History of South Dakota, Vol. II, Part 13

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

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The domestic life of Mr. Smith dates from

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1873, in which year he contracted a matrimonial alliance with Miss Hattie Bell, of Beloit, Wis- consin, who has borne him five children, Maude L .; Ward E. died when two and a half years old; W. Berton, one of the promoters and own- ers of the Springfield Telephone Company ; Mabel C. and Rena A.

HENRY E. PHELPS is a native of Ford county, Illinois, and was born in August, 1863, being the son of Jasper and Mary Ann (Davis) Phelps, both of whom died in the year 1864, leav- ing their son to be brought up in the family of a friend by the name of John Wood. As this gentleman and his good wife cared for their young protege and sustained toward him almost parental relations, it is proper in this connection to present a brief outline of the benefactor to whom the subject is so greatly indebted and whose memory he so fondly cherishes. Mr. Wood was born in Dutchess county, New York, May 6, 1824. and at the age of eighteen went to Norwalk, Ohio, between which place and Mt. Vernon he drove stage for a number of years. In 1846 he married Sarah J. Lyons, of Beaver county, Pennsylvania, and in 1858 moved to Huntington county, Indiana, locating at the town of Andrews, where, in partnership with a Mr. King, he operated a sawmill for a period of three years, changing his residence at the expiration of that time to Woodford county, Illinois. After farming about two years in that part of the state, Mr. Wood moved his family to Livingstone county, thence, in 1872, came to Lincoln county, South Dakota, and entered land in Dayton town- ship, which he improved and on which he spent the remainder of his days, dying on November 30, 1893.

H. E. Phelps spent his early life in the home of Mr. Wood and was reared to agricultural pur- suits. He accompanied his foster parents to South Dakota in 1872 and from that time until 1889 had charge of the Wood farm in Lincoln county, but purchased forty acres of his own two years previous to the latter date. On March 13. 1889, he was united in marriage with Miss Flor-

ence Lyon, of Andrews, Indiana, daughter of John J. and Ruth ( Beauchamp ) Lyon, and im- mediately thereafter set up a domestic establishi- ment of his own, purchasing an additional eighty acres of land the same year, which he has since improved and reduced to a successful state of cultivation. Mr. Phelps has one of the finest farms in Lincoln county, from which he derives every year a handsome income. He devotes his attention to general agriculture, raises abundant crops of grain, especially corn, and feeds con- siderable live stock, being among the most suc- cessful raisers of hogs and horses in his neigh- borhood. Since coming west he has applied him- self closely to his chosen calling, with the result that he is now in comfortable circumstances, with ample competence against possible adversity, and has long occupied a conspicuous place among the representative citizens of the community in which he resides.

In 1895 Mr. and Mrs. Phelps made a trip to Indiana on account of the latter's health, and from there went to Fitzgerald, Georgia, where he operated a meat market for a short time with his brother-in-law, H. L. Beauchamp. Later he, with his wife, visited Tampa, Florida. He was absent on this sojourn the greater part of two years, returning home in 1897, since which time he has carried on farming and stock raising, with the success already indicated. In politics Mr. Phelps votes the Populist ticket and in religion belongs, with his wife, to the Methodist Episco- pal church, both being faithful and consistent members and active workers in the local congre- gation with which they are identified. Mr. and Mrs. Phelps have no children of their own, but some years ago they opened their hearts and home to an adopted daughter, upon whom they have lavished the same love and affection as if she had been their own flesh and blood.

GEORGE ATWOOD PETTIGREW. M. D., was born in Ludlow, Vermont, April 6, 1858, the son of Josiah Walker and Susan Ann ( At- wood) Pettigrew, natives of Ludlow and Lon- conderry, Vermont, respectively. He was edu-

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cated at the Black River Academy, of Ludlow, Vermont, the Colby Academy, of New London, New Hampshire, and was graduated from the medical department of Dartmouth College, at Hanover, New Hampshire, with the class of 1882. He began the practice of his profession at Flandreau, South Dakota, February 2, 1883, and in June, 1884, entered into a professional partnership with Dr. F. A. Spafford, which lasted until February, 1891, when he retired from the active practice and engaged in the real-estate, loan and banking business. He was surgeon of the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railroad for eight years ; government physician to the Indi- ans for eight years ; surgeon of the Second Regi- ment of Territorial Guards, and their successors, from 1885 to 1893: surgeon-general of South Dakota under Governor Sheldon, for two terms : member of the board of United States pension examiners from 1884 to 1901, with the exception of one year ; surgeon of the First and Second Regiments of South Dakota National Guard from organization to their departure for the Philip- pines.

