USA > South Dakota > Minnehaha County > History of Minnehaha county, South Dakota. Containing an account of its settlements, growth, development and resources Synopsis of public records, biographical sketches > Part 51
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FERRIS, JAMES, was born in Belfast, Ireland, September 7, 1852; attended school until twelve years old, and then entered Queen's Island shipyard as a ship plumber apprentice, where he remained seven years. After this he worked at his trade in Liverpool, Glas- gow and Aberdeen. He emigrated to the United States, arriving in New York March 24, 1884, worked there a short time, and then in Detroit, Michigan, and St. Paul, Minnesota, and arrived in Sioux Falls in August, 1884; was employed by W. A. Dow eighteen months, and since then has been in business for himself. Mr. Ferris is an industrious man, a competent plumber, and a good citizen.
FILES, DR. FREDERICK H., was born in Gorham, Maine, Decem- ber 1, 1862; was reared on a farm, attended the public schools, and fitted for college at the Westbrook seminary, and was graduated from Bowdoin college in 1883; the next three years taught the boys' department in the Westbrook seminary, and studied medicine during the same time; the next two years attended the school for medical instruction at Portland, and the medical department of Bowdoin col- lege, from which he was graduated in 1888; from August 1 of that vear until August 1, 1889, was house surgeon in the Maine general hospital at Portland; and then started west on an excursion, and fell in with the Commercial Club of Sioux Falls, at Duluth, and came to Sioux Falls with them, where he has since resided engaged in the practice of his profession. He is prominent in Masonic circles, and has been Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of South Dakota. Was appointed member of the State Board of Health for five years in 1894; is now secretary of the board, and under the provisions of the law establishing the board will be its president in 1899. Has been a member of the County Board of Health for two years, and its superin- tendent one year. Has also been president of the Minnehaha County Medical society; is now president of the board of trustees of the Congregational church; and was a director of the Union National Bank. Dr. Files is an enterprising citizen, a skillful physician, and well liked by all who know him.
FISHER, REV. THOMAS L., was born at Hartford, Connecticut, June 8, 1855. He attended the public schools, and graduated from the high school at Hartford in 1874. He then entered Amherst col- lege, and was graduated from there in 1878. During the next year he studied medicine, and then commenced a course of study for the ministry. He was ordained deacon in May, 1883, by Bishop Hunt- ington of Central New York, and the following year was ordained to the priesthood by Bishop Paddock of Massachusetts. For five years he had charge of a parish at Malden, Mass., and then became' rector of a parish at Clinton, Mass., where he remained seven years. He came to Sioux Falls in December, 1895, and preached his first sermon in the Cathedral December 22. The next Easter he became pastor
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HISTORY OF MINNEHAHA COUNTY.
of Calvary church, and remained in charge until May, 1899. While a resident of Sioux Falls he took an active part in all public matters pertaining to the moral welfare of the city, and did not hesitate to express his views freely upon other subjects of public interest. As a preacher, pastor and citizen he was highly esteemed, and his re- moval from the city was sincerely regretted by all who had the pleas- ure of his aquaintance.
FITZGIBBON, JOHN, was born near Troy, New York, September 25, 1856. He removed with his parents to Wisconsin when two years old, and was reared on a farm. Received his education in the com- mon schools, and was graduated from a commercial college. On the 21st day of April, 1880, came to Sioux Falls, and was employed on the Queen Bee mill a little over a year, and then entered the employ of M. Gerin in his grocery store, where he remained five years. The next three years he was steward at the Cataract hotel. On the first day of August, 1890, the firm of Sheridan & Fitzgibbon was estab- lished, and it has since then been engaged in the coal, wood and flour business in Sioux Falls. Mr. Fitzgibbon is a genial good fellow, a good business man, and a respected citizen.
FLEITZ, EIHARDT, was born in Baden, Germany, January 6, 1848. His early youth he spent in attending school, and boating on the Rhine. In 1862 he emigrated to the United States, and settled in Louisville, Ky. For awhile he was employed as a laborer in build- ing forts at that place, and then entered a brewery and learned the trade of malster. In 1866, he enlisted in Co. D, 2d Battalion, 13th U. S. Infantry, but the company was soon after transferred to the 22d Infantry, and he came to Sioux Falls with that company in June. 1866. On the 7th day of May, 1869, his term of enlistment having expired, he was discharged. The same year he took up what is known as the True Dennis place in Sioux Falls township, but sold out his interest in 1873, and then took up a quarter section of land about three miles north of the village of Hartford. In 1876 his crops were destroyed by grasshoppers, and he removed to the city of Sioux Falls, where he has since been engaged as a malster in the Sioux Falls Brewery. Mr. Fleitz is a quiet, unassuming man, and a good citizen.
