Yankton - 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 Downer T. Bramble

Downer T. Bramble, born February 28, 1831, near Montpelier, Vermont, was a pioneering businessman in Yankton, Dakota Territory. After working in the drug trade in Tennessee, Bramble moved to the Midwest, eventually establishing Yankton’s first frame building and general store in 1858. Known as the “big trader” by local Native Americans, he was integral to early trade and transportation, including founding a ferry and flour mill. He also co-founded the First National Bank of Yankton. Bramble held various civic roles and served as a federal land office receiver until his death in 1887.

Biography of William T. Van Osdel

William T. Van Osdel, born in 1847 in Madison County, Indiana, moved with his family to Minnesota, where he attended school until joining the Union army at 16. Serving in the South Dakota Volunteers during the Civil War, he was honorably discharged at age 20. Van Osdel then farmed and engaged in freighting before acquiring government land claims. He later became a prominent stock-raiser and landowner in South Dakota, known for his expertise in livestock. In 1871, he married Permelia Morey, with whom he had two daughters, Cora and Lura, who both settled in Yankton County.

Biography of Richard Lucid

Richard Lucid, born in County Kerry, Ireland, in 1843, immigrated to the United States at age 18. After brief stays in Ohio and Michigan, he settled in Iowa, where he farmed for 22 years. In 1884, Lucid moved to Yankton County, South Dakota, where he established a 200-acre farm. He married Hannah Hart in 1879, and the couple had 11 children, though five died young. Lucid became known for his successful stock raising and commitment to his community. The family remained active in the Roman Catholic Church in Yankton, where they were respected for their contributions and industrious spirit.

Biography of M. E. Johnson

M. E. Johnson, born in Norway in 1842, immigrated to the United States after a career as a sailor. Following his arrival in 1871, he briefly lived on the East Coast before settling in Michigan, where he married Malvina Antone Johnson, a Danish immigrant, in 1873. The couple moved to Yankton, South Dakota, in 1874, where Johnson established a successful express business. He later invested in a 160-acre farm. Johnson passed away in 1885, leaving behind his wife and three surviving children. He was a respected member of the Odd Fellows society and the Congregational church.

Biography of H. A. Dunham

H. A. Dunham was born on September 18, 1846, in Newark, New Jersey, to S. H. and Dianthe (Alden) Dunham. After his family relocated to Indiana and later Illinois, Dunham left home at fourteen to become a sailor, visiting various foreign ports. He later worked as a cooper in Yankton, South Dakota, before marrying Jane Grant in 1867. The couple settled on a homestead in Yankton County, where Dunham focused on agriculture and livestock farming. They had five children. Dunham’s wife passed away in 1893, leaving a significant impact on their family and community.

Biography of Hon. Edwin Terry White

Hon. Edwin Terry White, a distinguished figure in Yankton, South Dakota, was born on June 6, 1847, in Woodstock, Vermont. He descended from early New England settlers, with his lineage tracing back to the seventeenth century. His father, Samuel White, a noted wood carver from New Hampshire, married Elizabeth Elliott. Edwin White’s career spanned various vocations before he studied law and moved to Yankton in 1870. Serving as a judge and in multiple public offices, White also engaged in business and civic activities, significantly impacting the community. He married Mary L. Bagley in 1874, and they actively contributed to local charitable endeavors.

Biography of Frank W. Fanslow

Frank W. Fanslow, born on October 6, 1862, in Beaver Dam, Wisconsin, is a notable figure in Yankton, South Dakota. Son of German immigrants Michael and Bridget (Kuich) Fanslow, he moved to South Dakota in 1877. In 1882, he and his brother John established a blacksmith and wagon-making business in Milltown, later relocating to Yankton. They expanded into agricultural implements and hardware under the firm Fanslow Brothers. Frank served as Yankton’s mayor from 1902 to 1903, advocating for municipal ownership of utilities. He married Eunice E. Gray in 1886, and they had six children, five of whom survived infancy.

Biography of Henry F. Livingston. M. D.

Henry F. Livingston, M.D., born in Quebec, Canada, in 1843, moved to Iowa in 1858. He earned his medical degree from the College of Physicians and Surgeons in 1865, having also attended Rush Medical College and gained practical experience in a government hospital during the Civil War. In 1865, he relocated to Yankton, South Dakota, where he practiced medicine before serving as a physician and later as an Indian agent for the U.S. government. Returning to Yankton after twelve years of service, he resumed private practice and worked at the State Hospital for the Insane. Dr. Livingston married Anna E. Hoyt in 1871, and they had three sons. He was an active Republican and a member of the Episcopal Church.

Biography of William F. Bancroft

William F. Bancroft, born October 21, 1868, in Monmouth, Illinois, relocated to Yankton, Dakota Territory, with his parents at age two. Educated in Yankton, he pursued a printing career before moving to Wessington Springs in 1893. Two years later, he acquired and became editor of the True Republican, a prominent Republican-aligned newspaper. Appointed postmaster in 1898 under President McKinley, Bancroft also served as city clerk and held various fraternal memberships. He married Maud S. Spears on July 3, 1894, and they had four children: Merrill, Lowell, Darrell, and Melba. William F. Bancroft, postmaster at Wessington Springs and editor and publisher … Read more

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 Henry Grebe

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.

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

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

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

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

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

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 Captain Joseph Leach

Captain Joseph Leach, president and general manager of the Missouri River Transportation Company, was born on March 7, 1849, in Cambridgeshire, England. He immigrated to the United States in 1851, settling first in Cook County, Illinois, and later in South Sioux City, Nebraska. Leach began his career in steamboat transportation on the Missouri River in 1866. In 1883, he established a residence in Running Water, South Dakota, and developed a successful transportation business. Leach married Minnie Seeley in 1871, and they had ten children. A dedicated Republican, he served in the South Dakota State Legislature and Senate.

Biography of Louis Chladek

Louis Chladek, born on February 22, 1852, in Bohemia, Germany, immigrated to the United States at fourteen. He initially settled in Chicago, working in a furniture factory, before moving westward. By 1869, he reached Dakota Territory, where he pre-empted land near Yankton. Overcoming numerous challenges, he established a successful farming and business career, partnering with his brother in agricultural implement sales. By 1900, Chladek had accumulated significant land holdings and retired in Tyndall, South Dakota. In 1882, he married Louisa Vyborny, and they had four children. Chladek was a dedicated Democrat, a prominent Mason, and a respected community member.