History of South Dakota, Vol. II, Part 121

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

USA > South Dakota > History of South Dakota, Vol. II > Part 121

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James Kiser, the immediate subject of this sketch, passed his youth in Dane county, Wis- consin, and received his educational training in the public schools of the city of Madison. He was sixteen years of age at the time of the fam- ily removal to Spink county, and here he assisted in the work and management of the home ranch until his father was elected county treasurer, when he served as a clerk in the office for two years. At the expiration of this period, in 1891, he purchased an interest in an abstract and real- estate business in Redfield, being identified with this enterprise until 1894, when he disposed of

his interests and went to California, where he re- mained until 1800, when he returned to Redfield and became associated with his brother, William C., Jr., in the real-estate business, the enterprise having been established some time previously by his brother, and they have since continued the business under the firm name of Kiser Brothers. They have finely appointed offices in Redfield, and courteous attention is given to all who seek their aid or advice in connection with the sale or purchase of property. The subject of this sketch is a stanch Democrat in politics, and fraternally he is a member of the order of Freemasons, be- ing identified with Redfield Lodge, No. 34: Red- field Chapter, No. 20, Royal Arch Masons; Huron Commandery, Knights Templar, and El Riad Temple, Ancient Arabic Order of the No- bles of the Mystic Shrine, at Sioux Falls.

On the 20th of March, 1889, Mr. Kiser was united in marriage to Miss Lydia A. Markham, a daughter of Giles Markham, a prominent citi- zen of Markesan, Wisconsin, in which state she was born and reared.

BURNHAM W. COLE, one of the pioneer business men and representative citizens of Mel- lette, Spink county, is a native of Stanstead, province of Quebec, Canada, where he was born on the 22d of May, 1855, being a son of Philo B. Cole, who was born and reared in the same town, where he continued his residence until the autumn of 1855, when he removed with his family to the northwestern part of the state of Illinois, where he still maintains his home, be- ing a carriage manufacturer by vocation.

The subject of this sketch was reared to man- hood in Illinois, in whose public schools he re- ceived his educational discipline. In 1881 he came to the territory of Dakota and in spring of the following year took up his abode in Mel- lette, where he engaged in the farming-imple- ment, coal and lumber business, beginning opera- tions upon a modest scale and having built up a large and prosperous enterprise in the line, his trade at the present ramifying throughout the wide radius of territory normally tributary to the

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town. He is the owner of town property and also of valuable farming land in the county and is one of the substantial men of this section. In politics he gives his allegiance to the Republican party and fraternally is affiliated with the local organization of the Ancient Order of United Workmen.

In the year 1887 was solemnized the marriage of Mr. Cole to Miss Kate B. Gagen, who died January 1, 1895, leaving one child, Helen E. In 1899 Mr. Cole consummated a second marriage, being then united to Miss Eva L. Lee, and they have two sons. Carroll L. and Harold.

CHARLES M. HARRISON, a leading member of the Spink county bar and practicing his profession at Redfield as senior member of the well-known firm of Harrison & Everitt, was born June 22. 1851, at Springfield, Ohio. He is the son of the Rev. Thomas Harrison, D. D., of the Methodist Episcopal church, who was a na- tive of Yorkshire, England. Rev. Harrison came to the United States when a young man, and located at Springfield, Ohio. When sixteen years of age he was ordained to the ministry. For a period of eight years he occupied the edi- tor's chair of the Western Christian Advocate, published at Cincinnati, and subsequently he be- came president of Moore's Hill College, a church institution located at Moore's Hill, Dearborn county, Indiana. He was a man of high schol- arship and fine executive ability and he accom- plished much in his field of endeavor.

Charles M. Harrison was educated in the public schools and at Moore's Hill College, tak- ing a six-years course at the latter. After leav- ing college he taught school in Indiana, and was in turn principal of the high schools of Conners- ville, Lafayette and Kokomo. He read law and was admitted to the Indiana bar in 1876, and was actively engaged in the practice of his pro- fession in that state until 1883. when he came to what was the territory of Dakota, locating at Huron. There he engaged in the practice of law. and was appointed agent and attorney for : states. the Milwaukee Loan Company, with which he

continued until 1893. In that year he removed to Sioux Falls to take the financial management of the Connecticut General Life Insurance Com- pany for its loan business in South Dakota, a po- sition he held for eight years. In 1902 Mr. Har- rison removed to Redfield to enter into a part- nership with the Hon. T. A. Everitt in the prac- tice of law, negotiating of mortgage loans and the buying and selling of real estate.

