Mrs. J. C. Creighton (Susan Hill) was born December 7, 1851 at Belvedere New Jersey. She resided in that community until her 17th year when she was united in marriage to Peter Andrews. For a time she continued to reside there, one son being born to them, William Andrews now Tacoma, Washington. Her husband Peter Andrews died in 1869. Shortly afterward Mrs. Andrews with her son came west to Glencoe, Minnesota, where she lived for five years. It was in 1876 that she secured a position as cook for the officers mess at Fort Abraham Lincoln three miles south of Mandan. Her memory was excellent and she never tired telling stories of the days of General George Custer, of Tom Custer, Captain Yates and the others who were on duty at the frontier post. She was one of the few remaining persons who were present and watched as the Custer Command left Fort Lincoln on that memorable spring day in 1876 and marched west in search of the warring Indians under Gall and Sitting Bull. It was in 1882 that she was united in marriage to J. C. Creighton, Sergeant of the famed Seventh Cavalry, who was with Reno at the time of the Custer battle on the Little Big Horn. Mr. Creighton is the grand commander for North Dakota for Indian war veterans. Mrs. Creighton, herself held membership in the order. Mr. Creighton was one of those who escaped death on the Little Big Horn. For a few years after their marriage they remained at Fort Lincoln until the War Department ordered it’s abandonment and the establishment of a new fort “at or near Mandan” and which thru the political machinations of the noted Alex McKenzie and others was located on the eastern side of the river “near” Mandan. Mr. and Mrs. Creighton then took up a homestead near the city where they resided for a time and then moved into the city where Mr Creighton engaged in the trade of painting and decorating. Mrs. Creighton fell from a chair about eight years ago, sustaining injuries to her ankle which healed slowly. On the eve of her eightieth birthday she had a stroke of apoplexy and did not regain consciousness. Mrs. Creighton had one daughter, Mrs. Hazel Dadder of Mukilteo Washington. Her son is W. P. Andrews of Tacoma Washington.

From The Dakota Homestead, quarterly newsletter of the Bismarck-Mandan Historical and Genealogical Society.