Jasper County Democrat, Volume 12, Number 41, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 4 September 1909 — THE JASPER COUNTY CONTINGENT [ARTICLE]

THE JASPER COUNTY CONTINGENT

In the Dakotas AU Happy and Prospering Greatly In Their New Home. Joseph Willitts and William Rishling returned Thursday from a two weeks prospecting trip to the Dakotas. They were most favorably impressed with that section of the country, and Mr. Willitts has rented a half section of land near Mitchell, So. Dak., just across the road from Wm. Kenton’s, which is now occupied by Jesse Saylor, also formerly of near Rensselaer, and will move there about March 1. They visited the Kenton’s, the Zards, Sam Parker, Charlie Robinsoh and other former residents of Jasper, now’ residing near Mitchell, and report them to all be well pleased with their new home and having good crops again this year, as usual. William Kenton and his two sons who are still at home own a section of land and have 6,000 bushels of wheat this year, now worth there 85 cents per bushel. Jasper Kenton, who resides in in Mitchell, also owns a section of land which he rents out. Mason Kenton recently sold his 400 acres at an advance of SI,BOO over the price paid a year ago, and has bought a 160 acre farm a little better in quality. He got the crop off the 400 acres this year, which is worth at least $4,000 more. Charlie Zard owns 240 acres and his brother Fritz 320 acres. The latter paid $55 per acre six years ago, and last week he refused SBO per acre. Sam Parker, formerly of Hanging Grove tp., has 400 acres for which he paid $45 last year. He refused S6O only a few days ago. Mason Kenton was threshing his wheat, and on the few acres already threshed the average was 22 bushels per acre. J. A. Knowlton, formerly of Marion tp.. had the best wheat Mr. Willitts saw while there, and the shocks were actually so thick on the ground that it did not look like there was room for more. He had 100 acres in wheat. The early planted corn about the Kentons’ neighborhood and Mitchell was all out of the way of frost and the husks were dry. Mr. Willitts also visited up in North Dakota in the vicinity of Oaks, and crops were rather better there than about Mitchell, a hot wind having cut them somewhat at the latter place. Both Mr. Willitts and Mr. Rishling were very favorably impressed with the country about Oaks also.