History of South Dakota, Vol. II, Part 144

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

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James W. Johnston passed his youth on the family homestead farm in Pennsylvania, and re-

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ceived a common-school education. He accom- panied his parents on their removal to Iowa. In 1879 he came to South Dakota, so that he may be consistently termed a pioneer of the state, and shortly after his arrival he entered claim to one hundred and sixty acres of govern- ment land ten miles north of Watertown, which he proved up. He then assisted on the govern- ment surveys of the territory until January, 1883, when he removed to Faulk county, which was then unorganized, and filed a pre-emption on one hundred and sixty acres of land joining the town site of La Foon, which afterwards became the first county seat of Faulk county. At the first general election held in Faulk county, No- vember 8, 1894, he was elected to the office of register of deeds, being the first chosen to this position by popular vote. He served one term, while subsequently he was again elected to this office, serving one term. His long experience in the office has made him thoroughly familiar with land values in this section and this knowledge has been of great benefit to him in his real-estate operations. In 1886, when the railroad was com- pleted to Faulkton, the present county seat, he removed to the new town, with whose interests and upbuilding he has since been identified. He continued his business individually until 1893, when he effected the organization of the Faulk County Land and Title Company, of which he has been secretary and general manager from the start. The company own a complete set of ab- stracts of land titles of Faulk county. Mr. John- ston is a member of the Republican party, and for the past eight years has served as chairman of the Republican county central committee. He served two terms as a member of the city council, and for three years as a member of the board of education. Fraternally he is identified with Faulkton Lodge, No. 95, Ancient Free and Ac- cepted Masons ; Faulkton Chapter, No. 30. Royal Arch Masons, of which he is high priest at the time of this writing; the order of Knights of the Maccabees and Modern Woodmen of Amer- ica.

On the 5th of November, 1885. Mr. Johnston was united in marriage to Miss Lizzie M. Coch-

rane, of Des Moines, Iowa, who was born and reared in that state, being a daughter of J. C. Cochrane. In the spring of 1883 Mrs. John- ston came to South Dakota with her uncle, Jo- seph Cochrane, and filed a pre-emption claim. She may be termed a pioneer of Faulk county, having settled on her land prior to the time it came into the market. In December, 1884, Judge Seward Smith appointed her clerk of the district court, in which office she served about two years, having been the first woman to hold the office in the state. She resigned the position at the time of her marriage. Mr. and Mrs. Johnson have had born to them ten children, of whom but four are living : Belle, Lloyd, Laura and Ralph. Mr. and Mrs. Johnston are members of the Congre- gational church.

PATRICK H. O'NEIL, who has a large and finely improved stock farm in Faulk county, is a native of the Badger state, having been born in New Richmond, St. Croix county, Wisconsin, on the 16th of February, 1866, and being a son of Thomas O'Neil, who was born and reared in Ireland, when he came to America as a young man and located in Wisconsin, where he has maintained his home for the past forty years. The subject was reared and educated in his na- tive county and continued to reside in Wisconsin until he had attained his legal majority, when, in 1887, he came to South Dakota and located in Faulkton, where he engaged in the meat-mar- ket business, in which he continued until 1898. Soon after his arrival in the county he also iden- tified himself, on a modest scale, with the live- stock industry, to which he has given his exclu- sive attention since the year mentioned. He has twenty-two thousand acres under fence, and in the connection it may be stated that for his pur- pose fully eighty miles of fencing are used, while of his land he has deeded title to twelve thou- sand acres. He raises both cattle and sheep and has the best graded stock, so that he is enabled to command the highest market prices. In the summer of 1892 he sold ninety-seven thousand eight hundred dollars' worth of stock at one sale

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and to one man. His average run of sheep is the state of New York, locating in Ontario about fifteen thousand head and in 1903 he sold seventy-two thousand nine hundred pounds of wool to one buyer, the Shropshire type of sheep being his favorite. All of his land is in Faulk county, and he has the best of facilities for the care and handling of his stock, an abundant sup- ply of pure water being secured from three ar- tesian wells. In politics he is a stanch adherent of the Republican party and both he and his wife hold the faith of the Catholic church.

On the 13th of June, 1887. was solemnized the marriage of Mr. O'Neill to Miss Annie Car- lin, who was born in McLean county, Illinois. and they have five children, namely : Aloyisius, Mary, Ignatius, John and Henry.

