History of South Dakota, Vol. II, Part 50

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

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In his native town of Nauvoo, Illinois, on the 26th of September. 1883, Mr. Sheridan was united in marriage to Miss Eunice Golden, who was there born and reared, and they are the par- ents of four children, all of whom are still at

home, namely : Genevieve R., Kathleen E., John Leo and Golden Thomas. The Golden family were pioneers of Hancock county, Illinois.

WILLARD H. HUFF, one of the pioneers of Lincoln county, South Dakota, also one of its successful farmers and representative citizens, is a native of New York, and the son of Gabriel and Sarah Huff, who were born in Canada. When about twenty-one and twenty years of age, respectively, they came to New York. W. H. Huff was born in Orleans county, New York, in 1852. When a year old he moved with his par- ents to Green Lake county, Wisconsin, and sub- sequently to Dover, Minnesota, where his father purchased a half section of land, which he in- proved, and on which he has lived and prospered to the present time. In 1873 he came to Lincoln county, South Dakota, and entered a quarter sec- tion of land and after proving up on the same, re- turned to Minnesota, where he is now living a life of retirement, having reached the age of seventy-three years. Mrs. Huff, who died in 1897, bore her husband four children : Sarah, who died in 1896; Willard H., whose name introduces this sketch ; Ida, living in Minnesota, and George, who lives with his father and runs the old family homestead in Minnesota.

Willard H. Huff was reared amid the rugged duties of the farm, attended of winter seasons, during his minority, the district schools of Min- nesota and remained with his father until attain- ing his majority. Leaving home at the age of twenty-one, he came to Lincoln county, South Dakota, and took up one hundred and sixty acres of land on section 18, Lynn township, which he at once proceeded to improve and which, through his industry and persevering efforts, has been converted into one of the best and most valuable farms in the locality in which it is situated. Mr. Huff came west with but a meager capital, the sum total of his available cash upon his arrival. amounting to only five dollars, but with an energy born of a determination to succeed, he addressed himself to the task of making a home, met and successfully overcame the many vicissitudes and

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hardships incident to pioneer life and in due time rose superior to every obstacle in his way until acquiring the handsome competency now in his possession. He is an up-to-date farmer, familiar with every detail of agricultural science, raises good crops according to the most approved methods and has expended considerable of his means very judiciously in improvements, among which are a comfortable and commodious residence, good barns and outbuildings and many other evidences to prove his place the home of a man of modern ideas and progressive tendencies. In 1901 Mr. Huff increased his realty by the pur- chase of an additional quarter section, making him at this time the owner of four hundred acres of fine land, admirably situated in one of the richest agricultural districts of the country, and which, in all that constitutes good farm land and pastorage, is not excelled by any like number of acres in the township.

In politics Mr. Huff is a Republican and for a number of years past he has been one of the leaders of his party in Lincoln county. He served twelve years as supervisor and in 1903 was elected to the lower house of the state legislature, in which body he has already made a creditable record, proving an able and judicious lawmaker, and by his earnest desire to benefit his constitu- ents and the state at large winning the good will of the people of the county, irrespective of po- litical ties.

Mr. Huff, in 1884, was united in marriage with Miss Alice McKillip, of Naperville, Illinois, the union being without issue. Mrs. Huff died on the 20th of September, 1903. Mr. Huff is public-spirited in all the term implies and has en- couraged every enterprise having for its object the material advancement of the community and the good of his fellow men, and his influence has always been on the right side of every moral issue.

GEORGE J. CHASE, who is one of the rep- resentative farmers and stock growers of Brown county, was born in Steuben county, New York. on the 5th of August, 1853, and is a son of Ezra and Adelaide C. Chase, the former of whom is

