History of South Dakota, Vol. II, Part 14

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

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JAMES HARTGERING, of Rapid City, a mining and mechanical engineer, with offices also at Deadwood, was born on September 22, 1853. in Ottawa county, Michigan, and is the son of Alexander and Josephine Hartgering, natives of Ohio. The father was a man of intellectual pur- suits and engaged in teaching school during the greater part of his mature life. When a young man he served in the Mexican war, and after the close of that memorable contest followed farm- ing for a time in Michigan, where he died. The

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son, James, was reared and educated in his na- tive county, and in the spring of 1877 came to the Black Hills, arriving in this new Eldorado on the first day of April, and at once went to prospecting and mining, following these alluring but often disappointing occupations for a number of years in various places throughout the Hills country. He also learned his trade as a mill- wright and worked at that considerably. In 1885 he pursued a special course of study in the State School of Mines at Rapid City, the school having then been recently organized. After the com- pletion of his course there he entered on the prac- tice of his profession as a mining and mechanical engineer, and to this he has steadfastly adhered ever since. His home has been at Rapid City from 1891, with offices at Deadwood also. His professional work has had a wide scope and is of considerable magnitude, he being generally rec- ognized as one of its leading practitioners in this part of the country. He has been prominent in designing and building mills and cyanide plants on contract. The growth and development of the section has enlisted his warmest and most in- telligent interest, and to this he has devoted the greater part of his time and energy. In addi- tion he has taken an active part in public affairs, although not an earnest partisan in political work. From 1886 he served as United States deputy surveyor and as United States deputy mineral surveyor, and was county surveyor of Custer county for one term. In fraternal relations he is connected with the Masonic order, and has climbed the mystic stairway to the thirty-second degree of the Scottish Rite, being also a noble of the Mystic Shrine, belonging to the blue lodge at Rapid City and the other bodies of the order at Deadwood. He also belongs to the camp of the Modern Woodmen of America at Rapid City, and is a valued member of the Society for the Advancement of Science, whose headquarters are at Washington, D. C.

On March 21, 1883, at Chicago, Illinois, the subject was married to Miss Jennie M. McRae, a native of Ontario. They have five children, Constance M., James F., Genevieve, John M. and Francis B.

THOMAS GREGORY, who is incumbent of the responsible position of state mining in- spector, is a native of Devonshire, England, where he was born on the 24th of July, 1862, being a son of Jolin and Jane Ann ( Sergeant ) Gregory, the former of whom was born in Devonshire and the latter in Cornwall, while the paternal grandfather of the subject, William Gregory, was likewise a native of Devonshire, . where the family has resided for many gener- ations, the name being closely identified with the mining industry in that section of the "right little, tight little isle." The father of the subject was in his younger days engaged in farming, but later became concerned in mining, being in the em- ploy of the Devongrate Consols Mining Com- pany, a large and important concern, engaged in the mining of copper, and with the same he con- tinued until his death, by accident in the mine, in 1888, while his devoted wife passed away in 1870. They became the parents of eight children. of whom five are living at the present time.

Thomas Gregory passed his boyhood days in his native county, where he secured his educa- tion in the common schools, and while a boy he entered the copper mines, in which he advanced through various grades of promotion until he hield responsible positions. He was employed in the mines of Devonshire and Cornwall for varying intervals until March, 1884, when he came to America. He first went to California, and after passing about fifteen months in gold mining at Plymouth, Amador county, he came thence to the Black Hills. Here he entered the employ of the Deadwood Terra Mining Com- pany, at Terraville, whose properties were later purchased by the Homestake Mining Company, which still controls the same. He was thus en- gaged until 1893, having in the meanwhile been successful in various contracting enterprises which he undertook in an incidental way. In the year mentioned the mine was closed down and Mr. Gregory then made a visit to his old home in Devonshire, England, where he remained eight months, after which he returned to the Black Hills and again entered the employ of the Deadwood Terra Mining Company, and about

