USA > South Dakota > Jerauld County > A history of Jerauld county, South Dakota > Part 11
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39
Media-M. D. Crow, Conway Thompson and B. G. Cummings.
Anina-S. S. Moore, O. F. Kellogg and A. D. Cady.
Dale-O. W. Richardson, A. Mercer and Frank Eastman.
Wessington Springs-C. W. McDonald, Wm. Hawthorne and W. I. Bateman.
Viola -- J. M. Primmer, L. G. Wilson and Wm. Dixon.
Alpena-L. N. Loomis, F. W. Whitney and D. F. Royer.
Franklin-Joseph Doctor, W. P. Pierce and D. M. Black.
Blaine-B. Wheeler-(probably J. M. Wheeler), M. W. Young and "Thos. Bigger.
On August Ist the committee called the first delegate republican con- vention to meet at the county building in Wessington Springs on the 6th day of Sept., 1884, at I P. M. to transact the following business: To elect two delegates to attend the congressional convention to be held at Pierre on Sept. 17, 1884 ; to select six delegates to attend the legislative convention at Mitchell, Oct. 8th; to nominate county officers and elect a county central committee. The townships were given representation as follows :
Blaine three ; Viola three ; Crow Lake three ; Anina two ; Logan three ;
119
Franklin three ; Wessington Springs two; Media two; Dale two; Pleasant three; Crow three; Alpena three; Harmony two; Chery two; Marlar two; Making a total of thirty-eight.
The committee also appointed a committee for each commissioner dis- trict of the county as follows:
No. 1-L. N. Loomis, Albert Gunderson and J. M. Wheeler.
No. 2-J. E. McNamara, A. J. Lowder and B. F. Goff.
No. 3-H. A. Pierce, E. S. Waterbury and Joseph O'Brien.
In 1884, Jerauld county had no regularly elected member of the district legislative committee, but when the committee met at Mitchell on July 31st, O. G. Woodruff of Alpena, attended the meeting and was permitted to represent the county.
On the 6th day of Sept .; 1884, the first delegate convention of the Republican party of Jerauld county met according to the call of the com- mittee, and organized by electing Thos. H. Null, of Waterbury as both- - temporary and permanent chairman, F. B. Phillips, of Alpena and E. J. Mentzer, of Crow Lake, were elected to attend the congressional con- vention, and H. Herring, O. W. Richardson, D. F. Royer, G. McDonald and Joseph O'Brien were sent to the convention at Mitchell. The county ticket nominated was as follows :
Register of Deeds-L. N. Loomis.
Probate Judge-T. H. Null.
Clerk of Courts-Albert Gunderson.
County Attorney-N. J. Dunham.
Supt. of Schools-J. T. Johnston.
County Treasurer-H. A. Pierce.
Assessor-R. S. Vessey.
Coroner-D. F. Royer.
Sheriff-J. M. Spears.
Surveyor-J. M. Corbin.
Justices-O. E. Gaffin, W. L. Davis, H. P. Jones and C. E. Hackett. Constables-Jacob Rosenthal, W. E. Dement, Mark Williams and J. C. Johnson.
The result of the convention was very unsatisfactory to a large num- ber of people of the county. The local paper, The Herald, refused to publish the proceedings of the convention and for several weeks did not even print the ticket. It was evident from the date of the convention that a bitter fight was pending. No record was preserved of the per- sonel of the convention, and I have been compelled to rely upon my own memory and that of others who were delegates, or attendants, on that memorable occasion. The following is the list of delegates as nearly correct as I have been able to ascertain.
I20
Alpena-F. B. Philips, O. G. Woodruff and D. F. Royer.
Dale-John Teasdale and O. W. Richardson.
Chery-H. A. Miller and
Harmony-J. R. Eddy and Daniel Mitchell.
Marlar -- J. M. Corbin and T. J. Hunt.
Crow-T. H. Null, H. Herring and C. V. Martin.
Pleasant-S. Marlenee, James Foster and Moses Shaw.