Mr. Harrison is a Republican in politics, and in 1891 was elected to the second general assem- bly of South Dakota from Beadle county. He is a Mason of the Knights Templar degree, and is also a member of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks.

On January 20, 1880, Mr. Harrison was married to Anna R. Shirk, of New Castle, Indi- ana, the daughter of the Hon. Benjamin Shirk. He was a prominent citizen of Indiana, and served in both the house and senate of the Indi- ana legislature. Mr. and Mrs. Harrison are the parents of three children: Ruth, Ben-Tom and Florence.

ANDREW H. OLESON, promoter, prac- tical miner and prominent citizen of Deadwood, hails from far-off Norway, where his birth oc- curred on July 15, 1861. His father was a well- to-do farmer and amid the romantic rural scenes of his native land young Andrew spent his child- hood and youth. . He attended for some years the public schools, and until reaching the years of young manhood remained with his parents, assisting in the cultivation of the farm and con- tributing to the maintenance of the family. Leav- ing home, Mr. Oleson engaged in railroad con- struction, to which line of work he devoted him- self until 1879, when he came to America, and for some years thereafter lived in Wisconsin, where he was variously employed. From that state he went to Michigan and engaged in the manufacture of lumber, later returning to Wis- consin, where he also operated a sawmill, after- wards following mining for some years in both

In 1883 Mr. Oleson came to the Black Hills,

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where he put in a number of years at mining, being employed a part of the time by the Home- stake Company at Lead, and devoting the rest to prospecting, later to the promoting of various mining enterprises. He has located a mimber of valuable mines that promise liberal returns, when properly developed, in addition to which he also owns rich mineral properties adjoining the Homestake ledges, from which in due time he will no doubt realize an independent fortune. At the present time he is engaged in promoting a business he has prosecuted with encouraging financial results, and at intervals he mines for himself and for others, realizing from both lines of work a handsome income. Since becoming a citizen of South Dakota Mr. Oleson has been active in the public and political affairs of his city, county and state, having been elected in 1890 a member of the general assembly as repre- sentative from Lawrence county. He served with credit during the session of that year, and subsequently, 1896, was re-elected to the same body. He also served as a member of the city council, in which capacity his record was above criticism. Mr. Oleson is a Democrat in politics, and is a worthy citizen of his adopted country, an admirer of its institutions, a loyal supporter of its laws, and to all intents and purposes as genuine an American citizen as if he had been born and bred under the protecting folds of the Stars and Stripes.

Mr. Oleson was married. December 22, 1892, to Miss Minnie Gies, a native of Dayton, Ohio, and of German descent, who came to the Black Hills with her parents in 1879, when a child. The result of his union is one child, a daughter by the name of Florence.

JERRY T. HARRINGTON, one of the prominent mining men of the Black Hills, who retains his residence in the city of Deadwood, is a native of County Kerry, Ireland, and exem- plifies the sterling characteristics of his sturdy race. He was born on the 7th of April. 1847, being a son of John and Mary (Twohey) Har- rington, both of whom were likewise born in

County Kerry, where the respective families had been established for many generations, the pater- nal grandfather of the subject having borne the name of Patrick Harrington, while the maternal grandfather was Patrick Twohey, both having been sturdy and honest tillers of the soil in the fair but oppressed Emerald Isle, as was also the father of the subject. In the great famine of 1848 he niet with the great misfortune which at- tended the many other farmers of Ireland, and died there in 1850. Soon afterward his wife and her three sons emigrated to America, settling in Dutchess county, New York, where they re- mained until 1856, when they removed to Michi- gan and located in Copper Harbor, while later they took up their abode in the great copper dis- trict in the upper peninsula of that state, where the mother passed the remainder of her life. The eldest son. Philip, removed to Colorado in 1878, and has there been very successful, being a resident of the city of Boulder at the present time. The third of the sons is deceased.

