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A History of Dickey County, North Dakota
BY THE DICKEY COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY Edited by R. M. BLACK President, State Normal and Industrial School
Reprinted by ELLENDALE CENTENNIAL JUBILEE COMMITTEE ELLENDALE, NORTH DAKOTA 1981
Published by THE DICKEY COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY ELLENDALE, NORTH DAKOTA 1930
-
COPYRIGHT 1930 By the Dickey County Historical Society
To the Pioneers of Dickey County and their successors - - the fathers, mothers and children of today - - this book is affectionately dedicated by its compilers and authors
Preface
The history of a people is interesting not only as a record of events but more particularly a record of the aspirations, struggles and ideals of those who have made it possible for those of the present generation to make happy homes and to enjoy the privileges and opportunities which are to be had by those who seek them.
Dickey County, North Dakota, is relatively young, but a whole generation of people have grown up within its borders since it was first settled. At the same time there are, at the time this history is written many of the original pioneers still living, and in fact taking an active part in the civic, social and business activities in the communities of this county. These pioneers did a splendid work, and they more than any one else know and appreciate the hardships, toils and hopes of the early days. To preserve the records of what they attempted and achieved and hand on something of the vision that guided them, the Dickey County Historical Society was organized. That Society is now attempting to collect and preserve the incidents and implements of the early settlers.
It was early suggested that a record in historical form would be of general interest to all the citizens. A meeting was called at Fullerton in the summer of 1924, and at that meeting Mr. Alex Alin, Mr. T. R. Shimmin, Mrs. T. R. Shimmin, Mr. Ira A. Barnes, Mr. E. F. Stevens, Mrs. E. F. Stevens, Mrs. Katherine Pollock Goddard, Mrs. Mary Flemington Strand and Mr. R. M. Black were present. General plans were considered and a committee of five were selected to give the matter further consideration. This committee consisted of Mr. Ira A. Barnes, Mr. Alex Alin, Mrs. Frances Folsom, Mr. T. R. Shimmin and Mrs. Amy Northrop Magoffin.
A meeting of all citizens of the county who were interested in a historical society was called at the Court House on the second day of the County Fair of 1924. From this meeting a permanent organization of the Society was effected, and the sentiment was very favorable to publishing a history from material to be collected. The following officers were elected: President, Mr. Ira Barnes; Vice-President, Mr. T. R. Shimmin; Secretary-Treasurer, Miss Blanche Stevens. The official board then named consisted of the following people, Mr. Ira Barnes, Mr. T. R. Shimmin, Mr. E. F. Stevens, Mr. Alex Alin, Mrs. Florence Folson, Mrs. Eb Magoffin and Mrs. Gertrude Linville. The Executive Committee employed Mr. Dana Wright of James- town as field man and he spent twenty-four days in the county collecting material from old settlers in which work he was helped by members of the committee. This material and other as collected was turned over to Presi- dent R. M. Black of the State Normal and Industrial School who was selected by the Historical Society as an editor for the purpose of drawing out a logical and consecutive account of the historical events of the county.
The book now offered to the public is the result of editing these stories and incidents.
The plan of the book is to give a general story of the county as a unit in the first nine chapters. Then each township and the two cities of Ellendale and Oakes each have a chapter, after which a brief story of the part the county took in the World War is given in the last chapter. Neither the his- tory nor the list of pioneers mentioned in the text is complete, as in many cases it has been impossible to find the records and also the size of the volume has made it necessary to condense and abridge frequently. The at- tempt has been made to include many characteristic stories to give the ac- count the flavor of the early times. It is to be regretted that all the stories of the pioneers cannot be included.
Much credit is due to Major Dana Wright for his careful and pains- taking work in getting the narratives, and to Miss Blanche Stevens for making possible the publication of the history through her wise business management. Mr. Barnes has rendered constant aid, and the memory of many of the pioneers has been drawn upon to complete the record. Acknow- ledgement is made in the heading of each chapter. Mistakes have probably crept in, and for such the editor and committee ask your indulgence. It is hoped the book will be found interesting, and from the stimulus it may give, that all who can do so will contribute their stories and relics to the museum and repository that the Society is building at the County Court House.
