History of Dakota Territory, volume V, Part 130

Author: Kingsbury, George Washington, 1837-; Smith, George Martin, 1847-1920
Publication date: 1915
Publisher: Chicago, Ill. : S.J. Clarke Publishing Company
Number of Pages: 1262

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Dr. Best has been characterized as a "wide-awake man, thinking on the firing line of life." Another has termed him "a real genius and a genial man." He is practical and forceful yet possesses also a poetic mind, as is manifest in the well chosen language in which he dresses the deep and earnest thoughts that show him to be a man of firm con- victions. He is both a forceful and eloquent speaker. He believes in the doctrine of hard work and lives a strenuous life. He is identified with various lines of public service, much of which is of far-reaching influence. He has served for years on the National Commission of Young People's Work for his denomination and is a member of the state board of directors for the South Dakota Baptist Convention. He is likewise a member of the board of trustees of Sioux Falls College and a teacher of Biblical literature. He is a member of the board of the Children's Home, located in Sioux Falls, and is prominently and closely connected with various other interests for religious and philanthropie purposes. He helongs to the Masonic fraternity, in which he has attained high rank, indicated in the fact of his connection with the Shrine. A contemplation of the life and work of such a man stands in contradistinction to the oft expressed belief that moral standards are not as high in the present generation as previously. That one man could he the moving spirit in building up an organization like the City Temple with its manifold radiating influences for good shows the force and power of moral principles and to his efforts is directly traceable the high standard to which many of Sioux Fall's citizens adhere.

ROBERT J. HARRISON.

The history of Robert J. Harrison is that of a man who, correctly judging of life's opportunities, has made his career one of steady progression, his course at all times being characterized by adherence to the rules which govern strict and unswerving integrity and unfaltering enterprise. He was born in Linn county, Iowa, February 9, 1881, and is the eldest child and only son of William H. and Jennie (Berry) Harrison, who were also natives of Iowa. They were married on the 30th of March, 1880, and are now residents of Cedar Rapids, where the father lives retired. The son and daughters of the family are: Eva, who is the wife of R. W. Beach, of Marion, Iowa, by whom she has one child, Ruth; Nellie, who married David Panl, of Springfield, Jowa, and has two children, Myrtle and Ruth; and Robert J., of this review. The paternal grandparents of Robert J. Harrison were J. and Matilda Harrison, natives of New Jersey and pioneer settlers of Jowa, who established their home in Linn county, where the father resided for many years. They now make their home in Pasadena, California. The maternal grandparents were Robert and Nancy Berry, the former now deceased and the latter a resident of Linn county, lowa. He was born in Ohio, while his wife is a native of Indiana.

Robert J. Harrison pursued a common-school education in lowa and afterward attended the Marion (Ia.) high school and the Cedar Rapids Business College, from which he was graduated with the class of 1900. He made his initial step in the business world as a farmer but after his marriage entered the Tuttle Land & Loan Company of Cedar Rapids, with which he was connected for two years. At the end of that time he embarked in the real- estate business on his own account and was thus engaged until he came to South Dakota in January, 1910. He then became identified with the Citizens State Bank at Lane, acting in the capacity of cashier for two years, at the end of which time he was elected to the presi- deney and has since thus served, carefully guiding and directing the affairs of the institution and making it one of the strong banks of the state. At the same time he is engaged in the real-estate and farm-loan business. In January, 1915, he purchased a large interest in the First National Bank of Mitchell and was elected its cashier, so that he adds the duties of that position to his other interests. He is a man of resourceful ability. He finds it best

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to concentrate his thought and effort entirely upon the proposition or work at hand and then turn with equal readiness to the next duty. His business affairs are systematically con- ducted and a spirit of enterprise guides him in all his undertakings. In addition to his banking and real-estate business he owns a half interest in about four hundred acres of land in Jerauld county devoted to farming and stock-raising.

On the 10th of July, 1901, Mr. Harrison was united in marriage to Miss Julia M. Douglass, a daughter of James W. and Carrie Douglass, of Johnson county, Iowa, the former a native of Ohio and the latter of Vermont. They became early residents of Iowa and are now living in New Hampshire. To Mr. and Mrs. Harrison have been born a son and daughter: Norman, whose natal day was April 15, 1902; and Florence, born May 29, 1903.

