County Convention

The first county convention of Corson county which was held for the purpose of nominating candidates for the various county offices to be filled at the special election on July 13, 1909, was held at McIntosh Wednesday the 16th. Almost every voting precinct was represented with the exception of Morristown.
The convention was called to order by Attorney N.B. Bartlett who expressed his pleasure of meeting in a body the promoters and framers of our new county and explained the purpose this assembly in a few brief and well selected words after which the nomination of a chairman and secretary was in order. On motion duly carried J.E. Davies was appointed chairman and C.S. Clemmensen secretary.
The following candidates were nominated and the convention being purely non-partisian it is predicted that very few of them will have any opposition by independent candidates.
Sheriff, Frank Lawrence; Auditor, H.B. Elbert; Clerk of Courts, Chas. S. Watson; State’s Attorney, Attorney N.B. Bartlett; Treasurer, G.W. Comstock; Register of deeds, C.A. Green; County Judge, Guy R. Schmelle; Assessor, Simon Kirk; Surveyor Eugene Bear King. Three commissioners; Harry McLaughlin, Antoine DeRockBraine and Chas. Duncan. Four Justices of the Peace; O.J. Fett, Ralph Belden, J.E. Shea and C.S. Shortridge. Four Constables; Ray Lease, Samiel Bruguier, Louis Agard and James Harrigan.
Nominations made each nominee present was called upon for a speech who all thanked the convention for the honor that they had bestowed upon them and respectively promised their hearty support for McIntosh for the county seat.
The commercial club had done its best efforts to give the visiting delegates a courteous reception and arrangements were made for their comfort and accommodation. Consequently everybody was in good humor and the convention harmonious in every detail. Each precinct that was represented got what they came for and more too, making everybody feel more than satisfied. McIntosh was after nothing but the endorsement for the county seat which it received by a unanimous vote.
Taken from McIntosh Globe June 17, 1909

Thunder Hawk

Thunder Hawk is to have another good sized building. It is to be a feed barn 30x40 feet in dimension, to be erected at once by Jas. Horigan. There will be room in it for twenty head of horses.
There came near being two fatalities in connection the the boring of a well on the James Horigan place. Two men were overcome by dynamite gas. The case of of one of them was particularly critical. They were Lemmon parties. It seems a rock had been blasted by dynamite and the men went down in turn to remove it when they were overcome by gas. A lantern had previously been lowered and no gas detected. It is said the removing of the rock released the gas from the crevices in the ground and this caused the trouble.
The opening up of Thunder Hawk naturally comes up for discussion. It is not likely that the sale of lots will occur until some time next summer. The tow is located on an allotment and lots can not be sold until the patent is secured. The first steps to that end have been taken. In the meantime building sites in Thunder Hawk can be leased. The securing of a patent on an allotment depends largely on the recommendation of the Indian agent. One party was about to be granted a patent, when he talked rather too freely bout what he was going to do with his land, so that the agent withdrew his recommendation and the matter fell through. The government requires that the holder of the allotment shall be competent to wisely manage his own affairs before a patent is granted.
Taken From McIntosh Glove August 19, 1909

McIntosh Greatly in Need of a New School Building

On Saturday Feb. 14, the people of McIntosh and vicinity must decide whether they will take a forward step in the matter of educating the boys and girls of this community or allow things to drift. The present school building is very inadequate, it is now taxed to its full capacity, in fact additional room had to be provided last fall, when a rural school building was erected on the school grounds, to take care of the second grade, the overflow from the Primary room. Primarily the school house was a four room building, with a maximum capacity of two grades in each room. several years ago two rooms were constructed on the third floor, these are at present used by the High School. They were built to take care of an emergency and have served their purpose well. But if our High School is to continue to grow’ to fulfill its mission to the boys and girls of our community and to give them a square deal in education, there must be provided larger quarters; additional space for and assembly room, library, laboratory, etc.
Our school is without a proper assembly hall there is no place where the students can assemble in a body for exercises of any kind, a very vital part of any up to date school. There is no place where a concert or entertainment of any kind can be given or where the school can conduct a public gathering of its own, and all these are absolute essentials of a modern school.
The high School is sadly lacking in recitation room where classes can be conducted in an efficient manner. Just now the High School has only one large recitation room besides the assembly hall. This assembly room seats about twenty-five students in very cramped quarters; it has a very low ceiling, poor ventilation and lighting, and no fire escapes. It is very difficult to run a first class school under such conditions. The grades have the same difficulty in being over crowded, with very little available space for exercises or games of any kind. This is especially true of the lower grades, and absolutely so in the Primary room.
Just imagine how much pleasanter it would be to send your boy and girl to a school where the rooms are well lighted and ventilated and where an air of cheerfulness and beauty pervades the room. What an influence for good this has on the boys and girls, land what greater results could be obtained in such an atmosphere. The richest and most enduring legacy that you can give to your children is a good education and now is the time to provide for it.
Taken from McIntosh Globe-Chief February 12, 1920

