History of South Dakota, Vol. II, Part 18

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

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ALEXANDER LEPLANTE was born in Charles Mix county, South Dakota, in April, 1867, and owing to the exigencies and conditions of the time and place his early educational ad-

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vantages were limited in scope, though he se- cured a good foundation upon which to build up the fund of practical knowledge which is his today. He continued to be associated with his father in the raising of live stock until 1887, when he initiated his independent career in connection with the same line of industry, which has become one of the most important resources of the state. He utilized the range in the valley of the Bad river until 1894, since which time his cattle have found their grazing grounds on the broad acres of the Cheyenne Indian reservation. Mr. Le- Plante has an average head of seven hundred head of cattle, and makes his residence and head- quarters at the Cheyenne government agency, of which he has been official butcher since 1899, providing all meats used.

On the 14th of November, 1893, Mr. Le- Plante was united in marriage to Miss Johanna Madison, a daughter of that honored pioneer, Trules Madison, of Fort Pierre, concerning whom individual mention is made on other pages of this work. Mr. and Mrs. LePlante have five children, namely: Louis, Edward, George, Gaylord and Caroline.

ORLANDO P. SWARTZ, one of the promi- nent and highly honored business men of Hutch- inson county, is a native of the state of Illinois, having been born in Jo Daviess county, on the 2Ist of April, 1864, and being a son of Elias M. and Susan ( Rudy) Swartz, of whose eight chil- dren we incorporate the following brief record : Martius H. is a resident of Gillette, Wyoming ; Edith is the wife of James Brown, of Menno, South Dakota; Sarah is the wife of Schuyler C. Freeburg, of Sunnyside, California; George is engaged in the drug business in Parkston, South Dakota ; Maud is the wife of Nelson C. Davis, of Crook county, Wyoming; Frederick is likewise a resident of that county, as is also Grover ; and Orlando P. is the immediate subject of this sketch. Elias M. Swartz was born in Center county, Pennsylvania, being a representative of one of the sterling pioneer families of the old Keystone state and coming of stanch German lineage. As a 7-

young man he removed to Illinois, settling in Stephenson county, engaging in agricultural pur- suits, this being the vocation to which he had been reared. He later removed to Jo Daviess county, where he continued to reside until 1882, when he came to South Dakota, remaining for a short interval in the village of Scotland and then entering claim to land in Charles Mix county, where he engaged in the breeding and raising of cattle and horses, becoming one of the prominent and influential citizens of that section and commanding the most unqualified esteem of those who knew him and had cognizance of his sterling qualities of mind and heart. He died in 1901, having been a member of the Methodist Episcopal church, while his political allegiance was given to the Democratic party. His widow now makes her home with her children in Wyo- ming, she likewise being a member of the Methodist Episcopal church.

The subject of this sketch remained at the parental home until he had attained the age of twelve years, having in the meanwhile attended the public schools and assisted in the work of the farm, and he then went to the city of Free- port, Illinois, where he resided in the home of his uncle about five years, during which period he continued his educational work in the schools of that place. In 1879 he returned home, re- maining one year, at the expiration of which he went to Iowa Falls, Iowa, where he was em- ployed in the drug establishment of his uncle, John L. Swartz, for the ensuing three years. In July, 1883, he came to Scotland, Bon Homme county, South Dakota, where he secured a clerical position in the drug store of another uncle, Wil- liam P. Swartz, and in 1884 he went to Spring- field, Bon Homme county, where he was em- ployed for two years in the drug store of Bone- steel & Turner, having in the meanwhile be- come an expert pharmacist. In September, 1886, in which year the town of Parkston was founded, he took up his residence here and engaged in the drug business on his own responsibility. In 1888 he entered into partnership with Frank Wiedman, who was here engaged in the hard- ware business at the time, and thereafter until

AORichards

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1898 the firm of Wiedman & Swartz here con- ducted a most prosperous business in the handling of hardware. implements and drugs. In the year mentioned they disposed of the drug de- partment of their enterprise and added a general line of merchandise, building up one of the most important and extensive trades of the sort in this section of the state. In 1901 they also pur- chased a general stove business at Milltown, and they now conduct the same as a branch of their Parkston establishment. In 1901 Mr. Swartz was appointed postmaster of Milltown, and he is still incumbent of this office, in which he is sery- ing by proxy. In politics he is found arrayed as a stanch advocate of the principles of the Re- publican party, while fraternally he has attained the thirty-second degree in Scottish Rite Masonry, being identified with Oriental Consist- ory, No. I, at Yankton. His ancient-craft mem- bership is in Resurgam Lodge, No. 31, Free and Accepted Masons, at Mitchell, and he belongs to El Riad Temple, Mystic Shrine, at Sioux Falls, while he is also a member of Milltown Camp, No. 6153, Modern Woodmen of America.

