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 62
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DANIEL SCOTT.
687
HISTORY OF MINNEHAHA COUNTY
kota, in 1882, where he was connected with the Bismarck Tribune about one year. On the 5th day of July, 1883, he came to Sioux Falls, and became the city editor of the Sioux Falls Press, which position he retained until 1886, when he went to Rapid City, South Dakota, and started the Rapid City Daily Republican. After spending the win- ter of 1887-8 in Texas he returned to Sioux Falls and opened a real estate office and participated in the real estate boom which com- menced about that time, and like all participators he learned that real estate booms originate from no known cause, and depart for less tangible reasons than they come. He was elected alderman from the Third ward in 1895, and re-elected in 1897. He has been city editor of the Sioux Falls Press both under the former and present manage- ment. As will be seen Mr. Scott has been a frontier man, and there are a good many stories afloat of his exploits and adventures, but none of them mark him as a timid man. He is an enterprising, in- dependent citizen, progressive and aggressive in municipal matters, a good neighbor, and has a host of friends.
SCOTT, REV. DARIUS B., the subject of this sketch was born at Bloomfield, N. Y., October 27, 1843. His father was born in Con- necticut, and his mother, a native of Vermont, was a granddaughter of the Hon. Darius Bullock. They moved to New York soon after their marriage, and subsequently to Kentucky, where the father taught school for four years. During this time Mr. Scott, then a small lad, saw enough of the cruelties of slavery to incite in him great hostility to the institution. From Kentucky he went with his parents to Illinois, where he was living when the war broke out in 1861. He was anxious to enlist in the military service at once, but was prevented by his parents, who needed his services at home. In 1864, however, he enlisted in the 17th Illinois cavalry. While in the army, he resolved that if he was spared, he would devote himself to the ministry, believing that in so doing he could best serve God and humanity. In the fall of 1865 he entered Wheaton college, where he remained four years. After this he took a theological course at Andover, Massachusetts, for three years. Upon receiving his ordi- nation to the Congregational ministry he was settled over a church at Lynnfield, Massachusetts. Subsequently he became pastor of churches at Hollis, New Hampshire, and Clinton, Massachusetts. After twenty years of hard labor in the ministry, he became satis- fied that, owing to an impaired constitution resulting from army life. he would have to leave his calling, or seek work in a more invigor- ating climate. Receiving a call from the First Congregational church of Sioux Falls during the summer of 1892, he accepted it September 1, and brought his family to the city the 1st of November following, where he has since resided as pastor of the church. His installation took place December 22, 1896.
Mr. Scott since his residence in Sioux Falls, has not only en- deared himself to his parishioners, but is highly respected by all who have the pleasure of his acquaintance. Diligent and conscientious in the performance of his pastoral duties, active in forwarding all commendable enterprises for the advancement of society, a strong, forceful and fearless preacher, united with high social qualities, are the prominent characteristics of the man.
688
HISTORY OF MINNEHAHA COUNTY.
SCOTT, DELOS A., was born in Erie county, New York, March 23, 1846; was reared on a farm, and received an academic education; engaged in farming until thirty years of age; and then engaged in the drug business for two years at Rockford, Iowa. For the last twenty years he has been in the real estate business, and during all this time has been handling real estate in South Dakota. Came to Sioux Falls in June, 1893, where he has since resided, and has made himself known as a good business man and a good citizen.
SCOTT, MARK D., was born in Wisconsin, April 7, 1866. He attended the common schools and commenced work in a printing office before he was ten years of age. In 1878 he went with his par- ents to Deadwood, S. D., where he became a newspaper carrier and also the proprietor of some newspaper routes. In 1883, he came to Sioux Falls and engaged in printing-office work, and in 1885, in con- nection with Hibbard Patterson, did the mechanical work on the Argus for six months. During 1886 he was advertising solicitor for the Rapid City Daily Republican, and worked on the Lead City Tribune for six months. In 1888 he went to Burke, Idaho, and started the first newspaper at that place, but sold out the plant after six months. He then went to LeGrande, Oregon, where he and Mr. Patterson started a newspaper which they sold in March, 1890. Mr. Scott remained at that place engaged in business until 1892, when he returned to Sioux Falls, and on January 1, 1893, became the city editor of the Sioux Falls Daily Press, and remained as such until August, 1894, at which time he became, and still is, the proprietor and editor of the Sioux Falls Journal. During the presidential cam- paign in 1896 Mr. Scott issued a daily paper called the Daily Journal. There were sixty-two issues of this paper, and every one of them was filled with what newspaper men call "hot stuff." It was pub- lished in the interest of Bryan and his adherents in South Dakota, but when it had become settled that Mckinley was elected, the daily issue was discontinued. Mr. Scott is a great newsgatherer, and always has something to say upon the issues before the people. He is strictly in the newspaper business, and is an earnest advocate of economy in public affairs.
