History of South Dakota - South Dakota Genealogy

Biography of Henry Grebe

History of South Dakota vol 1 title page

Henry Grebe, born on October 16, 1843, in Germany, emigrated to the U.S. in 1853. Settling in Fond du Lac County, Wisconsin, he worked on farms before apprenticing as a tailor. In 1862, Grebe enlisted in the Union Army, serving in the 20th Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry during the Civil War. Post-war, he pursued commercial studies and worked in tailoring in Missouri and Iowa. Moving to Yankton in 1879, he continued his trade until becoming register of deeds for Yankton County in 1895, a role he held for many years. Grebe was married twice and had four children. He was active in the Grand Army of the Republic and Freemasons.

Biography of Eli M. Morehouse, M. D.

Eli M. Morehouse, M.D., was born on August 30, 1869, in Owatonna, Minnesota. He is the son of Dr. Eli M. and Lorinda Morehouse, with siblings Effie, Timothy N., and Dr. Quel G. Morehouse. Following in his father’s footsteps, Eli studied medicine at Drake University and Bennett Medical College, graduating in 1901. He then moved to Yankton, South Dakota, where he established a successful medical practice. Politically aligned with the Democratic Party, he served on the Owatonna board of aldermen and board of education. He married Winifred L. Hanna in 1897.

Biography of William M. Powers

William M. Powers, born in Culpeper County, Virginia, in 1845, was a pioneer citizen of Yankton and a Civil War veteran. Orphaned early, he grew up in Shellsburg, Wisconsin. In 1861, he joined the 7th Wisconsin Infantry, serving valiantly in numerous battles until his discharge in 1864. Powers then entered the harness-making trade before relocating to Yankton in 1873. There, he successfully ran a livery and transfer business, later investing in real estate. A dedicated public servant, he held several political positions, including mayor of Yankton. Powers married twice, first to Hattie Ury and later to Mrs. L. M. Purdy.

Biography of Frank L. Van Tassel

Frank L. Van Tassel, born January 29, 1851, in Conneautville, Pennsylvania, was the secretary and manager of the Excelsior Mill Company in Yankton, South Dakota. Son of Elizar B. and Rachel (Litchfield) Van Tassel, he moved to Yankton in 1868. Initially a bookkeeper for Bramble & Miner, he later became a partner and managed their extensive wholesale business. In 1884, Van Tassel took charge of the Excelsior mills. He contributed significantly to local infrastructure, including telephone lines and artesian wells. Married to Sarah (White) Bordeno in 1875, they had one child, Frances L. Van Tassel.

Biography of Hon. Ellison Griffith Smith

Hon. Ellison Griffith Smith, born December 5, 1851, in Noble County, Ohio, was a distinguished lawyer, jurist, and legislator from Yankton, South Dakota. Son of Amos and Mary (Ellison) Smith, he moved to Delaware County, Iowa, in his youth. Smith graduated from the University of Iowa in 1871 and its law department in 1873. He practiced law in Yankton from 1876, served as the first judicial circuit judge from 1885, and held various other roles including reporter of the supreme court and district court judge. He married Anna Kirkwood in 1877, and they had three children: Agnes, Ellison G., and Amos C.

Biography of Edward Parker Wilcox

Edward Parker Wilcox was born on December 17, 1837, in Victor, New York, to Jairus and Mary E. Wilcox. He moved to Chicago with his family, where his father, a Yale graduate and Presbyterian minister, succumbed to cholera in 1851. Edward began his career in the lumber business and served with distinction in the Civil War, achieving the rank of captain. Post-war, he established successful lumber and grain businesses in Chicago and later Yankton, South Dakota. In 1887, he founded the American Mortgage Company. Married to Fannie S. Hurlbut in 1867, they had two children, Jessie and Dudley.

