Introduction

My great-grandparents Elmer “Jim” Nash, and Ida Kate Christensen lived long and interesting lives, both born in the 1860’s and living through the the Dust Bowl and Great Depression. They left an amazing amount of photos, letters, records, references in oral histories, and much more - which this page uses to tell their story of immigration, homesteading, and building a prairie family in what was Dakota Territory when they moved there - and now is South Dakota. Jim and Ida Kate have descendants across the United States, and many have contributed pieces of the story told here.

There is so much information that their story is divided into two web pages - this first page covers the period from their births to coming to Charles Mix County and through 1910. The second page begins in 1910 and goes until their deaths - with a brief section on each of their children at the end of the second web page.

An undated photo of Ida Kate and Jim Nash - which has been colorized - is posted below. They seem middle-aged in the photo - which would place the photo ca 1910, give or take.

Ida Kate Christensen (Nash) was the seventh child of Hans and Christiane Rasmusdatter Christensen, born on March 17, 1868 in Torslunde, on the island of Lolland in Denmark. She came to the United States with her family in 1872 via Quebec, was in Kansas and Wisconsin before South Dakota, and married Elmer James “Jim” Nash on October 2, 1888 in Charles Mix County, Dakota Territory. They had five children, and she lived out her life in South Dakota - passing away on November 5, 1951 in Mitchell, South Dakota.

Ida Kate’s family was in the Lolland part of Denmark for many generations. I have identified family members back to the 1700’s - and a chronological sheet of her ancestors in posted on this web site.

Ida Kate was just four when were family came to America. Her family lived in Kansas near her uncle Niels Christensen and his family. They were then in Wisconsin for a few years near her mother Christiane’s siblings, and then they returned to Kansas where I believe her father died ca 1885. Ida Kate’s brother Fred homesteaded in Charles Mix County, and Ida went to live with him. Jim Nash’s family lived right by Fred in Carroll Township. Lois Grupp’s oral history confirms that’s how they met.

We are lucky that Ida Kate and Jim left a lot behind that helps tell a long and good story. In particular, Ida left behind a number of letters from 1880 to the 1910’s, that involved three of her brothers and a sister, Jim’s father, Ida and Jim’s son George, cousins, and more. I plan to put these letters with each family member who wrote them when I do pages on those family members.

But each letter was to Ida or Jim, so they are here - and provide a good link to various family connections. The oldest was dated in 1880, and Ida left letters up to the year she died. There were a few that were originally written in pencil, and faded to the point of almost not being able to read - I put them through various photo editing programs that brought their images back. There was one that is disintegrating, but I was able to scan it in a form that presents the image as clearly as it was when it was sent in 1890.

Additionally, many photos of their lives were left behind and passed to my grandmother, then to my mother, and then to me. All were in black and white. Some of them were so faded that the elements of the photo were not clear. I used photo editing to sharpen the photos, and I have colorized many of them. Most are now clear and in better condition for viewing. It is a stroke of luck that Ida’s brothers Chris and John Christensen had a photo studio in Kansas, and that studio’s markings are on the back of some of the early family photos. They also left a few photos of early Leonardville, Riley County, Kansas - where they lived - and I have enhanced and posted those photos on a separate web page on this site.

Jim Nash was the fifth child of George M. and Phebe Blodgett Nash, born November 22, 1865 in Chemung, McHenry County, Illinois, where his grandfather - homesteading in the area after coming with his family from upstate New York in the 1840’s - had a farm. Jim was in the eighth Nash generation from the original immigrant - Thomas Nash - one of the original European settlers of New Haven, Connecticut in the 1630’s. Jim’s ancestors moved with the frontiers of European settlement - to Western Massachusetts; Brattleboro, Vermont; Jefferson County, New York; and then to northern Illinois, where Jim was born. There is more detail on the Nash ancestry in the Charles Nash 1960 Nash genealogy, posted on this web site.

My grandmother had a few “tin type” photos - photos printed on tin, likely members of the Nash family from the 1860’s, and likely taken while the family was living in Illinois. Those tin type photos have been posted on a separate web page on this site - along with speculation as to who might be in them. The subjects in about half of the eight photographs are identified. George M. Nash is clearly in one photo, and it is likely that Ida Nash Atkins, and Orson and Orley Nash, are in others. I still need advice on identifying family members in the remaining photos.

Jim came to Charles Mix County in 1883 with his parents and siblings as they homesteaded in Carroll Township. His father, uncles, and brothers were old enough to homestead. Jim was eighteen at the time of the move and didn’t have his own place until after he and Ida Kate married.

Jim and Ida Kate married in 1888, lived initially with his parents (according to Lois Grupp’s oral history) and then had their own land and house and farmed in Carroll Township - a photo of their farm is at the top of this page. They moved “into town” in Platte for the last years of their lives, where Jim died on February 10, 1936. Lois Grupp said in her oral history that he lost his savings when the local bank failed during the Great Depression.

Ida Kate played a major role in the lives of her grandchildren as evidenced in Dorothy Laird and Lois Grupp’s oral histories excerpted on this page. This was particularly true with the Ofstedahl children, as their mother worked and they lived next door to Jim and Ida Kate. A section in the 1930’s on the second Ida and Jim web page describes their lives in that period. Ida Kate lived an active fifteen years after Jim’s death, visiting her children and grandchildren. I am really happy to have photos of her and me when I was a year old - an overlap of me with the immigrant generation in our family.

In addition the oral histories of Lois Ofstedahl Grupp and Dotty Ofstedahl (Laird), Jim’s cousin Charles Nash authored his “recollections” in the 1960’s - and it describes how the Nashes arrived in South Dakota and homesteaded. It is a valuable piece of the story, and it below in this narrative. Jim and Ida Kate’s daughter-in-law, Mabel Toland Nash, the wife of Ben Nash, left her own memories, one of which is included here.

This first page is the first part of their story - which takes each of their lives from their births in 1865 and 1868, in Denmark and Illinois respectively, until their marriage in Charles Mix County in 1888. At that point in the narrative is the listing of the births, deaths, and marriages of each of their five children. Then the narrative goes through 1910 as they built their farm in Carroll Township and started their family.

The second page continues the story of their married life and children, until their deaths in 1936 and 1951, and benefits from the oral histories of Jim and Ida Kate’s grandchildren - Dorothy (Dotty) and Lois, the daughters of Jo Nash Ofstedahl, as they came of age in the 1920’s and 1930’s. They commented on personal items about the lives of Jim and Ida that are not in historical records. The entire oral histories with both Dotty and Lois are transcribed and posted in the Nash-Christensen section of this web site. The second page ends with brief sections on each of the five children of Jim and Ida Kate. That second page adjoins this on this website. There is also a link to the page at the end of this webpage.

Jim’s biography from the 1960 Charles Nash Genealogy featuring the Dakota Nashes reads: “James Nash (1865-1936) m Ida Christensen (1868-1951).  Jim was county treasurer, and a member of the county draft board in the First World war.  Ida died the same year that her brother, Fred Christensen, did.  Children: George (1890-1907), Benjamin, Josephine, Theodore and Harley.”

 Ida Kate Christensen’s life from her birth to her marriage

Ida Kate Christensen. Ida is shown in Torslunde church records - posted below - as Ida Katrine Christensen, born on March 17, 1868, and christened in the church on June 21, 1868, the daughter of Hans Christensen and Christiane Rasmusdatter. Karen Petersen and Frederick Maasberg are mentioned in the record.  Frederick Maasberg was Hans Christensen’s “foster father”, I am unsure how Karen Petersen was connected to the family.

I visited the Torslunde Church during my 2023 visit to Lolland and it is shown below. A church was first built on this site ca 1100. According to one account, the current church was constructed just about the time the Christensens left for America.

Ida is shown in the 1870 Danish census in Torslunde with her family as Ida Katrine, 1.   She is shown with her family at age three, listed with her family, all showing the surname “Masberg”, in the July 1872 Copenhagen exit records. She arrived with her family in Quebec in the summer of 1872 on the S. S. Prussian of the Allen Line, where is shown in the passenger record as Ida, 3. 

One Danish history indicates that the office where tickets were sold for the shipping line that the Christensens took to America - was in Nyhavn at the waterfront in Copenhagen. The photo below is of this location in 2023, when I visited, and the shorter yellow building is the place where the shipping line office was located in the 1870’s.

In my earlier genealogical research, I asked the living grandchildren of Ida Nash if she talked about the trip over when her family immigrated. Lois Grupp was the only one who had a memory. She said that her grandmother said the trip was very long, and in fact took three months. That’s not a correct length - but I did hear that she had said it took a long time. When the Christensens left Denmark, Ida Kate was the youngest child in the family. Her younger brother Henry was born along the way. The 1875 and 1880 censuses list his birth place as “Atlantic Ocean”, although I have not been able to find another record that confirms that. Later census records list his birth place as New York - and his 1952 obituary lists him as born in Denmark.

