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Copyrighted
2005 for Clark county South Dakota and Gordon Meyer
I have gathered this material, and by putting it on the web, www.rootsweb.com/~sdgenweb/ or www.usgenweb.com and then go to the state (SD) and there also will be an article in the local paper, I have hopes that . someone will come up with more information on the burials in the Logan Cemetery. I am hoping that somewhere someone will have a plat map of the graves, or any information, that will help in the marking of these unknown graves. For any additions or corrections contact Gordon Meyer at Clark SD. e-mail gmeyer@itctel.com
Clark County Logan Pioneer Cemetery
The
history of Clark county and Logan Township begins when the Indians and the
Trapper era was ending. This is the Territory where the Buffalo roamed in great
herds, and for this reason the Indians used it as their hunting grounds. The
Buffalo was the main source of food supply for the Indians, but as the American
Frontier moved west, the Indians were forced to move ahead of this movement.
The U.S. Government set aside this land west of the Mississippi as Indian
Territory, but this agreement was short lived. The original agreement was made
in 1832, but in 1858 Settlers began moving west, in 1858 a treaty was made with
the Sioux Nation and they ceded the land west of the Missouri River to the U.S.
Government. This land was part of the Minnesota Territory. This same year
Minnesota became a state, and this land became “unorganized territory”. With
much political maneuvering, maybe even “padding” the legal lists of legal
voters to prove that there were enough people in the area to justify becoming a
Territory. In 1861 the Organic Act was passed, this Act created the Dakota
Territory, President Buchanan signed the bill and the Dakota
Settlers had a form of Government. William Jayne was appointed to be the first
governor.
There are several interesting geographic characteristics in Logan Township, but two stand out, they are the Coteaus,
or (Coteau des Prairies (“Prairie Hills”) (or Rolling Hills).and the Assinboine trail. The Coteau's
also know as Drift Prairie, were developed 12,000 to 9,000 years ago at the end of the ice age, This area covers most of Eastern South Dakota. The Assinboine trail Starts in Canada and was used by the
PLAINS INDIANS- Blackfeet, Assiniboine, Crow, Hidatsa, Mandan, Yankton Sioux,
Arikara, Teton Sioux Indians to get material to make their pipes, arrowheads and other tools and weapons. The destination of this trail is near Pipestone Minnesota. Logan Township was quite unique in that it was pretty much self-sufficient. They had there own School, with school busses powered by horses, they had there own church the Logan Methodist Church, and there own cemetery “Logan Pioneer Cemetery”, also there was the “Half Way House”. The Half Way House was a large claim shanty that was located in the Northeast corner of Logan Township. It was known by all of the old timers and was a stopping place for people traveling from Redfield to Watertown. The Half Way House also was a stopping place for the early stages, and it also was a post office.
Logan Township was
organized in 1882, before South Dakota became a state. The first settler to claim land in Logan
Township was Michael Kelly. Three years before Logan Township was organized
Michael Claimed land in section one. Michael Kelly also has the distinction of being the third settler to
Claim land in Clark County, the first two were John Baily, and Joseph Woodland.
Logan Pioneer
Cemetery
Eight miles west of Clark, two miles south and one half mile west on the south side of road is a forgotten Cemetery. The Logan Pioneer Cemetery originated back in 1885. The graves were marked with white wooden markers. All of them have since rotted away and have been lost. We know that there are many people buried here but there, aren’t any records or documentation that we can find to verify the names or locations of these burials. Hopefully there is someone who will read this, and have something in a drawer or trunk, that is stored away that can help us in this endeavor. We ZA1have the names of around twenty-three burials, and going through the history of Logan Township, I have found the names of several more, but of course we don’t have a location for any of these either. We can assume where some of them are, such as the barber baby, and Mary Baker baby, “Frieda” they are relatives of Lieutenant R. F. Barber, and his wife Charlotte, (or Elizabeth) and logically they would be buried near them, actually there is a lot between Charlotte, and Richards’s gravesites, where someone is probably buried. Yes I found this out also, Lieutenant Barber homesteaded the SE ¼ of Section 29 in Logan Township, and his name is Richard F. Barber. Richard was born in Ireland in the year 1824 when he came to the United States He settled in the town of Monee, Will county Illinois. He enlisted in the army January 28 1862. Richard enlisted as a private. He served in the Union army with Distinguished Service, and when he retired his rank was Full Lieutenant. Richard probably traveled to The Dakota’s around 1880. I am assuming some of this because in the 1870 census he was in Will county Illinois and was the county treasurer for Will County, and on October 13, 1886 he was married to Mrs. Elizabeth Cantieri, from Chicago, in The Dakota Territory at Clark, and then of course He filed a Homestead Claim in 1888. Richard Died around 1905.
