He and 5 brothers all left their home in Kinlochaggan, Scotland in 1850, leaving behind their parents, one brother and two sisters to find a better life, landing in Bruce County, Canada. It is said that "They landed in Halifax aboaut six weeks later (a rough trip). They came by smaller boat up the St. Lawrence to Niagara on the lake; then by train to Goderich; then by fish boat from Goderich to Kincardine, followed the bush trail only marked by chips off the tress for 15 miles to what is now the 8th Concession of Bruce, where they camped under a tree over night".
Times were hard and he got Gold Fever. Left his wife and 2 sons (2nd one may not of even been born yet) to go into Cariboo reagion of B.C and Montana to the gold fields. He didn't return to his family for almost 15 years. In that time his wife had adopted a girl (Catherine J.) in Canada, and had followed his brothers down to the Dakotas, around 1869. Only 2 of his brothers came down, with some cousins and other Scots all arriving by 1971, where they had made a small village. General Charles T. Campbell (who they all knew) wanted to have a mail route from Yakton, so a postoffice should be established, which meant nameing the villiage. He thought the area should be called "Gunnville", but the Gunn's refused wouldn't hear of it, so he named it "Scotland", because everyone was from there!
When Hugh returned to them in about 1875, his wife had made a claim and was homesteading in Scotland, Bon Homme, S.D. He then adopted the daughter she had adopted in Canada. Five years later everyone thought his strong wife had a large tumor, concidering she was 47 years old, which turned out to be his youngest son (George) born in 1880! His first two sons were already in their 20's. Their daughter (Catherine)died from diphtheria that next year.
It is said that he was called "The Old Man of the Mountains" because he had helped the wagon trains make the overland trip through the rugged mountains to British Columbia's gold fields, located in the western foothills of the Cariboo Mountains, near the headwaters of the Fraser River. Hugh told tons of stories of his life and how everything looked, and all about Yellowstone. Many didn't believe him, until someone else went and saw much for themself and said he was right! It is also said that he met Custer in Yankton enroute to establish his post on the upper Missouri. Told him that there was to many Indian's on the plains. Not just hundreds but thousands of them. Custer thought him being an old prospector that he was a bit "Off" or "Touched", and laughed him off. We all know how that ended up! No way to prove this, but a good story for him to tell anyway.
Sometime later around 1900, they filed a claim and homsteaded one mile up the Cheyenne River from Wasta, where they lived until they both passed in 1915. The home still stood until the 1950's. Gravel from their homestead was used for the runways of Ellsworth Air Foorce Base.
In later years, he seem to re-live his prospecting days, with like yesterday memories. One day, shortly before he died, he went to the Wasta mercantile store and ordered a long list of supplies for a gold-mining trip out west. (Bet that was a surprise for the family!).
I am sure that he is now panning for gold and at peace.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Feb 2010 by W. Loy Frisk Simmons
Times were hard and he got Gold Fever. Left his wife and 2 sons (2nd one may not of even been born yet) to go into Cariboo reagion of B.C and Montana to the gold fields. He didn't return to his family for almost 15 years. In that time his wife had adopted a girl (Catherine J.) in Canada, and had followed his brothers down to the Dakotas, around 1869. Only 2 of his brothers came down, with some cousins and other Scots all arriving by 1971, where they had made a small village. General Charles T. Campbell (who they all knew) wanted to have a mail route from Yakton, so a postoffice should be established, which meant nameing the villiage. He thought the area should be called "Gunnville", but the Gunn's refused wouldn't hear of it, so he named it "Scotland", because everyone was from there!
When Hugh returned to them in about 1875, his wife had made a claim and was homesteading in Scotland, Bon Homme, S.D. He then adopted the daughter she had adopted in Canada. Five years later everyone thought his strong wife had a large tumor, concidering she was 47 years old, which turned out to be his youngest son (George) born in 1880! His first two sons were already in their 20's. Their daughter (Catherine)died from diphtheria that next year.
It is said that he was called "The Old Man of the Mountains" because he had helped the wagon trains make the overland trip through the rugged mountains to British Columbia's gold fields, located in the western foothills of the Cariboo Mountains, near the headwaters of the Fraser River. Hugh told tons of stories of his life and how everything looked, and all about Yellowstone. Many didn't believe him, until someone else went and saw much for themself and said he was right! It is also said that he met Custer in Yankton enroute to establish his post on the upper Missouri. Told him that there was to many Indian's on the plains. Not just hundreds but thousands of them. Custer thought him being an old prospector that he was a bit "Off" or "Touched", and laughed him off. We all know how that ended up! No way to prove this, but a good story for him to tell anyway.
Sometime later around 1900, they filed a claim and homsteaded one mile up the Cheyenne River from Wasta, where they lived until they both passed in 1915. The home still stood until the 1950's. Gravel from their homestead was used for the runways of Ellsworth Air Foorce Base.
In later years, he seem to re-live his prospecting days, with like yesterday memories. One day, shortly before he died, he went to the Wasta mercantile store and ordered a long list of supplies for a gold-mining trip out west. (Bet that was a surprise for the family!).
