Archie and Bertha Beard Family
by Unknown
(transcribed by RB, with permission from the Mellette County Historical Society, from "Mellette County 1911-1986" published by the Mellette County Historical Society)
Archie Beard was born May 15, 1885, and Bertha, his wife, was born November 24, 1884. They came by train to Belvidere from Polk, Nebraska, in 1916. Archie came a while before the family and built a house. He also worked for Pirl Frazier, who lived near the Dengler School located between Norris and Cedarbutte. Bertha came alone with five children: Harry, 9, Mildred, 8, Donald, 6, Emma, 4 and Melva, 2. She often mentioned how Harry helped her on the trip with the rest of the children. Some of the people on the train thought she was very brave to be undertaking the move with so many children.
We lived with Fraziers and their children until we could move into our own house. There were ten children around the table at mealtime. We attended the Dengler school. We had to walk but we didn't seem to mind that. People in the neighborhood were the Al VanLears, Al's father, the Harold Fowlers, John
Patnoes and Albert Chancys.
The first two winters were tough. The house was a two-room shack with tar paper on the outside and nothing on the inside. Many mornings frost covered the walls. The only stove we had was the range for the two rooms. I have often wondered how they managed. The boys helped Dad get wood from the creek near the house.
We didn't get to the store for weeks in the winter time. The snow was too deep and the only transportation we had was a team and wagon. They had to keep a supply of staples on hand. We ate biscuits and gravy, and cornbread and pancakes many times and didn't think anything of it.
The saddest thing that happened that first year was losing our little Melva in May of 1917. She bruised the inside of her leg while playing around the oven door, and blood poisoning set in. Neighbors graciously helped out. I remember Claude Collins, Edna Berry and George Schcknecht singing at the services which were held in the home.
There wasn't much farming then horses were the only power and no one had much to work with. One thing about the whole thing everyone was in the same boat. It seemed no one worried too much about circumstances. No one expected much and everyone was happy. Variety wasn't great but we were all strong and healthy.
We'll always be thankful to L. A. Pier, who had a bank in Belvidere. I'm sure Dad was at the end of his rope when he got several head of milk cows from Mr. Pier to keep us going. We milked them for a time, which gave us a cream check and a few eggs to buy groceries. Then Dad started hauling freight with a team and double box wagon for Jesse Beckwith, who ran the Cedarbutte store. It would take him two days to make the trip. Many times he had to ford the river in order to get across. When the old team, "Buck and Butte," were worn out from all the long trips, they were given a royal burial. It was Dad's way of saying "Thank you" for their faithful work. He used to tell us stories about his trips and always mentioned how "that old team" kept food on the table.
One time when we were going to Sunday School at Cedarbutte our wagon tipped over going down a steep hill. We were all pinned under the wagon but luckily no one was hurt. I can see now in later years how God was in our midst and held a protective hand over us.
Willard was born in the homestead shack in 1918. Mrs. Otto Jorgensen (Dora) acted as midwife. Dad had gone to Belvidere, so Harry had to walk across country to get her. She came several times during the next few days to care for Mother and the baby.
One time our grandparents from Nebraska came to visit us. They came in a car. Oh, how excited we were. There were cars in the country but we weren't aware of it. Even newspapers were scarce.
We moved south of Cedarbutte where Dad built a sod house with the help of some neighbors. It was a two-story structure. One night a strong wind blew the roof off the old soddy. They didn't repair the sod house but finished building a frame house that they had started. The sod house wasn't lush but it was warm in the winter and really quite comfortable.
About this time the First World War was going on full blast. And then when the United States declared war on April 2, 1917, we wondered how we were going to cope with it. But everyone continued with their usual activities and added extra jobs and requirements to help keep our country free. We sacrificed and bought War Bonds. The women and children knit sweaters, scarfs and socks for our men in the service. Mom spent every spare minute knitting.
