History of South Dakota, Vol. II, Part 16

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

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also raises live stock of high grade. In politics Mr. Holter is an independent voter, and he has served as a school officer of his district.

ALFRED KOHLER, one of the progressive and successful farmers of Moody county, is a native of the state of Iowa, having been born on the homestead farm, in Fayette county, on the 16th of March, 1866. He is a son of Nicholas and Mary (Lang) Kohler, both born and reared in Switzerland. The father of the subject con- tinted to reside in his beloved fatherland until 1854. when he 'severed the home ties and immi- grated to America. Soon after his arrival in the new world he made his way westward to Iowa and became one of the pioneers of Plymouth county, where he has since resided, devoting his attention to the great basic art of agriculture and having gained prominence and prosperity as a business man and valued citizen. His devoted wife is still living, as are also eight of their ten children, the other two having died in early childhood. The father of our subject was a car- penter in his early life, having followed this vocation in his native land. In politics he is a Democrat and both he and his wife are sincere and consistent members of the Lutheran church. He is one of the wealthy farmers of Iowa, own- ing a valuable estate of four hundred acres.

The subject of this sketch was reared to ma- turity on the homestead farm which was the place of his birth, and his early educational training was received in the excellent public schools for which Iowa has long been celebrated. He continued to assist in the work and manage- ment of the home farm until he had attained the age of twenty-four years, when he initiated his independent career. In 1893 he came to South Dakota and located in Moody county, . where he is now the owner of nine hundred and sixty acres of most arable land, as has been pre- viously noted, and the entire tract is under ef- fective cultivation. Mr. Kohler is a man of ad- vanced ideas, and brings to bear scientific prin- ciples in his farm work, while he has the busi- ness thoroughly systematized, realizing that this

is as essential to success in farming as in any other line of industrial or commercial enterprise. He has equipped his farm with substantial and attractive buildings and the place may well be looked upon as a model. In addition to diversified agriculture he also gives no little attention to the raising of an excellent grade of live stock. In politics Mr. Kobler maintains an independent at- titude, and he has been called upon to serve as township trustee and as an officer of the school district.

On the Ioth of March, 1889, was solemnized the marriage of Mr. Kohler to Miss Matilda Miller, who was born and reared in Fayette county, Iowa, being a daughter of Benedict and Elizabeth (Islay) Miller. Mr. and Mrs. Kohler have six children, namely : Otto, Pearl, Vina, Lester, Lynn and Lloid.

MICHAEL J. DOUGHERTY, one of the enterprising and popular young business men of Mount Vernon, Davison county, was born in Schuylkill county, Pennsylvania, on the 4th of June, 1868, and was there reared to the age of eight years, when, in 1876, he accompanied his parents on their removal to Wisconsin, the family locating in Waukesha county, where he received his educational training in the public schools, his father being there engaged in farming until 1880, when he came to what is now the state of South Dakota and took up his residence in Davison county, being the first to enter claim to govern- ment land in this county and being the first set- tler in the present thriving village of Mount Vernon. He and his wife still reside here, hon- ored pioneers, and he is sixty-six years of age at the time of this writing. The subject is a son of Michael and Mary (Flannagan) Dougherty, the former of whom was born in Pennsylvania and the latter in Ireland, and they are the parents of five children. They are members of the Catholic church, and in politics Mr. Dougherty is a stanch advocate of the principles of the Democratic party.

Michael J. Dougherty, the immediate subject of this sketch, was about twelve years of age at

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the time of his parents' immigration to South Dakota, in the spring of 1880, and here he con- tinned his studies in the public schools, while he assisted in the development of the homestead farm, being identified with the great basic art of agriculture until 1899, when he established him- self in the hardware business in Mount Vernon, where he has built up an excellent trade and is honored as one of the progressive and represent- ative citizens of the town. In politics he gives his allegiance to the Democratic party, and his re- ligious faith is that of the Catholic church, while fraternally he is identified with the Brotherhood of American Yeomen and the Ancient Order of United Workmen. In 1901, as candidate on the Citizens' ticket, he was elected village clerk of Mount Vernon, in which capacity he served three years.

