History of South Dakota, Vol. I, Part 55

Author: Robinson, Doane, 1856-1946. cn
Publication date: 1904
Publisher: [Logansport? IN] : B. F. Bowen
Number of Pages: 998

USA > South Dakota > History of South Dakota, Vol. I > Part 55

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

FALL RIVER.

Named for the principal stream and created by law March 6, 1883. The famous hot springs are the chief feature of the county, which is lo- cated in the southwest corner of the state in the southern portion of the Black Hills. Hot Springs and Edgmont are the principal towns. Hot Springs is the location of Black Hills College, a Methodist institution, of the state soldiers' home and of the national sanitarium for sick and dis- abled soldiers and sailors ; the latter, now under construction, is the nation's largest establishment for the purpose. The county was doubtless vis- ited by the early trappers and traders and is doubtless the scene of several of the incidents re-

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HISTORY OF SOUTH DAKOTA.

lated by Winsor, in "The Oregon Trail," though the fact cannot be definitely determined. The famous Wind Cave is one of the great natural attractions of the county. The Northwestern and Burlington Railways traverse the section and connect at Hot Springs. Area, 1,757 square miles. Population, 1900, 3.541.

GRANT.

Grant county was created January 8, 1873, and was named for the General. It was organ- ized June 5, 1878, by Governor Howard, through Oliver Martell, Louis Shaneau and Moses Mi- reau. It was visited at a very early date by white men. It is probable that DeLusigan was here as early as 1745. Fur trading was carried on in the region in the early years of the century. Solomon Roberts and Moses Mir- eau, traders, were probably the first per- manent residents, dating from 1865, and they still reside in the county. The general settle- ment came about 1877-8. The railroad came in 1879-80. Milbank, the county seat and chief city, dates from July, 1880. The county seat was originally at Big Stone City, but was removed by an election held in 1882. The region is rich in agriculture. Big Stone Lake is an important summer resort. William M. Evans was railroad commissioner under Governor Pierce; A. B. Smedley, regent of education, 1890-96: John L. Lockhart, commissioner of school and public lands, 1895-1899; W. B. Saun- ders, Louisiana Purchase Exposition commis- sioner, 1904. Area, 694 square miles. Popula- tion, 1900, 9,103.

FAULK.

Faulk county was named for the third gov- ernor of the territory and dates from January 8. 1873. It was not organized until October 25. 1883, when Governor Ordway appointed com- missioners for the purpose. The county seat was located at La Foon, but soon removed to Faulkton. The railroad reached the county in 1884. The earliest exploration of the county was probably by William Dickson, in one of his trips to the James river, about 1828. The county is

upon the line of travel from the Missouri to the Minnesota and John C. Fremont and Joseph N. Nicollet passed through it in 1839, Dr. Stephen R. Riggs in 1840 and Father Ravoux in 1842. Joseph R. Brown made many trips through the section in the 'thirties. Scatterwood lake, in the northeastern portion, was a famous Indian camp. Faulkton is the chief town. John A. Pickler repre- sented the county in congress from 1889 to 1897 ; Howard G. Fuller, judge of the supreme court, from 1894; Major Humphrey, adjutant general, 1897-1901. Area, 1,010 square miles. Popula- tion, 1900, 3.547.

GREGORY.

Gregory county was created by the first legis- lature of 1862 and was named for J. Shaw Greg- ory, a member of that body, who resided at Fort Randall and was a trader in the employ of Cap- tain Todd. Its present boundaries were defined by the legislature of 1897 and it was organized in 1893. - A trading station was located at Handy's Point at a very early date. Bonesteel and Fairfax are the chief towns. It is a good agricultural and stock country. The North- western Railway built into the section in 1902. Its area is 1,004 square miles and its population at the last census was 2,21I.

HAND.

