USA > South Dakota > Faulk County > History of Faulk County, South Dakota, together with biographical sketches of pioneers and prominent citizens > Part 12
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the law firm of Hoffman, Pickler & Brown, which held prestige at the bar of the Hawkeye state, and he continued to be thus associated until coming to Dakota Territory in 1882, since which year he has retained his home in Faulk county. He possesses one of the largest and best selected libraries in the state.
Prompted by intrinsic loyalty and patriotism, Major Pickler early offered his services in defense of the Union when "grim-visaged war reared its horrid front." In 1862 he enlisted in Company D, Third Iowa Volunteer Cavalry, in which he became a non-commissioned officer. During his period of service with this command he was granted a furlough of thirty days in order that he might attend, in Philadelphia, a military training school for applicants for command in colored troops. He was later examined, in the city of St. Louis, and passed for captaincy, and there rejoined his regiment to await developments. He con- tinued in active service with the Third Iowa Cavalry until 1864, when he veteranized and rejoined the same company and regiment, being promoted to second lieutenant, first. lieutenant and finally captain of Company D, in the mean- while having declined to be mustered in as captain in the One Hundred and Twenty-second Regiment of the United States Colored Infantry. Upon being mustered out of the Third Cavalry he was made major of the One Hundred and Thirty-eighth Regiment of United States Colored Infantry, at the age of twenty-one years, and commanded this regiment for several months at Atlanta, Georgia. This regiment was mustered out. in January, 1866, and Major Pickler then received his honorable discharge. He participated in a number of the notable engagements of
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the great internecine conflict and made an enviable record as a faithful and valiant soldier and able commanding officer. He retains a deep interest in his old comrades in arms and is an honored member of the Grand Army of the Republic.
In September, 1882, Major Pickler came from Iowa by railroad to Mitchell, South Dakota and thence by stage to Huron, at which point he joined a party of gentlemen who were going to the center of Faulk county to locate a town, which they hoped to make the county seat. The party proceeded by rail to Miller, Hand county, where the subject of this sketch and others of the company procured lumber for claim shanties, the material being loaded with . other lumber belonging to others of the party and designed for the construction of a hotel in the new town. In the procession that finally proceeded northward over the un- trampled prairies there were thirteen wagons, each being well loaded. For eight miles out of Miller they followed a somewhat beaten track, but thereafter proceeded across the prairies without a trail, placing lath on various high points as they traveled, in order that they might find their way back by the same route. On sunfall of the second day they arrived on the present site of Faulkton, locating that town on the south bank of the Nixon river. The next day Major Pickler settled upon a pre-emption claim adjoining the town, and his pleasant home is located on this property, a considerable portion of which is now platted into town lots. He was active in assisting in the organization and development of Fatilk county, being one of the most pron- inent members of the bar of this section.
In politics he has ever given an uncompromising al-
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legiance to the republican party and has long been known as one of its leaders in the state. He served as state's at- torney of Adair county, Missouri, and while engaged in practice in Iowa was a Garfield elector from the second dis- trict of that state. He served as a member of the legisla- ture of Iowa, and in 1885 was elected to the territorial legis- lature of South Dakota. By his old colonel of the Third Iowa Cavalry, General John W. Noble, secretary of the intertor under President Harrison, he was appointed an in- spector in the public land service, in which capacity he served until his election to congress in 1889. Upon the admission of South Dakota to the Union, Major Pickler was elected at large as one of the first members of congress from the state, the fifty-first congress. He was re-elected at large to the fifty-second, fifty-third and fifty-fourth con- gresses, and thus was a representative of his state in the lower house of the federal legislature for four successive congresses, within which he accomplished much for the furtherance of the best interests of South Dakota. He ser- ved as a member of the committees of public land, Indian affairs, invalid pensions, irrigation of arid lands, alcoholic liquor traffic and that of claims. He was chairman of the committee on invalid pensions in the fifty-fourth congress. He was not a candidate for re-election to the fifty-fifth con- gress but was a candidate for nomination for the United States senate. He received the Republican legislative cau- cus nomination and the unanimous vote of the caucus for more than thirty days, but the Republicans were lacking five votes of a majority and as it was deemed improbable that a Republican could be elected, the representatives of the party, with one exception, voted for Hon. James H.
