History of South Dakota, Vol. II, Part 15

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

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LUTHER E. GAGE, a representative citizen and business man of McCook county and vice- president of the Security State Bank of Mont- rose, was born in New York on the 27th of

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HISTORY OF SOUTH DAKOTA.

July, 1861, and is a son of Eugene S. and Elvira ( Hazelton) Gage, representatives of old and honored families of the Empire state, where they were both born and reared. They now reside in Montrose, South Dakota, where they have made their home since 1880. The father of the subject was for many years engaged actively in farming and stock raising, but is now living prac- tically retired. Of the eight children in the family all are living except one, the names, in order of birth, being as follows: Ellen, Luther E., Frank, Matilda, Gertrude, Earl, Orin and Smith, the last named being deceased. When the subject was yet a youth, his parents came to the west and located in Grundy county, Iowa, where his father was engaged in farming until his re- moval to South Dakota. The subject secured his educational discipline in the public schools of Iowa, and after leaving school he continued to give his attention to the great basic art of agri- culture, to which he has ever since given his al- legiance, appreciating the fact that it is a proud distinction to be termed a successful farmer. In the spring of 1879, at the age of eighteen years, Mr. Gage came to what is now the state of South Dakota and settled in Clear Lake township. Minnehaha county, where he entered claim to one hundred and sixty acres of government land, perfecting his title in due time and there con- tinuing to reside until 1892, when he came to MeCook county, where he engaged in farming and stock raising, eventually becoming the owner of a finely improved landed estate of four hun- dred and eighty acres, which he still retains in his possession and to whose operations he still gives a general supervision. He has given special at- tention to the raising of high-grade cattle, and upon his ranch are usually to be found about five hundred head. In 1893, Mr. Gage engaged in the general merchandise business in Montrose, conducting this enterprise in addition to his ranching business, and he continued the same successfully for a period of two years, at the expiration of which he disposed of his interests in the line.

In March, 1897, Mr. Gage became associated with P. G. Williams, a leading business man of

Montrose, in the conducting of an agricultural implement and real-estate business until the spring of 1902, when the Security State Bank was organized and opened for business on the 9th day of March of that year. They own the controlling stock in the bank, and the reputation which they bear in this section stands as ample voucher for the reliability and solidity of the in- stitution and gives assurance of a representative popular support. Mr. Williams is president of the bank and the subject is vice-president, while L. S. Lillibridge is in active charge of the count- ing room in the capacity of cashier. Mr. Gage is, in politics, a stanch supporter of the principles of the Republican party, but has never sought or held public office of any description. His wife is a Baptist. Fraternally, he is affiliated with the Masonic order, in which he has passed the de- grees of the blue lodge, and is also affiliated with the Ancient Order of United Workmen.

On the 23d of May, 1881, Mr. Gage was united in marriage to Miss Ana Williams, of this county. She was born and reared in Wis- consin and is a daughter of William and Mary Williams, who are now residents of Minnehaha county, this state. Mr. and Mrs. Gage have six children, namely : Roy, Nona, Allen, William, Irene and Clyde. Roy and Allen are students in the high school at Sioux Falls at the time of this writing, the former being a graduate of the class of 1903 and the latter will graduate with the class of 1904.

DELMONT GOLDSMITH, who was the founder of the Commercial State Bank of Salem, McCook county, and who has been president of the institution from the time of its inception, was born in Webster City, Hamilton county, Iowa, on the 30th of August, 1871, and is a son of Charles D. and Delia ( Borland) Goldsmith, the former of whom is still living, the mother having died in 1882. The father of the subject was a prominent and honored member of the bar of the Hawkeye state, where he was actively engaged in the practice of his profession for many years, while for four years he served as

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district judge, making a most enviable record on the bench.