Modern School Building Represents Progressiveness

The progressive spirit of any community is judged largely by the character of the local school. One of the first questions asked by prospective settlers and homeseekers is in regard to the merits of the school. A substantial school building with an efficient corp of teachers and an enthusiastic body of students is a valuable asset to any community; it is the best advertisement of the progressive spirit of the people.
This community needs a modern school building, its cost and maintenance would not be a burden, when it is realized that the total cost is spread over a district with an assessed valuation of about three million dollars.
Among other things, a modern building should provide for the following; A domestic science department where the girls can be taught cooking, sewing and the art of homemaking; a manual training department where the hands may be trained as well as the mind; a kindergarten to train the children under six years of age. Provision should be made for six full sized grade rooms; so that it might be possible to have one teacher for each grade.
The assembly room of the High School should provide for at least one hundred and fifty students with a total seating capacity of at least four hundred, so that it might be used by the public for concerts. entertainments and public gatherings of all kinds. In this assembly room the 7th and 8th grades could be places which together with the 9th grade would constitute a Junior High school, thus the Grammar Grades would be taught in the same manner as the pupils of the High School that is certain teachers to handle certain subjects.
There should be a suitable Library room where the students and the public could come to read or study, or obtain books at certain hours of each day.
It should have a laboratory where all the apparatus used in teaching the Sciences could be stored, and where all the classes could be conducted.
A commercial room should be provided too, as a good commercial course should be placed in every High School, thus giving every boy or girl an opportunity to derive some immediate practical benefit from studies pursued in the High School. Too often High School students are efficient in spelling, arithmetic and business forms, poor in penmanship and a good course in some of these subjects would be of great benefit to every one.
In the basement should be placed a regulation six gymnasium with lockers, shower baths and athletic equipment. This could be used not only by the boys and girls in school but it should be open to everyone, where young and might gather to enjoy themselves in games and sports suitable to all ages.
These, in brief are the main factors of a modern school building, they constitute the school plant. On Saturday, Feb. 14 the people of this community will decide whether they want a building with all the above improvements or not. A vote in favor of the bond issue is a vote in favor of a modern school building., it is a vote in favor of a square deal in education for every boy and girl in this district.
Taken From McIntosh Globe-Chief Feb. 12, 1920

Morristown Dam was Completed Last Week

The Morristown dam was completed a week ago and the workers have been transferred to the Mallard dam, south of Watauga, to cement the spillway and make some other repairs. The Morristown dam is one of the finest constructed dams in Corson county, and is a grand compliment to Al. Wessel, who supervised the work as foreman. An emergency spillway, in addition to the regular spillway at the dam, was made and in case of too much water for the regular spillway to take care of, the emergency will take care of the overflow. There is very little danger of the dam ever going out and railroad engineers have kept a close eye on the construction and put their approval on the structure. Should the dam go out it would endanger the tracks of the railroad company, and it behooved the officials to see that it was substantially constructed. The water will be impounded over nearly a hundred acres, and at the present level, the water must raise fro seven to nine feet before the water will go over the spillway, and will be about eighteen feet at the dam. It is a beautiful body of water, or rather ice, at this time of the year, and will make one of the finest lakes in the west river country, and a grand place for picnic parties and gatherings. A project is being sponsored for the planting of trees around the lake next spring to further beautify the place.
Mr. Wessel has been appointed as foreman on the Mallard dam, and has a crew of men hauling gravel and the first cement was put in last week. An effort will be made to keep this dam intact and it will impound a large body of water, and although not as large as the Morristown dam, it will be a large lake and should afford some good fishing. The Mallard dam has native trees growing around the banks, and with the large body of water, makes a very pretty sight and a place that will be appreciated during the hot summer months.
Taken from Corson County News February 2, 1939