SEXTON, THOMAS W., was born at Davenport, Iowa, August 14, 1861; moved with his parents to Minnesota in 1869, and lived on a farm until 1875. At that time they removed to Red Wing, in the same state, and remained there four years. In 1879 he came to Sioux Falls, but remained only a short time, and then engaged in the hotel business with his parents at Cameron, Marion Junction and Bridge- water. In 1886 he went to Kansas and remained a year and then came to Sioux Falls in May, 1888, and went into the real estate busi- ness, in which he has since continued. Mr. Sexton is an active, en- ergetic business man, and an enterprising, esteemed citizen.
SHAKSTAD, ERICK, is a native of Norway, and was born October 3, 1855, was reared on a farm and attended the public school; emi- grated to the United States in 1880, and settled in Chatfield, Minn., where he remained until he removed to Sioux Falls, where he arrived on the 1st day of September, 1881. He worked at his trade that of
REV. DARIUS B. SCOTT.
MARK D. SCOTT.
693
HISTORY OF MINNEHAHA COUNTY.
carpenter and joiner, and was a contractor and builder for several vears in the city, then went to Pierre for two years, but returned to Sioux Falls, and during the last ten years has owned and operated a planing mill. Mr. Shakstad is a very industrious, successful busi- ness man, well liked as a neighbor, and is an esteemed citizen.
SHEPPARD, WILLIAM JAMES, was born at Quebec, Canada, July 24, 1862. His father was one of the oldest settlers of Quebec, and held prominent offices in the Canadian government for over twenty- two years. The subject of this sketch received a collegiate educa- tion at Ottawa. In 1879 he came to the United States, and entered the Second National Bank of Detroit, Michigan, where he remained until in 1883, when his father died, and he returned to Canada. Sub- sequently he went into the auditor's office of the American Express Co. at Montreal, where he remained about a year, and then was book- keeper for the Woods Manufacturing Co. until the outbreak of the Riel Rebellion, when he went out with the Winnipeg Field Battery, of which he was a member, and served through the campaign of 1885. He was in the famous battles at Fish Creek and Batoche, and re- ceived with all those participating in these battles, as a mark of dis- tinction a silver medal from the Queen. After the close of the re- bellion went to St. Paul, and became traveling salesman for the Ber- risford Biscuit Manufacturing Co. He remained with this company seven years, and then entered the service of McKibbin & Co. of St. Paul, in the same capacity, where he still remains. He is also inter- ested in farming, and is the owner of a fine 480-acre farm in MeCook county, South Dakota, besides having some city property in Minne- apolis, Minnesota. In 1888 he was married to Miss Caroline Harder of Winnipeg, daughter of William Harder, general traffic manager of the Canadian Pacific railroad. In 1896 located at Sioux Falls, where he has since resided. In September of that vear he, with four others, instituted a Council of the Order of United Commercial Travelers in Sioux Falls, which was the first instituted in South Dakota, and is called Sioux Falls Council No. 100. He was made its first Past Councilor; is one of the executive committee, and was also elected on the same committee of the Grand Council of Minnesota and the two Dakotas. Mr. Sheppard is a gentleman of high social attainments, a progressive and wide-awake business man, and an esteemed citizen.
