History of Dakota Territory, volume V, Part 63

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

USA > South Dakota > History of Dakota Territory, volume V > Part 63

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

Emerson R. Place received his education in Vermont but left school when sixteen years of age for the purpose of volunteering for service in the Civil war. He enlisted in the Four- teenth Vermont Regiment for nine months and at the expiration of that time he enlisted in the Eighth Vermont, remaining with that command until the close of the war. He then moved to Chicago where he followed different occupations for a time but was principally engaged in the wholesale and retail oil business. In 1884 he eame to South Dakota and took up his residence in Spink county. His wife's brother, W. W. Rounds, had located the claim on which the town of Conde now stands and Mr. Place purchased the first quarter seetion lying north of it. He subsequently bought another claim and later purchased the first claim south of town. He farmed his land and bought additional property until he now owns eight hundred aeres. In 1902 he started a general store in Conde and it has proved a most sucessful venture from every point of view. His customers are assured of courteous treatment and of securing the full value of their money, and his patronage is steadily grow- ing. He also owns the Hotel Gibbons, which is a modern structure and one of the best of the smaller hostelries of the state. He has a number of other business interests, being presi- dent of the Farmers & Merchants Bank of Conde and owning considerable real estate in that town.

Mr. Place was married in August, 1876, to Miss Aliee I. Rounds, a daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Rounds, the former a farmer by oeeupation. Both are deceased and are buried in Hinesburg, Vermont. Mr. and Mrs. Place have two daughters and one son. Harry, who married Margaret Sue White, of Conde, is managing the hotel for his father and is a partner

540

HISTORY OF SOUTH DAKOTA

in the store. Edith is the wife of N. J. Haight, who is also a partner in the ownership of the store. Ida is the wife of E. D. Cundiff, a jeweler of Conde.

Mr. Place is a republican and is serving as alderman. He has won success in a number of lines and his prosperity is due to his faculty of recognizing and promptly utilizing all opportunities that present themselves. He is respected by his fellow townsmen for his business ability and energy and also for his integrity and commendable public spirit.

ANDREW N. HAUGEN.

The sons of Norway have proven themselves a hardy race, able to withstand the storms of life and come out victorious even as their ancestors successfully braved the tempests of the Atlantic. Andrew N. Haugen has proven himself a worthy scion of his race and has won success in the new world, even though at times there were many obstacles to be surmounted. His birth occurred in the land of the midnight sun May 26. 1855, his parents being Nils N. and Kirsti (Helle) Haugen, both of whom died in Norway. Andrew N. Haugen was reared at home and attended the common schools of his native land in the acquirement of an education. In 1818. as a young man of about twenty-three years, he came to the United States, locating in Minnehaha county, South Dakota. He left Norway on the 3d of May, and on the 10th of the following June he filed on his present homestead, which is an indication of his energetic nature and the promptness with which he executes his plans. He immediately located upon his claim and has remained there since. He had learned the carpenter's trade as a young man in Norway and after coming to this country he found it a great help to him in supporting himself while proving up his homestead. Even until the present he has continued to work at carpentering and building during his spare time. His chief occupation, however, has been that of a farmer and his fields have responded readily to his advanced methods of cultivation, yielding him bountiful harvests. He is also connected with the business activities of the county as a stockholder in the Farmers Elevator Company of Colton.

In Norway on the 5th of July, 1877. Mr. Hangen married Miss Beret Tvedt, a daughter of Lars Tvedt, who became a prominent farmer of Taopi township, Minnehaha county, and a sketch of whom appears elsewhere in this work. Four children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Haugen as follows: Nils A., who is residing on a homestead in Montana; Louisa, the wife of George Quelset, of Taopi township; Edwin A., a farmer of Hanson county, South Dakota; and Clara Annetta, who is keeping house for her father. The wife and mother passed away Sep- tember 17, 1892, and after her demise the father kept the family together, being both father and mother to his children. At the time of his wife's death he contracted debts in addition to those which he was already carrying and it was necessary for him to borrow money to tide him through the hard times of 1893 and 1894, and as money was scarce he was obliged to pay forty per cent interest. However, he did not allow himself to become disheartened and eventually paid off all his obligations and has since accumulated a competence, being known as one of the substantial farmers of Grand Meadow township. He is a member of the Lutheran synod and finds an inspiration to a noble life in the teachings of the church, being ever faithful to ler precepts. He is a republican in his political belief and has held a number of local offices, serving as assessor of the township for nine years and having also been a member of the town board. His resoluteness of purpose and his integrity of character have been potent forees in winning for him an honorable place and the esteem of his fellowmen.