On the 25th of September. 1885, Mr. Swartz was united in marriage to Miss Margie W. Rob- inson, of Iowa Falls, Iowa, she having been born in Concord county, New Hampshire, daughter of Horace Robinson, deceased. Of this union have been born two children, Mabel C., who is attending All Saints' Academy in Sioux Falls, and William R., who remains at the parental home. Mrs. Swartz is a member of the Congre- gational church of Iowa Falls, Iowa.

JOSEPH E. HUBER was born on the 21st of February, 1867, in Iowa, and in 1869 was brought to Dakota by his parents. Peter Huber, the subject's father, was born in Possan, Bavaria, Germany, about 1838, his parents being agri- cultural people. He came to America about 1871 and settled at McGregor, Iowa, where he worked as a farm hand for about one year. At the end of that time he purchased twenty acres of timber land and at once commenced clearing and cultivating the ground. After three years

he exchanged this land for a yoke of oxen, a cow and a wagon, and with these he moved his family overland to South Dakota, settling in Yankton county, in the James valley. He pre-empted three claims of one hundred and sixty acres each, two of which were timber claims, and afterwards pur- chased three more claims of the same size and character. He erected buildings and farmed the ground as fast as his limited resources and his own physical strength would permit, and suc- cessfully conducted the place until 1901, when he removed to Yankton and retired from active life. He still owns six hundred and sixty acres of the original farm, the remaining portion of it having been divided among his sons. Before leaving Germany he married Miss Theresa Reisinger and they became the parents of fifteen children, of whom eleven are still living, namely: Frank, whose sketch will be found on another page of this work : Caroline, the wife of Frank Heinige, of Parkston, South Dakota (they became the parents of ten children and the mother is now (leceased) ; Joseph is the subject of this sketch ; Peter, who lives near Parkston, married Kate Wallace, of Yankton, and they are the parents of five children ; Mary is the wife of John Mack, of Gage county, Nebraska, and they have six chil- dren: Katie is the wife of Patrick McGilig, of near Hanson, this state, and they have two chil- dren ; Charles married Bertha Rothmyer and they had three children, one of whom is de- ceased ; Theresa is the wife of Nels Anderson, of Yankton, and they have two children : Bertha be- came the wife of Gerald Smith, of Yankton; Celia, Josephine and Louisa are single and re- main at home. Two, Peter and Edward, died in infancy, and Anna died at twelve years of age.

At ten years of age Joseph E. Huber entered the public schools and his preliminary studies were supplemented by a course in Yankton Col- lege. He thus gained an excellent education and for three years he taught in the public schools, proving a capable educator who imparted with readiness and clearness to others the knowledge that he had acquired.

On the 9th of October, 1892, Mr. Huber was joined in wedlock to Miss Emma Rothmeyer,

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who was born in Iowa. Six children have graced this marriage, five of whom are now living. while one has passed away. Those who still survive are Clara, Anna, Martha, Joseph and Mildred. The daughter who is deceased was Eleanora. The home farm of Mr. Huber comprises one hundred and sixty acres of land, most of which hie cultivates, and his energy and activity in busi- ness affairs are bringing to him very creditable sticcess. Since he was eighteen years of age he has been a member of the school board and he has also been chairman of the board of super- visors. He filled the office of justice of the peace for a term of two years and in all these positions he has been loyal to the trust reposed in him. Over the record of his public career and his private life there falls no shadow of wrong or suspicion of evil. He is a man well worthy of public regard and as almost his entire life has been passed in Yankton county his career is known to be one that is worthy of commendation. gaining for him the favor of all and the friend- ship of many.