Schools were now situated to accommodate all the families. We had less than a mile to go. Teachers were paid between $40 and $50 a month. We studied reading, arithmetic, geography, hygiene, science and spelling. On Friday afternoon we would have writing or art. In the morning the teacher would read a book or we would sing. We always gave the flag salute. Every pupil had chores to do before going home, such as dusting the erasers, washing the blackboard and straightening the few books that we had on a shelf called the library.
We always had good teachers. Mrs. Cleve Berry (Jessie) was our teacher for two years. She and her two daughters, Marion and Phyllis Lea, stayed in the shack next to the schoolhouse. When Harry and I graduated from the eighth grade in 1922, Mrs. Berry spent many nights helping us review for the final examinations. She always gave her best, even though she wasn't very strong. Teachers were respected.
Neighbors in the area at that time were the Joe Langstons, Greshams, Chaneys, Fowlers, John Patnoes, Jess Beckwiths, Philip Bensons, and Ida Freeland
and her son Harold. Florence Patnoe and Gladys Parks often stayed at our house because they had such a long way to go to school. One time all the children in the school got the "itch." Mom doctored each one of us every night with sulphur and lard. Florence and Gladys stayed at our place until it was cleared up. It meant that she had seven children to work over every night but she had what it took to get a job done.
Dad was still hauling freight and Mom was testing cream at Cedarbutte. The folks now ran the Cedarbutte Store which had been moved one-half mile south of the original site. They had the post office, bought cream and sold groceries to the people in the community. Now we had new neighbors: Bill Starkjohann, Hal Whites, Earl and Park Halligan and Jack Starkjohann.
For entertainment the folks used to load us kids in a wagon before sundown and drive across the country to a friend's house where they would play cards until midnight—then jolt home over the same trail. Because Dad wanted me to take music lessons, I would ride four miles over to Jessie Berry, who gave me music lessons. Dad played the guitar, George Schukneckt the violin and Jessie Berry the piano.
We used to have so much fun dancing in a sod building east of the store with these people furnishing the music. The ladies provided the food. Outside of dances and a few parties, there wasn't much to do, so on Sunday many of the young people congregated at the store. Mom fixed many lunches and fed the whole gang. The folks enjoyed having them as much as they liked being there. This old soddy also served as a place for Sunday school and church.
We finally got a Model T touring car. We hadn't had it too long until one time we were going down a steep hill and the wish-bone broke and it ran off the road. It jarred us up a little but no one was hurt.
4-H was a popular activity in the area. The boys had hogs, sheep and poultry and calves. I was in the sewing project. Alta White was the leader. Evelyn Halligan and I got to go to the State Fair in Huron one year. We demonstrated "the bon-bon buttonhole." We had never been very far away from Cedarbutte, so it was an exciting and worthwhile experience.
In August of every year, we looked forward to going to Frontier Days in White River. Jake Herman was the clown. He had a well-trained mule. When a cowboy would get behind the saddle the mule would sit down on his back legs. Many of the kids went to watch the pranks that Jake and his mule performed.
In 1923, the Beard family moved to Norris. We owned a two-story building on the east side of the street, timer Hanson later bought it and moved it four miles south of Norris to what is now the Reece Bligh place. Now Dad was working for the highway department. He still used horses and walked behind the road grader. Mom had a restaurant and bought cream.
At that time there was a two-year high school in Norris. Paul Putnam and I were the only students the first year. Elsie Prell was the teacher. Emma also attended school there two years. The boys did not go to high school. Donald worked for Fred Merchen, and Harry had many odd jobs.
Finally the folks moved to a place southeast of Norris. They had been there but a short time when Dad became ill with an infection in his nose caused by a mere pimple. Erysipelas set in and we took him to White River. Dr. Saladay was the doctor then. They kept him in their home. Penicillin and sulfa were unheard of and there was nothing that they could do for him. He passed away on July 27, 1930, at the age of 45 years. This left Mom and Willard alone; the older kids were married. They moved to White River where Willard graduated from high school. During this time Mom worked in Holland's store.
