The book, "Dakota Portraits," was found on a bookshelf in the Archives with the bookplate of "Mrs. O. Stuart Hamer, R. R. 4, North Manchester, Ind. 46962"  Within the book are newspaper clippings about North Dakota pioneer life, a photograph of Albert Sharp and Sarah Jones Sharp with children standing in front of their sod home, and handwritten notes and typed stories written by the children as adults describing experiences associated with the pictured "soddy."

The following description appears on the photograph's verso:

Sod House of Albert M. and Sarah Jones Sharp

Kitchen at the west end - bedrooms at the east - Living room in the center with the folks bedroom north of the living room.

Gertrude, Ina, and Howard are standing in the doorway.

Angelene, Blanche, and Ruth are standing in line holding dolls between them.

Maude was too shy to have her picture taken.

About 1904 or 1905.

The soddy was torn down the summer of 190(5)?

A handwritten note written on "Indiana Lawrence Bank and Trust Col," stationery:  "Even the middle section of the house was covered with "blocks" of sod.  I have a picture of it.  I thought Gertrude had one but I haven't run across it. (Just found it Thurs. morn. Light will fade it.)

Gertrude was going to have each of us add what we remembered about the "old soddy".

"Dakota Portraits" So very much of this story, especially from pp. 24 reminded me of our life in No. Dakota."

Note: Gertrude Sharp married a Hamer. Perhaps this is the owner of the book.

The archivist is of the opinion othat one of the children, Gertrude Sharp, attended the Mount Morris Academy and married a  1913 Mount Morris graduate, Stuart Hamer.

A Maude Sharp also appears in the Alumni directory.