USA > South Dakota > Faulk County > History of Faulk County, South Dakota, together with biographical sketches of pioneers and prominent citizens > Part 18
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In the community in which she lives, Mrs. Ensch has many reliable and confiding friends and all with whom she has social or business relations hold her in high estimation and respect. She has succeeded remarkably in adapting herself to the various conditions with which she is sur- rounded. While at Ellisville the duties of the postoffice and the store were taken up and quickly mastered, and the store at Seneca has always received her careful attention. Within the last year she has sold out her store at Seneca and invested in valuable land property between Faulkton and Orient, and is in the situation with less care and re- sponsibility, to enjoy and see more of enjoyable relations of social life.
JOHN ELLENBECKER was born October 8th, 1849, in Sauk county, Wisconsin. In 1868 his father moved to Sterns county, Minnesota, where he resided until he came to this county in 1885. On the 11th day of March, 1885, he located in township 117, range 72, and in the following fall his family, consisting of his wife and five children, came
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from Minnesota to Ellisville to become permanent settlers in their new home. His wife's maiden name was Mary Fishback, whom he married in Minnesota in 1874. To them have been born nine children, seven of whom are now living, viz; John J., Peter, Mick, Frank, William, Au- gust, and Andrew.
Mr. Ellenbecker has a farm of one hundred and sixty acres, one hundred and thirty acres of which are under cul- tivation. Fifteen years ago Mrs. Ellenbecker died, leaving the young family to be cared for by their father. Through all these years his home has been maintained and the chil- dren well cared for. At the present time the youngest is in his eighteenth year. Three of the boys make their home with their father, the others have gone out to make homes for themselves, but all live in South Dakota. Mr. Ellen- becker has twenty-eight head of horses, forty-five head of neat stock and twenty-five hogs, and is counted among the well-to-do Faulk county pioneer farmers.
MRS. LOUISA THORN was born in Providence, Saratoga county, New York, November 6th, 1830, and lived to the years of womanhood in that state. In 1850 she was united in marriage to Albert S. Thorn and in 1852 moved with her husband to Hillsdale county, Michigan, where she for years experienced the difficulties of pioneer life.
In July, 1861, Mr. Thorn enlisted in the army for the preservation of the American Union. He finished up his earthly career in January, 1862, dying in the army hospital at Lexington, Kentucky, Mrs. Thorn leaving her home and young children, hastened to join her husband at the hospital to soothe his dying hours,
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After all was over Mrs. Thorn heroically returned to her home and children and took up the additional duties that her early widowhood placed upon her. With a family of five children, not a light or easy burden, in 1885 she .again started out to secure a home upon the Dakota govern- ment lands, to be followed by her now grown up and inarried sons, locating upon section 30, township 118, range 72. Mrs. Thorn faithfully performed the duties of a home- steader, living alone in her "shanty upon the claim," a claim she yet owns and at present prices, worth nearly, or quite $5000.00. After proving up her homestead, she pur- chased a lot in the village of Seneca and moved her house upon it where she is now rounding out a well spent life.
MRS. EMMA A. HOOPER, formerly from the state of New York, came to Faulk county in the spring of 1885 with her uncle and aunt, Mr. and Mrs. Westfall, and was. located on a homestead, being a quarter of section 30, township 118, range 72.
Mrs. Hooper had a large experience in the loneliness. and exposure of pioneer life. After proving up on her homestead in 1891, she married George W. Kline, who died in 1905, leaving her upon her former homestead, but in possession of considerable property. Mrs. Kline, who is now in independent circumstances, resides in her beautiful residence in the village of Seneca. An illustration of her pleasant and commodious home may be found on page 179 in this history.
JOHN A. DIXON was born in Iowa in 1877, was a graduate of Simpsou College at Indianola, Iowa, and was
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there engaged in the banking business, as a profession. Was cashier of the First National Bank of Coon Rapids, Iowa, until he came to Seneca, Faulk county. He was married to Miss Emma J. Monk on December 7th, 1899. To them has been born one child, Theodore, four years old. Mr, Dixon has been in Seneca for the last three years acting as cashier of the State Bank of Seneca, and is counted among the reliable and influential men of the county.
ALEX C. RUDINE was born in Sweden, in 1878, and came to America in 1885 and located in Hyde county, South Dakota. In 1906 he removed to Seneca, Faulk county, and engaged in banking, real estate, and insurance. He has been successful in business and is counted among the active business men of west Faulk county.