Emma and Al Merchen had been running the Blackpipe Store and they wanted to move to Rapid City, so they persuaded Mom to take over the store.
She enjoyed this community very much. The people there were very concerned about her. Some of her customers were the Morsetts, Grasses, Mansfields and Goods. During the Second World War Harry and Willard were located in Europe. One time they met each other in Paris while they were serving their
country.
When Harry lived on the Neiderwarder place, Mom lived with him. Then they bought and ran the Dacotah Hotel in Kadoka until it burned down. She then moved into the Carlisle building on the east side of the street, where Letha Blom had lived. Finally she became a bit apprehensive about being alone so she moved to the Retirement Home in Kadoka in 1970. While she lived here she busied herself crocheting or knitting afghans for many of her friends. She passed away December 12, 1979, at the age of 96 years. She was a member of the Presbyterian Church and the Royal Neighbors. She was buried beside her husband, Archie, in the Norris cemetery.
The Beard Children
Harry was always good-natured, enjoyed life and loved children. He enjoyed the days he was in a band. Opal Holder played the piano, Dan Clifford the saxophone and Harry played the drums. At one time, he had a five-piece band. They played in many areas.
He worked for Claude Berry several years. After he served in the army, he lived with Skinny and me.
He married Viola Neiderwarder. They had two children, Joan and Charles. They live in Springfield, Virginia. He later married Laverna Embree, who had a large family. They were all on their own when they married. Their daughter lives in Rapid City. She is a nurse and has two children.
Harry had heart trouble. He went to Denver for surgery but he didn't come out of the operation. He passed away May 5, 1970.
Skinny and I have been married 55 years. When we were first married we lived in a house at Mrs. Kary's place. We needed a dresser. She went to a sale and bought one. We still have it. She was good to us.
I taught the Kary and Letellier schools. My pupils were the Letellier, Patterson, McLaughlan and Hafner children. We lived several different places before Skinny bought a place four or five miles from Norris. Crops were good and in the summer we had several men working for us. Some of the men were Chet and George Gibson, Shorty Samuelson, Jesse Erickson and two young men from Kansas. I had to have help too—Neva Jewel worked for me. Our youngest son, Willard, lives on the place now. He and Lana have two children. Heath and Heather.
Harry Jr. and his wife Jeanne live a mile and a half from the ranch. He sells insurance in addition to his farming and ranching. They have five children
Melvin and Carol live in Rapid City. He is in the realtor business. Jeanne and Dean Gage live east of Sioux Falls on a farm. They have five children. They also care for foster children.
Since Mark came home from the service, he has farmed northwest of Kadoka. He lives with us.
Vern and Ronnel Gratzke live in Miles City, Montana. He taught in a Christian school and she works part-time.
Donald and Dora (Keever) live in California and celebrated their 50th anniversary. Three of their children live in California, in and around Concord. John and his wife live at Buffalo Gap, South Dakota, on a farm. Donald comes back to South Dakota frequently to help John. Raymond lives in Watertown where he teaches at the vocational school.
Emma and Al lived at Norris before they moved to Rapid City. Al was a trucker and had found employment in Wyoming. On the way home one night he had an accident and was killed. Emma moved from Hill City back to Rapid where she is involved in the activities of the Senior Citizens. Their children arc scattered. Archie lives in Wyoming, Berta Ann lives in Washington State, Glen lives in Santa Maria, California, Albert teaches electronics in Topeka, Kansas, Tom lives in Hoyt, Kansas, Patsy lives near her mother in Rapid City, and Danny lives in Anchorage, Alaska.
