Bohannan Family
by Unknown
(Transcribed by RB, with permission from the Mellette County Historical Society, from "Mellette County 1911-1986" published by the Mellette County Historical Society)
William H. Bohannan (father), born December 27, 1878, at Lone Tree Lake, Minnesota, died February 18, 1940, married May 18, 1914, to:
J. Rowena Hickey (mother), born August 11, 1890, at Oacoma, South Dakota. Still living (94 years old).
Their children are:
Donald R. Bohannan, born April 10, 1915, at White River, South Dakota, died May 31, 1984, married April
28, 1946, to Rosemary Trombley, Grand Rapids, Minnesota.
Melba G. (Bohannan) McAllister, born September 30, 1919, at White River, South Dakota, married August 16, 1944, to John A. McAllister, Pleasant Valley, N. Y.
William R. Bohannan, born September 9, 1928, at White River, South Dakota, married November 13, 1964, to Jean Gleason, Mt. Vernon, Ohio.
Rowena and W. H. (Bill) Bohannan became residents of White River shortly after their marriage in May of 1914. Bill was transferred from Oacoma, South Dakota, to White River to manage the J. F. Anderson Lumber Company. It was located just off Main Street and behind Anders Garage. Our home was at the lumber yard and my older brother, Don, and I (Melba) were born there. In 1927 or '28, we moved from that home to one near the high school. It was here that my younger brother Bill was born. We lived in this home until 1936 when the lumber yard was closed and my dad was transferred to Kennebec, South Dakota, to manage the yard there.
My mother, Rowena, worked part-time, after Don was born, at an abstract office and she was Register of Deeds for one term during the 1920's and during the Depression in the 1930's. She worked for the WPA as a case worker. I remember that our basement was a distribution point for clothing materials allotted to needy families. The WPA office was located in a building formerly known as the Red Cross Hospital.
My parents were active in the Catholic Church and my mother sang in the choir, which consisted of Mary
Hrachovec (organist), her Joe, Mrs. Otto Tomsik and my mother as regulars. Rev. James P. Walsh was the pastor and Dan and Francis Hrachovcc and Gerhardt Becker were altar boys. During the annual "frontier Days" the Catholic ladies served meals to the public and it was my dad who usually built the concession stand for them. I seem to remember that he built the first bleachers at the Rodeo grounds too.
For as long as I recall, the Little White River was a constant source of entertainment for us and for many
families. We enjoyed picnics and swimming, and occasionally my parents, the Hrachovccs and McLeans would put up little tents and spend the night along the banks of the river near the bridge and the Catholic
Church (Mission). We always had a campfire and sang songs together. During the 1930's, the city built an out
door dance floor farther down along the river and it was known as the "Bowery." The band consisted of local musicians and it was the place to go on Saturday nights!
Don loved to play basketball and was a member of the team while in high school. In 1931-32 while the team was coached by Harold Peterson, they won the District tournament, and I can never forget the tremendous support given that team by the entire community. They were treated to special "suppers" after games, in various homes and at Millie's Cafe and Kent's Cafe, and many of the townspeople attended the games away from home, often driving in the worst South Dakota winters when heaters in cars provided very little comfort.
In the late 1920's, summertime meant circus tents arriving, several days of pure delight, and "Chautauqua", a tent show in the form of three-act plays. We always looked forward to Frontier Days in August with the Rodeo, and Main Street roped off for the Indian dances, concession stands, cotton candy, merry-go-round, and—best of all—the ferris wheel. Many summers we were visited by bands of Gypsies who put up tents in a vacant lot between the lumber yard and Hrachovec's residence. As kids, we were both
fascinated by and afraid of them!
Our first radio was an Atwater-Kent crystal set with earphones and we could tune in to WNAX in Yankton, South Dakota. The first car that I can remember was called an "Overland" and it had side curtains and celluloid windows and a very loud engine.
The night that the "silent picture" theater burned to the ground was an event that I never will forget. It was such a spectacular fire that my folks awakened us and we hurried to stand in the cold to watch the last cement wall collapse. It had been a wonderful building and in its time had housed many different activities, including a roller skating rink. Another popular building was the Bohemian Hall, located across the street and on the same side as the Mellette County News. It was a dance hall for the Bohemian population and was often rented out for other purposes such as card parties, Jr-Sr banquets and various social events.