There are two records that mark the Christensen families immigration to North America. The first record is the police exit record from Copenhagen, which appears to be dated about July 18. It shows that Hans surname is listed as “Masberg”, that of his foster father Frederick Masberg, who Hans lived with while still young. Frederick Masberg was listed above in Ida Kate’s christening - and a photo of him with Marie Christensen is shown on the web page on this site about Marie and her family.

In the police record, Hans is listed as Christen with Christiane and six children - Anna, Frederick, Rasmus (who took the name Charlie in America), Jorgen (who took the name John in America), Kristin (Chris), and Ida K. Not with them was Marie, the oldest child who remained in Denmark, and Henry, who was born on the trip over. Anna returned to Denmark, was shown in a census record there, married Oscar Miller and returned to America in the early 1880’s.

In my early genealogical research in the 1990’s, I worked to find precisely when and how the Christensens came to America. Fred’s citizenship record in South Dakota listed his arrival location as Quebec. Henry’s birth year was determined as 1872, and his first two census listings listed his birth place as “Atlantic Ocean”. That led me to search all the filmed passenger records for the ships coming into Quebec in the summer of 1872. I found the Christensens on the S. S. Prussian of the Allen Line out of Liverpool, indicating they had gone from Copenhagen to Liverpool, and then booked the Prussian from Liverpool to Quebec.

The passenger record for their entry on the Prussian is shown below, and lists the same family members with the Masberg surname that left Copenhagen, with ages listed that match the Copenhagen record. Henry is not listed in the Quebec record. The passenger record is dated July 25, 1872. Given that the Copenhagen exit record is dated July 18, 1872 - it must mean that the Quebec date is the date of departure from Liverpool. Right by it is shown that there are provisions on board for 500 passengers and a voyage of thirty days. The Christensens are marked as a family and also marked as “foreigners”. There are ten pages of passenger records, and the last two pages indicate passengers in “cabin”, meaning that the first eight pages - and the Christensens were on the first page - must have been in “steerage”.

In Lois Grupp’s oral history, the trip over came up: “John: Did your grandma ever tell you anything about her Danish heritage, or Denmark, or her family at all?; Lois: The only thing she told us was coming across the ocean.  It took three months.; John: Did she remember it?; Lois: Yes, she remembered some of it.; John: Because she couldn’t have been but four years old.; Lois: I know, she remembered some of it, but I don’t think she remembered a lot.  But she also, didn’t talk much about it.; John: She just remembered it being a very very long trip.; Lois: Yes, it seems that’s all she mused.  Being on the ship in the ocean.; John: The youngest brother, who was four years younger than her, was Henry.; Lois:  He was born on the ship, wasn’t he?; John: That’s the story.” 

It is interesting that Ida’s family was shown in Kansas in 1875, in Waupaca County Wisconsin in 1880 - where they owned property for awhile, and was back in Kansas in the early 1880’s. As was true with immigrants of the time, they went to wherever family members already were. Hans brother Niels was in Riley County, Kansas - where the Christensens appear to have settled originally, and then returned later. Christiane’s siblings were in Wisconsin, and that is where the family lived between the two stints in Kansas. It was all about where family members were.

Ida is shown with her family in the 1875 Kansas State Census in Shannon Township, Pottawatomie County, Kansas in an entry taken on March 1, 1875 – as Ida, 7.  In the 1880 census, Ida is shown with her family in Waupaca County, Wisconsin as Ida, 12. Lois Grupp mentions below that the Christensen’s lived in a mud sod house in Kansas. It’s unclear whether it was at this time - or when they returned at the beginning of the 1880’s.

There is a surviving letter, dated March 7, 1880 from Ida Kate’s cousin Amelia Christensen, the daughter of Ida’s uncle (her father’s brother) Niels Christensen, to her. It is addressed to Ida Kate in Mariadahl in Pottawatomie County, even though I had thought Ida Kate and her family were in Wisconsin at this time - their census entry in Wisconsin that year was dated June 1. The letter is transcribed below, and then posted. The original has pages 1 and 4 together on one side, and pages 2 and 3 together on the other side.

The letter from Amelia to Ida referenced above is from Mariadahl, “Pottawamie” County. The original letter from Amelia to Ida follows:

“Mariadahl Pottawamie Co.(?)

March 7, 1880

Dear Cousin Ida:

I will let you know that I received your letter long ago. I did not think I should wait so long before I answered it. I will let you know that we are all well except mother. One evening mother and father went up on the prairre(sic) to see a sick woman and when they went home just as they came below the hill by our house they met Mrs. Sandberg leading a cow. The horses got scared and jumped to one side and mother fell out of the wagon. The wheel run over her left hip and she was very sick for a week but she is better now and she can walk around in the house with a stick. This happened four weeks ago next Wednesday. Freddy walked when he was eleven month old and now he is running. I will let you know what I got for Christmas. I got a necktie, sleeveless jacket, a box with tin dishes and a box with shells and a looking glass on it. When we were up to Uncle Andrews I got a basket with shells on it. On Mary's birthday I and Mary got each a gold ring. My last Friday a week ago it was my birthday and I got a dress, apples, nuts, candy and a little caster(?). It got so cold so I did not have any company. An accident happened five weeks ago with John E k(?) and another man. They were working on the Railroad and as they were drilling out a shot it fired off and hurt them badly. They are better now but they are blind. Would you not like to come and see us. I think we would have nice times together playing with the dollars and dishes. I would like to see you very much. I can't wait any more for this time. We all send our best wishes to you.

From your cousin Amelia Christensen

Write soon.”

Ida Kate’s parents sold the Wisconsin property in April 1881 and some time in that period moved back to Kansas. Chris Christensen’s obituary in the Leonardville Kansas Monitor, written in 1949 by W. H. Sikes, began with the paragraph below - which described the Christensen’s coming to Leonardville. It is probably not exactly right in two ways. One is that they came a few years before the date listed here, and the second is that it is likely that Hans was there for awhile and that the family first moved to Leonardville Kansas with him. But the reference to “a younger sister” is a reference to Ida Kate.

A news item, posted below, in the Manhattan Nationalist of Friday January 30, 1885: “Miss Ida Christensen, from Leonardville, spent a few days in our neighborhood, visiting friends and relatives.  Call again, Miss Ida”.  This is listed in “Swede Creek” items, which is where Ida’s uncle Niels Christensen and his family lived. This is one of the few records that shows Ida Kate by name in Leonardville.

The 1885 Kansas State Census was taken on March 1. It is confusing, because Christiane (by age and not first name) is shown with John, Chris, and Henry in the census in Bala Township. No Ida or no Hans. [Brother Fred was in South Dakota at this time and not shown either. Since a future reference places Ida in Dakota Territory when she was sixteen - she was sixteen in 1884. Therefore, she was probably already with Fred and that is why she wasn’t shown in the 1885 Kansas census - although she was shown in the January 1885 clipping above in Riley County.]

One of the mysteries in the Christensen family is where and when Ida Kate’s father Hans Christensen died. He sold property in Waupaca Wisconsin in a deed dated in 1881. The one (undated) photo that survives of Hans was taken by a photographer with studios in Watertown and Huron in Dakota Territory. The first known Christensen to be in Dakota Territory was son Fred, who was first there ca 1883. The mystery may be addressed by the item that follows, a card of notes (posted below) about death that was sent to Ida Kate in August, 1885.

This card is too sided.  On one side is a note from Hattie Reichert.  On the flip side is a note from O. G. Swingle.  Each side is transcribed below.  This is one of two hints that points to the time of the death of Ida’s father Hans Christensen.  There is a brief item in the Leonardville Monitor of Thursday March 12, 1885, posted just below this paragraph, that states that Fred Christensen of Darlington Dak. [this was before Dakota statehood, when it was one large territory, and seems to verify why Fred was not with the family in the 1885 Kansas state census - Darlington was the township name for part of Carroll Township in Charles Mix County] is visiting with his parents here.”  Then there is the condolence below – which may well indicate that Hans died later that year.  No other family member died in this period.

Front side: “1885.  August 11.  Dear Ida: Round is the World that goes on.  Death is a thing that every one feels (a word is written up that is unclear).  If death was a thing that mony (sic) could buy the rich would be living and the poor had to die.  From your Friend, Hattie Richert, Leonardville, Kansas.”

Back side: “Those who live happy lives, live good ones.”  Yours truly, C. G. Swingle, Leonardville, Kas. 8-24-85”

The oral history with Lois Grupp speaks to the time that Ida Kate came to Dakota Territory. She says below that she came when she was sixteen years old. That would place her about 1884 or 1885, and may explain why she was not listed with her family in Kansas in the 1885 Kansas census. However, she is likely, as mentioned above, around her father before or when he died in 1885. Lois’ explanation follows:

“Lois: . . . . I do know why Grandma came to South Dakota, though [Note: in the exchange below it refers multiple times to South Dakota, but at the time it was Dakota Territory.]; John: Why was that?; Lois: She came to help Fred.  She was sixteen years old when she came.  She said she slept on sacks of grain, in what they call, anteroom, was added on, like a store room.  That was her bed.; John: In Fred’s house?; Lois: Yes.  There she met my grandfather, James Nash.; John: So when she was sixteen, she came to South Dakota.  But you don’t know where she came from, do you?; Lois: Kansas.; John: Oh she did, she was in Kansas before she came?; Lois: Yes. She told about the mud sod house that they lived in.; John: In Kansas?; Lois: Uh hum.; John: Oh she did move with the family to Kansas.; Lois: Yes, she did.

