The Hocking sentinel. [volume] (Logan, Ohio) 1871-1906, 1896-11-26
DUNKARDH In DAKOTA
LARGECOLONIES OF THESE PEo
PIE SETTLING THERE.
AS Land of Promise the Country
Seems to Meet with Their Favor-An
Honest, Industrious and Thrifty
Class of Citizens. -
Given Cordial Welcome.

| VINO came from 1nUldna, llllHOlS, Ouiu
and other States to make new homes
upon the North Dakota prairies. The
Dunkards are nearly all farmers, and
very good farmers, too. They pay their
debts promptly and seldom have recourse
to the processes of law. They do not,
as rule, take part in politics, but they
usually vote at national elections where
the questions at issue are such as inter.
est them profoundly.
The movement for a settlement OF
large colonies of these excellent people
IN North Dakota originated with the rail.
road companies operating lines in that
State. 1t was taken up with interest in
a number of large Dunkard communities,
and delegates were sent out to examine
the land and report upon its fertility, up
on the climate, and upon the transporta-
ton and school facilities. The favorable
reports of these delegates led large
number of families to sell out their farms
and migrate to the new lands of the
Northwest. They in turn sent back good
accounts to their relatives and neighbors,
and the result was a still larger movs-
ment of colonization.
The Dunkards found in North Dakota
all the advantage of cheap lands which
belongs to new country, and, at tina
same time, the many advantages of rail-
ways, towns, schools, churches and roads
which belong to a reign of long-estab.
lished settlement. They were not slow
to see the opportunity afforded them fol
opening farms on good prairie land that
could be bought for So to So an acre, and
in many localities could be obtained from
the United States Government at only
the small cost of the land office fees rel
quired by the homestead low. UndoubH
edly the success of the settlements OF
these people, already established and
prosperous, will lead to a further move
ment of their co-religionists the ensuing
Spring and summer. The people Of NORTH
Dakota are giving cordial welcome Il
The Dunkards. They recognize their vak
ue as citizens of the new commonwealth
| They are honest, Industrious and thrifty
They build good houses and cultivate
their lands carefully. They know how
to take care of cattle and sheep. Thes
know the economic value of gardens q
| vegetables and small fruits. They con
scientiously pay their debts, go to church
| every Sunday, and send their children II
school. They have, in fact, all the good
| qualities of the best class of agricultural
settlers.
Meet to Give Thanks.
1t was a memorable occasion that called
these sturdy settlers together in CARING
ton, N. D., on the 9Th of September, 1896
Scarce half year had elapsed since
hundred or more families, comprising
about 80 souls, left their old homes in
Eastern States to settle on the fertile
lands which lie contiguous to the North
ern Pacific Railway in the counties OF
Foster, Eddy and Wells. But they had
been six months of progress. Homes
had been built, broad fields placed under
cultivation, and, side by side with these
evidences of material prosperity was the
prompt construction of a church-wherein
they might assemble to return humble
but devout thanksgiving TO the God they
worshiped. Beautiful in its simplicity,
the little church about which they gath.
cred and in which they reverently assem-,
bled, stood as a sign before heaven and
unto men. 1t was a token of faith-of
faith out there on the great Dakota prai.
ries-the faith of a people who desired
nothing better than to earn their bread
by the sweat of their brows and to live at
peace with the whole world.
In one respect at least Dunkards re-
semble bees, viz: They colonize together
and stay together as long as the country.
can afford them all a good living, and
then, when it becomes too narrow for
them, they swarm, and the younger gen.
Grafton makes q new beginning in some
less thickly populated locality. This
swarming process is now in full blast in
III
other States even further East, and Of
the lands of promise selected for future
operations, none seems to be meeting
with greater favor than North Dakota,
as is witnessed by the steady stream that
has been filtering through st. Paul in that
direction for some time past. This is not
an evidence that North Dakota is a bet.
ter State than those TO the immediate
east of its borders, but it has more avail,
able land open for settlement under such :
conditions as render it desirable place
for q new colony.
At first the stream went north to the
free Government land around Devil,
Lake and that region. but latterly the tide
has turned further to the south, and ths
country where the Northern Pacific and
the 500 intersect has been receiving
considerable impetus owing to the fact
thnt it has the additional boon of rail-
road competition, while in no other re,
spect does it come behind the most fa,
vored portions of the State The soil of
course is practically the same, and what,
ever difference there may be in climate
is naturally in favor of the more southern
location, while in the matter of land avail
able for settlement it is easily in the lead.
having as much Government land open
for settlement, and as many farms await.
ing tenants on the crop-payment plan al
any other part of North Dakota. Will,
the recent placing on the market of
large tract of railroad land in the North
ern Pacific indemnity belt, afforded tina,
company the opportunity for which
was looking, to take n hand in this bust
ness. and it at once embraced this chanc,
by setting aside three townships of Ian,
for the exclusive use of the brethren. an,
further than this the offer was made tbn
when certain number of families settIet
in n given locality, donation of S5W
would be made towards the erection of
,hurch of their own belief. The soil has
proved more fertile than anything theS
lad ever dreamed of, the ease with which
farming is carried on has almost taken
heir breath away. and the climate, so
absolutely pure and free from all traces
If malaria, has given n new zest to living.
Origin of tn. Sect.
The term "Dunkard' is applied to a
ect of German-Anerican Baptists said
o have been founded at Schwarzenau,
n Westphalia, by Alexander Mack in
.7OS. The name is derived from their
manner of baptism-by trine immersion.
They were driven from Germany in
1890, and crossed the ocean and set
led in Pennsylvania-subse in
ohio, Indiana, Maryland, Virginia and
,ther States. Properly speaking, they
ught always TO be referred to as Ger
nan Baptists; but owing to their meth
d of baptism they have been called
'Dunkers." 'Dunkards" and "Tunkers'
from the German tunken, ito Dip"
They have been called "Dunkards'' so
ong and so universally, however, that 1t
GEMS best 10 continue the usage. The
erm really has no other Specification
han that of the word Baptist in En-
lish, so there can be no possible disre-
pect in employing it.