Mr. Pettigrew assisted in organizing the Flan- dreau State Bank in May, 1891, and was its president until July, 1903, when he resigned and moved to Sioux Falls, September 3d. following. He is president of the Union Savings Association of Sioux Falls. He served as coroner of Moody county for many years, and was the first to or- ganize the real-estate move to advance the inter- ests of Flandreau and Moody county. He lo- cated hundreds of now prosperous farmers in this county and the price of farm lands has advanced from eight dollars an acre in 1891 to fifty and sixty dollars an acre at the present time.

The subject is a Mason and has attained the thirty-third degree, Ancient Accepted Scottish Rite and the Royal Order of Scotland. He served as grand secretary of the grand chapter of Royal Arch Masons of the state since 1889 ; in 1895 was elected grand secretary of the grand lodge of Ancient Free and Accepted Masons; in 1894 grand recorder of the grand commandery of Knights Templar and in 1896 grand recorder of the grand high priesthood, and now holds these

offices. He is a member of the chapter of the Eastern Star and was grand patron for 1891, 1892 and 1893. He is a member of the Odd Fel- lows, Modern Woodmen of America and the As- sociation of Military Surgeons of America.

At Troy, New York, October 19, 1887, Dr. Pettigrew was married to Eudora Zulette Stearns, who was born at Felchville, Vermont, July 28, 1858. This union has been blessed by the birth of one child, Adelie Stearns, born September 7, 1890.

THOMAS O. MITCHELL, of the well- known firm of Mitchell & Thompson, dealers in grain, flour, hay, live stock, etc., Whitewood, South Dakota, was born in Adamsville, Ohio, on the 15th day of December, 1852. He spent his early years in his native state, enjoyed the advantages of a common-school education and until twenty-one years of age remained with .his parents, assisting in the cultivation of the home farın. On attaining his majority he went to Mc- Lean county, Illinois, where he followed agri- cultural pursuits from 1873 to 1877, and in the spring of the latter year went to Grand Island. Nebraska, thence to Sidney, South Dakota, from which place he afterwards came with a train of freighters to the Black Hills. The summer following his arrival Mr. Mitchell devoted to prospecting on Battle and Rapid creeks, and in the fall returned to Nebraska and accepted a clerkship in his brother's general store at Alda, continuing in the latter capacity until the spring of 1881, when he again came to Dakota and en- gaged in business at Deadwood. He began his career in that city, buying and shipping grain, and in due time built up a profitable trade, but in 1891 sold out there and established himself in the grain and hay business at Whitewood, which place has been the scene of his operations ever since. In 1892 Mr. Mitchell associated himself with T. W. Thompson, the firm thus constituted erected the same year the elevator at Whitewood, and from that time to the present they have conducted a large and lucrative grain business, also buy and ship live stock on a very

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extensive scale, being one of the most success- ful firms of the kind in the western part of the state. In 1894 these gentlemen built a gristmill at Whitewood, which has since been operated in connection with the grain and live-stock business, the enterprise proving as remunerative as the other interests. there being a constantly growing demand for the high-grade flour made by the firm. In addition to the lines of business re- ferred to, Messrs. Mitchell and Thompson pay considerable attention to the raising of blooded cattle, principally Herefords, pasturing a large number of these and other fine animals on their extensive ranch lands in the vicinity of White- wood and elsewhere in Lawrence county.

Mr. Mitchell is decidedly a self-made man and his present high standing in commercial and industrial circles has been reached without aid from the outside sources or the prestige of in- fluential friends. His business qualifications are of a superior order, his integrity and honor have always been unquestioned and his fair dealings and upright conduct have borne legitimate fruit- age in the success which has made his name popular among the representative men of the city and county honored by his citizenship. Mr. Mitchell is a Democrat in politics and one of the active and influential party workers in his part of the country, having served as chairman of the town board for a number of years, be- sides filling other positions of honor and trust.

