1Census, Federal - 1920 - Turner Co., SD, Hurley, Sheet 3B; Ancestry p. 6 of 23. "Line 51 Dwelling 54 Family 55
Sherard, James Head own Free age 47 b. SD f.b. IRE m.b. IL Occ: None
Jessie wife 44 SD SD SD
Zola dau 17 SD same
Claude son 16 SD
Clyde son 15 SD
Zora dau 14 SD
Jessie dau 12 Tex
Merritt son 9 SD
Irma dau 7 SD
Marian dau 3 9/12 SD."2Social Security Death Index.
3Social Security Death Index.
1Ancestry.com, South Dakota Marriages 1905 - 1949.
2Social Security Death Index.
3Social Security Death Index.
1Census, Federal - 1920 - Turner Co., South Dakota, Spring Valley, ED 239, Sheet 6 A; Ancestry p. 6 of 13, 28 Jan 1920. "Line 2 Dwelling # 100 Family # 100
Sherard, C. M. head rent age 35 married b. SD f.b. IRE m.b. IL occ: Farmer
Mary wife 34 m SD Den Den None
Muriel son 9 SD SD SD
Gifford son 8 same
Martha dau 6 "
Russell son 3 6/12 "."2Census, Federal - 1930 - Turner Co., South Dakota, Viborg, sheet 4B; Ancestry p. 8 of 15 . "Line 67 North St. Dwelling #111 Family # 111
Sherrard, Chas Head Rent 12/mo no radio age 45 m at 24 b. SD f.b. IRE m.b. Iowa Farm Laborer waged
Mary Wife 45 24 SD Den Den
Gifford Son 18 ! SD SD
Merle Son 20 \/ " " Farm Laborer
Martha Daughter 16
Russel Son 13
Lester Son 9."3Social Security Death Index.
4Social Security Death Index.
1Ancestry.com, South Dakota Marriages 1905 - 1949.
2Social Security Death Index.
3Social Security Death Index.
1Census, Federal - 1910 - Turner Co., South Dakota, Hurley Ward 2, ED 415, Sheets 4B & 5A; Ancestry p. 8&9 of 9, 10 May 1910. "Line 98 dwelling 71 Family 72
Cue, Festus A. Head age 35 m1 10 yrs Iowa PA OH General Farmer rents
Lizzie A. Wife 29 same SD Ire IL
Wilbert L. son 9 SD IA SD
Clifford H. son 3
Nora D. dau 7/12
William H. brother 26 S IA PA OH Farm work Laborer."2Census, Federal - 1930 - Milwaukee Co., Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Sheet 5 B; Ancestry p. 10 of 27, 10 Apr 1930. "ED # 357
Line 65 Riverdale Road Dwelling 113 Family 119
Cue, Festus A. head rents for $25/mo no radio age 57 m at age 27 IA IA OH Laborer - General work
Lizzie wife 47 20 SD IRE IL
Harland son 23 21 SD IA SD " "
Tillie dau-in-law 23 21 SD GER GER
Beverly Gr dau 1/12 WI SD SD."
1Census, Federal - 1900 - Turner Co., S. Dakota, Twsp 97, Ancestry p. 6 of 13.
2Ancestry.com, South Dakota Births 1856 - 1903.
1Jessie R. Sanborn, Sherard Family, from a book, "The Centennial of Hurley South Dakota" p. 532. "Sherard Family by Jessie B. Sanborn
James Sherard Sr. was born in the year 1842, in the county of Tyrone in that old congested country of Ireland. He passed away November 11, 1919, at the age of 77 years, 6 months, 5 days, in the home of his daughter Mrs. F. A. Cue, Hurley, South Dakota.
He heard of America and since he longed for more freedom, he left his native home and arrived in the new land at the age of 22. Six years later in Galena, Illinois he married Martha Jane White, a young Civil War widow, with two little boys; and became a father to these two boys, raising them to manhood - namely Samuel and Robert White.
Then he wished for a home of his own, but, alas, no money to buy. He heard of Dakota Territory and a county called Turner with Swan Lake as the county seat. After he investigated and found the county seat with its half dozen settlers his mind grasped the possibilities.
On the 17th of May, 1872, Mr. and Mrs. James Sherard and sons, Samuel and Robert White, also James and William Black, came to this new land. They drove through from Galena, Illinois by team and had some unpleasant experiences. At one place Mr. Sherard got stuck in a swollen creek and had to get out in water waist deep, unhitch his team and hitch a chain to the end of the wagon tongue to draw the wagon out. At one farm ranch they were charged seventy-five cents for a single feed of hay for each team "Evidently there were monopolists then as well as at the present time." (Quote from Joseph Andrew-Early Days in Spring Valley).