FOSDICK, TIMOTHY J., is a native of LaPorte, Indiana, and was born October 8, 1851; removed to LaPorte, Iowa, with his parents when seven years old; was educated in the public schools, and grad- uated from the high school at Cedar Rapids, Iowa. When seventeen years of age commenced clerking in a clothing house. In August, 1875, came to Canton, this state, and engaged in the clothing busi- ness, and for several years had branch houses at Alexandria, Mitch- ell, Plankinton and Woonsocket. In 1888, disposed of the clothing business, and for two years engaged in banking at Canton; was pres- ident of the Dakota Loan and Trust Company. Came to Sioux Falls in April, 1890, and bought out French's clothing house, and since then has been in the clothing business at this place. He is a member of the Masonic bodies, a successful business man, and a respected citizen.
O. A. FOWLER.
34
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HISTORY OF MINNEHAHA COUNTY
FOWLER, OSHEA A., was born in Pownal, Vermont, April 25, 1851. His parents removed to Illinois when he was only three years old, and to Rochester, Minnesota, in 1865. He was reared on a farm, attended district schools and graduated from the Rochester high school in 1869. He then worked on a farm until he went to Sioux Falls, where he arrived on the 22d day of December, 1870. He re- mained in Sioux Falls until 1876, engaged in all sorts of employment; taught school in the old barracks during the winter of 1871, and eight miles north the following winter, in what was called the John Nelson district. After leaving Sioux Falls he clerked in a hotel at Siblev. Iowa, for one year, and then traveled in the nursery business until the fall of 1880, when he located at Aberdeen and built the first build- ing there. He knew the Milwaukee road would soon be there, and this building was erected for hotel purposes and called the Alpha House. The following spring he sold this building and in company with a man by the name of Hazzard built the Hazzard House, but sold out his interest in the fall. His first son was born September 3, 1881, at Aberdeen, and was the first child born at that place. After having sold his hotel interest he commenced the study of law with M. S. Gordon and remained with him for about two years. His next ven- ture was the opening of a land and loan office at Frederick, in Brown county, and the establishing of the Frederick Herald, the first news- paper at that place. This plant he sold after having conducted it for a few months. In 1884 he was admitted to the bar; started another newspaper, but disposed of it in a short time and gave his attention to the practice of law. In 1886 he came to Sioux Falls and became the attorney for the Insurance Company of Dakota. This relation existed for a few months, when he entered the employment of the firm of Summers & Van Horn, of Sioux Falls, as their attorney and collector. After a few months he again went to work for the Insur- ance Company of Dakota and remained with the company until it ceased to exist. He then resumed the practice of law, but devoted the greater portion of his time to collections until April, 1896, when he was elected police justice of the city of Sioux Falls for the term of two years and was re-elected for a second term. Everybody in the county knows O. A. Fowler, and his list of friends foot up about the same as the population.
Fox, JAMES B., was born in October, 1839, in Ohio, and lived there until he was twenty years of age, when he removed to Iowa and remained there until the breaking out of the war. In October, 1861, he enlisted in the 14th Iowa Infantry and served two years and a half, then enlisted in Company M, 7th Iowa Cavalry and served until his discharge at Sioux City on the 22d day of June, 1866. Quite a portion of the time his regiment was stationed on the frontier in the northwest, he participated in a good many battles with the Indians. He was with his regiment at Forts Randall, Thompson, Sully and Dakota. The winter of 1864-5 he spent in the barracks at Fire Steel, and speaking of "blizzards" Mr. Fox said: "We had a blizzard that winter that was a blizzard, nothing of the kind has happened in this section of Dakota since then to be compared with it." During the fall of 1865 he was at Fort Dakota, where Sioux Falls is now located,
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HISTORY OF MINNEHAHA COUNTY.
and during the summer of 1866 he says, "the water was so low in the Sioux river that people could cross it where the Cascade mill is now without getting their shoes wet." At that time there were only two small buildings within the present limits of the city of Sioux Falls, aside from the buildings occupied by the military forces. One building was located near where the Cataract hotel is now, and the other on the west bank of the river, near the location of the Tenth street bridge. The last mentioned building was very small and built of stone, and was occupied by a white man who had a turning lathe and was engaged in manufacturing ornaments of pipe-stone. This was undoubtedly the first manufacturing industry in the County of Minnehaha.
