Union County courier. [volume] (Elk Point, Union County, D.T. [S.D.]) 187?-1913, 1910-09-08

Continued from last week
------A g
In the spring of 1862 u colony consist
ing mostly of Frenchmen from Canada
and Dubuque settled at Jefferson and
vicinity. They were sturdy yeomen
and have made valuable citizens. and
by strict attention to business have
prospered to an unusual degree. Among
them were such men as Michael Allard,
Rene Authier, Clemone Arpan, Louis
Boisvert, Antoine Beauben, Michael
ChauSsee, Patrick Colman, Mathew Cur
ran, Richard Libby, Joel f. Webber,
Abraham ChauSSee, Chris Maloney,
Michael Ryan, August TraverSe, Will
liam Lancaster, Amander DovilIe, James
Waters, Paul Paquette, James Shay,
Baptiste Fountain, Charles LaBreche,
G. n. Nanderhule, Paul PecotL, Isaac
Montague, Cyril Montague, Cyril Gar
dcpe, Peter Limoges, Duncan Ross,
William Quinn, Louis BoiSvert, II. D.
Green, Jacob Kiplinger, Charles Patten,
J. B. Brouillette, Godfrey Bechard,
Desire ChauSsee, John ConnorS and
others.
Among rhe ministers of the gospel who
were faithful and influential in those
early days we may mention McKindree
Stewart. w. Mccain, B. w. Coe, j c..
Samon, John Morris, Abel Potter, James
Williams, T. NJ. Williams Joshua v
Hines, l.. P. Sabin, MiltiadeS Miller
and George w. Freeman, the latter hav-
ing travelled over the prairies south of
here many times in severe storms that
he might not dSappoint his congrega-
tlons
Our Oldest inhabitant is Lieut.. John
r. Wood, who was 80 years old January
last, and has resided among us since
June |, 1860, or more than halfa century.
The Dakota Southern Railroad entered
the territory Aug 10, 1872 Richard NAL
10y was the foreman of the track laying.
NJ. w. Sheafe received the first freight,
-four cars of lumber brought to Elk
Point, unloading it at night SO as not to
interfere with the work Of construction
], w. Hoffman received the first piece
of heavy freight, which was the boiler
for the Elk Point mi lis.
Our material advancement has been
phenominal. This was brought vividly to
my mind day before yesterday by the
following incident: Forty years ago |
was riding on horse back from Sioux
City to my claim near Burbank On the
road we met Henry Fleming, sitting on
a little hand made sled driving pair OF
large, fat steers to the Sioux City market.
Last Sunday morning we sat on our
porch and saw four freight trains pass,
three of them double headers, the four
trains containing los cars, 81 of which
were cattle, horses, sheep and hogs, the
balance grain and dairy products, and
we thought what wonderful change, as
remarkable as that which Rip VanWin-
kle experienced.
AS we have advanced materially, Sc
have we advanced along educationa
lines. We have our poet and prose
writer's, such as Robinson, Dillman
Chamberlain and others. In the politi
cal, educational and diplomatic field we
have our auditors, our candidates fol
governor, superintendent Of public in
struction, our regents IF education
teachers to foreign states and the islands
of the seas.
The first Fourth of July celebration
was held in Elk Point in 1866. A larg,
crowd was present. Only one carriag,
was there; lumber wagons, many O
them drawn by oxen, were the usua
mode of conveyance. All this is lonl
since changed. Instead we have th,
finely upholstered carriages and th,
automobile. In place Of the log cabil
we have the finely furnished mansion
house; instead of the horn or the i'm
mense triangle to call worshlppers to tn,
log school house, we have finely furnish
ed churches. But the pioneers hav,
gone from us in majority of case
to enjoy their eternal reward. May /
be both just and generous.