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 91
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D. E. WARD.
BURK TOWNSHIP.
(104-50)
Burk township is bounded on the north by Moody county, on the east by Dell Rapids, on the south by Lyons, and on the west by Taopi townships. The township lines were surveyed by W. J. Neeley in July, 1859, and the subdivision was made by Carl C. P. Meyer in September, 1864. The township contains 22,901.32 acres of land. Skunk creek enters the township on the northeast quarter of section 4, and flows in a southwesterly course, leaving the town- ship on section 31. There is very little waste land in the township, and along the course of Skunk creek there is considerable bottom land. It is settled by an industrious, thrifty class of farmers, and there are some excellent farms in the township.
Arnst Buhring was one of the first settlers in this township, taking up a homestead in 1872. Jonathan Stout with his family came in 1873, and the following year several actual settlers located there. among whom were S. Dybedahl, Thomas Thompson, S. K. Ducken. Ole K. Fossum, Ole Hanson, Thomas Hanson and Dennis Walters.
The first school was taught in 1876, in school district number 32, by R. M. Mansager. Henry Porter was director of the school board, T. S. Dybedahl treasurer, and Dennis Walters clerk.
As early as 1887, a resurvey of the township was made by E. H. Van Antwerp of Yankton, which survey changed the boundary lines of a good many farms, and a suit was brought by Alice, Paulina and Mary Randall to enjoin the township from opening roads upon the lines of the new survey. Judge Palmer granted a temporary injunc- tion. Soon after, however, Judge Carland dissolved the injunction. The suit was finally tried before Judge Aikens, and the township prevailed. The case was then taken by appeal to the supreme court, and was there reversed. When it came up for trial the second time the case was dismissed by Judge Jones upon the pleadings, but an appeal was again taken to the supreme court. New suits were brought and tried before Judge Jones, who decided in favor of the Randalls and was sustained by the supreme court, and the contro- versy ended in April, 1897. It was a bitter contest from beginning to end, and during the ten years of litigation it attracted the atten- tion of the public, and especially of those who were personally inter- ested in the resurveys that were being made in the county.
The first post office established in the township was called Gen- eseo, now Fleetwood, and Dennis Walters was the first postmaster. The office was located on the southeast quarter of section 28. In
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HISTORY OF MINNEHAHA COUNTY.
1877. Henry Porter was appointed postmaster and the office removed to the southwest quarter of section 32. In September, 1879, Dennis Walters was again appointed postmaster, and the office removed to the southwest quarter of section 28. In 1888, Rasmus Mansager was appointed postmaster, and the office removed to the northwest quarter of section 29. In 1897, Mrs. Mary Buhring was appointed postmistress, and the office removed to its present location in section 32. Samuel H. Burk, one of the earliest settlers in the township, located on the southeast quarter of section 4. Late in the seventies a post office was established at this point called Look Out, and Mrs. Jane Burk was appointed postmistress. She held the office a few years, and then it was removed to the northwest quarter of section 4, and Henry Cox became the postmaster. The office was discon- tinued several years ago.
SCANDINAVIAN EVANGELICAL CONGREGATION OF WILLOW CREEK .- This church was organized with thirteen members. In 1888, a church building was erected on the southeast corner of sec- tion 22 in Burk township, at a cost of $3,500, the money being raised by subscription. The first minister was the Rev. H. Z. Hvid, suc- ceeded by the Reverends A. N. Kliven, H. O. Opsal, E. H. Midtbo, and C. C. Moe. At the present time there are two hundred and fifty-six persons who attend this church. There are two societies in aid of the church, the north, and the south Willow Creek societies. The church presents quite an imposing appearance, and is a credit to the enterprise of the people residing in Burk township,
BURK TOWNSHIP BOARD.
The first township record is of a meeting of the town board of supervisors at the house of S. H. Burk on the 26th day of July, 1881. The supervisors were Thor S. Dybedahl chairman, Jonathan Stout and Ole J. Berdahl; clerk, S. H. Burk. At this meeting a tax of five mills for road fund and four mills for bridges and town fund was levied. A warrant, probably the first one, was drawn in favor of Dennis Walters for $16 for services as assessor. S. H. Burk tendered his resignation as clerk, and at a subsequent meeting of the board Franklin Stout was appointed to fill the vacancy.
1882. A meeting of the board was held January 6, the super- visors were all present, but their names are not mentioned. Ole A. Nyhus was clerk, Dennis Walters assessor and Franklin Ferguson justice.
1883. Supervisors, Thor S. Dybedahl chairman, Jonathan Stout, Thomas Thompson; clerk, O. A. Nyhus; assessor, Thomas Hanson.