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MAJ. JOHN A. PICKLER
MRS. ALICE M. A. PICKLER
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Kyle to succeed himself as senator, and he was duly elected. The senate succeeding President Mckinley's first election was known to be very equally divided between the Republi- cans and the opposition, and the national Republican com- mittee was very desirous; and so expressed itself to Major Pickler, that in case it became apparent that a Republican could not be elected, the Republican strength in South Da- kota be thrown to a man who would, if necessary, vote for the tariff and financial policies of the Republican party. In accordance with this expressed desire of the national leaders, and after protracted support by the caucus, Major Pickler advised the change of vote from himself to Senator Kyle, who could be relied upon to support the measures desired. While acting as chairman of the house committee on invalid pensions Major Pickler ' became so popular with the veteran soldier elements in the Republican party, that petitions poured in from every direction by the thousands asking the Secretary of the Interior to appoint him con- missioner of pensions, a request which if seconded by the man who had been so anxious for him to withdraw from the race for senator in the interest of the party, when at last an equal chance for victory was before him, would have assured his appointment, but the request of thous- ands of comrades was not seconded and the appoint- ment was not made. The Major is identified with the Ancient Free and Accepted Masons, the Knights of Pythias and the Ancient Order of United Workmen. He and his wife are prominent and valued members of the Methodist Episcopal church in their home city.
On the sixteenth of November, 1870, was solemnized the marriage of Major Pickler to Miss Alice M. Alt, who
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was born in Johnson county, Iowa, in 1848, being a daugh- ter of Joseph A. Alt, one of the sterling pioneers of that state. They have four children, Lula A., wife of W. J. Frad, dry goods merchant in Faulkton. Madge E., wife of Prof. N. E. Hoy, editor of the Grand Valley Herald and real estate dealer at Meadow, Perkins county, South Dakota, Alfred A., editor of the Aberdeen (South Dakota) Daily American, and Dale Alice, now a student at Sin- mons College, Boston, Mass.
ALICE M. A. PICKLER is the daughter of Joseph and Eliza Alt. She was born in Johnson county, Iowa, near Iowa City, in 1848. She comes of a family very old in America. A paternal ancestor, Michel Drew by name, left the service of the king a few years prior to the outbreak of the Revolution, came to America, and enlisted and served in the Continental army. An ancestor on her mother's side, Frederick Kepford, was with Washington at Valley Forge. A family tradition has it that upon one occasion, as he slept one winter night at his accustomed place under a baggage wagon, his cue froze fast to the ground. The names of these ancestors still survive among the Christian names of the family. Mrs. Pickler's father was born near Harper's Ferry, Virginia, and when a few weeks old was taken by his family to Springfield, Ohio, where he lived un- til 1840. He then came to Johnson county, Iowa, and resid- ed on land which he obtained from the government, until his death, in January, 1904, a period of sixty-four years. Her mother, Eliza Kepford, removed with her people from Pennsylvania to the same county in the 'forties, where she married Mr. Alt and where they had their home together
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for fifty-six years. She died February 5, 1904, one week after the death of her husband. They were the last of the early Iowa pioneers in that vicinity.
Mrs. Pickler lived with her parents upon the farm, at- tending the district school and engaging in the duties de- volving upon a girl living in the country at that time. She attended the Iowa State University for a period of six years, commencing when at the age of fourteen. She was one of the early students of that institution and is a mem- ber of the Elder Daughters of the University. She taught school a portion of the time during her attendance at the university, a part of the time in the model school of that institution. While attending the university she became acquainted with her future husband, J. A. Pickler, who was attending at the same time. They were married No- vember 16, 1870. She accompanied her husband during his law course at Ann Arbor, Michigan; afterwards they resided at Kirksville, Missouri, two years and at Musca- tine, Iowa, seven years, from whence they came as pioneers to Faulk county, Dakota Territory. She was accompanied to Dakota by her two younger sisters, Kate E. and Nellie Alt, the wives respectfully of W. G. Faulkner, ex-county auditor, and D. H. Latham who has been state's attorney for Faulk county.