Willard, my youngest brother, married Marg Thomas of Belvidere, South Dakota. They have one son. Willard worked for the Martin Corp. in Denver for 20 years before he retired. He had problems with his eyes but seems to be improving. They plan to return to Rapid City in 1985 so he can be nearer to his sisters.
by Unknown
(transcribed by RB, with permission from the Mellette County Historical Society, from "Mellette County 1911-1986" published by the Mellette County Historical Society)
Archie Beard was born May 15, 1885, and Bertha, his wife, was born November 24, 1884. They came by train to Belvidere from Polk, Nebraska, in 1916. Archie came a while before the family and built a house. He also worked for Pirl Frazier, who lived near the Dengler School located between Norris and Cedarbutte. Bertha came alone with five children: Harry, 9, Mildred, 8, Donald, 6, Emma, 4 and Melva, 2. She often mentioned how Harry helped her on the trip with the rest of the children. Some of the people on the train thought she was very brave to be undertaking the move with so many children.
We lived with Fraziers and their children until we could move into our own house. There were ten children around the table at mealtime. We attended the Dengler school. We had to walk but we didn't seem to mind that. People in the neighborhood were the Al VanLears, Al's father, the Harold Fowlers, John
Patnoes and Albert Chancys.
The first two winters were tough. The house was a two-room shack with tar paper on the outside and nothing on the inside. Many mornings frost covered the walls. The only stove we had was the range for the two rooms. I have often wondered how they managed. The boys helped Dad get wood from the creek near the house.
We didn't get to the store for weeks in the winter time. The snow was too deep and the only transportation we had was a team and wagon. They had to keep a supply of staples on hand. We ate biscuits and gravy, and cornbread and pancakes many times and didn't think anything of it.
The saddest thing that happened that first year was losing our little Melva in May of 1917. She bruised the inside of her leg while playing around the oven door, and blood poisoning set in. Neighbors graciously helped out. I remember Claude Collins, Edna Berry and George Schcknecht singing at the services which were held in the home.
There wasn't much farming then horses were the only power and no one had much to work with. One thing about the whole thing everyone was in the same boat. It seemed no one worried too much about circumstances. No one expected much and everyone was happy. Variety wasn't great but we were all strong and healthy.
We'll always be thankful to L. A. Pier, who had a bank in Belvidere. I'm sure Dad was at the end of his rope when he got several head of milk cows from Mr. Pier to keep us going. We milked them for a time, which gave us a cream check and a few eggs to buy groceries. Then Dad started hauling freight with a team and double box wagon for Jesse Beckwith, who ran the Cedarbutte store. It would take him two days to make the trip. Many times he had to ford the river in order to get across. When the old team, "Buck and Butte," were worn out from all the long trips, they were given a royal burial. It was Dad's way of saying "Thank you" for their faithful work. He used to tell us stories about his trips and always mentioned how "that old team" kept food on the table.
One time when we were going to Sunday School at Cedarbutte our wagon tipped over going down a steep hill. We were all pinned under the wagon but luckily no one was hurt. I can see now in later years how God was in our midst and held a protective hand over us.
Willard was born in the homestead shack in 1918. Mrs. Otto Jorgensen (Dora) acted as midwife. Dad had gone to Belvidere, so Harry had to walk across country to get her. She came several times during the next few days to care for Mother and the baby.
One time our grandparents from Nebraska came to visit us. They came in a car. Oh, how excited we were. There were cars in the country but we weren't aware of it. Even newspapers were scarce.
We moved south of Cedarbutte where Dad built a sod house with the help of some neighbors. It was a two-story structure. One night a strong wind blew the roof off the old soddy. They didn't repair the sod house but finished building a frame house that they had started. The sod house wasn't lush but it was warm in the winter and really quite comfortable.
About this time the First World War was going on full blast. And then when the United States declared war on April 2, 1917, we wondered how we were going to cope with it. But everyone continued with their usual activities and added extra jobs and requirements to help keep our country free. We sacrificed and bought War Bonds. The women and children knit sweaters, scarfs and socks for our men in the service. Mom spent every spare minute knitting.