John: But Fred was in South Dakota so she came to . . . Because it says a younger sister in the obituary of Chris moved with them to Kansas, so now it’s clear that that was your grandma. And so she was living with her brother on the bags of grain in the ante room, and that’s how she met her husband.” [This could also explain why Ida was not listed with her family in the 1885 Kansas census - she could have already been with Fred in Dakota Territory.]

Among the letters left from Ida and passed through her daughter and my mother to me is one dated July 18, 1886 from Mrs. E. M. Shelton of Manhattan, Kansas. The letter, posted below, was four pages, and on the first page there were words written over the address portion.  Nevertheless, it seems to have been dated July 18, 1886 from Manhattan, Kansas.  The salutation was “My (unclear word) Ida:”  I thought the unclear word was sister, but it doesn’t quite seem to match.

The letter is two pages folded so that on one side are pages one and four, and on the other side are pages two and three. It mentions the death of Mrs. Shelton’s father on July 3 (?). In the body of the letter is a phrase about if she might “think of coming back to Kansas”. This is another item indicating that Ida was in Dakota Territory at this time.

In doing research with census records and the find-a-grave database, there is a Shelton family in the 1880 census in Manhattan, Riley County, Kansas. Elizabeth Shelton was there, along with her husband Edward M. Shelton. They were married in 1874. Her father Alonzo Sessions, died in Iiona, Michigan on July 3, 1886, which matches the information in the letter to Ida. The Sheltons lived out their lives in King County, Washington - where she died in 1943. It is not clear how they knew each other, although it is likely from common time in Kansas, but this letter survives.

This is the last record I have of Ida Kate before her 1888 marriage to Jim Nash in Dakota Territory. As indicated in Lois Grupp’s oral history, the Nashes homesteaded right by Fred Christensen - Ida Kate’s brother. They both appeared to have homesteaded first ca 1883, and Ida arrived ca 1884-1885. Two years after Jim and Ida Kate married in 1888, Fred married Jim Nash’s sister Ella in 1890.

Jim Nash’s life from his birth to his marriage

Elmer James “Jim” Nash. Jim Nash was born on November 22, 1865 at Chemung Township, McHenry County, Illinois, the fifth known child of George Nash and Phebe Blodgett. His extended family would have been around him in the first years. His grandfather Oliver Nash died five years before he was born, but his grandmother Cynthia Pierce Nash lived until he was four. Charles Nash’s “Recollections” recounts how his father Orley [an older brother of Jim’s] would sleep at his grandmother’s and be aware of her waking at night and smoking a corncob pipe.

Jim’s other grandfather Squire Blodgett lived until 1900, and his first wife Joana Carpenter, Jim’s grandmother, lived until 1872, when Jim was seven. His great-grandfather Joseph Carpenter, lived nearby and died when Jim was four. There is a page on the correct family of Joseph and his father - Revolutionary War Veteran Jeremiah Carpenter - on this website.

So there were probably many extended family members around in those years. The web page on this site of seven family members featured in tintype photos in the 1860’s, included his father. Jim was likely too young to have been in that photo batch.

Jim was raised in McHenry County, and was eighteen when his family homesteaded in Dakota Territory, later South Dakota. He was born months after his parents and older four siblings were enumerated in the 1865 Illinois state census. He was shown with his family in Chemung in the 1870 census as Elmer J., age four, and again with them in Chemung in the 1880 census as James, age fourteen, and listed as “at school”.

In 1883 the entire family moved to homestead in Charles Mix County, Dakota Territory - later South Dakota. The first picture I have of Jim Nash is from that year. It is the entire George Nash family. It is from Charles Nash, provided through descendant Kacy Nash. It lists Charles’ typescript explanation of family members and their ages. Jim Nash was eighteen at the time of the photo, which is posted below.

George Nash homesteaded in Carroll Township in Charles Mix County, and extended family members, like his siblings, came as well. A photo of him before homesteading is shown on the accompanying webpage about Nash related tintype photos from the 1860’s. That page also shows a photo of George’s compass, which is in my possession, and probably was used at the time of homesteading in Dakota Territory.

George sold the McHenry County property in late 1883 after coming to Dakota Territory earlier in the year. Orley’s son Charles, born in the late 1880’s and my grandmother’s first cousin, wrote his recollections ca 1960, and included an account of the Nash family’s arrival in Dakota Territory:

At the time the Nash’s arrived, White Lake was the nearest place with a rail line. It was reported to be twenty miles away. The train did not arrive to the Platte area for another period of time, when it came from the south east and Platte was the “end of the line”.

Charles Nash’s Recollections also contain a hand written section map for Carroll Township, posted below, which has a key and describes where everyone was. It is a good listing for where all the family members were and how close together they were. It also lists a school, a cemetery, and a post office. I always was surprised when I first went to Carroll Township in 2000, after hearing all these accounts of such bustling activity. It is spread out, and you cannot really see one building from any one of the others in the township. That was a surprise to me. This map also shows Fred Christensen, and gives a flavor for how close he was to the Nashes, and how Jim and Ida must have met. [In current Charles Mix County township listings, Carroll Township is listed as a “dissolved township”.]

As we will see further below, Jim Nash was in the Section that his father and Henry Carroll were in on this map - Section 27. There was a post office here, known as Flora. The post office at Flora was first in the home of Alcander Morse, and Charles writes in his Recollections of the Nash brothers hanging around - both Orson and Orley ended up marrying daughters of Alcander. The July 1991 South Dakota Genealogy Society publication has a history of old South Dakota post offices. They have a history for the Flora post office and a map of the early Charles Mix County post offices. The map shows the relative placement of places - and one can see the distance between Wheeler and where the Nashes lived in Carroll County. The history gets Alcander’s name wrong, listing it as Alexander. It also gets G. M. Nash’s name wrong, listing him as C. M. Nash.

The Bureau of Land Management homestead tract records chronicle the steps of the homesteading process, and each set of two pages covers three sections in a township. As can be seen above, there are probably twelve pages for all of Carroll Township. Two contains Nashes in the original records and are posted below.

It should be noted Jim Nash’s oldest sister Ida was married to Henry Atkins (James Henderson Atkins) and he is listed. Henry Carroll was married to Clemena Blodgett, Phebe Nash’s sister. Alcander Morse’s daughters Amy and Eva were married to Orley and Orson Nash. Fred Christensen, Ida’s brother, was married to Ella Nash, Jim’s sister; and Phebe’s sister Hepsie was first married to William Snook, who also filed originally for land in this township. Rock Hill Cemetery is located in the township and is where many family members are buried. Nash children also attended schools in Carroll Township.

The tract book above shows George M. Nash, and that he first filed in March 1883. The final certificate number on the record shows #5892, and that record for George M. Nash is shown below out of the Yankton Land Office during the administration of President Benjamin Harrison. In the record above are also shown George M. Nash’s brothers-in-law Henry Carroll and William Snook. [Josephine Nash Ofstedahl, my grandmother, wrote a brief note years later of recollections of land and houses, which is posted ca 1912 in this narrative, because it states that year as the year the Jim Nash farm house was built. It states that there was a Nash homestead in 1883. It is listed as “cabin”, which must have been the homestead cabin. It was listed as eight miles out of Platte - which is the distance to Platte at the current location, established as “New Platte” in 1900.]

The homestead record below shows Orson and Orley Nash filing on the same day that their father George had filed. Alcander Morse, the father-in-law of both Orson and Orley, is shown on this page, as is Ida’s brother Fred Christensen. Fred Christensen is shown as not filing until 1892, after both he and Ida had married Nash siblings. But he is shown in a Leonardville Kansas 1885 news article as being from Darlington, South Dakota - and with Ida Kate marrying Jim in 1888. Ida was living with Fred here in the 1884/1885 period, so Fred was likely living on the land for a time before formally filing for it.

One of the families nearby the Nashes and Christensens in Carroll Township were the Foxley’s. J. A. Foxley wrote a brief history of Carroll Township that describes those early days. I cannot tell, but I think the document below is in my Grandmother’s handwriting, so it may have been copied from an original. It mentions the Nashes and Christensens. It describes the settlement, and also the Blizzard of 1888. It is a valuable addition to the township’s history. J. A. Foxley died in 1948 (he’s buried in Rock Hill Cemetery along with the Nashes and Christensen’s) - so this could have been written any time before then.

So both these paths led to a marriage in Charles Mix County in Dakota Territory in 1888. Ida lived in Denmark, Kansas, Wisconsin, and Kansas again - and through her brother’s homestead landed in Charles Mix County. Jim was born in Illinois, grew up there until he was eighteen, homesteaded with his family in Charles Mix County and met Ida - who was living on the adjoining farm of her brother.

