History of South Dakota, Vol. II, Part 29

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

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HISTORY OF SOUTH DAKOTA.

of that number three are living at the present time. His brother Patrick had previously come to the United States, and was a member of Corrigan's Brigade, of New York, during the Civil war, in which he sacrificed his life, being killed in battle. Upon coming to the new world the subject and the other members of the family located in New York, where he was reared to manhood, in the meanwhile continuing his edu- cational work in the public schools, while in 1877 he came west and took up his abode in the home of an aunt in Winona county, Min- nesota, where he also attended school, remain- ing with his aunt until 1880, when he came to South Dakota.

Laurence was twenty years of age at the time of casting his lot with what is now the state of South Dakota. In 1881 he took up one hundred and sixty acres of government land in Codington county, the same constituting a portion of his present farm. He set himself vigorously to the work of improving his land and placing it under cultivation, and through energy and good man- agement he has attained a position of independ- ence, being one of the well-to-do farmers of this section, while he has ever maintained a strong hold on popular confidence and esteem in the community. He gives his earnest attention to diversified agriculture and to the raising of high- grade live stock. In politics his support is given to the Republican party, and he has taken an active part in public affairs of a local nature, while he has been called upon to serve in various positions of trust and responsibility, including the office of township clerk and that of member of the board of supervisors, while for the past eighteen years he has been postmaster of Esterly. He is affiliated with the Modern Woodmen of America, and the Ancient Order of United Workmen. He has improved his ranch with a commodious and comfortable residence and other excellent buildings, while the entire place gives unmistakable evidence of thrift and prosperity.

On the 16th of February, 1885, Mr. O'Toole was united in marriage to Miss Della S. Gram- mond, who was born and reared in Illinois, being a daughter of Oliver and Sarah ( Barslo) Gram-

mond, both of whom were of French ancestry, but born in Canada. Mr. and Mrs. O'Toole have eight children, namely : Marie Nellie, John L., Edward J., Laurence H., Earl L., Clarence C., Samuel C. and Della M.

JOSEPH P. LEONARD, one of the hon- ored residents of Lake township, Codington county, is a native of Niagara county, New York, where he was born on the Ioth of Janu- ary, 1858, being a son of Joseph L. and Sophia A. (Chidester) Leonard. the former of whom was born in the state of New York and the latter in Canada, she being of French descent. The father of the subject was engaged in farm- ing in New York until 1860, when he came west to Minnesota, where he passed the remainder of his life, dying in St. Charles, that state, on the 3Ist of March. 1895. at the age of seventy-four years, while his widow still maintains her home in that place. Of their seven children five are living, the other two having died in infancy.

The subject of this sketch passed his boyhood days in Minnesota, having been a child of about two years at the time of his parents' removal to the west, and his educational advantages were those afforded in the excellent public schools of the town of St. Charles. In the meanwhile he assisted in the work of the home farm, leaving school at the age of twenty years, and he con- tinued to be thus identified with agricultural pur- suits in Minnesota until 1878, when, as a young man of twenty years, he came to the ter- ritory of Dakota, taking up government land in Codington county, where he now lives, and thus becoming one of the pioneers of this section of South Dakota. He entered claim to a home- stead of one hundred and sixty acres and also took up a tree claim of equal area, adjoining, while he is today the owner of a finely improved and well-cultivated ranch of four hundred acres. He raises the various cereals best adapted to the soil and climate, his entire tract of land being available for cultivation, and also gives no little attention to the raising of cattle and swine of excellent grade. In politics he accords support

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to the Democratic party, taking a public-spirited interest in local affairs, but never seeking official preferment. Fraternally he is identified with the lodges of the Modern Woodmen of America and the Ancient Order of Pyramids in Water- town.

On the 4th of December, 1881, Mr. Leonard was united in marriage to Miss Sarah A. Wil- liams, who was born and reared in Wisconsin, being a daughter of John and Lavina (Sheldon) Williams, who were born in New York, whence they removed to Wisconsin in an early day. Mr. and Mrs. Leonard became the parents of five children, four of whom are living, while they still remain at the parental home, namely : Lil- lian B., Herbert E., Gladys P. and Aubrey C. Charles P., the third in order of birth, died on the 25th of February, 1895, at the age of seven years.

