USA > North Dakota > Dickey County > History Of Dickey County, ND, 1930 > Part 12
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The day after arrival in Ellendale they unloaded the cars on the ground and set about hauling their property out to the claims, but the families stayed in town for a while. As soon as the cars were unloaded Ed was put to work till mid summer helping dig a cellar for a house and a hole for a basement barn; then when that was done he hired out to a neighbor to shock grain at $13.00 a month till after harvest. The father put up a real house and a barn that summer, doing the work himself. Both families wintered out on the claims that year. There was nothing to do but care for what little stock they had and amuse themselves with cards or other little parties.
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There were no fences to mark the roads, and it was quite a trip to go to Ellendale, so they did not go very often. The home was there till about 1909. In 1900 Ed married and lived on a rented farm at Orient, then moved back to Dickey County to his present location, where he has built up a splendid farm home.
Jim Johnson landed in Frederick on March 23rd, 1883, and went out to Guelph to take up land. Mr. Johnson and a man named Axtell had come out together from Kalamazoo, Michigan. They brought two cars of emi- grant stuff, and found traffic on the railroad so great that they ran into a real blockade and were nine days on the road. To locate their land they started at the Brown County line, measured out with a tape line, and made an allowance of twenty rods for variation when the land was surveyed. They unloaded the two cars at Frederick and drove across to Section 35 in Ada Township. Jim took a tree claim and a pre-emption but soon con- verted the tree claim into a homestead. He had an experience in 1884 that shows the big hearts of the old timers. He had thirty acres of ground pre- pared for which he had no seed. His man asked him what he was going to do with it. Jim answered, "Nothing, I haven't anything to get seed with." The fellow said, "I have thirty dollars that isn't working, take it and get some seed and put it in." Mr. Johnson did, went to Ellendale and bought some Scotch fife wheat, took it out to his place sowed it by hand and covered it by scratching it over with a spring tooth harrow on which he had hitched a team of five hundred pound ponies. He got 500 bushels of fine wheat so was able to return the thirty dollars and did not have to pay usury. He stayed on the homestead twelve years, then moved into Ellendale where he resided for seven years and then located on a farm west of town.
Charlie Ward, as he was best known, was an early comer whose home was on the southeast of 21. He lived in Ellendale however, most of the time. His daughter, Mrs. Aaron Edgerly has lived in the township or the city ever since coming to the township.
H. H. Sperry was born at Eaton Rapids, Michigan, in 1843, his ancestors coming from Oneida, New York. He was a contractor and builder by trade, and came to Dakota Territory in 1882, settling on the southeast quarter of Section 25, -129-63. He is now living in Aberdeen, South Dakota. His son Robert Sperry married Miss Ruth Tousley of Ellendale.
Ellendale Township took its name from the city that was located within its borders and for the first organization the township and what is now the city were considered a unit. The people of the new settlement wanted better opportunity to organize and support a school, so under the territorial laws the northeast corner of the township, including Sections 1, 2, 3, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14 and 15 was formed into a school district on its own account. Soon after this the other three quarters of the territory of the township was organized as a district for school purposes. When the City of Ellendale organized a special district within its own territory it included only that
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part of the old district that was within the city limits. This left an outer zone of land around the city that was a duly constituted school district but without a school house or organized school. Since that time there have been three school districts within the township; the Ellendale Special, Ellendale School District No. 15 (what was left around the outside of the city), and Dickey School District No. 16 which was three quarters of the township, and which maintained three rural schools. Children living in Ellendale School District No. 15 attend the Ellendale City Schools by arrangement between the school boards.
In 1917 Ellendale School District No. 15 made an agreement with the State Normal and Industrial School to send its school children to a new Demonstration Rural School on the campus of the state school. As the school house in the southeast part of Dickey District was considered out of condition to house the children there, that School District also entered into a contract to send the children from that region to the Demonstration Rural School. This agreement was extended over two years and the Demonstra- tion School functioned as a first class rural school. The other part of the district not sending to the Demonstration School wanted better school facilities, so steps were taken to consolidate the west half of the town- ship, but that plan was changed to make the consolidation include the entire district, and although there was considerable rivalry between the parts of the district the proposition carried by a good majority in a popular vote. The district then put up a very substantial and commodious building with rooms for two teachers, and by so doing have not only a first class school but also a community center for their club meetings and other com- munity matters. The tenant farmers in Ellendale School District No. 15 moved away with their families, so the remaining school children were cared for in the Ellendale City Schools.
