History of Dakota Territory, volume V, Part 82

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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KARELIUS NELSON.

Karelius Nelson, of Sisseton, who is now devoting his time to his duties as clerk of the courts, was for a number of years actively engaged in farming and still owns three hundred aeres of splendid land. He was born in Sweden, on the 2d of May, 1868, and is a son of Nils Eriekson and Karin (Persson) Nelson. The family originally lived in Finland but in 1664 one of its representatives removed to Sweden, walking for almost a thousand miles. For generations the ancestors of our subject followed agricultural pursuits. His grandfather, Erie Erickson. passed his entire life in Sweden. Nils Erickson, the father, was born in that country in 1825 and was married in 1847 to Karin Persson, whose birth occurred in Sweden in 1831. He was successful as an agricultorist and left a well improved farm. His religious faith was that of the Lutheran church. Both he and his wife spent their entire lives in Sweden and his demise occurred in 1911, while she died in 1908. They were the parents of four- teen children, six of whom survive. Mathes is a farmer residing near Wheaton, Minnesota. Johan is farming in Sweden. Maria is the wife of Edward Ahlberg, who for the last thirty years has taught school in Sweden. Their daughter, Astrid, holds the chair of philosophy in the Upsala University, which is one of the oldest schools in Europe. Peter is farming in Roberts county, this state. Karelius is the next in order of birth. Valborg is still living in Sweden.

Karelius Nelson entered the public schools of Sweden at the usual age and after com- pleting his course there took special work in mathematics. When eighteen years of age he came to the United States and made his way to Minnesota. For about six years he worked in different places and during part of the time was employed as a farm hand and on rail- roads. On the 15th of April, 1892, he removed to Roberts county, South Dakota, and entered a homestead, on which he proved up on the 9th of October, 1900. He has added to that quarter section and his holdings now comprise three hundred acres of fine land, which is in a high state of cultivation and well improved. He largely concentrated his energies upon agricultural pursuits for a number of years but has rented his land since taking the office of elerk of the courts. While living upon his farm he conducted a telephone company for four years and he also organized an elevator company. On the 3d of November, 1914. he was elected clerk of the courts and has already proved his fitness for the position, performing the work devolving upon him with conscientiousness and ability.

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Mr. Nelson was married on the 6th of October, 1894, to Miss Maria Sophia Erickson, who was born in Sweden, where her parents passed their entire lives. In 1893 she made the long journey to the United States alone. Mr. and Mrs. Nelson have seven children : Cora, who after completing the public-school course took up the study of domestic science; Mamie, Arthur and Mabel, who are attending high school; Agnes and Karin, also in school; and Gottfried, born in 1909.

Mr. Nelson is a Lutheran in his religious faith and conforms his life to the teachings of that church. He casts his ballot in support of the republican party and has held a number of offices of trust. While living on his farm he served as township supervisor, as justice of the peace and as school clerk and was recognized as one of the leaders in public affairs in his township. He came to the United States a poor boy but through the exercise of sound judg- ment and close application to the task at hand he has gained a gratifying measure of finan- cial success. He has also won the confidence and respect of all who know him, and his circle of acquaintanceship is wide.

RICHARD M. RADWAY.

Richard M. Radway, a retired farmer living in Springfield, South Dakota, is passing his, declining years in comfort and rest from labor. He is one of the pioneer residents of his locality, having arrived here in 1877. long prior to the admission of the state to the Union. For many years he was actively engaged in farming and did his share in furthering the agricultural development of Bon Homme county. He was born January 30, 1837, in Cortland county, New York, a son of Daniel and Diaploma (Bean) Radway. In 1845 or 1846, while he was still a child, the family removed to Walworth county, Wisconsin, and the next year went to Rock county, that state, where the mother died. The father subse- quently married again.

Richard M. Radway attended the district sehools and received a serviceable education, but when eighteen years of age started out in life for himself, being employed as a farm hand. He later began farming on his own account, being so engaged for the four years preceding his enlistment in the Union army. On the 18th of Angust, 1862, he joined the Twenty-second Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry and was with his regiment in the campaign around Atlanta and on the celebrated march to the sea. After Lee's surrender he accom- panied his regiment north from Savannah to Washington and there participated in the grand review. He was mustered out at Washington and honorably discharged at Milwaukee.

