Genealogy Mixed Bag Odds & Ends from Echoes of the Past, Ryan and Smith Genealogy
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Introduction In 1980 a book titled “Echoes of the Past” was published celebrating the 100th centennial of the founding of Kimball, South Dakota. Most of the information contained in the book came from newspaper clippings and pictures found in old Kimball newspapers. In 1980 the town newspaper, Brule County News, was owned by our uncle, Jack Ryan. The reason this piece is titled ‘Odds and Ends’ is because there is something of interest for everyone.
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Some of the early families who came here other than hose mentioned were the Capt. Silas R. Nugens, N. Novotnys, J. P. Beebes, S. E. Dorwarts and Bartholomew (Batt) Ryan. James Ryan, son of the Batt Ryans was born on July 4, 1882 and was the first white child born in Kimball.
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The first pastor of the Catholic Church was Father Stephen in about 1884, then Father Flanagan took charge. They held services about once a month in homes until they build their church. The Farrells, Gavins, Walshes, Ryans, Conleys, Purcells, and the “Irish John Smiths” were among the first families to attend.
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1890 Special Census Union Veterans of Civil War. One name listed was John Smith.
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Politics were of interest, J. J. Boney became a candidate for sheriff. (Circa 1900.)
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Above scene is an early view of main street Kimball. (Circa 1902.)
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In 1906, the Blodgett Elevator was bought by James Byrnes and James Boney under the name of Farmer’s Elevator for $6,500. Later, they sold $50 shares in order to build a new elevator, which they were able to accomplish in 1919.
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Tom Gallagher and Maack had joined forces to become builders and contractors, with Joe Mulhair doing the cement work. Turgeon and Schuman could be procured to do the painting and paper hanging. (Circa 1908 – 1910.)
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Click on Photo (below) to Enlarge
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Kimball’s Girls Basketball Team in 1912. Left to right, Iva Van Zante, Gen. Smith, Kathryn Gavin, Waneta Drake, Mildred Champ, twins, Merle and Dorris Champ, Sophia Slechta, Helen Rose, Elizabeth Smith, Mable Wright and Marie Pazour.
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Click on Photograph Below to Enlarge
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Kimball Girl Basketball team playing outdoors on a dirt court. (editor’s note: The team must have had a championship year in 1912 to get this type of notice in the book.)
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Page 62: C. R. Tinan commented on the auto, thus, “Not one person in ten realizes the tremendous pulling power the automobile has. One day, just for fun, Henry Cohrt hitched his five passenger Buick to a telephone pole with a half inch rope. The machine pulled it in two without much trouble. Then John Smith hooked on his Overland runabout, a much lighter machine, and he also broke the rope on a steady pull. (Circa 1911 – 1913.) Editor's Note: The Overland Company was the number two auto manufacturer, behind Ford, until 1918. The Overland Company is more notable for two automobile companies that eventually evolved from the Overland Company - Jeep and Humvee. Page 74: As usual, the Fourth of July celebration brought record breaking crowds and 1914 was no exception. There were 150 autos at the fair plus a large number on main street. John Verschoor was the leading spirit of the celebration (or so it was said).
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Click on photograph below to see where Jack Smith and Frank Smith are in this picture.
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Foot race on Kimball’s Main Street. Jack Smith in crouching position for foot race. Frank Smith, small boy in black suit, is holding Jack’s shoes, below banker’s sign. (Circa 1910 – 1916, perhaps earlier.)
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This bell hangs in the belfry of St. Margaret’s Church. It was bought in memory of World War I veterans. (Editor’s note: As you know, Batt Ryan’s son, Will, died in France during this war. Circa 1918 – 1920.) |
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A number of business changes took place in 1922. Some of these included the City Dairy, Elmer Rohrs bought out the Gillette Dairy; P. F. Deisch started a dray line; Bruce Campbell sold the Pavilion Café to Mrs. Ashcroft, and later, Mrs. Ashcroft sold out to Frank Allison. Joe Perido sold the Tourist Café to J. H. Blair, and Charlie Taylor went into the ice business. Harry Matthews sold his shoe repair business to Mark Brennan in 1927, the Fullerton Lumber Company bought the J. A. Smith Lumber Company, and in 1925, bought the Evans Lumber Company. Joe Yarosh was the manager. In 1922, J. J. Verschoor started selling electric appliances in the Kimball Electric Shop. Later, this was known as the Dakota Public Service.
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S. C. Lobsiger bought out J. J. Verschoor, who sold Ford cars. (Circa 1920’s)
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Ben Ryan, postmaster, died while in office. He had been a Brule County resident for 51 years. Mr. Ryan was one who saw good in everyone and looked upon the bright side of life. (Editor’s note: Ben was well known to our Smith and Ryan families, although he was not a relative. 1922)
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The flight of the National Geographic Society, US Army Corps stratosphere balloon, Explorer II, November 11, 1935. Altitude reached was 72,395 feet above sea level; take off time was 7:01 a.m. MST from Stratrobowl near Rapid City, SD; capacity of bag was 3,700,000 cubic feet; size of bag 115, 845 square feet or two thirds an acre of fabric; height of balloon at take off was 316 feet; weight of balloon, gondola, instruments and crew, 15,002 pounds; flight personnel, Captain Albert W. Stevens, USA; commander of Scientific Observer, and Captain Orvil A. Anderson, USA pilot. (Editor’s note: This story was told to us as children. Our grandfather, Bill Smith, was one of those ‘chasing’ this craft and one of the first to see it land in eastern South Dakota.) |
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Batt Ryan died in May of 1941 at the age of 90.
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Mr. and Mrs. Frank Ryan learned by radio broadcast how their son, Neal, spent part of the Christmas holiday in 1954. He and another courier threw a hotel party for 15 orphans in Vienna, Austria.
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After many years of moving and renting of various buildings, the Kimball Post Office was to have a home of its own. The contract for the new air conditioned building was left to H. R. Davenport. R. P. Korzan constructed the building at a cost of $35,000. Moving day came in October of 1968. Postmaster Frank Ryan, father of the late editor of the BCN, did not live to see its completion as he passed away in May.
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Postmasters that Served Kimball
- David G. Griffen, October 6, 1881
- Benjamin F. Ochsner, May 16, 1887
- John B. Long, February 4, 1890
- William Kinsella, February 9, 1894
- Charles B. Nugen, February 28, 1898
- Minnie B. Long, October 17, 1912
- William J. Quirk, July 31, 1913
- Benjamin W. Ryan, May 3, 1922
- Clarence W. Richards, December 22, 1933
- Frank S. Ryan, March 21, 1942
- Daryle C. Lunn, April 30, 1956