Sioux Falls - South Dakota Genealogy

Biography of Wellington J. Andrews

History of South Dakota vol 1 title page

Wellington J. Andrews, born April 14, 1865, near Ottawa, Canada, moved with his family to Bon Homme County, South Dakota, in 1874. After completing his education at Scotland Academy in 1886, Andrews pursued business ventures in Parkston and Scotland before establishing a successful grocery store in Sioux Falls in 1898. A dedicated Democrat, he actively participated in state and county politics but avoided seeking major office. Andrews was a member of several fraternal organizations, including the Masons and Elks. He married Persis U. Tyler in 1899, and they had one daughter, Edith Alice.

Biography of Lewis A. Fox

Lewis A. Fox (b. 1874, Faribault County, Minnesota) was the editor and proprietor of the *Tripp Ledger* in Tripp, South Dakota. After learning the printing trade in Lake Preston, South Dakota, Fox acquired the *Tripp Ledger* in 1893, transforming it into a respected local newspaper. Active in Republican politics and a member of the Modern Woodmen of America, he also served as justice of the peace for seven years. In 1898, he married Elsie E. Morris, with whom he had a daughter, Ruth. Fox’s family history includes deep military ties, with ancestors serving in conflicts from the War of 1812 to the Spanish-American War.

Biography of Garrett Droppers

Garrett Droppers, born April 12, 1860, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, was a distinguished academic who became president of South Dakota State University in Vermillion in 1898. A graduate of Harvard College, class of 1886, with a focus on economics, Droppers furthered his studies in Germany and later taught at the University of Tokyo, Japan. His contributions to economics and cultural understanding, including reports on Japan for the U.S. government, earned him wide recognition. After returning to the U.S., he took leadership of the university, advancing its academic standing. Droppers married twice and had three children with his second wife, Jean Tewkesbury Rand.

Biography of Arthur Calvin Mellette

Arthur Calvin Mellette, born in 1842 in Henry County, Indiana, was the last governor of Dakota Territory and the first governor of South Dakota. Of French Huguenot descent, Mellette graduated from Bloomington University in 1863 and served in the Civil War as a substitute for his drafted brother. After the war, he practiced law, published the *Muncie Times*, and served in the Indiana legislature. Moving to Dakota in 1878, he became a key advocate for statehood, culminating in his appointment as territorial governor in 1889. Mellette was later elected South Dakota’s first governor and served until 1893. He passed away in 1895.

Biography of Arne Zetlitz, M. D.

Dr. Arne Zetlitz, born June 16, 1864, in Stavanger, Norway, was a prominent physician in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. After studying pharmacy and attending medical school at Toledo Medical College, where he graduated in 1891, Zetlitz moved to Sioux Falls in 1894. Known for his dedication to medical practice, he played a key role in establishing the Sioux Falls Hospital and its nurse training school. He also pursued livestock breeding on his farm near Sioux Falls. In 1895, Zetlitz married Pauline Dahl, with whom he had two children, Hazel R. and T. Caroline D.

Biography of Edgar S. Knowles

Edgar S. Knowles, born February 24, 1861, near Riga, Monroe County, New York, was a prominent fire insurance underwriter in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. Son of James P. and Cornelia L. (Harmon) Knowles, he moved to Illinois in 1878, graduating from Danville High School in 1881. In 1882, Knowles relocated to Sioux Falls, engaging in various businesses before co-founding the insurance firm Morcom & Knowles in 1896. A committed Republican and active Mason, Knowles married May L. Davis in 1891, with whom he had two daughters, Helen D. (b. 1899) and Alice M. (b. 1901).

Biography of Porter Pascal Peck

Porter Pascal Peck, born April 16, 1843, in Caledonia Springs, Canada, moved with his family to Wisconsin in the 1850s. After his father’s death in 1855, Peck pursued various jobs and, at 18, enlisted in the Union Army during the Civil War, serving in the Wisconsin Cavalry. Following his military service, Peck relocated to Sioux Falls, South Dakota, in 1873, where he became a prominent businessman and community leader. He was instrumental in local development, establishing a bank and serving as mayor. Peck married twice and had five children. He was also active in Masonic and veterans’ organizations.

Biography of Alfred Reid

Alfred Reid is a native of Aberdeen, Scotland, where he was born on the 16th of January, 1870, being a son of Alexander and Sarah Reid, both representatives of staunch and honored Scottish ancestry. The father of the subject is a stone contractor by vocation; both he and his wife are now residents of Aberdeen, Scotland. They became the parents of ten children, of whom nine are living. The subject was reared in his native city, in whose public schools he received his preliminary educational discipline, after which he was for two years a student in Gordon’s College, a prominent … Read more

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 Orville Clyde Cadwell

Orville Clyde Cadwell, born on August 20, 1861, in Fayette, Ohio, was a prominent music businessman in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. After losing his sight at age five due to a fever, he received his education at the School for the Blind in Faribault, Minnesota, and the Perkins Institute in South Boston, Massachusetts, where he graduated in 1881. Cadwell developed strong musical skills and became proficient in piano tuning. In 1889, he moved to Sioux Falls and established a successful music business, eventually becoming the sole owner. Active in his community, Cadwell served on the Sioux Falls Board of Education and was involved with the Unitarian Church and the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks. He married Minnie A. Burdick in 1885, and they had three children: Grace B., Muriel C., and Ralph K. Cadwell.

