History of Dakota Territory, volume I, Part 147

Author: Kingsbury, George Washington, 1837-; Smith, George Martin, 1847-1920
Publication date: 1915
Publisher: Chicago, Ill. : S.J. Clarke Publishing Company
Number of Pages: 1198

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relations of a profitable character with the Government. The New York colony of 1864 was secured through the efforts of Governor Edmunds, Surveyor General Hill, and Dr. W. A. Burleigh, at that time United States agent of the Yankton Indians. The early legislatures were uniformly averse to creating any debt against the territory for any purpose, not because of any parsimonious disposi- tion, but influenced altogether by the straightened circumstances of their con- stituents, they avoided taxation. Our immigration interests continued in this condition until 1870, there having been a turn in the financial condition of the people during the years 1868 and 1869, which increased the amount of taxable property, and furnished a small surplus to the credit of the territory. Prior to this, by limiting appropriations to the payment of the salaries of the territorial officers-the auditor, treasurer, and superintendent of public instruction and the purchase of necessary supplies for these officials, the territory had managed to keep out of debt. There had been considerable immigration to the territory in 1868 and 1869 which continued through 1870, so that when the first biennial session of the Legislature convened in December, 1870, there was manifest an optimistic sentiment among the members, and the discussion of railroad facilities and immigration were prominent among the topics talked about, and the prevail- ing opinion seemed to favor an organized effort to secure a proportion of the annual emigration that sought the west each year from the older Eastern States and from foreign countries. This sentiment found expression in a law providing for a commissioner of immigration, and appointing James S. Foster, who had led the New York colony to Dakota in to, and who had since been engaged in immigration work in connection with a real estate and loan business, to the office of commissioner. An appropriation of $500.00 was given to the com- missioner to be used at his discretion during the succeeding two years Ihre work during the following two years was reasonably successful, considering the

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limited means at his disposal, and in 1872 he was elected to the same position, and another appropriation of $500.00 was made by the Legislature of 1873, for the succeeding two years. Mr. Foster's first official report was submitted to the Legislature of 1875, as follows :

Office of Commissioner of Immigration, Yankton, D. T., December 10, 1874.

To the Honorable Legislative Assembly of the Territory of Dakota :

Gentlemen: The two years last past have been years of prosperity to this territory. A flood of immigration has been constantly pouring into the territory from the states and settling in every portion of our fair domain, adding fully 10,000 to our population. Grati- fying as this result is, we have still greater reason for congratulation in the fact that the German Russians, now coming to this country, have, after thorough investigation of the sections, decided to locate in Dakota. About five thousand of this emigration has already arrived and settled mostly in Yankton County. Bon Homme, Turner and Hutchinson counties. From this source alone we may reasonably expect 5,000 immigrants per annum. Considerable immigration has also arrived in Dakota from Norway and other European countries during the last year.

The limited appropriation for immigration purposes would not allow the commissioner to employ salaried agents in New York City, or to proceed to the Old World to induce immigration to our section. Still, several agents have been employed in England, Norway and Sweden, without pay, other than a nominal sum for postage and printing. General passage tickets to and from the old country have been furnished such agents.

The people of this territory have also contributed liberally for printing and expense money of agents sent to New York and other places to induce immigration to Dakota. Their efforts have generally proved successful. I respectfully recommend that the bureau of immigration be recognized by the providing for a board of immigration, to be composed of several members residing in different sections of the territory, each member represent- ing a district composed of several counties contiguous to each other. This method would allow all parts of the territory to be heard, and probably several different nationalities would be represented. Such a board would be more efficient than a single commissioner, because it would call forth the united support of all the people, because all could be repre- sented.

I also recommend an annual appropriation of such a sum of money for the expenses of the bureau of immigration as the Legislature in its wisdom may see fit to allow, con- fidently believing that any sum, well expended, would yield ample remuneration to the territory.

Respectfully submitted, JAMES S. FOSTER, Commissioner of Immigration.