Charles Mix County marriage records show a marriage between Elmer J. Nash, a resident of Flora in Charles Mix County, age 29, a farmer, and Ida Christensen, a resident of Flora, 21 [Flora was in Carroll Township, and this does imply that Ida was living with Fred at the time of her marriage.].  They were married by J. Treweitha, Minister of M.E. [Methodist Episcopal] Church of Bloomington Township on October 2, 1888 in the presence of Wesley and Ida Hickok.  Ida Hickok was Jim Nash’s sister and Wesley was her husband. The heading of the certificate, posted below, led with "Territory of Dakota".  Jim and Ida were married the year before Dakota Territory became North and South Dakota - as each state was admitted to the Union together. [The ages don’t seem right - Jim would have been 22 and Ida 20.]

Ida and Jim - Their First Years Married - Building a Family and A House

Ida and Jim’s Children - The Details. Ida Kate and Jim had five children: 1) George Oliver Nash (his first name was for his grandfather George Nash and his middle name was for his great-grandfather Oliver Nash), born September 9, 1890 in Charles Mix County, South Dakota, and died on July 27, 1907 in Charles Mix County, South Dakota; 2) Ben Christensen Nash (his middle name was his mother’s maiden name), born September 13, 1892 in Carroll Township, Charles Mix County, South Dakota; died on July 21, 1960 in Mitchell, Davison County, South Dakota; married October 15, 1915 in Stickney, Aurora County, South Dakota to Mabel Toland, born August 22, 1895 in Tawe County, Iowa and died December 10, 1977, Mitchell, Davison County, South Dakota; three children; 3) Josephine Phoebe Nash (my grandmother, her middle name was that of her grandmother), born May 17, 1898 in Wheeler, Charles Mix County, South Dakota and died April 16, 1985 in Santa Rosa, Sonoma County, California; married on July 7, 1922 in Lake Andes, Charles Mix County, South Dakota to Carl Arnfred Ofstedahl (Ofstedahl pages on this website detail his family and ancestry - a photo of his family is the header on the home page of this site), born on February 21, 1893 in Grafton, Walsh County, North Dakota and died on August 22, 1967 in Sonoma, Sonoma County, California; three children (pictured on the front page of this website); Josephine married a second time on September 17, 1974 in Napa County, California to Martin John Stark, born on March 11, 1904 in Lake County, South Dakota and died January 25, 1996 in Santa Rosa, Sonoma County, California; 4) Theodore “Ted” Nash, born September 12, 1900, prob Charles Mix County, South Dakota, died March 1985, prob Maricopa Co., Arizona; married April 17 1922 in Murdo, Jones County, South Dakota to Anna Dyvig, born March 3, 1905 in South Dakota, and died July 27, 1995, probably in Oregon; one child; and 5) Harley Fay Nash, born November 20, 1910 in Charles Mix County, Dakota and died on April 16, 1967 in Portland, Multnomah, Oregon; Harley married first on August 30, 1927 in Charles Mix County, South Dakota to Alice Belle (Known as Belle) Hoffman, born October 28, 1909 in Platte, South Dakota and died on February 26, 1991 in Platte, Charles Mix County, South Dakota; three children; married second in Nashua, Chickasaw County, Iowa on July 4, 1937 to Pauline Marian Simonson, born April 10, 1914 in Wanamingo, Goodhue County, Minnesota; and died October 26, 1990, Washington County, Oregon; one child.

Jim Nash is shown below in a photo taken at the Wilson Gallery in Cherokee, Iowa. This photo was in the collection of Shawn Mitchell, a Carroll Descendant (Jim’s mother Phoebe’s sister married Henry Carroll). Since Jim and Ida were married in 1888, and Ida’s sister died in 1889 in Cherokee - and her widower Oscar and children left a few years later - this photo is quite likely from the 1888-1889 period. There is a photo from the same gallery taken of Ida’s cousin a Rasmussen, as well as one of Ida’s sister Anna. This means that the photo of Anna - likely at about the same time the photo was taken of Jim, was taken before her death in 1889. Shown below is the original photo of Jim with the studio marking, as provided by Shawn; then the same photo colorized and enhanced; and then a photo of the back of the cabinet card photo - with “Jim Nash” written as an identifier.

Earlier on this page, I included the oral history from Lois Ofstedahl Grupp on how Ida got to Dakota Territory. Her narrative picks up about her marriage to Jim and those first married days: “Lois: . . . And she married him and they lived with the seniors (George and Phebe) in a little house, the original homestead house, and she told me this, that when she lived there, she had – I don’t know whether it was Ben or George that was the oldest . .  .

John: George was the oldest.; Lois: OK. When she had the baby, the old wives tale was that you did not drink after birth, you did not drink any water, and she said she couldn’t stand it.  So she’d get up in the middle of the night and go out and take the dipper, and gulp water in the kitchen.  And she says, One night when she was going out to get a drink of water, she heard her mother-in-law yell, “Ida, Ida is that you?”  They called her Ida, you know.

John: And so, when you say they were living with the seniors, they were living probably with George and Phoebe Nash, who were Jim Nash’s parents.; Lois: Yup, you got it.

John:  At the time that would have happened would have been the 1890 census and it’s the one census that was destroyed, it was lost in a 1921 fire in Washington DC., the entire 1890 census is lost.  So you have to find people in 1880 and then they next show up in 1900, and you might not know what happened in the twenty years in between.  She probably was  with them in the 1890 census, because she would have been married in 1888 or 1889.”

The letter below was from J. W. (John) Christensen to his sister Ida dated February 21, 1890. John writes that it’s from Riley, which is about six miles from Leonardville. The letter begins on two pages, folded over. So the first page are pages one and four; and the second page are pages two and three. Then there is a fifth and final page, on harness letterhead. There is an address page on the back of the final page - posted first below.

The letter is significant because it mentions “Uncle Christensen”, and it also - as noted on the adjoining page about Rasmus “Charley” Christensen - the last known reference to him.

The 1890 letter from John to Ida Kate, posted above, is transcribed below.  The last page of this letter has a letterhead of “Moffet & Christensen, Manufacturers of Harness and Saddlery, Dealers in A General Line of Horse Goods Repairing Promptly Done.  Collars, Whips, Blankets, Bridles, Robes, Etc.  Leonardville, Riley, Kas. 18__.”  The letter reads: “Riley Feb 27(?)/90

Dear Sister Ida:

I read your letter about a week ago but have had no time to answer as yet. We are awful busy in the Harness Shop now I have been working over night for a long time. We are running the 2 shops together and have 2 men to work for us. One is a young man learning the trade. The other man we pay $40 a month till the spring trade is over. You said you wrote to use before Christmas but I have not recd(?) any letter from you. Mother is as well as usual. The Lagripe(?) has been bad here but we have not had it at our house. The winter has been fine here we had a little snow here just enough have a few days good sleigh ride. I tell you we enjoyed too. My girl was in Riley to attend a singing school they had here, and I take her home in a cutter(?) and we tipped over three times before we got home. "Of course, she would fall over on my side." You asked if we had peaches last. ‘I should say we did.’ They couldn't sell them here. There was no mony, and apples was plenty also. If we have many this year I shall send you a lot. Mother was glad to get some thing from you she said that you were the only one that thought of her from home. "Well Ida," when you have the time you send me a painting a large one that I can fraim (sic) never mind the cost you can send it by Express, or mail it and I can pay you when I recd (sic) it.

You ask how the times in her. Well I should think they were good, corn went from 60 to 90 to the case and oats 30 to 60. Wheat 25 to 50 but prices is low here on ever(sic) thing but many seems to be ??? there. They are going to have a big Masquerade Ball at Leonardville to morrow night at the Erpelding(?) Hall. I and Jim Colt will get up from here I think there is going to be a big crowd out. Have you not heard from me since I came down here, I tell you there is a lively little town better than Leonard. Lots of pretty little girls here. My girl lives 5 miles west. You remember Mary Evans dont you. Well it is her sister that I am going with now. She is a nise(sic) little girl if I do say it myself. As for getting married I can not tell you yet. But will let you know in time.

Chris and my self and both of our girls went down to Uncle Christensen last Christmas and we had a splendid time and we went up to Olsburg to a Christmas Tree and brake drum caneing home, Cousin Mary is teaching school out near my girls home she is going to school to her so I see her every week. The boys are all stuck on Mary. Out where she is teaching she gets her mail at this place. 

They are having a big protracted meeting there(?) and we are have a big time see the girls home from church.  They are building a nice big church at Leonard.  It is going to be a dazy(?).  We had a letter from Chas.  He is going to start a Butcher(?) shop of his own some where  He did not tell when he has got $100 of us(?)  Perhaps he is going to get married.  Well I must close.  Regards to Jim.  Your Brother, J. W. Christensen.”

