Florence Garland Dawley

September 20, 1935: Mrs. C.L. Dawley Died Sunday; Was Pioneer Hard Winter

Sinking rapidly last week after several years of declining health, Mrs. Charles L. Dawley died early Sunday afternoon at her home here. She had been a pioneer of 1880, the first public school teacher in De Smet, and she, like her husband, was laid to rest from the home in which they were married long ago.

Services were held Monday afternoon, the Rev. W.C. Besselievre of Pierre, her pastor until a few weeks ago, officiating. Pallbearers were E.F. Green, Wm. H. Warren, Wm. Robinson, Merle Sasse, O.J. Hill and H.H. Plowman, the same who acted as bearers at her husband’s burial a year ago last February. Miss Verna Haufle and Miss Alice Schlender sang two duets. It was a brief service, but filled with tributes to the homemaker and neighbor who had been so truly appreciated in the community so many years. The Eastern Star service was conducted at the grave.

Mrs.Dawley had apparently been in her usual health up to a week before her death. Her sister and husband, Mr. and Mrs. A.H. Cornwell, had come from Watertown to visit her that day. Early in the week, however, she seemed to fail, and slept away into death Sunday morning. The Cornwells and her niece, Mrs. Otto Altfillisch, and her family were with her. The only son, Dr. W.A. Dawley, and wife arrived later that morning after a night of driving from their home at Rapid City.

Mrs. Dawley had reached the age of 79 years, having been born Feb. 29, 1856, at Avoca, Wis., daughter of Mr. and Mrs. W.B. Gartland(sic), named Florence. Her father died when she was a young girl and her mother came west with relatives, taking a claim in Lake Preston vicinity in 1879, but locating in De Smet the spring of 1880 after the winter at Ortonville, Minn. She expected to provide for her family of three children by sewing but found herself boarding a number of young men of the new town in what is now the wooden annex to the Syndicate hotel.

Florence Garland became the first public school teacher, her school a part of the present M.E. Sasse residence, located across the corner from the Congregational church. A few years later she taught in the Bowes district northeast of town.

Another pioneer of the first year of settlement here was Charley L. Dawley, agent for a lumber yard. They became engaged and he built a house in which they were married, December 7, 1887. It remained their home all the years. When he considered moving away for a new one love of trees about it caused him to remodel instead and an enlarged, modern home was the result. Two children were born to them. Lansing Edmund dying in 1912 as a young man, Walter A. becoming a surgeon.

There were two devotions for Mrs. Dawley outside her home and personal friendships, and they were her church and lodge. She was a charter member of the local Order of the Eastern Star chapter and a past matron. Active in church work, she taught a Sunday school class until past 60 years of age.

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