Agreeable to the recommendation of the commissioner, a law providing for a territorial board of immigration was passed by the Legislature of 1875, which provided for the election, at each bi-ennial election in the territory, of two com- missioners of immigration, one to be known as superintendent ; and it was also provided that the Legislative Assembly in joint convention, should elect three other commissioners of immigration, one from each judicial district, who together should constitute a body politic under the name of the territorial board of immigration.

The law provided that the board should meet once in six months on the first Mondays of February and August, at such places as the board might designate ; the superintendent to be chairman. An office should be kept by the superintendent at such place as the board might select. The law prescribed the duties of the superintendent and members of the board in a general way, and pointed out the character of the work expected of them. An agent of the board was to be appointed in each organized county, who was to report to the board. An appropriation of $3,000 a year for each of the years 1875 and 1876 was incorporated in the law. The superintendent was given an annual salary of $800 exclusive of the appropriation, and the other members were to have such com- pensation for their time and expenses as the board should determine.

Ilon. Fred J. Cross, of Minnehaha County, was appointed by the law, super- intendent ; and Hon. Jacob Brauch, of Yankton County, commissioner ; to hold said offices until the first Monday in February, 1877, and until their successors were elected and qualified.

In accordance with this law, which was approved January 5, 1875, the

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appointed and elected members of the board met at Yankton, and organized on the 5th of February, 1875. Those present were Superintendent Cross, chairman ; Commissioner Brauch ; J. M. Wahl, of Lincoln County; Vale P. Thielman, of Turner County, and S. G. Roberts, of Cass County. J. M. Wahl, was elected auditor of the board, and Vale P'. Thielman, secretary.

The following named persons were appointed county agents :

First Judicial District-A. O. Ringsrud, Elk Point; R. U. Rassmissen, Clay County ; W. S. Smith, Lincoln County ; Charles MeDonald, Minnehaha Coumy ; M. D. L. Pettigrew, Moody County; C. W. Wright, Madison, Lake County; C. H. Stearns, Medary, Brookings County; E. H. Wilson, MeCook County; H. 11. Herrick, Gary, Deuel County.

Second Judicial District-Rev. J. J. Melntire, Finlay. Turner County ; Ex- Gov. Newton Edmunds. Yankton County; A. Ziennert, Bon Homme County; A. Sheridan Jones, Olivet, Hutchinson County ; J. D. Flick, Rockport, Arm- strong County ; Joseph Ellis, Wheeler, Charles Mix County.

Third Judicial District-J. J. Jackman, Bismarck ; Hector Bruce, Grand Forks; A. Sargent, Goose River, Traill County; W. R. Goodfellow, Pembina ; D. Wil- mot Smith, Breckenridge, Minn., for Richland County : Merrick Moore, James- town, Stutsman County; Col. D. D. Marsh, Washington, Barnes County ; J. . 1. Hanson, Fargo.

A seal for the board was adopted, with the words, "Bureau of Inmigra- tion, Dakota Territory." inscribed thereon.

Yankton was selected as the location of the office of the board, provided the city would furnish free of rent an office for the superintendent with fuel, stove and shelving. In case Yankton would not comply with these requirements, the office was to be located at Canton, which had already proposed to furnish the equipment.

Appropriations were then made for printing immigration pamphlets, as follows: Two hundred dollars for pamphlets in the English language; $300 in the German language; and $200 in the Norwegian language. Mr. Brauch was appointed to assist in preparing the German pamphlet ; and Mr. Wahl to assist in the preparation of the Norwegian ; the work to be done without delay. Com- missioner Brauch was selected to visit the Atlantic seaboard to induce emigration to Dakota, and $800 was appropriated for his use. Two hundred dollars was set apart for Commissioner Wahl who was also to visit the Atlantic seaports; and $200 was diverted to defray the expenses of Commissioner Roberts in an castern trip for immigration purposes. The remainder of the session was occupied in making rules for reports; ordering various items of stationery; allowing hills for expenditures already made, and on the third day the board finally adjourned to meet at Yankton at its next annual meeting in 1876.