Don graduated from high school in 1932 and from the University of South Dakota in 1937. He spent three
years in the military service during World War II as a fighter pilot, was employed as a sales engineer for Worthington Pump in St. Paul. Minnesota, and in Chicago, Illinois, for Cooper Energy Service. His wife and three married daughters and two grandchildren live in the Chicago area. Don passed away at the age of 69.
My mother is 94 years old and lives in a nursing home near Don's family. My dad died in 1940 in Kennebec at the age of 62.
I graduated from Kennebec High School in 1937, but the bulk of my schooling was in White River. In my junior year, I won the District Declamation Trophy for White River. That same year, typing was offered as a subject in high school, but we had to provide our own typewriters. In 1925-26, White River had its first school band directed by Mr. Beck. I had the honor of being the first drum major and until I got my baton, I used a broomstick while we practiced marching up and down the streets around the high school. We were invited to Pierre to play at the State Capitol when Tom Berry was Governor.
I attended business college in Rapid City, South Dakota, and it was while I was employed at the Air Base that I met my husband and moved to New York State. We have three children, a boy and two girls, and five grandchildren, all living in California. Our home now is in Phoenix, Arizona.
My brother Bill was eleven years old when we left White River. His first playmates were Arlie and Arlene
Brood who lived next door to us and Nick Didier with whom he has maintained a life-long friendship. Bill graduated from the School of Mines in Rapid City in 1952, spent eighteen months in the Army of Occupation after World War II and was employed as chief engineer for Bechtel Corporation in San Francisco. He is married and has one son in college.
The earliest pictures of my parents in White River were taken in 1914-15 with the McLeans and Stranges.
Other early friends included the Hrachovecs, Kellers and Sullivans.
When I think back to the "old days" in White River, I realize how lucky I was to grow up in a small community where we had so many good friends and neighbors—people who really cared about each other's
welfare. It is truly a cherished memory.
by Unknown
(Transcribed by RB, with permission from the Mellette County Historical Society, from "Mellette County 1911-1986" published by the Mellette County Historical Society)
William H. Bohannan (father), born December 27, 1878, at Lone Tree Lake, Minnesota, died February 18, 1940, married May 18, 1914, to:
J. Rowena Hickey (mother), born August 11, 1890, at Oacoma, South Dakota. Still living (94 years old).
Their children are:
Donald R. Bohannan, born April 10, 1915, at White River, South Dakota, died May 31, 1984, married April
28, 1946, to Rosemary Trombley, Grand Rapids, Minnesota.
Melba G. (Bohannan) McAllister, born September 30, 1919, at White River, South Dakota, married August 16, 1944, to John A. McAllister, Pleasant Valley, N. Y.
William R. Bohannan, born September 9, 1928, at White River, South Dakota, married November 13, 1964, to Jean Gleason, Mt. Vernon, Ohio.
Rowena and W. H. (Bill) Bohannan became residents of White River shortly after their marriage in May of 1914. Bill was transferred from Oacoma, South Dakota, to White River to manage the J. F. Anderson Lumber Company. It was located just off Main Street and behind Anders Garage. Our home was at the lumber yard and my older brother, Don, and I (Melba) were born there. In 1927 or '28, we moved from that home to one near the high school. It was here that my younger brother Bill was born. We lived in this home until 1936 when the lumber yard was closed and my dad was transferred to Kennebec, South Dakota, to manage the yard there.
My mother, Rowena, worked part-time, after Don was born, at an abstract office and she was Register of Deeds for one term during the 1920's and during the Depression in the 1930's. She worked for the WPA as a case worker. I remember that our basement was a distribution point for clothing materials allotted to needy families. The WPA office was located in a building formerly known as the Red Cross Hospital.
My parents were active in the Catholic Church and my mother sang in the choir, which consisted of Mary
Hrachovec (organist), her Joe, Mrs. Otto Tomsik and my mother as regulars. Rev. James P. Walsh was the pastor and Dan and Francis Hrachovcc and Gerhardt Becker were altar boys. During the annual "frontier Days" the Catholic ladies served meals to the public and it was my dad who usually built the concession stand for them. I seem to remember that he built the first bleachers at the Rodeo grounds too.