They were three weeks on the road. The claims near Swan Lake had been filed on. He pushed on a few miles west, stuck his stakes, built a new prairie home which was a sod cabin and a warm cave in which they spent the winter. On the 22nd of May, 1872, his little family moved out of the covered wagon. According to W. W. Stoddard Turner County Pioneer History this gave Mrs. Sherard the distinction of being the first woman to make actual settlement in Spring Valley Township, although there were others that settled there that same summer.
Mr. Sherard filed a premption on the NE 1/4 of Section 10. He at once started his team to breaking and facing the real struggle to gain a home for himself and family and if possible, a little extra. Consequently he was up early in the morning to get the oxen moving to turn the prairie sod, or make a trip to Yankton (30 miles away) for supplies. He bucked the awful prairie fires, braved the terrible blizzards, kept a stiff upper-lip when the hail and grasshoppers descended, and looked steadily forward in faith for better days.
They had been in their new home only three months and six days when twin children were born- James Jr. and Jennie. As these were the first births in the nameless township Mrs. Sherard was given the honor of naming it, and as there were several large springs near, she named it Spring Valley.
That fall or winter, James Sherard proved up on his preemption and filed a homestead on the four south forties in Section 15, where he later moved and made his home for many years. He also filed on the southeast quarter of Section 23 as a timber claim and proved up on the same. He filed a soldiers' orphans homestead for his step-sons and proved upon the same in their name. Later on, on May 24, 1881, he received the Final Receivers Receipt of Homestead Certificate No. 1411 for S1/2 SW1/4 and S1/2 SE 1/4 of 15-97-54 160 acres, Spring Valley Township.
As we read of these experiences does it sound romantic or imaginary? "Let me quote from W. H. Stoddard Turner County Pioneer History: "Let me assure you, there was nothing imaginary in digging a living out of a raw prairie or raising a family in a one-room sod cabin with neighbors few and far between, and the quickest way to call him was to go on foot or borrow an Indian Pony of some six or eight miles away possibly. It was a great game. A few won out. Many families went back east to live with the old folks. Some lost through calamity and running deeply in debt."
In 1875, when a country post office was established in the township, Mr. Sherard was named Postmaster. His name was among early school officers and specifically I note he was elected Treasurer of Spring Valley School on June 26, 1883.
Even though Mr. and Mrs. Sherard had a large family of nine of their own, their big hearts reached out and took two little girls (children of a distant relative out of the poorhouse in an Illinois county and brought them to their Dakota home and raised them to womanhood namely: Mrs. George Muilenberg and Mrs. Joe Verley.
Once again I quote from W. H. Stoddard Turner County Pioneer History: "I do not know as Mr. Sherard ever became a member of any church, but this I do know, that he contributed to the building and maintaining of the early day M. E. Church that was built at Swan Lake and later moved to Spring Valley Township. I have positive proof that at one time he had saved five dollars to buy himself some warm winter underclothing, when a call was made for the help of the church, and upon his wife's declaration that she could mend up his old underwear, he said here goes the five dollars for the church. Of late years he was a yearly contributer to the support of the M. E. Church in Hurley."
Mr. and Mrs. Sherard raised the following children: James, Jennie (Mrs. Joseph Layne), William, Albert, Belle, Charles, Lizzie (Mrs. Festus Cue), and Samuel and Robert White.
James, William, and Charles all married and farmed in Turner County. They all had sons interested in the fertile land. They and their sons continued to work the land. Currently the only Sherards farming in Turner County are Duarne and Darrell Sherard, sons of Clyde Sherard, grandsons of James A. Sherard and great-grandsons of James Sherard from Tyrone County, Ireland." This articles sent to me on 12 Feb 2007 by S. Sherard.2Census, Federal - 1930 - Turner, South Dakota, Middleton, Ancestry p. 2 of 12. "Line 62
Verley, Joseph D. Head Rents Radio Age 39 m. age 20 NE WI IA
Ida M. Wife 40 21 IL MN IL
Floyd T. son 18 SD NE IL
Cecil M. dau 16 same
Ester M. dau 14 "
Lela L. dau 13 "
Inez I. dau 12 "
Ervan son 10 "
Melvin son 8 "
Iva dau 6 "
Betty dau 3&4/12 "."3Ancestry.com, Family Data - births.
4World War I Draft Registration, Serial # 1021 472 #13, Jun 1917, Ancestry.com. Brookings County, South Dakota
Records gives middle name.5Social Security Death Index.
6Ancestry.com, South Dakota Marriges 1905 - 1949.
1Jo Daviess Estate Files for Samuel D. White, Office of Circuit Court, Jo Daviess County Court House, 330 N. Bench St., Galena, IL, Record Box 174.
2Jessie R. Sanborn, Sherard Family, from a book, "The Centennial of Hurley South Dakota" p. 532. "Sherard Family by Jessie B. Sanborn
James Sherard Sr. was born in the year 1842, in the county of Tyrone in that old congested country of Ireland. He passed away November 11, 1919, at the age of 77 years, 6 months, 5 days, in the home of his daughter Mrs. F. A. Cue, Hurley, South Dakota.
