History of South Dakota, Vol. I, Part 114

Author: Robinson, Doane, 1856-1946. cn
Publication date: 1904
Publisher: [Logansport? IN] : B. F. Bowen
Number of Pages: 998

USA > South Dakota > History of South Dakota, Vol. I > Part 114

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

777

HISTORY OF SOUTH DAKOTA.

and fraternally he is identified with the lodge of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows at Fort Randall and also with the Army and Navy Union. He takes much interest in local affairs and has served as a school officer in addition to the positions previously mentioned. He is held in high esteem as one of the sterling pioneers of the state and as one who deserves well of the nation in whose service he made so excellent a record.

In 1876 Mr. Rieder was united in marriage to Miss Susan Carroll, daughter of John Carroll, at that time a resident of Fort Randall, and of this union have been born six children, namely : Mary and Nellie (twins), Gustave C., Lizzie, Lucy and Susan.

SOREN MIKKELSON .- With the agricul- tural interests of Yankton county, South Dakota, this gentleman has been actively identified since his youth and he is today regarded as one of the most progressive and enterprising farmers of his locality. Like many of the leading citizens of this state, he was born in Denmark, his birth occur- ring on the 14th of February, 1865. His parents, Ole and Karen Mikkelson, were also natives of that country, whence they emigrated to America in 1875, first locating in Illinois, where the father worked for two years. In 1878 he brought his family to South Dakota and here made his home until two months before his death, when he re- turned to Denmark, dying there in July, 1902. His wife had departed this life the year previous.

Amid frontier scenes Soren Mikkelson grew to manhood, early acquiring an excellent knowl- edge of farm work in all its various departments. He is now the owner of one hundred and twenty acres of good land, eighty acres of which is un- der cultivation, and for the past seven years he has devoted his attention to dairy farming. He feeds all that his farm produces to his stock and raises from seventy to one hundred head of hogs per year.

In 1890 was celebrated the marriage of Mr. Mikkelson and Miss Kitty Stockland, who is a native of Haugesund, Norway, born in 1871, and

to them have been born six children : Ole, Jennie, Walter C., Alma, Roy and Herman. The family have a pleasant home erected in 1900, and the barn upon the farm was built in 1898. Mr. and Mrs. Mikkelson hold membership in the Lutheran church and he is a supporter of the Republican party and its principles. He takes a deep interest in educational affairs and at present is capably serving as chairman of the school board in his district. He is at present chairman of the school board, vice-president of the Lundquist Mercan- tile Company, which was established in 1893 and incorporated in 1903, and he is also a director of the Irene Creamery, and is supervisor of Turkey Valley township. To all enterprises which he believes calculated to prove of public benefit he gives an earnest support and he is accounted one of the most progressive and public-spirited citi- zens of his community.

Mrs. Mikkelson's father, C. C. Stockland, was for thirty years a prominent business man in Haugesund, Norway, and in 1887 brought his wife and six children to America. He died in 1895, while his widow passed away in 1902, their farm passing into the possession of their only son, C. Stockland.

ANDREW JOHNSON is one of the prom- inent and successful farmers, dairymen and stock growers of Douglas county, where he has a well improved and most productive farm, and his suc- cess is but the more pleasing to note in view of the circumstances that it has been gained entirely through his own efforts, which have been so dì- rected as to retain to him the unqualified esteem of all who know him. He was reared and edu- cated in his native land, Denmark, where he con- tinued to reside until 1873. when he emigrated to America, settling in Hartford, Connecticut, where he resided until 1877, when he came west to Iowa, where he became the owner of several farms, being there successfully engaged in agri- cultural pursuits until the year 1900, when he disposed of his interests in that state in order to cast in his lot with the new and progressive com- monwealth of South Dakota. He came to Doug-

778

HISTORY OF SOUTH DAKOTA.

las county and here purchased a half section of land, of which he has placed fully two hundred and twenty acres under most effective cultiva- tion, while such is the excellence of the perma- nent improvements that the fine homestead is one of the most valuable in this section of the state. Mr. Johnson carried on general farming, includ- ing dairy farming, breeding the shorthorn and Jersey types of cattle, of the latter of which he has a fine herd of one hundred cattle, utilizing the same for dairying purposes, while he also raises an excellent grade of hogs, and has shipped much of his own stock to market in the various seasons. In politics he gives his support to the Republican party, but has never sought political office of any sort. He and his wife are zealous members of the Presbyterian church.