John Stenning wasn’t buried here, but he had an infant son Joseph who was. He lived only six months in the year 1896. Joseph was reburied in Rose Hill Cemetery at Clark with his parents in 1946. John was a very influential in the Growth of South Dakota and this is a short biography of Joseph.
Father John Stenning
John
A.Stenning was born near Folkoping, Sweden, January 12,
1857. His father2's name was Joseph A (according to the local history. In Sweden the Stenning family
were farmers, they farmed one half- section of land, they had thirty or forty
head of cattle, and a dozen horses. John attended the public schools until he
was 14 years of age, and then he assisted his father with the farm work. At the
age of 21 he was drafted for two years for a two-months service each year.
After this was completed, he spent one more year on the farm, and then he
accompanied his family on their immigration to the United States. The Stennings
crossed the Atlantic in April 1880, and landing at New York, and immediately
proceeded to Chicago. There the father remained until his death, which occurred
in 1883
Not liking the City life John came farther
west, and in the summer of 1881 worked on a farm in Cedar County, Iowa. John
returned to Chicago for a two month visit, and in February, 1882 started west,
this time buying a ticket to as far as the train could take him which at that
time was Watertown SD. After two weeks of looking over the country, he filed on
a homestead on the northwest quarter of section 23- 116-59, Logan Township. The
same day a blizzard moved in and he was forced to stay in Watertown for about a
month. While in Watertown John went to work for the railroad in laying track
west from Watertown to Clark SD. Upon his arrival in Clark John went out to
look over his claim and erected a shanty, but he continued his employment with
the railroad, for the remainder of the Summer. The next winter was spent in
Chicago, and in the spring he was appointed section foreman on the railroad at
Clark, John did this because he had rented the land he had broken up to another
farmer. The next year he moved onto his claim and turned his attention to
farming.
Mr. Stenning was married January 9, 1884, to
Miss Amanda Swanson, also a native of Sweden, who came west with the remainder
of the Stenning family in the fall of 1880. The Stenning’s were blessed with
five children, Jennie Susana, John Oscar, Joseph Arthur, who only lived for 6
months, Effie C. and Edith M. Tragedy struck the Stenning Family on the 22nd
day of June 1894, when Mrs. Stenning was stricken with paralysis, from which
she never recovered, and was in paralytic state for about 25 years. (1852/1919)
John A. Stenning was one of the most
progressive pioneers of Clark County, He
was one of the first pioneers, of the county, and he assisted in the building
of the Chicago, Northwestern Railroad through Clark and on West. While working
for the railroad, he walked from his home to work in the mornings, carried his
lunch, and walked home after working all day. John also served as a State
Representative for several terms.
LOGAN PIONEER CEMETERY-NW corner of
NE-1/4 21-116-59
Graves with Tombstones
Armstrong, William - An early pioneer
settler. Born 1857 Died 11/19/1892,Died
at the age 35 years Buried In lot 86
died from Appendicitis.
William
Armstrong was an early Settler, and the first husband of Elizabeth (Eliza)
McMaster, John Wesley Shelton was Eliza’s second husband. and father of Alpha
Shelton. Elizabeth (Eliza) McMaster who was born in Bothwell, Canada in 1865.
At age 17 she married “Billy” William Armstrong who after a year of marriage
came to Dakota territory to Homestead. While threshing in the year 1892, Billy
became sick with Appendicitis and died, leaving his wife with two daughters and
a son, Roy who was just 6 months old. Two years later Eliza married John Wesley
Shelton, who had been a teacher in Kansas but at the time was on a threshing
crew in the Dakota’s. The Sheltons had three sons George, Wyatt, and Alpha. Alpha
was born August 9 1900, and this is how Alpha Shelton is related to William
Armstrong. John Wesley Shelton didn’t like farming so he took two of the
boys with him to Kansas. Alpha Stayed with Eliza. Eliza remarried again to
James young, in 1905. Eliza and James young are buried in Rose Hill Cemetery at
Clark SD.
