Title: Benjamin and Linda Slaughter Papers
Dates: circa 1850-1992
Collection Number: 10003
Quantity: 2.5 ft.
Abstract: Papers of Linda (Warfel) Slaughter, her husband Benjamin Franklin Slaughter, daughters Linnie Lee (Mrs. Albin) Hedstrom, and Jessamine (Mrs. Arthur) Burgum, sister Aidee, granddaughter Hazel (Hedstrom) Eastman, grandson Ted Hedstrom, and great-granddaughter Virginia (Eastman) Dullum. The collection also family history and genealogy information, newspaper clippings about the Slaughters, papers of Albin Hedstrom (Burleigh County Sheriff), Allan Eastman (Bismarck Tribune writer), and Allan’s parents Phillip K. and Maude Eastman (store owners in Wilton, N.D.).
The Linda Slaughter Papers consist of correspondence, literary work, organizational records, invitations, printed materials, legal and financial records, and information about the history of Edwinton (D.T.) and Bismarck (N.D.). Correspondence relates to professional writing, music, civil service, organizational activities, personal interests, women's suffrage, temperance, law practice, school administration, and post office duties. Correspondents include Father Genin, J.P. Kidder, I.E. West, W.H.H. Beadle, A. Sheridan Jones, M. N. Jewell, C.A. Lounsberry, Belva Lockwood, Oscar Will, Ernst Steinbrueck, O.G. Libby, and numerous political figures and social leaders on the state and national level. Correspondence and organizational records include the Ladies Historical Society of Bismarck and North Dakota records (precursor to the State Historical Society of North Dakota), Women's National Press Association, Women's Relief Corps, Knights of Labor, and the Daughters of the American Revolution.
The Benjamin Slaughter Papers consist of correspondence, records created while serving as the Burleigh County coroner, military records. Correspondence consists of letters from Clara Barton, military personnel, and political figures.
The collection includes a significant amount of the work of Hazel and Allan Eastman, including Hazel’s manuscript “So this is Washington!” based on Linda Slaughter’s experiences in Washington, D.C., Hazel’s “Far West” column from the Bismarck Tribune, andmaterial relating to her publication of her grandmother’s “Fortress to Farm.” Hazel’s husband, Allan Eastman, was a writer and photographer at the Bismarck Tribune. The collection includes his research on the history of Bismarck (N.D.), Custer, the Louisiana Lottery, Little Casino, and his “Browsing Around” column that was published in the Bismarck Tribune.
Provenance: The donor and date of acquisition of the original accession of the Benjamin and Linda Slaughter Papers by the State Historical Society of North Dakota is unknown. Additions to the collection were made by Linnie Lee Hedstrom (daughter of Linda and Benjamin Slaughter), Joe Peltier (great-grandson of Linda and Benjamin Slaughter), Virginia Eastman Dullum and Linda Eastman Comben (great-granddaughters of Linda and Benjamin Slaughter). Virginia Eastman Dullum signed a gift agreement donating the collection to the State Historical Society of North Dakota in February 2018. Publications were removed from the collection and cataloged in February 2018. The Burleigh County Pioneers Association Records and the North Dakota Federation of Women's Clubs Records were added to MSS 10168 Burleigh County Pioneers Association Records and MSS 10202 North Dakota Federation of Women’s Clubs Records in February 2018. Several items from the A and C collections were added to MSS 10003 in February 2018: A1489-01, A1489-02, A2820-01, A2931-01, A3660-01, A4407-01, A5418-01 and C0346-01.
Property rights: The State Historical Society of North Dakota owns the property rights to this collection.
Copyrights: Copyrights to materials in this collection remain with the donor, publisher, author, or author's heirs. Researchers should consult the 1976 Copyright Act, Public Law 94-553, Title 17, U. S. Code and an archivist at this repository if clarification of copyright requirements is needed.
Access: This collection is open under the rules and regulations of the State Historical Society of North Dakota.
Citation: Researchers are requested to cite the collection title, collection number, and the State Historical Society of North Dakota in all footnote and bibliographic references.
Transfer: Several publications were separated from the collection and cataloged in February 2018.