Media-Theo. Dean and M. D. Crow.
Wessington Springs-J. A. McDonald and E. L. Smith.
Franklin-W. P. Pierce, O. O. Lindebak and L. J. Grisinger.
Blaine-J. M. Wheeler, Geo. Rychman and Thos. Bigger.
Viola-J. A. Tyner, M. W. Nesmith and T. K. Ford.
Anina-N. E. Williams and C. E. Little.
Crow Lake-Joseph O'Brien, Thos. Henning and E. J. Mentzer. Logan-J. A. Riegal, H. A. Robinson and H. A. Frick.
Although that first delegate convention was charged with all sorts of political chicanery, it was probably as fair as any that have followed. Each candidate did his best to win and to accomplish that result he and his friends resorted to every available known political maneuver. Before the day of the convention the Republican party in the county had become divided into two factions, so bitterly opposed that reconsiliation was im- possible. The defeated candidates went out of the meeting firmly deter- mined not to be bound by the result.
Although a candidate for clerk of courts had been nominated, the nomination was in no way effective, for the supreme court decided, a few days later, that that officer was appointed by the judges in the different districts and not elective.
The Democrats of the county met at the Wessington Springs on Sept. 13th to organize that party. John N. Dynes, of Dale township, was chairman of the meeting and B. R. Shimp, of Pleasant, secretary. A county committee was elected consisting of one member from each town- ship, as follows :
Alpena-Geo. D. Canon.
Dale-John N. Dynes.
Chery-Ben Drake. Harmony-Jeff. Sickler. Marlar- Crow-U. E. Babb. Pleasant-B. R. Shimp. Media-John Kugler.
Wessington Springs-R. M. Magee. Franklin-I. P. Ray.
12I
Blaine-
Viola- Anina-
Crow Lake-Mr. Hoffman.
Logan- -
Mr. G. D. Canon was elected chairman of the committee. The fol- lowing resolution, introduced by Mr. Magee, was unanimously adopted.
"Resolved, that the Democratic party of Jerauld county, Dak., as organized this 13th day of Sept., 1884, is in favor of a just and fair representation of all the legal voters of the county in the selection of county officers, and declares itself opposed to all rings and caprices gotten up by any party, or set of men, for the purpose of benefiting a few favored individuals."
All the commissioner district conventions were held on the 27th of Sept. In the first district Mr. Fisher was nominated, without opposition, to succeed himself. In the second district Mr. L. G. Wilson, of Viola, was nominated at Wessington Springs, to succeed Mr. Smart. In the third district the convention was held at Waterbury and was the most stubbornly contested of any convention ever held in the county. The convention met at 2 P. M. and continued, with an intermision of one hour for supper, until eleven o'clock that night. The candidates were S. H. Melcher and Joseph O'Brien of Crow Lake and J. E. Sullivan, of Pleasant. On the last ballot O'Brien's strength went to Sullivan and he was nominated with one majority. Sixty-seight ballots were taken.
On the 3rd of Oct., Chairman Canon published the first call for a de- mocratic nominating convention, to meet at Wessington Springs on Oc- tober IIth.
Meanwhile the trouble in the Republican ranks was taking the forin of organized opposition.
A mass convention of those opposed to the Republican ticket nomin- ated on the 6th of Sept. was called to meet Oct. 25th, to nominate a people's ticket for county officers. This call was issued Oct. 10, and was signed as follows :
O. O. England, I. N. Rich, W. A. Miller, O. J. Marshall, William Bremmer, J. O. Grey, E. A Sowerwine, Gordon McDonald, N. E. Wil- liams and M. W. Nesmith.
The Democrats met in mass convention persuant to the call issued by the committee chairman. The Waterbury brass band was engaged for the occassion. A motion was made to wait until the meeting of the dis- satisfied republicans and then "fuse" with them, but it was voted down and the convention proceeded to put in nomination a full county ticket. The candidates named were :
.
. 122
Register of Deeds-G. D. Canon.
Sheriff-G. F. Hodges.