On the Ist of November. 1899. was solem- nized the marriage of Mr. Dougherty to Miss Nellie Pollard, of Mt. Vernon, a daughter of Joseph Pollard, and of this union has been born one son, Eugene.

HORACE W. LEBLOND, a pioneer drug- gist of Chamberlain, South Dakota, and in point of continuous residence one of the town's oldest business men as well as one of the leading citizens of Brule county, was born June 28. 1854. in Celina, Ohio, and when a child of three years was taken by his parents on their removal to Min- nesota, in which state he spent his childhood and youth and in the public schools of which he re- ceived his clementary education. The discipline thus acquired was later supplemented by a three- years course in the University of Minnesota, after which he took up the study of pharmacy and pursued the same until becoming proficient in every detail of the profession.

In 1881 Mr. LeBlond came to South Dakota on a prospecting tour for a location, and being pleased with the new town of Chamberlain and the advantages it afforded to young men of spirit and enterprise, he decided to make it his perma- nent place of abode. In due time he secured a business room and, stocking the same with a full

line of drugs and a complete assortment of such other articles and sundries as are usually found in first-class establishments of the kind, opened his doors and announced himself in readiness to wait upon his customers. Being the only busi- ness house of the kind in the place, he soon com- manded a large and lucrative patronage and his career from that time to the present day, covering a period of over twenty-two years, presents a series of continued advancements, which now place him in the front ranks of the enterprising and successful men of affairs in this part of the state. Mr. LeBlond has added largely to his stock in order to keep abreast of the steadily growing demands of the trade, and being, as al- ready indicated, a master of his profession and at the same time a most courteous and obliging business man whose relations with the public have always been of a pleasant and agreeable character, it is not at all surprising that he has won a warm and permanent place in the con- fidence and esteem of the people.

Since locating in Chamberlain, Mr. LeBlond has been an influential factor in the growth and development of the place and a conspicuous figure in its political and public affairs. Although a strong adherent of the Democratic party, he was elected in the early days of the town to the office of city clerk, making the race on the Peoples' ticket and de- feating a well-known and popular competitor by a very decisive majority. After serving one termi with credit to himself and to the satisfaction of the public, he was re-elected his own successor on the citizens' ticket, his successful manage- ment of the office being his greatest recommenda- tion to the suffrage of the people regardless of party or political affiliation, his second term fully justifying the support given him and adding to his reputation as an able and judicious and popu- lar public servant.

Mr. LeBlond has a beautiful and attractive home in Chamberlain which is presided over with dignity and grace by a lady of intelligence and varied culture who, since 1893, has worthily and honorably borne his name, shared his fortunes and successes, co-operated with him in his en-

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deavors and sympathized and assisted him in all of his aspirations. Mrs. LeBlond before her marriage was Miss Lizzie Bridgeman and she was born in Little Rock, Arkansas, and moved to South Dakota in 1880. In his business and so- cial relations Mr. LeBlond has been actuated by the highest motives of honor and his record is that of a man of wide intelligence and broad generous sympathies, whose integrity has never been questioned and whose character has always been above reproach. He is a Mason of the Royal Arch degree, an influential member of the blue lodge in Chamberlain and at various times has been honored with high official stations in the different branches of the order with which he is identified.

JOHN JANCIK, a prosperous agriculturist of Yankton county, who is living near Lesterville, was born in Bohemia in 1848. a son of Frank Anthony Jancik. There was no event of special importance in his early youth to vary the routine of life for him, but after he had attained his ma- jority he was married, in 1870, to Miss Tracy Nikodyn. Three years passed and in 1873 they bade adient to friends and native land and sailed for the new world. They hoped to find in the land of freedom the business opportunities which were not so easily secured in the old country nor has Mr. Jancik been disappointed in this hope. Coming to South Dakota, he homesteaded two hundred acres and he still owns this property, all of which he himself farms. He lived here at the time when the grasshoppers descended upon the country in such great numbers, when they seemed in the air like an immense cloud. Settling upon the fields, they destroyed in a few hours the crops which it had taken months of labor and care to ripen. Other hardships and trials have been met by Mr. Jancik, but he has with courageous spirit borne all these difficulties and at length has triumphed over the obstacles in his path to suc- cess so that he is now a prosperous farmer of his community. Unto Mr. and Mrs. Jancik were born ten children : Louise, who is at home ; Annie and Amelia, also under the parental roof : Rosie,

the wife of Joe Rankin, a resident farmer of Yankton county : Sophia, who is employed in the city of Yankton ; Tina, Mary, Minnie, Emil and Tillie, who are also at home.

