the tree, stood like sentinels in different parts of the room, which was packed with Indians sitting in groups, half circles or rows on the floor. The women, in spite of the heat from the large stove, were all wearing heavy bright colored plaid or striped shawls. Nearly all women, men and children had on beaded moccasins. Giles Tapitola bade us enter and had chairs brought from the other room for our party of twelve. He had the chairs placed where we could see all, but could understand nothing. After each speech or talk, given by both older and some younger Indian men, about Jesus and the Spirit of Christmas, Giles interpreted in substance the gist of each one. The school children recited and sang songs in our language. The white guests were then asked to talk, sing or recite. We all responded and the Birkenholz children sang several songs and recited the pieces they had learned and had given at our own program. Mr. Tapitola interpreted again for the benefit of the older Indians. By this time the children began to get restless and one chubby little fellow, Frank Giles Tapitola, sitting close to the tree, spied a crate with two roosters within it. No sound had been heard from then until young Frank began to pull feathers from their tails, which act produced a big squawk and brought much laughter from the spectators. Old Santa came in dressed in furs and feathers. He had on a cap similar to a dunce cap, very high and trimmed with bells. His face was painted in a merry fashion, not like a warrior on the warpath, but with friendly lines marked in yellows and reds. The children left their mothers and flocked to old Santa, shook hands with him and were given candy boxes, bags of nuts, apples and oranges. After the children had all been given their treats, the older ones went to the tree and received the same. The stores of Dupree had sent out several crates of oranges and boxes of apples, candy and nuts. As soon as the treats had been distributed, names were called to go to the first table, our names being called first. Mrs. Giles Tapitola and Mrs. Eugene Slides Off were two of the women who waited at the table. There were about 50 sitting at our table. On the table was bread, creamery butter, plum preserves, chokecherry and buffalo berry jelly, beans, mashed potatoes, roast beef, brown gravy, cakes, pie and coffee. Then there was a special treat. This consisted of meat, boiled and ground, and chokecherries with seeds pounded to small particles. This mixture was sweetened and rolled into balls, then set to dry for special treats. When each table had been emptied, it was reset and more names called. Everything was not eaten, but each squaw wore a tie around apron, which became the receptacle for a portion of each dish that was passed. Jams and jellies were put in pails or cans, or boxes brought for that purpose. The contents of the aprons were emptied into pails, clean flour sacks or baskets brought for that purpose. After returning to their places, when all had eaten, they began on the first list again, to come back to the table for more food. Our party did not go back to the dining room again, as it was getting late. We thanked our hosts for the lovely entertainment and the bounteous feast and left. Mrs. Acker came into the Zachman home after all was over, about 3 o'clock. She said every pie, cake, loaf of bread and morsel of food was gone. The gifts of poultry, blankets, shawls, moccasins, etc. were given in a very quiet manner by the donor to the recipient, while we, at the first table were eating. Mrs. Acker told us they would all meet somewhere on New Year's Eve to go through with it all again. GHOST TOWNS by Ruth Edwards There are at least five communities which are no longer on the map: Brayton -- a ghost town north of Iron Lightning Station and about 2 miles east of Perkins County line. In the early 1900's it was a post office for people in the northwest part of Ziebach County. Pleasant Valley -- in the late twenties, the people that lived south of Eagle Butte in the Rudy Creek vicinity, decided they needed a church so they got together and built one. They already had a school so they thought the place should be named. Father Golden and Mr. Hiedt named it Pleasant Valley. Later they added a store. Arrowhead - from Call of the Prairie, written by Oscar Lund. Arrowhead, which formerly was located between Redelm and Faith, is now a part of the memories of the homesteader. At one time there were several stores which did a thriving business. The Schroeder Lumber Company was in the community for five or six years. F. A. Haagen hauled lumber into the town, but after selling a couple of car loads, decided there was not enough business for two yards. George Hendricks owned a general store with the post office in a part of the store, with his sister, Minnie, in charge. Mrs. Fisher had a lunchroom across the tracks to the north. A livery barn was in evidence. A store owned by a man by the name of Cochran, sold groceries and dry goods. The depot had no agent but cream was shipped from this point, and the mail was handled there. Local ranchers put in a set of scales and chutes were built to accommodate loading and unloading of stock. A large schoolhouse was built to accommodate the patrons of Arrowhead. Sweet was the contractor and he hired local help to build the structure in 1912. This building was torn down a few years ago and was used to build the local locker plant in Dupree. Louis -- was a store and post office near Thunder Butte Station in the early 1900's, run by L. D. Bentley. They later established a store at Thunder Butte and the post office was moved there. Thunder Butte post office closed in 1910. CHASE COMMUNITY The following information was received from Neoma Johnson: Chase had its birth in 1911 during the heydays of homesteading in South Dakota. It was located one mile west and 11 1/2 miles south of Dupree -- just east of where the Cherry Creek road detours around the east branch of Ash Creek, known to the local citizens as the "bend in the road.'' Nothing remains today of the original townsite. The land is part of the Alfred Herren estate. At the time of its beginning, Chase consisted of the typical inland post office and store owned and operated by Albert F. Chase. The mail was delivered by stage from Dupree. By 1913, Mr. Chase decided to leave Ziebach County and the post office was moved across the section line to another claim holder, Mrs. Claus Swanson. Mrs. Swanson was postmistress for approximately two years. In about 1915 the post office was moved again, this time to the Pennington Ranch, now owned by Ron Fields. In 1920, Chase made its last move, this time to the N. D. Jennerson farm. Mr. Jennerson was postmaster from 1920 to 1936. One day in 1936 an inspector from the postal department called at Chase and after a look at the records informed Mr. Jennerson that Chase had lived its day. Chase was erased From the map. Shortly after this, Mr. and Mrs. Jennerson moved to California and both are now deceased. Their son, George, lives in Los Angeles. This farm is now owned by Harold Johnson. The building which housed the post office burned in 1972 along with the post office fixtures, so all that remains of Chase today is memories of the few who remember the trips to the Jennerson place to pick up the mail and "chat a bit" with Mrs. Jennerson. The Chase Star Route still remains and has been extended to the Cherry Creek Star Route. Some of the early mail carriers were Miss W. Picker, John Barren, and Jesse Miller. Hank Burgee served the Cherry Creek mail route for many years. The present carrier is Mrs. Arlene Martin. Jack Pollard of Oregon writes that when Mr. Chase moved to Dupree, his father bought the building and moved it to his homestead next north of the Chase place. The next summer, Jack was born in that post office. He states that "I was the last male delivered in the original Chase Post Office". [photo - Celebration at Thunder Butte, 1964] [photo - Celebration at Thunder Butte, 1919]