After his discharge from the army, Mr. Fox remained a few months in Sioux City and then returned to Ohio. In 1867 he went to Illinois, where he married his present wife and lived two years, then went back once more to Ohio and remained there until 1878, when he removed to Dakota. He arrived in Sioux Falls on the 15th day of April of that year, and has been a resident of Dakota ever since. He is a carpenter by trade, and for the last five years has been employed as janitor for the Central school building in Sioux Falls. He has always been an upright and respected citizen.
FRIZZELL, ALONZO, was born in Canaan, Vermont, the northeast town in the state, on October 16, 1839. During his minority he worked on a farm, attended the common schools and academic insti- tutions, and taught school several terms. He went to Wisconsin in 1855, and from there to Madelia, Minnesota, where for some years he was engaged in the agricultural implement and lumber business. In 1874 he commenced the study of law in the office of H. S. Wilson & Co., of the same city, and was admitted to the bar in 1876. After his admission he practiced law at Madelia for two years, and removed to Sioux Falls in April, 1878, and commenced the practice of his pro- fession. In March, 1879, he entered into copartnership with Judge Parliman, under the firm name of Parliman & Frizzell, which co- partnership continued until January, 1883. He was elected village attorney in December, 1878, and acted in this capacity during the time Sioux Falls was a village, except one year. He was city attorney in 1883 and 1884, during which time he had charge of some very im- portant suits in which the city was interested, and he conducted them successfully. Again in 1889 he was appointed city attorney and held the office for one year. In June, 1892, he went to Madison, S. D., and practiced law until 1896. At that time he removed to Cripple Creek, Colorado, where he remained one year and then returned to Sioux Falls and practiced law until early in 1899, when he again went to Cripple Creek, where he is at the present writing. He always feels well, is genial and companionable, and has been known to put up a strong fight in a law suit.
FULFORD, DR. GEORGE H., was born at Chittenango, Madison county, N. Y., July 18, 1854. His father was a Methodist preacher, and he obtained his early education in towns where his father preached. In 1872 he graduated from Ogdensburg Commercial col-
J. B. Fox.
ALONZO FRIZZELL.
537
HISTORY OF MINNEHAHA COUNTY,
lege; attended Ives Seminary, a literary and college preparatory school, located at Andover, N. Y., three years; was graduated from there in 1876, and won the gold medal offered for best development in scholarship and deportment that year; attended Syracuse Univer- sity in 1876-7, and during the fall of 1877 entered the medical depart- ment of Boston University, took a three years course, and graduated in 1880; took full course at the New York Polyclinic in 1888-9, and a clinical course in Chicago in 1893; practiced medicine in New York state five years, and located at Sioux Falls in December, 1885, where he has since resided practicing his profession. He is a member of the Lone Star Masonic lodge, of Adams, N. Y., and also of the A. (). U. W., Woodmen of the World, Modern Woodmen, and the Tribe of Joseph. He was nominated for coroner on the Republican ticket in 1898, but was defeated with the rest of the nominees of that party. Dr. Fulford is the leading homeopathic physician in this part of the state, and has a large practice.
FULLER, REV. ANDREW KING, was born March 3, 1855, in Mason- ville, Delaware county, N. Y. His early life was spent on a farm, and when sixteen years of age he taught a district school; was edu- cated at the Afton Academy and Colgate University, where he was graduated in 1879, standing fourth in his class, and became teacher in elocution for two years at the same place. In 1882 he was grad- uated from the Hamilton Theological Seminary. In June of that year he married Phoebe E. Sisson, of Hamilton, N. Y. During the next seven years he had charge of the Wurts Baptist church, of Rondout, N. Y. He removed to Sioux Falls September 1, 1889, and remained three years as pastor of the First Baptist church, of Sioux Falls. He then returned East to Newburgh, N. Y., and on October 9, 1892, took charge of the First Baptist church of that place. While in Sioux Falls, the church was prosperous under his charge --- over one hundred being received into its membership. He did not mistake his calling, and it is not too much to say that he is a model pastor; his kind, genial manners, his culture and ability, his admirable qual- ities as a preacher, together with his rare good sense as a citizen, secured for him while in Sioux Falls a large circle of friends who greatly regretted his departure.