SHERMAN, EDWIN A., was born June 19, 1844, in Massachusetts. His early years were spent at school, and at the age of sixteen he graduated from the high school. The next four years he carried on a farm. In his twenty-first vear he went to Boston and engaged in clerking for a commission oil house. Two years later he became a partner in the business under the firm name of Capen, Sherman & Co. Four years later, his health failing, he retired from the firm and went West. During the first winter in the West he taught school in Sioux City. In June, 1873, he came to Sioux Falls, where he has since resided. His first business transaction was to purchase a half interest in The Independent, a newspaper published by C. W. Mc- Donald. He was engaged in newspaper work for one year and a
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HISTORY OF MINNEHAHA COUNTY.
half, when he sold his interest to T. J. White. In 1874-6 he was county superintendent of schools, and organized during that time a large number of school districts. Since his arrival in Sioux Falls, he has been one of the most active, enterprising and successful bus- iness men of the city. He built the first brick building in the city in 1875, and is the third building on Phillips avenue south of the Ed- mison-Jameson block. John Bippus was then postmaster, and the post office was located on Phillips avenue north, and Mr. Sherman put up this building with the understanding that Mr. Bippus would move the post office into it when completed, which arrangement was carried out. In 1877 he bought what is now the Cascade Milling property. It comprised five acres of ground. In this enterprise Isaac Emerson and J. G. Botsford were associated with him, and built the stone dam and the Cascade mill. Botsford afterwards sold his interest to George E. Wheeler. In 1887 the electric light works were added to their business, and the Cascade Milling Company was incorporated with a capital of $150,000, but the ownership of this property is practically unchanged. This manufacturing establish- ment has been in operation nearly twenty-three years, and has been prosperous from the beginning, in fact, in this respect it challenges comparison with any manufacturing establishment in the state. Mr. Sherman has engaged quite extensively in the building of residences, as well as business blocks. In 1878, he built a stone building on the southeast corner of Main avenue and Ninth street and he also built all the buildings east to the alley on Ninth street, and all the build- ings south on Main avenue, except the Schaetzel building at the south end. The stone building was rented to the county for the county officials and a court room, before it was built. In 1883 he erected the building occupied as a post office until the 18th day of May, 1895, and this was also built for the use of the county. The Cascade block was built by him, and also the Union Trust Company block; and a few years ago he built a very fine and attractive residence on block one, Sherman's addition to Sioux Falls. He was instrumental in procur- ing the location of the Deaf Mute school at Sioux Falls, engineering the bill through the legislature; and gave to the institution five acres of land, the same on which it is now located. He was one of the first trustees of this institution and president of the board. He organ- ized the Minnehaha National Bank in 1886, and was its president two years. In 1887 he organized the Union Trust Company, and in 1888 resigned the presidency of the Minnehaha National Bank to conduct the business of the Union Trust Company, which soon after trans- ferred its banking business to the Union National Bank, of both of which companies he was at all times the president. In 1887 he be- came associated with John M. Spicer of Willmar, under the direction of James J. Hill of the Great Northern railway line, to build the Willmar & Sioux Falls railroad. Together they located, named and platted all the towns along this line, a distance of 149 miles. He has a large interest in the Willmar & Sioux Falls Townsite Co., incor- porated. Although engrossed in such extensive business transac- tions as his record shows, he has found time to perform such official duties as have been assigned him by the people. He was territorial
E. A. SHERMAN.
·八福
W. J. SHEPPARD.
6,99
HISTORY OF MINNEHAHA COUNTY.
treasurer in 1877-8, and territorial auditor in 1879-80, and was ton- dered the same office in 1881, which he declined. When Sioux Falls became incorporated as a village he was elected one of its first trus- tees, and was frequently on the school board. He has also served as president of the Commercial Club: The success of his business en- terprises, his fidelity to official duties, his constant zeal in promoting the growth of the city, stamp him as one of the most successful and reliable men in the state.
SHERMAN, PAUL F., was born in Houlton, Maine, May 7, 1855. He went with his parents to Minneapolis, Minn., in 1866, and from there to Shakopee in the same state. He was reared on a farm, and received a common school education: was clerk in a store, and for some time conducted a business of his own. On the 21st day of No- vember, 1877, he arrived in Sioux Falls, and within ten days took up a timber claim in Humboldt, and a homestead in Hartford, this county, and engaged in farming for several years; in 1887, went into the agricultural implement business at Jasper, Minn .; in 1893, came to Sioux Falls to locate, but retained his business at Jasper. He is a member of the firm of Sherman Bros. & Bratager, and since locat- ing at Sioux Falls this firm has built the largest agricultural imple- ment warehouse in the state. Mr. Sherman is an energetic, success- ful business man, has a host of friends, and is a respected citizen.