Mr. Radway returned to his agricultural pursuits in Wisconsin, where he remained until the spring of 1877, when he came to Bon Homme county, South Dakota. He settled near Wanarri, now Perkins, a town located seven miles northwest of Springfield. He first took a timber claim and a homestead but subsequently bought a preemption claim on an adjoining section, which made him the owner of four hundred and eighty acres in one body. He lived upon his farm, devoting his time to its development and cultivation until he felt that his children needed better educational advantages and he then removed to Springfield, where he lived while they attended Normal Sehool. In 1908 he sold his home place and bought four hundred and eighty acres in Stanley county and has since lived in Springfield. His labors as a farmer were well directed and effective and he is now in possession of a competence which enables him to enjoy the comforts of life without the cares and responsi- bilities of business.

Mr. Radway was married at Beloit, Wisconsin, on the 10th of March, 1860, to Miss Annis Hyatt, a native of Montreal, Canada, and a daughter of Horace and Azubah (Nichols) Hyatt, early settlers of Rock county, Wisconsin. Mr. and Mrs. Radway have four children, namely: Hettie Alvina married Frank Cadman, a resident of Beloit, who was accidently killed by a train in that city, and by whom she had twelve children. ten of whom survive. Horace died when sixteen years of age. Harry, who resides upon a ranch near Top Bar, Stanley county, is married and has seven children. Effie Belle is the wife of Benjamin Bridgeman, postmaster of Platte, South Dakota, by whom she has three children. Both Mr. and Mrs. Bridgeman are graduates of the Springfield Normal School.

Mr. and Mrs. Radway belong to the Congregational church and promote its work in

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every way possible. Mr. Radway supports the men and measures of the republican party at the polls, as he believes that the policies of that party are best calculated to secure the welfare of the country. He is a member of General Steedman Post, G. A. R., at Springfield, and thus keeps in touch with his former comrades.

When Mr. Radway arrived in South Dakota in 1877, the present state was little more than a wilderness and he experienced many of the hardships of life on the open plains. He saw a few grasshoppers that year, but the country was not devastated by them afterward. While building his house in 1880 the family lived in a new corn crib and in an old log house, doing their cooking in the latter. During a three days' storm in the middle of October they had to shelter the cows and calves in the larger room of the log house until the storm was over. The family and workmen ate their meals standing around the kitchen stove in the other room. Twenty-four hours after the storm had abated the house was cleaned and whitewashed, straw and carpets were laid on the floors, curtains were up at the windows and no one would ever suspect that it had been used as an emergency stable. At the time of the blizzard of January 12, 1888, Mr. Radway was living in town and, although one of his children had remained at home at noon, one son was at school. He, however, was brought safely home in the evening, but many children remained at school all night. Although he lost an aggregate of twenty-five tons of hay hy prairie fires, no buildings were destroyed in that manner. The present generation owes a debt of gratitude to men and women such as Mr. and Mrs. Radway, who endured bravely the hardships of the early days and made possible the present prosperity and security of the great state of South Dakota.

GEORGE E. RILEY.

George E. Riley, conducting a real-estate office in Summit, was born in Rock county, Wisconsin, June 16, 1849, a son of Volkert and Jane (Dow) Riley, both of whom were natives of New York, born in 1825 and 1831 respectively. They were married at Buffalo, that state, and on removing west in 1835 settled in Wisconsin, where the father followed farming until 1854. He then took his family to Iowa and secured a claim of government land there. Eventually he removed to Dodge county, Minnesota, where his wife died in 1894, while he survived for a decade and passed away in the same county. The Riley family is of Irish deseent, while the maternal grandfather, Caleb Dow, was born in Holland. In childhood he crossed the Atlantic to New York, where his remaining days were passed. In the family of Mr. and Mrs. Volkert Riley were eight children, of whom four survive: George E .; Charles, who follows farming near Staples, Minnesota; H. A., a grain buyer of Milbank, South Dakota; and W. H., who follows farming near Milbank. The parents were consistent Christian people, holding membership in the Wesleyan Methodist church, and in his political views Mr. Riley was a republican.