Mr. Mitchell was married on March 6, 1894. to Miss Angie Robinson, a native of Iowa, but who was brought to South Dakota when a child, and has spent nearly all of her life in this state; two children have resulted from this union, a son, Oron, and a daughter by the name of Alice.

WILLIAM HOLLEMAN, one of the en- terprising citizens of Bon Homme county, was born in Holland on May 12, 1832, being the son of Peter and Gertrude (Donkersloot) Holleman, both parents natives of the Netherlands. Peter Holleman and family came to America in 1855 and settled in Ottawa county, Michigan, where he purchased land and cleared a farm, upon

which he and his good wife spent the remainder of their lives. Mr. Holleman was twice married, the subject of this review being the only child of the first union. His second wife, whose maiden name was Mary Pruisen, bore him four children, namely : Johanna, Leentje, Anna and Arie, all of whom live in Ottawa county, Michigan, where the family originally settled.

William Holleman was reared and educated in the land of his birth and at the age of twenty- three accompanied his parents to America, locat- ing with them in the state of Michigan. He be- gan farming for himself in Ottawa county and in due time becaine the possessor of one hundred and ninety acres of land, which he improved and on which he lived and prospered until the year 1885, when he sold out and moved to Bon Homme county, South Dakota. On coming west, Mr. Holleman purchased three hundred and twenty acres of land, which he has since con- verted into one of the finest farms in that part of the county, and he has also added to his realty from time to time until he now owns, with his sons, one thousand four hundred acres, five hundred and seventy of which are under cultivation and otherwise well improved.

As a farmer Mr. Holleman stands in the front rank, as prosperity has continuously at- tended him, and he is today one of the leading agriculturists in his part of the state. In ad- dition to the large crops of corn, wheat, oats and hay which his place produces, he is quite cx- tensively interested in live stock, devoting his attention to fine shorthorn and Durham cattle, Poland-China hogs and several breeds of horses, in the raising of which he has achieved a repu- tation much more than local. He is a great ad- mirer of his adopted country and its free in- stitutions, manifests a lively interest in national and state questions as well as local affairs and in politics votes the Republican ticket. In mat- ters religious he has strong faith and well-defined opinions, being a worthy and consistent member of the Dutch Reformed church, in the faith of which he was born and reared and with which the majority of his family are also identified.

Mr. Holleman was married November 22,

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1859, to Miss Clara Ulburg, a native of Holland, who bore him thirteen children and departed this life on April 21, 1902. Mrs. Holleman was a zealous member of the church to which her husband belongs, and a lady of beautiful Chris- tian character and of many excellent qualities. She reared her children to industrious habits, early instilled into their minds and hearts a love of truth and right and by example as well as precept, taught them to live lives of usefulness and honor. The following are the names of the children born to Mr. and Mrs. Holleman : Peter, a graduate of a literary institution in Holland and of the University of Michigan, now a physi- cian, practicing his profession at Roseland, Iowa ; John, a prosperous farmer and stock raiser of Bon Homme county; Garrett, who is engaged in agricultural pursuits near Jamestown, Michi- gan : Edward, of Bon Homme county and a farmer by occupation, as is also Leonard, the fifth in order of birth ; James, Timothy, Henry, David. William, Clarence, Ida and Gertrude are still with their father on the homestead.

HENRY T. COOPER, cashier of the White- wood Bank, and ex-treasurer of Lawrence county, also state senator for two consecutive terms, is a native of Warwickshire, England, where his birth occurred on the 22d day of June, 1850. He grew to manhood's estate and received his education in the country of his birth and after reaching his majority accepted the position of traveling salesman with a wholesale firm which he represented in various parts of England until 1879. Severing his connections with his house that year, he came to the United States and, pro- ceeding direct to St. Paul, Minnesota, entered the employ of the Northwestern Transportation Company, which at that time was operating lines of stage coaches through various western states and territories. Shortly after engaging with this company, Mr. Cooper was placed in charge of the business at Bismarck, South Dakota, thence. in 1880, was transferred to Pierre, where he looked after the company's interests during the