Clerk District Court-R. M. Magee.
Probate Judge-H. M. Rice.
Treasurer-C. E. Thayer.
Coroner-Dr. J. M. Hull.
Surveyor-H. J. Wallace.
Supt. of Schools-B. R. Shimp. Justices-U. E. Babb, O. E. Gaffin, M. C. Ayers and J. O. Gray. Constables-Henry Krumwied, Mark Williams, John Kugler and L. W. Castleman.
On October 24th, Mr. T. L. Blank announced in the Wessington Springs Herald that he was an independent candidate for election to the position he then held, that of register of deeds.
The next day, Oct. 25th, the peoples convention met at the county building in Wessington Springs. The room was not large enough to hold the enthusiastic crowd. O. O. England called the meeting to order and Thos. Whiffin was made chairman. O. J. Marshall, C. E. Thayer and J. A. Tyner were appointed a committee on resolutions. The voting was by ballot on the positions of register of deeds and county treasurer. The balance of the ticket was nominated by acclamation. On the position of register of deeds seventy-four votes were cast, of which T. L. Blank received forty-six, H. C. Stephens fifteen and L. N. Loomis thirteen. For treasurer W. J. Williams received sixty-nine votes and C. E. Thayer nine. When completed the peoples ticket was as follows :
Register of Deeds-T. L. Blank.
Supt. of Schools-R. Y. Hazard.
Sheriff-J. M. Spears.
Probate Judge-H. M. Rice.
Treasurer-W. J. Williams.
Assessor-R. S. Vessey.
Coroner-M. W. Nesmith.
Surveyor-J. M. Corbin.
Justices-Hiram Freeman, E. A. Herman, M. C. Ayers and M. W. Young.
Constables-Fred Strasser, H. P. Jones, J. C. Johnson and L. W. Castleman.
The committee on resolutions made the following report which was adopted :
WHEREAS: The nominations for the public officers of this, our home, Jerauld county, have to a certain extent been made by a ring of political tricksters, instead of by the people of the county, be it
·
123
Resolved, The people of Jerauld county, in mass convention, do here- by protest against all such dishonesty, trading or trickery, which tends to defeat the will of the people.
Resolved, That we hereby invite all those interested in the cause of honest politics, irrespective of party, to join us in the coming election, in obtaining a fair square expression of the true will of the voters of Jerauld county.
Resolved, That we do not advocate the creation of factions, or side issues, but demand that good will and peace may be united in securing the express will of the people.
On October 3Ist Mr. Hazard announced himself an independent can- didate for the position of Co. Supt. of Schools.
The candidates were now all in the field and the issue fully under- stood by everybody in the county, which was-who shall have the offices. To this was added a quadrangular fight for the county seat.
Crow Lake, though unplatted as a town, and Waterbury, had both entered the race as avowed candidates, Lyndale had been platted in August, and was making a hard struggle.
On October 3Ist the Wessington Springs Herald printed a bond in the sum of $2000 for the fufillment of the "combined proposition" that . had been accepted by the county commissioners on Jan. 18, 1884. To this bond was attached the names of C. S. Burr, D. A. Scott, C. E Bourne, P. R. Barrett, A. B. Smart and Mrs. R. J. Smart. The election occurred on Nov. 4th. The bond was never heard of again.
The contest continued until the last vote was cast on election day. The result was as follows:
Register of Deeds-L. N. Loomis.
Supt. of Schools-J. T. Johnson.
Sheriff-J. M. Spears.
Probate Judge-H. M. Rice.
Treasurer-W. J. Williams.
Assessor-R. S. Vessey.
Coroner-D. F. Royer.
Surveyor-J. M. Corbin.
County Commissioners :
Ist District-H. D. Fisher.
2nd District-L. G. Wilson.
3rd District-J. E. Sullivan.
County Seat-Wessington Springs, 395; Lyndale, 285; Crow Lake. 71 ; and Waterbury, 64.