Posted below is a Charles Mix County Deed, from Henry and Didama Hill to Jim Nash in 1891, shown in Book 5, Page 3. This appears to be the first land that Jim Nash owned - he would have been twenty-six years old - three years after he married Ida and eight years after his father and siblings homesteaded in Carroll Township.

Ida Kate’s brother Henry wrote her a letter in October 1891 from Kansas. The letter appears to be missing a third page. Below are the two pages we have, and a transcription follows.

The 1891 letter to Ida Christensen Nash that appears to be from Henry is posted above and transcribed below:

“Leonardville, Kans. Oct 8, 1891.

Mrs. Ida Nash

Dear Sister:

It has been a long time since you have herd(sic) from me so I will write you a few lines: If you will please ask Fred about that letter of Fathers and have him send it. I am going up to Iowa the first of next month, to get Hary(sic) and Ida. But I do not want you to mention it yet. Chris and John are in Kansas City to the fair.

Tomorrow I run in a bicycle race at the Riley Fair. I send you my picture, I am not going to run on that bicycle, but on a safety. I expect to win the race.  I am still at Staffords. Did you know that John has sold their building in town here? That is the harness shop. He is still running the one at Riley but it is his now. I suppose you herd (sic) about Hattie Newman getting married to Frank Erkelsburg(?).

They are living in the big house. Millie Erkeldurg(?) ran away Chicago and got married to a man by the name of Elis Ludwick. Fred Newman is away to Lawrence to school. And Edith Stafford Ellen Halstead and Hugo H. is going to Manhattan. (This is the end of the letter, there must be another page that is not included. It is unclear which brother of Ida's it is from, but it must be Henry, as all the other brothers known to be living in Kansas at the time were mentioned in the letter).”

The following letter, transcribed just below, and then posted below the transcription, is from Ida Hickok in Sharon, Wisconsin on February 2, 1892.  Sharon was just across the state line in Walworth County, Wisconsin from the Nash homestead in Chemung, McHenry County, Illinois. The Blodgetts, who lived just across the County line from the Nashes in Boone County, Illinois - moved to Sharon. Somehow, after Wesley’s death, Ida was back in Sharon, maybe just for a visit.

Ida Nash was the oldest child of George and Phoebe Blodgett Nash - and Jim’s sister. She married Wesley Hickok, who homesteaded in Carroll Township near the Nashes. He died in 1891, and the letter below was written the next year. Sometime before the 1895 census, Ida Nash Hickok remarried to Henderson (Henry) Atkins who was also on an adjoining homestead. Ida died in 1897, just eight days after her mother. Henry remarried, had a child, and moved to Fall River County, South Dakota, where he died in 1922.

Ida is likely in at least one of the photos in the Nash Tintype page on this website. With that discussion on that page is at least one other photo of her.

Since this letter was passed to me by way of my grandmother – and all letters involved her mother Ida Christensen Nash, it is quite possible that Ida Hickok referred to her as “sister”.  There were family references in the letter. Aunt Caroline is mentioned as is Austin, who was her son. Caroline was the younger sister of Joana Carpenter, who married Squire Blodgett and were the parents of George Nash’s wife, Phebe Blodgett. Caroline married Sidney Nash, who was George M. Nash’s brother.

The letter contains little punctuation and many misspellings.  The letter is presented as best as possible, with some paragraphs shown that were indicated, but for which no actual indentation was made:

“Sharon, Wis. Feb 2 1892

Dear Sister:

I got your letter about a week ago but have been sick with the Grip and am now but (sic) - I think I feel a little better this morning I am sick all over just - as I was last - winter the snow is all going off there is nothing left - but - the big drifts.

I was going to Hahns and Burrs last week if I hadent got the grip and now I dont know when I will get to make any more visits you wanted to know where Hattie Burton lives she lives where Millard Langdon used to live she is offle tall Nora is real good looking she is very small the smallest of any of the girls Kate has got a boy I have seen Lulu she is just as homly as ever homlier of the too her man is a regular duchman

she has got quite a pretty baby I have seen Leaky(?) tale she has got a face as round as the moon and nearly as large it just caps the basket she has lost one of her front teeth Jo looks poor

Austin is very ful (?) his neck is so very large Howard and Cynthia went past here Sunday he has grown since we law him Aunt Caroline told me Cory (?) was offly mushed on the other Howard lady too (?) is tall and slim she is rather good looking David and his wife they call Levvey (?) and Davis(?) I have not seen Daniel Pary yet they say he is sickly.

I am a going to learn how to make Jruper(?) flowers nearly everyone here have got them they are just lovly they look so natural I am going to learn of Hale

I cant think of any more to write my head is all blowed out

Ida Hickok”

The original letter is on two folded pages. The first sheet contains page one - and the second sheet contains pages two and three.

In the 1895 South Dakota state census, posted below, James Nash was shown with his family in Carroll Township in Charles Mix County.  James was shown as 29, Ada(sic) as 26, George as 4, and Ben, 2.  All are shown as being "native", clearly an error in categorization for Ida. Also shown on this same page are Jim Nashes’ parents George and Phebe; Henry Carroll and family - Henry’s wife Clemina being the sister of Phebe Nash; Orley Nash and family, Orley being the son of G. M. and the brother of Jim (son Charles is the author of the Recollections referred to on this page), and Fred Christensen - Ida Nash’s brother. Fred is the last entry on this page, and his wife Ella (Jim’s sister) is the first entry on the next page. Also on the next page is Orson Nash, another brother of Jim, Orley, and Ella, and his family. There are but six pages for Carroll Township in the 1895 South Dakota state census.

On July 12, 1895, Ida Miller wrote a letter to Ida Nash. Ida Miller was the daughter of Ida Nash’s late sister Anna, married to Oscar Miller. Anna died in Iowa in 1889, after having five children with Oscar Miller. Ida Miller and her brother Henry bounced around the family, and lived with the Christensens in Kansas. This letter was written on Henry Christensen’s letterhead in Morganville, in Clay County about twenty-five miles from Leonardville. It was the day before the letter posted next from Chris Christensen to Ida - from Leonardville. The transcript of the Ida Miller letter is posted just below (with misspellings and grammatical errors), with the original letter posted following.

"Dear Aunt Ida:  It was a long since I wrote to you.  I stayed at home fourthofjuly but I had a goad time.  Uncle Henry gave me twenty-five cents two spend.  I was promoted to the fourth read.  I was down to Leonardville and stayed a week and Uncle Christ and Hary bout me home.  That was the first time they had been down.  I had to take care of Earl bout all the time.  I was down there and I dont like Aunt Ella so very well.  My mamma's grandpa in the old country is ded and us children will get money insted of my mother.  Grandma is sixty-nine years old.  Grandma says if you can't talk dane it is no use for her to come out and see you.  Grandma dont know what to do for she says it seems as if all will get married with Americans.  If Uncle Henry gets a noshin to marry Grandma would like to come out and live with you.  Fred Colt in Leonardville is ded.  Pat (?) urtstine (?) died on the Manhatan jail he wanted.  A pig pen out our the road and the railroad men took the pigpen down two times and he put it up again and when they wanted to take it down agin he took his gun and wanted to shoot them.  My brothers have not been down and see me yet and I dont know how they are getting along.  I wrote to papa at Christmas and he has not answered me yet.  We are all well.  are you well.  I think I will close my letter now.  [There's a sentence written up the side that's not decipherable].  Ida Miller"

[The reference to “my mamma’s grandpa in the old country” being “ded” is intriguing. Anna had two grandfathers. One was Christen Christensen, who died after 1860 - and the other was Rasmus Olsen, who died in 1861. It is likely she is referring to Frederick Massberg, Hans’ foster father, whose name he took and was shown with in the 1872 immigration records. Frederick is shown to have died in 1893 in Nysted, clearly having assets at the time he died.]

[There is also a reference above to Christiane, thinking she will need a place to live if all her sons in the Leonardville area are married. It also says she wants to speak Dane with people. This is an early warning of her going back to Denmark in 1902, shown below.]

Letter from Chris Christensen in Leonardville, Kansas to Ida Christensen Nash in Charles Mix County, South Dakota – 1895 - Transcribed (and posted below):

“Letterhead: C.A. Christensen, Dealer in Harness and Horse Furnishing Goods Leonardville, Kans. July 13, 1895. (There is virtually no punctuation in the entire letter)

Dear Sister Ida It is now a long time since I heard from you and should have answerd(sic) it long ago but so mouch (sic) has happened since then one thing after an other first I was building and that kept me busy and at that time my wife hat(sic) to have an obration (sic) on her Jaw which came near killing her it was some thing caled (sic) sarcomma in the Jaw bone and about 2 inches had to be taken out It cost me about $150 dollars and we had no crops here last year so you see I have had a hard time of it to pull thru(sic) but I hope it is over now as the crops look fine now and that will give me lots of business again I sopose (sic) you here (sic) from Henry and know he is in business of his own and doing well John is in Oklyhoma (sic) on a farm. I think he is doing well. Mother is with Henry at Morganville and is well My boy Earl is a big boy now He can walk and begin to talk also we will get some pictures and send you this fall It is raining here to day that will make the corn all right How is every thing out there Tell me every thing How is Fred geting (sic) a long He must be will off now have they any babys yet I must close now hoping to here (sic) from you soon we are all well and hope your (sic) the same love to you all

Your brother C. A. Christensen”

There are references in this letter to many members of the family - Chris’ wife, who was ill; Chris and Ida’s mother Christiane, living with their brother Henry in nearby Morganville, Kansas; a query about brother Fred Christensen; and a reference to Chris’ son Earl.

