Selby

Selby

History

County seat locations were set up years before the State of South Dakota came into being. The town of Scranton (or South LeBeau) became the first county seat of Walworth County June 21, 1883. At that time the trading post of LeBeau with the post office called Scranton, was the only permanent settlement in the county. About a year later the location of the county seat in the SW corner of the county came under discussion and plans for the county seat nearer the geographic center of the county.

The Blue Blanket, Volume 1, No. 1 dated Sept. 11, 1877 printed details of the meeting. The publication, printed of blue paper gave its location as the “Center of Walworth County, P. O. LeBeau: and proceeded to give argument against the moving of the county seat. The town of Bangor was platted Oct.  29, 1884 by Geo. Fessenden on land owned by H. B. Foster. The site was presented to voters of the county as the logical site for the county seat. The one issue of the Blue Blanket stressed the fact that the commissioners appointed by the territorial governor had not looked to the best interest of the county in placing the location at LeBeau. Due to the campaign in the newspaper and the influence of the committee Bangor received a majority in the election of 1884 and became the county seat. The courthouse square was donated by H. B. Foster with the promise of a building and was deeded to the county. A building, 20×40, two stories with a hip roof was built by Mr. Foster and in this the county built a fireproof vault.

Bangor became a thriving little town with an attorney, livery, painters, notary, music teacher, pioneer store, lumber yard, real estate, builder and grocer listed among its professionals and residents. Several railroads were reportedly just making time before heading for Bangor with lines to go in all directions.

For sixteen years Bangor held the county seat without dispute. Located in almost the exact center of the county, it expected to remain permanently the county seat.

In 1899 there was word of the possible extension of the Milwaukee Railroad west from Bowdle to the Missouri river and of a town located there to serve as a shipping point for huge west river cattle interests. Bangor expected the rail line would run to their town and then to the river. Early in 1900 the survey became a reality but went through the Spring Lake hills and headed west four miles north of the town. The survey continued straight west, making for the Missouri via the Blue Blanket creek area.  

Editor Fred Griffin of the Walworth County Record continued to insist that the survey would be changed to include Bangor. Construction was imminent, with supplies arriving at Bowdle for the extension. It was rumored that there would be four towns between Bowdle and the river, a tale largely unbelieved by the people of Bangor.

But the survey continued, and lots for the Evarts townsite were sold, township plats were made on the McDowell and Himrich claims and upon Mrs. John Lowry’s homestead. Soon the ribbons of steel were being laid four miles to the north of Bangor. The Rev. S.F. Brown in a series of letters printed in the Record argued in favor of the county seat town; “Bangor Won’t Move” was his initial article. In the July 21, 1900 issue, Editor Griffin noted that “Selby, the new town is platted and lots are on sale” and also “Petitions are being circulated concerning removal of the county seat to Selby.”

In the Record of July 28, Mr. Griffin made his stand plain: “All hope of a railroad into Bangor is gone.” Griffin proposed moving his paper to Selby, and advised others to move as well, recommending the new town as the logical place for the county seat. The Rev. Brown took issue, stating he was not fighting the forming of Selby, but rather to keep Bangor a “clean orderly county village without saloons, gamblers or tramps.: Brown’s enthusiasm for a quiet country village was not shared by all, and ambitious young business and professional men of Bangor began the exodus to Selby and other railroad towns as well. At the principal sale of Selby town lots at Bangor on Aug. 4, many lots both business and residential, were sold to Bangorites.

The first record of moving, Aug. 4, seems to have been J. J. Hoven’s machine shed, closely followed by his large store building, a move that created quite a problem for the movers. Sixty-four horses were finally required to finish the job.

In the issue of the Record that week was the announcement that “about 600 signatures were affixed to the petition for the submission of the question of the removal of the county seat this fall.” Walworth County was split by a struggle that lasted for eight years; the fight for the county seat.

The city of Selby, as do so many of the towns located along a railroad, owes its existence to a happenstance,- surveyors, as to where their new road, as it gradually advanced westward, would locate. If, as was believed when the town of Bangor was established  as the county seat, the railroad had extended its line from the Bowdle terminal straight west to the Missouri, via Bangor, there probably would never have been a Selby.

