Mellette County, South Dakota
Family Histories & Biographies - Estes Surname
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Estes Surname
Estes Brothers History
by Mrs. David B. Estes
(Transcribed, with permission from the Mellette County Historical Society, from "Mellette County 1911-1961" published by the Mellette County Centennial Committee)
Edward F. Estes and Stephen F. Estes, Jr., were sons of a prominent Government Agent who served both Pine Ridge and Rosebud Agency. Stephen F. Estes, Sr., came to Thatcher, Nebraska in 1876 from New York state where he had held various government positions during and after the Civil War. After serving as Agent for several years Stephen, Sr., moved his family to a ranch on the Little White River where Westover is now located. .
He built the first house in this part of the country in 1880. When the family moved, this house. was used as a store and post office for years. In this log house on the Little White River, Edward and Stephen were born in 1881 and. 1884 respectively. Here the boys grew up working on their father's ranch until his death in 1910.
Both sons were all-around cowboys of the early days and rode the government fence which was built with government wire and posts a rod apart. This fence ran south of White River until the Pine Ridge jumped that stream. Between the two reservations the fence started at the Nebraska line and north on the boundary between the two until it jointed the east-west line south of Belvidere at the mouth of Black Pipe Creek. This fence ran through rough country and since it was not well maintained the stock found their way through it, so the riders were kept busy, putting the cattle back on the correct side.
Little remains of this government fence today; some of it was later sold for so much a mile. There are still a few solitary posts to be found on the old Anvil Ranch today.
Edward and Stephen rode in the Big Roundup of 1902. Edward was an excellent roper and all-around cowboy. Stephen had quite a bit of business experience working in a general store at Rosebud so he made an efficient tally man. He had a long rope and for every hundred head of cattle counted through the chute he tied a knot in it.
Later, when Mellette County was organized Stephen was the first sheriff and had quite a lot to do with settling some of the perplexing problems of that new county. After serving as sheriff, Stephen moved to a ranch on Big White River south of Belvidere joining his father-in-law's Anvil Ranch. Because of school he moved into the town of Belvidere and ran a livery barn and dray line for several years. He also spent a term serving on the Motor Patrol for the state of South Dakota. He moved back to the ranch to help care for his mother-in-law, Zoe Utterback, and stayed on the ranch until he retired and moved to Rapid City in 1951. Stephen passed away in 1958 and is buried in Rapid City.
Edward raised his family on a ranch north of the town of White River and passed away in 1934. He is buried in the Belvidere cemetery. These two Estes brothers married sisters, Susan and Maud Utterback, daughters of the late prominent cattleman and rancher, J. E. Utterback of Belvidere.
A diary, written by Edward and Stephen, Jr.,'s grandmother, was handed down to Stephen, Jr. by his father, Stephen Estes, Sr. This diary was written during the Civil War years and in it she relates many interesting incidents. One entry tells of Lee's surrender to General Grant on April 14, 1865. She tells of the shooting and death of Abraham Lincoln and a later entry tells of the assassin being shot in a barn. Two of her sons were in the Union Army and her son, Stephen, Sr., held a position under General Hooker.
by Mrs. David B. Estes
(Transcribed, with permission from the Mellette County Historical Society, from "Mellette County 1911-1961" published by the Mellette County Centennial Committee)
Edward F. Estes and Stephen F. Estes, Jr., were sons of a prominent Government Agent who served both Pine Ridge and Rosebud Agency. Stephen F. Estes, Sr., came to Thatcher, Nebraska in 1876 from New York state where he had held various government positions during and after the Civil War. After serving as Agent for several years Stephen, Sr., moved his family to a ranch on the Little White River where Westover is now located. .
He built the first house in this part of the country in 1880. When the family moved, this house. was used as a store and post office for years. In this log house on the Little White River, Edward and Stephen were born in 1881 and. 1884 respectively. Here the boys grew up working on their father's ranch until his death in 1910.
Both sons were all-around cowboys of the early days and rode the government fence which was built with government wire and posts a rod apart. This fence ran south of White River until the Pine Ridge jumped that stream. Between the two reservations the fence started at the Nebraska line and north on the boundary between the two until it jointed the east-west line south of Belvidere at the mouth of Black Pipe Creek. This fence ran through rough country and since it was not well maintained the stock found their way through it, so the riders were kept busy, putting the cattle back on the correct side.
Little remains of this government fence today; some of it was later sold for so much a mile. There are still a few solitary posts to be found on the old Anvil Ranch today.
Edward and Stephen rode in the Big Roundup of 1902. Edward was an excellent roper and all-around cowboy. Stephen had quite a bit of business experience working in a general store at Rosebud so he made an efficient tally man. He had a long rope and for every hundred head of cattle counted through the chute he tied a knot in it.
Later, when Mellette County was organized Stephen was the first sheriff and had quite a lot to do with settling some of the perplexing problems of that new county. After serving as sheriff, Stephen moved to a ranch on Big White River south of Belvidere joining his father-in-law's Anvil Ranch. Because of school he moved into the town of Belvidere and ran a livery barn and dray line for several years. He also spent a term serving on the Motor Patrol for the state of South Dakota. He moved back to the ranch to help care for his mother-in-law, Zoe Utterback, and stayed on the ranch until he retired and moved to Rapid City in 1951. Stephen passed away in 1958 and is buried in Rapid City.
Edward raised his family on a ranch north of the town of White River and passed away in 1934. He is buried in the Belvidere cemetery. These two Estes brothers married sisters, Susan and Maud Utterback, daughters of the late prominent cattleman and rancher, J. E. Utterback of Belvidere.
A diary, written by Edward and Stephen, Jr.,'s grandmother, was handed down to Stephen, Jr. by his father, Stephen Estes, Sr. This diary was written during the Civil War years and in it she relates many interesting incidents. One entry tells of Lee's surrender to General Grant on April 14, 1865. She tells of the shooting and death of Abraham Lincoln and a later entry tells of the assassin being shot in a barn. Two of her sons were in the Union Army and her son, Stephen, Sr., held a position under General Hooker.
Steve Estes Livery barn in White River in 1912. Left to right: Ned Bear Heels, Steve Estes, Silas Standing Hawk, Alex Turning Hawk
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