Briggs, Sally - A pioneer wife. Died 1/22/1890. Age 71 years. Buried in Lot 104. - Sally came to South Dakota
with Mr. and Mrs. Addison Warner. Sally was the mother of Mrs. Warner. They
were from New York. They traveled to South Dakota by Horse and Wagon in the
late 1800’s. In 1905 The Warmers lived in a house 40 rods north of the Hoblit
School. The Warners had three children two Daughters Rose and Leona and a son
Allie.
The
Warner’s later moved to Clark, There son Allie Warner was in Charge of the
Abstract Office. Both died in the early 20’s and were buried in the Logan
Cemetery.
Barber, Richard F. (Lieut.) - Step-father of Mrs. Baker of Raymond. Buried in Lot
85 Civil War Veteran. Served in Co. G,
12 USCI; Date of enlistment 1862; discharged Circa 1964 with “Distinguished Service”. Richard F.
Barber Enlisted in Company D, 51st Infantry Regiment Illinois on 27
February 1862. Promoted to Full Sergeant Major on 08 December 1863 effective
February 12 1864. Reenlisted in Company D, 51st Infantry Regiment on
08 February 1864. He retired as a Full Lieutenant 2nd Class. According to the
1870 census, Lieutenant Barber lived in Will County Illinois with relatives,
and was the Will County Treasurer. some time in the next few years He left for
the Dakota’s. R.F. Barber Homesteaded
In Section 29, SE ¼ 1888, Lieutenant Barber was Born in Ireland, circa 1824,
died Clark SD circa 1905.
I
found a Census of R.F. Barber from Joliet Illinois
This census was taken on July 3, 1870
Barber Richard F.
age 46 Occupation County Treasurer – Born in
Ireland - 1824
“
Sarah F. age 56 Occupation House
keeper – Born in Vermont
“
Susan A. age 18 Occupation House
Work – Born in Canada
“
Merril W. age 14 School Born in New York
Until I find anything
different, I am assuming these are all relatives.
Sometime between 1870
and 1885 Richard traveled to the Dakotas. In the year 1886 Richard married Mrs
Elizabeth Cantieri of Chicago, Ill. This was on the 13th day of
October of 1886. They were Married in the Dakota Territory, at Clark South
Dakota. In 1888 Richard homesteaded on the South East ¼ of Sec. 29 of Logan
Township Some time in this period between 1888 and 1905, a baby was born to the
Barbers and died, and is buried in Logan Cemetery.
This is another
assumption, that Richard died in about 1905, His Wife filed for Pension
Benefits on Dec. 2 1905, and she had there Marriage license recorded on March 5
–1906, at Clark South Dakota.
Barber, Charlotte - 1849/1921 - Wife, of
Lt. Barber, Mother of Mrs. Latimer
Baker of Raymond Buried in Lot 84. Lieut. Barber died about 1905, and Mrs.
Barber signed up for a veterans pension Dec. 2 1905 (Ancestry. Com) She always
used Charlotte for her First name –“Charlotte E. Barber” But Her married name (on
Marriage License is Mrs Elizabeth Cantieri, and when she signed up for her
pension she used the name “Elizabeth Barber”.
Cox, Annie Wife of Captain William Cox. Born at Hatfield, Sussex England. Buried in Lot
113. Born 4/17/1833-Died 2/24/1902. With the information that I have now,
Captain Cox was probably killed at Chancellorsville in about 1863. Annie was a
relative of the Hudson’s.
Hudson, Edmund Pioneer who
lived in a house across the road west from the Hugh Thompson place.
