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wild prairie influence…

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My focus (obsession) continues to be my paternal great-granduncle, author & Sioux Falls, South Dakota dentist—William Otis Lillibridge 1879-1909. His 1905 book, Ben Blair was turned into a silent film in 1916, seven years after his death. His widow, Edith Keller Lillibridge was instrumental in getting the film made by Paramount.

I’ve sort of adopted my Uncle Will as my muse…a fellow creative. Reading his work and researching his life has made him feel quite real to me. I’ve learned a lot about his parents, siblings, the home he grew up in on the border of the Dakota Territory in Akron, Iowa, and his life in Sioux Falls. NOTE: I went to college in Sioux Falls and never knew his dental office was down the block from one of our favorite restaurants, Minerva’s.

“As everywhere upon the prairie, the quiet was almost a thing to feel.” —Ben Blair

We certainly have a shared love of the prairie. Maybe he would approve of me recasting myself in his film just for fun…or possibly find no humor in these images whatsoever. From what I’m learning, he seems like he was a rather serious fellow. However, with no one left one to ask, I’m left with little to base my hunches on.

BEN BLAIR—ACT I

The Sanity of the Wild

…in the warm sunny plat south of the barn, a small boy and a still smaller girl were engaged in the fascinating occupation of becoming acquainted. The little girl was decidedly taking the initiative.
…she had an independence, a dominance, born perhaps of the wild prairie influence, that at times made her parents almost gasp.
…bleared faces and keen hawk-like eyes were more closely drawn. The dull rattle of poker chips lasted longer, frequently far into the night, and even after the tardy light of morning had come to the rescue of the sputtering stumps in the candlesticks.

Florence touched his arm. “Ben,” she pleaded,

“Ben, forgive me. I’ve hurt you. I can’t say I love you.”

The End

SOURCES: 

IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0510388/

BEN BLAIR on YouTube: https://youtu.be/NfwmMA3JNBE?feature=shared
READ ONLINE: https://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/17844/pg17844-images.html

Will Lillibridge’s words & my photos

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My great-great uncle, William Otis Lillibridge (1877-1909) was a dentist and an author in South Dakota. One of his books, Ben Blair was made into a movie in 1916. My grandfather recounted that his father used to say that Will was a much better writer than dentist.

After a recent trip to South Dakota I wondered if I had photos that reflected some of Will’s words. It seems that Uncle Will loved the wildness of the prairie as much as I do.

A BREATH OF PRAIRIE & OTHER STORIES by William Otis Lillibridge

“The reddish glow in the east had spread and lit up the earth…”

“The self-confidence of the splendid animal was his. He would work and advance himself.”

THE DOMINANT DOLLAR by William Otis Lillibridge

“I’m serious, Robert. Douglass is a cattleman west of the river.”

“The river!” apostrophized Bob. “The man juggles with mysteries. What river, pray?”

“The Missouri, of course. Didn’t you ever study geography?”

“…in a spirit of bravado, roped the “devil” and instituted a contest of wills. The pony was stubborn and a battle royal followed. As a buzzard scents carrion, other cowboys anticipated sport, and a group soon gathered.“

“No, but I know the country. It’s new and wild now, of course, and you’ll find neighbors a bit scarce; but it’s alright.”

LINK: https://www.gutenberg.org/files/29245/29245-h/29245-h.htm#:~:text=WILL%20LILLIBRIDGE%20AUTHOR%20OF%20%E2%80%9CBEN%20BLAIR,%E2%80%9D%20%E2%80%9CTHE%20DOMINANT%20DOLLAR,%E2%80%9D%20ETC.

The story of his life is characteristically told in this brief autobiographical sketch, written at the request of an interested magazine.

“I was born on a farm in Union County, Iowa, near the boundary of the then Dakota Territory. Like most boys bred and raised in an atmosphere of eighteen hours of work out of twenty-four, I matured early. At twelve I was a useful citizen, at fifteen I was to all practical purposes a man,––did a man’s work whatever the need. In this capacity I was alternately farmer, rancher, cattleman. Something prompted me to explore a university and I went to Iowa, where for six years I vibrated between the collegiate, dental, and medical departments. After graduating from the dental in 1898 I drifted to Sioux Falls and began to practise my profession. As the years passed the roots sank deeper and I am still here."