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 64
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TOMLINSON, JR., JOSEPH, was born March 15, 1863, at Hunting- ton, Connecticut. Until twenty-one years of age his time was chiefly occupied in securing an education, and in 1884 was graduated from Yale college. After graduating he became a tutor in New York City for two years, and then traveled with his pupil in this country and about the world until 1887, when he engaged in manufacturing at Hartford, Connecticut, for one year. On the 3d day of August, 1888, he came to Sioux Falls, and on the 10th day of that month commenced work on the Argus-Leader as advertising solicitor. On the 9th day of November, following, in connection with Charles M. Day, he bought the paper, and the next day the first issue of the Argus- Leader appeared under the new management. Tomlinson and Day soon made the Argus-Leader the leading Democratic newspaper in South Dakota, and it so remained until the Democratic party in 186 adopted the doctrine of the free coinage of silver, when the Argus- Leader promptly became a Republican newspaper.
Mr. Tomlinson is a strong, vigorous writer, and one of the most aggressive editors in the state. His editorials, especially upon polit- ical matters, are concise, clear, courageous and able. He has a keen scent for the delinquencies of his political opponents, and when he makes a discovery of this character it is a red letter day for the Argus-Leader. As a citizen he is upright and enterprising, and in local matters is particularly active in urging upon the municipal ad- ministration rigid economy and business-like methods. Endowed with such positive qualities of character, with a newspaper of wide circulation at his command, it is not hazardous to predict that Mr. Tomlinson is destined to exert in the future a strong influence upon the institutions of the state of his adoption.
TUFTS, DR. ARTHUR HENRY, was born in Wadsboro, Vermont, January 14, 1856, but, when a mere child, removed with his father to Geneseo, Illinois. He attended common and high schools, and was also a student at Grinnell College, Grinnell, Iowa, two years, after
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which time he taught school three years. He studied medicine with C. A. Gray at Brattleboro, Vermont, taking his first course of lect- ures at Baltimore, Maryland, and was graduated from the New York City University in 1873. He commenced the practice of medicine in Sioux Falls the same year, in copartnership with the above men- tioned Dr. Gray. From 1884 until the fall of 1887 he practiced alone, but at the latter date he formed a partnership with Dr. S. A. Brown, under the firm name of Brown & Tufts, which still continues.
Dr. Tufts has been the president, vice president and treasurer of the Minnehaha Medical Society, and in 1893 was vice president of the State Medical Society. The firm of Brown & Tufts has a large practice, and Dr. Tufts contributes his share to its success. The doctor is an energetic, reliable and conscientious practitioner, and is also an enterprising and highly respected citizen.
TUTHILL, JOHN W., was born in the village of Greene, Chenango county, New York, July 6, 1846. When five years of age he removed with his parents to Carbondale, Pennsylvania. In 1862 he went to Chicago, and was employed in the bank of Coolbaugh & Brooks as messenger for three years. In October. 1865, entered the employ of C. Lamb & Son, lumber dealers at Clinton, Iowa, and remained with them until July, 1869, when he concluded to go into business on his own account, and went to State Center, Iowa, and established a lumber yard. In March, 1882, he came to Sioux Falls, and bought out Edwin Sharpe & Company's lumber business, and the firm of Tuthill & King was established. On the 3d day of February, 1884, Mr. King died, and S. G. Tuthill, a brother of John, was taken into the business under the firm name of Tuthill Brothers. On the 18th day of August, 1885, the John W. Tuthill Lumber Company was in- corporated, and since then its business has been constantly increas- ing. The company is doing a large business in Sioux Falls, and also has vards at Windom, Worthington, Beaver Creek and Hills, Minne- sota, and at Hartford, Montrose, Humbolt, Salem, Spencer and Farmer, in this state. Mr. Tuthill, although emphatically a busi- ness man giving close attention to his large business, is an enter- prising citizen, always ready to aid in any project calculated to ad- vance the prosperity of the community in which he lives.
