Ancient Order of United Workmen - South Dakota Genealogy

Biography of Col. Lee Stover

History of South Dakota vol 1 title page

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.

Biography of Howard W. Cole

Howard W. Cole, a key figure in Brown County’s agricultural and stock-growing sectors, was born on March 29, 1857, in Eureka, Montcalm County, Michigan. The son of Leander T. and Sarah Jane (Stout) Cole, he moved to South Dakota in 1881. Cole established a successful farming partnership and was elected sheriff of Brown County in 1902. He served in various civic roles, including postmaster and township board member, and was active in several fraternal organizations. He married Theresa M. Howell in 1880, and they had five children.

Biography of Charles L. Hyde

Charles L. Hyde, born on June 23, 1861, in Pike County, Illinois, is the son of James F. and Hattie (Blake) Hyde. After attending Cumberland Presbyterian College, he moved to Colorado at 17, working as a cowboy. Later, he became a commercial traveler in the hardware trade. Hyde transitioned into real estate, moving to Pierre, South Dakota, in 1889, where he amassed extensive land holdings. He owns significant properties across multiple states and is considered one of South Dakota’s wealthiest citizens. Hyde, an independent in politics, is actively involved in several fraternal organizations and is a member of the Congregational church.

Biography of John L. Lockhart of Pierre

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.

Biography of John Sutherland

John Sutherland, born on February 18, 1858, in Charlotte County, New Brunswick, Canada, is a prominent lawyer in Pierre, South Dakota. After moving to Eau Claire, Wisconsin, around 1860, Sutherland attended the University of Chicago and graduated from Brown University in 1880 with a Bachelor of Laws degree. He taught Greek and Latin before relocating to Pierre in 1884. Sutherland has played a significant role in Pierre’s legal and real estate sectors, served as president of the board of education and board of trade, and was active in the Republican Party. He married Laura Paulina Aiken in 1881, and they had two children.

Biography of Charles J. Lavery, M. D.

Dr. Charles J. Lavery, born on February 5, 1867, in Clinton, New York, was a prominent physician in Fort Pierre, South Dakota. He began his medical studies in 1885 and pursued advanced training in Ohio, Chicago, Toronto, and Montreal. Dr. Lavery served as county coroner, county physician, and was the first superintendent of Stanley County’s Board of Health. He was also involved in various professional and fraternal organizations. Dr. Lavery married Matilda I. Widmeyer in 1895, who passed away in 1896, and later married Margaret Ethel Whitney in 1897, with whom he had one child.

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.