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES
Linda Warfel Slaughter was born in February 1843 at Cadiz, Ohio. She graduated from Oberlin College and became a Presbyterian missionary. She accompanied her husband to Dakota Territory and after settling in Bismarck became an active member of the community. Her accomplishments include: organizing the first Sunday school, first superintendent of Burleigh County schools, deputy superintendent of schools for Dakota Territory, organized the Ladies Historical Society of Bismarck and North Dakota, an active member of the Women's Christian Temperance Union, and Vice President of the National Women's Suffrage Association. She wrote pamphlets, letters, and books, most of which extolled the virtues of the West. Some of the articles were penned under her Indian name, Zuzula. The last few years of her life were spent in various hospitals and sanitariums. She died on July 5, 1911 at St. Cloud, Minnesota. Benjamin and Linda Slaughter met in Tennessee while he was in the army and she was a missionary. They were married on August 28, 1868 in Ohio. The Slaughters had three daughters: Rosalind, Jessamine, and Linda. Their only son, Frank, died in infancy.
Benjamin Franklin Slaughter was born on April 10, 1842 at Bardstown, Kentucky. He attended the Louisville Kentucky School of Medicine and in 1860 was appointed a medical cadet in the United States Medical School at Louisville. Upon graduation he became assistant surgeon of the 55th Kentucky Mounted Infantry. After the Civil War Slaughter served at Fort Humboldt, Tennessee until he received orders to Fort Rice, Dakota Territory. He was stationed at Fort Rice from 1870 to 1872 and accompanied troops in the field. In 1872 he was ordered to Camp Hancock, Dakota Territory. He resigned his army commission in November 1873 and settled in Bismarck. He was the first postmaster of Bismarck, president of the Burleigh County Pioneer Association, and county coroner. He died on December 26, 1896 at Bismarck, North Dakota.
Sources:
North Dakota Historical Quarterly, vol. 1, no. 2, pp. 34-35
Women of North Dakota Hall of Fame by Grace Hudson
Bismarck Tribune, 5 January 1897
Bismarck Daily Tribune, 7 July 1911
Bismarck Tribune, 5 February 1980
1900 Federal Census Records
BOX / FOLDER INVENTORY
Box 1:
1 Linda Slaughter: correspondence, 1869-1878
2 Linda Slaughter: correspondence, 1879-1887
3 Linda Slaughter: correspondence, 1888-1899
4 Linda Slaughter: correspondence, 1900-1907
5 Linda and Benjamin Slaughter: biographical, circa 1896-1960
6 Linda Slaughter: literary work and speeches, circa 1873-1910
7 Linda Slaughter: articles for Sports A Field, 1903-1904
8 Music written by Linda Slaughter, circa 1902
9 Memorials written by Linda Slaughter, 1882-1888
10 Linda Slaughter: legal and financial papers, 1873-1890
11 Linda Slaughter: Ladies Historical Society of Bismarck and North Dakota, 1889-1896
12 Linda Slaughter: temperance activities, 1874-1880
13 Linda Slaughter: Women's National Press Association, 1888-1893
14 Linda Slaughter: Daughters of the American Revolution,1901
15 Benjamin Slaughter: correspondence,1871-1892
16 Benjamin Slaughter: military papers, 1865-1965
17 Benjamin Slaughter: coroner's records, 1873-1879
18 Slaughter family history, circa 1850
19 Benjamin Slaughter: legal and financial, 1872-1878
20 Benjamin Slaughter: business card, circa 1890
21 Newspaper clippings about the Slaughters, 1877-1989
22 History of Edwinton (D.T.) and early Bismarck (N.D.), circa 1870-1960
23 Precinct directory and voting list, Wilton (N.D.), 1908
24 Programs and broadsides, 1873-1931
25 Invitations and tickets, 1878-1889
26 List of national cemeteries with number of interments, 6/30/1891
27 Jessamine Slaughter (and Joseph Arthur) Burgum, 1894-1957
28 Linnie Lee (Mrs. Albin) Hedstrom, circa 1950-1967
29 Linnie Lee (Mrs. Albin) Hedstrom: North Dakota Chapter of the Daughters of Union Veterans of the Civil War, 1929-1930
30 Albin Hedstrom, 1914-1949
31 Hazel Eastman, 1960-1992
32 "So This is Washington!" By Hazel Eastman, circa 1970
33 "So This is Washington!" By Hazel Eastman, circa 1970
34 Allan Eastman: miscellaneous, 1922-1972
35 Allan Eastman: Bismarck Tribune work, circa 1950
36 Allan Eastman, "Browsing Around" column, Bismarck Tribune, 1947-1948
37 "Fortress to Farm Author Led Active Life," by Allan Eastman, circa 1947
38 "Recollections of Custer Campaign of 1876" by Oscar O. Mueller, circa 1926
39 Copies of Pinkerton Detective reports (Louisiana Lottery), 1922
40 Allan Eastman: Little Casino research, circa 1947
41 Phillip K. and Maude Eastman, 1911-1971
42 Trees, Fruits and Flowers (The book was donated to the Linda Slaughter for the Presbyterian Sunday School from Archibald Durrie, Pastor the First Presbyterian Church (Bismarck, N.D.) in 1895)
Box 2:
