The Dickinson press. (Dickinson, Stark County, D.T. [i.e. N.D.]) 1883-1927, 1912-11-23

1886 and Enjoyed Frontier l
The death of Levi Colgrove on Monday
morning at the home Of his son in Park
City. Mont, marks the passing away of
one of the few typical pioneers of this
country. Mr.. Colgrove came to Dakota
as early as 1882. previous to which
time he had been in every quarter of
the globe and was very interested
observer during his travels.
Mr.. Colgrove's ancestors were hardy
pioneers in the Green Mountain state
and he was born at Brattleboro, Vt.,
on May 18th, 1888. At the age of 18
years he started in life for himself,
sailing with whaling vessel. He en-
joyed this vigorous, sea farine life for
about three years, and the next three
years were spent on Navigation Isle,
one of the South Sea islands, and on
the ocean.
Australia beckoned him to her sunny
shores where he spent thirteen years of
his life and where he was married in
1859 to Miss Anna kilgore of Scotch
birth, and where his five children,
James, Charles, Levi, William and
Victoria were born. The latter child
and only daughter died in childhood.
Mr.. Colgrove never became a subject
in the British colony and in 1870 he
returned to American soil. settling in
Missouri where another twelve years of
his life were spent, in tilling the
ground and plying at his trade as car
penter.
Anxious for the adventures and free
life of pioneer country, Mr.. Col
grove accompanied by his son James,
came west to Dakota territory in 1882,
working at first around Bismarck and
Mandan, then following the building
of the railroad out into this section of
the country. Mr.. Colerove, as we'll as
other settlers here at that time, engag-
ed in hunting and trapping and many
buffalo fell on the prairie pierced by a
bullet from MIR. Colgrove's gun, which
is now in the possession of his son
William. He filed on a pre-emption
claim two miles south of the city where
he moved his family, from Missouri in
1884. Land was easy to get in those
days and not considered of much value.
However Mr.. Colgrove got government
deed for his y80-acre tract IN due time.
In the spring of 1885 he moved his
family to Lime Kiln Butte in Hettinger
county, about IS miles southeast of the
city and about % miles due south of
Richardton. This butte was rich in
lime rock and Mr.. Colgroves and his
sons, with the instinct of their Vermont
ancestors, built lime kiln and sold
quite good deal of this product in the
years following. In 1886 they furnished
the lime for the building of the Stark
county court house.
Unquestionably Mr.. Colerove was the
first white settler in Hettinger county
and a Mr.. Shepperd coming from Aber-
deem in 'S6 will have to be given the
honor of second place, although it has
been claimed many times that he was
the first. George Muzzy was another of
the early settlers out south but his dug
out proved to be just over the line in
Billings county.
Stock raising proved a very profitable
occupation and many head of beef cat
tie were fattened and shipped to market
from the Colgrove range. DR.. v. H.
Stickney was associated in the cattle
business with Mr.. Colgrove for many
years and has always been a close
friend and admirer of the deceased
pioneer. ltaE .
Mrs. Colgrove died twelve years ago
and her husband, getting we'll advanced
in years, sold his land and business ia
his youngest son, William, who is now
one of the Hettineer county comission-
ers. After spending few years in Ida
no running ferry on a mountain
stream, he returned to North Dakota
and fourteen months later made COM
mutation proof on a homestead
near the old farm in Hettineer county.
Since that time he has been with his
sons, Charles, residing on Antelope
creek. William, residing in Hettinger
county and the past two years with
Levi, in Park City, at whose home he
died.
Although 7e years of aae. he was
very active and had just about compile.
ted the erection of q little house fol
himself near that of his son, when the
last call came and life Of incidents
and interesting pioneer history passed
to the Great Beyond. Acute stomach