Mr. Huber was tendered the nomination of representative, but not wishing to serve in that capacity refused to allow his name to go before the convention. He has always been affiliated with the Democratic party, and always takes an active part in his party's campaigns. He is an active member of the Roman Catholic church, and attends the St. Agnes church, of which Father Byrne, of Yankton, is the officiating min- ister. Mrs. Huber is an active member of the same church and the children are regular attend- ants of the Sunday school.

Mr. and Mrs. Rothmeyer, parents of Mrs. Huber, moved from Iowa to South Dakota in 1883. The mother died in 1894, and the father is living a retired life in Yankton. He was again married.

SILAS BURTON, one of the honored and esteemed residents of Yankton county, was born in Litchfield county, Connecticut, on the 22d of December, 1837, his parents being James and Harriet Burton, in whose family were nine chil-

dren, namely : Silas, Malvina, Lewis, Diadama, Almoure (who died in the United States army), Charles, Mary, Elizabeth, Florence, Ruth and George. All but five have passed away, these being Silas, Malvina, Charles, Diadama and Ruth, and with the exception of the subject and Ruth these are residents of New Haven, Con- necticut.

The public schools of Litchfield county, Con- necticut, afforded to Silas Burton his educational privileges and he continued his studies until nine- teen or twenty years of age, thus gaining a broad practical knowledge in order to fit him for the responsible duties of a business career. When he put aside his text-books he worked at the butcher's trade at Kent Corners, Connecticut, being thus employed until 1863, when his patriotic spirit was aroused and he enlisted in the Second Heavy Artillery of Connecticut, being with the army for twenty months. He par- ticipated in the battles of the Wilderness and afterward became ill and has never yet fully recovered his health. Before starting to the front he was married on the 6th of December, 1862, to Miss Ellen Stewart, who was born in Hunter, New York, a daughter of Alonzo and Mary (Tate) Stewart. In her parents' family were six children: Edgar. Herman. Ellen, Charles, William and George, of whom Edgar and Charles are now deceased. The living brothers of Mrs. Burton are vet residents of Connecticut.

Following the Civil war Mr. Burton removed from Connecticut to New York, where he re- mained for two years and then came west with his family. In 1868 he settled in Yankton county, South Dakota, having traveled by stage from Sioux City to his destination. The gov- ernment afforded good facilities for purchasing land and Mr. Burton secured a pre-emption claim of one hundred and sixty acres. Subse- quently he purchased an additional tract of one hundred and sixty acres and he now farms two hundred and eighty acres, raising grain and stock. In 1881, bv reason of the flood caused by the ice gorges in the Missouri, he lost all of his cattle, his house and his barns, in fact, his entire personal property was destroyed save one

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team of horses. Thus he has met with dis- couragements in what would seem to be a pros- perous career. He has ever persevered in his work, however, and as the years have gone by he has accumulated a comfortable competence and has become one of the very successful farm- ers of South Dakota. Unto Mr. and Mrs. Burton have been born eight children: Mary, who be- came the wife of W. R. Smith, died at the age of twenty-three years, leaving two children, Edgar and George, but the latter was drowned in the Missouri river at the age of thirteen years and Edgar is now living with his grandfather, the subject of this review; Edgar, the second child of Mr. Burton, has passed away; Hattie is the wife of Mr. Anderson, a farmer of Yank- ton county : Jennie is the wife of M. C. Nelson, a resident farmer of this county ; Arthur is living at home at the age of fourteen years : Theodore has departed this life and two of the children died in infancy. For the past thirty-five years Mr. Burton has been connected with the schools of Dakota and the cause of education finds in him a warm and helpful friend. In politics he is a stanch Democrat and fraternally he is con- nected with the Masonic lodge. His wife and children are members of the Congregational church and the family is one of prominence in the community, the members of the Burton household occupying an enviable position in so- cial circles and in the regard of their many friends.

HENRY HASKAR, one of the represent- ative men of Yankton county, was born in the fatherland in 1836 and the schools of Ger- many afforded him his educational privileges. He was a young man when he resolved to seek a home in the new world and after living in Tennessee for a time he removed to Ohio and twenty-seven years ago came to South Dakota. Under the homestead act he secured a quarter section of land in Yankton county across Beaver creek. He afterward purchased two hundred and eighty acres near Utica and now owns four hun- dred acres of rich land which is cultivated by his

sons. For many years Mr. Haskar was actively connected with its improvement and develop- ment, but now he is living retired. He and his wife occupy a pleasant home in Yankton.