five years following. In 1885 he took charge of the office at Chadron, but when the railroad was finished to that town the transportation company moved its office to Rapid City, thence a little later to Sturgis, and finally, in the fall of 1887, to Whitewood, which place sprang into existence that year. Mr. Cooper continued with the com- pany at the latter place until 1890, when its busi- ness was wound up by reason of the completion of the railroad to Deadwood. For some time thereafter he was engaged in various enterprises, among which was the running of transportation lines to a number of smaller towns beyond the reach of railway facilities, and later he con- structed the water-works system at Whitewood, which for several months was operated under his personal management. In 1894 Mr. Cooper was elected treasurer of Lawrence county, and served as such for a period of two years, discharging his official functions in an able and satisfactory manner and proving not only a capable but a very obliging and popular public servant. He early manifested a strong predilection for politics and, espousing the principles of the Republican party, in due time became one of its ardent ad- vocates and active workers in the Black Hills country. As a further recognition of his valu- able services he was honored in 1898 by being elected a member of the state senate, in which capacity he served his district two terms, having been re-elected in the year 1900.

Mr. Cooper, in 1898, became associated with the Whitewood Banking Company, and since that date he has been cashier of the bank, also one of its largest stockholders. He is a skillful ac- countant, capable and painstaking in the dis- charge of the duties of his position and has made a special study of financial questions, on all of which he is not only well informed, but is con- sidered an authority. In addition to banking, he has large mining interests in different parts of the country, and as an all-round, wide-awake, enterprising business man, he occupies a promi- nent place among the leading men of the Black Hills. He still owns the water works at White- wood and, with his other sources of income, has become quite well to do, being at this time classed

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with the financially solid and responsible men of his part of the state.

Mr. Cooper is a married man and the father of two children, Henry and Albert; his wife, formerly Miss Kate Grimshaw, is a native of Minnesota and her name was changed to the one she now bears on April 1I, 1888.

RICHARD BLACKSTONE, one of the representative citizens of the Black Hills district, maintaining his home in Lead. Lawrence county, was born on a farm near Connellsville, Fayette county, Pennsylvania, and is a scion of one of the old and honored families of the Keystone state. The date of his birth was October 16, 1843, and he is a son of James and Nancy C. (Johnston ) Blackstone, both of whom were like- wise natives of that county. The parents of the subject passed their entire lives in the vicinity of Connellsville, where the father followed the vo. cation of farming, being a successful and in- fluential citizen and one who commanded un- equivocal confidence and esteem. Of his four- teen children, eight are yet living.

Richard Blackstone was reared on the home farm and secured his early education in the schools of Connellsville and in a private school. On the 20th of July, 1861, when somewhat less than eighteen years of age, he enlisted in Com- pany C, Thirty-second Ohio Volunteer Infantry, commanded by Colonel Thomas B. Ford, who had served as governor of the Buckeye state. He enlisted at Mansfield, Ohio, and thence aecom- panied his command to West Virginia, where they passed the winter. In the spring they ad- vanced to the east toward Staunton, Virginia, under General Milroy, and took part in the bat- tle of Bull Mountain, after which they marched by way of Franklin over into the Shenandoah valley, where they joined General Fremont's forces and followed Stonewall Jackson on his retreat up the valley to Harrison. They then re- turned to Winchester and fortified the city, and when Lee crossed into Maryland they abandoned Winchester and retreated to Harper's Ferry, tak- ing part in the battle of Maryland Heights, where

