Frederick Camp (b. 1845, Waukesha County, Wisconsin) was a prominent farmer, businessman, and community leader in Twin Brooks, Grant County, South Dakota. After starting his career in railroad work as a brakeman and later a conductor, Camp moved to South Dakota in 1882. He played a key role in establishing Twin Brooks, overseeing the construction of the town’s first grain elevator and acquiring the land on which the town was built. A staunch Republican, Camp was active in local politics but avoided official positions. He married twice, first to Mary A. Wildish in 1867, with whom he had two children, Hattie and Elmer, and later to Mary Barker in 1878.
Frederick Camp, one of the influential and popular citizens of Twin Brooks, Grant County, is a native of the Badger State, having been born in Waukesha County, Wisconsin, on the 31st of July, 1845, and being a son of Thomas and Mary (Haylett) Camp, both of whom were born and reared in England. The name was originally spelled Kemp, but as the father of the subject received no educational advantages in his youth and was unable to read or write, the name was changed to its present form after he had located in Wisconsin. The descendants of his brother retain the original orthography. Thomas Camp became a well-to-do farmer of Wisconsin, having settled in Waukesha County in 1842, while both he and his wife there passed the remainder of their lives, being persons of sterling character and commanding the high regard of all who knew them. They became the parents of two sons and four daughters, all of whom are living except the younger sister, who died about 1877.
Frederick Camp was reared to the sturdy discipline of the home farm, while his educational advantages were such as were afforded in the district schools of his native county. He continued to be associated with the work and management of the farm until he had attained the age of twenty-two years, when he went to Missouri and located in Andrew County, where he was engaged in farming for four years, at the expiration of which he returned to Wisconsin and established his home in Milwaukee, where he initiated his career as a railroad man, having served three years as brakeman, while for the following seven years he held charge of trains in the capacity of conductor, making a record as a faithful and discriminating official. In September 1882, Mr. Camp came to South Dakota, and, with headquarters in Milbank, was conductor of a train on the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railroad for the ensuing three years. Then, in July 1885, he came to what is now the thriving and attractive village of Twin Brooks, where he assisted in the erection of the first grain elevator, which is owned and conducted by the Strong & Miller Company. He had charge of the building of the elevator and has been in charge of its operation from the time of its completion in 1886, since which time he has never lost a day from business, a record which stands to his credit and which indicates that he has enjoyed the boon of good health. Upon coming here Mr. Camp purchased the quarter section of land on which the town is located, including the vacant lots in the townsite, while he has since platted a considerable portion of his land, which virtually surrounds the village. In 1887 he built a substantial and commodious residence, upon which he has since made various improvements, making it one of the attractive homes of the village. Mr. Camp has ever manifested a deep interest in all that has touched the upbuilding and advancement of his home town, and his influence has been cast on the side of progress, while he has been a prominent figure in local affairs of a public nature. He is a stalwart advocate of the principles and policies of the Republican party, and while he has served as delegate to various state and county conventions, he has never been ambitious for personal preferment in an official way, finding that his business interests placed too exigent demands on his time and attention to render it consonant for him to accept office. He was one of the very active members of the Order of Railroad Conductors and was a charter member of the organization of the order on the Milwaukee division, while he assisted in the organization of the order in South Dakota and was thus one of the first members in the state, holding the office of deputy organizer for three years. During the memorable snowstorm of the winter of 1884, Mr. Camp started from Milbank with a gang of men to open the road through to Aberdeen, and twenty-five days were consumed in making the round trip, covering an aggregate of two hundred miles. From one hundred and fifty to two hundred men were engaged in shoveling snow all the time, and three engines were also utilized in clearing the track. Associated with several other of the progressive and public-spirited citizens of Twin Brooks, Mr. Camp was instrumental in the establishing here of the Grant County News in 1903, and all other worthy enterprises tending to advance the interests of the community have received his unqualified support.
In Menomonee, Wisconsin, on the 30th of December, 1867, was solemnized the marriage of Mr. Camp to Miss Mary A. Wildish, who was born and reared in that state. She entered into eternal rest in 1873, and is survived by two children, Hattie, who is the wife of Harry Steeres, of Oconto County, Wisconsin, and Elmer C., who is married and engaged in business in the city of Milwaukee. On the 2nd of August, 1878, Mr. Camp consummated a second marriage, being then united to Miss Mary Barker, who was born in Hastings, New York, and who was a resident of Wisconsin at the time of her marriage. They have no children.
Source: Robinson, Doane, History of South Dakota: together with mention of Citizens of South Dakota, [Logansport? IN] : B. F. Bowen, 1904.