History of South Dakota, Vol. II, Part 101

Author: Robinson, Doane, 1856-1946. cn
Publication date: 1904
Publisher: [Logansport? IN] : B. F. Bowen
Number of Pages: 1138

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distinctively representative citizens of the state. He served for eight years as a member of the board of regents of the State Agricultural Col- lege, in Brookings, and also was a valued mem- ber of the board of education for a number of years. He was from the time of its organization a director and treasurer of the Brookings Land and Trust Company and was also financially in- terested in numerous other corporations in the city, ever lending his aid and influence to further- ing all enterprises which make for the progress and well being of the community. His political allegiance was given to the Republican party, and his religious faith was that of the Baptist church, of which he was a zealous member and to which his widow belongs. He held the office of clerk of the local church from the time of its organization, in 1880. His devotion to the work of the church may be better understood when we state that for eighteen years, or until the church debt was liquidated, he gave his services as janitor, sparing no pains in attending to the work which he thus assumed and arising at five o'clock Sunday mornings to attend to the building of fires in the church and otherwise providing for the comfort of the worshipers. He was known as a man of liberality in the sup- port of all good works, but used proper dis- crimination in the extension of charity and in other benevolences, while he was ever ready to aid all churches, being tolerant and kindly at all times, and believing that Christianity represents the bulwarks of our national prosperity and spiritual welfare. He manifested particular in- terest in the success of the Baptist college at Sioux Falls, and this interest was timely and helpful. Fraternally he was a charter member of I.odge No. 21, Free and Accepted Masons, in Brookings. The family residence is the finest in the city and is a center of gracious and refined hospitality. He was the artificer of his own fortunes and his noteworthy success represents the results of industry, integrity and wise economy. He died November 2, 1903, at his home in Brookings, the cause of his death being cancer of the stomach.

On the 26th of August, 1867, was solemnized

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the marriage of Mr. Morehouse to Miss Anna B. Crosby, who was born in Belvidere, Illinois, on the 23d of January, 1845, a daughter of Henry L. Crosby, who was born in Fredonia, Chautauqua county, New York, on the 20th of October, 1819. while his wife, whose maiden name was Mary E. King, was born in Delphi, Onondaga county, that state, on the 30th of January, IS19, their marriage having occurred at Fairfield, Kane county, Illinois, on the 10th of March. 1842. while the officiating clergyman was Rev. John S. King, father of the bride. Henry L. Crosby was a son of Nathaniel, who was born in Thompson, Connecticut, February 18. 1786, while the latter's wife, whose maiden name was Sallie Merrill Larned, was born in the same place, December 6, 1793. The maternal grandfather of Mrs. Morebouse was born in Arlington, Bennington county, Vermont, Janu- ary 16. 1787, and his wife, Anna, nee Bristol, was born in Cornwall, Litchfield county, Connecticut, July 23. 1783. John S. King was a clergyman of the Baptist church and was also a physician. Henry L. and Mary E. (King) Crosby became the parents of seven children, concerning whom we offer the following brief record : Sarah L. was born in Boone county, Illinois, April 7. 1843: Anna B. became the wife of the subject of this review : Elsie, who was born September 1, 1846, died in September, 1871: Lucy, who was born May 29, 1848, died in infancy ; William H., who was born September 12, 1849, died in March, 1903, at San Antonio, Texas; Ernest, born De- cember 15, 1852, is a resident of Brookings, and Lucia E., who was born September 19, 1857, is a resident of Oakland, California.

Mr. and Mrs. Morehouse became the parents of two children. Mary Eliza, who was born in Janesville, Iowa, on the 25th of September, 1870, died on the 13th of January, 1875. Henry Carl- ton, who was born in Waverly, Iowa, September 17, 1877, still remains at the parental home. He was graduated in the Brookings high school, as a member of the class of 1896. and thereafter continued his studies for three years in the State Agricultural College, in this place, while later he completed a commercial course in the same

institution. After leaving college he made a trip through Europe and through the Pacific coast states of the Union. He is at present engaged in the real-estate business at Willow City, North Dakota, though, as before stated, he makes his home with his mother in Brookings.

