Topic: Masons

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 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 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 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 Arthur G. Hill

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History of South Dakota vol 1 title page

Arthur G. Hill, born on December 7, 1863, in Warwickshire, England, was the son of Thomas and Harriet L. (Briant) Hill. After receiving his education in Coventry and Northampton College, he moved to Dakota Territory in 1884. Settling in Buffalo County, he initially engaged in ranching, acquiring a 320-acre farm. In 1897, Hill co-founded Dye & Hill, a real estate and abstract firm, and purchased the Dakota Chief newspaper. He also established the Bank of Buffalo County in 1898. A committed Republican, Hill served as county auditor and register of deeds. He was married to Mary M. Stroud in 1890, with whom he had two daughters, Olive L. and Florence C.

Biography of Richard Francis Robinson

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History of South Dakota vol 1 title page

Dr. Richard Francis Robinson, born January 2, 1868, in Boston, Massachusetts, pursued a medical career after relocating to South Dakota in 1879. His father, Richard Tremaine Robinson, was a Civil War veteran and businessman, while his grandfather, William Day Robinson, emigrated from Nova Scotia in 1852. Dr. Robinson attended medical school in Boston, graduating in 1893, and later practiced in South Dakota. In 1897, he married Jennie Brennan in Egan, where he was active in community and professional organizations, including the South Dakota National Guard and local education and health boards. They had three children: Richard Tracy, Ada Frances, and Roger Chesley.

Biography of John A. Beaner

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History of South Dakota vol 1 title page

John A. Beaner, postmaster of Canastota, McCook County, South Dakota, was born on July 5, 1853, in Winnebago County, Illinois. Orphaned early, he was raised by George Fisher. Beaner worked as a farmer in Illinois and Iowa before moving to South Dakota in 1880, where he homesteaded in Turner County. In 1889, he relocated to Canastota, becoming the town’s first grain dealer. A dedicated Republican, Beaner served as postmaster under Presidents Cleveland and Roosevelt and has been involved in local Republican Party leadership. He is a Mason and a member of the Ancient Order of United Workmen. Beaner married Mary E. Ellis in 1875, and they have one daughter, Gertrude M., married to Grant Roberts of Rock Valley, Iowa.

Biography of William B. Tobey

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History of South Dakota vol 1 title page

William B. Tobey, born September 21, 1856, in Steuben County, New York, moved to Davidson County, South Dakota, in 1882. After farming for fourteen years, he established a grain commission business and later opened a general store in Ethan in 1900. Active in the community, Tobey served in various village and township offices, was a postmaster, and a member of the board of education. He married Frances Dabler on July 14, 1874, and they had eight children. Tobey and his family were members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and he was affiliated with the Masonic order and the Independent Order of Odd Fellows.

Biography of William W. Rounds

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History of South Dakota vol 1 title page

William W. Rounds, born on June 1, 1857, in Monkton, Addison County, Vermont, was the youngest of six children. Leaving home at age twelve, he worked various jobs before moving to Chicago in 1877 and then to Spink County, South Dakota, in 1882. There, he initially took up a pre-emption claim, later establishing a homestead … Read more

Biography of Edward J. Monfore

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History of South Dakota vol 1 title page

Edward J. Monfore was born on March 13, 1828, in Delaware County, New York, to Garrett and Paty (Smith) Monfore. Raised in Broome County, he apprenticed as a wagon maker before moving to Warren County, Iowa, in 1864, where he became a successful farmer and community leader. In 1882, Monfore relocated to Springfield, South Dakota, where he played a significant role in the town’s development, owning 640 acres of farmland. Active in politics as a Republican, he served on the county board and local school board. Monfore married twice and had seven children, contributing greatly to his community’s growth and prosperity.

Biography of William C. Lampson

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History of South Dakota vol 1 title page

William C. Lampson, born July 17, 1831, in Medina County, Ohio, was a pioneering farmer in Moody County, South Dakota. He was the son of Riley and Betsy (Gilford) Lampson, both of New England descent. After teaching and farming in Illinois, Lampson moved to South Dakota in 1884, transforming 320 acres of wild land in Fremont Township into a productive 690-acre ranch known for its Galloway cattle and Shropshire sheep. A dedicated Republican and community servant, he was deeply involved in local education and Masonic activities. Lampson married Harriet A. Dean in 1855, and they had five children, with three surviving to adulthood: George R., Albert, and Frank E.

Biography of Charles Frederick Halbkat

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History of South Dakota vol 1 title page

Charles F. Halbkat, born June 20, 1870, in Fillmore County, Minnesota, is a prominent jewelry businessman in Watertown, South Dakota. He acquired the oldest jewelry business in Watertown from W.T. Keating in 1898, succeeding the establishment originally founded by pioneer W.R. Arnold. Halbkat’s store, located in the Granite block, offers a wide range of jewelry, watches, silverware, and features a well-equipped optical department. An official watch inspector for three railroads, Halbkat is esteemed in both commercial and social circles. Married to Georgia Wert in 1899, they have one son, Charles Angus.

Biography of George P. Winston

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History of South Dakota vol 1 title page

George P. Winston, born June 29, 1857, in Evansville, Rock County, Wisconsin, is a prominent rancher and stock grower in Brown County, South Dakota. Son of Nelson and Eliza A. Winston, he moved to Frederick, South Dakota, in 1881, establishing a significant farming and livestock business. In 1900, he acquired a 1,560-acre ranch known for its high-quality Aberdeen Angus cattle. Winston married Florence E. Yager in 1877, and they have three sons: Roy, Earl, and Paul. He is also active in the Masonic fraternity, attaining the thirtieth degree of the Scottish Rite.

Biography of Charles J. Gunderson

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History of South Dakota vol 1 title page

Charles J. Gunderson, born October 13, 1868, in Fillmore County, Minnesota, is a prominent lawyer in Vermillion, South Dakota. His parents, Harvey and Anna (Thompson) Gunderson, emigrated from Norway and settled in Clay County, South Dakota, in 1869. Charles grew up on the family homestead, attended local public schools, and graduated from the University of South Dakota with a Bachelor of Science in 1893. He earned his law degree from the University of Minnesota in 1896 and began practicing law in Vermillion. Originally a Republican, he switched to the Democratic Party in 1896. Charles is active in the Masonic order and the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, and he is a member of the Lutheran church. He married Mamie L. Weeks on August 27, 1902.