He heard of America and since he longed for more freedom, he left his native home and arrived in the new land at the age of 22. Six years later in Galena, Illinois he married Martha Jane White, a young Civil War widow, with two little boys; and became a father to these two boys, raising them to manhood - namely Samuel and Robert White.
Then he wished for a home of his own, but, alas, no money to buy. He heard of Dakota Territory and a county called Turner with Swan Lake as the county seat. After he investigated and found the county seat with its half dozen settlers his mind grasped the possibilities.
On the 17th of May, 1872, Mr. and Mrs. James Sherard and sons, Samuel and Robert White, also James and William Black, came to this new land. They drove through from Galena, Illinois by team and had some unpleasant experiences. At one place Mr. Sherard got stuck in a swollen creek and had to get out in water waist deep, unhitch his team and hitch a chain to the end of the wagon tongue to draw the wagon out. At one farm ranch they were charged seventy-five cents for a single feed of hay for each team "Evidently there were monopolists then as well as at the present time." (Quote from Joseph Andrew-Early Days in Spring Valley).
They were three weeks on the road. The claims near Swan Lake had been filed on. He pushed on a few miles west, stuck his stakes, built a new prairie home which was a sod cabin and a warm cave in which they spent the winter. On the 22nd of May, 1872, his little family moved out of the covered wagon. According to W. W. Stoddard Turner County Pioneer History this gave Mrs. Sherard the distinction of being the first woman to make actual settlement in Spring Valley Township, although there were others that settled there that same summer.
Mr. Sherard filed a premption on the NE 1/4 of Section 10. He at once started his team to breaking and facing the real struggle to gain a home for himself and family and if possible, a little extra. Consequently he was up early in the morning to get the oxen moving to turn the prairie sod, or make a trip to Yankton (30 miles away) for supplies. He bucked the awful prairie fires, braved the terrible blizzards, kept a stiff upper-lip when the hail and grasshoppers descended, and looked steadily forward in faith for better days.
They had been in their new home only three months and six days when twin children were born- James Jr. and Jennie. As these were the first births in the nameless township Mrs. Sherard was given the honor of naming it, and as there were several large springs near, she named it Spring Valley.
That fall or winter, James Sherard proved up on his preemption and filed a homestead on the four south forties in Section 15, where he later moved and made his home for many years. He also filed on the southeast quarter of Section 23 as a timber claim and proved up on the same. He filed a soldiers' orphans homestead for his step-sons and proved upon the same in their name. Later on, on May 24, 1881, he received the Final Receivers Receipt of Homestead Certificate No. 1411 for S1/2 SW1/4 and S1/2 SE 1/4 of 15-97-54 160 acres, Spring Valley Township.
As we read of these experiences does it sound romantic or imaginary? "Let me quote from W. H. Stoddard Turner County Pioneer History: "Let me assure you, there was nothing imaginary in digging a living out of a raw prairie or raising a family in a one-room sod cabin with neighbors few and far between, and the quickest way to call him was to go on foot or borrow an Indian Pony of some six or eight miles away possibly. It was a great game. A few won out. Many families went back east to live with the old folks. Some lost through calamity and running deeply in debt."
In 1875, when a country post office was established in the township, Mr. Sherard was named Postmaster. His name was among early school officers and specifically I note he was elected Treasurer of Spring Valley School on June 26, 1883.
Even though Mr. and Mrs. Sherard had a large family of nine of their own, their big hearts reached out and took two little girls (children of a distant relative out of the poorhouse in an Illinois county and brought them to their Dakota home and raised them to womanhood namely: Mrs. George Muilenberg and Mrs. Joe Verley.
Once again I quote from W. H. Stoddard Turner County Pioneer History: "I do not know as Mr. Sherard ever became a member of any church, but this I do know, that he contributed to the building and maintaining of the early day M. E. Church that was built at Swan Lake and later moved to Spring Valley Township. I have positive proof that at one time he had saved five dollars to buy himself some warm winter underclothing, when a call was made for the help of the church, and upon his wife's declaration that she could mend up his old underwear, he said here goes the five dollars for the church. Of late years he was a yearly contributer to the support of the M. E. Church in Hurley."
Mr. and Mrs. Sherard raised the following children: James, Jennie (Mrs. Joseph Layne), William, Albert, Belle, Charles, Lizzie (Mrs. Festus Cue), and Samuel and Robert White.