JOHN H. KING, one of the honored pioneers of Codington county, being now one of the prominent citizens of Watertown, was born in Troy, New York, on the 19th of Janu- ary, 1850, and is a son of Michael and Catherine ( Holland) King, both of whom were born in Ireland. The father of the subject was a wheel- wright by trade, but was for many years en- gaged in mercantile pursuits in the city of Troy, being one of the prominent and public-spirited citizens of the place and one who commanded unqualified esteem in the community. There both he and his wife continued to reside until their death. They became the parents of two sons and three daughters, and of the number one of the sons and one of the daughters are 110w deceased.

The subject was reared to maturity in his native place, and there received the advantages of the public schools and also of a preparatory collegiate institution, in which he continued his studies until he had attained the age of twenty years. As a young man he there engaged in the buying and shipping of country produce, in which line of enterprise he met with excellent success. In 1882 he came to South Dakota and

took up government land in what is now Eden township, in the western part of Codington county, and there developed a valuable farm, continuing to devote liis attention to agriculture and stock raising until 1893, having in the mean- while become the owner of a fine landed estate of nine hundred acres. In the year mentioned he sold four hundred acres and removed to Watertown, where he has since been prominently engaged in the real-estate business, owning a considerable amount of residence property, as well as farming lands in various parts of the county, while he also controls many properties which he handles for others. In September, 1904, in company with B. H. Cartford, he pur- chased a general store at South Shore and to this has since devoted his attention, enjoying a lucra- tive and satisfactory trade. In politics he is a stanch advocate of the principles of the Demo- cratic party, and has long taken an active part in forwarding its cause in his county. He was justice of the peace in Eden township from its organization until he removed from it. In 1890 he was elected to represent his county in the state legislature, in which he served one term, during the third session, while he has also held various school offices, doing all in his power to advance the interests of popular education. At the time of his locating in Eden township there were but four other families settled within its borders. He was among the number who as- sisted in adopting the name of the township, and had the privilege of bearing the result of the selection to the county seat. He assisted in the erection of the first schoolhouse in the township, and in all other matters proved himself progress- ive and public-spirited, while he has at all times commanded the unqualified esteem of the people of the county in which he has so long maintained his home. He and his wife are members of the Catholic church, and fraternally he is identified with the Ancient Order of United Workmen.

On the 17th of March, 1877, Mr. King was married to Miss Anna Nisbet, of Lee, New York, where she was reared and educated, being a daughter of William and Catherine (Cox) Nisbet, both of whom were born in the state of

HISTORY OF SOUTH DAKOTA.

Massachusetts. Mr. and Mrs. King have six children, concerning whom we offer the follow- ing brief data in conclusion of this sketch: Lil- lian M. is the wife of Frederick H. Elfring, of Watertown, and the other children still re- main beneath the home roof, their names, in order of birth, being as follows: Nora, Kather- ine, C. Stanley, Frances C. and A. Iona.

PETER PHILP .- Prominent among the representative citizens and honored officials of Codington county is the well-known and widely respected gentleman whose name introduces this review. Peter Philp, farmer and for four terms county commissioner, is a native of Scotland and inherits in a marked degree the sterling qualities of head and heart for which his sturdy nationality has for centuries been distinguished. His father, James Philp, a teamster by occu- pation, met with an accidental death when the subject was but one and a half years old; his mother, whose maiden name was Catherine Wil- son, subsequently remarried and lived to a very old age, bearing her second husband one daugh- ter. Peter being the only issue of her first mar- riage.