Young Doctor Found Frozen to Death Near McCarthy Farm

When stopping at the McCarthy mail box, three miles east of McIntosh, Cliff Hauser, local rural mail carrier, was stunned when he discovered the frozen body of a young man lying beside the mail box Wednesday morning. The body was slumped in the snow, the victim having evidently stopped at the mail box for rest, but the severe cold that he had bucked for the three miles had sapped his vitality and he dropped, never to arise.
It is reported that the deceased had eaten at McLaughlin about six o’clock Tuesday evening and started west. He missed the turn over the overhead and his car was found in a snow drift at the top of the hill, near the four corners, a mile east of McIntosh. It was very evident that the blizzard that was ragging prevented his seeing the lights of the city, and he was not aware of being so close to a town, being a stranger in these parts, and he started back to a farm house, having undoubtedly seen it as he passing coming west. The McCarthy mail box is only a couple hundred feet from the house, but it is doubtful if he had seen the light. At about seven o’clock, when the supposition is, that he became stalled in the drift, the thermometer showed about fifteen below zero, and a strong north wind was blowing. The young man was clad only in light clothing and wore a pair of low shoes with silk socks and had no hat when found.
Hauser notified local authorities who immediately went to the scene of the death, and on the dead man’s body a bill fold was found, giving the name of Dr. Robert E. Zimmerman, and from papers found, was evidently connected with the St. James Hospital at Butte, Montana. He was driving a Studebaker car and carrying an Indiana license plate, and he made known at McLaughlin that he intended to reach Miles City, Montana some time that night. Authorities have received word from a relative, a wife or a mother at Billings, Montana and the remains are at the McIntosh Funeral Parlor, awaiting the arrival of the relative. It is sad to realize that a young man, in the prime of life, must perish in a blizzard, when the comforts of a warm home were within a short distance.
Taken from Corson County News February 9, 1939

Gravelling of Streets Completed-Men Will be Employed at Dam

The project of gravelling the streets of McIntosh will be completed at the end of this pay period which is Thursday night of this week. All the main thoroughfares in the city have been regraded and the two alleys running north and south on each side of Main street have also received a coat of gravel. New culverts and drain ditches have been cleaned and repaired, giving the streets good drainage, and the city streets as a whole are in the best condition they have been since the city was plotted. A crew of about forty men have been employed for the past several months, land only a few days during the winter months that the gravel trucks were unable to make their trips to and fro from the gravel pit on the Cedar River. The gravelling of the streets has been a long drawn out affair, due to the break in shifts, the men being laid off after their forty four hours of each month were completed. McIntosh can well be proud of their streets and the appearance of the city as a whole, and with a fine new sewage system. McIntosh can brag of having every convenience that cities much larger have. The city has taken advantage of the WPA set-up and in putting in the sewerage and the gravelling of the street has given employment to many men during the past couple years. The new well, under the same set up was a contract job, and gave little employment to local men but it gives the city another improvement that they can well feel proud of it.
The men who have been employed on the street projects will be transferred to the dam to be constructed four miles east of McIntosh, a few rods north of the Yellowstone Trail, near the Paul Pudwell farm. This project is being sponsored by the county and has already been approved by the government, and work will commence by June 1st and will insure no loss of time as far as WPA workers are concerned.
The new dam to be built will be one of the largest to be constructed in this section and will entail an expense around fifty thousand dollars, and it is anticipated that it will require about a year to complete. When completed, the lake will cover approximately 112 acres, and in the lower places will be about 22 feet deep. The spillway and overflow will be constructed of cement and every precaution will be used to make it a substantial structure. Flood gates will be made so that in case of heavy rains or sudden thaws when snow is on the ground that the water level can be lowered when the dam is in danger. It’s location near the Trail makes it an ideal spot for a lake, and fed by springs, it should be an exceptionally fine body of water.
Taken from Corson County News May 18, 1939

Local Men to Sponsor Rodeo

“Smokey” Johnson and E.E. Shear are sponsoring a Fourth of July celebration to be held 14 miles north of McIntosh, near the Cannon Ball bridge and east of the Wade ranch, on July 3rd and 4th. The celebration will be in the form of a rodeo with all the other entertainment and amusements that go to make a Fourth of July celebration complete. The spot that the boys have picked for the scene of their activities is only a few rods off the graveled road, and is an ideal place for a celebration. “Smokey” is noted for his dare devil antics on the back of a bucking bronc and Mr. Shear is an old hand at the game, having worked as a bronc rider before starting his railroading. The boys will build corrals and shoots and have everything ready for a big opening day. They are engaging some of the best bronc riders in the west river country and will give liberal prizes for those who prove their ability in the passing art of “setting tough ones.” Steer roping, pony races, bull dogging, bronc riding ball game, and a big bowery dance each evening is a part of the program that will be put on for the entertainment of the public. They are planning for a large crowed and the boys are not going to leave a stone unturned to make it a couple days of real entertainment and give the public a good show at a little cost. They have had a number of applications for concessions, but they are going to be very particular not to allow any “jip” games. The celebration at the Cannon Ball will be accessible to the people from the north as well as the south country, and will undoubtedly attract many spectators.
Taken from Corson County News May 18, 1939

