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 73
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TABOR, HOLMES, was born in Greenwich, Washington county, New York, March 7, 1837. At the age of eleven years he removed to Livingston county, New York, where he received a good education. From there removed to Detroit, Michigan, where he taught school ten years, and was school inspector the same length of time. Was in the postal service for ten years, and held the office of justice of the peace four years where he resided, and also the office of super- visor. He resided for about three years in Kansas and Nevada. In 1885 came to this county, and settled in Mapleton, where he engaged in farming in sections 30 and 31. While a resident of Mapleton he was one of the supervisors of the town board for two years. A few years ago he removed to the city of Sioux Falls and more recently to Kansas City where he now resides. He is a well informed man, and always took an active part in public matters, and he would feel that his record was not complete if it failed to state that he was always a zealous Republican.
BENTON TOWNSHIP.
(102-50)
The township of Benton is one of the finest townships in the county. It is conveniently located for business purposes, has a rich, productive soil, with very little waste land and is dotted over with not only comfortable farm residences, but several of them indicate that the owners have succeeded in a short time in securing for them- selves and families more than a mere competence. The northeast- ern portion of the township is settled principally by people of Nor- wegian descent, and they have some very fine farms. The north- western portion of the township has several families of Swedish descent, and here too industry and thrift have changed the raw prai- rie into profitable farms. Owing to its proximity to Sioux Falls it was settled quite early. Lars Olson Ulvilden took up a homestead in 1870, in section 12, and from this time the land was rapidly taken up by actual settlers. The township lines were surveyed by Wm. J. Neeley in July, 1859, and the subdivision of the township was made by Carl C. P. Meyer in September, 1864, and contains 22,976.46 acres of land. At the time of its subdivision there were several small streams of water running through the township, which for the past few years have been dry the greater portion of the time. Skunk creek flows through the southwestern portion, and the Willow creek through the centre of the township, branching out east and west, affording channels for the escape of surplus water during heavy rains, and also marking the places where in former years running water was the rule and not the exception.
BETHEL METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH .- This church was or- ganized in Benton on the 14th day of August, 1873, with thirteen charter members. From that time services were held with more or less regularity until a very neat and commodious church building was erected in 1887, on the southeast corner of section 28, at a cost of $1,200, which was dedicated on Sunday, September 4, of that year. A good many ministers have acted as pastors of this church since its organization. The first one was the Rev. Fielder, but during the past few years the Reverends Redfield, Jenkins, Brown and Fawell have had charge. In connection with the church there is a prosper- ous Sunday school numbering about forty scholars, and also an Ep- worth League with a membership of twenty-three.
838
HISTORY OF MINNEHAHA COUNTY.
SWEDISH EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN CHURCH.
SWEDISH EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN CHURCH .- This church was organized May 4, 1878, with a membership of twenty-six. A church building was erected in 1885, on the southeast quarter of section 5 in Benton, at a cost of $2,000, which was paid for by the members of the church. It is commodious and well furnished, and in August, 1894, a new bell was placed in the church tower. The first pastor of the church was the Rev. J. H. Randahl, who was succeeded by the Rev. G. A. Ekeberg, and he in turn was succeeded by the Rev. J. Franzen. Services are held every other Sunday. There is a pros- perous Sunday school in connection with the church, with about thirty scholars, also a Ladies' Aid society.
GOOD TEMPLARS .- The Bethel Lodge No. 303 of the I. O. G. T., was organized in Benton during the spring of 1893, with about four- teen charter members. The present membership (1895) is thirty- two, and the Lodge is in a prosperous condition, with a very large attendance at its meetings, which are held every Monday evening at the Bethel church.