1884. At the first March election the following officers were elected: Supervisors, Thor S. Dybedahl chairman, A. H. Bemis, F. Ferguson; clerk, O. A. Nyhus; assessor, Thomas Hanson; treas- urer, R. M. Mansager. At a meeting of the board March 17, Dennis Walters was appointed supervisor in the place of F. Ferguson.
1885. Supervisors, A. H. Bemis chairman, Thor S. Dybedahl, Dennis Walters; clerk, O. A. Nyhus; assessor, Thomas Hanson; treasurer, R. M. Mansager.
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HISTORY OF MINNEHAHA COUNTY.
1886. Supervisors, Franklin Ferguson chairman, Thor S. Dy- bedahl, Dennis Walters; clerk, O. A. Nyhus; assessor, Thomas Hanson; treasurer, R. M. Mansager. March 20, the board resolved that the election of road overseers should be "by a separate ballot and ballot box" and a special election was ordered to be held for that purpose on the 1st day of June.
1887. Supervisors, Ole B. Olson, James Blow, Ole J. Berdahl; clerk, Franklin Stout; assessor, P. Walters; treasurer, R. M. Man- sager; constable, H. M. Mansager. April 2, Henry Cox was ap- pointed assessor, and the clerk was directed to write D. C. Rice, county surveyor, to ascertain when the township could be re- surveyed. June 1, a special meeting was held to consider matters in reference to the survey. July 9, it was ordered that the quarter corners be established and the survey recorded according to the field notes. August 7, several orders were drawn in favor of per- sons who had been engaged in surveying the township. August 15, E. H. Van Antwerp, the surveyor, was directed to erect landmarks at every quarter section corner in the township. October 15, the board directed the clerk to post eight notices ordering each and every freeholder to open all roads in the township according to the re- survey before the first day of April, 1888.
1888. Supervisors, Thor S. Dybedahlchairman, Ole J. Berdahl, James Blow; clerk, O. H. Nyhus, Jr .; assessor, Thomas Hanson. There were several meetings of the board during the year to con- sider questions arising out of the resurvey. A suit had been com- menced in the interest of those opposed to the lines established by the resurvey, and measures were adopted by the board to defend the suit and open the roads on the new lines. Balance in the treas- ury $29.17.
1889. Supervisors, Thor S. Dybedahl chairman, O. J. Berdahl, James Blow; clerk, O. H. Nyhus, Jr .; treasurer. R. M. Mansager; assessor, Franklin Stout. The board during the year made pro- visions for expenses incurred in the Randall survey suit.
1890. Supervisors, Thor S. Dybedahl chairman, O. J. Berdahl, James Blow: clerk, O. H. Nyhus; treasurer, M. E. Mansager; asses- sor, O. A. Nyhus. A committee was appointed "to look over the town- ship books and see if the money used during the last year had been correctly expended and recorded." March 25, the board met and quite a number of other citizens of the township were present, and the committee reported as follows: "We have examined the books of the township and found them all corresponding with the treasurer's books with the exception of $6.50, which the treasurer has paid over and above the amount of orders issued, and that we are satisfied that that money has been paid as interest on orders between the time they were presented and until paid. We also find that the board has drawn more money from the township than the record shows they are entitled to for such services, and we desire the board to make a record of such money that has been used outside of the meetings and elections held in the town during their term of office. We find that the board has consumed $211.20 for service for their term of three years, and the records of meetings don't allow them that much. We
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HISTORY OF MINNEHAHA COUNTY.
further ask the board to explain why they did not settle and draw orders for services in 1889, as they have done before. We find the orders issued for services for the year 1889, as follows: James Blow $48.20, O. Berdahl $43.80. F. B. Stout, John H. Hill, Committee." After some discussion and explanation a motion was made that it proved satisfactory, and the matter was dismissed. August 20, an order of $150 was issued to Thor S. Dybedahl to pay witnesses in the survey suit their mileage and fees.
1891. Supervisors, Miles Walters, A. T. Hamre, Thomas Han- son; clerk, O. H. Nyhus, Jr .; assessor, Knut Fossum. June 22, Thor S. Dybedahl was appointed justice of the peace. July 25, the board met to look over the account of the expenses in the survey case, and the clerk was instructed to make out an itemized bill of fees paid to the witnesses.
1892. Supervisors, James Blow, A. T. Hamre, Thomas Han- son; clerk, O. H. Nyhus, Jr .; assessor, O. A. Nyhus. March 29, the board appointed Nels Haugse constable, and allowed H. H. Keith's bill of $100 for legal services in the survey case, and ordered two roads opened.
