The Settling of Oswald Basin
In the winter of 1908, Ludwig Jr. and Chris Oswald had hauled cedar from the lavas for fuel.
They had noticed the fine, big sagebrush in a little flat they crossed to get wood. When the
government passed a law that one could take up a homestead of 160 acres, very previously to 10
August 1910, the five brother's Ludwig Jr., William, Chris, August, Carl, and a friend Peter
Norstrup, who had worked for them, went with a team of horses and a white-top buggy, drove
out there, found a
government post and tied
two handkerchiefs to the
wheel of the buggy. Two
of the boys sitting in the
back with the end gate
down, counted revolutions
of the wheel to the next
government marker. In
this way, they located the
160 acres. Each chose the
place they wanted.
Ludwig Jr. said this was
good enough for him,
William the same; Carl
and Pete, single, chose
theirs north of the others.
Chris and August drew
straws. August got first
choice, and Chris took
what was left. All the rest
had more lava than Chris.
Pete had old Bob and Jack Anderson prospect for a well on his land, where they tried to get
water as they wanted to feed sheep in the country before snow came.
In October, there was a law passed that each homesteader could file on another 160 acres, but
it had to join the first 160. At that time, all could do this but Chris. Will Foster
relinquished acres so Chris could take another 160 acres. At this time, these dry farms grew
bounteous crops with sufficient rainfall. After 1918, there was not enough rain to grow the
quantity there was before, so most of the Oswalds came back to their home in Coltman. During
those years, they had mail delivered, also maintained a school.
Each built a house and some barns and fenced enough for a pasture. Some fenced their 160
acres. Chris with a team and hayrack on a wagon, hauled a cabin from Idaho Falls for the men to
live in while drilling a well. The well drilling outfit was hauled in by the same team. The next
to be built was a barn for the horses. It took eight horses for a small combine and four horses to
pull the disc or plow.
Two more had joined the Oswald boys, Carl Weiss and Xavier Moedl. This well cost about
$2,000, and other expenses of drilling water were hauling water for nine miles in a tank from
Oakland Valley. Coal, hay, and groceries had to be brought from Idaho Falls and their homes.
The men took turns in this work, and the wives were left at home to do the chores and take care
of the families. Most of them were families of small children. When drilling began, the drill
was stuck and never was recovered. The derrick was moved two feet south onto Chris's place,
but unbeknown to him as he was home. The well is about 353 feet deep.
Those that did not pay their dues in the well lost their rights, and the well was owned later by
Peter Norstrup, William Oswald, Chris Oswald, and Edna Oswald was secretary. When
Theodore Gneiting, returning from a day's labor found he had no water at his dry farm, he
stopped to water his horses at the Oswald Basin well and was charged so much for each animal.
One had a colt. This nosy colt put his nose in the water trough and was counted as one more
animal.
Caroline Gneiting Miller
Source: “The Oswald-Fife Family”, compiled and edited by Carol D. Oswald, 1983.