TUTHILL, S. G., was born in Chenango county, New York, Octo- ber 14, 1848. He removed with his parents to Carbondale, Pennsyl- vania, when three years old, and from there to Clinton, Iowa, 1856. He received a common school and academic education. In 1867 he went to Chicago and worked for a wholesale grocery house until 1883. On the 10th day of March, of that year, he came to Sioux Falls, and was in the employ of Tuthill & King until the death of Mr. King on the 3d day of February, 1884, when he became a member of the firm of Tuthill Brothers, and continued in the lumber business with his brother John. On the 18th day of August, 1885, the John W. Tuthill Lumber Company was incorporated, and the subject of this sketch was elected its secretary and treasurer, which office he held, and in connection with his brother John was in the active man- agement of the business of the company until April, 1899, when he removed to Minneapolis, Minnesota. He was one of the most active
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and enterprising citizens in Sioux Falls, and was deservedly popular with all classes of people.
TYLER, LEVI S., was born at Greenfield, Massachusetts, June 7, 1847, and attended the public schools and graduated from the high school at that place. Enlisted in the army in 1861, and again in 1862. but was rejected on account of physical disability. He then com- menced work in an express office, and for thirty-five years was en- gaged principally in the express business. In 1881 went to Minne- sota, and the spring following took up a quarter section of land in Hand county, South Dakota, but during the fall of 1882 returned to Minnesota and took up his residence at Tracy. Was a member of the city council at that place, and in 1893 was a member of the Minne- sota legislature from the counties of Lyon, Lincoln and Yellow Medi- cine. On the 24th of May, 1894, became the agent of the American Express Co., at Sioux Falls, where he has since resided. Was elected to the state senate from Minnehaha county in 1899, and is at the present time bookkeeper at the penitentiary at Sioux Falls. Mr. Tyler is a man of good ability, a good public speaker, an upright official, and a respected citizen.
VANEPS, WILLIAM. A clerk of the writer was sent to inter- view William VanEps in regard to his early history and his connec- tion with Sioux Falls, and it is given below, in his own language:
"I was born in Fox Lake, Dodge county, Wis., July 20th, 1842. In 1858 I left that country and went west into Minnesota, where I worked on a farm for $12 a month during the summer of 1859. From there I went to Brighton, in southern Iowa. I walked the entire dis- tance, about 350 miles, and carried with me everything that I had, including the little I had accumulated by my work on the farm. I engaged in the grocery business in a small way, and stayed in Brighton that winter. In the early spring I went to Richland, where I met a friend, W. A. Jordan. He proved to be a very good friend indeed, and gave me such endorsements as enabled me to buy goods in much larger quantities in the eastern markets. I staid in Rich- land engaged in a general mercantile business for about three years. Then I sold out and went to Denver, Colorado in the spring of 1863, where I engaged in various enterprises and speculations. From there I went down into Mexico and then back to Beaver Dam, Wis .. where my parents resided. I spent a few weeks visiting them, and then went to Milwaukee, where I took a course in the Bryant & Strat- ton commercial college. I then went to Minnesota in search of a business location, and finally settled in the town of Manderville, Dodge county, where I continued in business for some three years. I then received letters from my former friend, W. A. Jordan, asking me to sell out there and engage in business with him at some point that we might decide upon. We finally settled upon the town of Eddyville in southern Iowa, and entered into copartnership under the firm name of Jordan & VanEps. After running the business for about a year we concluded that we had better seek a place where we could occupy our time and capital to better advantage. I started out in search of a location in northwestern Iowa, Nebraska, or some point in Dakota, and finally radiated back to Cherokee, which was a
WILLIAM VANEPS.
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HISTORY OF MINNEHAHA COUNTY
place in name if not in population, there being only two or three houses there then. We ascertained that the Dubuque and Sioux City road, which is now the Illinois Central, was about to be ex- tended westward to Sioux City, and we concluded to locate and en- gage in the mercantile business in Cherokee. Two years later. I ascertained that the military reservation at Sioux Falls was about to be raised, and I decided to locate there. I came to Sioux Falls Au- gust 14th, 1870, to look the ground over, and became infatuated with the country and what I then considered the site for a prospective city on the plains of Dakota Territory; returned to my home in Cherokee and completed arrangements for locating in Sioux Falls in the spring of 1871. At that time the nearest railroad point was Le- Mars, Iowa, a distance of 75 miles from Sioux Falls and 100 miles from Sioux City. I set out to purchase lumber and erect my build- ing for a residence and for business-combining the two in one the store below and the residence in the upper rooms. I went to Minne- apolis in search of lumber, and purchased my first bill of lumber for the erection of my old building, which now stands on Main avenue, of W. D. Washburne, who is now United States senator from Minne- sota. He waited upon me in person. After ascertaining where I was to take the lumber, he seemed to become very much interested in me, so much so that in something like ten days or two weeks, I re- ceived a package of the Pioneer Press, published in St. Paul, setting forth the fact that a certain young man named Win. VanEps, seeing the importance of an early location in what was then called the wilds of the great West, had located in the mercantile business at Sioux Falls, and that in his Mr. Washburne's judgment, he hadselected a location, which in a very few years would grow into a prosperous and wonderful frontier city, and would be paying tribute both to St. Paul and Minneapolis wholesale and manufacturing interests. All of which has proved that Senator Washburne was a true prophet."
