The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1902-03-21
TWIN BROOKS
Historical Review OF the Town
Read by w. e. Raymond,
before the Old S%cttlers'
Meeting, Feb. 5, 1902.

committee | have endeavOred to pro-
cure as many facts as possible in the
brief time allotted since commencing
the work, but not being one of the
earlier settlers, much that might be OF
J Importance and lntererting may have
been omitted. I have found upon re.
search that most of the land now com
prising Twin Brooks township was
filed on in 1879, the first al far as ]
have been able to determine being by
F. L. Cameron, on the southeast quar-.
ter of 2-12O-5O; but of all those who
took claims here at that time none are
now living within its bounds, and ever
of those who settled here as late as
1885 only a few are still residents OF
the township, among them being A.
Rehenke, Chris Buchele, w. c.
Roberts, Dell Shields and J. Busta.
But none of those who made the first
filing on lands within the town are
still owners now living on and having
lived on the same since their filing.
Thus you will see that it is difficult to
obtain accurate knowledge of incidents
OF life in the earliest days of its set
Element. While a write-up of this
kind is necessarily limited it should
be correct as far as, is possible. If
any one has knowledge OF facts that
may be added or corrections to make
they should not hesitate to make them
known, SO that sooner or later this
history may be made more thorough
and accurate. While / found F. l..
| Cameron to have been the first settler
he was not the first to make proof on
his claim. VIM. Deits being the first,
making final proof on the southeast
quarter of 11-12O-5O, on November 3,
1880, and O. w. Lee made final proof
on December 5, 1880. I found a large
number proved up in 1881. among the
first, If not the first, being Fred Phileo
on the northeast quarter Of l-12O-5O.
During May and June, 1880, the G..
M. &. st. P. railroad secured right Of
way through the town and was built
during that year.
On April 16, 1880, the first school
district was organized. A. Wardall
was made chairman, J.. @. Thayer
treasurer, and VIM. Green clerk. The
contract for building the school house
was let to VIM. Green, June 8, $780,
Miss Fannie Rawson taught the first
term in the fall of 1880. Miss Alma
Evers taught the next term. The
school house was ct this time located
on the northwest quarter of 11-120-5O.
Upon r~eorganizing the town in 1887,
this school house was moved to its
present location on the southeast
quarter Of section 4, now known rs
Twin Brooks No. 3. The second
school house was built in 1884, on the
northeast quarter of %. and was
moved in 1887 to it's present location
on the northeast quarter OF section rs.
No. l was built in the village of Twin
Brooks that year. No. 4 was built in
the fall OF '94, on the southeast quar-
ter Of section 20. NJ. 5 was built in
the fall Of 1901. Before issuing bonds
for the building Of No. 5, the school
district was out Of debt and in good
the present debt is small
and could be paid in any one year
without any heavy burden to tax
payers.
The civil township organization was
effected on November I, 1881. The
town officers then elected we're as fol-
lows: Chairman, G. A. Ritter, super
visors, ). @. Thayer and G. N. Shields,
A. Mcfarland: treasurer, A. p.
assessor, J. N. McGovern; JUS
tices OF the peace, s. E. Baldwin and
p. ). Peterson; constables, 0. w. Lee
and o. s. Sanberg; poundmaster, p.
j.. Peterson; road overseer, A.
Wardall. The first meeting of town
officers was held January q, 1882.
The township was then divided into
four road districts, each o~ne-fourth OF
the township forming q district. The
one-fourth to be district
No. 1, the southeast to be No. 2, the
southwest to be No. A, and the north
west to be No. S. These were changed
later and there are now five districts.
The board levied a tax of 10 mills for,
road and 5 mills for bridge purposes.
Next meeting was held March 25, 1882,
when the town board appointed three
road overseers: Wilson for district
No. 2, Shields for No. 3, Turick for
No. 4, and Wardall retaining No. l.
At this meeting the first bills were al
lowed; the first on record being that
of A. Mcfarland, for clerk fees, for
the sum Of Gil. The next election and
town meeting was held March 4, 1884.
l find no records of any proceedings
leading to q change Of dates.
The first law suit in the township
was held before A. Wardall and S. E.
Baldwin, Justices of the peace, Septem-
Der IA, 1883. The plaintiff, John Eek
luud. against GeOrpe Rudir to pa