The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1933-08-02
Members of Pioneers Associa-
ton and Friends of Fam
lily Invited to Call

SOullLy Pioneers ASSOCIATION and
friends of the family, in celebration
of the 60th anniversary of the arrival
of Mrs. Pearce in Bismarck.
In order to reach all members of
the association, as we'll as old friends,
they are extending general invita-
ton through the press, asking them
to call and talk over old times.
Assembled here for the occasion
are all members of Mr.. and Mrs.
Pearce's family, several of whom
came from a distance. They are Mrs.
H. A. Halverson (HazeD who has
been in Keokuk, Ia, and Tulsa,
Okla; Miss Gladys Pearce, Bismarck;
Mrs. G. S. Novak Nois), Tulsa. Okla !;
George Pearce, Bismarck; and Mrs.
j. A. Graner (Esma), Dillworth,
MINI.
Mrs. Pearce, who celebrated her
10th birthday July 26, was girl of
10 when she came here with her par
ents, Mr.. and Mrs. Thomas Nichols,
Aug. 3, 1873, in prairie schooner
from Goodhue county, MINI. Al
though but child, she retains vivid
memory Of the trip. which took one
month, during which the party suf-
fered privations common to travel
in pioneer days over prairie trails.
Seven Families in Caravan
At the outset, the caravan, consist
Ing Of seven families together with
their household goods and herd of
cattle, was accompanied as far as
Cannon Lake, near Faribault, by
relatives, friends and sweethearts, who
persuaded the party to remain at the
lake to celebrate independence Day.
Mrs. Pearce recalls that the day was
spent with sports and pranks in an
effort to forget the sad parting on
the morrow. One of the wagons in
which several of the young ladies
were sleeping was pushed out into
the lake during the night and they
had to be rescued by their friends
the next morning.
Dry camps, where no water could
be found, roads so muddy that the
oxen had to be unhitched from sew
eral wagons to pull others out of
holes, and a shortage of food were
only few of the hardships which
these settlers underwent on the long
trek west.
One fortunate result of the trip,
however was the fact that the JOLT
ing of the wagons cured Mrs. Pearce
of an ailment which might have
made her a cripple for life She had
just recovered from an attack of
scarlet fever which had left the mus
cles on one side of her neck partially
paralyzed, causing her to carry her
head on one shoulder. The continual
shaking of the heavy wagon para
doxically relieved the sufferer and
before the end of the trip she was
able to play about as we'll as ever.
Before reaching Bismarck the party
camped on Apple creek, where the
Wards and the Gibsons had MAIN
tanned camp for month. They
reached the town the following day
and went into camp on the old M. H.
Jewell property just south of where
the First Presbyterian church now
stands.
Recalls Frontier Murder
The week following their arrival
here. when they had moved to a spot
where the Bismarck hotel now stands,
an event occurred which stands out
In Mrs. Pearce'S memory because she
remembers hearing her mother ex-
claim, why did bring my family
here to be murdered"
At that time a dance hall. saloon
and gambling joint was maintained
on 1.-THE Point" on this side of the
river, across from old Fort Abraham
Lincoln. Here, in brawl over a
woman, young lieutenant by the
name of Massingale was killed by a
bad man" named Spotty Whelan.
He escaped and fled, hiding at the
back of Mullins hall, located where
the A. w. Lucas store now is. Gen.
eral George Custer, then at the post,
with a detachment of troops raided
1.-The Point" and, unable to find
Whelan, followed him to Bismarck.
In the course Of his search he call
ed the proprietor of Mullins hall to
the door and demanded that the
place be searched Mullins reply,
"Only over my dead body was fol-
lowed by shot from the interior of
the hall and another lieutenant in
the command fell dead
The search continued without find
ing Whelan and for a week martial
law prevailed in Bismarck. Trace of
the murderer was found when an old
prospector by the name of Mccall
saw man carrying food to an old
stable located where the Montgomery
Ward building now is Here a posse
found Whelan, buried beneath hay
in the manger, and he was speedily
prosecuted.
Rain-in- the-F Liked Biscuits
Mrs. Pearce recalls another event.
typical of the times. when her mother
ordered Chief Rain-in-the-F and
party of Indians and squaws from
her home, when the chief refused to
eat bread and butter with which she
had provided them, throwing the
bread out of the door and indicating
that they preferred biscuits. She will
never forget the look of malediction
Rain-in-the-F Face gave her mother as
he complied with her commands.
Mr.. and Mrs. Nichols and others
who came with them engaged in
dairying and farming during their
first years here. At that time butter
brought so cents a pound and up.
There were no such things as milk
bottles in those days and the milk
was carried to the Sheridan House,
Mrs. Pearce remembers, in a huge
pail over which cloth was spread.
Mr.. Pearce, also pioneer resident
of the city, came here SO years ago
last June, to work at his trade as a
stone mason and contractor.
Besides working on many of the
buildings here in the early days, he
constructed the stone wall which sur
rounds the property at the U. S.
weather bureau.
Later during the legislative session
he operated restaurant at the CAPT.
tol and subsequently opened one in
a building where the Gamble store
now is located. In later years he en-
t. G-x sHarr