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 78
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The city officers in 1897 were: Mayor, D. J. Kennedy; treas- urer, Ed. Keller; police justice, Ed. Eastman; city justice, Z. R. Biggs; aldermen, 1st ward, C. M. Butts, A. P. Hatland; 2d ward, E. E. Cross, Thomas Wangsness; 3d ward, A. Darrow. W. H. O'Learey; auditor, A. E. Patterson; chief of police and street commis- sioner, John Steinmetz; assessor, Charles O'Leary.
The city officers in 1898 were: Mayor, E. E. Cross; treasurer, Ed. Keller; police justice, C. E. McCall; city justice, Z. R. Biggs; aldermen, 1st ward, C. M. Butts, A. J. Froelich; 2d ward, Thomas Wangsness, F. W. Royce; 3d ward, W. H. O'Leary, James Whealey; auditor, A. E. Patterson; chief of police and street commissioner, Embrik Olson; assessor, Charles O'Leary.
The city officers in 1899 were: Mayor, E. E. Cross; police jus- tice, C. E. McCall; city justice, H. W. Ward; aldermen, 1st ward, C. M. Butts, A. J. Froelich; 2d ward, Anfin J. Berdahl, F. W. Royce; 3d ward, James Whealey, W. H. O'Leary; auditor, A. E. Patterson; chief of police, John Steinmetz; assessor, Charles O'Leary, (died in office July 30, 1899. )
FIRST CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH. This church was organized at Garretson, August 5, 1888, with a membership of eighteen. In 1895, aided by the Church Building Association of New York, a very appropriate and commodious church building was erected at a cost of $2,400, in which services are held every Sunday. The following
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HISTORY OF MINNEHAHA COUNTY.
ministers have had charge of the church: The Reverends A. L. Hope, Decer, I. P. Duas, M. A. Ball and H. G. Adams. In connec- tion with the church is a Sunday school which in 1895 numbered forty-eight, and also a Ladies' Aid society.
THE FIRST METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH .-- This church was organized April 3, 1892, with a membership of six. A few months later a building was purchased and fitted up for the use of the con- gregation, at a cost of about $500. It is located on Main avenue and First street, and was dedicated on November 6, 1892, by Presiding Elder, W. H. Jordan. Rev. W. F. Hart was the first pastor, and he was succeeded by the Reverends, E. Honeywell, N. Fawell, H. P. Eberhart, H. B. Clearwater and S. S. Hookland. Services are held every Sunday. There is a prosperous Sunday school connected with the church, also a Ladies' Aid society.
St. ROSE CATHOLIC CHURCH .- This church was organized in the spring of 1892, by the Rev. Mr. Hardy. Miss Rose Ganyon donated the site for a church and at a cost of $1,300, which was paid by sub- scription, and with donated labor, a church building was erected which is centrally located. Prior to the completion of the church building services were held at the residence of J. F. Sophy. Ser- vices are now held every second Sunday by the Rev. M. J. Martyn, and the average attendanceis eighty. Thereisa large Sunday school in connection with the church. The following priests have officiated at Garretson since the organization of the church: Reverends Rick- land, Jerome, Brown, Link, Hendrick, Hogan, Mensing, O'Hora, Grabig, Sheehan, Feinler, and the present pastor, the Rev. M. J. Martyn.
THE GARRETSON PROGRESS .- This newspaper was established at the city of Garretson, and its first issue given to the public on the 12th day of November, 1889. It was a weekly newspaper, Republican in politics, and edited and published by Frank Eastwood, who re- mained in charge about three years. For a few months in 1892, while the political campaign was in progress, a Mr. Hunt was in charge of this paper, and if there are any persons who were at that time candidates for office in Minnehaha county who did not get ac- quainted with him and loan him a few dollars, they must have been unusually hard pressed financially, or had little confidence in their election. The writer is on the list, but felt comfortable upon com- pairing notes with other candidates and finding what amount they had contributed to this newspaper enterprise. After the campaign was over he sought a new field. Dean P. Buell succeeded Mr. Hunt, and the first issue of the paper under his management was on the 23d day of December, 1892. He remained in charge until February 17, 1893, when J. B. Morrison of Sioux Falls became the owner of the plant, and continued its publication until July, 1894, when it again came into the hands of Frank Eastwood. He changed the name of the paper to that of the Minnehaha County Herald, and shortly after sold out to Messrs. Edmison and Jameson of Sioux Falls, who issued their first paper on the 24th day of August, 1894. They pub- lished it until March, 1896, when they sold out to Henry A. Beards-
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HISTORY OF MINNEHAHA COUNTY.
lev, who changed the name back to that of The Garretson Pro- gress. December 1, 1897, the Ward Brothers of Dell Rapids bought the paper and H. W. Ward took editorial charge of the same and has since been its editor and publisher. During its entire career it has been chiefly devoted to local matters, and at times has been a good newspaper. The present editor is energetically endeavoring to make it a good county paper, and it is pleasing to the writer to be able to say, that he is succeeding in doing so, and that the lively little city of Garretson has a newspaper worthy of the patronage of her citi- zens.