they were taken prisoners and paroled. During the battle of Antietam they could hear the firing but were not able to take part, as they were held in captivity at the time. The regiment was moved on to Baltimore and thence to Camp Douglas, in Chicago, and in the fall were sent to Columbus, Ohio, where their exchange was effected. In the spring of 1863 the regiment was again made ready for duty and proceeded via Mississippi to Memphis, where it became a part of the Army of the Tennessee, under General Grant, being assigned to the Third Division of the Seventeenth Army Corps. After lying in camp at Milliken's Bend for a time the command crossed the Mis- sissippi river, below Vicksburg, and started on the march to the rear of Vicksburg, engaging in battle with Raymond's forces on the 8th of May. and then proceeding as far as Jackson, Mis- sissippi, from which point they returned toward Vicksburg, participating in the battle of Cham- pion Hills, on the 16th of May. In the charge they captured two entire regiments, from Ala- bama. Then advancing upon Vicksburg they be- sieged that city until the 4th of July, under Gen- eral Logan, and after the capitulation of the city the regiment was engaged in provost duty during the summer, and in the fall Mr. Blackstone was made first sergeant of his company. At that time he re-enlisted, although his term would not have expired until nearly a year later. He received a thirty days' veteran furlough and passed the same at his old home, after which he returned to Vicks- burg and was detailed on recruiting service. The regiment in the meanwhile came northward, and he rejoined the command at Cairo, Illinois, froni which they proceeded up the Tennessee river to Athens, Georgia, our subject being about this time commissioned second lieutenant. They marched onward and joined Sherman's army at Big Shanty. Georgia, where they began their services in connection with the Atlanta cam- paign, advancing against General Johnston, who made a somewhat stubborn stand at Kenesaw Mountain, while they had numerous skirmishes enroute, reaching Atlanta in July, and being in the thickest of the fray on the 22d of that month, when General McPherson was killed.

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Sherman continued his march and the Thirty- second Ohio was present at the battle of Jones- borough, but did not take part in the same. Re- turning to Atlanta, they there encamped until late in September, when General Hood started for the north. The federal troops were put on cars and went as far as Dalton, the intention being to head off Hood. Sherman then began the destruction of the railroad and shortly after- ward our subject's regiment arrived at Atlanta and joined in the memorable march to the sea, thence proceeding northward through the Carolinas and being present at the surrender of Johnston, after which they marched to Washing- ton, where, as a part of Sherman's army, they participated in the grand review. From the national capital the regiment was sent to Louis- ville, Kentucky, where they were assigned to provost duty, Mr. Blackstone there receiving his honorable discharge in July, 1865, as captain of his company, while on the 27th of the same month he was mustered out of the service.

After the close of his long and arduous mili- tary service Captain Blackstone returned to his home, in Pennsylvania, and for a number of months was a student in the Pennsylvania Mili- tary Academy, at Chester, after which he took a two-years course in the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute at Troy, New York, where he gave his attention to the study of engineering. In 1868 he came west to Colorado, making the trip from Cheyenne to Denver by stage, and he engaged in placer mining on the site of the present town of Breckenridge, also prospecting in other localities. In 1870 he returned to Denver, where he se- cured a position in the office of the United States surveyor general, as draughtsman. One year later he removed to Cheyenne, Wyoming, where he was employed in the office of the surveyor general until 1878, in March of which year he started for the Black Hills, arriving in Deadwood on the last day of the month. He came here in the interest of Cheyenne men who had some mining properties on Whitewod creek, and he acted as superintendent about two months, when he found that the venture was not a profitable one, and he accordingly engaged in the work of

his profession as an engineer, to which he de- voted his attention for the ensuing two years. In 188I he entered the employ of the Homestake Mining Company as engineer, and began the con- struction of the Black Hills & Fort Pierre Rail- road, continuing to make extensions to the same at intervals until 1890, when the line was com- pleted to Piedmont. In connection with his other official duties he was superintendent of this railroad until it was sold to the Chicago, Bur- lington & Quincy Railroad Company, in 1901. He has been chief engineer for the Homestake Company from the start, and has maintained his home in Central City since 1888. April 1, 1903, he was made assistant superintendent of the company. He also served as assistant superin- tendent of the Father DeSmet, Deadwood, Terra and Caledonia mines, owned by the Homestake Company. In politics the Captain is a stanch adherent of the Republican party, and fraternally he is affiliated with the Ohio Commandery of the Loyal Legion and with E. M. Stanton Post, No. 8. Grand Army of the Republic, at Lead.

On the 28th of December, 1871, was solem- nized the marriage of Captain Blackstone to Miss Mabel R. Noble, who was born and reared in Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, being a daughter of William and Louisa (Findley) Noble. Of this union have been born three children, namely : Alexander J., who is in the employ of the Home- stake Mining Company ; Mary L., who is the wife of D. C. Regan, of Lead; and Florence, who re- mains at the parental home. The family at- tend the Episcopal church.

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History of South Dakota, Vol. II, Part 13

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