1 Aidee M. Warfel obituary, 1876
2 Ted Hedstrom, n.d.
3 Genealogy: Christine Elizabeth Jonsdotter and Peter Frederick Hedstrom, circa 1980
4 Hedstrom genealogy, n.d.
5 Virginia (Eastman) Dullum, 1955-1981
6 Virginia (Eastman) Dullum correspondence with Hazel Eastman and Ray Nelson, 1979-1984
7 Miscellaneous newspaper clippings, 1949-1979
Box 3:
1 Hazel Eastman's Far West column in the Bismarck Tribune, April 23, 1977- September 2, 1978
2 Hazel Eastman's Far West column in the Bismarck Tribune, March 27, 1982-October 14, 1983
3 Hazel Eastman's Far West column in the Bismarck Tribune, October 22, 1983-June 22, 1985
Box 4: Photographs 00001-00027, 00041-00063, 00094
Box 5: Photographs 00028-00040, 00064-00075
Box 6: Photographs 00076-00086, 00088-00093, 00095
Box 7: Copy negatives: 00089-00094
PHOTOGRAPHS INVENTORY
00001 Portrait of Linda L. (Slaughter) Hedstrom (Linnie), Rosalind Slaughter (Rose), Arthur Castleman Burgum (Art), Malinda Louise (Warfel) Slaughter (Linda) and Jessamine (Slaughter) Burgum (Jesse), circa 1897
00002 Portrait of Linda Lee (Slaughter) Hedstrom (Linnie) and Jessamine (Slaughter) Burgum, Bismarck (D.T.), circa 1881
00003 Portrait of Rosalind Slaughter (Rose) and her fiancé Mike Dearborn, circa 1890
00004 Portrait of teachers at Glencoe Teacher's Institute, Emmons County (N.D.), June 18, 1890
00005 Belva Ann Lockwood portrait, circa 1880
00006 Petroleum Wives Follies, Bismarck (N.D.), circa 1955
00007 Mrs. Jack Shell and Gene dancing during Petroleum Wives Follies rehearsals, Bismarck (N.D.), circa 1955
00008 Dance routine for Petroleum Wives Follies, Bismarck (N.D.), circa 1955
00009 Petroleum Wives Follies, Bismarck (N.D.), circa 1955
00010 Petroleum Wives presenting item to Governor C. Norman Brunsdale, circa 1954
00011 Hazel Eastman modeling for A.W. Lucas Co., Bismarck (N.D.), circa 1955
00012 Virginia Eastman getting her pin, circa 1965
00013 One Bull portrait, circa 1935
00014 Native American in full regalia, circa 1935
00015 Native American woman in full regalia, circa 1935
00016 Cattle herd, circa 1950
00017 Sign in Badlands: "Cross at your own risk," circa 1950
00018 Corrals in Badlands, circa 1950
00019 Badlands rodeo, circa 1940
00020 Man and a boy fishing, circa 1950
00021 Badlands rodeo, circa 1950
00022 Little Missouri River, circa 1950
00023 Badlands, circa 1950
00024 Cottonwood tree in Badlands, circa 1950
00025 Badlands rodeo, circa 1950
00026 Badlands rodeo, circa 1950
00027 Little Missouri River, circa 1950
00028 Little Missouri River, circa 1950
00029 A fire on outskirts of Bismarck, circa 1950
00030 Allan Eastman interviewing two unidentified men, circa 1950
00031 Allan Eastman with feather bonnet and tomahawk, circa 1950
00032 Allan Eastman trying to identify blanket of woman later found in river, circa 1950
00033 Allan Eastman walking towards the Bismarck Tribune office, Bismarck (N.D.), circa 1950
00034 Allan Eastman reading newspaper sitting at typewriter, circa 1950
00035 Petroleum Wives follies, Bismarck (N.D.), circa 1955
00036 Vern Hedstrom portrait, circa 1945
00037 Lieutenant Colonel Paul Hedstrom portrait, circa 1945
00038 Ted Hedstrom portrait, circa 1945
00039 Portrait of the Linnie and Albin Hedstrom family, circa 1930
00040 Bismarck Tribune staff, August 4, 1949
