Mr. Tarrant came to South Dakota, May, 1895 from Portland, Oregon. Myself and children came the following August. Mr. George McDaniels came to Rapid City with team and wagon and took us to his home northwest of Viewfield. The place is now owned by Mr. Hunter.

Mr. Tarrant filed on the land where I now live in May, 1896. About that time the Land Dept sent out notice to all that had not filed on the land they resided on to file or vacate. All land north of the Bell Fourche River at that time was Indian land. On the night before Thanksgiving Day 1897, one of the worst blizzards struck that I have ever seen. Three men had started to the George Maxwell Ranch with sheep and the night before the storm, camped on East Elm. The old gentleman of the party was frozen to death in bed. The two young men started for the Westgate Ranch. One of them fell exhausted on the way and died. Old timer Jimmy Simons and Fred Westgate were the men that got the bodies out of the Breaks and took them to Piedmont. One got to the ranch, but was so badly chilled, did not regain his health for more than a year. The snow was so deep in the Elm Breaks that Fred Westgate and Jimmy Simons had to take saddle horses and ropes to get the bodies to level ground, then put the bodies in a wagon as close to the house as they could and left the bodies in the wagon. Next morning started on their way to Piedmont. It was so terrible, none of us could sleep that night.

When we came to this country, it was open range. We could see herds of cattle and horses any time of day. The largest herd of cattle I ever saw was 10,000 head shipped in by Taddigan Brothers. Next largest herd was 6,000 shipped in by the Holcomb Brothers. They were trailed past our place. The largest herd of sheep was 6,000 head being trailed through to Nebraska to be fed. I think the herd law was voted in about 1909.

When the soldiers went to quell the Indians before the Battle of Wounded Knee, they camped just east of where Mr. Jorgenson lives. Only had one Indian scare after we came to the country. Some white men killed some of the Indian's cattle. Then the Indians, to get even, killed some of the white men's cattle. The Indians had a war dance and was reported to be on the war path, but it proved to be a mistake.

In an early day we used to run a Road House. It was freighters from Pedro, White Owl, Dalzell and Smithville (who were) freighting provisions, farming equipment from Rapid City to the different post offices and stores combined through the country. Some night we would have thirty head of horses in the stable and yard. It would take a load of hay every night. The price was fifty cents a night for hay for one team of horses. The hay was five dollars a load, it was wild hay. A meal was 25 cents. There was no alfalfa at that time. Captain Seth Bullock first sowed alfalfa in this country at or near Belle Fourche, South Dakota.

We did not try to raise a garden. We had to buy our meat, vegetables and butter also. At that time it was supposed gardens could not be grown in South Dakota. In 1911 we never had a drop of rain all spring and summer until the sixth day of August. We had a soaking rain, then the Russian thistles made a wonderful growth. Before that Mr. Tarrant had sold all the cattle we had except six milk cows. But they were in good shape when spring came. "That weed helped us out."

In 1908 the Honyockers began to arrive. There were several families of gypies came from Brazil, South America and filed on land north of Belle Fourche River. They always stopped at our place and paid their bills in twenty dollar gold pieces. They had filed on land near Wrightsonville. They went back to Brazil. Also people from eastern states began to arrive. Some came to build homes and some filed on the land for speculation. For months we never ate a meal alone. The most people we ever got dinner for in one day was twenty three. Everyone was in a hurry to beat the other fellow. While we still lived in the old log house and using apple boxes for chairs, two men came from Pierre, South Dakota going to Montana. In the morning they handed me a one hundred dollar bill. They looked so pleased with theirselves. I said I don't think I can cash this bill. I looked up different caches, went back and handed them the change. He just stood there holding the money in his hand, looked at me, then around the house. He could not seem to move, just looked around. He was beat at his own game. They expected to get to their destination without cashing that bill. People as a whole were honest.

When we came here, steer calves were seven dollars a head, heifer calves five dollars a head, milk cows from 20 to 25 per head, hens were 25 cents apiece. Wild hay five dollars a ton. There was no alfalfa hay then. "Captain" Seth Bullock was the first to sow alfalfa seed at or near Belle Fourche, South Dakota.