Ellendale, North Dakota, January, 1929.
Table of Contents
Page
List of Illustrations.
8
Maps.
9
Chapter I-The Land and its early people.
Chapter II-Early Explorations 13
19
Chapter III-Whitestone Hill.
25
Chapter IV-The Beginnings of Dickey County. 31
Chapter V-Pioneer Experiences
39
Chapter VI-Transportation and Mail Service .47
Chapter VII-A Period of Development.
55
Chapter VIII-The State Normal and Industrial School. 63
Chapter IX-Later Events and Some Political Comment
.69
Chapter X-The City of Ellendale. 77
Chapter XI-The City of Oakes. 97
Chapter XII-Ellendale Township 115
Chapter XIII-The Township of Van Meter 123
129
Chapter XV-Kentner Township 137
143
Chapter XVII-Elm Township.
147
Chapter XVIII-Albion Township.
153
Chapter XIX-Bear Creek Township
159
Chapter XX-James River Valley Township
163
Chapter XXI-Divide Township.
167
Chapter XXII-Wright Township
175
Chapter XXIV-Keystone Township
199
Chapter XXVI-Maple Township 205
Chapter XXVII-Porter Township 215
Chapter XXVIII-Valley Township 225
Chapter XXIV-Kent Township 231
Chapter XXX-Port Emma Township 237
Chapter XXXI-The Township of Hudson 245
Chapter XXXII-Lovell and Ludden 253
Chapter XXXIII-The Township of Riverdale. 261
265
Chapter XXXV-The Township of Whitestone.
269
Chapter XXXVI-Young Township
275
Chapter XXXVII-The Township of Northwest.
281
Chapter XXXVIII-The Township of Potsdam
285
Chapter XXXIX-Lorraine and Forbes.
287
Chapter XL-Albertha Township 295
Chapter XLI-Grand Valley Township 303
Chapter XLII-Spring Valley Township
309
Chapter XLIII-German Township 317
Chapter XLIV-Dickey County in the World War 321
181
Chapter XXIII-Clement Township 189
Chapter XIV-Ada Township
Chapter XVI-Elden Township
Chapter XXV-Yorktown Township
Chapter XXXIV-Hamburg Township.
List of Illustrations
Thomas F. Marshall
Page 36 61
First Term of Court
Main Building Normal Industrial.
.64
Trades Building Normal Industrial
.67
Dedication of Whitestone Memorial
71
Ellendale in 1885, North Side.
78 79
Ellendale's First Fire Dept.
.82
Public School in Ellendale.
.86
H. P. Bjornstadt's Store
88 89
Seal of Oakes.
97
Oakes Public School
110
Ox Team, 1883
155
Sod House of P. S. Anderson
172
P. S. Anderson's Pioneer Home
173
Fullerton School House in 1889
211
Residence of C. A. Peterson, 1894.
218
First School House in Ludden, 1887
255 257
Pile of Buffalo Bones
266
Plowing Bee for the Minister
267
Street Scene in Merricourt
276
The Big Elm Tree. 287
Early Threshing Scene.
291
Pioneer Well, M. M. Cook
303
Company K. 1917
323
Maps
Dickey County, 1928 12
Dickey County in Pioneer Days. 33
Floor Plan of Settlers Cabin 40
Pioneer's Heating Stove
311
Sketch of Early Settler Cook Stove. 312
Side View of Cooking Stove 313
Ellendale in 1885, South Side.
Nels Bjornstadt Hardware Store.
Early Home of W. E. Kellogg
Index
Ada Township 129
Additions to Ellendale 80,81
Additions to Oakes 99
Albertha Township
295
Alexanderson, A. H
53,162
Albertha Postoffice.
51
Albion Township. 153
Algrove School District 222
Alin, Alex 217
Basey's Postoffice. 51
Banks in Dickey County 87,102
Baldwin, George
233
Baldwin Ranches 233
Bathing Customs 133
Bear Creek 47
Bear Creck Township.
