Immigrants to South Dakota from Ohio

Charles Henry and Anna (Somers) Bice, Son and Daughter-in-Law of Charles and Rebecca Bice

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Charles Henry Bice and Rebecca Richmond were married in Ohio in 1853 and migrated to Iowa and then South Dakota. Their youngest child was born in Iowa in 1872, so their move to South Dakota took place after that. They had eleven children, of whom at least the seven youngest lived in South Dakota. Charles and Rebecca apparently settled near Bijou Hills in Brule County and lived out their lives in South Dakota. They are buried in Riverview Cemetery in Chamberlain.  

Their ninth child, also named Charles Henry Bice, married Anna Mary Somers, and the couple had six children - Robert, Rex, Charles, Joseph, Whitney, and Anna Mary. According to a brief biography by son Joseph, Charles and Anna and their family, along with several of Anna's brothers, left Bijou Hills about 1900 for the Black Hills, crossing the Missouri River at Oacoma and migrating west in two covered wagons. The family arrived at their destination in the Hills, but did not remain there. They returned to Oacoma, where they settled and Charles and Anna lived out their lives. This family had a good bit of misfortune. The oldest son, Robert, apparently had undiagnosed Aspberger Syndrome (the condition was not recognized by the medical profession until 1944). Sons Rex and Charles died within nine days of each other during the flu epidemic in 1918. Charles' wife, Harriett died in the epidemic, just a few days after her husband, leaving four orphaned children, including a newborn boy and three daughters under the age of seven. Charles and Harriet Bice, Rex Bice, and Anna Somers Bice are buried in a family plot in the Oacoma cemetery. Charles, husband of Anna, died while visiting his daughter, Anna Mary, in Red Lodge, Montana, and is buried there. Anna Mary is probably also buried in Red Lodge. Joseph and Robert Bice are buried in Riverview Cemetery in Chamberlain. It is now known were Whitney Bice is buried.

Joseph Ornan Bice, fourth child of Charles and Anna Bice, married Freda (Sehnert) Grimshaw, who had two children (George Richard and Walter Claude Grimshaw) by a previous marriage (see companion webpage on Freda Sehnert). Joe and Freda had one child, Stanley Ellsworth Bice. They lived their lives almost entirely in Oacoma, where Joe operated a garage and gas station at two locations before the couple moved to a farm west of the town. Joe's older brother, Robert, also lived on the farm. Joe married Mary __ after Freda died in 1964, but Joe and Freda are buried together in Riverview Cemetery in Chamberlain at the same location as Joe's brother, Robert, who died in 1969. Joe died in 1978. Joe's second wife, Mary, is buried in Yankton. Stanley Bice, Joe and Freda Bice's son, is buried in Rapid City.

[Need to find land ownership map of Bijou Hills and add.]

Webpage Credits

Possible Photo of Charles and Rebecca Bice

Ancestor and Descendant Chart of Charles Bice

Frank L Bice Photo

Charles Henry and Anna Mary (Somers) Bice

Charles Henry and Anna Bice Family Photo Near Home in Oacoma

Important Bice Locations in and around Oacoma and Chamberlain, South Dakota

Children of Charles and Anna (Somers) Bice

Family Biography by Joe Bice

Family Bible Records of Charles H and Anna (Somers) Bice

Obituaries of Charles and Harriet Bice and Rex Bice

Final Resting Places of Charles and Rebecca Bice and Their Descendants 

Bice Family History from Todd Houghton

Somers Family Information from Shirley Lillo

The Context of South Dakota History

References

Thanks go to Todd Houghton and Shirley Lillo for providing information that made this webpage possible. Fay Bice, Sam Bice and Charles Benson also contributed information and photos.

Photo from Sam Bice. Identities uncertain and by association only. Couple could also be Ornan and Bathsheba (Croft) Somers, parents of Sarah Anna Somers, who married Charles Henry Bice, son of Charles and Rebecca Bice. 

The following ancestor and descendant chart for Charles Henry Bice has been prepared based on information from the Bice family Bible and from Todd Houghton. Additional family history information supplied by Todd appears further down on this webpage.

1 William Boyce? & Jane Haines?

|---2 William Bice (28 Apr 1791 - 5 May 1871) & Mary Ingling ( - 10 May 1877)

|---|---3 Charles Henry Bice (12 or 18 Jun 1826, Salem, OH - 26 Jun 1908, Chamberlain, SD) & Rebecca Adella Richmond (17 Aug 1836 - 28 Mar 1907). Married 10 Aug 1853, Mercer Co., OH

|---|---|---4 Adelia Bice

|---|---|---4 Alice Bice & George Dingman

|---|---|---4 Cynthia Samantha Bice & Rex Berner

|---|---|---4 Annie Bice

|---|---|---4 Ella or Mary Ellen? Bice & George Tupper

|---|---|---4 Hattie Bice & Fred Goff

|---|---|---4 Kathy Bice

|---|---|---4 Mary Elenor Bice

|---|---|---4 Charles Henry Bice (4 Apr 1859 - 23 Sep 1946) & Sara Anna Somers (16 May 1866 - 15 Nov 1942)

|---|---|---|---5 Robert S Bice (13 Mar 1885 - 31 Mar 1969)

|---|---|---|---5 Charles S Bice (23 Aug 1888 - 5 Nov 1918) & Harriet R Cross (? - 10 Nov 1918). Married 26 Oct 1910.

|---|---|---|---|---6 Baby Bice (24 Feb 1912, Oacoma - 5 Mar 1912)

|---|---|---|---|---6 Mary Laverne Bice [ Williamson, adopted name] (24 Feb 1913, Oacoma - 25 Jul 1982). Married 1935.

|---|---|---|---|---6 Cleola Bice [ Williamson, adopted name] (15 Dec 1914, Oacoma - 1 Dec 1999, Rapid City). Married 3 Jan 1942.

|---|---|---|---|---6 Gertrude Lucile Bice [ Williamson, adopted name] (24 Dec 1916 - ?). Married 1939.

|---|---|---|---|---6 Charles Herald Bice [Benson, adopted name] (9 Nov 1918 - ) & Nila Morgan. Married 1 Sep 1939.

|---|---|---|---5 Rex Leon Bice (12 Feb 1892 - 14 Nov 1918)

|---|---|---|---5 Joseph Ornan Bice* (30 Oct 1894 - 1 Jan 1978) & Freda Elaine Sehnert Grimshaw (16 May 1892 - 4 or 5 Jun 1964). Married 29 Oct 1921.

|---|---|---|---|---6 Stanley Ellsworth Bice (10 Oct 1922 - 14 Oct 1993) & Fay Ellen Sloat (19 Aug 1926 - ). Married 15 Jul 1946.

|---|---|---|---|---|---7 David Stanley Bice (5 Nov 1950 - )

|---|---|---|---|---|---7 Samuel Joe Bice (25 Mar 1955 - ) & Faye Elizabeth McKie

|---|---|---|---|---|---|---8 Joel Charles Bice (11 May 1986 - )

|---|---|---|---|---|---|---8 Kyle Terrance Bice (4 Jul 1989 - )

|---|---|---|---5 Joseph Ornan Bice* (30 Oct 1894 - 1 Jan 1978) & Mary Alice Meager? (21 Oct 1924 - ?)

|---|---|---|---5 Whitney Webster Bice* (22 Apr 1902 or 11 Apr 1900 - ) & Dorothy Voorhis. Married 12 May 1923.

|---|---|---|---|---6 Duane or DeWayne Bice (29 May 1923 - ?)

|---|---|---|---5 Whitney Webster Bice* (22 Apr 1902 or 11 Apr 1901 - ) & Norma Washburn. Married 25 Apr 1925.

|---|---|---|---|---6 Charles Bice

|---|---|---|---|---6 Joyce Bice

|---|---|---|---|---6 Donald Bice  (1 May 1928 - 24 Dec 1928). Buried Oacoma, SD.

|---|---|---|---5 Anna Mary Bice* (3 Sep 1906 - ) & Burton Edward Connery

|---|---|---|---5 Anna Mary Bice* (3 Sep 1906 - ) & Jerry Perkins Marvin

|---|---|---4 Frank L Bice (1865 - 1941)

|---|---|---4 Stanley Ellsworth Bice (1872 - 1946)

Frank Bice was the second-youngest son of Charles and Rebecca Bice (10th of 11 children). Apparently Frank and his younger brother Donald were bachelors who lived on a farm in Brule County.

Gentleman in upper right is Frank L Bice. From Brule County History, page 43. [Add caption to photo on "Ten Nights"]

Charles Henry Bice, son of Charles and Rebecca Bice, was born in Iowa and met and married Anna Somers after the family migrated to South Dakota. Photos of Charles and Anna Bice are provided below.

Wedding photo of Charles and Anna (Somers) Bice. Photo from Charles Benson.

 

Charles and Anna (Somers) Bice - early photo. Photo from Charles Benson.

 

Charles and Anna Bice with three of their children. Photo from Charles Benson.

 

Anna Somers at age sixteen. Label almost certainly written by Joseph Bice. Photo from Bice album.

 

Portrait of Charles Henry Bice in his later years. Photo from Charles Benson.

 

Charles Bice in His Later Years.

After their marriage, Charles and Anna Bice left Bijou Hills, where Charles' parents had settled, and lived in Oacoma, South Dakota after a brief stay in or near the Black Hills. They raised their family at their home in southwest Oacoma. Photos of the family at this home are shown below.

Back Row Right (parents): Anna and Charles Bice. Front Row (children): Robert S, Charles S, Rex L, Joseph Ornan, Whitney H, Anna Mary Bice.

