History of Dakota Territory, volume V, Part 56

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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1887, and her remains were interred in the cemetery at Leola. In August, 1888, Mr. Turner was again married, his second union being with Miss Delphy Johnson, a sister of his first wife, and to them have been born five children, as follows: Leslie E., who acts as cashier of the Forbes State Bank; George H., the cashier of the Bank of Leola; Lyle J., who is a student in the State Normal School at Aberdeen; Madge E., who is attending high school; and Gerald A.

Mr. and Mrs. Turner are members of the Methodist Episcopal church and he is also a member of the Odd Fellows lodge and the Modern Woodmen camp, while in Masonry he has not only taken the degrees of the blue lodge but has also attained the thirty-second degree of the Scottish Rite and is a Noble of the Mystie Shrine. In his political views he is an earnest republican and has served as register of deeds in MePherson county. He has also been a member of the school board of Leola and the cause of education finds in him a stalwart champion. He recognizes the duties and obligations as well as the privileges of citizenship and works earnestly to advance the public welfare. At the same time he is carefully managing his business interests. He is a man of resolute purpose and obstacles and difficulties give way before his perseverance and industry as snow melts before the summer sun. He applies himself closely to all work at hand and in the faithful perform- ance of each day's tasks finds strength, courage and inspiration for the labors of the suc- eeeding day. It has been along this path that his substantial success has been achieved.

JUDGE LEVI MeGEE.

For seventeen years Judge Levi MeGee of Rapid City has occupied the bench of the circuit comprising Fall River, Pennington and Custer counties and his fairness and ability are generally conceded. He is also connected with the industrial development of the state, being the moving factor in establishing the Dakota Power Company, which supplies light to a number of the Black Hills cities. Judge McGee was born in Davis county, lowa, a son of William and Rebecca (Dunlavey) McGee. The father, who was born in Indiana, followed agricultural pursuits in Iowa for a number of years but at lengtb removed to Rapid City, South Dakota, where he passed away in 1910. The mother survived him for one year. To their union were born fifteen children, twelve of whom grew to maturity and eight of whom are still living.

Judge McGee received his early education in the public schools and also had the advantage of studying in the Southern Iowa Normal School at Bloomfield for a time. For about four years he engaged in teaching and later followed mercantile pursuits in Bedford, lowa. He had determined on the practice of law as a life work and during his spare time pursued his legal studies. After removing to Rapid City, South Dakota, in 1884 he con- tinued his preparation for the bar in the office of Nowlin & Wood, attorneys, and in 1887 was admitted to practice. He at once opened an office and until 1897 largely concentrated his energies upon his work as a lawyer. During that time he also served as county judge and made an excellent record in that capacity. In 1897 he was elected judge of the seventh circuit comprising Fall River, Pennington and Custer counties, and he has since held that office continuously. He possesses the impartiality and power of considering all sides of a question which are so essential in the execution of justice and holds the confidence and respect of both the bar and the general public.

Judge MeGee also possesses business ability and foresight of a high order and to him the founding of the Dakota Power Company is largely due. This concern now supplies light to Rapid City and surrounding territory and all of its surplus current is used by Deadwood and Lead. It is expected that eventually the company will furnish light to all of the Black Hills cities. The Judge is also a stockholder and director in the packing house at Rapid City.

In December, 1887, occurred the marriage of Judge McGee and Miss Gertrude Richards, of Dover, Delaware, a daughter of Charles M. and Emily (Cooper) Richards, the former a well known lumberman. To Judge and Mrs. McGee has been born a daughter, Gertrude, who is now eighteen years of age. Mrs. McGee is a member of the Christian Science church and the Judge also attends that church. Fraternally he belongs to the Elks and the Masonic

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blue lodge. His political allegiance is given to the democratic party and he is, moreover, a firm believer in the single tax as advocated by Henry George, as he is convinced that its adoption would solve many of the vexing economie problems that confront the country. In 1894 he was elected state senator and proved an able and working member of the upper house of the general assembly. He not only has an enviable reputation as a jurist through- out his section of the state, but as a man he is also highly esteemed, and he has made many warm friends. He is recognized as one of the leading citizens of Rapid City.

