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- Earl Russel Willson was born March 26, 1897 at the River Ranch, CrookCounty, Wyoming. When he was young, he and Nena would stake off widthswhile their father, by hand, broadcast grain, wheat, oats and barley froma sack on his shoulder. Grain bundles were put in stacks. Too young tothrow the bundles up, Earl was taught by his father to stack the bundlesin the precise manner to hold the stack while his father threw thebundles up to him. Jay Bush and Earl were horse racing when a cow boltedand ran into Earl, injuring his foot. It was out of joint 23 days. Onthe steps, he stepped down and it snapped back into place. Earl was a World War I Veteran, discharged 1918. He tells of homesteading on the Belle Fourche River, north of his father's ranch which helater took over and ran till his retirement. He also bought Fred's placewhich bordered on the pasture land. Earl wanted to build a log house onhis homestead. His father taught him how to use the broadaxe to preparethe logs. Married Beatrice Lillian Chittim September 6, 1920 at BelleFourche. To this union three children were born, William Earl, VirginiaNeil and Lois Belle. They grew up on the River Ranch. During thedrought in the 1930's, making a living was a problem for everyone. Toeat, a garden and canning were essential. The Belle Fourche River wasdown to a trickle. Bill hitched up the team to a wagon, loaded barrels,dug a hole in the river, and as it filled with water, he dipped it up andfilled the barrels. Everyone helped to hand water the garden. A milkcow was given special care to keep her going. Range cattle got thistlehay (tumbleweed) cut green and salted. This account is found on page 224 in the book, 'Hulett Area Past AndPresent' Compiled, Published and Distributed by Hulett Area SeniorCitizens, Inc. Printed by Sand Creek Printing, Belle Fourche, SouthDakota. 1885-1985.
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1897 - 
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