In 1861 Mr. Johnson was united in marriage, in his native country, to Miss Hannah Sorenson, and they have one daughter, Meta C., who is the wife of Henry Singleman.

HARRY D. JAMES, the popular young lawyer of Wagner, belongs to a family whose culture and merit have given them unusual prominence in the state of their adoption. His father, Amos C. James, was born in New York, August 3, 1838. He was brought to Illinois at so early an age that he has hardly been able to regard himself otherwise than as a native of the Sucker state. He had hardly completed his fourth year when this western migration took place and all of his rearing as well as his school- ing was obtained in the commonwealth of Lin- coln, Douglas and Grant. Shortly after reach- ing manhood, the Civil war broke out and Mr. James enlisted in Company B, Ninth Regiment Illinois Volunteer Infantry, with which he served with a fidelity and gallantry that won him high commendation. In January, 1867, he was mar- ried to Miss Frances Hewitt, a lady whose in- telligence and worth entitle her to more than a passing notice. She is descended from the famous New York family of that name, who trace their pedigree back to the Revolutionary war period. Mrs. James had been a teacher be-

fore her marriage, and after the passage of the Illinois law allowing women to hold certain offices connected with the educational system, she was one of the fifteen women in the whole state elected to serve as a school trustee. She filled this office with such marked ability as to be urgently importuned by prominent citizens to accept political places of various kinds, but owing to her husband's objections she declined all such overtures. By his union with this talented lady Mr. James became the father of five children, of whom the four survivors are Harvey, Harry D., George C. and Clara. The latter mar- ried Walter Wagner, of Bon Homme county, South Dakota, to which section her father had removed some years ago. Since settling here Mr. James has served three years as commis- sioner of Bon Homme county.

Harry D. James, the second son and one of the brightest members of this talented family, was born in Ogle county, Illinois, October 14, 1869. He attended Yankton College after the removal of his father to this state and subse- quently took a course at the agricultural school in Brookings. After completing his college edu- cation, he studied law in the office of Cherry & Powers at Sioux Falls and in due time was ad- mitted to the bar of South Dakota. For one year he practiced his profession at Sioux Falls and then removed to Flandreau, where he re- mained until three years ago. During his resi- dence at Flandreau he was appointed state's at- torney of the county, was retained in the office at the subsequent election and in all served two terms in this important position. During his in- cumbency Mr. James attracted general notice by the vigor with which he pursued all law viola- tions, without distinction of persons and utterly free from fear or favor. Two of his cases are worthy of especial comment by reason of the prominence of the parties and the peculiarly ex- citing circumstances accompanying the prosecu- tion. One of these was the case of the state against Wilson, the charge being murder in cold blood of a farm hand, which caused wide- spread comment throughout that section. In spite of a vigorous defense by eminent legal

779

HISTORY OF SOUTH DAKOTA.

talent, Mr. James, after a protracted trial, se- cured a conviction and the defendant is now serving a life-sentence in the state penitentiary. Another "cause celebre" in which Mr. James played the star role, was the prosecution of a man accused of adultery, which attracted much interest on account of the prominence of the parties concerned. In this case also, notwith- standing the hardest fight that could be put up by money and hired talent, the plucky young prose- cutor succeeded in convicting his man. About a year ago Mr. James opened a law office at Wagner, and combines professional work with stock raising. His ideals of the law are derived from a study of the lives and examples of the great jurists of England and America, whose decisions have so enriched the love of the pro- fession and he aims to conduct all his business on the high lines of rectitude and morality. Mr. James believes most sincerely that an attorney, in his intercourse with the public, should be like Ceasar's wife-not only virtuous, but above sus- picion.

In 1895 Mr. James was united in marriage with Miss Emeline Seaman, of Flandreau, and they have an only daughter who has been chris- tened by the classic name of Lucile.