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four months later entered the employ of the Homestake Mining Company, in whose service he continued, a valued and trusted employe, until April 1, 1901, when he was appointed state min- ing inspector, with headquarters at Lead. He gave most able and satisfactory service and was appointed as his own successor on the Ist of April, 1903, being the first incumbent of the office to thus receive appointment for a second term in this state,-a fact which is duly significant without further testimony or endorse- ment. In politics Mr. Gregory gives his al- legiance to the Republican party, and fraternally he is identified with the Knights of Pythias and the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks. Shortly after his arrival in the Hills Mr. Gre- gory organized a cornet band at Terraville, and the headquarters of the same were transferred to Lead at the time of his removal to this point. He has been the leader and instructor of the band from the start and it has now attained a high degree of proficiency, having about twenty pieces represented in its instrumentation, while it has the distinction of being the official band of the Second Regiment of the Uniformed Rank of the Knights of Pythias, in which connection its services have been in requisition in the most diverse sections of the state.

Mr. Gregory has been twice married, first in 1884. A son, John, was born of this union, who at present resides in Plymouth, England, and is apprenticed to the brass fitter's trade. The sec- ond marriage of Mr. Gregory occurred in 1900,

THOMAS B. HART, one of the highly esteemed citizens of Central City, Lawrence county, is a native of the province of Quebec, Canada, where he was born on the 4th of June, 1843, being a son of William and Elizabeth ( Brown) Hart, who were likewise born in the province of Quebec. The paternal grandfather of the subject was Thomas Hart, who was born in County Sligo, Ireland, and who was a captain in the British army, in which connection he was sent to the dominion of Canada with his regi-

ment, which was stationed in the city of Quebec. After retiring from the military service he pur- chased a farm fifteen miles out from the city, and there passed the remainder of his long and use- ful life, having served for more than twenty years in the English army and having partici- pated in a number of wars in which his country was involved. The father of our subject con- tinued to reside in his native province until 1859. when he removed with his family to Cleveland, Ohio, where he engaged in the fur business, and there he and his devoted wife passed the residue of their lives, honored by all who knew them. They had four sons and three daughters, of whom three of the former and all of the latter are living at the time of this writing.

Thomas B. Hart, the immediate subject of this review, secured his educational discipline in the excellent schools of his home province, and was about sixteen years of age at the time of the family removal to Ohio. There he secured a position in car shops in the city of Cleveland, where he developed much mechanical skill, and thereafter he assisted in the putting in of trestle work for the Atlantic & Great Western Railroad, while later he entered the employ of the Pennsyl- vania Railroad Company, with which great cor- poration he continued until 1876. in March of which year he set forth to seek his fortunes in the Black Hills. From Cheyenne, Wyoming, he came by team to his destination, in company with others, arriving in Deadwood on the 22d of May. They encountered no trouble with the Indians, though two days previously to their crossing Hat creek two men had been killed by the savages at that point. Mr. Hart at once turned his attention to. prospecting in the vicinity of Deadwood. but his success was of a negative character and after three months he entered the employ of the owners of the Keach mine, at Central City. A few months later he went to work on the Father De- Smet property, and there continued until the mine was sold to a California company, in Decem- ber, 1877, when he secured service with the new owners and remained with them until 1881, when the Homestake Mining Company pur- chased the property, which they still own and

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continue to develop. With this well-known com- pany Mr. Hart was employed until May 10, 1886, when he engaged in contracting at the car- bonate camps, being fairly successful. A few months later he again turned his attention to prospecting, in company with Eli T. Forrester. They relocated the Bingham mine, one mile west of Central City, and forthwith instituted the work of development, running tunnels and openings up the ledge, which is now one hundred and eighty- four feet in width. They sunk a shaft to the depth of one hundred feet and placed the property in good working condition. In 1901 they sold the property to the firm of Mayhem & Stevenson, and it is now known as the Hidden Fortune. In com- pany with Florence McCarthy, in the Golden Rule properties, in Rudebaker Gulch, one mile directly west of the town of Lead, Mr. Hart ran three tunnels, one of sixty-five feet, another of one hundred and twenty feet and the third of seventy-five feet, after which they made a cross- cut of the lead. In 1901 they sold this property to the Pennsylvania Mining Company and the property is now being worked by that company. In the handling of these properties Mr. Hart has been very successful and he is known as one of the reliable and progressive mining men of the section and as one of the representative citizens of Central City, where he owns an attractive residence. In politics he is arrayed with the . Democratic party.

