History of South Dakota - South Dakota Genealogy

Biography of Alfred Abraham

History of South Dakota vol 1 title page

Alfred Abraham was born on September 14, 1856, in Chisago County, Minnesota, to Swedish immigrants Charles and Beata Abrahamson. After teaching and farming in Minnesota, he moved to South Dakota in 1882, claiming a homestead in Brown County. Abraham later transitioned to business, operating a general merchandise store and a lumber yard in Claremont, South Dakota. He served as Marshall County treasurer from 1892 to 1896. In 1900, he married Maude E. Griffith, and they had one son, Arden Louellwyn, born in 1901. Abraham was a dedicated Republican and community leader.

Biography of Gabriel W. Abell

Gabriel W. Abell, born June 7, 1844, in Hardin County, Kentucky, became the South Dakota representative of Trevett, Mattis & Abell, an established investment and real-estate firm. Moving to Huron, South Dakota, in 1882, Abell expanded the firm’s operations across South Dakota, North Dakota, and Nebraska. With extensive expertise in real estate and land values, he played a key role in the firm’s success during economic downturns. Politically active, Abell was nominated for governor in 1902 but declined. He married Louisa Hughey in 1868, and they had two daughters, Clara and Pearl.

Biography of Edward L. Abel

Edward L. Abel, born November 19, 1860, in Springfield, Illinois, was the son of Oramel H. and Mary (Moore) Abel. Abel pursued education at Southern Illinois Normal University before being admitted to the Illinois bar in 1884. After relocating to Bridgewater, South Dakota, in 1887, he joined the State Bank of Bridgewater, eventually becoming its president. Abel was active in public service, serving as mayor of Bridgewater, a state senator, and president of the South Dakota Bankers’ Association. He married Ella C. Smith in 1883, and they had two children, Roy W. and Gertrude M. Abel.

Biography of Orlin A. Abeel

Orlin A. Abeel, born on August 17, 1849, in Albany, New York, was a descendant of John Abeel, an early mayor of Albany. After relocating with his family to Madison, Wisconsin, in his youth, Abeel worked in various clerical and executive positions, including roles with the Chicago & Northwestern Railroad and the Bradstreet Mercantile Agency. In 1888, he became cashier of the Bank of Centerville and later held the same position at the Alcester State Bank. Abeel was also a newspaper editor and a committed Mason. He married Edith L. Hall in 1888, and they had five sons. Orlin A. … Read more

Biography of John O. Aaseth

John O. Aaseth was born on July 3, 1850, in Norway to Ole Rise and Kare (Hestehagen) Aaseth. He emigrated to the United States in 1872, settling in Yankton County, South Dakota. Aaseth initially worked in various labor roles, eventually becoming a partner in the Bagstad & Aaseth Company, a prominent local mercantile business. In 1879, he married Christina Welson, and they had eight children. Aaseth served in South Dakota’s first state legislature and held several local positions, including postmaster of Gayville. He was a dedicated member of the Lutheran Church and active in public service.

Biography of John Carlyle Southwick

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.