 

Anna and Charles Bice with two of their children, probably taken earlier than the above photo. Note the badge; Charles was a law enforcement officer in Oacoma.

The map shown below includes Riverview Cemetery, south of Chamberlain, where Charles and Rebecca (Richmond) Bice are buried (as are their sons Frank and Donald and grandsons Robert Bice and Joe Bice, with his wife Freda). Anna (Somers) Bice and two of her two children, Charles and Rex, are buried in the Oacoma Cemetery. The family homesite of their son Charles and wife Anna (Somers) Bice (see family photos above) in southwest Oacoma is shown as are the locations of Oacoma cemetery and Riverview Cemetery near Chamberlain. Joe and Freda Bice lived for many years on a farm indicated by location "F". And the home of Charles Bice in his later years, Bice Island, is depicted on the Missouri River (see picture below the map). 

Map showing several locations important to the Bice family. (U.S. Geological Survey, 1935, Chamberlain, S. Dak. Quadrangle, scale 1:62,500).

Cabin on Bice Island in the Missouri River, occupied by Charles Bice in his later years. Photo from Mary Bice, Red Lodge, Montana

 

Main Street of Oacoma in 1911, West View.

Main Street of Oacoma in 1911, East View.

Charles and Anna Bice had six children; photos and a brief summary of each one is provided below

Robert S Bice (unmarried)

Robert ("Bob") Bice apparently had undiagnosed Aspberger Syndrome, a condition that was not recognized in the medical profession until 1944. Bob lived relatively independently, but in the care of his parents and siblings (particularly Joseph) throughout his life. Bob was a skilled fisherman in the Missouri River; he lived out his life on the Joe and Freda Bice farm west of Oacoma and is buried with them at Riverview Cemetery in Chamberlain. 

Robert S Bice portrait. Date of photo unknown. Photo from Charles Benson.

 

Bob Bice near hand-cranked water pump on a cistern at the Joe and Freda Bice farm. Photo from Charles Benson.

 

Robert Bice (left) with his younger brother, Joseph, taken with horse-drawn buggy obtained by Joseph and kept on the Bice farm west of Oacoma. Photo from Charles Benson.

Charles S Bice and Harriett Cross

Charles Bice apparently lived in the Oacoma and Chamberlain area. He married Harriett Croft, and the couple had three daughters and one younger son. Unfortunately, they died within a few days of each other in the 1918 flu epidemic, leaving the children as orphans. The three girls Gertrude, Laverne, and Cleda - were adopted by William Williamson, and son Charles was adopted by John and May Benson. Charles and Harriet Bice are buried in Oacoma cemetery in the same grave plot as his mother, Anna (Somers) Bice and Charles' brother, Rex Bice. An obituary of Charles, with information on the death of Harriet appears further down on this webpage. Photos of Charles Bice and his wife and children are shown below.

Charles S Bice, Age 16. Photo from Charles Benson.

 

Charles S and Harriett (Cross) Bice (probable wedding picture). Photo from Charles Benson.

 

Daughters of Charles and Harriett Bice -- Gertrude (Trudy), Laverne and Cleda -- adopted by ___ Williams after death of Charles and Harriett in 1918. Photo from Charles Benson.

 

Laverne Williams, Miss Dakota, 1934. Photo from Charles Benson.

 

Charles Bice, 1920. Adopted by John and May (Knight) Benson after his parents' deaths in 1918. Photo from Charles Benson. Charlie Benson provided much of the information and most of the photos on this webpage.

 

Charles and Nila (Morgan) Benson, honeymoon photo, 1934 or 1939. Photo from Charles Benson.

 

Nila and Charles Benson, Valentine's Day, 1996. Photo from Charles Benson.

The will and certification of Harriet Bice, made the day she gave birth Charles and the day before she died, are shown below.

Rex Leon Bice

Little is known of the life of Rex Bice. He was apparently unmarried at the time of his untimely death, within nine days of his brother Charles, during the flu epidemic of 1918. Rex is buried in Oacoma cemetery in the same grave plot as his mother, Anna, and brother, Charles. His obituary appears further down on this webpage with those of his brother Charles and his wife, Harriet.

Rex Bice portrait, date unknown. Photo from Charles Benson.

 

Rex Bice, age 21, and Joe Bice, age 18. Photo from Charles Benson.

Joseph Ornan Bice and Freda (Sehnert) Grimshaw

Joe Bice was born in South Dakota and lived his entire life in the area around Oacoma. He served in France wiile in the U.S. Army during World War I. He married Freda (Sehnert) Grimshaw, who was a widow with two sons (George and Claude), and the couple had one additional son, Stanley Ellsworth Bice. Joe and Freda Bice are described in more detail in a companion webpage. Joseph's middle name was after his grandfather, Ornan Somers. Photos of Joseph and his family are shown below.

Joe and Anna Mary Bice as Children.

 

Joe Bice as a Young Man.

 

Joe Bice in World War I Army Uniform. Joe apparently served his country in France. Date of portrait photo is unknown.

Joe and Freda lived on the northwest corner of the main intersection in Oacoma, next door to an automotive garage and gas station owned and operated by Joe. Probably at the time that U.S. Highway 16 was completed on the south end of Oacoma, Joe opened a replacement gas station about two blocks west and one block south of the first garage. The couple also operated a restaurant and tourist cabins for travelers on Highway 16, the main artery across South Dakota from Sioux Falls to Rapid City. Joe and Freda moved to this new location and then moved to a former dairy farm west of Oacoma, across the Highway 16 bridge across American Crow Creek. Joe operated the gas station and garage until it was taken over by his son, Stanley Bice. Joe went into semi-retirement and operated the farm, which was severely curtailed when Fort Randall dam was built on the Missouri River and much of the farm (including Bice Island) was inundated by the reservoir.

Photos of Joe and Freda and their friends and family are shown below.

Freda and Joe at Time of Lorna Sharpe Wedding.

 

Freda and Joe Bice in later life. From Freda Bice album, currently owned by Fay Bice.

 

Joe Bice and Albert Mueller at Joe's First Garage on Main Street in Oacoma.

 

Second Standard Station and Garage of Joe Bice, on Highway 16 in Oacoma.

 

Joe and Freda and friends at Christmas dinner. Freda liked to have large holiday dinners at Thanksgiving and Christmas. As noted by husband, Joe (see biography below), "Freda was a damn good cook." From left to right: Gert Wagner, Phyllis Grimshaw, Judy Grimshaw, Fay Bice, Joe Wagner, Claude Grimshaw, Bob Bice, Freda, Joe, and George Grimshaw. Photo almost certainly taken by Stan Bice, the only family member not in the picture.

Aerial Views of Joe and Freda Bice Farm. They lived on this former dairy farm for many years after their move to that location.

Joe and Freda Bice Farm, aerial view to northeast

 

Same photo as above, with labels of the principal features of the farm.

 

Earlier view of Bice Farm; photo taken is same general direction, to the northeast. Note the less well developed trees near the house and ditch and in the shelterbelt north of the farm. American Crow Creek above the farm flows from left to right to the Missouri River. The hills above the creek form part of the Missouri River trench (along the creek) and are characterized by extensive slumping of the underlying Pierre shale in this area around Oacoma.

Descendants of Joe and Freda Bice

Stanley Ellsworth Bice, son of Joe and Freda Bice

 

Stanley and Fay (Sloat) Bice shortly after their marriage in 1946. From Bice Album. Thanks to Fay Bice for permission to post this photo.

 

Stanley Ellsworth and Fay (Sloat) Bice with children David Stanley (left) and Samuel Joseph. Photo dated December 1959. From Bice Album 1. Labeled by Freda or Joe Bice. Thanks to Fay Bice for permission to post this photo.

 

[Need a photo of Joe with second wife, Mary.]

 

Stan Bice at the graves of his parents, Freda (left) and Joe (right) at Riverview Cemetery, Chamberlain, South Dakota. Photo from Charles Benson. Date of photo unknown.

Whitney Webster Bice. Married twice - Norma Washburn and Florence (unknown).

Whitney went by the  nickname "Stub" for reasons no longer known. Photos of Stub Bice are shown below.

Stub Bice and wife (probably second wife, Norma)

 

Stub Bice.

Anna Mary Bice. Married twice - Burton Edward Connery and Jerry Perkins Marvin

Anna Mary apparently went by her middle name Bice. Photos of her are shown below.

Anna Mary Bice as a Girl.

 

Anna Mary Bice as a Young Woman.

Joseph Ornan Bice apparently dictated a brief family biography which was subsequently transcribed. It is shown below. The circumstances of his preparing this biography have not yet been determined.

Yea, we used to freight between Bijou Hills and Chamberlain, carrying the mail, groceries and supplies from Chamberlain with a team and wagon. The railroad depoted at Chamberlain; father made the haul in two days. He’d go up to Chamberlain one day and usually returned on the next. I was very young at that time, so I really don’t recall the details too well; however, I remember that he used to haul to a place called “Brule City”. When I was very small, probably just after I was born, father wintered at Brule City; Mother was left in Bijou Hills.

With his hauling business, father crossed the river every now and then. He would cross at Chamberlain. There weren’t any bridges back then, not even the pontoon bridge; people used the river ferry. Now, I can’t tell you exactly when this was, but I can recall several river ferries; it was big business. John Wáit had a ferry; he was Harry Wait’s grandfather. Anyway I think they called Wait’s boat the “Captain Wait.” I believe there were two others: the “Pearl”, and the “Chamberlain”. These boats supplied the west bank of the river. They carried all types of freight, including groceries, general supplies, sacks of sugar, lumber and building materials.