On the 14th of January, 1867, Mr. Hart was married to Miss Margaret Mulreedy, who was born in Ireland, whence she accompanied her parents on their emigration to America when a child, the family locating in Mansfield, Ohio, where she was reared and educated. Of this union have been born five children, concerning whom we incorporate the following brief record : James, who married Miss Earl Brown, is a resident of Butte, Montana; Thomas is in the employ of the Homestake Mining Company, and resides in Lead City; John, who married Miss Louise Lyons, is a resident of the city of Port- land, Oregon : William is in Nome, Alaska ; and Eugene is a student in the Gertrude House in the city of Chicago.

MATT PLUNKETT, who has been identified with the mining industry in the Black Hills for more than a quarter of a century, and now maintains his home in Central City, Law- rence county, was born in the parish of St. Syl- vester, province of Quebec, Canada, twenty- eight miles southeast of the city of Quebec, on the IIth of November, 1850, and comes of stanch old Irish stock. His parents, James and Mary ( McKelvie) Plunkett, were born and reared in the north of Ireland, while their marriage was solemnized in Canada. As a comparatively young man James Plunkett came with his widowed mother to America and settled in the parish of St. Sylvester, where he engaged in farming until about 1865, when he disposed of his interests there and removed to the city of Alpena, Michigan, on the shore of Lake Huron, where both he and his wife passed the remainder of their lives. He was well advanced in years at the time of this removal and lived practically re- tired thereafter until his life's labors were ended. He and his wife were members of the Catholic church and were folk of sterling char- | acter. Of their nine children eight are living at the time of this writing.

Matt Plunkett passed his school days in his native parish and after the removal of the family to Michigan he identified himself with the great lumbering industry in that state, while later he was similarly employed in Wisconsin. In 1877 he came to the Black Hills, by the way of Bis- marck, having no trouble with the Indians while enroute, and he arrived and settled in Golden Gate, adjoining Central City, in December. He devoted the first year to prospecting, and has lo- cated a number of valuable properties, some of which are now yielding large returns. At the head of Nevada Gulch, in July, 1878, in partner- ship with John McVain and Dave Arno, he located the Signet and Black Moon lodes, which they to a certain extent developed. Our sub- ject retained an interest in this property until 1902, when it was sold to the Horseshoe Mining Company, the lodes being a low-grade ore and well adapted to reclamation by the cyanide pro- cess. In 1896 Mr. Plunkett and his partner,

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Charles F. Abbott, located the Metallic Streak ( I to 6, inclusive), on which they did consider- able development, having some of the ore treated, and in- 1890 they sold the property to the Spear- fish Mining & Milling Company, who are now working the same very successfully. Mr. Plunkett has at the present time a number of interests in patented and unpatented mining lands, and some of these properties are promis- ing prospects. In 1896 Mr. Plunkett was elected sheriff of Lawrence county, on the Fusion ticket, and was re-elected in 1898. He had all the stir- ring experiences which usually come to a sheriff in a mining district, but his administration was characterized by directness of action, alertness and vigilance and by great personal courage and self-reliance, so that he gained a high reputation as a capable and discriminating officer. He now devotes his attention principally to mining. In politics he is a Bryan Democrat and he has been a member of the Miners' Union of Central City since 1878, and has held an office in the same at various times.

At Central City, on the Ist of August, 1882. Nr. Plunkett was united in marriage to Miss Margaret Cunningham, who was born in County Sligo, Ireland, whence she came with relatives to America in 1880, while she came to the Black Hills with her sister, Mrs. Herman Carroll. Of this union have been born five children, namely : James Joseph, who remains at the parental home and who is working in the DeSmet Mill; Mary Ellen, who is attending the public schools ; Matthew J., who is attending school; William, who died at the age of one month, and Margaret Pearl, a winsome little lass of nine years ( 1904).

