History of South Dakota, Vol. II, Part 39

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

USA > South Dakota > History of South Dakota, Vol. II > Part 39

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Mr. Spackman is a Republican in politics, and a faithful worker for the success of his party. He was chairman of the Republican county committee four years and served six years as county commissioner, to which office he was elected by an overwhelming vote irre- spective of party. He is a clear-lieaded, far- sighted man, knows how to take advantage of opportunities and bend them to suit his purposes, and all of his undertakings have resulted greatly to his financial advantages.

Mr. Spackman holds membership with Sisse- ton Lodge. No. 38. Ancient Order of United Workmen, Reservation Lodge, No. 66. Knights of Pythias, and is also a zealous worker in the Odd Fellows order, besides lending his influence to other organized agencies for the promotion of benevolence, charity and fraternal relationships. Public-spirited, he hesitates at no difficulty and, optimistic in all the term implies, he has an abid- ing faith in himself and in his fellow citizens to make South Dakota one of the greatest common- wealths in the galaxy of states.

Mr. Spackman was married, April 10, 1889, to Miss Dora Wampler, or Elsworth, Illinois, daughter of A. J. Wampler, who is now an hon- ored resident of Sisseton. To Mr. and Mrs. Spackman have been born three children, namely : Vera A., Hazel M. and Harrold B.

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WILLIAM H. TURKOPP, M. D., is a na- tive of the old Buckeye state, having been born in Columbus, Ohio, on the 12th of April, 1857. and being a son of Henry and Sophia (Thalke) Turkopp. Three other of their children are liv- ing, namely: Henry, who still resides in Colum- bus, as are also Christian and Alwine, the latter of whom is a teacher in the high school of Ohio's capital city. The father of the Doctor was born in Germany, about the year 1828, and came to the United States when he was a lad of about six- teen years of age, locating in Columbus, where he has ever since maintained his home, having eventually engaged in the commission business and having acquired a fortune through his well- directed efforts. His wife was born in Wiscon- sin and died in 1895.

Dr. Turkopp was reared to maturity in his native city, where he received his preliminary educational discipline in the public schools. 'In 1876 he began the work of preparing himself for his chosen vocation, taking up the study of medi- cine and finally entering the Starling Medical College, now the medical department of the Ohio State University, in his home city, where he was graduated in the spring of 1879, receiving the degree of Doctor of Medicine. Prior to enter- ing the medical college he had passed three years in Europe, where he pursued a special course in chemistry, as a preliminary to taking up the other essential branches of the medical and sur- gical science. After his graduation he again went to Europe, where he took post-graduate medical study in the universities at Berlin, Leip- sic, Munich and Vienna, being absent three years and thoroughly fortifying himself for the work of his chosen profession. He then returned to the United States and soon afterward took up his residence in Yankton, where he has since been engaged in the practice of his profession, and where he has attained a high reputation as one of the skilled and successful members of his profession in the state, securing a supporting patronage of representative order. So insistent have become the demands upon his time and at- tention that he has of late confined himself to an office practice, and he is frequently called in con-

sultation on cases of critical character, his judg- ment in matters of diagnosis, treatment and sur- gical exigencies being held in high regard by his confreres, while such is his strict observance of professional ethics that he has the esteem and good will of all.

The Doctor is independent in his political views, having originally been aligned with the Democratie party, but his convictions in regard to matters of public polity led him to support Mckinley on each occasion of his candidacy for the presidency. He served one year as coroner of Yankton, having been elected on the Demo- cratic ticket and having the distinction of being the only candidate of that party to attain vic- tory at the polls on that occasion. He is a man of scholarly attainments, is genial and sincere in his intercourse with his fellow men and. is held in unequivocal esteem.

In the year 1882 Dr. Turkopp was united in marriage to Miss Anna Peiffer, of Lakeport, this state, and they are the parents of five chil- dren, namely: William, Nora, Sophia, Minnie and John, all of whom are acquiring their educa- tion in Columbus, Ohio, their father's native city.