Peter Philp was born in Thronton, Fifeshire, Scotland, on August 27, 1838. After securing a good education in the schools of his native land he learned the trade of iron moulding and fol- lowed the same in various parts of Scotland until about 1875 or 1876, from which time until his removal to America, in 1880, he followed agri- cultural pursuits. June 19, 1866, he contracted a matrimonial alliance with Elizabeth Anderson, of Fifeshire, daughter of Robert and Margaret (Deas) Anderson, and in 1880, as stated above, he brought his family to America, making his way direct to Codington county, South Dakota, and entering several hundred acres of land in what is now the township of Waverly. Mr. Philp reached his new home in August of the above year and during the ensuing fall he put up a house and as best he could prepared for the winter that was soon to follow. The winter of 1880-81 is remembered as the most severe ever

known and the vicissitudes, hardships and suf- ferings of the settlers during that season of awful cold, piercing winds and frightful bliz- zards, cannot be described by either tongue or pen. Mr. Philp's stock of provisions was ex- hausted long before the terrible winter ended. and for weeks at a time the only food of the family consisted of wheat ground to the con- sistency of course flour in a coffee-mill. To keep from freezing after their fuel was gone, they had recourse to hay, and to make this last as long as possible, only small quantities were burned at a time, the members of the family huddling closely around the fire so as to utilize every particle of the precious heat.

After this trying experience, a more favor- able season dawned and from that time forward matters progressed favorably with the pioneer family. Mr. Philp improved his land, brought it to a high state of cultivation and in addition to agriculture devoted considerable attention to live stock until in due time he became one of the leading stock raisers in the county, as well as one of its most prosperous men in other lines of activity. He has taken a lively interest in public affairs ever since coming to the state, and is now on his fourth term as county commis- sioner, having been first elected a member of the board in the year 1900. He has held the office of school treasurer for over twenty-two years, besides serving two terms as township clerk, having pointedly refused to be a candidate a third time for the latter position. Mr. Philp is a zealous Republican and since arriving in Cod- ington county, twenty-three years ago, his ability as an organizer and his success as a campaigner have made him one of the party leaders in this section of the state. His services on the central committee have been greatly appreciated and the success of the Republican ticket in a number of local elections has been largely due to his effective and thorough work. By close atten- tion to business and successful management, he has succeeded in accumulating a handsome com- petence and recently he disposed of the greater part of his landed property and retired from active life.

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Mr. Philp was made a Mason in Scotland in 1864 and ever since his initiation into the order he has been one of its most earnest and zealous members. In his native land he subscribed to the Presbyterian creed and for a number of years was active in the church, having risen to the position of elder and superintendent of the Sunday school. Since coming to this country, however, he attended the Methodist church and is. now, with his wife, identified with the Con- gregational church.

Mr. and Mrs. Philp are the parents of seven children, namely: Alison J., wife of Henry Esington, of Summit, South Dakota; Margaret, now Mrs. Charles N. Slauson, Graceville, Min- nesota : Catherine, who married G. L. Hender- son, of Kansas City, Missouri : James and Rob- ert A., both married and living in Watertown ; Agnes P., wife of George Burt, editor of the South Shore Republican, and Peter, who is also the head of a family with his home in Water- town.

WILLIAM H. JOHNSTON was born in Blue Earth county, Minnesota, November 7. 1860, and is one of a family of six children, four sons and two daughters, whose parents were John and Elizabeth (Sharp) Johnston, both na- tives of Scotland. John Johnston. a blacksmith by trade, came to the United States in 1855 and the following year settled in Blue Earth county, Minnesota, where he worked at his chosen calling for a number of years, a part of the time being in the employ of the gov- ernment. Of his children all are living but the youngest, George, who was killed in a railroad wreck on the Northern Pacific Railroad while making his last run as express messenger, prior to entering upon his duties as auditor, to which position he had been promoted a short time before.