deceased, while the latter is still living and makes his home in Michigan. As a child the sub- ject accompanied his parents on their removal to Wisconsin, his father engaging in the lumber- ing business near Palmyra and later at Oshkosh, where he took up his residence in 1862, so that the son George early became familiar with the strenuous life in the lumber woods, while his ed- ucational privileges were confined to a somewhat irregular attendance in the common schools. Mr. Chase remained in Wisconsin until 1882, when he came to Columbia. South Dakota, to join his uncle, General Charles B. Peck, who was one of the first to take actively and energet- ically in hand the work of building up the town, where he erected both the Grand Hotel and the State Bank building, besides having other im- portant interests, including a large tract of land in the county and the best residence in the new town. He remained here about five years and did much for the upbuilding and prosperity of the village and county, being a man of much enterprise and executive ability. He now re- sides in Houston, Texas, being general manager of the Texas Car Association. He served four years during the war of the Rebellion and after the war took an active interest in political affairs. While a resident of Columbia he served as quar- termaster general on the staff of Governor Pierce. He hecame identified with railroad build- ing when a young man. He was general mana- ger of the Grand Trunk Railroad at Port Huron, Michigan, before coming to South Dakota and was general manager of the Atlantic & Danville Railroad at Portsmouth, Virginia. Upon com- ing to South Dakota he constructed the line from Ordway to Columbia, at an outlay of eleven thou- sand dollars. The failure of the new town, which has since regained its prestige and greatly aug- mented it. changed all his plans and he finally withdrew from the field. He donated the lots for the erection of the county buildings in Co- lumbia, which was then looked upon as the even- tual county seat, and his name is one which well merits a place of honor in this history. For three vears the subject took charge of his uncle's farm- ing interests here and after the removal of the

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latter was placed in charge of all his local inter- ests until the same were closed out. Mr. Chase came to his present farm, two and one-half miles north of Columbia, in March, 1885, and here he now owns an entire section of valuable land, which is devoted to the raising of grain and live stock, both departments of the enterprise being made successful through his able management. Three hundred acres are given over to the raising of grain, and upon the farm may be always found a fine herd of shorthorn cattle, together with sheep, swine and good horses.

Mr. Chase gives a stanch allegiance to the Republican party, and has frequently served as delegate to state and county conventions, though he has never been personally ambitious for public office of any description. Fraternally he is identi- fied with the Ancient Order of United Work- men.

In Clintonville, Wisconsin, in 1878, Mr. Chase was united in marriage to Miss Edith Phen, who was summoned into eternal rest on December 26. 1894. She is survived by her two sons. Percy, who is in the employ of the Chicago, Mil- waukee & St. Paul Railroad, and Charles B .. who remains with his father on the home farm. On the 9th of December, 1895, Mr. Chase mar- ried his present wife, whose maiden name was Carrie L. Russell. She was born and reared in Wisconsin and was a successful and popular teacher in the public schools prior to her mar- riage. Of this union has been born one son, Ezra Clifford.

EMIL KREBER, a leading farmer and rep- resentative citizen of Bon Homme county, is a native of Alsace-Loraine, Germany, and was born on November 21, 1869, being one of twelve children, whose parents were John and Magda- lene (Schindele) Kreber. These parents immi- grated to the United States in 1878 and settled in Iowa, where the father purchased land and en- gaged in agriculture, in connection with which he also carried on blacksmithing, having learned the trade in his native country. Mr. Kreber did not live long to enjoy the advantages and privi-

leges he found in the new world, as he died about three and a half years after moving to Iowa. His widow survives and at this time makes her home in Plymouth county, Iowa, in which city she is well known and has a large circle of friends.

Emil Kreber was about nine years old when he came to America and until the age of twenty- one he lived at home, assisting with the work of the farm and at intervals attending the public schools. In 1801 he came to Bon Homme county, South Dakota, and, purchasing one hundred and sixty acres of land in section 12, Springfield township, addressed himself to the task of devel- oping a farm and establishing a home, in both of which respects he has been remarkably suc- cessful, as is attested by his present high standing as an agriculturist and stock raiser and the com- manding position he occupies in business circles and in the domain of citizenship. In the summer of 1899 Mr. Kreber purchased an additional quarter section of land in Springfield township, which he has since developed and otherwise im- proved, and his farm of three hundred and twenty acres is now considered one of the finest and most attractive country homes in the county of Bon Homme. He raises all the grain crops grown in this part of the state, but makes hay a specialty, devoting a great deal of attention to timothy and clover, besides curing every year many tons of native grass, which he puts up for his live stock. As a raiser of fine cattle and hogs he has achieved enviable repute and he stands today among the leaders of the industry in Bon Homme county, his domestic animals of all kinds being of superior breeds and of as high grades as any in the southeastern part of the state. In addition to agriculture and stock raising Mr. Kreber was engaged for some time in the mercan- tile business at Tyndall and Springfield. He conducted his stores from the farm, however, in order to give personal attention to all of his af- fairs, but after a few years disposed of his mer- cantile establishments, the better to look after the large and steadily growing agricultural and live- stock interests which he now commands.