Schools were now situated to accommodate all the families. We had less than a mile to go. Teachers were paid between $40 and $50 a month. We studied reading, arithmetic, geography, hygiene, science and spelling. On Friday afternoon we would have writing or art. In the morning the teacher would read a book or we would sing. We always gave the flag salute. Every pupil had chores to do before going home, such as dusting the erasers, washing the blackboard and straightening the few books that we had on a shelf called the library.
We always had good teachers. Mrs. Cleve Berry (Jessie) was our teacher for two years. She and her two daughters, Marion and Phyllis Lea, stayed in the shack next to the schoolhouse. When Harry and I graduated from the eighth grade in 1922, Mrs. Berry spent many nights helping us review for the final examinations. She always gave her best, even though she wasn't very strong. Teachers were respected.
Neighbors in the area at that time were the Joe Langstons, Greshams, Chaneys, Fowlers, John Patnoes, Jess Beckwiths, Philip Bensons, and Ida Freeland
and her son Harold. Florence Patnoe and Gladys Parks often stayed at our house because they had such a long way to go to school. One time all the children in the school got the "itch." Mom doctored each one of us every night with sulphur and lard. Florence and Gladys stayed at our place until it was cleared up. It meant that she had seven children to work over every night but she had what it took to get a job done.
Dad was still hauling freight and Mom was testing cream at Cedarbutte. The folks now ran the Cedarbutte Store which had been moved one-half mile south of the original site. They had the post office, bought cream and sold groceries to the people in the community. Now we had new neighbors: Bill Starkjohann, Hal Whites, Earl and Park Halligan and Jack Starkjohann.
For entertainment the folks used to load us kids in a wagon before sundown and drive across the country to a friend's house where they would play cards until midnight—then jolt home over the same trail. Because Dad wanted me to take music lessons, I would ride four miles over to Jessie Berry, who gave me music lessons. Dad played the guitar, George Schukneckt the violin and Jessie Berry the piano.
We used to have so much fun dancing in a sod building east of the store with these people furnishing the music. The ladies provided the food. Outside of dances and a few parties, there wasn't much to do, so on Sunday many of the young people congregated at the store. Mom fixed many lunches and fed the whole gang. The folks enjoyed having them as much as they liked being there. This old soddy also served as a place for Sunday school and church.
We finally got a Model T touring car. We hadn't had it too long until one time we were going down a steep hill and the wish-bone broke and it ran off the road. It jarred us up a little but no one was hurt.
4-H was a popular activity in the area. The boys had hogs, sheep and poultry and calves. I was in the sewing project. Alta White was the leader. Evelyn Halligan and I got to go to the State Fair in Huron one year. We demonstrated "the bon-bon buttonhole." We had never been very far away from Cedarbutte, so it was an exciting and worthwhile experience.
In August of every year, we looked forward to going to Frontier Days in White River. Jake Herman was the clown. He had a well-trained mule. When a cowboy would get behind the saddle the mule would sit down on his back legs. Many of the kids went to watch the pranks that Jake and his mule performed.
In 1923, the Beard family moved to Norris. We owned a two-story building on the east side of the street, timer Hanson later bought it and moved it four miles south of Norris to what is now the Reece Bligh place. Now Dad was working for the highway department. He still used horses and walked behind the road grader. Mom had a restaurant and bought cream.
At that time there was a two-year high school in Norris. Paul Putnam and I were the only students the first year. Elsie Prell was the teacher. Emma also attended school there two years. The boys did not go to high school. Donald worked for Fred Merchen, and Harry had many odd jobs.
Finally the folks moved to a place southeast of Norris. They had been there but a short time when Dad became ill with an infection in his nose caused by a mere pimple. Erysipelas set in and we took him to White River. Dr. Saladay was the doctor then. They kept him in their home. Penicillin and sulfa were unheard of and there was nothing that they could do for him. He passed away on July 27, 1930, at the age of 45 years. This left Mom and Willard alone; the older kids were married. They moved to White River where Willard graduated from high school. During this time Mom worked in Holland's store.
