Historic memories of Fillmore County: The Daniel Dayton family – The Ravine House… A pioneer life in Big Spring, Minn., Part IV

The Daniel Dayton saga by “Flip” (Brian) Huggenvik continues and – to recap:

The 1890s found both Dayton boys, Zara and Aaron hard working farmers. They raised beef cows, pigs, chicken, and even had some sheep. The crops were wheat, oats, barley, flax, and corn. And of course lots of hay… 60 tons a summer. They would sell their grain in Harmony, but hold back enough to get milled in Preston or Carimona for their own use.

Neighbor Charles Ohmacht owned a threshing machine and the men in the area would gather and work one farm for a long threshing day, rotating through the neighboring farms. Charley would charge $15/day for the use of his machine. The hired men would be paid $1 a day. The women would prepare a huge feast for the worker men on the day the machine came to their farm.

The Dayton operation was thriving. Land was valued at $20 an acre. They were buying and breeding cattle and hogs and horses. They started milking cows. They sold milk and butter to the Preston Creamery. They sold beef, pork, butter, and eggs in Harmony and to their neighbors. A lot of money came in, and a lot of money went out. The average cash on hand at the end of the month was about $400. In 1911, the farm cleared $2,500.

The neighboring farmers were always helping each other out. Aaron Dayton would lend a team of horses to Abraham Beachy, or go to brother Zara’s and help saw wood for the day. They helped each other butcher cows and pigs. They helped each other thresh grain and put up hay. They borrowed bulls and boars; and planters and plows; and wagons and buggies. Big Spring was a tight little community… depending on, and taking care of each other every day.

Some entries in the Aaron Dayton ledger:

• Paid $22.07 for farm real estate tax

• Herman Sommer bought 30 bu. oats @ .25 cents/bu.

• Bought live colt for $10.00

• John Brady drove Rosalie to Lime Springs in buggy to visit mother. Paid $1.00

• Sold 8 hogs for $11.12 each

• Planted 15 acres of corn with Zara Dayton’s planter

• Sold cow “Oinkey” to Wm. Stork for $25

• Sold 30 bu. wheat in Preston to John Kaercher, @ .87 cent/bu. (John is the gentleman who is considered to be “One of Preston, Minnesota’s Founding Fathers.”)

• Herman Sommer’s bull broke into pasture and bred Belle

• Helped Zara Dayton raise new barn on July 18, 1892

• Paid Harvey Dunn $90 for 6 months work ($15/mo.)

• Paid Aaron Sleyster $3.00 for 12 photos of Rosalie and Emily

• Lent boar out to Charley Ohmacht, paid $1.00

• Johnnie (Aaron’s son) shot my 24-year-old horse “Baldy” with his Winchester

• Paid Dr. Jones $1.75 for extracting 4 teeth for Rosalie

• Sold 10 lbs. butter to Conkey Bros. @ .15 cents/lb.

• Johnnie (son) working with threshing crew at Ohmacht’s… $1.00 day

• Paid H.V. Boice $4 for use of bull to breed 4 cows

• Paid $1.00 for 2 dinners at Stanwich House in Preston

• Paid Charley Ohmacht $2 for butchering 2 hogs

• Was paid $6 for use of team and self for 2 days haying

For several years, Zara Dayton made a specialty of breeding full blooded Chester white hogs for the market and was considered a leading swine breeder. He has the record of having delivered at the Harmony yards at one time, a drove consisting of 155 fat porkers in prime condition for the market.

Zara’s daughter, De Orra got a teaching degree and married local teacher, Clayton Sweet Boice, in the Ravine House in 1894. They moved to Decorah, where she taught school and he became a lawyer.

Daniel Dayton, Sr. died in Aaron’s house in 1895. Aaron died in the same house in 1899. His wife Rosalie stayed by his side until death released him. Rosalie and her two children, John and Emily, moved to a newly built house in Preston in 1902. Rosalie rented her 180 acres to Zara. (Please remember Emily’s name because in a week you will see a picture of her gorgeous house that still stands proudly on a historic street in Preston, Minn.)

John Dayton was a helpful son on the farm growing up, but farming was not his thing. He got a teaching degree, just like his grandfather Daniel and his uncle Zara and cousin De Orra. John taught in the one-room school in Yucatan, and the South Windy Ridge School that was located just across the road from the farm of Roy and Rubye Riehl. He then became superintendent in the Bristol District. John later moved to Michigan to attend law school and set up a law practice in Plymouth, Mich.

To be continued, so please, stay tuned!!