Cedar Irrigation Project Proving a Success

The editor in company with W.H. Farmer, Extension Investigator of the North Dakota Agricultural college, Harry Graves, horticulturalist of the North Dakota agricultural college; J.A. Bratruff, District Conservationist of McIntosh; County Agent C.W. Pace, Frank Fiske, and County Superintendent of Schools J. Olson all of Fort Yates made a tour to the Cedar River Irrigation projects. The party was joined by Jim Maher at the Nehl project and from there the party inspected all the projects from that point to the west end of the county to the Jahnel project.
It was really surprising to note the interest that is being manifest in these irrigation projects by the farmers of our adjoining state and they are not allowing their interest to outdo their ambitions. Each project contains approximately twenty acres and they are divided into two acre plots, each farmers participating using his plot for the planting of vegetables and what garden truck he feels so inclined to plant. There are seven projects along the river, placing over a hundred and forty acres under irrigation, making it possible for seventy farmers in the vicinity of the Cedar to have garden space where they can irrigate. The land was all flooded before planting, and the land leveled and ditches constructed. A majority of the gardens, although planted, a little late are up and growing fine and with fine prospects of raising vegetables galore. The larger ditches are so constructed that water pumped from the river runs parallel with the river, giving it the right percentage of slope so that it is possible to completely traverse the entire plots, and small feeder ditches are constructed to allow the water to flow along the rows of planted vegetables, giving them sufficient moisture whenever it is necessary.
The water is pumped from the Cedar river by means of cyntrifical pumps, powered by large tractor engines, and throws a flow of water of about six hundred gallons minute, being raised from the water level by means of large water pipes. The amount of water drawn from the river is sufficient to keep the large ditches well filled, and the plots can be irrigated completely in a short period of time. The cost of pumping will be prorated among the farmers using the water, and it is estimated that the cost will be very small. The cost of purchasing the equipment is also pro rated, and will be paid for by the farmers participating in the organization./ The irrigating of land along the Cedar River is more or less in its infancy and an experiment but it appears very feasible, land with the fine spirit of cooperation among those interested in the venture, there is no question but what it will prove a success. Knowledge of irrigating is very limited with farmers of the west river country, and it will require a little time to learn to use the water to the best advantage and at the proper times, and those participating have this in mind, and will not be discouraged if the gardens do not materialize as well as they had anticipated for the first year.
The dams to hold back the water were constructed in the riffles of the river by means of throwing in large rocks and pouring in cement, the work being done by WPA employees. With the large rocks in the riffles, there is no immediate danger of them washing out during high water, as the flow of water is not completely closed, and is allowed to go over when it raises to a higher stage. The river at the present time is above normal stage, and the water flowing over the small rocked dams makes a beautiful sight and the sound of the rippling water creates a feeling of satisfaction and contentment. Each side of the stream where the dams were constructed were rip rapped with large well shaped rock, and it was very evident that the men working on WPA were desirous of making the places scenic as well as practical. The large trees along the river and with the nice flow of water, makes it a beautiful sight, and it is well worth ones time to take the trip and see what is being accomplished.
The party visited the Jahnel, Westpahl, Knoke, Palmer and Nehl projects, and it would be difficult to determine which one is outstanding each project visited was well platted and the dams were well constructed. The Harry Knoke place is probably one of the most beautiful situated; the farm building nestled in the trees along the river makes a sight that was very pleasing to the eye, and Harry is very enthusiastic about the irrigation projects and spends all his spare time working in his fine garden.
Taken from Corson County News June 6, 1939

