A History of South Dakota and Its People - MAGNUS JOHNSON - "A Tribute to Our Forefathers"

S. J. Clarke Publishing Company | 1915 | unknown

[not-alone]

thanks for posting, I hope others will share information.

[floriduh voter]

Jennifer, your dad has arrived where you placed his photos. I miss my dad too.

[floriduh voter]

1870 Map of Dakota Territory

FV's ancestors were from territory in the southeastern corner of S.D.

[afraidfortherepublic]

I'm so sorry for your loss. My father died at 56 too. That's way too young to lose our inspiration.

[Luis Gonzalez]

THE BRIDGE

We took my grandfather to to the edge of Key West the year before his death. An old man, walking with our help and quietly living with the pain brought about by old age and old memories.

We stood there, at the Southernmost point in the US and looked south, three generations with three different sets of memories.

I looked at the old man, squinting as if trying to see across the miles, maybe seeing things I couldn't.

"Abuelo, it's only 90 miles away, if there was a bridge we could drive there in two hours!"-said I, seventeen years old at the time.

My father looked down and walked to the car, out of my sight, but the old man didn't move.

"You can't build that bridge Luisito, man can't build that kind of bridge."

"Of course it can be built abuelo, look at the one we crossed to get here!"-I said and smiled the smile of youth, a smile not jaded by lost innocence and betrayed promises.

"You do that Luisito, build your bridge, I know that you will do just that."-he turned and walked back to my father and our car.

My grandfather died a year later, the bridge all but a forgotten fantasy of my younger days. Except maybe not; maybe I am building our bridge, my grandfather's and mine, a bridge between a people's, spanning time and memories, for the old man who couldn't see but could remember, who placed his trust in my hands.

I love you old man, I'm building our bridge.

[Luis Gonzalez]

Thanks for the great thread.

[floriduh voter]

Luis, these accounts just prove what a great country this is and was, thanks to all the innovative ideas that our forefather's came up with, let alone all the hardships and moving they endured before finally homesteading.

And as you know, old oak and mahoghany furniture is VERY LARGE AND HEAVY, not to mention player pianos like the one my grandmother had. As small children, we sat for hours changing the piano rollers and pressing the pedals. No wonder I like ragtime music.

[floriduh voter]

A 1924 Aeolian Player Piano. Aeolian became the leading manufacturer of player pianos in the United States.

Re: ragtime music, I really like "The Alligator Crawl" by Fats Waller, but I've discovered the magnificent BIX BEIDERBECKE FROM IOWA. Enjoy some early jazz... visit http://ms.cc.sunysb.edu/~alhaim/

Watch out though, you may get happy feet.

[Ragtime Cowgirl]

Bless you, both. It hurts every year on Father's Day. Anyone who thinks that families don't need fathers has 1)never had a father, 2)still has a father, but enrolled in Women's Studies and is part of a brainwashed cult.

I now tell young "feminists" to make up with their fathers while they can. Hugs.

Father and son and wife/mom Barbara.(^:

[floriduh voter]

What a great addition! They are like the Cleaver Family. Gee, [W]ally, and Jeb can be the Beav. I could digress. but I'm being kind to democrats today. LOL

[Jennifer in Florida]

Thanks :) Even though our fathers may not be here with us physically, their hopes, values, dreams are still here. Our bodies will fail us and die but our spirits live on and I believe that someday we will all be reunited.

[floriduh voter]

Your Key West story shows that you unconditionally love your family and it further shows the mutual respect that existed between the generations. Maybe the bridge is not one of physical dimension but of time.

You have the opportunity to proudly look back with appreciation and to hold the thought that America is still strong and the best is yet to be. Thanks for your story - I could see the water and bright sunlight in my mind's eye as I read it.

[tubebender]

I was born in Western Fresno County in 1933. My folks and the three oldest siblings settled in Kerman in 1922. They lost the farm in late 29 or 30 and moved to San Joaquin where 2 more sisters and myself were born.(6 kids in all) I moved to Eureka in 54 and married. had 2 kids and started a business that the kids run today. I have a couple of books of "POP" Laval by his son Jerome. (THE WAY "POP" SAW IT) Pop was a photographer for the Fresno Bee in the 30s. 40s and 50s. and the books are of his work.

[afraidfortherepublic]

I have a couple of books of "POP" Laval by his son Jerome. (THE WAY "POP" SAW IT) Pop

My husband and I went to high school with Jerry Laval and his wife (same class). We all miss Jerry -- he died too young.

[afraidfortherepublic]

Thank you for adding your memories of your abuelo to our thread. What an honor!

[afraidfortherepublic]

BTW, I have the same "POP" books. Isn't this a small world?

[Luis Gonzalez]

I am building our bridge, one brick at a time, with each and every story that I write.

"I love you old man, I'm building our bridge."

[floriduh voter]

Luis, please ping me the next time you do a story about South Florida. I'll try to add some pictures to this thread this week. Every time I try to get a picture of the Falls in Sioux Falls, my computer crashes, isn't that curious? It never crashes otherwise. Maybe GGF Magnus is lurking. LOL

[floriduh voter]

I've seen no photograph that captures the beauty of the Falls in Sioux Falls. I ought to know. As a youth, the cousins and I did some impromptu sightseeing "on the rocks" in our cowboy boots. There were some deep gulleys and let's just say that we were young and foolish. I caution everyone to "never" try this.

[floriduh voter]

The Magnificent Sunset at Key West