History of South Dakota, Vol. II, Part 4

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

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Mr. Hove was united in marriage. in Minne- haha county. March 25. 1888, to Miss Lovisa Munson, who, like himself, is a native of Minne- sota, both having been born in the county of Fillmore, that state.

THOMAS WANGSNESS, one of the en- terprising and progressive business men of South Dakota, having official connection with the lead- ing monetary institutions of Minnehaha county. was born in Calmer. Winneshiek county, Iowa. on the 31st day of January. 1860. the son of Herman and Bertha (Tviedt) Wangsness, both parents, as the names indicate, being natives of

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HISTORY OF SOUTH DAKOTA.

Norway. The father, a farmer by occupation, is still living, the mother having departed this life in Worth county, Iowa, about the year 1900.

The subject of this review was a lad of twelve years when his parents moved from Win- nieshiek to the county of Worth, and he grew to young manhood in the latter county, his early life including the experiences common to the majority of boys born and reared amid the stir- ring and invigorating discipline of the farm. At intervals, during his minority, he attended the public schools near his home, and in the summer seasons assisted in cultivating the fields, harvest- ing the crops and looking after the other in- terests of agriculture with which country lads early become familiar. At the age of nineteen he severed home ties and, going to Winnebago county, engaged in general merchandising, to which line of business he devoted his attention during the ensuing twelve years, meeting with well-merited success the meanwhile. Disposing of his stock at the expiration of the period noted, Mr. Wangsness accepted the position of traveling salesman with a harvester company, which he represented on the road about three years, dur- ing which time he traversed a large area of terri- tory, built up an extensive trade, and established an enviable reputation as a capable, far-seeing and thoroughly reliable business man. Severing his connections with the above concern, Mr. WVangsness, in 1893, came to Minnehaha county, South Dakota, locating at Garretson, where he invested some of his means very judiciously, crecting in due time the beautiful and imposing business house now occupied by the State Bank, of which he has been president ever since the organization of the institution, the year follow- ing his arrival. He was the leading spirit in es- tablishing this bank and, under his executive management, it rapidly grew in public favor, in the course of a few years becoming not only the leading establishment of the kind in Minnehaha county, but, as already stated, one of the most successful and popular monetary institutions in the eastern part of the state.

The Garretson State Bank, which is backed by men of high character and large experience, has

a paid-up capital of ten thousand dollars, with deposits many fold that amount, and in addition to general banking does a large and growing business in the matter of farm loans, also gives especial attention to collections, besides repre- senting a number of the leading insurance com- panies of the United States and acting as an agency for various steamship lines. Its patron- age in the various departments is large and far- reaching and its influence upon the material in- terest of Garretson has done more than any other agency to give the city the high reputation it has long enjoyed as an important commercial and 'business center.

In addition to his connection with the bank, Mr. Wangsness has been called at different times to assume other responsible trusts, among which was that of treasurer of the Garretson school board, which position he held a number of years, and he has also served several terms in the city council. He has a beautiful home in Garretson, over which a lady of refined tastes and varied culture presides with gentle grace and womanly dignity. Her name prior to her marriage was Miss Belle Aker, a native of Norway, and she is now the happy mother of two children, who answer to the names of Paul and Benjamin.

MARCUS H. WANGSNESS, merchant and leading citizen of Garretson, is a native of Nor- way, the son of Herman and Bertha ( Tviedt) WVangsness, and dates his birth from September 8, 1846. When about eight years of age he was brought to America by his parents and during the ensuing two years lived in Dane county, Wisconsin, at the expiration of that time remov- ing with the family to Winneshiek county, Iowa, and settling at the town of Calmer. After spending about four years at the latter place, the family residence was transferred to Burr Oak Springs, in the same county, and there the sub- ject grew to maturity, the meanwhile receiving a good practical education in the public schools, also turning his hands to various kinds of em- ployment. Mr. Wangsness spent about fifteen years at Burr Oak Springs, and at the end of