Representatives from the United States Department of Agriculture had been in Ellendale in the winter of 1916-1917 to look up the location of an aerological observation station. There was then only one station of this kind in the United States, that located near Omaha, Nebraska. On July 12, 1917, Mr. B. J. Sperry came up from Nebraska to complete the arrangements. He leased the southeast forty acres of the southeast quarter of Section 12 (129-63) from Dr. M. F. Merchant for this purpose. Dr. Merchant put up a two story building 26 by 48 feet for offices and instrument room. A build- ing for housing the kites and balloons, a steel tower to carry some of the instruments, and a revolving turret for the reel and instruments were erected. That fall a crew of four men put the station into operation. The station has not only the instruments ordinarily used in a weather observa- tory, but in addition has kites and balloons to test the upper atmosphere. A kite carrying a self-recording instrument which keeps a continuous record of the temperature, barometric pressure, humidity of the air and velocity of the wind is put up first, then other kites to carry the cable follow as needed.
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A cable length of 22,000 meters has been used for these flights. The balloons test the atmospheric pressure by being set to burst at certain pressure, and are observed for height when this occurs. Observations are conducted daily regardless of the weather and much valuable data is obtained in this way. There are now (1929) four other such stations in the United States.
In recent years there have been some excellent new farm homes estab- lished near Ellendale. P. J. Rasmussen from Albion township, when ready to retire from his large farm, bought ten acres one-fourth mile east of town and built a nice home with grounds which form a beauty spot of the en- tire region. A carpenter, John B. Millard, built for himself and family a large house south of town, but unfortunately this has changed owners several times and has not been kept up well. Mr. R. J. Mueller came over from Cogswell and bought the northwest eighty of Section 1 in 1916 and has built up a home that stands as an example of what can be done in a few years in building a home from the raw prairie. Tom Fleming has put in a set of excellent farm buildings and built up a pretty farm home on the north of Section 9 thus making another attractive place from raw pasture land in a few years. Frank Leamer put up a new and modern set of build- ings on the southeast corner of his farm on the northeast quarter of Section 10. A. C. Strand established a new farmstead by placing buildings and modern improvements near the northwest corner of the southwest quarter of Section 11, and is rapidly making it a place of beauty by planting a grove for a windbreak and ornamental trees on the front lawn, showing what a few years of good care can accomplish. Joe Lantz, in 1927-28 built a thoroughly modern home on a parcel of land adjoining the Rasmussen place on the west and will make another beauty spot there. Among the newer farmers of Ellendale township should be mentioned Clark Pierce, Wm. Rietz, J. P. Shoemaker, Otto Durheim and Robert Hall.
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CHAPTER XIII
THE TOWNSHIP OF VAN METER, 129-62
[This chapter is compiled from the recollections and incidents related by W. P. Brown, James Pollock, John H. Van Meter, Mrs. W. H. H. Mallory, Jess Wilson, Herman Liamatta, Ed. N. Leiby, Henry Dinsmore, Mrs. Will Stores, Nels Bjornstad, and others.]
L AN Meter Township is located by government survey as Township 129, Range 62. It is crossed by the Maple River which flows south and is spanned by six steel and concrete bridges. It is a level and very fertile prairie township, being entirely occupied by well tilled farms. It was settled in 1882 and 1883, before the land was surveyed, and the older residents were "squatters." Ed. N. Leiby was the first to establish a residence, which was made on the southwest quarter of Section 7. This he sold to Dr. Wilkins. This township was in the Aberdeen land district and was very easy to reach from Ellendale, so the land jumpers, who were on the lookout to get loca- tions, could easily make trouble, and the settlers had to stay on their lands to avoid contests. The land was taken so rapidly that it is difficult to know the order in which the homesteaders came.
