History of South Dakota - South Dakota Genealogy

Biography of John Carlyle Southwick

History of South Dakota vol 1 title page

John Carlyle Southwick (b. 1866, Waukegan, Illinois) was a prominent abstract business owner in Watertown, South Dakota. A key figure in local real estate, Southwick compiled a comprehensive set of title abstracts for Codington County, using a system he developed, which became widely adopted in the Northwest. He moved to Dakota Territory in 1883 and gained experience in Kingsbury County before establishing his business in Watertown in 1889. Elected register of deeds in 1893, Southwick held various public offices and was highly active in the Knights of Pythias, serving in multiple leadership roles. He also owned significant real estate, including his office building.

Biography of Hon. John F. Sophy

Hon. John F. Sophy (b. 1846, Prescott, Ontario) was a prominent businessman and politician in Garretson, South Dakota. After moving to Iowa in 1854, he worked in agriculture before homesteading in Plymouth County in 1871. In 1889, Sophy relocated to Garretson, where he established a successful business in lumber, coal, grain, and livestock. By 1896, he focused solely on grain and livestock, alongside managing a 280-acre farm. Elected to the South Dakota legislature in 1899 as a Democrat, he also served multiple terms as Garretson’s mayor. Sophy married Anna O. Meara in 1869, and they had two sons, John F. and Myron J.

Biography of Edward C. Adams, M. D.

Dr. Edward C. Adams (b. 1855, Hudson, New Jersey) was a prominent physician in Watertown, South Dakota. A descendant of the distinguished Adams family, he pursued higher education at Northwestern University and earned medical degrees from Jefferson Medical College and Hahnemann Medical College. After honing his skills through hospital work and private practice, Dr. Adams moved to Watertown in 1886, where he built a successful practice and became a respected figure in the community. He was active in civic affairs, serving in various local offices and the state militia. In 1892, he married Marion Flint, and they had two children.

Biography of William W. Waddell

William W. Waddell (b. 1844, Freeport, Illinois) served as the sheriff of Codington County, South Dakota, after a long and distinguished career. A Civil War veteran, Waddell enlisted in the 46th Illinois Volunteer Infantry in 1861 and served until 1866, participating in key battles such as Fort Donelson, Vicksburg, and Shiloh. After the war, he worked as a bookkeeper before settling in Codington County in 1883. Waddell served as deputy sheriff for nine years before being elected sheriff in 1902. He was known for his effectiveness and courage in law enforcement. Waddell married Mittie Whitford in 1899, and they had two children.

Biography of Col. Lee Stover

Col. Lee Stover (b. 1867, Iowa County, Iowa) was a prominent land and corporation attorney in Watertown, South Dakota, and served as the register of the U.S. Land Office there. After earning degrees in science and law from Iowa State University, Stover began his legal practice in Watertown in 1889. In 1898, he was appointed register of the land office but resigned to serve as lieutenant colonel of the First South Dakota Volunteer Infantry during the Philippine-American War. Returning in 1899, he resumed his legal career and was reappointed as land office register. Stover was also active in various fraternal organizations and served as a state attorney for Codington County. He married Maude Newell Gipson in 1890, and they had two children.

Biography of Wilbur S. Glass

Wilbur S. Glass (b. 1852, Genesee County, New York) was a distinguished attorney in Watertown, South Dakota. Raised in Illinois, he pursued higher education at Illinois State University and the University of Michigan, where he graduated from the law department in 1876. Admitted to the Illinois bar in 1878, Glass relocated to Watertown in 1880, where he established a successful law practice. A committed Republican, Glass served three terms in the South Dakota legislature (1894–1898) and briefly as U.S. Consul in Kiehl, Germany. In 1899, he married Kathryn Garner, with whom he had two children.

Biography of B. T. Boylan

B. T. Boylan (b. 1858, Beaver Dam, Wisconsin) was a prominent businessman and politician in Armour, South Dakota. After moving to Cherokee County, Iowa, with his family in 1876, he later settled in Douglas County, South Dakota, in 1882. Initially farming, Boylan transitioned to the implement business in Grand View before relocating to Armour in 1887. He expanded into real estate in 1899 and served as county treasurer from 1894 to 1898 and as a state legislator in 1900. A staunch Republican, Boylan was active in Masonic and other fraternal organizations. He married Mary E. Lawrence in 1886, and they had three children.

Biography of David D. Wipf

David D. Wipf (b. 1872, Southern Russia) was a prominent figure in Hutchinson County, South Dakota, serving as county auditor and editor of the *Olivet Leader*. The son of David and Katherina (Stahl) Wipf, he immigrated to Dakota Territory with his family in 1879. Raised on a homestead near Freeman, he taught school before becoming deputy treasurer and later county auditor in 1901. In 1903, he co-purchased the *Olivet Leader*, becoming its editor. Wipf was active in local Republican politics, Masonic organizations, and the Mennonite church. He married Katharina Wipf in 1891, and they had two children.

Biography of Pierre Romeo Pinard, M. D.