This board entered upon its duties at an auspicious time. North Dakota was already attracting many people : the opening of the Black Hills was a topic that had gratuitous advertising in the public journals throughout the country ; and foreigners, particularly the German Russians, were landing on our Atlantic shores, thousands in number every week. At the same time the foreign emigration increased in large ratio, the efforts of Dakota's neighboring states to secure it were strongly reinforced, and all were represented by experienced men at our principal emigrant ports and in European countries.

This board, however, was able to give a good account of its stewardship, and did very effective work, directly and indirectly bringing into the territory many thousands of settlers. Yet it does not appear that the board met with popular expectation, and some unfortunate disagreements among its members impured the harmony of the organization. Superintendent Cross was elected superintend ent to succeed himself in 1876, and James Holes, of Cass County, commissioner, to succeed Mr. Brauch. But the Legislature that met the following winter (1877). repealed the entire law, and left the board of immigration stranded The Fear I's

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office was finally closed March 8, 1877. No further legislation regarding immi- gration was had at that session.

SONS OF TEMPERANCE

A grand division of the sons of temperance was organized at Yankton on the 10th of December, 1874, by Deputy Most Worthy Patriarch James R. Cary. of Iowa. The following delegates were present and vouched for:

Vermillion Division, No. 1-H. J. Owens, H. J. Austin, Wm. L. H. Owens. Springfield Division, No. 2 .- R. T. Wood, Geo. W. Sterling. Bon Homme Divi- sion, No. 3 .- David Devol. Elk Point Division, No. 4-Alexander Hughes, Rev. J. P. Coffmann. Yankton Division, No. 5-H. H. Smith. Lodi Division, No. 6. -E. B. Crew. Sioux Falls Division, No. 7 .- E. A. Sherman. Canton Division, No. 8-Geo. P. Keeler.

The election of officers of the grand division resulted in favor of the following named: Alexander Hughes-grand worthy patriarch. Geo. W. Sterling, grand worthy assistant. Win. L. H. Owens, grand scribe. H. H. Smith-grand treas- urer. Rev. J. P. Coffmann, grand chaplain. Geo. P. Keeler, grand conductor. E. B. Crew, grand sentinel.

There was much business transacted pertaining to the important work of the association. The grand deputy, Mr. Cary, who had traveled extensively in the territory, made an address, showing the progress the temperance forces were making in the nation ; claiming that Dakota was a very promising temperance field.

TO CARE FOR THE BLIND

In April, 1875, the Territory of Dakota closed a contract with the authorities of Minnesota, under which the latter state undertook the care and education of Dakota's blind people. The Blind Asylum of Minnesota was at St. Peter, and the rates charged were $5 a week for board and tuition. Patients who were able to pay their own expenses were required to do so, and those not so fortunate had their expenses defrayed from the territorial treasury.

MASONIC GRAND LODGE

Representatives from the various Masonic lodges of Dakota met at Elk Point on the 24th of June, 1875, for the purpose of organizing the Grand Lodge of Dakota Territory. There were but five subordinate lodges in the territory at that date, to-wit, viz:

St. John's Lodge No. 166; Yankton, the oldest lodge; Incense Lodge, No. 257, Vermillion ; Elk Point Lodge, No. 288, Elk Point; Silver Star Lodge, No. 345, Canton : Minnehaha Lodge, No. 328, Sioux Falls ; and the lodge at Spring- field was chartered about that time but not early enough to permit of its partici- pating in the organization of the grand body.