James, William, and Charles all married and farmed in Turner County. They all had sons interested in the fertile land. They and their sons continued to work the land. Currently the only Sherards farming in Turner County are Duarne and Darrell Sherard, sons of Clyde Sherard, grandsons of James A. Sherard and great-grandsons of James Sherard from Tyrone County, Ireland." This articles sent to me on 12 Feb 2007 by S. Sherard. "Even though Mr. and Mrs. Sherard had a large family of nine of their own, their big hearts reached out and took two little girls (children of a distant relative out of the poorhouse in an Illinois county and brought them to their Dakota home and raised them to womanhood namely: Mrs. George Muilenberg and Mrs. Joe Verley."3Census, Federal - 1930 - Turner, South Dakota, Middleton, Ancestry p. 2 of 12, 2 Apr 1930. "Line 62
Verley, Joseph D. Head Rents Radio Age 39 m. age 20 NE WI IA
Ida M. Wife 40 21 IL MN IL
Floyd T. son 18 SD NE IL
Cecil M. dau 16 same
Ester M. dau 14 "
Lela L. dau 13 "
Inez I. dau 12 "
Ervan son 10 "
Melvin son 8 "
Iva dau 6 "
Betty dau 3&4/12 "."4Ancestry.com, South Dakota Marriges 1905 - 1949.
1Census, Federal - 1930 - Turner, South Dakota, Middleton, Ancestry p. 2 of 12.
2Social Security Death Index.
3Social Security Death Index.
1Census, Federal - 1930 - Turner, South Dakota, Middleton, Ancestry p. 2 of 12. "Line 62
Verley, Joseph D. Head Rents Radio Age 39 m. age 20 NE WI IA
Ida M. Wife 40 21 IL MN IL
Floyd T. son 18 SD NE IL
Cecil M. dau 16 same
Ester M. dau 14 "
Lela L. dau 13 "
Inez I. dau 12 "
Ervan son 10 "
Melvin son 8 "
Iva dau 6 "
Betty dau 3&4/12 "."
1Census, Federal - 1930 - Turner, South Dakota, Middleton, Ancestry p. 2 of 12. "Line 62
Verley, Joseph D. Head Rents Radio Age 39 m. age 20 NE WI IA
Ida M. Wife 40 21 IL MN IL
Floyd T. son 18 SD NE IL
Cecil M. dau 16 same
Ester M. dau 14 "
Lela L. dau 13 "
Inez I. dau 12 "
Ervan son 10 "
Melvin son 8 "
Iva dau 6 "
Betty dau 3&4/12 "."
1Census, Federal - 1930 - Turner, South Dakota, Middleton, Ancestry p. 2 of 12.
1Census, Federal - 1930 - Turner, South Dakota, Middleton, Ancestry p. 2 of 12. "Line 62
Verley, Joseph D. Head Rents Radio Age 39 m. age 20 NE WI IA
Ida M. Wife 40 21 IL MN IL
Floyd T. son 18 SD NE IL
Cecil M. dau 16 same
Ester M. dau 14 "
Lela L. dau 13 "
Inez I. dau 12 "
Ervan son 10 "
Melvin son 8 "
Iva dau 6 "
Betty dau 3&4/12 "."
1Census, Federal - 1930 - Turner, South Dakota, Middleton, Ancestry p. 2 of 12. "Line 62
Verley, Joseph D. Head Rents Radio Age 39 m. age 20 NE WI IA
Ida M. Wife 40 21 IL MN IL
Floyd T. son 18 SD NE IL
Cecil M. dau 16 same
Ester M. dau 14 "
Lela L. dau 13 "
Inez I. dau 12 "
Ervan son 10 "
Melvin son 8 "
Iva dau 6 "
Betty dau 3&4/12 "."
1Census, Federal - 1930 - Turner, South Dakota, Middleton, Ancestry p. 2 of 12. "Line 62
Verley, Joseph D. Head Rents Radio Age 39 m. age 20 NE WI IA
Ida M. Wife 40 21 IL MN IL
Floyd T. son 18 SD NE IL
Cecil M. dau 16 same
Ester M. dau 14 "
Lela L. dau 13 "
Inez I. dau 12 "
Ervan son 10 "
Melvin son 8 "
Iva dau 6 "
Betty dau 3&4/12 "."
1Census, Federal - 1930 - Turner, South Dakota, Middleton, Ancestry p. 2 of 12, 2 Apr 1930. "Line 62
Verley, Joseph D. Head Rents Radio Age 39 m. age 20 NE WI IA
Ida M. Wife 40 21 IL MN IL
Floyd T. son 18 SD NE IL
Cecil M. dau 16 same
Ester M. dau 14 "
Lela L. dau 13 "
Inez I. dau 12 "
Ervan son 10 "
Melvin son 8 "
Iva dau 6 "
Betty dau 3&4/12 "."2Social Security Death Index.
3Ancestry.com, obituaries. "Betty G. Verley Hearn OGDEN - Betty G. Hearn, 77, passed away August 24, 2004 at home with her family by her side.
Standard Examiner, Aug 29, 2004."