Dr. Pierre Romeo Pinard, born in Batiscan, Quebec, in 1870, overcame early hardships to establish a successful medical career in South Dakota. Orphaned young, he worked while pursuing education and eventually graduated from the St. Louis College of Physicians and Surgeons in 1893. After brief practices in Michigan and Wisconsin, Dr. Pinard settled in Geddes, South Dakota, where he became a respected physician and community leader. Active in local healthcare governance, he served as vice-president of the county health board and was involved in professional associations. He married Susie Lawrence in 1896, and they had two children, Noel and Kenneth.

Biography of Milo Emerson Nettleton

Milo Emerson Nettleton, born in Butler County, Iowa, in 1869, became a successful farmer in Lincoln County, South Dakota. His parents, Amos and Louisa Nettleton, were Canadian-born pioneers who settled in Lincoln County in 1872. Raised in the challenges of frontier life, Milo contributed to farm work from a young age and later acquired his own land in Dayton Township in 1892. He married Clara Anna Lyon in 1897, and they raised four children. Active in community life, Milo was a charter member and officer of the local Brotherhood of American Yeomen chapter, aligning with Republican values.

Biography of Abraham Boynton

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 Gilmore Fry

Gilmore Fry, born in June 1863 in Freeport, Illinois, moved with his family to Yankton County, South Dakota, in 1869. His father, Joel Fry, pre-empted land and became a successful farmer, landowner, and community leader. Raised amid the pioneer environment, Gilmore witnessed significant regional changes. In 1899, he married Nettie Lawrence, with whom he had three children: Agnes, Alice, and Willard. Gilmore later managed a lumber yard and elevator for the Atlas Elevator Company in Mission Hill while also owning 500 acres of land. Active in his community, he aligned with the Republican Party and the Congregational church.

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 Charles Francis

Charles Francis, born near New Orleans, Louisiana, in 1837, became a prominent pioneer in the American West. At 16, he joined a horse-driving business, leading herds across the plains to Colorado and Central America. Drawn by the 1860s gold rush, he prospected in Montana and later worked in Fort Thompson, aiding in Native American relations. By the 1870s, he was freighting goods to the Black Hills and developing ranches in South Dakota, notably in Sturgis. Francis also held significant mining and banking interests, contributing to the region’s growth until the early 20th century.

Biography of W. S. L. Henley

W. S. L. Henley, a resident of Geddes, South Dakota, pursued a diverse career, transitioning from farming to real estate, finance, and retail. Born in 1853 in Scott County, Iowa, Henley farmed for many years before moving to Dakota, where he homesteaded and expanded his landholdings. In 1900, he relocated to Geddes, shifting his focus to real estate and machinery sales while also investing in town properties. A committed Republican, Henley served as city treasurer and held various local positions. He was active in fraternal organizations, including the Knights of Pythias and Modern Woodmen of America.

Biography of Frederick Camp

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.

Biography of Harry A. Simons

Harry A. Simons, a successful hardware merchant in Platte, South Dakota, was born in Wisconsin in 1866. His father, Calvart Simons, originally from New York, moved westward, farming in Wisconsin before settling in South Dakota. Harry spent his early years on the farm before learning engineering and working in that field for six years. After a stint in blacksmithing, he transitioned to the hardware business, first in Castalia, South Dakota, and later in Platte, where he built a thriving enterprise. A committed Republican and member of the Christian church, he married Delia Holden in 1890, and they had five children: Blanche, Raymond, Ernest, Ronald, and Mildred.

Biography of John H. Gaskin

John H. Gaskin, a prominent merchant in Columbia, Brown County, South Dakota, was born in Dane County, Wisconsin, where he was raised on a farm and educated in district schools and an academy. In 1882, he moved to South Dakota and established a successful general merchandise business that grew to become one of the largest in the county. His store offered a wide range of products, from dry goods and groceries to hardware, with annual sales reaching $35,000. Gaskin was well-respected for his business acumen and integrity. A Democrat and active Mason, he married Louise J. Martin in Wisconsin, and they had two children, Effie Jean and Frank Jay.

Biography of Ellef Solem

Ellef Solem (b. 1852, Norway) was a pioneering farmer and stock raiser in Yankton County, South Dakota. After immigrating in 1874, he worked for others before homesteading 160 acres, where he and his wife, Mary Anderson, built a sod house. Despite early challenges like crop destruction by grasshoppers, Solem steadily expanded his operations, now owning 320 acres with modern improvements. He diversified into dairy farming and livestock, raising shorthorn cattle and hogs. Solem also serves as treasurer for the local creamery and township. An independent voter, he is active in the Lutheran church and respected for his business acumen.

Biography of James P. Wilson

James P. Wilson (b. 1855, Caledonia, Wisconsin) was a prominent lawyer in Lead City, South Dakota. After studying law in Wisconsin and being admitted to the bar in 1881, he built a successful practice before relocating to Lead in 1891. Wilson became known for his involvement in significant legal cases, most notably a decade-long battle over the Lead town site, in which he successfully represented the community against the powerful Homestake Mining Company. A skilled advocate, Wilson served as city attorney and on the local board of education. He married Julia Frances Howe in 1881, and they had two children, James H. and Oliver Chester. A dedicated Republican, Wilson was also active in the Elks Lodge, serving as exalted ruler of the Lead chapter.