SOUTH DAKOTA WEEKLY VINDICATOR .- This newspaper has been published at Garretson since September 1, 1898, by Geo. W. Bagley, who is making quite a success of the enterprise and has a good list of subscribers. It is "a newspaper for the people, devoted to the advancement of the social and industrial interests of the state."
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
BAGLEY, GEORGE W., was born in Brooklyn, Susquehanna county, Pennsylvania, April 12, 1847, but the following year moved with his parents to Illinois, and two years later to Floyd county, Iowa, and has lived in the West ever since. He learned the printer's trade, and for nearly forty years has been engaged in the printing business, most of the time as job printer. For five years he con- ducted a job printing office in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and also pub- lished The East Side Record and a French paper at that place. In the spring of 1882, he came to Dakota, and started The Wentworth Bond at Wentworth, Lake county, and afterwards published the Da- kota Letter at the same place, and later, The Lake County Inde- pendent, at Madison, South Dakota. September 1, 1898, he com- menced the publication of the South Dakota Weekly Vindicator, at Garretson, in which he still continues. Mr. Bagley is a good printer and an able writer, is a genial, good fellow, and a good citizen.
BENTSON, BENT R., is a native of Norway, and was born Octo- ber 27, 1848. He was reared on a farm and educated in the common schools. In 1866, he emigrated to the United States with his par- ents, and after having remained three months in Wisconsin went to Decorah, Iowa, where he learned the brick mason's trade, and worked at this and as a contractor for seven years. In 1873 he came to Minnehaha county, where he engaged in farming for about five years, and then worked at his trade as contractor and brick laver, living in Dell Rapids several years, where he was elected and served as alderman. Since September, 1894, he has resided in Garretson engaged in the mercantile business, under the firm name of Bentson & Hatland. He has been industrious and prosperous in his busi- ness, is a good citizen, and well liked by a large circle of acquaint- ances.
BIGGS, ZANE R., was born in Crawford county, Illinois, March 29, 1851. He attended school and worked on a farm until seventeen years of age, and then went to Burlington. Iowa, where he taught
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HISTORY OF MINNEHAHA COUNTY.
school for seven years, after which time he attended Illinois State Normal school for one year. On the first day of June, 1877, he ar- rived in Vermillion, Dakota, and immediately came to Sioux Falls. Very soon thereafter he took up a homestead in Minnesota, a short distance from Valley Springs. He hired out the first year as a com- mon laborer; the second year he broke up his land, and the third year he put in 156 acres of wheat, of which the grasshoppers har- vested 80 acres, and the balance did not mature, so that he did not get one bushel of wheat. On the first day of January, 1882, he went into the office of Parliman & Frizzell at Sioux Falls, and commenced reading law, where he remained a few months, and then went into the office of C. H. Wynn for two years. In April, 1883, he was ad- mitted to the bar, and in 1884 removed to Valley Springs and prac- ticed law for five years. He then went to Luverne, Minnesota, for one year, and in 1890 removed to Garretson, where he has since re- sided. At Garretson he has practiced law to some extent, but thinks he is almost too honest to make a livelihood in his profession, and has during the last few years engaged in such business as offered a fair remuneration. He was elected justice of the peace in Valley Springs, and has been city justice of Garretson and clerk of the school board. He is an honest, industrious citizen.
EASTMAN, EDWIN, is a native of Lafayette county, Wisconsin, and was born November 19, 1847. He attended the district school when a boy, and worked on a farm until he was twenty-one years of age, and then settled down to farming in Minnesota until 1875. On the 25th day of May, 1875, he came to Minnehaha county, and took up a homestead comprising part of section 31 in Palisade and part of section 6 in Red Rock. In 1881 he went to Sioux Falls and kept the St. James hotel for six months. In February, 1882, he went to Valley Springs and opened a drug store, and continued in this busi- ness for three years; then moved on to a farm in Red Rock township, and engaged in farming until 1890, when he went to Garretson, where he has since resided. He was elected justice of the peace in 1890, and police justice of Garretson in 1894 and re-elected in 1896. He is always around when there is any stir in local politics and ex- ercises his full right of citizenship.
