VAN Meter Township is located by government survey as Township 129, Range 62. It is crossed by the Maple River which flows south and is spanned by six steel and concrete bridges. It is a level and very fertile prairie township, being entirely occupied by well tilled farms. It was settled in 1882 and 1883, before the land was surveyed, and the older residents were "squatters." Ed. N. Leiby was the first to establish a residence, which was made on the southwest quarter of Section 7. This he sold to Dr. Wilkins.  This township was in the Aberdeen land district and was very easy to reach from Ellendale, so the land jumpers, who were on the lookout to get locations, could easily make trouble, and the settlers had to stay on their lands to avoid contests. The land was taken so rapidly that it is difficult to know the order in which the homesteaders came.

James Pollock came out from Huron County, Ontario, in the fall of 1882 and put up a shanty on Section 30. He went east for the winter, and returned with a car of emigrant goods and a team in the spring of 1883, only to find a jumper on his claim; so he hunted up another place and filed a pre-emption on the west half of the southwest quarter, and the west half of the northwest quarter of Section 34. His wife had come out by passenger train and as soon as his shanty was up they became actual residents, proving up on the pre-emption in the fall of 1883, on a six months' residence and the payment of $1.25 per acre.

The Mullen boys,-R. J. and James,-located west of the Pollock farm; also a man named Turnbull who came from Canada. Mr. Pollock bought a relinquishment from Jo Locey in the same section, which gave him a fine farm, which he afterwards sold to Howard Linnell. It is now one of the best farms in the county. The first Mrs. Pollock passed away soon after coming here, and Mr. Pollock married Annie Redmond. Miss Redmond had proved up a homestead in Kent Township. She was one of the few girls who maintained an actual five year residence on her homestead, showing her pure Irish grit. The story of her pioneer experiences is a part of the story of that township.

Mr. Pollock had an extra good yoke of oxen and did forty acres of breaking on his own land in his first year, besides plowing for others and picking up several loads of buffalo bones. He was among the first in the county to own and operate a threshing machine, which he did successfully for several years. He also cut and stacked a large amount of hay, selling much of it in Ellendale, built a large barn, partly dug-out and partly sod and developed a well stocked and prosperous farm. In later years he purchased a home in San Benito, Texas, where he lives for a part of the year but still comes back to the old home for the summers.

John H. VanMeter was an original settler after whom the township was named.  He and his brother E. W. VanMeter came up to the end of the track where there was only a board shanty and a tent.   After getting their breakfast in the tent they went out to look over the country.   There was some fresh snow on the ground but they looked up some land that suited them, went back to the tent for dinner and hired a man to put up some shanties on four quarters, then walked back to Frederick to find a place to stay over night.   From there they went back to Wisconsin to get their tool chest and an outfit with which to set up homesteading.   They, with another brother, H. J. VanMeter, and Will and D. A. McLeod, came back to find a new town laid out and a large number of people taking claims.  The interior of the townships had not been subdivided so the VanMeters went to running out section lines and helping the settlers in locating. Mr.  John H. VanMeter took claims on the east half of Section 8 on the 12^th day of May, 1882.  He set out the tree claim on the southeast quarter of Section 8 which is now thriving and is a monument to his memory.  This grove and the homestead are now the farm property of Mr. Scaggs.   H. J. VanMeter took the northwest of Section 8 and the southwest of Section 5.  About this same time two sisters of Mr. VanMeter, Mrs. Dyer and Mrs. Mary A.  Chambers, took claims, also Emily V. Hughes (afterwards Mrs. Ackley) Chambers, took claims, also Emily V. Hughes (afterwards Mrs. Ackley) Clara Watson, and James Bunker, all from Hudson, Wisconsin. W. P.  Brown took the northwest of Section 31; John A. Brown and John A. Green located in Section 31. Irving VanVIeck and the Gamble boys settled on Section 1, and as the land was getting well covered with claims Mr. VanMeter quit locating and went to work at his trade as a carpenter. The land came into market so they could make their filings in December of 1882. Many of these early comers went back to their old homes for that winter. VanVleck sold his farm on the south half of Section 1 at a later time to Mr. Babcock, who put up the first silo in the township and specialized in dairying and Holstein cattle.

John C. Brown came out from Eaton Rapids, Michigan, in the fall of 1882, looked over the land and went back for the winter. He came out again in the spring of 1883 with a car load of emigrant goods. His family came later (wife with three boys and three girls, and two bird cages).  They settled on Section 32, 129-62, on April 14^th, 1883. They put down the first drilled well in the township, but the water tasted so strong from the pine curbing that it could not be used.   In common with all new settlers they had a fine garden on the new breaking. Mrs. Brown complained of the mosquitoes; they were worse in 1882 and 1883 than they have ever been since. She also remembers that the wheat in 1887 brought forty-five cents per bushel, while in 1888 it brought $1.20, and the yield was large too.

August Peterson settled on Section 2, in 1883, working at his trade of blacksmithing in Ellendale, while his family lived on and improved the homestead. Their place at the crossing of the Maple River on the road to Port Emma was a familiar land mark, and became the stopping place for many people. Mr. Peterson raised a large family, most of whom are still residents of the county and are exemplary and enterprising citizens. His son Hans now owns the old homestead.

W. H. H. Mallory was a Civil War Veteran who took advantage of the Homestead Act by which his service time could be counted upon residence requirement. He came up to Dakota Territory in 1882 by way of Jamestown and then to Dickey County on foot. He made selection of the northeast quarter of Section 32, 129-62, and then went back to his home in Eaton Rapids, Michigan, for the winter. He came back early in the spring of 1883 to put up a shanty and help others to build, as he was a carpenter by trade.

