"After several years in Ontario, he moved to near Leola, McPherson County, South Dakota, 1882."(WEC)
From the Leola SD, Centennial Book, 1884-1984, published by the Odessa Digital Library, 29 Nov 1994, http://pixel.cs.vt.edu/library/odessa.html, Leola Centennial Anniversary Book, 1984, Published by the Leola Centennial Committee, Leola, South Dakota
The following information pertains to Herbert Melburn Chute and Arthur William Chute, brothers, both sons of Sydney Chute.
"The 1884 tax list shows every section of Washington Township taxed. Some of the early settlers were: Nathan Pierce, Gottlob Pade, Sr., Jennie Hoffman (formerly Hummel), Robert Hill, Henry Young, Thomas Crompton, Arthur Chute , Frank Boyle, the Huntley family, Anna Russell, Ida and Laura Warren, Rosell Anderson, J. H. Darlington, and Hamlin Garland. The tax record shows J. H. Darlington owned only one quarter of land in the township. It was on this NE 1/4 of Section 36 that five men gathered in a shanty to organize McPherson County. The land description is noted in the first book of the McPherson County minutes.According to the 1884 tax records, personal property tax carried a higher levy than real estate. Hamlin Garland's land value was $575, taxed at $1.43; Thomas Crompton's land value was $650, taxes were $1.62; Gottlob Pade, Sr.'s personal property was valued at $170, taxed at $7.65; Arthur Chute's personal property valued at $245, taxed $9.80; and Henry Hoover's personal property valued at $700, taxed at $23.36.
The first school in Washington Township was called the Chute School, later known as the Nelson School. It was located seven miles south of Leola, on the Wetonka corner. The second school, called the Crompton School was located about three miles east of the Chute School. Both schools were built in 1884. The third school, the Pierce School, was located 1 1/2 miles from the Nathan Pierce farm (five miles from Leola) and this school was started around 1910. It was later known as Washington No. 2.
A post office was started January 13, 1885, with Herbert Chute as postmaster. It was discontinued in 1886."
"Lived at Luton, Malahide; went to McPherson County, South Dakota in 1883, where 6 of their children were born.1884
Appear in tax records, Leola, Washington Township, McPherson County, South Dakota, 1884.
From the Leola SD, Centennial Book, 1884-1984, published by the Odessa Digital Library, 29 Nov 1994, http://pixel.cs.vt.edu/library/odessa.html, Leola Centennial Anniversary Book, 1984, Published by the Leola Centennial Committee, Leola, South Dakota
The following information pertains to Herbert Melburn Chute and Arthur William Chute, brothers, both sons of Sydney Chute.
"The 1884 tax list shows every section of Washington Township taxed. Some of the early settlers were: Nathan Pierce, Gottlob Pade, Sr., Jennie Hoffman (formerly Hummel), Robert Hill, Henry Young, Thomas Crompton, Arthur Chute, Frank Boyle, the Huntley family, Anna Russell, Ida and Laura Warren, Rosell Anderson, J. H. Darlington, and Hamlin Garland. The tax record shows J. H. Darlington owned only one quarter of land in the township. It was on this NE 1/4 of Section 36 that five men gathered in a shanty to organize McPherson County. The land description is noted in the first book of the McPherson County minutes.1890According to the 1884 tax records, personal property tax carried a higher levy than real estate. Hamlin Garland's land value was $575, taxed at $1.43; Thomas Crompton's land value was $650, taxes were $1.62; Gottlob Pade, Sr.'s personal property was valued at $170, taxed at $7.65; Arthur Chute's personal property valued at $245, taxed $9.80; and Henry Hoover's personal property valued at $700, taxed at $23.36.
The first school in Washington Township was called the Chute School, later known as the Nelson School. It was located seven miles south of Leola, on the Wetonka corner. The second school, called the Crompton School was located about three miles east of the Chute School. Both schools were built in 1884. The third school, the Pierce School, was located 1 1/2 miles from the Nathan Pierce farm (five miles from Leola) and this school was started around 1910. It was later known as Washington No. 2.
A post office was started January 13, 1885, with Herbert Chute as postmaster. It was discontinued in 1886."
"They were in Brown County, South Dakota in 1890." (WEC)
1891William Edward Chute's Chute Genealogies has them moving to Yorkton, Assa County, Northwest Territories in 1891.
Drought forced the family to move to Seho, Saskatchewan, where their daughter Grace and son Archie were born. The family moved to the Dauphin, Manitoba area by wagon, arriving on Christmas Eve, 1894."
WEC #236
"Mr. and Mrs. Herb Chute lived in Vienna, Ontario, where Mr. Chute was a blacksmith until, for reasons of health, they moved to South Dakota and took up farming. They farmed there for about ten years but became discouraged with the dry years and decided to move to Sheho, Saskatchewan, and lived on a rented farm. Yorkton, a hundred miles away, was the nearest town in which to buy supplies. In Sheho they had no school until the settlers got together and built one and hired a teacher for the summer months only. The teachers usually boarded at the farm houses for their pay. In this community, disaster struck again, as their home, contents and clothes were all burned while the family were away visiting.