A. W. LINDQUIST .- As the name indi- cates, the subject of this sketch is of foreign blood, although a native of the United States, having been born near Alma, Wisconsin, on the 4th day of September, 1869. John and Chris- tina (Westling) Lindquist, his parents, both na- tives of Sweden, came to America in 1850 and set- tled in Wabasha county, Minnesota. Later he moved to Alma, Wisconsin, and from there to Ortonville, Minnesota, in 1877, where the father engaged in farming. He died December 24. 1902, at the age of seventy-two years, the mother being still a resident of Ortonville. Jolin and Christina Lindquist reared a family of six chil- dren, five living, the subject of this review being the oldest of the number. A. W. spent his early years on the homestead near Ortonville, and re- ceived his education in the public schools of that place, after which he accepted a clerkship in a mercantile house, holding the same for a period

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of eight years. Resigning his position at Orton- ville in 1891, Mr. Lindquist came to Roberts county, South Dakota, and in February of the same year established himself in the mercantile business at Wilmot, which line of trade he has since conducted, the meanwhile greatly enlarg- ing his stock by adding a general assortment of goods, including all kinds of agricultural imple- ments and farm machinery, and meeting with most gratifying success in his undertaking. His patronage, which includes a wide range, is quite lucrative, and in his well-stocked establishment is found every article of merchandise demanded by the general trade. As a business man he is familiar with the underlying principles of com- mercial life, being a careful buyer, an accom- plished salesman and progressive in the manage- ment of his affairs, yet sufficiently conservative as to make few errors of judgment, steering clear of unwise speculations and being satisfied with the sure gains that come from legitimate trad- ing.

In addition to his commercial interests, Mr. Lindquist is a large real-estate holder, owning and personally managing the farms in Roberts county, besides holding a half interest in the old family homestead in Big Stone county, Min- nesota. He belongs to the public-spirited class of men that have done much to promote the ma- terial advancement of Wilmot and Roberts counties, and he has also achieved considerable reputation as a shrewd, resourceful and far-see- ing politician, having borne quite a prominent part in bringing about the re-election of Hon. J. H. Kyle to the United States senate. His in- fluence in municipal, county and state politics has given him considerable prestige among the leaders of his party, not only in the county and district in which he resides but throughout the state as well. Mr. Lindquist is a thirty-second- degree Scottish-rite Mason, belonging to the blue lodge at Wilmot, the consistory at Aber- deen and the Mystic Shrine at Minneapolis, Minnesota. He is a zealous member of this an- cient and honorable brotherhood, is well versed in its mystic work and his sterling manhood proves that its principles and precepts had not a

little to do in guiding and controlling his daily life and conduct.

Mr. Lindquist was married on May 31, 1893, to Miss Edna Knappen, of Minneapolis, and is the father of two children, Muriel and Phyllis.

HOSMER H. KEITH was born at North Brookfield, Madison county, New York, July 12, 1846, his father having been a farmer and of Scotch ancestry. Besides receiving instruction in the common schools, Mr. Keith was gradu- ated at Whitestown Seminary and afterwards re- ceived the honorary degree of Master of Arts from Colgate University at Hamilton, New York. During his young manhood he not only worked on the farm, but, like many other ener- getic young men of his time, he also engaged in school teaching. He studied law for two years, and then entered the Law School at Albany, New York, graduating in 1870. He was admit- ted to the bar at a general term of the supreme court in New York in June, 1870, and has since then, first in New York and subsequently in South Dakota, been in the active practice of his profession. He came to Sioux Falls in the spring of 1883. At the election of officers for the pro- posed state of South Dakota, under the Sioux Falls constitution, he was elected judge of the circuit court of the second district. At the election in the fall of 1888 he was elected a member of the territorial · legis- lature from the counties of Hanson, McCook and Minnehaha, receiving a majority of four hun- dred and ninety-eiglit votes over his competitor, J. T. Gilbert, who had been elected to the pre- vious term by a majority of one hundred and six- ty-five votes. Mr. Keith was elected speaker of the house of representatives and filled the posi- tion with marked ability. He took a prominent part in the division of the territory and the ad- mission of the southern half as a state. He stands high as a public speaker and is always lis- tened to with marked attention. As a lawyer he ranks among the best in the state. When he is employed in a case, his opponents know there is to be a contest from the beginning to the

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end. He is a sagacious trier of cases, a good advocate and when summoned to a court of last resort he is well equipped and able to make the best presentation of his case. As a citizen he is independent and enterprising and takes an active part in all public matters. For several years he was president of the Commercial Club and Busi- ness Men's League of his city.