SHERRARD, WILLIAM B., is a native of Ireland and was born June 8, 1837. Attended school and worked on a farm until nineteen years old, and then engaged in the dry goods business; in 1864, emi- grated to the United States; lived a few months in New York, and then went to Chicago where he remained about fifteen years. Dur- ing that time he clerked in a store two years, and then commenced the work of founding a home for newsboys and bootblacks, and labored in their interest while he remained in Chicago. In 1879, he went to Kansas and engaged in stock raising until 1889, when he removed to Clark county, this state, and until 1893, was engaged in merchandis- ing and the shipping of stock. In January, 1893, he came to Sioux Falls, and since then has devoted his time to caring for friendless children, and has been the manager of the Children's Home at Sioux Falls since it was established. Mr. Sherrard is a man of tireless en- ergy, and devoted to his work. Of course, he has been maligned, and a man of less courage would have abandoned his good work long before this, but it has only served to make him the more zealous and determined to secure for this institution the respect and hearty sup- port of the people of South Dakota. It is sufficient, to assert that a large majority of the people of the state are heartily in sympathy with Mr. Sherrard and his work, to establish the fact that he is a good man and a good citizen.
SHOTWELL, EZRA M., was born in Washington county, Ohio, October 28, 1845, and worked on a farm until twenty years of age, when he engaged in business. In 1869, he came to Iowa and engaged in the produce business, and remained in that state until August, 1879, when he removed to the city of Sioux Falls, and engaged in the coal business for five years, and then in the ice busi-
700
HISTORY OF MINNEHAHA COUNTY.
ness for four years. Since then he has been engaged in shipping stock, when not acting as street commissioner. While a resident of Iowa he served as alderman four years in the city of Perry, and has served in the same capacity two years in Sioux Falls. He was street commissioner of the city in 1894 and 1895, during the administration of Mavor Williams, and was again appointed to the same office by Mavor Lien in May, 1898. He is an enterprising, energetic citizen, and makes a good official.
SIMPSON, JAMES, is a native of Milford, Oakland county, Michi- gan, and was born on the 21st day of January, 1855. He worked on his father's farm during his youth, and did not attend school until fourteen years of age, when he went to Flint, Michigan, where he re- mained in a school for the education of deaf-mutes for five full terms, having been born deaf. From Flint he went to a similar institution in New York city, where he took a three years course in two years, and was selected valedictorian of his class, graduating at the age of twenty-one years. He then learned the jeweler's trade, and worked at this business for about four years and a half, and then engaged in farming in Michigan. In 1878 he went to Council Bluffs as a teacher, and remained there in that capacity three years-the last year having in charge the highest class. The following year nine students from the Iowa school were admitted to the National Deaf Mute College at Washington, D. C., eight of them having been Professor Simpson's pupils. In June, 1881, he came to Sioux Falls to visit E. G. Wright, and was pleased with the prospects of the Deaf Mute school which had been established the year previous and he at once became con- nected with the school and assumed its management, which he has since retained. Professor Simpson is not only a successful teacher in.his line, but is an all around man and highly respected as a busi- ness man and citizen. The writer, while at Bismarck attending a session of the legislature in 1887, was more than pleased with the ability displayed by the professor, who was there to procure an ap- propriation for his school. He endeavored to obtain the appropria- tion he desired without making any combination with other state in- stitutions, and he persisted in his purpose until the band wagon was nearly out of sight and his appropriation liable to be lost in the shuf- fle, when, with the celerity of a veteran in politics, he mounted the seat with the driver. In July, 1880, he married Miss A. L. Simpson, who came to Sioux Falls with him, and who has been of great assistance in the conduct of the school. Mrs. Simpson is an estimable lady, and three bright boys gladden the hearts of their parents.
SKILLMAN, WILLIAM J., was born April 19, 1838, in Somerset county, New Jersey, six miles from Princeton on the old post road from New York to Philadelphia, that region being one where his an- cestors had lived and died for nearly 200 years. He obtained his early education in the country schools in the neighborhood. Later he was a student at the venerable Grammar school at New Bruns- wick, New Jersey, and from there entered the sophomore class of Rutger college, then under President Frelinghueysen, where he was graduated in 1860. The same year he entered the Theological semi-