The parents attend the Methodist church and Mr. Harrison holds membership with the Masons and the Odd Fellows. Politically he is identified with the republican party and was elected to represent Jerauld county in the state legislature in 1912 and again in 1914. Dur- ing his connection with the general assembly he has carefully considered every question coming up for settlement and his support of or opposition to a measure is the result of a firm belief in the righteousness and value of his course. In community affairs, too, he has been active, serving as town treasurer and as president of the Lane school board. He meets all of life's duties and obligations fully and freely, being willing to perform his part in the world's work, and his influence has been a stimulating force for public progress and improvement.

HON. ANDREW L. BERG.

Hon. Andrew L. Berg has represented his district in the state legislature of South Dakota and has proved himself able to measure up to the full extent of his opportunities and responsibilities. He was born in Lyons township, Minnehaha county, this state, July 11, 1871, a son of Lars and Gurina (Berg) Berg, both natives of Norway. They came to the United States after reaching years of maturity, the former iu 1869 and the latter in 1870, locating at La Crosse, Wisconsin, where their marriage occurred. In June, 1871, they came to South Dakota, settling in Lyons township, Minnehaha county, where the father homesteaded a tract comprising one hundred and sixty acres of land and also took up a tree claim of a quarter section. He remained upon the homestead until two or three years before his death, when he removed to Baltic. He was not only a successful agriculturist hnt was a man who recognized the need of agriculturists working together and organized the Farmers Cooperative Elevator Company, of which he served as president for a number of years. His death occurred in 1908, but his widow survives, now making her home in Baltic.

Andrew L. Berg was reared at home, acquiring his education in the schools of the neigh- borhood, at the Lutheran Normal School at Sioux Falls and at Augustana College at Canton, this state. He was thus thoroughly prepared for the responsibilities of life, his excellent training being an important factor in his subsequent success. After leaving school he was engaged in the grain business in Baltic and Dell Rapids for five or six years and subse- quently followed carpentering and contracting for about the same length of time. He then farmed for a number of years, renting land and doing carpentering during his spare time. He carefully saved his earnings and in 1904 he purchased the home farm of three hundred and twenty acres, to which he removed in the fall of the same year and where he has since resided. He has not only raised the crops suitable to this region, but has devoted consider- able time and attention to the stock business, buying and selling cattle extensively. He is connected in an official capacity with many of the local business enterprises, being a stock- holder and chairman of the board of directors of the Cooperative Lumber Company of Baltic; a stockholder and a member of the board of directors and treasurer of the Baltic Creamery Company; secretary of the Mutual Fire & Lightning Insurance Association, which was one of the earliest of the farmers' cooperative associations formed in this state; and manager of the Baltic & New Hope Telephone Company, in which position he has served for eight years, and as president of the company for seven years.

Mr. Berg was married in October, 1905, to Miss Kate Volz, of Hyde county, South Dakota,

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and seven children have been born to this union as follows: Leno E., Alva A., Gordina E., Emma R., Cora T., Inez E. and Delia J.

Mr. and Mrs. Berg are members of the United Lutheran church and he is a member of Sioux Falls Lodge, No. 262, B. P. O. E., and of the Ancient Order of United Workmen and the Modern Woodmen of America. He is a republican in his political allegiance and has served five or six years as assessor of his township and eight years as clerk of the school board. His ready grasp of affairs and his ability to devise ways to meet a given situation were recognized by the people and he was sent as representative from his district to the state legislature, serving as such in 1911 and again in 1913. He was the father of the cooperative association bill and in the last legislature was chairman of the railroad committee of the house, a position carrying with it much power and responsibility. His record was one of which he might well be proud and his constituents had every reason to congratulate them- selves upon having so able a representative.

GEORGE W. FOX.

George W. Fox, a well known photographer of Sioux Falls, possessing marked skill in the art, was born at Horicon, Wisconsin, in 1862, a son of Charles and Mary Fox. When seven years of age he accompanied his parents on their removal from Wisconsin to Mason City, Iowa, at which period there were no railroads in that locality. He was reared in a frontier district, experiencing the usual hardships and privations incident to pioneer life. His educational opportunities were such as the district schools afforded.

While living in Mason City Mr. Fox was united in marriage to Miss Sibbie Cummings, of that place, and in 1884 they removed to Mitchell, South Dakota, where Mr. Fox took up the art of photography, maintaining his studio there until 1889, when he went to Sioux Falls, where he has since been located. He now has a fine studio on Phillips avenue, occupying a ground floor room, and his place is splendidly equipped for doing excellent work. An artistic sense which recognizes the value of pose and of light and shade contributes also to his sue- cess and his work is highly satisfactory to his patrons.

