Railroad helped Wolsey get started
As people pushed their way westward, generally following the railroad, they were allowed to acquire possession of two or in some instances, three quarter sections of land.
There were generally three types of claims an individual could file.
The Pre-emption Claim entitled a person to acquire title to his land upon payment of $1.25 an acre at the end of a minimum period of six months and then exercise homestead privileges.
If the Homestead Right was used first, five years of residence had to elapse before pre-emption filing could be made unless the homestead claim was commuted to a cash payment, payable after six months.
The Timber Culture Privilege permitted the purchaser to install a packing box or a chicken coop on the land, in which he would live, and a patch with a few straggling sprouts would represent a cultivated tree claim. No residence was required on the Tree Claim.
These types of claims were used by any individuals who settled near Wolsey.
The wagon trail that crossed the area was referred to as the Black and Yellow Trail and was the path that the railroad followed. The trail was so named because it led to the Black Hills and Yellowstone Country.
In 1880, the county records show the Erie Dakota Railway owned the NW 1/4 Section 24. An early plat map shows the railroad as the Dakota Railway and Orway Bennett calls it the Chicago Northwestern and lists Wolsey and the railroad as having a section house in 1880, costing $20.
Many of the early settlers arrived first in Huron and then had to journey by horse and wagon to Wolsey to stake their land claims.
One of the early families, who later lived in Wolsey, was the Old Anderson family. The following story was told by August, son of Ole.
The Anderson family arrived on the second train to Huron in 1880, when August was 7 years old. He recalled his father going to Cavor after groceries with a hand sled because the trains could get no further, due to continual blizzards.
Ole worked on the section line unloading coal and later helped with the building of the railroad to Pierre from Huron. The railroad had reached Huron on June 25, 1880, and was completed to Pierre on Oct. 14, 1880. A celebration was planned at Pierre at the time of completion of the railroad, but could not be held due to a blizzard.
August said it was months at a time when the train could not get from Pierre to Huron because of blizzards.
Most pioneering families had to count pennies and even though there were special rates on the railroad for settlers, the list of chattels to be freighted to the new land was kept to essentials.
Perhaps there were a few light pieces of furniture, a stove, possible a sewing machine, a barrel or two, kitchen utensils and dishes, clothes and personal possessions. Priority was given to farm implements, livestock, tools and lumber for a new home.
The livestock usually consisted of a horse or two, a team of oxen in some cases, and possibly a milk cow to provide milk for the young children.
Occasionally, a melodeon or a treasured piano would be carefully fitted into the crammed allotment of space.
After arrival at their claims or their places of business, the first concern of the early settlers was a place of shelter. Many lived in sod houses, whatever was handy, or whatever they could erect. Sometimes a barn was built first and the family lived there with their livestock until a house could be built.
Many times they shared a sod house with the animals until other buildings could be constructed, the type depending on the need and use.
A common practice in filing for a claim was for two individuals to build one shack, which extended over two quarter sections of land, and each person would live on his side of the shack, thus enabling the individuals to establish rights to his own property, without having to take the time or the expense to build two separate buildings.
Some settlers in the area are said to have arrived as early as 1881. Jones Kimes is believed to have had a claim 11/2 miles west of Wolsey at that time. He was a track walker later for the Chicago & North Western Railroad, walking the tracks from Huron to Wolsey.
The railroad crossed Cain Creek about 1/2 mile east of Wolsey and it is believed that the creek was named for John Cain, a pioneer founder of the Huron Times newspaper.
While Wolsey actually began in 1882, 1/2 mile east of where it now stands, it was platted in 1883, by Magdalen Mosher, who owned the lots on which it stands.
The Beadle County Atlas of 1906, lists Wolsey as having a section house one-half switch and a small lumberyard run by Mosher at the time of platting.
Mosher and Charles Prior had acquired the land from the Erie Dakota Central Railroad and the Chicago Milwaukee Railroad earlier.
Richard Warren Sears, who later began the national mail order house of Sears and Roebuck, was the first depot agent for the Chicago & North Western Railroad. William Farrel, an early section foreman between Wolsey and Huron on that railroad, is said to have shared a room with Sears in Wolsey.
With the growth and development of Wolsey, many different activities were begun to suit the needs of the citizens of the community.
These activities allowed residents time to catch up on local gossip, discuss
worldly matters and affairs, and keep track of the well-being of members of the
community.
History from the Wolsey Centennial book by Donna Kowalke