The delegates effected a preliminary organization, and adopted a constitu- tion and general regulations ; and elected the following officers :

Most worshipful grand master, Thomas H. Brown, Minnehaha Lodge ; deputy grand master, Franklin J. Dewitt, Yankton, St. John's Lodge; grand senior warden, C. G. Shaw, Incense Lodge, Vermillion; grand junior warden, H. H. Blair, Elk Point ; grand treasurer, George H. Hand, St. John's, Yankton ; grand secretary, Mark W. Bailey, Silver Star Lodge, Canton.

The grand master elect then appointed the following subordinate officers :

Grand chaplain, J. C. Damon, Vermillion ; grand senior deacon, W. H. Mil- ler, Jr., Canton ; grand junior deacon, O. P. or Elk Point or Sioux Falls ; grand Tyler, D. W. Hasson, Elk Point ; grand marshal, L. Congleton. Yankton ; grand sword bearer, S. H. Stafford, Canton ; grand senior steward, Thomas Robinson,

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Vermillion : grand junior steward, C. F. Mallahan, Elk Point; grand pursuivant, P. W. McManus, Elk Point.

A number of the appointive officers being absent, it was decided to postpone the installation to a later day ; and a committee was appointed to select a place and name the date when the installation should take place. This committee fixed upon Vermillion as the place and the 21st of July as the date for the ceremony. Accordingly the grand lodge assembled at the Baptist Church at Vermillion on date named where the most worshipful past grand master of the Grand Lodge of lowa, Bro. T. S. Parvin, then secretary of the Grand Lodge of Iowa, in ample form, constituted the Grand Lodge of Dakota Territory, and installed the fore- going brethren of the order into their respective offices.

The names of the lodges remained the same, but their numbers were changed : St. John's being No. 1; Incense. No. 2; Elk Point, No. 3: Silver Star. No. 4; Minnehaha, No. 5.

The following are the names of the first officers of the august body :

Grand master, Thomas H. Brown. Sioux Falls; deputy grand master, F. J. Dewitt. Yankton ; grand senior warden, Calvin G. Shaw, Vermillion ; grand junior warden, H. H. Blair, Elk Point; grand treasurer, George 11. Hand, Yankton ; grand secretary, Mark W. Bailey, Canton; grand chaplain, J. C. Damon, Ver- million : grand senior deacon, W'm. H. Miller, Sr., Canton ; grand junior deacon, O. P. Weston, Sioux Falls ; grand tyler, D. W. Hasson, Elk Point ; grand marshal, Leonidas Congleton. Yankton; grand senior steward, Thomas Robinson, Ver- million ; grand junior steward, J. A. Wallace, Elk Point ; grand sword bearer, C. F. Mallahan, Elk Point : grand pursuivant, P. W. McManus, Elk Point.

ODD FELLOWS GRAND LODGE

The Odd Fellows of Dakota Territory met in delegate convention at Yank- ton, on Thursday, the 19th of August, 1875, and organized the Grand Lodge of Dakota Territory.

Those present were Rev. J. 11. Magoffin and M. P. Ohlman, Yankton: A. Siebrecht, Fort Randall; R. R. Briggs, Vermillion; J. A. Wallace, Elk Point : J. P. Knight, Fargo.

The organization was effected by the election of E. W. Miller, Elk Point. grand master; Norman Leonard, Yankton, deputy grand master; \. Siebrecht, Fort Randall, grand senior warden; J. P. Knight, Fargo, grand junior warden ; R. R. Briggs, Vermillion, grand secretary; Fred Schnauber. Yankton, grand treasurer. William Blatt, Yankton, grand representative to the grand lodge of the United States.

The installation ceremonies were held at Yankton on the 13th of October following, under the direction of the grand representative, William Blatt, when the following delegates were present :

Dakota Lodge, No. 1. Yankton, Fred Schnauber, Zina Richey. N. L.conard. Echo Lodge, No. 2, Fort Randall and Springfield. F. St. Clair, I. D. F. Poore. A. Siebrecht, H. A. James. Vermillion Lodge, No. 3. J. F. Curtis, J. P Kidder. R. R. Briggs. Elk Point Lodge, No. 4. J. F. Hughes, W. J. Conh. R. W. Miller. Humboldt Lodge No. 5, Yankton, H. Pfotenhauer. M. P. Ohlman, William Blatt. Northern Light Lodge, No. 6, Fargo, J. P. Knight. James H. Magoffin. Charles Eiseman.