Edmund homesteaded Section 6 NE 1/4
Driver, Harry & Willie
- Brothers who were doing the
evening chores when the blizzard of 1888 came up. They went to round up cattle
and were lost in the blizzard, on the hill one mile west of Logan School. There is nothing left there now except a
shed. They were just young boys. There
father was William Driver
Schlagel, John -Father of Fred Schlagel -Homesteaded in
Sec. 32- Lot 177
In March of 1897, John and his four boys,
Fred, Oscar, Frank and John Jr., came to Clark from Knox County Ill. In 1901 he
established a Homestead Claim on the NW1/4 of Section 32. A claim shanty was
moved on the homestead while a permanent residence was being built. Oscar
Schlagel continued to farm this land when his father passed away in 1915, until
his death in 1942. In 1947 Wilbur Schlagel a nephew moved onto the homestead
and still lives there.
Schmidt, Irene -Born 3/14/1897 Died 3/13/1911. Sister of Mrs. Anna Schlagel & Mrs.
Harold Cook. Lot 153
Stenning, Joseph Born 2/11/1896. Died 8/18/1896
The tombstone for Joseph is still at the
cemetery, but the body has been moved to Rose Hill cemetery, with His parents
John and Amanda. This was done in 1946
Joseph Arthur Stenning died after 6 months,
His father was John A. stenning, and his mother was Amanda Swanson she was a native of Sweden. Joseph’s life was
very short, his family leaves a heritage to be proud of.
These are People known to be buried in Logan
Cemetery but we don’t have markers or locations for them. There are known to be
several more buried in the cemetery, but the records were lost or there never
were any .
Doane, May (no information)
Baby Girl –Barber-This was a young baby of R.F. and Barbara (Elizabeth)
Barber.
Boyd, Lester-A boy 16 or 18 years old who worked for
Charlie Cole who lived on Art Payne’s place. One August morning while putting
the horses in the barn one kicked him and killed him instantly. His mother and
sister lived in Illinois. His father was dead, but his mother had remarried.
His sister came, but Lester had been buried by the time she arrived.
Frieda Baker Tiny baby of Mrs Mary Baker
Mrs. Baker was the Daughter of Charlotte
Barber,it is said she came with the
Barbers when they came to the Dakota’a.
Frieda’s Mother Mrs Mary Baker was married to
Latimer Baker she was born in Illinois in 1874, and was buried in Prairie
Valley Cemetery at Raymond South Dakota. She died in 1967. Mary’s Husband
Latimer. is buried there also. They had
two living sons Francis and Fredrich.
G. R. Bertan - A
pioneer who built a home near the Cagley place. Married and had a family (two
children)
Babcock Betty –Lived on the on the Franzen place. (about
1898)
Hudson, Susan Died 7-2-1881. Age
70 years.(related to Annie Cox.)
Holten, Hazel A. - An
early settler.(no Information)
Schrader, L.A. - Old Settler.(no information)
Smith, Baby Tilford - Son of Mr. & Mrs. Geno Smith. Lived just a few days. Later moved to Rose Hill cemetery at Clark.
Geno was a veteran of the 1st world war.
Stone, Mrs. William - Mother of Billy Stone. Ill for a long time before she died. Lived where George Bethke farm is now.
Sutton, F.R. - The Sutton boys went to school with Mrs.
Baker, (a former Raymond Resident)(daughter of
Mrs. Barber..
Strong - An old Settler who farmed here. Father of Charles Charles Strong homesteaded SW ¼ of
Section 6 Fordham Township
Charles Strong NE ¼ Sec. 8 Tree claim Logan Town Ship..
Schmidt, Baby Girl - Kathryn Sasse’s sister.
The parents of this little baby were John W. Schmidt and Nellie Helkin Schmidt.
John was born in the village of Hof in Bavaria Germany, on October 23 1865. He
came to the United States in March 1885, and became a citizen in 1886. Nellie
Helkin was born March 7 1875 in Sterling Illinois. She later moved to Davenport
Iowa, then to Holstein Iowa. John and Nellie were married May 30 1896,
and they came to Clark County, Dakota in 1902. He bought the NE1/4 Section 21
in Fordham Township. John and Nellie moved on this farm in 1904.Five Daughters
were born to this union one of the daughters died in infancy, and this is the
baby.