When the subject was ten years of age his parents removed to Sac City, Sac county, Iowa, and in the public schools of that place he secured his early educational training, after which he was for one year a student in the Rohbaugh Commer- cial College, in the city of Omaha, Nebraska, where he completed a thoroughi business course and ably equipped himself for the active duties of life. After leaving school he became assistant cashier of the First National Bank of Sac City, retaining this position three years and then con- ing to McCook county, South Dakota, in 1893. Shortly after his arrival he effected tlie organiza- tion of the Commercial State Bank of Salem, over whose affairs he has since presided as chief executive, while under liis management the in- stitution 'has been ably conducted and signally prospered, having ample capitalistic reinforce- ment and being one of the solid banking houses of the state. The bank was opened for business on the Ist of July, 1893, and the attractive and substantial bank building, of modern design and equipment, was erected by Mr. Goldsmith for the purpose to which it is now applied. In politics Mr. Goldsmith is an uncompromising adherent of the Democratic party, and fraternally he is identified with the blue lodge and chapter of the Masonic fraternity.

On the 23d of October, 1895, Mr. Goldsmith was united in marriage to Miss Lucile Schneider, of Salem, South Dakota, she being a sister of L. V .. J. F. and H. W. Schneider, leading merchants of Salem. Mrs. Goldsmith was born in Huston county, Minnesota, being a daughter of Joseph and Frances Schneider, and she was reared and educated in Salem, South Dakota.

JOSEPH PONSFORD, who is the owner of an extensive and valuable landed estate in Buffalo and Jerauld counties, comes of stanch English lineage and is a native of the beautiful old city of St. John, province of New Bruns- wick, Canada, where he was born on the 19th of January, 1840, being a son of Walter F. and

Elizabeth (Henderson) Ponsford, both of whom died there, the father having been a shipbuilder by vocation. They became the parents of five children, of whom three are living. The subject of this sketch attended the excellent schools of his native city until he had attained the age of sixteen years, when he set forth to face the stern battle of life on his own responsibility. He lo- cated in Racine. Wisconsin, where he remained two years, engaged in work at the carpenter trade, and becoming a skilled artisan in the line. At the expiration of the period noted he removed to Waterloo, Iowa, where he followed the voca- tion of contracting and building until 1883. It should be noted that after the close of the war of the Rebellion Mr. Ponsford enlisted for service, serving in the quartermaster's department from 1865 to 1867, within which time he was in Dakota, with the forces under command of Gen- eral Sully.

In April, 1883, Mr. Ponsford came to Jerauld county. South Dakota, where he took up three hundred and twenty acres of government land, in Crow township, and forthwith instituted the reclamation and improvement of the property. As success attended his energetic and well-di- rected efforts he manifested his faith in the value of South Dakota property by adding to the area of his landed estate, which now comprises four- teen hundred and forty acres of exceptionally fine agricultural and grazing land. He is engaged in the raising of cattle and other live stock upon an extensive scale and is one of the most substantial ranchmen of this favored section of the state. He came to Dakota a poor man, and it is gratify- ing to note the fact that by energetic and well- directed endeavor in connection with the de- velopment of the magnificent natural resources of the state he has attained a most unqualified success in temporal affairs, his estate being now valued at about fifty thousand dollars.

He was prominently identified with the or- ganization of Jerauld county and has ever mani- fested an insistent and helpful public spirit. He is a stanch advocate of the principles and policies of the Republican party, and though he has been urged to accept nomination for various county

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offices he has invariably refused to permit the use of his name in such connection. Fraternally, he is identified with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. Mrs. Ponsford is a communicant of the Protestant Episcopal church, and in this faith. the subject also was reared.

On the 2d of May, 1867, Mr. Ponsford was united in marriage to Miss Mary E. Dunham, of St. John, New Brunswick, who was born and reared in St. John, being a daughter of Joseph O. and Elizabeth Dunham.

JESSE B. INGERSON, the present able and popular incumbent of the office of county auditor of Buffalo county, was born in St. Law- | rence, New York, on the 13th of June, 1864, and is a son of Lewis and Maria ( Baraclough ) Inger- son, the former of whom is still living, while the mother is dead. They became the parents of five children, of whom the subject was the third in order of birth, while four of the number are living at the time of this writing. The father of the subject was a farmer by vocation and both he and his wife were representatives of families long and honorably identified with the annals of American history. Jesse B. Ingerson was ten- dered such educational advantages as were af- forded by the public schools of his native state and was reared under the invigorating discipline of the homestead farm. At the age of sixteen years he left the parental roof to become depend- ent upon his own resources. He was principally engaged in farming in New York state until 1883, when, at the age of nineteen years, he came to South Dakota, which was then a portion of the great integral territory of Dakota, and settled in Buffalo county, where he took up gov- ernment land and set himself vigorously to the work of reclaiming and improving the same. That he has been successful is best shown in the fact that he is now the owner of a fine landed estate of about one thousand acres, a consider- able portion of which is devoted to the raising of grain, while the balance is utilized in connec- tion with the raising of live stock, to which in- dustry he has given special attention, carrying on

the enterprise upon an extensive scale and also being a successful dealer in and shipper of stock.

