USA > South Dakota > Hyde County > History of Hyde County, South Dakota : from its organization to the present time > Part 10
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William O. Lawson, who seems to be identified with Holabird, lives on a farm near there. He came there at an early day, went DEL SMITH through the hard times and is now well off. Mr. Lawson is a good citizen, he minds his own busi- ness and is thoroughly honest. There is not money enough in the state to induce him to betray a trust, or to do a dishonest act.
Some local poet at an early day tackled the task of writing an enigma on Holabird and produced the following:
"My first is ever sacred sweet, And is the kind that prophets were.
My second plumed, in tender feet. On flying wings above us soar.
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My whole a town too dead to skin, Its palmy days now nearly o'er, The town where Edgcomb made it roar.
The first postmaster in Holabird was John Falde, then Geo. Bartlett, he followed by Quincy Stark, J. S. Harris was the next then E. C. Calkins, then G. W. Elfrink, the present postmaster.
The county seat contest, mentioned in the Highmore chapter, was in 1884, the vote taken on election day of that year, November 4. Holabird did not go out of existence by reason of that defeat. It was forced out of existence because so many of the settlers around it left the county, as is generally the case in newly set- tled countries, for it is first a rushing in, then something in the way of adversity, and failure of crops turns the tide and out they go, until there comes a per- manent settlement when every- thing is righted as it is here now.
Quincy Stark and his father, George Stark, were early settlers in Holabird. Quincy married Miss May Dibble, sister to A. A. Dibble, who was also an early settler. Mr. Dibble was a man very much respected. He died WM. O. LAWSON there in the early eighties and was buried at Highmore with Masonic honors. Quincy Stark had the Holabird store for awhile and his customers always found him pleasant to deal with and strictly honest. He now resides in Minnesota.
John Falde, then with a junior to his name, was a Scandana- vion, well educated and a very intelligent and companionable fel- low. He resided in St. Paul, Minn., the last we heard from him.
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Nels Jacobson was in Holabird a while, but left us at an early day. He came here with Mr. Falde from Canton, S. D., returned there and was elected Register of Deeds in Turner County.
In 1883 the writer built a residence on his claim which was the quarter section upon which is now the Holabird townsite. The building, then only in form, was 16x24, a story and a half high, and the builder not being a carpenter and having had no experience along that line, the structure was not as accurate or systematic in its architecture as was the historic temple which was erected by Solomon. It was not made as strong as it should have been in the ends, lacking a few upright pieces, but still it was put to- gether in a fashion, though with much waste of lumber. Some- time about the middle of July of that year, 1883, two young men drove up with a covered wagon, unhitched and picketed out their horses. Towards night an angry looking black cloud appeared in the northwest, vivid with light- ning and reverberating with loud thunder. The two young strang- 1,1 ers thought we had better go in- to the cellar for protection, which MRS. J. E. McDONALD we soon did when there came a dead calm, which is ominous just preceding a bad storm, and then the storm burst upon us. Its first blast sent the building over to the south about two feet, but we thought it had gone entirely. Af- ter we had been in the cellar about fifteen minutes there came a pounding at the door, which was answered by one of us getting up out of the cellar and opening the door, which let in Mr. Falde and
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Mr. Jacobson, accompanied by two friends who were visiting them from Canton. Mr. Falde's claim was north of Holabird a short dis- tance, and these parties were in his shack when the storm struck them. They were baking bread in a red hot stove and the first blast of the storm overturned the shack, and finally landed it on the roof and as no one was injured it became a laughable incident, for Mr. Falde said it was a mixture of bread, Norwegians, furniture, bed- ding and a heated stove, but after all it was really a serious and dan- erous matter at the time. After the storm had subsided we all lay down up stairs on what blankets we had, but in about an hour the wind came up again in a fury from an opposite direction and again we all went into the cellar, but did not long remain as the wind soon let up, but it straight- ened the house up, which after- wards was securely braced.
Col. E. P. Farr has landed in- terests adjoining the Holabird townsite, resided there for awhile and has always been interested in the success of Holabird. He was in the civil war with official rank, and now resides at Pierre, JACOB BECKER is engaged in the banking busi- ness and is treasurer of Hughes county. His wife is prominent in social circles and both of them are of New England birth, coming here from the State of Vermont.