NEW HOPE CREAMERY .- In the spring of 1895, a creamery was built on the southwest quarter of section two, in Benton township. Frank H. Floyd was the moving spirit in the enterprise. It com- menced doing business the 1st day of June, 1895, but on the 22d day of August, following, it was destroyed by fire. The next year Mr. Floyd and the farmers living in the vicinity rebuilt it, although it did not commence doing business until January, 1897. During the summer following, Mr. Floyd suddenly took his departure from the state, and it became necessary to reorganize the company. On the 24th day of September, 1897, articles were filed by D. O. Crooks, T. E. Sater and F. M. Peterson, for the incorporation of the
839
HISTORY OF MINNEHAHA COUNTY.
NEW HOPE CO-OPERATIVE CREAMERY COMPANY, with a capital stock of $5,000. It is well equipped for the business, and is receiv- ing on an average 18,000 pounds of milk a week. This creamery en- joys the distinction of being awarded a premium at the National Creamery Buttermakers meeting held in Sioux Falls in January, 1899. The butter manufactured at this creamery is shipped to New York, where it brings a gilt-edged price. George Crooks, a son of W. A. Crooks, has had charge of the creamery during the past year.
BENTON TOWNSHIP BOARD.
The first meeting of the board was held at the house of Sever Wilkinson, January 3, 1881. The first town officers were: Super- visors, Wm. Alguire chairman, N. B. Nelson, H. H. Moore; clerk, Sever Wilkinson; assessor, Knut Iverson. At this meeting the town was divided into four road districts. June 13, the board authorized Wm. Alguire to purchase two road scrapers. At the July meeting $106 was appropriated by the board for building bridges across Skunk and Spring creeks.
1882. Supervisors, H. H. Moore chairman, N. B. Nelson, J. C. Eldridge; clerk, S. Helgeson; treasurer, Wm. Alguire. May 8, the board apportioned $150 received from the county bridge fund, for building and repairing bridges.
1883. Supervisors, J. C. Eldridge chairman, J. P. Johnson, E. H. Darrow; clerk, S. Helgeson; treasurer, Knut Iverson; assessor, Wm. Alguire; justice, W. A. Crooks.
1884. Supervisors, J. C. Eldridge chairman, J. P. Johnson, F. C. Frebel; clerk, S. Helgeson; treasurer, Knut Iverson.
1885. Supervisors, J. C. Eldridge chairman, J. P. Johnson, F. C. Frebel; clerk, S. Helgeson; assessor, Wm. Alguire; treasurer, Thomas Stapleton, who reported at the end of the fiscal yearin Feb- ruary, 1886, that he had collected during the year $789.59, and paid out $276.96.
1886. Supervisors, F. C. Frebel chairman, J. C. Eldridge, C. Christianson; clerk, Sever Wilkinson; treasurer, Thomas.Stapleton: assessor, W. A. Crooks.
1887. Supervisors, J. C. Eldridge chairman, J. P. Johnson, C. Christianson; clerk, S. Wilkinson; treasurer, K. Iverson; assessor, W. A. Crooks; justices, K. Iverson, F. D. Wilson; constables, W. Crippin, August Johnson. The board met March 19, and appointed Thomas Stapleton treasurer, Alexander Mitchell justice and E H. Darrow constable, to fill vacancies occasioned by the persons elected to these offices having failed to qualify. April 30, the board entered into an agreement with the town board of Mapleton "that Mapleton should care for the south 212 miles of highway between the two townships, and Benton for the north 31/2 miles for ever." Anagreement was also entered into with the town board of Hartford for the divi- sion of the highway between the townships.
1888. Supervisors, J. C. Eldridge chairman, J. P. Johnson, F. C. Frebel; clerk, Sever Wilkinson; treasurer, Thomas Stapleton; assessor, W. A. Crooks. January 28, 1889, fourteen freeholders presented a petition to the board to have the township resurveyed,
840
HISTORY OF MINNEHAHA COUNTY.
and the board ordered that the matter be referred to a vote of the electors at the annual town meeting in March following.