GEORGE HICKMAN.

George Hickman, superintendent of schools in MePherson county and an esteemed resident of Leola, was born in the quaint and interesting old town of Rothenberg, in Hessen-Darmstadt, Germany, April 24. 1849. The family name was originally spelled Heckmann. His parents, John George and Elizabeth M. (Lehn) Heckmann, emigrated to the new world in 1854, settling in Buffalo, New York, where they resided until 1858, when they became residents of La Salle

541

HISTORY OF SOUTH DAKOTA

county, Illinois. There the father died in 1867, but the mother survived until 1911, when she passed away at the advanced age of eighty-eight years.

George Hickman attended the common schools and for one year was a student in the normal school at Galena, Illinois. His entire life has been devoted to farming and to teaching. Removing to the west. he became a pioneer of Sac county, Iowa, in 1872 and has since been identilied with the pioneer development of Brown, Marshall and McPherson counties of South Dakota, becoming a resident of this state in 1881. He is among those who have infused into its development the spirit of progress and enterprise and his labors have been an effective force in bringing about modern agricultural development and most of all in advancing the interests of the schools in keeping with the modern trend of improvement in educational fields. llis fellow townsmen. appreciative of his worth and ability, have frequently called upon him for service in public connections. In 1888 he was elected judge of the probate court of Mar- shall county and in 1890 he became a member of the second general assembly of South Dakota. being elected on the republican ticket from MePherson county. He proved an able working member of the legislature, served on a number of important committees and put forth earnest effort to advance the interests of the state in its formative period, at all times looking beyond the exigencies of the moment to the possibilities and opportunities of the future. For twelve years he has occupied the position of county superintendent of schools of MePherson county and under his guidance substantial advance has been made in educational work. He has studied closely the needs of the schools, has ever endeavored to adapt the work to modern conditions and he has the ability to inspire teachers and pupils with inch of his own zeal and enthusiasm.

On the 24th of December, 1871, at Grand Rapids, La Salle county, Illinois, Mr. Hickman was united in marriage to Miss Roxana Howe, who was born in Scranton, Pennsylvania, March 14, 1849, and passed away at Leola, South Dakota, July 16, 1912. She was a daughter of John G. Howe and by her marriage became the mother of seven children, as follows: William W .: Bertha M., the wife of George Barnes: George L., who wedded Miss Marie Dawson; Arthur 1 .. who married Miss Blanche Beach; Charles F., who married Miss Elizabeth Zimmerman; Elmer C., who wedded Miss Rose Wirtz: and John G., who married Miss Nellie Willson.

The family is a prominent one in MePherson county, where they have lived since pioneer times, and in social circles they have occupied an enviable position. Since 1878 Mr. Hickman has been a member of the Knights of Pythias fraternity. He holds to high ideals in life and takes a broad-minded, intelligent view of many of the vital questions which affect the welfare of city, county and state.

CHARLES A. FOSTER.

Charles A. Foster is the editor and proprietor of the Conde News, a wide-awake country journal which exerts a great influence in the town of Conde and its vicinity. He was born at Lodi, Wisconsin, January 8, 1862, and is a son of Horace A. and Marian (Riblet) Foster. Two Riblet brothers were driven from France during an uprising there and made their way to Germany and thence to America. The Foster family is of English descent and the first to cross the Atlantic settled in Canada, but later some of its representatives came to the United States. Horace A. Foster was a pioneer of South Dakota, coming to this state from Osage, Towa, and settling northwest of Sioux Falls, where he took up a homestead. He remained there, cultivating his land until about 1890, when he retired from active life. He was a veteran of the Civil war and was highly esteemed by all who knew him. His death occurred in Jannary, 1914, when he was seventy-three years of age, and he was laid to rest in a cemetery at Sioux Falls. His widow survives and makes her home in that city.

Charles A. Foster received his education in the schools of Osage, Iowa, but when fifteen years old he put aside his text-books and addressed himself to learning the printer's trade in the office of the Osage News. In 1878 he came to Sioux Falls, South Dakota, and carried the first mail on various routes leading from that city. He subsequently returned to Osage and remained there until 1884, when he again came to South Dakota, this time locating at Mellette, Spink county. He worked on the Mellette Tribune until Christmas, 1885, when he started the Spink County News, issuing the first number of that publication on the 24th of December of that year, and he continued to publish it in Mellette until 1887, when he moved his office to

542 .