Mr. Ingerson is a stalwart Republican in his political proclivities, and in the fall of 1902 he was elected county auditor, assuming his official duties on the 6th of March, 1903, and having thus taken up his residence in Gann Valley, the attractive county seat. He still gives a general supervision to his ranch, but the county is for- tunate in having secured his services in an office for which he is so distinctively eligible. Frater- nally, he is identified with the Modern Woodmen of America.

On the 17th of September, 1890, Mr. Inger- son led to the hymeneal altar Miss Anna Miller, who was born and reared in South Dakota, being a daughter of A. W. Miller, a prominent and honored resident of Buffalo county, this state. Mr. and Mrs. Ingerson have five children, all of whom remain beneath the home roof, namely : Myrtle, Laura, Pearl,. Jesse and Flaurence.

THE GARDNER BROTHERS are num- bered among the representative business men of Hand county, where they have resided since the pioneer epoch in its history, and they are now prominently engaged in the general merchandise business in the attractive village of Ree Heights.

F. R. Gardner was born in Licking county, Ohio, on the 9th of May, 1856, and W. T. Gardner, the junior member of the firm, was born in La Salle county, Illinois, on the 8th of June, 1858. They are sons of Gilson and Margaret (Humphrey ) Gardner, five of whose children are living at the present time. The father of the subject devoted the major portion of his active life to agricultural pursuits, and his wife died in the state of Iowa in 1892. F. R. Gardner re- ceived his early educational training in the public schools of Iowa, and later continued his studies in the Iowa State Normal School at Cedar Falls, where he was graduated as a member of the class of 1880. He had previously completed a course in the high school, and thereafter was for three years successfully engaged in teaching in the

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HISTORY OF SOUTH DAKOTA.

public schools of Chickasaw and Boone counties, Iowa. In 1884 he came to Hand county, South Dakota, where his brother W. T. had previously located, and since that time they have been closely associated in their business enterprises. They here engaged in the ranch and live-stock business, to which they continued to give their attention until 1892, when they established their present general merchandise business in Ree Heights, where they have built up a large and prosperous trade, which is drawn from the wide radius of country normally tributary to the town. They carry a large and complete stock in each of the several departments and by their correct busi- ness methods and manifest integrity of pur- pose have gained and retained the unqualified confidence and esteem of the community. The firm is also associated with another brother, New- man A., in the ownership of the Orient State Bank, of Orient, South Dakota, which was opened for business in September. 1903. and which has met with a most gratifying popular support from the time of its inception. The brothers are the owners of about fourteen hun- dred acres of land in the county and have here attained a high degree of success through their well-directed endeavors. They are uncompromis- ing Republicans in their political proclivities, and their religious faith is that of the Congregational church.

On the 2d of December, 1886, was solemnized the marriage of F. R. Gardner to Miss Kate M. Wetherell, of Janesville. Iowa, and they have three children, Charles W., Hugh H. and Mar- gery. Fraternally Mr. Gardner is a member of the Modern Woodmen of America.

W. T. Gardner, like his brother, was reared to the sturdy and invigorating discipline of the farm, and after completing the curriculum of the public schools he continued to be identified with agricultural pursuits in Black Hawk county, Iowa, until 1881, when he came as a pioneer to what is now the state of South Dakota. He settled first in Aurora county, where he took up land and remained thereon for two years, at the expiration of which he came to Hand county and eventually became extensively engaged in the

ranching and stock-raising business with his brother, as has already been noted in this sketch. He first secured in this county a tract of one hundred and sixty acres of land, in Spring Hills township, while the extensive holdings of the brothers in this section now aggregate, as noted, nearly fourteen hundred acres. The property is well improved and figures as an asset which is constantly appreciated in value.

