USA > South Dakota > Minnehaha County > History of Minnehaha county, South Dakota. Containing an account of its settlements, growth, development and resources Synopsis of public records, biographical sketches > Part 87
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OIEN, HEINMING H., is a native of Norway, and was born in 1843. He emigrated to the United States in 1872, and resided in Minnesota two years. In 1874 he came to this county and settled in Dell Rapids, taking up the southeast quarter of section 25 as a homestead, where he has since resided. He now owns 600 acres of farm land in this county, of which 320 acres are situated in section 25, 120 acres in section 36 in Dell Rapids, and the balance in the town of Logan. He has a good farm with good improvements, and is an industrious, hard-working man, and a good citizen.
EISTIN EISTINSON AND WIFE.
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HISTORY OF MINNEHAHA COUNTY.
SAWYER, E. T., is a native of Canada, and was born October 25, 1826. He removed to the United States with his parents when a small lad; was educated in the common schools, and worked on a farm until he was twenty-one years of age. He engaged in farming in Vermont, Wisconsin and Iowa, and came to this county from Iowa in December, 1874, pre-empting a quarter section of land in Dell Rapids, where he has since remained. He has been a member of the town board several years, and is highly esteemed as a citizen.
STAUDENRAUS, JACOB, was born in Germany, October 2, 1832. He came to Wisconsin in 1866 and lived there until 1877, when he re- moved to this county. He took up a homestead in sections 11 and 12 in Dell Rapids township, to which he has since added 240 acres of land. He has been a successful farmer, lives on his homestead, and has a good farm.
THOMPSON, CHARLES L., was born in Delaware county, Ohio, December 20, 1844; removed with his parents to Wisconsin in 1850, and resided there until April 1, 1887. At that time he removed to Dakota and located in this county, purchasing the southwest quarter of section 12 in Dell Rapids for $1,800, on which he erected farm buildings at a cost of about $1,500. He resided at this place until in 1894, when he rented the farm and returned to Wisconsin to take care of the aged parents of his wife. While living in Dell Rapids he was an active participator in affairs of the town, and was elected chairman of the town board two years. Near the close of the civil war he enlisted in the military service, and served until August 14, 1865. Mr. Thompson had the confidence of his neighbors and towns- men, who regretted his removal from the state.
THOMPSON, GUNERIUS, is a native of Norway, and was born March 7, 1857. He emigrated to the United States with his parents, who settled in Goodhue county, Minnesota, in 1865. In October, 1868, they removed to this county, and settled in Dell Rapids town- ship. The subject of this sketch is now one of the largest and most successful farmers in Minnehaha county, owning 1,028 acres of farm land in Dell Rapids and Sverdrup. He has been a member of the town board of supervisors of Dell Rapids township four years, and is highly esteemed as a neighbor and citizen.
THOMPSON, OLE, the subject of this sketch, was born in Nor- way on the 19th day of August, 1849. He emigrated to the United States in 1866, and lived in Goodhue county, Minnesota, until he re- moved to Dakota and settled in this county in 1868; all his posses- sions at that time being one pair of oxen and a cow. He secured a pre-emption, which he proved up and sold for $600; then filed on 160 acres as a homestead, and also took a timber claim. He has one of the finest farms in the county and owns in all about 700 acres of land in Dell Rapids township. He has been a successful farmer, but in common with other pioneers, has had some discouraging drawbacks and losses to crops by grasshoppers and hail storms. He has been supervisor of the town board and director of the school board for several years. He is one of the most sturdy and reliable citizens in the county.
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THOMPSON, P. G., was born in Goodhue county, Minnesota, June 6, 1868. In the spring of 1869 he came with his parents to this county, where he has since resided, except in 1888, when he went to Norway, where he visited his parents' birthplace, and saw a great deal of the old country. He resides in section 30, Dell Rapids town- ship. In 1892 he was elected town treasurer, and by re-elections held the office for three successive years. He is a good farmer, and an enterprising and respected citizen.
1
RAILROAD BRIDGE AT DELL RAPIDS.
CITY OF DELL RAPIDS.
The city of Dell Rapids located on the Big Sioux River, in the northern part of the county, is one of the most attractive and sub- stantial cities in the state. Its development has been the outgrowth of a demand for a commercial center in one of the richest agricul- tural sections of the Big Sioux Valley. It fortunately has had no boom, and hence has escaped the blighting effect that is sure to fol- low such a visitation. Business failures have been few and far be- tween, and dilapidated structures and unoccupied buildings are not to be seen at Dell Rapids.