J. FRANKLIN AVANT is a native of Clin- ton county, Illinois, and the son of John V. and Mary ( Trout) Avant, both parents born in the state of Ohio. He was born January 15. 1863, grew to maturity on a farm and received his edu- cation in the district school. He assisted his father in cultivating the farm until reaching the years of manhood, also helped the latter ship cattle to St. Louis, driving them from that city to Hastings, Nebraska. In the spring of 1885 Mr. Avant went. via Kearney and Broken Bow, to the Black Hills, and for some time thereafter was engaged with his father in buying cattle, the two finally locating ranches about six miles from the town of Hermosa. Mr. Avant has been en- gaged in stock raising ever since coming to South Dakota, and now owns one of the finest and best improved ranches in Custer county, the land being situated in one of the best grazing districts in the southwestern part of the state. While making this place his home. he has car- ried on his business in various parts of the country, and at intervals from 1893 to 1897 he was engaged in running cattle about one hun- dred miles northeast of Rapid City, disposing of his interests there in the latter year.

In addition to his home place Mr. Avant owns a valuable ranch in the foot hills about six ' and a half miles southwest of Hermosa, the same well stocked, besides containing a number of sub- stantial improvements. In December, 1903, with his brother George, he bought the Glendale hotel at Hermosa and since they have conducted the same. In politics Mr. Avant is a Republican, but not a partisan, and beyond voting for the regular nominees and defending the soundness of his principles, he takes no active interest in party affairs, being first of all a business man, and making every other consideration secondary

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thereto. He holds membership with the Ancient Order of United Workmen, Independent Order of Odd Fellows and the Modern Woodmen of America, in all of which organizations he has been honored with official positions, and in the deliberations of which he takes an active and in- fluential part. The domestic life of Mr. Avant dates from the 7th day of January, 1893, at which time he entered the marriage relation with Miss Kate Hanlon, of Illinois, the union being blessed with one child, a son who answers to the name of Leonard Avant.

D. D. BALDWIN, engaged in the real-estate business at Carthage, is a contributor to the growing commonwealth of South Dakota from New England. Among the residents of Ver- mont during the earlier decades of the nineteenth century were E. B. and Lucia (Brown ) Baldwin, whose marriage was unusually fruitful, in as much as it resulted in the birh of eleven children, whose names in order of birth were Willard H., Marcella, Francelia, George W., Eleazer B., Enrico H., Adella L., Emma B., D. D., William A. and Rufus C.

D. D. Baldwin was born at Sharon, Vermont, February 16, 1857. and was educated in the pub- lic schools of his native place. After thus ac- quiring a thorough elementary groundwork he entered as a student at the famous Dartmouth College and spent two years in that historie seat of learning. Thus equipped with a good and practical education, the young Vermonter turned his face resolutely westward in search of fame and fortune. New countries have no terrors for such men, but they rather delight in meeting and overcoming obstacles, and it was in this spirit that Mr. Baldwin appeared on his new theater of operations in 1881. His first location was in Union county, South Dakota, and his first ocu- pation there was in the capacity of school teacher. For two years he had charge of a class at Jefferson, but not intending to make this a life work he went at the end of his term to Miner county and located at what is now the town of Carthage. Having purchased a tract of land in

this neighborhood he was engaged for some time in farming, but subsequently was in the banking business. This enterprise, however, was sur- rendered in 1800 as a result of his election to the county judgeship, in which office he served for one term of two years. At a late period he embarked in the real-estate business in connec- tion with Mr. Lyons.

Mr. Baldwin was married in North Dakota to Miss Josie Dewey, who died in 1887, leaving an only son named J. Dewey. Mr. Baldwin contracted a second matrimonial alliance with Miss Jennie P. Eaton, of Massachusetts, and as a result of this union the following children have been born, Richard, Ruth, Dorothy and Ken- neth. Mr. Baldwin's political affiliations are with the Democratic party and he takes a lively interest in public affairs of county, state and na- tion. He was brought up in the Episcopal church and has always given his allegiance to the doctrines taught by that historic religious de- nomination. His fraternal connections are with the Masons and the Independent Order of Odd Fellows.