Mrs. Pickler's parents were quiet, but aggressive and positive, people, who loved good principles as their own lives, and in this atmosphere their oldest daughter, Alice, grew to womanhood. The church and the temperance re- form found in her parents warm friends. During the great Civil war eight of their immediate relatives had a part, ser- ving with fidelity and distinction, Mr. Alt was a Whig
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and cast his vote for John C. Fremont for President. So intense was their loyalty that it was deeply impressed on the minds of the children who were old enough to under- stand the editorials in the New York Tribune, which was the standard paper in the family. The enthusiasm that sent hospital supplies to the army at the front was shared by the children and young people. When the war ended a number of the younger soldiers attended school at the Iowa State University, among them Major J. A. Pickler, then twenty-two years old. A four years acquaintance in this pleasant college ended in the marriage of Alice M. Alt to him.
Up to the time of their removal to Dakota, Mrs. Pick- ler's field of work was most and first of all, her family of three children, the Methodist church and a membership in the Woman's Christian Temperance Union. When she, with others in that great territory of Dakota, began to make homes and "plant the roots of states," a desire for the same happy environments in the new state that had been left in the old, led her into more active work along broader lines. Her husband was a member of the territori- al legislature of 1885, which gave her a wide acquaintance with many of the best and most active men and women of the two Dakotas. This friendship she cherishes at the present time. Her sphere of opportunity was still more widened upon the accession of statehood and during the eight years following she became acquainted with a number of representatives of the western states, who made their home for a time at the national capital.
Mrs. Pickler has been a member ef the executive board of the Woman's Christian Temperance Union in her state
RESIDENCE OF HON. J. A. PICKLER
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for many years. Also was honored as the unanimous choice for president of the State Relief Corps. She was also national chaplain of that body in 1900. She was one of the first trustees of the Methodist Episcopal church at Faulk- ton. She has been a grand officer of the Order of the East- ern Star. In all of these organizations she is an earnest member, but to her family she is most devoted. The chil- dren, Lula A., wife of W. J. Frad, late editor of the Mitch- ell (South Dakota) Gazette and now dry goods merchant at Faulkton; Madge E., who has become the wife of N. E. Hoy, editor of the Grand Valley Herald and real estate dealer at Meadow, Perkins county, South Dakota; Alfred A. editor of the Aberdeen (South Dakota) Daily American, and Dale A., now a student at Simmon's College, Boston, Mass., have all done honor to themselves and parents in their college work, and the positions they occupy.
In their pioneer home a large lamp always hung in the window to guide the lost traveler on the great prairies to a place of shelter. The home has grown to one of ample size, of the colonial type. The light still shines and friend or caller there finds the same open-handed hospitality which helped in the 'eighties to weave the ties that bind in un- broken friendship those pioneers who have made the history of the state of South Dakota.
HON. JOSEPH H. BOTTUM of Faulk county, South Dakota, comes of sterling old colonial stock, both on the paternal and maternal lines and both families are of stanch English extractions. Record extracts show that two of the ancestors on the maternal side were valiant soldiers in the continental line during the war of the Revolution having
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been participants in the historic battle of Bunker Hill.
The original patronymic in the agnatic line was Long- bottom, the initial syllable having been dropped after the establishment of the family in America.
Mr. Bottum is a native of the Empire state, having been born in West Bloomfield, Ontario county, New York, on the 26th of September, 1853, being the oldest of the eight children of Henry C. and Helen M. (Burnham) Bottum, both of whom were born and raised in Vermont, as was also the paternal grandfather of our subject, Roswell Bottum, who was a man of prominence and influence in the old Green Mountain state, having served for a number of terms as a member of its legislature and also held other offices of distinction, public trust and responsibility.
The original American progenitors settled in the Mas- sachusetts colony, and the name has been long and honor- ably identified with the annals of New England. As a man the father of our subject removed to the state of New York, locating in Ontario county, where he was engaged in the mercantile business until 1854, when he came west to Wisconsin, settling in Fond du Lac county and became one of the pioneers of that section.