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that time removed to Worth county, where he followed agricultural pursuits until 1870, in con- nection with which vocation he also devoted con- siderable attention to the handling of farm ma- chinery, in the sale of which he met with en- couraging success financially. In the above year he left the parental roof and in the spring of the same year united in marriage with Miss Olena Olsen, a native of Chicago, but of Nor- wegian descent, and immediately thereafter set- tled at Northwood, Iowa, where during the ten years following he did a flourishing business in the handling of all kinds of agricultural imple- ments and farm machinery. Discontinuing that line of trade at the expiration of the time noted. he resumed the pursuit of agriculture and fol- lowed the same in Worth county until 1877. when he came to South Dakota and took up a homestead and timber claim in the county of Moody, improving the former and living thereon for a period of seven years. Returning to Iowa in 1884, he became associated with his brother Thomas in the mercantile business, the firm thus constituted lasting about four years, at the end of which time they sold their stock, the subject shortly thereafter coming to South Dakota and locating at Palisades, Minnehaha county, where in due season he engaged in general merchandis- ing. At the end of two years he removed his stock to Garretson, where he has since con- ducted a large and lucrative business, being at this time one of the leading merchants of the city with a patronage which is constantly grow- ing in magnitude and importance.

Mr. Wangsness served a streasurer of Pali- sades township and since moving to Garretson has held the office of city treasurer, school treasurer and for several years has been a mem- ber of the board of education, in all of which positions he exhibited marked devotion to duty and a high order of business talent. He has been quite successful in the prosecution of his various interests, owning, in addition to his store and valuable city property, three hundred and twenty acres of fine land in Moody county, this state, and a quarter section in Palisades town- ship, Minnehaha county.

Mr. and Mrs. Wangsness have eight children, the following of whom are living : Bertha, Ole, Helen, Ida, Perry and Milven ; the two deceased are Ellen, who died in infancy, and another daughter, also named Ellen, who departed this life when a young lady of sixteen.

LUMAN B. FARLEY, proprietor of the leading drug house in Garretson, South Dakota, and a gentleman of high standing in social, as well as in the commercial and professional cir- cles, is a native of South Dakota, and has spent all his life within its borders. His parents, L. T. and Carrie A. (Warner) Farley, came to South Dakota in 1868 from Rock county, Wisconsin, and settled in Lincoln county, where, entering land, the father engaged in farming and stock raising.

Luman B. was born on the homestead in Lin- coln county, August 19, 1870, and grew up in close touch with nature, receiving his educational training in the public schools. In 1885, when a youth of fifteen, he took up the study of phar- macy and in due time, by close application and critical research, succeeded in mastering the pro- fession, after which, in August, 1898, he engaged in business at Garretson, where, as already stated, he now owns a large and thoroughly stocked establishment, with a patronage second to that of no other drug store in the city. Mr. Farley's business career has been eminently cred- itable, prosecuting from the beginning a series of advancements which demonstrate not only a business ability of high order and superior pro- fessional training, but also a personal worth that has won him the confidence of the public.

Mr. Farley is a man of excellent habits, stands well with all classes of people and, being public- spirited and enterprising, gives his influence and, when necessary, his material assistance to en- courage the growth and development of the city in which he resides. Fraternally he is a member of the Masonic brotherhood, also belongs to the Knights of Pythias, and in politics supports the Republican party.

Mr. Farley is a married man and the father

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of two bright and interesting children, whose names are Wava and Roy. Mrs. Farley, for- merly Miss Laura Christianson, a native of Iowa, lived for some years in Canton, South Dakota, at which place her marriage was solemnized.

CLAYTON W. LOCKE, M. D., of Garret- son, South Dakota, was born January 24, 1862, near the town of Brockport, New York, where his father. Elisha Locke, also a native of the Empire state. had long been engaged in agricul- tural pursuits. The maiden name of the sub- ject's mother was Sarah Way, a member of an old and well-known family of New York, who passed the greater part of her life on the home farm, near the place referred to above. The Doctor's childhood and youth, under the whole- some discipline of the farm, were similar in most respects to the experiences of the majority of boys reared in close touch with nature in the country, and he grew up strong in body and resolute in purpose. He received a pretty thor- 1

ough mental training in the schools of his native place and after assisting his father with the work of the farm until his twentieth year. left home to take up the study of medicine, which he began in 1884. Subsequently he entered the Louisville Medical College, Louisville, Kentucky, from which he was graduated in 1888, and immedi- ately thereafter he came to South Dakota, in search of a favorable opening, locating in due time in Minnehaha county, where he practiced with encouraging success until his removal in 1890 to Garretson. Since the latter year the Doc- tor has risen rapidly in his profession and now takes high rank among the leading physicians and surgeons in the eastern part of the state, hav- ing a large and flourishing practice.