After installation, Grand Master Miller made the following appointments; Chaplain, Rev. James Magoffin : marshal. J. F. Curtis : conductor, Fred Schni- ber: herald. F. St. Clair: guardian. M. P. Ohlman; who were then installed

Committees were appointed and the territory was divided into five districts, numbered from one to five. The affair closed with a banquet and address

DAKOTA'S FAIR AND THE CENTENNIAL EXPOSITION

The grasshopper raid of 1874 was presumed to have injured Dakota's er hit abroad somewhat and tended to discourage immigration ; and to offset 1 - 1 it-

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ful tendency of that fortuitous event, a territorial fair was proposed to be held in 1875 that would largely counteract the damage inflicted upon Dakota's reputa- tion by the migrating insects. It would be said of Dakota in the home and foreign sections that were sending settlers to the West-"a people who can hold ter- ritorial fairs could not be plagued by grasshoppers," and at the same time the patriotic spirit of the people would find a most commendable expression and ample vent in the transfer of the fair exhibit to the Dakota department in the Grand Centennial Exposition.

Congress enacted a law in 1872 authorizing the President to appoint a centen- nial commission to take charge of the celebration of the centennial of the 100th anniversary of the signing and promulgation of this country's Declaration of Independence, to be held in Philadelphia in 1876. The bill provided that the commission should consist of two members from each state and territory, which commission was to organize and conduct the exhibition. The President appointed S. L. Spink and George Alexander Batchelder, commissioners for Dakota Territory. The exhibition was to open April 19th and close October 19, 1876.

Congress decided to make no appropriation of national funds for the event, but instead incorporated a centennial board of finance auxilliary to the commis- sion, and provided for the issue of stock to the amount of $10,000,000 in 1.000,000 shares of $10 each, to divided among the states and territories according to their population. The amount of the stock assigned to the Territory of Dakota was $3,800 only ; and the terms of subscription required the payment of 20 per cent or $2 on each share at the time of subscribing; 20 per cent the following May ; 20 per cent in July ; 20 per cent in September ; and the final 20 per cent in Novem- ber. Subscription books were opened at Mark M. Parmer's bank in Yankton, in June, 1873, and remained opened until March, 1874, at which time the stock was all taken, partly by citizens of the territory and partly by military people and other Government officials. The purpose of the law was to induce as many of the people as possible to become stockholders. John A. Burbank and M. K. Armstrong were the incorporators or members of the board of finance for Dakota.

TERRITORIAL FAIR AND CENTENNIAL

Preliminary to the making of an exhibit of the resources of Dakota Terri- tory at the exposition an association was formed at the capital of the territory in August, 1875, to promote the holding of a territorial fair, and to do whatever could be done to forward the work of making a creditable agricultural and mineral exhibit of the resources of the territory. The harvest was abundant in 1875-surpassing the best that had been accomplished since the organization of the territory. As an instance of the bountiful yield of the grain fields, a Lincoln County farmer produced wheat that yielded thirty-five bushels to the acre, and his oats averaged 10912 bushels. One field of forty acres in Clay County was claimed to have produced an average of fifty bushels of wheat to the acre. Though these yields were exceptional, the production throughout the territory was largely in excess of any crop theretofore garnered. The fair organization, or rather the preliminary steps thereto, were taken at Yankton, August 23, 1875 when a meeting was held which was attended by the following named citizens :