These boats supplied the merchants in Oacoma. There were three grocery stores down there. Martin Brothers and Kenobbie was one store; Shepherd’s store was another. Lyman County homesteaders and ranchers supplied at Oacoma. At that time there wasn’t any other big town in Lyman County. Kennebec, Reliance, and Presho weren’t started at that time; they started when the railroad went through. That was after 1905. Besides the residents of Lyman County, many people going west to the Black Hills supplied at Oacoma.

When my parents decided to leave Bijou Hills, we supplied our wagons on the west side of the river. My Mother’s family was going out to the Hills, too. Joe Sommers, my Mother’s brother, and Sanford Sommers and his wife were going to the Hills. They decided they’d go in a covered wagon; they’d drive the cattle and the horses. I guess the whole family decided to move, I think we took two covered wagons. I was very young at that time; I can’t remember too much about the trip, but there are a few things. I’ll tell you what I remember.

We started out on the trip pretty well supplied. There was plenty of food, except meat. When we’d run out of meat, Joe Sommers would go out and rope a good, big fat calf; he called it venison. Bob, my brother, is older than me; he’d say, “that ain’t venison; I know it.” He’d say, “I know what it is; it’s a calf.”

At night we camped. There wasn’t any dams then, only creeks and rivers. We’d camp near the water when we could along the rivers and the creeks we’d fill our 16-gallon keg. I remember coming back; how hot it was in that covered wagon.

During the day we followed the wagon trail. It was just the trail from here to the Black Hills; weren’t any roads. Kind of made out as we went along; bought the things we had to have along the way.

I suppose my Dad shot quite a bit of meat. Shot chickens and grouse. There used to be a lot of them in those days. Dad used to shoot those grouse.

We didn’t stay in the Hills too long. The trip back was pretty much the same. Joe Sommers, Hav Sommers, my Dad, my brothers, Rex, Bob, Charly and I came back. It took thirty-two or thirty-three days, I think, to make the trip.

When we got back to Oacoma, my Dad went into the gravel hauling and dray business. He freighted between Oacoma and Chamberlain; made two trips a day: one in the forenoon and one in the afternoon. He crossed on the ferryboat, except in the wintertime. When the river froze up, he crossed on the ice. There wasn’t any special skis for the wagon, except when it snowed he’d use a sleigh,

Then, in 1905, the railroad crossed the river. The town knew it was coming and had been planning for it. They had a big celebration. I was there when the first train stopped; I was eleven years old. It was a passenger train, and it was just loaded, with people. There were people on there from Sioux City and Omaha. It stopped right where the cement blockhouse was.

Most of the prominent citizens of the town were there to meet that first train: Frank A. Smith, the banker; Albert and William Williamson, John Bartine, the lawyer. Well, there were a lot of other people there too, but I can’t remember them all. But, Oacoma was a busy place in those days

Besides three grocery stores, there was three livery barns, three hotels and Miss Artz’s Millinery Shop. She had ice cream and stuff in there. I’d watch the place for her when Judge Bartine took her out grouse hunting. Used to be a lot of grouse in this country. There was a tombstone outfit, a post office and quite a few law offices. It was the county seat of Lyman County. At first there wasn’t a real fancy courthouse just an old wood building. Finally, they tore that wood courthouse down; built the hall that they now got down there. That’s where the County seat was til 1922.

In ‘22 there was a big fight over the county seat. Oh, yea; a pretty stiff fight, too. Beat us by eleven votes; they came down here … a bunch from Kennebec … to move the court records. The Judge wouldn’t let them move them until they recounted the ballots. They kept the courthouse here for quite a while afterwards; the citizens of the western part of the country were rattling at the courthouse doors. Finally the people of Oacoma gave in. They moved the county seat to Kennebec. A lot of people believed they padded the votes; voted schoolteachers and Indians and everything else … never could prove it, though.

You ask me what kind of people they were, same as anybody else.

Well, Mr. Mueller really fought the removal of the county seat, took it all the way to the South Dakota Supreme Court… lost anyway.

Myself and Mr. Mueller were very good friends. The Mueller store had been owned by Charlie Bice; had it for two or three years. That was a strange deal. Charlie had been running it about a year or so when I went into the service. When I left, he told me that he had it under control. He didn’t have it all paid for, but he had paid quite a lot on it. In the back part of the store, he had canned goods. He had a bar right back of the store where that garage is now. But, Williamson and Harry Smith claimed he hadn’t paid anything on it. Beman Strong put 'em up to it. Strong built the building somewhere’s around 1903, Dad dug the basement, used a team and scraper. Anyways, when Charly died of the flu, Beman Strong took the store over again. Albert bought the store from Strong, I think around 1919.

Well, Oacoma was a cowboy town, even in 1919. In the real early days when I was just a kid, cowboys came to town, to gamble and drink. There were three saloons. Two I remember particularly: “The First Chance” and “The Last Chance”. John Havvey ran “The Last Chance”. It was on the west end of town. Bill Place ran “The First Chance”. It was just on south side of main street across from the Post Office … about where the old store was. Place had a gamblin’ joint on one side. I was too small to go into “The First Chance”; but my uncle,’ Hav Sommers, used to take me in there. Place would say, “Get that kid out of here!” “Leave him alone; he’s with me”, Hav would say.

Uncle Hav left here for Canada under strange circumstances. He’d bought some horses from a guy in jail. The horses were stolen. We tried to reach Uncle Hav; even tried to put the Canadian Mounted Police to tracking him down. Must have taken assumed name. Never heard from him again.

In those days there were a lot of shady deals. All the cowboys carried revolvers. They carried guns for protection; personal protection. I recall one time when they rode their horses into Frank Martin’s store. I think Olaf Nelson did damage … rode in and shot the place up. Olaf moved to Sioux City; he married a woman that owned a bank down there. Left town in good shape. Bank finally went broke. Frank Martin had $15,000 in that bank. Nelson showed up one night at Martins with $15,000 in his pocket. Paid Martin his money.

One of the worst thieves was a fella by the name of Jack Sully, a foreman on the Phillips ranch. He had a medium build, fairly heavy set. Nobody tangled with him. I remember when they shot shot old Jack Sully. Sully stole a bunch of cattle from Ham and ran them across to Nebraska. They sent a posse after him; claim Harry Ham shot him. Way I heard it, they’d caught up. with Sully; had him caught. But, they told him to try to get away. He started down the draw; Ham drew and shot him in the back. Sully knew too much.

Later, there was a worse kind of crook. That was in the ‘30’s. Was really tough in those days There was grasshoppers, no rain, no crops. Attorneys like Sharpe and Miller picked up a lot of land. That’s how they made their money. Took people unscrupulously. I rented the old garage from Sharpe for eleven years, paid him every month. One day J.W. Jackson, the county judge, called me. He said, “Joe, the county’s going to sell that garage; it don’t belong to Sharpe.” He said, “Come in and see me tomorrow before the tax sale.” Judge Jackson was a damn good friend. We scrapped together $1,100 00, and I bought the place. Sharpe never did own it.

Another deal was that twenty-eight acre piece down by the Oacoma school. That land belonged to A.B. and Kate. Dugan put up the money to have it sold, before the sale the county sold it to M.Q. Then about 1952, Ore Forell, the county auditor, sent me notice of mistake. He said that Sharpe owned that land. He done that all over, stole half of what he owned. Think he slipped Forrell something under the table … Crooked!

Just before I left for the service, Dad and I bought Hicky’s Island. It was a large island … about 220 acres. We bought it from Hanson. It was an island built up from the sandbar; just a matter of the channel switching. After I came home from W.W. I, I was on the island with Dad for quite a while; then it was called Bice Island. Then, I started that garage.

That was about 1919. I was the Oacoma Standard dealer. Regular gas sold for about l8¢ per gallon; ethal sold for a little more. My profit margin was about 2¢ per gallon on the regular and about 3¢ per gallon on the ethal. They used to deliver gas in tank wagons brought across on the ferry. Think it cost $1.00 to ferry across; later they brought the wagons across the pontoon bridge.

About that time, I married Freida Sehnert. She’d been married before to Claude Grimshaw who died during the flu epidemic. Freida ran a cafe across from the old store. After I married her, it became the “Bice Cafe.” Pie and Coffee was 10¢. A whole pie 35¢, a meal ticket – $l.00 a day. We operated the cafe until they moved the courthouse to Kennebec. That was around 1926. Freida was a damn good cook.

Now, you ask me if I’ve seen a lot, I’ve seen a team and buggy get stuck right in the middle of main street, Christ, I’ll say I’ve seen a lot…

The image and transcription of the family Bible of Charles and Anna Bice are provided below. The dates have been modified to conform to conventional format. Anna apparently made the initial entries. Many of the subsequent additions were probably by Joe Bice.