The subject of this sketch received his edu- cational training in the schools of Michigan and carly began to depend largely upon his own re- sources, doing various kinds of work about the copper mines. He continued to reside in the vicinity of Calumet, that state, until 1879, when he came to Deadwood, arriving on the 24th of October. Here he first engaged in prospecting, buit met with indifferent success, so that he then turned his attention to contracting, principally for the Homestake Mining Company, while in the connection he constructed the greater portion of the narrow-gauge railroad lines between Dead- wood and Nemo and Deadwood and Piedmont, while later he met with considerable success in timber contracting and in the general merchandise business, in which latter he was engaged in Rou- baix. Within this time he also began investing in mining properties, and in 1886 he gave up all other interests to devote his entire time and at- tention to his mining properties. He is associ- ated with John F. Sawyer in the ownership of the Tomahawk mine, having six hundred and forty acres in the property, while two hundred acres are patented. The mine is located at

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Nemo, just beyond the terminus of the branch of the narrow-gauge railroad, and more than forty thousand dollars have been expended in the improvement and development of the property, which is considered a most valuable one. One shaft has reached a depth of one hundred feet and the ledge is easily traced for one mile, men being constantly employed in preparing for further extension of the work of development. Messrs. Harrington and Sawyer also own the Transvaal and Idlewild mines, located at Suster Peak, where they have one hundred and seventy acres patented. Here they have an eighty-five- tout cage shaft of two compartments, while there are also a number of other shafts, together with cross-cuts, drifts, etc., ore showing on this prop- erty for thirty-six hundred feet on the strike of the ledge. This is also a valuable property, showing a decomposed ore seventy feet down and being easily worked, as large quantities of wood and water are available. Mr. Harrington is also associated with Harry Graig in the ownership of the Inca. mine, formerly known as the Fairview. this having been one of the first discoveries in the Black Hills. On this mine a depth of two hundred and fifty feet has been reached, while they have a tunnel of three hundred feet, at a depth of one hundred and seventy feet from the apex of the shaft. This property is a producer, and the firm have a large quantity of ore staked-eighty acres, of which twenty are under patent. The subject is also in- terested in other promising properties and is known as one of the progressive and discrimi- nating mining men of the Hills. He is a Demo- crat in his political proclivities, and fraternally is identified with the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, while he also holds membership in the Business Alen's Club of Deadwood and Mining Men's Association of the United States.

GEORGE S. JACKSON, a prominent and honored citizen of Deadwood, comes of stanch old New England stock, and is himself a native of Vermont, having been born in Bartonsville, that state, on the 2d of August. 1859, and being a

son of Samuel and Harriet (Brought Billings ) Jackson, both of whom were born and reared in Bellows Falls, Vermont. In 1861 the subject accompanied his parents on their removal to the city of Chicago, Illinois, where his father contin- ued to be engaged in the wholesale coffee and spice business until his death, which occurred in 1864. while the devoted wife and mother was summoned into eternal rest in 1902. They be- came the parents of four children, of whom the subject of this review was the second in order of birth, while all are living.

Mr. Jackson received his early educational training in the public schools of the western metropolis and later completed a course of study in the Goddard Seminary, at Barre, Vermont. He then returned to Chicago, where he held a clerical position in the wholesale furniture house of C. C. Holton & Company until 1877, when, at the age of eighteen years, he came west to Lead- ville, Colorado, arriving on the 26th of Febru- ary, a number of years prior to the great stam- pede of mining prospectors to that section. At the time of his arrival the town had a popula- tion of about two thousand persons, and he there engaged in mining enterprises and also in the mercantile business, meeting with excellent suc- cess. In 1884 he left Leadville and came to Deadwood, South Dakota, where he forthwith became identified with mining, his prime object in coming here having been to give his attention to the mining of tin ore and shipping the same to Europe, for the purpose of enlightening the per- sons there interested as to the possibilities of- fered in connection with the development of this industry in America. He successfully proved that his position was well taken, and at the pres- ent time he is personally interested in fully thir- teen hundred acres patented tin-mining ground in this district, while he was also the promoter of the Victoria Gold Mining and Milling Com- pany, which is to be listed a's the third largest producer of the Ragged Top district. He is the principal stockholder of the company and its general manager. Mr. Jackson is also extensively interested in real estate in this locality, owning about four hundred acres of land adjacent to the