MARKUS OLSON.

The sons of Norway are among those who have been potent forces in the development of the American northwest and the country has rightly welcomed them when they have come seeking opportunity for advancement. Markus Olson was born in the land of the midnight sun on the 13th of January, 1838. a son of Ole and Martha (Evansdaughter) Olson, both of whom passed away in Norway. Markus Olson was reared under the parental roof and acquired his education in the common schools of the region. He learned the trade of car- pentering and as carpenter shipped aboard a vessel in his native land, visiting France, England, Scotland, Spain, Germany, Sweden and Denmark during the following seven months. As a young man of twenty he came to the United States and after landing in New York secured a position as ship carpenter aboard a sea going vessel. He continued to follow the sea for a period of seven years, sailing aboard merchant ships out of New York and Boston. He made three trips to Calcutta, India, two to Australia, one to China and twice sailed around the Horn to San Francisco. In 1887 he left the sea and located in Iowa, where his marriage occurred the following year. He engaged in the contracting and building business in Eagle Grove, that state, and for nineteen years was one of the best known men in his line in that locality. He did in all over a half million dollars worth of business, erecting several hundred houses, twelve churches, one opera house and many schoolhouses. In 1903 he decided to east in his lot with a newer country and went to Humboldt, Minnehaha county, South Dakota. where for six years he resided upon a farm. However, in that time he devoted considerable attention to his trade, building a church, the bank building at Harrisburg and several other structures. In 1908 he bought his present farm of one hundred and sixty acres, to which he removed in 1910. He not only uses improved methods in cultivating his land, but has also erected many commodious buildings upon his place, the value of the improvements which he has made being eight thousand dollars.

Mr. Olson was married Deccember 11, 1885, to Miss Mattie Hanson, a native of Denmark, and both are members of the Norwegian United Lutheran church, in which the former is a deacon and Sunday-school superintendent. He is a republican in his political allegianee and has held school office both in this state and in Iowa. Ile has served as school director in both places and has done much to promote the welfare of the public-school system in every locality of which he has been a resident. He was also a member of the town board in the Hawkeye state and always manifests a laudable interest in public affairs. Mr. Olson has seen much of the world, but he feels that Minnehaha county offers opportunities the equal of those of any other region and is enjoying the life of an agriculturist, realizing that in tilling the soil he is serving the nation as well as securing his own prosperity.

R. S. COWIE.

R. S. Cowie is the owner of eight hundred and twenty acres of land located on section 8, La Prairie township, Spink county, and has for over a decade carried on agricultural pursuits in South Dakota, where he arrived on the 22d of April, 1883. He was born near Verona, Wisconsin, on the 18th of October, 1869, a son of Robert Sterling and Mary Jane (Holmes) Cowie, the former of whom died in 1878, when but thirty-two years of age. He was born in Massachusetts. His widow survives and makes her home in Stratford, South Dakota.

R. S. Cowie came to this state in 1883 with his mother and her second husband, George

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Baker, who took up a homestead and began its improvement. He died in October, 1911, and is buried in the Oakwood cemetery, Rondel township, Brown county. He was a veteran of the Civil war and served his country in the times of peace by an upright, industrious life. R. S. Cowie was taken to York county, Nebraska, when he was but eight months old and there acquired his early education, although he continued to attend school for a few years after the removal of the family to this state. He put aside his text-books at the age of twenty and devoted his time entirely to farming. While still attending school he had assisted his stepfather in the work of the farm during the summers and had acquainted himself with effective methods of agriculture.

Within a sbort time after he had left school bis mother helped him to buy one hundred and sixty acres of land and he began farming for himself. His well timed labors and his progressive methods have brought him good returns and as he has saved his money he has been able to purchase additional land until his farm property now aggregates eight hundred and twenty acres. He does general farming, raising about sixty horses, twenty-five cattle and a considerable number of hogs, in addition to the field crops best adapted to the soil and climate.