Main Entries: Name, Place of Birth, Date of Birth, Date of Marriage, Date of Death (Handwriting appears to be Sara Bice, based on diary entry elsewhere)

Charles H. Bice, Hancock Co, Iowa, 4 Apr 1859, 3 Nov 1883, 23 Sep 1946

Sara A. Bice, New Brunswick, Canada, 16 May 1866, 3 Nov 1883, 15 Nov 1942

Robert S. Bice, Chamberlain, Brule Co, SD (Bijou Hills), 18 Mar 1885, never married

Charlie S. Bice, Chamberlain, Brule Co, SD (Ola), 23 Aug 1898, 26 Oct 1910, 5 Nov 1918

Rex L. Bice, Chamberlain, Brule Co, SD (Brule City), 12 Feb 1892?, never married, 14 Nov 1918

Joseph O. Bice, Chamberlain, Brule Co, SD (Dry Island), 30 Oct 1894?, 24 Oct 1921, (blank)

Whitney H. Bice, Oacoma, SD, 11 Apr 1902?, 12 May 1923, (blank)

Anna M. Bice, Oacoma, Lyman Co, SD, 3 Sep 1906, (blank), (blank)

Stanley E. Bice, Oacoma, SD, 10 Oct 1922, 15 Jul 1946, (blank), (blank)

Freda E (Sehnert) Bice, Saxton, Germany, 26? Jun 1892, 29 Oct 1921, 5 Jun 1964

Joseph O Bice, Chamberlain, SD, 1894, 29 Oct 1921, (blank) [double entry]

C. L. S. Bice Jr., Chanberlain, Brule Co, SD, 23 Aug 1888, 26 Oct 1910, 5 Nov 1918 [double entry]

Harriet Cross Bice, Kimball, SD, 8 Sep 1880?, 26 Oct 1910, 10 Nov 1918

Baby Bice, Oacoma, 24 Feb 1912, (blank), 5 Mar 1912

Mary L. Bice, Oacoma, 25 Feb 1913, 1935, 27 Jul 1982

Cleola C? Bice, Oacoma, 16 Dec 1914, 3 Jan 1942, 1 Dec 1990, Rapid City

Gertrude Lucile B., Oacoma, 24 Dec 1916, 1939, (blank)

Charles Herald S? Bice, Oacoma, Lyman Co, 9 Nov 1918, 1 Sep 1939, (blank)

Above Main Entries

Florence Elizabeth Whitney, Baker, Bice (Sixth), Born 8 Nov 1910, 23 May 1969 [upper right corner]

Chas H. Bice and Anna Somers, Married at Chamberlain Nov 3 1883, witness John K Somers, Seslie Skurg?, OP? Morrow, Justice of Peace

Below Main Entries

Robert Bice Born at Bkjou Hills

Charley at Ola

Rex at Brule City

Joe at Dry Islan

Whit at Oacoma

Left Margin

Whitney Bice Second, Married 25 Apr 1925

Whitney W. Bice born 11 Apr 1901

Anna Mary Bice born 23 Sep 1906

DeWayne Bice born 29 May 1923

Charls Llewelen born 9 Jan 1926

Mary Alice Meager Bice born 21 Oct 1924, 119(24)?

Joseph Ornan Bice, Born 30 Oct 1894 

Stanley Ellsworth Bice, born 10 Oct 1922

Right Margin

Harriet 28 yrs 2 mo 2 days

Charley 30 yrs 2 mo 12 days

Geo Grimshaw born Presho 27 Mar 1918 - 1939 married 11 Feb 1939 - died 28 Mar 1971

Stanley Bice born Oacoma 10 Oct 1922 - 1946 married 15 July 1946

Chas H. .. Benson married Nila Morgan 1 Sep ?

Stan married 15? - in 76

Charles died November 5th, his wife Harriet on November 9th, and Rex on November 14, 1918 during the flu epidemic. Their obituaries, and that of Rex Bice, are shown below.

LYMAN COUNTY ARGUS-LEADER Oacoma. Nov 7, 1918 issue:

BUSINESS MAN CALLED

Monday night Charles S. Bice, one of Oacoma’s leading business men died of influenza. Mr. Bice will be greatly missed in our town as he was a hustler and a very congenial, obliging, always ready with a courteous word to attend the public’s wants. The burial will be made Friday morning at 10:00 o’clock. Short service at the grave but no other services. A further obituary will appear next week. At this writing Mrs. Bice is very ill of the disease.

LYMAN COUNTY ARGUS-LEADER Oacoma Nov 14, 1918 issue:

SADNESS OVER ALL OACOMA

Oacoma has been called upon to pass through one of the saddest events come to a small place. On Tuesday morning November 5th, Charles S. Bice, one of our leading business men, passed from this life. On Saturday morning, November 9th, a son was born and on Sunday morning, the 10th, the wife followed the husband to that long home, and four sweet little children were thus bereft of the care of loving parents. The children’s ages range from nearly six years to the baby born last Saturday morning. All that kind neighbors and friends could do has been and is still being done for the stricken ones. The little ones are to be taken into homes here by adoption and tenderly cared for.

Charles S. Bice was thirty one years of’ age and has spent the larger part of his life in Oacoma, receiving his education in the public school of this town.

Eight years ago in October, he was united in marriage to Harriet R Cross of White Lake and they established their home here. Seven years ago he entered the employ of T. B. Strong in his general merchandise store and became a proficient business man. A year ago in July he purchased from Mr. Strong the stock and building, which is one of the best in Oacoma. Charley was making a great success of his undertaking. He was a hustler, always courteous to his trade. His untiring energy was perhaps his undoing for after being stricken with influenza, he remained too long at his labor and pneumonia developed. His wife, Harriet R. Cross was a native of’ White Lake. She entered the employ of the Argus-Leader nine years ago and it was thus that the friendship which developed into riper relationship was formed it was- a true love match and these two lives entwined about each other and the children born to them was truly ideal. The esteem in which they were held by our people was shown by our people by the beautiful floral offering sent in the hour of’ bereavement.

Funeral services were held for Charles Bice Friday morning in Graceland cemetery at ten o’clock. Appropriate music was sung by a mixed choir and a few remarks were made by Judge Williamson. Services at the grave of Mrs. Bice were held at ten o’clock Monday morning and the same choir rendered appropriate selections Rev. Hoyer of the Methodist church of Chamberlain spoke from the text “When thee father and mother forsake thee the Lord will take thee up”. He used this text in connection with the little ones left orphaned. He said that he felt assured that the way would open for the care of the parentless children. Death is always sad when it takes those of younger years but this instance seems doubly so. Besides the children Mrs. Bice is survived by a father and mother and two brothers both of whom are in the U.S. Navy. Mrs. W. H. Gross, the mother of Hot Springs; was present during the sickness and burial of her daughter and son-in-law. Mr. Bice is survived by his children, parents, Mr. and Mrs. Charles H Bice of Oacoma and four brothers and a sister. One brother, Joseph, is in France with our troops.

LYMAN COUNTY ARGUS—LEADER Oacoma, Nov 21, 1918:

OBITUARY

Rex Leon Bice was born in Brule County, S. D. Feb 12, 1891 and died at the Chamberlain Sanitarium Thursday Nov. 14th at 7:20 A.M. of influenza,

Rex was the third son of Mr. and Mrs. Charles H Bice and moved to Oacoma with his parents about twenty years ago. He received his education in the Oacoma schools and was a good scholar and a favorite with his associates. Rex was not of very strong physique and when called for examination for army service, was placed in the limited service class. He was called for limited service in August and went gladly to be of service to his country but on further examination at camp was unable to pace the test and was honorably discharged. It is a sad community that united in sympathy for Mr. and Mrs. C. Ii. Bice and family in the triple bereavement that has come to them in the past week. To bury three is indeed hard to bear. Funeral services were held at the grave in Graceland cemetery Friday morning at ten o’clock. Rev. Young of Chamberlain preached a short sermon to the friends assembled there to pay their last tribute of friendship to the deceased Two beautiful selections were sung by the choir. Loving hands assited in lowering all that was mortal of Rex Bice to their last resting place.

Charles and Rebecca Bice lived in Bijou Hills, where they settled after arriving in South Dakota. They are buried in Riverview Cemetery near Chamberlain, South Dakota.

Bice Family Plot in Northwest corner of Riverview cemetery. Graves of four individuals - Charles, Rebecca, Stanley D, and Frank L Bice. Eastward view.

 

 

Fay Bice reported in October 2008 that her husband, Stanley, used to visit two bachelor Bice brothers on a farm in Brule County. It is likely that they were Frank and Stanley Bice.

Anna (Somers) Bice and members of her family are buried in Oacoma Cemetery. Charles died while visiting his daughter, Anna Mary, in Red Lodge, MT and is buried there. No photo is currently available. The Oacoma cemetery apparently has the name "Graceland Cemetery". Photos are shown below.

Northeastward view of family plot in Oacoma (Graceland) cemetery. Charles and Harriet Bice in the foreground. Anna (Somers) Bice to the right and behind. Rex Bice to the left and behind. Donald L Bice to the left of the tree. Photo taken June 2007.

 

Closeup of the headstone of Anna (Somers) Bice. Photo taken June 2007.

 

Closeup of the headstone of Rex Leon Bice. Photo taken June 2007.

 

Donald Allen Bice. Donald was the son of Whitney and Norma (Washburn) Bice. Photo taken June 2007.

 

Northwestward view of cemetery. Bice plot under two trees to the left. Charles and Harriet Bice gravestone to left of left-most tree. Photo taken June 2007.

Joseph Ornan Bice and his wife, Freda (Sehnert) Grimshaw Bice are buried in Riverview Cemetery, Chamberlain, SD, as is Joe's older brother and Robert Bice. Grave photos are shown below.

Graves of Freda, Joe, and Robert are shown from left to right. They are located on the east side of the cemetery. Southeastward view. Photos taken June 2007.

 

 

 

Todd has generously contributed the following information on the Bice family.

1. WILLIAM2 BICE (WILLIAM1) was born July 02, 17901, and died May 05, 1871 in Mercer Co., Ohio1. He married MARY INGLING October 28, 18151. She was born August 05, 17971, and died June 10, 1877 in NJ or Pennsylvania1.

More About MARY INGLING:

Burial: Neptune, Mercer Co., Ohio

Children of WILLIAM BICE and MARY INGLING are:

2.     i. MARY ANN3 BICE, b. January 08, 1837, Salem, Columbiana Co., Ohio; d. September 08, 1884.

        ii. SARA ANN BICE, b. August 11, 1816, Salem, Coumbiana Co, Ohio1; d. March 09, 1834, Columbiana Co., Ohio2; m. SAMUEL FRAZIER.

