Dakota farmers' leader. (Canton, S.D.) 1890-19??, 1894-06-29
The Farmers Leader
JUDGE STEINER'S GRAFTON.
Extracts From, Judge Steiner's Old Set
tiers Oration.---fscts Concerning
the ettlemont and Develop
ment Of Lincoln County.
Toasts by the Old Settlers.---The 1ndisns
Proved to be Moro Dreaded Than
the Grassh0ppefs.

the Grassll0ppefs.
Judge Steiner in his grafton before the elc
settlers last week, had carefully compiled tnt
following facts concerning the settlement ans
development of Lincoln county and the city o.
Canton 1t will be well to preserve this record
r In the year of 1861 the feet OF white meE
Dressed the soil Of what is now Lincoln county
for the first time. The legislature estaolishee
ITS boundaries April 5th, 1869.
The county has On area OF 3a9,9OO acres
December 3Oth, 1867, "A. J. Linderman, H. 2
HYDE and Benz. Hill were appointed commits
sioners but the county was not duly organizeC
until the spring Of 1885,
It is conceded by all that Gus Linderman
was the first actual settler in the county; this
W as in the year 1886. He was soon, however
ioined by Messrs Hill, Hyde, Smith, Cuppett
Fitzgerald, Gehon, Christopher, Swift, Week
ley, Holsey, Benedict. Miller, Martin, Van
Fleet, the belongs, and many others.
-->In 1859 there was but three log houses in the
county that had shingle roofs on them; al
others were dug-outs, sod houses or log shan
ties with dirt roofs.
; The first 4th Of July celebration was in 1868
A committee was duly appointed, subscrip-
ton paper passed around and the proceeds in
vested in two sheep, which were duly slaugh-
tered and roasted. number Of those present
were not used to such rich diet; ate too much
sheep; was taken sick; the only doctor in the
county was Benz. Hill, and he was horse
doctor. The entire population of the surround
ing county was present and numbered about 40
They celebrated the 4th of July, 1859, and it is
said the entire population of Lincoln, Lyon
and the greater portion of Sioux counties were
present and numbered 13O souls. Elder Keith
who resided at Elk Point, was to deliver the
Grafton, but failed to put in on appearance, and
George Williams took his place,
In 1868 town site company was organized
and original Canton was plated.
In 1868 VIM. Cuppett built a log house s6x4e
in the court house square. He and John Hew
lit cut the logs and fioated them down the
Sioux River. portion of this house was uset
for church, school and holding all public
meetings.
The first schoolin the county was sod house
at the corner Of 5th and Main street IN 1859
<Bennett Gillespie, teacher.
THE first church built in the county was thu
Congregational in Hills addition. This build
ing has been removed and remodeled and is ont
of the neatest churches OF our city today.
The first merchants Of the county were VIM
Cuppett and ). w. Hewitt. They sold out thu
fall Of 1858 to J. H. Holsey who was the pioneer
merchant for some time.
The first hotel was kept by I. N Martin,
The first couple married in the county was
John Hanson Ovre and wife in the year 1858
They were married by J. Q. Fitzgerald, probate
judge.
Frank VanFleet and wife were the third
\ i,,< bov his
famous North Star Hotel.
The first white child born in the county was
2 daughter of VIM. Hill and wife in the winter
ote1Se7-s.
The first male child born in the county was
Gunder Schaiger, June 2lst, 1862 son of Pau
and wife.
The first county officers elected were VIM
Cuppett register OF deeds and county clerk
J. @. Fitzgerald, county treasurer and probate
judge; J. w. Hewitt, sheriff and assessor
Benz. Hill, Buck Wheelock and Christ Sogn
county commissioners.
The first news paper in the county was pub
Mshed in 1879, The Sioux Valley News, editet
by &. H. Miller. This paper was started by
Arthur Linn OF Yankton, to aid G. G. Moody II
his great congressional nght with w. w
Brookings.
= All the flour used in the early days was haul
ed from Bloomingdale, Clay county; no house
from Ole Mickelson's, not even dug-out unit
you reached Bloomingdale.
The first court in the county was held in 8
school house where Dan Keen's residence now
stands i'm October, 1871, Judge Kidder presid-
ing. He was succeeded on the bench by oul
fellow townsman Judge Shannon. The early
trials were all petty offences, misdemenors
NO felony.
The first Indian scare was in 1868; the few
settlers that were here, gathered in Cuppett's
log house on the conrt house square, 1t was
reported that two girls by the name of Welch
living near Fairview had been murdered, VIM
Cuppett and J. w. Hewitt went down on horse
back to investigate. and found the girls had
taken to the woods and hid from the Indians.
Cuppett and Hewitt secuted along the river up
to Sioux Falls. Had nothing to eat all day.
Their horses pulled their picket pins and they
had to walk home, arriving about o'clock IN.
The second Indian scare was in 1876, about
800 Indians were passing through the county
from the SaRtee Reservation to the Pipestone
quaries. Some OF the Indians stopped at a
settlers house, took out their knives, made
signs and motions, and the news passed from
one to another that the Indians were on the
war path. The whole county became aroused
and many settlers came to Canton and Beloit.
Others kept their teams harnessed day and
night to be ready to flea ut any moment.
The little sod school house has grown until
now there are 20 school houses in the county,
3 2s9 school children enrolled, and we spent
last year S43 045 90 in this county for education
al purposes There are today 26 church build
ings in the county.
The population of the county is over 10000,
and the assumed valuation over 81 10000. Max
ing real value of over Sl2OO0,OO0.
The crop of Lincoln county for the year 1893
as estimated by Hon. Thomas Therson, Secre-
tary of State, consisting Of corn, wheat, oats,
rye, barley, fax and potatoes, was worth
81, ,95O.375.
If it had not been for the old settlers, their
ability to facc all discouragements, even grass
heppers. railroads would not have been built
into this country, and few If any, OF us would
have been present here today; but the old set
tleFhad courage and perseverance, and proved