Ancient Order of United Workmen - South Dakota Genealogy

Biography of Henry O. Anderson

History of South Dakota vol 1 title page

Henry O. Anderson, born November 15, 1842, in Sweden, emigrated to the United States in 1866 after completing a cabinetmaking apprenticeship in Norway. He initially settled in Wisconsin, later moving to Yankton, South Dakota, in 1870, where he became involved in public affairs and served in the state legislature. After various ventures, including a successful planing mill, Anderson moved to Sturgis in 1884. There, he established a flourishing hardware and furniture business, H. O. Anderson & Son, with his son Albert. Anderson was active in local politics and community organizations. He married Inga M. Nordgran in 1867.

Biography of Charles H. Allen

Charles H. Allen was born on March 17, 1857, in Osage, Iowa, to Joseph and Abigail Allen. He was the fifteenth of sixteen children, and his father served as a Civil War surgeon. Charles left home at age 13, traveling and learning stone cutting before returning to Iowa in 1881. He moved to Aberdeen, South Dakota, in 1882, establishing a successful draying business and later transitioning to wood and coal distribution. In 1882, he married Ida M. Owen, with whom he had two children: C. Lewis and M. Estelle. Allen was also active in local politics and several fraternal organizations.

Biography of Charle F. Allen

Charles F. Allen was born on March 4, 1869, in Chatfield, Minnesota. After beginning his career as an apprentice at the Chatfield Democrat, he moved to Rochester in 1886 to work at the Record and Union. In 1890, Allen purchased the Brookings County Press in Brookings, South Dakota, where he continued to publish. He married Julia Garvey in 1888, and they had three daughters: Norma, Doris, and Mildred. Allen served as postmaster of Brookings and held various civic roles, contributing significantly to the community’s growth.

Biography of John E. Adams

John E. Adams, a prominent lawyer and early member of the Brown County bar in South Dakota, was born in Paterson, New Jersey, in 1857. After moving with his family to Pennsylvania, he attended Allegheny College and was admitted to the Pennsylvania bar in 1880. In 1883, Adams moved to Dakota Territory, establishing his practice in Columbia before relocating to Aberdeen when it became the county seat. He served as mayor of Columbia in 1887, as county judge from 1890, and as mayor of Aberdeen in 1900. Adams was also active in Scottish Rite Masonry and various fraternal organizations. He married Martha E. Wilkinson in 1888, and they had five children.

Biography of Frank Abt

Frank Abt was born in Bavaria, Germany, in 1838, the son of Francis and Mary (Schneider) Abt. He immigrated to the United States in 1861, settling in Iowa and later enlisting in the Second Iowa Volunteer Cavalry during the Civil War. After his service, he moved west, engaging in gold prospecting and mining in Montana and the Black Hills. Abt eventually settled in Lead, South Dakota, where he became a successful businessman, hotelier, and local political figure, serving as mayor and postmaster. He married Mary Distel in 1867, with whom he had several children.

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 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 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 Walter D. Morris

Walter D. Morris, born April 12, 1856, in Fredonia, New York, was a key figure in the banking industry in Watertown, South Dakota. After beginning his banking career in Minnesota, he co-founded the Citizens’ National Bank in Watertown in 1885, serving as its cashier and later as president from 1898 onward. Under his leadership, the bank became a stable and well-regarded institution. Morris was known for his business acumen and civic involvement, though he avoided political office. He married Mary A. Archibald in 1880, and they had four children: Archibald, Lorenzo, Walter Jr., and Fannie.

Biography of Thomas H. Pritchard

Thomas H. Pritchard, born July 31, 1857, in Wales, was the founder of Watertown Marble and Granite Works in South Dakota. After immigrating to the U.S. in 1872, Pritchard apprenticed as a marble cutter in Wisconsin before starting his own marble business in 1877. In 1882, he moved to Watertown, establishing the town’s first marble and granite shop, which grew into one of the state’s leading businesses. A pioneer of South Dakota, Pritchard was also active in local fraternal organizations. He married Blanche Lovejoy in 1878, and they had four children: Ethel, Lyle, Winifred, and Sybil.

Biography of William Handley

William Handley, born on October 27, 1853, in Dumfriesshire, Scotland, was the son of James and Mary (Barrett) Handley. Trained as a stone cutter, he served his apprenticeship in Shapfell, England, before immigrating to the United States in 1875. Handley worked across various states, including Maine, Rhode Island, and Minnesota, before settling in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, in 1883. He managed and eventually co-owned the East Sioux Falls Granite Company. On October 27, 1901, Handley married Frances Ann Jones of Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The couple resided in East Sioux Falls.