P. F. SHERMAN.
703
HISTORY OF MINNEHAHA COUNTY
nary of the Reformed church at New Brunswick, whence he was graduated in 1863. The autumn following he was called to take charge of the Reformed church of Macon, Lenawee county, Michi- gan, where he remained for over five years, serving also part of the time the Congregational /afterwards Presbyterian church of Raisin. In 1868, he removed to South Bend, Indiana, and was pastor of the Reformed church of that city for nearly five years, removing from there in 1872, to the Hudson Valley, and took charge of the old First Reformed church of Bethlehem, immediately below the city of Al- bany on the river, where he remained for eleven years. In 1883 he came to Sioux Falls, where he organized the Presbyterian church, which he served for one year; then supplied for nearly two years al- ternately the Presbyterian churches of Dell Rapids and Flandreau; was acting professor of Greek and English literature in the North- western academy at Orange City, Iowa, for a few months; and in the opening of 1886 took full charge of the First Reformed church of Sioux Falls, where he remained until in June, 1894, when he removed to Philadelphia, having accepted the pastorate over a large congrega- tion at that city. Mr. Skillman took the regular academic degrees of A. B. and A. M., in course-because he couldn't help it -- but has never sought or desired any other. All his life he has been a writer for the press, being a correspondent of such papers as the New York Evening Post, The Nation, Christian at Work, Christian Intelli- gencer, Christian Union, besides various literary, scientific and theo- logical periodicals and reviews. For nearly four years of the time he resided in Sioux Falls, he was in editorial charge of the Sioux Falls Journal, and its editorial columns from its first page to its last issue while under his control fairly bristled with the sharp, incisive arraignment of the follies of the day. He believed in prohibition and in the enforcement of the laws for the suppression of the sale of in- toxicating liquors, and while he resided in Sioux Falls if he left any- thing undone that he could possibly do to stamp out the saloons, it does not occur to the writer. His scholastic acquirements were not limited to theology but embraced a thorough knowledge of all the im- portant topics of the time. He hated vice and all its accompani- ments; despised all pretense and hypocrisy; loathed all such persons as pretended to be for the right and did not have the moral courage to fight for their convictions; was possessed of good health, a combat- ive temperament, a well disciplined, analytical mind, and was a mas- ter of invectives; and still people wondered why the editorial fraternity in South Dakota let him so severely alone. He was true to his con- victions and fought desperately to maintain them. His departure brought relief in certain quarters, but it must be acknowledged that the ministerial association of the city lost one of its strongest sup- ports, and the city one of its most independent and fearless citizens.
SMITH, EDGAR L., was born at Cabot, Washington county. Ver- mont, April 10, 1850. He was educated in the public schools, and worked on a farm until twenty-one years old. He then engaged in manufacturing lumber at Marshfield, in his native county, until 1884. During that time he was town clerk twelve years, and superintend- ent of schools several years. On the 31st day of October, 1884. he
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HISTORY OF MINNEHAHA COUNTY.
came to Sioux Falls, where he has since resided, and was for several years engaged in the coal and wood business. He has contributed largely to the appearance of Phillips avenue by the erection of two brick business buildings with stone fronts. He is a thoroughly good business man and a good citizen.
SMITH, ELGIN B., is a native of Canada, and was born November 17, 1851. During his early youth he worked on a farm and attended school. In 1871 he went to Cherokee, Iowa, and engaged in farming for about three years, and then bought out a furniture store. From that time to the present writing he has been in the furniture busi- ness. During the spring of 1884 he removed to Sioux Falls and com- menced business in the Leader block, where he has since remained. He has always carried an extensive stock of goods and is a good busi- ness man. He is well liked as a business man and neighbor, and is a good citizen.
SOLEM, REV. HENRIK M., was born in the province of Sondfjord, Norway, June 21, 1862. His parents, emigrated to the United States in 1870, and located in Union county, Dakota, where the subject of this sketch received his early education in the common schools. In the spring of 1887 he was graduated from the Augustana college at Canton; in 1890 was graduated from the Augustana Theological Seminary at Beloit, Iowa; the following year attended the Augsburg Seminary of the United Lutheran church in Minneapolis, where he took a final theological examination in 1891, and was ordained min- ister in June of that year at Kenyon, Minn. He then began work as pastor in the inner mission on the Sioux reservation, which he con- tinued for five years. In 1896 he received a call from the United Lutheran church at Sioux Falls, which he accepted, and has since remained the able pastor of that church. He is a faithful Christian worker, and greatly beloved by his congregation.
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