The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1921-01-28
H. S. STUDENTS Write
HISTORY Of GRANT co
SCHOOL NOTES CONTAIN INTERESTING
ACCOUNT Of PIONEER DAYS; SCHOOL
TO GIVE PLAY; WAUBAy WINS
BASKET BALL GAME.

On ueSudS Oh ldSt week tlic SCdtc
fire inspectors visited the school and
the high school was favored with a
short address by Mr.. Coy ard also by
Mr.. Raines on the prevention of IRE
in the school and home. Mr.. Coy point
ed out the danger of smoking ciga-
retts and the carelessness Of leaving
lighted butts laying about in places
where fire would easily catch. He also
stated that every day in the United
States there are Ave school house
fires, and that two out of every three
fires that occur in the United States
are in the home. He then proceeded
to give some valuable information on
fire prevention in the home and the
responsibility Of the house wife in
preventing fire in the home.
On Wednesday noon the report card $
were issued to the students for the last
time in the first semester and we hope
that the parents took special notice OF
the standings of their children for
this semester; for the marks of the
first semester go long way toward
determining the final standing of the
student.
On Thursday morning the civic~
class had some veir intei e.sting de-
port on the history Oh Grant County;
we feel that the residents of the cOun-
ty would appreciate being able to OBJ
tain some OF the earlier history OF
their county so we are taking this op-
portunty Of publishing the report
given by one Of the students OF the
Civics class on the early history OF
Grant County:
The first settlers OF the county were
Solomon Roberts and Moses Mireau
who are now living on fam nea,
Hartford Beach.
The first real settlement of the
county began with the beginning of
the Hastings and Dakota X. r. in 1879
The first step towards organizing the
county was taken in June 1878 when
a meeting was held in Inkapa city
at which place the County Seat was
Temporarily located The first county
officers were: David Fairbault, Regis
ter of Deeds; Melvin Whipple, Sher-
if and Assessor; j. K. Hart, Surveyor;
Moses Mireau, probate Judge; Oliver
Martell Treasurer; Phil. DeGriff, At
torney; ID. Ranville, Fl. Halvorson. r.
DeGriff and J. X. Hart Justices of the
Peace; J. Ashley, Coroner; +. Fair.
bault, l.. Laurence and n. Coty, Con
stibales.
In August 1878 the Board met and
divided the county into three COM
missioner districts and in Jan. 1879
the first, three schoo! districts We're
created. On May ), 1880 the county
was divided into ten electoral pre-
cnts and Judges for each precint were
iected. On July p, 1881 the county
was organized into townships. On
Nov. 8. 1881 an election to determine
a permanent location for the county
seat was held and the City OF i'll
bank was chosen.
The first marriage solemnized in
the county was that of E. Movius to
Mary Rosencranz in the fall of 1874.
The first birth was that of Leon
Roberts. son of Solomon Roberts in
the summer of 1872.
First deaths were d. C. Murray, T.
Quinn >and man named Findlater.
The FIRST county paper, The County
Herald, edited by Downie and Jack
son was begun in August, 1879 and
was published every Friday.
Growth Of the City Of Milbank
From 18T7-1878.
First settlers were: Hiram Baxter,
C. w. Bartlett, Chas. Shatto. Con
rad Heran, Reaj. Bartlett and Hen
rctta and VIM. Baxter.
The village of Milbank was located
on the Northwest Ia of Sec. and
the South l-2 Of the Southwest Ia of
Section 6; Twp. 100, Range 4s. It
Was selected as a town site in June
1880 while fine crop of wheat was
growing on it. 1t was laid out as a
town as soon as the crop was harvest
ed, G.. Fl. Prior Of the c. NJ. & st. p.
r. r. doing the surveying. In the
spring of 1881 an addition Of 20 acres
was plated by Geo. w. Bartlett and
later another 20 acres by J. R. East
man.
The village grew rapidly and by
the spring Of 1881 the population num-
bered over 800. In the same year
$4,000 was invested in building ma
teris.l and nearly one million dollars in
merchandise.
The first buildings in the village OF
Milbank were the lumber Office of
Geo. B. Reed, q small store by f. p.
Skahen, the Dwarf Drug Store by
Wood and McCann and the general
store of Frey Cross. Later in the same
year these We're followed by general
store by j. G. Drake, and on by James
Shaw, a saloon by Mary Ann Shaw, .
hotel by Mrs. M. G. Niles and meat
market by B. Schafer.
On Oct. 3, 1881 petetion was cir
culated to incorporate the town which
was granted and an election was held
on Tuesday Oct. Is, 1881. There were