On the 15th of April, 1895, W. T. Gardner was united in marriage to Miss Anna Wharton, who was born in Iowa and reared in Hand " county, South Dakota, and of this union has been born one son, Henry.

JACOB ENGEBRETSEN HOLTER, num- bered among the prosperous farmers of Lincoln county, is a native of Norway, where he was born on the 24th of June. 1837, and having been reared and educated in the fair land of his na- tivity, where his father was for many years en- gaged in a lumber business, making extensive shipments to foreign ports and being a man of sterling worth. Both he and his wife passed their entire lives in Norway, and of their children five are living at the present time, while of the number four are residents of the United States.

The subject of this sketch remained in his na- tive land until he had attained the age of twenty- eight years, having received excellent educa- tional advantages, going through Den Norske Artillery Brigade's Underofficers' Skole, and hav- ing rendered effective service in the Norwegian army for a period of seven years. In 1865 he came to America, landing in Quebec, and thence making his way westward to Chicago, his finan- cial resources upon his arrival in the future west- ern metropolis being represented in a twenty- dollar gold piece, which he exchanged for green- backs, receiving one and one-half dollars for each dollar of gold. He was variously employed until 1868, when he came to the great territory of Dakota as a pioneer, locating in what is now Lincoln county and taking up a homestead claim of one hundred and sixty acres, in the immediate vicinity of the present thriving city of Canton.

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He was one of the earliest settlers in this locality, and in the pioneer days had to endure the hard- ships and vicissitudes incidental to establishing a home on the frontier, neighbors being few and far removed from one another, while the hostile Indians were a constant menace to life and prop- erty. He erected his rude and primitive dwelling and earnestly set himself to the task of subduing the virgin prairie to cultivation, and though he met with misfortunes, through the scourge of grasshoppers and by reason of unfavorable sea- sons, he maintained a sturdy courage and in- domitable perseverance, and has not been denied his just rewards, since he is now the owner of a finely improved and valuable farm of three hundred and sixty acres, the greater portion of which is under effective cultivation. On his farm he set out the fine trees and orchard which now adorn the place, while all the permanent im- provements are of excellent type and have been made by himself, he being a carpenter as well as farmer. He devotes his attention to diversified agriculture and stock growing and is one of the influential and highly honored pioneers of the county. In politics he gives his support to the Populist party, and has been active in the pro- motion of its cause, while the esteem in which he is held in the community is shown in the fact that he has been called upon to serve in various offices of local trust. He has almost constantly been a member of the school board of his district, is now serving his sixth term as treasurer of Canton township, and was incumbent of the office of county commissioner from 1870 to 1872, in- clusive. In 1869 he erected the first frame house in Canton for J. Q. Fitzgerald and at all times he has shown that progressive spirit which has typified the sterling pioneers of the state, whose advancement and great prosperity have been ad- vanced through their efforts. In religion he is very liberal. He admits the supremacy of natural law and rejects orthodoxy. He is a strong mor- alist and a member of the Norwegian Lutheran church.

On the 23d of December, 1872. Mr. Holter was united in marriage to Miss Helga Thor- steinson, who was born in Norway and who was

a resident of Lincoln county, this state, at the time of her marriage. Of this union have been born eight children, five of whom are living, namely : Engebret, Thorstein. Carl, Emma and Clara.

FRANK W. DRAKE, one of the prosperous and honored farmers of Moody county, claims the old Granite state as the place of his nativity, since he was born in Merrimack county, New Hampshire, on the 30th of December, 1841. He is a son of W. H. and Betsy (Glines) Drake, both of whom were born and reared in New Hampshire, where the father was a prosperous farmer. In his family were eleven children, and nine of the number are still living. He died in 1892, when well advanced in years, and his wife is still living, both having been zealous and active members of the Methodist Episcopal church, while in politics he was originally a Whig and later a Republican.