Becoming a naturalized American citizen, Mr. Jancik, after informing himself concerning the political conditions of the country and the belief of the parties, allied his interests with the Republican party and has since supported its men and measures. He is a member of the Evangelical church and is a man of considerable force of character, having depended entirely upon his own exertions since an early age. While in Bohemia he mastered the tailor's trade and followed it there, but since coming to the new world he has carried on agricultural pursuits and his farming interests are now valuable. His life history proves how excellent are the business ad- vantages afforded in the United States to young men of energy, whose labors are not hampered by social or caste conditions. .

RASMUS PEDERSON was born in Nor- way on the 26th of August, 1861, being a son of Jorgen and Christence Pederson, who emigrated from the fair Norseland to America in 1867, locating first in Wisconsin, where they remained until the following year, when they came to the wilds of the great territory of Dakota and cast in their lot with the pioneers of Yankton county. The father of the subject took up a homestead claim eight miles northeast of the city of Yank- ton, on the James river, and here passed the re- mainder of his long and useful life. He de- veloped a fine farm and the place is now one of the best improved and most productive in this section, its area being now three hundred and twenty acres. He continued to reside on the homestead until his death, which occurred in June, 1900, and his widow is still living on the old farm, which has been her home for more than thirty-five years, her son Rasmus, subject of this sketch, having had charge of the farm since the death of his father. In the family of this worthy couple were four children, of whom two are liv- ing. Rasmus and Ole.

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Rasmus Pederson grew up under the sturdy discipline of the homestead farm and under the influences of the pioneer epoch in a section which he has seen develop into one of the most attractive in the great state of South Dakota. His edu- cational advantages were such as were afforded in the district schools, and he has lived on the home farm consecutively except for a period of about five years,-from 1883 to 1888,-during which he was engaged in business in the city of Yankton. He is an energetic and progressive farmer and has been successful in his efforts, while he holds the esteein of the community in which he has passed nearly his entire life. He gives his support to the Republican party and he and his wife are members of the Lutheran church, while fraternally he is identified with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and the Mod- ern Woodmen of America.

On the 23d of October, 1888, Mr. Pederson was united in marriage to Miss Amanda Jane Emerson, who was born in Fayette county, Penn- sylvania, on the 23d of March, 1866, being a daughter of Aquila and Ellen Emerson, who came to Dakota in 1884. Mr. and Mrs. Pederson have three children, namely : Rena E. Christina, Amanda Johanna and Ralph Emory.

GEORGE S. RIX, the present city attorney of Milbank, Grant county, is a native of the state of Minnesota, having been born in Spring Val- ley, Fillmore county, on January 26, 1869, and is a son of Porter N. and Emma (Winters) Rix, the former of whom was born in Canada, and the latter in England. Porter N. accom- panied his parents on their removal to Wisconsin when a small boy, and he was reared to manhood in that state, whence, about 1860, he removed to Fillmore county, Minnesota, where he became a prominent and successful farmer and stock- grower, devoting special attention to the raising of fine horses and high-grade cattle. He was one of a large family of boys, and nearly all of them have been more or less prominent in politics and other affairs of a public nature.