Emma and Al Merchen had been running the Blackpipe Store and they wanted to move to Rapid City, so they persuaded Mom to take over the store.
She enjoyed this community very much. The people there were very concerned about her. Some of her customers were the Morsetts, Grasses, Mansfields and Goods. During the Second World War Harry and Willard were located in Europe. One time they met each other in Paris while they were serving their
country.
When Harry lived on the Neiderwarder place, Mom lived with him. Then they bought and ran the Dacotah Hotel in Kadoka until it burned down. She then moved into the Carlisle building on the east side of the street, where Letha Blom had lived. Finally she became a bit apprehensive about being alone so she moved to the Retirement Home in Kadoka in 1970. While she lived here she busied herself crocheting or knitting afghans for many of her friends. She passed away December 12, 1979, at the age of 96 years. She was a member of the Presbyterian Church and the Royal Neighbors. She was buried beside her husband, Archie, in the Norris cemetery.
The Beard Children
Harry was always good-natured, enjoyed life and loved children. He enjoyed the days he was in a band. Opal Holder played the piano, Dan Clifford the saxophone and Harry played the drums. At one time, he had a five-piece band. They played in many areas.
He worked for Claude Berry several years. After he served in the army, he lived with Skinny and me.
He married Viola Neiderwarder. They had two children, Joan and Charles. They live in Springfield, Virginia. He later married Laverna Embree, who had a large family. They were all on their own when they married. Their daughter lives in Rapid City. She is a nurse and has two children.
Harry had heart trouble. He went to Denver for surgery but he didn't come out of the operation. He passed away May 5, 1970.
Skinny and I have been married 55 years. When we were first married we lived in a house at Mrs. Kary's place. We needed a dresser. She went to a sale and bought one. We still have it. She was good to us.
I taught the Kary and Letellier schools. My pupils were the Letellier, Patterson, McLaughlan and Hafner children. We lived several different places before Skinny bought a place four or five miles from Norris. Crops were good and in the summer we had several men working for us. Some of the men were Chet and George Gibson, Shorty Samuelson, Jesse Erickson and two young men from Kansas. I had to have help too—Neva Jewel worked for me. Our youngest son, Willard, lives on the place now. He and Lana have two children. Heath and Heather.
Harry Jr. and his wife Jeanne live a mile and a half from the ranch. He sells insurance in addition to his farming and ranching. They have five children
Melvin and Carol live in Rapid City. He is in the realtor business. Jeanne and Dean Gage live east of Sioux Falls on a farm. They have five children. They also care for foster children.
Since Mark came home from the service, he has farmed northwest of Kadoka. He lives with us.
Vern and Ronnel Gratzke live in Miles City, Montana. He taught in a Christian school and she works part-time.
Donald and Dora (Keever) live in California and celebrated their 50th anniversary. Three of their children live in California, in and around Concord. John and his wife live at Buffalo Gap, South Dakota, on a farm. Donald comes back to South Dakota frequently to help John. Raymond lives in Watertown where he teaches at the vocational school.
Emma and Al lived at Norris before they moved to Rapid City. Al was a trucker and had found employment in Wyoming. On the way home one night he had an accident and was killed. Emma moved from Hill City back to Rapid where she is involved in the activities of the Senior Citizens. Their children arc scattered. Archie lives in Wyoming, Berta Ann lives in Washington State, Glen lives in Santa Maria, California, Albert teaches electronics in Topeka, Kansas, Tom lives in Hoyt, Kansas, Patsy lives near her mother in Rapid City, and Danny lives in Anchorage, Alaska.
Willard, my youngest brother, married Marg Thomas of Belvidere, South Dakota. They have one son. Willard worked for the Martin Corp. in Denver for 20 years before he retired. He had problems with his eyes but seems to be improving. They plan to return to Rapid City in 1985 so he can be nearer to his sisters.
Mellette County, South Dakota
Family Histories & Biographies - Beard Surname
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Beard Surname
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