South Dakota Genealogy is a genealogical and historical resource for your personal use. It contains information and records for South Dakota ancestry, family history, and genealogy. Specifically, it provides sources for birth records, death records, marriage records, census records, tax records, court records, and military records. It also provides some historical details about different times and people in South Dakota history.
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South Dakota Genealogy
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What’s New at South Dakota Genealogy
The following 20 biographies have been transcribed from the History of South Dakota by Doane Robinson. Added to the other 149 that brings the total to 169 biographies from this four volume set. You can access all of them here: Biographies from the History of South Dakota
- Bollard, Major Robert
- Borst, William R.
- Clow, Lester H.
- Dunmire, J. M.
- Elliott, James D,
- Fales, Charles H.
- Grebe, Henry
- Hill, Charles
- Lacy, Ernest Jasper
- Lavery, Charles J., M. D.
- Lawrence, Charles L.
- Lumley, George W.
- Morehouse, Eli M., M. D.
- Powers, William M.
- Smith, Hon. Ellison Griffith
- Sutherland, John
- Van Tassel, Frank L.
- Wagner, Joseph A.
- Whiting, Joseph Williams
- Wilcox, Edward Parker
Biography of William R. Borst
William R. Borst, born on January 15, 1860, in Marquette County, Wisconsin, was a prominent rancher and businessman in South Dakota. Son of Daniel and Emma (Kelly) Borst, he moved to South Dakota in 1869. William engaged in freighting to the Black Hills and later established a successful cattle ranch. In 1903, he expanded into the hardware business in Pierre, where he resided from 1896. Active in the Republican Party, Borst was also a member of the Knights of Pythias and the Ancient Order of United Workmen. He married Matilda A. Mason in 1889, and they had three children: Olney…
Biography of John Sutherland
John Sutherland, born on February 18, 1858, in Charlotte County, New Brunswick, Canada, is a prominent lawyer in Pierre, South Dakota. After moving to Eau Claire, Wisconsin, around 1860, Sutherland attended the University of Chicago and graduated from Brown University in 1880 with a Bachelor of Laws degree. He taught Greek and Latin before relocating to Pierre in 1884. Sutherland has played a significant role in Pierre’s legal and real estate sectors, served as president of the board of education and board of trade, and was active in the Republican Party. He married Laura Paulina Aiken in 1881, and they…
Biography of Lester H. Clow
Lester H. Clow, born on November 2, 1843, in Highgate, Vermont, served on the Pierre city council and managed the Rust-Owen Lumber Company’s local interests. After moving to Chicago in 1857 and graduating from Bryant & Stratton Business College in 1862, Clow pursued a career in the lumber industry across several states before settling in Pierre in 1895. A dedicated Republican, he cast his first presidential vote for Lincoln and held significant roles in Freemasonry. Clow married twice, first to Adella J. Taft, with whom he had two children, and later to Delia Franck, with whom he had five children.
Biography of Charles H. Fales
Charles H. Fales, born on November 16, 1868, in St. Joseph, Missouri, served as postmaster of Fort Pierre, South Dakota. His parents, Richard P. and Mary F. Fales, relocated to Fort Pierre in 1881, where his father worked as a blacksmith until his death in 1898. Charles worked for stock growers before opening his store in 1894, remaining involved in the cattle industry. A dedicated Republican, he became postmaster in 1897. He was active in the Masons, attaining Scottish Rite degrees, and was a member of the Knights of Pythias.
Biography of Charles J. Lavery, M. D.
Dr. Charles J. Lavery, born on February 5, 1867, in Clinton, New York, was a prominent physician in Fort Pierre, South Dakota. He began his medical studies in 1885 and pursued advanced training in Ohio, Chicago, Toronto, and Montreal. Dr. Lavery served as county coroner, county physician, and was the first superintendent of Stanley County’s Board of Health. He was also involved in various professional and fraternal organizations. Dr. Lavery married Matilda I. Widmeyer in 1895, who passed away in 1896, and later married Margaret Ethel Whitney in 1897, with whom he had one child.
Biography of George W. Lumley
George W. Lumley, born January 9, 1851, on the Isle of Wight, England, is a prominent figure in Pierre, South Dakota. He is the son of Major James R. Lumley and Clara Faithfull Lumley. Educated in France, Belgium, and England, Lumley moved to the United States in 1871. He initially worked in London and later in Nebraska, where he was involved in the banking and newspaper industries. Relocating to South Dakota in 1883, Lumley founded several banks and engaged in large-scale cattle and horse ranching. He is president of the Pierre Ranch and Cattle Company. Lumley married Anne Amelia Rudderham…
Biography of Ernest Jasper Lacy
Ernest Jasper Lacy, born on November 2, 1873, in Austin, Minnesota, is the official surveyor of Stanley County, South Dakota. He moved to South Dakota in 1881, where his father built the first hotel in Roscoe. Following his father’s financial struggles, Lacy began working to support his family at age 12. Initially joining a surveying party, he shifted his focus from law to civil engineering, eventually overseeing significant government land surveys. Lacy owns a successful sheep ranch and is vice-president of the South Dakota Horticultural Society. A dedicated Methodist, he is active in local church and charitable activities. He married…
Biography of Henry Grebe
Henry Grebe, born on October 16, 1843, in Germany, emigrated to the U.S. in 1853. Settling in Fond du Lac County, Wisconsin, he worked on farms before apprenticing as a tailor. In 1862, Grebe enlisted in the Union Army, serving in the 20th Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry during the Civil War. Post-war, he pursued commercial studies and worked in tailoring in Missouri and Iowa. Moving to Yankton in 1879, he continued his trade until becoming register of deeds for Yankton County in 1895, a role he held for many years. Grebe was married twice and had four children. He was active…
Biography of Eli M. Morehouse, M. D.
Eli M. Morehouse, M.D., was born on August 30, 1869, in Owatonna, Minnesota. He is the son of Dr. Eli M. and Lorinda Morehouse, with siblings Effie, Timothy N., and Dr. Quel G. Morehouse. Following in his father’s footsteps, Eli studied medicine at Drake University and Bennett Medical College, graduating in 1901. He then moved to Yankton, South Dakota, where he established a successful medical practice. Politically aligned with the Democratic Party, he served on the Owatonna board of aldermen and board of education. He married Winifred L. Hanna in 1897.
Biography of William M. Powers
William M. Powers, born in Culpeper County, Virginia, in 1845, was a pioneer citizen of Yankton and a Civil War veteran. Orphaned early, he grew up in Shellsburg, Wisconsin. In 1861, he joined the 7th Wisconsin Infantry, serving valiantly in numerous battles until his discharge in 1864. Powers then entered the harness-making trade before relocating to Yankton in 1873. There, he successfully ran a livery and transfer business, later investing in real estate. A dedicated public servant, he held several political positions, including mayor of Yankton. Powers married twice, first to Hattie Ury and later to Mrs. L. M. Purdy.