A McLaren Migration | Robert and Sarah Dixon Letters

First, a map of the area Robert scoured. Each town mentioned in the letters is highlighted. He started in Howard, at the bottom of the map. Vienna is just below the center.

I have just arrived and I find the mail will go east in half an hour so the time is short for me to write. I wrote to you this morning and fearing you will not get my letter I will repeat what I want about my discharges. Send them to Wessington in Beadle Co. I have 3 discharges. Put them in a large envelope and put on enough stamps. Send by return mail. I think I will go north from here as I have heard there is government land there. I find that a Free Claim is hard to be had anywhere as that is the first thing that those want who do not want to pay and one is all that is allowed on each Sect. I am disappointed in the growth of the grass it is small as a rule but the land seems to be rich. I think corn will not do as well as in Ill. The early frost has spoiled it this year anyway.

The wind is blowing very hard today and it is storming some but with all this will be a fine country soon. I have not time to write much now but will from the next point. I will start tomorrow morning for De Smet on the NW R.R. directly north from here. I will then know more about the place than now.

["Mary" refers to Mary Brice Rowland, Sarah's older sister. Mary is a bit of an enigma to me; since she is living with her father in the 1870 Census, age 29, with "at home" written under "occupation." In 1880 she is living with her widowed mother, still with no occupation listed. By 1900 (the 1890 Census records were destroyed by a fire) at age 59 she is living with her older sister Ann and Ann's husband, still with no occupation. In the spring of 1883 Robert Dixon preempted Ľ Section of land in her name in Dakota, just southwest of his own. In one of her letters, written in May of 1883, Sarah said "Mary thinks she will buy those people out who are opposite our place." She would need to live on it for six months to claim it. Whether she actually lived on the land to stake the claim, I don't know - but the land was part of Sarah's estate when she died in 1925 (Mary died in 1915).]

I arrived here yesterday at noon and I am so completely used up that I have rested till now. I will start for Wessington at noon today.

I can find good land 20 miles north of this place near a lake. I will go and see it if I am not suited at Wessington. The fact is I am one year too late for these parts, everything is going wild. The people are wild about everything. The country is good, in some respects very good. In Miner Co. most of the water is bad but in Kingsbury Co. it is good. The weather is very fine. Could not ask better.

I had a very hard tramp from Howard to this place. I went into the North East corner Miner Co. to look at untaken land. I found all the people there had just come from Norway and they are no better than the [illegible, looks like "Nix fa story"] and the land is flat as the Chicago flat. But this Co. more rolling and some places hilly and the lakes are splendid the soil is rich good for hay, wheat, corn and oats and for potatoes, onions and turnips wonderful. There is a turnip in this room that is 11 Ľ lbs. weight. The grass hoppers do fly over here every year and sometimes light and do some damage.

Most of the people are very poor. They live in miserable shanties and if the blizzards are half as bad as we have heard they all the wonder is that they do not freeze to death. The country is very wild although it is all taken. There is but a few settlers yet. The towns are growing very fast and look fine.

There have been some prairie fires. Last week a doctor went out from this place in a buggy some ten + miles and met a fire and his mare became frightened and threw him out and broke his leg and in this helpless condition was burned to death.

I do not think I will try any more long trips on foot. A pedestrian may travel over small states like Iowa but when it comes to the plains of Dakota he had better keep near the R.R. Keep all the walnuts that we have got for I find that some are sending after them to Ill. I hope you are all well. I expect to hear from you at Wessington. It seems so long since I left home and still it is but a few days. I hope I will find a good place soon, when I see others preparing for their families to come I feel like doing the same. I know that I am remembered at home and we are trusting together in Him who directs the affairs of His children. I pray that He will direct us now in this our time of need. I hope you will have no trouble in sending my discharge.

[Howard is in Miner County (Miner Co.); De Smet is in Kingsbury County (Kingsbury Co.)]

I am sadly disappointed. I arrived here yesterday the 14th and have been waiting for them papers since. The mail comes only once each day so I must wait until tomorrow 4 o'clock P.M. I did expect so much to hear from home today as I went to the P.O. There was a letter but when I opened it nothing but them miserable ear muff and not so much as one word, I do not understand it. I suppose you must have sent my discharges but why are they not here. Well I will wait for tomorrow's mail and if they do not come I will start for Old Wessington and then I will have to return here for them but if I get them I will not return here. When you receive this send a line to this place to let me know when you sent them and if I return I will get it if not I will let you know where to write next. I am afraid they are lost but I will wait patiently to see. I am now quite well. I have been ailing for some time. The weather is fine today and I hope it will continue. I hear good reports from Old Wessington and I hope I will be able to locate there. I will send you a line tomorrow before I start. I went to meeting yesterday in a store in this place liked it very much. The Methodist are building a church here I helped to work some today on the building.