George S. Rix was graduated in the high

school of Spring Valley as valedictorian of the class of 1889. He was then matriculated in the law department of the University of Wisconsin, from which celebrated institution he was gradu- ated in 1891, with the degree of Bachelor of Laws, while he was simultaneously admitted to the bar. Upon the opening of the Sisseton-Wah- peton Indian reservation, in. April, 1892, he took up his residence on a claim near Brown's Valley, Minnesota, where he remained about one year, until the Ist of January, 1893, when he came to Milbank, where he entered into professional partnership with the late John W. Bell, under the firm name of Bell & Rix. They were associ- ated in practice about one and one-half years, since when Mr. Rix has conducted an individual practice, retaining a representative clientage and having gained marked priority. Mr. Rix early developed oratorical and dialectic skill and thus laid an excellent foundation for comprehensive knowledge of parliamentary law. His first speech given outside the lyceum or school was made in the Methodist Episcopal church of his native town on the occasion of the centennial anniver- sary of the inauguration of George Washington to the presidency, and his success was such that he soon found himself much in demand as a speaker on public occasions. He has continued to appear as a speaker on matters of public polity, political affairs, patriotic observances, etc. Dur- ing the campaign of 1900, while a law student, his services were given to the Democratic party at various places in Wisconsin. However, he became convinced that the principles for which the Republican party stands sponsor most nearly represent the highest interests of the people, and he signalized his conviction by transferring his allegiance. to the "grand old party," in whose cause he has ever since been an enthusiastic and active worker. In 1892, while a resident of Rob- erts county, he was a delegate to the Republican state convention, as was he also from Grant county in 1896, while in 1896 he became a mem- ber of the Republican state central committee, in which capacity he served two years. In 1896 he was elected state's attorney of Grant county, continuing incumbent of this position two terms

GEORGE S. RIX.

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and making an admirable record as a prosecu- tor. He has served as city attorney since 1902. Fraternally he is identified with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and the Knights of Pyth- ias, in the former of which he has passed all the official chairs in his lodge. He and his wife are valued members of the First Congregational church, taking an active interest in the various departments of its work. They have an attract- ive home on Fourth street, and he is also the owner of other residence property in Milbank.

On Christmas day of the year 1895 was sol- emnized the marriage of Mr. Rix to Miss Maud C. Nash, who was born and reared at Cherry Grove, Minnesota, being a daughter of L. H. Nash, an old and honored resident of that sec- tion. Mr. and Mrs. Rix have one child, Doris C.

ADDISON H. PEASE, postmaster at Wagner and publisher and editor of the Charles Mix County New Era, is a native of the state of Michigan, having been born in Lacota, Van Buren county, on the 17th of May, 1867, and being a son of Enoch M. and Rachel A. Pease. The former was born in Wayne county, New York, in 1830, and the latter in Pennsylvania, in 1838. They came to South Dakota in 1882, and the father died in Wagner, this state, on the 26th of February, 1901, while his devoted wife passed away, in the same town, on the 25th of January, 1903. Enoch M. Pease was of stanch German lineage, the family having been established in America fully twelve generations ago. He was a wool carder by vocation, was a man of sterling integrity and ever commanded unqualified con- fidence and esteem. He was a Republican in politics and he and his wife held membership in the Methodist church. They became the parents of six children, all of whom are living, while the subject of this sketch was the third in order of birth.

Addison H. Pease came to South Dakota in November, 1882, in company with his parents, being at the time a lad of fifteen years. His edu- cational advantages were such as were afforded

in the common schools, which he continued to at- tend as opportunity afforded after the removal of the family to the territory of Dakota. As he has personally stated, his education was secured "principally by hard knocks and practical ex- perience," since he early began to depend upon his own resources. He has never been willing to wait for opportunity but has turned his hand to whatever honest work has come to hand. In early days he drove stage and for eight years after his marriage was variously employed. In June, 1895, he took up a homestead claim on Yankton reservation, Charles Mix county, and gave his attention to its improvement and cultiva- tion until January 1, 1901, when he took up his residence in the town of Wagner, having been appointed postmaster. He also purchased in that year the plant and business of the New Era, a weekly paper, and has since continued its publica- tion, making it an effective exponent of local in- terests and an advocate of the principles of the Republican party, in whose cause he has been an active worker. Mr. Pease is one of the char- ter members of Wagner Tent, No. 59, Knights of the Maccabees, of which he is now com- mander.

At Armour, this state, on the Ist of Septem- ber, 1890, Mr. Pease was united in marriage to Miss Carrie Thompson, daughter of Harry Thompson, who was at that time sheriff of Douglas county.