Since coming to Sioux Falls Mr. VanEps has been one of the most active and energetic business men that ever resided in South Dakota, as well as one of the most successful. He has figured ex- tensively in real estate transactions, erected a large number of buildings and has done a large and profitable mercantile business. At the present writing he is occupying one of the most attractive and commodious stores that can be found in the Northwest, and it is filled with an elegant class of goods. What is better still, the build- ing in which he is doing business was built by him and is one of the larg- est and handsomest business buildings in the state. In politics he has always been a Democrat, and as the county and state have been strongly Republican he has not held many official positions. He was elected one of the trustees when the village of Sioux Falls was in- corporated, was a member of the city school board from 1889 to 1893 and an influential member of the state constitutional convention of 1889. He has been a delegate to the national Democratic conven- tions, and at the last convention was prominent among the members from the Northwest. He has always been a strong man in the coun- cils of the Democratic party, and is recognized as one of the Demo- cratic "war horses" of the state. While enterprising, he is con-
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servative, and in all matters in which he engages is persistent and independent, working out his plans in his own way. He hasaccumu- lated a fortune by his industry, sagacity and hard work, and has a good title, legal and equitable, to every dollar of which he is pos- sessed. He is the peer of any business man in the state.
VANEPS, MRS. INEZ C., ncc HERRICK, was married to William VanEps October 14, 1867, at Manderville, Minnesota, and has re- sided at Sioux Falls since 1871. She was a fine singer, and her cul- tivated voice was one of the attractions on many public occasions in the little village. She has always been greatly respected by the res- idents of Sioux Falls for her many womanly qualities, and her ex- emplary life, and no one is more gracious in manner and kindlier of heart than Mrs. VanEps, as many of the poor and needy in the city know best.
VAN SLYKE, CHARLES H., was born April 26, 1836, in Oneida county, New York; was educated in the public schools, and worked on a farm until about twenty years old, when he entered his father's shoe store and remained until August 8, 1862. At that time he en- listed in Company B, 157th New York Infantry, and served until July 10, 1865. October 2, 1862, he was made Second Lieutenant, and the following March was promoted to Captain, and served on the Di- vision Staff as Provost-marshal. Upon his return from the war he engaged in shoe manufacturing at Utica, New York, until 1882, when he returned to Springfield, Dakota, and engaged in farming. In No- vember, 1887, he removed to Sioux Falls, where he has since resided. For a few years he engaged in painting, but in 1890 was appointed messenger in the United States courts by Judge Edgerton, which position he held until 1896. Since that time he has been engaged in the pension and patent business. The Captain is a highly respected citizen.
VINCENT, CHARLES HERBERT, better known as "Charley Vin- cent," was born in Jefferson county, New York, December 14, 1847. His father was a dairyman on quite an extensive scale. He removed to Calumet, Wisconsin, in 1856, and, of course, Charley accompanied him, and at the age of eleven years commenced business as a news- hoy on a train; was brakeman, baggageman and conductor before he was seventeen years old, and at the age of eighteen was conductor on a passenger train running between Milwaukee and Sun Prairie in Wisconsin, and remained in the employ of the Chicago, Milwaukee and St. Paul Railway company as conductor for thirteen years. In March, 1877, he came to Sioux Falls and entered into a copartnership with T. F. Leavitt, and engaged in the hardware business, under the firm name of Leavitt & Vincent, but after a few years he bought out the interest of his partner and carried on the business three years alone; then he formed a partnership with W. D. Roberts, under the name of Vincent & Roberts, which firm existed for two years and a half, when it was dissolved, Mr. Vincent continuing the business, and is, at this writing, at the old stand, getting his share of the trade.