I have just received the discharge papers all right I am very glad. It is very hard waiting. I will start tomorrow morning for old Wessington and if I am not suited there I will go direct to Brown Co. I do not like this place the other side is better than this side of the river. The weather is still good. Tell Mary that there has been no snow yet.

I do not think I will get the letter you sent to Huron. I do not know where you could write to so that I could get it. I will write you from my next point soon as I get there. As for my health I can say "Richard is himself again." Tell Sadie she must write to Papa again. Love to all.

Morning I will now start for Old Wessington and with God's blessing I will find a place for our future home. It is a beautiful morning I hope it will continue. Love to all my dear ones.

I arrived here last night from Wessington Hills and I now say to that place Farewell Wessington, and if forever all the better and still farewell Fare Thee Well. I will now go to Aberdeen and there take the C.P. & M. R.R. to Frederick in Brown Co. Send me a letter to Frederick and if it comes in time I will get it. If I am not suited up there I will come back to where Asher Claim is located. I think the land is better in that direction than any I have seen on the north side.

I have just learned that money can be loaned here for ten percent fast as they can get it on real estate. That is what that attorney said.

In regard to the weather it has run like this: Wednesday the first day I was here, high east wind raw and cold, Wednesday night thunder storm. Thursday Friday and Saturday clear nice fall weather. Sunday N.W. wind cold. Monday cold till noon then mild. Tuesday & Wednesday beautiful fall weather. Thursday and Friday warm like summer, today cold N.W. wind and dry. In other words this makes the 3rd windy and cold day since I came here. There has been frost most of the nights. Yesterday I walked in my stockings for miles coming from Wessington Hills, and as I stopped to wipe the sweat from my face I thought how I would look with them ear muffs on me, what do you think about ear muffs in Summer?

By the way I received the letter you sent Huron and old as it was I was glad to get it. Tell Sadie I got her letter and was very glad I understood it all. Sarah I am somewhat discouraged about this country. There is desert wildness about it that I have never seen before about any other place but still all the people out here seem to like it. I do think it is a very healthy country.

Free Claims are all taken unless in some out of the way place so that two Ľ is all that I can get. I think that the best we can do is to locate and try it two or three years and if we are not satisfied sell out and move south. I can put what they call soldier's filings on one Ľ and Preempt another, live six months on the Preemption then pay the $200 and get a deed. Then move on homestead six months then we are entitled to a deed and then as I say if we are sick of the country sell out. I hope to hear from you at Frederick if it comes in time. Good bye to all my dear ones. God is good to me in blessing me with good health.

I did not arrive here until midnight Saturday, it is slow traveling in this country. I am now going to start north. Think I shall work from station to station and have a good look at the country. I find it much better here than south. The boom is greater up here. People coming from all parts and taking every kind of land they can find. I think I can find land in the north of this county. The cold wind of Saturday stopped in the night and Sunday was beautiful and this morning is very fine indeed. I went to church yesterday three times and to Sunday school. I am not quite so well now. I think the water is hurting me. Changing from place to place the water is so different. Some wells are good and others are filled [illegible; looks like "Alenly"] or Salts saltpeter or some miserable stuff, but otherwise I think this is a healthy county. I think more so than any I have ever been in. Now good by.

I suppose you will be very glad to hear from me but will be surprised to find me writing from this place.

I went to within one station of Frederick and when I saw the county and learned that all the land was taken within 10 to 15 miles of the R.R. and all the Free Claims within 20 miles I concluded to come back here and take two quarters just 20 miles north of this place. I would not take it the first time I came here because it was to far from town but I find it only a matter of time until there will be a R.R. there if not two, one from east to west and the other from north to south and further it is much better land, better watered; and better water this last reason to me is important as I have been sick the second time from the use of the miserable water.

I have not see it yet but know what kind of a county it is and two farmers living there described it to me; so I shall go tomorrow to see it and if it is as I expect and if not taken I will try to hold it. All the chance there is for my getting it is the [illegible; looks like "Csond"] have pushed on and overlooked it; but if it is taken I think I shall return to near Frederick and do the best I can. I have a thorough knowledge of the county and all I have to do is to locate. I find this a hard thing to do, my heart sometimes almost fails me. I am trying to trust in Him who doeth all things well, with His help I will make no mistake.

I shall return to this place tomorrow night and in a few days let you know what I have done. I send love to all my dear ones at home. I called at Redfield thinking I would get a letter but did not. I will let you know in my next where to write.