He was prosperous in his efforts and developed a large and valuable farm, and is living at the age of 83 years to- gether with his aged companion upon the old homestead. He always took a prominent part in the politics of county and state and was for three years a member of the Wiscon- sin legislature. Joseph Bottum passed his boyhood on the homestead farm in Wisconsin, having been an infant in arms at the time of his parents removal to that state, and his early educational discipline was secured in the public
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schools, after which he completed a course of study in Ripon College in the town of that name, being there gradu- ated as a member of the class of 1877 with the degree of Bachelor of Science. Shortly afterwards he entered the law office of the firm of Shephard & Shephard, of Fond du Lac, the interested principals being leading members of the bar of Wisconsin, and under their able preceptorship he con- tinued his technical study of the law, until 1880 when he was duly admitted to the bar. He immediately came to what is known as South Dakota and located at Sioux Falls where he remained until the spring of 1882, when he re- moved to Spink county, where he engaged in newspaper work until March, 1883, when he located in the village of LaFoon in Faulk county, five miles east of the present county seat and was there engaged in the practice of his profession until January, 1887, when the railroad was com- pleted to Faulkton whereupon he removed to this point where he has ever since been prominent in professional work and public and civic affairs, being one of the most successful members of the county bar and being held in the highest regard in the community as is evident from the dignified official position which he has been called to fill in the gift of the people.
When the county was organized in 1883, Mr. Bottum had the distinction of being its first register of deeds, La- Foon being the county seat. From 1890 to 1894 inclusive, he served as state's attorney for the county, making an enviable record as a public prosecutor. In 1898 he was elected to represent his district in the state senate, serving in the sixth general assembly and in 1902 he was again chosen to that important position, having gained the reputation of
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a conservative and conscientious legislator, thoroughly de- voted to the interest of the people.
In 1906 Mr. Bottum was again chosen state's attorney for his county which office he so ably and successfully filled, that he was unanimously nominated by the republican con- vention of 1908 for re-election, an action that was promptly ratified at the November election by the electors of the county by an overwhelming majority.
Mr. Bottiım has also served as city attorney for his home city, and upon the creation of the tenth judicial circuit he was appointed by Gov. Vessey, judge of the new circuit, a position which his large, extended and diversified prac- tice has prepared him in a marked degree to fill, with honor for himself, and to the satisfaction of the people he will be called to serve.
Judge Bottum is fraternally a Royal Arch Mason and is also identified with the Knights of Pythias and the Ancient Order of United Workman. He takes great inter- est in local affairs, especially along educational lines.
I11 1885 he was united in marriage with Miss Sylvia G. Smith, daughter of Hon. D. S. Smith, and to them have been born seven children, viz: Nellie, Fannie, Dora, Emily, Julia, Roswell and Joseph H.
HON. FRANK M. BYRNE was born in Volney, Iowa, October 23rd, 1858, and received his education in the pub- lic schools.
In 1879, immediately after his majority he came to Sioux Falls, Dakota Territory. The following year he lo- cated a homestead in Grant township, McCook county. In 1888 Mr. Byrne became a resident of Faulk county.
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Two years later, 1890, he was elected state senator to the first South Dakota legislature.
In 1898 he was elected county treasurer for Faulk county and re-elected to the same office in 1900. In 1906 Mr. Byrne was again elected senator from the thirty-fifth senatorial district, composed of Faulk and Potter counties, and through that session of the legislature his duties were so successfully and satisfactorily performed that he was re- nominated and elected to succeed himself in 1908.
In the legislature of 1909 his senatorial duties were so faithfully performed that it is safe to predict that the in- telligent and far seeing constituency that have so cordially and heartily given him their support, will not permit him to retire from public life.
Mr. Byrne is a self made man and occupies an enviable position socially, financially and politically among his fellow citizens; a man of sound judgment, large experience and yet a comparatively young man. He certainly has a bright future before him.
In April, 1888, he was united in marriage with Miss Emma Beaver of Kenton, Ohio. To them have been born five children, viz: Carroll, Francis, Malcolm, Joe and Emmons.
Mr. Byrne is engaged in the real estate business with his office on Court street in the city of Faulkton, where he commands the confidence and respect of the entire com- munity.
PATRICK H. O'NEIL who is extensively engaged in stock raising and has come to be recognized as the "Cattle King" of South Dakota, is a native of the Badger state,
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having been born in New Richmond, St. Croix county, Wisconsin, on the 16th of February, 1866, being a son of Thomas O'Neil who was born and raised in Ireland and when a young man came to America and located in Wis- consin, where he maintained a home for forty years.