Dr. Locke prepared himself for his life work by rigid discipline and critical research, and dur- ing his preliminary study and collegiate course neglected no favorable opportunity to increase his knowledge and fit himself for the practice. He has never ceased being a student, and ever since opening an office of his own his leisure has been devoted closely to study and original investiga-

tion, the result being a continued advancement in all branches of the profession. While making every other consideration subordinate to his chosen calling. Dr. Locke has not been a passive spectator of current events in his adopted state. but with a commendable public spirit, he early became an active participant in the same. As an ardent Republican and leader of the party, he has made his influence felt in a number of local. district and state campaigns, and in recognition of his services he was elected in 1901 to represent Minnehaha county in the legislature of South Dakota. His record as a member of that body was eminently satisfactory to his constituents and to the people of the state, but, not desiring further honors in this line, his legislative experiences ended with the one term for which he was chosen. The Doctor served two terms as mayor of Gar- retson, and for several years has been a member of the city school board. By diligent attention to his profession and by the exercise of the busi- ness qualities for which he is also distinguished, he has been fortunate in a financial way, owning at this time in addition to his city property and the respectable fortune at his command, over nine hundred acres of fine land in South Dakota. which is increasing in value with each succeed- ing year.

Dr. Locke has been twice married, the first time in the fall of 1889 to Miss Edith Butts, of St. James, Minnesota, a union terminated by the death of the wife after a brief but happy wedded experience of one and a half years' duration. Subsequently, July 10, 1895. he contracted a mat- rimonial alliance with Miss Mary L. Conan, who has borne him the following children: Edith, Lillian. Clayton and Donald.

OLE S. SWENSON. the capable incumbent of the office of warden of the South Dakota state penitentiary, in Sioux Falls, and one of the highly honored citizens of the state, is a native of Hallingdahl, Norway, where he was born on the 9th of November, 1845, being a son of Swen and Julia ( Moen) Swenson, both of whom were likewise native of Norway, though both families

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were of Scotch extraction in the respective paternal lines, both great-grandfathers of the subject of this sketch having been Scotchmen who emigrated from their native land to Nor- way. The father of the subject was engaged in farming in Norway until 1857, when he emi- grated with his family to the United States, set- tling in Nicollet county, Minnesota, in which state he passed the remainder of his life, becom- ing a successful farmer. His death occurred in 1870, and the mother died in April, 1903. Of their six children five are yet living.

Ole S. Swenson was reared to the age of twelve years on the old home farm in Norway, where he secured his early educational training. and he then accompanied his parents on their emigration to America, being reared to maturity in Minnesota and there availing himself of the advantages of the public schools of Nicollet county. In 1863 he went to St. Peter, that state, where he secured a position as clerk in a general store. In 1876 he engaged in the hardware business there, but one year later he removed his stock to Grand Meadow, Minnesota, where he was successfully engaged in business until 1880, when he disposed of his interests there and came to Sioux Falls, arriving here on the 15th of Sep- tember of that year. In this city Mr. Swenson established himself in the same line of enterprise, in which he successfully continued until 1893. when he sold out, soon afterward purchasing an interest in the flour mill at Valley Springs, this county, and with the operation of this plant he was successful until 1902.

Mr. Swenson has given an unfaltering sup- port to the Republican party from the time of attaining his legal majority and has been an active worker in its cause. In 1886 he was elected treasurer of Minnehaha county, and was chosen as his own successor in the election of 1888, thus serving four years and giving a most faithful and able administration of the fiscal affairs of this important county. From 1898 until 1902 he was chairman of the Republican central committee of the county. He has attained a position of distinction in the Masonic fraternity, in which noble and time-honored institution he

has advanced to the thirty-second degree of the Scottish Rite, being also identified with the Mystic Shrine and enjoying marked popularity in the fraternity. In May, 1901, Mr. Swenson, upon the recommendation of Governor Herreid, received from the state board of charities and corrections the appointment of warden of the state penitentiary, in which office he has served with most perfect efficiency, proving a strict disciplinarian and able executive and showing that deep humanitarian spirit which is so essential in dealing with those of criminal in- stincts.