Pioneer Tells of Buffalo Hunts

In reply to many inquiries regarding the “Bone Mine” on the banks of the Grand River near Shadehill, Mrs. Josephine Waggoner of Keldron, gives the following interesting account of “buffalo running” as practiced by the Sioux Indians, in years past. This she believes holds the answer to the mystery surrounding the bones. Her letter follows:
“the bone mine south of Lemmon has been of interest to quite a few people. I have had several letters of inquiries about it. When I spoke of this in your paper, I spoke of the Sioux, who knew that the Cheyennes were making buffalo runs at this place. I did not mean to say that only the Cheyennes followed this method of getting their game. These cut bluffs, where game could easily be killed, was known to other tribes and were in practice for ages.
“even in prehistoric times game was secured by running buffalo and other game over rim rocks down into brush or log corrals, from which there was no escape.
“Long before horses or guns came to be used, this easy way of getting game was practiced at convenient times when game was plentiful. The Aztec tribes occupied this continent for countless years. Their legends say the came down here from the north. They were the ones who made stone arrowheads and were adapt at stone work. It must have been a tedious job. Arrowheads were precious and were used as a medium of exchange. They were conserved as much as possible.
“The flint was mined in the mountains, both east and the west flocked and sold to those who lived on the prairie. Flint was used to cut inscriptions on rock that can be seen in places yet.
“Wherever the Aztecs lived, from the Yukon to the Gilla river, they have left behind them records of their doings carved on rocks. Strange events have been recorded. Sometimes there were fights or trading and what kind of game was being used for food was all carved in picture signs.
“there are many carved rocks that can be seen yet in North and South Dakota. In the Cave Hills of South Dakota inside the cave were many inscriptions. I was on the Cannon Ball river last summer, “engraved Rock River,” in Sioux, to see a stone hill that was carved all over. I had seen it before when I was a child, but a great change had taken place since then.
“The car carvings were all chipped off and carried away by souvenir hunters. There were only a few pictures left. This rock is on the south side of the Cannon Ball, northeast of Tiju Hills, southwest of Leith.
“there were many places in North and South Dakota where deer and buffalo drives were made. That is how Killdeer in North Dakota got its name. The Killdeer mountains are not very high, just a rolling hill with a wide plateau on top. On the south end of the mountain is a cut bluff. Hundreds of deer used to graze on these hills where the rich curly buffalo grass grew.
“The Sioux and Cheyenne made a peace treaty here once, back in 1869. Just a year after Sitting Bull was made a chief the Cheyenne under Two Moans held a five day festival, with competitive games. It was here that they had a deer. The deer were run over the bluff on the south side of Killdeer mountain. It was quite a historic event.
“The Sioux legends say this place had been in use for the same purpose by other tribes for many years.
“When the Iroquois, Alogonquins, Sions and Cadoans moved west from the Atlantic coast, they found the arrowheads made of stone and used them, but stone arrow making was a mysterious art to them. These newcomers were superstitious about the.
The study of legends and myths is like reading a history when one can understand the languages.
“If we could read the inscriptions carved on rocks, records left by people who lived right where we are living today, perhaps a million years ago, we would know all the changes that have taken place since then.
“It is a fascinating study to the writer. There can be no deception practiced when one knows the anatomy of a buffalo, the high hump, the wooly fur, the sharp black stubby horns. The skeletons are right there to show the facts. I write this to you because as many people have written to me to find out more about the “Bone Mine.”
Taken from Corson County News September 30, 1939

Prevailing Nice Weather is Boon to Work on East Dam

The Corson county sponsored WPA dam now under construction four miles east of McIntosh is one of the largest and best built earthen dams in this section of the country. The project was set up last spring and operations on it began the fore part of June 1939. Initial work consisting of the tearing down of old buildings and rebuilding necessary buildings at the dam site. A machine shop, tool storage shed, machinery shed, bunkhouse, barn and garage for trucks were constructed at the dam in this manner. Horses were used during the first few months of operation, but at the present time horse contracts have been discontinued in favor of mechanical equipment which includes hydraulic dump trucks and two small caterpillar tractors.
Approximately $11,5000 has been spent for man labor and truck and machinery hire at the dam up to the present time, while Corson county as sponsor has contributed the amount of approximately $3,850. This amount spent by the county includes machinery hire on the project, items purchased that were necessary for project operations, repairs on machinery used and also for gasoline purchased from various places in McIntosh. More than 2000 gallons of gasoline have been purchased by the county from local gas stations in McIntosh since the beginning of the project. In addition to this amount the Federal government has placed 6000 gallons of gasoline on the project. This federal gas is purchased by contract and delivery is taken on federal gas from Lemmon.
When the dam project first began it was understood that horses and dump wagons would be used for dirt moving purposes, and in line with this a number of dump wagons were brought to the project. However, since horses were discontinued, and trucks substituted, the dump wagons have been coupled together, and in case of necessity these wagons may be strung out behind a small caterpillar tractor for dirt hauling purposes. At the present time, the WPA has furnished five hydraulic dump trucks for dirt hauling. The dirt is loaded at a pit near the dam with a power take off elevated grader pulled by the 60 caterpillar tractor on the project. In an ordinary days operation, one of these trucks will haul about 200 yards of dirt.
Blading and packing work on the fill of the dam is done with the two small caterpillar tractors, one a 30 horse power and the other a 22 horse power. The smaller of the two tractors is used on a sheepsfoot roller, while the other is used for blading purposes. When not in use on the dam fill, these two tractors are used for various other types of work, including the hauling of rock for rip-rapping purposes and for stripping of pitts.
Considerable difficulty was encountered when the dam first started in digging of the core. The soil was ridden with springs rendering dirt moving almost impossible due to the presence of water that turned the sand into slush and mud. The proper depth was finally reached in the core and when filling operations were begun, the springs were shut off at once by the clay hauled in. At the present time the entire core has been filled and the fill brought up about fifteen feet on the north side of the dam, with no indications of any of the spring water working through which shows that the water vein was well sealed.
Within the past two weeks, excavation for the floodgate on the east side of the dam and the spillway on the west side. The floodgate excavating has been practically completed and consists of a 30 inch by 30 inch plate set in the bottom of the dam on the east side. Controls of the gate will run up to the top of the dam trough a concrete tower and in the event of a flood with excessive water in the dam, a considerable amount of pressure can be relieved by releasing water through this floodgate. A concrete flume to carry the water way will be built in the near future. The spillway structure will be a much larger affair being 60 feet wide. The cut away from the spillway points towards the bridge across the Yellowstone Trail below the site of the dam and will give run off water ample opportunity to flow away without cutting sides of the embankment. The spillway proper will be a concrete affair with a considerable drop on the lower side to take care of excessive flood water.
Other activities now in progress here are the hauling of sand for concrete work and rock for rip rapping. The rip rapping work now being done will take a tremendous amount of rock, since the rock are laid endways to a depth of 18 inches which will provide ample protection against wave washing later.
Employment on the dam reached it’s high during the month of November when a total of 49 men were employed. Since that time men have been transferred to another project at Morristown leaving 40 men here at the present time, including the foreman and timekeeper.
Taken from Corson County News December 7, 1939