For as long as I recall, the Little White River was a constant source of entertainment for us and for many
families. We enjoyed picnics and swimming, and occasionally my parents, the Hrachovccs and McLeans would put up little tents and spend the night along the banks of the river near the bridge and the Catholic
Church (Mission). We always had a campfire and sang songs together. During the 1930's, the city built an out
door dance floor farther down along the river and it was known as the "Bowery." The band consisted of local musicians and it was the place to go on Saturday nights!
Don loved to play basketball and was a member of the team while in high school. In 1931-32 while the team was coached by Harold Peterson, they won the District tournament, and I can never forget the tremendous support given that team by the entire community. They were treated to special "suppers" after games, in various homes and at Millie's Cafe and Kent's Cafe, and many of the townspeople attended the games away from home, often driving in the worst South Dakota winters when heaters in cars provided very little comfort.
In the late 1920's, summertime meant circus tents arriving, several days of pure delight, and "Chautauqua", a tent show in the form of three-act plays. We always looked forward to Frontier Days in August with the Rodeo, and Main Street roped off for the Indian dances, concession stands, cotton candy, merry-go-round, and—best of all—the ferris wheel. Many summers we were visited by bands of Gypsies who put up tents in a vacant lot between the lumber yard and Hrachovec's residence. As kids, we were both
fascinated by and afraid of them!
Our first radio was an Atwater-Kent crystal set with earphones and we could tune in to WNAX in Yankton, South Dakota. The first car that I can remember was called an "Overland" and it had side curtains and celluloid windows and a very loud engine.
The night that the "silent picture" theater burned to the ground was an event that I never will forget. It was such a spectacular fire that my folks awakened us and we hurried to stand in the cold to watch the last cement wall collapse. It had been a wonderful building and in its time had housed many different activities, including a roller skating rink. Another popular building was the Bohemian Hall, located across the street and on the same side as the Mellette County News. It was a dance hall for the Bohemian population and was often rented out for other purposes such as card parties, Jr-Sr banquets and various social events.
Don graduated from high school in 1932 and from the University of South Dakota in 1937. He spent three
years in the military service during World War II as a fighter pilot, was employed as a sales engineer for Worthington Pump in St. Paul. Minnesota, and in Chicago, Illinois, for Cooper Energy Service. His wife and three married daughters and two grandchildren live in the Chicago area. Don passed away at the age of 69.
My mother is 94 years old and lives in a nursing home near Don's family. My dad died in 1940 in Kennebec at the age of 62.
I graduated from Kennebec High School in 1937, but the bulk of my schooling was in White River. In my junior year, I won the District Declamation Trophy for White River. That same year, typing was offered as a subject in high school, but we had to provide our own typewriters. In 1925-26, White River had its first school band directed by Mr. Beck. I had the honor of being the first drum major and until I got my baton, I used a broomstick while we practiced marching up and down the streets around the high school. We were invited to Pierre to play at the State Capitol when Tom Berry was Governor.
I attended business college in Rapid City, South Dakota, and it was while I was employed at the Air Base that I met my husband and moved to New York State. We have three children, a boy and two girls, and five grandchildren, all living in California. Our home now is in Phoenix, Arizona.
My brother Bill was eleven years old when we left White River. His first playmates were Arlie and Arlene
Brood who lived next door to us and Nick Didier with whom he has maintained a life-long friendship. Bill graduated from the School of Mines in Rapid City in 1952, spent eighteen months in the Army of Occupation after World War II and was employed as chief engineer for Bechtel Corporation in San Francisco. He is married and has one son in college.
The earliest pictures of my parents in White River were taken in 1914-15 with the McLeans and Stranges.
Other early friends included the Hrachovecs, Kellers and Sullivans.
When I think back to the "old days" in White River, I realize how lucky I was to grow up in a small community where we had so many good friends and neighbors—people who really cared about each other's
welfare. It is truly a cherished memory.
Mellette County, South Dakota
Family Histories & Biographies - Bohannan Surname
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Bohannan Surname
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