GALE, ARTEMAS, is one of the pioneers of Minnehaha county, and if his prosperity is to measure his satisfaction for coming here, he must be one of the most contented of our citizens. He was born on the 4th day of March, 1825, in New Jersey, and removed, when thirteen years of age, with his father who was a merchant, to Olean, N. Y. In 1854 he came to St. Paul, and pre-empted 160 acres of land where West St. Paul is now located, and was one of eight persons who filed the first plat of West St. Paul, consisting of 640 acres. He engaged in the mercantile and grain business on Third street in St. Paul, from 1854 until 1870. Visited Sioux Falls in 1868, also in 1869, and again in 1870, where he located 400 acres of land with half-breed scrip, and in 1870 broke up 180 acres. This scrip was located by an agent for Mr. Gale in 1863, but the military reservation of 1864 kept him from occupying it until 1870. The northwest one-fourth, the
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HISTORY OF MINNEHAHA COUNTY.
east half of the southwest one-fourth, and the west half of the east half of sections 21-101-49, comprised the 400 acres. He made his first plat in the fall of 1870, on the east half of the northwest one-fourth. In the spring of 1872 he built his house, and since then Sioux Falls has been his home. He was one of the members of the Congregational church at its organization, and was one of its most liberal supporters. He was chairman of the board of county commissioners in 1877-8-9. During the first few years of his residence in Sioux Falls he was ac- tive in school matters, and was a director in the Dakota National Bank during the whole time of its existence. He was a conservative, careful official, when chairman of the board of county commissioners, and is a man of excellent business qualifications and an honest up- right esteemed citizen.
GARTER, GEORGE V., was born at White Pigeon, Michigan, De- cember 17, 1860. When twenty-one years of age he came to Dakota and located in Brookings county, where he engaged in the mercantile business. In 1886 he came to Sioux Falls. In 1889 he secured a position in the office of the register of deeds, where he remained un- til January, 1897. He was deputy register of deeds four years, and the Republican party nominated him for register in 1896, but he met with defeat, the same as all his associates on the ticket. He made a good official; is a good fellow, and a respected citizen.
GATES, JOHN HOWARD, was born at Waterloo, Iowa, October 28, 1865; was graduated from the high school in 1882, and from the State University of Iowa in 1888; in September of that year came to Sioux Falls, and remained one year as clerk in the law office of Bailey & Davis; attended the law departement of the Columbia University, N. Y., one year; returned to Sioux Falls, and entered the law firm of Davis, Lyon & Gates in December, 1890, of which firm he is still a member; was appointed city attorney of Sioux Falls to fill vacancy, from September, 1893, to May 1, 1894; was nominated on the Repub- lican ticket for state's attorney of Minnehaha county in November, 1896, and out of 5,108 votes received 2,426; was president of the Com- mercial Club in 1897. Mr. Gates is well posted in his profession; is one of the "Big Four" of the Sioux Falls Whist Club, social and genial, and has a host of friends.
GEBERT, ADAM, was born in Schuylkill county, Pennsylvania, April 8, 1823; was reared on a farm; learned the brickmason's trade, and engaged in farming and worked at his trade until 1852, when he moved to Maquoketa, Iowa, and went into the hardware business. In 1862, he enlisted in Co. F, 31st Iowa Inf., and was in the military service until June 27, 1865. He was captain of his company, and was at the front at the time Vicksburg was besieged by Gen. Grant. He was so afraid that the rebel army would escape that he watched night after night at the foot of a big walnut tree, so that in case an attempt was made he could give the alarm. This fact became so generally known that the big walnut was called "Captain Gebert's tree." His company numbered one hundred and one when it first went out, but there were only twenty-seven left to be mustered out in 1865; thirty-seven of the original number were dead. The regi-
ARTEMAS GALE.
JOHN HOWARD GATES.
543
HISTORY OF MINNEHAHA COUNTY.
ment was mustered out at Louisville, Kentucky, and a passenger car was provided for the officers to come north, and cattle cars for the privates; Captain Gebert rode with his men in the cattle cars. Upon returning home he resumed his mercantile business. In 1876, he went to Colorado and engaged in the manufacture of lumber six years; then removed to Louisiana and engaged in the manufacture of shingles on an extensive scale in company with his two sons. In 1889, having secured a competence, he came North and located in the city of Sioux Falls. The writer for several years was his next door neighbor, but it did not take long to discover that he and his good wife were royal good neighbors. He is upright, enterprising, gen- erous, and in every way an exemplary citizen.