JOHNSON, NELS, is a native of Sweden, and was born June 26, 1834. He emigrated to the United States and arrived in Missouri June 22, 1870. He lived in that state until 1876, when he removed to Dakota and located in this county. He then filed a homestead upon the northeast quarter of section 14, in Edison, but disposed of it and now lives in Garretson engaged in business. He has been school director.
MCCALL, CHARLES E., was born in Norfolk county, Province of Ontario, Canada, June 5, 1841; attended the public schools until he was twelve years old, then Coburg college two years; was bookkeeper in a lumber yard several years; resided two years in Clinton, Iowa, and one year in Wisconsin; returned to Canada for a few years; in 1867 went to Augusta, Wis., where he kept a hotel until 1869; then removed to Rock county Minnesota, and engaged in farming, during
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HISTORY OF MINNEHAHA COUNTY.
which time he frequently came to Sioux Falls and hauled wheat to Sibley, Iowa, by ox-teams for C. K. Howard; in 1875 removed to Pipestone, Minn., and remained there engaged in farming until 1896, when he located at Garretson, where he has since kept the Hotel Garretson; he is also police justice of the city of Garretson. Mr. McCall comes of a remarkable family. His great grandfather died at the age of one hundred and eleven and his grandfather at the age of one hundred and six years and four months. But longevity is not the only remarkable characteristic of his family. At a fair in Can- ada forty-five McCalls between eighteen and twenty-two years of age got together, and were weighed; one weighed one hundred and ninety, one one hundred and ninety-two, the subject of this sketch one hundred and ninety-five, and the others over two hundred pounds each. His great grandfather was a Scotch Highlander, and was six feet and seven and one-fourth inches in height.
MURPHY, CHARLES COLUMBUS, was born in Portage, Wis., De- cember 20, 1852. He received his early education in the public schools, and then went to Madison, Wis., where he attended school two terms. He then taught school several terms. His first busi- ness was that of buying and selling produce for the pineries. He attended the law school at Madison, Wis., two terms, and the law school at Quincy, Ill., one term. In 1885 he went to LeSueur county, Minn., and remained there in the practice of law until 1886, when he removed to Adrian in the same state, where he continued in the prac- tice of his profession until 1890. He then lived in Clara City, Minn., but very soon removed to Garretson, S. D., where he resided until 1898, when he went to Sioux Falls, lived there a short time, and then removed to Wisconsin. He was city attorney of Garretson two terms.
OLSON, EMBRICK, was born in Wisconsin, November 13, 1857. He attended common school and worked on a farm during his boy- hood. In 1878 he came to this county and located in Palisade town- ship, where he pre-empted the north half of the southwest quarter of section 21. He lived on this land for four years and then removed to Highland township where he was a member of the town board of supervisors for one year. In 1890 he took up his residence in Gar- retson, where he has since remained.
PRILL, FRED W., is a native of Germany, and was born April 6, 1864. He came with his parents to Princeton, Wisconsin, in 1871; worked on a farm and attended school until he was of age, and then clerked in a store six years. In 1889 went to Pipestone, Minnesota, and engaged in the mercantile business for one vear; then removed to Garretson and opened a general store, where he has since re- mained. When the fire department was organized at Garretson in 1894, he was elected chief, and re-elected in 1895. He is a conserva- tive and thrifty business man and an active citizen.
PATTERSON, ARTHUR E., was born in Pembroke, Renfrew county, Ontario, Canada, July 21, 1853; emigrated to Minnesota and lived there from 1877 until 1889, when he located at Garretson, where he has since resided, engaged in the farm implement business. He
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HISTORY OF MINNEHAHA COUNTY.
has been clerk of the school board since 1893, and city auditor since 1896. He is a good official, a genial good fellow, and a good citizen.
SOPHY, JOHN F., was born at Ogdensburg, New York, Decem- ber 13, 1845. When nine years of age he removed with his parents to Clinton, Iowa. He attended the public schools and assisted in farming during his minority, and then for the next few years was en- gaged in raising, buying and selling stock, and farming. In 1871, he removed to LeMars, Iowa, where he remained until 1889, when he came to Garretson, where he has since been actively engaged in the lumber, fuel, grain and live stock business. He has been a very active citizen, and the acknowledged leader of the residents who de- sired to make Garretson all that the advantages of location entitled it to become. When Garretson was incorporated as a city in 1891, he was elected its first mayor, and held that position until the annual election in 1894. His business qualifications, enterprise and energy united with a genial temperament, make him one of the most useful and respected citizens of the lively little city for whose advance and prosperity he has done so much.
