Emigrants

List of all emigrants

"Frank" Franz Arnold Meyer zur Capellen

emigrated 1867 to the United States and settled in Sturgis, Meade County, South Dakota.

Frank is a brother of August Meyer zur Capellen from Remsede near Bad Laer in Germany, Ancestor of Georg Meyer zur Capellen who is the husband of Lore Waldmann.
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letter

Passing of Frank Meyer
(Black Hill Press, Nov., 16th 1904)
Died, at his home, north of Sturgis, on Spring Creek, Friday morning, November 11th, 1904, Frank Meyer, aged 65 years, 9 month and 17 days.
The deceased was born in the western part of Germany, January 24th, 1839. He came to America in 1866, settling in St. Louis, Mo., where he made his home for some 12 years. In 1878 he came to the Black Hills where he continued to reside until the close of life. On Oct. 8th 1870, he was united in marriage with Miss Louisa Brake, who is now left among others to mourn his loss.
Mr. Meyer was widely known in this section of the country, and his unexpected death comes as a shock to his many friends in this community. He had been in his usual health up until Friday, November the 4th, when he accidentally stepped on a nail which pierced his right foot. However, the wound seemed slight and little attention was paid to it for a few days, when it became so painful that he sought medical aid, but all to no avail. Blood poison rapidly developed and eve his friends were aware of his serious condition the silent messenger called and his spirit took its flight.
The funeral services, largely attended by relatives and friends, were held at the Presbyterian church in this city, on Monday afternoon, Rev. J. L. Dimmitt, officiating. The remains were laid at rest in the Bear Butte cementery.

 

THE RAPID CITY DAILY JOURNAL

First Woman to Come to Sturgis Still There

Sturgis, April 11 [1930]- Mrs. Louise Meyers, the first white woman to come to Sturgis is still living here. She first came to Sturgis June 17, 1877 when there were but two cabins and as many bachelors to form the town.
Mrs. Meyers, whose maiden name was Louise Braker, left Germany in 1866 bound for New Orleans on a ship that took nine weeks to cross the Altantik. After reaching New Orleans she came up the Mississippi river to St. Louis, taking nine days for the trip.
At St. Louis October 8, 1870 she was married to Frank Meyers, and soon after this the young couple started for the Black Hills, arriving June 17 after making the trip in a covered wagon, drawn part of the way by oxen and the balance by mules.
When they arrived in Sturgis they found two bachelors forming the whole population of the town. One was Henry Schultz and the other Mr. Bosworth. Today an addition through the Junction avenue district is known as the Bosworth addition. Mrs. Meyers says that she lived here for a year and eight months before she saw another white woman.
Mr. and Mrs. Meyers built a log cabin near the present entrance to Boulder park on what is now the Spilker ranch, but in the spring of 1888 flood waters of Bear Butte creek washed away the old home. Later they located on Spring creek about six miles north of Sturgis and on this 720 acre ranch the husband died in 1905.
Mrs. Meyers is now 85 years old and has living in Sturgis, a sister, Mrs. Sophia Spilker, 81 years old, and another sister 90 years of age, residing in St. Louis, Mo. Mrs. Meyers has spent two winters in California, but says she gets so lonesome for the Hills and the people here that she will never again go to California.
She says that on the trip across Dakota at night Indians tried to flank their outfit and that it was necessary to place outposts about the camp wagons. Many times day and night the Indians prowled about their log cabin at the Boulder canyon entrance but never molested them or their cattle.
She pays a very high tribute to the cowboys, scouts, adventurers and trail blazers who came to the Black Hills at that time and soon after. She says all through those early years she was never molested or sullied by the men of that day. Rough on the exterior, bold, fearless, adventuresome, daring to the limit, but withal they were chivalrous and were gentlemen through and through. Mrs. Meyers avers that the early day ethics of these frontiersmen were of a high standard.
She says the first few days she became very homesick and lonesome for the old home back south and east but her husband would repeat to her again and again, "I tell you Louise this is a beautiful site for a city and some day you will see a great city here on this great open plain, surrounded by these high mountains." This is the spot now upon which Sturgis, with paved streets, electric lights, gas mains, modern schools and attractive churches, many lovely homes, a rapidly growing population, banks with increasing deposits and pure water supply has been built.