On February 9, 1896, “Mate” Nash, Jim’s sister, wrote to Ida Nash. The letter was shown as from Flora, S. Dak. It is four pages, but on two leaves. The top leave contains pages 1 and 4. The bottom leave contains pages 2 and 3. Among those mentioned are Amy, the folks, John Harding, Kate Elfes, Eva, Mrs. Foxley, George Burton, Mrs. Camfield, Frank Delin (?), Mr. Boyce, Lady Atkins, Orley, Myrtie and Mr. B., Lillie, Mrs. Hay, Mrs. Wilson, and Miss M. - along with a menu and the Methodist Church. The letter is posted below.

In the batch of old letters was an envelope, addressed to Ida in Flora. It is undated with no stamp left. It is unclear who it was from and what letter it went with. Maybe the handwriting will match up with one of the letters posted on this page.

In the Leonardville Monitor of April 2, 1896: “Mr. C. A. Christensen orders the Monitor sent to his sister, Mrs. Ida Nash, who resides at Flora, S. D.” It’s clear Ida remained connected to the goings-on of her family in Kansas.

There is a letter from Sena Olsen to Ida Christensen, dated February 11, 1897 and included in the letters saved by Ida Nash and passed down. The letter was listed as from Weyawega, Wisconsin in Waupaca County. It is transcribed just below, and posted just below that.

Sina was “Hansina”, the daughter of Fred Olson, brother of Ida’s mother Christiane. Christiane was the daughter of Rasmus Olson by his first wife, and Fred was the daughter of Rasmus by his second wife. In the breakdown of the Danish naming system at this point, Christiane was known as Christiane Rasmusdatter and Fred went by Frederick Olson. Three other siblings immigrated to the United States and went by a version of the surname Olson.

The key part of the story is that Hans Christensen’s brother immigrated to Kansas, and Christiane’s siblings immigrated to Wisconsin. So Hans’ family was in Kansas first, then in Wisconsin for a few years, and then back to Kansas. There was a few photos of the Wisconsin family in Ida’s items. The letter below refers to the happy times of their youths. Ida was born in 1868 and Sina was born in 1870. Hans and his family came over in 1872, and Fred and his family came over in 1874. The locations listed for the two families when they lived in Wisconsin were a few miles apart.

The letter from Sina makes references to her father, and brothers Anton, Rasmus, and Hans.  It also makes references to the times that Ida Kate and Sina had together years before, and also mentions Ida Kate's brother Chris.  The letter follows, in its entirety, and includes the spelling and grammatical errors of the original:

"Weyauwega Feb 11, 1897.

Dear Cousin Ida:

I would have answered your most welcome letter I received some time ago but have been very busy making me some thing and making up my mind to go visit you have made up my mind to go sometimes in May if it will be convieant to you and if it is pleasant. How I shall be glad to see you and talk over old times. and what fun we had togeather. We are having nice times this winter here is something going on all winter dances and partie's every week and sometime two or three a week. There is a masqurade to-morrow night and Anton & Hans are going to mask. Anton is going to stuff out. and were a pink coat, a green vest, and blue pants, and a high stove pipe hat. Hans is going to be his partner he is going mask like a girl. he has a black satineen skirt a white waist trimed with lace and a big beaquet on a pink sunbonnet with two white plumbs, white kid gloves he look very much like a girl only he is pretty tall, but it want make any differante. Anna & I go out riding two or three times a week and never get in untill 11-12 p.m. but we have good times. I will try to write a little since we are all quite well but the hard time there is on work for any body pa has only had a day and a half of work off coarse they make work for them-self but it nothing that draw any pay. but I presume we had aught to be thankfull we are well. Rasmus nor non of the rest are out looking for a frou unless it is Hans he seem quite stuck on the girls and the girls on him.  I tried to ride a bicycle but did not learn to mount alone. "Don't count your chickens before they hatch," as I do not think I can afford to go see them all maybe they had better come and see me if I come out to you. I have not heard from Chriss for a long time. I will close and direct this to Wheeler as I suppose you are liveing there now please excuse this scratching will try to do better in the future.

Your Cousin, Sena."

From 1896 to 1898 James Nash was County Treasurer for Charles Mix County. This is significant for any of a number of reasons. First and foremost, he had to spend time in Wheeler, then the County Seat. Wheeler was on the Missouri River and was flooded decades later by Lake Francis Case, created by the Fort Randall Dam - after the County seat had moved to Lake Andes. When I visited Platte in 2000, the man at the front desk of the motel where I stayed told me that divers had gone down where Wheeler used to be and saw that buildings were still there.

Letters show that Ida and the family remained on the farm in Carroll Township when Jim was in Wheeler. Yet my grandmother Josephine was born during this time in 1898, and her birth place was Wheeler. The courthouse was a wood frame structure, and was shown in a photo in the 1907 Charles Mix County history. Additionally, a clock was handed down to my grandmother and then my mother and then to me which reportedly was from the Wheeler Courthouse. In the clock’s inside base was a photo of a painting of the courthouse. When I was in the Lake Andes Courthouse in 2000, there was a plaque outside the treasurers office which listed all the treasurers. Jim Nash’s name was there, as well as H. M. (Henry) Carroll, for whom Carroll Township was named and who was married to Jim’s Nash’s aunt - Henry ran the ferry from Wheeler across the Missouri to the other side. And there is a surviving correspondence between Jim and Ida, with the letter head showing he was Treasurer. One of these notes is on the cover page of this website. All these items are posted just below.

It is significant that Jim (and Ida) were tied to the County Seat of Wheeler in the 1898 period. As said above, my grandmother Josephine Phoebe Nash was born in Wheeler on May 17, 1898. I always assumed that Ida Kate went to stay with Jim in this period - and not at the farm. Because there was not birth registry in place, there was a system of “delayed birth certificates” that were recorded years after someone was born - if they were born before birth records were required in South Dakota. It shows Ida reported the information in 1937. Josephine must have ordered the copy in 1961. She was shown as born in Jackson Township - which is where Wheeler was. As previously stated, it was inundated by Lake Francis Case after the Fort Randall Dam was built.

On March 21, 1897 George M. Nash - Jim’s father - wrote a letter to “children”. This is the first of three written in this year and all were written in pencil and are posted on this page.

On April 8, 1897 George M. Nash - Jim’s father - wrote a second letter to “children”. His wife died on April 23. The letter mentions JIm and Orson.

On July 1, 1897, George M. Nash - Jim’s father - wrote a third letter, a two page letter to “children”, posted below. Because it was in Jim and Ida’s items, I assume it was to them. The original pencil version was difficult to read, and I used a process to bring out the writing. George’s wife Phobe died in April 1897.

NOTE: In a number of places, one being the Nash biographical section in the 1975 Platte 75th Anniversary History - it is noted that in 1898 George Nash had Peter Norbeck drill an artesian well on his farm. It was one of the first in the community. Water was so close to the surface in the years after homesteading in Carroll Township, that these wells were possible.

Peter Norbeck was later famous as a Governor of South Dakota and United States Senator. I recall Charles Nash noting that he had attended his funeral. Rev. George Norbeck, Peter’s father, was a pastor in Charles Mix County from roughly 1885 to 1900. His pastorates were listede as in Bloomington and Platte. Both Rev. George Norbeck and his son Peter Norbeck are buried at the Bloomington Church Cemetery near Platte.

A letter from Ella Nash Christensen to Ida Christensen Nash from 1898 is transcribed and posted below. The letter was interesting to me as at the time, Ella Nash was married to Ida’s brother Fred - and they lived close to each other in Carroll Township, which is why it is interesting that she would use a letter to comminicate. Ella was listed with the Carroll School District - in this period there were schools in Carroll Township - there’s a photo of Jo and Harley at a class there posted a little farther down on this page.

The letter makes reference to “Pa” - George Nash - being lonely and looking for his daughter “Mate” every time the stage comes. George’s wife Phebe died the previous April. The transcribed letter follows:

“Letterhead: Office of Ella Christensen, Clerk, Carroll School District Chas. Mix County (also says smaller, upper right corner, Educator School Supply Co., Mitchell, S. D.)

Flora, S. D. Feb. 28, 1898

Dear Ida: This evening I will answer your letter which I rec'd yesterday, as I intend to go up and stay with pa tomorrow.

I suppose Jim will be up to vote, for I think there will be some excitement again.

Pa is getting along very nicely only he is so lonesome sometimes. He expects Mate now every time the stage comes down. Tomorrow is almost too early in the week, quite likely she will come Thursday or Saturday.