SOPHY, PETER, was born in Greenville county, Ontario, Canada, June 1, 1851; emigrated to the United States with his parents in 1855, and lived in Iowa and Minnesota until 1880, when he came to Dakota. In 1890 he located at Garretson, where he has since been in business. He is a quiet, conservative man, a good citizen, and well liked.
WANGSNESS, MARCUS H., was born in Norway September 8, 1846. In 1854 he emigrated to the United States with his parents, who set- tled in Wisconsin and engaged in farming. The subject of this sketch followed the same occupation in Iowa until 1877, when he re- moved to Moody county, Dakota, and took up a homestead and a tim- ber claim where he remained seven years. He then returned to Iowa and engaged with a brother in general merchandising at Normand until 1888, when he came to this county and opened a general store in Palisade. In 1890 he removed his stock of goods to Garretson, where he has remained in trade ever since. In July, 1894, he be- came vice president of the Garretson State bank. Mr. Wangsness is one of the most enterprising business men in Garretson and keeps a large stock of goods. He has held the offices of school and city treas- urer of Garretson, and is a good neighbor and respected citizen.
WARD, HENRY WALTER, was born April 7, 1871, at Darlington, Wisconsin, and received his education in the high school at that place and at Marcus, Iowa. In 1885 he commenced to learn the printer's trade, and has been engaged in the printing business during the last fourteen years in Iowa, Nebraska and South Dakota. In 1889 he be- came one of the proprietors of The Clipper at Crawford, Nebraska, and remained as such for two years, when he sold out and bought an interest in the Gazette at Sibley, Iowa, acting as editor and business manager of the same until he sold out and in connection with his brother, David E. Ward, purchased the Dell Rapids Times August 1, 1892. In December, 1897, he located at Garretson, and since then has had editorial charge of the Garretson Progress. He is an en- terprising newspaper man, and a good, reliable citizen.
H. W. WARD.
EDISON TOWNSHIP.
(103-48)
The west line of Edison township was surveyed by Wm. J. Neeley in July, 1859, and the north, south, and west lines by M. K. Armstrong in October, 1864, at which time the subdivisions of the township also were made, and it contains, according to the govern- ment survey, 22,995.56 acres of land. The soil is good and there is scarcely any waste land. At the time of this survey there were quite a number of small streams of sufficient size to find a place upon the map. It was first settled in 1872, Lasse Bothun, the Berdahls. Ole Nesheim, Edson Millard, Anton Hegge, John Sundback, and some others, took up land that year and settled down to farming. In 1873, about twenty families settled in this township, and nearly all of the early settlers, or their descendents, are now living there. Bessie Bothun was the first child born in Edison, and the first marriage was that of Miss Christina Berdahl to E. E. Ellefson.
The first school in the township was held in the winter of 1872-3, in A. J. Berdahl's claim shanty near the northwest corner of the southwest quarter of section thirty. There were upwards of twenty scholars in attendance, and Erick J. Berdahl was the teacher. He taught two months, and received about eight dollars per month. In connection with the school a debating society was established, and John Sundback and C. A. Soderberg, who lived about five miles away, were usually in attendance taking part in the debates.
Garretson, Corson and Baltic are the nearest shipping points. It is strictly a farming community, having no hotels or stores within its borders, but it has six school houses, and two large churches.
NORWAY LUTHERAN CHURCH. - This church was organized in 1873, with about thirty members. The first pastor was the Rev. H. Z. Hvid, and he was succeeded by the Reverends A. N. Kleven, H. O. Opsal, E. H. Midtbo and C. C. Moe. There is a Sunday school connected with the church, also a Woman's society and a Young Ladies' society. In 1886, the present church was erected on the southwest corner of section 10, at a cost of about $3,000, which has been paid by the members of the congregation, except about $150 do- nated by the business men of Sioux Falls and Dell Rapids. This church can be seen for miles in almost any direction, as its site is upon quite an elevation, and, although it is somewhat extravagant language, the writer has frequently heard it remarked that this church could be seen from almost any point in Minnehaha county. About thirty families worship at this place.
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HISTORY OF MINNEHAHA COUNTY.