F. B. WARD is a son of James and Levina (Barber) Ward, old residents of Jefferson county, in the Empire state. They lived at Carthage and there, in 1838, F. B. Ward was born, his early education being obtained in the schools of his native place. At a later period he had the benefit of a course in a normal school at Albany, where he was graduated in 1859. Shortly after this event he engaged in the mer- cantile business and in 1874 returned to the place of his nativity at Carthage, where his parents were still living. In 1882 he decided to cast his lot with the rapidly rising commonwealth of the west and obtaining a position as surveyor with the Northwestern Railroad Company, he assisted in the survey of that line from Hawarden, Iowa, to Iroquois, South Dakota. He filed a claim on a quarter section of land in Miner county. planned a town site and named the embryonic city Carthage, in honor of the old home in New York state, where he had spent his boyhood

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days. The growth of the place was rapid and its development was largely due to the enterprise and business foresight of Mr. Ward. He it was who built the Palmer House and established the Bank of Carthage, the latter important event in the town's early career occurring in 1883. This bank is the oldest in Miner county and enjoys the distinction of having weathered all the financial storms occurring during the formation period of the Dakotas, which wrecked so many other struggling financial institutions. Mr. Ward has always been an ardent Republican in politics, but, while ever ready to help along the cause by word of mouth and timely work, he has never sought political rewards and kept aloof from office seeking. Mr. Ward's fraternal connections are with the Masonic fraternity, the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks.

In 1860 Mr. Ward was united in marriage with Miss Harris, of Harrisville, New York, who shared his fortunes in the west until claimed by death, in 1892. Subsequently Mr. Ward was married to Miss Langley and has one child named Francis B.

ARTHUR J. COLGAN, one of the leading business men of Edgemont, was born in Bur- lington, Iowa, on the 25th day of July, 1856. When he was a child his parents moved from the above city to Ottumwa and it was at the latter place that he grew to manhood's estate and received his education, remaining there va- riously employed until his twenty-second year. In 1878 he went to southwestern Nebraska, thence after a brief period to Colorado, where he engaged in railroading, to which kind of work he devoted his attention until the year 1880, when he came to Valentine, Nebraska, the terminus of the railroad at that time. Valentine being an important point and the center of trade for a large area of country, Mr. Colgan at once opened a restaurant and hotel in the town, which were well patronized, and he continued in this line of business until 1886, when he sold out and changed his location to Oelrichs, Fall River

county, near which place he took up land and engaged in cattle raising. After spending two years in the live-stock industry, he opened, in 1888, a general store at Oelrichs, which from the beginning proved very profitable, and in due time he commanded the bulk of the mer- cantile trade in that town. The business con- tinuing to increase with each succeeding year, he was induced, in 1897, to start a branch store in Edgemont, but three years later the two es- tablishments were combined at the latter place, where, as already indicated, Mr. Colgan is now the leading merchant in the various lines of goods which he handles. He has a large and well-appointed store, carries a full and complete stock of general merchandise and commands a lucrative patronage, his establishment being taxed to its utmost capacity to meet the con- stantly increasing demands of his numerous customers.

Mr. Colgan not only stands high in com- mercial circles, but enjoys worthy prestige as one of Edgemont's representative citizens. He has justly earned the American title of self-made man, having from his boyhood relied upon his own exertions for a livelihood, and that too in spite of many obstacles calculated to discourage and deter. Mr. Colgan is a zealous supporter of the Democratic party, but has persistently re- fused to accept office at the hands of his fellow citizens, having little taste for partisan politics and still less for public honors. He enjoys the confidence and respect of his fellow citizens and is well deserving of mention among the repre- sentative citizens of his adopted county and state.

On January 22, 1882, in the town of Mont- rose, Kansas, Mr. Colgan entered the marriage relation with Miss Ellen Stack, of Iowa, the union being blessed with six children, whose names are as follows: Thomas, Nellie, Edward, Charlie, Mary and Leonard.