ARTHUR J. EATON was born in Waukon, Iowa, in 1883, of American parentage, and is a graduate of the high school and took a three year course at the Iowa State Uni- versity. For a time he was cashier of the State Bank of Seneca. On June 19th, 1907, he married Miss Lisle Mary Stewart of Waukon, Iowa. At the present time Mr. Eaton is engaged in the sale of lumber and coal at Seneca and is counted among the reliable, active business men of that town.
WILLIAM KELLETT was born in the state of Indi- ana in 1843. In 1886 he located in Seneca and continued his employment on the farm until five years ago when he was appointed postmaster of that enterprising and growing
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village. Mr. Kellett has taken great interest in public af- fairs ever since he came into the county and has had a full share of public affairs. He is now serving on his second term as postmaster to the entire satisfaction of the com- munity.
In 1887 he married Miss Livingstone of Monticello, Iowa. To them have been born three sons and one daugh- ter. Two of the sons are active citizens of Faulk county, the daughter is married and her home is in Minneapolis, Minnesota,
NELSON HAGAN, manager of the N. A. Hagan Land Company, was born in Norway, March 18th, 1870, and came to America. In 1893, he located in Faulk county. Mr. Hagan is one of the many men who have greatly pros- pered through their foresight and good business manage- ment. He owns six hundred and forty acres of valuable Faulk county real estate, three hundred and twenty acres in Potter county, and four hundred acres in the state of Minnesota. No man in Seneca has done more for the im- provement and upbuilding of that enterprising and prosper- ous village than Mr. Hagan.
On the 12th day of October, 1902, he married Miss Capatora Harris of Mellette, Spink county. To them has been born one son, who is now in his sixth year.
Mr. Hagan, in common with all the pioneers of this . county, has had a full share of disappointments, hardships, and privations. Largely his property has accumulated within the last five years through the rapid increase in value of real estate, and his own good judgement in the management of his business affairs.
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FRANK ARZT was born on February 17th, 1856, in Australia. In 1867 he came to America and located in Clinton county, Illinois , In 1879 he came to Brook- ings county, South Dakota, where he remained until Sep- tember, 1888, when he came to Faulk county, and located on section 18, township 117, range 72 (Ellisville), where he had a farm of three hundred and twenty acres. One hundred and sixty acres he has lately sold for $27.50 per acre and has now the best quarter section with good farm buildings, one hundred and forty acres of which is under improvement. He also has a house and six lots in the vil- lage of Seneca. He has twenty-five head of horses, twenty- five head of neat stock and has over five hundred dollar's worth of hogs. Also a fine lot of poultry, consisting of geese, turkeys, ducks and chickens. They have also raised for the last eight years an average of over two hundred dollars worth of garden truck. Mr. Arzt is a firm believer in intense cultivation, his wheat averages 16 bushels, oats 30 bushels and corn 30 or 40 bushels per acre.
On November 11, 1877, he married Emilie Matzke, who was born in 1858 in Australia, and came to this country in the spring of 1877. To them have been born eight chil- dren, seven of whom are now living, viz: Emma, Joseph, Marion, Edward, Frank, Newton, and Emilie, two of whom are married.
EMANUEL GOLDEN was born on the 7th day of August, 1827, near Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, and from that place was drafted into the Union Army in November, 1862, where he served a full nine months, leaving a wife and six children behind him.
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In 1864 he moved to the town of London in the state of Iowa and in the spring of 1883 he removed to Faulk county and took a homestead where he now lives. In 1896 he left this state and moved to Missouri and remained three and one-half years. Then returned to his old home in this county. Mr. Golden remembers distinctly of going to see the men lay the rails for the Baltimore & Philadelphia rail- road in 1836.
He has seen much of pioneer life and now at the age of eighty-one years is apparently good for several years to come.
CHARLES P. FORREST, of Orient, South Dakota, was born in Smithfield, Pennsylvania, and was one of seven brothers. At a family reunion held at the home of L. W. Forrest, of East Smithfield, these seven brothers, the sons of Dana Forrest, who was a native of the state of Vermont, with the father and mother, were all present. Charles P. Forrest, of Orient, Faulk county was one of the number. These seven brothers all served in the Union army through the civil war, and strange to say, neither wounds nor death overtook them in that long and bloody struggle.