By the middle of March 1900, Bangor’s hopes were dashed to earth, and there was no doubt that the road from Bowdle would angle northwestward and pass about four miles north of Bangor. In May of that year, the NW1/4 of Section 4/123-76 belonging to Adam Himrich and an adjoining 40 acres to the west, owned by Isaac Smith, were definitely settled as the site for the new town and were purchased by the Milwaukee Land company. In July the town had been platted by the company and given the name of Selby. Just why it received this name is not definitely known but it may have been named after some railroad official.

R.W. Reynolds was appointed townsite agent, with office set up in the Farmers and Merchants bank at Bangor. The lot sale for the new town was held at the Bangor courthouse on August 3, 1900, with prices ranging from $200 for corner lots and $150 for inside business lots to $100 for corner and $72 for inside residence lots. Bonus bids ranged from $5 to $130 for choice. Sixty lots were sold, most of the buyers being Bangor residents, with a few from Mound City, Bowdle and Gettysburg. A petition was circulated almost immediately to submit to voters at the coming election the question of moving the county seat to Selby, but Bangor’s disappointment in having been bypassed by the railroad was still too new to accept the inevitable, and the question was defeated, lacking 164 votes of winning.

Preparations for moving started at once, and on the day after the lot sale, the J.J. Hoven & Co., located a small oil and tool shed on the back of their lot in the new townsite. A few days later on August 7, the Auburn hotel and barn were moved to lots 6, 7 and 8 block 13. On August 10, the J. E. Hoefs residence and barn followed to lot 6, block 3. Basement excavation was started for their store on lot 9. The J.J. Hoven & Co. store, after several breakdowns enroute, arrived and located on lots 1 and 2 of block 7.

Then in rapid succession came the Flashman residence, J. J. Elfrink store and barn, N. H. Kingman real estate office, the Reporter building, S. F. Hoffman barber shop and bakery, the two blacksmith shops of B.W. Clark and Lund and Drake, the Farmers and Merchants bank and the Walworth County bank. The two banks started at same time, a friendly rivalry as to which would arrive first being witnessed by about 100 people. The time was 2 hours, 15 minutes, with the Farmers and Merchants bank winning by a matter of seconds. Among the other first structures moved in were the Vail and Kirkhoven building, the H.R. deMalignon and B. B. Potter residences, the office building of Dr. A. Beil, physician, and Dr. Foster, veterinary, the H. F. Ottman residence and barn, the A. F. Miles harness and shoe shop from Mound city, the W. Vail, Fred Griffin, W. B. Burr and Mike Kirkhoven residences.

The first two trains, a work train and a mixed train, arrived in Selby on August 17, 1900. A depot was built and equipped, and N. H. Kingman took charge as the first depot agent. During the first  three days of operation, earnings were $2000. On November 1, the Milwaukee road decided to run a regular tri-weekly mixed, passenger and freight train from Roscoe to Evarts and return.

When several residents failed to get water on their lots, the railroad company ordered in its well digging outfit which arrived September 7 to put down an artesian well to supply the town with water. By the middle of August hammers and saws were hard a t it and several new buildings began nearing completion. Among the new buildings were the Gross Bors. office and implement building, a large addition to the Auburn hotel, the Guy Fletcher barber shop, the Joseph Treanor drug store opposite the Auburn hotel, a general store by J. H. Franks and John Dupper, the McCaull and Webster elevator, the Victoria elevator, and the Amy, Kingman, and Taylor residences. The A. S. Taylor and St. Croix lumber companies built office buildings on their lots and by September 1, lumber stocks were being brought in. The St. Croix company was managed by Billy Michell, whose family lived in rooms over the office.

The stockyards were were in operation and and Selby’s first livestock shipment by rail, was a carload of hogs, was many by O. D. Buchecker August 24, and on September 22, Fenlon Brothers shipped out 11 carloads of cattle (286 head).