BENJAMIN F. REYNOLDS, one of the prosperous and progressive farmers and stock growers of Charles Mix county, is a native of the state of Michigan, having been born on a farm in Van Buren county, on the 19th of December, 1853, a son of Benjamin F. and Drusilla (Whit- taker) Reynolds, natives of the state of Ohio, while both are now deceased, the father having been one of the pioneers of Van Buren county, Michigan, where he gave his attention to agricul- tural pursuits. This worthy couple became the parents of eight children, all of whom are living except one, the names being here entered in the order of birth : George E., Ensign M., Napoleon (deceased), Newman, John, Benjamin F., Lily and Fidelia. The subject secured his educational training in the common schools of his native state and by personal application after becoming de-

pendent upon his own resources, since he missed no opportunity of attending school, even for brief intervals, and also continued his studies at night, thus effectually rounding out a good practical education. At the age of seventeen years he left Michigan and went to Minnesota, where he was for a time employed on a farm, while later he se- cured work in the pine forests of Wisconsin, aid- ing in getting out timber for the mills, while he also worked on the Mississippi river in Minne- sota. During the winter months he attended school, while he also attended night school in Pierce county, Wisconsin. In the autumn of 1879 Mr. Reynolds was united in marriage to Mrs. Martha (Ecker) Hill, of Minnesota, and of this union have been born no children. In 1876 Mr. Reynolds canie to what is now South Dakota and located in Charles Mix county, this section at the time being given over entirely to grazing pur- poses, none of the land being under cultivation. Here he secured employment in herding cattle and otherwise caring for live stock, while he brought down many deer and antelope with his trusty rifle, game of all kinds being then found in abundance. He continued to be thus employed for a period of five years. In 1879 he entered claim to a homestead of one hundred and sixty acres near Wheeler, the present county seat of Charles Mix county, and to his landed estate he has since added until he is now the owner of five hundred acres, three hundred and forty acres of which he purchased at an average price of eight dollars an acre, while the same land will easily command thirty dollars an acre if placed 011 the market at the present time.

In 1888 Mr. Reynolds established a ferry across the Missouri river at what was known at Wheeler Crossing. He began operations with an old flat boat, which he constructed by hand, while later he built a new boat, which he operated by tread power, while finally the demands placed upon the ferry led him to install a gasoline en- gine for its operation. He conducted the ferry for fourteen years, the venture proving a profit- able one in a financial way. He sold his interest in the ferry in 1902 to S. M. Lindley, who in turn sold to H. M. Carroll, who still continues its op-

780

HISTORY OF SOUTH DAKOTA.

eration. Mr. Reynolds not only has much of his land under cultivation, but also raises cattle and swine upon an extensive scale. He has made ex- cellent improvements on his place, which has good, substantial buildings, while thrift and pros- perity are everywhere in evidence, indicating the energy and enterprise which he has brought to bear in his operations. In politics he gives a stanch allegiance to the Republican party, frater- nally is identified with the Ancient Order of United Workmen. Though not affiliated with any religious society, the subject's strongest sym- pathies are with the Methodist Episcopal church, as that is the faith in which he was reared.

MIKE CWACH is one of the most extensive landowners of Yankton county, his possessions aggregating eleven hundred and sixty acres. He is a self-made man and his life record should serve as a source of encouragement and inspir- ation to others, showing what may be ac- complished through strong purpose and unfalter- ing diligence. He was born in Bohemia in 1851 and educated in the schools of that coun- try. When a youth of seventeen years he came to the United States; locating in Missouri, where he remained for three years. In 1872 he arrived in Yankton county, where he entered land from the government and started upon what has been a very successful career as an agriculturist and stock raiser.

In 1878 Mr. Cwach married Miss Josie Beachan, a daughter of Joseph Beachan, one of the pioneer settlers of South Dakota. Her father was born in Bohemia in 1827 and came to this state in 1869, being at the head of a Bohemian colony which settled in Yankton county and whose descendants are now among the most pros- perous and thrifty citizens of this portion of the state. Mr. Beachan entered one hundred and sixty acres of land from the government and prior to his death, which occurred in October, 1902, he had become the owner of more than seven hundred acres. He held membership in the Roman Catholic church and was a man of strong character and upright principles. He

wedded Miss Lydia Novak, who was born in Bohemia, in which country they were married. She proved to him a faithful companion and help- mate on the journey of life and was to her family a devoted wife and mother. She passed away October 21, 1899. There were seven children born to Mr. and Mrs. Beachan, six of whom are yet living, namely: Frank, Mary, Josie (now Mrs. Covack), Fannie, Tony and Aton, all of whom are well-to-do farming peo- ple of Yankton county. The marriage of the subject and his wife has been blessed with ten children, but one died only a few hours after birth and another was killed at the age of two years by falling under the wheels of a wagon. Those still living are John, Mary (the wife of Jim Ripple), Frank, Lydia (now Mrs. John Peterka), Victor, Joe, Emil, Emily, Helen and Georgiana, all of whom are still with their par- ents with the exception of the married daughters.