The subject of this sketch is the fourth son of this re- markable family who gathered from their homes in the east, the extreme north-west and the middle west, to greet father and mother and each other with a real home greet- ing, forty-two years after the close of that terrible war. Mr. Forrest is one of our Faulk county pioneers that has succeeded in accumulating property and in helping to build up the prosperous and enterprising village of Orient. An illustration of his hotel and stable may be seen in this history
THE NEW YORK PUBLIC LIBRARY
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FORREST
FORREST HOUSE, ORIENT, FAULK COUNTY, S. D.
LIVERY & FERDET
FORREST HOUSE STABLE, ORIENT, FAULK COUNTY, S. D.
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ALEXANDER M. THOMPSON was born March 16, 1846, in Whiteside county, Illinois, and remained there until 1870, when he removed from there to Madison county, Iowa.
September 12, 1872, he married Miss Maggie E. Hart of that place. To them have been born three children, viz: S. Bell, Egbery A. and John A., the last of whom is a born Dakotian. In the spring of 1873 he removed to Hamilton county, Nebraska, and in September. 1884, to Faulk county, South Dakota, and located in township 118, range 72.
Mr. and Mrs. Thompson have succeeded remarkably well in keeping the family together. All are living at the homestead, although the sons have separate financial in- terests. Altogether they have 480 acres of land, and rent two sections more. They have 60 horses, 80 head of neat stock, 11 hogs, 500 sheep and 80 ducks, a fine set of farm buildings and 170 acres under cultivation besides the home and rented pasture. Mr. Thompson has had a full share of the privations and hardships of the early Dakota pioneers and is now reaping the full reward of those who remained through years of drought and storm with failure of crops, while those less fortunate left this county without additional reward.
PETER SCHMITT was born September 13, 1859, in Germany, and came to the United States the 26th day of March, 1881, and in March, 1886, came to Ellisville, South Dakota and located upon the south-west quarter of section 9, township 118, range 72, now Seneca and is now located von section 14 in the saine township. Mr. Schmitt has ex-
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perienced all the hardships of the average pioneer settler, but by remaining here, and by hard work, he has now a 320 acre farm, 160 acres improved and a good home. He has sixteen horses, seventy head of neat stock, thirty-five hogs, and all machinery necessary to carry on his farm.
February 17th, 1890, he married Miss Leibrich and to them have been born the following children: Susanna, John, Gustave, Peter, Aloysius and Emma May. Mr. Schmitt is one of western Faulk county's most successful farmers.
F. E. HATFIELD was born Oct. 15th, 1846, in Rush county, Indiana, and received all the advantages of our American common schools. He was seventeen years old when with his father and family he removed to Mahaska county, Iowa, where he lived until the spring of 1885, when he removed to what is now the town of Elroy, where he remained until the fall of 1906.
In October, 1866 he married Miss Samantha I. Dusen- berry, of Mahaska county, Iowa. To them have been born four children, only one of which, Harry D., who is interested in business with his father is now living.
For the last two years Mr. Hatfield has been engaged in conducting a hardware and machinery store in the vil- lage of Seneca, F. E. Hatfield & Son, proprietors.
Mr. Hatfield has been interested in public affairs and in the advancement and prosperity of Faulk county. For six years he served the county as commissioner from the third commissioner district.
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MATTHEW J. JARVIS was born in Baraboo, Wis., on May 14, 1850, of English parentage. Moved with his par- ents to Columbus, Ohio, when he was about two years old and came west with them in 1859 to Richland City, Wis- consin. He afterward moved to and lived at Madison, Sun Prairie, Richland Center and Cazenovia, Wisconsin. At the latter place he learned the millers trade and always worked at it until he came west in the spring of 1880.
On Christmas Day, in 1876, he was married to Abbie Ann Hall, at Reedsburg, Wisconsin. To them were born five children: Matthew J., S. Hall, Annette, Lucretia and Maggie Belle, the last dying in infancy.
In February, 1880, he shipped from LaValle, Wisconsin to Tracy, Minnesota, that being as far as trains ran that spring, although the track was laid as far as Volga, South Dakota. From there he drove overland to Pipestone, Min- nesota, and from there to Mitchell, South Dakota, where he arrived ahead of the railroad. From there he went to Huron, helped lay out the townsite, and on July 4th, 1880, read the declaration of independence the first time it was ever read in Beadle county.