3.     iii. SAMUEL BICE, b. January 19, 1818, Salem, Coumbiana Co, Ohio; d. 1889, Spencerville, Allen Co, Ohio.

4.     iv. ZADOCK BICE, b. March 09, 1820, Salem, Coumbiana Co, Ohio; d. July 20, 1861, Allen Co, Ohio.

5.     v. JEREMIAH BICE, b. July 15, 1822; d. December 24, 1900.

6.     vi. WILLIAM BICE, b. March 28, 1824; d. February 07, 1901.

7.     vii. CHARLES BICE, b. June 18, 1826, Salem, Coumbiana Co, Ohio; d. June 26, 1908, Chamberlain Brute Co., South Dakota.

8.     viii. CLAYTEN BICE, b. February 16, 1828, Salem, Columbiana Co., Ohio; d. April 09, 1854, Neptune, Mercer Co., Ohio.

        ix. CHARLOTTE BICE, b. April 06, 1830, Neptune, Mercer Co, Ohio3; d. April 29, 18523; m. MILES RIDER, September 25, 18513.

        x. SUSEN B BICE, b. April 27, 18323; d. August 29, 1852, Neptune, Mercer Co, Ohio3.

9.     xi. GRANVILLE BENTLY BICE, b. September 04, 1834, Salem, Columbiana Co., Ohio; d. January 19, 1913, Payne, Ohio.

        xii. THOMAS CLARK BICE, b. July 16, 1838, Portage Co., Ohio3; d. February 04, 1896, Darke Co., Ohio; m. VIOLA STEWART, November 14, 1871; b. 1842, Enon Valley, Pa..

        xiii. MARY ANN BICE, b. April 06, 1830; d. Abt. 1830.

----------------------------

7. CHARLES3 BICE (WILLIAM2, WILLIAM1) was born June 18, 1826 in Salem, Coumbiana Co, Ohio34, and died June 26, 1908 in Chamberlain Brute Co., South Dakota34. He married REBECA ADELLA RICKMOND August 10, 1853 in Mercer Co., Ohio34. She was born August 17, 1836, and died March 28, 1917 in Chamberlain Brute Co., South Dakota.

More About CHARLES BICE:

Burial: Riverveiw Cemetery, Brule Co.,Chamberlain, South Dakota35

More About REBECA ADELLA RICKMOND:

Burial: Riverveiw Cemetery, Brule Co.,Chamberlain, South Dakota35

Children of CHARLES BICE and REBECA RICKMOND are:

       i. ALICE4 BICE.

       ii. CYNTHIA SAMANTHA BICE, m. REX BERNER.

23.   iii. MARY ELLEN BICE, b. June 18, 1856, Clear Lake, IA; d. June 17, 1924, Persia, IA.

24.   iv. CHARLES HENRY BICE, b. April 04, 1856; d. September 23, 1946, Red Lodge, Mt..

        v. HATTIE ADELLA BICE, b. July 07, 1861, Ellington, Iowa; d. January 15, 1905, Chamberland Brute Co., South Dakota; m. FRED GOFF.

        vi. FRANK ESWORTH BICE, b. March 26, 1865, Ellington, Iowa; d. January 05, 1941, Chamberlain Brute Co., South Dakota.

More About FRANK ESWORTH BICE:

Burial: Riverveiw Cemetery, Brule Co., Chamberlain, South Dakota36

        vii. STANLEY DARWIN BICE, b. August 31, 1872, Ellington, Iowa; d. October 24, 1946, Chamberlain Brute Co., South Dakota.

More About STANLEY DARWIN BICE:

Burial: Riverveiw Cemetery, Brule Co., South Dakota

----------------------------

24. CHARLES HENRY4 BICE (CHARLES3, WILLIAM2, WILLIAM1) was born April 04, 1856, and died September 23, 1946 in Red Lodge, Mt.. He married SARAH ANN SOMERS, daughter of ORNAN SOMERS and BATHSHEBA CROFT. She was born 1866, and died 1942.

Children of CHARLES BICE and SARAH SOMERS are:

            i. ROBERT5 BICE, b. March 18, 188560; d. March 31, 196960.

More About ROBERT BICE:

Military service: WW1 vet60

            ii. CHARLES BICE, b. 188860; d. November 05, 191860.

More About CHARLES BICE:

Cause of Death (Facts Pg): died of influenza I think60

            iii. REX LEON BICE, b. February 12, 1892, Chamberlain, SD61; d. November 05, 191862.

More About REX LEON BICE:

Burial: Graceland Cementary, Oacoma, SD62

Military service: WW1 vet63

42.         iv. JOSEPH ORMEN BICE, b. October 30, 1895, Dry Island, SD; d. January 01, 1978.

              v. WHITNEY WEBSTER BICE, b. April 11, 190064; d. December 198964; m. FLORENCE.

More About WHITNEY WEBSTER BICE:

Residence: Lived in Franklin, Neb. in 197364

Social Security Number: 503-07-395565

            vi. MARY BICE, b. September 03, 1906, on island in the Missouri River, Lyman Co., SD66; d. July 17, 2000, Red Lodge, Montana66; m. (1) BERT CONNERY; m. (2) JERRY P. MARVIN, June 20, 193266; d. 197266.

More About MARY BICE:

Religion: Chuch: Red Lodge Community Church

Residence: "Last time I was in touch with her was in 1973, she then was in Red Lodge, MT."67

----------------------------

42. JOSEPH ORMEN5 BICE (CHARLES HENRY4, CHARLES3, WILLIAM2, WILLIAM1) was born October 30, 1895 in Dry Island, SD98, and died January 01, 197899. He married (1) FREDA E. (SCHNERT) GRIMSHAW, daughter of RICHARD SCHNERT and ANNA. She was born January 16, 1892 in Germany99, and died January 05, 1964100. He married (2) MARY.

More About JOSEPH ORMEN BICE:

Burial: Riverview Cemetary, Chamberlain, SD

Military service: WW1 vet 6/24/1918-5/28/1919101

Residence: "(I) believe he lived in Lyman Co., SD"101

Social Security Number: 503-12-1661

Child of JOSEPH BICE and FREDA GRIMSHAW is:

            i. STANLEY E.6 BICE, b. October 10, 1922101; d. October 14, 1993101; m. FAY FLOAT, July 1945101.

More About STANLEY E. BICE:

Military service: WW2 vet 1/18/1943-11/25/1945101

Residence: 57702 Rapid City, Pennington ,SD102

Social Security Number: 503-16-8115102

Shirley Lillo has generously provided a great deal of information on the ancestors of Anna Somers. It is provided below.

Hello Tom,

My "History File" is all in my many notebooks. But I can put something together for Sam's sons.

1 Matthias Somers. First known of our family to come from Europe (perhaps Germany) to Pennsylvania, then went North to New Brunswick to the area which became the city of Moncton, the area at that time was still part of Nova Scotia. Matthias & Magdalena & the other settlers landed at Hall's Creek June 3, 1766.

m. St. Michael's Zion Church Philadelphia Oct 23, 1749 Mariah Christina Null

Children with Mariah:

Anna Catharina bapt. Nov 8, 1750 in Philadelphia---m. 1767 Eliphalet Chappell

Eva Magdalena bapt. Feb 6, 1753 in Philadelphia--may have died an infant

Sarah b. ca. PA 1755--m. Jan 1, 1771 Benjamin Allen

Anna Christina b. ca. PA 1757--some say she m. George Dobson Mar 27, 1780 and some say she m. Henry Jones ca. 1778. She is a much sought after lady!!

m. Aug 15, 1758 Magdalena Aldman of Frankford, PA--a widow with no apparent children.

Children with Magdalena:

Elizabeth b. PA Feb 13, 1759--difficult to trace, husband unknown

Rachel b. Jan 13, 1764 b. probably in Barren Hill, PA--m. Jun 25, 1780 Frederick Steeves

Andrew b. ca. 1765 probably Barren Hill, PA--m. but to whom is not certain

Matthias died about 1768 in Moncton. Widow Magdalena was married to the widower Jacob Ricker by the census of 1770.

Dates here I took from the new book by Dr. Rainer L. Hempel, "New Voices on the Shores." He & his crew of researcher's work was recommended by Steeves Family, Inc. in Hillsborough, NB, Canada. It did leave some of us who purchased the book a little more confused in some areas, but I do think it a marvelous book.

There is much to be found on the internet about these Pennsylvania settlers. The copy of the Articles of Agreement for going to Nova Scotia can be found on the Lutz Mountain Heritage Foundation website--click on to the Steeves name & it will come up--Matthias Somer was the first signer. Nan's "Jones" Genealogy Page is a good one, & of course, there is Steeves Family Descendants Page--I use GOOGLE search engine & it brings up just about anything I can be searching for.

I have to go make some lunch for the master so I will return with generation

 

Generation 2 of Somers (Also spelled Somer, Sommer, Sommers)

2 Andrew Somers. Andrew's last will & testament filed Jan 24, 1839 & was proved July 17, 1840. Some Somers researchers list Andrew's wife as Elizabeth Smith but no documentation could be found. A wife "Amy" has been mentioned as his wife in a "goods purchase" she made. Some also state she was Elizabeth Beck. Some call her Unknown! Andrew the only male heir of Matthias to carry on the Somers name but Andrew was more fortunate, he had two sons!