1889. Supervisors, F. C. Frebel chairman, J. P. Johnson, L. A. Newkirk; clerk, Henry Alguire; treasurer, Thomas Stapleton; asses- sor, F. D. Wilson; justices, Wm. Alguire, G. Rathburn; constables, Daniel Foster, E. H. Darrow. The vote on the resurvey question was 44 for and 11 against. July 31, F. C. Frebel reported that he had engaged "a surveyor and assistants to establish section lines and locate and establish highways." August 23, at a town meeting it was declared by a vote of 18 to 5, "that all corners be established in the resurvey." September 2, the bill of E. H. Van Antwerp for surveying the township amounting to $407, was allowed. At a special town meeting held September 16, a resolution was passed instruct- ing the road overseers "to take possession of the newly established highways by ploughing a furrow two rods from the centre on each side of such line." At a special meeting held October 1, the ques- tion of establishing all the corners in the resurvey was again sub- mitted to the vote of the electors, and resulted in 65 for and none against. For this work Mr. Van Antwerp subsequently presented a bill to the town board for $145, which was allowed October 21, at $135.
1890. Supervisors, F. C. Frebel chairman, J. P. Johnson, L. A. Newkirk; clerk, Henry Alguire; treasurer, Thomas Stapleton; assessor, F. D. Wilson. A resolution was passed fixing the compen- sation of officers as follows: Supervisors and clerk $2 per day, asses- sor $3 per day, and the treasurer four per cent of all money paid into the treasury. February 24, 1891, the treasurer reported having received $543.43, which had been paid out, and that there were out- standing town orders in the sum of $267.29, but that the unpaid taxes when collected would be sufficient to pay this indebtedness.
1891. Supervisors, Sever Helgeson chairman, L. A. Newkirk, August A. Johnson; clerk, Henry Alguire; treasurer, Thomas Stap- leton; assessor, W. A. Crooks; justices, F. C. Frebel, Sever Wilkin- son; constables, D. O. Crooks, John Kickland. At a special meeting of the board July 27, it was decided that all noxious weeds should be destroyed within the township on or before August 20, as provided by the statute. At the end of the fiscal year the treasurer reported that he had on hand $467.76.
1892. Supervisors, L. A. Newkirk chairman, J. P. Johnson, D. O. Crooks; clerk, Henry Alguire; treasurer, Thomas Stapleton; assessor, S. Wilkinson; justices, Wm. Jackson and C. Christianson; constables, John Person and John Kickland.
1893. Supervisors, L. A. Newkirk chairman, J. P. Johnson, D. O. Crooks; clerk, Henry Alguire; treasurer, Thomas Stapleton; assessor, W. A. Crooks; justice, S. Wilkinson. A resolution was passed requiring "that the noxious weed law be enforced."
1894. Supervisors, L. A. Newkirk chairman, J. P. Johnson, D. O. Crooks; clerk, Henry Alguire; treasurer, Thomas Stapleton; assessor, H. Tidemann.
841
HISTORY OF MINNEHAHA COUNTY
1895. Supervisors, L. A. Newkirk chairman, J. P. Johnson, D. O. Crooks; clerk, Henry Alguire; treasurer, Thomas Stapleton; assessor, Sever Wilkinson.
1896. Same officers as in 1895.
1897. Supervisors, Sever Wilkinson chairman, D. O. Crooks, Carl Johnson; clerk, Henry Alguire; treasurer, Thomas Stapleton; assessor, D. E. Alguire.
1898. Supervisors, Sever Wilkinson chairman, D. O. Crooks, Carl Johnson; clerk, Henry Alguire; treasurer, Thomas Stapleton; assessor, F. D. Wilson.
1899. Supervisors, J. P. Johnson chairman, Carl Johnson, Nels Pearson; clerk, Henry Alguire; treasurer, Thomas Stapleton; assessor, W. A. Crooks; justice, Theodore Kickland.