Mr. Cowie was married in the Gann Valley church, on the 8th of July, 1902, to Miss Ina Powell, a daughter of A. R. and M. L. (Dwyer) Powell, pioneer farmers of Jerauld county, South Dakota. Both are now residents of Brentford, this state. Her paternal grandfather came to this country from England, but her father was born in the state of New York. Mr. and Mrs. Cowie have four sons, namely: Ansel, nine years of age; Glenn, seven years old; Reed, five; and Ancel, three. The father is a republican in his political belief and has served as chairman of the town board in addition to holding other local offices. Fraternally he is identified with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and the Ancient Order of United Work- men. He has won more than usual success as a farmer, but in so doing has not forgotten the public welfare, being at all times ready to give of his time and means to worthy causes.

ROBERT D. JONES.

Robert D. Jones, a successful young attorney of Milbank, is a native son of Grant county, born June 14, 1890, of the marriage of Harry E. and Maude A. (Dunbrack) Jones. His paternal grandfather, Robert E. Jones, was born in Wisconsin and about 1885 home- steaded land in South Dakota, upon which be continued to reside until his demise. Harry E. Jones was born in Humboldt, Iowa, in 1868 and came to South Dakota when eighteen years of age. At that time he possessed but one dollar and made his home with his parents while attending school in Milbank. He later learned telegraphy and also engaged in teaching school for a time. At length he secured employment in a bank and has since prospered, winning a gratifying measure of success. He is now engaged in the hardware and farm implement business in Revillo, South Dakota, and is also connected with banking interests there. He gives his political allegiance to the republican party, his religious faith is indicated by his membership in the Congregational church and fraternally he belongs to the Workmen. His wife was born in Long Lake, Minnesota, in 1869 and is also still living. They are the parents of eight children: Robert D .; Verna, who is teaching in Big Stone; Alta, a teacher at Carthage; Evan Raymond, who is attending Hamline Uni- versity at St. Paul, Minnesota: Marguerite, also a student in that school; and Lucille, Milton and Quentin, attending the public schools.

Robert D. Jones acquired his early education in the public schools and later attended the State Agricultural College at Brookings, from which he was graduated in 1909. He then spent two and a half years as a student in the University of Minnesota, after which he entered the law office of Thomas C. Daggett in St. Paul. In 1912 he was admitted to the Minnesota bar and practiced his profession in Minneapolis until January, 1914. In May of that year he was admitted to the South Dakota bar and has since been located at Milbank. He has been accorded a good practice since first opening an office and has the confidence and respect of his professional brethren. He possesses a mind that is naturally incisive and logical, and his thorough educational training has not only made him familiar with statute law and precedent but has also disciplined and trained his

ROBERT D. JONES

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mental faculties so that he seldom fails in discriminating between the essential and non- essential in the preparation and trial of his cases.

On the 14th of June, 1913, occurred the marriage of Mr. Jones and Miss Stella Bernice Case, a daughter of George W. Case, an attorney of Watertown, South Dakota. To this marriage has been born a daughter, Roberta, whose birth occurred on the 19th of February, 1915.

Mr. Jones is a republican but has been too busy in his practice to take an active part in polities. He belongs to the Modern Woodmen and to the Knights of Pythias and is also a member of the following college fraternities: the Alpha Kappa Phi, Theta Delta Phi and the Phi Kappa Sigma. As a lawyer he has gained an unusual measure of success for one of his years, and personally he is very popular in Milbank and Grant county.

NICHOLAS NIELSEN.

Nicholas Nielsen, secretary and treasurer of the Florence Mercantile Company, one of the leading enterprises of Codington county, was born in Schleswig, Holstein, Germany, on the 19th of July, 1879, a son of Asmus and Mary (Albrecht) Nielsen. The father, a farmer by occupation, always lived in his native land and died there in 1913, at the age of seventy- four years. The mother is yet living and makes her home in Schleswig.