Hand county was named for George H. Hand, secretary of the territory, 1874-82. It was created in 1873, but then occupied the north half of the present Hand and Hyde counties. Its lines were readjusted by the Brown reorganiza- tion act of February 22, 1879. Little is known of its early exploration. It was not on any of the favorite Indian trails. Its settlement dates from 1880, when the Northwestern Railroad was built through the county. It was organized by Governor Ordway July 10, 1882. The county seat was located at Miller. The chief towns are Miller and St. Lawrence, two miles apart, and the rivalry between them has been intense. For years they were equally matched, but in recent times the advantage has gone to Miller. L. G. Pinkham, superintendent of public instruction,

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HISTORY OF SOUTH DAKOTA.

1889-90; John Baldwin, engineer of irrigation; D. H. Smith, railway commissioner, 1903, are the public representatives. Agriculture and stock growing the chief industries. Area, 1,418 square miles. Population, 1900, 4,525.

HAMLIN.

Hamlin county, named for Hannibal Hamlin, created by law in 1873 and organized August 12, 1878, was first settled by Jacob Hanson at Lake Poinsett. The county was explored by Gen. John C. Fremont in 1838, who surveyed Lake Poinsett and named it for the then secretary of war. It is a fine agricultural county. The county seat was first located at Spaulding's ranch, near Estelline, but later was removed to Castlewood. The Northwestern Railway was built up the Sioux valley through Hamlin county in 1882-3. the Milwaukee through the western portion in 1887 and the Great Northern across the north- western corner in 1888. The chief towns are Castlewood and Estelline, on the Northwestern, Bryant, on the Milwaukee, and Hazel, on the Great Northern. Area, 543 square miles. Pop- ulation, 1900, 5,945.

HANSON.

Hanson county was named for Joseph R. Hanson, of Yankton, and was created by the legislature of 1871, but at that time it occupied all of the south half of the present county, the southeast one-fourth of Davison county and a portion of the present McCook county. It was readjusted by the Brown bill of 1879. It was or- ganized by Governor Burbank on December 16, 1872. It is crossed by James river and was ex- plored by Father Hoecken in 1851. The first settlement in the county was made by the soldiers who located Fort James in 1865, but the civil set- tlement dates from July, 1872, when Peter, Sam- uel and Michael Bloom, Jerry Flick and Frank B. Foster settled near Rockport. The next year came a colony from Chicago, known as the Army and Navy colony, lead by A. J. Parshall. The county seat was first at Rockport, but when the county lines were readjusted under the Brown

bill, by an election on October 11, 1880, it was removed to Alexandria, a station upon the rail- road. Lucius C. Taylor, of this county, was state auditor, 1889-93. Area, 486 square miles. Popu- lation, 1890, 4,947.

HUGHES.

Hughes county was named for Alexander Hughes, of Elk Point, now of Bismarck, North Dakota, and was created by the act of 1873 and readjusted in 1879. It was organized . November 20, 1880, by Gov- ernor Ordway, who appointed his

son, George L. Ordway, William P. Ledwich and Joseph Reed commissioners. The county seat was located at Pierre. The railroad reached Pierre at about the date of the organization. The exploration of the region dates to the earliest Missouri river navigation. Several Frenchmen married Indian women and settled within the county as early as 1830, but the chief settlement and trade in the region was at Fort Pierre, on the west shore. The three Rosseaus settled at the mouth of Medicine creek in 1860. In 1855-6 General Harney established three military camps on the east side of the river for the purpose of securing wood and pasturage. In 1863 General Sully built Fort Sully, five miles below Pierre. The first American settlement of permanence was made in 1873, when Thomas L. Riggs estab- lished the Congregationalist Indian mission at Oahe, where he continues it to this day. The Black Hills gold excitement brought some settle- ment into the section in 1876-7, but the real set- tlement dates from 1880. In 1889 the city of Pierre became the state capital. A government Indian school is located here. The United States land office, district court and weather bureau are also established at Pierre. George L. Ordway was territorial auditor, 1880-84; P. F. McClure, immigration commissioner, 1887-9; J. C. Mc- Manima, territorial auditor, 1889; Coe I. Craw- ford, attorney general. 1893-7; Charles H. Burke, member of congress, 1899-1905; Robert W. Stewart, Major Grigsby's Cowboys, in Span- ish war, 1898. Company A, First South Dakota,

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HISTORY OF SOUTH DAKOTA.

was recruited at Pierre for Philippine war. Area, 765 square miles. Population, 1900, 3,684.

