Family History around Kimball
Miscellaneous items as found in the South Dakota Historical Collections
The first pastor of the Catholic Church was Father Stephen in about 1884, then Father Flanigan took charge. They held services in a home until they built their church The Farells, Gavins, Walshes, Ryans, Conleys, Irish John Smiths and Purcells were early attendants and their families still go. Father O'Flaherity was very much loved by his parishioners and during World War I he was a chaplain and was killed while attending the soldiers. Father O'Gorman was the next minister. One night the church burned down because of defective wiring and Father O'Gorman led in the building of a larger church with a complete basement where they hold their suppers and in which they also have a recreation room. Father O'Gorman died in 1946 and Father Conley is the present pastor. ' The membership is 700.
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The homesteaders about the country had little trouble finding water for home use and for stock by digging shallow wells along draws or other low places, as the ground was so saturated that it seemed that the supply was inexhaustable, but dry seasons followed and soon even in these wells the water supply began to diminish. Kimball is on high land, the highest town between the Alleganys and the Black Hills, 1800 feet to be exact, and the lack of water began to concern the people. It was even talked that it might be necessary to move the town to a more favorable location. Then some one began to talk about an artesian well. Few had ever heard of a flowing well and when informed that if a hole was drilled into the hard ground to a great enough depth, water would gush out of the top, it sounded more like a fairy tale than a fact. But something had to be done as they were hauling water from Smith Creek, so a contract was made with the Gray Brothers who moved their heavy clumsy machinery, which made up an artesian well outfit those days, to Kimball and after it was unloaded and set up the monotonous pounding began. Down went the drill into the hard ground but no water came. Still farther down and still no water. Then many were discouraged and complained that their money was being wasted. Finally the treasury was empty and the workmen were about to quit. It was then that Louis Richards personally guaranteed payment if they would keep to work a while longer. When they got to the depth of 1068 feet on December 7, 1885, Louis Richard's birthday, a solid 8 inch stream of water shot 16 feet into the air and Kimball was saved.