JOSEPH H. BOTTUM, state senator from Faulk county, comes of sterling old colonial stock in both the paternal and maternal lines and both families are of stanch English extraction. Records extant show that two of the maternal ancestors were valiant soldiers in the Continental line during the war of the Revolution, having been participants in the historic battle of Bunker Hill. The original patronymic in the agnatic line was Longbottom, the initial syllable having been dropped after the establishment of the family in America.

The subject of this sketch is a native of the Empire state, having been born in West Bloom- field, Ontario county, New York, on the 26th of September, 1853, and being of the eldest of the eight children of Henry C. and Helen M. (Burn- ham) Bottum, both of whom were born and reared in Vermont, as was also the paternal grandfather of our subject, Roswell Bottum. who was a man of prominence and influence in the old Green Mountain state, having served for a number of terms as a member of its legislature and also held other offices of distinctive public trust and responsibility. The original American progenitors settled in the Massachusetts colony and the name has been long and honorably iden- tified with the annals of New England. As a young man the father of the subject removed to

county, where he was engaged in the mercantile business until 1854, when he came west to Wis- consin, settling in Fond du Lac county, and be- came one of the pioneers of that section. He was prospered in his efforts and developed a large and valuable farm, which he still owns. He has always taken a prominent part in the politics of the county and state and was for three years a member of the Wisconsin legislature. He has attained the age of nearly eighty years and is ad- mirably preserved in mind and body, while he is honored as one of the venerable pioneers of the Badger state.

Joseph H. Bottum passed his boyhood days [ on the homestead farm in Wisconsin, having been an infant in arms at the time of his parents' re- moval to that state, and his early educational dis- cipline was secured in the public schools, after which he completed a course of study in Ripon College. in the town of that name, being there graduated as a member of the class of 1877 with the degree of Bachelor of Science. Shortly aft- erward he entered the law office of the firm of Shepherd & Shepherd, of Fond du Lac, the in- terested principals being leading members of the bar of Wisconsin, and under their able preceptor- ship he continued his technical study of the law until 1880, when he was duly admitted to the bar. He immediately came to what is now the state of South Dakota, locating in the city of Sioux Falls, where he remained until the spring of 1882. when he removed to Spink county. where he was engaged in newspaper work until March, 1883, when he located in the village of La Foon, five miles east of the present county seat, and was there engaged in the practice of his profession until January. 1887. when the rail- road was completed through Faulkton, where- upon he removed to this point, where he has ever since been prominent in professional work and public and civic affairs, being one of the most successful members of the county bar and being held in the highest regard in the community, as is evident from the dignified official position which he has been called upon to fill, in the gift of the people. The county was organized in

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1883, and Mr. Bottum had the distinction of be- ing its first register of deeds, La Foon being then the county seat, while he served as state's attor- ney for the county from 1890 to 1894, inclusive, making an enviable record as a public prosecu- tor. In 1898 he was elected to represent his county in the state senate, serving during the sixth general assembly, and in 1902 he was again chosen for this responsible preferment, being a member of the assembly at the time of this writ- ing and having gained a reputation as a conserv- ative and conscientious legislator and as one thoroughly devoted to the interests of the people of the state. Fraternally he is a Royal Arch Ma- son, and is also identified with the Knights of Pythias and the Ancient Order of United Work- men. Senator Bottum has taken a deep interest in local affairs, particularly in the cause of poput- lar education, and at the present time he is presi- dent of the board of education.

In June, 1885, Senator Bottum was united in marriage to Miss Sylvia G. Smith, who was born and reared in Missouri, and who is a daughter of Judge Darius S. Smith. Of this union have been born seven children, namely: Nellie, Fannie, Dora, Emily, Julia, Roswell and Joseph H. Both parents are members of the Congregational church.