HUTCHINSON.

Hutchinson county was created in the first batch of counties turned out in 1862 and was named for John Hutchinson, the first territorial secretary. Its lines were rearranged by the Brown bill of 1879. It is bisected by the James and the county seat is Olivet. The first settle- ment was made at Maxwell's Mills, on James river, by John, Henry and Thomas Maxwell, in 1870. The Milwaukee Railroad was built into the county in 1879, but it had a large population before that date, much of the Russian immigra- tion of 1873-4 making settlement in this county. It is a great agricultural county. John E. Hip- ple, state auditor, 1893-7; John Schamber, state treasurer, 1899-1903; Frank Morris, United States surveyor general, 1897; Jacob Schnaidt, commissioner of charities and corrections, 1901, and A. Sheridan Jones, superintendent of public instruction in the old territorial days, are among the county's public representatives. Area. 817 square miles. Population, 1900. 11,897.

HYDE.

Hyde county, which formerly occupied the territory embraced within the south half of Hand and Hyde counties, was given its present form by the Brown bill of 1879. It was named for James Hyde, of Vermillion, a member of that session. It was organized April 12. 1884, by Governor Ordway and, as usual with the organi- zations effected by Ordway, there was a good deal of scandal connected with the proceeding. Its settlement came coincident with the building of the railroad in 1880. Highmore is the county seat. The state's experiment farm, for the test of drought-resisting forage crops, is located near Highmore. Howard C. Schober, of Highmore, was insurance commissioner, 1901-3. Area, 875 square miles. Population, 1900, 1.492.

JERAULD.

This county was created by the legislature of 1883 and was organized by Ordway October

Ist of that year. It was named for H. J. Je- rauld, a legislator. Wessington Springs is the county seat. These springs were discovered by a teamster named Wessington in the road-building party of Col. W. H. Nobles in 1857, hence the name. The county was frequently visited by ex- peditions from Minnesota to the Missouri after the building of the Nobles road. Attention was first called to the section in the late 'seventies by the fact that a notorious band of horsethieves had taken refuge there and made it a rendezvous where they hid the horses they stole in Iowa and elsewhere and again from this retreat sallied forth into the settlements to dispose of their ill- gotten gains. Among the enterprises of this gang was an illicit distillery. They left the re- gion when the settlers came about 1880. The county had no railroad until 1903, when the Mil- waukee was extended from Woonsocket to the Springs. It is an excellent grain and stock sec- tion. Area, 548 square miles. Population, 2,798. A seminary of the Free Methodist church is lo- cated at the Springs.

KINGSBURY.

Named for George W. Kingsbury, editor, of Yankton. Created by legislature of 1873, but re- arranged by Brown bill of 1879. Organized by Governor Howard December 15, 1879. Ex- plored by John C. Fremont in 1838, who surveyed and named the lakes : Preston, for Senator Pres- ton, of North Carolina, and Albert (Abert), for Senator Abert, of Florida. Jacob Hanson was the first settler at Lake Albert, 1873. The prin- cipal settlement came with the railroad in 1880, from which time Arlington, Lake Preston, De- Smet and Iroquois date. The Hawarden line was built in 1883 and the Milwaukee in 1887. Thomas H. Ruth was commissioner of school and public lands, 1891-95; Charles Stromback, oil inspector, 1890-1893: Thomas Reed, regent of education, 1883-5; J. F. Halladay, state auditor, 1903; Car- ter P. Sherwood, food and dairy commissioner, 1901. Area, 834 square miles. Population, 1900, 9.866. Company E, First South Dakota, in Phil- ippines, was recruited here.

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HISTORY OF SOUTH DAKOTA.

LAKE.

