Emmons County record. [volume] (Williamsport, D.T. [i.e. N.D.]) 1884-current, 1909-03-11
DEATH Of a PIONEER.
One Of the Earliest settlers OF Em.
mons County Is Called from Earth's
Sorrows and Attlictious.

The Hon. James Il. Gayton died on
the Standing Rock reservation on
Monday, March LIST, 1909.
The deceased was one of the earliest
settlers in Emmons county. and news
OF his death has been received with
sorrow by the old timers OF this coun.
ty, who knew him we'll and loved
him for his many excellencies Of mind
and heart.
MIR. Gayton had been in poor health
for some time, but FOR about two
weeks previous to his death he had
grown much worse.
Everything that could bc done was
done to make his last hours a, com
Portable as possible.
| The gentle, kind hearted Old. timer
was aged 75 years. J months and is
days at the time Of his death. He WAS
born Nov 10, 1888, at Clevland, Ohio
where many OF his relatives, who are
among the leading business people Of
the city, still reside He went to Wis
conStn In $50, and in 1857 he came
TO the Missouri Slope country Of what
was afterward Dakota Territory. In
1864 MIR. Gayton was assistant To the
chief clerk OF the territorial council
IN session at fankton, then the capt
tai. A few years later MIR. Gaytnn
came up the Missouri river, aud after
ward settled opposite Fort Rice, IN
what is now Emmons county. llerc,
with hie friend and comrade, Andrew
Marsh, who now resides in Campbell
comfy, $. u, he resided for many
years, a part OF the time when prowl-
ing bands of Indians were always to
be taken into account when the
safety Of life and property was to be
considered. Here IL was that ANDY
Marsh's wife was killed by band OF
Indians from the north Rccs, as the
writer remembers the story OF her
death as told to him.
When Emmons county was organ
lied, In 1888, by Gov. Ordway, MIR,
Gayton was selected as one OF the
three county commissioners, the other
two being William l.. Yeatcr, still "A
resident OF this county and IN the
hotel business at IIazelton, and IL
young man, Il. S. Whitney, who had a
claim adjoining Williamsport The
first board organized with MIR. Yeatcr
as chairman. Messrs. Ycater and
(iayton were afterward elected and
re-. elected as county commissioners
In 1889 MIR. Gayton was one Of the
three members elected TO the constr
tutional convention which framed
North Dakota's organic law. The
district was composed of Wells, KID
der, Emmons, Logan and Mcintosh
counties.
MIR. Gayton was il well-etlucaleei
man, and possessed one ofthc most re-
markable memories OF amy one the
writer ever knew He was an otnniv-
orous reader, and his home was all
ways we'll supplied with books and
magazines.
MIR. Gayton's wife was member II
the Sioux nation, and he is survived,
by several sons and daughters. In
9,2 he moved to the Standing Rock
reservation, where he continued tore
side until the time of his death.
Oi James r. Gayton it could truly
be said, "None knew him but to love
him. In the early days every young
man who, hardening to 'lhc call II
the wild left the Yankton cDun-
try for what is now North Dakota,
usually made a bee line for the Gay,on
ranch, where the latch-striug was al
ways out, and where the wayfarer
was welcome to remain as long as
he wished, "without money and
without price" And the spIrit Of
hospitality never grew less with him
and the tenderfeet who came in the
early sos to plow and SOW were IS
heartily welcomed by ''im Gagfon as
the hunter or pioneer Traveller had
been In earlier days. And many
is the od-timer In Emmons aud adja
cent counties who will never, as lpng
as life shall last, forget to nonot he
memory Of the pioneer whose long lile
was never marred by mean II self
ish act, and whom everybody alle
knew him was glad u call friend