159
Beaver, William
190
Benjamine, stage owner
47,101
Better Farming Association
73
Big Elm tree. 287
Bishop, Mrs. Mary 77,82
Bismarck and Hoskins Lake mail line. .. 50
Blacksmith Shops. 83,87
Blizzard of Jan. 12, 1888. 300
Blizzards 44,62
Bonehill Creek. 22
Buffalo bones. 81
Bush, T. W. 237
Campsite of Nicollet & Fremont .. 19,245
Caldwell, W. A 189
Carnegie Loan to State School
65,69
Cemetery, Ellendale. 84
Cemetery, Oakes. 109
"Center of Ellendale"
80
Churches, early. 83,109
City Hall. 82
Claim shacks or shanties. 39,256
Clark, Tom, visits Ft. Yates. 154
Clement Township.
181
Climax School District. 162
322
Company M.
62
Consolidated Schools 120,264
Cook, M. M 304
County Officers elected 34
County Officers First 34
County Seat chosen. 34
Court House, new
72
Court House, old.
82
Cortrite, David 193
Cowley, Daniel. 241
Curtis, James and C. H 200,204
Dakota Midland Railroad 91,247
Deane, Frank 226
Dickey County Created. 32
Directory of Ellendale, 1886. 85,90
Divide Township .167
Doctors of Dickey County.
88,107,263
Dug-out, claim shanty. 172
Early Explorations. 19
Eaton, H. F. 2.39
Eaton Postoffice 2,39
Eaton School District 258
Ellendale, Beginning of .80
Ellis, W. H., carly pioncer
77
Ellendale Township .. 115
Elden Township 143
Elm Township. 147
Elm Community House 150
"End of Track'
145
Erickson, Jerry
240
Fare by stage 50,51
Fait, Clark, early pioneer. 192
Feathers, George 191
Ferries.
238,239,248
Fish-hook Bend of the James.
19
Fisk's Expedition. 20
Fire Department. 82
Fire of 1916, Ellendale.
94
Fire of 1907, Oakes 111,304
Fort Yates .50
Forbes, new town in county 292
Fraternal Organizations
85,109
Furniture of the pioneers. 257
Fue! of the pioneers.
42,201
First Buildings erected
80,100,189
Fullerton Founded
210
Geography of the county 13
German Russians come to Dakota.
60,309
Glacial Age. 13
Glover, village founded 163
Gophers as a nuisance. 44
Grover's Expedition 20
Grand Rapids Stage
48
Grand Army Posts.
Griffin family
85,109
Grand Valley Township
303
Gray, Everett, pioneer. 155
Great Northern Railroad 92,258
Guelph
249
Hamburg Township 265
Hart family
288
Haas family 303
Half-Way House 48
Herding in early days 306
Hill, James J. 291,296
Hillsdale, early Postoffice 264
Hillsdale School District 315
Highways.
74
H. J. Johnson Land Company
106
House, Col., Expedition of. 26
Homesteader's Stove 132
Hoke, J. C. 73
Hotels
83,85,101
Hospital 108
Hudson Township.
245
Hudson Townsite. 247
Indians, in Dickey County. 14
Iowa troops at White Stone. 26
James River. 13
James River Valley Township. 163
Johnson, Swan, pioneer. 182
Keystone Stage Line 48
Keystone Township.
189
Keystone Townsite.
189
Kellogg, Will E 265
Kentner Township 137
Kent Township 2.31
Keyes, George H. pioneer
290
Kilbernie, station ..
60,277
Knox, W. B. pioncer
190
German Township.
317
116
Company K
Index (Continued)
Korpua, John. 240
Kunrath, John. 246
La Flamboise, the scout. 27
Ladd, George H. pioneer. 100,247
Leader, Dickey County
90
Leffingwell, W. H. pioneer.
261
Livery barns.
48,101
Liberty Loans.
332
Lorraine Postoffice
51
Lorraine Township
287
Lovell Family
258
Lovell Township
253
Lowe, Hans, pioneer.