1Jessie R. Sanborn, Sherard Family, from a book, "The Centennial of Hurley South Dakota" p. 532. "Sherard Family by Jessie B. Sanborn
James Sherard Sr. was born in the year 1842, in the county of Tyrone in that old congested country of Ireland. He passed away November 11, 1919, at the age of 77 years, 6 months, 5 days, in the home of his daughter Mrs. F. A. Cue, Hurley, South Dakota.
He heard of America and since he longed for more freedom, he left his native home and arrived in the new land at the age of 22. Six years later in Galena, Illinois he married Martha Jane White, a young Civil War widow, with two little boys; and became a father to these two boys, raising them to manhood - namely Samuel and Robert White.
Then he wished for a home of his own, but, alas, no money to buy. He heard of Dakota Territory and a county called Turner with Swan Lake as the county seat. After he investigated and found the county seat with its half dozen settlers his mind grasped the possibilities.
On the 17th of May, 1872, Mr. and Mrs. James Sherard and sons, Samuel and Robert White, also James and William Black, came to this new land. They drove through from Galena, Illinois by team and had some unpleasant experiences. At one place Mr. Sherard got stuck in a swollen creek and had to get out in water waist deep, unhitch his team and hitch a chain to the end of the wagon tongue to draw the wagon out. At one farm ranch they were charged seventy-five cents for a single feed of hay for each team "Evidently there were monopolists then as well as at the present time." (Quote from Joseph Andrew-Early Days in Spring Valley).
They were three weeks on the road. The claims near Swan Lake had been filed on. He pushed on a few miles west, stuck his stakes, built a new prairie home which was a sod cabin and a warm cave in which they spent the winter. On the 22nd of May, 1872, his little family moved out of the covered wagon. According to W. W. Stoddard Turner County Pioneer History this gave Mrs. Sherard the distinction of being the first woman to make actual settlement in Spring Valley Township, although there were others that settled there that same summer.
Mr. Sherard filed a premption on the NE 1/4 of Section 10. He at once started his team to breaking and facing the real struggle to gain a home for himself and family and if possible, a little extra. Consequently he was up early in the morning to get the oxen moving to turn the prairie sod, or make a trip to Yankton (30 miles away) for supplies. He bucked the awful prairie fires, braved the terrible blizzards, kept a stiff upper-lip when the hail and grasshoppers descended, and looked steadily forward in faith for better days.
They had been in their new home only three months and six days when twin children were born- James Jr. and Jennie. As these were the first births in the nameless township Mrs. Sherard was given the honor of naming it, and as there were several large springs near, she named it Spring Valley.
That fall or winter, James Sherard proved up on his preemption and filed a homestead on the four south forties in Section 15, where he later moved and made his home for many years. He also filed on the southeast quarter of Section 23 as a timber claim and proved up on the same. He filed a soldiers' orphans homestead for his step-sons and proved upon the same in their name. Later on, on May 24, 1881, he received the Final Receivers Receipt of Homestead Certificate No. 1411 for S1/2 SW1/4 and S1/2 SE 1/4 of 15-97-54 160 acres, Spring Valley Township.
As we read of these experiences does it sound romantic or imaginary? "Let me quote from W. H. Stoddard Turner County Pioneer History: "Let me assure you, there was nothing imaginary in digging a living out of a raw prairie or raising a family in a one-room sod cabin with neighbors few and far between, and the quickest way to call him was to go on foot or borrow an Indian Pony of some six or eight miles away possibly. It was a great game. A few won out. Many families went back east to live with the old folks. Some lost through calamity and running deeply in debt."
In 1875, when a country post office was established in the township, Mr. Sherard was named Postmaster. His name was among early school officers and specifically I note he was elected Treasurer of Spring Valley School on June 26, 1883.
Even though Mr. and Mrs. Sherard had a large family of nine of their own, their big hearts reached out and took two little girls (children of a distant relative out of the poorhouse in an Illinois county and brought them to their Dakota home and raised them to womanhood namely: Mrs. George Muilenberg and Mrs. Joe Verley.
Once again I quote from W. H. Stoddard Turner County Pioneer History: "I do not know as Mr. Sherard ever became a member of any church, but this I do know, that he contributed to the building and maintaining of the early day M. E. Church that was built at Swan Lake and later moved to Spring Valley Township. I have positive proof that at one time he had saved five dollars to buy himself some warm winter underclothing, when a call was made for the help of the church, and upon his wife's declaration that she could mend up his old underwear, he said here goes the five dollars for the church. Of late years he was a yearly contributer to the support of the M. E. Church in Hurley."
Mr. and Mrs. Sherard raised the following children: James, Jennie (Mrs. Joseph Layne), William, Albert, Belle, Charles, Lizzie (Mrs. Festus Cue), and Samuel and Robert White.