Mr. Kreber takes a keen and intelligent inter-

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est in politics and public affairs and for a number of years he has heen considered one of the Demo- cratic leaders in Bon Homme county, being a judicious adviser in the councils of his party, an influential worker and a successful cam- paigner. While ready at all times to work for the success of the party and its candidates, he is not an aspirant for office, preferring to labor for others rather than accept public honors at the hands of his fellow citizens. He is well informed on the leading questions of the day, his opinions have weight among his friends and associates and in many respects he may be considered a leader of thought in his community.

Mr. Kreber was married in Bon Homme county, in 1896, to Miss Mary Guckeisen, who has borne him four children, Carrie. George. Julia and Napoleon. Mr. and Mrs. Kreber are Catholics in religion and staunch and loyal sup- porters of the Holy Mother church. They enjoy high social position, are popular with a large number of friends and give their influence to all good work and charitable enterprises and to whatever makes for the material and moral wel- fare of the neighborhood in which they live.

ELIAS S. BECK .- Among the old and well- known families of Lancaster county, Pennsyl- vania, is the one of which the subject of this re- view is an honorable representative. David Beck, grandfather of Elias S., was one of the earliest settlers of the above county and spent the greater part of his life there, dying a number of years ago at the ripe old age of ninety-four. His wife, Nancy Groff, whose ancestors were also among the first pioneers of Lancaster, departed this life on the old Beck homestead, after bearing her husband six children, whose names were as fol- lows: Martin, David, Abraham, Levi, Eliza and Anna, the majority of whom have joined their ancestors in the life beyond death's mystic stream.

Martin, the oldest of these children, was born and reared in Lancaster county, Pennsylvania. and there spent about thirty-four years of his life, as a miller ; he also followed the same vocation for six years in the county of Berks, after which

he went to Chester, where he engaged in dairy farming for a period of two years, returning to his native county at the expiration of that time and dying in the latter at the age of sixty-seven. When a young man Martin Beck married Miss Rebecca Stone, whose father, David Stone, was an early resident of Lancaster county, also a large land owner and successful farmer, and a man of local prominence. He served a number of years as county commissioner, took an active interest in public affairs and was a politician of consider- able note, having been one of the early Whig leaders in the township of his residence. Mr. Stone was one of a committee to secure signatures to'a petition to the Pennsylvania legislature for free schools in that state and one of the prin- cipal reasons that gave strength to the petition was that so many that signed it had to make their mark. Mr. Stone was the father of seven chil- dren : Jacob, for many years a prominent real- estate dealer and business man of Chicago; Elias, a farmer who departed this life in Ohio; Daniel, formerly of Ohio, now a resident of Kansas ; Mrs. Rebecca Beck ; Mrs. Barbara Reiter : Mrs. Daniel Breniser and Mrs. Samuel Rettew.

Martin and Rebecca Beck reared a family of six children, the oldest of whom was Mary Emma, whose death occurred in Lancaster county, Pennsylvania, in the year 1902: Lavina R., the second, is still living in that county, and the third in order of birth is Elias S., whose name appears at the beginning of this article; Ambrose is a successful contractor and builder, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Alice is living in the county of Lancaster, and Jacob, the young- est of the number, is in the mercantile business at Parker, South Dakota.