In August, 1880, he moved to Redfield and built the first house there, then known as the Jarvis house, now as the New Central House. Was joined by his wife from Wisconsin, about September 1, with his two boys and there on the townsite of Redfield, alone, they put in that hard winter of 1880 and 1881, living on wheat ground in a coffee mill and antelope meat.
He was the chairman of the first convention ever held at Redfield, sent the first express and received the first express ever received at that office.
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On August 21, 1883, moved to his farm in this county and has ever since resided in the county.
Mr. Jarvis located government land in this county on the first day of August, 1883. On November 9th, 1883, was appointed on the first board of commissioners to per- fect the organization of the new county, and since that time has been actively identified with the social and politi- cal affairs of Faulk county. Since leaving his farm and removing to Faulkton he has been engaged in the drug business, owning a drug store and doing a general land business. For the last four years he has owned a hotel in Faulkton. He has been mayor of the city for four years.
DR. ABBIE A. JARVIS (nee Abbie Ann Hall) first saw the light of day at Shanzerville, Ohio, on September 16, 1853. She was born of mixed parentage, her father being a North Carolinian and her mother Pennsylvania Dutch. She moved from Ohio in 1855 with her parents to Sauk county, Wisconsin and was educated in the common and high schools of her day.
She was united in marriage to Matthew J. Jarvis on Christmas Day, 1876, at Reedsburg, Wisconsin. Came to Dakota Territory with her husband in 1880, and put in the winter of 1880 and 1881 at Redfield a year before there was another house on the town site, living on wheat ground in a coffee mill and antelope meat.
To this union have been born five children, M. J .. Jarvis, Jr., S. Hall Jarvis, Annette, Lucretia and Belle, the latter dying in infancy. In 1883 they moved from Redfield to a farm in Faulk county with their family. In the winter of 1888-1889 they inoved to Faulkton, where her
MATTHEW J. JARVIS
DR. ABBIE A. JARVIS
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husband went into business. In 1890, with a family of four children, and after going through all the hardships of a frontier life, she commenced to read medicine and in 1898 graduated fourth in her class from the Women's Med- ical College of the Northwestern University of Chicago. After taking a full four years course she returned at once to Faulkton, where she has ever since had her full share of practice and she believes the confidence and respect of the people of the countv.
Mrs. Jarvis has been a resident physician of several benefit associations, and has been honored with the election of vice president of the State Board of Pharmacy. She is a worthy member of the Eastern Star and of the Methodist Episcopal church.
JOSEPH H. HAYS was born at Dakota, Stephenson county, Illinois, October 27, 1862. Died at Faulkton, South Dakota, October 13, 1908.
His father, who was a veteran of the Mexican War, died when the deceased was 12 years of age and he being the oldest boy of the family was left to assume, with his mother, the responsibility of managing family affairs. He remained at home until he was married. His mother died in 1895 at her home in Illinois.
On November 29, 1883, the deceased was married to Lizzie Fahs, also of Dakota, Illinois. In the fall of 1884 he came to South Dakota to procure a home. He filed on a homestead in western Faulk county and in the spring of 1885 he moved on same and lived there for about eight years. In the fall of 1892, he was elected sheriff of Faulk county in which capacity he served four years. He has
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been a resident of Faulkton since his election to this office.
He leaves a wife and three sisters, Mrs. Margaret Mitchell, of Dakota Illinois; Mrs. Mary Lambert, of Green- wood, Wisconsin; Mrs. Lottie Powless, of Detroit, Michi- gan; and two brothers, James G., of Akron, Iowa, and John L., of Galena, South Dakota, to mourn his loss.
The deceased was a mentber of the Masonic, K. P., M. B. A., D. of H. and A. O. U. W. societies. He was also a member of the official board of the M. E. church.
Mr. Hays remained a citizen of Faulkton after his election to the office of sheriff. At the expiration of his second term he engaged in the live stock and butcher busi- ness, later purchasing the Western Telephone Exchange.