Children with Hempel birthdates: Births I collected:

Deborah b. ca. 1788 m. Nov 19, 1805 Charles Jones 1787

Rachel b. 1790 m. Mar 14, 1815 Timothy Horsman 1791

Elizabeth b. 1790/91 m. ca. 1821 Charles Trites 1789

Mathias b. 1791/92 m. ca. 1815 Elizabeth Jones 1792

Sarah b. ca. 1796 m. Jan 6, 1820 James Anderson May 15, 1794

Martin b. ca. 1793 m. Feb 27, 1817 Sarah "Sally" Trites 1798

Lucy b. ca. 1798 m. nothing known about her 1796

Susanna b. 1800 m. Mar 29, 1821 Anthony Simpson 1801

Catherine b. 1804 m. Sept 4, 1828 1803

Rebecca b. 1810 m. Oct 8, 1829 Jacob Trites 1811

I did find a Naturalization Record for son Martin in South Dakota dated 11/02/1885. He was 85 years of age; if that was correct he would have been born circa 1798. He was said to be in SD living with his son Shepard in 1891. I do not know. He did come to SD to "visit" his family from New Brunswick, I'd heard------but I never did hear if he returned to Canada or if he died in SD; I have never found a grave for him there. The Somers family is full of Mysteries!

Generation 3 coming up

 

Generation 3

Martin Somers b. 1798 Lived to be over 100 years old, I heard.

m. Feb 17, 1827 Sarah Trites

Children:

Shepard b. 1821 m. Elizabeth Steeves migrated to Dakota Territory

?Jane b. Jun 18, 1822 d. Jan 1913 m. Dickie Steeves

Lafayette b. Oct 10, 1826 m. Elizabeth Chapman migrated to Dakota Territory

Theodore b. 1828 m. Elizabeth _______

Marvin H. "Jim" b. 1835 d. Feb 13, 1880 migrated to Dakota Territory; died in gunfight with nephew Bradley who was a son of Lafayette & Elizabeth 

Ornan b. 1836-d. SD Jan 25, 1879 m. Bathsheba Croft b. 22 Jul 1837-d. Nov 9, 1917 migrated to Dakota Territory

Sarah. Have found out nothing about her

Theresa m. Jacob Jones

Marvin & Bradley were buried on the land where upon they died. That land is now buried beneath the waters of the Missouri River. Marvin may have been the first Somers to arrive in Dakota Territory from NB--he was there according to his age & history when he was in his early twenties......wonder if he traveled alone?

Ornan may have come to Dakota before Bathsheba. Bathsheba left Nova Scotia, birth year listed as 1843, came through the port of East Port, immigration year 1879. He must have died as soon as she arrived. (The dates above for the family members are not my own.) Widow Bathsheba m. Charles Henry Lewis. And you know Anna Sarah Somers, dau. of Ornan & Bathsheba, married Charles Henry Bice.

I branch off here with Lafayette through his son Clifford Martin Somers, who was the father of my Dad, Treon Bradley Somers.

Son Shepard above, with his wife Elizabeth Steeves, evidently had 16 children. Some of the children remained in NB & others came to Dakota. Not long ago, I found another family for Shepard (Sheppard Royal Somers)---before he married Elizabeth he had 5 children by Margaret Wilbur, they lived on neighboring farms in NB and there was no record of a marriage for them. A couple of those children took the Somers name after they grew up and the others kept their mother's Wilbur name.

A branch of the Wilbur family has thoroughly researched this so I would never again question it--I did & they set me straight! You can find this family & it's history by searching for Margaret Wilbur in the WorldConnect Project, if you are interested. It just kind of made me wonder how come they never had a Shotgun Wedding---Margaret's father is said to have been a Baptist Preacher!

If you want something different here, let me know & I will see if I can help---------------

We are getting rain right now & is supposed to turn to snow---Oh, Yuk!

Shirley

The following summary ancestor chart has been prepared from the above Somers family information from Shirley Lillo.

1 Matthias Somers (? - 1768, Moncton, Nova Scotia) & Mariah Christina Null. Married 23 Oct 1749, Philadelphia, PA.

|---2 Anna Catharina Somers (bpt 8 Nov 1750, Philadelphia - ?) & Eliphalet Chappell

|---2 Eva Magdalena Somers (bpt 6 Feb 1753, Philadelphia - ?)

|---2 Sarah Somers (PA, ca 1755 - ?) & Benjamin Allen. Married 1 Jan 1771

|---2 Anna Christina Somers (PA, ca 1757 - ?) & George Dobson (m. 27 Mar 1780) or Henry Jones (m ca 1778)

1 Matthias Somers (? - 1768, Moncton, Nova Scotia) & Magdalena Aldman. Married 15 Aug 1758.

|---2 Elizabeth Somers (PA, ca 13 Feb 1759 - ?)

|---2 Rachel Somers (13 Jan 1765, Barren Hill, PA? - ?) & Frederick Steeves. Married 25 Jun 1780.

|---2 Andrew Somers (ca 1765, Barren Hill, PA? - ?) & ?

|---|---3 Deborah Somers (ca 1788 - ?) & Charles Jones. Married 19 Nov 1805.

|---|---3 Rachel Somers (1790 - ?) & Timothy Horsman. Married 14 Mar 1815.

|---|---3 Elizabeth Somers (1790/91 - ?) & Charles Trites. Married ca. 1821

|---|---3 Mathias Somers (1791/92 - ?) & Elizabeth Jones. Married ca. 1815.

|---|---3 Sarah Somers (ca 1796 - ?) & James Anderson. Married 5 Jan 1820.

|---|---3 Martin Somers (ca 1793 or 1798 - ?) & Sarah ("Sally") Trites. Married 27 Feb 1817.

|---|---|---4 Shepard Somers (1821 - ?) & Elizabeth Streeves

|---|---|---4 Jane? Somers (18 Jun 1822 - Jan 1913. Married Kickie Steeves

|---|---|---4 Lafayette Somers (10 Oct 1826 - ?) & Elizabeth Chapman.

|---|---|---|--- 4 Bradley Somers

|---|---|---4 Theodore Somers (1828 - ?) & Elizabeth

|---|---|---4 Marvin H ("Jim") Somers (1835 - 13 Feb 1880) 

|---|---|---4 Ornan Somers (1836 - 25 Jan 1879, SD) & Bathsheba Croft (22 Jul 1837 - 9 Nov 1917). 

|---|---|---|---5 Anna Sarah Somers (16 May 1866 - 15 Nov 1942) & Charles Henry Bice (4 Apr 1859 - 23 Sep 1946) 

|---|---|---4 Sarah Somers

|---|---|---4 Theresa Somers & Jacob Jones

|---|---3 Lucy Somers (ca 1798 - ?)

|---|---3 Susanna Somers (1800 - ?) & Anthony Simpson. Married 29 Mar 1821.

|---|---3 Catherine Somers (1804 - ?) & unknown. Married 4 Sept 1828

|---|---3 Rebecca Somers (1810 - ?) & Jacob Trites. Married 8 Oct 1829.

The following historical information helps set the context for Bice family history. This information is copied from the webpage of George and Aris Grimshaw and is presented in three parts:

1. History of Lyman County and Oacoma

2. Records of the Lewis and Clark stopover near Oacoma in September 1804

3. High-level overview of the most significant events in South Dakota history at and around the time of George and Aris' time in the state.

To provide local historical context for George and Aris' family history in Oacoma, Presho and Reliance, five excerpts are provided below from local history publications. The first two excerpts are on Lyman County, and the last three are on Oacoma.

Excerpt 1: Lyman County³

The Federal Government, in 1890, opened up large tracts of the Great Sioux Reservation west of the Missouri River to settlers. There were some squatters who had come into the territory previous to that time and were living there.

In 1887 the first government issue house for the Lower Brule Sioux was established at the present site of Oacoma, and the next year the Federal Government gave the Indians their first four-wheeled wagons. For a few years the Indians lived quite pleasantly, hunting and staging dances. Clothing and other rations were received from the Federal Government.

Individual land allotments for the Indians started in 1888 in an attempt to make farmers out of this nomadic race. The government declined to issue the annual supply of clothing to the Indians until they received their land allotments. The Indians were not in agreement with the policy of the government and did not cooperate.

On February 10, 1890, President Harrison signed the bill to open for settlement a big part of the Sioux Indian reservation from the Missouri River to the Black Hills. On the evening of February 10th the town of Chamberlain received a telegram of the opening and a big gun was fired but they did not allow anyone to cross the river that night. However, there were a few over-enthusiastic ones who slipped away and went farther down the river and crossed anyway.

There was plenty of excitement the next morning when many people were ready to cross over. Although it was February the weather was warm and thawing that day, but it did turn much colder afterwards.

After crossing the river by ferry boat to Oacoma the settlers, their wagons packed

with supplies at Chamberlain, started westward looking for their claim. Some men had been in the region the year before and had located the place where they wanted to settle.

Tall waving prairie grass, prairie chickens, prairie dogs, cottontails, and rattlesnakes made up the common scene for those early adventurers, called pioneers, who first came to what is now Lyman County, South Dakota.

Until their houses were built, they lived in their covered wagons, keeping stock in dugouts; later they built sheds made of homemade poles, the top covered with hay with tree branches over the hay. Some families lived in dugouts, others made sod houses and some hauled lumber from Chamberlain or cut green lumber along White River for their claim shacks or shanties as they were called. Before long the prairie was dotted with "tar paper shacks." These were covered with black tar paper roofing and were more weather-proof. Along the White River and Medicine Creek there were big groves of trees, and wild fruit such as plums, cherries, grapes and buffalo berries. The settlers made good use of these.

About this time there were rumors of Indian uprisings and the government distributed ammunition and rifles to the settlers; bases were chosen to which the settlers were to go in case of an attack. However, nothing came of this rumor.

In 1892 the program to interest the Indians in farming was resumed and two head of cattle were issued to each member of the tribes. In some instances the plan was successful and Indian families took some interest in raising livestock and farming small patches of land. Frequently, however, when friends or relatives came to visit, the cattle that had been used for plowing were barbecued to provide meals. In 1894 a per capita payment of $3.00 was made to the Indians.