[On a formal letterhead that states: C. C. Wiley's Hotel; this hotel is newly refitted and refurnished throughout, and is first-class in every particular. Watertown, D. T., ______1882. R. Dixon placed "Oct 26th" on the underline, then wrote:]

I have just arrived here and am now making arrangements to go and see some land southwest of this place, there are some hopes that I will locate soon in that vicinity. The land I was going to take north of De Smet was taken so I failed. I think my chances for success is now better. I will know in a few days. The crowd to the front is greater than ever, if I fail here I do not know what to do. I want to hear from home very bad, when you receive this send me a few lines to this place and a short letter to De Smet and one to Frederick so I will be sure to get some one of them. If I locate it will be necessary for me to build a shanty on one piece in order to hold it and I must live there some time and then go and get my family. How long I can have to get my family I do not know but I must keep sharp lookout for the fight is a hard one, hard to get and hard to hold, you see I am one year too late. Claims are being contested at all points. I will preempt one forth which I must move onto at once, and put what they call soldier's filings on the other which will hold it six months. Then I must homestead it. I think then I will have six months to move onto it, so you see in order to get two claims I must commence now and work sharp. I find my expenses are running up fast, every costs so much but if I get a good piece of land I will be glad I came to Dakota. The weather is somewhat colder but clear and dry. No use for the earmuffs yet. Tell Mary that I have not seen any snow yet. Hoping that all my little ones are well and sending love to all.

[Same letterhead: C. C. Wiley's Hotel Watertown, D. T., ______1882. R. Dixon placed "Oct 30th" on the underline, then wrote:]

"The Die is Cast." I have located in Hamlin Co. on the west line 6 miles south of the north line, Township 114, Range 55, south ˝ Sect. 6. I am 12 miles due south of Henry, a new station 18 miles west of Watertown in Codington Co. Henry will be our market and is the place I want you to write to soon as you get this letter. Write soon and often direct to (Henry, Codington Co., Dakota.) I am well pleased with the land I have got, it is good. I think better than any that I have seen west of here. Our nearest neighbors is at present is 2 ˝ miles distant but remember the land will soon all be taken. So we will soon have plenty of neighbors. I feel thankful to God for this land. I have tried to trust in Him and believe He has directed me.

Now comes the tug of war in order to hold my Preemption. I must move onto it now and live on it some time. I can then go and get my family and hold my right. You see the great trouble is in proving up; I must furnish four witnesses to swear that I have lived on it 6 months allowing me reasonable time to get my family. At the end of six months I must then Homestead the other Ľ Sect. which will be easily done if I can move onto it then. Now what I want to do is to go to Henry, get lumber and build a good shanty on my Preemption that we can move into in the spring then build a house on my Homestead. In fact this is all I can do under the circumstances. I will go to Henry this afternoon. I hope to hear from you by the mail that will soon be here if not I suppose I will have to wait till a letter reaches me at Henry. Good bye; my love to all my dear ones at home. Write soon as possible to

I am now preparing to build a big shanty. The lumber will cost over $100.00. This lumber I will want for a stable when our house is built. I have spent up to the present time $80.00 leaving me $70.00 on hand. I bought me an overcoat for $8.00.

Last Saturday we had a very high wind and since that the weather is quiet cold but dry and clear. It will be necessary for me to have more money. I do not know how much it will cost to build the shanty. All things are very very high. I must have half and it is hard to get; especially a team to take out the lumber. I have engaged one for tomorrow but I have not money enough to get all out now so I want you to send me some by Express. Send it to this place there is an office here.

Send me One Hundred and Fifty dollars so that I will have enough to buy a ticket to come home with when the shanty is finished.

I suppose you will have to go to Chicago for the money if some good friend does not find some of the unpaid bills. Send it from Downers Grove; put it in a large envelope and have Mr. Brown the station agent direct it in an Express Envelope he will give you a receipt.

I want you to send it soon as you possibly can. Perhaps you had better not pay the charges on the money, as I can do it here; it may come quicker. Sarah I am sorry to put you to so much trouble but what else can I do. I sent you a letter yesterday from Watertown giving you the news so I have but little more to write. My health is good and I know that all was well at home. I would feel happy but not having heard from home in so long I am very uneasy. I hope you will write immediately.

Oh how I would like to see all my dear ones today, time will soon pass and I will come to you all. Let us be more earnest in our prayers for God's direction, blessing and care. Dear wife our lives are short and are passing away fast, our work is not for ourselves but for the children that God has given us. The struggle is hard some times but with God's blessing to cheer us and our love for each other and our little ones we can be happy here in His sin wrenched world and finally gain that rest that remains for the people of God.