Lake county was created in 1873 and organ- ized by Governor Burbank on September Ist of that year. The lakes from which the county takes its name were a favorite Indian resort and it was here that Inkpadutah brought the Spirit Lake cap- tives in the spring of 1857, and it was on the banks of Lake Herman that one of them, Mrs. Marble, was rescued. The settlement dates from 1870, when William Lee and others settled upon the lakes. Brisk immigration set in in 1878. The railway came in 1881. The principal towns are Madison, Ramona, Wentworth and Winnifred. The Madison Normal School was founded in 1883. Wilbur F. Smith, state treasurer, 1889-90, and I. D. Smith, commissioner of charities and corrections, 1900-I, have represented the county in state affairs. Splendid agricultural region. Area, 549 square miles. Population, 1900, 9,137.

LAWRENCE.

Lawrence county was created by the legisla- ture of 1877 and organized by Governor Penning- ton March 5, 1877. It was named for John Law- rence, a prominent citizen of Yankton who went to the Hills and became first treasurer of his namesake county. Early explorations of the county are lost in mystery, but the modern settle- ment dates from the discovery of gold in the placers by John B. Pearson, of Yankton, in the autumn of 1875. The grand rush to the section occurred the following spring. Deadwood, Lead, Spearfish and Whitewood are the chief towns. Deadwood, the county seat, was destroyed by fire in September, 1879, and again by a great flood in May, 1883. Mining is the principal in- dustry. The Homestake is the largest mine in the world. It is located at Lead, the chief city of the Hills, and the second in size in the state. The United States court is located at Deadwood and a government assay office. A state normal school is located at Spearfish, founded in 1887. Gideon C. Moody, of Deadwood, was United States sen- ator, 1889-91 ; Kirk G. Phillips, state treasurer, 1895-9; Eben W. Martin, member of congress since 1901. The office of mine inspector has from its foundation been accorded to Lawrence

county. Area, 814 square miles. Population, 17,897 in 1900. Company L, First South Dakota. in Philippines, was recruited at Spearfish, and Troop A, Grigsby's Cowboys, Spanish war, at Deadwood.

LINCOLN.

This county was created by the first legisla- ture in 1862 and was named for the President. It was doubtless explored by LeSeuer's voyageurs two hundred years ago. The modern settlement began in the summer of 1866, when A. I. Linder- man located at Fairview. The next year there was a considerable settlement and the county was organized by act of the legislature approved De- cember 30th, fixing the county seat at Canton. It is a great agricultural county. Two lines of the Milwaukee Railroad cross here, having been built in 1878-9-80. The chief towns are Canton, where is located Augustana College, of the Scandinavian Lutherans, and the National Asylum for Insane Indians, Hudson, Fairview, Harrisburg, Lennox and Worthing. Peter C. Shannon, of this county, was chief justice, 1873-81; Oscar S. Gifford, member of congress, 1885 to 1891; Thomas Thorson, secretary of state, 1893-1897; Henry Cooper, public examiner, 1901-3; George W. Nash, superintendent public instruction, 1903; N. C. Nash, commissioner Soldiers' Home, 1901 ; Abraham Boynton, railroad commissioner in ter- ritorial days. Area, 579 square miles. Popula- tion, 1900, 12,161. Company D, First South Da- kota, in Philippine war, was recruited at Worth- ing.

LYMAN.

Lyman county was named for William Penn Lyman, the first settler of Yankton county. It was created in 1873, but was defined as at present in 1897. It was organized by Governor Sheldon in 1894. It was an important region in the days of the fur traders and many posts were located within its borders. Among these were Kiowa, Lookout and Hale, the latter a military post to protect the Brule agency. The soil was relin- quished by the Indians in 1889 and the present settlement dates from that time. It is all within the great cattle range country and stock ranging

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HISTORY OF SOUTH DAKOTA.

is the chief industry. It contains 3,456 square miles and a population of 2,632. Oacoma, on the Missouri, is the county seat.

м’соок.

McCook county was carved out by the legis- lature of 1873 and named for Edward S. McCook, secretary of Dakota. The first settlement was made at Miller's gulch, on the Vermillion, by H. C. Miller, in 1871. The county was organized May 16, 1878, by Governor Howard. The county seat was located at Cameron by the commission- ers and at the election the following November the voters chose Cameron as the permanent loca- tion, but the election in 1880 sent it to Bridge- water. In November, 1882, it was changed to Salem. The Milwaukee Railroad was built through the county in 1880 and in 1881 the Omaha reached Salem. Salem, Canistota, Bridge- water, Montrose and Spencer are the chief towns. Agriculture the chief pursuit. O. S. Pender, clerk of the United States court, is a resident of Salem. Area, 575 square miles. Population, 1900, 8,689.