Warner, Allie –The Parents of Allie are Mr. And Mrs
Addison Warner. Allie was in charge of the Clark Abstract Office, at the turn
of the century
Mr and Mrs Allison Warner are also Buried in Logan Cemetery. The
Warner’s had an adopted daughter Gen. And two daughters of there own Rose and
Leone who married . Gene Bishop this was the first husband of Leona Warner. Gene died early, and his wife remarried
to Henry Peters. Rose married Roy McCoy
Zenus, Bishop Homesteaded SE ¼ of Section 19.
Reminiscing-Mrs. Oscar Foiles (Jenny
Stenning)
Looking out of the window during the noted
blizzard of 1888. I could get an
occasional glimpse of a little tree growing near the house. During this blizzard my father nearly missed
the house-stumbling against the rain barrel at the corner of the house-as he
came in from the barn.
I started to school when about 7 years old,
and my first course was to learn to speak English. My parents used the Swedish language. When I was about 11, my mother was stricken with paralysis which
left her an invalid for 25 years ' As I became older I helped with the home
work in addition to my school work.
One day as I was going to school at noon,
having helped with the family wash, I noticed a heavy smoke from the southeast
which seemed to be rising rapidly. This
proved to be a prairie fire which had started near Willow Lake. The teacher (Miss Alta Mathews, if I
remember right) took us all out to a plowed field. Some of the older boys guarded the school house and barn. All buildings on Mrs. Twaddle's place burned
except the house. This is the place
where Mr. and Mrs. Lowell Graves now own.
All buildings across the road and south of the school house burned. The barn on the Eric Nelson place burned
also-the place known now as the George Franzen place. The fire was stopped A,hen it reached the railroad between Clark
and Raymond. Two of the older boys who
guarded the school were Vivian Morser and Hugh Twaddle.
Among early neighbors were Phil Henry, Jud
Edwards, the Morser family and the Twaddles.
I well remember seeing Mrs. Twaddle taking her family to Raymond to
church in a wagon drawn by oxen.
During the 1890's there was quite a Jewish
settlement here. They lived in several
places, that earlier settlers had abandoned.
After living on a homestead 5 years one could claim a deed, and they
secured a loan, which many did, and considered their land "sold" so
deserted it.
One family one mile south of us had a large
family and six or seven came to our school, and 1 remember the good times we
had.
They observed Saturday as Sunday and I
remember seeing them walk by on the Sabbath they would fall prostrate on the
ground after going a certain distance, then do it again, until arriving at
their destination. They had a resident
priest or rabbi, who also butchered the animals needed for meat, which was
considered unclean if butchered by anyone else.The rabbi also settled their
troubles or disagreements When they arose.
In 1908 1 was married to Oscar Foiles and we
settled on our present farm where we lived until December, 1957 when we moved
to this farm.
Notes from Byron Wolverton
Mr.
Byron Wolverton worked for the Tomlins when a small boy. He also herded cattle in this area. Farmers would put their cattle together and
hire a boy to herd them, taking them out over a two or three mile area during
the day and
Mr. Wolverton remembers that when he first
learned to write his address was Doland, Dakota Territory.
A Logan Methodist Church was built in 1910 by
the people of the Community and served this area for many years.
Clark County
Excerpt from Huronite Paper
Clark
County had a most meager and inauspicious beginning. Created in 1873, the county was not formally organized
until May, 1881, when several residents gathered at the Clark House, a small
roadside hotel, and selected officers.
First seat of government was the dining room of the hotel. One desk served all county officials.
Two Englishman were the County's first
settlers in 1878. They were John Bailey
and Joseph Woodland. They built sod
huts and filed claims near a body of water since known as Bailey's Lake. Next to arrive was Michael Kelly of New,
York who opened a hostelry called the Halfway House, so named because of its
location between Watertown and Redfield.
History reports that the town of Clark, first
known as Clark Centre, came into being in 1882, with arrival of the railroad, a
newspaper, the Clark Pilot; two bands; three hotels and four attorneys gave the
town a busy and prosperous atmosphere during its founding days. One of the lawyers, S.H. Elrod, became
governor from 1905 to 1907 and, Carl G. Sherwood served as chief justice of the
State Supreme Court.
__________________________________________________________________________________________
Copyrighted 2004 for Clark
county South Dakota and Gordon Meyer