DELLS ON THE SIOUX RIVER.
In June, 1871, Peter Morse, then a resident of Osage, Iowa, while on an exploring expedition in the Sioux Valley, came to this point, and, although he was not the first to discover the Dells, he was the first to seriously consider the natural advantages the place of- fered for the building of a town. He appreciated the fact that the rich and fertile valley surrounding, would soon become the abode of thousands of homeseekers; that the Dells of the Sioux river were picturesque, and that the water power was ample, when harnessed to the wheels of industry, to aid materially in commercial enterprises.
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But he needed assistance to secure the prize, and hastening home, obtained the co-operation of Frank and Dennis Rice, two brothers, who were practical mill men, and also B. D. Graves, and in July fol- lowing, Mr. Morse returned with his three friends to the Dells to engage in business.
Prior to this time pre-emption filings had been made covering the water power and the present location of the business portion of the city, but Dennis Rice soon secured this by purchase.
A post office was established January 1, 1872, and Albion Thorne was appointed postmaster. This year Frank Rice commenced build- ing a flouring mill, but in 1874, sold it to Wm. VanEps, who greatly improved it, and in 1877, built a stone dam across the river in place of the old dam.
In 1874, a boat was built, which was paid for by subscription, and a ferry established. The first bridge across the river was built in 1877, but was carried away by the high water in the spring of 1881.
At first the place was known as Dell City, and among the early enterprises was the publication of the Dell City Journal by J. C. Ervin in the spring of 1872. On June 11, of that year, Mr. Ervin was married to Miss Clara Wyatt, the Rev. C. M. Allen, a Presbyterian clergymen, performing the marriage cermony. Their daughter Pearl was the first child born in Dell Rapids and the principal busi- ness street was named for her.
During the spring of 1872, the settlement rapidly increased. In May of that year a Union Sabbath School was organized, and existed for ten years, when the different religious denominations commenced establishing Sunday schools of their own. In July and August, 1872. the Baptist and Presbyterian churches were organized, a full history of which appears below. The Fourth of July, 1872, was duly cele- brated, and there were ninety-nine persons present.
The first railroad train reached Dell Rapids on the 17th day of September, 1880, and caused great rejoicing. Everything that could make a noise was brought into requisition to properly celebrate the occasion; the citizens paraded the streets, and Albion Thorne and R. S. Alexander made speeches.
Albion Thorne put in an appearance where the city of Dell Rap- ids is now located on the 12th day of August, 1871. Upon being in- terviewed in reference to the early settlement of Dell Rapids, he said: "The first time I was ever at Dell Rapids I found there two men, Frank Rice and George Forester. They had a sort of habita- tion on the northeast corner of the southeast quarter of section 9, on what is now block N, in the city of Dell Rapids. They had piled up some stones about five feet high, around a space of about seven feet square, and had covered the top with poles over which they had spread a covering of hay. In this hut they had a bed of hay. I camped with them a week. Their cooking room was in front of their residence, and was as large a kitchen as I ever saw. From this time on, I was back and forth from Beloit, Iowa, until I took my family there. I helped to build two houses in Dell Rapids. The first one was built where it now stands, on block 22, and it is the only house
ALBION THORNE.
64
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built in the early days of the city that remains standing where it was originally built. This house was built by Dennis Rice. It was a frame house, and the lumber was drawn from LeMars, Iowa. The second house was built for Gilbert Rice on the southwest quarter of section 10, but he never occupied it. I moved into it, and lived in it until May, 1872. E. F. Metcalf lived with me during the winter of 1871. During the fall of that year, Frank and Dennis Rice built a dam across the Sioux river, and in the spring of 1872 put up a saw mill.