In 1864 Mr. Haskar was united in marriage to Miss Mary Heine and unto them have been born nine children : Annie, the eldest, is now de- ceased : Kate, the next in the family, is the wife of Henry Houker, a farmer residing in Irene, South Dakota, and they have five children ; Mary has also passed away; Henry and Peter are both enterprising young farmers who are operating their father's land. The latter was married April 22, 1903, to Miss Katie Wagner, who was born in Yankton county and is a daughter of George C. and Anna (Kramer) Wagner, prominent farming people of this locality. Maggie is the wife of John Rankin, a prosperous farmer of South Dakota ; Lena is the wife of Albert Wag- ner, who also follows farming in this state ; Hattie is the wife of Norman Lest, and Tesse is with her parents in Yankton and both are graduates of the public school of Yankton county and are popular in social circles there.

Mr. Haskar has served as school director for the past twenty years. In the early days he made his own home to be used as a schoolroom, for the people were then too poor to build a schoolhouse. He has always taken a deep inter- est in the cause of education, putting forth every effort in his power to advance its interests and his efforts have been far-reaching and helpful in this direction. In his political views Mr. Haskar was formerly a Democrat, but now votes independently, supporting the men and measures of no particular party, but casting his ballot as he thinks will do the most good in promoting general progress. He formerly belonged to the Farmers' Alliance and he and his wife are members of the Catholic church and attend the services in Yankton. They occupy an attractive and comfortable home at No. 701 Broadway and a cordial hospitality is extended to their many friends. Mr. Haskar has ever been known as a courteous, genial gentleman who while firmly upholding his own opinions has always manifested due deference for the opin-

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ions of others. His work in the county has been of a helpful and beneficial nature and this section of the state has profited by his residence here.

JOHN CHAMBERLIN, one of the sterling pioneers of Cambria township, Brown county, is a native of the city of Philadelphia, Pennsyl- vania, where he was born on the 2d of March, 1831, being a son of John and Anna Chamberlin. both of whom were born and reared in the state of New Jersey, the father being a miller by vocation. The subject was reared to manhood in the state of New Jersey, having been assigned to the care of his uncle when he was eleven years of age. In that state he gained his edu- cation and at the age of sixteen entered upon a four-years apprenticeship at the trade of wagon- making, receiving the sum of one hundred dol- lars in cash for the services rendered during this period, while he was permitted to work in the harvest fields two weeks each season, thereby gaining a little extra money. In 1852 he came west to Kingston, Green Lake county, Wiscon- sin, where he established a shop and engaged in the work of his trade, also dealing in general merchandise on a small scale. He followed his trade for a period of thirty years, having been foreman of a large shop in Vermont prior to his removal to Wisconsin. He remained in Kingston seven years and then removed to Portage City, Wisconsin, where he was for one year employed in the car shops of the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railroad. Later he re- moved to Randolph, in the same state, where he made his home until 1880, having served as postmaster of the town for the greater portion of the intervening period. In the year men- tioned Mr. Chamberlin came to what is now the state of South Dakota, taking up a homestead claim in Brown county, on July 15th, this being the place on which he has ever since continued to reside, having brought his family to the pio- neer farm in October of the same year. Dur- ing the winter of 1880-81 he and his family oc- cupied a sod house on an adjoining farm, and during a period of eight months no other woman