THOMAS F. STECHER, D. D., was born at Cincinnati, Ohio, December 20, 1852, his par- ents being Thomas and Caroline Stecher. At an early age the subject was sent to the

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parochial school of his native city, where he was well grounded in the ancient classics and the hu- manities, after which he took a course in me- chanical engineering, which he followed as an occupation until the completion of his twenty- fifth year. Having decided to take holy orders, he abandoned secular pursuits and entered earn- estly upon his studies for the priesthood. Hav- ing finished his studies in Cincinnati, he came to Sioux Falls in July, 1901, where he received his subdeaconship August 15, 1901. After his or- dination as priest in Jefferson, South Dakota, by Rt. Rev. Bishop M. Marty, November 22, 1901, he was assigned to the Catholic congregation at Howard, of which he has since had charge. Under his pastorate and chiefly owing to his energy and persistence, a beautiful church and pastorage have been erected. In addition to this. Father Stecher built churches at Carthage and Brisbine, of which he has pastoral supervision in connection with his duties at the county seat. When Father Stecher came to this section the Catholic communicants were comparatively few and the church accommodations quite limited. By his indefatigable efforts a pleasing change has been brought about and he now has seventy- five families under his ministrations. But the good he has done in a public way is surpassed by his private services, his charities and his earn- est work for every good cause. The needy never approach him in vain for help, the heavy-laden have their burdens lightened hy his sympathetic advice and the despairing are braced for braver struggles with the worries of the world. Father Stecher's popularity is not confined to his own parishioners, but he enjoys the general good will and kindly consideration of all classes at Howard.

MRS. ATLANTA H. KING .- The life of this estimable lady illustrates very forcibly the fact that under certain conditions women may succeed as well as men in conducting the stern practical affairs of life and achieve as great suc- cess as their brothers in a domain which from time immemorial has been considered the latter's

special province. Atlanta Smith, daughter of David and Samantha ( Warner) Smith, was born in Cleveland, Ohio, and spent the first eleven years of her life in that city, being left an or- phan at that age, after which she became an in- mate of her grandmother's home. She accom- panied the latter to Illinois, where she lived three years, attending school the meanwhile and at the expiration of that time, went to Iowa, thence after one year to Albert Lea, Minnesota, where she made her home for several succeeding years and where she also met a gentleman by the name of William Robinson, who subsequently became her husband.

Mr. Robinson owned a ranch near the town of Albert Lea, and it was on this place that the sub- ject spent the first seven years of her wedded life. In the spring of 1867 the couple disposed of their interests in Minnesota and with a party of friends and acquaintances came to Dakota ter- ritory and took up land near the little town of Bon Homme, twenty miles from Yankton, build- ing their house on the bank of the Missouri river. Mr. Robinson developed a farm and in the matter of cultivating the soil was ably assisted by his wife, who assisted in the work of the fields when not attending to the domestic duties of the household. Mrs. Robinson lived about fifteen years on the Missouri, where she originally set- tled, during which time she was left a widow and later she entered the marriage relation with James F. King, a well-known farmer and stock raiser of eastern Dakota, the nuptials being celebrated in the month of October, 1880.

In the spring of 1882 Mr. and Mrs. King moved to the Black Hills and purchased a ranch on Squaw creek, one and a half miles from Her- mosa, at once began the work of its improvement. Mr. King was an industrious, hard-working man, a good manager and he soon reduced the greater part of his land to cultivation and had it well stocked with cattle and other domestic animals. He conducted his affairs quite successfully, accu- mulated a comfortable competency and became widely and favorably known as an energetic busi- ness man and upright, law-abiding citizen. He was machinist and mining engineer by profes-

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sion and served the government several years on Indian reservations. While in Bon Homme county he served as sheriff one term. He de- parted this life on October 13, 1890, from which time until a recent date, his widow managed the ranch, conducted the business affairs of the same, reared her family and provided for their intel- lectual training as well as for their material sup- port, giving them the best educational advantages obtainable. As her oldest son by her first mar- riage, Eli C. Robinson, grew to maturity he grad- ually assumed the burdens and responsibilities of the place, and being intelligent and naturally in- clined to business, he soon grasped the details of cattle raising and at this time is one of the most enterprising and progressive live-stock men in his part of the county.

Mrs. King deserves great credit for the busi- ness-like manner in which she managed the ranch and looked after the varied interests of her chil- dren, all of whom acknowledge their great in- debiedness to her for her untiring activity in their behalf. By her second marriage she had two children, a son, James B., and a daughter by the name of Pearl. Mrs. King's first marriage was blessed with four children, namely: Mrs. Emily Beadle, Mrs. Etna M. Beach, Eli C., a suc- cessful live-stock man residing on Spring creek, and Mrs. Lennie L. Beatty, all living in South Dakota and greatly esteemed in their respective communities.