In 1893 the Great Sioux reservation was opened and immediately was filed upon by settlers and speculators. Indians had been reserved for the most part, rough and semi- and land, not suitable for extensive farming for their reservation. They could not sell it but they leased it to farmers and ranchers for a few cents an acre.

From 1890 to 1905 this sparsely settled region remained an unfenced open-ranged cattle country, or until the Milwaukee Railroad brought its deluge of land-seekers who shackled the cow-men and squeezed them out of business.

Until 1893 the ferry boat had been the sole means for passengers and freight to cross the river, or by crossing on the ice in the wintertime. Now a pontoon bridge was strung across the river. This floating structure was so built that the deck of the bridge rested on flat boats tied side by side. When river streamers approached, one end of the pontoon was released from its anchorage at the bank and allowed to float free. Although unsafe, especially in high water or freezing weather, the pontoon served as a connecting link between the Chamberlain markets and the West River country.

Many times Mother Nature tried the spirit of these early pioneers with drought, severe hailstorms, life-taking blizzards, insects and then the awful prairie fires which swept over the open prairie consuming everything in their path. It took courage to keep faith in a land against so many odds and many people did give up in despair and returned to their eastern homes. Those who had the stamina to stay with it were repaid later for much of their hardships, for the soil produced good crops and bountiful gardens when the rains came.

Drinking water was always a major problem for both the people and the livestock. It was hauled from the White River, Medicine Creek, and dams. Those who tried to dig wells did not meet with much success. Other supplies were hauled from Pierre or Chamberlain. Some had horses and others used the strong but plodding oxen on these trips for supplies and always it was a long, tedious journey.

A very serious drought and fuel shortage occurred in 1893. Because of the scarcity of feed, cattle were herded along the river and creeks where there was grass. Severe blizzards destroyed much of the livestock, for when they hit, they hit with such swiftness and intensity there was no protection from it.

Small country stores sprung up in different parts of the county. Most of these had a post office in connection. These stores were stopping places in the community. Some of them were: Sweeney, Cavite, Hotch City, Earling, Dirkstown, McClure, Highland, Kinniknic, Huston, Edna and others. Mail was brought out from Chamberlain by stage and for many years afterward, the ruts of these old stage trails could be seen winding across the prairie where the plow had not yet taken over.

There was no doctor nearer than Chamberlain until Dr. F. M. Newman settled in Presho in 1905. He also had a drug store and the services rendered by him to Lyman County can only be repaid now with the wonderful memories of those who knew him. Diphtheria was a scourge of the country; often several children in the same family dying of the disease. The women of the community had to help take care of each other's family when sickness struck.

When the county was officially organized in 1893, Oacoma was the county seat. Two years later the county had a population of only 804. By 1905 the population was 4,263 and the 1910 census, which followed the final stampede of homesteaders, showed 10,848 people. Later, in 1916 that which is now Jones County was carved out of western Lyman County. Originally there were the unorganized counties of Pratt and Presho which were attached to Lyman County for judicial purposes. Later in 1898 they were incorporated into Lyman County.

Oacoma, originally Gladstone, is the oldest town in the County, being founded in 1890. It has a colorful history dating back to the days of the big cattle outfits, cattle rustling, and the burning of the courthouse by men living outside the law and who thought law and order would be their ruin. Circuit Judge John G. Bartine was the Nemesis of the cattle thieves and it was largely through his efforts that they were finally subdued.

Speaking of cattle rustlers, hundreds and hundreds of cattle and horses ranged the open prairie with only a brand to show to whom they belonged and there was plenty of cattle rustling and horse stealing going on. There were many court trials and convictions of the accused parties who were sent to the penitentiary.

In 1905 something which the early settlers had been promised, and which they had hoped and waited for, came to pass. The Milwaukee Railroad built a railroad bridge over the Missouri River and the railroad was extended from Chamberlain to Presho. The towns of Reliance and Kennebec, in between, were founded and named by the Milwaukee Townsite Company. This company also named Presho, Vivian and Oacoma. Vivian, in the western end of the county, was founded when the railroad was built on from Presho to the Black Hills in 1906-1907.

Religious services and schools were held, at first in the homes, if at all. In some instances people who had been teachers would hold school for the children in their community. Traveling priests and preachers covered this large area and held services in the homes where groups of that faith gathered. Missionary work among the Sioux was carried on by the Catholics, Episcopalians and Presbyterians, and white settlers would attend services there on the reservations also if they lived near enough.

The first church built in Lyman County was the Lutheran Church built east of Presho in 1890 (Norwegian). The first minister was Rev. M. 0. Waldahl of Pukwana.

Upon the completion of the organization of Lyman County, four school districts were formed, all along the eastern border of the county. Lyman District No. 1; Oacoma District No. 2; Dirkstown District No. 3 and Walker District No. 4. The first school boards were: for No. I-G. S. Grant; George V. Shearer; Jay Wellman and J. G. Bartine, all of Oacoma. District No. 3-C. W. Hawn, John Milnes and Joseph Pollock, all of Oacoma. District No. 4-A. S. Montagne, Elisha Walker and 0. N. Dock, all of Oacoma.

Mr. E. A. Barlow was the first county superintendent. Probably the first teachers to teach in Lyman County after it was organized in 1893 were: Carrie Walker, District No. 1; Myrtle Farmer, District No. 2; Ben Milnes, District No. 3; Mrs. P. A. Stocke, District No. 4. Their addresses were all Oacoma and the length of the term was from September 11, 1893 to December 29, 1893. Additional school districts were organized continuously, gradually advancing westward across the county.

By reading the first county commissioners' proceedings of May 1893, we find that there were two commissioners, Mr. C. J. Kanzy and G. E. Boatman. They met for the purpose of completing the organization of the county. These names were given as the county officials: C. C. Herron, County Auditor; 1. N. Auld, Register of Deeds; Olef Nelson, clerk of the circuit court; F. P. Gannaway, County Treasurer; E. A. Barlow, County Superintendent of Schools; Luke C. Hayes, states attorney; John G. Bartine, County Judge; T. J. Wood, coroner; James Morgan, sheriff; Walter Rhode became the third county commissioner in June of 1893.

The first court case tried was that of Henry Shrader for the murder of Mot Matson.

In June, 1893, the first four school districts were organized.

The minutes of the June, 1893 meeting also ask for bids for building a county jail. G. N. Mabbott was awarded the job.

The first official newspaper for the county was the Lyman County Leader.

At each commissioners' meeting there were bounties paid for "wold scalps" at $1.50 each.

At the January 14, 1893, meeting of the board of county commissioners a number of Lyman County citizens met with them and asked that they buy seed wheat. The drought had left the farmers in bad shape for putting in a crop in the spring so the board agreed to assist by buying seed wheat for the farmers. They then proceeded to set up a seed grain fund and by agreement they were to furnish seed wheat to the farmers secured by a chattel mortgage. The wheat was purchased at 67c per bushel and corn at $1.30 per bushel. The seller was Ochsner Hardware company of Kimball, South Dakota.

Early legislators were Charles H. Burke in the House of Representatives and James Phillip in the Senate. At this time Lyman County was included in Hughes, Hyde, Sully, Stanley, Nowlin, Sterling, Jackson, Pratt and Presho.

The trials and tribulations of the early settlers of Lyman County are dramatically told in the book, "The Land of the Burnt Thigh," by Edith Kohl. Mrs. Kohl is Edith Ammons and her sister, Ida, came to a homestead near what was called McClure in the northwestern part of the county. They ran a store and a post office and also printed the preemption papers for those proving up on their claims.

Kate and Virgil D. Boyles in their books, "The Homesteaders" and "Langford of the Three Bars," tell romantic stories of the homesteaders and their troubles with the cattle rustlers. Early Lyman County settlers are mentioned by name in all three of these books.

Many newspapers were published in the early days of the county. Some of them were the Oacoma Gazette Leader, The Prairie Sun, Lyman County Settler, and Presho County Argus. "The Wand" was the name of the paper printed by Edith Ammons Kohl.

Lyman County was originally created in 1873 and was named for W. P. Lyman, an early settler in Yankton County.

 

Excerpt 2: Lyman County⁴

There is a lot of evidence that there were people here in this area long before the coming of the white man.

Dr. Over of the University of South Dakota, one of the state’s foremost archaeologists, has prepared maps showing some 20 ancient Indian villages in Lyman County grouped around the mouths of White River, American Crow Creek, Medicine Creek and the peninsula of Big Bend (better known as Little Bend). They estimated some of these people could have been here as early as 1300-1400 A.D.

Apparently our history records show that some of the earliest visits or contacts between White men and Indians was in early 1700's. However, the first white man whom we can say with certainty was Jean Baptiste Trudeau about 1790. History has it that near the site of Fort Thompson he had a run in with the Indians.

He proceeded on up the river a few miles, cached his trading goods in the bank of a draw, proceeded on further a couple of miles and sunk his boat. He then traveled on foot to the mouth of the Cheyenne hoping to find the camp of the Aricara. However they had moved, so he returned, raised his boat and found his trading goods intact.

He then floated down river to a point just below the present site of Fort Randall where they wintered. There they built and lived in the first white man’s structure located in South Dakota. Trudeau and his crew of 8 men operated out of St. Louis and under a license from the Spanish who then claimed title to this territory.

This was the beginning of a profitable fur trade that lasted for 100 years. This Missouri River and its tributaries were the main avenues of travel. The Lewis & Clark expedition in 1804 made mention of several points in or adjacent to Lyman County (Crow Creek and American Island). The area around Oacoma and north along Missouri River is often mentioned as the site of Fort Kowa, Fort Hale, Lower Brute Agency and Fort Lookout, a trading post of the Columbia Fur Company.