George E. Riley attended the common schools of Iowa and Minnesota and continued his education in Janesville, Wisconsin. He afterward took up the occupation of farming, which he followed in Minnesota until April, 1882, when he came to the territory of Dakota, set- tling in Grant county, where he secured a homestead claim upon which he lived until 1895, devoting thirteen years to general agricultural pursuits. He then took up his abode in Summit, where for a year he conducted a hotel and later he traveled as representative for a St. Paul house for two years. He was afterward upon the road for the Case Threshing Machine Company and later turned his attention to the real-estate business, in which he has been accorded a very liberal patronage. He buys property outright and is thus able to make judicious purchases and profitable sales, disposing of his holdings when opportunity permits him to gain a substantial advance on his investment. In addition to conducting a real-estate business he handles fire and life insurance and writes many policies annually.

In 1872 Mr. Riley was married to Miss Charity Essington, a native of Minnesota and a daughter of Gibson Essington, one of the early farmers of that state. She died in 1908 and her death was deeply regretted by many friends, who had learned to esteem her for her fine qualities of character. She was the mother of nine children: F. E., now a farmer of Madison. South Dakota; Lottie, the wife of Frank Fransen, who follows farming in Grant county : Frank C., conducting a hotel in Summit; Ernest, who is traveling for a furniture

GEORGE E. RILEY

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company; Alice, the wife of Fred Bare, who is engaged in drilling wells in Montana; H. E., a lumber merchant of Assiniboine, Canada; Florence, the wife of S. W. Matteson, a banker of Twin Brooks, South Dakota; Jessie, who married T. B. Anderberg, a lumber merchant of Aberdeen; and Ethel, the wife of T. M. Eide, proprietor of a restaurant at Brown's Valley, Minnesota.

Mr. Riley belongs to the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and in politics he has always been active as a stanch supporter of the republican party but is not an office seeker, pre- ferring to give his undivided attention to his business affairs, and it has been his unremitting industry, perseverance, determination and straightforward methods which have gained for him the place that he occupies as one of the prosperous business men of his community. All that he now possesses-and he is today in comfortable circumstances-is the merited reward of his efforts in the real-estate field in Summit.

BENJAMIN L. BENNETT.

Benjamin L. Bennett, a stockman residing near Oelrichs, Fall River county, was born in Ilolt county, Nebraska, in the vicinity of Ewing, on the 17th of October, 1884, a son of James and Sarah (Richardson) Bennett. The father is a native of St. Joseph. Missouri, and the mother was also born in that state. The father was for a number of years a ranch- man in Nebraska but is now a merchant of Clearwater, that state, where he is Well known and sincerely respected. His wife is also living.

Benjamin L. Bennett is the second in a family of five children and his education was acquired in the public schools of Neligh, Nebraska. After putting aside his textbooks, when about eighteen years of age, he was a professional ball player for about three years. At the end of that time he removed to Fall River county. South Dakota, and took up a home- stead near Oelrichs, upon which he has since resided. He devotes his attention chiefly to the stock business and raises both cattle and horses. He understands the business thoroughly and derives a good income from his activities along that line.

On the 31st of October, 1912, Mr. Bennett married Miss Nellie Victoria Smithson, a native of Lead, South Dakota, and a daughter of William W. and Hannah (Thompson) Smithson, The birth of the father occurred in New Jersey and that of the mother in Denmark. In 1876 Mr. Smithson removed to the Black Hills and located at Rochford, where he mined for some time. His property was subsequently taken over by the Homestake Mining Company and he turned his attention to other pursuits. He was for four years auditor of Fall River county, for four years register of deeds and for two years held the office of postmaster of Oelrichs. He is now living retired at that city. He has a military record of which he has every reason to be proud, as he became captain of a company of New York Volunteer Infantry, winning promotion from the ranks by his loyalty and courage. He served throughout the war and never faltered in the performance of any dnty, no matter how dangerous it might be. He has been twice married and had one child by his first union. Mrs. Bennett is the younger of the two children born to his second marriage and her mother is also living.

Mr. Bennett is a republican in his political belief and takes a keen interest in everything relating to the public welfare, although he has never been a seeker for official preferment. He is an enterprising and progressive stockman and is meeting with gratifying success in his chosen occupation. His wife is a woman of more than nsnal business ability and is at present assistant cashier of the State Bank of Oelrichs, Both are highly esteemed in their community and have many warm personal friends.