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
ALDRICH, LORENZE, was born in Oswego, New York, in 1828; lived there and in Michigan and Iowa until 1873, when he came to Da- kota and located in this county on his present farm, which comprises the northeast quarter of section 10 in Benton. He was postmaster of New Hope post office several years, but resigned in 1879. He is a good neighbor and a respected citizen.
ALGUIRE, HENRY, is a native of Grant county, Wisconsin, and was born February 20, 1868. In 1873 his parents removed to this county and settled in Benton, where the subject of this sketch has since resided upon the old homestead, which comprises the north- west quarter of section 35. He has held the office of town clerk sev- eral years, and is an enterprising and respected citizen.
ANDERSON NELS, a native of Sweden, was born December 1. 1848. He emigrated to the United States in 1871, lived in New Jersey and Pennsylvania five years and came to Dakota in the spring of 1876. He then filed a homestead upon 80 acres of section 6 and 80 acres of section 5, in Benton, where he resided until his death, which occurred October 27, 1894, survived by wife and nine children.
BAKER, ANDREW A., was born in Norway, June 19, 1831. He emigrated to the United States in the spring of 1865 and located in Wisconsin; removed from there to Iowa, and settled in Minnehaha county in the fall of 1874. He took up as a tree claim the northwest quarter of section 18, and as a homestead the northeast quarter of the same section, where he resides. He has a good farm well im- proved, is a thrifty industrious farmer, and a respected citizen.
BAKER, JOHN A., was born in Norway July 28, 1861, and emi- grated to this country with his father, Andrew A. Baker. He lived with his parents in Wisconsin and Iowa, and came with them to this county in the fall of 1874. He now owns the southeast quarter of section 7 in Benton, and has a good farm. He has been school clerk in district No. 93, and is a good citizen.
842
HISTORY OF MINNEHAHA COUNTY.
CHRISTIANSON, CHRIS, is a native of Denmark, and was born in 1844. He emigaated to the United States and located in Michigan. On the 12th day of August, 1871, he came to Dakota, and took up as a home- stead the southeast quarter of section 1 in Benton, and a pre-emption in section 6 in Mapleton, making in all about 327 acres of land, which is now under good cultivation. He resides with his family on the homestead, and, to use his own words, his improvements will show the following: "six boys and one girl, all born in Minnehaha county, a two-story dwelling house with basement, barn and other buildings necessary on a farm." He also said "the times were hard when we had to go to Nebraska for flour, Sioux City for groceries, and to Worthington with what wheat the grasshoppers left." He has held township offices, and is an enterprising and well-known citizen.
FARM RESIDENCE OF CHRIS CHRISTIANSON.
CLARKSON, CHARLES HENRY, was born in Iowa in 1871, and became a resident of this county in 1873. A few years ago he bought 40 acres of land in section 3 in Benton, where he now re- sides, engaged in farming.
CROOKS, D. O., a brother of W. A. Crooks, was born in Canada. November 30, 1855. The following year he came with his parents to the United States and settled in Wisconsin. They removed from there to Iowa, and in 1873 the subject of this sketch came to this county. He filed a pre-emption on the southwest quarter of section 2, in Benton township. He also owns the northwest quarter of sec- tion 10, and has a good farm. He has been treasurer of his school district for the last twelve years, and a member of the town board of supervisors since 1892. Recently he opened a general store at his
W. A. CROOKS.
845
HISTORY OF MINNEHAHA COUNTY.
place, and is doing a good business. He is a good neighbor and a re- spected citizen.
CROOKS, W. A., a native of Canada, was born October 22, 1849. He came to the United States with his parents in 1856, and settled in Wisconsin. During the civil war he enlisted in the army and served in Company K, 40th Wisconsin, and in Company A, 49th Wisconsin. After the war he located in Iowa, and came from there to this county in November, 1876. He took up a homestead and tree claim in section 3 in Benton, where he has since resided and has a good farm. He has been assessor of Benton township, and always takes an active part in town affairs; was postmaster of New Hope post office for several years; sergeant at arms of the house of repre- sentatives of the legislature of South Dakota in 1893, and a member of the same body in 1895. He is an enterprising citizen and highly respected.