Mr. Keith is a prominent member of the Baptist church, and is also well known in fra- ternal circles, belonging to Masonic blue lodge No. 5, the Scottish Rite consistory, the Mystic Shrine and the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, all at Sioux Falls. In politics he has al- ways actively supported the Republican party. He was elected city attorney of Sioux Falls in 1901 and has since been retained in that office.

On the oth of August, 1870, he was united in marriage to Mary Katherine Spear, the daugh- ter of Philitus B. Spear, D. D., of Hamilton, New York, and to them have been born three children, namely: Flora Belle, who was graduated from a ladies' seminary at Hamilton, New York ; Ed- win Spear, who graduated from Pillsbury Acad- emy, Owatonna, Minnesota, and took two years in Chicago University, is now a successful mer- chant in Bremerton, Washington ; Albert Jack- son, who was graduated from Sioux Falls College and the law department of the University of Minnesota, is now practicing law with his father at Sioux Falls.

EDWARD MOSCRIP, son of Thomas and Sally ( Reynolds) Moscrip, was born in Dela- ware county, New York, October 14, 1838. His early years were spent in his native state, where he grew to manhood on a farm, and in the sub- scription schools of Delaware county he received a fair education, his principal training, however, being of an intensely practical nature, obtained by coming in contact with the world in various capacities. Mr. Moscrip followed agricultural pursuits in New York until the year 1857, when he went to Oshkosh, Wisconsin, and engaged in lumbering, continuing that line of business until 1861. In the spring of the latter year he

responded to President Lincoln's call for volun- teers by enlisting in Company E, Second Wis- consin Infantry, which was part of the celebrated Iron Brigade, the only brigade of western troops in the Army of the Potomac, being the First Brigade of the First Division, First Army Corps, Army of the Potomac, with which he shared all the realities of war in several of the southern campaigns, taking part in some of the bloodiest battles of the Rebellion, among which were the first Bull Run, Gainesville, second Bull Run, Chancellorsville, Fredericksburg, Antietam, Get- tysburg, the Wilderness and many others, in all of which his conduct was that of a brave and heroic soldier who never hesitated when duty called and whose record is one of which any veteran might well feel proud. On May 10, 1864, in the battle of Spottsylvania Court House, he was shot in the hip, the injury being such as to render him almost helpless for a year, during which time he received hospital attention at various places, remaining for some time at the Soldiers' Home in the city of New York. Mr. Moscrip was discharged at Providence, Rhode Island, in April, 1865, and immediately there- after returned to Oshkosh, Wisconsin, where in the spring of the following year he resumed lum- bering in the pineries of that state. He was quite fortunate in this business and followed it about seven years, during which time he realized con- siderable wealth and laid the foundation of his subsequent success as a farmer and stock raiser. In the month of March, 1868, Mr. Moscrip was united in marriage to Miss Margaret Gilmore, of Illinois, and four years later, with his wife and two children, drove from Wisconsin to Lincoln county, South Dakota, and purchased a quarter section of land in LaValley township, which he improved and which he made his home during the ensuing five years. Disposing of his place at the end of that time, he bought the southwest quarter of section 2. LaValley township, which he still owns, converting his land the meanwhile into a finely cultivated and splendidly improved farm, his dwelling and barn, erected in 1900, being among the best buildings of the kind in the com- munity. As a farmer Mr. Moscrip ranks with

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the most enterprising and successful of Lincoln county agriculturists, and he also has an enviable reputation as a raiser of live stock, his horses, cattle and hogs being carefully selected from the most approved breeds and he seldom fails to realize every year handsome profits from the sale of these animals. Not only as an up-to-date farmer and stock man is Mr. Moscrip known, but he has long been before the people as a leader in various public enterprises, among which may be noted the locating and laying out of high- ways, the building up of the local school system, also his activity and usefulness as chairman of the town board. He is a Republican in politics, and in 1890 represented Lincoln county in the lower house of the legislature, a position un- sought on his part, but filled with credit to him- self and to his constituents. Mr. Moscrip be- longs to several secret fraternities and benevolent societies, among which are the Masonic lodge at Sioux Falls, the Union Veterans' Union at the same place, and the Grand Army post, which holds its sessions in Canton. The family of Mr. and Mrs. Moscrip consists of one son and two daughters, whose names in order of birth are Annie, Elva and William G. The oldest daugh- ter married Joseph Shebal, a farmer and stock raiser of LaValley township; Annie is the wife of Charles Davey and lives on a farm in Wis- consin, and William G., who married Miss Eva Messner, is a resident of La Valley township and a prosperous tiller of the soil.