Nicholas Nielsen was reared in the land of his nativity to the age of seventeen years and during that time pursued his early education in the public schools. In 1896 he emigrated to America, locating first in Springfield, Minnesota, where for one year he worked at farm labor. Realizing the need of a better education, he then continued his studies in the schools of Springfield, completing the high-school course. He was subsequently employed for two years in a store and, realizing the need of a business education, he later pursued a business course in the St. Paul Park College. He then once more became identified with mercantile pursuits, being employed as a salesman in Sanborn and Springfield, Minnesota, for ten years. During this time he gained a practical knowledge of merchandising, and in 1906 went to Florence and in partnership with his former employer in Springfield, H. Bendixen, he opened the first general store in the village. His stock of goods was first installed in a warehouse, awaiting the erection of his present commodious store building, which is well equipped for the handling of his goods. In 1911 the business was incorporated with H. Bendixen as president ; William Bendixen, of St. Paul, as vice president ; and Mr. Nielsen as secretary, treasurer and general manager of the concern. The firm today does an extensive business, carrying a stock of goods valued at from thirteen to fifteen thousand dollars. Although the village contains but three hundred inhabitants the trade is drawn from a large section surrounding Florence and the concern is one of the leading enterprises in Codington county.

It was on the 13th of June, 1911, that Mr. Nielsen was united in marriage to Miss Florence Mahle, of St. Paul, Minnesota, a most estimable lady, who presides with gracious hospitality over their pleasant home. She is a daughter of William and Amelia (Beulke) Mahle. In politics Mr. Nielsen is a republican and served as the first president of the town council after the incorporation of the town. He and his wife are devoted members of the Methodist Episcopal church. He is a man of keen discrimination and sound judgment and his executive ability and excellent management have brought to the concern with which he is connected a large degree of success.

PROFESSOR BURT J. WOODBURY.

Professor Burt J. Woodbury, superintendent of the public schools of Woonsocket and one of the state's best known public-sebool educators, was born at Plover, Wisconsin, Sep- tember 12, 1870. His father, Albert M. Woodbury, was a native of the state of New York, born in the year 1825. He removed to the west in 1850, settling in Wisconsin, and there he followed the business of a carpenter and builder. In 1883 he became a pioneer resident of Vol. V-21

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Kingsbury county, Dakota territory, where he secured a homestead claim, but later he removed to Iroquois and entered the government service as a mail carrier between Iroquois and Clark. He died at the former place April 4, 1890, when sixty-five years of age. His wife, who bore the maiden name of Sarah Faulkner, is a native of Pennsylvania and still survives, residing at Woonsocket at the age of seventy-five years.

Professor Woodbury was the second in order of birth in their family of six children. He acquired his education in the public schools of Wisconsin and South Dakota and also pursued a preparatory course in the Fremont (Neb.) Normal College. He taught school one season to procure funds to continue his education and then entered the Lincoln Normal Uni- versity at Lincoln, Nebraska, where he was graduated with the class of 1893. He then returned to Iroquois, South Dakota, and was appointed superintendent of the public schools of that place. He proved an able educator, having the ability to impart clearly, concisely and readily to others the knowledge that he had acquired, and this led to his selection in 1898 for the office of county superintendent of schools of Kingsbury county, in which posi- tion he continued for two terms. From January until June, 1902, he acted as principal of the De Smet public schools and the same year was appointed superintendent of the pub- lic schools at Artesian, where he remained for four years. He was then elected county super- intendent of public instruction in Sanborn county, occupying that position for four years, and during the succeeding four years he was superintendent of the public schools at Letcher. In 1914 he was appointed superintendent of the public schools of Woonsocket and so con- tinues. His work has been characterized by most progressive methods. He has studied the needs of individual pupils and the plans for the improvement of the schools and his ready adaptability has enabled him to choose what is most worth while. He has done valuable work for the consolidation plan applied to district schools. In institute work he has taken a conspicuous and helpful part, having instructed in institutes at Sioux Falls, Mitchell, Watertown, Webster, Howard, De Smet and Woonsocket. In addition to his successful work in the field of education he has dealt extensively in real estate and farm lands, his optimism regarding the future of South Dakota leading him to invest in farm lands, which invest- ments have been amply justified, excellent financial returns accruing therefrom.