In 1870 Mr. Swenson was united in marriage to Miss Celia Thompson, of Nicollet county, Min- nesota, who died in 1878, leaving two children. Arthur Ward, now residing in Winnipeg. Canada, and Josephine, who is at the present time in Europe. On the 20th of August. 1880, was solemnized the marriage of Mr. Swenson to Miss Eliza S. Ranney, of Grand Meadow, Minnesota, and they are the parents of three children, William L., Norma and Ernest Stuart.

JOHN A. MUNRO. president of the Wil- mot Land and Loan Company, of Wilmot, was born in Nova Scotia, October 18, 1853. the son of Donald and Nancy Munro, the father a native of Scotland and by occupation a stone-mason and contractor. John A. attended the country schools, and later pursued the higher branches in the Pictou Academy and took up the study of pharmacy under the direction of a druggist of his native place. After becoming familiar with the business, he went to Minnesota, where he followed his chosen calling from 1878 to 1879. and in the latter year came to South Dakota, and established a drug house at Big Stone City, which he conducted very profitably during the six years following.

In 1883 Mr. Munro was appointed clerk of court for Roberts county, which office he held for four years. In 1885 he removed to Wilmot, where he has resided ever since. During his term as clerk of court he devoted his leisure time to the study of law and was admitted to practice

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in 1888, but did not engage very actively in the practice, turning his attention rather to real es- tate and banking, which he found more to his taste and much more profitable. He is a direc- tor of the First State Bank of Wilmot, and to him is due the credit of organizing the Wilmot Land and Loan Company, of Wilmot, of which he is president at present, and which, as much as any other agency, has tended to the settlement and material development of Roberts county and other parts of eastern Dakota.

Mr. Munro ever since coming west has been actively identified with the affairs of Wilmot and Roberts county. He was sergeant-at-arms in the house of representatives during the legis- lative session of 1885. was largely instrumental in carrying his county and district that year for the Republican party, and as a politician his influ- ence has been strong and far-reaching. As a citizen he is progressive and thoroughly up to date, lends his encouragement and material sup- port to everything making for the public good and having faith in the future of his adopted state, is manfully doing his part to make it come up to his high ideal of what a commonwealth should be.

Mr. Munro belongs to the Masonic fraternity. in which he now holds office of junior warden. and is also an active member of the Ancient Or- der of United Workmen and the Independent Or- der of Odd Fellows, being at this time district deputy of the last named organization. In the month of December, 1892, was solemnized the marriage of Mr. Munro and Miss Carrie E. Phanso, of Pennsylvania, a union blessed with five offspring, namely: Kenneth Donald, Gladys Trene, Carroll Jean, Doris Ella and Myrtle Lu- cile.

WALTER A. BURLEIGH, second delegate in congress, born in Waterville, Maine, October 25. 1820. Was a physician and lawyer. Agent to Yankton Indians, 1861-65. Delegate in con- gress, 1865-69, several times member of ter- ritorial legislature and state senator. Died at Yankton, 1896.

WILLIAM FRANCIS TEEMAN BUSH- NELL was born at Peru, Illinois, December 3. 1857. At fourteen years of age his parents re- moved to Evanston and there he attended the Northwestern University for two years. He possessed great natural musical talent and much attention was given to his musical education both at Evanston and at home. At that period he hoped to make music his life work. His father was a government contractor in the con- struction of lighthouses and life-saving stations on the great lakes and at seventeen he was given charge of workmen upon these structures and for three years was so engaged upon his father's undertakings. At the age of twenty he set out upon his long cherished musical career, teach- ing, composing and publishing his compositions and giving concerts through Illinois, Iowa and Dakota, whither he came in 1884 and established himself at Huron. In his boyhood he had earned his first money in a printing office and that class of work still had some attractions for him and. finding the Dakota Farmer struggling for an existence, he took it up and soon became the owner of the property and under his manage- ment, though it required long years of untiring effort and unremitting industry, he made a splen- did success of it. He was most discriminating in his efforts to secure for his journal a standing in the confidence of his readers and was tenacious in his purpose to exclude from it every- thing of a questionable or misleading character. Mr. Greeley relates a circumstance in point. It was during one of the hard years in the reaction- ary period following the boom. Times were everywhere hard and cash for ordinary expenses almost unobtainable. One morning Mr. Bush- nell was opening his mail in Mr. Greeley's pres- ence when a check for a large sum dropped from a letter. It was from a commission house of questionable standing enclosing an advertisement which it desired run in the Farmer. Mr. Bush- nell promptly refused the advertisement and re- turned the check, although the advertisement of that firm at the very time was found in all of the leading farm papers of the country. He was of an intense and enthusiastic temperament and