M'PHERSON.

McPherson county, named for General Mc- Pherson, was created by the legislature of 1873. It was organized ten years later by Governor Ordway, with the usual attending scandal. Its first settler was John Webber, who settled in the eastern part of the county in 1882. Leola is the county seat, Eureka the chief town. Stock grow- ing is the principal pursuit. F. C. Boucher, of this county, was regent of education, 1893-7, and is now World's Fair commissioner ; Charles N. Herreid, lieutenant governor, 1893-7; regent of education, 1897-1900; governor, 1901-3. Elwood G. Kennedy, United States marshal, 1897-1905. Area, 1,146 square miles. Population, 1900, 6,827.

MARSHALL.

Marshall county, created from north half of Day county in 1885, named for Governor Mar- shall, of Minnesota. First settlement, Fort Wads- worth, afterward Sisseton, 1864. Chief town and

county seat, Britton. Agriculture and stock rais- ing. D. T. Hindman, lieutenant governor, 1897- 99. Area, 880 square miles. Population, 1900, 5.942. The agricultural settlement of the county began in 1881. In 1892 the portion of the county embraced within the Sisseton reservation was opened to settlement, adding largely to population and importance of county. Fort Sisseton was abandoned in 1888. The coteau lakes and streams of this county have always been a resort for the Indians, and potteries, where the primitive earth- enware of the Ree Indians was made, were dis- covered by Captain Comfort, of the regular army, at Kettle Lake.

MEADE.

Named for Fort Meade, which is located in this county and was named for the famous gen- eral of the rebellion. The county was cut off from the eastern portion of Lawrence in 1889. Sturgis, near Fort Meade, is the county seat. Agriculture, lumbering and stock raising are the chief industries. The first settlements were road houses on the trail from Pierre, via Rapid, to Deadwood, in 1876. Fort Meade, first known as Camp Sturgis, was located 'August 1, 1878, and the settlement grew up around it and under its protection. The building of Fort Meade was the practical end of Indian troubles in the Hills. An important Catholic academy is located at Sturgis. Black Hawk has extensive saw mills. The rail- road reached this locality in 1889. Dr. William G. Smith, of Sturgis, has been railway commis- sioner since 1899. Area, 3,003 square miles, and population, 1900, 4,907. Troop D, Grigsby's Cowboys, recruited at Sturgis.

MINER.

Miner county was named jointly for Captain Nelson Miner and Ephraim Miner, of Yankton, both of whom were members of the legislature of 1873 which created the county. Then it occu- pied the south half of what is now Miner and Sanborn counties, the remainder being called Bramble county. The Brown bill of 1879 dropped Bramble county and called Miner and Sanborn as at present known, Miner. This county was

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HISTORY OF SOUTH DAKOTA.

organized by Governor Ordway, in November, 1880, with Forestburg, on the James river, as the capital. March 9, 1883, Sanborn county was cut off the west end and the capital of the cur- tailed Miner located at Howard. The settlement chiefly dates from the building of the Southern Minnesota Railway in 1881, though there had been some scattering settlement from 1879. The county is bisected by the old Nobles road of 1857, which ran about on the line of the present rail- way. It is a farming and stock region. Howard, Carthage, Vilas and Canova are the chief towns. S. H. Bronson was commissioner of soldiers' home, 1897-1901. Area, 569 square miles. Pop- ulation, 1900, 5,864.

MINNEHAHA.

