The Dickinson press., 1915-01-30
REMINICENCES OF THE YEAR
1888 IN STARK CO., d. T.

The year 1883 saw very energetic
action on the part of the NJ. P. Ry.
Co., to settle this part of Dakota Ter
ritcry. Just what was the particular
idea Of directing immigration west of
the Missouri river has never been
known. Howbeit it made those that
had already cast in their lot with this
section more than hopeful for their
future and they welcomed with open
arms every one that appeared on the
scene.
Such men as Judge Campbell and
r. J. Turner at Gladstone, H. l.. Dick
inson and N. G. Lawrence at Dickin-
son, j. K. Slack at Taylor and Edmund
Hughes at Antelope were very active
in their endeavors to get people in
terested in Stark county. Letters de-
failing what had been done the past
season were written and published
freely in the Twin City papers and
the N. P. Ry. Co., did double duty in
giving most delightful illustrated
sketches of the "New Northwest"
Wl1JCC1l Ny ~ W O111dl1OyS VAANAA "AAOAA
there never was a more competent and
ed to the work of exploiting a new
country.
AS a matter of fact many of the
men that had passed the summer of
1882 in the country had gone back
to get their families and these new
corners were expected and prepare
4s>.~ ,o~I1 n -o1oo~oa fhero RI rho
new homes that had been prepared
for them by. those that had come be-
fore. Notable among these were Mrs.
r. J. Turner and her son, c. c., a
lad of some five or six years OF age;
then there were the Rev. VIM. Il.
Cooke family, Mr.. Sisson and family
and later VIM. B. Powers, wife and
daughter, Mrs. Archie Packard:
Along some time the first day OF
March or the latter days of February,
James H. Caldwell made his appear
ance one bright morning at Glad
stone. He had been directed by. the
officials of the N. P. Ry. Co. where
to get off in order to get expert in
formation at first hand. He had been,
when he came to Gladstone, farther
west and into Montana, but not ik
ing the outlook at that time in that
part of the unsettled portion OF the
stock country, he would fam see what
this vicinity had to offer him. This
little stop over resulted in his choos-
ing section 8-138-93 as his future
home. Here he preempted and home
steaded and bought Of the railway
company such an amount of land as
he needed, later adding another large
tract of railway land. MI. Caldwell
very soon demonstrated his qualities
as an organizer of great efficiency
by bringing to his new holdings all
sorts of appliances for breaking the
soil and cultivating it afterward. He
brought with him some very appro-
pirate men for his undertakings.
Among whom was Ed. McKenna, who
was a practical blacksmith. Ed. was
certainly the right man in the right
place for it was he that made it pos
sible for Mr.. Caldwell to prosecute
breaking of new sod during n OF
the most difficult seasons that any
new farm has been opened. He kept
the shears Of the plows, of which two
were kept running constantly y, sharp.
It was so dry that season two yoke
of oxen were required to pull a 10
inch breaker. Mr. Caldwell's family
consisted of his wife, mother, a
daughter and one son.. Later his
his sister and her three boys came
and were found a homestead near the
central. ranch.
Then at Gladstone and Dickinson
and all along the line people came as
if by Encouragement and settled.
Probably no settlements ever made in
any country babe fairer to be pros
porous than those made in Stark Co.,
Dakota Territory, during the season
of 1888.
Rev. W. H. Cooke at Gladstone and
Mr.. Sisson put forth their best ef-
forts, each building and breaking con-
siderable areas Of new land. John
Brown and J. S. Lundeen came and
were immediate neighbors Of Mr..
Cooke. The Titles and Rickmans' al
50. came and entered heart and soul
into the getting of farms and holdings
for future use for their numerous
boys.
At Gladstone a school was taught
for three months and a contribution
of funds paid for it. At Dickinson a
considerable area of oats was sown
near the Naked butte by Davis broth
ers on section 36-14O-96 and by Chas.
Burke on section %3O-140-95. These
men had good yields and the railway
company induced a man by the name
Of Captain Ayres at Mandan to bring
his threshing outfit to Dickinson on a
fat car and do the threshing for these
gentlemen. This was the first outfit
for threshing that ever did work in
Stark county and these crops aside
from a little grain raised in 1882 at
the Fl. L. Dickinson farm, was the
first grain raised in Stark county:
" C.. s. CRYNE.