The subject of this sketch was raised and educated in Wisconsin until he attained his legal majority. In 1887 he came to Dakota Territory and located at Faulkton where he engaged in the meat market business, which soon de- veloped into the live stock industry upon a large scale. In 1906 Mr. O'Neil had twenty-two thousand acres under fence, twelve thousand of which he owned, upon which roamed his thousands of head of neat cattle and sheep. That summer he sold ninty-seven thousand eight hundred dollars worth of stock at one sale, to one man. His aver- age run of sheep was about fifteen thousand head.
In 1906 Mr. O'Neil in the consciousness that the best interest of Faulk county demanded an increase of popula- tion and the cultivation of its unbroken prairie, yielded to the increasing demand for more farm land and sold ten thousand acres of his pasture land to be cut up into farms. This has not materially changed, but has to some extent modified, his plan of handling live stock. In fact the un- faltering courage, the undying faith that has urged him on while others stood still, is a part of the man. His sound judgment, prompt action and careful looking after the de- tails of every business transaction and every branch of his business has led to success where others failed, a power that enables him to carry out his plans and do the work of half a dozen common nien. It is impossible to measure his business energy and force by any common rule. In a
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single season to handle ten thousand head of cattle and cut eight thousand to nine thousand tons of hay, with prosperi- ty following every line of industry, is no uncommon feat for the subject of our sketch.
Since disposing of his large holdings in real estate, Mr. O'Neil has found himself in a situation to take up other business industries.
He has served on the local school board for several years and taken a deep interest in our educational institu- tion. He is a director in the Merchants' Bank of Faulkton, vice president of the Bank of Cresbard and a stockholder in the Western National Bank at Mitchell and the Redfield National. He is active in all live stock interests. He has just returned from the Pacific coast where he was a dele- gate to the American National Live Stock Association by whom he was elected a member of the executive board of the association and made a member of the committee on transportation. He was appointed o11 a committee of five by Governor Crawford to represent the state at the National Corn Exposition at Omaha, Ne- braska. He was the first president of the Faulkton Com- inercial Club, and is still holding that important local office.
Mr. O'Neil is a republican in politics and an active worker in the party. He was a delegate to the Republican National Convention at Chicago last June that placed Judge Taft in nomination for the presidency; and vice president of the convention for South Dakota.
Socially he started right, on June 13th, 1888, when he was united in marriage to Miss Annie Carline and to theili have been born six children, viz: Aloysius B., Johanna, Mary E., Ignatius Patrick, John Thomas and Henry A.
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MRS. ANNIE (CARLINE) O'NEIL, daughter of Bryan and Bridget Carline, was born in Lexington, Illinois. Her parents were natives of Ireland and were among the Illinois pioneers, having immigrated to that state in 1860 and located at Lexington. Eight years later they moved to Chenoa in the same county where they owned a beautiful farm and where their children had. the advantages of the Chenoa city schools, an advantage that Mrs. O'Neil has found of almost untold value to her in the active duties and responsibilities with which she has been surrounded, not only as a wife and mother, but in social and church work, that has been thrust upon her.
As soon after leaving school as her age would allow, in company with her brother, P. J. Carline, she came to Dakota Territory, in 1885, and located government land in Hand county, having used her homestead right upon the northeast quarter of section 29, township 129, range 70 in that county. It was while holding down this claim that Miss Carline first met Mr. P. H. O'Neil and on June 13th, 1888, they were united in holy matrimony at holy mass at the Catholic church at Zell, Faulk county, Rev. Father Benning, assisted by Rev. Father Menser, presiding. To them have been born six children. In addition to all the duties of home life, Mrs. O'Neil has filled an important place in social and christian life, ever lending a helping hand to her husband, Mr. O'Neil, in the all important part he has taken in the erection of St. Thomas Catholic church in their home city and in advancing its interests in every good work. It is not alone upon sectarian lines but, in every effort for the upbuilding of educational and chris- tian work, both Mr. and Mrs. O'Neil are active and efficient workers.
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