Knights of Pythias - 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 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.

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 Charles P. Bates

Charles P. Bates, born December 4, 1859, in Oneida County, New York, was a prominent lawyer in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. The son of Rev. Laban E. and Caroline Bates, he was raised on a farm and pursued education at Genesee Wesleyan Seminary in New York. After teaching and studying law, Bates moved to South Dakota in 1883, initially engaging in the hardware business in Ipswich. He resumed his legal studies in Sioux Falls and was admitted to the bar in 1887. Bates formed several legal partnerships, most notably with H. H. Keith and later with Ralph W. Parliman. Active in politics, Bates served as Sioux Falls city attorney and as state’s attorney, aligning with the Fusion party before returning to the Republican fold in 1902. He was also deeply involved in fraternal organizations, including the Knights of Pythias and the Elks. Bates married Grace Chester in 1891, and they had two sons, Chester Bronson and Lawrence Russell.

Biography of Edward W. Schmidt

Edward W. Schmidt, born on October 28, 1862, in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, was a prominent businessman in Valley Springs, Minnehaha County, South Dakota. A member of a pioneering family, Schmidt moved to South Dakota in 1872 with his parents, Frederick W. and Augusta Schmidt, who settled in Lincoln County. After spending his youth working on the family farm, Schmidt returned to Wisconsin to learn the tinners’ trade. He later established a successful hardware and harness business in Valley Springs, eventually running it independently. A dedicated community leader, Schmidt served as village president and treasurer and was active in the Congregational church. He married twice, first to Emma Zick, with whom he had three sons, and later to Mabel Cassidy, with whom he had two daughters.

Biography of Alpha F. Orr

Alpha F. Orr, born April 28, 1860, in Jersey City, New Jersey, was a distinguished attorney based in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. Raised in Florence, New York, and educated at Whitestown Seminary and Hamilton College, Orr pursued law, being admitted to the bar in 1882. He initially practiced in Rome and Camden, New York, before relocating to Sioux Falls in 1889, where he quickly became a prominent legal figure. A committed Republican, Orr was active in politics, though he primarily focused on his legal practice. He married Eva E. Green and was involved in the Elks and Knights of Pythias.

Biography of John Pusey

John Pusey, a prominent lawyer and public servant in Hand County, South Dakota, was born on May 8, 1860, in Champaign County, Illinois. He is the son of William R. and Margaret (White) Pusey. After studying law in Illinois and teaching intermittently, he moved to Miller, South Dakota, in 1882. Pusey was admitted to the Dakota Territory bar and established a law practice. He founded the Miller Gazette in 1883, a Democratic newspaper, and served in various public roles, including county judge, state legislator, and postmaster of Miller. A leader in the Democratic Party, he actively opposed a state dispensary system for liquor sales and held numerous fraternal affiliations.

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 Charles H. Ross

Charles H. Ross, born August 23, 1870, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, was a prominent lumberman and secretary of the H. W. Ross Lumber Company. Moving to Sioux Falls, South Dakota, in 1879, Ross pursued a thorough education, graduating from Sioux Falls High School in 1888 and the University of South Dakota in 1890. He began his career in manual labor within the lumber industry, rising to a leadership role in the family business. Ross also served as a member of the Sioux Falls board of education, held numerous affiliations, including with the Masons and Knights of Pythias, and was an active Congregational church trustee. He married Ellen May Goodrich in 1900, and they had one son, Hiram Earl.

Biography of William Henry James

William Henry James, born on December 25, 1858, in Dodgeville, Wisconsin, is a prominent grain and coal dealer in Valley Springs, South Dakota, and secretary of the Valley Springs Telephone Company. After purchasing an interest in his father’s mill at twenty-one, he transitioned to butter-making and operated a creamery in Winthrop, Minnesota. Moving to Valley Springs in 1887, he managed the Hubbard & Palmer Elevator Company. James was instrumental in founding the Valley Springs Telephone Company and remains its secretary. He also runs a successful local insurance agency and has been active in public affairs, serving as town clerk for ten years. He married Carrie Hendrickson in 1900, and they have five children.

Biography of Henry Eugene Cutting

Henry Eugene Cutting, born on May 26, 1851, in Woodstock, Illinois, was the son of Henry P. and Laurensy E. (Newell) Cutting. After graduating from Presbyterian College in 1869, he moved to Sioux City, Iowa, and later worked in various roles, including the grocery business and on Missouri River steamboats. In 1875, he relocated to Yankton, Dakota Territory, and later to Pierre in 1880. Cutting held numerous positions, including city treasurer of Pierre, treasurer of Hughes County, and receiver of the U.S. Land Office in Pierre. He married Josephine A. Dawson in 1878, and they had three children.

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 Lester H. Clow

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

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.

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 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 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.