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George W. Tracy Papers

 Collection
Identifier: SC 437

Scope and Contents

Two detailed interviews (17 leaves and 9 leaves) with Leonard Sackett decribing the Tracy family's experiences at Amenia and Sharon farm, with mention of the farm buildings, other hired men, poor quality food, E.W. Chaffee's rules for hired men, their departure from Amenia and Sharon, George farming at Hunter, N.D., his move to Emmons County, N.D., his freight hauling business and sheep ranch, the Spicer family murders and the ensuing lynching. Typed copy of pamphlet "The Win Tracy story" (14 leaves) by George Tracy mentions his moving to Winona, N.D. (later flooded by Lake Oahe), freight hauling, the Spicer murders, and includes anecdotes concerning a drunken female saloon owner, a boy from the East and a drunken bar girl with a gun, and the accidental killing of a man with a water pitcher.

Dates

  • 1955-1958

Creator

Access

The collection is open under the rules and regulations of the NDSU Archives.

Copyrights

Copyrights to this collection is held by the NDSU Archives.

Biography

George Winslow Tracy was born on October 17, 1862 in East Smithfield, Pennsylvania to John Dorrance and Victoria (Phelps) Tracy. He left Pennyslvania and arrived in Fargo, North Dakota on April 1, 1881 with other men to work for Amenia and Sharon Land Company. In addition to farming, Tracy also worked in lumber, cattle, and sheep ranching, which he did near Fort Yates, North Dakota. Tracy also started a freigh hauling business which lasted until 1900.

He married Laura May Andrus on December 29, 1887 in Elmira, New York. They would have seven children: Anna May Tracy, Milton Bailey Tracy, Frances T. Tracy, Ruth Marie Tracy, Julian Andrus Tracy, George Winslow Tracy, and Marion Mega Tracy.

Laura died January 16, 1953 in Pollock, South Dakota. George Tracy died December 3, 1956 in Mobridge, South Dakota and is buried in Pollock, South Dakota.

Extent

11 Items (8 items.)

Language of Materials

English

Abstract

Two detailed interviews (17 leaves and 9 leaves) with Leonard Sackett decribing the Tracy family's experiences at Amenia and Sharon farm, with mention of the farm buildings, other hired men, poor quality food, E.W. Chaffee's rules for hired men, their departure from Amenia and Sharon, George farming at Hunter, N.D., his move to Emmons County, N.D., his freight hauling business and sheep ranch, the Spicer family murders and the ensuing lynching. Typed copy of pamphlet "The Win Tracy story" (14 leaves) by George Tracy mentions his moving to Winona, N.D. (later flooded by Lake Oahe), freight hauling, the Spicer murders, and includes anecdotes concerning a drunken female saloon owner, a boy from the East and a drunken bar girl with a gun, and the accidental killing of a man with a water pitcher.

Provenance

Donated by George W. Tracy in 1955 (Acc. 437).

Separated Materials - Photographs

3 photographs added separated into Photo 534

Property rights

The NDSU Archives owns the property rights to this collection.
Title
Finding Aid to the George W. Tracy Papers
Description rules
Appm
Language of description
English
Script of description
Latin

Repository Details

Part of the Institute for Regional Studies Repository

Contact:
West Building N
3551 7th Avenue North
Fargo North Dakota 58102 United States