By 1850 through 1860 the fur trade was declining due to the wanton destruction of the buffalo hunters. By this time missionaries were coming into Dakota. The first Christian service that we have any record of was at Fort Lookout by Father Christian Hoecken. Several Indian children were baptised.

The first military post in Lyman County was established at Fort Lookout in 1856 under command of Capt. Nathaniel Lyon, who later became a General in the Civil War. In 1863 Fort Thompson was set up as a military post. It was not until 1865 that we heard much of Lower Brute. Burbank who was then Governor of Dakota Territory said that the Lower Brutes were of a violent disposition and hard to manage.

The record shows there was some effort to produce some corn and vegetables, with only limited success. However, the agent's report in 1880 does show 34 acres, 200 acres of corn, 5 acres of oats and 71/2 acres of vegetables.

In 1884 Henry N. Gregory was clerk in charge of Lower Brute. They had a count of 1432 Indians.

In 1890 A.P. Dixon became agent for both Lower Brute and Crow Creek. In 1892 A.P. Dixon was still agent of Lower Brute Agency at Oacoma. In 1894 Frederick Treon was agent.

Lyman County was named for Mayor W.P. Lyman, the first settler at Yankton and a member of the Territorial House in 1892 from Charles Mix County.

The first postmaster of record was Wilmer L. Green appointed P.M. in 1878 for Lower Brute, then considered a part of Buffalo County by the P.O. Department. From the Indian records it would appear that probably Lower Brule and Fort Hale were about one and the same.

There were no more post offices in the County until March 13, 1890 when E.A. Barlow was appointed post master of Lyman about 3 miles up the river from Oacoma.

The first report of a day school was in 1873 through a mission in charge of Rev. W.J. Cleveland. In 1892 this region was opened to early settlers for homesteads. Settlements were along Medicine Creek and settlers there were Ribney's, Wilson, Dent, Gilman, Byre, Rearick, Seaman, Molash, Hollenbeack, Tieson, Lien, Brekke & Garnos. On White River to name a few Bailey, Anderson Severson, Evenson, Nelson, Bell, O'Malley, Halversgaard, Hagenson, Selland, Hellickson, Pitans, Zoske and Zickrick.

The railroad was built to Presho in 1905. By 1890 the bulk of the West River land was surveyed.

Lyman County was organized in May 1893 and formed by pushing the west line of one township further west and extending the south line down one township and thus taking a slice out of both Gregory and Tripp Counties.

In 1893 there were two settlements in Lyman County. One in Oacoma and one at Fort Hale.

There have been three Lyman Post offices served by three different postmasters. E.A. Barlow was postmaster 1890; Len Armstrong 1902: Wm Hagler June 1920.

1890 was an important year for Lyman County. No less than 50 townships were surveyed that summer. Hotch City was given a post office in April 1891 with Samuel Shaffer as postmaster; Presho June 1891 with Edgar O. Kelley, postmaster. Supposedly there was a mail station called lner with Jas. N. Cloud, postmaster. However in May 1906 Reliance had an established post office.

In 1906 and 1907, the years of the homesteaders, there were few fences, and the roads could very well be classified as trails. In 1907 an election was held concerning free range and the herd law came into being.

Many of you remember that many of our now considered necessities were non-existent in the early 1900's such as telephones, electricity, propane. gas, running water, radio and mechanical refrigeration not to mention T.V. dinners and mini-skirts.

The pioneers of Lyman County who came here to acquire and make a home were a hardy lot who could make use of what was at hand, determined to build schools, churches, stores and roads, and establish a government representing the people of County and State.

We who are here today have lived to see the realization of a primitive country developing into a modern society producing millions of bushels of high grade wheat and feed grains. Thousands of high grade cattle are produced here, sold through modern auction rings to supply the feed lots and packing plants of Iowa, Illinois, Minnesota and eastern South Dakota.

Why am I relating these facts to a Lyman County Historical Society? Because these pioneers of 60 and 70 years are now represented by a 3rd and 4th generation. Without the preservation and restoration of many of the records, tools, implements and artifacts of these pioneers they would eventually become a lost generation.

Fortunately this Historical Society was aware of this several years ago and did something about it.

With financial assistance from many individuals and all of Lyman County tax payers appropriate provisions have been made to preserve a materialistic history of those basic pioneers.

We hope this venture will be long lived and successful.

 

Excerpt 3: Oacoma⁵

OACOMA, originally named Sherman, was renamed when a post office was established there and it was discovered there was already a Sherman, S.D. The present name of the town is not of Indian origin as many people believe, but was picked only because it was not likely to be duplicated.

The town grew out of an Indian trading post and grew steadily because of its location on the west side of the river at a point where a ferry boat transported travelers across the river. It was the stopping point for all east-bound traffic as travelers would stop at Oacoma for food, rest and water for their horses before crossing the ferry.

About 1890, Oacoma became the county seat of Lyman County which at that time included a large portion of the West River Country. The town also included the Lower Brule Indian Agency at that time.

During those early years, Oacoma was bustling with activity. The little city had three hotels, several banks and a rushing business in many other establishments.

The only business place which has survived from the early years is the grocery store now operated by Alfred Mueller. The store was founded in 1906 by Baman Strong when the railroad reached Oacoma. The store went through a series of owners before being bought by Albert Mueller, father of the present owner. A new building is being built for the store on new Highway US- 1 6 North of Oacoma.

A prominent city of its day, Oacoma has steadily declined through the years as the result of several hard blows.

The decline began in 1922 when the county seat was voted over to Kennebec after the county was divided and made smaller.

The town suffered its second hard blow in 1925 when the new bridge was built across the Missouri at Chamberlain, eliminating the need for a stopping place on the west side of the river. With the bridge in operation, travelers passed by Oacoma and drove straight to Chamberlain, then only five miles distant.

Today, with another new bridge and a new highway which shortens the distance from five to only three miles, travelers hardly even glance at Oacoma and the town has become just another rural town along U.S. 16.

Although the town has declined through the years, it has produced at least four men of political prominence.

Perhaps the best known political figure produced by the small town is M.Q. Sharpe who was for four years attorney general of the state and later governor for four years.

Sharpe, now practicing law in Kennebec, was active in establishing the manganese plant which was a going concern at Oacoma during World War 11 when the manganese was being taken from South Dakota. The only other sources of the element are Russia and Brazil. Oacoma is located in the heart of the manganese area of South Dakota.

John Bartine, who first served as state's attorney and later as Seventh District Judge for many years, was a product of Oacoma and was well-known for breaking up the rustling ring in western South Dakota almost singlehanded.

A.C. Miller, another Oacoma man, was four years speaker of the house in the South Dakota legislature and later served two years as lieutenant governor during Sharpe's term of office as governor. He is now a resident of Kennebec and is at present a candidate for Seventh District Judge.

Also a product of the ill-fated town, is William Williamson, who served as Circuit Judge of the Seventh District and as congressman between 1920 and 1932 from what was then the third congressional district of South Dakota.

A significant landmark in Oacoma which just happens to be high enough so that it will not be moved, is a house with a large veranda which was originally the Lower Brule Indian Agency and later the home of M.Q. Sharpe and also of William Williamson.

 

Excerpt 4: Oacoma⁶

The Sioux Indian Reservation in the western part of South Dakota was opened for settlement by President Benjamin Harrison’s Proclamation of February 1890. I’m sure I’m one of the very few who can remember having lived at Lower Brule Agency.

It was located on the flat and foothills two miles west of the present Joe Bice ranch. There is not a stick nor a stone left to indicate that there was once a nice little Indian agency located there.

The employee’s houses were in a row facing south. The M.Q. (Ted) Sharpe house in Oacoma was the home of the agency superintendant, and our house was next door to it. My father, harry Holmes, was the government blacksmith.

About 1894 the government decided to move the agency to its present locaiton 40 miles north, and the buildings were all sold. The Indian cemetery was on the rolling hill just east of Joe Bice’s house.

Just about four miles east of the agency stood an Indian village of about 100 log cabins. This location was possessed by some white people for a townsite. In the beginning it was to be called Nobleton, then Sherman, and finally, they called the townsite Gladstone, but when the patent was obtained from the U.S. Government, it was known as Oacoma.

The patent was obtained on July 14, 1893 by County Judge, John G. Bartine.

It may be difficult for some of you newer folks to realize there was once a fine little town where now vacant lots are. It was the count seat of Lyman County.

We had two banks, tow lumberyards, two newspapers, blacksmith shop, restaurant, drug store, two hotels, two lawyers, a doctor, three grocery and general merchandise stores, and of course, the courthouse. Business was drawn from 50 miles west.

In 1925 the free bridge was build across the Missouri River where, before this time, crossing was made either on a pontoon bridge or in a little freight boat at about $1 a car.

When the Ft. Randall Dam was built, the government bought all of the land to the center of Main Street on the west side, forcing all of the residents to move to higher ground. Since that time, Oacoma has grown to the north.

 

Excerpt 5: Oacoma⁷

The town of Oacoma has not only a great and colorful past, but a bright future. It is located on the Missouri River, now Lake Francis Case, with lots of flat land for development and I-90 going through its center giving it great potential for industrial development and colleges or government projects.

Oacoma has housing for about 140 families. About 37 new homes were built in the last few years. It has an updated water system built in 1982 and the new post office was built in 1981. On June 8, 1985 the Oasis Addition was surveyed and recorded as an addition to Oacoma.

Most of the needs of the residents are met by Oacoma business and the town hall with the city park, ball