262
Liiamatta, Herman 130
Lynde Family.
290
Mail Service
50
Magoffin, Bariah
51,196
Marshall, Congressman T. F
69
Martinson, John, pioneer.
129
Maple Township
205
Marshall, McCartney Company.
105
McGlynn's Gulch
41
McGinnis Brothers.
131,133
Mellinger, stage driver
47,101
Merricourt Postoffice.
276
"Mist" as fuel.
42
Military Road across Albertha
23,296
Millham, T. W., pioneer
263
Michigan families.
125
Milwaukee Railroad.
32,77
Monango located
196
Morgan, James A
245
Moose, found in Ada Township.
.72
Murder trial, first
140
Naming of Dickey County
34
Naming places.
34
Nebraska troops at Whitestone
27
"Nettie Baldwin," steamboat.
52
New Courthouse.
72, 94
Newspapers in the County
90,190,108
New Buildings
34,99,195,301
Nelson, John
77,162
Nelson, Mons.
159
Nicollet & Fremont, expedition
245
North Western Railroad 258
North Dakota freighter dedicated. 70
North American Creamery Company
113
Northwest, Township of
281
Norway Spur, named.
186
Oakes, City of.
97
Olson, Mrs., lost in blizzard
44
Organization of Dickey County 34
Park, cities of Ellendale and Oakes.
95,111
Peterson, August, pioneer
83,125
Peldo, Abram.
129
Peterson, Charles. 217
Phillips, Lieutenant, relief party
21
Physicians of Dickey County.
.. 88,107,263
Pioneer towns.
81,189,238
Pioneer experiences.
226,39,169
Pioneer furniture
312,41,132
Pierson Postoffice.
157
Political History of Dickey County
74
Postoffice Directory
92
Postmasters of Oakes
103
Port Emma Township 237
Port Emma, founded. 237
Pollock, James, pioneer 123
Porter brothers. 210
Porter Township
215
Porter School District
210
Pryor, C. H. townsite locater
77
Pre-emption. 123,256
Prairie Fires
Public Schools
85
Poykko, William
135,240
Rain-in-the-face at Whitestone 30
Randall, Frank
257
Randall, M. E.
87
Railroad Time-table 92
Railroading in Dickey County.
57,91
Relay Station on Bear Creek
47
Red Cross in World War.
318,332
Registration of men for draft
321
Richards, W. B.
73
Riverdale Township
261
Russian Thistle a pest
61
Saunders, Charles, stage driver.
49
Savo Community.
134
Schools, the first in Ellendale
81,85
Schools in Dickey County.
305,55,56,242
School House Campaigns.
75
Settlers Stove.
42
Secret Societies.
85
Sentinel, Farmers. 91
Shimmin, T. R., pioneer
297
Sidewalks of Ellendale. 81
Sibley's Expedition
25
Skoglund, John E.
135
Social Life in pioneer days
44,238,251
Soil Survey of Dickey County
73
Slope School District.
293
Soo Line builds in
102
Sod houses and buildings.
201
Spring Valley School District
306
Spring Valley Township 309
Squatter on land
117
Stage Drivers.
49
Stage Lines in early days.
47
Steamboating on the James.
53
State Normal and Industrial School
63
State Highways
74
Stores.
80,81
Stephenson Family. 225
Stevens Brothers.
171
Strutz, Gus, pioneer
184,187
Stove, heating, by pioneers
310
Sully's Expedition.
25
Survey of Dickey County
34
Sutton, Henry, first death
84
Sweet, Edwin F
213
Tents as Housing. 81
Thatcher Family.
249
Town lot sale
80,100
Townsites
247
Travel in early days
131
Transportation by stage
48,49
Trails.
22
Tuttle Ranch
139
Twisted Hay as fuel
132
285
Pottsdam Township
298
Ludden, village.
257
Index (Continued)
Ulness Postoffice
163
Ulness, Elling O.
163
Whitestone Monument and Battlefield ..
72,271
Wilson, Lon H. 195
Witham, Rev. N. D.
