HHM&A - Commemorating America's 250th - January

Jan. 4-10, 1933 – Jan. 6 Plane Crash

As reported by editor J.J. Mendel in the Jan. 12, 1933 issue of the Courier. 

The whole town went out Friday (Jan. 6) when the sad news reached town that two men were killed in an airplane crash about seven miles north of town. The two men killed were H.C. Davis of Winner, the pilot, and his brother Vernon Davis of Beresford. They left Winner in the morning for Sioux Falls. On the way back home, they faced that big wind storm from the northwest. Henry T. Kehn, near Silver Lake, said he and several others watched them when they reached Silver Lake and it seemed they had a hard time flying against the wind. Neighbors said they tried to land when all at once the plane fell down. When neighbors rushed over to the scene, they found one was still living, but only for a short time.

Alvin Waltner of this community, who owns a plane, said, “I would attribute the accident to adverse weather combined with some carelessness. I flew from Pierre to Aberdeen Friday afternoon, and this was the roughest weather that my experience remembers. I managed to land and proceeded the next day. There is no doubt in my mind that this plane was stalled in mid-air.”

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Jan. 11-17, 1888 - Jan 12 Blizzard

In the Jan. 15, 1925 Freeman Courier, editor J.J. Mendel recalls the 1888 blizzard and offers a personal perspective. Here are excerpts.

January 12 of each year always reminds the older people of the most disastrous blizzard that the Dakotans ever saw. It was 37 years ago in 1888. 

The storm came during the school hour. You could not open your eyes, much less see anything. Consequently, those caught outside found themselves lost. With a storm like that and 45 below during the night, 148 were frozen to death in Dakota; most were school children who tried to walk home.

“That night is remembered by us as though it was in 1924. We spent the night four miles northeast of Olivet in a 14 x 18 schoolhouse with a 10 x 14 edition used for a barn. D.J. Mendel, our teacher, had sense enough to not allow anybody to leave for home.

P.R.M. Hofer was teaching in the Paul Glanzer school eight miles northwest of Freeman. He gave strict orders not to leave the room and saved all his scholars.

In the Christ Kaufman school, Dr. Glocker was the teacher. Tobias C Kaufman went to school and, with the teacher, made an attempt to get the pupils to a close farmer. But after walking a short distance, they returned to the school where the teacher stayed overnight with the pupils. Mr. Kaufman walked home and it was only by luck he got home

John L Wipf taught the Reverend John Hofer school west of town and the teacher and scholars were taken to the Reverend Hofer home for the night.

A.A. Wipf taught the Michael Hofer School. He went home for dinner, about a mile away. When he sat down at the table, his sister came with news about the storm. He left without eating and risked his life to walk over to the school to save the children by keeping them in the school during the storm.

In the A.A. Ratzlaff school northeast of town, the teacher tried to take the pupils to the Peter O. Graber place close to the school. Five children were lost and, after three days, found dead close to four miles away.

Chris Graber was at a straw pile in the storm and the notion struck him that cattle will find home easier than he, so he started the cattle and held onto a cow’s tail and reached home.

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Jan. 18-24, 1946 - The death of Fred Haar on Jan. 19

As reported by J.J. Mendel in the January 24, 1946 Freeman Courier.

Another of the few remaining early pioneers of this community was taken when Fred Haar died on Saturday (Jan. 19) at the age of 89 years. Mr. Haar came to this territory from Russia (in 1875 at the age of 19). 

Those were the days of sod houses and ox carts. (In 1882) he bought out a hardware and implement business, one of the few business places in Freeman at the time. Thus was established the Fred Haar Implement, which is still here today. 

When a man’s heart stops beating, when the warmth of his body is gone and his eyes are closed in eternal sleep, we say he is dead. But a poet says great men never die because their works live after them, and become an inspiration to their fellow man long after.

It would surprise you to know how many people came to Mr. Haar for advice and his advice will be remembered, even after he has gone. He was one of the leading men of the state for half a century. 

He was honest and people knew it, and then confided in him. Feel like relating an incident for a practical explanation how his life was a blessing to others. More than 50 years ago, a farmer northwest of town came in for repairs and because of a thunderstorm, Mr. Haar took him (to the Haar) home overnight. In the morning at breakfast, Mr. Haar read a few verses and prayed. The farmer went home and told his family that this devotion so impressed him that from now on it will be their program too. And it was.

Addendum: His obituary (in that same issue) notes he was a charter member of St. Paul Lutheran Church where he was a deacon for 42 years. In 1922, Mendel wrote, “Mr. Haar is a very influential man in the community … and has done more than any other person in organizing the St. Paul congregation.”

The Fred Haar John Deere dealership remained in the Haar family for five generations; it was sold to C&B Operations in 2011. Today, the implement located on Highway 81, is the oldest retail business in Freeman.

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Jan. 25-31, 1969 - The winter of 1968-69

Excerpts from January 30, 1969 Freeman Courier .

Inconvenience and hardship are words that describe the effect of the weather in the Freeman community this winter. 

Every plan and activity is made with one eye open to the latest developments on the weather scene and forecast for the next 24 hours. All kinds of meetings, athletic games, school activities, church services and meetings have been postponed or canceled the past six weeks due to the weather. Even weddings and funerals have been postponed because of weather conditions. For some funerals, the snowplows were there ahead of the procession to open the road. 

With approximately 60 inches of snowfall on the ground since the start of winter, many instances of extra effort and service to the public have been rendered.

No doubt, the people with the greatest problems due to the heavy snow are the farmers. They have to worry about getting feed and fuel to their farm and hope that electric power will not fail. Many farmers spend two to four hours or more every day just opening up driveways and the farmyards, only to have it blown shut by the next day.

At the hospital, staff workers have been juggling hours and working extra time to keep the hospital manned when roads are impossible.

Classes at Freeman Public School were dismissed early last Wednesday afternoon and no school was held Thursday, Friday or Monday of this week. Classes resumed Tuesday with many of the students from the country missing. Buses have had difficult times. 

There has been school at Freeman Junior College and Academy most of the time because many of the students stay in the dorm or elsewhere in town, but many students were missing. Mail service has been irregular due to road conditions. Services have been called off at many rural churches again and again because of the blizzards and blocked roads.

Yet hope springs eternal in the human breast and folks are not giving up because of a little snow. Although we did hear of one fellow who said he is going to tie a snow shovel on his car hood and start driving south and not stop until someone asks him what that thing tied to his hood is used for.