James, William, and Charles all married and farmed in Turner County. They all had sons interested in the fertile land. They and their sons continued to work the land. Currently the only Sherards farming in Turner County are Duarne and Darrell Sherard, sons of Clyde Sherard, grandsons of James A. Sherard and great-grandsons of James Sherard from Tyrone County, Ireland." This articles sent to me on 12 Feb 2007 by S. Sherard.2Census, Federal - 1910 - Harris Co., Texas, Justice Precinct 1 , Sheet 30 A; Ancestry p. 58 of 79, 2 May 1910. "Line 37 4218 Eli Dwelling 373 Family 386
Layne, Joseph A. Head age 38 m 18 yrs SD IN IN Occ: Oil well driller for wages Home owned Free
Jennie wife 36 m 18 yrs SD IRE IL
Lillian dau 17 SD SD SD
Freda F. dau 12 SD " "
Joseph A. Jr son 8 SD
Ruth B. dau 5 TX."3Census, Federal - 1910 - Harris Co., Texas, Justice Precinct 1 , Sheet 30 A; Ancestry p. 58 of 79.
1census, Federal - 1880 - Turner Co., Dakota Territory, District 27, Ancestry p. 10 of 36.
2Census, Federal - 1910 - Harris Co., Texas, Justice Precinct 1 . "Line 37 4218 Eli Dwelling 373 Family 386
Layne, Joseph A. Head age 38 m 18 yrs SD IN IN Occ: Oil well driller for wages Home owned Free
Jennie wife 36 m 18 yrs SD IRE IL
Lillian dau 17 SD SD SD
Freda F. dau 12 SD " "
Joseph A. Jr son 8 SD
Ruth B. dau 5 TX."3Jessie R. Sanborn, Sherard Family, from a book, "The Centennial of Hurley South Dakota" p. 532. "Sherard Family by Jessie B. Sanborn
James Sherard Sr. was born in the year 1842, in the county of Tyrone in that old congested country of Ireland. He passed away November 11, 1919, at the age of 77 years, 6 months, 5 days, in the home of his daughter Mrs. F. A. Cue, Hurley, South Dakota.
He heard of America and since he longed for more freedom, he left his native home and arrived in the new land at the age of 22. Six years later in Galena, Illinois he married Martha Jane White, a young Civil War widow, with two little boys; and became a father to these two boys, raising them to manhood - namely Samuel and Robert White.
Then he wished for a home of his own, but, alas, no money to buy. He heard of Dakota Territory and a county called Turner with Swan Lake as the county seat. After he investigated and found the county seat with its half dozen settlers his mind grasped the possibilities.
On the 17th of May, 1872, Mr. and Mrs. James Sherard and sons, Samuel and Robert White, also James and William Black, came to this new land. They drove through from Galena, Illinois by team and had some unpleasant experiences. At one place Mr. Sherard got stuck in a swollen creek and had to get out in water waist deep, unhitch his team and hitch a chain to the end of the wagon tongue to draw the wagon out. At one farm ranch they were charged seventy-five cents for a single feed of hay for each team "Evidently there were monopolists then as well as at the present time." (Quote from Joseph Andrew-Early Days in Spring Valley).
They were three weeks on the road. The claims near Swan Lake had been filed on. He pushed on a few miles west, stuck his stakes, built a new prairie home which was a sod cabin and a warm cave in which they spent the winter. On the 22nd of May, 1872, his little family moved out of the covered wagon. According to W. W. Stoddard Turner County Pioneer History this gave Mrs. Sherard the distinction of being the first woman to make actual settlement in Spring Valley Township, although there were others that settled there that same summer.
Mr. Sherard filed a premption on the NE 1/4 of Section 10. He at once started his team to breaking and facing the real struggle to gain a home for himself and family and if possible, a little extra. Consequently he was up early in the morning to get the oxen moving to turn the prairie sod, or make a trip to Yankton (30 miles away) for supplies. He bucked the awful prairie fires, braved the terrible blizzards, kept a stiff upper-lip when the hail and grasshoppers descended, and looked steadily forward in faith for better days.
They had been in their new home only three months and six days when twin children were born- James Jr. and Jennie. As these were the first births in the nameless township Mrs. Sherard was given the honor of naming it, and as there were several large springs near, she named it Spring Valley.
That fall or winter, James Sherard proved up on his preemption and filed a homestead on the four south forties in Section 15, where he later moved and made his home for many years. He also filed on the southeast quarter of Section 23 as a timber claim and proved up on the same. He filed a soldiers' orphans homestead for his step-sons and proved upon the same in their name. Later on, on May 24, 1881, he received the Final Receivers Receipt of Homestead Certificate No. 1411 for S1/2 SW1/4 and S1/2 SE 1/4 of 15-97-54 160 acres, Spring Valley Township.