than his wife entered the primitive dwelling, with one exception, the nearest neighbors being one and a half miles or more distant. It is needless to say that the family encountered its quota of hardships and deprivations, and during the winter mentioned some of the flour used in the household was obtained by grinding the wheat in a common coffee-mill. In the fall of 1880 Mr. Chamberlin hauled lumber from Watertown and constructed a small house on his claim, while his present comfortable and at- tractive farm residence was erected about fifteen years ago, the other farm buildings being like- wise of substantial order. At the time he came here there were but four or five other families in Cambria township. Shortly after taking up his residence here Mr. Chamberlin also took up a tree claim, and his landed estate now comprises four hundred and eighty acres, of which three hundred and twenty comprise the home place, while the remaining one hundred and sixty acres constitute a separate farm, about a half mile distant. The subject has from the beginning devoted his attention mainly to the raising of grain and at the present time he devotes three hundred acres to this branch of his enterprise. He has raised as high as thirty bushels to the acre, and his largest crop in one year aggre- gated thirty thousand bushels. He was promi- nently concerned in the organization of the town- ship and has been closely identified with its de- velopment and material upbuilding. He has served for many years as chairman of the board of township trustees, and in 1891 he was elected to the office of county commissioner, in which capacity he served three years. In politics he is arrayed as a stalwart supporter of the prin- ciples of the People's party, and both he and his wife are zealous and valued members of the Methodist Episcopal church at Booth. They were concerned in the organization of the original class which resulted in the founding of this church, about 1884, and of the few who thus gathered together for worship there is prob- ably but one other left in the township, Mrs. Wenz. Mr. Chamberlin has been an official in the church from the time of its organization to

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two years ago and was Sunday school super- intendent fifteen years.

On the 24th of April, 1857, was solemnized the marriage of Mr. Chamberlin to Miss Martha I. Clark, who was born and reared in Vermont, having received her education in the academy at Brandon, that state, and having been a success- ful teacher for about two years prior to her marriage. They have no children.

WILLIAM KOEPSEL, a member of the state senate and one of the honored citizens of Brown county, is a native of the Badger state, having been born on a farm in Dodge county, Wisconsin, on the 27th of June, 1858, and being a son of Herman and Caroline (Detlaff) Koep- sel, who were numbered among the sterling pio- neers of that state. The subject grew up under the invigorating discipline of the farm and re- ceived his educational training in the public and parochial schools. He continued to be identified with the great industry of agriculture in Wis- consin until 1882, when he came to what is now South Dakota and cast in his lot with its people. He secured his present farm, in Groton town- ship, shortly after his arrival in the state, having now a well improved and attractive farm of four hundred and eighty acres and being known as a progressive and enterprising agriculturist and stock-grower. In politics Mr. Koepsel has ever been a stanch advocate of the principles and policies of the Republican party, and while he has been an unostentatious worker in the party cause he has not been animated by ambition for office, so that his selection to his present dis- tinguished position as a member of the state senate, in the fall of 1902, indicates in how high esteem and confidence he is held by the people of the district from which he was chosen for this honorable preferment. In the senate he was assigned to the committees on education, federal relations, public health, charitable and penal in- stitutions, and legislative expenses, and in cach of these important connections he proved him- self signally faithful to the duties devolving upon him, while he introduced and stanchly ad-

vocated four bills of no slight importance, though never seeking to make himself obtrusive in the great deliberative body of which he is an able member. He is recognized as a man of most scrupulous honesty of purpose in all the relations of life, and thus the people of his dis- trict consistently place their trust and confidence in him as a representative of their interests and those of the state at large. He is a member of the Lutheran church, and has been president of the Groton congregation since its organization.

Mr. Koepsel was married, in March, 1883. to Bertha Waugerin, a native of Wisconsin, who died in April, 1885. leaving one son, Edward. He was married again in February, 1888, to Adeline Wegner, of Groton. Mrs. Koepsel died in August, 1900, leaving three daughters, the oldest, Emma, being eleven years; the second, Frieda, nine years, and the youngest, Lydia, four years old. Mr. Koepsel was married the third time in April, 1902, to Miss Meta Zahl, of Min- nesota, a native of Germany.

DAVID PATERSON is an American by adoption, his native country being Scotland, where his birth occurred on the 6th day of Oc- tober, 1856. His parents, William and Margaret ( Duncan) Paterson, were born in Scotland, spent their lives there on a farm, and both lie buried in the old cemetery where sleep so many of their kindred and friends. David Paterson was reared to agricultural pursuits and enjoyed the advantages of a common-school education. When a youth he learned the tanner's trade and followed the same at different places in Scot- land until his twenty-second year, when he de- cided to go to America, accordingly in 1879 he and his brother, Colin, took passage and in due time arrived at their destination, after which they spent a couple of months in New York, where the subject found employment in a tan- nery. In July of the same year the brothers went to Milwaukee, Wisconsin, where they worked at the tannery trade during the two years following, and it was while thus engaged that David made a trip to South Dakota and entered

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History of South Dakota, Vol. II, Part 18

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