The pioneer-review. [volume] (Philip, Haakon County, S.D.) 1920-current, 1921-03-10
Welcome, Old Time
Resident Of Stanley County

Every resident of Haakon county
has heard, of or is we'll acqualnted
with Napoleon Welcome Of Fort
Pierre, and our readers will there
fore beinterested in the following
sketch of his life which recently
appeared in the Fort Pierre Times.
The editor of that paper is we'll
within the facts when he says that
it would be difficult and lengthy
task to relate all the interescting
facts" connected with Welcomes
career. Almost any old-timor in
Haakon county could contribute
something interesting to the story:
One Of the real historic rirarac-
ters of Stanley county and Fort
Pierre is Napoleon Welcome, and
while it would be a difficult and
lengthy task to relate all Of the
interesting facts concerning his
adventursome career, we may
briefly sketch his life beginning
with his birth at st. Peter Que
bee, Canada. on the 22nd day of
June, 1889, of French parentage.
At the age of 13 he ran away from
his home at Virgin, Vermont,
where the family was then living,
and for a time drifted about the
various manufacturing centers of
Massachusetts working in hoop
skirt, broom, thread and small
arms plants and finally enlisting
in Co. G, of the Second Massach-
usetts Heavy Artillery, participat-
ing in the first engagement at
Norfolk, Virginia, and a short
time later being taken prisoner in
North Carolina, spending eight
months in Andersonville prison
escaping twice and being recap
tured. He was then transferred
to Macon. Georgia, where, to get
out of prison, he Joined the Con-
federatc army, deserted and re-
Joined the Federals.
At the close of the war he work
ed as q cowboy through the south
west and in 1878 joined Col Gus
ter's command as a scout and came
with him to the northwest, par
ticipating in his Indian ca9paigns,
and acting as messenger between
Col. Custer and Gen, Reno at the
time of the massacre oT Custer
and his men on the Little Big
Horn river in Montana. 1t was
while on this duty that Gen. Reno
gave him the sobriquet Of "the
Wild Frenchman. After a year
at Deadwood he went, with lack
Sutlev to Yankton, where he en-
gagged as a ship carpenter and
Ispent two years plying between
that place and Fort Keogh, on the
Missori river. In 1897 he came to
to Fort Pierre where for a num-
Der of years he conducted wag-
on, Blacksmith and carpenter
shop, being a central figure in
many of the wild episodes Of the
early days Of Fort Pierre, and
squatting, in 1892 upon land at
the mouth of Powell creek, later
fling upon this land and build
ing ND ranch for himself which
he still owns, and where he has
resided until a couple of years ago.
Mr.. Welcome possess physical
endurance that is marvellous, and
for one of his age his vitality and
stamina are the envy both Of old
and young alike. He has been
/ through all sorts of hardships and
personal encounters with man and
beast, and with the exception Of
crippled hand, sustained when
attacked by wild stallion a few
years ago, is still very much Of a
man. After having spent a few
months at the Soldiers home at
Hot Springs this winter, he re-
turned to Fort Pierre, explaining
that the home was very suitable
! place for those "old boys" but no
! nIaoa fa, hin,