Mr. and Mrs. Fox have become parents of a son, Roy. The family is well known socially and in other connections. Mr. Fox is a prominent Mason, belonging to Minnehaha Lodge, while he has attained the thirty-second degree in the Scottish Rite and has become a mem- ber of the Mystic Shrine. He is also identified with the Odd Fellows, the Knights of Pythias and the Elks, and his wife is a member of the Eastern Star, the Rebekah Lodge, the Pythian Sisters and the Current News Club, which is a woman's club. Both Mr. and Frs. Fox attend the Presbyterian church and his political allegiance is given to the republican party, which finds in him a stalwart champion but not an office seeker.

ERNEST O. PATTERSON.

Ernest O. Patterson, an attorney of Dallas, practicing at the Gregory county bar, was born in Greenfield, Iowa, October 5, 1874, a son of Daniel A. and Margaret J. (Priddy) Pat- terson. The father was a farmer and stock-raiser who in 1908 came to South Dakota, settling in Dallas, where his remaining days were passed, his death occurring in June, 1912. His widow, however, still survives.

Ernest O. Patterson supplemented a public-school education by study in the State Uni- versity of Iowa and then returned to Greenfield, Iowa, where at the early age of twenty- two years he was elected sheriff of Adair county, serving in that capacity for two years. At the outbreak of the Philippine war he volunteered for service and became a member of the Fifty-first Iowa Volunteer Infantry, with which he served for one year. Later he was employed in the office of Governor Shaw of Iowa and remained with Governor Cummins when that gentleman was made chief executive. In 1904 he went to Washington and pursued his law course in the Washington National University of the District of Columbia, being admitted to the bar there in 1906, while in 1908 he was admitted to practice before

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the supreme court of the United States. As an attorney he occupied a position in the office of the secretary of the interior for four years and then came to South Dakota in September, 1908, entering upon the general practice of law at Dallas. He is today one of the best known attorneys of the state, with also a wide acquaintance outside of the state. He aided in draw- ing up the regulations for the opening of the Rosehud reservation and many important pro- fessional acts of his career have made him widely known. He has been very successful in practice, owing to his thorough preparation, his comprehensive familiarity with the principles of jurisprudence and the able manner in which he prepares each specific case given over to his charge. In other connections, too, he has won success and he is now a director and stockholder of the Western Townsite Company and is the owner of much farm land in western South Dakota.

On the 30th of July, 1912, Mr. Patterson was united in marriage to Miss Dawn Smith, a daughter of Joel B. and Ida L. (Eby) Smith, of Adair county, Iowa.

Mr. Patterson has attained high rank in Masonry, being a member of Yankton Consistory, and he helongs also to the Knights of Pythias. In politics he is a republican and recognition of his ability and public-spirited citizenship came in his election to the office of state senator in 1912. He is an enthusiastic advocate of South Dakota and its opportunities, particularly of the Rosebud, where his efforts have been a direct and effective force in promoting that substantial progress which has not only immediate effect but constitutes an element in the continued development of the state.

OLIVER S. PENDAR.

Oliver S. Pendar, who for a quarter of a century has occupied the position of clerk of the federal court, is a highly honored resident of Sioux Falls and is, moreover, the virtual founder of the town of Salem, McCook county, which he named in honor of his native place-Salem, Massachusetts. He comes of pioneer stock. His father, Simon Pendar, was of the sixth generation in direct descent from John Pendar, of England, one of the original settlers of Ipswich in the Massachusetts Bay colony in the early seventeenth century. Simon Pendar's mother was a Putnam of Danvers, Massachusetts, and a direct descendant of John Putnam, who came from England in 1634, settling in the village of Salem, now Danvers. The mother of Oliver S. Pendar, Ann (Leavitt) Pendar, was of the eighth generation in direct descent from Thomas Leavitt, of England, who was one of the first settlers of Exeter and Hampton, New Hampshire, and of the Rev. Stephen Batchelder, also of England, who was the first pastor of the first church of Hampton and the founder of that town in 1638. The grandmother of Ann Pendar on her father's side was a Dearborn and the family home was North Hampton. This is another old colonial family, the ancestry of which is traced back to early settlers of New Hampshire. The ancestors of Oliver S. Pendar in both the paternal and maternal lines took part in the colonial and Revolutionary wars. Simon Pendar, father of O. S. Pendar, was born in Danvers, Massachusetts, in 1800, and when a young man operated a line of stages in the vicinity of his native town of Salem, continuing in that business until the advent of the railroads, which abolished the stage lines. He also designed the first system of brass checks for the checking of baggage and for many years they were in use, being supplanted hy the pasteboard checks of today.

