Wallace - South Dakota Genealogy

Biography of Thomas Cawood

History of South Dakota vol 1 title page

Thomas Cawood, born March 1, 1838, in Daviess County, Indiana, was a distinguished farmer in Hand County, South Dakota. Raised in Missouri after his father’s early death, he enlisted in the Union Army in 1861, serving until the Civil War’s end in 1865, participating in key battles such as Shiloh and Bentonville. After returning to farming in Missouri, Cawood moved to South Dakota in 1883, establishing an 800-acre farm. Active in public service, he served in the state legislature in 1894 and was a committed Republican. He married twice, first to Ellen Starr, and later to Elmira McAtee, raising several children.

History of Lowell Township

History of Marshall County Dakota title page

Lowell township lies west of Waverly and is quite level, and one of the most fertile townships in the county. In June, 1883, was included in Hickman school township, and in March, 1884. was set off and named Lowell, in honor of Judge Lowell, of Bristol, who for several years was chairman of the board of county commissioners of Day county. Lowell now has two good school-houses, built in 1885. Jay King, mentioned in Waverly, squatted on sec. 23 in the fall of ’82 and built a shack; afterwards filed homestead on sec. 26. In the winter of 1884-5 married … Read more

History of Britton, South Dakota

During the spring of 1883 a few claim shacks were built on what now comprises the town site of Britton; the squatters little dreaming that three years of ‘time would bring, them a railroad, a flourishing town and county seat. Wm. Ross, of Stena township, while tramping over this portion of Miller township the latter part of April, 1883, became tired and lay down. He fell asleep, and awoke when the sun was fast sinking in the western horizon; about twenty rods from him were eleven antelope quietly grazing, where Mr. Hindman‘s lumber yard now is, near the railroad, unconscious … Read more