In April, 1883, there were fifteen families of Michigan people arrived in Ellendale to make their homes. They reached Ellendale on a cold stormy night about midnight, and as the one boarding house was overcrowded all of them had to stay in the little depot until morning. The Mallory family, consisting of the parents and four children moved their household goods out to the claim shanty, which was not completed. A rain soaked their goods as their introduction to the new country, and for some time they stayed with the John C. Brown family who were near neighbors. They found the new country different from their Michigan home in many ways. Water was scarce and it was hard to get good wells. Prairie fires in summer and blizzards in winter gave them rather unpleasant variety. However, they raised-a good garden and wonderful potatoes, and in that first winter secured an antelope for fresh meat.

Mrs. Mallory says, "There were no churches nearer than Ellendale, but during the summer time that did not prevent those who cared to do so from attending church, as the lumber wagon was drafted into service; taking lunch with us and starting early, the day was spent in town attending church and meeting friends, returning home towards evening.

A school was held near the Mallory home with Mrs. Mallory's sister Lillian Godfrey as teacher. After the school house was built a Sunday School was organized to meet in it. This afterwards became VanMeter School No. 1. A boat ride on the "Roaring Maple" was an incident that lingers in the memory of the young people. The Mallorys moved into Ellendale in 1893, where the father worked at his trade and where the family still lives.

The Dinsmore family settled in the south part of the township, and at one time farmed twelve quarters of land adjacent to the homestead which was on Section 22. The head of the family, Henry Dinsmore, was a Civil War veteran and a very public spirited man. He now resides with his son, Charles, in South Dakota, where they are engaged in the mercantile business. Charles Dinsmore was the manager of the farm, and they engaged largely in the raising of horses and cattle, although their grain crops covered from 1000 to 2000 acres.

Two of the Wilson brothers, Ed and Jess, took claims in VanMeter Township. Jess Wilson has kept his home on the southeast of Section 11, while his brother Ed. has made his home in Ellendale. Another brother, Arthur G. Wilson, had his home in the township for a time, but has made his home in Ellendale since the early days.

Charles Perry came in early and located on the north half of Section 19.  He was an older brother of the Hon. H. H. Perry of Ellendale. He was a good farmer and raised fine stock.

Besides those already named the following were some of the early settlers; W. W. Davis, Fred Gidner, Dan McLeod, Justin Meachen, C. A.  Morrison, Thomas Sefton, Thomas Upton. The parents of the Hatfield boys had a home in this township, and several had claims but did not remain more than the early years.

The first marriage in the township was that of Mr. and Mrs. H. E.  Geschke, January 23^rd, 1883, although J. C. Laubach went back to Indiana in the winter of 1882 and brought his new bride back in March of 1883.  The question of the first birth lies between the child of Mr. and Mrs. Ben Wadsworth and a daughter born to Mr. and Mrs. James Pollock on August 31^st, 1883. The first death was that of George F. Dinsmore who died from apoplexy on July 18^th, 1883.

The first school in the township was taught by Lillian Godfrey, in the spring of 1884 in the Mussey shanty, over on the west line of the township.  Miss Godfrey is a sister of Mrs. W. H. Mallory . She was sent for to open a school and came from Eaton Rapids, Michigan. The first school to be taught in a public school house was in the building at the southwest corner of the northeast quarter of Section 8, and Mrs. Fess was the teacher. This building was later moved up north into the next township. 

The first township caucus was held at 2 P. M. on Saturday, March 1^st, 1886, at the home of L. W. Wilkinson. The first organization of the town-ship was in connection with town 130 north (what is now Kentner) with Dr.  Long as chairman and J. H. VanMeter and Ed Fountain as supervisors, and was called Carlton. But this organization did not continue very long before the large township was divided, in May, 1886. At the meeting to choose a name and elect officers the name VanMeter was chosen, and J. H. VanMeter was elected as chairman. About this time the two school districts were organized separately as VanMeter and Kentner.

Several prominent families of the township came in after the pioneering days. Mr. Will St. Ores and family lived for many years on the southwest quarter of Section 14. and were prominent and active citizens. They farmed extensively and raised and educated a family of four children. The Historical Society is indebted to Mrs. St. Ores for many items included in this chapter.   The family are now living in Ellendale. 

On the river, on Section 15, the Billey homestead is located. Mr.  Oscar Billey came to Dakota after settlement, and so had to purchase his present holdings. He has erected a fine set of farm buildings, the house being the largest and most commodious in the township. His large family have been given thorough schooling, passing through the district school and attending the State Normal and Industrial School at Ellendale. Five of these young people are now teaching in the schools of the state, and the oldest son is connected with the Dunwoodie Institute and lives in Minneapolis.

In more recent years Mack Webster has built up a fine farm place on the northeast of Section 17, his buildings being the latest word in construction and convenience. The place raises small fruit, tame hay and pure-bred hogs. On the southwest of the same section is the old farm home of the Schmierer family, where a number of fine young people were raised. The father and mother now have a fine home in Ellendale. 

Among the other leading farmers of today are; Max Holweigler, Herman Lamatta, Howard Linnell, Charles Scaggs, Nels Bjornstad, W. J.  Gayman, Chas. Wonderly, Carl Simmers, M. Schmierer, Jess Wilson, Mack Webster, and others. Of the early settlers of Van Meter, there are but seven who have stayed through the trying times of hard winters, short crops and little money, to witness the transformation from an unbroken prairie to a highly cultivated and well settled community of modern homes.

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