The Culver Family Estate

8th Generation Charles Frederick Culver

Charles Frederick Culver (known as "Fred") was born 9 August 1837 in Elkland, Pennsylvania. He married 13 October 1859 in Elkland, Marietta L. Gee, the daughter of Van Ransler and Julia (Davis) Gee. Fred and Marietta moved to nearby Clymer, Pennsylvania and are listed in the 1860 census as being farmers. They had 3 children who were all born in Pennsylvania. Their daughter, Lena, died at the age of 8 months and is buried in Krusen Cemetery in Westfield, PA. In 1871 they moved to Springfield, South Dakota and were later joined by other members of the Culver family. Fred is mentioned in a Springfield, South Dakota Centennial book along with his son, Edgar Lincoln Culver, his brother-in-law, Robert T. Wood, and his son-in­law, Charles Carlin. (This and the 1880 census showing him in Springfield are the earliest mentions of Charles Carlin that I've found so far.) Also mentioned is Dr. Charles Keeling whose sister, Marion, married Edgar L.Culver in 1891: The first school in Springfield was not very large and was moved to various locations. Annie Griffith was the teacher in 1872 and the building was rapidly completed for her by D. R. Martin. At the annual meeting in 1872 officers elected were John A. Lee, trustee; Fred Culver, treasurer; Ira J. Smith, district clerk. Tax of 1/2 of one per cent was voted for teacher's wages and the same for fuel and repair ... Roster of business places of August, 1875, included: J. L. Turner, postoffice, stage and express; R. T. Wood, attorney; L. D. F. Poore, attorney; Dr. G. W. Ira, physician and surgeon; land office, Poore receiver and L. N. Judd register; H. C. Davison, International machinery; Captain Jack Daily, Springfield Ferry Boat; H.E.Bonesteil, groceries and dry goods; James Stephens, furniture and harness shop; E.A. Davison, stables and livery barn; Niles and Setyler, livery and horseshoeing on 7th St.; John Fry, stoves and tinware; H. A. James, pine lumber, on 8th St.; S. Henderson, mill.

The summer of 1882 found these boosters conducting the daily trades on Main street in Springfield: J. H. Baskin, Mead House Hotel; V.R. Vancurren, blacksmith; Day and Williams, attorneys; B. H. Wood, meat market; Charles Carlin, MD., physician; H. A. James, hardware; James and Cochran, millinery store; Bockwell and Morgan, 9th and Main lumber yard; L. Schwerdtman, general merchandise; C. H. Berry, M.D., physician; Bonesteel and Turner, drug store; J. E. Russell, saloon; E. W. Monfore, groceries; Mrs. M. E. Love, Springfield Hotel, Main and 8th St. and more of the men who had started earlier in the history of the town.

During the 21st year of the Springfield Times (1891) more businesses joined the roll call. Included after each name in parenthesis is the founding year of the establishment: E. W. Monfore (1881), groceries and drugs; Stephens and Mead (1873), harness, furniture, contracting agents; Samuel Henderson (1870), saw mill, jeweler and clocks; J. L. Turner (1871), drug store, cigars and sporting goods; Snow (1869) and Groot (1883), real estate and bank; Dr. Keeling (1888), medical doctor; S. F. Smith (1891), restaurant and confectionery; T. E. Stanley (1881), blacksmith shop; J. H. Wise (1891), barber; Magnuson and Whipple (1891), farm machinery and hardware; Fred Culver (1871), livery stable and busline; Conrad Hunn (1876), meat market; R. Mullinger (1886), attorney-at-law; John Brown, dray line and ferry to Santee; M. L. Young, painter; J. M. Clock (1887), contractor and builder; Miss Lindsay, millinery shop. The Fire Department was organized August 21, 1893, with the following officers elected: C. Hunn, chief; A. W. Webb, assistant chief; E. L. Culver, secretary; H. M. Davison, treasurer. The hose company elected the following officers: Can Hunn, foreman; Orren Truesdell, assistant foreman; Ed Culver, secretary; H. M. Davison, treasurer ...

Fred and Marietta Culver moved to Omaha, Nebraska in 1899 following their son Edgar and his wife who had moved there a year before. Here they entered into business together. Fred Culver died 29 December 1913 in Omaha, Nebraska of throat cancer. His body was taken to Eau Claire, Wisconsin for burial in his brother, Enos's, family plot in Lakeview Cemetery. At some point, Marietta moved to Calgary, Alberta, Canada to live with her daughter's family (Charles and Minnie Carlin). They had moved to Canada with their large family on an emigrant train in 1902, owned and ran a ranch in Carstairs, Alberta for 10 years and then made a final move into the city of Calgary. Marietta Culver died in Calgary on 7 October 1922 of bronchial pneumonia. Her son, Edgar L. Culver, has no living descendants. One son, Irving, died when an infant; another son, Raymond, married twice but had no children and his daughter, Mary, never married. One source says that Edgar died in Georgetown, King Co., Maryland of pneumonia but I have no proof of that yet. Charles and Minnie (Culver) Carlin had seven children and now have many descendents living in both Canada and the U.S.