Minnehaha county was created by the first legislature and an organization was effected, but it lapsed that year owing to the Indian troubles, which drove the whites away. The earliest ex- ploration of the section was by LeSeuer's voy- ageurs in 1700 or thereabouts. The settlement began in 1857, but, as stated before, was broken up by the Indians. The new settlement began with the location of Fort Dakota in 1865. Few settlers came until about 1869 and 1870. Sioux Falls, the county seat, is the location of the peni- tentiary, located in 1877-79. School for Deaf Mutes, 1883; Children's Home, 1890; United States court, 1890. The three successive consti- tutional conventions were held in Sioux Falls, 1883, 1885, 1889. Important wholesaling and distributing point. Fred Cross was immigration commissioner, 1875-77 ; Richard F. Pettigrew, member of congress 1881-83 ; United States sen- ator, 1889-1901; Melvin Grigsby, attorney gen- eral, 1897-99; colonel Grigsby's Cowboys, in Spanish war, 1898; United States attorney for Alaska, 1902; Alfred B. Kittredge, United States senator, 1901 ; Charles E. Mckinney, rail- road commissioner, 1891-3; Joseph M. Bailey, territorial treasurer, 1889. Company B, First South Dakota, in Philippine war, and Troop B. Grigsby's Cowboys, recruited here. Area, 802 square miles. Population, 1900, 23,896. Dell

Rapids, Garretson and Valley Springs are other important towns. Agriculture and quarrying, chief industries.

MOODY.

Moody county was carved out of the northern portion of Minnehaha and the southern portion of Brookings by the legislature of 1873, and was organized by Governor Burbank in August of that year. The big bend of the Sioux river has been a favorite resort for Indians always. The Omahas had a town here two hundred years ago. A fur post tributary to Hudson Bay was abandoned here in 1763. In 1822 Joseph La- Frambois established a post here, which he con- ducted until 1827. In 1857 the Dakota Land Company located Flandreau town site, but was compelled to abandon it by hostile Yanktons the next year and it was not again occupied until 1869, when, the Sisseton Indian settlement hav- ing been made there, C. K. Howard established a trading post. F. W. Pettigrew settled upon the town site in 1872. The government has one of its most elaborate and extensive schools for the education of Indians at this point. The plant consists of fourteen large buildings. It is a riclı agricultural section. George Rice, attorney gen- eral, 1885-6; Dr. F. A. Spafford, regent of educa- tion from 1897; John E. Kelly, member of con- gress, 1897-1899, are some of the men who have represented the county in public affairs. Area, 517 square miles. Population, 1900, 8.326.

PENNINGTON.

Named for Governor Pennington. Created. 1877. Organized same year. Exploration by Lieutenant G. K. Warren, 1857, and General Custer, 1874. Settled by gold prospectors. 1875-6. County seat at Rapid City, chief town. Site of government and Episcopal Indian schools, and State School of Mines, founded in 1887. Has large gold reduction works, United States land office and weather bureau. Agriculture, mining and stock ranging. County limits extended in 1897. Rapid City was the entrapot to the Black Hills in the days when all of the passenger and

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HISTORY OF SOUTH DAKOTA.

freight traffic was transported from the Missouri at Pierre. John H. King, railway commissioner, 1889-91 ; William H. Tompkins, railway com- missioner, 1897-1900, superintendent Reform School, 1900-1901, are among public representa- tives. Area, 2,596 square miles. Population, 1900, 5,610. Company M, First South Dakota, in Philippine war, recruited here.

POTTER.

Named for Dr. J. A. Potter, of Yankton ; was formerly known as Ashmore county. Was the home of a band of Yanktonias, called the Siounes. Medicine Rock, a curiously carved stone near mouth of Little Cheyenne, still an object of won- der, was examined by Generel Henry Atkinson in 1825. County created in 1873. Boundaries changed in 1879. Organized by Ordway in No- vember, 1883. County seat at Gettysburg, chief town. Forest City, on Missouri, has good bridge site. Agricultural and stock section. F. C. King, insurance commissioner, 1899-1901. Area, 900 square miles. Population, 1900, 2.988.

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History of South Dakota, Vol. I, Part 55

Author: Robinson, Doane, 1856-1946. cn Publication date: 1904 Publisher: [Logansport? IN] : B. F. Bowen Number of Pages: 998

Author: Robinson, Doane, 1856-1946. cn
Publication date: 1904
Publisher: [Logansport? IN] : B. F. Bowen
Number of Pages: 998