That Mr. Cwach has had a most successful career is indicated by the fact that he is today the owner of eleven hundred and sixty acres of land, of which he rents four hundred and eighty acres, while to the cultivation of the re- maining six hundred and eighty acres he gives his personal supervision. He is extensively en- gaged in the raising of stock and annually ships a large amount of stock, finding profit in that work. He is not allied with any political party, but casts his ballot in support of the men and measures whom he thinks best qualified for office. In religious faith he is a Roman Catholic and has reared his family in that church.

FRANK NEDVED .- The Bohemian settle- ment of South Dakota is largely the result of the efforts of Frank Nedved. His influence with his fellow countrymen led them to come to this state and to aid in the settlement of a commonwealth which has grown in importance until it now ranks with the leading states of the Union. Mr. Nedved was born in Bohemia on the 18th of Au- gust, 1828, and is yet an honored resident of South Dakota, although he has passed the seven- ty-fifth mile-stone on life's journey. He pursued

781

HISTORY OF SOUTH DAKOTA.

an excellent education in the schools of his native country and when he put aside his text-books he received training in agricultural pursuits upon his father's farm. At the age of twenty years he was united in marriage to Miss Veronica Stad- nik, also a native of Bohemia. His wife's fortune consisted of a nice farm which Mr. Nedved man- aged until he came to the United States. As the years passed nine children were added to the household ere they left their native country and in Ohio and also in South Dakota each another child was born, so that the family numbered eleven altogether.

It was on the 7th of March, 1867, that Mr. Nedved bade adieu to his native country prepar- atory to seeking a home in the new world. He sold his property there for seven thousand dollars, but because of the depreciation of Bohemian money when it was changed for other currency he had but thirty-five hundred dollars. Attracted by the possibilities of the new world and the ex- cellent business advantages he emigrated to Amer- ica, settling in Cleveland, Ohio, where he resided for two years. He then left that state as a mem- ber of the committee of intelligent, enterprising Bohemian people who started out to visit Da- kota and Nebraska for the purpose of locating land for a colony of about five hundred Bohemian families, who were contemplating the establish- ment of homes in the northwest. After a careful investigation of the land in Nebraska Mr. Ned- ved decided that it did not compare favorably with the Dakota land, hence reported to the mem- bers of the proposed colony. In 1869 he himself demonstrated his faith in this portion of the country by settling in what is now Yankton county, where he secured a claim of one hundred and sixty acres which was then in possession of the government. Not a furrow had been turned or an improvement made upon the farm but he at once began its cultivation and soon good fields returned to him desirable crops. He still lives upon the old family homestead with his son Charles and although he is now seventy-five years of age he is yet very active and energetic, seeming to possess the vigor and strength of a man yet in his prime. In 1893 Mr. Nedved was

called upon to mourn the loss of his wife, who died on the 13th of November, of that year. Their children were as follows: Charles, who married Miss Annie Kafka, a native of Bohemia, is now operating two hundred and forty acres of land which he purchased from his father. He had three children by his first wife, Anton, Annie and Beatrice, but the second named was accident- ally drowned by falling into a well about nine years ago. On the 10th of December, 1895, the death of Mrs. Charles Nedved occurred and on the 26th of January, 1897, he married Miss Annie Pechous, who was born in Bon Homme county, South Dakota, of Bohemian parentage. This union was blessed with six children, four of whom have passed away, those living being Mol- lie, now two years of age, and Eddie, a little boy of less than one year. Joseph, James, Stanislaus and Anton are four sons of Mr. Nedved, who are now prosperous farmers of either Bon Homme or Yankton counties. Frank, another son of the family, met with a very painful accident in 1872. He was caught in a blizzard and his legs and fingers on his right hand were frozen. This re- sulted i: the necessary amputation of both legs and the fingers. He lives with his brothers and he has an income from a forty-acre tract of land lying within the city limits of Tyndall. Mary Nedved became the wife of Jacob Skvaril, a la- borer of Yankton county. Annie is the wife of I. A. Walter, a resident farmer of Knox county. Nebraska.

