Jacob A Tschetter
(recollections by Jacob Tschetter, continued)
Here now I want to relate a few things of our early years on the farm. Our grandparents homesteaded in the year 1875 on the open prairies of the Dakota territory.
Father was then only 14 and mother 12 years old. Every citizen had a right to homestead free on government land, 480 acres, with only little requirement to improve, that is, to build up the land. Those early settlers built sod houses in which they lived because it was the fastest and also the most economical. The closest market to buy lumber was more than 40 miles away and with a team of oxen it was a long trip. But the home grandfather built and where we lived our early years, was made of sun dried brick and plastered with lime cement in and outside, then kalsomined white. The walls were 2 feet thick, and the structure was about 40 by 100 feet, and 8 feet high. The roof and ceiling were matched lumber and shingled. The east half was the house with 5 rooms, and the west half was the barn. It housed about 9 horses and 12 or more cows, which we as a rule milked. Here is where we lived our happy early childhood days. Later we built us a big, 13 room, 2 story house, and also a big horse barn and granary.
Grandfather with his 5 sons and 2 daughters settled down in the Hutchinson County along the Wolf Creek. In those early years, it was a running stream with plenty of fish in it. It also had some wild fruit such as cherries, plums, and other berries on its banks. It was a great delight for us children to pick the berries and fish in its waters. In those days there was no law against fishing or seining, so we did much of it. We also had a big self-made pond on which we skated in winter and boated in summer.
We had a very fine home and never knew of any hardships; we always had what we needed. We did not live in luxury, but always had good and warm clothes and had good country schools.
Sister Susanna and Jacob