William H. Johnston was reared in his native county and state, and after receiving a public school education prepared himself for active life by taking a commercial course in the Curtis Business College at Minneapolis, from which in-

stitution he was graduated with the class of 1888. Shortly after receiving his diploma he came to South Dakota and located at the newly settled town of South Shore, Codington county, where he engaged in the hardware business, opening the first store in the place with that line of goods as a specialty. After building up a successful trade and continuing the same for a few months, he disposed of his stock and be- gan the manufacture of flour, the mill which he ran during the ensuing three years being also the first enterprise of the kind in the village of South Shore. Selling his mill at the expiration of the above time, Mr. Johnston turned his at- tention to real estate and he has since been deal- ing in the same, doing a large and lucrative business in Codington and adjacent counties, and he has also extended his operations in many other parts of the state, meeting with the most encouraging success in all of his transactions. In addition to his private concerns, Mr. Johnston has been an active participant in the public affairs of his town and county, having served as school trustee of the former ever since its incorporation, and for the last fifteen years he has acted as justice of the peace. He is also chairman of the local school board and his ac- tivity in behalf of the cause of education has resulted in great and permanent benefit to the school system of South Shore.

On April 25, 1899, Mr. Johnston was ap- pointed by President Mckinley postmaster of South Shore, and since that time he has filled the office with credit to himself and to the satis- faction of the people, proving a most courteous and efficient public servant. In addition to his business affairs and official duties he is now largely interested in live stock, owning a fine tract of land near South Shore, which is well stocked with a fine herd of graded shorthorn cattle.

In politics Mr. Johnston is one of the leading Republicans of his part of the county, and it was in recognition of his valuable services to the party as well as on account of his peculiar fitness that he was honored with the various official positions referred to in preceding para-

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graphs. Fraternally he is identified with the Ancient Order of United Workmen and Modern Woodmen of America, being foreman of the former society at the present time. He was married December 12, 1888, to Miss Mary Benedict, of Wisconsin, daughter of Thomas and Harriet Benedict, and has a family of four chil- dren, Dean, Lyle, Rex and Elsie. Mr. John. ston is prominent in the religious affairs of South Shore and, with his wife, belongs to the Congregational church.

MARWOOD R. BASKERVILLE, who has been engaged in the agricultural implement busi- ness in Watertown for the past fifteen years, is known as one of the able and progressive busi- ness men of the state, having built up one of the most extensive retail enterprises in the line that is to be found in the commonwealth, while his intrinsic public spirit has been manifested at all seasons. He is at the present time incumbent of the office of mayor of Watertown, and is one of its most influential and honored citizens. Mr. Baskerville is a native of the state of Iowa, hav- ing been born on a farm in Delaware county, on the 16th of July, 1859, an dbeing a son of Rev. Job and Grace (Caldwell) Baskerville, both of whom were born in England. The father of the subject was a clergyman of the United Brethren church, while after taking up his residence in Iowa, as a pioneer, he became there identified with agricultural pursuits in connection with his ministerial work. He died in Iowa in October. 1892, aged eighty-four years.

The present mayor of Watertown passed his boyhood days on the parental farmstead in Iowa, and after duly availing himself of the advantages of the common schools he continued his studies in Western College, an institution of the United Brethren church, then located at Western, Iowa, but now in Toledo, that state. He later attended Epworth College, at Epworth, Iowa, for one year, after which he completed a course in the Baylies Business College, in Dubuque, Iowa. After leav- ing that institution he secured a position as book-

keeper in the office of a manufacturing concern in Dubuque, retaining this incumbency three years and then becoming business manager for the Wi- nona Plow Company, at Winona, Minnesota. He resigned this position three years later, in 1888. and came to Watertown, South Dakota, where he established himself in the agricultural implement business, beginning operations upon a somewhat modest scale, while his business has kept pace with the growth and development of the state and is one of the most extensive of the sort in this section, an annual business of two hundred thou- sand dollars being done, of which about seventy- five thousand dollars is sold at a branch estab- lishment at Elkton, South Dakota. Mr. Basker- ville has been signally prospered in his efforts since coming to South Dakota and is known as a straightforward, sincere and upright business man, thus commanding the unequivocal confi- dence and esteem of those with whom he comes in contact in the various relations of life. He is now the owner of four entire sections of valuable farming land, in Codington county, and the major portion of the same is given over to the raising of the cereals best adapted to the soil and climate of this prolific agricultural section. He is president of the Watertown & Lake Kampeska Transportation Company, which is preparing to construct an electric railway between the city and the attractive lake mentioned, and is a promoter of a line to connect Watertown and Webster. In politics the subject is found stanchly arrayed in support of the Republican party, and in 1903 he was elected to the office of mayor of Water- town, of which he is now incumbent, while his administration is admirably justifying the confi- dence and trust reposed in him by the municipal electors. That this confidence is of no uncertain order is manifest when we revert to the fact that he was elected by the largest majority of all can- didates for the office ever chosen in the city, re- ceiving a plurality of two hundred and ninety-six votes above his two opponents. Mr. Baskerville is identified with the Masonic fraternity, the Knights of Pythias, the Ancient Order of United Workmen, and the Benevolent and Protective Or- der of Elks, having been the first exalted ruler

