Cooperstown, Dakota
March 7th, 1886
My dear
brother and sister
with pleasure
I take this opportunity of answering yours of the 2nd We are right glad to hear from you and to learn that you were well and so nigh ready to come back to the golden northwest I am not surprised at your wanting back, but I would shurly
(sic) be greatley (sic)
surprised at any one not wanting or eaven (sic) longing to get back to this beautiful
country and healthful clime after once living here for a time times are good
here and money pleanty (sic). health is very good I know of no sickness in the wide
territory we have had a nice winter here, only a little warm if any diferance
(sic) we
have had a good lot of snow this time, it is fast disappearing, and it looks lik
(sic)
spring was about here every body is
a prophassing (sic) a early spring. and
it does look that way now
I have 3 cars
of wheat at duluth (sic) and will send 2 more this week I will hold it until the 20th if you think that wont be to
long and will send you the money as soon as I get it or had I best deposit here
at this bank and you check on it if I leave it the bank here I could telegraph you as soon as I sold and you could go on up there just
as you say wheat went up one cent
yesterday and I believe now that it will go up a few cents I do hope so at least I dont
(sic) believe that you had best buy many more
horses than what we need for our own use for from all accounts there will be
lots of them shiped (sic) in this spring and the probability they will be low I have
not sold non yet,
of course you
will have to sell them horses you have there on time if you get any thing out of
them I will haul yet this week if the roads dont (sic) give away You let me know as
soon as you get this how you want the money, and if you can how mutch (sic)
You never told
me if you got the money I sent you everything is all right here I have only 100
bu of seed wheat cleaned yet we don that in one half day I guess that after one
more week I will quit hauling and get ready for seeding. try and get tolerable good horses so we can use them ware ever we want
this leaves us all well hoping it may find you all the same
I guess you
had best bring me a suit of cloths for every day use as I am nearly out of
cloths and you had best fetch 100 yds of 5 cts calico for comforts, write and
let me know all you want I will watch the mail
your Brother
Dubois Newell
Cooperstown, Dakota
March 7, 1886
Ever Dear
Brother and Sister it is with
pleasure that I write you in answer to your just received last night and was
indeed glad to hear from you and to learn that you were well. But sorry to hear of Oscar being sick. Allie I do wish you was home again you dont know how lonesome
I get. Allie if you dont hurry and
come home I will half to write all down on paper what I have to tell you or I
will forget it Oh yes, Allie Ellen Parks is working at Barnards Well you want to
know what we call the baby We call her Olive Lucretia she grows so fast and as
fat as a little pig. Oh yes they
say Bowden is married but dont know what bride's name is she is from
Pennsylvania and one of the Hagen girls is married to a young artist of
Cooperstown Mrs. Balkin's Father is very sick and I guess that is why she went
home in such a hurry she was down a day or two before she went and she said she
guessed would have to give up going home till next winter
we have quite
a good deal of snow now but it is fast going away again. They have stopped Saloons at Cooperstown We got a letter from home the
other day. they were all well
There is
nobody here to go and see only Piatts and we were down there last Oh they have a
galery at Cooperstown now Oh Allie do come home or else send Otie or Oscar back,
so it wont be so lone some well we got a letter from Uncle Lewis and he had
froze his face and ears untill the scars look like burns and he said it had only
been 20 below Well are having nice weather here this winter It has been warm
enough to thaw some days. Yesterday
it was warm enough and we washed all the windows all off.
Crane is
married too, he is in Florida he married a Miss Fitch of N.Y. The next we hear
of getting married will be Ellen Park dont you think Well I will half to close
my foolishness by asking you to write soon I close as ever your sister Jennie
Newell
Alley bring
some machine needles This leaves us all well and hope you are all well and hope
Oscar is well, kiss the children for me and big kiss for your self
Cooperstown D.T.
March 14th, 1886
my dear Brother & Sister
Yours with
Chicago letter in at hand was glad to hear from you I will send up to duluth to
morrow and have four cars of wheat sold and send you a draft for $1200. dollars as soon as I get returns. it
will be four or five days probly, I have waited now so long as I durst wheat is
only 68 cts here now, I am verry shure that wheat is on the eave of a strong
advance in value but we cannot wait longer, I do believe this is as mutch money
as we had aught to put in horses this time do the best you can with it, and you
want to watch your self up in the city you will find lots of confidence men up
thare, stop at first class bording houses try and get all mares if you can they
will sell best here
There was two
car loads of horses came in last night and I hear of three or four more to come
I dont know how the market will hold out here for horses they are starting them
high There is a great demand for mares
You will pleas
watch the mail and when you get draft let me know, and you must hustle around so
fast as possable when you get it in order to get here so soon as possible for
seeding time is close at hand. you
will write me when you start horses and when you start so that I can be on the
look out
I and C.C. did
not traid tom was on the lift this morning again I fear we dont get anything out
of him we are getting along all right will haul three loads of wheat yet and
then I will quit and make ready for seeding I will get everything in shape dont
worry
it is just
cool enoughf here to hold the snow and that is all. it thaws some through the middle of the day and cool at night sleading is
tolerable good yet. tell me when
you start horses how many thare are so that I can make room for them tell me how
many men if any you will bring up and will work for us so that I can make
arrangements for ballance here, if you bring me suit get Pants 34 waist 31
length coat 40 in Just something that will do to knock around with if this
should not be enough money you let me know either by telegraph or leter I will
watch the mail and wiers trusting that you will meet with good sucksess and have
safe and pleasent trip I close
This leaves us all well hoping it may find you the same
Your Brother
Dubois Newell
Application For A Loan
The W.B. Clark Investment Company
Minneapolis, Minnesota
The southeast
quarter (SE 1/4) Sec 2 Town 145 Range 58 and contains 160 acres
Full name - Dubois
Newell
Age - 45
years old
Occupation and
place of business - Living upon and farming Section 11 Township 145 Range
58 and also farming upon this land
Married - Yes
Full name of
wife - Jennie Newell
Character and
quality of soil - Black loam about 2 ft deep a clay subsoil
Is it
homestead, pre-emption or deeded land - as deeded land
Never on other
land claimed title or proved up under Preemption or Homestead - No Sir
How many acres
of land can be profitably cultivated - All of it
Number of
acres now under the plow - About One hundred and twenty acres
Acres in crop
last year - One hundred and twenty acres.