James Pollock came out from Huron County, Ontario, in the fall of 1882 and put up a shanty on Section 30. He went east for the winter, and returned with a car of emigrant goods and a team in the spring of 1883, only to find a jumper on his claim; so he hunted up another place and filed a pre-emption on the west half of the southwest quarter, and the west half of the northwest quarter of Section 34. His wife had come out by passenger train and as soon as his shanty was up they became actual residents, proving up on the pre-emption in the fall of 1883, on a six months' residence and the payment of $1.25 per acre.
The Mullen boys,-R. J. and James,-located west of the Pollock farm; also a man named Turnbull who came from Canada. Mr. Pollock bought a relinquishment from Jo Locey in the same section, which gave him a fine farm, which he afterwards sold to Howard Linnell. It is now one of the best farms in the county. The first Mrs. Pollock passed away soon after coming here, and Mr. Pollock married Annie Redmond. Miss Redmond. had proved up a homestead in Kent Township. She was one of the few girls who maintained an actual five year residence on her homestead, showing her pure Irish grit. The story of her pioneer experiences is a part of the story of that township.
Mr. Pollock had an extra good yoke of oxen and did forty acres of breaking on his own land in his first year, besides plowing for others and
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picking up several loads of buffalo bones. He was among the first in the county to own and operate a threshing machine, which he did successfully for several years. He also cut and stacked a large amount of hay, selling much of it in Ellendale, built a large barn, partly dug-out and partly sod and developed a well stocked and prosperous farm. In later years he pur- chased a home in San Benito, Texas, where he lives for a part of the year but still comes back to the old home for the summers.
John H. VanMeter was an original settler after whom the township was named. He and his brother E. W. VanMeter came up to the end of the track where there was only a board shanty and a tent. After getting their breakfast in the tent they went out to look over the country. There was some fresh snow on the ground but they looked up some land that suited them, went back to the tent for dinner and hired a man to put up some shanties on four quarters, then walked back to Frederick to find a place to stay over night. From there they went back to Wisconsin to get their tool chest and an outfit with which to set up homesteading. They, with another brother, H. J. VanMeter, and Will and D. A. McLeod, came back to find a new town laid out and a large number of people taking claims. The interior of the townships had not been subdivided so the VanMeters went to running out section lines and helping the settlers in locating. Mr. John H. VanMeter took claims on the east half of Section 8 on the 12th day of May, 1882. He set out the tree claim on the southeast quarter of Section 8 which is now thriving and is a monument to his memory. This grove and the homestead are now the farm property of Mr. Scaggs. H. J. VanMeter took the northwest of Section 8 and the southwest of Section 5. About this same time two sisters of Mr. VanMeter, Mrs. Dyer and Mrs. Mary A. Chambers, took claims, also Emily V. Hughes (afterwards Mrs. Ackley) Clara Watson, and James Bunker, all from Hudson, Wisconsin. W. P. Brown took the northwest of Section 31; John A. Brown and John A. Green located in Section 31. Irving Van Vleck and the Gamble boys settled on Sec- tion 1, and as the land was getting well covered with claims Mr. VanMeter quit locating and went to work at his trade as a carpenter. The land came into market so they could make their filings in December of 1882. Many of these early comers went back to their old homes for that winter. Van Vleck sold his farm on the south half of Section 1 at a later time to Mr. Babcock, who put up the first silo in the township and specialized in dairying and Holstein cattle.
John C. Brown came out from Eaton Rapids, Michigan, in the fall of 1882, looked over the land and went back for the winter. He came out again in the spring of 1883 with a car load of emigrant goods. His family came later (wife with three boys and three girls, "and two bird cages"). They settled on Section 32, 129-62, on April 14th, 1883. They put down the first drilled well in the township, but the water tasted so strong from the pine curbing that it could not be used. In common with all new settlers
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they had a fine garden on the new breaking. Mrs. Brown complained of the mosquitoes; they were worse in 1882 and 1883 than they have ever been since. She also remembers that the wheat in 1887 brought forty-five cents per bushel, while in 1888 it brought $1.20, and the yield was large too.