Biography of Charles L. Lawrence

Charles L. Lawrence was born on July 15, 1866, in Fort Jackson, St. Lawrence County, New York, to James O. and Julia A. (Castle) Lawrence. His family moved to Pope County, Minnesota in 1866 and later to Yankton, South Dakota, where his father became a prominent farmer and government contractor. Charles pursued a career in education and public service, serving as County Assessor and Auditor in Yankton County. He married Evangeline B. Case on December 6, 1891, and they had three children: Genevieve, Marjorie, and Bernie.

Biography of Joseph Williams Whiting

Joseph W. Whiting, born September 4, 1864, in Springvale, Wisconsin, was a respected educator at the Springfield Normal School in Springfield, Bon Homme County, South Dakota. He graduated from the Wisconsin State Normal School at Oshkosh in 1887 and began his teaching career in Oconto, Wisconsin. Moving to South Dakota in 1888, Whiting served as principal of public schools in Springfield and Scotland. In 1897, he joined the faculty of the Springfield Normal School, where he earned recognition for his dedication and effective teaching methods. He married Luna B. Monfore in 1890, and they had one daughter, Madge Monfore Whiting, born in 1894.

Biography of Charles Hill

Charles Hill, born September 12, 1849, in Toronto, Canada, was a notable pioneer and respected businessman in Springfield, Bon Homme County, South Dakota. Hill moved west in 1873 to work for the U.S. government, serving at the Santee Indian agency for 17 years, including five as Indian agent. In 1890, he co-founded the Bank of Springfield with George W. Snow and Reuben Groot. A committed Republican and member of the Society of Friends, Hill was also active in Freemasonry and other fraternal organizations. He married Mary Webster in 1877, and they had five children: Emma, Howard, Clarence, Helen, and William.

Biography of J. M. Dunmire

J. M. Dunmire, born on April 19, 1850, in Holmes County, Ohio, was a prominent farmer and stock grower in Bon Homme County, South Dakota, and a member of the County board of commissioners. After working on his family’s farm, he moved to Iowa in 1875, eventually owning farms in Jasper and Dallas Counties. In 1901, he relocated to Bon Homme County, where he owned a 575-acre estate. Dunmire, a dedicated public servant, held various positions, including County assessor in Iowa and County commissioner in South Dakota. He married Hannah E. Ruby in 1873, and they had five surviving children.

Biography of Joseph A. Wagner

Joseph A. Wagner, born on March 1, 1855, in Bohemia, served as the treasurer of Bon Homme County, South Dakota. Emigrating to the United States at fifteen, Wagner initially settled in Wisconsin before moving to Bon Homme County. He began as a farm laborer, eventually acquiring and cultivating his own land. In 1887, he transitioned to the general merchandise business in Tabor and later entered banking, becoming president of the Utica and Tabor State Banks, and vice-president of the Lesterville State Bank. Wagner, a Democrat, was elected County treasurer in 1902. He was married to Rosa Bumba, with three surviving children, Joseph J., James A., and Thomas J.

Biography of James D. Elliott

James D. Elliott, born on October 7, 1859, in Mount Sterling, Illinois, was a distinguished lawyer in South Dakota. The eldest of five surviving children, he relocated to Dakota Territory in 1872 with his family. Elliott studied law under Colonel John L. Jolley and was admitted to the bar in 1884. He practiced in Springfield and later in Tyndall, where he served as state’s attorney and, starting in 1897, as United States district attorney. A staunch Republican, Elliott was also active in banking and landholding. He married Agnes Stilwell in 1890, and they had four children: Marion, Douglas, Hiram, and Mary.

Biography of Major Robert Bollard

Major Robert Dollard, born on March 14, 1842, in Fall River, Massachusetts, was a prominent lawyer and public figure in South Dakota. He served with distinction in the Civil War, advancing to the rank of Major. After the war, he studied law and was admitted to the bar in 1870. In 1879, he became the first settler in Douglas County, Dakota Territory, and played a key role in fighting corruption there. Dollard served as South Dakota’s first Attorney General and held various legislative positions. He married Carrie E. Dunn in 1875. His contributions to public service and law left a lasting legacy in South Dakota.