As before stated, Mr. Nedved was the pioneer among the Bohemian settlers of Dakota and it was largely through his influence that so many people of his nationality established homes here and became active and helpful factors in the work of general improvement. Being a man of su- perior education, he was looked upon as a leader of his people. He is a man of highest integrity in both public and private life and over the record of his career there falls no shadow of wrong or suspicion of evil. He enjoys the unqualified re- spect of the entire community and was a devoted and faithful member of the Catholic church, as were members of his family. The first Catholic church in Yankton county was built on land

782

HISTORY OF SOUTH DAKOTA.

owned by him and the cemetery is also located on a tract which was once the property of Mr. Nedved. Prior to the building of this church his home was used by the priest when offering up the sacrifice of the mass and it is said that one- half of the Bohemian settlers of this section of Yankton county received Christian baptism in the home of Mr. Nedved. In political thought and action he has always been independent, car- rying out his honest views without fear or favor. In business he has achieved success through hon- orable effort, untiring industry and capable man- agement, and in private life he has gained that warm personal regard which arises from true no- bility of character, deference for the opinion of others, kindliness and geniality.

WILLIAM S. MAJOR is one of the honored pioneers of Hand county, in whose organization and development he has played an important part, while he represented the county in the state senate for three successive terms and is a man of prominence in industrial and civic affairs in this section of the state. He is the owner of a valuable landed estate of fifteen hundred acres, has been signally prospered in temporal affairs and commands the unqualified esteem of the com- munity in which he has so long made his home.

Mr. Major was born in Clinton county, In- diana, on the 23d of January, 1851, being a son of George and Amanda (Snoddy) Major, the former of whom was there engaged in farming until his death, having been a man of prominence in his section and having served two years as a member of the state senate. He died at the age of eighty-two years and his devoted wife entered into eternal rest at the age of fifty-seven years. They became the parents of eight chil- dren, of whom five are living. The subject early grew inured to the strenuous work of the home- stead farm, in which connection his services were so much in requisition that his educational advantages were much curtailed during his youth, this handicap having, however, been fully overcome by the lessons which he has learned under the direction of that wisest of all

headmasters, experience. He has been a close observer, has read and studied with discrimi- nation, and has thus become a man of marked in- tellectual breadth and comprehensiveness and definite information in regard to the questions and issues of the day. After leaving school Mr. Major continued to be actively identified with the great basic art of agriculture in Indiana until the year 1880, when he went to the state of Washington, where he remained about two years. He was not satisfied with the outlook in that sec- tion of the union, and returned to Indiana, where he remained a few months, at the expiration of which, in February, 1882, he came to South Dakota and became one of the early settlers in Hand county, where he exercised his legal pre- rogatives by taking up three claims of govern- ment land-homestead, pre-emption and tree claims. To the improvement of this property he forthwith directed his attention with character- istic energy and ability, and the prosperity which has attended his efforts has been most gratifying. He is now the owner of fifteen hundred acres of valuable land in the county, and of this amount six hundred acres are under cul- tivation while the remainder is used for grazing purposes and the raising of hay. He has erected substantial modern buildings on his place and it is one of the model farms of this section of the state, while he gives his attention to diversified agriculture and to the raising of live stock of high grade. He was prominently concerned in the organization of the county, and was a mem- ber of the board of county commissioners at the time when the memorable struggle occurred in regard to the locating of the county seat, in which connection he favored claims of the village of St. Lawrence, as against those of Miller, to which latter the victory was finally gained. In politics Mr. Major was reared in the faith of the Democratic party, as exemplified by Jefferson and Jackson, and he was affiliated with the same until the organization of the Greenback party, when he transferred his allegiance to the same and supported Peter Cooper for the presidency. Upon the organization of the Populist party he joined its ranks and has ever since supported its

Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.

History of South Dakota, Vol. I, Part 114

Author: Robinson, Doane, 1856-1946. cn Publication date: 1904 Publisher: [Logansport? IN] : B. F. Bowen Number of Pages: 998

Author: Robinson, Doane, 1856-1946. cn
Publication date: 1904
Publisher: [Logansport? IN] : B. F. Bowen
Number of Pages: 998