For Superintendent of Schools, Mr. Hazard was defeated by one vote. On Nov. 14th, after the returns of the election had been canvassed
124
and the result declared, the chairman of the board of commissioners, on motion of Mr. Melcher, was instructed to proceed to secure title to the county of the property specified in the "combined proposition." Nothing further was ever done about it.
For the position of county attorney the canvassing board refused to count the vote, on the ground that the county was not entitled to such an officer. The matter was made the subject of a good deal of bitter discussion for several months and finally dropped.
Chapter 15.
After the excitement engendered by the political campaign of 1884 had subsided, affairs went on toward the development of the county along many lines.
In the latter part of December, 1884, Judge A. J. Edgerton of the 2nd judical district, of which Jerauld was a part, made an order attaching that county to Aurora for judicial purposes.
The season of 1884, like the preceding one, was propitious. There was no frost in the county until October 6th, and all crops were secured in excellent condition.
A few losses had been occassioned by fires, which will be mentioned in a chapter devoted to that subject exclusively.
The result of the vote on the location of the county seat, of course put an end to all hope of making a town at Lyndale. Within a few weeks . after the vote was taken Mr. McNamara took the Jerauld County News back to Wessington Springs and opened a printing office in a building that had been erected for him about where the fire house now stands. A few months later the building in which the paper had been printed at Lyndale was sold to E. L. Smith, who moved it, also, to Wessington Springs and placed it on Blowers addition to that town.
C. E. Thayer was appointed deputy treasurer on the 29th day of November, 1884, by W. J. Williams. Mr. Thayer qualified three days later.
In 1885 the winter set in on the 6th day of January, and continued very cold until about March 15th, when it "broke," and the settlers began their spring work.
During the month of February, 1885, E. H. Ford had a notion store in his building on the south side of Main St. in Wessington Springs.
In March, 1885, Vessey Bros., Ransom & Co. built a machinery ware-
125
Mrs. E. V. Miles.
C. E. Hackett.
Wessington Springs Band at Alpena, July 4th, 1885.
I26
house on the northwest corner of Main and 2nd Streets. It stood until V'essey Bros. built the new store in 1903.
During the same month ( March) L. N. Loomis began hauling lumber for a residence on College Ave. in Smart's Addition to Wessington Springs, and R. S. Vessey began excavating for his house in the county seat.
About the Ist of April, John Chapman moved his blacksmith tools from his farm on section 17-107 -- 64, into a new shop just completed by L. H. Tarble.
About the same time the teacher and pupils in District No. I of Wes- sington Springs township, set out twenty-eight trees furnished them by Mr. Tofflemier, and Mr. L. G. Wilson of Viola, offered a tree to each pupil in the township if they would plant it where they expected to attend school.
In the second week in June a culvert was put in the ravine on Main St. between 3rd and 4th Streets. A small bridge had already been put across the ravine in the block east, but while these crossings were good enough for the summer, the ice in winter for several years closed the passage and formed a slippery mound tht rendered the road almost im- passable during the cold weather.
On June 18th, 1885, Vessey Bros., Ransom & Co. began digging the cellar for a new store building on the southwest corner of Main and 2nd streets. A few days later Mr. Marlenee began work on the building, which the firm occupied Sept. 1, 1885.
August 20th of that year two young men came to Wessington Springs from New Lisbon, Wis., to look over the situation with a view to locating. They were so well pleased with the prospect that they immediately pur- chased the stock of the N. D. Wilder store and a week later the adver- tisement of Roth Bros. appeared in the local papers.
The county commissioners on July 24th let to W. S. Scofield the con- tract for grading the road located by the county over the hills west of town, going on the north side of the draw west of the big spring. The contract price for the work was $198.00 and Mr. Scofield agreed to put in the culvert provided for in the arrangement with Mr. McDonald, for $25.00. The work was completed in the forepart of September.
On Sept. 13th the road overseer of Wessington Springs township be- gan the first work on the Main street of the village.
During the summer a census of the county was taken, which gave the county a population of 2,103 and Wessington Springs township 345.