I am sure that he is now panning for gold and at peace.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Feb 2010 by W. Loy Frisk Simmons
He and 5 brothers all left their home in Kinlochaggan, Scotland in 1850, leaving behind their parents, one brother and two sisters to find a better life, landing in Bruce County, Canada. It is said that "They landed in Halifax aboaut six weeks later (a rough trip). They came by smaller boat up the St. Lawrence to Niagara on the lake; then by train to Goderich; then by fish boat from Goderich to Kincardine, followed the bush trail only marked by chips off the tress for 15 miles to what is now the 8th Concession of Bruce, where they camped under a tree over night".
Times were hard and he got Gold Fever. Left his wife and 2 sons (2nd one may not of even been born yet) to go into Cariboo reagion of B.C and Montana to the gold fields. He didn't return to his family for almost 15 years. In that time his wife had adopted a girl (Catherine J.) in Canada, and had followed his brothers down to the Dakotas, around 1869. Only 2 of his brothers came down, with some cousins and other Scots all arriving by 1971, where they had made a small village. General Charles T. Campbell (who they all knew) wanted to have a mail route from Yakton, so a postoffice should be established, which meant nameing the villiage. He thought the area should be called "Gunnville", but the Gunn's refused wouldn't hear of it, so he named it "Scotland", because everyone was from there!
When Hugh returned to them in about 1875, his wife had made a claim and was homesteading in Scotland, Bon Homme, S.D. He then adopted the daughter she had adopted in Canada. Five years later everyone thought his strong wife had a large tumor, concidering she was 47 years old, which turned out to be his youngest son (George) born in 1880! His first two sons were already in their 20's. Their daughter (Catherine)died from diphtheria that next year.
It is said that he was called "The Old Man of the Mountains" because he had helped the wagon trains make the overland trip through the rugged mountains to British Columbia's gold fields, located in the western foothills of the Cariboo Mountains, near the headwaters of the Fraser River. Hugh told tons of stories of his life and how everything looked, and all about Yellowstone. Many didn't believe him, until someone else went and saw much for themself and said he was right! It is also said that he met Custer in Yankton enroute to establish his post on the upper Missouri. Told him that there was to many Indian's on the plains. Not just hundreds but thousands of them. Custer thought him being an old prospector that he was a bit "Off" or "Touched", and laughed him off. We all know how that ended up! No way to prove this, but a good story for him to tell anyway.
Sometime later around 1900, they filed a claim and homsteaded one mile up the Cheyenne River from Wasta, where they lived until they both passed in 1915. The home still stood until the 1950's. Gravel from their homestead was used for the runways of Ellsworth Air Foorce Base.
In later years, he seem to re-live his prospecting days, with like yesterday memories. One day, shortly before he died, he went to the Wasta mercantile store and ordered a long list of supplies for a gold-mining trip out west. (Bet that was a surprise for the family!).
I am sure that he is now panning for gold and at peace.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Feb 2010 by W. Loy Frisk Simmons
Times were hard and he got Gold Fever. Left his wife and 2 sons (2nd one may not of even been born yet) to go into Cariboo reagion of B.C and Montana to the gold fields. He didn't return to his family for almost 15 years. In that time his wife had adopted a girl (Catherine J.) in Canada, and had followed his brothers down to the Dakotas, around 1869. Only 2 of his brothers came down, with some cousins and other Scots all arriving by 1971, where they had made a small village. General Charles T. Campbell (who they all knew) wanted to have a mail route from Yakton, so a postoffice should be established, which meant nameing the villiage. He thought the area should be called "Gunnville", but the Gunn's refused wouldn't hear of it, so he named it "Scotland", because everyone was from there!
When Hugh returned to them in about 1875, his wife had made a claim and was homesteading in Scotland, Bon Homme, S.D. He then adopted the daughter she had adopted in Canada. Five years later everyone thought his strong wife had a large tumor, concidering she was 47 years old, which turned out to be his youngest son (George) born in 1880! His first two sons were already in their 20's. Their daughter (Catherine)died from diphtheria that next year.
It is said that he was called "The Old Man of the Mountains" because he had helped the wagon trains make the overland trip through the rugged mountains to British Columbia's gold fields, located in the western foothills of the Cariboo Mountains, near the headwaters of the Fraser River. Hugh told tons of stories of his life and how everything looked, and all about Yellowstone. Many didn't believe him, until someone else went and saw much for themself and said he was right! It is also said that he met Custer in Yankton enroute to establish his post on the upper Missouri. Told him that there was to many Indian's on the plains. Not just hundreds but thousands of them. Custer thought him being an old prospector that he was a bit "Off" or "Touched", and laughed him off. We all know how that ended up! No way to prove this, but a good story for him to tell anyway.
Sometime later around 1900, they filed a claim and homsteaded one mile up the Cheyenne River from Wasta, where they lived until they both passed in 1915. The home still stood until the 1950's. Gravel from their homestead was used for the runways of Ellsworth Air Foorce Base.
In later years, he seem to re-live his prospecting days, with like yesterday memories. One day, shortly before he died, he went to the Wasta mercantile store and ordered a long list of supplies for a gold-mining trip out west. (Bet that was a surprise for the family!).
I am sure that he is now panning for gold and at peace.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Feb 2010 by W. Loy Frisk Simmons
Gravesite Details
Was listed as SR. Though his son Hugh had different middle name. Only way to know who was who, since didn't put normal type headstone.
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