Topic: Biography

Biography of William R. Borst

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History of South Dakota vol 1 title page

William R. Borst, born on January 15, 1860, in Marquette County, Wisconsin, was a prominent rancher and businessman in South Dakota. Son of Daniel and Emma (Kelly) Borst, he moved to South Dakota in 1869. William engaged in freighting to the Black Hills and later established a successful cattle ranch. In 1903, he expanded into the hardware business in Pierre, where he resided from 1896. Active in the Republican Party, Borst was also a member of the Knights of Pythias and the Ancient Order of United Workmen. He married Matilda A. Mason in 1889, and they had three children: Olney H., Margaret, and Jessie.

Biography of John Sutherland

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History of South Dakota vol 1 title page

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 Lester H. Clow

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History of South Dakota vol 1 title page

Lester H. Clow, born on November 2, 1843, in Highgate, Vermont, served on the Pierre city council and managed the Rust-Owen Lumber Company’s local interests. After moving to Chicago in 1857 and graduating from Bryant & Stratton Business College in 1862, Clow pursued a career in the lumber industry across several states before settling in Pierre in 1895. A dedicated Republican, he cast his first presidential vote for Lincoln and held significant roles in Freemasonry. Clow married twice, first to Adella J. Taft, with whom he had two children, and later to Delia Franck, with whom he had five children.

Biography of Charles H. Fales

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History of South Dakota vol 1 title page

Charles H. Fales, born on November 16, 1868, in St. Joseph, Missouri, served as postmaster of Fort Pierre, South Dakota. His parents, Richard P. and Mary F. Fales, relocated to Fort Pierre in 1881, where his father worked as a blacksmith until his death in 1898. Charles worked for stock growers before opening his store in 1894, remaining involved in the cattle industry. A dedicated Republican, he became postmaster in 1897. He was active in the Masons, attaining Scottish Rite degrees, and was a member of the Knights of Pythias.

Biography of Charles J. Lavery, M. D.

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History of South Dakota vol 1 title page

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 George W. Lumley

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History of South Dakota vol 1 title page

George W. Lumley, born January 9, 1851, on the Isle of Wight, England, is a prominent figure in Pierre, South Dakota. He is the son of Major James R. Lumley and Clara Faithfull Lumley. Educated in France, Belgium, and England, Lumley moved to the United States in 1871. He initially worked in London and later in Nebraska, where he was involved in the banking and newspaper industries. Relocating to South Dakota in 1883, Lumley founded several banks and engaged in large-scale cattle and horse ranching. He is president of the Pierre Ranch and Cattle Company. Lumley married Anne Amelia Rudderham in 1871, and they have four sons. He is active in the Episcopal Church and the Freemasons.

Biography of Ernest Jasper Lacy

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History of South Dakota vol 1 title page

Ernest Jasper Lacy, born on November 2, 1873, in Austin, Minnesota, is the official surveyor of Stanley County, South Dakota. He moved to South Dakota in 1881, where his father built the first hotel in Roscoe. Following his father’s financial struggles, Lacy began working to support his family at age 12. Initially joining a surveying party, he shifted his focus from law to civil engineering, eventually overseeing significant government land surveys. Lacy owns a successful sheep ranch and is vice-president of the South Dakota Horticultural Society. A dedicated Methodist, he is active in local church and charitable activities. He married Estelle Mae Lyman in 1900.

Biography of Henry Grebe

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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.

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History of South Dakota vol 1 title page

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

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History of South Dakota vol 1 title page

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

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History of South Dakota vol 1 title page

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

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History of South Dakota vol 1 title page

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

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History of South Dakota vol 1 title page

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

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History of South Dakota vol 1 title page

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

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History of South Dakota vol 1 title page

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

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History of South Dakota vol 1 title page

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

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History of South Dakota vol 1 title page

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

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History of South Dakota vol 1 title page

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

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History of South Dakota vol 1 title page

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

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History of South Dakota vol 1 title page

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.