In 1903 Professor Woodbury was united in marriage to Miss Nellie Vaughn, a daughter of Levi Vaughn, of Lincoln, Nebraska. Professor Woodbury is a republican in his political views nor does he study superficially the questions and issues of the day. On the contrary, he keeps well informed and his opinions are based upon a thorough understanding of important questions. Fraternally he is a Mason and an Odd Fellow and in the latter organiza- tion has filled all of the chairs. He exemplifies in his life the beneficent principles upon which those orders are founded. He is a member of the South Dakota Educational Asso- ciation and served for six years as president of the reading circle of that organization. He holds to high ideals, whether in behalf of the schools, in citizenship or in individual rela- tions, and he is one of the county's most useful and highly esteemed citizens.

JOHN D. HALE.

John D. Hale, of Sturgis, is not only the present state senator from the forty-first dis- triet of South Dakota but is also the owner of one of the finest horse ranches in the west, his property being located in Crook county, Wyoming. He was born in Grayson county, Virginia, October 22, 1847, a son of natives of that state, his parents being Warner and Mary (Cox) Hale. The father, who was a farmer and stockman, removed with his family westward in 1882, settling at Battle Creek, Nebraska, and continued to farm throughout his active life. He and his wife died within a week of each other, the year of their deaths being about 1904. He served as a soldier in the Confederate army for a short time during the Civil war. Senator Hale was the fourth born in a family of eleven children and acquired his educa- tion in a log schoolhouse in the Old Dominion. In 1867 he came west and after staying for a time at Omaha he removed to Cheyenne, Wyoming, where he was employed by the McGrath Forwarding Commission Company until 1868, when he removed to Montana and engaged in mining for some months. He then made his way to Salt Lake City, but not long afterward returned to Nebraska and engaged in farming near Battle Creek until the spring of 1877.

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At that time he came to South Dakota and engaged in the freighting business which was quite profitable at that time as the transportation of goods was done almost entirely by team, there being no railroads. He owned a train of seventeen wagons which were drawn by oxen. In the fall of 1877 he moved the Sioux Indians from Camp Sheridan to Ponca and the following year moved them back to the Rosebud reservation, where they are now located. After freighting for about three years he went to Tilford, South Dakota, where he established himself in the stock business, founding the Pleasant Valley Stock Farm. He continued to raise stock there for twenty-one years and became the owner of sixteen hundred and eighty acres. He also leased extensive tracts of land.

At length finding that Meade county was becoming too crowded for him, Mr. Hale moved his stock to Crook county, Wyoming, where he now owns a four thousand acre tract of land, through which a stream runs for eight miles. He raises pure bred horses and as the country in which his ranch is situated is especially adapted by nature for that purpose his stock is as fine as any found in this country. The topography of the region is that of broad upland pastures broken by canyons formed by a number of small streams and as the slopes from the pastures to the stream beds are so precipitous that even the native deer cannot keep a foothold thereon, the necessity of enclosing the range with fences is obviated. The only way by which stock might leave the pasture is by a few easy approaches through the grassy table lands to the valleys and a few rods of fence placed at such points are sufficient to enclose a ranch comprising several thousand acres. Naturally the water frontage at such points of approach to the streams is the key to the grass lands upon the plateau and Mr. Hale had the foresight to patent the land controlling the water frontage and the approaches to the upland pastures and by so doing has assured the success of his ranch. There is not only a good water supply but the native grasses provide unlimited pasturage of the best quality, while the steep sides of the ravines do away with a great deal of expense for fenc- ing and make it possible for one man and an assistant to look after the horses, which are raised by the thousands, as straying from the pasture is almost impossible. Ranch buildings and corrals are located in the Belle Fourche valley at a point where patented land owned by Mr. Hale affords meadow of excellent quality, from which three to five hundred tons of hay are cut annually. This hay, however, has never yet been used for the subsistence of the horses, which are kept in fine condition throughout the hardest winters without a mouth full of prepared food. It must not be supposed that these western horses are bronchos or cayuse, as they are of the best blood, descendants of the most famous Norman, Clyde and Percheron imports and also of the best Leamington and Lexington stock. Our subject also owns stock in the Sturgis Lumber & Grain Company.

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History of Dakota Territory, volume V, Part 56

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