Pioneer Lady Passes Away

Funeral services were held at Spencer Memorial Presbyterian church Tuesday for Mrs. J.F. Waggoner who died at the home of her daughter, Mrs. Howard Quay, east of Thunder Hawk at 3:30 a.m. Sunday, Feb. 14, following a lingering illness. Death was due to diabetes and complications. Mrs. waggoner, who spent nearly all her life in Corson and Sioux counties had been brought to her daughter’s home the week before from the South Dakota Soldier’s home at Hot Springs where she and her husband had been spending the winter.
Mrs. Waggoner was historian for the Sioux Nation of the standing Rock. She was the author of several books on Indian lore and at the time of her death had another almost ready for publication. Her oil paintings of Indian and ranch life were admired and praised by critics. Few residents of this area were more widely known. Few, if any had lived longer her.
rev. David K. Myers, pastor of the Bible Presbyterian church of Lemmon officiated at the services which were attended by friends who came from near and far to pay their final tribute of respect to this beloved character of a colorful west. Hymns were sung by Mrs. S.K. Rien with Mrs. E.L. Sattler as accompanist.
The following biographical sketch was written by Nelson A. Mason, Bismarck attorney and close friend.
“with her passing the Dakotas have lost their most talented historical writer, her material being rich in Indian lore, much of which would have been lost only for her rare memory, personal acquaintance with the colorful Sioux chieftains, and untiring work and ceaseless interest in the welfare of her people. Mrs. Waggoner was co-author with the late Lewis F. Crawford of “Rekindling Camp Fires”.
“In cooperation wit George Will, president of the State Historical Society of North Dakota, has practically completed another work, woven about the story of her own interesting, useful life, and narrating therein biographies of great Sioux chief’s and conspicuous tribal events of the years on the plains and in the mountains.
“Mrs. Waggoner was born October 28, 1871, in what is now Corson County. She was the only child of Charles H. McCarthy and his Sioux wife Ita-Te_Win. Mr. McCarthy native of Ireland had served with the Minnesota Volunteers in 1861-6, and located at Pontus, trading post across the river from Grand River agency, where he had a contract to furnish wood and hay to the garrison, established on the west bank of the Missouri. He had served in the Territorial Assembly of 1865-66 and was reelected to the session of 1866-67.
“When Bismarck was established he was among the early citizens, he and his partner, Ben Ash now of Hot Springs, S.D. operating a livery and feed barn at the present site of McCabe Methodist church in Bismarck. On October 31, 1874 he made homestead filing on a 108.60 acre tract of land, lying south of Fort Lincoln, and describes as Lot 1 and West 1/2 of Northwest 1/4 Township 138-80.
“Here the family resided on the banks of Apple creek, and Mrs. Waggoner recalls being rescued from its waters by her watchful mother when wading out too far. When Horatio Nelson Ross, discover of gold in the Black Hills, failed to qualify for the office of sheriff, Mr. McCarthy became Burleigh county’s first elected peace officer. In December 1874, he was drowned in the performance of his duty when his sleigh went through the ice of Missouri. His widow and child returned to her Hunkpapaya Sioux people at Fort Yates.
“Josephine McCarthy first attended school at the Standing rock agency, her first teacher being Mrs Louisa De Gray, daughter of Charles Picotte, who later became Mrs. Van Solen of the Parkin ranch at Cannonball. In October 1881, she and several other children were assigned for three years’ schooling at Hampton Virginia Institute. Upon complete in this course she returned to the reservation, but yearning for more schooling, she was again accepted a year later when more students were called for, returning home in 1888.
“Employed for a time as interpreter and assistant nurse at the Congregational mission and hospital, she spent a year at the Episcopal mission school at Oak Creek in classes and interpreting for the teaching and medical staffs.
“There she often translated and wrote letters for Chief Sitting Bull who, recognizing the futility of combat, and having retired from traveling in Europe and America with his friend, Col. Wm. F. Cody, in the latter’s “Buffalo Bill’s Wild West show,” sought to form a peaceful association of the several Indian tribes for their mutual benefit in changing tribal customs and economic order of the white man.
“On November 28, 1889, Josephine McCarthy was married to J. Frank Waggoner of Marietta Ohio, soldier and carpenter at the Fort Yates garrison. It was he who made Sitting Bull’s coffin and helped lay the great Sioux chief to rest after the unfortunate affair at Grand River December 15, 1890. The Waggoners located on a ranch, raising cattle and horses, and selling hay for the market. As the family grew up Mrs. Waggoner turned to historical research and writing and has left a wealth of historical data for the archives of the capitols of the twin states of North Dakota and South Dakota.
Ten children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Waggoner, eight of whom together with the husband survive. The survivors are Mrs. Ramona Skogen, Lucerne, Wash.; Mrs. Daphne Quay, Thunder Hawk; Mrs. Maude Watland, Keldron; Levi of Lemmon; Ernest of Keldron; Wayne of Edgemont, and Lester of Custer S.D. All were present at the funeral with the exception of Mrs. Skogen who was unable to make the long journey. Two other children Aurelia and David preceded her in death. There are 29 grandchildren and six great grandchildren.
Taken from Corson County News February 25, 1943