I am not waiting for the money to come. I have spent all I have and am now penniless and in debt so you see I am very uneasy. I have pushed the work on the shanty all I could last week. I have got nearly all the lumber out. I had to go with each load myself.

The weather was good last week till Saturday we had a heavy rain with thunder and lightning. I was out in most of it, got wet, did not change my clothes, did not take cold and never had better health in my life.

I have read your letter of Oct. 31 which you sent Watertown, also your card of the 1st inst. I was very glad as this is the first I have heard from home since I was at Wessington. I am sorry to learn that the children have been sick but I am thankful they are better. You did not tell me how your health was. I hope you are well. Tell Stevie I am sorry his foot is sore. I hope it will soon be well again. I am glad to hear from all my dear children; the love that comes from home cheers me very much. I see from your card that you had not received my letter which I sent for the money. I do hope you have sent it as I directed and that I will receive it today. The mail leaves here at 10 A.M. and comes from the east at 3 P.M. so I thought I would write so as to send today. If anything has happened so you did not receive my letter for the money I will repeat I sent for $150.00 asking you to Express it from the Grove. I hope you received the letter and lost no time in sending it. The weather is mild and spring-like today but foggy and may turn to a storm so you see how anxious I am to get the shanty built so we can move into it when we come in the spring and then have time to build our house next summer. When the shanty is built I will come home. I suppose you have loaned your money to Mr. Huggins. I think you would have done better with it to have bought a Claim out here from some one that has got a title. There are many that sell as soon as they prove up and there are very many men out here buying up such land. There are no Free Claims on this side of the Sioux River but I think I can jump one soon near my farm as the holders are not living up the law. Nearly all the Free Claims were taken by people living in the east, very few by settlers, so they are not here and do not take care of them. I hope to hear from you this afternoon and receive the money. I will write if I do.

Love to you all. Write soon and continue to do so. With God's blessing I hope to see you all soon.

I have just received your letter of the 4th inst. I am glad it seems like a visit at home. I also received the money all right. I am afloat again but I find it slow doing anything here. I must go to Watertown tomorrow for nails. The hardware store in this place is out. As this is the second letter I have written to you today it will be short. Now about calling on our friends please look on the map and you will see the journey is a long one and would cost me ten dollars and with the poor accommodations on the R.R. three or four days time.

here is one quarter on the same section of land that mine is on not taken yet. It is a good one. There is another on the next section south of it that is quite good; now if anybody among our friends would like a homestead the claim is a good one. Enclosed find paper showing our claims and other adjoining land. The expected railroad is all a matter of uncertainty. It may come and it may not. You ask about my journey here. I came on the Chicago M. & St. P. R.R. Henry is on the North Western. I do not know the route. I think there would no trouble for a person to come here; but remember this, a Lady must travel on a first class ticket; it takes a first class man to travel on a second class ticket (remember that). The land office is at Watertown.

I see on the map showing the North Western R.R. a cross R.R. running southwest from Watertown. There is no such R.R.

I have just come in from our place and was glad to receive two letters, in fact half a dozen of letters. I was very glad to learn that you were all well. My health is very good.

I am very tired just now as I have walked in and worked hard yesterday. I have got the shanty so that I can move into it which I will do tomorrow. I see from your last letter that you do not understand that when a person Preempts land it is necessary to move onto it at once and live on it six months then prove up. This is what I am doing. I will then Homestead my soldier's filing and then have six months to move onto it. I must have four witnesses to swear that I have lived on my Preemption six months. Now I am going to establish my home then come home on business but must return during the winter and then return for my family in the spring. This is the only way that I can get two claims.

Now about the people, they are as a rule Americans, a few Germans but very few. The Methodists hold meeting at Henry every other Sabbath. I stop when here with a Methodist family by the name of Crawthorn. Mrs. Crawthorn I think is a true Christian woman. What our near neighbors will be we must wait till they come before we know.

You ask me about the land. I can say it is good, very good. It is strange how I came to get this land, I believe that God sent me here and I receive it as coming from Him. I thank God for His goodness to me in send me to where I am so well pleased. I am going out to live in the shanty tomorrow and in a few days will return here on my way home but do not know just how soon so you had better write me a few lines when you get this. I can get it before I start.

And now my dear children I am very glad you sent those kind letters all of you. I would write a letter to each one of you but I am so very tired. I will ask you to excuse me. I hope to see you at home before long. Mary wants to know about springs or running water. Tell her to wait till I come home and I will give her a description of the quarter that I have chosen for her to Preempt in the spring if she lives on it six months she can pay the two hundred and get a deed. Asking the Lord to bless us all I close:

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Robert Arthur Dixon's letters to wife Sarah