Land transfer document signed by Ulysses S. Grant, President of the United States

Document signed by Ulysses S. Grant in 1873, transferring 160 acres of land to one Lewis M. Hulet. I believe this plot of land roughly coincides with Flandreau Park, in Flandreau, South Dakota, at 44.054813 Latitude, -96.570976 Longitude.

 

It reads:

 

THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

To all to whom these presents shall come, Greeting:

 

Whereas, in pursuance of the Act of Congress, approved July 2, 1862, entitled "An act donating Public Lands to the several States and Territories which may provide Colleges for the benefit of Agriculture and the Mechanic Arts." there has been deposited in the GENERAL LAND OFFICE Scrip(?) No. 40 for one quarter section of Land in favor of the State of Virginia, duly assigned by the proper Authority of the said State to Lewis M Hulet

 

the South East quarter of Section twenty two in Township one hundred and seven of Range forty eight in the District of Lands Subject to Sale at Vermillion Dakota Territory containing one hundred and sixty acres

according to the official Plat of the Survey of the said Land returned to the GENERAL LAND OFFICE by the SURVEYOR GENERAL:

 

Now know ye, That there is therefore granted by the UNITED STATES unto the said Lewis M Hulet as Assignee as aforesaid and to his heirs

the tract of land above described TO HAVE AND TO HOLD the said tract of Land, with the apurtenances thereof, unto the said Lewis M. Hulet as assignee as aforesaid and to his

heirs and assigns forever.

 

In testimony whereof, I, Ulysses S. Grant, President of the United States of America, have caused these Letters to be made Patent, and the SEAL OF THE GENERAL LAND OFFICE to be hereunto affixed.

 

Given under my hand, at the CITY OF WASHINGTON, the first day of March, in the year of our Lord, one thousand eight h undred and Seventy three, and of the INDEPENDENCE OF THE UNITED STATES the ninety Seventh

By the President: U. S Grant

By S D Williamson(?), Sec'y

 

RECORDED, Vol. 100 Page 477, (indistinguishable), Recorder of the General Land Office

 

 

I also contacted the Moody County Historical Society, and received a very informative reply containing more information about Mr. Hulet, who was apparently quite the rapscallion. Here is their reply:

 

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It is a very interesting document pertaining to the early history of Moody County which was created by the Territorial Legislature in 1872. The following is from a history of Moody County. The incident led to the first court case in Moody County and the trial was held in Pembina about 360 miles north of Flandreau.

 

“ In the early days of settlement in this area, it was recognized that the location of the post office sometimes enhanced the possibility that a village might grow up around it. Lewis Hulett, one of the trappers of 1867-68, built a large log house and covered it with sod. He persuaded David Faribault, since 1871 the first postmaster, to move the first post office in the county (called River Bend) to Hulett's house.

 

Another citizen named Gibbs promoted a rival townsite of Gibbsville. The competition became intense and Gibbs was reportedly attacked and severely wounded by Hulett. Hulett received a sentence of one and a half years in the Detroit penitentiary and Gibbs left the area. These potential townsites were reportedly not far from the original 1857 townsite at the mouth of Flandreau Creek.”

 

Another source had the following:

“The first lawsuit involving Brookings and Moody County men occurred in the late summer and fall of 1872. The principals were Lewis Gibbs of Elk Point and Lewis M. Hewlett, also spelled Hulet and Hulett. Hewlett was one of three men named to organize the county at Medary on January 13, 1871. When the men met he was elected chairman and surveyor. He was also an early mail carrier on the Sioux Falls to Flandreau to Medary route. Nils Kollin states:

"An old man Gibbs, west of the river by Flandreau, had a housekeeper, but Hewlett had none and he was younger. Hewlett tried to persuade the housekeeper to come to him. Gibbs became angry and threatened to shoot Hewlett and went to his house with a musket gun. Later Hewlett shot at Gibbs with a shotgun once when he watered his horse, and struck Gibbs and one of his horses. This gave opportunity for a law case. The two men were among the first who tried to establish a town at Flandreau." Kollin also states: "Hewlett had O. B. Iverson from Split Rock survey part of his land for a town site and Gibbs ran a hotel, as it was called. John Langness on a trip north became acquainted with Gibbs, and he said that the woman involved must have had a defective upbringing. Old Gibbs as a hotel host was fussy in the house, and on one occasion she commanded, 'Get away from me you old d-d crank.' Even if she was only his foster daughter, Gibbs had a child by her. He was also married before this when he moved up from Yankton County."

 

Thanks for sharing this photo, the document would make a good addition to our files.

 

 

 

Done