DELATUS HINMAN, of Yankton county, was born in Oswego county, New York, April 6, 1848, and is of English lineage. His paternal great-grandfather was Edward Hinman, who de- serted the land of his birth and established his home in the new world and the family has since been represented in America by loyal adherents of the interest of this country. The grandfather, Ephraim Hinman, was drafted for service in the war of 1812. The parents of the subject were William and Julie (Salisbury ) Hinman, both of whom were natives of New York, in which state they lived and died. The father was a farmer by occupation and a well-known representative

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citizen of this country. He died in the year 1888 and his wife passed away in 1884. They were both members of the Methodist Episcopal church and lived in harmony with their profession. The political support of Mr. Hinman was given to the Whig party, and later to the Republican party and eventually he became a Prohibitionist.

Delatus Hinman was reared in his father's home and assisted in the cultivation of the farm until he had attained his majority, when he en- tered upon an independent business career as a school teacher and followed that profession through several winter terms. Attracted by the opportunities of the rapidly developing west, he came to Yankton county in the fall of 1869, traveling by stage from St. Louis. He has been identified with the educational interests of this locality for several terms as a teacher, and in 1869 he made preparations for carrying on agri- cultural pursuits by entering one hundred and sixty acres of land from the government, while to this he afterward added another quarter sec- tion. He afterward sold both tracts and in the fall of 1870 he bought one hundred and sixty acres in township 94, range 55. There were no improvements upon the place except a log house, but he has since devoted his knowledge to the care and cultivation of the farm, upon which he has lived continuously since 1877. He has a fine farm and in 1878 he erected a substantial and attractive residence. He has likewise built good barns and added other improvements and the boundaries of his farm he has extended by the purchase of eighty acres. The entire farm is now under cultivation. In the early days he lost his crops because of the grasshoppers, but he per- severed in his work and as the years have gone by he has accumulated a comfortable competence. He now breeds hogs and cattle and makes a specialty of the production of alfalfa hay. He has a good apple orchard, containing some of the best bearing trecs of the state, and his farm is modern in all its equipments and constitutes one of the valuable properties of the community.

On the Ist of March, 1877, Mr. Hinman was united in marriage to Miss Jane Ottman, a daughter of Jacob and Christiana Ottman, who

spent their entire lives in New York, the father being a successful farmer there. He voted with the Republican party and both he and his wife were members of the Disciple church. Unto Mr. and Mrs. Hinman has been born one son, Byron, whose birth occurred January 1, 1885, and who is now a student in college at Yankton. In 1893 they adopted Mary Kincel, nine years of age, whose parents, Mr. and Mrs. Fred Kincel, were both deceased. The child took the name of Mary Kincel Hinman, and has been given a good edu- cation, graduating from Yankton Academy in June, 1903. The parents hold membership in the Methodist church, taking an active part in its work, and their labors are effective in promoting its welfare and extending its influence.

Mr. Hinman is a Prohibitionist, with strong party tendencies, and fraternally he is connected with the Modern Woodmen, the Pyramids and the Royal Tribe of Joseph. Because of his suc- cess and sterling worth, Yankton county num- bers him among her representative men.

NORMAN D. WHITE was born at Scales Mound, Illinois, August 2, 1863, and is a son of John and Henrietta C. (Phelps) White. The father was born December 25, 1826, at James- town, New York, and was the youngest son of Moses and Sallie (Cheney) White. The family is of English descent and was founded in America by Elder John White, who emigrated from England to Massachusetts in 1632. The grand- father of the subject was a goldsmith by trade and removed from Southington, Connecticut, to New York in 1791. He finally married and settled at Jamestown, New York. His wife was born and reared at Essex, Vermont. John White spent his childhood in Jamestown and attended the public schools. He early showed marked musical talent and became a skillful violinist. In 1846, at the age of twenty, he went to Chicago, Illinois, and thence by stage to Galena, where he worked for two years as a farm hand and about the lead mines and also found many profitable opportunities for the employment of his musical skill. He was married in 1848 to Henrietta.

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History of South Dakota, Vol. II, Part 16

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