We have had the carpenter working on our house one week nearly, and the frame is up and sheeting on ready to put on the cornice and shingle. We do not expect him back till Wednesday.

I am not sure that I will have 10 lbs. of butter to spare by the 16th as I just sent it off last week, since your letter was written, but of course I had not received it. However I will send what I have whether it is 5 lbs or 10. I presume I could send some eggs if you want any.

You are early with your housecleaning, one good point about plastering. How do you like the walls.

Fred went to a sale to-day over to W. B. Woods, didn't want to buy any thing just wanted to see if he could hire a man, hasn't hired any one yet.

Good night.

Ella Christensen”

Among the letters and items passed from my grandmother to my mother is the item below. It is an “reward of merit” from Alton Parish to George Nash, dated March 9, 1900. Alton Parish is shown with his parents and siblings, age 20, in the 1900 LaRouche Township, which includes Academy. He is listed as a teacher. George would have been either nine or ten this year. In Charles Nash’s compilation of students and faculty at Ward Academy - undated but appears to be published in the 1950’s - Alton Parish is listed as a student at Ward Academy from 1893-1897. Alton Parish is shown in censuses in this township and county until he died in July 1959.

[NOTE: Alton Parish is described on page seventeen of the Charles Nash Recollections on this website. He is listed as the teacher at the local Carroll Township School as 1900 dawned. So it is likely that this “reward of merit” is because George was a student at that school that year and Alton Parish was his teacher.]

Jim and Ida C. Nash are shown in the 1900 census in Carroll Township of Charles Mix County in an entry taken on June 1-2, 1900. Ida is shown as 32, born in March 1868 in Denmark, with both her parents born in Denmark.  Elmer J. Nash, is shown as 33, born November 1866 [note: he was actually born in 1865] in Illinois, a farmer, with both his parents born in New York.  They are shown as having been married eleven years with three children, all living.  With them are George O., 9, born in Sept 1890 and shown at school; Ben C., 7, born in Sept 1892 and at school; and Josephine P., 2, born May 1898 – all three having been born in South Dakota, with their father born in Illinois and their mother in Denmark. Ted Nash, Ida and Jim’s fourth child, was born in September 1900, three months after the census was taken.

The Jim and Ida Nash family is spread over the two pages below. Below their entry is that of Jim’s father George, Jim’s brother Orley and his family, and Henderson Atkins, widower of Ida Nash, Jim’s aunt - shown with a new wife and child.

Below is a Charles Mix County Deed, from Henry Carroll to Jim Nash in Book 11 page 133, dated October 13, 1900. Henry Carroll was married to Jim Nash’s aunt - his mother’s sister - and Henry ran a ferry across the Missouri by Wheeler. Shawn Mitchell, who provided the 1888-1889 photo of Jim Nash, is a Carroll descendant.

The Sioux Falls Argus Leader has an item in its September 24, 1901 issue listing Charles Mix County delegates to the Farmers’ Congress. One of them is James Nash.

In the 1895 letter from Ida Miller to Ida Nash posted above, Christiane - Ida Kate’s mother - expresses her frustration that there are not opportunities to speak Danish with others. In the same letter she expressed concern that all her children were marrying Americans. She must have struggled with English.

On March 20, 1902, the brief item below appeared in the Leonardville Monitor. While Christiane was probably returning to Denmark, not Sweden, it does state she was going to South Dakota before leaving the country. She probably visited in Carroll Township, with Ida Kate, Fred, and their families. My own grandmother was born in 1898, so it is likely she met her grandmother on this trip - when my grandmother was four years old.

Even though I have yet to identify a death date and the location of Christiane’s grave in Denmark, it is clear that this was the last time she saw her Dakota children and their families. Chris Christensen visited Denmark in 1937, and there is a photograph of he and his sister Marie standing at their mother’s grave. Yet it is unclear where this grave was - I could not find it during my 2023 visit to their home area in Denmark. I have not found a record of Christiane back in Denmark after her return.

In 1903 Jim and Ida Nash celebrated their 15th Anniversary. They had a party in honor of their anniversary and a copy of the invitation is posted below.

Below is a 1938 Platte Enterprise clipping of the 35 years ago column, which shows that Ida and Jim’s anniversary, for which the invitation is just above, was reported in the Platte paper at the time. Interesting to also note that the item includes the number of students at Ward Academy, and that Jim’s brother Orson was building a large corn crib and granary.

In this period was a newspaper in Wheeler, the “Wheeler Courier”. In the issue of December 10, 1903 is the clipping just below mentioning Jim as a successful farmer of Carroll Township. The city visited isn’t named, it is probably Wheeler itself. Nevertheless, the listing of the farm production is significant.

Before the Nash kids could go to Ward Academy, which was upper grades, they attended the Carroll Township Schools. Above is a letter from Ella Nash Christensen, with the letterhead of her as clerk at Carroll Township Schools. At the start of Part Two on the next page about Jim, Ida, and their family, is a photo of Josephine and Ted at a Carroll Township School. Here is a reference to those schools from 1904 - in the 120 years ago column of a January 2024 edition of the Platte Enterprise. It is possible that a young Josephine Nash had just started to attend a school in Carroll Township about this time.

Jim Nash is shown as having been back in the County Treasurers office for a couple of weeks in early 1905. The article from the January 19, 1905 edition of the Wheeler Courier is posted below:

An article in the Wheeler Courier of February 9, 1905, indicates that “friends” were urging Jim Nash to seek a state oil inspector position. The article was picked up from the Charles Mix New Era newspaper.

In the January 27 Platte Enterprise, a few days before the article above - and recounted one hundred years later in the 100 years ago column of the Enterprise - it was reported that Jim Nash went to Pierre expecting to get the Oil Inspector position.

A subsequent article posted below, from the Turner County Herald, published out of Hurley South Dakota, and dated June 29, 1905 - notes that Jim Nash was appointed oil inspector.

Charles Mix Property transactions were on the front page of the June 15, 1905 Wheeler Courier. Among them were two transactions - one from Orley Nash to Jim Nash in Section 27 in Carroll Township and the other from Jim Nash to Orley Nash in Section 33 in Carroll Township. Jim Nash always farmed in Section 27 - so this must have been a consolidation of some sort.

In the 1905 census, Ida Nash is shown as 37, a farmers wife, living in Carroll Township, born in Denmark with both her parents born in Denmark.  James Nash is 39, a farmer, born in Illinois with both his parents born in New York.  George Nash is 15, a student, born in Charles Mix County, with his father born in Illinois and his mother in Denmark – with the other children showing the same birth information.  Ben Nash is 13, a student; Josie Nash [my grandmother Josephine, this is the only place I have ever seen her referred to as “Josie”] is shown as 7, a student; Theo Nash, no occupation, 5. In this year, the state census was recorded individually on a card with all the information. Each of the Jim and Ida Nash family’s cards are posted below. It is likely that at least the older children were students at Ward Academy (discussed later in this narrative) at this time.

In the August 23, 1906 edition of the Wheeler Courier was the item posted below. Jim Nash was listed as oil inspector and with Mrs. Nash and cousins from Illinois was visiting Fairfax - in adjoining Gregory County - for job duties. The Dakota Nashes remained in touch with the Nashes still in the Chemung, Illinois area - it is possible that those cousins who are being referred to in the article. In the Charles Nash 1960 Nash Genealogy, there is a section on the Nashes who remained in Illinois.

There was an item in the November 10, 1906 edition of the Sioux Falls Argus Leader indicating that James Nash had been visiting Sioux Falls from “Platt”.

In the February 28, 1907 edition of the Wheeler Courier is an article, posted below, about Jim Nash being out as Oil Inspector.

George (Oliver) Nash, the oldest son of Ida Kate and Jim Nash, was a student at Ward Academy in 1907 when he died.  It is interesting to note, 117 years after George’s death as I write this, that there is no one alive who met him, and just the few remnants of his life posted on this page are what he has left behind. Below are three letters from him to his parents earlier in the year he died, both transcribed and with the original copy posted.  The letters were written from George while he was at Ward Academy, where he was studying, and were likely sent home to the farm:

                                                      Academy, S. Dak.

                                                      January 23, 1907

Dear Father:

I received your letter Saturday and have stayed in the house as you told me to.  I am nearly well now. The swelling has nearly gone down and I think I will be able to go to school tomorrow or the next day. There are three other boys sick in our hall now so I have plenty of company. Charles and Frank [sons of Orley Nash and cousins to George - Charles wrote the “Recollections” in the 1960’s and also worked on the history of Ward Academy] took some of the boys sleighriding Sunday afternoon. The snow is just right. Tell mamma those cookies come in just right to eat with coffee. I hope Mose is up and around now days. The stage from Platte has just come. Hoping every body well.  I guess I will close for this time.

                                                      Your Son,

                                                      George.