A. JAMES GIFFORD, M. D., one of the popular and able young physicians and surgeons of the state, living in the attractive little city of Alexandria, Hanson county, was born in Carroll county, Iowa, on the 26th of July, 1871. being a son of A. J. and S. M. Gifford, the former of whom was born in the state of Pennsylvania and the latter in England, the father being a farmer by vocation. The subject secured his early educational training in the public schools of his native county, and in April, 1882, removed to Miller, South Dakota, where he remained until 1897, when he was matriculated in the medical

department of the Iowa State University, at Iowa City, where he completed the prescribed course and was graduated as a member of the class of 1901, when the degree of Doctor of Medicine was duly conferred upon him. He came forth well fortified for the work of his chosen profession, and soon after his graduation came to Alexan- dria, where he entered into partnership with Dr. Maytum, concerning whom individual men- tion is made on another page of this work, and they were coadjutors in their professional work under the firm name of Maytum & Gifford, until the dissolution of the partnership. February I, 1904. Dr. Gifford is most appreciative of the responsibility and the exacting duties of his pro- fession and is devoted to its work, in which he has been most successful. He is a member of the South Dakota State Medical Society and takes a deep interest in its work and deliberations, and fraternally he is affiliated with the Ancient Order of United Workmen and the Knights of the Maccabees.

On the 20th of May. 1897, was solemnized the marriage of Dr. Gifford to Miss Edith Cokayne, a daughter of Charles Cokayne, of St. Lawrence, this state, and of this union has been born one child, a winsome little daughter, Mar- jorie.

JOHN B. UHRICH is a native of Alsace, Germany, but since the year 1868 has been an honored resident of South Dakota, consequently he can legitimately claim to be one of the old settlers of the state. Christian Uhrich, the sub- ject's father, was a well-known teacher in Alsace and in addition to educational work, in which he spent twenty-four consecutive years, he was also employed for a considerable time in the office of the treasurer of state. He married in his native land Louisa Zabe, and in 1866 came to America, settling in Genesee county, New York, thence two years later moved to Hutchinson county, South Dakota, where he took up land on which he spent the remainder of his days in retirement, dying in the year 1886, his companion depart- ing this life in 1895. To Christian and Louisa

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Uhrich were born eight children, seven of whom are living, namely: Joseph, a farmer residing in Hutchinson county, South Dakota: John B .. of this review ; Reichart, of Yankton, this. state : Madeline, Christine and Christian, also living in that city, and Victor, whose home is in Hutch- inson county. Paul, the only member of the fam- ily deceased, was the seventh in order of birth.

John B. Uhrich spent his early life in his native country and grew up pretty much after the manner of the majority of lads in the father- land. In 1865 he came to the United States and after spending the ensuing two years in Genesee county, New York, came to South Dakota and, in partnership with his brother Joseph, engaged in the draying business at Yankton. Two years later he was united in marriage to Miss Eliza- beth Rapsch, a native of Bohemia, and shortly thereafter moved to Hutchinson county and en- tered a quarter section of land in township 99. range 59. in which he now lives and which under his labors and efficient management has been brought to a high state of cultivation and other- wise improved. Mr. Uhrich increased his real estate from time to time until his farm now con- tains five hundred acres of excellent land, in ad- dition to which he recently gave two hundred acres to his son. He has about two hundred aeres in cultivation and, in connection with gen- eral farming, devotes a great deal of attention to cattle, horses and hogs, having met with most encouraging success both as an agriculturist and a breeder and raiser of fine live stock. It is not too much to claim for Mr. Uhrich distinctive prestige as an enterprising farmer and public- spirited man of affairs. He is a friend of edu- cation and for a period of eighteen years was a member of the local school board. in addition to which he has also given his influence and support to all measures having for their object the moral and social, as well as the intellectual advance- ment of the community.