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city of Deadwood, while he devotes no little at- tention to the raising of cattle, giving preference to the thoroughbred Hereford type. In addi- tion to the mining properties mentioned it should be noted that he is also a member of the director- ate of the Pluma Gold Mining and Milling Com- pany and the Golden Empire Mining Company. both representing important enterprises. He was the originator and promoter of the Black Hills Mining Men's Association, which has ac- complished much in connection with the mining interests of this section and which is mentioned in detail in the general historical division of this publication. He is also a valued member of the Deadwood Business Men's Club, the American Mining Congress and the Olympic .Association, while he has attained the thirty-second degree in the Masonic fraternity, being identified with the consistory, Ancient Accepted Scottish Rite. at Deadwood, as well as with Naja Temple. Ancient Arabic Order of the Nobles of the Mystic Shrine, at Deadwood. In politics he gives a stanch allegiance to the Republican party, but has never sought the honors or emoluments of public office, though he takes a deep interest in all that tends to conserve the best interests of his home city and state.

On the toth of October. 1888, Mr. Jackson was united in marriage to Miss Mary J. Power, who was born and reared in the city of Chicago. Illinois, and who is a daughter of Thomas Power, now a member of the Fish-Hunter Com- pany, of Deadwood and Lead, South Dakota. Mr. and Mrs. Jackson have one son, George L .. who was born on the 5th of October, 1889.

JACOB TSCHETTER hails from far-away Russia, in the southern part of which country his birth occurred on October 27, 1857. His parents were Joseph and Mary ( Wipf) Tschet- ter, both natives of Russia. the father for a nitti1- ber of years a farmer of considerable means and a man of much more than ordinary influence and social standing. In 1875 he immigrated to the United States and settled at Elkhart. Indiana. but after living there until the spring of the fol-

lowing year, moved his family to South Dakota. locating in Ihutchinson county, where he took up a homestead and pre-empted a claim, loth of which he at once proceeded to improve. He was an industrious man, developed a good farm and spent the remainder of his life on the summe. dying in the year 1884. His wife, who is still living, resides on the home place in Hutchinson county.

Jacob Tschetter spent his childhood and youth in the land of his nativity, and at the age of eighteen accompanied the family to the United States, receiving his first knowledge of the English language and of American manners and customs at Elkhart. Indiana. He attended school there a part of one year. and in 1876 re- moved with his parents to South Dakota, where he assisted his father in improving the farm, re- maining at home until 1877. in the fall of which year he entered the marriage relation with Miss Anna Mendel, a native of Russia, and purchas- ing land near the family homestead engaged in the pursuit of agriculture. Meeting with cn- couraging success as a farmer, he subsequently purchased other lands, until in due time he found himself the owner of five hundred and twenty acres, the greater part of which he re- cluced to cultivation and otherwise improved and upon which he continued to live and prosper un- til 1884. In that year he abandoned agriculture and, moving to the town of Bridgewater. en- gaged in merchandising. in connection with which he also did a thriving business for some time buying and shipping cattle. Mr. Tschetter embarked in the latter line of trade with a part- ner in whom he reposed great confidence, but the latter. becoming financially embarrassed, so involved the entire business that at the end of two years the firm was obliged to close its doors and go to the wall. During the two years fol- lowing this disaster the subject was variously employed, working for some time in a machine shop until elected city marshal, the duties of which position he discharged in an eminently sat- isfactory manner for several years. At the ex- piration of his official term he was appointed deputy sheriff of McCook county, and after leav-

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ing that office serverl as deputy United States marshal for six years, living which time he be- came widely known as a faithful and efficient public servant. In the course of his business career, especially in that part immediately fol- lowing his financial reverses, Mr. Tschetter be- came involved in a number of law suits, growing out of the collecting of outstanding accounts, several of which he carried to the circuit court, thence to the supreme court, where verdicts were rendered in his favor. Considering his limited experience in litigation in this country and his indifferent knowledge of the English language, having attended school no more than six weks in America, his success in pushing his cases to final issue and winning verdicts was little less than remarkable, as nearly everybody acquainted with the matter predicted his certain defeat. Realizing the justice of his cause, however, he refused to abide by the adverse decisions of lower courts and, appealing from the same to higher tribunals, obtained the victory to which in law as well as equity he was so clearly entitled.