The birth of Oliver S. Pendar occurred in Salem, Massachusetts, September 29, 1857, and at the usual age he became a public-school pupil, continuing his studies until graduated from the high school of his native city. At twenty years of age he went to Minneapolis, where he remained for a year, and in 1878 he came to Dakota and took up a preemption and timber claim in MeCook county, adjoining the present town of Salem, which was duly patented, and the title is still in Mr. Pendar's name. The following year a postoffice was established where the city of Salem now stands and Mr. Pendar was appointed the first postmaster. It is an interesting fact that the fixtures of the postoffice of Salem, South Dakota, were originally used in the postoffice at Salem, Massachusetts, and were procured by Mr. Pendar when he was acting as postmaster of the former place. He also gave the name of Salem to the postoffice and when the town was platted the same name was adopted for it. In addition to filling the office of postmaster he engaged in mercantile pursuits from

OLIVER S. PENDAR

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1879 until 1886 and then turned his attention to the real-estate and loan business, in which he continued until 1890, when he removed to Sioux Falls. On the 30th of January, 1890, he was appointed clerk of the federal court and has held the office continuously since or for a period of a quarter of a century, his long continuance in office being incontrovertible proof of his ability and fidelity. Abraham Lincoln said: "You can fool some of the people all of the time and all of the people some of the time, but you can't fool all of the people all of the time." And thus when a man has been long in office it is evidence of the fact that he has been loyal, faithful and capable, else the public would have been cognizant of condi- tions and his successor would have been chosen. All speak of Mr. Pendar's service in terms of high indorsement and his record is one which might well serve as a source of emulation.

Mr. Pendar is fond of horses and keeps some fine animals for driving and saddle purposes. He is a genial gentleman, well liked, having a circle of friends almost coextensive with the circle of his acquaintance. On the 10th of August, 1904, in Boston, Massachusetts, Mr. Pendar was united in marriage to Ruth, a daughter of Charles S. Whittemore, also of stanch colonial stock. To them have been born three children, namely: Oliver Ansel, whose natal day was June 5, 1905; Kenneth Whittemore, born December 22, 1906; and Eugenia Ann, whose birth occurred on the 10th of February, 1914.

Such in brief is the history of Oliver S. Pendar, who for thirty-seven years has been a resident of South Dakota and who throughout the entire period has displayed many of those qualities which mark the public-spirited citizen in his devotion to the general welfare. He has taken initial steps in promoting progress along various lines and his work has been of the utmost benefit to the communities in which he has hved and labored.

CHARLES MINER.

Charles Miner is today the oldest resident in Beadle county in years of continuous connection therewith and is also one of the most extensive landowners and prosperous farmers. He was born in Dallas county, Iowa, in 1854, pursued his education in Vermillion, South Dakota, and has made farming his life work. In April, 1879, he removed to Clifton township, Beadle county, where he took up a homestead and also filed on a tree claim. He broke the first land in the county and built the first house, which he constructed of flat limestone and mud. He had a pail with which he carried water from the creek to mix with the earth, thus making the mud to serve as a mortar to hold the stones together, but the pail was run over and broken by a wagon. After that Mr. Miner used a gum blanket, dug a hole in the ground and carried water, with which he filled the hole. As soon as possible he concentrated his energies upon the cultivation and improvement of his land and to it added at different times until he is today one of the most extensive landowners of his part of the state, having two hundred' and eighty acres, all on section 14, range 109-61. He and his sons farm this entire amount and he is one of the most prosperous farmers of his see- tion of the state. Mr. Miner has always raised a great deal of stock, keeping high bred horses and cattle, and in this way he has added materially to his income. For a long time he had quite an extensive dairy, but has discontinned that. He keeps many hogs and always has high grade stock. His farms present an excellent appearance, being well improved according to the most modern and progressive methods of tilling the soil and caring for the erops. Mr. Miner set ont a large grove, in which each year is held what is known as Miner's pienie, the pioneers gathering there on this annual occasion in good comradeship that binds them close together. Miner county was named in honor of Mr. Miner's father and Hyde county in honor of his brother-in-law.

In 1880, in Vermillion, Mr. Miner was married to Miss Eliza Jordan, a daughter of Peter Jordan, who came to Vermillion in 1862 and followed farming until his death, which occurred in 1878. He was a native of Ireland and had lived in Iowa for some years prior to his removal to South Dakota. He donated the logs for the first schoolhouse in the state and Mr. Miner's father with his soldiers erected the building, a picture of which appears in this work. To Mr. and Mrs. Miner were born six children: Nelson, James, Mrs. Grace Small, Charles, Bell and Ruth, all of whom are residents of Beadle county.