DARROW, ERASTUS H., was born at La Porte, Indiana, July 3, 1845. He removed to Wisconsin, and in November, 1861, enlisted at Ripon, Wis., in Company H, 1st Wisconsin Cavalry. During the service one of his arms was fractured, and he received several slight wounds, and in January, 1863, was discharged for disability. In January, 1864, he re-enlisted in Company D, 3d Wisconsin Infantry, and remained until the close of the war. In June, 1872, he came to Dakota and located in this county upon his present homestead, the northeast quarter of section 23 in Benton township. Mrs. Darrow taught school in the barracks at Sioux Falls in the early days, and later in Benton and Sioux Falls townships. Mr. Darrow has held several town offices, and he and his good wife are now enjoying life on their well improved farm, highly respected by all who know them.
ELDRIDGE, J. C., is a native of Franklin county, New York, and was born October 28, 1844. He lived in Wisconsin for some time, and came to Dakota and located in this county May 26, 1872. He took up a homestead and tree claim in section 34 in Benton, and purchased the southwest quarter of section 32 in the same township. He has a comfortable home and a first-class farm, and is one of the most prom- inent and enterprising farmers in the county. He has always taken an active interest in the welfare of his town, and has held several im- portant town offices. He served as county commissioner of Minne- haha county three years, made a good official, and is highly esteemed as a neighbor and citizen.
FOSTER, JOHN R., is a native of Upper Canada, and was born on the 23d day of January, 1851. He came with his parents to Wiscon- sin in 1865, and lived there until in 1872, when they removed to Da- kota, arriving in Sioux Falls on the 3d day of October of that year. His father, Robert Foster, took up the northwest quarter of section 33, in Benton, and lived there until his death in October, 1886. The subject of this sketch took up a homestead in section 29, to which he has since added about 240 acres of land by purchase. Mr. Foster re- sides upon his father's old homestead. He is a good farmer, an obliging neighbor and a good citizen. Elsewhere appears an account of the loss of a brother and sister of Mr. Foster in the terrible bliz- zard in January, 1873,
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HISTORY OF MINNEHAHA COUNTY.
FREBEL, FREDERICK C., was born in Germany, October 27, 1836; emigrated to the United States in 1853, remained three months in New York, and then went to Galena, Ill., and worked in a wagon shop two years and from there went to Hazel Green Collegiate Insti- tute, taking a classical course, and was graduated; became a member of the faculty and taught German; in 1860, removed to Schullsburg, Wis., and went into business for himself manufacturing carriages; enlisted in Company C, 33d Wisconsin Infantry, and served until the close of the war; then resumed his business at Schullsburg, and continued in it until 1879. In 1874, he bought the southeast quarter of section 26 in Benton township in this county, and moved on to it July 12, 1879, and farmed it until 1893, when he built a residence in West Sioux Falls, where he now resides and is renting his farm. Mr. Frebel has held school offices, was a member of the town board of Benton for several years, and three years its chairman. He is a good neighbor and an esteemed citizen.
FREDRICKSON, L. P., was born at Veile, Denmark, June 8, 1838. When he first came to this country he lived in Illinois and Iowa, but removed to this county March 17, 1884. He was the owner of 80 acres of section 16, and 80 acres of section 17, in the town of Benton, where he resided until his death, which occurred very suddenly, July 25, 1895. He was a good farmer and a respected citizen.