Below is a two-page letter to Ida Nash from George Nash in Academy, dated March 18, 1907. The original of this two-page letter was so faded that I could not really read it.  I scanned both pages, and then used the photo tools to darken the pages, and the scanned, edited versions are mostly readable - and are transcribed and posted below. 

“Academy, So. Dak.  March 18, ’07

Dear Mother – I must hurry if I get this letter finished before the stage goes, but I will try.  I suppose you are having lots of fun since Ben came out here.  I am glad that I am coming home Friday afternoon.  The folks seemed to enjoy themselves when they were here.  The entertainment was good.  Gee!  I wish Bennie could have been here.  The night they came I was working hauling water.  Fuzz went home with him took him, took his truck, and says he is not coming back to take examination.  I haven’t any money but I think I can get along this term.  Della Grimes had the mumps and she just got over them when her eyes got sore and now she has the pink eye.  She is going home today.  Well I guess its time to stop or the stage will go out before I get there.  Goodbye, Georgie.  Say hello to Uncle Ben for me.”

The April 7 1907 letter from George below mentions Ora [Elfes], daughter of Mate Nash; mentions Guy Nash; mentions brother “Bennie” Nash; and names many other people involved with Ward Academy.

                                                     Academy, South Dakota

                                                      April 7, 1907

Dear Folks:

I hope you are all well. We are all feeling pretty well. I heard that Aunt Ella is sick. Is that so? You may tell Grandpa that Ora has not had any letters from Aunt Mate for some time. He wanted me to tell her to send them home. Has Bennie taken any more pictures yet, or killed any more rabbits? Guy has a cake here and we have quite a cupboard. The Senior class had a show last night. Several of the old students were back again. Ruby Grimes, Miles Hanna, and Cecil Dunn were here. I had a post card from Earl Cooper Friday. He is going to school now. I am taking six studies this term, but there is quite a bit of note-book work, so it is not very hard.

The literary society has new officers this term. Miss Dewey is the critic. We are supposed to answer the roll call by giving quotations and last term not more than half gave quotations. So Miss Dewey promised them a picnic sometime this term if they would all give quotations. All answered but two. I am on for a recitation the 25th of this month. I suppose they are in the midst of sowing. Quite a few around her are all through. I am getting along pretty well in my music, but I don't find much time to practice.

When do you think we will be able to get home. Will says that maybe Mr. Sly will be after us next Sat. night. I could ride the bicycle home anytime if I had a way to get back. My fingers are so cold I can hardly write. I road up to the hills last Sunday and was pretty tired when I got home again. Prof. Hoopes has a new wheel with wils(?) like mine and a coaster hub. Did it rain much at home? We had quite a shower Sat. night while we were at the show. They are starting the furnace this morning. Some of the boys are just getting up. What time do you get up now? The sun is almost up when we get up now. We changed tables Saturday night and I sit by Ora at Miss Dewey's table. Did I tell you about our new cook? She is the Rev. Pope's wife. She sometimes has the meals late but we have a better table than we used to. Have you heard how Carl Holter is getting on. I haven't heard a word about it. Well, I guess I had better stop, it is too cold to write. Goodbye.

                                                      With Love,

                                                      George

The envelope before is the one known surviving one with Jim Nash listed as Oil Inspector. As shown in various articles above Jim Nash was Oil Inspector from 1905-1907.

I asked Dot about George in my oral history with her: “John: . . . And there was one son that died before you were born . . .; Dot: George.; John: Do you remember anybody ever talking about him?

Dot: No.  Other than my mother mentioned a couple of times,  he was seventeen I think, he was in Ward Academy School.  The only thing that they would ever say about it is that he died of brain fever. Well, heaven knows, that means they couldn’t diagnose what it was.  In today’s sophisticated technology, they would have found out what it was.  Very bright, very bright, is what my mother told me.”

George’s obituary ran in the Platte Enterprise, showing he died July 27, just over three months after he wrote the last letter just above. It is hard to imagine the grief of his family, and the obituary states that the services were at the Nash home. George is buried with his parents at Rock Hill Cemetery in Carroll Township.

George’s obituary ran in the Platte Enterprise after his death in 1907: “Obituary.  George Oliver Nash, oldest son of Mr. and Mrs. James Nash, died at his parents’ home early Saturday morning, July 27.  He was born on the old homestead in Carroll Township, September 9, 1890.  His life, though short, was exemplary and useful.  In his home and among his associates he had ever shown those qualities of character which mark young men as favorites and leaders.  Naturally studious, he spent a large part of his time with his books and was, therefore, well informed.  While at the Academy he distinguished himself as an earnest, conscientious and diligent student winning the praise of his teachers and the admiration of his classmates.  ‘How long we live, not years but actions tell.’  The funeral services were held at the Nash home Sunday afternoon, the Rev. Fenton C Jones, of the Presbyterian church of this city, officiating.  Undertaker Cool had charge of the burial.  We wish to assure the family that they have the sympathy of the whole community in their sorrow.”

In the August 8, 1907 issue of the Wheeler Courier is a message of sympathy to the Nash family about the loss of their son George.

George Nash was buried in Rock Hill Cemetery in Carroll Township, and his tombstone is posted below. His middle name was chiseled as Olive but was Oliver, the name of his great-grandfather. I show him born on September 9, 1890 and died on July 27, 1907 - which would have been sixteen years, ten months, and eighteen days. The tombstone, the 1900 and 1895 censuses and Jo Nash’s birthday book have it as 15 years. The 1905 census and the obituary above, show him born in 1890.

In the late 1990’s, Bob Nash, the grandson of Charles Nash, sent me a transcribed copy of The Journal of Amy Morse Nash: 1867 - 1959. Amy was his great-grandmother. This transcription is dated 1991. There are four references to Jim Nash, and three are in 1907-1908 and are just below. The fourth was in 1911, and is on the next webpage. Bob stated that the pages were in a random fashion, and he was not sure of the dates for some, but I posted below what was shown:

1907 – Dec 25th  Jim got B. hog from our place

1908 – Monday Jan 27th  Jim had our team & wagon to haul a load of hogs  he hauled 7 loads that day

1907 – Jim had our team & Wagon 4 days & hauled wheat to Platte the 27 & 28 of Feb & the 1 & 2 of May [March]

During the 1907 period, there were a number of advertisements in the Wheeler Courier about the estate of Jim Nash’s sister Ida Atkins. She was first married to Wesley Hickok, who passed away, and then to James Henderson Atkins. Jim Nash was listed as the administrator, as shown below in an advertisement from the Wheeler Courier of November 7, 1907. Ida did not have known children by either husband. In the Charles Nash map of Carroll Township sections shown earlier on this page, Wesley Hickok is listed in the section next to where George M. Nash and later Jim Nash farmed. There is also a Henry “Adkins” on this map. In one advertisement, George M. Nash was shown as an “heir-in-law”.

My grandmother Josephine Nash Ofstedahl kept a bound birthday book, which I have. The date of September 2 shows the birthday of George M. Nash, Jim’s father, born in 1834. His death is shown as May 9, 1908 - right in this period. There does not appear to have been an obituary in the Platte Enterprise. Ralph Nachtigal searched for us and we talked to him about it when we were in Platte in 2000.

An item in the Wheeler Courier of May 21, 1908 shows jurors picked for the Circuit Court in Wagner on June 2, 1908. Jurors include James Nash of Carroll Township. At the bottom of the list is James Sabin of LaRoche Township - who was the father of Jo Nash’s best friend, Kate Sabin. Kate and Jo went to Ward Academy together.

There was an article in the Charles Mix New Era (out of Wagner) on October 2, 1908 that described a health problem of Jim Nash - it is posted below.

In the period of 1908-1910, as shown in the Jim and Ida Kate Nash family information earlier on this page, there were three Nash children, as George had died in 1907 and Harley wasn’t born until late 1910. I believe the photo below - which has been enhanced and colored - is of those three children in that period, Ben on the left; Josephine in the middle; and Ted on the right. It is hard to speculate over a century later, but the death of George might have spurred the Nashes to have one more child, not long after this photo was taken.

In the December 2, 1909 edition of the Wheeler Courier, posted below, is an item about James Nash going to Sioux City with the last car of cattle for the season. The cows each weighed a little over 1200 pounds each.

The Nashes are shown in the 1910 census in Carroll Township, Charles Mix County.  Elmer J. Nash is 44, a farmer born in Illinois with both his parents born in New York.  His wife, Ida K. is 42, born in Denmark with both her parents born in Denmark.  The census states that they have been married twenty-one years, and that Ida Kate had five children - four of whom were living in 1910.  Shown with them (the census was taken on May 4/5) were Benjamin C., 17, a farm laborer, Josephine, 11, Theodore, 9, and Harley, five months.  They were all shown as born in South Dakota with their father born in Illinois and their mother in Denmark.  With them was Clyde Koontz, 18, a hired man born in Pennsylvania with his parents born in Pennsylvania.

That completes Part One - the story of Jim and Ida Kate’s lives to 1910. Part Two will be Jim and Ida Kate’s lives in South Dakota together after 1910 - as well as information about their children and their families. Go there now.