He is a good business man, and recognized as "one of the best
MRS. WILLIAM VANEPS.
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fellows" in the city of Sioux Falls. Public-spirited, without a trace of a "kicker" in his whole make-up, it is unnecessary to add that he is well liked and popular with his neighbors and the business com- munity. He is a Sir Knight, Shriner, Elk, and ready for anything else that may come his way.
VOORHEES, JOHN H., was born in Somerset county, New Jersey. February 20, 1867. During his minority he spent most of his time in obtaining an education, attending the public schools, and Rutgers college at New Brunswick, N. J., where he was graduated in 1888. The same year in October, he came to Sioux Falls, and entered the law office of C. O. Bailey. In September, 1889, he was admitted to the bar. He remained in the office of Mr. Bailey, and Bailey & Stod- dard, and at the dissolution of that firm October 1, 1891, he entered into a copartnership with Mr. Bailey under the firm name of Bailey & Voorhees, and the firm is still practicing law in Sioux Falls. He is conceded to be one of the best office lawyers in the city of Sioux Falls, and has earned this reputation by a course of careful study. Well educated, industrious, and believing that nothing is worth hay- ing until earned, he bids fair to become one of the most thoroughly equipped lawyers in the state. Heis known as a young man of worth and integrity.
VREELAND, ROBERT E., was born in Tama county, Iowa, De- cember 27, 1854; was reared on a farm, and attended the common schools until 1874, when he commenced work for Daniel Glidden in a store, and removed with him to Sioux Falls, where he arrived Nov. 4. 1878, and remained employed in Mr. Glidden's shoe store until he went out of business; he then clerked for Morstad & Christopherson in their clothing store for five years; in 1891, formed a copartnership with Nels Arnston under the firm name of Bob & Nels, and engaged in the clothing business on Phillips avenue in Sioux Falls, in which they still continue, and are doing a good business. Mr. Vreeland is a good business man, energetic and enterprising, and is well liked as a neighbor and citizen.
ARNSTON, NELS. It is a little out of the alphabetical order to give a biographical sketch of Nels Arnston at this place, but Bob & Nels are always together, and we will keep them together here. Hu was born June 18, 1864, at Grover Springs, Minn., was reared on a farm, and received his education in the public schools and at the State Normal school at Winona, Minn .; came to Sioux Falls in 1883, and entered the store of Chris Aslesen as a clerk; went to Potter county, S. D., and remained a few months, then returned to Sioux Falls and worked for Morstad & Christopherson until 1891, when he commenced business with Robert Vreeland. He is a good business man, a good social fellow, and a good citizen.
WADE, FRANK L., was born in Cattaraugus county, N. Y., May 13, 1855. Attended common and high schools until eighteen years old, and then, for three years, was employed on a railroad. July 19, 1876, arrived in Sioux Falls, and commenced clerking in the store of his brother-in-law, C. M. Bunce. and remained with him two years: then clerked for Wm. VanEps, and worked in the Queen Bee Mill
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HISTORY OF MINNEHAHA COUNTY.
until 1881, and then clerked in a clothing store a few months. He built the building now occupied by Tossini on Phillips avenue be- tween Tenth and Eleventh streets, and there engaged in the flour and feed and farm implement business; and was for a while during the boom time a dealer in real estate. In 1893, was appointed United States Deputy Marshal for the district of South Dakota, and held this office until the fall of 1897. He exercises his right of citizen- ship about election time, and is known as an active political worker; is a good neighbor, and a respected citizen.
WALTS, CYRUS, one of the best known pioneer settlers of Min- nehaha county, was born at Watertown, New York, March 29, 1844. He attended the city schools and worked on his father's farm until he was twenty-one years of age. On the 3d day of October, 1869, he arrived in Dakota, and immediately commenced work as clerk in a store at Yankton. In February, 1870, Colonel Allen, his uncle, then residing at Yankton, came to Sioux Falls and opened a store in the south room of the barracks, and on the 2d day of June, of that year, Mr. Walts arrived in Sioux Falls and became a clerk in this store. The July following, Mr. Allen was appointed postmaster at Sioux Falls, and he appointed Mr. Walts his deputy. The post office prior to this time had been in the old sutler's store, with Ed Broughton as postmaster. Upon the appointment of Colonel Allen the office was removed to his store, and Mr. Walts took charge of the office, keep- ing the mail in a small case which he had fixed up. At that time there was only one mail a week for Sioux City or Yankton, and none from the north.