A young man named James Waters came up from Sioux City in the forepart of October, 1885, and opened a pool hall in the Housel & Arnold building, which had been recently vacated by Vessey Bros., Ran-
127
som & Co. This building stood on the south side of Main St. where Shull's drug store now stands.
In November, 1885, Thomas Drake put up the building on the north side of Main St. in Wessington Springs, now occupied by Ausman and Wallace.
About the same time Mrs. Spears moved the office part of what she afterwards named the Willard Hotel, from the lot south of Roth's store, where it was built, to the ground upon which it now stands.
In December of that year, J. H. Woodburn and F. M. Brown formed a partnership to do blacksmithing and woodwork in a shop west of 2nd street and north of Main street in Wessington Springs.
At Crow Lake Mr. Lodge dissolved his partnership relation with Mr. Derrick and formed business relations with Chas. Ferguson. This con- tinued until June 3rd, 1885, when the firm sold out to J. T. Glasham, who conducted the store for many years. About the same time the people of Crow Lake and vicinity petitioned the county commissioners to put a public highway around the lake. The petition was dismissed.
In May of that year Mrs. Allyn and Mr. Lodge employed T. L. Blank to survey and plat the townsite of Crow Lake, on some land owned by thent at the southwest corner of the lake.
At Lyndale H. A. Robinson, having finished his building, put in a stock of groceries in February, 1885, and kept up the business until later in the year he sold to W. A. Pound.
At Alpena a number of business changes were made in the year 1885.
Ray Barber engaged in livery business, using the barn that stood back of the hotel.
A lady named Harris purchased the building formerly occupied by R. Davenport as a restaurant, and continued the business.
J. T. Johnston, County Supt., built the third grain warehouse and continued to do grain business in it until he sold to McMichael in 1887. This warehouse was changed to an elevator in' 1901.
On the Ioth day of December occurred one of the most important events in the social and business life of Alpena. This was the organiza- tion of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. The charter members of the lodge were seven in number: Daniel F. Royer, Wilmot. W. Hillis, Charles Davis, Leopold Dietz, John C. Zimmerman, W. W. Huxtable and Andrew Westdahl. There were thirteen initials at the first meeting of the lodge, viz .: W. T. Hay, Ray Barber, L. J. Pratt, F. W. Whitney, C. R. Manwarning, J. R. Milliken, E. J. Makemson, W. A. Linn, L. H. McCarger, R. Davenport, L. J. McWilliams, Lewis Fenstemaker, and Frank Adams. Of the men present at that meeting only Ray · Barber
ŕ
128
and W. W. Hillis remain in the town. The lodge now has a membership of 72, while the Rebekah lodge has nearly 100 members.
About the first of January, 1885, L. N. Loomis, being compelled to spend most of his time in the registers office at Wessington Springs, W. L. Davis again took charge of the Jerauld County Journal, and continued to manage the paper until Mr. Loomis rented the Journal office, paper and all. to L. H. McCarger, July 25th, 1885.
The year 1884 had seen the town of Sulphur Springs gradually grow smaller by the removal of one building after another until with the close of the year but one remained,-the hotel was occupied by the family of R. A. Wheeler. The night of January Ist, 1885, was a pleasant one and mild for that time of the year. Sometime in the night a fire broke out in the hotel and the next morning but a heap of smouldering embers market the spot where the last Sulphur Springs land mark had dis- appeared.
The churches of the county had more trouble during the year 1885 than other institutions.
At Alpena, L. C. Burch, the conference appointee for reasons best known to himself and the church left his charge in March and was suc- ceeded by Rev. W. H. Hoadley, who remained until the close of the con- ference year. On Oct. - 3th, Rev. J. Trewartha was placed at Alpena and Wessington Springs by the conference and proved satisfactory to the people and the church. At Wessington Springs the year was welcomed at a watch meeting in the M. E. Church. At this meeting as the clock indicated the hour of midnight, Mr. C. W. McDonald arose and in a ten minutes talk delivered an address that has seldom, if ever, been equaled in the county.