R. E. Murphy was an early Holabird resident and was in busi- ness there in the palmy days of the town, and after its decline was in business at Highmore. He has since been in the employ of the government at Fort Thompson and now in the real estate business
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at Fort Pierre. Bob, as he was familiarly called, seemed to be a favorite of everybody, and as a member of the Board of County Commissioners performed his duties intelligently, with good judg- ment and with strict honesty. His wife is an excellent woman. Their first child was born in Holabird and on another page will be seen a portrait of the family group.
W. M. Morrison was an early Holabird business man, who was there during most of the Holabird ex- periences, and during the decline of the town returned to his former home at Chicago, where he is a prominent photographer. He is remembered by the early residents there as a public spirited citizen and a jovial compan- ionable fellow. The building previous- ly mentioned as one erected by the writer was after that episode aban- doned by its occupants. One night R. E. Murphy and Will Morrison were sleeping quietly, and no doubt with pleasant dreams, in the upper half story part of the building when they were awakened suddenly by peals of PETER STURR thunder and flashes of lightning, and just at their awakening by a sudden gust of wind which had a roar- ing sound. There seemed to be no time for parley or even an ex- change of words. They both at the same time made a dive through a hole in the upper floor, which took them through the lower room and then through a hole in the first floor and landed them in the cellar. Such an experience ninety-nine times out of a hundred would have been fatal and they did it only in a dozed condition, but they landed in such a way that they suffered no injury, but their vocabulary opened up after they landed and had they not been
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youngsters with moral training and Sunday School proclivities no doubt their profanity would have been awful. Charley Morrison, brother of Will, lived near Holabird, where he died a few years ago. His family are well remembered by early settlers and particularly a step son, Eber Smith, who was a bright, progressive boy. He went to the Pacific coast in the early eighties and is now part owner of a line of steamers, and as captain of one of them sails out of Seattle. I. L. Noggle, station agent there, was a favorite, was always agreeable and accommodating, and afterwards was stationed at Highmore. He is now residing at Sioux Falls and is proprietor of several outfits of en- tertainment, which the youngsters call "merry-go-round." His father also was there and with them, also his aged mother, who was past ninety years of age, physically helpless, but mentally bright and with much intelli- gence and good memory.
MRS. E. O. PARKER
Kinney Hornberger was an early settler at Holabird. An honest in- dustrious fellow whom everybody liked He left there when the town declined and now resides in the State of Wash- ington.
Holabird will redeem itself sometime in the future.
CHAPTER XIV
HIGHMORE
In the summer of 1882 all there was of Hyde county was the town of Highmore. When the Northwestern road crossed the county building west, they erected a section house, that is, a build- ing where the section men could live, and this was the only build- ing here when the real thing started in 1882. Along the first of May, 1882, a party by the name of Wheeler and another by the name of Pomeroy, both from Huron, had sort of a shack where the postoffice building now stands, and had a few drugs and some other kind of merchandise in it. They evidently were waiting there to see what would turn up, intending to get in on the ground floor. There was also about a carload of lumber in charge of one Well- man, from Brookings, who seemed to have the same idea as the other parties named. The section house was occupied by Samuel Major and his family, and that was the only stopping place here. James H. Lynch, afterwards County Sheriff, was the section boss and he had a few men with him. C. P. Swanson now of the First National Bank was connected with the railroad bridge gang and made his headquarters at the section house. Matthias Shoup, who still lives here, came the fore part of May, waiting for the govern- ment to complete its survey of the land in this county. This was about the condition of things when A. E. Van Camp and A. N. Van Camp arrived on the last day of May, 1882, except we might add that E. O. Parker secured a settler's right on the southeast quarter of section II in Highmore Township, upon forty acres of which he laid scrip and afterwards made final proof upon the rest of the quarter, intending to start a town on the forty. When A. E. Van Camp arrived he laid Valentine Scrip upon forty acres of the southwest quarter of 12 Highmore Township and made final proof
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on the rest of the quarter, intending to start a town on his forty acres. Mr. Parker was somewhat hampered by a conflicting claim- ant. Mrs. Lucinda Robinson had a building on Mr. Parker's forty and afterwards secured it by a decision of the United States Land Office, and filed on it, but Mr. Parker soon after bought her re- linquishment so that later on in 1882 the two townsites were fully launched, the street between them being the section line. The real Van Camp main street was the street where now the court house is, and the Parker street the one west of that. There was rivalry between the two streets, but each seemed to keep abreast of the other in the line of build- ing, and in time all rivalry ceased so that at this date noth- ing of it remains. The contro- versy, however, hung on a few years.