GEORGE T. PAINE is of New England birth and inherits many of the sterling character- istics for which the people of that section of the Union have long been distinguished. He was born January 8, 1861, in Providencetown, Massa- chusetts, but when a child of seven years was ta- ken by his parents to Champaign, Illinois, where he grew to maturity, received his educational dis- cipline and began his life work. His father be- ing an enterprising contractor and builder, young George was early instructed in brick masonry, and after becoming an efficient workman he fol- lowed the trade in different parts of Illinois until 1884, the two or three years prior to that date

being devoted to contracting upon his own re- sponsibility. In the fall of 1884 he took a gov- ernment contract to do certain masonry work in Fort Robinson, South Dakota, which being com- pleted, he was similarly engaged the following years on Fort Niobrara. Finishing these con- tracts, Mr. Paine, in the latter part of 1885, went to Buffalo Gap, preceding the railroad to that point and located a ranch on Chilsin creek, thir- teen miles west of Hot Springs, to which the next spring he brought a large number of cattle with the object in view of making the raising of live stock his principal business. He made many improvements on this ranch and devoted his at- tention exclusively to cattle raising until 1891, when he was attracted to the newly settled town of Edgemont, where he found abundant oppor- tunity for the exercise of his trade, builders of all kinds having been in great demand at that time. He at once took contracts to erect a number of business blocks, private residences and other kinds of work, and in due time had his various edifices under headway, giving employment to a considerable force of men, who under his leader- ship soon transformed the place from a wild waste into a beautiful and by no means unpreten- tious city of large expectations.

The year of his arrival Mr. Paine opened a feed and grain store in Edgemont which early became the chief source of supplies for the farm- ers of the surrounding country, and he has main- tained an establishment of this kind ever since, the meanwhile building up the extensive busi- ness which he still commands. In addition to flour, grain, feed, etc., he handles large quanti- ties of coal, being the heaviest dealer in these lines of merchandise in this part of the country.

In 1901 Mr. Paine organized the Bank of Edgemont, a state institution of which he is pres- ident, George Highly, vice-president, and H. H. Thompson, cashier, all three business men of rec- ognized ability and high standing. Mr. Paine's brother-in-law, E. L. Arnold, is interested with him in his various business enterprises, the latter looking after the ranch and giving personal atten- tion to the live stock, while the subject manages the bank and store, besides devoting considerable

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time to contracting, which he still carries on. From the foregoing brief career it will not be difficult to assign Mr. Paine his proper place in the history of Fall River county and the city of Edgemont. In addition to his connection with the general welfare of Fall River county, in the different spheres of endeavor, Mr. Paine proved of great benefit to Edgemont by his activity in behalf of the Burlington & Missouri Railroad and he still has a large contract to furnish the company with sand to be used on the line through this part of the country, thus giving employment to a large force of men who live in the town and who derive their entire income from this source. By good management the subject has come into possession of an ample fortune and is now ac- counted one of the wealthiest men in the county of Fall River, owning in addition to his various business interests, a large amount of land in dif- ferent parts of the country, and valuable city property, being one of the heaviest real-estate holders in this section of Dakota. Fraternally Mr. Payne belongs to the Pythian lodge at Edge- mont, the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, at Lead, and is an influential member of the Modern Woodmen of America and the Woodmen of the World organizations, which meet in the former placc. Politically a stanch Democrat, he has repeatedly and persistently declined public office, being first of all a business man to whom the plain title of citizen is much more desirable than any honor within the power of the people to confer. Mr. Paine has a beautiful modern resi- dence in Edgemont, and is the head of a family which is highly esteemed not only in the best so- cial circles of the city, but by all classes and con- ditions of people in the community.

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History of South Dakota, Vol. II, Part 101

Author: Robinson, Doane, 1856-1946. cn Publication date: 1904 Publisher: [Logansport? IN] : B. F. Bowen Number of Pages: 1138

Author: Robinson, Doane, 1856-1946. cn
Publication date: 1904
Publisher: [Logansport? IN] : B. F. Bowen
Number of Pages: 1138