In 1892, Mr. Chute went to Neepawa to earn money for the family. He obtained work with Jake Cathers on a threshing crew. That fall, Mr. Cathers ran the machine across the mountain with Mr. Chute as engineer. They traveled over the Burrows Trail, fording rivers and creeks as there were no bridges, or built-up highways; this was a very tedious and hazardous trip indeed. After two years of threshing in the Dauphin District, Mr. Chute decided that this green fertile valley with the rivers, lakes and beautiful trees was the land in which to make a home for Mrs. Chute and family.
In December 1894, the Chute family set out in a covered van to drive the two hundred miles from Sheho to Dauphin. The van had all the essentials for sleeping and cooking; also a small heater to keep the van warm. There were two other sleds loaded with household effects in the caravan, and a few cows were also brought along. After eight days of travel they arrived in Old Dauphin, or "Dog Town" on Christmas Eve. They were very weary and tired, but overjoyed at seeing for the first time the land which was to be their home for many years.
In 1895, Mr. Chute rented the Barker farm and harvested the last crop on the present site of the Town of Dauphin. The railroad was being built so the old Town had to be moved. The surveyors made a plan of survey among the stooks(?) before threshing was completed.
Mr. Chute then bought his own farm five miles Northwest of Dauphin and proceded to clear the land and build a frame house, after spending the winter in a log cabin. Much of the cleaning was done with horses and logging chains, and later by steam engines pulling the trees out by the roots. The building of roads proved quite a problem as the soil became real gumbo in the rainy seasons. Many times travelers were taken in for food and shelter because their horses and wagons were mired in the mud.
Mr. Chute was elected as counsillor for Ward 3, on the first council of the rural municipality. Road building was his one special interest and with his knowledge of blacksmithing, and having his own shop, he built road drags from railway ties. These proved quite effective and he received awards for the best roads in the municipality.
In 1901, the Vermillion school was built, two and a half miles south of the Chute home. The younger children drove with horses and cutter, and cart in the summer season. In Springtime the rivers became so high that the flats were flooded, consequently the horses had to swim and the children had to hold their feet up from the bottom of the cart. Salt Creek also had to be forded as no bridge had been built. The pioneers never seemed to worry about any mishaps for the children, and there never seemed to be any disasters.
On the farm were many work horses, light horses and race horses; also cows, sheep and poultry. Races became quite a hobby with the Chute family. On Fair Day the best heavy horses were curried, combed and dressed up in fancy harness to be shown. The choice pigs, calves and poultry were carefully chosen for competition. Mrs. Chute received many beautiful prizes for her Barred Rocks. That was a day of fun for the entire family, as the democrat, buggy and wagon started early in the morning for a picnic: a meal of roast chicken, potato salad and Saskatoon preserves. The entire family, especially the younger children, enjoyed the rides in the midway, while the older members of the family watched the judging in anticipation of receiving one of the coveted prizes; also, the hose races caused much excitement.
In the early days, most of the supplies came from Eatons in Winnipeg. Before Christmas one big order of clothing, food such as canned pears, tomatoes, corn, jam, fancy biscuits, cheese, raisins, currants, prunes and also Christmas presents would arrive. In the Spring, another large order would go to Eatons. Each Fall about eight barrels of apples would be stored in the basement for apple sauce, pies and eating.
One windy dusty day in Spring the boys were seeding wheat on a rented farm four miles away from the home place, and while they were in the house eating their noon meal the barn caught fire and eight horses were burned. This, indeed, was a great loss, but work continued as Mr. Chute immediately bought more horses.
During the summer while they were clearing the land there were fifteen men to be fed, and in the harvest time and the threshing there were as many as twenty-five. Mr. Chute operated two threshing outfits and that accounted for such large gangs. Usually there was a man hired to do chores - such as milking cows, feeding pigs and hens; also looking after the wood supply while his wife assisted in the house. As many as fifteen pies would be baked at one time, and a twenty-five pound roast of beef would be cooked for a meal. The neighbors formed a beef ring from which they obtained fresh meat each week.
The canning season was also a busy time and berry picking was a pleasant pastime: cranberries, Saskatoons, wild strawberries, raspberries surely looked nice in the two-quart jars. Fruit, such as peaches, pears and plums were bought by the case. In those days the large gardens were well looked after - some vegetables were made into pickles while all others were carefully stored for use in the winter.
The death of Mr. Herb Chute came in July, 1925, followed by that of Mrs. Chute in December, 1937.
There were six sons and two daughters in the Chute family.
The life of the pioneer was harsh at times, but they were taught self-reliance. The work was hard, but life was pleasant in the community, as there seemed time for visiting, talk and laughter. Gradually, the old ways are changing and the modern taking over.
The pioneers had energy, vision and boundless confidence. Their names have become part of the fabric of the Community's history."
Mrs. Isaac Johnston