For some years past Mr. Tschetter has been dealing in real estate, and his reputation as a clear-headed, far-seeing man has won him a large and lucrative patronage. He has made a number of important sales in different parts of the state, one of which, including the transfer of farm property in Beadle county, amounting to ninety-six thousand dollars, being the largest landed deal effected in South Dakota during the year 1902.

Mr. and Mrs. Tschetter are the parents of six children, namely: Jacob, a clothing merchant at Bridgewater: Joseph, a teacher in the public schools; Susan and Anna are also engaged in educational work, while David and Mary are still at home. Susan, the older daughter, was the first young lady of Russian parentage to teach in the schools of Hutchinson county, and one of the first of her nationality to engage in educational work in the state. She and her sister Anna are fine vocalists and leading members of the choir of the Mennonite church, to which the family belong. Joseph is also an accomplished musi- cian ; he organized the Lutheran College Band of

Sioux Falls, was a member of the First Regi- mental Band for some years, and at this time is leader and instructor of the Goodrich Band, one of the finest organizations of the kind in South Dakota.

In politics Mr. Tschetter was a Democrat un- til 1896, since which time he has become an ardent supporter of the Republican party, his change of views being caused by the free silver fallacy, which he could in no wise endorse, hav- ing always been an advocate of a sound and stable currency based upon the gold standard. For a number of years prior to 1896 he served on the Democratic state central committee, and since abandoning his former position he has been equally as active in his efforts to advance the in- terests of the party with which he is now identi- fied, being one of the Republican leaders in Mc- Cook county, and an influential factor in district and state, as well as in local politics. Frater- nally he is a Mason, belonging to Sioux Falls Lodge, No. 262, and he is also an active worker in the Ancient Order of United Workmen and the Modern Woodmen of America, holding im- portant official positions in both. Religiously he was born and reared in the Mennonite faith. and is still a loyal member of the church of that time, as are also his wife and the other mem- bers of the family, being among the leaders and liberal supporters of the congregation worship- ing in Bridgewater. Mr. Tschetter is a man of strong intellectuality, great personal force, and occupies a conspicuous position among the repre- sentative citizens of McCook county.

WILLIAM G. RICE, who is presiding on the bench of the circuit court for the district comprising Lawrence, Butte and Meade counties, and who has been established in the active prac- tice of law in Deadwood for nearly twenty years, was born in Memphis, Scotland county, Missouri, on the Ist of February, 1858, and is a son of Hudson and Frances C. (Oliver) Rice, the former of whom was born in Kentucky and the latter in Virginia. The paternal grandfather of our subject likewise bore the name of Hudson

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and was born in Kentucky, whither his father. John Rice, removed from Virginia in an early day, both the Rice and Oliver families having been established in the Old Dominion state prior to the war of the Revolution, in which representatives of both participated, while further evidence of loyalty was given in succeeding gen- erations of both families, for those of the two names were found enlisted for service during the war of 1812, the paternal grandfather of the Judge having been a participant in the battle of Fort Meigs. Ohio, in that conflict with the mother country. The maternal grandfather be- came one of the pioneers of Missouri, where he became extensively engaged in farming and stock raising, being one of the influential men of his section. The father of the subject was reared to maturity in Kentucky, where he re- ceived a liberal education for the locality and period, and as a young man he removed thence to Missouri, locating in Scotland county, where he became a prominent and successful farmer and stock grower. They became the parents of six children, of whom five are living. the Judge being the eldest.

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History of South Dakota, Vol. II, Part 121

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