While deputy postmaster, Mr. Walts had quite an experience, and one which he will always remember. He had sent out several registered letters containing money, but the letters when received at their destination had no money in them, and of this he was informed. Soon after, John B. Farry, a postal inspector, arrived in Sioux Falls. He came for the purpose of having Mr. Walts arrested, for it was be- lieved at Washington that he was the guilty one, as parties to whom some of the letters had been addressed from which money had been abstracted had sent the envelopes there, and there was no evidence that they had been tampered with. The envelopes furnished by the government for registered letters had a line drawn around one end upon which was printed, "open at this end." The parties receiving the letters had cut off the end as directed, and had sent the balance of the envelopes to the post office department at Washington. Mean- while Mr. Walts took the precaution to have John Bippus and Dr. Rob- erts, who sent four registered letters each the same day with money enclosed, stand by and not only see the money put in the envelopes, but the registered letters put in the mail-bag, and the bag delivered to the mail-carrier. The money in these letters did not reach their destination. Mr. Walts, when he was informed of Mr. Farry's busi- ness, had Dr. Roberts and Mr. Bippus meet him and relate the facts in regard to the mailing of their registered letters. This put a new phase on the subject, and Mr. Farry concluded that he would hardly be justified in having Mr. Walts arrested, although he convinced sev- eral of the good citizens of Sioux Falls that he was guilty, and al-
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most satisfied Dr. Roberts that Mr. Walts actually stole the money right before his eyes that he supposed he had sent away. A public meeting was called in reference to the matter, and although Mr. Walts was not without friends who believed in his innocence, the greater number of those present believed him guilty. Mr. Walts, however, remained in the office, and the detectives continued their work, and although no letters containing money were registered from Sioux Falls, still the mail was tampered with. The following August, a detective put some marked money in the mail and accompanied it along the stage route. The stage stopped at Blair for dinner, and when the detective paid his bill some of the money he had marked and mailed was paid to him in making change. This solved the mys- terv. The son of the proprietor of the hotel where the stage always stopped for dinner had charge of the mail at that place and he was the person who had been robbing the mail and successfully avoiding detection for nearly a year. He had neatly cut open the end of the letters upon which the directions were printed, abstracted the con- tents, and then with a little mucilage closed it again. When the let- ters arrived at their destination the persons receiving them would find them apparently all right, and then would according to direction tear or cut off this end and destroy all evidence of the manner in which the letters had been robbed. He was promptly arrested, tried and convicted and sent to the penitentiary. Mr. Walts was exceed- ingly happy over the outcome, and his friends in Sioux Falls were emphatic in saying: "I told you so!"
On the first day of December, 1871, Mr. Walts upon the resigna- tion of John Bippus as county superintendent of schools was ap- pointed by the county board to fill the vacancy, and held this office two years. In 1873 he was appointed clerk of the district court for Minnehaha county, and held this office until the appointment of W. D. Stites by Judge Carland, which appointment took effect April 19, 1888. He made a good official, and it was well known to the bar and all persons doing official business with him that he was perfecth honest and reliable. He has frequently been employed as surveyor since residing in this county, and he has the honor of having done the surveying for the first village plat filed for record in Minnehaha county. In November, 1896, he was elected county surveyor on the fusion ticket and in April, 1898, he was elected city justice of the city of Sioux Falls. He has no enemies, and is highly esteemed as a neighbor and citizen.
WAPLES, ROBERT COULTER, was born at Cape Henlopen, Dela- ware, January 15, 1817. When about twenty years of age he went to Dubuque, Ia., and in connection with his two brothers built the Waples House, now the Julian. He then engaged in the real estate business at different places in Iowa, and lived in Washington Terri- tory two years. He came to Sioux Falls on the 26th day of August, 1878, but went immediately to Flandreau, where he engaged in the lumber trade until sixteen months later, when he was burned out. He then located at Sioux Falls, and resided there until his death. which occurred on the 7th day of January, 1890. In 1885. he built the Waples Block. He was generally known in Sioux Falls as Com-
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