ABRAHAM'S HOMESTEAD

On April 30, 1878 Abraham D�rksen declared his intention to become an American citizen, and filed an application to homestead the southwest quarter of section 31 in Wellington Township of Minnehaha County. Three months later on July 26, 1878 Sarah's seventh child Katie was born. Abraham and Sarah's first daughter Sarah had died in Russia at the age of four. Their second daughter, also named Sarah, may have died sometime between Katie's birth and the 1880 census where she is not listed. In 1881 their eighth child was born and once again they named her Sarah. This time the new Sarah would survive and outlive her mother by many years.

The D�rksen's 160-acre homestead in "the Russian settlement" north of Parker had a 16 by 22 foot sod house with three doors and five windows. Abraham had dug a well and built a stable for their horses and cows. They had a wagon and some farming implements. 60 acres had been broken and crops were raised for four consecutive years. The land was gently rolling and the soil, for the most part, a rich black loam 2 to 6 feet deep. Artesian water was found in the area at a depth of 15 to 50 feet. Although the winter temperature could drop to 20 below or more, the seasons were generally mild for the latitude. Early seeding and high crop yields were not uncommon. Even so, Abraham's farm did not do well. Perhaps these particular seasons were too harsh, or his attention too often drawn away from the crops. He was, by newspaper account, a "regular practicing physician".

This building stands near the entry to the Kasten Farm, site of Abraham's homestead. It is possible Abraham built it about 1878-1884 to replace his sod home.