Elias Stone Beck was born in West Earl township, Lancaster county, Pennsylvania, on September 6, 1852. His mother died when he was quite young, which event, with other dis- couraging circumstances, threw him upon his own resources at an early age, consequently his educational advantages were considerably limited, the greater part of his knowledge of books hav- ing been obtained by devoting his spare time to study, both at home and in his father's mill,

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where he began working as soon as old enough to be of any service. After assisting his father until reaching his majority he took a course in the Chester Valley Academy at Downingtown, Penn- sylvania, after which he left home and went to Union county, Pennsylvania, where he spent the ensuing five years, teaching school of winter sea- sons and devoting the summer time to agricul- tural pursuits. In the month of December, 1877, he was married, in the above county, to Miss Adelia Klapp, whose parents, Peter and Cather- ine Klapp, were early pioneers of their county and who raised a family of twelve children, Adelia being the eleventh in their order. There- after he located in the county of Northumberland, where he taught two years, at the end of which time he sold out and came to Lincoln county, South Dakota, settling in Dayton township on the southeast quarter of section 5, which land he homesteaded, securing a patent from the United States government. Mr. Beck improved his place by erecting substantial buildings, planting orchards and other trees, and now has one of the best cultivated, as well as one of the most valu- able farms of its area in the township, besides being quite extensively interested in stock rais- ing, which in connection with agriculture he has prosecuted with a large measure of success ever since coming to Dakota.

Mr. Beck has been honored with a number of public positions of trust, having been a member of the school board for a number of years, also justice of the peace, besides serving in 1898 as clerk of the circuit and county courts of Lincoln county, which position he held for a period of four years, his son succeeding him. He has de- voted much of his time and attention to the duties of these and other local offices, also manifests a lively interest in whatever concerns the material advancement of his township and county, and as a zealous supporter of the Republican party, makes his influence felt in the political circles of this part of the state. An enthusiastic friend of education, he has done much to arouse and keep alive a commendable interest in behalf of the public schools, and for a period of twenty years he devoted his attention largely to teaching, dur-

ing which time he earned the reputation of being one of the most capable and popular instructors in Lincoln county.

The family of Mr. and Mrs. Beck consists of nine children, the oldest being Martin Harrison, who at this time fills the responsible post of as- sistant excursion agent for the Chicago, Milwau- kee & St. Paul Railroad, with headquarters at Arnold's Park, Iowa ; he is also an expert teleg- rapher and had charge of the important office of city ticket agent of Sioux City, Iowa, on the above line before being promoted to the position he now so ably holds ; his wife was formerly Miss Alma Donaldson, and he has a pleasant home in the city where he is located. Ambrose Brady, the second son, is a young man of intelligence, filling, at the present time, the position of clerk of the Lincoln county courts : Warren Elsworth, the next in order of birth, is in the railway service, being operator and assistant agent at Yankton; Estella L., a graduate of the Lincoln county pub- lic schools and a young lady of culture and wide intelligence, is still a member of the home cir- cle, as are also the rest of the children, whose names are Ernest S., Mary Ella, William K., Da- vid R. and Charles Robert.

JOHN SCHERER was born January 23. 1836, in Hesse Darmstadt, Germany, of which province his parents, John and Catherine (Yager) Scherer, were also natives. His father devoted the greater part of his life to various kinds of public work and was a man of industry and thrift. These parents died a number of years ago in the land of their birth, leaving six chil- dren whose names are as follows: John, of this review, Lizzie, Andrew, Mary, Kate and Carl, of whom the subject and Andrew came to Amer- ica, the others remaining in their native country.

John Scherer attended school in Hesse Darmstadt during his youth and remained at home until eighteen years of age. He then de- cided to go to America, being fully convinced that he could do better in the great country be- yond the sea than in his own land, where privi- leges were few and the opportunities for rising in

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the world limited. In due time he landed at New York and from that city proceeded as far west as Henry county, Iowa, where he spent the ensuing year and a half as a farm laborer, after which he went to the southern part of the state, where he remained one year. At the expiration of that time he went to Scott county, Iowa, and engaged in farming for himself until 1866, when he came to Dakota territory, locating east of Yankton, where he entered a quarter section of land which he improved and on which he lived during the three years following. In 1869 he disposed of his real estate in Yankton county and moved to the county of Bon Homme, where he has since resided, purchasing the meanwhile a valuable tract of land in Tabor township, which under his efficient labors has been brought to a high state of cultivation and otherwise im- proved, being one of the most productive farms and desirable homes of the locality in which it is situated.