EDWARD HEMMINGER, one of the rep- resentative citizens of Charles Mix county, con- ducting a successful mercantile business in the village of Jasper, was born in Somerset county, Pennsylvania, on the 9th of November, 1855. being a son of Jonas and Susan ( Shawley) Hem- minger, of whose thirteen children ten are living at the present time, the parents having likewise been natives of the old Keystone state, where

they passed their entire lives, the father having been a farmer by vocation and a man of prominence and sterling character.

The subject of this sketch received his edu- cational training in the public schools, continu- ing his studies until he had attained the age of eighteen years and in the meanwhile assisting in the work of the home farm. After leaving school he came west to Iowa, where he was for a time employed as a farm hand, eventually becoming the owner of a farm in Crawford county, that state, where he was quite successful in his opera- tions. He remained in Iowa about eleven years, at the expiration of which, in 1883. he came to what is now the state of South Dakota and took up a homestead claim of one hundred and sixty acres, in Charles Mix county, where he also se- cured three hundred and twenty acres by pre- emption, the land being located near the present village of Jasper. He continued to be actively engaged in farming and stock growing until 1899, when he took up his residence in Jasper and here established himself in the general merchan- dise business, in which he has since successfully continued, being known as an enterprising and reliable business man and gaining a represent- ative patronage. He was appointed postmaster at Jasper and has remained consecutively in tenure of this position, the office being located in his well-equipped store.

In politics he gives a stanch support to the Republican party and is one of its wheelhorses in his community, while both he and his wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal church. He has served for a number of years as treasurer of the 'school board and manifests a lively interest in all that makes for the well-being of the com- munity. He still retains possession of his fine farnı of six hundred acres, which he rents, the land being now worth from twenty-five to forty dollars an acre, while at the time of his arrival in the county it could be purchased for a few dollars an acre,-in fact was subject to home- stead and pre-emption entry. In the summer of 1903 Mr. Hemminger and his family, in com- pany with John E. C. Wilson and family, made an extended tour through the Yellowstone Na-

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tional Park and other portions of the northwest, as well as of California, the outing proving a most enjoyable one.

On the 30th of January, 1879, Mr. Hem- minger was united in marriage to Miss Minerva Ellen Scott, who was born in Illinois, while their marriage was solemnized in Indianola, Iowa, of which state she was a resident at the time. Of this union were born five children, of whom only one is living,-Edith, who will complete her edu- cation in Mitchell University and who still re- mains at the parental home, being one of the popular young ladies of the town and county.

JAMES C. NELSON, of Yankton county, was born in Denmark. August 30, 1868, and is a son of Nels and Julia ( Anderson) Olsen, who came to this country when their son James was only about five years of age. On the 4th of July, twenty-nine years ago, they arrived in Yankton county and the father purchased one hundred and sixty acres of land near Tabor, investing the money which he had brought with him from his native country. In the family were nine children, namely : Ola, John, Dora, Christina. Cecelia. Fred, James, Andrew and Helena. Of this number Andrew is now deceased. The parents are both living, their home being now in Yank- ton. Mr. Olsen has now retired from active business and enjoys the fruits of his former toil. He has reached the age of seventy-five and his wife is now seventy-one years of age. They celebrated their golden wedding anniversary in the summer of 1903, and although now well ad- vanced in years both are enjoying good health ..

In the public schools of South Dakota James C. Nelson was educated, therein continuing his studies until he reached the age of sixteen. He afterward, however, became a student in Yankton College, where he remained for two years and thus with a liberal mental discipline he was well prepared for the active affairs of life. Upon leaving college he turned his attention to farming in connection with his brother Andrew, who is now deceased.

In October, 1897, Mr. Nelson was united in

marriage to Miss Jennie Burton and they have become the parents of three children : Bessie, Robert and Edith, all of whom are at home. The farm property of the subject comprises three hundred and sixty acres of land, a part of which is under cultivation, while the remainder is used for pasturage purposes. He raises considerable stock, having now one hundred head of cattle ready for the Chicago market. In his business affairs he is active and honorable and whatever he undertakes he carries forward to successful completion. About eight years ago he planted a number of apple trees and now has a good orchi- ard. In public affairs he is energetic and his labors have been of marked benefit along many line of progress. He has been a member of the school board for three terms of six years and has been assessor for seven or eight years. In politics he is a Republican, recognized as one of the active workers for the success of his party. vet he has never been an aspirant for office nor sought official preferment as a reward for his party fealty.