00041 Students in Bismarck High School class, 1965, 1965
00042 Governor Aandahl and Allan Eastman at ribbon cutting event, Bismarck (N.D.), circa 1950
00043 Man beside automobile, possibly Frank Ray Sr., downtown Dickinson (N.D.), circa 1940
00044 St. Charles Hotel and other downtown businesses, Dickinson (N.D.), circa 1940
00045 St. Charles Hotel and other downtown businesses, Dickinson (N.D.), circa 1940
00046 Business street, Killdeer (N.D.), circa 1940
00047 Congressman Tom Kleppe, Allan Eastman and staff member for Kleppe at Basin Electric power plant, Leland Olds Station, Stanton (N.D.) 9/1966
00048 Arial view of Fort Lincoln, Bismarck (N.D.), circa 1950
00049 View of the airplane that brought Hazel Eastman to Bismarck to marry Allan Eastman, Bismarck (N.D.), circa 1942
00050 Portrait of Frank B. Fiske, circa 1940
00051 Allan Eastman looking at entries for his column "Browsing Around" contest to name Custer Park, Bismarck (N.D.), 1950
00052 Allan Eastman and other Bismarck Tribune staff speaking to Jack Dempsey, World Heavyweight Champion, Bismarck (N.D.), 1950
00053 Portrait of Josephine Hedstrom, circa 1940
00054 Virginia Eastman publicity stunt for Bismarck Centennial, "shoplifting" at A. W. Lucas and getting "arrested," 1973
00055 Virginia Eastman publicity stunt for Bismarck Centennial, "shoplifting" at A. W. Lucas and getting "arrested", 1973
00056 Helen Atkinson, supervisor, showing Roosevelt School students: Ann Tudor, Virginia Eastman, Jane Roswick, Mike Kosanda, Meredith Lynn, Betty Braun and Allen Cline, how to play croquet, Bismarck (N.D.), circa 1954
00057 Place on grass where a baby was found, Bismarck (N.D.), circa 1950
00058 Farewell part for George Moses, state correspondent, who was transferred from the Bismarck Tribune to Minneapolis: Larry McCarten, Fred Moen, Glenn Sorlie, Gov. Fred Aandahl, Jack Case, Allen Eastman, Bill Misslin, Eddie Tostevin, Frank Fitzsimonds, George Moses, Carl Arp, John Hjelle, and Jimmy Dybal 2/14/1950
00059 Portrait of Albin Hedstrom, 1922
00060 Allan Eastman with daughter Virginia Eastman on second floor of the Bismarck Tribune building, Bismarck (N.D.), circa 1950
00061 Arnetta E. Erickson with yellow roses, Wilton (N.D.), 1949
00062 Fred, John, Albin, Ellen and Josephine Hedstrom on courthouse lawn, Wilton (N.D.), circa 1925
00063 Group in front of courthouse: including Paul Hedstrom, Linnie Slaughter Hedstrom, Hazel Hedstrom Eastman, Josephine Hedstrom, John Hedstrom Helen Hedstrom, Albin Hedstrom and Irene Hedstrom Scharnowski, Wilton (N.D.), circa 1925
00064 Girls pageant at the home of Ell Torrance: Cheryl Renz, Belinda Perkins, Margot, Sarah Blaylock, Kathy Giese, Virginia Eastman, Kathie Holmes, Greta Volk, Bismarck (N.D.), August 7, 1958
00065 Aerial view of Hedstrom farm, near Wilton (N.D.), circa 1950
00066 Nicholas J. Mead (center) after being sentenced to life in the state penitentiary. From left to right: Russell D. Chase (Stutsman State's Attorney), Fred Anstrom (Burleigh County Deputy Sheriff), Albin Hedstrom (Burleigh County Sheriff), Ronald H. Crane (Burleigh County Deputy Sheriff), H. B. Spanton (Stutsman Sheriff), and G. K. Osjord (head of the State Criminal Identification Bureau), circa 1950