CAPTAIN A. W. LAVENDER.

One meeting Captain A. W. Lavender and knowing him as a most snecessful and enter- prising salesman of Yankton would little dream of the eventful and ofttimes thrilling life that he has led, but it is a pleasure to all of his friends to find him in a reminiscent mood. when he will relate stories of his early life and many interesting seafaring experiences. He

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comes of a seafaring family. He was born at Provincetown on the point of Cape Cod, Massa- chusetts, August 22, 1842. It was there that the Pilgrims first landed after crossing the Atlantie in the Mayflower, but, finding that the Indians in that locality were troublesome, they made their way across the bay to land at Plymouth Rock. The father and seven of his brothers were captains of ocean going craft in the days when American clippers were known on every sea, while Captain Lavender and three of his brothers and many of his cousins have commanded vessels in salt water. The Lavender family is of English origin, but was established in South Carolina in colonial days and Allen Lavender, the father of Captain A. W. Lavender, was born at Charleston. At the time of the Revolutionary war representatives of the family remained supporters of the English cause and after the cessation of hostilities removed to Nova Scotia, but later a return was made to the United States with settlement on Cape Cod. Captain Allen Lavender followed the sea all of his life. He married Catherine Hoffman, who was of Holland descent and was born in the Mohawk valley of New York.

Captain Lavender of this review was actively connected with seafaring from the age of eight or nine years, and yet is frank enough to confess that he never left port without being seasick for a longer or shorter period. From early boyhood he went with fishing fleets to the banks of Newfoundland and, working his way upward, was for thirteen years in com- mand of vessels. For ten years he represented the same firm, sailing out of New York, and he has visited every port of any importance on the five continents, in Australia and in the islands of the South sea. His many years of life at sea at length affected his throat and while at Buenos Aires, South America, his voice was lost completely as a result of bronchitis. A sea captain without a voice is like a ship without a rudder and so he decided to quit the sea for a time. An unele at Yankton recommended that he try the western climate and the 11th of January, 1872, witnessed his arrival in Dakota. Today he is one of the most widely known citizens of Yankton. He has been identified with many lines of business in this state and has held various offices of trust in the service of the national government. After reaching Yankton he purchased a grocery business, in which he engaged from 1872 until 1879. He then opened a general store in connection with his grocery and at the same time established a branch store in Scotland. In 1882 he sold his Yankton store, but continued business in Scotland until 1890, when he sold out to accept an appointment as special agent of seal fisheries for the Federal government, serving throughout President Benjamin Harrison's administration with headquarters at St. George's island in the Behring sea. He kept guard over the seals in the Pribyloff islands, limited the killing of the animals and prevented illegal sealing, thus serving until June 15, 1893. He did not know until that date that Grover Cleveland was a candidate. for the presideney and had been elected. He was ordered to report at Washington and in September of the same year arrived again in Yankton, though he was frequently called upon in Washington for information until the following December.

On his return to Yankton Captain Lavender purchased cattle. He had previously engaged in that business while condueting his store and he continued to deal in cattle until the Spanish-American war, when he was appointed paymaster in the navy, serving on the flagship, Cincinnati, most of the time in Cuban waters. The Cincinnati was about thirty miles east of Santiago when they heard the guns of hattle. At full speed she raced along the coast, hoping to get into the battle, but arrived only in time, after a chase of eighty or ninety miles, to see the last vessel, the Santa Maria, sinking. Captain Lavender was the only paymaster chosen from civil life and because he could speak Spanish he was sent aboard the Santa Maria to receive the surrender of the vessel. He remained in the naval service until January 1, 1899, when he resigned and returned to Yankton, since which time he has been upon the road for the Excelsior Mill Company, buying produce which he ships to larger markets. He is thoroughly familiar with all trade conditions in his territory and is one of the best salesmen on the road.