HISTORY OF SOUTH DAKOTA

Conde. The paper continued to be published under the name of the Spink County News for a number of years, but is now the Conde News and is still the only paper in that town. It has a wide circulation in this territory and as it is one of the best advertising mediums in the county the merchants of Conde utilize it extensively for that purpose, knowing that it reaches the families who are their customers. Aside from his newspaper business Mr. Foster owns a farm, his residence in town and considerable other town property, including the block in which his newspaper plant is located.

He was married in Redfield, South Dakota, on the 24th of December, 1884, to Miss Kate Hall, a daughter of Isaac and Charlotte (Pendleton) Hall. Her father was an attorney of Strandquist, Minnesota, and her mother was a cousin of George W. Pendleton, former minister to Germany. Mrs. Foster passed away in October. 1908, and was buried in the Conde ceme- tery. By that union there was one son and one daughter: Jesse, a carpenter of Conde, who married Ruby Parrott of Pierpont, South Dakota, and has two children, Camilla and Drusilla; and Charlotte, who is assisting her father in his newspaper business.

Mr. Foster is independent in politics and has held several local offices. Fraternally he is a member of the Masonie order. He occupies a place of importance in Conde hoth as the pro- prietor of the Conde News and as an individual. His sense of justice and his known integrity have won for him the respect of all with whom he has been brought in contact whether in business or social life.

CHARLES F. HACKETT.

Newspaper history in South Dakota contains the record of no more courageous, deter- mined and successful man than Charles F. Hackett, proprietor and editor of the Parker New Era. He is a newspaper man by training and preference, understands journalism and the printing business in principle and detail, and through his own energy, enterprise and rightly directed ambition has worked his way upward to success in this field. He has made his activities vital forces in the accomplishment of a great deal of public-spirted work, and he is numbered today among the great individual factors in the upbuilding and development of Parker, in which city he lives.

Mr. Hackett was born in Mannington township, Salem county, New Jersey, May 20, 1853, his birth occurring on the old Hackett homestead, which has been in possession of this family for two hundred and twenty-five years. The line is one of the oldest in America and is of English origin, the name being derived from the old English word Har'court. Mr. Hackett's paternal ancestors came from England after the fall of Cromwell and settled in Connecticut. The great-grandfather of the subject of this review afterward removed to southwestern New Jersey and there engaged in lumbering and shipbuilding. His paternal grandmother was Sarah Reeve, whose ancestors came from England in 1660 and also settled in New Jersey. On his mother's side his grandfather was of Holland nativity and his grand- mother was English, and they settled in Salem county, New Jersey, in 1780. The family has had many distinguished representatives, among them Hackett, the commentator, and Hackett, the actor. The father of the subject of this review engaged in school teaching for a number of years, then in farming, and for about thirty years was a local Methodist Epis- copal preacher.

When Charles F. Hackett was fifteen years of age he began his independent career and apprenticed himself to William S. Sharp of Salem, New Jersey, publisher of The Standard. He received for his services two dollars per week and since his board and lodging cost him three dollars a week, he was obliged to earn the difference by doing chores. About the close of his first year of apprenticeship his salary was raised to three dollars a week. In 1869 Mr. Hackett's employer became bankrupt and the apprentice lost several weeks of his wages. He then went to Philadelphia and apprenticed himself for four years to the Ameri- can Baptist Publication Society, beginning at a salary of three dollars and seventy-five cents a week. In order to pay for his board and room which were four dollars a week, he took on the extra work of carrying the locked up forms from the composing room on the third floor to the press room in the basement, and received seventy-five cents a week extra for this task, this arrangement enabling him to pay his living expenses and leaving him a

CHARLES F. HACKETT

545

HISTORY OF SOUTH DAKOTA

surplus of fifty cents. By the end of the first two months the apprentice had won so enviable a place in the regard of his employers and had made himself so valuable in various ways that he was given a raise in salary. This was increased again in another sixty days and every two months thereafter during the entire period of the four years. Mr. Hackett did not, however, grow extravagant in his expenditures because his earnings had increased but instead pursued the same rigid economy throughout, saving his money until he had accumu- lated enough to put himself through school. He attended first the academy in Salem for one year and then spent two years in the State Normal School at Trenton, New Jersey, working during vacations in order to earn more money to increase his diminishing resources.

