Robert & Jane (Cameron) Gunn
Robert Gunn and Jane Cameron were both born in Nova Scotia – he in 1839 at Albion Mines, she in 1840 at Lock Broom. His parents had emigrated from Scotland. When a young man Robert emigrated to Carroll County, Illinois. During the Civil War he served in the Union Army and went with Sherman “from Atlanta to the sea.” They moved on to Iowa after the war.
Robert and his brother-in-law Nicholas Beck Cameron came to Spearfish in 1877. The next year his wife and 10-year-old daughter Barbara joined him, coming by train to Sidney, Nebraska, then by stagecoach to Crook City (between where Whitewood is now and Deadwood) – on some hills where the sand was deep, the stage passengers had to get out and walk. Robert met them in Crook City and brought them to Spearfish.
Robert had a confectionery story for a time, located on the west side of Main Street in Spearfish. Jane taught school – she was only the second teacher of the Spearfish school, which was held in various buildings. She told of how one time a man opened the door and stepped in, but made a hasty retreat when he realized it was a schoolroom and not a saloon. During their time living in Spearfish Valley, they met the Mahnken family – including son John, who remembered always being called “Mahnken’s fat boy”, breaking a trail through the snow for the group of kids as they walked to school.
Later the Gunn, Cameron and Mahnken families moved to Wyoming. Robert & Jane settled on what was called for many years, the South Branch of North Redwater, later called Middle Creek. Mrs. Gunn’s brother settled just below them on the creek. The Gunns lived in a log cabin and later built a frame house, which burned. They raised cattle, horses and grains – G U N was their brand. The Mahnkens settled farther north, nearer Alva.
Daughter Barbara attended Spearfish Normal, now known as Black Hills University, graduating in its second class – she taught schools in Lawrence County, SD and Crook County, WY. She served three terms as Crook County Superintendent of Schools, riding a horse to visit the schools under her supervision the first term. During her first term she administered the teachers’ examinations and certified them; her second term the State had taken over teacher certification – and she graduated to a horse and buggy when visiting schools. During her third term she was using cars – and she was also the County Librarian.
She married Frank Andrews in 1898 – Frank had come from Colorado and purchased the flour mill at Beulah (white flour from the Beulah mill was sold under the name “Silver Star). He died in 1915 after having an operation in Omaha, leaving Barbara with a daughter Annajean.
John Mahnken meanwhile had homesteaded in Montana, married and ranched for many years. He lost his wife in 1921. The grade school days acquaintance of John and Barbara was renewed while she was serving her third term as county superintendent and they were married in 1922. Her daughter Annajean taught schools in Crook and Hot Springs Counties in Wyoming, thenwas Secretary to the Wyoming State Veterinarian (Harry Port) for a number of years – Port owned a ranch west of Sundance. She married Charles Rayburne, a prospector and inventor – they lived in the Mahnken home so they could take care of her mother.
Robert Gunn and Jane Cameron were both born in Nova Scotia – he in 1839 at Albion Mines, she in 1840 at Lock Broom. His parents had emigrated from Scotland. When a young man Robert emigrated to Carroll County, Illinois. During the Civil War he served in the Union Army and went with Sherman “from Atlanta to the sea.” They moved on to Iowa after the war.
Robert and his brother-in-law Nicholas Beck Cameron came to Spearfish in 1877. The next year his wife and 10-year-old daughter Barbara joined him, coming by train to Sidney, Nebraska, then by stagecoach to Crook City (between where Whitewood is now and Deadwood) – on some hills where the sand was deep, the stage passengers had to get out and walk. Robert met them in Crook City and brought them to Spearfish.
Robert had a confectionery story for a time, located on the west side of Main Street in Spearfish. Jane taught school – she was only the second teacher of the Spearfish school, which was held in various buildings. She told of how one time a man opened the door and stepped in, but made a hasty retreat when he realized it was a schoolroom and not a saloon. During their time living in Spearfish Valley, they met the Mahnken family – including son John, who remembered always being called “Mahnken’s fat boy”, breaking a trail through the snow for the group of kids as they walked to school.
Later the Gunn, Cameron and Mahnken families moved to Wyoming. Robert & Jane settled on what was called for many years, the South Branch of North Redwater, later called Middle Creek. Mrs. Gunn’s brother settled just below them on the creek. The Gunns lived in a log cabin and later built a frame house, which burned. They raised cattle, horses and grains – G U N was their brand. The Mahnkens settled farther north, nearer Alva.
Daughter Barbara attended Spearfish Normal, now known as Black Hills University, graduating in its second class – she taught schools in Lawrence County, SD and Crook County, WY. She served three terms as Crook County Superintendent of Schools, riding a horse to visit the schools under her supervision the first term. During her first term she administered the teachers’ examinations and certified them; her second term the State had taken over teacher certification – and she graduated to a horse and buggy when visiting schools. During her third term she was using cars – and she was also the County Librarian.
She married Frank Andrews in 1898 – Frank had come from Colorado and purchased the flour mill at Beulah (white flour from the Beulah mill was sold under the name “Silver Star). He died in 1915 after having an operation in Omaha, leaving Barbara with a daughter Annajean.
John Mahnken meanwhile had homesteaded in Montana, married and ranched for many years. He lost his wife in 1921. The grade school days acquaintance of John and Barbara was renewed while she was serving her third term as county superintendent and they were married in 1922. Her daughter Annajean taught schools in Crook and Hot Springs Counties in Wyoming, thenwas Secretary to the Wyoming State Veterinarian (Harry Port) for a number of years – Port owned a ranch west of Sundance. She married Charles Rayburne, a prospector and inventor – they lived in the Mahnken home so they could take care of her mother.