H. T. MEACHAM, one of the leading mer- chants of Gettysburg, Potter county, is a native of the beautiful Wolverine state, having been born in Adamsville, Cass county, Michigan, on the 19th of November, 1861, and being a son of G. A. and Helen M. Meacham, natives re- spectively of New York and Ohio. The father now resides in Adamsville, Michigan, where he has been engaged in farming for many years. The mother died in 1900. The subject was reared in his native town and there completed the curriculum of the public schools, being grad- uated in the high school at Elkhart, Indiana, as a member of the class of 1881, while he then put his scholastic acquirements to practical test and use by engaging in teaching, to which profession he gave his attention about three years. He then

decided to try his fortunes in what is now South Dakota, whither he came in 1883, arriving in Gettysburg on the 29th of August. He entered claim to three hundred and twenty acres of gov- ernment land seven miles south of the town, and remained on the same for a number of months and then returning to his home in Michigan for the winter. In the spring of 1884 he came once more to his claim, upon which he made improve- ments, placing a considerable portion of the land under cultivation and in due time perfecting his title. In the fall of 1884 he was elected county treasurer, on the Republican ticket, and the hold which he had gained upon popular confidence and esteem was shown in the fact that he was the only successful candidate on the ticket, while he also had the distinction of being the first county treasurer elected, his predecessor having been appointed at the time of the organization of the county and having served until the first general election provided regular incumbents for the va- rious offices. Mr. Meacham gave a most able and satisfactory administration of the fiscal af- fairs of the county during the formative period, and was continued in the office for three succes- sive terms, of two years each. Upon retiring from office he engaged in the real-estate business, to which he gave his attention until 1893, when he went to Chicago, Illinois, where he remained about two years, at the expiration of which he returned to Gettysburg and established himself in the general merchandise business, in which he has ever since successfully continued, controlling a large trade and having a select and compre- hensive stock in the various departments.

Mr. Meacham has taken a particularly active interest in public affairs of a local order and has been prominent in the councils of the Republican party contingent in the state. In 1896 he was a delegate to the national convention, in St. Louis, which nominated the late and lamented William Mckinley for the presidency, and since that time he has served as a member of the Republican state central committee. Fraternally he is identi- fied with Ionia Lodge, No. 83, Ancient Free and Accepted Masons, in Gettysburg, having been the first candidate initiated in the same;

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with Faulkton Chapter, Royal Arch Masons, and with Huron Lodge, No. 444, Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, at Huron, South Da- 'kota. Mr. Meacham is a bachelor.

EVAN FREDERICK GROSS, a represent- ative business man of Gettysburg, Potter county, has the distinction of being a native of the me- tropolis of the nation, having been born in New York city, on the 19th of October, 1853, and be- ing a son of G. F. Gross, born in Hall, Wurtem- berg, Germany, and Theresia Gross, born in Niederlies, Lower Austria. Shortly after their marriage, in 1852, they emigrated to America, and the subject, the eldest of their five children, was born soon after their arrival in New York city. They remained there for a short time and then removed to Reading, Pennsylvania, which continued to be their home until about 1861, when they removed to the city of Chicago, Illi- nois, where they passed the remainder of their lives. The father of our subject was a printer by trade and vocation, having learned the art in his native land, and he followed the same until his death, which occurred in 1884, while for a number of years he owned and conducted a job office in Chicago. In his family were four sons and one daughter, and all are still living. The mother is still living in Chicago.

Evan Frederick Gross, the immediate subject of this sketch, was about eight years of age at the time of his parents' removal to Chicago, and there he was reared to maturity, securing his ed- ucation in the public schools, and entering upon an apprenticeship at the printer's trade under the direction of his father. He became a skilled workman, while he continued to be identified with the work of his trade in Chicago until 1883, when he removed to Potter county, South Da- kota, where he filed entry on a pre-emption claim in Lincoln township, Potter county, where he improved a good farm and there devoted his attention to agricultural pursuits until 1887, when he was at first appointed and afterwards elected county auditor, in which capacity he served six consecutive years, having been twice

re-elected. He then established himself in the hardware business in Gettysburg, the county seat, beginning operations upon a somewhat mod- est scale, and in the intervening years he has built up a large and prosperous enterprise in the line, controlling a representative patronage through- out this section and having a large and well- equipped store and also ample warehouse accom- modations. He carries a large and comprehen- sive stock of heavy and shelf hardware, stoves, ranges, etc., has a well-equipped tin and repair shop, and also handles a full line of agricultural implements and machinery, while he is known as a reliable and straightforward business man and commands unequivocal confidence and re- gard in the county in which he has so long made his home and with whose industrial, business and civic affairs he has been so prominently identi- fied. He has been an active factor in local polit- ical affairs ever since coming to the county, is a man of broad intellectual grasp and mature judg- ment, and thus he has become naturally a leader in thought and action. He is a Democrat in his political faith, and in 1900 was elected to repre- sent his district in the state legislature, where he made a most excellent record, the popular en- dorsement of which came in his re-election in the fall of 1902, so that he is a member of the gen- eral assembly at present. Fraternally he is affili- ated with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, the Woodmen of the World and the Ancient Or- der of United Workmen.