Politically Mr. Uhrich is a Republican, but he has steadily avoided position in partisan af- fairs and refrained from seeking the honors or emoluments of office. He and his estimable wife have a large circle of friends and acquaintances

and their pleasant home is the abode of an open- hearted hospitality. Mr. and Mrs. Uhrich have a family of four children, the oldest of whom, Victor A., married Tillie Harnisch and lives on the home farm; Rehard, the third in order of birth, is the wife of Charles Peshak, of Spokane, Washington, a tinner by trade ; Joseph married Mary Stoberal and lives at Petersburg. Vir- ginia, and Louisa, the youngest of the number, is still with her parents.

ROBERT S. PERSON is one of the hon- ored citizens of the state, of which he has been a resident since 1884. He has been identified with public, educational and civic affairs, and at the present time occupies the responsible position of auditor of the United States treasury for the interior department. He is a resident of Howard. Miner county.

Mr. Person was born in Sheldon, Wyoming county, New York, on the 14th of May. 1857. and is a son of Solomon H. ( 1820-1861) and Mary ( Hamilton) Person (1825-1881). the for- mer of English and the latter of Scotch lineage. while both families became established in Amer- ica in the colonial epoch. The father of the sub- ject was a farmer by vocation, and both he and his wife died in the state of New York. Robert S. Person received his rudimentary discipline in the district schools of his native county, and later continued his studies in turn in the East Au- rora Academy and Chesbrough Seminary, in the Empire state, and in Beloit College, Wisconsin ; he is also a graduate in law, having taken the de- gree of Bachelor of Laws at Columbian Univer- sity, in the city of Washington.

Mr. Person's father died when the son was but four years old. At the age of fourteen years Robert severed home ties and after that he was thrown largely upon his own resources and be- came the architect of his own fortunes. For the next six years such education as he acquired was with the proceeds of his own earnings, either as a hired farm hand in summer or as a teacher of country schools in winter. For sev- eral years he was successfully engaged in teach-

HISTORY OF SOUTH DAKOTA.

ing, having been thus employed in New York, Wisconsin and Dakota territory. In 1884 he or- ganized the first public schools in Woonsocket, Sanborn county, in the then territory of Dakota. and was the principal of the high school at that place for two years. He was also a member of the board of trustees of the State Normal School at Madison for several years.

While he was a student at Beloit College, Mr. Person earned his way by tutoring and by repor- torial work for the local press. The latter opened a new and congenial vocation, which af- forded him pleasure as well as a source of needed revenue. In 1886 he engaged in newspaper work at Woonsocket, and in 1888 he again located at Howard, Miner county, where he was editor and publisher of the Howard Press until September, 1897, when he disposed of the plant and business to enter upon official duties at Washington, D. C .. in connection with the federal government. From 1895 to 1897, inclusive, Mr. Person held the po- sition of secretary of the state senate, and from 1806 to 1808 he was secretary of the Republican state central committee. He has rendered effi- cient service in the promotion of the interests of the party in South Dakota, and has been an in- fluential factor in the party ranks ever since tak- ing up his residence in the state. In June, 1897, President Mckinley appointed him deputy audi- tor of the United States treasury for the depart- ment of the interior, and after having filled that office for a term of four years the late lamented President appointed him auditor for the same de- partment. This appointment was made in May. 1901, and in December of the same year Presi- dent Roosevelt renewed the appointment, and Mr. Person is still incumbent of the office, in the administration of which it is acknowledged he has demonstrated exceptional efficiency as a public officer. His duties involve great respon- sibilities, as about two hundred million dollars of public funds annually are advanced through him to agents, whose disbursements in turn must be accounted for to him.

Among the cherished memories of Mr. Per- son's associations with public men is the fact that for seven years he enjoyed the personal

friendship of the late Marcus A. Hanna, United States senator from the state of Ohio and chair- man of the Republican national committee.

Mr. Person is a man of public spirit and progressive ideas, and has ever shown a lively interest in all that makes for the advancement and material prosperity of South Dakota, of which he may consistently be termed a pioneer. In politics he is a Republican. His family are communicants of the Protestant Episcopal church.

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History of South Dakota, Vol. II, Part 39

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