John L. Lockhart, born on April 17, 1856, near Portage City, Wisconsin, was the son of Scottish immigrants John and Agnes (Gray) Lockhart. After working in the Wisconsin lumber industry, he moved to Clark County, Dakota in 1882, then to Milbank, Grant County, where he engaged in the hardware business. Elected commissioner of school and public lands for South Dakota in 1894, Lockhart relocated to Pierre. He later entered the general merchandise business and held several public offices, including mayor of Milbank and clerk of the courts of Grant County. He married Delilah C. Burman in 1885, and they had four children.
John L. Lockhart was born near Portage City, Columbia County, Wisconsin, on the 17th of April 1856, being a son of John and Agnes (Gray) Lockhart, both of whom were born in Scotland, whence they emigrated to the United States in 1852, locating in Wisconsin, where the former still resides, his devoted wife having passed away in March 1901. The educational advantages of the subject of this sketch were such as were afforded in the common schools of his native County, and at the age of twenty-four he became identified with the great lumbering industry in Wisconsin, as a foreman in a logging camp, for two years. In the spring of 1882, he came to Clark County, Dakota, and took up homestead and pre-emption claims, there continuing to reside for one year and then removing to Milbank, Grant County, where he was engaged in the hardware business for the ensuing five years, when he disposed of his interests in the same and turned his attention to the real estate and insurance business.
In 1894, he was elected commissioner of school and public lands for the state of South Dakota, and thereupon took up his residence in Pierre, where he has ever since maintained his home. In 1899, he here engaged in the general merchandise business, which he has since continued, having secured a large and representative supporting patronage, and having the implicit confidence and esteem of all who know him. In 1889, while a resident of Milbank, he was elected clerk of the courts of Grant County, and was re-elected three times, while an idea of the confidence in which he was held in the party ranks is conveyed when we state that he was thrice nominated by acclamation for this office. In the spring of 1893, Mr. Lockhart was elected mayor of Milbank, having been nominated for the office while absent from home, serving one term and refusing a renomination. In 1894, as before stated, he was elected commissioner of school and public lands, being chosen as his own successor two years later, on which occasion he was one of the five candidates on the Republican ticket successful at the polls. He has ever been a staunch advocate of the claims of Pierre as the permanent capital of the state, in which connection he did most effective and enthusiastic work as a member of the executive committee of the board of trade and also of the capital commission of Pierre, while he has long been a prominent figure in the Republican party ranks here, uncompromising in the advocacy of its principles. Fraternally, he is identified with the Knights of Pythias, being past chancellor commander of the lodge at Milbank and also a member of the grand lodge of the state, while he also holds membership in the grand lodge of the Ancient Order of United Workmen.
On the 1st of December 1885, Mr. Lockhart was married to Miss Delilah C. Burman, daughter of William T. and Eliza (Russell) Burman, of Grant County, this state, and they are the parents of four children, John B., William H., Margaret E., and Grace G.
Source: Robinson, Doane, History of South Dakota: together with mention of Citizens of South Dakota, [Logansport? IN] : B. F. Bowen, 1904.