Life Story of a Pioneer - Part Three

>Emma Brady, Luella Pepper, & Hattie Place.Hattie Daugherty Place was a wonderful writer. I guess after you've taught school of 60 years, you have a command for the English Language. I'm simply copying her words that she wrote when elected as the Pioneer Daughter os the Wessington (SD) Women's Study Club, in Sept. 1949

"Right here, a never forgetable incident occurred when brother Will and I reached home, hungry and tired, and before I had climbed from my perch on the three boxed wagon, Elmer Morgan, a bachelor neighbor, living just across the road, was there to invite brother and I over to have supper with them. I had been raised to believe it was not 'lady-like' to go into a home where there was no woman, and this invitation was into a home of three bachelor brothers, the Morgan brothers, who in their good neighborly spirit, had prepared a meal for us. In spite of the fact that I was nearly starved, my brother assuring me the young men were fine fellows, and it would be perfectly proper for me to accept, I declined. After I became acquainted with the Morgans and learned how disappointed they had been, I realized how silly I had been.
The settlers of Nance Township were grand neighbors. Quite a number were from different parts of Illinois some from Iowa, Missouri, Wisconsin, and Michigan. Those bringing their families remained, proved up on the land, farmed their land for many years, some living on their old homestead when they passed away some fifty or more years later. The bachelors, most of them having left for parts unknown, after making final proof on their land.
Small grain was the principal crop planted the first year. Much flax was sown. Some year's crops were good, prices fair. Many times we were visited by local hail storms. Some years were very dry with hot winds, crops of course, very light. Still the pioneer held up his chin, dug in his toes, and worked all the harder the next year.
The men with families in Nance Ttownship were B.W. Wilson, Dave Brown, A.B. Barnes, Charles Bradey (who married Hattie's sister Emma) Wm. H. Daugherty, ? Harris, John McNeil, Alec McCullen, Tom Dulin, William English, Wm. Barnes, and Al Curtis. Mrs. Al Curtis and Mrs. Wm. Barnes were the first women to come to our township. Mrs. Barnes coming in 1883 and Mrs. Curtis in 1882. Mrs. Barnes' child, Mattie, was the first baby born in the township. She is now Mrs. Mattie Curtis and lives in Wessington. All of these settlers have passed away, and only a few of their children are left. Of these, Pearl Wilson Cavenee, Marion Bradey Dake and 3 of the Daugherty children; Fred, Richard, and Hattie, the writer of this article are still residents of this locality."