The Bulletin of January 2, 1886, contained the following-ed- itorial:
"The two street contest at MR. AND MRS. P. E. GILLIGAN Highmore is an unnecessary con- flict, and though at present it may bear the shades of antagonism, yet time will cause all feeling to subside and the natural future location of business will bind to- gether what now seems to be a division and a difference. If the
streets were far apart, then there might be cause for anxiety and fear that the well-being and prosperity of the town would be wreck- ed by this unpleasant controversy. But their nearness and the pros- pect of their being bound together by a business settlement of Second Street dispels the illusion for such it is of distracted differences.
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HISTORY OF HYDE COUNTY, SOUTH DAKOTA
Highmore has a promising future, and even now at midwinter is rapidly building in all parts of the town. It is the county seat of a county rich and fertile in agricultural land and tributary to it is a large scope of country, which centers here for its trade and traffic. All we need is a public spirit and united action, and the support that would naturally come to us will take care of itself. Both of the streets form the business part of the town, they are adjacent and adjoining and neither can be the rival of the other, their interests are identical and no farmer will patronize a merchant because he is on the one street, or refuse to patronize him because he is on the other. Away then with the remark that High- more has two business streets in conflict, and let us settle down to the true situation, that all traffic is equally distant from the center of the circle of busi- ness, and above all things 'Let us have peace.' " H. E. LAWRENCE
Of the first buildings in town was the lumber office of Newton & Gerhart, which was built in July, 1882. This building was owned and occupied by Nels Swan- son, for a residence and stands north of the court house. They es- tablished the first lumber yard, which was conducted under the firm name for a few years, when Mr. Gerhart bought the interest of his partner Newton, and Mr. Gerhart is still here doing business at the old stand.
About that same time in July, 1882, James Ingram built a barn
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HISTORY OF HYDE COUNTY, SOUTH DAKOTA
and opened a livery stable.
There were not many buildings erected in Highmore in the summer and fall of 1882. The county had but few settlers, so there was not custom enough to demand really more than one store building.
Don Gurnea in August built a two story building the lower part of which he occupied with a stock of merchandise. This building stood between the Doctor Burn- side office and the McDowell building, and not long after its erection there was added to it a similar two story building, mak- ing it practically one building, though double in its character. This latter was erected by Cole and Lathe, who occupied it for a hardware store; afterwards D. L. Cadwallader was associated with them. This building stood on Commercial Avenue south a few lots from the McDowell building now owned by A. E. Van Camp, a few years ago was taken apart and sold to different parties.
REV. H. K. WALLIS
In 1882 a small building was placed on a lot just south of the Herald office, erected by John P. Organ and John P. Kelley, but they did not long remain as the legal field here at that time was not inviting. Mr. Kelley died several years ago. Mr. Kelley is a prominent lawyer at Council Bluffs, Ia.
While times were hard in Highmore during the early days, still the people enjoyed themselves generally and on all holidays partic- ularly. At Christmas time in 1885 there was a large gathering at the school house, they had a good display of presents hanging on a
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tree of elaborate proportions.
The Hyde County Bulletin was started by its first issue Dec. 26, 1885. In that first issue it is recorded that T. W. Howey's drug store had just arrived from Holabird on wheels, and a good welcome was given to Bro. Howey, whom all considered a prince of good fel- lows. It was also stated that Dr. H. H. Stoner had settled here during that week; that John H. McCord flew high the Sunday be-
fore with one of Brayton's best rigs, accompanied by his best girl from the north.
During that year, 1885, a band was organized with the following named persons as its members:
John H. McCord, solo B-flat cornet; Fred W. Goudy, Ist B-flat cornet; George Wareham, pic- colo; John L. Greer. B-flat bari- tone; David Staup, E-flat bass; Geo. C. Stoner, B-flat tenor; Elsie Smith, E-flat alto; J. K. Van Camp, bass drum; Porter Barnes, snare drum.
At that time there was organ- ized a board of trade, having a MRS. J. E. VAN CAMP constitution and by-laws and whose officers consisted of President, Frank Drew; Vice President, E. O. Parker: Treasurer, W. W. Kingsbury; and Secretary, John H. McCord. At a meeting of the board held December 13, 1885, a petition was presented asking them to make a move for the incor- poration of the town as a municipal body. The territory asked for which was to be included within its boundaries was as follows: Commencing on the SE corner of the NE quarter of section 13, running thence north two miles to the NE corner of the SE quarter
THE SIOUX CITY, IOWA, BUSINESS MEN VISIT HIGHMORE
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HISTORY OF HYDE COUNTY, SOUTH DAKOTA
of section I, thence west two miles to NW corner of SW quarter of section 2, thence south two miles to SW corner of NW quarter of section 14, thence east two miles to place of beginning, all in town- ship 112, range 72. The board fixed the 30th day of December, 1885, as the time for an election, which was duly held, at which election forty votes were cast, all in favor of the incorporation.