In 1874 Mr. Gross was united in marriage to Miss Marienne Augustine, who was born in Alsace, being of French ancestry, and her death occurred in 1879. She is survived by two chil- dren, Robert A., who is successfully engaged in the real-estate business in Gettysburg, and Alma, who is the wife of Frank G. Carpenter, of Sour Lake, Texas.

On the 15th of June, 1890, Mr. Gross wedded Miss M. Helen Williams, who was born and reared in Harrison, Illinois, being a direct de- scendant of Roger Williams, the founder of the state of Rhode Island, and at the time of her marriage she was superintendent two terms of the public schools in Potter, this county. Of this

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union has been born one son, to whom has most consistently been given the name of Roger Wil- liams, and a daughter, Theresia Marie.

ROY L. HOPKINS, one of the well-known citizens of Redfield, South Dakota, where he is president of the Redfield Cement Brick and Tile Manufacturing Company, was born near Cleve- land, Ohio, on April 23, 1853. He is the son of William W. and Louise (Sumner) Hopkins. The father was born in New York state, and is the son of Cyrus Hopkins. The Hopkins are of English stock, but have been in America many generations. The mother was born in Ohio. The genealogy of the Sumner family runs back to the colonial period. Three brothers of the family came from England prior to the Revolut- tionary war. One of them, the great-grandfa- ther of the subject, held three commissions under the crown of Great Britain and for service was granted a tract of land composing six hundred and fifty acres on which the city of Rochester, New York, now stands. He was a strong Tory, and during the war for independence he fled to Canada. He had prepared to return to his pos- sessions, but was taken sick and died. The treaty between England and the United States provided that all confiscated property should be returned to the original owners. Not returning, however, - the property fell into other hands, but even today their titles are clouded by the fact that the prop- erty really belongs to the said Thomas Sumner, and no absolutely clear title can be given to Ro- chester city property. The grandfather of the subject, Azor Betts Sumner, was a native of Vermont state. He removed from Vermont to New York state, thence to Ohio and served in the war of 1812, and then, at the age of ninety- three years, he went alone to Missouri, in which state he died at the age of ninety-six years. Cy- rus B. Hopkins, paternal grandfather of the sub- ject, was born in the year of 1781 at Great Bar- rington, Massachusetts, was in the war of 1812 and died September 6, 1863. Charlotte Bissell Hopkins, his wife, was born at Randolph, Ver- mont. October 30, 1791, and died in 1885. Persis

Warren Summer, grandmother, was born at Granville, New York, May 11, 1785, and died March 26, 1861. From Ohio the parents of the subject removed to Beloit, Wisconsin, in 1853, and from that state he removed to Rockford, Illinois, and from there came to Redfield, South Dakota, in 1883, and here he and his wife have since resided. He is now seventy-seven years old, while his wife is in her seventy-fifth year.

Roy L. Hopkins was educated in the common and high schools, and finished the same with a course at Arnold's Business College, at Rockford, Illinois. He learned the baker's trade, and opened his first shop at Marengo, Illinois, where he was burned out. In 1880 he came to South Dakota and settled in Spink county, near the camping ground of the Indians on the James river, four miles northeast from Redfield, which locality he reached on March 2, 1880. The following Au- gust he went to Redfield, or what is now that city, for at that time there was not a building on the site. He opened the Star Restaurant and Bakery ,in the summer of 1881, and following that he ran the Central Hotel at Redfield. He next erected a building and opened a restaurant, fruit store and bakery, to which he later added grocer- ies, and managed the same until 1889. His wife's health failing at this time, he returned to Illinois, where he was engaged for eighteen months in the butcher business, at the expiration of which period he returned to Redfield and his old busi- ness, being associated with his brother, G. S. Hopkins. In 1897 he took charge of the local telephone lines and exchange in connection with his store, and two years later he sold out his store and gave his entire attention to the telephone business, of which he was the owner. He built and operated lines in Redfield and the county un- til 1904, when he sold out to the Citizens' Com- pany. In 1904 he began the cement business, get- ting in machinery, etc., and in the same year he organized the company and began the manufac- ture of cement brick and tile. The machine they 11se was patented in Canada, and is the first one turned out in the United States. Mr. Hopkins served four years in the Redfield city council.