Mr. Scherer is a progressive farmer and his influence has done much to promote the agricul- tural interests in the township of his residence. He has also achieved considerable reputation in the matter of live stock, which he now makes his chief business, paying special attention to horses, cattle and hogs, in the breeding and raising of which his success has been encouraging and his income liberal. He came west in an early day, has kept pace with the growth and development of the country, and contributed of his labor and influence to introduce civilization into Bon Homme county and to bring about results that are now obtained in this highly favored part of South Dakota. In politics he votes for the best qualified candidates regardless of the party to which they belong, and while manifesting a lively interest in public affairs and always standing for good government, he has never departed from his business to seek office or aspire to leader- ship.

Mr. Scherer, in 1862, married Miss Agnes Congleton, of Butler county, Pennsylvania, who bore him nine children, namely : William, a lum- berman living in Dunwoody county, Virginia; Adelia, wife of George Biittler, a farmer of Bon

Homme county; Fred, who is engaged in farm- ing and stock raising in Charles Mix county, this state; Mary, now Mrs. Wade Glenn, of Spring- field, South Dakota; Jolin a resident of Peters- burg, Virginia, and a cabinetmaker by trade; George, a farmer and stock dealer, living in Charles Mix county, South Dakota; Maggie, a member of the home circle; Lee, who died in the year 1902, and Charles, who assists his father in running the farm. The mother of these children departed this life in 1885, since which time Mr. Scherer has kept up his home with the aid of his children, the meanwhile providing well for those leaving the parental roof to start in life for themselves.

ALBERT J. KUHNS is a native of Ohio, born in the city of Mansfield, on April 6, 1856. His parents, Joseph and Sarah (Dickinsin) Kuhns, were also born and reared in the Buck- eye state, and lived in the county of Richland until the year of the subject's birth, when they removed to Elkhart county, Indiana, settling in the woods near the town of Goshen, where in due time the father cleared and developed a small farnı. Mr. Kuhns was one of the pioneers of Elkhart county and experienced many of the hardships incident to early life in the back woods, having been poor in this world's goods, but industrious and energetic. He improved forty acres of land and after living on the same until 1862, sold out and migrated to Black Hawk county, Iowa, where he purchased land and fol- lowed the pursuit of agriculture during the twelve succeeding years, removing at the end of that time to Grundy county, in the same state. Mr. Kuhns bought a farm of one hundred and sixty acres in the latter county, made many improvements on the same, but in 1880 dis- posed of his interests there and came to Lincoln county, South Dakota, settling in Lynn township, where he purchased a quarter section of land, on which he lived until the death of his wife, in June, 1895, since which time he has made his home with his children. Joseph and Sarah Kuhns reared a family of seven children, namely :

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Esmeldora, who died in 1902; Arminda, wife of F. A. Ballou ; Mrs. Huldah Bothwell; Esther, who married J. W. Wood ; Albert J., of this re- view : Charles, and Artemissa, the latter the wife of J. Elliott.

Albert J. Kuhns was an infant when his par- ents moved to Indiana, and he spent his early life on the little farm in that state. When about six years old he was taken to Iowa, where he grew to maturity and received his educational training in the district schools, remaining with his parents as long as they lived in that state and bearing his share in cultivating the farm and contributing to the general support of the fam- ily. In 1882 he came to South Dakota and the same year bought a farm of one hundred and sixty acres in Lincoln county, which he improved and which, under his energetic labors and suc- cessful management, has been converted into one of the best and most valuable farms in the town- ship of Lynn. He still lives on this place and in addition thereto owns a quarter section of fine land in Davison county, besides having large min- ing interests in Wyoming, where he spent two years prospecting and locating valuable mineral property.

Mr. Kuhns took an active part in organizing the Worthing Elevator Company at Worthing, and served eleven years as president of the same, during which time he realized handsome returns from the enterprise, as it proved a very success- ful and profitable undertaking. He owns an interest in the Enterprise, one of the leading newspapers of Lincoln county, published at Worthing, and for several years was a member of the municipal board of that town, also a mem- ber of the school board, having been identified with the latter body ever since its organization.

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History of South Dakota, Vol. II, Part 50

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