Early pilgrims saw many tragedies. A Mr. Linscott and wife and mother and sister stayed all night at our place (and) left in the morning for White Owl. They had to cross a small creek (where) the bank was straight down when the front wheels went down the old lady fell over the dashboard and was killed immediately. The next day they went back to Piedmont with the body in a casket.

Several years ago three men came from Illinois to buy horses. It was raining when they left our house. They went north of the Belle Fourche River and were gone two days. The river was up and they drifted two miles down the river before they got out. They lost their bed roll off their pack mule, their hats and coats also (and) got to our place at ten o'clock at night. Next morning they made a bee-line for Rapid City and home.

In early days, homesteaders had to cooperate. If a settler wanted a few acres of ground broke his neighbor would come with his team of horses and they would break ten acres, then this man would go to that man's home and help break the same amount of acres.

Dances were all the young people had for amusement in an early day. Mr. Tarrant went to White Owl several times to play for dances. He would take the top off thte Estey organ, load the organ in the spring wagon. With his son, Albert, or daughter, Annie, to cord on the organ for him and his violin. (He would) play all night for the dance and (be) back home the next day tired out for a week. People used to go miles to a dance, with teams at that. After we built our new house, we gave dances, too, on Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Years. The largest crowd we ever had was 82 numbers. The price was one dollar a number and that included supper.

One bitter cold day in November before we had got our spring covered, Mr. Tarrant went to the stable to put the horses in and feed them. He found one had fallen into the spring. He got the saddle pony and went to get Mr. Smith to help him get the horse out. Mr. Smith lived on the place now owned by Mr. Jorgenson. He came down and after a time they succeeded in getting the horse out. In some way in trying to get the horse away from the spring, Mr. Smith fell in. Mr. Tarrant had to laugh. Mr. Smith had his overcoat on. With Mr. Tarrant's help, he got out but was so mad he would not come to the house and put on dry clothes. But his anger cooled off and the next time we saw him he was in a good humor. Mr. Tarrant always could laugh when he saw anything funny. His team of horses always stopped when he met someone on the road. He always had time to stop and talk a while, but I always was in a hurry and had to whip them up.

We got our mail at Viewfield then. Mr. Ben Oliver was postmaster and he also carried a line of groceries. He resided on the land now owned by Mr. Hugh Speer. Then Mr. Oliver's son, Harlo Oliver, ran the store and post office. Then Mr. Martin Bowen acquired the property. After a time Mr. Bowen turned the post office over to Mr. Jow Pratt, who also conducted a general store with the post office.

At Viewfield when we came was a road house, blacksmith shop, barber shop, saloon and newspaper. I have fortotten the name of the newspaper. (Note: Elk Valley Eagle). Now Viewfield has a general store, owned by Mr. Julius Johnson. The postmaster is Mr. Allan Bridgman, a real old timer. (There is) a church with services every other Sunday, Reverend Turner in charge, and a community hall, the home of Alfalfa Grange, a strong farm organization, with an efficient and wide awake set of officers, Mr. Nels Jorgenson, Master (and) Mrs. Nettie Jorgenson, lecturer.

The first school taught in this neighborhood was by Mr. Max Bridgman. The next term was taught by Mrs. John Oliver, formerly Miss Maggie Elliott at Viewfield. Then the patrons of the "Lost Nation District" bought the old saloon building at Viewfield and moved it to where the present school house stands. The work was all done by the Patrons.

Mrs. Allan Bridgman was the first teacher to teach the school and also the first teacher our children went to. At first they went on horseback, then finally Mr. Tarrant got a buckboard. The would hitch their old white pony up and away they would go across the prairie to school. The Sunday school was also held in the school house taught by Bridgmans. Now and up to date school house stands in the place of the old one.

The passing years have brought many changes. In the old days travelers had to ford the Belle Fourche River. If the water was high (they) would have to wait three or four days, sometimes a week, before being able to cross. They would ride a horse into the water to see if it was safe to go in with a team. Now the river is spanned by steel bridges conveniently located. The roads in most places were just trails. Now we have graded and graveled highways.

(The account was transcribed from handwritten pages done some years after Mary Withey Tarrant moved to Sturgis. A few minor changes in punctuation and spelling were done to make the narrative more clear. Otherwise, it is as Mary wrote it. The original manuscript, written in pencil on lined yellow tablet paper is owned by Mary Guegel Nelson.)