Captain Lavender was first married in Brooklyn, New York, to Miss Mary Edgar, who was born in that city and was of English descent. To them eight children were born, four of whom are living. Edgar N., the eldest, is interested in mining and ranching at Telluride, Colorado. Caroline is the wife of George William Freeman, president of the First National Bank at Elk Point, and is a graduate of the State University of Vermillion. Webster is with his brother at Telluride, having charge of a big raneh. Harry was a member of the elass of 1915 in the State School of Mines at Golden, Colorado, pursuing courses in mining, civil, mechanical and electrical engineering. For his second wife Captain Lavender chose Mrs.

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Deborah Wynn, the widow of James Wynn and the mother of Frank Wynn, who is clerk of the court in Yankton county.

Captain Lavender has been familiar with the history of Dakota from the early territorial days when Indians were hostile and soldiers were continually passing to and fro between the forts and army posts. He was in Yankton when General Custer arrived there in the midst of a three days' snow storm, covering April 12, 13 and 14, 1873. He lived in the terri- tory through the period of the grasshopper scourge and the hard times caused by drought. During the flood of the spring of 1881 he was one of the rescue party and with a launch of a steamer and a crew he spent two weeks in constant rescue work, returning to town only when assured that all settlers along the bottoms of the Missouri and James rivers were safe. He rescued two hundred and fourteen at Gayville alone and more than that number from farm houses or on barns or hay stacks, where they had taken refuge throughout the flooded districts. Many there are who owe their lives to Captain Lavender's untiring efforts in their behalf and all but one from the flooded districts were brought out alive. He was in Chicago with a shipment of cattle on the 12th of January, 1888, and therefore missed the fearful blizzard of that date. Among his many souvenirs and trophies of the long years which he spent at sea is a mass of melted Spanish money from the Santa Maria, which is both curious and artistic, resembling antique Chinese carving of grotesque figures. He has one mass weighing eleven pounds in the First National Bank at Elk Point. His son in Colorado has another of the four given him on the Santa Maria and the fourth he presented to a friend in Washington.

In his political views Captain Lavender has always been a stalwart republican and he is well known as a prominent Mason, belonging to George Washington Lodge, F. & A. M., in New York city, the Royal Arch Chapter at Scotland, the Knight Templar Commandery at Yankton and the Ancient Arabic Order of the Nobles of the Mystic Shrine, at Sioux Falls. His ready adaptability to all conditions makes him a typical business man of the age, alert and enterprising, applying himself closely to business, and yet, in his life history are many thrilling experiences scarcely matched by the tales of fiction. He has indeed had various chances to learn life's lessons and has been an apt pupil.

MICHAEL NELSON.

Michael Nelson, who is engaged in the feed and lumber business at Buffalo Gap, Custer county, is also a landowner and is a factor in the business and agricultural development of his locality. He was born in Erie county, New York, on the 22d of August, 1843, a son of Thomas and Mary (McMahon) Nelson, both natives of Ireland, where they were reared and married. Upon emigrating to the United States they settled in Erie county, New York, and the father was a sailor on the Great Lakes during the remainder of his life.

Michael Nelson attended school in Buffalo, New York, but when eighteen years of age went to Texas, driving a government team from Leavenworth, Kansas, where he had entered the employ of the government. He continued in the freighting service until the close of the Civil war and then became a cowboy upon the Canadian river in New Mexico. After spending about three years upon the plains he enlisted in the regular army at Leavenworth, Kansas, and served one term in the Fifth Infantry, one in the Tenth Infantry and one in the Ninth Infantry. He was discharged from service on account of disability and after recovering his health he again entered the freighting service and con- tinned therein until 1876. He then journeyed northward from Texas with the Black Hills as his destination, but at Fort Laramie was stopped by soldiers. The party of thirteen of which he was a member sold their outfit and went to Bismarck, North Dakota, where they purchased a new outfit. They then entered the Black ITills from the north by way of Bear Butte and, stopping on Iron creek, prospected there for a time and also on Bear Gulch. They had located a number of fine prospects when they were driven ont by the soldiers. At that time about two hundred prospectors were forced to leave the Hills and Mr. Nelson and his party were taken to Fort Laramie, Wyoming, where they were freed. They went to Cheyenne, where they again purchased outfits, and on returning to the Hills they made their way directly to Deadwood, which had just been discovered. Those thirteen

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History of Dakota Territory, volume V, Part 82

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