In the vacation of 1874 he edited and superintended the publishing of the Woodstown (N. J.) Register, while the proprietor, William Taylor, a cousin of the famous novelist, Bayard Taylor, toured Europe. The Taylors took a decided liking to Mr. Hackett and were deeply impressed with his keen editorial pronunciamentos. Accordingly, in 1876, the two brothers who had gone west to establish a newspaper business at Yankton, South Dakota, sent for Mr. Hackett to come and join them. He arrived in Yankton with two dollars and forty cents in his pocket, a trunk and two suits of clothes, and immediately became a lead- ing factor on the Herald. His duties soon extended, and he found himself obliged to set type, run the presses, do the soliciting, collecting, etc. He acted also as field solicitor, dur- ing the second year, over northeastern Nebraska and southeastern Dakota, visiting the new settlements, taking subscriptions and writing up for publication in the Herald the villages and the lives of the prominent men. In addition to this he made his way overland to the mili- tary forts at and above Yankton along the Missouri river to Bismarck, and in this way he increased the circulation of the Herald to a considerable extent.

Soon after his return from this trip, Mr. Hackett decided to return to his boyhood home, and he made part of the journey on the old stage line between Yankton and Sioux Falls, operated by Shurtleff & Deming, to bid some friends goodbye. It crossed the Vermillion river and also passed through the village of Swan Lake, whence Mr. Hackett intended to pursue his journey to Finlay and Sioux Falls before going east. When he reached Swan Lake. however, Vale P. Thielman, postmaster at the village and clerk of the court for Tur- ner county, urged him to abandon his plans and settle in Swan Lake and buy the Swan Lake Era, a newspaper that had been established at that village in June. 1875, by H. B. Chaffee. The deal was put through, Mr. Hackett paying for the paper with his savings and with money borrowed from D. M. Inman of Vermillion. He gave in payment his note for two hundred dollars payable in one year, but within eight months from the time he began the publication of his paper was entirely free from debt. This paper was established in Swan Lake by H. B. Chaffee in 1875 and continued under his direction until the fall of 1877. The plant was then sold to Smith & Grigsby, who removed it to Sioux Falls and merged it with The Pantagraph. In the next spring William Gardner came from Chicago, reorganized the paper, named it the Swan Lake Press, and ran it until October 10, 1878, when he sold out to Charles F. Hackett, who has since been owner and publisher. Its original name, the Swan Lake Era. was changed by Mr. Hackett to The New Era.

When the Milwaukee Railroad was built into Turner county, in the fall of 1879, Mr. Hackett removed the paper to Parker and renamed it The Parker New Era, which name it bears today. He has made this one of the leading papers in this part of South Dakota and through its columns has been instrumental in the accomplishment of a great deal of con- «tructive and progressive work along many lines. He has made it an excellent news and advertising medium and has built up a large and constantly growing circulation. He has been longer in continuous editorial work than any other Dakotan. He has prospered since he came to Parker and owns several hundred acres of land and a few business blocks. He recently removed his printing plant and the postoffice. of which his wife is the mistress, to a new modern building of his own. He has demonstrated the fact that success in the newspaper business, like success in any field, comes as the result of industry, perseverance and hard work, qualities which have formed the basis of his own successful career.

On the 26th of October, 1880, Mr. Hackett was united in marriage to Miss Carrie Mc- Intire. a daughter of Rev. J. J. MeIntire. one of the pioneers of South Dakota. To this union four children have been born. namely: Bessie I., now the wife of Charles H. Roden- bach, of Chicago: Charles F., .Tr., of Parker, South Dakota: Alma E., the wife of Dr. Herman Ludwig, of Parker; and Clara, at home.

546

HISTORY OF SOUTH DAKOTA

Mr. Hackett is a member of the Baptist church and of the Masonic lodge, chapter, com- mandery and Shrine, and is also affiliated with the Ancient Order of United Workmen and the Odd Fellows. He gives his political allegiance to the republican party and has held a number of positions of trust and responsibility, serving in 1889 and 1890 as chief enrolling clerk of the first state senate. He was also assistant secretary of the second state senate and has served as clerk of the Turner county courts, as postmaster of Parker and as presi- dent of the State Press Association. He is one of. the best journalists in his part of South Dakota and has accomplished a great deal of valuable work in this field, for he has made his paper not only an accurate and reliable news medium, but a power in the promotion and support of all movements looking toward the general benefit of the community.