During the latter part of August and the next three months, the town continued to grow rapidly as more buildings were moved in – majority from Bangor – and others were built. Among those moved in were: George Clark livery and stage barn, Woodman hall, Rudolph Cheskey building, M. E. parsonage, Stablein store building which had been purchased by D. B. Shaw & Son for a furniture and undertaking business, the Melgaard drug store and Dr. Gunderman building which was moved in two sections, the Bangor house which started September 1 and because of difficulties did not arrive until late December, W. R. Green bank building, Carscallen & Son harness shop, and the residences of Dr. Beil, J. J. Hoven, Dr. Gunderman, H. P. Hankins and George Clark.

New structures included: The P. V. Preszler general store north of the Auburn hotel, the R. B. Wisch store building, a two-story business structure owned by Wm. Flick and H. F. Ottman, the Isaac Smith hotel and restaurant on the east side of main street, the Kashman and Bezankos restaurant north of the Smith building, the Wm. Flick home, and a home erected by Senator Varnum for his mother and sister. Geo. Clark and H. G. Cartwright started dray lines, Campbell and Clark opened a meat market November 1, Dr. Gibson, Bowdle dentist, opened an office in Selby, O. G. Baker opened a shoe repair shop in the rear of Hoefs store, and Joe Nesbitt opened a tin shop in the Hoven store.

Church services were held in the Woodman hall until the Methodist church could be moved to Selby. The Ladies Aid Society held frequent chicken pie suppers, the proceeds being used to help pay the pastor’s salary.

The Selby school building was completed and opened October 20 with Miss Stella Douglas and Miss Varnum as teachers. Fred Griffin was appointed postmaster and the office began operating December 17, 1900, in the front part of the Record print shop building, located south of the Farmers & Merchants bank. The mail was received by stage from Bowdle, and J. D. Stewart was the assistant in the post office. The first dance in Selby was held October 19 by the Woodman lodge in their hall. N. H. Kingman called the first meeting of the John Manyan FAR post in Selby on November 3, 1900. The first marriage was performed November 28, uniting Phil Lewis and Miss Addie Wilson. The first death was that of Wm. Flick, who suffered a stroke and died December 17.

By January 1, 1901, the town was well established and progressive although only about five months old. Church services were being held regularly, the Rev. James Davis of Bowdle, conducting Congregational services every two weeks in the Woodman hall, Rev. Ingersoll of Selby held regular Methodist services and Rev. Fr. Dahlman of Hillsview, held Catholic services every two weeks. T. J. Thompson supplied and planted more than 300 trees in the new town. Business additions early this year included the opening of a blacksmith shop by Will Simon; E. C. Long, jeweler and gunsmith, moved in with his house from Campbell county; H. R. de Malingnon severed connections with the Crown elevator and opened a machinery business, with a side line of flour and feed, later purchasing the Parr coal and grain business; the W. S. Schwartz tin shop moved into the Carscallen building and a bicycle and hardware business added; R. W Reynolds and Harry Baillet formed a land, loan, insurance and law partnership; A. S. Taylor purchased the Phil Lewis meat market and added a refrigeration plant, making it one of the best in the state; Miss Ester Elfrink, doctor of osteopathy, opened a practice; Dr. Eberhart, dentist, located a practice in the Auburn hotel.

Land seekers came in groups almost daily during the summer months. Selby sponsored a baseball team, playing the first game on May 12, 1901, with Java and winning 37-4. Main streets were plowed, graded and graveled and sidewalks were built. Photo shops were located in town by C. W. Stoddard and A. L. Artz. the Standard Oil company opened a tank station. A cemetery association was formed and a cemetery located.

In July, a railroad well was sunk at the stockyards and water obtained at 53 feet. An artesian well was sunk and water and gas were struck at 1890 feet., with enough pressure to raise the water 50 feet and enough gas to light all buildings on main street. The flow from the artesian well formed the town’s first skating rink. Selby had its first fire when a blaze broke out in the Schwartz and Spork hardware store about midnight December 20. The Kirkhoven and Carscallen building burned but most of the contents were saved.