1893. Supervisors, O. J. Berdahl, James Blow, Thor S. Dybe- dahl; clerk, O. H. Nyhus, Jr .; assessor, O. B. Dahlgren; treasurer, R. E. Mansager; justice, Thomas Hanson. At the first meeting of the new board the road overseers in districts No. 1 and 4 were instructed to open a new road in each of the two districts, according to descrip- tion. May 24, the board directed the chairman and clerk of the board. to go to Sioux Falls and procure an injunction to be served on Pau- lina Randall and others, as plaintiffs in the survey case. July 10, the board resolved to go to Sioux Falls and see an attorney about what could be done "in regard to the corners that are lost or destroyed." At the end of the fiscal year the treasurer reported a balance in the treasury of $1,014.78.
1894. Supervisors, Thor S. Dybedahl chairman, Ole J. Ber- dahl, James Blow; clerk, O. A. Nyhus; treasurer, R. M. Mansager; assessor, O. B. Dahlgren.
1895. Supervisors, Thor S. Dybedahl chairman, Ole J. Ber- dahl, James Blow; clerk, Franklin Stout; treasurer, Thomas Han- son; assessor, J. R. Jones.
1896. Supervisors, Thor S. Dybedahl chairman, John Mag- ness, A. A. Morse; clerk, F. B. Stout; treasurer, R. M. Mansager; assessor, J. M. Berdahl.
1897. Supervisors, Thor S. Dybedahl chairman, John Mag- ness, John Williamson; clerk, F. B. Stout; treasurer, S. K. Ducken; assessor, J. M. Berdahl.
1898. Supervisors, T. S. Dybedahl chairman, John William- son, Ole Nyhus; clerk, O. B. Dahlgren; treasurer, S. K. Ducken; as- sessor, J. M. Berdahl.
1899. Supervisors, T. S. Dybedahl chairman, Ole A. Nyhus, Thomas Hanson; clerk, O. B. Dahlgren; treasurer, S. K. Ducken; as- sessor, J. O. Berdahl.
A. H. BEMIS.
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HISTORY OF MINNEHAHA COUNTY.
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
AGA, LARS J., is a native of Norway, and was born April 20, 1854. He emigrated to the United States with his parents in 1860, and settled in Winneshiek county, Iowa. He attended school and worked on his father's farm until 1872, when he entered Luther Col- lege at Decorah, Iowa, and was graduated in 1876. He then com- menced teaching school at Albert Lee, Minnesota, and taught in the same district twelve consecutive years. He came to this county in the spring of 1888, and bought the southwest quar- ter of section 18 in Burk. Although he had a farm he taught school in Burk and Grand Meadow townships until he was elected a member of the legisla- ture in 1891. In the fall of that year he became principal of the Lutheran Normal school at Sioux Falls, and held this position until he assumed the duties of county superintendent of schools of Minnehaha county in the fall of 1893. He was re-elected to the same office in 1895. He made a good official. and attended to the duties of the office with great fidelity, and worked indus- triously to elevate the standard of the district school in this county. When his term of office expired, he engaged in farming in Burk township, where he owns a very fine farm in section 18, on LARS J. AGA. which he is at this writing erecting one of the most commodious and modern farm dwelling houses that can be seen in the county. He is highly respected as a citizen.
BARDELL, N., was born in Elsass, Germany, December 15, 1839. After coming to this country he lived in Illinois and Iowa for some time and came to Minnehaha county in May, 1876. He then filed a tree claim upon the northeast quarter of section 10 in Burk, where he engaged in farming.
BEMIS, ALVIN H., was born at Spencer, Massachusetts, Sep- tember 2, 1837. He lived there and in Illinois, Wisconsin and Iowa prior to his coming to Dakota in 1881, when he settled in this county. He took up as a homestead the northwest quarter of section 6 in Burk, where he still resides. He has since purchased the southwest quarter of the same section and has a good farm. He enlisted in the Union army in August, 1864, and served until September, 1865. He has held several offices in Burk township, is a good citizen, a suc- cessful farmer, and well known throughout the county.
BERDAHL, OLE J., was born in Norway, October 15, 1841. He emigrated to the United States in 1861, and settled in Wisconsin. In 1877 he removed from there to Dakota, and arrived in Burk, June
67
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HISTORY OF MINNEHAHA COUNTY.