Mr. Hays sustained a great loss in the big fire on March 20, 1905, when his market and telephone office were consumed in the flames. Three hours after the fire he was doing business. He at once took action looking to the erection of the Hays block, an illustration of which may be found in this history. He soon after sold out his mneat. market and devoted his attention to the building up of his telephone business. The Faulkton exchange was being constantly enlarged and improved and rural lines run in every direction from Faulkton. It was his ambition to build up a telephone system here covering all the central and western portions of the county and rebuilding the Faulkton system and improving it until there was none better in the state. Then he would take life a little easier. He had planned for himself and wife a trip to California where they would spend the coming winter and enjoy a much needed rest. He finished his life's work. His tele- phone system, rural and city, was extended, improved and
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enlarged just as he wanted and his ambition was satisfied. He had commenced arranging for his much needed vacation and winter trip to California, when he was suddenly and without warning stricken by the grim reaper, Death, and the vacation and rest, which he so much felt the need of, proved to be the long rest-the long sleep which must come to all. His work was done.' How many pass off this stage of action with their work finished? Mr. Hays completed his work because he had a purpose in life and lived to it. He toiled late and early. He had no family except his wife. They had plenty.
As a citizen and business man Mr. Hays had no superior. Faulkton has sustained great losses by fire and otherwise but none can be compared to the loss through the departure of Mr. Hays. He was successful in all that he undertook. He always proved the right man in the right place in whatever position he was placed. He al- ways took much interest in national and state politics and was more or less active in local politics. He was always foremost in all public enterprises. His energy, earnest- ness and clear perception were always great factors in any cause that he championed. His judgment was sought by many in affairs of life. No worthy person ever appealed to him in vain for assistance. His heart was an open book to all who knew him-simple, frank, kind and just. His heart was always in the right place-in his work, in liis words, in his every action and thought. He was especially kind to children, never passing one on the street, though a stranger, without a cheerful word and a smile. This of itself was an index to his character. He never spoke evil of anyone and could always see some good in everybody.
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If he ever had hatred in his heart he never let it come to the surface sufficient for anyone to find it out.
As a friend he was perfect if such is possible in man. His friendship was true as steel and pure as unalloved gold. Among all his strong characteristics his faithfulness to a friend was the strongest.
His life was a very active one from boyhood days. His capital with which he built his successful life was honor, ambition, energy and industry. While he did not live to enjoy the fruits of his labor as he had planned, yet his life is a good example to those just taking up the re- sponsibilities of character building for themselves.
MRS. LIZZIE (FAHS) HAYS was born April 18, 1863, at Dakota, Illinois. On November 29, 1883, she was united in marriage to Joseph H. Hays. In the spring of 1885 her actual pioneer life commenced. Located upon a homestead nearly twenty miles from any railroad town, she, with her devoted husband, with patience and persever- ance, met the lonliness and privations that became a part of their new life, ever looking forward to better and more satisfactory conditions and making a persistent and untiring effort to attain them. One after another who had located claims near them and who they had counted on to help build up a prosperous community proved up their claims, mortgaged them, and left the country, until they were left comparatively alone. For more than seven long years she stood by her devoted husband in building up a home and a reputation, that prepared the way for larger useful- ness and better opportunities for financial success, and not to be forgotten more satisfying and enjoyable social sur-
THE NEW YORK PUBLIC LIBRARY
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JOSEPH H. HAYS
MRS. J. H. HAYS
HAYS BLOCK, FAULKTON
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roundings. Sixteen years of almost uninterrupted pros- perity, a most desirable home and home surroundings, largely relieved from care and responsibility, there seemed but little more to be sought or desired. On the morning of October 13, 1908, she awoke to a new experience. The companion of her youth, the guide and support of mature years, was suddenly and unexpectedly removed. That · darkness and desolation, that none can realize save those who have passed through the deep and turbid waters, be- came a reality in her life. The quiet, careful and business- like manner in which Mrs. Hays took up and is managing the various business affairs and large moneyed interests, has no doubt lightened her pathway, by giving no time to look upon the dark waters through which she was com- pelled to pass.
CAPTAIN CALEB HOLT ELLIS was born November 18th, 1825, in the town of Weld, in the then county of Oxford, state of Maine, where he resided with his parents until he was twelve years of age, attending the common schools. Among his early teachers were Dr. Fondice Barker and one or two of that renowned family of Abbotts. Nature was lavish of her gifts to that immediate vicinity. A beautiful sheet of water two miles wide and seven miles long, teeming with shining mountain stream trout, sur- rounded by broad intervales and table land extending to the very foot of high mountains with lofty peaks, made a landscape sublime in grandeur, well calculated for lasting impressions for coming years. In 1837 his parents moved to Sangeville Village, in Piscataquis county, where for nearly six years he enjoyed the advantages of one of the
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