In January of 1901, a meeting was held to consider the incorporation of the town. Burr, Reynolds and de Malignon were appointed as a committee to take further action. Late in July a proposal to incorporate passed by a vote of 45-2 and a few weeks later the following board of trustees were elected: A. F. Miles, president; J. J. Hoven, Fred Griffin; other officers named were C. E. Wilson, marshal; A. F. Stuck, assessor; Wm. Mitchell, clerk; H. R. de Malignon, justice of peace; A. E. Birkholt, overseer of highways.

The year 1902 saw the consolidation of the Walworth County and Farmers, & Merchants banks Jan. 15. Kirkhoven erected a new building south of the post office: Schwartz and Spork opened a tinshop, hardware and harness shop in the Gunderman store; W. W. Howe opened a law office in the Carscallen building and A. H. Smith opened another in the Green building; a town hall and jail were built and official railway mail service began June 2. Selby held the largest July 4th celebration ever known in this section and a race track was built for the occasion. Wilson and Kelly opened a livery, feed and sales stable; Baeer and Wagner began an implement business; Dr. R. W. Butturff, dentist located here; the St. James Hotel, closed by harry Van Horn in Apr. 1901, was reopened in July 1902 by Stevenson; Geo. G Fredericks opened a jewelry store and repair shop; Atty. Fred Tiffany of Mound City moved to Selby and became associated with the Reynolds office; the German Land & Investment Co. opened and office with John Linden as manager; R. W. Reynolds purchased a new car, one of the first in Selby; August Rettke purchased an interest in the Simon blacksmith shop; B.B. Carscallen resigned as justice of peace and was replaced by S. F. Hoffman.

Another industry came to Selby in 1903, a flour mill of 60 barrel capacity, opened by Lange and Schmeichel. Other additions and changes in 1903 included: August Schmidt purchased the Taylor home and meat market; J. J. Hoven & Co. was dissolved, Mr. Hoven taking the Evarts holdings and Potter and Burr the Selby store; James Coffey and J. H. Holmes opened land office: a new chemical engine was used in fighting a fire at the Miles harness shop; the Walworth County Bak erected a new building; a Selby businessmen’s league was formed with A. F. Miles as president; J. J. Elfrink, vice president; B. A. Amy, treasurer and A. H. Smith, secretary. The first new light plant was installed by Geo. Zeider; W. E. Prann purchased the Swanson building for a drug store; the first telephone system was installed in June with 45 patrons; the largest crowd ever gathered in the Walworth County attended an Old Settlers Day in Selby June 19. The week of July 11 a new $5000 school building was approved by the largest vote ever cast at a school election in the area; Prof. Schellenger was hired as principal with Myrtle Potter and Bertha Burr teaching the intermediate and primary grades. A new baseball diamond was made west of the lumber yard; an Epicopal mission was established; Michael Wagneer built a new home; W.S. Button opened a jewelry and repair shop in the Rann Drug store; a contract was awarded or construction to the new Catholic church for $1750 to Ed Forte; $25,000 was spent on improvements in Selby during the year.

A New Years’ dance was held in the newly completed schoolhouse to open the year 1904. School opened the second weed of Jan. George Flashman opened a bowling alley; the Mill company bought the old Catholic church building and moved it to Main Street to open a flour and feed store; work began on the construction of the Episcopal church; a few cement sidewalks were built and new homes ere erected by H. P. Gutz, Fred Preszler and I. B. Niles.

In Jan. of 1904 Selby again circulated a petition for the removal of the county seat; so did Java. At the hearing before the county commissioners the list read 558 for Selby, 336 for Java, out of 994 legal voters in the county. Selby won by majority. All through the spring summer and fall of 1904 the county seat struggle took precedence over any other issue in the county. A final survey made by the Selby faction just preceding the election virtually “clinched” the election for Selby. The towns people prepared for a big celebration. The day following the election there was a sudden sober and stunned reaction; apparently the voters had again retained the county seat at inland Bangor! Immediately there was an investigation; accusations flew thick and fast. “The people who had signed the petition had not voted” cried some; others blamed the press of the county for too outspoken a campaign which reaped a reward of antagonism. It was found that the votes of one precinct were nullified because of improper registration and other instances of intimidation of whole blocks of voters were aired. While the facts were common knowledge, tangible proof was lacking.

