The Warner weekly sun. (Warner, Brown Co., Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1885, 1885-03-13
RONDELL4.
Early History eff the Pleasant little
Country Village.
Its Fine Location and Future
Outlook.
Truly Famed as Summer Resort
Other Natural Advantages and
Present Business Institutions.

ULner NaJurat advantages dHu
Present Business Institutions.
Rondell, like all other places Of any importance
whatever, has history. Cognizant Of the fact
that no complete history OF this place has ever
been published we append the following which
we trust all will find as interesting and instruct
i've as it is valuable and complete.
The name Rondell is derived from Francis
Raundelle, who was, according to all historical
data at our hands, the very first white settler in
this town. He was born in France shortly after
the battle of Waterloo and arrived in New Orleans
while quite young man TO seek his fortune in
the new world. About forty-fye years ago he
drifted to St. Louis thence up the Missouri where
he soon became
TRADER AMONG THE INDIANS.
It seems that the French have natural affinity
for squaws, at least it is SO in the case of Mr..
Raurdelle. After having been among the Indians
for some time he married squaw and in l842
came over on the James river and built a log
store 25x80, also log cabin, few rods from
where Rondell now stands. He resided here nine
years trading with the Indians. His buildings
were afterwards destroyed by fire. We have no
knowledge of his whereabouts at the present date
but suppose he is languiehing in the much
sought-for company of the 1usk9 tribe in some
remote district. James e. Humphrey, present
postmaster in this town, was, we believe, the
FIRST ACTUAL SETTLER IN RoNDELL.
On the 9Th Of May, 1878, in company with four
other gentlemen, he struck the James river and
camped for the night in town ll9, range 6S, about
where Mr.. Thomas Farmer now resides in Sphinx
county. The next day he came north on the
right bank of the river to what is now called Ar
madale. Here was presented before his gaze six
ty Indian lodges and about hve natives are sup
posed to constitute lodge. Mr.. Humphrey and
his party took dinner near the lodges or teepes
and in a short time the Indians focked around
rather thick with an anxious look in their coun-
tenance After dinner the party moved up the
river to town l2l, range 8S. now R9ndell, Ga
the 9th Of May Mr.. Humphrey started back for
Minnesota, his old home, but had got no farther
than Marshall when he met Mr.. Henry H. slack's
family, consisting Of himself and wife, three
daughters and two sons who were on the road
seeking western home. He told them of the
excelle.t land he had discovered on the James
river and they beseeched him to accompany them
thither that they might not miss the way ,Ac-
cordirgly the company started for the river and
after experiencing many difficulties en- route they
reached this place about the 9th of May, same
year. Mr.. Slack and son immediately staked ont
their claims as did also Mr.. Humphrey, q. b.
Foster and r. Love, the two latter gentlemen ar.
irving in the meantime a Gfs he land had not YET
come into market. At this critical period of this
undeyeloped region there were only four oshel
white settlers in this county, the johnson broth
ers, a Mr.. Youngand Mr.. Haws who were locat.
ed near Columbia Mrs. Slack and her thres
daughters were the 49,
IS. gIAsr WHITE WOMEN IN THIS TOWN
and we doubt il any preceded them in Brown
county. On. the 9th Of June the chiefs brother
came up from the Indian lodges and ordered all
the settlers to leaye.the country. They told hlm
to send up the chief himself, which he did. The
chief felt very bad to think has beautiful country
was going to be settled by whites. Mr.. Slack
offered him COW and horse for the land but that
was no inducement by way Of settlement with
the chief. He wanted s40, 900 for what land they
had taken and 10000 for the wood used and he
insisted upon their leaving as be could have no
white settlers here. As this statement was back
ed by about three hundred Indians only few
miles away the,few, very few, whites considered
it a fair warning and Mr.. Slack told the chief
they would leave the next morning, which they
did, going to wsh Bay about fifty-fye miles
north-east of here. On the 27th of December,
determined ifspossibIe to have chunk OF THE
fe,tile yet undeveloped soils party Of four con-
sistinG Of M9ssfs. Humphrey, Love, Slack and
Rees, left Wah Bay and arrived here the s1st OF
December. The weather was intensely cod, the
Thermometer indicating from IS to 45o below
zero. They found everything quiet and managed
to pull through the hard winter without loss OF
life or health. In.ApriI, 1879, the
OPENED THIS LAND FOR sErrII ;
nENr
and during the spriag and summer Frank Tiffa nv
and A II. Dayton arrived. In July, howey or,
the whites were somewhat startled BY the an
nouncement that the government had withdrawn
three townships, viz; ils, 40 and 12l, range 90,
expressly for an Indian reservation. But oout
year later the land was taken from the Ia, lians
and openesf for settlement. In the spring I 1850
Al. Allen, owner Of the largest farm d this
township at the present day, also b. "a. Sa,wart
and q. w. Farnham arrived and cook land In
THosE EARLY DAYS
he settlers had TO go 70 Watertoxn, disttu oe Of
'ighty miles, for their mail and auppIies, re-
luitine nearly a weeks absence IL mai q the