August Peterson settled on Section 2, in 1883, working at his trade of blacksmithing in Ellendale, while his family lived on and improved the home- stead. Their place at the crossing of the Maple River on the road to Port Emma was a familiar land mark, and became the stopping place for many people. Mr. Peterson raised a large family, most of whom are still residents of the county and are exemplary and enterprising citizens. His son Hans now owns the old homestead.
W. H. H. Mallory was a Civil War Veteran who took advantage of the Homestead Act by which his service time could be counted upon residence requirement. He came up to Dakota Territory in 1882 by way of Jamestown and then to Dickey County on foot. He made selection of the northeast quarter of Section 32, 129-62, and then went back to his home in Eaton Rapids, Michigan, for the winter. He came back early in the spring of 1883 to put up a shanty and help others to build, as he was a carpenter by trade.
In April, 1883, there were fifteen families of Michigan people arrived in Ellendale to make their homes. They reached Ellendale on a cold stormy night about midnight, and as the one boarding house was overcrowded all of them had to stay in the little depot until morning. The Mallory family, consisting of the parents and four children moved their household goods out to the claim shanty, which was not completed. A rain soaked their goods as their introduction to the new country, and for some time they stayed with the John C. Brown family who were near neighbors. They found the new country different from their Michigan home in many ways. Water was scarce and it was hard to get good wells. Prairie fires in summer and bliz- zards in winter gave them rather unpleasant variety. However, they raised a good garden and wonderful potatoes, and in that first winter secured an antelope for fresh meat.
Mrs. Mallory says, "There were no churches nearer than Ellendale, but during the summer time that did not prevent those who cared to do so from attending church, as the lumber wagon was drafted into service; taking lunch with us and starting early, the day was spent in town attend- ing church and meeting friends, returning home towards evening."
A school was held near the Mallory home with Mrs. Mallory's sister Lillian Godfrey as teacher. After the school house was built a Sunday School was organized to meet in it. This afterwards became VanMeter School No. 1. A boat ride on the "Roaring Maple" was an incident that lingers in the memory of the young people. The Mallorys moved into Ellen- dale in 1893, where the father worked at his trade and where the family still lives.
The Dinsmore family settled in the south part of the township, and at
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one time farmed twelve quarters of land adjacent to the homestead which was on Section 22. The head of the family, Henry Dinsmore, was a Civil War veteran and a very public spirited man. He now resides with his son, Charles, in South Dakota, where they are engaged in the merchantile busi- ness. Charles Dinsmore was the manager of the farm, and they engaged largely in the raising of horses and cattle, although their grain crops covered from 1000 to 2000 acres.
Two of the Wilson brothers, Ed and Jess, took claims in VanMeter Township. Jess Wilson has kept his home on the southeast of Section 11, while his brother Ed. has made his home in Ellendale. Another brother, Arthur G. Wilson, had his home in the township for a time, but has made his home in Ellendale since the early days.
Charles Perry came in early and located on the north half of Section 19. He was an older brother of the Hon. H. H. Perry of Ellendale. He was a good farmer and raised fine stock.
Besides those already named the following were some of the early settlers; W. W. Davis, Fred Gidner, Dan McLeod, Justin Meachen, C. A. Morrison, Thomas Sefton, Thomas Upton. The parents of the Hatfield boys had a home in this township, and several had claims but did not remain more than the early years.
The first marriage in the township was that of Mr. and Mrs. H. E. Geschke, January 23rd, 1883, although J. C. Laubach went back to Indiana in the winter of 1882 and brought his new bride back in March of 1883. The question of the first birth lies between the child of Mr. and Mrs. Ben Wadsworth and a daughter born to Mr. and Mrs. James Pollock on August 31st, 1883. The first death was that of George F. Dinsmore who died from apoplexy on July 18th, 1883.
The first school in the township was taught by Lillian Godfrey, in the spring of 1884 in the Mussey shanty, over on the west line of the township. Miss Godfrey is a sister of Mrs. W. H. Mallory . She was sent for to open a school and came from Eaton Rapids, Michigan. The first school to be taught in a public school house was in the building at the southwest corner of the northeast quarter of Section 8, and Mrs. Fess was the teacher. This building was later moved up north into the next township.