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1 most of the great farmers' enterprises owed their promotion to his initiative. Among these are the State Agricultural Society and the state fair, the State Dairymen's and Buttermakers' Society, the Woolgrowers' Association, the Farmers' Alliance and kindred organizations.

From boyhood he was a consistent member of the Methodist Episcopal church, and con- tinted this relation throughout his life, ever foremost in every movement requiring effort and money. For twelve years he was superintendent of the Sabbath school and his musical talent made him an indispensable member of the choir and a leader in all musical functions of the church. He gave his time, money and energy unreservedly to missionary work and his chari- ties were only limited by his means. He was in- tenselv interested in the promotion of the great moral reforms, and especially in efforts looking to the suppression of the evils of the liquor traffic. In the campaign for prohibition accom- panving the adoption of the state constitution he accepted the most burdensome position of sec- retary and field manager, and, practically setting aside his personal business, took hold with his tireless vigor, directing the movement of the speakers, the arrangements for meetings and all of the tiresome details of the campaign and the splendid victory at the polls was due in a large measure to the energy and enthusiasm with which he inspired the workers throughout the statę.

Mr. Bushnell was married at Huron, on June 2, 1886, to Miss Blanche Van Pelt, of Indiana, who throughout the remaining years of his active life was his sympathetic assistant and advisor. To them three children were born, Paul, Fred- erick and Helen.

On August 16, 1900, almost for the first time in his persistent struggle to permanently establish the Farmer, having called his brother-in-law, N. E. Carnine, to assist him in the management of the rapidly growing enterprise, Mr. Bushnell felt that he was justified in leaving his post and taking his family for a short vacation. They started for the mountains of Colorado. At Omaha he was detained by an attack of ap-

pendicitis, but rallying after a few days went on to Colorado Springs, where he was again taken ill and died after a day of intense suffering, which he bore with the courage and fortitude of the true Christian. His remains repose in River- side cemetery at, Aberdeen. His memory will long be held in reverence by the people of South Dakota as a model of high Christian character and true manhood.

WELLINGTON J. ANDREWS, one of the well-known and honored citizens of Sioux Falls, is a native of the dominion of Canada, having been born near the city of Ottawa, on the 14th of April. 1865. and being a son of William H. and Eliza Ann (Johnson) Andrews, who were like- wise born in Canada, where they continued to maintain their home until 1874, when they came as pioneers to what is now the state of South Dakota, locating near Scotland, Bon Homme county, where the father took up government land and developed a good farm, becoming one of the representative citizens of that section of the state.

The subject of this review received his rudi- mentary education in the common schools of his native county, and was nine years of age at the time of his parents' removal to South Dakota. Here he was reared to manhood under the sturdy discipline of the pioneer farm, the while contin- uing to attend the public schools until 1885, when he entered the academy at Scotland, where he was graduated as a member of the class of 1886. Thereafter he continued to assist in the work and management of the home farm until 1886, when, at the age of twenty-one years, he went to Parkston, Hutchinson county, where he was engaged in the agricultural implement busi- ness and dealing in live stock until 1893. when he returned to Scotland, where he opened a gen- eral merchandise store, building up a successful business and there continuing operations in the line until 1898, when he sold out and came to Sioux Falls, where he established himself in the grocery business, in which he has ever since con- tinued, catering to a large and representative

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History of South Dakota, Vol. II, Part 4

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