250
Wilson, J. C. pioneer.
266
World War, Dickey County in 321
Wright Family
117
Water Works. 93,111
Wright Township
175
Water, finding necessary
41
Yorktown founded
199
Webb Family 275
Yorktown Township.
199
Yorktown Public Library. 202
Young Township
275
Whitfield, George, pioneer. 164
Whitestone Township. .269
United War Work. 332
Van Meter, John H 124
Van Meter Township 123
Valley Township
225
Wade's story of Whitestone. 30
"Wanderland", the Steamboat. 53
Wattula, William. 240
Yorktown Stage.
48
Weather Station. 120
Whitestone Hill 2:5
A HISTORY OF DICKEY COUNTY, NORTH DAKOTA
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A HISTORY OF DICKEY COUNTY, NORTH DAKOTA
CHAPTER I
THE LAND AND ITS EARLY PEOPLE
[Volume II of the Collections of the South Dakota Historical Society, through the courtesy of Major Dana Wright, has furnished much of the information on the Indians for this chapter. Willard's "Story of the Prairies" and Upham's "Glacial Lake Agassiz" furnish much information on the geography and geology of the county.]
D ICKEY County is located on the southern boundary of the state about midway between the Minnesota line and the Missouri river. It occupies a tract of land twenty-four miles north and south by forty-eight miles east and west. Its north line is the Eighth Standard Parallel of the Government survey, its south line is the Seventh Standard Parallel, or state line. Its west boundary is the Ninth Guide Meridian or very nearly the Ninety-ninth Meridian west from Greenwich, and its eastern boundary is the range line between ranges fifty-eight and fifty-nine of the survey, six miles east of the Eighth Guide Meridian, and very nearly on the Ninety-eighth Meridian west from Greenwich. The Forty-sixth Parallel of north latitude passes through the county a little more than four miles north of the state line. The state line is marked by a solid granite post every half mile.
The entire county is in the great glaciated region of the ice drift of prehistoric times. The gently rounded hills and the numerous "potholes" or undrainable sloughs bear mute witness that the ice cut off and remolded the surface. The mystery of the ice-age is one of nature's secrets that man has been unable to reveal but for some reason a great sheet of ice moved down from the northeast over a large part of the northern United States. In North Dakota it reached to the Missouri and in a few places a little be- yond; but at the line of the hills in what is now range sixty-five the moving ice sheet in crossing Dickey County met a rocky formation too solid to be shaved off or broken down to the level. Here the ice lifted and went on to the west and southwest in a thinner layer. Piling up beyond the edge of the rocky ledges it left more of its rocks and dirt to form noticeably higher and rougher hills. The ice melted and rain, wind, and frost with vegetable growth and decay molded the landscape as we see it to-day.
The territory of the county is divided into three natural divisions. The markings of the region and the character of the soil show us that the eastern part was for a time occupied by a lake. Before the ice age the James was probably the great river that drained all the region from it to the mountains in Montana. During or after the ice age the Missouri was estab- lished as the larger stream, the valley of the James was choked with material
14
A HISTORY OF DICKEY COUNTY, NORTH DAKOTA
from the ice, and the thawing of the ice left more water than the river could carry away over the barrier farther south. In this way Lake Dakota was formed-a body of water lying mostly in what is now South Dakota but extending into Dickey County a little north of Oakes. The central part of the county consists of the rolling plains with their distinct markings, and the western portion is part of the upland known as the Missouri plateau, which carries in its eastern edge the Coteaus of the Missouri. With its diversified surface and rich soil, this region has always been a natural hunting ground with an abundance of wild fowl and in earlier days great herds of buffalo, with badgers, antelope and coyotes. The generous provisions of nature have made it especially well fitted for the home of a people interested in diversified farming.