The first township caucus was held at 2 P. M. on Saturday, March 1st, 1886, at the home of L. W. Wilkinson. The first organization of the town- ship was in connection with town 130 north (what is now Kentner) with Dr. Long as chairman and J. H. VanMeter and Ed Fountain as supervisors, and was called Carlton. But this organization did not continue very long before the large township was divided, in May, 1886. At the meeting to choose a name and elect officers the name VanMeter was chosen, and J. H. VanMeter was elected as chairman. About this time the two school districts were organized separately as VanMeter and Kentner.
Several prominent families of the township came in after the pioneering
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days. Mr. Will St. Ores and family lived for many years on the southwest quarter of Section 14, and were prominent and active citizens. They farmed extensively and raised and educated a family of four children. The Histori- cal Society is indebted to Mrs. St. Ores for many items included in this chapter. The family are now living in Ellendale.
On the river, on Section 15, the Billey homestead is located. Mr. Oscar Billey came to Dakota after settlement, and so had to purchase his present holdings. He has erected a fine set of farm buildings, the house being the largest and most commodious in the township. His large family have been given thorough schooling, passing through the district school and attending the State Normal and Industrial School at Ellendale. Five of these young people are now teaching in the schools of the state, and the oldest son is connected with the Dunwoodie Institute and lives in Minne- apolis.
In more recent years Mack Webster has built up a fine farm place on the northeast of Section 17, his buildings being the latest word in construc- tion and convenience. The place raises small fruit, tame hay and pure-bred hogs. On the southwest of the same section is the old farm home of the Schmierer family, where a number of fine young people were raised. The father and mother now have a fine home in Ellendale.
Among the other leading farmers of to-day are; Max Holweigler, Herman Lamatta, Howard Linnell, Charles Scaggs, Nels Bjornstad, W. J. Gayman, Chas. Wonderly, Carl Simmers, M. Schmierer, Jess Wilson, Mack Webster, and others. Of the early settlers of Van Meter, there are but seven who have stayed through the trying times of hard winters, short crops and little money, to witness the transformation from an unbroken prairie to a highly cultivated and well settled community of modern homes.
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CHAPTER XIV
ADA TOWNSHIP
[The authorities for this chapter are the stories of the pioneers, John Martin- son, Herman Liimala, John Laho, Mads Peterson, T. H. McGinnis.]
T HE first settler in this township was Mr. McPherson, who came about a week ahead of a group from Michigan. Then a party of home seekers came out by way of Jamestown, some of whom found claims in the township; about the same time a number of Finnish people came out from Calumet, Michigan, and located in the southern part of what is now Dickey County.
For several years people from Finland in their migration to America had come to Calumet, and there they found work in the mines. They were not miners but they readily adapted themselves to circumstances and were glad to find work. This very adaptability made these people good settlers of a new country and the general prosperity of the region they settled has shown their worth. An account of the new land that was available appeared in the form of an advertisement in their Finnish newspaper, as the promoters of the Milwaukee railroad were anxious to have the territory of their new extensions developed.
In the fall of 1882 a man named Abram Peldo came out from Calumet. to Frederick to look at the new land. Peldo liked the looks of the country around Frederick and went back with a favorable report to the colony in Michigan. A number of his friends and neighbors later came out and select- ed claims, putting up some kind of shanty to mark their location and hold their land.
In June of 1883, John Martinson came out with the families of John Laho and John Personen as well as his own family. Laho and Personen had come on ahead to get ready for the families. Mr. Martinson reports that he had his hands full. When they transferred from one depot to another in Minneapolis he had such a procession that he says it attracted the attention of the town. Mrs. Martinson has kept the vow she made at that time never to move again, and the family are still living on the homestead to which they came.
Some of the people who came out were not well posted upon conditions and they brought with them stump pullers, axes and logging tools with which to clear their land. They found a land much different from that in their Michigan home and were pleased that they could put their plows into the ground and turn over the soil without having to grub out the stumps.
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