Ijkalaka descendants meet in Ekalaka

Last Friday, a bus loaded with David and Ijkalaka Russell descendants traveled from Belle Fourche, South Dakota to Ekalaka. The trip was part of the Christenot family reunion. The Christenots are kin to Kate Russell, one of David and Ijkalaka's children.

The family visited the Brence place out at Chalk Buttes and toured Carter County Museum before attending a luncheon at the Events Center.

At the luncheon, they were told stories of their ancestors and given some family history by two of their relatives who live in Ekalaka, Les Kreitel and Tom Carroll. Kreitel and Carroll are grandchildren of Romaine (Russell) Speiser, the youngest of David and Ijkalaka's children, and had not met many of the Christenot family members before.

After the luncheon, the group visited the Russell Cemetery just a few miles outside of town before heading back to Belle Fourche for the rest of their reunion.