Peter Swalm was the first postmaster in Highmore, who was succeeded by T. H. Field, he by E. O. Parker. Mr. Parker was succeeded by David Moore, he by A. E. Van Ca:np, then T. W. Howey followed Mr. Van Camp, then S. C. Traver, who was suc- ceeded by Mr. Van Camp, who is still postmaster. Mr. Field left us in January, 1886, for Chi- cago. He was a man much re- spected by the early settlers. A new post office building was put up in the spring of 1886, and we think the same building is still used for that purpose.
The first operator at the depot was Peter O. Swalm. He laid out an edition to the town on the east side.
ARTHUR GRAHAM
The Weaver building, three story, on the corner of Second Street and Iowa Avenue, was erected in 1835, and is now owned by Fred Greene, of Miller.
In 1886 also, Del Cadwalader, surveyor, laid out a trotting course north of town, in which there was some interest, but which sort of died out, but revived again in later years.
C. W. Grassmuck, who recently died in Minneapolis, moved his grocery store from Holabird to Highmore in 1886, bought the
CONCER
HIGH
T BAND
HIGHMORE CONCERT BAND
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HISTORY OF HYDE COUNTY, SOUTH DAKOTA
old post office building and placed it near the McDowell building on Commercial Avenue. Mr. Grassmuck left here some years ago. He was a man for whom all had the highest respect, and was of such kind heart and sympathetic feeling, he crippled his business by extending credit where he should have withheld it.
Ed. Hollander, who is still with us and one of the best fellows in the world, was seriously injured in February, 1886, by being thrown against a wire fence while catching cattle for a corral. He was then running a mail route.
The pioneer drayman in town was Wm. Little, whom every- body liked. He died in 1904; his daughter married Geo. Traver.
The first tailor was Geo. Ware- ham, first doctor, H. H. Stoner; first wagon shop, Gil. Barkhuff and W. B. Howell. Mr. Barkhuff died several years ago west of Pierre.
First Jewelry Store, B. F. Tallman, first saloon and billiard room, John Zwight.
Julius Pahl had a livery stable in 1885, sold out to W. N. Bray- ton in January, 1886.
MRS. ARTHUR GRAHAM
The grocery store now run by James Volek was started by Be- hymer, Brace & Sparks, who made an assignment, then followed Whitcher & Brace, and after the retirement of Mr. Brace, Mr. Whitcher run it until he sold to Mr. Volek in 1905. This was O.L. Whitcher, whose portrait appears on page 33. He came here from New Hampshire in 1884, married Miss Nettie Giddings, and resided here until his death in 1907. Mr. Whitcher was known and
HARNESS SHOP AND STORE BUILDING OF A. DERCK ON IOWA AVENUE
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HISTORY OF HYDE COUNTY, SOUTH DAKOTA
respected as a man of unquestioned honesty and of excellent judg- ment in matters pertaining to business. Even when he knew he was making a mistake in giving credit, he could not refuse it for his heart was full of a fellow feeling for others, and it was simply impossible for him to let any needy applicant for his goods go away empty handed. At the same time he was successful and left con- siderable of an estate. His widow still resides here with her two boys, Walter and Judson, all in good circumstances. Mrs. Whitcher was formerly a school teacher, and has been prominent in some of our social organiza- tions, her portrait will be seen on page 65.
In 1885 a local poet gave out an enigma in the following:
My first in lofty air is found, And never in the depths below.
Above, where planets circle round, In sunlight's never ceasing glow.
My second is the miser's creed,
The life thoughts of a grasping man,
The getting it. will always lead To get it always when you can.
My whole a townof thrift and trade, A county seat of promise fair,
Will sometime find the years have made A city of its thousands there.