In 1856, at the age of fifteen years, the sub- ject of this sketch accompanied his parents on their renoval to the state of Iowa, the family thus becoming numbered with the pioneers of that commonwealth, where he was reared to maturity under the sturdy discipline of the home farm, while his educational advantages were those afforded by the common schools. On the 16th of August, 1862, Mr. Drake tendered his services in defense of the Union, enlisting as a private in Company K, Twenty-seventh Iowa Volunteer Infantry, with which he rendered valiant and faithful service until the close of the war, when he received his honorable discharge. His com- mand became a part of the Army of the West and he thus was an active participant in the battles of Nashville, Mobile and Pleasant Hill, besides others of importance, and also took part in the Red river campaign under General Banks.

After the close of his military service Mr. Drake returned to his home in Mitchell county, Iowa, where he continued to be actively engaged in agricultural pursuits until 1880, when he dis- posed of his interests there and came to Moody county, South Dakota, where he filed on home-

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stead and timber claims and forthwith inaugu- rated the improvement and cultivation of the land, which had never been furrowed by the plowshare at the time he secured the property from the gov- ernment. He now has a fine estate of three hundred and twenty acres, two-thirds of which are under a high state of cultivation and pro- ductivity, while the improvements are such as indicate the progressive ideas and good judg- ment of the owner. In addition to diversified agriculture, in the propagation of the various cereals best adapted to the soil and climate, Mr. Drake also gives not a little attention to the rais- ing of an excellent grade of live stock. His po- litical allegiance is given to the Republican party, and he has been called upon to fill various offices of local trust, having served for six years as justice of the peace and for twelve years as an officer of his school district.

On the 30th of December, 1873. Mr. Drake was united in marriage to Miss Sarah Monhol- land, who was born and reared in Wisconsin, being a daughter of John and Lucind ( Burring- ton) Monholland. Her father was a painter by trade and vocation and was employed in this line in Wisconsin and later in California, where both he and his wife died. Mr. and Mrs. Drake have four children: Carrie is the wife of Frederick Bergstresser, of Wentworth, Lake county, this state: Jennie is the wife of Grant Dockstader, a farmer near Dell Rapids; Hilord H. has the gen- eral charge of the homestead farm ; and Fair also remains beneath the parental roof, the children having been given good educational advantages.

OLAUS E. HOLTER, one of the well- known and prosperous farmers of Lincoln county, is a native of Norway, where he was born on the 29th of March, 1840, and he is a son of Engebret and Carrie (Olson) Holter, both of whom passed their entire lives in Norway, where the father was long and prominently identified with the lumber business. The subject of this sketch was reared and educated in his native land, and after he attained years of maturity he there devoted his attention to lumber work until

his emigration to America. Prior to this radical change he was married, in 1864, to Miss Maren Axelson, a native of the same locality, and she has proved to him a true helpmeet and ma- terially aided him in the winning of independ- ence and definite success. It may be stated at this point that they have six children, and in the connection we are pleased to enter a brief record concerning them: Lizzie, who has been success- fully engaged in teaching school for the past ten years, is now residing in that state of Wash- ington; Annie is the wife of Lauritz Olson, a successful farmer of Lyman county, South Da- kota; Martin is associated with his father in the work of the home farm; Laura has taken up a claim of land in Lyman county and is residing on the same, in order to secure title to the prop- erty : Otto remains at home and assists in the work of the farm; and Cora also remains be- neath the parental roof.

In April, 1869, Mr. Holter left his native land and came with his wife to America, landing in New York and forthwith making his way west- ward to the great territory of Dakota. He set- tled in what is now Lincoln county, being among the first to take up a permanent residence here, while only a few dugouts marked the habitations of the pioneer settlers, the most of these being located along the course of the Sioux river. Mr. Holter took up a tract of government land in what is now Canton township, and on the same constructed one of the rude and primitive dug- outs, in which he placed his few household ef- fects, and he then left his devoted wife with two little babies in charge of the place and went to Sioux City to secure work, being variously em- ployed for some time and in the meanwhile car- rying forward the development and improvement of his farm. The passing years have not only shown the result of his labors but have brought him a full measure of prosperity. He is 110W the owner of two hundred and forty acres of very productive land, and nearly all is under cul- tivation, while he has embellished the same with hardy trees and good fences and buildings, his fine large barn having been erected in 1896. He gives his attention to diversified farming and

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History of South Dakota, Vol. II, Part 15

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