15, of that year. He took up as a homestead the northeast quarter of section 18, and as a timber claim the northwest quarter of the same section. He resides on his homestead and has a good farm with com- modious buildings. He has held various town offices, has been chair- man of the town board and was county commissioner three years. He was the first Scandinavian who settled in Burk west of Skunk creek, and built the first frame house in that locality. During the first six weeks he resided on his homestead he saw only two persons. He is an active, prominent citizen, and highly respected by his neighbors.
BERGE, OSTEN, was born in Norway, 1847; emigrated to this country in 1883, and settled in Lyons, this county, taking up as a homestead the northwest quarter of section 6, where he resided until in 1892, when he sold it to his son, and moved on to a farm of 160 acres which he owns in section 32 in Burk, where he now resides, and has a good farm. He is a properous farmer and a good citizen.
BLOW, JAMES, was born in Tioga county, New York, November 27, 1839. He was reared on a farm, and received his education in the common schools. In April, 1883, he came to this county and bought the southwest quarter of section 6 in Dell Rapids, but sold this, and in the fall of 1886, bought the northwest quarter of section 15, in Burk, where he has since resided. He has quite a good farm, and has been an active citizen, holding the office of supervisor several years. He has been one of the foremost men in Burk in the litiga- tion growing out of the resurvey of that township, favoring the line established by the resurvey. He usually puts in an appearance at the county conventions as a delegate from Burk, and is one of the enterprising men in that vicinity.
BUHRING, ARNST, one of the first settlers in Burk, is a native of Germany, and was born in 1850. He emigrated to this country, lived in Wisconsin for some time, and came to Minnehaha county in 1872. He took up as a homestead the east half of the northwest quarter, and the west half of the northeast quarter of section 32, in Burk, where he still resides. He is a successful farmer, and a good citizen. His wife, Mrs. Mary Buhring, is the present postmistress of Fleetwood postoffice, which is located on his farm.
Cox, HENRY, is a native of England, and was born in July, 1834. After emigrating to this country in March, 1864, he lived in several states, and finally came to this county and settled in Burk in 1880. He purchased the northwest quarter of section 4 in that township, and resided there until his decease on the 14th day of November, 1894. He had been a miner for a great many years, and his health was greatly impaired when he came here. He was a respected citizen.
DAHLGREN, O. B., was born in Christiania, Norway, November 9, 1862, emigrated with his parents to the United States in the fall of 1866; lived in New York state a short time, and then removed to Kansas, where they remained eleven years; in July, 1880, came to Dakota, and located in this county, on section 23 in Burk township, and still resides there. The subject of this sketch bought and now
OLE J. BERDAHL.
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HISTORY OF MINNEHAHA COUNTY.
owns the south half of said section. He was assessor of Burk town- ship in 1893 and 1894, and clerk of the town board in 1898, and is a good farmer and a good citizen.
DYBEDAHL, THOR S., is a native of Norway, and was born in 1849. He emigrated to the United States in 1869, and settled in Iowa for five years. On the 18th day of June, 1874, he came to this county and took up the northwest quarter of section 23 in Burk as a home- stead, and the southeast quarter of section 15 as a tree claim, which he proved up in 1832, and secured a patent. Mr. S. Dybedahl, his father, who was born in Norway, November 1. 1817, and died in Burk, September 3, 1878, Thomas Thompson and S. K. Ducken, were the first Norwegians who settled in Burk. A few Americans
had located near Skunk creek before they came. Mr. Dybedahl's father took up the northeast quarter of section 22, which the subject of this sketch now owns. He has been a member of the town board ten years, nine years of which he was its chairman, and has also held the office of justice of the peace. He is a good farmer and an active, respected citizen.
FOSSUM, OLE K., came to the United States from Norway, where he was born November 22, 1819. He lived in Iowa and Minnesota before he settled in this county in 1874. He then secured quite a large amount of land, and owns at the present time the northwest quarter of section 35, the west half of the southwest quarter of sec- tion 34, and the east half of the southeast quarter of section 33 in Burk. He resides with his son Knut O. Fossum on the northeast quarter of section 33. Mr. Fossum has been school district clerk.
GRONSDAL, G. O .. is a native of Norway, and was born July 7. 1848. He emigrated to the United States in 1864, and resided in Iowa until 1880, when he removed to this county. He took up as a homestead the southwest quarter of section 8 in Burk, where he now resides. He has held the office of justice of the peace.
HANSON, OLE, was born in Norway in 1848; emigrated to this country and lived in Iowa until in 1874, when he removed to Minne- haha county. He took up as a homestead the southeast quarter of section 14 in Burk, where he now resides. He also filed a timber claim on the north half of the northeast quarter of section 23 in the same town, and has a good farm, with good improvements. He is an industrious farmer and a good citizen.
