Soiux Falls, SD

We arrived in  Sioux Falls and decided to give a try at the genealogy quest -- okay, Charlie convinced me to give it a try.  Visiting the Lincoln County courthouse, we again hit pay dirt.  We were extremely fortunate to be helped by Nicholas R. who was very very helpful and very very knowledgeable concerning genealogy searches.  (Government employees rock!) 

Bottom line, he was able to pinpoint the location of the homestead that my great-grandfather William J. Coates purchased in 1905.  Plus, the house still stands -- of course changed in the past 100+ years.  Still, just a little bit closer to the mystery of the Irish immigrant branch of the family tree.

My research shows that he moved to California by 1920, so finding out that he sold this property prior to that date implies that the move to California is entirely plausible.  Curiouser and curiouser...

(Photos:  County plot; Coates house today)