In pasture and
meadow - About 5 acres (of plank and rail fence) (pasture for hogs) and about
30 acres of meadow
Will break and
crop next season - About Sixty acres
What amount of the following articles was produced on the premises for the year 1888
Wheat - no bushels
Oats - (120 acres) 3600 bushels
Corn - no bushels
Barley - no bushels
Hay - 23 tons cut
How many head
of stock do you now own?
Horses - 11
Young Cattle
- 10
Cows - 6
Colts - 2
Hogs - 12
Oxen - 2
How far from
the county seat - about seven miles
Acres in
timber - No timber
Acres fenced -
Six acres of good fence. 5 acres
for hog pasture and I acre for hay
Any Stony Land
- There is no stones on this land
Any waste land
- No there is not
How Watered - By
two wells 18 and 28 ft respectively one curbed with stones and the other curbed
with lumber
What farm
machinery have you - 3 binders, one mower, 1 hay rake, 4 farm wagons, 1
buggy, 6 harrows, 1 bob sleigh, 4 sulky plows and 2 gang plows, 2 seeders
What is the
value of your personal property - About four thousand dollars
Encumbrance on
- About two hundred dollars
BUILDINGS - When built, their size, and for what purpose they are now used
- One Log Dwelling House 18 x 14 ft. shingled roof and has a brick chimney
built in 1883. One addition to said
house 10 x 18 ft. material lumber built in 1885 and has a shingle roof. One lumber barn 14 x 40 ft. and one lumber granary addition built to
the barn 10 x 20ft. same barn and granary.
| CASH VALUE of said Real Estate Without
buildings |
$1800.00 |
| CASH VALUE of the Buildings |
$ 600.00 |
| Total |
$2400.00 |
Distance to
the nearest town - About 7 miles
Name and size
of the town - Cooperstown Griggs Co D. T about 500 inhabitants
Name and
distance to the nearest Railroad - The same N.P. rr.
And Station - The
same
How long have
you lived on this property - My brother has been living there from spring of
1883 to June of 1888
Did you buy or
enter it - I bought it from my brother this last summer.
When did you
establish your residence there - My family and I are living on the adjoining
Section being about ten rods to my living house from this land.
When did you
make your filing - My brother filed on it and I do not know the date.
When did you
make final proof - My brother made final proof on this land in Dec 1887.
What number of
days in the aggregate have you been absent from your claim and for purposes - My
brothers residence was continuous on this land from spring of 1883 until he
made final commutation H E proof.
Has patent
been issued - No. Receivers
Receipt has been issued.
If rented, to
whom - No it is not rented to anybody. I
am working this land myself.
What rent -
Insurance - There
is no insurance on this building at the present time
Will insure as
directed by and for benefit of Mortgages, his heirs and assigns - Yes for
$400
Applicant's
P.O. address - Dubois Newell Cooperstown Griggs County D. T
Has
applicant's title or possession to said land ever been questioned, or any
contest begun - No Sir
Is surrounding
country well settled and improved -- Yes, it is the best settled neighborhood
there is in the county
Other real
estate of applicant - All of Section 11 Township 145 Range 58 being the
Section adjoining this land.
Where - Sec 11 Township 145 Range 58
Its value - About Seven thousand Dollars
When loan to be used? - At once
For what
purpose - To pay my debt and running expenses
Have you
applied for a loan upon said premises within the past six months, and if so, for
what amount - Yes for $650.00
To what
company, firm or individual did you make such application, and when? - The
Middelsex Banking Company St. Paul Minnesota
Was your application accepted, and if so, for what amount
- I never had an answer
yet and do not propose to wait any longer for it.
Have you made
any permanent improvements upon said premises since you made the above
application and if so, what? - No I have not.
Is it your
intention in good faith to farm the above-described premises during the
existence of this loan? -Yes it is my intention to farm this land and also
See 11 Township 145 Range 58
My last P.O.
address before removing to Griggs D.T. was -White Heath P.O. Piatt Co Ills. Lived there - for about 35 years. Was
born there
I do solemnly
swear that I have made the above answers, representations and estimates of value
for the purpose of obtaining said loan of money, and that they are true and
correct
Dubois Newell
Sworn to and subscribed before me the - eighth - day of January of 1889 and I hereby certify that affiant was by me made acquainted with the contents of this application before swearing
John 0 Oie - Notary Public
Griggs County
D. T
Thore S. Serumgard
John J. Strand