Pioneer Woman Writes History of County and State
Mrs. Waggoner, Historian Gives account of early days in Dakota and what is now Corson County, Many Trading Posts on Grand River.

The first white man who traveled extensively among the Dakota was Peter Esprit Raddison, who left Montreal in the spring of 1654. Two years later he came again to the Dakota country. On the second trip Raddison was accompanied by Grosielier’s two priests, thirty Frenchmen and a number of Indians. At this time 1656 the Tetons and Yanktons were immigrating west on the Missouri River. This was done to guard what was Dakota dominion. The Yanktons held a position on the southern boundary, the Tetons holding the northern boundary line, the Santees dwelling on the eastern border. These pioneers remained with the Sioux for four years hunting and traveling as far west as the Missouri River. these men returned to Montreal laden with rich furs that excited the merchants into the new enterprise of the fur trade.
Father Rene Menard was sent to establish a mission upon Lake Superior to civilize the Cheppewas from whom he learned of the Dakotas. Some Hurons guided the priest across the wilderness of Wisconsin to the Dakota country. Father Rene Menard was accompanied by John Guerin who was lost and never heard of again.
Father Allonez also came as a missionary and met the Dakota at Lake Superior in 1669. He was succeeded by Father Marquette who became great friends with the Dakotas.
LaSalle started his western expedition in 1679. He was accompanied by Father Hennepin. They met the Dakotas on the Mississippi River. Here Father Hennepin was captured by the Dakota with Picard DuGuy and Michael Ako. These men remained with the Dakota from April 11 to July 25,, 1679 when they met Duluth and his company who hired them to take him to the Dakota villages with all his merchandise. The fur industry thus was started and for two hundred years fortunes were amassed by all fur traders.
A Sioux post was built on the Mississippi near Lake Pepin in 1688. In 1689, the French government issued a proclamation claiming the Louisiana country in the name of the King of France. The witnesses were August Legardeur, Messrs. LeSueur, Herbart, Lemire and Blein. The proclamation mentioned the dealing with the Dakota Sioux. Perrot was employed as trader in this Sioux Post. These early missionaries worked hard and went through many hardships to bring the knowledge of the Word of God to the Indians. The whites desired the rich and costly furs, while the Indian’s desire was for the hardware of the white man. Yet, the desires for gaining both races, united them in the light of the faith of the Christ religion whose foundation and principle called for brotherly love.
About 1737 Verendry, a French officer, was sent out to explore a way across the continent. He made his way across the Missouri and returned on a short cut down Grand River, then into South Dakota across the Missouri down as far as Pierre where he planted a lead plate in the name of the King. Jonathan Carver another explorer next met the Dakotas, spending the winter of 1767 with them. Five miles below Grand River in Corson County in 1772 M. Bourgemont established a trading post known as Fort Oreans, but the post was destroyed and the inmates massacred by the Rees in 1776. On account of the cruelties against the natives, it was alleged that one of the practices was to purchase captives from the enemies of the Rees to ship out as slaves to the West Indies, as had been done with the captives taken in North Carolina, Florida, New England and the Dutch settlements. It is said Mr. Bourgemont would give one horse for three virgins or one gun for three virgins. These were shipped down to be sold out from St. Louis to New Orleans.
One post after another was built in those dangerous times, then abandoned. There were jealousy and rivalry between the different companies, the Northwest company, the Hudson bay company, the Pembina House and later the American fur company until the three northern companies were consolidated in 1821. The American Fur Company’s headquarters were situated in St. Louis. These companies sent out hunters all over the Dakota country besides what they could buy from the Indians. After the Louisiana purchase in 1803, Fort Mandan was established by Lewis and Clark as a winter home.
Manuel Lisa, a Spanish gentlemen established trading posts, one at the mouth of the Little Bighorn, which was burned down at the instigation of French traders by Blackfoot. He built another post at the mouth of Grand River to trade with the Indians in 1807.
President James Madison sent out an expedition to establish posts along the Missouri, hoping to build a post at the mouth of the Yellowstone to keep away British aggression. The expedition stopped at the Mandan village in Corson county where Mad Bear had his camp later. There were not many trails in those early days. there was only one trail that led out from South Dakota. This trail led out west from the mouth of Grand River and led clear out to the head waters thru the gap between Slim Buttes and the Case Hills. The trail crossed the Little Missouri near where Camp Crook was built then followed by Boz Elder creek which flowed from the west. This was a short cut that saved about five hundred miles by the Missouri River route. Nearly all trails leading out from the Missouri going west had to join this Grand River trail because the Bad Lands below the Slim Buttes were almost impossible to cross, so that all points along the Missouri River from Bad River, Cheyenne, Moreau and the Grand River trail, became a trail.
On 1882, President James Monroe licensed Gen. William H. Ashley and Andrew Henry to trade among the Indians. With a force of men on their way to the Yellowstone to build a post,they found trading posts all along the river as they voyaged upstream. They passed the Pawnee House built by Trudeau in 1796 on Sept. 8th and on the 22nd Loisel’s house on Cedar Island which was the oldest post in Dakota territory.Then at the mouth of the Cheyenne River they came to John Valle’s trading post. The expedition stopped at Arickara, the Ree Village near the mouth of Grand River, Corson Co.
On the 2nd of June 18322 of Rees attacked and killed twenty three of Gen. Ashley’s men. The following year Col. Leavenworth came up the river from Council Bluffs with 220 men also seven hundred Sioux and completely whipped the Rees. This was the first battle fought in Dakota and they retreated up the Missouri.
Arickara was near the mouth of Grand River where about three thousand were living there at that time but there were more Rees living further up the river. It was after this battle that the Rees, Grorons and Mandans untied into one tribe.
Lewis and Clark took a Mandan chief by name of Big White with them back to Washington, from the village in Corson county, where Mad Bears camp was (Mad Bear is a Sioux). Big White was returned to his people six years later in 1809 About 1811, there were two more expeditions. These were the Astoria and the Missouri Fur company. They were opposed by the Sioux near Chamberlain.(Continued next week)
Taken from Corson County News February 5, 1931