As we read of these experiences does it sound romantic or imaginary? "Let me quote from W. H. Stoddard Turner County Pioneer History: "Let me assure you, there was nothing imaginary in digging a living out of a raw prairie or raising a family in a one-room sod cabin with neighbors few and far between, and the quickest way to call him was to go on foot or borrow an Indian Pony of some six or eight miles away possibly. It was a great game. A few won out. Many families went back east to live with the old folks. Some lost through calamity and running deeply in debt."
In 1875, when a country post office was established in the township, Mr. Sherard was named Postmaster. His name was among early school officers and specifically I note he was elected Treasurer of Spring Valley School on June 26, 1883.
Even though Mr. and Mrs. Sherard had a large family of nine of their own, their big hearts reached out and took two little girls (children of a distant relative out of the poorhouse in an Illinois county and brought them to their Dakota home and raised them to womanhood namely: Mrs. George Muilenberg and Mrs. Joe Verley.
Once again I quote from W. H. Stoddard Turner County Pioneer History: "I do not know as Mr. Sherard ever became a member of any church, but this I do know, that he contributed to the building and maintaining of the early day M. E. Church that was built at Swan Lake and later moved to Spring Valley Township. I have positive proof that at one time he had saved five dollars to buy himself some warm winter underclothing, when a call was made for the help of the church, and upon his wife's declaration that she could mend up his old underwear, he said here goes the five dollars for the church. Of late years he was a yearly contributer to the support of the M. E. Church in Hurley."
Mr. and Mrs. Sherard raised the following children: James, Jennie (Mrs. Joseph Layne), William, Albert, Belle, Charles, Lizzie (Mrs. Festus Cue), and Samuel and Robert White.
James, William, and Charles all married and farmed in Turner County. They all had sons interested in the fertile land. They and their sons continued to work the land. Currently the only Sherards farming in Turner County are Duarne and Darrell Sherard, sons of Clyde Sherard, grandsons of James A. Sherard and great-grandsons of James Sherard from Tyrone County, Ireland." This articles sent to me on 12 Feb 2007 by S. Sherard. "On the 22nd of May, 1872, his little family moved out of the covered wagon. . .They had been in their new home only three months and six days when twin children were born- James Jr. and Jennie."4Census, Federal - 1910 - Harris Co., Texas, Justice Precinct 1 , Sheet 30 A; Ancestry p. 58 of 79.
1Ancestry.com, South Dakota Births.
1Ancestry.com, South Dakota Births.
2Social Security Death Index.
1Ancestry.com, South Dakota Births.
1Census, Federal - 1910 - Harris Co., Texas, Justice Precinct 1 , Sheet 30A; Ancestry p. 58 of 79, 2 May 1910.
1S. Johnston, Email of 11 Feb 2007. "His parents were James and Matilda Sherrard who are both buried in the
Mt. Joy Graveyard in Tyrone - near Omagh or Glassmullah (James died on
5/4/1883 and Matilda on 3/6/1883)."
1S. Johnston, Email of 11 Feb 2007. "His parents were James and Matilda Sherrard who are both buried in the
Mt. Joy Graveyard in Tyrone - near Omagh or Glassmullah (James died on
5/4/1883 and Matilda on 3/6/1883)."
1S. Johnston, Email of 12 Feb 2007.
1S. Johnston, Email of 12 Feb 2007.
1S. Johnston, Email of 12 Feb 2007.
1S. Johnston, Email of 12 Feb 2007.
1S. Johnston, Email of 12 Feb 2007.
1S. Johnston, Email of 12 Feb 2007.
1Census, Federal - 1850 - Jo Daviess Co., Illinois, Irish Hollow Precinct.
2Jessie R. Sanborn, Sherard Family, from a book, "The Centennial of Hurley South Dakota" p. 532. "Sherard Family by Jessie B. Sanborn
James Sherard Sr. was born in the year 1842, in the county of Tyrone in that old congested country of Ireland. He passed away November 11, 1919, at the age of 77 years, 6 months, 5 days, in the home of his daughter Mrs. F. A. Cue, Hurley, South Dakota.
He heard of America and since he longed for more freedom, he left his native home and arrived in the new land at the age of 22. Six years later in Galena, Illinois he married Martha Jane White, a young Civil War widow, with two little boys; and became a father to these two boys, raising them to manhood - namely Samuel and Robert White.
Then he wished for a home of his own, but, alas, no money to buy. He heard of Dakota Territory and a county called Turner with Swan Lake as the county seat. After he investigated and found the county seat with its half dozen settlers his mind grasped the possibilities.
On the 17th of May, 1872, Mr. and Mrs. James Sherard and sons, Samuel and Robert White, also James and William Black, came to this new land. They drove through from Galena, Illinois by team and had some unpleasant experiences. At one place Mr. Sherard got stuck in a swollen creek and had to get out in water waist deep, unhitch his team and hitch a chain to the end of the wagon tongue to draw the wagon out. At one farm ranch they were charged seventy-five cents for a single feed of hay for each team "Evidently there were monopolists then as well as at the present time." (Quote from Joseph Andrew-Early Days in Spring Valley).
