Sewall, William Wingate, 1845-1930

William Wingate Sewall has 100 cattle to practice on during winter. He does not believe cattle are too hard to care for and the work has not been difficult. The country is “queer” and dirty but the soil looks healthy and the water is good. Sewall guesses there is a chance to make money with cattle and Theodore Roosevelt is optimistic. If he can make a profit, Sewall wants to get back to the “clear water and trees” soon. Overall, he thinks that Dakota Territory should have been left to the animals.

Collection

State Historical Society of North Dakota

Creation Date

1884-08-17

Since he last wrote, William Wingate Sewall has a new son. Mary Alice Sherman Sewall and the boy are doing well. There are 250 cows on the ranch and, even though some of them do not have calves, their herd is doing the best out of any along the Little Missouri River.

Collection

State Historical Society of North Dakota

Creation Date

1886-08-07

William Wingate Sewall is doing well in Dakota Territory but all they have for fruit is chokecherries and there has not been rain since June. The hot, dry weather has mostly ruined the garden. The cattle are doing well and only a few have been lost. In a postscript, Sewall estimates they have 1,200 cattle and announces that Theodore Roosevelt will be returning to the ranch soon.

Collection

State Historical Society of North Dakota

Creation Date

1886-08-01

William Wingate Sewall has been “holding the fort” at the ranch while the other ranch hands are on the roundup. The weather has been nice and he has been spending time tending the garden. Sewall does not think Dakota Territory is very good for farming, but the cattle are doing well. He hopes that Theodore Roosevelt will not lose money on the cattle but doubts he can ever make much profit. Sewall accompanied Roosevelt on a recent hunt and Roosevelt killed a large elk. He hopes to go on his own hunt with Wilmot Dow when the weather is cooler. Sewall is now into his last two years in Dakota Territory and it will be a “joyful day” when he returns home to Maine.

Collection

State Historical Society of North Dakota

Creation Date

1886-06-27

William Wingate Sewall describes the pursuit and capture of three thieves that stole a boat from Theodore Roosevelt. The boat, the best one on the Little Missouri River, had been purchased by Roosevelt in Saint Paul, Minnesota, and it was very useful. Sewall and Wilmot Dow built a new boat and they headed after the thieves a few days after the boat went missing. The thieves were captured without violence and Roosevelt accompanied them to Dickinson, Dakota Territory, for trial. Sewall and Dow continued down the river with the boats to Mandan, Dakota Territory, and then took a train back to Medora, Dakota Territory.

Collection

State Historical Society of North Dakota

Creation Date

1886-04-21

William Wingate Sewell describes a hunting trip for deer and bighorn sheep.

Collection

State Historical Society of North Dakota

Creation Date

1886-07-28

The weather has been very changeable but there have been some warm days and William Wingate Sewall believes that only a few cows will be lost over the winter. Sewall is unsure if the area is suitable for cattle due to the cold, and with all the cattle being brought in, he fears the grass will run out. He suggests Theodore Roosevelt was misled about the profitability of cattle ranching in Dakota Territory. Sewall has not met anyone that is making a profit. Roosevelt will be visiting the ranch soon and Sewall will be happy to see him.

Collection

State Historical Society of North Dakota

Creation Date

1886-02-28

The weather has been pleasant and William Wingate Sewall has been building a stable and hunting. He killed a buck with the finest set of horns he has ever seen. Sewall describes a great ride on his favorite horse, Sorrel Joe, while trying to corral a group of horses.

Collection

State Historical Society of North Dakota

Creation Date

1885-12-20

William Wingate Sewall participated in a cattle roundup that lasted seventeen days and covered 500 miles. He describes the route they took and the country they traveled through. Sewall had a good time and enjoyed the trip but he would not spend his life in Dakota Territory even if he could own the whole territory. The “poor settlers” in Dakota live very roughly and he thinks that when they can vote they will “cook” the cattle men until the territory is left to the “small fellows.”

Collection

State Historical Society of North Dakota

Creation Date

1885-08-16

William Wingate Sewall traveled with the rest of Theodore Roosevelt’s ranch hands to Minnesota to brand and transport cattle that had been purchased by Roosevelt. The cattle were then shipped to Medora, Dakota Territory, by rail. Sewall found the work to be “lively and exciting.” From Medora the cattle were driven fifty miles to their destination which took around six days. Roosevelt has been with them and he has been “as good a fellow as ever.”

Collection

State Historical Society of North Dakota

Creation Date

1885-05-17

The weather is cold and the snow is over a foot deep. William Wingate Sewall is not sure how the cattle can survive in such an environment. He accompanied a group, including James Watts, a “genuine specimen of a frontier man,” to a Native American village. Watts was with General Custer the day before the Battle of the Little Bighorn and claims to have been shot seven times and hit with arrows five times. They bought several moccasins, buckskins, and a buffalo robe. Sewall’s long hair seemed to interest the Native Americans and they even braided his hair. There are opportunities in Dakota Territory but he still believes that Maine has better living conditions and hopes to return soon.

Collection

State Historical Society of North Dakota

Creation Date

1885-02-18

The weather is very cold but William Wingate Sewall is doing well. The lumber is ready and they are still working on the ranch house. Sewall is happy that he will be working with Joe and Bill Rowe. The deer have been “shy and cunning” but they have had successful hunts and currently have three deer hanging in the yard.

Collection

State Historical Society of North Dakota

Creation Date

1884-12-19

William Wingate Sewall has been working on hewing the logs for the ranch house and it is going fairly well. They take one day each week to explore and also get their mail once a week. Sewall is unsure what he will do in the spring but he does not want to live in Dakota Territory for longer than necessary. He is safe but sees many drawbacks to living in the territory. Ranching in the Dakota Badlands is a new business and no one is sure if it will be profitable.

Collection

State Historical Society of North Dakota

Creation Date

1884-10-19

The season has been very wet in Dakota Territory and William Wingate Sewall thinks he will enjoy the winter more than the summer. He should not have to work very hard and there are plenty of deer to hunt. There is land available but Sewall is not sure if the average man can make it profitable. He is generally pleased with Fallback, his horse, though they have had their differences. Sewall’s employer, Theodore Roosevelt, is a “very fair fellow.”

Collection

State Historical Society of North Dakota

Creation Date

1884-09-14

Transcription of an excerpt from William Wingate Sewall’s ledger book noting financial transactions for the Elkhorn Ranch.

Collection

Theodore Roosevelt National Park

Creation Date

1885-1886

This excerpt from William Wingate Sewall’s ledger book notes a trip to Little Missouri, Dakota Territory, and the beginning of the construction of the Elkhorn Ranch house.

Collection

Theodore Roosevelt National Park

Creation Date

1884-07-24

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1911-12-11

Creator(s)

Sewall, William Wingate, 1845-1930

Recipient

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

William Wingate Sewall asks Theodore Roosevelt whether he might help the daughter and wife of James Cicle, the guard who died while Roosevelt was president. Sewall reports that his family is well and that his wife’s nephew heard Roosevelt speak in Spokane, Washington, on his trip out west. He wishes Roosevelt would visit and come stay at one of his camps.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1911-05-03

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1911-02-19

Creator(s)

Sewall, William Wingate, 1845-1930

Recipient

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

William Wingate Sewall tells President Roosevelt what he thinks of Senator Benjamin Tillman, accusing Tillman of having an Ananias club and saying that “when he threw something at Dorr”–a land agent whom Tillman had accused of being a swindler–“he forgot it was a boomerang.” Sewall hopes the stockings he sent suited Roosevelt and hopes to see him while in Washington.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1909-01-16