In a series of meetings, more of less played down, an injunction was instigated, and acted upon by a temporary presiding judge, and served, designating “Selby by due process of legal contest action as the county seat.” The quotes are from the Walworth County Record. On the 26th of December at two in the afternoon twenty wagons and teams and some forty “husky lads” from Walwoth County descended upon the county seat at Bangor and records and contents of the vault were loaded and taken to Selby and the courthouse at Bangor was literally torn down.

While no doubt this action was neither instigated nor approved by the solid citizenry of the Selby faction, the fact remains that the crowd of enthusiastic young men used homemade battering rams of timbers to bring down the walls of the old courthouse, used spades to clear the shingles from the roof and in the time between the 26 at 2 p.m. and Dec. 27th at 3 a.m., scattered the timber of the old courthouse that had stood in the little town of Bangor for twenty years.

All these actions left the existing county officials in a quandary, especially the sheriff and the newly elected states attorney. The sheriff was forced to serve injunctions on both sides and the states attorney was hard pressed by both factions; urged by the Selby contingent to investigate the legality of the election without tangible proof, and faced also with the actual vandalism in the destruction of the courthouse. There was of course, a great deal to be said for both sides of the burning issue at the time. Selby was the logical site for the county seat; on the other hand, there was over-enthusiasm shown in the method of obtaining their goal. 

Litigation followed litigation and the injunction removing the records to Selby seemed to be in legal doubt. Carried to the supreme court, the verdict was finally again Selby and after more than a year the records ere again retuned to Bangor for the years of 1906, 1907 and 1908. Selby made another try before waiting for the next election. In 1906 the town board moved to incorporate a strip of land approximately a city street wide and four miles long running into Bangor and including the courthouse square donated in 1894 by Mr. Foster for courthouse purposes. Foster and other landowners fought this move and it came to nothing, but not before the Aberdeen News, the Chicago Herald and New York Times printed the feature story of “Selby, the little town with a main street four miles long”

A great deal of bitterness was generated by this county seat fight. Neighbor took sides against neighbor. No town in the county preserved a neutral stand. At the time the small town of Evarts was probably the only one that did not covet the title of county seat. But Evarts’ fate was, like Bangor’s, subject to the decisions of the Milwaukee Railroad. In 1906, the railroad engineers could find no suitable site for a bridge to cross the Missouri in the Evarts area. To the north, at the mouth of the Grand river, a suitable crossing site was located. An exodus began from Evarts and by 1908 only one building of concrete block stood on the townsite. The new town of Mobridge, was formed in 1907, and that city, along with Java and a flare-up of the hopes of LeBeau enjoying a third era of growth, all sought the courthouse. LeBeau was another doomed town, and lasted only a year or so after the county seat fight was settled. A series of fires, some deliberately set, reduced the town to mostly ashes by 1911 the remains of the little brick bank remaining for many years, now covered by the water of the Oahe reservoir. Bangor, reduced to 19 citizens and a half dozen buildings and faced with a petition for the removal to a railroad location of the county seat signed by virtually every voter in the county, made only a token resistance when time for the next election rolled around. No celebration marked the event; not even any rejoicing in the voters of the county chose Selby as the county seat. Long fought and hard won, the battle was over and the courthouse has remained in Selby ever since. Only an imposing mahogany granite monument now marks the site of the extinct county seat town of Bangor. The thriving bustling little town had plans for greatness dashed when the Milwaukee Railroad ran their line four miles to the north. The marker, a few feet off of U.S. Highway 83 means little to the people passing today; but to those old enough to have been around some 90 years ago and their families, Bangor recalls many colorful memories.

THE FULL ARTICLE CAN BE FOUND IN THE SELBY CENTENNIAL BOOK, 1900-2000