ST. PAULUS EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN CHURCH, was organ- ized December 17, 1873, with a membership of twenty-eight. The first pastor was the Rev. O. O. Sando, who remained in charge until 1885. In 1886, a church building was erected on the southwest cor- ner of section 8, two miles west of the Norway Lutheran church, at a cost of about $1,800, which was paid by subscription among the members of the congregation. The Rev. H. Aanestad then became its pastor and still remains in charge. The congregation numbers
ST. PAULUS EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN CHURCH.
about two hundred persons, and is in a prosperous condition, with a Woman's society connected with it to aid in the work. The church building is not only pleasantly located, but is pleasant in all its ap- pointments.
AN ANCIENT BIBLE AND A FAMILY RECORD.
Ole J. Nesheim of Edison has in his possession a Bible, the New Testament of which was printed in Copenhagen in 1632, and the Old Testament at the same place in 1633. It is of immense size, and was among the South Dakota exhibits at the World's Columbian Exposi- tion at Chicago in 1893, and while on its way there we obtained possession of it for one day. It contains a Family Record commenc- ing in 1635, and is written in German letters in the Danish language until 1815, from which time it is continued in the Norwegian lan- guage. It is of such a unique character that we thought it worthy of insertion in this work. Literally translated it reads as follows:
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HISTORY OF MINNEHAHA COUNTY.
1635. January 2, I was born in the name of God, here in Bergen, of honest and married parents. My father's name was Jacob Anderson Dischingthun, who was born on the Orkney Islands in Holland. My mother's name was Lutzia Jansdotter, born here in Bergen. The wit- nesses present at my baptism were Abraham Kinckedt, Hendrich Korke, Claus Jacobsen, Trine Williams and Anne JobsDotter, and I was named Anders.
1635. November 17, was my beloved wife, in the name of the Iloly Trinity, born here in Bergen of honest and married parents. Her father's name was Anders Jansen, born in Chris- tiania, her mother's name was Margrette Jorgensdotter, born here in Bergen. She was baptised and named Karen. A. J. D.
1664. January 1, I was, in the name of the Holy Trinity, married to my beloved wife Karen Andersdotter. May God help us to so live together here in this world, that when this life is at an end, we may be worthy children of God in the life everlasting. A. J. D.
1665. February 21, in the presence of the Burgomaster and the Aldermen, I took the burgher's oath, as a citizen of Bergen. May God help me to so use my citizenship in this world, that I may, when this here comes to an end, be worthy of a citizenship among the selected inhab- itants of heaven. Amen.
J. J. DISCHINGTHUN.
1699. November 22, in the evening at 6 o'clock, my father, Job Jacobsen Dischingthun, ex- changed his mortal life for that of immortality, after having lived in this world for 64 years, 5 months and 20 days. He was buried in the city church, on the floor, under the minister's pulpit. The funeral sermon was preached by Magister, Jens Moneken. May God give him, and all of us when we shall follow him, a glad resurrection. JORGEN DISCHINGTIIUN.
1713. November 2, which was on a Thursday, at 12 o'clock, my mother, Karen Anders- dotter, left this world in the love of God, after having lived for 78 years, minus 5 days. She was buried at the same place as my late father, etc. J. D.
1664. March 12, which was St. Gregory's day, at 10 o'clock A. M., my first son was born in the name of the Holy Trinity, and on account of his feebleness, was baptised at our house, (all the following children were baptised in the church) by the honorable and well learned man, Mr. Otte Hansen; the witnesses present were Peder Matzen, Jorgen Dass, Mr. Jacob Hansen, my mother and Marie Andersdotter, and he was named Jacob.
1669. July 14, which was on Wednesday in the evening about 11 o'clock, my first son Jacob, in the love of God, went into eternal sleep, his age being 5 years, 4 months and 2 days. He was buried in the city church in my father-in-law's burial place. May God give him and all of us a glad resurrection on the Judgment Day. J. J. D.
1666. August 8, was born a daughter named Anna, at 3 o'clock A. M.
1669. January 14, at 10:30 o'clock Sunday morning, born a son named Anders, who died in Amsterdam, August 30, 1684, age 15 y., 7 m., 14 d.
1670. August 11, Thursday at 10 o'clock A. M., born a son Jacob, who died April 4, 1694, age 23 y ., 7 m., 3 w. and 3 d.
1671. November S, at half past six Wednesday morning, born, a son named Jorgen, who died October 31, 1752, aged 8t year, minus 8 days.
Same day at 9 o'clock was born a daughter named Lutzia.
1674. March 14, Saturday at 8 o'clock r. M., born Margretta, who died February 7, 1750.
1676. January 1, Saturday at 7 o'clock P. M., born, a son named Job, who died September 25, 1680.
1679. October 11, Saturday at 12 o'clock at night, born, a son named Jonnas, who died April 3, 1681.
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