Human Interest Story Revealed as Old Landmark Disappears

Tearing down one of Morristown’s old land marks, the old livery stable, during the past two weeks, has brought to light an interesting yet sad story of early pioneering days.
In the days immediately following the construction of the Milwaukee west from Mobridge and prior to the time that there was any Morristown in existence came tragedy to a family of folks who were living in a bunk house on the Morristown siding. The man of the house was employed as one of the section crew.
Black diphtheria descended upon this particular household and before many hours caused the death of the two children; it was not long thereafter that the father and mother became the victims of the dreaded disease. The late A.G. Richards, then station agent for the Milwaukee railroad at this point, knew full well, that because of the nature of the disease from which this family had died, the bodies could not be shipped out into the civilized world for fear of contagion and was arranged that the deceased were to be buried on a knoll above the station house.
A team was engaged to form the hearse and graves were dug and burial made. It so happens that the burial took place where later was to stand the Morristown livery barn. With so few witnesses to this pioneer tragedy it is not known to this day whether or not those graves were ever moved. It is not likely that they were because of fear of the disease which they had contracted.
Only those old timers and pioneer homesteaders of the Paradise and Miner countries may recall this incident or others of equal interest from this page in the West River country history since they had come to North Dakota long before the reservation was opened and instantly welcoming the building of the railroad, were frequent visitors to the system’s designated marketing points.
Taken from Morristown World December 1, 1933

Wrecking Land Mark

Another old land mark of McIntosh is doomed for destruction, the Interstate building having been sold to John Paul Jones of Morristown, and work of wrecking the building will commence this week. The “Beanery” was constructed soon after the town was started and until a year ago was a very popular eating place for railroad men and people traveling by train. The building was sold with understanding it would be wrecked and moved off the premises as soon as possible and the sale has been pending for the past several months. The building has so many windows that most of the material is of short dimensions, but is on a good foundation and the lumber in excellent shape. Mr. Jones will move the lumber and material to Morristown and place it in his stock at the Morristown Lumber company.
Taken from Corson County News September 10, 1942