This region shows evidence of having been peopled long before white men knew it. Forgotten races seem to have occupied these prairies and hills after the last glacial period. Few of their remains are to be found now; some low mounds like inverted saucers are occasionally seen along the James river or some of the other water courses or near the timber and springs in the coteaus; but these tell us little. The curious investigator with his ruthless shovel digs into these ancient mounds expecting to find a wealth of old relics, stone or copper implements, beads or elk teeth, or at least some relics of the Indians of an earlier day. These or old fire-arms are the least he expects, but usually his labor results only in turning out a few crumbling bones, some ashes and a few scraps of flint or pottery. The original builders seem to have used a ceremonial fire in which may have been cremated certain animals, or possibly the bodies of their dead, together with their implements or personal effects. Over the remains of this simple altar the mound was heaped up from top soil about the place. In the top are sometimes found "intrusions," or the bones of Indians buried at some later period, but it is seldom that one finds any relics of value. That these mounds are of great age is shown by the depth and richness of the surround- ing soil from which the original soil was stripped in making the mound.
Aside from these mounds there are few remains of the prehistoric peoples; possibly a heap of rock on some hill top, a rude outline of some bird or animal made of stones and now sunken deep in the top soil of the prairie; although even these may have been the work of the Indian tribes who came later and made the "Tipi" rings of stone which the pioneer settlers saw so often before the prairies were broken by the plow. A fine example of this drawing in effigy is found on the west side of "Grapevine Hill" in the south- west part of the county. This is a crude picture or outline of a turtle made of boulders, which was discovered in 1924 by Mr. T. R. Shimmin, a pioneer in the township. It is easily overlooked but once identified it can be readily recognized and is thought to have been a sign giving the direction to some water supply. Many of the heaps of stone on the hill tops thought by some to have marked graves were probably for some other purpose and some of
15
A HISTORY OF DICKEY COUNTY, NORTH DAKOTA
them may have been arranged by nature.
It is impossible to learn who these first people were. Tribes came and went, migrating to better hunting grounds or being driven out by a stronger people. They may have been the ancestors of the Indians found here when white men came. Savage tribes rarely build anything of sufficient perman- ence to withstand the ravages of time. Students of history must acknowl- edge a riddle that is unsolvable. In a continent so large and so sparsely populated as was North America its ancient people must have drifted widely and people may have been in this land of Dickey County whose homes may have been far away. It is certain that there were Indians in the Northwest long before white men came and a hunting ground such as the region afforded would invite visits from hardy tribes.
The earliest white people who ventured onto these plains found repre- sentatives of the great Dakota nation in possession. The particular band or branch of this Sioux people who roamed over the hills and prairies between the James and Missouri rivers was the Yanktonais or Yanktons. They occupied most of the James River Valley as far down as the mouth of the James and northward to the Minnewaukan region. Their relatives, the Sissetons were on the east; to the north were the Chippewas and the Assina- boins; to the west the Teton band of the Dakotas, and to the south the Pawnees and the Omahas. When Lieutenant Warran visited Dakota in 1855, he estimated the Yankton band at 1160 lodges with a population of over 9,000, of whom about 1800 were warriors. They were a spirited, self-reliant people and when drawn into war with the whites took their full share in opposing the encroachments of the invaders.
The Cut-Head band of the Yanktonais were the ones whose territory included the James and the Elm rivers, but as none of the bands were fixed to any locality they roamed over much of what is east of the Missouri river in the two states. They were called Cut-Heads from the peculiar arrange- ment of their hair, and on this account they could probably be easily re- cognized by other Indians and by the whites after acquaintance had been established. The Cut-Head band has furnished at least two well known characters to the annals of Indian history. One of these was Red Thunder, or, as he became known to the white people, Chapa, the Beaver. This chief was won over to the British side in the War of 1812, presumably by his brother-in-law, Colonel Robert Dickson of the British army. Through Dickson's influence a party of Sissetons and some Cut-Heads from the Elm river country went east to the region of Lake Erie to help the British. This group of warriors heard that the American army was likely to attack their homes in the Northwest and left the British army without giving much help. It is said that Red Thunder remained with the British, and his son Waneta rendered distinguished service at Fort Meigs, Ohio. Waneta won the name of the "Charger" for his gallantry at this battle and after the war was taken to England and presented to the King. It is difficult to say how much of
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