W. D. Luther, appointed by the conference in October, 1884, to suc- ceed Mr. Campbell, was asked before spring to resign the charge and seek some other place. Luther was succeeded by L. F. Daniels, who was confirmed as pastor July 16th, 1885, put shortly after resigned. He was followed by Mr. W. H. Jordan, who supplied the place until Mr. Tre- wartha came at the beginning of the conference year in October.
The church at Waterbury had lost their church building, but the public school house afforded them ample accommodation. They were fortunate, however, in receiving Rev. Paganhart as the appointee from the con- ference.
At the residence of C. G. Smith on the NE of 35 in Harmony, the Friends began holding religious services and Sunday School February Ist. 1885.
A few days later Mrs. C. G. Smith began teaching a private school at
1
129
her home, which was attended by her daughter Ora and by Walter and Marion Grieve.
About the same time Mrs. S. B. Knowlton began a school at the home of her father, Lewis Nordyke on the SW of 17 in Harmony township, which was attended by her brother Charley Nordyke, her daughters, Ger- tie and Ollie Knowlton, and Anna Titus.
April 11th, 1885, the Friends began holding meetings in the Grieve school house in Harmony township.
Mrs. S. F. Huntley, of Harmony township, was recorded in the Friend's Church as a minister of that denomination, July 10th, 1885.
In 1885, from the house of Mr. Huntley, on the SE of Sec. 33-108 -66, eighty-one residences could be counted.
The first township teachers institutes in the county were held in Chery and Pleasant townships in February, 1885. Those in Chery were called by C. W. Hill, director, and those in Pleasant by G. W. Trollope, town- ship school clerk.
The new board of county commissioners, J. E. Sullivan, L. G. Wilson and H. D. Fisher took the oath of office January 5th, 1885, and Mr. Fisher was made chairman.
January 6th, 1885, the treasurer's bond was fixed at $20,000. The next day the Jerauld County News was made official paper of the county.
January 15th the county clerk's (register of deeds) salary was in- creased to $300 per year and County Supt. to $250. On the same day R. S. Vessey and Joseph O'Brien were reappointed members of the county brand committee. The board made Dr. E. L. Turner and R. M. Magee members of the board of insanity, the probate judge, H. M. Rice, being the other member by virtue of his office.
On April 28th, 1885, the townsite company and Hiram Blowers offered the county four blocks of lots if the commissioners would locate the court house on the hill, where it now stands. The offer was accepted. There is nothing to indicate that this was in any manner a substitute for the "combined proposition" about which so much had been said during the year 1884.
But little, aside from the routine work of the county, was done by the commissioners in the year of 1885. On July 10th the board requested Judge Edgerton to make Jerauld county a judicial subdivision. The re- quest was granted on the 24th of the same month and the order detaching Jerauld from Aurora county was entered in the court records by clerk McDonald, Aug. 4th, 1885.
August 26th the board requested Mr. Samuel Marlenee to prepare plans for a court house and vault, and instructed the clerk to advertise
130
for bids for building the same, the bids to be opened the first Monday in September.
On the 7th of Sept. the tax levy was made as follows: County gen- eral fund, 6 mills ; bridge fund, 2 mills ; road fund, 2 mills ; and county school fund, 2 mills. The territorial levy for that year was three and seven tenths mills.
The bids for building the court house being opened on the day ap- pointed, the contract was let to Sam Marlenee. The plan. called for a building 32x40 ft., two stories high. The vault to be of double walls. 8x6 ft., inside measure. The structure was to cost not to exceed $2,000. of which the county agreed to pay $1,750 and certain persons in Wessing- ton Springs $250. The contract required the completion of the structure by the 15th of Nov., 1885. On Sept. 2nd Wm. Brinner began building the foundation for the court house and on the evening of Nov. 12th a dedicatory ball in the court room celebrated the finishing of the work.
The dance at the new court room on the 12th of Nov., 1885, was a notable occasion. People were in attendance from all parts of the county. The committees were as follows :
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.