John Poppe Plucker - Stage Coach incident

 November 12, 2007

 

STAGECOACH TRAIL RECALLED

LENNOX MAN CHANGED HORSES

            Lennox, S.D. May 2 –One of Lennox’s well-known pioneer residents, John P. Plucker, includes narrations of the old Sioux Falls-Yankton stage coach trail among his recollections.

            Both Mr. & Mrs. Plucker have been longtime residents of this community. They were married November 20, 1893—a wedding partnership of nearly 47 years—and they farmed seven miles northwest of Lennox until 1920, when they moved to Lennox with their retirement. They were married in the Germantown Presbyterian Church, eight miles northwest of Lennox, which was organized May 5, 1886—with Mrs. Plucker’s father, the late Rev. P.H. Witte, the first pastor of that church.

Father Homesteaded

            Mr. Plucker was born November 11, 1869, at Rockford, Ill., and Mrs. Plucker was born December 1, 1872, at Alton, Ill. The former’s parents were natives of Germany, immigrating to America and Rockford in 1866 and moving to Ackley in 1872.

            In 1877 Mr. Plucker’s father filed on a homestead six miles northwest of Lennox, his family joining him nearly a year later. It was by this farm that the Sioux Falls-Yankton stage coach trail served. Horses were changed at the Plucker farm and at Swan Lake. Although only a youth then, he tells of various experiences in connection with the early stage trail, at times assisting in the changing of horses. Indians were common in the Plucker family’s earliest years here. Likewise, Mr. Plucker and a brother were caught in the blizzard of 1888, in which three neighboring boys lost their lives while returning from school.

Belong to Old Church

            Mr. and Mrs. Plucker still are affiliated with the Germantown Presbyterian church. He has served as elder and deacon more than 15 and 20 years, respectively. He was an alderman on the city council from ward 3 for four years.

            There are four children, namely: Mrs. P. H. Poppens, Princeton, Ill.; M. E. Plucker, on the old home place; Mrs. J. L. Mihelic, Chicago, and Mrs. Charles Wadleigh, of Albuquerque, N. M.

 

In her letter, Dots says:

“Lennox Anniversary Edition 1879-1939”

Did you ever read the account of the Yankton-Sioux Falls stage coach trail as it crossed the Plucker farm? The book tells that John P. Plucker was an eye witness of one of the robberies. He was 10 at the time as he saw the “federal” men capture the robbers.

 

 

More research from the Chancellor History Booklet:

            This book says the Yankton, S.F. coach trail ran across the Menne Plucker farm in Section 10 of Turner County. That Plucker farm would be where Uncle Enno Plucker lived (his father had homesteaded that land). Now the farm is occupied by Michael Plucker and family. Mike is the great grandson of Enno and Minnie Plucker.