Davison County - South Dakota Genealogy

Biography of Abraham Boynton

History of South Dakota vol 1 title page

Abraham Boynton, born in Campton, New Hampshire, in 1843, became a prominent figure in South Dakota. After moving to Wisconsin in 1855, Boynton pursued education but left to serve in the Civil War, enlisting in the 4th Wisconsin Infantry, where he rose to first lieutenant. Post-war, he became a county superintendent and later a pioneer merchant in Dakota Territory. Moving to Mitchell in 1894, Boynton held various public roles, including U.S. Land Office registrar. A committed Democrat, Mason, and church member, Boynton married Minnie Schultz in 1866. They had one son, Abraham Albert, who also resided in Mitchell.

Biography of Charles F. Raymond

Charles F. Raymond, born in 1856 in Kane County, Illinois, was a prominent farmer and livestock breeder in Davison County, South Dakota. In 1883, he moved west and settled on 160 acres of government land, where he became known for his high-quality Hereford cattle and standard-bred horses. Raymond also played a significant role in local politics, serving in the South Dakota state legislature and senate during the early 1890s. He married Carrie Humiston in 1877, and the couple raised six children on their farm, contributing to the area’s agricultural development.

Biography of David M. Powell

David M. Powell, born April 13, 1836, in Roxbury, Delaware County, New York, was a pioneering farmer and stock grower in Davison County, South Dakota. He served in the Methodist Episcopal church ministry before moving to South Dakota in 1883. Powell was a member of both the last territorial legislature and the first state legislature of South Dakota. A dedicated Republican, he voted in every presidential election from Lincoln onwards. Powell married four times, with children from each marriage, and remained active in church work throughout his life. He made significant contributions to both his community and state legislature.

Biography of George A. Silsby

George A. Silsby was born on March 28, 1847, in Rockford, Illinois, to Harvey Hammond and Melinda (Stearns) Silsby. Raised in Rockford, he started his career at fourteen as a machinist. During the Civil War, he enlisted in the Seventy-fourth Illinois Volunteer Infantry and later re-enlisted in the One Hundred and Thirty-second Illinois Volunteer Infantry, serving until the war’s end. Afterward, he worked in various trades before moving to Mitchell, South Dakota, in 1880. Silsby served as postmaster and later as mayor of Mitchell, and in 1899, he was appointed national bank examiner for South Dakota. A staunch Republican, he was also active in the Grand Army of the Republic and served as adjutant general of the South Dakota National Guard. Silsby married Emily Derwent on February 25, 1868, and they had two daughters, Mabel Claire and Maude Muller.

Biography of James E. Wells

James E. Wells, born May 23, 1858, in Cambria, Wisconsin, was a prominent alderman representing the fourth ward in Mitchell, South Dakota. He was the son of Ora B. and Sarah T. (Campbell) Wells and moved to South Dakota in 1873. After working various jobs in Wisconsin and Minnesota, he settled in Mitchell in 1880. Wells built a career in the lumber industry and later served as Davison County’s register of deeds for six years. He then established a successful business in abstracts, insurance, and real estate. A dedicated Republican, he also held multiple public offices, including clerk of the board of education and alderman. Wells was an active member of the Masonic order and other fraternal organizations. He married Fanny Wedehase in 1883, and they had three children: Ora B., Frederick A., and James Earl.

Biography of James L. Hannett

James L. Hannett, born March 28, 1855, in Washington County, New York, was a notable lawyer in Mitchell, South Dakota, and a member of the law firm Preston & Hannett. Son of Edward and Elizabeth (Bailey) Hannett, he was educated at Masson College in Montreal and the University of Michigan’s law department, graduating in 1876. Hannett began his legal career in New York before relocating to Mitchell in 1882. He served as district attorney (1888-1890) and county judge (1891-1893). Married to Martha Ryan in 1877, they had eight surviving children. He was active in local politics and several fraternal organizations.

Biography of George A. Johnston

George A. Johnston, born on August 14, 1847, in Guernsey County, Ohio, was a notable resident of Mitchell, South Dakota. The son of George and Margaret (Simpson) Johnston, he moved from Ohio to Iowa in 1856, and later to South Dakota in 1876. A Civil War veteran, he served in the Seventh Iowa Cavalry. Johnston pursued a career in law, real estate, and politics, including terms as a state senator and mayor of Mitchell. He married Clara R. Hallowell in 1882, and they had two children, one of whom survived infancy. Johnston was also a prominent Freemason and community leader.

Biography of John E. Watkins

John E. Watkins, born May 7, 1858, in Delaware County, Ohio, moved to South Dakota in 1885, where he established a successful farm in Badger Township, Davison County. He expanded his initial 160-acre claim to a 480-acre farm, known for its cultivated crops and high-grade livestock. Watkins, a dedicated Republican, served as school treasurer and township assessor. He and his wife, Anna Streeter, whom he married on December 24, 1881, were active members of the Congregational Church. They had seven children: Edward L., Sarah M., Mabel E., William Neill, Clarence, Clara, and Norvel. John E. Watkins is a native of … Read more

Biography of Richard Francis Robinson

Dr. Richard Francis Robinson, born January 2, 1868, in Boston, Massachusetts, pursued a medical career after relocating to South Dakota in 1879. His father, Richard Tremaine Robinson, was a Civil War veteran and businessman, while his grandfather, William Day Robinson, emigrated from Nova Scotia in 1852. Dr. Robinson attended medical school in Boston, graduating in 1893, and later practiced in South Dakota. In 1897, he married Jennie Brennan in Egan, where he was active in community and professional organizations, including the South Dakota National Guard and local education and health boards. They had three children: Richard Tracy, Ada Frances, and Roger Chesley.

Biography of George Watson

George Watson, born in 1851 in Ontario, Canada, is a notable progressive farmer in Davison and Hanson counties, South Dakota. Son of Ebenezer and Margaret (Sims) Watson, he moved to Rockford, Iowa, in 1873, and later to Davison County, Dakota Territory, in 1879, where he homesteaded government land. Watson now owns a 720-acre farm, primarily cultivating corn and oats, and raising Shorthorn cattle and Poland-China hogs. A staunch Republican, he served in the state legislature in 1893. He and his wife, Livonia Phelps, married on October 25, 1883, have six children: Florence, Robert, Frances, Earl, Richard, and Herbert. They are members of the Baptist Church in Mitchell.

Biography of Caleb P. Taylor

Caleb P. Taylor, born April 25, 1855, in Grant County, Wisconsin, is a prominent farmer and livestock grower in Davidson County, South Dakota. Son of C. and Nancy (Coombs) Taylor, he began farming independently at age twenty-two on a 320-acre farm in Wisconsin. In 1900, he moved to South Dakota, purchasing a 240-acre farm in Badger Township. Taylor has achieved success in agriculture and livestock raising. A staunch Republican, he is active in community affairs and a member of the Congregational Church. He married Izella Shanley on January 18, 1876, and they have four children: Florence, Halbert, Grace, and Clyde.

Biography of William B. Tobey

William B. Tobey, born September 21, 1856, in Steuben County, New York, moved to Davidson County, South Dakota, in 1882. After farming for fourteen years, he established a grain commission business and later opened a general store in Ethan in 1900. Active in the community, Tobey served in various village and township offices, was a postmaster, and a member of the board of education. He married Frances Dabler on July 14, 1874, and they had eight children. Tobey and his family were members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and he was affiliated with the Masonic order and the Independent Order of Odd Fellows.