GEORGE, WILLIAM G., is a native of Ems, Germany, and was born January 13, 1851; was educated in the public schools, and when sixteen years of age entered a printing office; emigrated to the United States and settled at West Bend, Wisconsin; worked at his trade in Winona and St. Paul, Minnesota, and came to Sioux Falls in April, 1886. In 1887, was employed by Caldwell & Bliss, and took charge of the job department in their printing office until 1895, when he opened a job printing office on his own account, and is con- ducting this business at the present writing. He is a member of the Modern Woodmen, the A. O. U. W., Germania Verein, and Modern Brotherhood of America. Mr. George is a good business man, and a respected citizen.
GERIN, MICHAEL, was born at Donnybrook, Ireland, September 10, 1846, but removed to Canada when quite young. He attended school for a short time, and when thirteen years of age commenced clerking in a grocery store. From that time he has continuously been in the grocery business. He left Canada in June, 1878, and came to the United States, and on the 8th day of August, 1878, ar- rived in Sioux Falls on the first train over the Omaha. He imme- diately went into the grocery business, and built the building he now occupies on Phillips avenue known as the Red Front Grocery. He has been largely interested in real estate, and has a farm in Pali- sade upon which he has a very fine and valuable herd of registered Shorthorns. He has built up a good business, is popular with his customers, and is universally respected as a citizen and neighbor. There is no person in Sioux Falls, mingling so much in society and business circles as Michael Gerin, who meddles so little with the affairs of others; he minds his own business, and in this respect he is without a peer in the city. Always genial, pleasant and happy, his list of friends is as extensive as his acquaintance.
GERMAIN, DR. WILLIAM A., was born at Delafield, Wis., March 21, 1855. Attended the public schools, and the State University at Madison, where he graduated in 1878. The next two years was principal of the schools at Sharon, Wis. Studied medicine and was graduated from the Butler Medical College at Butler, Ind., in March, 1882, and immediately thereafter left for Sioux Falls where he com- menced the practice of his profession the same month. He is con- nected with all the Masonic bodies located at Sioux Falls, and has
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HISTORY OF MINNEHAHA COUNTY.
been elected to the highest official positions in nearly all of the Ma- sonic organizations of the city; is president of the Board of Pensions of this district, and local surgeon of the C., M. & St. Paul railroad company. He has built up a large and lucrative practice, and is re- cognized as one of the most skillful practitioners in the city of Sioux Falls. He is an active citizen and contributes his share to all public enterprises.
GILBERT, HERMAN, is a native of Germany, and was born May 26, 1833. During his early youth he attended the public schools and worked on a farm. In 1846 he emigrated to this country and lived in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, ten years; then opened a country store in Sheboygan county and remained there four years; the next six years was engaged in the manufacture of flour and lumber. His next busi- ness was that of a hotel keeper at Fon Du Lac, Wisconsin, where he remained several years. In 1873 he came to Sioux Falls and was in business there until 1888, when he removed to Seattle, Washington, where he now resides. He has considerable property in this county at the present writing and has been spending a few months this sum- mer (1898) with his friends in Sioux Falls. He is an honest, upright man.
GILBERT, JACOB T., was born at Rockville, Wis., August 17, 1861, and lived in that state until 1873, when he removed to Sioux Falls where he has since resided. When fourteen years of age he engaged in the mercantile business, and in 1881 opened a dry goods and grocery store on his own account, and continued in this business until about three years ago. In 1884 he was a delegate to the Demo- cratic territorial convention at Pierre, and was secretary of the con- vention. In the fall of that year he was a candidate for the legisla- ture from the district composed of the counties of Hanson, McCook and Minnehaha, and was defeated by only twelve votes. In 1886 he was again a candidate and was elected. In 1889 he was elected a member of the school board and served on the board until 1895, two years of which he was its president. The Gilbert block on Phillips avenue was built by him. Mr. Gilbert makes a good official and is a respected citizen.
GILLETT, FRANK H., was born in Oswego, N. Y., May 2, 1850, and removed with his parents to Lake City, Minn., in 1856. In Sep- tember, 1864, he enlisted in Co. A, Minn. Heavy Artillery, and served until the close of the war. In 1865 went into a machine shop at Lake City and remained in this business until he removed to this county. He arrived in Sioux Falls April 23, 1878, where he engaged in the farm implement business until 1895, since which time he has been engaged in the marble business. Jolly, good-natured, an agreeable business man and a good citizen are the principal elements in his make-up, and recognized by all who know him.
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