MRS. ELLA SMITH
The first hotel building in town was placed on the Parker tract of forty acres before mentioned. The town was not laid out then and its location as to street was a matter of conjecture, but they guessed about right. The original building is a part of what is now known as the McGlinchy house, and was opened by Lucinda Robin- son and was a well kept hostelry. The rush of land seekers was so great in 1883 that Mrs. Robinson had to exercise considerable tact and ingenuity in caring for them and giving them all a sleeping place when night came. She proved herself quite a business woman and a good housekeeper, has been away from Highmore for
STREET SCENE ON SECOND STREET LOOKING EAST FROM IOWA AVENUE
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HISTORY OF HYDE COUNTY, SOUTH DAKOTA
quite a number of years, but is now at this writing stopping in Highmore at the home of her daughter, Mrs. S. C. Traver. By continued additions, the original has grown into a very spacious hotel building with forty rooms, has steam heat, gas lighting and is convenient and quite modern in its present condition. Several years ago Mr. McGlinchy added a very spacious opera house, the only house of that kind now in the city, and as Highmore has the reputation of being a good "show" town, the building is in frequent use. Hugh McGlinchy 1882 and his wife have put in consid- erable work and shown good taste in making the hotel what it is, and have given the town what OPRETATLAS it needed. They are both old settlers here and it is pleasing to THE FIRST SIGN EVER ERECTED IN HIGHMORE the writer to know that they have emerged from our former days of adversity with an accum- ulation of considerable wealth. The house recently has been leased to John Van Abel, whose family now have entire charge and are keeping up its former reputation.
Old settlers will remember Ben Peck and his lady like sister, Hope, who came here at an early day. Hope married John F. O'Donnell in November, 1885. Ben is located now in Iowa, and recently visited Highmore.
P. F. Crow was an early Highmore settler. He had a hotel building, an opera house so called, and a store in a part of the lower story. He never grew rich in his investments here, left us in the latter eighties and of his present whereabouts we know nothing.
The firm of Haight, Sinon & Greer flourished here in an early
ONE OF HIGHMORE'S RESIDENCES OCCUPIED BY G. D. MANN AND FAMILY
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HISTORY OF HYDE COUNTY, SOUTH DAKOTA
day. Mr. Sinon was register of deeds for a number of years. He had many friends, was afterwards located at Fort Pierre, where he was county attorney of Stanley county. Mr. Greer left us several years ago and is now located in California. J. T. Haight is at Hydro, Oklahoma, in the land and law business. The boys, Thomas and Frank Hungate, are at Hydro, Oklahoma. Frank is post- master and Tom is a prosperous farmer. Lee Haight is traveling for a wholesale house. Mr. Haight was an old soldier and ac- tive in the interests of the John A. Dix Post at all times and was County Judge. He was a man all liked and many an old sol- dier will now tell, when he was hard up and unable to get an ac- commodadition anywhere else he could always rely on J. T. Haight. Mr. Haight had many friends here when he left us.
H. C. Coombs had a store here at an early day. In 1886 a build- ing, two story, was placed at the corner of Commercial Avenue and Second street, which was occu- WM. L. LITTLE pied by Coombs and Harry Van Camp, under the firm name of Coombs & Van Camp, which did not continue long. Harry Van Camp came here with his brothers, A. E. and A. N., in the summer of 1882, and remained here several years when he returned to Muscatine county, Iowa, his boyhood home, and now lives on the old home place. He married Miss Me- sick. Harry is remembered by the old settlers as a fellow to be re- lied upon, you always knew where to find him and he was lively as a cricket and made everything pleasant around him.
HIGHMORE CITY HALL AND WATERWORKS PLANT
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HISTORY OF HYDE COUNTY, SOUTH DAKOTA
Michael Connor came to Highmore in 1886, was a member of the John A. Dix Post and died here some years ago.
James McDowell erected the building on the northeast corner of Commercial Avenue and Second street in 1886 and put in a stock of hardware. He was most of the time in the employ of the U. S. Government, was quite a politician and an all around good fellow.
Sylvester Bates, father of Mrs. Sylvanus Meigs and of Norman Bates, started the first agricul- tural house here in 1883. Mr. Bates was a gentlemanly fellow and a good citizen. He died here in 1889. His wife who was Eliza A. Morrison, was born in Newburyport, Mass., and they were married in 1847. She was a lady of marked intellectual en- dowment and in her younger years was contributor to many leading periodicals. She was a loving wife and a noble matronly mother. The portrait of Mr. Bates will be seen on another page. Norman F. Bates, her son, was an early settler, a prom- inent citizen, master of the Ma- MISS JULIA PATTERSON sonic lodge, and active in all public enterprises. He and his wife now reside in California.
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