Biography of Frederick C. Whitehouse

Frederick C. Whitehouse, born on March 18, 1870, in Boone, Iowa, was a prominent real estate and loan businessman in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. Raised in Cherokee, Iowa, Whitehouse began his career in the loan and abstract business and served as deputy auditor of O’Brien County before becoming the cashier of the Primghar State Bank. After relocating to Sioux Falls in 1896, he co-founded the firm F. C. Whitehouse & Company, which played a significant role in developing eastern South Dakota. A dedicated community leader, Whitehouse was active in various fraternal organizations and politically aligned with the Republican Party. He married Abigail C. Blake in 1889, and they had three children: R. Harold, Leland B., and Marie A.

Biography of James E. Wells

James E. Wells, born May 23, 1858, in Cambria, Wisconsin, was a prominent alderman representing the fourth ward in Mitchell, South Dakota. He was the son of Ora B. and Sarah T. (Campbell) Wells and moved to South Dakota in 1873. After working various jobs in Wisconsin and Minnesota, he settled in Mitchell in 1880. Wells built a career in the lumber industry and later served as Davison County’s register of deeds for six years. He then established a successful business in abstracts, insurance, and real estate. A dedicated Republican, he also held multiple public offices, including clerk of the board of education and alderman. Wells was an active member of the Masonic order and other fraternal organizations. He married Fanny Wedehase in 1883, and they had three children: Ora B., Frederick A., and James Earl.

Biography of James L. Hannett

James L. Hannett, born March 28, 1855, in Washington County, New York, was a notable lawyer in Mitchell, South Dakota, and a member of the law firm Preston & Hannett. Son of Edward and Elizabeth (Bailey) Hannett, he was educated at Masson College in Montreal and the University of Michigan’s law department, graduating in 1876. Hannett began his legal career in New York before relocating to Mitchell in 1882. He served as district attorney (1888-1890) and county judge (1891-1893). Married to Martha Ryan in 1877, they had eight surviving children. He was active in local politics and several fraternal organizations.

Biography of Victor K. Stillwell

Victor K. Stillwell, born on December 8, 1856, in Kilbourn City, Wisconsin, was the cashier and general executive manager of the Farmers’ Bank of Alexandria, South Dakota. Son of David and Melissa N. (Augir) Stillwell, he moved to South Dakota in 1880 and homesteaded in Hanson County. In 1881, he married Eugenia A. Clark. After farming, he joined the Farmers’ Bank in Alexandria in 1888, becoming cashier in 1891. A dedicated Republican, Stillwell served as County assessor, mayor, board of education president, and state senator. He was an active member of several fraternal organizations and the Freewill Baptist church.

Biography of William E. Raymond

William E. Raymond, born on August 19, 1857, near Ripon, Wisconsin, is a descendant of the fourth count of Toulouse, France. His parents, Ezra and Armine (Monette) Raymond were early Wisconsin pioneers. Educated in public schools and Ripon College, William initially pursued law but turned to teaching and carpentry due to financial constraints. In 1886, he moved to South Dakota, founding the village of Twin Brooks and its first general store. Later, he shifted to farming, amassing a substantial property and raising high-quality livestock. A dedicated Republican and justice of the peace for 12 years, he contributed to the Northwestern Agriculturist and married Mina B. Stymiest in 1880, with whom he had nine children.

Biography of George W. Case

George W. Case, born on March 3, 1861, in Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, was a distinguished lawyer and influential citizen of Watertown, South Dakota. Moving to Mason City, Illinois, in 1868, he later relocated to South Dakota in 1883, where he pursued law and was admitted to the bar in 1891. Case built a successful legal career, initially with Mellette & Mellette, and later succeeded their practice. A prominent Republican, he served in the state senate and held the position of receiver of the U.S. land office. Married to Capitola Pierce in 1882, they had six children. Case was active in various fraternal organizations and community affairs.

Biography of George P. Scotchbrook

George P. Scotchbrook, a prominent businessman in Wessington, Beadle County, South Dakota, was born on August 25, 1857, in Whiteside County, Illinois. The son of Edward and Mary A. (Pope) Scotchbrook, he was educated in public schools and graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in engineering from the State University of Illinois in 1883. Scotchbrook initially worked as a civil engineer on the Mississippi River survey before moving to Wessington in 1884. There, he operated a grain elevator and built a successful grain business. A committed Republican and member of the Ancient Order of United Workmen, he and his wife, Nettie Barden, whom he married on June 9, 1887, were active in the Presbyterian Church. They had two children, Francis Willard and Carl Edward.