They were three weeks on the road. The claims near Swan Lake had been filed on. He pushed on a few miles west, stuck his stakes, built a new prairie home which was a sod cabin and a warm cave in which they spent the winter. On the 22nd of May, 1872, his little family moved out of the covered wagon. According to W. W. Stoddard Turner County Pioneer History this gave Mrs. Sherard the distinction of being the first woman to make actual settlement in Spring Valley Township, although there were others that settled there that same summer.
Mr. Sherard filed a premption on the NE 1/4 of Section 10. He at once started his team to breaking and facing the real struggle to gain a home for himself and family and if possible, a little extra. Consequently he was up early in the morning to get the oxen moving to turn the prairie sod, or make a trip to Yankton (30 miles away) for supplies. He bucked the awful prairie fires, braved the terrible blizzards, kept a stiff upper-lip when the hail and grasshoppers descended, and looked steadily forward in faith for better days.
They had been in their new home only three months and six days when twin children were born- James Jr. and Jennie. As these were the first births in the nameless township Mrs. Sherard was given the honor of naming it, and as there were several large springs near, she named it Spring Valley.
That fall or winter, James Sherard proved up on his preemption and filed a homestead on the four south forties in Section 15, where he later moved and made his home for many years. He also filed on the southeast quarter of Section 23 as a timber claim and proved up on the same. He filed a soldiers' orphans homestead for his step-sons and proved upon the same in their name. Later on, on May 24, 1881, he received the Final Receivers Receipt of Homestead Certificate No. 1411 for S1/2 SW1/4 and S1/2 SE 1/4 of 15-97-54 160 acres, Spring Valley Township.
As we read of these experiences does it sound romantic or imaginary? "Let me quote from W. H. Stoddard Turner County Pioneer History: "Let me assure you, there was nothing imaginary in digging a living out of a raw prairie or raising a family in a one-room sod cabin with neighbors few and far between, and the quickest way to call him was to go on foot or borrow an Indian Pony of some six or eight miles away possibly. It was a great game. A few won out. Many families went back east to live with the old folks. Some lost through calamity and running deeply in debt."
In 1875, when a country post office was established in the township, Mr. Sherard was named Postmaster. His name was among early school officers and specifically I note he was elected Treasurer of Spring Valley School on June 26, 1883.
Even though Mr. and Mrs. Sherard had a large family of nine of their own, their big hearts reached out and took two little girls (children of a distant relative out of the poorhouse in an Illinois county and brought them to their Dakota home and raised them to womanhood namely: Mrs. George Muilenberg and Mrs. Joe Verley.
Once again I quote from W. H. Stoddard Turner County Pioneer History: "I do not know as Mr. Sherard ever became a member of any church, but this I do know, that he contributed to the building and maintaining of the early day M. E. Church that was built at Swan Lake and later moved to Spring Valley Township. I have positive proof that at one time he had saved five dollars to buy himself some warm winter underclothing, when a call was made for the help of the church, and upon his wife's declaration that she could mend up his old underwear, he said here goes the five dollars for the church. Of late years he was a yearly contributer to the support of the M. E. Church in Hurley."
Mr. and Mrs. Sherard raised the following children: James, Jennie (Mrs. Joseph Layne), William, Albert, Belle, Charles, Lizzie (Mrs. Festus Cue), and Samuel and Robert White.
James, William, and Charles all married and farmed in Turner County. They all had sons interested in the fertile land. They and their sons continued to work the land. Currently the only Sherards farming in Turner County are Duarne and Darrell Sherard, sons of Clyde Sherard, grandsons of James A. Sherard and great-grandsons of James Sherard from Tyrone County, Ireland." This articles sent to me on 12 Feb 2007 by S. Sherard. "On the 17th of May, 1872, Mr. and Mrs. James Sherard and sons, Samuel and Robert White, also James and William Black, came to this new land. (Turner Co., SD)."3Census, Federal - 1900 - Turner Co., South Dakota, Hurley, sheet 6B; Ancestry p. 12 of 23, 14 Jun 1900. "Line 54 Dwelling 64 Family 64
Black, James head b. Oct 1844 age 55 m. 6yrs IL IRE IRE Farmer own mort.
Josephine W Jan 1870 30 m. 6 Fr Fr Fr immigrated 1879."
1Census, Federal - 1900 - Turner Co., South Dakota, Hurley. "Line 54 Dwelling 64 Family 64
Black, James head b. Oct 1844 age 55 m. 6yrs IL IRE IRE Farmer own mort.
Josephine W Jan 1870 30 m. 6 Fr Fr Fr immigrated 1879."