ALBERT H. SMITH.

Albert H. Smith, who is successfully engaged in the practice of law at Selby, Walworth county, is a native of fowa, his birth having occurred in Black Hawk county on the 22d of April, 1872. His parents, Charles D. and Elizabeth A. (Baum) Smith, were born in New York and Michigan respectively. In the early '60s they removed to Iowa and subsequently went to Lincoln county, South Dakota, whence in 1885 they removed to Walworth county, where the father passed away in 1889. The mother survives and is now a resident of Spokane, Washington. They were the parents of nine children, all of whom are still living.

Albert H. Smith remained at home until he attained his majority and then began teach- ing school, following that profession for a number of years. Later he took a commercial course at the State University of South Dakota at Vermillion and subsequently prepared for the bar at the College of Law of Highland Park College at Des Moines, Iowa, from which he was graduated in 1901. The following year he located at Selby, South Dakota, for the prac- tice of his profession and has since remained there. He has built up a large and representative clientage and has the confidence of both the general public and his colleagues. He has not only prospered professionally but has also won financial success and owns three hundred acres of land in Walworth county and also holds title to land in Perkins county.

Mr. Smith was married in 1905 to Miss Ida L. Rieke, who was born in Benton county, Iowa, a daughter of Christopher and Wilhelmina (Schle) Rieke. Her parents were both natives of Germany but emigrated to America many years ago. The father is deceased but the mother is still living. Mr. and Mrs. Smith have four children, Alice E., Florence E., Helen W. and Millard.

Mr. Smith is a democrat and takes quite an active part in politics. He served as states attorney for two terms, from 1906 to 1910, and has also held the office of city attorney, while he is now chairman of the school board. He is much interested in every- thing relating to the publie welfare and his cooperation can be depended upon to further movements designed to promote the advancement of his community. His wife is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church.

JOHN EDWARD WALTON.

John Edward Walton, of Spearfish, is a pioneer settler whose knowledge of frontier life is that of actual experience. He knows the ways of the Indians and on more than one occasion met them in encounters. He can relate many interesting incidents of the early days, forming now a most picturesque chapter in the history of the state, although in the hour of actual occurrence such events were fraught with hardships and ofttimes dangers. Mr. Walton was born in Cass county, Missouri, January 16, 1857, a son of Moses Edward and Mary Elizabeth (Gates) Walton, natives of Virginia and Tennessee respectively. 'The father engaged in farming until about the time of the Civil war and then entered the Confederate service, being connected with the army until 1865. He then went to Montana, where he engaged in mining, remaining in that state until his death. He had removed from Virginia to Missouri, where he located a farm and improved the property, residing there

547

HISTORY OF SOUTH DAKOTA

for a number of years before going to Montana. ITis widow died in California about five years after the death of her husband.

John E. Walton was the fourth in a family of eight children. He attended school in Missouri to a limited extent and continued his education in a country school near Helena, Montana, having accompanied his parents on their removal to that state when a little lad of eight years. He left Montana at the age of nineteen years and went down the Missouri river to Bismarck in the company of Buffalo Bill and thence proceeded across the country to Lawrence county. There were seventy-five men in the party driving ox teams and they arrived in Deadwood on the 11th of October, 1876. Mr. Walton went on to Lead the same day and for two weeks he sought employment. He worked for a few days in the mines and was then taken ill. Returning to Spearfish, he located the land whereon he now resides. At that time the city of Spearfish contained only a few homes built by farmers within the stockade which had been constructed for protection from the Indians. Upon the ranch which he secured he has resided continuously since. He owned one hundred and sixty acres of rich and valuable land but has recently sold sixty acres. He now devotes his attention to the remaining one hundred acres, engaging in the raising of stock and hay and also in horticultural pursuits, having a large apple orchard. He is likewise inter- ested in a cooperative creamery at Spearfish as its president but devotes the greater part of his attention to his farm and the careful management of his business affairs is bringing to him substantial success. On a number of occasions he has been engaged in the Indian troubles, assisting in relieving parties attacked by the red men. He was one of forty-four men who went from Spearfish to relieve the Pettigrew outfit which was surrounded by Indians at what is now Beulah, Wyoming, sixteen miles from Spearfish. A party of six had been sent to Spearfish to get relief but only two arrived there as four were killed by the Indians. On the return to Spearfish the bodies of the slain men were taken to that town and there they were buried the next day.

Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.

History of Dakota Territory, volume V, Part 63

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