The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1934-07-07
Editors note:


womanhood and the parents never
heard Of birth control. Neither did
they worry over the danger Of crop
surpluses.
David Mathews was soldier Of the
war 1912 and participated in the
battle Of Plattsburg and other actions
around Lake Champlain and In proof
thereof, brought home his musket.
that In after years became q family.
heirloom.
My father, Amos Mathews, third
son Of that family, born September .,
1873, and my mother, Silence Folsom,
first daughter Of the Folsom family
born March 9Th. 1922, were married
In 1851 and commenced life on a
dairy farm ct hard work and small
profit.
My childhood was that Of a farm
boy with very limited schooling and
the two outstanding events Of the
period were the Civil War and our
removal to the west in the great trek
that followed the war. My memory
Of that war Is very distinct for my
father left his hay harvest In July,
1862, and enlisted company Of over
seventy men to form Company q.
l06th New York Volunteers.
The Westward Trek
Governor Edwin D. Morgan com.
missioned him first lieutenant Of that
company. In 1864 he was invaded
home and In August Of that year he
traded his farm for wild land in Fay
cite County, Iowa, and we loaded our
horses and wagon and household ef.
fects into q lake st. amer at Ogdens-
burg and shipped to Milwaukee and
thence by rail to McGregor. Iowa,
and thence by horse power to Fayette.
Here the Methodists had establish
ed one Of the many fresh water COL
leees Of that state known as the
Upper Iowa University. At this school
I acquired my limited book education,
teaching country schools winters,
during my course. and getting my
diploma In June 1874. secured the
prtncipalship Of the West Union pub
Tic schools that fall and taught there
one year. At that time I was elected
county superintendent Of schools Of
Fayette county. ran On the Demo-
cratic ticket In strong Republican
county and was destined to hear
about that years later when I was
candidate for territorial delegate to
Congress in 1883 on the Republican
ticket.
In the fall Of 1877. after my term Of
county superintendent had expired
and had saved enough to pay college
debts and take course at law school.
I Joined the law class Of 1873 at Iowa
State University. At that time 1t was
supposed that one year course would
fit country boy to practice law In
Ill the courts Of the state and In
June. T8, we got certificates to that
effect as well Is our diplomas. There
were 90 members Of our class and !
was chosen president, after the usual
hot contest Of . student body. In my
brief experience in politics have
noticed that honors are seldom dis
tributed on merit.
Begins Trek 10 West
In the early spring Of 1870, I and
my partner and college classmate.
John O'Brien Scobey, made another
trek to westward, going in q covered
wagon by mule power from Corning,
Iowa, where We first formed part
nership and opened Q law office, to
Brooktnes county, Territory Of Da-
kota. There was very little reason
in that move for no court had ever
been held In the county and the popu-
lation WAS negligible. A large part Of
the land was vacant government land
subject to homestead, preemption and
tree claim entry. The counties to the
west Of that were still unorganixed
and had only . few scattering set
tiers. This situation gave US an open-
Ing for business and We became, forth
with, locating agents, ready to show
vacant lands to settlers coming into
the country by OK, mule or horse
power. The land offices for south
ern part Of the territory were located
ct Sioux Falls and ct Yankton and
Springfield down on the Missouri
River. The county Of Brookings was
In Sioux Falls district. KinRsbury
county was In Yankton district, Beadle
county In Springfield. We secured
township plats. from the registers Of
the offices in each Of these districts
showing al lands IN these counties
that were vacant and these plats
were corrected from week to week.
Thus, We laid the foundation for Z
living business In spite Of the meager
possibilities afforded by the law
practice. During the summer Of 1870
( the Chicago and Northwestern rail-
road protected and built tn linA AZ