Title
LOUIS BINSTOCK FAMILY
Creator
Albert A. Privratsky Family
Coverage
TOWNSHIP 138N RANGE 98W
Text
LOUIS BINSTOCK FAMILY
Louis Binstock, born May 24, 1894, came to this country from Alexandroffka, located in the territory of Crimea, Russia, in 1899. He was the son of Joseph J. Binstock and Josephine Frenzel Binstock. He was five years old, but he remembers the docking of the boat in New York City. He recalls 8 ft. by 8 ft. elevators taking people off the boat onto the land of the United States of America. He believes he and his parents and four brothers and three sisters came to Dakota Territory by wagon. They were greeted here in Dickinson by the Wenzel Zimbric family who helped start the Binstock family in this area. They settled 10 miles north of Dickinson near Camel's Hump. Here they broke the sod to build a sod house and bam, and to plant a crop. This sod house was a two room structure heated only by a wood stove. Shaven soil served as the floor. He remembers times waking up in the morning having the blankets frozen to the sod walls.
Soon after settlement, they started looking for water, but after digging a hole 30 feet by hand and running into hard rock they abandoned the idea, and moved a short distance west of Camel's Hump, where water was found. Here they built a rock house which came from packing powder into an opening in a rock hill and blowing the rock into smaller workable pieces. This rock was of sand texture and could be formed by chisels into squares. Mud was placed between the squares to help seal any openings.
Louis can remember Indians roaming along the creeks, shooting at the dogs if the dogs happened to chase them. He remembers tall virgin sod grass that had to be cut or turned over for farming purposes. Grain was hauled to Gladstone in sacks for one dollar per bushel at the time because it was the only place that had an elevator. Dickinson at this time was only composed of a few shacks.
In 1910 Joseph J. Binstock went back to Alexandroffka for his mother. They returned two months later and she lived on the original homestead place by Camel's Hump. She lived here one year before moving to Dickinson. She died approximately three years later. In July of 1913 Joseph Binstock died after an accident with some horses. He had just finished loading a wagon full of coal from the train. As he was climbing into the wagon, the whistle on the train blew, scaring the horses. The horses took off and Joseph's legs got tangled within the spokes of the wheels. The one leg had to be amputated which eventually led to his death. It was in this year that Louis built a three bedroom wood house for $750, just south one mile from the original homestead place. Before this he had lived in a wood barn with his horses, farming one quarter which he received from his father, and one quarter he eventually bought in 1915. He bought this quarter for $25 per acre.
In 1914 Louis married Katherine Bren, born Feb. 20, 1898, daughter of Frank Bren and Frances Kralicek Bren. The Bren family also came from Alexandroffka, ussia, Katherine was just 14 months old at the time. They settled one mile from the Binstock family, engaging in farming. Louis and Katherine had nine girls through the years: Mildred, 1915, wife of Anton Privratsky; Minnie, 1917, wife of Steve Privratsky; Rose, 1919, wife of Robert Steffan; Anne, 1920, wife of Albert A. Privratsky; Josephine, 1922, wife of William Privratsky; Lillian, 1924, wife of Edward Sadowsky; Dorothy, 1926, wife of George Kostelecky; Martha, 1928, wife of William Dukart; and Katie, 1929, wife of Edmond Kostelecky. Louis says some boys would have been nice, but he says the girls were out there most of the time helping. Katherine ran a three horse team while Louis ran a four horse team.
The Binstock family farmed until 1948 when Louis and Katherine retired, moving to Dickmso. They there together until April 18, 1976, when Katherine passed away. Louis is still living in the same home in Dickinson.
By Albert A. Privratsky Family
Louis Binstock, born May 24, 1894, came to this country from Alexandroffka, located in the territory of Crimea, Russia, in 1899. He was the son of Joseph J. Binstock and Josephine Frenzel Binstock. He was five years old, but he remembers the docking of the boat in New York City. He recalls 8 ft. by 8 ft. elevators taking people off the boat onto the land of the United States of America. He believes he and his parents and four brothers and three sisters came to Dakota Territory by wagon. They were greeted here in Dickinson by the Wenzel Zimbric family who helped start the Binstock family in this area. They settled 10 miles north of Dickinson near Camel's Hump. Here they broke the sod to build a sod house and bam, and to plant a crop. This sod house was a two room structure heated only by a wood stove. Shaven soil served as the floor. He remembers times waking up in the morning having the blankets frozen to the sod walls.
Soon after settlement, they started looking for water, but after digging a hole 30 feet by hand and running into hard rock they abandoned the idea, and moved a short distance west of Camel's Hump, where water was found. Here they built a rock house which came from packing powder into an opening in a rock hill and blowing the rock into smaller workable pieces. This rock was of sand texture and could be formed by chisels into squares. Mud was placed between the squares to help seal any openings.
Louis can remember Indians roaming along the creeks, shooting at the dogs if the dogs happened to chase them. He remembers tall virgin sod grass that had to be cut or turned over for farming purposes. Grain was hauled to Gladstone in sacks for one dollar per bushel at the time because it was the only place that had an elevator. Dickinson at this time was only composed of a few shacks.
In 1910 Joseph J. Binstock went back to Alexandroffka for his mother. They returned two months later and she lived on the original homestead place by Camel's Hump. She lived here one year before moving to Dickinson. She died approximately three years later. In July of 1913 Joseph Binstock died after an accident with some horses. He had just finished loading a wagon full of coal from the train. As he was climbing into the wagon, the whistle on the train blew, scaring the horses. The horses took off and Joseph's legs got tangled within the spokes of the wheels. The one leg had to be amputated which eventually led to his death. It was in this year that Louis built a three bedroom wood house for $750, just south one mile from the original homestead place. Before this he had lived in a wood barn with his horses, farming one quarter which he received from his father, and one quarter he eventually bought in 1915. He bought this quarter for $25 per acre.
In 1914 Louis married Katherine Bren, born Feb. 20, 1898, daughter of Frank Bren and Frances Kralicek Bren. The Bren family also came from Alexandroffka, ussia, Katherine was just 14 months old at the time. They settled one mile from the Binstock family, engaging in farming. Louis and Katherine had nine girls through the years: Mildred, 1915, wife of Anton Privratsky; Minnie, 1917, wife of Steve Privratsky; Rose, 1919, wife of Robert Steffan; Anne, 1920, wife of Albert A. Privratsky; Josephine, 1922, wife of William Privratsky; Lillian, 1924, wife of Edward Sadowsky; Dorothy, 1926, wife of George Kostelecky; Martha, 1928, wife of William Dukart; and Katie, 1929, wife of Edmond Kostelecky. Louis says some boys would have been nice, but he says the girls were out there most of the time helping. Katherine ran a three horse team while Louis ran a four horse team.
The Binstock family farmed until 1948 when Louis and Katherine retired, moving to Dickmso. They there together until April 18, 1976, when Katherine passed away. Louis is still living in the same home in Dickinson.
By Albert A. Privratsky Family