In September, 1874. Mr. Hopkins was united

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in marriage to Miss Minnie Lanaghen, who was born at Lyons. Iowa. She died June 27, 1902, leaving two sons, Clarence and Roy, Jr.

CHENEY C. GROSS, M. D .- To achieve state reputation within a comparatively short time, in one of the most exacting of the learned professions, is evidence of intellectual capacity of a high order and superior professional train- ing, both of which, in an eminent degree, char- acterize the learned and successful physician whose name appears at the head of this article. The distinction of being the leader of his profes- sion in Yankton is freely conceded to him and that he is also widely and favorably known in other parts is attested by the worthy prestige he enjoys in medical circles throughout the entire state of South Dakota.

Dr. Cheney C. Gross, of Yankton, is a native of Naperville, Illinois, and the second in a fam- ily of five children, whose parents were Daniel N. and Mary E. (Dudley) Gross. The Doctor's pa- . ternal grandparents, Conrad and Salome Gross, came to America a number of years ago from Bavaria, Germany, and settled in Pennsylvania, thence about 1833, emigrated to Dupage county, Illinois, where they spent the remainder of their lives. The Dudleys, who came from New Hamp- shire and Vermont, were also early pioneers of Dupage county, their settlement being contem- poraneous with that of the Gross family, both locating near the town of Naperville, where they engaged in agricultural pursuits. Grandfather Gross was a devout member of the German Evangelical church, and a man of high character and excellent standing. The Dudleys were Con- gregationalists, of the most orthodox New Eng- land type, the Doctor's grandfather having been a leading spirit in organizing the church of that denomination in Naperville, of which society he was a charter member, and for a number of years one of its most liberal supporters. John Dudley, the Doctor's great-grandfather, was a Revolutionary hero, and the old flint-lock musket which he carried during the war was retained as a precious relic for many years. This branch

of the family came originally from England, the ancestors being among the "Mayflower" pilgrims, others immigrating to America at a later date. Daniel N. Gross, the Doctor's father, was born in Naperville, Illinois, in 1837. He enjoyed but limited educational advantages, never attending school after his thirteenth year, and when quite young he apprenticed himself to learn the car- penter's trade, which in due time he mastered and became a skillful mechanic. For some years prior to the breaking out of the great Civil war he was foreman in a carpenter's shop, at Naper- ville, but when the President called for volun- teers to put down the rebellion he was one of the first in that town to respond, joining Company E, Eighth Illinois Cavalry, with which he served until made an aide on General Sumner's staff, some time later. His command was attached to the Army of the Potomac, and took part in a number of Virginia campaigns, participating in many of the bloody battles which made the war in that section historic. Upon the occasion of the seven days' battle before Richmond he was one of those who volunteered to carry an important dispatch in the face of a deadly fire to the com- mander of another division, with an order to re- treat, the mission being attended with great dan- ger, and to all appearances almost certain death. Of the three he was chosen for the dangerous service, and after proceeding as far as he dared on horseback, he left his animal and, crawling di- rectly under the fire of the enemy, finally reached his destination in safety and delivered the mes- sage. Returning, he reached his horse without injury, but in attempting to mount he was shot through the leg, the missile killing the animal, thus leaving him to make his way as best he could to a place of safety. After hastily dress- ing the wound, he was assisted by a comrade, S. V. Hoang, now living near Fargo, North Da- kota, who, helping him mount another horse, led the animal, and in this way the two followed the retreating army until arriving at Pittsburg Land- ing on the shore of Chesapeake bay, where they found the force already embarked, and the last of the transports just leaving the shore. The com- mander of the transport was not disposed to re-

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History of South Dakota, Vol. II, Part 144

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