HANSON, THOMAS, is a native of Norway and was born October 17, 1857. He emigrated to the United States in 1869, and lived in Iowa until 1874, when he removed to Dakota and settled in Burk. He took up the southwest quarter of section 13 as a homestead and now resides there. He also secured the northwest quarter of section 24 under the tree-culture laws, and has a good farm. He has held various school and town offices, among them that of chairman of the town board of supervisors. He is an active, enterprising citi- zen, and well liked in his neighborhood.
HAMRE, AAD T., was born in Norway, August 6, 1848; emigrated to the United States and settled in Winneshiek county, Iowa, in 1867;
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HISTORY OF MINNEHAHA COUNTY.
came to this county in 1874, and resided in Lyons township four years; then moved to Burk township and took up as a homestead the southeast quarter of section 20, where he has since resided. He has been a member of the township board several years, and is a good citizen.
HAMRE, ADOLPH, son of Aad Hamre, was born in Clinton county, Iowa, October 21, 1872, and came to this county with his par- ents in 1874; was reared on a farm, attended the district schools, and took a two years course in Augustana college at Canton, South Da- kota. He has taught school in this county during the last eight years, and has the reputation of being a proficient and successful teacher.
HAYWARD, CHARLES E., was born in Spencer, Tioga county, New York, February 25, 1835. He was reared on a farm and at- tended the public schools. In 1879 he removed to Dakota, arriving in Burk on the 7th day of November of that year. He purchased a pre-emption relinquishment on the southwest quarter of section 3, and resided there until February, 1897, when he removed to New York. On the first day of August, 1862, he enlisted in Co. A, 109th N. Y. Inf., and served until the 14th day of May, 1865. While in the military service he received a gun-shot wound in his right shoulder, and since then his right arm has been partially disabled.
JOHNSON, HENDRICK N., was born at Springdale, Wisconsin, November 21, 1858. He received a common school education, and always engaged in farming. On the 26th day of March, 1897, he re- moved to Burk, where he now resides. He is a good citizen and an enterprising farmer.
KITTLESON, THOMAS O., came to the United States in 1862 from Norway, where he was born April 15, 1851. He resided in Iowa fif- teen years, and came to Dakota in 1877, when he located on the southeast quarter of section 21, which he filed upon as a homestead. He also owns the northeast quarter of the same section; has a good farm and is a good citizen.
MAGNESS, JOHN, is a native of Norway, and was born September 15, 1823. He emigrated with his parents to the United States, and settled in Winneshiek county, Iowa, in 1855. January 15, 1873, he came to Sioux Falls, and during the next three years was engaged in freighting for C. K. Howard and Knut Thompson. In 1876 he pre- empted the southwest quarter of section 19, in Burk, and settled down to farming. He still resides in Burk, but sold his farm there, and bought the north half of section 23 in Taopi, and other land, and now owns about 800 acres of fine land, and a fine live stock. He is a good citizen, has been on the town board several years, and is quite active in local politics.
MANSAGER, MICHAEL E., was born in Norway in 1825, and emi- grated to Iowa. He came to Dell Rapids in this county in 1876, but soon after secured a homestead and a tree claim in sections 29 and 30 in Burk. He is an industrious man and a good citizen.
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HISTORY OF MINNEHAHA COUNTY.
MANSAGER, R. E., was born in Northwood, Worth county, Iowa, October 20, 1858. He was reared on a farm and educated in the common schools. In 1876 he came to this county and settled in Burk. He was elected town treasurer in 1882, and has been re-elected from vear to year to the present writing, and has also been school treas- urer for several years. He was appointed postmaster at Fleetwood in 1886, and is one of the good citizens of Burk.
NYHUS, OLE A., is a native of Norway, and was born March 11, 1852. He emigrated to the United States in 1866, and resided in Wisconsin until he removed to this county, where he arrived on the 2d day of June, 1878. He took up the northwest quarter of section 7 in Burk, and has made a good farm of it. Mr. Nyhus taught the first school in Burk, in the school house located on the southeast corner of the southwest quarter of section 7. He has held the offices of assessor and justice, and has been town clerk several years. He is a good neighbor and citizen.
RANDALL, FRANK, was born in the city of Valparaiso, Indiana, January 23, 1850. During his minority he worked on a farm and at- tended public schools. He engaged in farming in Iowa previous to coming to Dakota in 1882, at which time he located in this county and bought a farm in section 9 in Burk township, where he has since resided. He has been one of the prominent actors in the litigation growing out of the resurvey of that township, and has to the best of his ability endeavored to maintain the lines as they were before the resurvey. He is a good farmer and an energetic citizen.
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