MARWOOD R. BASKERVILLE.

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of Watertown Lodge, No. 838, of the last men- tioned organization.

On the 28th of November, 1894, Mr. Basker- ville was united in marriage to Miss Harriet L. Fahnestock, a daughter of Henry J. Fahnestock, one of the representative citizens of Watertown, and of this union have been born two children. Henry M. and Walter G.

Mr. and Mrs. Baskerville are members of the Episcopalian church, and in all social matters Mrs. Baskerville is active and popular, her home entertainments being leading functions.

GEORGE K. BURT, editor and proprietor of the South Shore Republican, was born Janu- ary 3, 1875, in Bradford county, Pennsylvania, being the son of John and Ellen (Kirk) Burt, both natives of Scotland. They were reared and married in their native land and resided there until 1873, when they emigrated to Bradford county, Pennsylvania, where for a number of years he followed his trade of shoemaker. In 1876 they returned to Scotland, but in 1881 de- cided again to try the new world, and came direct to Codington county. Settling on a tract of government land near South Shore, he im- proved a farm and cultivated the same with en- couraging results until a few years ago, when he ceased active life, and removed to the town where he now is living in easy retirement.

George K. Burt was so young when his par- ents returned to Scotland that he has no recol- lection of the place of his birth. His few years spent in the land of his forefathers served to fix permanently in his memory the romantic scenes of that country, but the greater part of his youth was spent on the homestead in Codington county, where he became accustomed to the varied duties of farm life. He attended the pub- lic school of winter seasons and the training thus received was supplemented by attendance for a short time at the agricultural college at Brook- ings.

He spent one year on the farm, and in 1898 accepted a position in the office of the South Shore Republican, from which time until the present

he has been actively engaged in journalism. Two weeks after entering the office he took charge of the paper and after becoming sole proprietor he introduced a number of improvements, gave new life and impetus to the enterprise, and its present high standing is due entirely to his energetic and successful management. The Re- publican is a creditable paper, its columns con- taining all interesting and important local and general news and its editorials are able and fear- less in discussion of the leading questions of the day. Mr. Burt is an easy and graceful writer, a courteous but able antagonist and is incisive as well as fearless with his pen. He is an in- fluential factor in the public affairs of his town and county, manifests a lively interest in what- ever tends to the advancement of the com- munity, and his paper has become a powerful educational force in moulding sentiment and directing opinion.

Mr. Burt was a leading spirit in the incor- poration of South Shore and has served two terms as town clerk. He is also interested in various local enterprises, one being the Creamery Association, of which he is vice-president. His fraternal relations are represented by the Mod- ern Woodmen of America, in which he is an active worker and in which he has been officially honored.

Mr. Burt, on Thanksgiving day, 1901, was united in marriage with Miss Agnes Philp. the youngest daughter of Peter Philp, the union being blessed with one child, Muriel.

GEORGE T. MITCHELL, one of the suc- cessful and highly esteemed farmers of Grant county, has the distinction of being a scion of one of the representative pioneer families of Ionia county, Michigan, where he was born on the 20th of May, 1855, being a son of Curtis B. and Martha (Troop) Mitchell, both of whom were born and reared in the state of New York. The father early removed to Michigan and de- veloped a good farm in Ionia county, and there continued to reside until his death, in Novem- ber, 1889, at which time he was sixty-eight years

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History of South Dakota, Vol. II, Part 29

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