Sturgis - South Dakota Genealogy

Biography of Henry O. Anderson

History of South Dakota vol 1 title page

Henry O. Anderson, born November 15, 1842, in Sweden, emigrated to the United States in 1866 after completing a cabinetmaking apprenticeship in Norway. He initially settled in Wisconsin, later moving to Yankton, South Dakota, in 1870, where he became involved in public affairs and served in the state legislature. After various ventures, including a successful planing mill, Anderson moved to Sturgis in 1884. There, he established a flourishing hardware and furniture business, H. O. Anderson & Son, with his son Albert. Anderson was active in local politics and community organizations. He married Inga M. Nordgran in 1867.

Biography of Charles Francis

Charles Francis, born near New Orleans, Louisiana, in 1837, became a prominent pioneer in the American West. At 16, he joined a horse-driving business, leading herds across the plains to Colorado and Central America. Drawn by the 1860s gold rush, he prospected in Montana and later worked in Fort Thompson, aiding in Native American relations. By the 1870s, he was freighting goods to the Black Hills and developing ranches in South Dakota, notably in Sturgis. Francis also held significant mining and banking interests, contributing to the region’s growth until the early 20th century.

Martha Jane Cannary

My maiden name was Marthy Cannary. I was born in Princeton, Missouri, May 1st, 1852. Father and mother were natives of Ohio. I had two brothers and three sisters, I being the oldest of the children. As a child I always had a fondness for adventure and out-door exercise and especial fondness for horses which I began to ride at an early age and continued to do so until I became an expert rider being able to ride the most vicious and stubborn of horses, in fact the greater portion of my life in early times was spent in this … Read more