Now for a little of my own experiences. I had filed on the south- east quarter of section 4. In March I found that I had to get out of the house I lived in as early as I could, so I borrowed a pair of horses I had a pair of oxen) of a man by the name of Sorenson, who lived a few miles up the river, and then I started for Worthington for lum- ber. I went by the way of Luverne and got there in two days, but could find no lumber there, except flooring, of which I bought two hundred feet, and some windows, and started back. The sun and wind made me blind, and when I got about five miles west of Luverne I could not see the road, and I got lost. I had a compass with me, from which I decided what course to take, and I struck the Split Rock near Sherman about night, and the Sioux river two miles below Dell Rapids about 10 o'clock at night. Then I knew where I was and I got home at 11 o'clock, and staid in bed for about a week. I built my house in April. It was 18 by 20 feet. The sides were built of stone, the gables of logs, and the roof was made of poles and covered with sods. I used the lumber I got for window casings and doors, and I had a clay floor. I moved my wife, her sister and my oldest girl into my house on the 2d day of May, 1872. That night a shower came up about 8 o'clock, and it rained until 3 o'clock the next morning. I had not filled up the crevices between the sods, and it just poured down through the roof. We stood up and held um- brellas over the beds as much as we could until it stopped raining, and then we got out. The water had soaked the clay floor, and when we stepped we went down six inches more or less. We started for Dennis Rice's house. From my house to the Sioux river it was one unbroken sheet of water, and from that day to this there has never been so much water there as there was at 3 o'clock that morning when we got out of our house. In some places it was more than knee-deep, and I had to carry my folks over where it was deepest. I afterwards got some cottonwood lumber from Elk Point and laid a floor, fixed up the roof, and went back and lived there. In the spring of 1872, the water in the Sioux river was very high, and we saw that we were about to be cut off from the rest of the world. We had heard there was a boat about three miles down the river, and so one day-it was Sunday-I got across the river on an ice gorge and went down to R. S. Alexander's, about two miles south, and got his team and went for the boat. It was with some difficulty I got it, but I promised to pay a dollar a day for its use for seven days. I took it up opposite to where the city is now, and managed to get it over the river. In two days the owner came for it, and then we were in trouble, but we bought it for seven dollars, and it took all the money
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there was in the settlement to pay for it. It was the only means we had of crossing the river for two years. Knut Nelson made the first filing on land within the present city limits on the south half of sec- tion 9, but he abandoned it and then Cash Coats filed on the same land, and he sold out to Dennis Rice.
The families of Dennis Rice and myself, and E. F. Metcalf, who boarded with me, comprised the whole population that spent the winter of 1871-2 within the present limits of the city of Dell Rapids. R. S. Alexander and family lived about two miles south during this winter, they having moved there the fall preceding.
To Peter Morse belongs the honor of first deciding to locate at Dell Rapids. He was at the Dells in June, 1871, and it was he who first induced the Rice brothers, B. D. Graves and others to come there. I was the first postmaster, and the first mail carrier was Lewis Hulitt, who commenced his services on January 1, 1872. He used to carry the mail afoot, on horseback or in one of the most primitive "pungs" you ever saw, just as the weather and traveling rendered it the most feasible.
Thomas H. Davis, W. P. Gifford, James Nisbet, Peter Morse, William Carr, Alonzo Mann, John W. Walters, Augustus Chase, James Chase and Daniel Jones came to Dell Rapids and took up land in the vicinity, in the spring of 1872. About this time O. J. Metcalf and E. F. Metcalf came with their families.
Right here is a good place for a little inside history.
The Rice brothers were mill men, and what they meant to do was to get an interest in the water power at Sioux Falls, so as to control it, and then build mills at Dell Rapids and boom the town with the hope of making it the county seat. But it didn't work. Early in 1872 there began a strife as to where the town should be built, which lasted three years. The first plat was made by Dennis Rice on the south half of the south half of section 9; the second by E. F. Metcalf on the southwest quarter of section 10; the third by Peter Morse on the northwest quarter of section 10, and the fourth by J. C. Ervin on the north half of the south half of section 9. It was a merry war. They all wanted the business portion built on their land. The first store was built on the southeast corner of the northeast quarter of section 9, early in 1872, and was occupied by B. D. Graves, who had located on the north- east quarter of section 9. It is a mistake that is often made by some of the early settlers of Dell Rapids in locating the first store near the mill. I worked on the first store building. The store by the mill site, built by Mr. Cowan, who afterwards shot himself, was the second store building erected in Dell Rapids. While speaking of stores, there was a double store built near the mill in 1873, and J. C. Graves and a Mr. Lukins occupied one side for a hardware store, and John E. Hulitt the other side for a gen- eral store, and he resided in a wing of the building. The same year a man by the name of Stone built a blacksmith shop nearly opposite the stores. The same year Peter Morse induced Dr. Parker, Elder Hill, Alonzo Mann and my mother to build on his land. After about three years of this kind of work a compromise was effected, and the
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building's near the mill site were moved to the present location of the city.
Well, I think you have got something of an idea about the in- fancy of Dell Rapids. I could give you a good many things that were events in our early settlement, but they would be similar to the ex- perience of all new towns, and interesting perhaps only to the par- ticipants."
DELL RAPIDS VILLAGE AND CITY ORGANIZATION.