Franklin J. Dewitt, Joel A. Potter, Newton Edmunds, W. A. Burleigh, C. F. Rossteuscher, William Miner. O. A. Albee, E. P. Wilcox, Frank Hefner, Wm. P. Dewey, Wm. M. Powers, William Blatt, Hermann Buerdorf, Lott S. Bayless, A. J. Sweetser, A. J. Faulk, H. B. Wynn, Jas. B. Wynn. Samuel Buckwalter, Simon Eiseman, Charles Eiseman, A. W. Howard, H. O. Anderson. Jas. A. Hand, John Ross, Chas. Williams, John Becker, Chas. Wallbaum, John Bates, W. S. Arnold, M. T. Woolley, C. J. B. Harris, Frank VanTassel, John Treadway, F. J. Cross, A. F. Hayward, W. W. Brookings. W. S. Bowen, G. W. Kingsbury,

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Maris Taylor, James Taylor, George Henckel, .A. Schandein, Fr. Schnauber, E. Iverson and M. A. Baker.

No formal organization was had at this gathering. The proposition to hold a territorial fair was, however. unanimously supported. The meeting was adjourned to the evening of the 21st, when it reconvened. Ex-Governor Edmunds, of Yankton, was elected chairman, and Melvin Grigsby, Sioux Falls, secretary. A number of encouraging agricultural and immigration speeches were made. The important results that would flow from a public exhibition of the products of Dakota soil and Dakota pastures, at this time of abundance and general prosperity, and the influence it would have in inducing settlers from the older states to come in and people the vacant lands of the territory, were eloquently and convincingly stated; and it was finally and formally, by a hearty and unanimous vote :

Resolved, That it is the sentiment of this meeting that a territorial fair ought to be held, and can be held this fall.

Resolved, That the exhibits to be made at the fair shall furnish the basis for a collec- tion to be displayed at the United States Centennial Exhibition to be held at Philadelphia in 1876.

Resolved, That a committee consisting of Judge Lott S. Bayless, Wm. Pitt Dewey, Mark MI. Parmer, Maris Taylor. W. W. Brookings, Gov. John L. Pennington and G W. Kingsbury, be appointed to devise a plan and suggest ways and means for carrying the project into execution, and also to confer with citizens of other parts of the territory, either in person or by letter, and invite their co-operation and solicit their attendance at a meeting to be held in this hall on Friday evening, August 27th, for the purpose of perfecting an organization and devising plans for an exhibition the present season.

A subscription list was opened at this meeting, and the amount of $172 subscribed.

The meeting then adjourned, and on the Friday evening following, a much more numerous body of citizens assembled at the same place and elected Judge Lott S. Bayless, chairman, and Nathan Ford, secretary. Speeches were made and letters read promising hearty cooperation. A number of representatives from other counties were present. The following resolutions, which provided an ample basis for the enterprise, were introduced by Judge Brookings, and adopted without dissent :

Resolved, That the citizens of Dakota proceed to organize and hold a territorial agri- cultural fair, at Yankton, occupying two days, at a time to be fixed by the executive com- mittee.

Resolved, That an executive committee of seven, consisting of Maj. F. J. Dewitt. Judge L. Congleton, G. W. Kingsbury, M. T. Woolley. J. W. C. Morrison, Julce B. S. Williams, and Adolph Schandein be elected at this meeting for the purpose of making all necessary arrangements that in their discretion shall be required to carry out this plan suc cessfully; and that said committee have power to fill vacancies in their number.

Resolved, That Nathan Ford be elected secretary of said executive committee.

Resolved, That the executive committee provide for a woman's department in the fair. and request the women to hold a meeting and elect from their number suitable committees to take charge of their department.

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History of Dakota Territory, volume I, Part 147

Author: Kingsbury, George Washington, 1837-; Smith, George Martin, 1847-1920 Publication date: 1915 Publisher: Chicago, Ill. : S.J. Clarke Publishing Company Number of Pages: 1198

Author: Kingsbury, George Washington, 1837-; Smith, George Martin, 1847-1920
Publication date: 1915
Publisher: Chicago, Ill. : S.J. Clarke Publishing Company
Number of Pages: 1198