HELGESON, SYVER, was born in Norway in 1844, and came to this country with his parents in 1849, and located in Wisconsin. In 1852 they removed to Iowa, where he worked on his father's farm until 1867, when he found employment as clerk in a store, which po- sition he held five years. In 1872 he came to Dakota and pre-empted 160 acres of land, and then returned to Iowa and worked for Niel- ander & Brockhouse six years as clerk and grain buyer in the winter, and in the summer represented the firm as agent of the Diamond Jo line of steamers. In 1878 he returned to Dakota and worked for C. K. Howard as clerk in his store. In 1880 he went onto his farm of
240 acres in sections 13 and 14 in Benton, where he engaged in farm- ing until the fall of 1892, when he rented his farm and removed to the city of Sioux Falls, where he has since resided. While a resi- dent of Benton he was township clerk, and chairman of the town board one year, and since residing in Sioux Falls was jailer and deputy sheriff under Sheriff Donahoe for nearly two years. He is a respected citizen.
HOLST, CHRISTIAN, is a native of Germany and was born May 23, 1863. He emigrated to the United States, arriving in New York May 1, 1880, and immediately started for Dakota, where he arrived May 4. He settled in Benton township, this county, and owns the northwest quarter of section 7, where he resides, and has a good farm.
JOHNSON, AUGUST, was born in Sweden, June 26, 1859. He came to this country with his parents in 1875, and settled in this county. He worked on his father's farm until 1880, at which time he proved up as a homestead the southwest quarter of section 9 in Benton, and resided there until his death, which occurred a few years ago. He
J. C. ELDRIDGE.
849
HISTORY OF MINNEHAHA COUNTY
was a good farmer, and held various school offices in school district No. 48 in Benton.
JOHNSON, AUGUST S., was born in Halland, Sweden, August 15, 1866. In 1870 he and his mother emigrated to the United States and joined his father, Samuel Johnson, who had located in Lafayette county, Wisconsin, two years previous. They resided there until the fall of 1874, when they removed to this county and located on the homestead which had been taken up during the spring of that year. The subject of this sketch now owns the south half of the southeast quarter of section 5, in Benton, where he resides and has a good home. He has been supervisor of the town board in Benton, and clerk four years of the Swedish Lutheran church, which is lo- cated on his farm. He is a good farmer and an upright citizen.
JOHNSON, BEN, was born in Sweden, January 4, 1844, attended school and worked on a farm during his minority, and then went to Denmark, where he worked on a railroad four years, after which he returned to Sweden for a short time. In 1870 he came to the United States, and worked on a farm in Wisconsin nearly three years. On the 20th day of April, 1873, he came to Sioux Falls, and very soon after took up a claim comprising the northwest quarter of section 11 in Benton, where he has since resided. He has added eighty acres to his homestead, has a good farm and is a good citizen.
JOHNSON, CARL, was born in Sweden on the 28th day of Sep- tember, 1848. He received his education, and worked as a miller in his native country until 1870, when he emigrated to the United States and located in Wisconsin. In 1873 he came to this county with his brother Ben, and took up the southwest quarter of section 11 in Benton, where he has since resided. He now owns 320 acres of farm land, and is a good farmer. He has been a member of the town board of supervisors since 1897, and is its present chairman. He is an enterprising and respected citizen.
JOHNSON, JOHN P., is a native of Sweden and was born July 5, 1854. He emigrated to the United States in 1871, lived in Wisconsin three years and settled in this county March 1, 1874. He took up as a tree claim 160 acres of section 5, and as a homestead the northwest quarter of section 6, in Benton, where he now lives and has a good farm. He has been town supervisor for several years, has held va- rious school offices, and is an active and good citizen.
JOHNSON, MAGNUS, is a native of Sweden, and was born August 28, 1848. He emigrated to the United States in 1871, and lived in Pennsylvania until 1876, when he removed to Dakota, arriving in this county May 6, of that year. He took up as a homestead the east half of the southeast quarter of section 6 in Hartford, and the west half of the southwest quarter of section 6 in Benton, and has since pur- chased 120 acres of farm land. He is a progressive farmer, and does not confine his farming to grain raising only, but keeps about twenty cows and has quite a dairy business. His buildings are ample and well adapted for mixed farming. He is a thoroughly good citizen.
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