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 G. Kennedy

Edward G. Kennedy, born December 17, 1844, in Hollidaysburg, Pennsylvania, was a distinguished citizen of Sioux Falls, South Dakota, serving as the U.S. Marshal for the district. A Civil War veteran, Kennedy enlisted in the Union Army in 1862, participating in significant battles, including Antietam, and served until the war’s end in 1865. After the war, he worked in Pittsburgh before moving to Dakota Territory in 1889, where he engaged in the cattle and grain business. Appointed U.S. Marshal by President McKinley in 1897, Kennedy was reappointed by President Roosevelt in 1902, serving with distinction. He married Mary B. Brundage in 1891, with whom he had two children. Mary passed away in 1900.

Biography of Frank R. Aikens

Frank R. Aikens, born on December 14, 1855, in New York City, was a distinguished lawyer and judge in South Dakota. Educated initially in Rome, New York, Aikens began studying law at a young age and was admitted to the New York bar in January 1877. He moved to Canton, South Dakota, in 1880, where he quickly established a successful law practice and became deeply involved in politics. Aikens served in the territorial assemblies and was appointed associate justice of the territorial supreme court in 1889. Later, he relocated to Sioux Falls, where he formed prominent legal partnerships. Known for his sharp legal mind and effective trial skills, Aikens earned a reputation as a leading figure in South Dakota’s legal community.

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 Wollert Hildahl

Wollert Hildahl, born August 26, 1875, in Odda, Hardanger, Norway, was a prominent figure in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, after emigrating to the United States in 1893. Educated in Bergen, Norway, Hildahl became a well-respected writer and editor, deeply involved in the Scandinavian community. He led the Minnehaha Mandskor, a key Scandinavian musical organization, and edited the *Syd Dakota Ekko*, a newspaper serving the region’s Scandinavian population. Hildahl married Emma Julia Lien in 1902, and they had one son, Jonas Lien. His contributions to cultural and civic life earned him widespread recognition.

Biography of Rollin J. Wells

Rollin J. Wells, born June 24, 1848, in Moline, Illinois, was a distinguished lawyer and literary figure in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. After studying at the University of Michigan and teaching in Illinois, he pursued law, being admitted to the bar in 1878. Moving to Sioux Falls, Wells established a successful legal practice, eventually partnering with George T. Blackman. Wells was also known for his literary work, notably the dramatic poem “Hagar.” Married to Susan L. Little in 1870, Wells had five children. He was a respected public figure, noted for his contributions to law, literature, and civic life.

Biography of Ed D. Lewis

Ed D. Lewis, born in 1856 in Virginia, was a successful businessman and prominent citizen of Worthing, South Dakota. Raised in Virginia, Ohio, and Wisconsin, Lewis moved to Dakota Territory in 1882, where he established a general merchandise business in Worthing before relocating to Sioux Falls to run a retail shoe business. Returning to Worthing in 1891, he became postmaster and later acquired the Farmers and Merchants’ Bank in 1894. He was married to Mary Morgan, with whom he had one son, Evan Elias Lewis, a West Point cadet. Lewis passed away on January 21, 1904.

Biography of Thomas Bell McMartin

Thomas B. McMartin, a distinguished lawyer in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, was born in Fairfield, Iowa, on October 30, 1857, to Finlay and Martha McMartin. After moving to Dixon, Illinois, in 1865, he completed his education and began studying law under Eugene Pinckney, being admitted to the bar on March 18, 1879. McMartin moved to Sioux Falls in 1880, where he quickly advanced in his legal career. He formed partnerships with Eugene Coughran and later Judge John E. Garland before establishing his own practice in 1893. Known for his tenacity and skill, McMartin successfully handled significant cases, including one that reached the U.S. Supreme Court. He married Jennie M. Bowen in 1888, and they had one child, Thomas Bowen.

Biography of William J. Sheppard

William J. Sheppard, born on July 24, 1862, in Quebec, Canada, was the president of the Mutual Cash Guaranty Fire Insurance Company of Sioux Falls. Son of Percival Edward and Ellen (Lloyd) Sheppard, he received a collegiate education in Ottawa and worked at the Second National Bank of Detroit until his father’s death in 1883. Afterward, he held various positions, including serving in the Riel Rebellion with the Winnipeg Field Battery. Sheppard moved to Sioux Falls in 1896, where he co-founded the Mutual Cash Guaranty Fire Insurance Company in 1903 and served as its president. He married Caroline Mary Harder in 1887, and they had two children, Stuart Harder and William Percival.

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.