Mr. Miner was one of the first commissioners and assisted in organizing Beadle county.

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He has held about all the township offices, but is independent in politics and does not seek nor desire political preferment. On the contrary, he has given his attention to his business affairs and his wise judgment and careful management have heen the source of his growing success, which has made him one of the most substantial citizens of his section of the state. The splendid work instituted hy his father in pioneer times has been continued by Mr. Miner, who is never found remiss in the duties of citizenship.

GEORGE W. KINGSBURY.

George W. Kingsbury, who has written and compiled this History of Dakota Territory, is a citizen of Yankton, where he has resided since March, 1862. He came up from Junction City, Kansas, at that time. He was born in a farm home, on the west branch of the Mohawk river, in the town of Lee, Oneida County, New York, December 16, 1837. His father, Charles Backns Kingsbury, was horn at Norwich, near New London, Connecticut, September 21, 1802. His grandfather, Asa Kingsbury, was born in Connecticut, about 1750. In 1776 he enlisted in Colonel John Ely's regiment, at Norwich, and served during the Revolutionary war, becoming a sergeant in 1878 or 1879. These items are gathered from the official records in the War Department, at Washington. He married after the war and resided at Lebanon, Connecticut, until early in the eighteenth century, when he emigrated to New York and settled at Turin, Oneida county. G. W. Kingsbury's mother was Ruama Barnes, born at Leyden, Lewis county, New York, December 21, 1805. Her father was Abram Barnes and was born at New Haven, Connecticut, in 1777; her grandfather was John Barnes, also a native of Connecticut. Her mother was Ruama Kennedy, born at Bedford, Westchester county, New York, in 1777. The Barnes family settled near Turin early in the eighteenth century.

The father of George W. Kingsbury removed from Lee to Utica in the same county in 1843, and in Utica the son attended the common schools, and in time learned the trade of a printer. He was one of the carrier boys of the Utica Morning Herald while a school boy, and served his apprenticeship as a printer in the office of the Utica Daily Evening Telegraph, published by Thomas McQuade and James Melver, and also in the office of the New York Baptist Register, owned by Dolphas Bennett and was published at Utica.

At the age of eighteen, with the consent of his parents, Mr. Kingsbury removed to Watertown, Wisconsin, to work with civil engineers on the Watertown & Madison Railroad, of which, a cousin, Sylvester Barnes, was chief engineer. This was in 1856. In the fall of 1857 a financial panic, nation-wide, came on; work was suspended on the railroad, and ou all lines under construction, and the subject of this sketch spent the following winter employed as a printer, on the Daily Pantagraph, at Bloomington, Illinois. In the spring of 1858 he went to St. Louis, secured passage on a Kansas bound steamboat (there were many of them at that time), arrived at Leavenworth in May, when what was known as the Utah war was impending and Leavenworth was a principal outfitting point for the govern- ment. The young man concluded that there was an opportunity here for employment that would enable him to see much of the western country at the expense of the government, hy engaging as a driver in the ox-trains that were then loading np. Accordingly he went out to Fort Leavenworth where the ox corrals were located, and spent a portion of one afternoon witnessing the yoking up of several hundred oxen and the "hawing" and "geeing" that was required to get them into the train. He returned to the city in early evening, and the next morning found employment as a compositor on the Daily Ledger. Two months later, in July, he was at Junction City, at the confinence of the Smoky Hill and Republican rivers, three miles west of Fort Riley. He had been engaged by the Town Company to do the mechanical work on their weekly newspaper, which was to be called the "Junction City Sentinel." He found that the Town Company had purchased a hand press and a lot of type from some parties in another town, but parts of the press were lacking, as were numerous other indispensable accessories. These had been ordered from St. Louis by Mr. Lincoln, a compositor from the New York Tribune, who had come out and taken a claim nine miles from Junction, which he visited every Saturday. The editor, Benjamin Keyser, a lawyer, a returned Californian, and an able writer, prepared his salutatory,

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History of Dakota Territory, volume V, Part 130

Author: Kingsbury, George Washington, 1837-; Smith, George Martin, 1847-1920 Publication date: 1915 Publisher: Chicago, Ill. : S.J. Clarke Publishing Company Number of Pages: 1262

Author: Kingsbury, George Washington, 1837-; Smith, George Martin, 1847-1920
Publication date: 1915
Publisher: Chicago, Ill. : S.J. Clarke Publishing Company
Number of Pages: 1262