JOSEPH HEJL is a native of Bohemia, born in the year 1847. He spent his youth in that country and then sought a home in America, be- lieving that he might find better opportunities in this country. Accordingly, he left his native land in 1868 and when the ocean voyage was com- pleted he proceeded across the country to Ohio, where he spent one year. He then went to Iowa, where he engaged in farming for a year.

In 1873 Mr. Hejl was united in marriage to Miss Katherine Petrick and unto them have been born nine children, six daughters and three sons : Mary, Annie, Frances, Josephine, Katie, Stella, Joe, Frank and Mattie. The family circle yet remains unbroken by the hand of death and the children are still with their parents. They have been educated in the English schools and have thus been well equipped for meeting the respon- sible duties of life.

In 1871 Mr. Hejl arrived in Yankton county and has since carried on general farming here. He not only cultivates his fields, but also is

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engaged in the raising of cattle of good grades. As the years have gone by he has prospered in his work because he has labored earnestly from early morning until evening, throughout the busy season of the year. He has also manifested sound judgment in the control of his business affairs and because of his industry and persever- ance he has won success, being today the owner of six hundred acres of very valuable land. He has set up all of the trees upon his place and in fact has made all of the improvements. He lived here during the time of the grasshopper scourge, when the insects descended in such numbers upon his farm that they ate every particle of vegetation there. Other discouragements have had to be met and difficulties have had to be borne, but with characteristic energy Mr. Hejl has worked on year after year and is now one of the prosper- ous farmers of this community. In 1890 he erected a good brick residence upon his place and has made other substantial and modern improve- ments,-in fact, his fine farm is a monument to his life of industry and thrift. He deserves great credit for what he has accomplished and his life should inspire and encourage others who have to begin as he did, without capital.

JOSEPH J. NEDVED, of Yankton county, was born in Bohemia on the 3d of January, 1849, and is the eldest son of Frank and Veronica ( Stadnik ) Nedved. At the usual age he entered the public schools of his native country and therein continued his studies until he reached the age of fourteen. He afterward worked upon his father's farm until he was sixteen years of age, when he began an apprenticeship at the butcher's trade, following that calling for two years. When he was a young man of eighteen years his father «lecided to sell the property in Bohemia and took up his abode in the land of freedom. Accord- ingly the subject came with the family and lived first in Cleveland, Ohio, where he was employed for three years. During a part of that time he worked as a railroad hand and the remainder of the period was devoted by him to the mastery of the cooper's trade. When twenty-one years of

age he came to Yankton county, South Dakota, and assisted his father in the development and improvement of the home farm for about three years.

It was on the 25th of March, 1872, when twenty-three years of age, that Joseph J. Nedved was united in marriage to Miss Mary Peterka, who was born in Bohemia and came to Dakota with her parents. Five children graced this marriage : Annie, who is now the wife of Frank Bartos, a resident farmer and miller of Tabor, Bon Homme county : Charles, who is now twenty- eight years of age and assists in the operation and management of the home farm : Mattie, who has departed this life: and Joseph and Frank. who are yet under the parental roof.

About 1871 Mr. Nedved pre-empted one hun- dred and sixty acres of land, which he afterward traded for a homestead and subsequently he bought one hundred and twenty acres, adjoining his second property. He now owns four hun- dred and forty acres, but intends to give a quarter section of this to his son Charles. Since coming to Dakota he has been identified with agricultural interests, which is the chief source of wealth to the state, the broad prairies of this locality fur- nishing splendid opportunity to the farmer and stock raiser. Much of Mr. Nedved's land is under cultivation and the fields produce good crops. He is, however, also extensively engaged in the raising of stock and finds this department of his business a profitable source of income. In- dependent in political views, he votes for the can- didates whom he thinks will prove most capable and efficient officials. He has served as school director for three years and as school clerk for about one year. Socially he is connected with the Z. C. B. J., a Bohemian society. He has ever discharged his duties with marked ability and fairness, for he is a most loyal, public-spirited citizen.

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History of South Dakota, Vol. II, Part 14

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