00067 Valentine party in Sidney Lee's kindergarten class, Will-Moore School, Bismarck (N.D.). From left to right: Jay Larson, Mike Fremming, Cheryl Renz, Marilyn Walter Guy, Virginia Eastman and Kathy Fahnlander, circa 1955
00068 Gathering outside businesses, including the Jahr and Eastman, and H. L. Michelson & Co. stores, Wilton (N.D.), circa 1910
00069 Allan Eastman with students in classroom, Wilton (N.D.), circa 1909
00070 Group on snow pile outside the meat market and other businesses, Wilton (N.D.), circa 1910
00071 Print of a painted portrait of William Braden, circa 1962
00072 Railroad yard, Wilton (N.D.), circa 1920
00073 Derailed train in snow, Wilton (N.D.), circa 1920
00074 Group of young men: Don Marcellus, Jimmy Barton, Paul Jahr, Ralph Jahr, Harry Barton, Isaac Holten, Allan Eastman and Marion Pettigrove, Wilton (N.D.), circa 1910
00075 Portrait of Linnie Lee Slaughter Hedstrom, circa 1935
00076 Roosevelt cabin on capitol grounds, Bismarck (N.D.), February 1914
00077 Interior of Jahr-Eastman store, Wilton (N.D.), circa 1910
00078 Allan Eastman's first grade class, Wilton (N.D.), circa 1909
00079 Interior of Jahr-Eastman store, Wilton (N.D.), circa 1910
00080 Students and teacher in classroom, location unknown, circa 1900
00081 Street scene and Jahr-Eastman store, Phillip K. Eastman to right of photograph, Wilton (N.D.), circa 1920
00082 Phillip K. Eastman, Bill Crockett, Simon Jahr, baby Allan Eastman outside the Jahr-Eastman store, Wilton (N.D.), circa 1903
00083 Portrait of Maud Eastman, circa 1880
00084 Portrait of Rosalind Slaughter, 1873
00085 Portrait of Linda L. (Slaughter) Hedstrom (Linnie), Rosalind Slaughter (Rose), Arthur Castleman Burgum (Art), Malinda Louise (Warfel) Slaughter (Linda) and Jessamine (Slaughter) Burgum (Jesse), circa 1897
00086 Memorial card for Benjamin F. Slaughter, circa 1896
00087 Portrait of Linnie Lee Slaughter Hedstrom, circa 1928
00088 Dr. Benjamin F. Slaughter portrait, circa 1870
00089 Linda W. and Dr. Benjamin F. Slaughter Family, circa 1876
00090 Old Fort Rice sketch by Linda Warfel Slaughter (copy), June 1898
00091 Dr. Benjamin F. Slaughter portrait, circa 1875
00092 Camp Greene Fort Abraham Lincoln, 1871 (sketch by Linda Warfel Slaughter, copied from Lounsberry's The Record, page 233), June, 1898
00093 Linda Warfel Slaughter (halftone copy photo), 1879
00094 Linda Warfel Slaughter portrait (copy photograph of an oil painting), circa 1870
Address:
612 East Boulevard Ave.
Bismarck, North Dakota 58505
Get Directions
Hours:
State Museum and Store: 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. M-F; Sat. & Sun. 10 a.m. - 5 p.m.
We are closed New Year's Day, Easter, Thanksgiving Day, and Christmas Day. We are closed at noon Christmas Eve if it falls on Mon.-Thurs. and are closed all day if it falls on Fri.-Sun.
State Archives: 8 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. M-F, except state holidays; 2nd Sat. of each month, 10 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. Appointments are recommended. To schedule an appointment, please contact us at 701.328.2091 or archives@nd.gov.
State Historical Society offices: 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. M-F, except state holidays.
Contact Us:
phone: 701.328.2666
email: history@nd.gov
Social Media:
See all social media accounts