The first meeting of the board of trustees of the village of Dell Rapids was held March 24, 1879. The following officers were pres- ent and qualified according to law: J. R. Richardson president, WV. C. Putnam clerk, G. A. Uline treasurer, B. D. Graves, I. A. Angel, W. E. Crossman and O. H. Smith trustees. On motion the following resolution was adopted: Resolved, That the bonds of the treasurer and clerk be fixed at the following amounts: Treasurer S500 and clerk $250. The meeting then adjourned. The next meet- ing was held March 27, and the following officers were appointed: L. S. Winsor poundmaster and marshal, G. A. Angel fire warden, Thomas Lyons street commissioner, J. R. Richardson chief of fire department. Albion Thorne was requested to act as attorney for the ensuing year. April 9, the license on liquor was fixed at one hundred dollars. At this meeting a board of health was appointed, consisting of the president, B. D. Graves, and I. A. Angel. To obviate the danger from prairie fires, fire guards were ordered to be made around the village, at various times during the fall of 1879. November 4, J. A. Martin was appointed trustee to take the place of B. D. Graves. The village purchased of Albion Thorne, part of the southwest quarter of the southeast quarter of section 4, town- ship 104, range 49 for a cemetery for $164.69. A calaboose was ordered built. A bridge was also ordered built across the Rocky Run where the territorial road crossed the creek, and December 2 the abutments were finished and grading begun.
1880. March 2, Mr. Crossman not being present at the meet- ing was fined one dollar for non-attendance. April 7, C. S. Gif- ford was elected marshal, L. N. Loomis clerk, and E. A. Ervin street commissioner. Albion Thorne was retained by the board as attorney for the ensuing year at a salary of $75. October 26, a resolution was passed authorizing the president and clerk of the village to issue village bonds to the amount of $10,000, with three years bonded interest at seven per cent, in favor of the Southern Minnesota Railway Extension Company on completion of their agree- ment to run trains to Dell Rapids, and in accordance with a vote of the village at a special election held September 10. January 4, 1881, on motion of Wm. Lovering it was ordered to appoint a committee to see about procuring a lot for the Methodist church, in payment for the one spoiled by the railroad company.
1881. At the election held March 1, the following officers were elected: president, G. A. Uline; trustees, O. H. Smith, J. A. Martin, C. S. Gifford, George Hayward; clerk, L. N. Loomis; treas- urer, H. A. Cadd. Total number of votes cast 102. April 8, the
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committee, after an investigation of the damage done to the Metho- dist church lot by the railroad, reported that they considered $65 a sufficient remuneration. In the spring of 1881, the high water car- ried away the bridge. D. S. Stinson then, by contract with the board, built and operated a ferry-boat, charging five cents for foot passengers and ten cents for teams. June 27, the committee ap- pointed for the purpose reported that they had "hired a bridge built by¿Irving Angstead across the Sioux river for $350." The bridge was paid for by subscription. December 6, L. N. Loomis resigned as clerk of the board and J. H. Hall was appointed. March 28, 1882, A. J. Bolster was made village clerk.
1882. "June 6, the special committee appointed to examine the fiscal affairs and financial standing of the village reported their in- ability to discharge their duties and were discharged." J. H. Hall was appointed as village attorney for the ensuing year at a salary of S35. January 2, 1883, A. J. Bolster presented his resignation as clerk of the village and Albion Thorne was appointed.
1883. At the village election held March 6, the whole number of votes cast were 100. The following officers were elected: presi- dent, C. S. Gifford; trustees. G. H. Johnson, I. N. Lucas, Ebert Wilde, George Whitman; M. R. Kenefick justice of the peace, Al- bion Thorne clerk, G. J. Johnson treasurer.
1884. At the village election, the total number of votes cast were 107. The following officers were elected: president, C. S. Gifford; trustees, Ebert Wilde, R. W. Howland, O. O. Sawyer and B. D. Graves; clerk, Albion Thorne; treasurer, G. H. Johnson; justice of the peace, L. C. Harrington; constable, J. J. Hevl; assessor, O. O. Sawyer. Ebert Wilde refused to qualify as trustee and M. R. Kenefick was appointed in his stead. At a special election held June 17, it was voted to issue bonds for $5,000 for the purpose of procur- ing fire engines and suitable protection against fire. Total number of votes cast 60, for bonds 53. October 7, Mr. Graves resigned and Walter E. Crossman was appointed trustee. The same month it was ordered to purchase a fire engine, hose cart and 800 feet of hose.
