Some Pioneers and Pilgrims on the Prairies of Dakota: Or, From the Ox Team to the AeroplaneReese, John B.
History
Some Pioneers and Pilgrims on the Prairies of Dakota: Or, From the Ox Team to the Aeroplane
Reese, John B.
Frontier and pioneer life -- South Dakota
We ought, at this point, to make a visit around the neighborhood as it
appeared from '81-'83 and even much later. Beginning in the Turkey
Creek Valley, we have already indicated the half dozen families which
had located there in the early seventies. As we have spoken in another
chapter of this earlier wave of pioneer immigrants, I shall pass them
by now as also those of that same group who had settled to the south,
toward what is now Volin.
Berhaug Rise moved his living house from where it was first placed,
viz., one quarter mile west of Ole Solem's, to about one mile west,
that is, from the creek bottom at the junction of the ravines which
traversed the place from east to west, to the higher land at the head
of these ravines.
To the southwest of our place, about a mile distant, was John Johnson,
who had settled there in '74 and lived in a log house. To the west one
mile was Ole Johnson, who had filed in '79 and was living in a dugout
with his family. Another mile or so still farther southwest was Peter
Moen, also living in a dugout and having a considerable family. Then
going back to Ole Johnson and going north were Peter Johnson, Jonas
Vaabeno, Ole Liabo, and John Moene. To the east of Peter Johnson there
was in 1880 a man by the name of Roser who, however, left about that
time. All of these, as far as I remember, lived in dugouts, with the
exception of the first named, who lived in a loghouse.
Going from five to six miles to the northwest of this Turkey Creek
settlement, we find another group of pioneers, some of whom had come
before 1880 and others a little later. We can mention a few. There was
Cornelius Nilsen, Albert Boe, Peter, Albert, and O.O. Gorseth; O.
Lokken; Steen Bakke, Mrs. Mary Boe, the Simonson Brothers--Halvor and
Ole. Also Asle Mikkelson. There may have been others, but these
comprise practically all who were there at that time. The sons and
daughters of many of these are either on the old places or in the
vicinity to this day. Of course, some have moved away to other parts.
Most of these pioneers are still living, but no longer in the
dug-outs.
Going west to what was called the West Prairie, about six miles, could
be found H. Hagen, the Gustads, Stoems, Skaaness and others. These had
come in the earlier wave of immigration which we have mentioned
already, i.e. in the early '70's or later '60's.
Going back to our starting point near Turkey Creek and going south,
after passing John Johnson already mentioned, we find next the
Lawrence place, now owned by Mr. Axlund; then Hans Dahl, followed in
order by Haldo Sether, Ole Bjerke, Lars Aaen and the Hoxeng Brothers,
both of them then living on the old home place now occupied by Thore
Hoxeng. There were, of course, others scattered on either side of this
line of settlers, but these were a sort of land marks in the early
eighties.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account