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- Alfred Nilson arrived in Belle Fourche, South Dakota the 15th of July,1892 on his nineteenth birthday, from Billinge, Sweden. Leaving Grimby,England where he bought a small Valise which held all of his worldlypossessions, he and a neighbor lad, Gene Hejde, started for America. Theship also carried cattle for other emigrants who were coming to a new and free country. They landed in Quebec, Canada, and bought a train ticket to BelleFourche, South Dakota. Somewhere through Iowa the conductor tore off thewrong part of their ticket, causing them trouble, as the next conductorwanted to send them back east. Not being able to speak English this wasrather frustrating to all. At Belle Fourche they were fortunate to contact a Mr. Bailey, who livedon Sour Dough, north of Aladdin. He gave them a ride that far, thenpointed out the direction they should go to get to Eothen. Mr. Hejdestopped at his brother Janes Hejde’s place two miles west of Aladdin.Here Alfred, with his little valise, alone in a strange country walked on to his brother Nils Nilson’shomestead, two miles west of the John Pearson sawmill at Eothen. Hearrived late in the evening, where he made the acquaintance of his threenieces and a nephew. A month long journey had ended. He worked at different jobs both in the Eothen, Wyoming and Spearfish,South Dakota areas. He hauled the first load of lumber from the Pearsonsawmill to Aladdin, to be used in the construction of the present Aladdin(Weaver) store. In 1893 he worked for W.W. 'Tobe' Driskill of Spearfish, at his CampStool ranch on Lytle Creek, east of the Devil’s Tower. Here he visitedwith William Rogers and Willard Ripley, ranchers of the area, who weremaking the pegs and other preparations to climb the tower. On the 3rd ofJuly Alfred drove a team and buggy from Spearfish, accompanied by two Driskill youths. Thealong with many others witnessed the climb of Rogers on July, 4th 1893. Rogers unfurled the American flag and placed it on the tower. The windbroke the staff and the flag floated down into the crowd. It was cut intosmall pieces and sold for 25 cents each. Later, Alfred worked for Sam Moses for the Flying V Cattle Company on theMoreau River in South Dakota. In 1900 he carried the mail for the contractor, Troed Pearson, fromAladdin, Wyoming to Hulett, Wyoming, with team and cart or horsebackleading a pack horse. He filed on a homestead adjoining his brother’s homestead and built asmall log cabin there. The Forest Service secured this land in lateryears. Part of the cabin is still standing. In April 1900, Hilda Pearson, along with her two brothers, Troed andPeter, arrived at their Uncle John Pearson’s. They were returning toWyoming, after spending the Christmas holidays in Sweden with theirparents and other relatives. They first arrived in Wyoming several yearsearlier. As Mr. Pearson’s wife had recently passed away his niece, Hilda, washired to care for his two year old son and cook for the mill hands. latershe worked for the Smith Folsom family west of Beulah, Wyoming. In March 1902, she married Alfred Nilson. They moved to Grants Pass,Oregon and bought a home and Alfred worked on the railroad. They returnedto the Bear Lodge in 1904 where they ranched until retiring and livedthere the remainder of their lives. They are buried in the Alva Cemetery. One son, Carl, now owns the ranch and also has his father’s brand whichis - HV Alfred and Hilda had three other children, Oscar, Mrs. Tom (Agnes) Quick,and Mrs. Dillon (Frances) Ruland. Oscar married Ada Evenson the 4th of July, 1927. Agnes married Tom Quickthe 17th of February, 1927 and Frances married Dillon B. Ruland the 25thof June, 1919. This account is found on pages 364 and 365 and was compiled by Frances(Nilson) Ruland an printed in the book -- ‘Pioneers Of Crook County1876-1920’, by Crook County Historical Society, Crook County, Wyoming,copyright 1981.
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1873 - 1962 (88 years)
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