1885. President, M. R. Kenefick; trustees, W. E. Crossman, I. N. Neher, W. L. Briley and R. W. Howland; clerk, Albion Thorne: treasurer, J. A. Cooley; assessor, O. O. Sawyer. 169 votes were cast for president, Mr. Kenefick receiving 168. The building committee reported that a contract had been made with Albion Thorne to build an engine house and cistern according to specifica- tions for $1,800 in village bonds. The contract was signed Novem- ber 10th, 1884. Albion Thorne was employed as village attorney at a salary of seventy-five dollars.
1886. President, R. W. Howland; trustees, O. O. Sawyer, I. N. Neher, J. A. Cooley and C. S. Gifford; clerk, Albion Thorne; treasurer, G. H. Johnson; justice of the peace, L. H. Burk; consta- ble, E. Hoag; assessor, Fergus Thompson. Mr. Gifford refusing to qualify, W. D. Keller was appointed trustee in his stead. Mr. Kel- ler also refusing to qualify, S. P. Peters was appointed trustee. S. H. Burk refusing to qualify for justice of the peace, O. H. Smith was appointed by the board. Fergus Thompson also failed to qualify as
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assessor and O. O. Sawyer was appointed to fill the vacancy. April 24, 1886, Mr. Neher resigned and W. D. Keller was appointed trus- tee to fill the vacancy.
1887. President, C. S. Gifford; trustees, Peter Morse, W. D. Keller, I. N. Neher and E. J. Elliott; clerk, E. E. Griswold; treas- urer, G. H. Johnson; justice of the peace, L. C. Harrington; con- stable, D. C. Ward; assessor, H. Noble. May 24, a committee was appointed to ascertain the cost of street lamps, and three lamps were purchased in June and placed, one at the southeast corner of La Delle and Pearl, one at the northwest corner of Orleans and Pearl and one at the northwest corner of Orleans and Main streets.
1888. President, G. H. Johnson; trustees, J. A. Cooley, J. F. Fargo, N. J. Hartman and M. W. Griswold; clerk, Albion Thorne; treasurer, E. J. Elliot; assessor, H. Noble; justice of the peace, S. H. Burk; constable, E. Hoag. Number of votes cast, 222.
CITY OF DELL RAPIDS.
Upon a petition of the required number of qualified electors of the village of Dell Rapids a special election was called for Decem- ber 13, 1888, to determine the question whether the village should become a city under the general law. The election was held and 134 ballots were cast, of which 126 were for city organization.
1889. A special election was held January 8, 1889, for the elec- tion of city officers which resulted as follows: Mayor, E. J. Elliot, aldermen, J. A. Cooley, Wm. Williamson, W. J. Sibbison, O. H. Smith, G. A. Willard and G. A. Uline; treasurer, M. R. Kenefick; justice of the peace, S. H. Burk. Number of votes cast 183.
At this date the financial standing of Dell Rapids was as follows: Total liabilities $21,621.16 9,423.40 Total resources
The first meeting of the city council was held January 11, 1889. Albion Thorne was appointed auditor. The rules and regulations governing the village of Dell Rapids were adopted until such time as city ordinances could be passed. H. S. Samson was appointed chief of police January 25. April 1, 1889, the first annual election of city officers was held and resulted as follows: Total number of votes cast, 1st ward 38, 2d ward 76 and 3d ward 48. Mayor, E. J. Elliot: treasurer, M. R. Kenefick; justice of the peace, L. C Harrington; alderman, 1st ward, G. E. Bowerman. J. C. Brodie; 2d ward, G. H. Smith, W. J. Sibbison; 3d ward M. W. Griswold, Jerry Law. In October at a special election E. S. Tresidder and James H. Bishop were elected aldermen to fill vacancies caused by the removal of J. C. Brodie from the city and the resignation of Mr. Griswold.
1890. Mayor, M. R. Kenefick; L. C. Harrington police justice, S. P. Peters justice of the peace, E. J. Elliot treasurer; aldermen, 1st ward, N. I. Nelson, E. S. Tresidder; 2d ward, O. O. Sawyer, R. A. Knight; 3d ward, W. L. Briley, C. J. Johnson. Number of votes cast for mayor 172. At the first meeting of the council under the law of the first legislature of the State of South Dakota in 1890, Albion Thorne was appointed city auditor and Henry Robertson city
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attorney. January 5, 1891, the mayor appointed G. R. Krause city auditor, Mr. Thorne having removed to Sioux Falls.
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