The Gold Brothers

The Gold Brothers, consisting of Sidney R., Frank O., James A., John T., and William H., were influential businessmen in the northwest, with interests spanning banking, real estate, and livestock across South Dakota and Minnesota. The brothers, originally from Pennsylvania and of German lineage, moved westward, establishing significant enterprises such as the Gold-Stabeck Land and Credit Company and various banking institutions. Their ventures also included the Gold Brothers Brick Company and involvement in the Inter-State Chautauqua Association. Active in public and religious affairs, they played a substantial role in the development of their communities.

Biography of Alexander A. Shoemaker

Alexander A. Shoemaker, born June 18, 1849, in Keokuk, Iowa, was the son of Jesse and Henrietta Shoemaker. His family moved to Council Bluffs in 1849 during the California Gold Rush, and later to near Omaha, Nebraska, in 1857. In 1877, Alexander relocated to the Black Hills of Dakota Territory, engaging in freighting and surviving numerous Indian encounters. He later settled on a ranch near Rapid City, then moved to Hermosa, Custer County, and eventually to a ranch on the Bad River. A successful cattle and horse rancher, Shoemaker served as a government scout and deputy sheriff. He married Anna Lawson in 1874, and they had five children.

Biography of James P. Cooley

James P. Cooley, born on February 26, 1845, in Cecil, Maryland, represents Bon Homme County in the South Dakota State Senate. He is one of eight children of Corbin and Mary Cooley, and the eldest of the four surviving siblings. Cooley moved to South Dakota in 1870, becoming a pioneer of Bon Homme County. He acquired extensive land holdings, totaling over 3,000 acres, and successfully engaged in cattle raising. A dedicated Democrat, he served in the territorial legislature (1872-3) and was elected to the state senate in 1902. Cooley married Mary McCollum in 1872, and they had twelve children, ten of whom survived.

Biography of Captain Joseph Leach

Captain Joseph Leach, president and general manager of the Missouri River Transportation Company, was born on March 7, 1849, in Cambridgeshire, England. He immigrated to the United States in 1851, settling first in Cook County, Illinois, and later in South Sioux City, Nebraska. Leach began his career in steamboat transportation on the Missouri River in 1866. In 1883, he established a residence in Running Water, South Dakota, and developed a successful transportation business. Leach married Minnie Seeley in 1871, and they had ten children. A dedicated Republican, he served in the South Dakota State Legislature and Senate.

Biography of Louis Chladek

Louis Chladek, born on February 22, 1852, in Bohemia, Germany, immigrated to the United States at fourteen. He initially settled in Chicago, working in a furniture factory, before moving westward. By 1869, he reached Dakota Territory, where he pre-empted land near Yankton. Overcoming numerous challenges, he established a successful farming and business career, partnering with his brother in agricultural implement sales. By 1900, Chladek had accumulated significant land holdings and retired in Tyndall, South Dakota. In 1882, he married Louisa Vyborny, and they had four children. Chladek was a dedicated Democrat, a prominent Mason, and a respected community member.

Biography of Henry H. Farrington

Henry H. Farrington, born February 10, 1841, in Lake County, Indiana, is the son of Dr. John and Emily Farrington. He enlisted in the 73rd Indiana Volunteer Infantry in 1862, serving in the Civil War and participating in significant battles such as Stone River. After the war, Farrington farmed in Illinois before moving to South Dakota in 1883, where he acquired government land in Hand County. He later relocated to Wessington, Beadle County, engaging in grain and livestock trading, and eventually the hardware business. A dedicated Republican and Mason, Farrington married Lodema Pulver in 1860, with whom he had five children.

Biography of George L. Gilman

George L. Gilman, a landowner in Yankton County, South Dakota, has been instrumental in the region’s development since 1902. Born in West Hartland, Connecticut, in 1850, he is the son of Samuel B. and Harriet T. Gilman. After his father’s death, George managed the family farm, taught school, and eventually moved to South Dakota, securing government land in McCook County in 1882. He later expanded his holdings and relocated to Yankton County. In 1884, he married Emma O. Gaines, and they had five children. An active Republican and Congregational church member, George’s life reflects perseverance and community dedication.