Dear son-in-law Mr. Rølvaag,

This has dragged on for so long with answering your letter and the questions you gave me, and I do not know if there will be anything of it now either.

Already around 1880 people began to get a campaign for applying for annexation in the Union as a state. Some for all of the Dakota Territory as a state, others for splitting it to 2 states.

What led to the that the split idea was so strong here among us southern residents was a campaign that the northern delegates in the legislature got status for moving the capitol from Yankton.

In 1881 they also got a law passed that have full power to a capitol commission (5 or 4 men) to locate the capitol some place farther north [sic]. This place was Bismark, which we thought was way too far north. In January 1883 the legislature gathered for the first time. From that time on it was the south against the north in every possible way. Up north the 2 powerful railway companies The Northern Pacific and Jim Hills Great Northern had practiced an excessive influence over the legislature members both from south and north.

Then it was in the campaign in the fall of 1882 that we got a win in getting men elected to the legislature of 1883 that were for the split and for getting a law passed that gave us the right to hold a Constitutional Convention for the southern part. Such a law was rightly passed alright, but there were some sanctions of the governor. Some politicians came together for a mass meeting and decided a time and place for a Constitutional Convention all the same. About 150 delegates gathered in S. Falls in the fall of 1883, drafted a Constitution that was also adopted by the people in the election. But Congress of course denied our prayers for annexation, because it was not legal. This Convention gathered in some volunteered gifts. This was not gathered at the cost of the territory.

From then on it became more serious in the campaign for annexation and against. I remember that in our County in many school districts there were debate unions, and these questions about splitting or not splitting was a standing theme. There were shared opinions. There were also many who believed that it was still too early to petition for annexation as a state. But the vote became more and more for being in charge of choosing our own state’s public servants. A few of the last governors named by the President we were exceptionally dissatisfied with. The legislature of 1885 again passed a law that gave the southern part the right to choose members within a determined time until the 8th of September 1885 to gather to a Constitutional Convention. This time we had a more cooperative governor. He signed the law. This Convention was the one I was a member of, but Congress did not annex us before 1889, when they passed An Enabling Act and imposed on us again choosing delegates for a new Constitutional Convention, but just to do some meaningless changes to the Constitution of 1885, and then if the people again in the fall election adopted this Constitution, then we would be incorporated as a state with the name South Dakota in the Union. Therefore we had our first regulated state election in Nov. 1890, under the new Constitution.

About the years from 1880 to 90: For the most part very good. 1881 was the extreme snow-winter, the summer of 1881 and 82 there was almost too much moisture in the soil. Everything grew lushly. From 1882 to 1889 there was a stream of settlers that took up land on the large, flat prairies along the NW RR [Northwest Railroad] from Lake Preston, by Huron and all the way to Pierre. There were broken large territories each year, and huge yields they got this year, but then the change to drought came from 1890 on, so no crops 

for many years. The wet year had fooled them into depending only on wheat production. They had cattle as good as anyone, and the consequence was ruin for the lot of them. From 1890 to ‘94 was a dry period, with ‘94 as the driest year overall out here.

Here in Minnehaha Co. we stood reasonably well. Most people had quite a few cattle. Some had to sell because of a lack of livestock but then saved both cows and some young cattle.

The eighties were the best years we have had out here, for those of us who had gone through the grasshopper plague in the 70’s.

Large yields of almost every kind of green, and 2 railroads into Sioux Falls, so here was unique for all our products. In these years the sod houses had to leave the place for frame houses around here. The prairie began to be reconstructed so as to depend on the unending, along the large fields.

Here were busy times. Most people thought of increasing their properties both loose and fast, but there were also many affairs in the municipality that had to be handled. School districts that from the beginning took up a large area now had to share, the school house was built, roads were laid out and work was done to make them reasonably passable, bridges were built, etc. 

In 1881 we organized our Township so that they are now self-governed.

Before everything was under County authority, under 3 County Commissioners chosen by the people. 

Besides that they took part in these coming affairs as named, we did not forget our Norwegian People’s Church. Most of the churches we had built in the 80’s. Almost all of the oldest settlers had large families. For the children we had religious school for a few months every summer. Common school was then shorter than now– 6 months generally, some few places 7. This is, briefly, what we did. If you can find out some of what we thought about and what our goals in life were, I do not know. One thing is clear, that most people sought with all their strength to get good and comfortable homes for their children. But when these children came to a mature age, they changed the times. The cities have become a compelling temptation for far too many. But here it is best if I stop. The newer times you know as well as I.

Thursday 13th January 1924.

Now just some words with a greeting from all of us that we are living well, except for Herman Wangsness has not been feeling completely healthy for the past week. Yesterday he got an outpour of a nosebleed and had to go to the Doctor to get it stopped, and today I hear that it began again. Tilda is now down there at their place. We hope that this does not have any serious or life-threatening consequences.

Thank you for your Christmas gifts.

Hope you now are in your full vigor again, but do not take on any exhausting work too early. My brother Ole left for Florida yesterday to visit his son Lewis and family.

Here is an affectionate greeting to everyone with wishes for a blessed New Year for you and all of us.

Your Father and Grandfather

A.J. Berdahl